Battlestar Galactica

[Gumbo]

If you even remotely enjoy Sci-Fi, you owe it to yourself to watch this beginning to end at least once in your life. I had always scoffed at it because it was produced by the Syfy channel, but the production values are Hollywood or better. It's written, cast, acted and scored amazingly well. I've consumed a lot of fictional works in my time, across all medium and I'd go so far as to call this top 3, maybe number one on my list. If you have Netflix, you can watch all four seasons streaming, but you have to watch the miniseries first which is only available on disc. It's essentially the prologue to the story and very necessary to set the scene.

Do not watch the original Battlestar Galactica from the 80's.

START WITH THIS

THIS IS THE ONE FROM THE 80's AND PROBABLY SUCKS

 

[Mac204]

I agree. However, after New Caprica it gets really weird with all the religion and prophesy and all. And the opening theme from season 1 (US) is MUCH better than the subsequent seasons...

 

[CavalryJim]

Welcome to 2004....and yes, BSG fracken rocks!

 

[senseiturtle]

Absolutely LOVED it.

Bear with the "new caprica" stuff, they get through it and back on the ship.

 

[Mac204]

Oh yeah I saw every single episode and special...Hell, I couldn't wait for the end of season 1 so I ordered the UK Version and saw the last two episodes a week before they aired! It's after New Caprica that got weird until the mutiny. However, I loved the "Final 5" and the late series arc for Starbuck!!!!

 

[gbundersea]

I beg to differ (Warning: contains spoilers)

I’m writing this not to start a debate, but to report my opinions on Battlestar Galactica after finally viewing it.

Quite some time ago, it was pointed out by some, my brother in particular, and rightfully so, that I was trashing Battlestar Galactica without ever having seen the show. I’m not talking about the 1980’s series with Lorne Greene, which was cheesy enough for its Cylons to earn their place in history as fodder for Robot Chicken. I figured any remake of that had to be, well, cheesy.

Thanks to the wonder (and practically no cost) of Netflix,the entire “new” series has been made available for viewing.

Given the opportunity, I (and to a lesser extent Danielle) took it upon myself to watch it, and with a completely open mind. I was ready to admit that it was excellent and that my predispositions had been wrong. With that mindset, I started with episode 1, and made it an almost nightly event.

About 3/4 of the way through, I simply couldn't take it anymore. (Danielle bailed on it before I did.) I skimmed the rest of the series, catching the main points while reading the episode summaries, hoping it would improve. It just got worse. We watched the (supposedly superb) Razor episode/movie, and it was as mediocre as the rest. The finale, well, I’d just as soon forget it.

I read several detailed discussions/analyses of the storyline, finale, etc. just to see if I missed something. Nope! While the diehard fans tried to explain away the inexplicable, even those rather neutral about the show saw it much the same way as did I. My brother, a semi-fan of the show, had made the comment while discussing it with me recently that the writers didn’t seem to have a clue about what they wanted to do with the story, and sort of made it up as they went along. Interestingly, several different online posters echoed those exact thoughts.

I found Galactica to have a shallow, contradictory, repetitive plot, utterly implausible characters, gratuitous nudity and sex obviously thrown in as eye candy to distract from the bad writing... the list goes on and on. Major characters would flip-flop from moment to moment on fundamental beliefs; I guess that was the writers’ attempt to make them “sophisticated”, but it failed miserably. The endless delusions/illusions of Baltar and Caprica 6 were excruciating and monotonous. They brought back images of the “Harvey” version of Scorpius dancing in Crichton’s head in the Farscape series. The endless preaching about God by the Cylons was so ludicrous that I didn’t know whether to laugh or puke. I never felt mystified, nor awed, nor even very curious, about any issue which the series raised. It had a peacenik quality to it as well; very early on I predicted that somehow humans and Cylons would end up being one big happy family, or something close. Sure enough, I nailed it! (Never mind about the whole genocide thing...)

Overall, the grand storyline of Galactica made little sense whatsoever, and the finale was just plain awful.

It had a few decent moments along the way, but ended up being a jumbled, disappointing mess of special effects and silly story. Eye candy for the masses, spiced up with pretty much every female actress completely naked at one time or another.

