Oh to be at SDCC: DeSantostar Galactica

[peter noble]

http://io9.com/5028917/911-killed-bryan-singers-battlestar-galactica

With new images!

[ernie90125]

Is this a new article about a recent SDCC ? The article says : "Producer Tom DeSanto told Comic-Con Singer's production company was working on a $13.5 million backdoor pilot for a new BSG,"

Is that another continuation effort in 2008, or looking back at the attempt of 2001 ?

[peter noble]

It's this week's Con (the panel from Thursday) but looking back at the failed 2001 effort.

[BST]

Oh, the possibilities.... :(

[Titon]

It's just astonishing how much was stolen from Singer and DeSanto.

:(

[peter noble]

It's no use crying over spilled milk seven years later but the similarities are astonishing.

The Scorpion design is obviously familiar.

[Damocles]

Yeah. There is too much there that would send me into the Dark Mirror territory that ist verboten.

D.

[dilbertman]

The thing is Tom did not have time at the panel to show the images that are posted at 'io9' and 'Nathan Schroeder' site. He showed test animations that he had shown at Galacticon 2003. What could have been. Hopefully Tom will do a book like Star Trek Phase II: The Lost Series one day.

http://www.nathanschroeder.net/gal06index.shtml

http://www.memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Star_Trek_Phase_II:_The_Lost_Series

Jim:(

[Gemini1999]

I do like the fact that the entire story telling the demise of the DeSanto/Singer version of Battlestar Galactica is being told at an event like ComicCon. It's been nearly 7 years now - considering how much time has passed, you'd almost think that nobody would bother, but someone did. I would have liked to seen that particular panel, even though seeing it would be rather bittersweet.

There is some small hope that with the end of the current television series on the horizon that someone might think that the idea would still be viable. Of course, knowing what we know about the entertainment industry, that would be a very small chance indeed.

Looking at those pics does remind me of happier days indeed.

Bryan

[Athene]

I agree with BST
oh the possiblities... :(

[Lt Donovan]

On the one hand, I kind'a sort'a understand Fox' resoning, but at the same time I think it's kind'a hyper-PC in a psuedo-sensitive sort of way. Spider-Man suffered for it too being held back until all traces of the Towers was edited out.

[ernie90125]

Interesting to note though....Scifi have announced 3 new BSG films, see BG.com and all of a sudden Tom´s BSG stuff is coming out of mothballs ?

We know some of the new series cast are appearing in the movies....but might there be a possibility of a Continuation one ? Is that why this is all happening ?

[Lt Donovan]

Interesting to note though....Scifi have announced 3 new BSG films, see BG.com and all of a sudden Tom´s BSG stuff is coming out of mothballs ?

We know some of the new series cast are appearing in the movies....but might there be a possibility of a Continuation one ? Is that why this is all happening ?

As much as I'd like to say "Heck yeah!". I just don't see it happening, unfortunately. NuG has taken over the name in the minds of most people, and they'd look at a continuation show and go "WTF?"

The same thing is happening with Trek...we won't see any more Trek produced for the big OR small screen that is in the original ENT/TOS/MOVIE/TNG/DS9/VOY universe. Any new Trek from here on out will be based on Abrams' work.

[Stevew]

It would be nice to see the real BSG on the screen for a change. I know I would watch it

[PaulGTweed]

As much as I'd like to say "Heck yeah!". I just don't see it happening, unfortunately. NuG has taken over the name in the minds of most people, and they'd look at a continuation show and go "WTF?"

The same thing is happening with Trek...we won't see any more Trek produced for the big OR small screen that is in the original ENT/TOS/MOVIE/TNG/DS9/VOY universe. Any new Trek from here on out will be based on Abrams' work.

