Battlestar Galactica (TV Series) The Gun on Ice Planet Zero: Part II (1978) User Reviews

Far from a Zero

[Fluke_Skywalker · 7/10 · 13 June 2016]

Plot; With time running out, the Colonials enlist the help of an unlikely ally. The deadly pulse weapon's creator.

Not a lot of surprises here in this wrap-up of the "Ice Planet Zero" story, unless you count my overall impression of it. Though there are naturally problems inherent in any such genre TV series of the era, I come away from this two-parter very impressed by its execution. The production values here are absolutely first rate. Though shot on a soundstage, they did an exceptional job of creating a completely believable and immersive arctic environment.

The last act is also rife with tension as the team on the planet try to sabotage the pulse gun before the Galactica and its fleet--being squeezed on all sides by the Cylons--comes into range. It's a white-knuckle, deftly handled affair. The same can be said of the two episodes as well.

One of the better episodes but nearly drowns in cliches

[Aylmer · 6/10 · 10 July 2021]

If you love Cylons then this two-parter will whet your appetite. Unfortunately we're exposed to so much footage of them (including 40% recycled content) that they start to wear out their welcome. It's neat to see a "head Cylon" kinda akin to a Cyber Leader on Doctor Who, and there's really little to separate the Cylons from the Cybermen if you look at them closely, aside from the cool red eye. I had misremembered this episode to feature some elaborate under-the-ice set with neat aliens that helped the humans in their quest to destroy a gun, but unfortunately I was thinking of the Cryons in "Attack of the Cybermen". Instead, it's a diverting episode with some good effects here and there (the crashing viper effects still hold up extremely well) marred by way too many recycled shots and cliches.

Neat supporting cast including Richard Lynch, Dan O'Herlihy, and Britt Eckland (who is pretty much wasted). Lynch of course gets to be a sniveling traitor and it would have been neat to see him return as a recurring villain but no such luck. Boxey uselessly tags along on the mission and the writers obviously didn't know what to do with him so he gets stuck in the "kid's room" for almost the entire second half. I did recognize the ice gun charging up sound effect from Disney's THE BLACK HOLE which actually came out the year after this episode aired, strangely enough. Get used to that whole gun firing sequence as they re-use the footage at least 4 times, along with most of the usual space combat shots we've come to know and love by this point in the series.

Still it's better than most of the original BSG episodes (with the first, the last, and the "Living Legend" episodes reigning supreme), and interesting seeing them try something more ambitious than usual. The clone subplot is corny though and could easily have been dropped, especially because their efforts to make several actors look like clones of each other looks ridiculously fake (where can I buy one of those Britt masks?).

Slightly better than part 1

[keyope · 6/10 · 19 June 2018]

The second part of The Gun on Ice Planet Zero has a bit more action than the first, although it is still fairly dull in places. Even though it made sense for this to be a two parter, it would have worked better as a single episode. There's enough material for maybe an episode and a half, but two full episodes really drags things out. There is a lot of time wasted watching folks hiking across the snow. This could have been more interesting if there was a Wampa or something to add some peril, but the best you get is a cylon patrol walking round in circles. The final showdown when they break into the cylon stronghold is quite entertaining, but there are too many disposable characters along on the mission and it's hard to care about them, or what happens to them. Hats off to the makers of the show for this grand idea. Unfortunately what probably sounded like an magnificent idea in a writers room, is actually quite dull because so much of the run time is spent watching the characters travelling to their destination. With these parts cut down by half it might have been more exciting. But there is also the lack of peril because of an enormous plothole. The only reason they are on the mission is to stop the cyclons from firing their giant laser at the Galactica. But it really wouldn't be difficult for the Galactica to just take a minor detour away from the planet, or around the other side of it where there is no laser. Not to mention the fact that the laser has no targeting ability. It always fires at exactly the same spot. Good grief.

freezing

[RavenGlamDVDCollector · 6/10 · 1 June 2017]

The two-parter, "Gun on Ice Planet Zero" was, in my opinion, something that must have sounded like one hell of an idea when it was conceived. It's executed kinda sluggish in places, with the Cylons kinda dorky. That is with hindsight, if you watch it today. By TV standards of that time, this is, of course, something unique. And I did see it way back, and do not get me wrong, I am a fan. A fan who wants it to work. But you gotta admit, this was some huge undertaking. Too much. Every little mistake snowballs, no pun intended. And they look too much like Eskimos. Nobody can act past those fur coat & foggy plastic-visored outfits.

After seeing the same (ineffectual) explosion for the hundredth time (I'm not exaggerating too much) I'm more in the mood for character development. Athena, Starbuck, Cassiopeia, that love triangle; everybody on board the big old leviathan cruising the dark skies pondering their uncertain future and the loss of their families back home, and, yes, mean old Baltar plotting the demise of the grand old Galactica. But there is this inflow of this episode's characters and everything plods along without any real feel for them developing.

Maren Jensen, underemployed. Research show she wasn't healthy at the time. The promising love triangle set-up ruined. Interesting casting with no less a luminary than the delectable former Bond girl Britt Ekland, but she unfortunately fails to make any impact beyond an almost token apoearance.

Goodbye Captain Apollo R.I.P.

[elo-equipamentos · 6/10 · 25 April 2017]

Another series "son" from Star Wars in late the 70', however well done, produced and excellent quality of special effects, almost a great casting, unfortunately Lorne Greene was in wrong place after longest Bonanza, it's a sin for this show, the viewers could thinking that anytime goes to west, in this episode is one of best of the entire series in two parts for overlong story, they have to destroy a powerful pulsar gun before Galactica to be on target, special guest is Roy Thinnes's The Invaders and sad news recently Richard Hatch pass away...

Episode 2 just get's stronger!

[mm-39 · 8/10 · 23 June 2023]

Episode 2 just get's stronger! Many of B S G episodes are two parters; season one had movie type scripts and budget. Like several movies cut into episodes for the only season of the original series.! Lot's of eye Candy with Brit and Starbuck. A story about cloning. Of course the Starwars 3 style Death Star story. What I like is all the special effects and Cylon actions. Listen to the Cylons talk to each other just turns my crank in you just like the robots but do not know why way. Formulated ending were all sub stories tie in together, but I like the Starbuck humor closer. Such a likeable flawed character. 8 stars.