Destination: Moonbase Alpha (71 page)

             
Date: 16 October 1977.               Time: 1.15 pm

US
              KRON (San Francisco):

             
Date: 26 March 1977.               Time: 7.00 pm

Credited Cast: Martin Landau
(John Koenig),
Barbara Bain
(Helena Russell – in flashbacks),
Catherine Schell
(Maya – in flashbacks),
Tony Anholt
(Tony Verdeschi – in flashbacks),
Dora Reisser
(Interrogator),
Cassandra Harris
(Controller Sares),
Angus MacInnes
(Jelto),
Arthur White
(Kinano),
Michael Dickinson
(Blake Maine),
John Hug
(Bill Fraser),
Alibe Parsons
(Alibe),
Sam Dastor
(Ed Spencer)

Guest Stars: Hildegard Neil
(Elizia),
Roy Marsden
(Crael)

Uncredited Cast: Robert Reeves
(Operative Peter Reeves),
Jenny Cresswell
(Alphan),
Peter Brayham
(Garth),
Geoffrey Greenhill
(Phirly),
Del Baker
(Hunted Man),
Alan Harris
(Entra Prisoner),
Beulah Hughes
,
Rikki Howard
,
Vilna Riley
,
Vida Taylor
,
Katya Wyeth
,
Felicity York
(Guards)

Previously Titled:
‘Devil’s Moon’

Plot:
On an exploratory flight to the planet Ellna, Koenig and Blake Maine discover a world filled with dead bodies. They fly to the planet’s moon, Entra, where their Eagle malfunctions and crashes. There they are attacked by whip-wielding women and Koenig is captured. Elizia, the mistress of the Entran penal colony, is in charge of an elaborate deception, and she wants Koenig to stay with her forever.

Quotes:

• Crael:
  ‘If you condemn the prisoner, then you condemn all life everywhere.’
  
• Elizia:
  ‘Prisoners who try to think are dangerous.’
  
• Elizia:
  ‘Stay with me and you will experience undreamed of pleasure. Well, until I tire of you.’
  
• Koenig:
  ‘Doublethink – you’re gaming with words. On my planet, we’d call it Doublethink.’
  
• Elizia:
  ‘The failure of your race is your inability to see the positive in the negative.’
  
• Elizia:
  ‘He must suffer more than an Entran. He’s an alien who’s shown contempt for our culture and our authority. After him, then: for the glory of Entra and rewards beyond your dreams.’
  

On-screen Date:
2,306 days since leaving Earth orbit.

Filming Dates:
Monday 1 November – Thursday 18 November 1976

Commentary:

John Hug:
‘There were a lot of stunt girls in [“Devil’s Planet”] and they all seemed like Amazons, running around in these red devil-like costumes. Somebody, I remember, got incinerated, and I think Fraser thought it was Koenig, but it wasn’t. It was just an enjoyable episode, and quite fun with all those girls in leotards charging about. It was also a pleasure to appear with Alibe Parsons, who was great to work with.’

Observations:
Innovative aspects of ‘Devil’s Planet’ include the use of a floor escape hatch in the Eagle, as well as the second appearance of the-top mounted laser on the craft, which debuted in ‘The Seance Spectre’.

Review:
‘Devil’s Planet’ is a fine script by Michael Winder, replete with character conflict and impressive sections of dialogue between Elizia and Crael, including thoughtful discussions about the rights of prisoners and of people everywhere. The consideration of prisoners (whether they be political prisoners, thieves or murderers) is seriously undertaken and rewarding. It bears contemplation as much today as ever, and calls into question how various societies on Earth deal with the same issue across the spectrum from humanitarian treatment to the death penalty.

‘Devil’s Planet’ marks the introduction of Alibe, as portrayed by Alibe Parsons. As a replacement for the well-loved Sandra Benes, as well as the much-maligned Yasko, Parsons shows herself to be a strong and capable member of the team. It’s a shame her introduction to the series came so late in the run of episodes, as she is an asset. Commander Koenig is the sole star of the show, leaving viewers to wonder why the rest of the regular Alphan characters are missing from this ‘double-up’ partner to ‘Dorzak’. Incorporating at least a small appearance from another long-term series regular like
Helena, Alan or Tony (other than just in the memories drawn from Koenig during the brain scan) would have significantly improved the scope of the episode. Bill Fraser remains an appealing supporting character in this episode, while Blake Maine comes across as rather generic.

Roy Marsden is outstanding as Crael, lending a subtlety to his character of a prisoner campaigning for rights, while Hildegard Neil is ingeniously compelling as Elizia, effectively portraying the disturbed aspects of her tyrannical leadership. The fine guest cast also includes Dora Reisser, delivering a cutting edge to her part as the Interrogator.

This episode contains some beautiful space effects of the Entra moon. As well, the Eagle crash is impressive, ripping the hull of the ship in both the command and passenger modules (though one does wonder why trees explode in showers of sparks when the Eagle hits them). The production design is also appealing, with visually dynamic set designs and excellent costumes for Elizia, the huntresses and Koenig.

The chase scene featuring the huntresses pursuing Koenig is a perfect Year Two action sequence, effectively driven (as always) by Derek Wadsworth’s exciting score. The visual style is colourful, and the episode is notable for the occasion of Commander Koenig punching a woman (twice!); but at least she is a huntress and seemingly very strong.

