What Battlestar Might Have Been

[Muffit]

For all these many years, I have heard the reasons BSG was cancelled were that it was too expensive and there was not enough time in just a week to get everything done.

I feel there's something very simple that might have been done which would've solved both problems.

-- Create and broadcast only one episode every two weeks.

That would have cut the budget effectively in half and solved the first problem.

It would've given them twice as much time to create quality episodes and solved the second problem.

As a bonus, the quality would have dramatically increased.
They could've used a much lower budget show in intervening weeks as filler, even reruns of popular sci fi shows. Heck, Star Trek Whatever has been doing that for years, sticking in reruns after only 1 or 2 new eps.

MHO

[thomas7g]

Actually Muffy, just start production sooner and have the whole season ready to go when it airs!

[amberstar]

Either direction would have worked well back then. I think thoes involved in the production of BSG didn't relize what a huge hit it would be and just were not prepared to handle it properly.

Now Larson has a chance to take BSG to the Big Screen! I think if this does happen, BSG this time around will be better and mistakes from the past won't be repeated.
At least we can continue to hope!

[shiningstar]

I agree with both directions. But UNIVERSAL didn't and doesn't. I can't wait to see the desanto/hatch continuation to rub it in their faces of WHAT COULD and SHOULD have BEEN!

[shiningstar]

I agree with both directions. But UNIVERSAL didn't and doesn't. I can't wait to see the desanto/hatch continuation to rub it in their faces of WHAT COULD and SHOULD have BEEN! You know I mean UNIVERSAL STUDIOS!

[michaelfaries]

As always, Muffit, such wonderful wisdom.

Michael
:colwar:

[Muffit]

Thanks much Thomas, Amberstar, Shiningstar and our much loved Michael. My best to you...

[kingfish]

I remember an interview in which Larson wanted to wait a year and plan out the story. However ABC wanted the series immediately.

[peter noble]

They should have done a two-hour movie every month.

I think Ken Johnson wanted to do that with V as well.

Peter

[Sept17th]

Planned as a mini-series with two hour TV movies to follow. Great plan Battlestar would have lasted years...damn ABC for rushing it to series.

[michaelfaries]

Originally posted by Sept17th
Planned as a mini-series with two hour TV movies to follow. Great plan Battlestar would have lasted years...damn ABC for rushing it to series.

Nah, figure it this way: ABC might have still canceled the series (as movies) after a series of airings, due to cost. At least we got a number of individual episodes (aside from the two-parters, which would have likely been the movies) to savor and enjoy.

I think, too, about the availability of some actors. We almost lost Richard as Apollo (during negotiations when going to series) to another actor back in the 1970s. (An actor was brought in; costume fittings were done; and he was let go when Richard stayed with the production. Sounds strange, but all true. Ironically, the replacement character would have used the "Skyler" name which was the originally-intended name for Apollo.)

Without going to series, BG might have been VERY different.

Still, I think Muffit got it right. (Much love to you and yours!)

Michael
:colwar:

[michaelfaries]

Originally posted by peter noble
They should have done a two-hour movie every month.

I think Ken Johnson wanted to do that with V as well.

Peter

I wonder if Mr. Johnson is still thinking that way about the new "V" show he's working on...

Michael
:colwar: