Greetings from Earth (25 Feb. 1979)

Apollo and Starbuck come across a vessel they think may have come from Earth and take it aboard the Galactica. On board are two adults and four children in a state of suspended animation. ... See full summary »

Director:

Rod Holcomb

Writers:

Glen A. Larson (creator), Glen A. Larson

Stars:

Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, Lorne Greene

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Hatch	...	Capt. Apollo
Dirk Benedict	...	Lt. Starbuck
Lorne Greene	...	Commander Adama
Herbert Jefferson Jr.	...	Lt. Boomer
John Colicos	...	Baltar (credit only)
Maren Jensen	...	Athena
Noah Hathaway	...	Boxey
Laurette Spang	...	Cassiopeia
Tony Swartz	...	Flight Sgt. Jolly
Anne Lockhart	...	Sheba
Terry Carter	...	Colonel Tigh
Randolph Mantooth	...	Michael
Kelly Harmon	...	Sarah
Murray Matheson	...	Statesman Geller
George Murdock	...	Dr. Salik

Storyline

Apollo and Starbuck come across a vessel they think may have come from Earth and take it aboard the Galactica. On board are two adults and four children in a state of suspended animation. Adama disagrees with the Council of Twelve about opening the sleeping chambers, for that may mean endangering the humans within. When the adult male, Michael, wakes up, he finds it difficult to breath the air on board the Galactica. Apollo, Starbuck and Cassiopea decide to escort the Lunar Shuttle Avion to its destination, hoping to find out if the travelers home, Terra, may be related to the planet Earth.

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Genres:

Sci-Fi | Action | Adventure

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Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 February 1979 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Expo '67, Montréal, Québec, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Glen A. Larson Productions, Universal TV

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The last episode to feature Athena.

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Goofs

Just after Apollo shoots the barrels with his laser, the camera cuts back to Michael. As Michael is speaking to Apollo, an airplane can be seen flying by in the background (it couldn't be an alien craft of any kind, because the planet is uninhabited.)

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Quotes

Capt. Apollo: You did right, Hector.
Vector: For an imbecile!
Hector: You made me.
Vector: Don't remind me.

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Connections

Edited into Remembering 'Battlestar Galactica' (2004)

User Reviews

Space Nazis! Part 2

"Greetings from Earth" deals with the ongoing trials and tribulations of the Battlestar Galactica as she plies her way through space with a ton of civilian baggage in the form of a Conestoga convoy blazing a trail through the stars to a much be-mythed world known as Earth.

"Greetings from Earth" is an episode in a children's' TV series that deals with the Galatica's first encounter with humans not of their colonies that laid seed in stars much distant from where they've come. We're shown a family of sorts who settle on a ranch, and are running from a power called "The Eastern Alliance". Apollo, Starbuck, Adama and the gang examine and re-examine the visitors they have found, what to do with them, then, once they've committed to actions, what to do next. The Galacitca has been running from a machine empire intent on annihilating humankind, so what happens when the Galactica comes across humans who have similar prejudices or a philosophy that seems to echo the worst aspects of the Cylon empire? So it is with the bad guys in this installment of the show. The "Eastern Alliance" (or whatever it's called) are, in essence, more space Nazis brought to you buy Hollywood, who forever seems to be obsessed with fascist Germany in the 30s and 40s. On the immediate level it's a good primer for kids to recognize the dangers of a kind of individual who believes their self worth to be above everyone else's, and the danger that kind of thinking can present. On another level, it's a little tiring. There are other political bad guys in the world; Joseph Stalin's Soviet Union, Idi Amin's Uganda in the 70s, Noriega's leadership of Panama, Santiago in El Salvador, the excesses of Ho Chi Mihn's red regime in Vietnam, and, more historically, Julius Caesar, Ghengis Kahn, and a host of others; including, but not limited to, the US Army dealing with native Americans in the 1800s. Yet it's the Nazis that continually get the nod, time and again, and the bad guy du jour. Well, this review is 30 years late for an editorial, but, well, here it is.

It's not a superb TV show, but has some fairly high production values which makes is entertaining on a certain level. I can't say I ever really got into the show as it did seem to be aimed at kids (the dialogue was simplified, the plots were pretty straight forward, no challenging dramatic moments...kind of a family friendly adventure in space kind of TV fair), but appreciated the energy that the TV show brought to the science fiction genre. In that regard it was a success, and I think cancelled too soon.

But this episode? Well, it is what it is. Whether it's Lucas's stormtroopers and Darth Vader Nazi helmet, or the Nazi like uniforms of the officers of the Galactic empire, then it's Galactica's Eastern Alliance's homage to the space Nazi that keeps the concept of Nazis alive as the worst enemy of all mankind.

Overall the episode is like the show which it adorns; it's okay. Take it for what it's worth.