Jupiter Moon
Encyclopedia
Jupiter Moon was a science fiction television series first broadcast by BSB
's Galaxy Channel from 26 March 1990 until December the same year. 150 episodes were commissioned, but only the first 108 were broadcast by BSB. It was commissioned to fulfill the perceived need for a soap opera in BSB's line-up and, as such, it was shown three times a week (on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays), with an omnibus
edition at weekends. The series was curtailed owing to the merger between BSB and Sky Television plc
and the subsequent cessation of the Galaxy Channel, although the later episodes were eventually shown in the UK on the Sci Fi Channel
between 22 January and 19 February 1996. The soap was screened on GBC TV (Gibraltar television) ahead of its premiere on BSB's own Galaxy channel. The soap was seen in the British colony every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 730pm, having taken the slot of Eastenders which had become too expensive for GBC TV.
above the space city Callisto. The Ilea was home to a university and many of the programme's main plot strands revolved around the lives of the students, helping the programme to deal with more down-to-earth issues despite its unearthly setting. A secondary plot dealt with an attempt to travel to the stars known as the Daedalus Project.
The series was created and produced by William Smethurst, a former long standing editor of British Radio Soap The Archers
, and was recorded at the studios of Central Television
in Birmingham.
Actors included Lucy Benjamin
, Anna Chancellor
, Jason Durr
and Fay Masterson
.
. The ECU was an internal accounting unit for the European Community until it was superseded by the Euro, an actual currency, in 2002.
The space station Ilea was named after the then-recently-abolished Inner London Education Authority
.
The character Phillipe Gervais was named after associate producer Jane Fallon
's partner Ricky Gervais
.
British Satellite Broadcasting
British Satellite Broadcasting was a British television company which provided direct broadcast satellite television services to the United Kingdom...
's Galaxy Channel from 26 March 1990 until December the same year. 150 episodes were commissioned, but only the first 108 were broadcast by BSB. It was commissioned to fulfill the perceived need for a soap opera in BSB's line-up and, as such, it was shown three times a week (on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays), with an omnibus
Omnibus (broadcast)
An omnibus is a compilation of daily television or radio episodes that is re-broadcast during the following weekend. The term has been most frequently used in the United Kingdom, though it has also been used in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa...
edition at weekends. The series was curtailed owing to the merger between BSB and Sky Television plc
Sky Television plc
Sky Television plc was a public limited company which operated its four-channel satellite television service, launched by Rupert Murdoch's News International on 5 February 1989...
and the subsequent cessation of the Galaxy Channel, although the later episodes were eventually shown in the UK on the Sci Fi Channel
Sci Fi channel (United Kingdom)
Syfy is a television channel service specialising in science fiction, fantasy and horror shows and movies. It is available via digital cable, IPTV, satellite television and Top Up TV platforms. The channel launched in 1995 in the UK a sister channel to the US Sci Fi Channel , with a similar...
between 22 January and 19 February 1996. The soap was screened on GBC TV (Gibraltar television) ahead of its premiere on BSB's own Galaxy channel. The soap was seen in the British colony every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 730pm, having taken the slot of Eastenders which had become too expensive for GBC TV.
Premise
The series was set in the year 2050 and concentrates on the space ship Ilea in semi-permanent orbitOrbit
In physics, an orbit is the gravitationally curved path of an object around a point in space, for example the orbit of a planet around the center of a star system, such as the Solar System...
above the space city Callisto. The Ilea was home to a university and many of the programme's main plot strands revolved around the lives of the students, helping the programme to deal with more down-to-earth issues despite its unearthly setting. A secondary plot dealt with an attempt to travel to the stars known as the Daedalus Project.
The series was created and produced by William Smethurst, a former long standing editor of British Radio Soap The Archers
The Archers
The Archers is a long-running British soap opera broadcast on the BBC's main spoken-word channel, Radio 4. It was originally billed as "an everyday story of country folk", but is now described on its Radio 4 web site as "contemporary drama in a rural setting"...
, and was recorded at the studios of Central Television
Central Independent Television
Central Independent Television, more commonly known as Central is the Independent Television contractor for the Midlands, created following the restructuring of ATV and commencing broadcast on 1 January 1982. The station is owned and operated by ITV plc, under the licensee of ITV Broadcasting...
in Birmingham.
Actors included Lucy Benjamin
Lucy Benjamin
-Career:Born Lucy Jane Baker in Reading, Berkshire, England, she took the stage name of Benjamin after her brother. Benjamin trained at the Redroofs Theatre School in Maidenhead. Her first acting role was as a child actor in Doctor Who in 1983 playing a young version of the character Nyssa...
, Anna Chancellor
Anna Chancellor
-Family:Chancellor was born in Richmond, London, England, the daughter of the Hon. Mary Alice Jolliffe and John Paget Chancellor. Through her mother's mother, Lady Perdita Rose Mary Asquith, Chancellor is the great-granddaughter of The Hon. Raymond Aquith and the great-great-granddaughter of Prime...
, Jason Durr
Jason Durr
Jason Durr is an English actor, best known for his portrayal of PC/DC MichaelMike Bradley in the British Series Heartbeat from 1997 to 2003....
and Fay Masterson
Fay Masterson
Fay Masterson is an English film, television and video-game actress. She is also a voice actor.-Career:Masterson's performance career began as a dancer which she gave up at age 11 to attend the Brite Lites Academy in Eltham, Southeast London...
.
Name derivations
The standard unit of currency in the show was the ECUEuropean Currency Unit
The European Currency Unit was a basket of the currencies of the European Community member states, used as the unit of account of the European Community before being replaced by the euro on 1 January 1999, at parity. The ECU itself replaced the European Unit of Account, also at parity, on 13...
. The ECU was an internal accounting unit for the European Community until it was superseded by the Euro, an actual currency, in 2002.
The space station Ilea was named after the then-recently-abolished Inner London Education Authority
Inner London Education Authority
The Inner London Education Authority was the education authority for the 12 inner London boroughs from 1965 until its abolition in 1990.-History:...
.
The character Phillipe Gervais was named after associate producer Jane Fallon
Jane Fallon
Jane Fallon is the author of four bestselling novels - Getting Rid of Matthew , Got You Back , Foursome and The Ugly Sister...
's partner Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais
Ricky Dene Gervais is an English comedian, actor, director, radio presenter, producer, musician, and writer.Gervais achieved mainstream fame with his television series The Office and the subsequent series Extras, both of which he co-wrote and co-directed with friend and frequent collaborator...
.