Destination: Moonbase Alpha (53 page)

‘Whatever the series was that Freddy was destined to enhance, it was not this one, but I pay him the greatest personal tribute, as he was personally very kind to both me and my wife, Sandy, when our first child was born, and we stayed with him and his wife, Shirley. But I have to be honest and say that
Space: 1999
was on a hiding to nothing with Freddy, that the value that he brought to the show was completely offset by the unconscious damage that he was doing to something that had its own universe and had its own journey to travel. It was as if you were to set off in a Concorde and end up in a train somewhere in the back of Outer Mongolia – you just didn’t know where the hell you were and where the hell it was going.’

Sylvia Anderson also commented on the second season: ‘By the time the second season happened, Gerry and I had separated, and they brought in this American, Fred Freiberger. Personally, trying not to be sour grapes about this, I just thought it became very silly. I looked at it and thought, “Do I really want my name on this?”’

In 1976 Fred Freiberger stated: ‘I firmly believe our new concept is far superior to anything other science fiction series have ever had to offer. We are not competing with
Star Trek
or any others, but are setting out with the premise that we must be creative in every respect. One aspect of our new stories is greater depth in the relationships between the characters. We want audiences to live the situations with them. It is important that they are likeable, believable people.’ He later recalled: ‘If Year One had been picked up [by a network], there would have been no need to make changes. The only reason to do something was to try to rescue the show. If the show was going on, why look for trouble? What was important was to get a second year out of the show. If with the second year, for some reason, we had been wrong and the powers that be had said, “Hey, we’ll give you a third year, but go back to Year One style” – fine. Everybody wants to work on a hit show. It’s pride that goes with it. One of the comments that has been made to me was that I came over to work on the show to sabotage it: an astounding misperception.

‘As regards the direction of the show, when I first became Story Editor I was talking with Gerry about it, mostly in terms of the pacing, and in terms of the design of Moonbase Alpha. All I was thinking as a story editor and as a producer was to do good science fiction stories. You like to have everything: good character, good plot and good original stuff … So that’s what I was trying to do. Bring in the character of Maya; give it a fresh kind of a jibe with this very interesting character, which makes it nice. We can get into the most impossible situation in the world, and we can get out. So, basically, I thought the Maya character was a big plus. She was the thing that got us picked up. And she was a lot of fun, that character. I thought Gerry had a great and brilliant idea when he zoomed the camera into her eyeball, where we would see an image to foreshadow what she was about to become.’

While Year One has a unique brilliance, Year Two also has a style, a feel and a look specific to itself. It is an enjoyable product, clearly made under less than ideal circumstances: the show’s budget was drastically cut (despite publicity announcements at the time claiming that it was being raised) from the Year One figure of $6,500,000 (or $270,000 per episode). Fred Freiberger stated: ‘We brought [the Year Two episodes] in for $185,000 [each], which got them fantastic production values. That $300,000 figure [quoted in the press] was probably just for publicity. No way can you get a show in America for $200,000.’ Based on this assertion by Freiberger, the Year Two budget would have been $4,440,000. There are those who dispute Freiberger’s statement on this and believe the official ITC numbers, which proclaimed a per-episode budget of $300,000 and a total Year Two budget of $7,200,000. However, even if those higher figures were correct, the inflation rate of 12% to 23% that prevailed over that time period, along with the declining value of the UK pound versus the US dollar, would mean that the trumpeted 11% increase in budget was still actually a decrease in real terms.

