I've never seen the modern version, which I understand is pretty good TV SF, but I remember watching the original TV pilot in the 70s (the one with Lorne Greene as Adama), and it was a shameless Star Wars ripoff. But there was one really spooky thing about that show.

The usual suspects and I were watching it, stoned out of our heads, of course; and we were getting off on the art direction. The show was filled with all sorts of Egyptian imagery and icons, the pilots' helmets looked like King Tut headgear, the Galactica's fighters were landing next to the pyramids at Gizeh, and their craft had Star of David squadron insignia painted on them.

Suddenly, the show was interrupted for a news bulletin, and we all found ourselves watching Menachem Begin, Anwar Sadat and Jimmy Carter shaking hands as they signed a middle east treaty. It probably was just a coincidence, but the crew, politically paranoid enough as it was, promptly proceeded to freak out. Oooooooeeeeeoooooh!