BG-09: Fire In Space

[Flamingo Girl]

A kamikaze wave of Cylon fighters cripples the Galactica -- and internal fires threaten to destroy the battlestar while crew members are trapped amidst the devastation.

Series stars; Richard Hatch as Apollo, Dirk Benedict as Starbuck, Herb Jefferson Jr. as Boomer, Lorne Greene as Adama, Terry Carter as Colonel Tigh, Maren Jensen as Athena, Tony Swartz as Jolly, Laurette Spang as Cassiopia, Noah Hathaway as Boxey, Sarah Rush as Rigel, David Greenan as Omega, Anne Lockhart as Sheba, Jack Stauffer as Bojay, Ed Begley, Jr. as Greenbean, and John Colicos as Baltar.


(Thanks to Michael Faries Battlestar Galactica.com)

[Charybdis]

I was just watching "Fire in Space" and I was shocked to see that when all the pilots launch in the first main battle sequence, they are shown moving down the corridors on those powered sleds!!!!!!

I didn't think those shots were seen other than in the pilot and in Gun on Ice Planet, but there it was in Fire in Space!

[shiningstar]

I noticed that too charybdis. I was confused about that.

[Charybdis]

In the Hand of God thread, I asked if that was the only episode without any guest stars. But then I noticed that in the credits for Fire in Space, it does not list any specific guest stars (I think there were a couple credited at the end of the episode like Jeff McKay), but were there any credited at the beginning of the episode?

This may be another episode without any guest stars. Since this episode came after Living Legend, according to the series credits (even the one in the first post in this thread) it does not list any guest stars. Those who came aboard during the Living Legend like Anne Lockhart are already listed as series regulars...

[shiningstar]

I never looked at the credits charybdis.

[Charybdis]

I was just able to check my videotape of Fire in Space and it actually lists three guest stars!

Anne Lockhart!! (still listed as a guest star)
George Murdock (as Dr. Salik)
William Bryant (Galactica fire chief)

[chez1701]

Actually this episode reminded me if the Towering Inferno movie in the mid 70's.

[Doctor Salik]

When Apollo and Starbuck place the detonators on the hull, look at the scene where Starbuck waves. You can clearly see his bare wrist not covered by his spacesuit. Also notice the red heads of both actors, especially Richard's. They were doing their scenes hanging upside down. It must have been a pain to do this.

[Muffit]

Hi Dr. Salik!

George Murdock who plays Dr. Salik in this ep turns in a great performance I thought.

HEY! All thru the episode they talk about the "Energizer" -- hmm!!! I looked everywhere and never did see a pink bunny playing a drum...!!!

[shiningstar]

Chez ........ it reminded me of towering inferno too .......
fire in space was NOT one of my favorite episodes.

As a kid, I didn't like this one much. It was too sad for me.
But now, 25 yahrens later, it's in My Personal Top 3.

Real drama and a sense of hoplessness reigns as the Galactica truly appears doomed after Cylon rammers cause sever damage to Glactica's port side landing bay and the bridge takes a hit, leaving Adama incapacitated and needing heart surgery. The strifing runs by Apollo, Starbuck and Sheba in their specially-equipped Vipers are unable to put the landing bay fire out. (I remember being very frustrated when watching as a kid when it didn't work)

We get to see Muffit in a heroic role, taking air masks to those trapped in the Rejuvination Center and that's wonderful.

A scene with Adama and Tigh in sickbay is as dramatic as any scene in the series when the injured and dieing Adama asks for a status report on the ship and Tigh, after a dramatic pause and some sad music says:

"It's bad Adama."

Also, a tear-jerking scene at the end, when a recovering Adama and Apollo are reunited and Adama tells his son to recommend Boomer for award for his bravery in saving those in the Rej. center. Richard Hatch's reaction in that instant is, in my opinion, as strong as any scene Hatch played in the whole series, as he tearfully tells Boomer "Thank You for saving my family," and Boomer is his easy-going self about it all. Then we lose it when a tearful Boxey says "Muffey's never coming back, dad." Only to set up Starbuck's "Wanna' bet!" Great stuff!

