Battlestar Galactica On SciFi Channel [Archive]

David E. Gervais

October 6th, 2003, 04:18 PM

The only similarity I know between SW and BG is John Dykstra worked on the SP/FX for both. I think he did have something to do with the 'Viper' model too. I always liked the Viper model. very nice fighter design.

Cheers! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Edit: BTW, I just spent some time going over the different info on the new BG series and it looks like they have basically trashed the original concept in favor of a new-age story that bears little resemblance to BG. They could (and IMHO) should change the name of the new series to something else. The cylons are now 'humanoid' (think replicants from BladeRunner) and are now 'defending the 'colony' instead of searching for the lost colony and the mythical planet called earth.

IMHO they have just strapped the BG name on a new Sci-Fi series in hopes to gain a wider audience. (The fans of the original will not be a happy crowd, and with good reason.) Calling this new Sci-Fi show Battlestar Galactica is akin to calling 'Andromeda' "Star Trek: Commomwealth"

Maybe Richard Hatch will eventually succeed in reviving the 'real' BG. That I would look forward to seeing. This new BG is not on my list of things to look forward to.

nuf said, Cheers! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[ October 06, 2003, 15:35: Message edited by: David E. Gervais ]

EvilGenius4ABetterTomorro

October 6th, 2003, 05:00 PM

Battle Barge Collapsica? Oh yeah, I remember now. Isn't that the show that had a Monkey in a robotic dog costume? I just watched to catch a glimpse of those fine Tektronix waveform monitors and ocilliscopes donated to make up the bridge set.

Battle Star 1980: Cylons taking out L.A. and the Capital Records building! Good television!

Baron Munchausen

October 6th, 2003, 06:15 PM

Originally posted by Prince Xizor:
I really enjoyed Battlestar Galactica as a kid, despite all the similarities to Star Wars (it was like getting to watch Star Wars every week--this was before VCRs were commonplace keep in mind http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif ). I'm sure I'll watch the Sci-Fi remake come December and find something to enjoy (Dune and Children of Dune weren't bad). There have been a lot of bad things said about it already though, such as the casting decisions. Starbuck and Boomer are women now?! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif Please explain why you think Battlestar Galactica is similar to Star Wars? Other than the use of space ships? I've always wanted to look up the George Lucas lawsuit and see what possible reasons he could have had to think it was a SW rip-off...

And yes, from what I've heard the 'new' BG is only slightly more similar to the original than the old BG was to SW, as others have noted. It looks like they just wanted to hijack the brand-loyalty of the old show for their new SciFi series. I won't bother to watch it.

SpaceBadger

October 6th, 2003, 07:15 PM

Originally posted by Baron Munchausen:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Prince Xizor:
I really enjoyed Battlestar Galactica as a kid, despite all the similarities to Star Wars (it was like getting to watch Star Wars every week--this was before VCRs were commonplace keep in mind http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif ).
*snip*
Please explain why you think Battlestar Galactica is similar to Star Wars?<hr /></blockquote>Try to look at it without 23+ years of hindsight. When Star Wars first came out, one of the best things about it for us kids (I was 14) was the special effects - the ships in space, the bLaster bolts, the light-sabres - all a quantum leap beyond what we were used to seeing in Star Trek re-runs on late night TV, or on Space: 1999. These were pretty much the only referents we had, and without VCRs we did not have the opportunity to study them in detail, we could only try and catch them when they happened to show up on TV.

From that point of view, yes, Battlestar Galactica certainly did a pretty good impression of Star Wars. The ships had a similar look to them; the appearance of ships in space, and ship combat, was very similar; and I think the hand-weapon effects were similar, too.

I didn't get to see Galactica much, only when I was over at the home of someone who lived in town and had cable TV, as it was on a network that we could not recieve by broadcast (ABC, maybe?), but I remember thinking back then that it would be so cool to be able to watch it regularly, like getting Star Wars on TV. (I watched Star Wars three times the summer it came out, then did not get to see it again in any form until Empire Strikes Back came out several years later; did not see the original Star Wars again until it was shown on TV about the time that Jedi came out, I think. My kids have them all on VHS and watch them whenever they get a notion, and think nothing of it.)

So anyway, yeah, I understand exactly what Xizor was saying, and agree with him.

SpaceBadger

Atrocities

October 6th, 2003, 07:41 PM

Originally posted by JLPicard:
I think that Sci-Fi's Battlestar Galactica is going to be interesting also. But better yet would be a series based on Wing Commander (potentially deeper plot/storyline) or even
better yet, resurrecting Babylon 5!The Wing Commander movie with Freddy Prince (sp) was a good movie and was produced by the same Glen Larson one of the original Battlestar Galactica producers.

[ October 06, 2003, 18:53: Message edited by: Atrocities ]

narf poit chez BOOM

October 6th, 2003, 07:42 PM

The cylons are now 'humanoid' (think replicants from BladeRunner) and are now 'defending the 'colony' instead of searching for the lost colony and the mythical planet called earth.
in other words, the cylons are no longer imperialistic robots?

i can't come up with words for the apparent suckiness.

Atrocities

October 6th, 2003, 08:21 PM

Originally posted by narf poit chez BOOM:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />
The cylons are now 'humanoid' (think replicants from BladeRunner) and are now 'defending the 'colony' instead of searching for the lost colony and the mythical planet called earth.
in other words, the cylons are no longer imperialistic robots?

i can't come up with words for the apparent suckiness.<hr /></blockquote>http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon8.gif Yup this day an age ever classic is being rewritten by politically correct arseholes with poor imaginations and weak bladder control.

The robots were offended by the negative depiction that the original Battlestar Galactica series. The touchie feelie, politically correct, organic eating vegitarian tree huggers that are the writing staff for the Sci-Fi channel more than likely opted for this revisionist view of this classic TV series because they are so shallowly self centered as to believe they are gods gift to man.

If the Sci-Fi channel is sooooooooooooooo stupid as to do a revisionisic rewrite of the fundamental principal and story of battlestar galactica then they should be ridiculed to the end of time itself.

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon8.gif Bad Sci-Fi Channel! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon8.gif Bad!

Loser

October 6th, 2003, 08:28 PM

I believe, in the original miniseries, or at least in the screenplay I read, the Cylons were reptilian in the beginning.

If I had cable, I'd watch the new BG just to see if I could find any remaining fragments of the LDS (yes I got that in the right order).

Starhawk

October 6th, 2003, 08:47 PM

Pardon the oppinion of a newbie but I beleive you have all been misinformed.

I watched "Inside Battlestar Galactica" on Sci-Fi and it looks just like a revamped Version of the original nothing more nothing less.

The colonials BUILT the Cylons in this Version, I don't know if that's how it was in the original as I wasn't around back then but I think this sounds cool.

The Cylons come in two types in the miniseries they come in a wicked looking battledroid that is very obviously a mechanoid and they also come in a "sex slave/regular slave" kind of humanoid form that the Colonials built. The Cylons then rebelled against the Colonials and went all Pearl Harbor on the Colonial fleet.

Now the Galactica is the Last remaining warship in the Colonial navy and is guarding a rag tag fleet of civilians towards "unknown space" which might be earth for all we know.

As for "boomer" and "starbuck" being women now, personally i have nothing really against it since they are not adding them as "love interests" of any of the male characters, I personally love a kickass kinda lady and think it would be cool to see em. (and I always thought starbuck sounded kinda female anyway).
But the reason they are turning the males into women instead of adding new female pilots is because they "according to them" wanted these characters to be just as important as the males and since most of the galactica series focused on Starbuck, Apollo and Boomer the best way for them was to turn the two other guys into girls and then add new male characters. They are getting modern by the fact that women are now fighter pilots and soldiers and not just the bambi the love godess characters of the 1970's.

Heh well that's the oppinion of a guy who was raised around kickass girls since i was a wee boy anyway :-).

[ October 06, 2003, 19:49: Message edited by: Starhawk ]

Atrocities

October 7th, 2003, 12:46 AM

Originally posted by Starhawk:
Pardon the oppinion of a newbie but I beleive you have all been misinformed.

I watched "Inside Battlestar Galactica" on Sci-Fi and it looks just like a revamped Version of the original nothing more nothing less.

The colonials BUILT the Cylons in this Version, I don't know if that's how it was in the original as I wasn't around back then but I think this sounds cool.

The Cylons come in two types in the miniseries they come in a wicked looking battledroid that is very obviously a mechanoid and they also come in a "sex slave/regular slave" kind of humanoid form that the Colonials built. The Cylons then rebelled against the Colonials and went all Pearl Harbor on the Colonial fleet.

Now the Galactica is the Last remaining warship in the Colonial navy and is guarding a rag tag fleet of civilians towards "unknown space" which might be earth for all we know.

As for "boomer" and "starbuck" being women now, personally i have nothing really against it since they are not adding them as "love interests" of any of the male characters, I personally love a kickass kinda lady and think it would be cool to see em. (and I always thought starbuck sounded kinda female anyway).
But the reason they are turning the males into women instead of adding new female pilots is because they "according to them" wanted these characters to be just as important as the males and since most of the galactica series focused on Starbuck, Apollo and Boomer the best way for them was to turn the two other guys into girls and then add new male characters. They are getting modern by the fact that women are now fighter pilots and soldiers and not just the bambi the love godess characters of the 1970's.

