Space:1999

UK: Anderson series now available free on ITV X

Posted on by Parker

Many of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s classic productions are now available, free of charge, on ITV’s new streaming service ITV X. Anderson programmes owned by ITV are usually free of commercials on the platform.

All episodes are available of Supercar, Thunderbirds (including the crowdsourced ‘anniversary episodes’, Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons, The Secret Service, UFO, The Protectors, Space:1999, Terrahawks and New Captain Scarlet.

For some reason, only selected episodes are available of Stingray and Joe 90, whilst Fireball XL5 isn’t there at all! Curiously, only selected episodes of ITV’s own 2015 reboot Thunderbirds Are Go are available.

ITV X is free to view, with most of the above content available ad-free too. There’s a free seven-day trial of the subscription Premium service (normally £5.99 a month) which offers even more content, all ad-free, with access to additional content over on BritBox.

 

The Anderson Collection – action figures from Big Chief Studios

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

Big Chief Studios have announced their first range of retro collector action figures, enabling fans to create their own miniature adventures.

Designed with collectors in mind, each 3.75 inch figure in The Anderson Collection sports five points of jointed articulation, authentic character likenesses and detailed costumes. Priced at a pocket-friendly £14.99 each, the figures are made for fans to build a collection, and with a far simpler product specification manufacturing lead times are drastically improved from their previous studio scale puppet replicas.

Collection 1 is due in December and includes Troy Tempest, Scott Tracy, Captain Scarlet, Joe McClaine, Ed Straker and John Koenig. Collection 2 will follow in 2023 and is due to include Lt George “Phones” Sheridan, Virgil Tracy, John Tracy, Captain Black, Lt Green and Alan Carter.

Mission Of The Darians watchalong

Posted on by Parker

Next Saturday, 24th September, Fanderson members are encouraged to join an online ‘watchalong’ of Space:1999 Mission of The Darians with episode director Ray Austin and actor Prentis Hancock.

Watchalongs are like the episode commentaries on DVDs, but live. Fanderson’s first watchalong was Space:1999 The Last Sunset with actor Zienia Merton, at the Stand By For Action convention on Sunday 19th May 2002.

You can register to be part of the watchalong by emailing livesinthepictures@gmail.com

UK: Anderson series now free-to-view on ITV Hub

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

Having long been available to view in the UK on Britbox, many of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s classic productions are now available on the ITV Hub.

Fans can now watch Supercar, Fireball XL5 (selected episodes), Stingray, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons, Joe 90 (selected episodes), The Secret Service, UFO, The Protectors and Space:1999. ITV’s own Thunderbirds Are Go reimagining is available too, along with the crowdsourced Thunderbirds anniversary episodes.

All are available free to view and ad-free, once the programme itself starts. Watching fully ad-free costs £3.99/month or £39.99/year, but there’s a free 7-day trial available (surely long enough for any die-hard fan to binge-watch the whole lot!).

Click on the link to go to the ITV Hub.

Network’s August BOGOF now on!

Posted on by Parker

The UK’s top cult TV and film home video label, Network, has another ‘buy one, get one free’ offer this weekend!

Until 16:00 on Wednesday 31st August if you buy one of the 100 selected titles on DVD, you get another free (cheapest item will be free).

Fanderson members will be mostly interested in Fireball XL5, Space:1999, Space Precinct, Supercar and Terrahawks. However, those looking for something a little left-field might enjoy Space:1999 co-stars Barry Morse and Catherine Schell supporting Gene Barry in The Adventurer!

You can see all titles in the promotion here.

UK: Farewell, Forces TV

Posted on by Parker

On 30th June 2022 we’ll say goodbye to Forces TV, which in recent years has become the home to much classic British television, including UFO and Space:1999.

Forces TV was originally a military-themed factual channel but in time its primetime schedule has become the home of such comedy classics as Bless This House, Sorry! and Oh No It’s Selwyn Froggitt, and dramas including CHiPs, Doctor Who and Return Of The Saint.

Together with the bizarrely-named Horror channel, Forces TV has also broadcast Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s UFO and Space:1999 numerous times in recent years.

Forces TV is closing as the frequency spectrum used to broadcast it and other channels is being handed over to the expanding 5G mobile network. You can read more about this here.