There are a number of interesting issues raised by Koenig’s line, ‘Maybe I have some sort of immunity.’ Well, clearly he does: not only is he immune to the bacteria or virus that has killed everyone on the planet Ellna, but he also has obvious political immunity while on the Entra moon (or the ‘Devil’s Moon’, which was the original title of the episode, and shows clearly the inspiration derived from the infamous French penal colony known as Devil’s Island.) In a circumstance parallel with his immunity to brainwashing in ‘The Bringers of Wonder’, here the Commander is unaffected by Elizia’s brand of brainwashing. And just as in ‘The Bringers of Wonder’ he helps his fellow Alphans to see clearly, here he helps the prisoners of Entra come to their senses and realise Elizia’s deceptions for what they really are. It’s a marvellous resonance between these two Tom Clegg-directed episodes. With ‘Devil’s Planet’, Clegg successfully balances both insightful character-driven drama and high-tempo action.

The banter between Koenig and Elizia is quite interesting. Elizia is a fully rounded character with a complex psychology. Hers is one of the most thoroughly well-realised and believable alien civilisations depicted in the series, with complicated political angles and criminal punishment systems.

‘Devil’s Planet’ ends perfectly, too, with Koenig witnessing Elizia’s death and then walking off towards the landing Eagle for his journey home. There is no need for any follow-up as Koenig’s expression says it all. This episode is ideally suited for fans of Martin Landau, due to the overwhelming scope of his role and the strength of his performance.

But at the end of the episode, the question begs to be asked: why didn’t the Alphans give any thought to initiating Operation Exodus and moving to the planet Ellna? It is an Earth-type planet obviously capable of supporting a large population (now deceased, of course). A colonisation attempt here would be eased by the pre-existing infrastructure, and all the Alphans would have to do is move in. They appear to have immunity to the pathogen that has killed the native population (although it could be speculated that their long-term immunity is unproven). The distasteful aspect remains that Ellna is covered in the dead bodies of its people, but that is a mess that could be dealt with. What about the moon Entra? It is habitable, and an arrangement could potentially have been worked out with those living there to forge a new society together. It could be argued in the case of either Ellna or Entra that the timeline for evacuating the Moon would be too short, but in other second season instances, Alpha manages to get everyone up in Eagles rather quickly (see ‘Brian the Brain’ and ‘The Seance Spectre’ for examples). Are they perhaps being more selective about a possible new home world? Or is this an aspect of
Space: 1999
’s storytelling that the writer has simply forgotten or ignored? Of course, in production terms, the Alphans couldn’t be allowed to find a planet to move on to, as the series would then be over, but what is missing here is any depiction of them considering the obvious possibilities presented to them.

Despite this oversight and the absence of virtually the entire regular series cast, ‘Devil’s Planet’ succeeds in combining a serious philosophical treatment of issues with the much-vaunted action orientation of Year Two, resulting in a well-rounded and rewarding episode of
Space: 1999
.

Rating:
7/10

2.23

THE IMMUNITY SYNDROME

Screenplay by Johnny Byrne

Directed by Bob Brooks

Selected Broadcast Dates:

UK
              LWT:

             
Date: 29 October 1977.               Time: 11.00 am

             
Granada:

             
Date: 23 October 1977.               Time: 1.15 pm

US
              KRON (San Francisco):

             
Date: 19 March 1977.               Time: 7.00 pm

Credited Cast: Martin Landau
(John Koenig),
Barbara Bain
(Helena Russell),
Catherine Schell
(Maya),
Tony Anholt
(Tony Verdeschi),
Nick Tate
(Alan Carter),
Sam Dastor
(Ed Spencer),
John Hug
(Bill Fraser),
Hal Galili
(Voice of I),
Alibe Parsons
(Alibe),
Walter McMonagle
(Les Johnson),
Roy Boyd
(Joe Lustig)

Guest Stars: Nadim Sawalha
(Zoran),
Karl Held
(Jerry Travis)

Uncredited Cast: Robert Reeves
(Operative Peter Reeves),
Jenny Cresswell
(Operative L Picard),
Quentin Pierre
(Security Guard Pierce Quinton),
Jack Klaff
(Security Guard),
Harry Fielder
(Survey Team Alphan)

Previously Titled:
‘The Face of Eden’

Plot:
The Alphans believe they have found the perfect world, until it starts to turn against them. The exploration team is stranded, and an alien entity has affected Tony, driving him mad and to the point of death. Helena and Maya must figure out a way to get help to the planet.

Quotes:

• Helena
  :
  ‘Why should they have all the fun?’
  
• Helena
  :
  ‘It’s a big planet, Maya. A small error could put us hundreds of miles from base camp.’
  
• Maya:
  ‘Then we’ll discover the joys of walking, won’t we?’
  
• Zoran:
  ‘There is only one way out of this pitiless world – death.’
  
• I:
  ‘There is none but I, and I am I.’
  
• Koenig:
  ‘If we understand others, in time – I believe – we come to understand ourselves.’
  
• I:
  ‘I cannot support this grief that I feel.’
  

On-screen Date:
2,310 days since leaving Earth orbit.

Filming Dates:
Friday 19 November 19 – Monday 6 December 1976

Commentary:

Johnny Byrne:
‘The scripts for Year Two were more or less commissioned on the concurrent scattergun principle. In Year One we wrote them pretty much consecutively. This was down to time. As I’ve said, our knowledge, as writers, of the great-out-there was growing at the same rate as Alpha’s knowledge. It illustrates the major difference between Year One and Two. In Year One the Alphans were stumbling, unsure, fighting fear within as much as alien threats without. They were grappling not just with the great outer unknown of deep space, but also the uncharted regions within. They often failed to understand what was happening and why. Understanding how little they knew was a major revelation to them, and one of the philosophical constructs of the season. As I say, they were Earth people pretty much like us. In Year Two they were space folk, pretty knowing, with a can-do factor akin to
Star Trek
. Of course, by Year Three there would have been a progression, but not of the order established by Freddy. ‘The Immunity Syndrome’ perhaps reflects where I thought they would be in this respect.