Star Maidens: 70s Sci-Fi Gender Genre

by G. Jack Urso

 

Title card from Star Maidens.

Star Maidens (1976), a German-United Kingdom joint production, is a Science Fiction series based on the premise of a planet called Medusa, a wandering planet that enters Earth’s solar system, where women are in charge and men occupy a lower, subservient status. Taking inspiration from the women’s liberation movement, the writers extrapolated the concept to an entire planet where the rolls are reversed, and men are regarded as the weaker sex. The series lasted for a single season of 13 episodes.

While certainly the opportunities for women have expanded in the past fifty years, we are far from the matriarchal future of Star Maidens. Nevertheless, the show’s premise was an argument for gender equality, not superiority, a fact usually lost among those who have not seen the series and focus just on the battle of the sexes. The series ran for one season of 13 episodes, all available below from the Aeolus 13 Umbra BritFi YouTube channel.

A Medusan space craft.

As noted in the extensive web archive Space: 1999 Catacombs, Star Maidens, “looks like a low budget cousin of Space: 1999.” While it does fit in with the general overall look of the series, it is a step or two below in quality. Filmed in 1975 after season 1 of Space: 1999, the production utilizes some of the same personnel, such as main cast actors Judy Geeson and Lisa Harrow who guest starred on Space: 1999. One of the male leads, Gareth Thomas, would later star in Blake’s 7 as Roj Blake himself. Other Space: 1999 personnel working on Star Maiden’s include production designer Keith Wilson and set dresser Mike Ford, sound editor Peter Pennel and film editor Alan Killick. Additionally, Star Maidens was filmed at Bray Studies where the special effects for Space: 1999 were also filmed. 

The basic premise is that “since time immemorial” a matriarchy has existed on the planet Medusa. Pushed out of its solar system by a cosmic accident, Medusa becomes a wandering planet with the inhabitants forced to live underground to survive. Entering Earth’s solar system, two Medusan men, Adam and Shem, learn of Earth’s patriarchal society and escape there to be free of their oppression on Medusa. The plot is an allegory for the way women have historically been treated on Earth.

A Medusan city before the catastrophe that sent the planet out of its solar system.

Important differences in the productions, however, soon become apparent. Unlike Space: 1999’s 35-mm format, Star Maidens was filmed in 16 mm, leading to an overall inferior quality, especially with the effects. The scenes on Earth seem more like an earnest graduate production rather than comparable to similar location scenes in Gerry Anderson's UFO, which had a lot of Earth-bound shots. The set design and special effects are occasionally to close to Space: 1999’s quality, but usually a bit below that standard. The matte paintings of the Medusan cities are evocative of Yes album covers of the era, and I actually quite like them, although only a couple such paintings are used. The differences in quality remind me of another short-lived Sci-Fi show of the same era, The Starlost, whose environmental message was just as reflective of its times as Star Maiden’s feminism.

Medusan security officers, looking quite fit!

I have a great fondness for these obscure 1970s Sci-Fi productions like Star Maidens and The Starlost. One may dismiss their era-specific messaging as desperate attempts to connect with the public and score viewers, but I’m not so sure modern Sci-Fi has advanced more in approach. In a time of increasing chaos, uncertainty, and violence, now we are inundated at dystopic, dark visions of the future filled with predatory aliens, flesh-eating zombies, homicidal androids, and genocidal AI. I’m not so sure that’s an advancement from Star Maidens, but at least the effects are better.

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Star Maidens Episode Guide

Click on the links below to view episodes on the Ae13U BritFi YouTube channel!

Episode 1: “Escape to Paradise” | Original Airdate: September 1, 1976

The planet Medusa, a female-dominated society, is ripped from its star Proxima Centauri, enters Earth solar system where it encounters a primitive planet where men are in charge, not women. Two men, Adam and Shem, escape Medusa and travel to Earth to find freedom.

The women are in charge on Star Maidens!

Episode 2: “Nemesis” | Original Airdate: September 8, 1976

Adam and Shem are on the run from Earth’s police. The Medusan security agent Octavia brings Adam’s mistress, Fulvia, along to help track him down.

Episode 3: “The Nightmare Cannon” | Original Airdate: September 15, 1976

Octavia tracks down Adam and Shem to an old manor where they’ve taken the curator hostage. Octavia turns on the “Nightmare Cannon” to magnify their fears which force them to leave the manor where they up being arrested by the police.

Episode 4: “The Proton Storm” | Original Airdate: September 22, 1976

A “proton storm” causes Octavia and Fulvia to return to Medusa, holding two humans, Liz and Dr. Rudi Schmidt, as hostages. Fulvia tries to return to Earth to find Adam but encounters the proton storm. Can Adam help save his love?

A Medusan medical android. 

Episode 5: “Kidnap” | Original Airdate: September 29, 1976

Back on Earth, Shem tries to repair Fulvia’s ship while she volunteers for a thought-transference machine. Unlike the ones used on Medusa, this one causes Fulvia pain.

Episode 6: “The Trial” | Original Airdate: October 6, 1976

Dr. Rudi Schmidt, held hostage on Medusa, is assigned to menial labor, but his dissatisfaction leads to a rebellion joined by some Medusan men.

Episode 7: “Test for Love” | Original Airdate: October 13, 1976

Dr. Liz Becker from Earth is determined to be qualified to command a Medusan spacecraft, but she doesn’t find Medusan men attractive and Octavia sets out to find why.

Medusan computer systems.

Episode 8: “The Perfect Couple” | Original Airdate: October 20, 1976

Trying to convince Fulvia to release human hostages and allow Medsuan’s seeking asylum on Earth to stay, Adam decides to live with Fulvia as a couple, but things don’t quite work out as he hopes.

Episode 9: “What Have They Done to the Rain?” | Original Airdate: October 27, 1976

Dr. Rudi Schmidt, still on Medusa, discovers rain is turning the Medusan soil toxic, but will the Medusans listen to a man?

Episode 10: “The End of Time” | Original Airdate: November 3, 1976

Prof. Evans travels to Medua to negotiate for the return of Earth hostages with the Medusan president, but she is discovered dead and Dr. Liz Becker is blamed and sentenced to death.

Medusan underground city.

Episode 11: “Hideout” | Original Airdate: November 17, 1976

Adam and Shem, still on the run on Earth, are spotted and Adam captured. Shem is rescued by a woman and the two find themselves attracted to each other, but the police are on the trail and time is running out.

Episode 12: “Creatures of the Mind” | Original Airdate: November24, 1976

Dr. Rudi Schmidt and Dr. Liz Becker are tasked by Octavia to look into an abandoned records section. While Schmidt tries to find a way to escape Medusa, Becker discovers a dark secret about a Medusan experiment to create artificial life.

Episode 13: “The Enemy” | Original Airdate:  December 1, 1976

With an agreement to exchange hostages complete, two vessels leave both Earth and Medusa, but an old enemy of the Medusans arrives and threatens them. It’s up to Dr. Rudi Schmidt to find a way to save both ships.

A matte painting of the pre-catastrophe Medusan surface.

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