Exploring Space: 1999 : An Episode Guide and Complete History of the Mid-1970s Science Fiction on Television Series - Hardcover

Muir, John Kenneth

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0786401656 ISBN 13: 9780786401659

Publisher: McFarland Publishing, 2001

Synopsis

Starring internationally renowned actors Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Barry Morse and Catherine Schell, the British-made Space: 1999 was the only truly original space adventure of the mid-1970s. Sandwiched between the demise of the original Star Trek and the opening of the Stars Wars series on the big screen, Space: 1999 featured a richly-visualized world where space was terrifying and mysterious, where not all problems were solvable by technology and the space travelers were very human. From the science fiction show's conception in 1973 to its cancellation in 1977, this reference work covers each of the 48 episodes in depth, including a full plot synopsis, writer, director, guest star credits, and critical commentary that examines both the episode and other shows that have used similar plotlines. The popularity of Space: 1999 memorabilia and its many fan clubs are fully discussed, along with the possibility of a future movie or reunion show that would tie up the loose ends caused by the show's abrupt cancellation.

About this title

About the Author

Amateur filmmaker John Kenneth Muir is also the author of An Analytical Guide to Television's "Battlestar Galactica" (1999), A History andf Critical Analysis of "Blake's 7" (1999) and Wes Craven: The Art of Horror (1998).

Reviews

In the mid-1970s, a space adventure series featuring aliens, spaceships, and spectacular explosions debuted and immediately captured a worldwide audience. Yet, though Space: 1999 pioneered many of the elements that made Star Wars a colossal hit a couple of years later, it has been largely ignored or underrated ever since its short run. Muir, a medical transcriptionist and amateur filmmaker, offers a well-written look back at the show. He takes the reader from the stunning pilot film portraying the marooning of Moonbase Alpha onward through two seasons of mystery and menace from beyond the beyond. This personal but thoroughly researched work also addresses the curiously strident attacks the show has received from fans of Star Trek. In the chapter "Defending Space: 1999," Muir compiles the criticism against the show (including a New York Times piece by Isaac Asimov) and provides good counterarguments for the series's place in the pantheon of televised science fiction. Recommended for larger public and academic popular culture collections.?Ben O'Sickey, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: McFarland Publishing
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0786401656
• ISBN 13: 9780786401659
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 212