I saw the first season of 'The Wild Wild West' recently, and was impressed. Several episodes were produced by Fred Freiburger. He had talent as a producer, but whether those talents were best utilised on 'Space: 1999' is questionable. Year 2 badly needed someone who regarded the previous series positively, and not felt the need to make superfluous changes such as sacking half the cast and putting in tacky monsters.
'Space Warp' was the last of a trilogy of episodes he wrote under the name 'Charles Woodgrove', the others being 'The Rules Of Luton' and 'The Beta Cloud'. It is the best of a bad bunch, mainly because the premise - a strange malady causes Maya to change against her will into hostile creatures - is good. Having sorted out Alpha so many times in the past, Maya herself now poses a threat to the base.
While Alan and Helena try to find a way to stop her leaving in an Eagle ( she is driven by a compulsion to return to Psychon - a world that no longer exists ), elsewhere Koenig and Tony are heading into space to investigate a derelict spaceship. A space warp scoops up Alpha, flinging it light years away. With nowhere to go, and limited fuel, the Eagle crew venture into the ship...
No guest stars, but 'Porridge' fans will recognise actor Tony Osoba ( who played 'McLaren' ) as a security guard.
The space warp sequence allows for some nice psychedelic effects, and Maya's out of control Eagle blowing up the underground hangar where the craft are stored is mouth watering.
One of Maya's transformations is the Beta Cloud creature from the episode of that time. Surprisingly, no-one remembers it. She also changes into 'Mentor', her late father, but Brian Blessed is not back in the role. Instead we have a chap who looks like Orson Welles.
'Space Warp' and 'The Metamorph' were later paired to make the television movie 'Cosmic Princess'. A bizarre experience it was too, with Barry Gray's Year 1 music overlaid onto the soundtrack.
I'm going to give Fred the benefit of the doubt on this one. But I really wish he'd stayed away from the typewriter and hired Chris Penfold to write more episodes.
'Space Warp' was the last of a trilogy of episodes he wrote under the name 'Charles Woodgrove', the others being 'The Rules Of Luton' and 'The Beta Cloud'. It is the best of a bad bunch, mainly because the premise - a strange malady causes Maya to change against her will into hostile creatures - is good. Having sorted out Alpha so many times in the past, Maya herself now poses a threat to the base.
While Alan and Helena try to find a way to stop her leaving in an Eagle ( she is driven by a compulsion to return to Psychon - a world that no longer exists ), elsewhere Koenig and Tony are heading into space to investigate a derelict spaceship. A space warp scoops up Alpha, flinging it light years away. With nowhere to go, and limited fuel, the Eagle crew venture into the ship...
No guest stars, but 'Porridge' fans will recognise actor Tony Osoba ( who played 'McLaren' ) as a security guard.
The space warp sequence allows for some nice psychedelic effects, and Maya's out of control Eagle blowing up the underground hangar where the craft are stored is mouth watering.
One of Maya's transformations is the Beta Cloud creature from the episode of that time. Surprisingly, no-one remembers it. She also changes into 'Mentor', her late father, but Brian Blessed is not back in the role. Instead we have a chap who looks like Orson Welles.
'Space Warp' and 'The Metamorph' were later paired to make the television movie 'Cosmic Princess'. A bizarre experience it was too, with Barry Gray's Year 1 music overlaid onto the soundtrack.
I'm going to give Fred the benefit of the doubt on this one. But I really wish he'd stayed away from the typewriter and hired Chris Penfold to write more episodes.