Customer Reviews

Space 1999 Set 8:V15 & 16

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

What can I say? The cast is great, the rubber monsters make me laugh and this set are a must for fans of mindless fun!
Serious Sci-Fi fans may or may not like this set, but if you're looking for a flight of fancy to entertain the heck out of you on a rainy Saturday afternoon this is for you.

I never saw the program when it was on tv so it was a gamble picking up this set, but once I did I was hooked. My friends and I love this show now. This is fantastic stuff for it's time since so many programs from the 70's don't hold up as well and even when things are less than stellar in this show it still entertains greatly since it's a weird mix of good elements and ultra cheesy stuff! I don't want to compare this to Trek, but this show delivers major entertainment value and I'd rather watch Space 1999. What's wrong with being terribly entertained?

With these final episodes, the second season (as well as the series overall) of Space 1999 concluded. It is a shame that the season didn't end on an exciting note, such as a cliffhanger, or a head-scratching, awe inspired episode such as the first season's Testament of Arkadia. No, what we get are dodgy storylines and some lackluster acting from a fine cast. These episodes are still worth watching just because they ARE Space 1999 and there are still some elements of greatness-you just have to sift through a lot of filler and bad TV moments to get there. The Lamda Factor is the heaviest of the episodes on this disc and one of the strongest of the second season. It shows what happens when you couple psychic ability with a bitter, jealous, young lady. The Seance Spectre is a puzzling follow-up. Where powers were accidental in Lambda, here four people just up and decide to have a seance about trying to find a new planet-it's very dull and very anticlimatic. Dorzak is an average episode that is supposed to keep you guessing. It features one of the shows greatest strengths: very hypnotic and eye-catching set designs-at least as far as being inside alien spaceships go (see The Infernal Machine, Mission of the Darians, The Last Enemy). Devil's Planet seems to be straight out of the mind of Star Trek's Gene Roddenberry. A whole planet controled by women who have enslaved men. The women wear these quasi-dominatrix outfits with whacky helmets. File this under so bad, it's almost good. Almost. The Immunity Syndrome tries to be somewhat thoughtful. It's about some flashing light alien that drives you mad or something. By now the shamelessness of the bad special effects are beginning to show. If this was such a high budgeted series, where did all the money go. Watch this episode and try to follow the money. The final episode, Dorzak, is the age-old fable about how power corrupts. It is completely unremarkable, but still watchable. Oh yeah, the inside of this ship is darker and more claustrophobic, which interestingly acts as a lens for our antogonist to go mad. These are the final episodes. The DVD set has included some interesting on set interviews and some commercials; the extras are definitely better that the DVD sets 1-4. Watch them and be grateful for the first season, but also grateful that the series lasted another year.

Upon careful inspection of the back of the box you'll notice that the box has an error - lists the episodes numbers contained as those for set #6. Too bad they ruined an otherwise flawless set with a typo at the tail end :( Maybe A&E will offer replacement covers???

As a kid, I preferred season one of Space: 1999 to season two. As an adult, my opinions of this show haven't changed. I own all of season one on DVD, and out of curiosity, I purchased set eight, because it contained one episode I thought was really scary to watch as a kid, The Lambda Factor. I watched this episode on DVD, and wondered why I ever thought that this was a good episode. Parts of the episode's music are dark and sinister, but more often than not, the whole episode seems contrived and silly.

Other bad episodes include The Immunity Syndrome, The Seance Spectre, and worst of all, Devil's Planet, which should have been the sci fi thriller part for the comedy, Amazon Women on The Moon

I think that American producer Fred Freiberger, along with other American behind the scenes influence realized that the first season of Space: 1999 was full of holes when it came to consistency in scientific explanation or character development. Their solution was to take Star Trek and paste it onto Space: 1999 wherever they felt that the show was bland, or simply just wasn't working well. This may have been because Fred Freiberger was the producer of Star Trek's final season. What the new producer and associates didn't realize was that the first season episodes, although inconsistent and sometimes bland, had this chilling atmosphere of awe and wonder about them. Their attempts to "fix" the show sticks out like a sore thumb during the episodes of the second season. Awe and wonder are replaced by stupid one line jokes to end each episode. As a kid, and as an adult, this is why I liked the first season better.

Please read my past reviews on Space 1999 and you'll find that the first season was much better than the second - however this volume of six episodes contain the IMMUNITY SYNDROME and THE DORCONS. These are the two stories that stand out entirely as being good for this season.

Technically they tried to spruce up the sets and provide a laser fight on every quarter of the hour. The Eagles and the devices are cool but the overall feel for the series in the sound season is a little dry.

The bonus features on this DVD are cool. There are interviews with Special Effects director Brian Johnson and all the cast members. As well as some commercials, promo reels and more.

Now that I have all 8 volumes, I am happy that I bought them and I think you will too.

