Rating: 
Summary: pure entertainment
Review: Space 1999 is a very entertaining series. Season One is far more serious and adult oriented and Season Two much more kid oriented, but I enjoy both seasons for what they are which is pure entertainment. It's certainly different. The first Season has a unique tone unlike anything else Sci Fi that Ive seen, and the second season is far more fun than most 'serious' Sci Fi shows allow themselves to be. Plus there are great perfomances by the cast and great guest stars like Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, and Brian Blessed. I like the characters in this series more and more with each viewing. Landau's Koenig is one of the most intense characters in Sci Fi, Barry Morse is so very charming, Catherine Schell is alluring, and Nick Tate is such a cool bloke. My only complaint is that Barbara Bain waited until Season Two to be so sexy!!
Rating:
Summary: A unique sci-fi "blast from the past"!
Review: This British-made television series, which aired from 1975-76 on American television, became a cult classic and has retained a small yet devoted following in America (and a much larger following in Europe and Australia). At the time "Space: 1999" was the most expensive show ever produced on British television, and despite the claims from some critics on this board, the special effects still hold up well for their time (I'll take them over the original "Star Trek" anytime!). This DVD features the first six episodes from the first season, and begins with "Breakaway", which is arguably the best "first" episode ever produced for any sci-fi series. It's the year 1999, and the United Nations has built a huge base, called Alpha, on the moon. Although the base is a scientific and research community, its' primary function is to oversee two large nuclear-waste dumps (in the show's timeline, nuclear power is the world's main energy source, and the massive amounts of nuclear waste are stored on the moon). As the episode opens, several astronauts have died from a mysterious "virus", but Dr. Helena Russell (Barbara Bain), the base's chief medical officer, is convinced that the real cause is an unknown form of radiation. To solve the mystery a new Commander, John Koenig (Martin Landau) has been appointed as the base's new leader. Eventually it is discovered that the strange radiation is coming from the nuclear-waste dumps, which are building up to a tremendous explosion. Although the Alphans try to prevent the explosion, they fail and the moon is blasted out of the Earth's orbit and hurled across space, where they encounter one strange (and often hostile) alien race after another. Although some people have criticized the show for the "wooden acting" by the two leads (Landau and Bain), the acting is certainly no worse than on the original "Star Trek" with the hilariously hammy William Shatner and "Scotty's" ravings of "The engines are a-hooverin', Cap'n, they're gonna blow!". Two of the first season's favorite characters were Dr. Victor Bergman, the base's chief scientist whose brilliance saves Alpha on several occassions, and whose philosophical approach and his age - he's the oldest person on the base - makes him a kind of "father figure" to everyone. Captain Alan Carter is the tough but charming leader of the base's squadron of Eagle spaceships - an Australian, he both looks and sounds rather like "Crocodile" Dundee, and if Dundee ever became a fighter pilot he'd probably bear a strong resemblence to Carter...In short, if you want to see a series that's truly unique - a combination of the sci-fi, horror, and fantasy genres, then "Space: 1999" should be your cup of tea. But, if you believe that the various "Star Trek" series are the ultimate in sci-fi entertainment, then you'll probably find that "Space: 1999" is a little too bizarre for your taste - but PLEASE don't call it "bad" sci-fi, as its' not "bad" - just different.
Rating: 
Summary: Why only 2 DVDs???
Review: In Australia you can get 12 DVDs (Box set) for AU$40.00You guys in the USA are getting ripped off. A good series and good story's better than the Star Trek DVDs that offer only 2 episodes per disc. Only 2 stars for value for money.
Rating:
Summary: Welcome to Moonbase Alpha
Review: Population: 311, but subject to decrease as the episodes progress. Destination: wherever. The story: moon has been blown out of the earth's orbit due to a monumental nuclear waste cockup and is now sailing through the universe; its residents are surviving, but barely, and are desperate to find a new place to settle. So much for the premise of Anderson's biggest budgeted series ever, and what a fine series it was!--at least during the first year. Space: 1999 had many strengths, chiefly the fine acting talent in Landau, Bain and Morse, who played my favorite character, Professor Bergman. The tone of most of the episodes is dark and claustrophobic, but always served up with just enough awe and wonder to justify the series's existence. The best episode of this set and of season one is Black Sun, which combines some really thick science with a dash of metaphysics and fatalism. Another Time, Another Place is a fine mind-blower, while Earthbound (with guest star Christopher Lee) brings a closure the the character of Commissioner Simmons. As I said, the first series was dark (thanks largely in part to those awesome minimalist set designs), but the stories were infinitely more interesting and compelling.
