The First Three - Lost in Space, Land of the Giants & Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea - along with Time Tunnel (see Time & Space, 'Link' Below, for details) were Regulars on the Thursday Afternoon Slot.

There was nothing that would keep me away from the TV at that time. I remember feeling Disappointed if One Series would End, and yet, Joy because that would mean One of the Other's would be Starting the Following Week.

The Following Three - 2001: A Space Odyssey, Blake's Seven & Space 1999 - are Primarily set in Space. Each has its own particular 'Feel' and used Special Effects in very their own Characteristic way.

It also had one of the most Memorable Characters from TV History, Dr Zachary Smith, played by Johnathon Harris. "Never Fear Smith is Here!", was the Quote of the Day. He represented the Essence of 'Anti - Hero' which Inspired myself, and a number of friends, to partake in some very Unusual Childhood Acts of Heroics. Something that I have Never been able to Figure Out to this Day.

He combined Cowardice & Fear with a Bravado Unmatched by Anyone, Anywhere. His Inventiveness for Preserving His Own Existence is Unsurpassed in the Annuls of Sci - Fi History. You Knew exactly Where You Stood with Dr Smith - As far away as Possible with your Back Against the Inside of a Titanium Fortress with Shields at Full Strength - especially if HIS Life depended on it!

He seems very similar to the Character of Rincewind from Terry Pratchett's Discworld Stories (click Here to read more about these Books).

I have seen the new Film Version of Lost in Space, I'm still having trouble coming to terms with the Idea that Matt Le Blanc (Joey from Friends) is not really an Day Time Hospital Soap Actor. Saying that he wasn't all that bad, they were all 'hamming' it up a bit anyway. It Certainly had reasonable Special Effects & a completely non-Original Series Storyline, which was probably just as well, as it will never be able to capture the 'Spirit' of the Original that would be way too much to ask!

Its Background Details were Better though as it had the Opportunity to Focus more on its Subject. Some of the Other Shows had the Tendency to go Overboard occasionally. The Cultural Aspects of the Giants would be of Greater Interest to me now.

The main Show's Formula was quite Similar to that of Lost in Space (see above), i.e. Heroes, Cowardly Bad Guy, cute (ish) Children & Women with very good Screams. That is the Inherent problem with a lot of TV & Films - People's Ideas of 'Roles' can become quite Monotonous to those looking for the New & Inventive.

I watched a rerun of this Series a while back. I pleasantly surprised at how much I'd forgotten. The Story Line didn't seem all that bad. It may be that it was not quite the thing for me at the time. So, as an additional comment, I have raised Land of the Giants higher up in my Listings. This still makes it the Least Favourite of the 'Thursday' Shows, only this time by a smaller margin.

The Best bit was the Intro with the 'Bip, Bip's, Brilliant. One of the difficulties with Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea was, How on Earth (or Under it in some cases) did that Submarine ever survive long enough to become a Series?

The Stories managed to cover almost every Conceivable Scenario, and quite a few that went beyond the conceivable. There seems to be no room left for anyone else to do anything with this Idea. It is True to say that the Depths of the Oceans still hold a few Untold Wonders, hopefully, none as Extreme as those from the Show - Fingers Crossed!

The Modern Day Version, SeaQuest DSV just didn't cover all that much 'New Ground'. Either with the Underwater theme or the 'Effects'. good as they were, there were other Programmes 7 films which were equally matched. Part of the Reason, I think, that it didn't end up as Popular as it should.

The Scene that seems to have shown the most has got to be the '360 Degree' Walking Clip. Yet another Example of Simplicity Creating Brilliance - I LIKE this Film, you can tell!

The Tension that HAL generates, particularly That Voice, & the Opening Scene, the Music, are the Main Memorable bits for me. I would imagine that would Apply to Most People.

I had to watch the 'Ending' again to be sure that I was left 'Hanging' in Suspense & Wonder. Yep! True Enough - it was only the 'Beginning'!

This turned out to be a very good reason to then watch 2010.

Which much Relief it set out to Explain a lot of things, especially the 'Ending' of 2001. Fortunately, for me , HAL was given a Second Chance.

2010 didn't quite Match the 'Overall Effect' of 2001 - it would have been virtually Impossible to have done so. Never the Less it was still good & is not far behind in my own 'Ratings'.

It would be nice to think that Someday the Sequels would be made into Films. 2060 & 3001. I Finished the Latter about 6 months ago & the Potential is Definitely there, so come on! Someone get the the Camera Rolling! ... !!!

It's one of the 'things' were the Story Line, & the fact that it was Sci - Fi enable me to become Engrossed & Overlook some very dodgy Scenery and Props. This is the Stuff that Anoraks are made of!

I found out recently that Fin is a Fan of Blake's Seven also. Not that it Implies anything - Honest! - it's just that over the Last Ten Years it had never come up in Conversation. This is the Best Demonstration of the point I can Make.

Even at the Time I felt that the Later Series, Story Lines & Characters were not up to scratch. Thinking about it - and I don't often - there are very few Scenes that come to mind. I suppose it's just one of those things.

Some Shows just don't 'Age' well.

Yes the Costumes & Haircuts are a bit 'Way Out', and those Sideburns of Barry Morse were Ridiculous then , let alone now!

The Eagle Ships have held up fairly well, some of the other Equipment definitely did not. I still want one of those Lights that were on the Main Consoles.

The thing that Surprised me the Most, when watching them again, was this 'Dependency' they Deferred onto the Computer on occasion. I will State that there is no way I will be Trusting any 'Machine' in 1999 with those sort of decisions.

I am still not Sure 'Why On Moon' (get it?) they Introduced a 'Shape - Shifting' Maya, played by Catherine Schell, into the Story Line? I know some of the changes were to appeal to the American Audience. It ended up more like the Early Dr Who with their dodgy looking Monsters. Bizarre!

This brings me to one of the Main 'Difficulties' with making Sci - Fi Programmes with a relatively near Date attached to them. DON'T DO IT! If you aim for 100 Years into the Future then at least your Unlikely to be Alive to Suffer the Embarrassment that such a 'Bad Call' generates.

It is a Strange thing that TV & Films have Consistently aimed their Technological Progress way ahead of what is Practical & yet, paradoxically, Actual Technology has leapt far ahead of its 'Informed Predictors at an Alarming Rate in some Areas.

It will be interesting to see how the Likes of Babylon 5 & the 'newer' Star Trek Series do in their Respective Time Zones. I think Both will still be technologically way ahead of the Time. Babylon 5 may Hit slightly closer.

In 100 Years Time someone may, find this Page and Feel Sorrow & Pity for Me, as they do some Leisure Reading in 'HyperSpace': approaching the 'New Earth' Colony on Planet 'Epsilon' around Alpha Centauri!