Reasons for loving UFO/ re: Subsmash

Mark wrote:

>Blimey Sarah, as much as I love the series (perhaps for different
>reasons) I've yet to watch one episode 3 times in one day.

LOL!

Well, the *official* reason was for the purposes of "research" The
first viewing was the ITV 4 screening; to look for edits. The second
was the Carlton DVD to make up for the previous viewing's truly
appalling picture quality; also to listen to Ed B.'s commentary; the
third was the A&E version; to see how different it sounds, due to the
4% speedup. So, not all exactly the same, if you see what I mean :-)

An uncommon occurrence, to do this! But I was up all night (for
reasons I won't go into) and there's not a lot you can do when there
are others trying to sleep in the house…………… :-) I won't mentionthe
further five episodes that also got screened during those wee
hours :-D


>However I do watch episodes very frequently, so much so in fact I've
>made back up copies of my originals for fear of damaging them
>through repeated use.

Aha! A confirmed addict :-D Seriously, I've lost count of the
number of copies I've got. Three complete DVD sets and numerous VHS…
recorded every time it's been screened since 1987 (when I was bitten)
often more than once (such as Bravo's four screenings) and also pre-
recorded tapes :-)



>I could also be regarded as a UFO lover expressed in other ways
>which, to be honest I would find slightly embarassing to divulge.

Go on! :-D I'm assuming you're referring to the understated but
undeniable "attractiveness" of the series! Well yes, I'd have to
admit to a certain vulnerability on this, but we're only human and
it's mostly in the mind :-)



>It would be interesting to know from everyone about the initial
>spark (if such a point in time can be isolated) that triggered an
>everlasting love affair with UFO.

I first saw UFO in 1987 on the "late-nite-late" – re-runs of old
series voted for by viewers. As a sci-fi fan in my late-teens, my
curiosity made me set the VCR timer, but I messed up with the first
ep "Identified", so my initial intro was "Exposed".

Absolutely bowled over – the story was well scripted and acted with a
good twist at the end. The characters were *so* cool, the look so
different to anything else, the theme and incidental music just
brilliant; the whole "feel" of the show was something else.

And yes, that "attractiveness" played its part, especially at that
age! But unlike other similar "interests" in the same vein, UFO is
the only one that's lasted, probably because *unlike* those others,
it has so much to offer on other levels, of a less superficial
nature.

I like special effects and theories that define "sci-fi", but not to
the point where they dominate the show, or like nowadays, sci-fi is
like watching someone else playing a computer game (and about as
exiting imho); UFO had a good balance between hardware and software
and, as the series went on, the whole picture developed in a way that
made you ask more questions than were answered.

UFO stories rarely connected up (notable exceptions here) rather it
seemed like each episode was a "fly-on-the-wall" experience for the
viewer of the lives and events of the people in SHADO. You could
almost believe that somewhere it was all actually happening – without
exception the stories were hard-hitting (sometimes too hard) and
there was no let up – it never got any easier for them!  

For a sci-fi series it was very "earth-based" and restricted to
familiar limitations, unlike ST et al, where they could get out of a
fix using a real sci-fi plot device; UFO had very little in the way
of these, vehicles and Moonbase excepted. The only true "sci-fi"
aspect was the aliens themselves – that they even existed and were
perceived as a threat to be eliminated – at any cost.

I'd have so loved to have seen a second series, it seemed to me SHADO
were losing the battle big time, although I'd have hated to see it
deteriorate – "jump the shark" kind of thing.  

So UFO ticks all the boxes imho; it might not be the flashiest or
cleverest "sci-fi" show ever made, but its got that "something" about
its intense atmosphere that keeps me watching, for some considerable
years now, although it doesn't get watched as often as recently -
honestly :-)

It would be great if others would like to explain on here how they
got hooked! :-) I noticed the membership has increased over the
past few days; maybe there are some people new to UFO, or have
rediscovered it, who'd like to say something, as well as those
thinking "oh, here we go again" :-D



Sarah (UK)