BattleStar Galactica

[Myersjessee]

Dont know if this has been posted (sorry...searched and could not find it) I found some articles and posts on SciFi.com that indicate they will decide on a series this week. The BBoard says it seems positive....might be time to send them an email if you want a new sci-fi series ..here is an article I found.

article

[wwwmwww]

I saw a post here that's dated the 22nd that says "I just read that Sci-Fi has ordered six episodes". He doesn't give a source so I'm not sure if its true or not.

[Myersjessee]

Thanks Carl...I hope it happens....I know everyone didn't love it...but heck...everyone didn't love the new Star Wars series years ago when they redid it... now it's a classic....give it a chance...(and I need more good scii to watch....good ol'blasters and mecha for me please... )

[wwwmwww]

Did you mean to say Star Trek? Even there the new series aren't re-tellings of the old.

If you are talking about the tweaks GL made to the first 3 Star Wars films I woun't really call that a remake.

As for BSG I did watch the new series. I liked it for the most part but didn't really go in expecting much and I didn't try to think of it as BSG. If the series gets picked up I'll watch it. There was enough there to hold my attention during the pilot but I see why some wish it had been named something else.

As for good SciFi I want more Babylon 5. If you follow JMS's posts it looks like I just might get my wish too. There is susposed to be an "eep" coming soon

[Dobber]

Cinescape.com reported that Sci-fi ordered 6 new episodes and then see where to go from there. They are mainly concerned about the production costs, same reason why the "original" got sacked.

I personally loved the new Galactica and I also loved the Original. I don't know how they could have given it a different name without people saying it was a rip-off of Galactica.

New B5 sweet! hopefully nothing like that travisty(spelling) "The Legend of the Rangers"

Chris

[wwwmwww]

I personally loved the new Galactica and I also loved the Original. I don't know how they could have given it a different name without people saying it was a rip-off of Galactica.

New B5 sweet! hopefully nothing like that travisty(spelling) "The Legend of the Rangers"

Chris

I liked it too for the most part. It was fun. There were a few points that struck me as not being all that well thought out. How can the cylons have the technology to make synthetic humanoids yet only be able to make just 12 different models or was it 7? And the bit there at the end with the cylons sitting outside the nebula waiting for the good guys to come out. If they didn't want to go in why not just send an a-bomb in to say "Hi". But yes it was sure fun enough to watch as a series. And you are correct if they named it something else everyone would have still been upset. Giving people what they want is very tricky busness and you don't have to look any farther then Macross toys to figure that out.

On to B5. I think JMS sometimes gets off to a slow start. Try comparing the first season of B5 to say the 4th. Cursades also got off to a slow start but I was really into it at the end and would still love to see it come back. I don't think that's too likely at this point. Did you read the unproduced scripts that JMS made available briefly to see what he had planned for the end of the first season? WOW!!! Is about all I can say. I would have even liked to see The Legend of the Rangers been given a shot. JMS likes to try new things and see what works and what doesn't. With LotR JMS was testing the waters and doing alot of playing. Not all of it worked but I'm sure had it gone to series JMS would have mastered what worked and what didn't very soon. I still remember how B5 was recieved when it first came out. I don't think anyone could look past Londo's hair and I think I was one of them. I'm glad I stuck with it as it was sure a fun ride. I trust JMS would have done the same with LotR.

On another JMS note I haven't seen a single episode of the second season of Jeremiah yet as I canceled Showtime when I lost my job. A dear friend has been taping the show for me and she just got the last episode herself recently. She'll be sending me the tapes soon. I can't wait.

Carl

Edited January 29, 2004 by wwwmwww

[Myersjessee]

I did mean Star Trek...sorry...it was early...I was sleepy. Also, I agree...the new miniseries had problems...I just have high hopes...I could use a new good Scifi...SG1 is ending...Earth 2 is long gone, as is Firefly...I need a fix!

[neptunesurvey]

On one of SciFi's 2004 "what's coming up commericals" they showed a fast seen of the Viper MkII passing a planet.

[Myersjessee]

On one of SciFi's 2004 "what's coming up commericals" they showed a fast seen of the Viper MkII passing a planet.

SWEET!

[Godzilla]

I dont understand why everyone likes this new BSG. I think it is ok if it was spinoff or offshoot but taking a series and just remaking it? I dunno. Remaking any series or doing movies doesnt sit well with me. Maybe if it was based on the old BSG with different characters I can live with it. I am not saying the old BSG is the greatest but it made an impression nonetheless which is why I cant stand butch "Starbuckette" and "Boomerette". Boomer I can stand because she is cute but I am still having a hard time clashing the black guy and the Korean chick are the same character.

