"The Taybor"

Excellent!

Then again negotiations was a rather central factor in Year One. I believe THE TAYBOR was the only Year Two episode where the round table was put to use.

In Year One the round table negotiations was the key to decision making, and in certain episodes, like COLLISION COURSE, commander Koenig's authority is put in question. It is rather interesting to see how fragile Alpha has become in Year Two, episodes like THE SEANCE SPECTRE and SEED OF DESTRUCTION examplifying how the rigid structure is almost cause to its own destruction.

BUT, I prefer to see The Taybor in terms of the anthropological concept of "The Trickster" [....]

The Taybor as Mephisto? I've never though about it in this manner, but you have a fascinating point, nevertheless. And John Koenig's part in the story is that of Faust?

This is a rather original point of view, I feel. My impression would be that perhaps something like NEW ADAM, NEW EVE would be an easier choice in order to talk about tricksters.

The trickster in NEW ADAM, NEW EVEN even bares the name of the well known trickster from the New Testament, Simon Magus, who wanted to trade with the apostels in order to be empowered by their magic.

I believe NEW ADAM, NEW EVE is the central trickster episode of the series with images and references to people like Merlin, Nostradamus, Simon Magus and Keith Wilson apparently using the trickster of the world of the arts, Salvador Dali, as inspiration.

In that episode the promise of a new world is how the trickster tries to lure the Alphans into his devious schemes, Terence Feely, who also used a similar trickster plot in THE BRINGERS OF WONDER, perhaps wanted to focus on bogus prophets and false hopes of the 1970s. THE BRINGERS OF WONDER is certainly a witty comment on lifestyle using images of golf and hi-fi in a double contexture to show mankind on the edge of disaster.

Anyway, although I feel THE TAYBOR is less of a villain and more of a symbol of fatigue and emptiness due to a too materialistic world view, there certainly seem to be trickster elements to his behaviour as well.

The Taybor offers the Alphans a ride home in exchange for a friend. In almost any narrative about Tricksters, there is a human hero who tries or succeeds in tricking the trickster. This episode is unusual in SPACE 1999 for showing Koenig actually doing the dirty work himself (placing the device on the ship) without consutling anyone. Koenig is in mythical hero mode here.

Mythical, yes. Although Year One sometimes used mythology in a subdued manner, take DRAGON'S DOMAIN for instance, Year Two often jumps all believability and goes pure mythology.

I wonder to which extent Freiberger was an enzyme in this process. Quite interestingly, the most mythological episodes of Year One, such as MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH (first draft), COLLISION COURSE, DEATH'S OTHER DOMINION, THE INFERNAL MACHINE and DRAGON'S DOMAIN where all written by Americans, the final version of DRAGON'S DOMAIN apparently being Penfold's polish of somebody uncredited who, according to Martin Willey, did not contribute beyond this episode.

Europe having a much longer history than Northern America seem to make this phenomenon rather surprising, but a continent short of history would perhaps be in even greater urge in finding suitable mythologies. DRAGON'S DOMAIN certainly seem to be about the process of finding and adapting mythologies of the past, St. George and the Dragon in this case, for the modern world.

I agree, however, that Koenig seems to be in a mythical mode in THE TAYBOR episode. Speaking as a Norwegian, perhaps how the gods of Valhalla and Viking mythology seemed constantly to be tricking each other would be a suiting mythology to look for further connections. Well.

The Trickster is usually a one dimensional character, with little or no background who just appears and disapears. Here, we learn something about him and even understand him to some extent.

This is perhaps why I feel NEW ADAM, NEW EVE and THE BRINGERS OF WONDER may be better examples of the tricksters in action. I feel Taybor is to complex to represent pure chaos. Although he may seem malevolent in the prologue, pointing a gun at Alpha, he is far from the Balors or Dionnes. In fact, when Mike mentioned Sir John Falstaff in his analysis of THE METAMORPH, my first thought was THE TAYBOR.

Even when Taybor tricks the Alphans in the end by switching the robot Maya for the real thing, his actions seem more to be driven by frustration than by evilness.

Nevertheless, I agree with your argument, Andre.

Now. Perhaps the anthropological concept of negotiations could give more insight to the phenomena at display here?

Petter

From:  Costopoulos Andre (costopoa@ere.u44montreal.ca)
Date:  Tue, 21 Jul 1998 15:34:33 -0400 (EDT)
Subj:  Re: Space1999: Re: The Taybor

Petter,

I will tell you why I feel that the Taybor may be a better example of the Trickster than New Adam/New Eve or even the bringers of wonder. In New Adam/New Eve, there is a VERY strong element of coercion. The Alphans are not really tricked by the magician at any time. They would have eventually travelled to the planet for a survey. All he had to do was wait for them. It merely suited his purpose to have them travel there under a certain impression. In any case, he was badly mistaken about several things. Force is absent from the classical trickster narrative, and so is actual physical danger. In my estimation, this last factor rules out the Bringers of Wonder. Furthermore, Trickster merely go away, regardless of the outcome of the story. They are free to reappear should they choose to. IN New Adam/New Eve, the vilain is destroyed. He is not a wanderer. He is more like a spider whose web the hunting pit destroys.

Well, I ramble on.

OT: Petter, you are from Norway. Southern or Northern? I spend quite a large chunk of my time in Northern Finland (Oulu-Kemi-Tornio area). I also know a few people at the University in Tromso and in Bergen. Know anyone there?

Andre Costopoulos
Departement d'anthropologie
Universite de Montreal

From:  South Central (Tamazunchale@web44tv.net)
Date:  Tue, 21 Jul 1998 15:08:36 -0700 (PDT)
Subj:  Re: Space1999: Re: The Taybor

Petter wrote:

"Europe having a much longer history than Northern America"

and "a continent short of history"

! Petter how do back up this statement? Or are you only referring to "white European descended history" and if so, say so. Chicanos and other indigenous peoples have inhabited the "Americas" for thousands of years. "History" did NOT begin when white men set foot on this continent.

BTW I am enjoying your lively discussions with Andre--you guys must have been separated at birth! :-)

Mateo

From:  David Acheson (dkach@hot44mail.com)
Date:  Tue, 21 Jul 1998 21:43:21 EDT
Subj:  Space1999: The Taybor

Our weekly discussion brings us to THE TAYBOR which begins, for me, a somewhat downward, yet thankfully temporary, slide towards silliness for SPACE: 1999. Several episodes that follow tend to take the comedic "LOST IN SPACE" approach to this episode and apply it to episodes that were seen to be dramatic. This upcoming portion of year two tends to be more representative of the negative criticisms layed towards the second year as a whole. Cartoonish adventure replacing the psychological approach or even straightfoward honest adventure. It wasn't until the middle of year two when I found the episodes began to move away from this "silliness" towards the more dramatic adventure stories like we seen earlier with THE METAMORPH, THE EXILES, ONE MOMENT OF HUMANITY and JOURNEY TO WHERE. This I saw as a good move. Most likely too late though as the series failed to regain viewers and was subsequently cancelled.

I digress. Actually I do not totally dislike THE TAYBOR. I see it as being created to be a rather comedic entry in the series so I take it at that level. Its okay to have one oddball in a collection. Whether the credited screenwriter, Thom Keyes, was intending a light "LOST IN SPACE" approach I am not sure. If Fred Freiberger did not have a hand in it he certainly had no problem applying it to following episodes. Unfortunately Mr. Keyes is no longer with us (died in a car crash according to Robert Ruiz' Cybrary) but if anyone has anything on his motivation for this episode I would be interested in hearing it.

The director here is Bob Brooks which this is his first entry for SPACE: 1999. I believe, if memory serves me correctly, he stayed on with the series but I have no info on his background prior to this episode. He does an okay job but nothing special here.

The real talent of the story working at all is probably due to Willoughby Goddard. His approach to Taybor was a light hearted Leo McKern. There are many similarities between Taybor and Companion of THE INFERNAL MACHINE. Two lonely and intelligent space travellers in need of companionship. Taybor's fate is less tragic but his life is just as pathetic in many ways. But as this is a comical episode we won't get into too much of the psychology of it all. Needless to say he finally found something he wants to build his life around - Maya. Under normal circumstances Taybor would have been arrested as a stalker or put away for analysis but his life is far from what we consider normal. Thus we are able to feel pity for him.

Many instances made this episode so un-1999 like and more of something that would be at home in the universe of DOCTOR WHO, STAR TREK or even LOST IN SPACE. Included are:

1. Taybor has a trading licence that we clearly see giving him permission to sell his wares. We never saw an economy-based universe in the series up until now.

2. Perfumes for sale. Helena wearing Essence of Hermosia collected by robot drones in the upper atmosphere of the planet. Real different.

3. Helena having the ability to create an android. The Earth technology of the series never looked as if creating an android was feasible. Yet Helena comes up with a duplicate Maya. I will just have to put that odd piece of the show to Taybor helping her with alien technology.

4. Taybor's flaming red and orange spacecraft. Unusual in the usually dark universe of 1999.

5. The dinner for Taybor. Yes I know he requested it but we never seen the principles wine and dine a guest, let alone an alien, before. Taybor burping and falling dead drunk was funny but odd.

As usual Maya saves the day by outwitting Taybor but overall I felt it was Martin Landau who stood out in the episode as a nemisis. His Koenig here is not unlike his ruse in THE LAST ENEMY (only not as deadly).

I always wondered about the title for the episode. Why THE TAYBOR? Why wasn't the second season opener called THE MAYA? On COSMOS: 1999 (the French version of the series) the episode title is directly translated to read as TAYBOR, THE TRADER. I think I like this better.

Overall an unusual entry. I would put it somewhere in the middle. Its the more serious episodes that have silly elements that make me cringe more.

