[G-man]

What is covered in the story?

In Saga of a Star World (the original Galactica’s premier episode) we saw the final Cylon assault on the twelve colonies, the desperate battle as our heroes fought for their very survival, and the gathering of the rag-tag fugitive fleet, their run through the minefield, and the final conflict against the Cylons and the Ovions.

We were introduced to Commander Adama, who, in light of this disaster, harbored doubts and insecurities about his fitness to still lead, and his family rallying around him, pointing out that there was no one else who could do the job. There is the Galactica, the newest, biggest, baddest battlestar of the twelve colonies. We meet the buddies, Boomer and Starbuck. We meet Adama, his buddy, Col. Tigh, and his children Apollo, Zac (who dies early on) and Athena. We meet Baltar, the arrogant man who sold out his own people so he might rule over them. And then there are the Cylons, these robots/cybernetic organisms out to destroy Humanity.

And we caught glimpses of the destruction wrought on the colonies, and the fugitives that the once proud colonials had become. With focus on Sire Uri, Selena, Boxey & Cassiopeia giving voice to the huddled masses. Sire Uri was the straw man representing the civil authority that Commander Adama would have to contend with. Selena and Boxey would become a surrogate family for Apollo. And Cassiopeia would end up giving Athena a run for Starbuck’s attention.

In Moore’s script, the story is the final day(s) of the colonies and their escape from the Cylon pogrom against humanity. It is, essentially, the first half of Saga of a Star World, but with a number of changes.

The Galactica, in Moore’s version, is an obsolete (yet still famous) battlestar on the verge of decommissioning, and its commander (also still famous), Adama, who is about to retire. It is the passing of the generations, with the new supplanting the old, a theme reverberating throughout the mini-series. The colonies are celebrating their prosperity and their potential future, while trying to forget their past. 40 years previously was the end of the Cylon Wars, and no one had heard from them since then.

We catch various characters at their everyday duties. The deckhands, the warriors, the politicians, the tour guides, the geniuses, and the lovers. Petty matters dominate their thoughts as the story unfolds, and everyone has their share of problems. And the introductions of the characters are all made, as is the world … this is the calm before the storm.

It is then that the sneak attack occurs catching everyone off-guard. Reports come in, the colonials attempt to rally to no effect, and the Cylon pogrom begins with devastating thoroughness.

Those peoples and ships in transit manage not to be destroyed, but now must scramble for survival against an implacable foe. Shock settles in as the enormity of the disaster manifests itself. Sacrifices must be made, and those who are sacrificed don’t appreciate this one bit. Those in power struggle to get a grip on events, and in doing so, rally those around them. And the desperate fighting is just that, when it’s not a slaughter, it is a measure of desperation. Our heroes, in the face of this disaster begin to pull together and forget about their petty differences. Characters rise to the occasion, while others fight to survive, and the circumstances play no favorites. Again decisions are made, throwing everything on a desperate gamble, in the execution of which the Galactica gets to show the universe what she is made of, and being able to finally strut her stuff against TWO Cylon Basestars.

With their escape comes a new purpose and new hope for Humanity, as the Cylons look upon their work and conclude that it has yet to be completed.

What was lost in the re-imagining?

The mythological overtones, and the otherworldliness that had populated the original GALACTICA. While the world presented was essentially our own in the original, there were tones in the single-named characters, and their costumes that lent it an alien feel. These weren’t earthmen fighting, these were colonials fighting. Here we are presented with a modern world, one that feels like a generic future as pictured in the late sixties and seventies. The costumes are (from that snapshot) more in line with military jumpsuits, and all in all, it comes across as a future Western World Earth, rather than another world in another time. But hopefully this will be corrected in Production.

Gone is the united Adama family and the all-knowing patriarch that everyone drew comfort from. Instead we have a family fractured by tragedy and misunderstandings, and assailed by guilt and self-doubt as they struggle to make their way in the world. Gone also are the three musketeers of Apollo, Boomer, and Starbuck. Instead we’re given Lee, Kara, and Sharon Valerii, two experienced fighter pilots, and a reconnaissance craft rookie pilot.

