OT: BSG Series

[Atrocities]

I have to say that this new BSG series is, well, a disappointment of epic proportions. Not that its it a bad series, it simply is so low budge that its almost laughable.

It is just done so dirt cheaply that when you watch it you have to ask yourself "what were they thinking?"

Its really sad that they have to use modern day terms, equipment, and locations becuase they don't have the $$ to do it right.

One actor was actually smoking a ciggerette.

[Hugh Manatee]

BSG= Bttle Star Galactica right?

How do you know? I thought it stated in january.....

[Atrocities]

I have satellite.

They are airing it in the UK.

[Randallw]

Atrocities said:

One actor was actually smoking a cigarette.



Didn't Starbuck smoke cigars in the original?. yeah I know Starbuck is now a woman (among other things) . When you say the budget is low are we talking B5 low?.

[Nodachi]

AT, I totally disagree with you about the new BSG. I think that they're doing an excellent job with it. So far the stories have been more...human, for lack of a better term. Much better than the original.

Why do you say it seems to be low budget? And what does a cigarette have to do with it? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Raging Deadstar]

Nodachi said:
AT, I totally disagree with you about the new BSG. I think that they're doing an excellent job with it. So far the stories have been more...human, for lack of a better term. Much better than the original.

Why do you say it seems to be low budget? And what does a cigarette have to do with it? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif



I agree, I watched it and I quite liked the dark and gritty feel to it. Bastille Day so far has been my favourite (The prison ship), but I never saw the Original BSG. I still enjoy this series though http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

And I'm shocked we got this programme before you http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/eek.gif SG1 started their eighth season long before we got it.

[Randallw]

Nodachi said:


And I'm shocked we got this programme before you http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/eek.gif SG1 started their eighth season long before we got it.



We should be so lucky. SG1's 7th season started here 2 days ago (I think. Anubis ship attacked Kelowna and was destroyed)

[thorfrog]

Well I have to disagree with you. I grew up on the original show and this one beats it big time. Can we say repeated stock footage. I think the acting is fine for scifi and animation is great. I even like their take on the story line. I hope they incorporate some of the other ideas of the TOS like the Pegasus. But I do have to say I don't like the new centurions. I'd rather have the old school Versions.

[Renegade 13]

Raging Deadstar said:
And I'm shocked we got this programme before you http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/eek.gif SG1 started their eighth season long before we got it.



You mean you've actually got the 8th season of SG1??? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/shock.gif In Canada, we just got the 7th season this fall!

[Atrocities]

Randallw said:

Atrocities said:

One actor was actually smoking a cigarette.



Didn't Starbuck smoke cigars in the original?. yeah I know Starbuck is now a woman (among other things) . When you say the budget is low are we talking B5 low?.



No this guy, the Doctor, was smoking a cigerette.

[Atrocities]

Nodachi said:
AT, I totally disagree with you about the new BSG. I think that they're doing an excellent job with it. So far the stories have been more...human, for lack of a better term. Much better than the original.

Why do you say it seems to be low budget? And what does a cigarette have to do with it? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif



I did say that it was not a bad series. The writing is great, very engaging, but the locations, clothing, weapons, jargon, terms, and so are all low budge. Hell even Farscape on its limited budge always seemed to have alien looking locations, even on human looking planets. The show is done on the cheap and that is a shame.

[Atrocities]

atomannj said:
Well I have to disagree with you. I grew up on the original show and this one beats it big time. Can we say repeated stock footage. I think the acting is fine for scifi and animation is great. I even like their take on the story line. I hope they incorporate some of the other ideas of the TOS like the Pegasus. But I do have to say I don't like the new centurions. I'd rather have the old school Versions.



<font color="brown">SPOILER </font>

I never said anything about the acting, or the effects. Those are good. The little detail things are what seem to bug me the most. The ciggerette thing, the clothing some of the new pilots wore. Things like the location they used for the abandon city, the "dinner". The old fashoned clocks they used..... they are our clocks.... They could have done a far better job with props then they have. And SPOILER the whole Organic machine ship thing..... SPOILER

I like what I have seen thus far, it is truly a significant departure from the original series, and that may or may not be a good thing. At least Richard Hatch got a guest appearance out of the deal. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Over all, as the show gains popularity, hopefully they can get more money to pay attention to the detail a bit more.