Rating:
Summary: Great Sci Fi in a great package
Review: I never thought I would ever see this series again, so when I came across these dvd's and I couldn't help but feel like a child again. Filmed in England, this double disc dvd set features the first 6 episodes of the series, produced in 1974. Although this is by no means a prefect production, for 1974 it is quite impressing, and surely it set many standards for the later filming of Star Wars. In fact, you are going to recognize many designs and prop details in Space 1999 that were later used in A New Hope. The plot lines are far simple and a little bit over the top, but action never stops in any of the 6 chapters. Special effects were way ahead of its time and are believable and realistic enhancers of the stories. Acting in the series is superb and production and direction are quite in place. All in all, this dvd is great, I just would've wished for more extras, like interviews, production designs, behind the scenes and maybe close caption or subtitles. Hopefully, they will include that in further releases of the series, which of course, I will buy. Don't miss this one.
Rating: 
Summary: review of set-1
Review: I hadn't seen an episode in years, so I wanted to give the DVD a try. "1999" has a mixed history - production values were high, but nobody goes around quoting Commander Koenig or Dr. Bergman the way we do Kirk or Spock. There are few really memorable episodes, and the series couldn't even remain consistent in tone between two seasons - going from slow-cerebral the first season to fast-flashy the second. And for a show that tried to look and sound serious (season-1 anyway), the gaps in common sense (let alone science) seemed striking. (The premise has our moon blown out of orbit when tons of stored nuclear waste spontaneously explode (powerful enough to break the moon out of terran orbit but w/o blowing it to bits?) In "Breakaway" we meet Commander Koenig (Landau) - a no-nonsense character sent to Moonbase Alpha relieve its feckless and luckless acting commander. A mysterious and fatal plague has broken out among astronauts preparing to leave the moon for a deep-space mission to the planet of Meta: an apparently earth-like planet which seems to be emitting radio signals. Koenig and Dr. Bergman (Barry Morse) link the plague to the toxic waste dumps, but tests repeatedly show that the waste is safely sealed and safe...or is it? In "Life and Death", the moon - already clear of our solar system - nears an uninhabited world that appears perfect for colonization. Because the moon will only be in position relative to the planet for a short time, the Alphans have a narrow opportunity to decide whether to leave the moon for it. Complications ensue when a reconnaissance eagle returns with an unexpected passenger - Dr. Russell's husband Lee. But Lee Russell was reported lost, feared dead years (and billions of miles) ago. Is it Lee Russell? And when he urges the Alphans against colonizing the seeming paradise before them, should they listen? In "Black Sun", the Alphans find their moon on a collision course with a dark star (I guess they meant a "black hole", but had that word been coined?). (Those who haven't seen "1999" in years may remember an Eagle being crushed by gravity - this is that episode.) Dr. Bergman comes up some ideas that may save the moon but chances are slim. With no real chance of survival, Koenig puts 6 Alphans on an escape Eagle (Alpha seems to have an endless supply of Eagles, but can only muster one for escape?). An alien probe has seized Alpha and must be convinced of its obsolescence in "Ring Around the Moon" - a lame ep. far too reminiscent of many episodes of "Trek". A group of benign yet mysterious aliens in suspended animation land on the moon. Waking up, they reveal their destination is Earth. One of the Alphans has the chance to join them - the humans accidentally killed an alien trying to wake it, but the aliens (led by Christopher Lee playing against type as a nice guy) hold no grudges. Who will accompany them? And will they reach Earth? Disk 2 closes with "Another Time, Another Place" - in which the Alphans pass through a parallel universe, and confront...themselves. In a dramatic display of just how unlucky our heroes our, they can't even measure up to their doppelgangers (the doppelganger Alphans settle a planet whose orbit their moon entered; the unlucky Alphans of our universe find their moon on a collision course with the other, but they can't escape to the new planet because contact w/their doubles is fatal to everybody. The "other" Alphans are free to remain on their lovely new home, while the best our Alphans can expect is to end up where they started - cosmic refugees). This set shows why the show was so frustrating (at least in year-1): nothing happens. You watch knowing that no matter what's learned or done for the first 50 minutes, nothing critical will happen until the last five We spend most of "Breakaway" waiting for the big boom - everything else seems superfluous. We sit through all of "Sun" and "Life and Death" waiting for the end - will the moon somehow avoid the black hole? Is it really Lee Russell? And what will happen when the Alphans land on the new world? Also, cool production values aside, it didn't really look that great (at least at this stage) - the interiors of Alpha look sterile and uninteresting; the main control room is a big empty space lined with computers and some desks; the Eagles were the star of the show - but even they amount to over glorified, space-going buses. Then there are the characters - they're so stiff, you wonder if they're supposed to be ghosts. You may find yourself going back trying to pick out dialog from the hushed, emotionless voices. Only in "Sun", with the prospect of death, do any of the characters come alive (especially Dr. Bergman, who pumps the Alphans with futile plans to keep their spirits up until the end, and engages in some truly heartwarming dialog w/Koenig at the close - it's almost enough to make you want to take a hop in a Black Sun yourself) hinting at the chemistry that could have made this more of a compelling show. Because the characters aren't sympathetic, it's hard for the show to capitalize on its biggest asset - that these guys are marooned in space and have no control over their lives. I'd recommend this DVD for devoted fans of the show. Lighter fans may want to pass on this and get one of the flashier season-2 DVD's.
