AllMovie

From hunger is the best way to describe the attributes of this extremely low-budget science fiction series, loosely based on the Alex Raymond comic strip character. Indeed, next to the threadbare sets and sometimes ludicrous-looking alien devices shown in use, the Universal Flash Gordon serials of the 1930's -- which were regarded in their time as the somewhat poor relations of most feature films -- seem like lush, opulent, even extravagant productions. Not that there aren't some moments that are better than others here -- the episodes directed by Gunther Von Fritsch do have better pacing and acting, overall, than those handled by Wallace Worsley Jr., who did most of the series. And in the episodes where they when to the trouble of tracking in incidental music by Roger Roger, as opposed to the work of Kurt Heuser (who also wrote the non-descript title theme), the work flows better. But none of this, at least in the form we have it today, is really worth that much of anyone's time, other than sci-fi and comic strip scholars. The series is treated as a "public domain" property in the United States, which makes it very common but makes decent editions almost impossible to come by, and the source prints that are out there are so poor that most of the DVDs on this series can hardly be considered a fair representation of what anyone was supposed to be seeing. But given the limitations of budget and personnel, it's doubtful that even perfect 35mm camera negative sources would make much of a difference, either. Rocky Jones, Space Ranger did a lot better in the genre with not much more money but better casts, scripts, and directors, though it is entertaining in a bizarre way to watch the trilogy of episodes, The Witch of Neptune", "Flash Gordon And The Brain Machine", and "Struggle To The End", in which Broadway/opera star Marie Powers shows up playing the villainous Zydereen, the Witch of Neptune -- that's like seeing Beverly Sills show up on Captain Video. The presence of Henry Beckman -- later best known for his comedic work -- in a dramatic role as part of the supporting cast of regulars may also surprise some longtime viewers. And it's even odder to see the name Bruce Geller, later associated with the series Mission: Impossible, show up in the writing credits of the episode "Return of the Androids".