Heh well that's the oppinion of a guy who was raised around kickass girls since i was a wee boy anyway :-).http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif Welcome and thanks for the info.

You really should watch the old Version from the late 70's. It debute on September 17th 1978 I believe and was 3 hours long.

Women fighter pilots is nothing new to BSG, as they had them in great numbers in the original series.

The idea of making Starbuck a women is completely lame by any definition. I liked the boomer character, a no bull get it done kind of guy, but if they want to make that character a women, no harm no foul, but Starbuck was Apollos best friend. Changing the character to a women has only one purpose, love interest. Nuff said. (Think 7 of 9 - TaPal - Troi)

The original series was very exciting to watch. The series BSG 1980 was a f--ked up scaled down cost effective POS series. However in that series we did get to meet the first Human Cylon.

The original Cylon race was raptillian and they created the machines to kill the humans. The raptillian cyclons all died off for some reason, not really discussed in the series, leaving the machines to fend for themselves. Ultimatly the Cyclons set up the Colonials and obliterate their fleet say for a handful of Battlestars, the Galactica and the Peguses were two that were featured in the series. The Peguses later was presumed destroyed after she engaged three Cyclon Basestars destroying them all.

The other ships were mentioned in fan lore and books.

If you can get the original BSG series on DVD, and I think you can now, you should invest in it. It was a very good series even by todays standards. The title track is still considered by many to be one of the best ever created.

Starhawk

October 7th, 2003, 02:17 AM

I have managed to watch a great many of the Original BSG episodes recently including the pilot episodes and I must say.....I liked it up until they found Terra.

Other then that I do think that Sci-Fi is sticking pretty much to the storyline cept for Starbuck....and I didn't really like that character much I liked Apallo more.

narf poit chez BOOM

October 7th, 2003, 07:25 AM

so, they make it the colonials fault the cylon's are bad robots?

'oh, but he/she had rotten parents/freinds/small furry animals'.

so now, the colonails are the bad guy's?

anyone want to start a petition to the sci-fi channel to stop them from ruining a great show?

^calmest thing i could think of^ http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon8.gif

Prince Xizor

October 7th, 2003, 07:34 AM

Originally posted by SpaceBadger:
Try to look at it without 23+ years of hindsight. When Star Wars first came out, one of the best things about it for us kids (I was 14) was the special effects - the ships in space, the bLaster bolts, the light-sabres - all a quantum leap beyond what we were used to seeing in Star Trek re-runs on late night TV, or on Space: 1999. These were pretty much the only referents we had, and without VCRs we did not have the opportunity to study them in detail, we could only try and catch them when they happened to show up on TV.

From that point of view, yes, Battlestar Galactica certainly did a pretty good impression of Star Wars. The ships had a similar look to them; the appearance of ships in space, and ship combat, was very similar; and I think the hand-weapon effects were similar, too.

I didn't get to see Galactica much, only when I was over at the home of someone who lived in town and had cable TV, as it was on a network that we could not recieve by broadcast (ABC, maybe?), but I remember thinking back then that it would be so cool to be able to watch it regularly, like getting Star Wars on TV. (I watched Star Wars three times the summer it came out, then did not get to see it again in any form until Empire Strikes Back came out several years later; did not see the original Star Wars again until it was shown on TV about the time that Jedi came out, I think. My kids have them all on VHS and watch them whenever they get a notion, and think nothing of it.)

So anyway, yeah, I understand exactly what Xizor was saying, and agree with him.

SpaceBadgerThanks, SpaceBadger! Couldn't have explained myself any better than that.

Of course when A New Hope was first released in 1977, I was only a year old. The first Star Wars film I saw in theaters was Return of the Jedi in '83. The previous two I saw at my neighbor's house; she babysat for my brothers and I, and happened to have a VCR (my parents didn't get one until the mid-80s). So I was pretty young when first watching Star Wars, Galactica, and I also remember a show called Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (which has re-aired on-and-off on Sci-Fi). And at that age, you're too young to really understand the story. You just wait for the scenes with starfighter dogfights and bLaster bolts darting across the screen. Naturally you perceive obvious similarities between Star Wars and Galactica: Cylon centurions resemble Imperial Stormtroopers (and their mechanical appearance distinguishes them as the "bad guys", as opposed to the "good guys" who are mainly human in appearance); similar weapons and ships; the Cylons and Imperials always tend to outnumber the "good guys", who more than make up for it through heroics; and so on. The Last point you find in any fantasy epic, but Star Wars and Galactica were my first exposure to this kind of thing. Which is probably why even today I prefer space fantasy over the Harry Potter / Lord of the Rings varieties.

Atrocities

October 7th, 2003, 11:10 AM

Comparing BSG to SW is like comparing Air Combat in California to Air Combat in Florida. Space fighter combat in both BSG and SW are simular because that is how we preceive fighter combat for space. The fact that they are simular is by design and concept. No one has the right to "claim" the style as their own.

Vipers look nothing like X-Wings IMHO. Cylon Fighters look nothing like TIE Fighters. A Battlestar and a Basestar have no resemeblence to anything seen in Star Wars. Lucas lost his case, and we lost BSG. Thank George.

Remember BSG was sued by the guy who made Howard the Duck.

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, now that was a nifty show. Corney by todays standards, but in the day it was a great Thursday night flick. I still love thinking about Erin (Wilma) for she was one very attactive women and I guess she still is. Do any of you remember the episode where Whilma and another women were locked inside of a hot room filled with steam? Ohhhh ya baby, for a 13 year old that was like pure gold. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Any one here recently listen to BSG Main title theme? I need to get that on P2P as I can not find it on any CD any where.

[ October 07, 2003, 10:15: Message edited by: Atrocities ]

Prince Xizor

October 7th, 2003, 02:44 PM

Originally posted by Atrocities:
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, now that was a nifty show. Corney by todays standards, but in the day it was a great Thursday night flick. I still love thinking about Erin (Wilma) for she was one very attactive women and I guess she still is. Do any of you remember the episode where Whilma and another women were locked inside of a hot room filled with steam? Ohhhh ya baby, for a 13 year old that was like pure gold. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif *nods*
"Planet of the Slave Girls" had to be the best episode for that reason alone. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Prince Xizor

October 7th, 2003, 06:32 PM

Good news for fans of the original BSG, and those of us too cheap to buy the DVD (I don't even have a DVD player yet http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif ): SciFi will be airing selected episodes from the original series all day next Monday 10/13, 9am-5pm EST, starting with the 3-hour series premiere. So get your VCRs ready! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif

"By your command!"

http://www.scifi.com/schedulebot/index.php3?program=BATTLESTAR_GALACTICA&x=192&y=2

Starhawk

October 7th, 2003, 06:44 PM

Yeah I saw the ep of Buck Rogers....in 2002 (as I wasn't even around when it first aired). I was thinking "Well the plot is kind of lame but....wow look a tall that steam http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif ).

As for the New Battlestar Galactica here's my oppinion in a nice ordered number list of why I'll probobly give it a shot:

1. Starbuck being a woman is kind of cool BECAYSE of the fact that Starbuck is Apallo's best friend, they are trying to show that a woman and a man can be the closest of friends while not having a cheesy love interest or sexual tension between them.

2. Boomber going from a short black guy to a short asian girl I also have no problem with (partly because of the fact that it's Grace Park http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif ) and because although it looks like she might have a love interest it also doesn't look like it's gonna be one of the main characters which is always a good thing. And I always liked a cute lady that can kickass with the best of em. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

3.The ships all look really good, including the revamped Vipers.

4. I got a glimpse of the Neo-Cylon battledroids and trust me you guys will not likely be disapointed.

5. YES the CYLONS are the badguys they turned evil of their own "choice" I guess, but yeah they are the evil imperialistic robots we've all come to know and love in the original series.

6. The female pilot from the original series "Sheeba" when she wasn't flying her fighter was buisy crying about one thing or another so I'm glad to see her gone.

7. Sci-Fi usually does a good job at remakes as we saw with Frank Hurburts DUNE and a few others.

zen.

October 7th, 2003, 10:36 PM

I'm agreeing with you about the Starbuck thing, Starhawk. I read an interview with them that said they were only changing the gender; the buddy relationship between Starbuck and Apollo would be about the same or similar. Whether Starbuck's still a womanizer, I don't know. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

I'm not familiar with most of the cast, but Olmos as Adama wasn't even recognizable. The moustache does a lot. heh heh

And a few more things: Wilma Deering kicked mucho ***, Sheba looked like she was going cry at any given time, Athena was Apollo's sister assigned to the Command Bridge, and that episode with all the female pilots (apparently they were converted cargo pilots and whatnot) I think he married Serina, played by Jane Seymour, no less. She probably made a better pilot than Sheba so they killed her off 50 minutes later. Or something.

No, the women of sci-fi didn't influence my growing up. Really. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

zen

Starhawk

October 7th, 2003, 10:45 PM

Well I've never liked the "I'm gonna cry over something everyone else is being stoic about just because I'm a girl" deal in the old sci-fi shows.