Apparently, you haven't heard of 'FanFilms'. Gene Roddenberry's original vision of Star Trek will live on in Internet FanFilms: Star Trek: New Voyages, Star Trek: Hidden Frontier, Star Trek: Odyssey, Star Trek: The Helena Chronicles, Star Trek: Federation One, Star Trek: Horizon, Star Trek: Intrepid, Star Trek: Exeter, Star Trek: Mirrorverse. Internet Fanfilms, P2P Networks are the future of televised programming.

[Athene]

As much as I'd like to say "Heck yeah!". I just don't see it happening, unfortunately. NuG has taken over the name in the minds of most people, and they'd look at a continuation show and go "WTF?"


I don't think it's in the minds of most people.
There are a lot of fans and I mean a lot who love the original(real) BSG series.
I for one would love to see a continuation.
I'd give it a chance. ;)

[Athene]

It would be nice to see the real BSG on the screen for a change. I know I would watch it

I second that! :salute:

[TwoBrainedCylon]

I'd say this preproduction artwork puts the final nail in the coffin for Ron and Dave's claims that they never saw any of the DeSanto stuff before their version was well underway.

The Scorpion artwork is uncanny. Ironically, I really like the way it looks as a preproduction drawing and hate the CG version, which is technically very well done.

Seeing the rest of the stuff, its heart-wrenching seeing what DeSanto was pushing for and knowing what we actually got. From a technical angle, the DeSanto version looks like he was going to continue the tradition of introducing really cool hardware designs. I think with the new centurions, revamped Galactica, and the other stuff I've seen I could have gotten over Apollo of Borg pretty quickly.

I'd love to see Tom get the chance to bring this to life in some fashion, even as a direct-to-DVD release but sadly, I don't see that happening.


Sandy

[KJ]

Agreed sandy, its so "heartripping" knowing that we didn't even get an unaired pilot. Cos had DeSanto's BG's been shot and left on the shelves of Universal's lot or TV/film vaults. It would've been leaked a-la 'Lost In Space', or Red Dwarf US pilot style, by now and we would've enjoyed a far better sci-fi product and grand continuation as we've all envisioned.

Was this ComicCon panel event filmed?

I certainly hope so.

I'd love to see Tom get the chance to bring this to life in some fashion, even as a direct-to-DVD release but sadly, I don't see that happening.

Its up to Glen Larson really, the man owns the film copyrights after all. Met the man nice guy and gentleman, but he damn well owes every BSG fan on the planet an explanation as to why he isn't organised enough to do something with those rights his owns. Why hasn't Larson up till now done anything with the what he actually possesses. we all know, he doesn't have the film "clout" to produce a big budget movie for BG but that doesn't mean he can't have a minor producer role and become a consultant on such a major motion picture specticle. So why not trust DeSanto and co to do it or another such person, who would fit the bill perfectly?

I don't want to go on a warpath and attack Larson, but it must be bugging you lot as it does me that the creator (along with Leslie Stevens) of Galactica doesn't or didn't support it throughout the years as other sci-fi/fantasy creators have of their creations, regardless of their level of success and popularity seen in the public eye to whatever degree.

KJ

[monolith21]

I love it when people say this version wouldn't have flown. So many of the ideas made it into that other thing that those same people "oooh" and "ahh" about that it is quite obvious Tom DeSanto and Brian Singer had the right idea all around.

Tom has stated as recently as this past week that he is still interested and working to get a continuation made. With the sci fi channel out of the way quite soon the time is more right than it has been in the last five years! :salute:

[KamikazeAthena]

I'd love to see Tom get the chance to bring this to life in some fashion, even as a direct-to-DVD release but sadly, I don't see that happening.



Keep the faith. Tom has. He told just 5 days ago he is still trying to make the dream real.

[TwoBrainedCylon]

Seems like everybody in fandom has talked to Tom except me. ... sad. I'd love to talk to the guy for a few minutes.

I remember talking to Richard for an hour a few years ago and surprisingly it wasn't about his Magellan project or other dreams but purely about the future of Galactica. This was before he accepted the role of Zarek and embraced Ron's effort. He marked the death nail for the original Galactica with the character set we know at five years. I had to agree with that assessment. I still do.

