From: owner-space1999
To: space1999-digest@buffnet4.buffnet.net
Subject: space1999-digest V1 #12
Reply-To: space1999
Precedence: bulk
space1999-digest Friday, 28 February 1997 Volume 01 : Number 012
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From: Eacott@aol.com
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 1997 21:17:19 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Space1999: fundraising drives
Regarding the $1-$2 donations for maintaining the list, I suggest that this
fundraising to maintain the site be coordinated. Perhaps a reminder could be
sent out every month or two with an address, the way the fundraising drives
on American public television are done. I dunno, just thinking as I type...
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From: David Welle <dwelle@online.dct.com>
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 1997 21:54:09
Subject: Re: Space1999: trivia (S19 bands?)
At 04:23 PM 02/27/97 -0800, Candace Cardinal (candy@ICSI.Berkeley.EDU) wrote:
>If anyone is a fan of the band Spot 1019, you might be interested to know
>that their name was a corruption of Space 1999 (=their original name).
Wonder if they ever worked any references of S19 into their songs or album
covers or something....
That reminds me of a song called "Space 1999." It was put out by a band
called The Draghounds, which was some sort of grunge/garage/?? group local
to the Minneapolis-St. Paul area (Minnesota, U.S.A.). The song is all but
unintelligible in many stretches, but I remember the name Martin Landau
being spoken within, and it was *so* strange to hear "Space... Nineteen
Ninety Nine" being shouted at every refrain. It was actually supposed to
be one of their most popular songs.
Ah heck, let me see if I can dig up the copy and sample it. Let you know
when I do!
- ----
David Welle
dwelle@online.dct.com
http://www.dct.com/~dwelle/s19.html
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From: "Robert Ashley Ruiz" <espresso@dnai.com>
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 1997 19:05:33 -0700
Subject: Space1999: Shermeen
Jon Stadter writes:
> When they come back from the teaser, Helena says that it is
> 1702 days since leaving Earth orbit (over 4.5 years). She then says
> that Shermeen is going through a 'teenage infatuation," as had Maya
> in the teaser. So, if Shermeen is still a teenager four-and-a-half
> years later, how dang young can you be to get posted to Alpha?????
She could have been a beige sleeved civillian like Victor,
accompanying a parent even. Then as she grew up she was assigned
duties. The clock can also be an estimation of Earth time rather
than actual lunar time. This never bothers me. I just ignore this
and it doesn't even sink in. (Of course, they should have been more
careful, but then they also should have [you fill in the blank].)
Robert
Robert Ruiz (espresso@dnai.com)
San Francisco, California USA
Cybrarian of the Space: 1999 Cybrary at:
http://204.188.13.27/welcome.htm
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From: "Robert Ashley Ruiz" <espresso@dnai.com>
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 1997 19:17:17 -0700
Subject: Space1999: RE: fundraising drives
Eacott@aol.com writes:
> Regarding the $1-$2 donations for maintaining the list, I suggest
> that this fundraising to maintain the site be coordinated. Perhaps a
> reminder could be sent out every month or two with an address, the
> way the fundraising drives on American public television are done. I
> dunno, just thinking as I type...
As of yesterday we have already received more than enough pledges
for a full year, and though I said I didn't want to collect a
surplus, some people still want to contribute so, that said, send
money if you want at this point, but it's really not necessary. It's
covered (as long as everyone who pledged follows through and sends
funds). Anything beyond one year's coverage will go toward next
year, and we'll let you know who the contributors/benefactors are and
how much we actually received after the checks come in.
Got the first one today from Bill Greer (thanks Bill!) so I'll be
forwarding it to Marcy tomorrow.
Robert
Robert Ruiz (espresso@dnai.com)
San Francisco, California USA
Cybrarian of the Space: 1999 Cybrary at:
http://204.188.13.27/welcome.htm
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From: David Welle <dwelle@online.dct.com>
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 1997 22:41:27
Subject: Re: Space1999: Year 2 -Reply
At 08:41 PM 02/27/97 EST, Jonathon P Stadter wrote:
> When they come back from the teaser, Helena says that it is 1702 days
>since leaving Earth orbit (over 4.5 years). She then says that Shermeen
>is going through a 'teenage infatuation," as had Maya in the teaser. So,
>if Shermeen is still a teenager four-and-a-half years later, how dang
>young can you be to get posted to Alpha?????