This set shows why we love and prefer space 1999 season 2 to season 1. These are the best episodes equal with Star Trek the Next Generation and The X-files.
The Immunity Syndrome, The Lambda Factor and Dorzak stand heads and dandruff above year 1.
The Lambda Factor features ghosts, esp and "murder most foul". Martin Landau gives a performance that is very unnerving as he is confronted with a dark and terrifying secrete from his past,while a dangerouse psychopath takes over Alpha. The whole episode is creepy and unsettling.
The Seance Spectre features a Psychological exploration into matters of blind faith over reason. Maya turns into a tree in this episode! This alone makes this set worth buying, plus you get to see what she looks like as a little girl.
My personal favorate is Dorzak. Another Psychon arrives on Alpha while being transported to a penal colony.The conflict that arises is breathtaking in its scope and its execution. Dorzak is the most remarkable villian to EVER visit Alpha with the exception of Balor from season 1. Even at the end of this episode there is some doubt concerning Dorzak's actions on the alien world and wether he really is a villian.
The Immunity Syndrome is a visit to themes from season 1, the quest for a home. A planet that seems earthlike turns out to be hostile, very hostile. Great sets, acting and philosophy make this another great episode. The shot of the alien corpse side by side with its holographic image is a remarkable feat of visual film making style.
The Borg-I mean Dorcons, is another episode that puts Maya in the terrible position of being a burden to Alpha. Her presence threatens everyone on Alpha. The powerful Dorcons demand Maya or else!Resistance is futile! This episode is also note worthy because the Dorcon leader is played by Doctor Who!
The interviews are a blast from the past, and the special effects short is cool. The only thing missing is episode 49 Message From Alpha. Write A and E about this.
Long Live Moonbase Alpha!

How anyone can find fault with these six gripping
space dramas is beyond me. SEANCE SPECTRE is
through-and-through a rollicking ride with some
great philosophical undertones re. human nature
and the wish for the green planet. DEVIL'S
PLANET and IMMUNITY SYNDROME. It never gets any
better than this in terms of the balance of action
and suspense and philosophy. And THE DORCONS.
A dazzling, thrilling 50 minutes and an intriguing
look at an authoritarian alien society.

How anyone can trash these episodes is beyond me
as they're miles ahead conceptually, entertainingly.
and visually of anything else produced for TV in 1976.
Of course, if people hate the 70s, they're predisposed to hate anything to come out of that decade and showing the
avant garde fashions and ideas of that decade.

Just goes to show there's no accounting for taste.

This is the last set in the "Space: 1999" DVD release from A&E. The set is up to the standards of the previous ones, and offers a few extras fans will be pleased to see (although sadly, the fan-produced "Message From Moonbase Alpha" is not one of them).

There is more with Brian Johnson, special effects master, and also some brief vintage interviews with the cast and crew as they discuss the new season of "Space: 1999". Funny to see Martin Landau in full Commander Koenig regalia (including that stupid pink/orange jacket!), discussing the series while enjoying a smoke! Barbara Bain puffs away on a cigarette during her interview as well! Catherine Schell's humor shines through in her interview. Most telling for fans is the interview with Fred Freiberger, and why so many changes were made to the series.

In this set is the interesting "Devil's Planet", probably one of the only (if not THE only), episode in Year Two to end on a moody note instead of the usual happy/fun note typical of the Year Two epilogues. Despite the silly dominatrix prison warders, this is a pretty good episode with some interesting dialogue.

"Seance Spectre" is nicely staged, and lighting expert Frank Watts again saves the day. However, the whole "seance" bit makes no sense, and is given no explaination. This sort of thing is all too typical of Year Two, but at least there's some cool action going on, and discussion about the strain the crew suffers from being trapped on the Moon was a long time in coming.

"Lambda Factor" is another good attempt by the Year Two creative staff to bring a more serious edge into the stories. I recall this scary, dark outing for the Alphans quite well from my younger days!

"Dorzak" is both silly and interesting, giving all players an equal chance to shine; Tony, Maya, Helena, and Carter.

Although I much prefer Year One, Year Two will always have a soft spot in my kid-at-heart's heart of hearts. It's so 70's, and there's lots of action, color, and humor!

Producer Freiberger made a lot of mistakes, but I think we all have to face it; if Year Two isn't great sci-fi or even great television, it's at least a great sci-fi action show for the kid in all of us.

Bought this to see how the series ended -- the actors try their best but the writing is poor to terrible. Some scenes go on for too long while simple plot-points are never resolved.

The orginal Star Trek is soooo much better when it comes to the quality of writing. And Dr Who gets the colorful inanity and wild plots right on target. The Prisoner is better with psychological angst and social commentary.

So with Space 1999 we are left with some solid actors trying to look "scared" at the alien meanie in each episode. Sure there are philosphical themes in some of the episodes, but the poor writing never supports the serious themes.