There's still the "Next Generation" option which I'd enjoy but I think we're at the point now that what we would end up with if a continuation ever did make it to the screen would look remarkably different than what we would have gotten with DeSanto in 2001. I'd like to think that it would still be amazing but honestly, were I a Transformers fan, I wouldn't likely have liked what he did with my favorite franchise. I don't mean this as a slam on Tom but as a recognition that when you take a franshise in an entirely different direction, you risk whether or not people will accept or like it. Conversely, if I were an X-Men fan, I'd have loved how he handled that property. In essence, its a big roll of the dice meant to please a fanbase that is admittedly, very quirky.

As for folks arrogantly declaring that this version wouldn't have flown, ... I haven't read too many intelligent comments from that fan set and I only give rabid Kool-Aid drinkers modest consideration anyway.

Again, I think we're at the point where Ron and Dave have sucked all the life out of this franchise as far as a major studio is concerned. Even though more people worldwide recognize the original Galactica as the version linked with the name, its a vague recognition. Those who can strongly connect the name to a series will link it to Ron's version and that's the fan set that will determine the financial potential of a large studio project. That base has consistently proven itself to be fairly weak, despite their loud rants, so realistically, I can't see any studio wanting to jump on a production like this.

Although, I was told by the Lion's Gate representative the other night that "if its a good story, it doesn't matter what the setting is. We'll make it and it will sell" ... so what the Hell do I know?

All my best,


Sandy

[KJ]

I'd prefer to see this whole thing pan out and go the theatrical film route then later followed up with a global DVD release, opposed to a "Direct-to-DVD" only release, just like how Firefly became 'Serenity'!

Firefly after 14 episodes got a motion picture only cos it needed to be tied up, and Joss Whedon's a fighter who delivers.

Classic Battlestar Galactica likewise got 24 episodes and could have easily followed the theatrical route for years now. Had that all been cashed in on each decade previously, rather than so-called people in-the-supposed-know? crawling out of the woodwork giving their so-called valued? opinions as to why it can't be done in retrospect.

Cos if it comes out in cinemas first then a home released is guaranteed anyways and shows that it was a wider released movie. Direct-to-DVD targets only a much smaller audience, and BSG was a global TV series seen in many countries. ALWAYS defy the naysayers i say, and make any future possible original Galactica event bigger than what folks first anticipated. I'm so glad DeSanto's hanging in there dispite the obvious odds when most of us are slowly losing the passion and are trying at least to be very realistic saying, we enjoyed the original series but looking back is now so painful cos of the lost opportunities in the attempts to revive and campaign for a continuation, so move on etc.

If anything could be done in getting to meet up with DeSanto in the future though? He ought to be made to find Glen Larson, tie him to a chair over dinner, and talk shop about the whole shebang about Galactica copyrights and all period.

Haven't we learnt anything for all these years? All the talk by fans and all the theorizing in the world about it won't do diddy unless, plans are made to get the right people's together to make certain things come around and see fruition!

DeSanto (who wants to do a BSG movie), Larson (who owns the film rights).

Along with....... Film backers (who will put up the money), A Creative team who will make the first pitches with DeSanto to the studios, An open minded studio not looking to scew you over even if your "conceptualised" movie proposals would easliy dethrown 'Titanic' and 'The Dark Knight' from the top of the box office charts of all time.

Break us up inside, but thats what needs to happen should this discussion come up again in the future. And unless big steps are made by those who have met both Larson and DeSanto to get'em together in a serious meeting, thats all thats going to happen for another 10 years?

Will it happen won't it happen?