David Acheson

From:  Atomic Possum (atomicpossum@toast4tag.net)
Date:  Tue, 21 Jul 1998 21:27:59 -0500
Subj:  Re: Space1999: The Taybor

Taybor has a trading licence that we clearly see giving him permission to sell his wares. We never saw an economy-based universe in the series up until now.

Actually, I think this is the one major element of this epsiode that gives it any value whatsoever (other than that fantastic ship design). This is the first time any sort of galactic civilization is implied. Granted, the Taybor is a trader and would his travels would range quite widely (especially given Emporium's travel facility), but this is the fir indication we have of exchanges between star systems on a regular basis. It implies only a hint of something like Star Trek's universe, where exchanges between the stars are as common as long-distance phone calls are today, but it does hint that something is going on around the Alphans which they have no part in....It's an interesting perspective on the Alphans' plight, for a change.

Helena having the ability to create an android. The Earth technology of the series never looked as if creating an android was feasible. Yet Helena comes up with a duplicate Maya. I will just have to put that odd piece of the show to Taybor helping her with alien technology.

Yeah, this always bothered me....of course, it was little more than an animatronic puppet....

One of the disappointing moments of this episode was the notion that this would satisfy the Taybor...I mean, he wants Maya, but the Alphans think that an inflatable love doll would be enough to make him happy? He would have had to been quite simple minded, wouldn't he? This part of the story made me think this epsiode was being geared to five-year-olds.

Taybor's flaming red and orange spacecraft. Unusual in the usually dark universe of 1999.

Groovy! I've always loved the British approach to the aesthetics of sci-fi, and this is one of the better moments on film.

Artists like Chris Foss have revolutionized the images of technology, where spaceships can be flowing teardrop shapes with outlandish color schemes, and it's nice to see something along that line onscreen. Americans seem unable to visualise space hardware as being anything other than white, spaceships have to be either extremely detailed with microscopic little fiddly bits, or must look like airplanes.....yick.

Of course, Babylon Five is changing those attitudes over here, now....

Jon "Mr. Indigenous" Stadter

From:  Mark Meskin (plastic.gravity@new44rock.com)
Date:  Tue, 21 Jul 1998 21:52:50 -0500
Subj:  Re: Space1999: The Taybor

Many instances made this episode so un-1999 like and more of something that would be at home in the universe of DOCTOR WHO, STAR TREK or even LOST IN SPACE. Included are:

You hit it right on the head, brother.

Taybor has a trading licence that we clearly see giving him permission to sell his wares. We never saw an economy-based universe in the series up until now.

Or anything beyond a local star system. All of a sudden we are in the ferengi empire...ick!

Perfumes for sale. Helena wearing Essence of Hermosia collected by robot drones in the upper atmosphere of the planet. Real different.

Yeah...umm..ok

Helena having the ability to create an android.

This is such a pan to trek, and totally out of character with the show up till now.

The Earth technology of the series never looked as if creating an android was feasible.

No it wasn't. This is crap-fantasy.

Yet Helena comes up with a duplicate Maya. I will just have to put that odd piece of the show to Taybor helping her with alien technology.

If they had this technology, it would have had other uses that would have been seen to us before. Can anyone say"Send the damn android to check the nuclear waste..."???

Taybor's flaming red and orange spacecraft. Unusual in the usually dark universe of 1999.

It looked like a cheap model, with decals from a 57 chevy hot rod kit.

The dinner for Taybor. Yes I know he requested it but we never seen the principles wine

Was there wine available?

Overall an unusual entry. I would put it somewhere in the middle. Its the more serious episodes that have silly elements that make me cringe more.

I'm with you on this one david, its stupid, and hurts the shows credibility, but I don'y hate it like say "Rules of Luton".

Mark

From:  jcg@vh4tag.net
Date:  Tue, 21 Jul 1998 22:46:36 -0400
Subj:  Space1999: The Taybor

Very, very little to say about this episode. I like the fact that there were no explosions, no Alpha buildings being blown up, no deaths. The episode worked off the strength of the characters, and the guest character.

I see Freddie didn't jettison everything from year one...the solarium is front and cleavage...er..center in this episode. (And we learn watching in production order, or at least as close as we might get to it, that part of the sweep through the solarium shot for this episode was used in The Exiles...which is interesting, because that means how many weeks went by since shooting Exiles, and it wasn't finished yet if they were borrowing footage from Taybor.)

I thought Catherine Schell did an excellent job of playing mannequin.

There were two closeups of Taybor on the big screen that made me wonder if they were actually rear screen projections, rather then matte inserts.

And of course when we see Tony on Taybor's screen, that's Anholt standing behind the wall, so they didn't have to do an additional costly optical.

The ugly Maya (who is called "Slatternly Woman" in the credits) had her voice dubbed. I wonder if that was for effect, or they didn't like the actress' reading.

That's all I wrote down. I think this episode works for the same reason others have said Journey To Where does...the interaction of the Alphans...which is an improvement on Freddie's part when it works.

From:  "Tom Miller" (tmiller@north44net.org)
Date:  Tue, 21 Jul 1998 22:58:21 -0400
Subj:  Space1999: taybor...

IT STUNK! My oh, how cute we are, speaking about hyperdrive and mapping star charts for the Taybor. My, how he loved the beer and passes out. My, how rubber-like the robot is, and how Taybor speaks of a group of tradesman that he is kin to.

This did show the sillyness of what can happen when you take a high budget production and make it into a cartoon. How cute. But as cartoons go, bring me Scooby anytime, he makes more sense than this episode.

PS: the swimsuits the women were wearing....how dated and seventyish...I can't believe I was a teenager then....

Tom..

Date:  Tue, 21 Jul 1998 23:49:57 -0500
From:  Mike Lynch (Mike-Lynch@big44foot.com)
Subj:  Space1999: The Taybor

I have been rather quite the past few weeks (I've been helping a friend with a web site by creating graphics for him, and making further updates to my portfolio for the ever important "job hunt" *groan*)

Anyway. It's been quite some time since I've seen this episode, so I'm going to make this rather brief since I don't want to start wandering into areas that I don't have a clear memory of. It wasn't until I was in college that I began to appreciate this episode, and by then it had been nearly ten years since I had seen it (...which would mean that I haven't seen this episode in almost 16 years!). I was in Shakespeare and we were discussing HENRY THE FOURTH, and the character Sir John Falstaff was striking a very familiar chord. ...Admittedly I had not read HENRY THE FOURTH prior to my second year of college. It hit me during one such discussion that Falstaff reminded me of the Taybor (or more correctly: the Taybor reminded me of Falstaff). Just as Falstaff was consumed with "sucking the marrow out of life" the Taybor had a similar view. Aside from the most obvious common trait (both characters are fat and wear their decadence proudly) they both tend towards surrounding themselves with the "riches" of life: beauty, material wealth, food, women, wine, sex, and so on. The Taybor making a pass at Maya by stroking her thigh and then passing out after drinking is is so reminiscent of Falstaff that it is difficult to tell the two characters apart (or at least see that one was modeled after the other). The trickery that the Taybor reveals also doesn't fall far from the same tree as Falstaff.

Depending on who directs a production of HENRY THE FOURTH Falstaff can be portrayed as a gluttonous sloth who is unkempt and repulsive, or he can be portrayed as a rather a flamboyant, colorful, robust, yet personable gentleman. The latter seems to fit The Taybor to a "T"... even down to his space craft. As David Acheson stated, the Taybor's ship is one of the brightest images we see in in the dark universe of Space: 1999. Aside from being designed to be different and strikingly alien the ship seems to capture and personify the Taybor's excessive and materialistic nature. ...even when the ship goes into "hyper-drive" the light show is spectacular and colorful unlike the monochromatic presence of the probe in RING AROUND THE MOON, or the simple blue modular design if the Kaldorian ship in EARTHBOUND. The only thing that seems to be missing the the Taybor's ship is a decidedly phallic design... but perhaps that would have been going to far.

I wish I could add more to this, but I don't clearly remember every aspect of this episode.

Mike

From:  Petter Ogland (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no)
Date:  Wed, 22 Jul 1998 10:18:11 +0000
Subj:  Space1999: Re: The Taybor

! Petter how do back up this statement? Or are you only referring to "white European descended history" and if so, say so. Chicanos and other indigenous peoples have inhabited the "Americas" for thousands of years. "History" did NOT begin when white men set foot on this continent.

Ooops, sorry about that!

I believe what I wanted to focus on was the history of modern thought and society. Books about the history of philosophy has a tendency of starting with Thales, about 600 B.C., and show how our present understanding of ourselves, in the mind of the most established philosophers of today that is, is a result of 2500 years of continuous philosophical debate.

This is perhaps a somewhat limited point of view perhaps, and obviously more a history of the philosophy in terms of the culture of the Western world of scientific achievements and Christian thought, than being a contribution to an understanding of the world from a more global perspective.

As the world gets more and more connected, this etno-centric perspect is perhaps to diminish somewhat, and I believe that it has, in fact, more or less continuously done so, in Europe at least, after Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein symbolically put more or less an end to logical empirism in the early 1950s, the main philosophical paradigm of its day. Arne Naess, for instance, the well known Norwegian representative of that group, turned 180 degrees and started eco-philosophy, perhaps one of the main influences on SPACE:1999.

Believing people like Terpiloff, Wallace, Bellak and Freiberger being of European or Jewish decent, I assume much of the focus on mythology in their episodes may be based on European intellectual history. The American philosophical tradition did not make such a significant break with pre-war philosophical thought as for example the Frankfurther school in Europe, and thinkers like Quine and Davidson has contributed to assimilating logical empirism with pragmatism, I believe the philosphers would say. This context also could perhaps put more perspective on Freiberger's and Wallace's contributions.

