What the FRACK Happened to GALACTICA 1980? 

Even though he wasn’t a part of this series, RIP Terry Carter (Colonel Tigh) December 16, 1928 - April 23, 2024 😢

My father-in-law Ronald Gilbert Satlof (now deceased), was the director of the “Return of Starbuck” episode. Ron was reportedly good friends with Galactica creator Glen Larson (Ron used to say that Larson wrote an early version of the Battlestar pilot script while a guest on Ron’s sailboat moored in Marina Del Rey). I recall Ron was especially pleased that the Starbucks episode was such a ratings hit when it first aired. It was always my favorite, too. Thanks for putting this behind-the-scenes video together. Haven’t seen “1980” since, well, 1980.

That episode with Starbuck is the best and only really memorable episode of this series.

The reason for the emphasis on Dr. Zee, the scouts, the time travel stuff and the 7pm time slot was that the show was aimed at kids.

While he wasn't in Galactica 1980, Terry Carter (Colonel Tigh in original BSG) passed away yesterday at the age of 95.

That scene from the episode The Return of Starbuck ( Not one Human. Not one Cylon. Friends ) it still brings a tear to the eye after so many years

There is no Galactica 1980. That was a nightmare I had.

In 1977, we moved to Sardinia right after my family got to see "Star Wars" in the theater. For the next two years we had no TV and the only sci-fi space movie I got to see in the theater was "Battle Beyond the Stars" with John Boy Walton and George Peppard. So today I have a soft spot for that movie. We moved to Chicago in 1979 and I was thrilled to watch any sci-fi shows. "Galactica" and the first season of "Son of Svengoolie" were life savers! Still a big Sven fan today.

I love that you used FRACK in the title. I remember two episodes. the one where Starbuck was back (the last episode), and for whatever reaseon the one where a Cylon was nearly taken out by a mirocowave...

The return of Starbuck episode made it all worth while! It was a great way to close out the original series!

I didnt realize the starbuck episode was from 1980 i always thought it was from the original series you enlightened me

Proof that majorly cheaping out on a sequel series just doesn't work. A huge letdown to fans of the original series. 😮

Loved the original show!!! Jane Seymour!!👉🏼😍

The Starbuck episode was great!

It was like replacing Bo and Luke Duke from The Dukes of Hazzard!

Terry Carter just died. He played Colonel Tigh. R.I.P.

I was part of the write in campaign to bring back Battlestar Galactica.

That Starbuck episode reminded me of the sci-fi movie, "Enemy Mine"

Also, talk about what happened to The Greatest American Hero.

Troy and Dillon were like the guys who replaced Bo and Luke Duke

That episode with Starbuck left an impression. Maybe I related his being stranded reflects how I feel sometimes. It was like a well written Twilight Zone episode.

I still can't figure out why Starbuck was marooned on that planet, given that he had a perfectly good Cylon ship at his disposal at the end of the episode.

Dirk Benedict makes fun of BSG in the A-team intro when a cylon at a theme park walks past him 😂

That Starbuck episode was a mix to me of Robinson crisoe and enemy mine.

The return of Starbuck has to be the best episode of that series. That being said it's still a decent series except for the fact that they had all the space kids in Scout uniforms period when they leave those out you have a promising series with Dylan and Troy exploring the planet those few episodes on the flying bikes period in the re-edited with Wolfman Jack and the Centurion on Halloween that was a good episode

As a kid, I loved it, especially, the turbocycles!

The Return of Starbuck, is the only episode that I watch from Galactica 1980 run as well, it felt as you say as if it belonged to the original BSG season and it was truly fantasticon so many levels; the show runners definately missed a trick by short changing the show and stripping its budget away; they should have invested instead of pulling the chicken switch.

I remember they inevitably parodied the show in Mad magazine, it was called “Cattle Star over Attica”

I’ve often wondered if that last episode of Galactica 1980 was the inspiration for the 1984 Dennis Quaid film ‘Enemy Mine’ where a human and alien are stranded together on a remote planet.

A couple if interesting points I liked they did well; they introduced a NEW generation of Cylon raider, somewhat larger and updated. And Galactica team created a new ship to combat the Cylons. Sort of saucer-like. Some good story potential had the show continued. Would be worth mentioning Richard's attempt to bring the show back with his home-made pilot he put together. Very slick.

