SURVIVAL

>Marc Martin <[hidden email]>
wrote:
>Our two weeks for discussing the UFO episode CONFLICT have come and
>gone, so it's now time to move onto the next episode -- SURVIVAL. If
>you'd like to make any comments/observations/nit-picks/etc. about
>this episode, please do!

Since Conflict's time has come and gone, I won't make any comments except to
say that it's one of my favorite episodes. On to Survival. I only remember
seeing this episode after seeing the movie "Enemy Mine", although it's
possible that I saw Survival earlier and forgot it. I like the premise and
what they did with it. Of course, in typical UFO fashion, they killed the
alien in the end. TNG's episode "The Enemy", which redid the same plot,
ended much better, with Romulan sarcasm to liven things up. I really enjoy
pitting two opposites together and seeing how they develop a relationship.
This storyline allows for some wonderful conversations, which TNG and the
movie "Enemy Mine" took full advantage of. My only wish is that UFO could
have done the same. Foster could have made so many sarcastic remarks, don't
you think? However, it was a very gripping episode the way they played it:
all those silences broken only by the sound of breathing. Pretty daring for
the time period--- and it worked!
Denise

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"Denise Felt" wrote:

> Since Conflict's time has come and gone, I won't make any comments
> except to say that it's one of my favorite episodes. On to
> Survival. I only remember seeing this episode after seeing the
> movie "Enemy Mine", although it's possible that I saw Survival
> earlier and forgot it. I like the premise and what they did with
> it. Of course, in typical UFO fashion, they killed the alien in
> the end. TNG's episode "The Enemy", which redid the same plot,
> ended much better, with Romulan sarcasm to liven things up.

It's quite a well-used idea, Enemy Mine being based loosely on
the old Lee Marvin war movie "Hell in the Pacific" where two
enemies have to come to terms and co-operate to survive. But I
totally disagree that the old TNG episode - (if it's the one I'm
thinking of, shown just a few days ago on BBC TV in the UK -
where Geordi and a Romulan Centurion are stranded together on a
planetoid) had a better ending. Terribly corny happy ending,
where the two enemies learn something about each other and
themselves! I actually thought they were going to have a
'thirty-something' style American Moment and hug each other at
the end :)

SURVIVAL's ending is much more effective. It's one of the two
episodes I never watch, because I find it too uncomfortable - I
can still remember being disturbed and saddened watching the
ending as a child.


> I really enjoy pitting two opposites together and seeing how they
> develop a relationship. This storyline allows for some wonderful
> conversations, which TNG and the movie "Enemy Mine" took full
> advantage of. My only wish is that UFO could have done the
> same.

Would you really have wanted the Alien to speak? Not me - the
mysterious, sinister aura afforded to the Aliens by the fact
that they are never seen to speak is one of the defining aspects
of UFO's style.

James

On Sunday, October 20, 2002, at 12:58 am, Denise Felt wrote:

> However, it was a very gripping episode the way they played it:
> all those silences broken only by the sound of breathing. Pretty
> daring for
> the time period--- and it worked!
> Denise

I couldn't agree *more*. It worked extremely well.

This is one of the episodes that left a very strong impression in my
youthful mind, when I first saw it all those years ago. I must've been
about ten when I *first* saw it. I remember so clearly, the opening
sequence when the alien shot the window at Moonbase... and the glass
cracking under the pressure and then breaking. Every time I watch this
episode, it takes me back to my youth. I was so in awe of this program
(UFO). The only other SciFi epic that gave (and still gives) me a
similar feeling, is 2001 A Space Odyssey... but I digress.

Even today when I watch Survival, I wonder why the alien actually
helped Foster.
I never saw it in the light that most people describe it... as them
helping each other. I find it far more one sided. What was the alien
expecting when (and if) they were found?? He must've realized that it
would be "all over, red rover" when they were found by Foster's
comrades (dissected for scientific experiments and the like). Every
time I watch Conflict, the same question goes through my mind... and
enhances my viewing experience.

