Date: Sat, 13 Apr 1996 17:55:10 -0700 From: Ronald Dudley (dudleyrd@expert.cc.purdue4tag.edu) Thanks to the Sfcafeguy for the Fab #24 interview with Set Designer Keith Wilson. > Between the two seasons, he > was production designer on Star Maidens, a short-lived Anglo German series, > and after Space: l999 ended he became production designer on the six UK-based > episodes of "The New Avengers" second season. What? I thought New Avengers ran for only 1 season, consisting of 22 UK based episodes, and 2 filmed in Canada. > EVERYTHING WAS JUST SO VAST. THE INTERIOR OF ARRA'S SHIP IN COLLISION COURSE, > AND GWENT FROM THE INFERNAL MACHINE. Compare the interior of Gwent from Year1 with the cramped interior of Sahala's ship in Year2. Fred F. had a bigger budget, but I think we know which season was done on the cheap. > YOU HAD A BIT OF A PROBLEM WITH THE ULTIMA THULE SET ON DEATH'S OTHER > DOMINION. > > [....] They used > formaldehyde to create the snow, but it did leave an odour. It was a "bleach" > smell or something like it, and it made your nostrils tingle. He doesn't say the snow was "made of formaldehyde", but he seems to say it was made using formaldehyde. Whatever residue remained may not have been so bad, not like working with it as morticians used to do. > WHAT REALLY IMPRESSED ME ABOUT GUARDIAN OF PIRI WAS THAT IT WAS THE FIRST > TIME A TELEVISION SCIENCE FICTION SHOW HAD DONE SOMETHING SO STRANGE, SO > IMAGINATIVE. I THINK THATS MY FAVOURITE SET OF THE WHOLE SERIES. In contrast the the gravel pit that was used for numerous planets in Dr. Who, Or the California desert that was used for numerous planets in Star Trek. > I think the thing that l hated about the original series of Space were the > uniforms. I hated them, because they weren't flattering to any of the > artistes, they were so restricting. I'll agree. They make Landau look like he has a flabby stomach. Or did he really have a flabby stomach, and they just hid it better in Year2? The uniforms hid the women's curves too. > As soon as we did the second series I said "Right. Great! We don't have to stick > to the uniform do we?" -- and they said, "No, we can do what we like." So > then we altered it. We gave them shirts, we gave them boots, we gave them > patches and pockets, , , , Year1 was great beacuse of its atmosphere of mystery. Unfortunately, the mystery in Year2 was reduced to: Where did Victor, Paul, & Kano go, and what did those corny patches stand for? > They couldn't put hands in pockets or anything and they were frightened > to move in case lumps and bumps showed up, which they did. Landau's flab again? I hope that it was just a bizzare visual illusion. > One thing about Space which I still think was extraordinary, was the casting. > Some of the actors that we got on those shows were unbelievable. We had > Richard Johnson, Leo McKern, Joan Collins, Judy Geeson, and a lot of them > just had quite small parts. It was amazing. I don't know how they managed to > get all those really quite big actors for the time on the show like that. Agreed! Maybe those artists loved Gerry Anderson's puppet shows? Notice that all these great artists (including Peter Cushing & Christopher Lee) were in Year1. Who did Year2 have? Anouska Hempel, Lynne Frederick, Peter Duncan, and people in Bug Eyed Monster suits. If that's your fancy, fine, but what a flipflop! > ANOTHER FAMOUS GUEST STAR WAS MARGARET LEIGHTON IN COLLISION COURSE, AND IT > WAS THE LAST THING SHE DID BEFORE HER DEATH. > > Yes, it certainly was the last thing she did. She was wonderful, but she > didn't understand a word she was saying. She had a lot of nonsense to say and > hadn't a clue what it meant. She still did a great job delivering her lines though. Too bad the newbies in the TV Spawn of Star Trek don't deliver their excessive techno-mumbo-jumbo lines as well as she did with the nonsense about mutation that the 1999 writers cooked up for her. I just can't stand it when, during an emergency, Geordi or Dax or Belanna says "I've got this new method of _______________", and the captain agrees to try it, inspite of the lack of information on how reliable it may or may not be. These starfleet types ought to be dying in droves from trying whatever cool-sounding techno-babble their engineers spout off about, but haven't implemented until this week's emergency comes up. Regarding Margret Leighton's throne: > IT'S LEO MCKERN'S BED IN THE INFERNAL MACHINE AND CROPPED UP AGAIN AS PATRICK > TROUGHTON'S THRONE IN THE DORCONS. > > That's absolutely right! But that was the whole point of the show, I kept > re-using things. What was so nice about it from my point of view, was that > each week I had to keep thinking of new things and I was looking at objects > in a different way. Someone ought to make a list of these things, to add to the alphan casualty list, and the lost eagle list, and the blooper list. Someone ought to list all the things Maya ever tried to turn into. Anybody want to see my list of all the destruction caused by Koenig? I call it "Koenig's Rampage of Death". Good night folks
