Isaac Asimov Nearly Joined Battlestar Galactica After Ripping Into The Sci-Fi Franchise

"Battlestar Galactica," the original 1978-1979 incarnation created by Glen A. Larson, was an odd show. On the one hand, it was a fairly naked attempt to capitalize on the phenomenal success of "Star Wars" by bringing a similar sci-fi/fantasy adventure to television, with just enough visual-effects spectacle to scratch the itch left by George Lucas' film. On the other hand, the series saw Larson introduce a number of spiritual concepts inspired by his Mormon faith into the narrative, resulting in some very trippy metaphysical elements. As such, the show would bounce between stories inspired by action movies like "The Guns of Navarone" to something like the episode in which Patrick Macnee basically plays the Devil.

Clearly, "Battlestar Galactica" was a series that had sci-fi trappings, but wasn't strictly science fiction by itself. This was why Isaac Asimov, one of the pillars of the sci-fi genre in the 20th century, was not too enthused with the show. As he told Southwest Airlines Magazine in 1979, he "was a little impatient with" the way the series' ships were scientifically inaccurate. In particular, he didn't love the dogfight sequences between the heroic Vipers and the evil Cylon Raiders, which resembled in-atmosphere air warfare dogfights more than anything happening in outer space. Then a funny thing happened: "Battlestar Galactica" found itself in a unique place after it was cancelled following its season finale, in which the humans of the Twelve Colonies finally make contact with the Thirteenth Colony, aka Earth. 

For various reasons, Larson was compelled to find a new angle for the story if the show were to be revived, and, surprisingly, turned to Asimov for help. Though the collaboration didn't come to full fruition, Asimov did indeed write a treatment for what would become "Galactica 1980."

Of course, a series attempting to deliver a "Star Wars"-caliber level of laser battles and spaceship dogfights was always going to run into money troubles, and the expense was one of the reasons why "Battlestar Galactica" was cancelled by ABC in 1979. However, the fan outcry over the cancellation news prompted the network to approach Glen A. Larson with the idea of continuing the series in a new (and, importantly, cheaper) form. Faced with this challenge, Larson figured that the promise of the Galactica finally finding Earth would provide ample reason for a series revamp.

One of his initial ideas was to set the sequel show five years later, in which the Twelve Colonies fleet reaches Earth and embarks on time travel adventures after discovering that Earth is not ready to face the threat of the Cylons. After this idea was scrapped for various reasons, it was decided that the show should take place 30 years after the first series. A new character was introduced, Dr. Zee (Robbie Rist and James Patrick Stuart), a teen boy who is a "cerebral mutation." Zee has preternatural abilities, including becoming an expert on Earth. Given this character and the Galactica's attempt to direct humans on Earth to advance enough to be ready to battle the Cylons, one can see some similarities between the initial "Galactica 1980" concept and Isaac Asimov's "Foundation" novels.

Sadly, it was not to be. Despite a news item in the October 1979 issue of Starlog magazine stating that Asimov had "completed an initial treatment" of the "Galactica 1980" pilot, either this script was outright rejected or Asimov otherwise moved on. Though it was probably for the best, one can't help but wonder what Isaac Asimov's "Galactica" sequel would've been like.