SciFi Channel To Air A New Galactica Series 175
EvilBuu writes "The Sci-Fi Channel has begun airing ads announcing a full Battlestar Galactica series following the surprisingly (to some) good new mini series starring Edward James Olmos. Looks like it will be a straight forward continuation of the mini, with the same cast and more Cylon goodness!" According to this press release, Richard Hatch will guest star, and the show will air starting in January 2005.
Welcome to February (Score:1, Informative)
Re:Welcome to February (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Welcome to February (Score:2)
March called... (Score:2)
D'oh! (Score:1)
NO NO (Score:3, Funny)
Previews... (Score:2)
Re:Previews... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Previews... (Score:2)
Seriously, the whole cold-war allegory thing is sort of dead now.
Re:Previews... (Score:2)
no mas no mas! (Score:5, Interesting)
One thing I *do* know is that as good as Stargate SG-1 is, it pisses me off that Stargate gets 8 seasons and counting *AND* a spinoff while Farscape got three years and change with an abrupt axing without doing the characters justice in the "ending".
That was enough to tick me off originally. But then Sci-Fi made it worse by continuing with that idiot John Edwards who "talks to stupid people"... oh - and supposedly their dead loved ones too (*cough* cold read *cough*). And then they had those two retarded "dream experts" that made everything in their show about *sex*. Sci-Fi is turning into the fucking LifeTime network. Then that terrible "Taken" by Spielberg (or lucas - I can't seperate the two anymore) and then that attrocious three hour guerilla marketing (disguised as a documentary) for The Village which investigated how M. Night Shyamalan is really some sort of voodoo shaman kind of guy with magical powers really did me in for good.
I canceled my cable last week due specifically to my dislike for the Sci-Fi network. I'll put that $120/mo into something more worth while and any shows that I deem worthy enough to waste my time watching, I'll just grab from bit torrent.
Anyway, back to the original point. What is it with Battlestar Galactica? It's about as exciting and interesting as that really crappy "Dark Shadows" series (and don't even get me started on the Mormony Goodness of the show). Is it just that SciFi couldn't find the funding for their 400th Sci-Fi Original movie about killer bees, killer anacondas, killer bats, killer dragons, killer spiders, killer rats, killer mosquitos, killer cats, or alien viruses?
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:2)
As for dropping cable, i just scored a new gig that will pay for broadband and i'm dropping cable (and it's admittedly very reliable internet access) like a fucking rock for
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:2)
heh...er, guess i won't be watching it then (cable will be a distant item in the house at that time
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:2, Interesting)
I disagree. I'm a hard sci-fi fan. I occasionally watch sci-fi on TV but for the most part find it dirge that drives me running back to Iain M Banks, Neal Stephenson, Ken McCloud, Vernor Vinge, Peter F Hamilton et al.
Anyway, my point is (the new) Battle Star Galactica is VERY well written. It passes the golden rules of
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:2)
Well, let's see:
1.) No plot holes? - BZZt.
2.) Imaginative but believable universe? - BZZt.
3.) Character driven? - Half-credit. (see rule 2.)
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:2)
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:2)
They've got to do away with AI missiles that are somehow fooled by simple flares.
Oh, and another golden rule of SciFi they need to understand, if they want women to watch - don't murder babies onscreen in the first ten minutes.
Re:no mas no mas! or... "What's up with SG?" (Score:2, Funny)
Re:no mas no mas! or... "What's up with SG?" (Score:1, Informative)
In the "From Stargate to Atlantis" thing they said that season 7's ending wasn't how they wanted to end the series, and basically implied that season 8 would be it. We'll see.
Re:no mas no mas! or... "What's up with SG?" (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:no mas no mas! or... "What's up with SG?" (Score:1, Insightful)
Or maybe they thought the desk job bit was an unexpected twist that would normally not be pursued in a sci-fi show.
I saw the sci-fi special about stargate and
Re:no mas no mas! or... "What's up with SG?" (Score:1)
Yep. I was disappointed to see him killed off. But with about 40 years of sci fi consumption under my belt - it was refreshing that somebody finally came up with actual scary bad guys in "The Wraith." It would be interesting if - as life sucking immortal monsters - they were
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:1)
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:1)
They aren't making it. They have the rights to air it, but they had nothing to do with making it. If it had been up to them, it wouldn't have been made.