Gone also is the colonists naiveté and innocence. Instead we get the arrogance of a society that has been far too successful far too long. Gone is the civilian’s blind faith in their military’s invincibility. The tragedy is such that the civil population KNOWS that their military collapsed, and that the war is lost. The only ones who don’t realize this are the people in the military. The original had the enormity of the situation sink in when they find out that there is now only one Battlestar from Adama’s sermon on the mount. Moore’s version had the civil centers Nuked, and the survivor’s know they are doomed and are looking for any means to escape. There is no one to tell them this, they know this instinctually.

Gone are the twelve distinct tribes settled on twelve worlds (whether they were in the same system or not, I couldn’t say). Instead we have the twelve colonies *on* Kobol, with the people as different as Virginians from Californians. The “twelve tribes” are now a homogenized race. Though there is interplanetary travel, and FTL drives leading to the idea that they've established themselves on more than one planet within the system.

Gone too are the faceless enemy of the Cylons, whose unreasoning hatred of humanity’s differences drove them for centuries to wage war on the Colonists. Instead, the colonists created their worst enemy, and their past has now come back to eliminate them.

What was retained in the re-imagining?

Humanity can accomplish the impossible, if they simply work together, and that Hope can unite a people to a cause.

An overwhelming Cylon task group wipes out the twelve colonies, and all but obliterates Humanity from existence.

Humanity rallying behind their sole remaining Battlestar to carry the remnants out in search of the “other colony”, the colony called “Earth”.

What was gained in the re-imagining?

We actually see and feel the loss to this society, as opposed to merely hearing about it, and the sacrifices that were made in the name of survival.

We actually have some background to Boxey that was sorely missing in the original.

There is now someone in charge of the Civilians who is more than a strawman for Adama to blow over. Instead he has to learn to work with her.

We get to see more of the background characters and follow their activities.

We also get to witness Damage Control being performed in the midst of a battle.

The Cylons are now fleshed out and even a greater threat then their predecessors, with the pseudonymous Number Six providing a spokesperson to their thinking (though I was correct in my impression that she is closer akin to the Neuro-Clone “Harvey” from FARSCAPE, than 7 of 9).

Baltar has filled out into an interesting character in his own right.

Finally, that a jump to FTL is a serious matter now, and when you go to FTL, you essentially vanish from sight from those vessels travelling at sublight velocities.

Final Summing Up:

Ron Moore wrote a taut script that is a very compelling read. It is strongly reminiscent of Walter Lord’s “Day of Infamy”, and while most of the action of the four hours is centered around the fight and flight of the colonists, it doesn’t have the feeling of being gratuitously prolonged.

There are good character moments throughout the script, and our heroes do err, and do feel bad when their decisions cost lives, but they also triumph in the face of overwhelming odds. The script also deals with forgiveness and redemption, and taking responsibility for the mistakes one makes.

One thing though that marks this as a distinctly post-9/11 story is that the Cylons now have religion, and believe that it is the will of God that they wipe out Humanity as just retribution for mankind’s hubris. I have to see the final product, but as written, it seems that the Cylons are now thinly disguised Muslim Extremists; however when coupled with the human’s arrogance and prejudices, it is providing a balance.

On the plus side it is asking the question that when machines can become indistinguishable from humans, does that mean they should be treated as people? Adama’s reaction, is, refreshingly, that of a reactionary. A machine is a machine no matter how sophisticated, and thus is property and cannot, nor should not be considered as people. This comes across very much like a prejudice, or even religious tenet with him, and his attitude serves as a ringing indictment against Humanity.

All in all, there is a smartly written and compelling story being told here. IOW, the script doesn’t suck, and the much vilified sex scenes hardly take up any story time at all. Moore, in addition to his re-imagining, was trying to come up with a cohesive universe in which the story plays out, as well as a distinctive look and feel to the series, and I think he succeeded. The 30LY limits on FTL Jumps (and how FTL works) is different from what has yet been portrayed on film or TV. His decision to use actual missiles and nukes, truly showing how devastating they can be, is refreshingly different from the likes of Star Wars and Star Trek. The script does give a very strong feeling of the SF that was being written in the sixties and seventies, including some of the issues being raised.

