Galactica Flies Again!
I would love to see the Battlestar Galactica, in all of its original glory (and design), fly again. The series, short as it was, opened up the imaginations of millions! Here were "advanced" brothers, fighting to survive, a holocaust of immense proportions.
Our friends, the colonials, did not have the bnenefit of the "technobabble of the week" to solve their problems. "Eject the warp core?" Nope. "Cycle the shields?" nope. "Beam him back!" Nope. "Plasma vent!" no can do.
Galactica was set in space not because it was a space show but because it was an extension of HUMAN MYTHOLOGY...that WE have brothers out there fighting for survival, that WE were "seeded" on Earth eons ago, that WE one day may be called to help out other humans in trouble that we do not yet know anything about! We have explored the planet pretty thoroughly; outside of "Mole Men" or citizens of Atlantis, you cannot set such a story anywhere else but in space!
Yet, while set in space, Galactica never over used technology, yet it used the technology you would expect a species capable of interstellar travel would posess. Technology was never used as a crutch in Galactica; warriors carried energy pistols because you'd expect a space faring society to have advanced past chemically expelled projectile guns. Ships posessed both laser-type energy weapons and missiles (didn't the Pegasus launch missiles at close range at two basestars?)
Wait...I mush correct myself...the Galactica extending an electromagnetic shield of sorts to stop warring nations missiles maybe was a bit overdone. Oh, never mind...we're developing an anti missile shield to defend the United States as I type.
But when I saw that shield...it gave me a glimpse of hope, that maybe Soviet missiles could be stopped before destroying New York City...
Fighters did not have fancy displays; in fact, all fighter instruments bore a strange resemblence to instrumentation on today's aircraft and spacecraft. Don't know if I've ever seen a functional gyroscope used in any other "sci fi" show.
But it wasn't the space, or the technology, that made Galactica; no, those elements certainly were done well and fueled imagination, but it was the HUMAN story that was told so well against the backdrop of space and HUMAN mythology. Egyptain type helmets, pyramids....maybe the ancestors of the colonials also created teh pyramids near Cairo!
To seal it all, Galactica was told utilizing believable, wonderfully three dimensional characters portrayed by excellent actors. Lorne Greene, an excellent actor, knew that Galactica was about the human element. He so loved the storyline, and the potential, that he agreed to reprise his role in Galactica 1980, holing out hope that the story's potential would be realized. Issac Asimov, one of the greatest science fiction writers ever, realized the potential of Galactica when he discussed becoming a consultant. Asimov's successes lie moreso in the human elements than the science; science being the tool to tell a compelling story.
For those who have enjoyed Galactica, all of this is implicitly understood. We cannot fathom how others, those "in control" of the franchise cannot see these elements that have kept the fans passions burning for all these years we've endured the wilderness of cancellation. But now we near the end of our journey. Scouts and electronic survellance confirm that we have reached our haven. Sadly, many who began this journey are no longer with us. Unfortunately, we cannot say that their passing is in vain with regard to Galactica; John Colicos' work as Baltar shortly before he died apparently will be in vain, if a remake is done instead of a prequel/continuation tandem effort. We may have at last found the revival, but, without the original themes, storylines, characters, and actors, it is a waste of effort.
Fleeing from the production tyranny, the fans of Galactica lead a growing coalition for a shining production known as continuation.
Greg
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NewtNoise
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