The Telemovie Version of Experiment in Terra

First created: April 1, 1998
Maintained by John Larocque

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The "Experiment in Terra" telemovie is the only telemovie based on one-hour episodes which actually features new footage that never made it in the original broadcast versions. This document presents a list of new and cut scenes found in the telemovie presentation of "Experiment in Terra", when compared with the broadcast version of the episode.

It begins with an astronaut finding Commander Adama's log book in space, and a short pre-Carillon synopsis of the pilot, with narrations by Patrick Macnee and Lorne Greene (reciting from the log book.) This is followed by more stock footage from the pilot episode, and a special edited version of "The Return of Starbuck". This version of the Galactica 1980 episode has had all the scenes and references to Angela and her star child removed, and is made to appear as if Starbuck took the part-Cylon part-Galactican escape craft back to the Battlestar Galactica. This sequence is then followed by an expanded version of the episode "Experiment in Terra".

1. Adama's Predicament (1m09s)

In between the scenes where Apollo peels off from the Viper patrol, and is captured aboard the Ship of Lights, there is a new scene between Adama and Tigh on the choices facing them on this mission. It begins with Tigh entering the commander's quarters.

Adama: Enter. No word?

Tigh: No. I'm getting concerned.

Adama: What lies beyojnd that Destroyer concerns me. We're heading directly into a war zone.

Tigh: Adama, if I may suggest.

Adama: Please.

Tigh: Why don't we bypass Lunar 7 entirely. Take the fleet on to the mother planet, Terra.

Adama: And what then? How do we assess the true predicament of those people? Who's in the right? Who's in the wrong?

Tigh: Surely, the Alliance is in the wrong.

Adama: I would think so. But suppose both sides are partially wrong. Do we meddle in their affairs and perhaps lend our superior technology to the wrong side?

Tigh: Adama, we are not gods. We've got our own people to think about.

Adama: Yes, that's true. And so we must wait for our patrol to report on the true situation on Lunar 7.

2. Starbuck and Boomer - Prolog (33s)

After Apollo arrives on Terra, uttering the words "It wasn't a dream", there are several lines of dialog absent in the original broadcast, but shown unedited in the telemovie version. The conversation takes place between Starbuck and Boomer in their Vipers:

Starbuck: Nothing. Not a trace.

Boomer: We've barely got enough fuel to complete our mision and rendezvous with the Galactica.

Starbuck: We can't stop now. Apollo's out there somewhere.

Boomer: We could get the Galactica to come to us. We're too far for voice communication.

Starbuck: What if we turned on our long range distress beacon?

Boomer: Oh, they'd pick that up. So might any Destroyers in the area.

Starbuck: It's either that or give up on Apollo.

At this point both versions converge, as Starbuck hears the blip on his scanner and says "It got it. A long range distress signal. That's got to be Apollo."

3. Starbuck and Boomer - Epilog (6s)

After Boomer waves off Apollo, there's six addional seconds of footage of Starbuck's Viper flying off, followed by Boomer rolling his eyes and giving a sigh.

4. Terran background (16s)

After Starbuck and Apollo's dialog with Generals Maxwell and Stone outside the Precedium, there's a shot of the planet Terra as seen from from space (11s), followed by a shot of scene in a desert (5s). The scene then switches to the Eastern Alliance war room, and then Starbuck and Brenda's search for his Viper.

5. The Precedium -The President's Speech (6m08s/2m36s)

This is a very long sequence, which begins after Starbuck and Brenda are searching for his Viper in her vehicle, and she tells Starbuck "I don't know what to believe." The scene switches to applause and speeches before the Precedium. This is the original broadcast version of this scene:

President: I am here to announce this night a secret treaty made with the Eastern Alliance whereby all hostilities will be halted.

Maxwell: (to Stone, as Precedium bursts into applause) A treaty with the Eastern Alliance? Has he lost his mind?

Stone: (to Maxwell) Hasn't everybody in the past 24 hours?

President: Now before I ask for a formal vote, I ask General Maxwell if he would like to comment on my proposal.

Maxwell: (to Stone) He's boxed me in and there's nothing that I can say.

