When asked if I liked "Star Wars" or "Star Trek" better, I answered "'Battlestar Galactica'-- the original!" It's better technically than "Trek." It's more creative than "Wars" (originally a rip off of Frank Herbert's "Dune"). And it definitely tops the insubstantial thrills of the 2003 "reinvention." This TV movie opens with a tragic attack on the human race by the vicious and mechanical Cylons, including the spectacular strafing and bombing of the planet Caprica, which destroys Colonial morale. By the time fifteen minutes are up, everyone has lost somebody close, and the story is already in full form thanks to Richard Colla's brilliant directing and Glen A. Larson's constantly clever writing.<br /><br />The special effects are still spectacular to this day, and while they could have cheapened the actual drama of the show, they didn't. Watch especially for cheesy good performances from Richard Hatch, Jane Seymour, and, of course, Lorne Greene. Look out for space disco performed by the alien Android Sisters.