the (12)

STORY SYNOPSIS

The Galactica Fleet, having escaped the Holocaust and having unknowingly destroyed the Cylon Imperious Leader at the battle of Carillon, continues to explore deep space far away from their war-ravaged homeworlds. The new Cylon leader spares the disheveled human traitor Baltar and sends him after the rebel fleet with a Basestar, entirely under the human's command. Baltar is escorted to his new assignment by Lucifer, a Cylon android who seems to have more in common with the Imperious Leader than with the crude, robotic Centurions.

On the Galactica, Apollo announces his engagement to Serina. At this point, Serina is still in civilian dress. But later, Apollo visits Serina in her quarters to discover she is wearing a cadet's uniform; the Colonial journalist wishes to become a shuttle pilot. While Apollo first objects, his fiancee assures him she will serve her new role well.

Apollo joins Starbuck on a Viper reconnaissance mission beyond the Fleet's tracking range. The two "buddies" discover a great black void , which inhibits all forms of tracking, navigation and communication. After nearly getting lost in this void, the two turn return to the Galactica to report their discovery. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Boomer and Flight Sergeant Jolly probe another direction with their Vipers. The two discover a Cylon outpost built into a rockface on an asteroid. They leave the area, not suspecting the Cylons are tracking them.

On returning to the Galactica, Boomer and Jolly sneak past decontamination procedures to join Apollo's bachelor party. Both collapse and reveal a strange plague which incapacitates and could kill everyone in the Fleet. Doctor Salik orders a quarantine of all personnel (exclusively male personnel of the Galactica's bridge crew and pilot roster) who came in contact with Boomer and Jolly. One by one, all of those affected are stricken. Salik insists he will have to journey to the asteroid to discover what caused this disease. With so many Viper pilots incapacitated, Adama must recruit shuttle pilots, apparently all female, to train for Viper simulation. Apollo and Starbuck ultimately lead a reconstituted Blue Squadron, including Serina, to escort Doctor Salik's shuttlecraft to the asteroid.

Baltar and Lucifer spar over what to do about capturing the Galactica and her fleet. Baltar insists on no aggressive action or revelation of his Basestar. Both seem concerned about how to handle the rogue Battlestar, and content to bicker about it.

Apollo and Starbuck seem to have their hands full just keeping their squadron in formation. They catch the outpost by surprise. The Cylons get several fighters launched, but Apollo starts destroying them before more can do so. Starbuck and Athena lead the rest of the squadron in picking off the Cylons. It seems everyone got the hang of flying and fighting. Blue Squadron reports their mission was a success.

Both Lucifer and Baltar are bewildered by the attack on the outpost. What could the Colonists have gained by this incursion? Even more puzzling are the reports of erratic flying of the attacking Vipers. Baltar tires of bickering with Lucifer and orders the capture of one of the Galactica patrols.

A Second Look
Baltar seems to get way too familiar with Lucifer in a hurry, doesn't he? For a man who was nearly executed at the hands of the Cylons, he seems all too confident to tell Lucifer "Don't fence with me, my friend." And why does Lucifer often visit Baltar with an armed guard in tow? Fear of assassination, perhaps?

The scene where Apollo announces his engagement to Serina in Adama's dining room seems very stilted. The starched dialogue seems dated, even for the 1970's. This kind of thing makes the whole story look half-baked.

Why would Boomer and Jolly assume they had not been detected by the Cylons on a Cylon-held asteroid? Shouldn't an evasive procedure be in place in the event these probes make such a discovery?

Obviously, the sickness which incapacitates these pilots is a device which the entire story's sense of jeopardy rests on. But that still doesn't explain why they got away with skipping their decontamination process. (Looks like it wouldn't have mattered, since both men were already afflicted.)

There are presumably enough capable folks throughout the fleet who were not at that party that would make better Viper pilot candidates than a trainee who's never even flown a shuttle before! It's one thing to recruit shuttle pilots to fly Vipers, another to recruit cadets who've never flown a shuttle. One would think Serina could've said something about having flying hours back on Caprica, but this is yet another missed opportunity that makes the show look half-finished.

Spectacle Value
Some fans grouse about seeing stars in the abyss. This really wasn't a problem. The blackness was sufficient to get the message across, while those few stars showed the edges of the abyss.

The Cylon outpost looked like a miniature. It would've been different if they would've superimposed the images of tiny Cylon warriors guarding the encampment's periphery on foot, a la Gamoray.

Some may not buy into Lucifer's appearance, but this is one Cylon effect that looked perfect for the show. It may scream "disco robot" and the use of Jonathan Harris' voice makes one think of Lucifer as a descendant of Robot from LOST IN SPACE. Still, Lucifer is a shining example of something this show did perfectly the first time. This is the most alien character in the entire series, outside of the being of light seen in "War of the Gods." Sadly, one is left with the impression the all there is to a Cylon Basestar is computerization, launch bays, and a big throne room. If the Cylons are supposed to be part of the story, they should be treated as characters. Does Baltar do nothing but sit on his throne and run his back massager while he passes gas all day? What a waste. If the Basestar is under his command, why not show him in a planning room with Lucifer, studying a star chart? If the show's makers can suit up a Centurion to be on hand, why not show the Centurion interacting with them?

