Who here remembers CTV’s 1973 sci fi epic series called The Starlost? The story of a “generation ship” (that’s sci fi speak for a really really old ship stuck out in space) carrying the last of humanity to… somewhere? For some unresolved reason, the ship sustained damage, segregating its inhabitants for one hundred years and slowly, they all forgot they were on a ship. So much can happen in a hundred years I guess.
Many big names agreed to take part in the creation of this show like Harlan Ellison who penned the first episode, Phillip K. Dick, Ursula K. Le Guin and effects by Douglas Trumbull (Buck Rogers/Battlestar Galactica). As the money dried up, the names dissapeared and the show spiraled into crap. But “jives” on IMDB asks the question that’s been resonating in my head since the rebirth of 70s cool:
OK, so everyone thinks the production values were terrible, then why after 35 years, does this series still exist as clear as a bell in my mind?
Ah me, how I remember watching and rewatching this show. This was another of my lonely pre-teen TV viewing rituals of geek building character. At best, the effects were bluescreened exactly like CityTV’s newscasts from the early 80s. The stories were mind numbingly dull and the acting was slightly more interesting than rotting pine. But I can’t forget the “id” of it. Oddly enough I don’t remember Walter Koenig strutting about in moonboots and silver jumpsuit (but I do remember the character he played – kudos to his acting, I guess) or Mr 2001, Keir Dullea (hidden by a hairy upper lip) for that matter. The only cast member that followed me through the years was Robin Ward, who was one of the original presenters on the Weather Network and most recently a “voice” in Saw II. I’d kill to see these shows again.
As my 41st birthday approaches, he who wishes to get me a snazzy gift might be well advised to click right here.
For shits and giggles, there are more amazing pages of “lost” tv Sci Fi in the upper menu of that Starlost site (Virtual Vikki’s Treehouse). Anyone remember the robot Andy from Quark?
2 thoughts on “Walter Koenig, Wearing Go-Go Boots”
OOOOoOh I remember that ke-rist, Sunday afternoons, nothing else on nothing to do, Starlost… numbingly boring, in other words Canadian TV and yet I remember it quite clearly.
The fact that a genius like Harlan Ellison was a part of it baffles me.
Someone put it on tape? Wow.
Shows like Starlost (never shown here afaik), Star Trek (original series), Dr Who (all incarnations) had one really good thing going for them. They had sets made of cardboard, and the effects were crap, but they had the best writing out there (George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, please take note).
I recently caught up with my Dr. Who viewing (1st new series, with Eccleston) and there’s an episode (2 parts) called “The Empty Child”. Great Sci-Fi writing, great characters, one scary-as-hell 5 year old antagonist. It was smart, scary, sexy, and nothing on American TV can even come remotely close.