[wwwmwww]

I just saw this:

Galactica2003.net reports:

*****

January 30, 2004 - Battlestar Galactica Greenlighted! - According to a handful

of sources, Battlestar Galactica has been given the greenlight for series. More

information will be published as soon as more official word come from the Sci

Fi Channel.

*****

[wwwmwww]

I just saw this:

http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/art-main.ht...02/10/12.00.sfc

SCI FI Green-Lights Battlestar

SCI FI Channel on Feb. 10 announced that it has given the green light to

produce 13 episodes of a new Battlestar Galactica series, based on the

channel's "reimagined" Galactica miniseries that aired in December 2003. The

network has ordered 13 one-hour episodes of the show, which will bring back

cast members Edward James Olmos (Adama), Mary McDonnell (Laura Roslin), Katee

Sackhoff (Starbuck) and Tricia Helfer (Number Six).

Production is slated to begin next month in Vancouver, B.C., the network

announced. Ronald D. Moore (Carnivale, Roswell) returns as executive producer.

Galactica will be produced exclusively for SCI FI, in association with Sky One

and distributed by USA Cable Entertainment, where David Eick, an executive

producer of the miniseries, serves as executive vice president.

*****

http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/art-main.ht...02/10/13.30.sfc

Moore: Galactica Takes Off

Ronald D. Moore, executive producer of SCI Channel's upcoming new series

Battlestar Galactica, told SCI FI Wire that the 13-episode first season will

pick up where the hit December miniseries left off and will build on that

show's characters and situations. SCI FI on Feb. 10 formally announced a green

light for production to begin on the Galactica series, which will bring back

cast members Edward James Olmos (Adama), Mary McDonnell (Laura Roslin), Katee

Sackhoff (Starbuck) and Tricia Helfer (Number Six), among others. Production

commences next month in Vancouver, B.C.

As the new series begins, "a few days have passed since the miniseries, and

we're in sort of a dire situation right from the get-go," Moore said in an

interview. "I think one of the hallmarks of the series will be that it's always

going to be a tense situation. These people are always going to be one step

away from disaster. Which doesn't mean that the Cylons will be attacking them

every week. But I think the nature of their situation and the reality of what

they're facing out there alone, with most of them left with the clothes on

their back and whatever food and supplies they happen to have on those ships

when the events of the pilot occur is only, God, the beginning. And it's going

to take a long time for them to get to any kind of stability or normalcy."

Moore said that he is currently assembling a writing staff for the series,

which may include colleagues from Moore's old series Roswell, Star Trek: The

Next Generation and HBO's Carnivale. Moore is drafting the script for the

series' first episode, has roughed out stories for the first three and has

written a series bible, with story and character arcs for the first season.

"The series is going to take its cues from the miniseries," Moore said. "The

tone and context will be in that vein. There will be lighter moments. I'm sure

there will have things that are unexpected and fun to play as time goes on. But

the miniseries, that's the bar. That's what we're trying to [do]. ... We want

to do that show every week."

Moore said that he may eventually adapt a few of the original 1978 series' old

episodes for the new show. "I've talked about revisiting the 'Pegasus' episode,

because I think that's a cool idea at some point. There's a possibility in my

head we might go back and play around with the ship of lights that was in the

original series. And I'm going to sit down and watch all 22 of them again, kind

of go through it. But the first thing that springs to mind is that the old show

did a lot of planet-of-the-week type episodes, and we're specifically not doing

that on this. So a lot of those aren't going to translate very well."

Moore added that he'd like to find a place on the new show for some of the

original series' actors as well. "That's something that I would like to

approach them about," he said. "I'm probably going to approach a couple of the

actors, if not all of them, at some point, and talk to them about that

possibility, because I think that would be kind of cool and fun. And I think it

would be interesting to find things for them in the new series. And not just,

like, a walk-on, although you could do always do that. But it would fun to give

them a role and have them bring something to the new show."

*****

[Graham]

OK, so I know I'm extremely late to the ball game , but I finally got around to seeing the Battlestar Galactica remake yesterday. I had to order the DVD from amazon as it never aired on the craptastic Hong Kong TV channels.

I have to say I really enjoyed the remake. The was some stuff I liked and some stuff I didn't, but overall it impressed more than any other US sci-fi tv series or mini-series made in the last decade and left me looking forward to seeing more.

Although I liked the original Battlestar Galactica, I'm not a hard-core fan, so was able to approach the remake without any expectations or other mental baggage.

Here's a few comments on the remake: -

• I thought the use of vernier jets for maneuvering in space was great and loved the dogfights.
  
• Couldn't believe that James Edward Olmos looked so old. I'll always remember him best as the extremely cool Lt. Castillo from Miami Vice, so it was a bit of a shock seeing how badly he'd aged.
  
• Liked the look of the Viper MK.II, but not so much the MK.VII, glad they all got wasted. Liked the new Cylon fighters, but agree that they did look a bit too much like the Droid fighters from Phantom Menace.
  
