UFO (1970) 1x1 First Time Watching Reaction & Review - Should I Watch This? 

As far as I'm concerned, UFO still stands as one of the best SF TV series ever made. You're in for a treat when you get round to watching the rest of it. There are some really dramatic episodes, sometime action-packed, sometimes more character-focused, and in one or two cases borderline psychedelic. But all well made. And several episodes show a bit more of Straker's background, what drives him, and the sacrifices he's had to make to do his job.

Ed Bishop should really have been a consistent leading man on TV. He was in demand while he lived in England for voice-work and guest starring roles on TV, especially for ITC shows. He has a small part in '2001: A Space Odyssey'. Great voice. He could play sympathetic or intense, driven characters and had good comic timing as well. He got to say the immortal line (in 'Daimond Are Forever') "Klaus Hergerscheimer.......from G Section.......checking radiation shielding".

Ed Bishop ("Straker") on special effects wizard Derek Meddings, from the DVD commentary: "Boy, when Derek Meddings wanted to blow something up, there were no half measures." Meddings also did the earthquake miniatures in Superman (1978). Kubrick tried to get Meddings away from the Andersons to work on 2001: a Space Odyssey, which turned into an "over our dead bodies" sort of thing. The purple wigs on Moonbase are because the lights were so hot it just ruined normal hairstyling. Glad you liked the pilot!

Yes. Yes. And more Yes. Gerry Anderson’s UFO and also Space: 1999 are awesome!

Shame it never got the big budget second series it deserved! Moonbase was going to get radically expanded, I think there was ideas of taking the fight to the Aliens... Ed Bishop was excited to reprise Straker. Sadly it never happened and UFOs second series ended up becoming Space: 1999 UFO is one of those somewhat underappreciated shows I think.

I'm 61 now. I was 9 when I first watched UFO in England to be completely beguiled by it. Overall the entire series still holds up today. It's a great combination of a soap home life being completely destroyed by the impossible you can't say anything about. When I was a kid, a number of UFO episodes were completely denied to me by being relegated to a graveyard slot. Drug use, mind warps, even a women appearing in her bra to tempt Straker wasn't deemed fit in Brit teatime 1970 telly! Which is why it is now such a well deserved belated, a head of its time classic today!

Ed Bishop also had a part in 2001: A Space Odyssey. He was the captain of the Aries-1B Lunar Shuttle.

Unforgettable Ed Bishop... Unforgettable Commander Ed Straker

I'm not sure is anyone has answered the question about the Skydiver uniforms, but in the 80s and 90s to an extent, Firefighters used them as part of their uniform to prevent burns/scalds from sweat caught in the uniform and out of fires it helps cool the body as a whole and in that sub its likely very warm and close for the crew. Also if you were not aware, Colonel Virginia Lake is played by Wanda Ventham, the mother of one Benedict Cumberbatch. You might also recognise the pilot of the ShadAir aircraft from a few other Anderson projects :)

Filmed in 1969; I watched most of the episodes in the early 1970s when I was between 8 and 11 (and since of course). It was filmed in two blocks which is why characters disappear and are replaced. One of the best sci-fi shows from the UK made in the 70s and 80s. Others, which are a little more serious and less action orientated you could watch are Moonbase 3, SpaceCops, and Sapphire and Steel. Blakes 7 (first two series are the best) has a serious concept, but is more action adventure orientated. All of the Quatermas serials (mostly from the 1950s) - all remade as films in the 50s and 60s - are excellent as well although the special effects on the first one is very dated now (I think most of the TV show is lost, but I watched the film along time ago). The other two stand up pretty well imo. Quatermass 1 was completely remade and broadcast live (along with A for Andromeda another well known early sci-fi TV series from 1960) by the BBC in the 2000s.

I wish Ed Bishop had been in more stuff, he has a great presence.

