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It's Gerry's blank space

It's Gerry's blank space

It's Gerry's blank space

By James Murray
Daily Express, Thursday 30 September 1977, p12

One great mystery mars the jollifications over ITV's much-publicised 21st birthday this autumn. What happened to one of the most expensive projects of this year or any other- the new £3.6 million science fiction adventure, Space 1999?

Most of the 15 independent programme companies have chosen to ignore ATV's new 24-part series. And the only major company that has bought it, London Weekend, is showing it on Saturday mornings during a children's session.

Yet the first series was sold to 98 per cent of America's networks and to every other country in the world with a television service, earning hard pressed Britain a total of £6 million of overseas currency.

Why has Britain rejected the new series? That's the mystery.

Gerry Anderson, the creator and producer, says sadly: "I am baffled. It's a good question that I go around all day asking myself. Why? Why? Why?
"I think a British product should be given some kind of chance in its home country. I wouldn't mind if some of the companies put on only one of the shows just to test public reaction.
"But I have had no reaction at all from most of them."

Financed by ATV, the series is, of course, shown in their Midlands area at prime time on Saturday evenings and it is increasing its audience by the week.

Says Gerry: "If people in the rest of the country had a chance to see the show and then decided it was a load of rubbish I could accept that.
"But it has not been given a fair chance at all. It is an adult science fiction show and we've had letters from people in the London area wondering why it's being shown in the morning. There are some loyal fans who give up their Saturday shopping to see it, but it's a lot to ask."

The show stars Americans Martin Landau and Barbara Bain and glamorous Catherine Schell from the Pink Panther has joined the cast. There is an added touch of humour to make it a little less serious.

"I try to figure out what the companies have against it," says Gerry. "It can't be that science fiction shows are no longer popular, because the BBC's 'Star Trek' still gets repeated.
"It can't be that it's lacking in spectacle, because we have created some of the most spectacular visual effects in the business. They can't say it's just for kids because the 'Six Million Dollar Man' and 'Bionic Woman' are a great success with adults.
"No matter how I look at it I can't find the answer. It is quite heartbreaking. We have a marvellous team working on the show at Pinewood and it makes us despondent, but we will not allow that mood to find its way on to the screen. We still have a highly successful product to sell abroad.
"But naturally we want the pride of having it seen in our own country. It really is galling when American visitors come up to congratulate us on the show they love back home and then find they can't see it in the country where it was made.
"I'm surprised that the Independent Broadcasting Authority (which has to approve ITV's programme schedules) is not apparently interested in protecting a major British product.
"I'm sure the IBA could find no fault with our show. It is not violent, not pornographic. It is a family show. But if it does not get shown on British screens, it could damage a useful dollar earner."

It could be, of course, that Mr. Anderson is simply suffering from the well known British syndrome that a man of talent is the last to be recognised by his own people.

After all, what has he done before- only great puppet shows like Supercar, Thunderbirds and Stingray.

Contents copyright Martin Willey