BG-04: The Long Patrol

[Flamingo Girl]

While patrolling in the prototype Recon Viper #1 (with the new C.O.R.A. computer system), Lieutenant Starbuck has his ship stolen and is incarcerated in a case of mistaken identity in a strage prison where the inmates serve time for crimes committed by their ancestors.


Series stars; Richard Hatch as Apollo, Dirk Benedict as Starbuck, Herb Jefferson Jr. as Boomer, Lorne Greene as Adama, Terry Carter as Colonel Tigh, Maren Jensen as Athena, Tony Swartz as Jolly, Laurette Spang as Cassiopia, Noah Hathaway as Boxey, Sarah Rush as Rigel, David Greenan as Omega, and John Colicos as Baltar.

Guest starring James Whitmore, Jr. as Robber, Ted Gehring as Croad, Sean McClory as Assault, Arlene Martel as Adulteress, Ian Ambercrombie as Forger, Robert Hathaway as Enforcer, Nancy DeCarl as Slayer, and Cathy Paine as the Voice of C.O.R.A.

(Thanks to Michael Faries Battlestar Galactica.com (http://www.battlestargalactica.com/about/index.html)

[Senmut]

Since the Colonials encounter places they know of after passing through the asteroid duct cloud, this ep should have been put towards the end of the show. Say sometime after MORS. It would have made more sense that way, but Hades Hole...Networks!

[kingfish]

This is one of the best 1 hour episodes of the entire series. Starbuck also shined in the romance department by romancing both Athena and Cassiopeia at the same time. What made the scene believable is that none of them had their clothes off. You can do sex with class and have more by showing less. Arlene Martel who played the Adulteress also was T'Pring in TOS Trek. I read that in the novelization Robber was a female who latter took the name Roberta. The audience even was shown what a Sixth Millenia fighter ship looked like. BG had its moments and this episode was definately one of them

[Charybdis]

This episode is very interesting. It shows Apollo and Boomer in a heated gunfight with a human being. I don't believe they ever did that in the rest of the series.

Also, as someone mentioned, if they were entering a part of space beyond their own galaxy, then why were there old penal colonies out there?? If no one from the colonies had ever gone that far out, then there shouldn't have even been the Proteus prison and the manufacturing plant for ambrosia...

[kingfish]

This is the only other episode in which we see humans shooting at humans. There was also laser blasts ------------------ instead of the usual muzzle flashes.

[Charybdis]

I forgot, in Take the Celestra, Apollo and Starbuck have to draw their weapons on the Celestra mutineers...I always thought that it was quite interesting that in situations when the argument was getting heated up, it was usually our heroes who drew their weapons first!!!!!

In Saga, Boomer draws his blaster on the security guard outside of Sire Uri's room. In Living Legend, it's Apollo and Boomer again drawing their weapons on the Silver Spar squadron!!!

What's up with this???

[Charybdis]

Oh, I think I forgot that in Greetings from Earth, they draw their blasters on the Security guys in the landing bay!!!!

[shiningstar]

I think you are right about this episode belonging closer to
the end of the show Senmut

[jewels]

I think I know how the logic works on the "leaving their star system" thing. Early in the war, the distant penal colony lost contact with the Colonies (remember the 500 yr. old + ambrosa?). This would mean that no one living at the time of the Cylon Holocaust had been to Proteus or her system.

Just a thought.

[originalsinner]

A Laser bowl and Laser gun fight vs Nomen in "The man with nine lives" and "Baltar Escapes"

[skippercollecto]

Actually, I think the term is "laser boll," meaning a capsule, such as in cotton boll or boll weevil.
Mary

[shiningstar]

I agree With that. CLASS is something that BSG had
Plenty of ........while the 'remake' is simply FULL of "IT"
(and I don't mean CLASS)

[Charybdis]

If you want a great episode to showcase the true Starbuck, this is it!!!!

It's got the love interest scenes (fantastic!), hot shot flying, CORA, and the Proteus prison scene.

Anyone watching this episode will see why they royally screwed up with this new mini and what they did to OUR Starubuck!!!!

[dru]

Just watched this one last night. CORA wasn't as annoying as I remembered but I was not quite five when I first fell for BSG back in '78-I even still have my Mattel toys.

