Moonbase 3 – The Complete Series (DVD series review).
With all the talk of man going back to the Moon, I thought it would be interesting to see the 1973 TV series ‘Moonbase 3’. It was hardly a new idea when it came out. You can raise your own examples from film and TV. Interestingly, its creators were ‘Doctor Who’ luminaries, producer Barry Letts, script editor Terrance Dicks with music by Dudley Simpson. You’ll have fun and games recognising various cast. Of particular interest are Michael Wisher (Davros) and Edward Brayshaw (the War Chief from ‘The War Games’). I’m still not sure how I missed it at the time originally unless it was a late night viewing and I was too young.
Moonbase 3 was actually one of four, America, Russia and China. 3 was the European branch with various nationals. The six stories were principally about problems on the base with personal or equipment and set in 2003, a long time away from 1973 at the time. We were very optimistic for the future of space travel at the time.
The special effects were…interesting. The spaceships did look like washing-up liquid bottles. The exterior moon sets looked reasonably realistic for the time and considering the series only had two standing sets made the most of them. The base itself was rather confining and you have to wonder how the people all fitted in there.
From a modern day perspective with what we know now about space procedures now, some things will surely be different. Certainly contact with Earth would be more continuous. Scientists would be involved in more than one experiment at a time and definitely multi-taskers.
What this series does bring home is the extended periods on the Moon and the probably loneliness from home and partners. Also being confined with the same people for extended periods can also be exasperating. Certainly, attention to leisure time needs attention, although I doubt a modern base would be allowed to have alcohol in it. Having a psychologist on base does make some sense although you would have to ask who looks after her mental health.
With the near disaster of the last episode, you do have to wonder if they thought there would be a second season. Then again, what could they follow that it up with? Well, they did have some other projects like going to Venus and Jupiter.
An odd curio and although I’ve neglected mentioning too much about the cast here, you can believe they were doing their jobs well.
GF Willmetts
September 2022
(pub: Second Sight Television, 2002. 2 DVDs 306 minutes 6 * 50 minute episodes. Price: It varies up to nearly £30.00 (UK). ASIN: B000068OWK)
cast: Donald Houston, Barry Lowe, Fiona Gaunt and Ralph Bates