I mean in RL I have been raised around girls that can kickass and take a beating with the best of the guys (martial arts mainly, watching streetfights as well http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif ) and I've always liked em especially now that I'm not a little kid anymore and realize just how hot some of them really are.

Anyway moving on I like that in modern day TV we see women that can be smart, kickass tough and good looking all at the same time.

geoschmo

October 8th, 2003, 01:21 AM

Originally posted by Atrocities:
You really should watch the old Version from the late 70's. It debute on September 17th 1978 I believe and was 3 hours long.

Women fighter pilots is nothing new to BSG, as they had them in great numbers in the original series.
Uh, actually I think maybe you need to brush up on your old episodes. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif They had one female viper pilot on a regular basis. I can't remember her name but I think it was Appollo's sister. And she was always whining that they never let her fly combat and made her fly the shuttles. It was all very 70's TV war of the sexes crap. Finally they had one episode where all the male pilots got sick and the women folk had to defend the fleet. After that episode though they went back to just male pilots for the most part, although the one girl did get to be a regular member of the viper squadrons after that.

My first impression of making Starbuck a woman was "you got to be kidding me!". I am all for adding more strong female characters but I thought it would have been better to simply add them as new characters that weren't in the original. But after reading some of the back story it actually sounds like it might be kind of interesting. And it doesn't hurt that the actress they got to play her is HOT! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

I have decided I am going to watch the new series and just take it on it's own merits. Instead of looking for discrepancies I am going to watch it as a totally new story and decide if I like it or not based on that. The original series was cool for the time and one of my favorite shows growing up, but in retrospect sucked pretty badly. I tried catching them on sci-fi a few months back and they were frankly unwatchable except for making fun of.

Mudshark

October 8th, 2003, 01:27 AM

I just wonder if they are going to recycle the same space scenes 1,000 times like in the original series?

geoschmo

October 8th, 2003, 01:42 AM

Originally posted by Mudshark:
I just wonder if they are going to recycle the same space scenes 1,000 times like in the original series?Oh yeah, that same scene of the cylons approaching and rolling over into a dive every time there was an attack. That one became so ubiquitous it was in an RCA TV commercial for a while. Then there is the one they play every time a viper got behind one of the cylons: cut to an interior of a cylon fighter and the pilot looks back over his shoulder just before the ship explodes. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

One of the nice things about the computer generated effects is once you set the basic paramaters and elements of the shot you can run it from different angles and what not and make several shots that look nothing alike. So hopefully no.

narf poit chez BOOM

October 8th, 2003, 07:29 AM

so, i have to wonder how all those movies make women who's figures and faces don't fit the hollywood ideal of 'beutiful' feel?

and thus, the cosmetic's industry prosper's.

ZeroAdunn

October 8th, 2003, 08:17 AM

I seem to remember one episode where they needed more viper pilots, and they wound up training a whole bunch of chicks. Eventually, after like their first main encounter (I think it was the episode with the secret cyclon post in that asteroid before they went into that section of space that was like a void) all the chic pilots are in the lounge. The two male viper pilots are being all hard core and stoic, while the chics are all laughing and talking about their mission. Great episode....

Starhawk

October 8th, 2003, 12:53 PM

Originally posted by narf poit chez BOOM:
so, i have to wonder how all those movies make women who's figures and faces don't fit the hollywood ideal of 'beutiful' feel?

and thus, the cosmetic's industry prosper's.You'd be suprised about this but, I know A LOT girls right now and only two or three are truely unattractive there are a few that are all-right, a lot of them are at the very least cute and there are a few that are drop dead gorgeous....so I guess it's all a matter of if your one of those two or three unattractive girls in a room full of good looking ones http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif .

Anyway, anyone know why it is that modern shows that remake old ones tend to turn the "bLasters" and laser weapons into slug thrower assault rifles and pistols? I'd really like an oppinion on this as it has been bugging me since I first noticed it about new TV remakes. I mean is there more drama in watching someone have a small hole made in their body from a bullet then a burn mark from a bLaster? What do you think?

Arkcon

October 8th, 2003, 02:07 PM

Originally posted by Starhawk:
Anyway, anyone know why it is that modern shows that remake old ones tend to turn the "bLasters" and laser weapons into slug thrower assault rifles and pistols?I think this is a shift in popular perceptions. More geeks are writing and watching scifi.

What could be called these days "hard scifi" is trying to apply "realisitic" physics and I guess that hand held "high energy" weapons don't work for people anymore.

Meh. I can suspend disbelief for any scifi technobabble, as long as the dialog is good.

I gotta say though, whoever is the captain of the Galactica has some big shoes to fill. Watch the reruns, Lorne Greene (http://www.invirtuo.cc/phpwiki/index.php/Lorne%20Greene) really ruled that show.

[ October 08, 2003, 13:11: Message edited by: Arkcon ]

Starhawk

October 8th, 2003, 04:54 PM

Either that or it's the splat factor....let's face it you can get a lot more blood out of your average bullet wound then you ever get with bLaster wounds....hmmm any other oppinions? I know I've gone off topic but since all the "Warrior" weapons on the new BSG are slug throwers I guess I can squeek by.

I've seen a viper making a strafing run with lasers but I've also seen lots of missiles being shot around...I wonder which will be the dominant factor in the new BSG.

Arkcon

October 8th, 2003, 05:02 PM

Originally posted by Starhawk:
Either that or it's the splat factor....let's face it you can get a lot more blood out of your average bullet wound then you ever get with bLaster wounds....hmmm any other oppinions? Now see, that may have been a selling point at one time. People got shot, and just fell down. So you could claim it wasn't real violence.

I remember, I musta been maybe 4,5 or 6 years old. Some TV show had some lady get shot in some standard cop drama of the early '70's. She fell. And I asked the grownups questions:

"She got shot?"
"Yes"
"Why isn't there any blood?"
"She's wearing a red sweater"
"Oh. Is she OK"
"Sure, they'll just take the bullet out, simple operation, she'll be back on her feet in no time"

I actually believed that was the case in a shooting for a couple more years. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

But hey, don't blame my parents, the tv show did't have her yell or bleed -- they wanted people to believe she was going to be fine. What a world.

And I don't know what I'm complaining about, the world then or the world now.

[ October 08, 2003, 16:03: Message edited by: Arkcon ]

Starhawk

October 8th, 2003, 05:15 PM

Heh I always get a kick out of movies and shows where there is no blood at all when someone is shot....Especially when they are supposed to be shot with a fully automatic weapon.

A lot of people get away now adays with the no blood by either having the people wear thick red colored clothing or black cloths, although if they do that I at least like to see an impact,you know fabric flies a bit that sort of thing.

zen.

October 9th, 2003, 06:18 PM

I can at least understand the need for kinetic weapons. I was watching a recent Enterprise episode (Rajiin) where some enemy troops boarded the ship. The crew were trying to repel boarders but apparently the guys were wearing some type of armor that was impervious or at least absorbed all the laser fire. I thought that if they had some good ole fashioned slugthrowers, those boarders would be seriously ventilated. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif And of course in traditional Trek fashion, no one had helmets on; but I won't go there. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

zen

Arkcon

October 9th, 2003, 09:47 PM

Originally posted by Starhawk:
A lot of people get away now adays with the no blood by either having the people wear thick red colored clothing or black cloths, although if they do that I at least like to see an impact,you know fabric flies a bit that sort of thing.Oh yeah. I was just clicking around when I paused on the famous TV show (that I'd never seen before) "LA Law", and *BLAM*, the shoulder of Susan Dey's grey trendy suit opened up in a little red burst. And I said to myself "Those @$$holes just shot Laurie Partridge!"

gregebowman

October 9th, 2003, 10:06 PM

Even though they made Starbuck a female, I'm going to watch the show. I doubt if it will be as good as the original, but at least it will have a modern plotline instead of the plotlines they were using in the 70's. And yes, I was around the for the original prime-time viewings of the orignal series. I was 14 or 15 when BG came out. But I still plan on buying the DVD set when it comes out in a couple of weeks. It's not quite like having Star Wars on a weekly basis, but for the late 1970's, it was just about all we had except for Buck Rogers (I didn't become a Dr Who fan until much later, as I couldn't catch all of the episodes in order in my area). I hope Olmos can partially fill Lorne Greene's shoes, but that would be a hard slot to fill. Hopefully he'll do a decent job of it.

Starhawk

October 10th, 2003, 04:11 AM

I just hope they use good old earth expresions instead of stuff like Centon (how long is that anyway it seems to always be changing). Hade's Hole as an expression? We don't go around saying oh Hell's Hole why would they say their people's equivalent.

YAREN I'm not evne going into how funny that sounds for completely immature reasons.

As for that enterprise ep "Rajjin" I think it wasn't necessarily that their armor was all that effective but I remember that everyone seems to be using stun all the time....I'd have set it to kill. And the big thing about that ep was I don't know if the five good guys that got hit died or what? I mean did the aliens use stun too?

And for a matter of fact if they were wearing laser proof body armor they would have worn kevlar armor if the enterprise crew used slugthrowers http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif .

