A romantic sci-fi comedy following a man's interplanetary journey to win his beloved in a futuristic society.
Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
Hovering Romance Setup
J-21 navigates futuristic New York and faces marriage tribunal rejection. RT-42 introduces him to a revived time traveler, revealing a world of pills and vending machines. LN-18 fakes illness to stay behind, setting the stage for a romantic scheme.
Key Events
Hover Landing Encounter — J-21 lands and meets LN-18, discussing marriage issues. Characters: J-21, LN-18Location: New York
Marriage Tribunal Refusal — J-21's applications are rejected by the tribunal. Characters: J-21Location: Marriage Tribunal
Lightning Revival Experiment — Surgeons revive a man killed by lightning. Characters: RT-42, Single OLocation: Hospital
Futuristic World Revelation — The trio learns about aircraft, pills, and synthetic babies. Characters: RT-42, J-21, Single OLocation: Hospital
LN-18's Feigned Headache — LN-18 fakes illness to stay behind while others leave. Characters: LN-18Location: LN-18's Home
Drunken Blunder & Rocket Plan
The wooing attempt is sabotaged when Single O gets drunk on pill-highballs. Depressed, J-21 is contacted by scientist Z-4, who offers a rocket plane to Mars. A farewell party on the Pegasus air-liner launches the trio into space.
Key Events
LN-18's Feigned Headache — LN-18 fakes illness to stay behind while others leave. Characters: LN-18Location: LN-18's Home
The Wooing Attempt — RT-42 and J-21 arrive to woo D-6 and LN-18. Characters: RT-42, J-21, D-6, LN-18Location: LN-18's Home
Suspicious Return — MT-3 returns early due to suspicion, foiling the plan. Characters: LN-18Location: LN-18's Home
Single O's Drunken Blunder — Single O gets drunk and ruins the wooing scheme. Characters: Single O, J-21Location: LN-18's Home
Z-4's Rocket Proposal — Z-4 contacts J-21 about a three-man rocket to Mars. Characters: J-21, Z-4Location: Z-4's Lab
Pegasus Farewell Party — A farewell party is held before the rocket launch. Characters: J-21, RT-42, Single O, Z-4Location: Pegasus Air-liner
Mars Expedition & Twin Attack
The crew lands on Mars and is welcomed by King Loko. They attend a Martian opera featuring trained orangutans before being ambushed by evil twins. A frantic escape sequence brings them back to Earth safely.
Key Events
Pegasus Farewell Party — A farewell party is held before the rocket launch. Characters: J-21, RT-42, Single O, Z-4Location: Pegasus Air-liner
Mars Landing — The trio lands on Mars and meets King Loko. Characters: J-21, RT-42, Single OLocation: Mars
Martian Opera Performance — The guests watch a show featuring trained orangutans. Characters: J-21, RT-42, Single O, LokoLocation: Martian Palace
Twin Attack Ambush — Evil twins attack the Earthlings during the show. Characters: J-21, RT-42, Single OLocation: Martian Palace
Escape to Earth — The trio escapes Mars and returns to Earth. Characters: J-21, RT-42, Single OLocation: Space
Marriage Permission Granted — J-21 is permitted to marry LN-18 as a hero. Characters: J-21, LN-18Location: Earth
Triumphant Return & Reunions
J-21 earns marriage permission to LN-18 as a planetary hero. Single O finds emotional closure reuniting with his son. The couples celebrate their unions while Z-4 debriefs the successful mission.
Key Events
Marriage Permission Granted — J-21 is permitted to marry LN-18 as a hero. Characters: J-21, LN-18Location: Earth
Single O's Son Reunion — Single O is happily reunited with his aged son. Characters: Single OLocation: Earth
Pill-Highball Addiction Aftermath — The consequences of Single O's drinking are addressed. Characters: Single O, J-21Location: Earth
Z-4's Scientific Briefing — Z-4 explains the technical success of the mission. Characters: Z-4, J-21Location: Lab
Martian Twins Introduction — The antagonistic twins are formally introduced. Characters: LokoLocation: Mars
Final Wedding Celebration — J-21 and LN-18 celebrate their union. Characters: J-21, LN-18Location: Earth
New Life on Earth — The couples settle into their futuristic lives. Characters: J-21, LN-18, RT-42, D-6Location: Earth
Mission Debrief — The team reviews the successful Mars expedition. Characters: Z-4, J-21, RT-42Location: Lab
Story Breakdown
Futuristic World Setup — Establishes the 1980 setting with hover aircraft, pill-based nutrition, and synthetic reproduction systems.
Hover Aircraft Society — Cars are replaced by flying vehicles in New York.
Synthetic Life Pill System — Pills replace traditional food and liquor consumption.
Romantic Obstacles — J-21 faces bureaucratic and social barriers preventing his union with LN-18.
Marriage Tribunal Rejection — Official filings are denied by the governing body.
Forced Marriage Threat — LN-18 is pressured to wed the conceited MT-3.
The Mars Expedition — A scientific breakthrough enables an interplanetary journey to escape earthly troubles.
Rocket Plane Invention — Z-4 constructs a three-man vessel for space travel.
Stowaway Single O — The revived time traveler hides aboard for synthetic rum.
Martian Encounters — The crew experiences alien culture and faces immediate hostility from local rulers.
Royal Reception Ceremony — King Loko and Queen Looloo welcome the Earth guests.
Twin Attack Ambush — Evil twins disrupt the opera and threaten the visitors.
The Escape & Return — The trio navigates a dangerous retreat back to their home planet.
Quick Martian Escape — The rocket plane launches under hostile fire.
Heroic Permission Granted — J-21 earns marriage rights as a planetary pioneer.
Resolution & Reunions — All major conflicts are resolved through celebration and personal closure.
Wedding Celebration — J-21 and LN-18 officially unite in marriage.
Father-Son Reunion — Single O finds emotional peace with his aged son.
New York, 1980: airplanes have replaced cars, numbers have replaced names, pills have replaced food, government-arranged marriages have replaced love, and test tube babies have replaced ... well, you get the idea. Scientists revive a man struck by lightning in 1930; he is rechristened "Single O". He is befriended by J-21, who can't marry the girl of his dreams because he isn't "distinguished" enough -- until he is chosen for a 4-month expedition to Mars by a renegade scientist. The Mars J-21, his friend, and stowaway Single O visit is full of scantily clad women doing Busby Berkeley-style dance numbers and worshiping a fat middle-aged man.