Date: Sat, 13 Apr 1996 20:42:21 -0700 From: agirton@accs4tag.net (Alan Girton) Subject: RE: At last, an argument I feel compelled to jump into. As for Star Trek's "excessive techno-mumbo-jumo" our good Alphan Ronald (and neighbor too, Frankfort IN is a little Eagle jump from PU) suggests a captain buys without question, I think such acceptance of the new and untried only exemplifies the best strength's of Trek's captains. It demonstrates that they have exceptional trust and respect for the skills, knowledge and intuition of his or her subordinates. Such a demonstration is something we should all wish our captains (bosses, superiors, etc.) would have for us. Not that this should turn into one of those tiring "Star Trek v. S:1999" debates, but I always admired Trek for that. Alan
Date: Sun, 14 Apr 1996 13:48:39 -0700 From: dbdlee@terra44port.net (Danny Lee) Subject: Really Shallow Thoughts... It was a good thing that Nick the Dickless was knocked off the list. Unfortunately, idiots like him ruin it for the rest of us. (Too bad there isn't a genetic test to test for major assholes...) Is there a position open for a FOOL a la Colonel Jack Tanner?? Just curious. Throwing my hat into ring about Voyager vs. Space 1999. I have loved both Star Trek and Space 1999 since watching them as a five year old. Unfortunately I do not like the turn that Star Trek has taken in the past five years. It has become a parody of itself. I have found I can not watch a complete episode of DS-9 or Voyager without changing the channel halfway through. This is rather bad considering I had always considered myself a Trekkie. Looking back on the Space episodes I have on Beta (!!!!!)and what I have seen in Voyager. I personally think that Space is really better than Voyager for several reasons. 1) The Alien factor. Everytime I watch a ST based series, I have this sudden urge to puke. In all the episodes, the Feds always seem to be the most superior of the groups compared to intellectually stunted aliens. (IE Freddy F. syndrome...) If they are so goddamned superior in all the ways then why do they always have problems with the races? Because the show's writers treat the aliens like addled minded morons and not give them any qualities. Alphans never had that problem because they were always at the disadvantage. The writers gave them abilities above and beyond the alphans and personalities to match (whip wielding, red tight wearing babes aside). 2) The conflict factor. The voyagers tend to come from the Neville Chamberlain school of diplomacy. Peace at any price when a simple show of force and some wise diplomacy could do and well, presto end of problem. Space 1999 types tend to take the middle ground and live by the philosophy of "It is better to use a kind word and a 2 by 4 than it is to use just a kind word." Unfortunately the writers tend to use the 2 by 4 too much as common in English science Fiction. More bang for the buck I guess. 3) Resurrection Does anyone really die in Star Trek? They've been stuck in a warp with resurrection. Spock was bad enough, but I think it has gone too far. At least in Space, when they're dead, they're really dead. None of this coming back next week as the long lost cloned brother that lived with the mysterious scientist aunt on the planet Goober. 4) Punching bags: Ensign Kim vs Alan Carter Ensign Kim really gets me. There are only so many times where he could screw up or get beaten up or get shot or get blasted out of an airlock or get lost or get taken hostage before one realizes he's bad luck. Who would trust a navigator who gets lost all the time? You'd figure that after a while he might learn a little. Ole Alan was a wonderful punching bag too. He got beaten up on a regular basis that he probably got one of those coupons from Dr. Russell, "Get treated for broken ribs and you get a free rectal exam on your next visit" At least he was a competant punching bag and ended up these situations because he didn't have much of a choice not out of incompetance. 