The new TV series is coming to SKY ONE first (in the world I believe) on 17 October! They are kicking the new series off by showing the mini series on 15 & 16 October.
I bought myself the DVD as soon as I saw the mini series on SKY Movies and have probably watched it 5 times now - showing it to friends who have not seen or heard about the new series.
If you have not seen the new series, or heard about it, check out http://www.galactica.tv/ for the UK countdown or the official site on http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/
To those who have seen it, please share your thoughts. I thought it was one of the best Sci-Fi series ever.
Gerrit
Originally posted by ReaperThis is the first time I've even heard of it!
The new TV series is coming to SKY ONE first (in the world I believe) on 17 October! They are kicking the new series off by showing the mini series on 15 & 16 October.
I bought myself the DVD as soon as I saw the mini series on SKY Movies and have probably watched it 5 times now - showing it to friends who have not seen or heard about the new series.
...[text shortened]... t, please share your thoughts. I thought it was one of the best Sci-Fi series ever.
Gerrit
And straight away I've got a question....Starbuck's a girl?
Originally posted by shavixmirThat is correct. Starbuck is a girl in the new reimaged BSG. It is a shock in the beginning, but to be honest, I don't even think about it anymore. I was a big fan of the original series, but this new series is on a different level for me.
This is the first time I've even heard of it!
And straight away I've got a question....Starbuck's a girl?
Tell you what, I think Edward James Olmos delivered a award winning performance as Commander Adama.
Gerrit
Originally posted by Reaper
That is correct. Starbuck is a girl in the new reimaged BSG. It is a shock in the beginning, but to be honest, I don't even think about it anymore. I was a big fan of the original series, but this new series is on a different level for me.
Tell you what, I think Edward James Olmos delivered a award winning performance as Commander Adama.
Gerrit
WHAT ? How the hell can starbuck be a girl... thats just freaking sick ..
ALL - The SKY ONE announcement
Edgier and racier than its predecessor, the new Battlestar Galactica is a complete re-imagining of the 1970s series - upping the ante on the action, adventure and drama that made the original so popular. The groundbreaking story of man versus machine remains, but this time, the Cylon robot is no longer a recognisable enemy… it can move among man.
The series picks up where the highly successful miniseries (broadcast on Sky Movies in February 2004) finished; with the 12 colonies of man virtually destroyed in the climax of a hundred-year war with the Cylon empire. Now, President Roslin (Mary McDonnell) and Commander Adama (Edward James Olmos) gather up the few humans left on the twelve worlds and embark on a journey to find the mythical planet Earth, the supposed thirteenth colony of mankind.
Battlestar Galactica stars Oscar nominees Olmos (Stand And Deliver) and McDonnell (Dances With Wolves), alongside James Callis (Bridget Jones’s Diary), Tricia Helfer (CSI), Jamie Bamber (Band Of Brothers), Katee Sackhoff (Halloween: Resurrection) and Grace Park (Romeo Must Die).
The re-imagining of Battlestar Galactica promises to give new life to the stories and ideas that were at the heart of the original series, speaking to both long-time fans and a new generation of admirers when it launches on Sky One in October.
Mini-Series: Thursday 14 October 21.00 & Friday 15 October 21.05 Sky One
Series: Monday 18 October 20.00 Sky One
Richard Hatch, the original Apollo, will star in the new TV series.
Richard Hatch, who will guest-star in SCI FI Channel's upcoming original series Battlestar Galactica, told fans that it was difficult for him to give up his idea to continue the original series, in which he starred. Hatch played Apollo in the original Galactica in the 1970s.
In several episodes of the new series, Hatch will play a "Nelson-Mandela-style political prisoner," fulfilling many of his hopes for the original series. "They're getting into the core stories," he said. "Core challenges about surviving, struggling, dealing with your issues, and that's what I wanted so much from the original show."
Edward James Olmos comments on BSG:
Edward James Olmos, who will reprise the role of Cmdr. Adama in SCI FI Channel's upcoming Battlestar Galactica series, told SCI FI Wire that he looks forward to deepening the character introduced in the Galactica miniseries that aired last December. "I'd like to see the complexity of what we've gotten ourselves into come about and really be able to understand it for what it is," Olmos said in an interview. "You've got to remember what happens when people are pushed to a level of unexpected changes. ... We can go to some places where the characters have never gone before."
"Space opera has always been plot-driven," Olmos said. "And in this case, if we can now, with a strong plot line, switch to character, you might have a way of exploring the human psyche in a way that we haven't seen."
