UFO (1970–1973)

In the year 1980 the Earth is threatened by an alien race who kidnap and kill humans and use them for body parts. A highly secret military organization is set up in the hope of defending ... See full summary »

Creators:

Gerry Anderson, Sylvia Anderson

Stars:

Ed Bishop, Dolores Mantez, Michael Billington

Cast

Series cast summary:
Ed Bishop	...	Cmdr. Ed Straker (26 episodes, 1969-1973)
Dolores Mantez	...	Nina Barry (23 episodes, 1969-1971)
Michael Billington	...	Col. Paul Foster (21 episodes, 1969-1973)
Ayshea Brough	...	SHADO Operative (18 episodes, 1969-1971)
George Sewell	...	Col. Alec Freeman (17 episodes, 1969-1971)
Keith Alexander	...	Lt. Keith Ford (15 episodes, 1969-1971)
Antonia Ellis	...	Joan Harrington (13 episodes, 1969-1971)

Storyline

In the year 1980 the Earth is threatened by an alien race who kidnap and kill humans and use them for body parts. A highly secret military organization is set up in the hope of defending the Earth from this alien threat. This organization is named SHADO (Supreme Headquarters Alien Defence Organization) and operates from a secret location beneath a film studio. They also operate a fleet of submarines and have a base on the moon as well as an early warning satellite that detects inbound UFOs. UFOs can be destroyed in space by Interceptors which are launched from Moonbase. If one gets through it can be attacked in the Earth's atmosphere by a high altitude aircraft launched from one of the submarines. If a UFO also avoids this and manages to land it can be tracked and destroyed by a number of Mobiles (armored vehicles) which are deployed throughout the world.

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Plot Keywords:

ufo | 1980s | female astronaut | flying saucer | sexy suit | 

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Genres:

Action | Sci-Fi

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 September 1970 (UK)

Also Known As:

Alerte dans l'espace

Filming Locations:

MGM British Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Century 21 Television, Incorporated Television Company (ITC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

45 min 45 min (26 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Gerry Anderson intended the second season of the series to focus on alien attempts to destroy the Moon. When "UFO" was cancelled, Anderson developed this idea into Space: 1999.

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Goofs

Any time the Moon Base interceptors are ordered to return to base without having fired their missiles, a stock shot is used showing the missiles gone.

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Quotes

Col. Paul Foster: But don't you see what it means? They planned a cold blooded murder. They had it all worked out. But unfortunately for them an alien came through that door instead of her husband.
Alec Freeman: It all fits. Morally, they're guilty.
Ed Straker: Oh. Well, the amensia drug was administered a few minutes ago. They won't be able to remember a thing.
Col. Paul Foster: Well, we can't just let them go free.
Ed Straker: I suppose you think I should hand them over to the public prosecutor. We'd sure have a great case. Now what would he go for? The attempted ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

During the opening theme, the show's title "UFO" is flashed on the screen for only a fraction of a second. It appears "officially" on screen at the end of the teaser sequence.

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Connections

Referenced in All About 'Thunderbirds' (2008)

User Reviews

An overlooked Gem

This was definitely a show ahead of its time, which was never given a fair chance. Only one season was produced, and was poorly distributed in the US, where it had the most potential.

Aliens are coming to Earth and abducting humans (sound familiar?), ostensibly to provide transplant material for their dying, nearly sterile, humanoid race. A multi-national super-secret organization called SHADO (Supreme Headquarters, Alien Defence Organisation) is formed to combat this threat, with American USAF col. Ed Straker in charge. No one outside the organization is aware of it's existence, not even the immediate families of the operatives. Any civilians having alien contact are immediately given amnesia drugs by SHADO to force them to forget.

This was a real show with real characters. Portrayal of the effects of job secrecy and other stresses on the agents were realistic and very moving. The episodes portraying the effects of running SHADO on Straker's marriage (Confetti Check A-OK) and on the life of his son (A Question of Priorities) were two of the best written episodes of any TV series.

As always, there was the Super Cool hardware of Gerry Anderson everywhere. Interceptors launched from the moon engaged in dogfight style battles with the UFO's (6+ years before "Star wars"). "Skydiver" submarines launched fighter jets from underwater for atmospheric combat. Tanklike "Mobiles" closed in on UFO's on the ground

The sexy "Century 21" fashions of Sylvia Anderson were everywhere. From the Nehru Jackets with "priestly" collars for the men, to the purple wigs and silver bodysuits for the women who ran moonbase, no one so completely and fully depicted the future as she did then.

Combine this with the incomparable music of Barry Gray (including a theme that put Hawaii Five-o and Danger Man to shame) and you've got one unforgettable show. It's a shame that it only lasted one season. The Anderson's should have held out for a second season of UFO, instead of wasting all of their valuable resources on that mediocre Space:1999.