Ron D. Moore Addresses the SIX EPISODES supposedly ordered by the SCI FI Channel

[The One]

RM: ...that is, of the miniseries. So if I went that way I’d want to sort of play with that idea.

BG2003: Right. And if you did bring back the Pegasus, would you still have a Commander Cain and possibly... I mean , I know that James Swallow gave him a name Garris “Renegade” Cain, in the video game.

RM : Really? I didn’t know that. Yeah, oh yeah, the whole point of doing the Pegasus is to do Cain, and to do that aspect of the character. That would be an interesting character to position against Adama, and you know, his daughter is lead pilot and I always liked that parallel between that ship and Galactica. So there’s definitely stuff to play there.

BG2003: But in view of the changes, would this time, would Commander Cain have a son?

RM: I don’t know.
BG2003: [laughs] He would be competing with Starbuck...

RM: Yeah maybe, I’m not entirely certain...

BG2003: [laughs] Well its gotta be fun to be brainstorming anyway...

RM: Yeah it’ll be a fun - if we go, it’ll be a fun one to sit and talk about.

BG2003: Okay. Regarding your Galactica Universe, is the Cyrannus solar system a single solar system with 12 habitable worlds or is it a system of solar systems?

RM: Where we ended up was a single solar system with 12 planets. ‘Cause that seemed to be what was done in the original.

BG2003: Yeah.

RM: And the first draft concentrated everything on one planet, and it seemed to complicate it, it was confusing no matter which way you went. The first draft had everything on one planet, there were 12 colonies on one planet, which gave, which people got kind of confused on.

BG2003: Oh yeah...

RM: And then it became, I was just I don’t care, because I was trying to make it simpler, so I thought, lets just go back and make it 12 colonies, on 12 separate worlds, and just leave it at that. But this script was so large and so many references, that I didn’t catch them all, so there are periodic references to one world and it even passed on the miniseries.

BG2003: The miniseries features a number of tantalizing hints about the Cylon religion and I was personally fascinated by that. Can you explain to us what the basis of that religion is and what their god is?

RM: Well thats still being developed, I mean a lot that I’m planning on exploring more deeply in the series. A lot of it is still kind of vague even in my head. But I like the notion, I mean it seemed logical that, you know, a true artificial intelligent, a true sentient life form will ask itself the existential questions, why am I here, is this all there is...

BG2003:...yeah...

RM:... what is my purpose. And then that on some level inevitably leads to some sort of belief in something else, something larger, a god. And, since the Cylons in particular are created by mankind, you know, they probably started off on some basic level, believing that mankind was their god, but then mankind has gods itself, so there was sort of already a two-tier system built into the Cylon world view. And then they started to perceive themselves as the children of mankind, and the next sort of step is that they were given a soul by some larger creator and they can still sort of... I think they believe in a single god as opposed to the multiple gods which I think that the Colonies believe in, which is kind of interesting...

BG2003: I found it interesting that Number Six mentioned in the mini, she goes “god is love.” And I’m wondering how does that “compute” when the Cylons are bent on genocide?

RM: Well, I think you could ask that very question to many, many, [laughs] many religions of our home world.

BG2003: Very true.

RM: I think that great harm has been done throughout the ages in the name of a loving god, and so I don’t find any contradiction in the Cylon view at all, they are carrying out what they believe to be god’s will, they’re destroying the parent in order to advance and fulfill god’s plan, and on some level the Cylons believe that they know, or that they understand god’s perfect love even more than mankind does, and that mankind has in some ways betrayed the promise of god and betrayed the promise of love and no longer believes in the “true faith”.

BG2003: And therefore they deserve to die.

RM: And therefore they deserve to die. They have been chosen to die by the lord, you know, that theological idea is something that you can find...

BG2003: oh yeah!

RM: ...in the history of many contemporary earth religions.

BG2003: Well, we only have to go back a couple of years.

RM: Yeah.

BG2003: And we can take a look at “Jihad” and look at it even closer.

RM: You can look at everything from Jihad to the Inquisition to get you to places where, you know, really nasty, horrible things were done in the name of a loving and perfect god.

