Editing Experiment in Terra (TV movie)

{{disline|For other items of the same name, see: [[Experiment in Terra (disambiguation)]]}}


{{Episode Data
| image=
| title=Experiment in Terra
| series=movies
| movie=2
| guests=
| writer= [[Glen A. Larson]]
| story=
| director= [[Rod Holcomb]]<br/>[[Ron Satlof]]<br/>[[Gene Palmer]]
| production=
| rating=
| dvd=
| extra= Telemovie on "[[Saga of a Star World]]," "[[Experiment in Terra]]," "[[The Return of Starbuck]]"
| prev=[[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]]
| next=[[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)]]
}}



: ''A longer, television-movie version of "[[Experiment in Terra]]" with scenes from other episodes, such as ''[[Galactica 1980]]'s'' "[[The Return of Starbuck]]".''

== Summary == 

''This section covers the '''differences''' between the series episode of "[[Experiment in Terra]]" and this television movie.''

[[File:Cylon in serpent form.jpg|thumb|A depiction of a reptilian, serpent Cylon from the "[[Experiment in Terra (TV movie)|Experiment in Terra]]" television movie.]]
=== Original Content ===

* A [[#Noteworthy dialogue|narration]] provided by [[Patrick Macnee]] provides an overview of [[Earth (TOS)|Earth]]'s explorations into the galaxy. 
* An astronaut (Ian DeLuca) happens across an object floating through space during [[Wikipedia:Extra-vehicular activity|EVA]]. Disregarding all safety precautions, he grabs the object, discovering it to be a written log book from the [[battlestar (TOS)|battlestar]] ''{{TOS|Galactica}}''.
* Returning to his ship, the astronaut reads through the log book (with narrations provided by [[Lorne Greene]]), which tells of the origins of the [[Cylons (TOS)|Cylons]] and the [[Thousand Yahren War]] with them. Adama explains about the recent events before the end of that war: the [[Battle of Molecay]], {{TOS|Baltar}}'s betrayal of humanity, the [[Battle of Cimtar]] and subsequent fall of, and exodus from, the [[The Twelve Colonies of Man|Twelve Colonies]].

== Content from "[[The Return of Starbuck]]" ==

* The bulk of the footage from the ''[[Galactica 1980]]'' episode "[[The Return of Starbuck]]" is included in this television movie release, except for anything relating to Doctor [[Zee]] or [[Angela]], and it is implied that Starbuck returned to the [[The Fleet (TOS)|Fleet]] in the ship he constructed.

=== Content not included in the episodic version of "[[Experiment in Terra]]" ===

* Several scenes deleted from episodic version of "[[Experiment in Terra]]," were added back in, including:
** {{TOS|Tigh}} suggests to {{TOS|Adama}} that they bypass [[Lunar 7]] and head toward [[Terra]]; Adama is reticent to do so, seeing as they do not have all the facts regarding the situation on Terra, and that both sides (the [[Nationalists]] and [[Eastern Alliance]]) could be in the wrong.
** After {{TOS|Apollo}}'s disappearance, {{TOS|Starbuck}} and {{TOS|Boomer}} discuss their options on whether or not to go looking for Apollo, particularly in light of the fact that they have barely enough fuel to complete their mission and return to ''{{TOS|Galactica}}''.
** A later scene provides six seconds of footage of Starbuck's Viper flying off, while Boomer rolls his eyes.
** After Apollo and Starbuck talk with [[General Maxwell]] and his aide, [[Stone]], there are various shots that include:
*** Terra as seen from space.
*** A desert on Terra.
*** The Eastern Alliance war room in an underground bunker.
*** Starbuck and [[Brenda Maxwell]] searching for the Vipers.
** After Brenda tells Starbuck that she doesn't know what to believe, he tells her to stop the vehicle. The action then switches to an extended scene of the speeches by [[Arends]], General Maxwell, and Apollo.

