New Battlestar Galactica Series Starts Tonight

Snaller writes "Tonight the Scifi channel begins airing the new reimaged Battlestar Galactica series. Having run to rave reviews in the UK, the new series is darker and grittier than the original, and showrunner Ron Moore aims for a more adult narrative with comments on issues such as terrorism, security, freedom, religion and what it means to be human in a series which is essentially one long story arc. The entire cast from the 2003 mini series is back and the first episode, called '33', picks up almost where the mini series left off: The humans are still on the run, but each time they come out of hyperspace, the Cylon armada catches up 33 minutes later ... every 33 minutes. When we join the crew this has been going on for five days."

Comments

BTEFNET.NET

[Anonymous Coward]

BattleStar Galactica episodes on btefnet

Re:BTEFNET.NET

[lemkepf]

It's great that we can download stuff off the net... but in reality that could hurt the possibility of a second season. The hard core scifi fans have already downloaded it and watched it, and odds are wont turn into the show. Based on that the ratings for the US showing will be lower than what they couuld be. A screw up for the SciFi channel big time.... I really hope we get a second season, these first episodes really are quite good.

33 minutes

[DrugCheese]

At least you know when not to take a bathroom break.

Re:33 minutes

[pohl]

That's ok, you only have to hold it for a few centons.

Re:33 minutes

[Leo McGarry]

They don't have anything close to enough crew to man all action stations in shifts. This is consistent with Navy procedures; when you're in active combat, nobody's in his rack. Everybody's got a job to do, and everybody does it.

So yeah, this was actually completely realistic. In fact, it was a level of attention to detail that impressed the hell out of me.

As a toast

[WormholeFiend]

I hereby lift my Starbucks Grande Latte to the success of this awesome science-fiction tv show.

Wow, the US are behind...

[lverrall]

UK viewers are about half the way through this series already... and we're getting Stargate first... Makes a change.

Stick with Galactica for a few weeks. It'll get better, honest.

Re:Wow, the US are behind...

[shadowjk]

Erm, inducement to commit copyright infringement?
Pardon me sir, but are you perhaps referring to the ONE MAJOR REASON why the WHOLE WORLD (apart from the US) are tempted to defer to copyright infringement?

Ok, I have to confess. Per hollywood definitions, I am a pirate.

When my peers on internet are discussing movies and shows, which will at best, if one is very optimistic, be released here on TV or in Cinema, a year (for cinema) or 3 years (for TV), if at all, from when they air in the US, and the DVD release, if there is one at all, being even further delayed, I have no choice but to use illegal sources to watch this show.

I wish to welcome all of you lucky US citizens who like Battlestar Galactica, to the reality of us who like ANY american produced show. Welcome to the crowd.

It is my firm and principal belief, that most of the TV and Movie piracy could be eradicated if only the silly time limits and restrictiond on the content were removed. Release Movie A only in Country B. Obviously, Country C - Z will pirate it, DUH! It is simple. Why can not the moviemakers understand this?

Why can not the content distributors realize, that by restricting distribution, they are only hurting themselves, and feeding the pirates? Why are the distributors this damn braindead? Why the hell do you want to kill prospective audiences? Why the hell do you want to tell your customers to FUCK OFF? Why do you want to tell your customers to go away? Why do you want to tell your customers to come back in 2 years?

It is quite illogical. It is what breeds contempt for the legitimate content produces in general, evne for those who do not practice these unfriendly procedures. I do wonder, do they even want our legitimate business?

It seems to me, that they would rather see us download the pirates versions, which, contrary to the legitimate versions, actually PLAY in STANDARD media players, without need for custom media players or custom DRM patches or DRM software or DRM players, and, the illegitimate versions most often play on every operating syste, every processor and every architechture in use, whereas, the very few proprietary DRM releases that make it to the internet, are restricted to the few who afford a platform powerful enough, a platform glamorous enough, a platform recent enough, a platform lucky to run one of the few system approved by the media conglomerages.

Re:Wow, the US are behind...

[jsebrech]

Is this show any good?

It depends.

If you want to see something like the original series, but updated with modern effects, you'll be disappointed. They reinvented everything about the battlestar galactica universe. Now, I personally think this series is FAR better than the original series, even if you strip out the excellent special effects. But there are people who liked the original series just as it was, and feel offended by this new series basically saying that TOS sucked ass and nothing good could be done storywise with it in a new series.

