Imagine that you're running a satellite TV station that wants to produce its own soap opera that will be markedly different from any other. What do you do? That's right, set it in space!
'Jupiter Moon' is the sometimes remarkable, sometimes wonderfully tacky soap of the British Satellite Broadcasting network that was absorbed by Rupert Murdoch's Sky Television in the early-90s. One of the casualties of the takeover was 'Jupiter Moon', despite the fact that in Europe (especially Gibraltar!)it had eclipsed any other soap on TV.
So, any good? Well, the teenage love affairs amongst the students of Columbus College (a university on the space craft, ILEA, which orbits the moon of Calypso in Jupiter system, 2050AD) is pretty woeful but the big dramatic stuff about humankind's first mission into deep space, the politics of Jupiter system and the natural disasters that can (and do) strike our gang of space age pioneers raises it up considerably.
'Jupiter Moon's' greatest achievement is how it offers a completely credible vision of the future in spite of a tight budget. With assistance from British Aerospace, the science and the special effects were rigorously checked and directors ensured that the assembled cast played it all for real. As such, the driven Professor Brelan, earnest First Officer Lewis and frosty navigator, Mercedes Page all come to life and it's not long before you really care about what happens to them. Then, there's the full on, orchestral music score. EPIC! 'Jupiter Moon' is at last available on DVD (R2 only). Get through the first few episodes where the series is desperately trying to find its feet and you'll be onto a winner!