Erax

October 13th, 2003, 02:14 PM

I think Olmos will be just as good as Lorne Greene was, but different. This won't be the character you remember from the 70s, but probably a tougher, harsher Version.

gregebowman

October 13th, 2003, 02:28 PM

Originally posted by Erax:
I think Olmos will be just as good as Lorne Greene was, but different. This won't be the character you remember from the 70s, but probably a tougher, harsher Version.I can live with that. Like I think I mentioned earlier, no one can replace Lorne Greene as Adama. That image of Pa Cartwright leading the BG will always be seared into the minds of anyone whoever saw the show. So he'll have his work cut out for him to revise the character. I can't wait for it to come out. Does anyone know the date yet? I don't get to watch the Sci-Fi channel like I want to.

mac5732

October 14th, 2003, 03:51 AM

Its either November or December, I thought more towards December, they have been showing excerpts of the new show on the Sci Fi channel, seen some cylon warships but not what the cylons themselves look like... should be interesting to see if its as good as the original was

just some ideas Mac

geoschmo

October 14th, 2003, 03:49 PM

Well personally I don't think they would have to try that hard to make it better then the original. I loved BG as a kid, but I said it before in this thread, in retrospect and in comparison to the general level of quality in sci-fi these days it sucks. And I am not just talking about the effects, which were pretty bad even by 70's standards. I honestly think the show only did as well as it did at the time, which wasn't all that well Ratings wise, because it exsisted in an almost complete vacuum of sci-fi competition on TV.

Starhawk

October 14th, 2003, 06:48 PM

Yeah I agree with Geoschmo I've seen the show in the 1990s and compared to other sci-fi shows that were running about at the time BG sucked raw meat.

And the date is monday december 8th I beleive.

And i know something you don't know http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif ....I saw the new Cylons.

Atrocities

October 14th, 2003, 09:02 PM

Actualy the Ratings on the show were excellent, and ABC opted to continue the series, but the cost was to high. Coupled with the added expense the production company was encuring because of the Lucas lawsuites and the fact that Richard Hatch reportedly wanted more money, the producers decided to get out while the getting was good.

Later, by popular demand, they came out with that utter crap show BSG 1980. Kids in space.

What is funny is that in one episode of the Original BSG they showed the Apollo moon landing. ---- The producer of BSG 1980 then figured that it took the fleet 10 years to get to earth from that moment. Which really PO a lot of smart people because radio waves travel so slowly that by the time they would have gotten that far out and then take another 10 years for the fleet to get back to earth, Earth date would have been something like 2340 or so. LOL.

By then we would have been dust or so advanced that the Cyclons would have been nothing to us. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[ October 14, 2003, 20:07: Message edited by: Atrocities ]

narf poit chez BOOM

October 14th, 2003, 09:11 PM

don't count on it. the cylons had i think 1200 years of technological development.

Wardad

October 14th, 2003, 09:44 PM

Originally posted by geoschmo:
Well personally I don't think they would have to try that hard to make it better then the original. I loved BG as a kid, but I said it before in this thread, in retrospect and in comparison to the general level of quality in sci-fi these days it sucks. And I am not just talking about the effects, which were pretty bad even by 70's standards. I honestly think the show only did as well as it did at the time, which wasn't all that well Ratings wise, because it exsisted in an almost complete vacuum of sci-fi competition on TV.Yup

geoschmo

October 14th, 2003, 09:49 PM

Originally posted by Starhawk:
Yeah I agree with Geoschmo I've seen the show in the 1990s and compared to other sci-fi shows that were running about at the time BG sucked raw meat.
I didn't say that. I said compared to the general level of quality today it sucked. For the time it wasn't bad.

What other sci-fi shows of the time? BG was about the only one wasn't it? Was Dr. Who on then? I think so. Although I don't remember seeing it over here.

gregebowman

October 14th, 2003, 10:27 PM

Originally posted by geoschmo:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Starhawk:
Yeah I agree with Geoschmo I've seen the show in the 1990s and compared to other sci-fi shows that were running about at the time BG sucked raw meat.
What other sci-fi shows of the time? BG was about the only one wasn't it? Was Dr. Who on then? I think so. Although I don't remember seeing it over here.<hr /></blockquote>If I recall, about the only shows on the 3 networks back then were BG, Buck Rogers, and I think The 6 Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman (or whatever it was called) were about the only sci-fi shows on. There may have been the occassional tv sci-fi movie or failed pilot, but those are the only ones I remember from the late 70's.

As far as Dr. Who, I know it was on my local PBS, but I just never really watched it until the mid-80's when they started showing the episodes as a whole, instead of breaking it up over 4 to 6 segments.

[ October 14, 2003, 21:30: Message edited by: gregebowman ]

Atrocities

October 14th, 2003, 10:29 PM

We should point out in all fairness that the first year for any series generally suck.

gregebowman

October 14th, 2003, 10:33 PM

Originally posted by Atrocities:
We should point out in all fairness that the first year for any series generally suck.Generally that's true. I think the only ones I've seen that started out well and then sucked over time was Star Trek and The 6 Million Dollar Man. Both great 1st and 2nd years, and then tanked after that.

narf poit chez BOOM

October 14th, 2003, 10:34 PM

john doe. didn't suck first year.

Atrocities

October 14th, 2003, 11:00 PM

Originally posted by narf poit chez BOOM:
john doe. didn't suck first year.I agree, that is why I said generally. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif But John Doe was cancelled non the less.

Look at Enterprise, its first season was good, the best first season of any of the seties say for TOS, and its Ratings have done nothing but plummet.

Atrocities

October 14th, 2003, 11:02 PM

Talking about Enterprise, the Last weeks episode with the haunted Vulcan ship was especially good. I truly enjoyed that episode as it was one of the first ORIGINAL episodes for Enterprise. Very enjoyable with an occational scare. They should have held that episode off until Halloween.

[ October 14, 2003, 22:03: Message edited by: Atrocities ]

narf poit chez BOOM

October 14th, 2003, 11:21 PM

Enterprise is messed up. let's start with the shows romu-i mean 'vulcan's'.

but we've had this arguement.

[ October 14, 2003, 22:22: Message edited by: narf poit chez BOOM ]

Loser

October 14th, 2003, 11:24 PM

Originally posted by Atrocities:
We should point out in all fairness that the first year for any series generally suck.To contest:
X-Files
Strange Luck

[ October 14, 2003, 22:24: Message edited by: Loser ]

Atrocities

November 29th, 2003, 06:42 AM

I just watched the ScFi channels premier for Battlestar, and I have to say man what a bunch of self absorbed ego manacks. "I am playing starbuck, and I am a girl, deal with it."

I will watch the mini series and from what little I have seen, I am sure it will be good. Ron Moore is not a dummy and can write, so that is a plus. The casting is ok, but not the greatest. But Starbuck and Boomer as women??? Well ok, things change and this is a new series so why the hell not.

All in all, I am just very glad to see the series being revived. Even though it is not what I would have done, it still is BSG.

Ron Moore has some funny ideas for things, he didn't really have a clue about who the Cylons were and such, but he did make a good point about the fact that the orginal series never really giving much info about them. The Cylons were created by a race of raptillian creatures who were destroyed by their own machines. That was made very clear in the original series, but Ron Moore thought the cylons were raptillians inside of the suites, kinda like clones in stormtrooper uniformes in Star Wars.

I am glad that BSG is finally getting some credit, but it angers me to think that Ron Moore was so desprate to make his own mark in ScFi that he chose to claim BSG as his own creation, not realizing the huge fan base the show had accumulated over the years. You would think that someone coming from a Star Trek environment would have done his home work on the fan base before announcing his Battlestar Galactica project. Well he is human I guess, or is he????

Either way you cut it, pro or con, it is just nice to see BSG being revived. I hope when the SciFi Channel remake Star Wars, they don't change Chewbacca into a girl and have the Humanoid Human looking Robot C3P-0 fall for her. Or worse, make Han Solo a women, and her fall Lea. eeeewww .... hummmm http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif wait, that might be interesting....... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[ November 29, 2003, 04:45: Message edited by: Atrocities ]

gregebowman

December 2nd, 2003, 08:16 PM

I also can't wait for the new BSG, even though it might take awhile to get used to a female Starbuck. I'm old enough to remember this show when it was prime-time viewing on ABC. I also remember the origin of the Cylons, although I can't remember if it was from the series or from a book. I hope this show is good enough to make into a series. However, having said that, I still wish that Richard Hatch (the original Apollo) would get his BSG project on tv also. Might be interesting to see how both Versions compare.

As far as a televised Star Wars, I can only imagine that happening when George Lucas is in the grave, and whoever is in charge of Lucasfilms is going for the bucks instead of a quality product. I just can't see Lucas letting anyone else have any creative control over his creation, except for when he had the 2 cartoon series back in the 80's. I don't know if he had anything to do with that except give his approval.

Starhawk

December 2nd, 2003, 09:06 PM

Well I have to disagree with the "self absorbed ego maniacs" as the line "I'm starbuck....deal with it" is directed at all the freaky people who B and M about starbuck being a woman like it really matters in the long run. It's a SHOW people they can change Starbuck into a six legged four eyed bug for all I care as long as the show it's self is good.
And lets face it the original female cast of BSG was nothing but a bunch of sexy whiny babies that couldn't fight their way out of a paper bad...or they could fight their way out of a paper bag but would then be crying about hurting the bag.