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:5, Funny)
Are you crazy? (Score:2)
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:1)
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:4, Insightful)
As for why Sci-Fi schedules the shows that it does, it all comes down to money. Science Fiction shows are expensive and easy to screw up in the eyes of the hardcore audiences that follow them like they're Jim Jones with a fresh batch of kool-aid.
The fact that Sci-Fi has any original programming is pretty cool, but it's far cheaper for them to run 'freak-of-the-week on their way to dvd' movies and 'reality' (*cough* Edwards *cough*) shows than to produce a good science fiction series.
Also, considering that broadcast television has f****d up with Enterprise and couldn't figure out Firefly, a network that goes out on a limb to update a series like Battlestar Galactica, creates 3 Dune mini-series, buys up Stargate and spins off another series, is developing an Earthsea mini and is finally giving Farscape a mini isn't all that bad in my book. At least they're trying dude, which is more than NBC, CBS, FOX or the others can say.
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:2)
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:2)
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:2)
If I'm not mistaken Sci-Fi stopped ordering 'space' shows for a period because their financial outlook within Vivendi was grim and they were trying to make the company look better financially while in negotiations to sell it off.
Not all science fiction has to be about spaceships and aliens. Science fiction is best when it slices into what makes humanity tick not when it's about techno-babble and blue chicks.
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:2)
Stargate SG1 gets the best ratings the SCI-FI network has ever gotten, and is still breaking it's own records, whereas the original Farscape wasn't getting very good ratings, despite the fact that there is a very devoted fanbase for it. I might also want t
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:2)
I recall reading about how they would let the guests for the show onto the stage a while before the show started with the microphones live. What do you think the guests would talk to each other about? Possibly about the dead people they are hoping to hear from? Or at least enough information to classify them better to make it more like 'warm reading' than 'cold reading'.
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:4, Insightful)
I tried starting watching farscape at the start of season 3, stargate at the start of season 4. Stargate I got 90% of within 3 episodes or so and picked the rest up. Farscape kept referencing back so many times that after about 4 episodes I gave up. I wanted to like it, I really did, but I just could not get into it.
Now I've watched it from the start, and love it. But I also understand that you can't expect most people to put that kind of dedication into a TV series. Farscape just got so clever and complex that there was no way anyone could get into it.
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:2)
I started to relax a little bit and spend time at home instead of in bars, and I couldn't figure out what the fuck that show was about...
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:2)
I cancelled my cable back at Christmas, 8 months ago. Read my reason here [mshiltonj.com]. I recommend getting a netflix [netflix.com] account. It's cheap, commercial-free and they've got tons of discs to choose from.
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:2)
*It sometimes seems a shame that we can't moderate and comment in the same topic. But what if, by commenting, it made our moderation results visible? (E.g.: your post would have under it, "this comment was modded interesting by
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:2)
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:2)
Too well said! Hat's off to you my friend (be it black or white
But I'd like two remind you of 2 basic hacker tenets:
Now, with that in mind I can think of some MUCH better uses of that $
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:2)
Re:no mas no mas! (Score:2)
The new one does away with the exploration of mythology (almost- we still have the hunt for Earth and the Lords of Kobol- they might expand upon it more in the series than in the original) set against the backdrop of a fledgeling society turned terrorist against the older society (that is, instead of the US vs Soviet cold war being the backdrop, you have the US vs Saudi Arabia
Let's just hope (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Let's just hope (Score:1)
If you've watched the SciFi Channel (Score:2, Flamebait)
The mini-series didn't suck anywhere near as much as I thought it would. It was actually pretty good. But then, considering how horrible the original series was, there was nowhere to go but up.
Re:If you've watched the SciFi Channel (Score:1)
And a year from now... (Score:3, Funny)
Yeah, this is flamebait, but that doesn't change its veracity.
Re:And a year from now... (Score:1, Interesting)
The way Sci-Fi operates is to promote and retain shitty programs while terminating the truly great ones. The only exception to this ever has been Stargate SG-1.
