Space Precinct

There is absolutely no possible debate associated with the statement that one of the most popular and persistent genre in television is the police drama. They were present when TV first became the center of attention in practically every home in the country and not a single season has gone by without at least a few shows of this type. After so many decades of television trying to innovate, recreate and reimage cop shows in an often desperate attempt to amaze the audience with something that passes for a new idea. During this time almost every variation has been tried. There has been taut, realistic drama like ‘The Wire’ to outright comedy as with ‘Barney Miller’. At one point a network thought the way to go would be with music leading to the infamous ‘Cop Rock’. Like most fans of the medium I thought I saw ever permutation conceivable but back in 1996 a little series from over in the United Kingdom; ‘Space Precinct’. It is a stretch of the imagination and possibly the most bizarre cop show variation ever devised. The brilliance of the show is that it works on several levels. At its core it is a fairly typical police drama with the requisite action and interpersonal conflict. If it wasn’t for the fact that one character happens to have three eyes and another extending to either side of its bulbous head you might as well be viewing any of a dozen cop shows. What is special about this series is the way the mundane is brought effortlessly into the vast reaches of outer space. As we watch the more run of the mill science fiction it might remain in the back of our minds that someday what is mundane to us will translate to our interaction with alien species and this series is one of the first to take television in that direction. At first glance you might be inclined to see this show as a silly piece of entertainment intended for kids. While the series does work, as planned, on that level, this is only the surface of what’s going on here. I’ve seen episodes of this show several times over the last 14 years and each time I come away with a different perception of its entertainment potential.

Many Baby Boomers have fond memories of watching shows created by Gerry Anderson before he tackled ‘Space Precinct’. Anderson was perhaps best known for his creation of the technique of Supermarionation where marionettes were controlled by thin wires and hidden servo-motors. It still looked phony but it was incredibly fun to watch. I have a good friend brought up in England who is extremely fussy about what she watches and she enjoys his programs. At the time I was a youngster my favorite was ‘Supercar’ but I did manage to catch the tail end of the cult revival of ‘Thunderbirds’. Anderson did not limit himself to this technique to live action shows that mostly displayed his perchance for outer space. Many will remember series like ‘UFO’ and ‘Space 1999’. These series represented a refocusing of Anderson’s fertile mind from pure kid’s fantasy to a broader, more adult friendly faire which was continued very nicely here. To Anderson outer space was very much an extension of permissible sets. Like many of the elite creative forces in this genre science fiction was far more than a well defined genre. Its appeal was largely how it could enhance and extended other types of story by using Sci-Fi as the environment rather than the full driving force. This is along the lines of how Sci-fi reinvigorated film noir with ‘Blade Runner’ or the Western in ‘Outland’. With this series the cop show was afforded the same modernizing make-over.

High above Demeter City on the planet Altor the police are centralized in their high tech orbital precinct. The main protagonist is Lieutenant Patrick Brogan (Ted Shackelford), a recent transfer after twenty years working for the New York City police department. He moved to this new frontier with his wife, Liz (Megan Olive), high spirited son Matt (Nick Klein) and young daughter Sally (Nancy Paul). Typical of the police dramas of the time the action in the street and the procedural driven drama in the station house was counter balanced by the audience relatable emotional storylines unfolding on the home front. The other mandatory motif needed here was the odd ball assortment of characters populating the station. Brogan’s ruggedly handsome partner Officer Jack Haldane (Rob Youngblood) was brash, impulsive but had the makings of a great cop. Since Brogan was happily married it was up to Haldane got to create some sexual tension by flirting with the largely station bound but beautiful Officer Jane Castle (Simone Bendix). Mostly she does administrative functions typically with her best friend Officer Aurelia Took (Mary Woodvine). As it happens Took is an alien with telekinesis and three eyes. Several of the usual police tropes are filled by bug-eyed aliens such as the gruff man in charge Captain Rexton Podly (Jerome Willis) who has the familiar touches such as bushy eyebrows and an unmistakable Irish brogue. In every station house you need the comic relief provided here by the always scheming alien officers Zipload (Rob Thirtle) and Barco (Andy Dawson).

The plots for most episodes are much the same as generations of police shows we all know so very well but typically with a Sci-Fi slant. For example one episode takes on a petty con man trying to move the established street gangs off a street to shake down the local residents. In this incarnation the con man is the same three eyed races as Officer Took added by a cute female alien with a Shar-pei like winkled head and futuristic mini skirt directly out of the intergalactic Ice Capades. Another has our heroes protecting a huge slimy alien that can take down a planetary crime syndicate. Then there are cases on counterfeiting, illegal immigrants, murder and even a few with hate crime enhancements attached. The point in favor here is this is at times silly and the hair styles may date the proceedings but the entertainment factor remains ageless.

Posted 11/28/2010