An excellent and unique show. You are the perfect person to appreciate this show. Your attention to detail and design is quite marvelous. Interesting fact: some game developers making video games in the 90's had loved this show as kids and made a game based on the plot. The game they created was X-COM: UFO Defense (called X-COM: UFO Unknown in the UK). It is now considered a classic and has a few very good reiterations recently. Love your channel. Your reactions and the way you love the little details really make me smile. Please never stop. Thank you.

I was recommending this when you watched Space 1999. UFO is worthwhile for the entire series. Loved your reaction

Keep watching and reacting to this!!! I LOVE this show and no one ever watches it! Technically Space 1999 was written as a sequel to this... No one in the show ever makes reference to this show, but it would explain why the spaceships in Space 1999 are armed. I never noticed the fishnet costumes in the subs before! I guess I need to re-watch this show now that we have good, sharp copies! Man, but we seem to have the same tastes in shows!

FYI Space 1999 props and concepts were retooled from UFO season 2 (as it was cancelled due to studio blunders)

I always felt sorry for Commander Straker when his wife left him..very sad.

Loved this show growing up. Wish it lasted longer

Alexa, I had SUCH a big smile on my face all through your reaction! So glad you appreciated the Century 21 fashions by Sylvia Anderson...I'm convinced she gave the Skydiver guys those fishnet shirts to allow for Equal Opportunity Ogling! Ed Bishop's Straker is one of SciFi's great unsung characters...there's some extremely affecting character writing done for him throughout the series, and he does a fantastic job with it. BTW, trivia tidbit - Wanda Ventham, who plays the iconic Col. Lake in this episode, is the mother of Benedict Cumberbatch! Like he couldn't he get any cooler! Alexa, I know 1999 won in the poll (I voted for it), but is there any way you could fit them *both* in? In any event, thanks for making my morning a happy one!

Gerry Anderson loved secret bases and exotic vehicles. If that appeals to you, you could also check out some of his children’s marionette-based shows like Thunderbirds, and Captain Scarlet (which also has Ed Bishop).

Man this is a full on blast from the past. I remember watching this with the ole daddo on UHF. Good days.

the end title sequence has to be the MOST memorable ever..i saw it in the UK in 1972.. one of my early memories when i was small...

Col Virginia Lake is Benedict Cumberbatch's mother

Gerry Anderson was my greatest hero and still is. You should definitely react to his other shows like Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and Terrahawks. You should also check out Firestorm, a project by Gerry's son Jamie Anderson.

I just realized....when the sub tips up to launch Skydiver, the crew would be hanging off the ladders and bulkheads!

The world is under attack by aliens of unknown origin, and all Alexa wants to know is....what were the other drinks on the dispenser 😆 🤣 😂

Very intuitive Alexa. I couldn't figure it out back in 1970. This video could easily lead into a Space: 1999 first look. Ed Bishop was the leader, his voice has great command and authority.

Ed Bishop (Commander Straker) voiced the prosecutor in the ST-TAS episode, "The Magicks of Megas-Tu."

Had a big crush on Gabrielle Drake and was also surprised that she was related to singer Nick Drake. I really liked the multi national aspect of shado. There was a lot of diversity for a 70s TV show and I really liked the interceptor pilot with the heavy Barbadian accent 😊

I'm glad you liked UFO. I think it's one of the classic British sci fi programmes. The model work is particularly accomplished because Gerry Anderson and his team had made marionette series up to this point and this was their second venture into live action. The first being a film called Doppelganger also known as Journey to the Far Side of the Sun. Supreme Headquarters Alien Defence Organisation is the full title of the secret force and the defence satellite is called SID or Space Intruder Detector. Interestingly, the only regular female submariner was played by a lady called Georgina Moon...maybe they should have posted her to Moonbase?☺

Forgive me for commenting so late, I have just discovered you. You touched on the major problem with the series "UFO." It was written, directed and acted for an adult audience but the models and special effects were more reminiscent of a children's program. Because of this they failed to find a consistent audience. Gerry and Sylvia Anderson were known for children's shows and were trying to jump to more mature audiences. They were having success with some of their movies (see JOURNEY TO THE FAR SIDE OF THE SUN). Ed Bishop was, at one time, probably the hardest working American actor in the UK. He had a long history of working with the Andersons and also worked on several James Bond films. He even had a small role in 2001: A Space Odyssey. I agree with your choices about the bar serving machine. You will need in addition to your wine choices, one for Sangiovese (chianti) for visitors who like well oaked, dry red wines.

