Space Cases

2:24 - What do you remember from auditioning for the show?

7:09 - What are some current projects you’re doing now?

14:19 – Do you still keep in contact with any of your castmates?

16:13 – What was it like working on set?

19:45 – What was it like being able to break your set character? I.E. Paul getting to play a Spung in one episode. And did you keep anything from the show?

23:41 – Would you say that Space Cases was like Star Trek for kids?

25:41 – What was it like working with George Takei?

27:05 – Do you have fans who ask you about Space Cases?

28:11 – What was one of your character’s secret motivations that was never revealed on the show?

(Harlan – didn’t want to fail, didn’t want to disappoint anybody).

28:58 – Why was the show cancelled?

(SC was the #2 show on Nick behind Kenan and Kel, but the budget was 3 times Kenan and Kel due to the special effects. Jewel Staite having left. Walter Jones being offered apart in a new show.)

30:31 – If the show had continued, do you think they would have brought Catalina back in Season 3?

30: 57 – Why do you think there was never an merchandise for the show with it being so successful at the time?

32:32 – Had the show continued, where would have liked to see your character go?

(Harlan – wanted to resolve his issues with Radu. To be a successful journeyman in space, a captain. Have a crew and solve problems around the galaxy).

34:31 – If you were asked to be in a reboot of the show and you were able, would you do it and what kind of role would you like to play?

35:31 – What was it like filming the scene where it was thought that Catalina had been killed?

37:22 – Do you know of any props that were used on Space Cases that were probably used on other shows?

38:32 – Discussion of other Nickelodeon shows that Anik had been on.

39:32 – Continuation - How different was it filming those three shows?

40:48 – Paul – What was one of the most challenging of acting  and what’s been one of the most rewarding?

44:28 – Walter – What was more challenging for you? Zack (Power Rangers) or Harlan?

46:03 – Continuation - Were there any similarities between the two?

46:48 – Walter – what was it like filming Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

47:35 – What was your favorite episode of Space Cases to watch and what was your favorite one to film?

Oh, fun, the original story outline was written by Kristian Ayre (Radu).

I love the practical jokes, so obnoxious.

The generic opening theme with no singing is such a downgrade. Whyyyy did they change it on subsequent airings?

Ohh wait, I love these different planetary/affiliation icons for each of the characters:

Earth/Harlan. Also appears on the sleeves of Goddard's and Davenport's jackets.

Saturn/Catalina

Andromeda/Radu

Uranus/Bova

Mercury/Rosie

Android??? Christa???/Thelma

Staracademy/Davenport

Stardog/Goddard

Davenport has always had that awful hair-do, even as a child. What a tragedy.

Radu would absolutely wreck all of them at this food/pillow fight double feature. The episode guide on the official site calls this "Radu's incredible disappearing strength."

I like Neinstein's spinning faces. Low-budget and still nightmare-ish.

Using Bova an an electrical conductor is my favorite Bova related trope.

How can Davenport use one of the command stations when the Christa never bonded to her? What upgrades did Neinstein make before it left??

Not much to write home about in this ep, but it was perfectly serviceable and entertaining.

Ok, I'm watching the ending credits and....

We start with Radu and Harlan alone on the bridge (love it), getting a distress call from a ship with a lone passenger, and bickering (LOVE IT). The voice is female, so of course we get them fighting over a girl without knowing much about her (A TREND).

What an introduction shot, though. Elmira, you have my whole heart.

So Radu is pissed, and we learn that the Spung enslaved his people and started the Spung-Andromedan war. The tension! And Radu and Harlan are fighting over Harlan's prejudices towards Andromedans. It's such a good scene!

And Catalina remains the Eye Roll Queen every time Elmira calls Harlan "captain."

I do like that Elmira is an oracle, what a unique character trait. I like to headcanon that her mother was one as well, but she died during the war. Without her mother's protection, this left her more vulnerable to having her gifts abused by her father, Warlord Shank.

Elmira to Catalina: No one can see who's coming here, but Catalina disappears.

At this point in the series, the creators were already suspicious that they were going to lose Jewel Staite to the Disney channel and so this was a bit of foreshadowing to Catalina's eventual departure.

Goddard is always fixing something, does the Christa need you poking around in her all the time SIR?

Elmira to Goddard: Not many Stardogs live to say, they've seen what you will see today.

I'm really intrigued by the fact that the Spung Killcruisers were so deadly, everyone on the UPP side who ever encountered one was killed. And the Spung still lost the war!

I'm not even going to comment on Davenport, she is so goofy.

