Editing Experiment in Terra
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{{Episode Data | {{Episode Data | ||
| image = Experiment_in_Terra.jpg | | image = Experiment_in_Terra.jpg | ||
| title= Experiment in Terra | | title= Experiment in Terra | ||
| series= tos | | series= tos | ||
| | | season= | ||
| episode= 19 | | episode= 19 | ||
| guests= | | guests= | ||
| writer= [[Glen A. Larson]] | | writer= [[Glen A. Larson]] | ||
| story= | | story= | ||
| director= [ | | director= [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Rod+Holcomb Rod Holcomb] | ||
| production= 50928 | | production= 50928 | ||
| rating= | | rating= | ||
| US airdate= 1979-03-18 | | US airdate= 1979-03-18 | ||
| UK airdate= | | UK airdate= | ||
| Line 20: | Line 18: | ||
| prev= [[Baltar's Escape]] | | prev= [[Baltar's Escape]] | ||
| next= [[Take the Celestra]] | | next= [[Take the Celestra]] | ||
}} | }} | ||
== Overview == | |||
:''The mysterious bright lights return again, transporting the bewildered [[Apollo (TOS)|Apollo]] to the planet Terra to avert war with the [[Eastern Alliance]]. Exposing a plan by the devious president, Apollo has [[Starbuck (TOS)|Starbuck]] warn ''Galactica'', which lends the protective powers of its shields to avoid planetary holocaust.'' | |||
:''The | |||
== Summary == | == Summary == | ||
*While on a recon patrol with [[Blue Squadron]] searching for an [[Eastern Alliance]] [[Eastern Alliance destroyer|destroyer]], Captain | *While on a recon patrol with [[Blue Squadron]] searching for an [[Eastern Alliance]] [[Eastern Alliance destroyer|destroyer]], Captain [[Apollo (TOS)|Apollo]]'s [[Viper (TOS)|Viper]] is again waylaid by the [[Beings of Light]] and brought aboard their [[Ship of Lights|ship.]] | ||
*There he is told by [[John]] that he needs to help [[Terra]] and stop a war. Due to their lack of a substantive, corporeal form, they are unable to affect changes without need of a proxy (what Apollo sees is a projection or representation of their spirit). Apollo is also told by John that to the Terrans he will appear to be a missing warrior named Colonel [[Charlie Watts]], to allow him some credibility during his attempts. After this encounter, Apollo wakes up near Terra, an incredible distance from his previous position, and well outside the Vipers' fuel range for a safe return to ''Galactica''. | *There he is told by [[John]] that he needs to help [[Terra]] and stop a war. Due to their lack of a substantive, corporeal form, they are unable to affect changes without need of a proxy (what Apollo sees is a projection or representation of their spirit). Apollo is also told by John that to the Terrans he will appear to be a missing warrior named Colonel [[Charlie Watts]], to allow him some credibility during his attempts. After this encounter, Apollo wakes up near Terra, an incredible distance from his previous position, and well outside the Vipers' fuel range for a safe return to ''Galactica''. | ||
* | *[[Starbuck (TOS)|Starbuck]] and [[Boomer (TOS)|Boomer]] detect Apollo's distress signal at extreme range. Starbuck goes to help Apollo, while Boomer returns to ''[[Galactica (TOS)|Galactica]]''. | ||
*Apollo is picked up after landing on Terra by [[Brenda Maxwell]] who was Charlie Watts' girlfriend and they return to her apartment. John again appears to Apollo and advises him he needs to reveal the truth about [[Lunar One]]. Whilst he is doing so, Brenda notifies the authorities of "Charlie's" return, believing him to need medical attention. Soon Officer [[Brace]] arrives and Apollo is taken into custody, and subsequently examined by Doctor [[Horning]]. | *Apollo is picked up after landing on Terra by [[Brenda Maxwell]] who was Charlie Watts' girlfriend and they return to her apartment. John again appears to Apollo and advises him he needs to reveal the truth about [[Lunar One]]. Whilst he is doing so, Brenda notifies the authorities of "Charlie's" return, believing him to need medical attention. Soon Officer [[Brace]] arrives and Apollo is taken into custody, and subsequently examined by Doctor [[Horning]]. | ||
*Back on ''Galactica'' Commander | *Back on ''Galactica'' Commander [[Adama (TOS)|Adama]] decides that the [[battlestar (TOS)|battlestar]] will temporarily leave the [[the Fleet (TOS)|fleet]] to investigate the beacon signal sent by both Apollo and Starbuck's Viper's, leaving behind two full squadrons of fighters to protect the civilians. | ||
*Starbuck, having landed and found Apollo's Viper, gets into a gun fight with the local security force, stunning them all. He then sets off to find Apollo. | *Starbuck, having landed and found Apollo's Viper, gets into a gun fight with the local security force, stunning them all. He then sets off to find Apollo. | ||
