After Star Wars thrilled audiences in theaters, everyone wanted to tap into the collective consciousness of pop culture that had embraced that galaxy far, far away.  Once Star Wars had trickled out of theaters halfway through 1978, the itch for more space fantasies needed scratching.  Glen A Larson tuned into the pulse of the people with an epic story of humans light years from Earth who were connected with us through shared ancient ancestry.  ABC picked up the pilot which featured movie-style special effects, compelling characters, and a plot that could end up with these “Brothers of Man” escaping the Cylons and integrating into our culture.  Battlestar Galactica was created and captured our hearts and minds while we waited for the inevitable sequel to Star Wars.

Battlestar Galactica

The pilot episode of the tragically single-seasoned Battlestar Galactica was aired as a Sunday Night Movie on ABC in mid-September 1978.  “Saga of a Star World” introduced Adama, Apollo, Athena, Starbuck, Boomer, Cassiopeia and more on the small screens in our homes.  We watched the alien machine race of Cylons nearly exterminate tribes (planets) of humans in a sneak attack under the guise of peace talks.  The survivors of the attack escaped their home planets in whatever space ships they could find to caravan towards their only hope to preserve the race by seeking the lost tribe of men on a far-away world known as Earth.  This “made-for-TV movie” followed the ragtag fleet through treacherous skies, to casino resort with man-eating hosts, and towards their goal of Earth as they fled their Cylon pursuers against all odds.  

Since its release and subsequent cancellation of the series after just one season, Battlestar Galactica has maintained its own place in pop culture in its own right.  Multiple attempts have been made to continue the story on TV and books, with a long-running reboot of the series premiering on the Sci-Fi Channel in 2004.  Battlestar Galactica continues to interest audiences, both young and old, as dads (and moms) introduce their kids to the things they loved in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

Thanks to Paul Bateman, High Adventure, and Richard Hatch for their appearances on this pilot episode of Star Wars Aftershocks.  We hope y’all enjoy the conversation.