Battlestar Galactica Season: 1 - Episode: 8: 'Gun On Ice Planet Zero Part 1' (1978) - TV Episode Review

Official Score = 3 1/2 Devils 

It's been awhile since I did a Battlestar Galactica review... I apologize for that, I kind of stopped just when it was starting to get better and better... Well the truth is, is this series kind of started off rough, and I hate to say it, but I got distracted by other things... For that I must apologize...

The reason I mention this is because this show is just starting to get better and better, with better special effects, better writing... Hell even a better intro!

I discovered this when I checked out Episode: 8 'Gun On Ice Planet Zero Part 1' (1978)!

Believe it or not... This Cylon is actually looking at a Computer readout!

. Starring: Richard Hatch (Star Trek: Axanar), Dirk Benedict (After Hell), Herbert Jefferson Jr. (Star Trek: Renegades), Noah Hathaway (The Chair), Roy Thinnes (Broken English), James Olson (The Andromeda Strain), Christine Belford (Ruffian) & Richard Lynch (The Lords Of Salem).

"Muffy wanted to see snow!"

- Noah Hathaway (Boxey)

In the latest episode, a deep space patrol is sent out, when they reach an ice planet, one of the new recruits discovers a device that is sending off, 'flares'... When he goes to investigate, he discovers that what was pulses is actually a new major weapon, and most of the new recruits are killed trying to destroy it (except one who is captured by the, 'Cylons'...)

The powerful new weapon as it is taking out Colonial fighter after Colonial fighter! 

Well despite the fact that the Cadets went after the gun against orders, Starbuck (Dirk Benedict), feels guilty about it, and so when Adama orders a strike team to head down to the planet to destroy the gun, Starbuck gets himself and Lt. Boomer (Herbert Jefferson Jr.) placed on the team... Also along for the ride is a stow away that will complicate matters for Apollo!

In the end, what I said above... That is all true, and so much more, this episode is truly an amazing evolutionary leap from the pilot to this episode... I can see why people kept reviving this show, both as a show, and movies!

The last thing that I wanted to say is that, where as it is true that, 'Boxey' (Noah Hathaway), has been seen in episodes since the pilot, he has always played a very supporting role in the series, but this episode has a substantial role, and does an excellent job with it!

So rather you have been following the series from the beginning, or have just started, check this one out, you won't regret it!

Battlestar Galactica: Season 1 - Episode 7: The Long Patrol (1978) - TV Episode Review

Official Score = 3 Devils

You know I have to admit that I got in to Battlestar Galactica rather late in  the run of the most recent remake of the classic Glen A. Larson (Knight Rider) vehicle!

Don't get me wrong, the remake was a great I mean besides the fact that it had all of the more generic elements that make a Science Fiction show great... Including the more likely modern elements, this remake was extremely exciting, and even the more tedious and redundant episodes (which there unfortunately was some of those), still kept you on the edge of your seat, wondering what direction it was going to go!

But there was something lacking from the remake that just didn't translate quite right from the original to the most recent remake... That is the camp factor!

You see, (and Star Trek pulled this off real well), but Battlestar Galactica (at least the original one did anyway), pulled off a surprising lot of elements pretty amazingly from humanities past, and some stuff from the future... And melded it in to campy joy!

A great show... True campy awesomeness!

I mean they added the Greek god element real nicely, as well as I suspect elements from medieval history (I,e... The, 'Warriors' of the, 'Galactica' being not much different then the, 'Knights' of old... I also thought that it was cool that they added an element of the 19th century in to it as well... All of this wrapped around a fun little space opera!)

And you know what? All of this... the straightforward stuff, as well as the camp stuff is really one of the major contributors to making Episode 7: 'The Long Patrol' So great!

Starring: Richard Hatch (The Streets Of San Francisco),  Dirk Benedict (The A-Team), Lorne Greene (Earthquake), Herbert Jefferson Jr. (Apollo 13), John Colicos (The Changling), Maren Jensen (Deadly Blessing), Noah Hathaway (The NeverEnding Story), Laurette Spang (Plot 7) & Terry Carter (Foxy Brown).

