Battlestar Galactica: Galactica 1980 — 1x07 — The Night the Cylons Landed, Part 1
Synopsis
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.
Remarkable scenes
- The appearance of the new Cylon ship.
- Flight attendant: "Smoking or nonsmoking?" Dillon: "Which way does the plane run best?"
- The Cylons mistaken for Halloween costumes.
- The disclaimer at the end... "The United States Air Force stopped investigating UFOs in 1969. After 22 years, they found no evidence of extra-terrestrial visits and no threat to national security." WTF?
Review
So the Cylons have created human models. Now there's an interesting plot development, but true to Galactica 1980's style, it's exploited for comical value rather than its serious implications. Indeed, this episode makes for a pretty good showcase of why this series is so hated. It's filled top to bottom with cheesy late 70s / early 80s comedy; even viewing this episode back in 1980 would have been a bizarre experience. We do, however, get to see a new type of Cylon ship in this episode which looks pretty cool. And I concede an extra point for this episode's strangely effective, though perhaps unintentional humor.