A lot of people have asked me just how I got started in on Battlestar Galactica...well, I thought finally I would tell the rather long tale (and I'm thinking that this particular story is going to have to be in parts!) but at least I can offer Part 1 today.

Like anything...I will caution you...there have been ups & downs...good & bad...mostly ups and mostly good...but life isn't perfect, ESPECIALLY when dealing with the Battlestar Galactica (now) franchise.

At any rate, I'm gonna go out of my way to downplay anything negative (because it's all really been a plus for the most part) and nope, not gonna name name's when it comes to anything contrary to the good spin on things.

As they say...(they?)..."Such is life!"...but here we go...

First of all let me say that I'm a fan of science fiction, not a "fanatic"...but a fan.

Just to make sure that you understand, I'm also a fan of fried chicken, but I don' t think I'd ever create a fan club dedicated to it either!

Now back in "the day" I started off pretty basically in my science fiction(y) viewing...there wasn't as much available to choose from (a lot of people complain that there isn't enough science fiction out there today...there WAS a point when there was almost nothing...BUT I'm gonna have to give props to a couple of shows that really made me happy as a kid, albiet watching them in re-runs...I suppose the granddaddy of 'em all was Star Trek:

and of course who could forget...Lost in Space?

There were a couple more of course...and again I will stress a "couple" more....Sci-Fi shows were cyclic in those days....basically if Gene Rodenberry or Irwin Allen didn't produce them....they weren't going to be there...anyway, so I was making myself happy with the re-runs of these two classics especially.

But finally...finally...and being the eager young lad that I was, I of course plopped myself down in front of the tv screen to watch this NEW show that was coming on the air...no, no, no...it was NOT Battlestar Galactica...this was a bit before that but I'm sure that some of you all will recall Space: 1999?

I will tell you that I was one bitter kid when that went off the air...it seemed to me (at the time) that ANY time they put something on the air that I actually liked, they would jerk the rug out from under me after a season or two.

(That's before I knew anything about advertising or studio politics for that matter!).

So, getting back to the Battlestar Galactica theme of the story...back in the day...I'm with my Mom heading down the freeway...and I don't know what particular errand we were on...in Corpus Christi Texas...as we are pulling off the aforementioned freeway (probably heading for K-Mart or something) she casually mentioned that there was a NEW science fiction show coming on called Battlestar something or other...I was like "What's a Battlestar?"...I think she finally rememembered..."Battlestar Galactica" which didn't help too much either.

Just a note on this...Star Wars was still fresh in memory, having been released a year before this...and Empire Strikes Back was two years or so away.

Side note: If I coudn't get Space: 1999 I at least could go see Star Wars a billion times!

Anyway, so I'm finding out all I can about this new show...in a very 70s limited way especially for a kid...remember, no internet...

So the magic moment happens, I finally, finally am able to sit back down in front of the tv to watch a NEW epsiodic sci-fi television series: Battlestar Galactica!

Ok, so I got a MOVIE!

It was great, I loved it...great story, effects, heroes...the whole works...and then...then as Captain Apollo and Lt. Starbuck are making their way across this bridge to escape the Ovions...A SPECIAL REPORT comes on the air!

What?

Yes...the historic peace treaty between Egypt & Israel...so now instead of a Battlestar I'm looking at Anwar Sadat, Jimmy Carter & Menachem Begin making nice to each other at Camp David!

In retrospect of course, I realize that this was an important thing...more important than a television show BUT...as I thought then (and incidentally think now)...they COULD have waited!

So, I'm waiting and waiting....as the newscasters droned on & on about this or that particular...the speeches, pronouncements...ad naseum.

Until....

And then they picked it up right back where we had left off....so joy...I was able to finish watching the pilot movie of Battlestar Galactica aka Saga of a Star World.

And now I had a reason to plop down in front of my television set every week...same Battlestar Galactica channel...same Battlestar Galactica time....

Well there is more...lot's more...but for now, I will leave this....

To Be Continued