[Azselendor]

Anything like that can be blamed squarely on the Nazi-shewolf that runs Sci-Fi. She has a habit of praising series, but cutting the funding from underneath it to make those delightfully moronic independent films that should never be made and give the board a new car.

BSG was supposed to start airing this month in the US, but it was pushed off for the Earthsea miniseries and a few other events. I think this problem stemmed from sci-fi's unwillingness to touch thier 5-weekday show that air for 4-hour blocks of time.

I'm looking forward to both programs, BSG most of all. It looks to be a lot more serious than other series out there.

Then of course, for Stargate... I'm looking to thier season finale and thier two villians for it. Apophis and..


(SPOILER)



Ra

[Randallw]

um I appreciate the effort, but your spoiler isn't hidden.

[Atrocities]

I really liked the original series, despite the looped footage, and the new one is a differant breed of BSG that is welcome despite its under funded budget.

I think that this series could be as good as any good sci-fi show on the air if it is given the money to be so. But the current king of Sci-Fi is Stargate and SGA, and both of those shows are just the standard in the industry for which to set your quality and production design from.

Sci-Fi channel has a lot going for it, but like you said those horrid independent movies they make defy logic. Hell I ask myself sometimes if they can get the money to make those horrid D- movies, then why can we not get the money to make a nice SE IV movie?

[Nodachi]

First off, I do agree that the two Stargate shows are the best sci-fi in production right now.http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif However, I'd like to point out that the producers of BSG are going for a totally different look to their show. They wanted a more gritty feel to it. The lack of small high-tech details makes the show more accessible to a wider audience. There also was a reason given in-show about the lack of high-tech but it was implied rather than stated. These people had already fought a war with the Cylons, their own high-tech creations, so a society-wide disillusionment with high-tech would be natural.

[Raging Deadstar]

Also, Does anyone remember the first two seasons of Stargate? They were good and many enjoyed them, but you can tell that each season has improved with Quality. Hopefully if BSG continues we will see the same.

As for the Stargate spoiler I already Knew, But for those in dispair it isn't what you all think. I would have cried if Apophis came back to life AGAIN! It was getting laughable.

Of course you can't blame them, SG1 have butchered their way through most the Egyptian Pantheon and a few others... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

Also for those who were questionning if there would be a SG1 Game: Click Here and all Shall be revealed (http://www.gateworld.net/news/2004/12/newiallianceiartrevealsgam.shtml)

[Atrocities]

They wanted a more gritty feel to it. The lack of small high-tech details makes the show more accessible to a wider audience. There also was a reason given in-show about the lack of high-tech but it was implied rather than stated. These people had already fought a war with the Cylons, their own high-tech creations, so a society-wide disillusionment with high-tech would be natural.



Hense the cheap look of the show. To me cheap means that it is to simular todays everyday life to be believed as occuring in the future or in an another part of the galaxy.

What I am saying is, they could have achieved the low tech look and feel of the show without using ciggerettes, modern clothing, known city locations, toasters, US Military rashions, us military trucks, current military avation terms, modern looking ammunition for hand held weapons, modern day looking weapons, every day common clocks that reflect earth time, etc. The use of these items does nothing to boalster the show as being futureisting or gritty. It just makes the show look down right dirt cheap with very low production quality.

Hell even TOS has more going for it than this new BSG. At least in TOS, even by todays standards, suspends ones belief of reality far better than this new BSG does.

Not enough time was spent on attention to detail. They did it on the cheap, dirt cheap - low budge with the attention to detail that is a kin to a high school made movie.

The acting is fine, the CGI work is fine. The stories are ok, and the premis is very interesting. However, the lack of attention to production detail is aggervating as all hell.

Even the low budge TV flick Earth Above and Beyond did a far better job at selling the shows future concept than BSG.

Simply put I think the show looks to current day modern, and that to me makes the show so cheap that it would be laughable if it wasn't so sad.

I really believe that this is Moore telling people that they are too stupid to know the differance. A throw back to his star trek days. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

[tesco samoa]

AT. I will have to catch up.... I just watched the 2003 movie.

As for SG1 I am on the first season. My wife finds the acting horrible. I agree with her.... Special effects are very cheap in that show.

But I will give it another season as I see protential in it...