If you like technobabble, cool futuristic technology, outlandish sci-fi concepts (like otherdimensional beings, time travel, and so on...), then you won't like this series. The galactica is ancient tech, think wired phonelines, simple CRT screens, and dated, low-tech, fighter spacecraft. It's even suffering from metal fatigue, being scheduled for decommissioning when it is forced into being the ill-equipped defender of what's left of humanity. This is on purpose. The humans are the centerpoint of the show, and the show deals primarily with humanity. The humans can't find a "technological" solution to their problems, and it's their humanity that in the end has to save them, not how well they can use tachyon particles. So, although there is FTL drive, it is in the series only because in space you can't get around without it, and is employed very sparingly (first episode excepted). There are no food generators, no transporters, no force fields, and no advanced particle weapons (they use regular bullet-spewing guns and rockets). If you need the sci-fi to be really sci, you won't enjoy this at all.

If however, you like a show with characters that aren't completely one dimensional and experience some small modicum of personal growth, a plot that isn't totally obvious or contrived, and a general focus on humanity on the brink of destruction/salvation, involving faith and love as core elements of the plot, then you'll like this show, as I do.

Watch the first episode. If it draws you in and makes you jump to the edge of your seat every time the 33 minutes are up, then you'll enjoy the rest of the season. If it doesn't do anything for you, don't bother with the rest.

ratings won't be what they should

[cnycompguy]

Scifi channel should start airing episodes when the rest of the world does, with the internet people who are actually interested in the series have most likely already seen the released episodes. Once the media execs realise that the internet has basicly tied the entire world on one release schedule they'll actually see the true ratings for the episodes.

Re:ratings won't be what they should

[brianosaurus]

IANAL... Especially for "free" TV, I don't see anything wrong with it. And as for supporting advertisers, if I don't watch the show live, I don't watch the ads. Once the show has aired, those advertisers have already missed their opportunity to reach me, or rather they had their slot, and I missed them. If I later watch on tape or ReplayTV or Tivo, I'll skip of FF through the ads, and won't watch them (and that practice has been legal since Sony was making Betamax). There's no lost revenue to advertisers, because I wasn't there to see the ad when it aired. If I download the show instead of watching it on my ReplayTV, its practically the same thing.

I know SciFi isn't free TV, but I have cable and I pay my bills so they're getting the same amount of my money whether I watch or not. I can just as easily record the show on my ReplayTV as download it off the internet, but the download is far better quality. Its a win-win situation as far as watching first-run shows goes.

I consider this drastically different than a DVD rip or theater bootleg, where someone else has payed for the media and is letting others download for $free. In that case the downloaders are getting something for free that isn't otherwise available to them without paying for the disc. I don't download movies or DVD content, as I can follow the "its stealing" logic pretty easily for DVD-rip downloads. I'm not saying its right or wrong, but I don't think its worth the risk vs. the price of DVDs. (I also think the MPAA could battle "piracy" with more aggressive pricing, but I'm sure they're doing the S&D curves and figuring out which lawsuits work best).

As for first-run TV shows (whether broadcast, or on cable/sat channels I subscribe) the content is 100% legally available to me, and I am paying for it through whatever billing process the content providers have made available, ie. my cable/sat bill. I can get a better looking picture by downloading off the internet than watching the recordings on my ReplayTV. Its almost as good as the signals already being legally sent to me (over the air, or over pay-TV), and I don't have to spend the money on a high-priced first generation HD recorder.

I know the MPAA and cable co's, etc, must be looking at downloads as an additional revenue stream; another way to get you to pay more for something you already get. In fact, its their way to get you to pay more for even less than you already get, when you consider the DRM restrictions.

Some cable (or sat?) DVRs will record shows and only save them for a short period of time (1-2 weeks, based on a flag in the show data). They charge an additional monthly fee for their DVRs, even though there is no value add once you've purchased the box: there is already a program guide on digital cable and satellite, so its nothing new for them to develop. The shows are already being broadcast, so there's nothing extra they need to send over the wire. The hardware has the capability to record shows whether or not you pay an extra $5/month (though if you don't pay, I imagine they disable it in software). The monthly fee is either to rent the box (is that it?) or just some bullshit pure profit move.

Oh yeah... and they want to make sure you can only watch shows on approved devices, so you can't catch up on your shows with your laptop on an airplane.

Gaius Baltar or Shannon "Boomer"

[Marxist Hacker 42]

I'm willing to bet the 33 minute problem will come down to isolating one of these two- or both- to fit in with the story line.

But now this raises an interesting question: At the end of the miniseries, it appeared that the Imperious Leader was wearing Shannon "Boomer"'s body model. Could similar models be networked? Thus providing a locator beacon every time they leave hyperspace- that it takes the cylons 33 minutes to home in on?

If I was Adama, I'd set the next hyperspace jump for exactly 29 minutes....always in the same general direction but enough off so that it was unpredictable....until I was so far out that the cylons could NEVER catch up.

Re:Gaius Baltar or Shannon "Boomer"

[Leo McGarry]

There is no "Imperious Leader." You misunderstood the closing scene of the pilot.

