Classic BSG Proposed 2nd Season

bionicbob · December 7th, 2006, 10:44 AM

I LOVE the original BSG.

Though I wonder if the series had gone to a second season and Larson had implimented all the changes as outlined in his network proposal (see article http://www.cylon.org/bsg/1978-season2-01.html) would my memories be as fond?

Do you think the proposed changes would have helped or hindered the series? Would it have devolved into the mess that was Galactic 1980? Or would it have improved the series?

If the proposal was treated seriously, it could have elevated the series with a more real world grittiness and stronger character drama (especially with all the changes in the key characters of Apollo, Starbuck and Athena) or it could have gone the way of CHEESE like the Buck Rogers series.

Curious as to your thoughts on the matter.....

WarMachine · December 7th, 2006, 11:27 AM

I thought that some of the episode ideas showed promise, but BSG was always character-driven. Killing off/removing so many characters that early in the show's life, in addition to the radical personality flip-flops would likely have doomed it midway through Season 2. It was an expensive show to start with, and interest was starting to fade in Season 1; were I a network suit in Season 2, I think I'd look at the numbers and torp it myself. But, as I've said previously, GL has always been uneven in his quality - although in this case, I can't think of what bringing Asimov on board would have done for the show....Jerry Pournelle/Larry Niven, OTOH........

JLHurley · December 7th, 2006, 11:52 AM

I suspect a Season 2 would have had its ups and downs much like Season 1 did--and it's encouraging that the first season ended on a high note with "Hand of God," so I'd just as soon be optimistic and say a second season would have been at least of the same (varying) quality even with all of these changes implemented.

I've read a similar account of this document at Susan Paxton's Battlestar Zone site (http://geocities.com/sjpaxton/yeartwo.html) and after reading it I had to wonder the same thing: Would Battlestar be as near and dear to me today if it had seen a second season even partially resembling this document's contents?

I was originally tempted to say no, as I can't imagine a BG without Colonel Tigh in particular and even other supporting cast members would be sorely missed. (And what happens to Cain...! Ugh!) But in the end this is only an outline and there's no telling how much of it would have made it to a completed second season. BG Season 1 evolved on literally a daily basis, as episodes were filmed; I like to think that a lot of these jarring changes in characterization would have never happened by the time the season came to a close. Ah, the life of an optimist...

Dawg · December 7th, 2006, 12:52 PM

I understand that the memo was in response to cost-cutting requests from the nitwork. However, I hold out the belief that this memo was more the result of a brainstorming session than a serious "this is how it will be" document. I mean, who knows how many cocktail napkins a secretary had to go through to transcribe it?

Most of those changes would have been a major disappointment. I would hope that had a second season become a reality most of them would wind up on a cutting room floor somewhere (as that's where many brainstorming ideas wind up).

Want a second season? Take a look at the Virtual Second Season project Eric Paddon is involved with right here at CF.

I am
Dawg

WarMachine · December 7th, 2006, 01:16 PM

See also: http://www.galacticafanfic.com/stories/season2.html

Eric Paddon · December 7th, 2006, 02:46 PM

On behalf of the VS writing staff, we thank you for the plug!

WarMachine · December 7th, 2006, 03:07 PM

bionicbob · December 8th, 2006, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarMachine

I thought that some of the episode ideas showed promise, but BSG was always character-driven. Killing off/removing so many characters that early in the show's life, in addition to the radical personality flip-flops would likely have doomed it midway through Season 2.

In the right writer's hands, the "flip-flop" in the character's personalities could have worked....

Consider the mythic structure of classical heroes is their Journey, their re-discovery of self, their true purpose, their destiny. And no better way to do that is the deconstruction and rebuilding of the hero.

In Apollo's case, you rip away everything he knows and cares about, take him to a dark, lost place and then watch him climb back up and rebuild himself into a better man.

The same could be said for Starbuck, by having him watch his best friend loose himself and thrusting Starbuck into a position of responsibility that he has always tried to avoid, he could discover new things about himself.

Not saying any of this would have happened. But it could have made for some interesting stories....

kingfish · December 24th, 2006, 01:38 PM

Thank the lords season 2 didn't happen. Cain as a Cylon replicant is one of the biggest jokes ever.

Eric Paddon · December 24th, 2006, 10:30 PM

I see no redeeming features in any part of the second season memo. G80 is easy to ignore and disregard, but if we'd had a Season 2 that would have been the equivalent of Space 1999's Year Two, I think that would have been a lot worse.

KJ · December 25th, 2006, 02:12 AM

Too bad we can't time travel back to the summer of 1979 and hand Glen Larson Adam Stacey's Battlestar Galactica second season fan scripts. Those scripts of Adam's took adventurous risks and by reading them you know a writer of television might have approached a second Battlestar Galactica season like that today. Adam Stacey fan script of a 2nd season brought Commander Cain back, had a dramatic return of Count Iblis and introduced his unseen minions from the crash ship site from War Of The Gods creatures he called the Satyr's. Of the Satyr League! Did creative standalone stories. Introduced a new character called Pollux who was related to Starbuck. And was bold enough and killed off several first season supporting characters.

Thats a second season that should've been developed and produced! If only he finished all 23 scripts though?

And ironically, most of the unshot scripts of the first season were surely better stories to film than things mentioned in Larson's second season memo. Barring "Island in the Sky" which sounds half decent except for a 'Starbuck-ish' behaving Apollo wanting some tail action, the rest were very iffy?

KJ

Eric Paddon · December 25th, 2006, 05:33 AM

Adam alas, won't be finishing his stories in our lifetimes. A couple years ago, to my total shock, he not only totally embraced a certain other show, but also basically ran down TOS devotion as having been a childish thing of the past.

Fortunately, the current VS project on story #16 will have no end in sight thanks to Senmut, myself and two other devoted staff members. And there are of course the many other ongoing fan projects (Martok etc.) related to continuation which also deserve our support and continued encouragement.

KJ · December 25th, 2006, 08:52 AM

Well that is a surprise. Its not as if its cool to run down TOS Star Trek simply cos its got several spin offs with modern special effects of today with a darker tone (DS9) in them etc. But i'm sure those who jumped the bandwagon prematurely will regret it in time, when a continuation movie comes out and reminds everyone of an epic sci-fi action fantasy adventure tale of an great space exodus and metaphorical journey of man retracing mankind's origins that didn't take itself too seriously.

Sad to hear that of Adam Stacey. But that doesn't mean we should all buy into 'jumping ship' at the drop of a hat, simply cos one compares today's television with something done years ago in the previous era.

To each his own i say. But i'll stand by what i said, his second season fanfic still is a great read though.

KJ