Posted by Shado-cabinet on
URL: https://www.shado-forum.com/Review-for-UFO-How-it-Ended-parts-1-and-2-by-Anthony-Appleyard-tp4024056p4024064.html

Hi Clare

The 'Spinners' were actually a Northern English folk-group, not an Irish one (same goes for Steeleye Span ;-)

Even if what you claim is correct and the writers of the UFO strip are not too familiar with the TV show (but tbh I have seen no strong evidence of this from the serials I have read so far) the editor & the publisher would had final say over which story would get published (and even Gerry Anderson would have been consulted over 'The Snatch' serial as it unveils the aliens & their homeworld) so the story is as 'canon' as it could possibly be for a show that had no 'story bible'.  I suppose the reason for the 'reveal-all nature' of 'The Snatch' was to up the ante of the UFO saga (since the serial was published in late Sept 1971 where I imagine the UFO show would have been finishing-up its broadcast run on UK TV) and keep the UFO franchise alive albeit in a weekly comic strip.

With regards to the Dr Jackson theory about the alien being 'formless' beings it really was that 'just a theory' which Dave Tomblin threw into the mix as part of his guest writer/ stint on UFO. It cannot be considered anyway 'canon' as none of the other episodes (written by a stable of writers) deal with this theory (in fact it contradicts most of the other episodes ie: IDENTIFIED, COMPUTER AFFAIR, ESP etc). Even the episode CAT WITH TEN LIVES itself doesn't deal with the 'formless being' theory as presented by Jackson (in the episode the Pilot Regan is merely brainwashed to carry out the aliens orders, and is not directly possessed by any 'formless being' etc).

To be honest in light of there being not much more 'official' UFO material out there (except for the odd UFO annual on the Fanderson site which is also 'technically' fanfiction as it is indeed produced by fans) the fanfiction stories like the excellent 'How it Ended' are the nearest we will ever get to 'Official' and 'Canon' for a TV show that is 50 years old.

So I would recommend that all UFO fans should temporarily set aside their feelings about 'fanfiction' and check out the story in the links I provided in my initial post :)