This episode recycles internal footage of the Cylon Basestar over Carillon from "Saga of a Star World, Pt. 3". It shows Cylons standing next to a wall of electronic equipment, apparently monitoring Colonial activity and responding to it. It looks like they just took a hunk of the Galactica's bridge and posed some Cylons in front of it. Cheap, and campy looking. At least for "The Hand of God", the Cylons had their own bridge.

There was one nice computer graphics shot used: when Apollo is being dogged by a Cylon fighter, we see an attack computer display showing a nicely done graphical representation of a Viper approaching with a Cylon behind. Very nice, especially for 1978.

He said, she said
Much has been made of how this episode looks dated, how it underscores a male chauvinist attitude in late 1970's television. There are some interesting passages throughout the episode.

The scene between Apollo and Serina in her quarters was nice, but not substantial enough to do either character justice. Again, like the dining room scene, the conversation seems stilted and awkward, over-simplifying the characters' dilemma. Apollo has the nerve to ask his fiancee, "Are you any good?" instead of a more caring and diplomatic "How good was your score?" This scene seems to have been shot to show off Jane Seymour in a tight uniform. (How often do we see so obvious an exhibition of "the Jordache look" in hour-long primetime dramatic fare today? With the exception of STAR TREK: VOYAGER's Seven of Nine, not very often.)

Then there's the scene with the ladies in the crew bunkroom wearing slinky "G-suits", which would make men look ridiculous as well. (Funny, but how often do we see Richard Hatch or Dirk Benedict wearing these same suits? For that matter, wouldn't it have been wiser to avoid this kind of nonsense by designing a flightsuit-and-helmet combination that doubles as a spacesuit? Hindsight being 20/20, guess nobody ever thought of that.) Just what we need to see is Apollo and Starbuck lecturing a bunch of giggling "girls". Somebody should've been soooooo fired for that scene, they should OWE their Hollywierd employers money for it!

Athena is shown piloting a Viper, both in simulation and in battle. She was previously portrayed as a bridge officer. Despite the accusation that Athena's poor piloting carried a sexist message with it, it seems more logical that the show's makers threw Maren Jensen's character into a cockpit because they didn't have a female pilot character readied from "Saga of a Star World." Athena's amateurish flying can be considered understandable if the bulk of her experience is in other areas. If the show would've been better showing her as a pilot, then that's something which should've been addressed earlier. Barring that, Apollo and Starbuck's attitudes are understandable.

Perhaps the biggest embarrassment about this episode is the unprofessional conduct of almost all the Galactica personnel. Is this a cruise ship, or a military vessel? Apollo's pilot friends may celebrate, but all at once? After what's happened to their people? Not only is this "party" an affront to military ideals and readiness, it also serves to make the Galactica look more like MCHALE'S NAVY or a cruise ship, not a carrier on the run escorting refugees. Glen Larson and company seem not to take the nature of their characters or the dangers of their war seriously enough. To the credit of the giggling female pilots, at least they seemed to take their duties more seriously once they got into their cockpits.

Isn't it neat how everyone in the restocked Blue Squadron is a lieutenant? Conveniently, none of these ladies outrank Apollo and Starbuck. Still, if some of these ladies are green, you'd expect to see an ensign. (It's never made clear if Athena's lieutenant rank is air or naval-based. As a Bridge officer, her rank would likely be naval, which would at least put her as equal to Starbuck, if not Apollo. This would also explain the way these characters address each other, personal familiarity aside.)

IF BATTLESTAR GALACTICA WERE BRAND-NEW TODAY...

They would've had to better develop this episode. It was obviously not thought through as well as it should've been. The disease still could've incapacitated several pilots, but the whole business of throwing inexperienced pilots into space would be avoided. Serina piloting a Viper did nothing for the character or the story. Baltar seemed over-eager to do the Imperious Leader's bidding to start with; his life depended on it. So why was he shown lounging in his throne room? What is he doing in there? Daydreaming? Baltar and Lucifer would have to be more than just cardboard standups, ordering Cylon maneuvers. And the discovery of the Cylon outpost should've been handled more cleverly, as with the discovery of the Basestar in "The Hand of God."

The show did not take its military/war aspect seriously enough. Had the show more clearly defined the military culture of the characters and the hardship it imposed on them, it would've been a double-edged sword. It would've made drama easier for the writers and the actors to portray, and it would've given the characters and their situations more substance.

The show's dogfights would have to be more three-dimensional. BATTLESTAR GALACTICA did a surprisingly good job of showing there's no "up" or "down" in space, but even today's sci fi can do a better job.

And maybe instead of showing a Cylon airstrip on a vulnerable asteroid's surface, we could see a new type of Cylon space station or mini-Basestar in orbit.

