Okay, so Gerry Anderson is a genius, let's get that out of the way first. Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, Stingray, even Terrahawks were all in a league of their own. Anderson's patented "Supermarionation" technique was, for its time, highly advanced. The problem started when he branched out into the live action stuff, like Space 1999 and UFO. It just didn't work for me. Space Precinct came along when I was about 16, 17 years old and I loved it from the start. It didn't initially register that it was a Gerry Anderson product, I thought it was so great. It certainly passed forty-five minutes on a Wednesday evening (the slot previously belonging to Star Trek: The Next Generation) and I thought it worked well at the time. When the series was released on DVD I decided to buy it to remind myself of how good it was...oh dear, not quite what I remembered. The real snag with the series is that the ideas and the finished article don't seem to have gelled. There are some great ideas (the co-operation between the three different species represented by the heroes does not always extend to the lower levels of Demeter City, for example) in the series, but it's hampered by the fact that the producers didn't seem to know whether they were making something for pre-teens or young adults. For instance, in one episode the cops have to hunt for this centuries old creature with a penchant for killing nubile young dancing girls and which can "hide" in the bodies of living beings, while at the same time you have a sub-plot concerning two other officers discovering an alien orang-utan in a rubbish skip with predictably humorous and slapstick results. This completely destroys any serious credibility the main story had as these two buffoons lark about "Every Which Way But Loose"-style with this ET-monkey while their colleagues face death at the hands of an ethereal and downright scary adversary. A clearer mission statement would probably have made this show run for longer than two seasons, especially if it had been darker and grittier. That said, not a bad show in all. The execution of good ideas just wasn't up to scratch. Sorry, Gerry...not your best work.
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trickyascupart11 November 2006
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Sabre_Wolf19 April 2004Space Precinct I thought looked promising, it was an interesting little yarn with some interesting concepts and I liked the characters very much.
There were episodes with some pretty engaging plotlines though there were a few low points but this doesn't overshadow my opinion of the series which is a police series in outer space. There was a fair amount of chemistry which is clear in the cast. It was a series that had potential I was annoyed at its cancellation.
This was one of Gerry Anderson's promising works and I liked his work particuarly Captain Scarlett. -
SanteeFats2 April 2014Unfortunately I bought the entire season and I feel forced to watch it because of that. At first I thought this was basically a cop show sent to space. After watching a few episodes I realized that while that was the case it also was not that good. Very humdrum writing, plots, and acting. It seems that almost all the characters are from the UK and while that is not a problem I found it interesting, especially the Irish accented captain, talk stereotyping!! The special effects, such as there were, are usually lame. This is even before the really good CGI of today. Since I assume (I know) the budget was limited - all the aliens, droids, and cyborgs are all bipedal and humanoid in shape and most look like a version of hammerhead sharks on dry land, some with strange hair to say the least. There is some decent humor though along with all the hammy lines. Shackleford is the main character and acts almost as bad as the rest. His family is played poorly, especially the two kids and the oh so obvious pet. I think I will be passing this poor set on to some other unsuspecting person.
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fife_vampire19 July 2006This show was brilliant when I was 10 and still is now I'm 21.
Just started collecting them on DVD, which I was shocked to find available as I thought they stopped making them on VHS.
They should show them again on T.V like they do with other Gerry Anderson shows.
I know the show didn't go down well when it was first shown but to all of us out there who did like it was a godsend, Gerry Anderson did it again as he did with Thunderbirds, Stingray and all his other shows.
For me..... it was the excitement in the show which made me watch it, not only with a good actor for the leading role and other actors to help him along.
I think the show in its heyday was brilliant, but like I said, I was only 10 or 11 so my mind wasn't fully functional I think. But I will always say that Space Precinct is one of the best SCI-FI shows I have seen. -
JoeB13124 March 2011I think this show exposes a lot of the flaws of television.
The first was they had to make it a "cop show", and then rolled every Cop Show Cliché they could find into it. So they have these aliens, but then proceed to make them just like humans in nearly every way.
