Hi all,
I have to say on reading James's comments on the later eps of UFO. I find myself in disagreement with some his views. Sure enough the later eps such as Timelash and The Long Sleep did reflect a definite qualitative change in the direction UFO was taking at the time. But rather than illustrating a decline in quality from the earlier eps which were indeed of high quality, they reflected a new mode of thinking which was infact very indicative of what was actually going on within UK society in the late 1960's. A good example of this is in the ep The Long Sleep where their is the very clever juxta position of the basic science fiction premise on which UFO was based i.e Aliens coming to Earth, and that of the hallucinogenic scenes which were obviously illustrative of the contemporary drug culture of the time and the effects such usage could have on the mind. In some ways I would actually go as far as saying, the later eps were reflective of the series maturing into an adult only type of science fiction. This I believe was probably necessary since any series if it was to have any longevity, needs to develop and grow in new directions. UFO bravely attempted this and okay it failed. Whether or not this failure was directly caused by this change in direction is a matter for debate. Here it is worth taking note that a decline in viewing figures is not necessarily a good indicator of whether or not a series has lost its quality. For this, one only has to look at the experience of the original Star Trek series. This was almost cancelled after series two because of poor viewing figures and I hope nobody is going to tell me series one and two of that series were of poor quality!! I accept the point that if Timelash was the first ep, this would have probably put off more people than it attracted. The early eps (1-17) were of course essential in laying the basic the groundwork as it were for what the seies was about. But as said before, any series especially science fiction if it is to survive, needs to build on what it has previously achieved, adapt, and move in newish directions. Any comments please. John _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com. |
WooHoo!! <clap clap clap> Here here! <whistle whistle>
I agree. :o) John Wadsworth-Ladkin wrote: > > Hi all, > > I have to say on reading James's comments on the later eps of UFO. I find > myself in disagreement with some his views. snip > I accept the point that if Timelash was the first ep, this would have > probably put off more people than it attracted. Except with this bit - I LOVED Timelash, darnit!! <stamping foot> -- Y -- =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= Yuchtar zantai-Klaan | [hidden email] I am not a number! I am a FREE FAN! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= "Ooooh, Brisco!! Warn me before you get nekkid in front of me!" -- Lord Bowler =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= http://users4.50megs.com/yuchtar http://users2.50megs.com/nunzie |
In reply to this post by John Wadsworth-Ladkin
John wrote:
[snipped] (lot's of good stuff) > >Any comments please. Difficult, as most list members won't (and, are unlikely to, following 'accepted' TV network practices) become into a position where they'll even be in the *vicinity* to 'catch' a one-off like this (ie the show you're talking about). As a FAN, I attempt to remedy such situations. TTFN -- Rob |
In reply to this post by John Wadsworth-Ladkin
Well said.
Ironically Timelash is now considered the most popular episode. My issue is specifically with "The Long Sleep". Granted it was contemporary, but it just doesn't make sense in relation to the rest of the series. The Aliens planting a bomb in a rural barn. Why? Throw in a painting, and it could have made into an episode of Night Gallery. Ending the season on this episode left me wondering if a second season would have been more about bizarre tales of UFO "phenomena". But even then, I'd still have watched. John Wadsworth-Ladkin wrote: > ... > I accept the point that if Timelash was the first ep, this would have > probably put off more people than it attracted. The early eps (1-17) were of > course essential in laying the basic the groundwork as it were for what the > seies was about. But as said before, any series especially science fiction > if it is to survive, needs to build on what it has previously achieved, > adapt, and move in newish directions. > > Any comments please. |
Keith Carpenter wrote:
> My issue is specifically with "The Long Sleep". Granted it was > contemporary, but it just doesn't make sense in relation to the > rest of the series. The Aliens planting a bomb in a rural barn. > Why? Throw in a painting, and it could have made into an > episode of Night Gallery. > That's one of the problems about UFO in general and the later episodes in particular - some of the plot themes aren't consistent with the premise of the series as established in the first few episodes. Presumably they wanted to cause death & destruction on a huge scale - but why? Same thing in DESTRUCTION. James |
In reply to this post by John Wadsworth-Ladkin
