Space 1999: Review: The Taybor
“The Taybor” is easily one of the most vibrant and wildly entertaining episodes from the second season of this show. The story kicks off when Moonbase Alpha is visited by a flamboyantly dressed, eccentric intergalactic trader named Taybor, played with absolute relish by Willoughby Goddard. He arrives in a spectacular, hyper-advanced spaceship called the Emporium, which is packed to the brim with bizarre trinkets, art, and advanced technology. The crew is immediately fascinated, especially when they realize his ship is equipped with a jump-drive capable of instantaneous space travel, the exact kind of technology that could finally take the Alphans back home to Earth.
The narrative quickly shifts into a tense psychological game of cat-and-mouse once Taybor reveals his true price for the drive: he wants to trade it for Maya. He becomes completely infatuated with her shape-shifting abilities, viewing her as the ultimate artistic masterpiece to add to his collection. From a pacing standpoint, this episode is a refreshing break from the usual bleak survival stories of the series, trading the usual cosmic horror for a lighter, more theatrical tone. Willoughby Goddard steals every single scene he is in, portraying Taybor not as a malicious villain, but as a deeply selfish, pampered hedonist who is used to getting exactly what he wants.
Where the episode truly shines is how it tests the moral integrity of the Alphans, particularly Commander John Koenig. The temptation to sell out one person to save thousands and finally reach Earth is a massive ethical dilemma, but Koenig refuses to even entertain the thought, proving the crew’s tight-knit loyalty. Maya also gets a great chance to showcase her wit and powers, using Taybor’s own obsession against him. Instead of being a helpless damsel in distress, she uses her shape-shifting abilities to transform into a grotesque version of herself, completely shattering his shallow fantasy and outsmarting him at his own game.
Ultimately, “The Taybor” stands out as a highly memorable, colorful, and fun chapter in the Space: 1999 canon. While the logic of trading a priceless, universe-hopping engine just for a companion is a bit absurd, the episode succeeds because it fully embraces its campy, theatrical energy. The set design of the Emporium is a visual feast of 1970s sci-fi aesthetic, and the performances are incredibly lively. It remains a fan-favorite episode that beautifully balances high-stakes negotiation with a lighter, character-driven charm that season two desperately needed.