Space: Above and Beyond - The Complete Series (DVD, 2009, 5-Disc Set)

This is a favorite, we use time transport to reach the year 2063. After 150 years of continuous deep space exploring, along with fun and frolicking, the people of Earth feel certain they are alone in the universe. Which we all know can be a huge mistake! :) Then word comes that two Earth outposts light-years away from home have been brutally attacked by an advanced alien civilization. Now the new young recruits of the United States Marine Corps Space Aviator Calvary USMCSAC for short :) are heading to the front lines of space in the farthest reaches of the galaxy and the toughest battle the world and the human race has ever faced.

Actors: Morgan Weisser, Kristen Cloke, Rodney Rowland, Lanei Chapman, Joel de la Fuente
Directors: Félix Enríquez Alcalá, Winrich Kolbe
Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, NTSC
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number of discs: 5
Studio: 20th Century Fox
DVD Release Date: November 8, 2005
Run Time: 1032 minutes
DVD Features:
Available Subtitles: English, Spanish
Available Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)
23 episodes on five discs, including the two-part pilot

Space: Above and Beyond, from the beginning, was a great show about family, love, friendship, and war. For a science fiction show that emerged in 1995, it was well produced, rendered, and the stories were great. This show, and perhaps more because of its early known pending doom, had some of the most emotional and shocking moments in science fiction history. I am a huge fan of space-television shows, a huge fan of all Star Trek, Babylon 5, and many others but this is certainly one of my top favorites. SAAB used a common plot tool for TV shows that eventually allowed episodes with, arcs or not, to focus on individual characters and develop a focus that followed a closely nit group of people instead of just a couple. In the end and to this day, almost fifteen years later, I still feel the effects of this emotionally-great roller coaster ride of a sci-fi series. Too bad politics killed the show, but at least what was produced is now preserved forever.

I can't believe that it is nearly thirteen years ago since I last saw this series. I've recently been going through the 'X-Files' series four and five where several of the cast from 'Space: Above and Beyond' (S:A&B) appeared. The special effects were pretty good and the series doesn't seem dated in my view. The storylines are great and make you think about the Earthly conflicts we seem to see here everyday. Back in 1996 this type of series was shot on 35mm film and had that quality about them, unlike some shows today that are shot on Hi-Def. However, the grittiness we now see in 'Battlestar Galactica' (BG) are there in 'S:A&B', in fact some to the dogfight in space in BG are reminiscent on those seen in 'S:A&B'. So to sum up, 'S:A&B' is a gritty show portraying a New World Order fighting for survival against and alien invasion that in many ways reflects humanity in its desire for survival and to rid itself of a perceived evil. Again what comes into question is who is the evil one, the aliens or mankind? An excellent show worth while having in the DVD collection of any Sci-Fi fan. (Would be great if the DVD series was also released in PAL format.)

This show ran for one televsion season starting in 1995. I had never heard of it until browsing on eBay one day. I love sci-fi and especially space sci-fi. I have every Star Wars & Star Trek Movie. I have 9 seasons of Stargate SG-1, the new Atlantis, and many more. Anyway, I read a few of the reviews where other people really enjoyed it, the price wasn't too high so that if I didn't like it I wouldn't feel like I was wasting money, and so I went for it.

It has an interesting story line. It is in the future, after a war with the AI (artificial intelligent) beings. Not all the AI beings were eradicated and they regularly show up on distant planets and cause trouble. To fight the AI war, mankind created a population of invitro human beings. These people, born in a testtube, are actually grown in the lab until they are the equivaltent of 18 years old. They are referred to as "tanks" because that is what they are grow in within the lab. They are bred to fight and treated like second class citizens, but humankind is in a new war with an evil alien species and is trying to incorporate the "tanks" into the mainstream. The main story line follows a group of pilots that includes a "tank" and is actually led by a "tank".

The first episode tries to provide some background on each pilot as well as what is going on currently in the universe. That is not an easy task for a 2 hour pilot, but they pull it off reasonably well. As with most new TV shows, the first couple of episodes are rather stiff and the actors are very two dimensional. You hope that the characters will begin to develop and become more personable, and they do. I especially like the "tank" pilot on the team as he seeks to establish his humanity; the "tank" that leads them who is very military but thinks of his pilots as his family; and the Commadore of the Galactic Battleship that cruises the universe with the crew of pilots aboard. In his "off" hours he plays a mean blues guitar.

The special effects are not amazing but very good for 1995. I watched the whole series and was sorry to see the last episode, knowing that it was only one season and I wouldn't be able to see the continuing drama. I would say that if you liked the first Star Wars series, episodes IV, V, VI, then you will enjoy this series. It is not the of the first Star Wars quality, but if you really enjoy space sci-fi, I do not believe that you will be disappointed with this TV series.

This is one of the shows that you say "What were they thinking when they canceled this?!?!?" Apparently it only goes to show that, because of studio politics, some of the best shows get canceled before they are allowed to truly blossom. The story lines are excellent and believable, the actore were phenominal, the the special effects are great for the time the show was made. I liken this show to the original Star Trek series....(sans some of the fashions of the times)a great show, replaced by some of the mindless rubbish we are still seeing today on television. If you are into Sci-Fi/Adventure, Space: Above and Beyond is a must for your collection.