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The Endless voids of Space:1999

A model of humanity in the modern age?

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Validus 10 Jan 2003 04:55:35	Lately I've begun to wonder about some of the possible underlying meanings within Space:1999. It is difficult not to notice certain aspects of existentialism, or perhaps just garden variety pessimism working their way into many of the episodes. One of the things I notice about Moonbase Alpha is what it doesn't have. It lacks anything that would amount to a church, or temple of anykind. There is also no chaplain in the crew (even the cynical cast of MASH had Father Mokahi). Thus, the entire crew of Moonbase Alpha seems to consist entirely of Agnostics, Atheists & Deists. This seems to be supported by Victor's statement in BLACK SUN when he says, "I'm a scientist, I know nothing about God." There is talk of a Cosmic Intelligence that seems to aide the Alphans but the episode is vague enough to allow the viewer to make this mean just about anything. This theme is carried a bit further in NEW ADAM, NEW EVE. When the alien being called Megus (Jesus?) arrives he informes the Alphans that bowing to him is not needed. Commander Koenig, totally unimpressed, says-"That's not our style." We later learn that Megus isn't a deity at all, but simply a scientist with pretensions. That he draws his powers from light only reinforces the comparison with Christ, who in the Gospels claimed to be "the light of the world". With no supernatural agency to rely on as mankind did in the unenlightened Middle-Ages, the crew of Moonbase Alpha symbolize humanity in microcosm. A world adrift in the endless reaches of space with only ourselves and what we build as a refuge from the Darwinian realities that await us. Space 1999 seems to be saying that Homo Sapiens must abandon the childish notions of gods and saviors if we are to survive. It seems that the greatest evils we as a species face are not those on strange alien landscapes, but those that rest firmly within the dark confines of the human heart. "We live as we dream...alone." Joseph Conrad
Eagle One 10 Jan 2003 05:01:55	I've noticed several of the things you mention as well. However, I've always felt a few areas would have been designated for use as church, etc for those that wanted to observe their religious convections. Since we normal see Alpha under duress, everyone is too busy etc. I think adding a hint of religon could add a little spice too. I've always wondered if their was an area sort of like on deep space 9 where their were a few shops & a restraunt etc. Seems like this sort thing would have occured in time just human nature...
Validus 10 Jan 2003 22:45:09	I don't know if I completely agree or disagree. I served in the Navy as a gunnersmate aboard the battleship USS IOWA(BB-61) and while there was nothing equivalent to a chapel, there was a ships store with all the basics and a few extras (books, magazines, candy, cigerettes, etc). The crew on my ship was 1,500 men, equal to no less then five Moonbase Alphas. hmmm...... I tend to favor thinkers like Voltaire who believed that as mankind continued to advance he would begin to see the childishness of clinging to an imaginary father-figure. Arthur C. Clarke explored this theme in depth in his book 3001: The Final Odyssey. A book I highly recommend, by the way. I really feel that as humanities understanding of the physical Universe deepens our reliance on the metaphysical will continue to shrink.
Validus 29 Jan 2003 09:52:11	. . . . . .at least I hope that will be the case.