== Notes == 

* This TV movie is comprised of content derived from the episodes "[[Saga of a Star World]]," "[[The Magnificent Warriors]]," "[[Fire in Space]]," "[[Experiment in Terra]]," and ''[[Galactica 1980]]''{{'|s}} "[[The Super Scouts, Part I]]" and "[[The Return of Starbuck]]". The beginning act also has scenes spliced from "[[The Living Legend, Part I]]," in terms of closeups of the ''{{TOS|Pegasus}}''.
* The movie shows viewers the first depiction of organic Cylons, with {{TOS|Adama}} claiming that they are serpent-like beings.
* The [[Imperious Leader]] was created ''after'' the [[Centurion (TOS)|Centurion]]s. It is after the Imperious Leader's creation that the [[Thousand Yahren War]] began, thus leading to the slaughter of the original Cylons and everything else in the "star system".
* The [[Battle of Molecay]] is known as the last major defeat before the end of the Thousand Yahren War.
* The [[The Fleet (TOS)|Fleet]] is referred to as the "Galactican Fleet," a term used exclusively in ''[[Galactica 1980]]''.
* The attack on the freighter ''[[Delphi (ship)|Delphi]]'' is taken from "[[The Super Scouts, Part I]]".

== Analysis ==

* This movie version of "Experiment in Terra" clarifies that there were only five battlestars left by the end of the [[Thousand Yahren War]], ''{{TOS|Pegasus}}'' notwithstanding. 
* There are contradictions with the established information which arise from information already provided in the television series:
** The scenes of the [[Battle of Molecay]] are reused stock footage depicting the [[The Fleet (TOS)|Fleet]]; the [[Fifth Fleet]] would likely not have been comprised of civilian ships, like the freighter ''Gemini'' or the [[Colonial Movers]] ship.
** The scenes of a disheveled {{TOS|Baltar}} being presented to the succeeding [[Imperious Leader]] are explained as having happened ''before'' the [[Battle of Cimtar]]. It is implied that they had captured Baltar and subsequently released him based on his epistle. Of course, the footage is reused from the end of "[[Saga of a Star World]]," well after the [[Battle of Carillon]] and the death of the first Imperious Leader, hence Baltar's comment regarding the Imperious Leader's not knowing him and the Leader's comment about giving him command of a [[baseship (TOS)|baseship]] entirely under his command.
* The collage of footage provided indicates an interstellar spacefaring Terran culture, but still not one as advanced as the Colonials were prior to the Colonial holocaust.
*The odds are ''astronomically'' against humanity ever finding that log book floating through space. The universe is a ''large'' place and thus for a human (or anyone for that matter) ever finding that log book would have been next to impossible.  However, given the establishment of the [[Beings of Light]] and other forces outside of "human comprehension," the astronaut's "discovery" of the log book may have been the result of these external forces.

== Questions == 

* How long has {{TOS|Adama}}'s log book floated through space?
* Did ''Galactica'' ever reach Earth? Or was it destroyed just short of Earth and the logbook somehow survived intact?
* Was the flaw in the [[Imperious Leader]]'s programming deliberate or accidental?