[Fyron]

tesco samoa said:
AT. I will have to catch up.... I just watched the 2003 movie.

As for SG1 I am on the first season. My wife finds the acting horrible. I agree with her.... Special effects are very cheap in that show.

But I will give it another season as I see protential in it...

Note, "first season"... As with any sci-fi show, the first few seasons tend to suffer from very low budgets and such...

[EvilGenius4ABetterTomorro]

The only thing I hate is when they decide to do aliens on the cheap, production companies suddently decide that the aliens can look like us! The War Of The Worlds series had aliens in disquise so they could infiltrate our society. Star Trek Voyager and DS9 could attach some sort of forehead mutation and get an instant alien. Is CGI still that expensive? I want scary Lovecraft gloopy monsters in my sci-fi! But the blonde Cylon can stay. I'll be "evaluating" her in my quarters!

Anyone figure out how many dog years old Lorne(Adama)Greene is? was?

[Makinus]

i desisted from watching SG1 when, in the first episode from the first season (not the pilot), when they find a world with people that lives like the Mongols they instantly are able to talk with the first person that they meet, in modern-day english, and they are not using any kind of translator or something...

Now, a people that were separated from eartg since the time of the Gengis Khan (that spoke a very different language) are speaking modern-day english? I simply could not stand the illogicity and simply don´t watched any othe episode of the series...

[Raging Deadstar]

EvilGenius4ABetterTomorro said:
But the blonde Cylon can stay. I'll be "evaluating" her in my quarters!



Amen... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

[Suicide Junkie]

Makinus said:
i desisted from watching SG1 when, in the first episode from the first season (not the pilot), when they find a world with people that lives like the Mongols they instantly are able to talk with the first person that they meet, in modern-day english, and they are not using any kind of translator or something...

Now, a people that were separated from eartg since the time of the Gengis Khan (that spoke a very different language) are speaking modern-day english? I simply could not stand the illogicity and simply don´t watched any othe episode of the series...

Hey, now... what good are slaves if they don't speak a modern language? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

That Daniel guy is a translator, too http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Sefter Aruna]

You know it was said about a SEIV movie..... Why would it take a lot of money? For example DOGA, I used DOGA with it's built in movie, added my own ships and made a nice looking space battle. There are many here that are much better with DOGA than I am, why couldn't they get together and make a short film to start with? Only a ten min space battle would be a good starting point.

[Atrocities]

Makinus said:
i desisted from watching SG1 when, in the first episode from the first season (not the pilot), when they find a world with people that lives like the Mongols they instantly are able to talk with the first person that they meet, in modern-day english, and they are not using any kind of translator or something...

Now, a people that were separated from eartg since the time of the Gengis Khan (that spoke a very different language) are speaking modern-day english? I simply could not stand the illogicity and simply don´t watched any othe episode of the series...



Tis the problem with all sci-fi shows except Farscape where they made it clear that it was nano-tec that allowed them to understand and speak other Languages.

[Atrocities]

Raging Deadstar said:

EvilGenius4ABetterTomorro said:
But the blonde Cylon can stay. I'll be "evaluating" her in my quarters!



Amen... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif



And since there are multiple copies, I will also be evaluating the model in my quarters for the next few weeks. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

[Kamog]

What blonde Cylon??? (I haven't had TV for the Last couple of years)...

* searches for images using Google *

... Is she the one?

http://www.shrapnelcommunity.com/threads/uploads/317385-TriciaHelfer2.jpg

Yup, she looks very good! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Baron Munchausen]

The 'blonde cylon' is Tricia Helfer. You can find more images of her on IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1065454/

[Randallw]

Atrocities said:

Tis the problem with all sci-fi shows except Farscape where they made it clear that it was nano-tec that allowed them to understand and speak other Languages.



AS far as I know they only covered the translation problem once in ST. In DS9 Quark and his brother and nephew end up in 1949 new mexico (some place called Roswell I think http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif). He wonders why his translation implant doesn't work. His brother says it would only happen if there were large amounts of radiation in an atmosphere, but who would be stupid enough to explode nuclear weapons in an atmosphere http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/confused.gif.
In one episode of DS9 they are being attacked by Klingons. There is a conversation with them and then the Gowron (who must be speaking his language all along) says something in Klingon which Worf has to translate. It is assumed Gowron pressed the "Do not translate this sentence" button.

