I watched this series when it was on NBC (and I was 9) and a few years later when it had a brief syndicated run.
It made a huge impression on my 9-year-old self. I was already a fan of science fiction by way of Science Fiction Theatre (remember that sf was considered purely of interest to male audiences in those days) and this series was far closer to actual science--I don't think they thought they were reaching 9 year old little girls.
One episode in particular never left me--"Astro Female", which opened with the rescue of a woman who is the only survivor of a shipwreck; all the others, males, died, but the tough woman survived. This led to an exploration of women as astronauts, something the US never did until decades later. In an age where women on TV were almost invariably portrayed as emotional and weak, this show showed a different possibility that probably is part of why I am in a career in the sciences.
Beyond that episode, there were many others exploring human potential beyond the expected.
I'd love to see these episodes again. I'd buy them on DVD. I've gone and watched other series that I enjoyed, and usually I have been pleasantly surprised with how well they hold up, not just classics like Twilight Zone, but others like Route 66.
It made a huge impression on my 9-year-old self. I was already a fan of science fiction by way of Science Fiction Theatre (remember that sf was considered purely of interest to male audiences in those days) and this series was far closer to actual science--I don't think they thought they were reaching 9 year old little girls.
One episode in particular never left me--"Astro Female", which opened with the rescue of a woman who is the only survivor of a shipwreck; all the others, males, died, but the tough woman survived. This led to an exploration of women as astronauts, something the US never did until decades later. In an age where women on TV were almost invariably portrayed as emotional and weak, this show showed a different possibility that probably is part of why I am in a career in the sciences.
Beyond that episode, there were many others exploring human potential beyond the expected.
I'd love to see these episodes again. I'd buy them on DVD. I've gone and watched other series that I enjoyed, and usually I have been pleasantly surprised with how well they hold up, not just classics like Twilight Zone, but others like Route 66.