Plot: What’s it about?
On September 13, 1999, the fate of the men & women inside Moonbase Alpha was changed forever, as an explosion knocks the moon off the orbit around Earth. So now instead of heading home after a while, those inside Moonbase Alpha must survive on this moon, which is hurtling through space. As various rifts and warps are hit by this moon, the path is sent in all sorts of directions, which provides more than enough excitement for these folks inside Moonbase Alpha. Will they ever return home and if even they could, would they want to? This offbeat science-fiction series lacked originality, but I still like it a lot and can watch the episodes with glee, even now. The cast is headed by Martin Landau and Barbara Bain, but don’t expect much classical talent here, as the acting is usually on the bad side of the moon, if you read me. From the outrageous plot lines to the cheese laden special effects to those awful costumes, Space: 1999 has all the elements of a cult classic television show, so A&E should be praised for bringing the episodes onto DVD, for all of us to watch and savor.
I am pleased to have Space: 1999 on our beloved format, even if A&E is following the usual steps in their release patterns. As is the case with many of you, I’m sure, I would rather purchase television series a season at a time, to maximize value and minimize shelf space. Fox’s The X-Files is a perfect example of how studios should handle their television shows, but once again, A&E chooses this route. This review covers both Sets 1 & 2, which means a total of four discs are covered and in order to have them all, you must purchase two double packs. The discs each boast three full length episodes and some still photos, so I think there’s room for another episode on each one. But still, I suppose this is better than two episodes per disc, ala Paramount and their Star Trek releases. The discs are all dual layered and look/sound terrific, so I suppose I should just relax a little, but I do know the 39.99 asking price per set will scare some folks off. But if you’re like me and you’re just pleased to have this series, then I think these releases are well worth the cash, although I’d still love to see A&E change their release patterns. Below is a listing of the episodes and a brief, one sentence synopsis.
Disc One (Set 1)
1. Breakaway- This is the pilot episode, where the basic premise is laid down.
2. Matter of Life & Death- A dead man returns to the realm of the living, with an urgent message for the crew.
3. Black Sun- A head on collision with a black hole is imminent, but can the Moonbase Alpha crew avoid the universe’s most powerful void?
Disc Two
1. Ring Around The Moon- Dr. Russell gets abducted by aliens, then comes back, but he was brainwashed in the process.
2. Earthbound- A ship headed to Earth lands and needs help, which means someone could be able to return home, but who?
3. Another Time, Another Place- A trek through a time warp causes the crew to see an alternate future, one which isn’t too bright and shiny, that’s for sure.
Disc One (Set 2)
1. Missing Link- It seems as though the crew has discovered the missing link, but as it turns out, it might be them…
2. The Guardian of Piri- The crew lands on a place where good times reign, but a serious price is to be paid, should you glance into the wrong places.
3. Force of Life- When an energy being begins to seek out head, it could spell certain doom the crew of Moonbase Alpha.
Disc Two
1. Alpha Child- The pitter-patter of little feet is heard, but when the child can use intense mind control, it seems like those cigars were a little premature.
2. The Last Sunset- The moon has an atmosphere, but what in the world kind of difference will it make, really?
3. Voyager’s Return- The crew discovers a space probe that could hold a lot of information, but how would the folks be best served by the probe?
Video: How does it look?
The episodes of Space: 1999 are shown full frame, which is how they were shown on television, so all is well here. I was pretty surprised here, as the transfers look very sharp and clean, impressive for a 1970s television series. The prints used look very good and show little wear signs, although some nicks and grain do appear at times. The colors come off well here, with pretty bright hues and natural, warm flesh tones. No flaws with the contrast either, shadows look well layered and no visible detail loss is evident. I am sure some problems do exist here, but in the end, I commend A&E for giving this series such a nice treatment here.
Audio: How does it sound?
As you can imagine, the included mono doesn’t allow the science-fiction soundtrack much in terms of power, but as far as this material goes, this is an adequate track. The sound effects are clean enough and sound distinct, but at times, do seems a little restrained here. But then again, this is a mono mix from a 1970s television show, so some slack must be given. So the speakers won’t be given much of a workout here, but the dialogue and basic elements are solid enough, so no hard feelings in the end.
Supplements: What are the extras?
A selection of still photos can be seen on each disc, but no other special features were included here.