At the end, when Starbuck corrects Boxy's map drawing, I sighed with annoyance how that clearly called for further investigation of what the map was or any other "history" which might have shed light on the 13th tribe. Also viewers saw what appeared to be a very old Viper design (noticed Larson reused the joystick in Buck Rogers). Unfortunately that opportunity to learn more about the early centuries of the war and Colonial history that was lost for the viewers. That's an opportunity for depth that could have been mined in return to the Galactica universe or storyline. Sadly, the moved out of there fast at the end of the episode.

This is a great one hour episode and good Starbuck feature.

[Charybdis]

There is so much to see and learn about ancient Colonial history with these early episodes, but unfortunately, the premise of the show with the Cylons in hot pursuit forces them to quickly leave the scene. It was a double-edged sword.

But the writers could have bought them a little time at each stop, no?

[silverspar]

starbuck gets out of the prison and meets apollo and boomer, first words out of starbucks mouth :

"guess what, this place is piled high, , , , , ,with ambrosia, (happy gleeful look) we're rich!!!!!!"

boomer shakes his head at apollo, "can you believe this guy?"

[shiningstar]

LOL Silverspar I forgot about that line!

[Darth Marley]

Originally posted by skippercollecto
Actually, I think the term is "laser boll," meaning a capsule, such as in cotton boll or boll weevil.
Mary

I always thought it was a "bola."
From http://www.survivaliq.com/survival/field-expedient-weapons-tools-and-equipment_s3.htm

The bola is another field-expedient weapon that is easy to make (Figure 12-7). It is especially effective for capturing running game or low-flying fowl in a flock. To use the bola, hold it by the center knot and twirl it above your head. Release the knot so that the bola flies toward your target. When you release the bola, the weighted cords will separate. These cords will wrap around and immobilize the fowl or animal that you hit.

[bsg1fan1975]

I loved the line where C.O.R.A. informs Starbuck that the amborsa has gone up in flames. I laugh every time.

[shiningstar]

I remember that well Bsg1fan1975! LOL!

[LucianG]

I think Darth Marley's correct on the bola, though in the show, it sounded to me as if they'd shortened it to "bole" to make it sound like the earth term but different, like year and yahren, etc.

Darth Marley, just noticed you're from Nashville! I often claim it as my hometown, though I was raised and my parents still live about 45 minutes south of town. I lived in town for several years while attending VU.
Lucian

[WARDAGGIT73]

**

More filler, neither the best nor the worst of the early episodes...

[Aeneas]

**

More filler, neither the best nor the worst of the early episodes...


I dunno, it's one of my favorites. In fact it's my second favorite 1 hr ep(behind "Lost Warrior"). The dialogue alone make this one a classic.


ADULTRESS: What of offense is "Star-buckin'"? Sounds interesting.

STARBUCK: It's not an offense... it's a name!

FORGER: [laughing] There one in the same, boy!!

ADULTRESS:[also laughing] I wonder if our ORIGINAL SINNERS were as ignorant as this one!!

STARBUCK: [confused] "Original Sinners?"

ASSAULT: [matter of fact helpful] Yes, our ancestors. The ones who were first sentenced here.

STARBUCK: [astonished] You're in prison for crimes committed by your ancestors?!

FORGER: [indignant] Well at least we're not an original sinner like you !!

[shiningstar]

I dunno, it's one of my favorites. In fact it's my second favorite 1 hr ep(behind "Lost Warrior"). The dialogue alone make this one a classic.


ADULTRESS: What of offense is "Star-buckin'"? Sounds interesting.

STARBUCK: It's not an offense... it's a name!

FORGER: [laughing] There one in the same, boy!!

ADULTRESS:[also laughing] I wonder if our ORIGINAL SINNERS were as ignorant as this one!!

STARBUCK: [confused] "Original Sinners?"

ASSAULT: [matter of fact helpful] Yes, our ancestors. The ones who were first sentenced here.

STARBUCK: [astonished] You're in prison for crimes committed by your ancestors?!

FORGER: [indignant] Well at least we're not an original sinner like you !!

This was one of my favorite scenes of the ep! I thought the way Starbuck
interacted with the inmates was fantastic! :thumbsup:

[Aeneas]

This was one of my favorite scenes of the ep! I thought the way Starbuck
interacted with the inmates was fantastic! :thumbsup:

How's about this one...

STARBUCK: You mean all the cell doors are like this one?

ASSAULT: They haven't worked in..generations.

STARBUCK: Then why don't you come out?

FORGER:[frightened] NO NO NO!!!