Isn't there enough canonical evidence that not all refugees and warriors from the Colonies are Earth-type homo sapiens? There are Nomen and many others. So why are they not seen on the Galactica's bridge or in her Vipers' cockpits? All of the characters in this episode are either human or Cylon. Break out the weird makeup! Put a squid on the bridge next to Sara Rush! Put an octopus in that Viper!

TIDBITS & NITPICKS

This episode clearly underscores that both Colonial and Cylon fightercraft are capable of at least lightspeed. (Probably shuttles, too.) There is the loose implication that the Cylons at the outpost dispatched fighters to Baltar's Basestar, rather than revealing the discovery of Boomer and Jolly's intrusion over an open comm-link. There is also the loose implication that Baltar was ordering Cylon fighter patrols to "hang back" and not reveal themselves to the hunted Fleet. Lucifer indicates that accelerating to lightspeed would allow the Basestar to intercept the Galactica in a short period of time. This means that the Cylon patrols trailing the Fleet must be capable of at least lightspeed to have caught up with the Fleet's periphery, and still be able to report back while apparently maintaining radio silence.

They had to give the most beautiful line in the whole episode to one of the bad guys:
"Isn't he wonderfully devious?" -Lucifer

It would seem readily evident that a significant period of time passed between the aftermath of Carillon and the events in this episode. That is the only way to explain the new routines, Baltar's familiarity with Lucifer, and Apollo's engagement to Serina. So, why not say so?

Funny, but if this "G-suit" technology is supposed to protect the human body from tremendous G-forces a Viper will face in flight, why doesn't this suit cover a pilot's hands? Maybe human hands are immune to hypergravity?

And what is an enlisted man (Flight Sergeant Jolly) doing piloting a fighter? Shouldn't that kind of thing be left to warrant officers and commissioned officers?

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STORY SYNOPSIS

As the infected pilots recover in the Galactica's infirmary, the maverick shuttle pilots brag up their victory in the Officer's Club. Starbuck and Apollo are relieved to hear that the bridge crew has detected an unknown blip trailing the Galactica fleet, just beyond tracking range. At first, Tigh approaches Apollo about leading a recon patrol to see what's out there. Then Serina appears and insists she is assigned as Apollo's wingman. In the confusion, Starbuck launches in Apollo's fighter. Apollo takes after Starbuck, followed by Serina.

The Cylon lure works. A slew of their raiders descend on Starbuck's ship before he knows what hit him. Without a shot fired, Starbuck is lost at the void's fringe. Aboard the Cylon Basestar, Lucifer and the Centurions escort their catch to Baltar. It is here that we learn of Baltar's plan to approach Adama with this new hostage as a peace offering. The encounter is as much a surprise to Lucifer as it is to Starbuck.

On the Galactica's bridge, Apollo cannot resist staring into the scanner, hoping to see Starbuck's Viper reappear. Serina consoles Apollo, but he still cannot accept that their comrade could disappear so suddenly. Serina presses on for marriage, saying that the predicament they are in may never end, and Starbuck would've wanted them to move on. As Adama performs the "sealing" ceremony on the Galactica's amphitheater deck, Tigh notices a star appearing. If Adama is right, the planet orbiting that star is Kobol: the birthplace of the human race.

Lucifer reports that the Galactica has been sighted approaching a dead planet orbiting a lone star. Baltar figures out what is happening and orders his personal craft readied. Lucifer cannot accept Baltar's confidence in approaching the humans with a peace plan.

On the planet's surface, Adama wants camp set up on a site of pyramids, a sphinx and other great ruins he suspects were once the thriving city of Eden, "the first to fall" on ancient Kobol. Apollo and Serina are grateful to have a dead planet to themselves for a honeymoon. As the warriors ready to bivouac among the ruins, Adama orders a guard to be posted.

As Adama, Apollo and Serina probe the pyramid "temple", which turns out to be the tomb of "the ninth Lord of Kobol," they discover an elaborate protective access system, which can only be opened by a Medallion from the Council of Twelve. Apparently, the ninth and final lord returned to Kobol to die after the thirteen tribes left to form new colonies beyond the void. The writings in the temple reveal the "last days" of this civilization. As Adama pays his respects to the dead, Baltar appears, wearing his own Medallion. When the traitor greets Adama as "old friend", the beleaguered Battlestar commander lunges for his enemy's throat.

Baltar insists he has been defamed by these treason charges. He tells of how he has seen the Cylon seat of power in chaos; how the Galactica could strike their capital and devastate the Cylons. Adama hisses to Baltar: "you have the tongue of an angel, and the soul of a serpent." Apollo takes Baltar into custody.

Back on the Basestar, a Centurion is paged to Baltar's throne room... to find Lucifer perched on the pedestal and ready to declare Baltar's peace envoy a failure. Though the Centurion is certain Baltar will deliver the Galactica fleet to Cylon, Lucifer is "thinking out loud" about why he was not chosen to be the new Imperious Leader over his "IL-group" competition; perhaps a military victory under his command might change his stature. "What is your command?" the Centurion asks.

