Catacombs Reference LibraryPress
Closer Look
Catacombs Reference Library
Ernie Kreiling wrote a syndicated column "A closer look at television" in several papers, mostly in Southern California (this is from the Valley News & Green Sheet, Van Nuys on 26 September 1975). The New York Times review mentioned is by by John J. O'Connor on 19th September.
A prime time adventure series that's not on the networks may be becoming the national sleeper of the year. Some signs point to the British-produced Space: 1999 as that sleeper. It stars Martin Landau and Barbara Bain and is seen locally on KHJ, Channel 9 at 7 p.m. Saturdays.
Nationally, it's being seen in about 155 cities and in most locales it's being seen on network- affiliated stations and generally in prime time, that is 8 p.m. or after.
All network affiliates see at least several of its own series that are not strong and they are a little reluctant to pre-empt that network offering for a syndicated entry if they think it will do better in the ratings. And if it does better in the local ratings, it means the network affiliated stations, although independently owned, make more money by selling their time to local sponsors than they do from what the network pays them for running its programs.
The early success of Space: 1999 suggests television station programmers see some- thing promising in it. When it aired at 7 p.m. in Cleveland a few weeks ago Space: 1999 ranked Number One for the entire evening on all stations.
The New York Times reviewed the program premiere this way in part, "This is not to suggest (it) is great art. But it is fun, of the sort that left countless thousands of Star Trek viewers still heartbroken The real stars are Brian Johnson and Nick Adler, who share most of the credit for special effects."
I watched half of one episode and would agree that if the acting was a little wooden and the story a little diffuse, the special effects were spectacular.
The series is said to have cost about $275,000 per episode in England, which would mean closer to $400,000 each in the U.S. or almost twice the production cost of most hour series. How much of that budget went each week into the writing remains to be seen, but as a science fiction series it does have a special sheen that's certain to be attractive to science fiction fans.
I watched only half of Space: 1999 in order to catch at least one episode of Don Adams Screen Test, a Universal Studios syndicated product. ...
Space: 1999 copyright ITV