The Mark Of Archanon (Episode #8, Second Season) 

Screenplay by Lew Schwartz
Directed by Charles Crichton
Edited by Alan Pattillo

"An Archanon cannot give blood! An Archanon can only kill!"

Two aliens, Pasc and Etrec, are discovered in a stasis chamber beneath the lunar surface and revived in the Medical Center. Introducing themselves as emissaries from Archanon, the planet of peace, Pasc explains that he and his son were imprisoned in the stasis chamber by their own people after they had been infected by a contagion of evil while visiting Earth. Capt. Alan Carter (played by Nick Tate) takes a shine to Etrec and befriends him, but Helena discovers a virus in Pasc's blood cells and the same virus, yet dormant, in Etrec's. Unknown to the Alphans, this virus is a genetic sickness, handed down through generations of Archanon males, which overwhelms them with the urge to kill.

Original UK Airdate: Saturday, October 16th, 1976 (ATV Midlands)

I saw this when it was first aired in the US in 1976 and I've never forgotten it. The alien boy, Etrec, played by Michael Gallagher, is about 13 and is nicely slender with a handsome face, but I must urge all to look past the heavy eyeliner makeup and the cheap looking dreadlock wig they made him wear for this role! Underneath all of that rather silly makeup is a good looking boy with big, beautiful blue eyes and very short shorts! And he had a nice voice too. His acting was convincing and if I remember right, I believe he had a British accent.

Considering that 'Space:1999' was made in the mid-1970s, pre Star Wars, and therefore had limited special effects, I still feel it was ahead of it's time in quality of production and writing and of course Martin Landau is one of the greatest of character actors. An excellent, very underrated sci-fi show. Why hasn't it been shown on US TV in so many years??


(Images Copyright Granada Ventures.)






























Maybe these caps could be posted to the database sometime?

Most Sci-Fi from that era has dated so badly in terms of production values, sets and props. Even the story lines of many of the old shows were often very naive and based on improbable science that even a 12 year old would scoff at. Nevertheless they were fun and at times I like to revisit them perhaps for nostalgic reasons more than anything else.

I recently bought the Season One set of DVDs of the original Lost in Space series for this very reason.

Thanks for the caps K. I've saved them. If YA doesn't make a gallery for them I certainly will.

I love a lot of old movies, but I have a hard time with old TV shows. As you said, K, I have no nostalgia associated with them, so all I see is the cheese.

I can understand the camp value appeal of something like the original Star Trek, which it must be admitted was of higher quality than most other cheap sci-fi shows produced at the time. (The ideas in it were pretty interesting, so one can get past the fake-looking sets and costumes.) I doubt I would enjoy something like Space: 1999, though.

But thanks for the great caps. The boy appears to be quite good looking, in spite of the ridiculous wig. No complaints about the rest of the costume, though.

It would be nice to see what he looked like with normal hair.

Yes. It's very possible that it's another actor of the same name who surfaced later on. A google search for the name reveals that it's quite a common one.

As for growing old and getting nostalgic... it's already happening and I'm only 28. So I can definitely understand.

cal,

I bought the 1st season Lost in Space DVD set a couple of years ago for the very same reason -- nostalgia. I am able to see the old episodes through the lens of imagination (remembered imagination?) rather than comparative production values.  I agree with K that older sci-fi series did have heart -- LIS had a strong sense of family love in it, etc. The first season is the only set of episodes that are watchable for me, however. 

BTW, yes, I am resurfacing again after -- what, 5 years? I've been browsing the board for a while now, and this topic struck a chord. Hello again!

Hiya Jim Bob, lovely to see you back here. 

It seems to be nearly always the first season that has that special impact. When I recently bought the Lost in Space first season it was with a mixture of excitement and trepidation because by the third season I'd completely lost interest in the series. Same thing more recently with Malcolm in the Middle, loved the first season.

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Cal, the gallery pictures seem to be miniature size.  Unlike the pictures here.

No, Hosenhaus is right... it looks like you upploaded the thumbnails twice instead of the full-size pics.