Starbuck preparing for his long mission!

In this episode, The Galactica is about to make it out of their home galaxy... For the first time in human history... Or so they thought...

You see, Starbuck (Dirk Benedict) has been assigned to a special recon viper with long range capabilities in order to be able to ferret out threats before any threats become visible... And of course not long after he leaves the Galatica on his mission he ends up finding it!

Ultimately what he finds is an Ancient colony of humans that used to be a Colonial, 'Penal Colony' whose current inhabitants appear to be the descendants of the original prison population (Guards included.)

Starbuck on his way to destiny!

And when one of these inhabitants ends up stealing the long range Viper and sending a signal back to, 'Aries' (of course not knowing that they were alerting the Cylons.) It will be up to Starbuck, Apollo & his crew as well as the other prison inhabitants to stop the Cylons before they find the, 'Galactica'!

Besides what I mentioned above, I have to say that the stuff that I didn't like about the previous episodes (a good example being that the writers seemed to write Adama so that he sounded a little like a, 'blowhard'...) Mostly that was all gone, and made this episode that much more enjoyable! Give it a try, it is an episode worthy of the trip through the original BSG series!

Battlestar Galactica: Season 1 - Episode 6: 'The Lost Warrior' (1978) - TV Episode Review

[caption id="attachment_330" align="alignright" width="220"] Official Score = 2 1/2 Devils[/caption]

You know, being such a huge fan of the most recent Battlestar Galactica remake, I was surprised to say that the original series... Not all that impressed!

The main problem that I had with it is that everything seemed to have this epic (almost theatrical) feel to it... This made Lorne Greene's roll of, 'Adama' to be extremely irritating...

But this latest episode, 'The Lost Warrior' (1978) not only seemed to loose this useless (and kind of annoying) theatrical style to the show, and just made it a sort of a fun sort of pseudo Sci-fi/Western, that was just exactly the type of change that I think this show needed to get better!

Written by: Donld P. Bellisario (Quantum Leap) and Directed by: Rod Holcomb (Chains Of Gold). Starring: Richard Hatch (Star Trek: Axanar), Dirk Benedict (The A-Team), Lorne Greene (Earthquake), Herbert Jefferson Jr. (Apollo 13), Noah Hathaway (The NeverEnding Story), Laurette Spang (Airport 1975), Terry Carter (The Phil Silvers Show), Katherine Cannon (The Hidden), Lance LeGault (Mortal Kombat), Claude Earl Jones (Dark Night Of The Scarecrow), Red West (Roadhouse) & Johnny Timko (Prophecy).

This episode tells the tale of how Apollo (Richard Hatch), who has been detected by the Cylons ends up drawing them away from the Galactica and it's refugee fleet... The problem is that Apollo has run out of fuel and lands on the planet, 'Equellus'.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="352"] Apollo sitting talking to a malfunctioning, 'Cylon' in a western style city on the planet, 'Equellus.'[/caption]

With out options, and after being discovered by, 'Puppis' (Johnny Timko) and his mother, 'Vella' (Katherine Cannon)... Apollo decides to settle in to the simple life of living with this frontier family (at least until he can find some way to get back to the, 'Galactica'.)

Meanwhile, on the Galactia, 'Starbuck' (Dirk Benedict) and the rest of the squadron decide to distract, 'Boxey' (Hathway), from the fact that, 'Apollo' isn't home yet... Due to the fact that she, and the rest of the fleet can't go and search for Apollo until after the Cylon's leave!

