Television series

Jason of Star Command

Name: Jason of Star Command
Genre: Action, Adventure, Science Fiction
Released: 1978
Cast: Craig Littler, Sid Haig, Charlie Dell, Susan Pratt, James Doohan

A Saturday-morning space opera where a young Space Command officer named Jason battles the tyrannical Dragos across the galaxy. Bright, earnest, and unapologetically pulpy, it's pure 1970s sci-fi adventure—zippy half-hour episodes, practical sets, and a genuine sense of galactic stakes. For anyone who loves that era's optimistic, straightforward heroism.

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you grew up on Saturday-morning serials and still get a little thrill from a square-jawed hero, a cheesy villain and a rocket ship that never stops moving.

Skip it if you need slick modern effects and restrained acting, because the camp is broad, the models look their age and the performances lean hard into melodrama.

What it asks of you: Half-hour episodes that run briskly and rarely ask you to track much, so it rewards easy, relaxed viewing rather than close attention.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Space: 19991975

Serious, haunting space opera where a lunar base is mysteriously hurled beyond the moon. Each episode explores new worlds with real philosophical weight and stunning practical effects that hold up beautifully.

But The pacing is deliberate and meditative—this isn't action-packed, and the tone is often melancholic rather than adventurous.

The Outer Limits1963

Anthology series that defines 1960s sci-fi television: ambitious concepts, rubber-suited aliens, and genuine attempts at moral complexity within the b-movie constraints. Pure DNA for what Jason inherited.

But It's black and white and slow by modern standards, and the dialogue can feel stiff. Uneven across seasons.

Battlestar Galactica2003

Launched the same year as Jason with a much bigger budget—a fugitive fleet pursued by robot enemies across space. Serialized storytelling, practical model work, and genuine stakes that elevated Saturday morning ambitions.

But The 1978 version has campy moments and inconsistent characterization, though it has its devoted cult following. Later remakes overshadow the original.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Jason of Star Command

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Adventure Time: Distant Lands2020

Same episodic structure and optimistic hero facing cosmic threats, but Adventure Time uses that formula to ask devastating questions about what happens after apocalypse—what Jason treats as backdrop becomes the entire story.

A boy and his magical dog explore a post-apocalyptic fantasy world week by week. Starts as colorful kids' adventure and quietly deepens into genuine science-fiction exploring trauma, loss, and the nature of magic as technology. Wildly creative.

But Early episodes are genuinely silly and aimed at children; commitment required before emotional payoff. Animation style off-puts some viewers.

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century1979

A NASA pilot wakes up 500 years in the future and joins an interstellar defense force. Shares Jason's earnest tone, weekly planets, and 1970s production design—pure comfort viewing that knows what it is.

But The first season especially leans into disco and campy humor that hasn't aged gracefully. Can feel very dated rather than charmingly retro.

Star Blazers1974

Anime space opera about a battleship sent to save Earth. Serialized storytelling, higher stakes than typical Saturday morning fare, and a visual style that influenced decades of sci-fi. Genuinely moving.

But The English dub has aged unevenly and can sound stiff. Requires patience with 1970s animation techniques and pacing.

The Invisible Man1975

A scientist on the run uses his invisibility to work as a secret agent. Playful tone, clever plots, and a lean half-hour format that moves fast. Pure entertainment without pretense.

But The gimmick is sometimes the entire episode, and the dramaturgy is thin. Doesn't hold up as well on rewatch.

Logan's Run1977

Two people flee a perfect dystopian city and encounter strange societies week by week. Philosophical underpinnings, colorful production design, and that anxious 1970s sci-fi sensibility Jason shares.

But Only lasted fourteen episodes. Cancellation means loose threads, and the formula wears thin quickly.

Return to the Planet of the Apes1975

Animated Planet of the Apes following humans and apes in post-apocalyptic Earth. Adventure-driven, surprisingly thoughtful, and uses the sci-fi premise to ask real questions about survival and society.

But Animation quality is basic even by 1975 standards. The novelty of the Planet of the Apes premise does much of the heavy lifting.

Barbarella1968

Both worship at the altar of 1970s space-pulp, but Barbarella is that aesthetic distilled to pure visual excess—it's what Jason aspires to be if budget, cynicism, and restraint were removed.

A space explorer in a ridiculous costume travels through a kaleidoscopic galaxy fighting evil. Campy, gorgeous, and completely sincere about its absurdity. Pure 1960s optimism colliding with practical design and pure fun.

But Some find it shallow and exploitative; the gender politics are dated. Exists entirely in the register of spectacle rather than substance.