How The Mini Could Have Worked

[kingfish]

I have been thinking on this subject and Moore could have had a winner if Larson was involved. They could have done a prequel to tos. It could have even been grittier than os BG like Larson wanted for BG to begin with. Some will say Enterprise is a bad example but Enterprise had the potential to be a great series. The missed opportunities is they rewrote Federation history instead of dealing with Federation facts. Enterprise's main storys should have been about the Klingons, Romulans, Andorians, orion's, and so on. These are characters Kirk and Spock encountered in the original. Only now they are doing a story on Colonel Green and the Eugenics War (Space Seed and Wrath of Khan). Getting back to the topic on hand, a prequel would have worked in this case for Galactica because the backstory is unknown. We didn't learn much from the original series. Moore could have used the same cast but in different roles. EJO could have played the original commander of the Galactica, Adama's father, perhaps Megus. Jamie Bamber could have played Adama. Richard Hatch could have guest starred as Commander Chronos. Katee Sackhoff could have played Iphi or even a rougher version of Ila who Adama latter married. Now if they had done this and the show was a smash hit then we head to the next frontier, CONTINUATION because both (os) and this new show (prequel)would be Glen Larson creations, similar to the original and not so radically different.

[martok2112]

Good ideas there, Kingfish.

That's the spirit.

Martok2112

[peter noble]

How the mini could have worked?

Prequel or continuation set years and years after TOS.

IMO, Sci-Fi can't do justice to the Galactica concept because they've got no money, hence the budgetary problems the show has experienced so far (just like its predecessor).

Peter

[kingfish]

Originally Posted by peter noble

How the mini could have worked?

Prequel or continuation set years and years after the original Battlestar Galactica series .

IMO, Sci-Fi can't do justice to the Galactica concept because they've got no money, hence the budgetary problems the show has experienced so far (just like its predecessor).

Peter

Peter I don't recall os having money problems as much as time constraints. Larson wanted to do new effect sequences but the studios wanted the product finished in a manner that didn't allow the effects experts to do their job. This was documented in the sciography special.

[peter noble]

Originally Posted by kingfish

Peter I don't recall os having money problems as much as time constraints. Larson wanted to do new effect sequences but the studios wanted the product finished in a manner that didn't allow the effects experts to do their job. This was documented in the sciography special.

Well they started off with a budget of one million dollars that went down to $750,000. In a CFQ interview last year, art director Richard D. James said he had only $17,000 (will have to check figure) to work with later on for the sets.

Peter

[Darth Marley]

Huge sums in '70s dollars.
But there are many articles that mention the money crunch.
The most important coming from the network side needing to see profit.
Even with stellar ratings, the show was damn expensive for its day.

["T"]

I think the way the mini is....I dont like the idea of prequels...it can screw up communities, after every episode over analysing each section to make sure it does not override TOS.


Better to redo it and at least stay true to some principles

But thats my 2 Cubits

-"T"-

[julix]

Kingfish,
I have to say I like your ideas better than the idea of reimaging of BG and I do think it would have hurt(me) a lot less............hard to say now knowing what we know. But good job for trying

Here's my thoughts:

Moore could have remake Battlestar Galactica into a darker adult program per Larson's supposed vision and kept the basic storyline intact.

Make the mini so that it is the same as Saga of A Star World until the Adama speach on Caprica then go to the mini version at Ragnar.

Change the names back and get a better looking guy than the current cast to be Starbuck. Bamber can still be Apollo. Make Stardoe into Athena and give her the role we saw Mini-Boomer have. Turn mini-Boomer into a slutty Cassie who is a medical warrior on the Galactica. Have an adult love triangle between a good natured Athena and a coniving Cassie. Keep Boxey in the new show but have him on board the Galactica from the get go as Apollo's real son as a visitor. Serenia, Apollo's wife is killed in dramatic fashion on Caprica.