Let's talk about the aliens. They had two primary races, both portrayed by animatronic masks- The Tarns and the Creons. Except they act kind of like Americans, despite being aliens. They really didn't have anything unique about them. One Creon character even had an Irish borough, for no other reason that cops in NYC have Irish broughs. The Tarns could have been a little more interesting, they had telepathic powers. And did nothing with them.
Sorry, compare Tarns to Narns (from Babylon 5). WHich race do you find more interesting? Good actors and interesting stories count for a lot more than cheap gimmicks.
Some of the conventions seem truly shoe-horned into the series, like the police station being up in space. And Brogan's family lives in another space station. Because they're in space.
Okay, the large part of the problem is Gerry Anderson, who inflicted such sci-fi abortions on us as Space:1999 and Project UFO. He never learned that character is more important than setting. -
I thought the Aliens were well realised in this show.
Unfortunately that is literally the only thing I can praise having watched the first three episodes.
Our lead character is a block of wood.
Our secondary lead is a total cliche.
The lead character's son is awful and just seeing that he's in every single episode makes me loathe to even attempt to get through the other 22.
The Acting is abysmal from mains and guest stars alike.
The writing is like something out of the 1950s....and not the good stuff from the 50s either.
The budget clearly went on the alien masks and makeup rather than on getting decent writers, directors, actors and technical people to make a worthwhile tv series.
You know what annoys me most.....We got this rubbish in 1994 and had to wait another 11 years for the return of Doctor Who! Classic Who was never given a budget anywhere near what this rubbish got but did so much more with so much less! -
b.dickens23 March 2002I just cannot understand why there are people who say 'Space Precinct' isn't worth watching, as it is a very good SF-series!
Yes, of course the aliens look a bit ridiculous, but that's actually part of the series' charm. Along with good stories, very obvious chemistry between Rob Youngblood (Officer Jack Haldane) and Simone Bendix (Officer Jane Castle) ànd nice sfx, this is a SF-series worth watching.
It's a shame, though, that only one season was made. -
trey-yancy-572-76354718 September 2018This is the worst sci-fi show ever - Hill Street Blues meets Flash Gordon. It is even worse than the hackneyed UK show, UFO and way worse than The Invaders.
Whoever got this thing on the air had to be the biggest con artist ever. If this had been any normal show, it would have stopped production after the fourth episode. The con man managed to screw the backers out of over thirty before the money guys pulled the plug. (I swear they must have been the same guys who bankrolled Plan 9 From Outer Space - pure suckers/)
As for the actors, you expect any one of them to suddenly pop into a commercial for Popeil's bald spot spray-on hair or Al's Pager Hut. The rubber-head alien dudes (and dudettes) are pure eye-rollers. There is even one rubber-headded watch commander with an Irish accent.
It is impossible to get into this show without involving substance abuse. If you really want to enjoy an episode, the only way to have fun is to get a bunch of comedians together, get them roaring drunk, turn off the sound, and have them ad lib all the stuff that goes on. It is the only hope for this piece of junk. -
megunticook6 August 2006I wasn't sure if I should take this show seriously or not. I mean, you have fish walking around in cop uniforms and it's on another planet and is it funny bad or bad funny and is it on purpose or is it really that bad? The fish thing really threw me. I mean, walking, talking cop fish. What is that? It's a joke, right? Or are they serious? That's what I didn't get. Maybe I'm an idiot. Or maybe they're the idiots. I don't know. I was shocked--shocked!--to see 007 director John Glen was at the helm of this thing. I mean, really, after getting booted from Bond this is what he turns to? Walking, talking cop fish in outer space? Granted, that Christopher Columbus film is no classic, but you'd think he'd have gotten better offers than this. I actually only saw one episode and picked it up halfway through, so I really don't know what I'm talking about. Maybe it's an unsung classic. But it sure didn't seem like it.