Well during this time, Apollo has discovered that a lone Cylon that call's itself, 'Red Eye' has decided to work for an evil human leader by the name of, 'Lacerta' (Claude Earle Jones), and decides to figure out how Lacerta is connected to the Cylons so that he can figure out a way to get home!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] The space cowboy as he looks for a way to ride off in to the sunset![/caption]

In the end, I also liked how the planet is set up sort of like, 'the old west'. But there are definitely some major plot holes that are a little distracting in the episode... Still this episode in my opinion despite any negative stuff, I have found to be one of the better episodes, and if you check it out, you might find the same thing as well!

http://youtu.be/vFAfta-BIZk

Battlestar Galactica: Season 1 - Episode 5. 'Lost Planet Of The Gods Part 2' (1978) - TV Episode Review

[caption id="attachment_390" align="alignright" width="178"] Official Score = 1 Devil[/caption]

So far I will say this about this so far about the original, 'Battlestar Galactica'... I can definitely see how this show was inspired by the original, 'Star Wars' movies, but short of a few basic looks in both ships and clothing and a few of the special effects, I would say that this show stands on it's own merits as a show...

And where as I am going to have to say that the most recent remake of the series was probably better then this series (Only I believe though by the fact that this show never really got it's opportunity to stand on it's own two feet...) Nevertheless, so far I have to say that this show is not bad, it is quite good!

You can definitely see the tie in to this show and ancient Earth... (I have to admit that not only am I pleased by this, but the recent remake never satisfactorily explained that for me!)

It also truly had some great talent attached to it, including: Lorne Greene (Earthquake), Dirk Benedict (The A-Team), Noah Hathaway (The NeverEnding Story) & Jane Seymour (Wedding Crashers) and that is just to name a few!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Just some of the cast of the original, 'Battlestar Galactica'![/caption]

I will be honest and say that one of the only things that this show really suffered from was bad writing... As a matter of fact, I would say that the only thing that I don't like in Lorne Greene's, 'Adama', is that Adama seemed like a little bit of a blowhard...

The sad fact is that bad lines are not the only thing that, Season 1 - Episode 5: 'Lost Planet Of The Gods Part 2' (1978) suffers from!

Written by: Glen A. Larson (Magnum P.I.), Donald P. Bellisario (NCIS) & Directed by: Christian I. Nyby II (Diagnosis Murder). Starring: Richard Hatch (All My Children), Dirk Benedict, Lorne Greene, Herbert Jefferson Jr. (Apollo 13), John Colicos (The Changling), Maren Jensen (Deadly Blessing), Terry Carter (The Phil Silvers Show), George Murdock (The X-Files: Fight The Future), Ed Begley Jr. (Pineapple Express) & Jane Seymour!

This episode being the final episode of the 2 parter, tells the story of how after the Galactica makes it in to the void that they eventually find their way out and to the ancient planet that is supposed to be the, 'birthplace of humanity'... On their heels though is Baltar (John Colicos) in his Basestar...

[caption id="attachment_2530" align="aligncenter" width="450"] Apollo (Richard Hatch), Serena (Jane Seymour) and Adama (Lorne Greene) as they are walking in the ruins of, 'Koval'![/caption]

At one point it is really starting to look like things might be changing for the Galactica and there refugee fleet... You see, Adama (Lorne Greene) is on the trail of finding out which direction the, '13th tribe' went to, and Apollo (Richard Hatch) and Serena (Jane Seymour) will end up getting married... And to make matters even more interesting, Baltar seems to have practically thrown himself at the Galactica crew!

But starting with the kidnapping of Starbuck (Dirk Benedict), and leading up to an ending that will shock and surprise you, things quickly go from good to bad, and as time goes on, it is looking more and more like the Galactica may have fallen pray to yet another, 'Cylon' trap, and will have to escape by the skin of their seat!

In the end, this episode was well acted, and the special effects for the most part have continued to prove to be a lot of fun... The two problems honestly are:

1. The writing in this episode sucked... I mean it was so bad it was actually distracting!
2. The editing in this episode was horrible, but in all truth, if the writing wasn't so bad, then this would not have been as noticeable... But since the writing is as bad as it was in this episode, it has just expanded on the problem at hand!

As far as this episode goes... It may not be great, but it does tie in to the series, and if you like a series bad enough, you will usually have to deal with at least one bum episode!

http://youtu.be/ArCXu8wPb-o

Battlestar Galactica: Season 1 - Episode 4: 'Lost Planet Of The Gods, Part 1' (1978) - TV Episode Review

[caption id="attachment_330" align="alignright" width="220"] Official Score = 2 1/2 Devils[/caption]

Alright, so I will be honest with you guys and say this, so far this show has not quite followed through on what they did with the pilot... The truth is, is Adama (Lorne Greene) is annoyingly long winded... (As he is in this episode), so far a few of these early episodes were extremely dated, and frankly kind of dull... But I have a feeling that, that is about to change...