Think we've all been dragged through the mud long enough for that to happen to each and every BSG fan across the globe for another 10 years who wrote letters, sent e-mails and attended conventions awaiting news of something big to happen relating to BSG. Because dicks in suits in the boardrooms at the TV studios think we wanted a bloodly remake? (nope we didn't) or that the continuation revivals wasn't viable, cos they were! (even the various comic revivals prior to 2003 proved that peoples remembered BSG passionately enough)

Make plans to get the right people together (DeSanto and Larson) them get them into a meeting with film studio executives (who actually give a sh*t for the film project 100% and beyond) and take it from there etc and follow the course most other productions do and develop into what we were expecting.

Until thats all done and goes into action all we've got is sentimental talk. And as you all know, its rather sad and makes us even sadder still for sticking with it for this long.

Peace!

KJ

[oldwardaggit]

Well over the last so many years I've heard all the negative responses to why The original Galactica could never come back.

Lets address some of them shall we?

#1 No one will ever watch a show based on some show that was on in the 70's. The new fans will never know what's going on because they didn't watch the original.

Answer = Doctor Who anyone? how about the Knight Rider movie that got good enough ratings to get picked up? Both updated continuations.

A well done updated continuation will work.

2# The original stars are to old.

Answer = Who would want to see them doing exactly what they did 30 years ago anyway? not me. It would only make sense that if we continued the story 30 years later that they would be in different positions.

And so we never see anyone over 60 in any popular shows.
It's to bad that Boston legal is doing so poorly in the ratings.
If they could only replace those has been actors with much younger and fresher faces, they might get someone to watch. Insert sarcastic smile here LMAO

#3 No one wants to see some show continued that had disco and bell bottoms in it.

Answer = Ya no one wanted to see a show continued that had cheap sets and a very low budget but the new Doctor who is a very popular reality.

#4 2 different versions of A show can not exist at the same time.

Small ville, Superman returns. Yup I remember watching Small ville right before I went to see Superman returns.

#5 GINO killed any chance of Desanto doing a continuation.

Ok, so I threw this one in and I might actually agree with it in the long run

Answer = The original being dead may be so but if Batman & Robin along with Catwoman, didn't kill the Batman franchise before Batman Begins, I believe anything is possible.
Although I believe Galactica not coming back in the right manner has more to do with it's awful long line of bad luck.

incidentally, Catwoman and Batman begins are only 1 year apart. The first half awful Ang Lee Hulk movie in 2003 didn't stop them from doing another in 2008.
And it ignores the 2003 version.

Well that's a few things I heard over the years with the last one #5 being from us and it's just my optimistic opinion. lol

The first 4 are from posters that for some reason, don't come here anymore.
Hummmmm, wonder why. lol

OWD

[monolith21]

Keep it up man! Between this thread and my last week at Galacticruise I'm getting pretty fired up! That and hearing Tom is still fighting to get his version made! I've heard all the naysayers and they need new material!

[dilbertman]

Seems like everybody in fandom has talked to Tom except me. ... sad. I'd love to talk to the guy for a few minutes.

All my best,

Sandy

Tom was at the pre-cruise dinner for the Galacticruise. This is way so many people have talked to him lately. You should have gone MIA to make the cruise or maybe the pre-cruise dinner.

Jim;):duck:

[KJ]

Oh... to be in your shoes at this cruise dilbertman!

Can't imagine all the requests Tom DeSanto got, and all the possible bowing and positive fan responses from you all.

I can guess you guys asked him to put all his Continuation portfolio designs and 2001 BSG script. Into a book much like 'Star Trek Phase 2' to get his and Bryan Singer's unmade BSG revival material, out to Galactica fans and sci-fi fans in general in such a commercial manner, its the one possible remaining option left surely, to get Tom and Bryan Singer's intended BSG out there to the masses.

And god knows that, Guy Dyas beautiful designs from the 2001 production should get out and be seen by everybody! If you got the X2 and Indiana Jones 4 art books, you know what i'm talking about.

KJ

[monolith21]

That is a book I'd love to see! He might be (I didn't ask or anything) a bit hesitant since he's still pursuing his vision to get the show out there. Wish I would have thought of that question at Comic Con!

