Space 1999: Review: The Dorcons
“The Dorcons” serves as the official series finale for Space: 1999, and it definitely goes all out by raising the stakes to the absolute maximum. The plot circles completely around Maya, the crew’s resident alien shapeshifter. Out of nowhere, a massive, incredibly powerful alien empire known as the Dorcons shows up at Moonbase Alpha with one specific goal: they want to kidnap Maya. It turns out they hunt down her race because Psychon brain stems hold the literal secret to eternal life, and since she is the last of her kind, their dying leader is desperate to get his hands on her.
From a visual and production standpoint, this finale brings some serious energy. The Dorcon battleship is incredibly cool, featuring a highly distinct, retro-futuristic design that really stands out for late-70s sci-fi. You get a lot of classic space-opera action right from the jump, complete with intense model shots, explosions, and energy beams hammering Moonbase Alpha when Commander John Koenig initially refuses to hand Maya over. It feels a lot larger in scale than the standard planet-of-the-week setup, giving the entire episode a true sense of importance.
The guest cast really elevates the material here, especially with legendary Doctor Who actor Patrick Troughton stepping in as the Archon, the Supreme Leader of the Dorcons. His presence adds a lot of gravitas to the alien hierarchy, which quickly devolves into a classic royal drama. His scheming nephew, Malic, is just waiting for the right moment to betray him and seize power for himself. This political infighting aboard the alien ship gives Koenig the perfect window to launch a desperate rescue mission, turning the second half into a tense race against time.
While it might not have been written to intentionally wrap up the entire series forever, “The Dorcons” still works surprisingly well as a final chapter. It places the core theme of loyalty front and center, showing exactly how far the Alphans are willing to go to protect one of their own. It balances the campy sci-fi elements with genuine tension, and that final, quiet moment between Maya and Tony gives the audience a really satisfying emotional payoff. It is a strong, memorable finish to a wild two-year journey through the cosmos.