Category: Battlestar Galactica (Classic Series)

A sleeper ship is recovered in deep space, containing six frozen human beings. Given their ship’s primitive technology and unknown origins, it becomes widely speculated that the six humans are from Earth itself, which may be closer than anyone realized. This theory, however, begins to crumble when the humans are revived – and instantly find the atmosphere aboard Galactica poisonous. Worse yet, the rumors of living Earth people are dividing the loyalties of the Colonial fleet, and Adama fears for their safety. Apollo, Cassiopea and Starbuck quietly escort the humans away from the fleet, and ferry them to the planet Paradeen, which was to have been their destination. But their arrival comes too late – all human life on Paradeen has been exterminated, courtesy of a neutron bomb launched by the Eastern Alliance from the humans’ home planet of Terra. When Eastern Alliance soldiers arrive on Paradeen to hunt down the final remaining humans, the Galactica officers get involved in the Terrans’ war – a decision which will shortly prove to be messier than they could ever imagine.

written by Glen A. Larson
directed by Rod Holcomb
music by Stu Phillips

Guest Cast: Ray Bolger (Vector), Randolph Mantooth (Michael), Kelly Harmon (Sarah), Murray Matheson (Statesman Geller), Lesley Woods (Aggie Moreland), Frank Marth (Josh Moreland), Curt Lowens (Krebbs), Lloyd Bochner (Commandant Leiter), Bobby Van (Hector), Gary Vinson (Doyle), Alex Rodine (Lanceman), Lester Fletcher (Donner), Michelle Larson (Charity), Gillian Greene (Melanie), Eric Larson (Todd), Kimberly Woodward (Loma), David Larson (Walker), Donald Mantooth (Med tech), Ron Kelly (Security Officer Reese)

Notes: This two-hour episode is the beginning of a series of attempts to reformat the series for a lower budget (stock Nazi costumes being cheaper than Cylon armor), which eventually culminated in the show being recast and rebooted as Galactica: 1980.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

The Council of Twelve is infuriated with Adama’s command decisions involving the six Terrans, and he is reined in, relieved of all but military command – and even military orders must be filtered through an appointee of the Council. The Council then votes to open a dialogue with the Eastern Alliance hunters who have just been captured by Adama’s crew. But the Alliance prisoners have no intention of staying put – and they enlist the help of Baltar, who has a personal score to settle with the Colonials. The Council, without Adama’s advice, is taken hostage, and Baltar stands ready to deliver the fleet into the waiting hands of the Cylons.

written by Donald P. Bellisario
directed by Winrich Kolbe
music by Stu Phillips

Guest Cast: Ina Balin (Siress Tinia), Lloyd Bochner (Commandant Leiter), John Hoyt (Sire Domra), Robert Feero (Bora), Anthony deLongis (Taba), Lance Le Gault (Maga), Bruce Wright (Guard), Ron Kelly (Security Officer Reese), Mitchell Reta (Prison communications officer), Paul Tinder (Guard), Paul LeClair (Guard)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Apollo and Starbuck are sent on an urgent mission to recapture the Eastern Alliance escapees freed by Baltar, but before they can reach Terra, they are swept into yet another mission of mercy by the Seraphs – and this one is more potentially hazardous than the last, for the entire population of Terra could be wiped out. A peace accord between the Eastern Alliance and the Nationalists provides a perfect opportunity for both sides to lower their defenses – at which point the Alliance will strike. Adama is now faced with a difficult decision…should he allow events on Terra to unfold, or enforce peace by destroying the weapons poised in orbit of the planet, possibly leaving Terra defenseless as a consequence?

written by Glen A. Larson
directed by Rod Holcomb
music by Stu Phillips

Guest Cast: Melody Anderson (Brenda Maxwell), Peter D. MacLean (President Arends), Edward Mulhare (John), Nehemiah Persoff (Eastern Alliance Leader), Logan Ramsey (Moore), Ken Swofford (Gen. Maxwell), Sidney Clute (Stone), Ken Lynch (Dr. Horning), Jordan Rhodes (Brace), John De Lancie (Officer), Russ Martin (Alliance member), Milt Janin (Alliance Leader)

Notes: This episode’s basic premise, of Apollo being sent to set history straight in a form where everyone sees him as another man, was later reused by Donald Bellisario as the basis for his own SF series, Quantum Leap.

LogBook entry by Earl Green