in their book fantastic television and gary gerani and paul h. schulman take space represent1999 to task for it apparent contempt for the law of physic and and make the somewhat extraordinary claim that these day audience be use to heavy dollop of science with their science fiction . really . well and i do not remember there be dollop of science and heavy or otherwise and in the six million dollar man or planet of the ape . if every sci fi film or television series have to be 100 % scientifically accurate and there would be some pretty dull stuff float around . it be gerry and sylvia anderson follow up to u. f. o. and in fact start life a an aborted second season . the premise be that a nuclear waste dump on the moon have explode and trigger a series of violent blast that take it and the men and woman base on moonbase alpha out of the solar system and career off into the unknown . the alphans give up any hope of get back to earth and and begin look for a new home . martin landau take up the lead a commander john koenig and the man responsible for make the important day to day decision concern the running of the base and while his then wife barbara bain play dr. helena russell and alpha chief scientific officer . both have recently star in the hit series mission represent impossible . landau be excellent and while bain performance have be the subject of much debate over the year and with many describe her a wooden . i certainly think the show would have benefit from a different actress in the role . barry morse play professor victor bergman and a sort of father figure to whom everyone turn to for advice . he bring much humour and warmth to what otherwise could have be a stock role . there be hardware a plenty while the alphans travel from one part of the base to another in travel tube and carry portable communication device call commlocks . they also have cute look ray gun that resemble office stapler . what should have be the second episode black sun unfortunately go out later in the original run and meaning viewer miss an important plot point the moon have pass into a region of space where the normal law of physic do not apply and hence dr. asimov and all those stickler for scientific accuracy be misinform in their harsh criticism . space represent 1999 rightly take the view that entertainment should take precedence over authenticity . the first series rival 2001 represent a space odyssey in term of grandeur and spectacle . with the exception of dragon domain and it be a monster free zone . episode such a breakaway and dragon domain and force of life and the infernal machine and end of eternity be worthy of the high possible praise . unfortunately and it never quite succeed in emerge from star trek shadow . have year 2 be make to the same standard a 1 and i believe this would have happen eventually . it be deny the opportunity to be a hit in britain because it be not network . however and it do well enough abroad for a second season to be commission . american producer ( and the man who assassinate star trek ) fred freiburger be bring in first a a head writer and then a producer . he knock the series out of shape and push it down the same road a lose in space and with ludicrous monster run amok . out go barry morse and in come catherine schell a the shape change psychon maya . she be lovely but her presence unfortunately negate the need for any imagination in the script and a each time the alphans face a crisis they simply get her to turn into a monster . tony anholt verdeschi be another major error . someone at h. t. v. ( my local i and t. v. region ) must have sense year 2 be a no no we do not get to see it until 1984. it be a little alarming to watch both season in conjunction . so different be they it be hard to reconcile them a be part of the same series . nevertheless and year 1 be the best remembered and and stand a one of gerry and sylvia anderson fine production .