The Show
Sometimes science fiction gets it wrong, which is half the fun as we look back on a show like Space: 1999. It all starts in Season 1, when the brave, hardworking citizens of Moonbase Alpha are doing their part to help put a manned probe onto Planet Meta, which looks to be capable of supporting "life as we know it." But our moon has also become a disposal site for vast amounts of atomic waste, which has lately been giving the Alphites a sort of space madness from all of the "magnetic radiation." (What?) In short order, that atomic waste explodes (huh?) and instead of cracking the moon in half, or at least breaking all the windows and killing everyone, turns the giant rock into an interplanetary projectile and the adventure begins, with many fantastical encounters in store.
The date of the title was 24 years hence when the show debuted in 1975, now 11 years past and, well, we're still a long way from the technology depicted. We salute the creators' optimism though, along with the show's outstanding production values, the sets and notably the special effects by future Oscar-winner Brian Johnson. The two-season syndicated run of this British series fell between its two American counterparts, Star Trek (intelligently scripted but underbudgeted) and Battlestar Galactica (the opposite of that), and rightly deserves its place among the best sci-fi on the small screen.
The Picture
The 24 4:3 episodes have been respectably restored for high definition, the film-originated content showing a striking level of detail at times, down to the weave of cloth and subtle reflections in glass. Despite a modest bitrate mostly hovering around 20 megabits-per-second--necessary to accommodate the five 52-minute episodes found on most of the five Blu-rays in the set--the consequences of compression are slight, in out-of-focus backgrounds or fine patterns. There's a bit of dirt remaining, especially on composite shots, but nothing too unpleasant.
The Sound
It is with some disappointment that I report that the remixed 5.1 audio for this Space: 1999 release is standard DTS, not DTS-HD Master Audio as listed on the package. The one difference I noticed immediately in comparison to the original broadcast mono (also included) is an interesting presence of the general hum of the lunar station, interwoven with other little techno-touches. Music is full and effective as part of this DTS track, although don't expect laser blasts zapping across the soundstage or rocket launches that shake the sofa. The sonic redesign only went so far.
The Extras
Many of the extras here are ported over from the excellent DVD edition that A&E prepared for this title a few years ago. There are quite a few featurettes, some less than two minutes, the longest being the two-part profile of creator/executive producer Gerry Anderson from the hard-to-find TV show Clapperboard, running 39 minutes total. These bits are all located on Discs Six and Seven, which are DVDs, all standard-definition supplements.
Distributed across the Blu-rays--Discs One thru Five--are plenty more bonuses. Anderson adds audio commentary to "Breakaway" (the pilot) and "Dragon's Domain." Extensive photo galleries; including scenes from the show, public relations stills, behind-the-scenes, set visits and more; are here, along with images of the full sets of both gum and cigarette trading cards. Music-only tracks are provided for all episodes except "Breakaway" and "Dragon's Domain." And for true purists, the title sequence is presented, in HD, without any text to obscure the wonderful visuals.
Final Thoughts
Don't be fooled by our half-hearted derision of Space: 1999. It remains a smart, entertaining adventure series with a terrific old-school sci-fi look and feel. The quality on this Blu-ray is the best yet, and even after 35 years, A&E has managed to find new extras to surprise us.
Product Details
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