iding the wave of Star Wars' popularity in the late 1970s, the TV series Battlestar Galactica was one of the highest-budgeted shows of its time, most of it going toward special effects that, for the first time ever, attempted to compete with motion pictures for complexity. But, putting the effects aside, the show hit home for many people.
In a Pearl Harbor story of a wartime negotiation turned devastating trap, the Cylons (heartless robotic warriors) lull humanity into a false sense of security as peace talks turn suddenly into a sneak attack that wipes out all 12 planets, leaving just the one battlestar to protect what's left of humanity.
The human story was what mattered in Battlestar Galactica, and, despite decades of aging, the show is still loved by many. The special effects may have withered, and some of the scripts are now a bit embarrassing to watch (and let's not even talk about Galactica 80, where the ragtag fleet formed at the beginning of the series finally reached its ultimate destination—Earth), it is still the beloved characters audiences return to. It is this humanity that makes Battlestar Galactica the franchise that just won't die.
With the introduction of a new TV series, interest has flared up in the old. With a full DVD release of the series, and publicity surrounding the new series, demand has resurfaced for merchandise based on the old, nostalgic series. Enter Majestic Studios. A relatively new player in the Battlestar Galactica scene, Majestic has recently released several 12-inch action figures from the show. Under review are Apollo and a Cylon Centurian.
Apollo is a highly articulated figure featuring a realistic Richard Hatch-like head sculpt (complete with '70s hair), dressed in the uniform of a colonial Viper pilot. He comes with blaster pistol, a communications pad and that distinct Egyptian-style pilot's helmet.
The Cylon is also a highly articulated figure, dressed in black Lycra with chrome armor pieces attached (via Velcro) to various parts of the body. This figure comes with blaster rifle and pistol, as well as a side dagger.
Both figures come with display stands and are packaged in very attractive, photo-rich display boxes, which feature Richard Hatch's personal endorsement, complete with pictures of an approving Hatch posing with the figures.
Accurate and impressive
Let's begin with Apollo. Lead pilot of the Colonial Fleet's Viper fighter squad, Apollo is a born leader and looks the part. Son of Cmdr. Adama, he is strong, caring and an excellent pilot. The head sculpt he is given by Majestic reflects these qualities in a confident, positive expression.
One of the most impressive parts of this figure (besides its excellent range of posability) is his pilot's jacket. Made of a suede-like material, it resembles the coats used in the series even to the shoulder padding. The attention to detail even in the clasps is impressive.
Slung on his left-hand side is a holster to store the relatively large (but nicely accurate) blaster pistol. Pictures I've seen of Apollo do show his holster on his left-hand side. Meanwhile, Majestic's Starbuck figure is right-handed. This meant a retooling to get both holsters correct, where they could simply have given both the same holster ... it is this loving attention to detail that lifts Majestic Studios' efforts above the norm.
From the pants, to the tunic, to the boots, this is an excellent figure, and finally one that actually resembles the actor portraying the part.
The Cylon figure is also an impressive piece. It, however, has a few issues that make it more difficult to pose the figure. While the base figure is dressed in black Lycra, the bulky chrome pieces make for some posability issues, especially at the shoulders and elbows.
The elbows feature louvered piping, which should bend freely, but does not. This limits elbow movement if you wish to keep the piping in place.
Cylons are known for their roving central laser eyes. This figure depicts that with red paint. I believe an actual light would have improved the effect, but would have driven up the price point. As it is, it is a passable, but not excellent, effect.
Otherwise, a great figure. The boots, the belt blocks, the black "hockey" gloves, all work to give a realistic depiction of evil robotic menace. The head is excellent. Still, when all the chrome parts are in place, it looks as if there's too much exposed Lycra—minor issues indeed for an otherwise good likeness, obviously modeled from well-researched source material.
The rifle is a precisely accurate depiction of the real item, as is the pistol.
With these two introductory figures from the series, I'm quite eager to see what Majestic will produce next in the Battlestar Galactica line.