As to what Ron Moore said about the Cylons he's right I've watched that series a few times over now and not once did it say where the Cylons came from all you would see was an "Imperius Leader" who looked kind of like a baloon headed reptile. So when I first saw it I thought they were reptile "drones" in armor until I first saw them disasemble one of the centurions in a much later episode.
I also agree that it was one of the campiest peices of junk ever produced aside from Buck Rodgers. I mean don't even get me started on how lame it was when they found "Terra" not this one but the other one http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif .

I am personally kind of happy that they are gonna have some kickass babes in the show for once even if they are replacing a whiney guy (boomer) and a womanizing scuzz ball who managed never to be caught ;-). And the fact is woman are now fighter pilots and soon if the law is passed they will also be combat infantry so they need to be represented in a series that takes place in a society that is centuries more advanced then us.
I was raised around girls and women that were the kickass take no crap kind of people that I just love and watching the original cry babies of BSG made me shift between laughing my butt off and getting really pissed off at times and wanting to slap these woman back into sanity. Besides ain't nothing sexier then a babe with firepower as I always say ;-).

As for the writing involved in the new BSG I do beleive it will be very good because of the parts of the story I've seen and heard. I just can't wait to get to check out the new ships and stuff. And to get to see the battle between the Colonial Fleet and the Cylons.

P.S. The Richard Hatch Version of BSG was supposed to come out in 2000 or 2002 so it must have been scrapped for some reason.

[ December 02, 2003, 19:09: Message edited by: Starhawk ]

gregebowman

December 2nd, 2003, 11:12 PM

Starhawk, I don't know how old you are or if you grew up watching American tv in the 1970's like I did, but most shows were about the man being the action hero and the women being in teh supportive role. I'm not defending it, but that's just the way it was. At least BSG had formed a female squadron when the males got sick in that one episode. I'm not "B & M" about Starbuck being a female, but after living 25 years with Dirk Benedict's face in your mind, it does take some adjustment to get used to the fact that it's going to be a female. I have no problems with females being fighter jocks or soldiers, either in tv or in real life. I was in the military, and saw several gung-ho type females, and I don't think too many of them were of the butch type. And I have to strongly disagree with your statement about BSG being campy. Maybe you're thinking about Galactic 1980, which was a big pile of dog excrement if there ever was one. Maybe it wasn't to your taste, but in the late 70's, that's about all we had to watch for sci-fi, except for Buck Rogers and Six Million Dollar Man. Now BR definitely got campy toward the end. But I can't see how you could ever call BSG campy. Maybe by today's standards it is, but nothing can be campier than Lost in Space (the series, not the movie).

Starhawk

December 2nd, 2003, 11:21 PM

I'm talking about the people who actually stood there protesting the fact that Starbuck was gonna be a woman http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif .

And it's rather campy if you get down to those episodes where they found the non earth Terra I mean those annoying androids and the like....that was really really campy.

I do think I was thinking about 1980 when I refered to the whole series as Campy though...I mean that was just horrible and what the hell were they thinking!?!?!?!?!

narf poit chez BOOM

December 3rd, 2003, 12:09 AM

We should point out in all fairness that the first year for any series generally suck.
John Doe

i just wish the first one wasn't the Last one. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

ToddT

December 3rd, 2003, 03:16 AM

I saw the "Lowdown" on BSG. Its effectively a complete rewrite.
For example: Cylon origins aside, the Cybernetic techonlogy of the Cylon machines was beyond what the 12 colonies could build and there was a couple of episodes that pointed that out, one directly: Dr Belker took a couple of them apart and could not get them working again.
Baltar is now a scientist instead of politician.( he was a member of the Council 12). I could easily go on. Like it appears they removed Athena from the story. She was Apllo's sister and I think she was a qualified pilot prior to her being stationed on the command deck.
Oh the Pegasus only took on two Baseships, Baltar was on the third, and being the coward he was ran before that battle occured.

[ December 03, 2003, 01:18: Message edited by: ToddT ]

Atrocities

December 3rd, 2003, 04:03 AM

The lowdown on BSG was a marketing ploy to get people to accept the rewrite of BSG for the SciFi channel. In a nut shell they did not do their homework on the fan base and are now trying to win as many people to the cause as possible.

I loved the part where the actors all said, "ya once I found out that the Cylons were going to be human looking I signed on." WTF! What a joke statement that was. "hey if the actors think its cool that the cylons are now human, then perhaps all the people and fan out there will accept it too." How dumb do they thing we really are? Oh wait, that question is mute, I forgot where Ronald Moore came from.

First, you weren't even alive when BSG came out you, and second, your British so what do you know about BSG. You probably said; "Battlestar Galactica? What in bloodly hell is a Battlestar Galactica"

Then once it was explained to you, the new concept that is, you said "Oh so it is like BLADRUNNER meets STAR WARS. Sure I'll do that."

I just keep telling myself its all good. Its all good.

But simply put it is a cost issue and nothing more, nothing less. Its cheeper to have humans playing the part than CGI robots or Costumed humans.

After all this is the same network that cancelled Farscape while it was still the most popular series it had. And we should not forget about what they did to Cursader and Legend of the Rangers.

"I have a very low expectation of the SciFi channel that they will have to work very hard indeed to impress me." - Unknown Sci-Fi author.

Forgive me for being direct, but I simply did not buy the whole marketing ploy from SciFi. I know a con job when I see one. I will reserve my offical opinion until after the mini-series has aired.

[ December 03, 2003, 02:10: Message edited by: Atrocities ]

Atrocities

December 3rd, 2003, 04:15 AM

Originally posted by gregebowman:
Starhawk, I don't know how old you are or if you grew up watching American tv in the 1970's like I did, but most shows were about the man being the action hero and the women being in teh supportive role. I'm not defending it, but that's just the way it was. At least BSG had formed a female squadron when the males got sick in that one episode. I'm not "B & M" about Starbuck being a female, but after living 25 years with Dirk Benedict's face in your mind, it does take some adjustment to get used to the fact that it's going to be a female. I have no problems with females being fighter jocks or soldiers, either in tv or in real life. I was in the military, and saw several gung-ho type females, and I don't think too many of them were of the butch type. And I have to strongly disagree with your statement about BSG being campy. Maybe you're thinking about Galactic 1980, which was a big pile of dog excrement if there ever was one. Maybe it wasn't to your taste, but in the late 70's, that's about all we had to watch for sci-fi, except for Buck Rogers and Six Million Dollar Man. Now BR definitely got campy toward the end. But I can't see how you could ever call BSG campy. Maybe by today's standards it is, but nothing can be campier than Lost in Space (the series, not the movie). OMG! This has got to be one of the best replies I have ever read. Thank you so very much for posting it. You are 100% correct. Job well done. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

PvK

December 3rd, 2003, 04:43 AM

Originally posted by gregebowman:
...
As far as a televised Star Wars, I can only imagine that happening when George Lucas is in the grave, and whoever is in charge of Lucasfilms is going for the bucks instead of a quality product. I just can't see Lucas letting anyone else have any creative control over his creation, except for when he had the 2 cartoon series back in the 80's. I don't know if he had anything to do with that except give his approval. There was the "planet of the Ewoks" (or something) TV special, which wasn't animated and er, took the embarrassingness of the Ewoks in the ROTJ film, and multiplied it many times, for a kids' show. At least, that was my impression before my survival instincts forced me to stop watching, which was after only a few minutes.

Human Cylons? What, they didn't save all the costumes from the first show? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

I was in 3rd or 4th grade when BSG first showed, but I remember thinking it got very corny after a few episodes. I liked the first episode, and some elements of some later ones (or at least, the Pegasus one), but mainly I remember a lot of embarrassing parts, or entire episodes. The "old west planet" one with a Cylon in a shiny hat? They also hyper-overused the same special effects clips, and the Cylons were almost never scary, they were SO inept. Though, I've always been pretty critical, and had little taste for things like "Boxy and his daggit", Ewoks, or "Tweaky" (or anything else after the movie) on Buck Rodgers.

However, gregebowman does make a good point about 70's sci fi options. Aside from watching Star Wars as many times as possible, you had to make do with what was available. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Remember "Battle Beyond the Stars"?

PvK

ToddT

December 3rd, 2003, 04:48 AM

Just In case I'm wrong about who you were refering to about The Lowdown" I wasn't defending it, not by any strecth. The promo had desperation written all over it as far as I'm concerned, always think that I when see that much effort in promoting something (its usually bad).

Yeah I miss Farscape.

Loser

December 3rd, 2003, 05:12 AM

Originally posted by narf poit chez BOOM:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />
We should point out in all fairness that the first year for any series generally suck.
John Doe

i just wish the first one wasn't the Last one. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif <hr /></blockquote>Same for Strange Luck

Atrocities

December 3rd, 2003, 05:43 AM

Remember "Battle Beyond the Stars"? Vaguely, it had that Japan actor in it. The guy who played the heavy in some mortal combat movie and also appeared in Snips/Conery movie rising sun.

Right????

Starhawk

December 3rd, 2003, 08:31 AM

Meh Sci-Fi does their little "Lowdowns" on everything....farscape had one, hulk had one, bsg the new one has one the old one even had a special devoted to it. Personally I reserve judging anything until I see it.

