Q: Tell us a bit about yourself, your interests and your
profession.

I'm 44 years old, married to my lovely wife for 12 years now and we have two terrific kids, our son is now 10 and our daughter is 7.  I am a professional accountant by trade and work for a Regional Government in Ontario and have three great loves in life outside of my family: hockey, Space: 1999/2099 and I love music including bands such as Duran Duran, The Beatles, The Cars, Seal, The Eagles, Rush and many more.


Q: What was your first recollection of Space: 1999?

I am lucky enough to have grown up in Canada where 1999 was broadcast in its entirety, uncut and in production order.  I was very curious to see what Space: 1999 was after reading the listing for it in the TV guide in the fall of 1975 and tuned in to watch Breakaway and was amazed by what I saw.  By the end of the next episode, Matter of Life and Death I was hooked and I can still remember the thrill and excitement that I experienced watching every Year 1 episode. 

Year 2 was a bit of a shock and it wasn't quite the same experience given the vast number of changes that took place after Year 1 but I didn't want to miss watching any of them either. In fact, no other TV show before or since has thrilled, amazed or interested me like Space: 1999 did and still does.


Q: How did you get involved with Space: 2099 and why?

This could be a very long answer but the quick one is that a big reason I went to the MainMission: 2000 convention in New York City was to see the remastered 1999 episodes of Eric Bernard.  He was doing something I had thought about for a long time and wished I could do.  Eric and I hit it off right from the start and we stayed in contact after the convention and over time became close friends and when the DVD's came out there was a slow but natural progression towards the idea of creating an "enhanced" version of the show. 

During a brainstorming session just a few years ago, Eric suggested moving the show from the past to the future and explained how it could be done and I quickly saw the merits of doing so and am now convinced that the show's future lays with Space: 2099 and am eager to show fans why.


Q: If you had to pitch the series to someone who doesn't know the
show at all, how would you sell it to him/her? and how would you sell it to someone who is already a fan?

I'd say just give a few episodes of Space: 2099 a chance, that seeing is believing. 

I am convinced that the enhancements, new chronology and other ideas that Eric and I have come up with over the years address nearly all the concerns or criticisms that have unfairly been placed on the show.  Space: 1999 is an absolutely terrific show with wonderful stories and excellent actors, amazing sets and effects and is also timeless in its own futuristic presentation and has a modern vibe to it even 34 years later. 

By moving it from a date now passed to a near-future in 2099 that people today can easily identify with, I think we can attract new fans who know nothing about the show by helping them to experience something very special by keeping everything that made 1999 great, the grandness and mystery of space, the humanity, the terror, the twist endings and especially the quality sets and effects that altogether helped amaze, shock and awe audiences when it was first broadcast.

And even better there will be some exciting surprises along the way which original fans of the show will hopefully appreciate and enjoy as much or more than anybody else!


Q: How do you compare television today from the one from the past
(1960-1999)?

For me the hallmark of television quality and quantity comes from the 60's.  While most of them lack the intricacy of storytelling and continuity didn't really exist, the variety of shows and ideas is amazing.  Nearly every show from that era right from The Twilight Zone to Bewitched to Gilligan's Island to The Man From Uncle, Get Smart to I Dream of Jeannie, The Flintsontes, Beverly Hillbillies, Mission Impossible and many, many more, and of course Star Trek, are so different, so unique and colourful yet so interesting and creative that they are essentially timeless.

Overall, shows from the 70's don't resonate with me as much but two of my all-time favourites are of course Space: 1999 and WKRP in Cincinnati.  As we go forward from there to the 80's I didn't find that much of interest in part because Science Fiction essentially disappeared from TV for a while.  Howver, by the 90's shows like Space: Above and Beyond and the first 5 years of Stargate renewed my interest.  Since the year 1999, shows like Medium and LOST are must-see viewing for my wife and I and while finding great shows with terrific writing and creativity is harder to find amongst all the less interesting reality show stuff, there are still a few out there and many other shows which are very well done.

Q: How do you imagine the future of Space: 2099 :)?

If our efforts with Granada Ventures are successful in gaining their approval and support to move forward with the Space: 2099 concept then I would sum things up by inviting people to join us on a new journey to "Enter into Worlds Beyond your Imagination". 

The trip will be well worth taking and ultimately also offers the chance for the franchise to be revived and continue with future stories about our beloved Alphans which would make for the best future I could imagine or hope for.