On the planet's surface, the rookie warriors are enjoying their open-air evening on Kobol, when Starbuck appears. Apollo orders the warriors to ready themselves and demands that Baltar explain what is going on. When Apollo takes the traitor back into the tomb to talk to Adama, Serina notices that the sunlight is intensifying. As the light beams into the tomb, it is caught by Adama's Medallion. the focused rays activate the temple chamber's secret mechanism, and a deeper chamber is revealed. Once inside, Adama discovers more writings of what happened here. But then the tomb begins to shudder: the Cylons have begun a bombardment of the ruins.

Starbuck and Athena begin launching a counter-strike from the camp. On the Galactica, Boomer and some of his fellow warriors report for duty. "Lieutenant, obviously you can't even stand", Tigh warns Boomer. Boomer replies "The Viper is flown from the seated position, sir." Just when all seems lost for Starbuck and Athena, Boomer and company rout the Cylon attack. On Kobol, the Cylon attack nearly kills those left in the tomb. Adama is just about to learn of the thirteenth tribe when a Cylon attack shatters the tomb, leaving the writings destroyed and Baltar trapped under the rubble. While Adama's party try to free Baltar, they eventually give up and abandon him. The traitor vows to get even with Lucifer, "you have not heard the last of Baltar!"

Back on the surface, Adama, Serina and Apollo are reunited with Starbuck and Blue Squadron when Cylon infantry guns down Serina. She is mortally wounded but evac'ed to the Galactica before Apollo and Boxey say good-bye. Apollo now must rear the little boy on his own.

A Second Look
This BATTLESTAR outing makes splendid use of John Colicos as Baltar, and the phenomenal robot Lucifer, animated by Felix Silla and voice by Jonathan Harris. The duel of the titan egos on the Basestar takes a strange turn, mixing doses of comedy with treachery. The sight of the IL-Cylon on Baltar's throne approaches farce. But the show belongs to Colicos' Baltar, whose con-artist tour-de-force comes into full bloom on Kobol.

The notion of a star appearing overhead at the very moment when Apollo and Serina are sealed was well played, if a bit too coincidental. When later Baltar apologizes to the air for defiling the ancient crypt, and then begs Adama to "use your power... get us out of here", the whole Kobolian mystery is a bit over the top. It is not clear if the show's makers want us to believe that Adama is tracing the footsteps of history for a well-grounded cause, or if his quest is based on some magic from the dead. One good thing is clear: Adama's Medallion beat Indiana Jones' staff-jewel laser to the Well of Souls by a few years. :-)

Missing from the Sci Fi channel "syndicated" version of this episode was a nice shot of Starbuck's Viper on approach to the Basestar. Other scenes seem chopped down to allow for commercial time. The explanation for Boomer's sudden recovery isn't adequate, either. Way too abrupt. This detracts significantly from the serialization aspect of the series. Speaking of which...

This episode underscores the serialized, soap-opera nature of the series does work well when it is allowed in the oven for long enough, and with the right ingredients. "Part 2" capitalizes on all the events that came before and does well on its own.

Jane Seymour turns in an improved portrayal of Apollo's bride, Serina. Too bad it was her swan song in the role. She was really starting to make something with it. But what was she doing out there on recon probe? That whole scene almost made a farce out of Starbuck's abduction. It's like Mom insisted on following Dad on his trip outta town. "Can I have the keys to the station wagon?" More proof positive that the show's makers did not take the war and military aspects of the series as seriously as they should have.

Spectacle Value
Maren Jensen gives a nice cameo appearance as Athena, ready to fight the Cylons: fluffy hair, makeup and all. If Calvin Klein ever needed a female fighter pilot for a designer jeans ad campaign, Athena would be the lady. Speaking of ladies, at least the "girl" demeaning was toned down. Too bad they had to dub in those silly "Eeeee!" screams when the Cylons attacked the camp. Maybe showing one of the ladies hopping into the turret atop a land-ram would've been a better use of footage. They didn't even have to show the turret firing; just one lady ready to fend off the attackers while the others get clear to their fighters. But this was 1978, after all.

This two-part story cemented the status of Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict as stars of the show. Make no mistake, even though some remember it as "BATTLESTAR PONDEROSA", Apollo and Starbuck are at the top of the characters list.

While this episode recycles some space and combat footage, the real spectacle is the focus of the plot: the ancient ruins. Every Kobol scene was effective, shot and performed better than anything thus far in the series. Even the Cylon attack worked beautifully. That great success also fuels the confusion behind what the series is trying to communicate about this quest for thirteenth tribe: the physical manifestations seem to suggest the quest is based on ancient heritage, while the magical/legendary aspect suggests mysticism.

The other great thing about GALACTICA is the music. The score here was much better than in "Part 1." This series championed the power of music, even freezing an occasional touch of Colonial pseudo-disco in time. It is a treat to listen to.

