Battlestar Galactica

I have become hooked to this re-imagining of the campy 70's hit Battlestar Galactica.

This Sci-Fi Channel original series is a hot topic right now, and for good reason. The show is very engrossing, and the nature of its continuing storyline complete with many cliffhangers compels the viewer to tune in every Friday at 10p.m./9 central on the Sci-Fi Channel for the dramatic conclusions. This is not a campy space romp. This is a serious discussion of human nature and the consequences we sometimes refuse to face. This is smart science fiction.

My first encounter with this show occurred when it was first released. My boss watched and liked the show, and he would have discussions with another JCPenney employee about that week's episode. I would chuckle, thinking to myself that it was just another cheesy sci-fi show. I took no notice. After a while, it was released on DVD. Some time later, I became hooked on Firefly, and since my boss got me into that show, he suggested I tackle Battlestar Galactica next. So I bought the season 1 DVD set. It included the original mini-series that introduced this new version of Battlestar Galactica. My first impression was that it looked spectacular. Beautiful, widescreen cinematography and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. Production wise, the show is top notch. The computer animated space sequences, including dogfights, faster-than-light(FTL) jumps, and planetary exploration looked expensive and very high quality. My one big caveat was that it was too clichéd. The idea is that the Battlestar Galactica is like a navy aircraft carrier, and the chain of command is very much like our own military. There was the old battleaxe Commander, whom the crew loved for his many years of service, there was the X.O. and his drinking problem, there was the cocky pilot who is too talented for his(in this case, her) own good, and who is constantly at odds with the X.O., there were the usual military trademarks, and that aspect of the show was boring to me. I didn't need to see a futuristic version of Top Gun. However, as the show progressed, the usual military clichés dropped off, and the sci-fi element was allowed to take over.

Some of the elements of the original show have been repeated here. The Cylons are a race of humanoid machines created by man to help with the colonization of nearby planets. The usual event occurred: the Cylons turned on their creators, and proceeded to wipe out the entire human race. However, the Cylons are no longer robot-like; they have developed the technology to mimic humans to almost undistinguishable proficiency. They look like us, now. Therefore, they are much harder to detect and have begun to infiltrate the remaining human population. The methods used to bring us down are very well thought out, and provide one of the most intriguing aspects of the show.
Also, some of the effects were mimicked, such as the fighter ships' launch from the Galactica. They are shot through the narrow tubes at a high rate of speed, very similar to the original show. The Cylon Centurions have been redesigned, yet they still have the classic red eye that slides back and forth in their visor. Very cool.




Now a little past the half way point in the second season, the show has drawn me in to the point that I am devising ways to watch the show, since I don't have cable. I purchased 3 of the episodes from iTunes, and despite the small size, they are not too bad for the $1.99 asking price. It will be several months before the second half of the second season is released to DVD. If ever there was a reason for me to invest in a PVR, this would be it!

There are several concurring storylines in Battlestar Galactica. It keeps things interesting. I also love the way some of them are shot. They have a stylized look that makes it so much better; it is daring. They are intercut very well and propel the story forward. The show deservedly receives accolades for being the best show on television. This is certainly the best Sci-Fi show to come along in years.