As much cover as a g-string on a belly dancer is comic genius and totally unexpected. I nearly spat out my drink laughing the first time I saw it!

Thanks for mentioning the music- best intro and incidental music EVER!!

A very under rated programme. It had some quite dark story lines too. Glad you liked it.

What I love about UFO is that it takes it's subject seriously and thinks it through properly; dealing with issues from the technology needed to the human factor and even the politics behind it giving it so much realism despite the sci-fi premise. It also took on board many tropes - such as aliens having green skin or aliens harvesting organs - and incorporated them into the overall story. The fact that the costumes and vehicles just look so cool is just the icing on the cake!

A favorite of mine from a way back. In spite of the accent, I often forget Ed Bishop was American. Almost everything he sppeated in seemed to be UK productions.

GERRY AND SYLVIA ANDERSON UFO AWESOME.....

Got to watch it during my lunch break. BTW...the gorgeous woman at 5:31 is Benedict Cumberbatch's mother!!! I've watched this for years and only just found out this year!!!

I know the guy who played the Alien (Gito Santana) Very sweet guy! :-)

This is like that Marionette kids show from BBC in the 60's "Thunderbirds" mated with Dr Who.

My favorite show, and your commentary is one of the most delightful things I’ve ever seen.

First, I've only ever heard of this show but watching with you just now, I love it! I had no idea! Its like a.....British Star Trek in way! And you being a Star Trek aficianado, on top of already being a great reactor.....I'm definitely down to see you do more! I'm going to try and hunt this series down. Would I let my skin change color if I could travel through space? Now I probably would but in my younger years, I'd probably decline! :P You said so many things in this that made me laugh, I wish i wrote them down. This has a great opening theme, if I remember correctly, doesn't it? Or a great opening credits sequence. I LOVED all the 60s fashion, all the Swingin' London holdovers! PS: By the way, completely unrelated, but the BBC in 1970 broadcast two incredible historical miniseries: "The Six Wives Of Henry VIII" (6 wives, 6 episodes) and it's sequel "Elizabeth R" (with Glenda Jackson as the ultimate Queen Elizabeth). These were broadcast on "Masterpiece Theatre" here in the States. Outstanding productions, as great as "I, Claudius", which I'm sure you've seen already. Not suggesting for a reaction video, necessarily, but just for yourself. Fascinating productions.

The 'things on belts' are easily explained when you realise the guys working on UFO were still at the studio a few years later when Star Wars came through. - and there were a lot of old 'western' props lying around, including belts with loops for ammunition.

Great reaction. 'UFO' was for Gerry and Silvia Anderson a follow on from their feature film debut 'Doppelgänger' (original UK title, in the U.S. it was released as 'Journey to the Far Side of the Sun' which has nothing to literally do with the film). They reused all the costumes, props and the look, adapting them for the show. Ed Bishop who plays 'Commander Straker' was also in 'Doppelgänger', as was George Sewell ('Colonel Alec Freeman'). Ed Bishop in 'UFO' wears a light grey wig but in 'Doppelgänger' we see him in his natural dark hair. 'UFO' continued the Neo Noir (New 'Black') psychological themes started in 'Captain Scarlet' and 'Doppelgänger' - also known as German Expressionist or Film Noir ('Black').

The Skydiver outfits are something similar, but are actually made from military arctic uniform underwear, which has nets so there is a lot of air trapped in the clothing, which (when it's clean) means the gear keeps you warmer.

I grew up watching this show. Glad to see it here! (I haven't seen the opening sequence since I was an adolescent, either!).

