Battlestar Galactica (1978) - 134 mistakes in entire show

Revealing: Throughout the entire run of the series, special effects shots are repeated over and over, often half a dozen times in the same episode. Budget problems forced the practice, but at times it is so pronounced as to become a distraction. The same Cylon raider banking to the side, hit by laser fire and exploding outward to its sides, is probably seen more often than any other single shot in the show. It is flipped many times so that it can bank left, then be used to bank right, providing two shots for the price of one.

Revealing: Several times, close up shots of the Cylons show the shoulders and chest moving slightly as the actor inside breathes. Though originally conceived as a reptiloid species, the Cylons became strictly robotic when BG went to series. So Cylons are robots that don't breathe.

Continuity: When the Warriors are playing cards, Starbuck places his cards on the table near the gold coins, saying "A perfect pyramid. Unless there's a better hand, the pot is mine". His right fingers tap on the table and his cigar is in the ashtray. When the shot cuts, his hand is suddenly up by his mouth, holding the cigar, and the cards and coins have vanished.

Continuity: When Baltar turns to face the two setting suns, we see the lower one at the left has what could be a boat in its reflection on the water. The higher one on the right is over a mountainous area on the horizon. The next shot is of Baltar in close-up, then the next returns to the horizon to show us Baltar's view, which shows just ONE setting sun. The one on the left has vanished though there is room enough for it to have been seen in this shot.

Continuity: When Athena is about to undress, Starbuck surprises her and she conceals herself behind a locker door. The strap around her shoulder changes position between shots.

Continuity: When Adama picks up the picture among the ruins, and says "I'm sorry, Lia", his grip on the picture differs from shot to shot.

Continuity: When Apollo and Boomer enter the club, Apollo walks in, placing himself near some curtains while Boomer walks ahead. When the shot cuts, Boomer is suddenly standing right behind Apollo.

Revealing: In the second shot showing the fleet of Battlestars (from the port side and slightly behind), two ghostly images fly in formation with the three Battlestars shown. They are just above the closest ship (where the narrow middle meets the larger rear section). It seems that the shot may have originally contained 5 ships and an attempt was made to 'remove' the most distant two, leaving the "ghosts".

Factual error: When Apollo decides he and Zac will attack the Cylons that are following them, he tells Zac to "hit your reverse thrusters and maximum braking flaps", but they aren't in an atmosphere. Brake flaps would have no effect in the vacuum of space.

Other: In the second shot showing the fleet of Battlestars (from the port side and slightly behind), the closest ship has an odd reflection which forms a "pillar of light" radiating down from near the rear of the landing bay. It is an effects error, perhaps created while trying to hide the rod that holds the ship up from below.

Deliberate "mistake": When the large formation of Cylons attack, the graphic that Athena is looking at shows the approaching Cylon ships as triangles, as usual. But it also shows two asterisks leading that formation, and the asterisk is the symbol for Vipers. There are NO Vipers leading the Cylons in this sequence. This graphic is a reuse of the one from the big battle at the start of the episode when Apollo and Zac were being pursued by an earlier large formation of Cylons.

Continuity: When the Galactica goes to battle stations, Starbuck's card game is broken up. He rises out of his chair in a close-up to try to keep the other players from taking back their money and leaving. In the next wide shot, he's still seated and rises again.

Revealing: When a Viper is launched, it is catapulted forward from a standing start, and the pilot is thrown back forcefully into their seat. But the very first time Apollo's Viper is launched, the background image shows the Viper is already racing forward before Apollo is thrown backward- the actor missed his cue.

Continuity: As the two Centurian Cylons report to their leader that all the base ships have been destroyed, we see the leader sitting on a chair on top of a column. As the leader's chair turns around, you can see its shadow being cast right beside the Centurions. When the shot cuts, the shadow is gone.

Continuity: After the big battle, Apollo announces that the Cylons are "on the run". Adama orders all the Vipers back on board Galactica, and when they've landed, he is informed that two are missing. Apollo and Starbuck have headed off to find the Cylon base ship on which a Cylon reports to the Imperious Leader that an attack is imminent. When the leader suggests that their Cylon Raiders can defend them, the Cylon replies that the Raiders are still engaging Galactica- but this hasn't been true for sometime- that battle is over.

Continuity: At the end of the big battle, at least four Cylon Raiders are seen fleeing the battle area. Then, using phony radio chatter, Starbuck and Apollo fake that their two ships are actually four full squadrons, ready to attack the base star. Starbuck tries to fake that two more squadrons can join them, but Apollo states that they aren't needed. But the Cylon reporting to his leader states that SIX squadrons are approaching (not just the four) and that all their Raiders were destroyed in the battle. A Cylon does not exaggerate, nor can he be mistaken or lie- yet he IS wrong in this scene.

Revealing: During the sequence where Starbuck is attempting to land his damaged Viper on the Galactica flight deck, Athena begins running a diagnostic scan on her computer. In the first insert shot of her computer screen, near the top right hand side of the shot, the words "MADE IN USA" are legible in the diagram. These survivors of the "12 Colonies" are searching for a mythical 13th colony known as "Earth" that they've never been to, so having American software is quite out of place.

Plot hole: Apollo takes Adama down to the surface of Caprica aboard his Viper, yet the Viper is a single-seat fighter. This is the only time the single-seat craft is used to carry two people (though there is no shot of the two aboard- it is simply shown landed with the two characters nearby).

Continuity: When Apollo asks Zac, "How many of them can you make out?", Zac looks at his targeting screen and replies, "Four." However, the screen displays five. The ensuing battle proves Zach is correct with four, meaning the film makers inserted an incorrect targeting screen graphic.

Continuity: As they reach Carillon, we see Adama and Tigh shaking hands while standing right next to each other. When the shot cuts, Tigh is standing behind Adama.