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5.0 out of 5 stars
A nice tape, April 1, 2003
This review is from: Space 1999:Earthbound [VHS] (VHS Tape)
The crew of Moonbase Alpha receives a surprise when an alien spaceship enters orbit around the Moon, only to crash-land on its surface. When the alien crew is revived from their suspended animation, they find that they were bound for Earth when their computer recognized the now renegade Moon. The aliens are determined to continue on to Earth, and Commander Koenig (played by Martin Landau) realizes that the death of an alien crewmember means that one of the Alpha crew can accompany the aliens (led by Captain Zantor, played by Christopher Lee). But, one crewman, Commissioner Simmond (Roy Dotrice), decides that he *must* be that one who returns to Earth, and he will net nothing stand in his way. [Color, originally aired in 1975 (season 1), with a running time of 60 minutes.]
As a childhood fan of the Space 1999 (both seasons), I was overjoyed to have this tape fall into my lap. J2 Communications produced the tape I have in 1990. There are no little "extras" on the tape, but it does have the episode in a reasonable quality. I am very glad to have this tape, and highly recommend that you get it!
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Good episode of classic television sci-fi, December 25, 2005
This review is from: Space 1999:Earthbound [VHS] (VHS Tape)
A space ship lands on Moonbase Alpha and it contains several aliens in a state of suspended animation. The instruments of the Alpha personnel do not detect any life, so they attempt to open one of the chambers. This triggers the destruction of the person inside and the reanimation of the other aliens on the ship.
Captain Zantor is the leader of the aliens and he informs Commander Koenig that they are but one of many ships sent by their home civilization to other worlds. Their mission was to orbit the Moon and determine if their physiology was compatible with humans. If they were compatible, then they were to make contact with Earth. If there was no compatibility, then they were to commit suicide.
The occupants of Moonbase Alpha help Captain Zandor repair his ship and prepare for the continuation of their journey to Earth. Since there is now an empty suspended animation chamber, Zandor offers to allow one of the Alpha people to go with them to Earth. Koenig decides to have their computer select one person at random to return to Earth. However, Commissioner Simmons, the representative of Earth authority on Alpha and a man now having little to do, is desperate to return to Earth. He takes a weapon and forces Koenig to allow him to go. Unfortunately for him, Zandor is unable to adequately prepare the suspended animation chamber for his body and shortly after they leave, he awakes. The episode ends with him on a communicator begging Koenig to help him. There is nothing that Koenig can do, so Simmons will die of thirst, because the journey to Earth will take 75 years and he is sealed in a small chamber.
While the special effects are now lacking in style, they were very good for the mid-seventies. What I find disturbing about this and many other episodes is that one person is so self-centered that they will risk the entire colony just to satisfy themselves. The people of Alpha were colonists, which had to be carefully selected for psychological stability. It is most unlikely that such people would be members of the colony. Other than that, the episode is fun to watch. It is a classic episode of television sci-fi that should be seen by all science fiction fans.
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