When Battlestar Galactica (Amazon affiliate link) premiered in September 1978, television audiences were suddenly transported to a distant galaxy filled with enormous spaceships, fighter battles, alien civilizations, robots, futuristic weapons, and an ancient prophecy about humanity's origins.
The series was clearly part of the science-fiction boom created by Star Wars. Yet the origins of Battlestar Galacticawere more complicated than simply attempting to copy George Lucas's successful film.
The original series had been developing for years in the mind of producer Glen A. Larson. Its premise combined space opera, ancient astronaut theories, biblical and religious themes, Western adventure, naval traditions, and the influence of earlier science fiction. When Star Wars became a phenomenon in 1977, Hollywood suddenly became interested in the project.
The result was one of the most expensive television productions ever made at the time.
It was also a series that lasted only one season.
Yet the original Battlestar Galactica has remained popular for nearly half a century and eventually inspired one of the most acclaimed science-fiction reimaginings in television history.
The Origins of the Series
The origins of Battlestar Galactica go back to the late 1960s.
Glen A. Larson, a television writer and producer who had worked with Star Trek producer Gene L. Coon, had developed an idea about humanity leaving Earth in search of a new home. The early concept was known as "Adam's Ark."
The basic idea was that humanity had lost its original home and was traveling through space in search of a new one.
This concept would eventually develop into the story of the Twelve Colonies and the search for the legendary planet Earth.
Larson reportedly had difficulty getting the project produced. A large-scale space adventure would have been enormously expensive by the standards of 1960s television.
Television science fiction had certainly existed. Star Trek had demonstrated that a science-fiction series could develop a large and devoted audience. However, most television productions still operated with much smaller budgets than major motion pictures.
That changed after 1977.
The Impact of Star Wars
The release of Star Wars in May 1977 transformed the entertainment industry.
George Lucas's film became an enormous commercial and cultural success. Audiences suddenly demonstrated that they were eager for large-scale science-fiction adventures.
Hollywood quickly attempted to capitalize on the new interest in space fantasy.
Glen Larson's long-developing project suddenly appeared commercially viable.
The timing was extremely important.
Before Star Wars, a television series involving huge space battles and elaborate alien worlds would have been considered extremely risky.
After Star Wars, a major television network could reasonably ask:
How quickly can we produce a space adventure of our own?
ABC became interested in Larson's project.
The series was developed as a major television event, and the pilot was produced on an unusually large scale. The initial story, later released theatrically in some markets as Saga of a Star World, became the foundation for the series.
The production reportedly cost millions of dollars, making it one of the most expensive television productions of its time.
The Influences Behind Battlestar Galactica
The original Battlestar Galactica drew from a variety of sources.
Star Wars
The most obvious influence was Star Wars.
The similarities were impossible to ignore.
Both featured:
- Space fighters
- Large capital ships
- Laser-like weapons
- Alien creatures
- A conflict between good and evil
- A villainous military force
- A young heroic protagonist
- A space-fantasy setting
The timing also created an obvious connection.
Star Wars premiered in 1977.
Battlestar Galactica premiered in 1978.
The series was therefore inevitably viewed as part of the wave of science-fiction entertainment inspired by the success of Lucas's film.
However, the concept behind Battlestar Galactica had been developing before Star Wars. Larson maintained that his basic concept predated the film's release.
The important point is that the series was influenced by Star Wars in its production and presentation, even if the original concept had earlier origins.
The success of Star Wars made it possible for the project to become a major television production.
Star Trek
Star Trek was another important influence.
The two series were very different in tone and structure, but Star Trek had demonstrated that television audiences could become deeply invested in a continuing science-fiction universe.
Battlestar Galactica also inherited elements of the television space-adventure format:
- A central crew
- A continuing mission
- Episodic adventures
- Recurring characters
- Exploration of different worlds
However, Battlestar Galactica was more overtly an epic adventure story than Star Trek.
The crew of the Galactica was not exploring the galaxy because it was their mission.
They were refugees.
They were searching for survival.
Ancient Astronaut Theories
One of the most distinctive influences on the series was the popularity of ancient astronaut theories.
The opening narration of the series proposed that humanity's ancestors may have come from somewhere beyond Earth and that ancient civilizations might have been connected to extraterrestrial visitors.
This was strongly reminiscent of ideas popularized by writers such as Erich von Däniken, whose book Chariots of the Gods? argued that ancient civilizations might have been influenced by extraterrestrial beings.
The series took these ideas and incorporated them into its mythology.
The Colonies had originated from a world called Kobol.
The Twelve Colonies represented the descendants of a people who had migrated across the stars.
