Next year marks the 45th anniversary of Space: 1999, the cult sci-fi series starring Mission: Impossible husband-and-wife team Martin Landau and Barbara Bain. Though it only lasted for two seasons, the series boasted excellent production values and high caliber of guest stars (Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, and a young Ian McShane among them). As such, it is fondly remembered by most who saw it, and may have owned replicas of the Eagle spaceships.
Created as a means to reuse moonbase sets and props from a prematurely canceled second season of the show UFO, Space: 1999 featured a moon blown out of Earth’s orbit far across the universe. The moon itself became like the starship Enterprise, exploring strange new worlds and new civilizations. As with Star Trek, there was ever-present tension to make the show more action-oriented and less cerebral. Action eventually won out, to the show’s ultimate detriment.
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In another likely Trek influence, Landau’s commander character had the name of Koenig. And he has long been overdue for some toy love. Fortunately, it seems Big Chief Studios, known for high-end Doctor Who figures, have something in the works.
Like many Big Chief figures, this is likely to be 12 inches and cost a pretty penny. So we’ll see how devoted the fanbase of the moonbase really is. We suspect that for many of them, this will be cause to party like it’s…well, you know. Now bring on Maya the sexy shape-shifter!
Are you a Space: 1999 fan? Tell us your best memories in comments below.