While the first season had taken a full 15 months to film, the second season would have a strict schedule imposed by ITC New York of 48 weeks and would end up filming from late January until just before Christmas 1976. In order to maintain the tight schedule, Fred Freiberger implemented a system of what were known as ‘double-up’ episodes. As the term suggests, this involved the cast and crew filming two episodes simultaneously in just slightly more time than it would take to complete a single show. Cast and crew were literally split in half, and while one show might feature Martin Landau and Catherine Schell and film on location, the other might star Barbara Bain and Nick Tate and film on the studio sets. Double-up filming is not uncommon in film and television production, but it usually involves a first unit and a second unit, rather than two first units. This dubious process of filming two episodes simultaneously with two first units was implemented simply to meet the shorter production time allotted. Because ITC had delayed in renewing the programme, the production was behind schedule from the beginning. The double-up script pairings were as follows:

‘The Rules of
Luton’/‘The Mark of Archanon’

‘The AB Chrysalis’/‘Catacombs of the Moon’

‘Space Warp’/‘A Matter of Balance’

‘Dorzak’/‘Devil’s Planet’

Year Two was to open with a voice-over by Commander Koenig. The original wording was to have been as follows:

September thirteenth, 1999
.

A massive nuclear explosion … Cause – human error.

The Moon is torn out of Earth orbit and hurled into outer space.

Doomed to travel forever through hostile galaxies.

And for the beings on Moonbase Alpha

One overriding purpose. Survival.

This was reworded in a subsequent draft: ‘September thirteenth’ was changed to ‘
Space: 1999
, Moonbase Alpha’; ‘galaxies’ became ‘environments’ and the last sentence was removed. Finally, due apparently to difficulties laying Martin Landau’s voice-over onto Derek Wadsworth’s score, the wording was changed to the on-screen version used throughout the second series:

Moonbase Alpha …

Massive Nuclear Explosion …

Moon torn out of Earth orbit …

Hurled into outer space …

Space: 1999

US
SYNDICATION

In the same manner that they had trumpeted complimentary reviews of Year One by station executives from the United States, ITC included a collection of 27 similarly enthusiastic reviews of Year Two in a promotional brochure distributed to American stations in 1976. While obviously ITC wanted to be as positive as possible about the new season, it is surprising and disconcerting to note how many of these reviews featured implicit or explicit criticism of Year One, often from the same stations that had previously raved about it. One thing these reviews serve to re-confirm, though, is that the ratings for Year One were very strong in the US. The comments included:

‘
Space: 1999
Year Two is one of the finest productions I’ve ever seen. Barbara Bain is terrific in her new interpretation of Helena. I think the show now moves twice as fast. Every scene is packed with action.’ – Lionel Schaen, VP and General Manager, KHJ-TV Los Angeles

‘The new characters work well. Much better than the first season. A lot of care and a lot of dollars have been put into the second season.
Space: 1999
will be with us for a long time.’ – Gordon Bussey, Sales Manager, KVAL-TV Eugene Oregon.

‘There is much more action and better pacing in Year Two. Catherine Schell and Tony Anholt are tremendous assets. You have a new “wonder woman” of sci-fi in Catherine Schell.’ – Jack Jacobson, VP Manager Programming, WGH-TV Chicago

‘The improvements you promised for Year Two have been delivered. It is a much, much better programme. The weaknesses in scripting and characterisations have been completely corrected. We were very successful with Year One. Based on the improvements, the second year should be more successful.’ – Irwin Stam, Program Manager, WMAL-TV Washington, DC

‘The first season performed well in Providence, and was very strong among viewers 18-49. Now it’s extremely improved. It’s super!’ – Gary Drevioul, Program Director, WJAR-TV Providence, RI

‘Superb production values, fast-paced storylines and strong new characters, will make a very exciting and successful second year.’ – Tom Rose, Program Director, WTHR Indianapolis

‘Actors show much more emotion. It will definitely appeal to much broader audiences.’ – Don Hoss, Program Manager, WDSU-TV New Orleans

‘Our faith in the series has been justified by second year production.
Space: 1999
Year Two is much greater than the first year.’ – Mark Booraem, Program Director, WPIX New York

‘New elements added to a stunning production make
Space: 1999
Year Two an audience grabber. I am sure it will be a huge success.’ – Jack Pedrick, VP and General Manager, KDNL-TV St Louis

