Space Croppers

File:Croppers.jpg

"Space Croppers" (Credit: Scifi Channel)

Overview

After a Cylon attack that destroys two of the Fleet's Agro ships, Troy and Dillon are sent to Earth to set up an agricultural colony. In Southern California, they befriend a local Hispanic farmer who is struggling to keep his farm in the face of drought and the influence of his neighbor, a powerful rancher who controls the access to water for irrigation.

Summary

• On a Cylon basestar, positioned not far away from Earth, the Imperious Leader is addressing a centurion.

• He declares a new strategy in the war on the humans, ordering the targeting of the Colonial Fleet's food supply.

• When Galactica goes in search of food, it will lead the Cylons to Earth.

• Dozens of Cylon raiders are immediately launched to attack the Colonials.

• After breaking through the perimeter of Vipers guarding the fleet, the Raiders succeed in destroying two of the Agroships.

• Adama and Dr. Zee immediately realize why the Cylons picked this target, but concur that the Colonials will need to secretly establish an agricultural colony on Earth.

• During the planning, Adama and Boomer are interrupted by an unidentified captain who complains that D Squadron, nicknamed the Daggits, have been modifying their Vipers by removing the energy limiting devices from the turbochargers.

Hector Alonso

• Meanwhile, as Troy and Dillon make their way to Earth, we turn to a different scene: a small farm in Southern California owned by a Hispanic American family, the Alonsos. They are close to going bankrupt, and Hector, the father of the family 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.

• Rounding out the family is the Mom, the Alonsos ten-year-old son Chris, and Gloria their teenage daughter.

• Landing on Earth, and responding to Hector's ad, Troy and Dillon to the Alonso farm.

• They encounter a scarecrow and assume he is some sort of local.

• 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.

• Hector takes Troy and Dillon to the perimeter of his property in a wretched old truck.

• There, as plain as day, is a dam - small, but big enough to cut off most of the water supply.

• As Hector explains John Steadman arrives. Hector relates that Steadman has a problem with Hispanics, but even more apparent is Steadman's greed as he offers to buy Hector's farm for an unreasonably low price.

John Steadman in "Space Croppers"

• Later, as Troy and Dillon go with Hector to buy seed, they are sabotaged by one of Steadman's men who throws a lit cigar into the bed of Hector's truck setting fire to the seeds.

• Troy and Dillon go to confront Steadman, and demand compensation for the burned seed. Steadman has a good play with his employees, deciding to take the payment out of his henchmen'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.

• The Galacticans make fool out of Steadman, secretly pacifying the animal with a burst of alpha waves from their wrist computers, making him easy to ride.

• Winning the bet, Dillon heads back to the ranch and presents the horse to Gloria.

• Adama calls on the communicator. In order to get the seed planted and grown to replenish the fleet's hydroponic capabilities without impacting the food supply, they have to do it right away.

• Dr. Zee plans to come down in his anti-gravity ship and coax the clouds into producing a good rain.

• That night, under cover of darkness, Troy and Dillon use their superhuman jumping ability to rapidly seed the Alonso's fields.

• Steadman, who is passing by, can't believe his eyes. Young Chris is equally surprised when he sees a flying saucer, actually Dr. Zee's antigrav ship, soar past his window at roughly the same time.

Agricultural experts from the Fleet are outfitted with local garb

• Inside the antigrav ship are dozens of Galactican agricultural experts assigned by Dr. Zee to harvest the crops. Also arriving to help is Jamie Hamilton, who has of course brought the Super Scouts.

• The crops shoot up overnight.

• Steadman goes to the Grower's Association with frantic revelations of jumping aliens and flying saucers.

• His credibility gone, Steadman is laughed down and as a final insult they also vote to order the dam removed from Steadman's property and the water distributed freely.

Analysis

Space Croppers is considered by many to be the nadir of the Galactica franchise. This is a strange episode that radically switches tone from ominous, to comedic to outlandish. Conceived of as a story to convey the plight of Hispanic farmers in California, this theme is undermined by the bizarre sight of Galacticans decked out in 1980 era cowbout outfits, the UFO sequence, and other odd segments like the sequence where the plants grow quickly due to stock footage time lapse photography. The episode The Return of Starbuck was being filmed around the same time as this, but Space Croppers is really the last episode of the regular series as it is the final episode to feature all the regular cast. To enjoy this episode, one has to toss aside all serious considerations and simply view it as a made for children afternoon special, and even then one has to keep ones expectations low.

Statistics

Guest Stars

• Ana Alicia as Gloria Alonzo
• William Cort as Trent
• Dana Elcar as Steadman
• Joaquin Garay III as Chris Alonzo
• Dennis Haysbert as Imperious Leader (voice)
• Andy Jarrell as Maze
• Bill McKinney as Barrett
• Anna Navarro as Louise
• Ned Romero as Hector

Writing & Direction

• Written by Robert L. McCullough
• Directed by Daniel Haller

Production Notes

• Series 1 (1980)
• Production Number: 1.9
• Airdate Order: 9 (of 10)

First Run Air Dates & Releases

• US Airdate: 27 April 1980

Galactica 1980 definition: type of signals used in correcting disturbed brainwave patterns ^{(1980: "Space Croppers")}

Galactica 1980 definition: When John Steadman asks if the Warriors know anything about these creatures, Dillon looks this up ^{(1980: "Space Croppers")}

Galactica 1980 definition: a member of the Fleet; Hamilton first uses the term when replying to Stockwell's question regarding Xavier's affiliation ^{(1980: "Galactica Discovers Earth, Part II")}