Battlestar Galactica: The Mini Series

Back in 2003 I was neither inclined nor interested enough to watch Battlestar Galactica when it returned to TV screens. Over the following five years I have been even less inclined, then as if by magic I caught a glimpse of something written on a website that struck me as being so dark, I absolutely knew that Battlestar Galactica and I could no longer be parted.

Like a good person I started at the very beginning, back in 2003 with this DVD the mini-series. The Sci-Fi channel have limited funds so launching a mini-series first was a good way of testing whether 25 years from the original series if the show would still be as popular, Sky Television are testing the same this autumn with the two part mini-series Blakes 7. Although originally shown as a two part story, for DVD releases the two episodes have been merged into what appears to be one feature length movie.

The story behind the mini-series is itself quite dark, Cylons an army of robot servants work faithfully for their human creators, until one day and almost in unison they all snapped turning on their owners and starting a war. Out of nowhere the Cylons abandoned their war with the humans and headed off into deep space. The humans offered a floating space station in a neutral zone in which should Cylon and human wish to meet up and discuss matters they could. For 40 years nothing has happened……Until now.

On the Battlestar Galactica a giant floating warship not used for war for many years Commander Adama (Edward James Olmos) is preparing for his retirement, having served faithfully for the colonial forces since the Cylon war it is time for him to step down and allow for a new generation of Commander. Adama’s retirement is drawn to a sudden end when suddenly the worlds that supported the humans find themselves under nuclear attack, and entire populations are wiped out. To add to the problems the fleet of warships the humans own are barely armed, and seemingly disabled by something prior to coming into contact with the incoming Cylon forces. In 40 years of peace the human forces are not prepared for battle, and complete annihilation by Cylon forces seems inevitable.

Battlestar Galactica is as I mentioned earlier a remake of a one season TV show from 1978, the show back in its day was unappreciated despite an abundance of tie in products, from toys to sticker books. A year after the show was ended they tried again with Galactica 1980 in which the human soldiers finally found Earth in 1980, and showed how they coped with earth and the Cylon forces that had followed them. About 5 or 6 years after the show was axed however it suddenly developed a cult audience, countries that had never seen the show were practically given it, and during the same period the thirst for science fiction shows had virtually dried up. Nobody ever expected the show to return, and it became effectively a cult classic.

In 2002 Ronald D. Moore and Christopher Eric James approached low budget cable TV outfit the Sci-Fi Channel with their highly ambitious plans to pump life into a long considered dead show. While Battlestar Galactica was seen as a re-make its writers preferred to call it a re-imagining of the original show. With surprisingly little resistance and original creator Glen A. Larson onboard the Sci-Fi channel commissioned a mini-series as a trial of the show. Now 5 years on, Battlestar Galactica is about to come to an end, not because of lack of popularity but because the show’s creators want to end the show on a high, before they run out of ideas or viewer figures drop.

No onto the guts of the piece, I unexpectedly enjoyed the mini-series I found it fascinating, action packed, and incredibly dark. On more than one occasion I literally had to stop thinking and look on at what transpired on my screen. Now I don’t want to persuade anyone that there are any major surprises in Galactica, it’s actually fairly bulk standard stuff that’s pretty predictable. However it’s the fate of secondary roles that leaves you a little cold. When President Roslin (Mary McDonnell) meets a young girl, she promises her that everything will be alright; but minutes later Roslin is forced to escape a Cylon attack leaving the girl to a certain death, the girl seen carefree playing with her doll as nuclear warheads hit the space vessel she is in.

The cast is great Edward James Olmos a strong but underused actor takes the leading role as Commander Adama a role originally played by Lorne Greene. Mary McDonnell begins the show as a distressed Laura Roslin, having received some very bad news; this secretary of education finds herself politically elevated 43 levels to that of President of the Colonials, an hour into this 3 hour offering. Originally played by Dirk Benedict who most will know as Face from the A-Team, Starbuck changes sex and becomes a woman played by Katee Sackoff. While the character of Apollo (who is also Adama’s son) originally played by Richard Hatch goes to Brit Jamie Bamber who moved from the z-list on shows like Hornblower, to the a-list overnight. Bridget Jones best male mate Tom (James Callis) turns up as Dr. Gaius Baltar, a man haunted by his past having just discovered prior to the annihilation of everyone he knew that his lover was in fact a Cylon played by Tricia Helfer now known as Number 6. But my favourite character is the sinisterly at odds character of Colonel Tigh played by Michael Hogan, Tigh is Adama’s right hand man and it was a little snippet that I read on this character that inspired me to watch the show after so many years.

The Cylons have changed much from the original series, back then they were robots that bore more than a striking resemblance to Doctor Who’s Cybermen. But now in this re-imagining they not only have their robot exterior, they can also look very much like humans too. Although this mini-series leaves you a little in the dark as to whether the human looking Cyclons are clones or advance robots, it’s just never quite made clear. I’m sure as I progress through the series I’ll have this little fact cleared up.

There are a few references to the original show, the arrival of some old technology on the Galactica in the shape of the fighter ships that were used in the original series now effectively referred to as Antiques. The other reference comes in the shape of the original music from the shows first incarnation, not as the main theme but in an aerial display to celebrate the impending retirement of Commander Adama.

Battlestar Galactica is not without fault, the picture quality on this mini-series is varied, from highly glossy to occasionally grainy in its imagery, the darker the picture the grainier the imagery; I assume a problem cause by using poor quality technology. As a story there are no surprises a few big shocks would have been appreciated, although there is a final moment as the credits begin to roll that makes you think oh! On the whole however I’m pleased I chose to wait before watching Battlestar Galactica, because it has left me with a thirst to watch the other episodes as soon as a possibly can.

Special Features:

The Low Down: This 45 minute documentary follows the cast and crew on a journey as they prepare for filming, and beyond filming. The characters talk about their fears, what if the show fails? While the crew talk in detail about the changes in the show from the original. This is what in my mind is a special feature on a DVD should be, it’s a very honest piece that is not just geared at sales of the show. All the shows principle people get a chance to tell you about their views on the show, and how (if they did) they enjoyed working with each other.