Re:And a year from now... (Score:1)
Re:And a year from now... (Score:4, Funny)
I think you may be cancelled way earlier than that... let me make a few phone calls.
(sorry, could not resist)
Guest Star? (Score:2, Funny)
http://www.cbs.com/primetime/survivor/survivors/r
All I can say is... FRACK.
Nostalgia (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Nostalgia (Score:3, Insightful)
Considering that many of the sci-fi staples are either already here or have been discredited and that older series have a built in audience versus the financial risk of developing a new series that might not find an audience it doesn't surprise me in the least that many 'new' series are retreads of old shows.
Also, unlike the audiences of the past who had an optimistic, childlike v
Re:Nostalgia (Score:2)
Richard Hatch? Oh no (Score:4, Funny)
*yes I know it's a different Richard Hatch.
Richard Hatch? (Score:3, Funny)
Terrible nightmares of naked homosexual Cylons hell-bent on manipulating the universe...
Re:Richard Hatch? (Score:4, Funny)
Provided the Cylons in question are portrayed by Tricia Holfer [maximonline.com] and Grace Park [galactica2003.net], I have no problem with that scenario.
Bah! (Score:2)
Lost all interest.. (Score:5, Interesting)
Contrast this to when I saw repeats of Dr Who, Blake's 7 etc from the same era. They seemed to have aged very well like a good wine, and despite some very dubious sets and sfx they make you realise that it's the quality of writing that make shows like these a classic.
Re:Lost all interest.. (Score:2)
Some of us are still trepanning our skulls to try and erase the horrible horrible memories.
Old news... (Score:5, Informative)
Also of note:
Farscape is coming back as Farscape: Peacekeeper Wars [scifi.com]. Old News [slashdot.org].
New series based on Ursula K LeGuin's EarthSea [scifi.com] coming in December. Old News [slashdot.org].
Firefly is coming back in movie form as Serenity [imdb.com] next summer. Old News [slashdot.org].
SciFi channel is also contemplating a Larry Niven Ringworld [cinescape.com] miniseries. Old News [slashdot.org].
And most likely, there's going to be another 8 or so Tremors spinoffs...
Bring it on! (Score:1)
I'm hoping for something more like Babylon 5 but moving through space...
"Human Cylons" are a mistake... (Score:5, Interesting)
So let's face, the invention of human cylons is a big horrible mistake and one of the worst sci-fi cliches ever. Obviously, they wanted to save on the CGI-effects budget and wanted to avoid cheesy robot costumes. So they came up with human-looking cylons. The pilot movie made it clear that the following series will revolve around the question which of the Galactica crew members is actually a cylon, possibly without even knowing about it.
But I see no suspense whatsoever from a plot point that was innovative in 1927's "Metropolis" but that has been worn off ever since: Is that person human or isn't it? Am I talking to the original or not? The idea of non-human enemies posing as humans to subvert the human forces has been done to death by every incarnation of Star Trek and practically almost every other sci-fi show ever made. I see no new idea coming from this. Too bad.
I just wish they would have avoided that and come up with some non-cheesy robot cylons.
Re:"Human Cylons" are a mistake... (Score:5, Funny)
For my predictions:
A cylon becomes a 7-of-9; that is, it integrates into human culture. There will be some episodes where it reverts back to its roots, but somehow, through sheer human (ha) will, overcomes its mechanical nature. A human crewmember falls in love with the Cylon.
A Cylon and a human get trapped on a planet. They need to overcome their differences in order to survive. Someone insults Mickey Mouse. One says, "Picard in big chair, turning."
A human infiltrates Cylon HQ by mimicking Capt. Kirk's robotic delivery: Jones....Jones.....Cannot....keep....straight....
A crew member dies in an early episode but reappears in a later one as the son/daughter/doppelganger. Time travel may be involved. Or cloning. Or, egads, Cylons replicating. They'll call him Duncan. Duncan Idaho. Or Tasha if it's a she.
A gay space pirate named Sonny Crockett appears. He seems to know the captain from way back... Rumors float and some light-hearted banter.
