Written by Dr Who's Terry Nation, this has all the traits of that show at its 70s peak: a great atmosphere and sense of active danger, decent acting and scripts, costumes and effects that owe more to ingenuity than budget - and, of course, a classic theme tune. It's a little less eccentric and a bit more adult in its themes, making use of conspiracy and cover-up in high places when they were still a novelty. And being based on the bridge of a powerful starship visiting different planets, there's more than a hint of Star Trek too.
But nostalgia aside, is it *really* an all-time great show for grownups? Well, nowadays we're used to a faster, slicker pace in drama, and I don't think it's possible to overlook the hokeyness of the effects entirely: white dots on black paper to represent the depths of the universe! Like a lot of sci-fi, it's also not quite as clever as it thinks it is; more suitable, in fact, for teens. Definitely a classic theme tune though - and, well, it has to have a 7, doesn't it?
But nostalgia aside, is it *really* an all-time great show for grownups? Well, nowadays we're used to a faster, slicker pace in drama, and I don't think it's possible to overlook the hokeyness of the effects entirely: white dots on black paper to represent the depths of the universe! Like a lot of sci-fi, it's also not quite as clever as it thinks it is; more suitable, in fact, for teens. Definitely a classic theme tune though - and, well, it has to have a 7, doesn't it?