Recovering from the trip through the wormhole, the Alphans are surprised to be contacted by people from the planet they’ve named Meta…

Andrew Smith’s script for this first “new” adventure for the reboot Space:1999 crew – i.e. one that’s not based on a previous script, as Nicholas Briggs’ Breakaway was, albeit heavily modified – picks up on a lacuna in the original series that got lost somewhere in the scripting process. What happened in the Alphans’ encounter with Meta? The pilot ended with Koenig wondering if their future lay there… but the next episode doesn’t make any mention. (To be fair, Commissioner Simmonds in the original also vanishes and then reappears months later – internal continuity was not this show’s strongest point!)

The answer gives us an episode that, ironically, does feel as if it could come from the original series, albeit presented with the new characters. Tim Bentinck’s Simmonds is initially an arrogant SOB, but a lot happens to him in short time, and I hope that it alters his trajectory. Koenig, Bergman and Russell all deal with different elements of the threat posed and we get to learn a bit more about Amaka Okafor’s Dashka Kano (although her plotline may be seen as leaning into one of the more unfortunate tropes of recent times). I’m hoping that we get to learn more about the new versions of Morrow, Carter and the rest as the series goes along.

Terry Molloy and Tracy Wiles lend their voices as guest stars, with Glen McCready adding the alien leader to his Moonbase Alpha personnel. Iain Meadows’ sound design blends the feel of the original with the sharper edge Briggs is bringing to the series, and Joe Kraemer’s score dials up the bombast at times.

Verdict: Those who felt the reboot strayed too far from the original will be reassured by this that it’s still the Anderson show at its heart. 8/10

Paul Simpson

Click here to order Space:1999 volume 1 from Big Finish