[Athene]

I love it when people say this version wouldn't have flown. So many of the ideas made it into that other thing that those same people "oooh" and "ahh" about that it is quite obvious Tom DeSanto and Brian Singer had the right idea all around.

Tom has stated as recently as this past week that he is still interested and working to get a continuation made. With the sci fi channel out of the way quite soon the time is more right than it has been in the last five years! :salute:

I'm glad to see that Tom still wants to make a continuation. :)
I agree that Tom DeSanto and Brian Singer had the right idea all around. :salute:

[monolith21]

I think Tom is our best hope right now for a continuation. He has the support of all the right people and the know how to do it right. As long as he's still trying to get it made he's the horse I'm backing!

[dilbertman]

Oh... to be in your shoes at this cruise dilbertman!

Can't imagine all the requests Tom DeSanto got, and all the possible bowing and positive fan responses from you all.

I can guess you guys asked him to put all his Continuation portfolio designs and 2001 BSG script. Into a book much like 'Star Trek Phase 2' to get his and Bryan Singer's unmade BSG revival material, out to Galactica fans and sci-fi fans in general in such a commercial manner, its the one possible remaining option left surely, to get Tom and Bryan Singer's intended BSG out there to the masses.

And god knows that, Guy Dyas beautiful designs from the 2001 production should get out and be seen by everybody! If you got the X2 and Indiana Jones 4 art books, you know what i'm talking about.

KJ

I asked if he planned the do a 'Star Trek: Phase 2' type 'making of' or 'art of' for this. For right now there are no plans, but he liked the idea. I'm first in line for that book.

Jim

[JSC1]

Well over the last so many years I've heard all the negative responses to why The original Galactica could never come back.

Lets address some of them shall we?

#1 No one will ever watch a show based on some show that was on in the 70's. The new fans will never know what's going on because they didn't watch the original.

Answer = Doctor Who anyone? how about the Knight Rider movie that got good enough ratings to get picked up? Both updated continuations.

A well done updated continuation will work.

2# The original stars are to old.

Answer = Who would want to see them doing exactly what they did 30 years ago anyway? not me. It would only make sense that if we continued the story 30 years later that they would be in different positions.

And so we never see anyone over 60 in any popular shows.
It's to bad that Boston legal is doing so poorly in the ratings.
If they could only replace those has been actors with much younger and fresher faces, they might get someone to watch. Insert sarcastic smile here LMAO

#3 No one wants to see some show continued that had disco and bell bottoms in it.

Answer = Ya no one wanted to see a show continued that had cheap sets and a very low budget but the new Doctor who is a very popular reality.

#4 2 different versions of A show can not exist at the same time.

Small ville, Superman returns. Yup I remember watching Small ville right before I went to see Superman returns.

#5 GINO killed any chance of Desanto doing a continuation.

Ok, so I threw this one in and I might actually agree with it in the long run

Answer = The original being dead may be so but if Batman & Robin along with Catwoman, didn't kill the Batman franchise before Batman Begins, I believe anything is possible.
Although I believe Galactica not coming back in the right manner has more to do with it's awful long line of bad luck.

incidentally, Catwoman and Batman begins are only 1 year apart. The first half awful Ang Lee Hulk movie in 2003 didn't stop them from doing another in 2008.
And it ignores the 2003 version.

Well that's a few things I heard over the years with the last one #5 being from us and it's just my optimistic opinion. lol

The first 4 are from posters that for some reason, don't come here anymore.
Hummmmm, wonder why. lol

OWD


Mind if I add one?

#6. The fan base of this show is too small to be of any significance.

Answer=Back in the 70's Sci Fi fandom is not what it is today. There were very few fandoms out there, and only through the launch of Star Wars, Star Trek and Battlestar among others was fandom able to prosper like it has.