• Wasn't bothered by the change in Starbuck's sex as many were and thought the actress they chose was quite good for the part, but she still needs to grow into the role a bit more to be convincing as a cigar smoking, loud mouth, ace pilot.
  
• Wasn't too keen on the actor they chose for Apollo. No real charisma and wooden acting. And don't the producers know that male sci-fi fighter pilots are supposed to have mullets? That's like an unwritten rule of hollywood sci-fi shows .
  
• With all those ribs showing, the Galactica looked like it had been stripped of most of it's hull plating. Was that intentional (part of the decomissioning?) or was it supposed to look like that normally?
  
• The theme music from the original series was far better. To this day I love the music from the original show, but the remake had no memorable music. At least a day after watching it I don't remember any of the music. Was there any music?
  
• Liked that the Viper pilots actually wore spacesuits when flying, but didn't like their normal unisex spandex gym type clothes. Uniforms on original Galactica were far cooler. Don't the producers know that fighter pilots should have cool flight jackets
  

Graham

[Knight26]

I agree with most of Graham's points, and I can't wait to see the series when it starts in january. As for why the galactic was ribbed I think it was suppossed to be that way, that the ribs acted as outspaced armor, to keep the main hull from taking fire as easily. As a plot device and an effect it is great, as the show progresses they can blast out major portions of those ribs and not loose the associated spaces beneath the skin there. It should be interesting to see what direction they take the series on, I hope it has more of the desperate, we're on the edge of survival feal of the original books, and not be as campy as the original series.

[EXO]

I was real hard on this show when I saw it the first time because I was a big fan of the older series. But I got a copy of the new series from a friend and I ended up watching it again. After watching the whole show (I only saw the first 2 hours the first time) I gotta say this is probably one of the best produced Space sci-fi. It's what I expected SAAB to be. Now I'm looking forward to the series.

And hopefully more Boomer...

[Knight26]

Hey Graham, you said you got it on DVD, I did not know it was released yet, where did you get it?

[Die, Alien Scum!]

How can the cylons have the technology to make synthetic humanoids yet only be able to make just 12 different models or was it 7?

I'm sure they have the ability to make more models, but why waste the resources? That's a wide-enough selection of humanoids. They probably prefer to build more Centurions and those sweet new Raiders.

I liked both the new and old BG. I hope the new series is well-received. I'll watch it even if no one else will.

[Graham]

Hey Graham, you said you got it on DVD, I did not know it was released yet, where did you get it?

I ordered it from amazon.co.uk. Where possible, I always order from them as the shipping to Hong Kong is usually cheaper and faster than ordering from the US parent company amazon.com.

Graham

[Wabbit]

There was some music, most notable was the original theme in a more contemporary version, very short though. It's in the scene where Adama is about to make a speech, when that a wing of Vipers is making a pass over the convention hall of the Galactica.

I really loved the space battles with the verniers and turning with the so-called 'afterburner-slide', which most people who know Wing Commander would recognize it. Great!

Like Graham, I wasn't a true fan of the original, so I have no problem with this remake. Only thing is that the new mechanical Cylons are moving a bit stiff.

Edited September 6, 2004 by Wabbit

[cobywan]

So everyone here is into the Japanese culture right? So if that is true, how could anyone here NOT like the Tyco drums. I bought the soundtrack and listened to it about a dozen times in the car. The Stu Philips theme is iconic but also bombastic. The Viper fanfare in the original show is quite grating to listen to over and over.

You have to admit that drums are the instruments of war. Not a symphony.

By the way I love the new Galactica if you can't tell.

I have been soing a lot of CAD work on her as well.

http://home.comcast.net/~cobywan/Templates/Galactica2003.htm

http://home.comcast.net/~cobywan/Templates/ViperMKII.htm

Galactica2003_Top.pdf

[CoryHolmes]

The tiko drums were cool, but I found the music to be too low-key and not as booming and symphonic as battle music should be.

[Graham]

There were drums? Have to watch (and listen) again!

Graham

[CoryHolmes]

There were drums?

My point exactly.

Now compare that with SW battle music and you'll see a huge difference in effect.

[Kin]

I always llove the sound of the first series... launch the fighters... POW (ala Super Valkyrie)

[Dobber]

To answer many quotes and comments.

1. The music was designed to take a minimalist approach. To give it more of a serious, docu-drama feel. I also own the soundtrack and it really does grow on you. Nothing much stands out while you watch, but after listening to just the music you really start finding the peices you really like....and yes there are drums and they rock!!! This series is trying to avoid the space opera image.

2. The series IS going to take a more desperate approach to what is happening to the survivors, ie, What are they going to do for food, fuel, and munitions. The series is going to start right where the mini left off. The jubilation that was felt after thier escape wears off and now the fear and hopelessness start to creep back.