Make a dark angry Apollo torn between seeking vengence on cylons and a father who needs to take care of a son who now lost his mother.

Have human cylons with CGI mechanical cylons because it is easier to make cost wise and because it makes things darker when a crazed Apollo kills human-cylons in episodes.

Give Baltar the role he had on the mini but don't put him on the Galactica. Let the cylons keep him alive so long as he serves them because of his knowledge of colonial defenses. He can play a game of "hunt the Galactica so I can escape".

Unfortunately the new audience demands skin so Starbuck, Athena, and Cassie get spiced up just like characters in Nip/Tuck. An angry dark Apollo can do who knows what with a captured cylon 6 in a future episode.

Aaron Douglas can play Jolly and given a better role.

That's a start. We get TOS characters but the dark adult version Larson talked about.

Purist will hate it. Larson might like it. We would recognize the source. It would get good ratings.

[BST]

Why couldn't they have just called the new show -

In search of Galactica

The battlestar, in the new show, could have originally been from the Colonies, and thought to have been lost years/yahrens ago. Perhaps the intervening time was spent repairing the ship (perhaps rebuilding it due to massive damage in a long ago battle). They may have only now received word, or discovered, that the Colonies were destroyed, save for the Galactica and RTF. We would then, see the story from their point of view, as they search the heavens for the big G.

The Movie could, then, have been where they found Galactica.

It would have only involved changing the name of the ship and the names of several of the primary characters. Roslin's character? Will have to think about that one.

[Sci-Fi]

Originally Posted by kingfish

Only now they are doing a story on Colonel Green and the Eugenics War (Space Seed and Wrath of Khan).

Just FYI:
They changed the Col Green part to Dr. Arik Soong to take advantage of Brent Spiner's interest in being in the series.

[braxiss]

my thoughts are plain and simply this.

the mini worked, if it hadn't there would not be the up coming series.

it was good sci-fi it has some good charactors and several possible story lines.

my only problem with it was the fact i was waiting for the bsg i know and it was a

bit off the mark.

but in all fairness it worked and was/is a good creation

[kingfish]

Originally Posted by antelope526

Here's my thoughts:

Moore could have remake Battlestar Galactica into a darker adult program per Larson's supposed vision and kept the basic storyline intact.

Make the mini so that it is the same as Saga of A Star World until the Adama speach on Caprica then go to the mini version at Ragnar.

Change the names back and get a better looking guy than the current cast to be Starbuck. Bamber can still be Apollo. Make Stardoe into Athena and give her the role we saw Mini-Boomer have. Turn mini-Boomer into a slutty Cassie who is a medical warrior on the Galactica. Have an adult love triangle between a good natured Athena and a coniving Cassie. Keep Boxey in the new show but have him on board the Galactica from the get go as Apollo's real son as a visitor. Serenia, Apollo's wife is killed in dramatic fashion on Caprica.

Make a dark angry Apollo torn between seeking vengence on cylons and a father who needs to take care of a son who now lost his mother.

Have human cylons with CGI mechanical cylons because it is easier to make cost wise and because it makes things darker when a crazed Apollo kills human-cylons in episodes.

Give Baltar the role he had on the mini but don't put him on the Galactica. Let the cylons keep him alive so long as he serves them because of his knowledge of colonial defenses. He can play a game of "hunt the Galactica so I can escape".

Unfortunately the new audience demands skin so Starbuck, Athena, and Cassie get spiced up just like characters in Nip/Tuck. An angry dark Apollo can do who knows what with a captured cylon 6 in a future episode.

Aaron Douglas can play Jolly and given a better role.

That's a start. We get the original Battlestar Galactica series characters but the dark adult version Larson talked about.

Purist will hate it. Larson might like it. We would recognize the source. It would get good ratings.

In the case of a prequel the In Harm's Way genre could have worked.

[BST]

Equally in all fairness, it worked when directed to a rather narrow audience - only appearing on Sci-Fi. Its widespread (mainstream) appeal has yet to be determined.

