#13: Greetings from Earth

[Croft2014]

Not a fan of this feature-length special. The robots are silly, the subplots lame and the musical numbers are awful.

[bishopdonmiguel]

I will offer an alternative review.

A fan of this feature-length special. The robots are not silly, the subplots not lame and the musical numbers are not awful.

Enjoyed it then and enjoy it now.

[Specter]

The first half of this special is excellent, with the moral dilemma surrounding the Lunar Seven people in stasis and the clever maneuvering of our heroes to circumvent Reese and the short-sighted edicts of the Council. (We never learn directly what comes of the inquiry where Adama is ordered to appear, but presumably it results in the decision in the next episode to reassert Council control under the guise of awarding him the Star of Kobol.)

Unfortunately, the second half doesn't quite live up to the promise of the first half, but that's the result of its being an attempted "backdoor pilot" for the Randolph Mantooth and Kelly Harmon characters. The footage shot in the abandoned Expo '67 buildings is pretty effective.

I have to respect the courage of the show's producers in leaving the Cylons aside for a while and introducing a new enemy in the form of the Eastern Alliance. Regrettably, though, the Space Nazis are not really that exciting.

[bishopdonmiguel]

Wasn’t it great watching the “space nazis” reaction to seeing the Battlestar Galactica for the first time? The pompous commander who thinks his Eastern Alliance is the unbeatable force in the sector realizing his technology stands no chance against the Colonials’. Really an effective emotional moment.

[johnnybear]

You're joshing about the backdoor pilot right?
I liked the episode and thought that Commandant Leiter and his crew were a greats et of baddies but when you see how easily the Galactica boys take care of them here it is a bit dissatisfying to say the least!
They were much better as villains in Baltar's Escape where they took over the landing bay and escaped to Luna One!
JB

[Specter]

No, I've definitely read somewhere or other that Glen Larson had hopes of spinning off a series based on Michael and Sarah on Paradeen. And the fact that they gave those characters a little extra scene after the Galactica crew departed tends to support that idea.

[johnnybear]

That's good! The Frank Marth line about people not being cast I mean!
JB

[Cylon-Knight]

It could have been a fun show! Hummm.... #FanFilm

[johnnybear]

Without Hector and Vector you mean?
JB

[Cylon-Knight]

Right, they would have had their own spin off...

[Specter]

Right, they would have had their own spin off...

I would so watch that!*

*(he said, knowing full well it couldn't possibly ever be made now)

[Croft2014]

Damn, we still haven't picked up many votes; I guess no one re-watches the show and wants to comment.

[johnnybear]

I thought it was cancelled years ago?
JB

[Croft2014]

Gave this another view with the lockdown and all.

Starbuck and Apollo find a starship with a family in cryogenic freeze on board and bring it aboard the Galactica. It would seem they're humans from a unknown, nearby human civilisation on a plant called Lunar 7. They are refugees from the Eastern Alliance; the planet is held sway to two opposing power blocs who're at war.

It's found that the humans can't survive in the heavier atmosphere on the Galactica so Apollo, Starbuck and Cassiopeia flee the Galactica with them to escape Quorum of Twelve interference. They take them to their destination, the plant Paradeen which us a long uninhabited colony of Lunar 7 in the hope of funding the location of Earth. Meanwhile, an Eastern Alliance destroyer is on the way.

This is the only other feature length episode and was broadcast as a special; a big deal to us kiddies back in '79. However, it's all a bit half-assed with too many subplots that take up time away from the main story to little impact. The politicking of the Quorum members led by Geller (Murray Matheson) is crass and simplistic, the subplot with Sarah (Kelly Harmon) fancying Apollo, the two robot caretakers Hector (Bobby Van) and Vector (Ray Bolger) and their comedy relief ... all annoy and distract.

It's all very watchable but lumpy and uneven.

[johnnybear]

Paradeen would be a lovely place to move to and begin again I think especially with Frank Marth and the unseen neighbours help!
JB