This early 70s Canadian TV SF series was an almost textbook example how to take a cool concept and ruin it through interference from cost-cutting, non-SF-understanding suits. Harlan Ellison wrote an extensive essay on the debacle to the novelization of the first episode (Phoenix from the Ashes) — he was one of the creators on the show, and insisted on having is Cordwainer Bird pseudonym used instead.
The idea behind Starlost was great — a huge “ark” ship, fleeing a doomed Earth with different pods containing various Earth cultures and groups. Then a disaster strikes — the different domes lose touch with each other, even lose the idea over generations that they are living on a starship (cf. Heinlein’s Orphans of the Sky) — until a young couple from a primitive dome discover the truth, and discover the ship itself is doomed if there isn’t a concerted effort to unite the vessel and bring it back under control. So each episode would, in theory, involved visiting a new dome, meeting a new strange culture and dangers and so forth. If it were done today — and done right — it could be a great hit.
The story of the show is described here, and I wrote about the series previously. So why raise it again now? It’s finally making it to DVD in North America … and I have no idea whether I’m thrilled or appalled … or how low the price point would need to be set to make me want to pick up a copy (for nostalgia’s sake, at the very least).
Oh my god…
I remember that from Saturday Morning TV, I loved that show and no one else ever remembers it (Well, besides you Dave ;P ). I could never remember the name to figure out how to find out more about it….just that it was an Ark Ship where folks did not know that they were on an Ark Ship. At the time (I was what, 9 or 10 when it was shown in the US) that whole concept was mind blowing to me and I really wanted to see more about what was going on and being done.
I would love to see something like this being redone in a gritty fashion like Firefly, BSG, or Farscape type graphics and sets. Sooo much potential for story telling there.
It shall be mine when it comes out on DVD. 🙂
Never saw it on Saturday mornings. I do recall fighting fiercely to watch it on Saturday evenings — but only successfully if my folks were going out.
I’ll loan you the novelization, BD. Ellison won an WGA award for it (before it was trashed moving into production), and it’s worth it for the Ellison essay.
And, yes, the more I think about it, the better I think a modern BSG-style (or whimsical FS-style) refurb of it would be.
Argh! Horrible. Like old timey Dr. Who minus any spark of any kind.
Of course, I was older. And well into sf.
Yes, you are very, very old Randy. ;P
When Starlost came out I had finished the Hobbit, LotR, the Silmarillion, had started the Covenent Series, Read tL,tW,atW and was watching Space 1999 and the Original BSG, so all sorts of SF things really fasanated me.
And Would love to read the Ellison book, Dave. 🙂
I recall very little of this show. It seems to have been even less interesting to me than Space: 1999 was.
It’s a shame, because Ellison’s teleplays are about the only things of his that I really enjoy. Well, except for his story titles.
Ellison’s essay in the novelization (not by Ellison) is a classic tale of what can go wrong in television.
Ben Bova wrote a novel sort of based (well, more inspired) by his experiences there (he was science advisor) called “The Starcrossed”.
At one point a trailer showing Doug Trumbull (yes, a lot of good folks were involved in this disaster!) working on the SFX was available on the web.