Battlestar Wiki - User contributions [en]

The Money Machine

2025-03-03T12:19:59Z

Galactica1981: /* References */

{{unproduced|universe=1980}}
{{Episode Data
| image=
| title=The Money Machine
| series=1980
| season=
| episode=
| unproduced=y
| guests=
| writer=Alan S. Godfrey
| story=
| director=
| production=
| prev=[[A Flight For Life]]
| next=[[The Battle of Troy]]
| extra=
}}

== Overview ==

First Draft: March 15, 1980

Six young children walk down a city street. A black limousine drives past them and comes to a stop at Banion’s Flower Shop. A man steps out and carries a large plastic flower bag to the back entrance of the shop and sets them down at the right side of the door. The man walks back to the limousine, gets in, and it drives off. The back door of the flower shop opens and a boy in his late teens named Chico Gorcey emerges with a plastic flower bag just like the one that was just placed there. He leaves his bag on the left side, not noticing the other bag on the right, and then goes back inside. His brothers, Tommy and Jimmy, both around the same age as him, are in the showroom taking inventory. The three of them are affiliated with the mafia, but they are better described as bumbling wannabees than evil henchmen. They are waiting for money to be dropped off, not realizing that it already has. The six young children arrive at the back door, and the brothers let them take three bags of flowers that they will try to sell. One of the bags they take is the one with the money in it.

Troy and Dillon arrive on their Galactica motorcycles and park in front of the U.B.S. television station. Troy explains to Dillon how to use a parking meter, saying that a quarter is equal to “one-fourth of a dollar.” They see the kids selling flowers and decide to approach them. One boy, Toulouse, is really impressed with their bikes. Troy offers Toulouse a quick ride on the bike in exchange for a bag of flowers. Toulouse agrees, and Troy drives him around the corner.

When they return, Jamie and an attractive blonde named Lucy Carr are walking out of the building. Lucy scolds Troy for allowing a child to ride on the back of his bike. As it turns out, the children all live with Lucy in a foster home. Jamie suggests to Troy that the flowers would make good decorations on the Galactica. Troy agrees to buy them if Jamie will come with them back to the Galactica to help decorate. She agrees. Troy buys all the flowers, and they drive off to their parked vipers which are hidden in an invisibility field.

The vipers take off with Jamie in Troy’s viper. After they reach outer space, Jamie discovers a large amount of money in one of the flower bags. They then encounter a Cylon patrol consisting of five Cylon Raiders. Dillon tells Troy to escape so as not to endanger Jamie, but she insists they stay together. They quickly destroy two of the Cylon raiders, and two more flee. But the last one manages to score a hit on Troy’s viper, causing severe damage. Dillon destroys the raider, ending the Cylon threat.

Troy’s smoking viper makes an emergency landing in the Galactica’s landing bay. Troy and Jamie quickly get out and run. Moments later, the viper explodes in a large ball of flame.

Back on Earth, the three Gorcey brothers realize the money they were supposed to receive is missing. They shudder because the mafia leader known as The Man is on his way over.

A hearse containing the three Gorcey brothers drives down the street. A limousine comes in the opposite direction and blocks them, forcing them to come to a screeching halt. The Man, who is old, and two large henchmen get out of the limo. They demand to know where the money is. Desperate for an excuse, the brothers decide to lie, telling him that a rival gang is moving in on his territory and that they held them up and took the money. They say the gang is headed by a woman named Lucy and that the name of the gang is Lucy’s Kids. The Man is skeptical of their story, and he gives them only one chance to get the money back. He also tells them that the money is counterfeit.

On the Galactica, Troy tells Dr. Zee about the money they found that was lost in the explosion. Troy wants to return the money to whoever it belongs to. He gives Zee the one bill they were able to salvage. Zee decides to build a money machine that can print money, but for security reasons it will be voice activated. And only Troy will be able to activate it by saying the phrase: Give me money. Also, the device will be built using Earth materials in order to disguise its alien technology.

Later, at Lucy’s house, the Gorcey brothers have cornered three of the children. Troy and Dillon are also there, invisible, watching and listening. The brothers tell them to bring the ten thousand dollars to the flower shop that night… or else! They leave.

Lucy enters and can tell that by the children’s faces that something is wrong. There is a knock on the front door. They open it to find Troy and Dillon. Troy is carrying a briefcase with several wires and a small lightbulb attached to it. They tell the kids they want to help them and ask to use the bathroom upstairs. When they go upstairs, they actually go into the attic. The kids follow with a cassette recorder and start recording outside the door.

Troy says “Give me the money.” The machine activates, lighting up until it is totally surrounded by an incandescent glow. An aura of light resembling a beautiful rainbow exudes from the machine, and then it begins to print twenty-dollar bills.

Later, Troy and Dillon and one of the kids named Tony arrive at the flower shop. Tony knocks on the door. It opens and the three Gorcey brothers let them in.

Back at the house, the rest of the kids are in the attic and looking at the money machine. Somehow, they deduce that Troy and Dillon used the machine to create the money that was handed over.

Back at the flower shop, Troy and Dillon give the Gorcey brothers ten thousand dollars. Back at the house, one of the kids uses the cassette recorder to play back the recording of Troy saying, “Give me the money.” The machine activates and starts printing money. All the kids watch with a look of complete awe on their faces.

That night, The Man and his two henchmen arrive at the flower shop. The Gorcey brothers give him them the money. The Man looks over the money and realizes that it is counterfeit money, but it isn’t his counterfeit money. It is actually a much better quality than what he produces. But the bills all have the same serial number so that is what gives them away as being counterfeit. The Man demands that the brothers get him the plates… or else!!!

The next day, the kids are in a department store, and there is a montage of them buying presents for Lucy, the house and themselves. Later, Troy, Dillon and Jamie walk up to the front door of Lucy’s house and hear laughter inside. They knock on the door.

They are let inside. Lucy thanks them for their donation to the school which confuses them. The kids eventually confess and admit that they used the money machine. Troy decides that they need to buy back all the counterfeit bills. Outside, the Gorcey brothers are listening to all this.

Next, there is a montage of Troy, Dillon, Jamie and the children at the department store buying back all the phony bills by looking for the matching serial number. They visit three different departments. All the salespeople and customers look at them like they’re crazy.

Back at Lucy’s house, the Gorcey brothers somehow sneak into Lucy’s attic. They find the briefcase and guess that it must be the money machine. They leave with it.

Outside the department store, Jamie complains to Troy and Dillon that she is now broke because they used her own money to buy back the counterfeit bills. They and the children walk off.

At the flower shop, the Gorcey brothers show the money machine to The Man but they can’t figure out how to activate it. Back at Lucy’s house, Troy, Dillon, Jamie and the kids enter the attic only to discover that the money machine is gone. The kids somehow guess that the Gorcey brothers took it. They all decide to go to the flower shop.

At the flower shop, The Man concludes that the gang called Lucy’s Kids must be pros if they own a device like this, so he decides to call in some real heavyweights to deal with them. They all leave. Afterwards, Troy and Dillon arrive to find the flower shop deserted. They realize that Lucy could be in danger, so they decide to head back to the house.

Lucy is outside her house when a limousine pulls up. Someone inside asks if her name is Lucy. When she says yes, she is taken prisoner and whisked away in the limo.

Later, the Gorcey brothers walk up to Lucy’s house and knock on the door. Troy, Dillon and the children are inside. They let them in. The Gorcey brothers tell them that The Man has taken things too far and they now want to help rescue Lucy who is being held hostage at an amusement park.

The children and the Gorcey brothers pile into a hearse and are led by Troy and Dillon on their motorbikes.

At the amusement park, a Merry-Go-Round is going round and round with Lucy tied to one of the horses. She tells The Man that she doesn’t know how to turn on the machine.

Troy, Dillon and the kids arrive and there is a big showdown. The action occurs not just at the Merry-Go-Round but also the House of Mirrors and the Fun House. The children jump on backs, beat on heads, kick a few shins. The Gorcey brothers use teamwork like the flying wedge, the human battering ram, and the bend over behind the heavy while my brother pushes you over me trick. Troy and Dillon barely have to get involved.

Suddenly, the police and a SWAT team arrive, but the children have already won the fight. Troy picks up the money machine, hands it to The Man, and with a little help from Troy and Dillon on either side, The Man starts walking towards the SWAT team. As he is walking, Troy and Dillon turn invisible and continue to guide him until he is captured. They then escape.

Later, everyone is at the police station. While the Gorcey brothers are bragging about their recent heroics, Troy and Dillon turn invisible. Lucy wonders where they’ve gone and mentions she would like to see them again.

Troy and Dillon, still invisible, walk towards the exit door. Dillon mentions he would like to see Lucy again. Troy says he will, because they’re going to need more flowers for decorating the Galactica.<ref>https://freegalacticafanfictionnovels.weebly.com/the-money-machine.html</ref>

== Notes ==

* Galactica 1980 story editors Allan Cole and Chris Bunch: "We thought the script was a stone scream, but (Frank) Lupo read it and Hated it. Don't think it even got as far as Larson."<ref>''Galactica Sci-Fi Television Series Revisited.'' Alpha Control Press, 1995.</ref>
* If this script had been produced, it would no doubt have been in the running for the Worst Episode award.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Unproduced episode list}}

The Money Machine

2025-03-03T12:13:20Z

Galactica1981:

{{unproduced|universe=1980}}
{{Episode Data
| image=
| title=The Money Machine
| series=1980
| season=
| episode=
| unproduced=y
| guests=
| writer=Alan S. Godfrey
| story=
| director=
| production=
| prev=[[A Flight For Life]]
| next=[[The Battle of Troy]]
| extra=
}}

== Overview ==

First Draft: March 15, 1980

Six young children walk down a city street. A black limousine drives past them and comes to a stop at Banion’s Flower Shop. A man steps out and carries a large plastic flower bag to the back entrance of the shop and sets them down at the right side of the door. The man walks back to the limousine, gets in, and it drives off. The back door of the flower shop opens and a boy in his late teens named Chico Gorcey emerges with a plastic flower bag just like the one that was just placed there. He leaves his bag on the left side, not noticing the other bag on the right, and then goes back inside. His brothers, Tommy and Jimmy, both around the same age as him, are in the showroom taking inventory. The three of them are affiliated with the mafia, but they are better described as bumbling wannabees than evil henchmen. They are waiting for money to be dropped off, not realizing that it already has. The six young children arrive at the back door, and the brothers let them take three bags of flowers that they will try to sell. One of the bags they take is the one with the money in it.

Troy and Dillon arrive on their Galactica motorcycles and park in front of the U.B.S. television station. Troy explains to Dillon how to use a parking meter, saying that a quarter is equal to “one-fourth of a dollar.” They see the kids selling flowers and decide to approach them. One boy, Toulouse, is really impressed with their bikes. Troy offers Toulouse a quick ride on the bike in exchange for a bag of flowers. Toulouse agrees, and Troy drives him around the corner.

When they return, Jamie and an attractive blonde named Lucy Carr are walking out of the building. Lucy scolds Troy for allowing a child to ride on the back of his bike. As it turns out, the children all live with Lucy in a foster home. Jamie suggests to Troy that the flowers would make good decorations on the Galactica. Troy agrees to buy them if Jamie will come with them back to the Galactica to help decorate. She agrees. Troy buys all the flowers, and they drive off to their parked vipers which are hidden in an invisibility field.

The vipers take off with Jamie in Troy’s viper. After they reach outer space, Jamie discovers a large amount of money in one of the flower bags. They then encounter a Cylon patrol consisting of five Cylon Raiders. Dillon tells Troy to escape so as not to endanger Jamie, but she insists they stay together. They quickly destroy two of the Cylon raiders, and two more flee. But the last one manages to score a hit on Troy’s viper, causing severe damage. Dillon destroys the raider, ending the Cylon threat.

Troy’s smoking viper makes an emergency landing in the Galactica’s landing bay. Troy and Jamie quickly get out and run. Moments later, the viper explodes in a large ball of flame.

Back on Earth, the three Gorcey brothers realize the money they were supposed to receive is missing. They shudder because the mafia leader known as The Man is on his way over.

A hearse containing the three Gorcey brothers drives down the street. A limousine comes in the opposite direction and blocks them, forcing them to come to a screeching halt. The Man, who is old, and two large henchmen get out of the limo. They demand to know where the money is. Desperate for an excuse, the brothers decide to lie, telling him that a rival gang is moving in on his territory and that they held them up and took the money. They say the gang is headed by a woman named Lucy and that the name of the gang is Lucy’s Kids. The Man is skeptical of their story, and he gives them only one chance to get the money back. He also tells them that the money is counterfeit.

On the Galactica, Troy tells Dr. Zee about the money they found that was lost in the explosion. Troy wants to return the money to whoever it belongs to. He gives Zee the one bill they were able to salvage. Zee decides to build a money machine that can print money, but for security reasons it will be voice activated. And only Troy will be able to activate it by saying the phrase: Give me money. Also, the device will be built using Earth materials in order to disguise its alien technology.

Later, at Lucy’s house, the Gorcey brothers have cornered three of the children. Troy and Dillon are also there, invisible, watching and listening. The brothers tell them to bring the ten thousand dollars to the flower shop that night… or else! They leave.

Lucy enters and can tell that by the children’s faces that something is wrong. There is a knock on the front door. They open it to find Troy and Dillon. Troy is carrying a briefcase with several wires and a small lightbulb attached to it. They tell the kids they want to help them and ask to use the bathroom upstairs. When they go upstairs, they actually go into the attic. The kids follow with a cassette recorder and start recording outside the door.

Troy says “Give me the money.” The machine activates, lighting up until it is totally surrounded by an incandescent glow. An aura of light resembling a beautiful rainbow exudes from the machine, and then it begins to print twenty-dollar bills.

Later, Troy and Dillon and one of the kids named Tony arrive at the flower shop. Tony knocks on the door. It opens and the three Gorcey brothers let them in.

Back at the house, the rest of the kids are in the attic and looking at the money machine. Somehow, they deduce that Troy and Dillon used the machine to create the money that was handed over.

Back at the flower shop, Troy and Dillon give the Gorcey brothers ten thousand dollars. Back at the house, one of the kids uses the cassette recorder to play back the recording of Troy saying, “Give me the money.” The machine activates and starts printing money. All the kids watch with a look of complete awe on their faces.

That night, The Man and his two henchmen arrive at the flower shop. The Gorcey brothers give him them the money. The Man looks over the money and realizes that it is counterfeit money, but it isn’t his counterfeit money. It is actually a much better quality than what he produces. But the bills all have the same serial number so that is what gives them away as being counterfeit. The Man demands that the brothers get him the plates… or else!!!

The next day, the kids are in a department store, and there is a montage of them buying presents for Lucy, the house and themselves. Later, Troy, Dillon and Jamie walk up to the front door of Lucy’s house and hear laughter inside. They knock on the door.

They are let inside. Lucy thanks them for their donation to the school which confuses them. The kids eventually confess and admit that they used the money machine. Troy decides that they need to buy back all the counterfeit bills. Outside, the Gorcey brothers are listening to all this.

Next, there is a montage of Troy, Dillon, Jamie and the children at the department store buying back all the phony bills by looking for the matching serial number. They visit three different departments. All the salespeople and customers look at them like they’re crazy.

Back at Lucy’s house, the Gorcey brothers somehow sneak into Lucy’s attic. They find the briefcase and guess that it must be the money machine. They leave with it.

Outside the department store, Jamie complains to Troy and Dillon that she is now broke because they used her own money to buy back the counterfeit bills. They and the children walk off.

At the flower shop, the Gorcey brothers show the money machine to The Man but they can’t figure out how to activate it. Back at Lucy’s house, Troy, Dillon, Jamie and the kids enter the attic only to discover that the money machine is gone. The kids somehow guess that the Gorcey brothers took it. They all decide to go to the flower shop.

At the flower shop, The Man concludes that the gang called Lucy’s Kids must be pros if they own a device like this, so he decides to call in some real heavyweights to deal with them. They all leave. Afterwards, Troy and Dillon arrive to find the flower shop deserted. They realize that Lucy could be in danger, so they decide to head back to the house.

Lucy is outside her house when a limousine pulls up. Someone inside asks if her name is Lucy. When she says yes, she is taken prisoner and whisked away in the limo.

Later, the Gorcey brothers walk up to Lucy’s house and knock on the door. Troy, Dillon and the children are inside. They let them in. The Gorcey brothers tell them that The Man has taken things too far and they now want to help rescue Lucy who is being held hostage at an amusement park.

The children and the Gorcey brothers pile into a hearse and are led by Troy and Dillon on their motorbikes.

At the amusement park, a Merry-Go-Round is going round and round with Lucy tied to one of the horses. She tells The Man that she doesn’t know how to turn on the machine.

Troy, Dillon and the kids arrive and there is a big showdown. The action occurs not just at the Merry-Go-Round but also the House of Mirrors and the Fun House. The children jump on backs, beat on heads, kick a few shins. The Gorcey brothers use teamwork like the flying wedge, the human battering ram, and the bend over behind the heavy while my brother pushes you over me trick. Troy and Dillon barely have to get involved.

Suddenly, the police and a SWAT team arrive, but the children have already won the fight. Troy picks up the money machine, hands it to The Man, and with a little help from Troy and Dillon on either side, The Man starts walking towards the SWAT team. As he is walking, Troy and Dillon turn invisible and continue to guide him until he is captured. They then escape.

Later, everyone is at the police station. While the Gorcey brothers are bragging about their recent heroics, Troy and Dillon turn invisible. Lucy wonders where they’ve gone and mentions she would like to see them again.

Troy and Dillon, still invisible, walk towards the exit door. Dillon mentions he would like to see Lucy again. Troy says he will, because they’re going to need more flowers for decorating the Galactica.

== Notes ==

* Galactica 1980 story editors Allan Cole and Chris Bunch: "We thought the script was a stone scream, but (Frank) Lupo read it and Hated it. Don't think it even got as far as Larson."<ref>''Galactica Sci-Fi Television Series Revisited.'' Alpha Control Press, 1995.</ref>
* If this script had been produced, it would no doubt have been in the running for the Worst Episode award.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Unproduced episode list}}

The Money Machine

2025-03-03T12:07:30Z

Galactica1981: /* Overview */

{{unproduced|universe=1980}}
{{Episode Data
| image=
| title=The Money Machine
| series=1980
| season=
| episode=
| unproduced=y
| guests=
| writer=Alan S. Godfrey
| story=
| director=
| production=
| prev=[[A Flight For Life]]
| next=[[The Battle of Troy]]
| extra=
}}

== Overview ==

First Draft: March 15, 1980

Six young children walk down a city street. A black limousine drives past them and comes to a stop at Banion’s Flower Shop. A man steps out and carries a large plastic flower bag to the back entrance of the shop and sets them down at the right side of the door. The man walks back to the limousine, gets in, and it drives off. The back door of the flower shop opens and a boy in his late teens named Chico Gorcey emerges with a plastic flower bag just like the one that was just placed there. He leaves his bag on the left side, not noticing the other bag on the right, and then goes back inside. His brothers, Tommy and Jimmy, both around the same age as him, are in the showroom taking inventory. The three of them are affiliated with the mafia, but they are better described as bumbling wannabees than evil henchmen. They are waiting for money to be dropped off, not realizing that it already has. The six young children arrive at the back door, and the brothers let them take three bags of flowers that they will try to sell. One of the bags they take is the one with the money in it.

Troy and Dillon arrive on their Galactica motorcycles and park in front of the U.B.S. television station. Troy explains to Dillon how to use a parking meter, saying that a quarter is equal to “one-fourth of a dollar.” They see the kids selling flowers and decide to approach them. One boy, Toulouse, is really impressed with their bikes. Troy offers Toulouse a quick ride on the bike in exchange for a bag of flowers. Toulouse agrees, and Troy drives him around the corner.

When they return, Jamie and an attractive blonde named Lucy Carr are walking out of the building. Lucy scolds Troy for allowing a child to ride on the back of his bike. As it turns out, the children all live with Lucy in a foster home. Jamie suggests to Troy that the flowers would make good decorations on the Galactica. Troy agrees to buy them if Jamie will come with them back to the Galactica to help decorate. She agrees. Troy buys all the flowers, and they drive off to their parked vipers which are hidden in an invisibility field.

The vipers take off with Jamie in Troy’s viper. After they reach outer space, Jamie discovers a large amount of money in one of the flower bags. They then encounter a Cylon patrol consisting of five Cylon Raiders. Dillon tells Troy to escape so as not to endanger Jamie, but she insists they stay together. They quickly destroy two of the Cylon raiders, and two more flee. But the last one manages to score a hit on Troy’s viper, causing severe damage. Dillon destroys the raider, ending the Cylon threat.

Troy’s smoking viper makes an emergency landing in the Galactica’s landing bay. Troy and Jamie quickly get out and run. Moments later, the viper explodes in a large ball of flame.

Back on Earth, the three Gorcey brothers realize the money they were supposed to receive is missing. They shudder because the mafia leader known as The Man is on his way over.

A hearse containing the three Gorcey brothers drives down the street. A limousine comes in the opposite direction and blocks them, forcing them to come to a screeching halt. The Man, who is old, and two large henchmen get out of the limo. They demand to know where the money is. Desperate for an excuse, the brothers decide to lie, telling him that a rival gang is moving in on his territory and that they held them up and took the money. They say the gang is headed by a woman named Lucy and that the name of the gang is Lucy’s Kids. The Man is skeptical of their story, and he gives them only one chance to get the money back. He also tells them that the money is counterfeit.

On the Galactica, Troy tells Dr. Zee about the money they found that was lost in the explosion. Troy wants to return the money to whoever it belongs to. He gives Zee the one bill they were able to salvage. Zee decides to build a money machine that can print money, but for security reasons it will be voice activated. And only Troy will be able to activate it by saying the phrase: Give me money. Also, the device will be built using Earth materials in order to disguise its alien technology.

Later, at Lucy’s house, the Gorcey brothers have cornered three of the children. Troy and Dillon are also there, invisible, watching and listening. The brothers tell them to bring the ten thousand dollars to the flower shop that night… or else! They leave.

Lucy enters and can tell that by the children’s faces that something is wrong. There is a knock on the front door. They open it to find Troy and Dillon. Troy is carrying a briefcase with several wires and a small lightbulb attached to it. They tell the kids they want to help them and ask to use the bathroom upstairs. When they go upstairs, they actually go into the attic. The kids follow with a cassette recorder and start recording outside the door.

Troy says “Give me the money.” The machine activates, lighting up until it is totally surrounded by an incandescent glow. An aura of light resembling a beautiful rainbow exudes from the machine, and then it begins to print twenty dollar bills.

Later, Troy and Dillon and one of the kids named Tony arrive at the flower shop. Tony knocks on the door. It opens and the three Gorcey brothers let them in.

Back at the house, the rest of the kids are in the attic and looking at the money machine. Somehow, they deduce that Troy and Dillon used the machine to create the money that was handed over.

Back at the flower shop, Troy and Dillon give the Gorcey brothers ten thousand dollars. Back at the house, one of the kids uses the cassette recorder to play back the recording of Troy saying, “Give me the money.” The machine activates and starts printing money. All the kids watch with a look of complete awe on their faces.

That night, The Man and his two henchmen arrive at the flower shop. The Gorcey brothers give him them the money. The Man looks over the money and realizes that it is counterfeit money, but it isn’t his counterfeit money. It is actually a much better quality than what he produces. But the bills all have the same serial number so that is what gives them away as being counterfeit. The Man demands that the brothers get him the plates… or else!!!

The next day, the kids are in a department store, and there is a montage of them buying presents for Lucy, the house and themselves. Later, Troy, Dillon and Jamie walk up to the front door of Lucy’s house and hear laughter inside. They knock on the door.

They are let inside. Lucy thanks them for their donation to the school which confuses them. The kids eventually confess and admit that they used the money machine. Troy decides that they need to buy back all the counterfeit bills. Outside, the Gorcey brothers are listening to all this.

Next, there is a montage of Troy, Dillon, Jamie and the children at the department store buying back all the phony bills by looking for the matching serial number. They visit three different departments. All the salespeople and customers look at them like they’re crazy.

Back at Lucy’s house, the Gorcey brothers somehow sneak into Lucy’s attic. They find the briefcase and guess that it must be the money machine. They leave with it.

Outside the department store, Jamie complains to Troy and Dillon that she is now broke because they used her own money to buy back the counterfeit bills. They and the children walk off.

At the flower shop, the Gorcey brothers show the money machine to The Man but they can’t figure out how to activate it. Back at Lucy’s house, Troy, Dillon, Jamie and the kids enter the attic only to discover that the money machine is gone. The kids somehow guess that the Gorcey brothers took it. They all decide to go to the flower shop.

At the flower shop, The Man concludes that the gang called Lucy’s Kids must be pros if they own a device like this, so he decides to call in some real heavyweights to deal with them. They all leave. Afterwards, Troy and Dillon arrive to find the flower shop deserted. They realize that Lucy could be in danger, so they decide to head back to the house.

Lucy is outside her house when a limousine pulls up. Someone inside asks if her name is Lucy. When she says yes, she is taken prisoner and whisked away in the limo.

Later, the Gorcey brothers walk up to Lucy’s house and knock on the door. Troy, Dillon and the children are inside. They let them in. The Gorcey brothers tell them that The Man has taken things too far and they now want to help rescue Lucy who is being held hostage at an amusement park.

The children and the Gorcey brothers pile into a hearse and are led by Troy and Dillon on their motorbikes.

At the amusement park, a Merry-Go-Round is going round and round with Lucy tied to one of the horses. She tells The Man that she doesn’t know how to turn on the machine.

Troy, Dillon and the kids arrive and there is a big showdown. The action occurs not just at the Merry-Go-Round but also the House of Mirrors and the Fun House. The children jump on backs, beat on heads, kick a few shins. The Gorcey brothers use teamwork like the flying wedge, the human battering ram, and the bend over behind the heavy while my brother pushes you over me trick. Troy and Dillon barely have to get involved.

Suddenly, the police and a SWAT team arrive, but the children have already won the fight. Troy picks up the money machine, hands it to The Man, and with a little help from Troy and Dillon on either side, The Man starts walking towards the SWAT team. As he is walking, Troy and Dillon turn invisible and continue to guide him until he is captured. They then escape.

Later, everyone is at the police station. While the Gorcey brothers are bragging about their recent heroics, Troy and Dillon turn invisible. Lucy wonders where they’ve gone and mentions she would like to see them again.

Troy and Dillon, still invisible, walk towards the exit door. Dillon mentions he would like to see Lucy again. Troy says he will, because they’re going to need more flowers for decorating the Galactica.

== Notes ==

* Galactica 1980 story editors Allan Cole and Chris Bunch: "We thought the script was a stone scream, but (Frank) Lupo read it and Hated it. Don't think it even got as far as Larson."<ref>''Galactica Sci-Fi Television Series Revisited.'' Alpha Control Press, 1995.</ref>
* If this script had been produced, it would no doubt have been in the running for the Worst Episode award.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Unproduced episode list}}

The Money Machine

2025-03-03T12:05:57Z

Galactica1981: Summary of the script

{{unproduced|universe=1980}}
{{Episode Data
| image=
| title=The Money Machine
| series=1980
| season=
| episode=
| unproduced=y
| guests=
| writer=Alan S. Godfrey
| story=
| director=
| production=
| prev=[[A Flight For Life]]
| next=[[The Battle of Troy]]
| extra=
}}

== Overview ==

First Draft: March 15, 1980

Six young children walk down a city street. A black limousine drives past them and comes to a stop at Banion’s Flower Shop. A man steps out and carries a large plastic flower bag to the back entrance of the shop and sets them down at the right side of the door. The man walks back to the limousine, gets in, and it drives off. The back door of the flower shop opens and a boy in his late teens named Chico Gorcey emerges with a plastic flower bag just like the one that was just placed there. He leaves his bag on the left side, not noticing the other bag on the right, and then goes back inside. His brothers, Tommy and Jimmy, both around the same age as him, are in the showroom taking inventory. The three of them are affiliated with the mafia, but they are better described as bumbling wannabees than evil henchmen. They are waiting for money to be dropped off, not realizing that it already has. The six young children arrive at the back door, and the brothers let them take three bags of flowers that they will try to sell. One of the bags they take is the one with the money in it.

Troy and Dillon arrive on their Galactica motorcycles and park in front of the U.B.S. television station. Troy explains to Dillon how to use a parking meter, saying that a quarter is equal to “one-fourth of a dollar” (an obvious educational beat). They see the kids selling flowers and decide to approach them. One boy, Toulouse, is really impressed with their bikes. Troy offers Toulouse a quick ride on the bike in exchange for a bag of flowers. Toulouse agrees, and Troy drives him around the corner.

When they return, Jamie and an attractive blonde named Lucy Carr are walking out of the building. Lucy scolds Troy for allowing a child to ride on the back of his bike. As it turns out, the children all live with Lucy in a foster home. Jamie suggests to Troy that the flowers would make good decorations on the Galactica. Troy agrees to buy them if Jamie will come with them back to the Galactica to help decorate. She agrees. Troy buys all the flowers, and they drive off to their parked vipers which are hidden in an invisibility field.

The vipers take off with Jamie in Troy’s viper. After they reach outer space, Jamie discovers a large amount of money in one of the flower bags. They then encounter a Cylon patrol consisting of five Cylon Raiders. Dillon tells Troy to escape so as not to endanger Jamie, but she insists they stay together. They quickly destroy two of the Cylon raiders, and two more flee. But the last one manages to score a hit on Troy’s viper, causing severe damage. Dillon destroys the raider, ending the Cylon threat.

Troy’s smoking viper makes an emergency landing in the Galactica’s landing bay. Troy and Jamie quickly get out and run. Moments later, the viper explodes in a large ball of flame.

Back on Earth, the three Gorcey brothers realize the money they were supposed to receive is missing. They shudder because the mafia leader known as The Man is on his way over.

A hearse containing the three Gorcey brothers drives down the street. A limousine comes in the opposite direction and blocks them, forcing them to come to a screeching halt. The Man, who is old, and two large henchmen get out of the limo. They demand to know where the money is. Desperate for an excuse, the brothers decide to lie, telling him that a rival gang is moving in on his territory and that they held them up and took the money. They say the gang is headed by a woman named Lucy and that the name of the gang is Lucy’s Kids. The Man is skeptical of their story, and he gives them only one chance to get the money back. He also tells them that the money is counterfeit.

On the Galactica, Troy tells Dr. Zee about the money they found that was lost in the explosion. Troy wants to return the money to whoever it belongs to. He gives Zee the one bill they were able to salvage. Zee decides to build a money machine that can print money, but for security reasons it will be voice activated. And only Troy will be able to activate it by saying the phrase: Give me money. Also, the device will be built using Earth materials in order to disguise its alien technology.

Later, at Lucy’s house, the Gorcey brothers have cornered three of the children. Troy and Dillon are also there, invisible, watching and listening. The brothers tell them to bring the ten thousand dollars to the flower shop that night… or else! They leave.

Lucy enters and can tell that by the children’s faces that something is wrong. There is a knock on the front door. They open it to find Troy and Dillon. Troy is carrying a briefcase with several wires and a small lightbulb attached to it. They tell the kids they want to help them and ask to use the bathroom upstairs. When they go upstairs, they actually go into the attic. The kids follow with a cassette recorder and start recording outside the door.

Troy says “Give me the money.” The machine activates, lighting up until it is totally surrounded by an incandescent glow. An aura of light resembling a beautiful rainbow exudes from the machine, and then it begins to print twenty dollar bills.

Later, Troy and Dillon and one of the kids named Tony arrive at the flower shop. Tony knocks on the door. It opens and the three Gorcey brothers let them in.

Back at the house, the rest of the kids are in the attic and looking at the money machine. Somehow, they deduce that Troy and Dillon used the machine to create the money that was handed over.

Back at the flower shop, Troy and Dillon give the Gorcey brothers ten thousand dollars. Back at the house, one of the kids uses the cassette recorder to play back the recording of Troy saying, “Give me the money.” The machine activates and starts printing money. All the kids watch with a look of complete awe on their faces.

That night, The Man and his two henchmen arrive at the flower shop. The Gorcey brothers give him them the money. The Man looks over the money and realizes that it is counterfeit money, but it isn’t his counterfeit money. It is actually a much better quality than what he produces. But the bills all have the same serial number so that is what gives them away as being counterfeit. The Man demands that the brothers get him the plates… or else!!!

The next day, the kids are in a department store, and there is a montage of them buying presents for Lucy, the house and themselves. Later, Troy, Dillon and Jamie walk up to the front door of Lucy’s house and hear laughter inside. They knock on the door.

They are let inside. Lucy thanks them for their donation to the school which confuses them. The kids eventually confess and admit that they used the money machine. Troy decides that they need to buy back all the counterfeit bills. Outside, the Gorcey brothers are listening to all this.

Next, there is a montage of Troy, Dillon, Jamie and the children at the department store buying back all the phony bills by looking for the matching serial number. They visit three different departments. All the salespeople and customers look at them like they’re crazy.

Back at Lucy’s house, the Gorcey brothers somehow sneak into Lucy’s attic. They find the briefcase and guess that it must be the money machine. They leave with it.

Outside the department store, Jamie complains to Troy and Dillon that she is now broke because they used her own money to buy back the counterfeit bills. They and the children walk off.

At the flower shop, the Gorcey brothers show the money machine to The Man but they can’t figure out how to activate it. Back at Lucy’s house, Troy, Dillon, Jamie and the kids enter the attic only to discover that the money machine is gone. The kids somehow guess that the Gorcey brothers took it. They all decide to go to the flower shop.

At the flower shop, The Man concludes that the gang called Lucy’s Kids must be pros if they own a device like this, so he decides to call in some real heavyweights to deal with them. They all leave. Afterwards, Troy and Dillon arrive to find the flower shop deserted. They realize that Lucy could be in danger, so they decide to head back to the house.

Lucy is outside her house when a limousine pulls up. Someone inside asks if her name is Lucy. When she says yes, she is taken prisoner and whisked away in the limo.

Later, the Gorcey brothers walk up to Lucy’s house and knock on the door. Troy, Dillon and the children are inside. They let them in. The Gorcey brothers tell them that The Man has taken things too far and they now want to help rescue Lucy who is being held hostage at an amusement park.

The children and the Gorcey brothers pile into a hearse and are led by Troy and Dillon on their motorbikes.

At the amusement park, a Merry-Go-Round is going round and round with Lucy tied to one of the horses. She tells The Man that she doesn’t know how to turn on the machine.

Troy, Dillon and the kids arrive and there is a big showdown. The action occurs not just at the Merry-Go-Round but also the House of Mirrors and the Fun House. The children jump on backs, beat on heads, kick a few shins. The Gorcey brothers use teamwork like the flying wedge, the human battering ram, and the bend over behind the heavy while my brother pushes you over me trick. Troy and Dillon barely have to get involved.

Suddenly, the police and a SWAT team arrive, but the children have already won the fight. Troy picks up the money machine, hands it to The Man, and with a little help from Troy and Dillon on either side, The Man starts walking towards the SWAT team. As he is walking, Troy and Dillon turn invisible and continue to guide him until he is captured. They then escape.

Later, everyone is at the police station. While the Gorcey brothers are bragging about their recent heroics, Troy and Dillon turn invisible. Lucy wonders where they’ve gone and mentions she would like to see them again.

Troy and Dillon, still invisible, walk towards the exit door. Dillon mentions he would like to see Lucy again. Troy says he will, because they’re going to need more flowers for decorating the Galactica.

== Notes ==

* Galactica 1980 story editors Allan Cole and Chris Bunch: "We thought the script was a stone scream, but (Frank) Lupo read it and Hated it. Don't think it even got as far as Larson."<ref>''Galactica Sci-Fi Television Series Revisited.'' Alpha Control Press, 1995.</ref>
* If this script had been produced, it would no doubt have been in the running for the Worst Episode award.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Unproduced episode list}}

A Flight For Life

2013-12-24T21:22:42Z

Galactica1981: /* Get The Script */

{{unproduced|universe=1980}}
{{Episode Data
| image=A Flight For Life Cover.jpg
| title=A Flight For Life
| series=1980
| season=
| episode=
| unproduced=y
| guests=
| writer=Robert W. Gilmer
| story=
| director=
| production=55113
| prev=[[Earthquake]]
| next=[[The Money Machine]]
| extra=
}}

'''By Robert W. Gilmer'''

== Summary ==

The Galactica's scanners detect Cylon probes that are designed to locate life forms, obviously hoping to discover Earth. Colonial Vipers launch to intercept the probes. One is captured. The rest are destroyed. Later on, Boomer disconvers a probe that avoided them, but it is just now entering the Earth's atmosphere. There is concern that if the people of Earth find the probe, they will have concrete proof of the existence of extraterrestrial life. Dillon and Troy fly to Earth hoping to find the probe.

Unfortunately, the U.S. military detects the probe's landing, and Col. Sydell decides to investigate. He, aling with Major Downey and Master Sgt. Canon, finds the probe in a field. Sydell picks up the probe and takes it back to his base. Troy and Dillon and Troy arrive soonafter, but it is too late.

On the Galactica, it is discoverd that the probes carry a micro-organism capable of killing any living thing it infects. If the probe isn't recovered soon, all life on Earth could die.

Troy and Dillon tail Sydell back to his air force base. They steal uniforms and sneak inside. At that moment, Jamie arrives to interview Sydell. Dillon and Troy tell her what is happening and she agrees to help. Jamie interviews Sydell and convinces him to show her the probe. Troy and Dillon follow and learn its location. After Jamie and Sydell leave, they steal it, setting off alarms in the process. The duo steal a motorcycle and crash through the gate. Racing to their Vipers, they fly back to the Galactica. Once they arrive, they learn from Dr. Zee that anyone who has touched the probe is a carrier of a deadly virus. After thirty-six hours, Sydell will become contagious. Fortunately, Dr. Zee has developed an antibiotic to cure the virus.

Troy and Dillon return to Earth and meet up with Jamie. She shows them some photographs of Master Sgt. Canon and Col. Downey, the two other men who also touched the probe. They decide to split up and secretly administer the antidote to each of the three men. They all must be cured before 7pm that evening or it will be too late.

Troy follows Canon to an airfield where they are conducting parachuting maneuvers. Troy suits up with the other soldiers and soon is iwth them in an airplane. Troy manages to inject Canon with the antidote just before jumping from the plane.

Dillon tails Downey to a gym and injects him with the antidote when he is able to get close. Jamie has followed Sydell to a restaurant. When he isn't looking, she puts the antidote in his water glass, but he accidentally knocks it over. He leaves the restaurant without getting the antidote and returns to his hotel rooom. 7pm arrives and Sydell is now contagious. Jamie meets Troy and Dillon at the restaurant and sadly tells them what happend. They then decide to bring Sydell to the Galactica for treatment.

That night, the trio breaks into Sydell's hotel room and kidnap him, taking him to the Galactica where Dr. Zee is able to cure him. Sydell awakens briefly and is in shock to discover that he is in outer space! He is quickly sedated, and Dr. Zee's memory machine erases Sydell's memories what happened. Soonafter, Troy, Dillon and Jamie are able to return him to Earth.<ref>'' Galactic Sci-Fi Television Series Revisited.'' Alpha Control Press, 1995.</ref>

== Notes ==

* This story has an abundance of fish-out-of-water humor.

== Get The Script ==

*[https://www.mediafire.com/?qkxb6a32zmzddbl Click here to download a free PDF copy of this script.]

== References ==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

{{Unproduced episode list}}

Battle of Galactica

2013-12-24T17:52:13Z

Galactica1981: /* External Links */

This was a theme park ride at California's Universal Studios. It debuted on June 9, 1979 and was popular enough that it lasted until 1992. The ride lasted only 2 minutes and 45 seconds.

[[Image:Battle of Galactica art.jpg|thumb|center|Promotional art used in a program guide for Universal Studios.]]

[[Image:Imperious Leader - Battle of Galactica ride.jpg|thumb|center|Imperious Leader from Battle of Galactica.]]

[[Image:The Tall Ugly - Battle of Galactica ride.jpg|thumb|center|The Tall Ugly - an original alien from Battle of Galactica.]]

== Related videos ==

{{#ev:youtube|_1rKWc1JMtc}}

{{stub}}

== Notes ==

*Patrick MacNee's voice was used in this ride (He was the voice of the [[Imperious Leader]] in the TOS).

*The Battle of Galactica ride appeared in the 1980 movie ''The Nude Bomb''.

== External Links ==

*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDnRq3-w3oc YouTube video of Battle of Galactica ride]

*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCw8ycVlmC0 Battle of Galactica scene from The Nude Bomb - YouTube]

*[http://www.lurexlounge.com/bsg/bog01.php Battle of Galactica ride description at Battlestar Galactica Memorabilia site]

*[http://www.lurexlounge.com/bsg/starlogbfg.php Starlog November 1979 article on the Battle of Galactica ride]

[[Category: A to Z]]
[[Category: TOS]]
{{TOS}}

Free Battlestar Galactica Scripts (TOS)

2013-12-24T17:31:28Z

Galactica1981: /* Unproduced Scripts */

The following scripts are available for download as a PDF file:

=== Unproduced Scripts ===

[[Saga of a Star World (early draft)]]

[[Crossfire]]

[[Showdown]]

[[The Mutiny]]

[[I Have Seen Earth]]

[[The Man With Nine Lives#Free Script|The Furlon]]

[[Two For Twilly]]

=== Galactica 1980 ===

=== Produced Scripts ===

[[Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I|Galactica Discovers Earth]] - link is at top of page underneath the image on the right.

[[The Super Scouts, Part I|The Super Scouts Part 1]]

[[The Super Scouts, Part II|The Super Scouts Part 2]]

[[Spaceball]]

[[The Night the Cylons Landed, Part II|The Night the Cylons Landed Part 2]] - link is at top of page underneath the image on the right.

[[The Return of Starbuck]]

=== Unproduced Scripts ===

[[Galactica Discovers Earth (early draft)]]

[[The Wheel of Fire]]

[[The Day They Kidnapped Cleopatra]]

[[Earthquake]]

[[A Flight For Life]]

[[Harvest Home]]

[[Category:TOS]]

Free Scripts From Galactica 1980

2013-12-24T17:30:35Z

Galactica1981: /* Unproduced Scripts */

The following scripts are available for download as a PDF file:

=== Produced Scripts ===

[[Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I|Galactica Discovers Earth]] - link is at top of page underneath the image on the right.

[[The Super Scouts, Part I|The Super Scouts Part 1]]

[[The Super Scouts, Part II|The Super Scouts Part 2]]

[[Spaceball]]

[[The Night the Cylons Landed, Part II|The Night the Cylons Landed Part 2]] - link is at top of page underneath the image on the right.

[[The Return of Starbuck]]

=== Unproduced Scripts ===

[[Galactica Discovers Earth (early draft)]]

[[The Wheel of Fire]]

[[The Day They Kidnapped Cleopatra]]

[[Earthquake]]

[[A Flight For Life]]

[[Harvest Home]]

Harvest Home

2013-12-24T17:29:20Z

Galactica1981: /* Notes */

{{unproduced|universe=1980}}

On the Galactica, Troy and Dillon are in the children’s quarters with several of the Galactican kids. They play a game of hide and seek in which Wellington turns invisible and hides from the rest.

At that moment, Cylon ships (referred to throughout the script as Cylon vipers) close in on the Galactica. Troy and Dillon launch with the other warriors and intercept the Cylons which don’t fight back. The Colonials destroy all the Cylon ships except for one which launches a kamikaze attack on the agro-ship, crashing into it and destroying it.

The fleet only has limited food reserves. Troy and Dillon go on a mission to establish a food development system on Earth. Doctor Zee tells Adama it was likely no accident that the Cylons found the fleet, but he’s not sure how.

Troy and Dillon land on earth and visit a farm where they mistake a scarecrow for a person. Then they are greeted by Ray Markharm, a farmer in his mid-forties. Troy and Dillon say they work for the government and want to grow food on his property. Ray invited them to have dinner with him and his wife Louise, daughter Kate, and son Chris. During the meal, Ray says nothing can grow on his land because there is no water due to a dam put up by John Steadman, a wealthy landowner who wants to buy his farm.

They visit the dam on Steadman’s land. Soon, Steadman drives up in his Mercedes and narrowly misses hitting them. Troy and Dillon tell Steadman that they are from a special government agency.

On the Galactica, Dr. Zee has determined that the fleet has only ten days of food left. Adama says Troy and Dillon can grow the food they need in just two days due to the botanic stimulant that Zee prepared. Dr. Zee is unsure if the fleet’s new flight pattern will enable them to evade the Cylons.

Back on Earth, Troy, Dillon and Ray buy seed and drive off with it in their pick-up truck. Maze and Barrett follow them in their own truck.

A squadron of Cylon vipers flies in pursuit of the fleet. Inside one of the ships, we see a Cylon looking at a series of mathematical equations on the monitor. The Cylon announces that they have detected beta emissions and will now adjust their flight trajectory as a result.

Maze and Barrett drive alongside Ray’s pick-up. Maze leaps onto the back of the truck, rips open the bags, and pours all the seed onto the road. He leaps back onto his own truck before anyone can stop him. Troy and Dillon decide to visit Steadman’s ranch and demand payment for the lost seed.

The Cylon vipers have found the Galactica. Colonel Boomer orders the Colonial vipers to launch and defend the ship.

Troy and Dillon enter Steadman’s ranch. Maze and Barrett confront them, but before they can attack, Troy and Dillon activate their invisibility fields. Maze gets kicked from behind. He thinks Barrett did it and the two get into a shoving match. Troy and Dillon reappear in front of Steadman’s door. Troy knocks on it, and Steadman answers.

Doctor Zee tells Adama that he has examined a Cylon viper that was captured during the battle, and it was equipped with an unusual type of radar tracking equipment which led the Cylons to the fleet. Their equipment monitors the minute quantities of ionic radiation that the metallic hulls of the fleet’s ships give off. Once the radar locates the emissions, the Cylons can lock on course until they find it. Adama realizes this means that the Cylons can find them anywhere.

Steadman agrees to pay for the lost seed and offers Troy and Dillon a chance to win $1000 and a horse named Satan. All they have to do is to ride Satan who is wild and out of control. Troy and Dillon approach the horse. Dillon secretly uses his laser gun to stun the horse which calms him down. He is then able to easily ride him. Steadman can’t believe what he is seeing.

Dr. Zee tells Adama that he may have a solution to the current Cylon threat. He suggests de-ionizing the exterior hulls of every ship in the fleet, but he is unsure if it will work. Adama worries because they will have to send a ship to Earth soon to assist Troy and Dillon. Once it leaves the fleet, it will be vulnerable to attack by the Cylons.

Dillon and Troy arrive at the Markham farm with new seed as well as a horse. Dillon presents the horse to Kate. They start to unload the seed. Kate asks Dillon if he is married and tells him that she thinks he’s cute.

After making some phone calls, Steadman learns that Troy and Dillon don’t work for the government. He is determined to find out who exactly they are.

On the Galactica, the medical ship from “Super Scouts” is being prepared for launch. Dr. Zee says the ship will create a mist that will result in precipitation that the crops will need to grow. Adama says there is a report of a Cylon squadron moving through the neighboring quadrant on the projected path that the medical ship will take.

Troy and Dillon fly their turbo cycles. Troy hits the field with laser beams in order to dig troughs. Behind him, Dillon follows, but lower to the ground, dropping handfuls of seed over the dirt.

The medical ship is now traveling through space. On the bridge, Dr. Zee tells Adama that their long range scanners have detected Cylons who will in minutes be in range of the fleet. Shortly after, the Cylons fail to detect it, so the de-ionization of the ships of the fleet has been effective. However, Doctor Zee points out that the shuttle Troy and Dillon will use to carry the crops back to the fleet has not gone through the de-ionization process, so it will be vulnerable to Cylon attack.

Troy and Dillon finish and then stand in the field. They shoot their lasers into the sky to send a signal to the approaching medical ship. At that moment, Steadman pulls up in his truck. Using binoculars, he is stunned to see Troy and Dillon firing their lasers. He then sees the medical ship coming down out of the sky. The ship releases silver iodide particles into the atmosphere. Clouds start to form, and then a heavy rainfall begins.

On the front porch of the Markham house, Chris watches everything with awe. Then the ship ascends and disappears into the darkness. Steadman drives off.

At an air force radar station, radar technicians pick up something on their screens. Colonel Briggs gets a phone call and is told about what has been found. He orders a plane to be ready in twenty minutes.

The rain continues to fall on Markharm’s field, and the seeds begin to grow rapidly, quickly developing into small plants. Four months of growth occur literally overnight. An air force jet containing Colonel Briggs takes off and heads towards the Markham’s farm.

The next morning, the skies have begun to clear. Chris walks onto the front porch and looks at the fields. He then runs toward them. In his office, Steadman is in a state of shock. He refuses to tell Maze and Barrett what he saw the previous night.

Chris is stunned by the sight of the fields filled with young plants and big vegetables. He picks up an enormous squash and heads back for the house. Ray walks out of the house and is stunned to see him holding the squash. Troy and Dillon walk over and say that they should have a talk.

Colonel Briggs’ jet lands on the runway of a nearby air force base. Briggs exits the jet and enters an awaiting car which then speeds off.

During a meal in the dining room, Troy explains that they used a new government process that is part of a top secret government project. The Markhams are not to tell anyone about it, regardless of who asks. Chris winks at Troy, knowing that there is more to this than what is being said.

Later, the last of the crops have been harvested and taken out. Troy and Dillon return Ray’s truck. Kate asks Dillon if he will ever return. He says he doesn’t believe so, but he will stop by if he does. Kate smiles through some tears, then hugs Dillon and runs into the house.

Steadman then arrives and warns them that Colonel Briggs is on his way there. Troy and Dillon say their good-byes and walk off. Steadman tells Ray that he has decided to remove the dam that has prevented water from reaching the Markharm farm. Ray asks why, and Steadman replies that he has seen the light.

Troy and Dillon, riding their turbo cycles, pass the car containing Colonel Briggs. They then fly off into the sky. Briggs arrives at the Markharm farm and asks them if they’ve seen any strange phenomenon, but both Ray and Steadman say they’ve seen nothing.

Troy flies a viper while Dillon pilots the shuttle containing the crops. They receive a transmission from Adama and Dr. Zee warning them of the Cylon threat. Soon afterwards, Troy picks up approaching Cylons on his scanner. The Galactica launches a viper squadron to come to their aid. Troy manages to hold the Cylons off until the squadron arrives, and the Cylons are quickly destroyed.

Later, a Thanksgiving-style feast is held on the Galactica. At the dinner table, Troy and Dillon tell Adama that after their ordeal they just don’t have much of an appetite. Dillon suggests that they could perhaps have “cold leftovers” later, leaving Adama confused. Troy and Dillon look at each other and laugh.

== Get The Script ==

* [http://www.mediafire.com/view/plq8e9wp17zdo1a/Harvest%20Home%20-%20Galactica%201980.pdf Click here to download a free PDF copy of this script.]

== Notes ==

*Harvest Home is an early version of [[Space Croppers]].
*The writer of this script is unknown.
*In some Galactica 1980 episode guides, Space Croppers is erroneously called Harvest Home.
*The Cylon ships are called Cylon vipers.

{{Unproduced episode list}}

[[Category:Behind the Scenes]]
[[Category:1980]]

Wheel of Fire

2013-12-24T17:12:21Z

Galactica1981:

{{unproduced|universe=1980}}
{{Episode Data
| image=Wheel Of Fire script.jpg
| title=Wheel of Fire
| series=1980
| season=
| episode=
| unproduced=y
| guests=
| writer=[[Louise R. Kelly]] and [[Alan S. Young]] (sic)
| story=
| director=
| production=55114
| prev=[[The Day They Kidnapped Cleopatra]]
| next=[[Earthquake]]
| extra=
}}
By Louise R. Kelly and Alan S. Young.
Dated March 19, 1980.<ref>{{cite_web|url=http://www.chrispappas.com/archives/scripts.html|title=Battlestar Galactica Scripts|date=|accessdate=28 January 2008|last=|first=|format=|language=}}</ref>

== Summary ==

A viper squadron led by Troy and Dillon chases Xavier through space. Suddenly, three Cylon fighters attack them. During the battle, one viper is destroyed and Dillon's viper is severely damaged. The entire squadron except for Troy is forced to return to the Galactica.

Troy continues to pursue Xavier who is attacked by another Cylon raider. Then the Ship of Lights appears (from the BG episode War Of The Gods). Its high-pitched whine causes Troy to fall unconscious, and his ship is captured. Meanwhile, Xaviar activates his time-travel device and enters a time warp. The Cylon raider follwing him is caught in the time warp and is pulled into it as well.

On the Galactica, Dr. Zee and Adama see images of what has happened to Xaviar and the Cylon raider. Because Troy's viper is gone, they assume he had been killed. Meanwhile, Troy wakes up on the Ship of Lights in disbelief. He is welcomed by Lt. Starbuck, who was lost and believed dead fourteen years earlier.

Dillon lands on the Galactica and is told Troy is dead. He puts his grief aside to work on the problem with Xavier. He goes to Earth to get Jamie and takes her to the Galactica. While mourning the death of their friend, the two kiss. On the Ship Of Lights, Troy is confused. Starbuck says that he's going to help him stop Xaviar. He tells Troy that he (Starbuck) didn't die. He merely evolved to another plane of existence. Starbuck says that this is the ship of the Guardians of the Universe, the beings who gave the Colonials the coordinates to Earth many years back (in War of the Gods).

Jamie and Dillon prepare to go 2,600 years into the Earth's past. Troy asks what happened to Apollo, his father, but Starbuck says there is no time to discuss it. Moments later, Troy wakes up on his viper, activates his time-warp synthesizer, and goes into the past.

Xaviar arrives in the [[wikipedia:Chaldea|Chaldea]] desert in 592 B.C. followed by the Cylon raider. Seconds later, Troy arrives and gives pursuit. He and Xaviar agree to team together to destroy the Cylon raider.

In the desert below, the people watch the aerial battle with fascination. The Cylon raider is damaged and plummets toward the earth, giving the appearance of a giant wheel spinning in the sky. Xaviar then time-warps into another period. Troy's viper is also damaged and he crashes.

Dillon and Jamie then arrive and investigate the crashed viper, believing it to be Xavier's. They are stunned when they see Troy climb out. Before Troy can explain, a damaged Cylon who survived the crash comes at them firing his laser. Troy and Dillon blast him and he falls. As the three are about to destroy what remains of the Cylon raider, the supposedly dead Cylon rises and fires at his ship, causing an explosion which knocks Dillon senseless. Then the Cylon aims at Troy, who can't fire back because his laser is jammed. Jamie grabs Dillon's laser and shoots the Cylon, exploding it in a shower of sparks. They then set explosive charges on the Cylon raider and completely incinerate it. They board their vipers and fly into another time-warp and vanish, unaware that they were observed by a man on a sandy knoll.

On the Galactica, Adama and Troy are reunited. Afterwards, Jamie realizes that the Cylon Raider was the "Wheel of Fire" (the famous vision from the Old Testament prophet [[wikipedia:Ezekiel|Ezekiel]]) seen in 592 B.C.<ref>'' Galactic Sci-Fi Television Series Revisited.'' Alpha Control Press, 1995.</ref>

== Notes ==
* This script is the sequel to the classic Galactica 1980 episode [[The Return of Starbuck]].
* It is revealed why Angela from ''The Return of Starbuck'' was judging Starbuck. She was testing him to see if he was worthy to become one of the Guardians of the Universe on the Ship of Lights.
* Troy asks Starbuck what happened to Apollo but is told that there isn't time to discuss it. Apparently, Apollo's death was a mystery.
* Romance begins to develop between Dillon and Jamie. They were only friends in the produced episodes of the series.

== Get The Script ==

* [http://media.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/File:The_Wheel_Of_Fire_script.pdf Click here to download a free PDF copy of this script.] Pages 18 and 19 appear in reverse order.

==References==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

{{Unproduced episode list}}

[[Category:Behind the Scenes]]
[[Category:1980]]

Wheel of Fire

2013-12-24T17:11:04Z

Galactica1981:

{{unproduced|universe=1980}}
{{Episode Data
| image=Wheel Of Fire script.jpg
| title=Wheel of Fire
| series=1980
| season=
| episode=
| unproduced=y
| guests=
| writer=[[Louis R. Kelly]] and [[Alan S. Young]] (sic)
| story=
| director=
| production=55114
| prev=[[The Day They Kidnapped Cleopatra]]
| next=[[Earthquake]]
| extra=
}}
By Louise R. Kelly and Alan S. Young.
Dated March 19, 1980.<ref>{{cite_web|url=http://www.chrispappas.com/archives/scripts.html|title=Battlestar Galactica Scripts|date=|accessdate=28 January 2008|last=|first=|format=|language=}}</ref>

== Summary ==

A viper squadron led by Troy and Dillon chases Xavier through space. Suddenly, three Cylon fighters attack them. During the battle, one viper is destroyed and Dillon's viper is severely damaged. The entire squadron except for Troy is forced to return to the Galactica.

Troy continues to pursue Xavier who is attacked by another Cylon raider. Then the Ship of Lights appears (from the BG episode War Of The Gods). Its high-pitched whine causes Troy to fall unconscious, and his ship is captured. Meanwhile, Xaviar activates his time-travel device and enters a time warp. The Cylon raider follwing him is caught in the time warp and is pulled into it as well.

On the Galactica, Dr. Zee and Adama see images of what has happened to Xaviar and the Cylon raider. Because Troy's viper is gone, they assume he had been killed. Meanwhile, Troy wakes up on the Ship of Lights in disbelief. He is welcomed by Lt. Starbuck, who was lost and believed dead fourteen years earlier.

Dillon lands on the Galactica and is told Troy is dead. He puts his grief aside to work on the problem with Xavier. He goes to Earth to get Jamie and takes her to the Galactica. While mourning the death of their friend, the two kiss. On the Ship Of Lights, Troy is confused. Starbuck says that he's going to help him stop Xaviar. He tells Troy that he (Starbuck) didn't die. He merely evolved to another plane of existence. Starbuck says that this is the ship of the Guardians of the Universe, the beings who gave the Colonials the coordinates to Earth many years back (in War of the Gods).

Jamie and Dillon prepare to go 2,600 years into the Earth's past. Troy asks what happened to Apollo, his father, but Starbuck says there is no time to discuss it. Moments later, Troy wakes up on his viper, activates his time-warp synthesizer, and goes into the past.

Xaviar arrives in the [[wikipedia:Chaldea|Chaldea]] desert in 592 B.C. followed by the Cylon raider. Seconds later, Troy arrives and gives pursuit. He and Xaviar agree to team together to destroy the Cylon raider.

In the desert below, the people watch the aerial battle with fascination. The Cylon raider is damaged and plummets toward the earth, giving the appearance of a giant wheel spinning in the sky. Xaviar then time-warps into another period. Troy's viper is also damaged and he crashes.

Dillon and Jamie then arrive and investigate the crashed viper, believing it to be Xavier's. They are stunned when they see Troy climb out. Before Troy can explain, a damaged Cylon who survived the crash comes at them firing his laser. Troy and Dillon blast him and he falls. As the three are about to destroy what remains of the Cylon raider, the supposedly dead Cylon rises and fires at his ship, causing an explosion which knocks Dillon senseless. Then the Cylon aims at Troy, who can't fire back because his laser is jammed. Jamie grabs Dillon's laser and shoots the Cylon, exploding it in a shower of sparks. They then set explosive charges on the Cylon raider and completely incinerate it. They board their vipers and fly into another time-warp and vanish, unaware that they were observed by a man on a sandy knoll.

On the Galactica, Adama and Troy are reunited. Afterwards, Jamie realizes that the Cylon Raider was the "Wheel of Fire" (the famous vision from the Old Testament prophet [[wikipedia:Ezekiel|Ezekiel]]) seen in 592 B.C.<ref>'' Galactic Sci-Fi Television Series Revisited.'' Alpha Control Press, 1995.</ref>

== Notes ==
* This script is the sequel to the classic Galactica 1980 episode [[The Return of Starbuck]].
* It is revealed why Angela from ''The Return of Starbuck'' was judging Starbuck. She was testing him to see if he was worthy to become one of the Guardians of the Universe on the Ship of Lights.
* Troy asks Starbuck what happened to Apollo but is told that there isn't time to discuss it. Apparently, Apollo's death was a mystery.
* Romance begins to develop between Dillon and Jamie. They were only friends in the produced episodes of the series.

== Get The Script ==

* [http://media.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/File:The_Wheel_Of_Fire_script.pdf Click here to download a free PDF copy of this script.] Pages 18 and 19 appear in reverse order.

==References==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

{{Unproduced episode list}}

[[Category:Behind the Scenes]]
[[Category:1980]]

Portal:Unproduced Scripts/Galactica 1980

2013-12-24T17:10:23Z

Galactica1981:

This is a list of unproduced scripts for ''[[Galactica 1980]]''.

{|class="messagebox sortable" style="width:100%" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2" align="center"
|- class="infoboxheader"
! Prod. No. !! Title !! Writers !! Overview
|-
| # || [[Galactica Discovers Earth (early draft)]] || Glen A. Larson || Early draft featuring Starbuck and Apollo that follows the same basic plot in which Baltar is the time-traveling villain instead of Xaviar.
|-
| #55102 || [[The Day They Kidnapped Cleopatra]] || [[Mark Jones]], [[Anne Collins]], [[Chris Bunch]] and [[Alan Cole]] || [[Xaviar]] continues in his attempts to advance [[Earth (1980)|Earth]]'s technology from the past, this time attempting to convince [[Cleopatra]] that he is a god; to prove this to be true, she poisons his drink, forcing him to seek [[Jamie Hamilton]] in 1980 so that he can turn himself in to [[Troy (1980)|Troy]] and [[Dillon]] in order to get treated by the Galactican's advanced medicine: bringing along Cleopatra for the ride to the future.
|-
| #55114 || [[The Wheel of Fire]] || [[Louise S. Kelly]] and [[Alan S. Young]]<br/>Story by Alan S. Young || A sequel to "[[The Return of Starbuck]]", where [[Starbuck (1980)|Starbuck]] himself is now a [[Being of Light]] who makes himself known to [[Troy (1980)|Troy]]. In a similar fashion to "[[Experiment in Terra]]", he asks that Troy (who the Galacticans now believe dead) track down a [[Cylons (1980)|Cylons]] [[Raider (1980)|Raider]], itself accidentally caught in the time warp from [[Xaviar]]'s [[Viper (1980)|Viper]], before the Cylon can inflict untold damage to Earth in 592 B.C.
|-
| # || [[Earthquake]] || Allan Cole and Chris Bunch || [[Troy (1980)|Troy]] and Dillon have to stop a misguided scientist from creating an earthquake that will devastate California. They get help from a young girl in the small town of Lemoncreek.
|-
| #50113 || [[A Flight For Life]] || [[Robert W. Gilmer]]|| The Cylons launch many small probes from their base ship. One of them crashes on Earth. [[Troy (1980)|Troy]] and Dillon must get the damaged probe back from Colonel Sydell and the air force.
|-
| # || [[Harvest Home]] || [[Unknown]]|| An early draft of [[Space Croppers]].
|-
| # || [[The Money Machine]] || Alan S. Godfrey || [[Troy (1980)|Troy]] and Dillon lose a money duplicator device and all kinds of havoc ensues!
|-
| # || [[Bullfighting script]] || Chris Trumbo|| It's about bullfighting. No other details available.
|-
| # || [[Gun script]] || E. Nick Alexander || A street kid gets his hands on a Colonial laser gun. Due to the censors, no one gets shot.
|-
| # || [[Biker script]] || Richard Christian Matheson and Tom Szollosi || Troy and Dillon beat up Scummy Cyclists.
|-
| # || [[The Battle of Troy]] || Writer unknown || Another time travel story.
<pagesidebar>
* See Also
** Portal:Unproduced Scripts|Unproduced Scripts Portal
** Portal:Unproduced Scripts/Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|TOS Unproduced Scripts
** bsp:Portal:Time Machine|Scripts on BattlestarPegasus.com
</pagesidebar>

Galactica 1980 Episode Reviews

2012-03-19T01:28:45Z

Galactica1981:

{{Fandom}}

*[[User:Galactica1981/Galactica 1981 Reviews#Galactica_1980_Episode_Reviews|Sheba's Galaxy Episode Reviews]] - covering the original series and Galactica 1980.

Episode Reviews

2012-03-19T01:25:56Z

Galactica1981:

{{Fandom}}

*[[User:Galactica1981/Galactica 1981 Reviews|Sheba's Galaxy Episode Reviews]] - covering the original series and Galactica 1980.

Talk:Episode Reviews/Archive 1

2012-03-18T16:26:50Z

Galactica1981:

<p>I created this page. My thinking was that other people could use their user pages to write episode reviews if they wanted to, and they could create a link for them here. At the very least, this page allows people to find my own episode reviews (Sheba's Galaxy). So I would prefer that this page not be deleted. <span class="fck_mw_template">{{unsigned|Galactica1981}}</span>
</p>

: Just to make a few things clear:

: Frankly, having people post reviews of the episodes on the Battlestar Wiki runs against our mandates, which are to be an encyclopedia, reference material, and episode guide. [[BW:NOT|Battlestar Wiki ''is not'' a personal soapbox]] for people's reviews of the series, although we provide critical analysis (with caveats and exceptions) and notes as to the events depicted in the various series, but we should really not venture into online reviews. We don't give episodes "star ratings" or things of that nature, since those are extremely subjective measures, and we don't want to muddy the water by doing that.

: Now, if the reviews are posted on your own user page, or user subpage, that's fine. I wouldn't be necessarily opposed to an "Episode Reviews" page, as so long as it is made clear that the list is only a basic guide to what reviews are out there. (In the same way we have an article on [[fan fiction]], which makes it perfectly clear that it isn't in our mandate to chronicle fan fiction.) -- [[User:Joe Beaudoin Jr.|Joe Beaudoin]] <sup>[[User talk:Joe Beaudoin Jr.|So say we all]] - [[Battlestar Wiki:Site support|Donate]]</sup> 11:09, 18 March 2012 (EDT)

The reviews are on my user page, and it is clearly stated at the top of it that it is a user page. It's set up in a way that people won't see them as "official" reviews or anything like that.

Talk:Episode Reviews/Archive 1

2012-03-18T14:05:52Z

Galactica1981: Created page with "I created this page. My thinking was that other people could use their user pages to write episode reviews if they wanted to, and they could create a link for them here. At the v..."

I created this page. My thinking was that other people could use their user pages to write episode reviews if they wanted to, and they could create a link for them here. At the very least, this page allows people to find my own episode reviews (Sheba's Galaxy). So I would prefer that this page not be deleted.

Humor in the Original Series

2012-02-20T17:42:47Z

Galactica1981: /* Funny Videos */

:''See also: [[Humor (1980)|Humor in Galactica 1980]] and [[Humor in the Re-imagined Series]]''
== Mad Magazine Spoof ==

<gallery caption="Cattle Car Galaxica in Mad Magazine #208, March 1979.">
Image:Mad Magazine Spoof 1.jpg|Page 1
Image:Mad Magazine Spoof 2.jpg|Page 2
Image:Mad Magazine Spoof 3.jpg|Page 3
Image:Mad Magazine Spoof 4.jpg|Page 4
Image:Mad Magazine Spoof 5.jpg|Page 5
Image:Mad Magazine Spoof 6.jpg|Page 6
</gallery>

*[http://www.mediafire.com/?17e76vh5me7608q Click here to download a free PDF file of Cattle Car Galaxica.]

== The Lights of Caprica Scene ==

[[Image:The Lights of Caprica scene.jpg|center|The infamous Lights of Caprica scene!]]

== Funny Videos ==

*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UShnyQK8aas&feature=mh_lolz&list=FLrIBODxWIieq6zwvGyKozlg 'We Gotta Find Earth' - an in-studio produced gag reel from 1979. Lorne Greene, Dirk Benedict and Richard Hatch sing! The quality of the video isn't great, but it's still worth watching.]

*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHqhfDKF19Y Battlestar Galactica Bloopers and Outtakes]

*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBDNg58E4o8 Maren Jensen blooper from Battlestar Galactica]

*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JVZQhlivnY The A-Team's Face comes face-to-face with a Cylon!]

== The Battlestar Galactica Comedy Quiz ==

So you think you know everything there is to know about Battlestar Galactica? Then test yourself and take the Battlestar Galactica Comedy Quiz. There are 21 questions in all. If you get 0-5 correct, you're stupid. If you get 6-12 correct, you're not that dumb. If you get 13-20 correct, you're kinda smart. And if you get all 21 correct, then... You're Obsessed with a TV Show! Get A Life!

Really, it's all in good fun.<ref>[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/Sheba.htm Sheba's Galaxy: The Ultimate Battlestar Galactica Information Site.]</ref>

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(1) What is a centon?

a. A minute

b. An hour

c. A day

d. A week

e. Depends which episode you watch

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(2) What is a milli-centon?

a. A minute

b. An hour

c. A day

d. A week

e. A milli-WHAT???

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(3) What exactly was it that the Cylon raiders would fire?

a. Lasers

b. Bombs

c. Laser bombs

d. Lasers that transform into bombs

e. It's an advanced technology, stupid!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(4) ABC was convinced that Battlestar Galactica would be the number one hit on television and was determined to do everything right. The network went about this by:

a. Rushing the show into production before enough decent scripts could be written

b. Forcing ridiculous story ideas on the writers and producers

c. Censoring most violence, taking away much of the drama

d. Making the villains completely laughable and inept

e. Giving prominent roles to "cute" kids

f. Preempting the show enough times so the ratings would be certain to drop

g. Reusing the same stock footage over and over and over

h. All of the above

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(5) When ABC decided to revive Battlestar Galactica as Galactica 1980, it was determined not to repeat the same mistakes it made the first time. What mistakes did the network repeat?

a. Rushing the show into production before enough decent scripts could be written

b. Forcing ridiculous story ideas on the writers and producers

c. Censoring most violence, taking away much of the drama

d. Making the villains completely laughable and inept

e. Giving prominent roles to "cute" kids

f. Preempting the show enough times so the ratings would be certain to drop

g. Reusing the same stock footage over and over and over

h. All of the above

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(6) In creating Battlestar Galactica, Glen Larson attempted to appeal to die-hard science fiction fans by:

a. Showering us with intriguing sci-fi techno-babble

b. Presenting a well-thought out Colonial system of time

c. Hiring writers with deep backgrounds in science fiction

d. Offering exciting new special effects every week

e. Rehashing every TV cliche imaginable

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(7) At the end of Saga Of A Star World, the planet Carillon exploded because:

a. The planet was filled with tylium, a highly explosive fuel

b. Starbuck and Apollo ignited the tylium during their ground battle with Cylon centurions

c. The Cylon basestar ignited the tylium when it fired its lasers at Starbuck and Apollo

d. Well, Star Wars ended with a big explosion, so Galactica might as well, too!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(8) When Battlestar Galactica finished the 1978-79 season at number 24, becoming the highest rated science fiction series in television history and the best performing series ever in the highly competitive Sunday night time slot, ABC showed its appreciation by:

a. Giving the cast and crew raises

b. Increasing the show's budget so that even better episodes could be produced

c. Taking away the censors so that the stories would no longer be hindered

d. Giving the writers more time to create better scripts

e. Canceling it and replacing it with Mork and Mindy

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(9) When making the theatrical trailer, Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming, Richard Hatch decided to completely ignore the events of Galactica 1980. That said, in which of the following ways are The Second Coming and Galactica 1980 NOT alike?

a. The grown-up Boxey's name is Troy

b. Richard Lynch plays a villain

c. The Gemini freighter is destroyed in a battle with the Cylons

d. The Colonials haven't seen the Cylons in many, many yahrens

e. The Colonials believe they have eluded the Cylons for good, only to discover they haven't

f. A new generation of Colonial warriors has emerged

g. The Colonials have found a planet to settle on

h. The Cylons have evolved as a race

i. The Cylons have an upgraded Cylon raider

j. Starbuck is lost in battle and presumed dead

k. Those furkin' Super Scouts!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(10) At what point did Battlestar Galactica's storylines begin to get slightly repetitive?

a. Apollo is stranded on a planet in The Lost Warrior

b. Cree is stranded on a planet in The Gun On Ice Planet Zero

c. Starbuck is stranded on a planet in The Young Lords

d. Starbuck, Apollo, and Cassiopea are stranded on a planet in Greetings From Earth

e. Starbuck and Apollo are stranded on a planet in Experiment In Terra

f. Like... Duh!!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(11) Baltar sold out the entire human race because

a. Hmmmm...

b. Well,

c. Let me think...

d. He was EVIL!!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(12) For selling out the entire human race, Baltar's punishment from the Council of Twelve was:

a. Torture

b. Slavery

c. Execution

d. His own private room on the prison barge, a better living accomodation than what most of the people in the fleet had

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(13) In an interview before the series began, Maren Jensen said her character Athena would be a ground-breaking role for women in television. We knew this was true when:

a. Athena sat on the bridge while the men performed all the heroics

b. By the second episode, the women were all reduced to window dressing

c. Athena spent all her time chasing after and being womanized by Starbuck

d. Athena was revealed to be a school teacher

e. During a Cylon kamikaze attack, Athena was completely helpless and needed Boomer to save her

f. Athena disappeared halfway through the season and was never seen again

g. None of the above

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(14) Despite the staggering number of people who had to be left behind due to the lack of ships, the Colonials decided to take criminals with them on their voyage because:

a. The criminals were believed to have been first-time offenders

b. Adama wanted the fleet to have a little of everything

c. You can't do a rip-off of The Guns Of Navarone and The Dirty Dozen unless you have criminals!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(15) True or False: When Adama decides to seek out the planet Earth, he has absolutely no clue where it is.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(16) The Eastern Alliance was a unique contrast to the Cylons in that:

a. They had personality

b. They were multi-dimensional villains

c. They were a believable threat to the Colonials

d. They were shallow stereotypes of the Soviet Union

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(17) How did having eyes that swerved back and forth affect the Cylons in battle?

a. They couldn't see anything

b. They couldn't hit anything

c. Their entire garrison gets wiped out by five children

d. Their entire squadron loses to a group of inexperienced pilots that had never flown before

e. They lose 50 ships for every 1 ship they destroy

f. How did they ever win the war, anyway?

g. All of the above

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(18) In The Long Patrol, the Galactica enters a new galaxy where no humans had ever been before. Logically, the Galactica soon discovers:

a. There are humans on the asteroid Proteus who know of the Colonials

b. There are humans on the planet Sectar who know of the Colonials

c. There are humans of the planet Attila who know of the Colonials

d. Gammoray, which the Colonials know of

e. All of the above

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(19) Apollo was considered by many to be the greatest warrior in the fleet. Which of the following might cause one to doubt this just a little?

a. In The Lost Warrior when Apollo inexplicably flys so far away from the fleet that he doesn't have enough fuel to make it back

b. In Greetings From Earth when Apollo is the one who captures the Terran shuttle and then rants and raves for an hour that it should be let go

c. In Saga Of A Star World when Apollo returns in time to warn the Colonials of the Cylon attack but takes an hour to find the bridge

d. In Fire In Space when Apollo fries the Galactica command center and nearly kills everyone in it

e. All of the above

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(20) When did Battlestar Galactica finally appear to be hitting its stride?

a. The moment we see Hector and Vector's showstopping musical number

b. The moment we meet the adorable, ineffable and loquacious Siress Bellaby

c. The moment Starbuck becomes the center of the most thrilling murder mystery in galactic history

d. The moment a group of kids crush a Cylon garrison, leading us to realize the Colonials would ultimately win the war

e. In LPOTG when Apollo and Starbuck make blatant sexist remarks about the female cadets

f. The final episode, which aired after the series was canceled

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(21) When did Galactica 1980 finally appear to be hitting its stride?

a. The moment we heard its informative educational dialogue

b. The moment we recognized its repetitive stock footage

c. The moment we realized Adama was going senile

d. The moment we realized there would be zero consistency between any two episodes

e. The fifth car chase

f. The final episode, which aired after the series was canceled

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Answers: (1) e. (2) 2. (3) e. (4) h. (5) h. (6) e. (7) d. (8) e. (9) k. (10) f. (11) d. (12) d. (13) g. (14) c. (15) True. (16) d. (17) d. (18) e. (19) e. (20) f. (21) f.

== References ==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

[[Category:TOS]]

Galactica 1980 1

2012-02-20T17:27:28Z

Galactica1981:

{{separate continuity|universe=1980|cont=Dynamite Comics}}

{{Comic Data
| image =Galactica 1980 1.jpg
| title=Galactica 1980 #1
| series=Dynamite
| issueno=1
| episode=
| writer= [[Marc Guggenheim]]
| penciller= [[Cezar Razek]]
| inker= Cezar Razek
| colorist=[[Salvatore Aiala]]
| letterer=[[Simon Bowland]]
| editor=
| cover= [[Lucio Parrillo]]
| published=September 2009
| collects=
| collected=
| reprints=
| reprinted=
| isbn=
| prev=None
| next=[[Galactica 1980 2]]
}}

== Plot ==

* At [[w:Harvard University|Harvard University]] in November of 1971 C.E., a [[Donald Mortinson (alternate)|mustached, puffy haired man]]<ref>Donald Mortinson's identity is later revealed in [[Galactica 1980 2|issue 2]] of this series.</ref> gives a lecture on his theory pertaining to extraterrestrial intervention of Earth's development, using the introduction to the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)#Noteworthy Dialogue|original ''Battlestar Galactica'' series in this sparsely-attended lecture]]. A young heckler in jeans and a white t-shirt challenges the speaker's "lamebrain theory," which the speaker then vainly defends, noting the lack of knowledge about the "missing link" between ape and man.
* In 1977 C.E., [[w:NASA|NASA]] works on the [[w:Voyager program|Voyager program]].
* In 1980 C.E., [[Troy Adama|Troy "Boxey" Adama]]<ref>Troy's full name is revealed in issue 2.</ref> and [[Dillon (alternate)|Dillon]] are on patrol. Troy detects a contact on his [[scanner]] whilst drinking from a flask; Dillon notes that it is against regulations to drink while on duty. Troy begins his tirade on how regulations are as unnecessary as the patrol, as they have never seen [[Cylons (1980)|Cylons]] in their lifetime. Troy also notes that drinking dulls the pain, and that Dillon should try it. This conversation ends when Dillon confirms the contact and encounters something that is not [[Voyager spacecraft|space junk]].
* [[Adama (1980 alternate)|Adama]] notes that the [[The Fleet (TOS)|Fleet]]'s morale has deteriorated (women of child-bearing age undergo "'homegrown' sterilizations" to prevent future generations from suffering the fate of an endless journey) and doubts that it could deteriorate any further. He also notes that there are whispers of mutiny for those who want to support a leadership that will settle the first habitable planet they come across, instead of their apparently endless journey to find [[Earth (1980 alternate)|Earth]].
* As Adama pulls out his gun and begins his suicide attempt, he is summoned to ''[[Rising Star (TOS)|Rising Star]]''. Upon entering the laboratory, Adama rebukes Doctor [[Gaius Zee]]<ref>Zee's given name is revealed in issue 2.</ref> for being summoned "like a [[daggit]]," for which Zee apologizes. Upon seeing the ''Voyager'' spacecraft, Adama questions if it is of Cylon origin; Zee notes Adama's apparent optimism over that otherwise disturbing fact.
* Zee boasts to Adama that the craft originates from Earth, and that it took him 3.2 [[centar]]s to translate the Earth language. Upon questioning Zee as to why Adama was not immediately notified upon this discovery, and Zee notes that he is an "old man" and that "sometimes, my excitement gets the better of my judgment."
* Dillon raises his concern over the public reaction, noting that many among ''[[Galactica (1980)|Galactica]]'''s hangar crew—not to mention civilians—have seen the craft during its recover and subsequent transfer from ''Galactica'' to ''Rising Star''. Faced with this reality, and the fact that word has spread throughout the Fleet like wildfire, Adama and Zee address the [[Quorum of Twelve (TOS)|Quorum of Twelve]]. While Adama advises that the Quorum be prepared with answers to the survivors' questions, Zee informs the Quorum that the humans on Earth are primitive and the Colonials would not be welcomed with open arms, but the reaction would be "inhospitable." Zee recommends that, for their safety and the safety of the Earthlings, they conquer the planet. Adama's reaction is one of sheer outrage.
* Adama advocates a peaceful meeting with the ones who constructed the Earth craft. The Quorum agrees. Before proceeding to their final destination, Adama makes his speech to the Colonial Fleet, announcing the discovery of Earth.
* [[w:NORAD|NORAD]] detects two unknown craft (Colonial Vipers piloted by Troy and Dillon) flying at Mach-3, inbound to Washington, D.C. The Vipers are an advanced scout for ''Galactica'', who ensure the area is clear for her arrival.
* In the White House, the President and his staff discuss the incursion of the two Vipers, attempting to get in touch with the Russian president, [[w:Leonid Brezhnev|Leonid Brezhnev]]. The [[w:United States Secret Service|Secret Service]] agents rush in, noting that the White House is under attack and move to bring the President to the bunker. The President breaks free of the Secret Service agent's grip and rushes towards the window, seeing ''Galactica'' hovering overhead. Seeing the craft, he immediately elects the first strike option, ordering [[w:DEFCON|DEFCON-1]] and the nuclear codes.
* For 67 [[centon]]s since taking position above the White House, ''Galactica'''s crew attempts to contact the humans. They detect an inbound warhead; Adama asks the [[Lords of Kobol (TOS)|Gods]] to forgive him, as Zee was right. ''Galactica'' takes a hit amidships and is destroyed, crashing to the ground. Adama lives long enough to see the sunlight from the Earth, before losing consciousness.

== Notes ==
[[Image:Galactica Explodes.jpg|thumb|right|The Galactica explodes!]]
* This comic's title is "Galactica Discovers Earth," an obvious nod to the ''Galactica 1980'' pilot episode of the [[Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I|same name]].
* Of note, there are two visual nods to the [[Re-imagined Series]]: the "clamshell blaster" (used in the [[Miniseries]] and the [[Season 1 (2004-05)|first season]]) that [[Adama (1980 alternate)|Adama]] holds to his temple during his aborted suicide attempt and the [[Colonial seal]] in the chambers of the [[Quorum of Twelve (TOS)|Quorum of Twelve]].
* While Colonel [[Boomer (1980)|Boomer]] is introduced in this issue, his character is not defined in this issue other than his status as ''Galactica''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> executive officer. His fate at the end of this issue is unknown.
* The comic book uses the appearances and, generally, the same basic template of the television series, right down to the character's likenesses.
* The cover art for this first issue of the series is based on the cover for the (Region 1) DVD release of ''Galactica 1980''.
:* While [[Jamie Hamilton]] is shown on the cover, she is not introduced in this issue.
* The [[Alliance]] is mentioned as possible originators of the ''Voyager''.
* The individual lecturing at [[w:Harvard University|Harvard University]] appears similar to [[Donald Mortinson]], although this is neither confirmed nor denied by the content in the issue.
[[Image:G80 1 - Galactica crash.jpg|thumb|right|What's left of the Galactica.]]
* Given the mention of [[w:Leonid Brezhnev|Leonid Brezhnev]], [[w:General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union|General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union]], it is likely that the United States of America's President depicted in this issue is the 39th President, [[w:Jimmy Carter|James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr.]]
* This issue ends with the following reading from [[w:Deuteronomy|Deuteronomy 34:4-5]]. Its use implies that Adama was the Colonials's [[w:Moses|Moses]]. Deuteronomy 34:4-5, as quoted in the issue, reads:
*: ''And the Lord said unto him, this is the land which I swore unto [[w:Abraham|Abraham]] and [[w:Isaac|Isaac]] and [[w:Jacob|Jacob]], saying, "I will give it to thy descendants." I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there.''
* The term "[[yahren]]" is repeatedly misspelled in this issue.
* The use of the term "sire" by the general at the White House on page 16 is likely an error.

== Analysis ==

* Read a review of this comic series [[User:Galactica1981/Galactica_1981_Reviews#Galactica_1980_comic_series|here]].
* This is a re-imagined take on the ''[[Galactica 1980]]'' television series. Although the comic series draws from the visual cues from ''1980'', down to the likenesses and basic character elements established in that series's canon, the tone is considerably darker in terms of mood and cynicism (or realism, depending on the views of the reader). Differences from the series include demonstrations of the character's faults (Adama's depression and suicide attempt, Troy's drinking habits while on duty), the deteriorating conditions of the Fleet, women undergoing surgical procedures for sterilization, and the malaise of the general leadership.
* Characters introduced in this issue:
** [[Adama (1980 alternate)|Adama]] maintains a calm demeanor in public, but contemplates suicide in the face of the long journey, demonstrating underlining longing for the Cylons to return. As opposed to his [[Adama (1980)|canonical counterpart]], he is at odds with Doctor [[Zee (alternate)|Zee]] over how to approach the people of [[Earth (1980 alternate)|Earth]]; Adama favors direct communication with their Earth brothers.
** [[Troy (1980 alternate)|Troy]] is a cynical [[Warrior]] and has sought comfort in inebriation, as opposed to his [[Troy (1980)|canonical counterpart]]'s considered, thoughtful approach and maturity.
** [[Dillon (alternate)|Dillon]] is mature and level-headed, stoic and adhering to duty, much like the Troy of the ''1980'' series.
** Doctor [[Zee (alternate)|Zee]] is an old genius somehow transplanted in a young boy's body. While ultimately correct in his predictions that their Earth brothers are violent and would not welcome the Colonials with open arms, Zee is not without a sense of self-entitlement and condescending nature.
** [[Boomer (1980)#Notes|Boomer]] is much like his [[Boomer (1980)|canonical counterpart]] and makes a fleeting appearance in this issue before the U.S. military's strike on ''Galactica''.
* The U.S. President's order of a nuclear attack on ''Galactica'' seems foolhardy, unless he made it to the shelter unscathed. The success of the nuclear attack implies that ''Galactica'' is without energy shielding, or that such shielding was not employed.
* The [[invisibility field]] technology developed by Doctor Zee in the series is unused here. It may or may not have been invented.

== Questions ==

=== Answered Questions ===

* With ''Galactica'' destroyed, what happens to the [[The Fleet (TOS)|Fleet]]? What will be the Colonials's response? ([[Galactica 1980 2|Answer]])
* What of the [[Cylons (1980)|Cylons]]? ([[Galactica 1980 2|Answer]])

=== Unanswered Questions ===

* How did Zee, who apparently was an old man, transfer his consciousness into a young boy?
* What is the nature of Zee's "experiments" on people?
* What happened to [[Apollo (TOS)|Apollo]], [[Starbuck (TOS)|Starbuck]], [[Athena (TOS)|Athena]] and the others?
* With the world now aware of an extra-terrestrial threat, not to mention the existence of such creatures, what will be the resulting social and political changes?

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

* ''Doctor [[Gaius Zee]] and Commander [[Adama (1980 alternate)|Adama]] discuss how to approach the humans on [[Earth (1980 alternate)|Earth]]:''
: '''Adama:''' These are our ''brethren''. Younger, more primitive perhaps, but they are ''human'' and they are the descendants of the [[Thirteenth Tribe (TOS)|lost tribe]]. I cannot believe they would fail to welcome us as their brothers.
: '''Zee:''' And if you're wrong, Adama, you'll cause panic among them on a ''planetary'' scale.
: '''Quorum Member:''' What are you proposing, doctor?
: '''Zee:''' Assuming sure and swift control over the planet will assure everyone's safety. Especially ''theirs''.
: '''Adama:''' '''''No!'' I didn't travel billions of [[light-yahren|light-yarens]] (sic) to conquer other humans!'''
: '''Zee:''' Not conquer, Adama. ''Colonize.''
: '''Adama:''' To what purpose? More fodder for your ''"experiments,"'' perhaps? To what use would you have us put your human '''slaves?'''
: '''Zee:''' Is a child a slave to his parent? These are not our ''"brothers,"'' as you claim, Adama. At best, they are our ''children''. And children must sometimes submit to the will of their parents for their own protection.

== References ==

<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

== External links ==

* [http://www.dynamiteentertainment.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?PRO=C725130126214 ''Galactica 1980 1''] at Dynamite Entertainment

* [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=22015 Preview Article - Guggenheim Goes For Galactica 1980 - Comic Book Resoruces]

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Comics]]
[[Category:Comics (1980)]]
[[Category:Dynamite Comics]]
[[Category:Dynamite Comics (1980)]]
[[Category:1980]]

User:Galactica1981/Galactica 1981 Reviews

2011-12-29T14:46:54Z

Galactica1981: /* Lost Planet of the Gods */

This is a list of reviews by [[User:Galactica1981]] for various [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]] content. Given to the Battlestar Wiki's policy of [[NPOV|Neutral Point of View]], they are found here rather than their respective articles.

These episode reviews originally appears on the Sheba's Galaxy site. They have been slightly revised.

== TOS Episode Reviews ==

===[[Saga of a Star World]] ===

'''RATING: Four and a half stars out of five'''

There's no question that on the night of September 17, 1978, Battlestar Galactica hit television screens with a bang. Saga Of A Star World is unquestionably the most elaborate televison movie ever made (and least up to that point!) When trying to rate something like this, it's important to examine it in the context of television during that time period. For sure, no sci-fi show of this magnitude had ever been done before in the history of television, and thus it deserves extra points for that alone. There are many great things that can be said about this episode (acting, special effects, music score), but I won't bother repeating what most people are already aware of. In the end, I had to decide against a full five-star rating, mostly because of the unforgivable "Star Wars" ending it was saddled with. The big explosion of the planet Carillon is a blatant ripoff of Star Wars, not to mention ridiculous as well. Setting fire to some tylium mines causes the entire planet to explode? This is ludicrous (although one could argue that destroying the massive Death Star by shooting a tiny exhaust port was equally ludicrous). Surely Glen Larson could have written a better ending than this. Ultimately, this had to reinforce many people's beliefs that Galactica was a second-rate Star Wars. Having a casino with all sorts of alien creatures also seems a little too close to Star Wars for comfort.

As a kid watching the show, I absolutely loved the Cylons because of how cool they looked. My favorite character was Starbuck who I idolized and wanted to be like. The series also had a phenomenal cast with tremendously talented actors (except for Maren Jensen), and it's a shame they were often saddled with substandard scripts. Starbuck and Apollo are wonderful in the lead roles, and they arguably have more chemistry than did Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. And Lorne Greene is superb as in the role of Commander Adama. In the pilot episode, the scene that perhaps stands out the most is the laser battle against the Cylon Centurions on the surface of Carillon, a truly awesome spectacle combined with the looming countdown as the Cylon raiders close in on the Galactica. It terms of the characters, my favorite scene is probably Starbuck's almost proposing to Athena. Finally, the musical score for the series is truly breathtaking, on a similar level as the one for Star Wars.

Of course, there are also some HUMONGOUS plot holes in this story, enough for any critic to tear it to shreds. I'm not going bother writing 5 pages about the plot problems of Saga Of A Star World. Instead, I'll just mention a few points:

The premise of the Colonial fleet seeking Earth, while interesting, is unfortunately flawed because no one (not even Adama) has any idea where it is! Apparently, Adama was the only one who even knew about Earth's existence, although he doesn't seem to have any proof. Thus the Colonial fleet is left to wander aimlessly throughout the universe looking for it. Fortunately, this problem would be addressed in ''War of the Gods'' when the Colonials finally learn the coordinates to Earth.

The Colonials seemed unbelievably gullible and naive regarding the Cylons' offer of peace. After a thousand years of war, you would think they'd have been more careful, but they foolishly leave their home planets undefended. President Adar is incredibly stupid when he sees a thousand Cylon raiders coming towards the fleet and assumes it is a peace envoy.

Apollo gets back to the fleet in time to warn them of the coming Cylon attack, yet he fails to do so. Why? Why does he take an hour to find the bridge?

=== [[Lost Planet of the Gods]]===

'''Rating: Four stars out of five'''

The second half of this two-part episode has the theatrical feel of a movie, while the first half has often been blasted as being sexist. Of course, it is a bit strange that all the female cadets look like lingerie models. Still, I think the claim of sexism is a bit overstated. If you look at women in the U.S. military, they tend to act in supporting roles rather than be on the front lines. I don't know how many female jet pilots are in the U.S. military, but I suspect there aren't many. And I suspect this is due less to discrimination than to the fact that women tend to make different career choices than men (i.e. they tend to choose less hazardous professions). The reasons for there being no female viper pilots on the Galactica were probably along the same lines.

Regardless, the first half of the episode mostly serves as a set-up for the second half. Nothing wrong with that, but it does make the first half far less interesting.

Anyway, the two-part episodes fare better than most of the one-part episodes because Glen Larson would often blow the budget and vastly overspend. There are many fantastic scenes in the second half: Serina proposing to Apollo that they marry immediately; the Star of Kobol appearing in the port window during the wedding ceremony; the light shining off of Adama's medallion inside the tombs of Kobol; the Cylon raiders attacking the surface of Kobol; and, of course, Serina's death scene.

Serina's death is one of the most poignant moments of the entire series. But it came at a high price, as the show arguably suffered without her. And the writing would start to take a turn for the worse with the very next episode.

===[[The Lost Warrior]]===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

After only two episodes, Battlestar Galactica's creative energy has fizzled out. This is the first of the so-called "bottled episodes." These episodes had few if any new special effects, enabling the producers to save money which would later be spent on the bigger, more extravagant "monster episodes." It's understandable that these "bottled" stories were necessary, but this is where rushing the show into production really hurt the series. The writers simply did not have time to create quality scripts. Of course, this would ultimately lead to the decline in ratings.

This kind of episode is tough to review because it's good but wrong. Based on the classic 1953 western film Shane, this actually makes a pretty decent western, but Battlestar Galactica is supposed to be a science fiction series. Sci-fi fans want science fiction, not half-hybrids of other shows (A mistake that Galactica 1980 would repeat). If I want to see a Western, I'd rather watch Bonanza. The only reason this gets two stars is because we get such a strong characterization of Apollo.

Unfortunately, this is not the only space western we would see on Galactica. Cowboys and saloons would return in The Magnificent Warriors. In fact, the very idea that an "old west" town would exist in Battlestar Galactica completely contradicts the Von Daniken premise of the show, that the Colonies and the ancient cultures of Earth (such as Atlantis and Egypt) have the same roots, the same beginnings. It is ludicrous that an Old West society could have any common connection with this. It raises all kinds of questions. The people of Equellis obviously had to arrive on that world by means of spacecraft, so why is the society so primitive? How could they not know of the Cylons since the war has raged for 1,000 years and the average human life-span is 200 years?

Why would Apollo be dumb enough to fly so far away from the fleet that he wouldn't have enough fuel to make it back? This really makes no sense. And why does Apollo promise Bella and Puppis that he will return one day? Why would he ever believe that possible?

Despite the lackluster plot, there are some good moments. Boxey beating Starbuck at Pyramid is funny, and the western style "shoot-out" between Red-Eye and Apollo is very well done. The only weak point is when Red Eye spots Apollo's laser and says, "Uh-oh." This trivalizes a very serious moment for the sake of silly humor. It is difficult to believe that a Cylon would use such a phrase. Ironically, for years I couldn't make out exactly what he was saying. I assumed it was some kind of challenge to Apollo, and it actually added to the power of the moment. You can imagine my dismay when I learned the truth. Also, Puppis gets pretty annoying pretty fast.

===[[The Long Patrol]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

The Long Patrol is lot of a fun and a big improvement over the previous episode. Starbuck's computer companion C.O.R.A is a hoot. There are several funny scenes: Starbuck womanizing Cassiopeia and Athena; Boomer's jab at him before he goes off on the mission; Starbuck finding a fortune in ambrosia only to have it destroyed by the Cylon attack. Adama deciding to change the Galactica's course to keep distance from the Cylons is very well done, revealing how burdensome command of the fleet is and how it forces him to sacrifice his loved ones to protect the rest of humanity.

Maren Jensen (Athena) gets more screen time here than in most of the episodes. The scene with Athena revealing Starbuck's apparent death to Cassiopeia is especially moving, one of Jensen's best scenes of the series. The Athen/Cassiopeia rivalry was compelling and could have been developed in future episodes, but sadly this never happens. This was likely due to Maren Jensen's limitations as an actress which caused the writers to reduce her role.

Could C.O.R.A. have been the inspiration for K.I.T.T., the computerized car on Glen Larson's Knight Rider? Considering the amazing similarities between the two, it would have to be a possibility. Also, Glen Larson has went on record saying that K.I.T.T.'s swerving red eye was inspired by the swerving red eyes of the Cylons. It was sort of his way of keeping the Cylons alive.

The Long Patrol is definitely one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

===[[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero]]===

'''Rating: Three and a half stars out of five'''

This two-part episode is based on the 1961 movie The Guns of Navarone and the 1967 movie The Dirty Dozen. The episode has a theatrical feel to it because, as mentioned before, the two-parters had bigger budgets. Although the story is by-the-numbers, it is very enjoyable because of the fantastic special effects. Still, as good as Gun is, it is easily one of the lesser of the two-parters. While better than Greetings From Earth, Gun falls far short of The Living Legend, Lost Planet Of The Gods, and especially War Of The Gods.

This was actually the second episode filmed. This would explain why Serina and Cassiopea do not appear (Serina and Cassiopea died in the original version of the pilot before the decision was made to bring them back). Baltar and Lucifer's scenes were probably shot much later.

This episode raises a serious question. Considering the staggering number of people who had to be left behind due to lack of ships, why would the Colonials bother to take criminals with them? Perhaps they were already locked in the brig on the Galactica before the Holocaust or they somehow managed to sneak aboard the fleet to be captured later. Or perhaps most of them committed their crimes after joining the rag tag fleet. Considering how overcrowded, starved, and disorganized the fleet was when it was assembled, it is logical that many violent crimes would have occurred. An episode exploring this would have been nice.

The idea that there would not be enough qualified Colonial warriors to go on the mission is hard to believe. And why do Apollo, Starbuck, and Boomer get chosen? They are pilots, and their emphasis is not on ground assault. Logically, the Galactica would have a ground assault team available for these kinds of situations. It is also difficult to believe that Boxey would have found a way to sneak onto the shuttle. At least he and Muffit have an impact on the success of the mission.

In the book ''The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'' by J.W. Rinzler and Ridley Scott, it is revealed that part of George Lucas's anger towards Battlestar Galactica was because of this episode. Lucas planned to feature an ice planet in the sequel to Star Wars, and he felt that Galactica threatened to undercut him by featuring an ice planet on one of their own episodes. Did this fuel his lawsuit that Galactica was infringing on Star Wars? Is so, then Lucas comes off as disingenuous to say the least, for it would be absurd to claim that Galactica was infringing on a movie that hadn't yet been made!

Baltar's legs were crushed in Lost Planet of the Gods, yet in this episode the only evidence of Baltar's injury is a slight limp. Did the Cylons do major reconstructive surgery on his legs? I guess so.

At this point, the constant reusing of the same space battle scenes really starts getting redundant. Still, this remains one of the most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

=== [[The Magnificent Warriors]] ===

'''Rating: One and a half stars out of five'''

Many fans consider this to be the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. While I don't agree, I think it comes pretty close. The story is, quite frankly, terrible. We are again subjected to yet another old-western style shanty town? Once was enough! The Borays are disgusting and sound awful. The only redeeming moment is when Adama and company discover Starbuck at the gambling table. It's rather funny.

Siress Bellaby is hands down the most annoying character to ever appear on Battlestar Galactica. Most viewers probably couldn't understand why the Colonial Warriors didn't simply let the Borays kill her.

On a positive note, we are shown Lorne Greene's impressive range as an actor. It's interesting to see a comical Adama, a nice contrast to the serious commander that we usually see. Unfortunately, Greene is forced to play against Brett Somers (Siress Bellaby). Somers isn't funny; she's annoying, and it kills most of the comedy that is presented.

The premise of The Magnificent Warriors actually had a lot of potential. We are given a situation where the fleet has no food and everyone is aware of it (unlike in Saga Of A Star World when the Colonials were able to cover up the problem). This raises all kinds of fascinating issues. Would the fleet start a mutiny against Adama during such a crisis? How would Adama react to such a mutiny? How would he choose who to save? Would he allow each ship to make its own decision to leave? Or would he try to force them to stick together? And what decisions would Starbuck and Apollo be forced to make if such a mutiny occurred? So many interesting questions for the episode to pursue.

Sadly, standard television plotting is what we get. The Colonials are traveling through the vast uncharted regions of space, and they run out of food at just the precise moment they happen to be near a farming colony. Okay. Whatever. The Colonials land on the planet and meet the Borays. From then on, it's just another battle of good vs. evil. Putting the Colonials in a moral dilemna would have been much more interesting that what we were given here.

===[[The Young Lords]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

This is the family episode of Battlestar Galactica. Starbuck is shot down and crashes on a planet. Yawn. This is essentially a remake of The Lost Warrior in which Apollo is stranded on the planet Equellus. Of course, Starbuck was also stranded in The Long Patrol and Cree was stranded in ''The Gun On Ice Planet Zero''. Later in ''Greetings From Earth'', Starbuck, Apollo, and Casseopia would be stranded on the planet Paradeen. At this point, the series was becoming so predictable that viewers each week must have been asking the question, "Who's going to have to be rescued this week?" In fact, Mad Magazine, in a spoof of Galactica, poked fun at this element of the show. (See [[Humor in the Original Series]])

Considering the incredibly broad premise of the series, it's amazing that the writers had so much trouble coming up with a story that didn't involve someone being stranded on a planet. With this kind of plot, The Young Lords shouldn't even be watchable. And yet, despite all these drawbacks, this actually turns out to be a fun, enjoyable episode. Part of this praise goes to the tremendous production values. It is simply fascinating to see so many Cylons inside a medieval castle. The location is nothing short of spectacular. To top it off, Dirk Benedict delivers with a wonderful performance. There are many good scenes, especially Starbuck's rescue from the Cylons by Kyle and the children (plus his insulting remark to the Cylons moments before). Playing up kids in a series can be extremely fatal to ratings (Galactica 1980 became an infamous example of this), but fortunately Kyle and the gang never get to the point where they become grating; although they (and their song near the end) come dangerously close. (And are we to believe Starbuck and his Scooby Gang would actually take the time to think up lyrics for a song and memorize them? Please!)

The IL series Cylon Spectre is a delightfully conniving character. He is the perfect foil for Lucifer. His phony flattery of Baltar is hilarious, especially the way he manages to turn defeat to his own advantage. Unfortunately, the character does not appear again. Had the series continued into a second season, he probably would have. Spectre does appear in the later original Berkley novels [[The Nightmare Machine]], [[Die, Chameleon!]] and [[Surrender the Galactica!]] where he is put to good use.

Most of the scenes of Baltar and Lucifer communicating with Spectre were recycled with different dialogue into the Galactica telemovie [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]].

Needless to say that by this point the Cylons have become a joke. When you stop and really think about it, it is ludicrous that an entire Cylon garrison is defeated by one colonial warrior and five children.

Still, this episode somehow succeeds despite every logical reason why it shouldn't.

===[[The Living Legend]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five'''

This is one of the very best episodes of Battlestar Galactica. The two-part episodes consistently deliver, and The Living Legend is no exception. The idea of a second survivng battlestar is a good one, as is a scenario where the fleet runs out of fuel.

This episode introduces two compelling characters, Commander Cain and his daughter, Lt. Sheba. Sheba's character is said to have been a ground-breaking role for women. She is tough, independent, and short-tempered. Basically, she's the exact opposite of virtually every other female character to appear on the series. Fortunately, she, along with Bojay, becomes a regular after this episode.

Lloyd Bridges is tremendous as Commander Cain. It's hard to imagine any other actor filling the role. The only weak moment for Bridges is when Cain lies to Adama about the "accidental" failure of the tanker mission. Cain's cavalier attitude about it makes it obvious to everyone that he purposely sabotaged the mission.

This story is different from any other Galactica story thus far because we see a clash of philosophies within the ranks of the military. Cain wants to wage an all-out war against Gamoray, and Adama simply wants to capture the much-needed fuel and escape. The earlier episodes were extremely simplistic in their portaryal of good versus evil. The Colonials are good. The Cylons are evil. Simple as that. Since the good guys are all in the military, the military is always portrayed as being right. Adama, Starbuck, and Apollo had very few moral dilemnas to deal with, which would have made the stories so much more interesting.

Baltar personally leading the attack on the Galactica makes the battle much more intense and exciting, mostly because the battle has a storyline. Most of the Galactica space battles are nothing more than a confusing jumble of stock shots haphazardly thrown together with nothing in terms of a flow or climax. (One of the bigger flaws of Return Of The Jedi was that the Battle of Endor had nothing in terms of a storyline.) This time it is different. The Pegasus closing in on Baltar at the end of part one is the best cliff hanger of the series. It is rather fitting that Baltar's forces are taken by surprise, since it was Baltar who caused the colonial warfleet to be taken by surprise in the pilot.

The scene between Adama and Apollo right before the mission to capture the Cylon tankers is very powerful. It shows how, despite being father and son, each of their respective positions forces a distance between them personally. What is especially impressive is that this is done without words. Richard Hatch and Lorne Greene manage to convey more with a facial expression than most actors do with a page of dialogue.

Boxey really starts to get on the nerves at this point. Nothing against Noah Hathaway, but Boxey is a character all too typical of standard television. He is an ultra-cute TV kid doing ultra-cute things, yet usually has little or no bearing on the plot. These kinds of characters (most notably the Super Scouts from Galactica 1980) only serve to hurt a show's ratings.

When you put the story under scrutiny, there are some serious flaws. Why are viper pilots sent on a ground mission? Wouldn't the Galactica have specialized teams for that sort of thing? It is also a bit difficult to believe that Sheba could have found a way to go on the mission to Gamoray without permission. It is even more difficult to believe that Cassiopea would have been allowed to just hop on the shuttle. Was she given a crash course on parachuting during the shuttle ride? How could the Colonial warriors have known exactly which building in Gamoray contained the main communications center? And are we to believe that destroying one small communications center would disable the entire city's defense system? If, like me, you can overlook these flaws, this is still a great episode.

This episode and Fire In Space were later combined to form the horrid Galactica theatrical movie [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]].

===[[Fire in Space]]===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

This explosive episode is the one-hour equivalent of a disaster movie. It's basically a sci-fi version of The Towering Inferno (and stock footage from that movie was probably used here). There's so much action that it isn't until the end that you realize just how essentially empty it is. There are a lot of things happening, and at the same time there is nothing happening. By all rights this story should be downright awful, yet somehow it isn't. It really speaks volumes about the show's production values and the performances of the actors that this turns out to be an enjoyable hour despite another by-the-numbers script.

After this episode, producer Glen Larson decided changed the direction of the series, relegating the Cylons to the background. The Cylons are not featured again until the final episode, The Hand Of God. The reason for the change of direction may be that Larson had a feeling the series would be canceled and decided to try to create a storyarc that would end the series with the Galactica apparently getting close to Earth. In an interview, Larson has said that he wasn't surprised the show was canceled. The change of direction was really for the best because the battles with the Cylons were too ridiculously imbalanced in the Colonials' favor (due to the censors) making the Cylons look like a joke, and the reusing of the same space battle stock footage was becoming monotonous.

The ending the writers originally planned had Cylon raiders attacking the Galactica a second time, and it is their lasers that put Starbuck and Apollo in danger on the Galactica's hull. Unfortunately, the network censors overruled this because they felt it would have been too repetitive. The complete original ending from the script can be found [[List_of_Deleted_Scenes_(TOS)#Fire_In_Space|here.]]

The story completely falls apart when put under scientific scrutiny because fires simply cannot exist in outer space, as many Galactica critics have pointed out. However, Star Wars was able to get away with this flub (Remember the fate of the Death Star?), so it seems rather unfair that Battlestar Galactica took so many shots because of it.

This is Terry Carter's best episode, since Colonel Tigh is thrust into the forefront, taking command of the Galactica while Adama is incapacitated. Carter does a tremendous job, and his strong performance helps save this cliched, overused story plot from losing steam.

Since the Galactica was on the verge of destruction by the time Starbuck and Apollo were planting charges on the hull, didn't it ever occur to Colonel Tigh to evacuate all non-essential personnel including the Colonial vipers so that, if the Galactica was destroyed, the fleet would at least have a fighting chance to survive? And since it was too dangerous to operate on Adama on the Galactica, didn't it ever occur to Dr. Salik to shuttle Adama to another ship in the fleet and perform the operation there?

A tremendous amount of damage is done to the Galactica (especially the landing bay), yet there is no sign of this in any future episodes nor any explanation of how the repairs went. Considering the abysmal plot, this episode was probably best left forgotten.

===[[War of the Gods]]===

'''RATING: Five stars out of five'''

War Of The Gods is one of the best and most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica. It is not the very best episode, nor is it completely flawless, but it is easily the most complex of all the stories we were given. The bottom line is that it is extremely rare to see this kind of thing done on TV. This is one of the few episodes to fully utilize Galactica's Von Daniken premise (God Is An Astronaut). We learn that angels are not spirits of the dead, but advanced beings who are thousands of years ahead of the Colonials in both technology and spirituality. Count Iblis (whom Apollo addresses in part 2 as Mephistopheles) comes across as a form of devil. There is an interesting parallel with mythology. Just as the angel Lucifer (or Satan) rebelled against heaven, Iblis rebels against his brothers on the Ship of Lights.

Iblis may well be the most fascinating character in the entire series. What is fascinating is that his voice is the same as that of the Cylon Imperious Leader. Baltar recognizes this (and it would have been an unforgivable flub if he didn't). There have been two primary theories about Iblis' origin. The first is that Iblis exterminated the original reptile Cylon race and created the mechanical one, starting the thousand year war with the humans.

The second theory is that Iblis and the Imperious Leader are one and the same. Iblis calling Baltar "old friend" would seem to support this. Also, it is made clear in the end that Iblis cannot control anyone who does not choose to follow him. If Iblis is the Imperious Leader, then Baltar technically was "following him" since he (Baltar) was serving the Cylons. However, the theory that Iblis and Imperious Leader being the same person doesn't quite hold up because wouldn't the Cylons then easily be able to locate the Colonial fleet? Therefore, the first theory makes more sense overall. But there is still the question of how Iblis was able to make Baltar surrender to the Colonials. The episode tries to make it seem that Iblis did not perform his bigger miracles, that the white lights caused the crops to grow and Baltar came of his own free will (the latter is hinted by Apollo in a missing scene that was cut from the original script). Of course, the idea that Baltar would surrender on his own is ludicrous considering the coward that he is. And why would the white lights come to the fleet if that would cause the crops on the agro-ship to grow and thus fulfill one of Iblis' tasks? Most importantly, why would Iblis dare the Colonials to make 3 challenges for him if he did not possess the power to complete them?

Regarding Iblis' origin, I tend to go with the first theory, but I would take it one step further and suggest that the Imperious Leader is either a servant of Iblis or is somehow under Iblis' control. Thus Baltar, by serving the Cylons, would also be serving Iblis and thus would be subject to Iblis' commands.

You really have to wonder if Glen Larson planned to have Patrick Macnee play Count Iblis from the very first episode or if it was just an amazing coincidence that the same actor who provided the Imperious Leader's voice turned out to be perfect for the Count Iblis role. Considering how incredibly rushed the production of the show was, the latter would have to be a possibility. If it's the former, then you really have to applaud Glen Larson for planning so far ahead.

There are other marvelous scenes. Iblis' slow manipulation and seduction of Sheba is riveting (especially when he kisses her on the Agro-ship). The white lights and the Ship of Lights are a marvel and have to be considered among the best special effects the series has ever produced. The scenery of the red planet, including the visual effect of Starbuck, Apollo, and Sheba when they walk on that world is also outstanding. The triad court is a fantastic (and obviously, expensive) set. You have to give the producers a lot of credit for creating such a unique game for the Colonials to play. It makes sense. With the grueling struggle for survival in a rag-tag fleet, the Colonials have to have some sort of entertainment to take their minds off their plight.

As with most episodes, the performances are all top-notch. Richard Hatch plays his end perfectly, carefully balancing Apollo's distrust of Iblis and his caring for Sheba. Dirk Benedict adds a whole new dimension to Starbuck. His rage and grief over the death of Apollo (especially when he attempts to shoot Iblis) stand out as some of Starbuck's most memorable moments of the entire series. Anne Lockhart is also great portraying Sheba's slow seduction and manipulation by Count Iblis. Her joy at Apollo's resurrection firmly establishes her inner feelings toward him, and this subplot would come to a stunning head in the final episode. Lorne Greene never falters in his performances, and this is no exception. Greene does a tremendous job portraying a man torn between his desire to find Earth and his distrust of Iblis. One of the best moments has to be during the Triad game. During the game, Adama and Iblis are seated on opposite sides of the court. There are really two battles going on here: the battle between the players on the court, and the battle between Iblis and Adama.

Despite everything, the episode is not completely perfect. Not all the questions are answered (which in itself is not a bad thing), but some of what happens doesn't quite make sense. First of all, why does the Ship of Lights kidnap the viper pilots? We are never given any kind of answer. What makes it more confusing is that by kidnapping the pilots, the Ship of Lights actually aids Iblis because the Colonials look to him for protection. And why does Baltar say that Iblis now no longer holds any power over him after Baltar recognizes Iblis' voice? Perhaps this is supposed to be a clue to understand who Iblis is, but if this is the case, I can't make anything out of it.

There is also the issue of what was inside the crashed ship on the red planet. A popular myth is that the ship is the the Battlestar Pegasus and when Apollo looked inside he saw the body of Commander Cain, but this is false. The original script and the Berkely novelization tell us exactly what is inside the ship: tall, cloven-hoofed horned beings with tails. This is a little hard to make sense of. Are the beings in the ship supposed to be devils? If that is the case, it doesn't really make Iblis appear all that evil for killing them. It could be viewed as another parallel of mythology. After being defeated by heaven, Lucifer and his followers fall into hell. Likewise, Iblis' ship containing his followers (the devils) crashes (falls) to the earth. It's not a perfect allegory, but fascinating nonetheless. (For more on this, see [[War_of_the_Gods,_Part_II#The_Mystery_of_the_Crashed_Ship|The Mystery of the Crashed Ship]])

I'm not trying to pick the episode apart with these various criticisms. Actually, the story works much better with its mystery and ambiguity rather than easy, clear-cut answers. One of the problems with television these days is that shows rarely challenge the viewer to think; instead, most shows sacrifice ambiguity and insist on spelling everything out as simply and clearly as possible. The mystery of Count Iblis is really what makes ''War Of The Gods'' so special and one of the most famous and highly debated of all the Galactica episodes. I'm glad that we are not given the answer to who Iblis is because the only way a mystery can retain its power is as long as it remains unsolved. Why do you think the great magicians never reveal how they do their tricks? If you are looking for a great movie example of this, then I suggest you check out Peter Weir's ''Picnic At Hanging Rock''.

Finally, one of the best things about this episode is that it provides us the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba!

===[[The Man With Nine Lives]]===

'''Rating: Four out of five stars'''

This episode is the only one that offers a significant look at the people of the fleet. Fred Astaire puts in an enjoyable performance as the rogue con-man Chameleon. The Borellian Nomen are interesting new adversaries for the Colonial Warriors, although they seem to be based on a Hollywood and societal stereotype of American Indians (Unfortunately, we are told very little of their origins). One of the best episodes in terms of characterization.

This episode pretty much makes it clear that Cassiopeia is THE ONE for Starbuck, thanks to Starbuck telling Chameleon that she's the only one he's ever considered sealing with (although that actually isn't true; he did almost propose to Athena in the pilot episode).

Don Bellisario was unable to think of a suitable name for the villains. In an after-work bull session, story editor Jim Carlson casually remarked something to the effect of, "It’s too bad they’re not from an ice planet, you could call them Snomen." Bellisario replied, "There’s no snow where these guys are gonna be!" Carlson answered, "Then call then Nomen."

This episode proves that great stories don't require huge explosions and fancy special effects. Unfortunately, the rushed production of the show made episodes like The Man With Nine Lives the exception rather than the rule.

=== [[Murder on the Rising Star]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Murder She Wrote in outer space??? This story had little point being part of a show like Battlestar Galactica. This is the kind of story that is done on almost every science fiction series when the writers are out of ideas. There is very little in the way of drama because the viewer knows the hero is innocent and will be cleared. This story tries to give the impression that Starbuck might be guilty (we don't get to see who shoots Ortega, Starbuck is shown running from the scene, plus Starbuck's anxiousness in the shuttle bay makes him appear guilty), but only the most gullible of viewers would fall for this. The story would be more forgivable if we learned some new insights about the characters or the fleet, but what do we learn? What is the point? Is it that the Colonial system of law is virtually identical to the U.S. system? (which is hardly believeable) Or that Adama has to spend time hearing court cases? (Not too believable either considering the incredibly burdensome task he has of commanding the fleet) Or is it that playing triad is more dangerous than anybody thought? What is the point of this episode except to fill an hour's worth of time???

This is the fourth episode that features Starbuck. While Dirk Benedict certainly plays a wonderful character, it would have been nice to have featured some of the lesser used cast members (Tigh, Boomer, Athena, Sheba).

One thing really stands out: It is absurd how little time Apollo is given to prepare a case for Starbuck's defense. He only has 10 centares, and the script for this episode has a key that states a centar is an hour. Only 10 hours to prepare for a murder trial??? Give me a break!

This story could have been done differently to make it more poignant. What if Apollo was unable to conclusively prove who killed Ortega, and Adama intervenes, using his power as commander to have Starbuck set free. It would raise the question of whether Adama was abusing his power. Even then, considering the fleet must be depleted when it comes to seasoned viper pilots, it could be argued that the fleet needed Starbuck as a warrior. It would have been an interesting moral issue, something Battlestar Galactica rarely had. I also think the story would have been more interesting if we were left with some doubt as to whether Starbuck killed Ortega (in self-defense, of course).

An interesting note: Karibdis appears early on in the story, serving drinks to Adama and Tigh while they watch the Triad game. This is an often-used writing device. You have the murderer/villain appear early in the story, sometimes at the very beginning, in what appears to be a minor or trivial role. This often fools the audience, as they rarely expect such a character to be revealed so quickly. This was also done on the miniseries for the new Galactica, when one of the human Cylons is leading a tour of the Galactica during the opening credits. If you want to get good at solving TV/movie mysteries, pay attention to the minor characters that appear early in the story.

Overall, the murder mystery itself isn't half bad, and there are fine all-around performances from the cast to make this watchable. In a way, it makes the episode more disappointing to have such great talent squandered on such a by-the-numbers story. But everyone holds up their end well, especially Dirk Benedict and Laurette Spang in their scene inside the brig. It's nice the writers found a way to bring Baltar into the story, and John Colicos still makes a great villain. The flashback of the destruction of Caprica is also well-done. There were certainly many crimes committed during the evacuation, and it illustrates that Battlestar Galactica was brimming with potentially interesting stories to explore, which again only makes this episode more of a letdown.

That said, it's important to realize that writers Jim Carlson and Terrence McDonnell were forced to write this episode in 36 hours straight. Considering what a rushjob this script was, it's amazing it turned out as well as it did. This is one instance where it might be better to see the glass as half-full rather than half-empty.

===[[Greetings from Earth]]===

'''RATING: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Greetings From Earth just doesn't measure up with the other two-hour episodes. The story makes for a passable first hour but quickly takes a nosedive in the second. Glen Larson's attempt at comedy falls horribly flat. Hector, Vector and the kids quickly wear out their welcome (A premonition of Galactica 1980?). The Eastern Alliance is introduced as a new adversary, but they are little more than cardboard Nazis with zero charisma (at least the Cylons looked cool). Another problem is that their primitive technology takes a lot of steam out of their threat. Unfortunately, the Eastern Alliance is never utilized to the fullest. A space battle between vipers and Eastern Alliance destroyers would have been fantastic, but the time and money needed to do such a complex battle scene made it impossible. Also, Apollo becomes a bit overbearing with his "Do The Right Thing" attitude in the first half (What's also annoying is that Apollo's dialogue in the first half is badly redubbed, apparently to make his voice louder).

What makes the first hour so interesting is that the Colonials are faced with a perplexing moral issue (a rarity, for sure). Do they allow the humans to leave, or force them to remain at least until more information is learned? There are actually opposing opinions within the Colonial military, at least for awhile. Apollo's view quickly wins out, though. The Council of Twelve is portrayed as being incredibly selfish and uncaring, but it could be argued they were right. It was possibly life or death for the Colonials to learn about the human race that awaited them. Certainly the humans could have been revived long enough for the Colonials to get the necessary information out of them. Apollo's plan to let the ship go had a good chance of failing. How could he be certain enough that they wouldn't get lost, or wind up so far away that they'd never be able to make it back to the fleet?

When you think about it, why don't Starbuck, Apollo and Cassiopea have super powers when they are in Paradeen's weaker gravity just as the Super Scouts do when they are in Earth's weaker gravity on Galactica 1980? Wouldn't it have been fun to see Starbuck, Apollo, and Cassiopea bouncing up and down and jumping into trees?

Unlike the other two-parters, this one ends with a whimper instead of a bang as Starbuck and Apollo's capture of the Enforcers is about as anti-climatic as you can get. This script really comes across as being rushed, which was probably the case. Overall, Greetings From Earth is yet another episode that failed to reach its potential due to the constrainments of a weekly series.

=== [[Experiment in Terra]] ===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

Experiment In Terra initially comes across as a superb episode, but under close inspection the story unfortunately has serious flaws. The Ship of Lights recruiting Apollo to help Terra is a cool idea, but their reasoning as to why they need to use a mortal human doesn't hold up. John says that the people of Terra can't see the "Guardians" (my own name for them) outside the confines of their ship. And yet on Terra, John makes himself visible to Starbuck by merely touching him. Even more problematic, Apollo's mission never makes sense. The Guardians know that the Eastern Alliance is going to launch a missile attack, so the master plan is to have Apollo tell the "west side" that the Eastern Alliance has been attacking them? Um, okay, but even if Apollo succeeds, how will this stop the Eastern Alliance from launching their missiles? Why not just have Apollo tell the Galactica to travel to Terra and destroy the missile attack? The answer, of course, is that there wouldn't be much of a story.

Sadly, there are many other flaws. Apollo says he can't reach Terra because the distance is too great, so he is "teleported" right in front of the planet. So how is it that Starbuck is able to eventually reach the planet on his own? Logically, he wouldn't have had enough fuel. Adama's decision to pull the Galactica out of the fleet is more out of whack than it may first appear. He didn't do that in earlier episodes when Starbuck or Apollo were crashed/stranded. This time Adama doesn't even know who the two pilots are, and yet he pulls the Galactica out of the fleet.

Even more ludicrous is the idea that the Galactica travels to Terra at light speed (and not just because it is scientifically implausible). If the Galactica was traveling to Terra at the speed of light, they should have reached Terra almost instantly (in fact, they probably could have found Earth during the pilot episode!) And how is it that the Galactica was able to travel to Terra unmolested? Surely there would be Eastern Alliance destroyers patrolling the area around the planet. And how does the Eastern Alliance not know that the Galactica was responsible for destroying their missiles? Surely the Galactica would have been picked up on their scanners.

Also, the West President's reasoning for withholding knowledge of the Eastern Alliance's attacks is questionable. Why does he think he can make peace with the Eastern Alliance if they are constantly attacking him? And if the Eastern Alliance has wiped out all of the West's satellite planets, how could the President possibly prevent word of this from leaking out? It's not realistic at all. Plus, the idea that the Eastern Alliance would be willing to destroy the entire planet (at least half of which they own) is pretty ridiculous. Okay, they ARE Bad Guys, but what's the point of destroying most of their empire when they were already winning the war?

With such a long list of problems, you would think that this is a terrible episode. Amazingly, this isn't the case. In fact, Experiment In Terra still ranks as one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica. Seeing the Ship of Lights again is a treat, and Edward Mulhare is delightful as John, Apollo's guide. This episode is another example where the great production values and strong performances from the actors are able to overcome the plot inconsistencies. What makes Experiment In Terra work so well is that its plot holes aren't immediately noticeable. I didn't realize how many there were until I sat down and really thought about it. Apollo's mission to save Terra, as pointless as it winds up being, is still extremely engrossing. Apollo's speech to the Precidium is very dramatic and moving, even though (as we've already said) everything Apollo does on Terra turns out to be a waste of time since nothing he does has any chance of preventing the Eastern Alliance from launching its missiles.

This episode is extra fun to watch if you're aware that the script was originally written with the roles of Starbuck and Apollo reversed. After Richard Hatch complained that his character was getting the shaft, the script was quickly rewritten with the dialogue mostly remaining the same, resulting in Apollo talking suspiciously like Starbuck. At one point, Apollo says "Felgercarb" for the first time ever!

The ending scene is touching, as John tells Apollo that Terra is not Earth but "You must have faith." Many Galactica fans have interpreted this to mean that Apollo would successfully complete the journey to Earth.

Here are some humorous notes from British writer Matthew Wharmby:

* I'm sorry, but I thought the final scene was tremendously weak. All that buildup to a good scrap, heart-stopping music included, let down with a pathetic green shield spat out of the front of the Galactica. And from a terrible angle made necessary by two separately matted halves; one of Earth and one of the Galactica's underside. And you don't mean to tell me that the Galactica could extend such a shield over the whole planet? If so, why couldn't she have performed the same thing over Caprica in the pilot, and let the attacking Cylon fighters blow themselves up in it?
* Nobody seems too panicked about the impending nuclear annihilation! I don't know about you, but when us kids growing up in the late Cold War used to speculate nervously about the four-minute warning, the usual consensus was that we'd be doing, well, what it takes four minutes to do. 'You can do it twice,' the girls would quip.
* I'm not mad keen on Brenda's attitude. If every girl who had boyfriend trouble called the Old Bill on such a weak pretext, there wouldn't be a bloke alive out of prison!

=== [[Take the Celestra]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five'''

This is probably the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. A lot of people will probably disagree, but I have to go with this choice simply because I found this episode to be incredibly boring. The Magnificent Warriors and The Lost Warrior were also really bad (and they were certainly more simplistic), but they were never really boring. A story focusing on the hardships of voyaging on the rag tag fleet is a great idea, but this episode takes one self-destructive turn after another and may be the best example of a wasted opportunity for the series. Many of BG's bad episodes were somewhat saved by wonderful performances from the actors, but there is nothing here that stands out (although the Starbuck/Cassiopea reconciliation at the end is a nice moment). Starbuck and Apollo actually look stale. This is one of the few times that neither Richard Hatch nor Dirk Benedict are able to rise above the mediocre writing. Commander Kronus is incredibly boring - a static, stale character with little depth. Because it's hard to care about the character, it's hard to feel anything during the "dramatic" finish when Kronus dies. Given the moronic decisions he makes, I felt like saying "Good riddance." On the other hand, Ana Alicia suceeds in making Aurora interesting, but she is mostly wasted in this episode. Unfortunately, her boyfriend is more boring than Kronus, and I just wanted him to shut up. Despite these issues, the main problem with Take The Celestra lies in the script itself.

One of the biggest (yet least noted) flaws of Battlestar Galactica was the way it portrayed life in the rag-tag fleet. Day-to-day existence on a fleet of mostly derelict ships would no doubt be a grueling struggle for survival. Yet the series rarely ever indicated this. Most scenes with civilians consisted of parties, gambling, and triad games aboard the Rising Star! (hardly the most accurate look we could have been given) Take The Celestra was the perfect vehicle to change this, but unfortunately the writers took the easy way out. Aurora and the other mutineers were "illegally forced" to work so many double shifts. This makes the issue of right and wrong very easy to determine, but consider another direction the writers could have taken.

What if the harsh working conditions existed throughout the entire fleet? (and, logically, they should have) What if Aurora and the others were not working harder than anyone else and simply decided they had had enough? Would they be morally right in trying to escape the fleet (considering that the loss of manpower would likely hurt the remaining Colonials)? Apollo, Starbuck and the rest of the military are always talking about the importance of freedom. Apollo talks about it strongly in his speech to the Precedium in Experiment In Terra. When Starbuck tries to convince the prisoners to rebel in The Long Patrol, he says "You have rights. You're human beings!" When they finally escape, he says, "That's freedom." An interesting idea to explore is how free the Colonials actually were. Surely many of them wanted to settle on some of the planets the fleet passed by. If Adama refused their wishes, he would technically be restricting their freedom. Unfortunately, this kind of story is problematic because the extent of Adama's power is never clear; in fact, it varies from episode to episode (depending whatever works best for the story that week). But this kind of story would have made it a tough call as to whether Aurora and her friends were right and whether Starbuck and Apollo were totally justified in stopping them.

Anyway, that's the episode I would have liked to see, or anything other than what we did see, the most boring Galactica episode to date. The story is riddled with holes, outdone perhaps only by Experiment In Terra. Whereas that story's flaws are not immediately noticeable, most of this story's flaws are. Commander Kronus' decision to immediately shuttle the prisoners back to the fleet despite being so far away doesn't make much sense. His accompanying the shuttle makes even less sense. Colonial law states that a commander has to personally take the mutineers in for charges? Huh? Even when his ship is out in the middle of nowhere? Okay. Whatever. Kronus should have waited until the Celestra rejoined the fleet. His decision makes him look like an idiot.

How is it that Chakka is able to get almost the entire crew to mutiny with him on a whim? He couldn't have been planning mutiny beforehand because he had expected to become commander of the Celestra. And if the entire crew wasn't with him in the mutiny, then how could he have expected to get away with powering down the ship? And could Starbuck and Apollo both be so clueless that they wouldn't be able to remember which heading the fleet was on? And how does the shuttle run out of fuel so fast? And how is it that Kronus could not have known or heard about any of the harsh working conditions? The Celestra isn't that big of a ship. Are we to believe that he never left the bridge? To top it off, why is there such an urgent need in the final battle scene to "level out" the Celestra? It's not as though there were any ships or planets around that it could crash into. Almost nothing in this episode makes any sense.

The minor plot of Cassiopeia agonizing over Starbuck's evasiveness in their relationship is far more compelling than the main plot of the Celestra mutiny. But even the Starbuck/Aurora plot has problems. For one thing, the writers have Starbuck act like a total jerk by skipping his date with Cassie so he can see Aurora. Why would Cassie put up with that? And how is it that Starbuck had a serious relationship with Aurora going during the time of the Destruction? Didn't he clearly have something going with Athena back then? (If there's anything worse than the writers making things up as they go, it's when they unmake things up as they go.)

Anyway, this only makes Starbuck look like a bigger womanizer than anyone thought (not exactly the best way to endear him to viewers). Aurora makes a valid point in her anger towards him. If Starbuck really did care about her, why didn't he check to see if her name was in the fleet computer? Just because her house was destroyed doesn't mean for certain that she was killed. It's also highly questionable that Starbuck ever made it back to Caprica after the Cylons attacked. We've never been given any indication that anyone besides Adama and Apollo ever went back. Considering how dangerous it would have been (not to mention how strong a chance that someone might have led the Cylons back to the Galactica), it's absolutely ludicrous to suggest Adama would have allowed anyone to return to the planet.

I almost want to pretend that this episode was just a bad dream. Fortunately, the very next episode would raise the roof.

===[[The Hand of God]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five.'''

They saved the best for last. ''The Hand Of God'' is arguably the best episode of Battlestar Galactica, and my personal favorite.

No doubt about it, ''The Hand of God'' is Galactica at its best. Donald Bellisario shows the other writers how it's done, pulling out all the stops with this one. Both the script and the performances are stellar. Never before have the characters been portrayed in such a powerful way. Although there is nothing innovative about the basic plot itself (The Galactica battles the Cylons again), there are enough things going on that make this story extremely engrossing.

This episode is fascinating from start to finish. Visually, it is a treat as we get to see the inside of a Cylon basestar's landing bay for the first time. We also get to see Cylon Centurions boarding their ships for the first time. And the Celestial Observation Dome is a marvel, as is Apollo's analogy that being inside it is like riding in the Hand of God.

What makes this story especially memorable is the culmination of a story thread that has been running since ''War of the Gods''. In that episode, we see the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba. Nothing happens in the other episodes following, although Anne Lockhart does a good job showing, in a subtle way, Sheba's emerging feelings for Apollo.

Kudos go to both Anne Lockhart and Laurette Spang for winning performances. Sheba's confrontation with Apollo and their kiss inside the Cylon raider is the best scene of the episode. That and Cassiopeia's argument with Starbuck in the landing bay are both incredibly moving, providing each actress with her stand-out moment of the series. It really gives the viewer a chance to appreciate the range of Anne and Laurette. Women on this show were usually stuck in the background; this episode placed demands on each actress they rarely had to face. Give each one credit for not dropping the ball. Fortunately, they are both aided by outstanding dialogue from Bellisario. Of course, Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, and Herbert Jefferson, Jr. hold up their end as well. Starbuck, Apollo, and Boomer clasping hands in the pilots barracks (with the accompanying music score) powerfully expresses the bond of their friendship more than words ever could.

Extra congratulations go to Donald Bellisario who also directed this episode. His use of slow motion twice during Starbuck and Apollo's battles with Cylon Centurions make the scenes much more intense and suspenseful. Let's face it. Thanks to ABC's family-friendly censors, the Cylons often looked like a joke (Remember ''The Young Lords'' when Starbuck and five children wiped out an entire Cylon garrison?). If Starbuck and Apollo's shootout scenes had been shown in real time, there would have been little (if any) impact.

Another reason ''The Hand of God'' works so well is because the Cylons were not featured in the previous seven or eight episodes. Glen Larson wisely saw that the constant reusing of the same space battle footage was hurting the stories and thus moved the Cylons into the background after ''Fire In Space''. So much time has passed since then that the Cylons seem revitalized. There's nothing spectacular about the dogfight between the vipers and raiders or the slugfest between the Galactica and the Cylon basestar (since it's the same footage seen in previous episodes), but the story is compelling enough that it all still works.

If there is one flaw with this story, it is the idea that Adama would attack a Cylon basestar and risk the fate of the entire human race just for the sake of wreaking some vengeance. This is the same man who told Commander Cain, "I'm not interested in military victories. I'm interested in saving lives. What few of them are left." It would have worked better to have a scenario where the Galactica simply could not backtrack and thus was forced to attack the Cylons. Still, it is a minor flaw in an overall outstanding script.

It is extremely frustrating that we never see a follow-up to Apollo and Sheba's relationship since this was the final episode. For fans who would like to see some kind of continuation, there are some fan fiction stories that I highly recommend. There is a short story called ''My Father's Daughter'' which takes place immediately following the events of ''The Hand of God'' and is quite simply the best Sheba story I have ever read. Three other novels, ''Second Coming'', ''Joint Maneuvers'', and ''The Race For Earth'' also explore Apollo and Sheba's relationship and are outstanding. These stories are all available free online at a site I own called [http://freegalacticafanfictionnovels.weebly.com Free Battlestar Galactica Fan Fiction Novels].

Many fans were and still are saddened that the original show ended so soon. Personally, I'm at peace with it. If the show had to end, ''The Hand of God'' may have been the best way to close the curtain. After reading Glen Larson's [[Battlestar_Galactica:_Year_Two_proposal|Season Two proposal]], all I can say is, "Thank god the show ended when it did!" It appears that, if there had been a second season, half the cast would have been cut in order to save money, Sheba would have been killed off, Commander Cain would have returned as a Cylon android, and Apollo would have shirked his responsibilities and started partying and messing around with numerous women. Ugh!!!

I think I can accept Battlestar Galactica for what it was, always remembering that the light that shines twice as bright only burns half as long.

== Galactica 1980 Episode Reviews ==

=== [[Galactica Discovers Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

Galactica Discovers Earth turns out to be a watchable pilot, but watchable is about all. From the very first episode, Galactica 1980 is clearly nothing more than an attempt by ABC to cash in on the Galactica name by creating a cheap show that simply reuses the expensive special effects stock footage from the original series. The later episodes would only reinforce this. Kent McCord (Troy) and Barry Van Dyke (Dillon) come off as inferior clones of Starbuck and Apollo. In fact, the script for the pilot was originally written for Starbuck and Apollo. When those plans changed, the names were simply switched to Troy and Dillon. Jamie Hamilton comes off as a carbon copy of Lois Lane. Unfortunately, we are never given any backstory to any of these characters.

This may be the only pilot in television history in which the premise changes in the middle of the episode! At first it's about advancing Earth's technology in order to fight the Cylons. Then it suddenly changes and is about capturing a time-traveling villain. It's really bizarre. Anyway, the time travel adventure in Nazi Germany is never particularly interesting, partly because Xaviar just isn't that compelling of a villain, but mostly because this is NOT Battlestar Galactica.

The idea of the Galactica having to protect a primitive Earth from the Cylons is actually a compelling premise, but the problem is that Dr. Zee's plan to slowly increase Earth's technology is flawed. At the rate in which the Colonials were going, it probably would have taken at least decades to get Earth's technology increased enough to be able to fight the Cylons. Long before then, the Cylons would probably tire of waiting and decide to just destroy the Colonial fleet. Even if the Cylons didn't attack, how far could the Galactica lead the Cylons away from Earth before they (the Colonials) were too far away from the planet to ever go back there? It probably would have been smarter to temporarily abandon Earth and lead the Cylons away until Dr. Zee could invent some technology that would allow the Colonials to destroy the Cylon armada. (Actually, since Colonial Vipers can now turn invisible, it should have been fairly easy for the Colonials to launch a surprise attack on the Cylons and defeat them once and for all!)

The problem with the original premise of Galactica 1980 is that it would have eventually become tiresome: Troy and Dillon each week would find a way to introduce some new technology (clean nuclear power, etc.) which would make some small improvement, but do little to bring Earth up to the level it would need be to fight the Cylons. As a result, the series could never evolve to the next level (i.e. Earth is ready to fight the Cylons), because the series' budget was too small for any kind of "final battle". As a result, Galactica 1980 was stuck in a rut from the get-go. It tried to distract viewers from the main plot (the Cylon threat) with time travel and cub scout outings because there was little that could be done with the original premise. It might have worked well as a single movie or perhaps a series of movies, but it's unlikely that Galactica 1980 could have ever jelled as a weekly series.

The show looks second-rate. For example, take the opening sequence. This has to be one of the worst opening sequences in television history. It's nothing but a series of stock footage shots from the original show haphazardly thrown together. Even the rendition of the Galactica theme seems inferior to the one we heard on the original show.

That said, there is some nice chemistry between the trio of Troy, Dillon and Jamie. There's one particularly touching scene in part 3 when Jamie says goodbye to Troy and Dillon at the bus stop. But whatever positives the actors had would not be enough to overcome a number of self-destructive turns that would begin with the very next episode.

=== [[The Super Scouts]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Super Scouts arrive, and Galactica 1980 plummets into an abyss it would not survive. In the beginning, we're forced to endure a series of boring classroom educational lessons. Things get even worse when the intergalactic 'Our Gang' reaches Earth. We get ultra-cute campfire songs and even more educational lessons shoved down are throats. The original series had flaws, but at least it never insulted its viewers with sitcom humor or by getting into preachy moral issues. Galactica 1980 gives us an ultra-simplistic environmental message of "Don't pollute the water," and does so with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

One could make the case that Galactica 1980 is a great tool for writers to learn how NOT to write drama. One key is to create powerful villains and put the heroes in situations that are difficult to deal with. But all of the villains in Galactica 1980 are weak. The Colonials have so many advantages over the people of Earth - spaceships, super powers, invisibility fields - that they are essentially invincible, thus robbing the series of any possible drama. In Galactica 1980, there are no worthy villains. The bumbling cops and incompetent military personnel never have a prayer of apprehending Troy and Dillon, so there's no suspense. And it's certainly not funny to watch Earthlings constantly being confounded by extra-terrestrials. Yet that is what we're forced to endure again and again throughout the entire series.

=== [[Spaceball]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

This is crap. Spaceball is the worst, most hated episode of Galactica 1980. It's silly, stupid, and just plain dumb. Little kids playing baseball??? This is Battlestar Galactica??? Spaceball may be the most inconsequential hour of science fiction ever made. It's nothing less than an insult to the original series that this bionic version of ''The Bad News Bears'' was shot under the Galactica name.

=== [[The Night The Cylons Landed]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five (Poor)'''

The Night The Cylons Landed is the best episode since the pilot. Of course, this isn't saying much, since watching a blank screen would have been almost as entertaining as the previous two episodes. Anyway, the Super Scouts are finally relegated to the background. This expands on the storyline involving the evolution of the Cylons over the 30 years since the destruction of the Colonies. A new, bigger, and more powerful Cylon raider carrying a newly advanced Cylon lifeform crashlands on Earth. Two surviving Cylons attempt to communicate with the Cylon armada to tell them of Earth's location. This is a cool idea, but the execution is terrible. We are treated to so much silliness, culminating with Troy and Dillon dancing on stage with cartoon characters like Yogi Bear! There are other problems. The more powerful, heavily armored Cylon raider is crippled after the punier viper rams into it??? The viper certainly doesn't hit it very hard. If the Cylons were a joke in the original series, then in Galactica 1980 they are a laughing stock. Andromus, the evolved Cylon clone of a human, certainly doesn't look or act very advanced. Centuri, his Centurion buddy, comes across as being even sillier with his constant banter of "I will protect you. That is my mission." This is the monstrous, all-powerful race which threatens the Earth's destruction and that the Colonials are so concerned about??? The two Cylons provide some funny moments, but it can't make up for the letdown of a plot that had so much potential.

With this episode, Galactica 1980 provides yet another example of how NOT to write drama. Conventional storytelling says that when you have a character trying to solve a mystery, you want the audience to move along at the same pace as the character. If the audience knows more than the character does, they find themselves simply waiting for the character to catch up, which is boring. Unfortunately, Galactica 1980 violates this basic rule of storytelling as we're forced to endure Colonel Briggs's investigation of the aliens. We know everything, he knows nothing, and thus there is nothing even remotely interesting about the subplot.

=== [[Space Croppers]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Space Croppers starts out interesting, but quickly takes an abrupt nosedive into looney land. The plot parallels that of [[The Magnificent Warriors]]. Due to the destruction of the fleet's agroships by a Cylon attack, another source of food supply must be found. The Magnificent Warriors was a terrible episode, so it must be considered quite a feat that Space Croppers turns out to be even worse.

The plight of the Alonso family to save their farm never becomes the least bit interesting. Even worse are the 'educational beats' that bring the story to a grinding halt: a lecture about Hispanic history, the soil requirements for planting legumes, and how rainfull is produced. This is beyond bad. It's unwatchable.

If Dr. Zee is such a genius, why doesn't it ever occur to him to use Galactican technology to create money so the Colonials can simply buy the food that they need? I guess such a simple solution would have made this story pointless.

Furthermore, the Imperious Leader's plan to force the Galactica to lead the Cylons to Earth makes no sense. How could Imperious Leader know that Earth was nearby? And if he did know, why not just destroy the Colonial fleet and conduct a search of the nearby planets? Did anything on this series make sense? Was anything supposed to?

Last, and certainly least, Troy and Dillon bouncing high in the air and throwing seeds while the Super Scouts sing their song is hands down the most ludicrous thing ever shown on Galactica 1980, and that's saying something.

=== [[The Return of Starbuck]] ===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five (Outstanding)'''

This is undeniably the best and most popular episode of Galactica 1980. It is even better than most of the episodes of Battlestar Galactica. What is there not to love about this episode? There are so many outstanding scenes: Adama's chilling reaction to Dr. Zee's mention of Starbuck; Boomer's heartwrenching goodbye to Starbuck, Adama explaining to Boomer that they can't go back to find him; Adama saying his farewell to Starbuck; Starbuck's rationalizations about how the planet belongs to him; Angela's words, "Starbuck, would you die for me?"; Starbuck sacrificing his chance to return to the fleet to give Angela and her baby a better chance; Starbuck's goodbye to Cy. The list goes on. Best of all, we see growth in Starbuck's character! A true classic to be treasured for all time by Galactica fans.

This episode is based on an earlier script written for the second season of Battlestar Galactica that never happened. The main differences are that a regular woman appears (not Angela), and Starbuck is eventually rescued by Boomer. The only thing believed to have been taken intact from the early script is Starbuck's dialogue with Cy. While that would no doubt have been a tremendous episode, it still would not have come close to being as great as this one is. The reason why is very simple. One of the problems with creating dramatic and suspenseful stories in any weekly series is that the viewer knows the hero will ultimately prevail. For example, when Starbuck is accused of murder in [[Murder on the Rising Star]], there is little in terms of suspense because it is a foregone conclusion that Starbuck will be vindicated, just as it is a forgone conclusion that Starbuck isn't going to die in [[The Young Lords]] when he is hunted by the Cylons on the planet Attila. In the beginning of The Return Of Starbuck, it is quickly established that Adama doesn't know what happened to Starbuck and that Starbuck never returned from the mission where he was shot down. As a result, in what is most unusual for any action/adventure television story, the viewer sits through the entire episode knowing that Starbuck isn't going to make it!

This makes the story much more gripping and intense than virtually any other episode of either series. The grim reality of Starbuck's eventual fate is all reinforced by Angela's question "Starbuck, will you die for me?" and her warnings of disaster, telling him that he must prepare to make "the final judgement." Of course, we do not actually see Starbuck die at the end of the story. Larson leaves Starbuck's fate ambiguous, especially since an intact Cylon raider is left nearby. Having Starbuck die would have been a gutsy and innovative move, but the ending shown is really for the best. The beauty of the ending is that it lets the viewers make their own interpretation of Starbuck's fate. If one goes with the idea that a single person alone cannot fly a Cylon raider, then Starbuck could have easily died on the planet. Many fans don't consider Galactica 1980 to be canon for the original series, except for this episode. With the interpretation that Galactica 1980 didn't happen, Starbuck could possibly have flown the Cylon raider back to the fleet, returning to Apollo, Adama, Sheba, and the other original characters. Much Galactica fan fiction over the years has interpreted the episode in this manner.

Despite having a small role, Lorne Greene gives what may be his best performance ever as Commander Adama. The look on his face when he asks Dr. Zee to tell him his dream is worth a thousand words. His farewell to Starbuck, saying that he loves him, is also incredibly powerful. A wonderful performance!

In conclusion, ''The Return of Starbuck'' is an incredible ending to the series and a worthy finish to the Battlestar Galactica saga overall. ''Galactica 1980'' was crap, but it sure went out with a bang.

== Galactica Comics ==

=== [[Galactica 1980 1|Galactica 1980 comic series]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Comic adaptations of television shows are often very good because the writers are free from the usual constraints that a television show faces: limited budgets, censors, and network meddling in the storylines. Unfortunately, this is a double-edged sword, as the comic book writers' unlimited freedom sometimes allows the story to go flying off the rails.

Such is the case with the Galactica 1980 comic series, a cool idea that feels like a missed opportunity. First, the comic does a number of things right. It is a reboot rather than a continuation, delivering a ''War of the Worlds'' type story with the Colonials and Cylons battling over Earth. It even makes Dr. Zee a villian, a great move considering that Zee is hands down the most hated character in the entire Galactica universe. Baltar and Lucifer are also in it, leading the Cylons to Earth. Unfortunately, writer Marc Guggenheim decides to go for shock value. In the first issue, we learn that Troy is a drunk and Adama is suicidal. Personally, I found this ugly and disturbing.

Even worse is the end of issue #1 when the Galactica is destroyed by nukes. Again, it feels like the writer is just trying to hit us with one shocking surprise after another. Surprises can be great fun, but I get annoyed when they lack logic as this one does. Why would Adama be so stupid as to fly the Galactica directly over the White House without first sending a message and waiting to see what the response would be? This just makes no sense.

And I just didn't like seeing the Galactica destroyed. After all, this ''is'' Galactica 1980, so therefore the Galactica should be in it. If the Galactica had to be destroyed, it should have happened in the final issue (#4), not the first.

Lo and behold, we get yet another shocking surprise in issue #2 when Dillon is killed off (and rather undramatically). I have a big problem with this as well. Troy and Dillon were the heroes of Galactica 1980, and I just don't think that either should have been killed (at least not less than halfway through the story). I was also disappointed that Jamie Hamilton is given nothing more than a cameo appearance in issue #4. Given that she was one of the main characters on the original show, she should have had a larger role in the story.

In the end, I wish Guggenheim had written a story that might have been done on television if not for the limited budget and children's hour restrictions that ultimately crippled the series. The ''War of the Worlds'' premise was perfect for Galactica 1980, but in this case the execution fell short.

== The Galactica Telemovies ==

=== [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

The opening sequence is outstanding, although it mostly uses footage from the original series. It has a truly epic feel, and it gives the impression that we will see a grand conclusion to the Battlestar Galactica saga. Sadly, this does not happen. Still, Adama's opening declaration that Earth has been found is also magnificent, much better done than it was in the original episode. By removing the time-travel subplot as well as much of the silliness including Troy and Dillon dancing on stage, the whole is better than any of the original Galactica 1980 episodes it is composed of. Yet this hardly makes ''Conquest of the Earth'' a great movie. The opening minutes rate five stars, yet starting with the first appearance of Dr. Zee (who bizarrely speaks with two different voices), the rest of the movie rates much lower.

=== [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack (VHS)|Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

This movie is less entertaining than the individual episodes it is composed of (The Living Legend and Fire In Space). The separate episodes don't mesh together seamlessly, resulting in several plot holes and odd hairstyle changes between scenes. The movie especially suffers because many great scenes from The Living Legend episode are missing. All scenes and dialogue relating to Starbuck's relationship with Cassiopeia are cut, which only makes the Cain/Cassiopeia subplot less interesting. The battle scenes are a little more elaborate because additional stock footage is used, but that's not enough to overcome the movie's deficiencies. A different sound effect is used for the engines of the Cylon raiders that's a little jarring for anyone who is a die-hard fan of the original show.

Bottom line, this movie is only recommended for curiosity's sake.

== Berkley Books ==
=== [[Saga of a Star World (Book)|Saga of a Star World]] ===
'''Flagship of the 12 Worlds fleet, she was as large as a planet, yet as swift as the Starhound fighters she launched from her bays. For generations the vast ship led the thousand-year war against the Cylons for control of the known Galaxy. Now that war was in its final phase, and Galactica had one final mission, win or lose: blast through the deadly grid of the Cylon Starfleet and dash for deep space in a desperate attempt to find the legendary "Stonehenge" of the universe - the lost planet the ancient microfilms call "Earth."'''

This is the opening paragraph to the Berkley novelization of the Battlestar Galactica pilot "Saga Of A Star World". This is easily one of the most fascinating Galactica books ever written, and there are a number of things that make it so interesting. First, the book is based on an early script of the pilot and, although changes were made before it came to print to make it more like the version that aired, there are a number of alternate scenes in the book. The Galactica universe is also different in several aspects, such as the Cylons are living aliens underneath their armor instead of total machines. Also, there are missing scenes left out of the final cut of the movie that survived intact in the book (Starbuck's confrontation with Tigh on the bridge after the Colonies are destroyed; Starbuck's extended conversation with Cassie on the shuttle; Adama's resigning from the Council).

Perhaps best of all, certain events are more fleshed out in the novelization than in the movie such as the surprise Cylon attack. The novelization helps to fill a number of gaping plot holes and unanswered questions that the movie was saddled with. Many chapters begin with an entry from the Adama journals, and the reader is able to learn a lot of information and insight from the Galactica's commander.

Many fans are unhappy with the Berkley books, feeling that they don't remain true to the series. I respectfully disagree. First of all, as already mentioned, the novelizations often have extra detail and explanations that help cover up plot holes that existed in the episodes. Second, the fact that the novels portray the BG universe in a slightly different way and that they are not exact retellings of the episodes is good because the books would be pretty boring otherwise. Third, some of the characters such as Athena are fleshed out better in the novels. Make no mistake, this is the best of all the Berkley novelizations and is a must-read for any fan of the original series.

== External Links ==

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/BGEPISODES.htm Battlestar Galactica Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/Wharmby.htm Matthew Wharmby's Hilarious Galactica 1980 Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

User:Galactica1981/Galactica 1981 Reviews

2011-12-29T14:32:49Z

Galactica1981: /* Galactica Discovers Earth */

This is a list of reviews by [[User:Galactica1981]] for various [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]] content. Given to the Battlestar Wiki's policy of [[NPOV|Neutral Point of View]], they are found here rather than their respective articles.

These episode reviews originally appears on the Sheba's Galaxy site. They have been slightly revised.

== TOS Episode Reviews ==

===[[Saga of a Star World]] ===

'''RATING: Four and a half stars out of five'''

There's no question that on the night of September 17, 1978, Battlestar Galactica hit television screens with a bang. Saga Of A Star World is unquestionably the most elaborate televison movie ever made (and least up to that point!) When trying to rate something like this, it's important to examine it in the context of television during that time period. For sure, no sci-fi show of this magnitude had ever been done before in the history of television, and thus it deserves extra points for that alone. There are many great things that can be said about this episode (acting, special effects, music score), but I won't bother repeating what most people are already aware of. In the end, I had to decide against a full five-star rating, mostly because of the unforgivable "Star Wars" ending it was saddled with. The big explosion of the planet Carillon is a blatant ripoff of Star Wars, not to mention ridiculous as well. Setting fire to some tylium mines causes the entire planet to explode? This is ludicrous (although one could argue that destroying the massive Death Star by shooting a tiny exhaust port was equally ludicrous). Surely Glen Larson could have written a better ending than this. Ultimately, this had to reinforce many people's beliefs that Galactica was a second-rate Star Wars. Having a casino with all sorts of alien creatures also seems a little too close to Star Wars for comfort.

As a kid watching the show, I absolutely loved the Cylons because of how cool they looked. My favorite character was Starbuck who I idolized and wanted to be like. The series also had a phenomenal cast with tremendously talented actors (except for Maren Jensen), and it's a shame they were often saddled with substandard scripts. Starbuck and Apollo are wonderful in the lead roles, and they arguably have more chemistry than did Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. And Lorne Greene is superb as in the role of Commander Adama. In the pilot episode, the scene that perhaps stands out the most is the laser battle against the Cylon Centurions on the surface of Carillon, a truly awesome spectacle combined with the looming countdown as the Cylon raiders close in on the Galactica. It terms of the characters, my favorite scene is probably Starbuck's almost proposing to Athena. Finally, the musical score for the series is truly breathtaking, on a similar level as the one for Star Wars.

Of course, there are also some HUMONGOUS plot holes in this story, enough for any critic to tear it to shreds. I'm not going bother writing 5 pages about the plot problems of Saga Of A Star World. Instead, I'll just mention a few points:

The premise of the Colonial fleet seeking Earth, while interesting, is unfortunately flawed because no one (not even Adama) has any idea where it is! Apparently, Adama was the only one who even knew about Earth's existence, although he doesn't seem to have any proof. Thus the Colonial fleet is left to wander aimlessly throughout the universe looking for it. Fortunately, this problem would be addressed in ''War of the Gods'' when the Colonials finally learn the coordinates to Earth.

The Colonials seemed unbelievably gullible and naive regarding the Cylons' offer of peace. After a thousand years of war, you would think they'd have been more careful, but they foolishly leave their home planets undefended. President Adar is incredibly stupid when he sees a thousand Cylon raiders coming towards the fleet and assumes it is a peace envoy.

Apollo gets back to the fleet in time to warn them of the coming Cylon attack, yet he fails to do so. Why? Why does he take an hour to find the bridge?

=== [[Lost Planet of the Gods]]===

'''Rating: Four stars out of five'''

The second half of this two-part episode has the theatrical feel of a movie, while the first half has often been blasted as being sexist. Of course, it is a bit strange that all the female cadets look like lingerie models. Still, I think the claim of sexism is a bit overstated. If you look at women in the U.S. military, they tend to act in supporting roles rather than be on the front lines. I don't know how many female jet pilots are in the U.S. military, but I suspect there aren't many. And I suspect this is due less to discrimination than to the fact that women tend to make different career choices than men (i.e. they tend to choose less hazardous professions). The reasons for there being no female viper pilots on the Galactica were probably along the same lines.

Regardless, the first half of the episode mostly serves as a set-up for the second half. Nothing wrong with that, but it does make the first half far less interesting.

Anyway, the two-part episodes fare better than most of the one-part episodes because Glen Larson would often blow the budget and vastly overspend. There are many fantastic scenes in the second half: Serina proposing to Apollo that they marry immediately; the Star of Kobol appearing in the port window during the wedding ceremony; the light shining off of Adama's medallion inside the tombs of Kobol; the Cylon raiders attacking the surface of Kobol; and, of course, Serina's death scene.

Serina's death is one of the most poignant moments of the entire series. But it came with a high price, as the show arguably suffered without her. And the writing would start to take a turn for the worse with the very next episode.

===[[The Lost Warrior]]===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

After only two episodes, Battlestar Galactica's creative energy has fizzled out. This is the first of the so-called "bottled episodes." These episodes had few if any new special effects, enabling the producers to save money which would later be spent on the bigger, more extravagant "monster episodes." It's understandable that these "bottled" stories were necessary, but this is where rushing the show into production really hurt the series. The writers simply did not have time to create quality scripts. Of course, this would ultimately lead to the decline in ratings.

This kind of episode is tough to review because it's good but wrong. Based on the classic 1953 western film Shane, this actually makes a pretty decent western, but Battlestar Galactica is supposed to be a science fiction series. Sci-fi fans want science fiction, not half-hybrids of other shows (A mistake that Galactica 1980 would repeat). If I want to see a Western, I'd rather watch Bonanza. The only reason this gets two stars is because we get such a strong characterization of Apollo.

Unfortunately, this is not the only space western we would see on Galactica. Cowboys and saloons would return in The Magnificent Warriors. In fact, the very idea that an "old west" town would exist in Battlestar Galactica completely contradicts the Von Daniken premise of the show, that the Colonies and the ancient cultures of Earth (such as Atlantis and Egypt) have the same roots, the same beginnings. It is ludicrous that an Old West society could have any common connection with this. It raises all kinds of questions. The people of Equellis obviously had to arrive on that world by means of spacecraft, so why is the society so primitive? How could they not know of the Cylons since the war has raged for 1,000 years and the average human life-span is 200 years?

Why would Apollo be dumb enough to fly so far away from the fleet that he wouldn't have enough fuel to make it back? This really makes no sense. And why does Apollo promise Bella and Puppis that he will return one day? Why would he ever believe that possible?

Despite the lackluster plot, there are some good moments. Boxey beating Starbuck at Pyramid is funny, and the western style "shoot-out" between Red-Eye and Apollo is very well done. The only weak point is when Red Eye spots Apollo's laser and says, "Uh-oh." This trivalizes a very serious moment for the sake of silly humor. It is difficult to believe that a Cylon would use such a phrase. Ironically, for years I couldn't make out exactly what he was saying. I assumed it was some kind of challenge to Apollo, and it actually added to the power of the moment. You can imagine my dismay when I learned the truth. Also, Puppis gets pretty annoying pretty fast.

===[[The Long Patrol]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

The Long Patrol is lot of a fun and a big improvement over the previous episode. Starbuck's computer companion C.O.R.A is a hoot. There are several funny scenes: Starbuck womanizing Cassiopeia and Athena; Boomer's jab at him before he goes off on the mission; Starbuck finding a fortune in ambrosia only to have it destroyed by the Cylon attack. Adama deciding to change the Galactica's course to keep distance from the Cylons is very well done, revealing how burdensome command of the fleet is and how it forces him to sacrifice his loved ones to protect the rest of humanity.

Maren Jensen (Athena) gets more screen time here than in most of the episodes. The scene with Athena revealing Starbuck's apparent death to Cassiopeia is especially moving, one of Jensen's best scenes of the series. The Athen/Cassiopeia rivalry was compelling and could have been developed in future episodes, but sadly this never happens. This was likely due to Maren Jensen's limitations as an actress which caused the writers to reduce her role.

Could C.O.R.A. have been the inspiration for K.I.T.T., the computerized car on Glen Larson's Knight Rider? Considering the amazing similarities between the two, it would have to be a possibility. Also, Glen Larson has went on record saying that K.I.T.T.'s swerving red eye was inspired by the swerving red eyes of the Cylons. It was sort of his way of keeping the Cylons alive.

The Long Patrol is definitely one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

===[[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero]]===

'''Rating: Three and a half stars out of five'''

This two-part episode is based on the 1961 movie The Guns of Navarone and the 1967 movie The Dirty Dozen. The episode has a theatrical feel to it because, as mentioned before, the two-parters had bigger budgets. Although the story is by-the-numbers, it is very enjoyable because of the fantastic special effects. Still, as good as Gun is, it is easily one of the lesser of the two-parters. While better than Greetings From Earth, Gun falls far short of The Living Legend, Lost Planet Of The Gods, and especially War Of The Gods.

This was actually the second episode filmed. This would explain why Serina and Cassiopea do not appear (Serina and Cassiopea died in the original version of the pilot before the decision was made to bring them back). Baltar and Lucifer's scenes were probably shot much later.

This episode raises a serious question. Considering the staggering number of people who had to be left behind due to lack of ships, why would the Colonials bother to take criminals with them? Perhaps they were already locked in the brig on the Galactica before the Holocaust or they somehow managed to sneak aboard the fleet to be captured later. Or perhaps most of them committed their crimes after joining the rag tag fleet. Considering how overcrowded, starved, and disorganized the fleet was when it was assembled, it is logical that many violent crimes would have occurred. An episode exploring this would have been nice.

The idea that there would not be enough qualified Colonial warriors to go on the mission is hard to believe. And why do Apollo, Starbuck, and Boomer get chosen? They are pilots, and their emphasis is not on ground assault. Logically, the Galactica would have a ground assault team available for these kinds of situations. It is also difficult to believe that Boxey would have found a way to sneak onto the shuttle. At least he and Muffit have an impact on the success of the mission.

In the book ''The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'' by J.W. Rinzler and Ridley Scott, it is revealed that part of George Lucas's anger towards Battlestar Galactica was because of this episode. Lucas planned to feature an ice planet in the sequel to Star Wars, and he felt that Galactica threatened to undercut him by featuring an ice planet on one of their own episodes. Did this fuel his lawsuit that Galactica was infringing on Star Wars? Is so, then Lucas comes off as disingenuous to say the least, for it would be absurd to claim that Galactica was infringing on a movie that hadn't yet been made!

Baltar's legs were crushed in Lost Planet of the Gods, yet in this episode the only evidence of Baltar's injury is a slight limp. Did the Cylons do major reconstructive surgery on his legs? I guess so.

At this point, the constant reusing of the same space battle scenes really starts getting redundant. Still, this remains one of the most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

=== [[The Magnificent Warriors]] ===

'''Rating: One and a half stars out of five'''

Many fans consider this to be the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. While I don't agree, I think it comes pretty close. The story is, quite frankly, terrible. We are again subjected to yet another old-western style shanty town? Once was enough! The Borays are disgusting and sound awful. The only redeeming moment is when Adama and company discover Starbuck at the gambling table. It's rather funny.

Siress Bellaby is hands down the most annoying character to ever appear on Battlestar Galactica. Most viewers probably couldn't understand why the Colonial Warriors didn't simply let the Borays kill her.

On a positive note, we are shown Lorne Greene's impressive range as an actor. It's interesting to see a comical Adama, a nice contrast to the serious commander that we usually see. Unfortunately, Greene is forced to play against Brett Somers (Siress Bellaby). Somers isn't funny; she's annoying, and it kills most of the comedy that is presented.

