I've recently started re-watching Battlestar Galactica, the 1978 version. I didn't watch this when it first came out although I remember it being a big deal. I remember having a cardboard mock-up of the cockpit of a Colonial Viper that I got as a prize from a cereal box. I also recall my Dad saying Battlestar Galactica was a knock off of Star Wars.
The show only lasted one season although they made another attempt in 1980. But it played quite a bit in syndication. That's the context where I watched it. It would come on TV on Saturday or Sunday afternoons and I would catch it when I could. So I never watched the show linearly in episode order. And I never saw the pilot three part movie. But I really liked the show and it wasn't hard to keep up with the overall story since they ended every episode with the same epilogue.
I never got into the SyFy reboot. I watched a few episodes and just couldn't get interested. But recently, as I get closer to turning 50, I began thinking of my childhood. And I saw Galactica was streaming free on the Tubi app. So, I decided to give it a whirl after all these years.
I'm now on episode 18...just seven episodes to go.
Overall I've enjoyed the experience. Many of the special fx hold up nicely after 40 years. Some effects look ridiculous by today's standards, but most hold up surprisingly well. The show can be exceedingly cheesy even by 70's standards. And there are some strange continuity issues. Some characters and relationships fall off the map and are never pursued. Dynamics change quickly without a set-up. Sometimes the acting can be terrible. The Cylons aren't very terrifying.
But it is good fun. There's some interesting and exciting action. If you can wade through the corny parts you'll find it enjoyable.
