"Galactica: 1980" - 13 Week Theatre 

The Return Of Starbuck episode was so well done, it almost makes up for the rest of the season.

I remember hating this show when i was a kid. I finally discovered "The Return of Starbuck" many years later, which was a great episode.

Unfortunately you forgot that Richard Hatch mortgaged his own house to finance a proto pilot to bring back the original Galactica series - hopefully into a feature film. Unfortunately, he died of cancer and nothing came of his efforts despite fans positive response. It was going to be filled with as many original actors as possible and the old timeline.

Dr. Zee made Will Robinson and Wesley Crusher almost lovable by comparison.

“What have I done?” Said by many ABC executives who green-lit this salute to hackery.

In 1980, I was nine years old. I loved “Battlestar Galactica.” While even nine year old me didn’t care much for much for the Super Scouts, even then, Dylan and Troy on flying motorcycles was unquestionably COOL! William Daniels and Wolfman Jack trading barbs with Cylons at a Halloween party-SUPER COOL! I just rewatched it in DVD and to this day, I still have a bit of a soft spot for “Galactica 1980.” As silly as it is, it’s entertaining-and somewhere in there the kernels of a good show that unfortunately got eschewed by an identity crisis.

Great video, thank you! I have more memories of watching Battlestar Galactica on Sunday nights as a child than I do of Galactica 1980 even though I was older and memory retention gets better with age. This was before we had cable and my guess is it is because BG was so much better and Galactica 1980 was so bad that my parents chose to watch something else. I remember my eyes glued to the TV even through the long (2 part) Intro of BG. EPIC theme song! It gave me goosebumps as a kid.

the timing was really good. kids still liked the characters and i enjoyed them finally reaching Earth and this was a good Robbie Rist role. I thought it was cool he was the most intelligent of the colonists.

I wish my 6th grade self had known how bad "Mork and Mindy" did in 1980, all my classmates loved it and I liked Galactica way more. Ha!

You forgot to mention that Universal released an edited version of the original pilot into movie theaters with "Sensurround," and Richard Hatch is the one who kept the fan's desires alive shooting a trailer for a possible reboot of the original series.

During the late '70's -mid '80's, I was in my early 20's and had temporary lost time to watch TV. Judging from this video, it looks like I was lucky.

It's too bad they didn't stick with the 2-3 hour episode to wrap things up. They could have kept the original cast and made a decent movie.

The series had to be "reformatted" to fit the definition of "family/children's programming" on the networks on Sundays at 7pm(et). Either that, or they scheduled news/public affairs programming- and that's why CBS' "60 MINUTES" thrives to this day.

5:57 .. Poor _Cousin Oliver_ 🤔..no wonder not even *_Galactica: 1980_* wanted him.

You know your screwed when Cousin Oliver starts running things

Barry Van Dyke kept his 70's 'part in middle' hair forever, into the 90's on "Diagnosis Murder",

I know of many short lived series that would be terrific for your show. Here are some Norman Lear bombs: A Year At the Top (CBS, Aug-Sept 1977), Hot L Baltimore (ABC, 1975), All That Glitters (Syndicated, spring 1977), Nancy Walker Show (ABC Sept-Dec 1976), a.k.a. Pablo (ABC 1984), Apple Pie (ABC Fall 1978), In the Beginning (CBS Fall 1978), The Dumplings (NBC Winter 1976), Hanging In (CBS August 1979).

Poor Robbie Rist. But that said … when he reveals the cylons we’re following them the whole time? WTF? How long you been sitting on that bit of information Dr Z 🤨

Cousin Oliver didnt bother getting a Hair Cut back in the late 70s, but than again Few of Did. I think I finally got one around 1985 or so.

Galactica 1980 is a guilty pleasure of mine. While much of it was really bad, some of it was really quite enjoyable. I actually liked the 3-part pilot, although I don't think the time travel plot would've been a good idea for the entire series, but I think it works for the occasional episode, much like Star Trek. Liked the idea of humanoid Cylons and the Cylons landing on Earth, sadly The Night The Cylons Landed 2-part episode was very badly executed. But I liked the concept. And I especially liked the finale The Return of Starbuck.

A bit off-subject, I know, but I remember a show starring DomDeluise called "Lotsa Luck," that was a midseason replacement back in January of '74. It had Carl Reiner, Bill Persky and Sam Denoff behind it, if memory serves, and it was, to me, highly underrated. If you haven't done an episode about it already, you should.

Balter was not Gaius in 1978 or ever before the BSG reboot of 2003. He was simply… Baltar.

Was that John Denver as a kid! Nice White Suit tool!