The premise of The Magnificent Warriors actually had a lot of potential. We are given a situation where the fleet has no food and everyone is aware of it (unlike in Saga Of A Star World when the Colonials were able to cover up the problem). This raises all kinds of fascinating issues. Would the fleet start a mutiny against Adama during such a crisis? How would Adama react to such a mutiny? How would he choose who to save? Would he allow each ship to make its own decision to leave? Or would he try to force them to stick together? And what decisions would Starbuck and Apollo be forced to make if such a mutiny occurred? So many interesting questions for the episode to pursue.

Sadly, standard television plotting is what we get. The Colonials are traveling through the vast uncharted regions of space, and they run out of food at just the precise moment they happen to be near a farming colony. Okay. Whatever. The Colonials land on the planet and meet the Borays. From then on, it's just another battle of good vs. evil. Putting the Colonials in a moral dilemna would have been much more interesting that what we were given here.

===[[The Young Lords]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

This is the family episode of Battlestar Galactica. Starbuck is shot down and crashes on a planet. Yawn. This is essentially a remake of The Lost Warrior in which Apollo is stranded on the planet Equellus. Of course, Starbuck was also stranded in The Long Patrol and Cree was stranded in ''The Gun On Ice Planet Zero''. Later in ''Greetings From Earth'', Starbuck, Apollo, and Casseopia would be stranded on the planet Paradeen. At this point, the series was becoming so predictable that viewers each week must have been asking the question, "Who's going to have to be rescued this week?" In fact, Mad Magazine, in a spoof of Galactica, poked fun at this element of the show. (See [[Humor in the Original Series]])

Considering the incredibly broad premise of the series, it's amazing that the writers had so much trouble coming up with a story that didn't involve someone being stranded on a planet. With this kind of plot, The Young Lords shouldn't even be watchable. And yet, despite all these drawbacks, this actually turns out to be a fun, enjoyable episode. Part of this praise goes to the tremendous production values. It is simply fascinating to see so many Cylons inside a medieval castle. The location is nothing short of spectacular. To top it off, Dirk Benedict delivers with a wonderful performance. There are many good scenes, especially Starbuck's rescue from the Cylons by Kyle and the children (plus his insulting remark to the Cylons moments before). Playing up kids in a series can be extremely fatal to ratings (Galactica 1980 became an infamous example of this), but fortunately Kyle and the gang never get to the point where they become grating; although they (and their song near the end) come dangerously close. (And are we to believe Starbuck and his Scooby Gang would actually take the time to think up lyrics for a song and memorize them? Please!)

The IL series Cylon Spectre is a delightfully conniving character. He is the perfect foil for Lucifer. His phony flattery of Baltar is hilarious, especially the way he manages to turn defeat to his own advantage. Unfortunately, the character does not appear again. Had the series continued into a second season, he probably would have. Spectre does appear in the later original Berkley novels [[The Nightmare Machine]], [[Die, Chameleon!]] and [[Surrender the Galactica!]] where he is put to good use.

Most of the scenes of Baltar and Lucifer communicating with Spectre were recycled with different dialogue into the Galactica telemovie [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]].

Needless to say that by this point the Cylons have become a joke. When you stop and really think about it, it is ludicrous that an entire Cylon garrison is defeated by one colonial warrior and five children.

Still, this episode somehow succeeds despite every logical reason why it shouldn't.

===[[The Living Legend]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five'''

This is one of the very best episodes of Battlestar Galactica. The two-part episodes consistently deliver, and The Living Legend is no exception. The idea of a second survivng battlestar is a good one, as is a scenario where the fleet runs out of fuel.

This episode introduces two compelling characters, Commander Cain and his daughter, Lt. Sheba. Sheba's character is said to have been a ground-breaking role for women. She is tough, independent, and short-tempered. Basically, she's the exact opposite of virtually every other female character to appear on the series. Fortunately, she, along with Bojay, becomes a regular after this episode.

Lloyd Bridges is tremendous as Commander Cain. It's hard to imagine any other actor filling the role. The only weak moment for Bridges is when Cain lies to Adama about the "accidental" failure of the tanker mission. Cain's cavalier attitude about it makes it obvious to everyone that he purposely sabotaged the mission.

This story is different from any other Galactica story thus far because we see a clash of philosophies within the ranks of the military. Cain wants to wage an all-out war against Gamoray, and Adama simply wants to capture the much-needed fuel and escape. The earlier episodes were extremely simplistic in their portaryal of good versus evil. The Colonials are good. The Cylons are evil. Simple as that. Since the good guys are all in the military, the military is always portrayed as being right. Adama, Starbuck, and Apollo had very few moral dilemnas to deal with, which would have made the stories so much more interesting.

Baltar personally leading the attack on the Galactica makes the battle much more intense and exciting, mostly because the battle has a storyline. Most of the Galactica space battles are nothing more than a confusing jumble of stock shots haphazardly thrown together with nothing in terms of a flow or climax. (One of the bigger flaws of Return Of The Jedi was that the Battle of Endor had nothing in terms of a storyline.) This time it is different. The Pegasus closing in on Baltar at the end of part one is the best cliff hanger of the series. It is rather fitting that Baltar's forces are taken by surprise, since it was Baltar who caused the colonial warfleet to be taken by surprise in the pilot.

The scene between Adama and Apollo right before the mission to capture the Cylon tankers is very powerful. It shows how, despite being father and son, each of their respective positions forces a distance between them personally. What is especially impressive is that this is done without words. Richard Hatch and Lorne Greene manage to convey more with a facial expression than most actors do with a page of dialogue.

Boxey really starts to get on the nerves at this point. Nothing against Noah Hathaway, but Boxey is a character all too typical of standard television. He is an ultra-cute TV kid doing ultra-cute things, yet usually has little or no bearing on the plot. These kinds of characters (most notably the Super Scouts from Galactica 1980) only serve to hurt a show's ratings.

When you put the story under scrutiny, there are some serious flaws. Why are viper pilots sent on a ground mission? Wouldn't the Galactica have specialized teams for that sort of thing? It is also a bit difficult to believe that Sheba could have found a way to go on the mission to Gamoray without permission. It is even more difficult to believe that Cassiopea would have been allowed to just hop on the shuttle. Was she given a crash course on parachuting during the shuttle ride? How could the Colonial warriors have known exactly which building in Gamoray contained the main communications center? And are we to believe that destroying one small communications center would disable the entire city's defense system? If, like me, you can overlook these flaws, this is still a great episode.

This episode and Fire In Space were later combined to form the horrid Galactica theatrical movie [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]].

===[[Fire in Space]]===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

This explosive episode is the one-hour equivalent of a disaster movie. It's basically a sci-fi version of The Towering Inferno (and stock footage from that movie was probably used here). There's so much action that it isn't until the end that you realize just how essentially empty it is. There are a lot of things happening, and at the same time there is nothing happening. By all rights this story should be downright awful, yet somehow it isn't. It really speaks volumes about the show's production values and the performances of the actors that this turns out to be an enjoyable hour despite another by-the-numbers script.

After this episode, producer Glen Larson decided changed the direction of the series, relegating the Cylons to the background. The Cylons are not featured again until the final episode, The Hand Of God. The reason for the change of direction may be that Larson had a feeling the series would be canceled and decided to try to create a storyarc that would end the series with the Galactica apparently getting close to Earth. In an interview, Larson has said that he wasn't surprised the show was canceled. The change of direction was really for the best because the battles with the Cylons were too ridiculously imbalanced in the Colonials' favor (due to the censors) making the Cylons look like a joke, and the reusing of the same space battle stock footage was becoming monotonous.

The ending the writers originally planned had Cylon raiders attacking the Galactica a second time, and it is their lasers that put Starbuck and Apollo in danger on the Galactica's hull. Unfortunately, the network censors overruled this because they felt it would have been too repetitive. The complete original ending from the script can be found [[List_of_Deleted_Scenes_(TOS)#Fire_In_Space|here.]]

The story completely falls apart when put under scientific scrutiny because fires simply cannot exist in outer space, as many Galactica critics have pointed out. However, Star Wars was able to get away with this flub (Remember the fate of the Death Star?), so it seems rather unfair that Battlestar Galactica took so many shots because of it.

This is Terry Carter's best episode, since Colonel Tigh is thrust into the forefront, taking command of the Galactica while Adama is incapacitated. Carter does a tremendous job, and his strong performance helps save this cliched, overused story plot from losing steam.

Since the Galactica was on the verge of destruction by the time Starbuck and Apollo were planting charges on the hull, didn't it ever occur to Colonel Tigh to evacuate all non-essential personnel including the Colonial vipers so that, if the Galactica was destroyed, the fleet would at least have a fighting chance to survive? And since it was too dangerous to operate on Adama on the Galactica, didn't it ever occur to Dr. Salik to shuttle Adama to another ship in the fleet and perform the operation there?

A tremendous amount of damage is done to the Galactica (especially the landing bay), yet there is no sign of this in any future episodes nor any explanation of how the repairs went. Considering the abysmal plot, this episode was probably best left forgotten.

===[[War of the Gods]]===

'''RATING: Five stars out of five'''

War Of The Gods is one of the best and most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica. It is not the very best episode, nor is it completely flawless, but it is easily the most complex of all the stories we were given. The bottom line is that it is extremely rare to see this kind of thing done on TV. This is one of the few episodes to fully utilize Galactica's Von Daniken premise (God Is An Astronaut). We learn that angels are not spirits of the dead, but advanced beings who are thousands of years ahead of the Colonials in both technology and spirituality. Count Iblis (whom Apollo addresses in part 2 as Mephistopheles) comes across as a form of devil. There is an interesting parallel with mythology. Just as the angel Lucifer (or Satan) rebelled against heaven, Iblis rebels against his brothers on the Ship of Lights.

Iblis may well be the most fascinating character in the entire series. What is fascinating is that his voice is the same as that of the Cylon Imperious Leader. Baltar recognizes this (and it would have been an unforgivable flub if he didn't). There have been two primary theories about Iblis' origin. The first is that Iblis exterminated the original reptile Cylon race and created the mechanical one, starting the thousand year war with the humans.

The second theory is that Iblis and the Imperious Leader are one and the same. Iblis calling Baltar "old friend" would seem to support this. Also, it is made clear in the end that Iblis cannot control anyone who does not choose to follow him. If Iblis is the Imperious Leader, then Baltar technically was "following him" since he (Baltar) was serving the Cylons. However, the theory that Iblis and Imperious Leader being the same person doesn't quite hold up because wouldn't the Cylons then easily be able to locate the Colonial fleet? Therefore, the first theory makes more sense overall. But there is still the question of how Iblis was able to make Baltar surrender to the Colonials. The episode tries to make it seem that Iblis did not perform his bigger miracles, that the white lights caused the crops to grow and Baltar came of his own free will (the latter is hinted by Apollo in a missing scene that was cut from the original script). Of course, the idea that Baltar would surrender on his own is ludicrous considering the coward that he is. And why would the white lights come to the fleet if that would cause the crops on the agro-ship to grow and thus fulfill one of Iblis' tasks? Most importantly, why would Iblis dare the Colonials to make 3 challenges for him if he did not possess the power to complete them?

Regarding Iblis' origin, I tend to go with the first theory, but I would take it one step further and suggest that the Imperious Leader is either a servant of Iblis or is somehow under Iblis' control. Thus Baltar, by serving the Cylons, would also be serving Iblis and thus would be subject to Iblis' commands.

You really have to wonder if Glen Larson planned to have Patrick Macnee play Count Iblis from the very first episode or if it was just an amazing coincidence that the same actor who provided the Imperious Leader's voice turned out to be perfect for the Count Iblis role. Considering how incredibly rushed the production of the show was, the latter would have to be a possibility. If it's the former, then you really have to applaud Glen Larson for planning so far ahead.

There are other marvelous scenes. Iblis' slow manipulation and seduction of Sheba is riveting (especially when he kisses her on the Agro-ship). The white lights and the Ship of Lights are a marvel and have to be considered among the best special effects the series has ever produced. The scenery of the red planet, including the visual effect of Starbuck, Apollo, and Sheba when they walk on that world is also outstanding. The triad court is a fantastic (and obviously, expensive) set. You have to give the producers a lot of credit for creating such a unique game for the Colonials to play. It makes sense. With the grueling struggle for survival in a rag-tag fleet, the Colonials have to have some sort of entertainment to take their minds off their plight.

As with most episodes, the performances are all top-notch. Richard Hatch plays his end perfectly, carefully balancing Apollo's distrust of Iblis and his caring for Sheba. Dirk Benedict adds a whole new dimension to Starbuck. His rage and grief over the death of Apollo (especially when he attempts to shoot Iblis) stand out as some of Starbuck's most memorable moments of the entire series. Anne Lockhart is also great portraying Sheba's slow seduction and manipulation by Count Iblis. Her joy at Apollo's resurrection firmly establishes her inner feelings toward him, and this subplot would come to a stunning head in the final episode. Lorne Greene never falters in his performances, and this is no exception. Greene does a tremendous job portraying a man torn between his desire to find Earth and his distrust of Iblis. One of the best moments has to be during the Triad game. During the game, Adama and Iblis are seated on opposite sides of the court. There are really two battles going on here: the battle between the players on the court, and the battle between Iblis and Adama.

Despite everything, the episode is not completely perfect. Not all the questions are answered (which in itself is not a bad thing), but some of what happens doesn't quite make sense. First of all, why does the Ship of Lights kidnap the viper pilots? We are never given any kind of answer. What makes it more confusing is that by kidnapping the pilots, the Ship of Lights actually aids Iblis because the Colonials look to him for protection. And why does Baltar say that Iblis now no longer holds any power over him after Baltar recognizes Iblis' voice? Perhaps this is supposed to be a clue to understand who Iblis is, but if this is the case, I can't make anything out of it.

There is also the issue of what was inside the crashed ship on the red planet. A popular myth is that the ship is the the Battlestar Pegasus and when Apollo looked inside he saw the body of Commander Cain, but this is false. The original script and the Berkely novelization tell us exactly what is inside the ship: tall, cloven-hoofed horned beings with tails. This is a little hard to make sense of. Are the beings in the ship supposed to be devils? If that is the case, it doesn't really make Iblis appear all that evil for killing them. It could be viewed as another parallel of mythology. After being defeated by heaven, Lucifer and his followers fall into hell. Likewise, Iblis' ship containing his followers (the devils) crashes (falls) to the earth. It's not a perfect allegory, but fascinating nonetheless. (For more on this, see [[War_of_the_Gods,_Part_II#The_Mystery_of_the_Crashed_Ship|The Mystery of the Crashed Ship]])

I'm not trying to pick the episode apart with these various criticisms. Actually, the story works much better with its mystery and ambiguity rather than easy, clear-cut answers. One of the problems with television these days is that shows rarely challenge the viewer to think; instead, most shows sacrifice ambiguity and insist on spelling everything out as simply and clearly as possible. The mystery of Count Iblis is really what makes ''War Of The Gods'' so special and one of the most famous and highly debated of all the Galactica episodes. I'm glad that we are not given the answer to who Iblis is because the only way a mystery can retain its power is as long as it remains unsolved. Why do you think the great magicians never reveal how they do their tricks? If you are looking for a great movie example of this, then I suggest you check out Peter Weir's ''Picnic At Hanging Rock''.

Finally, one of the best things about this episode is that it provides us the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba!

===[[The Man With Nine Lives]]===

'''Rating: Four out of five stars'''

This episode is the only one that offers a significant look at the people of the fleet. Fred Astaire puts in an enjoyable performance as the rogue con-man Chameleon. The Borellian Nomen are interesting new adversaries for the Colonial Warriors, although they seem to be based on a Hollywood and societal stereotype of American Indians (Unfortunately, we are told very little of their origins). One of the best episodes in terms of characterization.

This episode pretty much makes it clear that Cassiopeia is THE ONE for Starbuck, thanks to Starbuck telling Chameleon that she's the only one he's ever considered sealing with (although that actually isn't true; he did almost propose to Athena in the pilot episode).

Don Bellisario was unable to think of a suitable name for the villains. In an after-work bull session, story editor Jim Carlson casually remarked something to the effect of, "It’s too bad they’re not from an ice planet, you could call them Snomen." Bellisario replied, "There’s no snow where these guys are gonna be!" Carlson answered, "Then call then Nomen."

This episode proves that great stories don't require huge explosions and fancy special effects. Unfortunately, the rushed production of the show made episodes like The Man With Nine Lives the exception rather than the rule.

=== [[Murder on the Rising Star]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Murder She Wrote in outer space??? This story had little point being part of a show like Battlestar Galactica. This is the kind of story that is done on almost every science fiction series when the writers are out of ideas. There is very little in the way of drama because the viewer knows the hero is innocent and will be cleared. This story tries to give the impression that Starbuck might be guilty (we don't get to see who shoots Ortega, Starbuck is shown running from the scene, plus Starbuck's anxiousness in the shuttle bay makes him appear guilty), but only the most gullible of viewers would fall for this. The story would be more forgivable if we learned some new insights about the characters or the fleet, but what do we learn? What is the point? Is it that the Colonial system of law is virtually identical to the U.S. system? (which is hardly believeable) Or that Adama has to spend time hearing court cases? (Not too believable either considering the incredibly burdensome task he has of commanding the fleet) Or is it that playing triad is more dangerous than anybody thought? What is the point of this episode except to fill an hour's worth of time???

This is the fourth episode that features Starbuck. While Dirk Benedict certainly plays a wonderful character, it would have been nice to have featured some of the lesser used cast members (Tigh, Boomer, Athena, Sheba).

One thing really stands out: It is absurd how little time Apollo is given to prepare a case for Starbuck's defense. He only has 10 centares, and the script for this episode has a key that states a centar is an hour. Only 10 hours to prepare for a murder trial??? Give me a break!

This story could have been done differently to make it more poignant. What if Apollo was unable to conclusively prove who killed Ortega, and Adama intervenes, using his power as commander to have Starbuck set free. It would raise the question of whether Adama was abusing his power. Even then, considering the fleet must be depleted when it comes to seasoned viper pilots, it could be argued that the fleet needed Starbuck as a warrior. It would have been an interesting moral issue, something Battlestar Galactica rarely had. I also think the story would have been more interesting if we were left with some doubt as to whether Starbuck killed Ortega (in self-defense, of course).

An interesting note: Karibdis appears early on in the story, serving drinks to Adama and Tigh while they watch the Triad game. This is an often-used writing device. You have the murderer/villain appear early in the story, sometimes at the very beginning, in what appears to be a minor or trivial role. This often fools the audience, as they rarely expect such a character to be revealed so quickly. This was also done on the miniseries for the new Galactica, when one of the human Cylons is leading a tour of the Galactica during the opening credits. If you want to get good at solving TV/movie mysteries, pay attention to the minor characters that appear early in the story.

Overall, the murder mystery itself isn't half bad, and there are fine all-around performances from the cast to make this watchable. In a way, it makes the episode more disappointing to have such great talent squandered on such a by-the-numbers story. But everyone holds up their end well, especially Dirk Benedict and Laurette Spang in their scene inside the brig. It's nice the writers found a way to bring Baltar into the story, and John Colicos still makes a great villain. The flashback of the destruction of Caprica is also well-done. There were certainly many crimes committed during the evacuation, and it illustrates that Battlestar Galactica was brimming with potentially interesting stories to explore, which again only makes this episode more of a letdown.

That said, it's important to realize that writers Jim Carlson and Terrence McDonnell were forced to write this episode in 36 hours straight. Considering what a rushjob this script was, it's amazing it turned out as well as it did. This is one instance where it might be better to see the glass as half-full rather than half-empty.

===[[Greetings from Earth]]===

'''RATING: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Greetings From Earth just doesn't measure up with the other two-hour episodes. The story makes for a passable first hour but quickly takes a nosedive in the second. Glen Larson's attempt at comedy falls horribly flat. Hector, Vector and the kids quickly wear out their welcome (A premonition of Galactica 1980?). The Eastern Alliance is introduced as a new adversary, but they are little more than cardboard Nazis with zero charisma (at least the Cylons looked cool). Another problem is that their primitive technology takes a lot of steam out of their threat. Unfortunately, the Eastern Alliance is never utilized to the fullest. A space battle between vipers and Eastern Alliance destroyers would have been fantastic, but the time and money needed to do such a complex battle scene made it impossible. Also, Apollo becomes a bit overbearing with his "Do The Right Thing" attitude in the first half (What's also annoying is that Apollo's dialogue in the first half is badly redubbed, apparently to make his voice louder).

What makes the first hour so interesting is that the Colonials are faced with a perplexing moral issue (a rarity, for sure). Do they allow the humans to leave, or force them to remain at least until more information is learned? There are actually opposing opinions within the Colonial military, at least for awhile. Apollo's view quickly wins out, though. The Council of Twelve is portrayed as being incredibly selfish and uncaring, but it could be argued they were right. It was possibly life or death for the Colonials to learn about the human race that awaited them. Certainly the humans could have been revived long enough for the Colonials to get the necessary information out of them. Apollo's plan to let the ship go had a good chance of failing. How could he be certain enough that they wouldn't get lost, or wind up so far away that they'd never be able to make it back to the fleet?

When you think about it, why don't Starbuck, Apollo and Cassiopea have super powers when they are in Paradeen's weaker gravity just as the Super Scouts do when they are in Earth's weaker gravity on Galactica 1980? Wouldn't it have been fun to see Starbuck, Apollo, and Cassiopea bouncing up and down and jumping into trees?

Unlike the other two-parters, this one ends with a whimper instead of a bang as Starbuck and Apollo's capture of the Enforcers is about as anti-climatic as you can get. This script really comes across as being rushed, which was probably the case. Overall, Greetings From Earth is yet another episode that failed to reach its potential due to the constrainments of a weekly series.

=== [[Experiment in Terra]] ===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

Experiment In Terra initially comes across as a superb episode, but under close inspection the story unfortunately has serious flaws. The Ship of Lights recruiting Apollo to help Terra is a cool idea, but their reasoning as to why they need to use a mortal human doesn't hold up. John says that the people of Terra can't see the "Guardians" (my own name for them) outside the confines of their ship. And yet on Terra, John makes himself visible to Starbuck by merely touching him. Even more problematic, Apollo's mission never makes sense. The Guardians know that the Eastern Alliance is going to launch a missile attack, so the master plan is to have Apollo tell the "west side" that the Eastern Alliance has been attacking them? Um, okay, but even if Apollo succeeds, how will this stop the Eastern Alliance from launching their missiles? Why not just have Apollo tell the Galactica to travel to Terra and destroy the missile attack? The answer, of course, is that there wouldn't be much of a story.

Sadly, there are many other flaws. Apollo says he can't reach Terra because the distance is too great, so he is "teleported" right in front of the planet. So how is it that Starbuck is able to eventually reach the planet on his own? Logically, he wouldn't have had enough fuel. Adama's decision to pull the Galactica out of the fleet is more out of whack than it may first appear. He didn't do that in earlier episodes when Starbuck or Apollo were crashed/stranded. This time Adama doesn't even know who the two pilots are, and yet he pulls the Galactica out of the fleet.

Even more ludicrous is the idea that the Galactica travels to Terra at light speed (and not just because it is scientifically implausible). If the Galactica was traveling to Terra at the speed of light, they should have reached Terra almost instantly (in fact, they probably could have found Earth during the pilot episode!) And how is it that the Galactica was able to travel to Terra unmolested? Surely there would be Eastern Alliance destroyers patrolling the area around the planet. And how does the Eastern Alliance not know that the Galactica was responsible for destroying their missiles? Surely the Galactica would have been picked up on their scanners.

Also, the West President's reasoning for withholding knowledge of the Eastern Alliance's attacks is questionable. Why does he think he can make peace with the Eastern Alliance if they are constantly attacking him? And if the Eastern Alliance has wiped out all of the West's satellite planets, how could the President possibly prevent word of this from leaking out? It's not realistic at all. Plus, the idea that the Eastern Alliance would be willing to destroy the entire planet (at least half of which they own) is pretty ridiculous. Okay, they ARE Bad Guys, but what's the point of destroying most of their empire when they were already winning the war?

With such a long list of problems, you would think that this is a terrible episode. Amazingly, this isn't the case. In fact, Experiment In Terra still ranks as one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica. Seeing the Ship of Lights again is a treat, and Edward Mulhare is delightful as John, Apollo's guide. This episode is another example where the great production values and strong performances from the actors are able to overcome the plot inconsistencies. What makes Experiment In Terra work so well is that its plot holes aren't immediately noticeable. I didn't realize how many there were until I sat down and really thought about it. Apollo's mission to save Terra, as pointless as it winds up being, is still extremely engrossing. Apollo's speech to the Precidium is very dramatic and moving, even though (as we've already said) everything Apollo does on Terra turns out to be a waste of time since nothing he does has any chance of preventing the Eastern Alliance from launching its missiles.

This episode is extra fun to watch if you're aware that the script was originally written with the roles of Starbuck and Apollo reversed. After Richard Hatch complained that his character was getting the shaft, the script was quickly rewritten with the dialogue mostly remaining the same, resulting in Apollo talking suspiciously like Starbuck. At one point, Apollo says "Felgercarb" for the first time ever!

The ending scene is touching, as John tells Apollo that Terra is not Earth but "You must have faith." Many Galactica fans have interpreted this to mean that Apollo would successfully complete the journey to Earth.

Here are some humorous notes from British writer Matthew Wharmby:

* I'm sorry, but I thought the final scene was tremendously weak. All that buildup to a good scrap, heart-stopping music included, let down with a pathetic green shield spat out of the front of the Galactica. And from a terrible angle made necessary by two separately matted halves; one of Earth and one of the Galactica's underside. And you don't mean to tell me that the Galactica could extend such a shield over the whole planet? If so, why couldn't she have performed the same thing over Caprica in the pilot, and let the attacking Cylon fighters blow themselves up in it?
* Nobody seems too panicked about the impending nuclear annihilation! I don't know about you, but when us kids growing up in the late Cold War used to speculate nervously about the four-minute warning, the usual consensus was that we'd be doing, well, what it takes four minutes to do. 'You can do it twice,' the girls would quip.
* I'm not mad keen on Brenda's attitude. If every girl who had boyfriend trouble called the Old Bill on such a weak pretext, there wouldn't be a bloke alive out of prison!

=== [[Take the Celestra]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five'''

This is probably the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. A lot of people will probably disagree, but I have to go with this choice simply because I found this episode to be incredibly boring. The Magnificent Warriors and The Lost Warrior were also really bad (and they were certainly more simplistic), but they were never really boring. A story focusing on the hardships of voyaging on the rag tag fleet is a great idea, but this episode takes one self-destructive turn after another and may be the best example of a wasted opportunity for the series. Many of BG's bad episodes were somewhat saved by wonderful performances from the actors, but there is nothing here that stands out (although the Starbuck/Cassiopea reconciliation at the end is a nice moment). Starbuck and Apollo actually look stale. This is one of the few times that neither Richard Hatch nor Dirk Benedict are able to rise above the mediocre writing. Commander Kronus is incredibly boring - a static, stale character with little depth. Because it's hard to care about the character, it's hard to feel anything during the "dramatic" finish when Kronus dies. Given the moronic decisions he makes, I felt like saying "Good riddance." On the other hand, Ana Alicia suceeds in making Aurora interesting, but she is mostly wasted in this episode. Unfortunately, her boyfriend is more boring than Kronus, and I just wanted him to shut up. Despite these issues, the main problem with Take The Celestra lies in the script itself.

One of the biggest (yet least noted) flaws of Battlestar Galactica was the way it portrayed life in the rag-tag fleet. Day-to-day existence on a fleet of mostly derelict ships would no doubt be a grueling struggle for survival. Yet the series rarely ever indicated this. Most scenes with civilians consisted of parties, gambling, and triad games aboard the Rising Star! (hardly the most accurate look we could have been given) Take The Celestra was the perfect vehicle to change this, but unfortunately the writers took the easy way out. Aurora and the other mutineers were "illegally forced" to work so many double shifts. This makes the issue of right and wrong very easy to determine, but consider another direction the writers could have taken.

What if the harsh working conditions existed throughout the entire fleet? (and, logically, they should have) What if Aurora and the others were not working harder than anyone else and simply decided they had had enough? Would they be morally right in trying to escape the fleet (considering that the loss of manpower would likely hurt the remaining Colonials)? Apollo, Starbuck and the rest of the military are always talking about the importance of freedom. Apollo talks about it strongly in his speech to the Precedium in Experiment In Terra. When Starbuck tries to convince the prisoners to rebel in The Long Patrol, he says "You have rights. You're human beings!" When they finally escape, he says, "That's freedom." An interesting idea to explore is how free the Colonials actually were. Surely many of them wanted to settle on some of the planets the fleet passed by. If Adama refused their wishes, he would technically be restricting their freedom. Unfortunately, this kind of story is problematic because the extent of Adama's power is never clear; in fact, it varies from episode to episode (depending whatever works best for the story that week). But this kind of story would have made it a tough call as to whether Aurora and her friends were right and whether Starbuck and Apollo were totally justified in stopping them.

Anyway, that's the episode I would have liked to see, or anything other than what we did see, the most boring Galactica episode to date. The story is riddled with holes, outdone perhaps only by Experiment In Terra. Whereas that story's flaws are not immediately noticeable, most of this story's flaws are. Commander Kronus' decision to immediately shuttle the prisoners back to the fleet despite being so far away doesn't make much sense. His accompanying the shuttle makes even less sense. Colonial law states that a commander has to personally take the mutineers in for charges? Huh? Even when his ship is out in the middle of nowhere? Okay. Whatever. Kronus should have waited until the Celestra rejoined the fleet. His decision makes him look like an idiot.

How is it that Chakka is able to get almost the entire crew to mutiny with him on a whim? He couldn't have been planning mutiny beforehand because he had expected to become commander of the Celestra. And if the entire crew wasn't with him in the mutiny, then how could he have expected to get away with powering down the ship? And could Starbuck and Apollo both be so clueless that they wouldn't be able to remember which heading the fleet was on? And how does the shuttle run out of fuel so fast? And how is it that Kronus could not have known or heard about any of the harsh working conditions? The Celestra isn't that big of a ship. Are we to believe that he never left the bridge? To top it off, why is there such an urgent need in the final battle scene to "level out" the Celestra? It's not as though there were any ships or planets around that it could crash into. Almost nothing in this episode makes any sense.

The minor plot of Cassiopeia agonizing over Starbuck's evasiveness in their relationship is far more compelling than the main plot of the Celestra mutiny. But even the Starbuck/Aurora plot has problems. For one thing, the writers have Starbuck act like a total jerk by skipping his date with Cassie so he can see Aurora. Why would Cassie put up with that? And how is it that Starbuck had a serious relationship with Aurora going during the time of the Destruction? Didn't he clearly have something going with Athena back then? (If there's anything worse than the writers making things up as they go, it's when they unmake things up as they go.)

Anyway, this only makes Starbuck look like a bigger womanizer than anyone thought (not exactly the best way to endear him to viewers). Aurora makes a valid point in her anger towards him. If Starbuck really did care about her, why didn't he check to see if her name was in the fleet computer? Just because her house was destroyed doesn't mean for certain that she was killed. It's also highly questionable that Starbuck ever made it back to Caprica after the Cylons attacked. We've never been given any indication that anyone besides Adama and Apollo ever went back. Considering how dangerous it would have been (not to mention how strong a chance that someone might have led the Cylons back to the Galactica), it's absolutely ludicrous to suggest Adama would have allowed anyone to return to the planet.

I almost want to pretend that this episode was just a bad dream. Fortunately, the very next episode would raise the roof.

===[[The Hand of God]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five.'''

They saved the best for last. ''The Hand Of God'' is arguably the best episode of Battlestar Galactica, and my personal favorite.

No doubt about it, ''The Hand of God'' is Galactica at its best. Donald Bellisario shows the other writers how it's done, pulling out all the stops with this one. Both the script and the performances are stellar. Never before have the characters been portrayed in such a powerful way. Although there is nothing innovative about the basic plot itself (The Galactica battles the Cylons again), there are enough things going on that make this story extremely engrossing.

This episode is fascinating from start to finish. Visually, it is a treat as we get to see the inside of a Cylon basestar's landing bay for the first time. We also get to see Cylon Centurions boarding their ships for the first time. And the Celestial Observation Dome is a marvel, as is Apollo's analogy that being inside it is like riding in the Hand of God.

What makes this story especially memorable is the culmination of a story thread that has been running since ''War of the Gods''. In that episode, we see the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba. Nothing happens in the other episodes following, although Anne Lockhart does a good job showing, in a subtle way, Sheba's emerging feelings for Apollo.

Kudos go to both Anne Lockhart and Laurette Spang for winning performances. Sheba's confrontation with Apollo and their kiss inside the Cylon raider is the best scene of the episode. That and Cassiopeia's argument with Starbuck in the landing bay are both incredibly moving, providing each actress with her stand-out moment of the series. It really gives the viewer a chance to appreciate the range of Anne and Laurette. Women on this show were usually stuck in the background; this episode placed demands on each actress they rarely had to face. Give each one credit for not dropping the ball. Fortunately, they are both aided by outstanding dialogue from Bellisario. Of course, Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, and Herbert Jefferson, Jr. hold up their end as well. Starbuck, Apollo, and Boomer clasping hands in the pilots barracks (with the accompanying music score) powerfully expresses the bond of their friendship more than words ever could.

Extra congratulations go to Donald Bellisario who also directed this episode. His use of slow motion twice during Starbuck and Apollo's battles with Cylon Centurions make the scenes much more intense and suspenseful. Let's face it. Thanks to ABC's family-friendly censors, the Cylons often looked like a joke (Remember ''The Young Lords'' when Starbuck and five children wiped out an entire Cylon garrison?). If Starbuck and Apollo's shootout scenes had been shown in real time, there would have been little (if any) impact.

Another reason ''The Hand of God'' works so well is because the Cylons were not featured in the previous seven or eight episodes. Glen Larson wisely saw that the constant reusing of the same space battle footage was hurting the stories and thus moved the Cylons into the background after ''Fire In Space''. So much time has passed since then that the Cylons seem revitalized. There's nothing spectacular about the dogfight between the vipers and raiders or the slugfest between the Galactica and the Cylon basestar (since it's the same footage seen in previous episodes), but the story is compelling enough that it all still works.

If there is one flaw with this story, it is the idea that Adama would attack a Cylon basestar and risk the fate of the entire human race just for the sake of wreaking some vengeance. This is the same man who told Commander Cain, "I'm not interested in military victories. I'm interested in saving lives. What few of them are left." It would have worked better to have a scenario where the Galactica simply could not backtrack and thus was forced to attack the Cylons. Still, it is a minor flaw in an overall outstanding script.

It is extremely frustrating that we never see a follow-up to Apollo and Sheba's relationship since this was the final episode. For fans who would like to see some kind of continuation, there are some fan fiction stories that I highly recommend. There is a short story called ''My Father's Daughter'' which takes place immediately following the events of ''The Hand of God'' and is quite simply the best Sheba story I have ever read. Three other novels, ''Second Coming'', ''Joint Maneuvers'', and ''The Race For Earth'' also explore Apollo and Sheba's relationship and are outstanding. These stories are all available free online at a site I own called [http://freegalacticafanfictionnovels.weebly.com Free Battlestar Galactica Fan Fiction Novels].

Many fans were and still are saddened that the original show ended so soon. Personally, I'm at peace with it. If the show had to end, ''The Hand of God'' may have been the best way to close the curtain. After reading Glen Larson's [[Battlestar_Galactica:_Year_Two_proposal|Season Two proposal]], all I can say is, "Thank god the show ended when it did!" It appears that, if there had been a second season, half the cast would have been cut in order to save money, Sheba would have been killed off, Commander Cain would have returned as a Cylon android, and Apollo would have shirked his responsibilities and started partying and messing around with numerous women. Ugh!!!

I think I can accept Battlestar Galactica for what it was, always remembering that the light that shines twice as bright only burns half as long.

== Galactica 1980 Episode Reviews ==

=== [[Galactica Discovers Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

Galactica Discovers Earth turns out to be a watchable pilot, but watchable is about all. From the very first episode, Galactica 1980 is clearly nothing more than an attempt by ABC to cash in on the Galactica name by creating a cheap show that simply reuses the expensive special effects stock footage from the original series. The later episodes would only reinforce this. Kent McCord (Troy) and Barry Van Dyke (Dillon) come off as inferior clones of Starbuck and Apollo. In fact, the script for the pilot was originally written for Starbuck and Apollo. When those plans changed, the names were simply switched to Troy and Dillon. Jamie Hamilton comes off as a carbon copy of Lois Lane. Unfortunately, we are never given any backstory to any of these characters.

This may be the only pilot in television history in which the premise changes in the middle of the episode! At first it's about advancing Earth's technology in order to fight the Cylons. Then it suddenly changes and is about capturing a time-traveling villain. It's really bizarre. Anyway, the time travel adventure in Nazi Germany is never particularly interesting, partly because Xaviar just isn't that compelling of a villain, but mostly because this is NOT Battlestar Galactica.

The idea of the Galactica having to protect a primitive Earth from the Cylons is actually a compelling premise, but the problem is that Dr. Zee's plan to slowly increase Earth's technology is flawed. At the rate in which the Colonials were going, it probably would have taken at least decades to get Earth's technology increased enough to be able to fight the Cylons. Long before then, the Cylons would probably tire of waiting and decide to just destroy the Colonial fleet. Even if the Cylons didn't attack, how far could the Galactica lead the Cylons away from Earth before they (the Colonials) were too far away from the planet to ever go back there? It probably would have been smarter to temporarily abandon Earth and lead the Cylons away until Dr. Zee could invent some technology that would allow the Colonials to destroy the Cylon armada. (Actually, since Colonial Vipers can now turn invisible, it should have been fairly easy for the Colonials to launch a surprise attack on the Cylons and defeat them once and for all!)

The problem with the original premise of Galactica 1980 is that it would have eventually become tiresome: Troy and Dillon each week would find a way to introduce some new technology (clean nuclear power, etc.) which would make some small improvement, but do little to bring Earth up to the level it would need be to fight the Cylons. As a result, the series could never evolve to the next level (i.e. Earth is ready to fight the Cylons), because the series' budget was too small for any kind of "final battle". As a result, Galactica 1980 was stuck in a rut from the get-go. It tried to distract viewers from the main plot (the Cylon threat) with time travel and cub scout outings because there was little that could be done with the original premise. It might have worked well as a single movie or perhaps a series of movies, but it's unlikely that Galactica 1980 could have ever jelled as a weekly series.

The show looks second-rate. For example, take the opening sequence. This has to be one of the worst opening sequences in television history. It's nothing but a series of stock footage shots from the original show haphazardly thrown together. Even the rendition of the Galactica theme seems inferior to the one we heard on the original show.

That said, there is some nice chemistry between the trio of Troy, Dillon and Jamie. There's one particularly touching scene in part 3 when Jamie says goodbye to Troy and Dillon at the bus stop. But whatever positives the actors had would not be enough to overcome a number of self-destructive turns that would begin with the very next episode.

=== [[The Super Scouts]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Super Scouts arrive, and Galactica 1980 plummets into an abyss it would not survive. In the beginning, we're forced to endure a series of boring classroom educational lessons. Things get even worse when the intergalactic 'Our Gang' reaches Earth. We get ultra-cute campfire songs and even more educational lessons shoved down are throats. The original series had flaws, but at least it never insulted its viewers with sitcom humor or by getting into preachy moral issues. Galactica 1980 gives us an ultra-simplistic environmental message of "Don't pollute the water," and does so with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

One could make the case that Galactica 1980 is a great tool for writers to learn how NOT to write drama. One key is to create powerful villains and put the heroes in situations that are difficult to deal with. But all of the villains in Galactica 1980 are weak. The Colonials have so many advantages over the people of Earth - spaceships, super powers, invisibility fields - that they are essentially invincible, thus robbing the series of any possible drama. In Galactica 1980, there are no worthy villains. The bumbling cops and incompetent military personnel never have a prayer of apprehending Troy and Dillon, so there's no suspense. And it's certainly not funny to watch Earthlings constantly being confounded by extra-terrestrials. Yet that is what we're forced to endure again and again throughout the entire series.

=== [[Spaceball]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

This is crap. Spaceball is the worst, most hated episode of Galactica 1980. It's silly, stupid, and just plain dumb. Little kids playing baseball??? This is Battlestar Galactica??? Spaceball may be the most inconsequential hour of science fiction ever made. It's nothing less than an insult to the original series that this bionic version of ''The Bad News Bears'' was shot under the Galactica name.

=== [[The Night The Cylons Landed]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five (Poor)'''

The Night The Cylons Landed is the best episode since the pilot. Of course, this isn't saying much, since watching a blank screen would have been almost as entertaining as the previous two episodes. Anyway, the Super Scouts are finally relegated to the background. This expands on the storyline involving the evolution of the Cylons over the 30 years since the destruction of the Colonies. A new, bigger, and more powerful Cylon raider carrying a newly advanced Cylon lifeform crashlands on Earth. Two surviving Cylons attempt to communicate with the Cylon armada to tell them of Earth's location. This is a cool idea, but the execution is terrible. We are treated to so much silliness, culminating with Troy and Dillon dancing on stage with cartoon characters like Yogi Bear! There are other problems. The more powerful, heavily armored Cylon raider is crippled after the punier viper rams into it??? The viper certainly doesn't hit it very hard. If the Cylons were a joke in the original series, then in Galactica 1980 they are a laughing stock. Andromus, the evolved Cylon clone of a human, certainly doesn't look or act very advanced. Centuri, his Centurion buddy, comes across as being even sillier with his constant banter of "I will protect you. That is my mission." This is the monstrous, all-powerful race which threatens the Earth's destruction and that the Colonials are so concerned about??? The two Cylons provide some funny moments, but it can't make up for the letdown of a plot that had so much potential.

With this episode, Galactica 1980 provides yet another example of how NOT to write drama. Conventional storytelling says that when you have a character trying to solve a mystery, you want the audience to move along at the same pace as the character. If the audience knows more than the character does, they find themselves simply waiting for the character to catch up, which is boring. Unfortunately, Galactica 1980 violates this basic rule of storytelling as we're forced to endure Colonel Briggs's investigation of the aliens. We know everything, he knows nothing, and thus there is nothing even remotely interesting about the subplot.

=== [[Space Croppers]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Space Croppers starts out interesting, but quickly takes an abrupt nosedive into looney land. The plot parallels that of [[The Magnificent Warriors]]. Due to the destruction of the fleet's agroships by a Cylon attack, another source of food supply must be found. The Magnificent Warriors was a terrible episode, so it must be considered quite a feat that Space Croppers turns out to be even worse.

The plight of the Alonso family to save their farm never becomes the least bit interesting. Even worse are the 'educational beats' that bring the story to a grinding halt: a lecture about Hispanic history, the soil requirements for planting legumes, and how rainfull is produced. This is beyond bad. It's unwatchable.

If Dr. Zee is such a genius, why doesn't it ever occur to him to use Galactican technology to create money so the Colonials can simply buy the food that they need? I guess such a simple solution would have made this story pointless.

Furthermore, the Imperious Leader's plan to force the Galactica to lead the Cylons to Earth makes no sense. How could Imperious Leader know that Earth was nearby? And if he did know, why not just destroy the Colonial fleet and conduct a search of the nearby planets? Did anything on this series make sense? Was anything supposed to?

Last, and certainly least, Troy and Dillon bouncing high in the air and throwing seeds while the Super Scouts sing their song is hands down the most ludicrous thing ever shown on Galactica 1980, and that's saying something.

=== [[The Return of Starbuck]] ===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five (Outstanding)'''

This is undeniably the best and most popular episode of Galactica 1980. It is even better than most of the episodes of Battlestar Galactica. What is there not to love about this episode? There are so many outstanding scenes: Adama's chilling reaction to Dr. Zee's mention of Starbuck; Boomer's heartwrenching goodbye to Starbuck, Adama explaining to Boomer that they can't go back to find him; Adama saying his farewell to Starbuck; Starbuck's rationalizations about how the planet belongs to him; Angela's words, "Starbuck, would you die for me?"; Starbuck sacrificing his chance to return to the fleet to give Angela and her baby a better chance; Starbuck's goodbye to Cy. The list goes on. Best of all, we see growth in Starbuck's character! A true classic to be treasured for all time by Galactica fans.

This episode is based on an earlier script written for the second season of Battlestar Galactica that never happened. The main differences are that a regular woman appears (not Angela), and Starbuck is eventually rescued by Boomer. The only thing believed to have been taken intact from the early script is Starbuck's dialogue with Cy. While that would no doubt have been a tremendous episode, it still would not have come close to being as great as this one is. The reason why is very simple. One of the problems with creating dramatic and suspenseful stories in any weekly series is that the viewer knows the hero will ultimately prevail. For example, when Starbuck is accused of murder in [[Murder on the Rising Star]], there is little in terms of suspense because it is a foregone conclusion that Starbuck will be vindicated, just as it is a forgone conclusion that Starbuck isn't going to die in [[The Young Lords]] when he is hunted by the Cylons on the planet Attila. In the beginning of The Return Of Starbuck, it is quickly established that Adama doesn't know what happened to Starbuck and that Starbuck never returned from the mission where he was shot down. As a result, in what is most unusual for any action/adventure television story, the viewer sits through the entire episode knowing that Starbuck isn't going to make it!

This makes the story much more gripping and intense than virtually any other episode of either series. The grim reality of Starbuck's eventual fate is all reinforced by Angela's question "Starbuck, will you die for me?" and her warnings of disaster, telling him that he must prepare to make "the final judgement." Of course, we do not actually see Starbuck die at the end of the story. Larson leaves Starbuck's fate ambiguous, especially since an intact Cylon raider is left nearby. Having Starbuck die would have been a gutsy and innovative move, but the ending shown is really for the best. The beauty of the ending is that it lets the viewers make their own interpretation of Starbuck's fate. If one goes with the idea that a single person alone cannot fly a Cylon raider, then Starbuck could have easily died on the planet. Many fans don't consider Galactica 1980 to be canon for the original series, except for this episode. With the interpretation that Galactica 1980 didn't happen, Starbuck could possibly have flown the Cylon raider back to the fleet, returning to Apollo, Adama, Sheba, and the other original characters. Much Galactica fan fiction over the years has interpreted the episode in this manner.

Despite having a small role, Lorne Greene gives what may be his best performance ever as Commander Adama. The look on his face when he asks Dr. Zee to tell him his dream is worth a thousand words. His farewell to Starbuck, saying that he loves him, is also incredibly powerful. A wonderful performance!

In conclusion, ''The Return of Starbuck'' is an incredible ending to the series and a worthy finish to the Battlestar Galactica saga overall. ''Galactica 1980'' was crap, but it sure went out with a bang.

== Galactica Comics ==

=== [[Galactica 1980 1|Galactica 1980 comic series]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Comic adaptations of television shows are often very good because the writers are free from the usual constraints that a television show faces: limited budgets, censors, and network meddling in the storylines. Unfortunately, this is a double-edged sword, as the comic book writers' unlimited freedom sometimes allows the story to go flying off the rails.

Such is the case with the Galactica 1980 comic series, a cool idea that feels like a missed opportunity. First, the comic does a number of things right. It is a reboot rather than a continuation, delivering a ''War of the Worlds'' type story with the Colonials and Cylons battling over Earth. It even makes Dr. Zee a villian, a great move considering that Zee is hands down the most hated character in the entire Galactica universe. Baltar and Lucifer are also in it, leading the Cylons to Earth. Unfortunately, writer Marc Guggenheim decides to go for shock value. In the first issue, we learn that Troy is a drunk and Adama is suicidal. Personally, I found this ugly and disturbing.

Even worse is the end of issue #1 when the Galactica is destroyed by nukes. Again, it feels like the writer is just trying to hit us with one shocking surprise after another. Surprises can be great fun, but I get annoyed when they lack logic as this one does. Why would Adama be so stupid as to fly the Galactica directly over the White House without first sending a message and waiting to see what the response would be? This just makes no sense.

And I just didn't like seeing the Galactica destroyed. After all, this ''is'' Galactica 1980, so therefore the Galactica should be in it. If the Galactica had to be destroyed, it should have happened in the final issue (#4), not the first.

Lo and behold, we get yet another shocking surprise in issue #2 when Dillon is killed off (and rather undramatically). I have a big problem with this as well. Troy and Dillon were the heroes of Galactica 1980, and I just don't think that either should have been killed (at least not less than halfway through the story). I was also disappointed that Jamie Hamilton is given nothing more than a cameo appearance in issue #4. Given that she was one of the main characters on the original show, she should have had a larger role in the story.

In the end, I wish Guggenheim had written a story that might have been done on television if not for the limited budget and children's hour restrictions that ultimately crippled the series. The ''War of the Worlds'' premise was perfect for Galactica 1980, but in this case the execution fell short.

== The Galactica Telemovies ==

=== [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

The opening sequence is outstanding, although it mostly uses footage from the original series. It has a truly epic feel, and it gives the impression that we will see a grand conclusion to the Battlestar Galactica saga. Sadly, this does not happen. Still, Adama's opening declaration that Earth has been found is also magnificent, much better done than it was in the original episode. By removing the time-travel subplot as well as much of the silliness including Troy and Dillon dancing on stage, the whole is better than any of the original Galactica 1980 episodes it is composed of. Yet this hardly makes ''Conquest of the Earth'' a great movie. The opening minutes rate five stars, yet starting with the first appearance of Dr. Zee (who bizarrely speaks with two different voices), the rest of the movie rates much lower.

=== [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack (VHS)|Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

This movie is less entertaining than the individual episodes it is composed of (The Living Legend and Fire In Space). The separate episodes don't mesh together seamlessly, resulting in several plot holes and odd hairstyle changes between scenes. The movie especially suffers because many great scenes from The Living Legend episode are missing. All scenes and dialogue relating to Starbuck's relationship with Cassiopeia are cut, which only makes the Cain/Cassiopeia subplot less interesting. The battle scenes are a little more elaborate because additional stock footage is used, but that's not enough to overcome the movie's deficiencies. A different sound effect is used for the engines of the Cylon raiders that's a little jarring for anyone who is a die-hard fan of the original show.

Bottom line, this movie is only recommended for curiosity's sake.

== Berkley Books ==
=== [[Saga of a Star World (Book)|Saga of a Star World]] ===
'''Flagship of the 12 Worlds fleet, she was as large as a planet, yet as swift as the Starhound fighters she launched from her bays. For generations the vast ship led the thousand-year war against the Cylons for control of the known Galaxy. Now that war was in its final phase, and Galactica had one final mission, win or lose: blast through the deadly grid of the Cylon Starfleet and dash for deep space in a desperate attempt to find the legendary "Stonehenge" of the universe - the lost planet the ancient microfilms call "Earth."'''

This is the opening paragraph to the Berkley novelization of the Battlestar Galactica pilot "Saga Of A Star World". This is easily one of the most fascinating Galactica books ever written, and there are a number of things that make it so interesting. First, the book is based on an early script of the pilot and, although changes were made before it came to print to make it more like the version that aired, there are a number of alternate scenes in the book. The Galactica universe is also different in several aspects, such as the Cylons are living aliens underneath their armor instead of total machines. Also, there are missing scenes left out of the final cut of the movie that survived intact in the book (Starbuck's confrontation with Tigh on the bridge after the Colonies are destroyed; Starbuck's extended conversation with Cassie on the shuttle; Adama's resigning from the Council).

Perhaps best of all, certain events are more fleshed out in the novelization than in the movie such as the surprise Cylon attack. The novelization helps to fill a number of gaping plot holes and unanswered questions that the movie was saddled with. Many chapters begin with an entry from the Adama journals, and the reader is able to learn a lot of information and insight from the Galactica's commander.

Many fans are unhappy with the Berkley books, feeling that they don't remain true to the series. I respectfully disagree. First of all, as already mentioned, the novelizations often have extra detail and explanations that help cover up plot holes that existed in the episodes. Second, the fact that the novels portray the BG universe in a slightly different way and that they are not exact retellings of the episodes is good because the books would be pretty boring otherwise. Third, some of the characters such as Athena are fleshed out better in the novels. Make no mistake, this is the best of all the Berkley novelizations and is a must-read for any fan of the original series.

== External Links ==

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/BGEPISODES.htm Battlestar Galactica Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/Wharmby.htm Matthew Wharmby's Hilarious Galactica 1980 Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

User:Galactica1981/Galactica 1981 Reviews

2011-12-29T14:29:19Z

Galactica1981: /* Galactica 1980 comic series */

This is a list of reviews by [[User:Galactica1981]] for various [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]] content. Given to the Battlestar Wiki's policy of [[NPOV|Neutral Point of View]], they are found here rather than their respective articles.

These episode reviews originally appears on the Sheba's Galaxy site. They have been slightly revised.

== TOS Episode Reviews ==

===[[Saga of a Star World]] ===

'''RATING: Four and a half stars out of five'''

There's no question that on the night of September 17, 1978, Battlestar Galactica hit television screens with a bang. Saga Of A Star World is unquestionably the most elaborate televison movie ever made (and least up to that point!) When trying to rate something like this, it's important to examine it in the context of television during that time period. For sure, no sci-fi show of this magnitude had ever been done before in the history of television, and thus it deserves extra points for that alone. There are many great things that can be said about this episode (acting, special effects, music score), but I won't bother repeating what most people are already aware of. In the end, I had to decide against a full five-star rating, mostly because of the unforgivable "Star Wars" ending it was saddled with. The big explosion of the planet Carillon is a blatant ripoff of Star Wars, not to mention ridiculous as well. Setting fire to some tylium mines causes the entire planet to explode? This is ludicrous (although one could argue that destroying the massive Death Star by shooting a tiny exhaust port was equally ludicrous). Surely Glen Larson could have written a better ending than this. Ultimately, this had to reinforce many people's beliefs that Galactica was a second-rate Star Wars. Having a casino with all sorts of alien creatures also seems a little too close to Star Wars for comfort.

As a kid watching the show, I absolutely loved the Cylons because of how cool they looked. My favorite character was Starbuck who I idolized and wanted to be like. The series also had a phenomenal cast with tremendously talented actors (except for Maren Jensen), and it's a shame they were often saddled with substandard scripts. Starbuck and Apollo are wonderful in the lead roles, and they arguably have more chemistry than did Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. And Lorne Greene is superb as in the role of Commander Adama. In the pilot episode, the scene that perhaps stands out the most is the laser battle against the Cylon Centurions on the surface of Carillon, a truly awesome spectacle combined with the looming countdown as the Cylon raiders close in on the Galactica. It terms of the characters, my favorite scene is probably Starbuck's almost proposing to Athena. Finally, the musical score for the series is truly breathtaking, on a similar level as the one for Star Wars.

Of course, there are also some HUMONGOUS plot holes in this story, enough for any critic to tear it to shreds. I'm not going bother writing 5 pages about the plot problems of Saga Of A Star World. Instead, I'll just mention a few points:

The premise of the Colonial fleet seeking Earth, while interesting, is unfortunately flawed because no one (not even Adama) has any idea where it is! Apparently, Adama was the only one who even knew about Earth's existence, although he doesn't seem to have any proof. Thus the Colonial fleet is left to wander aimlessly throughout the universe looking for it. Fortunately, this problem would be addressed in ''War of the Gods'' when the Colonials finally learn the coordinates to Earth.

The Colonials seemed unbelievably gullible and naive regarding the Cylons' offer of peace. After a thousand years of war, you would think they'd have been more careful, but they foolishly leave their home planets undefended. President Adar is incredibly stupid when he sees a thousand Cylon raiders coming towards the fleet and assumes it is a peace envoy.

Apollo gets back to the fleet in time to warn them of the coming Cylon attack, yet he fails to do so. Why? Why does he take an hour to find the bridge?

=== [[Lost Planet of the Gods]]===

'''Rating: Four stars out of five'''

The second half of this two-part episode has the theatrical feel of a movie, while the first half has often been blasted as being sexist. Of course, it is a bit strange that all the female cadets look like lingerie models. Still, I think the claim of sexism is a bit overstated. If you look at women in the U.S. military, they tend to act in supporting roles rather than be on the front lines. I don't know how many female jet pilots are in the U.S. military, but I suspect there aren't many. And I suspect this is due less to discrimination than to the fact that women tend to make different career choices than men (i.e. they tend to choose less hazardous professions). The reasons for there being no female viper pilots on the Galactica were probably along the same lines.

Regardless, the first half of the episode mostly serves as a set-up for the second half. Nothing wrong with that, but it does make the first half far less interesting.

Anyway, the two-part episodes fare better than most of the one-part episodes because Glen Larson would often blow the budget and vastly overspend. There are many fantastic scenes in the second half: Serina proposing to Apollo that they marry immediately; the Star of Kobol appearing in the port window during the wedding ceremony; the light shining off of Adama's medallion inside the tombs of Kobol; the Cylon raiders attacking the surface of Kobol; and, of course, Serina's death scene.

Serina's death is one of the most poignant moments of the entire series. But it came with a high price, as the show arguably suffered without her. And the writing would start to take a turn for the worse with the very next episode.

===[[The Lost Warrior]]===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

After only two episodes, Battlestar Galactica's creative energy has fizzled out. This is the first of the so-called "bottled episodes." These episodes had few if any new special effects, enabling the producers to save money which would later be spent on the bigger, more extravagant "monster episodes." It's understandable that these "bottled" stories were necessary, but this is where rushing the show into production really hurt the series. The writers simply did not have time to create quality scripts. Of course, this would ultimately lead to the decline in ratings.

This kind of episode is tough to review because it's good but wrong. Based on the classic 1953 western film Shane, this actually makes a pretty decent western, but Battlestar Galactica is supposed to be a science fiction series. Sci-fi fans want science fiction, not half-hybrids of other shows (A mistake that Galactica 1980 would repeat). If I want to see a Western, I'd rather watch Bonanza. The only reason this gets two stars is because we get such a strong characterization of Apollo.

Unfortunately, this is not the only space western we would see on Galactica. Cowboys and saloons would return in The Magnificent Warriors. In fact, the very idea that an "old west" town would exist in Battlestar Galactica completely contradicts the Von Daniken premise of the show, that the Colonies and the ancient cultures of Earth (such as Atlantis and Egypt) have the same roots, the same beginnings. It is ludicrous that an Old West society could have any common connection with this. It raises all kinds of questions. The people of Equellis obviously had to arrive on that world by means of spacecraft, so why is the society so primitive? How could they not know of the Cylons since the war has raged for 1,000 years and the average human life-span is 200 years?

Why would Apollo be dumb enough to fly so far away from the fleet that he wouldn't have enough fuel to make it back? This really makes no sense. And why does Apollo promise Bella and Puppis that he will return one day? Why would he ever believe that possible?

Despite the lackluster plot, there are some good moments. Boxey beating Starbuck at Pyramid is funny, and the western style "shoot-out" between Red-Eye and Apollo is very well done. The only weak point is when Red Eye spots Apollo's laser and says, "Uh-oh." This trivalizes a very serious moment for the sake of silly humor. It is difficult to believe that a Cylon would use such a phrase. Ironically, for years I couldn't make out exactly what he was saying. I assumed it was some kind of challenge to Apollo, and it actually added to the power of the moment. You can imagine my dismay when I learned the truth. Also, Puppis gets pretty annoying pretty fast.

===[[The Long Patrol]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

The Long Patrol is lot of a fun and a big improvement over the previous episode. Starbuck's computer companion C.O.R.A is a hoot. There are several funny scenes: Starbuck womanizing Cassiopeia and Athena; Boomer's jab at him before he goes off on the mission; Starbuck finding a fortune in ambrosia only to have it destroyed by the Cylon attack. Adama deciding to change the Galactica's course to keep distance from the Cylons is very well done, revealing how burdensome command of the fleet is and how it forces him to sacrifice his loved ones to protect the rest of humanity.

Maren Jensen (Athena) gets more screen time here than in most of the episodes. The scene with Athena revealing Starbuck's apparent death to Cassiopeia is especially moving, one of Jensen's best scenes of the series. The Athen/Cassiopeia rivalry was compelling and could have been developed in future episodes, but sadly this never happens. This was likely due to Maren Jensen's limitations as an actress which caused the writers to reduce her role.

Could C.O.R.A. have been the inspiration for K.I.T.T., the computerized car on Glen Larson's Knight Rider? Considering the amazing similarities between the two, it would have to be a possibility. Also, Glen Larson has went on record saying that K.I.T.T.'s swerving red eye was inspired by the swerving red eyes of the Cylons. It was sort of his way of keeping the Cylons alive.

The Long Patrol is definitely one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

===[[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero]]===

'''Rating: Three and a half stars out of five'''

This two-part episode is based on the 1961 movie The Guns of Navarone and the 1967 movie The Dirty Dozen. The episode has a theatrical feel to it because, as mentioned before, the two-parters had bigger budgets. Although the story is by-the-numbers, it is very enjoyable because of the fantastic special effects. Still, as good as Gun is, it is easily one of the lesser of the two-parters. While better than Greetings From Earth, Gun falls far short of The Living Legend, Lost Planet Of The Gods, and especially War Of The Gods.

This was actually the second episode filmed. This would explain why Serina and Cassiopea do not appear (Serina and Cassiopea died in the original version of the pilot before the decision was made to bring them back). Baltar and Lucifer's scenes were probably shot much later.

This episode raises a serious question. Considering the staggering number of people who had to be left behind due to lack of ships, why would the Colonials bother to take criminals with them? Perhaps they were already locked in the brig on the Galactica before the Holocaust or they somehow managed to sneak aboard the fleet to be captured later. Or perhaps most of them committed their crimes after joining the rag tag fleet. Considering how overcrowded, starved, and disorganized the fleet was when it was assembled, it is logical that many violent crimes would have occurred. An episode exploring this would have been nice.

The idea that there would not be enough qualified Colonial warriors to go on the mission is hard to believe. And why do Apollo, Starbuck, and Boomer get chosen? They are pilots, and their emphasis is not on ground assault. Logically, the Galactica would have a ground assault team available for these kinds of situations. It is also difficult to believe that Boxey would have found a way to sneak onto the shuttle. At least he and Muffit have an impact on the success of the mission.

In the book ''The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'' by J.W. Rinzler and Ridley Scott, it is revealed that part of George Lucas's anger towards Battlestar Galactica was because of this episode. Lucas planned to feature an ice planet in the sequel to Star Wars, and he felt that Galactica threatened to undercut him by featuring an ice planet on one of their own episodes. Did this fuel his lawsuit that Galactica was infringing on Star Wars? Is so, then Lucas comes off as disingenuous to say the least, for it would be absurd to claim that Galactica was infringing on a movie that hadn't yet been made!

Baltar's legs were crushed in Lost Planet of the Gods, yet in this episode the only evidence of Baltar's injury is a slight limp. Did the Cylons do major reconstructive surgery on his legs? I guess so.

At this point, the constant reusing of the same space battle scenes really starts getting redundant. Still, this remains one of the most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

=== [[The Magnificent Warriors]] ===

'''Rating: One and a half stars out of five'''

Many fans consider this to be the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. While I don't agree, I think it comes pretty close. The story is, quite frankly, terrible. We are again subjected to yet another old-western style shanty town? Once was enough! The Borays are disgusting and sound awful. The only redeeming moment is when Adama and company discover Starbuck at the gambling table. It's rather funny.

Siress Bellaby is hands down the most annoying character to ever appear on Battlestar Galactica. Most viewers probably couldn't understand why the Colonial Warriors didn't simply let the Borays kill her.

On a positive note, we are shown Lorne Greene's impressive range as an actor. It's interesting to see a comical Adama, a nice contrast to the serious commander that we usually see. Unfortunately, Greene is forced to play against Brett Somers (Siress Bellaby). Somers isn't funny; she's annoying, and it kills most of the comedy that is presented.

The premise of The Magnificent Warriors actually had a lot of potential. We are given a situation where the fleet has no food and everyone is aware of it (unlike in Saga Of A Star World when the Colonials were able to cover up the problem). This raises all kinds of fascinating issues. Would the fleet start a mutiny against Adama during such a crisis? How would Adama react to such a mutiny? How would he choose who to save? Would he allow each ship to make its own decision to leave? Or would he try to force them to stick together? And what decisions would Starbuck and Apollo be forced to make if such a mutiny occurred? So many interesting questions for the episode to pursue.

Sadly, standard television plotting is what we get. The Colonials are traveling through the vast uncharted regions of space, and they run out of food at just the precise moment they happen to be near a farming colony. Okay. Whatever. The Colonials land on the planet and meet the Borays. From then on, it's just another battle of good vs. evil. Putting the Colonials in a moral dilemna would have been much more interesting that what we were given here.

===[[The Young Lords]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

This is the family episode of Battlestar Galactica. Starbuck is shot down and crashes on a planet. Yawn. This is essentially a remake of The Lost Warrior in which Apollo is stranded on the planet Equellus. Of course, Starbuck was also stranded in The Long Patrol and Cree was stranded in ''The Gun On Ice Planet Zero''. Later in ''Greetings From Earth'', Starbuck, Apollo, and Casseopia would be stranded on the planet Paradeen. At this point, the series was becoming so predictable that viewers each week must have been asking the question, "Who's going to have to be rescued this week?" In fact, Mad Magazine, in a spoof of Galactica, poked fun at this element of the show. (See [[Humor in the Original Series]])

Considering the incredibly broad premise of the series, it's amazing that the writers had so much trouble coming up with a story that didn't involve someone being stranded on a planet. With this kind of plot, The Young Lords shouldn't even be watchable. And yet, despite all these drawbacks, this actually turns out to be a fun, enjoyable episode. Part of this praise goes to the tremendous production values. It is simply fascinating to see so many Cylons inside a medieval castle. The location is nothing short of spectacular. To top it off, Dirk Benedict delivers with a wonderful performance. There are many good scenes, especially Starbuck's rescue from the Cylons by Kyle and the children (plus his insulting remark to the Cylons moments before). Playing up kids in a series can be extremely fatal to ratings (Galactica 1980 became an infamous example of this), but fortunately Kyle and the gang never get to the point where they become grating; although they (and their song near the end) come dangerously close. (And are we to believe Starbuck and his Scooby Gang would actually take the time to think up lyrics for a song and memorize them? Please!)

The IL series Cylon Spectre is a delightfully conniving character. He is the perfect foil for Lucifer. His phony flattery of Baltar is hilarious, especially the way he manages to turn defeat to his own advantage. Unfortunately, the character does not appear again. Had the series continued into a second season, he probably would have. Spectre does appear in the later original Berkley novels [[The Nightmare Machine]], [[Die, Chameleon!]] and [[Surrender the Galactica!]] where he is put to good use.

Most of the scenes of Baltar and Lucifer communicating with Spectre were recycled with different dialogue into the Galactica telemovie [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]].

Needless to say that by this point the Cylons have become a joke. When you stop and really think about it, it is ludicrous that an entire Cylon garrison is defeated by one colonial warrior and five children.

Still, this episode somehow succeeds despite every logical reason why it shouldn't.

===[[The Living Legend]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five'''

This is one of the very best episodes of Battlestar Galactica. The two-part episodes consistently deliver, and The Living Legend is no exception. The idea of a second survivng battlestar is a good one, as is a scenario where the fleet runs out of fuel.

This episode introduces two compelling characters, Commander Cain and his daughter, Lt. Sheba. Sheba's character is said to have been a ground-breaking role for women. She is tough, independent, and short-tempered. Basically, she's the exact opposite of virtually every other female character to appear on the series. Fortunately, she, along with Bojay, becomes a regular after this episode.

Lloyd Bridges is tremendous as Commander Cain. It's hard to imagine any other actor filling the role. The only weak moment for Bridges is when Cain lies to Adama about the "accidental" failure of the tanker mission. Cain's cavalier attitude about it makes it obvious to everyone that he purposely sabotaged the mission.

This story is different from any other Galactica story thus far because we see a clash of philosophies within the ranks of the military. Cain wants to wage an all-out war against Gamoray, and Adama simply wants to capture the much-needed fuel and escape. The earlier episodes were extremely simplistic in their portaryal of good versus evil. The Colonials are good. The Cylons are evil. Simple as that. Since the good guys are all in the military, the military is always portrayed as being right. Adama, Starbuck, and Apollo had very few moral dilemnas to deal with, which would have made the stories so much more interesting.

Baltar personally leading the attack on the Galactica makes the battle much more intense and exciting, mostly because the battle has a storyline. Most of the Galactica space battles are nothing more than a confusing jumble of stock shots haphazardly thrown together with nothing in terms of a flow or climax. (One of the bigger flaws of Return Of The Jedi was that the Battle of Endor had nothing in terms of a storyline.) This time it is different. The Pegasus closing in on Baltar at the end of part one is the best cliff hanger of the series. It is rather fitting that Baltar's forces are taken by surprise, since it was Baltar who caused the colonial warfleet to be taken by surprise in the pilot.

The scene between Adama and Apollo right before the mission to capture the Cylon tankers is very powerful. It shows how, despite being father and son, each of their respective positions forces a distance between them personally. What is especially impressive is that this is done without words. Richard Hatch and Lorne Greene manage to convey more with a facial expression than most actors do with a page of dialogue.

Boxey really starts to get on the nerves at this point. Nothing against Noah Hathaway, but Boxey is a character all too typical of standard television. He is an ultra-cute TV kid doing ultra-cute things, yet usually has little or no bearing on the plot. These kinds of characters (most notably the Super Scouts from Galactica 1980) only serve to hurt a show's ratings.

When you put the story under scrutiny, there are some serious flaws. Why are viper pilots sent on a ground mission? Wouldn't the Galactica have specialized teams for that sort of thing? It is also a bit difficult to believe that Sheba could have found a way to go on the mission to Gamoray without permission. It is even more difficult to believe that Cassiopea would have been allowed to just hop on the shuttle. Was she given a crash course on parachuting during the shuttle ride? How could the Colonial warriors have known exactly which building in Gamoray contained the main communications center? And are we to believe that destroying one small communications center would disable the entire city's defense system? If, like me, you can overlook these flaws, this is still a great episode.

This episode and Fire In Space were later combined to form the horrid Galactica theatrical movie [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]].

===[[Fire in Space]]===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

This explosive episode is the one-hour equivalent of a disaster movie. It's basically a sci-fi version of The Towering Inferno (and stock footage from that movie was probably used here). There's so much action that it isn't until the end that you realize just how essentially empty it is. There are a lot of things happening, and at the same time there is nothing happening. By all rights this story should be downright awful, yet somehow it isn't. It really speaks volumes about the show's production values and the performances of the actors that this turns out to be an enjoyable hour despite another by-the-numbers script.

After this episode, producer Glen Larson decided changed the direction of the series, relegating the Cylons to the background. The Cylons are not featured again until the final episode, The Hand Of God. The reason for the change of direction may be that Larson had a feeling the series would be canceled and decided to try to create a storyarc that would end the series with the Galactica apparently getting close to Earth. In an interview, Larson has said that he wasn't surprised the show was canceled. The change of direction was really for the best because the battles with the Cylons were too ridiculously imbalanced in the Colonials' favor (due to the censors) making the Cylons look like a joke, and the reusing of the same space battle stock footage was becoming monotonous.

The ending the writers originally planned had Cylon raiders attacking the Galactica a second time, and it is their lasers that put Starbuck and Apollo in danger on the Galactica's hull. Unfortunately, the network censors overruled this because they felt it would have been too repetitive. The complete original ending from the script can be found [[List_of_Deleted_Scenes_(TOS)#Fire_In_Space|here.]]

The story completely falls apart when put under scientific scrutiny because fires simply cannot exist in outer space, as many Galactica critics have pointed out. However, Star Wars was able to get away with this flub (Remember the fate of the Death Star?), so it seems rather unfair that Battlestar Galactica took so many shots because of it.

This is Terry Carter's best episode, since Colonel Tigh is thrust into the forefront, taking command of the Galactica while Adama is incapacitated. Carter does a tremendous job, and his strong performance helps save this cliched, overused story plot from losing steam.

Since the Galactica was on the verge of destruction by the time Starbuck and Apollo were planting charges on the hull, didn't it ever occur to Colonel Tigh to evacuate all non-essential personnel including the Colonial vipers so that, if the Galactica was destroyed, the fleet would at least have a fighting chance to survive? And since it was too dangerous to operate on Adama on the Galactica, didn't it ever occur to Dr. Salik to shuttle Adama to another ship in the fleet and perform the operation there?

A tremendous amount of damage is done to the Galactica (especially the landing bay), yet there is no sign of this in any future episodes nor any explanation of how the repairs went. Considering the abysmal plot, this episode was probably best left forgotten.

===[[War of the Gods]]===

'''RATING: Five stars out of five'''

War Of The Gods is one of the best and most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica. It is not the very best episode, nor is it completely flawless, but it is easily the most complex of all the stories we were given. The bottom line is that it is extremely rare to see this kind of thing done on TV. This is one of the few episodes to fully utilize Galactica's Von Daniken premise (God Is An Astronaut). We learn that angels are not spirits of the dead, but advanced beings who are thousands of years ahead of the Colonials in both technology and spirituality. Count Iblis (whom Apollo addresses in part 2 as Mephistopheles) comes across as a form of devil. There is an interesting parallel with mythology. Just as the angel Lucifer (or Satan) rebelled against heaven, Iblis rebels against his brothers on the Ship of Lights.

Iblis may well be the most fascinating character in the entire series. What is fascinating is that his voice is the same as that of the Cylon Imperious Leader. Baltar recognizes this (and it would have been an unforgivable flub if he didn't). There have been two primary theories about Iblis' origin. The first is that Iblis exterminated the original reptile Cylon race and created the mechanical one, starting the thousand year war with the humans.

The second theory is that Iblis and the Imperious Leader are one and the same. Iblis calling Baltar "old friend" would seem to support this. Also, it is made clear in the end that Iblis cannot control anyone who does not choose to follow him. If Iblis is the Imperious Leader, then Baltar technically was "following him" since he (Baltar) was serving the Cylons. However, the theory that Iblis and Imperious Leader being the same person doesn't quite hold up because wouldn't the Cylons then easily be able to locate the Colonial fleet? Therefore, the first theory makes more sense overall. But there is still the question of how Iblis was able to make Baltar surrender to the Colonials. The episode tries to make it seem that Iblis did not perform his bigger miracles, that the white lights caused the crops to grow and Baltar came of his own free will (the latter is hinted by Apollo in a missing scene that was cut from the original script). Of course, the idea that Baltar would surrender on his own is ludicrous considering the coward that he is. And why would the white lights come to the fleet if that would cause the crops on the agro-ship to grow and thus fulfill one of Iblis' tasks? Most importantly, why would Iblis dare the Colonials to make 3 challenges for him if he did not possess the power to complete them?

Regarding Iblis' origin, I tend to go with the first theory, but I would take it one step further and suggest that the Imperious Leader is either a servant of Iblis or is somehow under Iblis' control. Thus Baltar, by serving the Cylons, would also be serving Iblis and thus would be subject to Iblis' commands.

You really have to wonder if Glen Larson planned to have Patrick Macnee play Count Iblis from the very first episode or if it was just an amazing coincidence that the same actor who provided the Imperious Leader's voice turned out to be perfect for the Count Iblis role. Considering how incredibly rushed the production of the show was, the latter would have to be a possibility. If it's the former, then you really have to applaud Glen Larson for planning so far ahead.

There are other marvelous scenes. Iblis' slow manipulation and seduction of Sheba is riveting (especially when he kisses her on the Agro-ship). The white lights and the Ship of Lights are a marvel and have to be considered among the best special effects the series has ever produced. The scenery of the red planet, including the visual effect of Starbuck, Apollo, and Sheba when they walk on that world is also outstanding. The triad court is a fantastic (and obviously, expensive) set. You have to give the producers a lot of credit for creating such a unique game for the Colonials to play. It makes sense. With the grueling struggle for survival in a rag-tag fleet, the Colonials have to have some sort of entertainment to take their minds off their plight.

As with most episodes, the performances are all top-notch. Richard Hatch plays his end perfectly, carefully balancing Apollo's distrust of Iblis and his caring for Sheba. Dirk Benedict adds a whole new dimension to Starbuck. His rage and grief over the death of Apollo (especially when he attempts to shoot Iblis) stand out as some of Starbuck's most memorable moments of the entire series. Anne Lockhart is also great portraying Sheba's slow seduction and manipulation by Count Iblis. Her joy at Apollo's resurrection firmly establishes her inner feelings toward him, and this subplot would come to a stunning head in the final episode. Lorne Greene never falters in his performances, and this is no exception. Greene does a tremendous job portraying a man torn between his desire to find Earth and his distrust of Iblis. One of the best moments has to be during the Triad game. During the game, Adama and Iblis are seated on opposite sides of the court. There are really two battles going on here: the battle between the players on the court, and the battle between Iblis and Adama.

Despite everything, the episode is not completely perfect. Not all the questions are answered (which in itself is not a bad thing), but some of what happens doesn't quite make sense. First of all, why does the Ship of Lights kidnap the viper pilots? We are never given any kind of answer. What makes it more confusing is that by kidnapping the pilots, the Ship of Lights actually aids Iblis because the Colonials look to him for protection. And why does Baltar say that Iblis now no longer holds any power over him after Baltar recognizes Iblis' voice? Perhaps this is supposed to be a clue to understand who Iblis is, but if this is the case, I can't make anything out of it.

There is also the issue of what was inside the crashed ship on the red planet. A popular myth is that the ship is the the Battlestar Pegasus and when Apollo looked inside he saw the body of Commander Cain, but this is false. The original script and the Berkely novelization tell us exactly what is inside the ship: tall, cloven-hoofed horned beings with tails. This is a little hard to make sense of. Are the beings in the ship supposed to be devils? If that is the case, it doesn't really make Iblis appear all that evil for killing them. It could be viewed as another parallel of mythology. After being defeated by heaven, Lucifer and his followers fall into hell. Likewise, Iblis' ship containing his followers (the devils) crashes (falls) to the earth. It's not a perfect allegory, but fascinating nonetheless. (For more on this, see [[War_of_the_Gods,_Part_II#The_Mystery_of_the_Crashed_Ship|The Mystery of the Crashed Ship]])

I'm not trying to pick the episode apart with these various criticisms. Actually, the story works much better with its mystery and ambiguity rather than easy, clear-cut answers. One of the problems with television these days is that shows rarely challenge the viewer to think; instead, most shows sacrifice ambiguity and insist on spelling everything out as simply and clearly as possible. The mystery of Count Iblis is really what makes ''War Of The Gods'' so special and one of the most famous and highly debated of all the Galactica episodes. I'm glad that we are not given the answer to who Iblis is because the only way a mystery can retain its power is as long as it remains unsolved. Why do you think the great magicians never reveal how they do their tricks? If you are looking for a great movie example of this, then I suggest you check out Peter Weir's ''Picnic At Hanging Rock''.

Finally, one of the best things about this episode is that it provides us the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba!

===[[The Man With Nine Lives]]===

'''Rating: Four out of five stars'''

This episode is the only one that offers a significant look at the people of the fleet. Fred Astaire puts in an enjoyable performance as the rogue con-man Chameleon. The Borellian Nomen are interesting new adversaries for the Colonial Warriors, although they seem to be based on a Hollywood and societal stereotype of American Indians (Unfortunately, we are told very little of their origins). One of the best episodes in terms of characterization.

This episode pretty much makes it clear that Cassiopeia is THE ONE for Starbuck, thanks to Starbuck telling Chameleon that she's the only one he's ever considered sealing with (although that actually isn't true; he did almost propose to Athena in the pilot episode).

Don Bellisario was unable to think of a suitable name for the villains. In an after-work bull session, story editor Jim Carlson casually remarked something to the effect of, "It’s too bad they’re not from an ice planet, you could call them Snomen." Bellisario replied, "There’s no snow where these guys are gonna be!" Carlson answered, "Then call then Nomen."

This episode proves that great stories don't require huge explosions and fancy special effects. Unfortunately, the rushed production of the show made episodes like The Man With Nine Lives the exception rather than the rule.

=== [[Murder on the Rising Star]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Murder She Wrote in outer space??? This story had little point being part of a show like Battlestar Galactica. This is the kind of story that is done on almost every science fiction series when the writers are out of ideas. There is very little in the way of drama because the viewer knows the hero is innocent and will be cleared. This story tries to give the impression that Starbuck might be guilty (we don't get to see who shoots Ortega, Starbuck is shown running from the scene, plus Starbuck's anxiousness in the shuttle bay makes him appear guilty), but only the most gullible of viewers would fall for this. The story would be more forgivable if we learned some new insights about the characters or the fleet, but what do we learn? What is the point? Is it that the Colonial system of law is virtually identical to the U.S. system? (which is hardly believeable) Or that Adama has to spend time hearing court cases? (Not too believable either considering the incredibly burdensome task he has of commanding the fleet) Or is it that playing triad is more dangerous than anybody thought? What is the point of this episode except to fill an hour's worth of time???

This is the fourth episode that features Starbuck. While Dirk Benedict certainly plays a wonderful character, it would have been nice to have featured some of the lesser used cast members (Tigh, Boomer, Athena, Sheba).

One thing really stands out: It is absurd how little time Apollo is given to prepare a case for Starbuck's defense. He only has 10 centares, and the script for this episode has a key that states a centar is an hour. Only 10 hours to prepare for a murder trial??? Give me a break!

This story could have been done differently to make it more poignant. What if Apollo was unable to conclusively prove who killed Ortega, and Adama intervenes, using his power as commander to have Starbuck set free. It would raise the question of whether Adama was abusing his power. Even then, considering the fleet must be depleted when it comes to seasoned viper pilots, it could be argued that the fleet needed Starbuck as a warrior. It would have been an interesting moral issue, something Battlestar Galactica rarely had. I also think the story would have been more interesting if we were left with some doubt as to whether Starbuck killed Ortega (in self-defense, of course).

An interesting note: Karibdis appears early on in the story, serving drinks to Adama and Tigh while they watch the Triad game. This is an often-used writing device. You have the murderer/villain appear early in the story, sometimes at the very beginning, in what appears to be a minor or trivial role. This often fools the audience, as they rarely expect such a character to be revealed so quickly. This was also done on the miniseries for the new Galactica, when one of the human Cylons is leading a tour of the Galactica during the opening credits. If you want to get good at solving TV/movie mysteries, pay attention to the minor characters that appear early in the story.

Overall, the murder mystery itself isn't half bad, and there are fine all-around performances from the cast to make this watchable. In a way, it makes the episode more disappointing to have such great talent squandered on such a by-the-numbers story. But everyone holds up their end well, especially Dirk Benedict and Laurette Spang in their scene inside the brig. It's nice the writers found a way to bring Baltar into the story, and John Colicos still makes a great villain. The flashback of the destruction of Caprica is also well-done. There were certainly many crimes committed during the evacuation, and it illustrates that Battlestar Galactica was brimming with potentially interesting stories to explore, which again only makes this episode more of a letdown.

That said, it's important to realize that writers Jim Carlson and Terrence McDonnell were forced to write this episode in 36 hours straight. Considering what a rushjob this script was, it's amazing it turned out as well as it did. This is one instance where it might be better to see the glass as half-full rather than half-empty.

===[[Greetings from Earth]]===

'''RATING: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Greetings From Earth just doesn't measure up with the other two-hour episodes. The story makes for a passable first hour but quickly takes a nosedive in the second. Glen Larson's attempt at comedy falls horribly flat. Hector, Vector and the kids quickly wear out their welcome (A premonition of Galactica 1980?). The Eastern Alliance is introduced as a new adversary, but they are little more than cardboard Nazis with zero charisma (at least the Cylons looked cool). Another problem is that their primitive technology takes a lot of steam out of their threat. Unfortunately, the Eastern Alliance is never utilized to the fullest. A space battle between vipers and Eastern Alliance destroyers would have been fantastic, but the time and money needed to do such a complex battle scene made it impossible. Also, Apollo becomes a bit overbearing with his "Do The Right Thing" attitude in the first half (What's also annoying is that Apollo's dialogue in the first half is badly redubbed, apparently to make his voice louder).

What makes the first hour so interesting is that the Colonials are faced with a perplexing moral issue (a rarity, for sure). Do they allow the humans to leave, or force them to remain at least until more information is learned? There are actually opposing opinions within the Colonial military, at least for awhile. Apollo's view quickly wins out, though. The Council of Twelve is portrayed as being incredibly selfish and uncaring, but it could be argued they were right. It was possibly life or death for the Colonials to learn about the human race that awaited them. Certainly the humans could have been revived long enough for the Colonials to get the necessary information out of them. Apollo's plan to let the ship go had a good chance of failing. How could he be certain enough that they wouldn't get lost, or wind up so far away that they'd never be able to make it back to the fleet?

When you think about it, why don't Starbuck, Apollo and Cassiopea have super powers when they are in Paradeen's weaker gravity just as the Super Scouts do when they are in Earth's weaker gravity on Galactica 1980? Wouldn't it have been fun to see Starbuck, Apollo, and Cassiopea bouncing up and down and jumping into trees?

Unlike the other two-parters, this one ends with a whimper instead of a bang as Starbuck and Apollo's capture of the Enforcers is about as anti-climatic as you can get. This script really comes across as being rushed, which was probably the case. Overall, Greetings From Earth is yet another episode that failed to reach its potential due to the constrainments of a weekly series.

=== [[Experiment in Terra]] ===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

Experiment In Terra initially comes across as a superb episode, but under close inspection the story unfortunately has serious flaws. The Ship of Lights recruiting Apollo to help Terra is a cool idea, but their reasoning as to why they need to use a mortal human doesn't hold up. John says that the people of Terra can't see the "Guardians" (my own name for them) outside the confines of their ship. And yet on Terra, John makes himself visible to Starbuck by merely touching him. Even more problematic, Apollo's mission never makes sense. The Guardians know that the Eastern Alliance is going to launch a missile attack, so the master plan is to have Apollo tell the "west side" that the Eastern Alliance has been attacking them? Um, okay, but even if Apollo succeeds, how will this stop the Eastern Alliance from launching their missiles? Why not just have Apollo tell the Galactica to travel to Terra and destroy the missile attack? The answer, of course, is that there wouldn't be much of a story.

Sadly, there are many other flaws. Apollo says he can't reach Terra because the distance is too great, so he is "teleported" right in front of the planet. So how is it that Starbuck is able to eventually reach the planet on his own? Logically, he wouldn't have had enough fuel. Adama's decision to pull the Galactica out of the fleet is more out of whack than it may first appear. He didn't do that in earlier episodes when Starbuck or Apollo were crashed/stranded. This time Adama doesn't even know who the two pilots are, and yet he pulls the Galactica out of the fleet.

Even more ludicrous is the idea that the Galactica travels to Terra at light speed (and not just because it is scientifically implausible). If the Galactica was traveling to Terra at the speed of light, they should have reached Terra almost instantly (in fact, they probably could have found Earth during the pilot episode!) And how is it that the Galactica was able to travel to Terra unmolested? Surely there would be Eastern Alliance destroyers patrolling the area around the planet. And how does the Eastern Alliance not know that the Galactica was responsible for destroying their missiles? Surely the Galactica would have been picked up on their scanners.

Also, the West President's reasoning for withholding knowledge of the Eastern Alliance's attacks is questionable. Why does he think he can make peace with the Eastern Alliance if they are constantly attacking him? And if the Eastern Alliance has wiped out all of the West's satellite planets, how could the President possibly prevent word of this from leaking out? It's not realistic at all. Plus, the idea that the Eastern Alliance would be willing to destroy the entire planet (at least half of which they own) is pretty ridiculous. Okay, they ARE Bad Guys, but what's the point of destroying most of their empire when they were already winning the war?

With such a long list of problems, you would think that this is a terrible episode. Amazingly, this isn't the case. In fact, Experiment In Terra still ranks as one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica. Seeing the Ship of Lights again is a treat, and Edward Mulhare is delightful as John, Apollo's guide. This episode is another example where the great production values and strong performances from the actors are able to overcome the plot inconsistencies. What makes Experiment In Terra work so well is that its plot holes aren't immediately noticeable. I didn't realize how many there were until I sat down and really thought about it. Apollo's mission to save Terra, as pointless as it winds up being, is still extremely engrossing. Apollo's speech to the Precidium is very dramatic and moving, even though (as we've already said) everything Apollo does on Terra turns out to be a waste of time since nothing he does has any chance of preventing the Eastern Alliance from launching its missiles.

This episode is extra fun to watch if you're aware that the script was originally written with the roles of Starbuck and Apollo reversed. After Richard Hatch complained that his character was getting the shaft, the script was quickly rewritten with the dialogue mostly remaining the same, resulting in Apollo talking suspiciously like Starbuck. At one point, Apollo says "Felgercarb" for the first time ever!

The ending scene is touching, as John tells Apollo that Terra is not Earth but "You must have faith." Many Galactica fans have interpreted this to mean that Apollo would successfully complete the journey to Earth.

Here are some humorous notes from British writer Matthew Wharmby:

* I'm sorry, but I thought the final scene was tremendously weak. All that buildup to a good scrap, heart-stopping music included, let down with a pathetic green shield spat out of the front of the Galactica. And from a terrible angle made necessary by two separately matted halves; one of Earth and one of the Galactica's underside. And you don't mean to tell me that the Galactica could extend such a shield over the whole planet? If so, why couldn't she have performed the same thing over Caprica in the pilot, and let the attacking Cylon fighters blow themselves up in it?
* Nobody seems too panicked about the impending nuclear annihilation! I don't know about you, but when us kids growing up in the late Cold War used to speculate nervously about the four-minute warning, the usual consensus was that we'd be doing, well, what it takes four minutes to do. 'You can do it twice,' the girls would quip.
* I'm not mad keen on Brenda's attitude. If every girl who had boyfriend trouble called the Old Bill on such a weak pretext, there wouldn't be a bloke alive out of prison!

=== [[Take the Celestra]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five'''

This is probably the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. A lot of people will probably disagree, but I have to go with this choice simply because I found this episode to be incredibly boring. The Magnificent Warriors and The Lost Warrior were also really bad (and they were certainly more simplistic), but they were never really boring. A story focusing on the hardships of voyaging on the rag tag fleet is a great idea, but this episode takes one self-destructive turn after another and may be the best example of a wasted opportunity for the series. Many of BG's bad episodes were somewhat saved by wonderful performances from the actors, but there is nothing here that stands out (although the Starbuck/Cassiopea reconciliation at the end is a nice moment). Starbuck and Apollo actually look stale. This is one of the few times that neither Richard Hatch nor Dirk Benedict are able to rise above the mediocre writing. Commander Kronus is incredibly boring - a static, stale character with little depth. Because it's hard to care about the character, it's hard to feel anything during the "dramatic" finish when Kronus dies. Given the moronic decisions he makes, I felt like saying "Good riddance." On the other hand, Ana Alicia suceeds in making Aurora interesting, but she is mostly wasted in this episode. Unfortunately, her boyfriend is more boring than Kronus, and I just wanted him to shut up. Despite these issues, the main problem with Take The Celestra lies in the script itself.

One of the biggest (yet least noted) flaws of Battlestar Galactica was the way it portrayed life in the rag-tag fleet. Day-to-day existence on a fleet of mostly derelict ships would no doubt be a grueling struggle for survival. Yet the series rarely ever indicated this. Most scenes with civilians consisted of parties, gambling, and triad games aboard the Rising Star! (hardly the most accurate look we could have been given) Take The Celestra was the perfect vehicle to change this, but unfortunately the writers took the easy way out. Aurora and the other mutineers were "illegally forced" to work so many double shifts. This makes the issue of right and wrong very easy to determine, but consider another direction the writers could have taken.

What if the harsh working conditions existed throughout the entire fleet? (and, logically, they should have) What if Aurora and the others were not working harder than anyone else and simply decided they had had enough? Would they be morally right in trying to escape the fleet (considering that the loss of manpower would likely hurt the remaining Colonials)? Apollo, Starbuck and the rest of the military are always talking about the importance of freedom. Apollo talks about it strongly in his speech to the Precedium in Experiment In Terra. When Starbuck tries to convince the prisoners to rebel in The Long Patrol, he says "You have rights. You're human beings!" When they finally escape, he says, "That's freedom." An interesting idea to explore is how free the Colonials actually were. Surely many of them wanted to settle on some of the planets the fleet passed by. If Adama refused their wishes, he would technically be restricting their freedom. Unfortunately, this kind of story is problematic because the extent of Adama's power is never clear; in fact, it varies from episode to episode (depending whatever works best for the story that week). But this kind of story would have made it a tough call as to whether Aurora and her friends were right and whether Starbuck and Apollo were totally justified in stopping them.

Anyway, that's the episode I would have liked to see, or anything other than what we did see, the most boring Galactica episode to date. The story is riddled with holes, outdone perhaps only by Experiment In Terra. Whereas that story's flaws are not immediately noticeable, most of this story's flaws are. Commander Kronus' decision to immediately shuttle the prisoners back to the fleet despite being so far away doesn't make much sense. His accompanying the shuttle makes even less sense. Colonial law states that a commander has to personally take the mutineers in for charges? Huh? Even when his ship is out in the middle of nowhere? Okay. Whatever. Kronus should have waited until the Celestra rejoined the fleet. His decision makes him look like an idiot.

How is it that Chakka is able to get almost the entire crew to mutiny with him on a whim? He couldn't have been planning mutiny beforehand because he had expected to become commander of the Celestra. And if the entire crew wasn't with him in the mutiny, then how could he have expected to get away with powering down the ship? And could Starbuck and Apollo both be so clueless that they wouldn't be able to remember which heading the fleet was on? And how does the shuttle run out of fuel so fast? And how is it that Kronus could not have known or heard about any of the harsh working conditions? The Celestra isn't that big of a ship. Are we to believe that he never left the bridge? To top it off, why is there such an urgent need in the final battle scene to "level out" the Celestra? It's not as though there were any ships or planets around that it could crash into. Almost nothing in this episode makes any sense.

The minor plot of Cassiopeia agonizing over Starbuck's evasiveness in their relationship is far more compelling than the main plot of the Celestra mutiny. But even the Starbuck/Aurora plot has problems. For one thing, the writers have Starbuck act like a total jerk by skipping his date with Cassie so he can see Aurora. Why would Cassie put up with that? And how is it that Starbuck had a serious relationship with Aurora going during the time of the Destruction? Didn't he clearly have something going with Athena back then? (If there's anything worse than the writers making things up as they go, it's when they unmake things up as they go.)

Anyway, this only makes Starbuck look like a bigger womanizer than anyone thought (not exactly the best way to endear him to viewers). Aurora makes a valid point in her anger towards him. If Starbuck really did care about her, why didn't he check to see if her name was in the fleet computer? Just because her house was destroyed doesn't mean for certain that she was killed. It's also highly questionable that Starbuck ever made it back to Caprica after the Cylons attacked. We've never been given any indication that anyone besides Adama and Apollo ever went back. Considering how dangerous it would have been (not to mention how strong a chance that someone might have led the Cylons back to the Galactica), it's absolutely ludicrous to suggest Adama would have allowed anyone to return to the planet.

I almost want to pretend that this episode was just a bad dream. Fortunately, the very next episode would raise the roof.

===[[The Hand of God]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five.'''

They saved the best for last. ''The Hand Of God'' is arguably the best episode of Battlestar Galactica, and my personal favorite.

No doubt about it, ''The Hand of God'' is Galactica at its best. Donald Bellisario shows the other writers how it's done, pulling out all the stops with this one. Both the script and the performances are stellar. Never before have the characters been portrayed in such a powerful way. Although there is nothing innovative about the basic plot itself (The Galactica battles the Cylons again), there are enough things going on that make this story extremely engrossing.

This episode is fascinating from start to finish. Visually, it is a treat as we get to see the inside of a Cylon basestar's landing bay for the first time. We also get to see Cylon Centurions boarding their ships for the first time. And the Celestial Observation Dome is a marvel, as is Apollo's analogy that being inside it is like riding in the Hand of God.

What makes this story especially memorable is the culmination of a story thread that has been running since ''War of the Gods''. In that episode, we see the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba. Nothing happens in the other episodes following, although Anne Lockhart does a good job showing, in a subtle way, Sheba's emerging feelings for Apollo.

Kudos go to both Anne Lockhart and Laurette Spang for winning performances. Sheba's confrontation with Apollo and their kiss inside the Cylon raider is the best scene of the episode. That and Cassiopeia's argument with Starbuck in the landing bay are both incredibly moving, providing each actress with her stand-out moment of the series. It really gives the viewer a chance to appreciate the range of Anne and Laurette. Women on this show were usually stuck in the background; this episode placed demands on each actress they rarely had to face. Give each one credit for not dropping the ball. Fortunately, they are both aided by outstanding dialogue from Bellisario. Of course, Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, and Herbert Jefferson, Jr. hold up their end as well. Starbuck, Apollo, and Boomer clasping hands in the pilots barracks (with the accompanying music score) powerfully expresses the bond of their friendship more than words ever could.

Extra congratulations go to Donald Bellisario who also directed this episode. His use of slow motion twice during Starbuck and Apollo's battles with Cylon Centurions make the scenes much more intense and suspenseful. Let's face it. Thanks to ABC's family-friendly censors, the Cylons often looked like a joke (Remember ''The Young Lords'' when Starbuck and five children wiped out an entire Cylon garrison?). If Starbuck and Apollo's shootout scenes had been shown in real time, there would have been little (if any) impact.

Another reason ''The Hand of God'' works so well is because the Cylons were not featured in the previous seven or eight episodes. Glen Larson wisely saw that the constant reusing of the same space battle footage was hurting the stories and thus moved the Cylons into the background after ''Fire In Space''. So much time has passed since then that the Cylons seem revitalized. There's nothing spectacular about the dogfight between the vipers and raiders or the slugfest between the Galactica and the Cylon basestar (since it's the same footage seen in previous episodes), but the story is compelling enough that it all still works.

If there is one flaw with this story, it is the idea that Adama would attack a Cylon basestar and risk the fate of the entire human race just for the sake of wreaking some vengeance. This is the same man who told Commander Cain, "I'm not interested in military victories. I'm interested in saving lives. What few of them are left." It would have worked better to have a scenario where the Galactica simply could not backtrack and thus was forced to attack the Cylons. Still, it is a minor flaw in an overall outstanding script.

It is extremely frustrating that we never see a follow-up to Apollo and Sheba's relationship since this was the final episode. For fans who would like to see some kind of continuation, there are some fan fiction stories that I highly recommend. There is a short story called ''My Father's Daughter'' which takes place immediately following the events of ''The Hand of God'' and is quite simply the best Sheba story I have ever read. Three other novels, ''Second Coming'', ''Joint Maneuvers'', and ''The Race For Earth'' also explore Apollo and Sheba's relationship and are outstanding. These stories are all available free online at a site I own called [http://freegalacticafanfictionnovels.weebly.com Free Battlestar Galactica Fan Fiction Novels].

Many fans were and still are saddened that the original show ended so soon. Personally, I'm at peace with it. If the show had to end, ''The Hand of God'' may have been the best way to close the curtain. After reading Glen Larson's [[Battlestar_Galactica:_Year_Two_proposal|Season Two proposal]], all I can say is, "Thank god the show ended when it did!" It appears that, if there had been a second season, half the cast would have been cut in order to save money, Sheba would have been killed off, Commander Cain would have returned as a Cylon android, and Apollo would have shirked his responsibilities and started partying and messing around with numerous women. Ugh!!!

I think I can accept Battlestar Galactica for what it was, always remembering that the light that shines twice as bright only burns half as long.

== Galactica 1980 Episode Reviews ==

=== [[Galactica Discovers Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

Galactica Discovers Earth turns out to be a watchable pilot, but watchable is about all. From the very first episode, Galactica 1980 is clearly nothing more than an attempt by ABC to cash in on the Galactica name by creating a cheap show that simply reuses the expensive special effects stock footage from the original series. The later episodes would only reinforce this. Kent McCord (Troy) and Barry Van Dyke (Dillon) come off as inferior clones of Starbuck and Apollo. In fact, the script for the pilot was originally written for Starbuck and Apollo. When those plans changed, the names were simply switched to Troy and Dillon. Jamie Hamilton comes off as a carbon copy of Lois Lane. Unfortunately, we are never given any backstory to any of these characters.

This may be the only pilot in television history in which the premise changes in the middle of the episode! At first it's about advancing Earth's technology in order to fight the Cylons. Then it suddenly changes and is about capturing a time-traveling villain. It's really bizarre. Anyway, the time travel journey to Nazi Germany is never particularly interesting, partly because Xaviar just isn't that compelling of a villain, but mostly because this is NOT Battlestar Galactica.

The idea of the Galactica having to protect a primitive Earth from the Cylons is actually a compelling premise, but the problem is that Dr. Zee's plan to slowly increase Earth's technology is flawed. At the rate in which the Colonials were going, it probably would have taken at least decades to get Earth's technology increased enough to be able to fight the Cylons. Long before then, the Cylons would probably tire of waiting and decide to just destroy the Colonial fleet. Even if the Cylons didn't attack, how far could the Galactica lead the Cylons away from Earth before they (the Colonials) were too far away from the planet to ever go back there? It probably would have been smarter to temporarily abandon Earth and lead the Cylons away until Dr. Zee could invent some technology that would allow the Colonials to destroy the Cylon armada. (Actually, since Colonial Vipers can now turn invisible, it should have been fairly easy for the Colonials to launch a surprise attack on the Cylons and defeat them once and for all!)

The problem with the original premise of Galactica 1980 is that it would have eventually become tiresome: Troy and Dillon each week would find a way to introduce some new technology (clean nuclear power, etc.) which would make some small improvement, but do little to bring Earth up to the level it would need be to fight the Cylons. As a result, the series could never evolve to the next level (i.e. Earth is ready to fight the Cylons), because the series' budget was too small for any kind of "final battle". As a result, Galactica 1980 was stuck in a rut from the get-go. It tried to distract viewers from the main plot (the Cylon threat) with time travel and cub scout outings because there was little that could be done with the original premise. It might have worked well as a single movie or perhaps a series of movies, but it's unlikely that Galactica 1980 could have ever jelled as a weekly series.

The show looks second-rate. For example, take the opening sequence. This has to be one of the worst opening sequences in television history. It's nothing but a series of stock footage shots from the original show haphazardly thrown together. Even the rendition of the Galactica theme seems inferior to the one we heard on the original show.

That said, there is some nice chemistry between the trio of Troy, Dillon and Jamie. There's one particularly touching scene in part 3 when Jamie says goodbye to Troy and Dillon at the bus stop. But whatever positives the actors had would not be enough to overcome a number of self-destructive turns that would begin with the very next episode.

=== [[The Super Scouts]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Super Scouts arrive, and Galactica 1980 plummets into an abyss it would not survive. In the beginning, we're forced to endure a series of boring classroom educational lessons. Things get even worse when the intergalactic 'Our Gang' reaches Earth. We get ultra-cute campfire songs and even more educational lessons shoved down are throats. The original series had flaws, but at least it never insulted its viewers with sitcom humor or by getting into preachy moral issues. Galactica 1980 gives us an ultra-simplistic environmental message of "Don't pollute the water," and does so with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

One could make the case that Galactica 1980 is a great tool for writers to learn how NOT to write drama. One key is to create powerful villains and put the heroes in situations that are difficult to deal with. But all of the villains in Galactica 1980 are weak. The Colonials have so many advantages over the people of Earth - spaceships, super powers, invisibility fields - that they are essentially invincible, thus robbing the series of any possible drama. In Galactica 1980, there are no worthy villains. The bumbling cops and incompetent military personnel never have a prayer of apprehending Troy and Dillon, so there's no suspense. And it's certainly not funny to watch Earthlings constantly being confounded by extra-terrestrials. Yet that is what we're forced to endure again and again throughout the entire series.

=== [[Spaceball]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

This is crap. Spaceball is the worst, most hated episode of Galactica 1980. It's silly, stupid, and just plain dumb. Little kids playing baseball??? This is Battlestar Galactica??? Spaceball may be the most inconsequential hour of science fiction ever made. It's nothing less than an insult to the original series that this bionic version of ''The Bad News Bears'' was shot under the Galactica name.

=== [[The Night The Cylons Landed]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five (Poor)'''

The Night The Cylons Landed is the best episode since the pilot. Of course, this isn't saying much, since watching a blank screen would have been almost as entertaining as the previous two episodes. Anyway, the Super Scouts are finally relegated to the background. This expands on the storyline involving the evolution of the Cylons over the 30 years since the destruction of the Colonies. A new, bigger, and more powerful Cylon raider carrying a newly advanced Cylon lifeform crashlands on Earth. Two surviving Cylons attempt to communicate with the Cylon armada to tell them of Earth's location. This is a cool idea, but the execution is terrible. We are treated to so much silliness, culminating with Troy and Dillon dancing on stage with cartoon characters like Yogi Bear! There are other problems. The more powerful, heavily armored Cylon raider is crippled after the punier viper rams into it??? The viper certainly doesn't hit it very hard. If the Cylons were a joke in the original series, then in Galactica 1980 they are a laughing stock. Andromus, the evolved Cylon clone of a human, certainly doesn't look or act very advanced. Centuri, his Centurion buddy, comes across as being even sillier with his constant banter of "I will protect you. That is my mission." This is the monstrous, all-powerful race which threatens the Earth's destruction and that the Colonials are so concerned about??? The two Cylons provide some funny moments, but it can't make up for the letdown of a plot that had so much potential.

With this episode, Galactica 1980 provides yet another example of how NOT to write drama. Conventional storytelling says that when you have a character trying to solve a mystery, you want the audience to move along at the same pace as the character. If the audience knows more than the character does, they find themselves simply waiting for the character to catch up, which is boring. Unfortunately, Galactica 1980 violates this basic rule of storytelling as we're forced to endure Colonel Briggs's investigation of the aliens. We know everything, he knows nothing, and thus there is nothing even remotely interesting about the subplot.

=== [[Space Croppers]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Space Croppers starts out interesting, but quickly takes an abrupt nosedive into looney land. The plot parallels that of [[The Magnificent Warriors]]. Due to the destruction of the fleet's agroships by a Cylon attack, another source of food supply must be found. The Magnificent Warriors was a terrible episode, so it must be considered quite a feat that Space Croppers turns out to be even worse.

The plight of the Alonso family to save their farm never becomes the least bit interesting. Even worse are the 'educational beats' that bring the story to a grinding halt: a lecture about Hispanic history, the soil requirements for planting legumes, and how rainfull is produced. This is beyond bad. It's unwatchable.

If Dr. Zee is such a genius, why doesn't it ever occur to him to use Galactican technology to create money so the Colonials can simply buy the food that they need? I guess such a simple solution would have made this story pointless.

Furthermore, the Imperious Leader's plan to force the Galactica to lead the Cylons to Earth makes no sense. How could Imperious Leader know that Earth was nearby? And if he did know, why not just destroy the Colonial fleet and conduct a search of the nearby planets? Did anything on this series make sense? Was anything supposed to?

Last, and certainly least, Troy and Dillon bouncing high in the air and throwing seeds while the Super Scouts sing their song is hands down the most ludicrous thing ever shown on Galactica 1980, and that's saying something.

=== [[The Return of Starbuck]] ===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five (Outstanding)'''

This is undeniably the best and most popular episode of Galactica 1980. It is even better than most of the episodes of Battlestar Galactica. What is there not to love about this episode? There are so many outstanding scenes: Adama's chilling reaction to Dr. Zee's mention of Starbuck; Boomer's heartwrenching goodbye to Starbuck, Adama explaining to Boomer that they can't go back to find him; Adama saying his farewell to Starbuck; Starbuck's rationalizations about how the planet belongs to him; Angela's words, "Starbuck, would you die for me?"; Starbuck sacrificing his chance to return to the fleet to give Angela and her baby a better chance; Starbuck's goodbye to Cy. The list goes on. Best of all, we see growth in Starbuck's character! A true classic to be treasured for all time by Galactica fans.

This episode is based on an earlier script written for the second season of Battlestar Galactica that never happened. The main differences are that a regular woman appears (not Angela), and Starbuck is eventually rescued by Boomer. The only thing believed to have been taken intact from the early script is Starbuck's dialogue with Cy. While that would no doubt have been a tremendous episode, it still would not have come close to being as great as this one is. The reason why is very simple. One of the problems with creating dramatic and suspenseful stories in any weekly series is that the viewer knows the hero will ultimately prevail. For example, when Starbuck is accused of murder in [[Murder on the Rising Star]], there is little in terms of suspense because it is a foregone conclusion that Starbuck will be vindicated, just as it is a forgone conclusion that Starbuck isn't going to die in [[The Young Lords]] when he is hunted by the Cylons on the planet Attila. In the beginning of The Return Of Starbuck, it is quickly established that Adama doesn't know what happened to Starbuck and that Starbuck never returned from the mission where he was shot down. As a result, in what is most unusual for any action/adventure television story, the viewer sits through the entire episode knowing that Starbuck isn't going to make it!

This makes the story much more gripping and intense than virtually any other episode of either series. The grim reality of Starbuck's eventual fate is all reinforced by Angela's question "Starbuck, will you die for me?" and her warnings of disaster, telling him that he must prepare to make "the final judgement." Of course, we do not actually see Starbuck die at the end of the story. Larson leaves Starbuck's fate ambiguous, especially since an intact Cylon raider is left nearby. Having Starbuck die would have been a gutsy and innovative move, but the ending shown is really for the best. The beauty of the ending is that it lets the viewers make their own interpretation of Starbuck's fate. If one goes with the idea that a single person alone cannot fly a Cylon raider, then Starbuck could have easily died on the planet. Many fans don't consider Galactica 1980 to be canon for the original series, except for this episode. With the interpretation that Galactica 1980 didn't happen, Starbuck could possibly have flown the Cylon raider back to the fleet, returning to Apollo, Adama, Sheba, and the other original characters. Much Galactica fan fiction over the years has interpreted the episode in this manner.

Despite having a small role, Lorne Greene gives what may be his best performance ever as Commander Adama. The look on his face when he asks Dr. Zee to tell him his dream is worth a thousand words. His farewell to Starbuck, saying that he loves him, is also incredibly powerful. A wonderful performance!

In conclusion, ''The Return of Starbuck'' is an incredible ending to the series and a worthy finish to the Battlestar Galactica saga overall. ''Galactica 1980'' was crap, but it sure went out with a bang.

== Galactica Comics ==

=== [[Galactica 1980 1|Galactica 1980 comic series]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Comic adaptations of television shows are often very good because the writers are free from the usual constraints that a television show faces: limited budgets, censors, and network meddling in the storylines. Unfortunately, this is a double-edged sword, as the comic book writers' unlimited freedom sometimes allows the story to go flying off the rails.

Such is the case with the Galactica 1980 comic series, a cool idea that feels like a missed opportunity. First, the comic does a number of things right. It is a reboot rather than a continuation, delivering a ''War of the Worlds'' type story with the Colonials and Cylons battling over Earth. It even makes Dr. Zee a villian, a great move considering that Zee is hands down the most hated character in the entire Galactica universe. Baltar and Lucifer are also in it, leading the Cylons to Earth. Unfortunately, writer Marc Guggenheim decides to go for shock value. In the first issue, we learn that Troy is a drunk and Adama is suicidal. Personally, I found this ugly and disturbing.

Even worse is the end of issue #1 when the Galactica is destroyed by nukes. Again, it feels like the writer is just trying to hit us with one shocking surprise after another. Surprises can be great fun, but I get annoyed when they lack logic as this one does. Why would Adama be so stupid as to fly the Galactica directly over the White House without first sending a message and waiting to see what the response would be? This just makes no sense.

And I just didn't like seeing the Galactica destroyed. After all, this ''is'' Galactica 1980, so therefore the Galactica should be in it. If the Galactica had to be destroyed, it should have happened in the final issue (#4), not the first.

Lo and behold, we get yet another shocking surprise in issue #2 when Dillon is killed off (and rather undramatically). I have a big problem with this as well. Troy and Dillon were the heroes of Galactica 1980, and I just don't think that either should have been killed (at least not less than halfway through the story). I was also disappointed that Jamie Hamilton is given nothing more than a cameo appearance in issue #4. Given that she was one of the main characters on the original show, she should have had a larger role in the story.

In the end, I wish Guggenheim had written a story that might have been done on television if not for the limited budget and children's hour restrictions that ultimately crippled the series. The ''War of the Worlds'' premise was perfect for Galactica 1980, but in this case the execution fell short.

== The Galactica Telemovies ==

=== [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

The opening sequence is outstanding, although it mostly uses footage from the original series. It has a truly epic feel, and it gives the impression that we will see a grand conclusion to the Battlestar Galactica saga. Sadly, this does not happen. Still, Adama's opening declaration that Earth has been found is also magnificent, much better done than it was in the original episode. By removing the time-travel subplot as well as much of the silliness including Troy and Dillon dancing on stage, the whole is better than any of the original Galactica 1980 episodes it is composed of. Yet this hardly makes ''Conquest of the Earth'' a great movie. The opening minutes rate five stars, yet starting with the first appearance of Dr. Zee (who bizarrely speaks with two different voices), the rest of the movie rates much lower.

=== [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack (VHS)|Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

This movie is less entertaining than the individual episodes it is composed of (The Living Legend and Fire In Space). The separate episodes don't mesh together seamlessly, resulting in several plot holes and odd hairstyle changes between scenes. The movie especially suffers because many great scenes from The Living Legend episode are missing. All scenes and dialogue relating to Starbuck's relationship with Cassiopeia are cut, which only makes the Cain/Cassiopeia subplot less interesting. The battle scenes are a little more elaborate because additional stock footage is used, but that's not enough to overcome the movie's deficiencies. A different sound effect is used for the engines of the Cylon raiders that's a little jarring for anyone who is a die-hard fan of the original show.

Bottom line, this movie is only recommended for curiosity's sake.

== Berkley Books ==
=== [[Saga of a Star World (Book)|Saga of a Star World]] ===
'''Flagship of the 12 Worlds fleet, she was as large as a planet, yet as swift as the Starhound fighters she launched from her bays. For generations the vast ship led the thousand-year war against the Cylons for control of the known Galaxy. Now that war was in its final phase, and Galactica had one final mission, win or lose: blast through the deadly grid of the Cylon Starfleet and dash for deep space in a desperate attempt to find the legendary "Stonehenge" of the universe - the lost planet the ancient microfilms call "Earth."'''

This is the opening paragraph to the Berkley novelization of the Battlestar Galactica pilot "Saga Of A Star World". This is easily one of the most fascinating Galactica books ever written, and there are a number of things that make it so interesting. First, the book is based on an early script of the pilot and, although changes were made before it came to print to make it more like the version that aired, there are a number of alternate scenes in the book. The Galactica universe is also different in several aspects, such as the Cylons are living aliens underneath their armor instead of total machines. Also, there are missing scenes left out of the final cut of the movie that survived intact in the book (Starbuck's confrontation with Tigh on the bridge after the Colonies are destroyed; Starbuck's extended conversation with Cassie on the shuttle; Adama's resigning from the Council).

Perhaps best of all, certain events are more fleshed out in the novelization than in the movie such as the surprise Cylon attack. The novelization helps to fill a number of gaping plot holes and unanswered questions that the movie was saddled with. Many chapters begin with an entry from the Adama journals, and the reader is able to learn a lot of information and insight from the Galactica's commander.

Many fans are unhappy with the Berkley books, feeling that they don't remain true to the series. I respectfully disagree. First of all, as already mentioned, the novelizations often have extra detail and explanations that help cover up plot holes that existed in the episodes. Second, the fact that the novels portray the BG universe in a slightly different way and that they are not exact retellings of the episodes is good because the books would be pretty boring otherwise. Third, some of the characters such as Athena are fleshed out better in the novels. Make no mistake, this is the best of all the Berkley novelizations and is a must-read for any fan of the original series.

== External Links ==

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/BGEPISODES.htm Battlestar Galactica Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/Wharmby.htm Matthew Wharmby's Hilarious Galactica 1980 Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

User:Galactica1981/Galactica 1981 Reviews

2011-12-29T14:28:42Z

Galactica1981: /* Galactica 1980 comic series */

This is a list of reviews by [[User:Galactica1981]] for various [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]] content. Given to the Battlestar Wiki's policy of [[NPOV|Neutral Point of View]], they are found here rather than their respective articles.

These episode reviews originally appears on the Sheba's Galaxy site. They have been slightly revised.

== TOS Episode Reviews ==

===[[Saga of a Star World]] ===

'''RATING: Four and a half stars out of five'''

There's no question that on the night of September 17, 1978, Battlestar Galactica hit television screens with a bang. Saga Of A Star World is unquestionably the most elaborate televison movie ever made (and least up to that point!) When trying to rate something like this, it's important to examine it in the context of television during that time period. For sure, no sci-fi show of this magnitude had ever been done before in the history of television, and thus it deserves extra points for that alone. There are many great things that can be said about this episode (acting, special effects, music score), but I won't bother repeating what most people are already aware of. In the end, I had to decide against a full five-star rating, mostly because of the unforgivable "Star Wars" ending it was saddled with. The big explosion of the planet Carillon is a blatant ripoff of Star Wars, not to mention ridiculous as well. Setting fire to some tylium mines causes the entire planet to explode? This is ludicrous (although one could argue that destroying the massive Death Star by shooting a tiny exhaust port was equally ludicrous). Surely Glen Larson could have written a better ending than this. Ultimately, this had to reinforce many people's beliefs that Galactica was a second-rate Star Wars. Having a casino with all sorts of alien creatures also seems a little too close to Star Wars for comfort.

As a kid watching the show, I absolutely loved the Cylons because of how cool they looked. My favorite character was Starbuck who I idolized and wanted to be like. The series also had a phenomenal cast with tremendously talented actors (except for Maren Jensen), and it's a shame they were often saddled with substandard scripts. Starbuck and Apollo are wonderful in the lead roles, and they arguably have more chemistry than did Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. And Lorne Greene is superb as in the role of Commander Adama. In the pilot episode, the scene that perhaps stands out the most is the laser battle against the Cylon Centurions on the surface of Carillon, a truly awesome spectacle combined with the looming countdown as the Cylon raiders close in on the Galactica. It terms of the characters, my favorite scene is probably Starbuck's almost proposing to Athena. Finally, the musical score for the series is truly breathtaking, on a similar level as the one for Star Wars.

Of course, there are also some HUMONGOUS plot holes in this story, enough for any critic to tear it to shreds. I'm not going bother writing 5 pages about the plot problems of Saga Of A Star World. Instead, I'll just mention a few points:

The premise of the Colonial fleet seeking Earth, while interesting, is unfortunately flawed because no one (not even Adama) has any idea where it is! Apparently, Adama was the only one who even knew about Earth's existence, although he doesn't seem to have any proof. Thus the Colonial fleet is left to wander aimlessly throughout the universe looking for it. Fortunately, this problem would be addressed in ''War of the Gods'' when the Colonials finally learn the coordinates to Earth.

The Colonials seemed unbelievably gullible and naive regarding the Cylons' offer of peace. After a thousand years of war, you would think they'd have been more careful, but they foolishly leave their home planets undefended. President Adar is incredibly stupid when he sees a thousand Cylon raiders coming towards the fleet and assumes it is a peace envoy.

Apollo gets back to the fleet in time to warn them of the coming Cylon attack, yet he fails to do so. Why? Why does he take an hour to find the bridge?

=== [[Lost Planet of the Gods]]===

'''Rating: Four stars out of five'''

The second half of this two-part episode has the theatrical feel of a movie, while the first half has often been blasted as being sexist. Of course, it is a bit strange that all the female cadets look like lingerie models. Still, I think the claim of sexism is a bit overstated. If you look at women in the U.S. military, they tend to act in supporting roles rather than be on the front lines. I don't know how many female jet pilots are in the U.S. military, but I suspect there aren't many. And I suspect this is due less to discrimination than to the fact that women tend to make different career choices than men (i.e. they tend to choose less hazardous professions). The reasons for there being no female viper pilots on the Galactica were probably along the same lines.

Regardless, the first half of the episode mostly serves as a set-up for the second half. Nothing wrong with that, but it does make the first half far less interesting.

Anyway, the two-part episodes fare better than most of the one-part episodes because Glen Larson would often blow the budget and vastly overspend. There are many fantastic scenes in the second half: Serina proposing to Apollo that they marry immediately; the Star of Kobol appearing in the port window during the wedding ceremony; the light shining off of Adama's medallion inside the tombs of Kobol; the Cylon raiders attacking the surface of Kobol; and, of course, Serina's death scene.

Serina's death is one of the most poignant moments of the entire series. But it came with a high price, as the show arguably suffered without her. And the writing would start to take a turn for the worse with the very next episode.

===[[The Lost Warrior]]===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

After only two episodes, Battlestar Galactica's creative energy has fizzled out. This is the first of the so-called "bottled episodes." These episodes had few if any new special effects, enabling the producers to save money which would later be spent on the bigger, more extravagant "monster episodes." It's understandable that these "bottled" stories were necessary, but this is where rushing the show into production really hurt the series. The writers simply did not have time to create quality scripts. Of course, this would ultimately lead to the decline in ratings.

This kind of episode is tough to review because it's good but wrong. Based on the classic 1953 western film Shane, this actually makes a pretty decent western, but Battlestar Galactica is supposed to be a science fiction series. Sci-fi fans want science fiction, not half-hybrids of other shows (A mistake that Galactica 1980 would repeat). If I want to see a Western, I'd rather watch Bonanza. The only reason this gets two stars is because we get such a strong characterization of Apollo.

Unfortunately, this is not the only space western we would see on Galactica. Cowboys and saloons would return in The Magnificent Warriors. In fact, the very idea that an "old west" town would exist in Battlestar Galactica completely contradicts the Von Daniken premise of the show, that the Colonies and the ancient cultures of Earth (such as Atlantis and Egypt) have the same roots, the same beginnings. It is ludicrous that an Old West society could have any common connection with this. It raises all kinds of questions. The people of Equellis obviously had to arrive on that world by means of spacecraft, so why is the society so primitive? How could they not know of the Cylons since the war has raged for 1,000 years and the average human life-span is 200 years?

Why would Apollo be dumb enough to fly so far away from the fleet that he wouldn't have enough fuel to make it back? This really makes no sense. And why does Apollo promise Bella and Puppis that he will return one day? Why would he ever believe that possible?

Despite the lackluster plot, there are some good moments. Boxey beating Starbuck at Pyramid is funny, and the western style "shoot-out" between Red-Eye and Apollo is very well done. The only weak point is when Red Eye spots Apollo's laser and says, "Uh-oh." This trivalizes a very serious moment for the sake of silly humor. It is difficult to believe that a Cylon would use such a phrase. Ironically, for years I couldn't make out exactly what he was saying. I assumed it was some kind of challenge to Apollo, and it actually added to the power of the moment. You can imagine my dismay when I learned the truth. Also, Puppis gets pretty annoying pretty fast.

===[[The Long Patrol]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

The Long Patrol is lot of a fun and a big improvement over the previous episode. Starbuck's computer companion C.O.R.A is a hoot. There are several funny scenes: Starbuck womanizing Cassiopeia and Athena; Boomer's jab at him before he goes off on the mission; Starbuck finding a fortune in ambrosia only to have it destroyed by the Cylon attack. Adama deciding to change the Galactica's course to keep distance from the Cylons is very well done, revealing how burdensome command of the fleet is and how it forces him to sacrifice his loved ones to protect the rest of humanity.

Maren Jensen (Athena) gets more screen time here than in most of the episodes. The scene with Athena revealing Starbuck's apparent death to Cassiopeia is especially moving, one of Jensen's best scenes of the series. The Athen/Cassiopeia rivalry was compelling and could have been developed in future episodes, but sadly this never happens. This was likely due to Maren Jensen's limitations as an actress which caused the writers to reduce her role.

Could C.O.R.A. have been the inspiration for K.I.T.T., the computerized car on Glen Larson's Knight Rider? Considering the amazing similarities between the two, it would have to be a possibility. Also, Glen Larson has went on record saying that K.I.T.T.'s swerving red eye was inspired by the swerving red eyes of the Cylons. It was sort of his way of keeping the Cylons alive.

The Long Patrol is definitely one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

===[[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero]]===

'''Rating: Three and a half stars out of five'''

This two-part episode is based on the 1961 movie The Guns of Navarone and the 1967 movie The Dirty Dozen. The episode has a theatrical feel to it because, as mentioned before, the two-parters had bigger budgets. Although the story is by-the-numbers, it is very enjoyable because of the fantastic special effects. Still, as good as Gun is, it is easily one of the lesser of the two-parters. While better than Greetings From Earth, Gun falls far short of The Living Legend, Lost Planet Of The Gods, and especially War Of The Gods.

This was actually the second episode filmed. This would explain why Serina and Cassiopea do not appear (Serina and Cassiopea died in the original version of the pilot before the decision was made to bring them back). Baltar and Lucifer's scenes were probably shot much later.

This episode raises a serious question. Considering the staggering number of people who had to be left behind due to lack of ships, why would the Colonials bother to take criminals with them? Perhaps they were already locked in the brig on the Galactica before the Holocaust or they somehow managed to sneak aboard the fleet to be captured later. Or perhaps most of them committed their crimes after joining the rag tag fleet. Considering how overcrowded, starved, and disorganized the fleet was when it was assembled, it is logical that many violent crimes would have occurred. An episode exploring this would have been nice.

The idea that there would not be enough qualified Colonial warriors to go on the mission is hard to believe. And why do Apollo, Starbuck, and Boomer get chosen? They are pilots, and their emphasis is not on ground assault. Logically, the Galactica would have a ground assault team available for these kinds of situations. It is also difficult to believe that Boxey would have found a way to sneak onto the shuttle. At least he and Muffit have an impact on the success of the mission.

In the book ''The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'' by J.W. Rinzler and Ridley Scott, it is revealed that part of George Lucas's anger towards Battlestar Galactica was because of this episode. Lucas planned to feature an ice planet in the sequel to Star Wars, and he felt that Galactica threatened to undercut him by featuring an ice planet on one of their own episodes. Did this fuel his lawsuit that Galactica was infringing on Star Wars? Is so, then Lucas comes off as disingenuous to say the least, for it would be absurd to claim that Galactica was infringing on a movie that hadn't yet been made!

Baltar's legs were crushed in Lost Planet of the Gods, yet in this episode the only evidence of Baltar's injury is a slight limp. Did the Cylons do major reconstructive surgery on his legs? I guess so.

At this point, the constant reusing of the same space battle scenes really starts getting redundant. Still, this remains one of the most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

=== [[The Magnificent Warriors]] ===

'''Rating: One and a half stars out of five'''

Many fans consider this to be the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. While I don't agree, I think it comes pretty close. The story is, quite frankly, terrible. We are again subjected to yet another old-western style shanty town? Once was enough! The Borays are disgusting and sound awful. The only redeeming moment is when Adama and company discover Starbuck at the gambling table. It's rather funny.

Siress Bellaby is hands down the most annoying character to ever appear on Battlestar Galactica. Most viewers probably couldn't understand why the Colonial Warriors didn't simply let the Borays kill her.

On a positive note, we are shown Lorne Greene's impressive range as an actor. It's interesting to see a comical Adama, a nice contrast to the serious commander that we usually see. Unfortunately, Greene is forced to play against Brett Somers (Siress Bellaby). Somers isn't funny; she's annoying, and it kills most of the comedy that is presented.

The premise of The Magnificent Warriors actually had a lot of potential. We are given a situation where the fleet has no food and everyone is aware of it (unlike in Saga Of A Star World when the Colonials were able to cover up the problem). This raises all kinds of fascinating issues. Would the fleet start a mutiny against Adama during such a crisis? How would Adama react to such a mutiny? How would he choose who to save? Would he allow each ship to make its own decision to leave? Or would he try to force them to stick together? And what decisions would Starbuck and Apollo be forced to make if such a mutiny occurred? So many interesting questions for the episode to pursue.

Sadly, standard television plotting is what we get. The Colonials are traveling through the vast uncharted regions of space, and they run out of food at just the precise moment they happen to be near a farming colony. Okay. Whatever. The Colonials land on the planet and meet the Borays. From then on, it's just another battle of good vs. evil. Putting the Colonials in a moral dilemna would have been much more interesting that what we were given here.

===[[The Young Lords]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

This is the family episode of Battlestar Galactica. Starbuck is shot down and crashes on a planet. Yawn. This is essentially a remake of The Lost Warrior in which Apollo is stranded on the planet Equellus. Of course, Starbuck was also stranded in The Long Patrol and Cree was stranded in ''The Gun On Ice Planet Zero''. Later in ''Greetings From Earth'', Starbuck, Apollo, and Casseopia would be stranded on the planet Paradeen. At this point, the series was becoming so predictable that viewers each week must have been asking the question, "Who's going to have to be rescued this week?" In fact, Mad Magazine, in a spoof of Galactica, poked fun at this element of the show. (See [[Humor in the Original Series]])

Considering the incredibly broad premise of the series, it's amazing that the writers had so much trouble coming up with a story that didn't involve someone being stranded on a planet. With this kind of plot, The Young Lords shouldn't even be watchable. And yet, despite all these drawbacks, this actually turns out to be a fun, enjoyable episode. Part of this praise goes to the tremendous production values. It is simply fascinating to see so many Cylons inside a medieval castle. The location is nothing short of spectacular. To top it off, Dirk Benedict delivers with a wonderful performance. There are many good scenes, especially Starbuck's rescue from the Cylons by Kyle and the children (plus his insulting remark to the Cylons moments before). Playing up kids in a series can be extremely fatal to ratings (Galactica 1980 became an infamous example of this), but fortunately Kyle and the gang never get to the point where they become grating; although they (and their song near the end) come dangerously close. (And are we to believe Starbuck and his Scooby Gang would actually take the time to think up lyrics for a song and memorize them? Please!)

The IL series Cylon Spectre is a delightfully conniving character. He is the perfect foil for Lucifer. His phony flattery of Baltar is hilarious, especially the way he manages to turn defeat to his own advantage. Unfortunately, the character does not appear again. Had the series continued into a second season, he probably would have. Spectre does appear in the later original Berkley novels [[The Nightmare Machine]], [[Die, Chameleon!]] and [[Surrender the Galactica!]] where he is put to good use.

Most of the scenes of Baltar and Lucifer communicating with Spectre were recycled with different dialogue into the Galactica telemovie [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]].

Needless to say that by this point the Cylons have become a joke. When you stop and really think about it, it is ludicrous that an entire Cylon garrison is defeated by one colonial warrior and five children.

Still, this episode somehow succeeds despite every logical reason why it shouldn't.

===[[The Living Legend]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five'''

This is one of the very best episodes of Battlestar Galactica. The two-part episodes consistently deliver, and The Living Legend is no exception. The idea of a second survivng battlestar is a good one, as is a scenario where the fleet runs out of fuel.

This episode introduces two compelling characters, Commander Cain and his daughter, Lt. Sheba. Sheba's character is said to have been a ground-breaking role for women. She is tough, independent, and short-tempered. Basically, she's the exact opposite of virtually every other female character to appear on the series. Fortunately, she, along with Bojay, becomes a regular after this episode.

Lloyd Bridges is tremendous as Commander Cain. It's hard to imagine any other actor filling the role. The only weak moment for Bridges is when Cain lies to Adama about the "accidental" failure of the tanker mission. Cain's cavalier attitude about it makes it obvious to everyone that he purposely sabotaged the mission.

This story is different from any other Galactica story thus far because we see a clash of philosophies within the ranks of the military. Cain wants to wage an all-out war against Gamoray, and Adama simply wants to capture the much-needed fuel and escape. The earlier episodes were extremely simplistic in their portaryal of good versus evil. The Colonials are good. The Cylons are evil. Simple as that. Since the good guys are all in the military, the military is always portrayed as being right. Adama, Starbuck, and Apollo had very few moral dilemnas to deal with, which would have made the stories so much more interesting.

Baltar personally leading the attack on the Galactica makes the battle much more intense and exciting, mostly because the battle has a storyline. Most of the Galactica space battles are nothing more than a confusing jumble of stock shots haphazardly thrown together with nothing in terms of a flow or climax. (One of the bigger flaws of Return Of The Jedi was that the Battle of Endor had nothing in terms of a storyline.) This time it is different. The Pegasus closing in on Baltar at the end of part one is the best cliff hanger of the series. It is rather fitting that Baltar's forces are taken by surprise, since it was Baltar who caused the colonial warfleet to be taken by surprise in the pilot.

The scene between Adama and Apollo right before the mission to capture the Cylon tankers is very powerful. It shows how, despite being father and son, each of their respective positions forces a distance between them personally. What is especially impressive is that this is done without words. Richard Hatch and Lorne Greene manage to convey more with a facial expression than most actors do with a page of dialogue.

Boxey really starts to get on the nerves at this point. Nothing against Noah Hathaway, but Boxey is a character all too typical of standard television. He is an ultra-cute TV kid doing ultra-cute things, yet usually has little or no bearing on the plot. These kinds of characters (most notably the Super Scouts from Galactica 1980) only serve to hurt a show's ratings.

When you put the story under scrutiny, there are some serious flaws. Why are viper pilots sent on a ground mission? Wouldn't the Galactica have specialized teams for that sort of thing? It is also a bit difficult to believe that Sheba could have found a way to go on the mission to Gamoray without permission. It is even more difficult to believe that Cassiopea would have been allowed to just hop on the shuttle. Was she given a crash course on parachuting during the shuttle ride? How could the Colonial warriors have known exactly which building in Gamoray contained the main communications center? And are we to believe that destroying one small communications center would disable the entire city's defense system? If, like me, you can overlook these flaws, this is still a great episode.

This episode and Fire In Space were later combined to form the horrid Galactica theatrical movie [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]].

===[[Fire in Space]]===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

This explosive episode is the one-hour equivalent of a disaster movie. It's basically a sci-fi version of The Towering Inferno (and stock footage from that movie was probably used here). There's so much action that it isn't until the end that you realize just how essentially empty it is. There are a lot of things happening, and at the same time there is nothing happening. By all rights this story should be downright awful, yet somehow it isn't. It really speaks volumes about the show's production values and the performances of the actors that this turns out to be an enjoyable hour despite another by-the-numbers script.

After this episode, producer Glen Larson decided changed the direction of the series, relegating the Cylons to the background. The Cylons are not featured again until the final episode, The Hand Of God. The reason for the change of direction may be that Larson had a feeling the series would be canceled and decided to try to create a storyarc that would end the series with the Galactica apparently getting close to Earth. In an interview, Larson has said that he wasn't surprised the show was canceled. The change of direction was really for the best because the battles with the Cylons were too ridiculously imbalanced in the Colonials' favor (due to the censors) making the Cylons look like a joke, and the reusing of the same space battle stock footage was becoming monotonous.

The ending the writers originally planned had Cylon raiders attacking the Galactica a second time, and it is their lasers that put Starbuck and Apollo in danger on the Galactica's hull. Unfortunately, the network censors overruled this because they felt it would have been too repetitive. The complete original ending from the script can be found [[List_of_Deleted_Scenes_(TOS)#Fire_In_Space|here.]]

The story completely falls apart when put under scientific scrutiny because fires simply cannot exist in outer space, as many Galactica critics have pointed out. However, Star Wars was able to get away with this flub (Remember the fate of the Death Star?), so it seems rather unfair that Battlestar Galactica took so many shots because of it.

This is Terry Carter's best episode, since Colonel Tigh is thrust into the forefront, taking command of the Galactica while Adama is incapacitated. Carter does a tremendous job, and his strong performance helps save this cliched, overused story plot from losing steam.

Since the Galactica was on the verge of destruction by the time Starbuck and Apollo were planting charges on the hull, didn't it ever occur to Colonel Tigh to evacuate all non-essential personnel including the Colonial vipers so that, if the Galactica was destroyed, the fleet would at least have a fighting chance to survive? And since it was too dangerous to operate on Adama on the Galactica, didn't it ever occur to Dr. Salik to shuttle Adama to another ship in the fleet and perform the operation there?

A tremendous amount of damage is done to the Galactica (especially the landing bay), yet there is no sign of this in any future episodes nor any explanation of how the repairs went. Considering the abysmal plot, this episode was probably best left forgotten.

===[[War of the Gods]]===

'''RATING: Five stars out of five'''

War Of The Gods is one of the best and most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica. It is not the very best episode, nor is it completely flawless, but it is easily the most complex of all the stories we were given. The bottom line is that it is extremely rare to see this kind of thing done on TV. This is one of the few episodes to fully utilize Galactica's Von Daniken premise (God Is An Astronaut). We learn that angels are not spirits of the dead, but advanced beings who are thousands of years ahead of the Colonials in both technology and spirituality. Count Iblis (whom Apollo addresses in part 2 as Mephistopheles) comes across as a form of devil. There is an interesting parallel with mythology. Just as the angel Lucifer (or Satan) rebelled against heaven, Iblis rebels against his brothers on the Ship of Lights.

Iblis may well be the most fascinating character in the entire series. What is fascinating is that his voice is the same as that of the Cylon Imperious Leader. Baltar recognizes this (and it would have been an unforgivable flub if he didn't). There have been two primary theories about Iblis' origin. The first is that Iblis exterminated the original reptile Cylon race and created the mechanical one, starting the thousand year war with the humans.

The second theory is that Iblis and the Imperious Leader are one and the same. Iblis calling Baltar "old friend" would seem to support this. Also, it is made clear in the end that Iblis cannot control anyone who does not choose to follow him. If Iblis is the Imperious Leader, then Baltar technically was "following him" since he (Baltar) was serving the Cylons. However, the theory that Iblis and Imperious Leader being the same person doesn't quite hold up because wouldn't the Cylons then easily be able to locate the Colonial fleet? Therefore, the first theory makes more sense overall. But there is still the question of how Iblis was able to make Baltar surrender to the Colonials. The episode tries to make it seem that Iblis did not perform his bigger miracles, that the white lights caused the crops to grow and Baltar came of his own free will (the latter is hinted by Apollo in a missing scene that was cut from the original script). Of course, the idea that Baltar would surrender on his own is ludicrous considering the coward that he is. And why would the white lights come to the fleet if that would cause the crops on the agro-ship to grow and thus fulfill one of Iblis' tasks? Most importantly, why would Iblis dare the Colonials to make 3 challenges for him if he did not possess the power to complete them?

Regarding Iblis' origin, I tend to go with the first theory, but I would take it one step further and suggest that the Imperious Leader is either a servant of Iblis or is somehow under Iblis' control. Thus Baltar, by serving the Cylons, would also be serving Iblis and thus would be subject to Iblis' commands.

You really have to wonder if Glen Larson planned to have Patrick Macnee play Count Iblis from the very first episode or if it was just an amazing coincidence that the same actor who provided the Imperious Leader's voice turned out to be perfect for the Count Iblis role. Considering how incredibly rushed the production of the show was, the latter would have to be a possibility. If it's the former, then you really have to applaud Glen Larson for planning so far ahead.

There are other marvelous scenes. Iblis' slow manipulation and seduction of Sheba is riveting (especially when he kisses her on the Agro-ship). The white lights and the Ship of Lights are a marvel and have to be considered among the best special effects the series has ever produced. The scenery of the red planet, including the visual effect of Starbuck, Apollo, and Sheba when they walk on that world is also outstanding. The triad court is a fantastic (and obviously, expensive) set. You have to give the producers a lot of credit for creating such a unique game for the Colonials to play. It makes sense. With the grueling struggle for survival in a rag-tag fleet, the Colonials have to have some sort of entertainment to take their minds off their plight.

As with most episodes, the performances are all top-notch. Richard Hatch plays his end perfectly, carefully balancing Apollo's distrust of Iblis and his caring for Sheba. Dirk Benedict adds a whole new dimension to Starbuck. His rage and grief over the death of Apollo (especially when he attempts to shoot Iblis) stand out as some of Starbuck's most memorable moments of the entire series. Anne Lockhart is also great portraying Sheba's slow seduction and manipulation by Count Iblis. Her joy at Apollo's resurrection firmly establishes her inner feelings toward him, and this subplot would come to a stunning head in the final episode. Lorne Greene never falters in his performances, and this is no exception. Greene does a tremendous job portraying a man torn between his desire to find Earth and his distrust of Iblis. One of the best moments has to be during the Triad game. During the game, Adama and Iblis are seated on opposite sides of the court. There are really two battles going on here: the battle between the players on the court, and the battle between Iblis and Adama.

Despite everything, the episode is not completely perfect. Not all the questions are answered (which in itself is not a bad thing), but some of what happens doesn't quite make sense. First of all, why does the Ship of Lights kidnap the viper pilots? We are never given any kind of answer. What makes it more confusing is that by kidnapping the pilots, the Ship of Lights actually aids Iblis because the Colonials look to him for protection. And why does Baltar say that Iblis now no longer holds any power over him after Baltar recognizes Iblis' voice? Perhaps this is supposed to be a clue to understand who Iblis is, but if this is the case, I can't make anything out of it.

There is also the issue of what was inside the crashed ship on the red planet. A popular myth is that the ship is the the Battlestar Pegasus and when Apollo looked inside he saw the body of Commander Cain, but this is false. The original script and the Berkely novelization tell us exactly what is inside the ship: tall, cloven-hoofed horned beings with tails. This is a little hard to make sense of. Are the beings in the ship supposed to be devils? If that is the case, it doesn't really make Iblis appear all that evil for killing them. It could be viewed as another parallel of mythology. After being defeated by heaven, Lucifer and his followers fall into hell. Likewise, Iblis' ship containing his followers (the devils) crashes (falls) to the earth. It's not a perfect allegory, but fascinating nonetheless. (For more on this, see [[War_of_the_Gods,_Part_II#The_Mystery_of_the_Crashed_Ship|The Mystery of the Crashed Ship]])

I'm not trying to pick the episode apart with these various criticisms. Actually, the story works much better with its mystery and ambiguity rather than easy, clear-cut answers. One of the problems with television these days is that shows rarely challenge the viewer to think; instead, most shows sacrifice ambiguity and insist on spelling everything out as simply and clearly as possible. The mystery of Count Iblis is really what makes ''War Of The Gods'' so special and one of the most famous and highly debated of all the Galactica episodes. I'm glad that we are not given the answer to who Iblis is because the only way a mystery can retain its power is as long as it remains unsolved. Why do you think the great magicians never reveal how they do their tricks? If you are looking for a great movie example of this, then I suggest you check out Peter Weir's ''Picnic At Hanging Rock''.

Finally, one of the best things about this episode is that it provides us the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba!

===[[The Man With Nine Lives]]===

'''Rating: Four out of five stars'''

This episode is the only one that offers a significant look at the people of the fleet. Fred Astaire puts in an enjoyable performance as the rogue con-man Chameleon. The Borellian Nomen are interesting new adversaries for the Colonial Warriors, although they seem to be based on a Hollywood and societal stereotype of American Indians (Unfortunately, we are told very little of their origins). One of the best episodes in terms of characterization.

This episode pretty much makes it clear that Cassiopeia is THE ONE for Starbuck, thanks to Starbuck telling Chameleon that she's the only one he's ever considered sealing with (although that actually isn't true; he did almost propose to Athena in the pilot episode).

Don Bellisario was unable to think of a suitable name for the villains. In an after-work bull session, story editor Jim Carlson casually remarked something to the effect of, "It’s too bad they’re not from an ice planet, you could call them Snomen." Bellisario replied, "There’s no snow where these guys are gonna be!" Carlson answered, "Then call then Nomen."

This episode proves that great stories don't require huge explosions and fancy special effects. Unfortunately, the rushed production of the show made episodes like The Man With Nine Lives the exception rather than the rule.

=== [[Murder on the Rising Star]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Murder She Wrote in outer space??? This story had little point being part of a show like Battlestar Galactica. This is the kind of story that is done on almost every science fiction series when the writers are out of ideas. There is very little in the way of drama because the viewer knows the hero is innocent and will be cleared. This story tries to give the impression that Starbuck might be guilty (we don't get to see who shoots Ortega, Starbuck is shown running from the scene, plus Starbuck's anxiousness in the shuttle bay makes him appear guilty), but only the most gullible of viewers would fall for this. The story would be more forgivable if we learned some new insights about the characters or the fleet, but what do we learn? What is the point? Is it that the Colonial system of law is virtually identical to the U.S. system? (which is hardly believeable) Or that Adama has to spend time hearing court cases? (Not too believable either considering the incredibly burdensome task he has of commanding the fleet) Or is it that playing triad is more dangerous than anybody thought? What is the point of this episode except to fill an hour's worth of time???

This is the fourth episode that features Starbuck. While Dirk Benedict certainly plays a wonderful character, it would have been nice to have featured some of the lesser used cast members (Tigh, Boomer, Athena, Sheba).

One thing really stands out: It is absurd how little time Apollo is given to prepare a case for Starbuck's defense. He only has 10 centares, and the script for this episode has a key that states a centar is an hour. Only 10 hours to prepare for a murder trial??? Give me a break!

This story could have been done differently to make it more poignant. What if Apollo was unable to conclusively prove who killed Ortega, and Adama intervenes, using his power as commander to have Starbuck set free. It would raise the question of whether Adama was abusing his power. Even then, considering the fleet must be depleted when it comes to seasoned viper pilots, it could be argued that the fleet needed Starbuck as a warrior. It would have been an interesting moral issue, something Battlestar Galactica rarely had. I also think the story would have been more interesting if we were left with some doubt as to whether Starbuck killed Ortega (in self-defense, of course).

An interesting note: Karibdis appears early on in the story, serving drinks to Adama and Tigh while they watch the Triad game. This is an often-used writing device. You have the murderer/villain appear early in the story, sometimes at the very beginning, in what appears to be a minor or trivial role. This often fools the audience, as they rarely expect such a character to be revealed so quickly. This was also done on the miniseries for the new Galactica, when one of the human Cylons is leading a tour of the Galactica during the opening credits. If you want to get good at solving TV/movie mysteries, pay attention to the minor characters that appear early in the story.

Overall, the murder mystery itself isn't half bad, and there are fine all-around performances from the cast to make this watchable. In a way, it makes the episode more disappointing to have such great talent squandered on such a by-the-numbers story. But everyone holds up their end well, especially Dirk Benedict and Laurette Spang in their scene inside the brig. It's nice the writers found a way to bring Baltar into the story, and John Colicos still makes a great villain. The flashback of the destruction of Caprica is also well-done. There were certainly many crimes committed during the evacuation, and it illustrates that Battlestar Galactica was brimming with potentially interesting stories to explore, which again only makes this episode more of a letdown.

That said, it's important to realize that writers Jim Carlson and Terrence McDonnell were forced to write this episode in 36 hours straight. Considering what a rushjob this script was, it's amazing it turned out as well as it did. This is one instance where it might be better to see the glass as half-full rather than half-empty.

===[[Greetings from Earth]]===

'''RATING: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Greetings From Earth just doesn't measure up with the other two-hour episodes. The story makes for a passable first hour but quickly takes a nosedive in the second. Glen Larson's attempt at comedy falls horribly flat. Hector, Vector and the kids quickly wear out their welcome (A premonition of Galactica 1980?). The Eastern Alliance is introduced as a new adversary, but they are little more than cardboard Nazis with zero charisma (at least the Cylons looked cool). Another problem is that their primitive technology takes a lot of steam out of their threat. Unfortunately, the Eastern Alliance is never utilized to the fullest. A space battle between vipers and Eastern Alliance destroyers would have been fantastic, but the time and money needed to do such a complex battle scene made it impossible. Also, Apollo becomes a bit overbearing with his "Do The Right Thing" attitude in the first half (What's also annoying is that Apollo's dialogue in the first half is badly redubbed, apparently to make his voice louder).

What makes the first hour so interesting is that the Colonials are faced with a perplexing moral issue (a rarity, for sure). Do they allow the humans to leave, or force them to remain at least until more information is learned? There are actually opposing opinions within the Colonial military, at least for awhile. Apollo's view quickly wins out, though. The Council of Twelve is portrayed as being incredibly selfish and uncaring, but it could be argued they were right. It was possibly life or death for the Colonials to learn about the human race that awaited them. Certainly the humans could have been revived long enough for the Colonials to get the necessary information out of them. Apollo's plan to let the ship go had a good chance of failing. How could he be certain enough that they wouldn't get lost, or wind up so far away that they'd never be able to make it back to the fleet?

When you think about it, why don't Starbuck, Apollo and Cassiopea have super powers when they are in Paradeen's weaker gravity just as the Super Scouts do when they are in Earth's weaker gravity on Galactica 1980? Wouldn't it have been fun to see Starbuck, Apollo, and Cassiopea bouncing up and down and jumping into trees?

Unlike the other two-parters, this one ends with a whimper instead of a bang as Starbuck and Apollo's capture of the Enforcers is about as anti-climatic as you can get. This script really comes across as being rushed, which was probably the case. Overall, Greetings From Earth is yet another episode that failed to reach its potential due to the constrainments of a weekly series.

=== [[Experiment in Terra]] ===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

Experiment In Terra initially comes across as a superb episode, but under close inspection the story unfortunately has serious flaws. The Ship of Lights recruiting Apollo to help Terra is a cool idea, but their reasoning as to why they need to use a mortal human doesn't hold up. John says that the people of Terra can't see the "Guardians" (my own name for them) outside the confines of their ship. And yet on Terra, John makes himself visible to Starbuck by merely touching him. Even more problematic, Apollo's mission never makes sense. The Guardians know that the Eastern Alliance is going to launch a missile attack, so the master plan is to have Apollo tell the "west side" that the Eastern Alliance has been attacking them? Um, okay, but even if Apollo succeeds, how will this stop the Eastern Alliance from launching their missiles? Why not just have Apollo tell the Galactica to travel to Terra and destroy the missile attack? The answer, of course, is that there wouldn't be much of a story.

Sadly, there are many other flaws. Apollo says he can't reach Terra because the distance is too great, so he is "teleported" right in front of the planet. So how is it that Starbuck is able to eventually reach the planet on his own? Logically, he wouldn't have had enough fuel. Adama's decision to pull the Galactica out of the fleet is more out of whack than it may first appear. He didn't do that in earlier episodes when Starbuck or Apollo were crashed/stranded. This time Adama doesn't even know who the two pilots are, and yet he pulls the Galactica out of the fleet.

Even more ludicrous is the idea that the Galactica travels to Terra at light speed (and not just because it is scientifically implausible). If the Galactica was traveling to Terra at the speed of light, they should have reached Terra almost instantly (in fact, they probably could have found Earth during the pilot episode!) And how is it that the Galactica was able to travel to Terra unmolested? Surely there would be Eastern Alliance destroyers patrolling the area around the planet. And how does the Eastern Alliance not know that the Galactica was responsible for destroying their missiles? Surely the Galactica would have been picked up on their scanners.

Also, the West President's reasoning for withholding knowledge of the Eastern Alliance's attacks is questionable. Why does he think he can make peace with the Eastern Alliance if they are constantly attacking him? And if the Eastern Alliance has wiped out all of the West's satellite planets, how could the President possibly prevent word of this from leaking out? It's not realistic at all. Plus, the idea that the Eastern Alliance would be willing to destroy the entire planet (at least half of which they own) is pretty ridiculous. Okay, they ARE Bad Guys, but what's the point of destroying most of their empire when they were already winning the war?

With such a long list of problems, you would think that this is a terrible episode. Amazingly, this isn't the case. In fact, Experiment In Terra still ranks as one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica. Seeing the Ship of Lights again is a treat, and Edward Mulhare is delightful as John, Apollo's guide. This episode is another example where the great production values and strong performances from the actors are able to overcome the plot inconsistencies. What makes Experiment In Terra work so well is that its plot holes aren't immediately noticeable. I didn't realize how many there were until I sat down and really thought about it. Apollo's mission to save Terra, as pointless as it winds up being, is still extremely engrossing. Apollo's speech to the Precidium is very dramatic and moving, even though (as we've already said) everything Apollo does on Terra turns out to be a waste of time since nothing he does has any chance of preventing the Eastern Alliance from launching its missiles.

This episode is extra fun to watch if you're aware that the script was originally written with the roles of Starbuck and Apollo reversed. After Richard Hatch complained that his character was getting the shaft, the script was quickly rewritten with the dialogue mostly remaining the same, resulting in Apollo talking suspiciously like Starbuck. At one point, Apollo says "Felgercarb" for the first time ever!

The ending scene is touching, as John tells Apollo that Terra is not Earth but "You must have faith." Many Galactica fans have interpreted this to mean that Apollo would successfully complete the journey to Earth.

Here are some humorous notes from British writer Matthew Wharmby:

* I'm sorry, but I thought the final scene was tremendously weak. All that buildup to a good scrap, heart-stopping music included, let down with a pathetic green shield spat out of the front of the Galactica. And from a terrible angle made necessary by two separately matted halves; one of Earth and one of the Galactica's underside. And you don't mean to tell me that the Galactica could extend such a shield over the whole planet? If so, why couldn't she have performed the same thing over Caprica in the pilot, and let the attacking Cylon fighters blow themselves up in it?
* Nobody seems too panicked about the impending nuclear annihilation! I don't know about you, but when us kids growing up in the late Cold War used to speculate nervously about the four-minute warning, the usual consensus was that we'd be doing, well, what it takes four minutes to do. 'You can do it twice,' the girls would quip.
* I'm not mad keen on Brenda's attitude. If every girl who had boyfriend trouble called the Old Bill on such a weak pretext, there wouldn't be a bloke alive out of prison!

=== [[Take the Celestra]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five'''

This is probably the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. A lot of people will probably disagree, but I have to go with this choice simply because I found this episode to be incredibly boring. The Magnificent Warriors and The Lost Warrior were also really bad (and they were certainly more simplistic), but they were never really boring. A story focusing on the hardships of voyaging on the rag tag fleet is a great idea, but this episode takes one self-destructive turn after another and may be the best example of a wasted opportunity for the series. Many of BG's bad episodes were somewhat saved by wonderful performances from the actors, but there is nothing here that stands out (although the Starbuck/Cassiopea reconciliation at the end is a nice moment). Starbuck and Apollo actually look stale. This is one of the few times that neither Richard Hatch nor Dirk Benedict are able to rise above the mediocre writing. Commander Kronus is incredibly boring - a static, stale character with little depth. Because it's hard to care about the character, it's hard to feel anything during the "dramatic" finish when Kronus dies. Given the moronic decisions he makes, I felt like saying "Good riddance." On the other hand, Ana Alicia suceeds in making Aurora interesting, but she is mostly wasted in this episode. Unfortunately, her boyfriend is more boring than Kronus, and I just wanted him to shut up. Despite these issues, the main problem with Take The Celestra lies in the script itself.

One of the biggest (yet least noted) flaws of Battlestar Galactica was the way it portrayed life in the rag-tag fleet. Day-to-day existence on a fleet of mostly derelict ships would no doubt be a grueling struggle for survival. Yet the series rarely ever indicated this. Most scenes with civilians consisted of parties, gambling, and triad games aboard the Rising Star! (hardly the most accurate look we could have been given) Take The Celestra was the perfect vehicle to change this, but unfortunately the writers took the easy way out. Aurora and the other mutineers were "illegally forced" to work so many double shifts. This makes the issue of right and wrong very easy to determine, but consider another direction the writers could have taken.

What if the harsh working conditions existed throughout the entire fleet? (and, logically, they should have) What if Aurora and the others were not working harder than anyone else and simply decided they had had enough? Would they be morally right in trying to escape the fleet (considering that the loss of manpower would likely hurt the remaining Colonials)? Apollo, Starbuck and the rest of the military are always talking about the importance of freedom. Apollo talks about it strongly in his speech to the Precedium in Experiment In Terra. When Starbuck tries to convince the prisoners to rebel in The Long Patrol, he says "You have rights. You're human beings!" When they finally escape, he says, "That's freedom." An interesting idea to explore is how free the Colonials actually were. Surely many of them wanted to settle on some of the planets the fleet passed by. If Adama refused their wishes, he would technically be restricting their freedom. Unfortunately, this kind of story is problematic because the extent of Adama's power is never clear; in fact, it varies from episode to episode (depending whatever works best for the story that week). But this kind of story would have made it a tough call as to whether Aurora and her friends were right and whether Starbuck and Apollo were totally justified in stopping them.

Anyway, that's the episode I would have liked to see, or anything other than what we did see, the most boring Galactica episode to date. The story is riddled with holes, outdone perhaps only by Experiment In Terra. Whereas that story's flaws are not immediately noticeable, most of this story's flaws are. Commander Kronus' decision to immediately shuttle the prisoners back to the fleet despite being so far away doesn't make much sense. His accompanying the shuttle makes even less sense. Colonial law states that a commander has to personally take the mutineers in for charges? Huh? Even when his ship is out in the middle of nowhere? Okay. Whatever. Kronus should have waited until the Celestra rejoined the fleet. His decision makes him look like an idiot.

How is it that Chakka is able to get almost the entire crew to mutiny with him on a whim? He couldn't have been planning mutiny beforehand because he had expected to become commander of the Celestra. And if the entire crew wasn't with him in the mutiny, then how could he have expected to get away with powering down the ship? And could Starbuck and Apollo both be so clueless that they wouldn't be able to remember which heading the fleet was on? And how does the shuttle run out of fuel so fast? And how is it that Kronus could not have known or heard about any of the harsh working conditions? The Celestra isn't that big of a ship. Are we to believe that he never left the bridge? To top it off, why is there such an urgent need in the final battle scene to "level out" the Celestra? It's not as though there were any ships or planets around that it could crash into. Almost nothing in this episode makes any sense.

The minor plot of Cassiopeia agonizing over Starbuck's evasiveness in their relationship is far more compelling than the main plot of the Celestra mutiny. But even the Starbuck/Aurora plot has problems. For one thing, the writers have Starbuck act like a total jerk by skipping his date with Cassie so he can see Aurora. Why would Cassie put up with that? And how is it that Starbuck had a serious relationship with Aurora going during the time of the Destruction? Didn't he clearly have something going with Athena back then? (If there's anything worse than the writers making things up as they go, it's when they unmake things up as they go.)

Anyway, this only makes Starbuck look like a bigger womanizer than anyone thought (not exactly the best way to endear him to viewers). Aurora makes a valid point in her anger towards him. If Starbuck really did care about her, why didn't he check to see if her name was in the fleet computer? Just because her house was destroyed doesn't mean for certain that she was killed. It's also highly questionable that Starbuck ever made it back to Caprica after the Cylons attacked. We've never been given any indication that anyone besides Adama and Apollo ever went back. Considering how dangerous it would have been (not to mention how strong a chance that someone might have led the Cylons back to the Galactica), it's absolutely ludicrous to suggest Adama would have allowed anyone to return to the planet.

I almost want to pretend that this episode was just a bad dream. Fortunately, the very next episode would raise the roof.

===[[The Hand of God]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five.'''

They saved the best for last. ''The Hand Of God'' is arguably the best episode of Battlestar Galactica, and my personal favorite.

No doubt about it, ''The Hand of God'' is Galactica at its best. Donald Bellisario shows the other writers how it's done, pulling out all the stops with this one. Both the script and the performances are stellar. Never before have the characters been portrayed in such a powerful way. Although there is nothing innovative about the basic plot itself (The Galactica battles the Cylons again), there are enough things going on that make this story extremely engrossing.

This episode is fascinating from start to finish. Visually, it is a treat as we get to see the inside of a Cylon basestar's landing bay for the first time. We also get to see Cylon Centurions boarding their ships for the first time. And the Celestial Observation Dome is a marvel, as is Apollo's analogy that being inside it is like riding in the Hand of God.

What makes this story especially memorable is the culmination of a story thread that has been running since ''War of the Gods''. In that episode, we see the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba. Nothing happens in the other episodes following, although Anne Lockhart does a good job showing, in a subtle way, Sheba's emerging feelings for Apollo.

Kudos go to both Anne Lockhart and Laurette Spang for winning performances. Sheba's confrontation with Apollo and their kiss inside the Cylon raider is the best scene of the episode. That and Cassiopeia's argument with Starbuck in the landing bay are both incredibly moving, providing each actress with her stand-out moment of the series. It really gives the viewer a chance to appreciate the range of Anne and Laurette. Women on this show were usually stuck in the background; this episode placed demands on each actress they rarely had to face. Give each one credit for not dropping the ball. Fortunately, they are both aided by outstanding dialogue from Bellisario. Of course, Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, and Herbert Jefferson, Jr. hold up their end as well. Starbuck, Apollo, and Boomer clasping hands in the pilots barracks (with the accompanying music score) powerfully expresses the bond of their friendship more than words ever could.

Extra congratulations go to Donald Bellisario who also directed this episode. His use of slow motion twice during Starbuck and Apollo's battles with Cylon Centurions make the scenes much more intense and suspenseful. Let's face it. Thanks to ABC's family-friendly censors, the Cylons often looked like a joke (Remember ''The Young Lords'' when Starbuck and five children wiped out an entire Cylon garrison?). If Starbuck and Apollo's shootout scenes had been shown in real time, there would have been little (if any) impact.

Another reason ''The Hand of God'' works so well is because the Cylons were not featured in the previous seven or eight episodes. Glen Larson wisely saw that the constant reusing of the same space battle footage was hurting the stories and thus moved the Cylons into the background after ''Fire In Space''. So much time has passed since then that the Cylons seem revitalized. There's nothing spectacular about the dogfight between the vipers and raiders or the slugfest between the Galactica and the Cylon basestar (since it's the same footage seen in previous episodes), but the story is compelling enough that it all still works.

If there is one flaw with this story, it is the idea that Adama would attack a Cylon basestar and risk the fate of the entire human race just for the sake of wreaking some vengeance. This is the same man who told Commander Cain, "I'm not interested in military victories. I'm interested in saving lives. What few of them are left." It would have worked better to have a scenario where the Galactica simply could not backtrack and thus was forced to attack the Cylons. Still, it is a minor flaw in an overall outstanding script.

It is extremely frustrating that we never see a follow-up to Apollo and Sheba's relationship since this was the final episode. For fans who would like to see some kind of continuation, there are some fan fiction stories that I highly recommend. There is a short story called ''My Father's Daughter'' which takes place immediately following the events of ''The Hand of God'' and is quite simply the best Sheba story I have ever read. Three other novels, ''Second Coming'', ''Joint Maneuvers'', and ''The Race For Earth'' also explore Apollo and Sheba's relationship and are outstanding. These stories are all available free online at a site I own called [http://freegalacticafanfictionnovels.weebly.com Free Battlestar Galactica Fan Fiction Novels].

Many fans were and still are saddened that the original show ended so soon. Personally, I'm at peace with it. If the show had to end, ''The Hand of God'' may have been the best way to close the curtain. After reading Glen Larson's [[Battlestar_Galactica:_Year_Two_proposal|Season Two proposal]], all I can say is, "Thank god the show ended when it did!" It appears that, if there had been a second season, half the cast would have been cut in order to save money, Sheba would have been killed off, Commander Cain would have returned as a Cylon android, and Apollo would have shirked his responsibilities and started partying and messing around with numerous women. Ugh!!!

I think I can accept Battlestar Galactica for what it was, always remembering that the light that shines twice as bright only burns half as long.

== Galactica 1980 Episode Reviews ==

=== [[Galactica Discovers Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

Galactica Discovers Earth turns out to be a watchable pilot, but watchable is about all. From the very first episode, Galactica 1980 is clearly nothing more than an attempt by ABC to cash in on the Galactica name by creating a cheap show that simply reuses the expensive special effects stock footage from the original series. The later episodes would only reinforce this. Kent McCord (Troy) and Barry Van Dyke (Dillon) come off as inferior clones of Starbuck and Apollo. In fact, the script for the pilot was originally written for Starbuck and Apollo. When those plans changed, the names were simply switched to Troy and Dillon. Jamie Hamilton comes off as a carbon copy of Lois Lane. Unfortunately, we are never given any backstory to any of these characters.