[The One]

BG2003: I know, we talk about Galactica mirroring the society its created in, and the old Galactica certainly did. It seemed to have almost a Cold War mentality, whereas the new Galactica in this post 9-11 world, that we’re in right now, certainly you had to have taken that into account.

RM: Oh yeah, absolutely. I mean, you know, you watch the old show, when I watched original pilot, you know, you watch it in the post 9-11 world and it just hits you differently. It just, the idea of a sudden, abrupt and surprising destruction of an entire society is one that sort of sends a chill down you in a different way.

BG2003: And then the idea of it being religiously motivated...

RM: Exactly. So yeah. That show was written in its time, in the 70's. This show is written now. And I write it from where I am in the culture I see, the world that I watch around me, and I bring those things to the table, when approach the material.

BG2003: Can you tell us much about how society in Cylon functions and the kind of hierarchy exists in their culture?

RM: A lot of it I’m keeping vague...

BG2003: [laugh]

RM: ...keeping vague. Some of it I’ve worked out and some of it I haven’t. And what I want to do in the series is sort of drop it in drips and drags because I think that just delivering the full blown society is not so interesting, but hinting and being mysterious about how it works... It’s like, as long as I know how it works, then its OK to not really tell the audience because then I can hint and indicate, and the audience will fill in a lot of blanks on their own...

BG2003: Oh yeah.

RM: ...more interesting ideas than if I just laid it out “well it works like this, this Cylon says that, and ta ta ta ta ta” I mean I think one of things that has to, one of the more interesting aspects of Cylon society that I think is there in the miniseries, that people don’t generally sort of talk about... if you think about it, here is a society that has decided that life itself is probably the most precious thing of all. Because here’s a society that designs itself to allow the members, when a body is destroyed, that entity’s consciousness and entire personality is automatically sent away and downloaded into another body.

BG2003: Yeah...

RM: Think about what it would it would take, the infrastructure it would take to sustain that kind of thing where literally every single Cylon believes that they’re going to wake up in another body if something terrible should happen to them.

BG2003: Wow...

RM: It’s one of the paramount concerns in their society is maintaining life, is that life is an incredibly precious commodity to these people, which also sort of implies that they’re sort of afraid of death! That maybe their whole theology and their whole belief of god AIN’T that sure because they’re sort of afraid to really die or find out for themselves..

BG2003: ...what really death would be..

RM: So its sort of an interesting. you know, Cylon culture and I think it will be an interesting thing to explore.

BG2003: Will there be an Imperious Leader?

RM: I don’t know. I don’t quite see them as having one single leader that would inform them all, it doesn’t seem like that would fit into this view of the Cylons.

BG2003: If there is would he have a lizard on his shoulder?

RM: I really don’t know...

BG2003: I’m kidding. I noticed that lizard by the way, I don’t know if you saw that, but in the original there’s the lizard crawling on the Imperious Leader’s shoulder.

RM: Is that right?

BG2003: Yeah, if you look really closely, and I don’t know if its in the made for TV one or the made for theater, but in the pilot for the original series, there’s that scene. Um, in the Sci Fi channel chat, you mentioned that you’d roughed out some of the episodes, and you’ve been mentioning that just a little bit here, we talked about “borrowing” away from some of the originals. Are there any specific ones, aside from the Pegasus, that you would like to possibly use?

RM: Well just that and the I think the ship of lights are the only ones specifically, and like I said I’ve started to re-watch them. I’m going to look through and see what strikes me along the way. I remember a lot of them, I don’t think so. A lot of them though, depend on sort of the planet of the week kind of scenario which is something we’re specifically not doing. So we’re not going to be running into a lot of other humanoid societies and sort of cultures which takes away things like “The Young Lords” and takes away, you know, I’m not certain the titles, like there was the one where the planet that was essentially split into the West half and the East half...

BG2003: Yeah. And Hector and Vector.

RM: Hector and Vector and all that, we probably won’t be doing that.

BG2003: You mean we won’t have Hector and Vector?

RM: I’m sad to say...

BG2003: Awww... I liked Hector and Vector.

RM: Actually I don’t even remember Hector and Vector too clearly so...