A statement from BFBS (the charity that runs Forces TV) says:

“We are very sad to go but, as a military charity and media organisation, we’re focusing our resources on our core mission: to entertain, inform, connect and champion our UK armed forces, families and veterans.”

Farewell, Forces TV, it’s been great knowing you.

Win a Zavvi exclusive vinyl singles boxset!

Posted on by Parker

Silva Screen Records and Zavvi have announced a newly remastered limited edition Anderson 7” singles box set,  featuring music from the extensive Barry Gray soundtrack catalogue. Gray’s partnership with Gerry and Sylvia Anderson was one of the most successful of its kind in TV history, forever linking the iconic Supermarionation imagery with the composer’s distinctive orchestral themes.

Due for release on 31st August, this exclusive box set contains the soundtracks to some of the Andersons’ most popular Supermarionation shows, including Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons, and also includes the soundtrack to live action series Space:1999. This limited edition 7” singles box set is the perfect addition to your vinyl collection.

One lucky club member will win one of the new boxsets – see the first issue of FAB-lite (working title) soon!

Previously a staggered release by Silva Screen from 2012 in time for 2013’s Record Store Day, the new boxset includes The Cass Carnaby disc on shocking pink vinyl (the 2013 was a clear flexidisc), five exclusive art cards and is limited to just 500 units worldwide.

Track Listing:

Thunderbirds 7” on blue vinyl

Side 1

    • Thunderbirds – Main Theme (1:36)
    • Dangerous Game (1:40) (Vocals: Jack Clegg)

Side 2

    • Thunderbirds Are Go! (4:28)

Captain Scarlet 7” on red vinyl

Side 1

    • Captain Scarlet – Main Theme (1:33)
    • The S.H.E.F. March (2:35)

Side 2

    • White As Snow (3:12)
    • Captain Scarlet – End Titles (1:28) – Performed by The Spectrum

Joe 90 7” on yellow vinyl

Side 1

    • Century 21 Sting (0:08)
    • Joe 90 – Main Theme (1:58)
    • The Most Special Agent (3:19)

Side 2

    • Splashdown (4:44)
    • Joe 90 – End Titles (1:20)

Space:1999 7” on white vinyl

Side 1

    • Space: 1999 Year One – Main Titles (1:10)
    • Breakaway Suite (4:39)

Side 2

    • Black Sun Suite And End Titles (5:52)

The Cass Carnaby Five 7” on pink vinyl

Side 1

    • This Is The Twist (1:40)
    • Formula 5 (1:23)
    • Let’s Play Ad Lib (2:56)

Side 2

    • Spoke City Jazz (1:39)
    • Until Midnight (2:22)
    • Double Agent Entertainment (2:02)

35% off Network Blu-ray Discs

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

Network are offering 35% off a selection of their high definition titles on Blu-ray Disc in their HD35 promotion.

The selection includes loads of classic British TV and film, and for Anderson fans the titles of most interest are likely to be Fireball XL5 A Day In The Life Of A Space General, Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons, Joe 90, Space:1999 Year One, Terrahawks, New Captain Scarlet and (yes, we know it’s not an Anderson producion!) Space Patrol.

The promotion ends at 16:00 on Monday 6th June, so go shopping now by clicking this link to see all titles in Network’s HD35 promotion.

AUS: 20% off at Imprint

Posted on by Parker

Imprint, the boutique, independent, Australian based DVD label which recently released the excellent Space: 1999 The Complete Series Ultimate Edition, are celebrating their first two years by offering customers 20% off their Imprint catalogue*, until Friday 3 June.

Just enter code ‘TWOYEARS’ at checkout, at imprintfilms.com.au.

*This offer excludes all pre-orders and also excludes April and May New Release titles.

UK: Space:1999 on Horror Channel

Posted on by 1266 Nick Williams

Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s second live action sci-fi series, Space:1999, returns to the UK’s Horror Channel from Monday 30th May.

Space:1999 will be shown each weeknight at 19:00, with a repeat screening at 09:00 the following morning.

Horror Channel (+1) is available in the UK on Freeview 68, Freesat 138 (139), Sky 317 (318) or Virgin Media 149 (202).