Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site dartvax.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!decvax!dartvax!merchant
From: merchant@dartvax.UUCP (Peter Merchant)
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers,net.startrek,net.tv
Subject: Re: Space 1999 : SF-on-TV in general
Message-ID: <3294@dartvax.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 25-Jun-85 18:12:27 EDT
Article-I.D.: dartvax.3294
Posted: Tue Jun 25 18:12:27 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 27-Jun-85 05:25:01 EDT
References: <264@dcl-cs.UUCP>
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Lines: 39
Xref: watmath net.sf-lovers:8180 net.startrek:3424 net.tv:3044

> A disclaimer : my view of the American view of B-G is based on "Starlog"
> magazine. According to that rag, B-G was the best thing *ever* and loved
> by all. So maybe some of you good-guys in the states would like to let
> us Europeans know what the true feelings re B-G were.
> -- 
> UUCP:  ...!seismo!mcvax!ukc!icdoc!dcl-cs!jam 
> DARPA: jam%lancs.comp@ucl-cs	| Post: University of Lancaster,
> JANET: jam@uk.ac.lancs.comp	|	Department of Computing,
> Phone: +44 524 65201 ext 4467	|	Bailrigg, Lancaster, LA1 4YR, UK.

"Starlog" is certainly an interesting magazine in that it does a pretty good
job of keeping people posted on science fiction/adventure movies (I consider
James Bond and Indiana Jones not to be Science Fiction, although there are 
those who disagree).

My only complaint about "Starlog" is that they love everything.  Anything
that says "Space"
is the best thing to happen to science fiction since sliced bread.  I tend
to not trust their reviews of anything.  Therefore, I wouldn't take their
opinion to heart.

Now, when it comes to Cattlecar Galactica you have to stop and think about
it.  As science fiction television, it was horrible.  The characters were
pretty weak, the stories were rediculous, etc.

But, was B-G really TRYING to be science fiction?  Nah, I don't think so.
It was very thin adventure.  At this, it was very good.  Pulp fiction
adventure has it's place on television.  Fine, this one was based on a
giant spaceship.  So?  Come come, gang, just because it's in space doesn't
mean more should be expected of it.

My only complaint about B-G as an adventure SERIES is that it became too
predictable.  They reused far too many daring escapes, making the adventure
mundane.  Alone, it was okay, but on the third time you'd think the cylons
would have learned.  As David Gerrold put it, we don't tune in to see
whether the hero will escape.  We know he will.  We want to see how!  Now,
when the how becomes obvious, it gets dull.
--
"I must be living in a fantasy world."                    Peter Merchant