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Does anyone remember this series?  I have a vague memory of seeing ads for it back in the day.  Locally, it ran late Saturday nights on what’s now our local CW affiliate (then, it was during the earliest days of UPN).

Space Precinct was the brainchild of Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson, who had a string of hit shows in England starring sophisticated marionettes.  The shows had highly detailed sets and astonishing miniature effects, qualities he brought to his live-action shows (including Space: 1999 and UFO), even if the stories weren’t all that great (as in the case of Space: 1999).

In any case, I just came across Space Precinct on Netflix, and having missed its original syndicated run, I decided to give it a shot.  It stars Knots Landing vet Ted Shackelford as Lt. Patrick Brogan, a New York City cop transferred to a precinct in another star system.  It’s a strange, strange show, almost reveling in its cop show clichés even as it drapes them in sci-fi scenery.

Maybe it’s no wonder, then, that it was canceled after one season.  According to its Wikipedia page (a bastion of factual unimpeachability, I know), Space Precinct was fairly popular in its native Britain, but failed to gain much American support due to its late scheduling in most syndicated markets.  That scheduling was due in many cases to programmers being unable to fathom a show that seemed so ostensibly childish, yet traded in some pretty dark themes.

I’m only a couple of episodes in, but Space Precinct is obviously meant for an older audience.  Take away the flying cars and space stations, and you have a pretty straightforward procedural.  Adding aliens and such as cops and crooks feels almost satirical without a more unique take.  I guess what I’m saying is that it isn’t that deep, at least not at the outset.  But I am only a couple episodes in.

Visually, however, this is a striking show.  The design is a bit drab, but the miniatures and special effects are amazing.  And the direction is pretty tight as well, by James Bond veteran John Glen (For Your Eyes Only, The Living Daylights).  Glen keeps things moving at a pretty solid pace, even if there’s a subplot here or there that doesn’t quite mesh.

Anyway, I’ll watch a few more and report back, I guess.