ADULTRESS: We're PRISONERS!!! Our fathers were prisoners; our mothers were prisoners. It is the way of the universe!

STARBUCK:[outraged] FELGERCARB!! You have rights! You're HUMAN BEINGS!! Look, if you wanna spend the rest of your lives in an Ambrosa stupor that's fine, but... What about your children?

FORGER: Well, they will contribute as we have... making Ambrosa for the Colonial Warriors!

STARBUCK[really p.o.'ed at trying to reason with a bunch of drunks] ALL THE AMBROSA HERE IS AGING OUT ON THE LOADING DOCKS!!! The Colonies long ago forgot thes penal asteroids existed. Probably thought they were lost early in the War.

CROAD[arriving with a squad of Enforcers] He lies!

STARBUCK; Yeah? Well when was the last time a Colonial freighter docked here?

CROAD[p.o.'ed] Silence him. {Enforcer fires into cell just as Starbuck nick of timely ducks back in}

STARBUCK: You're wasting your lives! You haven't helped the Colonies; just kept the Enforcers in power.

ASSAULT:[opening his cell behind Croad, curious and angered at this prospect] YOU DAGGITS!!

CROAD[nervously] BACK IN YOUR CELL, ASSAULT 9!!

ASSAULT[having none of it] IS IT?! IS WHAT HE SAYS TRUE?!!

CROAD: He's a dirty lying bootlegger!!

STARBUCK[rising like a king to parlay the news]: I...AM A COLONIAL WARRIOR!!! :salute:

{throughout the cellblock}: WARRIOR... A WARRIOR...WARRIOR

{various cell doors opening--Croad and his men are surrounded}

ADULTRESS[angrily]: Show us the Loading Dock, Croad!!!

{all hell breaks loose}

[shiningstar]

How's about this one...

STARBUCK: You mean all the cell doors are like this one?

ASSAULT: They haven't worked in..generations.

STARBUCK: Then why don't you come out?

FORGER:[frightened] NO NO NO!!!

ADULTRESS: We're PRISONERS!!! Our fathers were prisoners; our mothers were prisoners. It is the way of the universe!

STARBUCK:[outraged] FELGERCARB!! You have rights! You're HUMAN BEINGS!! Look, if you wanna spend the rest of your lives in an Ambrosa stupor that's fine, but... What about your children?

FORGER: Well, they will contribute as we have... making Ambrosa for the Colonial Warriors!

STARBUCK[really p.o.'ed at trying to reason with a bunch of drunks] ALL THE AMBROSA HERE IS AGING OUT ON THE LOADING DOCKS!!! The Colonies long ago forgot thes penal asteroids existed. Probably thought they were lost early in the War.

CROAD[arriving with a squad of Enforcers] He lies!

STARBUCK; Yeah? Well when was the last time a Colonial freighter docked here?

CROAD[p.o.'ed] Silence him. {Enforcer fires into cell just as Starbuck nick of timely ducks back in}

STARBUCK: You're wasting your lives! You haven't helped the Colonies; just kept the Enforcers in power.

ASSAULT:[opening his cell behind Croad, curious and angered at this prospect] YOU DAGGITS!!

CROAD[nervously] BACK IN YOUR CELL, ASSAULT 9!!

ASSAULT[having none of it] IS IT?! IS WHAT HE SAYS TRUE?!!

CROAD: He's a dirty lying bootlegger!!

STARBUCK[rising like a king to parlay the news]: I...AM A COLONIAL WARRIOR!!! :salute:

{throughout the cellblock}: WARRIOR... A WARRIOR...WARRIOR

{various cell doors opening--Croad and his men are surrounded}

ADULTRESS[angrily]: Show us the Loading Dock, Croad!!!

{all hell breaks loose}

What I really liked was the look on their faces when they saw the Ambrosia and
then the cylons coming at them .................. Good thing they Consumed all that
ambrosia ...........I think it really helped keep them from panicking

[Antelope]

From what I read of proposed Colonial history it would not be an issue to run into such a place as Proteus when they did. From what I read the colonials have been at war with the cylons for nearly 1,000 yahrn prior to "Saga of A Star World". As we can tell from this episode and things said in the Pegasus episode it appears that over time the cylons have been slowly wearing down and defeating the colonials prior to the start of TOS. Over time it appears the area controlled or allied with the colonials has dramatically shrunk. It would appear to me that all the human settlements reached by the Galactica prior to their arrival in the Terra system are remnants of the old colonial sphere prior to their long term reversals at the hands of the cylons.

