The new Battlestar Galactica

[Twatybollocks]

Anyone seen the pilot/mini-series of the new version of Battlestar Galactica? It was on Sky Movies last week. Overall I thought it was quite good and I’m looking forward to the new series, which I believe they have finally got the go-ahead to make 13 episodes.

What I liked:

The destruction of the 12 colonies had a much more powerful and emotional impact than in the original series.

The fact that the original Cylons are still in it and referred to as ‘walking toasters’ that still have their uses.

The Galactica and her fighter ships are old technology that was just about to be decommissioned. This is a great idea, as not only does it allow them to make the ships look just like they did in the old series, but it is a great story point to utilise in future episodes. It is something that hasn’t been done in a while in Sci-Fi shows, usually they use a fantastic, latest generation ship to focus on! Now they are going to have all sorts of problems with the old ships, not only in keeping them working but in finding spare parts, ammunition etc. as well as taking on the might of the new Cylon fleet.

The First Lady from Independence Day, who died, is in it as the Prime Minister, who looks like she’s going to die soon. Typecasting irony, it makes me laugh.

The space combat scenes utilises a mix of styles from Babylon 5 and Wing Commander. Gotta love that!

What I didn’t like:

Starbuck as female. I’m not against woman fighter pilots or strong female characters in general, but she’s trying so hard to be exactly like Starbuck was in the old series, and it aint working. Sorry love. Some of the casting in general seems to be ‘standard (cheap) sci-fi show casting’ selections while others seem to have the potential to develop into stronger characters.

I’m not sure what I think of the new ‘human looking’ Cylons. It seems too much like something out of the Deep Space Nine Dominion war, where anyone could be the enemy. It’s a little too recent to be going over familiar ground again, plus it also seems like saving money; kind of a ‘Why pay out money for Cylon robot effects when you can just use an actor?’ approach. Some bloke saying, “By your command” is no-were near as good as the walking toasters saying it. A little tip for the Galactica crew, it’s easy to spot the human Cylons, they seem more obsessed with sex then humans.

[squealpiggy]

I thought it was great. I like the "enemy within" concept, it adds a level of paranoia to the show which wasn't present in the original series. It is also very dark like the beginning of the original series. The Cylons are without mercy which is realistic. The other thing I like about the cylons is that they have a reason for pursuing the Galactica. In the original they just seemed to want to kill the humans for a laugh like, in the new one they are doing it out of self protection and fear ("We must wipe them out or they will return and extract their revenge - it is in their nature").

I also like the fact that the Cylons were able to destroy the other Battlestars precisely because they were advanced technology. As for Ms Starbuck I have no problem with her as a character. You have to take into account that anyone playing Starbuck would have to contend with being unfavourably compared to Dirk Benedict who really made the role his in the original series, so it may as well be a woman. Don't forget that she is still a cigar smoking insubordinate gambler. The cigar is more important than the gender!

[Hiddenpower]

Although I'm a little bothered by certain characters suddenly being female (most notably Boomer and Starbuck) I did find it quite entertaining to watch. I wouldn't say you need a love for the original to like it but Diehard fans will probably be disappointed.

[squealpiggy]

Diehard fans are the ones who hate change. There has been change to the story but hey, the original is available on DVD if you're that bothered! I like both.

[prodigy69]

Originally posted by Hiddenpower
Although I'm a little bothered by certain characters suddenly being female (most notably Boomer and Starbuck) I did find it quite entertaining to watch. I wouldn't say you need a love for the original to like it but Diehard fans will probably be disappointed.

I liked the idea! keeps it fresh and stops it from being another stale re-make :)

hey! we have women fighter pilots now..so why not in the future?

[Twatybollocks]

Question (Contains possible spoiler for those who haven't seen the movies) any idea what that note that said something like, "There are only 12 different models of Cylon" was all about?

Also, how would you like to see the show evolve, what do you think will happen next?

[squealpiggy]

The note seems to have been from the english fella but he has been lied to by the hot blonde I reckon. There are more than 12.

[l33t k1w1]

I saw it.