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llyn-905174 December 2019This show lacks currency even for the early 90's. It is full of 1950's attitudes to women, to people for whom English is a second language (the Asian appearing gentlemen whose mastery of the language was less than any of the aliens), its not science fiction when such stereotypes are just transplanted onto a different planet. There is no evidence of cultural growth or change, the cop who couldn't afford to get food out of the machine - really?! Does he have a secret gambling problem? No - just the stereotype of the underpaid public service employee, even the aliens have patriarchal social structures, monogamous, 'little woman at home' cultures. As for the shitty son of Brogan who disobeys his mothers' instructions but jumps to obey daddy whilst being just a bit rebellious about going 'downtown' - hello, disrespect for women! As well as Haldane and his attitude to his female co-worker. It's not sci fi, just a second rate cop show based in the 1950's, forget the makeup, & the tech toys - even they are mundane.
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jrl-210 May 1999I caught this show by accident one Saturday night while overshooting SNL (it had no advertising I ever saw). It was funny. From the silliness of the bug-eyed alien gangster running for political office to the balls-to-the-wall action of the time travel episode, I just enjoyed watching.
The special effects hadn't changed much since "UFO" and "Space: 1999" (same producer for all 3 series), and some of the actors couldn't handle light comedy or romantic tension, but Ted Shackelford, Nancy Paul and a few others made this an enjoyable show, doing for police in the future what "Baywatch" did for lifeguards in the present.
There were several American actors in this British production because the United States was the country of first publication. -
SomeUselessGeek10 June 2023I guess TV sci-fi (pronounced, "si-fee") in 1994 had to be made on a budget of $3.80 per episode. At least, that's what this thing makes it look like. Oh, sorry -- I forgot that _Star Trek TNG_ was filming at the same time with a budget of one million US dollars per episode. I guess it was just that this show was so bad.
"Effects" that were created using the leftovers from a high school science project, writing that was inspired by 1930's comic books, and characters with all the depth of a sidewalk puddle. What's not to love? Please, just shoot me now -- something the cops in this show are plenty willing to do, particularly if it's aliens (anybody not a Terran) involved. Let's be insensitive as well as bloodthirsty, eh?
Good grief, it's hard to believe this kaka lasted an entire season before somebody pulled the plug on it. -
bongolong18 February 1999By the time I found out about his show, it was very hard to find. It would be broadcast somewhere in the wee hours of the night (around 2 to 5 am). I would check the TV Guide, set my alarm, and go to bed hoping some infomercial wouldn't bump it. Was this a great series? No. What it finely scripted? No. I could answer "No" to a lot more questions... but... I loved this show!! It was goofy & corny, but there was a charm about it, a "heart" that what some might call "better" shows lacked. The aliens and sets were fun and it even had a family in it! And the cherry on top of this sci-fi-sundae; there were all of those great Gerry Anderson models... COOL!!! It was a great way to spend a middle-of-the-night-half-hour! Sci-Fi Channel: GET IT!!!! (please?)
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vicsbooth16 October 2001Gerry Anderson has created a terrific cop show in space!!!! The first few episodes establish the characters and setting, then the show takes off with great stories and super effects!!!!! The dvds from England are spectacular with outstanding sound and picture quality. Fans of Gerry Anderson, and other science fiction shows will love this one.
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deltaleeder8 November 2002I first started watching the show in '98, when it was aired on our local Sci-fi themed television station. I must say, it wasn't that bad, and was easy to get caught up in.
The show was done by Gerry Anderson (Thunderbirds, Stingray, etc), but not only did it use the same types of models, it also combined live action, and instead of CG aliens, masks and makeup were used. The concept was different than most shows out there; the idea of a Space Police department, where aliens and humans work together. The "space car" designs were done well. The special effects weren't that great, but they weren't cheesy either. (like Captain Power or Power Rangers)
The idea may seem like something a younger person would find interesting, but with the violence, mild-cursing and adult situations, it was apparent that this was an adult oriented show, almost like NYPD Blue meets Star Trek. The characters were well developed, and the plots kept you wanting to watch, each episode or 2-part saga having its own twists and turns.