I have to get a Nehru suit! There's a cosplay for you, might have to trim a purple wig though. I had the Dinky Toys Interceptor and Ed Straker's car as a kid. The blonde 'totty' on the aircraft was Benedict Cumberbatch's Mum! Back on Captain Scarlet, if you watched the Tennant Whos, you'd have seen another version of Scarlet's Cloudbase. Sylvia Andersen designed the fashions, not a guy much as Diana Rigg designed her 'Queen of Sin' outfit for 'The Avengers'. Those were the days...

One of my favorite shows from childhood, influential in my career and as icing on the cake, my S.H.A.D.O. Interceptor is on the shelf about 12 feet away from me as I type this.

Gosh, Ms. Alexa, I've never seen this show before. Now *I* want to watch it. :)

U.F.O is set in 1980! Lol. It was supposed to be the future!

I just stumbled across your channel because you're checking out Captain Scarlet. Since UFO is my all-time favourite show, I insist you get back to watching this. You won't regret it!

Yes. Space 1999. The pilot is quite good.

It's a pity it only went one season. I think it was way ahead of it's time. Some tweaking it would be just as good today.

No science fiction fan's life is complete without watching UFO. It is one for the ages.

Good point about like Security during the examination. It was the ‘70s, and sometimes they didn’t think things like that through.

"Chop sticks"! HA! I love that! As always, you've got a great eye for detail. I don't even recall seeing those things on their belts. Anyway it's been a while since I last watched this show. But I'm sure it must be ammo. It's interesting to note that Space: 1999 was born when they cancelled UFO. Space: 1999 was reshaped out of original plans for a second season 2 for UFO. As much as I love UFO, I prefer Space: 1999. I still would have loved to see more seasons of UFO but Space: 1999 probably would have existed if things had turned out differently. Also, I must agree about practical FX VS CGI. I'm not a huge fan of CGI at all!

A very nice show ! i love the technology in it, very well done

I love the widows peak bangs on the purple moon base wigs.

So glad you enjoined this! Was a favorite of Ming growing up. Great reaction😊

The moonbase uniforms are supposed to be the undersuits / cooling garment / inner layer for a spacesuit. The idea was often mentioned in SF from the 1960s, that people would have to adapt to new standards when living in space. Nothing could be inflammable, for example, and privacy might vanish, like living in a submarine. The purple hair is another example, which will be revealed in the episode where they discover the aliens have green hair...

I have never heard of this show . . . now I'm fascinated. Thank you for introducing me to it. What you said at the end, about a 'real' thing on a movie-set . . . that's not far from the reality, actually. Not far at all.

Glad you found this, I knew you would be lit up over the costumes!

11:44 Trivia, The Oreville uses actual models, at least with the shots of the ship cruising by.

Wow! I haven't seen this since I was a kid.

I adore UFO, well done.

The beautiful blond woman reading the newspaper in the scene aboard the aircraft is an actress named Wanda Ventham.She is the mother of actor Benedict Cumberbatch.

Century 21 studio was up the road from me until 2016..

You have to remember what this show was competing with. I watched this in the early 70s. What else was on TV? Coronation Street. Snooker. Match of the day. That's pretty much it.

Wow I never Herd of this I’m gonna try and Watch this thanks for Doing this and your Collectables are Fabulous

That drummers having a good time!

I really hope you eventually return to UFO at some point. Thank you for sharing this reaction. Liked and shared.

This was a wild and groovy series with ladies who were the grooviest, the two easiest on my eyes being Lt. Ellis, the moon station commander, and most especially Shado HQ officer Lt. Ayshea Johndon played by popular British pop star Ayshea, who also hosted a popular music variety show. Forgive me for saying, but Ayshea was smoldering. She was the dark-complected young lady whose first introduction on “UFO” was sashaying across the parking lot in that miniest of miniskirts. Holy. Moly. And then she continued to heat up the screen in her jumpsuit uniform, always keeping Colonel Striker up to date with whatever report. You may have noticed that a lot changed in Britain in only ten years. The opening scene takes place in the “present day” 1970 and everything looks “normal.” Normal clothing. The British are still driving on the left (steering on the right). Then flash forward only ten years later and things have changed rather radically. Not only clothing and technology, but you’ll notice that Brits are now driving their futuristic cars on the right (steering on the left), American style. Gerry and Sylvia Anderson were of the opinion that their fellow countrymen would switch driving sides within ten years. That of course never happened.