IF BATTLESTAR GALACTICA WERE NEW TODAY:

This episode would be the most viable. Even though the Cylons have definitely worn out their welcome by now, the quest and the pursuit are tightly bound in a drama that works well against the backdrop of ancient ruins. Despite this, I also just watched a STARGATE SG-1 rerun of "The Fifth Race," in which Colonel O'Neil is accidentally "programmed" to make contact with the Askard race in another galaxy by reconfiguring the Stargate portal. Ironically, STARGATE seems to borrow from BATTLESTAR's theme of ancient mystery, underdog exploring the unknown, and the serialization of drama. Maybe now, if the older franchise is revived, it can learn from its younger student. STARGATE goes a step further by layering its cosmic history. It isn't just found in ancient historical texts in one place or time. The cosmos is much bigger than that. "The Fifth Race" shows us multiple legacies that are ongoing and more complex. What if this thirteenth tribe branched off, settling in more than one place? Or what if the thirteenth tribe intermarried with another race, and turns out not to be human anymore? Or what if it turns out that the Galactica unknowingly is leading the thirteenth tribe, and will ultimately settle on Earth? Or what if Earth is humanity's point of origin, which then spread to Kobol, and lost track of its roots? (Maybe the Great Colonies are thousands of years in humankind's future.)

They would have to do a better job depicting the abyss.

If they ever got their hands on another casting coup like Jane Seymour, they had better not let go of her. Mistakus collossus!

They would have to be a little more clever with their allegories. Some say the series reminded them of the Mormon legacy. Others say it was derived from THE AENID by Virgil. There is also a whiff of the original American colonists arriving from England to escape persecution under the Crown. This was impossible to define in one year's slate of episodes. If a revival were to champion an agenda, it would have to choose a direction (or directions) to go in and be more thorough in defining them.

They would also have to be more careful how they treat regular characters, like Baltar and Lucifer. Even a non-serialized drama cannot show scenes like the one with Lucifer on the throne or the one where Baltar is trapped in the tomb without showing how they are reconciled. Irresponsiblus galacticus!

They should do what is necessary to lure Patrick MacNee back to the show, if only for brief appearances and/or voice-overs. The introductory "There are those who believe..." narrative is best kept alive, and delivered by him.

TIDBITS & NITPICKS

Neat: the Cylons are supposed to still be hidden in the void, yet there are stars everywhere.

Apollo's plea to Adama to flee Kobol "while the star is still dormant" makes it clear that Kobol is in the heart of the abyss, not its far edge. So why do we see so many stars there? Does the abyss mask a wormhole or something that sends the ships across hyperspace to emerge in a new galaxy, a la "The Long Patrol" and "The Hand of God"? This is never fully established, one way or another.

Kobol must have a peculiar rotation. When they go into the tomb, it is day, when Starbuck reappears, it is night. When Adama unwittingly opens the tomb's deepest chamber, it is as if mid-day is near. When the Cylons attack, it is night again. If these sudden changes occur because of the fluctuations in the star, it's a miracle this world isn't in an ice age.

It makes no sense...
... for Apollo to allow his green pilot-trainees to make planetfall with their Vipers. They don't need fighter-craft down there, much less that many pilots.
... for the Cylons to attack the ruins, not the Galactica first.
... for so many pilots to be with their ships on the planet, and then Boomer and his squadron launch with even more ships from the Galactica. I don't think they are supposed to have that many Vipers at this stage in the series.

Again, in order for the "endless" nature of this void to make any sense, all craft in the Galactica and Cylon fleets, especially fighters, must be capable of at least the speed of light, if not several times that speed. The generic term "lightspeed" must apply to varying magnitudes of faster-than-light travel.

Nice to see that Sara Rush's "Woman on Duty" is instead listed as Rigel. She made a nice little supporting cameo in "Part 1", and again in "Part 2". She delivers a professional sounding "launch when ready." Too bad we don't get to see more.

Even though Hatch's Apollo and Benedict's Starbuck get the top billing, everyone else still gets the best lines, from Athena needling Starbuck to get into battle, to Adama's parting shot to Baltar "It seems your friends have sealed your fate as well as ours." And the best scene in this episode was when Baltar first appeared in the tomb and Adama lunged at the traitor. Lorne Greene still had some action in him! :-)

You have to love the charitable nature of Adama and his family. There's Baltar, a guy who would make Hitler look like a pussycat, trapped under that rubble, and Adama, Apollo and Serina are risking their lives and giving themselves a hernia just to save that crazy, corrupt S.O.B. That's compassion of Biblical proportions!

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Battlestar Galactica Easter Egg Hunt!

Ok everyone, time for a trivia challenge for all you die hard fans!

(And the winners get prizes!).

There is a band in Canada (based in Vancouver) known collectively as Big John Bates...of course in this case named after the band leader...the aforementioned Mr. Bates!

During the run of the show, the props master (a big fan of the band created a prop that included them) ...in this case a magazine (cover)...two sides (and yes I'm going to include those images)...that Kara Thrace was reading in one of the scenes.