This also bothered me a little when I first saw it, but I think "teenage
infatuation" was being used as a common expression, something like when one
adult might comment about another adult's feelings being "like teenage
infatuation," or "like a schoolgirl's crush" (or "schoolboy's" if referring
to a male). Shermeen looked to be in her mid-twenties, which would still
put her posting to Alpha in her early 20s--still rather early....
Otherwise, if she were really a teenager, and an even younger teenager at
Breakaway, I suppose she could have come with a parent who was posted to
Alpha, or was perhaps visiting.
But lacking any backstory to that character, it's little more than
unconvincing speculation. Oh well; "Matter of Balance" was never one of my
favorites anyway.
- ----
David Welle
dwelle@online.dct.com
http://www.dct.com/~dwelle/s19.html
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From: NicStepro@aol.com
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 1997 23:23:00 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Space1999: Victor Doll- worth?
I have an opportunity to get a Victor doll. How much is he worth? Supposedly
in excellent condition, but he previously stated it wasn't in the original
package etc.
Ideas?
Nicolette
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From: "Mark Meskin" <plastic.gravity@newrock.com>
Date: Thu, 4 Jan 1996 22:33:35 -0600
Subject: Space1999: the top five
Hi all,
The Schlock Fi channel cheated me out of my chance to
see all the second season episodes again, but I've got
a Top Five anyway.
Dorzak
The Immunity Syndrome
Journey to Where
Sceance Spector
Bringers of Wonder
I can't say the S2 favorites have an henpicking order,
none are that superior to its peers. But of the S2
eps Ive seen in modern times I like them better than
the rest.
Dorzak I like because it puts someone else other than
Koenig in the spotlight, in fact he's not even the
Episode. Carter gets a little romance and some real
lines. Even Tony seems less cardboard. His little
ruse at the end added a little depth to his character.
He didn't show up with a security squad and a "new
big laser" from the prop department. The special
effects are a low spot in this episode, and the alien
spaceship looks like its a single peice plastic cast
kids toy, complete with stickers. I think I read
that this ship was made from part of a lamp, and well,
it shows.
The Immunity Syndrome is a guess, but I remember I
liked it a lot. The plastic glider was innovative
and reasonably well used. Although why such a device
would be on the Moon is beyond me, unless it was
developed there.
Journey to Where- great story- nice comment on Earth;s
ecological problems, bad humor. The scenes between
Maya and Tony where Maya is unsure about going to
Earth, are just pure gems. It shows for the first
time how odd she feels being the lone Alien among
humans.
Sceance Spector- Good story, cool FX(especially the
Eagle on the Pad at the remote Security Station, it is
the only time we ever see it.)the best lines for a
single ep character(Sanderson) this side of Duke
Nukem. Good tension, campy Doctor Russell. I'd
have cast a different Actor for Sanderson. This guys
just hams it up on screen, I think it would have been
better if Sanderson was presented as a serious
alternative to Koenig. Sanderson was just tooooo
wacked for ANYONE to trust him. Had he been more even
keeled it would have brought out more of the flaws in
Koenigs leadership, and turned the episode into a
tension filled character study.
Bringers of Wonder- Well the ALiens were gross, but
they looked like silly walking garbage heaps.
Fortunately this episode had a S1 story concept and
of the all the S2 eps this one came the closest to
hard scifi. It also has a that grand scale feeling,
contrasting the canned feeling of the Second Season.
I think this is due to the broad range of scenery we
see: Command Center, the Mediacal Section, the
Nuclear Monitoring Station(massive set), The film lab,
action on the lunar surface, etc. I could have done
with out the campy "diana and her big boobs" parts,
and wish they had made the audience decide who was
seeing the truth, instead of showing us right of the
Bat that Koenig was Right. Nice line by Koenig at
the End "Its better to be your own Man than a fool in
some else's dream"
> The easier question would be to answer which five
from Series 2 we hate:
>
>
Very Easy-
Rules of Luton
THe Dorcons
Brian the Brain
The Metamorph
Rules of Luton-yes its that dumb.
I'm very tired now, I'll stop here.
- -Its late Crater,
Mark
Creator of "EAGLE ONE"
Look for the 'beta' release soon! I'm almost there...
plastic.gravity@newrock.com
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From: Ina Litera <ilitera@idt.net>
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 12:26:03 +0000
Subject: Space1999: old thread
Hi
I know I'm many weeks behind, but a while ago there was talk of
Sandra's undying loyalty to Paul. If memory serves correctly wasn't
Sandra engaged to someone else (I think this came up in BOW, but I'm
not sure) Anyway if she was such a loyal personality, one would think
her devotion would be to her almost spouse.