And I'd suggest you check out Ron Moore's latest blog entry. He goes to great length to explain that the intricate technological details behind the 33-minute thing just don't matter. He says:

A deeper truth is, I was never interested in coming up with an explanation for Why? Never. I mean, I suppose I could've come up with a sufficiently important-sounding bit of technobabble that would've made sense (you see, the Cylon double-talk sensors tracking the Olympic Carrier's nonsense drive signature needed 15 minutes to relay the made-up data wave through the pretend continuum, then the Cylon navigational hyper silly system needed another 10 minutes to recalculate the flux capacitor, etc.) but what would that have really added to the drama? How does explaining that 33 minute interval help our understanding of Laura's terrible moment of decision, or bring us to any greater knowledge of Dualla's search for her missing family and friends, or yield insight into Baltar's morally shattered psyche?

If you're the kind of person who wants to hear lengthy technical explanations of incidental plot points -- and there's nothing wrong with those people -- don't waste your time with this show. This is not a genre show. It's a character-driven drama that just happens to be set in space and include robots.

A breath of fresh air

[Sanity]

I consider myself to be a pretty discerning sci-fi fan, and this show is pretty-much perfect. The characters are interesting, imperfect, complicated. The stories are interesting, even the bad-guys, the Cylons, are intriguing (some of them are religous zealots, others are obsessed by sex!).

This show is in a different league to Stargate SG1/Atlantis, Enterprise, and the rest, and certainly doesn't need to rely on lazy nostalgia for the original.

Re:A breath of fresh air

[Attaturk]

I'd have to agree. I've been watching it regularly over here in the UK since it started. It's actually bloody good.

I was a total skeptic, having become completely disillusioned with Sci-Fi TV in general. I used to love Sci-Fi TV when I was younger but the genre has really been flogged to death over the last decade or so. When I heard about the BSG remake my colleagues and I all had a good laugh at its expense.

Many months ago I came across the torrent for the mini-series premiere and downloaded it for no apparent reason. Very late one night after a long work session I fired it up pretty much out of boredom. By the time the first part was over I was absolutely hooked - not to mention stunned that even someone with my initial perspective had been conquered by it.

I hate TV. I dunno what it's like over there in the U.S. right now but given the state of it when I was last visiting, I can only assume that it's even worse than it is here - full of remakes, so-called 'reality TV' and unoriginal nonsense. Even the 'educational' stuff and documentaries are patronising and ill-informed. Anyway, my point is that over the last couple of years I've become aware of two - and only two - programmes worth watching. The Daily Show is one of them and BSG is the other. Without these two programmes I could quite happily throw my TV out the window. Actually come to think of it, I have to download my Daily Show so BSG is the only thing saving the TV set.

Of course this series still has some low points but there are a helluva lot fewer than any other Sci Fi series we've seen in recent years. Huge huge thumbs up. I strongly recommend that even the most hardened cynic puts aside their fears and check it out.

Darker and Grittier

[Shamanin]

"the new series is darker and grittier than the original"

is that really saying much? Mary Poppins is darker and grittier than the original series also.

Re:Darker and Grittier

[HarveyBirdman]

Good point. :-) OK, it's REALLY REALLY REALLY darker and gritter than the original.

The Cylon attack in the original was a cheap SFX lightshow.

The Cylon attack in the new show is really nasty: nuke after nuke after nuke right in the heart of population centers. It makes "The Day After" look like Mary Poppins. You really get the sense that this is not war- this is an attempt at complete extermination. The original was too cheesy to accomplish that.

One thing I don't see mention much is the virtual zoom lens activity in the spaceFX shots. It really gives a greater sense of 3D and more more solid feel to the spacecraft than previous shows.

I know... beowulf cluster setup, right?

[AtariAmarok]

' Could similar models be networked? '

You could not come right out and say a "beowulf cluster of boomers", could you?

Maybe the writers are Rolling Rock fans

[bubblegoose]

The story of 33

And gratuitous Cylon b00bage.

[Tackhead]

> Having run to rave reviews in the UK, the new series is darker and grittier than the original, and showrunner Ron Moore aims for a more adult narrative with comments on issues such as terrorism, security, freedom, religion and what it means to be human in a series which is essentially one long story arc.

...puncutated every five minutes by (whups, gotta make out with my imaginary Cylon chick) segments showing Baltar's imaginary Cylon chick (ahem, fap fap fap) screwing around with his mind (oooh, she said "screw") by intruding into the plot line at least once per segment (and her spine glows, which is why we need to interrupt the plot for another gratuitous shot of this half-naked Cylon chick) with a simulated sex scene.

Hey, Baltar, I've got your Cylon detector right here. (pause to make out with Cylon chick) It's called a blacklight. (hang on, gotta fap again) If your pants are glowing with stains from busting one out every five minutes (damn, that feels great!) and everyone else on the ship is grossed out by it, odds are you're under Cylon influence.