[Renegade 13]

EvilGenius4ABetterTomorro said:
But the blonde Cylon can stay. I'll be "evaluating" her in my quarters!



Sorry boys, but I'm happy to say that I've beat you to that one http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Raging Deadstar]

Remember: Anyone could be a Cylon...

So don't let your significant other hear any of your drooling other Tricia Helfer http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[deccan]

I don't get good TV here, so I'm wondering if I should buy the Stargate 1 DVD set, beginning with Season 1 and working my way further if I like it. Any comments on that? Anyone know of a reliable retailer for such that will ship internationally? I usually use Amazon since it's customer service is the best, but it's also likely the most expensive.

[gregebowman]

Atrocities, I got satellite too, but as far as I know, I don't get anything that would show BSG. Wish I did. Friday nights will be hard for me to watch anything on tv, but hopefully I'll be able to watch most of the new episodes. So I'll have to hold judgement on your grief with the show. Hopefully the stories will be so compelling that you kind of overlook the low budget feel of the show. But you did mention clocks. I hope that one of the things they don't resurrect in the new series is their way of telling time. I've watched the show off and on for 25 years, and I still get confused about their way of telling time. Just give me minutes and hours and days. Can't wait for January.

[Renegade 13]

gregebowman said:
Atrocities, I got satellite too, but as far as I know, I don't get anything that would show BSG. Wish I did. Friday nights will be hard for me to watch anything on tv, but hopefully I'll be able to watch most of the new episodes. So I'll have to hold judgement on your grief with the show. Hopefully the stories will be so compelling that you kind of overlook the low budget feel of the show. But you did mention clocks. I hope that one of the things they don't resurrect in the new series is their way of telling time. I've watched the show off and on for 25 years, and I still get confused about their way of telling time. Just give me minutes and hours and days. Can't wait for January.



If you get the Space channel (I think it's a Canadian channel based in Ontario somewhere), then the series is starting in exactly one month, January 15. At least, that's what it claims. By the way, Space is channel 528 on my satellite provider.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

Space channel also has a show called The Invisible Man on re-runs. Aside from being a sort-of modern-day take-of (enough '-'? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif ) of the original, it's also a spy show that goes from funny to really serious and back. In many ways, although it's low-budget (in RL and in the show) it blows many other shows away, in my opinion. I wouldn't call it epic, but I would never call it boring.

[Randallw]

I remember the "Invisible man" show from about a year ago. His name is Darian Fox isn't it?. I also wish "John Doe" had continued, it had a very surprising ending to its 1 season (and I usually figure out surprises so it was ...well surprising for me).
Whats confusing about BSG timing?, that they use jahrens for years or that they seem to be stuck in the 70's from what I have seen http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[narf poit chez BOOM]

John Doe was, quite simply, one of the best series I've ever seen.

Special Unit 2 is another good one that got cancelled. Had me laughing out loud numurous times, and tense with, well, tension others.

[Atrocities]

I think most people will like the series, but all will agree that the props and such could be greatly imporved. I think the best thing they can do to improve the series, aside from giving it more money, is to move away from using props that are "common" everyday items that you and I have and use.

Avoid using current volnacular (sp) and terms. Terms such as Avation fuel and H20 are so easily changed into Viper Fuel, and Fh2. (I mean wouldn't they have a differant name for items on the periodic table than we do?) Just a thought.

If Farscape can pull it off, then BSG should be able too as well.

[Hugh Manatee]

Do they still wear those Pharo looking flight helmets?

[Atrocities]

No, they wear a spin off of the space suites seen in Enterprise and Farscape.

[solops]

I terminated the pilot show when the new President moved in and started acting like a complete idiot. The shortcomings with the rest of the show were a strain, but I could manage until her moronic pronouncements were portrayed as heroic, compassionate and wise.

When they declare martial law and chuck her and her cabinet out of the airlock, let me know and I'll pick the series up from there.

[Atrocities]

ROFLMAO - She is a cylon by the way. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Randallw]

I am pleasantly surprised whenever I come across a novel where the military is portrayed as wiser than the politicians. You'd think Authors would get into trouble with the thoughpolice portraying peaceloving politicians as idiots, but I keep finding novels where the politicians insist on making peace with aliens who have destroyed numerous border colonies

"surely there is a misunderstanding. If we sit down and discuss things surely they will call off their pledge to exterminate us"

or

"Well we have defeated the genocidal aliens once, surely they will now be willing to talk peace"

and the military have to take matters into their own hands.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

Check to see if the auther was in the military. From reading some of the bio's in the book, at least a few military writers come from the military.