Such a history also makes "Saga of A Star World" a more plausible episode. If as it appears the cylons have been winning the war over time it is quite understandable that many in the colonies would be greatful to accept the cylon terms for peace in the belief that it was only a matter of time before they ultimately lost the war. At least in the minds of the colonials at the time of the false armistice they would feel like they were negotiating from a position of relative strength compared to what position they expected to face in coming yahrens.

It would also explain some reason why the colonials lost touch with Earth, Terra, and/or any other human civilizations. As a result of war the colonials have become isolated into an ever shrinking sphere of contact for at least 1,000 yahrn. This episode at least says that some humans with contact with colonial populations still knew where Earth was at least as late as 400-500 yahrn ago.

[shiningstar]

This is one of the best 1 hour episodes of the entire series. Starbuck also shined in the romance department by romancing both Athena and Cassiopeia at the same time. What made the scene believable is that none of them had their clothes off. You can do sex with class and have more by showing less. Arlene Martel who played the Adulteress also was T'Pring in TOS Trek. I read that in the novelization Robber was a female who latter took the name Roberta. The audience even was shown what a Sixth Millenia fighter ship looked like. BG had its moments and this episode was definately one of them

I liked this episode also. I think that Starbuck going after Cassiopia and
Athena was a classic. I can't blame the matrie'de for admiring his gall at
doing that. :D

[shiningstar]

This is the only other episode in which we see humans shooting at humans. There was also laser blasts ------------------ instead of the usual muzzle flashes.

I remember the firefight in the episode.

THe line "'Starbucking what type of crime is Starbuckin?" that was a classic.

[shiningstar]

I forgot, in Take the Celestra, Apollo and Starbuck have to draw their weapons on the Celestra mutineers...I always thought that it was quite interesting that in situations when the argument was getting heated up, it was usually our heroes who drew their weapons first!!!!!

In Saga, Boomer draws his blaster on the security guard outside of Sire Uri's room. In Living Legend, it's Apollo and Boomer again drawing their weapons on the Silver Spar squadron!!!

What's up with this???

WEll if they hadn't they probably would have been killed by the mutineers.

[Aeneas]

Okay, I think I figured out what "Starbuckin" is. Starbucking is the "heinous" crime--of passion-- of being caught between two women's affections!

[shiningstar]

Okay, I think I figured out what "Starbuckin" is. Starbucking is the "heinous" crime--of passion-- of being caught between two women's affections!


That sounds like a good explanation to me :D

[Aeneas]

That sounds like a good explanation to me :D

Uhmm..., :/: yeah, GUILTY AS CHARGED! :/: :blush: :/: ;)

ADAMA:[to Starbuck--clearly past p.o.ed] HOW DO YOU GET YOURSELF INTO THESE FIXES?!!

ATHENA: WHY THAT...THAT!!!

[shiningstar]

Uhmm..., :/: yeah, GUILTY AS CHARGED! :/: :blush: :/: ;)

ADAMA:[to Starbuck--clearly past p.o.ed] HOW DO YOU GET YOURSELF INTO THESE FIXES?!!

ATHENA: WHY THAT...THAT!!!

I loved those lines .............and those scenes ..........especially the one
where Cassiopia and Athena walk out of the rooms and walk right into
each other with his Insignia in his hand ...........................

THAT one was a CLASSIC! :warrior:

[launchcruiser7]

best one parter that could have been a two parter farmers on crooden FOOD FOR FLEET prison planet spaere parts people and food cora was hottest fefamale vocie on battlestar RIGEL EXCULED :thumbsup: :warrior: :wtf: :popcorn: :light: :cylon: :cylon: :cylon: :beer: :colada: :corona: :maitai: :milk: :cylon: :star: need 1000 yearn boosze for officers club chug them down

[Eric Paddon]

I think the most intriguing thing about the episode is the enigma of the "Silent One" and his map of Earth's solar system. There are literally endless ways of speculating where he came from and who he was and each would be equally plausible.

[default]

I think the most intriguing thing about the episode is the enigma of the "Silent One" and his map of Earth's solar system. There are literally endless ways of speculating where he came from and who he was and each would be equally plausible. one of the most unawnsered questons is why they did not go to the planet to look at the charts
:confused: :salute:

[Eric Paddon]

one of the most unawnsered questons is why they did not go to the planet to look at the charts
:confused: :salute:

Quite simple. They were already far away from the planet by the time they made the connection by which point it was too late to go back to a region that by that point would be swarming with Cylons investigating the disappearance of their patrol.