Now if you'll pardon me, I've gotta go boink this hot imaginary chick in the red dress again. See you after the commercial.

Re:Rerunning of mini series

[Tassach]

Ask, and ye shall receive.

Re:Rerunning of mini series

[fireduck]

They've been playing it all week (as well as the origina 70s series as well as the one in 80), and I thought you'd missed it, however, it looks like there'll be a chance to catch the miniseries again Sunday night. From AICN:
"Battlestar Galactica" 2003 Miniseries:
Jan. 8 8pm-11pm NBC: 3-Hour Version
Jan. 11 9pm-11pm SciFi: Part One
Jan. 12 7pm-9pm SciFi: Part One
Jan. 12 9pm-11pm SciFi: Part Two
Jan. 16 3pm-5pm SciFi: Part One
Jan. 16 5pm-7pm SciFi: Part Two

The best thing about the new BG

[HarveyBirdman]

is the fanboys of the older series huffing and puffing about violating the purity of the original (like making Starbuck a girl or some other thing that got their pink panties all wrapped around the axle, to mix a metaphor).

I guess in a world where Britney Spears or Adam Sandler can have millions of devoted fans, even the original Battlestar Galactica can have them, too.

The scene in the new miniseries, with a horizon filled with mushroom clouds and desperate people blindly fleeing, by itself kicked the ass of the entire original series.

And don't even argue with me or I'll bring up Galactica 1980. AND I'll bitch slap your sorry ass, punk, and then make you cook me a steak.

Re:The best thing about the new BG

[Leo McGarry]

While I agree with you completely, there was one other scene in the miniseries that, in my opinion, kicked the ass of the original.

Near the end, during the "after the fight" montage, Tigh goes back to his cabin, takes out his liquor bottle, and drops it into the trash can by his desk.

We cut away to other scenes, other characters reacting to their new circumstances.

Then we cut back to Tigh. He's fished the bottle out of the trash, has it sitting in the middle of his desk, and is sitting in his chair with his chin on his hand just staring at it.

That, to me, said more about Tigh's character and how the show plans to deal with flaws than anything else in the entire 180-plus minutes. These are real people with real flaws. Tigh's not a lovable scoundrel. He's the best damn XO in the fleet who also happens to be a drunk with massive stupidity when it comes to women.

There are no heroes here. There are just regular people trying to survive under unbelievably hard conditions.

Which, I guess from a certain point of view, makes them all heroes after all.

Or not...

[Snaller]

Showrunner Ron Moore has started a blog where he comments on each episode - here is his comment on Why 33 ?

Re:this show rocks pretty hard

[wertarbyte]

Not yet, but the colonials (humans) practica a polytheistic religion similar to ancient greek (or rome), while the cylons favour a single god. Although still unclear, these facts seem to be a major point in the confrontation.

Series timeline and availability

[DiveX]

The mini-series pilot was released in Canada in summer 2003. atings were good enough to make a series out of it. Because of the expense, a British station helped fund the show on the condition that they air it first.

In December 2003, the pilot showed in the US and UK. Starting in January, the mini-series episodes (of which 13 have been produced) started airing.

Last weekend, NBC aired an edited (cut from 4 hours to 3) pilot at primetime. The Sci-Fi channel (owned by Universal [which owns NBC as well]) is showing in two parts, the origional, full pilot. It is also showing old episodes of the original show. The new version is going to start being aired in the US now as mentioned in the story.

The producers made a plea on one of the Sci-fi Channel web forums to not download the show since the survival of the series (i.e. Season 2) of course depends on ratings. Even with a business degree, I simply cannot understand why companies stagger the release dates on movies, music, or software so much. Let both sides of the pond see the series at the same time and you'll get the viewers and won't screw yourself since people will get the content they want anyway. In the binary newsgroups (alt.binaries.dvdr) someone has posted 3 DVDs of the series (each containing 3 episodes) with some pretty good menus. I've watched them and think it is a well done series, and think '33' is a good first episode. Even after seeing it, I will have my TIVO pick up the episodes since I know TIVO collects anonymous statistics for the ratings systems. To make sure the show is recorded as being played, I'll just start the episode before turning off my TV for the day, ensuring that it gets marked as being watched, with even commercials being displayed at normal speed!

At least the studio talking heads are not pulling some bonehead move like they did with 'Firefly' in that the episodes were all resead out of order, thus cunfusing the initial audience and obviously causing an untimely death. Maybe with the movie, the series might have a new chance at life if it does well.

ALERT!! The enemy is only microns away

[Nom du Keyboard]

My favorite [bad] memory of BG:TOS was the warning that the Cylon fighters were only microns away. I always figured that meant they were burrowing through the hull paint of the Galactica by now.

It pulled me out of my suspension of disbelief every time.

Never destroyed my fantasies about Maren Jensen however.