7:30 RIP Terry Carter

Galactica 1980 really did Starbuck dirty... What they did to "party boy" Starbuck was a sentence to Purgatory, and REALLY made me ANGRY (as angry as seeing "Sam Beckett never returned home" on my TV screen [too well-known to be a spoiler])... The flying cycles became "CHIPS in Space"... ;-P "Troy" was supposedly Boxey's true name, and "Boxey" was a nickname that he tries to live down (no explanation given for the name in OG Galactica)... "Galactica:1980" was really just a bunch of felgercarb that they just fracked up... ;-P

I was excited when Galactica 1980 aired but not so excited after I watched it.

You rock, Dan ! These are great !

I give them an A+ for trying. Imagine what it could of been had they had the proper budget. Thanks Dan your the bestest...

Dan: Don’t remember Galactica 1980? Loved original series. Sad story: I was so hyped that Sunday night for network debut of Battlestar Galactica as a kid made my own dinner (Campbell’s Bean with Bacon soup and peanut butter/honey sandwich, large milk) why am I being so specific? My go to meal. Also, unfortunately in my rush to get downstairs to watch I missed a step and my meal ended up painting the walls and then getting into the carpet. Mom was not pleased. Missed it or missed most or basically felt so bad couldn’t enjoy it anyway. Luckily, streaming allows me to watch it now with no regrets!! Hope your experience was better. Bill

While 1980 was airing, I was at a party in SF and ran into Glen Larson who asked me what I thought about 1980. I don't recall exactly what I said, but I think it was carefully guarded way of saying I didn't like it. And my memory says that Larson agreed that it wasn't very good - but his defense was that he was following orders and didn't have very much time to put the show together.

Starbuck Returns was great. And I enjoyed the Halloween "invasion." Mostly because they got Wolfman Jack on as a guest. Also, it strangely oseudo-introduced the human Cylons that were such a key part of the reboot.

I love Galactica 1980. It's important to watch it at a time separately from a regular BSG rewatch. It compares well or better than many of the other Earth-bound adventure shows of the era. I bought both Galacrtia 1980 and BSG on Prime Video.

one of the main issues with the show? it was broadcast sunday nights at 7 PM ET / 6PM CT. It was made for "kiddies". Therefore they kinda dumbed it down.

If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find him, maybe you can hire Starbuck...

As a kid, I liked this show. It still holds a special place in my heart. The biggest problem other than the budget, was that the network treated all sci-fi as a kids show. In some ways I think this was really 3 shows. First was the time travel show from the pilot. Second was the space scouts / kids show. Third was the Return of Starbuck.

On a related note, Terry Carter, who played Colonel Tigh, recently passed away at age 95. RIP Terry Carter

Okay, you got me with the Starbuck episode. I had forgotten that. And I did like Lorne with the beard. Only that.

Just popping into say how much I appreciate you taking a positive view on some of these things you don't like. It would be very easy to slate and trash some of the lesser loved shows that you cover. Class move.

Return of Starbuck was the only reason for Galactica 1980 to exist.

My favorite show as a teenager. Lucifer was so cool and loved he was conniving. Dr Smith with his voice....how cool was that! Oops thought this as the original series. Oh well.

There were a few times, that the Starbuck flashback episode was shown as a separate TV movie. For a while, it was called "Starbuck's Great Adventure". A casual viewer might have even missed the fact that it was Galactica related. I didn't mind G-80. As a kid, it was a crumb, the tiniest morsel, that I was still willing to cling on to. It was kinda cool seeing the guy from the K-Tel commercials. (Wolfman Jack ) However, looking back, it was just too Glen A Larson, and it borders on painful. However, the flying motorcycles, no matter how ridiculous and possibly even the cloaking Vipers, will never not be cool. The Viper snow landings were very cool.

And here I've been operating under the belief that the episode with Starbuck was an unfinished regular episode that they shoehorned into the new show.

I met Herbert Jefferson Jr @ Travis AFB in 2007. When I mentioned to him about Galactica 1980, he didn’t want to talk about it.