Olmos said that he believes a new Galactica may also have something to say about the times we live in. "Certainly, yeah," he said. "Because we're going to have to deal with problems that make the problems that we're looking at today on the planet look like [nothing]." The characters in Galactica will try "to hold onto their humanity as it is completely taken away from them. If any indication was given to us as to where we're going in respect to the [series], I must tell you, it's going to be very explosive."
A short introduction to those who do not know much about Battlestar Galactica.
In the furthest reaches of the galaxy, the Twelve Tribes of man prosper on the planet Kobol. Forty yahrens after a war with the Cylons, a race of cybernetic warriors once created by man, there is peace. The Battlestar Galactica, the 50-yahren-old pride of the fleet, is being decommissioned and turned into a museum. It's commander, William Adama, faces retirement.
But the peace of the Twelve Tribes is soon to be destroyed, as the Cylons launch a surprise attack and obliterate Kobol. Their world in flames, Adama and the crew of the Galactica must escape the pursuing Cylons with what's left of humanity -- a ragtag, fugitive fleet of some 60 ships, who set out on a quest across the stars to find the legendary, lost Thirteenth Tribe of humans: a planet called "Earth."
Originally posted by ReaperMy house mate downloaded it from the net. It's great isn't it, im looking forward to seeing if the series lives up to the pilot 🙂
The new TV series is coming to SKY ONE first (in the world I believe) on 17 October! They are kicking the new series off by showing the mini series on 15 & 16 October.
I bought myself the DVD as soon as I saw the mini series on SKY Movies and have probably watched it 5 times now - showing it to friends who have not seen or heard about the new series.
...[text shortened]... t, please share your thoughts. I thought it was one of the best Sci-Fi series ever.
Gerrit
Originally posted by marinakatombHi. Yes I agree. From all the reports I have read, it seems that the new series will be even more intense than the mini series. I cannot wait. I don't know why the UK gets it in Oct while the US only gets it in Jan 05. All I know is, we are lucky!
My house mate downloaded it from the net. It's great isn't it, im looking forward to seeing if the series lives up to the pilot 🙂
Post-Production Chat With Ron Moore
Galactica’s Creator/Exec Producer Talks Season One
By Robert Falconer, HNR Senior Editor
Now that Battlestar Galactica has wrapped its first season of shooting, the series has moved to post-production. A UK airdate is set for this October on SKY ONE, with US and Canadian airdates following in January 2005 on SCI-FI Channel and SPACE: The Imagination Station, respectively.
I recently had an opportunity to sit and chat with creator/exec producer Ron Moore about season one, shooting in Vancouver, and just a few tidbits about what we can expect from Galactica’s inaugural season. Ron also put one or two persistent rumors to rest.
Robert: Have you fully completed postproduction on all the episodes?
Ron Moore: No, we’re still very much engaged in post. I think we’ve got about three episodes in the can and delivered so far.
Robert: Now that you’re done with primary filming, has the process, from writing to shooting to post, gone fairly smoothly thus far in your estimation?
Ron Moore: By and large I think it’s gone really, really well. It’s always tough in a first season because one’s trying to find one’s legs; a sense of the show and it’s direction. But I’m very proud of it so far.
Robert: Have you noticed any significant logistical or procedural differences between shooting episodics here in Vancouver, versus in LA?
Ron Moore: Only little things, really. Occasional procedural differences crop up between the way Canadian guilds and unions may approach things vs. their American counterparts, but by-and-large, it’s been pretty straightforward. For example, if there’s music or singing on the set, there are different guidelines with Canadian unions for who among the cast and extras can sing…how it affects credits and compensation…those sorts of little things.
Robert: Have the local crews and production personnel met your expectations?
Ron Moore: They’ve really been great. They’re very enthusiastic, and they’ve made little suggestions and recalled details that even I sometimes forget. They’ll remember a specific set detail for the CIC, for example, that I may have forgotten, and go to extra lengths to make everything look really terrific. So they’ve been wonderful to work with.
Robert: Has there ever been a situation that came up in a script, where you would have preferred to be in LA—say for example a location from down there which you would have preferred, that might have worked better? Or has Vancouver served your needs and met your expectations in that regard?
Ron Moore: There were a couple of times when some of the more barren desert landscapes around LA would have better suited a particular storyline, but for the most part, Vancouver and its surroundings have provided us with most of the locations we’ve needed, and we’ve been able to easily work around any potential limitations.
