Other reviewers doth protest too much. Yep, the "science" in this episode is way out there and the Moonbase Alpha crew's impulsivity is running at full throttle, but that's where the greatness lies! C'mon man, this aired in 1975. The original Star Wars didn't come out until 1977 and we had to wait until 1978 for the Star Wars "Holiday Special". 1975 was a veritable sci-fi desert and S1999 gave solace to nerds like me with visions of how cool everything would be in a mere 24 years. Paul was tripping after eating space shrooms and you can too if you embrace this episode with open heart and mind. Peace out.
8 Reviews
Familiar but fun
Rrrobert10 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Many familiar elements return here. The moon reaches another earth like planet, Ariel. Its population is never seen but send objects that give the moon an atmosphere. The Alphans rejoice in opening the windows, going outside and breathing the moon's air, basking in its sunny days and its rainfalls. While something tells me it isn't scientifically possible to just make the moon Earth-like by pumping out some air, the scenes are fun.
The next part of the episode with Helena, Alan, Paul, Sandra marooned in a crashed Eagle is also entertaining. Here the actors really get to do something different.
Like many episodes of Space:1999 the story goes down an extreme route with injury, smashed windows, crashed Eagles, muddy boots but next episode everything is pristine again with no sign of damage anywhere. As is also common, suddenly at the end a Deus ex Machina voice helpfully announces 'it was all a dream!', 'this was just a trick!', 'we did this to keep you off our planet - sorry' (like in War Games) and all the changes wrought in the episode are wiped away. Still, it was entertaining and well done.
The next part of the episode with Helena, Alan, Paul, Sandra marooned in a crashed Eagle is also entertaining. Here the actors really get to do something different.
Like many episodes of Space:1999 the story goes down an extreme route with injury, smashed windows, crashed Eagles, muddy boots but next episode everything is pristine again with no sign of damage anywhere. As is also common, suddenly at the end a Deus ex Machina voice helpfully announces 'it was all a dream!', 'this was just a trick!', 'we did this to keep you off our planet - sorry' (like in War Games) and all the changes wrought in the episode are wiped away. Still, it was entertaining and well done.
Meh...
planktonrules8 May 2010
Warning: Spoilers
As the Moon nears yet another potentially habitable planet, something very strange happens. Probes were sent out from the planet to the Moon--probes that cause an atmosphere to suddenly envelop the Moon! Now, the orb is covered with breathable air! And, when the next wave of probes land, soon the Moon has storms and even rain! While all this sounds wonderful, it plays havoc with the equipment and makes Paul go ape! In the end, you find that the planet below did this because they did NOT want the humans coming there and hoped the probes would serve to distract them.
Overall, a watchable episode, but I just couldn't share the same enthusiasm for the episode as the other reviewer. Part of it is because the plot seemed, even for this show, rather strange and hard to believe and the part where Paul goes nuts just seemed like filler. By the way, pay close attention during the first fight between Paul and the others when he does become temporarily crazy. In a case of sloppy use of stunt doubles, you can clearly see that these folks are NOT who they purport to be! Overall, very watchable but that is all.
Overall, a watchable episode, but I just couldn't share the same enthusiasm for the episode as the other reviewer. Part of it is because the plot seemed, even for this show, rather strange and hard to believe and the part where Paul goes nuts just seemed like filler. By the way, pay close attention during the first fight between Paul and the others when he does become temporarily crazy. In a case of sloppy use of stunt doubles, you can clearly see that these folks are NOT who they purport to be! Overall, very watchable but that is all.
Walking On The Moon
ShadeGrenade17 February 2009
Warning: Spoilers
The Moon is passing through a solar system with a sun very like our own. One planet in particular - Ariel - has Earth-like conditions, so Carter blasts off in his Eagle to investigate.
Strange objects launched from Ariel land on the lunar surface. Gas emerges from each, giving the Moon a breathable atmosphere. With the sun in the sky, the Alphans find they are able to leave the sterile confines of Alpha and walk about outside. Further Ariellian devices bring about rain.