This may be the only pilot in television history in which the premise changes in the middle of the episode! At first it's about advancing Earth's technology in order to fight the Cylons. Then it suddenly changes and is about capturing a time-traveling villain. It's really bizarre. Anyway, the time travel journey to Nazi Germany is never particularly interesting, partly because Xaviar just isn't that compelling of a villain, but mostly because this is NOT Battlestar Galactica.

The idea of the Galactica having to protect a primitive Earth from the Cylons is actually a compelling premise, but the problem is that Dr. Zee's plan to slowly increase Earth's technology is flawed. At the rate in which the Colonials were going, it probably would have taken at least decades to get Earth's technology increased enough to be able to fight the Cylons. Long before then, the Cylons would probably tire of waiting and decide to just destroy the Colonial fleet. Even if the Cylons didn't attack, how far could the Galactica lead the Cylons away from Earth before they (the Colonials) were too far away from the planet to ever go back there? It probably would have been smarter to temporarily abandon Earth and lead the Cylons away until Dr. Zee could invent some technology that would allow the Colonials to destroy the Cylon armada. (Actually, since Colonial Vipers can now turn invisible, it should have been fairly easy for the Colonials to launch a surprise attack on the Cylons and defeat them once and for all!)

The problem with the original premise of Galactica 1980 is that it would have eventually become tiresome: Troy and Dillon each week would find a way to introduce some new technology (clean nuclear power, etc.) which would make some small improvement, but do little to bring Earth up to the level it would need be to fight the Cylons. As a result, the series could never evolve to the next level (i.e. Earth is ready to fight the Cylons), because the series' budget was too small for any kind of "final battle". As a result, Galactica 1980 was stuck in a rut from the get-go. It tried to distract viewers from the main plot (the Cylon threat) with time travel and cub scout outings because there was little that could be done with the original premise. It might have worked well as a single movie or perhaps a series of movies, but it's unlikely that Galactica 1980 could have ever jelled as a weekly series.

The show looks second-rate. For example, take the opening sequence. This has to be one of the worst opening sequences in television history. It's nothing but a series of stock footage shots from the original show haphazardly thrown together. Even the rendition of the Galactica theme seems inferior to the one we heard on the original show.

That said, there is some nice chemistry between the trio of Troy, Dillon and Jamie. There's one particularly touching scene in part 3 when Jamie says goodbye to Troy and Dillon at the bus stop. But whatever positives the actors had would not be enough to overcome a number of self-destructive turns that would begin with the very next episode.

=== [[The Super Scouts]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Super Scouts arrive, and Galactica 1980 plummets into an abyss it would not survive. In the beginning, we're forced to endure a series of boring classroom educational lessons. Things get even worse when the intergalactic 'Our Gang' reaches Earth. We get ultra-cute campfire songs and even more educational lessons shoved down are throats. The original series had flaws, but at least it never insulted its viewers with sitcom humor or by getting into preachy moral issues. Galactica 1980 gives us an ultra-simplistic environmental message of "Don't pollute the water," and does so with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

One could make the case that Galactica 1980 is a great tool for writers to learn how NOT to write drama. One key is to create powerful villains and put the heroes in situations that are difficult to deal with. But all of the villains in Galactica 1980 are weak. The Colonials have so many advantages over the people of Earth - spaceships, super powers, invisibility fields - that they are essentially invincible, thus robbing the series of any possible drama. In Galactica 1980, there are no worthy villains. The bumbling cops and incompetent military personnel never have a prayer of apprehending Troy and Dillon, so there's no suspense. And it's certainly not funny to watch Earthlings constantly being confounded by extra-terrestrials. Yet that is what we're forced to endure again and again throughout the entire series.

=== [[Spaceball]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

This is crap. Spaceball is the worst, most hated episode of Galactica 1980. It's silly, stupid, and just plain dumb. Little kids playing baseball??? This is Battlestar Galactica??? Spaceball may be the most inconsequential hour of science fiction ever made. It's nothing less than an insult to the original series that this bionic version of ''The Bad News Bears'' was shot under the Galactica name.

=== [[The Night The Cylons Landed]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five (Poor)'''

The Night The Cylons Landed is the best episode since the pilot. Of course, this isn't saying much, since watching a blank screen would have been almost as entertaining as the previous two episodes. Anyway, the Super Scouts are finally relegated to the background. This expands on the storyline involving the evolution of the Cylons over the 30 years since the destruction of the Colonies. A new, bigger, and more powerful Cylon raider carrying a newly advanced Cylon lifeform crashlands on Earth. Two surviving Cylons attempt to communicate with the Cylon armada to tell them of Earth's location. This is a cool idea, but the execution is terrible. We are treated to so much silliness, culminating with Troy and Dillon dancing on stage with cartoon characters like Yogi Bear! There are other problems. The more powerful, heavily armored Cylon raider is crippled after the punier viper rams into it??? The viper certainly doesn't hit it very hard. If the Cylons were a joke in the original series, then in Galactica 1980 they are a laughing stock. Andromus, the evolved Cylon clone of a human, certainly doesn't look or act very advanced. Centuri, his Centurion buddy, comes across as being even sillier with his constant banter of "I will protect you. That is my mission." This is the monstrous, all-powerful race which threatens the Earth's destruction and that the Colonials are so concerned about??? The two Cylons provide some funny moments, but it can't make up for the letdown of a plot that had so much potential.

With this episode, Galactica 1980 provides yet another example of how NOT to write drama. Conventional storytelling says that when you have a character trying to solve a mystery, you want the audience to move along at the same pace as the character. If the audience knows more than the character does, they find themselves simply waiting for the character to catch up, which is boring. Unfortunately, Galactica 1980 violates this basic rule of storytelling as we're forced to endure Colonel Briggs's investigation of the aliens. We know everything, he knows nothing, and thus there is nothing even remotely interesting about the subplot.

=== [[Space Croppers]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Space Croppers starts out interesting, but quickly takes an abrupt nosedive into looney land. The plot parallels that of [[The Magnificent Warriors]]. Due to the destruction of the fleet's agroships by a Cylon attack, another source of food supply must be found. The Magnificent Warriors was a terrible episode, so it must be considered quite a feat that Space Croppers turns out to be even worse.

The plight of the Alonso family to save their farm never becomes the least bit interesting. Even worse are the 'educational beats' that bring the story to a grinding halt: a lecture about Hispanic history, the soil requirements for planting legumes, and how rainfull is produced. This is beyond bad. It's unwatchable.

If Dr. Zee is such a genius, why doesn't it ever occur to him to use Galactican technology to create money so the Colonials can simply buy the food that they need? I guess such a simple solution would have made this story pointless.

Furthermore, the Imperious Leader's plan to force the Galactica to lead the Cylons to Earth makes no sense. How could Imperious Leader know that Earth was nearby? And if he did know, why not just destroy the Colonial fleet and conduct a search of the nearby planets? Did anything on this series make sense? Was anything supposed to?

Last, and certainly least, Troy and Dillon bouncing high in the air and throwing seeds while the Super Scouts sing their song is hands down the most ludicrous thing ever shown on Galactica 1980, and that's saying something.

=== [[The Return of Starbuck]] ===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five (Outstanding)'''

This is undeniably the best and most popular episode of Galactica 1980. It is even better than most of the episodes of Battlestar Galactica. What is there not to love about this episode? There are so many outstanding scenes: Adama's chilling reaction to Dr. Zee's mention of Starbuck; Boomer's heartwrenching goodbye to Starbuck, Adama explaining to Boomer that they can't go back to find him; Adama saying his farewell to Starbuck; Starbuck's rationalizations about how the planet belongs to him; Angela's words, "Starbuck, would you die for me?"; Starbuck sacrificing his chance to return to the fleet to give Angela and her baby a better chance; Starbuck's goodbye to Cy. The list goes on. Best of all, we see growth in Starbuck's character! A true classic to be treasured for all time by Galactica fans.

This episode is based on an earlier script written for the second season of Battlestar Galactica that never happened. The main differences are that a regular woman appears (not Angela), and Starbuck is eventually rescued by Boomer. The only thing believed to have been taken intact from the early script is Starbuck's dialogue with Cy. While that would no doubt have been a tremendous episode, it still would not have come close to being as great as this one is. The reason why is very simple. One of the problems with creating dramatic and suspenseful stories in any weekly series is that the viewer knows the hero will ultimately prevail. For example, when Starbuck is accused of murder in [[Murder on the Rising Star]], there is little in terms of suspense because it is a foregone conclusion that Starbuck will be vindicated, just as it is a forgone conclusion that Starbuck isn't going to die in [[The Young Lords]] when he is hunted by the Cylons on the planet Attila. In the beginning of The Return Of Starbuck, it is quickly established that Adama doesn't know what happened to Starbuck and that Starbuck never returned from the mission where he was shot down. As a result, in what is most unusual for any action/adventure television story, the viewer sits through the entire episode knowing that Starbuck isn't going to make it!

This makes the story much more gripping and intense than virtually any other episode of either series. The grim reality of Starbuck's eventual fate is all reinforced by Angela's question "Starbuck, will you die for me?" and her warnings of disaster, telling him that he must prepare to make "the final judgement." Of course, we do not actually see Starbuck die at the end of the story. Larson leaves Starbuck's fate ambiguous, especially since an intact Cylon raider is left nearby. Having Starbuck die would have been a gutsy and innovative move, but the ending shown is really for the best. The beauty of the ending is that it lets the viewers make their own interpretation of Starbuck's fate. If one goes with the idea that a single person alone cannot fly a Cylon raider, then Starbuck could have easily died on the planet. Many fans don't consider Galactica 1980 to be canon for the original series, except for this episode. With the interpretation that Galactica 1980 didn't happen, Starbuck could possibly have flown the Cylon raider back to the fleet, returning to Apollo, Adama, Sheba, and the other original characters. Much Galactica fan fiction over the years has interpreted the episode in this manner.

Despite having a small role, Lorne Greene gives what may be his best performance ever as Commander Adama. The look on his face when he asks Dr. Zee to tell him his dream is worth a thousand words. His farewell to Starbuck, saying that he loves him, is also incredibly powerful. A wonderful performance!

In conclusion, ''The Return of Starbuck'' is an incredible ending to the series and a worthy finish to the Battlestar Galactica saga overall. ''Galactica 1980'' was crap, but it sure went out with a bang.

== Galactica Comics ==

=== [[Galactica 1980 1|Galactica 1980 comic series]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Comic adaptations of television shows are often very good because the writers are free from the usual constraints that a television show faces: limited budgets, censors, and network meddling in the storylines. Unfortunately, this is a double-edged sword, as the comic book writers' unlimited freedom sometimes allows the story to go flying off the rails.

Such is the case with the Galactica 1980 comic series, a cool idea that feels like a missed opportunity. First, the comic does a number of things right. It is a reboot rather than a continuation, delivering a ''War of the Worlds'' type story with the Colonials and Cylons battling over Earth. It even makes Dr. Zee a villian, a great move considering that Zee is hands down the most hated character in the entire Galactica universe. It's also great that Baltar and Lucifer are in it, leading the Cylons to Earth. Unfortunately, writer Marc Guggenheim decides to go for shock value. In the first issue, we learn that Troy is a drunk and Adama is suicidal. Personally, I found this ugly and disturbing.

Even worse is the end of issue #1 when the Galactica is destroyed by nukes. Again, it feels like the writer is just trying to hit us with one shocking surprise after another. Surprises can be great fun, but I get annoyed when they lack logic as this one does. Why would Adama be so stupid as to fly the Galactica directly over the White House without first sending a message and waiting to see what the response would be? This just makes no sense.

And I just didn't like seeing the Galactica destroyed. After all, this ''is'' Galactica 1980, so therefore the Galactica should be in it. If the Galactica had to be destroyed, it should have happened in the final issue (#4), not the first.

Lo and behold, we get yet another shocking surprise in issue #2 when Dillon is killed off (and rather undramatically). I have a big problem with this as well. Troy and Dillon were the heroes of Galactica 1980, and I just don't think that either should have been killed (at least not less than halfway through the story). I was also disappointed that Jamie Hamilton is given nothing more than a cameo appearance in issue #4. Given that she was one of the main characters on the original show, she should have had a larger role in the story.

In the end, I wish Guggenheim had written a story that might have been done on television if not for the limited budget and children's hour restrictions that ultimately crippled the series. The ''War of the Worlds'' premise was perfect for Galactica 1980, but in this case the execution fell short.

== The Galactica Telemovies ==

=== [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

The opening sequence is outstanding, although it mostly uses footage from the original series. It has a truly epic feel, and it gives the impression that we will see a grand conclusion to the Battlestar Galactica saga. Sadly, this does not happen. Still, Adama's opening declaration that Earth has been found is also magnificent, much better done than it was in the original episode. By removing the time-travel subplot as well as much of the silliness including Troy and Dillon dancing on stage, the whole is better than any of the original Galactica 1980 episodes it is composed of. Yet this hardly makes ''Conquest of the Earth'' a great movie. The opening minutes rate five stars, yet starting with the first appearance of Dr. Zee (who bizarrely speaks with two different voices), the rest of the movie rates much lower.

=== [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack (VHS)|Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

This movie is less entertaining than the individual episodes it is composed of (The Living Legend and Fire In Space). The separate episodes don't mesh together seamlessly, resulting in several plot holes and odd hairstyle changes between scenes. The movie especially suffers because many great scenes from The Living Legend episode are missing. All scenes and dialogue relating to Starbuck's relationship with Cassiopeia are cut, which only makes the Cain/Cassiopeia subplot less interesting. The battle scenes are a little more elaborate because additional stock footage is used, but that's not enough to overcome the movie's deficiencies. A different sound effect is used for the engines of the Cylon raiders that's a little jarring for anyone who is a die-hard fan of the original show.

Bottom line, this movie is only recommended for curiosity's sake.

== Berkley Books ==
=== [[Saga of a Star World (Book)|Saga of a Star World]] ===
'''Flagship of the 12 Worlds fleet, she was as large as a planet, yet as swift as the Starhound fighters she launched from her bays. For generations the vast ship led the thousand-year war against the Cylons for control of the known Galaxy. Now that war was in its final phase, and Galactica had one final mission, win or lose: blast through the deadly grid of the Cylon Starfleet and dash for deep space in a desperate attempt to find the legendary "Stonehenge" of the universe - the lost planet the ancient microfilms call "Earth."'''

This is the opening paragraph to the Berkley novelization of the Battlestar Galactica pilot "Saga Of A Star World". This is easily one of the most fascinating Galactica books ever written, and there are a number of things that make it so interesting. First, the book is based on an early script of the pilot and, although changes were made before it came to print to make it more like the version that aired, there are a number of alternate scenes in the book. The Galactica universe is also different in several aspects, such as the Cylons are living aliens underneath their armor instead of total machines. Also, there are missing scenes left out of the final cut of the movie that survived intact in the book (Starbuck's confrontation with Tigh on the bridge after the Colonies are destroyed; Starbuck's extended conversation with Cassie on the shuttle; Adama's resigning from the Council).

Perhaps best of all, certain events are more fleshed out in the novelization than in the movie such as the surprise Cylon attack. The novelization helps to fill a number of gaping plot holes and unanswered questions that the movie was saddled with. Many chapters begin with an entry from the Adama journals, and the reader is able to learn a lot of information and insight from the Galactica's commander.

Many fans are unhappy with the Berkley books, feeling that they don't remain true to the series. I respectfully disagree. First of all, as already mentioned, the novelizations often have extra detail and explanations that help cover up plot holes that existed in the episodes. Second, the fact that the novels portray the BG universe in a slightly different way and that they are not exact retellings of the episodes is good because the books would be pretty boring otherwise. Third, some of the characters such as Athena are fleshed out better in the novels. Make no mistake, this is the best of all the Berkley novelizations and is a must-read for any fan of the original series.

== External Links ==

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/BGEPISODES.htm Battlestar Galactica Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/Wharmby.htm Matthew Wharmby's Hilarious Galactica 1980 Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

Earthquake

2011-12-19T03:29:00Z

Galactica1981: /* Get The Script */

{{unproduced|universe=1980}}
{{Episode Data
| image=Earthquake Cover.jpg
| title=Earthquake
| series=1980
| season=
| episode=
| unproduced=y
| guests=
| writer=[[Allan Cole]] and [[Chris Bunch]]
| story=
| director=
| production=
| extra=
| prev=[[The Wheel of Fire]]
| next=[[A Flight For Life]]
}}

Written by Allan Cole and Chris Bunch

== Summary ==

This is a summary of the second draft of the script.

Troy and Dillon are driving their turbocycles to the farming town of Lemoncreek, California to investigate the unusual earth tremors that have plagued the town recently. They are surprised to see a convoy of military vehicles in the area. As they pass a military research facility, Dillon's turbocycle begins to malfunction and lose power. They ask the security guard for assistance, but are told that only authorized personnel are allowed on the premises. The two shrug their shoulders and make their way to the nearest gas station.

Meanwhile, Jamie is in town doing a story on the recent tremors. She interviews a Dr. Jack Kirkwood who has predicted more earthquakes in the area. Kirkwood studies animals and natural phenomena to predict earthquakes and everyone in town thinks that he's a crackpot. Jamie then interviews Jerry Hargreaves, the director of the research center and he insists that there isn't an active faultline within a hundred miles.

Meanwhile, Troy and Dillon borrow the gas station's tools and repair the turbocycles. As they leave, they run into Jamie and take her to the Galactica to discuss the seismological activity in the area. Dr. Zee displays a visual projection of Lemoncreek and reveals that a long-dormant faultline runs through the town. He then projects a simulation of what would happen if the fault triggered an earthquake - California would fall into the ocean!

Back at the research center, the military are drilling a hole two miles deep to test a device capable of producing energy from nuclear fusion. They are unaware that their drilling caused the recent remors and could trigger a devastating earthquake.

Elsewhere, Troy, Dillon and Jamie are on their way to visit Dr. Kirkwood (with a ton of Galactica equipment strapped to their bikes) when a severe earthquake occurs. They take to the sky and head back to the town to survey the damage. After preventing a startled motorist from hitting a tree, they head to Dr. Kirkwood's farm. They offer to help determine if a quake will hit the area and are soon testing every animal in sight for signs of unusual behavior.

Later, Kirkwood is summoned to the local school. His daughter, Samantha, has been frightening her classmates by insisting that an earthquake is going to destroy the town. Kirkwood fences with Principal Berrnardi and Samantha agrees not to tell any more "wild" stories. Later at the drilling sight, the drilling is almost completed. Suddenly, another quake rocks the town. Back at the farm, the Galactican instruments go crazy and Kirkwood suspects that it might be the preshock of a major quake.

On the Galactica, Dr. Zee determines that the quake must be man-made since his instruments are unable to predict them. He and Adama contact Troy and Dillon and inform them that they must locate the source of the disturbance as soon as possible. Their instruments quickly determine that the research center is the epicenter of the quakes. Jamie theorizes that their research on food rations is a cover for something else. Kirkwood confirms their suspicions when he says that there have been rumors of very high speed drilling equipment being shipped to the research center.

Since Troy and Dillon are still wanted for kidnapping Dr. Mortinson (in Galactica Discovers Earth), they return to the Galactica while Jamie and Kirkwood go to the research center to interrogate Hargreaves. Hargreaves, a typical bureaucrat, feigns ignorance of any drilling. Jamie spots a radiation dosimeter clipped to his shirt pocket - something he wouldn't need for food ration research. Jamie says that she has a headache and excuses herself. As Kirkwood badgers Hargreaves, Jamie quietly explores the facility. She comes upon a huge control room and a voice on the P.A. system says, "Three hours to detonation - and counting." A nuclear bomb is going to be detonated in the shaft. Seconds later, Jamie is discovered by a guard and hauled away.

On the Galactica, Dr. Zee, Adama, Troy and Dillon hatch a plan to plug the hole with a collapser, a device with the properties of a black hole that will make the ground at the drill site totally impenetrable. Meanwhile, Jamie and Kirkwood have been taken to Hargreaves' office and plead with him to shut down the drilling operation. He refuses to do so, and Jamie and Kirkwood are sure that millions of people are doomed.

Elsewhere, Samantha is being scolded by Principal Bernardi for telling everyone that the research center is responsible for the quakes. When she mentions that her father is at the center putting a stop to the drilling, Bernardi says that he just called the center, and they haven't seen Dr. Kirkwood in weeks. Samantha panics and runs home as fast as she can. She arrives at the farm just as Troy and Dillon arrive and begs them to find her father. Troy gives her his Languatron so she can keep in touch with them, and the duo head to the research center.

They enter the center invisibly and discover, as Jamie did, that a nuclear bomb is going to be detonated in the drilling shaft in fifty minutes. They contact the Galactica and Dr. Zee tells them that the collapser will neutralize the bomb, but only if it is placed directly above it. As they make their way to the drilling site, their invisible bodies are picked up by a ground radar and a nervous soldier sounds the alarm. Troy and Dillon reach the mine entrance just as their invisibility shields run out of power. Before entering the mine, the duo contact Samantha and tell her to warn the town that they may be hit by a major quake in the next few minutes. Samantha frantically calls the school and begs Principal Bernardi to evacuate the children. Bernardi wrestles with his feelings and finally pulls the fire alarm.

Elsewhere, Troy and Dillon burst into the drilling chamber. They run to the hole which has a bolted-down cover on it. Troy draws his laser and blasts the lid off the hole. They take the collapser from Dillon's pack and set it to explode in two minutes. They drop it down the hole and then run. They escape just as the collapser detonates and the mine explodes.<ref>''Galactic Sci-Fi Television Series Revisited.'' Alpha Control Press. 1995</ref>

Afterwards, Hargreaves realizes his mistake and apologizes to Troy and Dillon. The two heroes say goodbye to Samantha and her father before heading off.

==Notes==

* This script features a scientist named Hargreaves as the villain who works in a military research facility.
* The first draft of the script featured Xaviar as the villain (although he never appears on-screen). The script was rewritten when it was decided that the Xaviar character would not be used again after the pilot episode (although the character eventually did return in [[Spaceball]]).

== Official Statements ==

* Writer Chris Bunch on Earthquake:

:"After the pilot was produced, we sold a script called Earthquake over the phone to Jeff Freilich, when he called us to see if we had anything the day he started on the show, and we came up with some fast buzzy-wuzzy crap that might convince him to Give Us Money. Something to do with earthquakes. So he says we have a deal, come on out and let's work the details out. We jumped in the car, with nada in the way of a plot, and Thought Fast. About the time we got off the freeway, we had a couple of vague ideas to flesh out our first dumb sentence.

:"The first draft of the script featured Xaviar, but then it was decided that they weren't going to use Xaviar anymore, which creates a small credibility problem, like we don't believe anybody but a Major Bad Guy can create an earthquake and he better have himself a Fiendish Thingie. We reworked the script and came up with Nutball Hargreaves, underground nuclear tests, roboticized security and the rest is (isn't) film history."<ref>''Galactic Sci-Fi Television Series Revisited.'' Alpha Control Press. 1995</ref> (Click [[Humor (1980)|here]] to read the entire interview.)

== Get The Script ==

* [http://www.mediafire.com/?rl3fyi56n15h55h Click here to download a free PDF copy of this script.] The last 6 pages of the script are missing.

== External Links ==

* [http://allan-cole.blogspot.com/2011/08/summoned-to-black-tower.html Summoned to the Black Tower] - Allan Cole offers a detailed account of how he and Chris Bunch sold the Earthquake script. This blog has numerous stories of their work as story editors on Galactica 1980. Read the blog entries for 2009 and 2011. Warning: Explicit language.

* [http://allan-cole.blogspot.com/2011_07_01_archive.html The Galactica 1980 Fiasco] - Allan Cole explains why he believes Galactica 1980 was the second worst television show ever made. Warning: Explicit language.

== References ==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

{{Unproduced episode list}}

Earthquake

2011-12-04T13:15:39Z

Galactica1981: /* External Links */

{{unproduced|universe=1980}}
{{Episode Data
| image=Earthquake Cover.jpg
| title=Earthquake
| series=1980
| season=
| episode=
| unproduced=y
| guests=
| writer=[[Allan Cole]] and [[Chris Bunch]]
| story=
| director=
| production=
| extra=
| prev=[[The Wheel of Fire]]
| next=[[A Flight For Life]]
}}

Written by Allan Cole and Chris Bunch

== Summary ==

This is a summary of the second draft of the script.

Troy and Dillon are driving their turbocycles to the farming town of Lemoncreek, California to investigate the unusual earth tremors that have plagued the town recently. They are surprised to see a convoy of military vehicles in the area. As they pass a military research facility, Dillon's turbocycle begins to malfunction and lose power. They ask the security guard for assistance, but are told that only authorized personnel are allowed on the premises. The two shrug their shoulders and make their way to the nearest gas station.

Meanwhile, Jamie is in town doing a story on the recent tremors. She interviews a Dr. Jack Kirkwood who has predicted more earthquakes in the area. Kirkwood studies animals and natural phenomena to predict earthquakes and everyone in town thinks that he's a crackpot. Jamie then interviews Jerry Hargreaves, the director of the research center and he insists that there isn't an active faultline within a hundred miles.

Meanwhile, Troy and Dillon borrow the gas station's tools and repair the turbocycles. As they leave, they run into Jamie and take her to the Galactica to discuss the seismological activity in the area. Dr. Zee displays a visual projection of Lemoncreek and reveals that a long-dormant faultline runs through the town. He then projects a simulation of what would happen if the fault triggered an earthquake - California would fall into the ocean!

Back at the research center, the military are drilling a hole two miles deep to test a device capable of producing energy from nuclear fusion. They are unaware that their drilling caused the recent remors and could trigger a devastating earthquake.

Elsewhere, Troy, Dillon and Jamie are on their way to visit Dr. Kirkwood (with a ton of Galactica equipment strapped to their bikes) when a severe earthquake occurs. They take to the sky and head back to the town to survey the damage. After preventing a startled motorist from hitting a tree, they head to Dr. Kirkwood's farm. They offer to help determine if a quake will hit the area and are soon testing every animal in sight for signs of unusual behavior.

Later, Kirkwood is summoned to the local school. His daughter, Samantha, has been frightening her classmates by insisting that an earthquake is going to destroy the town. Kirkwood fences with Principal Berrnardi and Samantha agrees not to tell any more "wild" stories. Later at the drilling sight, the drilling is almost completed. Suddenly, another quake rocks the town. Back at the farm, the Galactican instruments go crazy and Kirkwood suspects that it might be the preshock of a major quake.

On the Galactica, Dr. Zee determines that the quake must be man-made since his instruments are unable to predict them. He and Adama contact Troy and Dillon and inform them that they must locate the source of the disturbance as soon as possible. Their instruments quickly determine that the research center is the epicenter of the quakes. Jamie theorizes that their research on food rations is a cover for something else. Kirkwood confirms their suspicions when he says that there have been rumors of very high speed drilling equipment being shipped to the research center.

Since Troy and Dillon are still wanted for kidnapping Dr. Mortinson (in Galactica Discovers Earth), they return to the Galactica while Jamie and Kirkwood go to the research center to interrogate Hargreaves. Hargreaves, a typical bureaucrat, feigns ignorance of any drilling. Jamie spots a radiation dosimeter clipped to his shirt pocket - something he wouldn't need for food ration research. Jamie says that she has a headache and excuses herself. As Kirkwood badgers Hargreaves, Jamie quietly explores the facility. She comes upon a huge control room and a voice on the P.A. system says, "Three hours to detonation - and counting." A nuclear bomb is going to be detonated in the shaft. Seconds later, Jamie is discovered by a guard and hauled away.

On the Galactica, Dr. Zee, Adama, Troy and Dillon hatch a plan to plug the hole with a collapser, a device with the properties of a black hole that will make the ground at the drill site totally impenetrable. Meanwhile, Jamie and Kirkwood have been taken to Hargreaves' office and plead with him to shut down the drilling operation. He refuses to do so, and Jamie and Kirkwood are sure that millions of people are doomed.

Elsewhere, Samantha is being scolded by Principal Bernardi for telling everyone that the research center is responsible for the quakes. When she mentions that her father is at the center putting a stop to the drilling, Bernardi says that he just called the center, and they haven't seen Dr. Kirkwood in weeks. Samantha panics and runs home as fast as she can. She arrives at the farm just as Troy and Dillon arrive and begs them to find her father. Troy gives her his Languatron so she can keep in touch with them, and the duo head to the research center.

They enter the center invisibly and discover, as Jamie did, that a nuclear bomb is going to be detonated in the drilling shaft in fifty minutes. They contact the Galactica and Dr. Zee tells them that the collapser will neutralize the bomb, but only if it is placed directly above it. As they make their way to the drilling site, their invisible bodies are picked up by a ground radar and a nervous soldier sounds the alarm. Troy and Dillon reach the mine entrance just as their invisibility shields run out of power. Before entering the mine, the duo contact Samantha and tell her to warn the town that they may be hit by a major quake in the next few minutes. Samantha frantically calls the school and begs Principal Bernardi to evacuate the children. Bernardi wrestles with his feelings and finally pulls the fire alarm.

Elsewhere, Troy and Dillon burst into the drilling chamber. They run to the hole which has a bolted-down cover on it. Troy draws his laser and blasts the lid off the hole. They take the collapser from Dillon's pack and set it to explode in two minutes. They drop it down the hole and then run. They escape just as the collapser detonates and the mine explodes.<ref>''Galactic Sci-Fi Television Series Revisited.'' Alpha Control Press. 1995</ref>

Afterwards, Hargreaves realizes his mistake and apologizes to Troy and Dillon. The two heroes say goodbye to Samantha and her father before heading off.

==Notes==

* This script features a scientist named Hargreaves as the villain who works in a military research facility.
* The first draft of the script featured Xaviar as the villain (although he never appears on-screen). The script was rewritten when it was decided that the Xaviar character would not be used again after the pilot episode (although the character eventually did return in [[Spaceball]]).

== Official Statements ==

* Writer Chris Bunch on Earthquake:

:"After the pilot was produced, we sold a script called Earthquake over the phone to Jeff Freilich, when he called us to see if we had anything the day he started on the show, and we came up with some fast buzzy-wuzzy crap that might convince him to Give Us Money. Something to do with earthquakes. So he says we have a deal, come on out and let's work the details out. We jumped in the car, with nada in the way of a plot, and Thought Fast. About the time we got off the freeway, we had a couple of vague ideas to flesh out our first dumb sentence.

:"The first draft of the script featured Xaviar, but then it was decided that they weren't going to use Xaviar anymore, which creates a small credibility problem, like we don't believe anybody but a Major Bad Guy can create an earthquake and he better have himself a Fiendish Thingie. We reworked the script and came up with Nutball Hargreaves, underground nuclear tests, roboticized security and the rest is (isn't) film history."<ref>''Galactic Sci-Fi Television Series Revisited.'' Alpha Control Press. 1995</ref> (Click [[Humor (1980)|here]] to read the entire interview.)

== Get The Script ==

* [http://www.mediafire.com/?xgu656xsvnjtsmr Click here to download a free PDF copy of this script.] The last 6 pages of the script are missing.

== External Links ==

* [http://allan-cole.blogspot.com/2011/08/summoned-to-black-tower.html Summoned to the Black Tower] - Allan Cole offers a detailed account of how he and Chris Bunch sold the Earthquake script. This blog has numerous stories of their work as story editors on Galactica 1980. Read the blog entries for 2009 and 2011. Warning: Explicit language.

* [http://allan-cole.blogspot.com/2011_07_01_archive.html The Galactica 1980 Fiasco] - Allan Cole explains why he believes Galactica 1980 was the second worst television show ever made. Warning: Explicit language.

== References ==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

{{Unproduced episode list}}

Earthquake

2011-12-04T13:14:40Z

Galactica1981: /* External Links */

{{unproduced|universe=1980}}
{{Episode Data
| image=Earthquake Cover.jpg
| title=Earthquake
| series=1980
| season=
| episode=
| unproduced=y
| guests=
| writer=[[Allan Cole]] and [[Chris Bunch]]
| story=
| director=
| production=
| extra=
| prev=[[The Wheel of Fire]]
| next=[[A Flight For Life]]
}}

Written by Allan Cole and Chris Bunch

== Summary ==

This is a summary of the second draft of the script.

Troy and Dillon are driving their turbocycles to the farming town of Lemoncreek, California to investigate the unusual earth tremors that have plagued the town recently. They are surprised to see a convoy of military vehicles in the area. As they pass a military research facility, Dillon's turbocycle begins to malfunction and lose power. They ask the security guard for assistance, but are told that only authorized personnel are allowed on the premises. The two shrug their shoulders and make their way to the nearest gas station.

Meanwhile, Jamie is in town doing a story on the recent tremors. She interviews a Dr. Jack Kirkwood who has predicted more earthquakes in the area. Kirkwood studies animals and natural phenomena to predict earthquakes and everyone in town thinks that he's a crackpot. Jamie then interviews Jerry Hargreaves, the director of the research center and he insists that there isn't an active faultline within a hundred miles.

Meanwhile, Troy and Dillon borrow the gas station's tools and repair the turbocycles. As they leave, they run into Jamie and take her to the Galactica to discuss the seismological activity in the area. Dr. Zee displays a visual projection of Lemoncreek and reveals that a long-dormant faultline runs through the town. He then projects a simulation of what would happen if the fault triggered an earthquake - California would fall into the ocean!

Back at the research center, the military are drilling a hole two miles deep to test a device capable of producing energy from nuclear fusion. They are unaware that their drilling caused the recent remors and could trigger a devastating earthquake.

Elsewhere, Troy, Dillon and Jamie are on their way to visit Dr. Kirkwood (with a ton of Galactica equipment strapped to their bikes) when a severe earthquake occurs. They take to the sky and head back to the town to survey the damage. After preventing a startled motorist from hitting a tree, they head to Dr. Kirkwood's farm. They offer to help determine if a quake will hit the area and are soon testing every animal in sight for signs of unusual behavior.

Later, Kirkwood is summoned to the local school. His daughter, Samantha, has been frightening her classmates by insisting that an earthquake is going to destroy the town. Kirkwood fences with Principal Berrnardi and Samantha agrees not to tell any more "wild" stories. Later at the drilling sight, the drilling is almost completed. Suddenly, another quake rocks the town. Back at the farm, the Galactican instruments go crazy and Kirkwood suspects that it might be the preshock of a major quake.

On the Galactica, Dr. Zee determines that the quake must be man-made since his instruments are unable to predict them. He and Adama contact Troy and Dillon and inform them that they must locate the source of the disturbance as soon as possible. Their instruments quickly determine that the research center is the epicenter of the quakes. Jamie theorizes that their research on food rations is a cover for something else. Kirkwood confirms their suspicions when he says that there have been rumors of very high speed drilling equipment being shipped to the research center.

Since Troy and Dillon are still wanted for kidnapping Dr. Mortinson (in Galactica Discovers Earth), they return to the Galactica while Jamie and Kirkwood go to the research center to interrogate Hargreaves. Hargreaves, a typical bureaucrat, feigns ignorance of any drilling. Jamie spots a radiation dosimeter clipped to his shirt pocket - something he wouldn't need for food ration research. Jamie says that she has a headache and excuses herself. As Kirkwood badgers Hargreaves, Jamie quietly explores the facility. She comes upon a huge control room and a voice on the P.A. system says, "Three hours to detonation - and counting." A nuclear bomb is going to be detonated in the shaft. Seconds later, Jamie is discovered by a guard and hauled away.

On the Galactica, Dr. Zee, Adama, Troy and Dillon hatch a plan to plug the hole with a collapser, a device with the properties of a black hole that will make the ground at the drill site totally impenetrable. Meanwhile, Jamie and Kirkwood have been taken to Hargreaves' office and plead with him to shut down the drilling operation. He refuses to do so, and Jamie and Kirkwood are sure that millions of people are doomed.

Elsewhere, Samantha is being scolded by Principal Bernardi for telling everyone that the research center is responsible for the quakes. When she mentions that her father is at the center putting a stop to the drilling, Bernardi says that he just called the center, and they haven't seen Dr. Kirkwood in weeks. Samantha panics and runs home as fast as she can. She arrives at the farm just as Troy and Dillon arrive and begs them to find her father. Troy gives her his Languatron so she can keep in touch with them, and the duo head to the research center.

They enter the center invisibly and discover, as Jamie did, that a nuclear bomb is going to be detonated in the drilling shaft in fifty minutes. They contact the Galactica and Dr. Zee tells them that the collapser will neutralize the bomb, but only if it is placed directly above it. As they make their way to the drilling site, their invisible bodies are picked up by a ground radar and a nervous soldier sounds the alarm. Troy and Dillon reach the mine entrance just as their invisibility shields run out of power. Before entering the mine, the duo contact Samantha and tell her to warn the town that they may be hit by a major quake in the next few minutes. Samantha frantically calls the school and begs Principal Bernardi to evacuate the children. Bernardi wrestles with his feelings and finally pulls the fire alarm.

Elsewhere, Troy and Dillon burst into the drilling chamber. They run to the hole which has a bolted-down cover on it. Troy draws his laser and blasts the lid off the hole. They take the collapser from Dillon's pack and set it to explode in two minutes. They drop it down the hole and then run. They escape just as the collapser detonates and the mine explodes.<ref>''Galactic Sci-Fi Television Series Revisited.'' Alpha Control Press. 1995</ref>

Afterwards, Hargreaves realizes his mistake and apologizes to Troy and Dillon. The two heroes say goodbye to Samantha and her father before heading off.

==Notes==

* This script features a scientist named Hargreaves as the villain who works in a military research facility.
* The first draft of the script featured Xaviar as the villain (although he never appears on-screen). The script was rewritten when it was decided that the Xaviar character would not be used again after the pilot episode (although the character eventually did return in [[Spaceball]]).

== Official Statements ==

* Writer Chris Bunch on Earthquake:

:"After the pilot was produced, we sold a script called Earthquake over the phone to Jeff Freilich, when he called us to see if we had anything the day he started on the show, and we came up with some fast buzzy-wuzzy crap that might convince him to Give Us Money. Something to do with earthquakes. So he says we have a deal, come on out and let's work the details out. We jumped in the car, with nada in the way of a plot, and Thought Fast. About the time we got off the freeway, we had a couple of vague ideas to flesh out our first dumb sentence.

:"The first draft of the script featured Xaviar, but then it was decided that they weren't going to use Xaviar anymore, which creates a small credibility problem, like we don't believe anybody but a Major Bad Guy can create an earthquake and he better have himself a Fiendish Thingie. We reworked the script and came up with Nutball Hargreaves, underground nuclear tests, roboticized security and the rest is (isn't) film history."<ref>''Galactic Sci-Fi Television Series Revisited.'' Alpha Control Press. 1995</ref> (Click [[Humor (1980)|here]] to read the entire interview.)

== Get The Script ==

* [http://www.mediafire.com/?xgu656xsvnjtsmr Click here to download a free PDF copy of this script.] The last 6 pages of the script are missing.

== External Links ==

* [http://allan-cole.blogspot.com/2011/08/summoned-to-black-tower.html Summoned to the Black Tower] - Allan Cole offers a detailed account of how he and Chris Bunch sold the Earthquake script. This blog has numerous stories of their work as story editors on Galactica 1980. Read the blog entries for 2009 and 2011.

* [http://allan-cole.blogspot.com/2011_07_01_archive.html The Galactica 1980 Fiasco] - Allan Cole explains why he believes Galactica 1980 was the second worst television show ever made.

== References ==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

{{Unproduced episode list}}

Earthquake

2011-12-04T13:10:41Z

Galactica1981: /* External Links */

{{unproduced|universe=1980}}
{{Episode Data
| image=Earthquake Cover.jpg
| title=Earthquake
| series=1980
| season=
| episode=
| unproduced=y
| guests=
| writer=[[Allan Cole]] and [[Chris Bunch]]
| story=
| director=
| production=
| extra=
| prev=[[The Wheel of Fire]]
| next=[[A Flight For Life]]
}}

Written by Allan Cole and Chris Bunch

== Summary ==

This is a summary of the second draft of the script.

Troy and Dillon are driving their turbocycles to the farming town of Lemoncreek, California to investigate the unusual earth tremors that have plagued the town recently. They are surprised to see a convoy of military vehicles in the area. As they pass a military research facility, Dillon's turbocycle begins to malfunction and lose power. They ask the security guard for assistance, but are told that only authorized personnel are allowed on the premises. The two shrug their shoulders and make their way to the nearest gas station.

Meanwhile, Jamie is in town doing a story on the recent tremors. She interviews a Dr. Jack Kirkwood who has predicted more earthquakes in the area. Kirkwood studies animals and natural phenomena to predict earthquakes and everyone in town thinks that he's a crackpot. Jamie then interviews Jerry Hargreaves, the director of the research center and he insists that there isn't an active faultline within a hundred miles.

Meanwhile, Troy and Dillon borrow the gas station's tools and repair the turbocycles. As they leave, they run into Jamie and take her to the Galactica to discuss the seismological activity in the area. Dr. Zee displays a visual projection of Lemoncreek and reveals that a long-dormant faultline runs through the town. He then projects a simulation of what would happen if the fault triggered an earthquake - California would fall into the ocean!

Back at the research center, the military are drilling a hole two miles deep to test a device capable of producing energy from nuclear fusion. They are unaware that their drilling caused the recent remors and could trigger a devastating earthquake.

Elsewhere, Troy, Dillon and Jamie are on their way to visit Dr. Kirkwood (with a ton of Galactica equipment strapped to their bikes) when a severe earthquake occurs. They take to the sky and head back to the town to survey the damage. After preventing a startled motorist from hitting a tree, they head to Dr. Kirkwood's farm. They offer to help determine if a quake will hit the area and are soon testing every animal in sight for signs of unusual behavior.

Later, Kirkwood is summoned to the local school. His daughter, Samantha, has been frightening her classmates by insisting that an earthquake is going to destroy the town. Kirkwood fences with Principal Berrnardi and Samantha agrees not to tell any more "wild" stories. Later at the drilling sight, the drilling is almost completed. Suddenly, another quake rocks the town. Back at the farm, the Galactican instruments go crazy and Kirkwood suspects that it might be the preshock of a major quake.

On the Galactica, Dr. Zee determines that the quake must be man-made since his instruments are unable to predict them. He and Adama contact Troy and Dillon and inform them that they must locate the source of the disturbance as soon as possible. Their instruments quickly determine that the research center is the epicenter of the quakes. Jamie theorizes that their research on food rations is a cover for something else. Kirkwood confirms their suspicions when he says that there have been rumors of very high speed drilling equipment being shipped to the research center.

Since Troy and Dillon are still wanted for kidnapping Dr. Mortinson (in Galactica Discovers Earth), they return to the Galactica while Jamie and Kirkwood go to the research center to interrogate Hargreaves. Hargreaves, a typical bureaucrat, feigns ignorance of any drilling. Jamie spots a radiation dosimeter clipped to his shirt pocket - something he wouldn't need for food ration research. Jamie says that she has a headache and excuses herself. As Kirkwood badgers Hargreaves, Jamie quietly explores the facility. She comes upon a huge control room and a voice on the P.A. system says, "Three hours to detonation - and counting." A nuclear bomb is going to be detonated in the shaft. Seconds later, Jamie is discovered by a guard and hauled away.

On the Galactica, Dr. Zee, Adama, Troy and Dillon hatch a plan to plug the hole with a collapser, a device with the properties of a black hole that will make the ground at the drill site totally impenetrable. Meanwhile, Jamie and Kirkwood have been taken to Hargreaves' office and plead with him to shut down the drilling operation. He refuses to do so, and Jamie and Kirkwood are sure that millions of people are doomed.

Elsewhere, Samantha is being scolded by Principal Bernardi for telling everyone that the research center is responsible for the quakes. When she mentions that her father is at the center putting a stop to the drilling, Bernardi says that he just called the center, and they haven't seen Dr. Kirkwood in weeks. Samantha panics and runs home as fast as she can. She arrives at the farm just as Troy and Dillon arrive and begs them to find her father. Troy gives her his Languatron so she can keep in touch with them, and the duo head to the research center.

They enter the center invisibly and discover, as Jamie did, that a nuclear bomb is going to be detonated in the drilling shaft in fifty minutes. They contact the Galactica and Dr. Zee tells them that the collapser will neutralize the bomb, but only if it is placed directly above it. As they make their way to the drilling site, their invisible bodies are picked up by a ground radar and a nervous soldier sounds the alarm. Troy and Dillon reach the mine entrance just as their invisibility shields run out of power. Before entering the mine, the duo contact Samantha and tell her to warn the town that they may be hit by a major quake in the next few minutes. Samantha frantically calls the school and begs Principal Bernardi to evacuate the children. Bernardi wrestles with his feelings and finally pulls the fire alarm.

Elsewhere, Troy and Dillon burst into the drilling chamber. They run to the hole which has a bolted-down cover on it. Troy draws his laser and blasts the lid off the hole. They take the collapser from Dillon's pack and set it to explode in two minutes. They drop it down the hole and then run. They escape just as the collapser detonates and the mine explodes.<ref>''Galactic Sci-Fi Television Series Revisited.'' Alpha Control Press. 1995</ref>

Afterwards, Hargreaves realizes his mistake and apologizes to Troy and Dillon. The two heroes say goodbye to Samantha and her father before heading off.

==Notes==

* This script features a scientist named Hargreaves as the villain who works in a military research facility.
* The first draft of the script featured Xaviar as the villain (although he never appears on-screen). The script was rewritten when it was decided that the Xaviar character would not be used again after the pilot episode (although the character eventually did return in [[Spaceball]]).

== Official Statements ==

* Writer Chris Bunch on Earthquake:

:"After the pilot was produced, we sold a script called Earthquake over the phone to Jeff Freilich, when he called us to see if we had anything the day he started on the show, and we came up with some fast buzzy-wuzzy crap that might convince him to Give Us Money. Something to do with earthquakes. So he says we have a deal, come on out and let's work the details out. We jumped in the car, with nada in the way of a plot, and Thought Fast. About the time we got off the freeway, we had a couple of vague ideas to flesh out our first dumb sentence.

:"The first draft of the script featured Xaviar, but then it was decided that they weren't going to use Xaviar anymore, which creates a small credibility problem, like we don't believe anybody but a Major Bad Guy can create an earthquake and he better have himself a Fiendish Thingie. We reworked the script and came up with Nutball Hargreaves, underground nuclear tests, roboticized security and the rest is (isn't) film history."<ref>''Galactic Sci-Fi Television Series Revisited.'' Alpha Control Press. 1995</ref> (Click [[Humor (1980)|here]] to read the entire interview.)

== Get The Script ==

* [http://www.mediafire.com/?xgu656xsvnjtsmr Click here to download a free PDF copy of this script.] The last 6 pages of the script are missing.

== External Links ==

* [http://allan-cole.blogspot.com/2011/08/summoned-to-black-tower.html Summoned to the Black Tower] - Allan Cole offers a detailed account of how he and Chris Bunch sold the Earthquake script. This blog has numerous stories of their work as story editors on Galactica 1980. Read the blog entries for 2009 and 2011.

* [http://allan-cole.blogspot.com/2011_07_01_archive.html The Galactica 1980 Fiasco] - Allan Cole explains why he believes Galactica 1980 was the worst television show ever made.

== References ==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

{{Unproduced episode list}}

Harvest Home

2011-12-04T13:04:56Z

Galactica1981: /* Notes */

{{unproduced|universe=1980}}

On the Galactica, Troy and Dillon are in the children’s quarters with several of the Galactican kids. They play a game of hide and seek in which Wellington turns invisible and hides from the rest.

At that moment, Cylon ships (referred to throughout the script as Cylon vipers) close in on the Galactica. Troy and Dillon launch with the other warriors and intercept the Cylons which don’t fight back. The Colonials destroy all the Cylon ships except for one which launches a kamikaze attack on the agro-ship, crashing into it and destroying it.

The fleet only has limited food reserves. Troy and Dillon go on a mission to establish a food development system on Earth. Doctor Zee tells Adama it was likely no accident that the Cylons found the fleet, but he’s not sure how.

Troy and Dillon land on earth and visit a farm where they mistake a scarecrow for a person. Then they are greeted by Ray Markharm, a farmer in his mid-forties. Troy and Dillon say they work for the government and want to grow food on his property. Ray invited them to have dinner with him and his wife Louise, daughter Kate, and son Chris. During the meal, Ray says nothing can grow on his land because there is no water due to a dam put up by John Steadman, a wealthy landowner who wants to buy his farm.

They visit the dam on Steadman’s land. Soon, Steadman drives up in his Mercedes and narrowly misses hitting them. Troy and Dillon tell Steadman that they are from a special government agency.

On the Galactica, Dr. Zee has determined that the fleet has only ten days of food left. Adama says Troy and Dillon can grow the food they need in just two days due to the botanic stimulant that Zee prepared. Dr. Zee is unsure if the fleet’s new flight pattern will enable them to evade the Cylons.

Back on Earth, Troy, Dillon and Ray buy seed and drive off with it in their pick-up truck. Maze and Barrett follow them in their own truck.

A squadron of Cylon vipers flies in pursuit of the fleet. Inside one of the ships, we see a Cylon looking at a series of mathematical equations on the monitor. The Cylon announces that they have detected beta emissions and will now adjust their flight trajectory as a result.

Maze and Barrett drive alongside Ray’s pick-up. Maze leaps onto the back of the truck, rips open the bags, and pours all the seed onto the road. He leaps back onto his own truck before anyone can stop him. Troy and Dillon decide to visit Steadman’s ranch and demand payment for the lost seed.

The Cylon vipers have found the Galactica. Colonel Boomer orders the Colonial vipers to launch and defend the ship.

Troy and Dillon enter Steadman’s ranch. Maze and Barrett confront them, but before they can attack, Troy and Dillon activate their invisibility fields. Maze gets kicked from behind. He thinks Barrett did it and the two get into a shoving match. Troy and Dillon reappear in front of Steadman’s door. Troy knocks on it, and Steadman answers.

Doctor Zee tells Adama that he has examined a Cylon viper that was captured during the battle, and it was equipped with an unusual type of radar tracking equipment which led the Cylons to the fleet. Their equipment monitors the minute quantities of ionic radiation that the metallic hulls of the fleet’s ships give off. Once the radar locates the emissions, the Cylons can lock on course until they find it. Adama realizes this means that the Cylons can find them anywhere.

Steadman agrees to pay for the lost seed and offers Troy and Dillon a chance to win $1000 and a horse named Satan. All they have to do is to ride Satan who is wild and out of control. Troy and Dillon approach the horse. Dillon secretly uses his laser gun to stun the horse which calms him down. He is then able to easily ride him. Steadman can’t believe what he is seeing.

Dr. Zee tells Adama that he may have a solution to the current Cylon threat. He suggests de-ionizing the exterior hulls of every ship in the fleet, but he is unsure if it will work. Adama worries because they will have to send a ship to Earth soon to assist Troy and Dillon. Once it leaves the fleet, it will be vulnerable to attack by the Cylons.

Dillon and Troy arrive at the Markham farm with new seed as well as a horse. Dillon presents the horse to Kate. They start to unload the seed. Kate asks Dillon if he is married and tells him that she thinks he’s cute.

After making some phone calls, Steadman learns that Troy and Dillon don’t work for the government. He is determined to find out who exactly they are.

On the Galactica, the medical ship from “Super Scouts” is being prepared for launch. Dr. Zee says the ship will create a mist that will result in precipitation that the crops will need to grow. Adama says there is a report of a Cylon squadron moving through the neighboring quadrant on the projected path that the medical ship will take.

Troy and Dillon fly their turbo cycles. Troy hits the field with laser beams in order to dig troughs. Behind him, Dillon follows, but lower to the ground, dropping handfuls of seed over the dirt.

The medical ship is now traveling through space. On the bridge, Dr. Zee tells Adama that their long range scanners have detected Cylons who will in minutes be in range of the fleet. Shortly after, the Cylons fail to detect it, so the de-ionization of the ships of the fleet has been effective. However, Doctor Zee points out that the shuttle Troy and Dillon will use to carry the crops back to the fleet has not gone through the de-ionization process, so it will be vulnerable to Cylon attack.

Troy and Dillon finish and then stand in the field. They shoot their lasers into the sky to send a signal to the approaching medical ship. At that moment, Steadman pulls up in his truck. Using binoculars, he is stunned to see Troy and Dillon firing their lasers. He then sees the medical ship coming down out of the sky. The ship releases silver iodide particles into the atmosphere. Clouds start to form, and then a heavy rainfall begins.

On the front porch of the Markham house, Chris watches everything with awe. Then the ship ascends and disappears into the darkness. Steadman drives off.

At an air force radar station, radar technicians pick up something on their screens. Colonel Briggs gets a phone call and is told about what has been found. He orders a plane to be ready in twenty minutes.

The rain continues to fall on Markharm’s field, and the seeds begin to grow rapidly, quickly developing into small plants. Four months of growth occur literally overnight. An air force jet containing Colonel Briggs takes off and heads towards the Markham’s farm.

The next morning, the skies have begun to clear. Chris walks onto the front porch and looks at the fields. He then runs toward them. In his office, Steadman is in a state of shock. He refuses to tell Maze and Barrett what he saw the previous night.

Chris is stunned by the sight of the fields filled with young plants and big vegetables. He picks up an enormous squash and heads back for the house. Ray walks out of the house and is stunned to see him holding the squash. Troy and Dillon walk over and say that they should have a talk.

Colonel Briggs’ jet lands on the runway of a nearby air force base. Briggs exits the jet and enters an awaiting car which then speeds off.

During a meal in the dining room, Troy explains that they used a new government process that is part of a top secret government project. The Markhams are not to tell anyone about it, regardless of who asks. Chris winks at Troy, knowing that there is more to this than what is being said.

Later, the last of the crops have been harvested and taken out. Troy and Dillon return Ray’s truck. Kate asks Dillon if he will ever return. He says he doesn’t believe so, but he will stop by if he does. Kate smiles through some tears, then hugs Dillon and runs into the house.

Steadman then arrives and warns them that Colonel Briggs is on his way there. Troy and Dillon say their good-byes and walk off. Steadman tells Ray that he has decided to remove the dam that has prevented water from reaching the Markharm farm. Ray asks why, and Steadman replies that he has seen the light.

Troy and Dillon, riding their turbo cycles, pass the car containing Colonel Briggs. They then fly off into the sky. Briggs arrives at the Markharm farm and asks them if they’ve seen any strange phenomenon, but both Ray and Steadman say they’ve seen nothing.

Troy flies a viper while Dillon pilots the shuttle containing the crops. They receive a transmission from Adama and Dr. Zee warning them of the Cylon threat. Soon afterwards, Troy picks up approaching Cylons on his scanner. The Galactica launches a viper squadron to come to their aid. Troy manages to hold the Cylons off until the squadron arrives, and the Cylons are quickly destroyed.

Later, a Thanksgiving-style feast is held on the Galactica. At the dinner table, Troy and Dillon tell Adama that after their ordeal they just don’t have much of an appetite. Dillon suggests that they could perhaps have “cold leftovers” later, leaving Adama confused. Troy and Dillon look at each other and laugh.

== Notes ==

*Harvest Home is an early version of [[Space Croppers]].
*The writer of this script is unknown.
*In some Galactica 1980 episode guides, Space Croppers is erroneously called Harvest Home.
*The Cylon ships are called Cylon vipers.

{{Unproduced episode list}}

[[Category:Behind the Scenes]]
[[Category:1980]]

The Day They Kidnapped Cleopatra

2011-11-27T13:31:35Z

Galactica1981: /* External Links */

{{unproduced|universe=1980}}

{{Episode Data
| image=The Day They Kidnapped Cleopatra coversheet.jpg
| title=The Day They Kidnapped Cleopatra
| series=1980
| season=
| episode=
| unproduced=y
| guests=
| writer=[[Mark Jones]], [[Anne Collins]], [[Chris Bunch]] and [[Allan Cole|Alan Cole]] (sic)
| story=
| director=
| production=55012
| extra=
| prev=[[Galactica Discovers Earth (early draft)]]
| next=[[The Wheel of Fire]]
}}

== Overview ==

: ''[[Xaviar]] continues his self-appointed mission of improving [[Earth (1980)|Earth]]'s technology in the distant past. This time he pretends to be a god to [[Cleopatra]], however in order to dispel those who doubt Xaviar's claim, she poisons his drink, forcing Xaviar to seek out [[Jamie Hamilton]], [[Troy (1980)|Troy]] and [[Dillon]] in 1980 to get medical assistance. Unfortunately, he brings along Cleopatra to the future as well, jeopardizing [[Earth (1980)|Earth]]'s timeline in the process.''

== Summary ==

=== Act 1 ===

* In California of 1980, [[Troy (1980)|Troy]] and [[Dillon]] are about to land near Dr. [[Mortinson]]'s university, carrying important documents for Earth's nuclear disarmament committee. Over their [[Viper (TOS)|Viper]]'s communicator, [[Adama (1980)|Adama]] impresses upon them that it is vital that the committee see these important documents, as their "decision could mean the difference between World War... and peace."
* In [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]], [[w:Egypt|Egypt]] of [[w:48 BC|48 BC]], [[Xaviar]] is playing with [[Cleopatra]] while using his [[invisibility field]]. She believes him to be a great god, which Xaviar comments chauvinistically that "but only a queen of your beauty deserves a god such as me."
* They partake in drinking wine, during which Cleopatra tells him of her desire to share her vast kingdom with Xaviar. However, her high priests suspect him of deception, believing that he is not a god. To dispel their doubts, she informs Xaviar that she would prove to them that Xaviar was a god by poisoning his drink, as she believes that a god could neither be killed by sword nor poison.
* Xaviar is shocked, tells her that he is displeased and chides her by saying "one shouldn't deceive a god". When he attempts to leave, Cleopatra voices her concern that he'll never return to her, and as such she will go with him.
* Xaviar claims that he will return to the "land of the gods", but Cleopatra informs him that she had her slaves hide his "flying chariot", and teases him into letting her come with him to this said land, in exchange for telling him where the Viper is hidden.
* With Cleopatra, he pilots the Viper away from Egypt and activates his [[time warp synthesizer]].
* On ''[[Galactica (TOS)|Galactica]]'', in [[Doctor Zee]]'s chambers, Zee asks Adama if he's heard about the ion trail that has re-entered their time frame from the distant past. Adama replies in the positive, then inquires as to why Xaviar would return to the present after safely eluding them.
* Zee is unsure, telling Adama (who thought he'd seen the lat of Xaviar) that "with his knowledge, he could have lived like a king in any other time". After posturing, Zee suspects that he has a "compelling reason" and that "possibly he wants to contact us". Zee also suspects that "it could be the beginnings of a clever plan".
* Zee emphasizes that they must find out immediately what Xaviar's motives are through Troy and Dillon; Zee allays Adama's concerns about pulling the [[Colonial Warrior]]s from providing the important data to the Nuclear Disarmament Committee, since they have 60 hours before this committee convenes and could finish their mission since "they have the time if they use it wisely."
* Upon landing on a hilltop overlooking the Sheraton-Universal Hotel, Cleopatra comments on the large structures of the city, saying that "you must have slaves working day and night to erect those". Xaviar lies in the affirmative and tells her to follow him to the hotel.
* At the [[United Broadcasting Company]], a worker at the studio hands [[Jamie Hamilton]] a phone, saying that a guy named Xaviar is on the phone asking for her. She doesn't immediately catch on, because she is absorbed in her work, but quickly takes the call upon realizing the importance of the name.
* In the Sheraton-Universal's lobby, Cleopatra is "intently examining the pay phone next to [Xaviar]" as he asks for her help. After some confusion regarding the hotel's name, he informs her that he's dying as a result of "a girl" poisoning him. He explains that the girl is Cleopatra, but doesn't come out and say the name; Hamilton promises to get Troy and Dillon for him. After hanging up, Hamilton realizes that the girl he spoke of was Cleopatra herself.
* Dillon and Troy "streak along the Ventura Freeway on their cycles", briefly exchanging concerned looks after Troy comments that "When Xaviar's invovled... it's always a matter of life and death."
* Inside the hotel's lobby, Cleopatra looks over the gold jewelry at a boutique run by a "matronly woman". Cleopatra grabs a gold chain; the woman notes that her robe is spun from pure gold, which Cleopatra indignantly replies in the affirmative. After the woman asks Cleopatra whether she wanted the gold necklace she took, Cleopatra simply says "Yes" and walks away.
* Hamilton enters the lobby, reacting to the appearance of Cleopatra herself. Xaviar confirms that the woman is, indeed, Cleopatra after she assuages Xaviar's concerns about the location of Troy and Dillon.
* Cleopatra asks if Hamilton is a god; after confirming that she is not a god, Cleopatra tells Hamilton to kneel before her.
* The boutique woman runs up, demanding for payment; Cleopatra is oblivious to the reasons why, however Hamilton offers to pay for the necklace and, to stop her from calling the police, Hamilton tells to the woman that they're "doing a film story". Apparently, the woman is impressed and convinced that Cleopatra is an actress, despite Cleopatra's various demands for guards and for the woman to be removed. Hamilton offers her credit card to cover the necklace, making a remark to herself: "There goes the credit limit."
* Troy and Dillon pull up in front of an automatic ticket dispenser; a ticket is ejected from the slot. Troy asks the machine for a place to park their vehicles. After Troy begins his attempt to talk with the machine, Dillon rips out the ticket and throws it to the ground, believing that "its hearing sensor was clogged". A car comes up behind them, honks its horn, encouraging Troy and Dillon to just park anywhere they please.
* In the lobby, Troy and Dillon encounter Cleopatra, Xaviar, and Hamilton; Hamilton is glad to see them, and begins talking excitedly about Cleopatra. Of course, the Galacticans do not know who she is. When Hamilton explains that she ruled all of Egypt and married [[w:Julius Caesar|Julius Caesar]] and [[w:Mark Anthony|Mark Anthony]], Troy asks if they are there as well. Much to their relief, neither is.
* When Hamilton continues to talk about Cleopatra, Xaviar pleads for their help. In a ploy of sincerity, Xaviar hands over his weapon, and wishes to talk to them alone. Hamilton makes the arrangements, telling Cleopatra that they will be going to "your new palace". As she moves to the registration desk, she asks rhetorically why she didn't get the easy assignments, "like ''riots''".
* Inside the penthouse, Cleopatra "marvels at the wondrous 'miracles' in the room...things like lights, plumbing, T.V., etc." While Cleopatra is flicking a light switch on and off, Cleopatra comments that the penthouse is "truly a palace for a queen". When Cleopatra is informed they are in California, she claims that as "Xaviar's queen, I am queen of California". Hamilton admits that it has a nice ring to it, then offers to fix Cleopatra something to eat. She replies that she would like a roast pig.
* In another room, Xaviar tells the Warriors his story as Dillon scans Xaviar's heart. Dillon replies that something is indeed happening to him metabolically. Xaviar pleads for assistance to save his life, telling them that he's willing to do anything, even returning to the ''Galactica'' to stand trial for his misdeeds.
* Since Cleopatra cannot remain in their time without history unraveling, Troy tasks Dillon to send her back to her time, while he and Hamilton will go to Xaviar, as Hamilton will need to help them find a medical center so that Xaviar could be treated.
* In the kitchen of the penthouse, Cleopatra asks about the water faucet. Hamilton attempts to explain to her that there are no slaves that pump the water, but rather that "it works on a pressure principal" before giving up. Cleopatra then becomes interested in the television, which is playing ''[[w:Fangface|Fangface]]''.
* Troy enters the kitchen, telling Hamilton that Xaviar is telling the truth and they need help finding a medical center. She replies that she has a doctor friend that she could call. She moves to do so.
* As Xaviar looks worse, Troy tells Dillon that Cleopatra has to leave. Xaviar comments that he doubts that this will occur without him; Troy tells Xaviar to convince her. He talks to Cleopatra, who is now watching a newscast on the television. He tells her to pretend to cooperate with the evil gods, and that the first chance she gets she is to escape to a place called the Museum of History, which is shown on the newscast to feature a display on Egyptian Queens. He promises to meet her there later. She obeys.
* Meanwhile, Hamilton is on the phone with [[David Rubin]], an old friend she knew from school. Rubin has a crush on her and initially believes that the reason for her call is so they can get back together; he offers to go out to dinner with her, telling her that his mother still asks about her. She sidesteps the issue and lets him know that she has a friend who is poisoned and needs treatment. She gets an address from Rubin and tells him that they'll meet him there.
* Troy and Hamilton leave with Xaviar to Rubin's hospital, while Troy looks after Cleopatra, who is tending to her "beauty matters" before they leave.
* After leaving the restroom, Cleopatra sits next to Dillon on a couch, and after nervously staring at one another, briefly and superficially discusses her trip back to her own time. They leave the penthouse and head toward the hotel elevators.
* Cleopatra manages to evade Dillon as he gets onto an elevator by getting into another elevator nearby. Unable to get to her before the elevator closes, Dillon enters a stairwell and leaps down the stairs.
* After leaving the elevator, she tells a nearby doorman that she would like to be taken to the Museum of History. The doorman obliges, hailing her a cab. Dillon exits the building in time to just see Cleopatra leave in a cab.

=== Act 2 ===

* After the doorman asks Dillon if he requires help, Dillon asks about Cleopatra. He discovers that she has gone to the Museum of History.
* Dillon hurrily runs out of the building, almost getting run down by another cab. The cabby offers Dillon a ride to the museum.
* Inside a waiting area of a hospital, Xaviar complains about feeling the effects of the poison. After briefly interacting with the nurse at the registration desk, Rubin comes to them, asking if Troy is the one who is sick. Hamilton replies in the negative, pointing out Xaviar.
* A woman doctor brings Xaviar to the emergency room, while Troy tells Hamilton that they must hide the fact that Galactican metabolism is much slower than Earth people's. Hamilton is confident about this, replying: "Don't worry...after meeting Cleopatra, that'll be a snap."
* In the emergency room, Xaviar is being examined by Rubin and the woman doctor. They find out that metabolism is not like a normal humans, but attribute this to the poison, which the female doctor determines to be of reptilian origin, specifically "like an [[w:asp|asp]]". Hamilton tells Rubin that the information regarding the poison and the metabolism are not information that is ready to be released yet, much to Rubin's chagrin, though he obliges. However, they still don't know if Xaviar will live.
* The cab carrying Cleopatra arrives at the museum, after which the cabby begins to hit on Cleopatra, believing her to be a foreigner. He offers to "let he fare go, if we can talk about a date". Believing him to reference [[w:Date Palm|the fruit]], she replies that she prefers [[w:kumquat|cumquats]], to which the cabby remarks about the sense of humor of foreign girls.
* Cleopatra enters the museum, during which Professor [[Johnson]] and [[Williams]] are having a heated discussion about the displayed artifacts he discovered. Johnson believes that they may lead him to Cleopatra's tomb. Williams is more skeptical, noting that "the [[w:Cincinnati|Cincinnati]] group" is getting very close, and that Johnson had to come up with more than a theory in order to impress investors for future digs. Williams notes that he cannot afford to put his reputation on the line, and that the fund raising party that night "is it".
* While Cleopatra looks around the museum, Dillon's cab pulls up and he rushes inside the museum.
* At the hospital, the doctor notes that Xaviar's condition worsens; Troy rummages through a cabinet, pulling out a bottle and instructing the doctor to use 5 cc's of it to neutralize the toxins in his system. Rubin questions the move, but the doctor, upon reading the label, believes it "might be our only chance".
* In the museum, Dillon finds Cleopatra and grabs her, attracting the attention of a few of the visitors. She threatens to call the guards and Dillon attempts to settle the situation quietly.
* A woman watching this assumes that Cleopatra and Dillon were a couple who have broken up; the woman offers words of encouragement for Cleopatra to "don't let that chauvinist dictate to you!" Confused, Dillon backs off, while the woman continues to berate Dillon, telling him to stay away from Cleopatra and that "it's over, can't you see that?"
* The 5 cc's of fluid Troy gives to the doctor is injected into Xaviar.
* Cleopatra makes her way to an exhibit on her. Dillon follows her, attempting to talk to her without incident. She begins to read the hieroglyphics, despite Dillon's nervous objections. She discovers that she will marry a great leader, [[w:Julius Caesar|Caesar]], and asks how she will tell Xaviar. She later discovers that her brother is killed and she remarries (after Caesar's assassination), learning about her death by the bite of an asp.
* Cleopatra is emotionally distraught from the revelation and runs from the room. Dillon chases after her. The incident attracts Williams' attention and he calls for the guards. She notices this, and calls for the guards to help her.
* Dillon is apprehended by the guards, while Cleopatra runs into Williams' arms. Dillon fails to explain his actions and is taken away to his office, where he'll be held until the police arrive. Meanwhile, he leads Cleopatra away, expressing a desire to speak to her.
* In the hospital, Hamilton thanks the unnamed doctor and Rubin for doing everything they can for Xaviar, who is on the bed and whose condition has yet to change in either direction.
* In the museum, Williams talks to Cleopatra about the jewels she wears, noting that they look very authentic. She replies that they are, and they are "but a few of my many". Williams assumes that she's been deciphering the ancient scrolls in display, which they believed contained the locations for Cleopatra's treasures. He asks if she works for the [[Jaffe expedition]], which she replies in the negative: "I work for no one."
* Believing her to be an independent, Williams offers to work with her, and invites her to the party tonight to meet very important people. After being called a "honey", Cleopatra is infuriated and reveals that she is Cleopatra. While Williams indicates his belief that she's a loony, he continues to ask if she agrees to go to the party.
* Before getting a definitive answer, the guards hurriedly approach Williams, and tell him that Dillon has disappeared. Williams initially believes that Dillon slipped away from them due to their incompetence, but they indicate that he disappeared; Cleopatra then asks, "Are you surprised when a god vanishes?"
* In the hospital, Xaviar awakens. The poison has indeed been flushed out of Xaviar's system and he is recovering. Xaviar feigns thankfulness, claiming that he owes Troy his life; Troy replies that as soon as Xaviar is well, he'll escort him back to ''Galactica''.
* Feigning weakness, he lures Hamilton to come closer to the bed, where he suddenly and quickly takes a scalpel and threatens her life. He demands that Troy give him his laser, claiming that he has "certain motivations that override my promises" and that "I have a mission that must be performed". Xaviar further threatens Hamilton, until Troy hands Xaviar's laser over to him. Xaviar releases Hamilton.
* Troy attempts to stop Xaviar, which develops into a laser fight, whereby Xaviar shoots Troy and makes good on his escape. Hamilton goes over to Troy's body, unsure on whether he is dead or alive.

=== Act 3 ===

* In the hospital room, Hamilton attempts to revive Troy, and succeeds in doing so. Troy reveals that he gave Xaviar his own laser, which was set to stun.
* Rubin barges into the room with a phone, telling them that there's "an urgent call" for Mr. Troy. Troy talks while Rubin comments about the mess the room is in and asks after Xaviar.
* On the other end of the phone is Dillon, who tells Troy that Cleopatra has escaped him. Troy tells him that Xaviar, too, has escaped. They agree to meet at the Museum of History.
* Troy tells Rubin that they must leave. Rubin asks for Hamilton to fill in some of what's going on, but she tells him it's "real hush, hush".
* On the way, Troy mentions that they'll need the two [[turbocycle]]s. Hamilton realizes that he means for her to drive the second cycle and reveals that she has "trouble on escalators" and "can't ride a motorcycle". He assures her that they are simple: "they practically fly themselves".
* On ''Galactica'', Zee reports to Adama that the computers have relayed their prediction on what would occur if Cleopatra does not return to her own time. He reveals that without her, her kingdom would prematurely fall to an unnamed enemy, which will cause a chain of events that result in North America being discovered 100 years after it was supposed to, and that, by their present time, the [[w:United States|United States]] will be in a period equivalent to the Dark Ages. They rightfully determine that Cleopatra must be returned, and that this takes priority over all else.
* Outside the museum, Troy meets up with Dillon. Troy apologizes for taking so long, but Hamilton activated the booster and it took him half an hour to catch up with her. Dillon reveals that he spoke to a parking attendant, who told him that Williams and Cleopatra went to a party, and shows Troy the location.
* At a "fancy [[w:Beverly Hills|Beverly Hills]] house" where Williams' and Johnson's party is, it is now the night time and Mr. [[Brooks]] is covering the event, accompanied by a cameraman and soundman. Brooks begins reporting, telling the audience that the event is exciting and that "famous celebrities from all over the world have gathered here, along with heads of three universities". He also indicates that the mayor of the city is in attendance.
* In the living room, Williams talks to Johnson about Cleopatra, raving about how she was able to decipher the ancient hieroglyphics at the museum. He also indicates that Cleopatra is being pursued by men, who he believes are probably from the [[Jaffe expedition]], and that they should keep her under lock and key. While Johnson is anxious to talk toher, Williams tells him that the time hasn't come yet, since he wants her to meet some very important people.
* The cameraman reacts to Cleopatra, who is observing the party; the cameraman is chastised by the soundman, who tells him to "just get those celebrities" on camera.
* Xaviar exits a cab in front of the museum, discovering that it is closed and learns of the party from a placard on the door. He takes the card and reenters the cab.
* At Williams' house, Troy, Dillon and Hamilton pull up in the cycles. A parking attendant comments on the "cool bike"; Troy, unfamiliar with how the term is used, replies that the cycle "has an exceptionally advanced cooling system". Jamie laughs, trying to cover for the ''faux pas''.
* In the house, Johnson finally meets Cleopatra, and asks her about herself. She sadly replies that she knows "far too much" about Cleopatra's history, obviously still disturbed about knowing her fate.
* At the front door of the house, Hamilton notes that they're going to need an invitation. Troy and Dillon invite themselves via their invisibility field, and yank away the doorman while carrying Hamilton. The doormen are flummoxed.
* Inside the house, Troy and Dillon (not visible) come out of a nearby closet.
* Xaviar pulls up outside the house, while Cleopatra spots the trio and move to her. Brooks notices Hamilton as they approach Cleopatra, and begins to barrage her with questions, but she tries to get out of it.
* Cleopatra quickly leaves, with Troy and Dillon in pursuit, but attempting not to raise any attention in doing so. Williams and Johnson realize she is gone, and Williams worries about whether she was taken.
* Both Troy and Dillon run into Cleopatra who attempts to exit through the back yard.
* Hamilton makes a hasty leave from Brooks, joining Troy, Dillon and Cleopatra in the back yard. They question her as to why she ran away. She reveals that she read the scrolls that mentioned her "destiny" and that she refuses to return, despite Troy's attempt to convince her that she must go back to make things right. Xaviar makes his presence known during this.
* Cleopatra notices that Xaviar is unaffected by the poison, reaffirming her ill-conceived belief that he is a god. She voices her belief that as a god can change destiny, he will return with her to her land and not let her future transpire as she read it.
* Brooks and his minicam crew, lights on and cameras rolling; Brooks puts Hamilton on the spot, claiming that she's there to personally interview some of the guests. After shoving the mike in her face, Hamilton begins reporting, while everyone there makes the best of the inconvenience.
* Williams then bursts out and points out Dillon; Brooks recognizes Troy and Dillon as "fugitive terrorists". During the confusion, Xaviar and Cleopatra break away. Troy and Dillon pursue him, jumping over the pool, and leaving private security guards to splash about in the pool.
* Xaviar fires his laser, a stray shot severing a diving board and sending two fully dressed party goers into the pool. Troy and Dillon, with Hamilton pursuing, return fire.
* After jumping over a small wall, Xaviar and Cleopatra run into an attendant about to get into a [[w:Rolls Royce|Rolls Royce]], and commandeer the vehicle for their use, but driving erratically due to inexperience. As the car drives around a corner, Troy singes the car with his laser, prompting Hamilton to wince. From the background, Brooks and the minicam crew rush towards them, with Brooks reporting that the "terrorists still have Jamie Hamilton", who "seems to be holding up well, in spite of the gunplay".
* Williams tells Johnson that, "ten to one, that guy's from the Jaffe expedition" while the trio rush toward their turbocycles. As police arrive, they react to the cycles flying into the night sky.

=== Act 4 ===

* As the cycles fly through the night sky, Hamilton asks whether or not they'll follow them back to ancient Egypt. Troy replies that they won't, if they don't have to.
* Xaviar continues to drive erratically toward a hill where Xaviar landed his Viper. Inside the car, Xaviar assures Cleopatra that he'll take good care of her, and will rule the world together. Both enter the Viper, which flies off into the night.
* Dillon relays Adama's to Troy and Hamilton report that Xaviar's Viper has left their time sphere.
* They enter their Vipers, with Hamilton accompanying Troy. They blast off and pursue Xaviar to 48 BC.
* Xaviar's Viper moves to land, while Troy and Dillon's Vipers enter 48 BC. They land in the desert and, with Troy and Dillon's lasers drawn, go to the temple.
* Now inside the temple, Xaviar and Cleopatra make way to her main chamber. Cleopatra orders the guards to stop the intruders that follow them.
* The pursuing people are thwarted by a huge stone block doorway, which Troy and Dillon blast away at. After dealing with it, they enter, and are intercepted by a group of guards, which the [[Colonial Warrior|Warriors]] quickly dispatch.
* In Cleopatra's room, Xaviar tells her to get behind him.
* The Warriors blast the door, entering and quickly enter, with Xaviar firing at them. Hamilton makes good use of a couch, hiding behind it while the fire fight ensues.
* When Dillon and Troy start to get an upper hand, Xaviar grabs Cleopatra and trains his weapon on her. This action dispels her belief in Xaviar as a god; Xaviar refuses to accompany the Warriors back, and Troy makes a promise to continue hunting him down.
* Cleopatra tries to knock the laser out of Xaviar's hand, which results in the weapon going off and hitting the queen.
* The Warriors rush Xaviar, who escapes them by jumping out a window. Dillon comments his suspicions about having not seen the last of the rogue Galactican, while Hamilton tends to a stunned Cleopatra. Troy then moves her stunned body to a couch. Dillon comments that she'll have a "whopping headache when she wakes".
* Upon hearing guards, they start to leave towards the window. Dillon notices a map, asks Hamilton for a camera and snaps a picture of this map with her [[w:Polaroid|Polaroid]] camera. They then make good on their escape.
* With the trio gone, Cleopatra's guards and high priests enter. A high priest asks about her condition, which she groggily replies that she had a strange dream.
* Back in 1980, at the Museum of History a secretary of Professor Johnson's hands him an envelope. He sees the Polaroid photo that Dillon captured, recognizing it as an ancient map of Cleopatra's tomb. The secretary then notes that there was neither a name or address, but a note, which read: "Sorry about the party.... consider this a contribution to further the arts." He remarks that "it's a godsend".
* Dillon and Troy drop off Hamilton at the headquarters of [[United Broadcasting Company|UBC]], where Hamilton explains that she'll never be able to explain what happened to her boss. They thank her and rush off, since they have to meet Dr. [[Donald Mortinson|Mortinson]].

== Notes ==

* The title appears to have been inspired by the play ''The Day They Kidnapped The Pope.''
* This episode was going to being filmed when the order to cancel the series was passed down. Nothing in the way of information about casting for this episode has surfaced.
* According to [[Chris Bunch]] and [[Allan Cole]], [[Kent McCord]] ([[Troy (1980)|Troy]] and [[Barry Van Dyke]] ([[Dillon]]) were refusing to shoot this episode because they were not notified of [[Dirk Benedict]]'s guest star return in "[[The Return of Starbuck]]". However, the threat ended up to be empty, since the series was canceled before this episode was ready to go in front of the cameras.<ref name="sftv">{{cite magazine |quotes= |last=Hise |first=James Van |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1980 |month= |title=GALACTICA 1980: THE STORY EDITORS FOR ''GALACTICA 1980'' DESCRIBE THE DEATH RATTLE OF THE SERIES |magazine=SFTV |volume= |issue=Unknown |pages=31 |id= |url= |accessdate= }}</ref>
* The script, through dialogue spoken by [[Cleopatra]] while reading a display at the Museum of History, indicates that she ''married'' [[w:Julius Caesar|Julius Caesar]] in [[w:46 BC|46 BC]]. This is historically inaccurate, as, under Roman law, Roman citizens could legally only marry other Roman citizens.<ref>{{cite_web|url=http://webu2.upmf-grenoble.fr/Haiti/Cours/Ak/Anglica/uipian_scott.html|title=THE RULES OF ULPIAN|date=|accessdate=11 August 2007|last=|first=|format=|language=}}</ref> Also Caesar was already married to another woman. Caesar never took on Cleopatra as his legal wife.
* The timeline depicted in this script is also inaccurate. Caesar backs Cleopatra to the throne in [[w:47 BC|47 BC]] after she birthed his illegitimate son, [[w:Caesarion|Ptolemy Caesar]] (nicknamed "Caesarion"), for the time before then, he sought to annex Egypt.
* Galactican metabolism is noted to be much slower than humans of Earth.

== Analysis ==

* The fact that [[Cleopatra]] can speak and understand English is a major conceit. However, there is the even greater conceit that the Galacticans and Earth people can even speak the same language, even when factoring in the millennia [[The Twelve Colonies (TOS)|the Colonies]] and the [[Thirteenth Tribe]] have been separated.
* The fact that [[Xaviar]] is able to effectively enhance Earth's technological level from an era such as [[w:48 BC|48 BC]] is highly improbable. Aside from practical architectural and modest improvements to already established technologies, they would likely have not modified Earth's military technology to the point where they would be able to defend themselves against the [[Cylons (TOS)|Cylons]].
* Therefore, Xaviar had a better chance of enhancing Earth's technology from the 19th and 20th centuries, like he attempted to do in "[[Galactica Discovers Earth, Part III]]" with the [[w:Nazism|Nazi]]'s [[w:V-2 rocket|V-2 rocket]] program.

== Questions ==

* How is [[Xaviar]] able to maintain and fuel his [[Viper (TOS)|Viper]], given that he hasn't returned to the Galactican's current time period? Even if Earth has the necessary raw material at hand, how is he able to refine and make use of it?
* Where does Xaviar go off to after escaping the Galacticans?
* How can [[Jamie Hamilton]] explain what happened to [[Brooks]], her [[UBC]] boss?
* Moreover, how could the laser blasts and weapons demonstrated at [[Williams]]' party be explained? Would any attention be paid by military authorities?

== Official Statements ==

* ''[[Chris Bunch]] and Allan Cole discuss [[Kent McCord]]'s and [[Barry Van Dyke]]'s refusal to shoot this episode, because of "[[The Return of Starbuck]]":''
: '''Chris Bunch:''' Larson decided that he was going to describe how [[Starbuck (1980)|Starbuck]] eats it. ("[[The Return of Starbuck]]".) What he didn't do was pass the word along to his cohorts and say, "Oh, by the way, one episode is going to be a flashback."
: So here's Kent McCord, who's desperately unhappy with the show. He's been coming down and crying the blues to us. Then all of a sudden he's told that he doesn't have to work next week because they're doing something with Dirk Benedict, the former star of the series. Well, that wasn't the most polite way to deal with it because all actors have an ego.
: '''Cole:''' And he's been putting his ass on the line, making a fool of himself every week with these rotten scripts. By suddenly bringing back Dirk Benedict in without advance warning or kind words, it's sort of like trying to put the blame on Kent for how the show was going. He was pretty angry about it and in fact the two actors [McCord and Van Dyke] were going to refuse to shoot the next episode, which would have been "[The Day They Kidnapped] Cleopatra". They were supposed to shoot the next day but Kent and his costar were refusing to show up. As it turned out, it was an empty threat because that afternoon the network pulled the plug on the series.<ref name="sftv"/>

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

* ''[[Dillon]] ineptly attempts to stop [[Cleopatra]] from discovering her own future:''
: '''Cleopatra''': (shocked) This... this tells about... a great queen, Cleopatra, the seventh. That is I....
: '''Dillon''': (nervously) Oh, I wouldn't bother with those... why don't you come back with me. You could bump into some problems if you read any further...
: '''Cleopatra''': (reading hieroglyphics) It says I will marry a great leader...[[w:Julius Caesar|Caesar]]. That is [[w:46 BC|two years]] from [[w:48 BC|now]]. How will I tell [[Xaviar]]....
: '''Dillon''': (trying to stop her) See. A problem. Look, why don't we just leave now... history is boring...

* ''[[Troy (1980)|Troy]] and [[Dillon]] share bad news:''
: '''Dillon''': Troy... on [[Earth (1980)|Earth]], they have a saying called, 'good news' and 'bad news'.
: '''Troy''': I have some news for you, too.
: '''Dillon''': Good or bad?
: '''Troy''': Bad?
: '''Dillon''': (disappointed) Oh... I thought you'd have the good news... mine's bad. [[Cleopatra]]'s escaped.
: '''Troy''': [[Xaviar]]'s escaped from us!
: '''Dillon''': Boy, we do make a team.

* ''Troy informs [[Jamie Hamilton]] that she'll need to ride a [[turbocycle]]:''
: '''Hamilton''': Me? C'mon ... I have trouble on escalators ... I can't ride a motorcycle ....
: '''Troy''': Simple... they practically fly themselves.
: '''Hamilton''': (scared) Fly?

== Guest characters ==

* [[Cleopatra]]
* [[Williams]]
* Professor [[Johnson]]
* Dr. [[David Rubin]]

== Get The Script ==

* [http://www.mediafire.com/?f0a55xea55tn0jd Click here to download a free PDF copy of this script.]

== External Links ==

* [http://allan-cole.blogspot.com/2011_07_01_archive.html Allan Cole's blog] - offers numerous stories of his work as a story editor on Galactica 1980. Read the blog entries for 2009 and 2011.

== References ==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

{{Unproduced episode list}}

[[Category:Episodes written by Alan Cole]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Anne Collins]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Chris Bunch]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Mark Jones]]

The Money Machine

2011-11-27T13:27:41Z

Galactica1981:

{{unproduced|universe=1980}}

'''By Alan S. Godfrey'''

This story is pure comedy, as silly (or atrocious) as Galactica 1980 can get. The plot has Troy and Dillon, for whatever reason, hiding out in the attic of an orphanage. They have a matter duplicator which they use to make small amounts of currency so they can get by without any trouble. Somehow, the matter duplicator gets left behind, and the kids find the machine and start printing money, making everyone in the orphanage happy. Lots of cute, cuddly kid crap. Then some inept crooks get the machine. Our heroes go to stop them, not because counterfeiting is wrong, but because, back to the basic rule, No One Can Know About Galactica. (No one had any idea, including everyone who worked on the show, why Adama couldn't just call the White House and say, "Uh, I think we better have a talk.") The air force guy, Colonel Sydell, may have been in the story, but there were some Really Bad Guys who were also after the matter duplicator. Anyway, the duplicator is recovered, Really Bad Guys get punished, and inept bad guys sneak away swearing they've learned their lesson. And yet, as we watch them run off, we notice a little wink in their eyes which tells us they really haven't.<ref>''Galactica Sci-Fi Television Series Revisited.'' Alpha Control Press, 1995.</ref>

== Notes ==

* Galactica 1980 story editors Allan Cole and Chris Bunch: "We thought the script was a stone scream, but (Frank) Lupo read it and Hated it. Don't think it even got as far as Larson."<ref>''Galactica Sci-Fi Television Series Revisited.'' Alpha Control Press, 1995.</ref>
* If this script had been produced, it would no doubt have been in the running for the Worst Episode award.

== References ==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

{{Unproduced episode list}}

The Money Machine

2011-11-27T13:27:01Z

Galactica1981:

War of the Gods, Part II

2011-11-26T16:16:25Z

Galactica1981: /* The Mystery of the Crashed Ship */

{{Episode Data
| image = IblisRevealed.jpg
| title= War of the Gods, Part II
| series= tos
| season= 1
| episode= 14
| forumthread=1538
| guests= [[Patrick Macnee]] as Count [[Iblis]]
| writer= [[Glen A. Larson]]
| story=
| director= [[Daniel Haller]]
| production= 50922
| rating=
| US airdate= 1979-01-21
| UK airdate=
| dvd= 2004-12-28
| population=
| prev= [[War of the Gods, Part I]]
| next= [[The Man with Nine Lives]]
| hulu=Y
| itunes=http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=VWbyALbmqZY&offerid=146261&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252FWebObjects%252FMZStore.woa%252Fwa%252FviewTVSeason%253Fi%253D208477664%2526id%253D205801820%2526s%253D143441%2526uo%253D6%2526partnerId%253D30
| itunes UK=http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=VWbyALbmqZY&offerid=146261&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252FWebObjects%252FMZStore.woa%252Fwa%252FviewTVSeason%253Fi%253D208477664%2526id%253D205801820%2526s%253D143444%2526uo%253D6%2526partnerId%253D30
| amazon=Y
}}
== Overview ==

: ''With the enigmatic Count [[Iblis]] usurping [[Adama (TOS)|Adama]]'s command of [[the Fleet (TOS)|the Fleet]], [[Apollo (TOS)|Apollo]] and [[Starbuck (TOS)|Starbuck]] endeavor to find out the mysterious origins of their guest-turned-savior before all is lost to Iblis.''

== Summary ==
* The [[Quorum of Twelve (TOS)|Council]] announces that [[Baltar (TOS)|Baltar]] has been found guilty of treason (amongst other things). He is sentenced to life imprisonment aboard the [[Prison Barge]].

* Baltar protests the sentence, claiming that he came of his own free will under the banner of truce. [[Iblis|Count Iblis]] speaks up, telling Baltar that his days of pursuing [[The Fleet (TOS)|the fleet]] are over.

* Baltar recognizes something about Iblis' voice. Iblis claims that it is the voice of truth. Iblis uses his powers to force Baltar to his knees.

* Having delivered Baltar, Iblis explains that one of the three conditions of their bargain has been satisfied. Leading the fleet to [[Earth (TOS)|Earth]] is the second, with the third to be determined by the council.

* One of the council members suggests that they immediately elect Count Iblis to be the President of the Council.

* [[Adama (TOS)|Adama]] expresses some reservations. He says that they still do not know about the mysterious lights, or the disappearance of the [[Viper (TOS)|Vipers]].
[[Image:Frank Frazetta - War of the Gods - Part 2.jpg|thumb|right|TV Guide ad for ''War of the Gods'']]

* Iblis visits Baltar on the Prison Barge. Baltar remembers Iblis' voice to be that of the [[Imperious Leader]].

* Baltar explains that the [[Cylons (TOS)|Cylons]] were once a race of beings that allowed themselves to be overcome by their own technology, 1000 [[yahren]] ago (with the onset of the [[Thousand-Yahren War]]). Iblis says that if his voice was that of the Imperious leader, he'd have to be over 1000 yahren old.

* Iblis walks right through Baltar's cell door into his cell, and comforts him, telling him that all is not lost. Iblis then disappears, leaving behind a bewildered Baltar.

* [[Athena (TOS)|Athena]] tries to get Adama to come to the games with her. Adama claims that he is too busy and has too many decisions to make. She says that he sounds like [[Apollo (TOS)|Apollo]], who has decided not to play that night.

* [[Boxey (TOS)|Boxey]] walks into the warrior barracks with [[Muffit]]. Apollo tries to talk to him. Boxey claims that his friends all say that Apollo is a coward for not playing in the games.

* Count Iblis has predicted that [[Boomer (TOS)|Boomer's]] team will win. It is speculated that Apollo is afraid to lose, proving Iblis right and weakening Adama's position.

* Apollo claims that he doesn't want to play because he is more concerned for the missing warriors than in playing a game.

* Adama convinces Apollo to play, saying that playing may even be able to help his missing friends.

* Just before the [[Triad (TOS)|Triad]] game, Count Iblis asks Boomer how badly he wants to win. Iblis says that he wants to play, through Boomer.

[[Image:Darkness At Time's Edge - Frank Frazetta.jpg|thumb|right|Darkness at Time's Edge - concept art for ''War of the Gods'' by Frank Frazetta.]]

* Boomer and [[Jolly (TOS)|Jolly's]] team win by a large margin.

* Iblis is hosting a party on the ''[[Rising Star (TOS)|Rising Star]]''. Apollo asks how long the party will last, as some of the people have critical jobs. Iblis says that he needn't worry about the fleet now that he is in charge. He claims that his only commandment is to enjoy life to the fullest.

* [[Sheba]] offers Apollo some consolation. Iblis comments that they make a fine pair. [[Starbuck (TOS)|Starbuck]] is confused, as he thought that Iblis wanted Sheba for himself. Iblis asks why she should be limited to one man (or why Starbuck should be limited to one woman). Starbuck clearly likes this way of thinking.

* Apollo manages to kill the mood with Sheba, when she asks if he is jealous. He asks how she could think that he'd let something as petty as jealousy interfere with his judgment when the lives of everyone in the fleet might be at stake.

* The mysterious lights fly near ''Galactica'', worrying Adama and [[Tigh (TOS)|Tigh]].

* [[Core Command]] is understaffed due to an "overdose of pleasure". Officer curfews have not been strictly enforced under orders of Count Iblis. Adama wants Iblis to report to his quarters.

* No pilots have responded to the red alert. Apollo starts waking people up, and they appear hung over. Starbuck claims that not everybody has made it back to ''Galactica'', and that the pilots are spread out all over the fleet.

* Iblis comes into the barracks and begins berating the warriors for not responding to the alert. Adama has to intervene when Apollo begins to assault Iblis.

* Adama confronts Iblis, asking what he fears about the beings outside the ship. Iblis claims that he does not fear them, but that they are from the same dimension that he is. Iblis claims to be above all laws, but Adama wonders if that is really true.

* The Vipers launch, and Boomer fires on one of the lights. He does not damage it, and it comes up behind him causing a high-pitched whine. His Viper disappears.

* Apollo and Starbuck return. Everyone agrees that Iblis is the only person who understands what is going on, but they cannot get rid of him due to his popularity. Adama claims that Iblis will be elected President of the Council in a few [[centar (TOS)|centars]].

* Apollo and Starbuck visit [[Wilker|Dr. Wilker]]. He has examined the plants that "miraculously" grew, and believes that it is possible that energy from the ships of light caused the plant growth.

* Adama sits alone in his quarters, moving an object on his desk with telekinesis. Apollo walks in on his demonstration. Adama explains that it was something he learned at the [[Colonial Military Institute]] before Apollo was born.

* Adama explains that their life expectancy is about 200 yahren, but they are just now starting to utilize parts of their brains that have a great deal of potential. He believes that if a race lived for thousands of yahren they would be capable of things that seemed miraculous.

* Adama suspects that the mysterious lights are the angels that the ancient colonials wrote of.

* They hatch a plan for Apollo to go back to the wrecked ship where Iblis was discovered. Adama tells Apollo to try to forget the conversation, though, as Iblis might detect it in his thoughts and discover their plans.

* Adama will be able to shield his mind from Iblis by crowding it with other thoughts. This also was part of the Military Institute training that he received.

[[Image:Iblis - Maximum.jpg|thumb|right|The re-imagined Count Iblis from the Maximum Press comic series.]]

* Starbuck runs into Apollo as he is leaving, and forces Apollo to take him along.

* Iblis is aboard [[Agro Ship 9]] with Sheba when he senses something is wrong. He heads to Core Command and discovers the shuttle has left, and that Apollo is on it. He heads to confront Adama.

* Adama says that he does not believe in Iblis like the poor people on the crashed ship did. Iblis says that Adama will pay the price with a life more meaningful than his own.

* Sheba has taken a Viper and is also heading to the planet.

* Apollo examines the wreckage, and discovers that the high radion levels that they thought existed were faked.

* Sheba arrives as they open the wreckage and look inside. They are horrified by what they see, and Apollo tries to keep Sheba from looking. Starbuck suggests that it might be a good idea, and Apollo reluctantly lets her look.

* Iblis arrives and forbids Sheba to look. Iblis claims that she is his, and has given herself to him freely. He orders her to his side, but Apollo interferes.

* Iblis commands Apollo to stop interfering, but Apollo claims that Iblis holds no power over those that do not give themselves willing over to him. Iblis suspects that Apollo knows who he really is, and Apollo believes that he does.

* Mephistopholes, Diaoblis, and the Prince of Darkness are names that he tells Sheba to try to recall.

* Iblis tells Apollo he has one more chance before he strikes Sheba down. Apollo shoots Iblis, briefly revealing his true form.

* Iblis commands her death, and moves to strike her down. Apollo jumps in front of the blast, and is killed.

* Iblis commands Sheba to come, but she refuses. She mourns Apollo's death.

* The mysterious lights begin to appear overhead.

* Starbuck asks why he seems so worried. Starbuck suspects that it is within Iblis' bounds to strike down a willing follower, but not an innocent.

* Iblis claims that nobody has dominion over him. He claims that they will meet again in another time and place, then disappears.

* They transport Apollo's body back in the shuttle. On the way back the mysterious lights fly near them, eventually approaching them (causing the whining noise).

* Starbuck appears in a strange white chamber. His uniform is entirely white.

* One of the mysterious white clad figures in the room claims that they are in a different dimension.

* Sheba arrives, and her uniform has also been turned white. Sheba wonders if they are both dead.

* They are lead to a chamber where Apollo is laying on a table on a raised pedestal.

* Sheba and Starbuck are asked if they would sacrifice their life for Apollo's. Sheba agrees to sacrifice her life. The voice also points out that Starbuck had said that he would trade places with Apollo if he could (back onboard the shuttle).

* Apollo sits up on the table. Sheba rushes to his side.

* Starbuck says that they can take what they want. The voice says that they don't want anything. They are fighting a common foe, the forces of darkness throughout the galaxy. The beings were once as the Colonials were, and the Colonials may someday become like the beings.

* Count Iblis is one of their race, but uses his powers to turn people away from the truth. The beings of light do not stop him because they cannot interfere with free will.

* The beings will return all the Viper pilots, as well as Starbuck, Apollo, and Sheba.

* The crew is reunited aboard ''Galactica''. Their memories of the beings of light, and their experiences on the ship, have been erased.

* The last thing Apollo can remember was challenging Count Iblis. Sheba remembers that he lost the challenge. Starbuck then recalls that Iblis tried to kill Sheba, but Apollo intervened and died. They took his body into the shuttle.

* They assume that Apollo must have only been stunned.

* The only other thing they can recall is a light and sound, that leads them to believe that there is something good and caring out there.

* Sheba asks if they had been caught up between a battle between good and evil, but Adama says that is always the case and will not change even if they find Earth.

* This prompts the trio to almost involuntarily recite coordinates. "Earth quadrant alpha, 19 million sectars by Epsilon vector 22 on a circular reckoning course of 000.9, in a star system with nine planets and one sun."

== Notes ==

*Sheba is seen in a dress before the triad match, but once the match starts she is shown on a viewer screen in her flight uniform. Then, in a live shot back is shown back in her dress sitting next to Count Iblis. It may be possible that the shot on the viewer were supposed to be highlights from an earlier match.
*Five figures representing the "[[Final Five]]" [[Humanoid Cylon|Cylon models]] make a brief appearance in the [[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|Re-Imagined]] episode "[[Hero]]". Their physical appearance and attire are reminiscent of the Beings of Light appearing in this episode.
* Iblis means "Satan" in Arabic.

== The Mystery of the Crashed Ship ==
[[Image:19 - War of the Gods.jpg|thumb|right| What Starbuck and Apollo found inside the crashed ship.]]

* From the War of the Gods original script at http://galactica1981.tripod.com/MissingWar.htm:

:"When Starbuck and Apollo look into the wreckage of the ship, this is exactly what they see: A piece of metallic surface, highly scorched but out of which portrudes a foot-like extremity, except that its tip is clearly in the shape of a cloven hoof. (Then they lift the metal and toss it aside) They grimace in horror... Under the wreckage is the figure of a devil... a demon."

* Footage of the demon was shot but left out of the final cut. There are conflicting accounts as to why. Some believe the censors removed it due to its possible satanic implications. Anne Lockhart stated at the [[GoMainline Galactica Convention]] in September 1999 that it was left out because the demon "looked like a dead sheep." Interestingly, the footage does not appear in the Battlestar Galactica DVD box set which has deleted scenes from the episode.

* The image on the right is from Battlestar Galactica Vol. 1 [[War of Eden 4|#4]] of Maximum Press comics in which Apollo recalls what he saw inside the crashed ship.

* A popular myth grew over the years that the crashed ship is the Battlestar Pegasus. In [[An Analytical Guide to Television's Battlestar Galactica]], author John Kenneth Muir argues that the crashed ship is in fact the Pegasus despite the script for the episode saying otherwise. To be fair, because the episode never shows us what is inside the ship, the answer to the mystery is open to interpretation.

* In the aforementioned Maximum Press comic series, the writers play off this myth in [[War of Eden 3|issue #3]] when Count Iblis returns to Sheba and teleports her back to the crashed ship where she discovers the body of Commander Cain inside. It turns out to be an illusion.

== Questions ==

* What is in the ship that Starbuck and Apollo (and Iblis) do not want Sheba to see?
* Are there other Beings of Light who succumbed to Iblis' way of thinking? If so, what of them?
* What leads to Iblis' downfall before becoming "evil"?
* Have the Beings of Light, or even Iblis, been to Earth? If so, what is the extent of either parties influence?
* Is Sheba's Viper ever recovered from the [[red planet]]?
* When aboard the Ship of Light, why are the Colonials' skin and hair not white-washed like their uniforms and accouterments?
* Why were the other Viper pilots abducted to begin with?

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

* ''Starbuck makes a superficial, yet accurate observation:''
:'''[[Starbuck (TOS)|Starbuck]]:''' Is that right, are we dead, and you're angels?
:'''Angel:''' Oddly enough, there is some truth to your speculation.

* ''Iblis delivers punishment to Apollo by attempting to kill Sheba:''
: '''[[Iblis]]:''' Death to [[Sheba|her]], [[Apollo (TOS)|Apollo]]. May her soul curse you through eternity.

* ''The "angel" explains why Apollo was resurrected and the Beings removal of Iblis from the red planet:''
: '''Angel:''' Apollo was not meant to die. Sheba, it was you that Count Iblis meant to destroy.

== Guest Stars ==
*[[Patrick Macnee]] as [[Iblis|Count Iblis]]
*[[John Williams]] as Statesman
*[[George Murdock]] as [[Salik|Dr. Salik]]
*[[Janet Louise Johnson]] as [[Brie]]
*[[Jack Stauffer]] as [[Bojay]]
*[[Ed Begley Jr.]] as [[Greenbean]]
*[[John Dullaghan]] as [[Wilker|Dr. Wilker]]
*[[Norman Stuart]] as Statesman

== External Links ==

*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjBJqIDlzBc&feature=related War of the Gods Part 2 full episode on YouTube]

*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKKa31PPaLw&feature=BFa&list=FLrIBODxWIieq6zwvGyKozlg&lf=BFp 1979 ABC TV promo for War of the Gods - YouTube]

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/WAROFTHEGODS.htm War of the Gods full summary and review at Sheba's Galaxy]

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/MissingWar.htm War of the Gods deleted scenes]

*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGTx4anJkOw Deleted scene from War of the Gods: Starbuck, Apollo and Sheba return from the Ship of Lights - YouTube]

{{Episode List (TOS)}}

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Episode Guide (TOS)]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Glen A. Larson]]
[[Category:Episodes directed by Daniel Haller]]
[[Category:TOS]]
{{TOS}}

[[de:Teuflische Versuchung, Teil II]]

User:Galactica1981/Galactica 1981 Reviews

2011-11-26T00:56:43Z

Galactica1981: /* Galactica 1980 comic series */

This is a list of reviews by [[User:Galactica1981]] for various [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]] content. Given to the Battlestar Wiki's policy of [[NPOV|Neutral Point of View]], they are found here rather than their respective articles.

These episode reviews originally appears on the Sheba's Galaxy site. They have been slightly revised.

== TOS Episode Reviews ==

===[[Saga of a Star World]] ===

'''RATING: Four and a half stars out of five'''

There's no question that on the night of September 17, 1978, Battlestar Galactica hit television screens with a bang. Saga Of A Star World is unquestionably the most elaborate televison movie ever made (and least up to that point!) When trying to rate something like this, it's important to examine it in the context of television during that time period. For sure, no sci-fi show of this magnitude had ever been done before in the history of television, and thus it deserves extra points for that alone. There are many great things that can be said about this episode (acting, special effects, music score), but I won't bother repeating what most people are already aware of. In the end, I had to decide against a full five-star rating, mostly because of the unforgivable "Star Wars" ending it was saddled with. The big explosion of the planet Carillon is a blatant ripoff of Star Wars, not to mention ridiculous as well. Setting fire to some tylium mines causes the entire planet to explode? This is ludicrous (although one could argue that destroying the massive Death Star by shooting a tiny exhaust port was equally ludicrous). Surely Glen Larson could have written a better ending than this. Ultimately, this had to reinforce many people's beliefs that Galactica was a second-rate Star Wars. Having a casino with all sorts of alien creatures also seems a little too close to Star Wars for comfort.

As a kid watching the show, I absolutely loved the Cylons because of how cool they looked. My favorite character was Starbuck who I idolized and wanted to be like. The series also had a phenomenal cast with tremendously talented actors (except for Maren Jensen), and it's a shame they were often saddled with substandard scripts. Starbuck and Apollo are wonderful in the lead roles, and they arguably have more chemistry than did Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. And Lorne Greene is superb as in the role of Commander Adama. In the pilot episode, the scene that perhaps stands out the most is the laser battle against the Cylon Centurions on the surface of Carillon, a truly awesome spectacle combined with the looming countdown as the Cylon raiders close in on the Galactica. It terms of the characters, my favorite scene is probably Starbuck's almost proposing to Athena. Finally, the musical score for the series is truly breathtaking, on a similar level as the one for Star Wars.

Of course, there are also some HUMONGOUS plot holes in this story, enough for any critic to tear it to shreds. I'm not going bother writing 5 pages about the plot problems of Saga Of A Star World. Instead, I'll just mention a few points:

The premise of the Colonial fleet seeking Earth, while interesting, is unfortunately flawed because no one (not even Adama) has any idea where it is! Apparently, Adama was the only one who even knew about Earth's existence, although he doesn't seem to have any proof. Thus the Colonial fleet is left to wander aimlessly throughout the universe looking for it. Fortunately, this problem would be addressed in ''War of the Gods'' when the Colonials finally learn the coordinates to Earth.

The Colonials seemed unbelievably gullible and naive regarding the Cylons' offer of peace. After a thousand years of war, you would think they'd have been more careful, but they foolishly leave their home planets undefended. President Adar is incredibly stupid when he sees a thousand Cylon raiders coming towards the fleet and assumes it is a peace envoy.

Apollo gets back to the fleet in time to warn them of the coming Cylon attack, yet he fails to do so. Why? Why does he take an hour to find the bridge?

=== [[Lost Planet of the Gods]]===

'''Rating: Four stars out of five'''

The second half of this two-part episode has the theatrical feel of a movie, while the first half has often been blasted as being sexist. Of course, it is a bit strange that all the female cadets look like lingerie models. Still, I think the claim of sexism is a bit overstated. If you look at women in the U.S. military, they tend to act in supporting roles rather than be on the front lines. I don't know how many female jet pilots are in the U.S. military, but I suspect there aren't many. And I suspect this is due less to discrimination than to the fact that women tend to make different career choices than men (i.e. they tend to choose less hazardous professions). The reasons for there being no female viper pilots on the Galactica were probably along the same lines.

Regardless, the first half of the episode mostly serves as a set-up for the second half. Nothing wrong with that, but it does make the first half far less interesting.

Anyway, the two-part episodes fare better than most of the one-part episodes because Glen Larson would often blow the budget and vastly overspend. There are many fantastic scenes in the second half: Serina proposing to Apollo that they marry immediately; the Star of Kobol appearing in the port window during the wedding ceremony; the light shining off of Adama's medallion inside the tombs of Kobol; the Cylon raiders attacking the surface of Kobol; and, of course, Serina's death scene.

Serina's death is one of the most poignant moments of the entire series. But it came with a high price, as the show arguably suffered without her. And the writing would start to take a turn for the worse with the very next episode.

===[[The Lost Warrior]]===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

After only two episodes, Battlestar Galactica's creative energy has fizzled out. This is the first of the so-called "bottled episodes." These episodes had few if any new special effects, enabling the producers to save money which would later be spent on the bigger, more extravagant "monster episodes." It's understandable that these "bottled" stories were necessary, but this is where rushing the show into production really hurt the series. The writers simply did not have time to create quality scripts. Of course, this would ultimately lead to the decline in ratings.

This kind of episode is tough to review because it's good but wrong. Based on the classic 1953 western film Shane, this actually makes a pretty decent western, but Battlestar Galactica is supposed to be a science fiction series. Sci-fi fans want science fiction, not half-hybrids of other shows (A mistake that Galactica 1980 would repeat). If I want to see a Western, I'd rather watch Bonanza. The only reason this gets two stars is because we get such a strong characterization of Apollo.

Unfortunately, this is not the only space western we would see on Galactica. Cowboys and saloons would return in The Magnificent Warriors. In fact, the very idea that an "old west" town would exist in Battlestar Galactica completely contradicts the Von Daniken premise of the show, that the Colonies and the ancient cultures of Earth (such as Atlantis and Egypt) have the same roots, the same beginnings. It is ludicrous that an Old West society could have any common connection with this. It raises all kinds of questions. The people of Equellis obviously had to arrive on that world by means of spacecraft, so why is the society so primitive? How could they not know of the Cylons since the war has raged for 1,000 years and the average human life-span is 200 years?

Why would Apollo be dumb enough to fly so far away from the fleet that he wouldn't have enough fuel to make it back? This really makes no sense. And why does Apollo promise Bella and Puppis that he will return one day? Why would he ever believe that possible?

Despite the lackluster plot, there are some good moments. Boxey beating Starbuck at Pyramid is funny, and the western style "shoot-out" between Red-Eye and Apollo is very well done. The only weak point is when Red Eye spots Apollo's laser and says, "Uh-oh." This trivalizes a very serious moment for the sake of silly humor. It is difficult to believe that a Cylon would use such a phrase. Ironically, for years I couldn't make out exactly what he was saying. I assumed it was some kind of challenge to Apollo, and it actually added to the power of the moment. You can imagine my dismay when I learned the truth. Also, Puppis gets pretty annoying pretty fast.

===[[The Long Patrol]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

The Long Patrol is lot of a fun and a big improvement over the previous episode. Starbuck's computer companion C.O.R.A is a hoot. There are several funny scenes: Starbuck womanizing Cassiopeia and Athena; Boomer's jab at him before he goes off on the mission; Starbuck finding a fortune in ambrosia only to have it destroyed by the Cylon attack. Adama deciding to change the Galactica's course to keep distance from the Cylons is very well done, revealing how burdensome command of the fleet is and how it forces him to sacrifice his loved ones to protect the rest of humanity.

Maren Jensen (Athena) gets more screen time here than in most of the episodes. The scene with Athena revealing Starbuck's apparent death to Cassiopeia is especially moving, one of Jensen's best scenes of the series. The Athen/Cassiopeia rivalry was compelling and could have been developed in future episodes, but sadly this never happens. This was likely due to Maren Jensen's limitations as an actress which caused the writers to reduce her role.

Could C.O.R.A. have been the inspiration for K.I.T.T., the computerized car on Glen Larson's Knight Rider? Considering the amazing similarities between the two, it would have to be a possibility. Also, Glen Larson has went on record saying that K.I.T.T.'s swerving red eye was inspired by the swerving red eyes of the Cylons. It was sort of his way of keeping the Cylons alive.

The Long Patrol is definitely one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

===[[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero]]===

'''Rating: Three and a half stars out of five'''

This two-part episode is based on the 1961 movie The Guns of Navarone and the 1967 movie The Dirty Dozen. The episode has a theatrical feel to it because, as mentioned before, the two-parters had bigger budgets. Although the story is by-the-numbers, it is very enjoyable because of the fantastic special effects. Still, as good as Gun is, it is easily one of the lesser of the two-parters. While better than Greetings From Earth, Gun falls far short of The Living Legend, Lost Planet Of The Gods, and especially War Of The Gods.

This was actually the second episode filmed. This would explain why Serina and Cassiopea do not appear (Serina and Cassiopea died in the original version of the pilot before the decision was made to bring them back). Baltar and Lucifer's scenes were probably shot much later.

This episode raises a serious question. Considering the staggering number of people who had to be left behind due to lack of ships, why would the Colonials bother to take criminals with them? Perhaps they were already locked in the brig on the Galactica before the Holocaust or they somehow managed to sneak aboard the fleet to be captured later. Or perhaps most of them committed their crimes after joining the rag tag fleet. Considering how overcrowded, starved, and disorganized the fleet was when it was assembled, it is logical that many violent crimes would have occurred. An episode exploring this would have been nice.

The idea that there would not be enough qualified Colonial warriors to go on the mission is hard to believe. And why do Apollo, Starbuck, and Boomer get chosen? They are pilots, and their emphasis is not on ground assault. Logically, the Galactica would have a ground assault team available for these kinds of situations. It is also difficult to believe that Boxey would have found a way to sneak onto the shuttle. At least he and Muffit have an impact on the success of the mission.

In the book ''The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'' by J.W. Rinzler and Ridley Scott, it is revealed that part of George Lucas's anger towards Battlestar Galactica was because of this episode. Lucas planned to feature an ice planet in the sequel to Star Wars, and he felt that Galactica threatened to undercut him by featuring an ice planet on one of their own episodes. Did this fuel his lawsuit that Galactica was infringing on Star Wars? Is so, then Lucas comes off as disingenuous to say the least, for it would be absurd to claim that Galactica was infringing on a movie that hadn't yet been made!

Baltar's legs were crushed in Lost Planet of the Gods, yet in this episode the only evidence of Baltar's injury is a slight limp. Did the Cylons do major reconstructive surgery on his legs? I guess so.

At this point, the constant reusing of the same space battle scenes really starts getting redundant. Still, this remains one of the most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

=== [[The Magnificent Warriors]] ===

'''Rating: One and a half stars out of five'''

Many fans consider this to be the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. While I don't agree, I think it comes pretty close. The story is, quite frankly, terrible. We are again subjected to yet another old-western style shanty town? Once was enough! The Borays are disgusting and sound awful. The only redeeming moment is when Adama and company discover Starbuck at the gambling table. It's rather funny.

Siress Bellaby is hands down the most annoying character to ever appear on Battlestar Galactica. Most viewers probably couldn't understand why the Colonial Warriors didn't simply let the Borays kill her.

On a positive note, we are shown Lorne Greene's impressive range as an actor. It's interesting to see a comical Adama, a nice contrast to the serious commander that we usually see. Unfortunately, Greene is forced to play against Brett Somers (Siress Bellaby). Somers isn't funny; she's annoying, and it kills most of the comedy that is presented.

The premise of The Magnificent Warriors actually had a lot of potential. We are given a situation where the fleet has no food and everyone is aware of it (unlike in Saga Of A Star World when the Colonials were able to cover up the problem). This raises all kinds of fascinating issues. Would the fleet start a mutiny against Adama during such a crisis? How would Adama react to such a mutiny? How would he choose who to save? Would he allow each ship to make its own decision to leave? Or would he try to force them to stick together? And what decisions would Starbuck and Apollo be forced to make if such a mutiny occurred? So many interesting questions for the episode to pursue.

Sadly, standard television plotting is what we get. The Colonials are traveling through the vast uncharted regions of space, and they run out of food at just the precise moment they happen to be near a farming colony. Okay. Whatever. The Colonials land on the planet and meet the Borays. From then on, it's just another battle of good vs. evil. Putting the Colonials in a moral dilemna would have been much more interesting that what we were given here.

===[[The Young Lords]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

This is the family episode of Battlestar Galactica. Starbuck is shot down and crashes on a planet. Yawn. This is essentially a remake of The Lost Warrior in which Apollo is stranded on the planet Equellus. Of course, Starbuck was also stranded in The Long Patrol and Cree was stranded in ''The Gun On Ice Planet Zero''. Later in ''Greetings From Earth'', Starbuck, Apollo, and Casseopia would be stranded on the planet Paradeen. At this point, the series was becoming so predictable that viewers each week must have been asking the question, "Who's going to have to be rescued this week?" In fact, Mad Magazine, in a spoof of Galactica, poked fun at this element of the show. (See [[Humor in the Original Series]])

Considering the incredibly broad premise of the series, it's amazing that the writers had so much trouble coming up with a story that didn't involve someone being stranded on a planet. With this kind of plot, The Young Lords shouldn't even be watchable. And yet, despite all these drawbacks, this actually turns out to be a fun, enjoyable episode. Part of this praise goes to the tremendous production values. It is simply fascinating to see so many Cylons inside a medieval castle. The location is nothing short of spectacular. To top it off, Dirk Benedict delivers with a wonderful performance. There are many good scenes, especially Starbuck's rescue from the Cylons by Kyle and the children (plus his insulting remark to the Cylons moments before). Playing up kids in a series can be extremely fatal to ratings (Galactica 1980 became an infamous example of this), but fortunately Kyle and the gang never get to the point where they become grating; although they (and their song near the end) come dangerously close. (And are we to believe Starbuck and his Scooby Gang would actually take the time to think up lyrics for a song and memorize them? Please!)

The IL series Cylon Spectre is a delightfully conniving character. He is the perfect foil for Lucifer. His phony flattery of Baltar is hilarious, especially the way he manages to turn defeat to his own advantage. Unfortunately, the character does not appear again. Had the series continued into a second season, he probably would have. Spectre does appear in the later original Berkley novels [[The Nightmare Machine]], [[Die, Chameleon!]] and [[Surrender the Galactica!]] where he is put to good use.

Most of the scenes of Baltar and Lucifer communicating with Spectre were recycled with different dialogue into the Galactica telemovie [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]].

Needless to say that by this point the Cylons have become a joke. When you stop and really think about it, it is ludicrous that an entire Cylon garrison is defeated by one colonial warrior and five children.

Still, this episode somehow succeeds despite every logical reason why it shouldn't.

===[[The Living Legend]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five'''

This is one of the very best episodes of Battlestar Galactica. The two-part episodes consistently deliver, and The Living Legend is no exception. The idea of a second survivng battlestar is a good one, as is a scenario where the fleet runs out of fuel.

This episode introduces two compelling characters, Commander Cain and his daughter, Lt. Sheba. Sheba's character is said to have been a ground-breaking role for women. She is tough, independent, and short-tempered. Basically, she's the exact opposite of virtually every other female character to appear on the series. Fortunately, she, along with Bojay, becomes a regular after this episode.

Lloyd Bridges is tremendous as Commander Cain. It's hard to imagine any other actor filling the role. The only weak moment for Bridges is when Cain lies to Adama about the "accidental" failure of the tanker mission. Cain's cavalier attitude about it makes it obvious to everyone that he purposely sabotaged the mission.

This story is different from any other Galactica story thus far because we see a clash of philosophies within the ranks of the military. Cain wants to wage an all-out war against Gamoray, and Adama simply wants to capture the much-needed fuel and escape. The earlier episodes were extremely simplistic in their portaryal of good versus evil. The Colonials are good. The Cylons are evil. Simple as that. Since the good guys are all in the military, the military is always portrayed as being right. Adama, Starbuck, and Apollo had very few moral dilemnas to deal with, which would have made the stories so much more interesting.

Baltar personally leading the attack on the Galactica makes the battle much more intense and exciting, mostly because the battle has a storyline. Most of the Galactica space battles are nothing more than a confusing jumble of stock shots haphazardly thrown together with nothing in terms of a flow or climax. (One of the bigger flaws of Return Of The Jedi was that the Battle of Endor had nothing in terms of a storyline.) This time it is different. The Pegasus closing in on Baltar at the end of part one is the best cliff hanger of the series. It is rather fitting that Baltar's forces are taken by surprise, since it was Baltar who caused the colonial warfleet to be taken by surprise in the pilot.

The scene between Adama and Apollo right before the mission to capture the Cylon tankers is very powerful. It shows how, despite being father and son, each of their respective positions forces a distance between them personally. What is especially impressive is that this is done without words. Richard Hatch and Lorne Greene manage to convey more with a facial expression than most actors do with a page of dialogue.

Boxey really starts to get on the nerves at this point. Nothing against Noah Hathaway, but Boxey is a character all too typical of standard television. He is an ultra-cute TV kid doing ultra-cute things, yet usually has little or no bearing on the plot. These kinds of characters (most notably the Super Scouts from Galactica 1980) only serve to hurt a show's ratings.

When you put the story under scrutiny, there are some serious flaws. Why are viper pilots sent on a ground mission? Wouldn't the Galactica have specialized teams for that sort of thing? It is also a bit difficult to believe that Sheba could have found a way to go on the mission to Gamoray without permission. It is even more difficult to believe that Cassiopea would have been allowed to just hop on the shuttle. Was she given a crash course on parachuting during the shuttle ride? How could the Colonial warriors have known exactly which building in Gamoray contained the main communications center? And are we to believe that destroying one small communications center would disable the entire city's defense system? If, like me, you can overlook these flaws, this is still a great episode.

This episode and Fire In Space were later combined to form the horrid Galactica theatrical movie [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]].

===[[Fire in Space]]===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

This explosive episode is the one-hour equivalent of a disaster movie. It's basically a sci-fi version of The Towering Inferno (and stock footage from that movie was probably used here). There's so much action that it isn't until the end that you realize just how essentially empty it is. There are a lot of things happening, and at the same time there is nothing happening. By all rights this story should be downright awful, yet somehow it isn't. It really speaks volumes about the show's production values and the performances of the actors that this turns out to be an enjoyable hour despite another by-the-numbers script.

After this episode, producer Glen Larson decided changed the direction of the series, relegating the Cylons to the background. The Cylons are not featured again until the final episode, The Hand Of God. The reason for the change of direction may be that Larson had a feeling the series would be canceled and decided to try to create a storyarc that would end the series with the Galactica apparently getting close to Earth. In an interview, Larson has said that he wasn't surprised the show was canceled. The change of direction was really for the best because the battles with the Cylons were too ridiculously imbalanced in the Colonials' favor (due to the censors) making the Cylons look like a joke, and the reusing of the same space battle stock footage was becoming monotonous.

The ending the writers originally planned had Cylon raiders attacking the Galactica a second time, and it is their lasers that put Starbuck and Apollo in danger on the Galactica's hull. Unfortunately, the network censors overruled this because they felt it would have been too repetitive. The complete original ending from the script can be found [[List_of_Deleted_Scenes_(TOS)#Fire_In_Space|here.]]

The story completely falls apart when put under scientific scrutiny because fires simply cannot exist in outer space, as many Galactica critics have pointed out. However, Star Wars was able to get away with this flub (Remember the fate of the Death Star?), so it seems rather unfair that Battlestar Galactica took so many shots because of it.

This is Terry Carter's best episode, since Colonel Tigh is thrust into the forefront, taking command of the Galactica while Adama is incapacitated. Carter does a tremendous job, and his strong performance helps save this cliched, overused story plot from losing steam.

Since the Galactica was on the verge of destruction by the time Starbuck and Apollo were planting charges on the hull, didn't it ever occur to Colonel Tigh to evacuate all non-essential personnel including the Colonial vipers so that, if the Galactica was destroyed, the fleet would at least have a fighting chance to survive? And since it was too dangerous to operate on Adama on the Galactica, didn't it ever occur to Dr. Salik to shuttle Adama to another ship in the fleet and perform the operation there?

A tremendous amount of damage is done to the Galactica (especially the landing bay), yet there is no sign of this in any future episodes nor any explanation of how the repairs went. Considering the abysmal plot, this episode was probably best left forgotten.

===[[War of the Gods]]===

'''RATING: Five stars out of five'''

War Of The Gods is one of the best and most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica. It is not the very best episode, nor is it completely flawless, but it is easily the most complex of all the stories we were given. The bottom line is that it is extremely rare to see this kind of thing done on TV. This is one of the few episodes to fully utilize Galactica's Von Daniken premise (God Is An Astronaut). We learn that angels are not spirits of the dead, but advanced beings who are thousands of years ahead of the Colonials in both technology and spirituality. Count Iblis (whom Apollo addresses in part 2 as Mephistopheles) comes across as a form of devil. There is an interesting parallel with mythology. Just as the angel Lucifer (or Satan) rebelled against heaven, Iblis rebels against his brothers on the Ship of Lights.

Iblis may well be the most fascinating character in the entire series. What is fascinating is that his voice is the same as that of the Cylon Imperious Leader. Baltar recognizes this (and it would have been an unforgivable flub if he didn't). There have been two primary theories about Iblis' origin. The first is that Iblis exterminated the original reptile Cylon race and created the mechanical one, starting the thousand year war with the humans.

The second theory is that Iblis and the Imperious Leader are one and the same. Iblis calling Baltar "old friend" would seem to support this. Also, it is made clear in the end that Iblis cannot control anyone who does not choose to follow him. If Iblis is the Imperious Leader, then Baltar technically was "following him" since he (Baltar) was serving the Cylons. However, the theory that Iblis and Imperious Leader being the same person doesn't quite hold up because wouldn't the Cylons then easily be able to locate the Colonial fleet? Therefore, the first theory makes more sense overall. But there is still the question of how Iblis was able to make Baltar surrender to the Colonials. The episode tries to make it seem that Iblis did not perform his bigger miracles, that the white lights caused the crops to grow and Baltar came of his own free will (the latter is hinted by Apollo in a missing scene that was cut from the original script). Of course, the idea that Baltar would surrender on his own is ludicrous considering the coward that he is. And why would the white lights come to the fleet if that would cause the crops on the agro-ship to grow and thus fulfill one of Iblis' tasks? Most importantly, why would Iblis dare the Colonials to make 3 challenges for him if he did not possess the power to complete them?

Regarding Iblis' origin, I tend to go with the first theory, but I would take it one step further and suggest that the Imperious Leader is either a servant of Iblis or is somehow under Iblis' control. Thus Baltar, by serving the Cylons, would also be serving Iblis and thus would be subject to Iblis' commands.

You really have to wonder if Glen Larson planned to have Patrick Macnee play Count Iblis from the very first episode or if it was just an amazing coincidence that the same actor who provided the Imperious Leader's voice turned out to be perfect for the Count Iblis role. Considering how incredibly rushed the production of the show was, the latter would have to be a possibility. If it's the former, then you really have to applaud Glen Larson for planning so far ahead.

There are other marvelous scenes. Iblis' slow manipulation and seduction of Sheba is riveting (especially when he kisses her on the Agro-ship). The white lights and the Ship of Lights are a marvel and have to be considered among the best special effects the series has ever produced. The scenery of the red planet, including the visual effect of Starbuck, Apollo, and Sheba when they walk on that world is also outstanding. The triad court is a fantastic (and obviously, expensive) set. You have to give the producers a lot of credit for creating such a unique game for the Colonials to play. It makes sense. With the grueling struggle for survival in a rag-tag fleet, the Colonials have to have some sort of entertainment to take their minds off their plight.

As with most episodes, the performances are all top-notch. Richard Hatch plays his end perfectly, carefully balancing Apollo's distrust of Iblis and his caring for Sheba. Dirk Benedict adds a whole new dimension to Starbuck. His rage and grief over the death of Apollo (especially when he attempts to shoot Iblis) stand out as some of Starbuck's most memorable moments of the entire series. Anne Lockhart is also great portraying Sheba's slow seduction and manipulation by Count Iblis. Her joy at Apollo's resurrection firmly establishes her inner feelings toward him, and this subplot would come to a stunning head in the final episode. Lorne Greene never falters in his performances, and this is no exception. Greene does a tremendous job portraying a man torn between his desire to find Earth and his distrust of Iblis. One of the best moments has to be during the Triad game. During the game, Adama and Iblis are seated on opposite sides of the court. There are really two battles going on here: the battle between the players on the court, and the battle between Iblis and Adama.

Despite everything, the episode is not completely perfect. Not all the questions are answered (which in itself is not a bad thing), but some of what happens doesn't quite make sense. First of all, why does the Ship of Lights kidnap the viper pilots? We are never given any kind of answer. What makes it more confusing is that by kidnapping the pilots, the Ship of Lights actually aids Iblis because the Colonials look to him for protection. And why does Baltar say that Iblis now no longer holds any power over him after Baltar recognizes Iblis' voice? Perhaps this is supposed to be a clue to understand who Iblis is, but if this is the case, I can't make anything out of it.

There is also the issue of what was inside the crashed ship on the red planet. A popular myth is that the ship is the the Battlestar Pegasus and when Apollo looked inside he saw the body of Commander Cain, but this is false. The original script and the Berkely novelization tell us exactly what is inside the ship: tall, cloven-hoofed horned beings with tails. This is a little hard to make sense of. Are the beings in the ship supposed to be devils? If that is the case, it doesn't really make Iblis appear all that evil for killing them. It could be viewed as another parallel of mythology. After being defeated by heaven, Lucifer and his followers fall into hell. Likewise, Iblis' ship containing his followers (the devils) crashes (falls) to the earth. It's not a perfect allegory, but fascinating nonetheless. (For more on this, see [[War_of_the_Gods,_Part_II#The_Mystery_of_the_Crashed_Ship|The Mystery of the Crashed Ship]])

I'm not trying to pick the episode apart with these various criticisms. Actually, the story works much better with its mystery and ambiguity rather than easy, clear-cut answers. One of the problems with television these days is that shows rarely challenge the viewer to think; instead, most shows sacrifice ambiguity and insist on spelling everything out as simply and clearly as possible. The mystery of Count Iblis is really what makes ''War Of The Gods'' so special and one of the most famous and highly debated of all the Galactica episodes. I'm glad that we are not given the answer to who Iblis is because the only way a mystery can retain its power is as long as it remains unsolved. Why do you think the great magicians never reveal how they do their tricks? If you are looking for a great movie example of this, then I suggest you check out Peter Weir's ''Picnic At Hanging Rock''.

Finally, one of the best things about this episode is that it provides us the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba!

===[[The Man With Nine Lives]]===

'''Rating: Four out of five stars'''

This episode is the only one that offers a significant look at the people of the fleet. Fred Astaire puts in an enjoyable performance as the rogue con-man Chameleon. The Borellian Nomen are interesting new adversaries for the Colonial Warriors, although they seem to be based on a Hollywood and societal stereotype of American Indians (Unfortunately, we are told very little of their origins). One of the best episodes in terms of characterization.

This episode pretty much makes it clear that Cassiopeia is THE ONE for Starbuck, thanks to Starbuck telling Chameleon that she's the only one he's ever considered sealing with (although that actually isn't true; he did almost propose to Athena in the pilot episode).

Don Bellisario was unable to think of a suitable name for the villains. In an after-work bull session, story editor Jim Carlson casually remarked something to the effect of, "It’s too bad they’re not from an ice planet, you could call them Snomen." Bellisario replied, "There’s no snow where these guys are gonna be!" Carlson answered, "Then call then Nomen."

This episode proves that great stories don't require huge explosions and fancy special effects. Unfortunately, the rushed production of the show made episodes like The Man With Nine Lives the exception rather than the rule.

=== [[Murder on the Rising Star]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Murder She Wrote in outer space??? This story had little point being part of a show like Battlestar Galactica. This is the kind of story that is done on almost every science fiction series when the writers are out of ideas. There is very little in the way of drama because the viewer knows the hero is innocent and will be cleared. This story tries to give the impression that Starbuck might be guilty (we don't get to see who shoots Ortega, Starbuck is shown running from the scene, plus Starbuck's anxiousness in the shuttle bay makes him appear guilty), but only the most gullible of viewers would fall for this. The story would be more forgivable if we learned some new insights about the characters or the fleet, but what do we learn? What is the point? Is it that the Colonial system of law is virtually identical to the U.S. system? (which is hardly believeable) Or that Adama has to spend time hearing court cases? (Not too believable either considering the incredibly burdensome task he has of commanding the fleet) Or is it that playing triad is more dangerous than anybody thought? What is the point of this episode except to fill an hour's worth of time???

This is the fourth episode that features Starbuck. While Dirk Benedict certainly plays a wonderful character, it would have been nice to have featured some of the lesser used cast members (Tigh, Boomer, Athena, Sheba).

One thing really stands out: It is absurd how little time Apollo is given to prepare a case for Starbuck's defense. He only has 10 centares, and the script for this episode has a key that states a centar is an hour. Only 10 hours to prepare for a murder trial??? Give me a break!

This story could have been done differently to make it more poignant. What if Apollo was unable to conclusively prove who killed Ortega, and Adama intervenes, using his power as commander to have Starbuck set free. It would raise the question of whether Adama was abusing his power. Even then, considering the fleet must be depleted when it comes to seasoned viper pilots, it could be argued that the fleet needed Starbuck as a warrior. It would have been an interesting moral issue, something Battlestar Galactica rarely had. I also think the story would have been more interesting if we were left with some doubt as to whether Starbuck killed Ortega (in self-defense, of course).

An interesting note: Karibdis appears early on in the story, serving drinks to Adama and Tigh while they watch the Triad game. This is an often-used writing device. You have the murderer/villain appear early in the story, sometimes at the very beginning, in what appears to be a minor or trivial role. This often fools the audience, as they rarely expect such a character to be revealed so quickly. This was also done on the miniseries for the new Galactica, when one of the human Cylons is leading a tour of the Galactica during the opening credits. If you want to get good at solving TV/movie mysteries, pay attention to the minor characters that appear early in the story.

Overall, the murder mystery itself isn't half bad, and there are fine all-around performances from the cast to make this watchable. In a way, it makes the episode more disappointing to have such great talent squandered on such a by-the-numbers story. But everyone holds up their end well, especially Dirk Benedict and Laurette Spang in their scene inside the brig. It's nice the writers found a way to bring Baltar into the story, and John Colicos still makes a great villain. The flashback of the destruction of Caprica is also well-done. There were certainly many crimes committed during the evacuation, and it illustrates that Battlestar Galactica was brimming with potentially interesting stories to explore, which again only makes this episode more of a letdown.

That said, it's important to realize that writers Jim Carlson and Terrence McDonnell were forced to write this episode in 36 hours straight. Considering what a rushjob this script was, it's amazing it turned out as well as it did. This is one instance where it might be better to see the glass as half-full rather than half-empty.

===[[Greetings from Earth]]===

'''RATING: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Greetings From Earth just doesn't measure up with the other two-hour episodes. The story makes for a passable first hour but quickly takes a nosedive in the second. Glen Larson's attempt at comedy falls horribly flat. Hector, Vector and the kids quickly wear out their welcome (A premonition of Galactica 1980?). The Eastern Alliance is introduced as a new adversary, but they are little more than cardboard Nazis with zero charisma (at least the Cylons looked cool). Another problem is that their primitive technology takes a lot of steam out of their threat. Unfortunately, the Eastern Alliance is never utilized to the fullest. A space battle between vipers and Eastern Alliance destroyers would have been fantastic, but the time and money needed to do such a complex battle scene made it impossible. Also, Apollo becomes a bit overbearing with his "Do The Right Thing" attitude in the first half (What's also annoying is that Apollo's dialogue in the first half is badly redubbed, apparently to make his voice louder).

What makes the first hour so interesting is that the Colonials are faced with a perplexing moral issue (a rarity, for sure). Do they allow the humans to leave, or force them to remain at least until more information is learned? There are actually opposing opinions within the Colonial military, at least for awhile. Apollo's view quickly wins out, though. The Council of Twelve is portrayed as being incredibly selfish and uncaring, but it could be argued they were right. It was possibly life or death for the Colonials to learn about the human race that awaited them. Certainly the humans could have been revived long enough for the Colonials to get the necessary information out of them. Apollo's plan to let the ship go had a good chance of failing. How could he be certain enough that they wouldn't get lost, or wind up so far away that they'd never be able to make it back to the fleet?

When you think about it, why don't Starbuck, Apollo and Cassiopea have super powers when they are in Paradeen's weaker gravity just as the Super Scouts do when they are in Earth's weaker gravity on Galactica 1980? Wouldn't it have been fun to see Starbuck, Apollo, and Cassiopea bouncing up and down and jumping into trees?

Unlike the other two-parters, this one ends with a whimper instead of a bang as Starbuck and Apollo's capture of the Enforcers is about as anti-climatic as you can get. This script really comes across as being rushed, which was probably the case. Overall, Greetings From Earth is yet another episode that failed to reach its potential due to the constrainments of a weekly series.

=== [[Experiment in Terra]] ===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

Experiment In Terra initially comes across as a superb episode, but under close inspection the story unfortunately has serious flaws. The Ship of Lights recruiting Apollo to help Terra is a cool idea, but their reasoning as to why they need to use a mortal human doesn't hold up. John says that the people of Terra can't see the "Guardians" (my own name for them) outside the confines of their ship. And yet on Terra, John makes himself visible to Starbuck by merely touching him. Even more problematic, Apollo's mission never makes sense. The Guardians know that the Eastern Alliance is going to launch a missile attack, so the master plan is to have Apollo tell the "west side" that the Eastern Alliance has been attacking them? Um, okay, but even if Apollo succeeds, how will this stop the Eastern Alliance from launching their missiles? Why not just have Apollo tell the Galactica to travel to Terra and destroy the missile attack? The answer, of course, is that there wouldn't be much of a story.

Sadly, there are many other flaws. Apollo says he can't reach Terra because the distance is too great, so he is "teleported" right in front of the planet. So how is it that Starbuck is able to eventually reach the planet on his own? Logically, he wouldn't have had enough fuel. Adama's decision to pull the Galactica out of the fleet is more out of whack than it may first appear. He didn't do that in earlier episodes when Starbuck or Apollo were crashed/stranded. This time Adama doesn't even know who the two pilots are, and yet he pulls the Galactica out of the fleet.

Even more ludicrous is the idea that the Galactica travels to Terra at light speed (and not just because it is scientifically implausible). If the Galactica was traveling to Terra at the speed of light, they should have reached Terra almost instantly (in fact, they probably could have found Earth during the pilot episode!) And how is it that the Galactica was able to travel to Terra unmolested? Surely there would be Eastern Alliance destroyers patrolling the area around the planet. And how does the Eastern Alliance not know that the Galactica was responsible for destroying their missiles? Surely the Galactica would have been picked up on their scanners.

Also, the West President's reasoning for withholding knowledge of the Eastern Alliance's attacks is questionable. Why does he think he can make peace with the Eastern Alliance if they are constantly attacking him? And if the Eastern Alliance has wiped out all of the West's satellite planets, how could the President possibly prevent word of this from leaking out? It's not realistic at all. Plus, the idea that the Eastern Alliance would be willing to destroy the entire planet (at least half of which they own) is pretty ridiculous. Okay, they ARE Bad Guys, but what's the point of destroying most of their empire when they were already winning the war?

With such a long list of problems, you would think that this is a terrible episode. Amazingly, this isn't the case. In fact, Experiment In Terra still ranks as one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica. Seeing the Ship of Lights again is a treat, and Edward Mulhare is delightful as John, Apollo's guide. This episode is another example where the great production values and strong performances from the actors are able to overcome the plot inconsistencies. What makes Experiment In Terra work so well is that its plot holes aren't immediately noticeable. I didn't realize how many there were until I sat down and really thought about it. Apollo's mission to save Terra, as pointless as it winds up being, is still extremely engrossing. Apollo's speech to the Precidium is very dramatic and moving, even though (as we've already said) everything Apollo does on Terra turns out to be a waste of time since nothing he does has any chance of preventing the Eastern Alliance from launching its missiles.

This episode is extra fun to watch if you're aware that the script was originally written with the roles of Starbuck and Apollo reversed. After Richard Hatch complained that his character was getting the shaft, the script was quickly rewritten with the dialogue mostly remaining the same, resulting in Apollo talking suspiciously like Starbuck. At one point, Apollo says "Felgercarb" for the first time ever!

The ending scene is touching, as John tells Apollo that Terra is not Earth but "You must have faith." Many Galactica fans have interpreted this to mean that Apollo would successfully complete the journey to Earth.

Here are some humorous notes from British writer Matthew Wharmby:

* I'm sorry, but I thought the final scene was tremendously weak. All that buildup to a good scrap, heart-stopping music included, let down with a pathetic green shield spat out of the front of the Galactica. And from a terrible angle made necessary by two separately matted halves; one of Earth and one of the Galactica's underside. And you don't mean to tell me that the Galactica could extend such a shield over the whole planet? If so, why couldn't she have performed the same thing over Caprica in the pilot, and let the attacking Cylon fighters blow themselves up in it?
* Nobody seems too panicked about the impending nuclear annihilation! I don't know about you, but when us kids growing up in the late Cold War used to speculate nervously about the four-minute warning, the usual consensus was that we'd be doing, well, what it takes four minutes to do. 'You can do it twice,' the girls would quip.
* I'm not mad keen on Brenda's attitude. If every girl who had boyfriend trouble called the Old Bill on such a weak pretext, there wouldn't be a bloke alive out of prison!

=== [[Take the Celestra]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five'''

This is probably the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. A lot of people will probably disagree, but I have to go with this choice simply because I found this episode to be incredibly boring. The Magnificent Warriors and The Lost Warrior were also really bad (and they were certainly more simplistic), but they were never really boring. A story focusing on the hardships of voyaging on the rag tag fleet is a great idea, but this episode takes one self-destructive turn after another and may be the best example of a wasted opportunity for the series. Many of BG's bad episodes were somewhat saved by wonderful performances from the actors, but there is nothing here that stands out (although the Starbuck/Cassiopea reconciliation at the end is a nice moment). Starbuck and Apollo actually look stale. This is one of the few times that neither Richard Hatch nor Dirk Benedict are able to rise above the mediocre writing. Commander Kronus is incredibly boring - a static, stale character with little depth. Because it's hard to care about the character, it's hard to feel anything during the "dramatic" finish when Kronus dies. Given the moronic decisions he makes, I felt like saying "Good riddance." On the other hand, Ana Alicia suceeds in making Aurora interesting, but she is mostly wasted in this episode. Unfortunately, her boyfriend is more boring than Kronus, and I just wanted him to shut up. Despite these issues, the main problem with Take The Celestra lies in the script itself.

One of the biggest (yet least noted) flaws of Battlestar Galactica was the way it portrayed life in the rag-tag fleet. Day-to-day existence on a fleet of mostly derelict ships would no doubt be a grueling struggle for survival. Yet the series rarely ever indicated this. Most scenes with civilians consisted of parties, gambling, and triad games aboard the Rising Star! (hardly the most accurate look we could have been given) Take The Celestra was the perfect vehicle to change this, but unfortunately the writers took the easy way out. Aurora and the other mutineers were "illegally forced" to work so many double shifts. This makes the issue of right and wrong very easy to determine, but consider another direction the writers could have taken.

What if the harsh working conditions existed throughout the entire fleet? (and, logically, they should have) What if Aurora and the others were not working harder than anyone else and simply decided they had had enough? Would they be morally right in trying to escape the fleet (considering that the loss of manpower would likely hurt the remaining Colonials)? Apollo, Starbuck and the rest of the military are always talking about the importance of freedom. Apollo talks about it strongly in his speech to the Precedium in Experiment In Terra. When Starbuck tries to convince the prisoners to rebel in The Long Patrol, he says "You have rights. You're human beings!" When they finally escape, he says, "That's freedom." An interesting idea to explore is how free the Colonials actually were. Surely many of them wanted to settle on some of the planets the fleet passed by. If Adama refused their wishes, he would technically be restricting their freedom. Unfortunately, this kind of story is problematic because the extent of Adama's power is never clear; in fact, it varies from episode to episode (depending whatever works best for the story that week). But this kind of story would have made it a tough call as to whether Aurora and her friends were right and whether Starbuck and Apollo were totally justified in stopping them.

Anyway, that's the episode I would have liked to see, or anything other than what we did see, the most boring Galactica episode to date. The story is riddled with holes, outdone perhaps only by Experiment In Terra. Whereas that story's flaws are not immediately noticeable, most of this story's flaws are. Commander Kronus' decision to immediately shuttle the prisoners back to the fleet despite being so far away doesn't make much sense. His accompanying the shuttle makes even less sense. Colonial law states that a commander has to personally take the mutineers in for charges? Huh? Even when his ship is out in the middle of nowhere? Okay. Whatever. Kronus should have waited until the Celestra rejoined the fleet. His decision makes him look like an idiot.

How is it that Chakka is able to get almost the entire crew to mutiny with him on a whim? He couldn't have been planning mutiny beforehand because he had expected to become commander of the Celestra. And if the entire crew wasn't with him in the mutiny, then how could he have expected to get away with powering down the ship? And could Starbuck and Apollo both be so clueless that they wouldn't be able to remember which heading the fleet was on? And how does the shuttle run out of fuel so fast? And how is it that Kronus could not have known or heard about any of the harsh working conditions? The Celestra isn't that big of a ship. Are we to believe that he never left the bridge? To top it off, why is there such an urgent need in the final battle scene to "level out" the Celestra? It's not as though there were any ships or planets around that it could crash into. Almost nothing in this episode makes any sense.

The minor plot of Cassiopeia agonizing over Starbuck's evasiveness in their relationship is far more compelling than the main plot of the Celestra mutiny. But even the Starbuck/Aurora plot has problems. For one thing, the writers have Starbuck act like a total jerk by skipping his date with Cassie so he can see Aurora. Why would Cassie put up with that? And how is it that Starbuck had a serious relationship with Aurora going during the time of the Destruction? Didn't he clearly have something going with Athena back then? (If there's anything worse than the writers making things up as they go, it's when they unmake things up as they go.)

Anyway, this only makes Starbuck look like a bigger womanizer than anyone thought (not exactly the best way to endear him to viewers). Aurora makes a valid point in her anger towards him. If Starbuck really did care about her, why didn't he check to see if her name was in the fleet computer? Just because her house was destroyed doesn't mean for certain that she was killed. It's also highly questionable that Starbuck ever made it back to Caprica after the Cylons attacked. We've never been given any indication that anyone besides Adama and Apollo ever went back. Considering how dangerous it would have been (not to mention how strong a chance that someone might have led the Cylons back to the Galactica), it's absolutely ludicrous to suggest Adama would have allowed anyone to return to the planet.

I almost want to pretend that this episode was just a bad dream. Fortunately, the very next episode would raise the roof.

===[[The Hand of God]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five.'''

They saved the best for last. ''The Hand Of God'' is arguably the best episode of Battlestar Galactica, and my personal favorite.

No doubt about it, ''The Hand of God'' is Galactica at its best. Donald Bellisario shows the other writers how it's done, pulling out all the stops with this one. Both the script and the performances are stellar. Never before have the characters been portrayed in such a powerful way. Although there is nothing innovative about the basic plot itself (The Galactica battles the Cylons again), there are enough things going on that make this story extremely engrossing.

This episode is fascinating from start to finish. Visually, it is a treat as we get to see the inside of a Cylon basestar's landing bay for the first time. We also get to see Cylon Centurions boarding their ships for the first time. And the Celestial Observation Dome is a marvel, as is Apollo's analogy that being inside it is like riding in the Hand of God.

What makes this story especially memorable is the culmination of a story thread that has been running since ''War of the Gods''. In that episode, we see the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba. Nothing happens in the other episodes following, although Anne Lockhart does a good job showing, in a subtle way, Sheba's emerging feelings for Apollo.

Kudos go to both Anne Lockhart and Laurette Spang for winning performances. Sheba's confrontation with Apollo and their kiss inside the Cylon raider is the best scene of the episode. That and Cassiopeia's argument with Starbuck in the landing bay are both incredibly moving, providing each actress with her stand-out moment of the series. It really gives the viewer a chance to appreciate the range of Anne and Laurette. Women on this show were usually stuck in the background; this episode placed demands on each actress they rarely had to face. Give each one credit for not dropping the ball. Fortunately, they are both aided by outstanding dialogue from Bellisario. Of course, Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, and Herbert Jefferson, Jr. hold up their end as well. Starbuck, Apollo, and Boomer clasping hands in the pilots barracks (with the accompanying music score) powerfully expresses the bond of their friendship more than words ever could.

Extra congratulations go to Donald Bellisario who also directed this episode. His use of slow motion twice during Starbuck and Apollo's battles with Cylon Centurions make the scenes much more intense and suspenseful. Let's face it. Thanks to ABC's family-friendly censors, the Cylons often looked like a joke (Remember ''The Young Lords'' when Starbuck and five children wiped out an entire Cylon garrison?). If Starbuck and Apollo's shootout scenes had been shown in real time, there would have been little (if any) impact.

Another reason ''The Hand of God'' works so well is because the Cylons were not featured in the previous seven or eight episodes. Glen Larson wisely saw that the constant reusing of the same space battle footage was hurting the stories and thus moved the Cylons into the background after ''Fire In Space''. So much time has passed since then that the Cylons seem revitalized. There's nothing spectacular about the dogfight between the vipers and raiders or the slugfest between the Galactica and the Cylon basestar (since it's the same footage seen in previous episodes), but the story is compelling enough that it all still works.

If there is one flaw with this story, it is the idea that Adama would attack a Cylon basestar and risk the fate of the entire human race just for the sake of wreaking some vengeance. This is the same man who told Commander Cain, "I'm not interested in military victories. I'm interested in saving lives. What few of them are left." It would have worked better to have a scenario where the Galactica simply could not backtrack and thus was forced to attack the Cylons. Still, it is a minor flaw in an overall outstanding script.

It is extremely frustrating that we never see a follow-up to Apollo and Sheba's relationship since this was the final episode. For fans who would like to see some kind of continuation, there are some fan fiction stories that I highly recommend. There is a short story called ''My Father's Daughter'' which takes place immediately following the events of ''The Hand of God'' and is quite simply the best Sheba story I have ever read. Three other novels, ''Second Coming'', ''Joint Maneuvers'', and ''The Race For Earth'' also explore Apollo and Sheba's relationship and are outstanding. These stories are all available free online at a site I own called [http://freegalacticafanfictionnovels.weebly.com Free Battlestar Galactica Fan Fiction Novels].

Many fans were and still are saddened that the original show ended so soon. Personally, I'm at peace with it. If the show had to end, ''The Hand of God'' may have been the best way to close the curtain. After reading Glen Larson's [[Battlestar_Galactica:_Year_Two_proposal|Season Two proposal]], all I can say is, "Thank god the show ended when it did!" It appears that, if there had been a second season, half the cast would have been cut in order to save money, Sheba would have been killed off, Commander Cain would have returned as a Cylon android, and Apollo would have shirked his responsibilities and started partying and messing around with numerous women. Ugh!!!

I think I can accept Battlestar Galactica for what it was, always remembering that the light that shines twice as bright only burns half as long.

== Galactica 1980 Episode Reviews ==

=== [[Galactica Discovers Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

Galactica Discovers Earth turns out to be a watchable pilot, but watchable is about all. From the very first episode, Galactica 1980 is clearly nothing more than an attempt by ABC to cash in on the Galactica name by creating a cheap show that simply reuses the expensive special effects stock footage from the original series. The later episodes would only reinforce this. Kent McCord (Troy) and Barry Van Dyke (Dillon) come off as inferior clones of Starbuck and Apollo. In fact, the script for the pilot was originally written for Starbuck and Apollo. When those plans changed, the names were simply switched to Troy and Dillon. Jamie Hamilton comes off as a carbon copy of Lois Lane. Unfortunately, we are never given any backstory to any of these characters.

This may be the only pilot in television history in which the premise changes in the middle of the episode! At first it's about advancing Earth's technology in order to fight the Cylons. Then it suddenly changes and is about capturing a time-traveling villain. It's really bizarre. Anyway, the time travel journey to Nazi Germany is never particularly interesting, partly because Xaviar just isn't that compelling of a villain, but mostly because this is NOT Battlestar Galactica.

The idea of the Galactica having to protect a primitive Earth from the Cylons is actually a compelling premise, but the problem is that Dr. Zee's plan to slowly increase Earth's technology is flawed. At the rate in which the Colonials were going, it probably would have taken at least decades to get Earth's technology increased enough to be able to fight the Cylons. Long before then, the Cylons would probably tire of waiting and decide to just destroy the Colonial fleet. Even if the Cylons didn't attack, how far could the Galactica lead the Cylons away from Earth before they (the Colonials) were too far away from the planet to ever go back there? It probably would have been smarter to temporarily abandon Earth and lead the Cylons away until Dr. Zee could invent some technology that would allow the Colonials to destroy the Cylon armada. (Actually, since Colonial Vipers can now turn invisible, it should have been fairly easy for the Colonials to launch a surprise attack on the Cylons and defeat them once and for all!)

The problem with the original premise of Galactica 1980 is that it would have eventually become tiresome: Troy and Dillon each week would find a way to introduce some new technology (clean nuclear power, etc.) which would make some small improvement, but do little to bring Earth up to the level it would need be to fight the Cylons. As a result, the series could never evolve to the next level (i.e. Earth is ready to fight the Cylons), because the series' budget was too small for any kind of "final battle". As a result, Galactica 1980 was stuck in a rut from the get-go. It tried to distract viewers from the main plot (the Cylon threat) with time travel and cub scout outings because there was little that could be done with the original premise. It might have worked well as a single movie or perhaps a series of movies, but it's unlikely that Galactica 1980 could have ever jelled as a weekly series.

The show looks second-rate. For example, take the opening sequence. This has to be one of the worst opening sequences in television history. It's nothing but a series of stock footage shots from the original show haphazardly thrown together. Even the rendition of the Galactica theme seems inferior to the one we heard on the original show.

That said, there is some nice chemistry between the trio of Troy, Dillon and Jamie. There's one particularly touching scene in part 3 when Jamie says goodbye to Troy and Dillon at the bus stop. But whatever positives the actors had would not be enough to overcome a number of self-destructive turns that would begin with the very next episode.

=== [[The Super Scouts]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Super Scouts arrive, and Galactica 1980 plummets into an abyss it would not survive. In the beginning, we're forced to endure a series of boring classroom educational lessons. Things get even worse when the intergalactic 'Our Gang' reaches Earth. We get ultra-cute campfire songs and even more educational lessons shoved down are throats. The original series had flaws, but at least it never insulted its viewers with sitcom humor or by getting into preachy moral issues. Galactica 1980 gives us an ultra-simplistic environmental message of "Don't pollute the water," and does so with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

One could make the case that Galactica 1980 is a great tool for writers to learn how NOT to write drama. One key is to create powerful villains and put the heroes in situations that are difficult to deal with. But all of the villains in Galactica 1980 are weak. The Colonials have so many advantages over the people of Earth - spaceships, super powers, invisibility fields - that they are essentially invincible, thus robbing the series of any possible drama. In Galactica 1980, there are no worthy villains. The bumbling cops and incompetent military personnel never have a prayer of apprehending Troy and Dillon, so there's no suspense. And it's certainly not funny to watch Earthlings constantly being confounded by extra-terrestrials. Yet that is what we're forced to endure again and again throughout the entire series.

=== [[Spaceball]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

This is crap. Spaceball is the worst, most hated episode of Galactica 1980. It's silly, stupid, and just plain dumb. Little kids playing baseball??? This is Battlestar Galactica??? Spaceball may be the most inconsequential hour of science fiction ever made. It's nothing less than an insult to the original series that this bionic version of ''The Bad News Bears'' was shot under the Galactica name.

=== [[The Night The Cylons Landed]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five (Poor)'''

The Night The Cylons Landed is the best episode since the pilot. Of course, this isn't saying much, since watching a blank screen would have been almost as entertaining as the previous two episodes. Anyway, the Super Scouts are finally relegated to the background. This expands on the storyline involving the evolution of the Cylons over the 30 years since the destruction of the Colonies. A new, bigger, and more powerful Cylon raider carrying a newly advanced Cylon lifeform crashlands on Earth. Two surviving Cylons attempt to communicate with the Cylon armada to tell them of Earth's location. This is a cool idea, but the execution is terrible. We are treated to so much silliness, culminating with Troy and Dillon dancing on stage with cartoon characters like Yogi Bear! There are other problems. The more powerful, heavily armored Cylon raider is crippled after the punier viper rams into it??? The viper certainly doesn't hit it very hard. If the Cylons were a joke in the original series, then in Galactica 1980 they are a laughing stock. Andromus, the evolved Cylon clone of a human, certainly doesn't look or act very advanced. Centuri, his Centurion buddy, comes across as being even sillier with his constant banter of "I will protect you. That is my mission." This is the monstrous, all-powerful race which threatens the Earth's destruction and that the Colonials are so concerned about??? The two Cylons provide some funny moments, but it can't make up for the letdown of a plot that had so much potential.

With this episode, Galactica 1980 provides yet another example of how NOT to write drama. Conventional storytelling says that when you have a character trying to solve a mystery, you want the audience to move along at the same pace as the character. If the audience knows more than the character does, they find themselves simply waiting for the character to catch up, which is boring. Unfortunately, Galactica 1980 violates this basic rule of storytelling as we're forced to endure Colonel Briggs's investigation of the aliens. We know everything, he knows nothing, and thus there is nothing even remotely interesting about the subplot.

=== [[Space Croppers]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Space Croppers starts out interesting, but quickly takes an abrupt nosedive into looney land. The plot parallels that of [[The Magnificent Warriors]]. Due to the destruction of the fleet's agroships by a Cylon attack, another source of food supply must be found. The Magnificent Warriors was a terrible episode, so it must be considered quite a feat that Space Croppers turns out to be even worse.

The plight of the Alonso family to save their farm never becomes the least bit interesting. Even worse are the 'educational beats' that bring the story to a grinding halt: a lecture about Hispanic history, the soil requirements for planting legumes, and how rainfull is produced. This is beyond bad. It's unwatchable.

If Dr. Zee is such a genius, why doesn't it ever occur to him to use Galactican technology to create money so the Colonials can simply buy the food that they need? I guess such a simple solution would have made this story pointless.

Furthermore, the Imperious Leader's plan to force the Galactica to lead the Cylons to Earth makes no sense. How could Imperious Leader know that Earth was nearby? And if he did know, why not just destroy the Colonial fleet and conduct a search of the nearby planets? Did anything on this series make sense? Was anything supposed to?

Last, and certainly least, Troy and Dillon bouncing high in the air and throwing seeds while the Super Scouts sing their song is hands down the most ludicrous thing ever shown on Galactica 1980, and that's saying something.

=== [[The Return of Starbuck]] ===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five (Outstanding)'''

This is undeniably the best and most popular episode of Galactica 1980. It is even better than most of the episodes of Battlestar Galactica. What is there not to love about this episode? There are so many outstanding scenes: Adama's chilling reaction to Dr. Zee's mention of Starbuck; Boomer's heartwrenching goodbye to Starbuck, Adama explaining to Boomer that they can't go back to find him; Adama saying his farewell to Starbuck; Starbuck's rationalizations about how the planet belongs to him; Angela's words, "Starbuck, would you die for me?"; Starbuck sacrificing his chance to return to the fleet to give Angela and her baby a better chance; Starbuck's goodbye to Cy. The list goes on. Best of all, we see growth in Starbuck's character! A true classic to be treasured for all time by Galactica fans.

This episode is based on an earlier script written for the second season of Battlestar Galactica that never happened. The main differences are that a regular woman appears (not Angela), and Starbuck is eventually rescued by Boomer. The only thing believed to have been taken intact from the early script is Starbuck's dialogue with Cy. While that would no doubt have been a tremendous episode, it still would not have come close to being as great as this one is. The reason why is very simple. One of the problems with creating dramatic and suspenseful stories in any weekly series is that the viewer knows the hero will ultimately prevail. For example, when Starbuck is accused of murder in [[Murder on the Rising Star]], there is little in terms of suspense because it is a foregone conclusion that Starbuck will be vindicated, just as it is a forgone conclusion that Starbuck isn't going to die in [[The Young Lords]] when he is hunted by the Cylons on the planet Attila. In the beginning of The Return Of Starbuck, it is quickly established that Adama doesn't know what happened to Starbuck and that Starbuck never returned from the mission where he was shot down. As a result, in what is most unusual for any action/adventure television story, the viewer sits through the entire episode knowing that Starbuck isn't going to make it!

This makes the story much more gripping and intense than virtually any other episode of either series. The grim reality of Starbuck's eventual fate is all reinforced by Angela's question "Starbuck, will you die for me?" and her warnings of disaster, telling him that he must prepare to make "the final judgement." Of course, we do not actually see Starbuck die at the end of the story. Larson leaves Starbuck's fate ambiguous, especially since an intact Cylon raider is left nearby. Having Starbuck die would have been a gutsy and innovative move, but the ending shown is really for the best. The beauty of the ending is that it lets the viewers make their own interpretation of Starbuck's fate. If one goes with the idea that a single person alone cannot fly a Cylon raider, then Starbuck could have easily died on the planet. Many fans don't consider Galactica 1980 to be canon for the original series, except for this episode. With the interpretation that Galactica 1980 didn't happen, Starbuck could possibly have flown the Cylon raider back to the fleet, returning to Apollo, Adama, Sheba, and the other original characters. Much Galactica fan fiction over the years has interpreted the episode in this manner.

Despite having a small role, Lorne Greene gives what may be his best performance ever as Commander Adama. The look on his face when he asks Dr. Zee to tell him his dream is worth a thousand words. His farewell to Starbuck, saying that he loves him, is also incredibly powerful. A wonderful performance!

In conclusion, ''The Return of Starbuck'' is an incredible ending to the series and a worthy finish to the Battlestar Galactica saga overall. ''Galactica 1980'' was crap, but it sure went out with a bang.

== Galactica Comics ==

=== [[Galactica 1980 1|Galactica 1980 comic series]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Comic adaptations of television shows are often very good because the writers are free from the usual constraints that a television show faces: limited budgets, censors, and network meddling in the storylines. Unfortunately, this is a double-edged sword, as the comic book writers' unlimited freedom sometimes allows the story to go flying off the rails.

Such is the case with the Galactica 1980 comic series, a cool idea that feels like a missed opportunity. First, the comic does a number of things right. It is a reboot rather than a continuation, delivering a ''War of the Worlds'' type story with the Colonials and Cylons battling over Earth. It even makes Dr. Zee a villian, a great move considering that Zee is hands down the most hated character in the entire Galactica universe. Unfortunately, writer Marc Guggenheim decides to go for shock value. In the first issue, we learn that Troy is a drunk and Adama is suicidal. Personally, I found this ugly and disturbing.

Even worse is the end of issue #1 when the Galactica is destroyed by nukes. Again, it feels like the writer is just trying to hit us with one shocking surprise after another. Surprises can be great fun, but I get annoyed when they lack logic as this one does. Why would Adama be so stupid as to fly the Galactica directly over the White House without first sending a message and waiting to see what the response would be? This just makes no sense.

And I just didn't like seeing the Galactica destroyed. After all, this ''is'' Galactica 1980, so therefore the Galactica should be in it. If the Galactica had to be destroyed, it should have happened in the final issue (#4), not the first.

Lo and behold, we get yet another shocking surprise in issue #2 when Dillon is killed off (and rather undramatically). I have a big problem with this as well. Troy and Dillon were the heroes of Galactica 1980, and I just don't think that either should have been killed (at least not less than halfway through the story). I was also disappointed that Jamie Hamilton is given nothing more than a cameo appearance in issue #4. Given that she was one of the main characters on the original show, she should have had a larger role in the story.

In the end, I wish Guggenheim had written a story that might have been done on television if not for the limited budget and children's hour restrictions that ultimately crippled the series. The ''War of the Worlds'' premise was perfect for Galactica 1980, but in this case the execution fell short.