BG2003: I’m kind of kidding about Hector and Vector...

RM: I vaguely remember them but I don’t remember them that clearly.

BG2003: [laughs] Um, thats OK. I dunno, I don’t think that they’ll be the most missed. Um, Muffit maybe, I dunno, maybe if it weren’t a chimpanzee in a suit, though.

RM: Yeah... I don’t think they’ll let me put a chimp in a suit anyway.

[The One]

BG2003: [laughs] I was watching some of the out-takes on that and I was surprised at even what they got away with back then. Ahhh. With a tighter budget, for the regular series, versus the miniseries format, do you feel that you’ll be constrained with the stories you can tell?

RM: No because I pretty much, I pitched the show initially with an idea towards taking it to series, so I pitched it to be producible on a weekly budget.

BG2003: Right.

RM: It’s designed to be an interior show, that is, about the people within the ships not a planet of the week, its designed not to go to any alien cultures, not to do the prosthetics, the wardrobe, the sets, what have you, that’s associated with that. Its designed not to be a war show every week where you’re doing lots of combat every week. It’s supposed to be a drama, it’s a drama first and foremost, and the drama’s supposed to be within the Galactica and the ships of the rag-tag fleet, and thats pretty impressive, for me.

BG2003: Oh yeah.

RM: You know? The ongoing discussions right now not withstanding, I know that if we can just get it to a comfortable number here where we can literally be able to shoot, then I know I can produce. Its not going to effect my story. The discussions that are going on now, none of them really effect the storytelling aspect of the show.

BG2003: Oh good. You’ve got to be really on pins and needles.

RM: A little bit yeah.

BG2003: Is it hard waiting, I mean, for you?

RM: I’m used to it. I mean this is the game of television and feature films, there’s a tremendous amount of waiting, there’s a tremendous, I’m just very, very grateful that there’s some kind of deadline facing us, [laugh] you know, because deadlines make people make decisions in this business.

BG2003: Do you think that we will have a decision by the 31st or...

RM: There will be some kind of decision. Because they will either have to either pick up the actor contracts or not.

BG2003: Wow.

RM: And thats kind of a yes, no proposition. I’m pretty, I’m almost positive they won’t be able to extend the contracts again, so they will have to go up or down.

BG2003: So they will have to - are you saying there will be a yes, no?

RM: There will be a yes no to active contracts for sure.

BG2003: Do you, I mean, with regards to the actors, I’m not sure which actors will be staying with the series and which ones will not. Is there any changes that you already know of?

RM: No, we have them all. We pretty much have them all.

BG2003: I mean there’s been rumors all over Cyberspace, I’m sure you know about that, but there’s been talk that Edward James Olmos is going on to some other show...

RM: Not true.

BG2003: Not true?

RM: Not true.

BG2003: So he’ll be with it. Cause I can’t see anyone else playing Adama...

RM: If we go, he’s with us.

BG2003: What do you think will be your biggest challenge in writing a series, on writing a weekly series?

RM: Um, I don’t know. Thats an interesting question. I think that the challenge would be to keep being interesting and keep being different than other science fiction out there and not lapse into the cliches of the genre, I think the challenge will be to make this a unique series.

BG2003: Farscape seemed to really achieve that in some ways itself.

RM: Exactly.

BG2003: Regarding some of the relationships, you were talking about how a lot of the relationships will have to do with the way you’ll play this out, uh, Billie and Petty Officer Dualla, will they be showing any more sparks?

RM: Yes.

BG2003: [Laughs] They kind of hinted at kind of a shy little puppy-dog...

RM: Yep, we’ll follow that up.

BG2003: Alright, what about Boomer and Tyrol?

RM: Yeah, all the relationships that were established in the miniseries I’m interested in following up...

BG2003: But what happens to Tyrol when he finds out Boomer isn’t all she’s cracked up to be?

RM: See now, that is an interesting question isn’t it?

BG2003: [laughs]

RM: I don’t think I’d wait for that to happen anytime soon, but that’s certainly an interesting question.

BG2003: [laughs] Ooh, yeah, that could be interesting to see what would happen.

RM: And what happens when Boomer realizes who she is, too?