Just subscribed. Yes UFO is very bingeable, in fact all Gerry Anderson's shows are very bingeable, well season 2 of Space 1999 can be forgotten. I have recently just watched the film Battleship, and I thought, what a crock. British SciFi seem to be more thought provoking and believeable, whilst American SciFi uses so much CGI budget to hide nonsenseicle rubbish.

Yes please watch Andersons other shows, you are real young. The 60s and early 70s had great stuff.

Always been more into Gerry Anderson’s supermarionation stuff over live action (although I did love Space Precinct as a kid ) so I never really sought this out. You’ve peaked my interest. Can say it’s the first time I’ve heard someone say UFO like that not as a joke. Also I’m rewatching The Detectives at the moment so George Sewell acting like that just feels wrong somehow.

I think I might have seen some of these episodes when it was on TV. I was around 8 or 9 years old. Definitely worth delving into. Thanks!😀👍

You should definitely watch the rest of this show. Episodes like Mindbender, Timelash & The Square Triangle will haunt you for a long time. Wonderful show, coolest music!. A sequel series was planned, but dropped when Anderson got a deal for a new show....Space 1999. Some of the pre-production designs morphed into Eagles etc, in Space 1999. If you watch UFO, some things may seem familiar. Looking forward to you encountering Col Foster & the base Doctor Jackson:). You'll enjoy Anderson shows as they are known for great miniature work. Derek Meddings pioneered it and was considered the best. He later worked on the Bond movies & built the giant supertanker for the Spy Who Loved Me. Like exotic craft?...secret bases?... Thunderbirds!.

I do hope you continue with reactions to this. From what I've read, later UFO episodes, while episodic, remain an interesting mix of action, mystery, and explorations of the psychological state of the SHADO organization members as they deal with various alien and human challenges. The UFO special effects and models are very good. I was interested to read that the person in charge would later handle the complex special effects of the classic Superman movie and Roger Moore era James Bonds Moonraker and Spy Who Loved Me.

I rewatched this reaction yesterday, the explanation for the purple wigs was apparently meant to be that they were anti-static, that doesn't seem to explain why the men don't wear them though. I wonder if the silver was modelled after the look of early space program outfits where spacesuits and others had a lot of silver being used. I laughed at your reaction to the the "As much cover as a G-String on a belly dancer" line, I really can't imagine that the TV shows would get away with a line like that nowadays as they would probably be seen as sexist. There is a LOT of makeup both in the women on the moon and Colonel Lake on the aircraft, and I thought that the girls from Abba could have a lot of makeup. Nerd alert, I do personally have a few pieces of UFO merchandise, I've got a model kit still to be completed of the UFO Interceptor, and I do have a 12 inch tall figure of Colonel Gay Ellis, the commander of Moonbase complete with her little clipboard and stylus.

I cant wait for you to watch this series....its unique and thought provoking, my favourite sci fi series and brings back many childhood memories!

The way the UFOs arrive (after travelling enormous distances faster than light) at precisely the time needed to intercept a car carrying the people who will build the SHADO organisation, is indeed a clue about them. They way they re-build, or simply build, bodies for themselves that can almost survive on Earth is also a clue.

Now I know what to get you for Christmas. A push button cocktail machine! I love the way you are totally involved in this. I remember watching this in the early 70s when I was a kid and 1980 was still in the future. It was the most exciting thing in the whole world. I hadn't discovered girls yet...

and yes - you should watch the whole series!!! it has some really good episodes ..

'U F O' and 'UFO', yes, an acronym is spelled out in the US (usually), and is made into a word in British English (usually). There are exceptions.