[Muffit]

Hi ViperTech, welcome to Colonial Fleets! And thank you for sharing your feelings on this episode!

[shiningstar]

I loved that scene Viper tech. I was soooooooooo happy
that Boxey still had Muffit at the end of the show.

[bsg1fan1975]

I was touched by Cassi trying to keep the information about Athena and Boxey from Adama.


Muffit and mushies! that's a combo!

[gunnerk19]

Ok, and how obvious were the wires used to suspend Starbuck and Apollo in the outer hull scenes? And the launch sequence in the beginning... Sheba is wearing a Pegasus squadron helmet in the tube, then the following scenes show her wearing the Galactica's helmet...

Things that make you go Hmmmmmm.....

[Starwarrior]

This episode could definitley had been edited better,especially the scenes with Starbuck and Apolio outside.But you have to realize how fast these episodes were put together,even if they had the technology then to erase the wires,I doubt they would have had the time.It's too bad that Universal didn't spend a little money to clean up the effects for the dvd release.But all in all I like this episode,it was dramatic,suspenseful and very well acted,especially the last scene,that was mentioned before, where Apollo thanks Boomer for saving his family with tears running down his face.Not too many shows would have the guts to have a main male character,a hero and warrior no less,cry and show emotion like that.

[Muffit]

Hi Starwarrior! Welcome to Colonial Fleets! And I agree with you entirely, Richard's wonderfully emotional performance as a staunch warrior showing true human compassion is still awesome.

Thanks for posting

I thought "Fire in Space" was a solid episode for a number of reasons, including the look it gave us at the perils of a ship, even a technically advanced warship, having to manage without any outside support. Galactica is on its own here, and if they can't put this fire out they've had it. The idea for the Cylons to ignore the vipers in order to kamakazie Galactica worked very well in exploiting this weakness.

Another standout point of this episode was the opportunity it presented for supporting characters to shine, particularly Boomer, Athena, and Dr. Salik. I'd like to have seen all three characters developed further as the show progressed, and I don't understand why Maren Jensen was considered such a weak actress that they eventually wrote her out of the show. For not having any acting background, she didn't do badly at all. I've seen far worse.

The weakest parts of this episode, for me, were the Galactica exterior f/x when Starbuck and Apollo are setting their charges, and the viper strafing run on the landing bay. On the latter, it just didn't seem believable to me that the vipers could carry enough suppressant to extinguish a huge fire in that massive landing bay. It was also unfortunate that they recycled the f/x for the scene where the Cylon raider crashes into the landing bay and explodes (they used it again for the explosions caused by Starbuck and Apollo's charges).

As an interesting aside, this episode was combined with "the Living Legend" for the full-length film "Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack".

Overall, if ranking Galactica episodes from best to least, I'd place "Fire in Space" somewhere in the middle: not the greatest, but a good effort, nonetheless. And also memorable for giving us an enhanced look at some supporting characters.

[shiningstar]

Also when Starbuck and Apollo are in their space suits,
you can see the WIRES that are holding them upside
down so to speak. So much for the tether line .....

I think they would have done better to airbrush the
lines holding them ....out of the scene
...... I couldn't help laughing about
that a bit.

[Muffit]

Hi Shiningstar! You should see a Fireball XL5 episode. Each puppet has about 12 strings and they /really/ stand out. My daughter was dying laughing the first time she saw it, but somehow the ambience of those early days touched her as well and now she loves it. (The space ships have strings too, but they have really good thruster effects which helps them look more real).

WIRES, Well forget them, Eve(Muffet] was wonderfull in this episode,

***1/2

Better than most disaster movies, some silly scenes but suspensful too...

[shiningstar]

Originally Posted by WARDAGGIT73

***1/2

Better than most disaster movies, some silly scenes but suspensful too...

My kids loved the part where Boomer smushes Boxey's MUSHIE.

Another good Galactica episode based on World War II. The premise of the story is based on the U.S.S. Ben Franklin, a World War II American aircraft carrier that sufferd kamikaze attacks and then was miraculously saved after a horrendous fire. The number of people killed on that carrier was horrific. The fact that it was saved is a tribute to the bravery of naval firefighters and her surviving crew. If you can ever see images of that carrier after the battle it is truely amazing something can take so much abuse and fire and still float.

