Mastodawn

Throwback Thursdays Were Made for the Starlost

…and no, I didn’t say “Throwaway Thursdays.”

What can you say about the Starlost? It’s infamously awful. It was the brain child of Sci Fi legend Harlan Ellison, but it was abandoned by its creator before the first episode was completed.

Is that Harlan Ellison’s notorious intolerance of any changes to his work? Or perhaps there was something to his ire towards what the show was to become?

From 2010 to 2014 we meticulously — if less than reverently — analyzed each and every episode of science fiction’s most infamnous train wreck.

Each episode has been digitally restored and you can check them out and subscribe here or at Apple Podcasts.

#Announcements #PatrollingBeyondFusion #TheStarlost

Eugene Glover Dec 11

I'm redoing some of the show notes on older podcast episodes, and I have to admit, sometimes my old show notes were classics, like this one:

"The giant Earth ship Ark sniffs a farting comet's tail in an episode compared unfavorably to taking a dump after eating oat bran..."

Accurate, but perhaps not SEO-friendly.

#TheStarlost

sleepy62🍁🛠️ 🖥️ 🔬 🌞Sep 27

Anyone remember the TV series "The Star Lost"? A low budget 1970s #Scifi
This is another show that should be remade.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069638/

#Thestarlost

The Starlost (TV Series 1973–1974) ⭐ 6.2 | Sci-Fi

IMDb

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AlsoPaisleyCat 🇨🇦Aug 23, 2025

@HippieScubaSteve

There is an even worse episode of The Starlost, ‘The Goddess Calabra, written by Ursula LeGuin no less, guest starring John Colicos and Barry Morse.

What was it about Greek theatre references that made 60s and 70s scifi television go so wildly awful?

https://youtu.be/L0Cq1T7vKUc

#TheStarlost

@allstartrek

The Starlost Episode 3 “The Goddess Calabra“

YouTube

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AlsoPaisleyCat 🇨🇦Jul 12, 2025

@lxskllr
Somehow this poster made me think instead of John Colicos guest starring appearance, with Barry Morse (of Space 1999 fame) in the appalling 1973 ‘The Starlost’ episode ‘The Goddess Calabra.

How an episode credited to Ursula LeGuin, on a show conceived by Harlan Ellison and with Brian Aldiss as science consultant could be so truly bad is one of the enduring questions of this show.

It’s still a cult classic though.

#JohnColicos #TheStarlost #70sSciFi

https://reflectionsonfilmandtelevision.blogspot.com/2023/09/the-starlost-50th-anniversary-goddess.html

@MirrorAyako @allstartrek @kcarr2015

The Starlost 50th Anniversary: "The Goddess Calabra."

Stop! Let's Team-Up!Mar 4, 2025

I am always happy when I read #NewWarriors. Since this is the first time reading these comics, it's just makes the experience even better #Nova #NovaPrime #TheStarlost #Xandar #Firelord #AirWalker #Rage #NightThrasher #Silhouette #Justice #Firestar #Speedball #Marvel #DarickRobertson #FabianNicieza

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AlsoPaisleyCat 🇨🇦Oct 9, 2024

@agenderfox

That’s a lot of Trek! I have watched it all as it came out with the exception of a few episodes in 1966 before the neighbour kid pushed me to try it in TOS season one. So, I am always impressed by younger newcomers who systematically binge to catch up.

Understand your love of ‘The Magicians’.

I’d like to recommend however that you give ‘The Ark’ a try if you haven’t been already. Its second season finale just ran on Syfy US last week, and will be on Peacock as of this week. ‘The Ark’ is a Dean Devlin creation that appeals to a lot of Star Trek, Stargate and classic sci-fi television fans. Like 90s Star Trek, it’s getting better as it goes on. Hopefully, it will be renewed for more seasons.

Outside the US, it’s available in many countries but across a diversity of services. Check out the hashtags below to see if you might have it.

I am in the process of setting up a new group chat bot account for ‘The Ark’ that interested people in the fediverse will be able to follow. 

There’s also interest in a group rewatch/watch and discussion here. I’ll be setting up a schedule in a few weeks. Input will be welcome! 

@StarTrekChat #AllStarTrek #HopePunk #ScienceFiction #Space1999 #TheStarlost #StarShips  #TheArk #StarTrek #Stargate #StargateSG1 #SciFi #ScienceFiction #SciFiTV #TV #SyFy #CTVScifiChannel #Sky #NowTV #USANetwork #Peacock #fubo #Spectrum #Wow #MagentaTV #CanalPlus #Universal #Entertainment #CTVSciFi

@serge

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AlsoPaisleyCat 🇨🇦Oct 4, 2024

@crcollins

Glad you found this!

Please keep the comments coming, with content warnings to cover spoilers as many are just finding this show.

I am in the process of setting up a new group chat bot account for ‘The Ark’ that interested people in the fediverse will be able to follow.

There’s also interest in a group rewatch/watch and discussion here. I’ll be setting up a schedule in a few weeks. Input will be welcome!

AlsoPaisleyCat 🇨🇦Oct 3, 2024

2 for 2 for The Ark in terms of landing seasonal arcs!

While a show with a longer commitment might have drawn out the quest for a habitable colony planet for another season, bringing that story to a close after two seasons makes for a kind of resolution overall.

Splitting the original crew, removing the main human antagonists one way or another, and introducing the question of alien civilizations in the final scene sets up the potential for a wider scope of interactions and exploration as the show hopefully moves forward to a third season.

Wondering about what others thought of the introduction of some kind of virtual staging for Homebase 1.

(Is there anyone who doesn’t think Homebase 1 is a tribute to Moonbase 1?)

A few of us are looking to have a watch/rewatch party going soon. Look for a group bit account and a schedule to be announced soon.)

AlsoPaisleyCat 🇨🇦Oct 3, 2024

Dean Devlin’s 20th century sci-fi television homage ‘The Ark’ is bringing us its S2 finale ‘Fortunate’ tonight!

Would love to be running watch parties for this show if there were more than a handful of us here who were regular viewers. Perhaps we can get something going for a rewatch cycle?

https://www.syfy.com/the-ark/season-2/videos/a-tragic-accident-the-ark-s2-e12-sneak-peek

@StarTrekChat #AllStarTrek #HopePunk #ScienceFiction #Space1999 #TheStarlost  #TheArk #StarTrek #Stargate #StargateSG1 #SciFi #ScienceFiction #TV #SyFy #CTVScifiChannel #Sky #NowTV #USANetwork #Peacock #fubo #Spectrum #Wow #MagentaTV #CanalPlus #Universal #TheIngloriousTreksperts #IndependenceDay #Godzilla

A Tragic Accident: The Ark S2 E12 Sneak Peek

Season 2 Sneak Peek: The crew arrives at their new home planet but something's a little off in this sneak peek of The Ark Season 2, Episode 12: "Fortunate."

SYFY Official Site