Episode Critics
Compiled by Martin Willey

3. Black Sun

An outstanding episode, with good performances and film direction by Lee H Katzin. The crew's final moments, as they play poker, get drunk and strum the guitar are rather moving, but the actual journey through the black sun disappoints and , as the title suggests, the episode scores zero for scientific accuracy. 8/10 (Rob Pritchard, Dreamwatch #27, 1996)

A wonderful episode with some delightful characterisation. The reunion with the survival Eagle makes an emotionally charged feel-good ending. A. (Chris Bentley, SFX 20, 1996)

Fine character moments almost compensate for the dramatic flaws of the story. Almost. Had the story been just a bit more consistent in detail, these character moments would have been the icing on the cake rather than the raison d'etre of the story. While there is no sin in mysticism and the belief that a cosmic intelligence is guidng humanity, Black Sun simply holds back too much from the viewer. (John Kenneth Muir, Exploring Space: 1999, p29)

**- (average) (James O'Neill, Sci-Fi On Tape, p270, 1997)

This is an episode which allows the cast to shine brightly. Black Sun is really a character piece. It focuses in sharply on the people of Moonbase Alpha and stays there through most of the hour. By doing so it provides the greatest wealth of subtle, rich characterisation to be found in the entire series. 9.5/10 (Bob Wood, The Future Is Fantastic, 2001)

Cited as a favourite of cast members, it's an interesting take on the "omnipotent beings of light" stereotype. 3/5 (Alasdair Stuart, SciFiNow #10, 2007)