So far that is proving to potentially be the case with, 'Lost Planet Of The Gods'!

You see, this episode which tells the story of how after getting off of, 'Corolon' and continuing on their quest to find the 13th colony, the Battlestar Galctica is faced with a tough decision... You see, while on patrol, Starbuck (Dirk Benedict) and Apollo (Richard Hatch) come across a void that looks like it could be insurmountable.

The problem with that is that really the only other direction that the refugee fleet can go through is to try and destroy a small Cylon outpost... Little do they know though, that a Cylon Base Ship that is being commanded by the traitor, 'Baltar' (John Colicos) also happens to hiding out near there as well, and is putting his plan in to action to bring the last remnants of humanity in to subjugation...

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Baltar as he is putting his plan in to motion...[/caption]

The problem is, is that for the Galactica, is that Baltar may have his chance, you see, after Boomer (Herbert Jefferson Jr.) end up coming back from investigating the asteroid and the Cylon Base on it, they end up getting sick and accidentally giving it to almost the entire flight staff...

So now it will be up to the Shuttle Pilot trainees and 'Apollo' &, 'Starbuck' to help get a cure for their downed pilots, and to do so before the Cylons, or Baltar himself, or heck, even this bug, destroys the crew of the, 'Battlestar Galactica' and the only hoping of saving what remains of humanity!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The ranks of the refugee fleets new protectors.[/caption]

In the end, the truth is, is I found this episode to be kind of boring at first. Don't get me wrong, it had it's promise, but for me it just wasn't keeping me interested... But as the episode drew to a close, I have to admit that the episode was pulled off nicely enough that I am looking forward to the next episode!

As for the good stuff, I won't say to much, but if you stick to your guns on this episode... Well I can't say for certain, because at the time that I am writing this review, I haven't seen the next episode, but if the next one goes as well as the ending of this episode... Then this will be a real nice 2 parter!

http://youtu.be/Zxklf1zha3U

Battlestar Galactica: Season 1 - Episode 3: 'Saga Of A Star World Part 3' - TV Episode Review

[caption id="attachment_325" align="alignright" width="263"] Official Score = 3 Devils[/caption]

In the 50s (really up to the late 70s) there was something about Science Fiction movies and TV shows that I believe may now work in their favor better now then it did when these programs were released and that is the fact that these shows were so awesomely campy! I mean don't get me wrong when I say that when Star Trek shed the last vestiges of it's campy past that the shows did get better, but there is something to be said about the campy appeal of the older shows!

The reason that I mention this is that as I go through the original, 'Battlestar Galactica' , I find that this is working more and more in their favor, and you know what? The latest episode that I am reviewing here, 'Lost Planet Of the Gods Part 2' from the original, 'Battlestar Galactica', really is a great example of this!

Written by: Glen A. Larson (Magnum P.I.), Donald P. Bellisario (Quantium Leap) & Directed by: Christian I Nyby II (Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack). Starring: Richard Hatch (Dead By Friday), Dirk Benedict (The A. Team), Lorne Greene (Noah's Ark), Herbert Jefferson Jr. (Outbreak), John Colicos (The Changling), Maren Jensen (The Love Boat), Noah Hathaway (Troll), Laurette Spang (Airport 1975), Jane Seymour (Live And Let Die) & Larry Manetti (Magnum P.I.).

It is really cheesy to say, 'the thrilling conclusion of an episode', but the truth is, is this is just that! You see as the Battlestar Galactica is investigating the weird circumstances surrounding the planet, 'Corolon', they learn the truth surrounding the odd truth about the Aliens that control the planet, and just why there is not much more about Corolon beyond the initial reports... As well as the Cylon trap that they are laying with the help of the Aliens on the planet!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="512"] The Battlestar Galactica crew as they blast they're way out of a trap that had been set by the Cylons![/caption]

And you know what? It will be up to Adama, and Colonel Tigh (Terry Carter) to stop the Cylons, and the Aliens down on the planet, as well as a foolish old Councilman who wants to destroy the military in an effort to get peace with the Cylons, before the Cylons, Aliens, or their own people destroy them!

