[Bradleyfett]

Finally an intellectually honest review of G80 requisit fanboy 'must hate Galactica 1980' mantra. I'll admit it, I like the show. No I fully realize that my perception is colored by my original viewing of the show when I was 10. But whatever the reason, I like it. I like the flying motorcycles. I like Kent McCord and Barry Van Dyke. I like the historic angle.- sort of the precursor of 'Voyagers'. I don't even mind Dr. Zee. There are a lot of cringe-inducing parts (I still can't stand the superscouts seed-planing scenes in Spacecroppers), but I'd still rather watch just about any episode of G80 than certain episodes of the original show.

I submit that G80 actually had the best plot devices since the original BSG pilot movie. After the pilot movie, the show wandered off on tangents that are just boring to me (then and now), especially those episodes dealing with Terra, etc. It wasn't until G80 that we saw a return of some of the more fun dramatic turns, albeit executed with a bit more whimsy than I'd like.

The whole idea of the Galacticans on Earth is great. The idea of reaching Earth only to find it unable to help defeat the Cylons has a lot more dramatic possibilities than reaching, say, Earth of the future as many have suggested.

Traveling back in time to bring Earth up to better technology is a fun idea. The main bad guy being a Galactican going off on his own to do this is a good dramatic turn- actually this sets up a deeper 'bad guy' motivation than they ever did with Baltar. (To this day I don't know what is motivation was)

The 'fish out of water' senerios of Troy and Dillon adjusting to Earth culture recall some of the best moments in Star Trek (usually time travel stories).

Dr. Zee is a neat concept that would have worked well if they had only explored the conflict that would have certainly occured with Adama subordinating his command to a child genius.

And did I say I love the flying motorcycyles?

Like the original season of BSG, there are a lot of good concepts set up that never get fully explored.

Mark