This is one of my favorite sci-fi shows, but I certainly recognize its flaws.<br /><br />The Good:<br /><br />* the concept<br /><br />---> I liked the historical context of the 12 tribes of Kobol, the Pearl Harbor-like attack, the "ragtag fugitive fleet" seeking Earth. This really framed the series well.<br /><br />---> The look of the Ceylon base ships and the bat-wing Ceylon fighters was terrific. I also liked the look of the battlestars and Colonial vipers. The command center of the battlestar seemed believable.<br /><br />* the casting:<br /><br />---> Lorne Greene as Adama brings a commanding screen presence<br /><br />---> Richard Hatch as Apollo is well-cast and believable as a leader/captain of a fighter wing<br /><br />---> Dirk Benedict as Starbuck the amiable sarcastic sidekick <br /><br />---> John Colicos as Baltar oozed evil with perfection<br /><br />---> other minor cast members like Herbert Jefferson Jr as Boomer and Terry Carter as Colonel Tigh were very well cast too<br /><br />---> I thought the three most visible female characters were all good, though not standout. Maren Jensen, Laurette Spang, and Anne Lockhart just also happened to be beautiful too.<br /><br />---> visiting cast members like:<br /><br />-------> Lloyd Bridges as Commander Cain was truly memorable<br /><br />-------> Patrick McNee as Count Iblis was also highly memorable<br /><br />-------> Ray Milland and Fred Astaire were good guest stars too<br /><br />* the costumes<br /><br />---> I liked the Colonial Warrior uniforms - they still have a style to them today. I liked the Warrior helmets with their Egyptian-like motif.<br /><br />---> The Ceylon warriors with their shiny armor, had a great look to them too. The red strobe they used for vision was a great menacing concept.<br /><br />* some episodes with great plot lines<br /><br />---> the return of Commander Cain and the Pegasus stands out<br /><br />---> I thought the visit to the "home" planet of Kobol, with its Egyptian motifs, was terrific. This is part of the pilot's introductory three episodes.<br /><br />---> I also liked the encounter with the Ship of Lights and Count Iblis - this was especially well done.<br /><br />* the music - I still like the theme song to Battlestar Galactica<br /><br />* the behavior of the Ceylons was entertaining. "By your command" spoken in a tinny voice was a favorite.<br /><br />The Bad:<br /><br />* some cheesy special effects (by today's standards)<br /><br />---> ...and reuse of the same special effects<br /><br />---> why was Count Iblis' crash site off-color in one moment, and clear blue the next?<br /><br />* quite a lot of cheesy cringe-inducing dialogue<br /><br />* the little kid Boxie and his robot dog<br /><br />* some of the episodes had really horrible plot lines, especially later in the series<br /><br />---> the Lost Warrior where the kids attack the Ceylon outpost<br /><br />---> why did Baltar return to the human fleet again?<br /><br />The Ugly:<br /><br />* the original show was cancelled after one season<br /><br />* Galactica 1980, the follow-on show in which the battlestar finds earth, was pretty horrible<br /><br />All in all, I am willing to forgive Battlestar Galactica's flaws and remember with fondness its strengths.<br /><br />Rick