Even then, the chart on the wall wouldn't have done much in terms of giving them an exact location fix on where Earth was since all it did was sketch the solar system of Earth, and remember how Boxey was able to do the same just by going what he was taught by Adama from the "ancient writings."

[Aeneas]

I think the most intriguing thing about the episode is the enigma of the "Silent One" and his map of Earth's solar system. There are literally endless ways of speculating where he came from and who he was and each would be equally plausible.


Maybe it was Buck Rogers?!?! :laugh:

[Eric Paddon]

Maybe it was Buck Rogers?!?! :laugh:

How about Amelia Earhart's co-pilot? :D

[Aeneas]

How about Amelia Earhart's co-pilot? :D

I know!! In one of those wierd Crossover/time continuim thingies....get this... it's..............................................................................................................................

JOHN CREIGHTON OF FARSCAPE!! ;)

[Captain Morgan]

I watched on my old 70's tv .
I liked this, the story was neat with the whole prison with open doors thing.
Its funny to watch Starbuck MAC!
Wine,Women,and Vipers!
I'm falling deeper into this funny old show.


:warrior:

[Eric Paddon]

Looking at this one again, I'm beginning to wonder if its possible that this episode was shot third in the production order, after GOIPZ and before work on LPOTG could begin.

The whole "leaving our star system" bit at the beginning of the episode seems like the kind of thing that should have happened prior to LPOTG. Cassiopeia acts more like a Socialator and there's no acknowledgment of her med-tech duties. And Athena's more prominent role. In addition it's strange that the previous week on "The Lost Warrior" there'd be a human civilization that doesn't know about the Cylons, whereas here with the Proteus Colony they do know about them.

Taken as a whole, I wonder what sort of rewrites and reshuffling of episode airdates would have been necessitated if Jane Seymour hadn't been willing to come back for LPOTG. At the very least, it seems like TLP would have been ready to go much sooner than it actually did.

[BRG]

Another fine episode!

Starbuck is such a great character! Almost every situation, no matter how grave, is met by a cheeky grin! The playing Athena & Cassiopia at dinner was great-"Very pre-war" to quote the waiter. His getting mugged while hatching a cunning plan with Robber to bootleg Ambrosia was great. And his reaction to meeting Apollo & Boomer was pure gold! :cool:

The only thing that annoyed me in this episode was that all the prisoners had appauling 'Oirish' accents! :wtf:
But overall, great Starbuck episode.
BRG

ps- Starbuck's manouver where he instructs CORA to execute a maximum G climb even though it will cause him to black out. In Babylon 5, that manouver is said to be a standard tactic by Centauri fighter pilots in order to gain an advantage in a dogfight. I recon Mr Straczynski pinched it off of BSG! ;)

[peter noble]

http://img78.exs.cx/img78/5008/GALP2.jpg

The Long Patrol

Original Airdate: October 15, 1978

Writer: Don Bellisario.

Director: Christian I Nyby II.

Guest Cast: James Whitmore Jr. (Robber), Ted Gehring (Croad), Sean McClory (Assault), Tasha Martell (Adultress), Cathy Paine (Voice of C.O.R.A.).

Starbuck tests out a new long range Viper. Outfitted with extra thrusters and a flirtatious computer named C.O.R.A., the recon Viper is twice as fast as a normal fighter but is unarmed. Outwitted by a criminal, Starbuck is captured and trapped on a penal colony where the inmates are imprisoned for the crimes of their ancestors.

“I liked the story on that one a lot,” recalls director Christian Nyby II. “It was an interesting concept, that these people were generations of prisoners and there were generations of guards.”

Nyby also enjoyed the opportunity to work with episode guest star James Whitmore. Waiting for the studio tour to go by, he recalled one instance on the back lot while filming. “He was sitting in the Viper and I was sitting on a crane and he said, ‘isn’t this great Chris, it’s like we’re ten years old and they are giving us all these great toys to play with.”

http://img78.exs.cx/img78/3658/GALP1.jpg

[Eric Paddon]

A few guest cast ramblings.