The target audience back then was families, and while the family audience may have been diminished or fragmented, that was what Battlestar looked to cater to. And some of those young kids then are parents now, and would love to be able to go to a movie with their kids.

So it is not just fans that an original Galactica production would cater to. It would cater to a far greater audience of which fans are but a part of. Like Star Wars, Star Trek and Doctor Who had done leading all three of these francises to great success.

[oldwardaggit]

Mind if I add one?

#6. The fan base of this show is too small to be of any significance.

Answer=Back in the 70's Sci Fi fandom is not what it is today. There were very few fandoms out there, and only through the launch of Star Wars, Star Trek and Battlestar among others was fandom able to prosper like it has.

The target audience back then was families, and while the family audience may have been diminished or fragmented, that was what Battlestar looked to cater to. And some of those young kids then are parents now, and would love to be able to go to a movie with their kids.

So it is not just fans that an original Galactica production would cater to. It would cater to a far greater audience of which fans are but a part of. Like Star Wars, Star Trek and Doctor Who had done leading all three of these francises to great success.

That's a great point. :)

OWD

[KJ]

Another great point is the fact that, most revivals are made out to be much "darker" or made out to be better in all catogories than the classic original was. (new Dr Who series, case in point!).

So while a revived continuation would've catered to the fans of the original who have now grown up, with nods layered here and there to the 78 series, etc. A new BSG series/movie certainly developed not only new stories, storyarcs, characters and whatnot. But also shed the 'ABC' shadow of interference from the classic series and done far more deeper and much more adult stories with credible threats and not given in to toning everything down as the 78 series had under ABC and Universal's suits.

Whether we got the Hatch; 'Second Coming', Larson's Battlestar Pegasus, or Singer & DeSanto's BSG revival. A new BSG continuation handled right, would've been far more darker akin to today's current shows (Lost, 24, Prison Break, CSI,) etc rather than be a rehash of 1978 and show's of that time.

When will the bloody naysayers out there, realise. That a continuation of Galactica means the characters, storyarcs, its basic source materials, and its themes. not the time it was shot around; i.e. 1978?

KJ

[Stevew]

There is no reason for sci-fi to be dark. Personally I don't like dark sci-fi.
Stargate is a great example

[KJ]

P.S. That'll mean, Col. Tigh's Afro, the costumes in the space casinos (see Larson's Buck Rogers as well on that point.), the "santinised" violence, the hair styles etc.

Would be a no-show!!!

Hell, aren't they even reading my signature? huh, guess its true then, naysayers spend too much tme 'bitching' and not enough time learning to actually read at all. Such a pity-.......not!

KJ

[KJ]

And as Stargate goes.

I prefered the 1994 movie version anyways. far more epic than the series MGM has stretched to its limits and beyond.

Cos i hope and pray Dean Delvin and Roland Emmerich indeed do there intended sequels. SG1 just pushes the unbelievabilty, that Earth could withstand alien invasions and whatnot, then have starships on a day by day basis, patroling space when most of Earth is unawares and technologically not even "interstellar" ready nor accomplished at all.

And believe me, i'm not alone in my support of the movie over the series and why the series and spinoff 'jumped the shark' and piranhas long ago!

KJ

[Stevew]

Stargate is great Sci-fi to me. It does not have to be real, thats why it is called Sci-fi and it adds humor that makes it fun but the bottom line is that opinions vary

[monolith21]

I don't mind it they go dark. I don't mind if they keep it light. As long as its done with a healthy amount of respect for the fan base and the story AND done as a continuation I think it'll be alright. From what I've heard it looks like Tom's version would be darker but nowhere near as dark as that other show or as he put it a while back "hard sci fi". A little darker is fine. If you think about it, Battlestar went to some pretty dark places. The difference is in how the characters dealt with it. Courage and strength in the face of adversity is a strong message.

[KJ]

With all due respect SteveW (and you know old KJ respect you alot o.k.).