DX-SFX 29 Jan 2003 12:25:10	3001 offers some very good alternative ideas about the notions of religion. I remember taking on board some of the logic behind it and indeed putting forward some of those ideas on one of the other threads. I'm not convinced that there was a deliberate calculated effort to add the idea of a "mysterious unknown force" steering the Alphans destiny but I agree there are a number of episodes where this idea fits in very nicely. "Black Sun" was very good I thought for leaving the viewer to make up their own mind. Koenigs reaction in New Adam New Eve again could be interpreted as either "we don't believe in religious mumbo jumbo" or it simply could have meant that "we don't automatically do what we're told by the first person that comes along". It is conceivable that the Alphans are spiritual people (and on occasion Koening does come across this way I think or is at least mindful of the idea) and if a genuine deity did materialise they would behave appropiately. At least not establishing which is the case means that no section of the audience finds offence in the series. Perhaps they prefer to overcome the problems that face them by their own ingenuity and not rely on God's assistance because they have the attitude that "God helps those who help themselves". There is a similar quasi-religious experience in "Testament Of Arkadia". Were they hallucinating? Was it a divine vision? Was it some kind of undefined alien technology triggered by their presence? They had no actual way of knowing but were sufficiently convinced it was some kind of divine vision because it was the thing that made the most sense to them or perhaps purely because it appealed to them the most. I'm afraid I also agree about Derek Wadsworth music. He's a lovely man but why oh why must it be believed that space subjects should have synthesised spacey music. I've got the double CD of Derek's music and I think I've only played it maybe twice. It reminds me of that cheesy music you always used to hear in bad seventies porno movies (er....apparently....so I'm told ). Dr Who suffered the same indignation with every little dramatic moment highlighted by a BBC Stereo Phonic Workshop's "wingywangwoooooooo" played on a Bontempi organ or sometimes a Rolf Harris Stylophone. I thought the melody of the season two theme was very good but spoiled by the synthy sound. A large classical orchestra would have given it more scale.
RBAdams 29 Jan 2003 16:01:31	Validus: The name of the character in "New Adam, New Eve" is "Magus," apparently a reference to Simon Magus (c. 35 AD). "Simon Magus was another prominent miracle-worker of the second century, and no one denied his power. Even Christians were forced to admit that he performed miracles. Allusion is made to him in the Acts of the Apostles, viii: 9-10. His fame was world-wide, his followers in every nation, and in Rome a statue was erected in his honor. He had frequent contests with Peter, what we in this day would call miracle-matches in order to determine which had the greater power. It is stated in 'The Acts of Peter and Paul' that Simon made a brazen serpent to move, stone statues to laugh, and himself to rise in the air; to which is added: 'as a set-off to this, Peter healed the sick by a word, caused the blind to see, &c.' Simon, being brought before Nero, changed his form: suddenly he became a child, then an old man; at other times a young man. 'And Nero, beholding this, supposed him to be the Son of God.'" (from the article APOLLONIUS TYANEUS AND SIMON MAGUS, The Theosophist, June 1881) By the way, I was confused at first by your reference to Father Mokahi from M*A*S*H, but then I realized you meant Father Mulcahey!!!
tombrock 29 Jan 2003 19:11:54	<<Space 1999 seems to be saying that Homo Sapiens must abandon the childish notions of gods and saviors if we are to survive. It seems that the greatest evils we as a species face are not those on strange alien landscapes, but those that rest firmly within the dark confines of the human heart.>> It's funny how different people interpret the same thing, well...differently. I suppose that's one of the great points about Space: 1999...it left so much open to individual interpretation. Strangely enough, I found the show riveting and thought-provoking precisely because I felt it painted the Alphans as deeply spiritual people...a community whose spiritual convictions grew almost exponentially with each strange encounter and with each survival against the odds. Whether it was referred to as God or some cosmic intelligence or not even referred to at all, so many of the finest episodes of the first season imparted the feeling, the notion, the basic idea that "something" was watching over the Alphans and guiding their destiny and giving a truly deeper meaning to things that--on the surface--might not have seemed deep or meaningful at all. Black Sun was probably the most obvious; but there were quite a few others. Collision Course clearly dealt with issues of faith and predestination; War Games has Koenig staunchly espousing his conviction that God is watching over them. And Testament of Arkadia's very premise is rooted in the idea that the moon's odyssey is far from mere coincidence or an "accidental" voyage. I always felt the series was trying to say, in its own unique way, that humanity's survival is due to so much more than its own efforts--indeed, that humanity survived IN SPITE of itself--and that humankind has clearly underestimated its own importance in the grander scheme of things. While the Alphans never relied or depended on divine intervention, they clearly understood and acknowledged not only its role in their ultimate destiny, but also their own role in an even bigger destiny. There really isn't any point, in my mind, to try to factor in Koenig's [or indeed the rest of the Alphans'] reaction to Magus in New Adam, New Eve--or even comprehend his motivation for acting the way he did--because it is a second season episode and, as such, is clearly not bound by the same philosophy that dictated the first season. In fact, Koenig's reaction is decidedly NOT what would have occurred had this been written as a first season episode. I'm not even sure his reaction gels with the rest of the second season, either. He comes off first and foremost as a jerk--a pompous ass who cannot even entertain the idea of a greater entity--and his behavior also tips the hand way too early in the episode. Even a casual viewer would have immediately picked up on the idea that this was NOT God, or even some creature acting on god's behalf. Right from the start we know 50% of the story. Just one more example of the heavy hand that guided the second season.