>From: Yuchtar <[hidden email]> >Reply-To: [hidden email] >To: [hidden email] >Subject: Re: [SHADO] Later episodes of UFO >Date: Thu, 07 Sep 2000 18:03:35 -0500 > >WooHoo!! <clap clap clap> Here here! <whistle whistle> > >I agree. > >:o) > >John Wadsworth-Ladkin wrote: > > > > Hi all, > > > > I have to say on reading James's comments on the later eps of UFO. I >find > > myself in disagreement with some his views. > >snip > > > I accept the point that if Timelash was the first ep, this would have > > probably put off more people than it attracted. > >Except with this bit - I LOVED Timelash, darnit!! <stamping foot> > >-- Y Hi Y, I think you have slightly misunderstood the point I was making with regards to the Timelash ep. Yes like yourself, I think Timelash is an excellent ep - possibly the most cerebral of the entire series (so you can stop stamping the foot now :-). The point here is that without the early eps laying the foundations for what UFO was about, such an ep shown so early in the series would have most likely been considered by the ordinary general public as either too cerebral or simply too far out. In other words, once the early eps had laid the basic foundations of the series, the writers at a later stage then had the license to develop more complicated, intricate, even controversial story lines which would by that stage appeal to the captive audience. The best analogy I can think of is again with that of Star Trek. See for example the ep Plato's Stepchildren. No way would it have been possible for Capt Kirk to kiss Lt Uhura in the first ep. It was because of what had been created before in the early eps that such an ep could be made and even shown on TV. Again, many of the excellent stories in ST TNG could only have been created because of what had been previously established in the original series. Put like this, I suppose a successful sci fi series is something akin to an archeological site - it is constantly building upon earlier foundations. John > >-- >=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= >Yuchtar zantai-Klaan | [hidden email] > I am not a number! I am a FREE FAN! >=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= > "Ooooh, Brisco!! Warn me before you > get nekkid in front of me!" > -- Lord Bowler >=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= >http://users4.50megs.com/yuchtar >http://users2.50megs.com/nunzie > > > _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com. |
In reply to this post by James Gibbon-2
--- In [hidden email], James Gibbon <jg@m...> wrote:
> Keith Carpenter wrote: > > > My issue is specifically with "The Long Sleep". Granted it was > > contemporary, but it just doesn't make sense in relation to the > > rest of the series. The Aliens planting a bomb in a rural barn. > > Why? Throw in a painting, and it could have made into an > > episode of Night Gallery. > > > > That's one of the problems about UFO in general and the later > episodes in particular - some of the plot themes aren't > consistent with the premise of the series as established in the > first few episodes. Presumably they wanted to cause death & > destruction on a huge scale - but why? Same thing in DESTRUCTION. > > James The aliens probably wanted to cause mass destruction to then land and have free pick of thousands of body parts from the rubble. Charles |
[hidden email] wrote:
> > The aliens probably wanted to cause mass destruction to then land > and have free pick of thousands of body parts from the rubble. > Charles > In the DESTRUCTION scenario, all those human organs would have become contaminated by deadly toxic chemicals. But maybe they could have cleaned them up somehow .. who knows? James |
In reply to this post by John Wadsworth-Ladkin
John wrote:
>Hi all, > >I have to say on reading James's comments on the later eps of UFO. I find >myself in disagreement with some his views. James' middle name is Controversial :-) No offense, James! Besides, this time I agree with you, in a way. Maybe the quality didn't really suffer but the topics were a bit iffy, or surreal if one likes to put it that way. I'm sure quite a lot of people like this (as some like Salvador Dali paintings) and it's definitely sci-fi. If plots had to make sense in all sci-fi stuff, I doubt there would be much sci-fi out there :-) Personally I don't like the plots of the latter eps much, but I still like timelash and Mindbender a LOT in spite of that. I do not like the Long Sleep. As far as eventual viewing figures are concerned, I doubt one can go by them (if they exist at all) since the broadcast times of UFO were messed about with. Those latter eps were broadcasted late at night, weren't they? Not considered suitable viewing for youngsters.... CU Lieve >Sure * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Lieve Peten, Vlaanderen, Belgium : Mailto:[hidden email] * Internet Sites link page: http://pinball.iwarp.com/mysites.html * The Pinball Site * Loch Ness + UFOs in Belgium * Vangelis * * Nikita * UFO TV-series * Animated Gifs * Andrea Bocelli * |