Baltar never had his full name of "Gaius Baltar" until the 2003 reboot. He was just known as "Count Baltar" in the original series.

A Letter Writing Campaign Brought Brought Back Battlestar Galactica, Just Like The Original Series of Star Trek

4:45-5:04: In my opinion, scenes in which Adama acquiesced to Dr. Zee were embarrassing. They ran against the grain of the original series, which presented Adama as a strong commander. Yes, Dr. Zee was a genius, but still, he was a child.

The original mini-series wasn't all that bad. It was, like you said, when the recasting and the introduction of the "Super Scouts" happened that it went downhill fast.

I enjoy your videos, having recently come by way of Supertrain. I'm astounded that you don't have more viewers and subscribers.

Dr Z killed it for me. Even 11 year-old me thought, "WTF is this jackass?" If only they'd waited a bit for Benedict, rewrote the script to Hatch's liking and done the 3-hr TV movie, say 1-2 yrs later (I've since wondered how the hell they got Lorne Green to do this one). I wanted further answers on Count Ebley, the angels et al. Anyway, I question "30 yrs in the future." That would make Boxey almost 40. Moreover, we SAW video of the Apollo Landing in the original. That would make this series 11 years later. Yes, that's too soon (a discrepancy 11 yr old me also recognized right away) but 30? No. They should've called it 1984 or something. Things that drove these decisions make you realize how much LUCK goes into a show being successful.

I only knew of Battlestar via the 2000s 'reboot' so I had to work backwards to learn about the series. This however is so terrible it's HILARIOUS. I know a few people who grew up with the series (considering it was on before I was born) so their memories of this are always a treat to hear them roasting on it but going through it myself, I had a few 'WHAT THE HE-?!' moments. "Wait, ROBBIE WRIST?! BARRY VAN DYKE?!? WHAT IS GOING ON?!? And why are they playing baseba-OH NOOOOO!"

Can the MTM variety show be another story???

Welcome back, Pab. Hope all is well.

I'd love it if you could do the "V" TV show (which I hated) and "Space 1999". Thanks!

Well, Adama was right. It was the end of their journey.

Kent Mcord From Adam-12 1968-1975?

However, the human looking cylons first ever appearance was on Galactic 1980.

I'll never forget one episode of Galactica: 1980 where Troy and Dillon find themselves in a coffee shop trying coffee. "They drink BEANS!?"

Barry Van Dyke was later in another ill-fated attempt at reviving a TV series shortly after its unceremonious cancellation, which was Airwolf in 1987. CBS had dropped the show after three seasons in part due to rising costs but also because of the growing problems with its star, Jan Michael Vincent. USA Network soon picked the show up but like Galactica: 1980, it was produced on a significantly lower budget (it was ostensibly, a Canadian production) and with virtually, an entire new cast. Jan Michael Vincent however, appeared in the first episode of Season 4 to help bridge the gap.

The time travel premise for the original TV movie sounds like the one that was later used for 'Quantum Leap'. Oh you mentioned that at the end of the segment 😊 Being set so far into the future caused a huge inconsistency plot-hole in itself with the moon landing transmission in the original series final episode, as it had only been 11 years in reality. Galactica 1980 was woeful, as well as the international theatrical release 'Conquest Of The Earth', edited from the 3 episode pilot with some random scenes featuring Count Baltar from the original series being thrown in for no good reason other than to have a main antagonist villain return. Note it's Count Baltar, or just Baltar. Gaius Baltar is not the same character, that is the equivalent one from the Ron Moore reboot, where he used the given name of Julius Caesar. The biggest mistake was not having 'The Return Of Starbuck' as the pilot but the final episode, but Benedict's availablity most likely prevented this. It would have worked better giving fans some familiarity & closure for a popular major character. Also there was no space action, and the minimal scenes set in space were boring exponential dialogue between Adama & the extremely dislikeable Zee, made worse by Adama playing as his subordinate, not how you remember him. Not to mention the damn super scouts! Yeah the kids killed this show haha Season 2 of Glen A.Larson's other production at the time, 'Buck Rogers In The 25th Century' was also terrible, and made way too many changes due to a lower budget that killed that show off too.

"A billion Star-Miles"... too funny.

Who remembers the Cylon and the Microwave??

Gary Larson had no creative input on Moore's Galactica. They simply had to credit him as a rights holder.

I liked the 1978 version better.

I hear Salvation Army music at the end of this video.