Others, of course, have different opinions, but to this hardcore SF fan, it sucked pretty hard. I rate it on a par with Farscape, which is damn low in my book. Actually, a notch below Farscape.

I had to go re-watch Babylon 5 and Firefly to clean out my brain. They, in my opinion, are the absolute best, and unparalleled in TV science fiction.

 

[ShipWreck]

I watched the whole series, but actually missed the finale. I still want to see the finale one day, but did read a synopsis, so I know what happened.

I will say that the show was always so depressing to watch. I spent so much time already watching it, that I didn't want to just quit - but I was tempted several times. It is a rather dark show.

 

[Witiku]

Good opinions on BSG.

I liked it for what it was and was not disappointed. It was a bit trying at times but the modern effects and overall story was interesting enough to keep me tuned in to the end. Agree on the major flip flops with characters to make them seem deeper was poor writing.

Caprica was a good miniseries but seemed to have run out of money or something?

The first few eps of the new BSG were fantastic. The anticipation was palpable. The ending of the series was weak IMHO.

 

[LCPL 4]

Others, of course, have different opinions, but to this hardcore SF fan, it sucked pretty hard. I rate it on a par with Farscape, which is damn low in my book. Actually, a notch below Farscape.

What the frell man? I never got into BG but the wife and I enjoyed the FS series and she pretty much hates all scifi.

 

[dmh]

I was excited at the beginning but lost interest after a short while. I felt obligated to finish it but just had to let go because I was just disappointed. I guess that's why we all have remote controls nowdays, we can change the channel if we want.

 

[Cat]

Perhaps that is why Firefly is so awesome, it only lasted a single season. I'd weep if I knew it turned from something stellar into whatever happened to BSG and SG-1. I used to enjoy another Syfy (a spelling change which is stupid in itself) show, Eureka. Even that has turned into complete idiocy. New Caprica was the death toll to BSG. The Avalon arc killed SG-1, which is sad because I enjoy medieval history.


Ironically, I kind of enjoy the Syfy movies. Riverworld was cool but would have been better if it were a series. Tinman was fun too. Those were the only A-list movies I'd really consider them making. But the best ones are those that deal with giant animals. The large snake on the Island with actors? I watch it every time it comes on. The campier the better. I expect B-grade mind candy. We usually end up heckling the show and pointing out how many actors are repeat cast. We'd probably throw popcorn but then I'd have to clean it up.

Once in a while you need to turn to your spouse and ask "WTF are we watching?!?!"

 

[rustyduck]

i love battlestar galactica. its kind of realistic, no crazy muppet show. no really crazy off the wall stuff at all. beautiful women. top notch actors all the way through. great drama soap opera as well as great action fighter battles. love all of it especially the ending.

i love caprica also. not a whole lot of action but good story.

can't wait for the new series "blood and chrome"

 

[Mac204]

See, Caprica kinda sucked....too much of the evolution of monotheism. But I did like that instead of trying to get a third season and leaving us hanging they at least finished it - even though it was obviously rushed and sloppy...

I also think sg-1 died when they lost hammond and macgyver...

 

[BobKaro]

I really liked BSG for the first couple seasons. I think I reached its high point some time just before New Caprica. After that I stuck it out but it just rolled down hill with increasing speed. I did enjoy Razor, especially the flashbacks.

I was one of the guys thinking that remaking BSG was a stupid idea. I scoffed at making Starbuck a girl, cylons looking like people, etc. The miniseries changed my opinion quickly. Season 1 and 2 just reinforced it. I just didn't care with the direction they took it after New Caprica.

I honestly liked the original for what it was. As cheesy 80s, I liked it. Say what you will, the production values early in the run were top notch for the time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Cat]

Oh yeah. Starbuck as a girl was sacrilege in our house for a while. But she came around to be one of the most butt kicking women in science fiction IMO.... Until that ludacris death thing.

 

[CUJOHUNTER]

dibbi dibbi dibbi dibbi dibbi dibbi dibbi dibbi

 

[LACamper]

I couldn't get into BSG either. As a kid I enjoyed the original, even though it was pretty campy. I tried. I really wanted to like BSG. I missed an episode or two and then lost interest...

B5 and Firefly were incredible.

 

[swagge1]

A guy I work with is always after me to watch the show. I might start with season 1 after I get back from vacation.