TV review: Star Maidens are once again trekking across the TV universe

Star Maidens is a British-German science-fiction television series, first broadcast in 1976, and the 13 25-minute episodes are being rescreened.

It is certainly a blast from the past in every sense – a planet is sent of course by a comet, sent spinning uncontrollably through space as its inhabitants are forced to liveunderground.

Its radical premise was that women rule the universe, well, the planet Medusa. They hold power and sway over men who are reduced to the status of ‘domestics’ who perform household chores and, as the voice-over coyly suggests, more.

To coin a more modern phrase, they were ‘friends with benefits’.

When two men, Adam and Shem, escape their female-dominated Medusan home and head for Earth, where they have heard men are in charge, their rulers, Fulvia and Octavia, are in hot pursuit.

It is funny, often unintentionally, and has serious intentions – questioning gender stereotypes, has fish-out-of-water comedy, battles of the sexes as well as planets, culture clashes and science versus nature.

Later episodes feel all too modern as they explore climate change and AI dominance. Other episdoes involve police chases, kidnaps, stand-offs between two alien races, negotations, betrayals and compromise.

It stars are Judy Geeson, Fulvia; Christiane Krüger, Octavia; Gareth Thomas, Shem and Pierre Brice, Adam - the Medusans.

The main Earth characters are played by Lisa Harrow as Dr Liz Becker, Derek Farr as Professor Evans and Christian Quadflieg as Dr Rudi Schmidt.

Honestly, I can take none of it seriously but I love it because it is absurd, baffling, camp and utterly bonkers.

The performers stomp through the script with knowing nods and winks. Judy Geeson licks her lips at such gifts as this exchange with Farr’s professor.

Fulvia: Most of space is very boring.

Professor: Not to us.

Fulvia: That’s because you’re male-dominated. Space travel is reserved for little boys.

Showing Harrow’s scientist a device called a ‘man finder’ – Fulvia says: “Every woman should have one.” No need for Tinder, then.

The scene when Adam and Shem first encounter cows chewing the cud is preposterous but hilarious. Thomas just about keeps a straight face.

Star Maidens is Space 1999’s poor relation It has the same feel.

Made on a shoestring, it was filmed on the same sets at Bray Studios, shared costumes and props and outside locations including Black Park in Buckinghamshire.

Both series featured the work of production designer Keith Wilson and Star Maidens re-used sound effects from Space 1999.

Lead actresses Judy Geeson and Lisa Harrow had already appeared in guest roles in the first season of Space 1999. Geeson was in the episode Another Time, Another Place and Harrow in The Testament of Arkadia.

For Thomas, his role was a forerunner to his stint as Blake in the BBC’s science-fiction drama Blake’s 7.

There is much to enjoy in Star Maidens – look out for a cameo from Alfie Bass as a security guard of a stately home that Shem and Adam mistake for a castle – it’s a fascinating slice of TV history.

Star Maidens is on Rewind daily at 11am and 5pm.