All we know about the Cylons is that they were created by man decades ago, and eventually turned on humanity, destroying them for reasons unknown. The new show's creators (or reimagers?) chose to maintain the look of the original robotic creatures, which I felt from day one looked altogether rather silly, with the red beam of light pulsating back and forth where normally one would find eyes. A small price to pay in exchange for a show of such high quality. Another smart choice: the elimination, at least so far, of the annoying child character, Boxey, who appeared in the miniseries, but is nowhere to be seen in the episodes broadcast to date.
In his Dec 2004 review, Michael King described the new version as "not your father's Galactica", and Matt Shafer followed earlier this month, calling it "the best show you're probably not watching", adding "In only five episodes Battlestar Galactica established itself as not only the best Science Fiction show on television but one of the best shows on television bar none." Both are accurate descriptions of the most pleasant surprise of the 2004-2005 television season. The good news is that after five aired episodes, the Sci-Fi Channel has ordered a second set of 13 episodes. The bad news is, I've lost another hour during the week when I could be doing something else besides watching television!
Article comments
1 - Phillip Winn
All 13 episodes of the first season have already aired in Europe, and are available on the internet. While the series is slightly uneven, and one episode major plot hole in particular is galling*, I'm very glad they're coming back for another season.
* It has to do with how long it take Doc Baltar to detect a Cylon. Which is it -- a couple of minutes or a few hours? Which fits the plot, I guess!
2 - RJ
I'm interested now. Great review!
3 - Kujo
I've scene all 13 eps (via the Internet), and I have to say that it's easily one of the best sci-fi series in years. Some of the eps were un-even, is specially in the second half, but things picked up at end. Overall, it's a splended series. I love the dark, moody, atmosphere.
4 - Dave Nalle
"Light years beyond the original" is an apt description. Since the original was cringingly awful, those light years put this one in the realm of mediocre, mildly irritating B-grade science fiction. On a par with Andromeda.
Dave
5 - Carpe Bonum
Yes, it's a great series. It's a season pass in my TiVo, and I just watched "Alibi."
Thanks for the review. Nice job.
6 - chris mankey
"Light years beyond the original" is an apt description. Since the original was cringingly awful, those light years put this one in the realm of mediocre, mildly irritating B-grade science fiction. On a par with Andromeda.
Dave
No actually it's very very good. What the hell where you watching?
7 - Dave Nalle
I'm watching a remake of Battlestar Galactica without the campy elements that at least made it amusing and with a whole bunch of bad overacting and incomprehensible plotting.
Dave
8 - Chris mankey
I'm watching a remake of Battlestar Galactica without the campy elements that at least made it amusing and with a whole bunch of bad overacting and incomprehensible plotting.
Most of the acting is understated if anything! As for "incomprehensible plotting" I guess if you're not smart enough to follow along I don't know if it's incomprehensible to anybody but you.
9 - DaveR
Series 3 of BattleStar is very bad and is basically a prisoner/gorillar warfare story, very dark and disapointing. Its like the same people who ruined the Andromeda plot have done the same to Battlestar. Please learn from Andromeda and don't hire the same writers or directors. Andromeda started strong but failed from mid to end and finished in a joke of an ending...
10 - Randy Reichardt
I would disagree. I think Season 3 has advanced the story considerably, and created the opportunity for the writers to change to focus of the show to almost animal-like survival. It's a bold move, and I find the SE3 episodes to date very compelling. It's also interesting to see some chinks in the Cylon armour, so to speak. It's a great series.
11 - SciFiFan
The original BSG series is VERY GOOD. The re-imagined series to too violent. I've tried watching the series and I can't.