[ravesholpulsar]

Dear Hito:

Thanks for the welcome. It's appreciated. As far as my letter being long winded, I stated I was making a "tirade". Tirades are generally long winded in nature.

My point about what constitutes a story and how today's profit and demographically driven media has caused television (which already was in toilet) to go down even further was the issue I expressed in my letter.

The fact that a few fans considered what I wrote long winded and pointless(there was a point in the letter and someone actually did in fact "get it"), proves my point conclusively.

The VAST majority of movie goers and yes, television viewers really don't consider plots, characterization in a show or movie of vital importance. The studios churning out the fodder respond in-kind.

But the real lethal killer has becomes the global audience. To paraphrase a studio executive: IF I MAKE A MOVIE OR TV SHOW FOR AN AMERICAN AUDIENCE, IT DOESN'T TAKE A MATH WHIZ TO KNOW THAT I HAVE TO MAKE THAT SAME MOVIE OR SHOW FOR A FOREIGN AUDIENCE AND MAKE A BIGGER PROFIT GLOBALLY. THAT'S WHERE THE MARKET IS. WE NO LONGER CATER TO AMERICANS AT HOME.

The reason movies and shows are at their worse is BECAUSE the global market dictates content and quality. Galactica: The Next Generation is not immune.

The original Galactica had a profound impact on me in terms of its premise. it was a show which imprefect as it was and interfered with as it was became something more.

We tend to ignore the studio politics and appreciate the work of artists. But I'm humbled when I see someone create art and know the birthing pains it took to get it there.

Ronald D. Moore (like any producer) has to be part businessman. However, I've witnessed countless shows with his name in the Star Trek universe and I realized this was a writer who at best is weak when it comes to writing some exciting material. In my "wishful thinking" list, I imagine Rod Serling, Harlen Ellison, J Michael Stryzynski and directors like Milos Forman, Terry Gilliam and Akira Kurosawa being involved in the new Galactica. Instead we have a producer whose vision is so limited he can't see the scale or scope dramatically of the Galactica universe.

There are as many talented artists in hollywood working alongside the untalented who have somehow managed to achieve a career in spite on their mediocrity. To Ronald D. Moore I tell you this:

You don't need a massive budget for great storytelling. Twilight Zone and Classic (yes, Classic) Trek was able to do it. More people remember classic trek phrases and it's cast and story and that the old so-called cheapo show did it in three seasons. You had YEARS of Next Gen and the non sci-fi general public can't remember anything except that that bald from Star Trek:TNG is in the X-Men movie.

You got lucky. You were given a show whose premise as I stated is massive. It involves earth's history. It's about the human spirit and overcoming overwhelming destruction and obliteration and when your enemies have rallied together and are virutally indestructible and whose sole purpose is your extermination. The enemy has no soul. The are cold. Their red, single glowing eye strides ominously back and forth because the Cylon's designers knew the color red was intimidating to the human psyche and created something that would frighten a humanoid enemy. It is classic military strategy but it also art.

THAT'S what Galactica is about. Not about sexy pilots. Not about GQ looking actors flying CGI driven models. actors that aren't handsome and a dirtier grittier look for the show along with Galactica's storyline would have made it a hit. Instead it will resemble sci-fi channel's other debacle DUNE. Bewildering and uninspired.

Rich r