Two issues that do stand out to me are... 1. the distance that the
alien must've walked when he went to shoot the Moonbase window (and
walk back to the UFO again). They must've had phenomenal air supply in
the liquid that the were breathing. Especially considering the trip
from their homeworld... but I guess they would have had a shipboard air
supply for when they were in transit. 2. Why the alien was shot so
readily at the end. They always seem to be so keen to capture aliens
alive, and here was a perfect opportunity. I mean he wasn't posing a
threat by pointing a gun at the SHADO operative or anything. It annoys
me (but only ever so slightly) that the person that shot him was not
chastised for doing so (or maybe he was, but we didn't get to see
that... I can just imagine Straker debriefing him and taring him to
shreds).

All in all... a truly excellent episode!!

Regards...
Jaime
http://jaime.net

Jaime wrote:

> This is one of the episodes that left a very strong impression in my
> youthful mind, when I first saw it all those years ago. I must've been
> about ten when I *first* saw it. I remember so clearly, the opening
> sequence when the alien shot the window at Moonbase... and the glass
> cracking under the pressure and then breaking. Every time I watch this
> episode, it takes me back to my youth. I was so in awe of this program
> (UFO). The only other SciFi epic that gave (and still gives) me a
> similar feeling, is 2001 A Space Odyssey... but I digress.

Eep! What did she say? Did she REALLY just say THAT? <gawk> Not only did
she MENTION the two movie BY NAME! But she said she LIKED it! <gawk
gawk>


Ummmm, GOTTA do it!


) ( ( (
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_______ ) ) )(@ !O O! )@@ ( ) ) )
< ____) ) ( ( )( ()@ \ o / (@@@@@ ( ()( )
/--| |( o| ( ) ) ((@@(@@ !o! @@@@(@@@@@)() (
> \___| ) ( @)@@)@ /---\-/---\ )@@@@@()( )
| /---------+ (@@@@)@@@( // /-----\ \\ @@@)@@@@@(.
| | \ =========______/|@@@@@@@@@@@@@(@@@ // @ /---\ @ \\ @(@@@(@@@..
| \ \\=========------\|@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ O @@@ /-\ @@@ O @@(@)@@.
| \ \----+--\-))) @@@@@@@@@@ !! @@@@ % @@@@ !! @@)@@@ ...
| |\______|_)))/ . @@@@@@ !! @@ /---\ @@ !! @@(@@@ @..
\__========== * . @@ /MM /\O O/\ MM\ @@@@@@@..
| |-\ \ ( . @ !!! !! \-/ !! !!! @@@@@ .
| | \ \ ) . . @@@@ !! !! .(. @. .. .
| | \ \ ( / .( . \)). ( |O )( O! @@@@ . ) .
| | / / ) ( )). (( .) !! ((( !! @@ (. ((. . .
| | / / () )) )) .( ( ( ) ). ( !! )( !! ) (( )) ..
| |_< / ( ) ( ( ) ) (( ) )).) ((/ | ( | \( )) ((. ).
____<_____\\__\__(___)_))_((_(____))__(_(___.oooO_____Oooo.(_(_)_)((_

THOU HAST BEEN FLAMED !!!!!!

Sorry. <handing over aloe> HAD to do it. Just HAD to!

-- Y, hanging head in shame ....


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Yuchtar zantai-Klaan | [hidden email]
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No, never mind."
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http://home.earthlink.net/~nunzie945

I'm impervious...
...lucky I just happened to slip into my asbestos suit this morning,
*before* I checked my e-mail !!


On Monday, October 21, 2002, at 05:04 am, Yuchtar wrote:
> Ummmm, GOTTA do it!
> THOU HAST BEEN FLAMED !!!!!!
>
> Sorry. <handing over aloe> HAD to do it. Just HAD to!
>
> -- Y, hanging head in shame ....

Okay, WHO's been telling people about me?! <hands on hips and scowling>
And WHO has been passing out asbestos suits?! <grrrrrrr>

;-)

-- Y


Jaime wrote:



--
=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Yuchtar zantai-Klaan | [hidden email]
I am not a number! I am a FREE FAN!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
"An apple a day keeps the, uh ....
No, never mind."
-- Doctor Who
=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
http://yuchtar.users4.50megs.com/
http://home.earthlink.net/~nunzie945