Space: 1999 arrived in Fall of 1975 with much anticipation, but it did not develop a large enough audience (in part due to scheduling hi-jinks) and was cut short after two seasons.
What Is It?
On September 13, 1999, the Moon is torn out of orbit Earth’s orbit when a nuclear waste dump on the surface erupts in a massive explosion, sending the inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha on a journey through the stars. They encounter alien civilizations and cosmic phenomena as they seek a way back or a planet that can become their new home.
Aired: 1975-77, ITV (Syndicated in the U.S.), 2 Seasons Totaling 48 Episodes
Starring: Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Barry Morse, Catherine Schell, Nick Tate, Prentis Hancock,
Zienia Merton, Anton Phillips
Created By: Gerry Anderson and Sylvia Anderson
Why Was It Cancelled?
Space: 1999 got its start as an offshoot of what was originally intended as the second season of UFO (read more about that show at Cult-Scifi.com). ITV had initially renewed that show but decided to shift the focus because the Moonbase-focused episodes from the first season tended to draw higher ratings. The plan was to move the time frame forward and call it UFO: 1999, but the ratings trailed off when the second half of the first season aired, and ITV had a change of heart. Gerry and Sylvia Anderson had moved forward with their expanded Moonbase concepts, though, and decided to start work on a new show that would eventually become Space: 1999. ITV liked the idea and financed the entire first season with plans to license it to one of the networks in the U.S. to help cover the costs.
However, the three broadcast networks in the States were not interested because the first season was already completed when it was pitched to them, and they wanted to have more input into the series. So Gerry Anderson became directly involved with selling the show in the syndication market, which was much more receptive. When it debuted in Fall of 1975, network affiliates that acquired the show actually preempted scheduled programming to air Space: 1999 in Prime Time (one particular show that got the boot was William Shatner’s spy/western series Barbary Coast). The early ratings were strong, though they started to slip, and network execs demanded that their affiliates remove it from the Prime Time schedule. The show then found itself relegated to the weekend schedule, where it was often preempted for sports programming.
Space: 1999 was almost cancelled after its first season, but ITV finally decided to move forward with a second year with some changes. Fred Freiberger—the much-maligned executive producer who many believe was responsible for the drop in quality during the third season of Star Trek: TOS—was brought onboard to “Americanize” the series, and the stories shifted to more action-oriented plots. But that created a rather jarring juxtaposition between the first and second seasons and did nothing to improve the ratings. What the show really needed was better scheduling, and the heavier focus on action turned off many first-season fans while failing to bring in new viewers. The one good change was the addition of the alien Maya (played by Catherine Schell), but she could not carry the series (even though they tried to put that burden on her at times), and fans were unhappy that the characters Victor Bergman, Paul Morrow, and David Kano were dropped with no explanation.
The ratings for the show did not improve—in fact, they dropped in many markets—but there were still talks of a third season. It would have been shortened to thirteen episodes to keep costs down, and there were also plans for a Maya spin-off series. It is unclear if the latter would have involved her leaving Moonbase Alpha or if the two shows would have been connected, but ultimately neither went forward. In the United States, word of the cancellation came in Starlog #6 with the grim declaration “Space: 1999 Cancellation!” on the cover (sparking my lifelong obsession with the ratings and cancelled shows). Fans did stage a write-in campaign and lobbied for the show for several years, but unlike with Trek, that never led to a third season. (Read more about Space: 1999 at Cult-SciFi.com.)
Should It Be Rebooted?
One of the big criticisms of Space: 1999 is its complete disregard for science, which is apparent in its very premise. The idea that the Moon could travel from star to star in a matter of weeks and conveniently go into orbit around an Earth-type planet for long enough to justify the events of an episode requires quite a suspension of disbelief. And after the show’s cancellation, it started to develop a reputation as an ersatz entry in sci-fi television that paled in comparison to more accomplished shows like Star Trek. That may be a bit harsh—it does still count as a guilty pleasure—but its specious science would still hamper any attempt at a reboot.
But then when has science ever stopped the entertainment industry? There have been talks about a reboot over the years, and in 2012 there was an announcement of a planned new series titled Space: 2099 (since the original timeline no longer works out very well). Original special effects director Brian Johnson confirmed that in 2018, and a promo picture was released along with the active site www.Space2099TheSeries.com. Former V executive producer Jace Hall was attached to the project and had the following to say about it:
Space: 2099‘s goal is not to attempt to re-tell the specific story of Space: 1999. We are not trying to make some “dark and gritty” version of Space: 1999. There is no reason to re-tell the Space: 1999 story since we already have Space: 1999! However, through our new story and presentation, Space: 2099 hopes to re-kindle and remind fans of those memories of a show from 35 years ago, but more importantly help bring back to all science fiction fans that sense of awe, fear and incredible spectacle that is the unknown, unexplored universe. It is important that we endeavor to bring something new and exciting to the table.
There has been no further word on this reboot attempt, and the site is no longer active, so it is unclear if anything is still going forward with this.
There is a Facebook Page called Moonbase: Alpha Legacy and that has some information on what is referred to as Space: 2099 Phase Two:
Welcome to the second phase project called “Moonbase Alpha: Legacy”. For the past year, we have been working on this possible sequel series of Space: 1999/2099 and we are now happy to present for the first time the concept to you. After hundreds of replies from the fans on a short survey we did this past year, we came to the conclusion that the best way to achieve their wishes for the revival of the series is in the form of a sequel television movie event. No reboot, re-imagining or remake, but rather a more comprehensive and respectful production that would capture the best of the original Space: 1999 series in a new contemporary fashion. Simply the best of both worlds. We think that we have achieved that objective with “Legacy”. You may have even more questions after going through the site as it is composed only of the basic elements of the project for now, but I can assure you that “Legacy” is the answer you have been waiting for 40 years.
I don’t know if this is taking the place of the previously announced reboot or if this is something completely different. The page is active, but it mostly posts artwork and pics from the original series. I’ll reach out to them and post an update here with any substantial information.
Space: 2099 has been bandied about for over a decade now, so perhaps a reboot, revival, or reimagining will happen at some point. Whether that is a good thing or bad remains to be seen, but Space: 1999 has definitely made its mark on sci-fi TV and will continue to be remembered for many years.
Where Can You Watch It?
The entire series has been released on Blu-ray and DVD. It is also currently available to stream for free (with ads) on Tubi TV and Shout! Factory TV and several more of the free streaming services.
Are you a fan of Space: 1999 and would you watch a reboot of the show? Chime in with your thoughts in the comments below.
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