So, is this Battlestar Galactica? In terms of overall feeling, NO, but there are many elements of Galactica in it, and I, for one, am not adverse to seeing it when it airs, nor begrudge it the name.

/s/

Gloriosus
the G-man Himself

[DWF]

I kind of doubt that, all of colonies are on the same planet, for one thing there's too many battlestars for one planet's resources, and there's too many survivors, for a planetary nuclear bombardmant of one planet.

[G-man]

Ummm, 50,000 out of a population of 12 and one quarter billion is too many survivors?

The intimation within the script was that the colonies were on one world, but it may possible that they are scattered over two or three worlds. Especially when you had starliners running.

And the resources for building the Battlestars could easily have come from moons and asteroids as opposed to the planet itself. It's just that each colony on the planet would finance, equip and man their share of battlestars.

/s/

Gloriosus
the G-man Himself

This post has been edited by G-man: 09 May 2003 - 03:18 AM

[DWF]

G-man, on May 8 2003, 09:02 PM, said:

Ummm, 50,000 out of a population of 12 and one quarter billion is too many survivors?

The intimation within the script was that the colonies were on one world, but it may possible that they are scattered over two or three worlds.  Especially when you had starliners running.

And the resources for building the Battlestars could easily have come from moons and asteroids as opposed to the planet itself.  It's just that each colony on the planet would finance, equip and man their share of battlestars.

/s/

Gloriosus
the G-man Himself

In the script there's 120 battlestars, 30 of which is destroyed off screen, that's too many to come from one planet, or even one moon. And yes, that's too many survivors, any ship taking off of one planet, could easily be shot down by the Cylons.

[G-man]

A Battlestar is not that big, DWF, not on an astronomical scale.

And 120 battlestars might make a dent in an asteroid the size of Ceres.

And those ships, most of them were already in space at the time of the attacks, in route to someplace else. The passengers are the crew and survivors of those ships with (what we had witnessed) a mere handful coming from the planet. This is what makes me suppose that there was an established interplanetary infrastructure. 50,000 isn't really that much, a Vegas hotel (well, MANDALAY BAY) could house that many people. And you have around 35,000 showing up for the well-attended football games.

/s/

Gloriosus
the G-man Himself

This post has been edited by G-man: 09 May 2003 - 03:37 AM

[Banapis]

FWIW, I've read reports that in the revised script the 12 Colonies are no longer on one planet. Also, I've read Shebuck now spends some time in the brig for her attack on Tigh.

No confirmation of the validity of these reports though.

Banapis

[Kosh]

DWF, on May 8 2003, 08:09 PM, said:

G-man, on May 8 2003, 09:02 PM, said:

Ummm, 50,000 out of a population of 12 and one quarter billion is too many survivors?

The intimation within the script was that the colonies were on one world, but it may possible that they are scattered over two or three worlds.  Especially when you had starliners running.

And the resources for building the Battlestars could easily have come from moons and asteroids as opposed to the planet itself.  It's just that each colony on the planet would finance, equip and man their share of battlestars.

/s/

Gloriosus
the G-man Himself

In the script there's 120 battlestars, 30 of which is destroyed off screen, that's too many to come from one planet, or even one moon. And yes, that's too many survivors, any ship taking off of one planet, could easily be shot down by the Cylons.

Why couldn't one planet build hundreds of Battlestars? If they have the technology to build them, then nothing is stopping them.

Quote

What was lost in the re-imagining?

Far to much, and still call it Battlestar Galactica.

[DWF]

Kosh, on May 8 2003, 09:48 PM, said:

DWF, on May 8 2003, 08:09 PM, said:

G-man, on May 8 2003, 09:02 PM, said:

Ummm, 50,000 out of a population of 12 and one quarter billion is too many survivors?

The intimation within the script was that the colonies were on one world, but it may possible that they are scattered over two or three worlds.  Especially when you had starliners running.

And the resources for building the Battlestars could easily have come from moons and asteroids as opposed to the planet itself.  It's just that each colony on the planet would finance, equip and man their share of battlestars.

/s/

Gloriosus
the G-man Himself

In the script there's 120 battlestars, 30 of which is destroyed off screen, that's too many to come from one planet, or even one moon. And yes, that's too many survivors, any ship taking off of one planet, could easily be shot down by the Cylons.

