Exploring Space: 1999: An Episode Guide and Complete History of the Mid-1970s Science Fiction Television Series [Hardcover]

John Kenneth Muir (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2001

From the show's conception in 1973 to its cancellation in 1977: 48 episodes, including a plot synopsis, writer, director, guest star credits, and critical commentary that examines the episode and other shows with similar plotlines.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In the mid-1970s, a space adventure series featuring aliens, spaceships, and spectacular explosions debuted and immediately captured a worldwide audience. Yet, though Space: 1999 pioneered many of the elements that made Star Wars a colossal hit a couple of years later, it has been largely ignored or underrated ever since its short run. Muir, a medical transcriptionist and amateur filmmaker, offers a well-written look back at the show. He takes the reader from the stunning pilot film portraying the marooning of Moonbase Alpha onward through two seasons of mystery and menace from beyond the beyond. This personal but thoroughly researched work also addresses the curiously strident attacks the show has received from fans of Star Trek. In the chapter "Defending Space: 1999," Muir compiles the criticism against the show (including a New York Times piece by Isaac Asimov) and provides good counterarguments for the series's place in the pantheon of televised science fiction. Recommended for larger public and academic popular culture collections.?Ben O'Sickey, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"a must for the series' fans" -- VideoScope

"comprehensive...detailed" -- AB Bookman's Weekly

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 212 pages
• Publisher: Mcfarland & Co Inc Pub (March 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786401656
• ISBN-13: 978-0786401659
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,035,807 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Kenneth Muir is the award-winning author of over 20 books in the fields of film & television, with an accent on horror & sci-fi. John has been described as one of the horror genre's "most widely read critics" by Rue Morgue Magazine, and as an "accomplished film journalist" by Comic Buyer's Guide. His director books include profiles of John Carpenter, Wes Craven, Christopher Guest, Tobe Hooper, Mira Nair, Sam Raimi, and Kevin Smith. John has twice won a Booklist Editor's Choice citation (for Horror Films of the 1970s and Terror Television). John is also the creator of the award-nominated web series, The House Between, and in 2009 John's blog, Reflections on Film/TV was named one of the "top 1000" film study blogs on the Net. In 2010, John appears in the documentary Nightmares in Red, White and Blue.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Do you want to fight, now?, February 9, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Exploring Space: 1999: An Episode Guide and Complete History of the Mid-1970s Science Fiction Television Series (Hardcover)

"In Defense of Space: 1999" might have been a better title for this book. I've been a fan of the show since I saw it in first run, when I was in my early 'teens. And I'm still a fan now (I bought the episode DVDs). I agree that many reviewers have unfairly "bashed" this show, perhaps because it did not fit the mould of other televised sci-fi. (Actually, I would class "Space: 1999" as fantasy or drama, but not as science fiction.)

Unfortunately, author Muir seems almost zealously (and tediously) determined to justify the show against all comers. Too much time is spent comparing "Space: 1999" to other shows, rather than praising it for itself. Gerry and Sylvia Anderson have produced some of the sexiest and most stylish sci-fi/fantasy on TV. They've got the "cool." And "Space: 1999" is one of their greatest.

If you are a fan, you will want to buy this book. It is worth the trip. It is a rare look at the creation and development of a popular show.

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars a must-have for a Space:1999 and science fiction fan, September 20, 2000

By 

Leonidas Papadopoulos "seeker" (Athens, Greece) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Exploring Space: 1999: An Episode Guide and Complete History of the Mid-1970s Science Fiction Television Series (Hardcover)

I always wanted a book dealing with Space:1999, with respect, care and objectivity. I was so tired of the continuing bashing of the series by "objective" critics. "Exploring Space:1999" is a welcome addition to the area of televised sci-fi critic and review. It boldly states an opinion that isn't like to be heard by many sci-fi fans, and this is that Space:1999 was something more than just special effects. The book boldly looks at the prons and cons of the series, without fearing to point out and criticize its merits and the reasons that lead to its ultimate failure. It is a thorough and very well-searched review of the history of the series from the very early stages of production, to its final cancellation. A comprehensive episode guide is very well documented. But the most important of all i feel, is that the author finally and rightfully restores the truth about the series's place in sci-fi and why it is so important and unique in televised sience fiction. Many myths and negative reputations about the series are dissolved.

What i didn't like about the book, was that it was rather short for me. Being a fan of the series, I would love reading more interviews from the cast and crew and I 'd love if the book deepened in some subjects, instead of being rather brief. Sometimes while reading it, I would get the feeling that i was reading a small summary. I'd so much love some behind the scenes stories and incidents for instance, or input by the series's writers and their thoughts of the episodes and the series in general. And some of the author's comments about Babylon 5 for instance wouldn't find me consistent.That's why i rated the book with three stars instead of four. If i wasn't so much of a perfectionst with my great loves, i would give it 4 1/2 stars.

But i guess that the shortness of the book isn't all that bad after all,cause it's not a textbook for the die-hard fan, but a review for the average viewer who may not have heard of Space:1999 at all.

If you fit in the last category, this book is the best way to take your first glimpse of Space:1999 as a series and which were the elements that made it a so unique one.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars At last! The story of Space:1999 between one cover!, November 24, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Exploring Space: 1999: An Episode Guide and Complete History of the Mid-1970s Science Fiction Television Series (Hardcover)

Space:1999. You either love it or you hate it. This mid-1970's science fiction television program seems to inspire a lot of passion with no middle ground even after 20 years. The book "Exploring Space:1999" explores the reasons behind fandom's feelings quite adaquitly. The author, although an admitted fan, keeps a fairly objective view of the program as he "reviews" each of the 48 episodes in production order. Often he points out simularities in storylines and style in series that have followed. In particular, there are comparisons to Star Trek: The Next Generation, a program which prided itself on being a "thinking man's" science fiction televison program. Space:1999 did that first and in many ways, helped pave the way for the "intelligent" programs on the air today such as "Babylon 5" and the various Treks. The book is a bit of a let down when it comes to telling the history of the program. Only actress Catherine Schell was interviewed for the project. The bulk of the information comes from mainstream magazine stories and interviews. Personally, I would have loved to have seen more information from the script writers and editors about the evolution of the series and it's scripts. An example is that in the begining, ITC New York insisted on having an American script editor. In the days before E-mail and faxes, this caused quite a problem with the development of the early episodes. In the reviews of these stories, the author comments on the quality of the scripts but offers no explaination for the downslide. Articles and interviews of this nature have appeared in fanzines over the years and many of them are now available on the internet. Hopefully, there will be a revised second edition of the book which incorporates some of this material. Still, dispite my criticisms, it is great to finally have an objective telling of the program's history between one cover. "The Making of Space:1999" published in 1976 was basically a big PR product to help promote the changes to the second season of the program an barely touched on the first season. I enjoyed the book and appreciate the work the author put in to it. But, I would only recommend it to true fans of the series like myself.