Nevertheless, both from a visual and an intellectual point of view, SPACE 1999 seem to have borrowed from other cultures as well. Zantor and his crew in EARTHBOUND seem quite reminisent of native Americans (Indians) while the aliens in WAR GAMES seem both visually and intellectually to have been modeled on elements of Buddist culture. David Weir of BLACK SUN and GUARDIAN OF PIRI is known to have been deeply influenced by Japanese thought, and Fageolle speculates about the representatives of Sidon in VOYAGER'S RETURN being a references to Sionists.

In Year Two there are abundance of cultural references to ancient cultures like the Sumerians, the Egyptions, the Greeks and so on. Maya herself is perhaps derived from a hindu concept of "maya" having to do with transformations and metamorphosis.

In fact, in startling contrast to the original STAR TREK, which seemed to be about US world hegemony, SPACE:1999 tried to keep an open mind, I think, focusing mostly on global issues such as ecology, global economy, the different sides to science and technology and so on, asking more questions than being able to answer during its run.

For me this open approach is perhaps one of the reasons I still find it so immensly enjoyable. As the ancient Greeks told each other stories of Apollon and Athene, or the Vikings had their mythology of Thor, Odin, Brage and so on, film and perhaps TV in particular must be the most important medium of modern mythology.

In his marvellous book Fageolle quotes Michel Butor as of saying something like Sci-fi being the closest one gets the mythology of modern times. Discussing SPACE:1999 on this list certainly makes me confront my own opinions of a diverse list of issues in life from time to time.

BTW I am enjoying your lively discussions with Andre--you guys must have been separated at birth! :-)

Heh heh. I think his anthropological angle to reading the episodes is totally fascinating and an excellent way of putting a finger on parts of the episodes that trancends beyond the camp entertainment value of the shows. Absolutley magnificent, yes!

Petter

From:  Costopoulos Andre (costopoa@ere.umontreal.ca)
Date:  Wed, 22 Jul 1998 08:09:51 -0400 (EDT)
Subj:  Re: Space1999: Re: The Taybor

Yes, and the Taybor is an excellent example. I agree with others on the list who have said that this episode is quite bad. Many of the problems pointed out are very serious. But it nonetheless conforms to a certain category of human narrative, and as such it is interesting. I am usually not much of a structuralist, but examining this "cycle of Alpha" in detail as we have been doing, I cannot help but see a certain grammar of basic elements being used to tell stories and establish contexts. And they turn out to be the same that humans seem to have always used.

And Petter, don't even try. You won't get me involved in a discussion of the Vienna circle on this list!

Andre Costopoulos
Departement d'anthropologie
Universite de Montreal

From:  Petter Ogland (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no)
Date:  Wed, 22 Jul 1998 13:34:49 +0000
Subj:  Re: Space1999: The Taybor

Yes, and the Taybor is an excellent example. I agree with others on the list who have said that this episode is quite bad. Many of the problems pointed out are very serious.

Jon Stadter indicates that the main target for this episode must have been five-year-olds, Tom thinks it as awful and David Acheson suggests the episodes signifies a change of direction with the mid-season episodes of Year Two making them even more silly than the earlier ones.

But it nonetheless conforms to a certain category of human narrative, and as such it is interesting.

My point of view is that while the acting, design and much of the surface elements of plot and subplots go haywire, much of the original writing for the series was not all that bad. The global economy aspects of THE TAYBOR, for instance, is quite interesting from my point of view, along with interpretations of Taybor reading him as a "trickster" or a space age Falstaff.

Mike's parallells between Taybor and Falstaff are extremely perceptive, I think, and a wonderful contribution both in understanding HENRY THE FOURTH and SPACE:1999. In terms of thinking about human narratives I believe the line between Shakespeare, the head of Western literary canon according to people like Harold Bloom, and phenomena like THE TAYBOR may very well give similar insights into the human experience.

I am usually not much of a structuralist, but examining this "cycle of Alpha" in detail as we have been doing, I cannot help but see a certain grammar of basic elements being used to tell stories and establish contexts. And they turn out to be the same that humans seem to have always used.

This is what I find the most interesting with you perspective, Andre, the focus on structure forming the Alpha characters in certain types and patterns of behaviour.

Even in the silliest of episodes such as ALL THAT GLISTERS or RULES OF LUTON there are contexts forming that suite the episodes in some manner. In fact, I think the logic of dreams and pattern of behaviour that seem to have been inspired by Ed Wood in ALL THAT GLISTERS actually suits the episodes focus on ecology and the Earth's limited resources very well. Perhaps contrary to Ed Woods ridicuous efforts at anti-war messages and the like in PLAN NINE FROM OUTER SPACE, the central theme in ALL THAT GLISTERS seems utterly coherent and understandable, and Ray Austin using the language of Bunuel just makes it all more inspired and synergetic.

We haven't discussed THE RULES OF LUTON yet, an episode I presently consider close to totally hopeless, there may be interesting bits there too. My curiosity is insaturated in terms of what can be said about this episode from an anthropological point of view.

And Petter, don't even try. You won't get me involved in a discussion of the Vienna circle on this list!

Heh heh. From where I'm standing SPACE:1999 seems actually to be very much based on a cultural response or at least parallell to the emergence of rivals to the Popper philosophy of science. Remember, Thomas Kuhn publishes his work on the structure of scientific endevour in 1970, and James Lovelock's first significant publication in 1972. Gregory Bateson also published some of his major works in the early seventies, didn't he? I have the first one he wrote in 1972, I think.

By the end of the 1970s we have the beginning of an alternative scientific movement based more on the paradigmas of biology than the ones inherit of logical positivism, mainly based on Laplacian physics of the late 18th century I suppose.

Anyway, I feel that SPACE:1999 must be in some way symptomatic of the change in man's understanding of himself during this rather interesting decade.

Petter

From:  Stefano Alpa (reste@mbox.ulisse4tag.it)
Date:  Wed, 22 Jul 1998 19:13:11 +0200 (MET DST)
Subj:  Re: Space1999: Re: The Taybor

In Year Two there are abundance of cultural references to ancient cultures like the Sumerians, the Egyptions, the Greeks and so on. Maya herself is perhaps derived from a hindu concept of "maya" having to do with transformations and metamorphosis.

This is a good comment, Petter.

Already previously has been written that in Egypt Maya means "water" but also exists another meaning as much interesting.

In the mythology of ancient Rome "Maia" (the "y" was a letter added to the Latin alphabet and therefore had often replaced from the "i"), Atlas' daughter, was Jupiter's wife , the father of Gods; from their union Mercury, the messenger of Gods, was born.

Besides that, the same name had an ancient italic divinity too (indicated even as Maiestas), to which had consecrated the month of May.

Stefano

From:  Petter Ogland (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no)
Date:  Thu, 23 Jul 1998 16:08:48 +0000
Subj:  Re: Space1999: Re: The Taybor

There seem to be many connections between the name Maya and the metamorph ability. Freiberger does not seem to have picked the name just out of the blue.

I look forward to the discussion of THE RULES OF LUTON in a couple of weeks where we get the opportunity to really dig into Freibergers conception of this character and what it may have represented to him.

Petter

From:  Petter Ogland (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no)
Date:  Thu, 23 Jul 1998 15:59:58 +0000
Subj:  Re: Space1999: Re: The Taybor

I will tell you why I feel that the Taybor may be a better example of the Trickster than New Adam/New Eve or even the bringers of wonder. In New Adam/New Eve, there is a VERY strong element of coercion. The Alphans are not really tricked by the magician at any time. They would have eventually travelled to the planet for a survey. All he had to do was wait for them. It merely suited his purpose to have them travel there under a certain impression. In any case, he was badly mistaken about several things. Force is absent from the classical trickster narrative, and so is actual physical danger.

Well, Magus of NEW ADAM/NEW EVE is not much of a Mephisto character, you may have a point there, and the episodes does not seem to focus much on him tricking the Alphans into getting motivated in the wrong direction. Not sucessfully, anyway, although there is an interesting romantic build-up that perhaps could fit into the trickster narrative.

In my estimation, this last factor [physical danger] rules out the Bringers of Wonder. Furthermore, Trickster merely go away, regardless of the outcome of the story. They are free to reappear should they choose to. IN New Adam/New Eve, the vilain is destroyed. He is not a wanderer. He is more like a spider whose web the hunting pit destroys.

Yes. It is certainly looks like the end, doesn't it, and as he goes, so does his world. I believe the dominating disbelief in magicians, whiches and the mythology of the ancient cultures also narrows our world in a way, although hopefully for the better in most cases.

I agree with your point that NEW ADAM/NEW EVE is not a trickster story per se. False prophets, mad scientists, Frankenstein and Golem is perhaps a more fitting category. I suspect there must be anthropological concepts pin-pointing this type of narrative as well, a type of story that at least seem incredibly popular with the Western culture with the arrival of the industrial revolution and ever since, I suppose.

I'm not convinced that THE TAYBOR is more of a trickster episode than the Feely episodes, however.

From my point of view at least THE BRINGERS OF WONDER seem to be a better illustration of the trickster characteristics you defined. While the psychological motivation of Taybor is revealed more and more as we go along, the creatures in BRINGERS OF WONDER are clearly one-dimentional and seem to be used in the story for no other reason than to motivate the actions of the Alphans.

You have a point about the Alphans being put into a situation of physical danger, but, on the other hand, most of what is happening in THE BRINGERS OF WONDER is on the mental level, and in most cases, the most interesting cases at least, the Alphans put themselves into danger living in a dream world, much like Faust I suppose, not seeing that they are ruining their very own existence, or perhaps loosing their soul if one prefers to look at it from that perspective.