Why couldn't one planet build hundreds of Battlestars? If they have the technology to build them, then nothing is stopping them.

Quote

What was lost in the re-imagining?

Far to much, and still call it Battlestar Galactica.

For the same reason that, the U.S. can't continue to build endless amounts of aircraft carriers. And you're talking about, lifting several millions of tones of metal and other resources into space, every day, which would quickly destroy a planet's economy.

And I think there's still plenty of Galactica in that storyline.

[Banapis]

G-man, on May 9 2003, 12:46 AM, said:

In Saga of a Star World (the original Galactica’s premier episode)...   There is the Galactica, the newest, biggest, baddest battlestar of the twelve colonies.

Hmm. I'm curious where you got that information from. I just doublechecked my videotape and in "The Hand of God" Apollo says the following:

“It’s a celestial chamber. The only left on the Galactica. When the old girl was launched over 500 yahrens ago there were a number of these domes.”

So, the Galactica was 500+ years old in TOS.

Banapis

This post has been edited by Banapis: 09 May 2003 - 04:19 AM

[G-man]

Banapis, on May 9 2003, 01:28 AM, said:

FWIW, I've read reports that in the revised script the 12 Colonies are no longer on one planet.  Also, I've read Shebuck now spends some time in the brig for her attack on Tigh.

No confirmation of the validity of these reports though.

Banapis

Well, as I said, I could see the colonies spread across two to three planets, and it would only require a minor tweak in the script.

/s/

Gloriosus
the G-man Himself

[DWF]

Banapis, on May 8 2003, 10:05 PM, said:

G-man, on May 9 2003, 12:46 AM, said:

In Saga of a Star World (the original Galactica’s premier episode)...   There is the Galactica, the newest, biggest, baddest battlestar of the twelve colonies.

Hmm. I'm curious where you got that information from. I just doublechecked my videotape and in "The Hand of God" Apollo says the following:

“It’s a celestial chamber. The only left on the Galactica. When the old girl was launched over 500 yahrens ago there were a number of these domes.”

So, the Galactica was 500+ years old in TOS.

Banapis

According to the first book, the Galactica is the biggest battlestar since the destruction of her sister ship, the Pacifica. And even at 500 Yarhens, it could still be the youngest of the battlestars.

The second part is just a guess, on my part.

[G-man]

Banapis, on May 9 2003, 02:05 AM, said:

G-man, on May 9 2003, 12:46 AM, said:

In Saga of a Star World (the original Galactica’s premier episode)...   There is the Galactica, the newest, biggest, baddest battlestar of the twelve colonies.

Hmm. I'm curious where you got that information from. I just doublechecked my videotape and in "The Hand of God" Apollo says the following:

“It’s a celestial chamber. The only left on the Galactica. When the old girl was launched over 500 yahrens ago there were a number of these domes.”

So, the Galactica was 500+ years old in TOS.

Banapis

I got the info from the first book, and in it, it was mentioned that the Galactica was the biggest, and was the culmination of Battlestar designs, bringing with it a sleek appearance, and a combination of size, speed and firepower, from which I gathered it was also the latest one built.

/s/

Gloriosus
the G-man Himself

This post has been edited by G-man: 09 May 2003 - 04:29 AM

[Christopher]

Well, it sounds interesting. I wish people would stop moping about how "It's not the old Galactica!" and give themselves a chance to experience it as an original work. It probably would've been better if Moore had just done this as his own original creation, without the baggage of a borrowed name. In that case, I bet everyone would be talking about how excitingly intelligent and sophisticated it is, instead of whining about trivialities like whether Starbuck is male or female or whether the space helmets are Egyptian enough.

Quote

it seems that the Cylons are now thinly disguised Muslim Extremists...

Or religious extremists and haters of any stripe. Franklin Graham, anyone?

The idea of AIs developing a religion of their own is intriguing. I hope it's more than just an excuse for genocide and has some complexity to it.

I for one rejoice that they've dumped the ancient astronaut/zodiac stuff and are portraying this more as a future offshoot of humanity. It's much more credible. The thing that excites me about this project is that it sounds like Moore is going for the same kind of scientific credibility his former colleague Robert Hewitt Wolfe strove for in DROM.