Tasha (Arlene) Martel's presence in this episode is a nice reminder of how she appeared in at least one episode of all the classic Sci-Fi series. "Amok Time" is well known to us from "Star Trek" but she also appeared in the memorable "Outer Limits" episode "Demon With A Glass Hand" with Robert Culp and had a small part in the "Twilight Zone" episode "Twenty-Two."

James Whitmore, Jr. (whose father of course was in "Them!" and the original "Planet Of The Apes") would interestingly go on to appear in a 1984 TV-movie about the crash of Air Florida Flight #90 in the Potomoc River as the doomed captain. Playing the co-pilot in that film was Bruce Wright, who was in numerous "Galactica" episodes.

[Senmut]

Martel also played a terrorist leader in an ep of Mission:Imposible. Oddly enough, opposite Leonard Nimoy.

[Senmut]

I love MJ's expression. Like she's thinking "Will you get off my foot??!"

[Fragmentary]

It’s really worth checking out the bonus scenes on the DVD for this episode. You see an original cut of the scene with Starbuck and Cassiopea where she refers to herself as a socialator instead of a med-tech. The aired version doesn’t really work, but with the line as it was written the subtext is unmistakable.

Also, there were apparently two completely different scenes shot of Starbuck’s arrival after Robert’s shuttle is forced to land. I’m really curious to know why the first version wasn’t used. It was shot on location, and as such a LOT more expensive than the studio version that was used. What could have caused them to throw out the footage and the cost it incurred for the production? Anyone know the lore on this?

[Senmut]

Probably some Nitwerk suit thought if they didn't use it, it wouldn't cost anything. Someone with a ledger for a brain.

[luicfer7thfleet]

Another fine episode!

Starbuck is such a great character! Almost every situation, no matter how grave, is met by a cheeky grin! The playing Athena & Cassiopia at dinner was great-"Very pre-war" to quote the waiter. His getting mugged while hatching a cunning plan with Robber to bootleg Ambrosia was great. And his reaction to meeting Apollo & Boomer was pure gold! :cool:

The only thing that annoyed me in this episode was that all the prisoners had appauling 'Oirish' accents! :wtf:
But overall, great Starbuck episode.
BRG

ps- Starbuck's manouver where he instructs CORA to execute a maximum G climb even though it will cause him to black out. In Babylon 5, that manouver is said to be a standard tactic by Centauri fighter pilots in order to gain an advantage in a dogfight. I recon Mr Straczynski pinched it off of BSG! ;) those swinners are as trapped as we are [croad played the sherrif in superscouts] :thumbsup: :salute:

[Senmut]

No see lucifer7th for a while. Where'd you go?

[Eric Paddon]

A post of mine from long ago here mentioned the other notable work of guest cast members Tasha (Arlene) Martel and James Whitmore, Jr. Have to now add Sean McClorry (Assault), who I recently saw in a fascinating 1953 John Wayne movie "Island In The Sky" about a military plane that crashes in the harsh frozen wastelands of northern Canada and try to fight for survival. McClorry has a significant part as the plane's co-pilot. Definitely worth a look.

[AJMarks]

Watched this episode recently as well. I think that as the war dragged on with the Cylons any settlement any distance from teh twelve colonies would have been abandoned as everything turned to war so it would be easy to forget about such things.

The other thing that gets me about the episode is the "silent one" that is referred to at the end of the episode. Is he from Earth, or someone who had visited Earth?

I do wish that they had gone into more detail about the history as it seemed a perfect episode for it but looks like time prevented the writers from doing so. The interaction bewteen Starbuck and Cassiopea and Athena was also great.

[Darrell Lawrence]

The other thing that gets me about the episode is the "silent one" that is referred to at the end of the episode. Is he from Earth, or someone who had visited Earth?
I'd venture someone who visited Earth... and showed up in one of the most popular eps ever- War of the Gods.

You know of who I speak ;)

[Eric Paddon]

Not sure I'd go with that theory because I got the impression this was someone who spent yahrens in the prison, and I just can't envision Iblis wasting his time for yahrens doing something like that.

My preferred theory is a lost Earth astronaut (in my adaptation I had him sketching an American flag as well) who whether by a black hole or some other phenomena ended up in that part of space with all other comrades dead and when found by humans speaking a language totally alien to him, was rendered in a state of traumatized shock that kept him silent the rest of his life and that his sketching was his way of keeping his sanity during his remaining years.

That's my basic core theory, and the nice thing is it still gives me tons of flexibility to explore further, though its the kind of mystery that is often best left not fully explained.

