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THE CONTINUITY was an American science-fiction drama that debuted on the ABC television network on the evening of Thursday, September 11,  1975. Despite the title, the show was an anthology series. The "Continuity" refers to the show's sprawling setting, a network of inhabited star systems within forty light-years from Earth.

The Continuity took an irreverent approach to religion, politics, and morality that frequently offended whole swaths of America, much as Star Trek had done when it premiered nine years prior. Sensitive to this, ABC  aired it in the 10-10:30 PM slot after, presumably, most children had gone to bed.

Featuring a large cast, The Continuity broke with tradition by allowing the pilot episode of a new series to unspool  at its own (rather brisk) pace rather than attempting to introduce everyone in the series and reveal the central struggle. Only one character who would later be considered a regular was introduced, Tabaet/Lilith, played by Cathy Lee Crosby. The pilot episode "The Comet" was directed by John Carpenter and written by Dan O'Bannon, fresh after the surprising success of their $60,000 space comedy film Dark Star.

THE CONTINUITY - Season 1 Episode 1: "The Comet"

An aircraft which is both familiar and otherworldly in design rolls to a stop. A truck inches up with a metal arm arched over a flat bed. A gray metal cylinder slides out of the plane. This is grabbed by the truck's arm, which makes the transfer and lays the round on the truck. Attendants strap the load down.

The pilot emerges from the plane and is greeted by two men and a woman. The woman is the one who speaks first, and this all by itself seems to surprise and confuse the aviator.

TABAET: "I am Tabaet. This is Xaphon and Senciner. I know it offends Adanites but they answer to me. So get used to it.

RAZIEL: There's a change of plan. I'll arm the round myself.

SENCINER: Impossible! Look up! There's very little time left!

RAZIEL: I've seen it. But I'm a pilot and you have a simulator.

TABAET: Elyon has dragged his part of this project out until it's almost too late. Our vehicle only holds three individuals. We can't afford any more delay training a replacement.

RAZIEL: It is the unique nature of this type of weapon that a reasonable amount of delay would be totally irrelevant.