BG2003: Yeah, now, Boomer, being loyal to the Galactica, as the human side of her, but then what happens if she wakes up and finds out she is a Cylon?

RM: Yeah I mean that will be a fascinating moment.

BG2003: Would she like, you know ...fly away and kill herself...or?

RM: Well, there’s a lot of ways we could go with that. And that one, that one I have not decided in my mind.

BG2003: Wow, well that certainly gives you a lot of creative leg room there. I guess, do you have any words for the fans of the mini who are so starved and hungry and they’ve just been subsisting on this thin diet of rumor while they wait for the official word? [laughs]

RM: [laughs] Well, they’ll hear something this week.

BG2003: Any, any –

RM: The actors have to be, there has to be a decision made on those contracts.

BG2003: Right.

RM: Thats a fixed deadline.

BG2003: There has to be...

RM: Has to be.

BG2003: Something... some nugget...

RM: Yep.

BG2003: Alright, I have a question here that was submitted by Eric Chu, who I’m sure you know is one of the designers of the Cylon Raider, and he wanted to know, he says, “I was wondering if the Cylon Raider we designed was anything like what we saw - like what he saw in his head” I guess he means what you saw in your head when you wrote the script. He says “it caused us the most grief, the squashed Cylon, we called it.”

RM: Um. Let me see, when I wrote it, I can’t even remember, can’t even remember the way I described them in the first draft of the script, I mean I knew they were going to be some kind of variation of the flying wing, cause thats what the original Cylon Raiders were. And David Eick I think is the one that came up with the idea that the Cylon Raiders should have a sort of a head or a face associated with a big oscillating red light. And then it went through various changes over time, and by that point I was not really in the loop anymore, and so I’m not sure. I know there was like an endless discussion on it but I’m not really aware of all that went back and forth about it.

BG2003: Wow. Do you envision copying off, it seems that you’ve mirrored the Navy quite a lot, and within the Battlestar Classification will there be any subclasses like there are in the US Navy such as the Nimitz class, and so forth?

RM: Oh sure that will be, all that kind of nomenclature will still be used.

BG2003: I just have one last question I thought of... and that is, Battlestar Galactica, when compared to all the other different series and shows that you’ve worked on in your career, how does it size up for you personally?

RM: It’s one of the ones I’m most proud of. I’m really proud of that work. I’m proud of the script, I’m proud of the final product, its one of the few times where you have a vision, an idea of what you think it can be and then the final product is almost exactly what you had hoped. And its definitely one of the things I’m most proud of in my career.

BG2003: Okay, well I certainly do appreciate your taking the time to talk with me, and I know the fans will too.

RM: Okay.

BG2003: You have a great evening.

RM: You too.

BG2003: Okay bye, bye.

As I release my cats from their confinement, and settle down at my computer for a long evening of typing, I reflect briefly on the interview.

Ron Moore strikes me as a creative dreamer who probably is bored to death with the endless negotiations that have been holding Galactica at sub-light speed.

As much as fandom would like to know Sci Fi channel’s decision regarding the potential series, I’d wager the long wait has been longest for Moore.

Farvoyager over and out



Battlestar Galactica 2003 Copyright 2003-04. Legal Notice.

[jewels]

Thanks for posting that, The One.

[Darth Marley]

And happy birthday.

[BST]

Originally posted by The One
Oh, I guess the link doesn't work...

Does anyone know how to bypass the banned link site so everyone has access to read the interview so they can make their own assumptions!

There are many answers given by Ron D. Moore about all the rumours! It is very, very, very informative!

The One,

That site can not be linked from here. You may want to consult this thread for the reason as to why:

http://www.colonialfleets.com/forums...&threadid=5435

BST

[The One]

Thanks BST...I wanted to know the reason why the ban on galactica2003.net was in effect as I am quite new to these boards and this was a question I had...

Thanks! Much appreciated...I'll check out the link you provided!

I hope I didn't offend anyone regarding trying to get people to read the link I provided from the banned site!

I DIDN'T KNOW!

[The One]

Regarding Ron D. Moore's comments!

What the...

Why is everyone so quiet all of a sudden! We need someone to continue with the rumours or there will nothing to write about...

