An Analytical Guide to Television's Battlestar Galactica

<p> When the space drama <I>Battlestar Galactica</I> debuted on ABC in 1978 it was expected to be the most popular new program of the year. Instead it was attacked as a <I>Star Wars</I> rip-off and canceled after a mere 17 stories. The author acknowledges the show was full of dramatic cliches and scientific inaccuracies but despite these shortcomings <I>Battlestar Galactica</I> was a dramatically resonant series full of unique and individual characters such as Commander Adama (Lorne Greene) and ace warrior Captain Apollo (Richard Hatch).</p><p> The author contends that <I>Battlestar Galactica</I> was a memorable attempt to make science fiction accessible to mainstream television audiences. The brilliant work of artist John Dykstra brought a new world of special effects to network television. <I>Battlestar Galactica</I> also skillfully exploited legends and names from both the Bible and ancient mythology which added a layer of depth and maturity to the weekly drama.</p>