Battlestar Galactica: Can Sci fi Channel Do It Right?

[DRoseDARs]

Yeah, most of what's on SciFi is crap, but I can't miss my Stargate SG-1. I never saw any of the old BG features, so I've nothing to base a comparison on, but I actually enjoyed this mini series. There were corny moments, but I'll live.

CNN you say...checked the article. Ok, I see where you got that impression. It's both true and false. One of the final scenes is a funeral service held for the fighter pilots killed in battle trying to buy some time for the civilian ships to jump "beyond the redline." (<-could someone explain that to me? I know it's beyond explored space, but is there any other info about it that I'm missing?) Adama steps forward and gives a rousing speech to the attendants and says that only high-level commanding officers hold information about the location of the mythical 13th colony of Earth. Later, the President visits Adama in his quarters and calls his bluff. Neither of them believe in Earth's existance, but Adama was trying to give hope to the hopeless the best way he could think of. Obviously, if this latest remake is continued, they'll be whistling a different tune over time.

[Gatekeeper]

I taped the mini-series and just finished watching it. Frankly, I wasn't that impressed with it, mainly because it was obviously a set-up for the proposed TV series. Yet since that was the goal all along of TPTB, I'm not sure how else they could have gone about the Galactica mini-series. After all, I don't think too many people would have tuned in had the mini-series focused on individual stories and the *why* of the situation rather than special effects and a token story for each of the rather one-dimensional characters.

The part about Earth is interesting, though. Don't know if I would have the patience to sit through years of Galactica TV series to find out if they eventually do locate Earth (and bring ruin to it by giving its location away to the Cylons — gee, thanks, brethren from the stars!)

Gatekeeper

[DRoseDARs]

Battlestar Galactica 1980 did just that: found Earth...and brought the Cylons along in tow.

1- Galactica Discovers Earth (3 part premiere)
Air Dates: Part 1 - 1980-01-27
Part 2 - 1980-02-03
Part 3 - 1980-02-10
Writer: Glen A. Larson
Director: Sidney Hayers
Guest Cast: Richard Lynch (Xavier), Robert Reed (Dr. Mortinson),
Pamela Susan Shoop (Carlyle)
At last, the Galactica finds the planet Earth! It's the year 1980 A.D., and their hopes are dashed when they find that the planet does not have the technology to help defeat the Cylons. In fact, the Earth is bad off as it is. The Galactica leaves Earth, so that the Cylons following do not find it, but send down Capt. Troy (formerly Boxey, Adama's grandson) and Lt. Dillon to contact Prof. Mortinson, a man they feel can help them to advance Earth's technology quick enough to be of help. There is trouble, in the form of Xavier, one of the Council of Twelve who feels that the Galacticans should upgrade Earth by travelling into the past and introducing modern devices (Dr. Zee has developed a time-travel device and a cloaking device, both outfitted into Vipers). He goes to Nazi Germany, not caring about the consequences, and Troy and Dillon, joined by reporter Jamie Hamilton of Earth, follow him. They undo his damage, but lose Xavier somewhere in time. Adama goes ahead with his plan to slowly upgrade Earth, Prof. Mortinson is told that someday he will meet them again, and Jamies joins the Colonial fleet.

2- The Super Scouts
Air Dates: Part 1 - 1980-03-16
Part 2 - 1980-03-23
Writer: Glen A. Larson
Director: Vince Edwards (Part 1), Sigmund Neufeld Jr. (Part 2)
Guest Cast: Alan Miller (Col. Sydell), Fred Holliday (Brooks),
John Quade(Sheriff Ellsworth)
The Cylons launch a surprise attack on the fleet, doing considerable damage. Troy and Dillon take the children of the fleet down to Earth to protect them. With Jamie's help, they disguise themselves as scouts, but they get into some trouble, such as when Dillon tries to change his gold cubits in for American currency, and accidentally robs a bank. With the police after them, the group camp out in the woods. However, some of the children become ill from drinking polluted water from a chemical plant, and there is a problem with the Colonists' bizarre anatomies. The children are saved, however, and the plant is closed down.

3- Spaceball
Air Date: 1980-03-30
Writer: Frank Lupo, Jeff Freilich, Glen A. Larson
Director: Barry Crane
Guest Cast: Jeremy Brett (Xavier), Paul Koslo (Billy),
Fred Holliday (Col. Sydell), Bert Rosario (Hal)
Xavier returns, and gets rid of Troy and Dillon by sending them into space in a sabotaged Viper. They are busy repairing the ship while Xavier tries to kidnap the kids and hold them for ransom. Meanwhile, Jamie has taken the children to a baseball camp for underprivileged kids where she is doing a story. This of course results in them playing a game with their super-powers, saving the camp from being closed down. Troy and Dillon return in time to foil Xavier, but he escapes again.

4- The Night the Cylons Landed
Air Date: Part 1 - 1980-04-13
Part 2 - 1980-04-20
Writer: Glen A. Larson
Director: Sigmund Neufeld Jr. (Part 1), Barry Crane (Part 2)
Guest Cast: Willian Daniels (Norman), Roger Davis (Andromus),
Peter Mark Richman (Col. Briggs), Lara Parker (Shirley),
Wolfman Jack (as himself)
The Cylon Empire has built a new type of Cylon, a humanoid android. One of them, Andromus, along with a centurian, crashland on Earth. Troy and Dillon attempt to catch them, but the Cylons are picked up by a group of people on their way to a Halloween party. The Cylons learn that the party is associated with a New York radio station, and seek to take control of the station to send a message to a nearby Cylon Base ship that they have found Earth. The Cylons attempt to over the radio station (where Wolfman Jack is the D.J.). Troy and Dillon are slowed in their attempt to stop them when they have to save a child in a penthouse fire started by the Cylons. They save the child and stop the Cylons.

[The Mad Monk]

Galactica 1980 was Oh. So. Very. Sad.

[DRoseDARs]

Sad as in Made-You-Cry or sad as in Kill-Me-Now-This-Sh!t-Is-Awful?

[The Mad Monk]

Yes.

[DRoseDARs]

Did they have a lot of "sex" scenes to hide its awfulness...?

[Gatekeeper]

**LOL** Well, if the new Galactica TV series materializes and follows a similar line to the old one in discovering Earth almost right away ... what will they think of the Internet?

Gatekeeper

[hexagonian]

Originally posted by Vince278
Lets not forget that the Sci-Fi channel butchered the hell out of Dune. (Saudarkar wearing chef hats? The old movie with Sting in it was better.)

No, David Lynch butchered the hell out of 'Dune'

That was a steaming pile...