12578048101?profile=originalFront Cover Prop

So here is the challenge...you have to find the scene where Kara aka Starbuck is holding that magazine!

It only appears in one short scene throughout the entire series (gives you an excellent reason to go back an re-watch everything)...

Ok, so you got the idea...so here are the rules of the game...once found, send an email to shawn@galacitcon.org naming the episode (if you can do a screen grab with that, all that better)...the three best times win.

12578049879?profile=originalBack Cover Prop

First Prize: 1 Big John Bates CD (or 12" Vinyl) your choice, 1 Big John Bates T-Shirt & 1 hour of free tattooing at Darkday Tattoo in Vancouver, BC!

(Special rules regarding the Tattoo...IF you don't live in the Pacific Northwest or don't plan on getting to Vancouver anytime soon, the prize is transferable, BUT you need a special password along with proper ID to claim it!)

It DOES occur to me that of course that next year Galacticon IV: Resurrection will be in full swing in Seattle, which is only a few hours from Vancouver...just a thought!

Second Prize: 1 Big John Bates CD (or 12" Vinyl)

Third Prize: 1 Big John Bates T-Shirt

Good Hunting!!!

Big John Bates Taste the Barrel

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Battlestar all the time!

Hello Colonials!

Welcome to all and a special greeting to all of our newest members.

It is Hero time everyone!

For anyone who doesn't know about the Hero's...I'm sure our new people may not, it's a weekly award presented on behalf of an actor, writer, director, producer, fan etc. that has had a profound impact on the universe of BSG.

12578046863?profile=originalWithout further ado,  here is the newest entry...he played Barnabus Greeley on Caprica and is well known for his role as Spike on Buffy the Vampire Slayer & Angel.
The Hero goes to: James Marsters!

So Say We All!

Shawn O'Donnell

President

Battlestar Galactica Fan Club

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Science Fiction Double Feature

Greeting Colonials!
We are back for another presentation of the Hero's....(Hollywood has the Oscar's & the Emmy's)...albiet no walk down the red carpet or statuette.
Nevertheless, an important recognition for those that have had the most to do with making Battlestar Galactica a continued success.
First on the list is a director of film...and this is I think the first director that we have so far given a Hero to...hailing from Australia, we salute a man who's directorial debut was a film called Angel Baby & who later went on to direct the adaptation of Anne Rice's Queen of the Damned all the way to the current NBC series Hannibal.
Of course most noted in BSG history as the director of the pilot miniseries that preceded the re-imagined series itself.
We honor: Michael Rymer!
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Our next honoree...oh yes there is more is a noted writer/producer well known for her work in the sci-fi arena. beginning with Buffy the Vampire Slayer along with the renowned series Torchwood, you'll also see her hand at work in an episode of Game of Thrones.
As a writer/producer she worked on the re-imagined series & then went on to write and co-produce Caprica.
Of course we are referring to none other than Jane Espenson!
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Last but certainly not least we are very pleased to announce that the Galacticon IV  website is now live & ready to roll...keep track of that for announcements there as well as the Galacticon IV Facebook page!
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Pretty impressive huh?
So Say We All!
Shawn O'Donnell
President
Battlestar Galactica Fan Club
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The Battlestar Galactica Fan Club had the opportunity to catch up with Kathy Coleman & talk to her a little bit about her life & career and explore some interesting aspects that were brought out in our chat.
The added benefit is that Kathy is a truly wonderful & open person and really interested in sharing with all of you.
Let's check in with Kathy...12578018881?profile=original
Shawn :So Kathy, what prompted you to get into show business in the first place?
 
Kathy: It wasn't so much my idea, but my Mothers.
When I was young I was very outgoing and people would stop my Mother on the street and tell her that I should be in show business.
It wasn't much of a stretch for me because I liked to perform for people and show them a range of emotions, from laughter to crying.
Pretty much that's it.
12578019870?profile=originalShawn ;What were the circumstances of your first acting job?
 
Kathy: It was a commercial for Shakey's Pizza.
They were looking for a Goldilocks to go along with their three bears.
Probably 100 girls tried out for the part and then it got down to myself and Melissa Gilbert!
If you look at the the commercial on youtube, you'll see why I got it.
 
 
 
Shawn: How did you you get the part on Land of the Lost as Holly Marshall?
 
 
Kathy: Many, many auditions and call backs...7 to be exact.
The network had to approve of me and on down the line (Producers, Directors etc).
I really wanted to land a series.
My Mother and I had a deal that if I ever got a series, I could have a pony.
I got the series, she stayed true to her word and my pony "Comanche" came into my life.
Yeah!
 
Shawn: What were Spencer Milligan (Rick Marshall) & Wesley Eure (Will Marshall) like to work with?
 
Kathy: Great!
Just like a real family.
Although I had never had a Father, nor a Brother that age.
My siblings were much older than I and had a different Father.
 
