I love the soundtrack (the future used to be groovier), and the understated Earth civilian wardrobe, but I tried to rewatch it and it's so sexist and misogynistic it's almost disturbing. And I find it cool there was never an in-universe explanation for the purple wigs.
My 1970's self liked it. My 2026 one not so much.
I also think Benedict Cumberbatch's mom was an early crush because of this series, but 1970's me didn't quite know what to do with those feelings.
It doesn't really seem that sexist for a 60s show. There's definitely a ton of male gaze, much like the miniskirts in TOS. OTOH the men are also in tight fitting clothing as well, and just like TOS it has the women in positions of power and authority which was progressive for the 60s.
While the show is campy as hell (in a fun way) many of the plotlines are extremely heavy and dark, like the episode where Striker has to choose between his duty and saving his son's life. Or the episode where his marriage falls apart because he's working too much.
From the perspective of Striker the show honestly shows the destruction of a man. He's left with nothing in life but his job, which also tortures him.
> And I find it cool there was never an in-universe explanation for the purple wigs.
I saw an interview with the costume designer (a woman FWIW) and she liked the idea of the purple wigs both as both a sign that fashion is more flexible in the 1980s and also that the wigs maybe play some practical purpose on the moon. The moon women are in some scenes on earth and they're not wearing wigs.
The silver miniskirt/leotard moon suits the women wear with removable leggings were supposed to be incredibly sexy of course, but also the designer was playing around with the idea of "modular" clothing that could be "reconfigured" for different contexts.
The fishnet shirts the submariners wear is likewise supposed to imply something both practical and highly modern. Of course, talking about male gaze the women in the submarine wear an undershirt under the fishnets whereas the men don't!
I love the soundtrack (the future used to be groovier), and the understated Earth civilian wardrobe, but I tried to rewatch it and it's so sexist and misogynistic it's almost disturbing. And I find it cool there was never an in-universe explanation for the purple wigs.
My 1970's self liked it. My 2026 one not so much.
I also think Benedict Cumberbatch's mom was an early crush because of this series, but 1970's me didn't quite know what to do with those feelings.
> so sexist and misogynistic
It doesn't really seem that sexist for a 60s show. There's definitely a ton of male gaze, much like the miniskirts in TOS. OTOH the men are also in tight fitting clothing as well, and just like TOS it has the women in positions of power and authority which was progressive for the 60s.
While the show is campy as hell (in a fun way) many of the plotlines are extremely heavy and dark, like the episode where Striker has to choose between his duty and saving his son's life. Or the episode where his marriage falls apart because he's working too much.
From the perspective of Striker the show honestly shows the destruction of a man. He's left with nothing in life but his job, which also tortures him.
> And I find it cool there was never an in-universe explanation for the purple wigs.
I saw an interview with the costume designer (a woman FWIW) and she liked the idea of the purple wigs both as both a sign that fashion is more flexible in the 1980s and also that the wigs maybe play some practical purpose on the moon. The moon women are in some scenes on earth and they're not wearing wigs.
The silver miniskirt/leotard moon suits the women wear with removable leggings were supposed to be incredibly sexy of course, but also the designer was playing around with the idea of "modular" clothing that could be "reconfigured" for different contexts.
The fishnet shirts the submariners wear is likewise supposed to imply something both practical and highly modern. Of course, talking about male gaze the women in the submarine wear an undershirt under the fishnets whereas the men don't!