Robert: I recall an old episode of The X-Files that needed a New Mexico landscape—I believe it was—and shot in an abandoned rock quarry, after the crew painted all the rocks red with thousands and thousands of gallons of red paint.
Ron Moore: Yeah, well, I think we shot in that same quarry for an episode that required a desert planet. “You Can’t Go Home Again,” was, I believe, the episode.
Robert: What’s been the most difficult part of developing this first season so far?
Ron Moore: Just finding out “what” Galactica really is…or means to me. That discovery has come largely through the process of writing and becoming familiar with these characters and their situations. It takes time and has been a process for all the writing staff. Again, first season growing pains are a challenge with any new series—getting everything and everyone up to speed, dealing with logistics, shooting outside of LA, that sort of thing. The traveling to and from Vancouver was also an adjustment for me personally…and quite tiring, as I wasn’t used to that. I spent probably three out of every eight shooting days in Vancouver.
Robert: One might argue that the world today is a far more volatile place than the world of 1987 when Star Trek: The Next Generation was launched. Given the state of world affairs right now—the Sudan, North Korea, Iraq, religious fundamentalism, beheadings, extreme political polarization in the US—is it somehow inevitable that when tackling a show like Galactica, with its clear life and death themes, its political themes, its religious themes…that you and the writing staff could almost not help but explore world events this season, even if handled somewhat obliquely. Is it fair to make that assessment or posit that question?
Ron Moore: Absolutely. I mean, let’s face it, we live in very interesting times. From the very beginning when I wanted to do this show, I saw it as a tremendous opportunity to explore the changing world around us. I think that we’re uniquely positioned to comment on a lot of the things that are happening today…and we do explore some of those things, and will continue to do so. And you’ll see that.
Robert: As an example, I noticed in one of the promotional photos for “33” that Petty Officer Dualla is walking through the corridor of the Galactica, where we presumably see photos of the dead and missing plastered all over the walls. It immediately reminded me of pictures I saw posted on edifices all around New York City in the immediate aftermath of 9|11. Was that a conscious visual reference on your part?
Ron Moore: Definitely. That was a very conscious choice on my part. Dualla is desperately trying to discover if any friends, loved ones, anyone she knows, survived the holocaust, and it really was supposed to evoke the scenes we saw in New York City in the days following 9|11.
Robert: A question about the Cylons. Prior to the miniseries, the Cylons hadn’t been heard from in roughly 40 years. When last the Colonials saw them, they were these mechanized tin cans akin to what we remember from the original series. Making the extraordinary technological leap from what we remember 40 years ago to the advanced—and I want to emphasize this—emotionally aware human-like robots we see now, in only four decades, could suggest that they were “helped along” by some more sophisticated power. Of course, Count Iblis immediately pops into my mind. Any comment?
Ron Moore: I’ve thought about Iblis, but haven’t really gone down that path, frankly. I kind of see the Cylons as a race of mechanized beings that went off and evolved on their own. Certainly, I’ve thought about the idea that they had help, and I’ve thought about using Iblis in some sort of storyline, but right now I’m not leaning in that direction.
Robert: Michael Straczynski developed an overall beginning, middle and end with Babylon 5; a five year story arc. Are you doing anything similar with Galactica—do you have an overall sense of where these people may be in five to seven years, and how their quest might be resolved?
Ron Moore: I have a general sense of where some of the characters might be…or where I’d like to see them as the series progresses, but I haven’t mapped out an entire series arc. I think it’s better for us to remain flexible with this series, so that we can move in different directions as ideas unfold. If I remember correctly, I think Michael had his final episode of Babylon 5 all sorted out and locked away in a safe somewhere, waiting to be revealed for the finale…certainly we’re not doing anything like that.
Robert: Of course, by now everyone has noticed that episode 11 is titled, “The Hand of God.” Without being specific, how closely does this episode conceptually revisit the original series episode of the same title, or does it?
Ron Moore: Bradley Thompson and David Weddle wrote that episode. Other than the Colonial attack on a Cylon base, and the title, I can tell you it shares very little else with its original series counterpart.
Robert: With so many spectacular visual effects present in films and television today, would you say that Galactica’s audience is nevertheless in for some visually impressive and innovative work from Zoic?