 
 
Shawn: After the show what parts did you get?
 
Kathy: Not a lot...commercials mostly.
I had grown at a normal rate and they could get actors that were 18 to play 15 year olds, so having me on the set was not only expensive, but the time frame of how long they could work me played a factor as well.
3 hours of school a day and all.
 
Shawn: Was it difficult as a child actor to make the transition to older roles?
 
Kathy: No, that wasn't the problem.
But by the time I'd turned 18 I was already married and started having babies.
Married into the Bell family (Bel-Air) and moved to Fallon Nevada to work on the family farm...5 thousand gallons of milk produced daily and 12 Thousand hogs a year!
It was a state of the art farm...a multi-million dollar operation.
 
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Shawn: Did you feel like you were being pushed to do more Saturday or Sci-Fi/Fantasy?
 
Kathy: No, I was never asked to do more children's television or Sci-Fi.
I don't believe I was ever typecast.
Take out the braids and I could have portrayed any normal teenager, problems and all.
 
Shawn: Were you interested in  exploring more dramatic roles?
 
Kathy: Yes, if I had stayed in the business that's exactly what I would have liked to have done.
 
Shawn: In the years since the show went off the air and between acting jobs, what have you been up to?
 
Kathy: Lot's of exploring...my childhood was very controlled, so for many years I enjoyed being out of control.
For instance the different places I lived and the adventures I went on...Mexico being one of them.
 
 
 
Shawn: Do you have any special projects under way?
 
Kathy: My book!
I've been working on it for about 7 years, at times putting it down for months at at time.
I'm also in the process of living alone for the first time in my life.
It's pretty weird, but I'm having fun with it.
Totally self reliant and broke sometimes, compared to always having had plenty of money and no worries in that department.
However the part I'm really loving about this experience is that I only answer to myself!
VERY COOL FEELING!!!12578020284?profile=original      The Cover of Kathy's book "The Whole Truth and Nothing But the Truth"                                      
 
Shawn: Speaking of projects...the re-make of Land of the Lost with Will Ferrell, it could have gone many directions but they chose to spoof it and go in a comedic direction, what was your take on that?
 
Kathy: It wasn't Land of the Lost...period!
 
Shawn: Both you and Wesley Eure had cameo appearances in the film that didn't make the final cut, what was your reaction to that?
 
Kathy: Bummed at first, but after seeing the film  and the reaction from the fans, I felt pretty good not to be a part of that bomb!
Ha Ha!
 
 
Shawn: Have you wanted to become more active in television & film again?
 
Kathy: Absolutely...I'd love to find a great director to work with and explore the range of my depths and talent.
Just one juicy role!
 
Shawn: You do some interesting art work, very aboriginal in style, what's your inspiration to do this besides the style?
 
Kathy: My Mother is Australian...so that's a big part of it.
But the art part fell out of the sky, just woke up one day and had a desire to study these incredible people after reading hundreds of books!
The art just came out of me, I love doing it.
It takes me to a really great freeing place in my soul.
 
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Shawn: We were talking about your book...is this simply covering the Land of the Lost or is it more autobiographical with that being part of the story?
 
Kathy: Exactly.
My life has been like a snow storm. The damaged photo cover reflects that storm. the book follows the weather pattern of my journey.
Of course, Land of the Lost being part of that.
 
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Shawn: Insofar as Land of the Lost is concerned, or any TV show for that matter, people usually don't know what's going on behind the lights & cameras.
So is this going to be a tell all kind of thing?
 
Kathy: But of course!
 
Shawn: What do you see for yourself and where do you want to go professionally?
 
Kathy: I see myself content and blessed in whatever comes my way.
I would love to have a role someday...acting or otherwise....where I could stand naked so to speak and turn slowly & get to that place of true honesty.
 
Shawn:  A word of advice for anyone who wants to get into the acting gig?
 
Kathy: Always go for what you want in life and don't walk away from your dreams or live kicking yourself for not trying.
It's like any other choice you make in life, some parts of the the business are great and some just aren't!
 
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Swansong: The Michael Swan Interview

 
The Battlestar Galactica Fan club is honored to feature this interview with veteran actor Michael Swan, perhaps best known for his roles in daytime television but who also is a part of the Battlestar Galactica legend with his appearance in Galactica: 1980!
I always enjoy speaking to him & I'm sure that some of you folks who attended the Galacticruise back in '08 remember him visiting with us all at the pre-cruise dinner aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California...
On to the interview!
 
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Shawn: Michael, what made you think of acting as a career?
I know your mother Alys was an actress but at the same time  your family was very involved in the wine business...
 
Michael: Mom dropped  me off at the Palo Alto children's theater when I was 9 years old.
I stayed with the PA children's theater until I was 14 & at some point in all those plays it just seemed that I was meant to be in the theater. 
 
Shawn: Interestingly, you were a wine consultant in Westwood...what does being a wine consultant entail?
 