== Official Statements ==

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

* {{audio|EIT_Opening_Monologue.mp3|''The opening credit dialogue done by Patrick Macnee:''}}
: '''[[Patrick Macnee]]''': There are those who believe that life here on [[Earth (TOS)|Earth]] began out there. Far across the universe with tribes of humans, who may have been the forefathers of the Egyptians, or the Toltecs, or the Mayans, that they may have been the architects of the great pyramids, or the lost civilizations of [[w:Lemuria|Lemuria]] or [[w:Atlantis|Atlantis]]. Again and again we launched our spacecraft into the solar system to probe and search for a planet having the same composition as our Earth. The planet with the air and water so essential to life, as well as the necessary geological processes. A planet from which extraterrestrial visitors to Earth might live, or might once have lived, and although it became more apparent with each space exploration that such a planet could exist, it always eluded us.
: It was on one such routine expedition that the astronaut, [indiscernible], accidentally saw an object floating in space. Disregarding the space hazards, he retrieved the object, which upon examination proved to be a log book from the [[battlestar (TOS)|battlestar]] ''{{TOS|Galactica}}''.
: It was the first documented proof that life as we know it, as well as other forms, exist or existed in the galaxy. But in the galaxy, as on Earth, where ever mankind is present, love and warfare prevail, as well as mankind's dream of everlasting peace.
* {{audio|EIT extended Greene voiceover.mp3|''The astronaut reads from Adama's log book, learning the events that lead up to the Colonials' exodus from the Twelve Colonies, as narrated by Adama:''}}
: '''{{TOS|Adama}}''': In case we do not survive, this is a true record of [[Thousand Yahren War|the war]] between the [[Cylons (TOS)|Cylon]] [[Centurion (TOS)|Centurion]]s and the [[The Twelve Colonies of Man|human race]] in the star system. Commander Adama, Battlestar ''Galactica''.
: Somewhere in sometime in our galaxy, there evolved an intelligent race of serpents known as Cylons. First they created machines of super-intelligence: the Cylon Centurions. Then they created the ultimate in machinery technology, the ruler known as the [[Imperious Leader]]. But due to a slight error in their programming, the Imperious Leader turned against his creators and ordered his subjects to exterminate all human life forms. Thus began a war with the Cylon Centurions that erased all of the human race in the star system. 
: One of our greatest defeats was the [[Battle of Molecay]]. The [[Fifth Fleet]], including its flagship, the ''{{TOS|Pegasus}}'', under our great military leader Commander [[Cain (TOS)|Cain]] was destroyed.
: ''After a battle alleging to depict the Battle of Molecay:''
: Now there remains only one fleet of warships consisting of five flying battlestars, with the flagship, battlestar ''Galactica'', under my command, to protect the tired and weary Twelve Colonies.
: ''After the new Imperious Leader spares {{TOS|Baltar}}'s life to explain to the humans his policy of tolerance:''
: Unexpectedly, the Cylon Centurions sued for peace, asking for an armistice conference. They chose the ruthless and treacherous Baltar as their liaison. And unknown to our intelligence force was Baltar's bargain with the Cylons, whereby he would rule over our colonies after we were conquered. Nor were we or Baltar aware of the Cylons' real plans. 
: ''After Adama warns [[Adar (TOS)|Adar]] of the incoming ships, which attack the battlestar fleet:''
: And so we were taken by surprise as a thousand Cylon Centurions attacked and engaged our fleet [[Battle of Cimtar|in battle]].
: In order to protect our [[The Twelve Colonies of Man|colonies]], I left the [[Viper (TOS)|fighter craft]] to defend the fleet and turned the battlestar ''Galactica'' toward our planet home base, [[Caprica (TOS)|Caprica]]. Unfortunately, while our fleet was under attack, a greater force of Cylon Centurions attacked our home planets and completely destroyed all Twelve Colonies.
: The problems of this time seem almost insurmountable: we're short of fuel, water, and food. But worst of all we no longer have a home planet. After much deliberation, I've decided to set course in search of the only remaining outpost and colony of humanity in the universe. Now so that mankind in our galaxy can survive I shall someway, somehow seek out that [[Thirteenth Colony]] which lies far beyond our star system. A planet called Earth.
: My immediate problem is to obtain food for the survivors and fuel for the ships, without endangering my people or my [[The Fleet (TOS)|Fleet]]. [[Carillon]] is the only logical answer. It's an old mining outpost abandoned by the Cylons, but that too presents hazards. It is well known that the Cylons mined the [[Straits of Madagon|only passage way]] to Carillon. I have no choice but to clear a channel.

== Guest Stars ==

: ''As ordered by the beginning credits.''

* [[Lorne Greene]] as Commander {{TOS|Adama}}
* [[Richard Hatch]] as Captain {{TOS|Apollo}}
* [[Dirk Benedict]] as Lieutenant {{TOS|Starbuck}}
* [[Herb Jefferson Jr.]] as Lieutenant {{TOS|Boomer}}
* [[Maren Jensen]] as {{TOS|Athena}}
* [[Tony Swartz]] as {{TOS|Jolly}}
* [[Terry Carter]] as Colonel {{TOS|Tigh}}
* [[Melody Anderson]] as [[Brenda Maxwell]]
* [[Lew Ayres]] as President [[Adar (TOS)|Adar]]
* [[John Colicos]] as {{TOS|Baltar}}
* [[Peter D. MacLean]] as President [[Arends]]
* [[Nehemiah Persoff]] as [[Supreme Commandant]]
* [[Logan Ramsey]] as [[Moore]]
* [[Ken Swofford]] as [[General Maxwell]]
* [[Edward Mulhare]] as [[John]]


: ''Others that are not (apparently) credited.''

* [[Patrick Macnee]] as Narrator/[[Imperious Leader]] <!-- Not credited in opening credits. -->
* [[Rex Cutter]] as [[Cy|"Cy"]]
* [[Gary Owens]] as [[Cy|"Cy"]] (voice)
* [[Ellen Gerken]] as Girl on Bridge (credited as "Ellen Gurkin")


'''For more Galactica telemovies, see [[TV movies]]'''

== External Links ==

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DE02tqgVxQ&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL Origin of the Cylons from the "Experiment in Terra" telemovie - YouTube]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Episode list (Movies)}}