Validus 29 Jan 2003 19:45:20	Tombrock- Now you have me curious, how do you think Commander Koenig should've reacted to Magus? Personally I thought his reaction was spot on. In all honesty, if a being suddenly "appeared" before me claiming to be God, I have to admit I'd find such a claim rather amusing.
RBAdams 30 Jan 2003 01:42:15	Koenig's experiences (and those of the other Alphans) in Year One would have led him to at least a "wait and see" attitude about Magus, not dismiss Magus out of hand. We're talking about the man who lived through the events of "Collision Course," "Black Sun," and "Testament of Arkadia" here!!! The problem with Koenig's reaction to Magus is that it simply isn't Koenig. It's 100% pure undistilled James T. Kirk. "Um, excuse me . . . what does God need with a starship?" Freiberger tried to make Koenig into Kirk in Year Two, flat and simple.
DX-SFX 30 Jan 2003 02:06:42	Again I think there was no conscious effort on behalf of the scriptwriter to infer anything deep into Koenigs return line. There are half a dozen replies that he could have used that are all equally valid. Regardless whether it was in character or not I think Koenig quite rightly expressed the Alphans attitude that they were not the sort of people to drop to their kneees at the first individual that comes along claiming to be God. It could equally be read that he was saying that they make their own decisions. There are several interpretations some arguably stronger than others but it's not specific enough to draw any conclusions from. Kirks reply is also valid and I remember when I first saw the movie asking myself, what would God need a Starship for, just before Kirk asks the question (which I thought was probably the best moment in the movie and one of the best lines). If he WERE genuinely God he could go and do whatever he liked. It was a perfectly reasonable question.
Validus 30 Jan 2003 03:30:33	RBAdams- I think I have to conceed your point about Koenig in Season 2. It does seem that often Koenig is forced into the odd role of the Knight who slays the Dragon. Looking at Season 1, I find Commander Koenig seems to have more in common with the "everyman" then the "superman". Kirk is a hero in the classic sense I believe. Captain Kirk is Odysseus, he is Hercules with Warp Drive. Someone once asked me why I liked the character of Commander Koenig more then Captain Kirk and it occured to me that in the entire run of Space:1999 Koenig never once loses his shirt in a fist fight. The larger question of God to me is often made confusing because the word "God" is so ambiguous. God means totally different things to different people. Speaking for myself (as a Buddhist) to me "God" is simply another word for Eternity. The Universe came from Eternity, but is Eternity sentient or intelligent? The "Cosmic Consciousness" that Victor mentioned in Black Sun? I don't know, but I don't think so. I know that for me the notion of a bearded all-powerful patriarch sitting on an Emerald Throne (as per revelation in the New Testament) is laughable. When Kirk said that maybe "God" was in the human heart. . .meaning perhaps the spark that makes us all "divine"......perhaps he was right.