Where are you Aaron?

Geez...it is getting boring here now!

Someone please contradict what Ron had to say!

I can't...but someone must be able too!

Come on people! Speak freely!

(tumble weed rolls by)

What...what was that...did you hear something?

(rustling bushes off in the distance...)

I think that someone was listening in on this posting...Yikes!

[Darkhunter01]

All of us seem to be beating our heads up against a wall waiting for an official announcement.
According to the interview, an announcement will come very soon. The contracts will not get another extention so this week is it.
Sci-fi would be very foolish to let this franchise slip through their fingers. Too much time and money has been invested!

[koenigrules]

You share my sentiments exactly Darkhunter01.
I know you are anxious. Try to stay calm.
I really believe that good news is forthcoming in the next few days, OK?

[Darth Marley]

Originally posted by The One


(tumble weed rolls by)

We call them tumblenugs in these parts.

[BST]

Originally posted by The One
I hope I didn't offend anyone regarding trying to get people to read the link I provided from the banned site!

I DIDN'T KNOW!

No problem. No harm done. Like Tom said in the message, we're not trying to censor anything and references to the site are "ok" (ugh) but, we won't provide a direct link to that site.

Please forgive my previous oversight - WELCOME TO THE FLEETS!!

BST

[thomas7g]

sorry One, we had some major problems from the guy who owns that sight. He use to cause alot of mischief here. The program automatically blanks out the name.

I don't mind if people go there. There is some good info for RMBG fans. But I feel uncomfortably like I'm leading people into sin when we send people over.

[CaptainApollo]

I'll bite,

<snip>
A more extensive RDM interview will be posted shortly on the ***banned site*** site.

What is ***banned site*** eh,...?


Take care,
CaptainApollo

[Gemini1999]

Apollo -

Read further up this thread - it's already been asked and explained....

Bryan
________
SS

[The One]

Thanks everyone!

This site has been a pleasure to post on! Very professional and the tempers have been kept to a minimum which is great!

There have been a lot of different voices...well balanced and has provided a great foundation for our opinions!

Very healthy and productive in general!

Here's to a favourable decision!

Umm...Aaron Douglas? Would you like to say something in regards to the contract deadline expiring...

(Clears throat)

Aaron? Aaron?

Mr. Douglas?

(looks around...)

Oh...I think he's left the house...

Oh well...

(trips over a few beer cans)

Jesus Chr...

Who the #&(()((*^%@# left those there?

What the?

[The Rain]

Originally posted by Darth Marley
We call them tumblenugs in these parts.

LOL
Well northern California and Tennesee have more in common than I thought!

[Tyrol]

Umm...Aaron Douglas? Would you like to say something in regards to the contract deadline expiring...

(Clears throat)

Aaron? Aaron?

Mr. Douglas?

(looks around...)

Oh...I think he's left the house...

Oh well...

Sorry.....Been working.
what do you want me to say?
I don't have a contract. I know Grace is waiting until Friday until she moves onto other things or is kept for this. My agent is going to call on Friday and ask questions about me. I have two other shows starting in Feb. so if BSG doesn't go I will be working so at this point I am not too worried about it. I have what has been told to me so that is what I am going on. All I have ever said is what I have been told... just like you.
I will be in LA on Friday and I may drop in on David and say 'hey... so what's up?'
As for the contracts expiring ....well they are expiring... what do you want? At this point I could not really care anymore. I want to do the show but I am not going to hold my breath or be too worried about it. If it goes I may not even be kept so why worry. This is the biz...as BS as it may be this is it.
There is enough BS in this business to deal with I don't need it here as well.
Why don't you call Ron French and ask him what is going on. This is my last post to THE ONE.

[thomas7g]

I'm sorry to hear that. But I know you will succeed in acting. Your career is going up and shows alot of promise. So don't let it get ya down.

I think BG will eventually be open for ya. But I have a feeling the project may be delayed. I have no inside knowledge on that, but scifi seems to be like a used car dealer trying to score the big one, but lacking severly in so many ways the ability and heart to do it well. I think it will eventually happen because the product is profitable. But it may take awhile. And from watching BG for a long time I would have to say its a glorious thing when it happens, but its a lousy bet and a painful ride.