Apollo: (to Maxwell) I can. (speaking into communicator) Starbuck, come in. Come in, Starbuck. Starbuck, if you can hear me I'll stall them as long as I can.

Maxwell: (stepping up the podium) I will call upon a visitor to our nation, a young man who has come from afar to tell us that our predicament is not unique, that once upon a time there was another world very much like our own, which ended as abruptly as I believe ours is about to end now. I give you Captain Apollo of the Battlestar Galactica, a ship from a world and star system far from our own.

President: (to Maxwell) What kind of trick is this?

Maxwell: (to the President) Hear him out, Mr. President. If he makes a fool of me you win.

President: The Chair recognizes Captain Apollo.

Apollo: (stepping up to the podium) There was once, far across this universe, a system of twelve planets who had reached a level of commerce and peace unparelled in our knowledge of Man.

The scene ends as the Eastern Alliance leader gives orders to "stand by to launch our missiles".

In the telemovie version, after Brenda says "I don't know what to believe", there's some additional footage of Brenda's vehicle stopping, as Starbuck says "There. Stop. This looks like the right place. Let's go." The scene immediately switches to applause and an expanded version of speeches before the Precedium. This is the telemovie version of the same scene:

President: General Maxwell has accused me of withholding information from you. That our satellites which provide us with our fuel and our food have been attacked. Some of them even destroyed. There is some truth to his allegations. However, I felt that any word—prematurely given out— would lead our generals to demand a retalliation, an act that would lead us unto devastation. (pauses) I am here to announce this night a secret treaty made with the Eastern Alliance whereby all hostilities will be halted.

Maxwell: (to Stone, as Precedium bursts into applause) A treaty with the Eastern Alliance? Has he lost his mind?

Stone: (to Maxwell) Hasn't everybody in the past 24 hours?

President: The crux of the matter is and has always been disarmament—a continual buildup of military might that leaves our world no margin for error. The most elemental misjudgment and everything we've known is gone, evaporated, in less time then it will take you as a responsible body to ratify this treaty. The terms are simple. Phase one—both the Eastern Alliance and the Free Nationalists will simultaneously disarm under mutual supervision. Phase two— we agree to negotiate in good faith a new and greater body of government which will not only preserve our individual nationalities, but also guarantee to each of our nations and to the members of the Eastern Alliance alike equal access to the resources and food of our planet system. Now before I ask for a formal vote, I ask General Maxwell if he would like to comment on my proposal.

Maxwell: (to Stone) He's boxed me in and there's nothing that I can say.

Apollo: (to Maxwell) I can. (speaking into communicator) Starbuck, come in. Come in, Starbuck. Starbuck, if you can hear me I'll stall them as long as I can.

Maxwell: (stepping up to the podium) Ordinarily I would cry out against appeasement. I would shout betrayal over the President's systematically allowing our defence posture to deteriorate beyond repair. The time has come and gone when we as a free body can express opinions and choose our fate. Our fate has been sealed. If you will, I will call upon a visitor to our nation, a young man who has come from afar to tell us that our predicament is not unique, that once upon a time there was another world very much like our own, which ended as abruptly as I believe ours is about to end now. I give you Captain Apollo of the Battlestar Galactica, a ship from a world and star system far from our own.

President: (to Maxwell) What kind of trick is this?

Maxwell: (to the President) Hear him out, Mr. President. If he makes a fool of me you win.

President: The Chair recognizes Captain Apollo.

Apollo: (stepping up to the podium) There was once, far across this universe, a system of twelve planets who had reached a level of commerce and peace unparelled in our knowledge of Man. The names of these planets are Caprica, Sagitarria, Virgon...

5. The Precedium - Apollo's Speech - Epilog (20s)

There's some additional dialog by Apollo before the Precedium, immediately after Starbuck at last finds his Viper, and before the Eastern Alliance leader orders a launch of the missiles. Square brackets indicate the new material.

Apollo: [... freedom. Freedom cannot be negotiated. It is rarely given. It is usually won at great cost and sacrifice. Once lost, the price for regaining it will be ever higher.] I came from a world where the people believed the oppositie of war was peace. We found out the hard way that the opposite of war is more often slavery. And that strength—strength alone—can support freedom.