Space Patrol: Complete Series DVD Set

The Space Patrol Complete Series DVD Set

The Reviews
For the first complete commercial set release for Space Patrol, we've thrown open the site to our first visitor reviews. Please feel free to contribute your own reviews:

Shaqui - Space Patrol Website:
For the price (between £30-£40, depending on retailer) you get a whole series and a rare cross section of children's TV across a whole decade. Was it worth all the wait? Admittedly we're biased in its favour but... yes! If you're into cult or children's television from this era, it's unmissable. With the region 2 DVD Box Sets of fellow puppet series Fireball XL5 due before the end of the year, the timing is certainly right (if overdue!). Fans of the Gerry Anderson puppet series may be disappointed at the lack of action in comparison but this is what most kids stuff of the era was like.
Overall, technically, the set is very good considering Network had to work with the only existing prints of most of the episodes and extras - and these by all accounts were in quite a state when found. The company has a good reputation for restoring prints but as this was one of their first acquisitions perhaps the work done is not as good as more recent releases. Unfortunately, the clarity of DVD highlights dirt and blemishes a lot, and some episodes suffer more than others - and notably the title sequences.
The set fails in being the definitive release by providing little real background information on the series - the interviews are not that enlightening - and we still have a slightly bizarre episode order even if it was perhaps sanctioned by Roberta Leigh herself.
Certainly, no background is given for the other series or pilots. As it's unlikely we'll see another Sara and Hoppity or Adventures of Twizzle release with only one other episode of each known to exist, would it have hurt to give an even brief overview of what these were? Most definitely in the case of Paul Starr, Mr Hero and The Solarnauts, which are unlikely to be seen elsewhere. Admittedly, the fact Wonder Boy and Tiger and Send for Dithers exist complete mean these could see the light of day in their own combined sets but here they float in a contextual limbo, with only the copyright dates on the sleeve notes to hint at what comes where in the history of their creators, and children's television as a whole...

Bob Wolper - USA:
OK SP Fans, here's the take from a box set purchaser in the US. All in all, it's great to see the episodes again in their original running order for the first time in almost 40 years. This show has a mystique all its own--the music is eerier, and the plot lines have a harder edge than any Gerry Anderson product. Sarcasm is prevalent… and it's interesting to listen to some of the dialogue that reflects social attitudes of the 50's and early 60's.
On the packaging…there could have been a bit more attention to detail here. Two containers with 3 stacked discs is not the easiest to manipulate. A gatefold would have been preferable (ok, so it adds a buck or two to production costs…would that stop any of us from purchasing it?) No booklet with insights about the show, its production, how sets were created, etc. Sorely lacking when compared to other anthologies.
While the disc extras have some very interesting interviews, they are way too short!! Roberta Leigh's interview is barely 3 minutes and only gives a glimpse of her, production of the show, technical aspects (combining the animation with puppetry). Also, the stock footage in the Galasphere launch sequence contains the erroneous reference to "Galasphere 024" when we all know the "real" Galasphere is 347. Why the number change? I have so many questions about the production techniques that remain unanswered.
Mind you, I'm only up to episode 11 on disc 2, so some of my comments may be a bit premature. Also, please don't view my critiques as negatives…I'm thrilled to have gotten hold of a copy of this set (in fact, I bought a DVD player that plays all regions specifically so that I could view SP). Why there is no region 1 (US & Canada) version available is beyond me, especially when, as noted in the brochure "extra" on disc 1, SP was the highest rated children's show when introduced in the NY market. Go figure!