I liked it.

I liked Starbucks as a strong female character.

Everything went at a pace that kept me interested throughout.

Ended too soon.

[BoxHead]

I enoyed it very much,

I don't mind the changes they made to much, the only thing that got up hackels up was Starbuck screaming her head off while dog fighting.

WINGMAN : "Flight leader look out fo.. (Insert Starbuck screaming) "AHHHAHAHHAAHAHHAAAAAA"

FLIGHT LEADER: "What?"

*KA-BOOM*

WINGMAN: "Hot damn, a battle field promotion"

I think there should be more sci fi on TV.


:weebl:

[moovok]

I've watched the entire first season and I throughly enjoyed every moment of it. I've never seen the original, I may have when I was younger, but I've got the worst memory ever when it comes to things I watched when I was 3-4.

This series is everything I've been after in a Science Fiction series. Most of them give you characters that are ultra nice and finally, this one seems to have brought every character to have a good AND bad side to them.

I think Starbuck is a great character, but my favorite has to be Baltar, and I honestly believe there are 12 models, because if there was more, there would be no need for duplicates of them all.

I know they've already got a second season (only 6 episodes mind you, but with the FANTASTIC finalle at the end of the first season, I want to at least know what happens next).

I know if there are any Americans reading this, you're just starting the series. Trust me, it's fantastic, sometimes it gets confusing, but if you stay the course, you'll be in for a REAL treat :)

[Curley_Bun]

I totally agree, I have loved all of this series of BSG, soo much better than the star trek:enterprise that is on at the moment.
My hubbie was a real diehard fan of the old series ( i never watched that) and he has loved it too - especially when the guy who played apollo in the original turned up.
I really hope that they continue this for a bit longer than just 6 more episodes. After that fantastic season ending there just has to be much more to come.

[moovok]

I honestly think they'll be more, they only gave them 6 initial episodes because of the popularity of the UK. Now it's the US turn to make it a success and a full series, hopefully 26 episodes!!! Though I'll be happy with 13 again, means cheap DVD boxsets (this series' one seems to be coming around in March - hopefully)

[zuche]

Yeah i loved the part of the destruction of the new colonies, its alot better than the original, although i dont know if i like the new human like cylons!

[moovok]

The new human like cylons is fantastic I think. Makes you as a viewer distrust everyone who you think is a cylon. You yourself are looking at characters, old and new, and thinking "are they a cylon? Should they trust them?" and the character's themselves are doing the same thing.

Okay, it also saves on CG and stuff, but it's a really good added extra. We know 4 of the 12 different types, but there's been a mention that we're going to get to know another one in the second season :D

Though I think that Tigh's wife is actually Number Six, but an older version. Doesn't she look so similar????

[Twatybollocks]

Well, after watching the whole season I have to say this is the best sci-fi show I've seen in years, it wipes the floor with Enterpies!

Starbuck has really grown on me as a charatcer, I really like her. I will always think of Dirk Benedict as THE Starbuck though and I hope he makes an appearence in Season 2 and become a regular like Richard "I used to be Apollo" Hatch.

Gaius is hilarious. Adama is so cool for an older guy. 6 is mega hot and so is Boomer.

The story is amazing and leaves so many questions. I'm not sure I like the whole 'everything is pre-ordained' thing and I hope they don't go down that path too much as I hate that type of stuff. I'd rather the Cylons be religous fundamentalist nutters rather than actual messengers of god.

Speaking of god there are loads of religous links in the show. The 12 models represent 12 models of human cylon which links to the 12 diciples of Jesus in the bible. The story of moses is also strongly referred to and I'm sure there are a lot more, plus myth & legends and other religious references I haven't spotted. This was a familiar trait in Babylon 5 and one of the reasons it was such a strong show.

I hope the yanks don't let us down and they watch this so much a season 2 is commisioned. It's looking good so far with 3.1 million tuning in to watch the first two episodes and that is a new record for viewing figures in January on the Sci-Fi channel!

