New Battlestar Galactica vs. Old Battlestar Galactica

On a different not, I am watching the NBSG marathon on the Scifi Channel, which is about to end. There is an Inside Galactica episode full of recaps and interviews on right now. The guy that plays Lee Adama had me fooled. He has a very thick British accent.

Also, the actress that plays Six just said that Six is in love with Baltar.

 

"I think Six even kills a cylon. If I'm not mistaken."--Tricia Helfer

 

Not a problem.

For my part, she merely annoys because she's obnoxious, insubordinate and rude, much as I dislike most any character displaying those traits, at least in a military setting.

It's fairly obvious that the character was made female merely to "push the envelope" and not out of any overriding concerns for story.

And what is there admirable in that?

Just once, I would dearly love to see an uncomplicated character.

For me, the perception of her character is mostly defined by her responsibility for Zak Adama's death.

 

I think "The Farm" episode where Starbuck was being poked and prodded by the Cylons to possibly become a new breeder hinted at a HUGE explanation for her attitude and social problems. If she was abused as a child it explains why she lashes out at everyone and is always butting against any figure in authority - react first before someone can beat you up.

Why would she then enter into a strict military career? Don't know, guess we'll find out down the road.

If you want uncomplicated characters, there are plenty of them on crew: Lee Adama (he's got issues but is pretty uncomplicated to figure out,) Heilo, Chief Turrell, etc.

I love that the new series takes the time to really flesh out the characters, it's what separates this show from the old series. I really care about all of them.

 

I was a fan of the original way back when I was a mere slip of a little girl. I had a huge crush on Dirk Benedict as Starbuck, and back in 1979, the special effects and the costumes were very futuristic and cool.

Now...having gotten the original on DVD, I really do cringe at the cheesiness of it. But I still think they were a fun show.

However, they don't in any way compare to the new series, which is simply the best show on TV now. It's raw, edgy, with plot twists and turns galore and a minimal amount of scientific jargon. They never pull the warp drive deus ex machina to save the day; in fact, the problems the rag tag fleet face day by day just worsen, which makes it so realistic and enjoyable to watch. Even the thing about SB and Boomer and Cain being women, so what? It's foolish to allow something like that be a limitation against watching such a great show.

Can't WAIT for the next episode...just 27 hours from now....

 

Quite possibly, but then, unhappy/abusive childhoods are something of a cliche for characters in tv/film/literature

 

As I said before, LP, I see it like fanfiction. Would you read a fic where... I dunno, Qui Gon and Obi Wan were suddenly female characters and walk away with no complaints? Or, even to move away from the gender thing, I just see it as fundamentally altering a character, keeping only the traits you feel serve your purpose - most primarily, the name.

 

I think it helps a lot if you see the old BSG and the new BSG as being two separate shows. In fanfic, we still all agree that we're talking about the same SW and then diverging from that base point. For BSG, though, the new BSG is so radically different from the old BSG that really, they only share a name and some superficial similarities. The new show has so many good points that IMO, it would be worthwhile to "unlearn what you have learned" and just see it as a brand new show.

 

You definitely have to see them as different shows. They really are dissimilar. I think of it rather like Stephen King's THE DEAD ZONE. The book and film are very different than the television series that's now on. Both are great in their own ways, but loviing one doesn't make you less appreciate the other.

BSG starts again tonight!!!

 

Less than four and a half hours.

Oh yeah...oh yeah...oh yeah....

 

One other minor beef I have with the new show...I prefer the lasers of the old show to the bullets of the new one. At some point they'll run out, won't they? Plus they aren't as cool looking.

 

The sole reason for the switch is the prettiness. It's more gritty than lasers.

 

Humm guess so long as they don't murder Chief Turrel tonight, guess he'll have to dream up a new weaponry source...running out of ammo when they're far away from any resupply stations would certainly make for good drama tv though

 

I'll take 'pretty' over 'gritty'...I miss the visuals and sound effects of the original lasers. I was also happy they kept a mix of old Vipers, they look better than the new ones.

