The Making of Space: 1999

by Tim Heald

Vintage TV tie-in paperback

Genres: Nonfiction

Paperback

First published October 12, 1976

About the author

Tim Heald (b. 1944) is a journalist and author of mysteries. Born in Dorchester, England, he studied modern history at Oxford before becoming a reporter and columnist for the Sunday Times. He began writing novels in the early 1970s, starting with Unbecoming Habits (1973), which introduced Simon Bognor, a defiantly lazy investigator for the British Board of Trade. Heald followed Bognor through nine more novels, including Murder at Moose Jaw (1981) and Business Unusual (1989) before taking a two-decade break from the series, which returned in 2011 with Death in the Opening Chapter.

Reviews

[J.G. Barber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Space:1999 was my favorite TV series as a young person. As an adult, broke bread with some of the show's actors and creators. Still love Season One despite deep flaws, I re-watch it every few years...epic cinematography, stories, music, and metaphysical themes. Can't watch Season Two anymore, it's so bad...Fred Freiberger and ITC destroyed it.

[Edward Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though I wasn't such a big fan of either season of SPACE: 1999, I decided that this book would prove to be an interesting read. I was amazed at how the story of the show, how it was conceived by Gerry Anderson, how it was produced and marketed, proved to be more intriguing than any of the episodes of the actual programme. This book should be required reading for anyone who thinks that the can come up with and produce a sci-fi show solely based on imaginative merit.

What I found to be the most informative part of the book was the details surrounding the show's conception, what the actors felt about the show and how the special effects team worked their butts off to make the show better than it actually was. For me, the first season of SPACE: 1999 was boring and the second season was trying too hard to be STAR TREK to be believable in any small way. The book outlines how the show's creator and development team wrestled with those issues in producing a viable and entertaining product. The book's main focus in not on how the show was meant to be thought-provoking or philosophical. SPACE: 1999 was, from its inception, meant to be nothing more than pure entertainment. Viewers were never meant to think too hard about the show. In this way, it was a television programme ahead of its time. It should be produced today, when a lot of current television shows are produced in much the same way without much consideration given to making science-fiction (or any genre, for that matter) very thought-provoking.

The book details the efforts the production team went through to continue making a decent product. I still find it fascinating (and not in a good way) that SPACE: 1999 creator Gerry Anderson decided to contact Fred Freiberger to help develop the show for the second season, mainly because of Mr. Freiberger's association with the original STAR TREK series. I find it ironic that he contacted the man who, in many ways, helped bury STAR TREK in the first place with such less-than-memorable episodes as SPOCK'S BRAIN. Nevertheless, it is interesting the course that those who made SPACE: 19999 took during its two seasons. The book takes the reader through scripts, the composing of the music, the special effects, art direction, makeup and practically every facet of the production of the programme. In the end, that is what makes THE MAKING OF SPACE: 1999 such a memorable read. Fred Freiberger, for all the reasons why I feelhe helped bury SPACE: 1999 as he did with STAR TREK, did have one observation that was right on the money when he helped take over production of the second season. He wondered if anyone knew how to smile on Moonbase Alpha. Consider that everything was so serious in the first season that hardly anyone ever smiled or even joked during the episodes. How entertaining is that?

As a bit of geekistory, THE MAKING OF SPACE: 1999 is an invaluable look at a show whose fans supported it, in many instances, simply because it was science-fiction and not based on any other merit than that. Supporting sci-fi in those days meant other sci-fi shows might be produced, shows that would outshine SPACE: 1999. Invariably, this is what happened. But it is intriguing to look back and detail a period in sci-fi history when a not-so-great show was scrutinized as a template for future sci-fi programmes yet to be produced. It is comforting to know that somewhere, someone took note and we are where we are today with sci-fi programs being of a much higher quality than they used to have been across the board. However, I think some credit for this should be given the SPACE: 1999 and how people knew that it was just the springboard for other things yet unseen. This book gives a unique peek into the world of just what went into making a sci-fi show and the dedication it called for from everyone involved. Good reading.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

A backstage look at the creation and production of the cult tv series, Space: 1999. There are some interesting insight on the cast, crew and places. My only gripe is that the episode synopses section is in alphabetical order instead of the order that they aired. Highly recommended for die hard Space: 1999 fans and I give it a B-.