RBAdams 30 Jan 2003 06:44:23	We're getting into areas here that we each have to grapple with in our own way. I make a conscious effort to never discuss the nature of God, because I don't want to offend anyone by accidentally saying something that violates their own belief system. Validus, I think we've hit the nail on the head with what's wrong with Koenig during pretty much all of Year Two. He's not really Koenig anymore. He's a Kirk-substitute. DX-SFX said: QUOTE there was no conscious effort on behalf of the scriptwriter That seems to be the problem with most of Year Two. No conscious ANYTHING on behalf of the scriptwriters!! That's actually being a bit too rough on the poor screenwriters, though. I think we really know where to point the blame. Freiberger. I'm really rather amazed that an episode like "New Adam, New Eve" can still provoke discussion over a quarter of a century after it was first aired, so it must have done something right. If the purpose of art is to provoke thought, then this episode is right up there. . . .
DX-SFX 30 Jan 2003 11:04:38	I agree. I think everyones beliefs are personal to them. I've been brought up in a Christian culture so if anybody asks me my religion I'd say C of E but if I were honest you'll rarely find me in a church for anything other than births, deaths and marriages. If my version of "God" exists he knows what's in my heart and I have a personal relationship with him/her and because I feel he's with me all the time I don't feel the need to go to a specific building designated as a church to communicate with him. We all have our own personal beliefs and I tend to agree that it's what's in your heart that matters. I try to treat others the way I'd like to be treated and be respectful of them and I think this is a good set of rules to live by irrespective of which religious camp you get pigeon holed into. You know it's a funny thing but sometimes I feel split down the middle. The logical side of me is always asking the question, what proof do we have that a God exists and in what sort of form? On the other hand things happen (and I know it's very easy to read things into events which just confuses the matter) that almost but not quite convince me (or do they?) that there is a higher power. Bergman alludes to it when he says, "It's called Faith". It's a fascinating subject and I like these sort of discussions. I must confess to being a little ignorant of some other religions though. Can I ask Validus how the basic beliefs of Buddhists differ? BTW I'm not a great one for the bearded entity sitting on a throne either. I think that's probably intended as a visual image to suggest the concept of an overall ruler/king/creator/father of the universe rather than to be taken literally. I think Genesis and the creation of the universe is a similar case (and those are personal views so no offence to anyone).
Validus 31 Jan 2003 08:51:57	DX-SFX- In any discussion of Buddhism it is important perhaps to note not so much what it is as what it isn't. In the strictest terms Buddhists do not worship anything. That might come as a surprise to you, but we Buddhists view the Buddha, (Siddartha Gautama) as a great teacher. We certainly honor and respect him- but we do not "pray" to him or envoke his name in the hopes of being granted some form of special treatment. For the Buddhist the "Buddha", or the "Awaikened One", is simply the arrow that points to the path. We must walk our paths alone. But the Buddha has given us a tool to enable us to do this, and that tool is his teachings. We call the Buddha's teachings his Dharma. It is important to remember that the Buddha has little to no use for metaphysics. Buddha denied the existance of the "Soul" and pointed out that faith in the supernatural is really a waste of time. What matters is not what we believe but our actions, or as he called it- our Karma. The ultimate goal of all Buddhists is to become enlightened. This is done by cultivating wisdom and compassion equally (can't sacrifice one for the other) and to the fullest. This is done by living through the Dharma- 4 Noble Truths, 8 Fold Path, 3 Dharma Seals, etc. Many have accused me of being an Atheist and I always find such a view amusing. Both the Theist and the Atheist are equally trapped since neither can prove what they claim. Therefore the Buddha would best be described as an agnostic, and that lable would also fit me. I find Godbelief essentially irrelevant and, frankly, childish. I could go on since there is much more to Buddhism then could ever be fit into a post, but if you have further questions I will do my best to answer. It is not in our tradition to preach- if I have come across that way I apoligize. I hope that answered your question(s).