I am not a hardcore fan of anything and couldn't care less if they change characters from men to women or change a cornyass story like BSGs for a more modern one.

And if you do look closely at a lot of things the new BSG will appeal to the new generation they really don't care about the old BSGers because either those folks are older and have moved on from that kind of show completely or are mature enough to realize sometimes a modernization of a story can be a good thing.

The younger viewers will familiarize themselves better to the new storyline better. At least IMHO

gregebowman

December 3rd, 2003, 08:05 PM

Originally posted by PvK:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by gregebowman:
...
As far as a televised Star Wars, I can only imagine that happening when George Lucas is in the grave, and whoever is in charge of Lucasfilms is going for the bucks instead of a quality product. I just can't see Lucas letting anyone else have any creative control over his creation, except for when he had the 2 cartoon series back in the 80's. I don't know if he had anything to do with that except give his approval. There was the "planet of the Ewoks" (or something) TV special, which wasn't animated and er, took the embarrassingness of the Ewoks in the ROTJ film, and multiplied it many times, for a kids' show. At least, that was my impression before my survival instincts forced me to stop watching, which was after only a few minutes.

Human Cylons? What, they didn't save all the costumes from the first show? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

I was in 3rd or 4th grade when BSG first showed, but I remember thinking it got very corny after a few episodes. I liked the first episode, and some elements of some later ones (or at least, the Pegasus one), but mainly I remember a lot of embarrassing parts, or entire episodes. The "old west planet" one with a Cylon in a shiny hat? They also hyper-overused the same special effects clips, and the Cylons were almost never scary, they were SO inept. Though, I've always been pretty critical, and had little taste for things like "Boxy and his daggit", Ewoks, or "Tweaky" (or anything else after the movie) on Buck Rodgers.

However, gregebowman does make a good point about 70's sci fi options. Aside from watching Star Wars as many times as possible, you had to make do with what was available. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Remember "Battle Beyond the Stars"?

PvK <hr /></blockquote>Actually, there were two Ewok movies, and apparently that's all they had in common with the Star Wars universe, because there was no sign or mention of the Rebels or the Empire. If memory serves me right, though, one character was dressed in a rebel flight suit. Also, there were two cartoon series in the 80's, one based on the Ewoks and one based on the two droids. As a matter of fact, I think it was called Droids, and followed the adventures of R2-D2 and C-3PO in what must have been a pre-Star Wars 4 life. The ewoks was basically a smurf-like cartoon, only the smurfs had brown fur. None of them were very good, but in a post-Return of the Jedi era, you got your Star Wars kicks where you could.

Atrocities, thanks. I think I had a couple of more points to add, but had to go back to work.

I saw maybe the Last 15-20 minutes of the BSG lowdown by accident. I liked it when the new Starbuck was asked backstage what she'd do if she got a lot of negative stuff thrown at her about being a female Starbuck, and she said she'd flash them. I still haven't seen the new redesigned BSG, just the Vipers. Which looked basically the same to me, but instead of shooting lasers or plasma or whatever it was, they're shooting missiles. Can't wait until Monday.

gregebowman

December 3rd, 2003, 08:18 PM

PVK,

Yeah, I remember Battle Beyond The Stars. It was ok, but not the best movie ever made. It took me awhile to realize what it was: The Magnificient Seven in space. Heck it even had Robert Vaughn in it.

geoschmo

December 3rd, 2003, 08:40 PM

Originally posted by gregebowman:
PVK,

Yeah, I remember Battle Beyond The Stars. It was ok, but not the best movie ever made. It took me awhile to realize what it was: The Magnificient Seven in space. Heck it even had Robert Vaughn in it. That's ok. The Magnificent Seven was just The Seven Samurai in the Old West. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

There is an old saying something like all fiction can be reduced down to 10 (not sure the actual number here) Greek plays. Stuff is always reused, even when we don't realize it.

Did you ever notice that Pixar's a Bug's Life was another Seven Samurai/Magnificent Seven remake. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

kalthalior

December 3rd, 2003, 09:45 PM

As a fan of the old series, I'm trying to keep an open mind, but it appears to me that the storyline has been severely compromised. I watched the Lowdown special, then I reread the book from the original movie Last weekend. The new series makes wholescale changes to the characters, the plot and the whole background universe. I will watch but most likely be disappointed. I would have to agree that by CURRENT standards, the old show is cheesy -- but that was 70's TV for you. Try watching 6 Million Dollar Man or Starsky & Hutch reruns and you'll see what I mean.

gregebowman

December 3rd, 2003, 10:20 PM

Originally posted by geoschmo:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by gregebowman:
PVK,

Yeah, I remember Battle Beyond The Stars. It was ok, but not the best movie ever made. It took me awhile to realize what it was: The Magnificient Seven in space. Heck it even had Robert Vaughn in it. That's ok. The Magnificent Seven was just The Seven Samurai in the Old West. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

There is an old saying something like all fiction can be reduced down to 10 (not sure the actual number here) Greek plays. Stuff is always reused, even when we don't realize it.

Did you ever notice that Pixar's a Bug's Life was another Seven Samurai/Magnificent Seven remake. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif <hr /></blockquote>I read somethere that all stories come from only 5 basic stories. I don't remember if that was supposed to be from the Greeks or not. As far as the new BSG, I find it interesting that instead of taking their names literally, like Apollo or Starbuck, they're going to be their call signs. Like Tom Cruise's character in Top Gun was called Maverick. It kind of makes sense, but who knows what kind of names were being used in the BSG universe. There did seem to be some sort of Greek or Roman influence in the names, though, in the old show.

PvK

December 4th, 2003, 04:57 AM

Originally posted by Atrocities:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Remember "Battle Beyond the Stars"? Vaguely, it had that Japan actor in it. The guy who played the heavy in some mortal combat movie and also appeared in Snips/Conery movie rising sun.

Right???? <hr /></blockquote>As far as I know, which I'm afraid isn't much. I'll look it up. I just mentioned it because I remember it seemed at the time rather like the Buck Rogers film (cheap/corny late-70's sci fi vaguely copying Star Wars with 1% of the quality - bad guys come to destroy good guys, and get saved by some sassy heroes, with androids, lasers, incompetent villains, and space fighter dogfights involved) except there was no TV Version of BBTS.

Ok, looking it up - yes, you are correct, assuming I know which "Japan actor" and which "heavy in some mortal combat movie" you meant. That is, John Saxon, whom I mainly associate with the actually good film Enter the Dragon. Oh wait... guess I'm wrong... Saxon doesn't seem to have been in Mortal Kombat (fortunately for him). So, I don't know whom you mean.

Although I only really remembered Robert Vaughn, and the theme music (heh) and sort of the dogfights.

Apparently George Peppard and Julia Duffy were also in it, although I have almost no strands of memory of them in it. I'll have to re-watch it sometime when I feel like groaning. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

PvK

[ December 04, 2003, 03:07: Message edited by: PvK ]

Geckomlis

December 4th, 2003, 05:18 AM

Originally posted by PvK:
Remember "Battle Beyond the Stars"?My family saw BBTS in the theatre. We have been throwing the lines at each other for 20+ years. When it came out on DVD recently, I bought a copy and made my wife watch it with me. Now she understands my family�s inside jokes and movie allusions. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Gecko

Atrocities

December 4th, 2003, 05:34 AM

Oh god, I remember it now. John Boy in space.. Ya that was like a eon ago. Prior Star Wars I think.

Man the movie was.. and still is just plain odd.

Starhawk

December 4th, 2003, 05:49 AM

Originally posted by gregebowman:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by geoschmo:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by gregebowman:
PVK,

Yeah, I remember Battle Beyond The Stars. It was ok, but not the best movie ever made. It took me awhile to realize what it was: The Magnificient Seven in space. Heck it even had Robert Vaughn in it. That's ok. The Magnificent Seven was just The Seven Samurai in the Old West. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

There is an old saying something like all fiction can be reduced down to 10 (not sure the actual number here) Greek plays. Stuff is always reused, even when we don't realize it.

Did you ever notice that Pixar's a Bug's Life was another Seven Samurai/Magnificent Seven remake. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif <hr /></blockquote>I read somethere that all stories come from only 5 basic stories. I don't remember if that was supposed to be from the Greeks or not. As far as the new BSG, I find it interesting that instead of taking their names literally, like Apollo or Starbuck, they're going to be their call signs. Like Tom Cruise's character in Top Gun was called Maverick. It kind of makes sense, but who knows what kind of names were being used in the BSG universe. There did seem to be some sort of Greek or Roman influence in the names, though, in the old show. <hr /></blockquote>Yeah well people now a days would have a lot more trouble taking names like "Boomer" "Starbuck" "Appolo" and the like seriously. I know I did when I first saw BSG the original....especially BOOMER! LOL.

PvK

December 5th, 2003, 03:56 AM

Originally posted by Atrocities:
... Prior Star Wars I think.
...Definitely post-Star-Wars. 1980. It's a Star Wars derivative (as well as a 7 Samurai / Magnificent 7 derivative), like the Buck Rogers movie was.

