GALACTICA 1980 reviews
 

If Galactica fans were expecting the worst when the sequel arrived in 1980, they certainly weren't disappointed. Nearly every episode was written at a dramatic level best suited for children, with the stars spending most of their time explaining all sorts of inane subjects... Overall, Galactica 1980 is a fairly awful series geared only to the most fanatical of Galactica enthusiasts. - William E. Anchors, Jr., Epilog #33: "Galactica 1980," August 1993, page 8.

The stories were a complete waste of time. Battlestar Galactica at least had a few interesting attempts. But what I see in Galactica 1980 is a studio amortizing its set and its name. This is television as a merchandising ploy. - Michael Cassutt, The Best of Science Fiction Television, Harmony Books, 1987.

...an embarrassing, child-oriented mess in which Earth had been found and all semblance of logic and drama abandoned. - Lawrence McIlhoney, TV Zone Special #17: "The Lost Voyagers of Cult TV," June 1995, page 5.

The series was a mess thrown together so haphazardly that it couldn't even attract diehard Battlestar Galactica fans. - John Javna, The Best of Science Fiction Television, Harmony Books, 1987.

...the show was probably better left dead and buried. It's reincarnation, Galactica 1980, promised much but delivered little. Universally hated by everyone, the show was geared toward kiddies, and rather stupid ones at that. Essentially it was impossible to write anything with any level of drama; all storylines had to be geared toward the mentality of little kids, turning the show into something better titled "Cub Scouts In Space." Epilog Journal

Galactica 1980 is a full-scale catastrophe. After so many of us lobbied so furiously to get the show back, how could Larson do this to us! Like the first few episodes of the series, Galactica 1980 is a poorly produced rush job. The new characters are atrocious, and worst of all is the repugnant Dr. Zee. I have always been disturbed by the frequent reliance on "super-geniuses" in too much SF. The implication here is that humans are too stupid to govern themselves. How Glen Larson could create a show with as much promise and potential as Battlestar Galactica and then destroy it is far beyond me. - Susan Paxton, Battlestar Zone website.

Make no mistake, Galactica 1980 is not a "guilty pleasure." There is nothing remotely pleasurable about the series at all. It is like watching a train wreck or a plane crash. With special effects stock footage spliced in seemingly at random, bland performers at center stage and poorly written stories, Galactica 1980 is an excellent candidate for the worst science fiction series of all time. That estimation has not changed since 1980, and the show is as universally despised today as it was two decades ago. - John Kenneth Muir, An Analytical Guide To Television's Battlestar Galactica, McFarland & Company, Inc., 1999.

Howls of derisive laughter!
 

And SciFi will even rerun this from time to time wont they?

Will anyone defend THIS BSG atrocity?

Not me.

Though I thought Jaime was cute. Ad the Starbuck episode was fun and funny. Though the Dr Z/starchild part I could do without. :)

Galactica 1980 was not Larson's fault.
 

It was "filling an order" ABC made with scheduling restrictions (relegated to a 7 PM family slot where they even had to provide specific educational content to please the FCC). ABC recognized the mistake they made cancelling the original series and wanted to bring something back they could do cheaply. Larson wasn't excited doing it under these circumstances, but if you are working with a network, you can't just walk away and say you won't do it. Larson tried to redeem it with the "Return of Starbuck" episode when he knew the show was going to be cancelled as a way to please fans and let them know he really did know what the real show was about, and would have continued it the right way if he had been given the chance by ABC. They were the ones who tied his hands though.

JV

It just goes to show that "Network Executive Insanity" was rampant then and rampant now. You pair a Nazi like Bonnie Hammer with a nutball like Moore and this is what you get.

I liked G80
S:D

SteveW, I liked it too. I mean, I was 12 at the time so I guess I fit in with the kid target market but I liked the show.
I was dissapointed that Starbuck and Apollo were gone but many of the rest were still there and we did get another Starbuck episode out of it.
The Cycles were cool and I liked the pursuit of Xavier.

But what's amazing is the fact that in Galactica 1980 Larson already used the human Cylon trick, many fans may not be aware or remember:

The Night the Cylons Landed (Part1)
Writer: Glen A. Larson
Director: Sigmund Neufeld Jr.

The Cylon Empire has created a new version of the Cylons, a humanoid android. On Halloween, one of these new models, Andromus, crashlands near New York City with a regular Cylon. The two seek a radio station where they can contact the rest of the Cylon fleet, while Troy and Dillon try to stop them as well as save a child trapped in a fire. (Original Airdate: April 13, 1980)

I remember the human cylon. I don't care for that, it has been done so much. Remember Invaders with their crooked little finger LOL G80 has silly ones but I thought it was just fun. Return of starbuck and the one where they went back in time were my favorites but then I like almose any sci-fi that is not depressing
S:D

I remember being so upset at the Starbuck episode. All I could think about was Starbuck living alone on that desolate planet and how it was such a pathetic end to such a great character. I never for once believed Dr. Zee was Starbuck's kid (the same kid who played cousin Oliver in the Brady Bunch). There's no way he was going to be a lady's man and he certainly couldn't smoke a stoggie.

I think that woman got knocked up by some other guy and used the story to keep Adama from kicking her off the Galactica. ;) Besides, how did she manage to catch up to the Galactica, whereas Starbuck couldn't at the beginning of the episode?

Well truth be told that if BSG 80 was allowed to continue they were going to bring Starbuck back using the Ship of lights somehow. But of course it was cancelled.

BTW Dr. Zee was only played by Robbie Rist (Cousin Oliver) in the pilot ans was replaced with another actor.

Didn't know that about Starbuck comeback...interesting. :) Yeah, I didn't remember the Robbie Rist changeover until I saw some pics from the series online.

The name of Dr. Zee #2 was (believe it or not) Patrick Stuart!!!! Not THE Patrick Stuart but a Patrick Stuart. Weird. Galactica 1980 was a hack job without a doubt. Still, there were a few interesting bits and pieces. The "computor simulation" shown in the first episode of a Cylon attack on Earth was impressive. I understand that they superimposed Cylon fighter footage onto stock footage from the movie "Earthquake." The episode "The Night the Cylons Landed on Earth" had a next generation Cylon raider that was interesting. I agree that the "Return of Starbuck" episode left you with an empty feeling. I mean, one of my favorite characters ended up marooned on a lonely rock without even a Cylon to keep him company. The episodes with the super scouts are unwatchable. The flying motorcycles were cool in a dorky, clunky and nerdy way. I wouldn't mind taking one up for a spin. Not very inconspicuous though. I mean Troy and Dillan were supposed to be undercover, right? Zipping through the air on space Hondas isn't the best way to blend in with the local population. All in all, Galactica 1980 was a failure and a let down. However, I would rather watch Galactica 1980 than sit through the mini again. That was painful.

I recently asked Robbie why he left the show. He doesn't know other than he was replaced. It was not his decision. He said he would never leave a good paying job!

It did seem strange that he was replaced after one episode since he did a lenghty interview promoting the show in Starlog back in 1980. In truth, I really didn't like his performance. While I didn't like the character concept of Dr. Zee, I perfered Dr. Zee #2.

Well
 

Next year on scifi, Galactica 1980 the mini, humm

Re: Well
 

:blink: Dillon, a woman, Dr. Zee, an alcoholic, Jamie dressed in a red dress having sex with everyone at the drop of a hat........

Actually it would be a teeny.
Really, could R. Moore make THAT any worse?

"Return of Starbuck" Empty yes, but return to BSG glory for the last time! they should of had it on the DVD set, with Dr wee cut out!

Hmmmmm I liked Jamie as a growing lad. That doesn't sound too bad actually....