Battlestar Galactica

1 9 7 8 - 1 9 7 9 (USA)
24 x 60 minute episodes

Basically an imitation of the movie Star Wars (so much so that the producers of the movie sued ABC). Comparisons are unsurprising when you realize that the special effects for Battlestar Galactica were created by John Dykstra, the same man who worked on Star Wars.

Reported to have cost $1,000,000 per hour to produce, Battlestar Galactica used spectacular special effects to depict a fierce struggle for the survival of mankind set in outer space, thousands of years in the future (in the seventh millennium).

Galactica was the only surviving battlestar after an attack by the evil Cylons had destroyed interplanetary peace. Now they were chasing the Galactica and her fleet of 220 smaller spacecraft as they sped through space toward a last refuge - a distant, unknown planet called Earth.

Commanding the mile-wide Galactica was the silver-haired Commander Adama (who used to own a cattle ranch near Virginia . . . sorry, I'm getting confused!). His son, Apollo, led Galactica's fighter squadron along with Starbuck all dressed in Egyptian crash helmets (so THAT's how our ancient Egyptian pals made the pyramids! With the help of these folk from outer space/the future!)

NB The official name of the dog robot was Muffett II, but the kid, Boxey, always called it Muffy.