An Exercise In Nonsense

Amateur movie with Big budget

Absolutely the worst movie.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

OK, it is a bit dated (the USSR still around). And the effects are not terrific - but for what I am sure was a minimal budget, not bad, in fact if what I've seen was basically the pilot, pretty decent. Especially for 1986-7 TV. Come to that, the movie *Outland* with Sean Connery in 1981 is the only one I've seen to outdo *2001*, made in 1968 (they at least knew that you cannot see into a shadow without a light - that is still being done wrong in 2005)! And it is a cop show, not a science fiction show. So if you're expecting a space opera, forget it. But if you like cop shows, this is pretty darn good - at least episode one, which is all I've seen so far. And as a computer programmer since 1965, I know whence the lead character's skepticism comes - Hello son!

I remember when STAR COPS was schedulded to be broadcast in 1987 we saw the sort of hype that also greeted the BBC`s recent crime drama HUSTLE , possibly the most hyped show in the BBC`s history . Strange then that STAR COPS was shown on BBC2 at 8.30 on weekday evenings at the height of Summer . I did think someone high up at the BBC didn`t want this show to succeed . But I think the reason for its failure lies in the hands of the production team . Anyone heard of Chris Boucher ? He`s the former script editor of BLAKE`S 7 and creator of this show which led me to believe we`d be seeing some gritty dramatic SF show , but we didn`t . Look at the show`s title STAR isn`t the operative word , COPS is and Boucher has created a show that is just another crime drama using the gimmick of having it set in space . People get killed outside the Earth`s orbit and it`s up to this London cop and his multinational colleagues to solve the crimes which are usually commited by the mafia or greedy corporate companies Sorry to be cynical since a lot of people on this page seemed to have enjoyed it but even the gimmick of having this show set in space doesn`t stop it from being nothing less than a pretty dire crime series . It`s supposed to be set in the late 21st century but do we find out what 21st century Earth looks like ? No because everything is filmed inside an office or a restaraunt and if there`s any outside location work done the script is specifically written so that it will take place in a park so that the BBC won`t have to break the bank with convincing set designs We won`t be seeing a second series of STAR COPS but we will be seeing a new series of DOCTOR WHO next year which should restore the BBC`s reputation as being the prime server of quality sci-fi

Star Cops rose above the average in a way that rarely happens: by being more average. How was this? Well, from the start, it's so average, it's. different! It had average theme music - well average for something other than SF. Kind of laid back. Style wise, in the SF arena, it has only recently been matched by the rather less pleasantly warbling intro for the appalling 'Enterprise'. Very laid back.Acting wise, everyone does a competent job. David Calder is a high point but none of the rest are Patrick Stewart. But they don't need to be. They seem to be either actors playing hard at being `regular Joe's' or - failing that - they're just fairly average actors. Either way, it doesn't seem to matter. The actors play 'space' like it's no big deal. Like they don't want to be there but do want to do their jobs. Even when they are only just on the ball, it's still terribly convincing because it all looks so 'run of the mill'.The plots aren't overly clever or dramatic. They don't involve saving the earth every week. No vast alien flotillas hove into view to crush all resistance before them. No labyrinthine plots of shape shifters or invisible aliens. Just regular greedy, lazy people and average nut cases doing what they do in the real world: being avaricious, slack and mad - just, it's in orbit! (well, or on the moon as well).The effects show nice attention to detail but are pretty run of the mill BBC fare. So they're 'effects' but not 'special effects', if you see what I mean, but it's enough. The modelling's quite nice and pretty believable. The script never gets caught up in easy to film stuff like artificial gravity (except the spin on the space station Ronald Regan!), or plot accelerators like faster than light drives.I know this may sound stupid but, the mix of accents, the run of the mill mundanity. I love it! Why doesn't someone bring it out on DVD or - at least - show the thing on the TV again!

A neglected classic. Wonderful low-key SF tales - the titular police department has only a moonbase and a couple of space stations to deal with, but the stories are thought-provoking and frighteningly believable. Best of all, the good guys don't always win. Top-notch acting all round makes this well worth tracking down. Happy hunting...