Battlestar Galactica: The Long Patrol

"The Long Patrol"
	Series Battlestar Galactica; Season 1, Episode 7
Air date	October 15th, 1978
Writers	Donald Bellisario
Director	Christian I. Nyby, II
Producers	Donald P. Bellisario; Glen A. Larson; David J. O'Connell; Gary Winter
Starring	Richard Hatch; Dirk Benedict; Lorne Greene; Herbert Jefferson, Jr.; John Colicos; Maren Jensen; Noah Hathaway; Laurette Spang; Tony Swartz; Terry Carter
	Episode guide
Previous; "The Lost Warrior"	Next; "Gun on Ice Planet Zero (Part 1)"

"The Long Patrol" is the seventh episode of season one of the science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica and the fifth episode of the series overall (if one counts the three-hour pilot movie as a single episode). The episode was directed by Christian I. Nyby, II with a teleplay written by Donald P. Bellisario. The episode first aired on ABC on October 15th, 1978.

Synopsis[]

While patrolling in the prototype Recon Viper #1 (with the new C.O.R.A. computer system), Lieutenant Starbuck has his ship stolen and is incarcerated in a case of mistaken identity.

Cast[]

Principal Cast[]

Actor	Role
Richard Hatch	Captain Apollo
Dirk Benedict	Lieutenant Starbuck
Lorne Greene	Commander Adama

Supporting Cast[]

Actor	Role
Herbert Jefferson, Jr.	Lieutenant Boomer
John Colicos	Baltar
Maren Jensen	Athena
Noah Hathaway	Boxey
Laurette Spang	Cassiopeia
Tony Swartz	Flight Sgt. Jolly ^[1]
Anne Lockhart	Sheba
Terry Carter	Colonel Tigh

Guest Stars[]

Actor	Role
James Whitmore, Jr.	Robber
Ted Gehring	Croad

Co-Stars[]

Actor	Role
Sean McClory	Assault 9
Tasha Martel	Adulteress 58
Ian Abercrombie	Forger 7
Sarah Rush	Flight Corporal Rigel
David Greenan	Omega
Robert Hathaway	Enforcer
Nancy DeCarl	Slayer

Uncredited Cast[]

Actor	Role
Eve the Chimp	Muffit
Unknown	Tanya
Jonathan Harris	Lucifer
John Holland	Waiter
Patrick Macnee	Narrator
Cathey Paine	C.O.R.A.
Felix Silla	Lucifer

Crew[]

Notes & Trivia[]

Battlestar Galactica was created by Glen A. Larson.

"The Long Patrol" and "BSG: The Long Patrol" both serve as shortcuts to this page.

This episode is production code number 50902. ^[2]

This episode begins with a preview of events that take place in the episode.

This episode is included on disc two of the Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Epic Series Cylon case DVD boxset collection. This edition was produced by Universal Studios and released in Region 1 format on February 10th, 2004. The DVD includes deleted scenes from this episode.

Supervising producer and Screenwriter Donald P. Bellisario is credited as Donald Bellisario in this episode.

Associate producer Gary Winter is credited as Gary B. Winter in this episode.

Actor Tony Swartz is credited in this episode, but his character, Jolly, does not make an actual appearance.

Actress Arlene Martel is credited as Tasha Martel in this episode.

This is the third episode of Battlestar Galactica directed by Christian I. Nyby, II. He directs five episodes of the series in total. He previously directed "The Lost Planet of the Gods (Part 2)". His next episode is "The Magnificent Warriors".

This is the fourth episode of Battlestar Galactica written by Donald Bellisario. He writes eleven episodes of the series in total. He previously worked on "The Lost Warrior". His next episode is "Gun on Ice Planet Zero (Part 1)".

This episode introduces the fleet's new computer system, C.O.R.A.

This is the third episode of Battlestar Galactica with Jonathan Harris providing the voice of Lucifer. He previously worked on "The Lost Planet of the Gods (Part 2)". He is uncredited for his participation in this episode.

While Jonathan Harris provides the voice for Lucifer, it is actor Felix Silla wearing the costume.

Actor Robert Hathaway is the father of Noah Hathaway, who plays Boxey. He is also known for a plying a shuttle car operator in the 1973 film Genesis II.

This is the first appearance of John Holland as a waiter. He also appears in "The Man With Nine Lives".

The actress who plays Tanya - the daughter of Robber and Slayer is uncredited. Her identity is unknown, though the Battlestar Galactica wiki posits the notion that the actress might be related to one of the production crew members on the show.

Colonel Tigh has the first speaking lines in this episode.

Allusions[]

In terms of concept and voice, C.O.R.A. bears similarities to that of K.I.T.T., which is the artificially intelligent smart car featured in the 1980s action series Knight Rider. Like Battlestar Galactica, Knight Rider was also created by Glen A. Larson.

Bloopers[]

On board the Rising Star, the one fellow says that it reminds him of "before the war." The war lasted 1000 "yahrens", or years. ^[3]

When Athena saw Starbuck was leading Apollo and Boomer back to the Galactica, she referred to them as Starbuck and Apollo's patrol. She should have called it Apollo and Boomer's patrol. ^[3]

C.O.R.A. cooperated with Robber. "She" has to be intelligent enough to know that having a stranger at the controls isn't right. ^[3]

Quotes[]

Colonel Tigh: Sensors indicate we are nearly through the asteroid dust, Commander.
Commander Adama: Yes, yes. I'm as nervous as a young cadet on his first orbit.
Boxey: I'm not nervous. I don't even know what to be nervous about.

....

Commander Adama: Apollo, perhaps Boxey should take the helm. He has a singular sense of perspective.