Hi Lieve, Lieve wrote: > > James' middle name is Controversial :-) I bet one or two listers would suggest another middle name, but either way, you can call me James C Gibbon ;) > interpretation for that middle initial > No offense, James! Besides, this time I agree with you, in a way. Maybe the > quality didn't really suffer but the topics were a bit iffy, or surreal if > one likes to put it that way. No offence taken :) And none intended - we've argued about Timelash before (this episode in particular seems to polarise opinion on the Pinewood episodes, doesn't it?) and there are always good points on both sides. I was actually quite pleased to see that a handful of people broadly agreed with me about Timelash when we discussed it a couple of months ago, though I think it's fair to say we are a little outnumbered. Well - I think that there WAS an attempt to reach out to more cerebral themes, as John said. But I don't think it was very successful, and I also think there was a noticeable step-down in the overall quality in a way that isn't necessarily associated with the change to more surreal subject matter. The absence of some of the key members of the cast from the first set of episodes, and the obviously low-budget nature of episodes like Timelash and Mindbender are cases in point. And the ideas (like the notion that the Aliens are not actually humanoid but just stealing bodies) often seem a bit ill-thought-out and half-baked, jarring with the scenario already established by the episodes that have gone before. > I'm sure quite a lot of people like this (as > some like Salvador Dali paintings) and it's definitely sci-fi. If plots had > to make sense in all sci-fi stuff, I doubt there would be much sci-fi out > there :-) > Personally I don't like the plots of the latter eps much, but I still like > timelash and Mindbender a LOT in spite of that. I do not like the Long Sleep. > You know that's interesting because as I posted during the episode-of-the-week discussions, I quite like The Long Sleep, but in spite of, rather than because of, the plot idea.. I think it's quite well done. The sepia-toned scenes in the West End have such a dreamy, nostalgic feel and the bit where the Aliens chase the two drugged-up youngsters over the roof of the house is really wild and that sort of makes up for the ideas that I can't swallow, like the transfer of longevity from one human being to another, then the hippy turning into a skeleton as soon as he dies .. it's a bit 'Hammer Horror'. It's also interesting that one of my 2 or 3 favourite episodes, The Man Who Came Back, is one of the Pinewood batch, so I wouldn't say it's a cut and dried case of UFO 'jumping the shark' with the first of the later set of episodes, by any means. > As far as eventual viewing figures are concerned, I doubt one can go by > them (if they exist at all) since the broadcast times of UFO were messed > about with. Those latter eps were broadcasted late at night, weren't they? > Not considered suitable viewing for youngsters.... > That's true - and to some extent the success or otherwise, in viewing figures terms, of a particular episode are often determined by the perceived quality of the previously-screened episode. Cheers all James |
In reply to this post by John Wadsworth-Ladkin
John Wadsworth-Ladkin wrote:
> Hi Y, > > I think you have slightly misunderstood the point I was making with regards > to the Timelash ep. Yes like yourself, I think Timelash is an excellent ep - > possibly the most cerebral of the entire series (so you can stop stamping > the foot now :-). Hey, <narrowing eyes> I'm Klingon, I'll stamp my foot if I want to. <grrrrrrrrr> <hmph> Besides, I knew what you were saying, and I agreed. <bow bow> -- Y -- =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= Yuchtar zantai-Klaan | [hidden email] I am not a number! I am a FREE FAN! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= "Ooooh, Brisco!! Warn me before you get nekkid in front of me!" -- Lord Bowler =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= http://users4.50megs.com/yuchtar http://users2.50megs.com/nunzie |
In reply to this post by James Gibbon-2
Maybe the Aliens had become so frustrated by SHADO,
they decided to just trash the planet. Not very pragmatic. Ever see They Live? Yuppy Aliens with a profit motive. James Gibbon wrote: > > [hidden email] wrote: > > > > > The aliens probably wanted to cause mass destruction to then land > > and have free pick of thousands of body parts from the rubble. > > Charles > > > > In the DESTRUCTION scenario, all those human organs would have > become contaminated by deadly toxic chemicals. But maybe they > could have cleaned them up somehow .. who knows? > > James |
In reply to this post by John Wadsworth-Ladkin
>From: Yuchtar <[hidden email]> >Reply-To: [hidden email] >To: [hidden email] >Subject: Re: [SHADO] Later episodes of UFO >Date: Fri, 08 Sep 2000 22:19:34 -0500 > >John Wadsworth-Ladkin wrote: > > > Hi Y, > > > > I think you have slightly misunderstood the point I was making with >regards > > to the Timelash ep. Yes like yourself, I think Timelash is an excellent >ep - > > possibly the most cerebral of the entire series (so you can stop >stamping > > the foot now :-). > >Hey, <narrowing eyes> I'm Klingon, I'll stamp my foot if I want to. ><grrrrrrrrr> > ><hmph> > >Besides, I knew what you were saying, and I agreed. > ><bow bow> > >-- Y Groovy!! John > >-- >=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= >Yuchtar zantai-Klaan | [hidden email] > I am not a number! I am a FREE FAN! >=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= > "Ooooh, Brisco!! Warn me before you > get nekkid in front of me!" > -- Lord Bowler >=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= >http://users4.50megs.com/yuchtar >http://users2.50megs.com/nunzie > > > _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com. |
Free forum by Nabble | Edit this page |