*After a brief discussion with John, Starbuck rescues Apollo, Brenda and her father [[General Maxwell]] who have just been imprisoned by Brace for questioning the [[Arends|Nationalist President's]] decisions regarding the Eastern Alliance. Brenda and General Maxwell realise what Apollo has been saying is true... he is not Charlie Watts. | *After a brief discussion with John, Starbuck rescues Apollo, Brenda and her father [[General Maxwell]] who have just been imprisoned by Brace for questioning the [[Arends|Nationalist President's]] decisions regarding the Eastern Alliance. Brenda and General Maxwell realise what Apollo has been saying is true... he is not Charlie Watts. | ||
*The Leaders of the Eastern Alliance confirm their plans to launch a surprise attack on the Nationalists whilst at the same time, in the Nationalist | *The Leaders of the Eastern Alliance confirm their plans to launch a surprise attack on the Nationalists whilst at the same time, in the Nationalist Presidium, The President announces that a peace agreement with the Eastern Alliance has just been reached. Starbuck and Brenda Maxwell leave to retrieve Starbuck's Viper. | ||
*The attack is begun, the Nationalist's missiles being automatically launched after detection of the Eastern Alliance's surprise move. ''Galactica'' arrives, and following Starbuck's instructions uses its weapons to destroy all missiles from both sides. This surprise turn of events forces the Eastern Alliance to sue for peace. | *The attack is begun, the Nationalist's missiles being automatically launched after detection of the Eastern Alliance's surprise move. ''Galactica'' arrives, and following Starbuck's instructions uses its weapons to destroy all missiles from both sides. This surprise turn of events forces the Eastern Alliance to sue for peace. | ||
*John spirits Apollo away from he | *John spirits Apollo away from he Presidium so he does not have to answer any questions from the President and General Maxwell. John then goes on to confirm to Apollo that Terra is not [[Earth]], and their search for the [[Thirteenth Tribe (TOS)|Thirteenth Tribe]] will continue. | ||
== | == Questions == | ||
*Why do the Beings of Light need proxies to do their bidding? Surely an advanced race would have resolved a more elegant solution than co-opting "primitives" for their needs? | |||
*Bearing in mind the interest the Beings of Light had with the Terrans, did the Beings of Light share this same interest and concern in the Colonials before or during the [[Thousand-Yahren War]]? | |||
*Why does ''[[Galactica (TOS)|Galactica]]'' leave the Fleet defenseless to protect Terra, particularly in lieu of Adama's comments in "The Living Legend", where Adama voices opposition to attacking [[Gamoray]] because it would leave the Fleet defenseless from a Cylon killing force? | |||
*Are the Cylons still pursuing the Fleet? If they are, will they too happen across Terra and likely destroy that civilization? | |||
== | == Analysis == | ||
* "Experiment in Terra" finishes off the arc started with "[[Greetings from Earth]]". It also serves as the last time the [[Beings of Light]] are seen in the entire series run, though this element will be reintroduced in "[[The Return of Starbuck]]", the final episode of ''[[Galactica 1980]]''. | |||
* The episode was originally intended to be primarily about [[Starbuck (TOS)|Starbuck]], until it was rewritten for [[Apollo (TOS)|Apollo]] due to [[Richard Hatch]]'s instance on having an episode focusing on his character, hence the shift in characterization in Starbuck and Apollo. This is understandable since a majority of the stand-alone character-driven episodes have focused on Starbuck: "[[The Long Patrol]]", "[[Murder on the Rising Star]]", and "[[The Man With Nine Lives]]". | |||
* The episode | |||
* Many of the plot elements introduced in "Greetings from Earth" are closed in the episode, prime among them being the question of whether [[Terra]] is indeed the [[Earth (TOS)|Thirteenth Colony]]. However, the [[Lunar Colonies]] mentioned in both this episode and "Greetings" are never seen. The conditions on the Lunar Colonies, now apparently controlled by the Eastern Alliance, are merely word-of-mouth, forcing the viewer to presume much of what has happened on these Lunar settlements. Of course, the plight of these Colonies, from where [[Michael]] and [[Sarah Fowler]] (and children) came, is seemingly written as an afterthought. | |||
* | * Much of the episode is an allegory of the [[w:Cold War|Cold War]], with [[w:fascism|fascism]] taking the place of [[w:Communism|Communism]] in the form of the [[Eastern Alliance]]. | ||
* This episode also reintroduces the concept of governmental authority as horribly flawed and inept, a recurring theme that has stuck with the series since "[[Saga of a Star World]]" and the episodes that have dealt with the [[Quorum of Twelve (TOS)|Quorum of Twelve]]. Interestingly enough, this theme has been running through the entire arc, from the Quorum's handling of affairs in "Greetings" to their removal of martial law (and diminishing [[Adama (TOS)|Adama]]'s authority) in "[[Baltar's Escape]]". As was the case in both episodes, it takes Adama and the [[Warrior]]s under his command to correct the errors in judgment, thus reinstilling the message that a strong military authority can right the wrongs of government. | |||