An Eagle carrying Sandra, Carter, Paul, and Helena is affected by a storm and crashes. Though all aboard survive they face the prospect of dying of starvation before they can be discovered...
Not long after Year 1 was completed, Fred Freiburger was invited to make an assessment of the series. While praising the special effects, he claimed the characters were uninteresting and there was a genuine lack of humour. Well, we all know what his remedy to the 'problem' was - bring in a shape-changing alien woman and get a previously unmentioned Alphan to try and brew his own beer. One wonders which episodes he viewed. Was 'The Last Sunset' among them? Presumably not. If he had seen it, he would have realised it had more characterisation than in the whole of his dismal Year 2. The Alphans, for once, are given an alternative to their quest to find a new planet - live on the Moon itself. Their joy at finding their new 'home' is truly heart warming.
Christopher Penfold's script gives Prentis Hancock's 'Paul Morrow' a bit more to do by having him turn into a religious maniac as the result of consuming the strange mushroom-like fungus he finds on the lunar surface. The situation with the crashed Eagle is reminiscent of the classic 'Star Trek' episode 'The Galileo Seven' - only without those spear-throwing primitives. The absence of guest stars worked in the story's favour, allowing for greater interaction among the regular cast.
Of course the Alphans' hope of turning the Moon into a giant holiday camp is doomed. The Ariellians only gave them this because they wanted to keep them away from their world. The final scene - in which Koenig and co. watch the sun go down for the very last time - is touching and one of the best endings of any episode of this series.
Strange objects launched from Ariel land on the lunar surface. Gas emerges from each, giving the Moon a breathable atmosphere. With the sun in the sky, the Alphans find they are able to leave the sterile confines of Alpha and walk about outside. Further Ariellian devices bring about rain.
An Eagle carrying Sandra, Carter, Paul, and Helena is affected by a storm and crashes. Though all aboard survive they face the prospect of dying of starvation before they can be discovered...
Not long after Year 1 was completed, Fred Freiburger was invited to make an assessment of the series. While praising the special effects, he claimed the characters were uninteresting and there was a genuine lack of humour. Well, we all know what his remedy to the 'problem' was - bring in a shape-changing alien woman and get a previously unmentioned Alphan to try and brew his own beer. One wonders which episodes he viewed. Was 'The Last Sunset' among them? Presumably not. If he had seen it, he would have realised it had more characterisation than in the whole of his dismal Year 2. The Alphans, for once, are given an alternative to their quest to find a new planet - live on the Moon itself. Their joy at finding their new 'home' is truly heart warming.
Christopher Penfold's script gives Prentis Hancock's 'Paul Morrow' a bit more to do by having him turn into a religious maniac as the result of consuming the strange mushroom-like fungus he finds on the lunar surface. The situation with the crashed Eagle is reminiscent of the classic 'Star Trek' episode 'The Galileo Seven' - only without those spear-throwing primitives. The absence of guest stars worked in the story's favour, allowing for greater interaction among the regular cast.
Of course the Alphans' hope of turning the Moon into a giant holiday camp is doomed. The Ariellians only gave them this because they wanted to keep them away from their world. The final scene - in which Koenig and co. watch the sun go down for the very last time - is touching and one of the best endings of any episode of this series.
Better science and logic than typical 1999, and a gorgeous prop
bgaiv4 August 2020
Warning: Spoilers
The probe they bring into the station is absolutely beautifully detailed. And that's even by 1999's standards, and they usually excelled in their props. And it was a very nice touch that when many of these probes landed on moon, some of them were laying on their sides.
The moon being oxygenated is pretty absurd.... but, this IS addressed by Koenig, when he explicitly states it was impossible for the probe to output as much air as it does.
It's ok to have implausible/impossible plot points if the script acknowledges it.
Also, more good science here: when it starts to rain, Koenig notes correctly that this means the crater Alpha is located in will fill up, destroying the station. (Probably Victor should have realized this, but minor.)
And good logic: Koenig worries at the very beginning that the aliens are tricking Alpha... and that's ultimately 100% correct.
