A Near‑Miss with the Stars: How Asimov Almost Joined a TV Space Saga

The original 1978‑79 “Battlestar Galactica” was a mixed bag. On one side, it tried to copy the excitement of “Star Wars, ” offering flashy laser fights and space battles that felt more like air combat than real interstellar warfare. On the other side, its creator Glen A. Larson slipped in religious ideas from his Mormon background, adding a layer of mysticism that confused some viewers. Because the show leaned more on adventure than hard science, Isaac Asimov—a towering figure in science‑fiction literature—didn’t warm to it. He publicly complained that the series’ ships were unrealistic and that the dogfights between Vipers and Cylon Raiders looked like old‑school air battles. His frustration grew after the series ended abruptly, leaving the colonists still searching for Earth.After cancellation, fans begged ABC to revive the series. Larson saw a chance to cut costs by shifting the story to a cheaper format. He turned to Asimov for help, hoping the author’s scientific mind could give the show a fresh direction. Although the collaboration never fully materialized, Asimov did draft an outline that would later feed into the proposed “Galactica 1980” revival. The plan was to jump ahead five or thirty years, with the fleet finally reaching Earth. The new narrative would involve time‑travel twists and a younger character, Dr. Zee—a boy with extraordinary mental powers who could guide humanity toward readiness against the Cylons. These ideas echoed themes from Asimov’s own “Foundation” series, hinting at a more thoughtful, science‑driven storyline. Despite an October 1979 magazine report claiming Asimov had finished a pilot treatment, the script was either rejected or shelved. The network moved on, and “Galactica 1980” never aired. Fans still wonder what a Asimov‑influenced sequel would have looked like, blending hard science with the original show’s space adventure.