Michael: Because I had grown up partially in Sonoma County helping my Uncle Joe Swan in his vineyard & winery and later worked for Louis M. Martini, wine became a hobby and passion. 
When I first came to L.A. to start a recurring role at MGM Steve Wallace hired me as his first wine consultant.
I was in charge of buying, displaying & recommending wine's to Wally's customers.
 
Shawn: Let's talk about the Illegitimate Theater...and improv company you worked with...and David Alexander, he was a mentor to you?
 
Michael: The Illegitimate theater was in the upstairs room at the Tangent in Palo Alto, founded by Philip Schultz & it was very much in the classic improv tradition and thriving at the same time as the Committee in San Francisco.
This was 1968 and Phil paid me ten bucks a show.
David was Elia Kazan's protege out of the remnant's of the group theater and taught a hybrid technique based on Kazan's group & Yiddish theater experiences.
David coached many well known actors, most notably Jack Lemmon, who consulted with David well into the late Seventies.
He provided me with indispensable rehearsal tools.
 
Shawn: At some point the floodgates opened and you went on to literally a hundred different shows...such as "Brock" with Jack Palance & "Medical Center" with Chad Everett...when did  you realize that your star was rising?
 
Michael: I worked at MGM recurring in "Medical Center" & "Bronk" (with Jack Palance) and just considered myself very lucky to be a working actor.
That has never changed.
Word of mouth between casting directors brought me to different shows at all the studios & TV Production companies of the day.
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Shawn: Among all that television you did this Sci-Fi thing...this show called "Battlestar Galactica"....actually "Galactica: 1980"...where you played a character called Collins...actually Deputy Collins in "The Super Scouts"...anything that leaps out about that role?
Of course, with all the roles that you've done I'm sure it can be a blur...
 
Michael: One of my acting coach clients at the the time was Robyn Douglas & I remember much more about helping her than I do about the role of Collins!
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Shawn: Let's talk soaps...at least two BSG original cast members...Richard Hatch & Jack Stauffer got their starts working in daytime TV...you played Duncan McKechie on "As The World Turns" for what...nearly 10 years?
 
Michael: I played Duncan for 9 years & 8 months...but this was after 17 years in prime time
 
Shawn: Then a turn on "The Bold And The Beautiful"...what about that?
 
Michael: I met two of my favorite all time people, Darlene Conley & Bobbie Eakes.
Darlene is no longer with us but I see Bobbie and her husband David Steen several times a year.
 
Shawn: You also do a lot of commercial & voice over work too...how is that playing out for you?
 
Michael: Nice to be working!
 
Shawn: Current projects?...anything you have a particular yen to do? Be it theater, TV or film?
Michael: I currently announce "We're Alive!" which is a zombiepodcast & can be seen in the recently released "Piranhaconda" on SYFY & on Charlie Sheen's "Anger Management" episode 5.
Also in the soon to be released "I Love Your Moves" playing a famous Russian ballroom dancing champ.
 
Shawn:  I'm gonna hit you with the question I always pose...this is the advice section...what would you tell someone trying to break into show business...what's your advice on making their way in?
 
Michael: To quote Stanisavsky, love the art in yourself...not yourself in the art...
 
 
 

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From our friends at wildlifemedia.org

"Wolves" update!

UPDATE!

As promised, we're following up to let you know that we have the USA airdate for this incredible show. It will be broadcast in one episode on July 7th at 8:00pm on the Discovery channel with a revised title, "Man vs. Wolf". So mark your calendars - that's this weekend! 

Thanks again for tuning in!

The Wildlife Media team

_________________________________________________________________
(From April 6th email)

More exciting news - if you are in the UK, the BBC 1 series 'Land of the Lost Wolves' that I have been involved with is currently airing. Episode 2 is on at 9pm on Friday 6th April - yes - today! Tune in if you can! It's a wonderful show about the wolves in my own back yard here in Washington State's Cascade Mountains, featuring Gordon Buchanan, Jasmine Minbashian and other colleagues. I'm in episode 2 briefly tomorrow, tracking wolves on the BC coast of Canada. All mind-blowingly beautiful locations, and a great story about wolves that will not give up their drive to return to the wilds of the west. For USA friends, it will air on Discovery later this year - watch this space.

Then if you want to learn more about the wolves of Washington visit our bear, wolf, and cougar webpage here: http://bearinfo.org/gray_wolf/gray-wolf-canis-lupus/.  Another great organization that is helping wolves and people is Conservation Northwest here in my home town Bellingham: www.conservationnw.org.

Thanks for tuning in everybody!

Best wishes,

Chris


Chris Morgan, MS
Ecologist & Conservationist


Main hub site: www.chrismorganwildlife.org

Project sites:
Wildlife Media & BEARTREK: www.wildlifemedia.org
GBOP - The Grizzly Bear Outreach Project: www.bearinfo.org
Insight Wildlife Management: www.insightwildlife.com
PBS Nature: www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/bears-of-the-last-frontier/introduction/6524/

Bellingham, WA, USA
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© Chris Morgan



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