== The Galactica Telemovies ==

=== [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

The opening sequence is outstanding, although it mostly uses footage from the original series. It has a truly epic feel, and it gives the impression that we will see a grand conclusion to the Battlestar Galactica saga. Sadly, this does not happen. Still, Adama's opening declaration that Earth has been found is also magnificent, much better done than it was in the original episode. By removing the time-travel subplot as well as much of the silliness including Troy and Dillon dancing on stage, the whole is better than any of the original Galactica 1980 episodes it is composed of. Yet this hardly makes ''Conquest of the Earth'' a great movie. The opening minutes rate five stars, yet starting with the first appearance of Dr. Zee (who bizarrely speaks with two different voices), the rest of the movie rates much lower.

=== [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack (VHS)|Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

This movie is less entertaining than the individual episodes it is composed of (The Living Legend and Fire In Space). The separate episodes don't mesh together seamlessly, resulting in several plot holes and odd hairstyle changes between scenes. The movie especially suffers because many great scenes from The Living Legend episode are missing. All scenes and dialogue relating to Starbuck's relationship with Cassiopeia are cut, which only makes the Cain/Cassiopeia subplot less interesting. The battle scenes are a little more elaborate because additional stock footage is used, but that's not enough to overcome the movie's deficiencies. A different sound effect is used for the engines of the Cylon raiders that's a little jarring for anyone who is a die-hard fan of the original show.

Bottom line, this movie is only recommended for curiosity's sake.

== Berkley Books ==
=== [[Saga of a Star World (Book)|Saga of a Star World]] ===
'''Flagship of the 12 Worlds fleet, she was as large as a planet, yet as swift as the Starhound fighters she launched from her bays. For generations the vast ship led the thousand-year war against the Cylons for control of the known Galaxy. Now that war was in its final phase, and Galactica had one final mission, win or lose: blast through the deadly grid of the Cylon Starfleet and dash for deep space in a desperate attempt to find the legendary "Stonehenge" of the universe - the lost planet the ancient microfilms call "Earth."'''

This is the opening paragraph to the Berkley novelization of the Battlestar Galactica pilot "Saga Of A Star World". This is easily one of the most fascinating Galactica books ever written, and there are a number of things that make it so interesting. First, the book is based on an early script of the pilot and, although changes were made before it came to print to make it more like the version that aired, there are a number of alternate scenes in the book. The Galactica universe is also different in several aspects, such as the Cylons are living aliens underneath their armor instead of total machines. Also, there are missing scenes left out of the final cut of the movie that survived intact in the book (Starbuck's confrontation with Tigh on the bridge after the Colonies are destroyed; Starbuck's extended conversation with Cassie on the shuttle; Adama's resigning from the Council).

Perhaps best of all, certain events are more fleshed out in the novelization than in the movie such as the surprise Cylon attack. The novelization helps to fill a number of gaping plot holes and unanswered questions that the movie was saddled with. Many chapters begin with an entry from the Adama journals, and the reader is able to learn a lot of information and insight from the Galactica's commander.

Many fans are unhappy with the Berkley books, feeling that they don't remain true to the series. I respectfully disagree. First of all, as already mentioned, the novelizations often have extra detail and explanations that help cover up plot holes that existed in the episodes. Second, the fact that the novels portray the BG universe in a slightly different way and that they are not exact retellings of the episodes is good because the books would be pretty boring otherwise. Third, some of the characters such as Athena are fleshed out better in the novels. Make no mistake, this is the best of all the Berkley novelizations and is a must-read for any fan of the original series.

== External Links ==

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/BGEPISODES.htm Battlestar Galactica Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/Wharmby.htm Matthew Wharmby's Hilarious Galactica 1980 Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

User:Galactica1981/Galactica 1981 Reviews

2011-11-26T00:45:53Z

Galactica1981: /* Galactica 1980 comic series */

This is a list of reviews by [[User:Galactica1981]] for various [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]] content. Given to the Battlestar Wiki's policy of [[NPOV|Neutral Point of View]], they are found here rather than their respective articles.

These episode reviews originally appears on the Sheba's Galaxy site. They have been slightly revised.

== TOS Episode Reviews ==

===[[Saga of a Star World]] ===

'''RATING: Four and a half stars out of five'''

There's no question that on the night of September 17, 1978, Battlestar Galactica hit television screens with a bang. Saga Of A Star World is unquestionably the most elaborate televison movie ever made (and least up to that point!) When trying to rate something like this, it's important to examine it in the context of television during that time period. For sure, no sci-fi show of this magnitude had ever been done before in the history of television, and thus it deserves extra points for that alone. There are many great things that can be said about this episode (acting, special effects, music score), but I won't bother repeating what most people are already aware of. In the end, I had to decide against a full five-star rating, mostly because of the unforgivable "Star Wars" ending it was saddled with. The big explosion of the planet Carillon is a blatant ripoff of Star Wars, not to mention ridiculous as well. Setting fire to some tylium mines causes the entire planet to explode? This is ludicrous (although one could argue that destroying the massive Death Star by shooting a tiny exhaust port was equally ludicrous). Surely Glen Larson could have written a better ending than this. Ultimately, this had to reinforce many people's beliefs that Galactica was a second-rate Star Wars. Having a casino with all sorts of alien creatures also seems a little too close to Star Wars for comfort.

As a kid watching the show, I absolutely loved the Cylons because of how cool they looked. My favorite character was Starbuck who I idolized and wanted to be like. The series also had a phenomenal cast with tremendously talented actors (except for Maren Jensen), and it's a shame they were often saddled with substandard scripts. Starbuck and Apollo are wonderful in the lead roles, and they arguably have more chemistry than did Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. And Lorne Greene is superb as in the role of Commander Adama. In the pilot episode, the scene that perhaps stands out the most is the laser battle against the Cylon Centurions on the surface of Carillon, a truly awesome spectacle combined with the looming countdown as the Cylon raiders close in on the Galactica. It terms of the characters, my favorite scene is probably Starbuck's almost proposing to Athena. Finally, the musical score for the series is truly breathtaking, on a similar level as the one for Star Wars.

Of course, there are also some HUMONGOUS plot holes in this story, enough for any critic to tear it to shreds. I'm not going bother writing 5 pages about the plot problems of Saga Of A Star World. Instead, I'll just mention a few points:

The premise of the Colonial fleet seeking Earth, while interesting, is unfortunately flawed because no one (not even Adama) has any idea where it is! Apparently, Adama was the only one who even knew about Earth's existence, although he doesn't seem to have any proof. Thus the Colonial fleet is left to wander aimlessly throughout the universe looking for it. Fortunately, this problem would be addressed in ''War of the Gods'' when the Colonials finally learn the coordinates to Earth.

The Colonials seemed unbelievably gullible and naive regarding the Cylons' offer of peace. After a thousand years of war, you would think they'd have been more careful, but they foolishly leave their home planets undefended. President Adar is incredibly stupid when he sees a thousand Cylon raiders coming towards the fleet and assumes it is a peace envoy.

Apollo gets back to the fleet in time to warn them of the coming Cylon attack, yet he fails to do so. Why? Why does he take an hour to find the bridge?

=== [[Lost Planet of the Gods]]===

'''Rating: Four stars out of five'''

The second half of this two-part episode has the theatrical feel of a movie, while the first half has often been blasted as being sexist. Of course, it is a bit strange that all the female cadets look like lingerie models. Still, I think the claim of sexism is a bit overstated. If you look at women in the U.S. military, they tend to act in supporting roles rather than be on the front lines. I don't know how many female jet pilots are in the U.S. military, but I suspect there aren't many. And I suspect this is due less to discrimination than to the fact that women tend to make different career choices than men (i.e. they tend to choose less hazardous professions). The reasons for there being no female viper pilots on the Galactica were probably along the same lines.

Regardless, the first half of the episode mostly serves as a set-up for the second half. Nothing wrong with that, but it does make the first half far less interesting.

Anyway, the two-part episodes fare better than most of the one-part episodes because Glen Larson would often blow the budget and vastly overspend. There are many fantastic scenes in the second half: Serina proposing to Apollo that they marry immediately; the Star of Kobol appearing in the port window during the wedding ceremony; the light shining off of Adama's medallion inside the tombs of Kobol; the Cylon raiders attacking the surface of Kobol; and, of course, Serina's death scene.

Serina's death is one of the most poignant moments of the entire series. But it came with a high price, as the show arguably suffered without her. And the writing would start to take a turn for the worse with the very next episode.

===[[The Lost Warrior]]===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

After only two episodes, Battlestar Galactica's creative energy has fizzled out. This is the first of the so-called "bottled episodes." These episodes had few if any new special effects, enabling the producers to save money which would later be spent on the bigger, more extravagant "monster episodes." It's understandable that these "bottled" stories were necessary, but this is where rushing the show into production really hurt the series. The writers simply did not have time to create quality scripts. Of course, this would ultimately lead to the decline in ratings.

This kind of episode is tough to review because it's good but wrong. Based on the classic 1953 western film Shane, this actually makes a pretty decent western, but Battlestar Galactica is supposed to be a science fiction series. Sci-fi fans want science fiction, not half-hybrids of other shows (A mistake that Galactica 1980 would repeat). If I want to see a Western, I'd rather watch Bonanza. The only reason this gets two stars is because we get such a strong characterization of Apollo.

Unfortunately, this is not the only space western we would see on Galactica. Cowboys and saloons would return in The Magnificent Warriors. In fact, the very idea that an "old west" town would exist in Battlestar Galactica completely contradicts the Von Daniken premise of the show, that the Colonies and the ancient cultures of Earth (such as Atlantis and Egypt) have the same roots, the same beginnings. It is ludicrous that an Old West society could have any common connection with this. It raises all kinds of questions. The people of Equellis obviously had to arrive on that world by means of spacecraft, so why is the society so primitive? How could they not know of the Cylons since the war has raged for 1,000 years and the average human life-span is 200 years?

Why would Apollo be dumb enough to fly so far away from the fleet that he wouldn't have enough fuel to make it back? This really makes no sense. And why does Apollo promise Bella and Puppis that he will return one day? Why would he ever believe that possible?

Despite the lackluster plot, there are some good moments. Boxey beating Starbuck at Pyramid is funny, and the western style "shoot-out" between Red-Eye and Apollo is very well done. The only weak point is when Red Eye spots Apollo's laser and says, "Uh-oh." This trivalizes a very serious moment for the sake of silly humor. It is difficult to believe that a Cylon would use such a phrase. Ironically, for years I couldn't make out exactly what he was saying. I assumed it was some kind of challenge to Apollo, and it actually added to the power of the moment. You can imagine my dismay when I learned the truth. Also, Puppis gets pretty annoying pretty fast.

===[[The Long Patrol]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

The Long Patrol is lot of a fun and a big improvement over the previous episode. Starbuck's computer companion C.O.R.A is a hoot. There are several funny scenes: Starbuck womanizing Cassiopeia and Athena; Boomer's jab at him before he goes off on the mission; Starbuck finding a fortune in ambrosia only to have it destroyed by the Cylon attack. Adama deciding to change the Galactica's course to keep distance from the Cylons is very well done, revealing how burdensome command of the fleet is and how it forces him to sacrifice his loved ones to protect the rest of humanity.

Maren Jensen (Athena) gets more screen time here than in most of the episodes. The scene with Athena revealing Starbuck's apparent death to Cassiopeia is especially moving, one of Jensen's best scenes of the series. The Athen/Cassiopeia rivalry was compelling and could have been developed in future episodes, but sadly this never happens. This was likely due to Maren Jensen's limitations as an actress which caused the writers to reduce her role.

Could C.O.R.A. have been the inspiration for K.I.T.T., the computerized car on Glen Larson's Knight Rider? Considering the amazing similarities between the two, it would have to be a possibility. Also, Glen Larson has went on record saying that K.I.T.T.'s swerving red eye was inspired by the swerving red eyes of the Cylons. It was sort of his way of keeping the Cylons alive.

The Long Patrol is definitely one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

===[[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero]]===

'''Rating: Three and a half stars out of five'''

This two-part episode is based on the 1961 movie The Guns of Navarone and the 1967 movie The Dirty Dozen. The episode has a theatrical feel to it because, as mentioned before, the two-parters had bigger budgets. Although the story is by-the-numbers, it is very enjoyable because of the fantastic special effects. Still, as good as Gun is, it is easily one of the lesser of the two-parters. While better than Greetings From Earth, Gun falls far short of The Living Legend, Lost Planet Of The Gods, and especially War Of The Gods.

This was actually the second episode filmed. This would explain why Serina and Cassiopea do not appear (Serina and Cassiopea died in the original version of the pilot before the decision was made to bring them back). Baltar and Lucifer's scenes were probably shot much later.

This episode raises a serious question. Considering the staggering number of people who had to be left behind due to lack of ships, why would the Colonials bother to take criminals with them? Perhaps they were already locked in the brig on the Galactica before the Holocaust or they somehow managed to sneak aboard the fleet to be captured later. Or perhaps most of them committed their crimes after joining the rag tag fleet. Considering how overcrowded, starved, and disorganized the fleet was when it was assembled, it is logical that many violent crimes would have occurred. An episode exploring this would have been nice.

The idea that there would not be enough qualified Colonial warriors to go on the mission is hard to believe. And why do Apollo, Starbuck, and Boomer get chosen? They are pilots, and their emphasis is not on ground assault. Logically, the Galactica would have a ground assault team available for these kinds of situations. It is also difficult to believe that Boxey would have found a way to sneak onto the shuttle. At least he and Muffit have an impact on the success of the mission.

In the book ''The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'' by J.W. Rinzler and Ridley Scott, it is revealed that part of George Lucas's anger towards Battlestar Galactica was because of this episode. Lucas planned to feature an ice planet in the sequel to Star Wars, and he felt that Galactica threatened to undercut him by featuring an ice planet on one of their own episodes. Did this fuel his lawsuit that Galactica was infringing on Star Wars? Is so, then Lucas comes off as disingenuous to say the least, for it would be absurd to claim that Galactica was infringing on a movie that hadn't yet been made!

Baltar's legs were crushed in Lost Planet of the Gods, yet in this episode the only evidence of Baltar's injury is a slight limp. Did the Cylons do major reconstructive surgery on his legs? I guess so.

At this point, the constant reusing of the same space battle scenes really starts getting redundant. Still, this remains one of the most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

=== [[The Magnificent Warriors]] ===

'''Rating: One and a half stars out of five'''

Many fans consider this to be the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. While I don't agree, I think it comes pretty close. The story is, quite frankly, terrible. We are again subjected to yet another old-western style shanty town? Once was enough! The Borays are disgusting and sound awful. The only redeeming moment is when Adama and company discover Starbuck at the gambling table. It's rather funny.

Siress Bellaby is hands down the most annoying character to ever appear on Battlestar Galactica. Most viewers probably couldn't understand why the Colonial Warriors didn't simply let the Borays kill her.

On a positive note, we are shown Lorne Greene's impressive range as an actor. It's interesting to see a comical Adama, a nice contrast to the serious commander that we usually see. Unfortunately, Greene is forced to play against Brett Somers (Siress Bellaby). Somers isn't funny; she's annoying, and it kills most of the comedy that is presented.

The premise of The Magnificent Warriors actually had a lot of potential. We are given a situation where the fleet has no food and everyone is aware of it (unlike in Saga Of A Star World when the Colonials were able to cover up the problem). This raises all kinds of fascinating issues. Would the fleet start a mutiny against Adama during such a crisis? How would Adama react to such a mutiny? How would he choose who to save? Would he allow each ship to make its own decision to leave? Or would he try to force them to stick together? And what decisions would Starbuck and Apollo be forced to make if such a mutiny occurred? So many interesting questions for the episode to pursue.

Sadly, standard television plotting is what we get. The Colonials are traveling through the vast uncharted regions of space, and they run out of food at just the precise moment they happen to be near a farming colony. Okay. Whatever. The Colonials land on the planet and meet the Borays. From then on, it's just another battle of good vs. evil. Putting the Colonials in a moral dilemna would have been much more interesting that what we were given here.

===[[The Young Lords]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

This is the family episode of Battlestar Galactica. Starbuck is shot down and crashes on a planet. Yawn. This is essentially a remake of The Lost Warrior in which Apollo is stranded on the planet Equellus. Of course, Starbuck was also stranded in The Long Patrol and Cree was stranded in ''The Gun On Ice Planet Zero''. Later in ''Greetings From Earth'', Starbuck, Apollo, and Casseopia would be stranded on the planet Paradeen. At this point, the series was becoming so predictable that viewers each week must have been asking the question, "Who's going to have to be rescued this week?" In fact, Mad Magazine, in a spoof of Galactica, poked fun at this element of the show. (See [[Humor in the Original Series]])

Considering the incredibly broad premise of the series, it's amazing that the writers had so much trouble coming up with a story that didn't involve someone being stranded on a planet. With this kind of plot, The Young Lords shouldn't even be watchable. And yet, despite all these drawbacks, this actually turns out to be a fun, enjoyable episode. Part of this praise goes to the tremendous production values. It is simply fascinating to see so many Cylons inside a medieval castle. The location is nothing short of spectacular. To top it off, Dirk Benedict delivers with a wonderful performance. There are many good scenes, especially Starbuck's rescue from the Cylons by Kyle and the children (plus his insulting remark to the Cylons moments before). Playing up kids in a series can be extremely fatal to ratings (Galactica 1980 became an infamous example of this), but fortunately Kyle and the gang never get to the point where they become grating; although they (and their song near the end) come dangerously close. (And are we to believe Starbuck and his Scooby Gang would actually take the time to think up lyrics for a song and memorize them? Please!)

The IL series Cylon Spectre is a delightfully conniving character. He is the perfect foil for Lucifer. His phony flattery of Baltar is hilarious, especially the way he manages to turn defeat to his own advantage. Unfortunately, the character does not appear again. Had the series continued into a second season, he probably would have. Spectre does appear in the later original Berkley novels [[The Nightmare Machine]], [[Die, Chameleon!]] and [[Surrender the Galactica!]] where he is put to good use.

Most of the scenes of Baltar and Lucifer communicating with Spectre were recycled with different dialogue into the Galactica telemovie [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]].

Needless to say that by this point the Cylons have become a joke. When you stop and really think about it, it is ludicrous that an entire Cylon garrison is defeated by one colonial warrior and five children.

Still, this episode somehow succeeds despite every logical reason why it shouldn't.

===[[The Living Legend]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five'''

This is one of the very best episodes of Battlestar Galactica. The two-part episodes consistently deliver, and The Living Legend is no exception. The idea of a second survivng battlestar is a good one, as is a scenario where the fleet runs out of fuel.

This episode introduces two compelling characters, Commander Cain and his daughter, Lt. Sheba. Sheba's character is said to have been a ground-breaking role for women. She is tough, independent, and short-tempered. Basically, she's the exact opposite of virtually every other female character to appear on the series. Fortunately, she, along with Bojay, becomes a regular after this episode.

Lloyd Bridges is tremendous as Commander Cain. It's hard to imagine any other actor filling the role. The only weak moment for Bridges is when Cain lies to Adama about the "accidental" failure of the tanker mission. Cain's cavalier attitude about it makes it obvious to everyone that he purposely sabotaged the mission.

This story is different from any other Galactica story thus far because we see a clash of philosophies within the ranks of the military. Cain wants to wage an all-out war against Gamoray, and Adama simply wants to capture the much-needed fuel and escape. The earlier episodes were extremely simplistic in their portaryal of good versus evil. The Colonials are good. The Cylons are evil. Simple as that. Since the good guys are all in the military, the military is always portrayed as being right. Adama, Starbuck, and Apollo had very few moral dilemnas to deal with, which would have made the stories so much more interesting.

Baltar personally leading the attack on the Galactica makes the battle much more intense and exciting, mostly because the battle has a storyline. Most of the Galactica space battles are nothing more than a confusing jumble of stock shots haphazardly thrown together with nothing in terms of a flow or climax. (One of the bigger flaws of Return Of The Jedi was that the Battle of Endor had nothing in terms of a storyline.) This time it is different. The Pegasus closing in on Baltar at the end of part one is the best cliff hanger of the series. It is rather fitting that Baltar's forces are taken by surprise, since it was Baltar who caused the colonial warfleet to be taken by surprise in the pilot.

The scene between Adama and Apollo right before the mission to capture the Cylon tankers is very powerful. It shows how, despite being father and son, each of their respective positions forces a distance between them personally. What is especially impressive is that this is done without words. Richard Hatch and Lorne Greene manage to convey more with a facial expression than most actors do with a page of dialogue.

Boxey really starts to get on the nerves at this point. Nothing against Noah Hathaway, but Boxey is a character all too typical of standard television. He is an ultra-cute TV kid doing ultra-cute things, yet usually has little or no bearing on the plot. These kinds of characters (most notably the Super Scouts from Galactica 1980) only serve to hurt a show's ratings.

When you put the story under scrutiny, there are some serious flaws. Why are viper pilots sent on a ground mission? Wouldn't the Galactica have specialized teams for that sort of thing? It is also a bit difficult to believe that Sheba could have found a way to go on the mission to Gamoray without permission. It is even more difficult to believe that Cassiopea would have been allowed to just hop on the shuttle. Was she given a crash course on parachuting during the shuttle ride? How could the Colonial warriors have known exactly which building in Gamoray contained the main communications center? And are we to believe that destroying one small communications center would disable the entire city's defense system? If, like me, you can overlook these flaws, this is still a great episode.

This episode and Fire In Space were later combined to form the horrid Galactica theatrical movie [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]].

===[[Fire in Space]]===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

This explosive episode is the one-hour equivalent of a disaster movie. It's basically a sci-fi version of The Towering Inferno (and stock footage from that movie was probably used here). There's so much action that it isn't until the end that you realize just how essentially empty it is. There are a lot of things happening, and at the same time there is nothing happening. By all rights this story should be downright awful, yet somehow it isn't. It really speaks volumes about the show's production values and the performances of the actors that this turns out to be an enjoyable hour despite another by-the-numbers script.

After this episode, producer Glen Larson decided changed the direction of the series, relegating the Cylons to the background. The Cylons are not featured again until the final episode, The Hand Of God. The reason for the change of direction may be that Larson had a feeling the series would be canceled and decided to try to create a storyarc that would end the series with the Galactica apparently getting close to Earth. In an interview, Larson has said that he wasn't surprised the show was canceled. The change of direction was really for the best because the battles with the Cylons were too ridiculously imbalanced in the Colonials' favor (due to the censors) making the Cylons look like a joke, and the reusing of the same space battle stock footage was becoming monotonous.

The ending the writers originally planned had Cylon raiders attacking the Galactica a second time, and it is their lasers that put Starbuck and Apollo in danger on the Galactica's hull. Unfortunately, the network censors overruled this because they felt it would have been too repetitive. The complete original ending from the script can be found [[List_of_Deleted_Scenes_(TOS)#Fire_In_Space|here.]]

The story completely falls apart when put under scientific scrutiny because fires simply cannot exist in outer space, as many Galactica critics have pointed out. However, Star Wars was able to get away with this flub (Remember the fate of the Death Star?), so it seems rather unfair that Battlestar Galactica took so many shots because of it.

This is Terry Carter's best episode, since Colonel Tigh is thrust into the forefront, taking command of the Galactica while Adama is incapacitated. Carter does a tremendous job, and his strong performance helps save this cliched, overused story plot from losing steam.

Since the Galactica was on the verge of destruction by the time Starbuck and Apollo were planting charges on the hull, didn't it ever occur to Colonel Tigh to evacuate all non-essential personnel including the Colonial vipers so that, if the Galactica was destroyed, the fleet would at least have a fighting chance to survive? And since it was too dangerous to operate on Adama on the Galactica, didn't it ever occur to Dr. Salik to shuttle Adama to another ship in the fleet and perform the operation there?

A tremendous amount of damage is done to the Galactica (especially the landing bay), yet there is no sign of this in any future episodes nor any explanation of how the repairs went. Considering the abysmal plot, this episode was probably best left forgotten.

===[[War of the Gods]]===

'''RATING: Five stars out of five'''

War Of The Gods is one of the best and most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica. It is not the very best episode, nor is it completely flawless, but it is easily the most complex of all the stories we were given. The bottom line is that it is extremely rare to see this kind of thing done on TV. This is one of the few episodes to fully utilize Galactica's Von Daniken premise (God Is An Astronaut). We learn that angels are not spirits of the dead, but advanced beings who are thousands of years ahead of the Colonials in both technology and spirituality. Count Iblis (whom Apollo addresses in part 2 as Mephistopheles) comes across as a form of devil. There is an interesting parallel with mythology. Just as the angel Lucifer (or Satan) rebelled against heaven, Iblis rebels against his brothers on the Ship of Lights.

Iblis may well be the most fascinating character in the entire series. What is fascinating is that his voice is the same as that of the Cylon Imperious Leader. Baltar recognizes this (and it would have been an unforgivable flub if he didn't). There have been two primary theories about Iblis' origin. The first is that Iblis exterminated the original reptile Cylon race and created the mechanical one, starting the thousand year war with the humans.

The second theory is that Iblis and the Imperious Leader are one and the same. Iblis calling Baltar "old friend" would seem to support this. Also, it is made clear in the end that Iblis cannot control anyone who does not choose to follow him. If Iblis is the Imperious Leader, then Baltar technically was "following him" since he (Baltar) was serving the Cylons. However, the theory that Iblis and Imperious Leader being the same person doesn't quite hold up because wouldn't the Cylons then easily be able to locate the Colonial fleet? Therefore, the first theory makes more sense overall. But there is still the question of how Iblis was able to make Baltar surrender to the Colonials. The episode tries to make it seem that Iblis did not perform his bigger miracles, that the white lights caused the crops to grow and Baltar came of his own free will (the latter is hinted by Apollo in a missing scene that was cut from the original script). Of course, the idea that Baltar would surrender on his own is ludicrous considering the coward that he is. And why would the white lights come to the fleet if that would cause the crops on the agro-ship to grow and thus fulfill one of Iblis' tasks? Most importantly, why would Iblis dare the Colonials to make 3 challenges for him if he did not possess the power to complete them?

Regarding Iblis' origin, I tend to go with the first theory, but I would take it one step further and suggest that the Imperious Leader is either a servant of Iblis or is somehow under Iblis' control. Thus Baltar, by serving the Cylons, would also be serving Iblis and thus would be subject to Iblis' commands.

You really have to wonder if Glen Larson planned to have Patrick Macnee play Count Iblis from the very first episode or if it was just an amazing coincidence that the same actor who provided the Imperious Leader's voice turned out to be perfect for the Count Iblis role. Considering how incredibly rushed the production of the show was, the latter would have to be a possibility. If it's the former, then you really have to applaud Glen Larson for planning so far ahead.

There are other marvelous scenes. Iblis' slow manipulation and seduction of Sheba is riveting (especially when he kisses her on the Agro-ship). The white lights and the Ship of Lights are a marvel and have to be considered among the best special effects the series has ever produced. The scenery of the red planet, including the visual effect of Starbuck, Apollo, and Sheba when they walk on that world is also outstanding. The triad court is a fantastic (and obviously, expensive) set. You have to give the producers a lot of credit for creating such a unique game for the Colonials to play. It makes sense. With the grueling struggle for survival in a rag-tag fleet, the Colonials have to have some sort of entertainment to take their minds off their plight.

As with most episodes, the performances are all top-notch. Richard Hatch plays his end perfectly, carefully balancing Apollo's distrust of Iblis and his caring for Sheba. Dirk Benedict adds a whole new dimension to Starbuck. His rage and grief over the death of Apollo (especially when he attempts to shoot Iblis) stand out as some of Starbuck's most memorable moments of the entire series. Anne Lockhart is also great portraying Sheba's slow seduction and manipulation by Count Iblis. Her joy at Apollo's resurrection firmly establishes her inner feelings toward him, and this subplot would come to a stunning head in the final episode. Lorne Greene never falters in his performances, and this is no exception. Greene does a tremendous job portraying a man torn between his desire to find Earth and his distrust of Iblis. One of the best moments has to be during the Triad game. During the game, Adama and Iblis are seated on opposite sides of the court. There are really two battles going on here: the battle between the players on the court, and the battle between Iblis and Adama.

Despite everything, the episode is not completely perfect. Not all the questions are answered (which in itself is not a bad thing), but some of what happens doesn't quite make sense. First of all, why does the Ship of Lights kidnap the viper pilots? We are never given any kind of answer. What makes it more confusing is that by kidnapping the pilots, the Ship of Lights actually aids Iblis because the Colonials look to him for protection. And why does Baltar say that Iblis now no longer holds any power over him after Baltar recognizes Iblis' voice? Perhaps this is supposed to be a clue to understand who Iblis is, but if this is the case, I can't make anything out of it.

There is also the issue of what was inside the crashed ship on the red planet. A popular myth is that the ship is the the Battlestar Pegasus and when Apollo looked inside he saw the body of Commander Cain, but this is false. The original script and the Berkely novelization tell us exactly what is inside the ship: tall, cloven-hoofed horned beings with tails. This is a little hard to make sense of. Are the beings in the ship supposed to be devils? If that is the case, it doesn't really make Iblis appear all that evil for killing them. It could be viewed as another parallel of mythology. After being defeated by heaven, Lucifer and his followers fall into hell. Likewise, Iblis' ship containing his followers (the devils) crashes (falls) to the earth. It's not a perfect allegory, but fascinating nonetheless. (For more on this, see [[War_of_the_Gods,_Part_II#The_Mystery_of_the_Crashed_Ship|The Mystery of the Crashed Ship]])

I'm not trying to pick the episode apart with these various criticisms. Actually, the story works much better with its mystery and ambiguity rather than easy, clear-cut answers. One of the problems with television these days is that shows rarely challenge the viewer to think; instead, most shows sacrifice ambiguity and insist on spelling everything out as simply and clearly as possible. The mystery of Count Iblis is really what makes ''War Of The Gods'' so special and one of the most famous and highly debated of all the Galactica episodes. I'm glad that we are not given the answer to who Iblis is because the only way a mystery can retain its power is as long as it remains unsolved. Why do you think the great magicians never reveal how they do their tricks? If you are looking for a great movie example of this, then I suggest you check out Peter Weir's ''Picnic At Hanging Rock''.

Finally, one of the best things about this episode is that it provides us the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba!

===[[The Man With Nine Lives]]===

'''Rating: Four out of five stars'''

This episode is the only one that offers a significant look at the people of the fleet. Fred Astaire puts in an enjoyable performance as the rogue con-man Chameleon. The Borellian Nomen are interesting new adversaries for the Colonial Warriors, although they seem to be based on a Hollywood and societal stereotype of American Indians (Unfortunately, we are told very little of their origins). One of the best episodes in terms of characterization.

This episode pretty much makes it clear that Cassiopeia is THE ONE for Starbuck, thanks to Starbuck telling Chameleon that she's the only one he's ever considered sealing with (although that actually isn't true; he did almost propose to Athena in the pilot episode).

Don Bellisario was unable to think of a suitable name for the villains. In an after-work bull session, story editor Jim Carlson casually remarked something to the effect of, "It’s too bad they’re not from an ice planet, you could call them Snomen." Bellisario replied, "There’s no snow where these guys are gonna be!" Carlson answered, "Then call then Nomen."

This episode proves that great stories don't require huge explosions and fancy special effects. Unfortunately, the rushed production of the show made episodes like The Man With Nine Lives the exception rather than the rule.

=== [[Murder on the Rising Star]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Murder She Wrote in outer space??? This story had little point being part of a show like Battlestar Galactica. This is the kind of story that is done on almost every science fiction series when the writers are out of ideas. There is very little in the way of drama because the viewer knows the hero is innocent and will be cleared. This story tries to give the impression that Starbuck might be guilty (we don't get to see who shoots Ortega, Starbuck is shown running from the scene, plus Starbuck's anxiousness in the shuttle bay makes him appear guilty), but only the most gullible of viewers would fall for this. The story would be more forgivable if we learned some new insights about the characters or the fleet, but what do we learn? What is the point? Is it that the Colonial system of law is virtually identical to the U.S. system? (which is hardly believeable) Or that Adama has to spend time hearing court cases? (Not too believable either considering the incredibly burdensome task he has of commanding the fleet) Or is it that playing triad is more dangerous than anybody thought? What is the point of this episode except to fill an hour's worth of time???

This is the fourth episode that features Starbuck. While Dirk Benedict certainly plays a wonderful character, it would have been nice to have featured some of the lesser used cast members (Tigh, Boomer, Athena, Sheba).

One thing really stands out: It is absurd how little time Apollo is given to prepare a case for Starbuck's defense. He only has 10 centares, and the script for this episode has a key that states a centar is an hour. Only 10 hours to prepare for a murder trial??? Give me a break!

This story could have been done differently to make it more poignant. What if Apollo was unable to conclusively prove who killed Ortega, and Adama intervenes, using his power as commander to have Starbuck set free. It would raise the question of whether Adama was abusing his power. Even then, considering the fleet must be depleted when it comes to seasoned viper pilots, it could be argued that the fleet needed Starbuck as a warrior. It would have been an interesting moral issue, something Battlestar Galactica rarely had. I also think the story would have been more interesting if we were left with some doubt as to whether Starbuck killed Ortega (in self-defense, of course).

An interesting note: Karibdis appears early on in the story, serving drinks to Adama and Tigh while they watch the Triad game. This is an often-used writing device. You have the murderer/villain appear early in the story, sometimes at the very beginning, in what appears to be a minor or trivial role. This often fools the audience, as they rarely expect such a character to be revealed so quickly. This was also done on the miniseries for the new Galactica, when one of the human Cylons is leading a tour of the Galactica during the opening credits. If you want to get good at solving TV/movie mysteries, pay attention to the minor characters that appear early in the story.

Overall, the murder mystery itself isn't half bad, and there are fine all-around performances from the cast to make this watchable. In a way, it makes the episode more disappointing to have such great talent squandered on such a by-the-numbers story. But everyone holds up their end well, especially Dirk Benedict and Laurette Spang in their scene inside the brig. It's nice the writers found a way to bring Baltar into the story, and John Colicos still makes a great villain. The flashback of the destruction of Caprica is also well-done. There were certainly many crimes committed during the evacuation, and it illustrates that Battlestar Galactica was brimming with potentially interesting stories to explore, which again only makes this episode more of a letdown.

That said, it's important to realize that writers Jim Carlson and Terrence McDonnell were forced to write this episode in 36 hours straight. Considering what a rushjob this script was, it's amazing it turned out as well as it did. This is one instance where it might be better to see the glass as half-full rather than half-empty.

===[[Greetings from Earth]]===

'''RATING: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Greetings From Earth just doesn't measure up with the other two-hour episodes. The story makes for a passable first hour but quickly takes a nosedive in the second. Glen Larson's attempt at comedy falls horribly flat. Hector, Vector and the kids quickly wear out their welcome (A premonition of Galactica 1980?). The Eastern Alliance is introduced as a new adversary, but they are little more than cardboard Nazis with zero charisma (at least the Cylons looked cool). Another problem is that their primitive technology takes a lot of steam out of their threat. Unfortunately, the Eastern Alliance is never utilized to the fullest. A space battle between vipers and Eastern Alliance destroyers would have been fantastic, but the time and money needed to do such a complex battle scene made it impossible. Also, Apollo becomes a bit overbearing with his "Do The Right Thing" attitude in the first half (What's also annoying is that Apollo's dialogue in the first half is badly redubbed, apparently to make his voice louder).

What makes the first hour so interesting is that the Colonials are faced with a perplexing moral issue (a rarity, for sure). Do they allow the humans to leave, or force them to remain at least until more information is learned? There are actually opposing opinions within the Colonial military, at least for awhile. Apollo's view quickly wins out, though. The Council of Twelve is portrayed as being incredibly selfish and uncaring, but it could be argued they were right. It was possibly life or death for the Colonials to learn about the human race that awaited them. Certainly the humans could have been revived long enough for the Colonials to get the necessary information out of them. Apollo's plan to let the ship go had a good chance of failing. How could he be certain enough that they wouldn't get lost, or wind up so far away that they'd never be able to make it back to the fleet?

When you think about it, why don't Starbuck, Apollo and Cassiopea have super powers when they are in Paradeen's weaker gravity just as the Super Scouts do when they are in Earth's weaker gravity on Galactica 1980? Wouldn't it have been fun to see Starbuck, Apollo, and Cassiopea bouncing up and down and jumping into trees?

Unlike the other two-parters, this one ends with a whimper instead of a bang as Starbuck and Apollo's capture of the Enforcers is about as anti-climatic as you can get. This script really comes across as being rushed, which was probably the case. Overall, Greetings From Earth is yet another episode that failed to reach its potential due to the constrainments of a weekly series.

=== [[Experiment in Terra]] ===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

Experiment In Terra initially comes across as a superb episode, but under close inspection the story unfortunately has serious flaws. The Ship of Lights recruiting Apollo to help Terra is a cool idea, but their reasoning as to why they need to use a mortal human doesn't hold up. John says that the people of Terra can't see the "Guardians" (my own name for them) outside the confines of their ship. And yet on Terra, John makes himself visible to Starbuck by merely touching him. Even more problematic, Apollo's mission never makes sense. The Guardians know that the Eastern Alliance is going to launch a missile attack, so the master plan is to have Apollo tell the "west side" that the Eastern Alliance has been attacking them? Um, okay, but even if Apollo succeeds, how will this stop the Eastern Alliance from launching their missiles? Why not just have Apollo tell the Galactica to travel to Terra and destroy the missile attack? The answer, of course, is that there wouldn't be much of a story.

Sadly, there are many other flaws. Apollo says he can't reach Terra because the distance is too great, so he is "teleported" right in front of the planet. So how is it that Starbuck is able to eventually reach the planet on his own? Logically, he wouldn't have had enough fuel. Adama's decision to pull the Galactica out of the fleet is more out of whack than it may first appear. He didn't do that in earlier episodes when Starbuck or Apollo were crashed/stranded. This time Adama doesn't even know who the two pilots are, and yet he pulls the Galactica out of the fleet.

Even more ludicrous is the idea that the Galactica travels to Terra at light speed (and not just because it is scientifically implausible). If the Galactica was traveling to Terra at the speed of light, they should have reached Terra almost instantly (in fact, they probably could have found Earth during the pilot episode!) And how is it that the Galactica was able to travel to Terra unmolested? Surely there would be Eastern Alliance destroyers patrolling the area around the planet. And how does the Eastern Alliance not know that the Galactica was responsible for destroying their missiles? Surely the Galactica would have been picked up on their scanners.

Also, the West President's reasoning for withholding knowledge of the Eastern Alliance's attacks is questionable. Why does he think he can make peace with the Eastern Alliance if they are constantly attacking him? And if the Eastern Alliance has wiped out all of the West's satellite planets, how could the President possibly prevent word of this from leaking out? It's not realistic at all. Plus, the idea that the Eastern Alliance would be willing to destroy the entire planet (at least half of which they own) is pretty ridiculous. Okay, they ARE Bad Guys, but what's the point of destroying most of their empire when they were already winning the war?

With such a long list of problems, you would think that this is a terrible episode. Amazingly, this isn't the case. In fact, Experiment In Terra still ranks as one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica. Seeing the Ship of Lights again is a treat, and Edward Mulhare is delightful as John, Apollo's guide. This episode is another example where the great production values and strong performances from the actors are able to overcome the plot inconsistencies. What makes Experiment In Terra work so well is that its plot holes aren't immediately noticeable. I didn't realize how many there were until I sat down and really thought about it. Apollo's mission to save Terra, as pointless as it winds up being, is still extremely engrossing. Apollo's speech to the Precidium is very dramatic and moving, even though (as we've already said) everything Apollo does on Terra turns out to be a waste of time since nothing he does has any chance of preventing the Eastern Alliance from launching its missiles.

This episode is extra fun to watch if you're aware that the script was originally written with the roles of Starbuck and Apollo reversed. After Richard Hatch complained that his character was getting the shaft, the script was quickly rewritten with the dialogue mostly remaining the same, resulting in Apollo talking suspiciously like Starbuck. At one point, Apollo says "Felgercarb" for the first time ever!

The ending scene is touching, as John tells Apollo that Terra is not Earth but "You must have faith." Many Galactica fans have interpreted this to mean that Apollo would successfully complete the journey to Earth.

Here are some humorous notes from British writer Matthew Wharmby:

* I'm sorry, but I thought the final scene was tremendously weak. All that buildup to a good scrap, heart-stopping music included, let down with a pathetic green shield spat out of the front of the Galactica. And from a terrible angle made necessary by two separately matted halves; one of Earth and one of the Galactica's underside. And you don't mean to tell me that the Galactica could extend such a shield over the whole planet? If so, why couldn't she have performed the same thing over Caprica in the pilot, and let the attacking Cylon fighters blow themselves up in it?
* Nobody seems too panicked about the impending nuclear annihilation! I don't know about you, but when us kids growing up in the late Cold War used to speculate nervously about the four-minute warning, the usual consensus was that we'd be doing, well, what it takes four minutes to do. 'You can do it twice,' the girls would quip.
* I'm not mad keen on Brenda's attitude. If every girl who had boyfriend trouble called the Old Bill on such a weak pretext, there wouldn't be a bloke alive out of prison!

=== [[Take the Celestra]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five'''

This is probably the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. A lot of people will probably disagree, but I have to go with this choice simply because I found this episode to be incredibly boring. The Magnificent Warriors and The Lost Warrior were also really bad (and they were certainly more simplistic), but they were never really boring. A story focusing on the hardships of voyaging on the rag tag fleet is a great idea, but this episode takes one self-destructive turn after another and may be the best example of a wasted opportunity for the series. Many of BG's bad episodes were somewhat saved by wonderful performances from the actors, but there is nothing here that stands out (although the Starbuck/Cassiopea reconciliation at the end is a nice moment). Starbuck and Apollo actually look stale. This is one of the few times that neither Richard Hatch nor Dirk Benedict are able to rise above the mediocre writing. Commander Kronus is incredibly boring - a static, stale character with little depth. Because it's hard to care about the character, it's hard to feel anything during the "dramatic" finish when Kronus dies. Given the moronic decisions he makes, I felt like saying "Good riddance." On the other hand, Ana Alicia suceeds in making Aurora interesting, but she is mostly wasted in this episode. Unfortunately, her boyfriend is more boring than Kronus, and I just wanted him to shut up. Despite these issues, the main problem with Take The Celestra lies in the script itself.

One of the biggest (yet least noted) flaws of Battlestar Galactica was the way it portrayed life in the rag-tag fleet. Day-to-day existence on a fleet of mostly derelict ships would no doubt be a grueling struggle for survival. Yet the series rarely ever indicated this. Most scenes with civilians consisted of parties, gambling, and triad games aboard the Rising Star! (hardly the most accurate look we could have been given) Take The Celestra was the perfect vehicle to change this, but unfortunately the writers took the easy way out. Aurora and the other mutineers were "illegally forced" to work so many double shifts. This makes the issue of right and wrong very easy to determine, but consider another direction the writers could have taken.

What if the harsh working conditions existed throughout the entire fleet? (and, logically, they should have) What if Aurora and the others were not working harder than anyone else and simply decided they had had enough? Would they be morally right in trying to escape the fleet (considering that the loss of manpower would likely hurt the remaining Colonials)? Apollo, Starbuck and the rest of the military are always talking about the importance of freedom. Apollo talks about it strongly in his speech to the Precedium in Experiment In Terra. When Starbuck tries to convince the prisoners to rebel in The Long Patrol, he says "You have rights. You're human beings!" When they finally escape, he says, "That's freedom." An interesting idea to explore is how free the Colonials actually were. Surely many of them wanted to settle on some of the planets the fleet passed by. If Adama refused their wishes, he would technically be restricting their freedom. Unfortunately, this kind of story is problematic because the extent of Adama's power is never clear; in fact, it varies from episode to episode (depending whatever works best for the story that week). But this kind of story would have made it a tough call as to whether Aurora and her friends were right and whether Starbuck and Apollo were totally justified in stopping them.

Anyway, that's the episode I would have liked to see, or anything other than what we did see, the most boring Galactica episode to date. The story is riddled with holes, outdone perhaps only by Experiment In Terra. Whereas that story's flaws are not immediately noticeable, most of this story's flaws are. Commander Kronus' decision to immediately shuttle the prisoners back to the fleet despite being so far away doesn't make much sense. His accompanying the shuttle makes even less sense. Colonial law states that a commander has to personally take the mutineers in for charges? Huh? Even when his ship is out in the middle of nowhere? Okay. Whatever. Kronus should have waited until the Celestra rejoined the fleet. His decision makes him look like an idiot.

How is it that Chakka is able to get almost the entire crew to mutiny with him on a whim? He couldn't have been planning mutiny beforehand because he had expected to become commander of the Celestra. And if the entire crew wasn't with him in the mutiny, then how could he have expected to get away with powering down the ship? And could Starbuck and Apollo both be so clueless that they wouldn't be able to remember which heading the fleet was on? And how does the shuttle run out of fuel so fast? And how is it that Kronus could not have known or heard about any of the harsh working conditions? The Celestra isn't that big of a ship. Are we to believe that he never left the bridge? To top it off, why is there such an urgent need in the final battle scene to "level out" the Celestra? It's not as though there were any ships or planets around that it could crash into. Almost nothing in this episode makes any sense.

The minor plot of Cassiopeia agonizing over Starbuck's evasiveness in their relationship is far more compelling than the main plot of the Celestra mutiny. But even the Starbuck/Aurora plot has problems. For one thing, the writers have Starbuck act like a total jerk by skipping his date with Cassie so he can see Aurora. Why would Cassie put up with that? And how is it that Starbuck had a serious relationship with Aurora going during the time of the Destruction? Didn't he clearly have something going with Athena back then? (If there's anything worse than the writers making things up as they go, it's when they unmake things up as they go.)

Anyway, this only makes Starbuck look like a bigger womanizer than anyone thought (not exactly the best way to endear him to viewers). Aurora makes a valid point in her anger towards him. If Starbuck really did care about her, why didn't he check to see if her name was in the fleet computer? Just because her house was destroyed doesn't mean for certain that she was killed. It's also highly questionable that Starbuck ever made it back to Caprica after the Cylons attacked. We've never been given any indication that anyone besides Adama and Apollo ever went back. Considering how dangerous it would have been (not to mention how strong a chance that someone might have led the Cylons back to the Galactica), it's absolutely ludicrous to suggest Adama would have allowed anyone to return to the planet.

I almost want to pretend that this episode was just a bad dream. Fortunately, the very next episode would raise the roof.

===[[The Hand of God]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five.'''

They saved the best for last. ''The Hand Of God'' is arguably the best episode of Battlestar Galactica, and my personal favorite.

No doubt about it, ''The Hand of God'' is Galactica at its best. Donald Bellisario shows the other writers how it's done, pulling out all the stops with this one. Both the script and the performances are stellar. Never before have the characters been portrayed in such a powerful way. Although there is nothing innovative about the basic plot itself (The Galactica battles the Cylons again), there are enough things going on that make this story extremely engrossing.

This episode is fascinating from start to finish. Visually, it is a treat as we get to see the inside of a Cylon basestar's landing bay for the first time. We also get to see Cylon Centurions boarding their ships for the first time. And the Celestial Observation Dome is a marvel, as is Apollo's analogy that being inside it is like riding in the Hand of God.

What makes this story especially memorable is the culmination of a story thread that has been running since ''War of the Gods''. In that episode, we see the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba. Nothing happens in the other episodes following, although Anne Lockhart does a good job showing, in a subtle way, Sheba's emerging feelings for Apollo.

Kudos go to both Anne Lockhart and Laurette Spang for winning performances. Sheba's confrontation with Apollo and their kiss inside the Cylon raider is the best scene of the episode. That and Cassiopeia's argument with Starbuck in the landing bay are both incredibly moving, providing each actress with her stand-out moment of the series. It really gives the viewer a chance to appreciate the range of Anne and Laurette. Women on this show were usually stuck in the background; this episode placed demands on each actress they rarely had to face. Give each one credit for not dropping the ball. Fortunately, they are both aided by outstanding dialogue from Bellisario. Of course, Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, and Herbert Jefferson, Jr. hold up their end as well. Starbuck, Apollo, and Boomer clasping hands in the pilots barracks (with the accompanying music score) powerfully expresses the bond of their friendship more than words ever could.

Extra congratulations go to Donald Bellisario who also directed this episode. His use of slow motion twice during Starbuck and Apollo's battles with Cylon Centurions make the scenes much more intense and suspenseful. Let's face it. Thanks to ABC's family-friendly censors, the Cylons often looked like a joke (Remember ''The Young Lords'' when Starbuck and five children wiped out an entire Cylon garrison?). If Starbuck and Apollo's shootout scenes had been shown in real time, there would have been little (if any) impact.

Another reason ''The Hand of God'' works so well is because the Cylons were not featured in the previous seven or eight episodes. Glen Larson wisely saw that the constant reusing of the same space battle footage was hurting the stories and thus moved the Cylons into the background after ''Fire In Space''. So much time has passed since then that the Cylons seem revitalized. There's nothing spectacular about the dogfight between the vipers and raiders or the slugfest between the Galactica and the Cylon basestar (since it's the same footage seen in previous episodes), but the story is compelling enough that it all still works.

If there is one flaw with this story, it is the idea that Adama would attack a Cylon basestar and risk the fate of the entire human race just for the sake of wreaking some vengeance. This is the same man who told Commander Cain, "I'm not interested in military victories. I'm interested in saving lives. What few of them are left." It would have worked better to have a scenario where the Galactica simply could not backtrack and thus was forced to attack the Cylons. Still, it is a minor flaw in an overall outstanding script.

It is extremely frustrating that we never see a follow-up to Apollo and Sheba's relationship since this was the final episode. For fans who would like to see some kind of continuation, there are some fan fiction stories that I highly recommend. There is a short story called ''My Father's Daughter'' which takes place immediately following the events of ''The Hand of God'' and is quite simply the best Sheba story I have ever read. Three other novels, ''Second Coming'', ''Joint Maneuvers'', and ''The Race For Earth'' also explore Apollo and Sheba's relationship and are outstanding. These stories are all available free online at a site I own called [http://freegalacticafanfictionnovels.weebly.com Free Battlestar Galactica Fan Fiction Novels].

Many fans were and still are saddened that the original show ended so soon. Personally, I'm at peace with it. If the show had to end, ''The Hand of God'' may have been the best way to close the curtain. After reading Glen Larson's [[Battlestar_Galactica:_Year_Two_proposal|Season Two proposal]], all I can say is, "Thank god the show ended when it did!" It appears that, if there had been a second season, half the cast would have been cut in order to save money, Sheba would have been killed off, Commander Cain would have returned as a Cylon android, and Apollo would have shirked his responsibilities and started partying and messing around with numerous women. Ugh!!!

I think I can accept Battlestar Galactica for what it was, always remembering that the light that shines twice as bright only burns half as long.

== Galactica 1980 Episode Reviews ==

=== [[Galactica Discovers Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

Galactica Discovers Earth turns out to be a watchable pilot, but watchable is about all. From the very first episode, Galactica 1980 is clearly nothing more than an attempt by ABC to cash in on the Galactica name by creating a cheap show that simply reuses the expensive special effects stock footage from the original series. The later episodes would only reinforce this. Kent McCord (Troy) and Barry Van Dyke (Dillon) come off as inferior clones of Starbuck and Apollo. In fact, the script for the pilot was originally written for Starbuck and Apollo. When those plans changed, the names were simply switched to Troy and Dillon. Jamie Hamilton comes off as a carbon copy of Lois Lane. Unfortunately, we are never given any backstory to any of these characters.

This may be the only pilot in television history in which the premise changes in the middle of the episode! At first it's about advancing Earth's technology in order to fight the Cylons. Then it suddenly changes and is about capturing a time-traveling villain. It's really bizarre. Anyway, the time travel journey to Nazi Germany is never particularly interesting, partly because Xaviar just isn't that compelling of a villain, but mostly because this is NOT Battlestar Galactica.

The idea of the Galactica having to protect a primitive Earth from the Cylons is actually a compelling premise, but the problem is that Dr. Zee's plan to slowly increase Earth's technology is flawed. At the rate in which the Colonials were going, it probably would have taken at least decades to get Earth's technology increased enough to be able to fight the Cylons. Long before then, the Cylons would probably tire of waiting and decide to just destroy the Colonial fleet. Even if the Cylons didn't attack, how far could the Galactica lead the Cylons away from Earth before they (the Colonials) were too far away from the planet to ever go back there? It probably would have been smarter to temporarily abandon Earth and lead the Cylons away until Dr. Zee could invent some technology that would allow the Colonials to destroy the Cylon armada. (Actually, since Colonial Vipers can now turn invisible, it should have been fairly easy for the Colonials to launch a surprise attack on the Cylons and defeat them once and for all!)

The problem with the original premise of Galactica 1980 is that it would have eventually become tiresome: Troy and Dillon each week would find a way to introduce some new technology (clean nuclear power, etc.) which would make some small improvement, but do little to bring Earth up to the level it would need be to fight the Cylons. As a result, the series could never evolve to the next level (i.e. Earth is ready to fight the Cylons), because the series' budget was too small for any kind of "final battle". As a result, Galactica 1980 was stuck in a rut from the get-go. It tried to distract viewers from the main plot (the Cylon threat) with time travel and cub scout outings because there was little that could be done with the original premise. It might have worked well as a single movie or perhaps a series of movies, but it's unlikely that Galactica 1980 could have ever jelled as a weekly series.

The show looks second-rate. For example, take the opening sequence. This has to be one of the worst opening sequences in television history. It's nothing but a series of stock footage shots from the original show haphazardly thrown together. Even the rendition of the Galactica theme seems inferior to the one we heard on the original show.

That said, there is some nice chemistry between the trio of Troy, Dillon and Jamie. There's one particularly touching scene in part 3 when Jamie says goodbye to Troy and Dillon at the bus stop. But whatever positives the actors had would not be enough to overcome a number of self-destructive turns that would begin with the very next episode.

=== [[The Super Scouts]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Super Scouts arrive, and Galactica 1980 plummets into an abyss it would not survive. In the beginning, we're forced to endure a series of boring classroom educational lessons. Things get even worse when the intergalactic 'Our Gang' reaches Earth. We get ultra-cute campfire songs and even more educational lessons shoved down are throats. The original series had flaws, but at least it never insulted its viewers with sitcom humor or by getting into preachy moral issues. Galactica 1980 gives us an ultra-simplistic environmental message of "Don't pollute the water," and does so with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

One could make the case that Galactica 1980 is a great tool for writers to learn how NOT to write drama. One key is to create powerful villains and put the heroes in situations that are difficult to deal with. But all of the villains in Galactica 1980 are weak. The Colonials have so many advantages over the people of Earth - spaceships, super powers, invisibility fields - that they are essentially invincible, thus robbing the series of any possible drama. In Galactica 1980, there are no worthy villains. The bumbling cops and incompetent military personnel never have a prayer of apprehending Troy and Dillon, so there's no suspense. And it's certainly not funny to watch Earthlings constantly being confounded by extra-terrestrials. Yet that is what we're forced to endure again and again throughout the entire series.

=== [[Spaceball]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

This is crap. Spaceball is the worst, most hated episode of Galactica 1980. It's silly, stupid, and just plain dumb. Little kids playing baseball??? This is Battlestar Galactica??? Spaceball may be the most inconsequential hour of science fiction ever made. It's nothing less than an insult to the original series that this bionic version of ''The Bad News Bears'' was shot under the Galactica name.

=== [[The Night The Cylons Landed]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five (Poor)'''

The Night The Cylons Landed is the best episode since the pilot. Of course, this isn't saying much, since watching a blank screen would have been almost as entertaining as the previous two episodes. Anyway, the Super Scouts are finally relegated to the background. This expands on the storyline involving the evolution of the Cylons over the 30 years since the destruction of the Colonies. A new, bigger, and more powerful Cylon raider carrying a newly advanced Cylon lifeform crashlands on Earth. Two surviving Cylons attempt to communicate with the Cylon armada to tell them of Earth's location. This is a cool idea, but the execution is terrible. We are treated to so much silliness, culminating with Troy and Dillon dancing on stage with cartoon characters like Yogi Bear! There are other problems. The more powerful, heavily armored Cylon raider is crippled after the punier viper rams into it??? The viper certainly doesn't hit it very hard. If the Cylons were a joke in the original series, then in Galactica 1980 they are a laughing stock. Andromus, the evolved Cylon clone of a human, certainly doesn't look or act very advanced. Centuri, his Centurion buddy, comes across as being even sillier with his constant banter of "I will protect you. That is my mission." This is the monstrous, all-powerful race which threatens the Earth's destruction and that the Colonials are so concerned about??? The two Cylons provide some funny moments, but it can't make up for the letdown of a plot that had so much potential.

With this episode, Galactica 1980 provides yet another example of how NOT to write drama. Conventional storytelling says that when you have a character trying to solve a mystery, you want the audience to move along at the same pace as the character. If the audience knows more than the character does, they find themselves simply waiting for the character to catch up, which is boring. Unfortunately, Galactica 1980 violates this basic rule of storytelling as we're forced to endure Colonel Briggs's investigation of the aliens. We know everything, he knows nothing, and thus there is nothing even remotely interesting about the subplot.

=== [[Space Croppers]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Space Croppers starts out interesting, but quickly takes an abrupt nosedive into looney land. The plot parallels that of [[The Magnificent Warriors]]. Due to the destruction of the fleet's agroships by a Cylon attack, another source of food supply must be found. The Magnificent Warriors was a terrible episode, so it must be considered quite a feat that Space Croppers turns out to be even worse.

The plight of the Alonso family to save their farm never becomes the least bit interesting. Even worse are the 'educational beats' that bring the story to a grinding halt: a lecture about Hispanic history, the soil requirements for planting legumes, and how rainfull is produced. This is beyond bad. It's unwatchable.

If Dr. Zee is such a genius, why doesn't it ever occur to him to use Galactican technology to create money so the Colonials can simply buy the food that they need? I guess such a simple solution would have made this story pointless.

Furthermore, the Imperious Leader's plan to force the Galactica to lead the Cylons to Earth makes no sense. How could Imperious Leader know that Earth was nearby? And if he did know, why not just destroy the Colonial fleet and conduct a search of the nearby planets? Did anything on this series make sense? Was anything supposed to?

Last, and certainly least, Troy and Dillon bouncing high in the air and throwing seeds while the Super Scouts sing their song is hands down the most ludicrous thing ever shown on Galactica 1980, and that's saying something.

=== [[The Return of Starbuck]] ===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five (Outstanding)'''

This is undeniably the best and most popular episode of Galactica 1980. It is even better than most of the episodes of Battlestar Galactica. What is there not to love about this episode? There are so many outstanding scenes: Adama's chilling reaction to Dr. Zee's mention of Starbuck; Boomer's heartwrenching goodbye to Starbuck, Adama explaining to Boomer that they can't go back to find him; Adama saying his farewell to Starbuck; Starbuck's rationalizations about how the planet belongs to him; Angela's words, "Starbuck, would you die for me?"; Starbuck sacrificing his chance to return to the fleet to give Angela and her baby a better chance; Starbuck's goodbye to Cy. The list goes on. Best of all, we see growth in Starbuck's character! A true classic to be treasured for all time by Galactica fans.

This episode is based on an earlier script written for the second season of Battlestar Galactica that never happened. The main differences are that a regular woman appears (not Angela), and Starbuck is eventually rescued by Boomer. The only thing believed to have been taken intact from the early script is Starbuck's dialogue with Cy. While that would no doubt have been a tremendous episode, it still would not have come close to being as great as this one is. The reason why is very simple. One of the problems with creating dramatic and suspenseful stories in any weekly series is that the viewer knows the hero will ultimately prevail. For example, when Starbuck is accused of murder in [[Murder on the Rising Star]], there is little in terms of suspense because it is a foregone conclusion that Starbuck will be vindicated, just as it is a forgone conclusion that Starbuck isn't going to die in [[The Young Lords]] when he is hunted by the Cylons on the planet Attila. In the beginning of The Return Of Starbuck, it is quickly established that Adama doesn't know what happened to Starbuck and that Starbuck never returned from the mission where he was shot down. As a result, in what is most unusual for any action/adventure television story, the viewer sits through the entire episode knowing that Starbuck isn't going to make it!

This makes the story much more gripping and intense than virtually any other episode of either series. The grim reality of Starbuck's eventual fate is all reinforced by Angela's question "Starbuck, will you die for me?" and her warnings of disaster, telling him that he must prepare to make "the final judgement." Of course, we do not actually see Starbuck die at the end of the story. Larson leaves Starbuck's fate ambiguous, especially since an intact Cylon raider is left nearby. Having Starbuck die would have been a gutsy and innovative move, but the ending shown is really for the best. The beauty of the ending is that it lets the viewers make their own interpretation of Starbuck's fate. If one goes with the idea that a single person alone cannot fly a Cylon raider, then Starbuck could have easily died on the planet. Many fans don't consider Galactica 1980 to be canon for the original series, except for this episode. With the interpretation that Galactica 1980 didn't happen, Starbuck could possibly have flown the Cylon raider back to the fleet, returning to Apollo, Adama, Sheba, and the other original characters. Much Galactica fan fiction over the years has interpreted the episode in this manner.

Despite having a small role, Lorne Greene gives what may be his best performance ever as Commander Adama. The look on his face when he asks Dr. Zee to tell him his dream is worth a thousand words. His farewell to Starbuck, saying that he loves him, is also incredibly powerful. A wonderful performance!

In conclusion, ''The Return of Starbuck'' is an incredible ending to the series and a worthy finish to the Battlestar Galactica saga overall. ''Galactica 1980'' was crap, but it sure went out with a bang.

== Galactica Comics ==

=== [[Galactica 1980 1|Galactica 1980 comic series]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Comic adaptations of television shows are often very good because the writers are free from the usual constraints that a television show faces: limited budgets, censors, and network meddling in the storylines. Unfortunately, this is a double-edged sword, as the comic book writers' unlimited freedom sometimes allows the story to go flying off the rails.

Such is the case with the Galactica 1980 comic series, a cool idea that feels like a missed opportunity. First, the comic does a number of things right. It delivers a ''War of the Worlds'' type story involving the Colonials and Cylons battling over Earth. It even makes Dr. Zee a villian, a great move considering that Zee is hands down the most hated character in the entire Galactica universe. Unfortunately, writer Marc Guggenheim decides to go for shock value. In the first issue, we learn that Troy is a drunk and Adama is suicidal. Personally, I found this ugly and disturbing.

Even worse is the end of issue #1 when the Galactica is destroyed by nukes. Again, it feels like the writer is just trying to hit us with one shocking surprise after another. Surprises can be great fun, but I get annoyed when they lack logic as this one does. Why would Adama be so stupid as to fly the Galactica directly over the White House without first sending a message and waiting to see what the response would be? This just makes no sense.

And I just didn't like seeing the Galactica destroyed. After all, this ''is'' Galactica 1980, so therefore the Galactica should be in it. If the Galactica had to be destroyed, it should have happened in the final issue (#4), not the first.

Lo and behold, we get yet another shocking surprise in issue #2 when Dillon is killed off (and rather undramatically). I have a big problem with this as well. Troy and Dillon were the heroes of Galactica 1980, and I just don't think that either should have been killed (at least not less than halfway through the story). I was also disappointed that Jamie Hamilton is given nothing more than a cameo appearance in issue #4. Given that she was one of the main characters on the original show, she should have had a larger role in the story.

In the end, I wish Guggenheim had written a story that might have been done on television if not for the limited budget and children's hour restrictions that ultimately crippled the series. The ''War of the Worlds'' premise was perfect for Galactica 1980, but in this case the execution fell short.

== The Galactica Telemovies ==

=== [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

The opening sequence is outstanding, although it mostly uses footage from the original series. It has a truly epic feel, and it gives the impression that we will see a grand conclusion to the Battlestar Galactica saga. Sadly, this does not happen. Still, Adama's opening declaration that Earth has been found is also magnificent, much better done than it was in the original episode. By removing the time-travel subplot as well as much of the silliness including Troy and Dillon dancing on stage, the whole is better than any of the original Galactica 1980 episodes it is composed of. Yet this hardly makes ''Conquest of the Earth'' a great movie. The opening minutes rate five stars, yet starting with the first appearance of Dr. Zee (who bizarrely speaks with two different voices), the rest of the movie rates much lower.

=== [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack (VHS)|Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

This movie is less entertaining than the individual episodes it is composed of (The Living Legend and Fire In Space). The separate episodes don't mesh together seamlessly, resulting in several plot holes and odd hairstyle changes between scenes. The movie especially suffers because many great scenes from The Living Legend episode are missing. All scenes and dialogue relating to Starbuck's relationship with Cassiopeia are cut, which only makes the Cain/Cassiopeia subplot less interesting. The battle scenes are a little more elaborate because additional stock footage is used, but that's not enough to overcome the movie's deficiencies. A different sound effect is used for the engines of the Cylon raiders that's a little jarring for anyone who is a die-hard fan of the original show.

Bottom line, this movie is only recommended for curiosity's sake.

== Berkley Books ==
=== [[Saga of a Star World (Book)|Saga of a Star World]] ===
'''Flagship of the 12 Worlds fleet, she was as large as a planet, yet as swift as the Starhound fighters she launched from her bays. For generations the vast ship led the thousand-year war against the Cylons for control of the known Galaxy. Now that war was in its final phase, and Galactica had one final mission, win or lose: blast through the deadly grid of the Cylon Starfleet and dash for deep space in a desperate attempt to find the legendary "Stonehenge" of the universe - the lost planet the ancient microfilms call "Earth."'''

This is the opening paragraph to the Berkley novelization of the Battlestar Galactica pilot "Saga Of A Star World". This is easily one of the most fascinating Galactica books ever written, and there are a number of things that make it so interesting. First, the book is based on an early script of the pilot and, although changes were made before it came to print to make it more like the version that aired, there are a number of alternate scenes in the book. The Galactica universe is also different in several aspects, such as the Cylons are living aliens underneath their armor instead of total machines. Also, there are missing scenes left out of the final cut of the movie that survived intact in the book (Starbuck's confrontation with Tigh on the bridge after the Colonies are destroyed; Starbuck's extended conversation with Cassie on the shuttle; Adama's resigning from the Council).

Perhaps best of all, certain events are more fleshed out in the novelization than in the movie such as the surprise Cylon attack. The novelization helps to fill a number of gaping plot holes and unanswered questions that the movie was saddled with. Many chapters begin with an entry from the Adama journals, and the reader is able to learn a lot of information and insight from the Galactica's commander.

Many fans are unhappy with the Berkley books, feeling that they don't remain true to the series. I respectfully disagree. First of all, as already mentioned, the novelizations often have extra detail and explanations that help cover up plot holes that existed in the episodes. Second, the fact that the novels portray the BG universe in a slightly different way and that they are not exact retellings of the episodes is good because the books would be pretty boring otherwise. Third, some of the characters such as Athena are fleshed out better in the novels. Make no mistake, this is the best of all the Berkley novelizations and is a must-read for any fan of the original series.

== External Links ==

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/BGEPISODES.htm Battlestar Galactica Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/Wharmby.htm Matthew Wharmby's Hilarious Galactica 1980 Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

User:Galactica1981/Galactica 1981 Reviews

2011-11-26T00:34:17Z

Galactica1981: /* Galactica 1980 comic series */

This is a list of reviews by [[User:Galactica1981]] for various [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]] content. Given to the Battlestar Wiki's policy of [[NPOV|Neutral Point of View]], they are found here rather than their respective articles.

These episode reviews originally appears on the Sheba's Galaxy site. They have been slightly revised.

== TOS Episode Reviews ==

===[[Saga of a Star World]] ===

'''RATING: Four and a half stars out of five'''

There's no question that on the night of September 17, 1978, Battlestar Galactica hit television screens with a bang. Saga Of A Star World is unquestionably the most elaborate televison movie ever made (and least up to that point!) When trying to rate something like this, it's important to examine it in the context of television during that time period. For sure, no sci-fi show of this magnitude had ever been done before in the history of television, and thus it deserves extra points for that alone. There are many great things that can be said about this episode (acting, special effects, music score), but I won't bother repeating what most people are already aware of. In the end, I had to decide against a full five-star rating, mostly because of the unforgivable "Star Wars" ending it was saddled with. The big explosion of the planet Carillon is a blatant ripoff of Star Wars, not to mention ridiculous as well. Setting fire to some tylium mines causes the entire planet to explode? This is ludicrous (although one could argue that destroying the massive Death Star by shooting a tiny exhaust port was equally ludicrous). Surely Glen Larson could have written a better ending than this. Ultimately, this had to reinforce many people's beliefs that Galactica was a second-rate Star Wars. Having a casino with all sorts of alien creatures also seems a little too close to Star Wars for comfort.

As a kid watching the show, I absolutely loved the Cylons because of how cool they looked. My favorite character was Starbuck who I idolized and wanted to be like. The series also had a phenomenal cast with tremendously talented actors (except for Maren Jensen), and it's a shame they were often saddled with substandard scripts. Starbuck and Apollo are wonderful in the lead roles, and they arguably have more chemistry than did Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. And Lorne Greene is superb as in the role of Commander Adama. In the pilot episode, the scene that perhaps stands out the most is the laser battle against the Cylon Centurions on the surface of Carillon, a truly awesome spectacle combined with the looming countdown as the Cylon raiders close in on the Galactica. It terms of the characters, my favorite scene is probably Starbuck's almost proposing to Athena. Finally, the musical score for the series is truly breathtaking, on a similar level as the one for Star Wars.

Of course, there are also some HUMONGOUS plot holes in this story, enough for any critic to tear it to shreds. I'm not going bother writing 5 pages about the plot problems of Saga Of A Star World. Instead, I'll just mention a few points:

The premise of the Colonial fleet seeking Earth, while interesting, is unfortunately flawed because no one (not even Adama) has any idea where it is! Apparently, Adama was the only one who even knew about Earth's existence, although he doesn't seem to have any proof. Thus the Colonial fleet is left to wander aimlessly throughout the universe looking for it. Fortunately, this problem would be addressed in ''War of the Gods'' when the Colonials finally learn the coordinates to Earth.

The Colonials seemed unbelievably gullible and naive regarding the Cylons' offer of peace. After a thousand years of war, you would think they'd have been more careful, but they foolishly leave their home planets undefended. President Adar is incredibly stupid when he sees a thousand Cylon raiders coming towards the fleet and assumes it is a peace envoy.

Apollo gets back to the fleet in time to warn them of the coming Cylon attack, yet he fails to do so. Why? Why does he take an hour to find the bridge?

=== [[Lost Planet of the Gods]]===

'''Rating: Four stars out of five'''

The second half of this two-part episode has the theatrical feel of a movie, while the first half has often been blasted as being sexist. Of course, it is a bit strange that all the female cadets look like lingerie models. Still, I think the claim of sexism is a bit overstated. If you look at women in the U.S. military, they tend to act in supporting roles rather than be on the front lines. I don't know how many female jet pilots are in the U.S. military, but I suspect there aren't many. And I suspect this is due less to discrimination than to the fact that women tend to make different career choices than men (i.e. they tend to choose less hazardous professions). The reasons for there being no female viper pilots on the Galactica were probably along the same lines.

Regardless, the first half of the episode mostly serves as a set-up for the second half. Nothing wrong with that, but it does make the first half far less interesting.

Anyway, the two-part episodes fare better than most of the one-part episodes because Glen Larson would often blow the budget and vastly overspend. There are many fantastic scenes in the second half: Serina proposing to Apollo that they marry immediately; the Star of Kobol appearing in the port window during the wedding ceremony; the light shining off of Adama's medallion inside the tombs of Kobol; the Cylon raiders attacking the surface of Kobol; and, of course, Serina's death scene.

Serina's death is one of the most poignant moments of the entire series. But it came with a high price, as the show arguably suffered without her. And the writing would start to take a turn for the worse with the very next episode.

===[[The Lost Warrior]]===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

After only two episodes, Battlestar Galactica's creative energy has fizzled out. This is the first of the so-called "bottled episodes." These episodes had few if any new special effects, enabling the producers to save money which would later be spent on the bigger, more extravagant "monster episodes." It's understandable that these "bottled" stories were necessary, but this is where rushing the show into production really hurt the series. The writers simply did not have time to create quality scripts. Of course, this would ultimately lead to the decline in ratings.

This kind of episode is tough to review because it's good but wrong. Based on the classic 1953 western film Shane, this actually makes a pretty decent western, but Battlestar Galactica is supposed to be a science fiction series. Sci-fi fans want science fiction, not half-hybrids of other shows (A mistake that Galactica 1980 would repeat). If I want to see a Western, I'd rather watch Bonanza. The only reason this gets two stars is because we get such a strong characterization of Apollo.

Unfortunately, this is not the only space western we would see on Galactica. Cowboys and saloons would return in The Magnificent Warriors. In fact, the very idea that an "old west" town would exist in Battlestar Galactica completely contradicts the Von Daniken premise of the show, that the Colonies and the ancient cultures of Earth (such as Atlantis and Egypt) have the same roots, the same beginnings. It is ludicrous that an Old West society could have any common connection with this. It raises all kinds of questions. The people of Equellis obviously had to arrive on that world by means of spacecraft, so why is the society so primitive? How could they not know of the Cylons since the war has raged for 1,000 years and the average human life-span is 200 years?

Why would Apollo be dumb enough to fly so far away from the fleet that he wouldn't have enough fuel to make it back? This really makes no sense. And why does Apollo promise Bella and Puppis that he will return one day? Why would he ever believe that possible?

Despite the lackluster plot, there are some good moments. Boxey beating Starbuck at Pyramid is funny, and the western style "shoot-out" between Red-Eye and Apollo is very well done. The only weak point is when Red Eye spots Apollo's laser and says, "Uh-oh." This trivalizes a very serious moment for the sake of silly humor. It is difficult to believe that a Cylon would use such a phrase. Ironically, for years I couldn't make out exactly what he was saying. I assumed it was some kind of challenge to Apollo, and it actually added to the power of the moment. You can imagine my dismay when I learned the truth. Also, Puppis gets pretty annoying pretty fast.

===[[The Long Patrol]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

The Long Patrol is lot of a fun and a big improvement over the previous episode. Starbuck's computer companion C.O.R.A is a hoot. There are several funny scenes: Starbuck womanizing Cassiopeia and Athena; Boomer's jab at him before he goes off on the mission; Starbuck finding a fortune in ambrosia only to have it destroyed by the Cylon attack. Adama deciding to change the Galactica's course to keep distance from the Cylons is very well done, revealing how burdensome command of the fleet is and how it forces him to sacrifice his loved ones to protect the rest of humanity.

Maren Jensen (Athena) gets more screen time here than in most of the episodes. The scene with Athena revealing Starbuck's apparent death to Cassiopeia is especially moving, one of Jensen's best scenes of the series. The Athen/Cassiopeia rivalry was compelling and could have been developed in future episodes, but sadly this never happens. This was likely due to Maren Jensen's limitations as an actress which caused the writers to reduce her role.

Could C.O.R.A. have been the inspiration for K.I.T.T., the computerized car on Glen Larson's Knight Rider? Considering the amazing similarities between the two, it would have to be a possibility. Also, Glen Larson has went on record saying that K.I.T.T.'s swerving red eye was inspired by the swerving red eyes of the Cylons. It was sort of his way of keeping the Cylons alive.

The Long Patrol is definitely one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

===[[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero]]===

'''Rating: Three and a half stars out of five'''

This two-part episode is based on the 1961 movie The Guns of Navarone and the 1967 movie The Dirty Dozen. The episode has a theatrical feel to it because, as mentioned before, the two-parters had bigger budgets. Although the story is by-the-numbers, it is very enjoyable because of the fantastic special effects. Still, as good as Gun is, it is easily one of the lesser of the two-parters. While better than Greetings From Earth, Gun falls far short of The Living Legend, Lost Planet Of The Gods, and especially War Of The Gods.

This was actually the second episode filmed. This would explain why Serina and Cassiopea do not appear (Serina and Cassiopea died in the original version of the pilot before the decision was made to bring them back). Baltar and Lucifer's scenes were probably shot much later.

This episode raises a serious question. Considering the staggering number of people who had to be left behind due to lack of ships, why would the Colonials bother to take criminals with them? Perhaps they were already locked in the brig on the Galactica before the Holocaust or they somehow managed to sneak aboard the fleet to be captured later. Or perhaps most of them committed their crimes after joining the rag tag fleet. Considering how overcrowded, starved, and disorganized the fleet was when it was assembled, it is logical that many violent crimes would have occurred. An episode exploring this would have been nice.

The idea that there would not be enough qualified Colonial warriors to go on the mission is hard to believe. And why do Apollo, Starbuck, and Boomer get chosen? They are pilots, and their emphasis is not on ground assault. Logically, the Galactica would have a ground assault team available for these kinds of situations. It is also difficult to believe that Boxey would have found a way to sneak onto the shuttle. At least he and Muffit have an impact on the success of the mission.

In the book ''The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'' by J.W. Rinzler and Ridley Scott, it is revealed that part of George Lucas's anger towards Battlestar Galactica was because of this episode. Lucas planned to feature an ice planet in the sequel to Star Wars, and he felt that Galactica threatened to undercut him by featuring an ice planet on one of their own episodes. Did this fuel his lawsuit that Galactica was infringing on Star Wars? Is so, then Lucas comes off as disingenuous to say the least, for it would be absurd to claim that Galactica was infringing on a movie that hadn't yet been made!

Baltar's legs were crushed in Lost Planet of the Gods, yet in this episode the only evidence of Baltar's injury is a slight limp. Did the Cylons do major reconstructive surgery on his legs? I guess so.

At this point, the constant reusing of the same space battle scenes really starts getting redundant. Still, this remains one of the most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

=== [[The Magnificent Warriors]] ===

'''Rating: One and a half stars out of five'''

Many fans consider this to be the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. While I don't agree, I think it comes pretty close. The story is, quite frankly, terrible. We are again subjected to yet another old-western style shanty town? Once was enough! The Borays are disgusting and sound awful. The only redeeming moment is when Adama and company discover Starbuck at the gambling table. It's rather funny.

Siress Bellaby is hands down the most annoying character to ever appear on Battlestar Galactica. Most viewers probably couldn't understand why the Colonial Warriors didn't simply let the Borays kill her.

On a positive note, we are shown Lorne Greene's impressive range as an actor. It's interesting to see a comical Adama, a nice contrast to the serious commander that we usually see. Unfortunately, Greene is forced to play against Brett Somers (Siress Bellaby). Somers isn't funny; she's annoying, and it kills most of the comedy that is presented.

The premise of The Magnificent Warriors actually had a lot of potential. We are given a situation where the fleet has no food and everyone is aware of it (unlike in Saga Of A Star World when the Colonials were able to cover up the problem). This raises all kinds of fascinating issues. Would the fleet start a mutiny against Adama during such a crisis? How would Adama react to such a mutiny? How would he choose who to save? Would he allow each ship to make its own decision to leave? Or would he try to force them to stick together? And what decisions would Starbuck and Apollo be forced to make if such a mutiny occurred? So many interesting questions for the episode to pursue.

Sadly, standard television plotting is what we get. The Colonials are traveling through the vast uncharted regions of space, and they run out of food at just the precise moment they happen to be near a farming colony. Okay. Whatever. The Colonials land on the planet and meet the Borays. From then on, it's just another battle of good vs. evil. Putting the Colonials in a moral dilemna would have been much more interesting that what we were given here.

===[[The Young Lords]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

This is the family episode of Battlestar Galactica. Starbuck is shot down and crashes on a planet. Yawn. This is essentially a remake of The Lost Warrior in which Apollo is stranded on the planet Equellus. Of course, Starbuck was also stranded in The Long Patrol and Cree was stranded in ''The Gun On Ice Planet Zero''. Later in ''Greetings From Earth'', Starbuck, Apollo, and Casseopia would be stranded on the planet Paradeen. At this point, the series was becoming so predictable that viewers each week must have been asking the question, "Who's going to have to be rescued this week?" In fact, Mad Magazine, in a spoof of Galactica, poked fun at this element of the show. (See [[Humor in the Original Series]])

Considering the incredibly broad premise of the series, it's amazing that the writers had so much trouble coming up with a story that didn't involve someone being stranded on a planet. With this kind of plot, The Young Lords shouldn't even be watchable. And yet, despite all these drawbacks, this actually turns out to be a fun, enjoyable episode. Part of this praise goes to the tremendous production values. It is simply fascinating to see so many Cylons inside a medieval castle. The location is nothing short of spectacular. To top it off, Dirk Benedict delivers with a wonderful performance. There are many good scenes, especially Starbuck's rescue from the Cylons by Kyle and the children (plus his insulting remark to the Cylons moments before). Playing up kids in a series can be extremely fatal to ratings (Galactica 1980 became an infamous example of this), but fortunately Kyle and the gang never get to the point where they become grating; although they (and their song near the end) come dangerously close. (And are we to believe Starbuck and his Scooby Gang would actually take the time to think up lyrics for a song and memorize them? Please!)

The IL series Cylon Spectre is a delightfully conniving character. He is the perfect foil for Lucifer. His phony flattery of Baltar is hilarious, especially the way he manages to turn defeat to his own advantage. Unfortunately, the character does not appear again. Had the series continued into a second season, he probably would have. Spectre does appear in the later original Berkley novels [[The Nightmare Machine]], [[Die, Chameleon!]] and [[Surrender the Galactica!]] where he is put to good use.

Most of the scenes of Baltar and Lucifer communicating with Spectre were recycled with different dialogue into the Galactica telemovie [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]].

Needless to say that by this point the Cylons have become a joke. When you stop and really think about it, it is ludicrous that an entire Cylon garrison is defeated by one colonial warrior and five children.

Still, this episode somehow succeeds despite every logical reason why it shouldn't.

===[[The Living Legend]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five'''

This is one of the very best episodes of Battlestar Galactica. The two-part episodes consistently deliver, and The Living Legend is no exception. The idea of a second survivng battlestar is a good one, as is a scenario where the fleet runs out of fuel.

This episode introduces two compelling characters, Commander Cain and his daughter, Lt. Sheba. Sheba's character is said to have been a ground-breaking role for women. She is tough, independent, and short-tempered. Basically, she's the exact opposite of virtually every other female character to appear on the series. Fortunately, she, along with Bojay, becomes a regular after this episode.

Lloyd Bridges is tremendous as Commander Cain. It's hard to imagine any other actor filling the role. The only weak moment for Bridges is when Cain lies to Adama about the "accidental" failure of the tanker mission. Cain's cavalier attitude about it makes it obvious to everyone that he purposely sabotaged the mission.

This story is different from any other Galactica story thus far because we see a clash of philosophies within the ranks of the military. Cain wants to wage an all-out war against Gamoray, and Adama simply wants to capture the much-needed fuel and escape. The earlier episodes were extremely simplistic in their portaryal of good versus evil. The Colonials are good. The Cylons are evil. Simple as that. Since the good guys are all in the military, the military is always portrayed as being right. Adama, Starbuck, and Apollo had very few moral dilemnas to deal with, which would have made the stories so much more interesting.

Baltar personally leading the attack on the Galactica makes the battle much more intense and exciting, mostly because the battle has a storyline. Most of the Galactica space battles are nothing more than a confusing jumble of stock shots haphazardly thrown together with nothing in terms of a flow or climax. (One of the bigger flaws of Return Of The Jedi was that the Battle of Endor had nothing in terms of a storyline.) This time it is different. The Pegasus closing in on Baltar at the end of part one is the best cliff hanger of the series. It is rather fitting that Baltar's forces are taken by surprise, since it was Baltar who caused the colonial warfleet to be taken by surprise in the pilot.

The scene between Adama and Apollo right before the mission to capture the Cylon tankers is very powerful. It shows how, despite being father and son, each of their respective positions forces a distance between them personally. What is especially impressive is that this is done without words. Richard Hatch and Lorne Greene manage to convey more with a facial expression than most actors do with a page of dialogue.

Boxey really starts to get on the nerves at this point. Nothing against Noah Hathaway, but Boxey is a character all too typical of standard television. He is an ultra-cute TV kid doing ultra-cute things, yet usually has little or no bearing on the plot. These kinds of characters (most notably the Super Scouts from Galactica 1980) only serve to hurt a show's ratings.

When you put the story under scrutiny, there are some serious flaws. Why are viper pilots sent on a ground mission? Wouldn't the Galactica have specialized teams for that sort of thing? It is also a bit difficult to believe that Sheba could have found a way to go on the mission to Gamoray without permission. It is even more difficult to believe that Cassiopea would have been allowed to just hop on the shuttle. Was she given a crash course on parachuting during the shuttle ride? How could the Colonial warriors have known exactly which building in Gamoray contained the main communications center? And are we to believe that destroying one small communications center would disable the entire city's defense system? If, like me, you can overlook these flaws, this is still a great episode.

This episode and Fire In Space were later combined to form the horrid Galactica theatrical movie [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]].

===[[Fire in Space]]===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

This explosive episode is the one-hour equivalent of a disaster movie. It's basically a sci-fi version of The Towering Inferno (and stock footage from that movie was probably used here). There's so much action that it isn't until the end that you realize just how essentially empty it is. There are a lot of things happening, and at the same time there is nothing happening. By all rights this story should be downright awful, yet somehow it isn't. It really speaks volumes about the show's production values and the performances of the actors that this turns out to be an enjoyable hour despite another by-the-numbers script.

After this episode, producer Glen Larson decided changed the direction of the series, relegating the Cylons to the background. The Cylons are not featured again until the final episode, The Hand Of God. The reason for the change of direction may be that Larson had a feeling the series would be canceled and decided to try to create a storyarc that would end the series with the Galactica apparently getting close to Earth. In an interview, Larson has said that he wasn't surprised the show was canceled. The change of direction was really for the best because the battles with the Cylons were too ridiculously imbalanced in the Colonials' favor (due to the censors) making the Cylons look like a joke, and the reusing of the same space battle stock footage was becoming monotonous.

The ending the writers originally planned had Cylon raiders attacking the Galactica a second time, and it is their lasers that put Starbuck and Apollo in danger on the Galactica's hull. Unfortunately, the network censors overruled this because they felt it would have been too repetitive. The complete original ending from the script can be found [[List_of_Deleted_Scenes_(TOS)#Fire_In_Space|here.]]

The story completely falls apart when put under scientific scrutiny because fires simply cannot exist in outer space, as many Galactica critics have pointed out. However, Star Wars was able to get away with this flub (Remember the fate of the Death Star?), so it seems rather unfair that Battlestar Galactica took so many shots because of it.

This is Terry Carter's best episode, since Colonel Tigh is thrust into the forefront, taking command of the Galactica while Adama is incapacitated. Carter does a tremendous job, and his strong performance helps save this cliched, overused story plot from losing steam.

Since the Galactica was on the verge of destruction by the time Starbuck and Apollo were planting charges on the hull, didn't it ever occur to Colonel Tigh to evacuate all non-essential personnel including the Colonial vipers so that, if the Galactica was destroyed, the fleet would at least have a fighting chance to survive? And since it was too dangerous to operate on Adama on the Galactica, didn't it ever occur to Dr. Salik to shuttle Adama to another ship in the fleet and perform the operation there?

A tremendous amount of damage is done to the Galactica (especially the landing bay), yet there is no sign of this in any future episodes nor any explanation of how the repairs went. Considering the abysmal plot, this episode was probably best left forgotten.

===[[War of the Gods]]===

'''RATING: Five stars out of five'''

War Of The Gods is one of the best and most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica. It is not the very best episode, nor is it completely flawless, but it is easily the most complex of all the stories we were given. The bottom line is that it is extremely rare to see this kind of thing done on TV. This is one of the few episodes to fully utilize Galactica's Von Daniken premise (God Is An Astronaut). We learn that angels are not spirits of the dead, but advanced beings who are thousands of years ahead of the Colonials in both technology and spirituality. Count Iblis (whom Apollo addresses in part 2 as Mephistopheles) comes across as a form of devil. There is an interesting parallel with mythology. Just as the angel Lucifer (or Satan) rebelled against heaven, Iblis rebels against his brothers on the Ship of Lights.

Iblis may well be the most fascinating character in the entire series. What is fascinating is that his voice is the same as that of the Cylon Imperious Leader. Baltar recognizes this (and it would have been an unforgivable flub if he didn't). There have been two primary theories about Iblis' origin. The first is that Iblis exterminated the original reptile Cylon race and created the mechanical one, starting the thousand year war with the humans.

The second theory is that Iblis and the Imperious Leader are one and the same. Iblis calling Baltar "old friend" would seem to support this. Also, it is made clear in the end that Iblis cannot control anyone who does not choose to follow him. If Iblis is the Imperious Leader, then Baltar technically was "following him" since he (Baltar) was serving the Cylons. However, the theory that Iblis and Imperious Leader being the same person doesn't quite hold up because wouldn't the Cylons then easily be able to locate the Colonial fleet? Therefore, the first theory makes more sense overall. But there is still the question of how Iblis was able to make Baltar surrender to the Colonials. The episode tries to make it seem that Iblis did not perform his bigger miracles, that the white lights caused the crops to grow and Baltar came of his own free will (the latter is hinted by Apollo in a missing scene that was cut from the original script). Of course, the idea that Baltar would surrender on his own is ludicrous considering the coward that he is. And why would the white lights come to the fleet if that would cause the crops on the agro-ship to grow and thus fulfill one of Iblis' tasks? Most importantly, why would Iblis dare the Colonials to make 3 challenges for him if he did not possess the power to complete them?

Regarding Iblis' origin, I tend to go with the first theory, but I would take it one step further and suggest that the Imperious Leader is either a servant of Iblis or is somehow under Iblis' control. Thus Baltar, by serving the Cylons, would also be serving Iblis and thus would be subject to Iblis' commands.

You really have to wonder if Glen Larson planned to have Patrick Macnee play Count Iblis from the very first episode or if it was just an amazing coincidence that the same actor who provided the Imperious Leader's voice turned out to be perfect for the Count Iblis role. Considering how incredibly rushed the production of the show was, the latter would have to be a possibility. If it's the former, then you really have to applaud Glen Larson for planning so far ahead.

There are other marvelous scenes. Iblis' slow manipulation and seduction of Sheba is riveting (especially when he kisses her on the Agro-ship). The white lights and the Ship of Lights are a marvel and have to be considered among the best special effects the series has ever produced. The scenery of the red planet, including the visual effect of Starbuck, Apollo, and Sheba when they walk on that world is also outstanding. The triad court is a fantastic (and obviously, expensive) set. You have to give the producers a lot of credit for creating such a unique game for the Colonials to play. It makes sense. With the grueling struggle for survival in a rag-tag fleet, the Colonials have to have some sort of entertainment to take their minds off their plight.

As with most episodes, the performances are all top-notch. Richard Hatch plays his end perfectly, carefully balancing Apollo's distrust of Iblis and his caring for Sheba. Dirk Benedict adds a whole new dimension to Starbuck. His rage and grief over the death of Apollo (especially when he attempts to shoot Iblis) stand out as some of Starbuck's most memorable moments of the entire series. Anne Lockhart is also great portraying Sheba's slow seduction and manipulation by Count Iblis. Her joy at Apollo's resurrection firmly establishes her inner feelings toward him, and this subplot would come to a stunning head in the final episode. Lorne Greene never falters in his performances, and this is no exception. Greene does a tremendous job portraying a man torn between his desire to find Earth and his distrust of Iblis. One of the best moments has to be during the Triad game. During the game, Adama and Iblis are seated on opposite sides of the court. There are really two battles going on here: the battle between the players on the court, and the battle between Iblis and Adama.

Despite everything, the episode is not completely perfect. Not all the questions are answered (which in itself is not a bad thing), but some of what happens doesn't quite make sense. First of all, why does the Ship of Lights kidnap the viper pilots? We are never given any kind of answer. What makes it more confusing is that by kidnapping the pilots, the Ship of Lights actually aids Iblis because the Colonials look to him for protection. And why does Baltar say that Iblis now no longer holds any power over him after Baltar recognizes Iblis' voice? Perhaps this is supposed to be a clue to understand who Iblis is, but if this is the case, I can't make anything out of it.

There is also the issue of what was inside the crashed ship on the red planet. A popular myth is that the ship is the the Battlestar Pegasus and when Apollo looked inside he saw the body of Commander Cain, but this is false. The original script and the Berkely novelization tell us exactly what is inside the ship: tall, cloven-hoofed horned beings with tails. This is a little hard to make sense of. Are the beings in the ship supposed to be devils? If that is the case, it doesn't really make Iblis appear all that evil for killing them. It could be viewed as another parallel of mythology. After being defeated by heaven, Lucifer and his followers fall into hell. Likewise, Iblis' ship containing his followers (the devils) crashes (falls) to the earth. It's not a perfect allegory, but fascinating nonetheless. (For more on this, see [[War_of_the_Gods,_Part_II#The_Mystery_of_the_Crashed_Ship|The Mystery of the Crashed Ship]])

I'm not trying to pick the episode apart with these various criticisms. Actually, the story works much better with its mystery and ambiguity rather than easy, clear-cut answers. One of the problems with television these days is that shows rarely challenge the viewer to think; instead, most shows sacrifice ambiguity and insist on spelling everything out as simply and clearly as possible. The mystery of Count Iblis is really what makes ''War Of The Gods'' so special and one of the most famous and highly debated of all the Galactica episodes. I'm glad that we are not given the answer to who Iblis is because the only way a mystery can retain its power is as long as it remains unsolved. Why do you think the great magicians never reveal how they do their tricks? If you are looking for a great movie example of this, then I suggest you check out Peter Weir's ''Picnic At Hanging Rock''.

Finally, one of the best things about this episode is that it provides us the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba!

===[[The Man With Nine Lives]]===

'''Rating: Four out of five stars'''

This episode is the only one that offers a significant look at the people of the fleet. Fred Astaire puts in an enjoyable performance as the rogue con-man Chameleon. The Borellian Nomen are interesting new adversaries for the Colonial Warriors, although they seem to be based on a Hollywood and societal stereotype of American Indians (Unfortunately, we are told very little of their origins). One of the best episodes in terms of characterization.

This episode pretty much makes it clear that Cassiopeia is THE ONE for Starbuck, thanks to Starbuck telling Chameleon that she's the only one he's ever considered sealing with (although that actually isn't true; he did almost propose to Athena in the pilot episode).

Don Bellisario was unable to think of a suitable name for the villains. In an after-work bull session, story editor Jim Carlson casually remarked something to the effect of, "It’s too bad they’re not from an ice planet, you could call them Snomen." Bellisario replied, "There’s no snow where these guys are gonna be!" Carlson answered, "Then call then Nomen."

This episode proves that great stories don't require huge explosions and fancy special effects. Unfortunately, the rushed production of the show made episodes like The Man With Nine Lives the exception rather than the rule.

=== [[Murder on the Rising Star]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Murder She Wrote in outer space??? This story had little point being part of a show like Battlestar Galactica. This is the kind of story that is done on almost every science fiction series when the writers are out of ideas. There is very little in the way of drama because the viewer knows the hero is innocent and will be cleared. This story tries to give the impression that Starbuck might be guilty (we don't get to see who shoots Ortega, Starbuck is shown running from the scene, plus Starbuck's anxiousness in the shuttle bay makes him appear guilty), but only the most gullible of viewers would fall for this. The story would be more forgivable if we learned some new insights about the characters or the fleet, but what do we learn? What is the point? Is it that the Colonial system of law is virtually identical to the U.S. system? (which is hardly believeable) Or that Adama has to spend time hearing court cases? (Not too believable either considering the incredibly burdensome task he has of commanding the fleet) Or is it that playing triad is more dangerous than anybody thought? What is the point of this episode except to fill an hour's worth of time???

This is the fourth episode that features Starbuck. While Dirk Benedict certainly plays a wonderful character, it would have been nice to have featured some of the lesser used cast members (Tigh, Boomer, Athena, Sheba).

One thing really stands out: It is absurd how little time Apollo is given to prepare a case for Starbuck's defense. He only has 10 centares, and the script for this episode has a key that states a centar is an hour. Only 10 hours to prepare for a murder trial??? Give me a break!

This story could have been done differently to make it more poignant. What if Apollo was unable to conclusively prove who killed Ortega, and Adama intervenes, using his power as commander to have Starbuck set free. It would raise the question of whether Adama was abusing his power. Even then, considering the fleet must be depleted when it comes to seasoned viper pilots, it could be argued that the fleet needed Starbuck as a warrior. It would have been an interesting moral issue, something Battlestar Galactica rarely had. I also think the story would have been more interesting if we were left with some doubt as to whether Starbuck killed Ortega (in self-defense, of course).

An interesting note: Karibdis appears early on in the story, serving drinks to Adama and Tigh while they watch the Triad game. This is an often-used writing device. You have the murderer/villain appear early in the story, sometimes at the very beginning, in what appears to be a minor or trivial role. This often fools the audience, as they rarely expect such a character to be revealed so quickly. This was also done on the miniseries for the new Galactica, when one of the human Cylons is leading a tour of the Galactica during the opening credits. If you want to get good at solving TV/movie mysteries, pay attention to the minor characters that appear early in the story.

Overall, the murder mystery itself isn't half bad, and there are fine all-around performances from the cast to make this watchable. In a way, it makes the episode more disappointing to have such great talent squandered on such a by-the-numbers story. But everyone holds up their end well, especially Dirk Benedict and Laurette Spang in their scene inside the brig. It's nice the writers found a way to bring Baltar into the story, and John Colicos still makes a great villain. The flashback of the destruction of Caprica is also well-done. There were certainly many crimes committed during the evacuation, and it illustrates that Battlestar Galactica was brimming with potentially interesting stories to explore, which again only makes this episode more of a letdown.

That said, it's important to realize that writers Jim Carlson and Terrence McDonnell were forced to write this episode in 36 hours straight. Considering what a rushjob this script was, it's amazing it turned out as well as it did. This is one instance where it might be better to see the glass as half-full rather than half-empty.

===[[Greetings from Earth]]===

'''RATING: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Greetings From Earth just doesn't measure up with the other two-hour episodes. The story makes for a passable first hour but quickly takes a nosedive in the second. Glen Larson's attempt at comedy falls horribly flat. Hector, Vector and the kids quickly wear out their welcome (A premonition of Galactica 1980?). The Eastern Alliance is introduced as a new adversary, but they are little more than cardboard Nazis with zero charisma (at least the Cylons looked cool). Another problem is that their primitive technology takes a lot of steam out of their threat. Unfortunately, the Eastern Alliance is never utilized to the fullest. A space battle between vipers and Eastern Alliance destroyers would have been fantastic, but the time and money needed to do such a complex battle scene made it impossible. Also, Apollo becomes a bit overbearing with his "Do The Right Thing" attitude in the first half (What's also annoying is that Apollo's dialogue in the first half is badly redubbed, apparently to make his voice louder).

What makes the first hour so interesting is that the Colonials are faced with a perplexing moral issue (a rarity, for sure). Do they allow the humans to leave, or force them to remain at least until more information is learned? There are actually opposing opinions within the Colonial military, at least for awhile. Apollo's view quickly wins out, though. The Council of Twelve is portrayed as being incredibly selfish and uncaring, but it could be argued they were right. It was possibly life or death for the Colonials to learn about the human race that awaited them. Certainly the humans could have been revived long enough for the Colonials to get the necessary information out of them. Apollo's plan to let the ship go had a good chance of failing. How could he be certain enough that they wouldn't get lost, or wind up so far away that they'd never be able to make it back to the fleet?

When you think about it, why don't Starbuck, Apollo and Cassiopea have super powers when they are in Paradeen's weaker gravity just as the Super Scouts do when they are in Earth's weaker gravity on Galactica 1980? Wouldn't it have been fun to see Starbuck, Apollo, and Cassiopea bouncing up and down and jumping into trees?

Unlike the other two-parters, this one ends with a whimper instead of a bang as Starbuck and Apollo's capture of the Enforcers is about as anti-climatic as you can get. This script really comes across as being rushed, which was probably the case. Overall, Greetings From Earth is yet another episode that failed to reach its potential due to the constrainments of a weekly series.

=== [[Experiment in Terra]] ===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

Experiment In Terra initially comes across as a superb episode, but under close inspection the story unfortunately has serious flaws. The Ship of Lights recruiting Apollo to help Terra is a cool idea, but their reasoning as to why they need to use a mortal human doesn't hold up. John says that the people of Terra can't see the "Guardians" (my own name for them) outside the confines of their ship. And yet on Terra, John makes himself visible to Starbuck by merely touching him. Even more problematic, Apollo's mission never makes sense. The Guardians know that the Eastern Alliance is going to launch a missile attack, so the master plan is to have Apollo tell the "west side" that the Eastern Alliance has been attacking them? Um, okay, but even if Apollo succeeds, how will this stop the Eastern Alliance from launching their missiles? Why not just have Apollo tell the Galactica to travel to Terra and destroy the missile attack? The answer, of course, is that there wouldn't be much of a story.

Sadly, there are many other flaws. Apollo says he can't reach Terra because the distance is too great, so he is "teleported" right in front of the planet. So how is it that Starbuck is able to eventually reach the planet on his own? Logically, he wouldn't have had enough fuel. Adama's decision to pull the Galactica out of the fleet is more out of whack than it may first appear. He didn't do that in earlier episodes when Starbuck or Apollo were crashed/stranded. This time Adama doesn't even know who the two pilots are, and yet he pulls the Galactica out of the fleet.

Even more ludicrous is the idea that the Galactica travels to Terra at light speed (and not just because it is scientifically implausible). If the Galactica was traveling to Terra at the speed of light, they should have reached Terra almost instantly (in fact, they probably could have found Earth during the pilot episode!) And how is it that the Galactica was able to travel to Terra unmolested? Surely there would be Eastern Alliance destroyers patrolling the area around the planet. And how does the Eastern Alliance not know that the Galactica was responsible for destroying their missiles? Surely the Galactica would have been picked up on their scanners.

Also, the West President's reasoning for withholding knowledge of the Eastern Alliance's attacks is questionable. Why does he think he can make peace with the Eastern Alliance if they are constantly attacking him? And if the Eastern Alliance has wiped out all of the West's satellite planets, how could the President possibly prevent word of this from leaking out? It's not realistic at all. Plus, the idea that the Eastern Alliance would be willing to destroy the entire planet (at least half of which they own) is pretty ridiculous. Okay, they ARE Bad Guys, but what's the point of destroying most of their empire when they were already winning the war?

With such a long list of problems, you would think that this is a terrible episode. Amazingly, this isn't the case. In fact, Experiment In Terra still ranks as one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica. Seeing the Ship of Lights again is a treat, and Edward Mulhare is delightful as John, Apollo's guide. This episode is another example where the great production values and strong performances from the actors are able to overcome the plot inconsistencies. What makes Experiment In Terra work so well is that its plot holes aren't immediately noticeable. I didn't realize how many there were until I sat down and really thought about it. Apollo's mission to save Terra, as pointless as it winds up being, is still extremely engrossing. Apollo's speech to the Precidium is very dramatic and moving, even though (as we've already said) everything Apollo does on Terra turns out to be a waste of time since nothing he does has any chance of preventing the Eastern Alliance from launching its missiles.

This episode is extra fun to watch if you're aware that the script was originally written with the roles of Starbuck and Apollo reversed. After Richard Hatch complained that his character was getting the shaft, the script was quickly rewritten with the dialogue mostly remaining the same, resulting in Apollo talking suspiciously like Starbuck. At one point, Apollo says "Felgercarb" for the first time ever!

The ending scene is touching, as John tells Apollo that Terra is not Earth but "You must have faith." Many Galactica fans have interpreted this to mean that Apollo would successfully complete the journey to Earth.

Here are some humorous notes from British writer Matthew Wharmby:

* I'm sorry, but I thought the final scene was tremendously weak. All that buildup to a good scrap, heart-stopping music included, let down with a pathetic green shield spat out of the front of the Galactica. And from a terrible angle made necessary by two separately matted halves; one of Earth and one of the Galactica's underside. And you don't mean to tell me that the Galactica could extend such a shield over the whole planet? If so, why couldn't she have performed the same thing over Caprica in the pilot, and let the attacking Cylon fighters blow themselves up in it?
* Nobody seems too panicked about the impending nuclear annihilation! I don't know about you, but when us kids growing up in the late Cold War used to speculate nervously about the four-minute warning, the usual consensus was that we'd be doing, well, what it takes four minutes to do. 'You can do it twice,' the girls would quip.
* I'm not mad keen on Brenda's attitude. If every girl who had boyfriend trouble called the Old Bill on such a weak pretext, there wouldn't be a bloke alive out of prison!

=== [[Take the Celestra]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five'''

This is probably the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. A lot of people will probably disagree, but I have to go with this choice simply because I found this episode to be incredibly boring. The Magnificent Warriors and The Lost Warrior were also really bad (and they were certainly more simplistic), but they were never really boring. A story focusing on the hardships of voyaging on the rag tag fleet is a great idea, but this episode takes one self-destructive turn after another and may be the best example of a wasted opportunity for the series. Many of BG's bad episodes were somewhat saved by wonderful performances from the actors, but there is nothing here that stands out (although the Starbuck/Cassiopea reconciliation at the end is a nice moment). Starbuck and Apollo actually look stale. This is one of the few times that neither Richard Hatch nor Dirk Benedict are able to rise above the mediocre writing. Commander Kronus is incredibly boring - a static, stale character with little depth. Because it's hard to care about the character, it's hard to feel anything during the "dramatic" finish when Kronus dies. Given the moronic decisions he makes, I felt like saying "Good riddance." On the other hand, Ana Alicia suceeds in making Aurora interesting, but she is mostly wasted in this episode. Unfortunately, her boyfriend is more boring than Kronus, and I just wanted him to shut up. Despite these issues, the main problem with Take The Celestra lies in the script itself.

One of the biggest (yet least noted) flaws of Battlestar Galactica was the way it portrayed life in the rag-tag fleet. Day-to-day existence on a fleet of mostly derelict ships would no doubt be a grueling struggle for survival. Yet the series rarely ever indicated this. Most scenes with civilians consisted of parties, gambling, and triad games aboard the Rising Star! (hardly the most accurate look we could have been given) Take The Celestra was the perfect vehicle to change this, but unfortunately the writers took the easy way out. Aurora and the other mutineers were "illegally forced" to work so many double shifts. This makes the issue of right and wrong very easy to determine, but consider another direction the writers could have taken.

What if the harsh working conditions existed throughout the entire fleet? (and, logically, they should have) What if Aurora and the others were not working harder than anyone else and simply decided they had had enough? Would they be morally right in trying to escape the fleet (considering that the loss of manpower would likely hurt the remaining Colonials)? Apollo, Starbuck and the rest of the military are always talking about the importance of freedom. Apollo talks about it strongly in his speech to the Precedium in Experiment In Terra. When Starbuck tries to convince the prisoners to rebel in The Long Patrol, he says "You have rights. You're human beings!" When they finally escape, he says, "That's freedom." An interesting idea to explore is how free the Colonials actually were. Surely many of them wanted to settle on some of the planets the fleet passed by. If Adama refused their wishes, he would technically be restricting their freedom. Unfortunately, this kind of story is problematic because the extent of Adama's power is never clear; in fact, it varies from episode to episode (depending whatever works best for the story that week). But this kind of story would have made it a tough call as to whether Aurora and her friends were right and whether Starbuck and Apollo were totally justified in stopping them.

Anyway, that's the episode I would have liked to see, or anything other than what we did see, the most boring Galactica episode to date. The story is riddled with holes, outdone perhaps only by Experiment In Terra. Whereas that story's flaws are not immediately noticeable, most of this story's flaws are. Commander Kronus' decision to immediately shuttle the prisoners back to the fleet despite being so far away doesn't make much sense. His accompanying the shuttle makes even less sense. Colonial law states that a commander has to personally take the mutineers in for charges? Huh? Even when his ship is out in the middle of nowhere? Okay. Whatever. Kronus should have waited until the Celestra rejoined the fleet. His decision makes him look like an idiot.

How is it that Chakka is able to get almost the entire crew to mutiny with him on a whim? He couldn't have been planning mutiny beforehand because he had expected to become commander of the Celestra. And if the entire crew wasn't with him in the mutiny, then how could he have expected to get away with powering down the ship? And could Starbuck and Apollo both be so clueless that they wouldn't be able to remember which heading the fleet was on? And how does the shuttle run out of fuel so fast? And how is it that Kronus could not have known or heard about any of the harsh working conditions? The Celestra isn't that big of a ship. Are we to believe that he never left the bridge? To top it off, why is there such an urgent need in the final battle scene to "level out" the Celestra? It's not as though there were any ships or planets around that it could crash into. Almost nothing in this episode makes any sense.

The minor plot of Cassiopeia agonizing over Starbuck's evasiveness in their relationship is far more compelling than the main plot of the Celestra mutiny. But even the Starbuck/Aurora plot has problems. For one thing, the writers have Starbuck act like a total jerk by skipping his date with Cassie so he can see Aurora. Why would Cassie put up with that? And how is it that Starbuck had a serious relationship with Aurora going during the time of the Destruction? Didn't he clearly have something going with Athena back then? (If there's anything worse than the writers making things up as they go, it's when they unmake things up as they go.)

Anyway, this only makes Starbuck look like a bigger womanizer than anyone thought (not exactly the best way to endear him to viewers). Aurora makes a valid point in her anger towards him. If Starbuck really did care about her, why didn't he check to see if her name was in the fleet computer? Just because her house was destroyed doesn't mean for certain that she was killed. It's also highly questionable that Starbuck ever made it back to Caprica after the Cylons attacked. We've never been given any indication that anyone besides Adama and Apollo ever went back. Considering how dangerous it would have been (not to mention how strong a chance that someone might have led the Cylons back to the Galactica), it's absolutely ludicrous to suggest Adama would have allowed anyone to return to the planet.

I almost want to pretend that this episode was just a bad dream. Fortunately, the very next episode would raise the roof.

===[[The Hand of God]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five.'''

They saved the best for last. ''The Hand Of God'' is arguably the best episode of Battlestar Galactica, and my personal favorite.

No doubt about it, ''The Hand of God'' is Galactica at its best. Donald Bellisario shows the other writers how it's done, pulling out all the stops with this one. Both the script and the performances are stellar. Never before have the characters been portrayed in such a powerful way. Although there is nothing innovative about the basic plot itself (The Galactica battles the Cylons again), there are enough things going on that make this story extremely engrossing.

This episode is fascinating from start to finish. Visually, it is a treat as we get to see the inside of a Cylon basestar's landing bay for the first time. We also get to see Cylon Centurions boarding their ships for the first time. And the Celestial Observation Dome is a marvel, as is Apollo's analogy that being inside it is like riding in the Hand of God.

What makes this story especially memorable is the culmination of a story thread that has been running since ''War of the Gods''. In that episode, we see the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba. Nothing happens in the other episodes following, although Anne Lockhart does a good job showing, in a subtle way, Sheba's emerging feelings for Apollo.

Kudos go to both Anne Lockhart and Laurette Spang for winning performances. Sheba's confrontation with Apollo and their kiss inside the Cylon raider is the best scene of the episode. That and Cassiopeia's argument with Starbuck in the landing bay are both incredibly moving, providing each actress with her stand-out moment of the series. It really gives the viewer a chance to appreciate the range of Anne and Laurette. Women on this show were usually stuck in the background; this episode placed demands on each actress they rarely had to face. Give each one credit for not dropping the ball. Fortunately, they are both aided by outstanding dialogue from Bellisario. Of course, Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, and Herbert Jefferson, Jr. hold up their end as well. Starbuck, Apollo, and Boomer clasping hands in the pilots barracks (with the accompanying music score) powerfully expresses the bond of their friendship more than words ever could.

Extra congratulations go to Donald Bellisario who also directed this episode. His use of slow motion twice during Starbuck and Apollo's battles with Cylon Centurions make the scenes much more intense and suspenseful. Let's face it. Thanks to ABC's family-friendly censors, the Cylons often looked like a joke (Remember ''The Young Lords'' when Starbuck and five children wiped out an entire Cylon garrison?). If Starbuck and Apollo's shootout scenes had been shown in real time, there would have been little (if any) impact.

Another reason ''The Hand of God'' works so well is because the Cylons were not featured in the previous seven or eight episodes. Glen Larson wisely saw that the constant reusing of the same space battle footage was hurting the stories and thus moved the Cylons into the background after ''Fire In Space''. So much time has passed since then that the Cylons seem revitalized. There's nothing spectacular about the dogfight between the vipers and raiders or the slugfest between the Galactica and the Cylon basestar (since it's the same footage seen in previous episodes), but the story is compelling enough that it all still works.

If there is one flaw with this story, it is the idea that Adama would attack a Cylon basestar and risk the fate of the entire human race just for the sake of wreaking some vengeance. This is the same man who told Commander Cain, "I'm not interested in military victories. I'm interested in saving lives. What few of them are left." It would have worked better to have a scenario where the Galactica simply could not backtrack and thus was forced to attack the Cylons. Still, it is a minor flaw in an overall outstanding script.

It is extremely frustrating that we never see a follow-up to Apollo and Sheba's relationship since this was the final episode. For fans who would like to see some kind of continuation, there are some fan fiction stories that I highly recommend. There is a short story called ''My Father's Daughter'' which takes place immediately following the events of ''The Hand of God'' and is quite simply the best Sheba story I have ever read. Three other novels, ''Second Coming'', ''Joint Maneuvers'', and ''The Race For Earth'' also explore Apollo and Sheba's relationship and are outstanding. These stories are all available free online at a site I own called [http://freegalacticafanfictionnovels.weebly.com Free Battlestar Galactica Fan Fiction Novels].

Many fans were and still are saddened that the original show ended so soon. Personally, I'm at peace with it. If the show had to end, ''The Hand of God'' may have been the best way to close the curtain. After reading Glen Larson's [[Battlestar_Galactica:_Year_Two_proposal|Season Two proposal]], all I can say is, "Thank god the show ended when it did!" It appears that, if there had been a second season, half the cast would have been cut in order to save money, Sheba would have been killed off, Commander Cain would have returned as a Cylon android, and Apollo would have shirked his responsibilities and started partying and messing around with numerous women. Ugh!!!

I think I can accept Battlestar Galactica for what it was, always remembering that the light that shines twice as bright only burns half as long.

== Galactica 1980 Episode Reviews ==

=== [[Galactica Discovers Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

Galactica Discovers Earth turns out to be a watchable pilot, but watchable is about all. From the very first episode, Galactica 1980 is clearly nothing more than an attempt by ABC to cash in on the Galactica name by creating a cheap show that simply reuses the expensive special effects stock footage from the original series. The later episodes would only reinforce this. Kent McCord (Troy) and Barry Van Dyke (Dillon) come off as inferior clones of Starbuck and Apollo. In fact, the script for the pilot was originally written for Starbuck and Apollo. When those plans changed, the names were simply switched to Troy and Dillon. Jamie Hamilton comes off as a carbon copy of Lois Lane. Unfortunately, we are never given any backstory to any of these characters.

This may be the only pilot in television history in which the premise changes in the middle of the episode! At first it's about advancing Earth's technology in order to fight the Cylons. Then it suddenly changes and is about capturing a time-traveling villain. It's really bizarre. Anyway, the time travel journey to Nazi Germany is never particularly interesting, partly because Xaviar just isn't that compelling of a villain, but mostly because this is NOT Battlestar Galactica.

The idea of the Galactica having to protect a primitive Earth from the Cylons is actually a compelling premise, but the problem is that Dr. Zee's plan to slowly increase Earth's technology is flawed. At the rate in which the Colonials were going, it probably would have taken at least decades to get Earth's technology increased enough to be able to fight the Cylons. Long before then, the Cylons would probably tire of waiting and decide to just destroy the Colonial fleet. Even if the Cylons didn't attack, how far could the Galactica lead the Cylons away from Earth before they (the Colonials) were too far away from the planet to ever go back there? It probably would have been smarter to temporarily abandon Earth and lead the Cylons away until Dr. Zee could invent some technology that would allow the Colonials to destroy the Cylon armada. (Actually, since Colonial Vipers can now turn invisible, it should have been fairly easy for the Colonials to launch a surprise attack on the Cylons and defeat them once and for all!)

The problem with the original premise of Galactica 1980 is that it would have eventually become tiresome: Troy and Dillon each week would find a way to introduce some new technology (clean nuclear power, etc.) which would make some small improvement, but do little to bring Earth up to the level it would need be to fight the Cylons. As a result, the series could never evolve to the next level (i.e. Earth is ready to fight the Cylons), because the series' budget was too small for any kind of "final battle". As a result, Galactica 1980 was stuck in a rut from the get-go. It tried to distract viewers from the main plot (the Cylon threat) with time travel and cub scout outings because there was little that could be done with the original premise. It might have worked well as a single movie or perhaps a series of movies, but it's unlikely that Galactica 1980 could have ever jelled as a weekly series.

The show looks second-rate. For example, take the opening sequence. This has to be one of the worst opening sequences in television history. It's nothing but a series of stock footage shots from the original show haphazardly thrown together. Even the rendition of the Galactica theme seems inferior to the one we heard on the original show.

That said, there is some nice chemistry between the trio of Troy, Dillon and Jamie. There's one particularly touching scene in part 3 when Jamie says goodbye to Troy and Dillon at the bus stop. But whatever positives the actors had would not be enough to overcome a number of self-destructive turns that would begin with the very next episode.

=== [[The Super Scouts]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Super Scouts arrive, and Galactica 1980 plummets into an abyss it would not survive. In the beginning, we're forced to endure a series of boring classroom educational lessons. Things get even worse when the intergalactic 'Our Gang' reaches Earth. We get ultra-cute campfire songs and even more educational lessons shoved down are throats. The original series had flaws, but at least it never insulted its viewers with sitcom humor or by getting into preachy moral issues. Galactica 1980 gives us an ultra-simplistic environmental message of "Don't pollute the water," and does so with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

One could make the case that Galactica 1980 is a great tool for writers to learn how NOT to write drama. One key is to create powerful villains and put the heroes in situations that are difficult to deal with. But all of the villains in Galactica 1980 are weak. The Colonials have so many advantages over the people of Earth - spaceships, super powers, invisibility fields - that they are essentially invincible, thus robbing the series of any possible drama. In Galactica 1980, there are no worthy villains. The bumbling cops and incompetent military personnel never have a prayer of apprehending Troy and Dillon, so there's no suspense. And it's certainly not funny to watch Earthlings constantly being confounded by extra-terrestrials. Yet that is what we're forced to endure again and again throughout the entire series.

=== [[Spaceball]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

This is crap. Spaceball is the worst, most hated episode of Galactica 1980. It's silly, stupid, and just plain dumb. Little kids playing baseball??? This is Battlestar Galactica??? Spaceball may be the most inconsequential hour of science fiction ever made. It's nothing less than an insult to the original series that this bionic version of ''The Bad News Bears'' was shot under the Galactica name.

=== [[The Night The Cylons Landed]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five (Poor)'''

The Night The Cylons Landed is the best episode since the pilot. Of course, this isn't saying much, since watching a blank screen would have been almost as entertaining as the previous two episodes. Anyway, the Super Scouts are finally relegated to the background. This expands on the storyline involving the evolution of the Cylons over the 30 years since the destruction of the Colonies. A new, bigger, and more powerful Cylon raider carrying a newly advanced Cylon lifeform crashlands on Earth. Two surviving Cylons attempt to communicate with the Cylon armada to tell them of Earth's location. This is a cool idea, but the execution is terrible. We are treated to so much silliness, culminating with Troy and Dillon dancing on stage with cartoon characters like Yogi Bear! There are other problems. The more powerful, heavily armored Cylon raider is crippled after the punier viper rams into it??? The viper certainly doesn't hit it very hard. If the Cylons were a joke in the original series, then in Galactica 1980 they are a laughing stock. Andromus, the evolved Cylon clone of a human, certainly doesn't look or act very advanced. Centuri, his Centurion buddy, comes across as being even sillier with his constant banter of "I will protect you. That is my mission." This is the monstrous, all-powerful race which threatens the Earth's destruction and that the Colonials are so concerned about??? The two Cylons provide some funny moments, but it can't make up for the letdown of a plot that had so much potential.

With this episode, Galactica 1980 provides yet another example of how NOT to write drama. Conventional storytelling says that when you have a character trying to solve a mystery, you want the audience to move along at the same pace as the character. If the audience knows more than the character does, they find themselves simply waiting for the character to catch up, which is boring. Unfortunately, Galactica 1980 violates this basic rule of storytelling as we're forced to endure Colonel Briggs's investigation of the aliens. We know everything, he knows nothing, and thus there is nothing even remotely interesting about the subplot.

=== [[Space Croppers]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Space Croppers starts out interesting, but quickly takes an abrupt nosedive into looney land. The plot parallels that of [[The Magnificent Warriors]]. Due to the destruction of the fleet's agroships by a Cylon attack, another source of food supply must be found. The Magnificent Warriors was a terrible episode, so it must be considered quite a feat that Space Croppers turns out to be even worse.

The plight of the Alonso family to save their farm never becomes the least bit interesting. Even worse are the 'educational beats' that bring the story to a grinding halt: a lecture about Hispanic history, the soil requirements for planting legumes, and how rainfull is produced. This is beyond bad. It's unwatchable.

If Dr. Zee is such a genius, why doesn't it ever occur to him to use Galactican technology to create money so the Colonials can simply buy the food that they need? I guess such a simple solution would have made this story pointless.

Furthermore, the Imperious Leader's plan to force the Galactica to lead the Cylons to Earth makes no sense. How could Imperious Leader know that Earth was nearby? And if he did know, why not just destroy the Colonial fleet and conduct a search of the nearby planets? Did anything on this series make sense? Was anything supposed to?

Last, and certainly least, Troy and Dillon bouncing high in the air and throwing seeds while the Super Scouts sing their song is hands down the most ludicrous thing ever shown on Galactica 1980, and that's saying something.

=== [[The Return of Starbuck]] ===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five (Outstanding)'''

This is undeniably the best and most popular episode of Galactica 1980. It is even better than most of the episodes of Battlestar Galactica. What is there not to love about this episode? There are so many outstanding scenes: Adama's chilling reaction to Dr. Zee's mention of Starbuck; Boomer's heartwrenching goodbye to Starbuck, Adama explaining to Boomer that they can't go back to find him; Adama saying his farewell to Starbuck; Starbuck's rationalizations about how the planet belongs to him; Angela's words, "Starbuck, would you die for me?"; Starbuck sacrificing his chance to return to the fleet to give Angela and her baby a better chance; Starbuck's goodbye to Cy. The list goes on. Best of all, we see growth in Starbuck's character! A true classic to be treasured for all time by Galactica fans.

This episode is based on an earlier script written for the second season of Battlestar Galactica that never happened. The main differences are that a regular woman appears (not Angela), and Starbuck is eventually rescued by Boomer. The only thing believed to have been taken intact from the early script is Starbuck's dialogue with Cy. While that would no doubt have been a tremendous episode, it still would not have come close to being as great as this one is. The reason why is very simple. One of the problems with creating dramatic and suspenseful stories in any weekly series is that the viewer knows the hero will ultimately prevail. For example, when Starbuck is accused of murder in [[Murder on the Rising Star]], there is little in terms of suspense because it is a foregone conclusion that Starbuck will be vindicated, just as it is a forgone conclusion that Starbuck isn't going to die in [[The Young Lords]] when he is hunted by the Cylons on the planet Attila. In the beginning of The Return Of Starbuck, it is quickly established that Adama doesn't know what happened to Starbuck and that Starbuck never returned from the mission where he was shot down. As a result, in what is most unusual for any action/adventure television story, the viewer sits through the entire episode knowing that Starbuck isn't going to make it!

This makes the story much more gripping and intense than virtually any other episode of either series. The grim reality of Starbuck's eventual fate is all reinforced by Angela's question "Starbuck, will you die for me?" and her warnings of disaster, telling him that he must prepare to make "the final judgement." Of course, we do not actually see Starbuck die at the end of the story. Larson leaves Starbuck's fate ambiguous, especially since an intact Cylon raider is left nearby. Having Starbuck die would have been a gutsy and innovative move, but the ending shown is really for the best. The beauty of the ending is that it lets the viewers make their own interpretation of Starbuck's fate. If one goes with the idea that a single person alone cannot fly a Cylon raider, then Starbuck could have easily died on the planet. Many fans don't consider Galactica 1980 to be canon for the original series, except for this episode. With the interpretation that Galactica 1980 didn't happen, Starbuck could possibly have flown the Cylon raider back to the fleet, returning to Apollo, Adama, Sheba, and the other original characters. Much Galactica fan fiction over the years has interpreted the episode in this manner.

Despite having a small role, Lorne Greene gives what may be his best performance ever as Commander Adama. The look on his face when he asks Dr. Zee to tell him his dream is worth a thousand words. His farewell to Starbuck, saying that he loves him, is also incredibly powerful. A wonderful performance!

In conclusion, ''The Return of Starbuck'' is an incredible ending to the series and a worthy finish to the Battlestar Galactica saga overall. ''Galactica 1980'' was crap, but it sure went out with a bang.

== Galactica Comics ==

=== [[Galactica 1980 1|Galactica 1980 comic series]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Comic adaptations of television shows are often very good because the writers are free from the usual constraints that a television show faces: limited budgets, censors, and network meddling in the storylines. Unfortunately, this is a double-edged sword, as the comic book writers' unlimited freedom sometimes allows the story to go flying off the rails.

Such is the case with the Galactica 1980 comic series, a cool idea that feels like a missed opportunity. First, the comic does a number of things right. It delivers a ''War of the Worlds'' type story involving the Colonials and Cylons battling over Earth. It even makes Dr. Zee a villian, a great move considering that Zee is hands down the most hated character in the entire Galactica universe. Unfortunately, writer Marc Guggenheim decides to go for shock value. In the first issue, we learn that Troy is a drunk and Adama is suicidal. Personally, I found this ugly and disturbing.

Even worse is the end of issue #1 when the Galactica is destroyed by nukes. Again, it feels like the writer is just trying to hit us with one shocking surprise after another. Surprises can be great fun, but I get annoyed when they lack logic as this one does. Why would Adama be so stupid as to fly the Galactica directly over the White House without first sending a message and waiting to see what the response would be? This just makes no sense.

And I just didn't like seeing the Galactica destroyed. After all, this ''is'' Galactica 1980, so therefore the Galactica should be in it. If the Galactica had to be destroyed, it should have happened in the final issue (#4), not the first.

Lo and behold, we get yet another shocking surprise in issue #2 when Dillon is killed off (and rather undramatically). I have a big problem with this as well. Troy and Dillon were the heroes of Galactica 1980, and I just don't think that either should have been killed (at least not less than halfway through the story). I was also disappointed that Jamie Hamilton was given nothing more than a cameo appearance in issue #4. Given that she was one of the main characters on the original show, she should have had a larger role in the story.

In the end, I wish Guggenheim had written a story that might have been done on television if not for the limited budget and children's hour restrictions that ultimately crippled the series. The ''War of the Worlds'' premise was perfect for Galactica 1980, but in this case the execution fell short.

== The Galactica Telemovies ==

=== [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

The opening sequence is outstanding, although it mostly uses footage from the original series. It has a truly epic feel, and it gives the impression that we will see a grand conclusion to the Battlestar Galactica saga. Sadly, this does not happen. Still, Adama's opening declaration that Earth has been found is also magnificent, much better done than it was in the original episode. By removing the time-travel subplot as well as much of the silliness including Troy and Dillon dancing on stage, the whole is better than any of the original Galactica 1980 episodes it is composed of. Yet this hardly makes ''Conquest of the Earth'' a great movie. The opening minutes rate five stars, yet starting with the first appearance of Dr. Zee (who bizarrely speaks with two different voices), the rest of the movie rates much lower.

=== [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack (VHS)|Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

This movie is less entertaining than the individual episodes it is composed of (The Living Legend and Fire In Space). The separate episodes don't mesh together seamlessly, resulting in several plot holes and odd hairstyle changes between scenes. The movie especially suffers because many great scenes from The Living Legend episode are missing. All scenes and dialogue relating to Starbuck's relationship with Cassiopeia are cut, which only makes the Cain/Cassiopeia subplot less interesting. The battle scenes are a little more elaborate because additional stock footage is used, but that's not enough to overcome the movie's deficiencies. A different sound effect is used for the engines of the Cylon raiders that's a little jarring for anyone who is a die-hard fan of the original show.

Bottom line, this movie is only recommended for curiosity's sake.

== Berkley Books ==
=== [[Saga of a Star World (Book)|Saga of a Star World]] ===
'''Flagship of the 12 Worlds fleet, she was as large as a planet, yet as swift as the Starhound fighters she launched from her bays. For generations the vast ship led the thousand-year war against the Cylons for control of the known Galaxy. Now that war was in its final phase, and Galactica had one final mission, win or lose: blast through the deadly grid of the Cylon Starfleet and dash for deep space in a desperate attempt to find the legendary "Stonehenge" of the universe - the lost planet the ancient microfilms call "Earth."'''

This is the opening paragraph to the Berkley novelization of the Battlestar Galactica pilot "Saga Of A Star World". This is easily one of the most fascinating Galactica books ever written, and there are a number of things that make it so interesting. First, the book is based on an early script of the pilot and, although changes were made before it came to print to make it more like the version that aired, there are a number of alternate scenes in the book. The Galactica universe is also different in several aspects, such as the Cylons are living aliens underneath their armor instead of total machines. Also, there are missing scenes left out of the final cut of the movie that survived intact in the book (Starbuck's confrontation with Tigh on the bridge after the Colonies are destroyed; Starbuck's extended conversation with Cassie on the shuttle; Adama's resigning from the Council).

Perhaps best of all, certain events are more fleshed out in the novelization than in the movie such as the surprise Cylon attack. The novelization helps to fill a number of gaping plot holes and unanswered questions that the movie was saddled with. Many chapters begin with an entry from the Adama journals, and the reader is able to learn a lot of information and insight from the Galactica's commander.

Many fans are unhappy with the Berkley books, feeling that they don't remain true to the series. I respectfully disagree. First of all, as already mentioned, the novelizations often have extra detail and explanations that help cover up plot holes that existed in the episodes. Second, the fact that the novels portray the BG universe in a slightly different way and that they are not exact retellings of the episodes is good because the books would be pretty boring otherwise. Third, some of the characters such as Athena are fleshed out better in the novels. Make no mistake, this is the best of all the Berkley novelizations and is a must-read for any fan of the original series.

== External Links ==

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/BGEPISODES.htm Battlestar Galactica Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/Wharmby.htm Matthew Wharmby's Hilarious Galactica 1980 Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

User:Galactica1981/Galactica 1981 Reviews

2011-11-26T00:27:46Z

Galactica1981: /* Galactica 1980 comic series */

This is a list of reviews by [[User:Galactica1981]] for various [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]] content. Given to the Battlestar Wiki's policy of [[NPOV|Neutral Point of View]], they are found here rather than their respective articles.

These episode reviews originally appears on the Sheba's Galaxy site. They have been slightly revised.

== TOS Episode Reviews ==

===[[Saga of a Star World]] ===

'''RATING: Four and a half stars out of five'''

There's no question that on the night of September 17, 1978, Battlestar Galactica hit television screens with a bang. Saga Of A Star World is unquestionably the most elaborate televison movie ever made (and least up to that point!) When trying to rate something like this, it's important to examine it in the context of television during that time period. For sure, no sci-fi show of this magnitude had ever been done before in the history of television, and thus it deserves extra points for that alone. There are many great things that can be said about this episode (acting, special effects, music score), but I won't bother repeating what most people are already aware of. In the end, I had to decide against a full five-star rating, mostly because of the unforgivable "Star Wars" ending it was saddled with. The big explosion of the planet Carillon is a blatant ripoff of Star Wars, not to mention ridiculous as well. Setting fire to some tylium mines causes the entire planet to explode? This is ludicrous (although one could argue that destroying the massive Death Star by shooting a tiny exhaust port was equally ludicrous). Surely Glen Larson could have written a better ending than this. Ultimately, this had to reinforce many people's beliefs that Galactica was a second-rate Star Wars. Having a casino with all sorts of alien creatures also seems a little too close to Star Wars for comfort.

As a kid watching the show, I absolutely loved the Cylons because of how cool they looked. My favorite character was Starbuck who I idolized and wanted to be like. The series also had a phenomenal cast with tremendously talented actors (except for Maren Jensen), and it's a shame they were often saddled with substandard scripts. Starbuck and Apollo are wonderful in the lead roles, and they arguably have more chemistry than did Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. And Lorne Greene is superb as in the role of Commander Adama. In the pilot episode, the scene that perhaps stands out the most is the laser battle against the Cylon Centurions on the surface of Carillon, a truly awesome spectacle combined with the looming countdown as the Cylon raiders close in on the Galactica. It terms of the characters, my favorite scene is probably Starbuck's almost proposing to Athena. Finally, the musical score for the series is truly breathtaking, on a similar level as the one for Star Wars.

Of course, there are also some HUMONGOUS plot holes in this story, enough for any critic to tear it to shreds. I'm not going bother writing 5 pages about the plot problems of Saga Of A Star World. Instead, I'll just mention a few points:

The premise of the Colonial fleet seeking Earth, while interesting, is unfortunately flawed because no one (not even Adama) has any idea where it is! Apparently, Adama was the only one who even knew about Earth's existence, although he doesn't seem to have any proof. Thus the Colonial fleet is left to wander aimlessly throughout the universe looking for it. Fortunately, this problem would be addressed in ''War of the Gods'' when the Colonials finally learn the coordinates to Earth.

The Colonials seemed unbelievably gullible and naive regarding the Cylons' offer of peace. After a thousand years of war, you would think they'd have been more careful, but they foolishly leave their home planets undefended. President Adar is incredibly stupid when he sees a thousand Cylon raiders coming towards the fleet and assumes it is a peace envoy.

Apollo gets back to the fleet in time to warn them of the coming Cylon attack, yet he fails to do so. Why? Why does he take an hour to find the bridge?

=== [[Lost Planet of the Gods]]===

'''Rating: Four stars out of five'''

The second half of this two-part episode has the theatrical feel of a movie, while the first half has often been blasted as being sexist. Of course, it is a bit strange that all the female cadets look like lingerie models. Still, I think the claim of sexism is a bit overstated. If you look at women in the U.S. military, they tend to act in supporting roles rather than be on the front lines. I don't know how many female jet pilots are in the U.S. military, but I suspect there aren't many. And I suspect this is due less to discrimination than to the fact that women tend to make different career choices than men (i.e. they tend to choose less hazardous professions). The reasons for there being no female viper pilots on the Galactica were probably along the same lines.

Regardless, the first half of the episode mostly serves as a set-up for the second half. Nothing wrong with that, but it does make the first half far less interesting.

Anyway, the two-part episodes fare better than most of the one-part episodes because Glen Larson would often blow the budget and vastly overspend. There are many fantastic scenes in the second half: Serina proposing to Apollo that they marry immediately; the Star of Kobol appearing in the port window during the wedding ceremony; the light shining off of Adama's medallion inside the tombs of Kobol; the Cylon raiders attacking the surface of Kobol; and, of course, Serina's death scene.

Serina's death is one of the most poignant moments of the entire series. But it came with a high price, as the show arguably suffered without her. And the writing would start to take a turn for the worse with the very next episode.

===[[The Lost Warrior]]===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

After only two episodes, Battlestar Galactica's creative energy has fizzled out. This is the first of the so-called "bottled episodes." These episodes had few if any new special effects, enabling the producers to save money which would later be spent on the bigger, more extravagant "monster episodes." It's understandable that these "bottled" stories were necessary, but this is where rushing the show into production really hurt the series. The writers simply did not have time to create quality scripts. Of course, this would ultimately lead to the decline in ratings.

This kind of episode is tough to review because it's good but wrong. Based on the classic 1953 western film Shane, this actually makes a pretty decent western, but Battlestar Galactica is supposed to be a science fiction series. Sci-fi fans want science fiction, not half-hybrids of other shows (A mistake that Galactica 1980 would repeat). If I want to see a Western, I'd rather watch Bonanza. The only reason this gets two stars is because we get such a strong characterization of Apollo.

Unfortunately, this is not the only space western we would see on Galactica. Cowboys and saloons would return in The Magnificent Warriors. In fact, the very idea that an "old west" town would exist in Battlestar Galactica completely contradicts the Von Daniken premise of the show, that the Colonies and the ancient cultures of Earth (such as Atlantis and Egypt) have the same roots, the same beginnings. It is ludicrous that an Old West society could have any common connection with this. It raises all kinds of questions. The people of Equellis obviously had to arrive on that world by means of spacecraft, so why is the society so primitive? How could they not know of the Cylons since the war has raged for 1,000 years and the average human life-span is 200 years?

Why would Apollo be dumb enough to fly so far away from the fleet that he wouldn't have enough fuel to make it back? This really makes no sense. And why does Apollo promise Bella and Puppis that he will return one day? Why would he ever believe that possible?

Despite the lackluster plot, there are some good moments. Boxey beating Starbuck at Pyramid is funny, and the western style "shoot-out" between Red-Eye and Apollo is very well done. The only weak point is when Red Eye spots Apollo's laser and says, "Uh-oh." This trivalizes a very serious moment for the sake of silly humor. It is difficult to believe that a Cylon would use such a phrase. Ironically, for years I couldn't make out exactly what he was saying. I assumed it was some kind of challenge to Apollo, and it actually added to the power of the moment. You can imagine my dismay when I learned the truth. Also, Puppis gets pretty annoying pretty fast.

===[[The Long Patrol]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

The Long Patrol is lot of a fun and a big improvement over the previous episode. Starbuck's computer companion C.O.R.A is a hoot. There are several funny scenes: Starbuck womanizing Cassiopeia and Athena; Boomer's jab at him before he goes off on the mission; Starbuck finding a fortune in ambrosia only to have it destroyed by the Cylon attack. Adama deciding to change the Galactica's course to keep distance from the Cylons is very well done, revealing how burdensome command of the fleet is and how it forces him to sacrifice his loved ones to protect the rest of humanity.

Maren Jensen (Athena) gets more screen time here than in most of the episodes. The scene with Athena revealing Starbuck's apparent death to Cassiopeia is especially moving, one of Jensen's best scenes of the series. The Athen/Cassiopeia rivalry was compelling and could have been developed in future episodes, but sadly this never happens. This was likely due to Maren Jensen's limitations as an actress which caused the writers to reduce her role.

Could C.O.R.A. have been the inspiration for K.I.T.T., the computerized car on Glen Larson's Knight Rider? Considering the amazing similarities between the two, it would have to be a possibility. Also, Glen Larson has went on record saying that K.I.T.T.'s swerving red eye was inspired by the swerving red eyes of the Cylons. It was sort of his way of keeping the Cylons alive.

The Long Patrol is definitely one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

===[[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero]]===

'''Rating: Three and a half stars out of five'''

This two-part episode is based on the 1961 movie The Guns of Navarone and the 1967 movie The Dirty Dozen. The episode has a theatrical feel to it because, as mentioned before, the two-parters had bigger budgets. Although the story is by-the-numbers, it is very enjoyable because of the fantastic special effects. Still, as good as Gun is, it is easily one of the lesser of the two-parters. While better than Greetings From Earth, Gun falls far short of The Living Legend, Lost Planet Of The Gods, and especially War Of The Gods.

This was actually the second episode filmed. This would explain why Serina and Cassiopea do not appear (Serina and Cassiopea died in the original version of the pilot before the decision was made to bring them back). Baltar and Lucifer's scenes were probably shot much later.

This episode raises a serious question. Considering the staggering number of people who had to be left behind due to lack of ships, why would the Colonials bother to take criminals with them? Perhaps they were already locked in the brig on the Galactica before the Holocaust or they somehow managed to sneak aboard the fleet to be captured later. Or perhaps most of them committed their crimes after joining the rag tag fleet. Considering how overcrowded, starved, and disorganized the fleet was when it was assembled, it is logical that many violent crimes would have occurred. An episode exploring this would have been nice.

The idea that there would not be enough qualified Colonial warriors to go on the mission is hard to believe. And why do Apollo, Starbuck, and Boomer get chosen? They are pilots, and their emphasis is not on ground assault. Logically, the Galactica would have a ground assault team available for these kinds of situations. It is also difficult to believe that Boxey would have found a way to sneak onto the shuttle. At least he and Muffit have an impact on the success of the mission.

In the book ''The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'' by J.W. Rinzler and Ridley Scott, it is revealed that part of George Lucas's anger towards Battlestar Galactica was because of this episode. Lucas planned to feature an ice planet in the sequel to Star Wars, and he felt that Galactica threatened to undercut him by featuring an ice planet on one of their own episodes. Did this fuel his lawsuit that Galactica was infringing on Star Wars? Is so, then Lucas comes off as disingenuous to say the least, for it would be absurd to claim that Galactica was infringing on a movie that hadn't yet been made!

Baltar's legs were crushed in Lost Planet of the Gods, yet in this episode the only evidence of Baltar's injury is a slight limp. Did the Cylons do major reconstructive surgery on his legs? I guess so.

At this point, the constant reusing of the same space battle scenes really starts getting redundant. Still, this remains one of the most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

=== [[The Magnificent Warriors]] ===

'''Rating: One and a half stars out of five'''

Many fans consider this to be the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. While I don't agree, I think it comes pretty close. The story is, quite frankly, terrible. We are again subjected to yet another old-western style shanty town? Once was enough! The Borays are disgusting and sound awful. The only redeeming moment is when Adama and company discover Starbuck at the gambling table. It's rather funny.

Siress Bellaby is hands down the most annoying character to ever appear on Battlestar Galactica. Most viewers probably couldn't understand why the Colonial Warriors didn't simply let the Borays kill her.

On a positive note, we are shown Lorne Greene's impressive range as an actor. It's interesting to see a comical Adama, a nice contrast to the serious commander that we usually see. Unfortunately, Greene is forced to play against Brett Somers (Siress Bellaby). Somers isn't funny; she's annoying, and it kills most of the comedy that is presented.

The premise of The Magnificent Warriors actually had a lot of potential. We are given a situation where the fleet has no food and everyone is aware of it (unlike in Saga Of A Star World when the Colonials were able to cover up the problem). This raises all kinds of fascinating issues. Would the fleet start a mutiny against Adama during such a crisis? How would Adama react to such a mutiny? How would he choose who to save? Would he allow each ship to make its own decision to leave? Or would he try to force them to stick together? And what decisions would Starbuck and Apollo be forced to make if such a mutiny occurred? So many interesting questions for the episode to pursue.

Sadly, standard television plotting is what we get. The Colonials are traveling through the vast uncharted regions of space, and they run out of food at just the precise moment they happen to be near a farming colony. Okay. Whatever. The Colonials land on the planet and meet the Borays. From then on, it's just another battle of good vs. evil. Putting the Colonials in a moral dilemna would have been much more interesting that what we were given here.

===[[The Young Lords]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

This is the family episode of Battlestar Galactica. Starbuck is shot down and crashes on a planet. Yawn. This is essentially a remake of The Lost Warrior in which Apollo is stranded on the planet Equellus. Of course, Starbuck was also stranded in The Long Patrol and Cree was stranded in ''The Gun On Ice Planet Zero''. Later in ''Greetings From Earth'', Starbuck, Apollo, and Casseopia would be stranded on the planet Paradeen. At this point, the series was becoming so predictable that viewers each week must have been asking the question, "Who's going to have to be rescued this week?" In fact, Mad Magazine, in a spoof of Galactica, poked fun at this element of the show. (See [[Humor in the Original Series]])

Considering the incredibly broad premise of the series, it's amazing that the writers had so much trouble coming up with a story that didn't involve someone being stranded on a planet. With this kind of plot, The Young Lords shouldn't even be watchable. And yet, despite all these drawbacks, this actually turns out to be a fun, enjoyable episode. Part of this praise goes to the tremendous production values. It is simply fascinating to see so many Cylons inside a medieval castle. The location is nothing short of spectacular. To top it off, Dirk Benedict delivers with a wonderful performance. There are many good scenes, especially Starbuck's rescue from the Cylons by Kyle and the children (plus his insulting remark to the Cylons moments before). Playing up kids in a series can be extremely fatal to ratings (Galactica 1980 became an infamous example of this), but fortunately Kyle and the gang never get to the point where they become grating; although they (and their song near the end) come dangerously close. (And are we to believe Starbuck and his Scooby Gang would actually take the time to think up lyrics for a song and memorize them? Please!)

The IL series Cylon Spectre is a delightfully conniving character. He is the perfect foil for Lucifer. His phony flattery of Baltar is hilarious, especially the way he manages to turn defeat to his own advantage. Unfortunately, the character does not appear again. Had the series continued into a second season, he probably would have. Spectre does appear in the later original Berkley novels [[The Nightmare Machine]], [[Die, Chameleon!]] and [[Surrender the Galactica!]] where he is put to good use.

Most of the scenes of Baltar and Lucifer communicating with Spectre were recycled with different dialogue into the Galactica telemovie [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]].

Needless to say that by this point the Cylons have become a joke. When you stop and really think about it, it is ludicrous that an entire Cylon garrison is defeated by one colonial warrior and five children.

Still, this episode somehow succeeds despite every logical reason why it shouldn't.

===[[The Living Legend]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five'''

This is one of the very best episodes of Battlestar Galactica. The two-part episodes consistently deliver, and The Living Legend is no exception. The idea of a second survivng battlestar is a good one, as is a scenario where the fleet runs out of fuel.

This episode introduces two compelling characters, Commander Cain and his daughter, Lt. Sheba. Sheba's character is said to have been a ground-breaking role for women. She is tough, independent, and short-tempered. Basically, she's the exact opposite of virtually every other female character to appear on the series. Fortunately, she, along with Bojay, becomes a regular after this episode.

Lloyd Bridges is tremendous as Commander Cain. It's hard to imagine any other actor filling the role. The only weak moment for Bridges is when Cain lies to Adama about the "accidental" failure of the tanker mission. Cain's cavalier attitude about it makes it obvious to everyone that he purposely sabotaged the mission.

This story is different from any other Galactica story thus far because we see a clash of philosophies within the ranks of the military. Cain wants to wage an all-out war against Gamoray, and Adama simply wants to capture the much-needed fuel and escape. The earlier episodes were extremely simplistic in their portaryal of good versus evil. The Colonials are good. The Cylons are evil. Simple as that. Since the good guys are all in the military, the military is always portrayed as being right. Adama, Starbuck, and Apollo had very few moral dilemnas to deal with, which would have made the stories so much more interesting.

Baltar personally leading the attack on the Galactica makes the battle much more intense and exciting, mostly because the battle has a storyline. Most of the Galactica space battles are nothing more than a confusing jumble of stock shots haphazardly thrown together with nothing in terms of a flow or climax. (One of the bigger flaws of Return Of The Jedi was that the Battle of Endor had nothing in terms of a storyline.) This time it is different. The Pegasus closing in on Baltar at the end of part one is the best cliff hanger of the series. It is rather fitting that Baltar's forces are taken by surprise, since it was Baltar who caused the colonial warfleet to be taken by surprise in the pilot.

The scene between Adama and Apollo right before the mission to capture the Cylon tankers is very powerful. It shows how, despite being father and son, each of their respective positions forces a distance between them personally. What is especially impressive is that this is done without words. Richard Hatch and Lorne Greene manage to convey more with a facial expression than most actors do with a page of dialogue.

Boxey really starts to get on the nerves at this point. Nothing against Noah Hathaway, but Boxey is a character all too typical of standard television. He is an ultra-cute TV kid doing ultra-cute things, yet usually has little or no bearing on the plot. These kinds of characters (most notably the Super Scouts from Galactica 1980) only serve to hurt a show's ratings.

When you put the story under scrutiny, there are some serious flaws. Why are viper pilots sent on a ground mission? Wouldn't the Galactica have specialized teams for that sort of thing? It is also a bit difficult to believe that Sheba could have found a way to go on the mission to Gamoray without permission. It is even more difficult to believe that Cassiopea would have been allowed to just hop on the shuttle. Was she given a crash course on parachuting during the shuttle ride? How could the Colonial warriors have known exactly which building in Gamoray contained the main communications center? And are we to believe that destroying one small communications center would disable the entire city's defense system? If, like me, you can overlook these flaws, this is still a great episode.

This episode and Fire In Space were later combined to form the horrid Galactica theatrical movie [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]].

===[[Fire in Space]]===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

This explosive episode is the one-hour equivalent of a disaster movie. It's basically a sci-fi version of The Towering Inferno (and stock footage from that movie was probably used here). There's so much action that it isn't until the end that you realize just how essentially empty it is. There are a lot of things happening, and at the same time there is nothing happening. By all rights this story should be downright awful, yet somehow it isn't. It really speaks volumes about the show's production values and the performances of the actors that this turns out to be an enjoyable hour despite another by-the-numbers script.

After this episode, producer Glen Larson decided changed the direction of the series, relegating the Cylons to the background. The Cylons are not featured again until the final episode, The Hand Of God. The reason for the change of direction may be that Larson had a feeling the series would be canceled and decided to try to create a storyarc that would end the series with the Galactica apparently getting close to Earth. In an interview, Larson has said that he wasn't surprised the show was canceled. The change of direction was really for the best because the battles with the Cylons were too ridiculously imbalanced in the Colonials' favor (due to the censors) making the Cylons look like a joke, and the reusing of the same space battle stock footage was becoming monotonous.

The ending the writers originally planned had Cylon raiders attacking the Galactica a second time, and it is their lasers that put Starbuck and Apollo in danger on the Galactica's hull. Unfortunately, the network censors overruled this because they felt it would have been too repetitive. The complete original ending from the script can be found [[List_of_Deleted_Scenes_(TOS)#Fire_In_Space|here.]]

The story completely falls apart when put under scientific scrutiny because fires simply cannot exist in outer space, as many Galactica critics have pointed out. However, Star Wars was able to get away with this flub (Remember the fate of the Death Star?), so it seems rather unfair that Battlestar Galactica took so many shots because of it.

This is Terry Carter's best episode, since Colonel Tigh is thrust into the forefront, taking command of the Galactica while Adama is incapacitated. Carter does a tremendous job, and his strong performance helps save this cliched, overused story plot from losing steam.

Since the Galactica was on the verge of destruction by the time Starbuck and Apollo were planting charges on the hull, didn't it ever occur to Colonel Tigh to evacuate all non-essential personnel including the Colonial vipers so that, if the Galactica was destroyed, the fleet would at least have a fighting chance to survive? And since it was too dangerous to operate on Adama on the Galactica, didn't it ever occur to Dr. Salik to shuttle Adama to another ship in the fleet and perform the operation there?

A tremendous amount of damage is done to the Galactica (especially the landing bay), yet there is no sign of this in any future episodes nor any explanation of how the repairs went. Considering the abysmal plot, this episode was probably best left forgotten.

===[[War of the Gods]]===

'''RATING: Five stars out of five'''

War Of The Gods is one of the best and most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica. It is not the very best episode, nor is it completely flawless, but it is easily the most complex of all the stories we were given. The bottom line is that it is extremely rare to see this kind of thing done on TV. This is one of the few episodes to fully utilize Galactica's Von Daniken premise (God Is An Astronaut). We learn that angels are not spirits of the dead, but advanced beings who are thousands of years ahead of the Colonials in both technology and spirituality. Count Iblis (whom Apollo addresses in part 2 as Mephistopheles) comes across as a form of devil. There is an interesting parallel with mythology. Just as the angel Lucifer (or Satan) rebelled against heaven, Iblis rebels against his brothers on the Ship of Lights.

Iblis may well be the most fascinating character in the entire series. What is fascinating is that his voice is the same as that of the Cylon Imperious Leader. Baltar recognizes this (and it would have been an unforgivable flub if he didn't). There have been two primary theories about Iblis' origin. The first is that Iblis exterminated the original reptile Cylon race and created the mechanical one, starting the thousand year war with the humans.

The second theory is that Iblis and the Imperious Leader are one and the same. Iblis calling Baltar "old friend" would seem to support this. Also, it is made clear in the end that Iblis cannot control anyone who does not choose to follow him. If Iblis is the Imperious Leader, then Baltar technically was "following him" since he (Baltar) was serving the Cylons. However, the theory that Iblis and Imperious Leader being the same person doesn't quite hold up because wouldn't the Cylons then easily be able to locate the Colonial fleet? Therefore, the first theory makes more sense overall. But there is still the question of how Iblis was able to make Baltar surrender to the Colonials. The episode tries to make it seem that Iblis did not perform his bigger miracles, that the white lights caused the crops to grow and Baltar came of his own free will (the latter is hinted by Apollo in a missing scene that was cut from the original script). Of course, the idea that Baltar would surrender on his own is ludicrous considering the coward that he is. And why would the white lights come to the fleet if that would cause the crops on the agro-ship to grow and thus fulfill one of Iblis' tasks? Most importantly, why would Iblis dare the Colonials to make 3 challenges for him if he did not possess the power to complete them?

Regarding Iblis' origin, I tend to go with the first theory, but I would take it one step further and suggest that the Imperious Leader is either a servant of Iblis or is somehow under Iblis' control. Thus Baltar, by serving the Cylons, would also be serving Iblis and thus would be subject to Iblis' commands.

You really have to wonder if Glen Larson planned to have Patrick Macnee play Count Iblis from the very first episode or if it was just an amazing coincidence that the same actor who provided the Imperious Leader's voice turned out to be perfect for the Count Iblis role. Considering how incredibly rushed the production of the show was, the latter would have to be a possibility. If it's the former, then you really have to applaud Glen Larson for planning so far ahead.

There are other marvelous scenes. Iblis' slow manipulation and seduction of Sheba is riveting (especially when he kisses her on the Agro-ship). The white lights and the Ship of Lights are a marvel and have to be considered among the best special effects the series has ever produced. The scenery of the red planet, including the visual effect of Starbuck, Apollo, and Sheba when they walk on that world is also outstanding. The triad court is a fantastic (and obviously, expensive) set. You have to give the producers a lot of credit for creating such a unique game for the Colonials to play. It makes sense. With the grueling struggle for survival in a rag-tag fleet, the Colonials have to have some sort of entertainment to take their minds off their plight.

As with most episodes, the performances are all top-notch. Richard Hatch plays his end perfectly, carefully balancing Apollo's distrust of Iblis and his caring for Sheba. Dirk Benedict adds a whole new dimension to Starbuck. His rage and grief over the death of Apollo (especially when he attempts to shoot Iblis) stand out as some of Starbuck's most memorable moments of the entire series. Anne Lockhart is also great portraying Sheba's slow seduction and manipulation by Count Iblis. Her joy at Apollo's resurrection firmly establishes her inner feelings toward him, and this subplot would come to a stunning head in the final episode. Lorne Greene never falters in his performances, and this is no exception. Greene does a tremendous job portraying a man torn between his desire to find Earth and his distrust of Iblis. One of the best moments has to be during the Triad game. During the game, Adama and Iblis are seated on opposite sides of the court. There are really two battles going on here: the battle between the players on the court, and the battle between Iblis and Adama.

Despite everything, the episode is not completely perfect. Not all the questions are answered (which in itself is not a bad thing), but some of what happens doesn't quite make sense. First of all, why does the Ship of Lights kidnap the viper pilots? We are never given any kind of answer. What makes it more confusing is that by kidnapping the pilots, the Ship of Lights actually aids Iblis because the Colonials look to him for protection. And why does Baltar say that Iblis now no longer holds any power over him after Baltar recognizes Iblis' voice? Perhaps this is supposed to be a clue to understand who Iblis is, but if this is the case, I can't make anything out of it.

There is also the issue of what was inside the crashed ship on the red planet. A popular myth is that the ship is the the Battlestar Pegasus and when Apollo looked inside he saw the body of Commander Cain, but this is false. The original script and the Berkely novelization tell us exactly what is inside the ship: tall, cloven-hoofed horned beings with tails. This is a little hard to make sense of. Are the beings in the ship supposed to be devils? If that is the case, it doesn't really make Iblis appear all that evil for killing them. It could be viewed as another parallel of mythology. After being defeated by heaven, Lucifer and his followers fall into hell. Likewise, Iblis' ship containing his followers (the devils) crashes (falls) to the earth. It's not a perfect allegory, but fascinating nonetheless. (For more on this, see [[War_of_the_Gods,_Part_II#The_Mystery_of_the_Crashed_Ship|The Mystery of the Crashed Ship]])

I'm not trying to pick the episode apart with these various criticisms. Actually, the story works much better with its mystery and ambiguity rather than easy, clear-cut answers. One of the problems with television these days is that shows rarely challenge the viewer to think; instead, most shows sacrifice ambiguity and insist on spelling everything out as simply and clearly as possible. The mystery of Count Iblis is really what makes ''War Of The Gods'' so special and one of the most famous and highly debated of all the Galactica episodes. I'm glad that we are not given the answer to who Iblis is because the only way a mystery can retain its power is as long as it remains unsolved. Why do you think the great magicians never reveal how they do their tricks? If you are looking for a great movie example of this, then I suggest you check out Peter Weir's ''Picnic At Hanging Rock''.

Finally, one of the best things about this episode is that it provides us the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba!

===[[The Man With Nine Lives]]===

'''Rating: Four out of five stars'''

This episode is the only one that offers a significant look at the people of the fleet. Fred Astaire puts in an enjoyable performance as the rogue con-man Chameleon. The Borellian Nomen are interesting new adversaries for the Colonial Warriors, although they seem to be based on a Hollywood and societal stereotype of American Indians (Unfortunately, we are told very little of their origins). One of the best episodes in terms of characterization.

This episode pretty much makes it clear that Cassiopeia is THE ONE for Starbuck, thanks to Starbuck telling Chameleon that she's the only one he's ever considered sealing with (although that actually isn't true; he did almost propose to Athena in the pilot episode).

Don Bellisario was unable to think of a suitable name for the villains. In an after-work bull session, story editor Jim Carlson casually remarked something to the effect of, "It’s too bad they’re not from an ice planet, you could call them Snomen." Bellisario replied, "There’s no snow where these guys are gonna be!" Carlson answered, "Then call then Nomen."

This episode proves that great stories don't require huge explosions and fancy special effects. Unfortunately, the rushed production of the show made episodes like The Man With Nine Lives the exception rather than the rule.

=== [[Murder on the Rising Star]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Murder She Wrote in outer space??? This story had little point being part of a show like Battlestar Galactica. This is the kind of story that is done on almost every science fiction series when the writers are out of ideas. There is very little in the way of drama because the viewer knows the hero is innocent and will be cleared. This story tries to give the impression that Starbuck might be guilty (we don't get to see who shoots Ortega, Starbuck is shown running from the scene, plus Starbuck's anxiousness in the shuttle bay makes him appear guilty), but only the most gullible of viewers would fall for this. The story would be more forgivable if we learned some new insights about the characters or the fleet, but what do we learn? What is the point? Is it that the Colonial system of law is virtually identical to the U.S. system? (which is hardly believeable) Or that Adama has to spend time hearing court cases? (Not too believable either considering the incredibly burdensome task he has of commanding the fleet) Or is it that playing triad is more dangerous than anybody thought? What is the point of this episode except to fill an hour's worth of time???

This is the fourth episode that features Starbuck. While Dirk Benedict certainly plays a wonderful character, it would have been nice to have featured some of the lesser used cast members (Tigh, Boomer, Athena, Sheba).

One thing really stands out: It is absurd how little time Apollo is given to prepare a case for Starbuck's defense. He only has 10 centares, and the script for this episode has a key that states a centar is an hour. Only 10 hours to prepare for a murder trial??? Give me a break!

This story could have been done differently to make it more poignant. What if Apollo was unable to conclusively prove who killed Ortega, and Adama intervenes, using his power as commander to have Starbuck set free. It would raise the question of whether Adama was abusing his power. Even then, considering the fleet must be depleted when it comes to seasoned viper pilots, it could be argued that the fleet needed Starbuck as a warrior. It would have been an interesting moral issue, something Battlestar Galactica rarely had. I also think the story would have been more interesting if we were left with some doubt as to whether Starbuck killed Ortega (in self-defense, of course).

An interesting note: Karibdis appears early on in the story, serving drinks to Adama and Tigh while they watch the Triad game. This is an often-used writing device. You have the murderer/villain appear early in the story, sometimes at the very beginning, in what appears to be a minor or trivial role. This often fools the audience, as they rarely expect such a character to be revealed so quickly. This was also done on the miniseries for the new Galactica, when one of the human Cylons is leading a tour of the Galactica during the opening credits. If you want to get good at solving TV/movie mysteries, pay attention to the minor characters that appear early in the story.

Overall, the murder mystery itself isn't half bad, and there are fine all-around performances from the cast to make this watchable. In a way, it makes the episode more disappointing to have such great talent squandered on such a by-the-numbers story. But everyone holds up their end well, especially Dirk Benedict and Laurette Spang in their scene inside the brig. It's nice the writers found a way to bring Baltar into the story, and John Colicos still makes a great villain. The flashback of the destruction of Caprica is also well-done. There were certainly many crimes committed during the evacuation, and it illustrates that Battlestar Galactica was brimming with potentially interesting stories to explore, which again only makes this episode more of a letdown.

That said, it's important to realize that writers Jim Carlson and Terrence McDonnell were forced to write this episode in 36 hours straight. Considering what a rushjob this script was, it's amazing it turned out as well as it did. This is one instance where it might be better to see the glass as half-full rather than half-empty.

===[[Greetings from Earth]]===

'''RATING: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Greetings From Earth just doesn't measure up with the other two-hour episodes. The story makes for a passable first hour but quickly takes a nosedive in the second. Glen Larson's attempt at comedy falls horribly flat. Hector, Vector and the kids quickly wear out their welcome (A premonition of Galactica 1980?). The Eastern Alliance is introduced as a new adversary, but they are little more than cardboard Nazis with zero charisma (at least the Cylons looked cool). Another problem is that their primitive technology takes a lot of steam out of their threat. Unfortunately, the Eastern Alliance is never utilized to the fullest. A space battle between vipers and Eastern Alliance destroyers would have been fantastic, but the time and money needed to do such a complex battle scene made it impossible. Also, Apollo becomes a bit overbearing with his "Do The Right Thing" attitude in the first half (What's also annoying is that Apollo's dialogue in the first half is badly redubbed, apparently to make his voice louder).

What makes the first hour so interesting is that the Colonials are faced with a perplexing moral issue (a rarity, for sure). Do they allow the humans to leave, or force them to remain at least until more information is learned? There are actually opposing opinions within the Colonial military, at least for awhile. Apollo's view quickly wins out, though. The Council of Twelve is portrayed as being incredibly selfish and uncaring, but it could be argued they were right. It was possibly life or death for the Colonials to learn about the human race that awaited them. Certainly the humans could have been revived long enough for the Colonials to get the necessary information out of them. Apollo's plan to let the ship go had a good chance of failing. How could he be certain enough that they wouldn't get lost, or wind up so far away that they'd never be able to make it back to the fleet?

When you think about it, why don't Starbuck, Apollo and Cassiopea have super powers when they are in Paradeen's weaker gravity just as the Super Scouts do when they are in Earth's weaker gravity on Galactica 1980? Wouldn't it have been fun to see Starbuck, Apollo, and Cassiopea bouncing up and down and jumping into trees?

Unlike the other two-parters, this one ends with a whimper instead of a bang as Starbuck and Apollo's capture of the Enforcers is about as anti-climatic as you can get. This script really comes across as being rushed, which was probably the case. Overall, Greetings From Earth is yet another episode that failed to reach its potential due to the constrainments of a weekly series.