All in all, a great show to get attached to. I taped all the episodes, so its a really good show to watch on a lazy Sunday afternoon instead of Golf or auto-racing. -
gladiatrixmouse16 June 2002Space Precinct harked back to a time when the best thing on tv was Thunderbirds with the terrible special effects but this time Anderson used real actors! Always criticised and rarely praised the show really wasn't that bad - it has fans and deserved a second season. And now you can get it on VHS and DVD in the UK!!! The show is receiving something of a revival at the moment. How lucky are we!!!!!!!!!!
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citadelstation17 April 2003Looking back at some old recorded episodes it is a really cheesy series but i wouldn't miss it for anything i used to rush to get my homework done to see this,i would put off going out with my friends to see this, i was and always will be hooked on space precinct it isnt that it has good fx or that it isnt predictable, its just that its just so addictive you just have to watch it, trust me WATCH THIS SERIES
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orangelifer21 March 2006I can't imagine that show cost over a million per episode! Yes,it was one of the worst shows ever.But so what? I don't think it was hiding it! It was like a (slightly) more adult version of the Power Rangers,with cheap costumes,cheesy scripts,and all you would expect of a B movie.But it was fun.Of course,I'm biased,because when the series ran I was 13,and developed a crush on Rob Youngblood,one of the actors on the show.Never the less,i think it was good as what it was,one of the most absurd sci-fi series ever.The highlight of the series:Two against the rock.At least I think that was the title.My favorite episode,no contest!
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Jeff Brunner, who ran multi million dollars of investment capital for Howard Gilman (Gilman Paper Company) was talked into producing this series. Jim Goldman, a Wall Street investment banker told Brunner that this was the next Teenage Ninja Deal. Brunner was to invest Gilman's money and Gilman was non too happy about any of this happening. Brunner funded this show with $27,000,000 He, Gilman was a lover of Ballet and funded much in that world. Grove TV ran by Richard Grove completed the deal buy getting the show cleared in 97% of the Country. Amazingly it was cleared at 1 thru 3AM when the target audience as fast asleep. Even better was a ploy that was sheer comedy. Brunner paid WPIX Channel 11 to play the show on Saturday night at 11:30PM. Need I remind anyone that this was up against Saturday Night Live and Brunner paid $50,000 for the time. Brunner had never watched anything other than PBS on TV and was completely clueless. Brunner was fired and all the people who worked for him were also. I have files of paperwork sitting 3 feet from me as a remembrance. The worst part of all was Gilman Paper of St. Mary GA is no longer as a direct result. Thousand of people lost their job.
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mccarthystuart29 November 2005I can definitely see how "Space Precinct" was such a commercial disaster when it first came out.
For starters, the quality of the special effects was not very consistent at all. On one hand, you've got fairly slick, up-to-the-minute digitally-aided effects, then you've got live action shots using models, which wouldn't look out of place on "Red Dwarf" (which is what this show reminded me a lot of) Another thing that really ruined the show were those cheap-looking sets.
Secondly, what the hell was the point behind that bloody pointless "episode introduction" It makes the programme look even more like a kiddies' show.
Another problem I had with "Space Precinct" was the rather unsuccessful way in which it was trying to appeal to both young and old viewers-for example, take the ham-fisted way in which more adult subjects were handled in the show (such as racism, religion, and other adult-themed issue) "Space Precinct" was a rather hit-and-miss affair that had so much more potential. Even "Thunderbirds" was far superior to this.
Don't give up your day job, Mr. Anderson. -
There are people who feel that Gerry Anderson lost his spark when he finally made the jump to live-action. Many people, in fact.
"The Secret Service" was a bad idea (blending Supermarionation with liveaction footage of Stanley Unwin? DOA), "UFO" wasn't bad but could be laughable at time, "The Protectors" didn't feel like Anderson at all (and in fact wasn't originated by him), and the less said about "Space: 1999" the better. Since many choose to pretend "Terrahawks" doesn't exist, and as even Anderson is less than impressed with "Lavender Castle" (who was?), this leaves us with his hopefully last live-action show, "Space Precinct."