DX-SFX 31 Jan 2003 10:18:19	Thanks for taking the time to explain that. That's very interesting and I'm going to print that up and keep it for reference. Don't worry, I don't feel you were preaching to me at all. You were simply explaining it and I hope anyone reading it with a mind of their own should decide for themselves if they choose to follow what you say which is exactly how it should be. When you analyse it that's not a million miles away from how I feel about my religion in that I don't "worship" at a church but feel "directed" by it's teachings. I don't feel driven to pray because I don't think a true and kindly God would demand worship from followers as long as people lived their lives in a Godly way or at least mindful of that God's teachings. The ten commandments are a pretty good practical guide as to how you should behave towards your fellow man. I feel my actions and what I do is far more important than what I'm told to believe. This also reinforces this idea of how ludicrous it is that so much grief has been caused by these religious maniacs bent on killing and torture when in rough terms every religion shares a lot in common. In the context of our discussion buddhist ideology could equally well describe John Koenigs reaction to Magus. The Alphans may not be the type of people to "worship" a deity but it doesn't mean that they're not open minded to a higher authority. They seek to understand the universe and discover their place in it (become enlightened?). I might have shoehorned that in a little but it does illustrate this idea that the series is sufficiently loose that no one of a particular faith should get offended because it is left open for personal interpretation. This is quite a "deep" subject for a discussion forum. Very interesting too.
JackTheFool 31 Jan 2003 20:00:43	I dunno, Validus. I always felt like Year 1 WAS implying that God or some higher power (MUF) was looking after the Alphans. Even Koenig references it (as a possible explanation for how they have survived), as you pointed out. Victor throws cold water on the notion, but as a scientist you kind of expect that from him. New Adam, New Eve was Fred Freibergers attempt to re-make the old Star Trek episode "Who Mourns for Adonais?". Actually it's almost a complete ripoff of that. So, to me, Koenigs reaction to Megus mirrors that of Kirk's attitude towards Apollo. I view that approach completely out of character for Koenig. To me, at it's best, 1999 had religious overtones. Jack
JackTheFool 31 Jan 2003 20:03:20	"I don't feel driven to pray because I don't think a true and kindly God would demand worship from followers as long as people lived their lives in a Godly way or at least mindful of that God's teachings" Indeed, God knows we are sinners. He expects that we are not perfect. But what He desires is a close relationship between us and Him -- and this comes through prayer and our actions as Christians. Jack
Validus 31 Jan 2003 22:11:47	As it was stated earlier- "It is interesting how different people see the same thing in totally different ways." Ah well............
DX-SFX 31 Jan 2003 23:32:36	I suppose it's not unreasonable to expect a series such as Space 1999 to explore themes of religion or any other aspects of humankind because it's stories are huge in scale and ask questions about things we might not otherwise think about. Star Trek did it too, paticularly looking at the questions of race and tolerance as well as religion. In fact any kind of concept related to society usually got touched apon. Many of the season one episodes of 1999 often raised the question about whether the Alphans journey was truly random or was there a predetermined destiny they were following. Episodes like "Black Sun" did this very well because they only raised the question and let the viewer ponder the answer. Many people have actually criticised that episode because it isn't all neatly tied up in a bundle for them but it's openendedness is what I think works in it's favour. "Collision Course" is another that alludes to the wanderings of Alpha as having a purpose despite the Alphans not knowing what the purpose is. In fact it promotes the idea that faith in something is sometimes more important than the scientific facts in front of you. The series reflects and asks the questions that mankind has been asking itself for thousands of years. Is there a God? What is my place in the scheme of things? Is there more to this existence than the evidence of my five senses?
Validus 01 Feb 2003 02:24:22	DX-SFX, You make many valid points. I think for me though what happens is that people reach a point where they start treatings their beliefs as if the were facts as solid as, say, Gravity. The Buddha taught us that what lies beyond the 7 senses is ultimately irrelevant (the other two being sentience and imagination). Since I see no evidence of a Supreme Being, or even a Semi-Supreme Being, for me the issue of God becomes at best an exercise in intellectual gymnatics. I like to think that in many ways the crew of Moonbase Alpha are de facto Buddhists even if none of them have ever studied a single word of the Dharma. For me the biggest let down of Season 2 was that instead of exploring deeper issues further the show fell into cliche and formula.....and got "dumbed down" in an effort to get more audience members.

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