("It's Halloween, right? Everybody has a BLAST tonight!") - GALACTICA: 1980 - "The Night the Cylons Landed"

Cy (Rex Cutter) and Andromus (Roger Davis)
- Galactica: 1980 ("The Night the Cylons Landed")

It's Halloween...the perfect time to view the famous (infamous?) Galactica: 1980 two part episode "The Night the Cylons Landed".  This is no doubt the only Halloween-themed TV story that premiered a solid six months before  Halloween (April 13 and 20, 1980)!  Both parts were written by series creator Glen A. Larson.  Part 1 was directed by Sigmund Neufeld; Part 2 was directed by Barry Crane.

In this story, an advanced Cylon ship crash lands on Earth on the outskirts of New York City.  The ship is destroyed in the crash.  The two surviving Cylons - one a "classic" model Cylon and the other an advanced humanoid model - make their way to New York City.  They intend to find a radio transmitter to contact the Cylon forces in space and direct them to Earth.  Due to an incredible coincidence the Cylons have arrived on Halloween - the one night of the entire year where they can move about (relatively) unnoticed!  Meanwhile, Troy and Dillon must stop the robotic duo by any means necessary...including dressing up in tops and tails and performing in a dance routine with Scooby Doo!  Yes, this episode is as bad as it sounds!  Every sci-fi fan should experience "The Night the Cylons Landed" at least once! This two-part episode was incorporated into the Battlestar Galactica "compilation" syndicated TV movie Conquest of the Earth (it's available on VHS).

Lara Parker and Wolfman Jack
- Galactica: 1980 ("The Night the Cylons Landed")

Ruminations:
(1) Despite many glaring flaws, the Galactica: 1980 TV series had some great opening "teasers" - literally every one is interesting and exciting.  If only the episodes were as good as the "teasers"!  :-(
(2)  At one point, Troy and Dillon adopt the names "Smith" and "Jones" - this is presumably a nod to the Glen A. Larson TV series Alias Smith & Jones (which co-starred Roger Davis).
(3)  Roger Davis and Lara Parker both appeared in the cult-classic ABC-TV daytime drama Dark Shadows (1966 - 71).

"The Night the Cylons Landed" (part 1) can be viewed on YouTube HERE:

"The Night the Cylons Landed" (part 2) can be viewed on YouTube HERE:

The opening credits of "Conquest of the Earth" can be viewed on YouTube HERE:

Battlestar Galactica and Galactica: 1980 is copyright (c) NBC / Universal; created by Glen A. Larson.