Maybe it's just me, but Barry Van Dyke would've been picture perfect as the lead of a superhero series had one come his way during his prime. Maybe had a Batman series in the style of the Adam West series come along a bit later, I could've seen him as Bruce Wayne. He definitely had the chiseled good looks that reminds me a bit of the way that Dick Sprang drew Batman back in the 1950s. Incidentally, Barry Van Dyke once played the Michael Keaton role in a failed pilot that was based on the film Mr. Mom.

I actually don’t think this was that bad

I was in highschool when Galactica 80 came out. Yes it was hokey and Prof Zee was an outright joke. The Starbuck episode was the best since it was played straight with a good cast and a strong story. Now I understand why the time travel stuff was done then dropped. It's a wonder they were able to make any coherent storyline out of all the ordered changes. The flying bikes were kinda stupid but cool at the same time. The idea of that the cylons look like us didn't originate in the 2k reboot. No in G80 they did a Halloween episode where the cylons make it to Earth with a human looking Cylon and a Centurion. As again of the OG Galactica and this second series. I was kinda bent out of shape by the bait and switch Moore did with the Celestial Spaceship Trace kept drawing. Too bad too many of the OG cast are gone. I'd have liked to have seen them make it to Earth with the Earth Directorate Starfighters. That would have been a sequence to watch.

I thought Dr Z was the Milky Bar Kid.

Mork And Mindy Episodes, Did Get Higher Ratings than Galactica 1980

Why does Robbie Rist remind me of Matthew Waterhouse? I guess because Dr. Z kind of reminds me of Adric.

Why do you say 'it was as bad as it sounds'? I liked all of it! There were a lot of funny situations as a result of the boy scouts! And a fantastic dialogue!

I remember as a kid thinking “space kid scouts? How stupid can you get??”

"COME ON THIRTEEN!"

There is 1 Episode Of BG-1980 That Is Suprisingly Good. It Just Focuses On Kent McCord & Barry Van Dyke. The Chemistry And Rapport Between The 2-Of Them. Is Quite Entertaining To Watch.

People can talk as much smack as they want about Robbie Rist ruining the Brady Bunch, but he’s a hell of a voice actor and his version of Dr. Zee was so creepy I couldn’t help but like him. His “oh whoops the cylons have been following us for years, I forgot to tell you” attitude was great, they didn’t even need an antagonist with this weird kid on board

If there had been no Dr zee and if Xavier had been the commander of Galactica and the writing had been better---this might have worked.

Galactica 1980. As an 11 year-old, I hated it.

Glen Larson and Ronald D. Moore never collaborated on the reimagined, far better BSG.In fact, Larson absolutely hated the reimagined show. His name did appear in the credits as a courtesy to him for creating the original series.

Oh wow that show got cancelled my birthday

I might be one of the few weirdos out there who genuinely prefers this to the original battlestar galactica... it's just so hilariously craptastic, I love it.

I loved Battlestar Galactica, and I even loved Battlestar Galactica 1980.. but, I didn't like the Boy scout thing! I wish they had done it differently.. The new Battlestar Galactica didn't do it for me at all..

I was 8 years old in 1980. I was a huge BSG fan, I had the books, the trading cards, even the toy ships that eventually got recalled because a kid swallowed and choked on one of the little spring-loaded plastic missiles. Even at 8, I was appalled at how corny Galactica 80 was compared to the original. Had it been an original IP, maybe I would have been more forgiving. But I don't know, it was pretty lame.

The anti grab / flying saucer, ship was the only real high point

Glen Larson did not work with Ron Moore to bring BSG to Sci Fi and had no involvement in Ron Moore's BSG reboot. Glen Larson's name appeared in the credits but that was pretty much it.

The first Dr. Zee was better than the second Dr. Zee. Recasting is not ideal.

The only permanent set in "Galactica: 1980" was a dark room with a seat where "Irritating And Wise Boy" sat surrounded by a bunch of TV screens. One of the stupidest parts of this series' moronisms was "the Super Space Kids". They did a good job trying to rescue the series with "The Return of Starbuck", but left him abandoned by Angel Lady and Cy, his repaired Cylon buddy was destroyed leaving him completely alone on some desolate planet. That was depressing.

The only episode worth watching was the Return of Starbuck. The rest of the series made me sad and nostalgic for the old show and I just hated it. I saw those 2 seat Vipers and I yelled at the TV screen "what have you done!!!"...........😂

So many plots. I watched this video carefully, and it's not your fault, but I was completely lost, honestly. It ended with Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I didn't care for this spin-off sequel. The other characters from Battlestar Galactica wasn't in it.