5) Philosophy The common moral in Voyager is that the Universe is soft caring happy place with some really BAD people who make life had until the Feds come in and make it better by giving the BAD people therapy and kissing the booboos to make them all better. Bleah. Space's is very simple. Survival of the fittest. Unfortunately, what many of us don't realize in our soft insulated world is that the universe is a dangerous place. Rules of law and civility don't mean anything in nature. We tend to forget that they are a man made creation. 6) The snob factor Voyager proclaims that they are the true descendent of the original Star Trek. All their episodes seem to have this feel of that they are the pinnacle of Science Fiction and nothing will be better while they peddle mind numbing pap. Unfortunately many Trekkers feel the same way. Space comes with no pretentions. It really isn't much better science fiction wise, but it's fun. Great campy fun. And comes across as entertainment which it is. 7) Commanders Captain Janeaway. A woman captain is a good idea, however, she comes accross as some know-it all. "Ah yes, I know much about Fricassian culture. As a dating ritual, they like to dance naked in a vat of Tapioca pudding while singing all two hundred verses about the Man from Nantucket. Here let me show you." At times lacks the leadership qualities that one needs when on a Moses like quest to "the land of milk and honey." She lacks the iron will needed to be that type of leader. Commander John Koenig, he's the dictatorial boss that is needed in a wandering society, but not annoying. He confesses his ignorance and doesn't act as a know it all. The only problem I have with him is that he always seems to be the punching bag whenever Carter is not handy. 8) Quality of writing The scripts are basically the same for both series. Group of humans and their alien pals encounter strange societies and civillizations while trying to find their way home or looking for a home. Writing's about the same. Considering how badly Space 1999 was panned by their critics it really doesn't help Voyager much. I personally feel that Voyager has avoided such wrath because of its lineage and Paramount's PR hacks. I wonder if Voyager brought Freddy F. back to do the writing. Also one can argue about quality of special effects and treatment of women, but there is a twenty year gap between the shows. One can not judge the past by present day standards, although I must admit Space's portrayal of women is rather pathetic for a egalitarian society. All in all, if I had a choice between Voyager and Space 1999, I would definately watch Space. At least I don't have the urge to change the channel out of sheer bordem. Ah well. Just my opinion of the situation. Any comments can be directed to me. Dan Lee
Date: Sun, 14 Apr 1996 17:40:17 -0700 From: Ronald Dudley (dudleyrd@expert.cc.purdue4tag.edu) Dannie Lee (dbdlee@terraport.net) thoughts: > Everytime I watch a ST based series, I have this sudden urge to puke. In > all the episodes, the Feds always seem to be the most superior of the groups > compared to intellectually stunted aliens. Agreed. The TV Spawn of Star Trek do suffer from a superiority complex. The hostile aliens are mostly just misguided, but Captain Picard/Sisko/Janeway will show them the error of their ways. The 1999 aliens are just inherently hostile, and Koenig just has to slaughter them all, even if it is genocide. Kill or be killed! > Space 1999 types tend to take the middle ground and live by the philosophy > of "It is better to use a kind word and a 2 by 4 than it is to use just a > kind word." Unfortunately the writers tend to use the 2 by 4 too much as > common in English science Fiction. More bang for the buck I guess. I agree about the overkill in 1999. Consider 1999 from the victims/aliens point of view, what might be called "Koenig's Rampage of Death": 1. Koenig tried to murder the Space Brain with an eagle full of atomic bombs. 2. Koenig let Helena drill into the Caldorian Sleeper ship chamber, killing the occupant. 3. As commander, Koenig is responsible for all the other killings caused by the alphans, such as when Queller blew up the 3 Sidon spaceships. 4. Koenig (negligently?) let Ryan fly into the Black Sun, killing Ryan. 5. Koenig destroyed the Guardian of Piri, the last remnant of an entire civilization. This was like than destroying an archeological site, or an ancient library. Koenig was no Indiana Jones. 6. Koenig caused the Triton Probe to blow up, destroying the last remnant of an entire civilization. 7. Koenig drove Brian mad, and even threatened to lobotomize him. 8. Koenig broke Gwent's fuel rod, condemning Gwent to death by energy starvation. 9. Koenig also caused the Bringers of Wonder to die of energy starvation. 10.Koenig lured Balor into an airlock under false pretenses, and then had him ejected, to face the eternal torture of the space vacuum. 