Just a thought.
Also add my thanks to all the new list runners for taking yp the job.
Later
Ina
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From: Eacott@aol.com
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 01:30:23 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Space1999: fundraising
Geez, I guess I can't go a day without checking in with you guys! I propose
fundraising, take a few days off, come back, and already we don't need
fundraising! YAY!
By the way, I'll chip in $5, for next year!
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From: Eacott@aol.com
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 01:30:33 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Space1999: S1999 animated series
S1999 animated series?! Never heard of it! We must find out more!
The 22 Trek cartoons aired 73-74, but are all available on video tape and
were aired on Nickolodeon and, in the past few years, on the Sci-Fi Channel
on Saturday mornings.
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From: Eacott@aol.com
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 01:30:30 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Space1999: Ratings, ITC, Year 2 Changes, and Freiberger
<Hell, no show is perfect. I think that's one of the reasons we love it so
much after 20 years. We can look at the mistakes and laugh.>
This is so true! Look around you...how many fans of the 80s series Buck
Rogers do you see? S1999 still holds up after 20 years, and that says a lot
about the creativity that went into the show.
<Spock was also a counterpoint to the...humans...and therefore very revealing
of the humans he was bouncing off of. Wouldn't this naturally be the
progression for Maya as well, considering the tragic circumstances that
led to her joining the Alphans? Instead, she's bubbly, and more human
and well adjusted than the humans themselves, making the fact that
she's an alien nothing more than a gimmick, when in fact she had the
depth of character, a built-in history...>
But that would take time, and be character development. It seems as though
they wanted S1999 to have a quick fix. Hence they avoided this.
But I agree Maya deserves to feel deep pain and sorrow for what she went
through. After all, as far as the Alphans know, Earth is fine and dandy (not
withstanding the weird Y1 return-to-Earth episode that said Earth was
barren), with tidal problems, and all that--but Earth is still around. For
Maya, Psychon is dead, the planet's blown up, and we only meet one other
survivor!
<I always thought along the same lines. No matter how well adjusted a person
you are, seeing your entire race/planet destroyed has got to be the most
horrible thing. People go totally over the edge after personal tragedies
like the death of a child, spouse, etc. Losing your entire race/planet has
got to be much worse. I could never imagine Maya as aloof, being an
outgoing person naturally, but I always thought of her 'happy act' as quite
a facade. She had to be in terrible pain when she was alone, especially
before becoming close to Tony.>
I suppose Psychons adjust better to circumstances than us humans. Perhaps
that bubbly, more human side was a demonstration of how to properly adjust to
the circumstances. OR she was hiding her pain behind that behavior. I did the
same thing in college, put up a really happy facade to mask the pain of the
death of my father. Seeing evidence of that in the show would have had the
same impact as seeing Spock cry in Trek's Naked Time episode--it would have
revealed that extra depth to the character that we know was there!
BTW, I have never seen The Metamorph! I will copy it from you guys
eventually; it must be terrific!
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From: Eacott@aol.com
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 01:30:35 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Space1999: S1999 comics
<One more thing - my friend says he saw 1999 comics in Perth. Does anyone
know anything about them as well?>
<Charleton comics put out a Space: 1999 series. All of the ones that I saw
were Year 1 characters. The artist was John Byrne (he's been doing Superman
or had been...My understanding is that the comics have become quite
collectible because of Mr. Byrne's later work.>
S1999 comics were published by Charlton Comics in the 70s. No, the John Byrne
involved in the comics is not the Johnny Byrne S1999 writer; this John Byrne
is an artist from Canada who's been a steady, popular artist at Marvel and DC
for years, who relaunched Superman, and currently draws Wonder Woman and Jack
Kirby's Forth World. He is best known for drawing the X-Men, now the best
selling comics series around because of him and his fellow writer, Chris
Claremont, and X-Men is now a tv movie (Gen X has aired; X-Men live-action
was just announced, and Gen X TV series is due in fall 97 on FOX).
