"Space: Above and Beyond" (1995) TV series 1995-1996

User Rating:

8.2/10   

Creators:

Glen Morgan
James Wong

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

24 September 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Plot:

Earth is embroiled in a desperate war against invaders and this series focuses on one squad of marines involved in it.

Plot Keywords:

Marine | Space Carrier | Fictional War | Cult TV | In Vitro

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Morgan Weisser	...	Lt. Nathan West (23 episodes, 1995-1996)
Kristen Cloke	...	Lt. Shane Vansen / ... (23 episodes, 1995-1996)
Rodney Rowland	...	Lt. Cooper Hawkes (23 episodes, 1995-1996)
Joel de la Fuente	...	Lt. Paul Wang (23 episodes, 1995-1996)
Lanei Chapman	...	Lt. Vanessa Damphousse (23 episodes, 1995-1996)
James Morrison	...	Lt. Col. T.C. McQueen / ... (23 episodes, 1995-1996)
Tucker Smallwood	...	Commodore Ross / ... (16 episodes, 1995-1996)

Also Known As:

Above and Beyond (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

60 min | 30 min (22 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Australia

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Trivia:

Full-scale models of the "Hammerhead" fighters used in the series were created in Australia at RAAF Base Williamtown. the following unverified: While they were being stored on board the freighter before shipping, crewmen from a Russian freighter were caught taking pictures of them after mistakenly thinking they were a new kind of advanced U.S. tactical fighter.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Lt. Col. Tyrus Cassius "TC" McQueen: [narration] We thought we were alone. We believed the universe was ours. Until one night in 2063, on a Earth colony 16 light-years away, they struck. Now we're at war. We fight when called, in space, on land, and at sea. To lose this war means more than defeat; to surrender is to never go home. All of us must rise to the call... above and beyond.

Why we liked it...

I saw this in its first run in 1995-96 and was a huge fan. I used to look for it every week (because Fox moved constantly instead of letting it find an audience).

The premise of the show was fairly straightforward: Humanity begins reaching for the stars as technology has evolved, and we believe we are alone in the universe. Shortly after the first two human colonies are established, unknown beings from another planet attack and Earth is forced to muster defenses to fight an alien force.

But from there the plot diverges. Executive Producers Morgan and Wong take us on a season long journey that allows us to examine the military industrial complex, racism, drug addiction, political conspiracies, and attempt to answer the question "why we fight." The back drop is the war which is not a depicted as a "rah rah" atmosphere, but as one that is harsh and somewhat graphic in its depictions of the consequences of battle (see the episode "Stay With the Dead").

In sum, the show was innovative and tried to answer old questions in a new way. The good guys were not always good, and from the outset, the bad guys are not necessarily bad, nor are they all that different from us.

While the portrayal of the military required one to suspend disbelief, the overall product was done quite well...

One of my top ten.