Battlestar Galactica

Battlestar Galactica (1978)

136 mistakes in season 1

(3 votes)

Battlestar Galactica mistake picture

Saga of a Star World (1) - S1-E1

Continuity mistake: 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. (00:40:15)

johnrosa

Battlestar Galactica mistake picture

Saga of a Star World (1) - S1-E1

Continuity mistake: 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. (00:14:45)

Mortug

Saga of a Star World (1) - S1-E1

Revealing mistake: 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". (00:02:45)

johnrosa

Saga of a Star World (1) - S1-E1

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. (00:10:30)

johnrosa

Upvote valid corrections to help move entries into the corrections section.

Suggested correction: Since the Colonial Vipers CAN fly in atmosphere and in space, that move would just be standard operating procedure and used either in space or in air. Similar to the way Navy pilots deploy a tailhook (for carrier use) when they land on runways.

Saga of a Star World (1) - S1-E1

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. (02:00:30)

johnrosa

Battlestar Galactica mistake picture

Saga of a Star World (1) - S1-E1

Other mistake: 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. (00:02:45)

johnrosa

The Long Patrol - S1-E7

Factual error: Apollo tells Boxey they're leaving their star system and entering "a whole new galaxy." Wrong. Throughout this episode, the writer confuses solar/star systems and galaxies, which are vastly (literally) different things. Even with hundreds-of-times-faster-than-light drives, Galactica's fleet would need thousands of years to cross between galaxies. (00:02:15)

Jean G

Season 1 generally

Revealing mistake: 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.

johnrosa

Saga of a Star World (1) - S1-E1

Continuity mistake: 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. (00:15:25)

johnrosa

Baltar's Escape - S1-E21

Other mistake: When Adama arrives to interrogate the Commandant, the guard reaches up to a control panel on the wall to open the cell door, but before he touches it, the door begins to slide open. (00:03:30)

johnrosa

Saga of a Star World (1) - S1-E1

Continuity mistake: 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. (02:09:40 - 02:11:05)

johnrosa

Saga of a Star World (1) - S1-E1

Continuity mistake: 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. (02:09:40 - 02:12:15)

johnrosa

Greetings from Earth (2) - S1-E20

Continuity mistake: The Commandant of the Alliance destroyer is told the homing beacon on Paradeen is no longer transmitting. Yet in the next scene on Paradeen, Michael asks Vector if the beacon has been destroyed, as ordered, and Vector replies that he forgot to do it.

johnrosa

Saga of a Star World (1) - S1-E1

Revealing mistake: 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. (00:05:40)

johnrosa

Season 1 generally

Revealing mistake: Several times, close up shots of the Cylon Centurions show the shoulders and chest moving slightly as the actor inside breathes. Though originally conceived as a reptiloid species, this never made it to screen. Centurions are robots who don't breathe.

Grumpy Scot

Commander Adama: Mr. President, a wall of unidentified craft is closing in on the fleet.
Baltar: Possibly a Cylon welcoming commitee.
Commander Adama: Sir, may I suggest we launch a 'welcoming commitee' of our own?

More quotes from Battlestar Galactica

Trivia: Episode 18 - "Baltar's Escape": This is likely a mistake, but it's a self-excusing one that, if intentional, was a nice bit of inspired continuity. In "The Man with Nine Lives", a Colonial Warrior, played by an actor not seen previously, is guarding new recruits that are confined in their quarters awaiting security clearance. He not only freely gives out classified information, but is eventually overpowered by two phony recruits and locked in a supply closet. Then, in "Baltar's Escape", the same actor appears as a member of the Council of 12's security team. It's likely the film makers thought no one would recognize him, but given the disdain that Colonial warriors have for the Council's security people, it is fitting to see this failed Warrior reassigned to the Council - a nice touch, even if not intentional.

johnrosa

More trivia for Battlestar Galactica

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