Great reaction to a great show 👏👍.

Any show with subsonic flirting I'm all for.

I think you will enjoy the entire series when you do watch it. Other than part of an episode I caught on TV in the 80's, I didn't watch it until the DVD set was released in North America. It was well worth it.

you need to try blakes 7 now

Yes, definitely. Very interesting.

Haven't watched your reaction yet but I saw this and had to chime in. Yes this is a good show. It's a bit far fetched but some of the stories are great!! I loved this as a kid. I'll watch your reaction later today if I can.

I had a die cast vehicle from this show. The tank like green thing.. I always wanted an Interceptor. I could have been no older than 5.

I've just came across your video Alexa and noticed up to now you are the only one reacting to the TV series UFO from the 70's but this is only a pilot reaction and is from 2021 and you do mention that you liked it so I was hoping to see more reactions from you on the TV series of UFO but there's not, I have UFO on DVD Boxset myself and I enjoy it every time, so I'm wondering are we UFO TV series fan's actually going to see more episode reactions from you for UFO?.... I myself would really like to see you react more to UFO. 😎👍

Brilliant series

I loved this show as a child when it first aired 50 years ago. I still love it! Has anyone recommended the 1960's show "The Invaders"?

hallo again, I recommend you these episodes: question of priorities (sad, but I think it would be interesting to ear your comment), e.s.p. (creepy), kill straker (fans favourite), subsmash, mindbender(amazing), confetti check a ok(it will be fascinating to you), the long sleep (my favourite), the cat with ten lives, the sound of silence (amazing). I'm looking forward to ear your reactions. by the way I knew Ed Bishop in london at the fanderson convention and I won the first prize of a dress competition with my space 1999 costume because mr Bishop was in the jury!!! He died in 2005, sadly. I remember met him here in italy was something special to me, he came here for a couple of times, even on a tv program (anima mia). allright then, I'm a big fan of both ufo and space 1999 I think you got thât!!!!!! bye and thank you very much for your comments!

My limited knowledge of the subject matter does conceur with yours, I have watched the series, via a re-run on tv. The entire series imo, is well made, designed, acted, written, etc; primarily, in short, it remains very serious about delivering it's story, however I like and respect, and am engaged as a viewer to the overall product. I do recall at least one subsequent episode does visit the studio and does explore some close encounters.

If you want to see more film studio stuff I advice you three episodes: "Court Martial", "Timelash" and "Mindbender" (the last two are even very weird...).

