Battlestar Galactica: original series — 1x01 — Saga of a Star World, Part 1
Synopsis
The 12 Colonies of Man are all but wiped out by a cybernetic race called the Cylons. Commander Adama and the Battlestar Galactica lead a ragtag human fleet of survivors in search of a mythical planet called Earth.
Remarkable scenes
- "There are those who believe that life here began out there. Far across the universe. With tribes of humans who may have been the forefathers of the Egyptians, or the Toltecs, or the Mayans. That they may have been the architects of the Great Pyramids. Or the lost civilizations of Lemuria. Or Atlantis. Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man who even now fight to survive somewhere beyond the heavens." The first words spoken in the series, a narrative read by Patrick Macnee.
- Apollo and Zac battling the Cylons.
- The Cylons killing Zac.
- The Galactica engaging the Cylon fleet.
- The Cylons destroying the Atlantia.
- The Cylons attacking Caprica.
- Apollo overlooking a destroyed coastal city below him on Caprica.
- The revelation that the Battlestar Galactica is the only surviving Battlestar.
- I like the scene where Apollo, Starbuck, and Boomer confront the hungry, angry, suffering refugees.
Review
Part one of Battlestar Galactica's pilot was really a great episode of TV, especially for its time. Here we are beginning a story that is truly epic and very dark. An entire civilization is wiped out, minus a smattering of ships full of refugees. With their enemy in hot pursuit, where will they go and how will they survive? It's this dark premise that gives the show it's immense charm. In addition to that, the episode is complimented well with top notch (for the time) special effects and a wonderfully performed musical score.
Unfortunately, even in part one of the pilot the show starts exerting extensive plot holes and logical flaws. Among the technical problems listed in the problems section of this review, there's something just too far fetched about a society that's been at war for a thousand years being defeated so swiftly and completely. There's nothing technically wrong with that as it is presented in the story; such events really could occur, despite how unlikely it is. It's just that the military tactics used by the colonials in this episode were extraordinarily bad and you'd think a thousand years of war would make them have a better understanding of strategy. All science fiction shows require suspension of disbelief, but this is pushing it.
Case in point, the president was a moron. The Galactica's vipers are under attack early in the episode and the president orders the Galactica to ignore it? Who cares what the political situation is? When you are attacked, you defend yourself. Period. Fortunately, the show makes a pretty good point of voicing the various characters' discontent. Logical and technical problems aside, Saga of a Star World, Part 1 comes off strong. It's exciting, it's generally interesting, and it's better than most everything else made during its time.