I agree. "The return of Starbuck" was the only saving grace from that sad, second chapter of BSG. As a kid growing up in the late 60 & 70's I was always so excited about ANY new scifi show that came along. Genesis II, The Questor Tapes, Quark, Salvage One, The Time Machine remake in 78' or 79', Space 1999, Logans Run the (TV series), the Saturday morning stuff, etc, etc. Then if it sucked, sure I'd be disappointed, but it was better than nothing, right? Thats how I felt about Galactica 1980. Every episode I watched, I'd have renewed hope it was going to pull out of it's hard nose dive into the ground. With the Starbuck episode, I felt redeemed, but then it was done. I was so pissed. After enduring all that and to finally get a good episode and that was it?!??? Only to be replaced by Buck Rogers?? I enjoyed that shows first season, then in season 2 it just got super ridiculous... Here's a question for the network.. How was it they couldn't afford BSG, with sets already built, but they had the funds to build the Buck Rogers series?? And that piece of crap lasted 2 seasons! And to add insult to injury, they used the BSG sound effects, etc?!?? Here's a question for the fans. How many of you recorded all of the original Star Trek series, on cassette tape and listened to them day in and day out? lol

The Starbuck episode was the "Rogue One" of the Battlestar Galactica franchise.

The 7pm timeslot was the reason for the kids on the show. Episodes about pollution and sportsmanship were made thus getting away from the original concept.

There is a guy who sat behind me in 7th grade who would, daily, update me on how he was building a colonial viper in his backyard. Of course I didn't believe it. But after weeks and weeks of updates, each more detailed regarding the sourcing of materials and progress, I was halfway hooked/convinced. Once I mentioned dropping by for a visit he finally confessed there wasn't much if anything to see. I thanked him and held no ill will for the ruse as we enjoyed all those conversations so much how such a thing would be accomplished. I hope he's doing well and can picture him working in some sort of creative/engineering field.

To this day, the Return of Starbuck episode is one of the saddest episodes of any TV show I've ever seen. I think it scarred me as a child.

The one with Wolf Man Jack was ok.

Hey Dan, your audience wants to start a "how cool is that" drinking game. You down?

However, as a 14 year old i really loved it. Especially the “wolfman jack” scene is stuck inside my memory.😊

I fondly remember that Starbuck episode as well, but didn't recall it was from Galactica 1980. It had a similar plot to the 1985 film Enemy Mine, but apparently the book it was based on came out first.

The Cylons heard rap music in it's infancy and called off the war stating that humans have way many more problems to deal with in the future. 😅

I remember the Starbuck episode! It was the best episode of the show I feel.

Another excellent presentation! Reliving all these great shows really takes me back. I feel almost like a kid again! Thank you for this!!!

Felgercarb!

The original BSG was my favorite as well!

HEY DAN MONROE...DO YOU REMEMBER A SHORT-LIVED television show in the late 70's about a space garbage man named "Quark"? It starred Richard Benjamin as the title character and a host of aliens in the same vein as Star Wars cantina scene. A few "droids" were thrown in to complete the ensemble. The funniest part of the show was his spaceship. It totally looked like a garbage truck with the huge hopper on the back. Im not sure the show even made it past an entire first season. I enjoy the channel and never miss an episode. Thanks.😢

RIP Terry Carter....

the emblems on the collar of the Viper pilots are the US Army Military Intelligence MOS(Army job) Insignia(symbol)

Actually, I agree with you Big Guy, the Starbuck episode was the best of that run. Can still see the showdown between the Cylons in my mind... haven't seen it for years. the joys of being a sci-fi kid..

Robbie Rist played Dr. Zee. He was better known for playing Cousin Oliver in the last season of the Brady Bunch.

IIRC both Galactica and 1980 had Sunday time slots which were routinely interrupted for football. Heck, the pilot episode when originally aired was interrupted like 15 minutes before the end by the Camp David Peace Accords signing. Too bad the Galactica crew never found out about the Cylon's one weakness, microwave ovens. And if you recall, the second season of "Buck Rogers", anothe Larson project, had the plotline that was revers of Galactica with the Earth Ship Searcher looking for tribes of humans lost in the post-atomic horror.

I still liked it as I was starved for anything space related then. Another episode I really liked was the 2 part "Cylons on Earth" episodes which features Wolfman Jack and Lara Parker from "Dark Shadows" fame. Speaking of, Dan, you should really do an episode on Dark Shadows, the original TV series as it has movies, music & monsters spawn from it.