You know, the truth is, is the best thing for me I found about this episode is the fact that this episode has a killer space battle between the Interceptors and the Cylons that looks like it was taken straight out of the remake's handbook!

In the end, if you are just joining us, then I would recommend checking out the first episode first, but if you have been following these reviews, enjoy!

http://youtu.be/YliHrc12SvE

Battlestar Galactica Season: 1 - Episode 2: 'Saga Of A Star World Part 2' - TV Episode Review

[caption id="attachment_330" align="alignright" width="220"] Official Score = 2 1/2 Devils[/caption]

In the Stargate world, the ancient gods turned out to be Alien parasites that inhabited human hosts and then became the gods of old... And you know what? I found that concept to be rather quite fascinating in that it brought the concept of the Ancient, 'Gods' down to the level of humanity... And frankly the battle between Earth and these Ancient gods during the run of the various Stargate series I found to be extremely enjoyable!

Now Battlestar Galactica (in all of the incarnations that I have seen took it to a whole different level...)

What I mean by that is the fact that it in Battlestar Galactica, even though the concept behind the story in the series is that it is supposed to take place centuries before what is considered to be the modern real world, it still kind of has to do with an almost futuristic version of a Greek Republic, but during the time period in which mankind was soaring through space, I have to say that I found this concept to be quite amusing because included with this model of a space age Greek republic, they also followed the Greek gods, and with all the prejudice that comes with it... Which is an interesting topic that is explored a bit in episode 2, (Lost Planet Of the Gods Part 1)!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="545"] One of Galactica's fighters as it is being pursued by the Cylons![/caption]

Written by: Glen A. Larson (Magnum P.I.), Donald P. Bellisario (Quantum Leap) & Directed By: Christian I. Nybu II (Emergency!), Starring: Richard Hatch (After Hell), Dirk Benedict (The A-Team), Lorne Greene (The Alamo: Thirteen Days To Glory), Herbert Jefferson Jr. (Handball), John Colicos (Star Trek), Maren Jensen (Deadly Blessing), Noah Hathaway (The Wanderer King), Laurette Spang (Airport 1975), Terry Carter (Galactication) & Jane Seymour (Unknown Heart).

This episode takes place after the attack that destroyed the 12 colonies, and everything that mankind at that time knew and loved! During this time, with the Fleet low on supplies, and with at least a portion of their food supplies contaminated, the Fleet looks for the closest most safest source for supplies... That planet is the planet, 'Corolon'... There is only one problem though... people oblivious to the recent destruction of the original 12 colonies are there and happy to be there...

After looking in to it, they discover that the planet is controlled by a group of Aliens that is all to willing to give them what they need (the only problem is that they tend to do so in very small doses...

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] One of the Alien singers in this clueless bastion![/caption]

So now the weary crews of the Fleet have to be cautious about the planet full of people that don't seem to know that they are the last apparently established out post within the boundaries of the former 12 Colonies, and their hosts!

During this time the leader of the, 'Cylons' being unhappy that his army was unable to destroy all of humanity, decides to send out a fleet to destroy the rest of the human race forever!

One of the things I liked about this episode is that it dealt with the stigma of bigotry to some extent and the damage it can cause a person...

The next thing that I like about this series so far is that you can tell that the cast is kind of starting to come together, which makes it unfortunate that this series is only 1 season long!

The only problems I have are this, I don't know why it was played like this, but for whatever reason it was, but I found that Commander Adama was a real windbag in this episode... As a matter of fact, so much so that his parts were kinds of distracting!