[warhammerdriver]

Originally Posted by antelope526

The premise of the story is based on the U.S.S. Ben Franklin, a World War II American aircraft carrier that sufferd kamikaze attacks and then was miraculously saved after a horrendous fire.

Was it the Ben Franklin or the Ticonderoga ?

At the Fort Ticonderoga museum (in Ticonderoga, NY--where else?) there are parts of the Japanese kamikazi aircraft that hit the Ti on display. I think the biggest part is about the size of a piece of paper. (Sorry to go a little OT, folks.)

Although many U.S. aircraft carriers in the Pacific took a beating by kamikazees the U.S.S. Franklin is famous for the ensuing fire and loss of life. It's massive burning and fire fighting effort was filmed in fairly good detail for happening in the middle of a war. As such it has been the focus of a few World War II documentaries and shows including I believe an episode of the naval classic series, Victory at Sea.

It amazes me to see the condition some of those World War II warships looked like as they returned to port after battle.

[Dawg]

Originally Posted by antelope526

Although many U.S. aircraft carriers in the Pacific took a beating by kamikazees the U.S.S. Franklin is famous for the ensuing fire and loss of life. It's massive burning and fire fighting effort was filmed in fairly good detail for happening in the middle of a war. As such it has been the focus of a few World War II documentaries and shows including I believe an episode of the naval classic series, Victory at Sea.

It amazes me to see the condition some of those World War II warships looked like as they returned to port after battle.

A testiment to the quality of the construction, I think. Some of the bombers that made runs over Germany, too, came back so shot up it was amazing they didn't just fall our of the sky like a rock. B-27's, weren't they?

I am
Dawg

[warhammerdriver]

Originally Posted by Dawg

A testiment to the quality of the construction, I think. Some of the bombers that made runs over Germany, too, came back so shot up it was amazing they didn't just fall our of the sky like a rock. B-27's, weren't they?

I am
Dawg

B-17 Flying Fortresses. Got to tour one at an air show once. Really makes you think.

Originally Posted by warhammerdriver

Was it the Ben Franklin or the Ticonderoga ?

A check of the history books shows that the Ticonderoga (CV-14) is the ship that seems to most closely resemble the Galactica in this program. At least two other carriers suffered kamikaze hits, as did a large number of smaller ships.

The Ben Franklin (CV-13) was bombed. It wasn't a kamikaze. The ensuing hangar deck fire very nearly sank the ship. The damage was far worse than what the Galactica suffered.

Kamikazes also hit the Bunker Hill (CV-17), which suffered extremely severe damage and was knocked out of the war.

Enterprise (CV-6) suffered a kamikaze hit on the forward elevator. It "only" blew the elevator about 300 feet into the air and rendered the flight deck unusable, but it didn't cause the extent of damage suffered by the Franklin and Bunker Hill.

The Ticonderoga (CV-14) was hit by two kamikazes, was swarmed on by others, suffered serious damage, but was not crippled to the extent that Bunker Hill and Ben Franklin were. Her story comes closest to the Galactica's, I think.

By the way, that episode may have been one of the most serious dramas in TOS, but it did perhaps the most damage to the elementary laws of physics. But I won't go there right now.

Originally Posted by Antelope526

]It amazes me to see the condition some of those World War II warships looked like as they returned to port after battle.

Originally Posted by Dawg

A testament to the quality of the construction, I think. Some of the bombers that made runs over Germany, too, came back so shot up it was amazing they didn't just fall our of the sky like a rock.

I am
Dawg

Well, with airplanes, probably yes, with aircraft carriers, probably no. Our carriers had wooden flight decks to save weight and create more room for airplanes, while British carriers had armored steel decks but could carry fewer planes. If the Franklin had had an armored flight deck she probably would have suffered very little. Her wooden deck did nothing to keep the bombs from penetrating to the hangar deck. Now, a battleship would hardly have even noticed the impact, but the carriers suffered terribly for their fragile construction.