The Living Legend: Part II

Part 2 of The Living Legend (known when released as a two parter at the cinema as Mission Galactica: Cylon Attack) is full of action. Having said that it's slightly weaker than the first part in my opinion, simply because it hasn't aged all that well. By which I mean, the sequence when Starbuck, Apollo, Boomer, Cassie and Sheba parachute down to the cylon base looks really cheap. And you could play a drinking game revolving around the number of times someone says "Let's Go!"

This episode is definitely all action and therefore despite some great stuff with loads of cylons, there's also the obligatory stock footage of Vipers destroying cylon ships, which you will have seen before..... a lot.

Overall though this is an exciting conclusion to the two-parter and the ending leaves you with some unanswered questions which is pretty cool.

When it comes to the human element, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA had a very exciting cast with really good characters. Delivering the action to the screen? Well, it hasn't exactly stood the test of time. A near-miss in some places, a direct hit here and there, with some truly awesome scenes on that seemingly gigantic scope. But more often than not, like every time the Vipers are launched from the stark silhouette of the Galactica, you are reminded... This needs a redo. Every time a Cylon stays too long on the screen and is clearly just a mere mortal in an apparently top-heavy suit, you know... This needs a redo. Every time the camera lingers on a sidelong in-flight view of an obviously static Viper cabin, you wish for that redo.

Now, the redo has been done, I have yet to see it, but that is not the point, as these FAVORITE CHARACTERS that really do it for me isn't part of that deal.

I pretty much suspect that I would simply just long for this one, the original 1978 - 1979 version.

With the conclusion of this two-parter, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA is well and truly back on track, the flaws be damned, however many of them there might be.

Sheba (Anne Lockhart) with her wet eyes, and Commander Cain, the General Patton of space, this is just a sure- fire winner. With that parachute attack it unfortunately again felt like the time-wasting single episodes that caused a drop in interest (for me) for the series, but out in space, coupled with the human interest... Hopefully this level is going to be maintained!

Like I said, I'm fully aware of every mistake. And they swarm out at you in hordes to put those Cylon squadrons to shame! But despite all that, I can just sit there mesmerized by the glory of it.