That isn't intended as a slam. Its my feeling, based on the same mindset that I had when replying to other posts, that whether the new show sinks or swims will not doom other projects because Universal is directing the show towards a specific audience and on a rather modestly viewed network (Sci-Fi). If the show were airing on a major network then, that would be another story.

[kingfish]

From what I recall wasn't sci fi going to go in the direction of a prequel? Wasn't Ken Thompson(Raymar3d) going to help Moore convert the story into a prequel?

[BST]

Ya know, Warrior, I like that idea. All the pieces fit.

[martok2112]

Originally Posted by Warrior

I think I'll write all of that up in a "back story" format...

I will, of course, have to watch the pertaining episodes again.

Oh! Such is the pain of having to do such hard work!

Ju can do eet!

1:I think Warrior's idea is a bit too complex to follow without a score card but I like BST's idea. Just start with another Battlestar that gets word of the destruction. It can pick up some survivors of the rag tag fleet and get word they are heading to Earth. From there they head toward Earth and hopefully to catch up with the Galactica and/or Pegasus one day.

2:I like the idea that Moore's version is in the original Battlestar Galactica series' future based on a colonial society that originates thousands of years later on the colonies after the cylons destroy themselves. They inherit the cylon technology and shades of the mythos but don't know the real story.

3:They could have made a version called Battlestar Galactica where the Terrans find the Battlestar abandoned in Space. We never know why it was abandoned. The Terrans refurbish it as best they can. Terra is then destroyed in a cylon attack. The Galactica is now the lead ship of the Terrans as they flee to the "Earth" of their mythos. Now we have Old Galactica with all new characters and a question for the last episode? What happened to the original Galactica crew and rag tag fleet?

[BST]

Thanks, Antelope.

I can't take complete credit for the idea, though. The idea of the Moore's Galactica being an alternate storyline / timeline precedes my days on the forum. Nonetheless, it would have saved a great deal of grief, had Moore chosen that path. Many of us would very likely have been "on-board".

I also heard the idea that Moore's version could be a prequel and that the end state could be the human-cylons colonize a planet, name it Kobol and everyone in TOS is descended from human-cylons. Reptile cylons somehow discover the original cylon technology, copy it, and then go to war against the humans who long since forgot their true origin. KOBOL after all is a computer language. "Lord's of KOBOL" would refer to computer programmers who founded the original cylon society.

[Rowan]

I like Warriors idea too it is a little more complex than BST's but like BST says the pieces fit. It might even explain why it is that they use the same terms for money but not for time, and explain their more military nature because that was what those people were like, it would explain the blending feeling we get when we view the mini.

[kingfish]

Originally Posted by antelope526

I also heard the idea that Moore's version could be a prequel and that the end state could be the human-cylons colonize a planet, name it Kobol and everyone in the original Battlestar Galactica series is descended from human-cylons. Reptile cylons somehow discover the original cylon technology, copy it, and then go to war against the humans who long since forgot their true origin. KOBOL after all is a computer language. "Lord's of KOBOL" would refer to computer programmers who founded the original cylon society.

The Cylons were created by a human named Iblis who was banashed from Kobol by a relative of Adama. iblis is sent to a world populated by reptiles and begins to experiment on them (Island of Dr Moreau ) by infusing his DNA into them. Imperious Leader is born.- Armageddon.


War of the Gods

Baltar: I know that voice, the Cylon Imperious leader.

Iblis: For me to be the IL I would have to be one thousand yahrens old.

Baltar has a WTF look on his face.



I believe Hatch was on the right track. Macnee did the voice for IL, Count Iblis, and the opening narration. Could the story be told from Ibli's perspective. You decide.

[kingfish]

You said it Darrell. Second Coming!!! Long live Hatch.