=== [[Experiment in Terra]] ===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

Experiment In Terra initially comes across as a superb episode, but under close inspection the story unfortunately has serious flaws. The Ship of Lights recruiting Apollo to help Terra is a cool idea, but their reasoning as to why they need to use a mortal human doesn't hold up. John says that the people of Terra can't see the "Guardians" (my own name for them) outside the confines of their ship. And yet on Terra, John makes himself visible to Starbuck by merely touching him. Even more problematic, Apollo's mission never makes sense. The Guardians know that the Eastern Alliance is going to launch a missile attack, so the master plan is to have Apollo tell the "west side" that the Eastern Alliance has been attacking them? Um, okay, but even if Apollo succeeds, how will this stop the Eastern Alliance from launching their missiles? Why not just have Apollo tell the Galactica to travel to Terra and destroy the missile attack? The answer, of course, is that there wouldn't be much of a story.

Sadly, there are many other flaws. Apollo says he can't reach Terra because the distance is too great, so he is "teleported" right in front of the planet. So how is it that Starbuck is able to eventually reach the planet on his own? Logically, he wouldn't have had enough fuel. Adama's decision to pull the Galactica out of the fleet is more out of whack than it may first appear. He didn't do that in earlier episodes when Starbuck or Apollo were crashed/stranded. This time Adama doesn't even know who the two pilots are, and yet he pulls the Galactica out of the fleet.

Even more ludicrous is the idea that the Galactica travels to Terra at light speed (and not just because it is scientifically implausible). If the Galactica was traveling to Terra at the speed of light, they should have reached Terra almost instantly (in fact, they probably could have found Earth during the pilot episode!) And how is it that the Galactica was able to travel to Terra unmolested? Surely there would be Eastern Alliance destroyers patrolling the area around the planet. And how does the Eastern Alliance not know that the Galactica was responsible for destroying their missiles? Surely the Galactica would have been picked up on their scanners.

Also, the West President's reasoning for withholding knowledge of the Eastern Alliance's attacks is questionable. Why does he think he can make peace with the Eastern Alliance if they are constantly attacking him? And if the Eastern Alliance has wiped out all of the West's satellite planets, how could the President possibly prevent word of this from leaking out? It's not realistic at all. Plus, the idea that the Eastern Alliance would be willing to destroy the entire planet (at least half of which they own) is pretty ridiculous. Okay, they ARE Bad Guys, but what's the point of destroying most of their empire when they were already winning the war?

With such a long list of problems, you would think that this is a terrible episode. Amazingly, this isn't the case. In fact, Experiment In Terra still ranks as one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica. Seeing the Ship of Lights again is a treat, and Edward Mulhare is delightful as John, Apollo's guide. This episode is another example where the great production values and strong performances from the actors are able to overcome the plot inconsistencies. What makes Experiment In Terra work so well is that its plot holes aren't immediately noticeable. I didn't realize how many there were until I sat down and really thought about it. Apollo's mission to save Terra, as pointless as it winds up being, is still extremely engrossing. Apollo's speech to the Precidium is very dramatic and moving, even though (as we've already said) everything Apollo does on Terra turns out to be a waste of time since nothing he does has any chance of preventing the Eastern Alliance from launching its missiles.

This episode is extra fun to watch if you're aware that the script was originally written with the roles of Starbuck and Apollo reversed. After Richard Hatch complained that his character was getting the shaft, the script was quickly rewritten with the dialogue mostly remaining the same, resulting in Apollo talking suspiciously like Starbuck. At one point, Apollo says "Felgercarb" for the first time ever!

The ending scene is touching, as John tells Apollo that Terra is not Earth but "You must have faith." Many Galactica fans have interpreted this to mean that Apollo would successfully complete the journey to Earth.

Here are some humorous notes from British writer Matthew Wharmby:

* I'm sorry, but I thought the final scene was tremendously weak. All that buildup to a good scrap, heart-stopping music included, let down with a pathetic green shield spat out of the front of the Galactica. And from a terrible angle made necessary by two separately matted halves; one of Earth and one of the Galactica's underside. And you don't mean to tell me that the Galactica could extend such a shield over the whole planet? If so, why couldn't she have performed the same thing over Caprica in the pilot, and let the attacking Cylon fighters blow themselves up in it?
* Nobody seems too panicked about the impending nuclear annihilation! I don't know about you, but when us kids growing up in the late Cold War used to speculate nervously about the four-minute warning, the usual consensus was that we'd be doing, well, what it takes four minutes to do. 'You can do it twice,' the girls would quip.
* I'm not mad keen on Brenda's attitude. If every girl who had boyfriend trouble called the Old Bill on such a weak pretext, there wouldn't be a bloke alive out of prison!

=== [[Take the Celestra]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five'''

This is probably the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. A lot of people will probably disagree, but I have to go with this choice simply because I found this episode to be incredibly boring. The Magnificent Warriors and The Lost Warrior were also really bad (and they were certainly more simplistic), but they were never really boring. A story focusing on the hardships of voyaging on the rag tag fleet is a great idea, but this episode takes one self-destructive turn after another and may be the best example of a wasted opportunity for the series. Many of BG's bad episodes were somewhat saved by wonderful performances from the actors, but there is nothing here that stands out (although the Starbuck/Cassiopea reconciliation at the end is a nice moment). Starbuck and Apollo actually look stale. This is one of the few times that neither Richard Hatch nor Dirk Benedict are able to rise above the mediocre writing. Commander Kronus is incredibly boring - a static, stale character with little depth. Because it's hard to care about the character, it's hard to feel anything during the "dramatic" finish when Kronus dies. Given the moronic decisions he makes, I felt like saying "Good riddance." On the other hand, Ana Alicia suceeds in making Aurora interesting, but she is mostly wasted in this episode. Unfortunately, her boyfriend is more boring than Kronus, and I just wanted him to shut up. Despite these issues, the main problem with Take The Celestra lies in the script itself.

One of the biggest (yet least noted) flaws of Battlestar Galactica was the way it portrayed life in the rag-tag fleet. Day-to-day existence on a fleet of mostly derelict ships would no doubt be a grueling struggle for survival. Yet the series rarely ever indicated this. Most scenes with civilians consisted of parties, gambling, and triad games aboard the Rising Star! (hardly the most accurate look we could have been given) Take The Celestra was the perfect vehicle to change this, but unfortunately the writers took the easy way out. Aurora and the other mutineers were "illegally forced" to work so many double shifts. This makes the issue of right and wrong very easy to determine, but consider another direction the writers could have taken.

What if the harsh working conditions existed throughout the entire fleet? (and, logically, they should have) What if Aurora and the others were not working harder than anyone else and simply decided they had had enough? Would they be morally right in trying to escape the fleet (considering that the loss of manpower would likely hurt the remaining Colonials)? Apollo, Starbuck and the rest of the military are always talking about the importance of freedom. Apollo talks about it strongly in his speech to the Precedium in Experiment In Terra. When Starbuck tries to convince the prisoners to rebel in The Long Patrol, he says "You have rights. You're human beings!" When they finally escape, he says, "That's freedom." An interesting idea to explore is how free the Colonials actually were. Surely many of them wanted to settle on some of the planets the fleet passed by. If Adama refused their wishes, he would technically be restricting their freedom. Unfortunately, this kind of story is problematic because the extent of Adama's power is never clear; in fact, it varies from episode to episode (depending whatever works best for the story that week). But this kind of story would have made it a tough call as to whether Aurora and her friends were right and whether Starbuck and Apollo were totally justified in stopping them.

Anyway, that's the episode I would have liked to see, or anything other than what we did see, the most boring Galactica episode to date. The story is riddled with holes, outdone perhaps only by Experiment In Terra. Whereas that story's flaws are not immediately noticeable, most of this story's flaws are. Commander Kronus' decision to immediately shuttle the prisoners back to the fleet despite being so far away doesn't make much sense. His accompanying the shuttle makes even less sense. Colonial law states that a commander has to personally take the mutineers in for charges? Huh? Even when his ship is out in the middle of nowhere? Okay. Whatever. Kronus should have waited until the Celestra rejoined the fleet. His decision makes him look like an idiot.

How is it that Chakka is able to get almost the entire crew to mutiny with him on a whim? He couldn't have been planning mutiny beforehand because he had expected to become commander of the Celestra. And if the entire crew wasn't with him in the mutiny, then how could he have expected to get away with powering down the ship? And could Starbuck and Apollo both be so clueless that they wouldn't be able to remember which heading the fleet was on? And how does the shuttle run out of fuel so fast? And how is it that Kronus could not have known or heard about any of the harsh working conditions? The Celestra isn't that big of a ship. Are we to believe that he never left the bridge? To top it off, why is there such an urgent need in the final battle scene to "level out" the Celestra? It's not as though there were any ships or planets around that it could crash into. Almost nothing in this episode makes any sense.

The minor plot of Cassiopeia agonizing over Starbuck's evasiveness in their relationship is far more compelling than the main plot of the Celestra mutiny. But even the Starbuck/Aurora plot has problems. For one thing, the writers have Starbuck act like a total jerk by skipping his date with Cassie so he can see Aurora. Why would Cassie put up with that? And how is it that Starbuck had a serious relationship with Aurora going during the time of the Destruction? Didn't he clearly have something going with Athena back then? (If there's anything worse than the writers making things up as they go, it's when they unmake things up as they go.)

Anyway, this only makes Starbuck look like a bigger womanizer than anyone thought (not exactly the best way to endear him to viewers). Aurora makes a valid point in her anger towards him. If Starbuck really did care about her, why didn't he check to see if her name was in the fleet computer? Just because her house was destroyed doesn't mean for certain that she was killed. It's also highly questionable that Starbuck ever made it back to Caprica after the Cylons attacked. We've never been given any indication that anyone besides Adama and Apollo ever went back. Considering how dangerous it would have been (not to mention how strong a chance that someone might have led the Cylons back to the Galactica), it's absolutely ludicrous to suggest Adama would have allowed anyone to return to the planet.

I almost want to pretend that this episode was just a bad dream. Fortunately, the very next episode would raise the roof.

===[[The Hand of God]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five.'''

They saved the best for last. ''The Hand Of God'' is arguably the best episode of Battlestar Galactica, and my personal favorite.

No doubt about it, ''The Hand of God'' is Galactica at its best. Donald Bellisario shows the other writers how it's done, pulling out all the stops with this one. Both the script and the performances are stellar. Never before have the characters been portrayed in such a powerful way. Although there is nothing innovative about the basic plot itself (The Galactica battles the Cylons again), there are enough things going on that make this story extremely engrossing.

This episode is fascinating from start to finish. Visually, it is a treat as we get to see the inside of a Cylon basestar's landing bay for the first time. We also get to see Cylon Centurions boarding their ships for the first time. And the Celestial Observation Dome is a marvel, as is Apollo's analogy that being inside it is like riding in the Hand of God.

What makes this story especially memorable is the culmination of a story thread that has been running since ''War of the Gods''. In that episode, we see the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba. Nothing happens in the other episodes following, although Anne Lockhart does a good job showing, in a subtle way, Sheba's emerging feelings for Apollo.

Kudos go to both Anne Lockhart and Laurette Spang for winning performances. Sheba's confrontation with Apollo and their kiss inside the Cylon raider is the best scene of the episode. That and Cassiopeia's argument with Starbuck in the landing bay are both incredibly moving, providing each actress with her stand-out moment of the series. It really gives the viewer a chance to appreciate the range of Anne and Laurette. Women on this show were usually stuck in the background; this episode placed demands on each actress they rarely had to face. Give each one credit for not dropping the ball. Fortunately, they are both aided by outstanding dialogue from Bellisario. Of course, Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, and Herbert Jefferson, Jr. hold up their end as well. Starbuck, Apollo, and Boomer clasping hands in the pilots barracks (with the accompanying music score) powerfully expresses the bond of their friendship more than words ever could.

Extra congratulations go to Donald Bellisario who also directed this episode. His use of slow motion twice during Starbuck and Apollo's battles with Cylon Centurions make the scenes much more intense and suspenseful. Let's face it. Thanks to ABC's family-friendly censors, the Cylons often looked like a joke (Remember ''The Young Lords'' when Starbuck and five children wiped out an entire Cylon garrison?). If Starbuck and Apollo's shootout scenes had been shown in real time, there would have been little (if any) impact.

Another reason ''The Hand of God'' works so well is because the Cylons were not featured in the previous seven or eight episodes. Glen Larson wisely saw that the constant reusing of the same space battle footage was hurting the stories and thus moved the Cylons into the background after ''Fire In Space''. So much time has passed since then that the Cylons seem revitalized. There's nothing spectacular about the dogfight between the vipers and raiders or the slugfest between the Galactica and the Cylon basestar (since it's the same footage seen in previous episodes), but the story is compelling enough that it all still works.

If there is one flaw with this story, it is the idea that Adama would attack a Cylon basestar and risk the fate of the entire human race just for the sake of wreaking some vengeance. This is the same man who told Commander Cain, "I'm not interested in military victories. I'm interested in saving lives. What few of them are left." It would have worked better to have a scenario where the Galactica simply could not backtrack and thus was forced to attack the Cylons. Still, it is a minor flaw in an overall outstanding script.

It is extremely frustrating that we never see a follow-up to Apollo and Sheba's relationship since this was the final episode. For fans who would like to see some kind of continuation, there are some fan fiction stories that I highly recommend. There is a short story called ''My Father's Daughter'' which takes place immediately following the events of ''The Hand of God'' and is quite simply the best Sheba story I have ever read. Three other novels, ''Second Coming'', ''Joint Maneuvers'', and ''The Race For Earth'' also explore Apollo and Sheba's relationship and are outstanding. These stories are all available free online at a site I own called [http://freegalacticafanfictionnovels.weebly.com Free Battlestar Galactica Fan Fiction Novels].

Many fans were and still are saddened that the original show ended so soon. Personally, I'm at peace with it. If the show had to end, ''The Hand of God'' may have been the best way to close the curtain. After reading Glen Larson's [[Battlestar_Galactica:_Year_Two_proposal|Season Two proposal]], all I can say is, "Thank god the show ended when it did!" It appears that, if there had been a second season, half the cast would have been cut in order to save money, Sheba would have been killed off, Commander Cain would have returned as a Cylon android, and Apollo would have shirked his responsibilities and started partying and messing around with numerous women. Ugh!!!

I think I can accept Battlestar Galactica for what it was, always remembering that the light that shines twice as bright only burns half as long.

== Galactica 1980 Episode Reviews ==

=== [[Galactica Discovers Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

Galactica Discovers Earth turns out to be a watchable pilot, but watchable is about all. From the very first episode, Galactica 1980 is clearly nothing more than an attempt by ABC to cash in on the Galactica name by creating a cheap show that simply reuses the expensive special effects stock footage from the original series. The later episodes would only reinforce this. Kent McCord (Troy) and Barry Van Dyke (Dillon) come off as inferior clones of Starbuck and Apollo. In fact, the script for the pilot was originally written for Starbuck and Apollo. When those plans changed, the names were simply switched to Troy and Dillon. Jamie Hamilton comes off as a carbon copy of Lois Lane. Unfortunately, we are never given any backstory to any of these characters.

This may be the only pilot in television history in which the premise changes in the middle of the episode! At first it's about advancing Earth's technology in order to fight the Cylons. Then it suddenly changes and is about capturing a time-traveling villain. It's really bizarre. Anyway, the time travel journey to Nazi Germany is never particularly interesting, partly because Xaviar just isn't that compelling of a villain, but mostly because this is NOT Battlestar Galactica.

The idea of the Galactica having to protect a primitive Earth from the Cylons is actually a compelling premise, but the problem is that Dr. Zee's plan to slowly increase Earth's technology is flawed. At the rate in which the Colonials were going, it probably would have taken at least decades to get Earth's technology increased enough to be able to fight the Cylons. Long before then, the Cylons would probably tire of waiting and decide to just destroy the Colonial fleet. Even if the Cylons didn't attack, how far could the Galactica lead the Cylons away from Earth before they (the Colonials) were too far away from the planet to ever go back there? It probably would have been smarter to temporarily abandon Earth and lead the Cylons away until Dr. Zee could invent some technology that would allow the Colonials to destroy the Cylon armada. (Actually, since Colonial Vipers can now turn invisible, it should have been fairly easy for the Colonials to launch a surprise attack on the Cylons and defeat them once and for all!)

The problem with the original premise of Galactica 1980 is that it would have eventually become tiresome: Troy and Dillon each week would find a way to introduce some new technology (clean nuclear power, etc.) which would make some small improvement, but do little to bring Earth up to the level it would need be to fight the Cylons. As a result, the series could never evolve to the next level (i.e. Earth is ready to fight the Cylons), because the series' budget was too small for any kind of "final battle". As a result, Galactica 1980 was stuck in a rut from the get-go. It tried to distract viewers from the main plot (the Cylon threat) with time travel and cub scout outings because there was little that could be done with the original premise. It might have worked well as a single movie or perhaps a series of movies, but it's unlikely that Galactica 1980 could have ever jelled as a weekly series.

The show looks second-rate. For example, take the opening sequence. This has to be one of the worst opening sequences in television history. It's nothing but a series of stock footage shots from the original show haphazardly thrown together. Even the rendition of the Galactica theme seems inferior to the one we heard on the original show.

That said, there is some nice chemistry between the trio of Troy, Dillon and Jamie. There's one particularly touching scene in part 3 when Jamie says goodbye to Troy and Dillon at the bus stop. But whatever positives the actors had would not be enough to overcome a number of self-destructive turns that would begin with the very next episode.

=== [[The Super Scouts]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Super Scouts arrive, and Galactica 1980 plummets into an abyss it would not survive. In the beginning, we're forced to endure a series of boring classroom educational lessons. Things get even worse when the intergalactic 'Our Gang' reaches Earth. We get ultra-cute campfire songs and even more educational lessons shoved down are throats. The original series had flaws, but at least it never insulted its viewers with sitcom humor or by getting into preachy moral issues. Galactica 1980 gives us an ultra-simplistic environmental message of "Don't pollute the water," and does so with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

One could make the case that Galactica 1980 is a great tool for writers to learn how NOT to write drama. One key is to create powerful villains and put the heroes in situations that are difficult to deal with. But all of the villains in Galactica 1980 are weak. The Colonials have so many advantages over the people of Earth - spaceships, super powers, invisibility fields - that they are essentially invincible, thus robbing the series of any possible drama. In Galactica 1980, there are no worthy villains. The bumbling cops and incompetent military personnel never have a prayer of apprehending Troy and Dillon, so there's no suspense. And it's certainly not funny to watch Earthlings constantly being confounded by extra-terrestrials. Yet that is what we're forced to endure again and again throughout the entire series.

=== [[Spaceball]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

This is crap. Spaceball is the worst, most hated episode of Galactica 1980. It's silly, stupid, and just plain dumb. Little kids playing baseball??? This is Battlestar Galactica??? Spaceball may be the most inconsequential hour of science fiction ever made. It's nothing less than an insult to the original series that this bionic version of ''The Bad News Bears'' was shot under the Galactica name.

=== [[The Night The Cylons Landed]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five (Poor)'''

The Night The Cylons Landed is the best episode since the pilot. Of course, this isn't saying much, since watching a blank screen would have been almost as entertaining as the previous two episodes. Anyway, the Super Scouts are finally relegated to the background. This expands on the storyline involving the evolution of the Cylons over the 30 years since the destruction of the Colonies. A new, bigger, and more powerful Cylon raider carrying a newly advanced Cylon lifeform crashlands on Earth. Two surviving Cylons attempt to communicate with the Cylon armada to tell them of Earth's location. This is a cool idea, but the execution is terrible. We are treated to so much silliness, culminating with Troy and Dillon dancing on stage with cartoon characters like Yogi Bear! There are other problems. The more powerful, heavily armored Cylon raider is crippled after the punier viper rams into it??? The viper certainly doesn't hit it very hard. If the Cylons were a joke in the original series, then in Galactica 1980 they are a laughing stock. Andromus, the evolved Cylon clone of a human, certainly doesn't look or act very advanced. Centuri, his Centurion buddy, comes across as being even sillier with his constant banter of "I will protect you. That is my mission." This is the monstrous, all-powerful race which threatens the Earth's destruction and that the Colonials are so concerned about??? The two Cylons provide some funny moments, but it can't make up for the letdown of a plot that had so much potential.

With this episode, Galactica 1980 provides yet another example of how NOT to write drama. Conventional storytelling says that when you have a character trying to solve a mystery, you want the audience to move along at the same pace as the character. If the audience knows more than the character does, they find themselves simply waiting for the character to catch up, which is boring. Unfortunately, Galactica 1980 violates this basic rule of storytelling as we're forced to endure Colonel Briggs's investigation of the aliens. We know everything, he knows nothing, and thus there is nothing even remotely interesting about the subplot.

=== [[Space Croppers]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Space Croppers starts out interesting, but quickly takes an abrupt nosedive into looney land. The plot parallels that of [[The Magnificent Warriors]]. Due to the destruction of the fleet's agroships by a Cylon attack, another source of food supply must be found. The Magnificent Warriors was a terrible episode, so it must be considered quite a feat that Space Croppers turns out to be even worse.

The plight of the Alonso family to save their farm never becomes the least bit interesting. Even worse are the 'educational beats' that bring the story to a grinding halt: a lecture about Hispanic history, the soil requirements for planting legumes, and how rainfull is produced. This is beyond bad. It's unwatchable.

If Dr. Zee is such a genius, why doesn't it ever occur to him to use Galactican technology to create money so the Colonials can simply buy the food that they need? I guess such a simple solution would have made this story pointless.

Furthermore, the Imperious Leader's plan to force the Galactica to lead the Cylons to Earth makes no sense. How could Imperious Leader know that Earth was nearby? And if he did know, why not just destroy the Colonial fleet and conduct a search of the nearby planets? Did anything on this series make sense? Was anything supposed to?

Last, and certainly least, Troy and Dillon bouncing high in the air and throwing seeds while the Super Scouts sing their song is hands down the most ludicrous thing ever shown on Galactica 1980, and that's saying something.

=== [[The Return of Starbuck]] ===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five (Outstanding)'''

This is undeniably the best and most popular episode of Galactica 1980. It is even better than most of the episodes of Battlestar Galactica. What is there not to love about this episode? There are so many outstanding scenes: Adama's chilling reaction to Dr. Zee's mention of Starbuck; Boomer's heartwrenching goodbye to Starbuck, Adama explaining to Boomer that they can't go back to find him; Adama saying his farewell to Starbuck; Starbuck's rationalizations about how the planet belongs to him; Angela's words, "Starbuck, would you die for me?"; Starbuck sacrificing his chance to return to the fleet to give Angela and her baby a better chance; Starbuck's goodbye to Cy. The list goes on. Best of all, we see growth in Starbuck's character! A true classic to be treasured for all time by Galactica fans.

This episode is based on an earlier script written for the second season of Battlestar Galactica that never happened. The main differences are that a regular woman appears (not Angela), and Starbuck is eventually rescued by Boomer. The only thing believed to have been taken intact from the early script is Starbuck's dialogue with Cy. While that would no doubt have been a tremendous episode, it still would not have come close to being as great as this one is. The reason why is very simple. One of the problems with creating dramatic and suspenseful stories in any weekly series is that the viewer knows the hero will ultimately prevail. For example, when Starbuck is accused of murder in [[Murder on the Rising Star]], there is little in terms of suspense because it is a foregone conclusion that Starbuck will be vindicated, just as it is a forgone conclusion that Starbuck isn't going to die in [[The Young Lords]] when he is hunted by the Cylons on the planet Attila. In the beginning of The Return Of Starbuck, it is quickly established that Adama doesn't know what happened to Starbuck and that Starbuck never returned from the mission where he was shot down. As a result, in what is most unusual for any action/adventure television story, the viewer sits through the entire episode knowing that Starbuck isn't going to make it!

This makes the story much more gripping and intense than virtually any other episode of either series. The grim reality of Starbuck's eventual fate is all reinforced by Angela's question "Starbuck, will you die for me?" and her warnings of disaster, telling him that he must prepare to make "the final judgement." Of course, we do not actually see Starbuck die at the end of the story. Larson leaves Starbuck's fate ambiguous, especially since an intact Cylon raider is left nearby. Having Starbuck die would have been a gutsy and innovative move, but the ending shown is really for the best. The beauty of the ending is that it lets the viewers make their own interpretation of Starbuck's fate. If one goes with the idea that a single person alone cannot fly a Cylon raider, then Starbuck could have easily died on the planet. Many fans don't consider Galactica 1980 to be canon for the original series, except for this episode. With the interpretation that Galactica 1980 didn't happen, Starbuck could possibly have flown the Cylon raider back to the fleet, returning to Apollo, Adama, Sheba, and the other original characters. Much Galactica fan fiction over the years has interpreted the episode in this manner.

Despite having a small role, Lorne Greene gives what may be his best performance ever as Commander Adama. The look on his face when he asks Dr. Zee to tell him his dream is worth a thousand words. His farewell to Starbuck, saying that he loves him, is also incredibly powerful. A wonderful performance!

In conclusion, ''The Return of Starbuck'' is an incredible ending to the series and a worthy finish to the Battlestar Galactica saga overall. ''Galactica 1980'' was crap, but it sure went out with a bang.

== Galactica Comics ==

=== [[Galactica 1980 1|Galactica 1980 comic series]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Comic adaptations of television shows are often very good because the writers are free from the usual constraints that a television show faces: limited budgets, censors, and network meddling in the storylines. Unfortunately, this is a double-edged sword, as the comic book writers' unlimited freedom sometimes allows the story to go flying off the rails.

Such is the case with the Galactica 1980 comic series, a cool idea that feels like a missed opportunity. First, the comic does a number of things right. It delivers a ''War of the Worlds'' type story involving the Colonials and Cylons battling over Earth. It even makes Dr. Zee a villian, a great move considering that Zee is hands down the most hated character in the entire Galactica universe. Unfortunately, writer Marc Guggenheim decides to go for shock value. In the first issue, we learn that Troy is a drunk and Adama is suicidal. Personally, I found this ugly and disturbing.

Even worse is the end of issue #1 when the Galactica is destroyed by nukes. Again, it feels like the writer is just trying to hit us with one shocking surprise after another. Surprises can be great fun, but I get annoyed when they lack logic as this one does. Why would Adama be so stupid as to fly the Galactica directly over the White House without first sending a message and waiting to see what the response would be? This just makes no sense.

And I just didn't like seeing the Galactica destroyed. After all, this ''is'' Galactica 1980, so therefore the Galactica should be in it. If the Galactica had to be destroyed, it should have happened in the final issue (#4), not the first.

I also had a big problem with Dillon being killed off in issue #2. Troy and Dillon were the heroes of Galactica 1980, and I just don't think that either should have been killed (at least not less than halfway through the story). I was also disappointed that Jamie Hamilton was given nothing more than a cameo appearance in issue #4. Given that she was one of the main characters on the original show, she should have had a larger role in the story.

In the end, I wish Guggenheim had written a story that might have been done on television if not for the limited budget and children's hour restrictions that ultimately crippled the series. The ''War of the Worlds'' premise was perfect for Galactica 1980, but in this case the execution fell short.

== The Galactica Telemovies ==

=== [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

The opening sequence is outstanding, although it mostly uses footage from the original series. It has a truly epic feel, and it gives the impression that we will see a grand conclusion to the Battlestar Galactica saga. Sadly, this does not happen. Still, Adama's opening declaration that Earth has been found is also magnificent, much better done than it was in the original episode. By removing the time-travel subplot as well as much of the silliness including Troy and Dillon dancing on stage, the whole is better than any of the original Galactica 1980 episodes it is composed of. Yet this hardly makes ''Conquest of the Earth'' a great movie. The opening minutes rate five stars, yet starting with the first appearance of Dr. Zee (who bizarrely speaks with two different voices), the rest of the movie rates much lower.

=== [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack (VHS)|Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

This movie is less entertaining than the individual episodes it is composed of (The Living Legend and Fire In Space). The separate episodes don't mesh together seamlessly, resulting in several plot holes and odd hairstyle changes between scenes. The movie especially suffers because many great scenes from The Living Legend episode are missing. All scenes and dialogue relating to Starbuck's relationship with Cassiopeia are cut, which only makes the Cain/Cassiopeia subplot less interesting. The battle scenes are a little more elaborate because additional stock footage is used, but that's not enough to overcome the movie's deficiencies. A different sound effect is used for the engines of the Cylon raiders that's a little jarring for anyone who is a die-hard fan of the original show.

Bottom line, this movie is only recommended for curiosity's sake.

== Berkley Books ==
=== [[Saga of a Star World (Book)|Saga of a Star World]] ===
'''Flagship of the 12 Worlds fleet, she was as large as a planet, yet as swift as the Starhound fighters she launched from her bays. For generations the vast ship led the thousand-year war against the Cylons for control of the known Galaxy. Now that war was in its final phase, and Galactica had one final mission, win or lose: blast through the deadly grid of the Cylon Starfleet and dash for deep space in a desperate attempt to find the legendary "Stonehenge" of the universe - the lost planet the ancient microfilms call "Earth."'''

This is the opening paragraph to the Berkley novelization of the Battlestar Galactica pilot "Saga Of A Star World". This is easily one of the most fascinating Galactica books ever written, and there are a number of things that make it so interesting. First, the book is based on an early script of the pilot and, although changes were made before it came to print to make it more like the version that aired, there are a number of alternate scenes in the book. The Galactica universe is also different in several aspects, such as the Cylons are living aliens underneath their armor instead of total machines. Also, there are missing scenes left out of the final cut of the movie that survived intact in the book (Starbuck's confrontation with Tigh on the bridge after the Colonies are destroyed; Starbuck's extended conversation with Cassie on the shuttle; Adama's resigning from the Council).

Perhaps best of all, certain events are more fleshed out in the novelization than in the movie such as the surprise Cylon attack. The novelization helps to fill a number of gaping plot holes and unanswered questions that the movie was saddled with. Many chapters begin with an entry from the Adama journals, and the reader is able to learn a lot of information and insight from the Galactica's commander.

Many fans are unhappy with the Berkley books, feeling that they don't remain true to the series. I respectfully disagree. First of all, as already mentioned, the novelizations often have extra detail and explanations that help cover up plot holes that existed in the episodes. Second, the fact that the novels portray the BG universe in a slightly different way and that they are not exact retellings of the episodes is good because the books would be pretty boring otherwise. Third, some of the characters such as Athena are fleshed out better in the novels. Make no mistake, this is the best of all the Berkley novelizations and is a must-read for any fan of the original series.

== External Links ==

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/BGEPISODES.htm Battlestar Galactica Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/Wharmby.htm Matthew Wharmby's Hilarious Galactica 1980 Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

User:Galactica1981/Galactica 1981 Reviews

2011-11-26T00:26:16Z

Galactica1981: /* Galactica 1980 comic series */

This is a list of reviews by [[User:Galactica1981]] for various [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]] content. Given to the Battlestar Wiki's policy of [[NPOV|Neutral Point of View]], they are found here rather than their respective articles.

These episode reviews originally appears on the Sheba's Galaxy site. They have been slightly revised.

== TOS Episode Reviews ==

===[[Saga of a Star World]] ===

'''RATING: Four and a half stars out of five'''

There's no question that on the night of September 17, 1978, Battlestar Galactica hit television screens with a bang. Saga Of A Star World is unquestionably the most elaborate televison movie ever made (and least up to that point!) When trying to rate something like this, it's important to examine it in the context of television during that time period. For sure, no sci-fi show of this magnitude had ever been done before in the history of television, and thus it deserves extra points for that alone. There are many great things that can be said about this episode (acting, special effects, music score), but I won't bother repeating what most people are already aware of. In the end, I had to decide against a full five-star rating, mostly because of the unforgivable "Star Wars" ending it was saddled with. The big explosion of the planet Carillon is a blatant ripoff of Star Wars, not to mention ridiculous as well. Setting fire to some tylium mines causes the entire planet to explode? This is ludicrous (although one could argue that destroying the massive Death Star by shooting a tiny exhaust port was equally ludicrous). Surely Glen Larson could have written a better ending than this. Ultimately, this had to reinforce many people's beliefs that Galactica was a second-rate Star Wars. Having a casino with all sorts of alien creatures also seems a little too close to Star Wars for comfort.

As a kid watching the show, I absolutely loved the Cylons because of how cool they looked. My favorite character was Starbuck who I idolized and wanted to be like. The series also had a phenomenal cast with tremendously talented actors (except for Maren Jensen), and it's a shame they were often saddled with substandard scripts. Starbuck and Apollo are wonderful in the lead roles, and they arguably have more chemistry than did Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. And Lorne Greene is superb as in the role of Commander Adama. In the pilot episode, the scene that perhaps stands out the most is the laser battle against the Cylon Centurions on the surface of Carillon, a truly awesome spectacle combined with the looming countdown as the Cylon raiders close in on the Galactica. It terms of the characters, my favorite scene is probably Starbuck's almost proposing to Athena. Finally, the musical score for the series is truly breathtaking, on a similar level as the one for Star Wars.

Of course, there are also some HUMONGOUS plot holes in this story, enough for any critic to tear it to shreds. I'm not going bother writing 5 pages about the plot problems of Saga Of A Star World. Instead, I'll just mention a few points:

The premise of the Colonial fleet seeking Earth, while interesting, is unfortunately flawed because no one (not even Adama) has any idea where it is! Apparently, Adama was the only one who even knew about Earth's existence, although he doesn't seem to have any proof. Thus the Colonial fleet is left to wander aimlessly throughout the universe looking for it. Fortunately, this problem would be addressed in ''War of the Gods'' when the Colonials finally learn the coordinates to Earth.

The Colonials seemed unbelievably gullible and naive regarding the Cylons' offer of peace. After a thousand years of war, you would think they'd have been more careful, but they foolishly leave their home planets undefended. President Adar is incredibly stupid when he sees a thousand Cylon raiders coming towards the fleet and assumes it is a peace envoy.

Apollo gets back to the fleet in time to warn them of the coming Cylon attack, yet he fails to do so. Why? Why does he take an hour to find the bridge?

=== [[Lost Planet of the Gods]]===

'''Rating: Four stars out of five'''

The second half of this two-part episode has the theatrical feel of a movie, while the first half has often been blasted as being sexist. Of course, it is a bit strange that all the female cadets look like lingerie models. Still, I think the claim of sexism is a bit overstated. If you look at women in the U.S. military, they tend to act in supporting roles rather than be on the front lines. I don't know how many female jet pilots are in the U.S. military, but I suspect there aren't many. And I suspect this is due less to discrimination than to the fact that women tend to make different career choices than men (i.e. they tend to choose less hazardous professions). The reasons for there being no female viper pilots on the Galactica were probably along the same lines.

Regardless, the first half of the episode mostly serves as a set-up for the second half. Nothing wrong with that, but it does make the first half far less interesting.

Anyway, the two-part episodes fare better than most of the one-part episodes because Glen Larson would often blow the budget and vastly overspend. There are many fantastic scenes in the second half: Serina proposing to Apollo that they marry immediately; the Star of Kobol appearing in the port window during the wedding ceremony; the light shining off of Adama's medallion inside the tombs of Kobol; the Cylon raiders attacking the surface of Kobol; and, of course, Serina's death scene.

Serina's death is one of the most poignant moments of the entire series. But it came with a high price, as the show arguably suffered without her. And the writing would start to take a turn for the worse with the very next episode.

===[[The Lost Warrior]]===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

After only two episodes, Battlestar Galactica's creative energy has fizzled out. This is the first of the so-called "bottled episodes." These episodes had few if any new special effects, enabling the producers to save money which would later be spent on the bigger, more extravagant "monster episodes." It's understandable that these "bottled" stories were necessary, but this is where rushing the show into production really hurt the series. The writers simply did not have time to create quality scripts. Of course, this would ultimately lead to the decline in ratings.

This kind of episode is tough to review because it's good but wrong. Based on the classic 1953 western film Shane, this actually makes a pretty decent western, but Battlestar Galactica is supposed to be a science fiction series. Sci-fi fans want science fiction, not half-hybrids of other shows (A mistake that Galactica 1980 would repeat). If I want to see a Western, I'd rather watch Bonanza. The only reason this gets two stars is because we get such a strong characterization of Apollo.

Unfortunately, this is not the only space western we would see on Galactica. Cowboys and saloons would return in The Magnificent Warriors. In fact, the very idea that an "old west" town would exist in Battlestar Galactica completely contradicts the Von Daniken premise of the show, that the Colonies and the ancient cultures of Earth (such as Atlantis and Egypt) have the same roots, the same beginnings. It is ludicrous that an Old West society could have any common connection with this. It raises all kinds of questions. The people of Equellis obviously had to arrive on that world by means of spacecraft, so why is the society so primitive? How could they not know of the Cylons since the war has raged for 1,000 years and the average human life-span is 200 years?

Why would Apollo be dumb enough to fly so far away from the fleet that he wouldn't have enough fuel to make it back? This really makes no sense. And why does Apollo promise Bella and Puppis that he will return one day? Why would he ever believe that possible?

Despite the lackluster plot, there are some good moments. Boxey beating Starbuck at Pyramid is funny, and the western style "shoot-out" between Red-Eye and Apollo is very well done. The only weak point is when Red Eye spots Apollo's laser and says, "Uh-oh." This trivalizes a very serious moment for the sake of silly humor. It is difficult to believe that a Cylon would use such a phrase. Ironically, for years I couldn't make out exactly what he was saying. I assumed it was some kind of challenge to Apollo, and it actually added to the power of the moment. You can imagine my dismay when I learned the truth. Also, Puppis gets pretty annoying pretty fast.

===[[The Long Patrol]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

The Long Patrol is lot of a fun and a big improvement over the previous episode. Starbuck's computer companion C.O.R.A is a hoot. There are several funny scenes: Starbuck womanizing Cassiopeia and Athena; Boomer's jab at him before he goes off on the mission; Starbuck finding a fortune in ambrosia only to have it destroyed by the Cylon attack. Adama deciding to change the Galactica's course to keep distance from the Cylons is very well done, revealing how burdensome command of the fleet is and how it forces him to sacrifice his loved ones to protect the rest of humanity.

Maren Jensen (Athena) gets more screen time here than in most of the episodes. The scene with Athena revealing Starbuck's apparent death to Cassiopeia is especially moving, one of Jensen's best scenes of the series. The Athen/Cassiopeia rivalry was compelling and could have been developed in future episodes, but sadly this never happens. This was likely due to Maren Jensen's limitations as an actress which caused the writers to reduce her role.

Could C.O.R.A. have been the inspiration for K.I.T.T., the computerized car on Glen Larson's Knight Rider? Considering the amazing similarities between the two, it would have to be a possibility. Also, Glen Larson has went on record saying that K.I.T.T.'s swerving red eye was inspired by the swerving red eyes of the Cylons. It was sort of his way of keeping the Cylons alive.

The Long Patrol is definitely one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

===[[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero]]===

'''Rating: Three and a half stars out of five'''

This two-part episode is based on the 1961 movie The Guns of Navarone and the 1967 movie The Dirty Dozen. The episode has a theatrical feel to it because, as mentioned before, the two-parters had bigger budgets. Although the story is by-the-numbers, it is very enjoyable because of the fantastic special effects. Still, as good as Gun is, it is easily one of the lesser of the two-parters. While better than Greetings From Earth, Gun falls far short of The Living Legend, Lost Planet Of The Gods, and especially War Of The Gods.

This was actually the second episode filmed. This would explain why Serina and Cassiopea do not appear (Serina and Cassiopea died in the original version of the pilot before the decision was made to bring them back). Baltar and Lucifer's scenes were probably shot much later.

This episode raises a serious question. Considering the staggering number of people who had to be left behind due to lack of ships, why would the Colonials bother to take criminals with them? Perhaps they were already locked in the brig on the Galactica before the Holocaust or they somehow managed to sneak aboard the fleet to be captured later. Or perhaps most of them committed their crimes after joining the rag tag fleet. Considering how overcrowded, starved, and disorganized the fleet was when it was assembled, it is logical that many violent crimes would have occurred. An episode exploring this would have been nice.

The idea that there would not be enough qualified Colonial warriors to go on the mission is hard to believe. And why do Apollo, Starbuck, and Boomer get chosen? They are pilots, and their emphasis is not on ground assault. Logically, the Galactica would have a ground assault team available for these kinds of situations. It is also difficult to believe that Boxey would have found a way to sneak onto the shuttle. At least he and Muffit have an impact on the success of the mission.

In the book ''The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'' by J.W. Rinzler and Ridley Scott, it is revealed that part of George Lucas's anger towards Battlestar Galactica was because of this episode. Lucas planned to feature an ice planet in the sequel to Star Wars, and he felt that Galactica threatened to undercut him by featuring an ice planet on one of their own episodes. Did this fuel his lawsuit that Galactica was infringing on Star Wars? Is so, then Lucas comes off as disingenuous to say the least, for it would be absurd to claim that Galactica was infringing on a movie that hadn't yet been made!

Baltar's legs were crushed in Lost Planet of the Gods, yet in this episode the only evidence of Baltar's injury is a slight limp. Did the Cylons do major reconstructive surgery on his legs? I guess so.

At this point, the constant reusing of the same space battle scenes really starts getting redundant. Still, this remains one of the most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

=== [[The Magnificent Warriors]] ===

'''Rating: One and a half stars out of five'''

Many fans consider this to be the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. While I don't agree, I think it comes pretty close. The story is, quite frankly, terrible. We are again subjected to yet another old-western style shanty town? Once was enough! The Borays are disgusting and sound awful. The only redeeming moment is when Adama and company discover Starbuck at the gambling table. It's rather funny.

Siress Bellaby is hands down the most annoying character to ever appear on Battlestar Galactica. Most viewers probably couldn't understand why the Colonial Warriors didn't simply let the Borays kill her.

On a positive note, we are shown Lorne Greene's impressive range as an actor. It's interesting to see a comical Adama, a nice contrast to the serious commander that we usually see. Unfortunately, Greene is forced to play against Brett Somers (Siress Bellaby). Somers isn't funny; she's annoying, and it kills most of the comedy that is presented.

The premise of The Magnificent Warriors actually had a lot of potential. We are given a situation where the fleet has no food and everyone is aware of it (unlike in Saga Of A Star World when the Colonials were able to cover up the problem). This raises all kinds of fascinating issues. Would the fleet start a mutiny against Adama during such a crisis? How would Adama react to such a mutiny? How would he choose who to save? Would he allow each ship to make its own decision to leave? Or would he try to force them to stick together? And what decisions would Starbuck and Apollo be forced to make if such a mutiny occurred? So many interesting questions for the episode to pursue.

Sadly, standard television plotting is what we get. The Colonials are traveling through the vast uncharted regions of space, and they run out of food at just the precise moment they happen to be near a farming colony. Okay. Whatever. The Colonials land on the planet and meet the Borays. From then on, it's just another battle of good vs. evil. Putting the Colonials in a moral dilemna would have been much more interesting that what we were given here.

===[[The Young Lords]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

This is the family episode of Battlestar Galactica. Starbuck is shot down and crashes on a planet. Yawn. This is essentially a remake of The Lost Warrior in which Apollo is stranded on the planet Equellus. Of course, Starbuck was also stranded in The Long Patrol and Cree was stranded in ''The Gun On Ice Planet Zero''. Later in ''Greetings From Earth'', Starbuck, Apollo, and Casseopia would be stranded on the planet Paradeen. At this point, the series was becoming so predictable that viewers each week must have been asking the question, "Who's going to have to be rescued this week?" In fact, Mad Magazine, in a spoof of Galactica, poked fun at this element of the show. (See [[Humor in the Original Series]])

Considering the incredibly broad premise of the series, it's amazing that the writers had so much trouble coming up with a story that didn't involve someone being stranded on a planet. With this kind of plot, The Young Lords shouldn't even be watchable. And yet, despite all these drawbacks, this actually turns out to be a fun, enjoyable episode. Part of this praise goes to the tremendous production values. It is simply fascinating to see so many Cylons inside a medieval castle. The location is nothing short of spectacular. To top it off, Dirk Benedict delivers with a wonderful performance. There are many good scenes, especially Starbuck's rescue from the Cylons by Kyle and the children (plus his insulting remark to the Cylons moments before). Playing up kids in a series can be extremely fatal to ratings (Galactica 1980 became an infamous example of this), but fortunately Kyle and the gang never get to the point where they become grating; although they (and their song near the end) come dangerously close. (And are we to believe Starbuck and his Scooby Gang would actually take the time to think up lyrics for a song and memorize them? Please!)

The IL series Cylon Spectre is a delightfully conniving character. He is the perfect foil for Lucifer. His phony flattery of Baltar is hilarious, especially the way he manages to turn defeat to his own advantage. Unfortunately, the character does not appear again. Had the series continued into a second season, he probably would have. Spectre does appear in the later original Berkley novels [[The Nightmare Machine]], [[Die, Chameleon!]] and [[Surrender the Galactica!]] where he is put to good use.

Most of the scenes of Baltar and Lucifer communicating with Spectre were recycled with different dialogue into the Galactica telemovie [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]].

Needless to say that by this point the Cylons have become a joke. When you stop and really think about it, it is ludicrous that an entire Cylon garrison is defeated by one colonial warrior and five children.

Still, this episode somehow succeeds despite every logical reason why it shouldn't.

===[[The Living Legend]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five'''

This is one of the very best episodes of Battlestar Galactica. The two-part episodes consistently deliver, and The Living Legend is no exception. The idea of a second survivng battlestar is a good one, as is a scenario where the fleet runs out of fuel.

This episode introduces two compelling characters, Commander Cain and his daughter, Lt. Sheba. Sheba's character is said to have been a ground-breaking role for women. She is tough, independent, and short-tempered. Basically, she's the exact opposite of virtually every other female character to appear on the series. Fortunately, she, along with Bojay, becomes a regular after this episode.

Lloyd Bridges is tremendous as Commander Cain. It's hard to imagine any other actor filling the role. The only weak moment for Bridges is when Cain lies to Adama about the "accidental" failure of the tanker mission. Cain's cavalier attitude about it makes it obvious to everyone that he purposely sabotaged the mission.

This story is different from any other Galactica story thus far because we see a clash of philosophies within the ranks of the military. Cain wants to wage an all-out war against Gamoray, and Adama simply wants to capture the much-needed fuel and escape. The earlier episodes were extremely simplistic in their portaryal of good versus evil. The Colonials are good. The Cylons are evil. Simple as that. Since the good guys are all in the military, the military is always portrayed as being right. Adama, Starbuck, and Apollo had very few moral dilemnas to deal with, which would have made the stories so much more interesting.

Baltar personally leading the attack on the Galactica makes the battle much more intense and exciting, mostly because the battle has a storyline. Most of the Galactica space battles are nothing more than a confusing jumble of stock shots haphazardly thrown together with nothing in terms of a flow or climax. (One of the bigger flaws of Return Of The Jedi was that the Battle of Endor had nothing in terms of a storyline.) This time it is different. The Pegasus closing in on Baltar at the end of part one is the best cliff hanger of the series. It is rather fitting that Baltar's forces are taken by surprise, since it was Baltar who caused the colonial warfleet to be taken by surprise in the pilot.

The scene between Adama and Apollo right before the mission to capture the Cylon tankers is very powerful. It shows how, despite being father and son, each of their respective positions forces a distance between them personally. What is especially impressive is that this is done without words. Richard Hatch and Lorne Greene manage to convey more with a facial expression than most actors do with a page of dialogue.

Boxey really starts to get on the nerves at this point. Nothing against Noah Hathaway, but Boxey is a character all too typical of standard television. He is an ultra-cute TV kid doing ultra-cute things, yet usually has little or no bearing on the plot. These kinds of characters (most notably the Super Scouts from Galactica 1980) only serve to hurt a show's ratings.

When you put the story under scrutiny, there are some serious flaws. Why are viper pilots sent on a ground mission? Wouldn't the Galactica have specialized teams for that sort of thing? It is also a bit difficult to believe that Sheba could have found a way to go on the mission to Gamoray without permission. It is even more difficult to believe that Cassiopea would have been allowed to just hop on the shuttle. Was she given a crash course on parachuting during the shuttle ride? How could the Colonial warriors have known exactly which building in Gamoray contained the main communications center? And are we to believe that destroying one small communications center would disable the entire city's defense system? If, like me, you can overlook these flaws, this is still a great episode.

This episode and Fire In Space were later combined to form the horrid Galactica theatrical movie [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]].

===[[Fire in Space]]===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

This explosive episode is the one-hour equivalent of a disaster movie. It's basically a sci-fi version of The Towering Inferno (and stock footage from that movie was probably used here). There's so much action that it isn't until the end that you realize just how essentially empty it is. There are a lot of things happening, and at the same time there is nothing happening. By all rights this story should be downright awful, yet somehow it isn't. It really speaks volumes about the show's production values and the performances of the actors that this turns out to be an enjoyable hour despite another by-the-numbers script.

After this episode, producer Glen Larson decided changed the direction of the series, relegating the Cylons to the background. The Cylons are not featured again until the final episode, The Hand Of God. The reason for the change of direction may be that Larson had a feeling the series would be canceled and decided to try to create a storyarc that would end the series with the Galactica apparently getting close to Earth. In an interview, Larson has said that he wasn't surprised the show was canceled. The change of direction was really for the best because the battles with the Cylons were too ridiculously imbalanced in the Colonials' favor (due to the censors) making the Cylons look like a joke, and the reusing of the same space battle stock footage was becoming monotonous.

The ending the writers originally planned had Cylon raiders attacking the Galactica a second time, and it is their lasers that put Starbuck and Apollo in danger on the Galactica's hull. Unfortunately, the network censors overruled this because they felt it would have been too repetitive. The complete original ending from the script can be found [[List_of_Deleted_Scenes_(TOS)#Fire_In_Space|here.]]

The story completely falls apart when put under scientific scrutiny because fires simply cannot exist in outer space, as many Galactica critics have pointed out. However, Star Wars was able to get away with this flub (Remember the fate of the Death Star?), so it seems rather unfair that Battlestar Galactica took so many shots because of it.

This is Terry Carter's best episode, since Colonel Tigh is thrust into the forefront, taking command of the Galactica while Adama is incapacitated. Carter does a tremendous job, and his strong performance helps save this cliched, overused story plot from losing steam.

Since the Galactica was on the verge of destruction by the time Starbuck and Apollo were planting charges on the hull, didn't it ever occur to Colonel Tigh to evacuate all non-essential personnel including the Colonial vipers so that, if the Galactica was destroyed, the fleet would at least have a fighting chance to survive? And since it was too dangerous to operate on Adama on the Galactica, didn't it ever occur to Dr. Salik to shuttle Adama to another ship in the fleet and perform the operation there?

A tremendous amount of damage is done to the Galactica (especially the landing bay), yet there is no sign of this in any future episodes nor any explanation of how the repairs went. Considering the abysmal plot, this episode was probably best left forgotten.

===[[War of the Gods]]===

'''RATING: Five stars out of five'''

War Of The Gods is one of the best and most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica. It is not the very best episode, nor is it completely flawless, but it is easily the most complex of all the stories we were given. The bottom line is that it is extremely rare to see this kind of thing done on TV. This is one of the few episodes to fully utilize Galactica's Von Daniken premise (God Is An Astronaut). We learn that angels are not spirits of the dead, but advanced beings who are thousands of years ahead of the Colonials in both technology and spirituality. Count Iblis (whom Apollo addresses in part 2 as Mephistopheles) comes across as a form of devil. There is an interesting parallel with mythology. Just as the angel Lucifer (or Satan) rebelled against heaven, Iblis rebels against his brothers on the Ship of Lights.

Iblis may well be the most fascinating character in the entire series. What is fascinating is that his voice is the same as that of the Cylon Imperious Leader. Baltar recognizes this (and it would have been an unforgivable flub if he didn't). There have been two primary theories about Iblis' origin. The first is that Iblis exterminated the original reptile Cylon race and created the mechanical one, starting the thousand year war with the humans.

The second theory is that Iblis and the Imperious Leader are one and the same. Iblis calling Baltar "old friend" would seem to support this. Also, it is made clear in the end that Iblis cannot control anyone who does not choose to follow him. If Iblis is the Imperious Leader, then Baltar technically was "following him" since he (Baltar) was serving the Cylons. However, the theory that Iblis and Imperious Leader being the same person doesn't quite hold up because wouldn't the Cylons then easily be able to locate the Colonial fleet? Therefore, the first theory makes more sense overall. But there is still the question of how Iblis was able to make Baltar surrender to the Colonials. The episode tries to make it seem that Iblis did not perform his bigger miracles, that the white lights caused the crops to grow and Baltar came of his own free will (the latter is hinted by Apollo in a missing scene that was cut from the original script). Of course, the idea that Baltar would surrender on his own is ludicrous considering the coward that he is. And why would the white lights come to the fleet if that would cause the crops on the agro-ship to grow and thus fulfill one of Iblis' tasks? Most importantly, why would Iblis dare the Colonials to make 3 challenges for him if he did not possess the power to complete them?

Regarding Iblis' origin, I tend to go with the first theory, but I would take it one step further and suggest that the Imperious Leader is either a servant of Iblis or is somehow under Iblis' control. Thus Baltar, by serving the Cylons, would also be serving Iblis and thus would be subject to Iblis' commands.

You really have to wonder if Glen Larson planned to have Patrick Macnee play Count Iblis from the very first episode or if it was just an amazing coincidence that the same actor who provided the Imperious Leader's voice turned out to be perfect for the Count Iblis role. Considering how incredibly rushed the production of the show was, the latter would have to be a possibility. If it's the former, then you really have to applaud Glen Larson for planning so far ahead.

There are other marvelous scenes. Iblis' slow manipulation and seduction of Sheba is riveting (especially when he kisses her on the Agro-ship). The white lights and the Ship of Lights are a marvel and have to be considered among the best special effects the series has ever produced. The scenery of the red planet, including the visual effect of Starbuck, Apollo, and Sheba when they walk on that world is also outstanding. The triad court is a fantastic (and obviously, expensive) set. You have to give the producers a lot of credit for creating such a unique game for the Colonials to play. It makes sense. With the grueling struggle for survival in a rag-tag fleet, the Colonials have to have some sort of entertainment to take their minds off their plight.

As with most episodes, the performances are all top-notch. Richard Hatch plays his end perfectly, carefully balancing Apollo's distrust of Iblis and his caring for Sheba. Dirk Benedict adds a whole new dimension to Starbuck. His rage and grief over the death of Apollo (especially when he attempts to shoot Iblis) stand out as some of Starbuck's most memorable moments of the entire series. Anne Lockhart is also great portraying Sheba's slow seduction and manipulation by Count Iblis. Her joy at Apollo's resurrection firmly establishes her inner feelings toward him, and this subplot would come to a stunning head in the final episode. Lorne Greene never falters in his performances, and this is no exception. Greene does a tremendous job portraying a man torn between his desire to find Earth and his distrust of Iblis. One of the best moments has to be during the Triad game. During the game, Adama and Iblis are seated on opposite sides of the court. There are really two battles going on here: the battle between the players on the court, and the battle between Iblis and Adama.

Despite everything, the episode is not completely perfect. Not all the questions are answered (which in itself is not a bad thing), but some of what happens doesn't quite make sense. First of all, why does the Ship of Lights kidnap the viper pilots? We are never given any kind of answer. What makes it more confusing is that by kidnapping the pilots, the Ship of Lights actually aids Iblis because the Colonials look to him for protection. And why does Baltar say that Iblis now no longer holds any power over him after Baltar recognizes Iblis' voice? Perhaps this is supposed to be a clue to understand who Iblis is, but if this is the case, I can't make anything out of it.

There is also the issue of what was inside the crashed ship on the red planet. A popular myth is that the ship is the the Battlestar Pegasus and when Apollo looked inside he saw the body of Commander Cain, but this is false. The original script and the Berkely novelization tell us exactly what is inside the ship: tall, cloven-hoofed horned beings with tails. This is a little hard to make sense of. Are the beings in the ship supposed to be devils? If that is the case, it doesn't really make Iblis appear all that evil for killing them. It could be viewed as another parallel of mythology. After being defeated by heaven, Lucifer and his followers fall into hell. Likewise, Iblis' ship containing his followers (the devils) crashes (falls) to the earth. It's not a perfect allegory, but fascinating nonetheless. (For more on this, see [[War_of_the_Gods,_Part_II#The_Mystery_of_the_Crashed_Ship|The Mystery of the Crashed Ship]])

I'm not trying to pick the episode apart with these various criticisms. Actually, the story works much better with its mystery and ambiguity rather than easy, clear-cut answers. One of the problems with television these days is that shows rarely challenge the viewer to think; instead, most shows sacrifice ambiguity and insist on spelling everything out as simply and clearly as possible. The mystery of Count Iblis is really what makes ''War Of The Gods'' so special and one of the most famous and highly debated of all the Galactica episodes. I'm glad that we are not given the answer to who Iblis is because the only way a mystery can retain its power is as long as it remains unsolved. Why do you think the great magicians never reveal how they do their tricks? If you are looking for a great movie example of this, then I suggest you check out Peter Weir's ''Picnic At Hanging Rock''.

Finally, one of the best things about this episode is that it provides us the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba!

===[[The Man With Nine Lives]]===

'''Rating: Four out of five stars'''

This episode is the only one that offers a significant look at the people of the fleet. Fred Astaire puts in an enjoyable performance as the rogue con-man Chameleon. The Borellian Nomen are interesting new adversaries for the Colonial Warriors, although they seem to be based on a Hollywood and societal stereotype of American Indians (Unfortunately, we are told very little of their origins). One of the best episodes in terms of characterization.

This episode pretty much makes it clear that Cassiopeia is THE ONE for Starbuck, thanks to Starbuck telling Chameleon that she's the only one he's ever considered sealing with (although that actually isn't true; he did almost propose to Athena in the pilot episode).

Don Bellisario was unable to think of a suitable name for the villains. In an after-work bull session, story editor Jim Carlson casually remarked something to the effect of, "It’s too bad they’re not from an ice planet, you could call them Snomen." Bellisario replied, "There’s no snow where these guys are gonna be!" Carlson answered, "Then call then Nomen."

This episode proves that great stories don't require huge explosions and fancy special effects. Unfortunately, the rushed production of the show made episodes like The Man With Nine Lives the exception rather than the rule.

=== [[Murder on the Rising Star]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Murder She Wrote in outer space??? This story had little point being part of a show like Battlestar Galactica. This is the kind of story that is done on almost every science fiction series when the writers are out of ideas. There is very little in the way of drama because the viewer knows the hero is innocent and will be cleared. This story tries to give the impression that Starbuck might be guilty (we don't get to see who shoots Ortega, Starbuck is shown running from the scene, plus Starbuck's anxiousness in the shuttle bay makes him appear guilty), but only the most gullible of viewers would fall for this. The story would be more forgivable if we learned some new insights about the characters or the fleet, but what do we learn? What is the point? Is it that the Colonial system of law is virtually identical to the U.S. system? (which is hardly believeable) Or that Adama has to spend time hearing court cases? (Not too believable either considering the incredibly burdensome task he has of commanding the fleet) Or is it that playing triad is more dangerous than anybody thought? What is the point of this episode except to fill an hour's worth of time???

This is the fourth episode that features Starbuck. While Dirk Benedict certainly plays a wonderful character, it would have been nice to have featured some of the lesser used cast members (Tigh, Boomer, Athena, Sheba).

One thing really stands out: It is absurd how little time Apollo is given to prepare a case for Starbuck's defense. He only has 10 centares, and the script for this episode has a key that states a centar is an hour. Only 10 hours to prepare for a murder trial??? Give me a break!

This story could have been done differently to make it more poignant. What if Apollo was unable to conclusively prove who killed Ortega, and Adama intervenes, using his power as commander to have Starbuck set free. It would raise the question of whether Adama was abusing his power. Even then, considering the fleet must be depleted when it comes to seasoned viper pilots, it could be argued that the fleet needed Starbuck as a warrior. It would have been an interesting moral issue, something Battlestar Galactica rarely had. I also think the story would have been more interesting if we were left with some doubt as to whether Starbuck killed Ortega (in self-defense, of course).

An interesting note: Karibdis appears early on in the story, serving drinks to Adama and Tigh while they watch the Triad game. This is an often-used writing device. You have the murderer/villain appear early in the story, sometimes at the very beginning, in what appears to be a minor or trivial role. This often fools the audience, as they rarely expect such a character to be revealed so quickly. This was also done on the miniseries for the new Galactica, when one of the human Cylons is leading a tour of the Galactica during the opening credits. If you want to get good at solving TV/movie mysteries, pay attention to the minor characters that appear early in the story.

Overall, the murder mystery itself isn't half bad, and there are fine all-around performances from the cast to make this watchable. In a way, it makes the episode more disappointing to have such great talent squandered on such a by-the-numbers story. But everyone holds up their end well, especially Dirk Benedict and Laurette Spang in their scene inside the brig. It's nice the writers found a way to bring Baltar into the story, and John Colicos still makes a great villain. The flashback of the destruction of Caprica is also well-done. There were certainly many crimes committed during the evacuation, and it illustrates that Battlestar Galactica was brimming with potentially interesting stories to explore, which again only makes this episode more of a letdown.

That said, it's important to realize that writers Jim Carlson and Terrence McDonnell were forced to write this episode in 36 hours straight. Considering what a rushjob this script was, it's amazing it turned out as well as it did. This is one instance where it might be better to see the glass as half-full rather than half-empty.

===[[Greetings from Earth]]===

'''RATING: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Greetings From Earth just doesn't measure up with the other two-hour episodes. The story makes for a passable first hour but quickly takes a nosedive in the second. Glen Larson's attempt at comedy falls horribly flat. Hector, Vector and the kids quickly wear out their welcome (A premonition of Galactica 1980?). The Eastern Alliance is introduced as a new adversary, but they are little more than cardboard Nazis with zero charisma (at least the Cylons looked cool). Another problem is that their primitive technology takes a lot of steam out of their threat. Unfortunately, the Eastern Alliance is never utilized to the fullest. A space battle between vipers and Eastern Alliance destroyers would have been fantastic, but the time and money needed to do such a complex battle scene made it impossible. Also, Apollo becomes a bit overbearing with his "Do The Right Thing" attitude in the first half (What's also annoying is that Apollo's dialogue in the first half is badly redubbed, apparently to make his voice louder).

What makes the first hour so interesting is that the Colonials are faced with a perplexing moral issue (a rarity, for sure). Do they allow the humans to leave, or force them to remain at least until more information is learned? There are actually opposing opinions within the Colonial military, at least for awhile. Apollo's view quickly wins out, though. The Council of Twelve is portrayed as being incredibly selfish and uncaring, but it could be argued they were right. It was possibly life or death for the Colonials to learn about the human race that awaited them. Certainly the humans could have been revived long enough for the Colonials to get the necessary information out of them. Apollo's plan to let the ship go had a good chance of failing. How could he be certain enough that they wouldn't get lost, or wind up so far away that they'd never be able to make it back to the fleet?

When you think about it, why don't Starbuck, Apollo and Cassiopea have super powers when they are in Paradeen's weaker gravity just as the Super Scouts do when they are in Earth's weaker gravity on Galactica 1980? Wouldn't it have been fun to see Starbuck, Apollo, and Cassiopea bouncing up and down and jumping into trees?

Unlike the other two-parters, this one ends with a whimper instead of a bang as Starbuck and Apollo's capture of the Enforcers is about as anti-climatic as you can get. This script really comes across as being rushed, which was probably the case. Overall, Greetings From Earth is yet another episode that failed to reach its potential due to the constrainments of a weekly series.

=== [[Experiment in Terra]] ===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

Experiment In Terra initially comes across as a superb episode, but under close inspection the story unfortunately has serious flaws. The Ship of Lights recruiting Apollo to help Terra is a cool idea, but their reasoning as to why they need to use a mortal human doesn't hold up. John says that the people of Terra can't see the "Guardians" (my own name for them) outside the confines of their ship. And yet on Terra, John makes himself visible to Starbuck by merely touching him. Even more problematic, Apollo's mission never makes sense. The Guardians know that the Eastern Alliance is going to launch a missile attack, so the master plan is to have Apollo tell the "west side" that the Eastern Alliance has been attacking them? Um, okay, but even if Apollo succeeds, how will this stop the Eastern Alliance from launching their missiles? Why not just have Apollo tell the Galactica to travel to Terra and destroy the missile attack? The answer, of course, is that there wouldn't be much of a story.

Sadly, there are many other flaws. Apollo says he can't reach Terra because the distance is too great, so he is "teleported" right in front of the planet. So how is it that Starbuck is able to eventually reach the planet on his own? Logically, he wouldn't have had enough fuel. Adama's decision to pull the Galactica out of the fleet is more out of whack than it may first appear. He didn't do that in earlier episodes when Starbuck or Apollo were crashed/stranded. This time Adama doesn't even know who the two pilots are, and yet he pulls the Galactica out of the fleet.

Even more ludicrous is the idea that the Galactica travels to Terra at light speed (and not just because it is scientifically implausible). If the Galactica was traveling to Terra at the speed of light, they should have reached Terra almost instantly (in fact, they probably could have found Earth during the pilot episode!) And how is it that the Galactica was able to travel to Terra unmolested? Surely there would be Eastern Alliance destroyers patrolling the area around the planet. And how does the Eastern Alliance not know that the Galactica was responsible for destroying their missiles? Surely the Galactica would have been picked up on their scanners.

Also, the West President's reasoning for withholding knowledge of the Eastern Alliance's attacks is questionable. Why does he think he can make peace with the Eastern Alliance if they are constantly attacking him? And if the Eastern Alliance has wiped out all of the West's satellite planets, how could the President possibly prevent word of this from leaking out? It's not realistic at all. Plus, the idea that the Eastern Alliance would be willing to destroy the entire planet (at least half of which they own) is pretty ridiculous. Okay, they ARE Bad Guys, but what's the point of destroying most of their empire when they were already winning the war?

With such a long list of problems, you would think that this is a terrible episode. Amazingly, this isn't the case. In fact, Experiment In Terra still ranks as one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica. Seeing the Ship of Lights again is a treat, and Edward Mulhare is delightful as John, Apollo's guide. This episode is another example where the great production values and strong performances from the actors are able to overcome the plot inconsistencies. What makes Experiment In Terra work so well is that its plot holes aren't immediately noticeable. I didn't realize how many there were until I sat down and really thought about it. Apollo's mission to save Terra, as pointless as it winds up being, is still extremely engrossing. Apollo's speech to the Precidium is very dramatic and moving, even though (as we've already said) everything Apollo does on Terra turns out to be a waste of time since nothing he does has any chance of preventing the Eastern Alliance from launching its missiles.

This episode is extra fun to watch if you're aware that the script was originally written with the roles of Starbuck and Apollo reversed. After Richard Hatch complained that his character was getting the shaft, the script was quickly rewritten with the dialogue mostly remaining the same, resulting in Apollo talking suspiciously like Starbuck. At one point, Apollo says "Felgercarb" for the first time ever!

The ending scene is touching, as John tells Apollo that Terra is not Earth but "You must have faith." Many Galactica fans have interpreted this to mean that Apollo would successfully complete the journey to Earth.

Here are some humorous notes from British writer Matthew Wharmby:

* I'm sorry, but I thought the final scene was tremendously weak. All that buildup to a good scrap, heart-stopping music included, let down with a pathetic green shield spat out of the front of the Galactica. And from a terrible angle made necessary by two separately matted halves; one of Earth and one of the Galactica's underside. And you don't mean to tell me that the Galactica could extend such a shield over the whole planet? If so, why couldn't she have performed the same thing over Caprica in the pilot, and let the attacking Cylon fighters blow themselves up in it?
* Nobody seems too panicked about the impending nuclear annihilation! I don't know about you, but when us kids growing up in the late Cold War used to speculate nervously about the four-minute warning, the usual consensus was that we'd be doing, well, what it takes four minutes to do. 'You can do it twice,' the girls would quip.
* I'm not mad keen on Brenda's attitude. If every girl who had boyfriend trouble called the Old Bill on such a weak pretext, there wouldn't be a bloke alive out of prison!

=== [[Take the Celestra]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five'''

This is probably the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. A lot of people will probably disagree, but I have to go with this choice simply because I found this episode to be incredibly boring. The Magnificent Warriors and The Lost Warrior were also really bad (and they were certainly more simplistic), but they were never really boring. A story focusing on the hardships of voyaging on the rag tag fleet is a great idea, but this episode takes one self-destructive turn after another and may be the best example of a wasted opportunity for the series. Many of BG's bad episodes were somewhat saved by wonderful performances from the actors, but there is nothing here that stands out (although the Starbuck/Cassiopea reconciliation at the end is a nice moment). Starbuck and Apollo actually look stale. This is one of the few times that neither Richard Hatch nor Dirk Benedict are able to rise above the mediocre writing. Commander Kronus is incredibly boring - a static, stale character with little depth. Because it's hard to care about the character, it's hard to feel anything during the "dramatic" finish when Kronus dies. Given the moronic decisions he makes, I felt like saying "Good riddance." On the other hand, Ana Alicia suceeds in making Aurora interesting, but she is mostly wasted in this episode. Unfortunately, her boyfriend is more boring than Kronus, and I just wanted him to shut up. Despite these issues, the main problem with Take The Celestra lies in the script itself.

One of the biggest (yet least noted) flaws of Battlestar Galactica was the way it portrayed life in the rag-tag fleet. Day-to-day existence on a fleet of mostly derelict ships would no doubt be a grueling struggle for survival. Yet the series rarely ever indicated this. Most scenes with civilians consisted of parties, gambling, and triad games aboard the Rising Star! (hardly the most accurate look we could have been given) Take The Celestra was the perfect vehicle to change this, but unfortunately the writers took the easy way out. Aurora and the other mutineers were "illegally forced" to work so many double shifts. This makes the issue of right and wrong very easy to determine, but consider another direction the writers could have taken.

What if the harsh working conditions existed throughout the entire fleet? (and, logically, they should have) What if Aurora and the others were not working harder than anyone else and simply decided they had had enough? Would they be morally right in trying to escape the fleet (considering that the loss of manpower would likely hurt the remaining Colonials)? Apollo, Starbuck and the rest of the military are always talking about the importance of freedom. Apollo talks about it strongly in his speech to the Precedium in Experiment In Terra. When Starbuck tries to convince the prisoners to rebel in The Long Patrol, he says "You have rights. You're human beings!" When they finally escape, he says, "That's freedom." An interesting idea to explore is how free the Colonials actually were. Surely many of them wanted to settle on some of the planets the fleet passed by. If Adama refused their wishes, he would technically be restricting their freedom. Unfortunately, this kind of story is problematic because the extent of Adama's power is never clear; in fact, it varies from episode to episode (depending whatever works best for the story that week). But this kind of story would have made it a tough call as to whether Aurora and her friends were right and whether Starbuck and Apollo were totally justified in stopping them.

Anyway, that's the episode I would have liked to see, or anything other than what we did see, the most boring Galactica episode to date. The story is riddled with holes, outdone perhaps only by Experiment In Terra. Whereas that story's flaws are not immediately noticeable, most of this story's flaws are. Commander Kronus' decision to immediately shuttle the prisoners back to the fleet despite being so far away doesn't make much sense. His accompanying the shuttle makes even less sense. Colonial law states that a commander has to personally take the mutineers in for charges? Huh? Even when his ship is out in the middle of nowhere? Okay. Whatever. Kronus should have waited until the Celestra rejoined the fleet. His decision makes him look like an idiot.

How is it that Chakka is able to get almost the entire crew to mutiny with him on a whim? He couldn't have been planning mutiny beforehand because he had expected to become commander of the Celestra. And if the entire crew wasn't with him in the mutiny, then how could he have expected to get away with powering down the ship? And could Starbuck and Apollo both be so clueless that they wouldn't be able to remember which heading the fleet was on? And how does the shuttle run out of fuel so fast? And how is it that Kronus could not have known or heard about any of the harsh working conditions? The Celestra isn't that big of a ship. Are we to believe that he never left the bridge? To top it off, why is there such an urgent need in the final battle scene to "level out" the Celestra? It's not as though there were any ships or planets around that it could crash into. Almost nothing in this episode makes any sense.

The minor plot of Cassiopeia agonizing over Starbuck's evasiveness in their relationship is far more compelling than the main plot of the Celestra mutiny. But even the Starbuck/Aurora plot has problems. For one thing, the writers have Starbuck act like a total jerk by skipping his date with Cassie so he can see Aurora. Why would Cassie put up with that? And how is it that Starbuck had a serious relationship with Aurora going during the time of the Destruction? Didn't he clearly have something going with Athena back then? (If there's anything worse than the writers making things up as they go, it's when they unmake things up as they go.)

Anyway, this only makes Starbuck look like a bigger womanizer than anyone thought (not exactly the best way to endear him to viewers). Aurora makes a valid point in her anger towards him. If Starbuck really did care about her, why didn't he check to see if her name was in the fleet computer? Just because her house was destroyed doesn't mean for certain that she was killed. It's also highly questionable that Starbuck ever made it back to Caprica after the Cylons attacked. We've never been given any indication that anyone besides Adama and Apollo ever went back. Considering how dangerous it would have been (not to mention how strong a chance that someone might have led the Cylons back to the Galactica), it's absolutely ludicrous to suggest Adama would have allowed anyone to return to the planet.

I almost want to pretend that this episode was just a bad dream. Fortunately, the very next episode would raise the roof.

===[[The Hand of God]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five.'''

They saved the best for last. ''The Hand Of God'' is arguably the best episode of Battlestar Galactica, and my personal favorite.

No doubt about it, ''The Hand of God'' is Galactica at its best. Donald Bellisario shows the other writers how it's done, pulling out all the stops with this one. Both the script and the performances are stellar. Never before have the characters been portrayed in such a powerful way. Although there is nothing innovative about the basic plot itself (The Galactica battles the Cylons again), there are enough things going on that make this story extremely engrossing.

This episode is fascinating from start to finish. Visually, it is a treat as we get to see the inside of a Cylon basestar's landing bay for the first time. We also get to see Cylon Centurions boarding their ships for the first time. And the Celestial Observation Dome is a marvel, as is Apollo's analogy that being inside it is like riding in the Hand of God.

What makes this story especially memorable is the culmination of a story thread that has been running since ''War of the Gods''. In that episode, we see the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba. Nothing happens in the other episodes following, although Anne Lockhart does a good job showing, in a subtle way, Sheba's emerging feelings for Apollo.

Kudos go to both Anne Lockhart and Laurette Spang for winning performances. Sheba's confrontation with Apollo and their kiss inside the Cylon raider is the best scene of the episode. That and Cassiopeia's argument with Starbuck in the landing bay are both incredibly moving, providing each actress with her stand-out moment of the series. It really gives the viewer a chance to appreciate the range of Anne and Laurette. Women on this show were usually stuck in the background; this episode placed demands on each actress they rarely had to face. Give each one credit for not dropping the ball. Fortunately, they are both aided by outstanding dialogue from Bellisario. Of course, Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, and Herbert Jefferson, Jr. hold up their end as well. Starbuck, Apollo, and Boomer clasping hands in the pilots barracks (with the accompanying music score) powerfully expresses the bond of their friendship more than words ever could.

Extra congratulations go to Donald Bellisario who also directed this episode. His use of slow motion twice during Starbuck and Apollo's battles with Cylon Centurions make the scenes much more intense and suspenseful. Let's face it. Thanks to ABC's family-friendly censors, the Cylons often looked like a joke (Remember ''The Young Lords'' when Starbuck and five children wiped out an entire Cylon garrison?). If Starbuck and Apollo's shootout scenes had been shown in real time, there would have been little (if any) impact.

Another reason ''The Hand of God'' works so well is because the Cylons were not featured in the previous seven or eight episodes. Glen Larson wisely saw that the constant reusing of the same space battle footage was hurting the stories and thus moved the Cylons into the background after ''Fire In Space''. So much time has passed since then that the Cylons seem revitalized. There's nothing spectacular about the dogfight between the vipers and raiders or the slugfest between the Galactica and the Cylon basestar (since it's the same footage seen in previous episodes), but the story is compelling enough that it all still works.

If there is one flaw with this story, it is the idea that Adama would attack a Cylon basestar and risk the fate of the entire human race just for the sake of wreaking some vengeance. This is the same man who told Commander Cain, "I'm not interested in military victories. I'm interested in saving lives. What few of them are left." It would have worked better to have a scenario where the Galactica simply could not backtrack and thus was forced to attack the Cylons. Still, it is a minor flaw in an overall outstanding script.

It is extremely frustrating that we never see a follow-up to Apollo and Sheba's relationship since this was the final episode. For fans who would like to see some kind of continuation, there are some fan fiction stories that I highly recommend. There is a short story called ''My Father's Daughter'' which takes place immediately following the events of ''The Hand of God'' and is quite simply the best Sheba story I have ever read. Three other novels, ''Second Coming'', ''Joint Maneuvers'', and ''The Race For Earth'' also explore Apollo and Sheba's relationship and are outstanding. These stories are all available free online at a site I own called [http://freegalacticafanfictionnovels.weebly.com Free Battlestar Galactica Fan Fiction Novels].

Many fans were and still are saddened that the original show ended so soon. Personally, I'm at peace with it. If the show had to end, ''The Hand of God'' may have been the best way to close the curtain. After reading Glen Larson's [[Battlestar_Galactica:_Year_Two_proposal|Season Two proposal]], all I can say is, "Thank god the show ended when it did!" It appears that, if there had been a second season, half the cast would have been cut in order to save money, Sheba would have been killed off, Commander Cain would have returned as a Cylon android, and Apollo would have shirked his responsibilities and started partying and messing around with numerous women. Ugh!!!

I think I can accept Battlestar Galactica for what it was, always remembering that the light that shines twice as bright only burns half as long.

== Galactica 1980 Episode Reviews ==

=== [[Galactica Discovers Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

Galactica Discovers Earth turns out to be a watchable pilot, but watchable is about all. From the very first episode, Galactica 1980 is clearly nothing more than an attempt by ABC to cash in on the Galactica name by creating a cheap show that simply reuses the expensive special effects stock footage from the original series. The later episodes would only reinforce this. Kent McCord (Troy) and Barry Van Dyke (Dillon) come off as inferior clones of Starbuck and Apollo. In fact, the script for the pilot was originally written for Starbuck and Apollo. When those plans changed, the names were simply switched to Troy and Dillon. Jamie Hamilton comes off as a carbon copy of Lois Lane. Unfortunately, we are never given any backstory to any of these characters.

This may be the only pilot in television history in which the premise changes in the middle of the episode! At first it's about advancing Earth's technology in order to fight the Cylons. Then it suddenly changes and is about capturing a time-traveling villain. It's really bizarre. Anyway, the time travel journey to Nazi Germany is never particularly interesting, partly because Xaviar just isn't that compelling of a villain, but mostly because this is NOT Battlestar Galactica.

The idea of the Galactica having to protect a primitive Earth from the Cylons is actually a compelling premise, but the problem is that Dr. Zee's plan to slowly increase Earth's technology is flawed. At the rate in which the Colonials were going, it probably would have taken at least decades to get Earth's technology increased enough to be able to fight the Cylons. Long before then, the Cylons would probably tire of waiting and decide to just destroy the Colonial fleet. Even if the Cylons didn't attack, how far could the Galactica lead the Cylons away from Earth before they (the Colonials) were too far away from the planet to ever go back there? It probably would have been smarter to temporarily abandon Earth and lead the Cylons away until Dr. Zee could invent some technology that would allow the Colonials to destroy the Cylon armada. (Actually, since Colonial Vipers can now turn invisible, it should have been fairly easy for the Colonials to launch a surprise attack on the Cylons and defeat them once and for all!)

The problem with the original premise of Galactica 1980 is that it would have eventually become tiresome: Troy and Dillon each week would find a way to introduce some new technology (clean nuclear power, etc.) which would make some small improvement, but do little to bring Earth up to the level it would need be to fight the Cylons. As a result, the series could never evolve to the next level (i.e. Earth is ready to fight the Cylons), because the series' budget was too small for any kind of "final battle". As a result, Galactica 1980 was stuck in a rut from the get-go. It tried to distract viewers from the main plot (the Cylon threat) with time travel and cub scout outings because there was little that could be done with the original premise. It might have worked well as a single movie or perhaps a series of movies, but it's unlikely that Galactica 1980 could have ever jelled as a weekly series.

The show looks second-rate. For example, take the opening sequence. This has to be one of the worst opening sequences in television history. It's nothing but a series of stock footage shots from the original show haphazardly thrown together. Even the rendition of the Galactica theme seems inferior to the one we heard on the original show.

That said, there is some nice chemistry between the trio of Troy, Dillon and Jamie. There's one particularly touching scene in part 3 when Jamie says goodbye to Troy and Dillon at the bus stop. But whatever positives the actors had would not be enough to overcome a number of self-destructive turns that would begin with the very next episode.

=== [[The Super Scouts]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Super Scouts arrive, and Galactica 1980 plummets into an abyss it would not survive. In the beginning, we're forced to endure a series of boring classroom educational lessons. Things get even worse when the intergalactic 'Our Gang' reaches Earth. We get ultra-cute campfire songs and even more educational lessons shoved down are throats. The original series had flaws, but at least it never insulted its viewers with sitcom humor or by getting into preachy moral issues. Galactica 1980 gives us an ultra-simplistic environmental message of "Don't pollute the water," and does so with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

One could make the case that Galactica 1980 is a great tool for writers to learn how NOT to write drama. One key is to create powerful villains and put the heroes in situations that are difficult to deal with. But all of the villains in Galactica 1980 are weak. The Colonials have so many advantages over the people of Earth - spaceships, super powers, invisibility fields - that they are essentially invincible, thus robbing the series of any possible drama. In Galactica 1980, there are no worthy villains. The bumbling cops and incompetent military personnel never have a prayer of apprehending Troy and Dillon, so there's no suspense. And it's certainly not funny to watch Earthlings constantly being confounded by extra-terrestrials. Yet that is what we're forced to endure again and again throughout the entire series.

=== [[Spaceball]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

This is crap. Spaceball is the worst, most hated episode of Galactica 1980. It's silly, stupid, and just plain dumb. Little kids playing baseball??? This is Battlestar Galactica??? Spaceball may be the most inconsequential hour of science fiction ever made. It's nothing less than an insult to the original series that this bionic version of ''The Bad News Bears'' was shot under the Galactica name.

=== [[The Night The Cylons Landed]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five (Poor)'''

The Night The Cylons Landed is the best episode since the pilot. Of course, this isn't saying much, since watching a blank screen would have been almost as entertaining as the previous two episodes. Anyway, the Super Scouts are finally relegated to the background. This expands on the storyline involving the evolution of the Cylons over the 30 years since the destruction of the Colonies. A new, bigger, and more powerful Cylon raider carrying a newly advanced Cylon lifeform crashlands on Earth. Two surviving Cylons attempt to communicate with the Cylon armada to tell them of Earth's location. This is a cool idea, but the execution is terrible. We are treated to so much silliness, culminating with Troy and Dillon dancing on stage with cartoon characters like Yogi Bear! There are other problems. The more powerful, heavily armored Cylon raider is crippled after the punier viper rams into it??? The viper certainly doesn't hit it very hard. If the Cylons were a joke in the original series, then in Galactica 1980 they are a laughing stock. Andromus, the evolved Cylon clone of a human, certainly doesn't look or act very advanced. Centuri, his Centurion buddy, comes across as being even sillier with his constant banter of "I will protect you. That is my mission." This is the monstrous, all-powerful race which threatens the Earth's destruction and that the Colonials are so concerned about??? The two Cylons provide some funny moments, but it can't make up for the letdown of a plot that had so much potential.

With this episode, Galactica 1980 provides yet another example of how NOT to write drama. Conventional storytelling says that when you have a character trying to solve a mystery, you want the audience to move along at the same pace as the character. If the audience knows more than the character does, they find themselves simply waiting for the character to catch up, which is boring. Unfortunately, Galactica 1980 violates this basic rule of storytelling as we're forced to endure Colonel Briggs's investigation of the aliens. We know everything, he knows nothing, and thus there is nothing even remotely interesting about the subplot.

=== [[Space Croppers]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Space Croppers starts out interesting, but quickly takes an abrupt nosedive into looney land. The plot parallels that of [[The Magnificent Warriors]]. Due to the destruction of the fleet's agroships by a Cylon attack, another source of food supply must be found. The Magnificent Warriors was a terrible episode, so it must be considered quite a feat that Space Croppers turns out to be even worse.

The plight of the Alonso family to save their farm never becomes the least bit interesting. Even worse are the 'educational beats' that bring the story to a grinding halt: a lecture about Hispanic history, the soil requirements for planting legumes, and how rainfull is produced. This is beyond bad. It's unwatchable.

If Dr. Zee is such a genius, why doesn't it ever occur to him to use Galactican technology to create money so the Colonials can simply buy the food that they need? I guess such a simple solution would have made this story pointless.

Furthermore, the Imperious Leader's plan to force the Galactica to lead the Cylons to Earth makes no sense. How could Imperious Leader know that Earth was nearby? And if he did know, why not just destroy the Colonial fleet and conduct a search of the nearby planets? Did anything on this series make sense? Was anything supposed to?

Last, and certainly least, Troy and Dillon bouncing high in the air and throwing seeds while the Super Scouts sing their song is hands down the most ludicrous thing ever shown on Galactica 1980, and that's saying something.

=== [[The Return of Starbuck]] ===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five (Outstanding)'''

This is undeniably the best and most popular episode of Galactica 1980. It is even better than most of the episodes of Battlestar Galactica. What is there not to love about this episode? There are so many outstanding scenes: Adama's chilling reaction to Dr. Zee's mention of Starbuck; Boomer's heartwrenching goodbye to Starbuck, Adama explaining to Boomer that they can't go back to find him; Adama saying his farewell to Starbuck; Starbuck's rationalizations about how the planet belongs to him; Angela's words, "Starbuck, would you die for me?"; Starbuck sacrificing his chance to return to the fleet to give Angela and her baby a better chance; Starbuck's goodbye to Cy. The list goes on. Best of all, we see growth in Starbuck's character! A true classic to be treasured for all time by Galactica fans.

This episode is based on an earlier script written for the second season of Battlestar Galactica that never happened. The main differences are that a regular woman appears (not Angela), and Starbuck is eventually rescued by Boomer. The only thing believed to have been taken intact from the early script is Starbuck's dialogue with Cy. While that would no doubt have been a tremendous episode, it still would not have come close to being as great as this one is. The reason why is very simple. One of the problems with creating dramatic and suspenseful stories in any weekly series is that the viewer knows the hero will ultimately prevail. For example, when Starbuck is accused of murder in [[Murder on the Rising Star]], there is little in terms of suspense because it is a foregone conclusion that Starbuck will be vindicated, just as it is a forgone conclusion that Starbuck isn't going to die in [[The Young Lords]] when he is hunted by the Cylons on the planet Attila. In the beginning of The Return Of Starbuck, it is quickly established that Adama doesn't know what happened to Starbuck and that Starbuck never returned from the mission where he was shot down. As a result, in what is most unusual for any action/adventure television story, the viewer sits through the entire episode knowing that Starbuck isn't going to make it!

This makes the story much more gripping and intense than virtually any other episode of either series. The grim reality of Starbuck's eventual fate is all reinforced by Angela's question "Starbuck, will you die for me?" and her warnings of disaster, telling him that he must prepare to make "the final judgement." Of course, we do not actually see Starbuck die at the end of the story. Larson leaves Starbuck's fate ambiguous, especially since an intact Cylon raider is left nearby. Having Starbuck die would have been a gutsy and innovative move, but the ending shown is really for the best. The beauty of the ending is that it lets the viewers make their own interpretation of Starbuck's fate. If one goes with the idea that a single person alone cannot fly a Cylon raider, then Starbuck could have easily died on the planet. Many fans don't consider Galactica 1980 to be canon for the original series, except for this episode. With the interpretation that Galactica 1980 didn't happen, Starbuck could possibly have flown the Cylon raider back to the fleet, returning to Apollo, Adama, Sheba, and the other original characters. Much Galactica fan fiction over the years has interpreted the episode in this manner.

Despite having a small role, Lorne Greene gives what may be his best performance ever as Commander Adama. The look on his face when he asks Dr. Zee to tell him his dream is worth a thousand words. His farewell to Starbuck, saying that he loves him, is also incredibly powerful. A wonderful performance!

In conclusion, ''The Return of Starbuck'' is an incredible ending to the series and a worthy finish to the Battlestar Galactica saga overall. ''Galactica 1980'' was crap, but it sure went out with a bang.

== Galactica Comics ==

=== [[Galactica 1980 1|Galactica 1980 comic series]] ===

'''RATING: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Comic adaptations of television shows are often very good because the writers are free from the usual constraints that a television show faces: limited budgets, censors, and network meddling in the storylines. Unfortunately, this is a double-edged sword, as the comic book writers' unlimited freedom sometimes allows the story to go flying off the rails.

Such is the case with the Galactica 1980 comic series, a cool idea that feels like a missed opportunity. First, the comic does a number of things right. It delivers a ''War of the Worlds'' type story involving the Colonials and Cylons battling over Earth. It even makes Dr. Zee a villian, a great move considering that Zee is hands down the most hated character in the entire Galactica universe. Unfortunately, writer Marc Guggenheim decides to go for shock value. In the first issue, we learn that Troy is a drunk and Adama is suicidal. Personally, I found this ugly and disturbing.

Even worse is the end of issue #1 when the Galactica is destroyed by nukes. Again, it feels like the writer is just trying to hit us with one shocking surprise after another. Surprises can be great fun, but I get annoyed when they lack logic as this one does. Why would Adama be so stupid as to fly the Galactica directly over the White House without first sending a message and waiting to see what the response would be? This just makes no sense.

And I just didn't like seeing the Galactica destroyed. After all, this ''is'' Galactica 1980, so therefore the Galactica should be in it. If the Galactica had to be destroyed, it should have happened in the final issue (#4), not the first.

I also had a big problem with Dillon being killed off in issue #2. Troy and Dillon were the heroes of Galactica 1980, and I just don't think that either should have been killed (at least not less than halfway through the story). I was also disappointed that Jamie Hamilton was given nothing more than a cameo appearance in issue #4. Given that she was one of the main characters on the original show, she should have had a larger role in the story.

In the end, I wish Guggenheim had written a story that might have been done on television if not for the limited budget and children's hour restrictions that ultimately crippled the series. The ''War of the Worlds'' premise was perfect for Galactica 1980, but in this case the execution fell short.

== The Galactica Telemovies ==

=== [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

The opening sequence is outstanding, although it mostly uses footage from the original series. It has a truly epic feel, and it gives the impression that we will see a grand conclusion to the Battlestar Galactica saga. Sadly, this does not happen. Still, Adama's opening declaration that Earth has been found is also magnificent, much better done than it was in the original episode. By removing the time-travel subplot as well as much of the silliness including Troy and Dillon dancing on stage, the whole is better than any of the original Galactica 1980 episodes it is composed of. Yet this hardly makes ''Conquest of the Earth'' a great movie. The opening minutes rate five stars, yet starting with the first appearance of Dr. Zee (who bizarrely speaks with two different voices), the rest of the movie rates much lower.

=== [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack (VHS)|Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

This movie is less entertaining than the individual episodes it is composed of (The Living Legend and Fire In Space). The separate episodes don't mesh together seamlessly, resulting in several plot holes and odd hairstyle changes between scenes. The movie especially suffers because many great scenes from The Living Legend episode are missing. All scenes and dialogue relating to Starbuck's relationship with Cassiopeia are cut, which only makes the Cain/Cassiopeia subplot less interesting. The battle scenes are a little more elaborate because additional stock footage is used, but that's not enough to overcome the movie's deficiencies. A different sound effect is used for the engines of the Cylon raiders that's a little jarring for anyone who is a die-hard fan of the original show.

Bottom line, this movie is only recommended for curiosity's sake.

== Berkley Books ==
=== [[Saga of a Star World (Book)|Saga of a Star World]] ===
'''Flagship of the 12 Worlds fleet, she was as large as a planet, yet as swift as the Starhound fighters she launched from her bays. For generations the vast ship led the thousand-year war against the Cylons for control of the known Galaxy. Now that war was in its final phase, and Galactica had one final mission, win or lose: blast through the deadly grid of the Cylon Starfleet and dash for deep space in a desperate attempt to find the legendary "Stonehenge" of the universe - the lost planet the ancient microfilms call "Earth."'''

This is the opening paragraph to the Berkley novelization of the Battlestar Galactica pilot "Saga Of A Star World". This is easily one of the most fascinating Galactica books ever written, and there are a number of things that make it so interesting. First, the book is based on an early script of the pilot and, although changes were made before it came to print to make it more like the version that aired, there are a number of alternate scenes in the book. The Galactica universe is also different in several aspects, such as the Cylons are living aliens underneath their armor instead of total machines. Also, there are missing scenes left out of the final cut of the movie that survived intact in the book (Starbuck's confrontation with Tigh on the bridge after the Colonies are destroyed; Starbuck's extended conversation with Cassie on the shuttle; Adama's resigning from the Council).

Perhaps best of all, certain events are more fleshed out in the novelization than in the movie such as the surprise Cylon attack. The novelization helps to fill a number of gaping plot holes and unanswered questions that the movie was saddled with. Many chapters begin with an entry from the Adama journals, and the reader is able to learn a lot of information and insight from the Galactica's commander.

Many fans are unhappy with the Berkley books, feeling that they don't remain true to the series. I respectfully disagree. First of all, as already mentioned, the novelizations often have extra detail and explanations that help cover up plot holes that existed in the episodes. Second, the fact that the novels portray the BG universe in a slightly different way and that they are not exact retellings of the episodes is good because the books would be pretty boring otherwise. Third, some of the characters such as Athena are fleshed out better in the novels. Make no mistake, this is the best of all the Berkley novelizations and is a must-read for any fan of the original series.

== External Links ==

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/BGEPISODES.htm Battlestar Galactica Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/Wharmby.htm Matthew Wharmby's Hilarious Galactica 1980 Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

User:Galactica1981/Galactica 1981 Reviews

2011-11-26T00:18:57Z

Galactica1981: /* Galactica 1980 comic series */

This is a list of reviews by [[User:Galactica1981]] for various [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]] content. Given to the Battlestar Wiki's policy of [[NPOV|Neutral Point of View]], they are found here rather than their respective articles.

These episode reviews originally appears on the Sheba's Galaxy site. They have been slightly revised.

== TOS Episode Reviews ==

===[[Saga of a Star World]] ===

'''RATING: Four and a half stars out of five'''

There's no question that on the night of September 17, 1978, Battlestar Galactica hit television screens with a bang. Saga Of A Star World is unquestionably the most elaborate televison movie ever made (and least up to that point!) When trying to rate something like this, it's important to examine it in the context of television during that time period. For sure, no sci-fi show of this magnitude had ever been done before in the history of television, and thus it deserves extra points for that alone. There are many great things that can be said about this episode (acting, special effects, music score), but I won't bother repeating what most people are already aware of. In the end, I had to decide against a full five-star rating, mostly because of the unforgivable "Star Wars" ending it was saddled with. The big explosion of the planet Carillon is a blatant ripoff of Star Wars, not to mention ridiculous as well. Setting fire to some tylium mines causes the entire planet to explode? This is ludicrous (although one could argue that destroying the massive Death Star by shooting a tiny exhaust port was equally ludicrous). Surely Glen Larson could have written a better ending than this. Ultimately, this had to reinforce many people's beliefs that Galactica was a second-rate Star Wars. Having a casino with all sorts of alien creatures also seems a little too close to Star Wars for comfort.

As a kid watching the show, I absolutely loved the Cylons because of how cool they looked. My favorite character was Starbuck who I idolized and wanted to be like. The series also had a phenomenal cast with tremendously talented actors (except for Maren Jensen), and it's a shame they were often saddled with substandard scripts. Starbuck and Apollo are wonderful in the lead roles, and they arguably have more chemistry than did Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. And Lorne Greene is superb as in the role of Commander Adama. In the pilot episode, the scene that perhaps stands out the most is the laser battle against the Cylon Centurions on the surface of Carillon, a truly awesome spectacle combined with the looming countdown as the Cylon raiders close in on the Galactica. It terms of the characters, my favorite scene is probably Starbuck's almost proposing to Athena. Finally, the musical score for the series is truly breathtaking, on a similar level as the one for Star Wars.

Of course, there are also some HUMONGOUS plot holes in this story, enough for any critic to tear it to shreds. I'm not going bother writing 5 pages about the plot problems of Saga Of A Star World. Instead, I'll just mention a few points:

The premise of the Colonial fleet seeking Earth, while interesting, is unfortunately flawed because no one (not even Adama) has any idea where it is! Apparently, Adama was the only one who even knew about Earth's existence, although he doesn't seem to have any proof. Thus the Colonial fleet is left to wander aimlessly throughout the universe looking for it. Fortunately, this problem would be addressed in ''War of the Gods'' when the Colonials finally learn the coordinates to Earth.

The Colonials seemed unbelievably gullible and naive regarding the Cylons' offer of peace. After a thousand years of war, you would think they'd have been more careful, but they foolishly leave their home planets undefended. President Adar is incredibly stupid when he sees a thousand Cylon raiders coming towards the fleet and assumes it is a peace envoy.

Apollo gets back to the fleet in time to warn them of the coming Cylon attack, yet he fails to do so. Why? Why does he take an hour to find the bridge?

=== [[Lost Planet of the Gods]]===

'''Rating: Four stars out of five'''

The second half of this two-part episode has the theatrical feel of a movie, while the first half has often been blasted as being sexist. Of course, it is a bit strange that all the female cadets look like lingerie models. Still, I think the claim of sexism is a bit overstated. If you look at women in the U.S. military, they tend to act in supporting roles rather than be on the front lines. I don't know how many female jet pilots are in the U.S. military, but I suspect there aren't many. And I suspect this is due less to discrimination than to the fact that women tend to make different career choices than men (i.e. they tend to choose less hazardous professions). The reasons for there being no female viper pilots on the Galactica were probably along the same lines.

Regardless, the first half of the episode mostly serves as a set-up for the second half. Nothing wrong with that, but it does make the first half far less interesting.

Anyway, the two-part episodes fare better than most of the one-part episodes because Glen Larson would often blow the budget and vastly overspend. There are many fantastic scenes in the second half: Serina proposing to Apollo that they marry immediately; the Star of Kobol appearing in the port window during the wedding ceremony; the light shining off of Adama's medallion inside the tombs of Kobol; the Cylon raiders attacking the surface of Kobol; and, of course, Serina's death scene.

Serina's death is one of the most poignant moments of the entire series. But it came with a high price, as the show arguably suffered without her. And the writing would start to take a turn for the worse with the very next episode.

===[[The Lost Warrior]]===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

After only two episodes, Battlestar Galactica's creative energy has fizzled out. This is the first of the so-called "bottled episodes." These episodes had few if any new special effects, enabling the producers to save money which would later be spent on the bigger, more extravagant "monster episodes." It's understandable that these "bottled" stories were necessary, but this is where rushing the show into production really hurt the series. The writers simply did not have time to create quality scripts. Of course, this would ultimately lead to the decline in ratings.

This kind of episode is tough to review because it's good but wrong. Based on the classic 1953 western film Shane, this actually makes a pretty decent western, but Battlestar Galactica is supposed to be a science fiction series. Sci-fi fans want science fiction, not half-hybrids of other shows (A mistake that Galactica 1980 would repeat). If I want to see a Western, I'd rather watch Bonanza. The only reason this gets two stars is because we get such a strong characterization of Apollo.

Unfortunately, this is not the only space western we would see on Galactica. Cowboys and saloons would return in The Magnificent Warriors. In fact, the very idea that an "old west" town would exist in Battlestar Galactica completely contradicts the Von Daniken premise of the show, that the Colonies and the ancient cultures of Earth (such as Atlantis and Egypt) have the same roots, the same beginnings. It is ludicrous that an Old West society could have any common connection with this. It raises all kinds of questions. The people of Equellis obviously had to arrive on that world by means of spacecraft, so why is the society so primitive? How could they not know of the Cylons since the war has raged for 1,000 years and the average human life-span is 200 years?

Why would Apollo be dumb enough to fly so far away from the fleet that he wouldn't have enough fuel to make it back? This really makes no sense. And why does Apollo promise Bella and Puppis that he will return one day? Why would he ever believe that possible?

Despite the lackluster plot, there are some good moments. Boxey beating Starbuck at Pyramid is funny, and the western style "shoot-out" between Red-Eye and Apollo is very well done. The only weak point is when Red Eye spots Apollo's laser and says, "Uh-oh." This trivalizes a very serious moment for the sake of silly humor. It is difficult to believe that a Cylon would use such a phrase. Ironically, for years I couldn't make out exactly what he was saying. I assumed it was some kind of challenge to Apollo, and it actually added to the power of the moment. You can imagine my dismay when I learned the truth. Also, Puppis gets pretty annoying pretty fast.

===[[The Long Patrol]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

The Long Patrol is lot of a fun and a big improvement over the previous episode. Starbuck's computer companion C.O.R.A is a hoot. There are several funny scenes: Starbuck womanizing Cassiopeia and Athena; Boomer's jab at him before he goes off on the mission; Starbuck finding a fortune in ambrosia only to have it destroyed by the Cylon attack. Adama deciding to change the Galactica's course to keep distance from the Cylons is very well done, revealing how burdensome command of the fleet is and how it forces him to sacrifice his loved ones to protect the rest of humanity.

Maren Jensen (Athena) gets more screen time here than in most of the episodes. The scene with Athena revealing Starbuck's apparent death to Cassiopeia is especially moving, one of Jensen's best scenes of the series. The Athen/Cassiopeia rivalry was compelling and could have been developed in future episodes, but sadly this never happens. This was likely due to Maren Jensen's limitations as an actress which caused the writers to reduce her role.

Could C.O.R.A. have been the inspiration for K.I.T.T., the computerized car on Glen Larson's Knight Rider? Considering the amazing similarities between the two, it would have to be a possibility. Also, Glen Larson has went on record saying that K.I.T.T.'s swerving red eye was inspired by the swerving red eyes of the Cylons. It was sort of his way of keeping the Cylons alive.

The Long Patrol is definitely one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

===[[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero]]===

'''Rating: Three and a half stars out of five'''

This two-part episode is based on the 1961 movie The Guns of Navarone and the 1967 movie The Dirty Dozen. The episode has a theatrical feel to it because, as mentioned before, the two-parters had bigger budgets. Although the story is by-the-numbers, it is very enjoyable because of the fantastic special effects. Still, as good as Gun is, it is easily one of the lesser of the two-parters. While better than Greetings From Earth, Gun falls far short of The Living Legend, Lost Planet Of The Gods, and especially War Of The Gods.

This was actually the second episode filmed. This would explain why Serina and Cassiopea do not appear (Serina and Cassiopea died in the original version of the pilot before the decision was made to bring them back). Baltar and Lucifer's scenes were probably shot much later.

This episode raises a serious question. Considering the staggering number of people who had to be left behind due to lack of ships, why would the Colonials bother to take criminals with them? Perhaps they were already locked in the brig on the Galactica before the Holocaust or they somehow managed to sneak aboard the fleet to be captured later. Or perhaps most of them committed their crimes after joining the rag tag fleet. Considering how overcrowded, starved, and disorganized the fleet was when it was assembled, it is logical that many violent crimes would have occurred. An episode exploring this would have been nice.

The idea that there would not be enough qualified Colonial warriors to go on the mission is hard to believe. And why do Apollo, Starbuck, and Boomer get chosen? They are pilots, and their emphasis is not on ground assault. Logically, the Galactica would have a ground assault team available for these kinds of situations. It is also difficult to believe that Boxey would have found a way to sneak onto the shuttle. At least he and Muffit have an impact on the success of the mission.

In the book ''The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'' by J.W. Rinzler and Ridley Scott, it is revealed that part of George Lucas's anger towards Battlestar Galactica was because of this episode. Lucas planned to feature an ice planet in the sequel to Star Wars, and he felt that Galactica threatened to undercut him by featuring an ice planet on one of their own episodes. Did this fuel his lawsuit that Galactica was infringing on Star Wars? Is so, then Lucas comes off as disingenuous to say the least, for it would be absurd to claim that Galactica was infringing on a movie that hadn't yet been made!

Baltar's legs were crushed in Lost Planet of the Gods, yet in this episode the only evidence of Baltar's injury is a slight limp. Did the Cylons do major reconstructive surgery on his legs? I guess so.

At this point, the constant reusing of the same space battle scenes really starts getting redundant. Still, this remains one of the most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

=== [[The Magnificent Warriors]] ===

'''Rating: One and a half stars out of five'''

Many fans consider this to be the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. While I don't agree, I think it comes pretty close. The story is, quite frankly, terrible. We are again subjected to yet another old-western style shanty town? Once was enough! The Borays are disgusting and sound awful. The only redeeming moment is when Adama and company discover Starbuck at the gambling table. It's rather funny.

Siress Bellaby is hands down the most annoying character to ever appear on Battlestar Galactica. Most viewers probably couldn't understand why the Colonial Warriors didn't simply let the Borays kill her.

On a positive note, we are shown Lorne Greene's impressive range as an actor. It's interesting to see a comical Adama, a nice contrast to the serious commander that we usually see. Unfortunately, Greene is forced to play against Brett Somers (Siress Bellaby). Somers isn't funny; she's annoying, and it kills most of the comedy that is presented.

The premise of The Magnificent Warriors actually had a lot of potential. We are given a situation where the fleet has no food and everyone is aware of it (unlike in Saga Of A Star World when the Colonials were able to cover up the problem). This raises all kinds of fascinating issues. Would the fleet start a mutiny against Adama during such a crisis? How would Adama react to such a mutiny? How would he choose who to save? Would he allow each ship to make its own decision to leave? Or would he try to force them to stick together? And what decisions would Starbuck and Apollo be forced to make if such a mutiny occurred? So many interesting questions for the episode to pursue.

Sadly, standard television plotting is what we get. The Colonials are traveling through the vast uncharted regions of space, and they run out of food at just the precise moment they happen to be near a farming colony. Okay. Whatever. The Colonials land on the planet and meet the Borays. From then on, it's just another battle of good vs. evil. Putting the Colonials in a moral dilemna would have been much more interesting that what we were given here.

===[[The Young Lords]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

This is the family episode of Battlestar Galactica. Starbuck is shot down and crashes on a planet. Yawn. This is essentially a remake of The Lost Warrior in which Apollo is stranded on the planet Equellus. Of course, Starbuck was also stranded in The Long Patrol and Cree was stranded in ''The Gun On Ice Planet Zero''. Later in ''Greetings From Earth'', Starbuck, Apollo, and Casseopia would be stranded on the planet Paradeen. At this point, the series was becoming so predictable that viewers each week must have been asking the question, "Who's going to have to be rescued this week?" In fact, Mad Magazine, in a spoof of Galactica, poked fun at this element of the show. (See [[Humor in the Original Series]])

Considering the incredibly broad premise of the series, it's amazing that the writers had so much trouble coming up with a story that didn't involve someone being stranded on a planet. With this kind of plot, The Young Lords shouldn't even be watchable. And yet, despite all these drawbacks, this actually turns out to be a fun, enjoyable episode. Part of this praise goes to the tremendous production values. It is simply fascinating to see so many Cylons inside a medieval castle. The location is nothing short of spectacular. To top it off, Dirk Benedict delivers with a wonderful performance. There are many good scenes, especially Starbuck's rescue from the Cylons by Kyle and the children (plus his insulting remark to the Cylons moments before). Playing up kids in a series can be extremely fatal to ratings (Galactica 1980 became an infamous example of this), but fortunately Kyle and the gang never get to the point where they become grating; although they (and their song near the end) come dangerously close. (And are we to believe Starbuck and his Scooby Gang would actually take the time to think up lyrics for a song and memorize them? Please!)

The IL series Cylon Spectre is a delightfully conniving character. He is the perfect foil for Lucifer. His phony flattery of Baltar is hilarious, especially the way he manages to turn defeat to his own advantage. Unfortunately, the character does not appear again. Had the series continued into a second season, he probably would have. Spectre does appear in the later original Berkley novels [[The Nightmare Machine]], [[Die, Chameleon!]] and [[Surrender the Galactica!]] where he is put to good use.

Most of the scenes of Baltar and Lucifer communicating with Spectre were recycled with different dialogue into the Galactica telemovie [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]].

Needless to say that by this point the Cylons have become a joke. When you stop and really think about it, it is ludicrous that an entire Cylon garrison is defeated by one colonial warrior and five children.

Still, this episode somehow succeeds despite every logical reason why it shouldn't.

===[[The Living Legend]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five'''

This is one of the very best episodes of Battlestar Galactica. The two-part episodes consistently deliver, and The Living Legend is no exception. The idea of a second survivng battlestar is a good one, as is a scenario where the fleet runs out of fuel.

This episode introduces two compelling characters, Commander Cain and his daughter, Lt. Sheba. Sheba's character is said to have been a ground-breaking role for women. She is tough, independent, and short-tempered. Basically, she's the exact opposite of virtually every other female character to appear on the series. Fortunately, she, along with Bojay, becomes a regular after this episode.

Lloyd Bridges is tremendous as Commander Cain. It's hard to imagine any other actor filling the role. The only weak moment for Bridges is when Cain lies to Adama about the "accidental" failure of the tanker mission. Cain's cavalier attitude about it makes it obvious to everyone that he purposely sabotaged the mission.

This story is different from any other Galactica story thus far because we see a clash of philosophies within the ranks of the military. Cain wants to wage an all-out war against Gamoray, and Adama simply wants to capture the much-needed fuel and escape. The earlier episodes were extremely simplistic in their portaryal of good versus evil. The Colonials are good. The Cylons are evil. Simple as that. Since the good guys are all in the military, the military is always portrayed as being right. Adama, Starbuck, and Apollo had very few moral dilemnas to deal with, which would have made the stories so much more interesting.

Baltar personally leading the attack on the Galactica makes the battle much more intense and exciting, mostly because the battle has a storyline. Most of the Galactica space battles are nothing more than a confusing jumble of stock shots haphazardly thrown together with nothing in terms of a flow or climax. (One of the bigger flaws of Return Of The Jedi was that the Battle of Endor had nothing in terms of a storyline.) This time it is different. The Pegasus closing in on Baltar at the end of part one is the best cliff hanger of the series. It is rather fitting that Baltar's forces are taken by surprise, since it was Baltar who caused the colonial warfleet to be taken by surprise in the pilot.

The scene between Adama and Apollo right before the mission to capture the Cylon tankers is very powerful. It shows how, despite being father and son, each of their respective positions forces a distance between them personally. What is especially impressive is that this is done without words. Richard Hatch and Lorne Greene manage to convey more with a facial expression than most actors do with a page of dialogue.

Boxey really starts to get on the nerves at this point. Nothing against Noah Hathaway, but Boxey is a character all too typical of standard television. He is an ultra-cute TV kid doing ultra-cute things, yet usually has little or no bearing on the plot. These kinds of characters (most notably the Super Scouts from Galactica 1980) only serve to hurt a show's ratings.

When you put the story under scrutiny, there are some serious flaws. Why are viper pilots sent on a ground mission? Wouldn't the Galactica have specialized teams for that sort of thing? It is also a bit difficult to believe that Sheba could have found a way to go on the mission to Gamoray without permission. It is even more difficult to believe that Cassiopea would have been allowed to just hop on the shuttle. Was she given a crash course on parachuting during the shuttle ride? How could the Colonial warriors have known exactly which building in Gamoray contained the main communications center? And are we to believe that destroying one small communications center would disable the entire city's defense system? If, like me, you can overlook these flaws, this is still a great episode.

This episode and Fire In Space were later combined to form the horrid Galactica theatrical movie [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]].

===[[Fire in Space]]===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

This explosive episode is the one-hour equivalent of a disaster movie. It's basically a sci-fi version of The Towering Inferno (and stock footage from that movie was probably used here). There's so much action that it isn't until the end that you realize just how essentially empty it is. There are a lot of things happening, and at the same time there is nothing happening. By all rights this story should be downright awful, yet somehow it isn't. It really speaks volumes about the show's production values and the performances of the actors that this turns out to be an enjoyable hour despite another by-the-numbers script.

After this episode, producer Glen Larson decided changed the direction of the series, relegating the Cylons to the background. The Cylons are not featured again until the final episode, The Hand Of God. The reason for the change of direction may be that Larson had a feeling the series would be canceled and decided to try to create a storyarc that would end the series with the Galactica apparently getting close to Earth. In an interview, Larson has said that he wasn't surprised the show was canceled. The change of direction was really for the best because the battles with the Cylons were too ridiculously imbalanced in the Colonials' favor (due to the censors) making the Cylons look like a joke, and the reusing of the same space battle stock footage was becoming monotonous.

The ending the writers originally planned had Cylon raiders attacking the Galactica a second time, and it is their lasers that put Starbuck and Apollo in danger on the Galactica's hull. Unfortunately, the network censors overruled this because they felt it would have been too repetitive. The complete original ending from the script can be found [[List_of_Deleted_Scenes_(TOS)#Fire_In_Space|here.]]

The story completely falls apart when put under scientific scrutiny because fires simply cannot exist in outer space, as many Galactica critics have pointed out. However, Star Wars was able to get away with this flub (Remember the fate of the Death Star?), so it seems rather unfair that Battlestar Galactica took so many shots because of it.

This is Terry Carter's best episode, since Colonel Tigh is thrust into the forefront, taking command of the Galactica while Adama is incapacitated. Carter does a tremendous job, and his strong performance helps save this cliched, overused story plot from losing steam.

Since the Galactica was on the verge of destruction by the time Starbuck and Apollo were planting charges on the hull, didn't it ever occur to Colonel Tigh to evacuate all non-essential personnel including the Colonial vipers so that, if the Galactica was destroyed, the fleet would at least have a fighting chance to survive? And since it was too dangerous to operate on Adama on the Galactica, didn't it ever occur to Dr. Salik to shuttle Adama to another ship in the fleet and perform the operation there?

A tremendous amount of damage is done to the Galactica (especially the landing bay), yet there is no sign of this in any future episodes nor any explanation of how the repairs went. Considering the abysmal plot, this episode was probably best left forgotten.

===[[War of the Gods]]===

'''RATING: Five stars out of five'''

War Of The Gods is one of the best and most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica. It is not the very best episode, nor is it completely flawless, but it is easily the most complex of all the stories we were given. The bottom line is that it is extremely rare to see this kind of thing done on TV. This is one of the few episodes to fully utilize Galactica's Von Daniken premise (God Is An Astronaut). We learn that angels are not spirits of the dead, but advanced beings who are thousands of years ahead of the Colonials in both technology and spirituality. Count Iblis (whom Apollo addresses in part 2 as Mephistopheles) comes across as a form of devil. There is an interesting parallel with mythology. Just as the angel Lucifer (or Satan) rebelled against heaven, Iblis rebels against his brothers on the Ship of Lights.

Iblis may well be the most fascinating character in the entire series. What is fascinating is that his voice is the same as that of the Cylon Imperious Leader. Baltar recognizes this (and it would have been an unforgivable flub if he didn't). There have been two primary theories about Iblis' origin. The first is that Iblis exterminated the original reptile Cylon race and created the mechanical one, starting the thousand year war with the humans.

The second theory is that Iblis and the Imperious Leader are one and the same. Iblis calling Baltar "old friend" would seem to support this. Also, it is made clear in the end that Iblis cannot control anyone who does not choose to follow him. If Iblis is the Imperious Leader, then Baltar technically was "following him" since he (Baltar) was serving the Cylons. However, the theory that Iblis and Imperious Leader being the same person doesn't quite hold up because wouldn't the Cylons then easily be able to locate the Colonial fleet? Therefore, the first theory makes more sense overall. But there is still the question of how Iblis was able to make Baltar surrender to the Colonials. The episode tries to make it seem that Iblis did not perform his bigger miracles, that the white lights caused the crops to grow and Baltar came of his own free will (the latter is hinted by Apollo in a missing scene that was cut from the original script). Of course, the idea that Baltar would surrender on his own is ludicrous considering the coward that he is. And why would the white lights come to the fleet if that would cause the crops on the agro-ship to grow and thus fulfill one of Iblis' tasks? Most importantly, why would Iblis dare the Colonials to make 3 challenges for him if he did not possess the power to complete them?

Regarding Iblis' origin, I tend to go with the first theory, but I would take it one step further and suggest that the Imperious Leader is either a servant of Iblis or is somehow under Iblis' control. Thus Baltar, by serving the Cylons, would also be serving Iblis and thus would be subject to Iblis' commands.

You really have to wonder if Glen Larson planned to have Patrick Macnee play Count Iblis from the very first episode or if it was just an amazing coincidence that the same actor who provided the Imperious Leader's voice turned out to be perfect for the Count Iblis role. Considering how incredibly rushed the production of the show was, the latter would have to be a possibility. If it's the former, then you really have to applaud Glen Larson for planning so far ahead.

There are other marvelous scenes. Iblis' slow manipulation and seduction of Sheba is riveting (especially when he kisses her on the Agro-ship). The white lights and the Ship of Lights are a marvel and have to be considered among the best special effects the series has ever produced. The scenery of the red planet, including the visual effect of Starbuck, Apollo, and Sheba when they walk on that world is also outstanding. The triad court is a fantastic (and obviously, expensive) set. You have to give the producers a lot of credit for creating such a unique game for the Colonials to play. It makes sense. With the grueling struggle for survival in a rag-tag fleet, the Colonials have to have some sort of entertainment to take their minds off their plight.

As with most episodes, the performances are all top-notch. Richard Hatch plays his end perfectly, carefully balancing Apollo's distrust of Iblis and his caring for Sheba. Dirk Benedict adds a whole new dimension to Starbuck. His rage and grief over the death of Apollo (especially when he attempts to shoot Iblis) stand out as some of Starbuck's most memorable moments of the entire series. Anne Lockhart is also great portraying Sheba's slow seduction and manipulation by Count Iblis. Her joy at Apollo's resurrection firmly establishes her inner feelings toward him, and this subplot would come to a stunning head in the final episode. Lorne Greene never falters in his performances, and this is no exception. Greene does a tremendous job portraying a man torn between his desire to find Earth and his distrust of Iblis. One of the best moments has to be during the Triad game. During the game, Adama and Iblis are seated on opposite sides of the court. There are really two battles going on here: the battle between the players on the court, and the battle between Iblis and Adama.

Despite everything, the episode is not completely perfect. Not all the questions are answered (which in itself is not a bad thing), but some of what happens doesn't quite make sense. First of all, why does the Ship of Lights kidnap the viper pilots? We are never given any kind of answer. What makes it more confusing is that by kidnapping the pilots, the Ship of Lights actually aids Iblis because the Colonials look to him for protection. And why does Baltar say that Iblis now no longer holds any power over him after Baltar recognizes Iblis' voice? Perhaps this is supposed to be a clue to understand who Iblis is, but if this is the case, I can't make anything out of it.

There is also the issue of what was inside the crashed ship on the red planet. A popular myth is that the ship is the the Battlestar Pegasus and when Apollo looked inside he saw the body of Commander Cain, but this is false. The original script and the Berkely novelization tell us exactly what is inside the ship: tall, cloven-hoofed horned beings with tails. This is a little hard to make sense of. Are the beings in the ship supposed to be devils? If that is the case, it doesn't really make Iblis appear all that evil for killing them. It could be viewed as another parallel of mythology. After being defeated by heaven, Lucifer and his followers fall into hell. Likewise, Iblis' ship containing his followers (the devils) crashes (falls) to the earth. It's not a perfect allegory, but fascinating nonetheless. (For more on this, see [[War_of_the_Gods,_Part_II#The_Mystery_of_the_Crashed_Ship|The Mystery of the Crashed Ship]])

I'm not trying to pick the episode apart with these various criticisms. Actually, the story works much better with its mystery and ambiguity rather than easy, clear-cut answers. One of the problems with television these days is that shows rarely challenge the viewer to think; instead, most shows sacrifice ambiguity and insist on spelling everything out as simply and clearly as possible. The mystery of Count Iblis is really what makes ''War Of The Gods'' so special and one of the most famous and highly debated of all the Galactica episodes. I'm glad that we are not given the answer to who Iblis is because the only way a mystery can retain its power is as long as it remains unsolved. Why do you think the great magicians never reveal how they do their tricks? If you are looking for a great movie example of this, then I suggest you check out Peter Weir's ''Picnic At Hanging Rock''.

Finally, one of the best things about this episode is that it provides us the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba!

===[[The Man With Nine Lives]]===

'''Rating: Four out of five stars'''

This episode is the only one that offers a significant look at the people of the fleet. Fred Astaire puts in an enjoyable performance as the rogue con-man Chameleon. The Borellian Nomen are interesting new adversaries for the Colonial Warriors, although they seem to be based on a Hollywood and societal stereotype of American Indians (Unfortunately, we are told very little of their origins). One of the best episodes in terms of characterization.

This episode pretty much makes it clear that Cassiopeia is THE ONE for Starbuck, thanks to Starbuck telling Chameleon that she's the only one he's ever considered sealing with (although that actually isn't true; he did almost propose to Athena in the pilot episode).

Don Bellisario was unable to think of a suitable name for the villains. In an after-work bull session, story editor Jim Carlson casually remarked something to the effect of, "It’s too bad they’re not from an ice planet, you could call them Snomen." Bellisario replied, "There’s no snow where these guys are gonna be!" Carlson answered, "Then call then Nomen."

This episode proves that great stories don't require huge explosions and fancy special effects. Unfortunately, the rushed production of the show made episodes like The Man With Nine Lives the exception rather than the rule.

=== [[Murder on the Rising Star]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Murder She Wrote in outer space??? This story had little point being part of a show like Battlestar Galactica. This is the kind of story that is done on almost every science fiction series when the writers are out of ideas. There is very little in the way of drama because the viewer knows the hero is innocent and will be cleared. This story tries to give the impression that Starbuck might be guilty (we don't get to see who shoots Ortega, Starbuck is shown running from the scene, plus Starbuck's anxiousness in the shuttle bay makes him appear guilty), but only the most gullible of viewers would fall for this. The story would be more forgivable if we learned some new insights about the characters or the fleet, but what do we learn? What is the point? Is it that the Colonial system of law is virtually identical to the U.S. system? (which is hardly believeable) Or that Adama has to spend time hearing court cases? (Not too believable either considering the incredibly burdensome task he has of commanding the fleet) Or is it that playing triad is more dangerous than anybody thought? What is the point of this episode except to fill an hour's worth of time???

This is the fourth episode that features Starbuck. While Dirk Benedict certainly plays a wonderful character, it would have been nice to have featured some of the lesser used cast members (Tigh, Boomer, Athena, Sheba).

One thing really stands out: It is absurd how little time Apollo is given to prepare a case for Starbuck's defense. He only has 10 centares, and the script for this episode has a key that states a centar is an hour. Only 10 hours to prepare for a murder trial??? Give me a break!

This story could have been done differently to make it more poignant. What if Apollo was unable to conclusively prove who killed Ortega, and Adama intervenes, using his power as commander to have Starbuck set free. It would raise the question of whether Adama was abusing his power. Even then, considering the fleet must be depleted when it comes to seasoned viper pilots, it could be argued that the fleet needed Starbuck as a warrior. It would have been an interesting moral issue, something Battlestar Galactica rarely had. I also think the story would have been more interesting if we were left with some doubt as to whether Starbuck killed Ortega (in self-defense, of course).

An interesting note: Karibdis appears early on in the story, serving drinks to Adama and Tigh while they watch the Triad game. This is an often-used writing device. You have the murderer/villain appear early in the story, sometimes at the very beginning, in what appears to be a minor or trivial role. This often fools the audience, as they rarely expect such a character to be revealed so quickly. This was also done on the miniseries for the new Galactica, when one of the human Cylons is leading a tour of the Galactica during the opening credits. If you want to get good at solving TV/movie mysteries, pay attention to the minor characters that appear early in the story.

Overall, the murder mystery itself isn't half bad, and there are fine all-around performances from the cast to make this watchable. In a way, it makes the episode more disappointing to have such great talent squandered on such a by-the-numbers story. But everyone holds up their end well, especially Dirk Benedict and Laurette Spang in their scene inside the brig. It's nice the writers found a way to bring Baltar into the story, and John Colicos still makes a great villain. The flashback of the destruction of Caprica is also well-done. There were certainly many crimes committed during the evacuation, and it illustrates that Battlestar Galactica was brimming with potentially interesting stories to explore, which again only makes this episode more of a letdown.

That said, it's important to realize that writers Jim Carlson and Terrence McDonnell were forced to write this episode in 36 hours straight. Considering what a rushjob this script was, it's amazing it turned out as well as it did. This is one instance where it might be better to see the glass as half-full rather than half-empty.

===[[Greetings from Earth]]===

'''RATING: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Greetings From Earth just doesn't measure up with the other two-hour episodes. The story makes for a passable first hour but quickly takes a nosedive in the second. Glen Larson's attempt at comedy falls horribly flat. Hector, Vector and the kids quickly wear out their welcome (A premonition of Galactica 1980?). The Eastern Alliance is introduced as a new adversary, but they are little more than cardboard Nazis with zero charisma (at least the Cylons looked cool). Another problem is that their primitive technology takes a lot of steam out of their threat. Unfortunately, the Eastern Alliance is never utilized to the fullest. A space battle between vipers and Eastern Alliance destroyers would have been fantastic, but the time and money needed to do such a complex battle scene made it impossible. Also, Apollo becomes a bit overbearing with his "Do The Right Thing" attitude in the first half (What's also annoying is that Apollo's dialogue in the first half is badly redubbed, apparently to make his voice louder).

What makes the first hour so interesting is that the Colonials are faced with a perplexing moral issue (a rarity, for sure). Do they allow the humans to leave, or force them to remain at least until more information is learned? There are actually opposing opinions within the Colonial military, at least for awhile. Apollo's view quickly wins out, though. The Council of Twelve is portrayed as being incredibly selfish and uncaring, but it could be argued they were right. It was possibly life or death for the Colonials to learn about the human race that awaited them. Certainly the humans could have been revived long enough for the Colonials to get the necessary information out of them. Apollo's plan to let the ship go had a good chance of failing. How could he be certain enough that they wouldn't get lost, or wind up so far away that they'd never be able to make it back to the fleet?

When you think about it, why don't Starbuck, Apollo and Cassiopea have super powers when they are in Paradeen's weaker gravity just as the Super Scouts do when they are in Earth's weaker gravity on Galactica 1980? Wouldn't it have been fun to see Starbuck, Apollo, and Cassiopea bouncing up and down and jumping into trees?

Unlike the other two-parters, this one ends with a whimper instead of a bang as Starbuck and Apollo's capture of the Enforcers is about as anti-climatic as you can get. This script really comes across as being rushed, which was probably the case. Overall, Greetings From Earth is yet another episode that failed to reach its potential due to the constrainments of a weekly series.

=== [[Experiment in Terra]] ===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

Experiment In Terra initially comes across as a superb episode, but under close inspection the story unfortunately has serious flaws. The Ship of Lights recruiting Apollo to help Terra is a cool idea, but their reasoning as to why they need to use a mortal human doesn't hold up. John says that the people of Terra can't see the "Guardians" (my own name for them) outside the confines of their ship. And yet on Terra, John makes himself visible to Starbuck by merely touching him. Even more problematic, Apollo's mission never makes sense. The Guardians know that the Eastern Alliance is going to launch a missile attack, so the master plan is to have Apollo tell the "west side" that the Eastern Alliance has been attacking them? Um, okay, but even if Apollo succeeds, how will this stop the Eastern Alliance from launching their missiles? Why not just have Apollo tell the Galactica to travel to Terra and destroy the missile attack? The answer, of course, is that there wouldn't be much of a story.

Sadly, there are many other flaws. Apollo says he can't reach Terra because the distance is too great, so he is "teleported" right in front of the planet. So how is it that Starbuck is able to eventually reach the planet on his own? Logically, he wouldn't have had enough fuel. Adama's decision to pull the Galactica out of the fleet is more out of whack than it may first appear. He didn't do that in earlier episodes when Starbuck or Apollo were crashed/stranded. This time Adama doesn't even know who the two pilots are, and yet he pulls the Galactica out of the fleet.

Even more ludicrous is the idea that the Galactica travels to Terra at light speed (and not just because it is scientifically implausible). If the Galactica was traveling to Terra at the speed of light, they should have reached Terra almost instantly (in fact, they probably could have found Earth during the pilot episode!) And how is it that the Galactica was able to travel to Terra unmolested? Surely there would be Eastern Alliance destroyers patrolling the area around the planet. And how does the Eastern Alliance not know that the Galactica was responsible for destroying their missiles? Surely the Galactica would have been picked up on their scanners.

Also, the West President's reasoning for withholding knowledge of the Eastern Alliance's attacks is questionable. Why does he think he can make peace with the Eastern Alliance if they are constantly attacking him? And if the Eastern Alliance has wiped out all of the West's satellite planets, how could the President possibly prevent word of this from leaking out? It's not realistic at all. Plus, the idea that the Eastern Alliance would be willing to destroy the entire planet (at least half of which they own) is pretty ridiculous. Okay, they ARE Bad Guys, but what's the point of destroying most of their empire when they were already winning the war?

With such a long list of problems, you would think that this is a terrible episode. Amazingly, this isn't the case. In fact, Experiment In Terra still ranks as one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica. Seeing the Ship of Lights again is a treat, and Edward Mulhare is delightful as John, Apollo's guide. This episode is another example where the great production values and strong performances from the actors are able to overcome the plot inconsistencies. What makes Experiment In Terra work so well is that its plot holes aren't immediately noticeable. I didn't realize how many there were until I sat down and really thought about it. Apollo's mission to save Terra, as pointless as it winds up being, is still extremely engrossing. Apollo's speech to the Precidium is very dramatic and moving, even though (as we've already said) everything Apollo does on Terra turns out to be a waste of time since nothing he does has any chance of preventing the Eastern Alliance from launching its missiles.

This episode is extra fun to watch if you're aware that the script was originally written with the roles of Starbuck and Apollo reversed. After Richard Hatch complained that his character was getting the shaft, the script was quickly rewritten with the dialogue mostly remaining the same, resulting in Apollo talking suspiciously like Starbuck. At one point, Apollo says "Felgercarb" for the first time ever!

The ending scene is touching, as John tells Apollo that Terra is not Earth but "You must have faith." Many Galactica fans have interpreted this to mean that Apollo would successfully complete the journey to Earth.

Here are some humorous notes from British writer Matthew Wharmby:

* I'm sorry, but I thought the final scene was tremendously weak. All that buildup to a good scrap, heart-stopping music included, let down with a pathetic green shield spat out of the front of the Galactica. And from a terrible angle made necessary by two separately matted halves; one of Earth and one of the Galactica's underside. And you don't mean to tell me that the Galactica could extend such a shield over the whole planet? If so, why couldn't she have performed the same thing over Caprica in the pilot, and let the attacking Cylon fighters blow themselves up in it?
* Nobody seems too panicked about the impending nuclear annihilation! I don't know about you, but when us kids growing up in the late Cold War used to speculate nervously about the four-minute warning, the usual consensus was that we'd be doing, well, what it takes four minutes to do. 'You can do it twice,' the girls would quip.
* I'm not mad keen on Brenda's attitude. If every girl who had boyfriend trouble called the Old Bill on such a weak pretext, there wouldn't be a bloke alive out of prison!

=== [[Take the Celestra]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five'''

This is probably the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. A lot of people will probably disagree, but I have to go with this choice simply because I found this episode to be incredibly boring. The Magnificent Warriors and The Lost Warrior were also really bad (and they were certainly more simplistic), but they were never really boring. A story focusing on the hardships of voyaging on the rag tag fleet is a great idea, but this episode takes one self-destructive turn after another and may be the best example of a wasted opportunity for the series. Many of BG's bad episodes were somewhat saved by wonderful performances from the actors, but there is nothing here that stands out (although the Starbuck/Cassiopea reconciliation at the end is a nice moment). Starbuck and Apollo actually look stale. This is one of the few times that neither Richard Hatch nor Dirk Benedict are able to rise above the mediocre writing. Commander Kronus is incredibly boring - a static, stale character with little depth. Because it's hard to care about the character, it's hard to feel anything during the "dramatic" finish when Kronus dies. Given the moronic decisions he makes, I felt like saying "Good riddance." On the other hand, Ana Alicia suceeds in making Aurora interesting, but she is mostly wasted in this episode. Unfortunately, her boyfriend is more boring than Kronus, and I just wanted him to shut up. Despite these issues, the main problem with Take The Celestra lies in the script itself.

One of the biggest (yet least noted) flaws of Battlestar Galactica was the way it portrayed life in the rag-tag fleet. Day-to-day existence on a fleet of mostly derelict ships would no doubt be a grueling struggle for survival. Yet the series rarely ever indicated this. Most scenes with civilians consisted of parties, gambling, and triad games aboard the Rising Star! (hardly the most accurate look we could have been given) Take The Celestra was the perfect vehicle to change this, but unfortunately the writers took the easy way out. Aurora and the other mutineers were "illegally forced" to work so many double shifts. This makes the issue of right and wrong very easy to determine, but consider another direction the writers could have taken.

What if the harsh working conditions existed throughout the entire fleet? (and, logically, they should have) What if Aurora and the others were not working harder than anyone else and simply decided they had had enough? Would they be morally right in trying to escape the fleet (considering that the loss of manpower would likely hurt the remaining Colonials)? Apollo, Starbuck and the rest of the military are always talking about the importance of freedom. Apollo talks about it strongly in his speech to the Precedium in Experiment In Terra. When Starbuck tries to convince the prisoners to rebel in The Long Patrol, he says "You have rights. You're human beings!" When they finally escape, he says, "That's freedom." An interesting idea to explore is how free the Colonials actually were. Surely many of them wanted to settle on some of the planets the fleet passed by. If Adama refused their wishes, he would technically be restricting their freedom. Unfortunately, this kind of story is problematic because the extent of Adama's power is never clear; in fact, it varies from episode to episode (depending whatever works best for the story that week). But this kind of story would have made it a tough call as to whether Aurora and her friends were right and whether Starbuck and Apollo were totally justified in stopping them.

Anyway, that's the episode I would have liked to see, or anything other than what we did see, the most boring Galactica episode to date. The story is riddled with holes, outdone perhaps only by Experiment In Terra. Whereas that story's flaws are not immediately noticeable, most of this story's flaws are. Commander Kronus' decision to immediately shuttle the prisoners back to the fleet despite being so far away doesn't make much sense. His accompanying the shuttle makes even less sense. Colonial law states that a commander has to personally take the mutineers in for charges? Huh? Even when his ship is out in the middle of nowhere? Okay. Whatever. Kronus should have waited until the Celestra rejoined the fleet. His decision makes him look like an idiot.

How is it that Chakka is able to get almost the entire crew to mutiny with him on a whim? He couldn't have been planning mutiny beforehand because he had expected to become commander of the Celestra. And if the entire crew wasn't with him in the mutiny, then how could he have expected to get away with powering down the ship? And could Starbuck and Apollo both be so clueless that they wouldn't be able to remember which heading the fleet was on? And how does the shuttle run out of fuel so fast? And how is it that Kronus could not have known or heard about any of the harsh working conditions? The Celestra isn't that big of a ship. Are we to believe that he never left the bridge? To top it off, why is there such an urgent need in the final battle scene to "level out" the Celestra? It's not as though there were any ships or planets around that it could crash into. Almost nothing in this episode makes any sense.

The minor plot of Cassiopeia agonizing over Starbuck's evasiveness in their relationship is far more compelling than the main plot of the Celestra mutiny. But even the Starbuck/Aurora plot has problems. For one thing, the writers have Starbuck act like a total jerk by skipping his date with Cassie so he can see Aurora. Why would Cassie put up with that? And how is it that Starbuck had a serious relationship with Aurora going during the time of the Destruction? Didn't he clearly have something going with Athena back then? (If there's anything worse than the writers making things up as they go, it's when they unmake things up as they go.)

Anyway, this only makes Starbuck look like a bigger womanizer than anyone thought (not exactly the best way to endear him to viewers). Aurora makes a valid point in her anger towards him. If Starbuck really did care about her, why didn't he check to see if her name was in the fleet computer? Just because her house was destroyed doesn't mean for certain that she was killed. It's also highly questionable that Starbuck ever made it back to Caprica after the Cylons attacked. We've never been given any indication that anyone besides Adama and Apollo ever went back. Considering how dangerous it would have been (not to mention how strong a chance that someone might have led the Cylons back to the Galactica), it's absolutely ludicrous to suggest Adama would have allowed anyone to return to the planet.

I almost want to pretend that this episode was just a bad dream. Fortunately, the very next episode would raise the roof.

===[[The Hand of God]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five.'''

They saved the best for last. ''The Hand Of God'' is arguably the best episode of Battlestar Galactica, and my personal favorite.

No doubt about it, ''The Hand of God'' is Galactica at its best. Donald Bellisario shows the other writers how it's done, pulling out all the stops with this one. Both the script and the performances are stellar. Never before have the characters been portrayed in such a powerful way. Although there is nothing innovative about the basic plot itself (The Galactica battles the Cylons again), there are enough things going on that make this story extremely engrossing.

This episode is fascinating from start to finish. Visually, it is a treat as we get to see the inside of a Cylon basestar's landing bay for the first time. We also get to see Cylon Centurions boarding their ships for the first time. And the Celestial Observation Dome is a marvel, as is Apollo's analogy that being inside it is like riding in the Hand of God.

What makes this story especially memorable is the culmination of a story thread that has been running since ''War of the Gods''. In that episode, we see the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba. Nothing happens in the other episodes following, although Anne Lockhart does a good job showing, in a subtle way, Sheba's emerging feelings for Apollo.

Kudos go to both Anne Lockhart and Laurette Spang for winning performances. Sheba's confrontation with Apollo and their kiss inside the Cylon raider is the best scene of the episode. That and Cassiopeia's argument with Starbuck in the landing bay are both incredibly moving, providing each actress with her stand-out moment of the series. It really gives the viewer a chance to appreciate the range of Anne and Laurette. Women on this show were usually stuck in the background; this episode placed demands on each actress they rarely had to face. Give each one credit for not dropping the ball. Fortunately, they are both aided by outstanding dialogue from Bellisario. Of course, Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, and Herbert Jefferson, Jr. hold up their end as well. Starbuck, Apollo, and Boomer clasping hands in the pilots barracks (with the accompanying music score) powerfully expresses the bond of their friendship more than words ever could.

Extra congratulations go to Donald Bellisario who also directed this episode. His use of slow motion twice during Starbuck and Apollo's battles with Cylon Centurions make the scenes much more intense and suspenseful. Let's face it. Thanks to ABC's family-friendly censors, the Cylons often looked like a joke (Remember ''The Young Lords'' when Starbuck and five children wiped out an entire Cylon garrison?). If Starbuck and Apollo's shootout scenes had been shown in real time, there would have been little (if any) impact.

Another reason ''The Hand of God'' works so well is because the Cylons were not featured in the previous seven or eight episodes. Glen Larson wisely saw that the constant reusing of the same space battle footage was hurting the stories and thus moved the Cylons into the background after ''Fire In Space''. So much time has passed since then that the Cylons seem revitalized. There's nothing spectacular about the dogfight between the vipers and raiders or the slugfest between the Galactica and the Cylon basestar (since it's the same footage seen in previous episodes), but the story is compelling enough that it all still works.

If there is one flaw with this story, it is the idea that Adama would attack a Cylon basestar and risk the fate of the entire human race just for the sake of wreaking some vengeance. This is the same man who told Commander Cain, "I'm not interested in military victories. I'm interested in saving lives. What few of them are left." It would have worked better to have a scenario where the Galactica simply could not backtrack and thus was forced to attack the Cylons. Still, it is a minor flaw in an overall outstanding script.

It is extremely frustrating that we never see a follow-up to Apollo and Sheba's relationship since this was the final episode. For fans who would like to see some kind of continuation, there are some fan fiction stories that I highly recommend. There is a short story called ''My Father's Daughter'' which takes place immediately following the events of ''The Hand of God'' and is quite simply the best Sheba story I have ever read. Three other novels, ''Second Coming'', ''Joint Maneuvers'', and ''The Race For Earth'' also explore Apollo and Sheba's relationship and are outstanding. These stories are all available free online at a site I own called [http://freegalacticafanfictionnovels.weebly.com Free Battlestar Galactica Fan Fiction Novels].

Many fans were and still are saddened that the original show ended so soon. Personally, I'm at peace with it. If the show had to end, ''The Hand of God'' may have been the best way to close the curtain. After reading Glen Larson's [[Battlestar_Galactica:_Year_Two_proposal|Season Two proposal]], all I can say is, "Thank god the show ended when it did!" It appears that, if there had been a second season, half the cast would have been cut in order to save money, Sheba would have been killed off, Commander Cain would have returned as a Cylon android, and Apollo would have shirked his responsibilities and started partying and messing around with numerous women. Ugh!!!

I think I can accept Battlestar Galactica for what it was, always remembering that the light that shines twice as bright only burns half as long.

== Galactica 1980 Episode Reviews ==

=== [[Galactica Discovers Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

Galactica Discovers Earth turns out to be a watchable pilot, but watchable is about all. From the very first episode, Galactica 1980 is clearly nothing more than an attempt by ABC to cash in on the Galactica name by creating a cheap show that simply reuses the expensive special effects stock footage from the original series. The later episodes would only reinforce this. Kent McCord (Troy) and Barry Van Dyke (Dillon) come off as inferior clones of Starbuck and Apollo. In fact, the script for the pilot was originally written for Starbuck and Apollo. When those plans changed, the names were simply switched to Troy and Dillon. Jamie Hamilton comes off as a carbon copy of Lois Lane. Unfortunately, we are never given any backstory to any of these characters.

This may be the only pilot in television history in which the premise changes in the middle of the episode! At first it's about advancing Earth's technology in order to fight the Cylons. Then it suddenly changes and is about capturing a time-traveling villain. It's really bizarre. Anyway, the time travel journey to Nazi Germany is never particularly interesting, partly because Xaviar just isn't that compelling of a villain, but mostly because this is NOT Battlestar Galactica.

The idea of the Galactica having to protect a primitive Earth from the Cylons is actually a compelling premise, but the problem is that Dr. Zee's plan to slowly increase Earth's technology is flawed. At the rate in which the Colonials were going, it probably would have taken at least decades to get Earth's technology increased enough to be able to fight the Cylons. Long before then, the Cylons would probably tire of waiting and decide to just destroy the Colonial fleet. Even if the Cylons didn't attack, how far could the Galactica lead the Cylons away from Earth before they (the Colonials) were too far away from the planet to ever go back there? It probably would have been smarter to temporarily abandon Earth and lead the Cylons away until Dr. Zee could invent some technology that would allow the Colonials to destroy the Cylon armada. (Actually, since Colonial Vipers can now turn invisible, it should have been fairly easy for the Colonials to launch a surprise attack on the Cylons and defeat them once and for all!)

The problem with the original premise of Galactica 1980 is that it would have eventually become tiresome: Troy and Dillon each week would find a way to introduce some new technology (clean nuclear power, etc.) which would make some small improvement, but do little to bring Earth up to the level it would need be to fight the Cylons. As a result, the series could never evolve to the next level (i.e. Earth is ready to fight the Cylons), because the series' budget was too small for any kind of "final battle". As a result, Galactica 1980 was stuck in a rut from the get-go. It tried to distract viewers from the main plot (the Cylon threat) with time travel and cub scout outings because there was little that could be done with the original premise. It might have worked well as a single movie or perhaps a series of movies, but it's unlikely that Galactica 1980 could have ever jelled as a weekly series.

The show looks second-rate. For example, take the opening sequence. This has to be one of the worst opening sequences in television history. It's nothing but a series of stock footage shots from the original show haphazardly thrown together. Even the rendition of the Galactica theme seems inferior to the one we heard on the original show.

That said, there is some nice chemistry between the trio of Troy, Dillon and Jamie. There's one particularly touching scene in part 3 when Jamie says goodbye to Troy and Dillon at the bus stop. But whatever positives the actors had would not be enough to overcome a number of self-destructive turns that would begin with the very next episode.

=== [[The Super Scouts]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Super Scouts arrive, and Galactica 1980 plummets into an abyss it would not survive. In the beginning, we're forced to endure a series of boring classroom educational lessons. Things get even worse when the intergalactic 'Our Gang' reaches Earth. We get ultra-cute campfire songs and even more educational lessons shoved down are throats. The original series had flaws, but at least it never insulted its viewers with sitcom humor or by getting into preachy moral issues. Galactica 1980 gives us an ultra-simplistic environmental message of "Don't pollute the water," and does so with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

One could make the case that Galactica 1980 is a great tool for writers to learn how NOT to write drama. One key is to create powerful villains and put the heroes in situations that are difficult to deal with. But all of the villains in Galactica 1980 are weak. The Colonials have so many advantages over the people of Earth - spaceships, super powers, invisibility fields - that they are essentially invincible, thus robbing the series of any possible drama. In Galactica 1980, there are no worthy villains. The bumbling cops and incompetent military personnel never have a prayer of apprehending Troy and Dillon, so there's no suspense. And it's certainly not funny to watch Earthlings constantly being confounded by extra-terrestrials. Yet that is what we're forced to endure again and again throughout the entire series.

=== [[Spaceball]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

This is crap. Spaceball is the worst, most hated episode of Galactica 1980. It's silly, stupid, and just plain dumb. Little kids playing baseball??? This is Battlestar Galactica??? Spaceball may be the most inconsequential hour of science fiction ever made. It's nothing less than an insult to the original series that this bionic version of ''The Bad News Bears'' was shot under the Galactica name.

=== [[The Night The Cylons Landed]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five (Poor)'''

The Night The Cylons Landed is the best episode since the pilot. Of course, this isn't saying much, since watching a blank screen would have been almost as entertaining as the previous two episodes. Anyway, the Super Scouts are finally relegated to the background. This expands on the storyline involving the evolution of the Cylons over the 30 years since the destruction of the Colonies. A new, bigger, and more powerful Cylon raider carrying a newly advanced Cylon lifeform crashlands on Earth. Two surviving Cylons attempt to communicate with the Cylon armada to tell them of Earth's location. This is a cool idea, but the execution is terrible. We are treated to so much silliness, culminating with Troy and Dillon dancing on stage with cartoon characters like Yogi Bear! There are other problems. The more powerful, heavily armored Cylon raider is crippled after the punier viper rams into it??? The viper certainly doesn't hit it very hard. If the Cylons were a joke in the original series, then in Galactica 1980 they are a laughing stock. Andromus, the evolved Cylon clone of a human, certainly doesn't look or act very advanced. Centuri, his Centurion buddy, comes across as being even sillier with his constant banter of "I will protect you. That is my mission." This is the monstrous, all-powerful race which threatens the Earth's destruction and that the Colonials are so concerned about??? The two Cylons provide some funny moments, but it can't make up for the letdown of a plot that had so much potential.

With this episode, Galactica 1980 provides yet another example of how NOT to write drama. Conventional storytelling says that when you have a character trying to solve a mystery, you want the audience to move along at the same pace as the character. If the audience knows more than the character does, they find themselves simply waiting for the character to catch up, which is boring. Unfortunately, Galactica 1980 violates this basic rule of storytelling as we're forced to endure Colonel Briggs's investigation of the aliens. We know everything, he knows nothing, and thus there is nothing even remotely interesting about the subplot.

=== [[Space Croppers]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Space Croppers starts out interesting, but quickly takes an abrupt nosedive into looney land. The plot parallels that of [[The Magnificent Warriors]]. Due to the destruction of the fleet's agroships by a Cylon attack, another source of food supply must be found. The Magnificent Warriors was a terrible episode, so it must be considered quite a feat that Space Croppers turns out to be even worse.

The plight of the Alonso family to save their farm never becomes the least bit interesting. Even worse are the 'educational beats' that bring the story to a grinding halt: a lecture about Hispanic history, the soil requirements for planting legumes, and how rainfull is produced. This is beyond bad. It's unwatchable.

If Dr. Zee is such a genius, why doesn't it ever occur to him to use Galactican technology to create money so the Colonials can simply buy the food that they need? I guess such a simple solution would have made this story pointless.

Furthermore, the Imperious Leader's plan to force the Galactica to lead the Cylons to Earth makes no sense. How could Imperious Leader know that Earth was nearby? And if he did know, why not just destroy the Colonial fleet and conduct a search of the nearby planets? Did anything on this series make sense? Was anything supposed to?

Last, and certainly least, Troy and Dillon bouncing high in the air and throwing seeds while the Super Scouts sing their song is hands down the most ludicrous thing ever shown on Galactica 1980, and that's saying something.

=== [[The Return of Starbuck]] ===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five (Outstanding)'''

This is undeniably the best and most popular episode of Galactica 1980. It is even better than most of the episodes of Battlestar Galactica. What is there not to love about this episode? There are so many outstanding scenes: Adama's chilling reaction to Dr. Zee's mention of Starbuck; Boomer's heartwrenching goodbye to Starbuck, Adama explaining to Boomer that they can't go back to find him; Adama saying his farewell to Starbuck; Starbuck's rationalizations about how the planet belongs to him; Angela's words, "Starbuck, would you die for me?"; Starbuck sacrificing his chance to return to the fleet to give Angela and her baby a better chance; Starbuck's goodbye to Cy. The list goes on. Best of all, we see growth in Starbuck's character! A true classic to be treasured for all time by Galactica fans.

This episode is based on an earlier script written for the second season of Battlestar Galactica that never happened. The main differences are that a regular woman appears (not Angela), and Starbuck is eventually rescued by Boomer. The only thing believed to have been taken intact from the early script is Starbuck's dialogue with Cy. While that would no doubt have been a tremendous episode, it still would not have come close to being as great as this one is. The reason why is very simple. One of the problems with creating dramatic and suspenseful stories in any weekly series is that the viewer knows the hero will ultimately prevail. For example, when Starbuck is accused of murder in [[Murder on the Rising Star]], there is little in terms of suspense because it is a foregone conclusion that Starbuck will be vindicated, just as it is a forgone conclusion that Starbuck isn't going to die in [[The Young Lords]] when he is hunted by the Cylons on the planet Attila. In the beginning of The Return Of Starbuck, it is quickly established that Adama doesn't know what happened to Starbuck and that Starbuck never returned from the mission where he was shot down. As a result, in what is most unusual for any action/adventure television story, the viewer sits through the entire episode knowing that Starbuck isn't going to make it!

This makes the story much more gripping and intense than virtually any other episode of either series. The grim reality of Starbuck's eventual fate is all reinforced by Angela's question "Starbuck, will you die for me?" and her warnings of disaster, telling him that he must prepare to make "the final judgement." Of course, we do not actually see Starbuck die at the end of the story. Larson leaves Starbuck's fate ambiguous, especially since an intact Cylon raider is left nearby. Having Starbuck die would have been a gutsy and innovative move, but the ending shown is really for the best. The beauty of the ending is that it lets the viewers make their own interpretation of Starbuck's fate. If one goes with the idea that a single person alone cannot fly a Cylon raider, then Starbuck could have easily died on the planet. Many fans don't consider Galactica 1980 to be canon for the original series, except for this episode. With the interpretation that Galactica 1980 didn't happen, Starbuck could possibly have flown the Cylon raider back to the fleet, returning to Apollo, Adama, Sheba, and the other original characters. Much Galactica fan fiction over the years has interpreted the episode in this manner.

Despite having a small role, Lorne Greene gives what may be his best performance ever as Commander Adama. The look on his face when he asks Dr. Zee to tell him his dream is worth a thousand words. His farewell to Starbuck, saying that he loves him, is also incredibly powerful. A wonderful performance!

In conclusion, ''The Return of Starbuck'' is an incredible ending to the series and a worthy finish to the Battlestar Galactica saga overall. ''Galactica 1980'' was crap, but it sure went out with a bang.

== Galactica Comics ==

=== [[Galactica 1980 1|Galactica 1980 comic series]] ===

Comic adaptations of television shows are often very good because the writers are free from the usual constraints that a television show faces: limited budgets, censors, and network meddling in the storylines. Unfortunately, this is a double-edged sword, as the comic book writers' unlimited freedom sometimes allows the story to go flying off the rails.

Such is the case with the Galactica 1980 comic series, a cool idea that feels like a missed opportunity. First, the comic does a number of things right. It delivers a ''War of the Worlds'' type story involving the Colonials and Cylons battling over Earth. It even makes Dr. Zee a villian, a great move considering that Zee is hands down the most hated character in the entire Galactica universe. Unfortunately, writer Marc Guggenheim decides to go for shock value. In the first issue, we learn that Troy is a drunk and Adama is suicidal. Personally, I found this ugly and disturbing.

Even worse is the end of issue #1 when the Galactica is destroyed by nukes. Again, it feels like the writer is just trying to hit us with one shocking surprise after another. Surprises can be great fun, but I get annoyed when they lack logic as this one does. Why would Adama be so stupid as to fly the Galactica directly over the White House without first sending a message and waiting to see what the response would be? This just makes no sense.

And I just didn't like seeing the Galactica destroyed. After all, this ''is'' Galactica 1980, so therefore the Galactica should be in it. If the Galactica had to be destroyed, it should have happened in the final issue (#4), not the first.

I also had a big problem with Dillon being killed off in issue #2. Troy and Dillon were the heroes of Galactica 1980, and I just don't think that either should have been killed (at least not less than halfway through the story). I was also disappointed that Jamie Hamilton was given nothing more than a cameo appearance in issue #4. Given that she was one of the main characters on the original show, she should have had a larger role in the story.

In the end, I wish Guggenheim had written a story that might have been done on television if not for the limited budget and children's hour restrictions that ultimately crippled the series. The ''War of the Worlds'' premise was perfect for Galactica 1980, but in this case the execution fell short.

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

== The Galactica Telemovies ==

=== [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

The opening sequence is outstanding, although it mostly uses footage from the original series. It has a truly epic feel, and it gives the impression that we will see a grand conclusion to the Battlestar Galactica saga. Sadly, this does not happen. Still, Adama's opening declaration that Earth has been found is also magnificent, much better done than it was in the original episode. By removing the time-travel subplot as well as much of the silliness including Troy and Dillon dancing on stage, the whole is better than any of the original Galactica 1980 episodes it is composed of. Yet this hardly makes ''Conquest of the Earth'' a great movie. The opening minutes rate five stars, yet starting with the first appearance of Dr. Zee (who bizarrely speaks with two different voices), the rest of the movie rates much lower.

=== [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack (VHS)|Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

This movie is less entertaining than the individual episodes it is composed of (The Living Legend and Fire In Space). The separate episodes don't mesh together seamlessly, resulting in several plot holes and odd hairstyle changes between scenes. The movie especially suffers because many great scenes from The Living Legend episode are missing. All scenes and dialogue relating to Starbuck's relationship with Cassiopeia are cut, which only makes the Cain/Cassiopeia subplot less interesting. The battle scenes are a little more elaborate because additional stock footage is used, but that's not enough to overcome the movie's deficiencies. A different sound effect is used for the engines of the Cylon raiders that's a little jarring for anyone who is a die-hard fan of the original show.

Bottom line, this movie is only recommended for curiosity's sake.

== Berkley Books ==
=== [[Saga of a Star World (Book)|Saga of a Star World]] ===
'''Flagship of the 12 Worlds fleet, she was as large as a planet, yet as swift as the Starhound fighters she launched from her bays. For generations the vast ship led the thousand-year war against the Cylons for control of the known Galaxy. Now that war was in its final phase, and Galactica had one final mission, win or lose: blast through the deadly grid of the Cylon Starfleet and dash for deep space in a desperate attempt to find the legendary "Stonehenge" of the universe - the lost planet the ancient microfilms call "Earth."'''

This is the opening paragraph to the Berkley novelization of the Battlestar Galactica pilot "Saga Of A Star World". This is easily one of the most fascinating Galactica books ever written, and there are a number of things that make it so interesting. First, the book is based on an early script of the pilot and, although changes were made before it came to print to make it more like the version that aired, there are a number of alternate scenes in the book. The Galactica universe is also different in several aspects, such as the Cylons are living aliens underneath their armor instead of total machines. Also, there are missing scenes left out of the final cut of the movie that survived intact in the book (Starbuck's confrontation with Tigh on the bridge after the Colonies are destroyed; Starbuck's extended conversation with Cassie on the shuttle; Adama's resigning from the Council).

Perhaps best of all, certain events are more fleshed out in the novelization than in the movie such as the surprise Cylon attack. The novelization helps to fill a number of gaping plot holes and unanswered questions that the movie was saddled with. Many chapters begin with an entry from the Adama journals, and the reader is able to learn a lot of information and insight from the Galactica's commander.

Many fans are unhappy with the Berkley books, feeling that they don't remain true to the series. I respectfully disagree. First of all, as already mentioned, the novelizations often have extra detail and explanations that help cover up plot holes that existed in the episodes. Second, the fact that the novels portray the BG universe in a slightly different way and that they are not exact retellings of the episodes is good because the books would be pretty boring otherwise. Third, some of the characters such as Athena are fleshed out better in the novels. Make no mistake, this is the best of all the Berkley novelizations and is a must-read for any fan of the original series.

== External Links ==

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/BGEPISODES.htm Battlestar Galactica Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/Wharmby.htm Matthew Wharmby's Hilarious Galactica 1980 Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

User:Galactica1981/Galactica 1981 Reviews

2011-11-26T00:15:35Z

Galactica1981: /* Galactica 1980 comic series */

This is a list of reviews by [[User:Galactica1981]] for various [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]] content. Given to the Battlestar Wiki's policy of [[NPOV|Neutral Point of View]], they are found here rather than their respective articles.

These episode reviews originally appears on the Sheba's Galaxy site. They have been slightly revised.

== TOS Episode Reviews ==

===[[Saga of a Star World]] ===

'''RATING: Four and a half stars out of five'''

There's no question that on the night of September 17, 1978, Battlestar Galactica hit television screens with a bang. Saga Of A Star World is unquestionably the most elaborate televison movie ever made (and least up to that point!) When trying to rate something like this, it's important to examine it in the context of television during that time period. For sure, no sci-fi show of this magnitude had ever been done before in the history of television, and thus it deserves extra points for that alone. There are many great things that can be said about this episode (acting, special effects, music score), but I won't bother repeating what most people are already aware of. In the end, I had to decide against a full five-star rating, mostly because of the unforgivable "Star Wars" ending it was saddled with. The big explosion of the planet Carillon is a blatant ripoff of Star Wars, not to mention ridiculous as well. Setting fire to some tylium mines causes the entire planet to explode? This is ludicrous (although one could argue that destroying the massive Death Star by shooting a tiny exhaust port was equally ludicrous). Surely Glen Larson could have written a better ending than this. Ultimately, this had to reinforce many people's beliefs that Galactica was a second-rate Star Wars. Having a casino with all sorts of alien creatures also seems a little too close to Star Wars for comfort.

As a kid watching the show, I absolutely loved the Cylons because of how cool they looked. My favorite character was Starbuck who I idolized and wanted to be like. The series also had a phenomenal cast with tremendously talented actors (except for Maren Jensen), and it's a shame they were often saddled with substandard scripts. Starbuck and Apollo are wonderful in the lead roles, and they arguably have more chemistry than did Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. And Lorne Greene is superb as in the role of Commander Adama. In the pilot episode, the scene that perhaps stands out the most is the laser battle against the Cylon Centurions on the surface of Carillon, a truly awesome spectacle combined with the looming countdown as the Cylon raiders close in on the Galactica. It terms of the characters, my favorite scene is probably Starbuck's almost proposing to Athena. Finally, the musical score for the series is truly breathtaking, on a similar level as the one for Star Wars.

Of course, there are also some HUMONGOUS plot holes in this story, enough for any critic to tear it to shreds. I'm not going bother writing 5 pages about the plot problems of Saga Of A Star World. Instead, I'll just mention a few points:

The premise of the Colonial fleet seeking Earth, while interesting, is unfortunately flawed because no one (not even Adama) has any idea where it is! Apparently, Adama was the only one who even knew about Earth's existence, although he doesn't seem to have any proof. Thus the Colonial fleet is left to wander aimlessly throughout the universe looking for it. Fortunately, this problem would be addressed in ''War of the Gods'' when the Colonials finally learn the coordinates to Earth.

The Colonials seemed unbelievably gullible and naive regarding the Cylons' offer of peace. After a thousand years of war, you would think they'd have been more careful, but they foolishly leave their home planets undefended. President Adar is incredibly stupid when he sees a thousand Cylon raiders coming towards the fleet and assumes it is a peace envoy.

Apollo gets back to the fleet in time to warn them of the coming Cylon attack, yet he fails to do so. Why? Why does he take an hour to find the bridge?

=== [[Lost Planet of the Gods]]===

'''Rating: Four stars out of five'''

The second half of this two-part episode has the theatrical feel of a movie, while the first half has often been blasted as being sexist. Of course, it is a bit strange that all the female cadets look like lingerie models. Still, I think the claim of sexism is a bit overstated. If you look at women in the U.S. military, they tend to act in supporting roles rather than be on the front lines. I don't know how many female jet pilots are in the U.S. military, but I suspect there aren't many. And I suspect this is due less to discrimination than to the fact that women tend to make different career choices than men (i.e. they tend to choose less hazardous professions). The reasons for there being no female viper pilots on the Galactica were probably along the same lines.

Regardless, the first half of the episode mostly serves as a set-up for the second half. Nothing wrong with that, but it does make the first half far less interesting.

Anyway, the two-part episodes fare better than most of the one-part episodes because Glen Larson would often blow the budget and vastly overspend. There are many fantastic scenes in the second half: Serina proposing to Apollo that they marry immediately; the Star of Kobol appearing in the port window during the wedding ceremony; the light shining off of Adama's medallion inside the tombs of Kobol; the Cylon raiders attacking the surface of Kobol; and, of course, Serina's death scene.

Serina's death is one of the most poignant moments of the entire series. But it came with a high price, as the show arguably suffered without her. And the writing would start to take a turn for the worse with the very next episode.

===[[The Lost Warrior]]===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

After only two episodes, Battlestar Galactica's creative energy has fizzled out. This is the first of the so-called "bottled episodes." These episodes had few if any new special effects, enabling the producers to save money which would later be spent on the bigger, more extravagant "monster episodes." It's understandable that these "bottled" stories were necessary, but this is where rushing the show into production really hurt the series. The writers simply did not have time to create quality scripts. Of course, this would ultimately lead to the decline in ratings.

This kind of episode is tough to review because it's good but wrong. Based on the classic 1953 western film Shane, this actually makes a pretty decent western, but Battlestar Galactica is supposed to be a science fiction series. Sci-fi fans want science fiction, not half-hybrids of other shows (A mistake that Galactica 1980 would repeat). If I want to see a Western, I'd rather watch Bonanza. The only reason this gets two stars is because we get such a strong characterization of Apollo.

Unfortunately, this is not the only space western we would see on Galactica. Cowboys and saloons would return in The Magnificent Warriors. In fact, the very idea that an "old west" town would exist in Battlestar Galactica completely contradicts the Von Daniken premise of the show, that the Colonies and the ancient cultures of Earth (such as Atlantis and Egypt) have the same roots, the same beginnings. It is ludicrous that an Old West society could have any common connection with this. It raises all kinds of questions. The people of Equellis obviously had to arrive on that world by means of spacecraft, so why is the society so primitive? How could they not know of the Cylons since the war has raged for 1,000 years and the average human life-span is 200 years?

