Although the show filmed in Australia to assist with the budget, it gives the show an exotic feel. The special effects might have dated, and the time and budget constraints might occasionally slip to the surface, but the show looks and feels impressive.
Still, regardless of how things eventually played out, the pilot for Space: Above and Beyond is pretty confident gesture. This approach would lead some to dismiss the show “Melrose Space”, much to the chagrin of the cast and crew.
Kristen Cloke – as the attractive female character – was pushed to the fore, while James Morrison – the oldest member of the ensemble and one of the more popular characters – found himself squeezed out of the publicity materials.
Publicity for the show seemed to desperately target a young audience, because the Fox marketing department knew how to sell that. This conflict between what Fox wanted the show to be and what it actually was, could be seen in the marketing. The squad are drilled by Gunnery Sergeant Hartmann himself, R. The show’s hero writes extended letters to his sweetheart pledging love undying. The group includes the rebel without a cause and a scarred no-nonsense commanding officer who may or may not have a heart of gold beneath his tough exterior. A main character is named McQueen, as if to reference Steve McQueen.
However, the movie is rooted in more than just the history of the Second World War, but also the way that the war was represented and portrayed in film and elsewhere. Morgan and Wong decided to take that idea their own direction. Indeed, Morgan and Wong have conceded that Fox originally suggested a show that would play off a proposed Starfleet Academy spin-off, potentially beating it to the punch.
There’s an incredible confidence to Space: Above and Beyond, and it is possible to read the series as an attempt to cash in on the resurgent popularity of televised science-fiction in the wake of the success of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Space: Above and Beyond was largely built from scratch. The X-Files was set in a world connected to our own. In contrast, Space: Above and Beyond had a massive cast, cutting-edge special effects and lots of design work built into it. It was shot in Vancouver, with two main cast members and not too many special effects. For the first year of The X-Files, the show was reasonably cheap to produce. Of course, the production of Space: Above and Beyond was much more elaborate – and, crucially, much more expensive – than the production of The X-Files. Fox was no longer a small network fighting for scraps, but a viable challenger to the so-called “big three.” This change in outlook would lead to great success in the twenty-first century, but would also lead to change in how Fox did business. It was approach the end of its first decade by the time Space: Above and Beyond was broadcast. The network had been announced in late 1985, and first hit the airwaves in late 1986. Securing the NFL rights in 1993 didn’t hurt.īy late 1995, Fox was largely past the growing pains stage of its evolution. The X-Files was one reason, but the network had also solidified itself with a slate of popular young dramas like Beverly Hills 90210, Melrose Place and Party of Five. Fox had begun its life as a scrappy little network that had trouble producing seven nights of broadcasting, but had rapidly solidified itself into a credible alternative to the big three networks. Space: Above and Beyond made a great deal of sense in the context of the mid-nineties. This November (and a little of December), we’re taking a trip back in time to review the third season of The X-Files and the first (and only) season of Space: Above and Beyond.