I named my first cat after Muffit 😺

Dan, the best thing about Galactica 1980 is your review.

This opened up some old wounds.

Great show, Dan. Two things, I still remember the diner scene where they order coffee and ask what's in it and when told the response was like, "You people drink beans?" The second thing is in your timeline, don't forget that although _Battlestar Galactica_ ended 29 April 1979 over in Universal Studios Hollywood on 9 June 1979 they premiered the *Battle of Galactica* attraction as part of the Studio Backlot Tour and it was kept open until sometime in 1992. So, the franchise hadn't completely disappeared. BTW, Dan, something right up your alley, one of the original Cylon animatronics from the ride was found in 2014. It was in the basement under _The Simpson's Ride_ that stood where the *Battle of Galactica,* had been. How cool is that? It was later sold at auction in 2020.

"How cool is that?!" You're the man, friend. Thanks!!

First video I have seen by this guy. GREAT host. Love the voice. Quality of the show, and length of episode, was perfect.

I have the entirety of Battlestar Galactica on DVD. The movie, the TV series, and Galactica 1980. I absolutely love it. 80 has its flaws, but I still love it. Those motorcycles were just awesome. Interesting tidbit, it’s been a while, so I can’t remember exactly where in the mix it was, but somewhere, in a shot, where we see the ragtag fleet of ships, the ship from Silent Running is one of the ships you see onscreen as part of the fleet.

Almost at 100K ! Advance congrats and thanks for such a great channel

One good thing about this series was that it was a short series.😂

Turns out, there were two actors who played Doctor Zee. The first one was Robbie Rist, who looked exactly like John Denver, right down to the glasses. (performed only in the pilot.) After that, the actor James Patrick Stuart played Doctor Zee for the rest of the episodes.

Galactica was a great memory of my youth. I would have liked to have a Cylon Raider or a Centurion, but at that time, I don't remember having any products from the series in my country. Finally, I bought all the DVD sets of three series, even if BSG 1980 is really not great.

Starbuck was my favorite episode. They should have explained the fates of the rest of the OG cast.

I freaked out when the original series ended. I think I watched 2 episodes of 1980. I just remember the Cylon being defeated by a microwave oven.

The Starbuck episode was great though

I watched Galactic 1980 a few years ago. The only good episode is the last one with Starbucks. Watch the last one. There is no build up for it. It was a stand alone episode.

Great video even though the show was lackluster. I agree the Starbucks episode was tremendous in the story plot. The only one I remember. British show UFO did a similarity with astronaut and alien buddy kind of survival along the same line. That’s another great show topic for the future. Thanks for the walks down memory lane!

This is a great channel! Could you do more props from the Universal monster films?

Didn't they just leave Starbuck for dead on that planetoid? The episode did have an Enemy Mine feeling to it with Starbuck and the Cylon.

Galactica 1980 was simply terrible. What possessed them to make it all about a group of young kids I will never know. It was bad enough that they had to film it in 'present day' America, but it was as if they were going out of their way to make it as bad as possible. Which perhaps in some ways they were if they were pissed at the fans for forcing them to make this abomination.

It had its moments. The night the cylons landed part one and two and the return of Starbuck are the best.

The fandom didn’t need this after a huge letter writing campaign to bring the epic adventure back again ! Galactica 1980: Adama’s really bad dream, thank the lords for “The Return of Starbuck “

Isnt the white uniform and blaster from the episode "Experiment in Terra"?

Love the original series!!!!

Wolfman Jack :) had a great spot in this series.

I love these! Keep it up. I wanted to say how much I really love them but that, my friend, is praise for another video.

Enemy Mine or Hell in the Pacific

I, like Dan, only watched the Starbuck befriending a Cylon episode. That was great…the rest of the series….don’t recall watching at all.

I was looking through the streaming app Tubi a while ago and saw that Galactica 1980 was on it and decided to give it a shot. I didn't get to see many of the G-1980 episodes when they aired because Sunday evening was church time. The only full episode I got to see was the one with Starbuck in it. Anyways, I am watching the first episode of G-1980 and could only make it through 20 minutes or so of the episode before I stopped and never continued watching it.

I always thought that 'Boxie' was Troy's nickname.