New Battlestar Galactica Series Starts Tonight 451
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."
Rerunning of mini series (Score:2, Interesting)
Inquiring Tivos want to know!
Re:Rerunning of mini series (Score:2)
It's also available on DVD now.
Re:Rerunning of mini series (Score:2)
Re:Rerunning of mini series (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Rerunning of mini series (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Rerunning of mini series (Score:5, Informative)
"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
Next Running (Score:2)
Re:Rerunning of mini series (Score:2)
BTEFNET.NET (Score:5, Informative)
Re:BTEFNET.NET (Score:2, Informative)
Re:BTEFNET.NET (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:BTEFNET.NET (Score:2)
I'll be downloading soonest. And watching on my own. Since I can't get the scifi channel, it's a godsend.
Re:BTEFNET.NET (Score:2)
Re:BTEFNET.NET (Score:3, Interesting)
The TV companies, MPAA, etc always complain bout people downloading episodes/movies from the net before they've been release in the respective country (hell, they even complain about people in a country where a series has been shown spoiling plot-lines for people in countries where it hasn't shown). This, of course, is one of the main reaons for the regionalisation of DVDs... not that i
33 minutes (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:33 minutes (Score:2)
In the US, it'll be every 27 minutes to allow satelite synch, unless there's a time out.
Re:33 minutes (Score:5, Funny)
Re:33 minutes (Score:3, Funny)
Re:33 minutes (Score:3, Informative)
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 (Score:5, Funny)
Wow, the US are behind... (Score:5, Interesting)
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... (Score:2)
Re:Wow, the US are behind... (Score:5, Insightful)
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... (Score:2)
Re:Wow, the US are behind... (Score:2)
It's turning into quite a good Sci Fi channel now Sky One. Stargate SG1 & Atlantis played non stop so we finish it first, Battlestar Gallactica is part funded by Sky, Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars on Saturday and Enterprise S4 starting later in the year!
Re:Wow, the US are behind... (Score:4, Informative)
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 (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:ratings won't be what they should (Score:2)
Re:ratings won't be what they should (Score:2)
Re:ratings won't be what they should (Score:3, Interesting)
And since I have a 16:9 TV, I actually get to use the full screen. I probably could zoom in with the US broadcast, but I doubt I'll ever be able to get the quality of image from the UK downloads.
I don't get that (Score:2)
If someone (with a ratings box) becomes a fan of the show, he'd want to see more of it, so he makes sures to watch it when it aires - he makes sure that his vote is counted as it where. But if it someone who tried it and hates it, he wouldn't have stuck with it anyway, no?
Re:ratings won't be what they should (Score:2)
Re:ratings won't be what they should (Score:2)
Re:ratings won't be what they should (Score:2)
Re:ratings won't be what they should (Score:4, Insightful)
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" (Score:4, Interesting)
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.
I know... beowulf cluster setup, right? (Score:5, Funny)
You could not come right out and say a "beowulf cluster of boomers", could you?
Re:I know... beowulf cluster setup, right? (Score:2)
Re:I know... beowulf cluster setup, right? (Score:2)
S: Nothing but the rain.,
A: So grab your gun and bring in the cat.
Don't crush that dwarf, and hand me the pliers.
Re:I know... beowulf cluster setup, right? (Score:3, Funny)
No, dammit, I can't say it.
Re:Gaius Baltar or Shannon "Boomer" (Score:4, Interesting)
And I'd suggest you check out Ron Moore's latest blog entry [scifi.com]. He goes to great length to explain that the intricate technological details behind the 33-minute thing just don't matter. He says:
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 (Score:4, Interesting)
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 (Score:5, Interesting)
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 (Score:5, Funny)
is that really saying much? Mary Poppins is darker and grittier than the original series also.
Re:Darker and Grittier (Score:4, Insightful)
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.
Re:Darker and Grittier (Score:3, Informative)
Of course, it was also ripped from Firefly.
Maybe the writers are Rolling Rock fans (Score:4, Informative)
Or not... (Score:4, Informative)
And gratuitous Cylon b00bage. (Score:4, Funny)
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.
Only in the U.S. (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Only in the U.S. (Score:2)
It is worth noting that BG is serial in nature...so if you miss a few eps you may find yourself in trouble. However, I've always felt that the best shows were serial.
Plus, having Ronald Moore running the show (Carnivale season 1, Deep Space Nine) really makes this a fine series.
Finally, don't miss out on the closing splash after the credits. Pr
Its getting great reviews in the states as well (Score:3, Informative)
Basic Cable you insensitive clod! (Score:2)
Seriously. It's $10 cheaper to order Comcast cable Internet with basic cable. THis is how they getcha -- basic cable only has like 20 channels, 5 of those are religeous, 5 are shopping channels. We do get the Outdoor Hick Network, but not the Discovery Channel. Pretty much only useful for recording Enterprise with my MythTV [mysettopbox.tv] box.
this show rocks pretty hard (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:this show rocks pretty hard (Score:2)
Re:this show rocks pretty hard (Score:4, Interesting)
timeline? (Score:2)
Re:timeline? (Score:3, Funny)
(phone rings)
"This is Jack Bauer."
"Jack! The Cylons-"
*BOOM*
Re:timeline? (Score:2)
33 Minutes... (Score:2)
Re:33 Minutes... (Score:2, Informative)
So... (Score:2)
If a fleet evades, then do the same thing with the fleet that was tracked.
Once you find out which ship is being tracked (gee could it be Galactica?) repeat the process but start swapping passengers among ships.
The Cylons will oblige (Score:2)
I think the Cylons will be quite obliging, especially if the parts are to be molecule-sized.