PvK

Atrocities

December 5th, 2003, 04:31 AM

Originally posted by PvK:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Atrocities:
... Prior Star Wars I think.
...Definitely post-Star-Wars. 1980. It's a Star Wars derivative (as well as a 7 Samurai / Magnificent 7 derivative), like the Buck Rogers movie was.

PvK <hr /></blockquote>Description
Seven mercenaries are recruited from throughout the galaxy to save a peaceful planet from the threat of an evil tyrant bent on dominating and enslaving the entire universe.

Yup, 1980 release with (waltons) John Boy playing the hero. This would have been right up SciFi channels ally. Looks like a SciFi channel D movie.

Atrocities

December 5th, 2003, 04:45 AM

I really don't care what people say now, I still think the Cylons from the original BSG were awesome looking machines. I don't get this revisionistic re-writing of history to say that they were ugly, stupid, and silly. Who the hell is saying this? Mostly kids who grew up in the 90's and the technological advancement of CGI. Hey kiddies, this was real cool back in 1978, oddly enough the year "after" star wars came out, and it helped to pave the way for more the CGI effects that you all seem to love so very much. To me the original BSG was, and is, a nice looking show with original ideas, special effects, and costumes that, even by to days standards, are impressive for the era. They were real, and not computer generated. It really does make me angry to listen to these actors/actresses who play in the new BSG mini series when they trash talk the original series when most of them weren't even alive to have seen it.

I saw it on Sunday September 17th 1978, and to this day I can still remember thinking how cool those cylons looked. They set a standard for the series that said, hey we are not going to humanize a race of robots created by a race of reptilians. The Cylon race, the reptilians, were exterminated by the robots they created. Ronald Moore just took that tid bit and made it a human one. Humans created the cylons, not god. Well it is a dramatic statement, but it is way to much like Blade Runner and so many other Quter Limit episodes that I can't even begin to count.

The uniqueness of having the Cylons as a completely unhuman created race of machines bent on the destruction of humanity was just as appealing, and in my honest to god opinion, it was a better story.

The new Cylons, the robot ones, look CGI, and they are not as impressive on screen as the old chrome silver and gold ones from the original series. But hey, I guess the CGI cost for making the old chrome ones was to high.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000AFX64.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

geoschmo

December 5th, 2003, 05:05 AM

Atrocities, I agree with you the original cylons were cool looking, but you seriously thought the rest of the effects stand up even today? Have you watched any of the reruns on sci-fi recently or are you just going by faded adolescent memories. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

I think most of the people ripping on the old cylons aren't complaining about the look so much. It's just that they were pathetically inept, slow, clumsy, and couldn't hit the side of a barn with a bLaster. Why would a supposedly advanced race go out of their way to create a combat droid that looked like a human in a chrome suit, but couldn't move half as well as one? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Starhawk

December 5th, 2003, 05:58 AM

Yeah they were not complaining about the LOOK of the old Cylons as much as how clumsy they were and how hard it was for the men inside them to do anything.

The costume took like four hours to put on, they couldn't sit down at all and oh Lord help them if they had to go the bathroom because it took a few hours to get the costume OFF too.

The Cylons "armor" was painfully hard to get to do anything gracefull and they made the "feel" of the show as "How the hell did the Colonies lose to these tin cans?" when you see a single warrior taking out like eight of them or a single viper taking out four of their raiders it just ruined the effect of the Colonies losing to them in the first place. I mean they are just so inept the colony fleet should have decimated them even WHEN it was suprised.

The new Robotic Cylons (yes they have a large number of Centurions) move like humans and look like they can kick serious ***. Not to mention that if you see the intros to the space battles the Cylons have truely OVERWHELMING numbers and rather advanced tech which makes it easier to understand the colonial fleet being defeated. But I have also heard they are redoing the WAY the battle for the colonies is fought completely so that it makes more sense. I personally am looking forward to this new show and won't judge anything until I see it.

Atrocities

December 5th, 2003, 06:29 AM

Geoschmo, for the era that they came from the special effects were impressive. But by todays standards they are indeed campy. Hell even effects done in the movie ID4 are weak by todays standards.

Starhawk, I did not say that they should make new costumes for actors to play in. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif I said that the cost for making the original cylons in a CGI format was obviously to expensive.

I seldom understand the need to reinvent the wheel when the old wheel worked fine. Just rebuild it with current technology. I for one think that CGI rendered original Cylons, with humans cylons as well, would have worked neatly. I have seen the "new" cylon robots, and they are kinda spookly looking, but I honestly prefer the originals far more than I do the new ones.

Cheeze

December 5th, 2003, 06:46 AM

I can really only remember one line from Battle Beyond the Stars:

Zador? Of the Malmouri?

I want his head.

It's also a pretty cool observation that The Seven Samurai was inspired by the spaghetti westerns. I like how Robert Vaughn, who played the cowardly character in Magnificent Seven (George Peppard's character in BBTS, I think), played the cool warrior with no fear (Yul Brynner in Magnificent Seven) in the BBTS.

EDIT NOTE: I was wrong, the spaghetti westerns followed Seven Samurai. In particular, Sergio Leone's Fistful of Dollars (adapted from Yojimbo). Kurosawa was inspired by epic westerns (films directed by John Ford in particular) when making his films, including Seven Samurai. I meant to say westerns, but I was hungry, and spaghetti slipped in there.

I'm looking forward to Battlestar Galactica. I like how the predominant weapon seems to be missiles. Guess the point-defense isn't quite that good in that universe. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[ December 05, 2003, 22:33: Message edited by: Cheeze ]

Loser

December 6th, 2003, 02:21 AM

Originally posted by Cheeze:
It's also a pretty cool observation that The Seven Samurai was inspired by the spaghetti westerns.Umm, I think it was the other way around, actually.

gregebowman

December 9th, 2003, 11:11 PM

Saw the first part of the mini-series Last night. Very interesting. There were things I thought were great, and some things that might take getting used to. I wish they had shown more of the space battles. Maybe they used their budget making the models. I like the way they did portray the fights in space. Very minimal sounds, as there would be no sound in space. As a matter of fact, the only thing I remember hearing was the Cylon EMP device going off. And speaking of cylons, if more cylons looked like that one chick, I'd join Baltar. Some were griping about the cast. I thought the female Starbuck was ok, but I did notice one thing. In order to make the cast more PC, they deleted any significant black roles. Boomer is now an Asian female, and Col. Tighe is white. The only black person I noticed was the commications officer, who I think was called D or Dee. Just an observation on my part. I look forward to seeing part two tonight.

Starhawk

December 9th, 2003, 11:34 PM

Indeed it was very interesting. I liked the way it seemed more real then most space shows I mean no uber phasers or loud loud noises going off all over the place.

I also enjoyed the way they showed how the Colonial fleet was defeated I mean like I said the original Cylons were so friggin incompetent that they couldn't take down one battlestar and a few straggler ships but they were able to kill a whole fleet of Battlestars and their fighters with only three stinking base stars.

Sadly though I did like the Viper Mark 3 design better then the Viper Mark 2 but the Mark 2 is the main fighter of the mini-series and hopefully upcoming full blown series. I am hoping to see some of the new battlestars (in relation to the "new" galactica) in part 2 tonight but I doubt I'll get that chance.

Atrocities

December 10th, 2003, 02:17 AM

Excuse me but did you see the colonial fleet being taken out? I sure did not. I would say that this first installment of the mini series was vague if anything about just about everthing.

I did like the back history that played in, ie the tour guide guy talking about the history of the BS, and the whole president story line. How she came to power. That stuff was good writing, but the utter lack of seeing the colonial fleet, or any portion there of being attacked was very dissapointing to me.

I think the whole story line is an interesting one, I just wish they would have included more action and less comericals in the first episode of the mini series. I think the ratio was ten minutes to six. Six being show time, and ten being comerical.

I thought that most of the acting was great, although I did not buy some of it, but overall it was rather ok.

If only they had a few million more imagine what they could have done then.

[ December 10, 2003, 00:24: Message edited by: Atrocities ]

Starhawk

December 10th, 2003, 03:51 AM

Well the colonial fleet was easily destroyed because if you had seen it the Cylons were able to cause entire ships to simply shut off because of their modern computer technology.

sachmo

December 10th, 2003, 05:21 AM

Well I'm hooked! It's not Emmy award winning, but it looks like it's going to be fun. Some of my personal hilights:

1. Starbuck- Male or female, this is the character I always wanted "him" to be. Not that goofball from the original, but a hellraiser who can fly like the angels.

2. Space Battles- while many lament not being able to watch the rest of the fleet being defeated, I think the mini-series had just the right amount of combat. And those scenes are great!

3. Actors- some (Boomer) I could leave, but Edward James Almos as Adama is a natural fit for me. He has a presence that really sells me.

4. Story- so far, so good!

Atrocities

December 10th, 2003, 06:03 AM

Well now I guess I have been put in my place. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

I think the lack of action in the first episode was because everything was told from the participants point of view and not from a theatrical point of view. IE we see what they see and nothing more.

I am ok with that even if it does dull the story a bit.

The second episode was very interesting and I have to say that it was much better than the first.

Impressive Basestars and an interesting twist in the end. No comment if you have not seen it yet.

Boomer is hot. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif So is the communications officer. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif But Starbuck, well, not my type. I could really careless if Starbuck is a guy or a girl now, and I can see from a story stand point why Ronald did what he did.

