Experiment in Terra

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"Experiment in Terra" An episode of the Original Series
Episode No.	Season 1, Episode 19
Writer(s)	Glen A. Larson
Story by
Director	Rod Holcomb
Assistant Director
Special guest(s)
Production No.	50928
Nielsen Rating
US airdate	1979-03-18
CAN airdate	{{{CAN airdate}}}
UK airdate
DVD release	2004-12-28
Population	survivors
Additional Info
Episode Chronology
Previous		Next
Baltar's Escape	Experiment in Terra	Take the Celestra
[[IMDB:tt{{{imdb}}}|IMDb entry]]
Listing of props for this episode
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			@ BW Media
Promotional Materials
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Overview

The mysterious bright lights return again, transporting the bewildered Apollo to the planet Terra to avert war with the Eastern Alliance. Exposing a plan by the devious president, Apollo has Starbuck warn Galactica, which lends the protective powers of its shields to avoid planetary holocaust.

Summary

• While on a recon patrol with Blue Squadron searching for an Eastern Alliance destroyer, Captain Apollo's Viper is again waylaid by the Beings of Light and brought aboard their ship.

• There he is told by John that he needs to help Terra and stop a war. Due to their lack of a substantive, corporeal form, they are unable to affect changes without need of a proxy (what Apollo sees is a projection or representation of their spirit). Apollo is also told by John that to the Terrans he will appear to be a missing warrior named Colonel Charlie Watts, to allow him some credibility during his attempts. After this encounter, Apollo wakes up near Terra, an incredible distance from his previous position, and well outside the Vipers' fuel range for a safe return to Galactica.

• Starbuck and Boomer detect Apollo's distress signal at extreme range. Starbuck goes to help Apollo, while Boomer returns to Galactica.

• Apollo is picked up after landing on Terra by Brenda Maxwell who was Charlie Watts' girlfriend and they return to her apartment. John again appears to Apollo and advises him he needs to reveal the truth about Lunar One. Whilst he is doing so, Brenda notifies the authorities of "Charlie's" return, believing him to need medical attention. Soon Officer Brace arrives and Apollo is taken into custody, and subsequently examined by Doctor Horning.

• Back on Galactica Commander Adama decides that the battlestar will temporarily leave the fleet to investigate the beacon signal sent by both Apollo and Starbuck's Viper's, leaving behind two full squadrons of fighters to protect the civilians.

• Starbuck, having landed and found Apollo's Viper, gets into a gun fight with the local security force, stunning them all. He then sets off to find Apollo.

• After a brief discussion with John, Starbuck rescues Apollo, Brenda and her father General Maxwell who have just been imprisoned by Brace for questioning the Nationalist President's decisions regarding the Eastern Alliance. Brenda and General Maxwell realise what Apollo has been saying is true... he is not Charlie Watts.

• The Leaders of the Eastern Alliance confirm their plans to launch a surprise attack on the Nationalists whilst at the same time, in the Nationalist Presidium, The President announces that a peace agreement with the Eastern Alliance has just been reached. Starbuck and Brenda Maxwell leave to retrieve Starbuck's Viper.

• The attack is begun, the Nationalist's missiles being automatically launched after detection of the Eastern Alliance's surprise move. Galactica arrives, and following Starbuck's instructions uses its weapons to destroy all missiles from both sides. This surprise turn of events forces the Eastern Alliance to sue for peace.

• John spirits Apollo away from he Presidium so he does not have to answer any questions from the President and General Maxwell. John then goes on to confirm to Apollo that Terra is not Earth, and their search for the Thirteeth Tribe will continue.

Questions

• Why do the Beings of Light need proxies to do their bidding? Surely an advanced race would have resolved a more elegant solution than co-opting "primitives" for their needs?
  • Standard operating proceedure for many Godlike Aliens in science fiction: they are not allowed to interfere directly in the lives of lower beings, but can work through willing proxy. The Beings of Light stated that they cannot directly interfere as this would take away lower being Free Will; if worst came to worst the Galactica crew could simply leave and refuse to carry out their wishes, thus this action is based on the choice of the Galactica crew to stay.
• Bearing in mind the interest the Beings of Light had with the Terrans, did the Beings of Light share this same interest and concern in the Colonials before or during the Thousand-Yahren War?
• Why does Galactica leave the Fleet defenseless to protect Terra, particularly in lieu of Adama's comments in "The Living Legend", where Adama voices opposition to attacking Gamoray because it would leave the Fleet defenseless from a Cylon killing force?

Analysis

A rather average episode of the original series. Several plot points were not addressed or serviced correctly i.e. the white Colonial uniforms, Apollo spending the entire episode trying to get people to believe he is not Charlie Watts after John went to the effort of making him appear so and a few others. Still, some good one liners, and as always, the wonderful cheesy romp that was the best of Battlestar Galactica.

After some teasing through this story arc, we finally learn at the end of the episode that Terra is not Earth. The teasing continues in the next and final episode, The Hand of God.

Perhaps more than any other episode, Experiment in Terra is incomprehensible to viewers who were not familiar with the show. Apart from having seen Saga of a Star World to establish the series, viewers must have seen War of the Gods, Greetings from Earth and Baltar's Escape to know what was going on. This was possibly an intentional aspect of the production, to introduce more interlaced story arcs to draw in viewers.

Notes

• This is the last episode of a three episode arc, consisting of "Greetings from Earth", "Baltar's Escape", and "Experiment in Terra".

• The Presidium on Terra was the French pavilion left over from Expo '67. It is one of the few buildings from the fair still standing. It is now Le Casino de Montréal.

• The same stock shot of Le Casino de Montréal in this episode appears to also have been used for the Earth Defence Directorate on Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.

• Yes, that's John de Lancie in that motorcycle helmet! Recognize the voice? Yes, it's the same actor that played the infamous Q in Star Trek: the Next Generation.

• Some scenes of this episode were filmed at night at the Vasquez Rocks. If you look close you can seem them in the scene where Starbuck lands his Viper.

• "Charlie Watts" is also the name of the drummer for the British rock group The Rolling Stones. It is rumored but unconfirmed that Larsen had the character named after Watts as a tribute to his reportedly being a fan of the show.^{[citation needed]}

• The "white uniforms" were reused in Galactica 1980 as part of the "time travel" effect employed in the series.

Noteworthy Dialogue

• Upon learning that the Vipers are transmitting emergency beacons near Terra

Adama: Tigh, plot a course for Terra.

Tigh: What velocity, sir?

Adama: Lightspeed.

Tigh: Sir, it has been some time since the Galactica has been pushed to-

Adama: Lightspeed, Colonel.

Tigh: Yes, sir.

• Upon learning the Eastern Alliance has launched a nuclear attack

President Arends: Well uh...that's impossible. I have this treaty......

General Maxwell: Well frame it! But hurry!!

Guest Stars

• Melody Anderson as Brenda Maxwell
• Edward Mulhare as John
• Nehemiah Persoff as Eastern Alliance Leader
• Ken Swofford as General Maxwell
• John de Lancie as Officer