Rating: 
Summary: Second season episodes are extra cheesy (or just plain bad!)
Review: As a kid, I preferred season one of Space: 1999 to season two. As an adult, my opinions of this show haven't changed. I own all of season one on DVD, and out of curiosity, I purchased set eight, because it contained one episode I thought was really scary to watch as a kid, The Lambda Factor. I watched this episode on DVD, and wondered why I ever thought that this was a good episode. Parts of the episode's music are dark and sinister, but more often than not, the whole episode seems contrived and silly.Other bad episodes include The Immunity Syndrome, The Seance Spectre, and worst of all, Devil's Planet, which should have been the sci fi thriller part for the comedy, Amazon Women on The Moon I think that American producer Fred Freiberger, along with other American behind the scenes influence realized that the first season of Space: 1999 was full of holes when it came to consistency in scientific explanation or character development. Their solution was to take Star Trek and paste it onto Space: 1999 wherever they felt that the show was bland, or simply just wasn't working well. This may have been because Fred Freiberger was the producer of Star Trek's final season. What the new producer and associates didn't realize was that the first season episodes, although inconsistent and sometimes bland, had this chilling atmosphere of awe and wonder about them. Their attempts to "fix" the show sticks out like a sore thumb during the episodes of the second season. Awe and wonder are replaced by stupid one line jokes to end each episode. As a kid, and as an adult, this is why I liked the first season better.
Rating: 
Summary: Resistance is Futile!
Review: Befor the Borg there was the Dorcons. The last 6 episodes of Space 1999 are the best. This show is so trend-setting, from Star Wars to The Next Generation most current science fiction has something from Space 1999. The Lambda Factor is about a jealouse girl who develops ESP and tries to take over while she makes a monkey out of Maya.Dorzak is about an evil Psychon being transported to a penal colony while Maya demands to see him. The Immunity Syndrome is about the exploration of a planet that might support life, but an alien presence has other ideas.I always remember the creepy sets for the underground room. The Dorcons is another Maya episode. Aliens demand Maya or they will destroy Alpha. How ironic that the first and last episode of Space 1999 are about Maya.There are interviews on this set and a couple of commercials.
Rating: 
Summary: not that great
Review: Bought this to see how the series ended -- the actors try their best but the writing is poor to terrible. Some scenes go on for too long while simple plot-points are never resolved. The orginal Star Trek is soooo much better when it comes to the quality of writing. And Dr Who gets the colorful inanity and wild plots right on target. The Prisoner is better with psychological angst and social commentary. So with Space 1999 we are left with some solid actors trying to look "scared" at the alien meanie in each episode. Sure there are philosphical themes in some of the episodes, but the poor writing never supports the serious themes.
Rating:
Summary: Series' DVD Finale
Review: Final DVD set is one of the best. The second season ended at a high point in these 6 stories & there's not a weak one amongst them. While some people would label DEVIL'S PLANET as camp garbage because of its featured cat-women with whips and tight red leotards, there are some marvelous ideas in this episode. Political philosophies clash and John Koenig must completely fend for himself in a battle to escape an alien lunar penal colony whose female warden is deceiving everyone into believing
all's well on their dead home planet and to whom John's a threat because he knows the truth and is a credible witness. LAMBDA FACTOR and SEANCE SPECTRE feature crises of leadership for Koenig as he suffers a mental breakdown regarding past guilt in the former and faces a mutiny at a critical time in the latter. SEANCE is quite possibly the best episode in the series as it
deals with the undercurrent of discontent on Moonbase Alpha after years of drifting through the universe and examines the impact of prolonged confinement in Alpha's sterile environment. And it's a non-stop action fest as Alpha is coming too near to a choking proto-planet for comfort. There's a sense of pervading doom in both DEVIL'S PLANET & IMMUNITY SYNDROME, both of which are full of violent clashes, death, Eagle crashes, and the only Earth-like planets to seem somehow thoroughly uninviting in this doomy state. DORZAK is another political episode though one set entirely on Moonbase, with someone from Maya's past and his warder & the question as to which is the evil quantity causing some intrigue. THE DORCONS is the final and spectacular episode as Alpha comes under heavy attack by alien warriors whose leader can only attain immortality by way of a surgical implant of Maya's invaluable brain stem. It is not yet known if MESSAGE FROM MOONBASE ALPHA, the Fanderson-produced ending mini-episode to the series, will be in this set. But with or without it, Space: 1999 can be said to finish on a high note in this excellent DVD box set.
Rating:
Summary: Rolls Eyes and Sighs At the Attack
Review: How anyone can find fault with these six gripping
space dramas is beyond me. SEANCE SPECTRE is
through-and-through a rollicking ride with some
great philosophical undertones re. human nature
and the wish for the green planet. DEVIL'S
PLANET and IMMUNITY SYNDROME. It never gets any
better than this in terms of the balance of action
and suspense and philosophy. And THE DORCONS.
A dazzling, thrilling 50 minutes and an intriguing
look at an authoritarian alien society. How anyone can trash these episodes is beyond me
as they're miles ahead conceptually, entertainingly.
and visually of anything else produced for TV in 1976.
Of course, if people hate the 70s, they're predisposed to hate anything to come out of that decade and showing the
avant garde fashions and ideas of that decade. Just goes to show there's no accounting for taste.