I think Colonel Ty is Starbucks dad BTW.

geoschmo

December 10th, 2003, 07:28 AM

Oh, they have GOT to make this a regular series. Please plase please? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

As much as I liked the original, this is better. Just enough of the old stuff flavored in there to keep it interesting. Shiney silver Cylon in the museum, retro vipers. Anyone else notice in the first night during the flyby at the decomisioning ceremony the music they were playing? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

A few things I didn't like, very few. Minor nitpicks. Stuff like the cylon babe being called six. What are we going for here? "She's like Seven, only one better." Come on. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif A little more originality there?

And I had to supress a litteral case of the shivers when the little orphan kid said his name was Boxey. He even said it with this big dramatic pause, like they knew the reaction it would get. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif And he's living on the Galactica now? Acting Ensign Crush, er, Boxey?. IIEEEEEE!!!! FRAK! CAN'T LOOK! MUST POKE OUT EYES! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

mac5732

December 10th, 2003, 07:46 AM

I enjoyed it, different twist on some things added in, makes one wonder if Voltar will actually be a traitor in this one, hmmm, Battle scenes were a little disappointing only from the standpoint of the vipers manuvering under fire, loved the addition of missles, just wondered why Gal. didn't use them against the BaseStars during the battle in part 2. Like the idea of the clones as well, makes it a little more interesting

all in all, I would give it a high rating, definitly make it into a series but don't let it go the way of the original when they found earth, that Last yr sucked ruined the whole series

just some ideas Mac

Atrocities

December 10th, 2003, 09:15 AM

This Version of BSG is like several other movies and television shows rolled up into one.

Battlestar Galactica (TV)
Screamers (Movie where mans killing machines started out simple, but evolved into humaniods, then human, and then took over.)
Blade Runner (Movie - Nuff said here, the father of them all, human looking robots killing humans.)
Star Trek (Voyager - Seven was a blond - Seven is a blond.)

I don't believe the bridge set at all. It looks more like a room than a CIC or command deck. This is one area where the original BSG had them.

Lighting effects on the Galactica herself, again the original has them here. Far more dynamic. The new one is just way to grey for my tatest even if it is a nice model.

Vipers, both Mark 2 and Mark 7 are nice. Good work. The Cylon Raiders, good idea here. Make the ship a complete robot, excellent concept.

Nukes and DUC's with tracers again excellent ideas.

I like the silence in space as much as any one, pioneered by Cursader mind you. (Call to Arms)

All in all it is a worth while show, limited mainly by its budge.

gregebowman

December 10th, 2003, 03:40 PM

Originally posted by mac5732:
I

all in all, I would give it a high rating, definitly make it into a series but don't let it go the way of the original when they found earth, that Last yr sucked ruined the whole series

just some ideas Mac Please, PLEASE, never confuse Galactica 1980 with Battlestar Galactica. It was not season two. It was just ABC's very failed attempt to make a few bucks out of an attempt to revive the franchise. The only thing the two shows had in common were the models and Lorne Greene (and he must have been under contract, or I don't even think he would have been on the show).

As far as Boxey, it wasn't as hokey as the original plot. The kid's just an orphan and he's not whining for his daggit. At least they didn't try to re-create that particular storyline. Can't wait for an on-going series.

sachmo

December 10th, 2003, 03:52 PM

Geo,

I thought the same thing about Six, but then I decided that a race of robots would probably "Version" their robots just like they did in the show...I doubt they would try to come up with interesting, futureistic sounding names.

gregebowman

December 10th, 2003, 04:46 PM

Was it just me, or did all of those models looked familiar? I don't know if any or all of the models were CGI or not. If not, then someone went to several warehouses to salvage any and all sci-fi related models they could find. A lot of those ships looked like they were from the original show. That one ship with the plants looked like the same ship from Silent Running. I'm half-surprised they didn't use the original models for the Galactica and the base stars, especially if they were bound to a strict budget.

geoschmo

December 10th, 2003, 04:59 PM

It's unfortunate they had to abandon the agro ship. That would have made a nice setting for some episodes when the series get's underway.

kalthalior

December 10th, 2003, 08:19 PM

I tried really hard to keep an open mind about the new Version, but they jacked with too many things for my taste. That being said, there were some positives, namely the special effects (esp. the mechanical Cylons and their ships), Olmos acting, and the "realistic" tone and feel. I did find a useful site that explains some of the differences between the two Versions and the rationale behind some of the changes (posted below). Overall, I initially had high hopes, then determined that the changes weren't to my liking, decided to watch anyway and found it lacking, but better than I feared. Completely ambivalent about a possible series, although I have to say more scifi on TV is better than none.

OLD vs NEW Versions (http://www.battlestargalactica.com/kobol/primer.php)

[ December 10, 2003, 18:20: Message edited by: kalthalior ]

gregebowman

December 11th, 2003, 04:55 PM

Speaking of Olmos, it looked like he went to the Richard Pryor school of free-basing. What's with all of the pock-marks on his face? I don't remember those being there during his Miami Vice days. I almost found it distracting just watching his face. I'm curious. does anyone know anything about it?

Wardad

December 12th, 2003, 02:00 AM

I like his pock marked rugged look.
A military comandor does not need to be a pretty boy.

TV and Holloywood are brainashing us about looks.
Being ugly is the new predjudice. It is plain wrong. ask GEO... J/K

[ December 12, 2003, 00:01: Message edited by: Wardad ]

geoschmo

December 12th, 2003, 04:08 AM

sachmo

December 12th, 2003, 04:24 AM

Olmos has great screen presence. Watch Stand and Deliver sometime for a good example of it.

Or maybe I like him because he was in Blade Runner! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Starhawk

December 12th, 2003, 11:37 AM

Originally posted by gregebowman:
Speaking of Olmos, it looked like he went to the Richard Pryor school of free-basing. What's with all of the pock-marks on his face? I don't remember those being there during his Miami Vice days. I almost found it distracting just watching his face. I'm curious. does anyone know anything about it? First of all that's harsh by anyone's standards man. Especially considering someone can't help having a severe case of Pocks and then getting really nasty acne on top of that when they are kids.
He's always had them but as you get older Pock marks tend to show more and he's not one of those self absorbed pretty boys so I had no problem with this.

Okay now as to Galactica it's self I greatly enjoyed this series because it was much more realistic and had much more "people" presence instead of just a bunch of space ships flying around blowing each other up in the same repeated scenes every two minutes.

Now as to the effects and Galactica being too "grey" well I hate to tell you pal but it's a warship and warships tend to be grey or a dull white not that shiney "Hit me" color of the original Galactica. And like they so clearly stated "Form follows function" so in the Colonial's weren't interested in making her a pretty girl but more of a tough kick your *** up between your shoulder blades kind of ship that looked intimidating instead of the star trekky "shiney" ships.

And anyone notice that this Galactica is far "younger" then the one from the Original series, she's only 50 years old the original was well over 600 (also nice touch as I can't imagine anyone keeping a ship in service for over 600+ years unless it was in the warhammer 40k universe).

gregebowman

December 12th, 2003, 10:29 PM

Originally posted by Starhawk:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by gregebowman:
Speaking of Olmos, it looked like he went to the Richard Pryor school of free-basing. What's with all of the pock-marks on his face? I don't remember those being there during his Miami Vice days. I almost found it distracting just watching his face. I'm curious. does anyone know anything about it? First of all that's harsh by anyone's standards man. Especially considering someone can't help having a severe case of Pocks and then getting really nasty acne on top of that when they are kids.
He's always had them but as you get older Pock marks tend to show more and he's not one of those self absorbed pretty boys so I had no problem with this.

Okay now as to Galactica it's self I greatly enjoyed this series because it was much more realistic and had much more "people" presence instead of just a bunch of space ships flying around blowing each other up in the same repeated scenes every two minutes.

Now as to the effects and Galactica being too "grey" well I hate to tell you pal but it's a warship and warships tend to be grey or a dull white not that shiney "Hit me" color of the original Galactica. And like they so clearly stated "Form follows function" so in the Colonial's weren't interested in making her a pretty girl but more of a tough kick your *** up between your shoulder blades kind of ship that looked intimidating instead of the star trekky "shiney" ships.

And anyone notice that this Galactica is far "younger" then the one from the Original series, she's only 50 years old the original was well over 600 (also nice touch as I can't imagine anyone keeping a ship in service for over 600+ years unless it was in the warhammer 40k universe). <hr /></blockquote>Ok, maybe I was being too harsh on Olmos's looks. It was just too distracting for me, but you're right, people can't help it if they have such looks.

As far as the age of the Galactica, unless it was mentioned in the background when they were going over the museum scene, I didn't catch that. I don't remember the original's age, but we're talking about an advance civilization who is probably using some sort of combination of technology and metallurgy that may have kept a ship in function for over 600 years. It will be interesting if a new series does develop to see how they keep the Galactica active when they're going into unknown space toward an unknown destination. Just the matter of logistics will be a nightmare, considering you have a ship the size of the Galactica, plus 50+ other ships. They might have to stay at a planet for months to reprovision the fleet, and that will give the Cylons plenty of opportunity to catch up to them.