Battlestar Galactica

Do you prefer the original miniseries or the new one, produced by Ronald D. Moore no less?

I've made up my mind and the result might shock you... But what's your opinion?

I bought the 1978 release today.

Pee-yeeewwwww!

While the sets look expensive, the effects have dated badly and while, to an extent, the original BG TV series had a soap opera feel that Star Trek TNG borrowed from, we've evolved since. The original just doesn't work.

And the Cylon threat in the original isn't convincing. The 2003 remake does a tremendously better job at showing off how nasty the Cylons are, and at building up suspense too. I was impressed with the new miniseries but then I heard that Ronald D Moore was in charge of the whole thing... (okay, I saw part 2 first and was a bit cynical, but I watched part 1 with an open mind and did a total flip-flop.)

Indeed, for all aspects but one, the 2003 remake is FINALLY a hollywood remake that actually improves on the original. That's RARE. I'm not sure I totally like these new cylons that look and act like people, but the play on 'the human condition' worked for me. #6 manipulating Baltar was rather cool though... so these new cylons are not really a down point... (having the humans move too many explosives at once WAS a down point though, that was beyond stupid... but it's easily forgiven, given the high quality throughout that the new miniseries exudes...)

Now if they'd only release the new miniseries on DVD!!! (Hey Sci-fi, that's a hint in your direction! :D )

Let's hope budget concerns don't blow the new BG out of the sky...

As much as I loved some of the kitch, Dirk Benedict's macrobiotic swagger and all of the over-the-top acting (all in moderation, of course), the new one is not just superior to the original, it will probably be an Emmy contender.

So say I.

--bkl

Or late 2004, I don't recall...

but it's on its way!

"If you choose not to decide
You still have made a choice"

BG was NEVER a ripoff of SW. Not in the slightest. And I can prove it with nimble finesse:

(note: BG="Battlestar Galactica", SW="Star Wars", B5="Babylon 5")

Witness:

BG was about an alien species committing genocide against humankind's colonies, and following the only survivors of the mass attack.

SW was about a big evil empire with big ships subjugating everybody else, complete with some dodgy sets and LOTS of horrendous acting, it made money only because it had pretty spaceships and a villain with a cool voice. (SW's two sequels are infinitely better because they do something with characters rather than pandering to trite and tedious stereotyped situations meant for cardboard cutouts.)

The last time I checked, genocide and subjugation are different things.

So they both had dogfights in space. That's an asinine reason to whine and cry "copyright infringement, waaaaaaaaaaaah!" Lucas and co are a bunch of spoiled brats for even making the accusation, and the judge an idiot for not seeing the obvious difference.

The new BG being a ripoff of B5 also holds no water at all. The new BG follows the same intent as the original: Exterminate humankind. B5 is about "United Nations in space" or whatever. And if all the aliens of B5 wanted to wipe out the humans, it could then be said that B5 was ripping off BG.

Funny, that... :D

Glen Larson had tried to sell his idea for a series called "Adam's Ark" (the Battlestar Galactica prototype, based loosely on Mormon theology and set in space) in the LATE 1960s, when Star Trek was still on the air. The networks wouldn't buy it at the time because they thought TV sci-fi was dying out. It was only after the success of Star Wars that ABC decided to take a chance on the show, which I believe at the time was the most expensive series ever made.

I suppose I will have to wait for the full published works of Krokus.

I didn't vote because I liked them both. The original was so cheesy, but it reminds me fondly of the 70s and 80s. *Sigh* I'm kind of nerdy, but very sexy. :)

The old one was far superior.

It looked and felt like a holocaust of the human race. In the new one, the destruction was mostly mentioned, not seen.

The old one looked and felt like a temporary military rule during a disaster. The new one, lacking the disaster, also lacked the military feel. The military characters are like chicks from soap operas. Crying and all that. What is that crap?

There is almost no military discipline in this new version. You can tell the actors never served their country. They look like rich kids who are paid to pretend to be heroes. They have never taken an order, and it shows. Orders are optional throughout this lame remake.

They make Starbuck a CHICK??? A WEIRD chick! Lt Boomer is an asian woman instead of a black man? That's nonsense. The highest ranking black person is enlisted, I believe. Whereas in original, two of the important recurring cast members were black officers.

An important change in the original was that at one point they had to "get over it" and allow women to fight - out of necessity. In this one, they skipped that. I think that is an important lesson to learn and relearn.

OK enough of me.

and not seen is that they were showing the events from the perspective of the people connected to the Galactica. Much of the show deals with the shock, grief, and isolation of the survivors as they realize that their home is destroyed with no chance for goodbyes to their loved ones. Adama and the crew have to decide how to react to the Cylon attack because it is all too horrifying to think that it's anything but a drill. This, to me, was very effective, because that's how it would be in real life.

Now, contrast this to the original series, where in the first episode the crew is partying down on the casino planet--smoking cigars, drinking, and flirting with multiple-mouthed women--just one hour after their home planet has been destroyed and 99% of their species wiped out.

I loved how the remake kept all the great aspects of the first show, such as the basic design of the Cylons and the Vipers, while also improving upon them. And I also enjoyed the nice touches of detail that added to the "realism" of the show--such as the muted sound in space, the Galactica's use of outdated technology to foil Cylon "hacking", and the fact that the Vipers can fly backwards!!

And I don't care what anyone says; I LOVE the new Starbuck. I think she's a worthy spiritual successor to Dirk Benedict. She's hot, she's funny, and she kicks ass.

BTW, I've heard the producers of the remake have buried the HATCHet with Richard Hatch, and that they are in discussions with him to play a "cult leader" type figure who challenges Adama's authority, when the series returns to Sci-Fi.

My best friend preferred Apollo!

but after I grew up I had a crush on Apollo. :)

Khash.

since that's the only one i've ever seen