Rating: 
Summary: black sun on DVD
Review: Black Sun is my all time favorite episode of Space 1999 and it looks wonderful on DVD. Space 1999 was a very unique Sci-Fi program and it remains largely misunderstood. One reviewer notes that only when facing certain death do the Alphans come alive, but that's the point: These are highly trained soldiers who must focus entirely on their duties in order to survive. They are trapped inside the Alpha base, which is described as both a barracks and a prison, and are always close to death.
Only under unusual circumstances can the Alphans let down their emotional guard. Black Sun is an unusual circumstance in which they are powerless to avoid destruction. Having exhausted all options, Bergman shares his inner thoughts and feelings with Koenig, who has tears in his eyes, and they make a final toast. It's a wonderful scene which demonstrates just why fans love this show so much.
Black Sun is a great episode of a great series.
Rating:
Summary: YES!
Review: THANKS A&E FOR PUTTING SPACE 1999 ON DVD!
THE FIRST EPISODE GETS THE WHOLE SHOW STARTED WITH THE MOON BLASTING OFF INTO SPACE AND I LOVED THE ZOMBIE LIKE ASTRONAUTS IN THIS EPISODE TOO! SET 1 ALSO HAS CHRISTOPHER LEE AND EPISODES LIKE 'BLACK SUN' WHICH SIMULATE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE ON QUALITY LSD. THINGS DRAG AT TIMES AND I WISH THE ZOMBIE LIKE ASTRONAUTS IN THE FIRST EPISODE ACTUALLY ATE THEIR VICTIMS, BUT OTHER THAN THAT I'M REAL HAPPY WITH THIS SET. GREAT SHOW!
Rating:
Summary: YES!
Review: THANKS A&E FOR PUTTING SPACE 1999 ON DVD!
THE FIRST EPISODE GETS THE WHOLE SHOW STARTED WITH THE MOON BLASTING OFF INTO SPACE AND I LOVED THE ZOMBIE LIKE ASTRONAUTS IN THIS EPISODE TOO! SET 1 ALSO HAS CHRISTOPHER LEE AND EPISODES LIKE 'BLACK SUN' WHICH SIMULATE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE ON QUALITY LSD. THINGS DRAG AT TIMES AND I WISH THE ZOMBIE LIKE ASTRONAUTS IN THE FIRST EPISODE ACTUALLY ATE THEIR VICTIMS, BUT OTHER THAN THAT I'M REAL HAPPY WITH THIS SET. GREAT SHOW!
Rating:
Summary: really 'out there'
Review: Critics have often not been kind to Space 1999. The program is often accused of having wooden actors because the performers are portraying military and scientific types in a tense situation that they deal with seriously. There's plenty of action, but again some critics fail to be impressed and write it off as just a display of special effects. The weirdness and mysteries presented in the show have often been viewed as bad story telling, and the Alphans have no mission other than to survive and that tends to be viewed as a lack of anything significant happening. Space 1999 is entertaining and exciting if seen as a hybrid of disaster movie and 2001. The moon is hurtling through space and things look grim for the people on it as they struggle for survival and encounter confusing 'far out' alien weirdness. They try to maintain their military and scientific bearing , but their true fear and confusion are visible below the surface and can be incredibly intense. These are great perfomances, the action is exciting, and the weirdness and mystery of it all is compelling. By season two, which I also enjoy, changes were made so that the program was more of a kid oriented adventure show and the Alphans had grown more used to their life on Alpha, but both the tense/trippy atmosphere of season one and the more jovial/comic book vibe of season two can make for entertaining viewing.
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