Battlestar Galactica (TOS)
The show that started it all...
Introduction and Concept
The original Battlestar Galactica television series premiered on the ABC television network in September 1978. It was one of the most spectacular television programs ever produced, and despite only having run a single season it has retained an active fan following to this day.
Battlestar Galactica was created by Glen A. Larson, and had gradually evolved from an earlier project titled Adam's Ark. Although Larson had first proposed Ark in the late 1960's, it wasn't until 1978, after the success of Star Wars, that interest developed.
Production History
Initially envisioned as a series of TV movies for ABC, which would consist of a three hour premiere and two additional movies of two hours in length, "Battlestar Galactica" was ultimately developed into a full television series.
To defray costs, the three hour premiere was recut as a theatrical release, and several weeks before the TV series premiered in America, the Battlestar Galactica pilot appeared as a two hour film in Canada, Europe and Japan. Opening on July 7, 1978, the theatrical release did quite well given modest expectations.
The three hour "Galactica" pilot first broadcast on ABC on September 17, 1978. For the next eight months, 17 original episodes of the series were aired, totaling 24 hours of broadcasting. Citing declining ratings and cost overruns, ABC cancelled "Battlestar Galactica" in April 1979, its last episode "The Hand of God" being first broadcast on April 29.
Brief Return
During the autumn of 1979, ABC executives met with "Galactica's" creator Glen A. Larson to consider a relaunch of the series. A suitable concept would be needed to draw viewers, and it was decided that the arrival of the Colonial Fleet at contemporary Earth would be the storyline. A new television movie entitled "Galactica 1980" was rushed into production. Again, it was decided this new version of "Galactica" would be made into a weekly series. Despite the early success of the premiere however, the weekly series failed to deliver and "Galactica 1980" was unceremoniously cancelled after only ten episodes.
The Revival of "Battlestar"
The concept of "Battlestar Galactica" would remain dormant until 2001, where the Singer/DeSanto continuation project hoped to expand the Original Series into a new program, under the sanction and financing of Universal Studios, owners of "Battlestar Galactica", and the Fox Network. Sets were created, casting done, and all appeared ready until the terrorist events of September 11, 2001 caused problems in scheduling that derailed and then cancelled the revival attempt.
Around the same time, Original Series star and author Richard Hatch created a spectacular mock trailer to solicit support from Universal Studios for a similar Original Series revival called "Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming." While the mock trailer drew cheers from fans who viewed it at science fiction conventions, Universal Studios appeared to pass on this concept as well.
The name of "Battlestar Galactica" passed on to "Star Trek" sequel series writer and director Ron D. Moore to create another version of the tale of destruction and exodus by the people of the Twelve Colonies...
Episodes of Battlestar Galactica
Episodes of Galactica 1980
Narration
The opening narration to the original series:
"There are those who believe that life here began out there, far across the universe, with tribes of humans who may have been the forefathers of the Egyptians, or the Toltecs, or the Mayans. They may have been the architects of the great pyramids, or the lost civilizations of Lemuria or Atlantis. Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man who even now fight to survive far, far away, amongst the stars."