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear... the original pilot "Space Police" had Brogan up against bad guys V. Lann and E. Vile, and while such nomenclature was thankfully not in the actual series, said series (which hobbled itself from the start by casting Ted Shackelford as a tough veteran New York cop transferred to outer space; if they wanted someone from "Knots Landing" couldn't they have cast William Devane? Even Kevin Dobson would have been better - at least he's no stranger to NY cops after playing Crocker on "Kojak"!) had effects that advanced on the efforts from the 1970s, but scripts that were several hundred steps back from... well, from the days of "Supercar."
They came from a variety of British and American writers, but mainly American - especially J. Larry Carroll and David Bennett Carren, who used to write for "Peter Pan and the Pirates"... not reassuring. (Though in fairness to the Americans, having the first episode be penned by British comedy writer Paul Mayhew-Archer probably wasn't wise.) The cast did their best with the material, but it never worked as a science fiction series or a cop show; Anderson does seem to have learned his lesson at last, but perhaps it would be better to just retire instead of bringing back Captain Scarlet.
It must be said, though, that it had a great theme tune. Far too good for the series. -
progrock1 March 2002The main problem with this series is it couldn't decide what it wanted to be. It had alot of the fun "family element" but yet it was marketed for an adult audience. This made it a very tough series to attract an audience (especially if it kept getting bumped by Ab-Flex infomercials every time I tried to tape it) I think this could have been more of a success run on Saturday mornings but NOT at 3am like many markets aired the series. Having said that this series had many elements of Gerry Anderson I love (remember this was produced by the guy who did Thunderbirds, Space 1999 and UFO). I thought the aliens were done well and it was nice to see models used instead of the over-used CGI animation we see all too often these days with this type of series. If you watch this series expecting a Gerry Anderson production (fans of UFO and Thunderbirds), this is a fun series! If you believe that all science fiction is required to be glossy, expensive and full of flash-bang CGI effects without regard to episode plot or character interaction (Blake's 7 & Doctor Who haters) Avoid this series at all cost! I guarantee you'll hate it.
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Brogan25 September 2002I've only seen a episode of the show that was a few years ago. I remember that it was a mostly English cast except for the main star. It didn't seem that bad, but it appeared to be a little low-budget, but I never cared much for sci-fi t.v. shows. But when I herd the main character's first name when I first saw the show, I just sank in my seat. But I get a lot of jokes about me and this show. I wonder why?
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Lexx-225 November 1998Geez, if proof was ever needed that Gerry Anderson doesn't have a clue about writing for an adult audience, this it is it. This has to be the worst science fiction series this decade. The alleged $1.5 million-per-episode price tag is rarely in evidence in this cheap-looking, poorly acted and childishly written farrago. This makes Anderson's "Space 1999" look like "Babylon 5" in comparison. I just hope the rumours of a possible second series are just that.
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charlieque991 November 2004I only watched "SPACE PRECINCT" briefly, but it could've been better.
It had an interesting premise. A cop from planet Earth on a transfer to an alien planet in outer space. Great idea.
But I thought that the casting choice of Ted Shackelford was terrible. The acting was mediocre. The writing was just okay. The aliens looked ridiculous.
This is how you could make the show better.
First of all, "SPACE PRECINCT" needs a better title. The title just doesn't roll off the tongue smoothly.
Second, "SPACE PRECINCT" needs some A-List or B-List actors. Ted Shackelford? Come on.
Third, "SPACE PRECINCT" needs aliens that look authentic. "STAN WINSTON F/X" could've gave this show excellent special-effects (Puppetry, Special F/X make-up). Throw in some Digital-Effects from "DIGITAL DOMAIN" (owned by James Cameron & Stan Winston) and the show would be been taken to a whole other level.
Fourth, "SPACE PRECINCT" needs to be on a major network like NBC, ABC, FX, USA, or SCI-FI Channel.
If Jonathan Frakes (producer of "ROSWELL") or William Shatner (producer of "TEK WARS") had produced this show, then it would go down in Television history as one of the greats.