1296 Days after
Leaving Earth Orbit
For
two weeks, Earth’s errant moon has been approaching a series of cosmic
explosions. The detonation recurs every twelve hours, and each time, Alpha is
damaged more heavily. The next detonation will destroy the base completely.
The
source of the explosions -- a planetary system ahead -- is discovered by Maya
(Catherine Schell), and Commander Koenig (Martin Landau) launches a team to
investigate.
The
first world approached in that system is a small moon, where a series of mechanical stations
exist. These stations are the energy-gathering devices for the recurring,
man-made explosions.
Koenig and Alan Carter (Nick Tate) speak with Voice Probe
248, an automaton who informs the Alphans that his makers -- who have not yet
been “born” -- live in an inhospitable atmosphere of poisonous chlorine gas. The explosions occur to protect the race
during its chrysalis stage.
Koenig
begs for an audience, and is told that “The Guardian,” the last of the race's current iteration, is
currently outside the chrysalis stage, and still conscious on the planet.
Koenig
and his team travel there, only to learn that the Guardian is senile, and
unable to respond to their request to stop the next explosion. Carter
accidentally breaks the atmospheric seal/glass on the Guardian’s chamber, threatening
the alien’s life, and weakening their case for mercy.
Two
of the life-forms -- A (Ina Skriver) and B (Sarah Douglas) -- emerge from
chrysalis form, and Koenig must convince them to stop the next detonation, lest
Alpha be reduced to rubble.
“The
AB Chrysalis” is a weird and a wonderful episode of Space: 1999 (1975-1977),
and one that demonstrates the possibilities of the Year Two format. The episode is colorful, suspenseful, and
highly-imaginative.
Not
only does Alpha encounter a race of immortal, chlorine “perfection seekers,”
but also the architecture of their alien culture.
In this case, that includes their defensive system: a ring of high-tech
mechanical stations that build up energy, and radiate explosions into space; a
kind of galactic “keep away” measure.
More impressively, the episode reveals the alien “Voice Probes,” a series of
spherical machines that travel from interior system to interior system, “jumping”
on to transparent rods or poles, to perform different functions.
It is true that these probes are bouncing balls,
filmed in reverse, with footage shown in slow-motion, but the concept is so
creative and different from anything else in the sci-fi TV Valhalla that one
cannot help but be impressed. When coupled with weird sound-effects, the depiction of the alien culture is remarkable.
In
some commendable manner, the episode also closely recalls the more desperate Alphans of the
first season of Space: 1999.
Faced with
imminent annihilation, Commander Koenig recognizes “desperation” as his motive,
and tries everything -- including a futile show of force (with an Eagle laser) --
to save his people.
Later, when he
realizes he has no cards left to play, Koenig voices his frustration with the
aliens, but in an act of defiance and pure humanity, comes to see that “hope is
better than despair,” and loyalty (to his people; and they to him) is "better
than logic." It’s a great statement of
philosophy, but more than that, a fine example of Koenig’s learning during the
episode. He acts rashly and violently,
out of fear, until he realizes, perhaps, that if he and his people are to die,
they must do so with their key human qualities -- hope and loyalty -- intact.
When
Space:
1999 aired, it was often accused of being the pessimistic yang to Star
Trek’s optimistic yin, and it is certainly clear why that was the case.
But
episodes such as “The AB Chrysalis” feature their own unique brand of optimism. That optimism states, simply, that man can
find his best -- and be his best -- even in the face of seemingly hopeless
odds.
The Alphans possess no rule-book of
principles, no fleet infrastructure, no real resources to fall back. Instead,
they must rely on themselves, and each other.
Nowhere in Year Two, one might argue, is that bond more apparent than in this particular installment.
There’s
a wonderful moment, here, for example, near the end of the episode, when Koenig
must tell Helena he has failed to stop the next detonation. And worse than failing, his Eagle does not even have enough fuel to carry him home to her; so they can die together. The characters must say their goodbyes,
essentially, over Facetime, to use modern lingo. The characters say very little, but their expressions
convey everything. It's a very human moment in a show that was accused of not having enough humanity.
“The
AB Chrysalis” succeeds, too, by creating, throughout its hour, all these mini-action sequences or climaxes.
Maya must transform into a chlorine breather
to save Alan from dying of the poison. Alan must pilot the Eagle straight up -- through the equivalent of
a rock shaft -- with very little maneuvering room. And Koenig interacts with
devices and people that are alien beyond immediate recognition or understanding.
The story hops from dramatic moment to dramatic moment with
aplomb, and shows how an action format, handled well, could have been applied successfully to the series overall.
Not
all stories in Year Two manage such a dynamic, successful mix, but “The AB
Chrysalis” is smart, imaginative and emotionally engaging, as well as being
splendidly-realized, action-packed, and highly creative.
For my money, it’s one of the very best installments
of the series’ second sortie.
If you're not already aware Shoutfactorytv has been showing both seasons of Space on their website, in high def.
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