Anyway, back to the subject. I never read or owned any of these S1999 comics,
but I have this info, from 'Focus on John Byrne', Fantagraphics Books, 1984:
S1999 #3: "Bring Them Back Alive" writer Nick Cuti, Artist/Letterer/Cover art
John Byrne 22pages
S1999 #4: "Demon Star!" writer Nick Cuti, Artist/Letterer/Cover art John
Byrne 22pages
S1999 #5: Gods of the Planey Olympus" writer Nick Cuti, Artist/Letterer/Cover
art John Byrne 22pages
S1999 #6: "Flotsam/Survival" writer/Artist/Letterer/Cover art John Byrne
22pages
The book I'm quoting from also has reproduced the line art of the cover of
issue 5, which is a cool drawing of Koenig piloting an Eagle. If anyone wants
it, I can scan it and e-mail it for you. I'll go hunting for this series when
I'm at the Chicago Comicon in July. You've got me all curious to see what
they look like; maybe I can find some.
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From: Ina Litera <ilitera@idt.net>
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 01:54:38 +0000
Subject: Space1999: Intoduction
I realize that I've gone ahead and posted to this list without
introducing myself, which is kinda rude. My name is Ina Litera and
like most everyone else I watch S19 when I was about 13. About 3
years ago I was on tour in Germany playing for the European company of
My Fair Lady (I'm a violist) when I encountered Tony Anholt, (He was
playing Higgins). Anyway that starting me thinking and when I got
home I found the scifi channel (then new here in NY) was showing S19
and I got rehooked.
Anyway that's my short story
also I apologize for my bad typing,
Later
Ina
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From: "Robert Ashley Ruiz" <espresso@dnai.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 00:05:56 -0700
Subject: Re: Space1999: old thread
Welcome to the list Ina:
> I know I'm many weeks behind, but a while ago there was talk of
> Sandra's undying loyalty to Paul. If memory serves correctly wasn't
> Sandra engaged to someone else (I think this came up in BOW, but I'm
> not sure) Anyway if she was such a loyal personality, one would
> think her devotion would be to her almost spouse.
This begs the question, how far do you take loyalty? This fiance was
someone who was on Earth at the time of Breakaway, and the version of
him we saw in Bringers of Wonder was a projection of this person.
After Breakaway, I think Sandra could have safely said that the
relationship didn't have a chance, and so she started checking out
the locals. :)
Robert
Robert Ruiz (espresso@dnai.com)
San Francisco, California USA
Cybrarian of the Space: 1999 Cybrary at:
http://204.188.13.27/welcome.htm
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From: "Robert Ashley Ruiz" <espresso@dnai.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 00:05:56 -0700
Subject: Re: Space1999: Victor Doll- worth?
NicStepro@aol.com writes:
> I have an opportunity to get a Victor doll. How much is he worth?
> Supposedly in excellent condition, but he previously stated it
> wasn't in the original package etc.
The Mattel figures are generally $25-$35 loose and up to $55-$75 or
more still in the package.
The Palitoy figures are usually about $150 or so loose (though I
bought the two aliens last year for $85 each), and generally $250
still in package for John and Paul, up to $450 still in package for
Alan. Alan can also cost about $250 loose.
Robert
Robert Ruiz (espresso@dnai.com)
San Francisco, California USA
Cybrarian of the Space: 1999 Cybrary at:
http://204.188.13.27/welcome.htm
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From: David Welle <dwelle@online.dct.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 03:18:02
Subject: Space1999: Apples and Oranges?
At 08:17 PM 02/27/97 -0500, Lynn (DAllard422@aol.com) wrote:
>Am I the only one out there who enjoys yr 2 as much as yr 1? I find things I
>truly enjoy about each yr and things I dislike.
Nope, you're not the only one. I like them both about the same, though in
something of an "apples and oranges" sense. They both have their own
merits, and their own drawbacks.
When I first saw Year One, I was six, and most of the deeper stuff flew
right over my head. It was still pretty fun to watch, so I hung around.
Year Two was what hooked me. I loved the characters, the stories, and
still enjoyed all the space scenery and the ships.
Except for some reruns in 1977, and just a couple episodes in 1988 or so, I
didn't see the series again until late 1992, when the Sci-Fi Channel first
started airing it. I had no idea what to expect, or if I'd even like the
series after so many years--but I wasn't the least bit disappointed. I
still didn't know what to make of many Y1 episodes, but was once again
engrossed by Y2. It took awhile longer for my appreciation of Y1 to grow,
but it has grown quite a lot, and there are *many* elements I appreciate
about both seasons--as well as many elements that I don't care much for in
each.
Don't think this necessarily contradicts what I said in my previous post.
