TVholic And when I say "younger viewers," I mean younger viewers in 1988, not today, who have a shorter attention span and need more special effects. In fact, today's kids would find the 1988 vintage PC-generated computer graphics on the control screens laughably primitive. (Which they were even by the standards of the day. Most late '80s videogames had much better graphics.) Because of the low budget, the show is almost completely shipbound, except for a few scenes on Earth early on and a fight on Expo Tomorrow halfway through, which doesn't fool anyone with its clearly soundstage atmosphere. The Voyager sets are a variety of vacuformed plastic panels assembled into various compartments, including the lounge, the gym, the corridors and the airlock. Yet the interior did feel somewhat well-designed and -realized as a ship. There are a few space shots, mostly two or three repeated ad infinitum, with the same cheesy music playing. But you can't expect a megabucks blockbuster from a family-oriented pilot produced for the Sunday Disney movie. This was one of the early efforts at reducing production costs by filming in Vancouver, a practice since adopted by many TV shows and movies.The movie was part "Star Trek," part "Lost in Space," part "Space Academy" and part "SpaceCamp" I actually enjoyed this much more than the early episodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" broadcast in the months preceding this, which were so serious and self- important. Bienstock was a dead ringer for Will Robinson, redheaded kid super-genius (with a dollop of Wesley Crusher added). In fact, this is actually much more enjoyable than the 1998 "Lost in Space" movie, which had the splashy effects but not the fun. The cast was generally fine, if a little stiff at times, even veteran Duncan Regehr, whose head-thrashing electrocution spasms in the climax were hilariously amateurish. Pity the show was never picked up, so the young actors never had time to hone their craft.Alas, aside from the relatively stock plot (including the transparent ruse at the end), the writer really played fast and loose, betraying a poor understanding of science. Here they are, just starting out their mission, and they almost immediately find the Vanguard Explorer. How could the Vanguard Explorer find Demeter with its probes so quickly when it was so close to Earth? (They weren't out there that long since much of the crew including Vance was still young.) They also catch up to a whole passel of radio transmissions from Earth, ranging from Lindbergh's flight to stuff from the '80s. But seeing as how the speed of light (and radio waves) can't vary, there's no way all those signals could all be in the same spot for them to be received simultaneously. In fact, even the newest signals they intercepted, Oliver North's Iran-Contra testimony, should have been 100 light years from Earth (100 years old at the time, traveling away at the speed of light). They were taking 12 years just to get the 18 light years to Demeter, so catching up to signals that should have been up to 160 light years out at the beginning of the mission is supremely silly.It looks like the show would have had Admiral Beasley chasing them all the way. But since the Triton Corsair was faster than Earth Star Voyager, why did they need Voyager? And transporting billions of humans almost 20 light years to another planet? How long would the trip have taken? With that much life support needed for 6+ billion humans on a 12-year trip, couldn't they just have cleaned the Earth? Was the hitherto rare Baumann Drive that easy to manufacture that they could build them by the millions? That has to be one of the silliest "science fiction" ideas I've ever heard. They would have been better off spending their resources building O'Neill space colonies, especially since they had to build the giant Voyager just to transport a small crew.Do you want to feel old? Imagine first watching this movie where they say it will be a 26-year mission. Feels like a very long time in the future, right? Guess what? If it were real, we'd be closing in on the end of the mission today, after 19 years. Time flies.

nwdillard I had taped this in 1988 and dug it out of the loser movie vault I own just the other day. My children saw the tape and decided they wanted to watch it. They were so entralled that they hardly moved during the show. After it was over they stated to act a little more earth friendly. I can say they learned the importance of protecting the Earth from this show. This was a lot of fun to watch again and to see where the "kids" that are in this show are now. I think one of them is on a soap.The perceptions they had of where we will be in the year 2088 are a little hokey but all in all it was great. The environment will be filled with acid rain and we will have no oxygen. Gee, it's the same outlook we have today if we don't do something quick. It was an exciting journey when I was young and my children found it an exciting journey today.

jademasters For those that have NEVER seen this little Disney creation, you are certainly missing out on one of Science Fiction's greatest story scenarios. The characters are fantastic, portrayed by good actors/actresses. The plot and story is real deep, like an epic adventure. The special effects, or rather lack there of, could be enhanced, but you have to keep in mind Disney at the helm in 1988. No CG available.If they re-made this thing, or did a sequel, this story would be a big hit today, possibly multi-millions. However, and unfortunately, Earth Star Voyager has went into the movie graveyard. Forgotten, it's sad to think just how many people more ESV could've still inspired and motivated. And to add nails to it's forbidden coffin, there is no American release on VHS, and supposably the film has been deleted or destroyed for good. Even finding a copy on PAL is difficult at best.

Rokky Earth Star Voyager is one of those gems of science fiction television that comes once in a blue moon. The characters and storyline were very believable. I was equally enthralled by the politics that went on aboard the ship as well as the special effects. On the special effects side, they were done with careful precision, although they do seem dated when compared to the computer generated mish-mash of today (i.e., Matrix, Jurassic Park, etc.). I first saw ESV back in Junior High and fell in love with it. I would count this made-for-television movie as one of the inspirations for me to take up engineering in college several years later. I believe we will climb towards the stars someday, just as the crew of ESV did in the movie. I have no doubt.