Rating:
Summary: thrilling,cheesy, and really wonderful entertainment
Review: I never saw the program when it was on tv so it was a gamble picking up this set, but once I did I was hooked. My friends and I love this show now. This is fantastic stuff for it's time since so many programs from the 70's don't hold up as well and even when things are less than stellar in this show it still entertains greatly since it's a weird mix of good elements and ultra cheesy stuff! I don't want to compare this to Trek, but this show delivers major entertainment value and I'd rather watch Space 1999. What's wrong with being terribly entertained?
Rating:
Summary: O' The Luck Of The Irish
Review: Irish poet Johnny Byrne writes the best science fiction. His stories for Space 1999 are the most enigmatic and influential. Who could have come up with the famouse phrase "Resistance is Futile" but Byrne. Star Trek the Next Generation would later base many of their ideas on Space 1999. Many consider The Next Generation to be the best science fiction tv show of all time , but it has to follow Space 1999. In set 8 we have the best of the entire series. The Lambda Factor, ghosts are haunting Alpha and ESP becomes a powerful weapon. Dorzak is about a Psychon visiting Alpha who might be a dangerouse psychotic. The Dorcons is another Maya episode. Dorcons arrive demanding Maya. Commander Koenig surrenders rather than let Alpha be destroyed. This would later happen in The Next Generation, and The Borg are based on the Dorcons. The rare vintage interviews with the cast and crew are classic and there are several tv spots.
Rating:
Summary: It's Back...Again And Again...The Last Of The Season!
Review: Please read my past reviews on Space 1999 and you'll find that the first season was much better than the second - however this volume of six episodes contain the IMMUNITY SYNDROME and THE DORCONS. These are the two stories that stand out entirely as being good for this season. Technically they tried to spruce up the sets and provide a laser fight on every quarter of the hour. The Eagles and the devices are cool but the overall feel for the series in the sound season is a little dry. The bonus features on this DVD are cool. There are interviews with Special Effects director Brian Johnson and all the cast members. As well as some commercials, promo reels and more. Now that I have all 8 volumes, I am happy that I bought them and I think you will too.
Rating:
Summary: A Final Dose of 1999
Review: This is the last set in the "Space: 1999" DVD release from A&E. The set is up to the standards of the previous ones, and offers a few extras fans will be pleased to see (although sadly, the fan-produced "Message From Moonbase Alpha" is not one of them). There is more with Brian Johnson, special effects master, and also some brief vintage interviews with the cast and crew as they discuss the new season of "Space: 1999". Funny to see Martin Landau in full Commander Koenig regalia (including that stupid pink/orange jacket!), discussing the series while enjoying a smoke! Barbara Bain puffs away on a cigarette during her interview as well! Catherine Schell's humor shines through in her interview. Most telling for fans is the interview with Fred Freiberger, and why so many changes were made to the series. In this set is the interesting "Devil's Planet", probably one of the only (if not THE only), episode in Year Two to end on a moody note instead of the usual happy/fun note typical of the Year Two epilogues. Despite the silly dominatrix prison warders, this is a pretty good episode with some interesting dialogue. "Seance Spectre" is nicely staged, and lighting expert Frank Watts again saves the day. However, the whole "seance" bit makes no sense, and is given no explaination. This sort of thing is all too typical of Year Two, but at least there's some cool action going on, and discussion about the strain the crew suffers from being trapped on the Moon was a long time in coming. "Lambda Factor" is another good attempt by the Year Two creative staff to bring a more serious edge into the stories. I recall this scary, dark outing for the Alphans quite well from my younger days! "Dorzak" is both silly and interesting, giving all players an equal chance to shine; Tony, Maya, Helena, and Carter. Although I much prefer Year One, Year Two will always have a soft spot in my kid-at-heart's heart of hearts. It's so 70's, and there's lots of action, color, and humor! Producer Freiberger made a lot of mistakes, but I think we all have to face it; if Year Two isn't great sci-fi or even great television, it's at least a great sci-fi action show for the kid in all of us.
Rating:
Summary: Confessions of a Year 2 Snob
Review: This set shows why we love and prefer space 1999 season 2 to season 1. These are the best episodes equal with Star Trek the Next Generation and The X-files.
The Immunity Syndrome, The Lambda Factor and Dorzak stand heads and dandruff above year 1.
The Lambda Factor features ghosts, esp and "murder most foul". Martin Landau gives a performance that is very unnerving as he is confronted with a dark and terrifying secrete from his past,while a dangerouse psychopath takes over Alpha. The whole episode is creepy and unsettling.
The Seance Spectre features a Psychological exploration into matters of blind faith over reason. Maya turns into a tree in this episode! This alone makes this set worth buying, plus you get to see what she looks like as a little girl.
My personal favorate is Dorzak. Another Psychon arrives on Alpha while being transported to a penal colony.The conflict that arises is breathtaking in its scope and its execution. Dorzak is the most remarkable villian to EVER visit Alpha with the exception of Balor from season 1. Even at the end of this episode there is some doubt concerning Dorzak's actions on the alien world and wether he really is a villian.
The Immunity Syndrome is a visit to themes from season 1, the quest for a home. A planet that seems earthlike turns out to be hostile, very hostile. Great sets, acting and philosophy make this another great episode. The shot of the alien corpse side by side with its holographic image is a remarkable feat of visual film making style.
The Borg-I mean Dorcons, is another episode that puts Maya in the terrible position of being a burden to Alpha. Her presence threatens everyone on Alpha. The powerful Dorcons demand Maya or else!Resistance is futile! This episode is also note worthy because the Dorcon leader is played by Doctor Who!
The interviews are a blast from the past, and the special effects short is cool. The only thing missing is episode 49 Message From Alpha. Write A and E about this.
Long Live Moonbase Alpha!
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