Doctor Zee
Doctor Zee was a recurring character in the short lived science fiction series Galactica 1980.
The role of Doctor Zee was portrayed by two actors. In the first three hours of Galactica 1980, child actor Robbie Rist, known also as Cousin Oliver in the "Brady Bunch", played Zee. Rist appeared in "Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I", "Part II" and "Part III".
Later, when Galactica 1980 was picked up as a continuing series, another young actor named Patrick Stuart took on the role. Stuart appeared in the subsequent episodes including "The Super Scouts, Part I" and "The Super Scouts, Part II".
Doctor Zee is an extremely bright boy, of about 10 years in age, who was born during the period of time between when the original series took place, and when the Galactica found Earth, so roughly 1970. His origin is not explained at the start of the series, but he is soon introduced as a scientific wiz who has great influence on Commander Adama and the Council of the Twelve.
It is Zee who convinces Adama not to attempt contact with humanity, as the nations of Earth are not unified and are ill equipped to resist the Cylons should they follow the Fleet to the Solar System.
Zee is also responsible for creating most of the gizmos that are used throughout the series. Zee is the mind behind the invisibility screen, as well as the method of time travel first employed by Xavier. Zee is an expert on any topic his is consulted on from sociology, to history to agriculture. Later in the series he creates an anti-gravity craft that resembles a UFO (Space Croppers)
Not everyone in the Fleet is comfortable with so much authority having been given to a boy, and Xavier expressed this view from time to time.
At the end of the series in "The Return of Starbuck", we finally learn the origin of Doctor Zee. He is the godson of Lieutenant Starbuck and was born on a planet where Starbuck was stranded years ago. While on that remote moon, Starbuck was visited by Angela, who may have been from the race of Angels previously seen on the original series in "War of the Gods." Angela gave birth to Zee, and Starbuck sent Angela and Zee off to rendezvous with the Fleet in a small escape pod that was too small to carry him. Angela herself disappears, and does not accompany Zee all the way to the Fleet. Although Adama confirms this information, much of Zee's origin remains a mystery.
Notes[edit]
In the May 1980 issue of Starlog magazine, Robbie Rist provides some background to the character of Dr. Zee. Zee is supposed to be so advanced that he is "above emotion." Rist also mentions that the lighting on the set played an important part in the visual characterization of the character, with an aura of light cast around Zee to give him a surreal appearance. Rist also indicated he contributed some small physical aspects to Dr. Zee's character including the crossing of his legs when he's sitting, and the pressing of his fingers together in a pyramid when Zee is thinking.