Page 1 of 3
Universal / 2004 / 754 Minutes / Unrated / Street Date: January 5, 2010
Richard Hatch - the original Captain Apollo of ABC’s late ‘70s television series Battlestar Galactica - campaigned for years to resurrect that epic story. He didn’t quite pull it off, but in 2004, a miniseries based on the original premise was reimagined, produced, and shown on the SciFi Channel, later to be released on DVD and included in this six-disc set. So successful was the miniseries that Battlestar Galactica was picked up as a series and has been cablecast at irregular intervals for several years. (The final chapters of the series is due spring of 2008. Sigh.) But if your experience with this show has been limited to cable and think you’ve really seen Battlestar Galactica, think again. A cablecast can’t possibly compare with the quality of High definition on disc.
I was not enthusiastic about the original series; I found it a bit juvenile and, at the risk of offending its fans, tacky. Perhaps it was a manifestation of the television acting style of the time, but the characters were neither multifaceted nor complex. The Cylons were clearly men in costumes (I never understood their little miniskirts). I watched for a while, and then lost interest as the writing devolved. (More vivid than my memories of the series is my recollection that George Lucas sued Glen A. Larson and Universal, claiming that the series ripped off Star Wars.) So when a new telling of Battlestar Galactica was on its way, I had few expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised.
The basic premise remains, but somewhat massaged. A manmade “race” of cybernetic machines rebelled decades before the miniseries opener. An uneasy truce existed between the humans and the Cylons until in one devastating, coordinated attack; humankind is nearly destroyed. The survivors, about fifty thousand from the billions that lived among the twelve colonies, flee. The only surviving battlestar, a class of vast interstellar warship, is the Galactica. It was about to be decommissioned. Its systems intentionally retro to avoid the cybernetic viruses that could infect the complex network of computers found on the more contemporary battlestars, it was deemed beyond obsolete. Ironically, its technological regression is pivotal in its survival. With the Galactica leading a ragtag fleet of interstellar vessels of all kinds, humankind makes a run for it, the Cylons a perpetual threat. Their destination is the legendary thirteenth colony, Earth. Vague scripture holds the keys to the planet’s possible location.
The Galactica is commanded by William Adama (Edward James Olmos); the surviving ranking officer, he becomes the ostensive head of the military. Secretary of Education Laura Roslin (Mary McDonnell) is the only surviving cabinet officer and she assumes the role of President. They will not always agree on a course of action. The new series creators take some risks, recasting two notably male roles with women: Lieutenant Kara “Starbuck” Thrace (Katee Sackhoff) and Lieutenant Sharon “Boomer” Valerii (Grace Park). Captain Lee “Apollo” Adama (Jamie Bamber) remains the ranking combat pilot. The series creators make some other interesting choices, as well. The Galactica Executive Officer, Colonel Saul Tigh (Michael Hogan), is an alcoholic, fighting demons that include a harpy wife. And Dr. Gaius Baltar (James Callis) is not the overt traitor found in the original series, but a narcissistic egocentric who betrays mankind for sex. Ah, sex… and here’s where we find our most interesting new development.
The Cylons had not been idle during all those decades of isolation. They excelled at bioengineering, creating biological entities that are virtually indistinguishable from humans. And the loveliest and most seductive model, Number 6 (Tricia Helfer), has taken such complete control of Baltar that he’s become delusional, having encounters with Number 6 that only he can experience. So as he flees with the rest of humankind, he has company: the illusion of Number 6.
What really sets this series apart from both its genesis and almost every other science fiction series produced for television is that this is not a science fiction story inhabited by humans and aliens. Instead, this is high drama with complex characters stressed to their limits, facing annihilation, battling a superior foe, and struggling to survive, all set within a futuristic background. Science fiction is ever-present, but the humanity and conflicts take precedence. The characters react to stress believably. Political conflict internal to the fleet is no less a threat than the Cylons. And there is the unrelenting risk that undetected Cylons are among the humans. Like the 9/11 terrorists who hid in plain sight, these sleeper Cylons strike without warning and inflict great harm.
And perhaps more than any other science fiction series produced for television, there seems to be a genuine effort to portray a realistic environment. Ships need repair and maintenance. Fuel is an issue. People need water and sleep. This is a gritty, almost dirty environment that smacks of authenticity. Military terminology, procedures, and protocol add another touch of realism. And the cinematography is intentionally rough, with many handheld shots that evoke a feeling of documentary. Even the style of the CGI special effects contributes. The simulated camera moves also resemble handheld documentary style. And the high-performance fighters maneuver with reaction jets, precisely how they would have to in the vacuum of space.
But for the first season of a show that exists on DVD, HD DVD, and a Complete Series Blu-ray set, how does this stand-alone Season One edition fare? Let's examine the evidence....
Comments (0)