Johnny Ringo said:
okay so I've started watching the 1978 Battlestar Galactica - from the start.
...
has anyone seen Galactica 1980?
I love the original. As for the special effects, you have to understand the show was made just shortly after the first Star Wars film, and was a TV show and not a big budget movie.
As for Galactica 1980, absolutely awful! The original Battlestar Galactica ended on a perfect note, IMHO.