Look carefully at the earlier one, and see how I quote words or use
'perceived'. I may have missed a few such instances, but I was only
analyzing certain perceptions that came into play when ITC looked at the
lower-than-expected ratings and started asking, "What went wrong?"--not
what I or others perceived as viewers/fans, which I want to get to (I think
I separate that as another post).
But one more point about ratings...
Robert reminded us, in his discussion about Hollywood, of just how
distasteful the "game" can be. Curiously, the obsessive concern for
ratings can actually lead to ratings downfalls. How many series didn't hit
their real stride until well into the first season, or even their second
seasons? In the quest for ever-higher ratings, producers--but even more so
broadcast executives, it seems--can forget that it can take awhile to
"find" and capture the audience. I've heard about quite a few of the most
blockbuster TV series that didn't start building huge audience ratings
until much later--but for the life of me, the only one I can think of is
"Cheers", and I don't think that's the right example (it's been a long
day). So many promising series get dropped so quickly it's impossible to
tell if they would have broken out given time. It's an ugly game (one of
many), and it's afflicted so many series, including S19.
Just warming up... (and you're thinking what? Oh no? :-)
- ----
David Welle
dwelle@online.dct.com
http://www.dct.com/~dwelle/s19.html
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From: David Welle <dwelle@online.dct.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 03:34:48
Subject: Space1999: Apples/Oranges? Y1, Y2, & Interpersonality
Hello all!
Like Robert said in another note, Y1 can be something like of a fine wine,
and it may take awhile for all of the flavors to come through. One such
example for me was when I started recognizing the "wooden"
characterizations were oft-times more subtle than wooden.
In the early stages, an efficient, business-like "coldness" made sense in
its own way. Later, as Y1 progressed and even more-so in Y2, the Alphans
grew together as a community. Rather than just a collection of experts,
they started growing their own culture of a sort. After all, Breakaway
left them only their own memories, computer records, and some physical
artifacts to remember Earth by. So they had to start building something of
their own.
Emotionally, the people started out as mostly brisk, efficient,
business-like, even distant. This is not surprising in its own way. Many
were still strangers to each other, either from it being a recent posting,
taking time to adjust, or just the size of the base (would you know
everyone at a business with 300-some employees?). This actually makes
sense, IMO, considering the high-powered nature of getting a post to this
most prestigous (or one of the most, it would seem) posting in the solar
system, the absolute dedication to ones duties, then the shellshock of
Breakaway, and subsequent alien encounters and outright attacks.
Little time for anything else but a few brief conversations (often at the
end of many Y1 episodes), moments of deeper human contact. Not that they
didn't care at other times. Koenig's gruff concern for Carter in
"Collision Course," to cite one example, or Koenig's even greater concern
for Helena as the season progressed. Not always obvious, and it could take
multiple viewings to even recognize in some cases--but even then, it could
leave some wondering if it was always there or not. They simply played it
too subtle at times, it seems, and I can easily see how it led to
accusations of "coldness", as even I had that impression for the longest
time (first impressions aren't always easy to shake off, even if you're
trying).
On the other hand, the point can still stand on its own. Robert, for
example, has already discussed the lack of forward momentum that was
insisted on by ITC, especially Abe Mandell, and how it actually worked
against the series, and ultimately led (in part) to the criticisms, ratings
disappointments (overall), and attempts to humanize the series (even if
carried to the point of OVER-compensation by ITC and Freiberger). Greater
appreciation or not, I still didn't get that much of a feeling of emotional
growth, and that's still something that dogs my impression of Y1.
Like I said, however, I have considerably greater appreciation for Y1's
uniqueness, and can accept that the emotional distances made sense in their
own way. They had brief moments of deeper human interaction, but the name
of the game seemed to be "Duty above all", not only before Breakaway, but
after it as well.
But how long can this be kept up, when all other ties have been severed?
No chance to contact family or friends back on Earth. No chance for
vacations, or contact with *real* nature. A bunch of other driven
individuals you never really got to know because of the continual demands
of your duties (true before and after Breakaway). Sure, there were those
moments of connection, and others I'm sure we had never seen. But I still,
to this day, get a sense of mostly-isolated individuals, trapped in their
own spacious but almost sterile quarters, on a somewhat "colorless" base.
Don't forget Helena's words from "Death's Other Dominion":
"But Alpha isn't home.
It's a barracks, on a barren rock,
flying endlessly through space!
We want a real home. A place to live.
To.. raise children."
This is one of my favorite quotes from the whole series, and is quite
illustrative of a few of the points I was making in my previous paragraph.
