Space: 1999 - Production of Series Two

Production of Series Two

With the last-minute renewal from Grade, the production team hit the ground running. Byrne's script The Biological Soul, involving the Alphans' encounter with the unstable Mentor of the planet Psychon and his biological computer Psyche, which drew sustenance from the mental energy of intelligent beings, was re-written to include the new character Maya and the rest of the format changes. Production began on 26 January 1976 and was scheduled to last a mere ten months due to the already-late renewal order.

To fulfil the scheduling requirement, Freiberger came up with the "double-up script" solution. During "double-up" installments, two first-unit production teams would film two episodes simultaneously. Landau and some of the supporting cast would be given expanded roles and would film an episode on location or on sets constructed for that story in Pinewood's Soundstage "M", while Bain and the remaining supporting cast (also in expanded roles) would film their episode in the standing Alpha sets on Soundstage "L". Landau and Bain would then be given minor roles in the opposing episodes. This cost- and time-saving measure was used to complete eight stories: The Rules of Luton/The Mark of Archanon, The AB Chrysalis/Catacombs of the Moon, A Matter of Balance/Space Warp and Devil's Planet/Dorzak. A ninth episode, The Beta Cloud, was intentionally scripted with only one-day's worth of work for the Landaus to allow their planned holiday to the French Riviera not to delay the series' production; the four supporting cast members (Schell, Anholt, Tate and Merton) were the recipients of much greater than usual exposure.

Relations between new producer Freiberger and the Year One veterans were strained. Landau complained about stories he felt were light-weight or absurd when compared to the previous year's efforts. His feelings can be summed up from comments written on the cover of a script: "I'm not going out on a limb for this show because I'm not in accord with what you're (Freiberger) doing as a result ... etc. I don't think I even want to do the promos — I don't want to push the show any more as I have in the past. It's not my idea of what the show should be. It's embarrassing to me if I am not the star of it and in the way I feel it should be. This year should be more important to it, not less important to it ... I might as well work less hard in all of them." Johnny Byrne has gone on record saying that Freiberger was a good man and good producer, but not good for Space: 1999. He had gotten them a second year after the cancellation, but the changes he made did not benefit the programme.

Principal photography came to an end on 23 December 1976 with The Dorcons. An article regarding a third series was printed in the trade papers: "Now entrenched in its successful second season boom, ITC is looking forward to a third season with more fantastic events and additions, although mum's the word at the studio. They will only say that Maya and Miss Schell will be kept in and that the budget may be raised again, but that's all until final preparations and an official announcement are made."