Saying we have opinions and that they vary, is kinda sloppy. I mean yeah o.k. we have'em and are certainly entitled to have them. But they must at least be argued with enough reasonable debates and statements behind them sometimes. Yes, we shouldn't take sci-fi too seriously as they all are just that sci-fi, thus the "brainchild" of somebody else and the studio/television networks.

However, akin to Gino. Stargate was Delvin/Emmerich's baby which, MGM basically 'bastardized' and altered from its original movie version to create a franchise out of. While i too have watched SG1 and it was entertaining for 5 or so seasons. Its long outlived its original intended scope and has become a long winded overstayed sci-fi excuse to make money merely for furthering a series which drastically altered itself from its origins too much to be taken seriously or enjoyed if its got way too many bad things going for it currently ('Atlantis').

Thats my two cent on the matter, no offence dude, got all the love in the world for you generally!

Laters

KJ

[Stevew]

None taken. It just goes along with what I said. For me Good sci-fi takes me away for a short time and gives me a break from the day to day grind. Do I take it seriously, no, but I have always been facinated with the future and what my next life will be like. Some of what we called sci-fi has manifisted in things we take for granted today. Time travel pgms are among my favorite. I have been a sci-fi addict since 53 when I first saw War Of The Worlds even some of the stupid ones I will watch once. To me Dark Sci-Fi is mostly depressing and we don't need anymore of that, at least for me
S

[monolith21]

I can see where you're coming from. I dig some dark sci fi, but if I'm not in the mood for that I watch something a bit lighter. I can see why taking something that was originally pretty light and making it dark would screw it up.

[Stevew]

Most of the Dark sci-fi is also in dark lighting and it is hard to see some of the neat stuff. The neat Gizmos are half the fun
:)

[KJ]

True, a balance usually needs to be struck in whatever genre is providing the entertainment be it thrillers or sci-fi.

I agree that too much isn't what any of us want, and that certain properties did't start out like that but touched upon it, every now and then to a degree. current TV along with several genre films, are getting to be alot darker and aren't as campy nor treat science fiction as childish as it was in preivous days gone by etc.

But i think even light hearted sci-fi/fantasy has always had a place to be enjoyed along side the darker concepts writers/creators come up with.

KJ

[Raptor]

I'd just like to drop in and say I support SteveW's view on this. I too an a Stargate SG1 fan, and I feel the same way. The real world is so dark and dull and crushing that when I watch Sci-Fi I want to see noble, honest heroes, where good and light prevail. It's a means to escape the real world to a place of light and where people are 'better'. It's escapism.

I have to admit, I'm not so keen on the artwork linked in the first post of this thread. But that's likely because I really like the original look of the show, or should I say the vision. The Cylon's were just perfect as they were, and as for the Galactica...:P:

This is likely becuase it was Galactica that got me into sci-fi. It was the first three episodes (Saga of a Star World) welded together into a TV movie my family had recorded. When I was little (we're talking mid eighties here) I would sit and watch that 'movie' again and again. Must have driven my parents nuts... Until only a few years ago I didn't even realise it was a series. I thought it was just that movie.

My reaction to GINO might have been less, extreme, had it not been Galactica that hooked me in. I took an immediate dislike to the show from the first few moments. The look and feel was just wrong. I tried, I really tried, to give it a chance. Lasted to about midway through season 2 before I threw may hands up in disjust. Main reason I stayed was due to learning that Mr Hatch himself would appear.

If you're reading this sir, I'm sorry, but that was a bad choice.

But... it wasn't just a reaction to a treasured childhood memory being twisted and corrupted that upset me. It was the whol ethos and feel of the show. It's too dark, gritty and hopeless. Not one of those characters is a hero; they're just different degrees of bad and useless IMHO. The fact that my second most 'liked' character in the show is a politcian speaks volumes, I think.

There are certain elements of the Original that were over done (the kids in the main...) but the core characters and thier interactions were good. In their situation, you either joke around and make like of things, or allow yourself to take in what has happened, the desperate situation you're in...

