Like most Americans over the course of my life I have seen more television series than I care to remember. Most are passable at best; some have left a lasting impression. In the fifties and sixties when the TV viewing habits of our generation were established America was in a revival of its interest in science. This naturally led to an increase in the popularity of science fiction in films and on television. By the early seventies the trend was taking hold of television. Great series like ‘The Outer Limits’ and ‘Star Trek’ had passed on but for the Sci-Fi buff there was still hope. In 1973 a small series started in to be produced in Canada. It was shown haphazardly here in the States but for those of us who caught some episodes there was such great promise that we thought something special would come from it. The series was ‘Starlost’ and it was created by one of the luminaries of science fiction Harlan Ellison. Unfortunately before the series could get a chance to define itself it was plagued by a writer’s strike, legal problems and production conflicts. The series was low budget from day one and due to a lack of proper promotion had an uphill battle that it lost in the first season. Still, it remains one of those shows that are still discussed by the true Sci-Fi devotees at conventions. Those deep into the genre may chuckle as a newbie shows no knowledge of this series. I was fortunately enough to catch a few reruns on a local station and had some video tapes of several episodes. Since this series is rarely if ever shown in syndication they became treasures of a piece of Sci-Fi lore to me. To my delight VCI Home Theater has come out with the full series on DVD. This is a true collector’s item that fans will want to get. Admittedly the quality is barely better than a well preserved video tape but it does have all the episodes of the series. The main point here is the series demonstrated a spark of imagination and a potential for greatness that few television series manage. This is a case of greatness that could have been.

Series creator Harlan Ellison is one of the most prolific and controversial authors in science fiction. He has contributed scripts for such TV series as ‘Star Trek’ and the original ‘Outer Limits’. He has described himself as the ‘most contentious man’ around lived up to this with a reputation of being difficult and litigious person quick to defend his works in court. Some have said that he spends more time in courtrooms than working in science fiction. When Ellison becomes disenchanted with a project he started he typically expresses his ire by having his name on the credits replaced with his pseudonym Cordwainer Bird. All his fans know that it is him and what the name means so this is not a case of anonymity but protest. This is the case with ‘Starlost’. It is technically a Conwainer Bird project not officially Ellison. The reason is Ellison was disappointed that the producers made numerous changes to the direction the series was going. This still didn’t keep him from getting the proper recognition from his peers. Ellison received the Writers Guild Award for his work on this series. This would be an unprecedented third win of this award for Ellison.

The premise of the series is genius. In the future mankind has ruined the planet earth rendering it unfit for life. The only way to preserve our species was to construct a giant spaceship, the Ark that was over 8,000 miles in size. It would contain numerous independent, self contained biospheres domes. Each one would contain a different aspect of the many societies mankind has had. An accident happens in deep space that kills the crew. The years go on and the domes lose contact with each other. They inhabitants of each dome now come to believe that their dome is the entire world. When you think about it this is a fascinating premise. It allows for a greater degree of variation that normally afforded to a Sci-Fi series. The writers were able to introduce a myriad of cultures from simple agricultural societies to more technologically advanced people. The stories show the universal nature of many problems we face as human beings. It also explores a favorite theme of Ellison; the spirit of man overcoming the problems created by technology. The level of the special effects here were primitive even for the time. There was a glimmer of hope if the series was given a chance to grow. One of the producers was Douglas Trumbull. He had a hand in the special effects of ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’, ‘Blade Runner’ and ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’. He also worked on the effects for a film with a similar theme ‘Silent Running’. Although he is credited throughout the series he left with the first episode. If he had remained the series would have had a much better chance. The series was produced in Canada in order to get around the then ongoing writer’s strike in the States. Now, many of our best science fiction series are produced to our north.

The series was centered on three characters; Devon (Keir Dullea), Rachael (Gay Rowan) and Garth (Robin Ward). They cane from a dome that were Amish like farmers. Over the centuries they had forgotten that they were on a vast spaceship. Devon is a curious man not satisfied with the boundaries and explanations offered out of tradition by the elders of Cypress Corners. He ultimately discovers that the world he has always known is only one part of a huge spaceship. Devon and his companions find their way out of their dome into the service corridors of the ark. They discover the ship’s computer (William Osler) who offers advice and often cryptic assistance to the trio. It soon becomes evident that the ship was damaged and the crew dead; worse than that they are on a collision course with a large star that will destroy them all. Devon and the others have to locate the ship’s backup bridge and find a way to change the course of the country sized craft before it is too late.

While it is sad that this series was never given the opportunity to attain the heights it could have it is still something that has a certain historical value to it. It is badly produced and the acting is frequently stiff and unrealistic but there is a charm to it that endures. They tried to make something different and although they failed it is a part of science fiction that many will want to experience again. Many of us have those old video tapes around the house that can now be retired in favor of the DVDs. This is greatness that fell short and that is shame but now you can watch it and find some amount of enjoyment.