Contains mild spoilers only!

2021/05/07

Back in 2002-2003 I really was excited when a Battlestar Galactica miniseries was announced! There of course already were a number of SCI-FI shows set in space, shows like Star Trek: Enterprise, Farscape and a few others but the name Battlestar Galactica alone filled me with anticipation because I love(d) the original series. I believe that first the miniseries was approved and if it was successful, there was a big chance it would be followed with a TV series. Ronald D, Moore was attached to this project and this filled me with even more hope and anticipation because he of course was a writer for the various Star Trek incarnations.

In the years between the original series and the reimagined version Richard Hatch, Apollo from the original series, had tried to bring back Battlestar Galactica a few times, unfortunately he was never successful.

Well the miniseries was very successful! It was clear that people really were hungry for more Battlestar Galactica stories and Ronald D. Moore's reimagined version was a success! I too was (and still am) very excited after watching the miniseries! Just finished watching the miniseries and again is was a great rewatch. Few things I am not that fond of, that Starbuck has been turned into a female and the fact that Baltar “sees” the number Six Cylon is fun in the miniseries but got me bored and sometimes annoyed in the series that followed. Brings me to Gaius Baltar, he is by far my favorite character! A genius Doctor who could not keep it in his pants and helped the Cylons to the destruction of almost his entire race.

By mere chance he gets the opportunity to get on the Galactica and soon he is the man the command staff relies on in finding out who is and who is not a Cylon. It’s a joy to watch him explain and reasoning his behavior when he is fondling himself! He of course sees that tall blonde Cylon sitting on his lap! 😊

The miniseries is a great set-up for the TV series that followed, a sort of intro to the show, how it happened. I was a bit bumped out though that we only see so little from the actual attack on Caprica, on the fight between the Cylon ships and the 30 Battlestar’s which have been destroyed in the first wave of attack. Would have liked to have seen a bit more details. But I guess this all has to do with money, probably too costly. And it is also possible that the creators weren’t interested in showing that part in the miniseries, perhaps where planning to go back to that day at some point in the series.

The CGI was and still is phenomenal, still to this day Battlestar Galactica has the best CGI out there, perhaps only The Expanse has even more impressive Space footage but there hasn’t been another TV show which has the same quality CGI as BSG does.

My favorite things about the miniseries:

• The CGI without a doubt, Cylon base ships look amazing
• I am not a fan of this Apollo but I really like the way they handled the uncomfortable relationship between father and son
• Also flawed commandership, you already see plenty of it in the miniseries. I just love the fact that the commander(s) is (are) not perfect
• Also really liked the civilian part with President Roslin is a much bigger part than in the original series, which means more conflict internally, always good!
• Colonel Tigh who has become a much more interesting character than of the original series, same for Baltar

Few things I am less fond of:

• As said, why there is a need to turn male characters into female characters
• About the Cylons, perhaps I would have liked it better when the Cylons wouldn’t have been so evolved already. I understand it’s more interesting perhaps with storytelling, conflict and such but the Cylons we knew from the original series are almost extra’s here. I think I’d prefer a kind of Andromus from the Galactica 1980 episodes “The Night the Cylons Landed Parts 1 & 2”
• I also liked the friendship between Apollo and Starbuck in the original series, the series was heavily relying on that. I miss that here, but I think that is a form of nostalgia speaking

Final Word:

The Miniseries is a great start, an action packed series with lots of drama, heartfelt moments and gorgeous SCI-FI. 180 minutes of pure SCI-FI and still if you are not into SCI-FI, BSG the Miniseries still is very watchable because there are no strange aliens, there is plenty of drama, interesting characters. Obviously rewatch is recommended! Can’t wait to start season one!

Ps. I realized I first should have watched “Blood and Chrome”, damn! Too late, now I will watch it when the series ends. I will though NOT watch “The Plan” because I thought that TV movie was awful! I will split the 4 seasons into 2 blogs, seasons 1 & 2 and one for seasons 3 & 4. I probably also will write one separately for “Razor”.

Screencaps taken from: Frak-That.com