(Viewpoints)

[solops]

Atrocities said:
ROFLMAO - She is a cylon by the way. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif



Really? What a relief. I am so sick of the entertainment industry's attempts to impose its often unrealistic politics on the public that after a few minutes of her orders after evacuating to the Galactica I turned off the television and was never tempted to watch again. It was simply too much on top of the other technical and writing shortcomings of the show to have to stomach Hollywood political philosophy in addition.

Are you SURE she is a cylon? I have been subjected to exactly the same fantasy logic from politicians and judges that I know personally (alas, I am related to some of them...). At least she is a thoroughly unpleasant character all around. I would have been devastated had it been the good looking cylon. I like her logic. My favorite part of the show, up to the point I Banned it, was watching the planet get nuked while she watched.

[geoschmo]

Um, well if the Pres is a Cylon Atrocities is talking spoilers. That fact wasn't uncovered in the miniseries. They did make it look as if Boomer is a Cylon at the very end though.

[solops]

I had not considered the possibility of the President being a cylon. My repugnance toward the kind of thinking she diplayed was too overwhelming. If she is a cylon, that would explain her stupidity. However, I doubt the cylons' ability to program even a robot to give the kind of orders she did with a straight face. Only a truly human idiot could do that.

I must compose an "Airlock Chant."

[gregebowman]

I didn't have any problems with the new president, but then again, I've only seen it once. Can't wait until next week so I can get the dvd. But remember, she was like 52nd in line of succession, or something like that. She wasn't even praying for a chance to be the leader, until it was thrust on her. Plus, she was a teacher, IIRC. Also, with everything else, we find out she has a terminal disease (from the way she was acting, I think it was probably cancer). So she's not exactly a great statesperson. But if the new show is anything like the old show, it will be Adama calling the shots anyway. I think she'll just be more of a hindrance until they actually find Earth.

[Makinus]

I already watched the 7th episode of the series and, up until now, the president don´t gave any hint at being a cylon...

[Atrocities]

I have to say that the series is getting better. I really enjoy the music they are using. Its from Tribes. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif Powerful and fitting.

[Azselendor]

I think the idea with the president was to show how stupid our elected officials can be, with the best of intentions, during times of crisis.

[bearclaw]

ACK!! I hadn't seen the series yet and was going to start when Space Channel starts it this saturday. Now I've gone and read some spoilers...

You guys should put up a warning sign or something http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Atrocities]

You will still enjoy it. It has a lot of potential, even with the irky refereance to Peanut butter and baked beans.

[Renegade 13]

2 days, and I finally get to see this series! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

[Kamog]

Is the series still continuing? I don't have TV, but I noticed that the local video rental store has the DVD, so I'm thinking of renting and watching it one of these days.

[Makinus]

SPOILERS WARNING - SERIOUS SPOILERS AHEAD - NAVIGATE WITH CAUTION
























1. Boomer is definitively a Cylon - Dr. Baltar tested her positive in his "Cylon Detector" but didn´t said anything to her or anyone - but looks like she is a "dormant" cylon - a Cylon that think that itself is human...

2. The other Boomer (the one that is with Helo and knows that she is a cylon) starts to really love Helo and (without telling him anything) betrays her "Cylon friends" to save him... so Cylons can feel emotions and can betray their origins to help humans (maybe this would explain the Baltar - Number Six relationship)...

3. There are some hints in the show that the Cylon models are based in real human beings... so we can eventually see a real Boomer show up in the show some day (older than the cylon model obviously)... BTW: looks like the Number Six has based in the wife of Colonel Tigh (she shows up in the show, and while older, she have an striking resemblance with Numer Six... enough resemblance to attract Dr. Baltar and make his Number Six jealous...)

I´m waiting to watch the 10th episode of the series... while i found the series good so far i want to see more ship fights and battles, since i think they are the best part of the series...

[Atrocities]

Kamog said:
Is the series still continuing? I don't have TV, but I noticed that the local video rental store has the DVD, so I'm thinking of renting and watching it one of these days.



