It's obvious that "Space: 1999" was in trouble, as this first episode of season 2 showed massive changes. The introduction was changed--lightening its heavy-handed and stark opening credits. A new character, Maya, was added. Dr. Russell got a bit of a makeover that made her look prettier and less rigid. And a few of the old actors disappeared--making way for some new faces--ones that were generally younger and prettier--especially the new 'pretty boy', Tony Anholt. However, as this ended up being the final year of the series, the changes obviously did little to generate interest in the series.
The show starts with a weird glowy green ball pursuing and capturing an Eagle. However, the being who sent it says that Alpha should not worry--his intentions are 100% harmless. Interesting, this guy turns out to be Brian Blessed--the actor who starred as an entirely different character in season one (from "Death's Other Dominion"). Like the last time, though, Blessed plays a guy who claims to be nice but is eventually shown to be a be dumb jerk--as well as a guy with a terrible fashion sense as well as makeup. Blessed plans on sucking out the brains of all the Alphans in order to absorb their psychic energy and, naturally, Commander Koenig is less than thrilled--so unhappy that he orders the alien to be destroyed. As Blessed has a daughter (Maya) and you probably well know that she becomes a regular on the show, you know that she will somehow be spared and isn't part of her father's evil schemes and will soon join the crew of Moonbase Alpha.
So were the changes successful in this first newer episode? Yes and no. While the tone is softer and more like traditional sci-fi shows like "Star Trek", it still was too little and too late and the show limped to a conclusion at the end of the season. Plus, I never really got into the Maya character. Her gimmick of turning into various creatures (oddly, they were almost all Earth animals--which, as an alien, she should have known nothing about) seemed a bit too silly--and was perhaps too much of a change over the previous ultra-cerebral season one.
The worst moment of this particular show? When Maya briefly turns into a guy in a cheesy gorilla suit! Uggh. Otherwise, a decent but thoroughly unremarkable show.
By the way, some of the show's "Star Trek"-like plots is not surprising, as veteran Trek writer/producer Fred Freiberger was hired to inject life into the series and was responsible for much of the episode and the new look of the show.
The show starts with a weird glowy green ball pursuing and capturing an Eagle. However, the being who sent it says that Alpha should not worry--his intentions are 100% harmless. Interesting, this guy turns out to be Brian Blessed--the actor who starred as an entirely different character in season one (from "Death's Other Dominion"). Like the last time, though, Blessed plays a guy who claims to be nice but is eventually shown to be a be dumb jerk--as well as a guy with a terrible fashion sense as well as makeup. Blessed plans on sucking out the brains of all the Alphans in order to absorb their psychic energy and, naturally, Commander Koenig is less than thrilled--so unhappy that he orders the alien to be destroyed. As Blessed has a daughter (Maya) and you probably well know that she becomes a regular on the show, you know that she will somehow be spared and isn't part of her father's evil schemes and will soon join the crew of Moonbase Alpha.
So were the changes successful in this first newer episode? Yes and no. While the tone is softer and more like traditional sci-fi shows like "Star Trek", it still was too little and too late and the show limped to a conclusion at the end of the season. Plus, I never really got into the Maya character. Her gimmick of turning into various creatures (oddly, they were almost all Earth animals--which, as an alien, she should have known nothing about) seemed a bit too silly--and was perhaps too much of a change over the previous ultra-cerebral season one.
The worst moment of this particular show? When Maya briefly turns into a guy in a cheesy gorilla suit! Uggh. Otherwise, a decent but thoroughly unremarkable show.
By the way, some of the show's "Star Trek"-like plots is not surprising, as veteran Trek writer/producer Fred Freiberger was hired to inject life into the series and was responsible for much of the episode and the new look of the show.