[Darrell Lawrence]

Well... I just watched the ep and didn't see any American flags or Black Hole drawings :)

I still think it could have been Iblis. It was never stated how long the Silent One was there. And it's doubtful that at the time the Silent One could just get up and walk out of there if he was simply human.

Iblis was probably amusing himself just prior to going to Cylon and doing what he did there.

[Eric Paddon]

The flag was my invention yes, but it fit into the other scenes we saw of drawing where he came from, and sights of his home that he knew he'd never get back to.

I never heard any reference to the Silent One getting up and leaving. The implication was that he died in prison. As to why he wouldn't have gotten up and walked out, I think being traumatized by the knowledge that he's so far from home with no comprehensible means of getting home dissuaded him from walking out.

Each theory is as good as another of course. :)

[Darrell Lawrence]

Each theory is as good as another of course. :) Correct. Which is why I started another thread on just this subject :LOL:

[Wildcard]

I did not see it mentioned elsewhere in the post so, the Galactica and apparently the Cylons as well, travelled to a new galaxy! and apparently have had the capabilty to do this for hundreds if not thousands of years! that would put thier FTL tech above that of the B5 First Ones and the Commonwealth of Andromeda!

which makes me wonder how widespread was the war at its heigth? and just how advanced are the Colonials(and Cylons)that they can do this?

[Eric Paddon]

Truthfully, I felt that matter of another "galaxy" was something best dispensed with as too implausible so that when I go back and clean up the flaws of the episodes in my adaptations, I just change it to something more plausible. But if we want to ponder it further, I think the term "Galaxy" in Colonial speak doesn't always mean what we think it to mean.

[Senmut]

Well, in our own astronomy, terms like "galaxy", "planet" and such have gone through various definitions over the centuries. We cannot assume that another civilization, more advanced than we, would use every term in exactly the same way.

[Eric Paddon]

Agreed. Though it may reflect poor science on the part of 20th century Earth writers, we can always take the No-Prize solution (to borrow from Marvel comics) and say that Colonial terminology isn't always the same as ours. :)

[Senmut]

Yup. Way back when, what we now call other galaxies were referred to as "island universes". That might confuse people from some other world, I suspect.

[CBSG4ever]

Just watched this episode again as well. I noticed something interesting. When the RTF emerges from the asteriod cloud, Adama asks what the status of Starbuck is. Athena refers to her computer console and it shows some of the crews names, ranks and status. Well, two of the names that are listed are Rigel and Omega. It shows that Rigel is a Sgt AND Omega is a Sgt as well. I always thought Omega was an Officer. Did anyone else happen to catch this?

[Eric Paddon]

Omega was only referred to as a "Bridge Officer" at various points which need not necessarily mean a commissioned officer rank of Ensign or higher.

[Athene]

I was watching this episode yesterday evening. This is my second favourite episode. I've lost count how many times I've watched Saga of a Starworld and The Long Patrol. ;)

My avatar is from that episode. :D

[Eric Paddon]

Some new thoughts about this episode.

Production wise this episode was mostly filmed after GOIPZ and before LPOTG and when they began filming it, two things hadn't happened yet. (1) The successful effort to get Jane Seymour back for one more episode and (2) The decision to retain John Colicos as Baltar.

From a logical standpoint, if you just assume that Jane Seymour had put her foot down and refused to come back then "Saga" would have aired with her dying scenes intact. Then, we would have seen GOIPZ air in its originally conceived version in which it would be Imperious Leader, not Baltar, for all the scenes on the Cylon basestar. GOIPZ has the feel of "second shot" as well in that a deleted scene has Apollo specifically reference the death of Zac and his mother to Adama. Cassiopeia doesn't appear at all because at this point they may not have even decided to have her character live in Saga either.

If you had Saga first (with Serina dead), then GOIPZ, then "Long Patrol" would have been set up neatly to become the next show in order.

1-The whole beginning about them "entering a new galaxy/star system" has the whole feel of a "first regular episode".

2-Cassiopeia is still clearly a socialator and is not a med-tech. A deleted scene has her identifying herself still as a socialator and there is also deleted footage of when she arrives on the Bridge dressed in her low-cut red outfit and is making her way over to see Athena, every male Bridge crewman stops to gawk at her. It is probably the most un-PC moment they filmed! But once LPOTG aired first with Cassiopeia as a med-tech, they had to cut these moments that blatantly state she's still a socialator in order to maintain continuity. Taken in the revised continuity we can envision perhaps that Cassie, while no longer a socialator, still at this point likes to wear one of her old dresses when "off-duty".