Radu's fortune is, of course, the best. And hints at a storyline they never got to tell:

Elmira to Radu: Fire and darkness you will tame. Hero added to your name. Noble Radu, worthy and brave. Those who scorn you, you will save.

And I couldn't quote this episode without including more fawning over my OTP:

Elmira: Harlan Band doesn't hate you Radu, he's afraid of you. Radu: Afraid? Elmira: Yes. Every time he looks at you, he's afraid that everything he knows is wrong. And so are you, every time you look at me.

Ok, listen, I know that's very much meant to be a Radu/Elmira moment - a ship which was almost certainly going to be endgame - but hear me out. Harlan having feelings for Radu, someone he considers an enemy, the same way Radu has feelings for his enemy in the Spung princess. An awful lot of angst in this love triangle all around. It feeds into my headcanon that Harlan is positively TORTURED by his eventual romantic feelings for Radu for multiple reasons. Maybe I'll get more into my shipping headcanons some day BUT MOVING ON.

Ok, and it's also just a great scene and a great message about prejudice in a kids' show.

I really want to know more about the Spung ruling structure. Is Shank the only Warlord or are there others? Is he the leader of a nation, of the whole empire, or just the military? If he's just a high ranking commander, like the wiki says, why is Elmira considered a princess (which is something we learn in Season 2, I believe).

Also, George Takei, phenomenal get. And the Star Trek reference, *chef's kiss*.

In the end, Elmira returns to her ship and distracts Shank and the killcruiser long enough for the Christa to escape through the White Circle and back where they began - 7 years, 4 months, and 22 days from home.

Rosie's little helmet: so funny looking, so unexplained. I'm sure it has something to do with heat retention but gosh is it strange.

Excellent guest stars in Bill Mumy and Mark Hamill. And the Lost in Space robot.

I just had to get a screenshot of Radu's uniform. Look at the rainbow details on the sleeves and the up the front of the jacket. What do they meeeeaaaaaan? I love them though, what flair.

GIZBOT GIZBOT GIZBOT

Imagine having to spend your 7 year trip in these dormitories. I would find a closet to sleep in.

Ahh here we have introductions to Catalina's sonic scream, Radu's super hearing and strength, Bova's electricity. Big second episode energy.

Radu walks in on Harlan recording in his journal about his stardog father - We learn that he was killed by Andromedans during the Spung-Andromedan war and that's why he and Radu are always on "shaky ground." I really want to know more about the war and the circumstances of Harlan's father's death - and what makes him a "legendary stardog."

Catalina's dead parents! 😭

Thelma's charade gag is gold.

Look at Catalina's little non-hug with Thelma! So interesting and cute and also why?? Jewel Staite is just so good as Catalina. All of the child actors are really good - I think in comparison, Goddard and Davenport can be a little too hammy at times.

I also think it's interesting how much they are trying to show that Harlan and Catalina have a lot in common. I headcanon it as them eventually growing in to a really good command team - though considering that this IS a TV show, they are teenagers, male and female, butt heads a lot...probably leading to a future will-they-won't-they romance that was cut short by Jewel Staite leaving the show.

RADU get back in the ship you CRIMINAL.

The theme song rocks. This particular ep has the second version of the season 1 theme, but clips of Suzee from season 2. Why????

Radu's "I heard that! I heard that, too!" is so fucking done. I love him.

Ahhh this is the Saturn Rejoicing Festival episode! Catalina's outfits! (Did the Christa just have these for her??). And where we get "Zabagabe!" - the rallying cry of Casers everywhere!

Hmm, yeah, this definitely feels out of order and like they've been on the ship longer than a second episode would warrant. Harlan and Goddard talking about "weird" Andromedan biology and Radu having previously vented steam from his ears. It's cute though! I love when we get to learn about the Andromedans.

Thelma: His temperature is 35 degrees Celsius. Low, even for Andromedans. Oh, and his barometric pressure is dropping. I think he's going to snow.

Why does this alien ship have books from Earth on it??

I like to woobify Radu as much as the next Caser but he is a MENACE. "I was just trying to be a tough guy...like you." Manipulate mansplain manwhore

Davenport and Goddard are such good teachers. And Goddard trying to help Harlan work on his relationship with Radu? A+

BUT THEN

Davenport: Radu did this? I can't believe it. It makes no sense!

Goddard: Believe me, Ms. Davenport, I fought Andromedans during the war. With their strength and endurance, they don't have to make sense to be deadly.

Davenport: It's a good thing Harlan isn't hearing you spout such rubbish. What with the bad blood already between him and Radu.

Goddard: This isn't about people's feelings, Ms. Davenport. It's about survival. If Radu's turned against us for some reason, the blood's going to be a lot worse than bad.