Re:"Human Cylons" are a mistake... (Score:2)
A cylon becomes a 7-of-9; that is, it integrates into human culture. There will be some episodes where it reverts back to its roots, but somehow, through sheer human (ha) will, overcomes its mechanical nature. A human crewmember falls in love with the Cylon.
From what I have seen so far, that sort of happens....
Re:"Human Cylons" are a mistake... (Score:2)
That is the biggest hole in the plot. If you watched the pilot, you can see that Cylons, even human looking, are susceptible to a particular form of radiation that humans aren't, and you will also see that when Six is particularly excited, her spine glows. Another Cylon mentions that when his body dies, his memories will be uploaded to the Cylon network, so he must c
Re:"Human Cylons" are a mistake... (Score:1, Troll)
Not just bad producers, bad writers. (Score:2)
I believe the current crop of writers and producers just don't understand the protagonist/antagonist concept.
Example:
#1. Man, stranded in the snow, struggles to find shelter.
-vs-
#2. Man, stranded in the snow, struggles to find shelter from evil ice wizard's storm.
There's a huge difference between the two.
With the Borg, they were initially introduced as #1. They were impersonal.
Then, with the addition of the Borg Queen, they became #2.
"The idea of having an enem
Re:"Human Cylons" are a mistake... (Score:1)
Re:"Human Cylons" are a mistake... (Score:2)
There were non-cheezy robot cylons, we didn't get to see much of them though. Just a little at the beginning. Actually, from what I saw of them they look pretty freaking cool.
Re:"Human Cylons" are a mistake... (Score:3, Funny)
That would be Rick Deckard, right?
Re:"Human Cylons" are a mistake... (Score:2)
Re:"Human Cylons" are a mistake... (Score:2)
That may not be fatal. Keeping the audience out of the loop is just one way to tell a story. That path often leads to disappointment as it's difficult to give clues without the risk that half the audience will figure it out too early, spoiling the suspense. Another story arc reveals the bad guy to the audience alone [Silence of the Lambs] so that we feel helpless watching the victim/sleuth wander int
The Homer inside me sais: (Score:1)
(Yawn) That's nice (Score:2)
[And what the fuck is this? I think
Due to excessive bad posting from this IP or Subnet, anonymous comment posting has temporarily been disabled. You can still login to post. However, if bad posting continues from your IP or Subnet that privilege could be revoked as well. If it's you, consider this a chance to sit in the timeout corner or login and improve your posting . If it's someone else, this is a chance to hun
Re:(Yawn) That's nice (Score:2)
What, am I the ONLY one who watches Sci-Fi Network these days? They've been running ads for these shows for the last month or so.
Re:(Yawn) That's nice (Score:2)
Also, I can't get high speed Internet. How's Direcway?
Excuse me, but ... (Score:1)
This is the worst repost I have ever seen on /. (Score:2)
It is just getting ridiculous. The reposts have gone from sad, to so sad it is funny, to so sad it is just... sad.
New Material (Score:1)
Screw the show! Where are the tie-in TOYS?! (Score:2, Funny)
WHAT ABOUT THE DAMNED TOYS?!
I want my little Galactica starfig
Re:Screw the show! Where are the tie-in TOYS?! (Score:2)
Yeah, what he said. And not the "safe" version with the missiles glued into place, either! I want the original one!
Ponderosa in space (Score:3, Funny)
Maybe the Cylons and Daleks can once and for always
make space safe for inorganics.
I do not care.. (Score:1)
I enjoyed the new BSG (Score:4, Insightful)
-- Are the Cyclons more human that we are? Can they have all their emotions without being socially destructive? Or, are they less human because they are so reigned in? Do they have freewill? Can they have freewill and yet also be sleeper programmed?
-- Is Baltar just psychologically unsound or did they plan a device in his head? We know that there are at least one other Cyclon on board, but I seriously suspect another. Are they the perpetrators or is Baltar unconsciously being controlled?
-- How will Starbuck deal with having passed Zack? In theory, this should lead to her resignation, but we cannot afford to lose any valuable pilots.
-- How with the X.O. handle his daemons now that his job isn't plush anymore?
This series has a lot more drama to it, which is probably why the "old crowd" doesn't care for it. I can say that the people I know who weren't raised on the old show really like this one.