Why would Apollo be dumb enough to fly so far away from the fleet that he wouldn't have enough fuel to make it back? This really makes no sense. And why does Apollo promise Bella and Puppis that he will return one day? Why would he ever believe that possible?

Despite the lackluster plot, there are some good moments. Boxey beating Starbuck at Pyramid is funny, and the western style "shoot-out" between Red-Eye and Apollo is very well done. The only weak point is when Red Eye spots Apollo's laser and says, "Uh-oh." This trivalizes a very serious moment for the sake of silly humor. It is difficult to believe that a Cylon would use such a phrase. Ironically, for years I couldn't make out exactly what he was saying. I assumed it was some kind of challenge to Apollo, and it actually added to the power of the moment. You can imagine my dismay when I learned the truth. Also, Puppis gets pretty annoying pretty fast.

===[[The Long Patrol]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

The Long Patrol is lot of a fun and a big improvement over the previous episode. Starbuck's computer companion C.O.R.A is a hoot. There are several funny scenes: Starbuck womanizing Cassiopeia and Athena; Boomer's jab at him before he goes off on the mission; Starbuck finding a fortune in ambrosia only to have it destroyed by the Cylon attack. Adama deciding to change the Galactica's course to keep distance from the Cylons is very well done, revealing how burdensome command of the fleet is and how it forces him to sacrifice his loved ones to protect the rest of humanity.

Maren Jensen (Athena) gets more screen time here than in most of the episodes. The scene with Athena revealing Starbuck's apparent death to Cassiopeia is especially moving, one of Jensen's best scenes of the series. The Athen/Cassiopeia rivalry was compelling and could have been developed in future episodes, but sadly this never happens. This was likely due to Maren Jensen's limitations as an actress which caused the writers to reduce her role.

Could C.O.R.A. have been the inspiration for K.I.T.T., the computerized car on Glen Larson's Knight Rider? Considering the amazing similarities between the two, it would have to be a possibility. Also, Glen Larson has went on record saying that K.I.T.T.'s swerving red eye was inspired by the swerving red eyes of the Cylons. It was sort of his way of keeping the Cylons alive.

The Long Patrol is definitely one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

===[[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero]]===

'''Rating: Three and a half stars out of five'''

This two-part episode is based on the 1961 movie The Guns of Navarone and the 1967 movie The Dirty Dozen. The episode has a theatrical feel to it because, as mentioned before, the two-parters had bigger budgets. Although the story is by-the-numbers, it is very enjoyable because of the fantastic special effects. Still, as good as Gun is, it is easily one of the lesser of the two-parters. While better than Greetings From Earth, Gun falls far short of The Living Legend, Lost Planet Of The Gods, and especially War Of The Gods.

This was actually the second episode filmed. This would explain why Serina and Cassiopea do not appear (Serina and Cassiopea died in the original version of the pilot before the decision was made to bring them back). Baltar and Lucifer's scenes were probably shot much later.

This episode raises a serious question. Considering the staggering number of people who had to be left behind due to lack of ships, why would the Colonials bother to take criminals with them? Perhaps they were already locked in the brig on the Galactica before the Holocaust or they somehow managed to sneak aboard the fleet to be captured later. Or perhaps most of them committed their crimes after joining the rag tag fleet. Considering how overcrowded, starved, and disorganized the fleet was when it was assembled, it is logical that many violent crimes would have occurred. An episode exploring this would have been nice.

The idea that there would not be enough qualified Colonial warriors to go on the mission is hard to believe. And why do Apollo, Starbuck, and Boomer get chosen? They are pilots, and their emphasis is not on ground assault. Logically, the Galactica would have a ground assault team available for these kinds of situations. It is also difficult to believe that Boxey would have found a way to sneak onto the shuttle. At least he and Muffit have an impact on the success of the mission.

In the book ''The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'' by J.W. Rinzler and Ridley Scott, it is revealed that part of George Lucas's anger towards Battlestar Galactica was because of this episode. Lucas planned to feature an ice planet in the sequel to Star Wars, and he felt that Galactica threatened to undercut him by featuring an ice planet on one of their own episodes. Did this fuel his lawsuit that Galactica was infringing on Star Wars? Is so, then Lucas comes off as disingenuous to say the least, for it would be absurd to claim that Galactica was infringing on a movie that hadn't yet been made!

Baltar's legs were crushed in Lost Planet of the Gods, yet in this episode the only evidence of Baltar's injury is a slight limp. Did the Cylons do major reconstructive surgery on his legs? I guess so.

At this point, the constant reusing of the same space battle scenes really starts getting redundant. Still, this remains one of the most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

=== [[The Magnificent Warriors]] ===

'''Rating: One and a half stars out of five'''

Many fans consider this to be the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. While I don't agree, I think it comes pretty close. The story is, quite frankly, terrible. We are again subjected to yet another old-western style shanty town? Once was enough! The Borays are disgusting and sound awful. The only redeeming moment is when Adama and company discover Starbuck at the gambling table. It's rather funny.

Siress Bellaby is hands down the most annoying character to ever appear on Battlestar Galactica. Most viewers probably couldn't understand why the Colonial Warriors didn't simply let the Borays kill her.

On a positive note, we are shown Lorne Greene's impressive range as an actor. It's interesting to see a comical Adama, a nice contrast to the serious commander that we usually see. Unfortunately, Greene is forced to play against Brett Somers (Siress Bellaby). Somers isn't funny; she's annoying, and it kills most of the comedy that is presented.

The premise of The Magnificent Warriors actually had a lot of potential. We are given a situation where the fleet has no food and everyone is aware of it (unlike in Saga Of A Star World when the Colonials were able to cover up the problem). This raises all kinds of fascinating issues. Would the fleet start a mutiny against Adama during such a crisis? How would Adama react to such a mutiny? How would he choose who to save? Would he allow each ship to make its own decision to leave? Or would he try to force them to stick together? And what decisions would Starbuck and Apollo be forced to make if such a mutiny occurred? So many interesting questions for the episode to pursue.

Sadly, standard television plotting is what we get. The Colonials are traveling through the vast uncharted regions of space, and they run out of food at just the precise moment they happen to be near a farming colony. Okay. Whatever. The Colonials land on the planet and meet the Borays. From then on, it's just another battle of good vs. evil. Putting the Colonials in a moral dilemna would have been much more interesting that what we were given here.

===[[The Young Lords]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

This is the family episode of Battlestar Galactica. Starbuck is shot down and crashes on a planet. Yawn. This is essentially a remake of The Lost Warrior in which Apollo is stranded on the planet Equellus. Of course, Starbuck was also stranded in The Long Patrol and Cree was stranded in ''The Gun On Ice Planet Zero''. Later in ''Greetings From Earth'', Starbuck, Apollo, and Casseopia would be stranded on the planet Paradeen. At this point, the series was becoming so predictable that viewers each week must have been asking the question, "Who's going to have to be rescued this week?" In fact, Mad Magazine, in a spoof of Galactica, poked fun at this element of the show. (See [[Humor in the Original Series]])

Considering the incredibly broad premise of the series, it's amazing that the writers had so much trouble coming up with a story that didn't involve someone being stranded on a planet. With this kind of plot, The Young Lords shouldn't even be watchable. And yet, despite all these drawbacks, this actually turns out to be a fun, enjoyable episode. Part of this praise goes to the tremendous production values. It is simply fascinating to see so many Cylons inside a medieval castle. The location is nothing short of spectacular. To top it off, Dirk Benedict delivers with a wonderful performance. There are many good scenes, especially Starbuck's rescue from the Cylons by Kyle and the children (plus his insulting remark to the Cylons moments before). Playing up kids in a series can be extremely fatal to ratings (Galactica 1980 became an infamous example of this), but fortunately Kyle and the gang never get to the point where they become grating; although they (and their song near the end) come dangerously close. (And are we to believe Starbuck and his Scooby Gang would actually take the time to think up lyrics for a song and memorize them? Please!)

The IL series Cylon Spectre is a delightfully conniving character. He is the perfect foil for Lucifer. His phony flattery of Baltar is hilarious, especially the way he manages to turn defeat to his own advantage. Unfortunately, the character does not appear again. Had the series continued into a second season, he probably would have. Spectre does appear in the later original Berkley novels [[The Nightmare Machine]], [[Die, Chameleon!]] and [[Surrender the Galactica!]] where he is put to good use.

Most of the scenes of Baltar and Lucifer communicating with Spectre were recycled with different dialogue into the Galactica telemovie [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]].

Needless to say that by this point the Cylons have become a joke. When you stop and really think about it, it is ludicrous that an entire Cylon garrison is defeated by one colonial warrior and five children.

Still, this episode somehow succeeds despite every logical reason why it shouldn't.

===[[The Living Legend]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five'''

This is one of the very best episodes of Battlestar Galactica. The two-part episodes consistently deliver, and The Living Legend is no exception. The idea of a second survivng battlestar is a good one, as is a scenario where the fleet runs out of fuel.

This episode introduces two compelling characters, Commander Cain and his daughter, Lt. Sheba. Sheba's character is said to have been a ground-breaking role for women. She is tough, independent, and short-tempered. Basically, she's the exact opposite of virtually every other female character to appear on the series. Fortunately, she, along with Bojay, becomes a regular after this episode.

Lloyd Bridges is tremendous as Commander Cain. It's hard to imagine any other actor filling the role. The only weak moment for Bridges is when Cain lies to Adama about the "accidental" failure of the tanker mission. Cain's cavalier attitude about it makes it obvious to everyone that he purposely sabotaged the mission.

This story is different from any other Galactica story thus far because we see a clash of philosophies within the ranks of the military. Cain wants to wage an all-out war against Gamoray, and Adama simply wants to capture the much-needed fuel and escape. The earlier episodes were extremely simplistic in their portaryal of good versus evil. The Colonials are good. The Cylons are evil. Simple as that. Since the good guys are all in the military, the military is always portrayed as being right. Adama, Starbuck, and Apollo had very few moral dilemnas to deal with, which would have made the stories so much more interesting.

Baltar personally leading the attack on the Galactica makes the battle much more intense and exciting, mostly because the battle has a storyline. Most of the Galactica space battles are nothing more than a confusing jumble of stock shots haphazardly thrown together with nothing in terms of a flow or climax. (One of the bigger flaws of Return Of The Jedi was that the Battle of Endor had nothing in terms of a storyline.) This time it is different. The Pegasus closing in on Baltar at the end of part one is the best cliff hanger of the series. It is rather fitting that Baltar's forces are taken by surprise, since it was Baltar who caused the colonial warfleet to be taken by surprise in the pilot.

The scene between Adama and Apollo right before the mission to capture the Cylon tankers is very powerful. It shows how, despite being father and son, each of their respective positions forces a distance between them personally. What is especially impressive is that this is done without words. Richard Hatch and Lorne Greene manage to convey more with a facial expression than most actors do with a page of dialogue.

Boxey really starts to get on the nerves at this point. Nothing against Noah Hathaway, but Boxey is a character all too typical of standard television. He is an ultra-cute TV kid doing ultra-cute things, yet usually has little or no bearing on the plot. These kinds of characters (most notably the Super Scouts from Galactica 1980) only serve to hurt a show's ratings.

When you put the story under scrutiny, there are some serious flaws. Why are viper pilots sent on a ground mission? Wouldn't the Galactica have specialized teams for that sort of thing? It is also a bit difficult to believe that Sheba could have found a way to go on the mission to Gamoray without permission. It is even more difficult to believe that Cassiopea would have been allowed to just hop on the shuttle. Was she given a crash course on parachuting during the shuttle ride? How could the Colonial warriors have known exactly which building in Gamoray contained the main communications center? And are we to believe that destroying one small communications center would disable the entire city's defense system? If, like me, you can overlook these flaws, this is still a great episode.

This episode and Fire In Space were later combined to form the horrid Galactica theatrical movie [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]].

===[[Fire in Space]]===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

This explosive episode is the one-hour equivalent of a disaster movie. It's basically a sci-fi version of The Towering Inferno (and stock footage from that movie was probably used here). There's so much action that it isn't until the end that you realize just how essentially empty it is. There are a lot of things happening, and at the same time there is nothing happening. By all rights this story should be downright awful, yet somehow it isn't. It really speaks volumes about the show's production values and the performances of the actors that this turns out to be an enjoyable hour despite another by-the-numbers script.

After this episode, producer Glen Larson decided changed the direction of the series, relegating the Cylons to the background. The Cylons are not featured again until the final episode, The Hand Of God. The reason for the change of direction may be that Larson had a feeling the series would be canceled and decided to try to create a storyarc that would end the series with the Galactica apparently getting close to Earth. In an interview, Larson has said that he wasn't surprised the show was canceled. The change of direction was really for the best because the battles with the Cylons were too ridiculously imbalanced in the Colonials' favor (due to the censors) making the Cylons look like a joke, and the reusing of the same space battle stock footage was becoming monotonous.

The ending the writers originally planned had Cylon raiders attacking the Galactica a second time, and it is their lasers that put Starbuck and Apollo in danger on the Galactica's hull. Unfortunately, the network censors overruled this because they felt it would have been too repetitive. The complete original ending from the script can be found [[List_of_Deleted_Scenes_(TOS)#Fire_In_Space|here.]]

The story completely falls apart when put under scientific scrutiny because fires simply cannot exist in outer space, as many Galactica critics have pointed out. However, Star Wars was able to get away with this flub (Remember the fate of the Death Star?), so it seems rather unfair that Battlestar Galactica took so many shots because of it.

This is Terry Carter's best episode, since Colonel Tigh is thrust into the forefront, taking command of the Galactica while Adama is incapacitated. Carter does a tremendous job, and his strong performance helps save this cliched, overused story plot from losing steam.

Since the Galactica was on the verge of destruction by the time Starbuck and Apollo were planting charges on the hull, didn't it ever occur to Colonel Tigh to evacuate all non-essential personnel including the Colonial vipers so that, if the Galactica was destroyed, the fleet would at least have a fighting chance to survive? And since it was too dangerous to operate on Adama on the Galactica, didn't it ever occur to Dr. Salik to shuttle Adama to another ship in the fleet and perform the operation there?

A tremendous amount of damage is done to the Galactica (especially the landing bay), yet there is no sign of this in any future episodes nor any explanation of how the repairs went. Considering the abysmal plot, this episode was probably best left forgotten.

===[[War of the Gods]]===

'''RATING: Five stars out of five'''

War Of The Gods is one of the best and most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica. It is not the very best episode, nor is it completely flawless, but it is easily the most complex of all the stories we were given. The bottom line is that it is extremely rare to see this kind of thing done on TV. This is one of the few episodes to fully utilize Galactica's Von Daniken premise (God Is An Astronaut). We learn that angels are not spirits of the dead, but advanced beings who are thousands of years ahead of the Colonials in both technology and spirituality. Count Iblis (whom Apollo addresses in part 2 as Mephistopheles) comes across as a form of devil. There is an interesting parallel with mythology. Just as the angel Lucifer (or Satan) rebelled against heaven, Iblis rebels against his brothers on the Ship of Lights.

Iblis may well be the most fascinating character in the entire series. What is fascinating is that his voice is the same as that of the Cylon Imperious Leader. Baltar recognizes this (and it would have been an unforgivable flub if he didn't). There have been two primary theories about Iblis' origin. The first is that Iblis exterminated the original reptile Cylon race and created the mechanical one, starting the thousand year war with the humans.

The second theory is that Iblis and the Imperious Leader are one and the same. Iblis calling Baltar "old friend" would seem to support this. Also, it is made clear in the end that Iblis cannot control anyone who does not choose to follow him. If Iblis is the Imperious Leader, then Baltar technically was "following him" since he (Baltar) was serving the Cylons. However, the theory that Iblis and Imperious Leader being the same person doesn't quite hold up because wouldn't the Cylons then easily be able to locate the Colonial fleet? Therefore, the first theory makes more sense overall. But there is still the question of how Iblis was able to make Baltar surrender to the Colonials. The episode tries to make it seem that Iblis did not perform his bigger miracles, that the white lights caused the crops to grow and Baltar came of his own free will (the latter is hinted by Apollo in a missing scene that was cut from the original script). Of course, the idea that Baltar would surrender on his own is ludicrous considering the coward that he is. And why would the white lights come to the fleet if that would cause the crops on the agro-ship to grow and thus fulfill one of Iblis' tasks? Most importantly, why would Iblis dare the Colonials to make 3 challenges for him if he did not possess the power to complete them?

Regarding Iblis' origin, I tend to go with the first theory, but I would take it one step further and suggest that the Imperious Leader is either a servant of Iblis or is somehow under Iblis' control. Thus Baltar, by serving the Cylons, would also be serving Iblis and thus would be subject to Iblis' commands.

You really have to wonder if Glen Larson planned to have Patrick Macnee play Count Iblis from the very first episode or if it was just an amazing coincidence that the same actor who provided the Imperious Leader's voice turned out to be perfect for the Count Iblis role. Considering how incredibly rushed the production of the show was, the latter would have to be a possibility. If it's the former, then you really have to applaud Glen Larson for planning so far ahead.

There are other marvelous scenes. Iblis' slow manipulation and seduction of Sheba is riveting (especially when he kisses her on the Agro-ship). The white lights and the Ship of Lights are a marvel and have to be considered among the best special effects the series has ever produced. The scenery of the red planet, including the visual effect of Starbuck, Apollo, and Sheba when they walk on that world is also outstanding. The triad court is a fantastic (and obviously, expensive) set. You have to give the producers a lot of credit for creating such a unique game for the Colonials to play. It makes sense. With the grueling struggle for survival in a rag-tag fleet, the Colonials have to have some sort of entertainment to take their minds off their plight.

As with most episodes, the performances are all top-notch. Richard Hatch plays his end perfectly, carefully balancing Apollo's distrust of Iblis and his caring for Sheba. Dirk Benedict adds a whole new dimension to Starbuck. His rage and grief over the death of Apollo (especially when he attempts to shoot Iblis) stand out as some of Starbuck's most memorable moments of the entire series. Anne Lockhart is also great portraying Sheba's slow seduction and manipulation by Count Iblis. Her joy at Apollo's resurrection firmly establishes her inner feelings toward him, and this subplot would come to a stunning head in the final episode. Lorne Greene never falters in his performances, and this is no exception. Greene does a tremendous job portraying a man torn between his desire to find Earth and his distrust of Iblis. One of the best moments has to be during the Triad game. During the game, Adama and Iblis are seated on opposite sides of the court. There are really two battles going on here: the battle between the players on the court, and the battle between Iblis and Adama.

Despite everything, the episode is not completely perfect. Not all the questions are answered (which in itself is not a bad thing), but some of what happens doesn't quite make sense. First of all, why does the Ship of Lights kidnap the viper pilots? We are never given any kind of answer. What makes it more confusing is that by kidnapping the pilots, the Ship of Lights actually aids Iblis because the Colonials look to him for protection. And why does Baltar say that Iblis now no longer holds any power over him after Baltar recognizes Iblis' voice? Perhaps this is supposed to be a clue to understand who Iblis is, but if this is the case, I can't make anything out of it.

There is also the issue of what was inside the crashed ship on the red planet. A popular myth is that the ship is the the Battlestar Pegasus and when Apollo looked inside he saw the body of Commander Cain, but this is false. The original script and the Berkely novelization tell us exactly what is inside the ship: tall, cloven-hoofed horned beings with tails. This is a little hard to make sense of. Are the beings in the ship supposed to be devils? If that is the case, it doesn't really make Iblis appear all that evil for killing them. It could be viewed as another parallel of mythology. After being defeated by heaven, Lucifer and his followers fall into hell. Likewise, Iblis' ship containing his followers (the devils) crashes (falls) to the earth. It's not a perfect allegory, but fascinating nonetheless. (For more on this, see [[War_of_the_Gods,_Part_II#The_Mystery_of_the_Crashed_Ship|The Mystery of the Crashed Ship]])

I'm not trying to pick the episode apart with these various criticisms. Actually, the story works much better with its mystery and ambiguity rather than easy, clear-cut answers. One of the problems with television these days is that shows rarely challenge the viewer to think; instead, most shows sacrifice ambiguity and insist on spelling everything out as simply and clearly as possible. The mystery of Count Iblis is really what makes ''War Of The Gods'' so special and one of the most famous and highly debated of all the Galactica episodes. I'm glad that we are not given the answer to who Iblis is because the only way a mystery can retain its power is as long as it remains unsolved. Why do you think the great magicians never reveal how they do their tricks? If you are looking for a great movie example of this, then I suggest you check out Peter Weir's ''Picnic At Hanging Rock''.

Finally, one of the best things about this episode is that it provides us the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba!

===[[The Man With Nine Lives]]===

'''Rating: Four out of five stars'''

This episode is the only one that offers a significant look at the people of the fleet. Fred Astaire puts in an enjoyable performance as the rogue con-man Chameleon. The Borellian Nomen are interesting new adversaries for the Colonial Warriors, although they seem to be based on a Hollywood and societal stereotype of American Indians (Unfortunately, we are told very little of their origins). One of the best episodes in terms of characterization.

This episode pretty much makes it clear that Cassiopeia is THE ONE for Starbuck, thanks to Starbuck telling Chameleon that she's the only one he's ever considered sealing with (although that actually isn't true; he did almost propose to Athena in the pilot episode).

Don Bellisario was unable to think of a suitable name for the villains. In an after-work bull session, story editor Jim Carlson casually remarked something to the effect of, "It’s too bad they’re not from an ice planet, you could call them Snomen." Bellisario replied, "There’s no snow where these guys are gonna be!" Carlson answered, "Then call then Nomen."

This episode proves that great stories don't require huge explosions and fancy special effects. Unfortunately, the rushed production of the show made episodes like The Man With Nine Lives the exception rather than the rule.

=== [[Murder on the Rising Star]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Murder She Wrote in outer space??? This story had little point being part of a show like Battlestar Galactica. This is the kind of story that is done on almost every science fiction series when the writers are out of ideas. There is very little in the way of drama because the viewer knows the hero is innocent and will be cleared. This story tries to give the impression that Starbuck might be guilty (we don't get to see who shoots Ortega, Starbuck is shown running from the scene, plus Starbuck's anxiousness in the shuttle bay makes him appear guilty), but only the most gullible of viewers would fall for this. The story would be more forgivable if we learned some new insights about the characters or the fleet, but what do we learn? What is the point? Is it that the Colonial system of law is virtually identical to the U.S. system? (which is hardly believeable) Or that Adama has to spend time hearing court cases? (Not too believable either considering the incredibly burdensome task he has of commanding the fleet) Or is it that playing triad is more dangerous than anybody thought? What is the point of this episode except to fill an hour's worth of time???

This is the fourth episode that features Starbuck. While Dirk Benedict certainly plays a wonderful character, it would have been nice to have featured some of the lesser used cast members (Tigh, Boomer, Athena, Sheba).

One thing really stands out: It is absurd how little time Apollo is given to prepare a case for Starbuck's defense. He only has 10 centares, and the script for this episode has a key that states a centar is an hour. Only 10 hours to prepare for a murder trial??? Give me a break!

This story could have been done differently to make it more poignant. What if Apollo was unable to conclusively prove who killed Ortega, and Adama intervenes, using his power as commander to have Starbuck set free. It would raise the question of whether Adama was abusing his power. Even then, considering the fleet must be depleted when it comes to seasoned viper pilots, it could be argued that the fleet needed Starbuck as a warrior. It would have been an interesting moral issue, something Battlestar Galactica rarely had. I also think the story would have been more interesting if we were left with some doubt as to whether Starbuck killed Ortega (in self-defense, of course).

An interesting note: Karibdis appears early on in the story, serving drinks to Adama and Tigh while they watch the Triad game. This is an often-used writing device. You have the murderer/villain appear early in the story, sometimes at the very beginning, in what appears to be a minor or trivial role. This often fools the audience, as they rarely expect such a character to be revealed so quickly. This was also done on the miniseries for the new Galactica, when one of the human Cylons is leading a tour of the Galactica during the opening credits. If you want to get good at solving TV/movie mysteries, pay attention to the minor characters that appear early in the story.

Overall, the murder mystery itself isn't half bad, and there are fine all-around performances from the cast to make this watchable. In a way, it makes the episode more disappointing to have such great talent squandered on such a by-the-numbers story. But everyone holds up their end well, especially Dirk Benedict and Laurette Spang in their scene inside the brig. It's nice the writers found a way to bring Baltar into the story, and John Colicos still makes a great villain. The flashback of the destruction of Caprica is also well-done. There were certainly many crimes committed during the evacuation, and it illustrates that Battlestar Galactica was brimming with potentially interesting stories to explore, which again only makes this episode more of a letdown.

That said, it's important to realize that writers Jim Carlson and Terrence McDonnell were forced to write this episode in 36 hours straight. Considering what a rushjob this script was, it's amazing it turned out as well as it did. This is one instance where it might be better to see the glass as half-full rather than half-empty.

===[[Greetings from Earth]]===

'''RATING: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Greetings From Earth just doesn't measure up with the other two-hour episodes. The story makes for a passable first hour but quickly takes a nosedive in the second. Glen Larson's attempt at comedy falls horribly flat. Hector, Vector and the kids quickly wear out their welcome (A premonition of Galactica 1980?). The Eastern Alliance is introduced as a new adversary, but they are little more than cardboard Nazis with zero charisma (at least the Cylons looked cool). Another problem is that their primitive technology takes a lot of steam out of their threat. Unfortunately, the Eastern Alliance is never utilized to the fullest. A space battle between vipers and Eastern Alliance destroyers would have been fantastic, but the time and money needed to do such a complex battle scene made it impossible. Also, Apollo becomes a bit overbearing with his "Do The Right Thing" attitude in the first half (What's also annoying is that Apollo's dialogue in the first half is badly redubbed, apparently to make his voice louder).

What makes the first hour so interesting is that the Colonials are faced with a perplexing moral issue (a rarity, for sure). Do they allow the humans to leave, or force them to remain at least until more information is learned? There are actually opposing opinions within the Colonial military, at least for awhile. Apollo's view quickly wins out, though. The Council of Twelve is portrayed as being incredibly selfish and uncaring, but it could be argued they were right. It was possibly life or death for the Colonials to learn about the human race that awaited them. Certainly the humans could have been revived long enough for the Colonials to get the necessary information out of them. Apollo's plan to let the ship go had a good chance of failing. How could he be certain enough that they wouldn't get lost, or wind up so far away that they'd never be able to make it back to the fleet?

When you think about it, why don't Starbuck, Apollo and Cassiopea have super powers when they are in Paradeen's weaker gravity just as the Super Scouts do when they are in Earth's weaker gravity on Galactica 1980? Wouldn't it have been fun to see Starbuck, Apollo, and Cassiopea bouncing up and down and jumping into trees?

Unlike the other two-parters, this one ends with a whimper instead of a bang as Starbuck and Apollo's capture of the Enforcers is about as anti-climatic as you can get. This script really comes across as being rushed, which was probably the case. Overall, Greetings From Earth is yet another episode that failed to reach its potential due to the constrainments of a weekly series.

=== [[Experiment in Terra]] ===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

Experiment In Terra initially comes across as a superb episode, but under close inspection the story unfortunately has serious flaws. The Ship of Lights recruiting Apollo to help Terra is a cool idea, but their reasoning as to why they need to use a mortal human doesn't hold up. John says that the people of Terra can't see the "Guardians" (my own name for them) outside the confines of their ship. And yet on Terra, John makes himself visible to Starbuck by merely touching him. Even more problematic, Apollo's mission never makes sense. The Guardians know that the Eastern Alliance is going to launch a missile attack, so the master plan is to have Apollo tell the "west side" that the Eastern Alliance has been attacking them? Um, okay, but even if Apollo succeeds, how will this stop the Eastern Alliance from launching their missiles? Why not just have Apollo tell the Galactica to travel to Terra and destroy the missile attack? The answer, of course, is that there wouldn't be much of a story.

Sadly, there are many other flaws. Apollo says he can't reach Terra because the distance is too great, so he is "teleported" right in front of the planet. So how is it that Starbuck is able to eventually reach the planet on his own? Logically, he wouldn't have had enough fuel. Adama's decision to pull the Galactica out of the fleet is more out of whack than it may first appear. He didn't do that in earlier episodes when Starbuck or Apollo were crashed/stranded. This time Adama doesn't even know who the two pilots are, and yet he pulls the Galactica out of the fleet.

Even more ludicrous is the idea that the Galactica travels to Terra at light speed (and not just because it is scientifically implausible). If the Galactica was traveling to Terra at the speed of light, they should have reached Terra almost instantly (in fact, they probably could have found Earth during the pilot episode!) And how is it that the Galactica was able to travel to Terra unmolested? Surely there would be Eastern Alliance destroyers patrolling the area around the planet. And how does the Eastern Alliance not know that the Galactica was responsible for destroying their missiles? Surely the Galactica would have been picked up on their scanners.

Also, the West President's reasoning for withholding knowledge of the Eastern Alliance's attacks is questionable. Why does he think he can make peace with the Eastern Alliance if they are constantly attacking him? And if the Eastern Alliance has wiped out all of the West's satellite planets, how could the President possibly prevent word of this from leaking out? It's not realistic at all. Plus, the idea that the Eastern Alliance would be willing to destroy the entire planet (at least half of which they own) is pretty ridiculous. Okay, they ARE Bad Guys, but what's the point of destroying most of their empire when they were already winning the war?

With such a long list of problems, you would think that this is a terrible episode. Amazingly, this isn't the case. In fact, Experiment In Terra still ranks as one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica. Seeing the Ship of Lights again is a treat, and Edward Mulhare is delightful as John, Apollo's guide. This episode is another example where the great production values and strong performances from the actors are able to overcome the plot inconsistencies. What makes Experiment In Terra work so well is that its plot holes aren't immediately noticeable. I didn't realize how many there were until I sat down and really thought about it. Apollo's mission to save Terra, as pointless as it winds up being, is still extremely engrossing. Apollo's speech to the Precidium is very dramatic and moving, even though (as we've already said) everything Apollo does on Terra turns out to be a waste of time since nothing he does has any chance of preventing the Eastern Alliance from launching its missiles.

This episode is extra fun to watch if you're aware that the script was originally written with the roles of Starbuck and Apollo reversed. After Richard Hatch complained that his character was getting the shaft, the script was quickly rewritten with the dialogue mostly remaining the same, resulting in Apollo talking suspiciously like Starbuck. At one point, Apollo says "Felgercarb" for the first time ever!

The ending scene is touching, as John tells Apollo that Terra is not Earth but "You must have faith." Many Galactica fans have interpreted this to mean that Apollo would successfully complete the journey to Earth.

Here are some humorous notes from British writer Matthew Wharmby:

* I'm sorry, but I thought the final scene was tremendously weak. All that buildup to a good scrap, heart-stopping music included, let down with a pathetic green shield spat out of the front of the Galactica. And from a terrible angle made necessary by two separately matted halves; one of Earth and one of the Galactica's underside. And you don't mean to tell me that the Galactica could extend such a shield over the whole planet? If so, why couldn't she have performed the same thing over Caprica in the pilot, and let the attacking Cylon fighters blow themselves up in it?
* Nobody seems too panicked about the impending nuclear annihilation! I don't know about you, but when us kids growing up in the late Cold War used to speculate nervously about the four-minute warning, the usual consensus was that we'd be doing, well, what it takes four minutes to do. 'You can do it twice,' the girls would quip.
* I'm not mad keen on Brenda's attitude. If every girl who had boyfriend trouble called the Old Bill on such a weak pretext, there wouldn't be a bloke alive out of prison!

=== [[Take the Celestra]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five'''

This is probably the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. A lot of people will probably disagree, but I have to go with this choice simply because I found this episode to be incredibly boring. The Magnificent Warriors and The Lost Warrior were also really bad (and they were certainly more simplistic), but they were never really boring. A story focusing on the hardships of voyaging on the rag tag fleet is a great idea, but this episode takes one self-destructive turn after another and may be the best example of a wasted opportunity for the series. Many of BG's bad episodes were somewhat saved by wonderful performances from the actors, but there is nothing here that stands out (although the Starbuck/Cassiopea reconciliation at the end is a nice moment). Starbuck and Apollo actually look stale. This is one of the few times that neither Richard Hatch nor Dirk Benedict are able to rise above the mediocre writing. Commander Kronus is incredibly boring - a static, stale character with little depth. Because it's hard to care about the character, it's hard to feel anything during the "dramatic" finish when Kronus dies. Given the moronic decisions he makes, I felt like saying "Good riddance." On the other hand, Ana Alicia suceeds in making Aurora interesting, but she is mostly wasted in this episode. Unfortunately, her boyfriend is more boring than Kronus, and I just wanted him to shut up. Despite these issues, the main problem with Take The Celestra lies in the script itself.

One of the biggest (yet least noted) flaws of Battlestar Galactica was the way it portrayed life in the rag-tag fleet. Day-to-day existence on a fleet of mostly derelict ships would no doubt be a grueling struggle for survival. Yet the series rarely ever indicated this. Most scenes with civilians consisted of parties, gambling, and triad games aboard the Rising Star! (hardly the most accurate look we could have been given) Take The Celestra was the perfect vehicle to change this, but unfortunately the writers took the easy way out. Aurora and the other mutineers were "illegally forced" to work so many double shifts. This makes the issue of right and wrong very easy to determine, but consider another direction the writers could have taken.

What if the harsh working conditions existed throughout the entire fleet? (and, logically, they should have) What if Aurora and the others were not working harder than anyone else and simply decided they had had enough? Would they be morally right in trying to escape the fleet (considering that the loss of manpower would likely hurt the remaining Colonials)? Apollo, Starbuck and the rest of the military are always talking about the importance of freedom. Apollo talks about it strongly in his speech to the Precedium in Experiment In Terra. When Starbuck tries to convince the prisoners to rebel in The Long Patrol, he says "You have rights. You're human beings!" When they finally escape, he says, "That's freedom." An interesting idea to explore is how free the Colonials actually were. Surely many of them wanted to settle on some of the planets the fleet passed by. If Adama refused their wishes, he would technically be restricting their freedom. Unfortunately, this kind of story is problematic because the extent of Adama's power is never clear; in fact, it varies from episode to episode (depending whatever works best for the story that week). But this kind of story would have made it a tough call as to whether Aurora and her friends were right and whether Starbuck and Apollo were totally justified in stopping them.

Anyway, that's the episode I would have liked to see, or anything other than what we did see, the most boring Galactica episode to date. The story is riddled with holes, outdone perhaps only by Experiment In Terra. Whereas that story's flaws are not immediately noticeable, most of this story's flaws are. Commander Kronus' decision to immediately shuttle the prisoners back to the fleet despite being so far away doesn't make much sense. His accompanying the shuttle makes even less sense. Colonial law states that a commander has to personally take the mutineers in for charges? Huh? Even when his ship is out in the middle of nowhere? Okay. Whatever. Kronus should have waited until the Celestra rejoined the fleet. His decision makes him look like an idiot.

How is it that Chakka is able to get almost the entire crew to mutiny with him on a whim? He couldn't have been planning mutiny beforehand because he had expected to become commander of the Celestra. And if the entire crew wasn't with him in the mutiny, then how could he have expected to get away with powering down the ship? And could Starbuck and Apollo both be so clueless that they wouldn't be able to remember which heading the fleet was on? And how does the shuttle run out of fuel so fast? And how is it that Kronus could not have known or heard about any of the harsh working conditions? The Celestra isn't that big of a ship. Are we to believe that he never left the bridge? To top it off, why is there such an urgent need in the final battle scene to "level out" the Celestra? It's not as though there were any ships or planets around that it could crash into. Almost nothing in this episode makes any sense.

The minor plot of Cassiopeia agonizing over Starbuck's evasiveness in their relationship is far more compelling than the main plot of the Celestra mutiny. But even the Starbuck/Aurora plot has problems. For one thing, the writers have Starbuck act like a total jerk by skipping his date with Cassie so he can see Aurora. Why would Cassie put up with that? And how is it that Starbuck had a serious relationship with Aurora going during the time of the Destruction? Didn't he clearly have something going with Athena back then? (If there's anything worse than the writers making things up as they go, it's when they unmake things up as they go.)

Anyway, this only makes Starbuck look like a bigger womanizer than anyone thought (not exactly the best way to endear him to viewers). Aurora makes a valid point in her anger towards him. If Starbuck really did care about her, why didn't he check to see if her name was in the fleet computer? Just because her house was destroyed doesn't mean for certain that she was killed. It's also highly questionable that Starbuck ever made it back to Caprica after the Cylons attacked. We've never been given any indication that anyone besides Adama and Apollo ever went back. Considering how dangerous it would have been (not to mention how strong a chance that someone might have led the Cylons back to the Galactica), it's absolutely ludicrous to suggest Adama would have allowed anyone to return to the planet.

I almost want to pretend that this episode was just a bad dream. Fortunately, the very next episode would raise the roof.

===[[The Hand of God]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five.'''

They saved the best for last. ''The Hand Of God'' is arguably the best episode of Battlestar Galactica, and my personal favorite.

No doubt about it, ''The Hand of God'' is Galactica at its best. Donald Bellisario shows the other writers how it's done, pulling out all the stops with this one. Both the script and the performances are stellar. Never before have the characters been portrayed in such a powerful way. Although there is nothing innovative about the basic plot itself (The Galactica battles the Cylons again), there are enough things going on that make this story extremely engrossing.

This episode is fascinating from start to finish. Visually, it is a treat as we get to see the inside of a Cylon basestar's landing bay for the first time. We also get to see Cylon Centurions boarding their ships for the first time. And the Celestial Observation Dome is a marvel, as is Apollo's analogy that being inside it is like riding in the Hand of God.

What makes this story especially memorable is the culmination of a story thread that has been running since ''War of the Gods''. In that episode, we see the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba. Nothing happens in the other episodes following, although Anne Lockhart does a good job showing, in a subtle way, Sheba's emerging feelings for Apollo.

Kudos go to both Anne Lockhart and Laurette Spang for winning performances. Sheba's confrontation with Apollo and their kiss inside the Cylon raider is the best scene of the episode. That and Cassiopeia's argument with Starbuck in the landing bay are both incredibly moving, providing each actress with her stand-out moment of the series. It really gives the viewer a chance to appreciate the range of Anne and Laurette. Women on this show were usually stuck in the background; this episode placed demands on each actress they rarely had to face. Give each one credit for not dropping the ball. Fortunately, they are both aided by outstanding dialogue from Bellisario. Of course, Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, and Herbert Jefferson, Jr. hold up their end as well. Starbuck, Apollo, and Boomer clasping hands in the pilots barracks (with the accompanying music score) powerfully expresses the bond of their friendship more than words ever could.

Extra congratulations go to Donald Bellisario who also directed this episode. His use of slow motion twice during Starbuck and Apollo's battles with Cylon Centurions make the scenes much more intense and suspenseful. Let's face it. Thanks to ABC's family-friendly censors, the Cylons often looked like a joke (Remember ''The Young Lords'' when Starbuck and five children wiped out an entire Cylon garrison?). If Starbuck and Apollo's shootout scenes had been shown in real time, there would have been little (if any) impact.

Another reason ''The Hand of God'' works so well is because the Cylons were not featured in the previous seven or eight episodes. Glen Larson wisely saw that the constant reusing of the same space battle footage was hurting the stories and thus moved the Cylons into the background after ''Fire In Space''. So much time has passed since then that the Cylons seem revitalized. There's nothing spectacular about the dogfight between the vipers and raiders or the slugfest between the Galactica and the Cylon basestar (since it's the same footage seen in previous episodes), but the story is compelling enough that it all still works.

If there is one flaw with this story, it is the idea that Adama would attack a Cylon basestar and risk the fate of the entire human race just for the sake of wreaking some vengeance. This is the same man who told Commander Cain, "I'm not interested in military victories. I'm interested in saving lives. What few of them are left." It would have worked better to have a scenario where the Galactica simply could not backtrack and thus was forced to attack the Cylons. Still, it is a minor flaw in an overall outstanding script.

It is extremely frustrating that we never see a follow-up to Apollo and Sheba's relationship since this was the final episode. For fans who would like to see some kind of continuation, there are some fan fiction stories that I highly recommend. There is a short story called ''My Father's Daughter'' which takes place immediately following the events of ''The Hand of God'' and is quite simply the best Sheba story I have ever read. Three other novels, ''Second Coming'', ''Joint Maneuvers'', and ''The Race For Earth'' also explore Apollo and Sheba's relationship and are outstanding. These stories are all available free online at a site I own called [http://freegalacticafanfictionnovels.weebly.com Free Battlestar Galactica Fan Fiction Novels].

Many fans were and still are saddened that the original show ended so soon. Personally, I'm at peace with it. If the show had to end, ''The Hand of God'' may have been the best way to close the curtain. After reading Glen Larson's [[Battlestar_Galactica:_Year_Two_proposal|Season Two proposal]], all I can say is, "Thank god the show ended when it did!" It appears that, if there had been a second season, half the cast would have been cut in order to save money, Sheba would have been killed off, Commander Cain would have returned as a Cylon android, and Apollo would have shirked his responsibilities and started partying and messing around with numerous women. Ugh!!!

I think I can accept Battlestar Galactica for what it was, always remembering that the light that shines twice as bright only burns half as long.

== Galactica 1980 Episode Reviews ==

=== [[Galactica Discovers Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

Galactica Discovers Earth turns out to be a watchable pilot, but watchable is about all. From the very first episode, Galactica 1980 is clearly nothing more than an attempt by ABC to cash in on the Galactica name by creating a cheap show that simply reuses the expensive special effects stock footage from the original series. The later episodes would only reinforce this. Kent McCord (Troy) and Barry Van Dyke (Dillon) come off as inferior clones of Starbuck and Apollo. In fact, the script for the pilot was originally written for Starbuck and Apollo. When those plans changed, the names were simply switched to Troy and Dillon. Jamie Hamilton comes off as a carbon copy of Lois Lane. Unfortunately, we are never given any backstory to any of these characters.

This may be the only pilot in television history in which the premise changes in the middle of the episode! At first it's about advancing Earth's technology in order to fight the Cylons. Then it suddenly changes and is about capturing a time-traveling villain. It's really bizarre. Anyway, the time travel journey to Nazi Germany is never particularly interesting, partly because Xaviar just isn't that compelling of a villain, but mostly because this is NOT Battlestar Galactica.

The idea of the Galactica having to protect a primitive Earth from the Cylons is actually a compelling premise, but the problem is that Dr. Zee's plan to slowly increase Earth's technology is flawed. At the rate in which the Colonials were going, it probably would have taken at least decades to get Earth's technology increased enough to be able to fight the Cylons. Long before then, the Cylons would probably tire of waiting and decide to just destroy the Colonial fleet. Even if the Cylons didn't attack, how far could the Galactica lead the Cylons away from Earth before they (the Colonials) were too far away from the planet to ever go back there? It probably would have been smarter to temporarily abandon Earth and lead the Cylons away until Dr. Zee could invent some technology that would allow the Colonials to destroy the Cylon armada. (Actually, since Colonial Vipers can now turn invisible, it should have been fairly easy for the Colonials to launch a surprise attack on the Cylons and defeat them once and for all!)

The problem with the original premise of Galactica 1980 is that it would have eventually become tiresome: Troy and Dillon each week would find a way to introduce some new technology (clean nuclear power, etc.) which would make some small improvement, but do little to bring Earth up to the level it would need be to fight the Cylons. As a result, the series could never evolve to the next level (i.e. Earth is ready to fight the Cylons), because the series' budget was too small for any kind of "final battle". As a result, Galactica 1980 was stuck in a rut from the get-go. It tried to distract viewers from the main plot (the Cylon threat) with time travel and cub scout outings because there was little that could be done with the original premise. It might have worked well as a single movie or perhaps a series of movies, but it's unlikely that Galactica 1980 could have ever jelled as a weekly series.

The show looks second-rate. For example, take the opening sequence. This has to be one of the worst opening sequences in television history. It's nothing but a series of stock footage shots from the original show haphazardly thrown together. Even the rendition of the Galactica theme seems inferior to the one we heard on the original show.

That said, there is some nice chemistry between the trio of Troy, Dillon and Jamie. There's one particularly touching scene in part 3 when Jamie says goodbye to Troy and Dillon at the bus stop. But whatever positives the actors had would not be enough to overcome a number of self-destructive turns that would begin with the very next episode.

=== [[The Super Scouts]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Super Scouts arrive, and Galactica 1980 plummets into an abyss it would not survive. In the beginning, we're forced to endure a series of boring classroom educational lessons. Things get even worse when the intergalactic 'Our Gang' reaches Earth. We get ultra-cute campfire songs and even more educational lessons shoved down are throats. The original series had flaws, but at least it never insulted its viewers with sitcom humor or by getting into preachy moral issues. Galactica 1980 gives us an ultra-simplistic environmental message of "Don't pollute the water," and does so with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

One could make the case that Galactica 1980 is a great tool for writers to learn how NOT to write drama. One key is to create powerful villains and put the heroes in situations that are difficult to deal with. But all of the villains in Galactica 1980 are weak. The Colonials have so many advantages over the people of Earth - spaceships, super powers, invisibility fields - that they are essentially invincible, thus robbing the series of any possible drama. In Galactica 1980, there are no worthy villains. The bumbling cops and incompetent military personnel never have a prayer of apprehending Troy and Dillon, so there's no suspense. And it's certainly not funny to watch Earthlings constantly being confounded by extra-terrestrials. Yet that is what we're forced to endure again and again throughout the entire series.

=== [[Spaceball]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

This is crap. Spaceball is the worst, most hated episode of Galactica 1980. It's silly, stupid, and just plain dumb. Little kids playing baseball??? This is Battlestar Galactica??? Spaceball may be the most inconsequential hour of science fiction ever made. It's nothing less than an insult to the original series that this bionic version of ''The Bad News Bears'' was shot under the Galactica name.

=== [[The Night The Cylons Landed]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five (Poor)'''

The Night The Cylons Landed is the best episode since the pilot. Of course, this isn't saying much, since watching a blank screen would have been almost as entertaining as the previous two episodes. Anyway, the Super Scouts are finally relegated to the background. This expands on the storyline involving the evolution of the Cylons over the 30 years since the destruction of the Colonies. A new, bigger, and more powerful Cylon raider carrying a newly advanced Cylon lifeform crashlands on Earth. Two surviving Cylons attempt to communicate with the Cylon armada to tell them of Earth's location. This is a cool idea, but the execution is terrible. We are treated to so much silliness, culminating with Troy and Dillon dancing on stage with cartoon characters like Yogi Bear! There are other problems. The more powerful, heavily armored Cylon raider is crippled after the punier viper rams into it??? The viper certainly doesn't hit it very hard. If the Cylons were a joke in the original series, then in Galactica 1980 they are a laughing stock. Andromus, the evolved Cylon clone of a human, certainly doesn't look or act very advanced. Centuri, his Centurion buddy, comes across as being even sillier with his constant banter of "I will protect you. That is my mission." This is the monstrous, all-powerful race which threatens the Earth's destruction and that the Colonials are so concerned about??? The two Cylons provide some funny moments, but it can't make up for the letdown of a plot that had so much potential.

With this episode, Galactica 1980 provides yet another example of how NOT to write drama. Conventional storytelling says that when you have a character trying to solve a mystery, you want the audience to move along at the same pace as the character. If the audience knows more than the character does, they find themselves simply waiting for the character to catch up, which is boring. Unfortunately, Galactica 1980 violates this basic rule of storytelling as we're forced to endure Colonel Briggs's investigation of the aliens. We know everything, he knows nothing, and thus there is nothing even remotely interesting about the subplot.

=== [[Space Croppers]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Space Croppers starts out interesting, but quickly takes an abrupt nosedive into looney land. The plot parallels that of [[The Magnificent Warriors]]. Due to the destruction of the fleet's agroships by a Cylon attack, another source of food supply must be found. The Magnificent Warriors was a terrible episode, so it must be considered quite a feat that Space Croppers turns out to be even worse.

The plight of the Alonso family to save their farm never becomes the least bit interesting. Even worse are the 'educational beats' that bring the story to a grinding halt: a lecture about Hispanic history, the soil requirements for planting legumes, and how rainfull is produced. This is beyond bad. It's unwatchable.

If Dr. Zee is such a genius, why doesn't it ever occur to him to use Galactican technology to create money so the Colonials can simply buy the food that they need? I guess such a simple solution would have made this story pointless.

Furthermore, the Imperious Leader's plan to force the Galactica to lead the Cylons to Earth makes no sense. How could Imperious Leader know that Earth was nearby? And if he did know, why not just destroy the Colonial fleet and conduct a search of the nearby planets? Did anything on this series make sense? Was anything supposed to?

Last, and certainly least, Troy and Dillon bouncing high in the air and throwing seeds while the Super Scouts sing their song is hands down the most ludicrous thing ever shown on Galactica 1980, and that's saying something.

=== [[The Return of Starbuck]] ===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five (Outstanding)'''

This is undeniably the best and most popular episode of Galactica 1980. It is even better than most of the episodes of Battlestar Galactica. What is there not to love about this episode? There are so many outstanding scenes: Adama's chilling reaction to Dr. Zee's mention of Starbuck; Boomer's heartwrenching goodbye to Starbuck, Adama explaining to Boomer that they can't go back to find him; Adama saying his farewell to Starbuck; Starbuck's rationalizations about how the planet belongs to him; Angela's words, "Starbuck, would you die for me?"; Starbuck sacrificing his chance to return to the fleet to give Angela and her baby a better chance; Starbuck's goodbye to Cy. The list goes on. Best of all, we see growth in Starbuck's character! A true classic to be treasured for all time by Galactica fans.

This episode is based on an earlier script written for the second season of Battlestar Galactica that never happened. The main differences are that a regular woman appears (not Angela), and Starbuck is eventually rescued by Boomer. The only thing believed to have been taken intact from the early script is Starbuck's dialogue with Cy. While that would no doubt have been a tremendous episode, it still would not have come close to being as great as this one is. The reason why is very simple. One of the problems with creating dramatic and suspenseful stories in any weekly series is that the viewer knows the hero will ultimately prevail. For example, when Starbuck is accused of murder in [[Murder on the Rising Star]], there is little in terms of suspense because it is a foregone conclusion that Starbuck will be vindicated, just as it is a forgone conclusion that Starbuck isn't going to die in [[The Young Lords]] when he is hunted by the Cylons on the planet Attila. In the beginning of The Return Of Starbuck, it is quickly established that Adama doesn't know what happened to Starbuck and that Starbuck never returned from the mission where he was shot down. As a result, in what is most unusual for any action/adventure television story, the viewer sits through the entire episode knowing that Starbuck isn't going to make it!

This makes the story much more gripping and intense than virtually any other episode of either series. The grim reality of Starbuck's eventual fate is all reinforced by Angela's question "Starbuck, will you die for me?" and her warnings of disaster, telling him that he must prepare to make "the final judgement." Of course, we do not actually see Starbuck die at the end of the story. Larson leaves Starbuck's fate ambiguous, especially since an intact Cylon raider is left nearby. Having Starbuck die would have been a gutsy and innovative move, but the ending shown is really for the best. The beauty of the ending is that it lets the viewers make their own interpretation of Starbuck's fate. If one goes with the idea that a single person alone cannot fly a Cylon raider, then Starbuck could have easily died on the planet. Many fans don't consider Galactica 1980 to be canon for the original series, except for this episode. With the interpretation that Galactica 1980 didn't happen, Starbuck could possibly have flown the Cylon raider back to the fleet, returning to Apollo, Adama, Sheba, and the other original characters. Much Galactica fan fiction over the years has interpreted the episode in this manner.

Despite having a small role, Lorne Greene gives what may be his best performance ever as Commander Adama. The look on his face when he asks Dr. Zee to tell him his dream is worth a thousand words. His farewell to Starbuck, saying that he loves him, is also incredibly powerful. A wonderful performance!

In conclusion, ''The Return of Starbuck'' is an incredible ending to the series and a worthy finish to the Battlestar Galactica saga overall. ''Galactica 1980'' was crap, but it sure went out with a bang.

== Galactica Comics ==

=== [[Galactica 1980 1|Galactica 1980 comic series]] ===

Comic adaptations of television shows are often very good because the writers are free from the usual constraints that a television show faces: limited budgets, censors, and network meddling in the storylines. Unfortunately, this is a double-edged sword, as the comic book writers' unlimited freedom sometimes allows the story to go flying off the rails.

Such is the case with the Galactica 1980 comic series, a cool idea that feels like a missed opportunity. First, the comic does a number of things right. It delivers a ''War of the Worlds'' type story involving the Colonials and Cylons battling over Earth. It even makes Dr. Zee a villian, a great move considering that Zee is hands down the most hated character in the entire Galactica universe. Unfortunately, writer Marc Guggenheim decides to go for shock value. In the first issue, we learn that Troy is a drunk and Adama is suicidal. Personally, I found this ugly and disturbing.

Even worse is the end of issue #1 when the Galactica is destroyed by nukes. Again, it feels like the writer is just trying to hit us with one shocking surprise after another. Surprises can be great fun, but I get annoyed when they lack logic as this one does. Why would Adama be so stupid as to fly the Galactica directly over the White House without first sending a message and waiting to see what the response would be? This just makes no sense.

And I just didn't like seeing the Galactica destroyed. After all, this ''is'' Galactica 1980, so therefore the Galactica should be in it. If the Galactica had to be destroyed, it should have happened in the final issue (#4), not the first.

I also had a big problem with Dillon being killed off in issue #2. Troy and Dillon were the heroes of Galactica 1980, and I just don't think that either should have been killed (at least not less than halfway through the story). I was also disappointed that Jamie Hamilton was given nothing more than a cameo appearance in issue #4. I really wish she could have played a larger role in the story.

In the end, I wish Guggenheim had written a story that might have been done on television if not for the limited budget and children's hour restrictions that ultimately crippled the series. The ''War of the Worlds'' premise was perfect for Galactica 1980, but in this case the execution fell short.

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

== The Galactica Telemovies ==

=== [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

The opening sequence is outstanding, although it mostly uses footage from the original series. It has a truly epic feel, and it gives the impression that we will see a grand conclusion to the Battlestar Galactica saga. Sadly, this does not happen. Still, Adama's opening declaration that Earth has been found is also magnificent, much better done than it was in the original episode. By removing the time-travel subplot as well as much of the silliness including Troy and Dillon dancing on stage, the whole is better than any of the original Galactica 1980 episodes it is composed of. Yet this hardly makes ''Conquest of the Earth'' a great movie. The opening minutes rate five stars, yet starting with the first appearance of Dr. Zee (who bizarrely speaks with two different voices), the rest of the movie rates much lower.

=== [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack (VHS)|Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

This movie is less entertaining than the individual episodes it is composed of (The Living Legend and Fire In Space). The separate episodes don't mesh together seamlessly, resulting in several plot holes and odd hairstyle changes between scenes. The movie especially suffers because many great scenes from The Living Legend episode are missing. All scenes and dialogue relating to Starbuck's relationship with Cassiopeia are cut, which only makes the Cain/Cassiopeia subplot less interesting. The battle scenes are a little more elaborate because additional stock footage is used, but that's not enough to overcome the movie's deficiencies. A different sound effect is used for the engines of the Cylon raiders that's a little jarring for anyone who is a die-hard fan of the original show.

Bottom line, this movie is only recommended for curiosity's sake.

== Berkley Books ==
=== [[Saga of a Star World (Book)|Saga of a Star World]] ===
'''Flagship of the 12 Worlds fleet, she was as large as a planet, yet as swift as the Starhound fighters she launched from her bays. For generations the vast ship led the thousand-year war against the Cylons for control of the known Galaxy. Now that war was in its final phase, and Galactica had one final mission, win or lose: blast through the deadly grid of the Cylon Starfleet and dash for deep space in a desperate attempt to find the legendary "Stonehenge" of the universe - the lost planet the ancient microfilms call "Earth."'''

This is the opening paragraph to the Berkley novelization of the Battlestar Galactica pilot "Saga Of A Star World". This is easily one of the most fascinating Galactica books ever written, and there are a number of things that make it so interesting. First, the book is based on an early script of the pilot and, although changes were made before it came to print to make it more like the version that aired, there are a number of alternate scenes in the book. The Galactica universe is also different in several aspects, such as the Cylons are living aliens underneath their armor instead of total machines. Also, there are missing scenes left out of the final cut of the movie that survived intact in the book (Starbuck's confrontation with Tigh on the bridge after the Colonies are destroyed; Starbuck's extended conversation with Cassie on the shuttle; Adama's resigning from the Council).

Perhaps best of all, certain events are more fleshed out in the novelization than in the movie such as the surprise Cylon attack. The novelization helps to fill a number of gaping plot holes and unanswered questions that the movie was saddled with. Many chapters begin with an entry from the Adama journals, and the reader is able to learn a lot of information and insight from the Galactica's commander.

Many fans are unhappy with the Berkley books, feeling that they don't remain true to the series. I respectfully disagree. First of all, as already mentioned, the novelizations often have extra detail and explanations that help cover up plot holes that existed in the episodes. Second, the fact that the novels portray the BG universe in a slightly different way and that they are not exact retellings of the episodes is good because the books would be pretty boring otherwise. Third, some of the characters such as Athena are fleshed out better in the novels. Make no mistake, this is the best of all the Berkley novelizations and is a must-read for any fan of the original series.

== External Links ==

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/BGEPISODES.htm Battlestar Galactica Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/Wharmby.htm Matthew Wharmby's Hilarious Galactica 1980 Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

User:Galactica1981/Galactica 1981 Reviews

2011-11-26T00:11:34Z

Galactica1981: /* Galactica 1980 comic series */

This is a list of reviews by [[User:Galactica1981]] for various [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]] content. Given to the Battlestar Wiki's policy of [[NPOV|Neutral Point of View]], they are found here rather than their respective articles.

These episode reviews originally appears on the Sheba's Galaxy site. They have been slightly revised.

== TOS Episode Reviews ==

===[[Saga of a Star World]] ===

'''RATING: Four and a half stars out of five'''

There's no question that on the night of September 17, 1978, Battlestar Galactica hit television screens with a bang. Saga Of A Star World is unquestionably the most elaborate televison movie ever made (and least up to that point!) When trying to rate something like this, it's important to examine it in the context of television during that time period. For sure, no sci-fi show of this magnitude had ever been done before in the history of television, and thus it deserves extra points for that alone. There are many great things that can be said about this episode (acting, special effects, music score), but I won't bother repeating what most people are already aware of. In the end, I had to decide against a full five-star rating, mostly because of the unforgivable "Star Wars" ending it was saddled with. The big explosion of the planet Carillon is a blatant ripoff of Star Wars, not to mention ridiculous as well. Setting fire to some tylium mines causes the entire planet to explode? This is ludicrous (although one could argue that destroying the massive Death Star by shooting a tiny exhaust port was equally ludicrous). Surely Glen Larson could have written a better ending than this. Ultimately, this had to reinforce many people's beliefs that Galactica was a second-rate Star Wars. Having a casino with all sorts of alien creatures also seems a little too close to Star Wars for comfort.

As a kid watching the show, I absolutely loved the Cylons because of how cool they looked. My favorite character was Starbuck who I idolized and wanted to be like. The series also had a phenomenal cast with tremendously talented actors (except for Maren Jensen), and it's a shame they were often saddled with substandard scripts. Starbuck and Apollo are wonderful in the lead roles, and they arguably have more chemistry than did Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. And Lorne Greene is superb as in the role of Commander Adama. In the pilot episode, the scene that perhaps stands out the most is the laser battle against the Cylon Centurions on the surface of Carillon, a truly awesome spectacle combined with the looming countdown as the Cylon raiders close in on the Galactica. It terms of the characters, my favorite scene is probably Starbuck's almost proposing to Athena. Finally, the musical score for the series is truly breathtaking, on a similar level as the one for Star Wars.

Of course, there are also some HUMONGOUS plot holes in this story, enough for any critic to tear it to shreds. I'm not going bother writing 5 pages about the plot problems of Saga Of A Star World. Instead, I'll just mention a few points:

The premise of the Colonial fleet seeking Earth, while interesting, is unfortunately flawed because no one (not even Adama) has any idea where it is! Apparently, Adama was the only one who even knew about Earth's existence, although he doesn't seem to have any proof. Thus the Colonial fleet is left to wander aimlessly throughout the universe looking for it. Fortunately, this problem would be addressed in ''War of the Gods'' when the Colonials finally learn the coordinates to Earth.

The Colonials seemed unbelievably gullible and naive regarding the Cylons' offer of peace. After a thousand years of war, you would think they'd have been more careful, but they foolishly leave their home planets undefended. President Adar is incredibly stupid when he sees a thousand Cylon raiders coming towards the fleet and assumes it is a peace envoy.

Apollo gets back to the fleet in time to warn them of the coming Cylon attack, yet he fails to do so. Why? Why does he take an hour to find the bridge?

=== [[Lost Planet of the Gods]]===

'''Rating: Four stars out of five'''

The second half of this two-part episode has the theatrical feel of a movie, while the first half has often been blasted as being sexist. Of course, it is a bit strange that all the female cadets look like lingerie models. Still, I think the claim of sexism is a bit overstated. If you look at women in the U.S. military, they tend to act in supporting roles rather than be on the front lines. I don't know how many female jet pilots are in the U.S. military, but I suspect there aren't many. And I suspect this is due less to discrimination than to the fact that women tend to make different career choices than men (i.e. they tend to choose less hazardous professions). The reasons for there being no female viper pilots on the Galactica were probably along the same lines.

Regardless, the first half of the episode mostly serves as a set-up for the second half. Nothing wrong with that, but it does make the first half far less interesting.

Anyway, the two-part episodes fare better than most of the one-part episodes because Glen Larson would often blow the budget and vastly overspend. There are many fantastic scenes in the second half: Serina proposing to Apollo that they marry immediately; the Star of Kobol appearing in the port window during the wedding ceremony; the light shining off of Adama's medallion inside the tombs of Kobol; the Cylon raiders attacking the surface of Kobol; and, of course, Serina's death scene.

Serina's death is one of the most poignant moments of the entire series. But it came with a high price, as the show arguably suffered without her. And the writing would start to take a turn for the worse with the very next episode.

===[[The Lost Warrior]]===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

After only two episodes, Battlestar Galactica's creative energy has fizzled out. This is the first of the so-called "bottled episodes." These episodes had few if any new special effects, enabling the producers to save money which would later be spent on the bigger, more extravagant "monster episodes." It's understandable that these "bottled" stories were necessary, but this is where rushing the show into production really hurt the series. The writers simply did not have time to create quality scripts. Of course, this would ultimately lead to the decline in ratings.

This kind of episode is tough to review because it's good but wrong. Based on the classic 1953 western film Shane, this actually makes a pretty decent western, but Battlestar Galactica is supposed to be a science fiction series. Sci-fi fans want science fiction, not half-hybrids of other shows (A mistake that Galactica 1980 would repeat). If I want to see a Western, I'd rather watch Bonanza. The only reason this gets two stars is because we get such a strong characterization of Apollo.

Unfortunately, this is not the only space western we would see on Galactica. Cowboys and saloons would return in The Magnificent Warriors. In fact, the very idea that an "old west" town would exist in Battlestar Galactica completely contradicts the Von Daniken premise of the show, that the Colonies and the ancient cultures of Earth (such as Atlantis and Egypt) have the same roots, the same beginnings. It is ludicrous that an Old West society could have any common connection with this. It raises all kinds of questions. The people of Equellis obviously had to arrive on that world by means of spacecraft, so why is the society so primitive? How could they not know of the Cylons since the war has raged for 1,000 years and the average human life-span is 200 years?

Why would Apollo be dumb enough to fly so far away from the fleet that he wouldn't have enough fuel to make it back? This really makes no sense. And why does Apollo promise Bella and Puppis that he will return one day? Why would he ever believe that possible?

Despite the lackluster plot, there are some good moments. Boxey beating Starbuck at Pyramid is funny, and the western style "shoot-out" between Red-Eye and Apollo is very well done. The only weak point is when Red Eye spots Apollo's laser and says, "Uh-oh." This trivalizes a very serious moment for the sake of silly humor. It is difficult to believe that a Cylon would use such a phrase. Ironically, for years I couldn't make out exactly what he was saying. I assumed it was some kind of challenge to Apollo, and it actually added to the power of the moment. You can imagine my dismay when I learned the truth. Also, Puppis gets pretty annoying pretty fast.

===[[The Long Patrol]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

The Long Patrol is lot of a fun and a big improvement over the previous episode. Starbuck's computer companion C.O.R.A is a hoot. There are several funny scenes: Starbuck womanizing Cassiopeia and Athena; Boomer's jab at him before he goes off on the mission; Starbuck finding a fortune in ambrosia only to have it destroyed by the Cylon attack. Adama deciding to change the Galactica's course to keep distance from the Cylons is very well done, revealing how burdensome command of the fleet is and how it forces him to sacrifice his loved ones to protect the rest of humanity.

Maren Jensen (Athena) gets more screen time here than in most of the episodes. The scene with Athena revealing Starbuck's apparent death to Cassiopeia is especially moving, one of Jensen's best scenes of the series. The Athen/Cassiopeia rivalry was compelling and could have been developed in future episodes, but sadly this never happens. This was likely due to Maren Jensen's limitations as an actress which caused the writers to reduce her role.

Could C.O.R.A. have been the inspiration for K.I.T.T., the computerized car on Glen Larson's Knight Rider? Considering the amazing similarities between the two, it would have to be a possibility. Also, Glen Larson has went on record saying that K.I.T.T.'s swerving red eye was inspired by the swerving red eyes of the Cylons. It was sort of his way of keeping the Cylons alive.

The Long Patrol is definitely one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

===[[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero]]===

'''Rating: Three and a half stars out of five'''

This two-part episode is based on the 1961 movie The Guns of Navarone and the 1967 movie The Dirty Dozen. The episode has a theatrical feel to it because, as mentioned before, the two-parters had bigger budgets. Although the story is by-the-numbers, it is very enjoyable because of the fantastic special effects. Still, as good as Gun is, it is easily one of the lesser of the two-parters. While better than Greetings From Earth, Gun falls far short of The Living Legend, Lost Planet Of The Gods, and especially War Of The Gods.

This was actually the second episode filmed. This would explain why Serina and Cassiopea do not appear (Serina and Cassiopea died in the original version of the pilot before the decision was made to bring them back). Baltar and Lucifer's scenes were probably shot much later.

This episode raises a serious question. Considering the staggering number of people who had to be left behind due to lack of ships, why would the Colonials bother to take criminals with them? Perhaps they were already locked in the brig on the Galactica before the Holocaust or they somehow managed to sneak aboard the fleet to be captured later. Or perhaps most of them committed their crimes after joining the rag tag fleet. Considering how overcrowded, starved, and disorganized the fleet was when it was assembled, it is logical that many violent crimes would have occurred. An episode exploring this would have been nice.

The idea that there would not be enough qualified Colonial warriors to go on the mission is hard to believe. And why do Apollo, Starbuck, and Boomer get chosen? They are pilots, and their emphasis is not on ground assault. Logically, the Galactica would have a ground assault team available for these kinds of situations. It is also difficult to believe that Boxey would have found a way to sneak onto the shuttle. At least he and Muffit have an impact on the success of the mission.

In the book ''The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'' by J.W. Rinzler and Ridley Scott, it is revealed that part of George Lucas's anger towards Battlestar Galactica was because of this episode. Lucas planned to feature an ice planet in the sequel to Star Wars, and he felt that Galactica threatened to undercut him by featuring an ice planet on one of their own episodes. Did this fuel his lawsuit that Galactica was infringing on Star Wars? Is so, then Lucas comes off as disingenuous to say the least, for it would be absurd to claim that Galactica was infringing on a movie that hadn't yet been made!

Baltar's legs were crushed in Lost Planet of the Gods, yet in this episode the only evidence of Baltar's injury is a slight limp. Did the Cylons do major reconstructive surgery on his legs? I guess so.

At this point, the constant reusing of the same space battle scenes really starts getting redundant. Still, this remains one of the most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

=== [[The Magnificent Warriors]] ===

'''Rating: One and a half stars out of five'''

Many fans consider this to be the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. While I don't agree, I think it comes pretty close. The story is, quite frankly, terrible. We are again subjected to yet another old-western style shanty town? Once was enough! The Borays are disgusting and sound awful. The only redeeming moment is when Adama and company discover Starbuck at the gambling table. It's rather funny.

Siress Bellaby is hands down the most annoying character to ever appear on Battlestar Galactica. Most viewers probably couldn't understand why the Colonial Warriors didn't simply let the Borays kill her.

On a positive note, we are shown Lorne Greene's impressive range as an actor. It's interesting to see a comical Adama, a nice contrast to the serious commander that we usually see. Unfortunately, Greene is forced to play against Brett Somers (Siress Bellaby). Somers isn't funny; she's annoying, and it kills most of the comedy that is presented.

The premise of The Magnificent Warriors actually had a lot of potential. We are given a situation where the fleet has no food and everyone is aware of it (unlike in Saga Of A Star World when the Colonials were able to cover up the problem). This raises all kinds of fascinating issues. Would the fleet start a mutiny against Adama during such a crisis? How would Adama react to such a mutiny? How would he choose who to save? Would he allow each ship to make its own decision to leave? Or would he try to force them to stick together? And what decisions would Starbuck and Apollo be forced to make if such a mutiny occurred? So many interesting questions for the episode to pursue.

Sadly, standard television plotting is what we get. The Colonials are traveling through the vast uncharted regions of space, and they run out of food at just the precise moment they happen to be near a farming colony. Okay. Whatever. The Colonials land on the planet and meet the Borays. From then on, it's just another battle of good vs. evil. Putting the Colonials in a moral dilemna would have been much more interesting that what we were given here.

===[[The Young Lords]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

This is the family episode of Battlestar Galactica. Starbuck is shot down and crashes on a planet. Yawn. This is essentially a remake of The Lost Warrior in which Apollo is stranded on the planet Equellus. Of course, Starbuck was also stranded in The Long Patrol and Cree was stranded in ''The Gun On Ice Planet Zero''. Later in ''Greetings From Earth'', Starbuck, Apollo, and Casseopia would be stranded on the planet Paradeen. At this point, the series was becoming so predictable that viewers each week must have been asking the question, "Who's going to have to be rescued this week?" In fact, Mad Magazine, in a spoof of Galactica, poked fun at this element of the show. (See [[Humor in the Original Series]])

Considering the incredibly broad premise of the series, it's amazing that the writers had so much trouble coming up with a story that didn't involve someone being stranded on a planet. With this kind of plot, The Young Lords shouldn't even be watchable. And yet, despite all these drawbacks, this actually turns out to be a fun, enjoyable episode. Part of this praise goes to the tremendous production values. It is simply fascinating to see so many Cylons inside a medieval castle. The location is nothing short of spectacular. To top it off, Dirk Benedict delivers with a wonderful performance. There are many good scenes, especially Starbuck's rescue from the Cylons by Kyle and the children (plus his insulting remark to the Cylons moments before). Playing up kids in a series can be extremely fatal to ratings (Galactica 1980 became an infamous example of this), but fortunately Kyle and the gang never get to the point where they become grating; although they (and their song near the end) come dangerously close. (And are we to believe Starbuck and his Scooby Gang would actually take the time to think up lyrics for a song and memorize them? Please!)

The IL series Cylon Spectre is a delightfully conniving character. He is the perfect foil for Lucifer. His phony flattery of Baltar is hilarious, especially the way he manages to turn defeat to his own advantage. Unfortunately, the character does not appear again. Had the series continued into a second season, he probably would have. Spectre does appear in the later original Berkley novels [[The Nightmare Machine]], [[Die, Chameleon!]] and [[Surrender the Galactica!]] where he is put to good use.

Most of the scenes of Baltar and Lucifer communicating with Spectre were recycled with different dialogue into the Galactica telemovie [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]].

Needless to say that by this point the Cylons have become a joke. When you stop and really think about it, it is ludicrous that an entire Cylon garrison is defeated by one colonial warrior and five children.

Still, this episode somehow succeeds despite every logical reason why it shouldn't.

===[[The Living Legend]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five'''

This is one of the very best episodes of Battlestar Galactica. The two-part episodes consistently deliver, and The Living Legend is no exception. The idea of a second survivng battlestar is a good one, as is a scenario where the fleet runs out of fuel.

This episode introduces two compelling characters, Commander Cain and his daughter, Lt. Sheba. Sheba's character is said to have been a ground-breaking role for women. She is tough, independent, and short-tempered. Basically, she's the exact opposite of virtually every other female character to appear on the series. Fortunately, she, along with Bojay, becomes a regular after this episode.

Lloyd Bridges is tremendous as Commander Cain. It's hard to imagine any other actor filling the role. The only weak moment for Bridges is when Cain lies to Adama about the "accidental" failure of the tanker mission. Cain's cavalier attitude about it makes it obvious to everyone that he purposely sabotaged the mission.

This story is different from any other Galactica story thus far because we see a clash of philosophies within the ranks of the military. Cain wants to wage an all-out war against Gamoray, and Adama simply wants to capture the much-needed fuel and escape. The earlier episodes were extremely simplistic in their portaryal of good versus evil. The Colonials are good. The Cylons are evil. Simple as that. Since the good guys are all in the military, the military is always portrayed as being right. Adama, Starbuck, and Apollo had very few moral dilemnas to deal with, which would have made the stories so much more interesting.

Baltar personally leading the attack on the Galactica makes the battle much more intense and exciting, mostly because the battle has a storyline. Most of the Galactica space battles are nothing more than a confusing jumble of stock shots haphazardly thrown together with nothing in terms of a flow or climax. (One of the bigger flaws of Return Of The Jedi was that the Battle of Endor had nothing in terms of a storyline.) This time it is different. The Pegasus closing in on Baltar at the end of part one is the best cliff hanger of the series. It is rather fitting that Baltar's forces are taken by surprise, since it was Baltar who caused the colonial warfleet to be taken by surprise in the pilot.

The scene between Adama and Apollo right before the mission to capture the Cylon tankers is very powerful. It shows how, despite being father and son, each of their respective positions forces a distance between them personally. What is especially impressive is that this is done without words. Richard Hatch and Lorne Greene manage to convey more with a facial expression than most actors do with a page of dialogue.

Boxey really starts to get on the nerves at this point. Nothing against Noah Hathaway, but Boxey is a character all too typical of standard television. He is an ultra-cute TV kid doing ultra-cute things, yet usually has little or no bearing on the plot. These kinds of characters (most notably the Super Scouts from Galactica 1980) only serve to hurt a show's ratings.

When you put the story under scrutiny, there are some serious flaws. Why are viper pilots sent on a ground mission? Wouldn't the Galactica have specialized teams for that sort of thing? It is also a bit difficult to believe that Sheba could have found a way to go on the mission to Gamoray without permission. It is even more difficult to believe that Cassiopea would have been allowed to just hop on the shuttle. Was she given a crash course on parachuting during the shuttle ride? How could the Colonial warriors have known exactly which building in Gamoray contained the main communications center? And are we to believe that destroying one small communications center would disable the entire city's defense system? If, like me, you can overlook these flaws, this is still a great episode.

This episode and Fire In Space were later combined to form the horrid Galactica theatrical movie [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]].

===[[Fire in Space]]===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

This explosive episode is the one-hour equivalent of a disaster movie. It's basically a sci-fi version of The Towering Inferno (and stock footage from that movie was probably used here). There's so much action that it isn't until the end that you realize just how essentially empty it is. There are a lot of things happening, and at the same time there is nothing happening. By all rights this story should be downright awful, yet somehow it isn't. It really speaks volumes about the show's production values and the performances of the actors that this turns out to be an enjoyable hour despite another by-the-numbers script.

After this episode, producer Glen Larson decided changed the direction of the series, relegating the Cylons to the background. The Cylons are not featured again until the final episode, The Hand Of God. The reason for the change of direction may be that Larson had a feeling the series would be canceled and decided to try to create a storyarc that would end the series with the Galactica apparently getting close to Earth. In an interview, Larson has said that he wasn't surprised the show was canceled. The change of direction was really for the best because the battles with the Cylons were too ridiculously imbalanced in the Colonials' favor (due to the censors) making the Cylons look like a joke, and the reusing of the same space battle stock footage was becoming monotonous.

The ending the writers originally planned had Cylon raiders attacking the Galactica a second time, and it is their lasers that put Starbuck and Apollo in danger on the Galactica's hull. Unfortunately, the network censors overruled this because they felt it would have been too repetitive. The complete original ending from the script can be found [[List_of_Deleted_Scenes_(TOS)#Fire_In_Space|here.]]

The story completely falls apart when put under scientific scrutiny because fires simply cannot exist in outer space, as many Galactica critics have pointed out. However, Star Wars was able to get away with this flub (Remember the fate of the Death Star?), so it seems rather unfair that Battlestar Galactica took so many shots because of it.

This is Terry Carter's best episode, since Colonel Tigh is thrust into the forefront, taking command of the Galactica while Adama is incapacitated. Carter does a tremendous job, and his strong performance helps save this cliched, overused story plot from losing steam.

Since the Galactica was on the verge of destruction by the time Starbuck and Apollo were planting charges on the hull, didn't it ever occur to Colonel Tigh to evacuate all non-essential personnel including the Colonial vipers so that, if the Galactica was destroyed, the fleet would at least have a fighting chance to survive? And since it was too dangerous to operate on Adama on the Galactica, didn't it ever occur to Dr. Salik to shuttle Adama to another ship in the fleet and perform the operation there?

A tremendous amount of damage is done to the Galactica (especially the landing bay), yet there is no sign of this in any future episodes nor any explanation of how the repairs went. Considering the abysmal plot, this episode was probably best left forgotten.

===[[War of the Gods]]===

'''RATING: Five stars out of five'''

War Of The Gods is one of the best and most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica. It is not the very best episode, nor is it completely flawless, but it is easily the most complex of all the stories we were given. The bottom line is that it is extremely rare to see this kind of thing done on TV. This is one of the few episodes to fully utilize Galactica's Von Daniken premise (God Is An Astronaut). We learn that angels are not spirits of the dead, but advanced beings who are thousands of years ahead of the Colonials in both technology and spirituality. Count Iblis (whom Apollo addresses in part 2 as Mephistopheles) comes across as a form of devil. There is an interesting parallel with mythology. Just as the angel Lucifer (or Satan) rebelled against heaven, Iblis rebels against his brothers on the Ship of Lights.

Iblis may well be the most fascinating character in the entire series. What is fascinating is that his voice is the same as that of the Cylon Imperious Leader. Baltar recognizes this (and it would have been an unforgivable flub if he didn't). There have been two primary theories about Iblis' origin. The first is that Iblis exterminated the original reptile Cylon race and created the mechanical one, starting the thousand year war with the humans.

The second theory is that Iblis and the Imperious Leader are one and the same. Iblis calling Baltar "old friend" would seem to support this. Also, it is made clear in the end that Iblis cannot control anyone who does not choose to follow him. If Iblis is the Imperious Leader, then Baltar technically was "following him" since he (Baltar) was serving the Cylons. However, the theory that Iblis and Imperious Leader being the same person doesn't quite hold up because wouldn't the Cylons then easily be able to locate the Colonial fleet? Therefore, the first theory makes more sense overall. But there is still the question of how Iblis was able to make Baltar surrender to the Colonials. The episode tries to make it seem that Iblis did not perform his bigger miracles, that the white lights caused the crops to grow and Baltar came of his own free will (the latter is hinted by Apollo in a missing scene that was cut from the original script). Of course, the idea that Baltar would surrender on his own is ludicrous considering the coward that he is. And why would the white lights come to the fleet if that would cause the crops on the agro-ship to grow and thus fulfill one of Iblis' tasks? Most importantly, why would Iblis dare the Colonials to make 3 challenges for him if he did not possess the power to complete them?

Regarding Iblis' origin, I tend to go with the first theory, but I would take it one step further and suggest that the Imperious Leader is either a servant of Iblis or is somehow under Iblis' control. Thus Baltar, by serving the Cylons, would also be serving Iblis and thus would be subject to Iblis' commands.

You really have to wonder if Glen Larson planned to have Patrick Macnee play Count Iblis from the very first episode or if it was just an amazing coincidence that the same actor who provided the Imperious Leader's voice turned out to be perfect for the Count Iblis role. Considering how incredibly rushed the production of the show was, the latter would have to be a possibility. If it's the former, then you really have to applaud Glen Larson for planning so far ahead.

There are other marvelous scenes. Iblis' slow manipulation and seduction of Sheba is riveting (especially when he kisses her on the Agro-ship). The white lights and the Ship of Lights are a marvel and have to be considered among the best special effects the series has ever produced. The scenery of the red planet, including the visual effect of Starbuck, Apollo, and Sheba when they walk on that world is also outstanding. The triad court is a fantastic (and obviously, expensive) set. You have to give the producers a lot of credit for creating such a unique game for the Colonials to play. It makes sense. With the grueling struggle for survival in a rag-tag fleet, the Colonials have to have some sort of entertainment to take their minds off their plight.

As with most episodes, the performances are all top-notch. Richard Hatch plays his end perfectly, carefully balancing Apollo's distrust of Iblis and his caring for Sheba. Dirk Benedict adds a whole new dimension to Starbuck. His rage and grief over the death of Apollo (especially when he attempts to shoot Iblis) stand out as some of Starbuck's most memorable moments of the entire series. Anne Lockhart is also great portraying Sheba's slow seduction and manipulation by Count Iblis. Her joy at Apollo's resurrection firmly establishes her inner feelings toward him, and this subplot would come to a stunning head in the final episode. Lorne Greene never falters in his performances, and this is no exception. Greene does a tremendous job portraying a man torn between his desire to find Earth and his distrust of Iblis. One of the best moments has to be during the Triad game. During the game, Adama and Iblis are seated on opposite sides of the court. There are really two battles going on here: the battle between the players on the court, and the battle between Iblis and Adama.

Despite everything, the episode is not completely perfect. Not all the questions are answered (which in itself is not a bad thing), but some of what happens doesn't quite make sense. First of all, why does the Ship of Lights kidnap the viper pilots? We are never given any kind of answer. What makes it more confusing is that by kidnapping the pilots, the Ship of Lights actually aids Iblis because the Colonials look to him for protection. And why does Baltar say that Iblis now no longer holds any power over him after Baltar recognizes Iblis' voice? Perhaps this is supposed to be a clue to understand who Iblis is, but if this is the case, I can't make anything out of it.

There is also the issue of what was inside the crashed ship on the red planet. A popular myth is that the ship is the the Battlestar Pegasus and when Apollo looked inside he saw the body of Commander Cain, but this is false. The original script and the Berkely novelization tell us exactly what is inside the ship: tall, cloven-hoofed horned beings with tails. This is a little hard to make sense of. Are the beings in the ship supposed to be devils? If that is the case, it doesn't really make Iblis appear all that evil for killing them. It could be viewed as another parallel of mythology. After being defeated by heaven, Lucifer and his followers fall into hell. Likewise, Iblis' ship containing his followers (the devils) crashes (falls) to the earth. It's not a perfect allegory, but fascinating nonetheless. (For more on this, see [[War_of_the_Gods,_Part_II#The_Mystery_of_the_Crashed_Ship|The Mystery of the Crashed Ship]])

I'm not trying to pick the episode apart with these various criticisms. Actually, the story works much better with its mystery and ambiguity rather than easy, clear-cut answers. One of the problems with television these days is that shows rarely challenge the viewer to think; instead, most shows sacrifice ambiguity and insist on spelling everything out as simply and clearly as possible. The mystery of Count Iblis is really what makes ''War Of The Gods'' so special and one of the most famous and highly debated of all the Galactica episodes. I'm glad that we are not given the answer to who Iblis is because the only way a mystery can retain its power is as long as it remains unsolved. Why do you think the great magicians never reveal how they do their tricks? If you are looking for a great movie example of this, then I suggest you check out Peter Weir's ''Picnic At Hanging Rock''.

Finally, one of the best things about this episode is that it provides us the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba!

===[[The Man With Nine Lives]]===

'''Rating: Four out of five stars'''

This episode is the only one that offers a significant look at the people of the fleet. Fred Astaire puts in an enjoyable performance as the rogue con-man Chameleon. The Borellian Nomen are interesting new adversaries for the Colonial Warriors, although they seem to be based on a Hollywood and societal stereotype of American Indians (Unfortunately, we are told very little of their origins). One of the best episodes in terms of characterization.

This episode pretty much makes it clear that Cassiopeia is THE ONE for Starbuck, thanks to Starbuck telling Chameleon that she's the only one he's ever considered sealing with (although that actually isn't true; he did almost propose to Athena in the pilot episode).

Don Bellisario was unable to think of a suitable name for the villains. In an after-work bull session, story editor Jim Carlson casually remarked something to the effect of, "It’s too bad they’re not from an ice planet, you could call them Snomen." Bellisario replied, "There’s no snow where these guys are gonna be!" Carlson answered, "Then call then Nomen."

This episode proves that great stories don't require huge explosions and fancy special effects. Unfortunately, the rushed production of the show made episodes like The Man With Nine Lives the exception rather than the rule.

=== [[Murder on the Rising Star]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Murder She Wrote in outer space??? This story had little point being part of a show like Battlestar Galactica. This is the kind of story that is done on almost every science fiction series when the writers are out of ideas. There is very little in the way of drama because the viewer knows the hero is innocent and will be cleared. This story tries to give the impression that Starbuck might be guilty (we don't get to see who shoots Ortega, Starbuck is shown running from the scene, plus Starbuck's anxiousness in the shuttle bay makes him appear guilty), but only the most gullible of viewers would fall for this. The story would be more forgivable if we learned some new insights about the characters or the fleet, but what do we learn? What is the point? Is it that the Colonial system of law is virtually identical to the U.S. system? (which is hardly believeable) Or that Adama has to spend time hearing court cases? (Not too believable either considering the incredibly burdensome task he has of commanding the fleet) Or is it that playing triad is more dangerous than anybody thought? What is the point of this episode except to fill an hour's worth of time???

This is the fourth episode that features Starbuck. While Dirk Benedict certainly plays a wonderful character, it would have been nice to have featured some of the lesser used cast members (Tigh, Boomer, Athena, Sheba).

One thing really stands out: It is absurd how little time Apollo is given to prepare a case for Starbuck's defense. He only has 10 centares, and the script for this episode has a key that states a centar is an hour. Only 10 hours to prepare for a murder trial??? Give me a break!

This story could have been done differently to make it more poignant. What if Apollo was unable to conclusively prove who killed Ortega, and Adama intervenes, using his power as commander to have Starbuck set free. It would raise the question of whether Adama was abusing his power. Even then, considering the fleet must be depleted when it comes to seasoned viper pilots, it could be argued that the fleet needed Starbuck as a warrior. It would have been an interesting moral issue, something Battlestar Galactica rarely had. I also think the story would have been more interesting if we were left with some doubt as to whether Starbuck killed Ortega (in self-defense, of course).

An interesting note: Karibdis appears early on in the story, serving drinks to Adama and Tigh while they watch the Triad game. This is an often-used writing device. You have the murderer/villain appear early in the story, sometimes at the very beginning, in what appears to be a minor or trivial role. This often fools the audience, as they rarely expect such a character to be revealed so quickly. This was also done on the miniseries for the new Galactica, when one of the human Cylons is leading a tour of the Galactica during the opening credits. If you want to get good at solving TV/movie mysteries, pay attention to the minor characters that appear early in the story.

Overall, the murder mystery itself isn't half bad, and there are fine all-around performances from the cast to make this watchable. In a way, it makes the episode more disappointing to have such great talent squandered on such a by-the-numbers story. But everyone holds up their end well, especially Dirk Benedict and Laurette Spang in their scene inside the brig. It's nice the writers found a way to bring Baltar into the story, and John Colicos still makes a great villain. The flashback of the destruction of Caprica is also well-done. There were certainly many crimes committed during the evacuation, and it illustrates that Battlestar Galactica was brimming with potentially interesting stories to explore, which again only makes this episode more of a letdown.

That said, it's important to realize that writers Jim Carlson and Terrence McDonnell were forced to write this episode in 36 hours straight. Considering what a rushjob this script was, it's amazing it turned out as well as it did. This is one instance where it might be better to see the glass as half-full rather than half-empty.

===[[Greetings from Earth]]===

'''RATING: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Greetings From Earth just doesn't measure up with the other two-hour episodes. The story makes for a passable first hour but quickly takes a nosedive in the second. Glen Larson's attempt at comedy falls horribly flat. Hector, Vector and the kids quickly wear out their welcome (A premonition of Galactica 1980?). The Eastern Alliance is introduced as a new adversary, but they are little more than cardboard Nazis with zero charisma (at least the Cylons looked cool). Another problem is that their primitive technology takes a lot of steam out of their threat. Unfortunately, the Eastern Alliance is never utilized to the fullest. A space battle between vipers and Eastern Alliance destroyers would have been fantastic, but the time and money needed to do such a complex battle scene made it impossible. Also, Apollo becomes a bit overbearing with his "Do The Right Thing" attitude in the first half (What's also annoying is that Apollo's dialogue in the first half is badly redubbed, apparently to make his voice louder).

What makes the first hour so interesting is that the Colonials are faced with a perplexing moral issue (a rarity, for sure). Do they allow the humans to leave, or force them to remain at least until more information is learned? There are actually opposing opinions within the Colonial military, at least for awhile. Apollo's view quickly wins out, though. The Council of Twelve is portrayed as being incredibly selfish and uncaring, but it could be argued they were right. It was possibly life or death for the Colonials to learn about the human race that awaited them. Certainly the humans could have been revived long enough for the Colonials to get the necessary information out of them. Apollo's plan to let the ship go had a good chance of failing. How could he be certain enough that they wouldn't get lost, or wind up so far away that they'd never be able to make it back to the fleet?

When you think about it, why don't Starbuck, Apollo and Cassiopea have super powers when they are in Paradeen's weaker gravity just as the Super Scouts do when they are in Earth's weaker gravity on Galactica 1980? Wouldn't it have been fun to see Starbuck, Apollo, and Cassiopea bouncing up and down and jumping into trees?

Unlike the other two-parters, this one ends with a whimper instead of a bang as Starbuck and Apollo's capture of the Enforcers is about as anti-climatic as you can get. This script really comes across as being rushed, which was probably the case. Overall, Greetings From Earth is yet another episode that failed to reach its potential due to the constrainments of a weekly series.

=== [[Experiment in Terra]] ===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

Experiment In Terra initially comes across as a superb episode, but under close inspection the story unfortunately has serious flaws. The Ship of Lights recruiting Apollo to help Terra is a cool idea, but their reasoning as to why they need to use a mortal human doesn't hold up. John says that the people of Terra can't see the "Guardians" (my own name for them) outside the confines of their ship. And yet on Terra, John makes himself visible to Starbuck by merely touching him. Even more problematic, Apollo's mission never makes sense. The Guardians know that the Eastern Alliance is going to launch a missile attack, so the master plan is to have Apollo tell the "west side" that the Eastern Alliance has been attacking them? Um, okay, but even if Apollo succeeds, how will this stop the Eastern Alliance from launching their missiles? Why not just have Apollo tell the Galactica to travel to Terra and destroy the missile attack? The answer, of course, is that there wouldn't be much of a story.

Sadly, there are many other flaws. Apollo says he can't reach Terra because the distance is too great, so he is "teleported" right in front of the planet. So how is it that Starbuck is able to eventually reach the planet on his own? Logically, he wouldn't have had enough fuel. Adama's decision to pull the Galactica out of the fleet is more out of whack than it may first appear. He didn't do that in earlier episodes when Starbuck or Apollo were crashed/stranded. This time Adama doesn't even know who the two pilots are, and yet he pulls the Galactica out of the fleet.

Even more ludicrous is the idea that the Galactica travels to Terra at light speed (and not just because it is scientifically implausible). If the Galactica was traveling to Terra at the speed of light, they should have reached Terra almost instantly (in fact, they probably could have found Earth during the pilot episode!) And how is it that the Galactica was able to travel to Terra unmolested? Surely there would be Eastern Alliance destroyers patrolling the area around the planet. And how does the Eastern Alliance not know that the Galactica was responsible for destroying their missiles? Surely the Galactica would have been picked up on their scanners.

Also, the West President's reasoning for withholding knowledge of the Eastern Alliance's attacks is questionable. Why does he think he can make peace with the Eastern Alliance if they are constantly attacking him? And if the Eastern Alliance has wiped out all of the West's satellite planets, how could the President possibly prevent word of this from leaking out? It's not realistic at all. Plus, the idea that the Eastern Alliance would be willing to destroy the entire planet (at least half of which they own) is pretty ridiculous. Okay, they ARE Bad Guys, but what's the point of destroying most of their empire when they were already winning the war?

With such a long list of problems, you would think that this is a terrible episode. Amazingly, this isn't the case. In fact, Experiment In Terra still ranks as one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica. Seeing the Ship of Lights again is a treat, and Edward Mulhare is delightful as John, Apollo's guide. This episode is another example where the great production values and strong performances from the actors are able to overcome the plot inconsistencies. What makes Experiment In Terra work so well is that its plot holes aren't immediately noticeable. I didn't realize how many there were until I sat down and really thought about it. Apollo's mission to save Terra, as pointless as it winds up being, is still extremely engrossing. Apollo's speech to the Precidium is very dramatic and moving, even though (as we've already said) everything Apollo does on Terra turns out to be a waste of time since nothing he does has any chance of preventing the Eastern Alliance from launching its missiles.

This episode is extra fun to watch if you're aware that the script was originally written with the roles of Starbuck and Apollo reversed. After Richard Hatch complained that his character was getting the shaft, the script was quickly rewritten with the dialogue mostly remaining the same, resulting in Apollo talking suspiciously like Starbuck. At one point, Apollo says "Felgercarb" for the first time ever!

The ending scene is touching, as John tells Apollo that Terra is not Earth but "You must have faith." Many Galactica fans have interpreted this to mean that Apollo would successfully complete the journey to Earth.

Here are some humorous notes from British writer Matthew Wharmby:

* I'm sorry, but I thought the final scene was tremendously weak. All that buildup to a good scrap, heart-stopping music included, let down with a pathetic green shield spat out of the front of the Galactica. And from a terrible angle made necessary by two separately matted halves; one of Earth and one of the Galactica's underside. And you don't mean to tell me that the Galactica could extend such a shield over the whole planet? If so, why couldn't she have performed the same thing over Caprica in the pilot, and let the attacking Cylon fighters blow themselves up in it?
* Nobody seems too panicked about the impending nuclear annihilation! I don't know about you, but when us kids growing up in the late Cold War used to speculate nervously about the four-minute warning, the usual consensus was that we'd be doing, well, what it takes four minutes to do. 'You can do it twice,' the girls would quip.
* I'm not mad keen on Brenda's attitude. If every girl who had boyfriend trouble called the Old Bill on such a weak pretext, there wouldn't be a bloke alive out of prison!

=== [[Take the Celestra]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five'''

This is probably the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. A lot of people will probably disagree, but I have to go with this choice simply because I found this episode to be incredibly boring. The Magnificent Warriors and The Lost Warrior were also really bad (and they were certainly more simplistic), but they were never really boring. A story focusing on the hardships of voyaging on the rag tag fleet is a great idea, but this episode takes one self-destructive turn after another and may be the best example of a wasted opportunity for the series. Many of BG's bad episodes were somewhat saved by wonderful performances from the actors, but there is nothing here that stands out (although the Starbuck/Cassiopea reconciliation at the end is a nice moment). Starbuck and Apollo actually look stale. This is one of the few times that neither Richard Hatch nor Dirk Benedict are able to rise above the mediocre writing. Commander Kronus is incredibly boring - a static, stale character with little depth. Because it's hard to care about the character, it's hard to feel anything during the "dramatic" finish when Kronus dies. Given the moronic decisions he makes, I felt like saying "Good riddance." On the other hand, Ana Alicia suceeds in making Aurora interesting, but she is mostly wasted in this episode. Unfortunately, her boyfriend is more boring than Kronus, and I just wanted him to shut up. Despite these issues, the main problem with Take The Celestra lies in the script itself.

One of the biggest (yet least noted) flaws of Battlestar Galactica was the way it portrayed life in the rag-tag fleet. Day-to-day existence on a fleet of mostly derelict ships would no doubt be a grueling struggle for survival. Yet the series rarely ever indicated this. Most scenes with civilians consisted of parties, gambling, and triad games aboard the Rising Star! (hardly the most accurate look we could have been given) Take The Celestra was the perfect vehicle to change this, but unfortunately the writers took the easy way out. Aurora and the other mutineers were "illegally forced" to work so many double shifts. This makes the issue of right and wrong very easy to determine, but consider another direction the writers could have taken.

What if the harsh working conditions existed throughout the entire fleet? (and, logically, they should have) What if Aurora and the others were not working harder than anyone else and simply decided they had had enough? Would they be morally right in trying to escape the fleet (considering that the loss of manpower would likely hurt the remaining Colonials)? Apollo, Starbuck and the rest of the military are always talking about the importance of freedom. Apollo talks about it strongly in his speech to the Precedium in Experiment In Terra. When Starbuck tries to convince the prisoners to rebel in The Long Patrol, he says "You have rights. You're human beings!" When they finally escape, he says, "That's freedom." An interesting idea to explore is how free the Colonials actually were. Surely many of them wanted to settle on some of the planets the fleet passed by. If Adama refused their wishes, he would technically be restricting their freedom. Unfortunately, this kind of story is problematic because the extent of Adama's power is never clear; in fact, it varies from episode to episode (depending whatever works best for the story that week). But this kind of story would have made it a tough call as to whether Aurora and her friends were right and whether Starbuck and Apollo were totally justified in stopping them.

Anyway, that's the episode I would have liked to see, or anything other than what we did see, the most boring Galactica episode to date. The story is riddled with holes, outdone perhaps only by Experiment In Terra. Whereas that story's flaws are not immediately noticeable, most of this story's flaws are. Commander Kronus' decision to immediately shuttle the prisoners back to the fleet despite being so far away doesn't make much sense. His accompanying the shuttle makes even less sense. Colonial law states that a commander has to personally take the mutineers in for charges? Huh? Even when his ship is out in the middle of nowhere? Okay. Whatever. Kronus should have waited until the Celestra rejoined the fleet. His decision makes him look like an idiot.

How is it that Chakka is able to get almost the entire crew to mutiny with him on a whim? He couldn't have been planning mutiny beforehand because he had expected to become commander of the Celestra. And if the entire crew wasn't with him in the mutiny, then how could he have expected to get away with powering down the ship? And could Starbuck and Apollo both be so clueless that they wouldn't be able to remember which heading the fleet was on? And how does the shuttle run out of fuel so fast? And how is it that Kronus could not have known or heard about any of the harsh working conditions? The Celestra isn't that big of a ship. Are we to believe that he never left the bridge? To top it off, why is there such an urgent need in the final battle scene to "level out" the Celestra? It's not as though there were any ships or planets around that it could crash into. Almost nothing in this episode makes any sense.

The minor plot of Cassiopeia agonizing over Starbuck's evasiveness in their relationship is far more compelling than the main plot of the Celestra mutiny. But even the Starbuck/Aurora plot has problems. For one thing, the writers have Starbuck act like a total jerk by skipping his date with Cassie so he can see Aurora. Why would Cassie put up with that? And how is it that Starbuck had a serious relationship with Aurora going during the time of the Destruction? Didn't he clearly have something going with Athena back then? (If there's anything worse than the writers making things up as they go, it's when they unmake things up as they go.)

Anyway, this only makes Starbuck look like a bigger womanizer than anyone thought (not exactly the best way to endear him to viewers). Aurora makes a valid point in her anger towards him. If Starbuck really did care about her, why didn't he check to see if her name was in the fleet computer? Just because her house was destroyed doesn't mean for certain that she was killed. It's also highly questionable that Starbuck ever made it back to Caprica after the Cylons attacked. We've never been given any indication that anyone besides Adama and Apollo ever went back. Considering how dangerous it would have been (not to mention how strong a chance that someone might have led the Cylons back to the Galactica), it's absolutely ludicrous to suggest Adama would have allowed anyone to return to the planet.

I almost want to pretend that this episode was just a bad dream. Fortunately, the very next episode would raise the roof.

===[[The Hand of God]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five.'''

They saved the best for last. ''The Hand Of God'' is arguably the best episode of Battlestar Galactica, and my personal favorite.

No doubt about it, ''The Hand of God'' is Galactica at its best. Donald Bellisario shows the other writers how it's done, pulling out all the stops with this one. Both the script and the performances are stellar. Never before have the characters been portrayed in such a powerful way. Although there is nothing innovative about the basic plot itself (The Galactica battles the Cylons again), there are enough things going on that make this story extremely engrossing.

This episode is fascinating from start to finish. Visually, it is a treat as we get to see the inside of a Cylon basestar's landing bay for the first time. We also get to see Cylon Centurions boarding their ships for the first time. And the Celestial Observation Dome is a marvel, as is Apollo's analogy that being inside it is like riding in the Hand of God.

What makes this story especially memorable is the culmination of a story thread that has been running since ''War of the Gods''. In that episode, we see the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba. Nothing happens in the other episodes following, although Anne Lockhart does a good job showing, in a subtle way, Sheba's emerging feelings for Apollo.

Kudos go to both Anne Lockhart and Laurette Spang for winning performances. Sheba's confrontation with Apollo and their kiss inside the Cylon raider is the best scene of the episode. That and Cassiopeia's argument with Starbuck in the landing bay are both incredibly moving, providing each actress with her stand-out moment of the series. It really gives the viewer a chance to appreciate the range of Anne and Laurette. Women on this show were usually stuck in the background; this episode placed demands on each actress they rarely had to face. Give each one credit for not dropping the ball. Fortunately, they are both aided by outstanding dialogue from Bellisario. Of course, Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, and Herbert Jefferson, Jr. hold up their end as well. Starbuck, Apollo, and Boomer clasping hands in the pilots barracks (with the accompanying music score) powerfully expresses the bond of their friendship more than words ever could.

Extra congratulations go to Donald Bellisario who also directed this episode. His use of slow motion twice during Starbuck and Apollo's battles with Cylon Centurions make the scenes much more intense and suspenseful. Let's face it. Thanks to ABC's family-friendly censors, the Cylons often looked like a joke (Remember ''The Young Lords'' when Starbuck and five children wiped out an entire Cylon garrison?). If Starbuck and Apollo's shootout scenes had been shown in real time, there would have been little (if any) impact.

Another reason ''The Hand of God'' works so well is because the Cylons were not featured in the previous seven or eight episodes. Glen Larson wisely saw that the constant reusing of the same space battle footage was hurting the stories and thus moved the Cylons into the background after ''Fire In Space''. So much time has passed since then that the Cylons seem revitalized. There's nothing spectacular about the dogfight between the vipers and raiders or the slugfest between the Galactica and the Cylon basestar (since it's the same footage seen in previous episodes), but the story is compelling enough that it all still works.

If there is one flaw with this story, it is the idea that Adama would attack a Cylon basestar and risk the fate of the entire human race just for the sake of wreaking some vengeance. This is the same man who told Commander Cain, "I'm not interested in military victories. I'm interested in saving lives. What few of them are left." It would have worked better to have a scenario where the Galactica simply could not backtrack and thus was forced to attack the Cylons. Still, it is a minor flaw in an overall outstanding script.

It is extremely frustrating that we never see a follow-up to Apollo and Sheba's relationship since this was the final episode. For fans who would like to see some kind of continuation, there are some fan fiction stories that I highly recommend. There is a short story called ''My Father's Daughter'' which takes place immediately following the events of ''The Hand of God'' and is quite simply the best Sheba story I have ever read. Three other novels, ''Second Coming'', ''Joint Maneuvers'', and ''The Race For Earth'' also explore Apollo and Sheba's relationship and are outstanding. These stories are all available free online at a site I own called [http://freegalacticafanfictionnovels.weebly.com Free Battlestar Galactica Fan Fiction Novels].

Many fans were and still are saddened that the original show ended so soon. Personally, I'm at peace with it. If the show had to end, ''The Hand of God'' may have been the best way to close the curtain. After reading Glen Larson's [[Battlestar_Galactica:_Year_Two_proposal|Season Two proposal]], all I can say is, "Thank god the show ended when it did!" It appears that, if there had been a second season, half the cast would have been cut in order to save money, Sheba would have been killed off, Commander Cain would have returned as a Cylon android, and Apollo would have shirked his responsibilities and started partying and messing around with numerous women. Ugh!!!

I think I can accept Battlestar Galactica for what it was, always remembering that the light that shines twice as bright only burns half as long.

== Galactica 1980 Episode Reviews ==

=== [[Galactica Discovers Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

Galactica Discovers Earth turns out to be a watchable pilot, but watchable is about all. From the very first episode, Galactica 1980 is clearly nothing more than an attempt by ABC to cash in on the Galactica name by creating a cheap show that simply reuses the expensive special effects stock footage from the original series. The later episodes would only reinforce this. Kent McCord (Troy) and Barry Van Dyke (Dillon) come off as inferior clones of Starbuck and Apollo. In fact, the script for the pilot was originally written for Starbuck and Apollo. When those plans changed, the names were simply switched to Troy and Dillon. Jamie Hamilton comes off as a carbon copy of Lois Lane. Unfortunately, we are never given any backstory to any of these characters.

This may be the only pilot in television history in which the premise changes in the middle of the episode! At first it's about advancing Earth's technology in order to fight the Cylons. Then it suddenly changes and is about capturing a time-traveling villain. It's really bizarre. Anyway, the time travel journey to Nazi Germany is never particularly interesting, partly because Xaviar just isn't that compelling of a villain, but mostly because this is NOT Battlestar Galactica.

The idea of the Galactica having to protect a primitive Earth from the Cylons is actually a compelling premise, but the problem is that Dr. Zee's plan to slowly increase Earth's technology is flawed. At the rate in which the Colonials were going, it probably would have taken at least decades to get Earth's technology increased enough to be able to fight the Cylons. Long before then, the Cylons would probably tire of waiting and decide to just destroy the Colonial fleet. Even if the Cylons didn't attack, how far could the Galactica lead the Cylons away from Earth before they (the Colonials) were too far away from the planet to ever go back there? It probably would have been smarter to temporarily abandon Earth and lead the Cylons away until Dr. Zee could invent some technology that would allow the Colonials to destroy the Cylon armada. (Actually, since Colonial Vipers can now turn invisible, it should have been fairly easy for the Colonials to launch a surprise attack on the Cylons and defeat them once and for all!)

The problem with the original premise of Galactica 1980 is that it would have eventually become tiresome: Troy and Dillon each week would find a way to introduce some new technology (clean nuclear power, etc.) which would make some small improvement, but do little to bring Earth up to the level it would need be to fight the Cylons. As a result, the series could never evolve to the next level (i.e. Earth is ready to fight the Cylons), because the series' budget was too small for any kind of "final battle". As a result, Galactica 1980 was stuck in a rut from the get-go. It tried to distract viewers from the main plot (the Cylon threat) with time travel and cub scout outings because there was little that could be done with the original premise. It might have worked well as a single movie or perhaps a series of movies, but it's unlikely that Galactica 1980 could have ever jelled as a weekly series.

The show looks second-rate. For example, take the opening sequence. This has to be one of the worst opening sequences in television history. It's nothing but a series of stock footage shots from the original show haphazardly thrown together. Even the rendition of the Galactica theme seems inferior to the one we heard on the original show.

That said, there is some nice chemistry between the trio of Troy, Dillon and Jamie. There's one particularly touching scene in part 3 when Jamie says goodbye to Troy and Dillon at the bus stop. But whatever positives the actors had would not be enough to overcome a number of self-destructive turns that would begin with the very next episode.

=== [[The Super Scouts]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Super Scouts arrive, and Galactica 1980 plummets into an abyss it would not survive. In the beginning, we're forced to endure a series of boring classroom educational lessons. Things get even worse when the intergalactic 'Our Gang' reaches Earth. We get ultra-cute campfire songs and even more educational lessons shoved down are throats. The original series had flaws, but at least it never insulted its viewers with sitcom humor or by getting into preachy moral issues. Galactica 1980 gives us an ultra-simplistic environmental message of "Don't pollute the water," and does so with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

One could make the case that Galactica 1980 is a great tool for writers to learn how NOT to write drama. One key is to create powerful villains and put the heroes in situations that are difficult to deal with. But all of the villains in Galactica 1980 are weak. The Colonials have so many advantages over the people of Earth - spaceships, super powers, invisibility fields - that they are essentially invincible, thus robbing the series of any possible drama. In Galactica 1980, there are no worthy villains. The bumbling cops and incompetent military personnel never have a prayer of apprehending Troy and Dillon, so there's no suspense. And it's certainly not funny to watch Earthlings constantly being confounded by extra-terrestrials. Yet that is what we're forced to endure again and again throughout the entire series.

=== [[Spaceball]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

This is crap. Spaceball is the worst, most hated episode of Galactica 1980. It's silly, stupid, and just plain dumb. Little kids playing baseball??? This is Battlestar Galactica??? Spaceball may be the most inconsequential hour of science fiction ever made. It's nothing less than an insult to the original series that this bionic version of ''The Bad News Bears'' was shot under the Galactica name.

=== [[The Night The Cylons Landed]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five (Poor)'''

The Night The Cylons Landed is the best episode since the pilot. Of course, this isn't saying much, since watching a blank screen would have been almost as entertaining as the previous two episodes. Anyway, the Super Scouts are finally relegated to the background. This expands on the storyline involving the evolution of the Cylons over the 30 years since the destruction of the Colonies. A new, bigger, and more powerful Cylon raider carrying a newly advanced Cylon lifeform crashlands on Earth. Two surviving Cylons attempt to communicate with the Cylon armada to tell them of Earth's location. This is a cool idea, but the execution is terrible. We are treated to so much silliness, culminating with Troy and Dillon dancing on stage with cartoon characters like Yogi Bear! There are other problems. The more powerful, heavily armored Cylon raider is crippled after the punier viper rams into it??? The viper certainly doesn't hit it very hard. If the Cylons were a joke in the original series, then in Galactica 1980 they are a laughing stock. Andromus, the evolved Cylon clone of a human, certainly doesn't look or act very advanced. Centuri, his Centurion buddy, comes across as being even sillier with his constant banter of "I will protect you. That is my mission." This is the monstrous, all-powerful race which threatens the Earth's destruction and that the Colonials are so concerned about??? The two Cylons provide some funny moments, but it can't make up for the letdown of a plot that had so much potential.

With this episode, Galactica 1980 provides yet another example of how NOT to write drama. Conventional storytelling says that when you have a character trying to solve a mystery, you want the audience to move along at the same pace as the character. If the audience knows more than the character does, they find themselves simply waiting for the character to catch up, which is boring. Unfortunately, Galactica 1980 violates this basic rule of storytelling as we're forced to endure Colonel Briggs's investigation of the aliens. We know everything, he knows nothing, and thus there is nothing even remotely interesting about the subplot.

=== [[Space Croppers]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Space Croppers starts out interesting, but quickly takes an abrupt nosedive into looney land. The plot parallels that of [[The Magnificent Warriors]]. Due to the destruction of the fleet's agroships by a Cylon attack, another source of food supply must be found. The Magnificent Warriors was a terrible episode, so it must be considered quite a feat that Space Croppers turns out to be even worse.

The plight of the Alonso family to save their farm never becomes the least bit interesting. Even worse are the 'educational beats' that bring the story to a grinding halt: a lecture about Hispanic history, the soil requirements for planting legumes, and how rainfull is produced. This is beyond bad. It's unwatchable.

If Dr. Zee is such a genius, why doesn't it ever occur to him to use Galactican technology to create money so the Colonials can simply buy the food that they need? I guess such a simple solution would have made this story pointless.

Furthermore, the Imperious Leader's plan to force the Galactica to lead the Cylons to Earth makes no sense. How could Imperious Leader know that Earth was nearby? And if he did know, why not just destroy the Colonial fleet and conduct a search of the nearby planets? Did anything on this series make sense? Was anything supposed to?

Last, and certainly least, Troy and Dillon bouncing high in the air and throwing seeds while the Super Scouts sing their song is hands down the most ludicrous thing ever shown on Galactica 1980, and that's saying something.

=== [[The Return of Starbuck]] ===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five (Outstanding)'''

This is undeniably the best and most popular episode of Galactica 1980. It is even better than most of the episodes of Battlestar Galactica. What is there not to love about this episode? There are so many outstanding scenes: Adama's chilling reaction to Dr. Zee's mention of Starbuck; Boomer's heartwrenching goodbye to Starbuck, Adama explaining to Boomer that they can't go back to find him; Adama saying his farewell to Starbuck; Starbuck's rationalizations about how the planet belongs to him; Angela's words, "Starbuck, would you die for me?"; Starbuck sacrificing his chance to return to the fleet to give Angela and her baby a better chance; Starbuck's goodbye to Cy. The list goes on. Best of all, we see growth in Starbuck's character! A true classic to be treasured for all time by Galactica fans.

This episode is based on an earlier script written for the second season of Battlestar Galactica that never happened. The main differences are that a regular woman appears (not Angela), and Starbuck is eventually rescued by Boomer. The only thing believed to have been taken intact from the early script is Starbuck's dialogue with Cy. While that would no doubt have been a tremendous episode, it still would not have come close to being as great as this one is. The reason why is very simple. One of the problems with creating dramatic and suspenseful stories in any weekly series is that the viewer knows the hero will ultimately prevail. For example, when Starbuck is accused of murder in [[Murder on the Rising Star]], there is little in terms of suspense because it is a foregone conclusion that Starbuck will be vindicated, just as it is a forgone conclusion that Starbuck isn't going to die in [[The Young Lords]] when he is hunted by the Cylons on the planet Attila. In the beginning of The Return Of Starbuck, it is quickly established that Adama doesn't know what happened to Starbuck and that Starbuck never returned from the mission where he was shot down. As a result, in what is most unusual for any action/adventure television story, the viewer sits through the entire episode knowing that Starbuck isn't going to make it!

This makes the story much more gripping and intense than virtually any other episode of either series. The grim reality of Starbuck's eventual fate is all reinforced by Angela's question "Starbuck, will you die for me?" and her warnings of disaster, telling him that he must prepare to make "the final judgement." Of course, we do not actually see Starbuck die at the end of the story. Larson leaves Starbuck's fate ambiguous, especially since an intact Cylon raider is left nearby. Having Starbuck die would have been a gutsy and innovative move, but the ending shown is really for the best. The beauty of the ending is that it lets the viewers make their own interpretation of Starbuck's fate. If one goes with the idea that a single person alone cannot fly a Cylon raider, then Starbuck could have easily died on the planet. Many fans don't consider Galactica 1980 to be canon for the original series, except for this episode. With the interpretation that Galactica 1980 didn't happen, Starbuck could possibly have flown the Cylon raider back to the fleet, returning to Apollo, Adama, Sheba, and the other original characters. Much Galactica fan fiction over the years has interpreted the episode in this manner.

Despite having a small role, Lorne Greene gives what may be his best performance ever as Commander Adama. The look on his face when he asks Dr. Zee to tell him his dream is worth a thousand words. His farewell to Starbuck, saying that he loves him, is also incredibly powerful. A wonderful performance!

In conclusion, ''The Return of Starbuck'' is an incredible ending to the series and a worthy finish to the Battlestar Galactica saga overall. ''Galactica 1980'' was crap, but it sure went out with a bang.

== Galactica Comics ==

=== [[Galactica 1980 1|Galactica 1980 comic series]] ===

Comic adaptations of television shows are often very good because the writers are free from the usual constraints that a television show faces: limited budgets, censors, and network meddling in the storylines. Unfortunately, this is a double-edged sword, as the comic book writers' unlimited freedom sometimes allows the story to go flying off the rails.

Such is the case with the Galactica 1980 comic series, a cool idea that feels like a missed opportunity. First, the comic does a number of things right. It delivers a ''War of the Worlds'' type story involving the Colonials and Cylons battling over Earth. It even makes Dr. Zee a villian, a great move considering that Zee is hands down the most hated character in the entire Galactica universe. Unfortunately, writer Marc Guggenheim goes for shock value. In the first issue, we learn that Troy is a drunk and Adama is suicidal. Personally, I found this ugly and disturbing.

Even worse is the end of issue #1 when the Galactica is destroyed by nukes. Again, it feels like the writer is just trying to hit us with one shocking suprise after another. Suprises can be great fun, but I get annoyed when they lack logic as this one does. Why would Adama be so stupid as to fly the Galactica directly over the White House without first sending a message and waiting to see what the response would be? This just makes no sense.

And I just didn't like seeing the Galactica destroyed. After all, this ''is'' Galactica 1980, so therefore the Galactica should be in it. If the Galactica had to be destroyed, it should have happened in the final issue (#4), not the first.

I also had a big problem with Dillon being killed off in issue #2. Troy and Dillon were the heroes of Galactica 1980, and I just don't think that either should have been killed (at least not less than halfway through the story). I was also disappointed that Jamie Hamilton was given nothing more than a cameo appearance in issue #4. I really wish she could have played a larger role in the story.

In the end, I wish Guggenheim had written a story that might have been done on television if not for the limited budget and children's hour restrictions that ultimately crippled the series. The ''War of the Worlds'' premise was perfect for Galactica 1980, but in this case the execution fell short.

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

== The Galactica Telemovies ==

=== [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

The opening sequence is outstanding, although it mostly uses footage from the original series. It has a truly epic feel, and it gives the impression that we will see a grand conclusion to the Battlestar Galactica saga. Sadly, this does not happen. Still, Adama's opening declaration that Earth has been found is also magnificent, much better done than it was in the original episode. By removing the time-travel subplot as well as much of the silliness including Troy and Dillon dancing on stage, the whole is better than any of the original Galactica 1980 episodes it is composed of. Yet this hardly makes ''Conquest of the Earth'' a great movie. The opening minutes rate five stars, yet starting with the first appearance of Dr. Zee (who bizarrely speaks with two different voices), the rest of the movie rates much lower.

=== [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack (VHS)|Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

This movie is less entertaining than the individual episodes it is composed of (The Living Legend and Fire In Space). The separate episodes don't mesh together seamlessly, resulting in several plot holes and odd hairstyle changes between scenes. The movie especially suffers because many great scenes from The Living Legend episode are missing. All scenes and dialogue relating to Starbuck's relationship with Cassiopeia are cut, which only makes the Cain/Cassiopeia subplot less interesting. The battle scenes are a little more elaborate because additional stock footage is used, but that's not enough to overcome the movie's deficiencies. A different sound effect is used for the engines of the Cylon raiders that's a little jarring for anyone who is a die-hard fan of the original show.

Bottom line, this movie is only recommended for curiosity's sake.

== Berkley Books ==
=== [[Saga of a Star World (Book)|Saga of a Star World]] ===
'''Flagship of the 12 Worlds fleet, she was as large as a planet, yet as swift as the Starhound fighters she launched from her bays. For generations the vast ship led the thousand-year war against the Cylons for control of the known Galaxy. Now that war was in its final phase, and Galactica had one final mission, win or lose: blast through the deadly grid of the Cylon Starfleet and dash for deep space in a desperate attempt to find the legendary "Stonehenge" of the universe - the lost planet the ancient microfilms call "Earth."'''

This is the opening paragraph to the Berkley novelization of the Battlestar Galactica pilot "Saga Of A Star World". This is easily one of the most fascinating Galactica books ever written, and there are a number of things that make it so interesting. First, the book is based on an early script of the pilot and, although changes were made before it came to print to make it more like the version that aired, there are a number of alternate scenes in the book. The Galactica universe is also different in several aspects, such as the Cylons are living aliens underneath their armor instead of total machines. Also, there are missing scenes left out of the final cut of the movie that survived intact in the book (Starbuck's confrontation with Tigh on the bridge after the Colonies are destroyed; Starbuck's extended conversation with Cassie on the shuttle; Adama's resigning from the Council).

Perhaps best of all, certain events are more fleshed out in the novelization than in the movie such as the surprise Cylon attack. The novelization helps to fill a number of gaping plot holes and unanswered questions that the movie was saddled with. Many chapters begin with an entry from the Adama journals, and the reader is able to learn a lot of information and insight from the Galactica's commander.

Many fans are unhappy with the Berkley books, feeling that they don't remain true to the series. I respectfully disagree. First of all, as already mentioned, the novelizations often have extra detail and explanations that help cover up plot holes that existed in the episodes. Second, the fact that the novels portray the BG universe in a slightly different way and that they are not exact retellings of the episodes is good because the books would be pretty boring otherwise. Third, some of the characters such as Athena are fleshed out better in the novels. Make no mistake, this is the best of all the Berkley novelizations and is a must-read for any fan of the original series.

== External Links ==

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/BGEPISODES.htm Battlestar Galactica Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/Wharmby.htm Matthew Wharmby's Hilarious Galactica 1980 Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

User:Galactica1981/Galactica 1981 Reviews

2011-11-26T00:03:07Z

Galactica1981: /* Galactica 1980 comic series */

This is a list of reviews by [[User:Galactica1981]] for various [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]] content. Given to the Battlestar Wiki's policy of [[NPOV|Neutral Point of View]], they are found here rather than their respective articles.

These episode reviews originally appears on the Sheba's Galaxy site. They have been slightly revised.

== TOS Episode Reviews ==

===[[Saga of a Star World]] ===

'''RATING: Four and a half stars out of five'''

There's no question that on the night of September 17, 1978, Battlestar Galactica hit television screens with a bang. Saga Of A Star World is unquestionably the most elaborate televison movie ever made (and least up to that point!) When trying to rate something like this, it's important to examine it in the context of television during that time period. For sure, no sci-fi show of this magnitude had ever been done before in the history of television, and thus it deserves extra points for that alone. There are many great things that can be said about this episode (acting, special effects, music score), but I won't bother repeating what most people are already aware of. In the end, I had to decide against a full five-star rating, mostly because of the unforgivable "Star Wars" ending it was saddled with. The big explosion of the planet Carillon is a blatant ripoff of Star Wars, not to mention ridiculous as well. Setting fire to some tylium mines causes the entire planet to explode? This is ludicrous (although one could argue that destroying the massive Death Star by shooting a tiny exhaust port was equally ludicrous). Surely Glen Larson could have written a better ending than this. Ultimately, this had to reinforce many people's beliefs that Galactica was a second-rate Star Wars. Having a casino with all sorts of alien creatures also seems a little too close to Star Wars for comfort.

As a kid watching the show, I absolutely loved the Cylons because of how cool they looked. My favorite character was Starbuck who I idolized and wanted to be like. The series also had a phenomenal cast with tremendously talented actors (except for Maren Jensen), and it's a shame they were often saddled with substandard scripts. Starbuck and Apollo are wonderful in the lead roles, and they arguably have more chemistry than did Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. And Lorne Greene is superb as in the role of Commander Adama. In the pilot episode, the scene that perhaps stands out the most is the laser battle against the Cylon Centurions on the surface of Carillon, a truly awesome spectacle combined with the looming countdown as the Cylon raiders close in on the Galactica. It terms of the characters, my favorite scene is probably Starbuck's almost proposing to Athena. Finally, the musical score for the series is truly breathtaking, on a similar level as the one for Star Wars.

Of course, there are also some HUMONGOUS plot holes in this story, enough for any critic to tear it to shreds. I'm not going bother writing 5 pages about the plot problems of Saga Of A Star World. Instead, I'll just mention a few points:

The premise of the Colonial fleet seeking Earth, while interesting, is unfortunately flawed because no one (not even Adama) has any idea where it is! Apparently, Adama was the only one who even knew about Earth's existence, although he doesn't seem to have any proof. Thus the Colonial fleet is left to wander aimlessly throughout the universe looking for it. Fortunately, this problem would be addressed in ''War of the Gods'' when the Colonials finally learn the coordinates to Earth.

The Colonials seemed unbelievably gullible and naive regarding the Cylons' offer of peace. After a thousand years of war, you would think they'd have been more careful, but they foolishly leave their home planets undefended. President Adar is incredibly stupid when he sees a thousand Cylon raiders coming towards the fleet and assumes it is a peace envoy.

Apollo gets back to the fleet in time to warn them of the coming Cylon attack, yet he fails to do so. Why? Why does he take an hour to find the bridge?

=== [[Lost Planet of the Gods]]===

'''Rating: Four stars out of five'''

The second half of this two-part episode has the theatrical feel of a movie, while the first half has often been blasted as being sexist. Of course, it is a bit strange that all the female cadets look like lingerie models. Still, I think the claim of sexism is a bit overstated. If you look at women in the U.S. military, they tend to act in supporting roles rather than be on the front lines. I don't know how many female jet pilots are in the U.S. military, but I suspect there aren't many. And I suspect this is due less to discrimination than to the fact that women tend to make different career choices than men (i.e. they tend to choose less hazardous professions). The reasons for there being no female viper pilots on the Galactica were probably along the same lines.

Regardless, the first half of the episode mostly serves as a set-up for the second half. Nothing wrong with that, but it does make the first half far less interesting.

Anyway, the two-part episodes fare better than most of the one-part episodes because Glen Larson would often blow the budget and vastly overspend. There are many fantastic scenes in the second half: Serina proposing to Apollo that they marry immediately; the Star of Kobol appearing in the port window during the wedding ceremony; the light shining off of Adama's medallion inside the tombs of Kobol; the Cylon raiders attacking the surface of Kobol; and, of course, Serina's death scene.

Serina's death is one of the most poignant moments of the entire series. But it came with a high price, as the show arguably suffered without her. And the writing would start to take a turn for the worse with the very next episode.

===[[The Lost Warrior]]===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

After only two episodes, Battlestar Galactica's creative energy has fizzled out. This is the first of the so-called "bottled episodes." These episodes had few if any new special effects, enabling the producers to save money which would later be spent on the bigger, more extravagant "monster episodes." It's understandable that these "bottled" stories were necessary, but this is where rushing the show into production really hurt the series. The writers simply did not have time to create quality scripts. Of course, this would ultimately lead to the decline in ratings.

This kind of episode is tough to review because it's good but wrong. Based on the classic 1953 western film Shane, this actually makes a pretty decent western, but Battlestar Galactica is supposed to be a science fiction series. Sci-fi fans want science fiction, not half-hybrids of other shows (A mistake that Galactica 1980 would repeat). If I want to see a Western, I'd rather watch Bonanza. The only reason this gets two stars is because we get such a strong characterization of Apollo.

Unfortunately, this is not the only space western we would see on Galactica. Cowboys and saloons would return in The Magnificent Warriors. In fact, the very idea that an "old west" town would exist in Battlestar Galactica completely contradicts the Von Daniken premise of the show, that the Colonies and the ancient cultures of Earth (such as Atlantis and Egypt) have the same roots, the same beginnings. It is ludicrous that an Old West society could have any common connection with this. It raises all kinds of questions. The people of Equellis obviously had to arrive on that world by means of spacecraft, so why is the society so primitive? How could they not know of the Cylons since the war has raged for 1,000 years and the average human life-span is 200 years?

Why would Apollo be dumb enough to fly so far away from the fleet that he wouldn't have enough fuel to make it back? This really makes no sense. And why does Apollo promise Bella and Puppis that he will return one day? Why would he ever believe that possible?

Despite the lackluster plot, there are some good moments. Boxey beating Starbuck at Pyramid is funny, and the western style "shoot-out" between Red-Eye and Apollo is very well done. The only weak point is when Red Eye spots Apollo's laser and says, "Uh-oh." This trivalizes a very serious moment for the sake of silly humor. It is difficult to believe that a Cylon would use such a phrase. Ironically, for years I couldn't make out exactly what he was saying. I assumed it was some kind of challenge to Apollo, and it actually added to the power of the moment. You can imagine my dismay when I learned the truth. Also, Puppis gets pretty annoying pretty fast.

===[[The Long Patrol]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

The Long Patrol is lot of a fun and a big improvement over the previous episode. Starbuck's computer companion C.O.R.A is a hoot. There are several funny scenes: Starbuck womanizing Cassiopeia and Athena; Boomer's jab at him before he goes off on the mission; Starbuck finding a fortune in ambrosia only to have it destroyed by the Cylon attack. Adama deciding to change the Galactica's course to keep distance from the Cylons is very well done, revealing how burdensome command of the fleet is and how it forces him to sacrifice his loved ones to protect the rest of humanity.

Maren Jensen (Athena) gets more screen time here than in most of the episodes. The scene with Athena revealing Starbuck's apparent death to Cassiopeia is especially moving, one of Jensen's best scenes of the series. The Athen/Cassiopeia rivalry was compelling and could have been developed in future episodes, but sadly this never happens. This was likely due to Maren Jensen's limitations as an actress which caused the writers to reduce her role.

Could C.O.R.A. have been the inspiration for K.I.T.T., the computerized car on Glen Larson's Knight Rider? Considering the amazing similarities between the two, it would have to be a possibility. Also, Glen Larson has went on record saying that K.I.T.T.'s swerving red eye was inspired by the swerving red eyes of the Cylons. It was sort of his way of keeping the Cylons alive.

The Long Patrol is definitely one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

===[[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero]]===

'''Rating: Three and a half stars out of five'''

This two-part episode is based on the 1961 movie The Guns of Navarone and the 1967 movie The Dirty Dozen. The episode has a theatrical feel to it because, as mentioned before, the two-parters had bigger budgets. Although the story is by-the-numbers, it is very enjoyable because of the fantastic special effects. Still, as good as Gun is, it is easily one of the lesser of the two-parters. While better than Greetings From Earth, Gun falls far short of The Living Legend, Lost Planet Of The Gods, and especially War Of The Gods.

This was actually the second episode filmed. This would explain why Serina and Cassiopea do not appear (Serina and Cassiopea died in the original version of the pilot before the decision was made to bring them back). Baltar and Lucifer's scenes were probably shot much later.

This episode raises a serious question. Considering the staggering number of people who had to be left behind due to lack of ships, why would the Colonials bother to take criminals with them? Perhaps they were already locked in the brig on the Galactica before the Holocaust or they somehow managed to sneak aboard the fleet to be captured later. Or perhaps most of them committed their crimes after joining the rag tag fleet. Considering how overcrowded, starved, and disorganized the fleet was when it was assembled, it is logical that many violent crimes would have occurred. An episode exploring this would have been nice.

The idea that there would not be enough qualified Colonial warriors to go on the mission is hard to believe. And why do Apollo, Starbuck, and Boomer get chosen? They are pilots, and their emphasis is not on ground assault. Logically, the Galactica would have a ground assault team available for these kinds of situations. It is also difficult to believe that Boxey would have found a way to sneak onto the shuttle. At least he and Muffit have an impact on the success of the mission.

In the book ''The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'' by J.W. Rinzler and Ridley Scott, it is revealed that part of George Lucas's anger towards Battlestar Galactica was because of this episode. Lucas planned to feature an ice planet in the sequel to Star Wars, and he felt that Galactica threatened to undercut him by featuring an ice planet on one of their own episodes. Did this fuel his lawsuit that Galactica was infringing on Star Wars? Is so, then Lucas comes off as disingenuous to say the least, for it would be absurd to claim that Galactica was infringing on a movie that hadn't yet been made!

Baltar's legs were crushed in Lost Planet of the Gods, yet in this episode the only evidence of Baltar's injury is a slight limp. Did the Cylons do major reconstructive surgery on his legs? I guess so.

At this point, the constant reusing of the same space battle scenes really starts getting redundant. Still, this remains one of the most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

=== [[The Magnificent Warriors]] ===

'''Rating: One and a half stars out of five'''

Many fans consider this to be the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. While I don't agree, I think it comes pretty close. The story is, quite frankly, terrible. We are again subjected to yet another old-western style shanty town? Once was enough! The Borays are disgusting and sound awful. The only redeeming moment is when Adama and company discover Starbuck at the gambling table. It's rather funny.

Siress Bellaby is hands down the most annoying character to ever appear on Battlestar Galactica. Most viewers probably couldn't understand why the Colonial Warriors didn't simply let the Borays kill her.

On a positive note, we are shown Lorne Greene's impressive range as an actor. It's interesting to see a comical Adama, a nice contrast to the serious commander that we usually see. Unfortunately, Greene is forced to play against Brett Somers (Siress Bellaby). Somers isn't funny; she's annoying, and it kills most of the comedy that is presented.

The premise of The Magnificent Warriors actually had a lot of potential. We are given a situation where the fleet has no food and everyone is aware of it (unlike in Saga Of A Star World when the Colonials were able to cover up the problem). This raises all kinds of fascinating issues. Would the fleet start a mutiny against Adama during such a crisis? How would Adama react to such a mutiny? How would he choose who to save? Would he allow each ship to make its own decision to leave? Or would he try to force them to stick together? And what decisions would Starbuck and Apollo be forced to make if such a mutiny occurred? So many interesting questions for the episode to pursue.

Sadly, standard television plotting is what we get. The Colonials are traveling through the vast uncharted regions of space, and they run out of food at just the precise moment they happen to be near a farming colony. Okay. Whatever. The Colonials land on the planet and meet the Borays. From then on, it's just another battle of good vs. evil. Putting the Colonials in a moral dilemna would have been much more interesting that what we were given here.

===[[The Young Lords]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

This is the family episode of Battlestar Galactica. Starbuck is shot down and crashes on a planet. Yawn. This is essentially a remake of The Lost Warrior in which Apollo is stranded on the planet Equellus. Of course, Starbuck was also stranded in The Long Patrol and Cree was stranded in ''The Gun On Ice Planet Zero''. Later in ''Greetings From Earth'', Starbuck, Apollo, and Casseopia would be stranded on the planet Paradeen. At this point, the series was becoming so predictable that viewers each week must have been asking the question, "Who's going to have to be rescued this week?" In fact, Mad Magazine, in a spoof of Galactica, poked fun at this element of the show. (See [[Humor in the Original Series]])

Considering the incredibly broad premise of the series, it's amazing that the writers had so much trouble coming up with a story that didn't involve someone being stranded on a planet. With this kind of plot, The Young Lords shouldn't even be watchable. And yet, despite all these drawbacks, this actually turns out to be a fun, enjoyable episode. Part of this praise goes to the tremendous production values. It is simply fascinating to see so many Cylons inside a medieval castle. The location is nothing short of spectacular. To top it off, Dirk Benedict delivers with a wonderful performance. There are many good scenes, especially Starbuck's rescue from the Cylons by Kyle and the children (plus his insulting remark to the Cylons moments before). Playing up kids in a series can be extremely fatal to ratings (Galactica 1980 became an infamous example of this), but fortunately Kyle and the gang never get to the point where they become grating; although they (and their song near the end) come dangerously close. (And are we to believe Starbuck and his Scooby Gang would actually take the time to think up lyrics for a song and memorize them? Please!)

The IL series Cylon Spectre is a delightfully conniving character. He is the perfect foil for Lucifer. His phony flattery of Baltar is hilarious, especially the way he manages to turn defeat to his own advantage. Unfortunately, the character does not appear again. Had the series continued into a second season, he probably would have. Spectre does appear in the later original Berkley novels [[The Nightmare Machine]], [[Die, Chameleon!]] and [[Surrender the Galactica!]] where he is put to good use.

Most of the scenes of Baltar and Lucifer communicating with Spectre were recycled with different dialogue into the Galactica telemovie [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]].

Needless to say that by this point the Cylons have become a joke. When you stop and really think about it, it is ludicrous that an entire Cylon garrison is defeated by one colonial warrior and five children.

Still, this episode somehow succeeds despite every logical reason why it shouldn't.

===[[The Living Legend]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five'''

This is one of the very best episodes of Battlestar Galactica. The two-part episodes consistently deliver, and The Living Legend is no exception. The idea of a second survivng battlestar is a good one, as is a scenario where the fleet runs out of fuel.

This episode introduces two compelling characters, Commander Cain and his daughter, Lt. Sheba. Sheba's character is said to have been a ground-breaking role for women. She is tough, independent, and short-tempered. Basically, she's the exact opposite of virtually every other female character to appear on the series. Fortunately, she, along with Bojay, becomes a regular after this episode.

Lloyd Bridges is tremendous as Commander Cain. It's hard to imagine any other actor filling the role. The only weak moment for Bridges is when Cain lies to Adama about the "accidental" failure of the tanker mission. Cain's cavalier attitude about it makes it obvious to everyone that he purposely sabotaged the mission.

This story is different from any other Galactica story thus far because we see a clash of philosophies within the ranks of the military. Cain wants to wage an all-out war against Gamoray, and Adama simply wants to capture the much-needed fuel and escape. The earlier episodes were extremely simplistic in their portaryal of good versus evil. The Colonials are good. The Cylons are evil. Simple as that. Since the good guys are all in the military, the military is always portrayed as being right. Adama, Starbuck, and Apollo had very few moral dilemnas to deal with, which would have made the stories so much more interesting.

Baltar personally leading the attack on the Galactica makes the battle much more intense and exciting, mostly because the battle has a storyline. Most of the Galactica space battles are nothing more than a confusing jumble of stock shots haphazardly thrown together with nothing in terms of a flow or climax. (One of the bigger flaws of Return Of The Jedi was that the Battle of Endor had nothing in terms of a storyline.) This time it is different. The Pegasus closing in on Baltar at the end of part one is the best cliff hanger of the series. It is rather fitting that Baltar's forces are taken by surprise, since it was Baltar who caused the colonial warfleet to be taken by surprise in the pilot.

The scene between Adama and Apollo right before the mission to capture the Cylon tankers is very powerful. It shows how, despite being father and son, each of their respective positions forces a distance between them personally. What is especially impressive is that this is done without words. Richard Hatch and Lorne Greene manage to convey more with a facial expression than most actors do with a page of dialogue.

Boxey really starts to get on the nerves at this point. Nothing against Noah Hathaway, but Boxey is a character all too typical of standard television. He is an ultra-cute TV kid doing ultra-cute things, yet usually has little or no bearing on the plot. These kinds of characters (most notably the Super Scouts from Galactica 1980) only serve to hurt a show's ratings.

When you put the story under scrutiny, there are some serious flaws. Why are viper pilots sent on a ground mission? Wouldn't the Galactica have specialized teams for that sort of thing? It is also a bit difficult to believe that Sheba could have found a way to go on the mission to Gamoray without permission. It is even more difficult to believe that Cassiopea would have been allowed to just hop on the shuttle. Was she given a crash course on parachuting during the shuttle ride? How could the Colonial warriors have known exactly which building in Gamoray contained the main communications center? And are we to believe that destroying one small communications center would disable the entire city's defense system? If, like me, you can overlook these flaws, this is still a great episode.

This episode and Fire In Space were later combined to form the horrid Galactica theatrical movie [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]].

===[[Fire in Space]]===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

This explosive episode is the one-hour equivalent of a disaster movie. It's basically a sci-fi version of The Towering Inferno (and stock footage from that movie was probably used here). There's so much action that it isn't until the end that you realize just how essentially empty it is. There are a lot of things happening, and at the same time there is nothing happening. By all rights this story should be downright awful, yet somehow it isn't. It really speaks volumes about the show's production values and the performances of the actors that this turns out to be an enjoyable hour despite another by-the-numbers script.

After this episode, producer Glen Larson decided changed the direction of the series, relegating the Cylons to the background. The Cylons are not featured again until the final episode, The Hand Of God. The reason for the change of direction may be that Larson had a feeling the series would be canceled and decided to try to create a storyarc that would end the series with the Galactica apparently getting close to Earth. In an interview, Larson has said that he wasn't surprised the show was canceled. The change of direction was really for the best because the battles with the Cylons were too ridiculously imbalanced in the Colonials' favor (due to the censors) making the Cylons look like a joke, and the reusing of the same space battle stock footage was becoming monotonous.

The ending the writers originally planned had Cylon raiders attacking the Galactica a second time, and it is their lasers that put Starbuck and Apollo in danger on the Galactica's hull. Unfortunately, the network censors overruled this because they felt it would have been too repetitive. The complete original ending from the script can be found [[List_of_Deleted_Scenes_(TOS)#Fire_In_Space|here.]]

The story completely falls apart when put under scientific scrutiny because fires simply cannot exist in outer space, as many Galactica critics have pointed out. However, Star Wars was able to get away with this flub (Remember the fate of the Death Star?), so it seems rather unfair that Battlestar Galactica took so many shots because of it.

This is Terry Carter's best episode, since Colonel Tigh is thrust into the forefront, taking command of the Galactica while Adama is incapacitated. Carter does a tremendous job, and his strong performance helps save this cliched, overused story plot from losing steam.

Since the Galactica was on the verge of destruction by the time Starbuck and Apollo were planting charges on the hull, didn't it ever occur to Colonel Tigh to evacuate all non-essential personnel including the Colonial vipers so that, if the Galactica was destroyed, the fleet would at least have a fighting chance to survive? And since it was too dangerous to operate on Adama on the Galactica, didn't it ever occur to Dr. Salik to shuttle Adama to another ship in the fleet and perform the operation there?

A tremendous amount of damage is done to the Galactica (especially the landing bay), yet there is no sign of this in any future episodes nor any explanation of how the repairs went. Considering the abysmal plot, this episode was probably best left forgotten.

===[[War of the Gods]]===

'''RATING: Five stars out of five'''

War Of The Gods is one of the best and most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica. It is not the very best episode, nor is it completely flawless, but it is easily the most complex of all the stories we were given. The bottom line is that it is extremely rare to see this kind of thing done on TV. This is one of the few episodes to fully utilize Galactica's Von Daniken premise (God Is An Astronaut). We learn that angels are not spirits of the dead, but advanced beings who are thousands of years ahead of the Colonials in both technology and spirituality. Count Iblis (whom Apollo addresses in part 2 as Mephistopheles) comes across as a form of devil. There is an interesting parallel with mythology. Just as the angel Lucifer (or Satan) rebelled against heaven, Iblis rebels against his brothers on the Ship of Lights.

Iblis may well be the most fascinating character in the entire series. What is fascinating is that his voice is the same as that of the Cylon Imperious Leader. Baltar recognizes this (and it would have been an unforgivable flub if he didn't). There have been two primary theories about Iblis' origin. The first is that Iblis exterminated the original reptile Cylon race and created the mechanical one, starting the thousand year war with the humans.

The second theory is that Iblis and the Imperious Leader are one and the same. Iblis calling Baltar "old friend" would seem to support this. Also, it is made clear in the end that Iblis cannot control anyone who does not choose to follow him. If Iblis is the Imperious Leader, then Baltar technically was "following him" since he (Baltar) was serving the Cylons. However, the theory that Iblis and Imperious Leader being the same person doesn't quite hold up because wouldn't the Cylons then easily be able to locate the Colonial fleet? Therefore, the first theory makes more sense overall. But there is still the question of how Iblis was able to make Baltar surrender to the Colonials. The episode tries to make it seem that Iblis did not perform his bigger miracles, that the white lights caused the crops to grow and Baltar came of his own free will (the latter is hinted by Apollo in a missing scene that was cut from the original script). Of course, the idea that Baltar would surrender on his own is ludicrous considering the coward that he is. And why would the white lights come to the fleet if that would cause the crops on the agro-ship to grow and thus fulfill one of Iblis' tasks? Most importantly, why would Iblis dare the Colonials to make 3 challenges for him if he did not possess the power to complete them?

Regarding Iblis' origin, I tend to go with the first theory, but I would take it one step further and suggest that the Imperious Leader is either a servant of Iblis or is somehow under Iblis' control. Thus Baltar, by serving the Cylons, would also be serving Iblis and thus would be subject to Iblis' commands.

You really have to wonder if Glen Larson planned to have Patrick Macnee play Count Iblis from the very first episode or if it was just an amazing coincidence that the same actor who provided the Imperious Leader's voice turned out to be perfect for the Count Iblis role. Considering how incredibly rushed the production of the show was, the latter would have to be a possibility. If it's the former, then you really have to applaud Glen Larson for planning so far ahead.

There are other marvelous scenes. Iblis' slow manipulation and seduction of Sheba is riveting (especially when he kisses her on the Agro-ship). The white lights and the Ship of Lights are a marvel and have to be considered among the best special effects the series has ever produced. The scenery of the red planet, including the visual effect of Starbuck, Apollo, and Sheba when they walk on that world is also outstanding. The triad court is a fantastic (and obviously, expensive) set. You have to give the producers a lot of credit for creating such a unique game for the Colonials to play. It makes sense. With the grueling struggle for survival in a rag-tag fleet, the Colonials have to have some sort of entertainment to take their minds off their plight.

As with most episodes, the performances are all top-notch. Richard Hatch plays his end perfectly, carefully balancing Apollo's distrust of Iblis and his caring for Sheba. Dirk Benedict adds a whole new dimension to Starbuck. His rage and grief over the death of Apollo (especially when he attempts to shoot Iblis) stand out as some of Starbuck's most memorable moments of the entire series. Anne Lockhart is also great portraying Sheba's slow seduction and manipulation by Count Iblis. Her joy at Apollo's resurrection firmly establishes her inner feelings toward him, and this subplot would come to a stunning head in the final episode. Lorne Greene never falters in his performances, and this is no exception. Greene does a tremendous job portraying a man torn between his desire to find Earth and his distrust of Iblis. One of the best moments has to be during the Triad game. During the game, Adama and Iblis are seated on opposite sides of the court. There are really two battles going on here: the battle between the players on the court, and the battle between Iblis and Adama.

Despite everything, the episode is not completely perfect. Not all the questions are answered (which in itself is not a bad thing), but some of what happens doesn't quite make sense. First of all, why does the Ship of Lights kidnap the viper pilots? We are never given any kind of answer. What makes it more confusing is that by kidnapping the pilots, the Ship of Lights actually aids Iblis because the Colonials look to him for protection. And why does Baltar say that Iblis now no longer holds any power over him after Baltar recognizes Iblis' voice? Perhaps this is supposed to be a clue to understand who Iblis is, but if this is the case, I can't make anything out of it.

There is also the issue of what was inside the crashed ship on the red planet. A popular myth is that the ship is the the Battlestar Pegasus and when Apollo looked inside he saw the body of Commander Cain, but this is false. The original script and the Berkely novelization tell us exactly what is inside the ship: tall, cloven-hoofed horned beings with tails. This is a little hard to make sense of. Are the beings in the ship supposed to be devils? If that is the case, it doesn't really make Iblis appear all that evil for killing them. It could be viewed as another parallel of mythology. After being defeated by heaven, Lucifer and his followers fall into hell. Likewise, Iblis' ship containing his followers (the devils) crashes (falls) to the earth. It's not a perfect allegory, but fascinating nonetheless. (For more on this, see [[War_of_the_Gods,_Part_II#The_Mystery_of_the_Crashed_Ship|The Mystery of the Crashed Ship]])

I'm not trying to pick the episode apart with these various criticisms. Actually, the story works much better with its mystery and ambiguity rather than easy, clear-cut answers. One of the problems with television these days is that shows rarely challenge the viewer to think; instead, most shows sacrifice ambiguity and insist on spelling everything out as simply and clearly as possible. The mystery of Count Iblis is really what makes ''War Of The Gods'' so special and one of the most famous and highly debated of all the Galactica episodes. I'm glad that we are not given the answer to who Iblis is because the only way a mystery can retain its power is as long as it remains unsolved. Why do you think the great magicians never reveal how they do their tricks? If you are looking for a great movie example of this, then I suggest you check out Peter Weir's ''Picnic At Hanging Rock''.

Finally, one of the best things about this episode is that it provides us the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba!

===[[The Man With Nine Lives]]===

'''Rating: Four out of five stars'''

This episode is the only one that offers a significant look at the people of the fleet. Fred Astaire puts in an enjoyable performance as the rogue con-man Chameleon. The Borellian Nomen are interesting new adversaries for the Colonial Warriors, although they seem to be based on a Hollywood and societal stereotype of American Indians (Unfortunately, we are told very little of their origins). One of the best episodes in terms of characterization.

This episode pretty much makes it clear that Cassiopeia is THE ONE for Starbuck, thanks to Starbuck telling Chameleon that she's the only one he's ever considered sealing with (although that actually isn't true; he did almost propose to Athena in the pilot episode).

Don Bellisario was unable to think of a suitable name for the villains. In an after-work bull session, story editor Jim Carlson casually remarked something to the effect of, "It’s too bad they’re not from an ice planet, you could call them Snomen." Bellisario replied, "There’s no snow where these guys are gonna be!" Carlson answered, "Then call then Nomen."

This episode proves that great stories don't require huge explosions and fancy special effects. Unfortunately, the rushed production of the show made episodes like The Man With Nine Lives the exception rather than the rule.

=== [[Murder on the Rising Star]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Murder She Wrote in outer space??? This story had little point being part of a show like Battlestar Galactica. This is the kind of story that is done on almost every science fiction series when the writers are out of ideas. There is very little in the way of drama because the viewer knows the hero is innocent and will be cleared. This story tries to give the impression that Starbuck might be guilty (we don't get to see who shoots Ortega, Starbuck is shown running from the scene, plus Starbuck's anxiousness in the shuttle bay makes him appear guilty), but only the most gullible of viewers would fall for this. The story would be more forgivable if we learned some new insights about the characters or the fleet, but what do we learn? What is the point? Is it that the Colonial system of law is virtually identical to the U.S. system? (which is hardly believeable) Or that Adama has to spend time hearing court cases? (Not too believable either considering the incredibly burdensome task he has of commanding the fleet) Or is it that playing triad is more dangerous than anybody thought? What is the point of this episode except to fill an hour's worth of time???

This is the fourth episode that features Starbuck. While Dirk Benedict certainly plays a wonderful character, it would have been nice to have featured some of the lesser used cast members (Tigh, Boomer, Athena, Sheba).

One thing really stands out: It is absurd how little time Apollo is given to prepare a case for Starbuck's defense. He only has 10 centares, and the script for this episode has a key that states a centar is an hour. Only 10 hours to prepare for a murder trial??? Give me a break!

This story could have been done differently to make it more poignant. What if Apollo was unable to conclusively prove who killed Ortega, and Adama intervenes, using his power as commander to have Starbuck set free. It would raise the question of whether Adama was abusing his power. Even then, considering the fleet must be depleted when it comes to seasoned viper pilots, it could be argued that the fleet needed Starbuck as a warrior. It would have been an interesting moral issue, something Battlestar Galactica rarely had. I also think the story would have been more interesting if we were left with some doubt as to whether Starbuck killed Ortega (in self-defense, of course).

An interesting note: Karibdis appears early on in the story, serving drinks to Adama and Tigh while they watch the Triad game. This is an often-used writing device. You have the murderer/villain appear early in the story, sometimes at the very beginning, in what appears to be a minor or trivial role. This often fools the audience, as they rarely expect such a character to be revealed so quickly. This was also done on the miniseries for the new Galactica, when one of the human Cylons is leading a tour of the Galactica during the opening credits. If you want to get good at solving TV/movie mysteries, pay attention to the minor characters that appear early in the story.

Overall, the murder mystery itself isn't half bad, and there are fine all-around performances from the cast to make this watchable. In a way, it makes the episode more disappointing to have such great talent squandered on such a by-the-numbers story. But everyone holds up their end well, especially Dirk Benedict and Laurette Spang in their scene inside the brig. It's nice the writers found a way to bring Baltar into the story, and John Colicos still makes a great villain. The flashback of the destruction of Caprica is also well-done. There were certainly many crimes committed during the evacuation, and it illustrates that Battlestar Galactica was brimming with potentially interesting stories to explore, which again only makes this episode more of a letdown.

That said, it's important to realize that writers Jim Carlson and Terrence McDonnell were forced to write this episode in 36 hours straight. Considering what a rushjob this script was, it's amazing it turned out as well as it did. This is one instance where it might be better to see the glass as half-full rather than half-empty.

===[[Greetings from Earth]]===

'''RATING: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Greetings From Earth just doesn't measure up with the other two-hour episodes. The story makes for a passable first hour but quickly takes a nosedive in the second. Glen Larson's attempt at comedy falls horribly flat. Hector, Vector and the kids quickly wear out their welcome (A premonition of Galactica 1980?). The Eastern Alliance is introduced as a new adversary, but they are little more than cardboard Nazis with zero charisma (at least the Cylons looked cool). Another problem is that their primitive technology takes a lot of steam out of their threat. Unfortunately, the Eastern Alliance is never utilized to the fullest. A space battle between vipers and Eastern Alliance destroyers would have been fantastic, but the time and money needed to do such a complex battle scene made it impossible. Also, Apollo becomes a bit overbearing with his "Do The Right Thing" attitude in the first half (What's also annoying is that Apollo's dialogue in the first half is badly redubbed, apparently to make his voice louder).

What makes the first hour so interesting is that the Colonials are faced with a perplexing moral issue (a rarity, for sure). Do they allow the humans to leave, or force them to remain at least until more information is learned? There are actually opposing opinions within the Colonial military, at least for awhile. Apollo's view quickly wins out, though. The Council of Twelve is portrayed as being incredibly selfish and uncaring, but it could be argued they were right. It was possibly life or death for the Colonials to learn about the human race that awaited them. Certainly the humans could have been revived long enough for the Colonials to get the necessary information out of them. Apollo's plan to let the ship go had a good chance of failing. How could he be certain enough that they wouldn't get lost, or wind up so far away that they'd never be able to make it back to the fleet?

When you think about it, why don't Starbuck, Apollo and Cassiopea have super powers when they are in Paradeen's weaker gravity just as the Super Scouts do when they are in Earth's weaker gravity on Galactica 1980? Wouldn't it have been fun to see Starbuck, Apollo, and Cassiopea bouncing up and down and jumping into trees?

Unlike the other two-parters, this one ends with a whimper instead of a bang as Starbuck and Apollo's capture of the Enforcers is about as anti-climatic as you can get. This script really comes across as being rushed, which was probably the case. Overall, Greetings From Earth is yet another episode that failed to reach its potential due to the constrainments of a weekly series.

=== [[Experiment in Terra]] ===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

Experiment In Terra initially comes across as a superb episode, but under close inspection the story unfortunately has serious flaws. The Ship of Lights recruiting Apollo to help Terra is a cool idea, but their reasoning as to why they need to use a mortal human doesn't hold up. John says that the people of Terra can't see the "Guardians" (my own name for them) outside the confines of their ship. And yet on Terra, John makes himself visible to Starbuck by merely touching him. Even more problematic, Apollo's mission never makes sense. The Guardians know that the Eastern Alliance is going to launch a missile attack, so the master plan is to have Apollo tell the "west side" that the Eastern Alliance has been attacking them? Um, okay, but even if Apollo succeeds, how will this stop the Eastern Alliance from launching their missiles? Why not just have Apollo tell the Galactica to travel to Terra and destroy the missile attack? The answer, of course, is that there wouldn't be much of a story.

Sadly, there are many other flaws. Apollo says he can't reach Terra because the distance is too great, so he is "teleported" right in front of the planet. So how is it that Starbuck is able to eventually reach the planet on his own? Logically, he wouldn't have had enough fuel. Adama's decision to pull the Galactica out of the fleet is more out of whack than it may first appear. He didn't do that in earlier episodes when Starbuck or Apollo were crashed/stranded. This time Adama doesn't even know who the two pilots are, and yet he pulls the Galactica out of the fleet.

Even more ludicrous is the idea that the Galactica travels to Terra at light speed (and not just because it is scientifically implausible). If the Galactica was traveling to Terra at the speed of light, they should have reached Terra almost instantly (in fact, they probably could have found Earth during the pilot episode!) And how is it that the Galactica was able to travel to Terra unmolested? Surely there would be Eastern Alliance destroyers patrolling the area around the planet. And how does the Eastern Alliance not know that the Galactica was responsible for destroying their missiles? Surely the Galactica would have been picked up on their scanners.

Also, the West President's reasoning for withholding knowledge of the Eastern Alliance's attacks is questionable. Why does he think he can make peace with the Eastern Alliance if they are constantly attacking him? And if the Eastern Alliance has wiped out all of the West's satellite planets, how could the President possibly prevent word of this from leaking out? It's not realistic at all. Plus, the idea that the Eastern Alliance would be willing to destroy the entire planet (at least half of which they own) is pretty ridiculous. Okay, they ARE Bad Guys, but what's the point of destroying most of their empire when they were already winning the war?

With such a long list of problems, you would think that this is a terrible episode. Amazingly, this isn't the case. In fact, Experiment In Terra still ranks as one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica. Seeing the Ship of Lights again is a treat, and Edward Mulhare is delightful as John, Apollo's guide. This episode is another example where the great production values and strong performances from the actors are able to overcome the plot inconsistencies. What makes Experiment In Terra work so well is that its plot holes aren't immediately noticeable. I didn't realize how many there were until I sat down and really thought about it. Apollo's mission to save Terra, as pointless as it winds up being, is still extremely engrossing. Apollo's speech to the Precidium is very dramatic and moving, even though (as we've already said) everything Apollo does on Terra turns out to be a waste of time since nothing he does has any chance of preventing the Eastern Alliance from launching its missiles.

This episode is extra fun to watch if you're aware that the script was originally written with the roles of Starbuck and Apollo reversed. After Richard Hatch complained that his character was getting the shaft, the script was quickly rewritten with the dialogue mostly remaining the same, resulting in Apollo talking suspiciously like Starbuck. At one point, Apollo says "Felgercarb" for the first time ever!

The ending scene is touching, as John tells Apollo that Terra is not Earth but "You must have faith." Many Galactica fans have interpreted this to mean that Apollo would successfully complete the journey to Earth.

Here are some humorous notes from British writer Matthew Wharmby:

* I'm sorry, but I thought the final scene was tremendously weak. All that buildup to a good scrap, heart-stopping music included, let down with a pathetic green shield spat out of the front of the Galactica. And from a terrible angle made necessary by two separately matted halves; one of Earth and one of the Galactica's underside. And you don't mean to tell me that the Galactica could extend such a shield over the whole planet? If so, why couldn't she have performed the same thing over Caprica in the pilot, and let the attacking Cylon fighters blow themselves up in it?
* Nobody seems too panicked about the impending nuclear annihilation! I don't know about you, but when us kids growing up in the late Cold War used to speculate nervously about the four-minute warning, the usual consensus was that we'd be doing, well, what it takes four minutes to do. 'You can do it twice,' the girls would quip.
* I'm not mad keen on Brenda's attitude. If every girl who had boyfriend trouble called the Old Bill on such a weak pretext, there wouldn't be a bloke alive out of prison!

=== [[Take the Celestra]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five'''

This is probably the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. A lot of people will probably disagree, but I have to go with this choice simply because I found this episode to be incredibly boring. The Magnificent Warriors and The Lost Warrior were also really bad (and they were certainly more simplistic), but they were never really boring. A story focusing on the hardships of voyaging on the rag tag fleet is a great idea, but this episode takes one self-destructive turn after another and may be the best example of a wasted opportunity for the series. Many of BG's bad episodes were somewhat saved by wonderful performances from the actors, but there is nothing here that stands out (although the Starbuck/Cassiopea reconciliation at the end is a nice moment). Starbuck and Apollo actually look stale. This is one of the few times that neither Richard Hatch nor Dirk Benedict are able to rise above the mediocre writing. Commander Kronus is incredibly boring - a static, stale character with little depth. Because it's hard to care about the character, it's hard to feel anything during the "dramatic" finish when Kronus dies. Given the moronic decisions he makes, I felt like saying "Good riddance." On the other hand, Ana Alicia suceeds in making Aurora interesting, but she is mostly wasted in this episode. Unfortunately, her boyfriend is more boring than Kronus, and I just wanted him to shut up. Despite these issues, the main problem with Take The Celestra lies in the script itself.

One of the biggest (yet least noted) flaws of Battlestar Galactica was the way it portrayed life in the rag-tag fleet. Day-to-day existence on a fleet of mostly derelict ships would no doubt be a grueling struggle for survival. Yet the series rarely ever indicated this. Most scenes with civilians consisted of parties, gambling, and triad games aboard the Rising Star! (hardly the most accurate look we could have been given) Take The Celestra was the perfect vehicle to change this, but unfortunately the writers took the easy way out. Aurora and the other mutineers were "illegally forced" to work so many double shifts. This makes the issue of right and wrong very easy to determine, but consider another direction the writers could have taken.

What if the harsh working conditions existed throughout the entire fleet? (and, logically, they should have) What if Aurora and the others were not working harder than anyone else and simply decided they had had enough? Would they be morally right in trying to escape the fleet (considering that the loss of manpower would likely hurt the remaining Colonials)? Apollo, Starbuck and the rest of the military are always talking about the importance of freedom. Apollo talks about it strongly in his speech to the Precedium in Experiment In Terra. When Starbuck tries to convince the prisoners to rebel in The Long Patrol, he says "You have rights. You're human beings!" When they finally escape, he says, "That's freedom." An interesting idea to explore is how free the Colonials actually were. Surely many of them wanted to settle on some of the planets the fleet passed by. If Adama refused their wishes, he would technically be restricting their freedom. Unfortunately, this kind of story is problematic because the extent of Adama's power is never clear; in fact, it varies from episode to episode (depending whatever works best for the story that week). But this kind of story would have made it a tough call as to whether Aurora and her friends were right and whether Starbuck and Apollo were totally justified in stopping them.

Anyway, that's the episode I would have liked to see, or anything other than what we did see, the most boring Galactica episode to date. The story is riddled with holes, outdone perhaps only by Experiment In Terra. Whereas that story's flaws are not immediately noticeable, most of this story's flaws are. Commander Kronus' decision to immediately shuttle the prisoners back to the fleet despite being so far away doesn't make much sense. His accompanying the shuttle makes even less sense. Colonial law states that a commander has to personally take the mutineers in for charges? Huh? Even when his ship is out in the middle of nowhere? Okay. Whatever. Kronus should have waited until the Celestra rejoined the fleet. His decision makes him look like an idiot.

How is it that Chakka is able to get almost the entire crew to mutiny with him on a whim? He couldn't have been planning mutiny beforehand because he had expected to become commander of the Celestra. And if the entire crew wasn't with him in the mutiny, then how could he have expected to get away with powering down the ship? And could Starbuck and Apollo both be so clueless that they wouldn't be able to remember which heading the fleet was on? And how does the shuttle run out of fuel so fast? And how is it that Kronus could not have known or heard about any of the harsh working conditions? The Celestra isn't that big of a ship. Are we to believe that he never left the bridge? To top it off, why is there such an urgent need in the final battle scene to "level out" the Celestra? It's not as though there were any ships or planets around that it could crash into. Almost nothing in this episode makes any sense.

The minor plot of Cassiopeia agonizing over Starbuck's evasiveness in their relationship is far more compelling than the main plot of the Celestra mutiny. But even the Starbuck/Aurora plot has problems. For one thing, the writers have Starbuck act like a total jerk by skipping his date with Cassie so he can see Aurora. Why would Cassie put up with that? And how is it that Starbuck had a serious relationship with Aurora going during the time of the Destruction? Didn't he clearly have something going with Athena back then? (If there's anything worse than the writers making things up as they go, it's when they unmake things up as they go.)

Anyway, this only makes Starbuck look like a bigger womanizer than anyone thought (not exactly the best way to endear him to viewers). Aurora makes a valid point in her anger towards him. If Starbuck really did care about her, why didn't he check to see if her name was in the fleet computer? Just because her house was destroyed doesn't mean for certain that she was killed. It's also highly questionable that Starbuck ever made it back to Caprica after the Cylons attacked. We've never been given any indication that anyone besides Adama and Apollo ever went back. Considering how dangerous it would have been (not to mention how strong a chance that someone might have led the Cylons back to the Galactica), it's absolutely ludicrous to suggest Adama would have allowed anyone to return to the planet.

