Jason of Star Command

In the tradition of the old 1930's serials CBS hot on the heels of SPACE ACADEMY and ARK 2 and SHAZAM released this program which was similar to BUCK ROGERS and FLASH GORDON. The series featured special effects, daring do all on a tv budget. This show was different from BATTLESTAR GALACTICA and STAR WARS yet capitalized off the craze. The program was the last of a wave of live action shows for CBS that started with KOOKLA FRAN AND OLIE etc. The show ran in a half hour format and was constantly running re runs when fresh episodes were not available. A saturday moring staple for many years..escapist fun for kids. Don't call the JASON the "grey poupon guy" as a kid I liked him like many kids in the 1930's or 1970's reveared ADAM WEST or BUSTER CRABBE.

This show was a great kids show. Sure it maybe wasn't the most original serial type show, but look at how well the classic movie 'Star Wars' did by copying the standard serial action adventure theme. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century continued the concept and even used names like 'Twiki' for a robot, where JOSC had already used the name WIKKI as a flying mini robot gadget. Like most posts this show was a fun show, Dragos was one of the greatest bad guys in any kids show.

I remember this show as a throwback to the days of the serial. This did the cliff hanger bit at the end and while this isn't Shakespeare, I would rather watch it than any of today's Saturday morning kids fare or any of the things on Disney channel. As for it trying to capitalize on the Star Wars phenomena, things on television tend to go in cycles. During most of the 1950's, Westerns were hot just like during the 1970's,detective shows were the thing. It was great seeing James Doohan again. Sid Haig always was a great villain. It was fun seeing Julie Newmar on a kids show. It was supposed to be a fun Sci-Fi show and it delivered. Charlie Dell was a great choice to play the scientist, he character was unique.

I love cartoons. There, I admit it. Except for one thing. JOSC wasn't a cartoon. It was a spinoff of SA. According to the opening voice

over, Jason, last name unknown, worked out of a secret section of Space Academy. His superiors were Professor E.J. Parsafoot, and Space Academy's last two commanders. His enemy was

Dragos, a brutal dictator, who was the emperor of some unnamed empire. Jason of Star Command aired two years after Star Wars and was in the same vein. It was set some time in the far, distant future, when, exactly, we don't know. Watch both this, and Space Academy, they both do justice to each other.

After watching all the tapes of Space Academy and the spin-off from the series, Jason of Star Command, I had some sad feelings. The idea that a 'secret' base (that all the bad guys KNEW was on the Space Academy asteroid) could have made this show truly unique as opposed to a predictable adventure show with hairy aliens and monsters. I realize that corporate backing and intent was more serialized-similar to the old cliff-hanger type shows, but either the writing did not allow for expansion or the 15 minute time factor stifled this series' growth. If FILMATION's idea was to copy the 1950's style of show, they accomplished their mission-perhaps, a little too well.

Unfortunately, with the real space program expanding along side while this show aired, there was no way it could live past the short time it was broadcast. There were one or two gadgets but none of the futuristic thinking that had made science fiction shows, even for the younger viewers, interesting. Dragos, the bad guy, had a ship that was hard to believe but, an energy-dragon from another dimension is just too ridiculous for me to accept. Let's not even talk about the reused sets from Space Academy series.

Even the name factor of James Doohan could not save it. With the talented Doohan and Mr. Russell, this was a valiant attempt on their part to raise the show to acceptable standards. Other than the lovely Samantha and the odd, Professor Parsafoot, (Charlie Dell is also a wonderful actor), the only other interesting 'person' was the "WIKI" robot. Lady, gentlemen, robot-you tried. Thank you.

Keeping Samantha, the only person of color on the show was noteworthy. Coloring Commander Stone in blue was another. There were some quirky twists that made it tolerable.

I do like this show. But I cannot take it seriously-and I wanted to! I shake my head because I liked the Jason character-to a point. Some of the space ships and fight scenes were the only interesting props we, as viewers, saw.

But the actors and technological attempts were not enough to save the show from being relegated as a 'campy' show. Two shows with the potential for excellence (think Star Trek: The Academy Years married to Mission Impossible) are now listed in media history books and in all likelihood will be forgotten.