SciFiNow interviewed Gerry Anderson recently and had a lengthy discussion about his sci-fi legacy. Over the duration of our interview we learnt a great deal about Anderson’s skills with supermarionation (Fireball XL5, Thunderbirds), and also the talent he exhibited creating live-action features such as UFO and Space: 1999.
However, as the conversation turned to other major franchises Anderson had this to say about a certain space series:
“If I could single out one series it would be Star Trek. The first thing I say about Star Trek is that I would love to have thought of the idea, I would loved to have produced it and I still would love to own part of it. It’s one of the greatest television series ever made.”
Following this Anderson was candid about the problems he had with Trek. “I used to enjoy the early Star Treks until the aliens came aboard. I’m being sarcastic intentionally now, but I couldn’t help imagine that the make-up lady had a box full of pimples, and when she was told there was going to be an alien she would put pimples over the eyebrows or on the cheeks, and I could never really believe in them as aliens.” He finished by saying: “But the fact is a big audience around the world did; it became one of the biggest successes of all time and is about to repeat itself. So that’s my comment.”
To read SciFiNow’s full interview with Gerry Anderson pick up a copy of our forthcoming issue 30, which hits shelves on 8 July 2009.
