Set the WABAC Machine for the September 17, 1978 3-hour World Television Premiere of the Battlestar Galactica pilot on ABC's Sunday Night Movie. Narrated by the great Ernie Anderson.
And as I recall, NBC counter-programmed with the broadcast premiere of Dumbo on the Wonderful World of Disney.
Was that also the night they interrupted Galactica to show the historic signing of the Camp David Accords? I seem to remember being mildly annoyed (yet uplifted) that they interrupted an episode for live video of national leaders signing a peace document, and September 17 was the day the Accords were signed. That would also explain why I don't remember seeing most of the scenes with the Ovions until years later, which would be what they preempted.
Yes, that was the night they signed the Accords, but they didn't pre-empt the show (at least not in the East Coast feed)- after the special news report, they picked up right where they'd left off.
I remember it vividly. I was really upset that they'd interrupted the show because it was already an hour after my bedtime (on a school night), and I was terrified that my folks would send me to bed before the show resumed.
Fortunately, my parents took pity on me, and let me stay up to watch the conclusion.
Yes, now that I think about it, you're right. I was nervous that I was missing precious minutes of the premiere, but they did resume the program with nothing missing. Still, between Galactica, Dumbo and the accords, definitely a night to remember.
I remember hearing later that that night on CBS, they were running the Emmys. Talk about serious counter-programming, all of which got further flummoxed when Camp David broke. Now *that* would have been the night to have had time shifting available...
Watching that promo made me feel like a kid again. I remember seeing all of the advertisements leading up to the premier and I was so excited when it finally came on. Good times!
I can't remember if I saw the debut or not because I was only 8. I do remember begging my parents to see Battlestar several times that season and it seems like most of the time they gave it. It had it's flaws, but it sure had a lot of potential. It was probably the first space show I was really big into.
Christopher, I have almost exactly the same memory of being terrified my parents would send me to bed before I could see the end of the premiere, all because of the dumb old president and a bunch of dumb politics (hey, I was all of 8, what did I know of priorities?)! Great seeing this promo again after all this time, it took me right back. Thanks for posting it!
Funny as it were, I actually snobbishly 'boycotted' watching the show early on. I was TOO much engrossed in Star Wars at the time, the name 'galactica' just sounded too flakey/geeky to me.
I was watching it religiously by Christmas....
Loved the original Vipers, just a gorgeous ship. I started watching/enjoying it more when it stopped being a 'battle-of-the-week' type show and in a sense, grew it's legs, finally becoming its own show, gaining identity with the 'black shirts', Anne Lockhart added, etc.. Once the relationships started forming more, it was just a super show to watch. SUCH a shame when the decision came down to cancel.
MUCH thanks to Richard Hatch for keeping the show alive over the years.
As for the reimaging a few years back, I couldnt' watch it. NONE of the actors had any screen 'presence' compared to the likes of Greene, Hatch, you name 'em. It was too disfunctional, didn't like the CGI, etc. Just watched a few eps of 'Chrome and Blood'; eh, it was alright, but it wasn't 'Galactica'.
Give me 'Living Legend','Hand of God', even G80's 'Return of Starbuck' episodes ANY day.
And as I recall, NBC counter-programmed with the broadcast premiere of Dumbo on the Wonderful World of Disney.
ReplyDeleteWas that also the night they interrupted Galactica to show the historic signing of the Camp David Accords? I seem to remember being mildly annoyed (yet uplifted) that they interrupted an episode for live video of national leaders signing a peace document, and September 17 was the day the Accords were signed. That would also explain why I don't remember seeing most of the scenes with the Ovions until years later, which would be what they preempted.
Yes, that was the night they signed the Accords, but they didn't pre-empt the show (at least not in the East Coast feed)- after the special news report, they picked up right where they'd left off.
DeleteI remember it vividly. I was really upset that they'd interrupted the show because it was already an hour after my bedtime (on a school night), and I was terrified that my folks would send me to bed before the show resumed.
Fortunately, my parents took pity on me, and let me stay up to watch the conclusion.
Yes, now that I think about it, you're right. I was nervous that I was missing precious minutes of the premiere, but they did resume the program with nothing missing. Still, between Galactica, Dumbo and the accords, definitely a night to remember.
DeleteI remember hearing later that that night on CBS, they were running the Emmys. Talk about serious counter-programming, all of which got further flummoxed when Camp David broke. Now *that* would have been the night to have had time shifting available...
DeleteWatching that promo made me feel like a kid again. I remember seeing all of the advertisements leading up to the premier and I was so excited when it finally came on. Good times!
ReplyDeleteI can't remember if I saw the debut or not because I was only 8. I do remember begging my parents to see Battlestar several times that season and it seems like most of the time they gave it. It had it's flaws, but it sure had a lot of potential. It was probably the first space show I was really big into.
ReplyDeletehttp://scifihorrorfantasy.wordpress.com/
Christopher, I have almost exactly the same memory of being terrified my parents would send me to bed before I could see the end of the premiere, all because of the dumb old president and a bunch of dumb politics (hey, I was all of 8, what did I know of priorities?)! Great seeing this promo again after all this time, it took me right back. Thanks for posting it!
ReplyDeleteFunny as it were, I actually snobbishly 'boycotted' watching the show early on. I was TOO much engrossed in Star Wars at the time, the name 'galactica' just sounded too flakey/geeky to me.
ReplyDeleteI was watching it religiously by Christmas....
Loved the original Vipers, just a gorgeous ship. I started watching/enjoying it more when it stopped being a 'battle-of-the-week' type show and in a sense, grew it's legs, finally becoming its own show, gaining identity with the 'black shirts', Anne Lockhart added, etc.. Once the relationships started forming more, it was just a super show to watch. SUCH a shame when the decision came down to cancel.
MUCH thanks to Richard Hatch for keeping the show alive over the years.
As for the reimaging a few years back, I couldnt' watch it. NONE of the actors had any screen 'presence' compared to the likes of Greene, Hatch, you name 'em. It was too disfunctional, didn't like the CGI, etc. Just watched a few eps of 'Chrome and Blood'; eh, it was alright, but it wasn't 'Galactica'.
Give me 'Living Legend','Hand of God', even G80's 'Return of Starbuck' episodes ANY day.
I made the ABE promo captured on this site and posted on you tube
ReplyDeleteThanks for preserving this for the fans.
Delete