Ron Moore: Oh, no question. They continue to push the envelope and create some amazing visuals, which, by virtue of their realism, are very exciting. I mean, there’s a big space battle in one of the episodes where Vipers are flying all around in combat, and they can stop and maneuver in more realistic ways—as they really would in space—and that actually creates a type of visual excitement we’re not accustomed to in traditional space combat sequences.
Robert: Were you pleased with Richard Hatch’s participation in season one?
Ron Moore: Richard was great…he really was. He did a tremendous job with the character of Tom Zarek and was incredibly gracious to everyone. Both the cast and crew really enjoyed working with him. Tom Zarek adds a very interesting dynamic to the storyline, and I’m definitely interested in this being a regular, recurring role.
Robert: There was a rumor on the internet about six weeks ago that negotiations were underway to have Dirk Benedict appear in the final episode to play a "god-like" being. Was there any credibility to that rumor whatsoever?
Ron Moore: I’ll tell you that there was a script, and we were floating the idea around for a while, but ultimately we decided that it didn’t work for us story-wise. But Dirk was never approached by the production, no.
Robert: What circumstances will be required to confirm a second season?
Ron Moore: It all comes down to the numbers at this point. I know SCI-FI likes what they have—as does SKY—and ideally they would like to go forward with a second season, but we’ll have to see how it does. Certainly, the UK run will serve as a litmus test of success, but final decisions will be based upon the numbers it gets here in the US.
Robert: Ron, I want to thank you for your time, and wish you much suc
October 5, 2004- Sackhoff Returns As Starbuck - SciFiPulse: One of the things which made Ron Moore's re-imagined Battlestar Galactica series so controversial was the gender bending which went on. An issue which many of the shows original fan base really hate to this day. However it was decided that Katee Sackhoff would play the role, and play it she did.
It getting on for a year since we seen Katee Sackhoff chomp her way through several cigars and more or less give her superior officer some major attitude. Her portrayal of the role caused much controversy almost as much as Starbuck going from a he to a she. But already rumours are out there which suggest that Starbuck and Apollo as in the re – imagined versions may well wind up sharing a, ‘will they or won't they sort of attraction'. However according to Sackhoff that sort of thing is not likely to come into play until the 2 nd or maybe third season, but she cannot see any reason why Starbuck and Apollo wouldn't share a certain bond.
“It's interesting, as an actor I would like to see those two people get together.” She told Dreamwatch, “I think there are so many storylines that could come from them being together. But I think the reason that it hasn't been done is that it's still a slightly touchy issue. We've got to wait until people aren't instantly thinking of Dirk Benedict and Richard Hatch as Starbuck and Apollo, and the thought of Starbuck and Apollo in a romantic relationship makes people think of Dirk and Richard in bed!
“So I think that will be something that develops in the next season.”
Much excitement and controversy was generated when Richard Hatch agreed to portray the role of Tom Zarek, and it has always been hoped that the producers could coax Dirk Benedict into playing a role in the new series, but thus far all attempts to gain the actors interest have been rejected. In spite of this Katee Sackhoff would love to work with Benedict on the show and even has a role for him in mind. “It would be really cool if Dirk came in and played my character's father”. The actress revealed.
In regards to her favourite episodes of the new series which completed production back in September and will premier on SKY ONE on the 14 th of October with a repeat of the mini series to get things rolling, Sackhoff is not afraid to express her enthusiasm about certain episodes that she enjoyed making.
“I think the first episode is awesome. And I do like four and five. I like them because there is so much action in them that the science fiction person comes out of me and goes, ‘Oh that was a great dogfight!' And I think the last three episodes of the season are going to be really cool.
“There is a big end to the season. All I can compare the end of the season to is one of those end of – season cliffhangers that Dallas and Dynasty used to do, where everyone dies! It's kind of like that! It's really, really big cliffhanger. I can't give it away but it's going to be awesome. And if you've ever asked yourself who would win in a fight between Starbuck and Number Six, that question is going to be answered!”
When asked about her experience working with original series star Richard Hatch Sackhoff had nothing but positive things to say.
“Working with Richard was great – he's been in two episodes and he's just so much fun. I haven't had any scenes with his character, but I've been in scenes with him. We had actually met at a convention about a year ago, so I already knew him before he showed up. We've got to know each other pretty well. He's a great guy.
“I think it's great that he's been in our show. I think it's validated the show in a sense and I love having him around.”
You can read more of what Katee Sackhoff shared in the new issue of Dreamwatch magazine. Ron Moore's Battlestar Galactica will premier with a repeat showing of the mini series on October 14 on Sky One