 

PLJ, I'm pretty sure I remember reading over at the Ragnar Anchorage that Aaron Douglas, aka Chief Tyrol, signed an extended contract. So that means...

 

I can't wait.

 

Excellent

It's official, I need someone to post the entire cast w/ their character's names spelled out, I'm horrible at guessing these things

 

Oh whoa! A command human/cylon manufacturing ship? It's proof positive cylons are not all bad. They make hotties.


EV Edit: HTR added

 

So what do we have? Cain is insane. Marooning a civilian fleet, giving orders to kill families if her "selected" resisted, it makes me wonder how the character got that way.

I guessed right, they call it a ressurrection ship. Looks like we have a major battle coming to our viewing pleasure in the next episode as they attack the basestars and this key ship.

The last few minutes with Cain and Adama making plans against each other was classic. I wonder if Adama would have thought this was needed had Rosalyn not said anything about what she thinks(knows) about Cain?

Best line in the show:

"I have not doubt Pegasus would destroy the Galactica"--Rosalyn

"Don't bet on that."--Adama



EV Edit: HTR added

 

Hmmm I think we should keep the discussion of tonights episode confined into a seperate thread for a variety of reasons.

The obvious is so people who don't wish to be spoiled don't get spoiled in this thread as its not spoiler marked and its not exactly a thread to discuss the new BSG by itself.

So lets take the discussion to to this thread. With that said though it did kick ass.

 

While I'd love to discuss this mind blowing episode we just saw...are there any spoiler restrictions on this thread?

PLJ, this is just a partial list of the ones I can think of...

Commander William "Husker" Adama - Edward James Olmos
Colonel Saul Tigh - Michael Hogan
President Laura Roslin - Mary McDonnell
Captain Lee "Apollo" Adama - Jamie Bamber
Lt. Kara "Starbuck" Thrace - Katee Sackoff
Lt. Karl "Helo" Agathon - Tahmoh Penikett
Lt. Felix Gaeta - Alessandro Juliani
Lt. Louanne "Kat" Katraine - Luciana Carro
Lt. Brendan "Hotdog" Costanza - Bodie Olmos
Lt. Margaret "Racetrack" Edmonson - Leah Cairns
Chief Galen Tyrol - Aaron Douglas
Petty Officer Anastasia Dualla - Kandyse McClure
Vice President Dr. Gaius Baltar - James Callis
Sharon Valerii/Boomer - Grace Park
Number Six/Gina - Tricia Helfer
Billy Keikeya - Paul Campbell
Cally - Nicki Clyne
Tom Zarek - Richard Hatch
Ellen Tigh - Kate Vernon
Leoben Connoy - Keith Callum Rennie
Aaron Doral - Matthew Bennett
Doc Cottle - Donnelly Rhodes


...does that help?

 

Lt. Brendan "Hotdog" Costanza - Bodie Olmos

Here's to hoping that in a future episode, the Cylons capture him and give him an atomic wedgie, or maybe he changes his call sign to "T-bone."

 

LadyPadme You rock!

Tomorrow night's episode should be great for action and suspense! And I'm stuck at a meeting all the way through the evening I should be able to get home in time to see the 11PM reshowing though.

 

I've only seen a few episodes of the Old BSG so far (I've seen all of the new ones), but the most surprising thing I've found is that sometimes when I read the description of an episode of Battlestar Galactica on the Sci-Fi channel, I need to actually watch part of it to see whether it's an old or new one, and that's a testament to depth of the original series, campy though it may be perceived as in ways.

If you know what I mean.

 

You can't change your callsign. Hotdog was given his callsign by Starbuck, and until another superior officer decides he needs a new one, he'll be Hotdog throughout his service.

PLJ: Thanks. Glad it was helpful

Honor_and_Liberty: Actually, they did a lot of similarly themed episodes, like "Bastille Day" where they needed to use convicts to get water from an ice planet--both the old and new series had this. Also, the Pegasus was in the old series. I like how they take the old story lines and give them a good twist. Makes it so much more interesting, IMO.