In fact, I feel the trickster aspect is very central in this episode. The Alphans are being promised the world. Although not malicious, the things the three astronauts set out to do, as they return, indulging in an orgy of sports, girls and technology, seem nevertheless to be some kind of statement from Feely about how the careless attitude may be an instrument of destroying ourselves. Looking at it from this perspective I think it may even compare with the trickster episode in the Bible where Jesus is tempted by the devil to use his gift in a non-concert manner.

OT: Petter, you are from Norway. Southern or Northern? I spend quite a large chunk of my time in Northern Finland (Oulu-Kemi-Tornio area). I also know a few people at the University in Tromso and in Bergen. Know anyone there?

I'm afraid not. At least I can't remember knowing anyone in the anthropologist circles in Tromso or Bergen. I am a computer scientist working at the Norwegian Meteorological Institute (dnmi) which is situated in Oslo on the Univerisity Campus.

By the way, Andre, are you working on a project in concert with the Nordic countries, or is your interest in the northern part of Ultima Thule motivated by other reasons?

Petter

From:  Costopoulos Andre (costopoa@ere.u44montreal.ca)
Date:  Thu, 23 Jul 1998 14:09:14 -0400 (EDT)
Subj:  Re: Space1999: Re: The Taybor

I agree with your point that NEW ADAM/NEW EVE is not a trickster story per se. False prophets, mad scientists, Frankenstein and Golem is perhaps a more fitting category. I suspect there must be anthropological concepts pin-pointing this type of narrative as well, a type of story that at least seem incredibly popular with the Western culture with the arrival of the industrial revolution and ever since, I suppose.

Absolutely. Stories of man-made beings, or beings made by other unauthorized entities (i.e. not allowed to create) are widespread and fascinating. I hope we get to discuss one at some point.

In fact, I feel the trickster aspect is very central in this episode. The Alphans are being promised the world. Although not malicious, the things the three astronauts set out to do, as they return, indulging in an orgy of sports, girls and technology, seem nevertheless to be some kind of statement from Feely about how the careless attitude may be an instrument of destroying ourselves. Looking at it from this perspective I think it may even compare with the trickster episode in the Bible where Jesus is tempted by the devil to use his gift in a non-concert manner.

You very well may be right. I have not seen bringers of wonder in a long time. It is not one of my favourites. Of course, most episodes of Space 1999 can be interpreted in terms of several conceptual frameworks.

Norwegian Meteorological Institute (dnmi) which is situated in Oslo on the Univerisity Campus.

Wow! That's amazing! I work on simulation of prehistoric human behaviour, mainly exchange behaviour so far. I can't even imagine dealing with atmospheric phenomena. Besides, my computer is too small.

By the way, Andre, are you working on a project in concert with the Nordic countries, or is your interest in the northern part of Ultima Thule motivated by other reasons?

You know how these things happen. I ended up in Finland as the result of a series of academic accidents. As I am fond of telling the Finns: "What do you mean I am in Finland, I thought this was Sweden!" That really gets them going...

Andre Costopoulos
Departement d'anthropologie
Universite de Montreal

From:  Michael Perry (indylibrary@yahoo4tag.com)
Date:  Thu, 23 Jul 1998 15:48:13 -0700 (PDT)
Subj:  Space1999: FS??:  Koenig Halloween Costume....

No jokes, please...

This is a Collegeville Deluxe Costume: Space 1999 Koenig 2118 Med(ium) (8-10) 47" to 52" tall. 1975 ATV Licensed Limited.

The Mask is C9.5 with one little wrinkle in the chin area.

The Bodysuit is C9. A bit of logo is rubbed off but overall it looks very nice.

The box is C6-C7, bent and folded in several spots, but overall very nice as far as print goes.

Let me know what you think.

Michael Perry

From:  Chris Hlady (chlady@escape4tag.ca)
Date:  Thu, 23 Jul 1998 23:54:39 -0500
Subj:  Space1999: Hey Taybor: Ever been to Piri?

Sheesh, go away for a while, catch up with quickskim, and what?

NOBODY mentions that the model for Maya in The Taybor looks strikingly like the model for the guardian of Piri. Both used Catherine Schell as the model (great bod), and both get their faces blown off (misogyny, anyone? anyone?)

Well, what can one expect.

I guess you're all gasping for what I have to say about The Taybor, sooooooo, I'm not going to tell you.

Toodeeladoo

but to review: i liked the comment about the round table. nobody mentioned the return of Maya's spiffy Psychon outfit. Nobody heckled "The Limpett Transmitter." LIMPETT!!! anyone? anyone?

"Well, looks as if Taybor's a sore loser afterall."
"Beware of trader's bearing gifts." <------lame-o

martin landau halloween costume: ooooooooooooooo how much?

"if you can't tell me the quadrant, you can not give me the rooting angle, the sub-clusters or the spindrift."

"for all i know, this could be a penal colony."

andre & petter: love the trickster talk. you nailed it.
loki, what have you done now?
nothing thor, nothing.

Well enough, I'm off to the races, sheep to count, and all that.

Chris Hlady

From:  djlerda@juno4tag.com
Date:  Fri, 24 Jul 1998 01:19:08 EDT
Subj:  Re: Space1999: Hey Taybor: Ever been to Piri?

"if you can't tell me the quadrant, you can not give me the rooting angle, the sub-clusters or the spindrift."

Spindrift? Has Taybor been to the Land of the Giants? :-)

From:  Petter Ogland (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no)
Date:  Fri, 24 Jul 1998 09:59:43 +0000
Subj:  Re: Space1999: Off Topic Messages / The Exiles

[Re: an argument (not reproduced here) about what constitutes "indigenous."]

It is interesting that the debate was initiated by a discussion on THE TAYBOR. I think both David, Mateo and others have said many interesting things, many things that would be quite relevant in an interpretation of THE EXILES or even ALPHA CHILD, I suppose.

In THE EXILES, for example, Cantar and his people had been the rulers of Golos until being forced into exile. This may be perhaps mirror the situation of the native Americans in some way, originally ruling the territory, but due to uncompatible behaviour for symbiosis with the modern technological world that was diffusing to all corners of the world more or less according to the second law of thermodynamics, they apparently found themselves exiled into reservoirs or in other ways taken care of in order to to reduce friction in the megamachine that was building.

The plot in THE EXILES develops by Tony asking what kind of people the Alphans are, not willing to give the others a helping hand. When Alphans finally bargain with Cantar and Zova, it's difficult to say whether the aliens are motivated by frustration or just see themselves as a different biological species from the Alphans and hence do not care very much for the fate of Alpha at all.

The expansion of the Roman empire was mostly based on rational thought, I believe, the Romans being if not scientists then at least more modern than the people they where fighting as the had superior technical skills, engineering skills, a monetary system, perhaps a more sophisticated culture and so on.

Interesting enough, the Roman empire did not last, at least not in the form of how it was instanciated in 200 or 300 a.d., it was and one of the main reasons for it breaking down, I suppose, was that it did not have a unified belief system. I think the story of Jesus being asked whether one should pay taxes or not indicates this. The Romans were apparently more concerned with pragmatical issues of maintaining and expanding the empire on technical terms than really caring about individual moral.

With the breakdown of the Roman empire, I believe it became quite apparent that it was not an easy task to do business or even living together with people of another belief. If they did not have more or less the same moral or belief in what life, the universe and everything was all about how could one be certain that contracts were followed?

In the beginning Christianity spread quite rapidly and quite frustratingly to the Romans as this represented a different system of belief from what the empire was built upon and hence people subscribing to this new theology would perhaps be impossible to trust. Later, of course, they saw no other possiblilty than to make Christianity the religion of the state in order to eliminate all friction, although this was perhaps realised too late and did not include the foreign labour that was also becoming a threat.

Even if the Roman empire crumbled, the Christian belief seemed to be a sustainable one. My ancestors, the Vikings, who were also realising more and more that they were living in exile putting faith in a religion and mythology that did not make them to be trusted in the rest of Europe , made it impossible for them to collaborate with others, apparently must have bwecome increaingsly frustrated. As the situation became suffocating enough, Norway was already made into one kingdom in the 800s in order to function more efficiently and increase the probablily of survival for the lesser communities and individuals, in the first half of the 11th century it was apparent that it had to adopt the Christian religion as well in order to prosper and survive.

I think THE EXILES seem to be dealing with the same type of problems as this, the friction between people of different culture. In more recent history we have of course the internal wars in the former Yugoslavia that has been discussed to some extent on this list in relation to Johnny Byrne's interest in this and his episode THE MISSION OF THE DARIANS.

THE MISSION OF THE DARIANS, then again, seem to have been motivated, according to Byrne by the Viking legacy, the conflict in Ireland and aspects of race ideology of the pre-WWII world. THE EXILES may also have been inspired by this difficult problems of the Jews living in exile in Europe and Russia, using their own moral codex and by not assimilating into the general culture becoming a threat. In fact, I believe THE EXILES illustrates this quite clearly.

Petter

From:  LKJ1999@aol4tag.com
Date:  Fri, 24 Jul 1998 06:36:10 EDT
Subj:  Re: Space1999: Off topic posts

In a message dated 7/24/98 12:32:09 AM Eastern Standard Time, djlerda@juno.com writes:

And now back to our regularly scheduled review of "The Taybor":

IT STUNK! Grade: D-

It stunk, You gotta be joking! I really like the Taybor!!!

Chas P.

