Captain Jet Morgan and his crew of Doc Matthews, engineer Mitch Mitchell and radio operator Lemmy Barnet are on board the flagship Discovery, leading a fleet of space ships. Their mission is to explore Mars, the mysterious and, as they believe, uninhabited red planet...

Journey into Space: The Red Planet follows on from the events that unfolded in Operation Luna. However, the narrative has been moved on and this series is set six years after Luna landed on the moon. Earth's largest natural satellite is now home to a base from which mankind is planning to launch its first mission to Mars.

Most of the main cast reprise their roles from the first series and composer Van Phillips also returns - reworking his music for Operation Luna as well as adding some fresh themes.

This series, which was originally broadcast between September and November 1954, introduces new characters including Frank Rogers and James Whitaker.

This 10 CD collection collects together all 20 episodes as well as including a ten minute Round Midnight interview with writer/producer Charles Chilton. Also included on CD 1 is a PDF file of a comprehensive 16-page booklet detailing the history of the series, with cast lists and episode guides.

As with the last collection, the first several episodes drag a little, and it takes some time for the drama to build. But, once The Red Planet gets going the action comes thick and fast.

This collection is slightly better produced and flows smoother than Operation Luna.

8

Nick Smithson