[BST]

I understood your idea, Warrior. It's a good one and helps to add more meaning to the Terra story arc which didn't really get a fair shake. It was a decent storyline but, Hector & Vectpr is all that some folks remember.

Other ideas are just alternative points of view, nothing more, nothing less. Helps to get folks' creative juices flowing, dontchaknow!

[kingfish]

Originally Posted by BST

I understood your idea, Warrior. It's a good one and helps to add more meaning to the Terra story arc which didn't really get a fair shake. It was a decent storyline but, Hector & Vectpr is all that some folks remember.

Other ideas are just alternative points of view, nothing more, nothing less. Helps to get folks' creative juices flowing, dontchaknow!

Forget hector and Vector for a micron. Warrior has a great idea with a twist. Moore could have done a continuation with a twist. Bear with me. 25 yahrens have passed and the Galactica has been redesigned with jump engines. Say the colonials settled on Terra and took Earth names ie William Husker Adama, Lee Apollo Adama(BOXEY) but as Warrior stated the Cylons find the planet and destroy it. A new journey continues. Here is the twist. The two greatest Colonial Warriors Apollo and Starbuck could be worked into the series easily.

[martok2112]

Wouldn't it be great if we all brainstormed the ultimate story together...and submitted it?

Martok2112

[Rowan]

Originally Posted by martok2112

Wouldn't it be great if we all brainstormed the ultimate story together...and submitted it?

Martok2112

That would be good for me I'm shocked at how much my brain fights to make it work even after all this time and even though I like the Mini.

Originally Posted by Warrior

...I don't get it... you say my idea is too complex, then turn around and say you like an idea that is virtually the same idea I wrote out? :confused:

------

We cann all dream about it having been called something else, different names, etc, but the reality of the facts are that isn't the case.

Thus, my idea comes from something that *can/could* work with what *is* made, not based on an "only if they named this that etc"

My idea lets the current nuBG stand just as it is, but with a better, more complete back story.

In order to understand what I wrote, you really need to watch the entire Terra story arc from osBG.

I think working off a Terra backstory for a new series is a good idea.

When I first read your post I didn't realize you wanted the Moore series to run as is. It would explain it but it is very complex. It would take an hour episode and TOS knowledge for someone to understand it. I think it would be unneeded for the Terrans to redo their religion based on the Book of the Word or to rename Terra. I can't think of anyone renaming their planet since most planetary names are deeply rooted and come from meaning of ancient people's.

Since we never really know about the Terran religion in TOS maybe their religion isn't that different. We already assume a common cultural source. So no need for leaving a Book of the Word. I don't think Moore named all the 12 colonies. Maybe the 12 colonies in Moore's version are Terra plus 11 planets they colonize to include one they named Caprica. Kobol is their original home word just as it would be in the TOS version.

As the Terrans explore space they find the remains of a Battlestar, Basestar, vipers, and cylons from a long ago battle. Just like in the anime ROBOTECH they back engineer them knowing nothing of their story. Now we get the Moore story without changing Terran society into a Galactica homage society.

Originally Posted by martok2112

Wouldn't it be great if we all brainstormed the ultimate story together...and submitted it?

Martok2112

I'd save a lot of work and simply submit "Dark Exodus".

[kingfish]

Originally Posted by Warrior

...I don't get it... you say my idea is too complex, then turn around and say you like an idea that is virtually the same idea I wrote out? :confused:

------

We cann all dream about it having been called something else, different names, etc, but the reality of the facts are that isn't the case.

Thus, my idea comes from something that *can/could* work with what *is* made, not based on an "only if they named this that etc"

My idea lets the current nuBG stand just as it is, but with a better, more complete back story.

In order to understand what I wrote, you really need to watch the entire Terra story arc from osBG.

Warrior the only reason your idea was too complex and hard to follow is there was concern that Ron Moore wasn't in the picture. Os fans can make compromises on how the show could have been watchable but make sure Ron Moore is writting the show otherwise it is "wrong thinking." I said my peace.