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“The Black Sun” |
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Alpha is plunging headlong into a black hole. But Victor Bergman has a plan that just might make it possible for them to survive being pulled in. It’s ingenious. It’s insane. Writer: David Weir Director: Lee H. Katzin Guest Cast Paul Jones as Mike Ryan |
“The Black Sun” is Space: 1999 at its metaphysical best. The series got back on its feet with this episode, a strong blend of science fiction and philosophy which explores the psyche of a people faced with death. The highlight of this episode is a philosophical dialog beween Koenig and Victor over brandy and cigars as the moon crosses the event horizon into the Black Sun. Victor had some spare time on his hands, and asked the computer what the odds were that the Alphans would survive, and the answer is that they shouldn’t have made it this far. Victor speculates that some cosmic intelligence is watching over them, intervening at the right moment. “The line between science and mysticism,” Victor muses, “it’s just a line.” he smiles and adds, “You know, sometimes it makes me feel quite old.” As the scene progresses, and the two become quietly inebriated, Koenig toasts, “To everything that might have been,” and Victor responds with, “To everything that was.” Inside the Black Sun, we meet this being, or at least we are lead to believe. No explanation is given of who or what the being is, and when Victor asks it, “Are you God?” it does not answer. There are two scenes in this episode, however, that rub me the wrong way. One is a scene where Victor seems to be gloating to Kano about how his force field’s power requirements take precedence over the computer systems. The other is a speech Alan Carter gives when he learns that a survival ship is going to be launched: “But now there's going to be six or seven lives on that ship.” Koenig says six. “Well, I should be one of those six, Commander. Because if anyone could get them somewhere ... I can." It’s a well-acted scene, but a very badly written one. What Alan means to say is that he’s confident can get a survival ship to safety, but he comes off as a coward wanting to run away. |
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RELATED PAGES: [Ken Scott] [Martin Willey] |
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Alpha Chronicle Online ©2001 by Matt Butts. Space: 1999 ©1975 Carlton
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