What an interesting scene! Clearly Goddard still has prejudices from the war. They're talking about one student, a child, and they still have no clue yet that he's being infected by an alien disease. And yet Goddard is looking at this situation like a soldier going up against the enemy.

I'm also super interested in just how the Spung-Andromedan war was fought. It's a space-based war, but fears about the Andromedans' physical abilities makes it seem like there were face to face engagements. Boarding parties? Is that how Harlan's father was killed? And we learn in later episodes that very few people ever saw a Spung killcruiser and lived to tell about it, so what were the Spung doing?

The darker pink around Rosie's eyes is very cute.

OK, you know I love the Harlan/Radu fight. The airlock scene. I am LIVING.

Also, Harlan's "I'll get you for this" as he about to be blasted out of the airlock. Like, bby, u say the dumbest things sometimes.

The dance at the end! Loving that for Davenport/Goddard shippers.

Another episode, another banger. Lot of Radu, and we learn a some interesting things about Andromedans, Saturnians, and Mercurians all in one ep.

I'm going to be scribbling down my thoughts as I watch:

(For trivia and behind the scenes info, check out the episode guide on spacecasestv.com)

I'm trying desperately to read the Starcademy motto but I can't make out the first word. So something Sine Fronteras - ...Without Borders? I took a quick look around the wiki and spacecasestv.com but couldn't find it. Darn!

The opening intro to the characters is ICONIC. I can still quote it to this day.

Davenport: I believe in regulations and procedure, Mr. Band. If you added those two words to your vocabulary you could...

Catalina: Double it?

Hello, police? I'd like to report a murder.

Here we learn that Radu is the first Andromedan at Starcademy and it seems via context that he is the only one. Probably hasn't been there too very long. What a difficult thing to do, and then to end up in the remedial class at least partly because the students are prejudiced against Andromedans because their parents fought against them in Spung-Andromedan War. I believe I also read somewhere (maybe in the show bible??) that he was chosen to go by the other Andromedans because he didn't fit in with them. Maybe I made that up.

Anyway, fair warning, Radu has always been my favorite and I'm endlessly fascinated by the potential I saw in developing the Andromedan people.

I've also developed a soft spot for Harlan and his character development/potential for growth, and the development of his relationship with Radu, who he initially hated due to his prejudices against Andromedans. And I also ship it so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

(@shmeiliarockie posted their thoughts after a season 1 rewatch awhile back and has a head-canon that Andromedans don't have gender which I LOVE and have not stopped thinking about. Click this for the post.)

Ok, I have got to be more brief I think, I'm only a minute and a half into this episode. BUT THIS EP IS SO GOOD.

Davenport: The vacuum of space isn't fair either, Mr. Band. It can destroy anyone who doesn't have what it takes to survive. And...none of you has what it takes.

Devastating.

I want breakdowns of all the different symbols on their uniforms and what they mean. Maybe the prominent shoulder ones symbolize the planet they come from? Harlan has three polyhedral like pillars which I've only just now thought may stand for Earth and the Lunar and Mars colonies.

Catalina is the eye roll champion.

Radu's "What is your problem?!" to Harlan. Yes, bby, don't take his shit.

Yes, why IS the Christa named after an Earth teacher, why IS Thelma a Techno-HUMAN emulating machine?? I do wonder if the creators knew or if they were just planning to figure it out if they ever got that far.

Personally, I subscribe to the time loop theory wherein the crew in the future sends Thelma and the Christa back in time to pick up their younger selves.

Thelma has the best gags.

Goddard: Band, Helm. Catalina, Engineering. Rosie, Bova, Scanning and Tactical. Radu, take Navigation.

I love this scene, chills.

They end up going through the White Circle anyway: 7 years, 4 months, and 22 days from home. Definite Star Trek: Voyager vibes, which had begun the year before in 1995.

Davenport is complaining that she had theater tickets for tonight. Where, ma'am?? The wiki says that Starcademy orbits Pluto.

Harlan is yelling at Radu and Radu looks INDIGNANT. I love him.

Goddard: I was three weeks shy. Three more weeks and my career as a teacher would have been over. I'd have been back out in space with a crew. Instead I'm...

Catalina: Back out in space.

Radu: With a crew.

Interestingly, a similar line was used against me in a DnD campaign when my ship captain then-Warlock was bemoaning his fate. :)

This episodes rules. What a great start to a series. The creators wanted Space Cases to be a "Star Trek for kids" and as someone who is also obsessed with Star Trek, well, well done, you hooked me as a child.