SPOILER ALERT Do Not Read Unless You Wish To Know Things That You Do Not Yet Know.



The differance is, the one on DVD is the old 70's series, the one we are talking about is the new Sci-Fi channel one. Believe me when I tell you they are completely differant beasts. It would be like comparing a Cat to a Tiger.

Both had good points, the original had the better sets, and actors. The new one has the better visual effects. Both seem to have ok stories, although I liked the original series stories better than the new series. However the new series place far more emphesis on the actual holocaust wrought by the Cylons. I did like the original series cylons better than the new ones, but the new ones are a logical upgrade. I do not like the human cylons yet, but they are kinda growing on me.

For the record, I believe they are all cylons. I believe that Starbuck is actually Colonel Ties daughter. I like how they solved the water and fuel issues. I dislike how they have lost 20 + vipers and still seem to have plently left.

I like how they play up the dark side of what has happened, but it angers me greatly that they use things like "Peanut Butter, baked beens, and other "Real World" things that we have now in our day to day RL lives. This is just a product of a low budge. Instead of calling peanut butter "peanut butter" they could call it Baryon Paste. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

The human cylons are clones, or other, that have been given conciousness, but not a soul. If they can develop human feelings and not just mimic them, then perhaps one day they can become human. And by becoming human, reproduce like humans. After all, we are machines, organic machines. I find it odd that a cylon would believe in God, so that is obviously a major story line. The fact that they have repeatedly stated that what is happening has happened before and will happen again is kind of interesting. I like where the stories are going, and hope that they do not run out of steam or money before they get to the climax of the series.

[bearclaw]

Makinus said:
SPOILERS WARNING - SERIOUS SPOILERS AHEAD - NAVIGATE WITH CAUTION



Thanks. Appreciate the spoiler warning. I was only half serious though. I should have known better treading into waters better left alone.

[Atrocities]

There be sharks in them there waters!

[Captain Kwok]

I caught portions of the opening movie or whatever it was, and wasn't too keen on it. The ship sequences were interesting, but lots of the sets looked like they were put together in some guy's garage and the dialogue/acting was pretty poor or at least aimed at a fairly young demographic. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[Atrocities]

Garage sets is a good way to describe them. Read a few of my Posts about the cheapness of the series. But honestly, the visual effects are quite nice and it doesn't take you long to see that "that" is where there money is going.

[brianeyci]

Atrocities said:
I have to say that this new BSG series is, well, a disappointment of epic proportions. Not that its it a bad series, it simply is so low budge that its almost laughable.

It is just done so dirt cheaply that when you watch it you have to ask yourself "what were they thinking?"

Its really sad that they have to use modern day terms, equipment, and locations becuase they don't have the $$ to do it right.

One actor was actually smoking a ciggerette.



Hi. Well I'm joining the thread late, but here's my two cents. I don't agree with you.

I'm glad there's no plasma guns or phasers. Why would futuristic societies necessarily forget everything about projectile weapons? Would you want banana weapons with no sight or weapons that are completely unergonomical but "look" cool?

What's wrong with an actor smoking a cigarette? Is humanity supposed to be so much better in the future that they give up vices? However self-satisfying that is to think of, good sci-fi writers know that "humans are made of the same stuff, and will keep being made of the same stuff for a long time."

Having replicators, transporters, futuristic ways of going to the toilet etc., doesn't necessarily add to SoD.

Brian

[Atrocities]

Hello,

You make an interesting point, however, BSG is not taking place in our future, that is our society is not what BSG is based upon. Therefore the events, and props, used in BSG should not be the same as they are now. By now, I mean NOW, today, real life. If they are going to smoke a cigarette, then great, but why does it have to be called a cigarette, and look just like the ones that are smoked now?

I too like the fact that they are not using "beam" weapons, replicators, or other technology that makes it easy to explain away who they get things.

They did a good job with a few of the episodes explaining how they got water, and fuel.

Why does a lighter have to be called a lighter in BSG? Because the people who are watching the show are not all that smart. The Sci-Fi channels track record with smart shows is not all that good. They tend to cancel them after a few years. So the dumber the show is, that is to say, the easier it is for dumb people to watch, the longer it Lasts.