The show was heavily influenced by the "Mod" scene/fashions of the latest 60s in London, which pushed the rest of the world's fashion industry at the time. The fish-net tops in the submarine uniforms were taken from the fact that the environment in subs *and* tanks up to that point in time could be very unpleasantly warm and air circulation not the best, to say the least. It was mostly statement over function at this venture in time but, it was just another bit of visual candy, for which Silvia Anderson was famous. I'm not sure if all of the accessories were completely explained as to functionality but, who cares as a great deal of their productions included suggestion and inference as to how things might be in such a different situation, which is OK by me. Not everything needs clinical explanation to be effective. And your "creepy HALvibes" aren't by accident. It was a very popular feature of the show. The "U-FO" pronunciation was unique to the show and not everyone in it was "on board" with it, the honcho "Straker" was the progenitor for that phenomenon. 😀 (For the rest of the world, it's just U-F-O). The guy "Alec," who made the "bellydancer" reference was *supposed* to be the edge, "James bond" influence to the group, always making the innuendo, like the opening when he asked the woman if she passed "all" of the tests... Wink wink, nudge nudge. In actuality, he came across more as H.R.'s worst customer. lol. He just didn't have the looks and suave/debonair vibe of a Connery or Moore to pull it off (in time wisened eyes) but, it was still accepted as "charming behavior" at the time. Now... It's just "creepy old man" juice. 😆 You're right on about the aliens needing human organs. Good guess. The ability to travel so fast through space is facilitated through an oxygenated fluid that the aliens breathe which answers things like lungs collapsing under the pressures (think "The Abyss" where Ed Haris had to use a similar system, says the green tint. I think the tinting was just an homage to the "little green men from Mars" stereotype). There are a lot more great models that haven't been shown here, the collectibles are actually quite popular and in demand, fetching as much as $150 or more, each. The special effects are amazing for their time and today, as well. There's a lot to be said for these types of effects over CGI. CGI allows "more" of everything but, not necessarily better, in my and a lot of other people's opinion. They won awards and the admiration of the industry as well as the viewers. You didn't show the removal of the protective contact lens when they were "treating" the captured alien but, they use it in the opening credits so, you'll see it often. When they thought it had yellow eyes... And then discovered it was a contact, it had quite a striking visual effect. This is what the Andersons were famous for bringing to their shows. As for the story line, don't expect big scenes of negotiations or attacks (quasi-spoiler alert) their strategy is more of guerilla warfare and harassment (it doesn't take long to figure this out so, not a big spoiler) but this lends to both the dramatic flavor of the show with serious intrigue and anticipation as the trade-off and it helps keep the budget more effective, providing more "bang for the buck" (all puns intended). 😉 As for "more of the film studio," they do just what you ask and even run some scenes and sequences as though it was for SHADO, only to find it was a scene for the studio being shot. It was brilliant production. The Andersons had a much more family, kid friendly orientation to their earlier shows but, their weariness of those restrictions are quite self evident from the pilot on to the ending of the series. They maintained a serious, adult oriented, dramatic/mystery/intrigue theme yet with plenty of physical action to keep (privileged to watch) kids and adults alike entertained. I was one who, as a 10yr old kid was able to watch the show because I was often home alone when the show aired (parents worked odd hours). People then, in particular and today get bent at the thought of a kid watching the obviously adult themed material but, I can tell you first hand that the other kids I knew that watched it and myself suffered no illness as a result. We liked all the models and action and the limited physical exposure to the aliens was all the more spooky and all the "grown-up stuff" and Alec's H.R. fodder was so completely over our heads that we had no clue. The "risqué" uniforms were just plain "cool" as our hormones hadn't kicked in yet and they kept the dramatic scenes broken up with enough "good stuff" (odels and action shots) that we were never bored and the running theme was so simple that we usually knew what was going on, even if some parts of episodes were lost on us. I can tell you that seeing this as an adult (and having just recently binge-watched the series again with a 50yr gap in between), has opened up the "other side" of the show and it's like seeing a completely new show... Yet the same show I knew as a kid. The premise of your video is a misstatement. It shouldn't be... "Should I watch this?" The premise (and properly worded statement) should be... "I should watch this!" And there ya go. 😉 This show is a standard *and* cult classic which was the culmination of the works of two, very brilliant people (the Andersons) working every which way through the science fiction genre of several, very different yet conceptually similar programs based on non-live action premises, each of great quality and innovation in their own rights, then taking all of that experience, gained knowledge and motivation to exceed those achievements ten fold, accomplished by creating a live action series that was designed, from its Inception, to appeal to a worldwide market... With an emphasis on the American market which is/was the holy grail for television production achievement. Christ-A-Diddley... You'd almost think I studied/worked in TV/film production somewheres along the line. ;) The answer to the question? "Hell yes, you should watch it." And everything else the Andersons did, as well. Including many great shows, like "Fireball XL5" and the continuation of UFO, "Space 1999." Happy watching!

This is a great series and you should definitely watch it. The series Space 1999 was a sequel to this, set in the same world several years later.

Nice reaction, good choice. I grew up watching Andersons earlier work (Fireball XL5, Supercar, Stingray, and Thunderbirds). In this show, my favorite items were the SkyDiver and of course the moon girls. Yeah, HAL with an English accent...why not? Looking forward to more trips down memory lane.

Fun Fact: Actor Benedict Cumberbatch's real-life mum (Wanda Ventham) appears in the series!!!