The Hand of God (TOS)

Episode 1.21 of The Original Series

Overview

Commander Adama decides to quit running from the Cylons, and launches an all-out attack on a basestar.

Summary

Receiving a mysterious radio signal possibly from Earth, Adama and the crew are wary of a Cylon trap, and decide to turn the tables by attacking the Cylons with a stolen Cylon Raider. Apollo and Starbuck, in the series finale's last scene, narrowly miss receiving Apollo-11 moon-landing transmissions from Earth.

Questions

Boomer speculated that the signal they recorded could have been on a harmonic frequency, doubling or quadrupling the original frequency. If it was a harmonic it came from nearby. The planetary system they scouted had a large Jupiter like gas giant, a Venus like planet with a compressed carbon dioxide atmosphere, and a lifeless red Mars like world. It could have been our solar system but wasn't explored further for fear another Cylon basestar might be coming to investigate.

Baltar was to have been marooned on a planet capable of sustaining life with rations and a short range transmitter. Were the Cylons to have rescued him so he could resume command of a basestar in season two?

Notes

• Season (and series) finale of the original series.
• The title was reused for the tenth episode of the re-imagined series. Aside from both Adamas launching an offensive strike against Cylon forces, there is little comparison between the two episodes.
• Galactica intercepts a TV transmission of the Apollo 11 lunar landing, but characters leave the room before the voiceover.
• The basestar core set appears to have been filmed in a Skylab mockup.

Statistics

Writing & Direction

• Written by
• Story by
• Teleplay by
• Directed by

Production Notes

• Series 1 (1978/1979)
• Production Number: 1.21
• Airdate Order: 21 (of 21)

First Run Air Dates & Releases

• UK Airdate: Date
• US Airdate: Date
• DVD Release: Date