3. As for the design of the new Galactica. Galactica.tv forums has had lengthy discussions(spelling) on it. In short, She's supposed to look ribbed, something to do with how it can obsorb more damage....the techno people there rival the people here in thier discussions!! If you are interested you should check out the site.

4. Thankfully the series will NOT be doing the planet of the week approach that most sci-fi does. I think that if they happen to find Aliens it'll be a big deal...as it would be to us.

5. There was only a region 2 release on DVD. Still no release date for the R1 release. There are rumors that it'll be released in Nov. before the series premiere in Jan. It's said to be remastered copy of the Mini since I've heard the R2 quality is OK. It's also supposed to have more extras such as deleted scenes.

Just a big fan of the mini and I'm really looking forward to the series. I agree with what most of you guys have said. It's some of the Best sci-fi to come around in a long while I'm glad to see people here giving it a chanse now. When it first came out most people here TRASHED it.

Chris

Edited September 6, 2004 by Dobber

[Kin]

After Starwars I think the Battlestar Galactica series is a great addition to the viewers at home. I wasn't born or maybe few years and too young to watch it, but I've recently watched the series on Dutch television. It's not bad at all, it's even better than startrekkies..

[Wabbit]

After Starwars I think the Battlestar Galactica series is a great addition to the viewers at home. I wasn't  born or maybe few years and too young to watch it, but I've recently watched the series on Dutch television. It's not bad at all, it's even better than startrekkies..

Dutch tv ? I've missed that..

When was it on? (though I have the dvd anyway )

So there isn't a R1 dvd yet? That is strange...

Edited September 6, 2004 by Wabbit

[Dobber]

Well the original series is on DVD. However the 2003 mini series hasnt been released yet for us R1ers. I really don't understand why....not only does the rest of the world have it on DVD but the Sky network in the UK is getting the series in Oct. the US won't get to see it until Jan!

Chris

[Wabbit]

Well the original series is on DVD. However the 2003 mini series hasnt been released yet for us R1ers. I really don't understand why....not only does the rest of the world have it on DVD but the Sky network in the UK is getting the series in Oct. the US won't get to see it until Jan!

Chris

That's really odd indeed... I got the DVD from the UK at the beginning of April this year...

Edited September 6, 2004 by Wabbit

[Seven]

I really thought the miniseries was really well produced. The positives in my mind outweighed the negatives. I really don't like the new Starbuck and feel that she and Apollo have no charisma or charm at all. The new Boomer, meh. I do like the role of the President and Admiral Agama, both are casted really well, and I like how Agama has this edge about him that always feels tense, angry, and desparate. Didn't they say that they wanted the new Captain from Enterprise have a similar kind of personality? If so, then Bakula blew it IMO.

The only thing I don't like about the Cylons is why have a sexy woman robot??!! It's such a tired sci fi cliche!! But then again, it does beat seeing an old crusty guy turn around on his throne a million times saying "I expected that... bwhahahaah!" everytime he manages to let the Galactica slip away.

Can't wait... it looks like its the only sci fi show I'd ever bother watching since I can't stand the new Star Trek and I think the Stargate shows look hokey.

[cobywan]

The UK is airing it first because Sky One is fronting some of the bill. Sci-fi network says that Battlestar Galactica is the most expensive series that they have aired. That means that it cost more to make than Farscape which really had some bang for the buck, but was still too expensive to keep running.

It Adama. As in Adam. As in Adam and Eve lore. The original Galactica had a lot of Morman philosophy in it I'm told. The whole 13th tribe thing and all. Wierd. That is the missing magic ingredient to the hardcore original fans.

[Major Johnathan]

I'd like some new Sci-Fi... the BSG mini-series was decent but not ground breaking. I hope the new Farscape episodes are good, that show got really screwey towards the end. Enterprise is also decent, but not ground breaking either IMO. I mean, they are going back to Nazi's...again...?

Sci-Fi is just so predictable these days. Too many formulas that everyone borrows from.

[Kin]

After Starwars I think the Battlestar Galactica series is a great addition to the viewers at home. I wasn't  born or maybe few years and too young to watch it, but I've recently watched the series on Dutch television. It's not bad at all, it's even better than startrekkies..

Dutch tv ? I've missed that..

When was it on? (though I have the dvd anyway )

So there isn't a R1 dvd yet? That is strange...

It was prettty late at night on V8.. 01:00

Edited September 6, 2004 by Kin

[CoryHolmes]

Sci-Fi is just so predictable these days. Too many formulas that everyone borrows from.

Go watch Firefly for a good change of sci-fi pace.

[cobywan]

Yes yes! And the Serenity was in the BSG miniseries.