3-Adama's somewhat off-hand reference about Earth at the end of the episode and the "ancient legends" works a lot better if by this point they *haven't* visited Kobol yet for more definitive clues about Earth's location/existence. Had Jane Seymour not come back as Serina I'm sure we still would have had a "Kobol" visit with a different script.

4-The one scene of Baltar and Lucifer consists entirely of footage from the LPOTG shoot with dubbed dialogue. This also happened with the final Baltar-Lucifer scene in Pt. 2 of GOIPZ to cover the changes that had taken place since the original shoot.

5-The prominence of Athena and the "space Casanova" juggling of her and Cassiopeia by Starbuck is also a clue to how early in the going this was shot since Athena's importance in the show would soon go down dramatically.

As for an earlier point as to why the daylight confrontation scene between Starbuck and Robber was then reshot as a night one, I see it as a simple case of Larson and the production team realizing the initial shot in the daytime just wasn't effective. Much like how "Lost Warrior" and "Magnificent Warriors" are all shot in night settings and look more effective than if they'd been done in daylight. It may have cost a lot to reshoot but it was more effective ultimately.

[Charybdis]

A lot of changes in those early days!

[Senmut]

Seeing the eps in their original form would be interesting. Have you seen them?

[Eric Paddon]

They don't exist in the "original form". There was never a final edit using the discarded footage for Long Patrol which makes us lucky to see the outtakes. Most of the unused footage stays unused for a good reason.

I have found though that it is possible with some basic video software (and if you rip the episodes to your computer along with the outtakes/deleted scenes) it is possible to create some longer versions. This comes in handy for recreating the "telemovie" versions of the two part episodes only this way you get to see the better quality footage of the remastered DVDs for the non-telemovie added scenes before new material comes up. I found that all but five episodes could be expanded with new material (in this case, material that still fits the episode narrative. A new edit of Saga still can't use the "Serina's dying footage" for instance or Long Patrol with the daylight footage because it's unmixed and you hear airplanes flying overhead and it also doesn't fit narratively with everything else that was shot. For that episode I think I just put back in a brief moment where the waiter explains what he meant about the days "before the war")

[Croft2018]

I wish someone would write a book about the creation of BG starting with Larson's 1969 Adam's Arc concept (a response to Star Trek apparently) and following it through the wilderness years prior to Star Wars, the release of Star Wars, it's early rip off of SW phase (Apollo being called Skyler et al) and to the final revisions and production. And I mean a real warts and all approach that's honest and fair. Covering the marginalisation of Maren Jenson, the rejigging when Seymour refused to sign on longer etc.

[Senmut]

And, how BSG was often trashed by critics, who wouldn't have known good stuff if it fell on them.

[Eric Paddon]

I wish someone would write a book about the creation of BG starting with Larson's 1969 Adam's Arc concept (a response to Star Trek apparently) and following it through the wilderness years prior to Star Wars, the release of Star Wars, it's early rip off of SW phase (Apollo being called Skyler et al) and to the final revisions and production. And I mean a real warts and all approach that's honest and fair. Covering the marginalisation of Maren Jenson, the rejigging when Seymour refused to sign on longer etc.

For now the best book you can get on Galactica production history is this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Say-All-Uncensored-Unauthorized-Battlestar-ebook/dp/B075XS4KN4/ref=sr_1_21?dchild=1&keywords=Battlestar+Galactica&qid=1605749337&s=books&sr=1-21

I hate the title of the book since that is a phrase unique to the other entity and only the first 30-35% of the book is about our show before it gives way to that other property but having said that, the quotes they put together tells as extensive a picture as there's been up to this point, though I agree we could use another book that tries to delve in to some of these other nuances you point out on the matter of when were change made to proposed storylines regarding when new decisions/edicts came down, and what plans might there have been if Jane Seymour *hadn't* agreed to come back for LPOTG? I think they were pretty much resigned to the fact from the get-go that they weren't going to land her for a full series.

[Charybdis]

If you check the bookstores, there's also a book out there featuring all the ships of the Galactica universe. Can't remember the name but it also includes at least the TOS Raider and Viper...not sure what else though since it's wrapped closed and you can't see inside...