“The final annihilation of the life form known as man. Let the attack begin!”
[Cylons turn to leave]
“Hey, before you guys go….can you two help me down from this thing? I’ve been stuck up here all day! Guys?”
SnowyNightFlyer
This was one of my favorite shows as a kid. Those shiny cyclons were awesome
ReedHarrison
I remember watching this when it first aired, and the one problem I always had was how come there weren’t any planetary defense systems in place? Not even a single squadron of Vipers on that whole fracking planet?? That’s some feldercarp!!
paddy
I love hearing Patrick MacNee's voice as the Cylon leader, and later as the Devil-in-disguise Count Iblis.
rowanaforrest
On 9/11 I was Active Duty Air Force and my Gen X nerd ass was thinking of this scene as I looked up in the sky seeing GWB’s escort Vipers fly over our base.
I enlisted late so my cohorts were all millennials who would not know anything about Battlestar Galactica until the reboot came-out in 2003.
Yes it was probably unnecessary to
imagine there would be enemy fighters violating US airspace, but orders were, “Be ready for anything, ” so naturally one’s imagination would get involved.
Ryan_Christopher
Good heavens. This was SO much darker and disillusioning than 8 year-old me remembers... those devastated looks on the faces of the Galactica CIC crew as they're watching their home worlds go up in flames.
greendalek
What will be lost on most, is how jaw-dropping these special Fx were for television in 1978.
There would be no big-budget specialty channels or streaming services for several decades.
Star Trek cost $150, 000 to 200, 000 an episode. The BSG pilot (albeit 10 years later) was
$7 - 9 million. It was even released theatrically (in Sensurround no less) to recoup costs.
This was cinema quality on television !! And that was a first. Now we have The Expanse and The Michael Bernham Discovery Hour, but in 1978 television Sci-Fi looked decidedly television.
PeBoVision
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is terrible, they're bombing the city!"
I lost it.
SuperBoyboys
Can't believe they killed the dog. Dirty rotten rustbuckets
DJPeteypie
Centurion: Oh mighty Imperious Leader, your fro hairdo is dynamite! What you put in it? Afro-Sheen?
Imperious Leader: Your attempts at flattery are as awkward as your artificial voice. Dispense with the pleasantries and give your report.
abcpan
Great memories of playing with my Colonial Viper and Cylon Raider toys when I was about 10 or 11.
bigmaxy
I always was a fan of the design of the Cylon ships, much more so than the rebooted versions.
Cerulean
Classic Battlestar Galactica was great. Lasted a season but it was an instant classic.
ericmadsen
Much better than having all of them Basestars launching nukes at the colonies. I loved the energy-based weapons instead of the re-make using bullets.
jeffburnham
I absolutely loved this show as a kid, along with Buck Rogers, too bad both shows didn't last very long.
michaelbruce
At least Dr. Quinn was there to set up a triage unit.
triggerfingerstudios
Cylon voices...about the most amazing thing for a bad guy...
badsteed
The visual effects were amazingly well done considering that BATTLESTAR GALACTICA was a television production, and it premiered in September, 1978, just a few months before I went on active duty in the Air Force. If memory serves me correct, the first episode (this one) snared an Emmy Award in the Visual Effects category. They were accomplished by producer John Dykstra.
thomastarwater
Ya gotta admit these were damn good effects for made for tv at the time.