Such thoughts could lead to despression, at best.

[JLHurley]

Thanks for your post, Raptor--I enjoyed it from start to finish and it pretty much echos my own thoughts/feelings. What's...I dunno..."ironic" is that--back in '78 and for years afterward--the original BG was criticized as being too depressing!

[Raptor]

Well, I've always said that supposedly expert critics never know what they're talking about...

How good a film or TV series is, is based solely on personal opinion. What I think is good another person thinks is rubbish, and vice versa. It's all personal.

I can see how some people may take the show to be depressive, but I look at it like this: the show is about how people carry on despite everything that has happened to them. It's about hope, about beliving that thngs can get better.

[WarMachine]

Raptor,

Yeah, that being 1.0, not 2.0. Hatch's "Second Coming" was admittedly darker than the original, but it was still klieg-light sunny compared to "Cousin It".

As I've stated elsewhere, a "properly" done 2.0 - well, 3.0, now :/: - will take one of two courses:

A) Bring back the old cast, put them in the same roles, but 30 years later

B) Start with "Saga", but with a completely new cast, but the-same-or-close-to-it costuming (JCPENNY'S RACK CAST-OFFS BURN IN HELL! :mad:); fix the more egregious issues from the first series, then move right along with VS 2 & 3, et al.....:thumbsup: to the VS crew! ;)

....And I STILL vote for David Warner as the new Adama.....

[Lt Donovan]

Raptor,

Yeah, that being 1.0, not 2.0. Hatch's "Second Coming" was admittedly darker than the original, but it was still klieg-light sunny compared to "Cousin It".

As I've stated elsewhere, a "properly" done 2.0 - well, 3.0, now :/: - will take one of two courses:

A) Bring back the old cast, put them in the same roles, but 30 years later

B) Start with "Saga", but with a completely new cast, but the-same-or-close-to-it costuming (JCPENNY'S RACK CAST-OFFS BURN IN HELL! :mad:); fix the more egregious issues from the first series, then move right along with VS 2 & 3, et al.....:thumbsup: to the VS crew! ;)

....And I STILL vote for David Warner as the new Adama.....

I hate to be a buzzkill, and I agree with you in principle, but in the mind of the public, Galactica is the new show, not the original now.

Same thing is gonna happen with Adam's Trek movie. People will treat IT as Trek and push aside all the old Trek.

Sad, but I fear true.

[monolith21]

Raptor,

Yeah, that being 1.0, not 2.0. Hatch's "Second Coming" was admittedly darker than the original, but it was still klieg-light sunny compared to "Cousin It".


"Cousin It":rotf:...I love it! That is too funny.

[JLHurley]

"Cousin It" cracked me up, too. As far as the original BG and a continuation goes, at this point I'm just happy that we have 24 hours (more or less) of it and I'll enjoy it all to my dying day. To be unhappy or even miserable that we never got/get more would be downright ungrateful.

[monolith21]

I agree about being grateful. However the fight for a continuation has become part of the experience for me. It wasn't always that way. It just sort of morphed into it. When we get our continuation it'll morph into something different or even more. To me its about a bit more than just the continuation of the story itself. Its about fighting for something worthy against a system of decision making, and an institution that has forgotten the reasons that it exists. Too many "suits" treat artistic property as disposable these days more than ever before.

Its about balance. Art without profit means that artists cannot make a living on their craft. Profit without art in an industry based around artistic properties...is pointless. The fight for a continuation where Battlestar is concerned just makes sense to me. The fight to exist on ones own terms is a strong theme within this story. That story inspires people like myself to champion the cause.

This is the reason why I have to smile when someone says "its just a tv show". They don't get it at all. That is a surface level observation. What is going on here is a movement towards returning balance to the entertainment industry. This is just one small fight in a larger picture. It may not change anything in that larger picture...but one victory, no matter how small can be significant.