Galactica 1980 is an American science fiction television series created by Glen A. Larson as a spin-off from Battlestar Galactica and set during the year 1980, a generation after the original series, in which the Galactica and its fleet of 220 civilian ships have finally found Earth only to discover that its people are not as scientifically advanced and can neither defend themselves against the Cylons nor help the Galactica as hoped.
Teams of Colonial warriors are covertly sent to the planet to work incognito with various members of the scientific community, hoping to advance Earth's technology.
The series aired in the USA on ABC from 27 January to 4 May, 1980. There are 10 hour-long episodes in the series.
The 10 Galactica 1980 episodes were rolled into the television syndication package for Battlestar Galactica and were given the same title as its parent program. It thus aired in South Africa as Season 2 of Battlestar Galactica, as opposed to a new series.
Galactica 1980 premiered in South Africa on TopTV's Fox Retro channel on Friday 11 June 2010, at 21h20. New episodes air daily, on weekdays.
Repeats
Weekdays: 04h25, 10h55
Saturdays: 04h25, 10h55, 19h40
Sundays: 00h40, 08h25 (five-episode omnibus)
Synopsis
Set during the year 1980, and a generation after the original series, the Galactica and its fleet of 220 civilian ships have finally discovered Earth, only to find that its people are not as scientifically advanced and that the planet can neither defend itself against the Cylons nor help the Galactica as originally hoped.
Therefore, teams of Colonial warriors are covertly sent to the planet to work incognito with various members of the scientific community, hoping to advance Earth's technology.
Commander Adama and Colonel Boomer — now second-in-command — on the advice of Doctor Zee, a teenage prodigy serving as Adama's counsellor, sends Captain Troy, who is the adopted son of Adama's own son Apollo, and Lieutenant Dillon to North America, where they become entangled with TV journalist Jamie Hamilton.
After an initial, epic time travel adventure to Nazi Germany in the 1940s (to stop rebel Galactican Commander Xavier from trying to change the future to improve Earth's technology level), the three friends devise ways to help Earth's scientists and outwit the Cylons in the present day.
Meanwhile, Adama sends a group of children from the Galactica fleet (the Super Scouts) to Earth in order to begin the process of integrating with the population.
However, due to differences in gravity and physiology, the children must deal with the fact they have nearly super-human powers on Earth.
The fates of several characters from the original series are explained during the course of Galactica 1980.
Apollo is apparently dead, the cause of his seeming death not addressed. Starbuck was marooned on a desert planet, although the script for the episode "The Wheel of Fire" (unfilmed at the time of cancellation) indicated that Starbuck was eventually rescued from the planet by the inhabitants of the Ships of Light and became one of their inhabitants.
Captain Troy is revealed to be Boxey, and Lt. Boomer has risen to the rank of Colonel and has become Adama's second in command.
Baltar was apparently rescued from the planet he was marooned on in "Hand of God", and is now Commandant Baltar of the Cylon fleet pursuing the Galacticans.
The fates of several other characters, including Adama's daughter Athena, Colonel Tigh, Starbuck's girlfriend Cassiopeia, and Muffit the robot dog are not revealed.