I was 15 when this came out. Loved the original Galactica, HATED this, especially "Dr. Z" I have a vague and distant memory of an early episode where kids from Galactica were in a classroom on Earth and the teacher was doing some astronomy and showed a picture of the Big Dipper, and one of the Galactica kids said it was backwards and another Galactica kid said "it looks different from the other side." The other side? At 15, I knew enough astronomy to understand exactly how very stupid that comment was. That memory sticks with me but I've never seen anything else bring it up. I don't think I imagined it...

Even though it lasted longer than 13 wks, you should do Hello Larry. That's one show that SHOULDN'T HAVE lasted that long....

A show about superpowered kids undercover as scouts might have worked on Saturday mornings. In prime time it seems too childish.

Robin Rist? Or Ben Heck.

Great review of the entire G80 concept. Few comments though, The original BSG killed the newly-revised 'Archie Bunker's Place' in the early months of Fall 1978, and yes ABC was cocky enough to think the 2nd season of Mork replacing BSG could regain ABC's top standing on Sunday nights in order to prove it didn't need to spend the millions on Galactica, but that idea flopped miserably. Some of the main reasons ABC soured on BSG was 1) the notorious Newsweek review that BSG was nothing more than a SW-rehash (ABC didn't want to hear that, riding high as the Number1 network at the time..), and 2) they didn't like all the merchandising revenue Universal was scooping up, which was essentially ABC's own fault since they contractually didn't invest in the merchandising rights, only the series. The Mattel toyline obviously didn't generate anywhere near the Kenner SW profits, but was doing well with all the other stuff like books, school folders, sleeping bags, etc.

As Glen Larson called it , Starbucks great nightmare. It’s all Felgarcarb

Why couldn’t they have just continued the voyage? The way I see it they could make two new Galactica or spin off shows. Using the old and new series.

I loved BATTLESTAR GALACTICA '78. I hated GALACTICA '80.

Cousin Oliver? This show really was cursed.

Robyn Douglass though

Counterpart of Star Wars

What? No sneak preview of the next episode?

Please do a review of THE CBS Sci-Fi Comedy IT'S ABOUT TIME (1966). I was 10 when it aired in Australia & it was an instant hit here, sadly cancelled after just 1 season. The only drawback was the ridiculous scripts for 2 astronauts, portrayed as "bumbling boobies", (to steal a line from the great Jonathan Harris). If their scripts had them in more serious roles, it would have been much better. If remakes were able to be as good or better than the originals, it would be worthwhile for this series. Sadly, most remakes are poorly done, with poor scripts & a reliance on CGI or other technology to make them "watchable".

I don't know which was worse Dr ZèeOr tge Super Scouts, At least Bellisario would revisit time travel in the more successful Quantam Leap,

If it ain't broke.... DON'T FIX IT! They rarely learn

_The Return of Starbuck_ was actually ok, much better than the other episodes of Galactica 80. I didn’t see the need to hire famed radio announcer Gary Owens as the voice of Cy, I would have preferred they just used the regular cylon vocoder voice..

This show Never exsisted! It's a MANDELA EFFECT! please go on remembering the Great show Battle Star Galatica. and rest easy knowing BSG 1980 Never happened 👍

I honestly believe if the original Galactica had been a success in 78/79 George Lucas and Gene Roddenberry both would have had grounds for legal action! It was a blatant ripoff of BOTH franchises! But what's the point of suing a flop...?

Here's what I don't understand about this show: wasn't Galactica's original premise that these characters were our ancestors? The original show's narration even said as much. So why did they end up on modern-day earth?

Damn.....This show was just as confusing as "Lost".....

Mimsy!!!!

Why does this plot sound like Star Trek: 1st Contact? Because trek ripped it off ?

ABC executives had not figured the outpouring of support the original BSG had following the show's cancellation. So instead of bringing back Galactica and its original cast, the network brass decided to feature this horrible spin-off hoping that fans would reject it in droves and thus have a legitimate excuse for pulling the plug on the series for good. The plan worked. Out of all the episodes aired, the only one that generated any substantial ratings was the episode featuring Dirk Benedict as Starbuck.

It was a disappointing show to bring back Battlestar Galactica although I can tolerate it a little more (just a little) than the remake series that truly was a travesty.

Other than the Starbuck episode, I could eat Taco Bell and crap out a better tv show.

Galactica in any case was my favorite! No matter what was on... had no interest in the spin-off... guess I am just being sentimental for the original: same goes with “Tron” the original.

They screwed up Galatica

Cousin oliver

Don't buy blue ray bsg 3pk bsg 1980 is on

ABC killed a show that had great potential. Leave it to executives as always to kill a great idea concept and show.

Terrible doĺow up to series which was cancelled just as uts last few episodes except the one featuring kids andcrobots showed potential, The reboot series as good though