I do like this new BSG, I do not like the lack of imagination when it comes to using real world items though. Come on, they come from a differant planet and they still call peanut butter "Peanut butter." The only way this can be explained away is if they did indeedcame from Earth and colonized those colonies in our future. In that sence, then yes, cigerettes are cigerettes, and peanut butter is peanut butter.

Lets watch and see what happens.

[Caduceus]

Atrocities said:
I do like this new BSG, I do not like the lack of imagination when it comes to using real world items though. Come on, they come from a differant planet and they still call peanut butter "Peanut butter." The only way this can be explained away is if they did indeedcame from Earth and colonized those colonies in our future. In that sence, then yes, cigerettes are cigerettes, and peanut butter is peanut butter.

Lets watch and see what happens.



I agree with some of what you're saying, AT, but the problem is carrying stuff for long periods of time in a series. It also has to be accessible to new viewers.

For instance, if they called lighters "flargles" or something strange, it distracts from the story. It is kind of like SG1 stumbling onto a planet where they can always speak to someone. It saves us hours of Daniel Jackson looking off into space and identifying the exact Mayan subculture which derives the word for moon.

If I'm reading a novel or something, I expect consistency in a world and its language(s). If I'm watching TV, I assume they'll take shortcuts, just to keep from doing hours of exposition over the course of a season. Look at it as the Universal Translator changing their "peanut butter" from their source of protein-packed underground legumes which taste good when smeared across leavened yeast products and crushed fruit preserves.

[Caduceus]

I've enjoyed parts of the story so far in BSG, back to topic, I guess. I watched the miniseries for the first time earlier this week. I then watched the two-part opener Last night. I enjoyed "33" quite a bit. There was good character exposition, especially with the civilian carrier at the end. The fact that events carry over, and retaining Helo on Caprica (with a second Boomer) may mean that networks are willing to continue to try large story arcs. And that means we have to watch every week.

[Azselendor]

Remember, Sci-Fi and the UK Networks only agreed to 13-episodes. Plus the miniseries, we got 17 episodes total. SciFi channel has a nasty history of cancelling series for totally random reasons.

But it's still good to see some attempt at a stronger sci-fi series again. I was starting to fear that Enterprisidice had spread worse than the plague.

The reason why they use real world items is the same reason why Kirk in 1967 had a common suitcase in one episode or why Galactica 1980 was created and why UPN made so many bad sci-fi/horror series...

Cost.

It's not making the show accessable or dumbing it down. It's Cost. The original BSG had episode costs between 1 and 2 million per episode. Plus a history of expensive lawsuits with George Lucas. Most networks won't even consider touching such a series without an assurance to reduce cost.

That's what "Water" was about. Water set the tone that the series is gonna be mainly a bottle series with a handful of scenes on earth-like planets. Bottle shows are cheaper, less expensive than on-location shows - one of the key factors in driving up the original series costs.

A more current example is Enteprise's first season where episode costs briefly spiked up as high as 4.5 million each. It's the main reason why the network is hesistant to pick it up. Another is Farscape which reached 2-3 million per episode - but after so many seasons, the audience stopped growing for an unknown reason.

ALL HAIL THE ALMIGHTY GREENBACK!

Anyways

I also like the Helo arc which I hope will be something they run for a long time. I'm also looking forward to seeing Kobol's Last Gleaming Laster this season and how that effects thier quest for earth.

It has potential.

[Atrocities]

Thanks, that was good info. It all boils down to cost in the end. To bad they cannot get someone like Bill Gates to invest in their shows. A cool half a billion would go a long way toward fixing the $$ issues.

[Starhawk]

Let us hope the NEW BSG Lasts for more then 13 episodes because if it does then it will likely pick up budgeting like Andromeda did, every year Andromeda's budget went up a little bit until where finally they now have enough money to stop using stock footage in every single episode.

BSG is actually a very good very "real" show and I hope they stick to their guns like UPN did when it came to Enterprise because BSG will definately be a unique and good series for modern TV which is mainly now just a bunch of reality bull hock.

[Renegade 13]

I watched the series opener Last night, and I must say I like it. Especially the part with the "Olympic Carrier" civilian ship. Most shows don't include a moral dilemma the way they did....and that's only the first episode! It seems to me like it's a logical continuation of the first, and if the powers that be cancel it after only 13 episodes, I'm gonna find 'em and break some heads!