tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post7496565107369513726..comments2024-03-28T14:49:36.133-04:00Comments on John Kenneth Muir's Reflections on Cult Movies and Classic TV: CULT TV FLASHBACK #137: Space:1999 "Voyager's Return" (1975)John Kenneth Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-87280146605443344882011-07-04T19:28:14.443-04:002011-07-04T19:28:14.443-04:00Hi Gordon,
That's one blog I would love to re...Hi Gordon,<br /><br />That's one blog I would love to read. I totally understand your fascination with the space program from this era. The advances we were making seemed indicative of a future in which you and I could both be space travelers! I share your enjoyment in virtually all of those films and television series, and for the same reason.<br /><br />I really think a blog on that era and its impact on you (and our generation) is a terrific idea. Let me know when you get it launched, and I'll link to it here!!<br /><br />best,<br />JKMJohn Kenneth Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-18237983770300388202011-07-03T23:00:58.954-04:002011-07-03T23:00:58.954-04:00Thanks for the feedback on the idea of looking at ...Thanks for the feedback on the idea of looking at the various Voyager programs in different sf franchises.<br /><br />I do have a STRONG interest in real-life early space program activity and its reflection in science fiction. So this kind of focus in Space: 1999 was extremely fascinating to me since I was a kid, and even more so today. The NASA-related aspects of Steve Austin's television career were among my favorite episodes. The brief mentions in Trek whetted my appetite, and of course I totally fell in love with 2001, which I saw on tv when I was very little.<br /><br />Other key introductions into this subset of science fiction included the serious films Marooned, Robinson Crusoe on Mars, and Countdown; the tv-movie Stowaway To the Moon; a Jerry Lewis comedy film about a married US couple and a married Soviet couple on the moon in Way...Way Out; the failed tv pilot The Stranger, about a NASA astronaut trapped on a twin planet on the far side of the Sun; Capricorn One; the backdrop of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century; the disaster films The Andromeda Strain, The Planet of the Apes, and Beneath the Planet of the Apes; the Big Little Book of the Major Matt Mason toyline (not having the toys as I was too young); and the lunar rovers and astronauts that came attached to jars of Tang. These ingredients I was exposed to from about 1973-ish to 1980 led me to a wonderful hobby, and...I'm planning to have a blog about this particular subject. <br /><br />Gordon LongPDXWizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10884427889989897626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-64713722416959629232011-07-03T17:48:46.682-04:002011-07-03T17:48:46.682-04:00More excellent comments on Space:1999 and "Vo...More excellent comments on Space:1999 and "Voyager's Return."<br /><br />SFF: I love how you described the series in your comment: "science fiction television rarely reaches ambitiously for the stars like this series did." <br /><br />That's it exactly. Some of the stories and themes are incredibly ambitious...and noble. That's one reason I continue to admire the series so deeply. I think writers such as Christopher Penfold and Johnny Byrne really had the goods in terms of blending great sci-fi concepts with stories that touched the human heart. Thank you for seeing it too, my friend...<br /><br />indianhoop: great comment, and excellent reference to that Bruce joke. A little gallows humor is good for the soul.<br /><br />PDXWiz: Hi Gordon, another wonderful comment. I love the detail you put into your thought, and here you've come up with an idea that is worth a blogpost all its own: the depiction of Voyager (and early space probes) in sci-fi TV. I might have to steal that idea from you. :)<br /><br />I also love how you point out Space:1999's chronology of human space flight, going from manned missions to Venus, Jupiter, the Ultra Probe, the Space Dock, the Eagles, Alpha itself, Voyager One, the Swifts. Very well-said. We get in the series a very condensed, very detailed chronology of man's first step to the stars. I appreciate that very much, and always wish we could have seen the 1999 franchise continue in further seasons and further series.<br /><br />All my best to you all,<br />JKMJohn Kenneth Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-91360272737117921982011-07-02T17:39:31.031-04:002011-07-02T17:39:31.031-04:00I agree with indianhoop about needing to rewatch t...I agree with indianhoop about needing to rewatch the series. So I grabbed a copy of a set of the series from my library and hope to watch it soon, perhaps introduce my wife to it.<br /><br />I look forward to seeing this episode. I think I've seen this one once. I definitely want to check out the 'dripping water' from the rocket nozzle; I think that could be the visualization of the 'malfunction' (well, it's not like the 1999 effects team had CGI available to work with...LOL).<br /><br />Your line about our 'greeting to the universe' reminded me strongly of the Voyager episode, Friendship One. In that one, an Earth probe was sent out to the stars (with an antimatter early generation warp drive). It carried with it antimatter technology. A race found the probe--Friendship One--and managed to create antimatter weapons with it, which were used to destroyed the civilization. Then, years later, the USS Voyager shows up, and the surviving descendants are understandably bitter and want vengeance against the crew of Voyager. I haven't seen the episode since it first aired, but I strongly suspect that it had dialog discussing that same irony. One wonders if the writer had chanced to catch an airing of Voyager's Return. There is a chance for redemption in the Voyager episode, too.<br /><br />It's very interesting to compare and contrast the different Voyager programs in the 1999verse and in the Trekverse. Whereas in 1999, the heroes caught up to Voyager...in Trek, Voyager caught up to the heroes when Voyager 6 returned to Earth as V'ger in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Interestingly, V'ger was destroying planets and ships and people indiscriminately, simply following its programming without worrying about the fate of the living beings: just like the Sidonians wanting to follow the letter of their law for vengeance without thinking of the potentially innocent life destroyed. (Luckily, nobody followed V'ger to Earth wanting to destroy the humans who had originally sent out Voyager Six...)