11.Koenig lured Vindrus into the transfer chamber under false pretenses, sent him back to face extinction with all his people, and blew up the temple. 12.Koenig threw Zova out an Eagle, into the space vacuum, in another dirty underhanded trick. 13.Koenig blew up Dione's ship, killing her and her crew, in another dirty underhanded trick. 14.Koenig dared Eliza to follow him to her planet, causing her to die. 15.Koenig fired his gun into the brain that sustained the planet in "War Games" causing planet-wide nuclear explosions, wiping everything out. 16.Koenig caused the Dorcon's spaceship to blow up, wiping out lots of people. 17.Koenig invaded the habitat of the creature on Cellini's Probeship, poked it in the eye with a knife (or axe ?), and caused it to die. 18.Koenig invaded the habitat of the intelligent Glistering Rock lifeforms, and shot one dead. 19.Koenig cut off energy to the Seed of Kalthon as it was growing, effectively aborting the birth of an entire civilization. 20.Koenig starved Magus of life-sustaining sunlight, and caused the New Earth to blow up, wiping out ecosystems, and committing environmental genocide, besides killing all the intelligent lifeforms there. 21.Koenig tried to blow up Mentor and Maya with a bomb eagle, and then Koenig wrecked Psyche with a crude club, destroyed the planet, wiped out an entire civilization (genocide), numerous plant and animal species. 22.Koenig ignored the warnings, went exploring on Terra Nova, caused the Moon to blow up, killing himself and everybody else, except Helena. What did I forget, aside from Koenig the Kannibal eating a citizen of Luton, and punching out Zarl? What does all this say about Koenig? The guy spend half of his time hurting and killing aliens, and blowing up planets! Outer space might be a dangerous place, but as someone (Amardeep?) said, Captain Picard usually talked his way out of a bad situation. The result of meeting up with Koenig usually is death. Let's face it: the guy attracted trouble everywhere he went! And Koenig repaid trouble in spades. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Also see Evacuation and Koenig the Tyrant.] > Does anyone really die in Star Trek? They've been stuck in a warp with > resurrection. Spock was bad enough, but I think it has gone too far. At > least in Space, when they're dead, they're really dead. Well, they do die in 1999 ("War Games", "Matter of Life and Death"), but they're just dreams. You're right about the repetitious ressurections of Kirk (killed twice by Spock), McCoy (killed by jousting), Scottie (killed by Nomad). Chekov's (killed at the OK Corral) was just a dream. > Ensign Kim really gets me. There are only so many times where he could > screw up or get beaten up or get shot or get blasted out of an airlock or > get lost or get taken hostage before one realizes he's bad luck. Who would > trust a navigator who gets lost all the time? You'd figure that after a > while he might learn a little. Tonto was also a punching bag for the villans who were after the Lone Ranger. Could it possibly be because Hollywood writers like to have minorities be the victims? > Voyager proclaims that they are the true descendent of the original Star Trek. Voyager is the true descendant of "Lost in Space"! Janeway is Maureen Robinson, divorced, independent of men, and with a ship of her own. (Wesley Crusher was the reincarnation of Will Robinson). In a future episode, they will probably gain a robot. > Captain Janeaway. A woman captain is a good idea, however, she comes > across as some know-it all. She comes across as Katherine Hepburn in a jumpsuit! > Considering how badly Space 1999 was panned by their critics it really > doesn't help Voyager much. I personally feel that Voyager has avoided such > wrath because of its lineage and Paramount's PR hacks. I wonder if Voyager > brought Freddy F. back to do the writing. Fred probably went back to Hanna-Barbera, where he belongs. > Not that this should turn into one of those tiring "Star Trek v. S:1999" > debates, but I always admired Trek for that. This isn't 1999 versus ST. This is reality vs ST. I just can't stand it when in an emergency, Geordi, Dax, or Belanna says something like "Captain, we might thy using warp particles/tachyons/an inverted subspace field/hyperdimensional singularities/modulating the quantum phase invariance/graviton pulse/etc. I have been running some simulations on this, and it will fix everything." And the captian says "Well, I can't draw on my experience to fix this, so I'll defer to you once again." 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