Quote

Gone are the twelve distinct tribes settled on twelve worlds (whether they were in the same system or not, I couldn’t say). Instead we have the twelve colonies *on* Kobol, with the people as different as Virginians from Californians. The “twelve tribes” are now a homogenized race.

I never got any sense that the different "tribes" in the original show had different cultures, beyond a few variations in wardrobe. They were just a bunch of '70s Americans in space, except for Lorne Greene, who was kind of a bargain-basement Moses.

And Virginians and Californians? Wholly different dimensions.

[DWF]

G-man, on May 8 2003, 10:11 PM, said:

Banapis, on May 9 2003, 01:28 AM, said:

FWIW, I've read reports that in the revised script the 12 Colonies are no longer on one planet.  Also, I've read Shebuck now spends some time in the brig for her attack on Tigh.

No confirmation of the validity of these reports though.

Banapis

Well, as I said, I could see the colonies spread across two to three planets, and it would only require a minor tweak in the script.

/s/

Gloriosus
the G-man Himself

According to the reports, if their to be believed, the colonies are on 12 planets now.

Something that, I've had a problem with, there's no way the Cylons could've attacked all 12 planets, before the Galactica could've returned home. Putting them all on one planet, does solve that problem. :wideeyed:

[Christopher]

DWF, on May 8 2003, 09:56 PM, said:

And you're talking about, lifting several millions of tones of metal and other resources into space, every day, which would quickly destroy a planet's economy.

Well, naturally if you're building a large-scale space construct, you wouldn't waste resources hauling the materials up out of a planet's gravity well. Not when there are hundreds of thousands of nice handy asteroids and comets drifting around the system.

[Banapis]

DWF, on May 9 2003, 02:11 AM, said:

According to the first book, the Galactica is the biggest battlestar since the destruction of her sister ship, the Pacifica.

On all the internet sites I know of, the Pegasus is listed as a Pacifica Class battlestar.

Quote

And even at 500 Yarhens, it could still be the youngest of the battlestars.

The second part is just a guess, on my part.

No new battlestars in 500 yahrens! The Soviet Union had nothin' on the 12 colonies!

Banapis

[G-man]

Chris --

OK, religious extremists.

But I too hope that they are given the opportunity to explore the Cylon's faith further.

/s/

Gloriosus
the G-man Himself

[DWF]

Christopher, on May 8 2003, 10:17 PM, said:

DWF, on May 8 2003, 09:56 PM, said:

And you're talking about, lifting several millions of tones of metal and other resources into space, every day, which would quickly destroy a planet's economy.

Well, naturally if you're building a large-scale space construct, you wouldn't waste resources hauling the materials up out of a planet's gravity well. Not when there are hundreds of thousands of nice handy asteroids and comets drifting around the system.

Even at that, it's a massive undertaking, one that I think would still require the resources of more than one planet. Huge ships and space stations take years to build too, having you rescources coming from, more than one source, means getting the job done quicker.

[DWF]

Banapis, on May 8 2003, 10:19 PM, said:

DWF, on May 9 2003, 02:11 AM, said:

According to the first book, the Galactica is the biggest battlestar since the destruction of her sister ship, the Pacifica.

On all the internet sites I know of, the Pegasus is listed as a Pacifica Class battlestar.

Quote

And even at 500 Yarhens, it could still be the youngest of the battlestars.

The second part is just a guess, on my part.

No new battlestars in 500 yahrens! The Soviet Union had nothin' on the 12 colonies!

Banapis

That's another thing, on the old show, all battlestar looked the same, I would hope that's not the case now.

And colonies gave Balter a battlestar, so you know they're alittle slow on the uptake.

[Banapis]

G-man, on May 9 2003, 02:13 AM, said:

I got the info from the first book, and in it, it was mentioned that the Galactica was the biggest, and was the culmination of Battlestar designs, bringing with it a sleek appearance, and a combination of size, speed and firepower, from which I gathered it was also the latest one built.

Thanks for the info, G-man!

I wonder, was the book published before "The Hand of God" aired?

Banapis