Oh and while you are at it, make it so we Brits get to watch Season 2 first again!! :eng101:

[moovok]

I agree, was better watching it before the Americans. I felt proud, instead of having to wait for them to watch it and blah blah blah. But then again, most of the time they make the shows, they have to at least watch them and see if they're any good.

But Season 2 will have at least 6 episodes, that's a definate. Whether it'll be shown over here first, I can only hope... :)

[Twatybollocks]

Sci-Fi has ordered 6 scripts to be written and the sets are still up. It's not definate yet and they will make the decision in early Feb when they have had a chance to review the reaction in the US.

I think it is a no brainer though and there should be at least 13 new episodes being made this year. I'd love a full 23/24 episode season like they do with Star Trek, but if the quality of the show means keeping it down to 13 a season, I'll accept that.

[Sugar Ray]

I saw most of the 1st series, but then moved down to London and no longer have Sky. Which is a bit of a bugger really. However, my Monday nights between 8 and 9 were devoted to BSG. As has been said by many already, it had all the elements you want from a sci-fi series.

The last one I got to see was the one where Starbuck is interogating the captured Silon, and I haven't seen any since, but don't tell me. I'm hoping it will be avilable on DVD before too long.

[moovok]

Play.com says March time, but then again, Play.com ain't a good trustworthy site for release dates, sometimes they get them wrong majorly.

[moovok]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/news/cult/2005/02/10/16960.shtml

SciFi has commissioned episodes, number unknown, but I think it'll be at least 6. Thanks US guys!!! :D

[Twatybollocks]

Wooo And Yay!

[moovok]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0007L6SA8/qid=1108206863/ref=pd_ka_2/202-9531187-0363031

[Sugar Ray]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0007L6SA8/qid=1108206863/ref=pd_ka_2/202-9531187-0363031


Yep. Already pre-ordered. :D

[moovok]

I'm gonna search around, see if I can get it cheaper, but I'm glad they're releasing it, means I can watch back some things to see what I missed (if I did). I'm sure Sky cut a few episodes and stuff...

[moovok]

Sorry for double post & bumping the thread but...

SciFi has ordered 20 new episodes for Season 2 because it's performing BETTER than Stargate!!! YAY! All the cast have signed on to reprise their roles, including Ronald D. Moore (without him, it would be rubbish)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/news/cult/2005/02/24/17221.shtml

[Twatybollocks]

Yeah, but due to the amount of illegal downloads which happened in the US the season will probably air there first this time and we'll have to wait frak knows how long.

I'm P I S S S S ED off at this! Why should we, the loyal fans in the UK who watched it every week legally pay the price for those who can't be arsed to wait? We who praised the series, reccomended it like mad and I believe helped make it a bigger hit in the US than it would have done!

[moovok]

Ah no, from what I've read, it seems to be going the same way around, they're still getting the figures in the States, so I think we're still going to get them on Sky again, and then the US not long after :D

[Twatybollocks]

Finally the long wait it over. Season 2 starts tonight on Sky One. Sorry to bump an old thread but I thought it better than starting a new one. Anyone else buzzed about season two and the supposed appearence of the Pegasus!!!

[goper]

I thought season 2 started off a bit weak in compared to what I saw in Season 1, but it's still a good show.

[camB]

I loved season 1 and 2. In Australia it was on free to air TV at a very late hour and unfortunately was mucked about a bit by the programming people. However salvation was found in the form of my local video shop. I gave up watching them on TV and just turned my eyes square by watching one season per weekend. I think that's a good indication that the pace is good when you get up smartly to throw the next disc in when one finishes. Can't wait for season 3. Actually, I think that must be out in the U.S. by now....

I too used to watch the old series. With the whizz-bang graphics... remember the dradis screens when they showed a Cylon? It was like an asterisk or something wasn't it? I like how they've kept the ship to ship voice communications the same as the original series too; that weird, processed sound.

If anyone can tell me when season 3 will be available in Australia I'd be appreciative.
Cheers for now,
Cam

[edit] Whoops. Mis-read the date stamp on previous posts. It's older than I thought. Sorry.