The thirteenth tribe had disappeared.
According to the series' mythology, this lost group had eventually settled on a planet called Earth.
The premise therefore combined:
- Science fiction
- Ancient history
- Mythology
- Religious tradition
- Speculative anthropology
This gave Battlestar Galactica a mythology that was unusually ambitious for late-1970s television.
Biblical and Religious Influences
Religious themes were also central to the original series.
The Colonies were organized around a religious tradition involving multiple gods.
The characters referred to ancient texts and prophecies.
They believed that the lost thirteenth tribe had traveled to a distant world.
The story of humanity's origins and migration therefore had a distinctly religious structure.
There are also clear parallels with biblical stories.
The Colonials are a people who lose their homeland and travel through the wilderness in search of a promised destination.
The fleet's journey can be compared to an exodus.
The search for Earth functions in some ways like a search for a promised land.
The series also included themes of:
- Prophecy
- Exile
- Judgment
- Faith
- Sacrifice
- Hope
Glen Larson was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and scholars have identified possible connections between aspects of the show's mythology and Mormon religious concepts. These include themes involving twelve leaders or colonies, a lost thirteenth group, and the importance of marriage and family.
The show was not simply a religious allegory, but its mythology clearly went beyond the conventional science-fiction formula.
The Premise of the Series
The story begins with a catastrophe.
Humanity is divided among Twelve Colonies.
The Colonials have enjoyed a period of relative peace with the Cylons, a technologically advanced enemy.
The peace is a deception.
The Cylons launch a massive surprise attack.
The Twelve Colonies are destroyed.
The human population is almost completely wiped out.
The attack is made possible through the betrayal of Count Baltar, who has made an agreement with the Cylons.
The only major military vessel to survive is the Battlestar Galactica, commanded by Commander Adama.
A fleet of civilian ships gathers around the Galactica.
The survivors have lost their homes.
They have lost most of their civilization.
They are now refugees.
Commander Adama announces that there may be a surviving group of humans: the descendants of the legendary thirteenth tribe.
They are believed to have settled on a distant planet called Earth.
The fleet therefore begins a desperate journey.
Its mission is to find Earth.
The Cylons pursue them.
This basic premise provided the series with a powerful narrative engine.
Every episode could involve a new world, a new challenge, or a new threat.
But the larger story always remained in the background:
Could the surviving Colonials find Earth before the Cylons destroyed them?
Commander Adama
The emotional center of the series was Commander Adama, played by Lorne Greene.
Greene was already famous as the patriarch Ben Cartwright on Bonanza.
His presence gave Battlestar Galactica a certain authority.
Adama was not simply a military commander.
He was also:
- A father
- A political leader
- A religious believer
- A historian
- A protector of the human survivors
He was responsible for an entire civilization that had been reduced to a fleet of refugee ships.
This created a different kind of science-fiction protagonist.
Adama was not an explorer like Captain Kirk.
He was not a young adventurer like Luke Skywalker.
He was a leader carrying the responsibility of an entire people.
His character gave the series much of its seriousness.
Apollo and Starbuck
The two most popular younger characters were Captain Apollo and Lieutenant Starbuck.
Apollo, played by Richard Hatch, was Adama's son.
He was the more serious and responsible of the two.
Apollo was:
- A skilled fighter pilot
- A military officer
- A loyal son
- A moral hero
Starbuck, played by Dirk Benedict, was very different.
He was charismatic, confident, humorous, and something of a gambler.
Starbuck represented the traditional roguish space-adventure hero.
He was one of the clearest examples of the influence of classic adventure fiction on the series.
Together, Apollo and Starbuck provided the series with its central action partnership.
Their relationship also reflected the influence of earlier television adventure programs and Westerns.
The Colonial Fleet
The fleet was one of the most interesting aspects of the series.
The surviving humans were not simply traveling aboard one spaceship.
They were traveling in a collection of civilian vessels.
The fleet included:
- Passenger ships
- Freighters
- Military vessels
- Civilian transports
This created the image of a civilization in motion.
The Galactica was not simply a spaceship.
It was the military protector of an entire refugee society.
The fleet was a kind of spaceborne community.
This allowed the series to explore stories involving:
- Politics
- Family
- Crime
- Religion
- Economics
- Leadership
- Cultural survival
The premise was therefore much broader than a simple battle between humans and Cylons.
The Cylons
The Cylons were the primary villains of the series.
They were an advanced technological civilization that had destroyed the Twelve Colonies.
Their soldiers were represented by the famous Cylon Centurions.
The Centurions had:
- Metallic bodies
- Red scanning eyes
- Mechanical voices
- Armor
- Futuristic weapons
They became some of the most recognizable villains in science-fiction television.