‘Martin Landau projects a stronger characterisation. The love relationship now clearly developed between him and Barbara Bain will make viewers really care. I loved it so much I’m moving it from fringe time to prime access.’ – William Schuyer, President and General Manager, KMST-TV, Salinas, Monterey

‘You now have all the elements needed for a successful sci-fi series. Meaningful improvements innovated by the new producer Fred Freiberger are evident.’ – Al Holtz, General Manager, WPGH-TV Pittsburgh

‘It did very well for us the first year.
Space: 1999
Year Two has even more production values and contains much more action.’ – Jack Morris, General Manager, WUAB-TV Cleveland

‘You have succeeded in getting away from the robot-like quality of the characters and made them more human. Greater action. Better pacing. Addition of Catherine Schell is a big plus.’ – Tom Shelbourne, President, WNEP-TV Wilkes-Barre

‘New cast, new music, outrageous aliens and better stories, make
Space: 1999
Year Two come off as the best sci-fi series ever! The changes in Year Two are just right.’ – Art Dortner, President, WDHO-TV Toledo

‘The new producer, Fred Freiberger, the casting changes, and the humanisation of the characters, deliver a winner.’ – Jack Schaefler, Program Director, KGTV San Diego

‘
Space: 1999
worked very well in our market, especially in the important 18-49 demographics. The second year is very much better as a result of all the dramatic changes made.’ – Jack Decker, President and General Manager, WHEC-TV Rochester NY

‘I’m very impressed with the improved action and youthful look of Year Two. The characters are far more vibrant and alive. The new music hits the right pace. Catherine Schell adds a fantastic new dimension.’ – Charles (Chuck) Alvery, Program Manager, WUHO-TV Battle Creek

‘Very impressed with Catherine Schell. The scripting is much stronger. The characters are more human.’ – Tim Voye, Program Director, WTVJ Miami

The changes in
Space: 1999
Year Two are unbelievably great! It’s a different, much improved show!’ – Pep Cooney, General Manager, KRON-TV San Francisco

‘Once I saw it, I renewed. You have performed miracles! It’s breathtaking. Everyone will love it!’ – Clark Davis, Vice President, WTVQ-TV Lexington KY

What is most curious about so many of the preceding reviews is how closely they parrot the publicity statements of ITC itself, and the negative comments about Year One made by Fred Freiberger. Cynical readers may wonder whether the comments were indeed written by the station executives in question, or by someone at ITC itself as a publicity ploy.

Of interest, some of the channels broadcasting
Space: 1999
in the US chose to telecast the second season premiere, ‘The Metamorph’, earlier than others as counter-programming during the Republican convention in mid-August 1976, with the hope that it would result in a huge audience not interested in Republican politics. To be fair politically, at least one station – WVTV (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) – led off the special parade of previews of Year Two by airing ‘The Metamorph’ in 14 July 1976, as counter-programming to telecasts of the Democratic National Convention.

UK
BROADCASTS

As already noted, the UK ratings for
Space: 1999
’s first season were not impressive and led to the second season being considered primarily an export. As reported at the time: ‘One great mystery mars the jollifications over ITV’s much-publicised twenty-first birthday this autumn. What happened to one of the most expensive projects of this year or any other …
Space: 1999
? Most of the 15 independent programme companies have chosen to ignore ATV’s new 24-part series. And the only major company that has bought it, London Weekend (LWT), is showing it on Saturday mornings during a children’s session … Why has Britain rejected the new series? That’s the mystery. Gerry Anderson … says sadly, “I am baffled … I think a British product should be given some kind of chance in its home country …” Financed by ATV, the series is, of course, shown in their Midlands area at prime time on Saturday evenings and is increasing its audience by the week. “I try to figure out what the companies have against it,” says Anderson, “… No matter how I look at it I can’t find the answer. It is quite heartbreaking. We have a marvellous team working on the show at Pinewood and it makes us despondent, but we will not allow that mood to find its way on to the screen. We still have a highly successful product to sell abroad”…’