In the end this was not a bad episode... Commander Adama aside, it is fun, and as the episodes go on I find that this show is getting better and better, and if you stick with it, you might find the same thing as well!

http://youtu.be/YliHrc12SvE

Battlestar Galactica Season: 1 - Episode 1: 'Saga Of A Star World Part 1' (Air Date: September 17th, 1978) - TV Episode Review

[caption id="attachment_330" align="alignright" width="220"] Official Score = 2 1/2 Devils[/caption]

I had heard about Battlestar Galactica (the original series from 1978) for awhile but had never really given it much of a chance, but then my wife and I decided to give the 2004 series a chance and found that we both really liked it quite a bit...

Well since then I have always kind of thought how cool it could be to give the old series a chance, considering the fact that it does seem to have all the amusing elements of a camp Science Fiction TV series, but with some amazing talent from back in the 1970s!

Included in this list is: Lorne Greene (Bonanza), Dirk Benedict (The A-Team), Noah Hathaway (The NeverEnding Story) and Jane Seymour (Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman), and that is just to name a few!

But besides the great talent that star in this show, they also had some pretty awesome talent guest starring in this show as well, including: Lew Ayres (All Quiet On The Western Front) & Ray Milland (Panic In Year Zero!), and that is just to name a few from the first episode!

And boy what an episode it was! Written by: Glen A. Larson (Knight Rider) and Directed by: Robert A. Colla (Zoya). Starring: Richard Hatch (Last Platoon), Dirk Benedict, Lorne Greene & Herbert Jefferson Jr. (Outbreak).

This first episode posits the idea that what remains of the 12 colonies of man, are actually the ancestors of humanity on Earth (a fascinating concept that has had similar concepts proposed in the past.)

You see at what is supposed to be the peace conference to end the longest war in human history between humanity, and the Cylons (A race of androids), the Cylons end up betraying humanity and launch a sneak attack with the idea of destroying all of mankind and the planets that they inhabit with in the 12 colonies!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] The slow death of the 12 Colonies, starting with the death of their space fleet![/caption]

In the end though, they end up failing when Commander Adama (Lorne Greene) decides to launch and all out counter attack (one that is obviously doomed to fail!

But this counter attack ends up buying them some time you see, because even though all of the planets of the 12 colonies have been systematically attacked  by the Cylons, Commander Adama, is able to rescue as many people as he can and ultimately to form up a refugee fleet and set out for the 13th colony (Earth), in the hopes of finding a safe haven from the Cylons, and to give humanity its last best hope!

In the end this episode was truly awesome... Why... Well being that I got in to Galactica from the most recent reboot series, it was great to see where all the characters came from (i,e... Starbuck is a woman that is played by: Katee Sackoff (Halloween: Resurrection) in the recent reboot series, but in the original series, the character of, 'Starbuck' is played by a man by the name of, 'Dirk Benedict'!)

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="600"] 'Dirk Benedict', (who played, 'Starbuck' in the 1978 original Battlestar Galactica), with 'Katee Sackhoff', (who would play, 'Starbuck' in the most recent remake of, 'Battlestar Galactica')![/caption]

So it is a lot of those little differences and similarities that I found to be quite fascinating between this first episode of the original Galactica and the the remake series!

Another thing that I have to say that I really liked about this episode is how the Cylons essentially destroyed the 12 Colonies... Who ever thought up how the Cylons would end up destroying the 12 colonies did a great job, and the cast and crew also did a great job in executing not just the destruction of the 12 colonies on the Cylon side, but also in how humanity dealt with the loss of everything they had known!

I also wanted to say that I really liked about this episode... And I hope that this was maintained through out the limited run of the series, but the laser blasts were really spot on!

What I mean by that is that most special effects guys from the 70s were able to create the laser effect, but never added the explosion with it, and I always thought it would be a great idea to add that, and I have to admit that I was happy they did!

The last thing that I have to say, and really the only negative thing that I have to say, and I suspect that in all fairness that this is probably true for most of the rest of the series, is that this original series is real short, and is really campy... But if you like that stuff (which I personally do), then you probably will really enjoy it!

In the end I thought the pilot episode was very well made, and If this episode is any indication, then I can imagine that this series will probably turn out to be pretty spectacular!

http://youtu.be/YliHrc12SvE