The Living Legend Explained

Series:Battlestar Galactica
Season:1
Episode:12 and 13
Director:Vince Edwards
Story:Glen A. Larson and Ken Pettus
Production:50919 and 50920
Guests:
  • Lloyd Bridges as Commander Cain
  • Rod Haase as Tolan
  • Junero Jennings as Pegasus bridge officer
Prev:The Young Lords
Next:Fire in Space
Episode List:List of Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series) and Galactica 1980 episodes

"The Living Legend" is a two-part episode of the American science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica. Written by series creator Glen A. Larson and directed by Vince Edwards, the episodes were originally broadcast on ABC on November 26 and December 3, 1978.

"The Living Legend" introduced the character of Commander Cain (Lloyd Bridges) and the Battlestar Pegasus, both of which were revived in the reboot series episode "Pegasus" in 2005. It also introduced the recurring characters of Lieutenant Sheba (Anne Lockhart) and Bojay (Jack Stauffer), and included the final appearance of the recurring character of the Cylon Imperious Leader.

The episodes were later edited and released theatrically in 1979 under the title Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack, which also included material from the episode "Fire in Space".

Plot

The Battlestar Galactica encounters the Pegasus, a battlestar previously assumed to have been destroyed, which is under the command of Commander Cain. The two battlestars fight the Cylons.

Production and broadcast

"The Living Legend" was directed by Vince Edwards and written by series creator Glen A. Larson,[1] from a story by Larson and Ken Pettus.[2]

The episodes introduced the character of Commander Cain (Lloyd Bridges) and the Battlestar Pegasus,[1] both of which were revived in remake series episode "Pegasus" in 2005.[3] They also introduced the recurring characters of Lieutenant Sheba (Anne Lockhart)[1] [4] and Bojay (Jack Stauffer),[1] [5] and included the final appearance of the recurring character of the Cylon Imperious Leader. Nigel Andrews said the narrative concerning Galactica shortage of fuel, and the Cylons' possession of an abundance of it, was influenced by the 1970s energy crisis that was happening at the time.[6]

Part one aired on ABC on November 26, 1978, and part two aired on December 3, 1978.[7] [8]

Reception

John Kenneth Muir praised "The Living Legend",[1] and Krystal Sim called the episodes "memorable".[9]

Novelization

The novelization Battlestar Galactica 6: The Living Legend was written by Glen A. Larson and Nicholas Yermakov, and was published by Berkeley Books in New York in 1982.[10]

Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack

The episodes were later edited and released theatrically in 1979 under the title Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack,[11] [12] [13] which also included material from the episode "Fire in Space".[2]

The reviews of this film were described as "not so good".[14] This film has been described as "glossy",[15] "flimsily constructed"[16] and a "cosmic yawn".[17] Wishart said the film was liable to "fuel the imagination".[18]

The film was broadcast in Germany under the title Mission Galactica: Angriff der Zyclonen[19] or Mission Galactica: Angriff der Zyklonen[20] and shown in sensurround in cinemas there under the title Mission Galactica: Angriff der Zylonen.[21] It was shown in France under the title Galactica: Les Cylons Attaquent.[22]

Mission Galactica was released on VHS, Betamax[23] and LaserDisc.[24] The book Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack was published by Grandreams in London in 1980.[25]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Muir, John Kenneth . 8. 'The Living Legend' (Parts I and II)" . An Analytical Guide to Television's Battlestar Galactica . . 1999 . 2005 . 81–84 . 978-1-4766-0656-9 . Google Books.
  2. Book: Willis, Donald C. . Horror and Science Fiction Films II . . 1982 . 23 . 978-0-8108-1517-9 . Google Books.
  3. Ron . Moore . Battlestar Galactica episode 210 commentary: 'Pegasus' . September 24, 2005 . February 22, 2024.
  4. Book: Phillips . Mark . Garcia . Frank . Science Fiction Television Series: Episode Guides, Histories, and Casts and Credits for 62 Prime-Time Shows, 1959 through 1989 . Battlestar Galactica . . 1 . 1996 . 978-1-4766-1030-6 . https://books.google.com/books?id=qXeNAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT68 . January 9, 2017.
  5. Web site: Ian . Cullen . Jack Stauffer Chats about His Ongoing Interests in Theatrical Works and Gives Us His Views on the Battlestar Galactica Revival . Sci Fi Pulse . June 19, 2002 . February 22, 2024.
  6. News: Nigel . Andrews . A Thunderous Tempest . . May 2, 1980 . 21.
  7. Web site: Episode List: Battlestar Galactica (1978–1980). TV Tango . February 21, 2024.
  8. Battlestar Galactica: Episode Guide . . 27 . October 1979 . 39 . February 24, 2024.
  9. Web site: Krystal . Sim . Battlestar Galactica Complete Original Series Blu-ray Review . . November 19, 2014 . February 23, 2024.
  10. Book: Pederson . Jay P. . St. James Guide to Science Fiction Writers . 1995 . . 1 . 4th . 423 . . 978-15586-2179-4 . February 24, 2024.
  11. Battlestar Flys on Sky . . 27 . February 1992 . 5 . February 23, 2024.
  12. Book: Fulton, Roger . The Encyclopedia of TV Science Fiction . 1990 . 54 . Boxtree . 978-18528-3277-3 . Google Books.
  13. Book: James Robert . Parish . Michael R. . Pitts . The Great Science Fiction Pictures II . 1990 . 37 . . 978-08108-2247-4 . Google Books.
  14. A Starburst Interview: Glen Larsen (Part One) . . Tony . Crawley . 25 . September 1980 . 53 .
  15. "Today's Movies". Sydney Morning Herald. 28 June 1982. p 14.
  16. Doug Anderson. "Pick of the Day". Sydney Morning Herald. The Guide. 8 October 1984. p 13.
  17. "Sydney TV movies". The Sun-Herald. 7 October 1984. p 88.
  18. Eric Wishart. "War - real and fictional" in "Entertainment/Review". Glasgow Herald. 30 June 1980. p 2.
  19. https://www.spiegel.de/politik/fernsehen-samstag-14-11-a-626c9ac1-0002-0001-0000-000013528394 "Fernsehen"
  20. (1983) 36 Film-Dienst. (1994) 18 Zitty
  21. Klaus Braeuer. "Mission Galactica: Angriff der Zylonen". Cinema. Number 8: August 1979. pp 20 & 21.
  22. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=eMsEAQAAIAAJ Ecran
  23. Your Movie Guide to Science Fiction/Fantasy Video Tapes and Discs. 1985. p 62
  24. Daynes and Butler. The Videodisc Book: A Guide and Directory. 1984 Edition. John Wiley & Sons. p 357. 36 Cinefantastique 52
  25. https://archive.org/details/mission-galactica-the-cylon-attack/mode/1up Mission Galactica