From:  Petter Ogland (petter.ogland@dnmi4tag.no)
Date:  Fri, 24 Jul 1998 18:16:22 +0000
Subj:  Space1999: tricksters, man-made beings and prehistoric behaviour

Absolutely. Stories of man-made beings, or beings made by other unauthorized entities (i.e. not allowed to create) are widespread and fascinating. I hope we get to discuss one at some point.

I believe Joe Gammon's original script for VOYAGER'S RETURN was concerned with this, although Johnny Byrne gives it a somewhat different angle. And then we have BRIAN THE BRAIN which I suppose could be read as something perhaps having to do with artificial life going Oidipus.

Another interesting episode that I look very much forward to discussing is A B CHRYSALIS which also seem to be about life, death and new life in an interesting manner. Well, we'll get to that in due time. What I'm looking most forward to at the moment, however, is Chris Hlady's penetrating analysis of social comments in THE BETA CLOUD! His "coming attraction" teaser got me completely!

Keith Wilson was very happy with THE BRINGERS OF WONDER, I think.

I have not seen bringers of wonder in a long time. It is not one of my favourites. Of course, most episodes of Space 1999 can be interpreted in terms of several conceptual frameworks.

There are some quite good dialogue bits, I think, in this one, and some of the cross editing of pleasure and disaster is quite witty. I suppose it could have benefitted by being edited down to 50 minutes.

I work on simulation of prehistoric human behaviour, mainly exchange behaviour so far. I can't even imagine dealing with atmospheric phenomena. Besides, my computer is too small.

Prehistoric human behaviour? Perhaps you could add something to FULL CIRCLE then. I feel that episode is a bit tedious by too much running, fighting, grunting and screaming. Until now I have found this one of the least enjoyable of Year One, although it has its moments too.

You know how these things happen. I ended up in Finland as the result of a series of academic accidents. As I am fond of telling the Finns: "What do you mean I am in Finland, I thought this was Sweden!" That really gets them going...

Heh heh.

By the way, the Fins have a wonderful sense of humour too. I remember Pertti made some rather had the rare ability of both being thought provoking in a very witty sort of manner. Some of his best contributions are still being quoted regularily I've noticed.

Petter

From:  David Welle (dwelle@online.dct4tag.com)
Date:  Fri, 24 Jul 1998 21:12:42
Subj:  Space1999: The Taybor

Hello all.

I've scarcely been online this week, have been swamped busy for weeks (trips, the incredibly awful turnover at work, etc.). Wow, tons of Taybor posts, I see. This ought to be interesting reading; but before I catch up on the reading, I figure I ought to put in my own two cents before the end of this episode period, or I'll miss this one like the last several.

This is one of S19's few (almost) purely comedic pieces, and works out pretty well into an enjoyable, if very light, story. A couple of this thread's titles have included the word "trickster," which seems very appropriate for the Taybor.

He's a trader who comes bearing gifts *before* he even arrives. These "gifts" materialize (why does one of the women in the Solarium call it a "box", though?), then proceed to apparently injure a couple of Alphans.

A worried Koenig becomes flustered when some presence announces himself on the screen, refuses to identify himself, then "lands" by making his ship -- which looks more art than machine -- appear out of vacuum, in a burst of light. Taybor himself appears in Command Center, and has a tank materialize outside Alpha as well, before reassuring the crew that he means no ill intent, by his appearance or his gifts. "Sudden appearances make us nervous," Koenig declares.

Taybor has been listening in, and knows the names of Alpha's command staff, and tries charming the crowd, as it were (calling Tony's security "splendid" is a weak attempt, though). He casts a lustful eye on Maya and lays it on thick with her. She looks puzzled, as if never complimented in such poetic phrasing, and Tony merely looks baleful or annoyed.

Taybor reveals his credentials, which looked entirely silly to me for years. Why? Simply because it shows information in English, and an easily-read signature. This really made no sense, even *with* Alphans and aliens almost always understanding each other, because for some reason, it seemed more a matter of auditory understanding (babel-fish, anyone? -- or maybe a gift from some generally benign force, like Arra maybe) than understanding writing. Of course, the whole language issue is, as most SF TV does, ignored, so the writing really shouldn't be any different. Whatever the case, Taybor seems to think like a sailor, with references to "skipper of this trusty moon," "hard tack" (sp?), and almost starts sounding like a jolly pirate at times, which seems more apt, to some degree, as the episode progresses. He does and says everything with flourish, and with a flourish on his flourish.

He denies his gifts were of ill-intent, instead talking as if the Alphans were babies, then explains the Alphans were not being harmed, but were enjoying a kind of odd R&R in the form of good memories brought out by the devices.

Anyway, enough about that. Taybor alternately tries to ingratiate himself with the Alphans, then mock threatens them, which the edgy Alphans don't appreciate. Finally, though, Taybor convinces, at least to some degree, the Alphans that he is of no real threat. Indeed, he does strike one as a jolly, humorous person, and it is hard for the Alphans to take him too seriously. He is loud, almost obnoxiously so, but seems more bluster than bark, much less actual bite.

He keeps looking at Maya every time he refers to his looking to trade for things of beauty.

Taybor and the command staff sit down for a meal. The women come dressed more formally, and Maya looks absolutely stunningly sexy in her Psychon dress. The Alphan men don't seem to bother changing.

Taybor seems content to eat and drink his fill, making small talk -- and a pass at Maya by grasping her thigh (!), stating its "a sign of friendship on my planet" (who does he think he's kidding?), which Maya fends off with a partial, out-of-sight, transformation. "Now we're friends," she says with an impish smile.

Taybor starts talking about hyperspace and a jump drive, already slurring his words more than usual, getting quite drunk on Tony's beer ("Traybor the Tader"). Not unlike most people with their cars or computers, Taybor doesn't know how these things work. Taybor wierds out before burping and collapsing, much to the others' amusement.

Koenig wants to trade to get plans for the jump drive, and they offer them the Moon -- or at least to get a ride to a habitable planet. Taybor's evasive at first, then admits he could probably take them home to Earth. Maya immediately looks less than joyed. Taybor notices, and queries after that, apparently not realizing Maya's alien to the Earth people (and for all Taybor knows, she may just be another race of human). Taybor claims he passed by Psychon once, and now prattles on about taking her back there after they drop the others. The protective looking Tony is less than amused that Taybor reminds Maya of the loss of her people, which she informs the Taybor of in a sad, resigned voice.

Taybor pauses speculatively, then blasts on, trying to find out where this "Earth" is.

Koenig: Galaxy M104?

Huh? Our galaxy [has] a Messier reference?

Taybor: First intergalactic moon I've come across.
....
Koenig: There have been space warps.
Taybor: The little doors into hyperspace.
So you too jump!

(Wish something like this had been said a few times in the first season, in addition to what happened with the "Black Sun.")

Koenig, who I have been informed started out as an astrophysicist, starts listing PKS (pulsar) and NGC (New Galactic Catalogue) referents. Even more than Taybor's trader's identification, this exercise strikes me as futile, and definitely is, in this case, for Taybor does not understand the names and designations Koenig uses. Taybor speaks in very different navigational terms, perhaps what the hyperspace system prefers. I wondered why Maya didn't understand the Taybor's references, but maybe Psychons didn't use the same reference system as Taybor's people either.

In the end, they simply do not have enough of a common frame of reference to figure out Earth's position.

Taybor invites Koenig aboard, and promptly, without warning, zaps him aboard. Taybor gives a short tour, and an introduction to the jump drive. Then Taybor heads into hyperspace, his ship disappearing from Alpha's sight, startling and angering them to the point that Tony yells at Maya that she knows about hyperspace (yeah, like she's got the technology needed to scan hyperspace...).

Taybor makes ill-timed jokes about taking Koenig to the zoo or the slave market. He's nothing but fun and games, to borrow the phrase Koenig once used in regard to Psychons (Mentor seemed to like playing with his prey). Finally, Koenig gets tricky Taybor to revert back to normal space, which nearly kills a couple Alphans in doing so.

Taybor has already refused the offer of Moonbase Alpha for the jump drive, because he's lonely, and wants Maya! He goes on and on about all the beautiful things on his ship, and mutters about his loneliness. He wants to trade for a mate.

Koenig refuses, of course ("she's not mine to give away"), and that basically dashes any hope for a deal. Taybor seems to take it well, and even accepts the offer of a mechanical replicant in the lovely form of Maya, with her voice.

It's well-played, except for the kind of silly-looking scene in the lab where the robot is being made. This scene stuck in my memory as cringingly awful even when I saw it as a kid, and I was actually grateful (!) to the Sci-Fi Channel (!) for mercifully cutting it. Funny thing is, seeing that scene for the first time in twenty years with an uncut tape, it doesn't seem any less out of tune with the more than slightly off his rocker Taybor, who wants "Maya" adjusted to look more wide-eyed and happy.

Tony: A waxwork dummy with a computer voice. He's not right in the head."

The Maya dummy doesn't even move its mouth when it talks! This whole business strikes several Alphans as odd, to say the least. but they do it.

This wierd deal complete, Taybor sends down the "diagrams." Forget two dimensional diagrams, it's in a three-dimensional, pyramidal form. Koenig invites Taybor down for a little extra trading on the side. Taybor is prattling on to his robotic "Maya," saying "she" will love some planet he's going to.

Koenig has two of his command staff, Maya and Tony, watch over the trading, still not entirely trusting Taybor. This seems like a bad command decision on Koenig's part, for why put Maya next to the very person who's been after her already. Of course, she's already managed to handle Taybor's earlier advance without difficulty, and maybe John thinks her presence will keep things going smoothly.

This viewing, though, I realized the connection between this and Koenig's going out to attach a transmitter to Taybor's ship. Maya's a distraction.

