From: "Atomic Possum" (atomicpossum@toast-net)
Subject: Brian the Brain (was Re: Space1999: Hanna Barbera?)
Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 17:22:13 -0500
I had the thought the other day....what if Brian hadn't been written as
such an absolute boob? What if Bernard Cribbins hadn't done such an
irritating voice? Would our impression of this episode be any better?
You know, I think it would. Looking at the plot, it isn't that bad.
It may be a vague bit like "The Infernal Machine," but it's not horrible.
Having a more serious Brian could have made the story rather impressive--we
have this computer arrive at Alpha, outsmart the Alphans, test Koenig and
Russell to see if he could use them against each other, and force them to
cooperate, coming off as a clever, intelligent force rather than a spoiled
child, as seemed to be the intention.
Then, when it is revealed that this logical, cold device was actually
terrified of being replaced and lashed out, the whole thing would have a lot
more impact.....This actually sounds like it could be one of the best of
season two, IMHO.
Just my two lincolns.
From: South Central (Tamazunchale@web96tv.net)
Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 15:56:17 -0700
Subject: Re: Brian the Brain (was Re: Space1999: Hanna Barbera?)
Why didn't they just give him what he wanted? At least in The Infernal
Machine it was--supposedly--Alphan supplies that Alpha could not do
without! In BTB, the fuel was just sitting there, he just needed
someone to put it in the slot. If he had landed next to the mothership,
Koenig would never even have SEEN the bodies! IIRC
Mateo
From: Atomic Possum (atomicpossum@toast-.-net)
Subject: Re: Brian the Brain (was Re: Space1999: Hanna Barbera?)
Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 18:37:10 -0500
Good points, Mateo, but that really wasn't what I was wondering. Is it
just the portrayal of Brian that causes so many people to dislike this
episode? I kind of think it is, and perhaps this can be a good measure of
some people's dislike for season two--the glaringly annoying bits make it
hard to deal with the rest.
Anyway, Koenig really was never the kind oof guy who would give in to
threats, even if there was nothing to lose by doing so....he always seemed
kind of the 'push-me-I-push-back" type.... :-)
Jon "Mr. Wonderful" Stadter
From: Simon Morris (simes01@globalnet-co.uk)
Subject: Space1999: Re; Brian the Brain (Was: Re: Hanna Barbera?)
Date: Fri, 22 May 1998 01:02:13 +0100
Thats a good point made by Jon Stadter with regard to the episode BRIAN THE
BRAIN. If Cribbins voice hadn't sounded so irritating(though I suppose it
still had a certain charm...),if certain cartoony aspects of the episode
had been erased,and so forth perhaps this episode could have been given a
new dimension.
As far as I can see,this only proves to me that what I said in an earlier
post was correct: namely it was the
*execution* of some of the episodes that spoiled Y2.
Simon Morris
From: South Central (Tamazunchale@web-tv.net)
Date: Fri, 22 May 1998 10:29:48 -0700
Subject: Re: Brian the Brain (was Re: Space1999: Hanna Barbera?)
True about Koenig's nature--but Brian didn't need to threaten him at
all. He just needed to make up some story to get them to put the fuel
in. He should have blasted the bodies (he had weapons, didn't he?).
That whole being scared of a ghost thing was ridiculous. I remember
asking someone to watch S:1999 during its original run--to get them
hooked like me. And what episode was shown--Brian the Brain. I was
VERY embarassed!
From: "Robert Ashley Ruiz" (cybrarian@cybrary_1999.com)
Date: Fri, 22 May 1998 12:14:59 +0000
Subject: Space1999: Re: Brian the Brain
> That whole being scared of a ghost thing was ridiculous.
Was it that Brian was scared of Captain Michael or that the logic
didn't add up because he knew "his father" to be dead and yet he was
seeing him now alive. I seem to remember that as Brian's "mind"
tried to cope with this problem it tied up his attention just enough
for the Alphans to push him out the airlock. I never thought of him
as scared.
From: KERRYIRS (KERRYIRS@aol4tag.com)
Date: Sat, 23 May 1998 16:41:57 EDT
Subject: Re: Brian the Brain (was Re: Space1999: Hanna Barbera?)
It doesn't really matter whether Koenig saw the bodies or not. It may have
been Brian's way of re-enforcing the notion on Koenig who was really in
control. Yes, he held Helena as hostage, but a little sadistic act always
drives the point home a bit deeper. Alsok the writer may have showed the
bodies as a dramatic vehicle for the audience as well.
In any case, when Koenig gets inside, he soon discovers, with Tony's and
Maya's help, just how desperate Brian is, or "obsessed" is a better word, if
such a word fits a machine, albeit a machine with human characteristics, can
be.
Remember, once inside, the crew discovers that the ship's computer has been
wiped clean, another leverage held over the Alphans, and Capt. Michael was in
the process of building a replacement for Brian, something he couldn't
tolerate. That's one reason why the captain was killed.
Another thing, whether the bodies were found outside or on board ship doesn't
really matter, Brian was going to kill them anyway.
"Brian the Brain" isn't a favorite of mine, but at least it didn't make the
mistake that "The Infernal Machine" did. Yes, Qwent needed supplies to keep
its human campanions alive, but Alphan technology is not compatible with
Qwent's systems, no matter what adaptations could be made. The fuel from the
mothership is earth based technology. "The Infernal Machine" is a good
episode, however.
Take care,
Kerry
From: South Central (Tamazunchale@web43tv.net)
Date: Sat, 23 May 1998 15:10:11 -0700
Subject: Re: Brian the Brain (was Re: Space1999: Hanna Barbera?)
I don't agree with your comments about incompatible supplies in The
Infernal Machine. Raw materials are raw materials. That fuel rod
looked like a big carbon rod. It' not like Gwent was asking for Windows
99. :-)
Mateo
From: Mark Meskin (plastic.gravity@new11rock.com)
Subject: Re: Brian the Brain (was Re: Space1999: Hanna Barbera?)
Date: Sun, 24 May 1998 15:23:21 -0500
I miised the first part of this post but I have afew comments anyway.
A few rod hardly qualifies as raw materials, its a highly processed
material specifically designed for that system. And why would a machine
built on the other side galaxy use the same fuel rod???? Had Gwent pulled
up and said "I need 40,000 gallons of unleaded" that would have been easy.
Ive had this dicussion or rather one about supplies and spare parts with
many of my fellow alphans quite a few times.
Supplies would definately be an issue with the Alphans, and giving up
anything would be a risk. How many spare eagle parts are laying around???
I'd expect that sometime down the road Alpha would have to come to terms
with the fact that not all of the eagles could be maintained 100 percent.
Even if many of the things the Alphans needed were manufactured on Alpha,
certain systems or components would not be, and this would be a problem.
Oddly, Windows 98 would probably be the easiest thing to adapt, since a
computer as powerful as Gwent would have no problem running an Intel
emulator just like those used to make a Macintosh run Windows(admittedly,
this is a wasteful use of a $3000+ G3machine that gives windows performance
that is slower than a used Pentium 90 that sells for about 200 bucks) Since
Gwent is self programming, this would eliminate the need for a programer
:-)