Re:I enjoyed the new BSG (Score:2, Interesting)
Same goes for series re-runs. Don't theorize it to death, just sit and watch it. Grin at plotholes and physics violations. Just try to enjoy something for once instead of trying to debunk every small or big goof in it.
Ok this has no bearing on the post
I liked it too, (Score:3, Insightful)
* The sequence of events during and immediately following the Cylon attack was well-handled, IMHO. It had the feeling of a real event, where nobody knew quite what was going on and people who were not expected to be leaders had to step up and take responsibility.
* The environment on Galactica, the crew reactions, and the overall tone of a fleet that had been on guard duty for years without seeing any combat, and was now engaged in combat felt right to me.
* The "combat journal
Re:I enjoyed the new BSG (Score:2)
I felt though that it is a refreshing spin on the old series. One possibility that was never present in the original BSG was Cylon infiltration. That is now integral to the plot, and frankly I like it.
Now I did used to like the original series too, but I was 10 years old back then and the unsophisticated story line appealed to me. Now that I'm over 30 I want something
Why doesn't Sci-Fi broadcast old Dr.Who reruns???? (Score:3, Informative)
Dr Who and SciFi channel should be a perfect match.
Great... (Score:4, Funny)
"Bidibidibidi, nice ass, Wilma!"
Has begun? Umm you been asleep? (Score:2)
Man it was a terrible 'mini-series'.. i had hoped that was the end of it..
Richard Hatch (Score:2)
Re:Richard Hatch (Score:2)
`if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic.'
Oh, and Carroll has 2 "l"s!
robot babes (Score:2)
You misspelled "goddesses". I agree, we need more of those hot, kissing ambassador models.
Remake after remake after remake... (Score:3, Interesting)
Stargate Atlantis: Spinoff of a spinoff
BS: Galactica: Remake
Andromeda (LBX): Bought from syndication
Scare Tactics: science FICTION channel REALITY series.
They have a couple other "original" series that I have not seen so I do not feel comfortable talking about. Good for them that there seem to still be a few original shows. See here for their seriously weakened lineup when compared to a few years ago: http://www.scifi.com/onair/shows/ [scifi.com]
Apparently original ideas are no longer acceptable on SciFi channel.
Why else cancel the amazing show that is Farscape? Farscape takes science fiction to a new level, and a lot of people are picking up on it after the huge fan response to the cancellation.
(Okay actually SciFi didn't "approve" of Farscape because they didn't own it top to bottom. The Farscape game, the little action figures, everything, was under Henson's control. Under the surface the Farscape cancellation is about media consolidation; SciFi Channel doesn't like what they can't own completely.) See this Ted Turner article about this general trend in the industry: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2004/04
A lot of people still haven't seen Farscape, so I invite you to watch it Monday through Friday, 9AM-4PM, from Friday, Oct. 1, through Friday, Oct. 15. SciFi channel is airing all 4 seasons so people can catch up.
I beg of you; spread the word about this amazing show.
p.s. I do not wish to offend on Stargate fans or Andromeda fans. Im just extremely passionate about Farscape, I hope you will not be turned off by my enthusiasm.
Will Galactica Survive another Resurrection? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Will Galactica Survive another Resurrection? (Score:2)
What alternate universe are you in? First, which is it - BSG suffered from low budget, or had $1 million/episode? A million dllars was a LOT of money in 1978. I was around in 1978 and there was NO WAY Battlestar Gallactica was the number one TV show. It was a low-rated dog th
Re:Richard Hatch? (Score:1)
Re:Richard Hatch? (Score:1)
Re:New BG... (Score:3, Interesting)
Did anyone else watch the original series?
(1) Heavy attempts at mixing "Chariots of the Gods" with Mormonism.
(2) Death of a loved one causing the hero to rise up against the baddies, or as I called it 20 years ago, "Larson's Disease". It's happened on BG, Buck Rogers, Knight Rider and Magnum P.I.. Nothing worst than a director who's derivative of his own works.
(3) Everyone in *THE FUTURRRRRE!!!* listens to disco.
(4) Rampant T&A. Every show Larson has done featured some measure of blatant