At the end of the trading (and after Koenig's finished his bit), Taybor gives a gift to Maya, manages to override Tony's objection before it's spoken. He gives way because Maya obviously wants the jewelry, which is very Psychon looking. When Tony leaves, Taybor waves his hands in front of her, and she becomes essentially hypnotised -- like the glowing device is some sort of mental damping field -- walks with her hand on Taybor's as they walk and then vanish back to his ship.

It does indeed seem like a mental damper, because she is almost mindless, speaking with little recognition of anything (even her own image), and slowly. Taybor obviously wanted the real, living and vivacious Maya, yet has reduced her to a robotic manner. Taybor seems to like his women a bit dumb.

Since Maya said she wanted to show the pendant to Helena, when Tony was present, that's where Tony tells John that Maya is, so John goes to Helena's quarters, only to run into her and a cloud of "Infidelity" (I liked Taybor's earlier explanation of the name), the perfume Taybor has given her. Taybor's not easily tricked, and though Taybor stole Maya, John manages to think through the pheromonic haze and realize, in anger, what's happened.

Visual communication is re-established, and the commander's fear is verified. Taybor once again calls the Alphans children, pretends to be concerned about having his "license" revoked, then sends back Maya -- who blows up! It's the robotic copy of Maya. (Like I said when I reviewed "Guardian of Piri," someone seems to like turning Catherine Schell into a robot, and then blowing her up at some point. Hmm....)

Taybor: Did you think I'd settle for a copy, Skipper? I only collect ORIGINALS!

Maya, apparently strong of mind, overcomes the pendants power over her, throws it off, and angrily orders him to send her back to Alpha. Maya's less than seduced by Taybor's plans to tour the galaxy and offer of marriage. She gets even more angry, which only seems to be make him want her more.

Taybor: Not only is your beauty breathtaking, but you have the spirit of a wild, untamed beast!"

Gee, there's a heck of a line... :-)

Maya: You don't know how wild, Taybor.

Taybor: A transmorph!

His smile grows even wider at this, and as he drops a cage over her. She breaks out of that, only to be imprisoned in glass.

Her plea for him to return her to Alpha falls on essentially deaf ears, for he is not hearing her as a person, but as an object, a possession: "What? Lose my most beautiful possession?" That's about all she is to him.

Koenig's planted transmitter picks up signals from Alpha (now how the heck does that happen? -- time to suspend disbelief), and transmits the sound through the hull of Taybor's ship:

Koenig: Remember, Taybor surrounds himself with things of beauty; that's why you're there. Please try to understand....

Funny how Taybor hears one thing, but Maya hears better, and understands, transforming into a "slatternly woman" (as the end credits list her). The glass, evidently designed to hold beautiful things <G>, instantly shattered.

Taybor: Foolish metamorph. I'm giving you the opportunity to be surrounded by beauty forever.

He's totally objectifying her at this point, as nothing but one of all his other objects of beautiful -- maybe the most beautiful, as he says, but still an object.

Taybor is a trickster of skill, but in the end, cannot stand the thought of having to stare at a "female reflection" of himself, and relents, sending Maya back to Alpha.

Maya teases Tony a bit at the end, and Yasko actually says her lines in a professional sounding manner. Taybor's a "sore loser," and takes away everything that had been traded, including the jump drive diagrams, and returning the Alphan's materials.

This time, among others, it's the Alphan(s) helping Maya escape a situation, in this case by Koenig giving Maya the "key" to escape Taybor. Losing jump drive information that could get them to Earth or another world is a high price for the honor of the Alphans in saving Maya's honor, so to speak, but it's Taybor who's the sore loser.

Alphans come away with nothing more or less than they had or really looked like they were destined to get, while Taybor crawls away more lonely and with less honor than he might have had before.

There isn't a huge statement in this episode, but I've always seen it as a comedy, and as such, it's a very enjoyable episode. The characterizations, including Taybor's, hum right along, and the plot works (again, in a comedic, trickster-centered way).

It's definitely not one to be taken seriously, IMO.

Well, gotta run. Have a good weekend on Alpha and elsewhere. :-)

---- David Welle

From:  "Ellen C. Lindow" (sfdxb@scfn.thpl.lib4tag.fl.us)
Date:  Fri, 24 Jul 1998 18:58:31 -0400 (EDT)
Subj:  Space1999: Gypsies, Medicine Shows and Travelling salesman

The trickster discussion was intriguing, but I think you're way off base comparing Taybor to the mythological trickster. I believe his origins are to be found closer to home in folk tales, and urban legends than mythology. Taybor was the quintessential travelling salesman who peddles his wares on the fringes of civilization and who's attention to the farmer's daughter is both the subject of jokes and unwelcome. the Alphans were the rubes, hicks or shills that the medicine show man performs his show for, and cons out of the family belongings.

Charles, I like this episode too, but find it unsatisfying, as others obviously do. The basic idea has a lot of promise, but was executed in such a way that we are cheated out of what had the potential to be a good story. The trader brings a glimpse of a civilization beyond the reach of the Alphans and the only thing they have of interest to the trader is not for sale. The trader attempts to con the Alphans out of their prize, and they respond with some rather inept chicanery themselves. Neither party is satisfied at the end.

This could have been an incredible story if the writers had decided to stretch themselves a bit. What if the trader had been played by someone attractive (say, perhaps Ricardo Mantalban, with his incredible voice?) What if Maya had been tempted by his advances. What if they had been advances instead of a bargain like he was buying a piece of meat? Taybor was portrayed as a pathetic grubby figure of a man, but Alpha seemed to have as many buxom babes as any given Baywatch episode. Were all of them so complacent on Alpha that there were no gold diggers among them willing to throw themselves at the trader in hopes he would take her away? That could have been an interesting controversy to explore. Would the commander forbid one of the Alphans-- either Maya or some expendible nobody-- to go with Tabyor if whe were willing, or would he see it as an opportunity to get someone off the base, perhaps able to send for the others at some time in the future, or send help from some do-gooding social service agency that's part of the civilization Taybor hails from. How about Taybor romancing several Alpha babes, promising all of them lifts in exchange for romantic favors. (Even as unattractive as they made him this could have been an intriguing plot.)

Now, as for Koenig's trading ability, it was _embarassing_. One of the reasons we feel uncomfortable is that our hero really comes off as a loser in this episode. And a loser against a pretty inept foe. This trader had some dazzling technology, but was both a drunkard and a lame con man. Koenig's only legitimate offer was unfulfillable and the only things Koenig asked to trade for was unattainable, and Koenig _never_ clued in to this. Traders to remote areas traditionally carry gossip, news and small easily tranportable items of small value (which helps to make them unattractive, if still vulnerable to piracy), items that the purchasers would not make the effort to procure themselves from far away. Unfortunately the Alphans had a product they could have used to make a modest trade for and everyone would have felt more satisfied-- including the audience. Think of the irony when Taybor exclaims over Tony's beer. It might be a joke on Alpha, but they had a potential buyer who liked it. Would passage off Alpha, perhaps for a small team of people, be worth a few barrells of beer? Instead of trying to trade they deprecated what could have been a valuable product. And if resources aren't available to make large quantities, that should only make the product more valuable! Raw materials-- such as water could be a negotiating point, and if Koenig could get a small group to a civilized planet, (even some podunk backwater) they might have worked their way into a position to be able to purchase, lease, or charter a space ship and come back for the other Alphans. (Whew! I feel a severe case of fan fiction coming on!)

Anyway, I think the episode had great potential that was unfulfilled. (Even I can't find anything redeeming to say about Luton.) I did like Helena's blue dress and found the perfume amusing. (Terry Bowers has recently written a hot little piece of fan ficc involving that perfume that will knock your socks off.) And being a hot rod fan, I loved the flames on the ship. If I ever have a spaceship, I want flames on mine too.

From:  Chris Hlady (chlady@escape4tag.ca)
Date:  Sat, 25 Jul 1998 00:13:29 -0500
Subj:  Re: Space1999: The Taybor

Maya looks absolutely stunningly sexy in her Psychon dress.

Amen brother.

The round table dinner was a welcome respite from the rest of season two. It's too bad the Alphans never had a french cook. Dinner is always a fascinating setting for character development.

Of course, with the ongoing threat of limited life support as a series 2 prerequisite, it would be difficult to justify the time and effort of a really good meal.

Ellen's comment about Taybor as the "travelling salesman" as opposed to "the trickster" is merited. The link between trickster and travelling salesman would be an interesting project. However, ever since Greece, we've been made aware of Trojans bearing gifts. I don't know if there is a link between Loki, of Norse mythology and the Trojan Horse.

The legend of Taybor amused me more in memory then in review of the episode. I found him poorly cast, ill-designed, and significantly less amusing than Harcourt Fenton Mudd of Star Trek. To me, he resembled some of the less savory comic shop owners I've had the misfortune to come across. Yuck.

The theory of the jump drive was interesting however, and David addressed the problem nicely. Criticism of Koenig's negotiation technique are well-founded. Here, more than anywhere, the absense of Victor Bergman is painful. Koenig had no one to discuss concepts by thoughtful verbal means.

Chris Hlady grades "The Taybor" B- on the basis of David's accurate observation.;-)

Chris Hlady

From:  mcevoyc (mcevoyc@rcsn4tag.nb.ca)
Date:  Sat, 25 Jul 1998 22:38:21 -0300
Subj:  Space1999: The Taybor

I have actually had the time to watch this particular ep and despite my initial, and seemingly incontrovertible, impression that this was a real dog of a story and a waste of time.....well, I actually enjoyed it and found it to be very well written (language) though still somewhat weak in plot.

Taybor did not provide enough mystery to the story an edge that it could have used; a little bit of the darkness of Balor would have served the story well. Infinitely better than The Beta Cloud!

