the dawn of time. The Alphans are following a destiny that will see them ‘prosper and increase in new worlds, new galaxies,’ where their ‘odyssey shall know no end’ (Arra, ‘Collision Course’). The MUF may have had a hand in allowing the Moon to survive being ripped out of Earth orbit in ‘Breakaway’, something critics of the show love to point out as being scientifically impossible. Obviously if their journey has been pre-destined then the small matter of blowing a Moon out of planetary orbit is a minor event to plan in the metaphysical scheme of things. Consider also that the Moon survives the crushing forces of the ‘Black Sun’. This must be thanks to the presence of the MUF, as Professor Bergman – and the other Alphans – clearly lack confidence that Bergman’s own force field will protect them. Bergman asks Koenig if he ever wonders just how or why they have survived and proclaims that he is not exactly thinking about God, but a ‘cosmic intelligence’. On this journey through a black hole, the Alphans talk with a mysterious voice – God? The Mysterious Unknown Force? It is left decidedly unclear, in true Space: 1999 style, allowing the viewer to place together the pieces of the puzzle, just as the Alphans themselves are doing. In ‘War Games’, Commander Koenig professes his belief that God ‘or someone or something’ is looking after them, and that they will survive. He comments that there is no rational explanation as to why the Alphans have survived their perilous journey. Of course there isn’t – the explanation is not rational: it is one of a mystical faith in an unknown entity.
Then, in the season’s last episode, ‘The Testament of Arkadia’, the Moon is stopped cold in space by an unknown force, and Alpha’s power levels start to drop. On the planet Arkadia, amazing discoveries are made that clearly show that mankind originated not on Earth, but on this seemingly alien world. The Arkadians themselves had spread the seeds of life into the galaxy, as their world was about to die. And there are mysterious forces at work that want the Alphans to complete the cycle and bring life back to the dead world of their ancient ancestors.
Regarding the MUF, Christopher Penfold said: ‘My father was a clergyman in the Church of England. I have arguments with close friends about the position I adopt, which is one of agnosticism as opposed to atheism. My argument is that atheism is itself a form of belief, and belief is the point at which you begin the abandonment of reason. Those are the sorts of themes I wanted to put forward. I recognise the huge power of the hunger for spirituality, and experience it as strongly as anybody else. But as to the ways in which that can be channeled, I would like it to be much more sophisticated than doctrinal forms of religion … I think that was the area in which we boldly went. There was an element of feeling that we were children who had been given a whole lot of new toys to play with, and we could do something quite different in terms of television drama. The opportunity to do a drama that was a drama of ideas was something we very avidly espoused.’
At a time when the concept of long-term story arcs in science fiction television storytelling was still undreamt of, Space: 1999 ’s first 24 episodes incorporated a remarkable number of plot threads and character developments tying them together and defining their position in Year One. Some of these elements are subtle; to be discerned, they really require the episodes to be viewed in production order, which differed from transmission order. Throughout the cycle of this first season, the Alphans succeeded on their own merits as Earthmen in space, fulfilling numerous seemingly pre-destined encounters.
Amazingly, these first 24 episodes were fully produced prior to any broadcasting arrangements being made …
US SYNDICATION
The plan ITC and Lew Grade had with Space: 1999 was to produce the series
Then, in the season’s last episode, ‘The Testament of Arkadia’, the Moon is stopped cold in space by an unknown force, and Alpha’s power levels start to drop. On the planet Arkadia, amazing discoveries are made that clearly show that mankind originated not on Earth, but on this seemingly alien world. The Arkadians themselves had spread the seeds of life into the galaxy, as their world was about to die. And there are mysterious forces at work that want the Alphans to complete the cycle and bring life back to the dead world of their ancient ancestors.
Regarding the MUF, Christopher Penfold said: ‘My father was a clergyman in the Church of England. I have arguments with close friends about the position I adopt, which is one of agnosticism as opposed to atheism. My argument is that atheism is itself a form of belief, and belief is the point at which you begin the abandonment of reason. Those are the sorts of themes I wanted to put forward. I recognise the huge power of the hunger for spirituality, and experience it as strongly as anybody else. But as to the ways in which that can be channeled, I would like it to be much more sophisticated than doctrinal forms of religion … I think that was the area in which we boldly went. There was an element of feeling that we were children who had been given a whole lot of new toys to play with, and we could do something quite different in terms of television drama. The opportunity to do a drama that was a drama of ideas was something we very avidly espoused.’
At a time when the concept of long-term story arcs in science fiction television storytelling was still undreamt of, Space: 1999 ’s first 24 episodes incorporated a remarkable number of plot threads and character developments tying them together and defining their position in Year One. Some of these elements are subtle; to be discerned, they really require the episodes to be viewed in production order, which differed from transmission order. Throughout the cycle of this first season, the Alphans succeeded on their own merits as Earthmen in space, fulfilling numerous seemingly pre-destined encounters.
Amazingly, these first 24 episodes were fully produced prior to any broadcasting arrangements being made …
US SYNDICATION
The plan ITC and Lew Grade had with Space: 1999 was to produce the series
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