I almost want to pretend that this episode was just a bad dream. Fortunately, the very next episode would raise the roof.

===[[The Hand of God]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five.'''

They saved the best for last. ''The Hand Of God'' is arguably the best episode of Battlestar Galactica, and my personal favorite.

No doubt about it, ''The Hand of God'' is Galactica at its best. Donald Bellisario shows the other writers how it's done, pulling out all the stops with this one. Both the script and the performances are stellar. Never before have the characters been portrayed in such a powerful way. Although there is nothing innovative about the basic plot itself (The Galactica battles the Cylons again), there are enough things going on that make this story extremely engrossing.

This episode is fascinating from start to finish. Visually, it is a treat as we get to see the inside of a Cylon basestar's landing bay for the first time. We also get to see Cylon Centurions boarding their ships for the first time. And the Celestial Observation Dome is a marvel, as is Apollo's analogy that being inside it is like riding in the Hand of God.

What makes this story especially memorable is the culmination of a story thread that has been running since ''War of the Gods''. In that episode, we see the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba. Nothing happens in the other episodes following, although Anne Lockhart does a good job showing, in a subtle way, Sheba's emerging feelings for Apollo.

Kudos go to both Anne Lockhart and Laurette Spang for winning performances. Sheba's confrontation with Apollo and their kiss inside the Cylon raider is the best scene of the episode. That and Cassiopeia's argument with Starbuck in the landing bay are both incredibly moving, providing each actress with her stand-out moment of the series. It really gives the viewer a chance to appreciate the range of Anne and Laurette. Women on this show were usually stuck in the background; this episode placed demands on each actress they rarely had to face. Give each one credit for not dropping the ball. Fortunately, they are both aided by outstanding dialogue from Bellisario. Of course, Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, and Herbert Jefferson, Jr. hold up their end as well. Starbuck, Apollo, and Boomer clasping hands in the pilots barracks (with the accompanying music score) powerfully expresses the bond of their friendship more than words ever could.

Extra congratulations go to Donald Bellisario who also directed this episode. His use of slow motion twice during Starbuck and Apollo's battles with Cylon Centurions make the scenes much more intense and suspenseful. Let's face it. Thanks to ABC's family-friendly censors, the Cylons often looked like a joke (Remember ''The Young Lords'' when Starbuck and five children wiped out an entire Cylon garrison?). If Starbuck and Apollo's shootout scenes had been shown in real time, there would have been little (if any) impact.

Another reason ''The Hand of God'' works so well is because the Cylons were not featured in the previous seven or eight episodes. Glen Larson wisely saw that the constant reusing of the same space battle footage was hurting the stories and thus moved the Cylons into the background after ''Fire In Space''. So much time has passed since then that the Cylons seem revitalized. There's nothing spectacular about the dogfight between the vipers and raiders or the slugfest between the Galactica and the Cylon basestar (since it's the same footage seen in previous episodes), but the story is compelling enough that it all still works.

If there is one flaw with this story, it is the idea that Adama would attack a Cylon basestar and risk the fate of the entire human race just for the sake of wreaking some vengeance. This is the same man who told Commander Cain, "I'm not interested in military victories. I'm interested in saving lives. What few of them are left." It would have worked better to have a scenario where the Galactica simply could not backtrack and thus was forced to attack the Cylons. Still, it is a minor flaw in an overall outstanding script.

It is extremely frustrating that we never see a follow-up to Apollo and Sheba's relationship since this was the final episode. For fans who would like to see some kind of continuation, there are some fan fiction stories that I highly recommend. There is a short story called ''My Father's Daughter'' which takes place immediately following the events of ''The Hand of God'' and is quite simply the best Sheba story I have ever read. Three other novels, ''Second Coming'', ''Joint Maneuvers'', and ''The Race For Earth'' also explore Apollo and Sheba's relationship and are outstanding. These stories are all available free online at a site I own called [http://freegalacticafanfictionnovels.weebly.com Free Battlestar Galactica Fan Fiction Novels].

Many fans were and still are saddened that the original show ended so soon. Personally, I'm at peace with it. If the show had to end, ''The Hand of God'' may have been the best way to close the curtain. After reading Glen Larson's [[Battlestar_Galactica:_Year_Two_proposal|Season Two proposal]], all I can say is, "Thank god the show ended when it did!" It appears that, if there had been a second season, half the cast would have been cut in order to save money, Sheba would have been killed off, Commander Cain would have returned as a Cylon android, and Apollo would have shirked his responsibilities and started partying and messing around with numerous women. Ugh!!!

I think I can accept Battlestar Galactica for what it was, always remembering that the light that shines twice as bright only burns half as long.

== Galactica 1980 Episode Reviews ==

=== [[Galactica Discovers Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

Galactica Discovers Earth turns out to be a watchable pilot, but watchable is about all. From the very first episode, Galactica 1980 is clearly nothing more than an attempt by ABC to cash in on the Galactica name by creating a cheap show that simply reuses the expensive special effects stock footage from the original series. The later episodes would only reinforce this. Kent McCord (Troy) and Barry Van Dyke (Dillon) come off as inferior clones of Starbuck and Apollo. In fact, the script for the pilot was originally written for Starbuck and Apollo. When those plans changed, the names were simply switched to Troy and Dillon. Jamie Hamilton comes off as a carbon copy of Lois Lane. Unfortunately, we are never given any backstory to any of these characters.

This may be the only pilot in television history in which the premise changes in the middle of the episode! At first it's about advancing Earth's technology in order to fight the Cylons. Then it suddenly changes and is about capturing a time-traveling villain. It's really bizarre. Anyway, the time travel journey to Nazi Germany is never particularly interesting, partly because Xaviar just isn't that compelling of a villain, but mostly because this is NOT Battlestar Galactica.

The idea of the Galactica having to protect a primitive Earth from the Cylons is actually a compelling premise, but the problem is that Dr. Zee's plan to slowly increase Earth's technology is flawed. At the rate in which the Colonials were going, it probably would have taken at least decades to get Earth's technology increased enough to be able to fight the Cylons. Long before then, the Cylons would probably tire of waiting and decide to just destroy the Colonial fleet. Even if the Cylons didn't attack, how far could the Galactica lead the Cylons away from Earth before they (the Colonials) were too far away from the planet to ever go back there? It probably would have been smarter to temporarily abandon Earth and lead the Cylons away until Dr. Zee could invent some technology that would allow the Colonials to destroy the Cylon armada. (Actually, since Colonial Vipers can now turn invisible, it should have been fairly easy for the Colonials to launch a surprise attack on the Cylons and defeat them once and for all!)

The problem with the original premise of Galactica 1980 is that it would have eventually become tiresome: Troy and Dillon each week would find a way to introduce some new technology (clean nuclear power, etc.) which would make some small improvement, but do little to bring Earth up to the level it would need be to fight the Cylons. As a result, the series could never evolve to the next level (i.e. Earth is ready to fight the Cylons), because the series' budget was too small for any kind of "final battle". As a result, Galactica 1980 was stuck in a rut from the get-go. It tried to distract viewers from the main plot (the Cylon threat) with time travel and cub scout outings because there was little that could be done with the original premise. It might have worked well as a single movie or perhaps a series of movies, but it's unlikely that Galactica 1980 could have ever jelled as a weekly series.

The show looks second-rate. For example, take the opening sequence. This has to be one of the worst opening sequences in television history. It's nothing but a series of stock footage shots from the original show haphazardly thrown together. Even the rendition of the Galactica theme seems inferior to the one we heard on the original show.

That said, there is some nice chemistry between the trio of Troy, Dillon and Jamie. There's one particularly touching scene in part 3 when Jamie says goodbye to Troy and Dillon at the bus stop. But whatever positives the actors had would not be enough to overcome a number of self-destructive turns that would begin with the very next episode.

=== [[The Super Scouts]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Super Scouts arrive, and Galactica 1980 plummets into an abyss it would not survive. In the beginning, we're forced to endure a series of boring classroom educational lessons. Things get even worse when the intergalactic 'Our Gang' reaches Earth. We get ultra-cute campfire songs and even more educational lessons shoved down are throats. The original series had flaws, but at least it never insulted its viewers with sitcom humor or by getting into preachy moral issues. Galactica 1980 gives us an ultra-simplistic environmental message of "Don't pollute the water," and does so with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

One could make the case that Galactica 1980 is a great tool for writers to learn how NOT to write drama. One key is to create powerful villains and put the heroes in situations that are difficult to deal with. But all of the villains in Galactica 1980 are weak. The Colonials have so many advantages over the people of Earth - spaceships, super powers, invisibility fields - that they are essentially invincible, thus robbing the series of any possible drama. In Galactica 1980, there are no worthy villains. The bumbling cops and incompetent military personnel never have a prayer of apprehending Troy and Dillon, so there's no suspense. And it's certainly not funny to watch Earthlings constantly being confounded by extra-terrestrials. Yet that is what we're forced to endure again and again throughout the entire series.

=== [[Spaceball]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

This is crap. Spaceball is the worst, most hated episode of Galactica 1980. It's silly, stupid, and just plain dumb. Little kids playing baseball??? This is Battlestar Galactica??? Spaceball may be the most inconsequential hour of science fiction ever made. It's nothing less than an insult to the original series that this bionic version of ''The Bad News Bears'' was shot under the Galactica name.

=== [[The Night The Cylons Landed]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five (Poor)'''

The Night The Cylons Landed is the best episode since the pilot. Of course, this isn't saying much, since watching a blank screen would have been almost as entertaining as the previous two episodes. Anyway, the Super Scouts are finally relegated to the background. This expands on the storyline involving the evolution of the Cylons over the 30 years since the destruction of the Colonies. A new, bigger, and more powerful Cylon raider carrying a newly advanced Cylon lifeform crashlands on Earth. Two surviving Cylons attempt to communicate with the Cylon armada to tell them of Earth's location. This is a cool idea, but the execution is terrible. We are treated to so much silliness, culminating with Troy and Dillon dancing on stage with cartoon characters like Yogi Bear! There are other problems. The more powerful, heavily armored Cylon raider is crippled after the punier viper rams into it??? The viper certainly doesn't hit it very hard. If the Cylons were a joke in the original series, then in Galactica 1980 they are a laughing stock. Andromus, the evolved Cylon clone of a human, certainly doesn't look or act very advanced. Centuri, his Centurion buddy, comes across as being even sillier with his constant banter of "I will protect you. That is my mission." This is the monstrous, all-powerful race which threatens the Earth's destruction and that the Colonials are so concerned about??? The two Cylons provide some funny moments, but it can't make up for the letdown of a plot that had so much potential.

With this episode, Galactica 1980 provides yet another example of how NOT to write drama. Conventional storytelling says that when you have a character trying to solve a mystery, you want the audience to move along at the same pace as the character. If the audience knows more than the character does, they find themselves simply waiting for the character to catch up, which is boring. Unfortunately, Galactica 1980 violates this basic rule of storytelling as we're forced to endure Colonel Briggs's investigation of the aliens. We know everything, he knows nothing, and thus there is nothing even remotely interesting about the subplot.

=== [[Space Croppers]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Space Croppers starts out interesting, but quickly takes an abrupt nosedive into looney land. The plot parallels that of [[The Magnificent Warriors]]. Due to the destruction of the fleet's agroships by a Cylon attack, another source of food supply must be found. The Magnificent Warriors was a terrible episode, so it must be considered quite a feat that Space Croppers turns out to be even worse.

The plight of the Alonso family to save their farm never becomes the least bit interesting. Even worse are the 'educational beats' that bring the story to a grinding halt: a lecture about Hispanic history, the soil requirements for planting legumes, and how rainfull is produced. This is beyond bad. It's unwatchable.

If Dr. Zee is such a genius, why doesn't it ever occur to him to use Galactican technology to create money so the Colonials can simply buy the food that they need? I guess such a simple solution would have made this story pointless.

Furthermore, the Imperious Leader's plan to force the Galactica to lead the Cylons to Earth makes no sense. How could Imperious Leader know that Earth was nearby? And if he did know, why not just destroy the Colonial fleet and conduct a search of the nearby planets? Did anything on this series make sense? Was anything supposed to?

Last, and certainly least, Troy and Dillon bouncing high in the air and throwing seeds while the Super Scouts sing their song is hands down the most ludicrous thing ever shown on Galactica 1980, and that's saying something.

=== [[The Return of Starbuck]] ===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five (Outstanding)'''

This is undeniably the best and most popular episode of Galactica 1980. It is even better than most of the episodes of Battlestar Galactica. What is there not to love about this episode? There are so many outstanding scenes: Adama's chilling reaction to Dr. Zee's mention of Starbuck; Boomer's heartwrenching goodbye to Starbuck, Adama explaining to Boomer that they can't go back to find him; Adama saying his farewell to Starbuck; Starbuck's rationalizations about how the planet belongs to him; Angela's words, "Starbuck, would you die for me?"; Starbuck sacrificing his chance to return to the fleet to give Angela and her baby a better chance; Starbuck's goodbye to Cy. The list goes on. Best of all, we see growth in Starbuck's character! A true classic to be treasured for all time by Galactica fans.

This episode is based on an earlier script written for the second season of Battlestar Galactica that never happened. The main differences are that a regular woman appears (not Angela), and Starbuck is eventually rescued by Boomer. The only thing believed to have been taken intact from the early script is Starbuck's dialogue with Cy. While that would no doubt have been a tremendous episode, it still would not have come close to being as great as this one is. The reason why is very simple. One of the problems with creating dramatic and suspenseful stories in any weekly series is that the viewer knows the hero will ultimately prevail. For example, when Starbuck is accused of murder in [[Murder on the Rising Star]], there is little in terms of suspense because it is a foregone conclusion that Starbuck will be vindicated, just as it is a forgone conclusion that Starbuck isn't going to die in [[The Young Lords]] when he is hunted by the Cylons on the planet Attila. In the beginning of The Return Of Starbuck, it is quickly established that Adama doesn't know what happened to Starbuck and that Starbuck never returned from the mission where he was shot down. As a result, in what is most unusual for any action/adventure television story, the viewer sits through the entire episode knowing that Starbuck isn't going to make it!

This makes the story much more gripping and intense than virtually any other episode of either series. The grim reality of Starbuck's eventual fate is all reinforced by Angela's question "Starbuck, will you die for me?" and her warnings of disaster, telling him that he must prepare to make "the final judgement." Of course, we do not actually see Starbuck die at the end of the story. Larson leaves Starbuck's fate ambiguous, especially since an intact Cylon raider is left nearby. Having Starbuck die would have been a gutsy and innovative move, but the ending shown is really for the best. The beauty of the ending is that it lets the viewers make their own interpretation of Starbuck's fate. If one goes with the idea that a single person alone cannot fly a Cylon raider, then Starbuck could have easily died on the planet. Many fans don't consider Galactica 1980 to be canon for the original series, except for this episode. With the interpretation that Galactica 1980 didn't happen, Starbuck could possibly have flown the Cylon raider back to the fleet, returning to Apollo, Adama, Sheba, and the other original characters. Much Galactica fan fiction over the years has interpreted the episode in this manner.

Despite having a small role, Lorne Greene gives what may be his best performance ever as Commander Adama. The look on his face when he asks Dr. Zee to tell him his dream is worth a thousand words. His farewell to Starbuck, saying that he loves him, is also incredibly powerful. A wonderful performance!

In conclusion, ''The Return of Starbuck'' is an incredible ending to the series and a worthy finish to the Battlestar Galactica saga overall. ''Galactica 1980'' was crap, but it sure went out with a bang.

== Galactica Comics ==

=== [[Galactica 1980 1|Galactica 1980 comic series]] ===

Comic adaptations of television shows are often very good because the writers are free from the usual constraints that a television show faces: limited budgets, censors, and network meddling in the storylines. Unfortunately, this is a double-edged sword, as the comic book writers' unlimited freedom sometimes allows the story to go flying off the rails.

Such is the case with the Galactica 1980 comic series, a cool idea that feels like a missed opportunity. First, the comic does a number of things right. It delivers a ''War of the Worlds'' type story involving the Colonials and Cylons battling over Earth. It even makes Dr. Zee a villian, a great move considering that Zee is hands down the most hated character in the the Galactica universe (including the new version). Unfortunately, writer Marc Guggenheim goes for shock value. In the first issue, we learn that Troy is a drunk and Adama is suicidal. Personally, I found this ugly and disturbing.

Even worse is the end of issue #1 when the Galactica is destroyed by nukes. Again, it feels like the writer is just trying to hit us with one shocking suprise after another. Suprises can be great fun, but I get annoyed when they lack logic as this one does. Why would Adama be so stupid as to fly the Galactica directly over the White House without first sending a message and waiting to see what the response would be? This just makes no sense.

And I just didn't like seeing the Galactica destroyed. After all, this ''is'' Galactica 1980, so therefore the Galactica should be in it. If the Galactica had to be destroyed, it should have happened in the final issue (#4), not the first.

I also had a big problem with Dillon being killed off in issue #2. Troy and Dillon were the heroes of Galactica 1980, and I just don't think that either should have been killed (at least not less than halfway through the story). I was also disappointed that Jamie Hamilton was given nothing more than a cameo appearance in issue #4. I really wish she could have played a larger role in the story.

In the end, I wish Guggenheim had written a story that might have been done on television if not for the limited budget and children's hour restrictions that ultimately crippled the series. The ''War of the Worlds'' premise was perfect for Galactica 1980, but in this case the execution fell short.

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

== The Galactica Telemovies ==

=== [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

The opening sequence is outstanding, although it mostly uses footage from the original series. It has a truly epic feel, and it gives the impression that we will see a grand conclusion to the Battlestar Galactica saga. Sadly, this does not happen. Still, Adama's opening declaration that Earth has been found is also magnificent, much better done than it was in the original episode. By removing the time-travel subplot as well as much of the silliness including Troy and Dillon dancing on stage, the whole is better than any of the original Galactica 1980 episodes it is composed of. Yet this hardly makes ''Conquest of the Earth'' a great movie. The opening minutes rate five stars, yet starting with the first appearance of Dr. Zee (who bizarrely speaks with two different voices), the rest of the movie rates much lower.

=== [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack (VHS)|Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

This movie is less entertaining than the individual episodes it is composed of (The Living Legend and Fire In Space). The separate episodes don't mesh together seamlessly, resulting in several plot holes and odd hairstyle changes between scenes. The movie especially suffers because many great scenes from The Living Legend episode are missing. All scenes and dialogue relating to Starbuck's relationship with Cassiopeia are cut, which only makes the Cain/Cassiopeia subplot less interesting. The battle scenes are a little more elaborate because additional stock footage is used, but that's not enough to overcome the movie's deficiencies. A different sound effect is used for the engines of the Cylon raiders that's a little jarring for anyone who is a die-hard fan of the original show.

Bottom line, this movie is only recommended for curiosity's sake.

== Berkley Books ==
=== [[Saga of a Star World (Book)|Saga of a Star World]] ===
'''Flagship of the 12 Worlds fleet, she was as large as a planet, yet as swift as the Starhound fighters she launched from her bays. For generations the vast ship led the thousand-year war against the Cylons for control of the known Galaxy. Now that war was in its final phase, and Galactica had one final mission, win or lose: blast through the deadly grid of the Cylon Starfleet and dash for deep space in a desperate attempt to find the legendary "Stonehenge" of the universe - the lost planet the ancient microfilms call "Earth."'''

This is the opening paragraph to the Berkley novelization of the Battlestar Galactica pilot "Saga Of A Star World". This is easily one of the most fascinating Galactica books ever written, and there are a number of things that make it so interesting. First, the book is based on an early script of the pilot and, although changes were made before it came to print to make it more like the version that aired, there are a number of alternate scenes in the book. The Galactica universe is also different in several aspects, such as the Cylons are living aliens underneath their armor instead of total machines. Also, there are missing scenes left out of the final cut of the movie that survived intact in the book (Starbuck's confrontation with Tigh on the bridge after the Colonies are destroyed; Starbuck's extended conversation with Cassie on the shuttle; Adama's resigning from the Council).

Perhaps best of all, certain events are more fleshed out in the novelization than in the movie such as the surprise Cylon attack. The novelization helps to fill a number of gaping plot holes and unanswered questions that the movie was saddled with. Many chapters begin with an entry from the Adama journals, and the reader is able to learn a lot of information and insight from the Galactica's commander.

Many fans are unhappy with the Berkley books, feeling that they don't remain true to the series. I respectfully disagree. First of all, as already mentioned, the novelizations often have extra detail and explanations that help cover up plot holes that existed in the episodes. Second, the fact that the novels portray the BG universe in a slightly different way and that they are not exact retellings of the episodes is good because the books would be pretty boring otherwise. Third, some of the characters such as Athena are fleshed out better in the novels. Make no mistake, this is the best of all the Berkley novelizations and is a must-read for any fan of the original series.

== External Links ==

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/BGEPISODES.htm Battlestar Galactica Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/Wharmby.htm Matthew Wharmby's Hilarious Galactica 1980 Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

User:Galactica1981/Galactica 1981 Reviews

2011-11-26T00:00:02Z

Galactica1981: /* Galactica 1980 comic series */

This is a list of reviews by [[User:Galactica1981]] for various [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]] content. Given to the Battlestar Wiki's policy of [[NPOV|Neutral Point of View]], they are found here rather than their respective articles.

These episode reviews originally appears on the Sheba's Galaxy site. They have been slightly revised.

== TOS Episode Reviews ==

===[[Saga of a Star World]] ===

'''RATING: Four and a half stars out of five'''

There's no question that on the night of September 17, 1978, Battlestar Galactica hit television screens with a bang. Saga Of A Star World is unquestionably the most elaborate televison movie ever made (and least up to that point!) When trying to rate something like this, it's important to examine it in the context of television during that time period. For sure, no sci-fi show of this magnitude had ever been done before in the history of television, and thus it deserves extra points for that alone. There are many great things that can be said about this episode (acting, special effects, music score), but I won't bother repeating what most people are already aware of. In the end, I had to decide against a full five-star rating, mostly because of the unforgivable "Star Wars" ending it was saddled with. The big explosion of the planet Carillon is a blatant ripoff of Star Wars, not to mention ridiculous as well. Setting fire to some tylium mines causes the entire planet to explode? This is ludicrous (although one could argue that destroying the massive Death Star by shooting a tiny exhaust port was equally ludicrous). Surely Glen Larson could have written a better ending than this. Ultimately, this had to reinforce many people's beliefs that Galactica was a second-rate Star Wars. Having a casino with all sorts of alien creatures also seems a little too close to Star Wars for comfort.

As a kid watching the show, I absolutely loved the Cylons because of how cool they looked. My favorite character was Starbuck who I idolized and wanted to be like. The series also had a phenomenal cast with tremendously talented actors (except for Maren Jensen), and it's a shame they were often saddled with substandard scripts. Starbuck and Apollo are wonderful in the lead roles, and they arguably have more chemistry than did Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. And Lorne Greene is superb as in the role of Commander Adama. In the pilot episode, the scene that perhaps stands out the most is the laser battle against the Cylon Centurions on the surface of Carillon, a truly awesome spectacle combined with the looming countdown as the Cylon raiders close in on the Galactica. It terms of the characters, my favorite scene is probably Starbuck's almost proposing to Athena. Finally, the musical score for the series is truly breathtaking, on a similar level as the one for Star Wars.

Of course, there are also some HUMONGOUS plot holes in this story, enough for any critic to tear it to shreds. I'm not going bother writing 5 pages about the plot problems of Saga Of A Star World. Instead, I'll just mention a few points:

The premise of the Colonial fleet seeking Earth, while interesting, is unfortunately flawed because no one (not even Adama) has any idea where it is! Apparently, Adama was the only one who even knew about Earth's existence, although he doesn't seem to have any proof. Thus the Colonial fleet is left to wander aimlessly throughout the universe looking for it. Fortunately, this problem would be addressed in ''War of the Gods'' when the Colonials finally learn the coordinates to Earth.

The Colonials seemed unbelievably gullible and naive regarding the Cylons' offer of peace. After a thousand years of war, you would think they'd have been more careful, but they foolishly leave their home planets undefended. President Adar is incredibly stupid when he sees a thousand Cylon raiders coming towards the fleet and assumes it is a peace envoy.

Apollo gets back to the fleet in time to warn them of the coming Cylon attack, yet he fails to do so. Why? Why does he take an hour to find the bridge?

=== [[Lost Planet of the Gods]]===

'''Rating: Four stars out of five'''

The second half of this two-part episode has the theatrical feel of a movie, while the first half has often been blasted as being sexist. Of course, it is a bit strange that all the female cadets look like lingerie models. Still, I think the claim of sexism is a bit overstated. If you look at women in the U.S. military, they tend to act in supporting roles rather than be on the front lines. I don't know how many female jet pilots are in the U.S. military, but I suspect there aren't many. And I suspect this is due less to discrimination than to the fact that women tend to make different career choices than men (i.e. they tend to choose less hazardous professions). The reasons for there being no female viper pilots on the Galactica were probably along the same lines.

Regardless, the first half of the episode mostly serves as a set-up for the second half. Nothing wrong with that, but it does make the first half far less interesting.

Anyway, the two-part episodes fare better than most of the one-part episodes because Glen Larson would often blow the budget and vastly overspend. There are many fantastic scenes in the second half: Serina proposing to Apollo that they marry immediately; the Star of Kobol appearing in the port window during the wedding ceremony; the light shining off of Adama's medallion inside the tombs of Kobol; the Cylon raiders attacking the surface of Kobol; and, of course, Serina's death scene.

Serina's death is one of the most poignant moments of the entire series. But it came with a high price, as the show arguably suffered without her. And the writing would start to take a turn for the worse with the very next episode.

===[[The Lost Warrior]]===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

After only two episodes, Battlestar Galactica's creative energy has fizzled out. This is the first of the so-called "bottled episodes." These episodes had few if any new special effects, enabling the producers to save money which would later be spent on the bigger, more extravagant "monster episodes." It's understandable that these "bottled" stories were necessary, but this is where rushing the show into production really hurt the series. The writers simply did not have time to create quality scripts. Of course, this would ultimately lead to the decline in ratings.

This kind of episode is tough to review because it's good but wrong. Based on the classic 1953 western film Shane, this actually makes a pretty decent western, but Battlestar Galactica is supposed to be a science fiction series. Sci-fi fans want science fiction, not half-hybrids of other shows (A mistake that Galactica 1980 would repeat). If I want to see a Western, I'd rather watch Bonanza. The only reason this gets two stars is because we get such a strong characterization of Apollo.

Unfortunately, this is not the only space western we would see on Galactica. Cowboys and saloons would return in The Magnificent Warriors. In fact, the very idea that an "old west" town would exist in Battlestar Galactica completely contradicts the Von Daniken premise of the show, that the Colonies and the ancient cultures of Earth (such as Atlantis and Egypt) have the same roots, the same beginnings. It is ludicrous that an Old West society could have any common connection with this. It raises all kinds of questions. The people of Equellis obviously had to arrive on that world by means of spacecraft, so why is the society so primitive? How could they not know of the Cylons since the war has raged for 1,000 years and the average human life-span is 200 years?

Why would Apollo be dumb enough to fly so far away from the fleet that he wouldn't have enough fuel to make it back? This really makes no sense. And why does Apollo promise Bella and Puppis that he will return one day? Why would he ever believe that possible?

Despite the lackluster plot, there are some good moments. Boxey beating Starbuck at Pyramid is funny, and the western style "shoot-out" between Red-Eye and Apollo is very well done. The only weak point is when Red Eye spots Apollo's laser and says, "Uh-oh." This trivalizes a very serious moment for the sake of silly humor. It is difficult to believe that a Cylon would use such a phrase. Ironically, for years I couldn't make out exactly what he was saying. I assumed it was some kind of challenge to Apollo, and it actually added to the power of the moment. You can imagine my dismay when I learned the truth. Also, Puppis gets pretty annoying pretty fast.

===[[The Long Patrol]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

The Long Patrol is lot of a fun and a big improvement over the previous episode. Starbuck's computer companion C.O.R.A is a hoot. There are several funny scenes: Starbuck womanizing Cassiopeia and Athena; Boomer's jab at him before he goes off on the mission; Starbuck finding a fortune in ambrosia only to have it destroyed by the Cylon attack. Adama deciding to change the Galactica's course to keep distance from the Cylons is very well done, revealing how burdensome command of the fleet is and how it forces him to sacrifice his loved ones to protect the rest of humanity.

Maren Jensen (Athena) gets more screen time here than in most of the episodes. The scene with Athena revealing Starbuck's apparent death to Cassiopeia is especially moving, one of Jensen's best scenes of the series. The Athen/Cassiopeia rivalry was compelling and could have been developed in future episodes, but sadly this never happens. This was likely due to Maren Jensen's limitations as an actress which caused the writers to reduce her role.

Could C.O.R.A. have been the inspiration for K.I.T.T., the computerized car on Glen Larson's Knight Rider? Considering the amazing similarities between the two, it would have to be a possibility. Also, Glen Larson has went on record saying that K.I.T.T.'s swerving red eye was inspired by the swerving red eyes of the Cylons. It was sort of his way of keeping the Cylons alive.

The Long Patrol is definitely one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

===[[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero]]===

'''Rating: Three and a half stars out of five'''

This two-part episode is based on the 1961 movie The Guns of Navarone and the 1967 movie The Dirty Dozen. The episode has a theatrical feel to it because, as mentioned before, the two-parters had bigger budgets. Although the story is by-the-numbers, it is very enjoyable because of the fantastic special effects. Still, as good as Gun is, it is easily one of the lesser of the two-parters. While better than Greetings From Earth, Gun falls far short of The Living Legend, Lost Planet Of The Gods, and especially War Of The Gods.

This was actually the second episode filmed. This would explain why Serina and Cassiopea do not appear (Serina and Cassiopea died in the original version of the pilot before the decision was made to bring them back). Baltar and Lucifer's scenes were probably shot much later.

This episode raises a serious question. Considering the staggering number of people who had to be left behind due to lack of ships, why would the Colonials bother to take criminals with them? Perhaps they were already locked in the brig on the Galactica before the Holocaust or they somehow managed to sneak aboard the fleet to be captured later. Or perhaps most of them committed their crimes after joining the rag tag fleet. Considering how overcrowded, starved, and disorganized the fleet was when it was assembled, it is logical that many violent crimes would have occurred. An episode exploring this would have been nice.

The idea that there would not be enough qualified Colonial warriors to go on the mission is hard to believe. And why do Apollo, Starbuck, and Boomer get chosen? They are pilots, and their emphasis is not on ground assault. Logically, the Galactica would have a ground assault team available for these kinds of situations. It is also difficult to believe that Boxey would have found a way to sneak onto the shuttle. At least he and Muffit have an impact on the success of the mission.

In the book ''The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'' by J.W. Rinzler and Ridley Scott, it is revealed that part of George Lucas's anger towards Battlestar Galactica was because of this episode. Lucas planned to feature an ice planet in the sequel to Star Wars, and he felt that Galactica threatened to undercut him by featuring an ice planet on one of their own episodes. Did this fuel his lawsuit that Galactica was infringing on Star Wars? Is so, then Lucas comes off as disingenuous to say the least, for it would be absurd to claim that Galactica was infringing on a movie that hadn't yet been made!

Baltar's legs were crushed in Lost Planet of the Gods, yet in this episode the only evidence of Baltar's injury is a slight limp. Did the Cylons do major reconstructive surgery on his legs? I guess so.

At this point, the constant reusing of the same space battle scenes really starts getting redundant. Still, this remains one of the most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

=== [[The Magnificent Warriors]] ===

'''Rating: One and a half stars out of five'''

Many fans consider this to be the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. While I don't agree, I think it comes pretty close. The story is, quite frankly, terrible. We are again subjected to yet another old-western style shanty town? Once was enough! The Borays are disgusting and sound awful. The only redeeming moment is when Adama and company discover Starbuck at the gambling table. It's rather funny.

Siress Bellaby is hands down the most annoying character to ever appear on Battlestar Galactica. Most viewers probably couldn't understand why the Colonial Warriors didn't simply let the Borays kill her.

On a positive note, we are shown Lorne Greene's impressive range as an actor. It's interesting to see a comical Adama, a nice contrast to the serious commander that we usually see. Unfortunately, Greene is forced to play against Brett Somers (Siress Bellaby). Somers isn't funny; she's annoying, and it kills most of the comedy that is presented.

The premise of The Magnificent Warriors actually had a lot of potential. We are given a situation where the fleet has no food and everyone is aware of it (unlike in Saga Of A Star World when the Colonials were able to cover up the problem). This raises all kinds of fascinating issues. Would the fleet start a mutiny against Adama during such a crisis? How would Adama react to such a mutiny? How would he choose who to save? Would he allow each ship to make its own decision to leave? Or would he try to force them to stick together? And what decisions would Starbuck and Apollo be forced to make if such a mutiny occurred? So many interesting questions for the episode to pursue.

Sadly, standard television plotting is what we get. The Colonials are traveling through the vast uncharted regions of space, and they run out of food at just the precise moment they happen to be near a farming colony. Okay. Whatever. The Colonials land on the planet and meet the Borays. From then on, it's just another battle of good vs. evil. Putting the Colonials in a moral dilemna would have been much more interesting that what we were given here.

===[[The Young Lords]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

This is the family episode of Battlestar Galactica. Starbuck is shot down and crashes on a planet. Yawn. This is essentially a remake of The Lost Warrior in which Apollo is stranded on the planet Equellus. Of course, Starbuck was also stranded in The Long Patrol and Cree was stranded in ''The Gun On Ice Planet Zero''. Later in ''Greetings From Earth'', Starbuck, Apollo, and Casseopia would be stranded on the planet Paradeen. At this point, the series was becoming so predictable that viewers each week must have been asking the question, "Who's going to have to be rescued this week?" In fact, Mad Magazine, in a spoof of Galactica, poked fun at this element of the show. (See [[Humor in the Original Series]])

Considering the incredibly broad premise of the series, it's amazing that the writers had so much trouble coming up with a story that didn't involve someone being stranded on a planet. With this kind of plot, The Young Lords shouldn't even be watchable. And yet, despite all these drawbacks, this actually turns out to be a fun, enjoyable episode. Part of this praise goes to the tremendous production values. It is simply fascinating to see so many Cylons inside a medieval castle. The location is nothing short of spectacular. To top it off, Dirk Benedict delivers with a wonderful performance. There are many good scenes, especially Starbuck's rescue from the Cylons by Kyle and the children (plus his insulting remark to the Cylons moments before). Playing up kids in a series can be extremely fatal to ratings (Galactica 1980 became an infamous example of this), but fortunately Kyle and the gang never get to the point where they become grating; although they (and their song near the end) come dangerously close. (And are we to believe Starbuck and his Scooby Gang would actually take the time to think up lyrics for a song and memorize them? Please!)

The IL series Cylon Spectre is a delightfully conniving character. He is the perfect foil for Lucifer. His phony flattery of Baltar is hilarious, especially the way he manages to turn defeat to his own advantage. Unfortunately, the character does not appear again. Had the series continued into a second season, he probably would have. Spectre does appear in the later original Berkley novels [[The Nightmare Machine]], [[Die, Chameleon!]] and [[Surrender the Galactica!]] where he is put to good use.

Most of the scenes of Baltar and Lucifer communicating with Spectre were recycled with different dialogue into the Galactica telemovie [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]].

Needless to say that by this point the Cylons have become a joke. When you stop and really think about it, it is ludicrous that an entire Cylon garrison is defeated by one colonial warrior and five children.

Still, this episode somehow succeeds despite every logical reason why it shouldn't.

===[[The Living Legend]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five'''

This is one of the very best episodes of Battlestar Galactica. The two-part episodes consistently deliver, and The Living Legend is no exception. The idea of a second survivng battlestar is a good one, as is a scenario where the fleet runs out of fuel.

This episode introduces two compelling characters, Commander Cain and his daughter, Lt. Sheba. Sheba's character is said to have been a ground-breaking role for women. She is tough, independent, and short-tempered. Basically, she's the exact opposite of virtually every other female character to appear on the series. Fortunately, she, along with Bojay, becomes a regular after this episode.

Lloyd Bridges is tremendous as Commander Cain. It's hard to imagine any other actor filling the role. The only weak moment for Bridges is when Cain lies to Adama about the "accidental" failure of the tanker mission. Cain's cavalier attitude about it makes it obvious to everyone that he purposely sabotaged the mission.

This story is different from any other Galactica story thus far because we see a clash of philosophies within the ranks of the military. Cain wants to wage an all-out war against Gamoray, and Adama simply wants to capture the much-needed fuel and escape. The earlier episodes were extremely simplistic in their portaryal of good versus evil. The Colonials are good. The Cylons are evil. Simple as that. Since the good guys are all in the military, the military is always portrayed as being right. Adama, Starbuck, and Apollo had very few moral dilemnas to deal with, which would have made the stories so much more interesting.

Baltar personally leading the attack on the Galactica makes the battle much more intense and exciting, mostly because the battle has a storyline. Most of the Galactica space battles are nothing more than a confusing jumble of stock shots haphazardly thrown together with nothing in terms of a flow or climax. (One of the bigger flaws of Return Of The Jedi was that the Battle of Endor had nothing in terms of a storyline.) This time it is different. The Pegasus closing in on Baltar at the end of part one is the best cliff hanger of the series. It is rather fitting that Baltar's forces are taken by surprise, since it was Baltar who caused the colonial warfleet to be taken by surprise in the pilot.

The scene between Adama and Apollo right before the mission to capture the Cylon tankers is very powerful. It shows how, despite being father and son, each of their respective positions forces a distance between them personally. What is especially impressive is that this is done without words. Richard Hatch and Lorne Greene manage to convey more with a facial expression than most actors do with a page of dialogue.

Boxey really starts to get on the nerves at this point. Nothing against Noah Hathaway, but Boxey is a character all too typical of standard television. He is an ultra-cute TV kid doing ultra-cute things, yet usually has little or no bearing on the plot. These kinds of characters (most notably the Super Scouts from Galactica 1980) only serve to hurt a show's ratings.

When you put the story under scrutiny, there are some serious flaws. Why are viper pilots sent on a ground mission? Wouldn't the Galactica have specialized teams for that sort of thing? It is also a bit difficult to believe that Sheba could have found a way to go on the mission to Gamoray without permission. It is even more difficult to believe that Cassiopea would have been allowed to just hop on the shuttle. Was she given a crash course on parachuting during the shuttle ride? How could the Colonial warriors have known exactly which building in Gamoray contained the main communications center? And are we to believe that destroying one small communications center would disable the entire city's defense system? If, like me, you can overlook these flaws, this is still a great episode.

This episode and Fire In Space were later combined to form the horrid Galactica theatrical movie [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]].

===[[Fire in Space]]===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

This explosive episode is the one-hour equivalent of a disaster movie. It's basically a sci-fi version of The Towering Inferno (and stock footage from that movie was probably used here). There's so much action that it isn't until the end that you realize just how essentially empty it is. There are a lot of things happening, and at the same time there is nothing happening. By all rights this story should be downright awful, yet somehow it isn't. It really speaks volumes about the show's production values and the performances of the actors that this turns out to be an enjoyable hour despite another by-the-numbers script.

After this episode, producer Glen Larson decided changed the direction of the series, relegating the Cylons to the background. The Cylons are not featured again until the final episode, The Hand Of God. The reason for the change of direction may be that Larson had a feeling the series would be canceled and decided to try to create a storyarc that would end the series with the Galactica apparently getting close to Earth. In an interview, Larson has said that he wasn't surprised the show was canceled. The change of direction was really for the best because the battles with the Cylons were too ridiculously imbalanced in the Colonials' favor (due to the censors) making the Cylons look like a joke, and the reusing of the same space battle stock footage was becoming monotonous.

The ending the writers originally planned had Cylon raiders attacking the Galactica a second time, and it is their lasers that put Starbuck and Apollo in danger on the Galactica's hull. Unfortunately, the network censors overruled this because they felt it would have been too repetitive. The complete original ending from the script can be found [[List_of_Deleted_Scenes_(TOS)#Fire_In_Space|here.]]

The story completely falls apart when put under scientific scrutiny because fires simply cannot exist in outer space, as many Galactica critics have pointed out. However, Star Wars was able to get away with this flub (Remember the fate of the Death Star?), so it seems rather unfair that Battlestar Galactica took so many shots because of it.

This is Terry Carter's best episode, since Colonel Tigh is thrust into the forefront, taking command of the Galactica while Adama is incapacitated. Carter does a tremendous job, and his strong performance helps save this cliched, overused story plot from losing steam.

Since the Galactica was on the verge of destruction by the time Starbuck and Apollo were planting charges on the hull, didn't it ever occur to Colonel Tigh to evacuate all non-essential personnel including the Colonial vipers so that, if the Galactica was destroyed, the fleet would at least have a fighting chance to survive? And since it was too dangerous to operate on Adama on the Galactica, didn't it ever occur to Dr. Salik to shuttle Adama to another ship in the fleet and perform the operation there?

A tremendous amount of damage is done to the Galactica (especially the landing bay), yet there is no sign of this in any future episodes nor any explanation of how the repairs went. Considering the abysmal plot, this episode was probably best left forgotten.

===[[War of the Gods]]===

'''RATING: Five stars out of five'''

War Of The Gods is one of the best and most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica. It is not the very best episode, nor is it completely flawless, but it is easily the most complex of all the stories we were given. The bottom line is that it is extremely rare to see this kind of thing done on TV. This is one of the few episodes to fully utilize Galactica's Von Daniken premise (God Is An Astronaut). We learn that angels are not spirits of the dead, but advanced beings who are thousands of years ahead of the Colonials in both technology and spirituality. Count Iblis (whom Apollo addresses in part 2 as Mephistopheles) comes across as a form of devil. There is an interesting parallel with mythology. Just as the angel Lucifer (or Satan) rebelled against heaven, Iblis rebels against his brothers on the Ship of Lights.

Iblis may well be the most fascinating character in the entire series. What is fascinating is that his voice is the same as that of the Cylon Imperious Leader. Baltar recognizes this (and it would have been an unforgivable flub if he didn't). There have been two primary theories about Iblis' origin. The first is that Iblis exterminated the original reptile Cylon race and created the mechanical one, starting the thousand year war with the humans.

The second theory is that Iblis and the Imperious Leader are one and the same. Iblis calling Baltar "old friend" would seem to support this. Also, it is made clear in the end that Iblis cannot control anyone who does not choose to follow him. If Iblis is the Imperious Leader, then Baltar technically was "following him" since he (Baltar) was serving the Cylons. However, the theory that Iblis and Imperious Leader being the same person doesn't quite hold up because wouldn't the Cylons then easily be able to locate the Colonial fleet? Therefore, the first theory makes more sense overall. But there is still the question of how Iblis was able to make Baltar surrender to the Colonials. The episode tries to make it seem that Iblis did not perform his bigger miracles, that the white lights caused the crops to grow and Baltar came of his own free will (the latter is hinted by Apollo in a missing scene that was cut from the original script). Of course, the idea that Baltar would surrender on his own is ludicrous considering the coward that he is. And why would the white lights come to the fleet if that would cause the crops on the agro-ship to grow and thus fulfill one of Iblis' tasks? Most importantly, why would Iblis dare the Colonials to make 3 challenges for him if he did not possess the power to complete them?

Regarding Iblis' origin, I tend to go with the first theory, but I would take it one step further and suggest that the Imperious Leader is either a servant of Iblis or is somehow under Iblis' control. Thus Baltar, by serving the Cylons, would also be serving Iblis and thus would be subject to Iblis' commands.

You really have to wonder if Glen Larson planned to have Patrick Macnee play Count Iblis from the very first episode or if it was just an amazing coincidence that the same actor who provided the Imperious Leader's voice turned out to be perfect for the Count Iblis role. Considering how incredibly rushed the production of the show was, the latter would have to be a possibility. If it's the former, then you really have to applaud Glen Larson for planning so far ahead.

There are other marvelous scenes. Iblis' slow manipulation and seduction of Sheba is riveting (especially when he kisses her on the Agro-ship). The white lights and the Ship of Lights are a marvel and have to be considered among the best special effects the series has ever produced. The scenery of the red planet, including the visual effect of Starbuck, Apollo, and Sheba when they walk on that world is also outstanding. The triad court is a fantastic (and obviously, expensive) set. You have to give the producers a lot of credit for creating such a unique game for the Colonials to play. It makes sense. With the grueling struggle for survival in a rag-tag fleet, the Colonials have to have some sort of entertainment to take their minds off their plight.

As with most episodes, the performances are all top-notch. Richard Hatch plays his end perfectly, carefully balancing Apollo's distrust of Iblis and his caring for Sheba. Dirk Benedict adds a whole new dimension to Starbuck. His rage and grief over the death of Apollo (especially when he attempts to shoot Iblis) stand out as some of Starbuck's most memorable moments of the entire series. Anne Lockhart is also great portraying Sheba's slow seduction and manipulation by Count Iblis. Her joy at Apollo's resurrection firmly establishes her inner feelings toward him, and this subplot would come to a stunning head in the final episode. Lorne Greene never falters in his performances, and this is no exception. Greene does a tremendous job portraying a man torn between his desire to find Earth and his distrust of Iblis. One of the best moments has to be during the Triad game. During the game, Adama and Iblis are seated on opposite sides of the court. There are really two battles going on here: the battle between the players on the court, and the battle between Iblis and Adama.

Despite everything, the episode is not completely perfect. Not all the questions are answered (which in itself is not a bad thing), but some of what happens doesn't quite make sense. First of all, why does the Ship of Lights kidnap the viper pilots? We are never given any kind of answer. What makes it more confusing is that by kidnapping the pilots, the Ship of Lights actually aids Iblis because the Colonials look to him for protection. And why does Baltar say that Iblis now no longer holds any power over him after Baltar recognizes Iblis' voice? Perhaps this is supposed to be a clue to understand who Iblis is, but if this is the case, I can't make anything out of it.

There is also the issue of what was inside the crashed ship on the red planet. A popular myth is that the ship is the the Battlestar Pegasus and when Apollo looked inside he saw the body of Commander Cain, but this is false. The original script and the Berkely novelization tell us exactly what is inside the ship: tall, cloven-hoofed horned beings with tails. This is a little hard to make sense of. Are the beings in the ship supposed to be devils? If that is the case, it doesn't really make Iblis appear all that evil for killing them. It could be viewed as another parallel of mythology. After being defeated by heaven, Lucifer and his followers fall into hell. Likewise, Iblis' ship containing his followers (the devils) crashes (falls) to the earth. It's not a perfect allegory, but fascinating nonetheless. (For more on this, see [[War_of_the_Gods,_Part_II#The_Mystery_of_the_Crashed_Ship|The Mystery of the Crashed Ship]])

I'm not trying to pick the episode apart with these various criticisms. Actually, the story works much better with its mystery and ambiguity rather than easy, clear-cut answers. One of the problems with television these days is that shows rarely challenge the viewer to think; instead, most shows sacrifice ambiguity and insist on spelling everything out as simply and clearly as possible. The mystery of Count Iblis is really what makes ''War Of The Gods'' so special and one of the most famous and highly debated of all the Galactica episodes. I'm glad that we are not given the answer to who Iblis is because the only way a mystery can retain its power is as long as it remains unsolved. Why do you think the great magicians never reveal how they do their tricks? If you are looking for a great movie example of this, then I suggest you check out Peter Weir's ''Picnic At Hanging Rock''.

Finally, one of the best things about this episode is that it provides us the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba!

===[[The Man With Nine Lives]]===

'''Rating: Four out of five stars'''

This episode is the only one that offers a significant look at the people of the fleet. Fred Astaire puts in an enjoyable performance as the rogue con-man Chameleon. The Borellian Nomen are interesting new adversaries for the Colonial Warriors, although they seem to be based on a Hollywood and societal stereotype of American Indians (Unfortunately, we are told very little of their origins). One of the best episodes in terms of characterization.

This episode pretty much makes it clear that Cassiopeia is THE ONE for Starbuck, thanks to Starbuck telling Chameleon that she's the only one he's ever considered sealing with (although that actually isn't true; he did almost propose to Athena in the pilot episode).

Don Bellisario was unable to think of a suitable name for the villains. In an after-work bull session, story editor Jim Carlson casually remarked something to the effect of, "It’s too bad they’re not from an ice planet, you could call them Snomen." Bellisario replied, "There’s no snow where these guys are gonna be!" Carlson answered, "Then call then Nomen."

This episode proves that great stories don't require huge explosions and fancy special effects. Unfortunately, the rushed production of the show made episodes like The Man With Nine Lives the exception rather than the rule.

=== [[Murder on the Rising Star]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Murder She Wrote in outer space??? This story had little point being part of a show like Battlestar Galactica. This is the kind of story that is done on almost every science fiction series when the writers are out of ideas. There is very little in the way of drama because the viewer knows the hero is innocent and will be cleared. This story tries to give the impression that Starbuck might be guilty (we don't get to see who shoots Ortega, Starbuck is shown running from the scene, plus Starbuck's anxiousness in the shuttle bay makes him appear guilty), but only the most gullible of viewers would fall for this. The story would be more forgivable if we learned some new insights about the characters or the fleet, but what do we learn? What is the point? Is it that the Colonial system of law is virtually identical to the U.S. system? (which is hardly believeable) Or that Adama has to spend time hearing court cases? (Not too believable either considering the incredibly burdensome task he has of commanding the fleet) Or is it that playing triad is more dangerous than anybody thought? What is the point of this episode except to fill an hour's worth of time???

This is the fourth episode that features Starbuck. While Dirk Benedict certainly plays a wonderful character, it would have been nice to have featured some of the lesser used cast members (Tigh, Boomer, Athena, Sheba).

One thing really stands out: It is absurd how little time Apollo is given to prepare a case for Starbuck's defense. He only has 10 centares, and the script for this episode has a key that states a centar is an hour. Only 10 hours to prepare for a murder trial??? Give me a break!

This story could have been done differently to make it more poignant. What if Apollo was unable to conclusively prove who killed Ortega, and Adama intervenes, using his power as commander to have Starbuck set free. It would raise the question of whether Adama was abusing his power. Even then, considering the fleet must be depleted when it comes to seasoned viper pilots, it could be argued that the fleet needed Starbuck as a warrior. It would have been an interesting moral issue, something Battlestar Galactica rarely had. I also think the story would have been more interesting if we were left with some doubt as to whether Starbuck killed Ortega (in self-defense, of course).

An interesting note: Karibdis appears early on in the story, serving drinks to Adama and Tigh while they watch the Triad game. This is an often-used writing device. You have the murderer/villain appear early in the story, sometimes at the very beginning, in what appears to be a minor or trivial role. This often fools the audience, as they rarely expect such a character to be revealed so quickly. This was also done on the miniseries for the new Galactica, when one of the human Cylons is leading a tour of the Galactica during the opening credits. If you want to get good at solving TV/movie mysteries, pay attention to the minor characters that appear early in the story.

Overall, the murder mystery itself isn't half bad, and there are fine all-around performances from the cast to make this watchable. In a way, it makes the episode more disappointing to have such great talent squandered on such a by-the-numbers story. But everyone holds up their end well, especially Dirk Benedict and Laurette Spang in their scene inside the brig. It's nice the writers found a way to bring Baltar into the story, and John Colicos still makes a great villain. The flashback of the destruction of Caprica is also well-done. There were certainly many crimes committed during the evacuation, and it illustrates that Battlestar Galactica was brimming with potentially interesting stories to explore, which again only makes this episode more of a letdown.

That said, it's important to realize that writers Jim Carlson and Terrence McDonnell were forced to write this episode in 36 hours straight. Considering what a rushjob this script was, it's amazing it turned out as well as it did. This is one instance where it might be better to see the glass as half-full rather than half-empty.

===[[Greetings from Earth]]===

'''RATING: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Greetings From Earth just doesn't measure up with the other two-hour episodes. The story makes for a passable first hour but quickly takes a nosedive in the second. Glen Larson's attempt at comedy falls horribly flat. Hector, Vector and the kids quickly wear out their welcome (A premonition of Galactica 1980?). The Eastern Alliance is introduced as a new adversary, but they are little more than cardboard Nazis with zero charisma (at least the Cylons looked cool). Another problem is that their primitive technology takes a lot of steam out of their threat. Unfortunately, the Eastern Alliance is never utilized to the fullest. A space battle between vipers and Eastern Alliance destroyers would have been fantastic, but the time and money needed to do such a complex battle scene made it impossible. Also, Apollo becomes a bit overbearing with his "Do The Right Thing" attitude in the first half (What's also annoying is that Apollo's dialogue in the first half is badly redubbed, apparently to make his voice louder).

What makes the first hour so interesting is that the Colonials are faced with a perplexing moral issue (a rarity, for sure). Do they allow the humans to leave, or force them to remain at least until more information is learned? There are actually opposing opinions within the Colonial military, at least for awhile. Apollo's view quickly wins out, though. The Council of Twelve is portrayed as being incredibly selfish and uncaring, but it could be argued they were right. It was possibly life or death for the Colonials to learn about the human race that awaited them. Certainly the humans could have been revived long enough for the Colonials to get the necessary information out of them. Apollo's plan to let the ship go had a good chance of failing. How could he be certain enough that they wouldn't get lost, or wind up so far away that they'd never be able to make it back to the fleet?

When you think about it, why don't Starbuck, Apollo and Cassiopea have super powers when they are in Paradeen's weaker gravity just as the Super Scouts do when they are in Earth's weaker gravity on Galactica 1980? Wouldn't it have been fun to see Starbuck, Apollo, and Cassiopea bouncing up and down and jumping into trees?

Unlike the other two-parters, this one ends with a whimper instead of a bang as Starbuck and Apollo's capture of the Enforcers is about as anti-climatic as you can get. This script really comes across as being rushed, which was probably the case. Overall, Greetings From Earth is yet another episode that failed to reach its potential due to the constrainments of a weekly series.

=== [[Experiment in Terra]] ===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

Experiment In Terra initially comes across as a superb episode, but under close inspection the story unfortunately has serious flaws. The Ship of Lights recruiting Apollo to help Terra is a cool idea, but their reasoning as to why they need to use a mortal human doesn't hold up. John says that the people of Terra can't see the "Guardians" (my own name for them) outside the confines of their ship. And yet on Terra, John makes himself visible to Starbuck by merely touching him. Even more problematic, Apollo's mission never makes sense. The Guardians know that the Eastern Alliance is going to launch a missile attack, so the master plan is to have Apollo tell the "west side" that the Eastern Alliance has been attacking them? Um, okay, but even if Apollo succeeds, how will this stop the Eastern Alliance from launching their missiles? Why not just have Apollo tell the Galactica to travel to Terra and destroy the missile attack? The answer, of course, is that there wouldn't be much of a story.

Sadly, there are many other flaws. Apollo says he can't reach Terra because the distance is too great, so he is "teleported" right in front of the planet. So how is it that Starbuck is able to eventually reach the planet on his own? Logically, he wouldn't have had enough fuel. Adama's decision to pull the Galactica out of the fleet is more out of whack than it may first appear. He didn't do that in earlier episodes when Starbuck or Apollo were crashed/stranded. This time Adama doesn't even know who the two pilots are, and yet he pulls the Galactica out of the fleet.

Even more ludicrous is the idea that the Galactica travels to Terra at light speed (and not just because it is scientifically implausible). If the Galactica was traveling to Terra at the speed of light, they should have reached Terra almost instantly (in fact, they probably could have found Earth during the pilot episode!) And how is it that the Galactica was able to travel to Terra unmolested? Surely there would be Eastern Alliance destroyers patrolling the area around the planet. And how does the Eastern Alliance not know that the Galactica was responsible for destroying their missiles? Surely the Galactica would have been picked up on their scanners.

Also, the West President's reasoning for withholding knowledge of the Eastern Alliance's attacks is questionable. Why does he think he can make peace with the Eastern Alliance if they are constantly attacking him? And if the Eastern Alliance has wiped out all of the West's satellite planets, how could the President possibly prevent word of this from leaking out? It's not realistic at all. Plus, the idea that the Eastern Alliance would be willing to destroy the entire planet (at least half of which they own) is pretty ridiculous. Okay, they ARE Bad Guys, but what's the point of destroying most of their empire when they were already winning the war?

With such a long list of problems, you would think that this is a terrible episode. Amazingly, this isn't the case. In fact, Experiment In Terra still ranks as one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica. Seeing the Ship of Lights again is a treat, and Edward Mulhare is delightful as John, Apollo's guide. This episode is another example where the great production values and strong performances from the actors are able to overcome the plot inconsistencies. What makes Experiment In Terra work so well is that its plot holes aren't immediately noticeable. I didn't realize how many there were until I sat down and really thought about it. Apollo's mission to save Terra, as pointless as it winds up being, is still extremely engrossing. Apollo's speech to the Precidium is very dramatic and moving, even though (as we've already said) everything Apollo does on Terra turns out to be a waste of time since nothing he does has any chance of preventing the Eastern Alliance from launching its missiles.

This episode is extra fun to watch if you're aware that the script was originally written with the roles of Starbuck and Apollo reversed. After Richard Hatch complained that his character was getting the shaft, the script was quickly rewritten with the dialogue mostly remaining the same, resulting in Apollo talking suspiciously like Starbuck. At one point, Apollo says "Felgercarb" for the first time ever!

The ending scene is touching, as John tells Apollo that Terra is not Earth but "You must have faith." Many Galactica fans have interpreted this to mean that Apollo would successfully complete the journey to Earth.

Here are some humorous notes from British writer Matthew Wharmby:

* I'm sorry, but I thought the final scene was tremendously weak. All that buildup to a good scrap, heart-stopping music included, let down with a pathetic green shield spat out of the front of the Galactica. And from a terrible angle made necessary by two separately matted halves; one of Earth and one of the Galactica's underside. And you don't mean to tell me that the Galactica could extend such a shield over the whole planet? If so, why couldn't she have performed the same thing over Caprica in the pilot, and let the attacking Cylon fighters blow themselves up in it?
* Nobody seems too panicked about the impending nuclear annihilation! I don't know about you, but when us kids growing up in the late Cold War used to speculate nervously about the four-minute warning, the usual consensus was that we'd be doing, well, what it takes four minutes to do. 'You can do it twice,' the girls would quip.
* I'm not mad keen on Brenda's attitude. If every girl who had boyfriend trouble called the Old Bill on such a weak pretext, there wouldn't be a bloke alive out of prison!

=== [[Take the Celestra]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five'''

This is probably the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. A lot of people will probably disagree, but I have to go with this choice simply because I found this episode to be incredibly boring. The Magnificent Warriors and The Lost Warrior were also really bad (and they were certainly more simplistic), but they were never really boring. A story focusing on the hardships of voyaging on the rag tag fleet is a great idea, but this episode takes one self-destructive turn after another and may be the best example of a wasted opportunity for the series. Many of BG's bad episodes were somewhat saved by wonderful performances from the actors, but there is nothing here that stands out (although the Starbuck/Cassiopea reconciliation at the end is a nice moment). Starbuck and Apollo actually look stale. This is one of the few times that neither Richard Hatch nor Dirk Benedict are able to rise above the mediocre writing. Commander Kronus is incredibly boring - a static, stale character with little depth. Because it's hard to care about the character, it's hard to feel anything during the "dramatic" finish when Kronus dies. Given the moronic decisions he makes, I felt like saying "Good riddance." On the other hand, Ana Alicia suceeds in making Aurora interesting, but she is mostly wasted in this episode. Unfortunately, her boyfriend is more boring than Kronus, and I just wanted him to shut up. Despite these issues, the main problem with Take The Celestra lies in the script itself.

One of the biggest (yet least noted) flaws of Battlestar Galactica was the way it portrayed life in the rag-tag fleet. Day-to-day existence on a fleet of mostly derelict ships would no doubt be a grueling struggle for survival. Yet the series rarely ever indicated this. Most scenes with civilians consisted of parties, gambling, and triad games aboard the Rising Star! (hardly the most accurate look we could have been given) Take The Celestra was the perfect vehicle to change this, but unfortunately the writers took the easy way out. Aurora and the other mutineers were "illegally forced" to work so many double shifts. This makes the issue of right and wrong very easy to determine, but consider another direction the writers could have taken.

What if the harsh working conditions existed throughout the entire fleet? (and, logically, they should have) What if Aurora and the others were not working harder than anyone else and simply decided they had had enough? Would they be morally right in trying to escape the fleet (considering that the loss of manpower would likely hurt the remaining Colonials)? Apollo, Starbuck and the rest of the military are always talking about the importance of freedom. Apollo talks about it strongly in his speech to the Precedium in Experiment In Terra. When Starbuck tries to convince the prisoners to rebel in The Long Patrol, he says "You have rights. You're human beings!" When they finally escape, he says, "That's freedom." An interesting idea to explore is how free the Colonials actually were. Surely many of them wanted to settle on some of the planets the fleet passed by. If Adama refused their wishes, he would technically be restricting their freedom. Unfortunately, this kind of story is problematic because the extent of Adama's power is never clear; in fact, it varies from episode to episode (depending whatever works best for the story that week). But this kind of story would have made it a tough call as to whether Aurora and her friends were right and whether Starbuck and Apollo were totally justified in stopping them.

Anyway, that's the episode I would have liked to see, or anything other than what we did see, the most boring Galactica episode to date. The story is riddled with holes, outdone perhaps only by Experiment In Terra. Whereas that story's flaws are not immediately noticeable, most of this story's flaws are. Commander Kronus' decision to immediately shuttle the prisoners back to the fleet despite being so far away doesn't make much sense. His accompanying the shuttle makes even less sense. Colonial law states that a commander has to personally take the mutineers in for charges? Huh? Even when his ship is out in the middle of nowhere? Okay. Whatever. Kronus should have waited until the Celestra rejoined the fleet. His decision makes him look like an idiot.

How is it that Chakka is able to get almost the entire crew to mutiny with him on a whim? He couldn't have been planning mutiny beforehand because he had expected to become commander of the Celestra. And if the entire crew wasn't with him in the mutiny, then how could he have expected to get away with powering down the ship? And could Starbuck and Apollo both be so clueless that they wouldn't be able to remember which heading the fleet was on? And how does the shuttle run out of fuel so fast? And how is it that Kronus could not have known or heard about any of the harsh working conditions? The Celestra isn't that big of a ship. Are we to believe that he never left the bridge? To top it off, why is there such an urgent need in the final battle scene to "level out" the Celestra? It's not as though there were any ships or planets around that it could crash into. Almost nothing in this episode makes any sense.

The minor plot of Cassiopeia agonizing over Starbuck's evasiveness in their relationship is far more compelling than the main plot of the Celestra mutiny. But even the Starbuck/Aurora plot has problems. For one thing, the writers have Starbuck act like a total jerk by skipping his date with Cassie so he can see Aurora. Why would Cassie put up with that? And how is it that Starbuck had a serious relationship with Aurora going during the time of the Destruction? Didn't he clearly have something going with Athena back then? (If there's anything worse than the writers making things up as they go, it's when they unmake things up as they go.)

Anyway, this only makes Starbuck look like a bigger womanizer than anyone thought (not exactly the best way to endear him to viewers). Aurora makes a valid point in her anger towards him. If Starbuck really did care about her, why didn't he check to see if her name was in the fleet computer? Just because her house was destroyed doesn't mean for certain that she was killed. It's also highly questionable that Starbuck ever made it back to Caprica after the Cylons attacked. We've never been given any indication that anyone besides Adama and Apollo ever went back. Considering how dangerous it would have been (not to mention how strong a chance that someone might have led the Cylons back to the Galactica), it's absolutely ludicrous to suggest Adama would have allowed anyone to return to the planet.

I almost want to pretend that this episode was just a bad dream. Fortunately, the very next episode would raise the roof.

===[[The Hand of God]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five.'''

They saved the best for last. ''The Hand Of God'' is arguably the best episode of Battlestar Galactica, and my personal favorite.

No doubt about it, ''The Hand of God'' is Galactica at its best. Donald Bellisario shows the other writers how it's done, pulling out all the stops with this one. Both the script and the performances are stellar. Never before have the characters been portrayed in such a powerful way. Although there is nothing innovative about the basic plot itself (The Galactica battles the Cylons again), there are enough things going on that make this story extremely engrossing.

This episode is fascinating from start to finish. Visually, it is a treat as we get to see the inside of a Cylon basestar's landing bay for the first time. We also get to see Cylon Centurions boarding their ships for the first time. And the Celestial Observation Dome is a marvel, as is Apollo's analogy that being inside it is like riding in the Hand of God.

What makes this story especially memorable is the culmination of a story thread that has been running since ''War of the Gods''. In that episode, we see the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba. Nothing happens in the other episodes following, although Anne Lockhart does a good job showing, in a subtle way, Sheba's emerging feelings for Apollo.

Kudos go to both Anne Lockhart and Laurette Spang for winning performances. Sheba's confrontation with Apollo and their kiss inside the Cylon raider is the best scene of the episode. That and Cassiopeia's argument with Starbuck in the landing bay are both incredibly moving, providing each actress with her stand-out moment of the series. It really gives the viewer a chance to appreciate the range of Anne and Laurette. Women on this show were usually stuck in the background; this episode placed demands on each actress they rarely had to face. Give each one credit for not dropping the ball. Fortunately, they are both aided by outstanding dialogue from Bellisario. Of course, Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, and Herbert Jefferson, Jr. hold up their end as well. Starbuck, Apollo, and Boomer clasping hands in the pilots barracks (with the accompanying music score) powerfully expresses the bond of their friendship more than words ever could.

Extra congratulations go to Donald Bellisario who also directed this episode. His use of slow motion twice during Starbuck and Apollo's battles with Cylon Centurions make the scenes much more intense and suspenseful. Let's face it. Thanks to ABC's family-friendly censors, the Cylons often looked like a joke (Remember ''The Young Lords'' when Starbuck and five children wiped out an entire Cylon garrison?). If Starbuck and Apollo's shootout scenes had been shown in real time, there would have been little (if any) impact.

Another reason ''The Hand of God'' works so well is because the Cylons were not featured in the previous seven or eight episodes. Glen Larson wisely saw that the constant reusing of the same space battle footage was hurting the stories and thus moved the Cylons into the background after ''Fire In Space''. So much time has passed since then that the Cylons seem revitalized. There's nothing spectacular about the dogfight between the vipers and raiders or the slugfest between the Galactica and the Cylon basestar (since it's the same footage seen in previous episodes), but the story is compelling enough that it all still works.

If there is one flaw with this story, it is the idea that Adama would attack a Cylon basestar and risk the fate of the entire human race just for the sake of wreaking some vengeance. This is the same man who told Commander Cain, "I'm not interested in military victories. I'm interested in saving lives. What few of them are left." It would have worked better to have a scenario where the Galactica simply could not backtrack and thus was forced to attack the Cylons. Still, it is a minor flaw in an overall outstanding script.

It is extremely frustrating that we never see a follow-up to Apollo and Sheba's relationship since this was the final episode. For fans who would like to see some kind of continuation, there are some fan fiction stories that I highly recommend. There is a short story called ''My Father's Daughter'' which takes place immediately following the events of ''The Hand of God'' and is quite simply the best Sheba story I have ever read. Three other novels, ''Second Coming'', ''Joint Maneuvers'', and ''The Race For Earth'' also explore Apollo and Sheba's relationship and are outstanding. These stories are all available free online at a site I own called [http://freegalacticafanfictionnovels.weebly.com Free Battlestar Galactica Fan Fiction Novels].

Many fans were and still are saddened that the original show ended so soon. Personally, I'm at peace with it. If the show had to end, ''The Hand of God'' may have been the best way to close the curtain. After reading Glen Larson's [[Battlestar_Galactica:_Year_Two_proposal|Season Two proposal]], all I can say is, "Thank god the show ended when it did!" It appears that, if there had been a second season, half the cast would have been cut in order to save money, Sheba would have been killed off, Commander Cain would have returned as a Cylon android, and Apollo would have shirked his responsibilities and started partying and messing around with numerous women. Ugh!!!

I think I can accept Battlestar Galactica for what it was, always remembering that the light that shines twice as bright only burns half as long.

== Galactica 1980 Episode Reviews ==

=== [[Galactica Discovers Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

Galactica Discovers Earth turns out to be a watchable pilot, but watchable is about all. From the very first episode, Galactica 1980 is clearly nothing more than an attempt by ABC to cash in on the Galactica name by creating a cheap show that simply reuses the expensive special effects stock footage from the original series. The later episodes would only reinforce this. Kent McCord (Troy) and Barry Van Dyke (Dillon) come off as inferior clones of Starbuck and Apollo. In fact, the script for the pilot was originally written for Starbuck and Apollo. When those plans changed, the names were simply switched to Troy and Dillon. Jamie Hamilton comes off as a carbon copy of Lois Lane. Unfortunately, we are never given any backstory to any of these characters.

This may be the only pilot in television history in which the premise changes in the middle of the episode! At first it's about advancing Earth's technology in order to fight the Cylons. Then it suddenly changes and is about capturing a time-traveling villain. It's really bizarre. Anyway, the time travel journey to Nazi Germany is never particularly interesting, partly because Xaviar just isn't that compelling of a villain, but mostly because this is NOT Battlestar Galactica.

The idea of the Galactica having to protect a primitive Earth from the Cylons is actually a compelling premise, but the problem is that Dr. Zee's plan to slowly increase Earth's technology is flawed. At the rate in which the Colonials were going, it probably would have taken at least decades to get Earth's technology increased enough to be able to fight the Cylons. Long before then, the Cylons would probably tire of waiting and decide to just destroy the Colonial fleet. Even if the Cylons didn't attack, how far could the Galactica lead the Cylons away from Earth before they (the Colonials) were too far away from the planet to ever go back there? It probably would have been smarter to temporarily abandon Earth and lead the Cylons away until Dr. Zee could invent some technology that would allow the Colonials to destroy the Cylon armada. (Actually, since Colonial Vipers can now turn invisible, it should have been fairly easy for the Colonials to launch a surprise attack on the Cylons and defeat them once and for all!)

The problem with the original premise of Galactica 1980 is that it would have eventually become tiresome: Troy and Dillon each week would find a way to introduce some new technology (clean nuclear power, etc.) which would make some small improvement, but do little to bring Earth up to the level it would need be to fight the Cylons. As a result, the series could never evolve to the next level (i.e. Earth is ready to fight the Cylons), because the series' budget was too small for any kind of "final battle". As a result, Galactica 1980 was stuck in a rut from the get-go. It tried to distract viewers from the main plot (the Cylon threat) with time travel and cub scout outings because there was little that could be done with the original premise. It might have worked well as a single movie or perhaps a series of movies, but it's unlikely that Galactica 1980 could have ever jelled as a weekly series.

The show looks second-rate. For example, take the opening sequence. This has to be one of the worst opening sequences in television history. It's nothing but a series of stock footage shots from the original show haphazardly thrown together. Even the rendition of the Galactica theme seems inferior to the one we heard on the original show.

That said, there is some nice chemistry between the trio of Troy, Dillon and Jamie. There's one particularly touching scene in part 3 when Jamie says goodbye to Troy and Dillon at the bus stop. But whatever positives the actors had would not be enough to overcome a number of self-destructive turns that would begin with the very next episode.

=== [[The Super Scouts]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Super Scouts arrive, and Galactica 1980 plummets into an abyss it would not survive. In the beginning, we're forced to endure a series of boring classroom educational lessons. Things get even worse when the intergalactic 'Our Gang' reaches Earth. We get ultra-cute campfire songs and even more educational lessons shoved down are throats. The original series had flaws, but at least it never insulted its viewers with sitcom humor or by getting into preachy moral issues. Galactica 1980 gives us an ultra-simplistic environmental message of "Don't pollute the water," and does so with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

One could make the case that Galactica 1980 is a great tool for writers to learn how NOT to write drama. One key is to create powerful villains and put the heroes in situations that are difficult to deal with. But all of the villains in Galactica 1980 are weak. The Colonials have so many advantages over the people of Earth - spaceships, super powers, invisibility fields - that they are essentially invincible, thus robbing the series of any possible drama. In Galactica 1980, there are no worthy villains. The bumbling cops and incompetent military personnel never have a prayer of apprehending Troy and Dillon, so there's no suspense. And it's certainly not funny to watch Earthlings constantly being confounded by extra-terrestrials. Yet that is what we're forced to endure again and again throughout the entire series.

=== [[Spaceball]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

This is crap. Spaceball is the worst, most hated episode of Galactica 1980. It's silly, stupid, and just plain dumb. Little kids playing baseball??? This is Battlestar Galactica??? Spaceball may be the most inconsequential hour of science fiction ever made. It's nothing less than an insult to the original series that this bionic version of ''The Bad News Bears'' was shot under the Galactica name.

=== [[The Night The Cylons Landed]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five (Poor)'''

The Night The Cylons Landed is the best episode since the pilot. Of course, this isn't saying much, since watching a blank screen would have been almost as entertaining as the previous two episodes. Anyway, the Super Scouts are finally relegated to the background. This expands on the storyline involving the evolution of the Cylons over the 30 years since the destruction of the Colonies. A new, bigger, and more powerful Cylon raider carrying a newly advanced Cylon lifeform crashlands on Earth. Two surviving Cylons attempt to communicate with the Cylon armada to tell them of Earth's location. This is a cool idea, but the execution is terrible. We are treated to so much silliness, culminating with Troy and Dillon dancing on stage with cartoon characters like Yogi Bear! There are other problems. The more powerful, heavily armored Cylon raider is crippled after the punier viper rams into it??? The viper certainly doesn't hit it very hard. If the Cylons were a joke in the original series, then in Galactica 1980 they are a laughing stock. Andromus, the evolved Cylon clone of a human, certainly doesn't look or act very advanced. Centuri, his Centurion buddy, comes across as being even sillier with his constant banter of "I will protect you. That is my mission." This is the monstrous, all-powerful race which threatens the Earth's destruction and that the Colonials are so concerned about??? The two Cylons provide some funny moments, but it can't make up for the letdown of a plot that had so much potential.

With this episode, Galactica 1980 provides yet another example of how NOT to write drama. Conventional storytelling says that when you have a character trying to solve a mystery, you want the audience to move along at the same pace as the character. If the audience knows more than the character does, they find themselves simply waiting for the character to catch up, which is boring. Unfortunately, Galactica 1980 violates this basic rule of storytelling as we're forced to endure Colonel Briggs's investigation of the aliens. We know everything, he knows nothing, and thus there is nothing even remotely interesting about the subplot.

=== [[Space Croppers]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Space Croppers starts out interesting, but quickly takes an abrupt nosedive into looney land. The plot parallels that of [[The Magnificent Warriors]]. Due to the destruction of the fleet's agroships by a Cylon attack, another source of food supply must be found. The Magnificent Warriors was a terrible episode, so it must be considered quite a feat that Space Croppers turns out to be even worse.

The plight of the Alonso family to save their farm never becomes the least bit interesting. Even worse are the 'educational beats' that bring the story to a grinding halt: a lecture about Hispanic history, the soil requirements for planting legumes, and how rainfull is produced. This is beyond bad. It's unwatchable.

If Dr. Zee is such a genius, why doesn't it ever occur to him to use Galactican technology to create money so the Colonials can simply buy the food that they need? I guess such a simple solution would have made this story pointless.

Furthermore, the Imperious Leader's plan to force the Galactica to lead the Cylons to Earth makes no sense. How could Imperious Leader know that Earth was nearby? And if he did know, why not just destroy the Colonial fleet and conduct a search of the nearby planets? Did anything on this series make sense? Was anything supposed to?

Last, and certainly least, Troy and Dillon bouncing high in the air and throwing seeds while the Super Scouts sing their song is hands down the most ludicrous thing ever shown on Galactica 1980, and that's saying something.

=== [[The Return of Starbuck]] ===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five (Outstanding)'''

This is undeniably the best and most popular episode of Galactica 1980. It is even better than most of the episodes of Battlestar Galactica. What is there not to love about this episode? There are so many outstanding scenes: Adama's chilling reaction to Dr. Zee's mention of Starbuck; Boomer's heartwrenching goodbye to Starbuck, Adama explaining to Boomer that they can't go back to find him; Adama saying his farewell to Starbuck; Starbuck's rationalizations about how the planet belongs to him; Angela's words, "Starbuck, would you die for me?"; Starbuck sacrificing his chance to return to the fleet to give Angela and her baby a better chance; Starbuck's goodbye to Cy. The list goes on. Best of all, we see growth in Starbuck's character! A true classic to be treasured for all time by Galactica fans.

This episode is based on an earlier script written for the second season of Battlestar Galactica that never happened. The main differences are that a regular woman appears (not Angela), and Starbuck is eventually rescued by Boomer. The only thing believed to have been taken intact from the early script is Starbuck's dialogue with Cy. While that would no doubt have been a tremendous episode, it still would not have come close to being as great as this one is. The reason why is very simple. One of the problems with creating dramatic and suspenseful stories in any weekly series is that the viewer knows the hero will ultimately prevail. For example, when Starbuck is accused of murder in [[Murder on the Rising Star]], there is little in terms of suspense because it is a foregone conclusion that Starbuck will be vindicated, just as it is a forgone conclusion that Starbuck isn't going to die in [[The Young Lords]] when he is hunted by the Cylons on the planet Attila. In the beginning of The Return Of Starbuck, it is quickly established that Adama doesn't know what happened to Starbuck and that Starbuck never returned from the mission where he was shot down. As a result, in what is most unusual for any action/adventure television story, the viewer sits through the entire episode knowing that Starbuck isn't going to make it!

This makes the story much more gripping and intense than virtually any other episode of either series. The grim reality of Starbuck's eventual fate is all reinforced by Angela's question "Starbuck, will you die for me?" and her warnings of disaster, telling him that he must prepare to make "the final judgement." Of course, we do not actually see Starbuck die at the end of the story. Larson leaves Starbuck's fate ambiguous, especially since an intact Cylon raider is left nearby. Having Starbuck die would have been a gutsy and innovative move, but the ending shown is really for the best. The beauty of the ending is that it lets the viewers make their own interpretation of Starbuck's fate. If one goes with the idea that a single person alone cannot fly a Cylon raider, then Starbuck could have easily died on the planet. Many fans don't consider Galactica 1980 to be canon for the original series, except for this episode. With the interpretation that Galactica 1980 didn't happen, Starbuck could possibly have flown the Cylon raider back to the fleet, returning to Apollo, Adama, Sheba, and the other original characters. Much Galactica fan fiction over the years has interpreted the episode in this manner.

Despite having a small role, Lorne Greene gives what may be his best performance ever as Commander Adama. The look on his face when he asks Dr. Zee to tell him his dream is worth a thousand words. His farewell to Starbuck, saying that he loves him, is also incredibly powerful. A wonderful performance!

In conclusion, ''The Return of Starbuck'' is an incredible ending to the series and a worthy finish to the Battlestar Galactica saga overall. ''Galactica 1980'' was crap, but it sure went out with a bang.

== Galactica Comics ==

=== [[Galactica 1980 1|Galactica 1980 comic series]] ===

Comic adaptations of television shows are often very good because the writers are free from the usual constraints that a television show faces: limited budgets, censors, and network meddling in the storylines. Unfortunately, this is a double-edged sword, as the comic book writers' unlimited freedom sometimes allows the story to go flying off the rails.

Such is the case with the Galactica 1980 comic series, a cool idea that feels like a missed opportunity. First, the comic does a number of things right. It delivers a ''War of the Worlds'' type story involving the Colonials and Cylons battling over Earth. It even makes Dr. Zee a villian, a great move considering that Zee is hands down the most hated character in the the Galactica universe (including the new version). Unfortunately, writer Marc Guggenheim goes for shock value. In the first issue, we learn that Troy is a drunk and Adama is suicidal. Personally, I found this ugly and disturbing.

Even worse is the end of issue #1 when the Galactica is destroyed by nukes. Again, it feels like the writer is just trying to hit us with one shocking suprise after another. Suprises can be great fun, but I get annoyed when they lack logic as this one does. Why would Adama be so stupid as to fly the Galactica directly over the White House without first sending a message and waiting to see what the response would be? This just makes no sense.

And I just didn't like seeing the Galactica destroyed. After all, this ''is'' Galactica 1980, so therefore the Galactica should be in it. If the Galactica had to be destroyed, it should have happened in the final issue (#4), not the first.

I also had a big problem with Dillon being killed off in issue #2. Troy and Dillon were the heroes of Galactica 1980, and I just don't think that either should have been killed (at least not less than halfway through the series). I was also disappointed that Jamie Hamilton was given nothing more than a mere cameo appearance in issue #4. I really wish she could have played a larger role in the story.

In the end, I wish Guggenheim had written a story that might have been done on television if not for the limited budget and children's hour restrictions that ultimately crippled the series. The ''War of the Worlds'' premise was perfect for Galactica 1980, but in this case the execution fell short.

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

== The Galactica Telemovies ==

=== [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

The opening sequence is outstanding, although it mostly uses footage from the original series. It has a truly epic feel, and it gives the impression that we will see a grand conclusion to the Battlestar Galactica saga. Sadly, this does not happen. Still, Adama's opening declaration that Earth has been found is also magnificent, much better done than it was in the original episode. By removing the time-travel subplot as well as much of the silliness including Troy and Dillon dancing on stage, the whole is better than any of the original Galactica 1980 episodes it is composed of. Yet this hardly makes ''Conquest of the Earth'' a great movie. The opening minutes rate five stars, yet starting with the first appearance of Dr. Zee (who bizarrely speaks with two different voices), the rest of the movie rates much lower.

=== [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack (VHS)|Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

This movie is less entertaining than the individual episodes it is composed of (The Living Legend and Fire In Space). The separate episodes don't mesh together seamlessly, resulting in several plot holes and odd hairstyle changes between scenes. The movie especially suffers because many great scenes from The Living Legend episode are missing. All scenes and dialogue relating to Starbuck's relationship with Cassiopeia are cut, which only makes the Cain/Cassiopeia subplot less interesting. The battle scenes are a little more elaborate because additional stock footage is used, but that's not enough to overcome the movie's deficiencies. A different sound effect is used for the engines of the Cylon raiders that's a little jarring for anyone who is a die-hard fan of the original show.

Bottom line, this movie is only recommended for curiosity's sake.

== Berkley Books ==
=== [[Saga of a Star World (Book)|Saga of a Star World]] ===
'''Flagship of the 12 Worlds fleet, she was as large as a planet, yet as swift as the Starhound fighters she launched from her bays. For generations the vast ship led the thousand-year war against the Cylons for control of the known Galaxy. Now that war was in its final phase, and Galactica had one final mission, win or lose: blast through the deadly grid of the Cylon Starfleet and dash for deep space in a desperate attempt to find the legendary "Stonehenge" of the universe - the lost planet the ancient microfilms call "Earth."'''

This is the opening paragraph to the Berkley novelization of the Battlestar Galactica pilot "Saga Of A Star World". This is easily one of the most fascinating Galactica books ever written, and there are a number of things that make it so interesting. First, the book is based on an early script of the pilot and, although changes were made before it came to print to make it more like the version that aired, there are a number of alternate scenes in the book. The Galactica universe is also different in several aspects, such as the Cylons are living aliens underneath their armor instead of total machines. Also, there are missing scenes left out of the final cut of the movie that survived intact in the book (Starbuck's confrontation with Tigh on the bridge after the Colonies are destroyed; Starbuck's extended conversation with Cassie on the shuttle; Adama's resigning from the Council).

Perhaps best of all, certain events are more fleshed out in the novelization than in the movie such as the surprise Cylon attack. The novelization helps to fill a number of gaping plot holes and unanswered questions that the movie was saddled with. Many chapters begin with an entry from the Adama journals, and the reader is able to learn a lot of information and insight from the Galactica's commander.

Many fans are unhappy with the Berkley books, feeling that they don't remain true to the series. I respectfully disagree. First of all, as already mentioned, the novelizations often have extra detail and explanations that help cover up plot holes that existed in the episodes. Second, the fact that the novels portray the BG universe in a slightly different way and that they are not exact retellings of the episodes is good because the books would be pretty boring otherwise. Third, some of the characters such as Athena are fleshed out better in the novels. Make no mistake, this is the best of all the Berkley novelizations and is a must-read for any fan of the original series.

== External Links ==

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/BGEPISODES.htm Battlestar Galactica Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/Wharmby.htm Matthew Wharmby's Hilarious Galactica 1980 Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

User:Galactica1981/Galactica 1981 Reviews

2011-11-25T23:51:17Z

Galactica1981: /* Galactica Comics */

This is a list of reviews by [[User:Galactica1981]] for various [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]] content. Given to the Battlestar Wiki's policy of [[NPOV|Neutral Point of View]], they are found here rather than their respective articles.

These episode reviews originally appears on the Sheba's Galaxy site. They have been slightly revised.

== TOS Episode Reviews ==

===[[Saga of a Star World]] ===

'''RATING: Four and a half stars out of five'''

There's no question that on the night of September 17, 1978, Battlestar Galactica hit television screens with a bang. Saga Of A Star World is unquestionably the most elaborate televison movie ever made (and least up to that point!) When trying to rate something like this, it's important to examine it in the context of television during that time period. For sure, no sci-fi show of this magnitude had ever been done before in the history of television, and thus it deserves extra points for that alone. There are many great things that can be said about this episode (acting, special effects, music score), but I won't bother repeating what most people are already aware of. In the end, I had to decide against a full five-star rating, mostly because of the unforgivable "Star Wars" ending it was saddled with. The big explosion of the planet Carillon is a blatant ripoff of Star Wars, not to mention ridiculous as well. Setting fire to some tylium mines causes the entire planet to explode? This is ludicrous (although one could argue that destroying the massive Death Star by shooting a tiny exhaust port was equally ludicrous). Surely Glen Larson could have written a better ending than this. Ultimately, this had to reinforce many people's beliefs that Galactica was a second-rate Star Wars. Having a casino with all sorts of alien creatures also seems a little too close to Star Wars for comfort.

As a kid watching the show, I absolutely loved the Cylons because of how cool they looked. My favorite character was Starbuck who I idolized and wanted to be like. The series also had a phenomenal cast with tremendously talented actors (except for Maren Jensen), and it's a shame they were often saddled with substandard scripts. Starbuck and Apollo are wonderful in the lead roles, and they arguably have more chemistry than did Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. And Lorne Greene is superb as in the role of Commander Adama. In the pilot episode, the scene that perhaps stands out the most is the laser battle against the Cylon Centurions on the surface of Carillon, a truly awesome spectacle combined with the looming countdown as the Cylon raiders close in on the Galactica. It terms of the characters, my favorite scene is probably Starbuck's almost proposing to Athena. Finally, the musical score for the series is truly breathtaking, on a similar level as the one for Star Wars.

Of course, there are also some HUMONGOUS plot holes in this story, enough for any critic to tear it to shreds. I'm not going bother writing 5 pages about the plot problems of Saga Of A Star World. Instead, I'll just mention a few points:

The premise of the Colonial fleet seeking Earth, while interesting, is unfortunately flawed because no one (not even Adama) has any idea where it is! Apparently, Adama was the only one who even knew about Earth's existence, although he doesn't seem to have any proof. Thus the Colonial fleet is left to wander aimlessly throughout the universe looking for it. Fortunately, this problem would be addressed in ''War of the Gods'' when the Colonials finally learn the coordinates to Earth.

The Colonials seemed unbelievably gullible and naive regarding the Cylons' offer of peace. After a thousand years of war, you would think they'd have been more careful, but they foolishly leave their home planets undefended. President Adar is incredibly stupid when he sees a thousand Cylon raiders coming towards the fleet and assumes it is a peace envoy.

Apollo gets back to the fleet in time to warn them of the coming Cylon attack, yet he fails to do so. Why? Why does he take an hour to find the bridge?

=== [[Lost Planet of the Gods]]===

'''Rating: Four stars out of five'''

The second half of this two-part episode has the theatrical feel of a movie, while the first half has often been blasted as being sexist. Of course, it is a bit strange that all the female cadets look like lingerie models. Still, I think the claim of sexism is a bit overstated. If you look at women in the U.S. military, they tend to act in supporting roles rather than be on the front lines. I don't know how many female jet pilots are in the U.S. military, but I suspect there aren't many. And I suspect this is due less to discrimination than to the fact that women tend to make different career choices than men (i.e. they tend to choose less hazardous professions). The reasons for there being no female viper pilots on the Galactica were probably along the same lines.

Regardless, the first half of the episode mostly serves as a set-up for the second half. Nothing wrong with that, but it does make the first half far less interesting.

Anyway, the two-part episodes fare better than most of the one-part episodes because Glen Larson would often blow the budget and vastly overspend. There are many fantastic scenes in the second half: Serina proposing to Apollo that they marry immediately; the Star of Kobol appearing in the port window during the wedding ceremony; the light shining off of Adama's medallion inside the tombs of Kobol; the Cylon raiders attacking the surface of Kobol; and, of course, Serina's death scene.

Serina's death is one of the most poignant moments of the entire series. But it came with a high price, as the show arguably suffered without her. And the writing would start to take a turn for the worse with the very next episode.

===[[The Lost Warrior]]===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

After only two episodes, Battlestar Galactica's creative energy has fizzled out. This is the first of the so-called "bottled episodes." These episodes had few if any new special effects, enabling the producers to save money which would later be spent on the bigger, more extravagant "monster episodes." It's understandable that these "bottled" stories were necessary, but this is where rushing the show into production really hurt the series. The writers simply did not have time to create quality scripts. Of course, this would ultimately lead to the decline in ratings.

This kind of episode is tough to review because it's good but wrong. Based on the classic 1953 western film Shane, this actually makes a pretty decent western, but Battlestar Galactica is supposed to be a science fiction series. Sci-fi fans want science fiction, not half-hybrids of other shows (A mistake that Galactica 1980 would repeat). If I want to see a Western, I'd rather watch Bonanza. The only reason this gets two stars is because we get such a strong characterization of Apollo.

Unfortunately, this is not the only space western we would see on Galactica. Cowboys and saloons would return in The Magnificent Warriors. In fact, the very idea that an "old west" town would exist in Battlestar Galactica completely contradicts the Von Daniken premise of the show, that the Colonies and the ancient cultures of Earth (such as Atlantis and Egypt) have the same roots, the same beginnings. It is ludicrous that an Old West society could have any common connection with this. It raises all kinds of questions. The people of Equellis obviously had to arrive on that world by means of spacecraft, so why is the society so primitive? How could they not know of the Cylons since the war has raged for 1,000 years and the average human life-span is 200 years?

Why would Apollo be dumb enough to fly so far away from the fleet that he wouldn't have enough fuel to make it back? This really makes no sense. And why does Apollo promise Bella and Puppis that he will return one day? Why would he ever believe that possible?

Despite the lackluster plot, there are some good moments. Boxey beating Starbuck at Pyramid is funny, and the western style "shoot-out" between Red-Eye and Apollo is very well done. The only weak point is when Red Eye spots Apollo's laser and says, "Uh-oh." This trivalizes a very serious moment for the sake of silly humor. It is difficult to believe that a Cylon would use such a phrase. Ironically, for years I couldn't make out exactly what he was saying. I assumed it was some kind of challenge to Apollo, and it actually added to the power of the moment. You can imagine my dismay when I learned the truth. Also, Puppis gets pretty annoying pretty fast.

===[[The Long Patrol]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

The Long Patrol is lot of a fun and a big improvement over the previous episode. Starbuck's computer companion C.O.R.A is a hoot. There are several funny scenes: Starbuck womanizing Cassiopeia and Athena; Boomer's jab at him before he goes off on the mission; Starbuck finding a fortune in ambrosia only to have it destroyed by the Cylon attack. Adama deciding to change the Galactica's course to keep distance from the Cylons is very well done, revealing how burdensome command of the fleet is and how it forces him to sacrifice his loved ones to protect the rest of humanity.

Maren Jensen (Athena) gets more screen time here than in most of the episodes. The scene with Athena revealing Starbuck's apparent death to Cassiopeia is especially moving, one of Jensen's best scenes of the series. The Athen/Cassiopeia rivalry was compelling and could have been developed in future episodes, but sadly this never happens. This was likely due to Maren Jensen's limitations as an actress which caused the writers to reduce her role.

Could C.O.R.A. have been the inspiration for K.I.T.T., the computerized car on Glen Larson's Knight Rider? Considering the amazing similarities between the two, it would have to be a possibility. Also, Glen Larson has went on record saying that K.I.T.T.'s swerving red eye was inspired by the swerving red eyes of the Cylons. It was sort of his way of keeping the Cylons alive.

The Long Patrol is definitely one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

===[[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero]]===

'''Rating: Three and a half stars out of five'''

This two-part episode is based on the 1961 movie The Guns of Navarone and the 1967 movie The Dirty Dozen. The episode has a theatrical feel to it because, as mentioned before, the two-parters had bigger budgets. Although the story is by-the-numbers, it is very enjoyable because of the fantastic special effects. Still, as good as Gun is, it is easily one of the lesser of the two-parters. While better than Greetings From Earth, Gun falls far short of The Living Legend, Lost Planet Of The Gods, and especially War Of The Gods.

This was actually the second episode filmed. This would explain why Serina and Cassiopea do not appear (Serina and Cassiopea died in the original version of the pilot before the decision was made to bring them back). Baltar and Lucifer's scenes were probably shot much later.

This episode raises a serious question. Considering the staggering number of people who had to be left behind due to lack of ships, why would the Colonials bother to take criminals with them? Perhaps they were already locked in the brig on the Galactica before the Holocaust or they somehow managed to sneak aboard the fleet to be captured later. Or perhaps most of them committed their crimes after joining the rag tag fleet. Considering how overcrowded, starved, and disorganized the fleet was when it was assembled, it is logical that many violent crimes would have occurred. An episode exploring this would have been nice.

The idea that there would not be enough qualified Colonial warriors to go on the mission is hard to believe. And why do Apollo, Starbuck, and Boomer get chosen? They are pilots, and their emphasis is not on ground assault. Logically, the Galactica would have a ground assault team available for these kinds of situations. It is also difficult to believe that Boxey would have found a way to sneak onto the shuttle. At least he and Muffit have an impact on the success of the mission.

In the book ''The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'' by J.W. Rinzler and Ridley Scott, it is revealed that part of George Lucas's anger towards Battlestar Galactica was because of this episode. Lucas planned to feature an ice planet in the sequel to Star Wars, and he felt that Galactica threatened to undercut him by featuring an ice planet on one of their own episodes. Did this fuel his lawsuit that Galactica was infringing on Star Wars? Is so, then Lucas comes off as disingenuous to say the least, for it would be absurd to claim that Galactica was infringing on a movie that hadn't yet been made!

Baltar's legs were crushed in Lost Planet of the Gods, yet in this episode the only evidence of Baltar's injury is a slight limp. Did the Cylons do major reconstructive surgery on his legs? I guess so.

At this point, the constant reusing of the same space battle scenes really starts getting redundant. Still, this remains one of the most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

=== [[The Magnificent Warriors]] ===

'''Rating: One and a half stars out of five'''

Many fans consider this to be the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. While I don't agree, I think it comes pretty close. The story is, quite frankly, terrible. We are again subjected to yet another old-western style shanty town? Once was enough! The Borays are disgusting and sound awful. The only redeeming moment is when Adama and company discover Starbuck at the gambling table. It's rather funny.

Siress Bellaby is hands down the most annoying character to ever appear on Battlestar Galactica. Most viewers probably couldn't understand why the Colonial Warriors didn't simply let the Borays kill her.

On a positive note, we are shown Lorne Greene's impressive range as an actor. It's interesting to see a comical Adama, a nice contrast to the serious commander that we usually see. Unfortunately, Greene is forced to play against Brett Somers (Siress Bellaby). Somers isn't funny; she's annoying, and it kills most of the comedy that is presented.

The premise of The Magnificent Warriors actually had a lot of potential. We are given a situation where the fleet has no food and everyone is aware of it (unlike in Saga Of A Star World when the Colonials were able to cover up the problem). This raises all kinds of fascinating issues. Would the fleet start a mutiny against Adama during such a crisis? How would Adama react to such a mutiny? How would he choose who to save? Would he allow each ship to make its own decision to leave? Or would he try to force them to stick together? And what decisions would Starbuck and Apollo be forced to make if such a mutiny occurred? So many interesting questions for the episode to pursue.

Sadly, standard television plotting is what we get. The Colonials are traveling through the vast uncharted regions of space, and they run out of food at just the precise moment they happen to be near a farming colony. Okay. Whatever. The Colonials land on the planet and meet the Borays. From then on, it's just another battle of good vs. evil. Putting the Colonials in a moral dilemna would have been much more interesting that what we were given here.

===[[The Young Lords]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

This is the family episode of Battlestar Galactica. Starbuck is shot down and crashes on a planet. Yawn. This is essentially a remake of The Lost Warrior in which Apollo is stranded on the planet Equellus. Of course, Starbuck was also stranded in The Long Patrol and Cree was stranded in ''The Gun On Ice Planet Zero''. Later in ''Greetings From Earth'', Starbuck, Apollo, and Casseopia would be stranded on the planet Paradeen. At this point, the series was becoming so predictable that viewers each week must have been asking the question, "Who's going to have to be rescued this week?" In fact, Mad Magazine, in a spoof of Galactica, poked fun at this element of the show. (See [[Humor in the Original Series]])

Considering the incredibly broad premise of the series, it's amazing that the writers had so much trouble coming up with a story that didn't involve someone being stranded on a planet. With this kind of plot, The Young Lords shouldn't even be watchable. And yet, despite all these drawbacks, this actually turns out to be a fun, enjoyable episode. Part of this praise goes to the tremendous production values. It is simply fascinating to see so many Cylons inside a medieval castle. The location is nothing short of spectacular. To top it off, Dirk Benedict delivers with a wonderful performance. There are many good scenes, especially Starbuck's rescue from the Cylons by Kyle and the children (plus his insulting remark to the Cylons moments before). Playing up kids in a series can be extremely fatal to ratings (Galactica 1980 became an infamous example of this), but fortunately Kyle and the gang never get to the point where they become grating; although they (and their song near the end) come dangerously close. (And are we to believe Starbuck and his Scooby Gang would actually take the time to think up lyrics for a song and memorize them? Please!)

The IL series Cylon Spectre is a delightfully conniving character. He is the perfect foil for Lucifer. His phony flattery of Baltar is hilarious, especially the way he manages to turn defeat to his own advantage. Unfortunately, the character does not appear again. Had the series continued into a second season, he probably would have. Spectre does appear in the later original Berkley novels [[The Nightmare Machine]], [[Die, Chameleon!]] and [[Surrender the Galactica!]] where he is put to good use.

Most of the scenes of Baltar and Lucifer communicating with Spectre were recycled with different dialogue into the Galactica telemovie [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]].

Needless to say that by this point the Cylons have become a joke. When you stop and really think about it, it is ludicrous that an entire Cylon garrison is defeated by one colonial warrior and five children.

Still, this episode somehow succeeds despite every logical reason why it shouldn't.

===[[The Living Legend]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five'''

This is one of the very best episodes of Battlestar Galactica. The two-part episodes consistently deliver, and The Living Legend is no exception. The idea of a second survivng battlestar is a good one, as is a scenario where the fleet runs out of fuel.

This episode introduces two compelling characters, Commander Cain and his daughter, Lt. Sheba. Sheba's character is said to have been a ground-breaking role for women. She is tough, independent, and short-tempered. Basically, she's the exact opposite of virtually every other female character to appear on the series. Fortunately, she, along with Bojay, becomes a regular after this episode.

Lloyd Bridges is tremendous as Commander Cain. It's hard to imagine any other actor filling the role. The only weak moment for Bridges is when Cain lies to Adama about the "accidental" failure of the tanker mission. Cain's cavalier attitude about it makes it obvious to everyone that he purposely sabotaged the mission.

This story is different from any other Galactica story thus far because we see a clash of philosophies within the ranks of the military. Cain wants to wage an all-out war against Gamoray, and Adama simply wants to capture the much-needed fuel and escape. The earlier episodes were extremely simplistic in their portaryal of good versus evil. The Colonials are good. The Cylons are evil. Simple as that. Since the good guys are all in the military, the military is always portrayed as being right. Adama, Starbuck, and Apollo had very few moral dilemnas to deal with, which would have made the stories so much more interesting.

Baltar personally leading the attack on the Galactica makes the battle much more intense and exciting, mostly because the battle has a storyline. Most of the Galactica space battles are nothing more than a confusing jumble of stock shots haphazardly thrown together with nothing in terms of a flow or climax. (One of the bigger flaws of Return Of The Jedi was that the Battle of Endor had nothing in terms of a storyline.) This time it is different. The Pegasus closing in on Baltar at the end of part one is the best cliff hanger of the series. It is rather fitting that Baltar's forces are taken by surprise, since it was Baltar who caused the colonial warfleet to be taken by surprise in the pilot.

The scene between Adama and Apollo right before the mission to capture the Cylon tankers is very powerful. It shows how, despite being father and son, each of their respective positions forces a distance between them personally. What is especially impressive is that this is done without words. Richard Hatch and Lorne Greene manage to convey more with a facial expression than most actors do with a page of dialogue.

Boxey really starts to get on the nerves at this point. Nothing against Noah Hathaway, but Boxey is a character all too typical of standard television. He is an ultra-cute TV kid doing ultra-cute things, yet usually has little or no bearing on the plot. These kinds of characters (most notably the Super Scouts from Galactica 1980) only serve to hurt a show's ratings.

When you put the story under scrutiny, there are some serious flaws. Why are viper pilots sent on a ground mission? Wouldn't the Galactica have specialized teams for that sort of thing? It is also a bit difficult to believe that Sheba could have found a way to go on the mission to Gamoray without permission. It is even more difficult to believe that Cassiopea would have been allowed to just hop on the shuttle. Was she given a crash course on parachuting during the shuttle ride? How could the Colonial warriors have known exactly which building in Gamoray contained the main communications center? And are we to believe that destroying one small communications center would disable the entire city's defense system? If, like me, you can overlook these flaws, this is still a great episode.

This episode and Fire In Space were later combined to form the horrid Galactica theatrical movie [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]].

===[[Fire in Space]]===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

This explosive episode is the one-hour equivalent of a disaster movie. It's basically a sci-fi version of The Towering Inferno (and stock footage from that movie was probably used here). There's so much action that it isn't until the end that you realize just how essentially empty it is. There are a lot of things happening, and at the same time there is nothing happening. By all rights this story should be downright awful, yet somehow it isn't. It really speaks volumes about the show's production values and the performances of the actors that this turns out to be an enjoyable hour despite another by-the-numbers script.

After this episode, producer Glen Larson decided changed the direction of the series, relegating the Cylons to the background. The Cylons are not featured again until the final episode, The Hand Of God. The reason for the change of direction may be that Larson had a feeling the series would be canceled and decided to try to create a storyarc that would end the series with the Galactica apparently getting close to Earth. In an interview, Larson has said that he wasn't surprised the show was canceled. The change of direction was really for the best because the battles with the Cylons were too ridiculously imbalanced in the Colonials' favor (due to the censors) making the Cylons look like a joke, and the reusing of the same space battle stock footage was becoming monotonous.

The ending the writers originally planned had Cylon raiders attacking the Galactica a second time, and it is their lasers that put Starbuck and Apollo in danger on the Galactica's hull. Unfortunately, the network censors overruled this because they felt it would have been too repetitive. The complete original ending from the script can be found [[List_of_Deleted_Scenes_(TOS)#Fire_In_Space|here.]]

The story completely falls apart when put under scientific scrutiny because fires simply cannot exist in outer space, as many Galactica critics have pointed out. However, Star Wars was able to get away with this flub (Remember the fate of the Death Star?), so it seems rather unfair that Battlestar Galactica took so many shots because of it.

This is Terry Carter's best episode, since Colonel Tigh is thrust into the forefront, taking command of the Galactica while Adama is incapacitated. Carter does a tremendous job, and his strong performance helps save this cliched, overused story plot from losing steam.

Since the Galactica was on the verge of destruction by the time Starbuck and Apollo were planting charges on the hull, didn't it ever occur to Colonel Tigh to evacuate all non-essential personnel including the Colonial vipers so that, if the Galactica was destroyed, the fleet would at least have a fighting chance to survive? And since it was too dangerous to operate on Adama on the Galactica, didn't it ever occur to Dr. Salik to shuttle Adama to another ship in the fleet and perform the operation there?

A tremendous amount of damage is done to the Galactica (especially the landing bay), yet there is no sign of this in any future episodes nor any explanation of how the repairs went. Considering the abysmal plot, this episode was probably best left forgotten.

===[[War of the Gods]]===

'''RATING: Five stars out of five'''

War Of The Gods is one of the best and most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica. It is not the very best episode, nor is it completely flawless, but it is easily the most complex of all the stories we were given. The bottom line is that it is extremely rare to see this kind of thing done on TV. This is one of the few episodes to fully utilize Galactica's Von Daniken premise (God Is An Astronaut). We learn that angels are not spirits of the dead, but advanced beings who are thousands of years ahead of the Colonials in both technology and spirituality. Count Iblis (whom Apollo addresses in part 2 as Mephistopheles) comes across as a form of devil. There is an interesting parallel with mythology. Just as the angel Lucifer (or Satan) rebelled against heaven, Iblis rebels against his brothers on the Ship of Lights.

Iblis may well be the most fascinating character in the entire series. What is fascinating is that his voice is the same as that of the Cylon Imperious Leader. Baltar recognizes this (and it would have been an unforgivable flub if he didn't). There have been two primary theories about Iblis' origin. The first is that Iblis exterminated the original reptile Cylon race and created the mechanical one, starting the thousand year war with the humans.

The second theory is that Iblis and the Imperious Leader are one and the same. Iblis calling Baltar "old friend" would seem to support this. Also, it is made clear in the end that Iblis cannot control anyone who does not choose to follow him. If Iblis is the Imperious Leader, then Baltar technically was "following him" since he (Baltar) was serving the Cylons. However, the theory that Iblis and Imperious Leader being the same person doesn't quite hold up because wouldn't the Cylons then easily be able to locate the Colonial fleet? Therefore, the first theory makes more sense overall. But there is still the question of how Iblis was able to make Baltar surrender to the Colonials. The episode tries to make it seem that Iblis did not perform his bigger miracles, that the white lights caused the crops to grow and Baltar came of his own free will (the latter is hinted by Apollo in a missing scene that was cut from the original script). Of course, the idea that Baltar would surrender on his own is ludicrous considering the coward that he is. And why would the white lights come to the fleet if that would cause the crops on the agro-ship to grow and thus fulfill one of Iblis' tasks? Most importantly, why would Iblis dare the Colonials to make 3 challenges for him if he did not possess the power to complete them?

Regarding Iblis' origin, I tend to go with the first theory, but I would take it one step further and suggest that the Imperious Leader is either a servant of Iblis or is somehow under Iblis' control. Thus Baltar, by serving the Cylons, would also be serving Iblis and thus would be subject to Iblis' commands.

You really have to wonder if Glen Larson planned to have Patrick Macnee play Count Iblis from the very first episode or if it was just an amazing coincidence that the same actor who provided the Imperious Leader's voice turned out to be perfect for the Count Iblis role. Considering how incredibly rushed the production of the show was, the latter would have to be a possibility. If it's the former, then you really have to applaud Glen Larson for planning so far ahead.

There are other marvelous scenes. Iblis' slow manipulation and seduction of Sheba is riveting (especially when he kisses her on the Agro-ship). The white lights and the Ship of Lights are a marvel and have to be considered among the best special effects the series has ever produced. The scenery of the red planet, including the visual effect of Starbuck, Apollo, and Sheba when they walk on that world is also outstanding. The triad court is a fantastic (and obviously, expensive) set. You have to give the producers a lot of credit for creating such a unique game for the Colonials to play. It makes sense. With the grueling struggle for survival in a rag-tag fleet, the Colonials have to have some sort of entertainment to take their minds off their plight.

As with most episodes, the performances are all top-notch. Richard Hatch plays his end perfectly, carefully balancing Apollo's distrust of Iblis and his caring for Sheba. Dirk Benedict adds a whole new dimension to Starbuck. His rage and grief over the death of Apollo (especially when he attempts to shoot Iblis) stand out as some of Starbuck's most memorable moments of the entire series. Anne Lockhart is also great portraying Sheba's slow seduction and manipulation by Count Iblis. Her joy at Apollo's resurrection firmly establishes her inner feelings toward him, and this subplot would come to a stunning head in the final episode. Lorne Greene never falters in his performances, and this is no exception. Greene does a tremendous job portraying a man torn between his desire to find Earth and his distrust of Iblis. One of the best moments has to be during the Triad game. During the game, Adama and Iblis are seated on opposite sides of the court. There are really two battles going on here: the battle between the players on the court, and the battle between Iblis and Adama.

Despite everything, the episode is not completely perfect. Not all the questions are answered (which in itself is not a bad thing), but some of what happens doesn't quite make sense. First of all, why does the Ship of Lights kidnap the viper pilots? We are never given any kind of answer. What makes it more confusing is that by kidnapping the pilots, the Ship of Lights actually aids Iblis because the Colonials look to him for protection. And why does Baltar say that Iblis now no longer holds any power over him after Baltar recognizes Iblis' voice? Perhaps this is supposed to be a clue to understand who Iblis is, but if this is the case, I can't make anything out of it.

There is also the issue of what was inside the crashed ship on the red planet. A popular myth is that the ship is the the Battlestar Pegasus and when Apollo looked inside he saw the body of Commander Cain, but this is false. The original script and the Berkely novelization tell us exactly what is inside the ship: tall, cloven-hoofed horned beings with tails. This is a little hard to make sense of. Are the beings in the ship supposed to be devils? If that is the case, it doesn't really make Iblis appear all that evil for killing them. It could be viewed as another parallel of mythology. After being defeated by heaven, Lucifer and his followers fall into hell. Likewise, Iblis' ship containing his followers (the devils) crashes (falls) to the earth. It's not a perfect allegory, but fascinating nonetheless. (For more on this, see [[War_of_the_Gods,_Part_II#The_Mystery_of_the_Crashed_Ship|The Mystery of the Crashed Ship]])

I'm not trying to pick the episode apart with these various criticisms. Actually, the story works much better with its mystery and ambiguity rather than easy, clear-cut answers. One of the problems with television these days is that shows rarely challenge the viewer to think; instead, most shows sacrifice ambiguity and insist on spelling everything out as simply and clearly as possible. The mystery of Count Iblis is really what makes ''War Of The Gods'' so special and one of the most famous and highly debated of all the Galactica episodes. I'm glad that we are not given the answer to who Iblis is because the only way a mystery can retain its power is as long as it remains unsolved. Why do you think the great magicians never reveal how they do their tricks? If you are looking for a great movie example of this, then I suggest you check out Peter Weir's ''Picnic At Hanging Rock''.

Finally, one of the best things about this episode is that it provides us the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba!

===[[The Man With Nine Lives]]===

'''Rating: Four out of five stars'''

This episode is the only one that offers a significant look at the people of the fleet. Fred Astaire puts in an enjoyable performance as the rogue con-man Chameleon. The Borellian Nomen are interesting new adversaries for the Colonial Warriors, although they seem to be based on a Hollywood and societal stereotype of American Indians (Unfortunately, we are told very little of their origins). One of the best episodes in terms of characterization.

This episode pretty much makes it clear that Cassiopeia is THE ONE for Starbuck, thanks to Starbuck telling Chameleon that she's the only one he's ever considered sealing with (although that actually isn't true; he did almost propose to Athena in the pilot episode).

Don Bellisario was unable to think of a suitable name for the villains. In an after-work bull session, story editor Jim Carlson casually remarked something to the effect of, "It’s too bad they’re not from an ice planet, you could call them Snomen." Bellisario replied, "There’s no snow where these guys are gonna be!" Carlson answered, "Then call then Nomen."

This episode proves that great stories don't require huge explosions and fancy special effects. Unfortunately, the rushed production of the show made episodes like The Man With Nine Lives the exception rather than the rule.

=== [[Murder on the Rising Star]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Murder She Wrote in outer space??? This story had little point being part of a show like Battlestar Galactica. This is the kind of story that is done on almost every science fiction series when the writers are out of ideas. There is very little in the way of drama because the viewer knows the hero is innocent and will be cleared. This story tries to give the impression that Starbuck might be guilty (we don't get to see who shoots Ortega, Starbuck is shown running from the scene, plus Starbuck's anxiousness in the shuttle bay makes him appear guilty), but only the most gullible of viewers would fall for this. The story would be more forgivable if we learned some new insights about the characters or the fleet, but what do we learn? What is the point? Is it that the Colonial system of law is virtually identical to the U.S. system? (which is hardly believeable) Or that Adama has to spend time hearing court cases? (Not too believable either considering the incredibly burdensome task he has of commanding the fleet) Or is it that playing triad is more dangerous than anybody thought? What is the point of this episode except to fill an hour's worth of time???

This is the fourth episode that features Starbuck. While Dirk Benedict certainly plays a wonderful character, it would have been nice to have featured some of the lesser used cast members (Tigh, Boomer, Athena, Sheba).

One thing really stands out: It is absurd how little time Apollo is given to prepare a case for Starbuck's defense. He only has 10 centares, and the script for this episode has a key that states a centar is an hour. Only 10 hours to prepare for a murder trial??? Give me a break!

This story could have been done differently to make it more poignant. What if Apollo was unable to conclusively prove who killed Ortega, and Adama intervenes, using his power as commander to have Starbuck set free. It would raise the question of whether Adama was abusing his power. Even then, considering the fleet must be depleted when it comes to seasoned viper pilots, it could be argued that the fleet needed Starbuck as a warrior. It would have been an interesting moral issue, something Battlestar Galactica rarely had. I also think the story would have been more interesting if we were left with some doubt as to whether Starbuck killed Ortega (in self-defense, of course).

An interesting note: Karibdis appears early on in the story, serving drinks to Adama and Tigh while they watch the Triad game. This is an often-used writing device. You have the murderer/villain appear early in the story, sometimes at the very beginning, in what appears to be a minor or trivial role. This often fools the audience, as they rarely expect such a character to be revealed so quickly. This was also done on the miniseries for the new Galactica, when one of the human Cylons is leading a tour of the Galactica during the opening credits. If you want to get good at solving TV/movie mysteries, pay attention to the minor characters that appear early in the story.

Overall, the murder mystery itself isn't half bad, and there are fine all-around performances from the cast to make this watchable. In a way, it makes the episode more disappointing to have such great talent squandered on such a by-the-numbers story. But everyone holds up their end well, especially Dirk Benedict and Laurette Spang in their scene inside the brig. It's nice the writers found a way to bring Baltar into the story, and John Colicos still makes a great villain. The flashback of the destruction of Caprica is also well-done. There were certainly many crimes committed during the evacuation, and it illustrates that Battlestar Galactica was brimming with potentially interesting stories to explore, which again only makes this episode more of a letdown.

That said, it's important to realize that writers Jim Carlson and Terrence McDonnell were forced to write this episode in 36 hours straight. Considering what a rushjob this script was, it's amazing it turned out as well as it did. This is one instance where it might be better to see the glass as half-full rather than half-empty.

===[[Greetings from Earth]]===

'''RATING: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Greetings From Earth just doesn't measure up with the other two-hour episodes. The story makes for a passable first hour but quickly takes a nosedive in the second. Glen Larson's attempt at comedy falls horribly flat. Hector, Vector and the kids quickly wear out their welcome (A premonition of Galactica 1980?). The Eastern Alliance is introduced as a new adversary, but they are little more than cardboard Nazis with zero charisma (at least the Cylons looked cool). Another problem is that their primitive technology takes a lot of steam out of their threat. Unfortunately, the Eastern Alliance is never utilized to the fullest. A space battle between vipers and Eastern Alliance destroyers would have been fantastic, but the time and money needed to do such a complex battle scene made it impossible. Also, Apollo becomes a bit overbearing with his "Do The Right Thing" attitude in the first half (What's also annoying is that Apollo's dialogue in the first half is badly redubbed, apparently to make his voice louder).

What makes the first hour so interesting is that the Colonials are faced with a perplexing moral issue (a rarity, for sure). Do they allow the humans to leave, or force them to remain at least until more information is learned? There are actually opposing opinions within the Colonial military, at least for awhile. Apollo's view quickly wins out, though. The Council of Twelve is portrayed as being incredibly selfish and uncaring, but it could be argued they were right. It was possibly life or death for the Colonials to learn about the human race that awaited them. Certainly the humans could have been revived long enough for the Colonials to get the necessary information out of them. Apollo's plan to let the ship go had a good chance of failing. How could he be certain enough that they wouldn't get lost, or wind up so far away that they'd never be able to make it back to the fleet?

When you think about it, why don't Starbuck, Apollo and Cassiopea have super powers when they are in Paradeen's weaker gravity just as the Super Scouts do when they are in Earth's weaker gravity on Galactica 1980? Wouldn't it have been fun to see Starbuck, Apollo, and Cassiopea bouncing up and down and jumping into trees?

Unlike the other two-parters, this one ends with a whimper instead of a bang as Starbuck and Apollo's capture of the Enforcers is about as anti-climatic as you can get. This script really comes across as being rushed, which was probably the case. Overall, Greetings From Earth is yet another episode that failed to reach its potential due to the constrainments of a weekly series.

=== [[Experiment in Terra]] ===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

Experiment In Terra initially comes across as a superb episode, but under close inspection the story unfortunately has serious flaws. The Ship of Lights recruiting Apollo to help Terra is a cool idea, but their reasoning as to why they need to use a mortal human doesn't hold up. John says that the people of Terra can't see the "Guardians" (my own name for them) outside the confines of their ship. And yet on Terra, John makes himself visible to Starbuck by merely touching him. Even more problematic, Apollo's mission never makes sense. The Guardians know that the Eastern Alliance is going to launch a missile attack, so the master plan is to have Apollo tell the "west side" that the Eastern Alliance has been attacking them? Um, okay, but even if Apollo succeeds, how will this stop the Eastern Alliance from launching their missiles? Why not just have Apollo tell the Galactica to travel to Terra and destroy the missile attack? The answer, of course, is that there wouldn't be much of a story.

Sadly, there are many other flaws. Apollo says he can't reach Terra because the distance is too great, so he is "teleported" right in front of the planet. So how is it that Starbuck is able to eventually reach the planet on his own? Logically, he wouldn't have had enough fuel. Adama's decision to pull the Galactica out of the fleet is more out of whack than it may first appear. He didn't do that in earlier episodes when Starbuck or Apollo were crashed/stranded. This time Adama doesn't even know who the two pilots are, and yet he pulls the Galactica out of the fleet.

Even more ludicrous is the idea that the Galactica travels to Terra at light speed (and not just because it is scientifically implausible). If the Galactica was traveling to Terra at the speed of light, they should have reached Terra almost instantly (in fact, they probably could have found Earth during the pilot episode!) And how is it that the Galactica was able to travel to Terra unmolested? Surely there would be Eastern Alliance destroyers patrolling the area around the planet. And how does the Eastern Alliance not know that the Galactica was responsible for destroying their missiles? Surely the Galactica would have been picked up on their scanners.

Also, the West President's reasoning for withholding knowledge of the Eastern Alliance's attacks is questionable. Why does he think he can make peace with the Eastern Alliance if they are constantly attacking him? And if the Eastern Alliance has wiped out all of the West's satellite planets, how could the President possibly prevent word of this from leaking out? It's not realistic at all. Plus, the idea that the Eastern Alliance would be willing to destroy the entire planet (at least half of which they own) is pretty ridiculous. Okay, they ARE Bad Guys, but what's the point of destroying most of their empire when they were already winning the war?

With such a long list of problems, you would think that this is a terrible episode. Amazingly, this isn't the case. In fact, Experiment In Terra still ranks as one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica. Seeing the Ship of Lights again is a treat, and Edward Mulhare is delightful as John, Apollo's guide. This episode is another example where the great production values and strong performances from the actors are able to overcome the plot inconsistencies. What makes Experiment In Terra work so well is that its plot holes aren't immediately noticeable. I didn't realize how many there were until I sat down and really thought about it. Apollo's mission to save Terra, as pointless as it winds up being, is still extremely engrossing. Apollo's speech to the Precidium is very dramatic and moving, even though (as we've already said) everything Apollo does on Terra turns out to be a waste of time since nothing he does has any chance of preventing the Eastern Alliance from launching its missiles.

This episode is extra fun to watch if you're aware that the script was originally written with the roles of Starbuck and Apollo reversed. After Richard Hatch complained that his character was getting the shaft, the script was quickly rewritten with the dialogue mostly remaining the same, resulting in Apollo talking suspiciously like Starbuck. At one point, Apollo says "Felgercarb" for the first time ever!

The ending scene is touching, as John tells Apollo that Terra is not Earth but "You must have faith." Many Galactica fans have interpreted this to mean that Apollo would successfully complete the journey to Earth.

Here are some humorous notes from British writer Matthew Wharmby:

* I'm sorry, but I thought the final scene was tremendously weak. All that buildup to a good scrap, heart-stopping music included, let down with a pathetic green shield spat out of the front of the Galactica. And from a terrible angle made necessary by two separately matted halves; one of Earth and one of the Galactica's underside. And you don't mean to tell me that the Galactica could extend such a shield over the whole planet? If so, why couldn't she have performed the same thing over Caprica in the pilot, and let the attacking Cylon fighters blow themselves up in it?
* Nobody seems too panicked about the impending nuclear annihilation! I don't know about you, but when us kids growing up in the late Cold War used to speculate nervously about the four-minute warning, the usual consensus was that we'd be doing, well, what it takes four minutes to do. 'You can do it twice,' the girls would quip.
* I'm not mad keen on Brenda's attitude. If every girl who had boyfriend trouble called the Old Bill on such a weak pretext, there wouldn't be a bloke alive out of prison!

=== [[Take the Celestra]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five'''

This is probably the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. A lot of people will probably disagree, but I have to go with this choice simply because I found this episode to be incredibly boring. The Magnificent Warriors and The Lost Warrior were also really bad (and they were certainly more simplistic), but they were never really boring. A story focusing on the hardships of voyaging on the rag tag fleet is a great idea, but this episode takes one self-destructive turn after another and may be the best example of a wasted opportunity for the series. Many of BG's bad episodes were somewhat saved by wonderful performances from the actors, but there is nothing here that stands out (although the Starbuck/Cassiopea reconciliation at the end is a nice moment). Starbuck and Apollo actually look stale. This is one of the few times that neither Richard Hatch nor Dirk Benedict are able to rise above the mediocre writing. Commander Kronus is incredibly boring - a static, stale character with little depth. Because it's hard to care about the character, it's hard to feel anything during the "dramatic" finish when Kronus dies. Given the moronic decisions he makes, I felt like saying "Good riddance." On the other hand, Ana Alicia suceeds in making Aurora interesting, but she is mostly wasted in this episode. Unfortunately, her boyfriend is more boring than Kronus, and I just wanted him to shut up. Despite these issues, the main problem with Take The Celestra lies in the script itself.

One of the biggest (yet least noted) flaws of Battlestar Galactica was the way it portrayed life in the rag-tag fleet. Day-to-day existence on a fleet of mostly derelict ships would no doubt be a grueling struggle for survival. Yet the series rarely ever indicated this. Most scenes with civilians consisted of parties, gambling, and triad games aboard the Rising Star! (hardly the most accurate look we could have been given) Take The Celestra was the perfect vehicle to change this, but unfortunately the writers took the easy way out. Aurora and the other mutineers were "illegally forced" to work so many double shifts. This makes the issue of right and wrong very easy to determine, but consider another direction the writers could have taken.

What if the harsh working conditions existed throughout the entire fleet? (and, logically, they should have) What if Aurora and the others were not working harder than anyone else and simply decided they had had enough? Would they be morally right in trying to escape the fleet (considering that the loss of manpower would likely hurt the remaining Colonials)? Apollo, Starbuck and the rest of the military are always talking about the importance of freedom. Apollo talks about it strongly in his speech to the Precedium in Experiment In Terra. When Starbuck tries to convince the prisoners to rebel in The Long Patrol, he says "You have rights. You're human beings!" When they finally escape, he says, "That's freedom." An interesting idea to explore is how free the Colonials actually were. Surely many of them wanted to settle on some of the planets the fleet passed by. If Adama refused their wishes, he would technically be restricting their freedom. Unfortunately, this kind of story is problematic because the extent of Adama's power is never clear; in fact, it varies from episode to episode (depending whatever works best for the story that week). But this kind of story would have made it a tough call as to whether Aurora and her friends were right and whether Starbuck and Apollo were totally justified in stopping them.

Anyway, that's the episode I would have liked to see, or anything other than what we did see, the most boring Galactica episode to date. The story is riddled with holes, outdone perhaps only by Experiment In Terra. Whereas that story's flaws are not immediately noticeable, most of this story's flaws are. Commander Kronus' decision to immediately shuttle the prisoners back to the fleet despite being so far away doesn't make much sense. His accompanying the shuttle makes even less sense. Colonial law states that a commander has to personally take the mutineers in for charges? Huh? Even when his ship is out in the middle of nowhere? Okay. Whatever. Kronus should have waited until the Celestra rejoined the fleet. His decision makes him look like an idiot.

How is it that Chakka is able to get almost the entire crew to mutiny with him on a whim? He couldn't have been planning mutiny beforehand because he had expected to become commander of the Celestra. And if the entire crew wasn't with him in the mutiny, then how could he have expected to get away with powering down the ship? And could Starbuck and Apollo both be so clueless that they wouldn't be able to remember which heading the fleet was on? And how does the shuttle run out of fuel so fast? And how is it that Kronus could not have known or heard about any of the harsh working conditions? The Celestra isn't that big of a ship. Are we to believe that he never left the bridge? To top it off, why is there such an urgent need in the final battle scene to "level out" the Celestra? It's not as though there were any ships or planets around that it could crash into. Almost nothing in this episode makes any sense.

The minor plot of Cassiopeia agonizing over Starbuck's evasiveness in their relationship is far more compelling than the main plot of the Celestra mutiny. But even the Starbuck/Aurora plot has problems. For one thing, the writers have Starbuck act like a total jerk by skipping his date with Cassie so he can see Aurora. Why would Cassie put up with that? And how is it that Starbuck had a serious relationship with Aurora going during the time of the Destruction? Didn't he clearly have something going with Athena back then? (If there's anything worse than the writers making things up as they go, it's when they unmake things up as they go.)

Anyway, this only makes Starbuck look like a bigger womanizer than anyone thought (not exactly the best way to endear him to viewers). Aurora makes a valid point in her anger towards him. If Starbuck really did care about her, why didn't he check to see if her name was in the fleet computer? Just because her house was destroyed doesn't mean for certain that she was killed. It's also highly questionable that Starbuck ever made it back to Caprica after the Cylons attacked. We've never been given any indication that anyone besides Adama and Apollo ever went back. Considering how dangerous it would have been (not to mention how strong a chance that someone might have led the Cylons back to the Galactica), it's absolutely ludicrous to suggest Adama would have allowed anyone to return to the planet.

I almost want to pretend that this episode was just a bad dream. Fortunately, the very next episode would raise the roof.

===[[The Hand of God]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five.'''

They saved the best for last. ''The Hand Of God'' is arguably the best episode of Battlestar Galactica, and my personal favorite.

No doubt about it, ''The Hand of God'' is Galactica at its best. Donald Bellisario shows the other writers how it's done, pulling out all the stops with this one. Both the script and the performances are stellar. Never before have the characters been portrayed in such a powerful way. Although there is nothing innovative about the basic plot itself (The Galactica battles the Cylons again), there are enough things going on that make this story extremely engrossing.

This episode is fascinating from start to finish. Visually, it is a treat as we get to see the inside of a Cylon basestar's landing bay for the first time. We also get to see Cylon Centurions boarding their ships for the first time. And the Celestial Observation Dome is a marvel, as is Apollo's analogy that being inside it is like riding in the Hand of God.

What makes this story especially memorable is the culmination of a story thread that has been running since ''War of the Gods''. In that episode, we see the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba. Nothing happens in the other episodes following, although Anne Lockhart does a good job showing, in a subtle way, Sheba's emerging feelings for Apollo.

Kudos go to both Anne Lockhart and Laurette Spang for winning performances. Sheba's confrontation with Apollo and their kiss inside the Cylon raider is the best scene of the episode. That and Cassiopeia's argument with Starbuck in the landing bay are both incredibly moving, providing each actress with her stand-out moment of the series. It really gives the viewer a chance to appreciate the range of Anne and Laurette. Women on this show were usually stuck in the background; this episode placed demands on each actress they rarely had to face. Give each one credit for not dropping the ball. Fortunately, they are both aided by outstanding dialogue from Bellisario. Of course, Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, and Herbert Jefferson, Jr. hold up their end as well. Starbuck, Apollo, and Boomer clasping hands in the pilots barracks (with the accompanying music score) powerfully expresses the bond of their friendship more than words ever could.

Extra congratulations go to Donald Bellisario who also directed this episode. His use of slow motion twice during Starbuck and Apollo's battles with Cylon Centurions make the scenes much more intense and suspenseful. Let's face it. Thanks to ABC's family-friendly censors, the Cylons often looked like a joke (Remember ''The Young Lords'' when Starbuck and five children wiped out an entire Cylon garrison?). If Starbuck and Apollo's shootout scenes had been shown in real time, there would have been little (if any) impact.

Another reason ''The Hand of God'' works so well is because the Cylons were not featured in the previous seven or eight episodes. Glen Larson wisely saw that the constant reusing of the same space battle footage was hurting the stories and thus moved the Cylons into the background after ''Fire In Space''. So much time has passed since then that the Cylons seem revitalized. There's nothing spectacular about the dogfight between the vipers and raiders or the slugfest between the Galactica and the Cylon basestar (since it's the same footage seen in previous episodes), but the story is compelling enough that it all still works.

If there is one flaw with this story, it is the idea that Adama would attack a Cylon basestar and risk the fate of the entire human race just for the sake of wreaking some vengeance. This is the same man who told Commander Cain, "I'm not interested in military victories. I'm interested in saving lives. What few of them are left." It would have worked better to have a scenario where the Galactica simply could not backtrack and thus was forced to attack the Cylons. Still, it is a minor flaw in an overall outstanding script.

It is extremely frustrating that we never see a follow-up to Apollo and Sheba's relationship since this was the final episode. For fans who would like to see some kind of continuation, there are some fan fiction stories that I highly recommend. There is a short story called ''My Father's Daughter'' which takes place immediately following the events of ''The Hand of God'' and is quite simply the best Sheba story I have ever read. Three other novels, ''Second Coming'', ''Joint Maneuvers'', and ''The Race For Earth'' also explore Apollo and Sheba's relationship and are outstanding. These stories are all available free online at a site I own called [http://freegalacticafanfictionnovels.weebly.com Free Battlestar Galactica Fan Fiction Novels].

Many fans were and still are saddened that the original show ended so soon. Personally, I'm at peace with it. If the show had to end, ''The Hand of God'' may have been the best way to close the curtain. After reading Glen Larson's [[Battlestar_Galactica:_Year_Two_proposal|Season Two proposal]], all I can say is, "Thank god the show ended when it did!" It appears that, if there had been a second season, half the cast would have been cut in order to save money, Sheba would have been killed off, Commander Cain would have returned as a Cylon android, and Apollo would have shirked his responsibilities and started partying and messing around with numerous women. Ugh!!!

I think I can accept Battlestar Galactica for what it was, always remembering that the light that shines twice as bright only burns half as long.

== Galactica 1980 Episode Reviews ==

=== [[Galactica Discovers Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

Galactica Discovers Earth turns out to be a watchable pilot, but watchable is about all. From the very first episode, Galactica 1980 is clearly nothing more than an attempt by ABC to cash in on the Galactica name by creating a cheap show that simply reuses the expensive special effects stock footage from the original series. The later episodes would only reinforce this. Kent McCord (Troy) and Barry Van Dyke (Dillon) come off as inferior clones of Starbuck and Apollo. In fact, the script for the pilot was originally written for Starbuck and Apollo. When those plans changed, the names were simply switched to Troy and Dillon. Jamie Hamilton comes off as a carbon copy of Lois Lane. Unfortunately, we are never given any backstory to any of these characters.

This may be the only pilot in television history in which the premise changes in the middle of the episode! At first it's about advancing Earth's technology in order to fight the Cylons. Then it suddenly changes and is about capturing a time-traveling villain. It's really bizarre. Anyway, the time travel journey to Nazi Germany is never particularly interesting, partly because Xaviar just isn't that compelling of a villain, but mostly because this is NOT Battlestar Galactica.

The idea of the Galactica having to protect a primitive Earth from the Cylons is actually a compelling premise, but the problem is that Dr. Zee's plan to slowly increase Earth's technology is flawed. At the rate in which the Colonials were going, it probably would have taken at least decades to get Earth's technology increased enough to be able to fight the Cylons. Long before then, the Cylons would probably tire of waiting and decide to just destroy the Colonial fleet. Even if the Cylons didn't attack, how far could the Galactica lead the Cylons away from Earth before they (the Colonials) were too far away from the planet to ever go back there? It probably would have been smarter to temporarily abandon Earth and lead the Cylons away until Dr. Zee could invent some technology that would allow the Colonials to destroy the Cylon armada. (Actually, since Colonial Vipers can now turn invisible, it should have been fairly easy for the Colonials to launch a surprise attack on the Cylons and defeat them once and for all!)

The problem with the original premise of Galactica 1980 is that it would have eventually become tiresome: Troy and Dillon each week would find a way to introduce some new technology (clean nuclear power, etc.) which would make some small improvement, but do little to bring Earth up to the level it would need be to fight the Cylons. As a result, the series could never evolve to the next level (i.e. Earth is ready to fight the Cylons), because the series' budget was too small for any kind of "final battle". As a result, Galactica 1980 was stuck in a rut from the get-go. It tried to distract viewers from the main plot (the Cylon threat) with time travel and cub scout outings because there was little that could be done with the original premise. It might have worked well as a single movie or perhaps a series of movies, but it's unlikely that Galactica 1980 could have ever jelled as a weekly series.

The show looks second-rate. For example, take the opening sequence. This has to be one of the worst opening sequences in television history. It's nothing but a series of stock footage shots from the original show haphazardly thrown together. Even the rendition of the Galactica theme seems inferior to the one we heard on the original show.

That said, there is some nice chemistry between the trio of Troy, Dillon and Jamie. There's one particularly touching scene in part 3 when Jamie says goodbye to Troy and Dillon at the bus stop. But whatever positives the actors had would not be enough to overcome a number of self-destructive turns that would begin with the very next episode.

=== [[The Super Scouts]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Super Scouts arrive, and Galactica 1980 plummets into an abyss it would not survive. In the beginning, we're forced to endure a series of boring classroom educational lessons. Things get even worse when the intergalactic 'Our Gang' reaches Earth. We get ultra-cute campfire songs and even more educational lessons shoved down are throats. The original series had flaws, but at least it never insulted its viewers with sitcom humor or by getting into preachy moral issues. Galactica 1980 gives us an ultra-simplistic environmental message of "Don't pollute the water," and does so with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

One could make the case that Galactica 1980 is a great tool for writers to learn how NOT to write drama. One key is to create powerful villains and put the heroes in situations that are difficult to deal with. But all of the villains in Galactica 1980 are weak. The Colonials have so many advantages over the people of Earth - spaceships, super powers, invisibility fields - that they are essentially invincible, thus robbing the series of any possible drama. In Galactica 1980, there are no worthy villains. The bumbling cops and incompetent military personnel never have a prayer of apprehending Troy and Dillon, so there's no suspense. And it's certainly not funny to watch Earthlings constantly being confounded by extra-terrestrials. Yet that is what we're forced to endure again and again throughout the entire series.

=== [[Spaceball]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

This is crap. Spaceball is the worst, most hated episode of Galactica 1980. It's silly, stupid, and just plain dumb. Little kids playing baseball??? This is Battlestar Galactica??? Spaceball may be the most inconsequential hour of science fiction ever made. It's nothing less than an insult to the original series that this bionic version of ''The Bad News Bears'' was shot under the Galactica name.

=== [[The Night The Cylons Landed]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five (Poor)'''

The Night The Cylons Landed is the best episode since the pilot. Of course, this isn't saying much, since watching a blank screen would have been almost as entertaining as the previous two episodes. Anyway, the Super Scouts are finally relegated to the background. This expands on the storyline involving the evolution of the Cylons over the 30 years since the destruction of the Colonies. A new, bigger, and more powerful Cylon raider carrying a newly advanced Cylon lifeform crashlands on Earth. Two surviving Cylons attempt to communicate with the Cylon armada to tell them of Earth's location. This is a cool idea, but the execution is terrible. We are treated to so much silliness, culminating with Troy and Dillon dancing on stage with cartoon characters like Yogi Bear! There are other problems. The more powerful, heavily armored Cylon raider is crippled after the punier viper rams into it??? The viper certainly doesn't hit it very hard. If the Cylons were a joke in the original series, then in Galactica 1980 they are a laughing stock. Andromus, the evolved Cylon clone of a human, certainly doesn't look or act very advanced. Centuri, his Centurion buddy, comes across as being even sillier with his constant banter of "I will protect you. That is my mission." This is the monstrous, all-powerful race which threatens the Earth's destruction and that the Colonials are so concerned about??? The two Cylons provide some funny moments, but it can't make up for the letdown of a plot that had so much potential.

With this episode, Galactica 1980 provides yet another example of how NOT to write drama. Conventional storytelling says that when you have a character trying to solve a mystery, you want the audience to move along at the same pace as the character. If the audience knows more than the character does, they find themselves simply waiting for the character to catch up, which is boring. Unfortunately, Galactica 1980 violates this basic rule of storytelling as we're forced to endure Colonel Briggs's investigation of the aliens. We know everything, he knows nothing, and thus there is nothing even remotely interesting about the subplot.

=== [[Space Croppers]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Space Croppers starts out interesting, but quickly takes an abrupt nosedive into looney land. The plot parallels that of [[The Magnificent Warriors]]. Due to the destruction of the fleet's agroships by a Cylon attack, another source of food supply must be found. The Magnificent Warriors was a terrible episode, so it must be considered quite a feat that Space Croppers turns out to be even worse.

The plight of the Alonso family to save their farm never becomes the least bit interesting. Even worse are the 'educational beats' that bring the story to a grinding halt: a lecture about Hispanic history, the soil requirements for planting legumes, and how rainfull is produced. This is beyond bad. It's unwatchable.

If Dr. Zee is such a genius, why doesn't it ever occur to him to use Galactican technology to create money so the Colonials can simply buy the food that they need? I guess such a simple solution would have made this story pointless.

Furthermore, the Imperious Leader's plan to force the Galactica to lead the Cylons to Earth makes no sense. How could Imperious Leader know that Earth was nearby? And if he did know, why not just destroy the Colonial fleet and conduct a search of the nearby planets? Did anything on this series make sense? Was anything supposed to?

Last, and certainly least, Troy and Dillon bouncing high in the air and throwing seeds while the Super Scouts sing their song is hands down the most ludicrous thing ever shown on Galactica 1980, and that's saying something.

=== [[The Return of Starbuck]] ===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five (Outstanding)'''

This is undeniably the best and most popular episode of Galactica 1980. It is even better than most of the episodes of Battlestar Galactica. What is there not to love about this episode? There are so many outstanding scenes: Adama's chilling reaction to Dr. Zee's mention of Starbuck; Boomer's heartwrenching goodbye to Starbuck, Adama explaining to Boomer that they can't go back to find him; Adama saying his farewell to Starbuck; Starbuck's rationalizations about how the planet belongs to him; Angela's words, "Starbuck, would you die for me?"; Starbuck sacrificing his chance to return to the fleet to give Angela and her baby a better chance; Starbuck's goodbye to Cy. The list goes on. Best of all, we see growth in Starbuck's character! A true classic to be treasured for all time by Galactica fans.

This episode is based on an earlier script written for the second season of Battlestar Galactica that never happened. The main differences are that a regular woman appears (not Angela), and Starbuck is eventually rescued by Boomer. The only thing believed to have been taken intact from the early script is Starbuck's dialogue with Cy. While that would no doubt have been a tremendous episode, it still would not have come close to being as great as this one is. The reason why is very simple. One of the problems with creating dramatic and suspenseful stories in any weekly series is that the viewer knows the hero will ultimately prevail. For example, when Starbuck is accused of murder in [[Murder on the Rising Star]], there is little in terms of suspense because it is a foregone conclusion that Starbuck will be vindicated, just as it is a forgone conclusion that Starbuck isn't going to die in [[The Young Lords]] when he is hunted by the Cylons on the planet Attila. In the beginning of The Return Of Starbuck, it is quickly established that Adama doesn't know what happened to Starbuck and that Starbuck never returned from the mission where he was shot down. As a result, in what is most unusual for any action/adventure television story, the viewer sits through the entire episode knowing that Starbuck isn't going to make it!

This makes the story much more gripping and intense than virtually any other episode of either series. The grim reality of Starbuck's eventual fate is all reinforced by Angela's question "Starbuck, will you die for me?" and her warnings of disaster, telling him that he must prepare to make "the final judgement." Of course, we do not actually see Starbuck die at the end of the story. Larson leaves Starbuck's fate ambiguous, especially since an intact Cylon raider is left nearby. Having Starbuck die would have been a gutsy and innovative move, but the ending shown is really for the best. The beauty of the ending is that it lets the viewers make their own interpretation of Starbuck's fate. If one goes with the idea that a single person alone cannot fly a Cylon raider, then Starbuck could have easily died on the planet. Many fans don't consider Galactica 1980 to be canon for the original series, except for this episode. With the interpretation that Galactica 1980 didn't happen, Starbuck could possibly have flown the Cylon raider back to the fleet, returning to Apollo, Adama, Sheba, and the other original characters. Much Galactica fan fiction over the years has interpreted the episode in this manner.

Despite having a small role, Lorne Greene gives what may be his best performance ever as Commander Adama. The look on his face when he asks Dr. Zee to tell him his dream is worth a thousand words. His farewell to Starbuck, saying that he loves him, is also incredibly powerful. A wonderful performance!

In conclusion, ''The Return of Starbuck'' is an incredible ending to the series and a worthy finish to the Battlestar Galactica saga overall. ''Galactica 1980'' was crap, but it sure went out with a bang.

== Galactica Comics ==

=== [[Galactica 1980 1|Galactica 1980 comic series]] ===

Comic adaptations of television shows are often very good because the writers are free from the usual constraints that a television show faces: limited budgets, censors, and network meddling in the storylines. Unfortunately, this is a double-edged sword, as the comic book writers' unlimited freedom sometimes allows the story to go flying off the rails.

Such is the case with the Galactica 1980 comic, a cool idea that feels like a missed opportunity. First, the comic does a number of things right. It delivers a War of the Worlds type story involving the Colonials and Cylons battling over Earth. It even makes Dr. Zee a villian, a great move considering that Zee is hands down the most hated character in the the Galactica universe (including the new version). Unfortunately, Marc Guggenheim goes for shock value. In the first issue, we learn that Troy is a drunk and Adama is suicidal. Personally, I found this ugly and disturbing.

Even worse is the end when the Galactica is destroyed by nukes. Again, it feels like the writer is just trying to hit us with one shocking suprise after another. I get annoyed with this tactic when the surprise lacks logic as this one does. Why would Adama be so stupid as to fly the Galactica directly over the White House without first sending a message and waiting to see what the response would be? This just makes no sense.

And I just didn't like seeing the Galactica destroyed. After all, this ''is'' Galactica 1980, so therefore the Galactica should be in it. If the Galactica had to be destroyed, it should have happened in the final issue (#4), not the first.

I also had a big problem with Dillon being killed off in issue #2. Troy and Dillon were the heroes of Galactica 1980, and I just don't think that either should have been killed off. I was also disappointed that Jamie Hamilton was reduced to a cameo appearance in issue #4. I really wish she could have had a larger role in the story.

In the end, I wish Guggenheim had written a story that might have been done on television if not for the limited budget and children's hour restrictions that ultimately crippled the series. The War of the Worlds premise was perfect for Galactica 1980, but in this case the execution fell short.

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

== The Galactica Telemovies ==

=== [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

The opening sequence is outstanding, although it mostly uses footage from the original series. It has a truly epic feel, and it gives the impression that we will see a grand conclusion to the Battlestar Galactica saga. Sadly, this does not happen. Still, Adama's opening declaration that Earth has been found is also magnificent, much better done than it was in the original episode. By removing the time-travel subplot as well as much of the silliness including Troy and Dillon dancing on stage, the whole is better than any of the original Galactica 1980 episodes it is composed of. Yet this hardly makes ''Conquest of the Earth'' a great movie. The opening minutes rate five stars, yet starting with the first appearance of Dr. Zee (who bizarrely speaks with two different voices), the rest of the movie rates much lower.

=== [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack (VHS)|Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

This movie is less entertaining than the individual episodes it is composed of (The Living Legend and Fire In Space). The separate episodes don't mesh together seamlessly, resulting in several plot holes and odd hairstyle changes between scenes. The movie especially suffers because many great scenes from The Living Legend episode are missing. All scenes and dialogue relating to Starbuck's relationship with Cassiopeia are cut, which only makes the Cain/Cassiopeia subplot less interesting. The battle scenes are a little more elaborate because additional stock footage is used, but that's not enough to overcome the movie's deficiencies. A different sound effect is used for the engines of the Cylon raiders that's a little jarring for anyone who is a die-hard fan of the original show.

Bottom line, this movie is only recommended for curiosity's sake.

== Berkley Books ==
=== [[Saga of a Star World (Book)|Saga of a Star World]] ===
'''Flagship of the 12 Worlds fleet, she was as large as a planet, yet as swift as the Starhound fighters she launched from her bays. For generations the vast ship led the thousand-year war against the Cylons for control of the known Galaxy. Now that war was in its final phase, and Galactica had one final mission, win or lose: blast through the deadly grid of the Cylon Starfleet and dash for deep space in a desperate attempt to find the legendary "Stonehenge" of the universe - the lost planet the ancient microfilms call "Earth."'''

This is the opening paragraph to the Berkley novelization of the Battlestar Galactica pilot "Saga Of A Star World". This is easily one of the most fascinating Galactica books ever written, and there are a number of things that make it so interesting. First, the book is based on an early script of the pilot and, although changes were made before it came to print to make it more like the version that aired, there are a number of alternate scenes in the book. The Galactica universe is also different in several aspects, such as the Cylons are living aliens underneath their armor instead of total machines. Also, there are missing scenes left out of the final cut of the movie that survived intact in the book (Starbuck's confrontation with Tigh on the bridge after the Colonies are destroyed; Starbuck's extended conversation with Cassie on the shuttle; Adama's resigning from the Council).

Perhaps best of all, certain events are more fleshed out in the novelization than in the movie such as the surprise Cylon attack. The novelization helps to fill a number of gaping plot holes and unanswered questions that the movie was saddled with. Many chapters begin with an entry from the Adama journals, and the reader is able to learn a lot of information and insight from the Galactica's commander.

Many fans are unhappy with the Berkley books, feeling that they don't remain true to the series. I respectfully disagree. First of all, as already mentioned, the novelizations often have extra detail and explanations that help cover up plot holes that existed in the episodes. Second, the fact that the novels portray the BG universe in a slightly different way and that they are not exact retellings of the episodes is good because the books would be pretty boring otherwise. Third, some of the characters such as Athena are fleshed out better in the novels. Make no mistake, this is the best of all the Berkley novelizations and is a must-read for any fan of the original series.

== External Links ==

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/BGEPISODES.htm Battlestar Galactica Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/Wharmby.htm Matthew Wharmby's Hilarious Galactica 1980 Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

User:Galactica1981/Galactica 1981 Reviews

2011-11-25T23:49:22Z

Galactica1981: /* The Galactica Telemovies */

This is a list of reviews by [[User:Galactica1981]] for various [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|Original Series]] content. Given to the Battlestar Wiki's policy of [[NPOV|Neutral Point of View]], they are found here rather than their respective articles.

These episode reviews originally appears on the Sheba's Galaxy site. They have been slightly revised.

== TOS Episode Reviews ==

===[[Saga of a Star World]] ===

'''RATING: Four and a half stars out of five'''

There's no question that on the night of September 17, 1978, Battlestar Galactica hit television screens with a bang. Saga Of A Star World is unquestionably the most elaborate televison movie ever made (and least up to that point!) When trying to rate something like this, it's important to examine it in the context of television during that time period. For sure, no sci-fi show of this magnitude had ever been done before in the history of television, and thus it deserves extra points for that alone. There are many great things that can be said about this episode (acting, special effects, music score), but I won't bother repeating what most people are already aware of. In the end, I had to decide against a full five-star rating, mostly because of the unforgivable "Star Wars" ending it was saddled with. The big explosion of the planet Carillon is a blatant ripoff of Star Wars, not to mention ridiculous as well. Setting fire to some tylium mines causes the entire planet to explode? This is ludicrous (although one could argue that destroying the massive Death Star by shooting a tiny exhaust port was equally ludicrous). Surely Glen Larson could have written a better ending than this. Ultimately, this had to reinforce many people's beliefs that Galactica was a second-rate Star Wars. Having a casino with all sorts of alien creatures also seems a little too close to Star Wars for comfort.

As a kid watching the show, I absolutely loved the Cylons because of how cool they looked. My favorite character was Starbuck who I idolized and wanted to be like. The series also had a phenomenal cast with tremendously talented actors (except for Maren Jensen), and it's a shame they were often saddled with substandard scripts. Starbuck and Apollo are wonderful in the lead roles, and they arguably have more chemistry than did Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. And Lorne Greene is superb as in the role of Commander Adama. In the pilot episode, the scene that perhaps stands out the most is the laser battle against the Cylon Centurions on the surface of Carillon, a truly awesome spectacle combined with the looming countdown as the Cylon raiders close in on the Galactica. It terms of the characters, my favorite scene is probably Starbuck's almost proposing to Athena. Finally, the musical score for the series is truly breathtaking, on a similar level as the one for Star Wars.

Of course, there are also some HUMONGOUS plot holes in this story, enough for any critic to tear it to shreds. I'm not going bother writing 5 pages about the plot problems of Saga Of A Star World. Instead, I'll just mention a few points:

The premise of the Colonial fleet seeking Earth, while interesting, is unfortunately flawed because no one (not even Adama) has any idea where it is! Apparently, Adama was the only one who even knew about Earth's existence, although he doesn't seem to have any proof. Thus the Colonial fleet is left to wander aimlessly throughout the universe looking for it. Fortunately, this problem would be addressed in ''War of the Gods'' when the Colonials finally learn the coordinates to Earth.

The Colonials seemed unbelievably gullible and naive regarding the Cylons' offer of peace. After a thousand years of war, you would think they'd have been more careful, but they foolishly leave their home planets undefended. President Adar is incredibly stupid when he sees a thousand Cylon raiders coming towards the fleet and assumes it is a peace envoy.

Apollo gets back to the fleet in time to warn them of the coming Cylon attack, yet he fails to do so. Why? Why does he take an hour to find the bridge?

=== [[Lost Planet of the Gods]]===

'''Rating: Four stars out of five'''

The second half of this two-part episode has the theatrical feel of a movie, while the first half has often been blasted as being sexist. Of course, it is a bit strange that all the female cadets look like lingerie models. Still, I think the claim of sexism is a bit overstated. If you look at women in the U.S. military, they tend to act in supporting roles rather than be on the front lines. I don't know how many female jet pilots are in the U.S. military, but I suspect there aren't many. And I suspect this is due less to discrimination than to the fact that women tend to make different career choices than men (i.e. they tend to choose less hazardous professions). The reasons for there being no female viper pilots on the Galactica were probably along the same lines.

Regardless, the first half of the episode mostly serves as a set-up for the second half. Nothing wrong with that, but it does make the first half far less interesting.

Anyway, the two-part episodes fare better than most of the one-part episodes because Glen Larson would often blow the budget and vastly overspend. There are many fantastic scenes in the second half: Serina proposing to Apollo that they marry immediately; the Star of Kobol appearing in the port window during the wedding ceremony; the light shining off of Adama's medallion inside the tombs of Kobol; the Cylon raiders attacking the surface of Kobol; and, of course, Serina's death scene.

Serina's death is one of the most poignant moments of the entire series. But it came with a high price, as the show arguably suffered without her. And the writing would start to take a turn for the worse with the very next episode.

===[[The Lost Warrior]]===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

After only two episodes, Battlestar Galactica's creative energy has fizzled out. This is the first of the so-called "bottled episodes." These episodes had few if any new special effects, enabling the producers to save money which would later be spent on the bigger, more extravagant "monster episodes." It's understandable that these "bottled" stories were necessary, but this is where rushing the show into production really hurt the series. The writers simply did not have time to create quality scripts. Of course, this would ultimately lead to the decline in ratings.

This kind of episode is tough to review because it's good but wrong. Based on the classic 1953 western film Shane, this actually makes a pretty decent western, but Battlestar Galactica is supposed to be a science fiction series. Sci-fi fans want science fiction, not half-hybrids of other shows (A mistake that Galactica 1980 would repeat). If I want to see a Western, I'd rather watch Bonanza. The only reason this gets two stars is because we get such a strong characterization of Apollo.

Unfortunately, this is not the only space western we would see on Galactica. Cowboys and saloons would return in The Magnificent Warriors. In fact, the very idea that an "old west" town would exist in Battlestar Galactica completely contradicts the Von Daniken premise of the show, that the Colonies and the ancient cultures of Earth (such as Atlantis and Egypt) have the same roots, the same beginnings. It is ludicrous that an Old West society could have any common connection with this. It raises all kinds of questions. The people of Equellis obviously had to arrive on that world by means of spacecraft, so why is the society so primitive? How could they not know of the Cylons since the war has raged for 1,000 years and the average human life-span is 200 years?

Why would Apollo be dumb enough to fly so far away from the fleet that he wouldn't have enough fuel to make it back? This really makes no sense. And why does Apollo promise Bella and Puppis that he will return one day? Why would he ever believe that possible?

Despite the lackluster plot, there are some good moments. Boxey beating Starbuck at Pyramid is funny, and the western style "shoot-out" between Red-Eye and Apollo is very well done. The only weak point is when Red Eye spots Apollo's laser and says, "Uh-oh." This trivalizes a very serious moment for the sake of silly humor. It is difficult to believe that a Cylon would use such a phrase. Ironically, for years I couldn't make out exactly what he was saying. I assumed it was some kind of challenge to Apollo, and it actually added to the power of the moment. You can imagine my dismay when I learned the truth. Also, Puppis gets pretty annoying pretty fast.

===[[The Long Patrol]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

The Long Patrol is lot of a fun and a big improvement over the previous episode. Starbuck's computer companion C.O.R.A is a hoot. There are several funny scenes: Starbuck womanizing Cassiopeia and Athena; Boomer's jab at him before he goes off on the mission; Starbuck finding a fortune in ambrosia only to have it destroyed by the Cylon attack. Adama deciding to change the Galactica's course to keep distance from the Cylons is very well done, revealing how burdensome command of the fleet is and how it forces him to sacrifice his loved ones to protect the rest of humanity.

Maren Jensen (Athena) gets more screen time here than in most of the episodes. The scene with Athena revealing Starbuck's apparent death to Cassiopeia is especially moving, one of Jensen's best scenes of the series. The Athen/Cassiopeia rivalry was compelling and could have been developed in future episodes, but sadly this never happens. This was likely due to Maren Jensen's limitations as an actress which caused the writers to reduce her role.

Could C.O.R.A. have been the inspiration for K.I.T.T., the computerized car on Glen Larson's Knight Rider? Considering the amazing similarities between the two, it would have to be a possibility. Also, Glen Larson has went on record saying that K.I.T.T.'s swerving red eye was inspired by the swerving red eyes of the Cylons. It was sort of his way of keeping the Cylons alive.

The Long Patrol is definitely one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

===[[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero]]===

'''Rating: Three and a half stars out of five'''

This two-part episode is based on the 1961 movie The Guns of Navarone and the 1967 movie The Dirty Dozen. The episode has a theatrical feel to it because, as mentioned before, the two-parters had bigger budgets. Although the story is by-the-numbers, it is very enjoyable because of the fantastic special effects. Still, as good as Gun is, it is easily one of the lesser of the two-parters. While better than Greetings From Earth, Gun falls far short of The Living Legend, Lost Planet Of The Gods, and especially War Of The Gods.

This was actually the second episode filmed. This would explain why Serina and Cassiopea do not appear (Serina and Cassiopea died in the original version of the pilot before the decision was made to bring them back). Baltar and Lucifer's scenes were probably shot much later.

This episode raises a serious question. Considering the staggering number of people who had to be left behind due to lack of ships, why would the Colonials bother to take criminals with them? Perhaps they were already locked in the brig on the Galactica before the Holocaust or they somehow managed to sneak aboard the fleet to be captured later. Or perhaps most of them committed their crimes after joining the rag tag fleet. Considering how overcrowded, starved, and disorganized the fleet was when it was assembled, it is logical that many violent crimes would have occurred. An episode exploring this would have been nice.

The idea that there would not be enough qualified Colonial warriors to go on the mission is hard to believe. And why do Apollo, Starbuck, and Boomer get chosen? They are pilots, and their emphasis is not on ground assault. Logically, the Galactica would have a ground assault team available for these kinds of situations. It is also difficult to believe that Boxey would have found a way to sneak onto the shuttle. At least he and Muffit have an impact on the success of the mission.

In the book ''The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'' by J.W. Rinzler and Ridley Scott, it is revealed that part of George Lucas's anger towards Battlestar Galactica was because of this episode. Lucas planned to feature an ice planet in the sequel to Star Wars, and he felt that Galactica threatened to undercut him by featuring an ice planet on one of their own episodes. Did this fuel his lawsuit that Galactica was infringing on Star Wars? Is so, then Lucas comes off as disingenuous to say the least, for it would be absurd to claim that Galactica was infringing on a movie that hadn't yet been made!

Baltar's legs were crushed in Lost Planet of the Gods, yet in this episode the only evidence of Baltar's injury is a slight limp. Did the Cylons do major reconstructive surgery on his legs? I guess so.

At this point, the constant reusing of the same space battle scenes really starts getting redundant. Still, this remains one of the most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

=== [[The Magnificent Warriors]] ===

'''Rating: One and a half stars out of five'''

Many fans consider this to be the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. While I don't agree, I think it comes pretty close. The story is, quite frankly, terrible. We are again subjected to yet another old-western style shanty town? Once was enough! The Borays are disgusting and sound awful. The only redeeming moment is when Adama and company discover Starbuck at the gambling table. It's rather funny.

Siress Bellaby is hands down the most annoying character to ever appear on Battlestar Galactica. Most viewers probably couldn't understand why the Colonial Warriors didn't simply let the Borays kill her.

On a positive note, we are shown Lorne Greene's impressive range as an actor. It's interesting to see a comical Adama, a nice contrast to the serious commander that we usually see. Unfortunately, Greene is forced to play against Brett Somers (Siress Bellaby). Somers isn't funny; she's annoying, and it kills most of the comedy that is presented.

The premise of The Magnificent Warriors actually had a lot of potential. We are given a situation where the fleet has no food and everyone is aware of it (unlike in Saga Of A Star World when the Colonials were able to cover up the problem). This raises all kinds of fascinating issues. Would the fleet start a mutiny against Adama during such a crisis? How would Adama react to such a mutiny? How would he choose who to save? Would he allow each ship to make its own decision to leave? Or would he try to force them to stick together? And what decisions would Starbuck and Apollo be forced to make if such a mutiny occurred? So many interesting questions for the episode to pursue.

Sadly, standard television plotting is what we get. The Colonials are traveling through the vast uncharted regions of space, and they run out of food at just the precise moment they happen to be near a farming colony. Okay. Whatever. The Colonials land on the planet and meet the Borays. From then on, it's just another battle of good vs. evil. Putting the Colonials in a moral dilemna would have been much more interesting that what we were given here.

===[[The Young Lords]]===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

This is the family episode of Battlestar Galactica. Starbuck is shot down and crashes on a planet. Yawn. This is essentially a remake of The Lost Warrior in which Apollo is stranded on the planet Equellus. Of course, Starbuck was also stranded in The Long Patrol and Cree was stranded in ''The Gun On Ice Planet Zero''. Later in ''Greetings From Earth'', Starbuck, Apollo, and Casseopia would be stranded on the planet Paradeen. At this point, the series was becoming so predictable that viewers each week must have been asking the question, "Who's going to have to be rescued this week?" In fact, Mad Magazine, in a spoof of Galactica, poked fun at this element of the show. (See [[Humor in the Original Series]])

Considering the incredibly broad premise of the series, it's amazing that the writers had so much trouble coming up with a story that didn't involve someone being stranded on a planet. With this kind of plot, The Young Lords shouldn't even be watchable. And yet, despite all these drawbacks, this actually turns out to be a fun, enjoyable episode. Part of this praise goes to the tremendous production values. It is simply fascinating to see so many Cylons inside a medieval castle. The location is nothing short of spectacular. To top it off, Dirk Benedict delivers with a wonderful performance. There are many good scenes, especially Starbuck's rescue from the Cylons by Kyle and the children (plus his insulting remark to the Cylons moments before). Playing up kids in a series can be extremely fatal to ratings (Galactica 1980 became an infamous example of this), but fortunately Kyle and the gang never get to the point where they become grating; although they (and their song near the end) come dangerously close. (And are we to believe Starbuck and his Scooby Gang would actually take the time to think up lyrics for a song and memorize them? Please!)

The IL series Cylon Spectre is a delightfully conniving character. He is the perfect foil for Lucifer. His phony flattery of Baltar is hilarious, especially the way he manages to turn defeat to his own advantage. Unfortunately, the character does not appear again. Had the series continued into a second season, he probably would have. Spectre does appear in the later original Berkley novels [[The Nightmare Machine]], [[Die, Chameleon!]] and [[Surrender the Galactica!]] where he is put to good use.

Most of the scenes of Baltar and Lucifer communicating with Spectre were recycled with different dialogue into the Galactica telemovie [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]].

Needless to say that by this point the Cylons have become a joke. When you stop and really think about it, it is ludicrous that an entire Cylon garrison is defeated by one colonial warrior and five children.

Still, this episode somehow succeeds despite every logical reason why it shouldn't.

===[[The Living Legend]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five'''

This is one of the very best episodes of Battlestar Galactica. The two-part episodes consistently deliver, and The Living Legend is no exception. The idea of a second survivng battlestar is a good one, as is a scenario where the fleet runs out of fuel.

This episode introduces two compelling characters, Commander Cain and his daughter, Lt. Sheba. Sheba's character is said to have been a ground-breaking role for women. She is tough, independent, and short-tempered. Basically, she's the exact opposite of virtually every other female character to appear on the series. Fortunately, she, along with Bojay, becomes a regular after this episode.

Lloyd Bridges is tremendous as Commander Cain. It's hard to imagine any other actor filling the role. The only weak moment for Bridges is when Cain lies to Adama about the "accidental" failure of the tanker mission. Cain's cavalier attitude about it makes it obvious to everyone that he purposely sabotaged the mission.

This story is different from any other Galactica story thus far because we see a clash of philosophies within the ranks of the military. Cain wants to wage an all-out war against Gamoray, and Adama simply wants to capture the much-needed fuel and escape. The earlier episodes were extremely simplistic in their portaryal of good versus evil. The Colonials are good. The Cylons are evil. Simple as that. Since the good guys are all in the military, the military is always portrayed as being right. Adama, Starbuck, and Apollo had very few moral dilemnas to deal with, which would have made the stories so much more interesting.