Re:So... (Score:2)
If memory serves, Adama actually proposes exactly that: Split the fleet into six parts. Doesn't get around to actually doing it, though.
Re:So... (Score:2)
Uness the infiltration is psychic (could it be perhaps as this is possible on TV!) there is no way to anticipate the rally point.
However if I were the Cylons I would simply not chase one group - let them think they have spoofed me.
The best thing about the new BG (Score:4, Insightful)
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 (Score:3, Funny)
Galactica 1980 NEVER HAPPENED!
and I will listen to absolutely no argument to the contrary...
LA LA LA IM NOT LISTENING!!!
that said... the new show kicks ass.
Re:The best thing about the new BG (Score:3, Insightful)
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
For those setting their VCR's (Score:3, Informative)
Personally (Score:2, Funny)
People in the know (Score:2)
Why Did Europe get it 4 Months ahead of time? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Why Did Europe get it 4 Months ahead of time? (Score:2)
Interesting that the original series' 2-hour TV pilot was released in movie theatres in Canada the summer before the TV series premiered in the states.
Maybe they're just sticking with tradition. ;-)
Sam
Re:Why Did Europe get it 4 Months ahead of time? (Score:3, Informative)
It wasn't Europe as such, only the UK. This version of BG is very expensive, and SciFi weren't entirely sure they should risc that much money - after all it might bomb big time. They came to an arrangement with British Sky channel - they would help fund the series, on the proviso that they could show the series first.
And so it came to be. Of course it will ultimately be US ratings which determine the fate of the series.
Re:Why Did Europe get it 4 Months ahead of time? (Score:2)
Don't listen to the Galacti-geeks (Score:2)
It's fresh, original looking, well written and well acted. And faithful to the spirit of the original series.
This is the best sci-fi TV since ST:TNG and makes the new Star Wars movies look like the daggit crap they are.
Sam
This show is great (Score:2)
Re:This show is great (Score:2)
Mystical side??? This will be interesting to see if they keep the same influences as the original.
Re:This show is great (Score:2)
Re:This show is great (Score:3, Informative)
That's one good thing a bout the new BG, IMO. They don't try too hard to create a complete and completely different world. They sketch it out, focus on character development and pacing, and move on. You can buy a lot of the props in your local office supply, but because you really don't notice, such is the strength of th
Give this show a chance - it's worth it (Score:2, Informative)
Seen and impressed... (Score:2)
New Battlestar Galactica Series Starts Tonight???? (Score:3, Informative)
So far, 11 of the season's 13 episodes have aired and been made available online in TV, PDTV and HDTV formats.
As well as being in higher resolution/quality than your average TV broadcast, these online copies are commercial-free.
Personally, I recommend downloading them and watching them on your computer, but also tuning your television on to the sci-fi channel and muting the sound, so that Sci-Fi gets paid for these shows and they may be able to continue producing them.
Huh. Your TV doesn't report what you watch! (Score:3, Funny)
No point (Score:3, Informative)
Miniseries ROCKED. (Score:2)
It's got some really interesting story lines going on, and I think the writers have been doing a fantastic job. In my eye it's been pretty original as far as sci-fi goes. =)
I am so hoping that this is the shot in the arm... (Score:3, Interesting)
I thought me had it with Farscape for a bit, but it feel apart. It was good for the first couple seasons, but then it went off track and the casual watcher (to survive a show needs to be accessible the casual watcher) couldn't keep up with the plot twists and the cast changes. This killed the show...
Enterprise is so far off course its going to exit the galaxy. Its good but its not trek, and its pulling concepts out of the trek archive that only the hardcore trekkies can follow to try to survive...not a good plan. What they need is a good hardcore war, but its not really in the cards because of Trek Cannon for the time period.
StarGate I still love but lately it just seems a bit Earth bound, I have hopes for the second half of the season. And we know there will be a 9th now...the replicators in the new human form lurk and I think this is the way to bring new interesting plots the G'uld, have run thier course for now...
Atlantis is good, but I think its still finding its stride...I'm not in love with the chracters or plots yet, and the main baddies have not really put in a serious appearence since the Opening....
Re:I am so hoping that this is the shot in the arm (Score:3, Interesting)
It only killed the show for the casual viewer. Plot twists & cast changes made the show dynamic, not moribund in its storyline. Nothing stops a viewer from buying DVD sets now (or whatever) and catchin
Having seen it... (Score:3, Interesting)
Started weeks ago on usenet/bittorrent! (Score:2)
I've seen all 11 episodes already... Just turn to channel number usenet...
Unfortunately this channel isn't carried by most cable providers.
Call your cable companies and demand that they carry the usenet channel!
You too can watch all 11 episodes...
Surprisingly good (Score:2)
The new Battlestar Galactica is great! (Score:2, Informative)
netflix (Score:3, Interesting)
That is, except for Disc 6 -- next to that entry, it says "Available Now."
What the hell is wrong with Disc 6 that nobody wants it?
Series timeline and availability (Score:4, Informative)
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.
Seen the first 10 episodes. (Score:3, Informative)
The battle scenes are good as well but this whole "shaky cam" thing gets annoying especially the quick zoom they do a lot.
Worth watching I would say but YMMV
ALERT!! The enemy is only microns away (Score:4, Funny)
It pulled me out of my suspension of disbelief every time.
Never destroyed my fantasies about Maren Jensen however.
Re:Love the new series - spoilers of a sort (Score:2)
Re:Haven't gotten a chance (Score:2)
Re:For those who have torrented the serie (Score:2)
better yet, every saturday email scifi.com saying how you and 20 other friends love it to death!
get other to do the same and they will ignore the useless nielsen ratings, espically if they are getting more show fan emails than spam.
Re:Sweet! (Score:2)