There was, however, something odd about this episode.....they actually used their comlocks to open doors!! If you watch many of the Y2 eps, they do not use their comlocks very often, the doors just open (ala Trek). But, many times the actors are using their comlocks to open doors. Of course I will probably be proved wrong on this, but could it be due to the fact that Bob Brooks was new to the series?

From:  "Simon Morris" (simes01@global44net.co.uk)
Date:  Sun, 26 Jul 1998 18:04:47 +0100
Subj:  Space1999: The Taybor

Just a quick word about this episode since I'm right out of time this week........

Basically I think its the weakest of Y2(though better than Y1's RING AROUND THE MOON and MISSING LINK tosh) and actually worse than some of the oft-quoted "crap" episodes such as the 3 Freiberger ones -which I actually like!

I suppose within the episode is a decent story--somewhere--trying to get out. Its a brave try at writing a lighter-hearted episode but its bungled at virtually every turn. A lot of the dialogue is simply silly and Willoughby Goddard is so over the top he's in orbit. I also find the episode a touch boring......

In the interests of fairness I should point out that there is some appealing characterisation of the regular cast(you just wish it would feature in a better standard of episode)and the musical score is a refreshingly lighthearted one. Once again,Derek Wadsworth gives a Y2 episode better music than perhaps the episode itself deserves.(Mind you I didn't like the sleazy saxophone solo that plays while the Alphans are entertaining Taybor to dinner....)

To be honest though,in every other way this episode is my personal low point in Year 2

Simon

From:  Robert Gilbert (bcpgd@shaw.wave4tag.ca)
Date:  Sun, 26 Jul 1998 14:09:06 -0600
Subj:  Re: Space1999: The Taybor

Just a quick word about this episode since I'm right out of time this week........

Yes, but if we look at it from a broader sense in the sceme of things --- it's not a bad attempt at the whole "morals-unfounded" person comes to a new place and interacts with the beings there!

Basically I think its the weakest of Y2(though better than Y1's RING AROUND THE MOON and MISSING LINK tosh)

Never having seen RING AROUND THE MOON --- I can't speak about its weaknesses! Personally --- TESTAMENT OF ARCADIA came across (to me) as _the_ weak episode from both Seasons!

and actually worse than some of the oft-quoted "crap" episodes such as the 3 Freiberger ones -which I actually like!

Do tell!

Its a brave try at writing a lighter-hearted episode but its bungled at virtually every turn. A lot of the dialogue is simply silly and Willoughby Goddard is so over the top he's in orbit. I also find the episode a touch boring......

Agreed!

(Mind you I didn't like the sleazy saxophone solo that plays while the Alphans are entertaining Taybor to dinner....)

There was a Sax-Solo there? Didn't notice!

To be honest though,in every other way this episode is my personal low point in Year 2

Well, this is one P.O.V. --- one I'm sure I would not share if I had the chance to view all Episodes in their entireity!

-- Robert C. Gilbert

From:  Mark Meskin (plastic.gravity@new44rock.com)
Date:  Sun, 26 Jul 1998 15:19:30 -0500
Subj:  Re: Space1999: The Taybor

Never having seen RING AROUND THE MOON --- I can't speak about its weaknesses!

Trust us, its real real real bad.

Personally --- TESTAMENT OF ARCADIA came across (to me) as _the_ weak episode from both Seasons!

TOA requires you to have knowledge of the whole first season, it sort of the grail, and fits in nicely with the theme of season 1

There was a Sax-Solo there? Didn't notice!

I actually liked that music. Its on the S2 CD, quite good if you ask me.

Mark

From:  David Welle (dwelle@online.dct4tag.com)
Date:  Mon, 27 Jul 1998 01:31:05
Subj:  Space1999: The Taybor; plus, Bad Stretch?

The real talent of the story working at all is probably due to Willoughby Goddard. His approach to Taybor was a light hearted Leo McKern. There are many similarities between Taybor and Companion of THE INFERNAL MACHINE. Two lonely and intelligent space travellers in need of companionship. Taybor's fate is less tragic but his life is just as pathetic in many ways.

An apt comparison.

Needless to say he finally found something he wants to build his life around - Maya. Under normal circumstances Taybor would have been arrested as a stalker or put away for analysis but his life is far from what we consider normal. Thus we are able to feel pity for him.

Pathetic and pitiable, and the Alphans seemed to do just that, humoring him, while trying to get something of use out of him, failing to fully recognize the shrewdness lurking under all the bluster and hyperbole.

Many instances made this episode so un-1999 like and more of something that would be at home in the universe of DOCTOR WHO, STAR TREK or even LOST IN SPACE.

Well, it does seem un-1999 like in many ways, but I always shrugged and figured there's all types in the universe, including nutty traders, that the Alphans were just about bound to meet one like him.

1) Taybor has a trading licence that we clearly see giving him permission to sell his wares. We never saw an economy-based universe in the series up until now.

Same comment applies: the Moon's been traveling a lot, and there are a lot of different aliens.

2) Perfumes for sale. Helena wearing Essence of Hermosia collected by robot drones in the upper atmosphere of the planet. Real different.

<LOL>

3) Helena having the ability to create an android. The Earth technology of the series never looked as if creating an android was feasible. Yet Helena comes up with a duplicate Maya. I will just have to put that odd piece of the show to Taybor helping her with alien technology.

Tony said "waxwork dummy with a computer voice." That seemed an exact description. I accidentally called it a robot in my main review, but was thinking more of the voice, which was robotic -- probably nothing more than a computer chip with some AI (artificial intelligence was all the buzz for a couple decades, until people began realizing how truly difficult this is), which seemed to fit Alpha's fictional capacities. Beyond the voice, I don't think "she" was a robot or android, so I think that improves the feasibility.

4) Taybor's flaming red and orange spacecraft. Unusual in the usually dark universe of 1999.

Certainly can't say the modelmakers ever restrained their creativity in the whole of Space: 1999, except for the homage-paying designs (such as Y1's Discovery(2001)-like model), which were still very well executed. This is one of S19's flat out positives. It's very hard to find a bad looking spaceship effect or model. Taybor's "Emporium" may have been the most cheerful, but it's still looks impressively well done.

As usual Maya saves the day by outwitting Taybor

Er, Maya saved herself, no one else; and even then, it was more Koenig's planting a transmitter and giving her a well-worded clue that suggested a course of action to Maya, than anything else. She put his words to good use, but it was more Koenig that saved Maya, IMO, and definitely not Maya saving the day.

but overall I felt it was Martin Landau who stood out in the episode as a nemisis. His Koenig here is not unlike his ruse in THE LAST ENEMY (only not as deadly).

Yes, he seemed to be the one thinking ahead the most, especially with planting the transmitter and planting the idea in Maya's head, though Ellen puts out a good argument for the missed opportunities Koenig had, even positing the same Taybor.

I always wondered about the title for the episode. Why THE TAYBOR? Why wasn't the second season opener called THE MAYA? On COSMOS: 1999 (the French version of the series) the episode title is directly translated to read as TAYBOR, THE TRADER. I think I like this better.

Agreed. Or how about just TAYBOR? There's a DORZAK, and that seems fine to me.

Overall an unusual entry. I would put it somewhere in the middle. Its the more serious episodes that have silly elements that make me cringe more.

That's why I find this episode so easy to accept and enjoy: it's comedy with a few serious bits, and I never tried to make much more out of it. Oh, I never did list a final rating for "The Taybor." 3.0 (out of 4), B. Great comedy, good characterizations, okay plot, and even some themes to explore.

To change direction somewhat, here's the beginning of David's note:

This upcoming portion of year two tends to be more representative of the negative criticisms layed towards the second year as a whole. Cartoonish adventure replacing the psychological approach or even straightfoward honest adventure. It wasn't until the middle of year two when I found the episodes began to move away from this "silliness" towards the more dramatic adventure stories like we seen earlier with THE METAMORPH, THE EXILES, ONE MOMENT OF HUMANITY and JOURNEY TO WHERE. This I saw as a good move. Most likely too late though as the series failed to regain viewers and was subsequently cancelled.

Though if taken as an almost purely comedic interlude, which quite a few series do, it's fine by me; yet let's take a closer look at David's point, by looking at the production order. The first five episodes of Y2 are:

1. The Metamorph
2. The Exiles
3. One Moment of Humanity
4. All That Glisters
5. Journey to Where

I didn't get a chance to review #2-5, but in capsule, I'd say these were serious-toned episodes with a few light-hearted interludes in a couple. I thought "The Metamorph" was stellar, and reviewed it as such. "The Exiles" was pretty good. "One Moment of Humanity" was a good story that suffered from an excruciatingly executed, very un-convincing "erotic" dance. "All That Glisters" suffered from some horrible lines ("Red is Death! Red is Death!") and a poor set, and wasn't as good a "living rock" episode as the Horta episode ("Devil in the Dark") of the original Star Trek, though I enjoyed the banter between Dave Reilly and the still-naive Maya. "Journey to Where" was good, though I never could quite get over how those medical monitors could signal across time (some filament of the time warp must have still threaded its way between Alpha and Old Earth, a sort of wormhole, I suppose). #1 gets a 4.0 rating, while the rest are good, if not great, episodes -- and all are dramatic rather than comedic.

Then, to continue analyzing David's point, the next four are:

6. The Taybor
7. The Rules of Luton
8. The Mark of Archanon
9. Brian the Brain

The two "outer" ones are the almost purely comedic episodes ("The Taybor" being the better of the two, I think), while "The Rules of Luton" was somewhat more serious in tone but generally considered one of the worst episodes (I don't care for it much either), while "Archanon" mixes lighter and darker elements (but which I thought was one of the weaker entries, myself).