It's not a home. Not a place to live. How long could you live there
without going crazy? How many actually *went* insane in some way? Moments
of warmth still make for mostly cold days, so to speak, and I can't imagine
this being enough for most people who are marooned from everything and
everyone they had previously known. Sooner or later, the emotional stress
of their situation would break down barriers. The only question, it seems
to me, would be whether those "barriers" are those separating people, or
those separating people from insanity.
The people in Y1 for the most part still seemed rather isolated from each
other. But the barriers were slowly dropping. Year Two had a much
stronger feeling of interpersonal warmth and closeness, of a group of
people who had pulled together into a self-supportive community. Humor to
help cope with the pain. Strong, supportive relationships. Romance that
was, simply put... inevitable, very human, and even very necessary. Could
you really imagine being marooned and not wanting to find someone? Would
you really be able to help it? At least Year Two injected these elements,
and even showed some "forward momentum" during the year, as we saw Maya and
Tony's relationship deepen, for example, even if things could be left
frustratingly vague at times.
Not that Year Two did its own things perfectly either. The "human"
elements, if realistic in their own right, were sometimes mishandled.
Put together, both series came off with their own extremes. Year One for
holding an almost unchanging, non-evolving interpersonal distance, when
reality and sanity would suggest that people would have to pull together
more quickly in the face of their circumstances. Year Two for jumping so
abruptly to its own form, and not always handling it well. If Year One had
greater forward momentum, we might have seen a smoother transition in the
natural of Alphan interpersonal relationships, and the Y2 jump would not
have seemed so abrupt in this regard. Or on the other hand, give Y1's slow
inching forward, perhaps if Year Two was dated (in the Alphan calendar),
from couple *years* after Breakaway, it would have made more sense (even if
a huge time gap was left).
Without a doubt, it was an extreme jump from mere moments of deeper human
contact, *slowly* increasing and deepening over time, to such an
overwhelming (one could even say overpowering) sense of community. Even if
both made sense in their own ways, it was still a radical jump. But I
still say interpersonal relationships had to strengthen in many ways to
stay sane, given Alpha's ugly situation. But the extreme shift? If
"forward momentum" had been stronger, instead of being intentional
repressed (for the most part), we could have seen it progress in a way that
would have been more fulfilling, in a sense, without frustrating many
viewers for the perceived lack of change. If they had progressed in such a
manner, we could have seen an exploration of the changes of a collection of
people sharing some moments and evolving by fits and starts into a
closer-knit community over time. (BTW, this does not preclude conflict by
any means; what community lacks this?)
Revisiting the "subtle flavor" metaphor for a second, and not just in
regard to interpersonal relationships, but the series as a *whole*....
As much as the subtlety can be wonderful, it still hurt the series, IMO.
It could get so subtle sometimes, that you couldn't recognize it for what
it was until you saw it several times, either over the course of a run of
episodes, and/or on second/third/etc. viewings of *each* episode--but how
many people would hold out for that? Well, yes, it's their loss. But for
a new series on which expectations were running high (perhaps
unrelistically high), could it afford having a mass of initial viewers
tuning in, watching it, not getting it, and tuning out--many permanently?
Perhaps it made too many of its flavors too subtle.
To carry the wine metaphor further (perhaps too far), it would be like a
wine with a bouquet (sp?) that starts wonderfully, then goes flat or
perhaps even bitter for some seconds, then slowly starts to pick up with
previously hidden riches? How many people can get past those middle
impressions?
"Flat? Bitter?" you might ask, not seeing S19 this way, even
metaphorically. But how many people saw special effects first, failed to
get past plots that first seem confusing and characters that first seem
cold or wooden, and never got as far as the subtle but rewarding opening of
layers that could follow? How many people got lost along the way, for
*whatever* reason, and simply tuned out before they could grasp the intent,
and the uniqueness, of S19? Sometimes, it was outright closed-mindness,
the type many ST fans display, or the type that many critics seem to
constantly affect. Sometimes, the open-mindness was there, but just not
enough patience, or that in the end, the themes simply did not grab them
well enough. Their loss? Sure. But in ITC's quest for perhaps
unrealistic ratings, it seems it became everyone's loss as well. Instead
of splicing new additions/changes into the existing structure, they decided
there were too many problems, and rewrote much of the structure instead. A
pity they couldn't taste all the bouquets of their own wine....
Just a few thoughts.
Comments?
- ----
David Welle
dwelle@online.dct.com
http://www.dct.com/~dwelle/s19.html
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