The Cylons were also represented by humanoid figures, particularly Baltar's Cylon allies.
The original series presented the Cylons primarily as an external enemy.
They were an empire seeking to destroy humanity.
The later reimagined series would radically reinterpret the Cylons as a much more complicated civilization involving artificial intelligence, religion, and human-like agents.
The original Cylons were simpler, but their visual design became iconic.
The First Season's Development
The original series began with the destruction of the Colonies and the formation of the refugee fleet.
The early episodes focused on the fleet's journey and the dangers encountered along the way.
The Colonials had to search for supplies, avoid the Cylons, and deal with the challenges of keeping an entire civilization alive.
The series frequently moved between different types of stories.
Some episodes were large-scale space adventures.
Others were more personal.
The series included stories involving:
- Political conflict
- Criminals
- Lost civilizations
- Strange planets
- Alien societies
- Military missions
- Family relationships
This was partly a strength and partly a weakness.
The basic premise was extremely powerful.
However, the series had not yet developed the consistent tone and serialized storytelling that would become common in later science fiction.
The larger journey toward Earth was frequently placed in the background while the characters became involved in self-contained adventures.
The Comparisons with Star Wars
The comparison between Battlestar Galactica and Star Wars was unavoidable.
The two productions shared a number of visual and narrative similarities.
Both featured:
- Space battles
- Fighter squadrons
- Large spacecraft
- Futuristic weapons
- Alien creatures
- A heroic adventure structure
The similarities were strong enough that 20th Century Fox, the studio behind Star Wars, filed a lawsuit against Universal Studios.
Fox alleged that Battlestar Galactica had copied elements of Star Wars.
Universal responded with counterclaims alleging that Star Wars itself had similarities to earlier science-fiction films, including the 1972 movie Silent Running.
The legal conflict became part of the history of the series.
The lawsuit was eventually settled.
The controversy, however, reinforced the public perception that Battlestar Galactica was a Star Wars imitator.
That judgment was somewhat simplistic.
The series clearly benefited from the popularity of Star Wars.
Its visual style was influenced by the new demand for cinematic space adventure.
But the show's concept had its own origins, particularly in Larson's earlier ideas about humanity searching for a new home.
The truth is therefore somewhere between the two extremes.
Battlestar Galactica was not simply a direct copy of Star Wars.
But it also would probably never have been produced on such a scale without the success of Lucas's film.
The Special Effects
The visual effects were among the most impressive aspects of the series.
The production used techniques and personnel associated with major motion pictures.
The space battles were designed to give television audiences a cinematic experience.
The Viper fighters became particularly iconic.
The Vipers were fast, maneuverable spacecraft launched from the Galactica.
Their battles against the Cylon Raiders helped define the visual identity of the series.
The model work was ambitious for television.
The effects may look dated by modern standards, but they were extremely impressive in 1978.
The series also used extensive models, optical effects, miniatures, and large sets.
The production costs were correspondingly high.
This would eventually become one of the reasons the series faced difficulties.
The Original Reception
The premiere received considerable attention.
Audiences were fascinated by the idea of a major space adventure appearing as a weekly television series.
The pilot was presented as a major event.
The series also benefited enormously from the continuing popularity of Star Wars.
The initial public response was strong.
Many viewers were attracted by:
- The large-scale space battles
- The special effects
- The characters
- The mythology
- The sense of an epic journey
Critics, however, were more divided.
Some praised the scale and ambition of the production.
Others criticized:
- The writing
- The melodrama
- The simplistic morality
- The similarities to Star Wars
- The uneven quality of individual episodes
The series has generally received mixed critical evaluations over the years. Modern aggregate reviews reflect this division: the original series has a devoted audience, but critical opinion has often been less enthusiastic than the show's fan following.
Why Was the Series Cancelled?
Despite its popularity, Battlestar Galactica lasted only one season.
The central problem was cost.
The series was extremely expensive to produce.
The special effects, models, sets, and production demands were far more costly than those of most network television programs.
Although the series attracted a substantial audience, the network ultimately concluded that the expense was too great.
The ratings also declined after the initial excitement surrounding the premiere.
The series ended in 1979.
For many viewers, this was particularly disappointing because the story had not reached its intended conclusion.
The Colonials had not yet found Earth.
The central narrative remained unresolved.
Galactica 1980
The popularity of the original series was sufficient to produce a sequel series, Galactica 1980, in 1980.
The new series finally brought the fleet to Earth.
However, it was significantly different from the original.
The budget was lower.
The cast was substantially changed.
The tone was lighter.
The stories were often aimed at a younger audience.