* | |||
* The teasing in the series thus far has reinforced the fact that there is, indeed, another group of humans in the galaxy. Whether these humans are descendants of the Thirteenth Tribe that left Kobol ages ago is still very much in question, though it is something that viewers are to assume. | * The teasing in the series thus far has reinforced the fact that there is, indeed, another group of humans in the galaxy. Whether these humans are descendants of the Thirteenth Tribe that left Kobol ages ago is still very much in question, though it is something that viewers are to assume. | ||
== | == Notes == | ||
* This is the last episode of a three episode arc, consisting of "[[Greetings from Earth]]", "[[Baltar's Escape]]", and "Experiment in Terra". | |||
* | *The Presidium on Terra was the French pavilion left over from [[Wikipedia:Expo '67|Expo '67]]. It is one of the few buildings from the fair still standing. It is now [[Wikipedia:Montreal Casino|Le Casino de Montréal]]. | ||
* | *The same stock shot of Le Casino de Montréal in this episode appears to also have been used for the Earth Defence Directorate on [[Wikipedia:Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (TV series)|Buck Rogers in the 25th Century]]. | ||
* | *Some scenes of this episode were filmed at night at the [[Wikipedia:Vasquez_Rocks|Vasquez Rocks]], notably the scene where Starbuck lands his Viper on Terra. | ||
*"[[w:Charlie Watts|Charlie Watts]]" is also the name of the drummer for the British rock group [[w:The Rolling Stones|The Rolling Stones]]. It is rumored but unconfirmed that Larsen had the character named after Watts as a tribute to his reportedly being a fan of the show.{{citation needed}} | |||
* '' | *The "white uniforms" were reused in ''[[Galactica 1980]]'' as part of the "time travel" effect employed in the series. | ||
== Noteworthy Dialogue == | |||
* ''Upon learning that the Vipers are transmitting emergency beacons near Terra'' | |||
* ''Upon learning that the Vipers are transmitting emergency beacons near Terra | |||
:'''Adama''': Tigh, plot a course for Terra. | :'''Adama''': Tigh, plot a course for Terra. | ||
:'''Tigh''': What velocity, sir? | :'''Tigh''': What velocity, sir? | ||
:'''Adama''': [[Lightspeed]]. | :'''Adama''': [[Lightspeed]]. | ||
:'''Tigh''': Sir, it has been some time since ''Galactica'' has been pushed | :'''Tigh''': Sir, it has been some time since the ''Galactica'' has been pushed to- | ||
:'''Adama''': Lightspeed, Colonel. | :'''Adama''': Lightspeed, Colonel. | ||
:'''Tigh''': Yes, sir. | :'''Tigh''': Yes, sir. | ||
* ''Upon learning the Eastern Alliance has launched a nuclear attack | * ''Upon learning the Eastern Alliance has launched a nuclear attack'' | ||
:'''President Arends''': Well uh ... that's impossible. I have this treaty ... | :'''President Arends''': Well uh...that's impossible. I have this treaty...... | ||
:'''General Maxwell''': Well frame it! But hurry! | :'''General Maxwell''': Well frame it! But hurry!! | ||
== Official Statements == | == Official Statements == | ||
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== Guest Stars == | == Guest Stars == | ||
*[[Melody Anderson]] as [[Brenda Maxwell]] | *[[imdb:nm0000758|Melody Anderson]] as [[Brenda Maxwell]] | ||
*[[Peter D. | *[[imdb:nm0533806|Peter D. Maclean]] as [[Arends|President Arends]] | ||
*[[Edward Mulhare]] as [[John]] | *[[Edward Mulhare]] as [[John]] | ||
*[[Nehemiah Persoff]] as | *[[imdb:nm0675490|Nehemiah Persoff]] as Eastern Alliance Leader | ||
*[[Logan Ramsey]] as [[Moore]] | *[[imdb:nm0709029|Logan Ramsey]] as [[Moore]] | ||
*[[Ken Swofford]] as [[General Maxwell]] | *[[imdb:nm0842855|Ken Swofford]] as [[General Maxwell]] | ||
*[[Sidney Clute]] as [[Stone]] | *[[imdb:nm0167368|Sidney Clute]] as [[Stone]] | ||
*[[ | *[[imdb:nm0528373|Kenneth Lynch]] as [[Horning|Dr. Horning]] | ||
*[[imdb:nm0722468|Jordan Rhodes]] as [[Brace]] | *[[imdb:nm0722468|Jordan Rhodes]] as [[Brace]] | ||
*[[John de Lancie]] as Officer | *[[imdb:nm0209496|John de Lancie]] as Officer | ||
*[[imdb:nm0547501|Russ Marin]] as | *[[imdb:nm0547501|Russ Marin]] as Alliance Member | ||
*[[Milt Jamin]] as | *[[imdb:nm0417158|Milt Jamin]] as Alliance Leader | ||
{{Episode List (TOS)}} | {{Episode List (TOS)}} | ||
[[Category:A to Z]] | [[Category:A to Z|Experiment in Terra (TOS)]] | ||
[[Category:Episode Guide (TOS)]] | [[Category:TOS|Experiment in Terra (TOS)]] | ||
[[Category:Episode Guide (TOS)|Experiment in Terra (TOS)]] | |||
[[Category:Episodes written by Glen A. Larson]] | [[Category:Episodes written by Glen A. Larson]] | ||
[[Category:Episodes directed by Rod Holcomb]] | [[Category:Episodes directed by Rod Holcomb]] | ||