#1: Saga of a Star World
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2018 5:40 pm
The first and for me the best ever slice of Battlestar Galactica.
I was there September 17th 1978 at 20:00. At the time I lived at 105 Woodside Drive, Penfield New York; a suburb of Rochester New York.
Unfortunately, my parents being Ex-pat Brits were dedicated viewers of PBS’ Masterpiece Theater which aired at 21:00 on Sunday nights so I was only able to see the first hour and because we only had the one TV that was it. I would have my first proper experience of Saga of a Star World via the Marvel Super Special, the large format comic and of course the novelisation by Glen Larson and Robert Thurston.
I would eventually get to see the pilot on the big screen in the 124 minute Sensurround theatical version when it was released in 1979. I didn’t get to see the full 139 minute edit until the 2003 DVD release, which I imported to the UK (we had moved there in 1983). I had seen the 3-part syndication version but that wasn’t the same.
Nothing can beat this first adventure that sets up the whole tale. I’ve seen it more than any other episode and probably more times than most films as well; I watch this at least 2-3 times per year. If I were to be hyper critical I would say that it is a bit pear-shaped in that the first half is generally more compelling than the second. The whole concept of Carillon being a giant hunk of fuel is ludicrous and smacks of writers who had no idea how to properly end it ... and no idea of science.
But, the strength here is in the likeable, well-drawn characters and huge amount of life given to them by the actors. At the time critics and hardcore scifi buffs could do nothing but see the similarities with Star Wars (1977) and the fairly stock origins of the characters and the ludicrous scientific gaffs. At times in the past I’ve been bothered by the bad science and in my youth, dreamed of redoing BG covering all the bases. This has been done with the 2003-09 remake, which it has to said is pound for pound far better written than the old warhourse ever was. But, it hasn’t a fraction of the charm and none of the sense of fun of the 1978-80 classic.
Good performances, great music, decent script, excellent SPFX and an epic, compelling storyline. What more could we ever want and my go-to piece of comfort viewing TV that takes me back to the days when I was 11 and BG was one of the biggest TV events we’d had up to that time.
I was there September 17th 1978 at 20:00. At the time I lived at 105 Woodside Drive, Penfield New York; a suburb of Rochester New York.
Unfortunately, my parents being Ex-pat Brits were dedicated viewers of PBS’ Masterpiece Theater which aired at 21:00 on Sunday nights so I was only able to see the first hour and because we only had the one TV that was it. I would have my first proper experience of Saga of a Star World via the Marvel Super Special, the large format comic and of course the novelisation by Glen Larson and Robert Thurston.
I would eventually get to see the pilot on the big screen in the 124 minute Sensurround theatical version when it was released in 1979. I didn’t get to see the full 139 minute edit until the 2003 DVD release, which I imported to the UK (we had moved there in 1983). I had seen the 3-part syndication version but that wasn’t the same.
Nothing can beat this first adventure that sets up the whole tale. I’ve seen it more than any other episode and probably more times than most films as well; I watch this at least 2-3 times per year. If I were to be hyper critical I would say that it is a bit pear-shaped in that the first half is generally more compelling than the second. The whole concept of Carillon being a giant hunk of fuel is ludicrous and smacks of writers who had no idea how to properly end it ... and no idea of science.
But, the strength here is in the likeable, well-drawn characters and huge amount of life given to them by the actors. At the time critics and hardcore scifi buffs could do nothing but see the similarities with Star Wars (1977) and the fairly stock origins of the characters and the ludicrous scientific gaffs. At times in the past I’ve been bothered by the bad science and in my youth, dreamed of redoing BG covering all the bases. This has been done with the 2003-09 remake, which it has to said is pound for pound far better written than the old warhourse ever was. But, it hasn’t a fraction of the charm and none of the sense of fun of the 1978-80 classic.
Good performances, great music, decent script, excellent SPFX and an epic, compelling storyline. What more could we ever want and my go-to piece of comfort viewing TV that takes me back to the days when I was 11 and BG was one of the biggest TV events we’d had up to that time.
I can view it on PC, but not my phone.
heehee 