Baltar personally leading the attack on the Galactica makes the battle much more intense and exciting, mostly because the battle has a storyline. Most of the Galactica space battles are nothing more than a confusing jumble of stock shots haphazardly thrown together with nothing in terms of a flow or climax. (One of the bigger flaws of Return Of The Jedi was that the Battle of Endor had nothing in terms of a storyline.) This time it is different. The Pegasus closing in on Baltar at the end of part one is the best cliff hanger of the series. It is rather fitting that Baltar's forces are taken by surprise, since it was Baltar who caused the colonial warfleet to be taken by surprise in the pilot.

The scene between Adama and Apollo right before the mission to capture the Cylon tankers is very powerful. It shows how, despite being father and son, each of their respective positions forces a distance between them personally. What is especially impressive is that this is done without words. Richard Hatch and Lorne Greene manage to convey more with a facial expression than most actors do with a page of dialogue.

Boxey really starts to get on the nerves at this point. Nothing against Noah Hathaway, but Boxey is a character all too typical of standard television. He is an ultra-cute TV kid doing ultra-cute things, yet usually has little or no bearing on the plot. These kinds of characters (most notably the Super Scouts from Galactica 1980) only serve to hurt a show's ratings.

When you put the story under scrutiny, there are some serious flaws. Why are viper pilots sent on a ground mission? Wouldn't the Galactica have specialized teams for that sort of thing? It is also a bit difficult to believe that Sheba could have found a way to go on the mission to Gamoray without permission. It is even more difficult to believe that Cassiopea would have been allowed to just hop on the shuttle. Was she given a crash course on parachuting during the shuttle ride? How could the Colonial warriors have known exactly which building in Gamoray contained the main communications center? And are we to believe that destroying one small communications center would disable the entire city's defense system? If, like me, you can overlook these flaws, this is still a great episode.

This episode and Fire In Space were later combined to form the horrid Galactica theatrical movie [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]].

===[[Fire in Space]]===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

This explosive episode is the one-hour equivalent of a disaster movie. It's basically a sci-fi version of The Towering Inferno (and stock footage from that movie was probably used here). There's so much action that it isn't until the end that you realize just how essentially empty it is. There are a lot of things happening, and at the same time there is nothing happening. By all rights this story should be downright awful, yet somehow it isn't. It really speaks volumes about the show's production values and the performances of the actors that this turns out to be an enjoyable hour despite another by-the-numbers script.

After this episode, producer Glen Larson decided changed the direction of the series, relegating the Cylons to the background. The Cylons are not featured again until the final episode, The Hand Of God. The reason for the change of direction may be that Larson had a feeling the series would be canceled and decided to try to create a storyarc that would end the series with the Galactica apparently getting close to Earth. In an interview, Larson has said that he wasn't surprised the show was canceled. The change of direction was really for the best because the battles with the Cylons were too ridiculously imbalanced in the Colonials' favor (due to the censors) making the Cylons look like a joke, and the reusing of the same space battle stock footage was becoming monotonous.

The ending the writers originally planned had Cylon raiders attacking the Galactica a second time, and it is their lasers that put Starbuck and Apollo in danger on the Galactica's hull. Unfortunately, the network censors overruled this because they felt it would have been too repetitive. The complete original ending from the script can be found [[List_of_Deleted_Scenes_(TOS)#Fire_In_Space|here.]]

The story completely falls apart when put under scientific scrutiny because fires simply cannot exist in outer space, as many Galactica critics have pointed out. However, Star Wars was able to get away with this flub (Remember the fate of the Death Star?), so it seems rather unfair that Battlestar Galactica took so many shots because of it.

This is Terry Carter's best episode, since Colonel Tigh is thrust into the forefront, taking command of the Galactica while Adama is incapacitated. Carter does a tremendous job, and his strong performance helps save this cliched, overused story plot from losing steam.

Since the Galactica was on the verge of destruction by the time Starbuck and Apollo were planting charges on the hull, didn't it ever occur to Colonel Tigh to evacuate all non-essential personnel including the Colonial vipers so that, if the Galactica was destroyed, the fleet would at least have a fighting chance to survive? And since it was too dangerous to operate on Adama on the Galactica, didn't it ever occur to Dr. Salik to shuttle Adama to another ship in the fleet and perform the operation there?

A tremendous amount of damage is done to the Galactica (especially the landing bay), yet there is no sign of this in any future episodes nor any explanation of how the repairs went. Considering the abysmal plot, this episode was probably best left forgotten.

===[[War of the Gods]]===

'''RATING: Five stars out of five'''

War Of The Gods is one of the best and most popular episodes of Battlestar Galactica. It is not the very best episode, nor is it completely flawless, but it is easily the most complex of all the stories we were given. The bottom line is that it is extremely rare to see this kind of thing done on TV. This is one of the few episodes to fully utilize Galactica's Von Daniken premise (God Is An Astronaut). We learn that angels are not spirits of the dead, but advanced beings who are thousands of years ahead of the Colonials in both technology and spirituality. Count Iblis (whom Apollo addresses in part 2 as Mephistopheles) comes across as a form of devil. There is an interesting parallel with mythology. Just as the angel Lucifer (or Satan) rebelled against heaven, Iblis rebels against his brothers on the Ship of Lights.

Iblis may well be the most fascinating character in the entire series. What is fascinating is that his voice is the same as that of the Cylon Imperious Leader. Baltar recognizes this (and it would have been an unforgivable flub if he didn't). There have been two primary theories about Iblis' origin. The first is that Iblis exterminated the original reptile Cylon race and created the mechanical one, starting the thousand year war with the humans.

The second theory is that Iblis and the Imperious Leader are one and the same. Iblis calling Baltar "old friend" would seem to support this. Also, it is made clear in the end that Iblis cannot control anyone who does not choose to follow him. If Iblis is the Imperious Leader, then Baltar technically was "following him" since he (Baltar) was serving the Cylons. However, the theory that Iblis and Imperious Leader being the same person doesn't quite hold up because wouldn't the Cylons then easily be able to locate the Colonial fleet? Therefore, the first theory makes more sense overall. But there is still the question of how Iblis was able to make Baltar surrender to the Colonials. The episode tries to make it seem that Iblis did not perform his bigger miracles, that the white lights caused the crops to grow and Baltar came of his own free will (the latter is hinted by Apollo in a missing scene that was cut from the original script). Of course, the idea that Baltar would surrender on his own is ludicrous considering the coward that he is. And why would the white lights come to the fleet if that would cause the crops on the agro-ship to grow and thus fulfill one of Iblis' tasks? Most importantly, why would Iblis dare the Colonials to make 3 challenges for him if he did not possess the power to complete them?

Regarding Iblis' origin, I tend to go with the first theory, but I would take it one step further and suggest that the Imperious Leader is either a servant of Iblis or is somehow under Iblis' control. Thus Baltar, by serving the Cylons, would also be serving Iblis and thus would be subject to Iblis' commands.

You really have to wonder if Glen Larson planned to have Patrick Macnee play Count Iblis from the very first episode or if it was just an amazing coincidence that the same actor who provided the Imperious Leader's voice turned out to be perfect for the Count Iblis role. Considering how incredibly rushed the production of the show was, the latter would have to be a possibility. If it's the former, then you really have to applaud Glen Larson for planning so far ahead.

There are other marvelous scenes. Iblis' slow manipulation and seduction of Sheba is riveting (especially when he kisses her on the Agro-ship). The white lights and the Ship of Lights are a marvel and have to be considered among the best special effects the series has ever produced. The scenery of the red planet, including the visual effect of Starbuck, Apollo, and Sheba when they walk on that world is also outstanding. The triad court is a fantastic (and obviously, expensive) set. You have to give the producers a lot of credit for creating such a unique game for the Colonials to play. It makes sense. With the grueling struggle for survival in a rag-tag fleet, the Colonials have to have some sort of entertainment to take their minds off their plight.

As with most episodes, the performances are all top-notch. Richard Hatch plays his end perfectly, carefully balancing Apollo's distrust of Iblis and his caring for Sheba. Dirk Benedict adds a whole new dimension to Starbuck. His rage and grief over the death of Apollo (especially when he attempts to shoot Iblis) stand out as some of Starbuck's most memorable moments of the entire series. Anne Lockhart is also great portraying Sheba's slow seduction and manipulation by Count Iblis. Her joy at Apollo's resurrection firmly establishes her inner feelings toward him, and this subplot would come to a stunning head in the final episode. Lorne Greene never falters in his performances, and this is no exception. Greene does a tremendous job portraying a man torn between his desire to find Earth and his distrust of Iblis. One of the best moments has to be during the Triad game. During the game, Adama and Iblis are seated on opposite sides of the court. There are really two battles going on here: the battle between the players on the court, and the battle between Iblis and Adama.

Despite everything, the episode is not completely perfect. Not all the questions are answered (which in itself is not a bad thing), but some of what happens doesn't quite make sense. First of all, why does the Ship of Lights kidnap the viper pilots? We are never given any kind of answer. What makes it more confusing is that by kidnapping the pilots, the Ship of Lights actually aids Iblis because the Colonials look to him for protection. And why does Baltar say that Iblis now no longer holds any power over him after Baltar recognizes Iblis' voice? Perhaps this is supposed to be a clue to understand who Iblis is, but if this is the case, I can't make anything out of it.

There is also the issue of what was inside the crashed ship on the red planet. A popular myth is that the ship is the the Battlestar Pegasus and when Apollo looked inside he saw the body of Commander Cain, but this is false. The original script and the Berkely novelization tell us exactly what is inside the ship: tall, cloven-hoofed horned beings with tails. This is a little hard to make sense of. Are the beings in the ship supposed to be devils? If that is the case, it doesn't really make Iblis appear all that evil for killing them. It could be viewed as another parallel of mythology. After being defeated by heaven, Lucifer and his followers fall into hell. Likewise, Iblis' ship containing his followers (the devils) crashes (falls) to the earth. It's not a perfect allegory, but fascinating nonetheless. (For more on this, see [[War_of_the_Gods,_Part_II#The_Mystery_of_the_Crashed_Ship|The Mystery of the Crashed Ship]])

I'm not trying to pick the episode apart with these various criticisms. Actually, the story works much better with its mystery and ambiguity rather than easy, clear-cut answers. One of the problems with television these days is that shows rarely challenge the viewer to think; instead, most shows sacrifice ambiguity and insist on spelling everything out as simply and clearly as possible. The mystery of Count Iblis is really what makes ''War Of The Gods'' so special and one of the most famous and highly debated of all the Galactica episodes. I'm glad that we are not given the answer to who Iblis is because the only way a mystery can retain its power is as long as it remains unsolved. Why do you think the great magicians never reveal how they do their tricks? If you are looking for a great movie example of this, then I suggest you check out Peter Weir's ''Picnic At Hanging Rock''.

Finally, one of the best things about this episode is that it provides us the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba!

===[[The Man With Nine Lives]]===

'''Rating: Four out of five stars'''

This episode is the only one that offers a significant look at the people of the fleet. Fred Astaire puts in an enjoyable performance as the rogue con-man Chameleon. The Borellian Nomen are interesting new adversaries for the Colonial Warriors, although they seem to be based on a Hollywood and societal stereotype of American Indians (Unfortunately, we are told very little of their origins). One of the best episodes in terms of characterization.

This episode pretty much makes it clear that Cassiopeia is THE ONE for Starbuck, thanks to Starbuck telling Chameleon that she's the only one he's ever considered sealing with (although that actually isn't true; he did almost propose to Athena in the pilot episode).

Don Bellisario was unable to think of a suitable name for the villains. In an after-work bull session, story editor Jim Carlson casually remarked something to the effect of, "It’s too bad they’re not from an ice planet, you could call them Snomen." Bellisario replied, "There’s no snow where these guys are gonna be!" Carlson answered, "Then call then Nomen."

This episode proves that great stories don't require huge explosions and fancy special effects. Unfortunately, the rushed production of the show made episodes like The Man With Nine Lives the exception rather than the rule.

=== [[Murder on the Rising Star]] ===

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Murder She Wrote in outer space??? This story had little point being part of a show like Battlestar Galactica. This is the kind of story that is done on almost every science fiction series when the writers are out of ideas. There is very little in the way of drama because the viewer knows the hero is innocent and will be cleared. This story tries to give the impression that Starbuck might be guilty (we don't get to see who shoots Ortega, Starbuck is shown running from the scene, plus Starbuck's anxiousness in the shuttle bay makes him appear guilty), but only the most gullible of viewers would fall for this. The story would be more forgivable if we learned some new insights about the characters or the fleet, but what do we learn? What is the point? Is it that the Colonial system of law is virtually identical to the U.S. system? (which is hardly believeable) Or that Adama has to spend time hearing court cases? (Not too believable either considering the incredibly burdensome task he has of commanding the fleet) Or is it that playing triad is more dangerous than anybody thought? What is the point of this episode except to fill an hour's worth of time???

This is the fourth episode that features Starbuck. While Dirk Benedict certainly plays a wonderful character, it would have been nice to have featured some of the lesser used cast members (Tigh, Boomer, Athena, Sheba).

One thing really stands out: It is absurd how little time Apollo is given to prepare a case for Starbuck's defense. He only has 10 centares, and the script for this episode has a key that states a centar is an hour. Only 10 hours to prepare for a murder trial??? Give me a break!

This story could have been done differently to make it more poignant. What if Apollo was unable to conclusively prove who killed Ortega, and Adama intervenes, using his power as commander to have Starbuck set free. It would raise the question of whether Adama was abusing his power. Even then, considering the fleet must be depleted when it comes to seasoned viper pilots, it could be argued that the fleet needed Starbuck as a warrior. It would have been an interesting moral issue, something Battlestar Galactica rarely had. I also think the story would have been more interesting if we were left with some doubt as to whether Starbuck killed Ortega (in self-defense, of course).

An interesting note: Karibdis appears early on in the story, serving drinks to Adama and Tigh while they watch the Triad game. This is an often-used writing device. You have the murderer/villain appear early in the story, sometimes at the very beginning, in what appears to be a minor or trivial role. This often fools the audience, as they rarely expect such a character to be revealed so quickly. This was also done on the miniseries for the new Galactica, when one of the human Cylons is leading a tour of the Galactica during the opening credits. If you want to get good at solving TV/movie mysteries, pay attention to the minor characters that appear early in the story.

Overall, the murder mystery itself isn't half bad, and there are fine all-around performances from the cast to make this watchable. In a way, it makes the episode more disappointing to have such great talent squandered on such a by-the-numbers story. But everyone holds up their end well, especially Dirk Benedict and Laurette Spang in their scene inside the brig. It's nice the writers found a way to bring Baltar into the story, and John Colicos still makes a great villain. The flashback of the destruction of Caprica is also well-done. There were certainly many crimes committed during the evacuation, and it illustrates that Battlestar Galactica was brimming with potentially interesting stories to explore, which again only makes this episode more of a letdown.

That said, it's important to realize that writers Jim Carlson and Terrence McDonnell were forced to write this episode in 36 hours straight. Considering what a rushjob this script was, it's amazing it turned out as well as it did. This is one instance where it might be better to see the glass as half-full rather than half-empty.

===[[Greetings from Earth]]===

'''RATING: Two and a half stars out of five'''

Greetings From Earth just doesn't measure up with the other two-hour episodes. The story makes for a passable first hour but quickly takes a nosedive in the second. Glen Larson's attempt at comedy falls horribly flat. Hector, Vector and the kids quickly wear out their welcome (A premonition of Galactica 1980?). The Eastern Alliance is introduced as a new adversary, but they are little more than cardboard Nazis with zero charisma (at least the Cylons looked cool). Another problem is that their primitive technology takes a lot of steam out of their threat. Unfortunately, the Eastern Alliance is never utilized to the fullest. A space battle between vipers and Eastern Alliance destroyers would have been fantastic, but the time and money needed to do such a complex battle scene made it impossible. Also, Apollo becomes a bit overbearing with his "Do The Right Thing" attitude in the first half (What's also annoying is that Apollo's dialogue in the first half is badly redubbed, apparently to make his voice louder).

What makes the first hour so interesting is that the Colonials are faced with a perplexing moral issue (a rarity, for sure). Do they allow the humans to leave, or force them to remain at least until more information is learned? There are actually opposing opinions within the Colonial military, at least for awhile. Apollo's view quickly wins out, though. The Council of Twelve is portrayed as being incredibly selfish and uncaring, but it could be argued they were right. It was possibly life or death for the Colonials to learn about the human race that awaited them. Certainly the humans could have been revived long enough for the Colonials to get the necessary information out of them. Apollo's plan to let the ship go had a good chance of failing. How could he be certain enough that they wouldn't get lost, or wind up so far away that they'd never be able to make it back to the fleet?

When you think about it, why don't Starbuck, Apollo and Cassiopea have super powers when they are in Paradeen's weaker gravity just as the Super Scouts do when they are in Earth's weaker gravity on Galactica 1980? Wouldn't it have been fun to see Starbuck, Apollo, and Cassiopea bouncing up and down and jumping into trees?

Unlike the other two-parters, this one ends with a whimper instead of a bang as Starbuck and Apollo's capture of the Enforcers is about as anti-climatic as you can get. This script really comes across as being rushed, which was probably the case. Overall, Greetings From Earth is yet another episode that failed to reach its potential due to the constrainments of a weekly series.

=== [[Experiment in Terra]] ===

'''Rating: Three stars out of five'''

Experiment In Terra initially comes across as a superb episode, but under close inspection the story unfortunately has serious flaws. The Ship of Lights recruiting Apollo to help Terra is a cool idea, but their reasoning as to why they need to use a mortal human doesn't hold up. John says that the people of Terra can't see the "Guardians" (my own name for them) outside the confines of their ship. And yet on Terra, John makes himself visible to Starbuck by merely touching him. Even more problematic, Apollo's mission never makes sense. The Guardians know that the Eastern Alliance is going to launch a missile attack, so the master plan is to have Apollo tell the "west side" that the Eastern Alliance has been attacking them? Um, okay, but even if Apollo succeeds, how will this stop the Eastern Alliance from launching their missiles? Why not just have Apollo tell the Galactica to travel to Terra and destroy the missile attack? The answer, of course, is that there wouldn't be much of a story.

Sadly, there are many other flaws. Apollo says he can't reach Terra because the distance is too great, so he is "teleported" right in front of the planet. So how is it that Starbuck is able to eventually reach the planet on his own? Logically, he wouldn't have had enough fuel. Adama's decision to pull the Galactica out of the fleet is more out of whack than it may first appear. He didn't do that in earlier episodes when Starbuck or Apollo were crashed/stranded. This time Adama doesn't even know who the two pilots are, and yet he pulls the Galactica out of the fleet.

Even more ludicrous is the idea that the Galactica travels to Terra at light speed (and not just because it is scientifically implausible). If the Galactica was traveling to Terra at the speed of light, they should have reached Terra almost instantly (in fact, they probably could have found Earth during the pilot episode!) And how is it that the Galactica was able to travel to Terra unmolested? Surely there would be Eastern Alliance destroyers patrolling the area around the planet. And how does the Eastern Alliance not know that the Galactica was responsible for destroying their missiles? Surely the Galactica would have been picked up on their scanners.

Also, the West President's reasoning for withholding knowledge of the Eastern Alliance's attacks is questionable. Why does he think he can make peace with the Eastern Alliance if they are constantly attacking him? And if the Eastern Alliance has wiped out all of the West's satellite planets, how could the President possibly prevent word of this from leaking out? It's not realistic at all. Plus, the idea that the Eastern Alliance would be willing to destroy the entire planet (at least half of which they own) is pretty ridiculous. Okay, they ARE Bad Guys, but what's the point of destroying most of their empire when they were already winning the war?

With such a long list of problems, you would think that this is a terrible episode. Amazingly, this isn't the case. In fact, Experiment In Terra still ranks as one of the better one-hour episodes of Battlestar Galactica. Seeing the Ship of Lights again is a treat, and Edward Mulhare is delightful as John, Apollo's guide. This episode is another example where the great production values and strong performances from the actors are able to overcome the plot inconsistencies. What makes Experiment In Terra work so well is that its plot holes aren't immediately noticeable. I didn't realize how many there were until I sat down and really thought about it. Apollo's mission to save Terra, as pointless as it winds up being, is still extremely engrossing. Apollo's speech to the Precidium is very dramatic and moving, even though (as we've already said) everything Apollo does on Terra turns out to be a waste of time since nothing he does has any chance of preventing the Eastern Alliance from launching its missiles.

This episode is extra fun to watch if you're aware that the script was originally written with the roles of Starbuck and Apollo reversed. After Richard Hatch complained that his character was getting the shaft, the script was quickly rewritten with the dialogue mostly remaining the same, resulting in Apollo talking suspiciously like Starbuck. At one point, Apollo says "Felgercarb" for the first time ever!

The ending scene is touching, as John tells Apollo that Terra is not Earth but "You must have faith." Many Galactica fans have interpreted this to mean that Apollo would successfully complete the journey to Earth.

Here are some humorous notes from British writer Matthew Wharmby:

* I'm sorry, but I thought the final scene was tremendously weak. All that buildup to a good scrap, heart-stopping music included, let down with a pathetic green shield spat out of the front of the Galactica. And from a terrible angle made necessary by two separately matted halves; one of Earth and one of the Galactica's underside. And you don't mean to tell me that the Galactica could extend such a shield over the whole planet? If so, why couldn't she have performed the same thing over Caprica in the pilot, and let the attacking Cylon fighters blow themselves up in it?
* Nobody seems too panicked about the impending nuclear annihilation! I don't know about you, but when us kids growing up in the late Cold War used to speculate nervously about the four-minute warning, the usual consensus was that we'd be doing, well, what it takes four minutes to do. 'You can do it twice,' the girls would quip.
* I'm not mad keen on Brenda's attitude. If every girl who had boyfriend trouble called the Old Bill on such a weak pretext, there wouldn't be a bloke alive out of prison!

=== [[Take the Celestra]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five'''

This is probably the worst episode of Battlestar Galactica. A lot of people will probably disagree, but I have to go with this choice simply because I found this episode to be incredibly boring. The Magnificent Warriors and The Lost Warrior were also really bad (and they were certainly more simplistic), but they were never really boring. A story focusing on the hardships of voyaging on the rag tag fleet is a great idea, but this episode takes one self-destructive turn after another and may be the best example of a wasted opportunity for the series. Many of BG's bad episodes were somewhat saved by wonderful performances from the actors, but there is nothing here that stands out (although the Starbuck/Cassiopea reconciliation at the end is a nice moment). Starbuck and Apollo actually look stale. This is one of the few times that neither Richard Hatch nor Dirk Benedict are able to rise above the mediocre writing. Commander Kronus is incredibly boring - a static, stale character with little depth. Because it's hard to care about the character, it's hard to feel anything during the "dramatic" finish when Kronus dies. Given the moronic decisions he makes, I felt like saying "Good riddance." On the other hand, Ana Alicia suceeds in making Aurora interesting, but she is mostly wasted in this episode. Unfortunately, her boyfriend is more boring than Kronus, and I just wanted him to shut up. Despite these issues, the main problem with Take The Celestra lies in the script itself.

One of the biggest (yet least noted) flaws of Battlestar Galactica was the way it portrayed life in the rag-tag fleet. Day-to-day existence on a fleet of mostly derelict ships would no doubt be a grueling struggle for survival. Yet the series rarely ever indicated this. Most scenes with civilians consisted of parties, gambling, and triad games aboard the Rising Star! (hardly the most accurate look we could have been given) Take The Celestra was the perfect vehicle to change this, but unfortunately the writers took the easy way out. Aurora and the other mutineers were "illegally forced" to work so many double shifts. This makes the issue of right and wrong very easy to determine, but consider another direction the writers could have taken.

What if the harsh working conditions existed throughout the entire fleet? (and, logically, they should have) What if Aurora and the others were not working harder than anyone else and simply decided they had had enough? Would they be morally right in trying to escape the fleet (considering that the loss of manpower would likely hurt the remaining Colonials)? Apollo, Starbuck and the rest of the military are always talking about the importance of freedom. Apollo talks about it strongly in his speech to the Precedium in Experiment In Terra. When Starbuck tries to convince the prisoners to rebel in The Long Patrol, he says "You have rights. You're human beings!" When they finally escape, he says, "That's freedom." An interesting idea to explore is how free the Colonials actually were. Surely many of them wanted to settle on some of the planets the fleet passed by. If Adama refused their wishes, he would technically be restricting their freedom. Unfortunately, this kind of story is problematic because the extent of Adama's power is never clear; in fact, it varies from episode to episode (depending whatever works best for the story that week). But this kind of story would have made it a tough call as to whether Aurora and her friends were right and whether Starbuck and Apollo were totally justified in stopping them.

Anyway, that's the episode I would have liked to see, or anything other than what we did see, the most boring Galactica episode to date. The story is riddled with holes, outdone perhaps only by Experiment In Terra. Whereas that story's flaws are not immediately noticeable, most of this story's flaws are. Commander Kronus' decision to immediately shuttle the prisoners back to the fleet despite being so far away doesn't make much sense. His accompanying the shuttle makes even less sense. Colonial law states that a commander has to personally take the mutineers in for charges? Huh? Even when his ship is out in the middle of nowhere? Okay. Whatever. Kronus should have waited until the Celestra rejoined the fleet. His decision makes him look like an idiot.

How is it that Chakka is able to get almost the entire crew to mutiny with him on a whim? He couldn't have been planning mutiny beforehand because he had expected to become commander of the Celestra. And if the entire crew wasn't with him in the mutiny, then how could he have expected to get away with powering down the ship? And could Starbuck and Apollo both be so clueless that they wouldn't be able to remember which heading the fleet was on? And how does the shuttle run out of fuel so fast? And how is it that Kronus could not have known or heard about any of the harsh working conditions? The Celestra isn't that big of a ship. Are we to believe that he never left the bridge? To top it off, why is there such an urgent need in the final battle scene to "level out" the Celestra? It's not as though there were any ships or planets around that it could crash into. Almost nothing in this episode makes any sense.

The minor plot of Cassiopeia agonizing over Starbuck's evasiveness in their relationship is far more compelling than the main plot of the Celestra mutiny. But even the Starbuck/Aurora plot has problems. For one thing, the writers have Starbuck act like a total jerk by skipping his date with Cassie so he can see Aurora. Why would Cassie put up with that? And how is it that Starbuck had a serious relationship with Aurora going during the time of the Destruction? Didn't he clearly have something going with Athena back then? (If there's anything worse than the writers making things up as they go, it's when they unmake things up as they go.)

Anyway, this only makes Starbuck look like a bigger womanizer than anyone thought (not exactly the best way to endear him to viewers). Aurora makes a valid point in her anger towards him. If Starbuck really did care about her, why didn't he check to see if her name was in the fleet computer? Just because her house was destroyed doesn't mean for certain that she was killed. It's also highly questionable that Starbuck ever made it back to Caprica after the Cylons attacked. We've never been given any indication that anyone besides Adama and Apollo ever went back. Considering how dangerous it would have been (not to mention how strong a chance that someone might have led the Cylons back to the Galactica), it's absolutely ludicrous to suggest Adama would have allowed anyone to return to the planet.

I almost want to pretend that this episode was just a bad dream. Fortunately, the very next episode would raise the roof.

===[[The Hand of God]]===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five.'''

They saved the best for last. ''The Hand Of God'' is arguably the best episode of Battlestar Galactica, and my personal favorite.

No doubt about it, ''The Hand of God'' is Galactica at its best. Donald Bellisario shows the other writers how it's done, pulling out all the stops with this one. Both the script and the performances are stellar. Never before have the characters been portrayed in such a powerful way. Although there is nothing innovative about the basic plot itself (The Galactica battles the Cylons again), there are enough things going on that make this story extremely engrossing.

This episode is fascinating from start to finish. Visually, it is a treat as we get to see the inside of a Cylon basestar's landing bay for the first time. We also get to see Cylon Centurions boarding their ships for the first time. And the Celestial Observation Dome is a marvel, as is Apollo's analogy that being inside it is like riding in the Hand of God.

What makes this story especially memorable is the culmination of a story thread that has been running since ''War of the Gods''. In that episode, we see the first hint of romance between Apollo and Sheba. Nothing happens in the other episodes following, although Anne Lockhart does a good job showing, in a subtle way, Sheba's emerging feelings for Apollo.

Kudos go to both Anne Lockhart and Laurette Spang for winning performances. Sheba's confrontation with Apollo and their kiss inside the Cylon raider is the best scene of the episode. That and Cassiopeia's argument with Starbuck in the landing bay are both incredibly moving, providing each actress with her stand-out moment of the series. It really gives the viewer a chance to appreciate the range of Anne and Laurette. Women on this show were usually stuck in the background; this episode placed demands on each actress they rarely had to face. Give each one credit for not dropping the ball. Fortunately, they are both aided by outstanding dialogue from Bellisario. Of course, Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, and Herbert Jefferson, Jr. hold up their end as well. Starbuck, Apollo, and Boomer clasping hands in the pilots barracks (with the accompanying music score) powerfully expresses the bond of their friendship more than words ever could.

Extra congratulations go to Donald Bellisario who also directed this episode. His use of slow motion twice during Starbuck and Apollo's battles with Cylon Centurions make the scenes much more intense and suspenseful. Let's face it. Thanks to ABC's family-friendly censors, the Cylons often looked like a joke (Remember ''The Young Lords'' when Starbuck and five children wiped out an entire Cylon garrison?). If Starbuck and Apollo's shootout scenes had been shown in real time, there would have been little (if any) impact.

Another reason ''The Hand of God'' works so well is because the Cylons were not featured in the previous seven or eight episodes. Glen Larson wisely saw that the constant reusing of the same space battle footage was hurting the stories and thus moved the Cylons into the background after ''Fire In Space''. So much time has passed since then that the Cylons seem revitalized. There's nothing spectacular about the dogfight between the vipers and raiders or the slugfest between the Galactica and the Cylon basestar (since it's the same footage seen in previous episodes), but the story is compelling enough that it all still works.

If there is one flaw with this story, it is the idea that Adama would attack a Cylon basestar and risk the fate of the entire human race just for the sake of wreaking some vengeance. This is the same man who told Commander Cain, "I'm not interested in military victories. I'm interested in saving lives. What few of them are left." It would have worked better to have a scenario where the Galactica simply could not backtrack and thus was forced to attack the Cylons. Still, it is a minor flaw in an overall outstanding script.

It is extremely frustrating that we never see a follow-up to Apollo and Sheba's relationship since this was the final episode. For fans who would like to see some kind of continuation, there are some fan fiction stories that I highly recommend. There is a short story called ''My Father's Daughter'' which takes place immediately following the events of ''The Hand of God'' and is quite simply the best Sheba story I have ever read. Three other novels, ''Second Coming'', ''Joint Maneuvers'', and ''The Race For Earth'' also explore Apollo and Sheba's relationship and are outstanding. These stories are all available free online at a site I own called [http://freegalacticafanfictionnovels.weebly.com Free Battlestar Galactica Fan Fiction Novels].

Many fans were and still are saddened that the original show ended so soon. Personally, I'm at peace with it. If the show had to end, ''The Hand of God'' may have been the best way to close the curtain. After reading Glen Larson's [[Battlestar_Galactica:_Year_Two_proposal|Season Two proposal]], all I can say is, "Thank god the show ended when it did!" It appears that, if there had been a second season, half the cast would have been cut in order to save money, Sheba would have been killed off, Commander Cain would have returned as a Cylon android, and Apollo would have shirked his responsibilities and started partying and messing around with numerous women. Ugh!!!

I think I can accept Battlestar Galactica for what it was, always remembering that the light that shines twice as bright only burns half as long.

== Galactica 1980 Episode Reviews ==

=== [[Galactica Discovers Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

Galactica Discovers Earth turns out to be a watchable pilot, but watchable is about all. From the very first episode, Galactica 1980 is clearly nothing more than an attempt by ABC to cash in on the Galactica name by creating a cheap show that simply reuses the expensive special effects stock footage from the original series. The later episodes would only reinforce this. Kent McCord (Troy) and Barry Van Dyke (Dillon) come off as inferior clones of Starbuck and Apollo. In fact, the script for the pilot was originally written for Starbuck and Apollo. When those plans changed, the names were simply switched to Troy and Dillon. Jamie Hamilton comes off as a carbon copy of Lois Lane. Unfortunately, we are never given any backstory to any of these characters.

This may be the only pilot in television history in which the premise changes in the middle of the episode! At first it's about advancing Earth's technology in order to fight the Cylons. Then it suddenly changes and is about capturing a time-traveling villain. It's really bizarre. Anyway, the time travel journey to Nazi Germany is never particularly interesting, partly because Xaviar just isn't that compelling of a villain, but mostly because this is NOT Battlestar Galactica.

The idea of the Galactica having to protect a primitive Earth from the Cylons is actually a compelling premise, but the problem is that Dr. Zee's plan to slowly increase Earth's technology is flawed. At the rate in which the Colonials were going, it probably would have taken at least decades to get Earth's technology increased enough to be able to fight the Cylons. Long before then, the Cylons would probably tire of waiting and decide to just destroy the Colonial fleet. Even if the Cylons didn't attack, how far could the Galactica lead the Cylons away from Earth before they (the Colonials) were too far away from the planet to ever go back there? It probably would have been smarter to temporarily abandon Earth and lead the Cylons away until Dr. Zee could invent some technology that would allow the Colonials to destroy the Cylon armada. (Actually, since Colonial Vipers can now turn invisible, it should have been fairly easy for the Colonials to launch a surprise attack on the Cylons and defeat them once and for all!)

The problem with the original premise of Galactica 1980 is that it would have eventually become tiresome: Troy and Dillon each week would find a way to introduce some new technology (clean nuclear power, etc.) which would make some small improvement, but do little to bring Earth up to the level it would need be to fight the Cylons. As a result, the series could never evolve to the next level (i.e. Earth is ready to fight the Cylons), because the series' budget was too small for any kind of "final battle". As a result, Galactica 1980 was stuck in a rut from the get-go. It tried to distract viewers from the main plot (the Cylon threat) with time travel and cub scout outings because there was little that could be done with the original premise. It might have worked well as a single movie or perhaps a series of movies, but it's unlikely that Galactica 1980 could have ever jelled as a weekly series.

The show looks second-rate. For example, take the opening sequence. This has to be one of the worst opening sequences in television history. It's nothing but a series of stock footage shots from the original show haphazardly thrown together. Even the rendition of the Galactica theme seems inferior to the one we heard on the original show.

That said, there is some nice chemistry between the trio of Troy, Dillon and Jamie. There's one particularly touching scene in part 3 when Jamie says goodbye to Troy and Dillon at the bus stop. But whatever positives the actors had would not be enough to overcome a number of self-destructive turns that would begin with the very next episode.

=== [[The Super Scouts]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Super Scouts arrive, and Galactica 1980 plummets into an abyss it would not survive. In the beginning, we're forced to endure a series of boring classroom educational lessons. Things get even worse when the intergalactic 'Our Gang' reaches Earth. We get ultra-cute campfire songs and even more educational lessons shoved down are throats. The original series had flaws, but at least it never insulted its viewers with sitcom humor or by getting into preachy moral issues. Galactica 1980 gives us an ultra-simplistic environmental message of "Don't pollute the water," and does so with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

One could make the case that Galactica 1980 is a great tool for writers to learn how NOT to write drama. One key is to create powerful villains and put the heroes in situations that are difficult to deal with. But all of the villains in Galactica 1980 are weak. The Colonials have so many advantages over the people of Earth - spaceships, super powers, invisibility fields - that they are essentially invincible, thus robbing the series of any possible drama. In Galactica 1980, there are no worthy villains. The bumbling cops and incompetent military personnel never have a prayer of apprehending Troy and Dillon, so there's no suspense. And it's certainly not funny to watch Earthlings constantly being confounded by extra-terrestrials. Yet that is what we're forced to endure again and again throughout the entire series.

=== [[Spaceball]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

This is crap. Spaceball is the worst, most hated episode of Galactica 1980. It's silly, stupid, and just plain dumb. Little kids playing baseball??? This is Battlestar Galactica??? Spaceball may be the most inconsequential hour of science fiction ever made. It's nothing less than an insult to the original series that this bionic version of ''The Bad News Bears'' was shot under the Galactica name.

=== [[The Night The Cylons Landed]] ===

'''Rating: One star out of five (Poor)'''

The Night The Cylons Landed is the best episode since the pilot. Of course, this isn't saying much, since watching a blank screen would have been almost as entertaining as the previous two episodes. Anyway, the Super Scouts are finally relegated to the background. This expands on the storyline involving the evolution of the Cylons over the 30 years since the destruction of the Colonies. A new, bigger, and more powerful Cylon raider carrying a newly advanced Cylon lifeform crashlands on Earth. Two surviving Cylons attempt to communicate with the Cylon armada to tell them of Earth's location. This is a cool idea, but the execution is terrible. We are treated to so much silliness, culminating with Troy and Dillon dancing on stage with cartoon characters like Yogi Bear! There are other problems. The more powerful, heavily armored Cylon raider is crippled after the punier viper rams into it??? The viper certainly doesn't hit it very hard. If the Cylons were a joke in the original series, then in Galactica 1980 they are a laughing stock. Andromus, the evolved Cylon clone of a human, certainly doesn't look or act very advanced. Centuri, his Centurion buddy, comes across as being even sillier with his constant banter of "I will protect you. That is my mission." This is the monstrous, all-powerful race which threatens the Earth's destruction and that the Colonials are so concerned about??? The two Cylons provide some funny moments, but it can't make up for the letdown of a plot that had so much potential.

With this episode, Galactica 1980 provides yet another example of how NOT to write drama. Conventional storytelling says that when you have a character trying to solve a mystery, you want the audience to move along at the same pace as the character. If the audience knows more than the character does, they find themselves simply waiting for the character to catch up, which is boring. Unfortunately, Galactica 1980 violates this basic rule of storytelling as we're forced to endure Colonel Briggs's investigation of the aliens. We know everything, he knows nothing, and thus there is nothing even remotely interesting about the subplot.

=== [[Space Croppers]] ===

'''Rating: Zero stars out of five (DUD)'''

The Space Croppers starts out interesting, but quickly takes an abrupt nosedive into looney land. The plot parallels that of [[The Magnificent Warriors]]. Due to the destruction of the fleet's agroships by a Cylon attack, another source of food supply must be found. The Magnificent Warriors was a terrible episode, so it must be considered quite a feat that Space Croppers turns out to be even worse.

The plight of the Alonso family to save their farm never becomes the least bit interesting. Even worse are the 'educational beats' that bring the story to a grinding halt: a lecture about Hispanic history, the soil requirements for planting legumes, and how rainfull is produced. This is beyond bad. It's unwatchable.

If Dr. Zee is such a genius, why doesn't it ever occur to him to use Galactican technology to create money so the Colonials can simply buy the food that they need? I guess such a simple solution would have made this story pointless.

Furthermore, the Imperious Leader's plan to force the Galactica to lead the Cylons to Earth makes no sense. How could Imperious Leader know that Earth was nearby? And if he did know, why not just destroy the Colonial fleet and conduct a search of the nearby planets? Did anything on this series make sense? Was anything supposed to?

Last, and certainly least, Troy and Dillon bouncing high in the air and throwing seeds while the Super Scouts sing their song is hands down the most ludicrous thing ever shown on Galactica 1980, and that's saying something.

=== [[The Return of Starbuck]] ===

'''Rating: Five stars out of five (Outstanding)'''

This is undeniably the best and most popular episode of Galactica 1980. It is even better than most of the episodes of Battlestar Galactica. What is there not to love about this episode? There are so many outstanding scenes: Adama's chilling reaction to Dr. Zee's mention of Starbuck; Boomer's heartwrenching goodbye to Starbuck, Adama explaining to Boomer that they can't go back to find him; Adama saying his farewell to Starbuck; Starbuck's rationalizations about how the planet belongs to him; Angela's words, "Starbuck, would you die for me?"; Starbuck sacrificing his chance to return to the fleet to give Angela and her baby a better chance; Starbuck's goodbye to Cy. The list goes on. Best of all, we see growth in Starbuck's character! A true classic to be treasured for all time by Galactica fans.

This episode is based on an earlier script written for the second season of Battlestar Galactica that never happened. The main differences are that a regular woman appears (not Angela), and Starbuck is eventually rescued by Boomer. The only thing believed to have been taken intact from the early script is Starbuck's dialogue with Cy. While that would no doubt have been a tremendous episode, it still would not have come close to being as great as this one is. The reason why is very simple. One of the problems with creating dramatic and suspenseful stories in any weekly series is that the viewer knows the hero will ultimately prevail. For example, when Starbuck is accused of murder in [[Murder on the Rising Star]], there is little in terms of suspense because it is a foregone conclusion that Starbuck will be vindicated, just as it is a forgone conclusion that Starbuck isn't going to die in [[The Young Lords]] when he is hunted by the Cylons on the planet Attila. In the beginning of The Return Of Starbuck, it is quickly established that Adama doesn't know what happened to Starbuck and that Starbuck never returned from the mission where he was shot down. As a result, in what is most unusual for any action/adventure television story, the viewer sits through the entire episode knowing that Starbuck isn't going to make it!

This makes the story much more gripping and intense than virtually any other episode of either series. The grim reality of Starbuck's eventual fate is all reinforced by Angela's question "Starbuck, will you die for me?" and her warnings of disaster, telling him that he must prepare to make "the final judgement." Of course, we do not actually see Starbuck die at the end of the story. Larson leaves Starbuck's fate ambiguous, especially since an intact Cylon raider is left nearby. Having Starbuck die would have been a gutsy and innovative move, but the ending shown is really for the best. The beauty of the ending is that it lets the viewers make their own interpretation of Starbuck's fate. If one goes with the idea that a single person alone cannot fly a Cylon raider, then Starbuck could have easily died on the planet. Many fans don't consider Galactica 1980 to be canon for the original series, except for this episode. With the interpretation that Galactica 1980 didn't happen, Starbuck could possibly have flown the Cylon raider back to the fleet, returning to Apollo, Adama, Sheba, and the other original characters. Much Galactica fan fiction over the years has interpreted the episode in this manner.

Despite having a small role, Lorne Greene gives what may be his best performance ever as Commander Adama. The look on his face when he asks Dr. Zee to tell him his dream is worth a thousand words. His farewell to Starbuck, saying that he loves him, is also incredibly powerful. A wonderful performance!

In conclusion, ''The Return of Starbuck'' is an incredible ending to the series and a worthy finish to the Battlestar Galactica saga overall. ''Galactica 1980'' was crap, but it sure went out with a bang.

== Galactica Comics ==

=== [[http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/List_of_comics#Galactica_1980|Galactica 1980]] ===

Comic adaptations of television shows are often very good because the writers are free from the usual constraints that a television show faces: limited budgets, censors, and network meddling in the storylines. Unfortunately, this is a double-edged sword, as the comic book writers' unlimited freedom sometimes allows the story to go flying off the rails.

Such is the case with the Galactica 1980 comic, a cool idea that feels like a missed opportunity. First, the comic does a number of things right. It delivers a War of the Worlds type story involving the Colonials and Cylons battling over Earth. It even makes Dr. Zee a villian, a great move considering that Zee is hands down the most hated character in the the Galactica universe (including the new version). Unfortunately, Marc Guggenheim goes for shock value. In the first issue, we learn that Troy is a drunk and Adama is suicidal. Personally, I found this ugly and disturbing.

Even worse is the end when the Galactica is destroyed by nukes. Again, it feels like the writer is just trying to hit us with one shocking suprise after another. I get annoyed with this tactic when the surprise lacks logic as this one does. Why would Adama be so stupid as to fly the Galactica directly over the White House without first sending a message and waiting to see what the response would be? This just makes no sense.

And I just didn't like seeing the Galactica destroyed. After all, this ''is'' Galactica 1980, so therefore the Galactica should be in it. If the Galactica had to be destroyed, it should have happened in the final issue (#4), not the first.

I also had a big problem with Dillon being killed off in issue #2. Troy and Dillon were the heroes of Galactica 1980, and I just don't think that either should have been killed off. I was also disappointed that Jamie Hamilton was reduced to a cameo appearance in issue #4. I really wish she could have had a larger role in the story.

In the end, I wish Guggenheim had written a story that might have been done on television if not for the limited budget and children's hour restrictions that ultimately crippled the series. The War of the Worlds premise was perfect for Galactica 1980, but in this case the execution fell short.

'''Rating: Two and a half stars out of five'''

== The Galactica Telemovies ==

=== [[Conquest of the Earth (VHS)|Conquest of the Earth]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

The opening sequence is outstanding, although it mostly uses footage from the original series. It has a truly epic feel, and it gives the impression that we will see a grand conclusion to the Battlestar Galactica saga. Sadly, this does not happen. Still, Adama's opening declaration that Earth has been found is also magnificent, much better done than it was in the original episode. By removing the time-travel subplot as well as much of the silliness including Troy and Dillon dancing on stage, the whole is better than any of the original Galactica 1980 episodes it is composed of. Yet this hardly makes ''Conquest of the Earth'' a great movie. The opening minutes rate five stars, yet starting with the first appearance of Dr. Zee (who bizarrely speaks with two different voices), the rest of the movie rates much lower.

=== [[Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack (VHS)|Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack]] ===

'''Rating: Two stars out of five'''

This movie is less entertaining than the individual episodes it is composed of (The Living Legend and Fire In Space). The separate episodes don't mesh together seamlessly, resulting in several plot holes and odd hairstyle changes between scenes. The movie especially suffers because many great scenes from The Living Legend episode are missing. All scenes and dialogue relating to Starbuck's relationship with Cassiopeia are cut, which only makes the Cain/Cassiopeia subplot less interesting. The battle scenes are a little more elaborate because additional stock footage is used, but that's not enough to overcome the movie's deficiencies. A different sound effect is used for the engines of the Cylon raiders that's a little jarring for anyone who is a die-hard fan of the original show.

Bottom line, this movie is only recommended for curiosity's sake.

== Berkley Books ==
=== [[Saga of a Star World (Book)|Saga of a Star World]] ===
'''Flagship of the 12 Worlds fleet, she was as large as a planet, yet as swift as the Starhound fighters she launched from her bays. For generations the vast ship led the thousand-year war against the Cylons for control of the known Galaxy. Now that war was in its final phase, and Galactica had one final mission, win or lose: blast through the deadly grid of the Cylon Starfleet and dash for deep space in a desperate attempt to find the legendary "Stonehenge" of the universe - the lost planet the ancient microfilms call "Earth."'''

This is the opening paragraph to the Berkley novelization of the Battlestar Galactica pilot "Saga Of A Star World". This is easily one of the most fascinating Galactica books ever written, and there are a number of things that make it so interesting. First, the book is based on an early script of the pilot and, although changes were made before it came to print to make it more like the version that aired, there are a number of alternate scenes in the book. The Galactica universe is also different in several aspects, such as the Cylons are living aliens underneath their armor instead of total machines. Also, there are missing scenes left out of the final cut of the movie that survived intact in the book (Starbuck's confrontation with Tigh on the bridge after the Colonies are destroyed; Starbuck's extended conversation with Cassie on the shuttle; Adama's resigning from the Council).

Perhaps best of all, certain events are more fleshed out in the novelization than in the movie such as the surprise Cylon attack. The novelization helps to fill a number of gaping plot holes and unanswered questions that the movie was saddled with. Many chapters begin with an entry from the Adama journals, and the reader is able to learn a lot of information and insight from the Galactica's commander.

Many fans are unhappy with the Berkley books, feeling that they don't remain true to the series. I respectfully disagree. First of all, as already mentioned, the novelizations often have extra detail and explanations that help cover up plot holes that existed in the episodes. Second, the fact that the novels portray the BG universe in a slightly different way and that they are not exact retellings of the episodes is good because the books would be pretty boring otherwise. Third, some of the characters such as Athena are fleshed out better in the novels. Make no mistake, this is the best of all the Berkley novelizations and is a must-read for any fan of the original series.

== External Links ==

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/BGEPISODES.htm Battlestar Galactica Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/Wharmby.htm Matthew Wharmby's Hilarious Galactica 1980 Episode Guide at Sheba's Galaxy]

The 20 Yahren Reunion

2011-11-16T14:42:45Z

Galactica1981:

My Account of the 20 Yahren Reunion

By John Dorsey

[[Image:Starbuck Autograph.jpg|thumb|right|My favorite Starbuck photo!]]
[[Image:Sheba Autograph.jpg|thumb|right]]
[[Image:Cassiopeia Autograph.jpg|thumb|right]]
[[Image:Apollo Autograph.jpg|thumb|right]]
[[Image:Tigh Autograph 1.jpg|thumb|right]]
[[Image:Baltar Autograph 1.jpg|thumb|right]]
[[Image:Bojay Autograph 2.jpg|thumb|right]]
[[Image:IL Cylon.jpg|thumb|right]]
[[Image:Warrior Uniform Display.jpg|thumb|right]]
[[Image:Cylon Fan Suit.jpg|thumb|right|A home-made Cylon!]]

This is my account of the 20 Yahren Reunion which I attended in Los Angeles, California from September 4-6, 1998. It was originally posted on the Sheba's Galaxy website. It has been slightly revised.

I spent an entire week in California and stayed at the Universal Hilton Hotel where the convention was held.

On the first day (September 4 - my birthday!), the convention never got going until the early evening. The first two people to show up were John Colicos ([[Baltar (TOS)|Baltar]]) and Terry Carter ([[Tigh (TOS)|Tigh]]). They were each presented with a plaque. I was able to get my picture taken with the two of them, as well as their autographs, and I asked Terry what happened to all the Galactica sets after the show was canceled. He said that, as far as he knew, they were all destroyed.

I mentioned to John Colicos about how his legs were crushed in [[Lost Planet of the Gods, Part II]] and yet in the next episode he appeared in ([[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero]]), all he had was a slight limp. I asked, "Did the Cylons do major reconstructive surgery on you?" He answered, "That's the magic of television. Baltar is indestructible."

Ron Kelly ([[Reese]]) eventually walked in, and some people were chanting "Reese! Reese!" He said he was amazed that anyone recognized him. I was a little dissapointed that more cast members didn't show up that night.

Saturday is when the convention really got going. I waited in front of the dealer room for an hour before they let people in, the entire time planning to snatch an autographed Starbuck photo I saw hanging from a wall. I rushed to that particular dealer as fast I could and managed to get his attention before another person who I could tell also wanted the photo. I just barely beat him to it! It's hands down the best Starbuck photo I've ever seen.

One thing that really blew me away was the vast amount of Galactica merchandise I saw. I hadn't realized just how much merchandising had been done for the show. It makes it all the more amazing that Universal didn't keep Galactica going as a series of movies after ABC canceled it. Universal certainly lost millions in merchandising because of this.

I also was happy to find a lot of old Galactica zines for sale, and I bought a lot of them. I would have bought all of them but unfortunately I didn't have room in my luggage to haul that much stuff around! I did buy several of the unproduced scripts such as [[Two For Twilly]] (which I got signed my Jim Carlson and Terrence McDonnell, the two guys who wrote it!).

Another thing that was great was an original IL series Cylon robot set up on display. The robe it was wearing was from the Living Legend episode (one of the IL series robots on Gammoray). I don't know if the IL Cylon in the lobby was Lucifer or Spectre or neither, but it was great to see one up close. I asked the owner if it was for sale, and he said only if you could pay $15,000!

Now I'll talk about the guests. It was a lot different here than at the Xena convention I attended in Cherry Hill, NJ only a week earlier. There were about 1500 people at the Xena convention and only 500 at this one. The difference is that you were able to walk up to the guests and actually talk to them! At the Xena con there was absolutely no personalizing with the guests. I still had a fun time, but this was so much better.

It was fun talking to [[Jim Carlson]] and [[Terrence McDonnell]]. I asked them what a centon was, and McDonnell said that a centon was originally supposed to be an hour, but Glen Larson would continually screw it up in his scripts. One day, they were having a meeting and Glen would sit higher than everyone else. It was his form of "psychological bullsh--" if I remember McDonnell's words correctly. After the meeting ended, McDonnell said to Larson, "I noticed some problems in your script." Larson was like "Well, what?" Larson didn't seem too happy with McDonnell's input, so he never brought it up again.

I talked to some of the special effects people on Friday night and asked if they knew what happened to any of the sets. They said the sets were eventually destroyed (although some of them were repainted and reused on Buck Rogers). Hollywood sets are never built to last. They said that the Galactica bridge set was so cheaply made that someone could (if there was a fire, for example) run right through one of the walls if they wanted to. One of them told me that there was a production company that spent a fortune to put a movie set into storage for nostalgia's sake. When they checked on it six months later, it had completely fallen apart. They also mentioned that the mechanically opening viper hatch was always breaking down (as evidenced in [[Murder on the Rising Star]] when Starbuck is going to launch; it closes very sloppily). They also told a story about when they were setting up for [[Galactica 1980]]. During a meeting, Glen Larson said, "At least we don't have to build another shuttle." Everyone looked at each other uncomfortably, knowing that the original shuttle was no longer around.

There were several panel discussions over the course of Saturday and Sunday. In the panel with the special effects people, they mentioned that the Galactica model actually caught fire due to a mishap. Back then, it was possible to get into the special effects department if you were just getting out of school. Today, you need experience to break in. They also talked about doing the special effects for Galactica 1980. They were working long hours and would only stop for an hour on Sunday night to watch Galactica 1980. They remembered one time they were watching the end of [[The Night the Cylons Landed, Part I]] and they saw the preview for the next week's episode. The scene was shown where the Cylon named Centuri has electricity shooting out of his hand, but there was no real electricity shown because they hadn't done the effect yet! They sat there thinking, "Gee, how are we going to do that?" They also thought it was funny how they would create models out of parts from toy models, and then the toy model manufacturers would simply make toy models of the models they created from the manufacturers' model parts.

Terry Carter ([[Tigh (TOS)|Tigh]]), Jack Stauffer ([[Bojay]]) and Ron Kelly ([[Reese]]) sat in on a panel together. Carter mentioned that he currently resides in Holland where he runs a production company that makes mostly educational films for which he has received several awards. He said he appeared on the detective show McCloud for about 7 years, yet he gets far more fan mail for Galactica which only lasted 1 year. If the show had gone a second season, there would have likely been more tension between Tigh and Adama due to their differences in philosophy. Carter said he enjoys acting more than producing films. Carter was originally cast in the role of Boomer, but while roller skating with his daughter on a boardwalk, one of his feet got caught in a hole and his leg snapped like a twig. As a result, Herbert Jefferson, Jr. got the role of Tigh. Fortunately, production of the pilot was held up, and he was able to recover enough to get the role of Colonel Tigh. He wore a brace on his leg which would have been impossible for sitting in a viper. Looking back, he liked the way things turned out and is actually kind of glad the accident happened. Carter also said, "As far as Galactica 1980 goes... Hey, trash is trash." Everyone in the room applauded this.

Ron Kelly said that working on Galactica was the best experience he ever had in TV. He said that Reece was one of the good guys but still a jerk. If the show had gone a second season, he would have still been a jerk and still made trouble for Starbuck and Apollo. Kelly also said he spent a good deal of the time sleeping when he wasn't being used.

I asked the three of them if they believed the show would be canceled at the time. Jack and Ron said that they weren't all that surprised the show was canceled because of all the production chaos. Carter said that he was very surprised the show was canceled. He said that Galactica had problems, but what first year show didn't? I then asked if they thought Galactica 1980 would work when it was first announced. Carter said that he knew it was going to fail because it was clear they weren't going to put the same effort into it. None of them were asked to come back for Galactica 1980. I also asked if they would have done Galactica 1980 if it had been offered to them. Carter said no, Jack gave an embarrassed yes, and Ron said that he actually did read for a part on Galactica 1980 but didn't get it.

It was interesting to see Sarah Rush ([[Rigel]]). She looked very different and I would not have recognized her on the street. She said that she made so very little money on the show that she actually worked a second job at the time. She said one of the reasons she got the role was because she could cry whenever someone got blown up. Richard Hatch came on shortly after her and mentioned that he had a crush on her during the show's production. Hatch talked about the event that inspired him to start the revial movement. He was invited to go to a Star Trek con around 1993 and he accepted reluctantly because he didn't believe that anyone would recognize or remember him. At the con, the speaker announced, "Ladies and gentleman! Richard Hatch from Battlestar Galactica!" And he grimaced, expecting everyone to say "Who?" To his shock, he got a standing ovation and a line quickly formed at his table. People kept telling him how much they loved Battlestar Galactica, and it really impressed him a show that lasted one season could affect people in such a way. He kept hearing rumors that Glen Larson and others were going to bring back Galactica, but nobody was doing anything. So he decided to take up the torch himself. Hatch said it is pretty scary to go to meetings with executives to make a pitch to them. They have said to him, "We understand how great Battlestar was. But why do you think people will want to see it today?" At one point, Jack Stauffer walked in, got down on his knees, and yelled, "Richard! Please have me on your show!" That was pretty funny.

John Colicos ([[Baltar (TOS)|Baltar]]) was very interesting to hear. He said he believed at the time the show would likely be canceled because he heard that the special effects crew had used a camera licensed exclusively to George Lucas and that Fox may have threatened to bring that into the lawsuit if the show wasn't canceled. He said that none of the characters were ever really fleshed out. Personally, he felt that Boxey and Muffit should have been flushed down a waste chute after the first episode. I mentioned to him his role on General Hospital in 1981 as the villain Mikkos Cassadine who fought against Luke and Laura. John said it was interesting that a soap opera like General Hospital would do a science fiction story. John's character used a special device to create a blizzard over Port Charles and was killed when Luke locked him inside a freezing chamber. John said that when his character was locked in the freezing chamber, they shot an alternate scene where he reaches into his pocket and pulls out an anti-freeze tablet! This was hilarious. It was a way to possibly bring the character back, but they never took that direction.

Sadly, Anne Lockhart ([[Sheba]]) and Laurette Spang ([[Cassiopeia]]) did not show until Sunday afternoon. I got first in line to ask them questions. First, I asked Anne about her voice-over work. She said that she often does computer voices and screams. She is very good at doing loud screams whereas many actresses are not. She said she was one of several people to did all the chimpanzee sounds in the movie Project X. She actually made some chimp sounds which was funny. Next, I asked if they were surprised if the show was canceled, and they both said that they were. Spang said she still had the black outfit she wore in The Living Legend but she couldn't fit into it anymore. They both said that shooting the episode was "so much fun!" Anne was asked if she had read Richard Hatch's book [[Armageddon]]. She said she hadn't, but she was glad to hear that Sheba got a promotion! (In Hatch's book, Sheba is a Major instead of a lieutenant) Anne also said that she once showed her kids an episode of BG, and they just shrugged and walked off. Laurette said her kids had some friends over, and she was probably feeling insecure, so she put on a tape of BG. Her kids were totally embarrassed. I left the panel discussion early to get in line for autographs. I wound up waiting almost an hour to get their autographs, and unfortunately only got 1 each. Still, I was ecstatic to get them and I still cherish them to this day!

There were a number of guests who didn't show such as Dirk Benedict ([[Starbuck (TOS)|Starbuck]]), Herb Jefferson Jr. ([[Boomer (TOS)|Boomer]]), Ed Begley Jr. ([[Greenbean]]), John Dullagham (Dr. [[Wilker]]), and Kent McCord ([[Troy]] from Galactica 1980). I heard that McCord was actually in the hotel lobby, but for some reason he decided to leave. It's too bad because I really wanted to meet him. Fortunately, I would get to meet Dirk and Herb a year later at the [[GoMainline Galactica Convention]].

One of the best things about the convention was meeting other Galactica fans. It's been frustrating over the years to have a love for a show and have almost no one to talk about it with. I met a lot of great people and had fun discussing the show with them. I haven't kept in touch with anybody, but it was a great experience.

== External Links ==

*[http://galacticafanfic.com/images/reunion.html More pictures from the 20 Yahren Reunion]

*[http://galactica1981.tripod.com/Sheba.htm Sheba's Galaxy site]

Space Croppers

2011-11-16T14:19:08Z

Galactica1981: /* Episodic Notes */

{{Episode Data
| image = rain rain go away.jpg
| title= Space Croppers
| series= 1980
| episode= 9
| guests=
| writer= [[Robert L. McCullough]]
| story=
| director= [[Daniel Haller]]
| production= 1.9
| rating=
| US airdate= 1980-04-27
| UK airdate=
| dvd=
| population=
| prev= [[The Night the Cylons Landed, Part II]]
| next= [[The Return of Starbuck]]
| itunes=http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=VWbyALbmqZY&offerid=146261&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252FWebObjects%252FMZStore.woa%252Fwa%252FviewTVSeason%253Fi%253D299916975%2526id%253D299515652%2526s%253D143441%2526uo%253D6%2526partnerId%253D30
}}

== Overview ==

:''After a [[Cylons (1980)|Cylon]] attack that destroys two of the [[Galactican Fleet]]'s [[Agro Ship|Agro ships]], [[Troy (1980)|Troy]] and [[Dillon]] are sent to [[Earth (1980)|Earth]] to set up an agricultural colony. In Southern California, they befriend a [[Hector Alonzo|local Hispanic farmer]] who is struggling to keep his farm in the face of drought and the influence of his neighbor, a [[Steadman|powerful rancher]] who controls the access to water for irrigation.''

==Summary==

=== Act 1 ===

* On a [[Cylons (1980)|Cylon]] [[Basestar (TOS)|basestar]], positioned not far away from [[Earth (1980)|Earth]], the [[Imperious Leader]] is addressing a [[Centurion (TOS)|Centurion]].

* He declares a new strategy in the war on the humans, ordering the targeting of the Galactican Fleet's [[Agro Ship|agricultural ships]]. The Imperious Leader (stock footage is used, with [[Dennis Haysbert]]'s voice overdubbed for the Imperious Leader) hopes that the Colonials will have no choice but to flee to Earth for food and, as such, will lead the Cylon fleet there as well.

* Dozens of Cylon raiders are immediately launched to attack the Galactican Fleet, which they are able to detect their electro-magnetic transmissions. They begin carrying out their order for agricultural ship destruction.

* On ''[[Galactica (1980)|Galactica]]'', Commander [[Adama (1980)|Adama]] calls a red alert. [[Viper (1980)|Viper]]s are launched.

* After breaking through the perimeter of Vipers guarding the fleet, the [[Raider (TOS)|Raiders]] succeed in destroying two of the Agroships, all of which Adama and [[Doctor Zee]] watch from [[Zee's chamber]].

* Adama and Zee discuss the attack. They discuss why the agricultural ships were attacked and why the Cylons haven't come in for the final attack. They immediately surmise that the Cylons feel that the Fleet is their only link to Earth, and they're trying to force their hand by bringing the Fleet to Earth, inevitably leading the Cylons to the last outpost of humanity.

* Zee notes that Lieutenant [[Dante]]'s men have been most successful in keeping the Cylons from [[Troy (1980)|Troy]] and [[Dillon]] during the Warriors' constant trips to and from Earth. Troy and Dillon are in position on Earth and Adama believes they are their only hope of replenishing their food sources.

* [[Boomer (1980)|Boomer]] informs Adama that Troy and Dillon are ready to launch, as are the decoy squadron. Adama is extremely happy that they are about to establish their first colony on Earth.

* They are interrupted by an [[Maintenance Captain|unidentified captain]] who complains that [[D Squadron]], nicknamed the [[Daggit|Daggits]]. Boomer points out that there aren't many people who would volunteer to bring the fight to the Cylons, which Adama supports, saying that their mission requires a certain "devil-may-care attitude". However, the captain reports that they have been modifying their Vipers by removing the [[limiter]]s from the [[turbocharger]]s, which concerns Adama.

* Troy, Dillon, and D Squadron launches. Troy and Dillon head to Earth while D Squadron engages the Cylons. Having successfully entered the Solar System undetected, Dillon tells Troy of his optimism of setting up a Galactican colony on Earth.

* After landing in the Alonzo's farm field and [[invisibility field|hiding their ships]], they run across a scarecrow, believing it to be an Earthling, [[Hector Alonzo]]. However, as they round to face it, Troy posits that it might be either some primitive burial symbol or a crude attempt at artistic expression. They head toward the Alonzo's home.

* [[Gloria Alonzo]], Hector's teenage daughter, gives a plate to her mother, [[Louise Alonzo]]. Gloria asks why her father is depressed and expresses her optimism that someone will answer his ad. Louise replies that Hector feels foolish for running the ad, believing that everyone in town will see it and believe he's giving up. Gloria replies that he's hanging on; Louise blames herself for talking him into the ad. Gloria consoles her mother, telling her that Hector cannot hold his emotions bottled up. They hug after she asks if Hector realizes that they know what's happening to him, even [[Chris Alonzo]].

* Louise approaches her husband and asks if he'd like to go outside. He silently puts his arm around her and proceeds to go on the porch with his wife. On the porch, he reveals that it'll kill him to sell his land, particularly to [[John Steadman]]. Hector stops her from saying "don't worry", telling her to save it for the children. However, she tells them that they already know.

* Chris is next to his bed praying to God for help for his parents, realizing that his parents work hard for him and his sister and that they may have to sell because they can't afford it. He pleads with God to send people to help his dad.

* Dillon and Troy approach the Alonzos outside and, after noting that they didn't come in a vehicle, inquire about the ad for help on the farm.

* That morning, Troy and Dillon talk to Hector about the ad, which he offers to sell half-interest in his farm and requires farm hands. Hector warns them that they may be throwing their money away, since they don't have enough water to support their farm. The problem stems from two sources: the worst drought in years and the irrigation quota. He tells them that the water is controlled by Steadman of the Growers Association, who makes it impossible for small farmers like him to succeed.

* Gloria comes over and doles out food to Dillon, who initially refuses. However, Dillon concedes to the obviously smitten Gloria, who says she's cooked the food herself. Louise notes that they're lucky to eat meat twice a week.
[[Image:Hector1.jpg|thumb|Hector Alonso]]
* Hector tells Troy that Steadman has dammed up the water supply. Dillon asks if he complained to the association, but he notes that the dam is on Steadman's property and Steadman has a lot of say on the association. Dillon notes that the inequity of the situation. Hector dejectedly replies that if he came to talk about fair, he came to the wrong place.

* Troy asks to look at the dam. Louise pipes up, saying that Steadman treats trespassers harshly. Dillon replies that he doesn't think Steadman would mind meeting his neighbors.

* Upon visiting Steadman's property, Troy notes that it is very green. Hector notes that it's "about the same color as his money", noting that his wealth is the reason he has clout with the association. He further adds, much to Troy and Dillon's confusion, Steadman's negative attitude of Hispanics, who he views as peasants.

* On cue, Steadman arrives with two of his lackeys, one of them [[Maze]]. Steadman greets Hector and then notes that his people have orders to eliminate any "critters that don't belong here, and that includes coyotes, dogs and trespassers". Hector replies that he thought Steadman would like to meet his new neighbors; Steadman assumes that he's sold the property without giving him first bid, but Hector informs him that Troy and Dillon are his new partners.

* Troy points out the dam. Steadman laughs and tells him that what he does on his property is his business, but he haughitly "corrects" himself and notes that it is controlled by the association. He says that since the drought, there are strict allotments made for the water. Troy notes that they're interested in the association, the local farmers, and the quota system. Steadman replies that he too works under the quota, adding that "the man with the biggest spread and the biggest overhead is gonna get the largest quota". He assures them that it works out "proportionally" for everyone concerned.

* Troy attempts to argue that "farmers are brothers of a kind", but Steadman deflects this point and notes that they're standing on private property and would appreciate it if they leave.

* As they leave, one of the Steadman's men notes that Hector's kind is "always trying to get somethin', because of what they are, instead of working for it". Steadman assures the boys that they'll take care of it in "our own good time".

=== Act 2 ===
[[Image:Steadman.jpg|thumb|John Steadman in "Space Croppers"]]
* Later, Troy and Dillon go with Hector and Chris to buy seed. Hector tells them he would understand if they would pull out upon seeing the problems he faces. Hector finds it odd that his new partners tell him not to worry, particularly when faced with the water situation, including their purchasing of seed he thinks will not grow in such weather. He also points out that beans, being legumes, require cobalt and molybdenum in order to grow. His soil does not have these elements in great enough supply to support beans, but the Warriors again tell him not to worry assuring him that they have a special treatment process. He concedes that all they can do is give it a try.

* Maze and Barrett believe that Hector's got them conned and decides to "deal with that situation". They enter their Ford pickup truck.

* As they pass Hector's truck on the two-lane road, Maze throws a cigar into the back of the truck. It begins to burn at the burlap. Maze then begins heckling Hector.

* Dillon asks Hector why he puts up with the heckling. Hector replies that while it bothers his family, he's gotten over it.

* Troy smells something burning. Chris notes that the truck is on fire and they pull over and stop. They take out the sacks of seed, but it's too late for them. Hector ruefully notes that he's lost crops before, but never so quickly.

* Dillon finds the cigar in the truck bed. Hector believes that the cigar belonged to "Old Maze", as he is a cigar aficionado.

* Hector explains to the Warriors that the reason why Steadman's men destroyed their supplies was because of their association with a Latino. Chris mentions that he doesn't understand their hatred. Hector explains it has to do with prejudice and racism. Dillon tells them he's getting angry; Troy replies that he was getting angry five [[centon]]s ago.

* At [[Steadman Acres]],  Steadman convinces Maze to ride [[Satan]], telling him that anyone who can ride the wild horse will win $1,000. Maze states that the amount won't even cover medical expenses, to which Steadman replies that he'll take care of them.

* As Steadman and Barrett enjoy the show, which ends as Satan dumps Maze into a water trough.

* Troy and Dillon arrive at Steadman Acres to confront Steadman, and demand compensation for the burned seed. Steadman asks his employees if their claim is true; Barrett mocking chastises Maze, telling him that he should use ashtrays. Steadman, who claims that the incident wasn't one of malice, decides to have a good play with his employees, deciding to take the payment out of the henchmen's wages for the supplies lost.

* Steadman offers to help them with anything else they may have forgotten at the store, but Troy replies that they'll be satisfied with what they had. He can't resist the opportunity to put one over on Troy and Dillon, and, knowing they are new, tells them about his offer regarding Satan. Claiming that it's the "best horse flesh" in the county, Steadman asks if Hector has a horse at his place, knowing full well that he doesn't. He tells them that it's an acquisition for them to think about. When asked on the cost, Steadman replies that Satan will have to choose his owner. He then tells them about his offer: anyone who can ride him, owns him, plus $1000 to boot.

* Dillon and Troy accept the offer, Dillon notes that he seems friendly enough when spoken to. Troy gives the buck to Dillon, noting his affinity for such situations.

* Steadman mockingly comments to Barret and Maze about not wanting to see Hector go under, which Maze playfully replies that Steadman's offer is a charitable one.

* After holding the animal by the reins, Dillon notes that the animal seems upset. Troy replies that "I would be too if I had Earthlings climbing all over my back".

* The horse begins resisting. Dillon uses his [[wrist computron]] to determine that Satan has disturbed brain wave patterns. Troy surmises that the animal is mistreated. Dillon notes that the animal didn't seem different to what was on [[Caprica (TOS)|Caprica]] and gives the creature a burst of alpha waves.

* The horse is now calm, much to the astonishment of Steadman and his workers. Dillon rides the horse successfully. Steadman protests that he shouldn't be able to do that and it's a trick of some kind. Troy notes that Dillon seems to have a way with animals.

* Steadman throws his hat on the ground, vociferously claiming that the horse can't be ridden. Dillon rides up, with the horse crushing the hat under-hoof, and says that they owe them $1,000 and want the horse delivered to Alonzo's ranch. A red-faced Steadman tells his boys to get the Warriors their things.

* Dillon presents the horse to Gloria, noting that Satan would like her over Mr. Steadman. Gloria asks Dillon if he has a girlfriend. Unfamiliar with the term, he asks her why, to which she replies that she thinks he's cute. She walks away, allowing him to look up the term. Chris, who has the horse's reins, tells Dillon that he's got trouble.

* Maze and Barrett arrive with their seed. Much to their chagrin, they find that the seed is not heavy for Troy or Dillon, who they believed would lose their balance over the heavy seed. Troy says he could handle another bag, which he catches with one hand.

* Barrett notices Satan and their new owners, Gloria and Hector. He comments that the horse is nice, but tells her "good luck watering it". Gloria claims they have enough water for Satan, to which he replies that this won't be the case when Steadman cuts off the irrigation quota for them.

* Dillon notes that they'll complain to the Growers Association, which is a prospect the lackeys laugh at. Hector notes that it'll be months before they get a hearing.

* Troy walks away, having been summoned by Commander Adama. He tells Adama of the situation. Adama notes that with the food gone, it is imperative that they complete the project. He notes that while they have seedlings, they need water.

* Chris comes up behind Troy, who confers with Adama. Zee orders that they plant the seedlings, for he'll be able to provide the water. He orders that the ground must be prepared no later than tonight.

* Chris asks who Troy was talking to with that "watch" of his. Troy replies that he was going over some things in his head; Chris notes his father's belief that people who talk to themselves are trouble.

* Dillon arrives and Chris is sent away to help the others. Troy notifies Dillon that they need to begin planting as soon as possible.

* Hector is having problems getting farm hands; no one within 50 miles that he knows will help them. Money isn't the problem, but the farmers fear Steadman. He notes that the time table is unrealistic; it'll take one to two weeks to sow and plant the ground. Troy tells Hector that he'll get them help.

* [[Jamie Hamilton]] arrives with the [[Super Scouts]]. Hector doesn't believe what he is seeing, but Hamilton assures him that they're a specialized branch of the scouts with a lot of agricultural training.

* Lancer assure Hector that they're a lot tougher and stronger than they look. Chris asks how far they can throw a ball; Lancer is about to reply a good 3000 feet, until he is stopped by Troy.

* Troy asks where the children can sleep, Hector points out a barn where they can stay.

* Hamilton later asks Troy for a situation report. Troy tells her that he'll explain later. Hector tells them to bring their belongings inside and that they'll soon have dinner.

* A team of agricultural experts dressed in Earthling farmer clothing enters the [[anti-gravity ship]]. Adama tells them that they will remain there to help the farm and form a colony, should the rain-making process be effective.

* Zee explains that the process is simple. The mist the ship creates upon entering Earth's atmosphere will create clouds and, using their technology, will create precipitation. They'll seed the clouds with super-cooled carbon dioxide and do a bunch of other mumbojumbo.

* Steadman meets with his henchmen, who inform him that Alonzo is looking for help and is calling everyone in the valley. He's sure that the two "yokels" (Troy and Dillon) are somehow involved in Alonzo's determination.

* That night, under cover of darkness, Troy and Dillon begin plowing the fields with their lasers. Steadman drives up and sees this.

* [[Starla]] inquires about the [[nutrient monitors]]. Lancer asks how they can grow plants without computers. The Super Scouts respond incredulously to Hamilton's claim that Earthlings plant things naturally.

* Troy and Dillon use their superhuman jumping ability to rapidly seed Alonso's fields. Steadman watches from a distance, noting that they are jumping 50 feet in the air.

=== Act 3 ===

[[Image:Experts.jpg|thumb|Agricultural experts from the Fleet are outfitted with local garb]]

* The anti-gravity ship makes its descent towards the valley. Zee tells Adama that carbon dioxide emissions are proceeding as scheduled. The next pass over the clouds will make it rain.

* A rain storm begins, first with lightning and thunder, which Troy, Dillon, and Hamilton watch occur. It begins to rain, much to Steadman's surprise.

* Zee responds to Adama's question regarding their food supply reserves. He informs Adama that with the special nutrients dispersing with the rain, the crops will grow faster and become plentiful within a few Earth hours.

* Awakened by the lightning and thunder, Chris runs to the window of his room. He is surprised when he sees a flying saucer, actually Dr. Zee's antigrav ship, begin landing beyond the mountains.

* The crops shoot up overnight.

* The next morning, Steadman goes to the Grower's Association, blaming the problems of the valley on Hector Alonzo. [[Tom Rogers]] asks how Hector can cause a threat. He then dissolves into frantic revelations of jumping aliens and flying saucers at Alonzo's place, giving a call to arms for the townsfolk to get the sheriff and law enforcement involved.

* Hector and his wife react to the bountiful crop they now have. Also present are agricultural experts from the Galactican Fleet, who masquerade as agricultural students studying advanced, experimental farming techniques. Troy assures Hector that they'll work on their share of the farm and will be of no burden.

* Steadman and his cronies arrive. Steadman makes his accusations. The police subsequently arrive, lead by the Sheriff and Mr. Rogers. They follow up on Steadman's claim of Alonzo's harboring of illegal aliens.

* Hamilton presents herself as a reporter with [[United Broadcasting Company]] and she shows them her identification.

* Steadman tells them to check out the identification of the others, but Roger himself asks Steadman for ID. Steadman claims that he never carries any on his person, since everyone knows who he is. The scouts, however, point out that they don't know who he is; Lancer adds that he doesn't want to know Steadman at all.

* Steadman claims to the police that he saw them arrive last night. After Hamilton pretends to be interested in Steadman's story, Steadman reveals that he saw a ship. It is revealed through more direct questioning that the ship was an UFO. Once Steadman spills what he saw, Hamilton notes that she should call her station and get a crew on the story right away. However, Rogers says that it isn't necessary to call them. The sheriff agrees, saying they should leave Alonzo and his friends alone. Rogers also goes on to say that they've been having second thoughts about the water situation.

* Rogers says that he's calling an emergency meeting, where he pledges that the dam won't be there by tomorrow morning.

* Steadman claims that everything he's said is the truth. He points out that Dillon was able to ride Satan, a feat that he claims no human could do. However, on cue, he is proven wrong when Chris rides Satan within plain sight.

* Rogers laughs at Steadman, telling him not to take any wooden saucers now.

* Rogers has his emergency meeting and, despite the loud protestations of Steadman, have the dam removed in addition to other strictures. Overwhelmingly, Rogers proposition is supported. Hamilton is pleased when Steadman storms out in defeat.

* Gloria is sad to see Dillon go. She asks if he'll come by again, which he replies that, as their friends are there, of course they will. She kisses him on the cheek and runs off.

* Louise tells Dillon her belief that Gloria has a crush on him; Chris tells him not to worry, since she'll grow out of it.

* Hector thanks the Warriors and Hamilton for everything they've done. Troy replies that it is they who should thank him. Hector assures them that Troy's people will be taken care of like they were members of his own family.

* Troy and Dillon ride off in their [[turbine]]s, talking about how beautiful the place was -- and Gloria. They fly off into the sky.

== British writer Matthew Wharmby's Humorous Summary ==

PREMISE: The Galactica's agroships are destroyed by the Cylons, so Troy and Dillon have to do a bit of wheeler-dealing with a local farmer.

MORAL: Racism is bad. So is greed.

WHAT WE LEARN: A fair bit of Chicano history, the suitability for planting of certain items of produce, and the machinations of rainfall.

BACKGROUND:

Attending college in the US, I discovered Bill Anchors' comprehensive video archive Star Tech, and immediately spent most of my tuition on his services. First priority was to collect all the remaining Galactica episodes I hadn't seen, among which, of course, were those of the infamous Galactica 1980. A bit of local history ensued, as all these tapes were recorded on first airdate from ABC affiliates in obscure places like Chattanooga or Dayton, Ohio.

THE STORY:

Begins promisingly, with a leisurely shot of the agroship sailing delicately through space, and suitably ominous music (the music, always of the highest standard, managed to endure in quality through Galactica 1980, with some nicely done individual themes). Cut to three Cylon basestars of the lurking taskforce, and none other than Imperious Leader. Just what he's doing all the way out here is anybody's guess, but disappointment is heavy when he opens his mouth (wherever on his ugly face that happened to be), as the budget does not extend to re-employing the silken tones of Patrick Macnee.

It is rather nice to see the old-style throne room make a return, although accomplished entirely with stock footage of a single centurion making his way in for an audience (and looking decidedly wobbly-legged in the process, might I add).

Imperious Leader declares a new strategy, ordering the targeting of the Galactican fleet's food supply. With their agroships destroyed, the humans will have to approach Earth closer, and thereby reveal its location to the Cylons. To this end, squadrons of fighters take off. These raiders are piloted by what I can only imagine as Valley Cylons. 'Like-source-identified-as-Galactican-fleet;-gag-me-with-a-spoon'. A large speck of injudiciousness in the voice casting, methinks.

We are now three or four minutes into the episode and still haven't used any non-stock footage, as vipers launch and head off into the attack. You immediately notice that the viper pilots' helmets are different, being more like motorbike helmets with a smaller mouthpiece (and you'll see them repainted black on the Buck Rogers episode 'Flight of the War Witch', which was filmed within months of Space Croppers). One of the pilots to get a little more screen time is a black man in his mid-twenties with a prominent grin, whom we recall sat next to Troy and Dillon in Dr Zee's conference chamber on 'Galactica Discovers Earth', and whom fanfic (aided by a one-liner in the Berkley novelisation of that episode) casts as Lieutenant Kip. This was the lucky warrior who got the really plum assignment to the USSR.

The battle scene is lifted almost directly from 'The Gun On Ice Planet Zero', even down to the incidental music, but I'm not too bothered about that, as that was a pretty good scrap. As the Valley Cylons break and head for the agroships, we see Adama and Dr Zee watching the battle (in the conference chamber! Who's looking after the bridge?!). In a volley of stock fire, the agroships eat it, and the Cylons disengage. Kip doesn't seem too flustered, as he lets out a warrior's 'yeee-hooo!' while picking off the rearguard (Did that count as payable dialogue for that uncredited actor?).

Adama groans, wondering why the Cylons should pick that ship out of all 220, and Dr Zee responds with the second incarnation of his 'Since the time of our defeat, the Cylons have not been idle' speech. The boy genius concurs with Imperious Leader, that it's a pretty obvious plan to lead the Cylons to Earth.

There follows a strikingly pointless scene in Adama's quarters, where the Commander is unusually excited about the prospect of opening their first agricultural colony on Earth. He and Boomer (in flight uniform) are interrupted by an unidentified captain (in hangar crew uniform) barging in to complain that D Squadron (nicknamed the Daggits) have been souping up their vipers by removing the limiters from the turbochargers. So what? we wonder, as we do the same to our factory-limited BMWs. There are great fanfic possibilities for the details in this scene which I'm going to try to tackle at some point, namely the fact that Lieutenant Dante seems to be a grade-A nutter, a loose cannon who will attack Cylon baseships with neither provocation nor fear, and thus comes in useful as a protector of Troy and Dillon on their missions to Earth. We do hear the voiceover of Dante as his squadron takes off on another harassing mission against the baseships, and he does sound like a lunatic. A kind of post-Starbuck, if you will.

As Troy and Dillon make their way to Earth, we cut to a different scene. A none-too-prosperous smallholding in California's green belt owned by a Mexican-American family, the Alonsos. They are this close from bankruptcy, and patriarch Hector has taken the last resort and placed an ad for help in the local paper, but is embarrassed to have done so in front of the local Growers' Association, whom we are already surmising are a bit out of order.

First to be seen is ten-year-old son Chris, who helpfully gives us the backstory in a rather desperate prayer, the last stanza of which is the suitably prophetic 'and please, PLEASE send someone to help my dad!' Second is Gloria, seventeenish, who is played by Ana Alicia in her second role on Battlestar Galactica. And still, might I add, utterly gorgeous. She's barely on this episode, but, aside from a little issue of mine with her attitude, she could steal it.

One of the more light-hearted moments covers Troy and Dillon's approach to the Alonso farm. They encounter a shabby-looking scarecrow and immediately assume it's a local (Not such an erroneous assumption! You'd get a damn sight better conversation than out of most Californians!). The dialogue here is so priceless that I feel no shame in reproducing it in full.

DILLON: Over there, an Earthling.

TROY: That must be Mr Alonso. Excuse me...

DILLON: That's not a life form!

TROY: Some type of dried grass.

DILLON: Stuffed in an Earthling's clothing? Why?

TROY: Might be some kind of primitive burial symbol.

DILLON: Some kind of an attempt at crude artistic expression?

TROY: Looks like the main dwelling over there.

DILLON: ...Nice night!

Somehow, the readership of the small ads of the Riverside County edition of the LA Times comes from a considerably more widespread demographic than imagined, and somewhere like that was where the lads saw Hector Alonso's appeal for help. To this end, they're dressed up like hillbillies - all they need is bits of straw hanging out of their gobs, or better still, a big plug of chaw marinating away inside a cheek.

Hector's ad offers to sell half interest in the farm, but an irrigation quota placed there by John Steadman, of the Growers' Association, is starving him out. Our Dillon's not being starved, as Gloria takes an instant liking to him and starts plying him with food. Next day, Hector takes Troy and Dillon to the perimeter of his property in a wretched old truck. There, as plain as day, is a dam. Not as big as the Hoover, and not the kind beavers live in, but damnable (as it were) enough to cut off two-thirds of the water supply. As Hector explains the problem, up rolls a black Mercedes 450 SEL with natty monograms on the doors, and John Steadman introduces himself. He's a few years and a few pounds shy of Boss Hogg dimensions, and he lacks the heart of gold. He's got two redneck associates known as Maze and Barrett, and they cover the chewin' tobacco requirement.

Transpires Steadman has a problem with Hispanics and/or trespassers, but greed is this week's 'evil'; basically he wants to buy Hector's farm for a knockdown price.

What has to be the most disappointing scene in the whole episode isn't too bad on its own, but is let down by the use of music which has been used for far more exciting battle scenes. Thus, the score for the destruction of the agroships (the FIRST time around) at the opening of 'The Magnificent Warriors' is expected to prop up thirty miserable seconds' footage of Maze's thrown cigar butt setting fire to the seeds in the bed of Hector's truck. Seeds that Hector thinks are way too complicated to grow quickly on his scrappy farm.

The lads pull over, jump out and drag out the sacks of burned crops - and now it's war!

DILLON: Troy, I'm beginning to get angry.

TROY: I was angry about five centons ago.

While they could be picking out the undamaged seeds and shovelling them back into the truck, they instead endure a lecture by Hector on the abridged history of the Chicano diaspora - evidently the five minutes' education time demanded by the network. This was fine by me, as I didn't previously know about Juarez, or Diego Rivera, and happen to find the stuff interesting. Similarly for the discussion of what soil requirements you need to plant legumes (like peas and alfalfa - should I ever want to eat those ghastly vegetables! Ugh!)

Troy and Dillon go to have it out with Steadman, demanding compensation for the lost seed. Steadman has a good play with his employees, deciding to show a bit of cheap good faith by taking the payment out of Maze and Barrett's wages. He can't resist the opportunity to put one over on Troy and Dillon, and throws in an offer of untamed racehorse Satan - if they can ride him. He'd already garnered some laughs out of watching the horse throw Maze all over the place.

This is where they make a fool out of Steadman, simply pacifying the animal with a burst of alpha waves from their wrist computers.

Dillon breezes back to the ranch and presents Gloria with the horse. But I think I'd be entitled to more than an 'I think you're cute' if I'd handed over the next Red Rum as if it was a My Little Pony! Especially from the proverbial farmer's daughter! Damn!

'Nice-looking horse you got there,' the two yahoos Maze and Barrett counter in reply; 'Wait till you try watering it.' Steadman is going to cut their water off altogether.

Adama calls. In order to get the seed planted and grown to replenish the fleet's hydroponic capabilities without a blip, they have to do it that night. Dr Zee will swing by in his anti-gravity ship and niggle the clouds into producing a good storm (and here we get our third lecture of the piece. Again, not uninteresting by any means. Living underneath torrents of the damn stuff nearly every day, I'd never previously cared as to how or why rain was produced!).

One educational concern the producers ought to have thought about is child labour, as Troy and Dillon draft the scouts in to do a bit of Land Army work on Hector's plantation. No local labourers dare show up for fear of being cut off too, and they would take two weeks to do the job. So, that night, a lot of jumping and vaulting about with bags of seed (accompanied by the grotesque Super Scouts' Theme that is so obnoxious that I have to turn the sound off every time), into furrows ploughed by Troy and Dillon, with a pair of Buck Rogers handguns, gets the job done. A passing Steadman can't believe his eyes - but Chris is equally gobsmacked when he sees a flying saucer sneak past his window at roughly the same time. Inside said flying saucer (whose very smart bridge set swallowed a good percentage of Galactica 1980's budget) are a veritable army of Caprica Hillbillies, who are Galactican agricultural experts assigned by Dr Zee to harvest the crops.

Crops shoot up overnight, but this phenomenon goes unnoticed compared to Steadman's frantic revelations of leaping aliens (illegal aliens, in a final slur) and flying saucers to the Growers' Association. Thankfully, they sprout brains as quickly as Alonso's legumes and laugh him out of town, voting to order the dam torn down and the water distributed freely. Helped of course by Jamie's revealing of her press credentials, as nothing will frighten off honest country folk more than the media.

So the lads have got to go, and Gloria's heart is broken. Still, after saving her family's livelihood, scoring her a free horse AND growing in one night enough crops to feed two hundred and twenty ships, all she gives to Dillon is a shy kiss on the cheek before running off girlishly. Starbuck he's not! And I hope Troy doesn't have to take front seat next time they go out in a patrol viper!<ref>Sheba's Galaxy: The Ultimate Battlestar Galactica Information Site</ref>

== Notes ==

=== Episodic Notes ===

* The final series episode, "[[The Return of Starbuck]]" was being filmed around the same time as this episode.
* "Space Croppers" is the final episode of the series to include the central cast outside of Adama and Doctor Zee.
* The voice of the Imperious Leader is furnished by actor [[Dennis Haysbert]] from ''[[w:24 (series)|24]]'' fame; [[Patrick Macnee]] typically did the voice work for the Imperious Leader, and may have not been available (or offered, due to budget constraints) to reprise the role. It should be noted that Haysbert was also working on Larson's ''[[w:Buck Rogers in the 25th Century|Buck Rogers in the 25th Century]]'' series, which was being filmed around this time.
* Whether the voice change was intentional or a byproduct of casting, it does leave the impression that there is a new Imperious Leader in place at the time of the 1980 series.
* There is an early draft of Space Croppers called [[Harvest Home]]. In some guides, this episode is sometimes erroneously called that name.
* This episode was sent out on satellite only twenty minutes before air time, which shows just how rushed the series was.
* Troy claims the horses weren't much different from what was on Caprica. However, Troy lived in a major city on Caprica before the Cylon holocaust ([[Serena]]'s son, then called [[Boxey]]). It is unclear how much Troy could recall about Caprican horses after fleeing the planet at a young age and living aboard the Fleet nearly his entire life.
* There is an episode of Lost In Space which is also named ''The Space Croppers''. It involves Dr. Smith's marriage to a space cropper named Sybilla, who grows man-eating plants.

=== Cinematic Notes ===

* Much of the episode was filmed at the [http://www.billcotter.com/disney/golden.htm Disney movie ranch] in rural Los Angeles county, a favorite location for ''Galactica 1980''.
* [[Ana Alicia]] (Gloria) also played Aurora in the Battlestar Galactica episode [[Take the Celestra]], which was, much like Space Croppers, the second to last episode of that series as well.
* The Viper pilots wear a new style of helmets.
* The Daggit Squadron is introduced in this episode.
* The voices of the Cylons sound slightly different, and not for the better.
* Unbelievably, the Alonzo family accepts the existence of aliens from another world without any question.
* Adama and Dr. Zee's extended conversation about rain, precipitation, etc., is yet another example of the educational dialogue required by the network.
* The license plate on Steadman's car is 956 QHK.
* The [[laser pistol (1980)|laser pistol]]s used by [[Dillon]] and [[Troy (1980)|Troy]] to prepare the ground for planting are not Colonial pistols, but Cylon.

== Analysis ==
* "Space Croppers" continues the storyline of ''Galactica'''s arrival at Earth, suggesting that the Cylons are now very close to finding out the location of the planet, and establishing the first colony from the Fleet on the Earth.
* In fact, the opening battle apparently takes place near [[w:Saturn|Saturn]] in our solar system since the planet is seen in the background, courtesy of reused Agro Ship footage from the 1972 film [[w:Silent Running (film)|Silent Running]].
* If the series had continued, a conflict at Earth between the Colonials and the Cylons would have seemed to be a logical next step for the storyline.

== Flubs and Continuity Errors ==

* Adama states that two agroships have been destroyed in the Cylon attack, yet after the events of [[The Magnificent Warriors]] there was only one agroship left.
*The Gemini freighter is seen during the Cylon attack. It was destroyed in [[The Super Scouts]] Part 1.
*A Cylon tanker is also seen in the fleet during the attack.

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

* ''The Imperious Leader orders an attack on the Galactican Fleet's agricultural ships:''
: '''[[Imperious Leader]]:''' I'm growing impatient waiting for the Galactican fleet to lead us to the last outpost of humanity. Launch a full-scale attack on their agricultural ships. We must destroy their food supply, thereby forcing them to lead us to Earth.
: '''Centurion:''' [[By your command]].

== Official Statements ==

* ''[[Chris Bunch]] discusses the episode in his interview with Susan Paxton:''
: '''Chris Bunch:''' [The episode] aired simply because [[Glen Larson|Glen [Larson]]] has the wonderful habit of rolling paper into the typewriter, whackin’ away, and sooner or later coming up with a plot. In this case, he came up with a plot about page 56. So he simply wrote on and at page 62 typed END OF PART ONE. The turkey ran three parts before he finished, and was shown with [[Robert L. McCullough|Bob [McCullough]]]’s script in the middle.<ref>{{cite_web|url=http://geocities.com/sjpaxton/bunch.html|title=Battlestar Zone Interview: Chris Bunch|date=|accessdate=11 August 2007|last=Paxton|first=Susan J.|format=|language=}}</ref>

* ''Galactica 1980 story editor Chris Bunch on this episode:''
:'''Q''': How far in advance were the episodes filmed?

:'''Bunch''': Space Croppers went out on satellite to New York twenty minutes before air time. This was the only freelance script or even staff script that was filmed because there were problems, like Larson was stuck on an episode or couldn't get the Lear Jet to pick him up in Hawaii or whatever.

:When Larson is worried about a show, or trying to make it work, he writes every script. Every goddamned script. So there was a lotta fallout with scripts being commissioned and abandoned right and left and down the center.<ref>''Galactic Sci-Fi Television Series Revisited.'' Alpha Control Press, 1995.</ref>

== Guest Stars ==

* [[Ned Romero]] as [[Hector Alonzo]]
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Dana+Elcar Dana Elcar] as [[Steadman]]
* [[Ana Alicia]] as [[Gloria Alonzo]]
* [http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0622824/ Anna Navarro] as [[Louise Alonzo]]
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+William+Cort Bill Cort] as [[Trent]]
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Bill+McKinney Bill McKinney] as [[Barrett]]
* [[Herbert Jefferson Jr.]] as Colonel [[Boomer (1980)|Boomer]]
* [[Booth Colman]] as [[Tom Rogers|Rogers]]
* [[Joaquin Garay III]] as [[Chris Alonzo]]
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Andy+Jarrell Andy Jarrell] as [[Maze]]
* [[Phil Levien]] as [[Dante]]
* [[Dennis Haysbert]] as [[Imperious Leader]] (voice, credited as "The Creature")
* [[John Daytona]] as [[Foley]]
* [[Gordon Haight]] as [[Deacon]]
* [[Stefan Haves]] as [[Channon]]
* [[Lance Mugleston]] as Pilot
* [[Michael Brick]] as [[Super Scout]]
* [[Ronnie Densford]] as [[Super Scout]]
* [[Mark Everett]] as [[Super Scout]]
* [[Georgi Irene]] as [[Super Scout]]
* [[Tracy Justrich]] as [[Super Scout]]
* [[Lindsay Kennedy]] as [[Super Scout]]
* [[David Larson]] as [[Super Scout]]
* [[Eric Larson]] as [[Super Scout]]
* [[Michelle Larson]] as [[Super Scout]]

== References ==

<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

{{Episode List (1980)}}

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:1980]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Robert L. McCullough]]
[[Category:Episodes directed by Daniel Haller]]

Space Croppers

2011-11-16T14:17:28Z

Galactica1981: /* Episodic Notes */

{{Episode Data
| image = rain rain go away.jpg
| title= Space Croppers
| series= 1980
| episode= 9
| guests=
| writer= [[Robert L. McCullough]]
| story=
| director= [[Daniel Haller]]
| production= 1.9
| rating=
| US airdate= 1980-04-27
| UK airdate=
| dvd=
| population=
| prev= [[The Night the Cylons Landed, Part II]]
| next= [[The Return of Starbuck]]
| itunes=http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=VWbyALbmqZY&offerid=146261&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252FWebObjects%252FMZStore.woa%252Fwa%252FviewTVSeason%253Fi%253D299916975%2526id%253D299515652%2526s%253D143441%2526uo%253D6%2526partnerId%253D30
}}

== Overview ==

:''After a [[Cylons (1980)|Cylon]] attack that destroys two of the [[Galactican Fleet]]'s [[Agro Ship|Agro ships]], [[Troy (1980)|Troy]] and [[Dillon]] are sent to [[Earth (1980)|Earth]] to set up an agricultural colony. In Southern California, they befriend a [[Hector Alonzo|local Hispanic farmer]] who is struggling to keep his farm in the face of drought and the influence of his neighbor, a [[Steadman|powerful rancher]] who controls the access to water for irrigation.''

==Summary==

=== Act 1 ===

* On a [[Cylons (1980)|Cylon]] [[Basestar (TOS)|basestar]], positioned not far away from [[Earth (1980)|Earth]], the [[Imperious Leader]] is addressing a [[Centurion (TOS)|Centurion]].

* He declares a new strategy in the war on the humans, ordering the targeting of the Galactican Fleet's [[Agro Ship|agricultural ships]]. The Imperious Leader (stock footage is used, with [[Dennis Haysbert]]'s voice overdubbed for the Imperious Leader) hopes that the Colonials will have no choice but to flee to Earth for food and, as such, will lead the Cylon fleet there as well.

* Dozens of Cylon raiders are immediately launched to attack the Galactican Fleet, which they are able to detect their electro-magnetic transmissions. They begin carrying out their order for agricultural ship destruction.

* On ''[[Galactica (1980)|Galactica]]'', Commander [[Adama (1980)|Adama]] calls a red alert. [[Viper (1980)|Viper]]s are launched.

* After breaking through the perimeter of Vipers guarding the fleet, the [[Raider (TOS)|Raiders]] succeed in destroying two of the Agroships, all of which Adama and [[Doctor Zee]] watch from [[Zee's chamber]].

* Adama and Zee discuss the attack. They discuss why the agricultural ships were attacked and why the Cylons haven't come in for the final attack. They immediately surmise that the Cylons feel that the Fleet is their only link to Earth, and they're trying to force their hand by bringing the Fleet to Earth, inevitably leading the Cylons to the last outpost of humanity.

* Zee notes that Lieutenant [[Dante]]'s men have been most successful in keeping the Cylons from [[Troy (1980)|Troy]] and [[Dillon]] during the Warriors' constant trips to and from Earth. Troy and Dillon are in position on Earth and Adama believes they are their only hope of replenishing their food sources.

* [[Boomer (1980)|Boomer]] informs Adama that Troy and Dillon are ready to launch, as are the decoy squadron. Adama is extremely happy that they are about to establish their first colony on Earth.

* They are interrupted by an [[Maintenance Captain|unidentified captain]] who complains that [[D Squadron]], nicknamed the [[Daggit|Daggits]]. Boomer points out that there aren't many people who would volunteer to bring the fight to the Cylons, which Adama supports, saying that their mission requires a certain "devil-may-care attitude". However, the captain reports that they have been modifying their Vipers by removing the [[limiter]]s from the [[turbocharger]]s, which concerns Adama.

* Troy, Dillon, and D Squadron launches. Troy and Dillon head to Earth while D Squadron engages the Cylons. Having successfully entered the Solar System undetected, Dillon tells Troy of his optimism of setting up a Galactican colony on Earth.

* After landing in the Alonzo's farm field and [[invisibility field|hiding their ships]], they run across a scarecrow, believing it to be an Earthling, [[Hector Alonzo]]. However, as they round to face it, Troy posits that it might be either some primitive burial symbol or a crude attempt at artistic expression. They head toward the Alonzo's home.

* [[Gloria Alonzo]], Hector's teenage daughter, gives a plate to her mother, [[Louise Alonzo]]. Gloria asks why her father is depressed and expresses her optimism that someone will answer his ad. Louise replies that Hector feels foolish for running the ad, believing that everyone in town will see it and believe he's giving up. Gloria replies that he's hanging on; Louise blames herself for talking him into the ad. Gloria consoles her mother, telling her that Hector cannot hold his emotions bottled up. They hug after she asks if Hector realizes that they know what's happening to him, even [[Chris Alonzo]].

* Louise approaches her husband and asks if he'd like to go outside. He silently puts his arm around her and proceeds to go on the porch with his wife. On the porch, he reveals that it'll kill him to sell his land, particularly to [[John Steadman]]. Hector stops her from saying "don't worry", telling her to save it for the children. However, she tells them that they already know.

* Chris is next to his bed praying to God for help for his parents, realizing that his parents work hard for him and his sister and that they may have to sell because they can't afford it. He pleads with God to send people to help his dad.

* Dillon and Troy approach the Alonzos outside and, after noting that they didn't come in a vehicle, inquire about the ad for help on the farm.

* That morning, Troy and Dillon talk to Hector about the ad, which he offers to sell half-interest in his farm and requires farm hands. Hector warns them that they may be throwing their money away, since they don't have enough water to support their farm. The problem stems from two sources: the worst drought in years and the irrigation quota. He tells them that the water is controlled by Steadman of the Growers Association, who makes it impossible for small farmers like him to succeed.

* Gloria comes over and doles out food to Dillon, who initially refuses. However, Dillon concedes to the obviously smitten Gloria, who says she's cooked the food herself. Louise notes that they're lucky to eat meat twice a week.
[[Image:Hector1.jpg|thumb|Hector Alonso]]
* Hector tells Troy that Steadman has dammed up the water supply. Dillon asks if he complained to the association, but he notes that the dam is on Steadman's property and Steadman has a lot of say on the association. Dillon notes that the inequity of the situation. Hector dejectedly replies that if he came to talk about fair, he came to the wrong place.

* Troy asks to look at the dam. Louise pipes up, saying that Steadman treats trespassers harshly. Dillon replies that he doesn't think Steadman would mind meeting his neighbors.

* Upon visiting Steadman's property, Troy notes that it is very green. Hector notes that it's "about the same color as his money", noting that his wealth is the reason he has clout with the association. He further adds, much to Troy and Dillon's confusion, Steadman's negative attitude of Hispanics, who he views as peasants.

* On cue, Steadman arrives with two of his lackeys, one of them [[Maze]]. Steadman greets Hector and then notes that his people have orders to eliminate any "critters that don't belong here, and that includes coyotes, dogs and trespassers". Hector replies that he thought Steadman would like to meet his new neighbors; Steadman assumes that he's sold the property without giving him first bid, but Hector informs him that Troy and Dillon are his new partners.

* Troy points out the dam. Steadman laughs and tells him that what he does on his property is his business, but he haughitly "corrects" himself and notes that it is controlled by the association. He says that since the drought, there are strict allotments made for the water. Troy notes that they're interested in the association, the local farmers, and the quota system. Steadman replies that he too works under the quota, adding that "the man with the biggest spread and the biggest overhead is gonna get the largest quota". He assures them that it works out "proportionally" for everyone concerned.

* Troy attempts to argue that "farmers are brothers of a kind", but Steadman deflects this point and notes that they're standing on private property and would appreciate it if they leave.

* As they leave, one of the Steadman's men notes that Hector's kind is "always trying to get somethin', because of what they are, instead of working for it". Steadman assures the boys that they'll take care of it in "our own good time".

=== Act 2 ===
[[Image:Steadman.jpg|thumb|John Steadman in "Space Croppers"]]
* Later, Troy and Dillon go with Hector and Chris to buy seed. Hector tells them he would understand if they would pull out upon seeing the problems he faces. Hector finds it odd that his new partners tell him not to worry, particularly when faced with the water situation, including their purchasing of seed he thinks will not grow in such weather. He also points out that beans, being legumes, require cobalt and molybdenum in order to grow. His soil does not have these elements in great enough supply to support beans, but the Warriors again tell him not to worry assuring him that they have a special treatment process. He concedes that all they can do is give it a try.

* Maze and Barrett believe that Hector's got them conned and decides to "deal with that situation". They enter their Ford pickup truck.

* As they pass Hector's truck on the two-lane road, Maze throws a cigar into the back of the truck. It begins to burn at the burlap. Maze then begins heckling Hector.

* Dillon asks Hector why he puts up with the heckling. Hector replies that while it bothers his family, he's gotten over it.

* Troy smells something burning. Chris notes that the truck is on fire and they pull over and stop. They take out the sacks of seed, but it's too late for them. Hector ruefully notes that he's lost crops before, but never so quickly.

* Dillon finds the cigar in the truck bed. Hector believes that the cigar belonged to "Old Maze", as he is a cigar aficionado.

* Hector explains to the Warriors that the reason why Steadman's men destroyed their supplies was because of their association with a Latino. Chris mentions that he doesn't understand their hatred. Hector explains it has to do with prejudice and racism. Dillon tells them he's getting angry; Troy replies that he was getting angry five [[centon]]s ago.

* At [[Steadman Acres]],  Steadman convinces Maze to ride [[Satan]], telling him that anyone who can ride the wild horse will win $1,000. Maze states that the amount won't even cover medical expenses, to which Steadman replies that he'll take care of them.

* As Steadman and Barrett enjoy the show, which ends as Satan dumps Maze into a water trough.

* Troy and Dillon arrive at Steadman Acres to confront Steadman, and demand compensation for the burned seed. Steadman asks his employees if their claim is true; Barrett mocking chastises Maze, telling him that he should use ashtrays. Steadman, who claims that the incident wasn't one of malice, decides to have a good play with his employees, deciding to take the payment out of the henchmen's wages for the supplies lost.

* Steadman offers to help them with anything else they may have forgotten at the store, but Troy replies that they'll be satisfied with what they had. He can't resist the opportunity to put one over on Troy and Dillon, and, knowing they are new, tells them about his offer regarding Satan. Claiming that it's the "best horse flesh" in the county, Steadman asks if Hector has a horse at his place, knowing full well that he doesn't. He tells them that it's an acquisition for them to think about. When asked on the cost, Steadman replies that Satan will have to choose his owner. He then tells them about his offer: anyone who can ride him, owns him, plus $1000 to boot.

* Dillon and Troy accept the offer, Dillon notes that he seems friendly enough when spoken to. Troy gives the buck to Dillon, noting his affinity for such situations.

* Steadman mockingly comments to Barret and Maze about not wanting to see Hector go under, which Maze playfully replies that Steadman's offer is a charitable one.

* After holding the animal by the reins, Dillon notes that the animal seems upset. Troy replies that "I would be too if I had Earthlings climbing all over my back".

* The horse begins resisting. Dillon uses his [[wrist computron]] to determine that Satan has disturbed brain wave patterns. Troy surmises that the animal is mistreated. Dillon notes that the animal didn't seem different to what was on [[Caprica (TOS)|Caprica]] and gives the creature a burst of alpha waves.

* The horse is now calm, much to the astonishment of Steadman and his workers. Dillon rides the horse successfully. Steadman protests that he shouldn't be able to do that and it's a trick of some kind. Troy notes that Dillon seems to have a way with animals.

* Steadman throws his hat on the ground, vociferously claiming that the horse can't be ridden. Dillon rides up, with the horse crushing the hat under-hoof, and says that they owe them $1,000 and want the horse delivered to Alonzo's ranch. A red-faced Steadman tells his boys to get the Warriors their things.

* Dillon presents the horse to Gloria, noting that Satan would like her over Mr. Steadman. Gloria asks Dillon if he has a girlfriend. Unfamiliar with the term, he asks her why, to which she replies that she thinks he's cute. She walks away, allowing him to look up the term. Chris, who has the horse's reins, tells Dillon that he's got trouble.

* Maze and Barrett arrive with their seed. Much to their chagrin, they find that the seed is not heavy for Troy or Dillon, who they believed would lose their balance over the heavy seed. Troy says he could handle another bag, which he catches with one hand.

* Barrett notices Satan and their new owners, Gloria and Hector. He comments that the horse is nice, but tells her "good luck watering it". Gloria claims they have enough water for Satan, to which he replies that this won't be the case when Steadman cuts off the irrigation quota for them.

* Dillon notes that they'll complain to the Growers Association, which is a prospect the lackeys laugh at. Hector notes that it'll be months before they get a hearing.

* Troy walks away, having been summoned by Commander Adama. He tells Adama of the situation. Adama notes that with the food gone, it is imperative that they complete the project. He notes that while they have seedlings, they need water.

* Chris comes up behind Troy, who confers with Adama. Zee orders that they plant the seedlings, for he'll be able to provide the water. He orders that the ground must be prepared no later than tonight.

* Chris asks who Troy was talking to with that "watch" of his. Troy replies that he was going over some things in his head; Chris notes his father's belief that people who talk to themselves are trouble.

* Dillon arrives and Chris is sent away to help the others. Troy notifies Dillon that they need to begin planting as soon as possible.

* Hector is having problems getting farm hands; no one within 50 miles that he knows will help them. Money isn't the problem, but the farmers fear Steadman. He notes that the time table is unrealistic; it'll take one to two weeks to sow and plant the ground. Troy tells Hector that he'll get them help.

* [[Jamie Hamilton]] arrives with the [[Super Scouts]]. Hector doesn't believe what he is seeing, but Hamilton assures him that they're a specialized branch of the scouts with a lot of agricultural training.

* Lancer assure Hector that they're a lot tougher and stronger than they look. Chris asks how far they can throw a ball; Lancer is about to reply a good 3000 feet, until he is stopped by Troy.

* Troy asks where the children can sleep, Hector points out a barn where they can stay.

* Hamilton later asks Troy for a situation report. Troy tells her that he'll explain later. Hector tells them to bring their belongings inside and that they'll soon have dinner.

* A team of agricultural experts dressed in Earthling farmer clothing enters the [[anti-gravity ship]]. Adama tells them that they will remain there to help the farm and form a colony, should the rain-making process be effective.

* Zee explains that the process is simple. The mist the ship creates upon entering Earth's atmosphere will create clouds and, using their technology, will create precipitation. They'll seed the clouds with super-cooled carbon dioxide and do a bunch of other mumbojumbo.

* Steadman meets with his henchmen, who inform him that Alonzo is looking for help and is calling everyone in the valley. He's sure that the two "yokels" (Troy and Dillon) are somehow involved in Alonzo's determination.

* That night, under cover of darkness, Troy and Dillon begin plowing the fields with their lasers. Steadman drives up and sees this.

* [[Starla]] inquires about the [[nutrient monitors]]. Lancer asks how they can grow plants without computers. The Super Scouts respond incredulously to Hamilton's claim that Earthlings plant things naturally.

* Troy and Dillon use their superhuman jumping ability to rapidly seed Alonso's fields. Steadman watches from a distance, noting that they are jumping 50 feet in the air.

=== Act 3 ===

[[Image:Experts.jpg|thumb|Agricultural experts from the Fleet are outfitted with local garb]]

* The anti-gravity ship makes its descent towards the valley. Zee tells Adama that carbon dioxide emissions are proceeding as scheduled. The next pass over the clouds will make it rain.

* A rain storm begins, first with lightning and thunder, which Troy, Dillon, and Hamilton watch occur. It begins to rain, much to Steadman's surprise.

* Zee responds to Adama's question regarding their food supply reserves. He informs Adama that with the special nutrients dispersing with the rain, the crops will grow faster and become plentiful within a few Earth hours.

* Awakened by the lightning and thunder, Chris runs to the window of his room. He is surprised when he sees a flying saucer, actually Dr. Zee's antigrav ship, begin landing beyond the mountains.

* The crops shoot up overnight.

* The next morning, Steadman goes to the Grower's Association, blaming the problems of the valley on Hector Alonzo. [[Tom Rogers]] asks how Hector can cause a threat. He then dissolves into frantic revelations of jumping aliens and flying saucers at Alonzo's place, giving a call to arms for the townsfolk to get the sheriff and law enforcement involved.

* Hector and his wife react to the bountiful crop they now have. Also present are agricultural experts from the Galactican Fleet, who masquerade as agricultural students studying advanced, experimental farming techniques. Troy assures Hector that they'll work on their share of the farm and will be of no burden.

* Steadman and his cronies arrive. Steadman makes his accusations. The police subsequently arrive, lead by the Sheriff and Mr. Rogers. They follow up on Steadman's claim of Alonzo's harboring of illegal aliens.

* Hamilton presents herself as a reporter with [[United Broadcasting Company]] and she shows them her identification.

* Steadman tells them to check out the identification of the others, but Roger himself asks Steadman for ID. Steadman claims that he never carries any on his person, since everyone knows who he is. The scouts, however, point out that they don't know who he is; Lancer adds that he doesn't want to know Steadman at all.

* Steadman claims to the police that he saw them arrive last night. After Hamilton pretends to be interested in Steadman's story, Steadman reveals that he saw a ship. It is revealed through more direct questioning that the ship was an UFO. Once Steadman spills what he saw, Hamilton notes that she should call her station and get a crew on the story right away. However, Rogers says that it isn't necessary to call them. The sheriff agrees, saying they should leave Alonzo and his friends alone. Rogers also goes on to say that they've been having second thoughts about the water situation.

* Rogers says that he's calling an emergency meeting, where he pledges that the dam won't be there by tomorrow morning.

* Steadman claims that everything he's said is the truth. He points out that Dillon was able to ride Satan, a feat that he claims no human could do. However, on cue, he is proven wrong when Chris rides Satan within plain sight.

* Rogers laughs at Steadman, telling him not to take any wooden saucers now.

* Rogers has his emergency meeting and, despite the loud protestations of Steadman, have the dam removed in addition to other strictures. Overwhelmingly, Rogers proposition is supported. Hamilton is pleased when Steadman storms out in defeat.

* Gloria is sad to see Dillon go. She asks if he'll come by again, which he replies that, as their friends are there, of course they will. She kisses him on the cheek and runs off.

* Louise tells Dillon her belief that Gloria has a crush on him; Chris tells him not to worry, since she'll grow out of it.

* Hector thanks the Warriors and Hamilton for everything they've done. Troy replies that it is they who should thank him. Hector assures them that Troy's people will be taken care of like they were members of his own family.

* Troy and Dillon ride off in their [[turbine]]s, talking about how beautiful the place was -- and Gloria. They fly off into the sky.

== British writer Matthew Wharmby's Humorous Summary ==

PREMISE: The Galactica's agroships are destroyed by the Cylons, so Troy and Dillon have to do a bit of wheeler-dealing with a local farmer.

MORAL: Racism is bad. So is greed.

WHAT WE LEARN: A fair bit of Chicano history, the suitability for planting of certain items of produce, and the machinations of rainfall.

BACKGROUND:

Attending college in the US, I discovered Bill Anchors' comprehensive video archive Star Tech, and immediately spent most of my tuition on his services. First priority was to collect all the remaining Galactica episodes I hadn't seen, among which, of course, were those of the infamous Galactica 1980. A bit of local history ensued, as all these tapes were recorded on first airdate from ABC affiliates in obscure places like Chattanooga or Dayton, Ohio.

THE STORY:

Begins promisingly, with a leisurely shot of the agroship sailing delicately through space, and suitably ominous music (the music, always of the highest standard, managed to endure in quality through Galactica 1980, with some nicely done individual themes). Cut to three Cylon basestars of the lurking taskforce, and none other than Imperious Leader. Just what he's doing all the way out here is anybody's guess, but disappointment is heavy when he opens his mouth (wherever on his ugly face that happened to be), as the budget does not extend to re-employing the silken tones of Patrick Macnee.

It is rather nice to see the old-style throne room make a return, although accomplished entirely with stock footage of a single centurion making his way in for an audience (and looking decidedly wobbly-legged in the process, might I add).

Imperious Leader declares a new strategy, ordering the targeting of the Galactican fleet's food supply. With their agroships destroyed, the humans will have to approach Earth closer, and thereby reveal its location to the Cylons. To this end, squadrons of fighters take off. These raiders are piloted by what I can only imagine as Valley Cylons. 'Like-source-identified-as-Galactican-fleet;-gag-me-with-a-spoon'. A large speck of injudiciousness in the voice casting, methinks.

We are now three or four minutes into the episode and still haven't used any non-stock footage, as vipers launch and head off into the attack. You immediately notice that the viper pilots' helmets are different, being more like motorbike helmets with a smaller mouthpiece (and you'll see them repainted black on the Buck Rogers episode 'Flight of the War Witch', which was filmed within months of Space Croppers). One of the pilots to get a little more screen time is a black man in his mid-twenties with a prominent grin, whom we recall sat next to Troy and Dillon in Dr Zee's conference chamber on 'Galactica Discovers Earth', and whom fanfic (aided by a one-liner in the Berkley novelisation of that episode) casts as Lieutenant Kip. This was the lucky warrior who got the really plum assignment to the USSR.

The battle scene is lifted almost directly from 'The Gun On Ice Planet Zero', even down to the incidental music, but I'm not too bothered about that, as that was a pretty good scrap. As the Valley Cylons break and head for the agroships, we see Adama and Dr Zee watching the battle (in the conference chamber! Who's looking after the bridge?!). In a volley of stock fire, the agroships eat it, and the Cylons disengage. Kip doesn't seem too flustered, as he lets out a warrior's 'yeee-hooo!' while picking off the rearguard (Did that count as payable dialogue for that uncredited actor?).

Adama groans, wondering why the Cylons should pick that ship out of all 220, and Dr Zee responds with the second incarnation of his 'Since the time of our defeat, the Cylons have not been idle' speech. The boy genius concurs with Imperious Leader, that it's a pretty obvious plan to lead the Cylons to Earth.

There follows a strikingly pointless scene in Adama's quarters, where the Commander is unusually excited about the prospect of opening their first agricultural colony on Earth. He and Boomer (in flight uniform) are interrupted by an unidentified captain (in hangar crew uniform) barging in to complain that D Squadron (nicknamed the Daggits) have been souping up their vipers by removing the limiters from the turbochargers. So what? we wonder, as we do the same to our factory-limited BMWs. There are great fanfic possibilities for the details in this scene which I'm going to try to tackle at some point, namely the fact that Lieutenant Dante seems to be a grade-A nutter, a loose cannon who will attack Cylon baseships with neither provocation nor fear, and thus comes in useful as a protector of Troy and Dillon on their missions to Earth. We do hear the voiceover of Dante as his squadron takes off on another harassing mission against the baseships, and he does sound like a lunatic. A kind of post-Starbuck, if you will.

As Troy and Dillon make their way to Earth, we cut to a different scene. A none-too-prosperous smallholding in California's green belt owned by a Mexican-American family, the Alonsos. They are this close from bankruptcy, and patriarch Hector has taken the last resort and placed an ad for help in the local paper, but is embarrassed to have done so in front of the local Growers' Association, whom we are already surmising are a bit out of order.

First to be seen is ten-year-old son Chris, who helpfully gives us the backstory in a rather desperate prayer, the last stanza of which is the suitably prophetic 'and please, PLEASE send someone to help my dad!' Second is Gloria, seventeenish, who is played by Ana Alicia in her second role on Battlestar Galactica. And still, might I add, utterly gorgeous. She's barely on this episode, but, aside from a little issue of mine with her attitude, she could steal it.

One of the more light-hearted moments covers Troy and Dillon's approach to the Alonso farm. They encounter a shabby-looking scarecrow and immediately assume it's a local (Not such an erroneous assumption! You'd get a damn sight better conversation than out of most Californians!). The dialogue here is so priceless that I feel no shame in reproducing it in full.

DILLON: Over there, an Earthling.

TROY: That must be Mr Alonso. Excuse me...

DILLON: That's not a life form!

TROY: Some type of dried grass.

DILLON: Stuffed in an Earthling's clothing? Why?

TROY: Might be some kind of primitive burial symbol.

DILLON: Some kind of an attempt at crude artistic expression?

TROY: Looks like the main dwelling over there.

DILLON: ...Nice night!

Somehow, the readership of the small ads of the Riverside County edition of the LA Times comes from a considerably more widespread demographic than imagined, and somewhere like that was where the lads saw Hector Alonso's appeal for help. To this end, they're dressed up like hillbillies - all they need is bits of straw hanging out of their gobs, or better still, a big plug of chaw marinating away inside a cheek.

Hector's ad offers to sell half interest in the farm, but an irrigation quota placed there by John Steadman, of the Growers' Association, is starving him out. Our Dillon's not being starved, as Gloria takes an instant liking to him and starts plying him with food. Next day, Hector takes Troy and Dillon to the perimeter of his property in a wretched old truck. There, as plain as day, is a dam. Not as big as the Hoover, and not the kind beavers live in, but damnable (as it were) enough to cut off two-thirds of the water supply. As Hector explains the problem, up rolls a black Mercedes 450 SEL with natty monograms on the doors, and John Steadman introduces himself. He's a few years and a few pounds shy of Boss Hogg dimensions, and he lacks the heart of gold. He's got two redneck associates known as Maze and Barrett, and they cover the chewin' tobacco requirement.

Transpires Steadman has a problem with Hispanics and/or trespassers, but greed is this week's 'evil'; basically he wants to buy Hector's farm for a knockdown price.

What has to be the most disappointing scene in the whole episode isn't too bad on its own, but is let down by the use of music which has been used for far more exciting battle scenes. Thus, the score for the destruction of the agroships (the FIRST time around) at the opening of 'The Magnificent Warriors' is expected to prop up thirty miserable seconds' footage of Maze's thrown cigar butt setting fire to the seeds in the bed of Hector's truck. Seeds that Hector thinks are way too complicated to grow quickly on his scrappy farm.

The lads pull over, jump out and drag out the sacks of burned crops - and now it's war!

DILLON: Troy, I'm beginning to get angry.

TROY: I was angry about five centons ago.

While they could be picking out the undamaged seeds and shovelling them back into the truck, they instead endure a lecture by Hector on the abridged history of the Chicano diaspora - evidently the five minutes' education time demanded by the network. This was fine by me, as I didn't previously know about Juarez, or Diego Rivera, and happen to find the stuff interesting. Similarly for the discussion of what soil requirements you need to plant legumes (like peas and alfalfa - should I ever want to eat those ghastly vegetables! Ugh!)

Troy and Dillon go to have it out with Steadman, demanding compensation for the lost seed. Steadman has a good play with his employees, deciding to show a bit of cheap good faith by taking the payment out of Maze and Barrett's wages. He can't resist the opportunity to put one over on Troy and Dillon, and throws in an offer of untamed racehorse Satan - if they can ride him. He'd already garnered some laughs out of watching the horse throw Maze all over the place.

This is where they make a fool out of Steadman, simply pacifying the animal with a burst of alpha waves from their wrist computers.

Dillon breezes back to the ranch and presents Gloria with the horse. But I think I'd be entitled to more than an 'I think you're cute' if I'd handed over the next Red Rum as if it was a My Little Pony! Especially from the proverbial farmer's daughter! Damn!

'Nice-looking horse you got there,' the two yahoos Maze and Barrett counter in reply; 'Wait till you try watering it.' Steadman is going to cut their water off altogether.

Adama calls. In order to get the seed planted and grown to replenish the fleet's hydroponic capabilities without a blip, they have to do it that night. Dr Zee will swing by in his anti-gravity ship and niggle the clouds into producing a good storm (and here we get our third lecture of the piece. Again, not uninteresting by any means. Living underneath torrents of the damn stuff nearly every day, I'd never previously cared as to how or why rain was produced!).

One educational concern the producers ought to have thought about is child labour, as Troy and Dillon draft the scouts in to do a bit of Land Army work on Hector's plantation. No local labourers dare show up for fear of being cut off too, and they would take two weeks to do the job. So, that night, a lot of jumping and vaulting about with bags of seed (accompanied by the grotesque Super Scouts' Theme that is so obnoxious that I have to turn the sound off every time), into furrows ploughed by Troy and Dillon, with a pair of Buck Rogers handguns, gets the job done. A passing Steadman can't believe his eyes - but Chris is equally gobsmacked when he sees a flying saucer sneak past his window at roughly the same time. Inside said flying saucer (whose very smart bridge set swallowed a good percentage of Galactica 1980's budget) are a veritable army of Caprica Hillbillies, who are Galactican agricultural experts assigned by Dr Zee to harvest the crops.

Crops shoot up overnight, but this phenomenon goes unnoticed compared to Steadman's frantic revelations of leaping aliens (illegal aliens, in a final slur) and flying saucers to the Growers' Association. Thankfully, they sprout brains as quickly as Alonso's legumes and laugh him out of town, voting to order the dam torn down and the water distributed freely. Helped of course by Jamie's revealing of her press credentials, as nothing will frighten off honest country folk more than the media.

So the lads have got to go, and Gloria's heart is broken. Still, after saving her family's livelihood, scoring her a free horse AND growing in one night enough crops to feed two hundred and twenty ships, all she gives to Dillon is a shy kiss on the cheek before running off girlishly. Starbuck he's not! And I hope Troy doesn't have to take front seat next time they go out in a patrol viper!<ref>Sheba's Galaxy: The Ultimate Battlestar Galactica Information Site</ref>

== Notes ==

=== Episodic Notes ===

* The final series episode, "[[The Return of Starbuck]]" was being filmed around the same time as this episode.
* "Space Croppers" is the final episode of the series to include the central cast outside of Adama and Doctor Zee.
* The voice of the Imperious Leader is furnished by actor [[Dennis Haysbert]] from ''[[w:24 (series)|24]]'' fame; [[Patrick Macnee]] typically did the voice work for the Imperious Leader, and may have not been available (or offered, due to budget constraints) to reprise the role. It should be noted that Haysbert was also working on Larson's ''[[w:Buck Rogers in the 25th Century|Buck Rogers in the 25th Century]]'' series, which was being filmed around this time.
* Whether the voice change was intentional or a byproduct of casting, it does leave the impression that there is a new Imperious Leader in place at the time of the 1980 series.
* There is an early draft of Space Croppers called [[Harvest Home]].
* This episode is sometimes erroneously called ''Harvest Home''.
* This episode was sent out on satellite only twenty minutes before air time, which shows just how rushed the series was.
* Troy claims the horses weren't much different from what was on Caprica. However, Troy lived in a major city on Caprica before the Cylon holocaust ([[Serena]]'s son, then called [[Boxey]]). It is unclear how much Troy could recall about Caprican horses after fleeing the planet at a young age and living aboard the Fleet nearly his entire life.
* There is an episode of Lost In Space which is also named ''The Space Croppers''. It involves Dr. Smith's marriage to a space cropper named Sybilla, who grows man-eating plants.

=== Cinematic Notes ===

* Much of the episode was filmed at the [http://www.billcotter.com/disney/golden.htm Disney movie ranch] in rural Los Angeles county, a favorite location for ''Galactica 1980''.
* [[Ana Alicia]] (Gloria) also played Aurora in the Battlestar Galactica episode [[Take the Celestra]], which was, much like Space Croppers, the second to last episode of that series as well.
* The Viper pilots wear a new style of helmets.
* The Daggit Squadron is introduced in this episode.
* The voices of the Cylons sound slightly different, and not for the better.
* Unbelievably, the Alonzo family accepts the existence of aliens from another world without any question.
* Adama and Dr. Zee's extended conversation about rain, precipitation, etc., is yet another example of the educational dialogue required by the network.
* The license plate on Steadman's car is 956 QHK.
* The [[laser pistol (1980)|laser pistol]]s used by [[Dillon]] and [[Troy (1980)|Troy]] to prepare the ground for planting are not Colonial pistols, but Cylon.

== Analysis ==
* "Space Croppers" continues the storyline of ''Galactica'''s arrival at Earth, suggesting that the Cylons are now very close to finding out the location of the planet, and establishing the first colony from the Fleet on the Earth.
* In fact, the opening battle apparently takes place near [[w:Saturn|Saturn]] in our solar system since the planet is seen in the background, courtesy of reused Agro Ship footage from the 1972 film [[w:Silent Running (film)|Silent Running]].
* If the series had continued, a conflict at Earth between the Colonials and the Cylons would have seemed to be a logical next step for the storyline.

== Flubs and Continuity Errors ==

* Adama states that two agroships have been destroyed in the Cylon attack, yet after the events of [[The Magnificent Warriors]] there was only one agroship left.
*The Gemini freighter is seen during the Cylon attack. It was destroyed in [[The Super Scouts]] Part 1.
*A Cylon tanker is also seen in the fleet during the attack.

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

* ''The Imperious Leader orders an attack on the Galactican Fleet's agricultural ships:''
: '''[[Imperious Leader]]:''' I'm growing impatient waiting for the Galactican fleet to lead us to the last outpost of humanity. Launch a full-scale attack on their agricultural ships. We must destroy their food supply, thereby forcing them to lead us to Earth.
: '''Centurion:''' [[By your command]].

== Official Statements ==

* ''[[Chris Bunch]] discusses the episode in his interview with Susan Paxton:''
: '''Chris Bunch:''' [The episode] aired simply because [[Glen Larson|Glen [Larson]]] has the wonderful habit of rolling paper into the typewriter, whackin’ away, and sooner or later coming up with a plot. In this case, he came up with a plot about page 56. So he simply wrote on and at page 62 typed END OF PART ONE. The turkey ran three parts before he finished, and was shown with [[Robert L. McCullough|Bob [McCullough]]]’s script in the middle.<ref>{{cite_web|url=http://geocities.com/sjpaxton/bunch.html|title=Battlestar Zone Interview: Chris Bunch|date=|accessdate=11 August 2007|last=Paxton|first=Susan J.|format=|language=}}</ref>

* ''Galactica 1980 story editor Chris Bunch on this episode:''
:'''Q''': How far in advance were the episodes filmed?

:'''Bunch''': Space Croppers went out on satellite to New York twenty minutes before air time. This was the only freelance script or even staff script that was filmed because there were problems, like Larson was stuck on an episode or couldn't get the Lear Jet to pick him up in Hawaii or whatever.

:When Larson is worried about a show, or trying to make it work, he writes every script. Every goddamned script. So there was a lotta fallout with scripts being commissioned and abandoned right and left and down the center.<ref>''Galactic Sci-Fi Television Series Revisited.'' Alpha Control Press, 1995.</ref>

== Guest Stars ==

* [[Ned Romero]] as [[Hector Alonzo]]
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Dana+Elcar Dana Elcar] as [[Steadman]]
* [[Ana Alicia]] as [[Gloria Alonzo]]
* [http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0622824/ Anna Navarro] as [[Louise Alonzo]]
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+William+Cort Bill Cort] as [[Trent]]
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Bill+McKinney Bill McKinney] as [[Barrett]]
* [[Herbert Jefferson Jr.]] as Colonel [[Boomer (1980)|Boomer]]
* [[Booth Colman]] as [[Tom Rogers|Rogers]]
* [[Joaquin Garay III]] as [[Chris Alonzo]]
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Andy+Jarrell Andy Jarrell] as [[Maze]]
* [[Phil Levien]] as [[Dante]]
* [[Dennis Haysbert]] as [[Imperious Leader]] (voice, credited as "The Creature")
* [[John Daytona]] as [[Foley]]
* [[Gordon Haight]] as [[Deacon]]
* [[Stefan Haves]] as [[Channon]]
* [[Lance Mugleston]] as Pilot
* [[Michael Brick]] as [[Super Scout]]
* [[Ronnie Densford]] as [[Super Scout]]
* [[Mark Everett]] as [[Super Scout]]
* [[Georgi Irene]] as [[Super Scout]]
* [[Tracy Justrich]] as [[Super Scout]]
* [[Lindsay Kennedy]] as [[Super Scout]]
* [[David Larson]] as [[Super Scout]]
* [[Eric Larson]] as [[Super Scout]]
* [[Michelle Larson]] as [[Super Scout]]

== References ==

<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

{{Episode List (1980)}}

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:1980]]
[[Category:Episodes written by Robert L. McCullough]]
[[Category:Episodes directed by Daniel Haller]]

Harvest Home

2011-11-16T14:13:24Z

Galactica1981:

{{unproduced|universe=1980}}

On the Galactica, Troy and Dillon are in the children’s quarters with several of the Galactican kids. They play a game of hide and seek in which Wellington turns invisible and hides from the rest.

At that moment, Cylon ships (referred to throughout the script as Cylon vipers) close in on the Galactica. Troy and Dillon launch with the other warriors and intercept the Cylons which don’t fight back. The Colonials destroy all the Cylon ships except for one which launches a kamikaze attack on the agro-ship, crashing into it and destroying it.

The fleet only has limited food reserves. Troy and Dillon go on a mission to establish a food development system on Earth. Doctor Zee tells Adama it was likely no accident that the Cylons found the fleet, but he’s not sure how.

Troy and Dillon land on earth and visit a farm where they mistake a scarecrow for a person. Then they are greeted by Ray Markharm, a farmer in his mid-forties. Troy and Dillon say they work for the government and want to grow food on his property. Ray invited them to have dinner with him and his wife Louise, daughter Kate, and son Chris. During the meal, Ray says nothing can grow on his land because there is no water due to a dam put up by John Steadman, a wealthy landowner who wants to buy his farm.

They visit the dam on Steadman’s land. Soon, Steadman drives up in his Mercedes and narrowly misses hitting them. Troy and Dillon tell Steadman that they are from a special government agency.

On the Galactica, Dr. Zee has determined that the fleet has only ten days of food left. Adama says Troy and Dillon can grow the food they need in just two days due to the botanic stimulant that Zee prepared. Dr. Zee is unsure if the fleet’s new flight pattern will enable them to evade the Cylons.

Back on Earth, Troy, Dillon and Ray buy seed and drive off with it in their pick-up truck. Maze and Barrett follow them in their own truck.

A squadron of Cylon vipers flies in pursuit of the fleet. Inside one of the ships, we see a Cylon looking at a series of mathematical equations on the monitor. The Cylon announces that they have detected beta emissions and will now adjust their flight trajectory as a result.

Maze and Barrett drive alongside Ray’s pick-up. Maze leaps onto the back of the truck, rips open the bags, and pours all the seed onto the road. He leaps back onto his own truck before anyone can stop him. Troy and Dillon decide to visit Steadman’s ranch and demand payment for the lost seed.

The Cylon vipers have found the Galactica. Colonel Boomer orders the Colonial vipers to launch and defend the ship.

Troy and Dillon enter Steadman’s ranch. Maze and Barrett confront them, but before they can attack, Troy and Dillon activate their invisibility fields. Maze gets kicked from behind. He thinks Barrett did it and the two get into a shoving match. Troy and Dillon reappear in front of Steadman’s door. Troy knocks on it, and Steadman answers.

Doctor Zee tells Adama that he has examined a Cylon viper that was captured during the battle, and it was equipped with an unusual type of radar tracking equipment which led the Cylons to the fleet. Their equipment monitors the minute quantities of ionic radiation that the metallic hulls of the fleet’s ships give off. Once the radar locates the emissions, the Cylons can lock on course until they find it. Adama realizes this means that the Cylons can find them anywhere.

Steadman agrees to pay for the lost seed and offers Troy and Dillon a chance to win $1000 and a horse named Satan. All they have to do is to ride Satan who is wild and out of control. Troy and Dillon approach the horse. Dillon secretly uses his laser gun to stun the horse which calms him down. He is then able to easily ride him. Steadman can’t believe what he is seeing.

Dr. Zee tells Adama that he may have a solution to the current Cylon threat. He suggests de-ionizing the exterior hulls of every ship in the fleet, but he is unsure if it will work. Adama worries because they will have to send a ship to Earth soon to assist Troy and Dillon. Once it leaves the fleet, it will be vulnerable to attack by the Cylons.

Dillon and Troy arrive at the Markham farm with new seed as well as a horse. Dillon presents the horse to Kate. They start to unload the seed. Kate asks Dillon if he is married and tells him that she thinks he’s cute.

After making some phone calls, Steadman learns that Troy and Dillon don’t work for the government. He is determined to find out who exactly they are.

On the Galactica, the medical ship from “Super Scouts” is being prepared for launch. Dr. Zee says the ship will create a mist that will result in precipitation that the crops will need to grow. Adama says there is a report of a Cylon squadron moving through the neighboring quadrant on the projected path that the medical ship will take.

Troy and Dillon fly their turbo cycles. Troy hits the field with laser beams in order to dig troughs. Behind him, Dillon follows, but lower to the ground, dropping handfuls of seed over the dirt.

The medical ship is now traveling through space. On the bridge, Dr. Zee tells Adama that their long range scanners have detected Cylons who will in minutes be in range of the fleet. Shortly after, the Cylons fail to detect it, so the de-ionization of the ships of the fleet has been effective. However, Doctor Zee points out that the shuttle Troy and Dillon will use to carry the crops back to the fleet has not gone through the de-ionization process, so it will be vulnerable to Cylon attack.

Troy and Dillon finish and then stand in the field. They shoot their lasers into the sky to send a signal to the approaching medical ship. At that moment, Steadman pulls up in his truck. Using binoculars, he is stunned to see Troy and Dillon firing their lasers. He then sees the medical ship coming down out of the sky. The ship releases silver iodide particles into the atmosphere. Clouds start to form, and then a heavy rainfall begins.

On the front porch of the Markham house, Chris watches everything with awe. Then the ship ascends and disappears into the darkness. Steadman drives off.

At an air force radar station, radar technicians pick up something on their screens. Colonel Briggs gets a phone call and is told about what has been found. He orders a plane to be ready in twenty minutes.

The rain continues to fall on Markharm’s field, and the seeds begin to grow rapidly, quickly developing into small plants. Four months of growth occur literally overnight. An air force jet containing Colonel Briggs takes off and heads towards the Markham’s farm.

The next morning, the skies have begun to clear. Chris walks onto the front porch and looks at the fields. He then runs toward them. In his office, Steadman is in a state of shock. He refuses to tell Maze and Barrett what he saw the previous night.

Chris is stunned by the sight of the fields filled with young plants and big vegetables. He picks up an enormous squash and heads back for the house. Ray walks out of the house and is stunned to see him holding the squash. Troy and Dillon walk over and say that they should have a talk.

Colonel Briggs’ jet lands on the runway of a nearby air force base. Briggs exits the jet and enters an awaiting car which then speeds off.

During a meal in the dining room, Troy explains that they used a new government process that is part of a top secret government project. The Markhams are not to tell anyone about it, regardless of who asks. Chris winks at Troy, knowing that there is more to this than what is being said.

Later, the last of the crops have been harvested and taken out. Troy and Dillon return Ray’s truck. Kate asks Dillon if he will ever return. He says he doesn’t believe so, but he will stop by if he does. Kate smiles through some tears, then hugs Dillon and runs into the house.

Steadman then arrives and warns them that Colonel Briggs is on his way there. Troy and Dillon say their good-byes and walk off. Steadman tells Ray that he has decided to remove the dam that has prevented water from reaching the Markharm farm. Ray asks why, and Steadman replies that he has seen the light.

Troy and Dillon, riding their turbo cycles, pass the car containing Colonel Briggs. They then fly off into the sky. Briggs arrives at the Markharm farm and asks them if they’ve seen any strange phenomenon, but both Ray and Steadman say they’ve seen nothing.

Troy flies a viper while Dillon pilots the shuttle containing the crops. They receive a transmission from Adama and Dr. Zee warning them of the Cylon threat. Soon afterwards, Troy picks up approaching Cylons on his scanner. The Galactica launches a viper squadron to come to their aid. Troy manages to hold the Cylons off until the squadron arrives, and the Cylons are quickly destroyed.

Later, a Thanksgiving-style feast is held on the Galactica. At the dinner table, Troy and Dillon tell Adama that after their ordeal they just don’t have much of an appetite. Dillon suggests that they could perhaps have “cold leftovers” later, leaving Adama confused. Troy and Dillon look at each other and laugh.

== Notes ==

*Harvest Home is an early version of [[Space Croppers]].
*The writer of this script is unknown.
*In some episode guides, Space Croppers is erroneously called Harvest Home.
*The Cylon ships are called Cylon vipers.

{{Unproduced episode list}}

[[Category:Behind the Scenes]]
[[Category:1980]]

Harvest Home

2011-11-16T14:12:15Z

Galactica1981:

{{unproduced|universe=1980}}

On the Galactica, Troy and Dillon are in the children’s quarters with several of the Galactican kids. They play a game of hide and seek in which Wellington turns invisible and hides from the rest.

At that moment, Cylon ships (referred to throughout the script as Cylon vipers) close in on the Galactica. Troy and Dillon launch with the other warriors and intercept the Cylons which don’t fight back. The Colonials destroy all the Cylon ships except for one which launches a kamikaze attack on the agro-ship, crashing into it and destroying it.

The fleet only has limited food reserves. Troy and Dillon go on a mission to establish a food development system on Earth. Doctor Zee tells Adama it was likely no accident that the Cylons found the fleet, but he’s not sure how.

Troy and Dillon land on earth and visit a farm where they mistake a scarecrow for a person. Then they are greeted by Ray Markharm, a farmer in his mid-forties. Troy and Dillon say they work for the government and want to grow food on his property. Ray invited them to have dinner with him and his wife Louise, daughter Kate, and son Chris. During the meal, Ray says nothing can grow on his land because there is no water due to a dam put up by John Steadman, a wealthy landowner who wants to buy his farm.

They visit the dam on Steadman’s land. Soon, Steadman drives up in his Mercedes and narrowly misses hitting them. Troy and Dillon tell Steadman that they are from a special government agency.

On the Galactica, Dr. Zee has determined that the fleet has only ten days of food left. Adama says Troy and Dillon can grow the food they need in just two days due to the botanic stimulant that Zee prepared. Dr. Zee is unsure if the fleet’s new flight pattern will enable them to evade the Cylons.

Back on Earth, Troy, Dillon and Ray buy seed and drive off with it in their pick-up truck. Maze and Barrett follow them in their own truck.

A squadron of Cylon vipers flies in pursuit of the fleet. Inside one of the ships, we see a Cylon looking at a series of mathematical equations on the monitor. The Cylon announces that they have detected beta emissions and will now adjust their flight trajectory as a result.

Maze and Barrett drive alongside Ray’s pick-up. Maze leaps onto the back of the truck, rips open the bags, and pours all the seed onto the road. He leaps back onto his own truck before anyone can stop him. Troy and Dillon decide to visit Steadman’s ranch and demand payment for the lost seed.

The Cylon vipers have found the Galactica. Colonel Boomer orders the Colonial vipers to launch and defend the ship.

Troy and Dillon enter Steadman’s ranch. Maze and Barrett confront them, but before they can attack, Troy and Dillon activate their invisibility fields. Maze gets kicked from behind. He thinks Barrett did it and the two get into a shoving match. Troy and Dillon reappear in front of Steadman’s door. Troy knocks on it, and Steadman answers.

Doctor Zee tells Adama that he has examined a Cylon viper that was captured during the battle, and it was equipped with an unusual type of radar tracking equipment which led the Cylons to the fleet. Their equipment monitors the minute quantities of ionic radiation that the metallic hulls of the fleet’s ships give off. Once the radar locates the emissions, the Cylons can lock on course until they find it. Adama realizes this means that the Cylons can find them anywhere.

Steadman agrees to pay for the lost seed and offers Troy and Dillon a chance to win $1000 and a horse named Satan. All they have to do is to ride Satan who is wild and out of control. Troy and Dillon approach the horse. Dillon secretly uses his laser gun to stun the horse which calms him down. He is then able to easily ride him. Steadman can’t believe what he is seeing.

Dr. Zee tells Adama that he may have a solution to the current Cylon threat. He suggests de-ionizing the exterior hulls of every ship in the fleet, but he is unsure if it will work. Adama worries because they will have to send a ship to Earth soon to assist Troy and Dillon. Once it leaves the fleet, it will be vulnerable to attack by the Cylons.

Dillon and Troy arrive at the Markham farm with new seed as well as a horse. Dillon presents the horse to Kate. They start to unload the seed. Kate asks Dillon if he is married and tells him that she thinks he’s cute.

After making some phone calls, Steadman learns that Troy and Dillon don’t work for the government. He is determined to find out who exactly they are.

On the Galactica, the medical ship from “Super Scouts” is being prepared for launch. Dr. Zee says the ship will create a mist that will result in precipitation that the crops will need to grow. Adama says there is a report of a Cylon squadron moving through the neighboring quadrant on the projected path that the medical ship will take.

Troy and Dillon fly their turbo cycles. Troy hits the field with laser beams in order to dig troughs. Behind him, Dillon follows, but lower to the ground, dropping handfuls of seed over the dirt.

The medical ship is now traveling through space. On the bridge, Dr. Zee tells Adama that their long range scanners have detected Cylons who will in minutes be in range of the fleet. Shortly after, the Cylons fail to detect it, so the de-ionization of the ships of the fleet has been effective. However, Doctor Zee points out that the shuttle Troy and Dillon will use to carry the crops back to the fleet has not gone through the de-ionization process, so it will be vulnerable to Cylon attack.

Troy and Dillon finish and then stand in the field. They shoot their lasers into the sky to send a signal to the approaching medical ship. At that moment, Steadman pulls up in his truck. Using binoculars, he is stunned to see Troy and Dillon firing their lasers. He then sees the medical ship coming down out of the sky. The ship releases silver iodide particles into the atmosphere. Clouds start to form, and then a heavy rainfall begins.

On the front porch of the Markham house, Chris watches everything with awe. Then the ship ascends and disappears into the darkness. Steadman drives off.

At an air force radar station, radar technicians pick up something on their screens. Colonel Briggs gets a phone call and is told about what has been found. He orders a plane to be ready in twenty minutes.

The rain continues to fall on Markharm’s field, and the seeds begin to grow rapidly, quickly developing into small plants. Four months of growth occur literally overnight. An air force jet containing Colonel Briggs takes off and heads towards the Markham’s farm.

The next morning, the skies have begun to clear. Chris walks onto the front porch and looks at the fields. He then runs toward them. In his office, Steadman is in a state of shock. He refuses to tell Maze and Barrett what he saw the previous night.

Chris is stunned by the sight of the fields filled with young plants and big vegetables. He picks up an enormous squash and heads back for the house. Ray walks out of the house and is stunned to see him holding the squash. Troy and Dillon walk over and say that they should have a talk.

Colonel Briggs’ jet lands on the runway of a nearby air force base. Briggs exits the jet and enters an awaiting car which then speeds off.

During a meal in the dining room, Troy explains that they used a new government process that is part of a top secret government project. The Markhams are not to tell anyone about it, regardless of who asks. Chris winks at Troy, knowing that there is more to this than what is being said.

Later, the last of the crops have been harvested and taken out. Troy and Dillon return Ray’s truck. Kate asks Dillon if he will ever return. He says doesn’t believe so, but will stop by if they do. Kate smiles through some tears, then hugs Dillon and runs into the house.

Steadman then arrives and warns them that Colonel Briggs is on his way there. Troy and Dillon say their good-byes and walk off. Steadman tells Ray that he has decided to remove the dam that has prevented water from reaching the Markharm farm. Ray asks why, and Steadman replies that he has seen the light.

Troy and Dillon, riding their turbo cycles, pass the car containing Colonel Briggs. They then fly off into the sky. Briggs arrives at the Markharm farm and asks them if they’ve seen any strange phenomenon, but both Ray and Steadman say they’ve seen nothing.

Troy flies a viper while Dillon pilots the shuttle containing the crops. They receive a transmission from Adama and Dr. Zee warning them of the Cylon threat. Soon afterwards, Troy picks up approaching Cylons on his scanner. The Galactica launches a viper squadron to come to their aid. Troy manages to hold the Cylons off until the squadron arrives, and the Cylons are quickly destroyed.

Later, a Thanksgiving-style feast is held on the Galactica. At the dinner table, Troy and Dillon tell Adama that after their ordeal they just don’t have much of an appetite. Dillon suggests that they could perhaps have “cold leftovers” later, leaving Adama confused. Troy and Dillon look at each other and laugh.

== Notes ==

*Harvest Home is an early version of [[Space Croppers]].
*The writer of this script is unknown.
*In some episode guides, Space Croppers is erroneously called Harvest Home.
*The Cylon ships are called Cylon vipers.

{{Unproduced episode list}}

[[Category:Behind the Scenes]]
[[Category:1980]]

Earthquake

2011-11-15T16:00:47Z

Galactica1981: /* Notes */

{{unproduced|universe=1980}}
{{Episode Data
| image=Earthquake Cover.jpg
| title=Earthquake
| series=1980
| season=
| episode=
| unproduced=y
| guests=
| writer=[[Allan Cole]] and [[Chris Bunch]]
| story=
| director=
| production=
| extra=
| prev=[[The Wheel of Fire]]
| next=[[A Flight For Life]]
}}

Written by Allan Cole and Chris Bunch

== Summary ==

This is a summary of the second draft of the script.

Troy and Dillon are driving their turbocycles to the farming town of Lemoncreek, California to investigate the unusual earth tremors that have plagued the town recently. They are surprised to see a convoy of military vehicles in the area. As they pass a military research facility, Dillon's turbocycle begins to malfunction and lose power. They ask the security guard for assistance, but are told that only authorized personnel are allowed on the premises. The two shrug their shoulders and make their way to the nearest gas station.

Meanwhile, Jamie is in town doing a story on the recent tremors. She interviews a Dr. Jack Kirkwood who has predicted more earthquakes in the area. Kirkwood studies animals and natural phenomena to predict earthquakes and everyone in town thinks that he's a crackpot. Jamie then interviews Jerry Hargreaves, the director of the research center and he insists that there isn't an active faultline within a hundred miles.

Meanwhile, Troy and Dillon borrow the gas station's tools and repair the turbocycles. As they leave, they run into Jamie and take her to the Galactica to discuss the seismological activity in the area. Dr. Zee displays a visual projection of Lemoncreek and reveals that a long-dormant faultline runs through the town. He then projects a simulation of what would happen if the fault triggered an earthquake - California would fall into the ocean!

Back at the research center, the military are drilling a hole two miles deep to test a device capable of producing energy from nuclear fusion. They are unaware that their drilling caused the recent remors and could trigger a devastating earthquake.

Elsewhere, Troy, Dillon and Jamie are on their way to visit Dr. Kirkwood (with a ton of Galactica equipment strapped to their bikes) when a severe earthquake occurs. They take to the sky and head back to the town to survey the damage. After preventing a startled motorist from hitting a tree, they head to Dr. Kirkwood's farm. They offer to help determine if a quake will hit the area and are soon testing every animal in sight for signs of unusual behavior.

Later, Kirkwood is summoned to the local school. His daughter, Samantha, has been frightening her classmates by insisting that an earthquake is going to destroy the town. Kirkwood fences with Principal Berrnardi and Samantha agrees not to tell any more "wild" stories. Later at the drilling sight, the drilling is almost completed. Suddenly, another quake rocks the town. Back at the farm, the Galactican instruments go crazy and Kirkwood suspects that it might be the preshock of a major quake.

On the Galactica, Dr. Zee determines that the quake must be man-made since his instruments are unable to predict them. He and Adama contact Troy and Dillon and inform them that they must locate the source of the disturbance as soon as possible. Their instruments quickly determine that the research center is the epicenter of the quakes. Jamie theorizes that their research on food rations is a cover for something else. Kirkwood confirms their suspicions when he says that there have been rumors of very high speed drilling equipment being shipped to the research center.

Since Troy and Dillon are still wanted for kidnapping Dr. Mortinson (in Galactica Discovers Earth), they return to the Galactica while Jamie and Kirkwood go to the research center to interrogate Hargreaves. Hargreaves, a typical bureaucrat, feigns ignorance of any drilling. Jamie spots a radiation dosimeter clipped to his shirt pocket - something he wouldn't need for food ration research. Jamie says that she has a headache and excuses herself. As Kirkwood badgers Hargreaves, Jamie quietly explores the facility. She comes upon a huge control room and a voice on the P.A. system says, "Three hours to detonation - and counting." A nuclear bomb is going to be detonated in the shaft. Seconds later, Jamie is discovered by a guard and hauled away.

On the Galactica, Dr. Zee, Adama, Troy and Dillon hatch a plan to plug the hole with a collapser, a device with the properties of a black hole that will make the ground at the drill site totally impenetrable. Meanwhile, Jamie and Kirkwood have been taken to Hargreaves' office and plead with him to shut down the drilling operation. He refuses to do so, and Jamie and Kirkwood are sure that millions of people are doomed.

Elsewhere, Samantha is being scolded by Principal Bernardi for telling everyone that the research center is responsible for the quakes. When she mentions that her father is at the center putting a stop to the drilling, Bernardi says that he just called the center, and they haven't seen Dr. Kirkwood in weeks. Samantha panics and runs home as fast as she can. She arrives at the farm just as Troy and Dillon arrive and begs them to find her father. Troy gives her his Languatron so she can keep in touch with them, and the duo head to the research center.

They enter the center invisibly and discover, as Jamie did, that a nuclear bomb is going to be detonated in the drilling shaft in fifty minutes. They contact the Galactica and Dr. Zee tells them that the collapser will neutralize the bomb, but only if it is placed directly above it. As they make their way to the drilling site, their invisible bodies are picked up by a ground radar and a nervous soldier sounds the alarm. Troy and Dillon reach the mine entrance just as their invisibility shields run out of power. Before entering the mine, the duo contact Samantha and tell her to warn the town that they may be hit by a major quake in the next few minutes. Samantha frantically calls the school and begs Principal Bernardi to evacuate the children. Bernardi wrestles with his feelings and finally pulls the fire alarm.

Elsewhere, Troy and Dillon burst into the drilling chamber. They run to the hole which has a bolted-down cover on it. Troy draws his laser and blasts the lid off the hole. They take the collapser from Dillon's pack and set it to explode in two minutes. They drop it down the hole and then run. They escape just as the collapser detonates and the mine explodes.<ref>''Galactic Sci-Fi Television Series Revisited.'' Alpha Control Press. 1995</ref>

Afterwards, Hargreaves realizes his mistake and apologizes to Troy and Dillon. The two heroes say goodbye to Samantha and her father before heading off.

==Notes==

* This script features a scientist named Hargreaves as the villain who works in a military research facility.
* The first draft of the script featured Xaviar as the villain (although he never appears on-screen). The script was rewritten when it was decided that the Xaviar character would not be used again after the pilot episode (although the character eventually did return in [[Spaceball]]).

== Official Statements ==

* Writer Chris Bunch on Earthquake:

:"After the pilot was produced, we sold a script called Earthquake over the phone to Jeff Freilich, when he called us to see if we had anything the day he started on the show, and we came up with some fast buzzy-wuzzy crap that might convince him to Give Us Money. Something to do with earthquakes. So he says we have a deal, come on out and let's work the details out. We jumped in the car, with nada in the way of a plot, and Thought Fast. About the time we got off the freeway, we had a couple of vague ideas to flesh out our first dumb sentence.

:"The first draft of the script featured Xaviar, but then it was decided that they weren't going to use Xaviar anymore, which creates a small credibility problem, like we don't believe anybody but a Major Bad Guy can create an earthquake and he better have himself a Fiendish Thingie. We reworked the script and came up with Nutball Hargreaves, underground nuclear tests, roboticized security and the rest is (isn't) film history."<ref>''Galactic Sci-Fi Television Series Revisited.'' Alpha Control Press. 1995</ref> (Click [[Humor (1980)|here]] to read the entire interview.)

== Get The Script ==

* [http://www.mediafire.com/?xgu656xsvnjtsmr Click here to download a free PDF copy of this script.] The last 6 pages of the script are missing.

== External Links ==

* [http://allan-cole.blogspot.com/2011/08/summoned-to-black-tower.html Summoned to the Black Tower] - Allan Cole offers a detailed account of how he and Chris Bunch sold the Earthquake script. This blog has numerous stories of their work as story editors on Galactica 1980. Read the blog entries for 2009 and 2011.

== References ==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

{{Unproduced episode list}}

Galactica Discovers Earth (early draft)

2011-11-15T01:51:46Z

Galactica1981: /* Get The Script */

{{unproduced|universe=1980}}
{{Episode Data
| image=G80 Script Cover.jpg
| title=Galactica Discovers Earth
| series=1980
| season=
| episode=
| unproduced=y
| guests=
| writer=Glen A. Larson
| story=
| director=
| production=
| extra=
| prev=[[The Return of Starbuck]] (produced, series finale)
| next=[[The Day They Kidnapped Cleopatra]]
}}

'''Revision date: November 26, 1979'''

'''Written by Glen A. Larson'''
__TOC__

On planet Earth, on the outskirts of a small California town, Jamie Hamilton and her boyfriend Walter are parked in a convertible looking up at the stars. Jamie is upset because she didn't get the newscaster job that she felt she deserved. Walter tries to cheer her up by reminding her of their upcoming wedding, but she puts a damper on his enthusiasm by announcing that she is moving to Los Angeles to try to get a job as a TV reporter. As they argue, a flash of blue light streaks past them and lands behind a nearby hill. At the hill, a winded Apollo and Starbuck climb out of their vipers. They pick up military jets on their scanners and ask themselves why they volunteered to be the first Colonials to land on the planet Earth.

Flashback to an event hours earlier aboard the Galactica: Dr. Zero, a 14-year-old mutant genius, informs a stunned Adama that they have finally reached Earth. Adama's first reaction is to tell the fleet of the news, but Dr. Zero crushes his hopes when he shows him transmissions from Earth. She is a primitive, warring planet that is not scientifically advanced enough to aid the Colonials in their war against the Cylons. The Colonial warriors and Council of Twelve are summoned to Dr. Zero's projection chamber. Starbuck and Dr. Zero meet for the first time, and the young genius maintains that his proclivity for isolation has not deprived him of the pleasure of knowing each member of the fleet from their records and behavior patterns. When Adama announces that they have found Earth, a cheer goes up from the crowd. But Dr. Zero dampens their mood when he projects an image of what would happen if they were to land on Earth.

The screen shows Starbuck and Apollo in Hollywood. They have become celebrities and are surrounded by the media. Just as they put their bootprints in the cement foyer of Grauman's Chinese Theatre, a wave of Cylon raiders descends from the skies and begins to destroy the city. The people of Earth turn against the Colonial warriors, and Starbuck and Apollo realize that they have led the Cylons to Earth and doomed it to destruction. The duo race to their vipers but are cut down by Cylon fire. The simulation ends and Dr. Zero suggests that instead of revealing themselves to Earth's population, the fleet should lead the Cylons away while sending teams of specialists to Earth to gradually advance its technology. Apollo and Starbuck are assigned to make contact with Dr. Donald Mortinson, one of Earth's foremost nuclear physicists, at the California Institute of Technology.

Later, Baltar, who is now on good terms with Adama after having received a pardon, argues with Adama about Dr. Zero's plan. He believes that they should use the time warp synthesizer invented by Dr. Zero to go back into Earth's past and introduce scientific tools hundreds of years earlier. Adama refuses to go along with Baltar's proposal. Soon, Starbuck and Apollo cruise into Earth's atmoshphere but are shot down by military jets.

Cut to the present: Starbuck and Apollo activate the invisibility shields on their vipers and head towards the California Institute of Technology on their turbocycles. Meanwhile at the Institute, Dr. Mortinson is in the middle of a controversy; a mob of students who are against nuclear power are demonstrating outside his laboratory. Mortinson is desperately trying to create a formula to neturalize atomic waste material. He rubs his eys tiredly as one of the protestors throws a rock through the window and nearly hits him. Miss Carlyle, his secreteary, calls the police and then takes Mortinson home.

Meanwhile, Starbuck and Apollo are harassed by a motorcycle gang, but they take to the sky to avoid them and land behind a diner/gas station in the desert. They take Earth-style sheepskin jackets out of their packs, change clothes and head to a nearby pnone booth. As they struggle with the unfamiliar telephone, Jamie arrives and gives them a lift to the institute. She is impressed when they tell her they are going to see the Dr. Mortinson. After dropping them off, she tells them that they can reach her at Trans-World Broadcasting if they want to get in touch with her again.

When they discover how bad the demonstration is, the duo stun a security guard and slip into the building. When they enter Mortinson's office and talk about him being "on the right track" with his theories, Miss Carlyle thinks they are part of the mob, and she alerts security. Apollo types information into Dr. Mortinson's computer and tells her that they can be reached through Jamie Hamilton at Trans-World Broadcasting. When they try to leave the building, they are arrested. Mortinson returns to his office and is ecstatic when he sees the changes to his formula. He realizes that the duo must be from another world.

Later, Jamie is at Trans-World about to have her job interview when she gets a call from Starbuck at the police station; he needs her to bail them out of jail. She gets angry and hangs up. Moments later, Dr. Mortinson calls and asks her to arrange a meeting with Starbuck and Apollo. Mr. Brooks, Jamie's would-be boss, overhears the conversation and orders her to arrange the meeting so he can film Dr. Mortinson.

At the police station, Starbuck and Apollo use their invisibility fields to escape. They meet with Mortinson and Jamie. She reveals to them that they are being filmed, so they beat a hasty retreat in Mortinson's car, but Jamie insists on coming along. Mr. Brooks mistakenly believes that Mortinson is being kidnapped.

Back on the Galactica, Adama and Dr. Zero discover that Baltar has taken a viper and headed into Earth's past to conquer the planet. Back on Earth, Apollo, Starbuck, Jamie, and Mortinson are pursued by the media and a dozen police cars. Adama contacts them and orders them to go to Rome in 44 B.C. and bring back Baltar. They drop off the professor and head back to their vipers. Jamie refuses to be left behind and threatens to tell everything she knows. They reluctantly agree to take her with them and the trio clmb into the vipers and blast off into the past. The Galactica's Earth adventures have begun!<ref>'' Galactic Sci-Fi Television Series Revisited.'' Alpha Control Press, 1995.</ref>

== Notes ==

* Obviously, this early version of the Galactica 1980 pilot was written when it was believed Dirk Benedict and Richard Hatch would return to reprise their roles as Starbuck and Apollo. Much of the dialogue survived intact in the filmed pilot.

* Dr. Zero is an early name for Dr. Zee, Galactica 1980's scientific genius.

* Starbuck and Dr. Zero meet for the first time, while in the classic Galactica 1980 episode [[The Return of Starbuck]], Dr. Zee is Starbuck's spiritual son.

* Why did Adama ever pardon Baltar??? And don't the Colonials look like complete idiots for trusting Baltar a second time???

== Official Statements ==

*Richard Hatch was asked to come back for Galactica 1980, but "at the time I was involved with another project. The entire cast was asked back but most of us were unavailable." Still, he wasn't that interested in the project. "There was part of me that really didn't want to do Galactica 1980, because I just didn't feel like they were going to put the same energy and effort into it that they put into the original show. And I didn't want to do a second-rate ''Battlestar Galactica''."<ref>'' Galactic Sci-Fi Television Series Revisited.'' Alpha Control Press, 1995.</ref>

*Hatch has also said that when he received a copy of the pilot script, the two main characters in it were Troy and Dillon, so he had a feeling they were ready to move on without him at that point.<ref>''[[GoMainline Galactica Convention]].'' August 28-29, 1999.</ref>

== Get The Script ==

*[http://media.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/File:Galactica_Discovers_Earth_Early_Draft.pdf Click here to get a free PDF copy of this script]

== References ==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

{{Unproduced episode list}}

[[Category:Behind the Scenes]]
[[Category:1980]]