The penultimate episode of the short-lived series, Galactica 1980, is Space Croppers, and it is the last time we see Troy (Kent McCord), Dillon (Barry Van Dyke) and Jamie (Robyn Douglass) in the series.

Written by Robert McCullough, this episode debuted on 27 March, 1980, and once again lets the series lean into a little bit of western flavour. The Imperious Leader (voiced here by Dennis Haysbert) orders an attack on the human fleet, targeting harvest and crop ships to eliminate the fleet’s food sources and follow them when they go to Earth seeking resources.

This attack is recycled footage that we’ve seen repeatedly since Saga of a Star World, but we do get to see a new style of viper helmet for the colonial warriors. Following the destruction of the food ships (which are inserts from the film Silent Running) Adama (Lorne Greene) sends Troy and Dillon to Earth to find a suitable site to plant seeds to grow food for the fleet before they starve.

Summoning Jamie and the space kids, the duo find themselves working with Hector Alonzo (Ned Romero) and his family to set up crops, which leads them into conflict with a rich and devious ranch owner, John Steadman played maliciously by Dana Elcar.

Steadman tries to interfere with the Galacticans and the Alonzos and he sees the saucer ship from Galactica as well as the strange weapons and abilities that the visitors have, and that will prove to be his undoing, and justice will be served in a roundabout way.

It’s simple, silly, and it’s amazing that how good the series premiere looks when compared to this episode.

This series really wasn’t done the right way at all.

The Return of Starbuck closed out the series on 4 May, 1980 and was written by Glen A. Larson. Dr. Zee (James Patrick Stuart) comes to Adama to speak of a dream he’s had, and it’s revealed that somehow, he’s had a dream about the fate of Starbuck (Dirk Benedict).

The story sees Starbuck crashlanding on a planet following a battle with Cylons. Adama knows he can’t be rescued in time, so he and Boomer (Herbert Jefferson Jr.) wish him well as the fleet continues its run from the Cylon fleet.

Starbuck is marooned but soon comes across a crashed Cylon fighter. Needing company, he rebuilds and activates a centurion, calling him Cy (Gary Owens). The pair form a strange bond as they work to survive together on the seemingly barren planet.

When Starbuck laments the fact that he misses female companionship, Cy wanders away for a day or two only to return with Angela (Judith Chapman) who is very pregnant and barely speaks.

Starbuck and Cy begin constructing an escape craft from the remains of both their ships, and it may be just enough to get Angela off planet, but what happens when more Cylons arrive? What will Cy do?

We learn Dr. Zee’s connection to the story, and are left wondering if Starbuck will ever escape the planet that traps him. We won’t find out in this series, because this is it. There is no more. Lasting less than a season Galactica 1980 just didn’t wow audiences, perhaps it was too light and simplistic, not to mention downright silly sometimes, and consequently was a misfire.

But that’s ok, the Galactica would live again in another way in the 21st century. I wonder if I should dig into that one soon?