<br /><br />That brings me to another point: there have been many references to both Space: 1999 and Star Trek: Voyager as being references to Lost in Space, although that's incredibly naive because both Space and Voyager were far better written (and I suspect the comedy is more intelligent, too!). I actually think that Voyager--and Deep Space Nine as well--probably rips off Space: 1999 far, far better than either Space or Voyager did to Lost in Space. In fact, that would make for a very interesting article; I've seen plenty doing the opposite since 1975 and showing how Space 'ripped off' Trek: TOS.<br /><br />Another point of comparison, Trek to 1999: 1999 had a very realistic and detailed space exploration program over the quarter century from when the series began production to the point it was actually supposed to take place in. Trek had some hints....but nothing detailed. They went to the Moon, they went to Mars (seen in, again, Voyager's episode about the Ares IV mission, One Small Step), to Saturn (the mission of Shaun Geoffrey Christoper, whose father was Colonel John Christopher, seen in the TOS episode Tomorrow Is Yesterday), and occasionally hinting elsewhere. (Intriguingly, One Small Step aired in November, 1999, after the Moon would have left Earth orbit.) But in Space: 1999, you had this really detailed space program: manned missions to Venus, Jupiter, the Ultra Probe, the Space Dock, the Eagles, Alpha itself, Voyager One, the Swifts, all part of a very cohesive history.<br /><br />Then there's the main reason for the base---monitoring the radioactive waste from Earth's planet-wide network of nuclear reactors. Pre-Fukushima, and even pre-Three Mile Island. But it was part of the same cohesive history.<br /><br />Gordon LongPDXWizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10884427889989897626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-41100964160032980252011-07-01T15:59:11.673-04:002011-07-01T15:59:11.673-04:00I've always loved the Lenny Bruce line on von ...I've always loved the Lenny Bruce line on von Braun, Lenny was talking about von Braun's book "I Shoot for the Stars." He added, it should be subtitled "but sometimes I hit London."<br /><br />I have to rewatch 1999 at some point...haven't seen it in years. Have a great weekend!!!indianhoophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13690324288830538825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-74259150593540667022011-07-01T09:14:16.573-04:002011-07-01T09:14:16.573-04:00Another Space:1999 homerun.
I loved your very dee...Another Space:1999 homerun.<br /><br />I loved your very deep analysis of man and the points about our wisdom lagging behind our technological development.<br /><br />That last paragraph John is poetic. It's sad to see Space:1999 as science fiction's whipping boy, but the intelligent fans out there understood its strengths and its potential and were open to it. Many examples from the series prove that out. This being one of them.<br /><br />In fact, science fiction television rarely reaches ambitiously for the stars like this series did.<br /><br />It's great to see you continue to keep its memory alive here. all the best, sffSFFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04256589316922398158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-43629616778245812012011-07-01T05:38:07.694-04:002011-07-01T05:38:07.694-04:00jdigriz:
Thank you for the kind words. I remembe...jdigriz:<br /><br />Thank you for the kind words. I remember that particular shot that you're talking about (of Voyager's rocket dripping water...)! And I would very much like to listen to NPR's interview with the "real" Ernst Queller! :)<br /><br />I hope you have a great holiday weekend as well, my friend. Take care and be safe.<br /><br />Regards,<br />JKMJohn Kenneth Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-19842237310104014402011-06-30T22:50:29.962-04:002011-06-30T22:50:29.962-04:00Well done as usual JKM. Watching this as an adult,...Well done as usual JKM. Watching this as an adult, I get a kick out of seeing some water drip out of Voyager's rocket in one of the closeups. If anyone's interested, there is a great interview with the real Voyager's chief scientist from June 17th on NPR's Science Friday site. Thanks for the flashback and have a great holiday weekend.jdigrizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17887305269410549709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-81371127597296818892011-06-30T19:33:47.317-04:002011-06-30T19:33:47.317-04:00Hi Meredith,
Great comment. I agree with you tha...Hi Meredith,<br /><br />Great comment. I agree with you that "Voyager's Return" is somehow overlooked, in some way. I often overlook it myself. But when I watched it the other day I saw just how sturdy and powerful (and passionate!) it is. A remarkable episode in so many ways.<br /><br />You're also absolutely right that this is one of the rare eps of 1999 that shows us character history (Paul's father) and background. Highly watchable is right.<br /><br />Thank you for your kind words, and I hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend.<br /><br />best,<br />JKMJohn Kenneth Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-66065442242716958692011-06-30T18:57:28.642-04:002011-06-30T18:57:28.642-04:00Very nice summary and great insights, as always. ...Very nice summary and great insights, as always. I'll admit it's not one of my favorite Y1 episodes, but it is one that is well worth re-watching given the pathos of the situation. It's also one of the rare episodes where we actually learn some character background (Paul's father's fate), and for that alone it is highly watchable. <br /><br />~~MeredithAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-5910188332213094992011-06-30T07:50:31.207-04:002011-06-30T07:50:31.207-04:00Hi Brian,
That is serendipitous timing! We must ...Hi Brian,<br /><br />That is serendipitous timing! We must be on the same wavelength, then. Glad to here I'm not alone in my appreciation for "Voyager's Return." It's a really great installment of the show, I think, revealing what Space:1999 could accomplish in human terms and in characterization.<br /><br />All my best,<br />JohnJohn Kenneth Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-61232322609397252582011-06-30T06:00:39.651-04:002011-06-30T06:00:39.651-04:00Good timing, John: I happened to watch Voyager'...Good timing, John: I happened to watch Voyager's Return just yesterday. And it *is* one of my favorite episodes of the series.Briannoreply@blogger.com