Star Maidens

Star Maidens is one of those 1970s sci-fi series which many missed when it was originally screened; and those who did and who have seen it in more recent times now that it has resurfaced on UK television after a gap of 50 years despite it having been available on DVD and YouTube for 20 years where die-hard fans found it and still  love it.  It really divides sci-fi fans - some love it, but others hate it.  I'm amongst the former, as it's far better to watch than that softcore porn trash "Love Island" any day.

Based on an original idea by German filmmakers Graf and Graefin von Hardenberg, ‘Star Maidens’ was made by British company Portman Productions (owned by producer James Gatward) for Scottish and Global Television Enterprises Ltd. It was made with an international cast of well-known stars, including Judy Geeson as Supreme Councillor Fulvia and Gareth Thomas in a pre-‘Blake’s 7’ role as Shem, and a British team of seasoned science fiction and telefantasy writers (Eric Paice, John Lucarrotti and Ian Stewart).

The premise of ‘Star Maidens’ was of gender role reversal: the civilisation of the planet Medusa is ruled by the female members of its society; while these beautiful women enjoy a life of luxury and power, the men are resigned to carry out menial tasks and domestic chores. However, a burning comet sends Medusa hurtling off through the depths of space, and when, many years later, Medusa eventually comes to settle outside Earth’s solar system, two men - Adam and Shem - steal a spaceship belonging to Adam’s mistress, Supreme Councillor Flavia, and set off for this utopian world where males are considered equal to females. Subsequent episodes continued the plight of Adam and Shem, as well as that of two Earth scientists, Liz Becker and Rudi Schmidt, and continued to hammer home the issue of sexual equality .

The series was filmed, and its modelwork was all achieved with physical models, at Bray Studios where Gerry Anderson's Space 1999 modelwork was also filmed.