10 Mind-Blowing Battlestar Galactica Facts You Didn't Know

9. Maelstrom Caused A LOT Of Drama

Battlestar Galactica Maelstrom
Universal

In the the third season, Kara Thrace leaves Battlestar Galactica and there was a veritable storm both on and off-screen over this. Initially, Katee Sackhoff was the only one informed of what would be happening in the plot, which caused mutinous moods on set.

Upon reading the script, Ronald D. Moore revealed on his podcast for the episode that both Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell were deeply unhappy with the decision. They both went straight to him and demanded to know why this was happening. To save there from being a total outcry, Moore revealed the plan for Starbuck to them, which calmed them down.

Sackhoff knew before anyone else about the return of Starbuck, but had to keep it a secret. That included keeping it from her publicist, as if she had been listed as unavailable for other jobs, there could have been someone who twigged it!

Also, the final scene of the episode includes Olmos breaking down and breaking apart the model of the sailing ship we had seen him working on several times previously. This ship was a rental and the prop crew were horrified (thankfully, it was insured!)

Contributor
Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"