I remember telling someone once that Battlestar is like that girl you are nuts for but she is sooooo bad for you!

When you get to LA I'd like to buy ya a drink or something. Not much of a drinking man myself, but I would like to say Hi.

[The One]

Thanks for the response Aaron!

My last post was not meant to be facitious to get a heated response or a bitter response or anything negative...just wanted to hear what you had to say and you said what you had to...

...hope there is no hard feelings as the last few words you wrote were...well, not to encouraging towards my posts...

But I respect that...and like I said...liked your work in Galactica! And I am sure I'll see you on the tube again in the near future!

Yes, there is a lot of BS in this biz...and the ones that can set it aside will flourish...the ones that can't will sink into the dark abyss of bitterness...

The situation with Galactica is NOT unusual and happens many, many times!

A pilot project...and as you know...there are 100 of them that are shot every year...most do not get picked up...and most get shelved! So, the odds of this show going to series is NOT good regardless of the strong ratings which doesn't mean a series will be successful...

There are so many other factors involved before a studio will greenlight a project...and sometimes, we have all seen projects that get greenlighted that shouldn't...and that is the business...1 + 1 does NOT equal 2 in this business!

Good luck in Los Angeles Aaron! I hope all goes well with your acting career...sure to see you on the tube in the near future!

*I didn't know you didn't have a contract with Galactica. I thought that you were a series-regular since you are the one that has posted here the most and gotten involved with these threads more than the other actors!

That came to a shock to me! That is the first I have heard of that...but, it came from you so I guess it is true!

[koenigrules]

Sci-Fi is so used to me calling them.
They said they are finalizing their negotiations. They will know Friday & it looks good.
Not official....but pretty damn close to it!

[slider]

Is this the source that told you 6 episodes had been ordered? I know you are only reporting what you hear from the people answering the telephones. Let’s hope this source is connected to the high level meetings in LA. The fans have had their chains pulled quite a bit over the last 2 weeks. But congratulations if this turns out to be true.

[koenigrules]

Its a different source- not from Hammer's Office. That one was reading what was on the cinescape site. I found that out after another phone call to her!
This person is the assistant to Thomas Bitale, Senior Vice President of Programming (might have gotten the spelling wrong). She seemed much more knowledgeable.

[koenigrules]

By the way, Sci-Fi told me they will re-air the mini in March or April of this year!

[The One]

Hey Koenigrules...you should probably let Ron Moore know what is going on...or maybe he should call the Sci Fi Channel to fill him in on the great news forthcoming...I am sure he would appreciate it!

[The One]

Wow! Please post the information as soon as you hear the go-ahead from the Sci Fi Channel...

It sounds like very promising news!

Did they say if there was going to be only six episodes or a full season of 22?

[The One]

[koenigrules]

Hopefully by Friday they will disclose if its a go & how many episodes there will be.
Will keep you updated.
Ciao.

[Soulmage]

Quit being such a d##k. . . The One. Either Koenig is right or he's not, we'll find out soon. Just antagonizing people, even if they're ignoring it serves no purpose and doesn't cast you in a very good light. That's probably why Aaron mentioned something.

Personally, I wonder if even if the series is greenlit on Friday/Saturday whether we'll hear something or not until Monday/Tuesday of next week.

If Sci-Fi is anything like my company, once a decision is made that decision has to be communicated to the PR department that handles all external communications. There its drafted, reviewed by various management in the PR and originating department, finally its run by Corp. Law to see if it's O.K. from that perspective. Then, and only then does it actually go to print. The whole process takes a couple days minimum unless the announcement is pre-drafted and they're just sitting on it waiting for the official word.

So, its always possible we might not hear an official annoucement from Sci Fi for a while even if the decision is a go. After all, nothing in the actor's contracts says that the decision has to be announced to the world by the 31st, just that it has to be made, although hopefully we'll get some inside scoop on Friday (or Sunday if negotiations stretch into Saturday.)

[koenigrules]

Or by Friday Aaron Douglas will call me (he has my number) and I will relay the news here...