This is followed by the balance of the episodes:

10. New Adam New Eve
11. The AB Chrysalis
12. Catacombs of the Moon
13. Seed of Destruction
14. The Beta Cloud
15. A Matter of Balance
16. Space Warp
17. The Bringers of Wonder (part 1)
18. The Bringers of Wonder (part 2)
19. The Lambda Factor
20. The Seance Spectre
21. Dorzak
22. Devil's Planet
23. The Immunity Syndrome
24. The Dorcons

These are all back to a basically dramatic tone and better quality. If for perhaps slightly different reasons than David, I can see the stretch of four episodes I listed, a month's worth of time, as being a different stretch that would be difficult for some to take: a pair of comedic episodes with a pair of weak entries between. There is something of a difference, in that they are either comedic, or the weaker entries. Of course, this is all arguable: some would replace the "or" with "and/or" or just "and"; others would argue the "weaker."

So the point may vary in people's minds; but I do have to agree that a month's stretch of rather different (either for style or for quality) episodes would have likely been hard for many to take, and caused a number of people to give up on the series. A pity considering the stronger episodes that followed, but I see that it could have had that effect.

On the other hand, there IS the fact of syndication, which leaves me to wonder how many people saw this order, and its arguable effect, in the first place. My main reference list of episodes for years was the order as shown by the Sci-Fi Channel, which shuffled things around a little as compared to the heavily-researched production order. The SFC order doesn't have this four-week stretch of comedic or poor episodes.

Still, even the Sci-Fi order suggests inconsistency for a little while after "The Metamorph."

Ironically, though, Y1 gets off on a much worse foot, IMO. "Breakaway" was a strong episode that was followed by six entries that, with one exception, I consider weak or even outright poor episodes. The SFC effect is even more marked, scattering these about so much that I never perceived a lengthy stretch of weak episodes until I looked at the actual production order we now have. I do not know the order I originally saw as a child (it was in syndication then, of course), though I do remember that I missed "Breakaway" (!). Given that, had it been the production order shown, I have real doubts that I would have stuck out that six-week stretch as a child. That would have been too bad. A movie claims "size does matter," but around here, the saying could be "order does matter." :-)

It strikes me that with David Acheson's argument about Y2's current stretch of several episodes, and my argument about Y1's stretch of episodes (as perceived in production order), that it could be argued that each season started strong, then struggled to keep it going, until the elements finally started coming together again and clicking. This isn't a new argument (and I don't know that my wording is the best), but I'm being struck by how much more applicable this is than it seemed before, now that I am staring at everything in production order for a change.

Plus, there's still the Titanic -- as in "Raise the Titanic" -- to deal with: Sir Lew Grade wanted so badly to get into movies, and there had been such high expectations for S19's ratings that NEITHER season was able to fulfill, that it is unclear exactly how much Space: 1999 -- as a whole or either season separately -- would have had to do to keep itself from the block.

The clock strikes past one at night,
but what does that mean in endless space?
Alpha sleeps and wakes by its own light --
pleading its very own special place.

Good night,
David Welle

From:  Tamazunchale@web44tv.net (South Central)
Date:  Sun, 26 Jul 1998 23:50:33 -0700 (PDT)
Subj:  Re: Space1999: The Taybor; plus, Bad Stretch?

Why THE TAYBOR as an episode title. It occurs to me that this is an apt title (though I don't know if it spoken so in the episode).

For example: If you were to go to a friends house and they were on the phone with someone, you ask them, "Who are you talking to?" They say, "David Bowie".

You say, "What do you mean, David Bowie? Do you mean David Bowie, as in THE DAVID BOWIE??"

They say, "Yes, THE David Bowie!"

Now tell me that Taybor was so modest that when introducing himself and trying to impress that he might not say, "I am Taybor, the trader. THE Taybor of galactic fame and notoriety!"

This may have been the original idea when the script was given a title. Dialogue rewrites may have obscured this point.

THIS IS ALL SPECULATION!

Mateo

From:  jcg@vh4tag.net
Date:  Sun, 26 Jul 1998 22:55:39 -0400
Subj:  Space1999: The Taybor

Before we leave this episode behind, I want to again say one of the things I like about this episode is that buildings are not being blown up, eagles are not crashing, and people are not being killed. I have yet to stay awake through 2001, and if every episode of year one was 2001-like, as some of them were, I might not have stayed with the series. Over the years, the criticism of year two was it was just saturday morning mindless action. Not so. While yes there is a thing called format, there is also room to wiggle around within the format. We don't have to blow up the little buildings on the tabletop every week. And I like seeing an everyday atmosphere on Alpha, when there isn't a crisis and people aren't shooting door control panels. I like ST Voyager, but I get tired of the ship getting shot at every week (and while I like watching Klingons kill Nazis, how many more "the ship gets captured" stories are they going to do?) I think The Taybor is a nice break, and yet there is a threat to at least one member of the base, which seems to be required in the genre.

It will be interesting to see if the discussion goes along the lines of: "Yes I want them to be all like Ring Around The Moon", or "I want them to all be constant action like "Rules of Luton", or "Yes I want them all to have bad actresses in them who marry Peter Sellers!"

From:  Mark Meskin (plastic.gravity@new44rock.com)
Date:  Sun, 26 Jul 1998 22:26:26 -0500
Subj:  Re: Space1999: The Taybor

I have yet to stay awake through 2001, and if every episode of year one was 2001-like, as some of them were, I might not have stayed with the series.

No way! 2001 is so VISUALLY engrossing, I always sit glued to the screen, its beautiful. Although, I confess that the first 10minutes and last 1/2 hour is pretty dull.

Over the years, the criticism of year two was it was just saturday morning mindless action. Not so. While yes there is a thing called format, there is also room to wiggle around within the format.

Season 2 didn't wiggle, it squirmed! Trying desprately to be intelligent in a Frieburger induced format that made Trek look intellectual.

aren't shooting door control panels.

Didn't you ever wonder what kind of cheap ass design the door control panels have? Need security? Don't bother locking the elelctrical door switch, I'll just laser the face off.

I like ST Voyager,

Bleck!

but I get tired of the ship getting shot at every week (and while I like watching Klingons kill Nazis, how many more "the ship gets captured" stories are they going to do?

Its Kayzon Brain Hayzing......

It will be interesting to see if the discussion goes along the lines of: "Yes I want them to be all like Ring Around The Moon",

I know of only one person who thinks like that.

or "I want them to all be constant action like "Rules of Luton"

Action? Its more like torture....for us that is...watching the cast look like fools running from the wizard of Oz rejects.

or "Yes I want them all to have bad actresses in them who marry Peter Sellers!"

Whom are you refering to?

Mark

[Editor's Note: Lynne Frederick, who played Shermeen Williams in "A Matter of Balance"]

From:  Chris Hlady (chlady@escape4tag.ca)
Date:  Sun, 26 Jul 1998 23:09:25 -0500
Subj:  Space1999: The Taybor & OT Sliders/Darians connection

Perhaps, I best like this episode for:

a) the round-table maya-big budget dress scene

b) providing the source photo for my digitally enhanced picture at http://www.escape.ca/~chlady (suggestion for surfers: ignore the stuff at the top)

When I was doing this, I thought that the other psychon wasn't Maya, but her little sister. What a maroon I am I am...

P.S. Off-Topic: Sliders was very cool tonight. Part Romeo and Juliet, Part Mission of the Darians w/o the cannibalism (or so it appeared, ha ha ha). Actually loved the online/offline jargon, etc. in this episode. MUSTSEETV!!!!

Chris Hlady

From:  MCK067@aol4tag.com
Date:  Mon, 27 Jul 1998 13:28:57 EDT
Subj:  Space1999: Episode Review:  The Taybor

Not a total waste, but not one of my favorites either. A featherweight space romp with not much to redeem it except for a few cute moments: that funky flaming spaceship (which, on second viewing, looks like a cross between a SuperJuicer and a lava lamp), and the Horny-mosia...errr, HERMOSIA perfume ;). Willoughby Goddard does a convincing job as a flatulent intergalatic Santa Claus, but sometimes he chews up his dialogue until it's unintelligible. The dinner party scene was nice -- I liked the idea that occasionally the hyper- stressed Alphans sit down to some conversation and a good meal. In Y2 one would think all they do is shoot their big guns at the Monster of the Week.

Campy Scenes/Lines: The opening scene in the solarium. Those bathing suits -- Eeeek! I've seen outfits on my fat Aunt Eunice that look more appealing. (However, I thought seeing Maya in her Psychon Ice Capades dress was a nice touch, and Barbara Bain was stunning in that blue gown. One of the Y2 episodes where hair/make-up/lighting-wise she looks lovely. Best of her scenes in this episode: In Command Center, when she's staring intently at Taybor when he says he thinks he can take the Alphans home. I don't know why they couldn't light and make her up like that all the time; she looked drop- dead gorgeous).

Yasko at the auction, giggling about her bonzai tree. Who let this bubble- brain on base? Was she shagging Commissioner Simmons? Somebody SLAP her!

Helena to Koenig: "Talk to me, make me laugh, love me" Yeah, babe, and find me a decent script while you're at it.

Taybor to Helena: "Can you make her look more wide-eyed?" What was the point of this line? It's a dummy, you kinky drunken horn-dog. I would think after wandering through the interstellar wilderness the last thing he'd be interested in is her eyes ("Dr. Russell, can you give my life-size blow-up doll a pair of hooters that would put Dolly Parton to shame?")

Helena to Koenig: "We don't need Taybor's perfume." No, but a bottle of Mango Love Lotion, a feather duster and a pair of handcuffs might make it more interesting ;)

All in all, a mindless little scifi comedy. I'd give a C+