This one's really not bad at all. However, they should have kept the scene snippet where technicians installed the outdoor window. It would still be a stretch, but it looks completely ridiculous.
Having all the beach/outdoor stuff was easily plausible though. It's very likely they have some never seen rec areas with artificial sunlight etc etc.
The moon being oxygenated is pretty absurd.... but, this IS addressed by Koenig, when he explicitly states it was impossible for the probe to output as much air as it does.
It's ok to have implausible/impossible plot points if the script acknowledges it.
Also, more good science here: when it starts to rain, Koenig notes correctly that this means the crater Alpha is located in will fill up, destroying the station. (Probably Victor should have realized this, but minor.)
And good logic: Koenig worries at the very beginning that the aliens are tricking Alpha... and that's ultimately 100% correct.
This one's really not bad at all. However, they should have kept the scene snippet where technicians installed the outdoor window. It would still be a stretch, but it looks completely ridiculous.
Having all the beach/outdoor stuff was easily plausible though. It's very likely they have some never seen rec areas with artificial sunlight etc etc.
Almost accepted!!!
elo-equipamentos19 April 2018
One the best episode of the series, when the Moonbase was dragged for a gravitation pull of a similar solar system very near of a planet like Earth, they received as gift air supply enough to moon's atmosphere, allowing live outside of moon's installations, but something is too good to be true....
Resume:
First watch: 2018 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7
Resume:
First watch: 2018 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7
here you can see the effects
trashgang20 August 2014
This is great and not only for the unbelievable story but in this episode something went completely wrong concerning the effects. It's so easy to spot that the eagles are hanging on wires when they are in the air. And just watch the infiny at the end, also easy to spot that it is just a curtain but if you can get past that part an laughing is over then you're ready for a great episode.
Moonbase transferred into an atmosphere just like earth done by aliens and just have a look how happy they are that they even are playing tennis. It even starts raining. Of course things just can happen what we do see here but place yourself back into 1976 when this was aired.
Gore 0/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 2/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5
Moonbase transferred into an atmosphere just like earth done by aliens and just have a look how happy they are that they even are playing tennis. It even starts raining. Of course things just can happen what we do see here but place yourself back into 1976 when this was aired.
Gore 0/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 2/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5
Most implausible episode EVER!
Brett_Buck11 July 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Plot was as the other reviewers noted - aliens send probes to make a temporary atmosphere.
I understand that you have to suspend disbelief to buy into the idea that the moon can be blown out of orbit to relativistic speeds by a nuclear waste explosion, without turning various b-league British actors and Mission:Impossible refugees into "ham paste", and the moon to a plasma. OK, I got past that one. I even got managed to at least not entirely choke on the idea that, in another episode, they went through a "de-evolution" field that altered their DNA and turn them into cavemen - and also somehow managed to "devolve" their quasi-futuristic uniforms into *bearskins and loincloths*. But I am sorry, the idea that someone thought it was a good idea to build a moon base *with windows that can be opened* is a little too much for me. And all the inhabitants of the moon base thought to bring bikinis, beach balls, umbrellas - *to the moon*!?
On a positive note, the motivations of the aliens - that they did it to make sure that Barbara Bain and Martin Landau never came to their beautiful planet - are entirely understandable.
I understand that you have to suspend disbelief to buy into the idea that the moon can be blown out of orbit to relativistic speeds by a nuclear waste explosion, without turning various b-league British actors and Mission:Impossible refugees into "ham paste", and the moon to a plasma. OK, I got past that one. I even got managed to at least not entirely choke on the idea that, in another episode, they went through a "de-evolution" field that altered their DNA and turn them into cavemen - and also somehow managed to "devolve" their quasi-futuristic uniforms into *bearskins and loincloths*. But I am sorry, the idea that someone thought it was a good idea to build a moon base *with windows that can be opened* is a little too much for me. And all the inhabitants of the moon base thought to bring bikinis, beach balls, umbrellas - *to the moon*!?
On a positive note, the motivations of the aliens - that they did it to make sure that Barbara Bain and Martin Landau never came to their beautiful planet - are entirely understandable.
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