The result was generally less well regarded than the original series.
Galactica 1980 lasted only a short time.
The original series, rather than its sequel, remained the definitive version of the original continuity.
How Has the Original Series Been Viewed Since?
The reputation of the original Battlestar Galactica has changed over time.
When the series first appeared, it was often criticized as a derivative product created to capitalize on Star Wars.
That criticism has never entirely disappeared.
However, later audiences have increasingly recognized its distinctive qualities.
It Was Ambitious
The original series attempted to create an epic science-fiction mythology for television.
The story involved:
- The destruction of a civilization
- A refugee fleet
- An ancient origin story
- A lost tribe
- A search for Earth
- An interstellar war
That was an extraordinarily ambitious concept for 1978 television.
It Had a Strong Premise
The central story remains compelling.
A civilization has been destroyed.
A small fleet of survivors must search for a legendary home while being pursued by an enemy determined to eliminate them.
This is a strong foundation for a television series.
It Had Memorable Characters
Adama, Apollo, Starbuck, Athena, Boomer, Baltar, and the Cylons remain recognizable characters.
The series also benefited enormously from Lorne Greene's presence.
It Created an Enduring Visual Style
The Galactica itself, the Colonial Vipers, and the Cylon Centurions became iconic science-fiction designs.
The series has continued to influence science-fiction art and popular culture.
It Is Uneven
The series also has clear weaknesses.
Some episodes are formulaic.
Some dialogue is overly sentimental.
The special effects, while impressive for the time, naturally look dated.
The series sometimes struggles to balance its epic mythology with its episodic format.
Modern viewers may also find the tone inconsistent.
The same series can move from the destruction of an entire civilization to a much lighter adventure only a few episodes later.
The Legacy of the Original Series
The most obvious legacy of the original Battlestar Galactica is the 2003 miniseries and the subsequent series developed by Ronald D. Moore and David Eick.
The reimagined series took the basic premise and radically transformed it.
It retained:
- The Twelve Colonies
- The Cylons
- The Galactica
- Commander Adama
- Apollo
- Starbuck
- The search for Earth
But it reinterpreted the material in a much darker and more realistic way.
The original series was a space opera.
The reimagined series was also a political drama, military drama, religious story, and exploration of the nature of humanity.
The existence of the reimagined series demonstrates the strength of the original premise.
Even after decades, the basic story remained powerful enough to support an entirely new interpretation.
A Television Space Epic Before Its Time?
It is tempting to view the original Battlestar Galactica primarily as a failed attempt to imitate *Star Wars.
That interpretation is understandable but incomplete.
The series certainly emerged during the Star Wars boom.
Its production was influenced by the new popularity of cinematic science fiction.
Its similarities with Lucas's film produced a major legal controversy.
But the series also had deeper roots.
Glen Larson had been developing the basic idea for years.
The show combined:
- Ancient astronaut theories
- Biblical themes
- Space opera
- Western adventure
- Military science fiction
- Star Trek-style television storytelling
- The cinematic influence of Star Wars
The result was a unique mixture.
It was not always successful.
But it was imaginative.
Conclusion
The original Battlestar Galactica premiered in 1978 at a moment when science fiction had suddenly become one of the most important forces in popular entertainment.
The success of Star Wars made possible a television series that might otherwise never have received the necessary budget.
Yet the show's origins reached further back.
Glen A. Larson had been developing a story about humanity leaving its home and searching for a new world since the late 1960s. The concept eventually became the story of the Twelve Colonies, the destruction of humanity, the surviving refugee fleet, the Cylons, and the search for Earth.
The series drew upon a remarkable mixture of influences.
It combined the cinematic excitement of Star Wars with the television tradition of Star Trek, the adventure structure of Westerns, the ideas of ancient astronaut theorists, and religious and mythological themes.
The result was a show that was ambitious, visually spectacular, and often uneven.
Its first season was also its last, largely because of the enormous expense of producing it.
Nevertheless, the series created a lasting mythology.
The Galactica, the Colonial Vipers, the Cylon Centurions, Commander Adama, Apollo, and Starbuck became part of science-fiction history.
The original series has never entirely escaped the comparison with Star Wars. But it should not be remembered merely as a copy.
Its premise was distinctive, its mythology was ambitious, and its central story—the survival of a scattered people searching for a lost home—remains powerful.
The greatest evidence of its lasting strength is what happened decades later.
The original Battlestar Galactica was reimagined, expanded, and transformed into another acclaimed television series.
Few television shows that last only one season have achieved such a legacy.
The original Battlestar Galactica may have been born in the shadow of Star Wars, but it ultimately established a mythology of its own.
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