I remember, as a kid, when Battlestar Galactica didn’t return for a second season, and was then very happily surprised when Galactica 1980 came along. To a kid it seemed awesome, the Galactica had finally found Earth, and not only did the fleet still have those awesome vipers, but now they had these very cool flying motorcycles.

Looking back on it now, it’s not as great as my younger self thought, and it’s a little too family-friendly, and straight-laced to be as good as it could have been.

Written by Glen A. Larson, this follow-up series debuted on 27 January, 1980 and reintroduces us to the ragtag fleet and its mission to find Earth. Adama (Lorne Greene) still leads, but it seems we’ve lost Apollo, Starbuck, Cassiopeia, Athena and a number of other fan favourites along the way. They are replaced by a grown-up Boxy – Captain Troy (Kent McCord), his best friend, Dillon (Barry Van Dyke) and Adama takes a lot of his advice from Cousin Oliver, I mean, Doctor Zee (Robbie Rist).

Arriving at Earth, they find the planet isn’t as advanced as they had hoped, and that instead of helping protect them from the Cylons, they may have to protect Earth instead while guiding its technological growth to prepare them for when the Cylons inevitably arrive.

Troy and Dillon are given an assignment in California, to track down and speak with Mr. Brady, I mean Dr. Donald Mortinson (Robert Reed) and convince him of who they are, and help him with some of his pioneering work.

Along the way, they bump into Jamie Hamilton (Robyn Douglass) who has designs on being a reporter and works at finding out more about Troy, Dillon and Mortinson.

Back in the fleet, Commander Xavier (Richard Lynch) is questioning Adama and Zee’s decisions, and he could be setting himself up as the piece’s villain.

The episode closes out with Jamie trying to get an interview with Mortinson and a young boy discovering Troy and Dillon’s camouflaged (to look invisible) vipers.

And watch for an appearance by Brion James!

Galactica Discovers Earth: Part 2 first aired on 3 February, 1980 with Larson delivering the second installment in the three-part series opener.

The young boy and his family subplot is quickly tied up, but Dillon and Troy need to return to the Galactica, which interrupts their meeting with Mortinson. Jamie tags along with them, much to Adama’s disapproval.

We get a glimpse of Herbert Jefferson Jr. in a return as Boomer, running the bridge of the Galactica, but that’s all we see of him.

Aboard the Galactica, Adama reveals that Xavier has used Dr. Zee’s time travel formula to travel back in time to 1944 to push technology forward so that Earth will be ready for the Cylons when they arrive. He lands in 1944 and helps the Nazis with their V2 rocket development.

Jamie joins Troy and Dillon as they use their vipers to break the time barrier and follow Xavier back in time. The Galcticans are shocked to discover the nature of the circumstances that permeate the war, the concentration camps, the resistance, the technological work of the Nazis, and they join up with an American spy, Major Stockwell (Christopher Stone) who is there to learn the secrets of the V2.

Our heroes are shocked to discover that Xavier is helping the Nazis with their rocket program, and we race towards a ‘To Be Continued’ cliffhanger as the rocket prepares to launch.

It’s got some smart stuff in the episode, but it leans toward the simple and family-friendly when it could have been really thought-provoking and intelligent television.

Potential that never got realized, but let’s see how it plays out.