SPACE: 1999: 30TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION MEGASET

Once you get past the rather dopey premise, this was a great science fiction series. A nuclear explosion on the moon sends our only natural satellite hurtling through space, where the crew of Moonbase Alpha encounters all sorts of strange creatures and phenomena. OK, it would take years for the moon to even leave our solar system, but suspend your disbelief and let these Brits have a go. The two main characters were actually played by Americans Martin Landau and Barbra Bain, who were married to each other at the time. It was the hope of ITV, the British network that produced the series, to get the show onto an American network. That failed, and the show wound up in syndication, often paired with re-runs of Star Trek. Visually pleasing, Space: 1999 found a solid balance between intellectual musings and action/adventure. Had they waited to ride the coattails of Star Wars, they might have survived to see a third season. This box set is loaded with extras, including commentary, behind-the-scenes featurettes and cast interviews. Grade: A-