Possibly my favourite show in TV right now, and one of my favourites for the past few years ended last night, with the last ever episode on British TV. Battlestar Galactica was created in the late 1970’s, but actually only ran for one season back then. (I should probably say this might get really geeky!) I don’t remember it in 1978 (I was 3), but I did really enjoy watching it as a child. I loved the premise of it being more real than Star Wars despite the kitchness of having been made in the 1970’s.
Since that there have been various projects on the go, but none came to fruition until 2003. Looking back on this now that was probably a good thing as the re-imagining as it was described has become one of the best TV dramas that has aired. The new Galactica takes the basic premise of the original show, that humans on far off worlds are attacked by robots (Cylons) they created and then go on the run to try and find the 13th ‘colony’ of humans on Earth while being chased by the robots, and tweaks it to improve it. What has been created is a very real looking series that in some ways mirrors our society. In the new series people are flawed, it’s hard to tell the good guys from the bad, things break, the humans don’t always win and the whole story is a rollercoaster ride of emotion. Some critical elements were rewritten to mark it out as different from the original, such as two of the key fighter pilot characters now being women rather than men, and one of those being a robot (it turns out). This caused a storm of debate online, but I thought it was pretty cool actually.
The re-imagined series first aired in 2003 and I came across the pilot of the show by accident. I was hooked again immediately. I think initially because the storytelling was very good, and the way it was shot was very real. It contrasted markedly with programmes like Star Trek which were big at the time as they portrayed everyone getting on, everything being neat and tidy and the good guys always winning. I’m not criticising that at all, and I used to enjoy Star Trek, but it was cosy TV without being too challenging. I think it also appealed to me as it took me back to my childhood and I could connect with the memories of enjoying the original series back then. Back in 2003 I didn’t have access to the TV channels it was broadcast on so I used to wait eagerly for the series to be released on DVD and I would then watch the whole series every evening for 3-4 weeks in my flat. I would limit myself to one episode per night so that I could enjoy the feeling of looking forward to the next episode. I remember being so tempted to watch another one when an episode ended on a cliffhanger, but I always resisted. Before Season 2 started I was in a position to watch the show on TV and each Thursday evening (as it was then) I would get my Galactica fix. When Theresa moved in with me she even started to watch and got into the series as well.
From the start the re-imagined series was written as a complete story stretching over 4 seasons, with a definite start and end to it. Over the years there was pressure on the writers to make it more accessible by producing just stand alone episodes, but I am pleased and grateful that they resisted and continued the story arc. While this made it harder for people to join the show in later series, it gave those of us who’d followed it from the start a real treat and really allowed us to connect to the characters. Over time it built up more than a cult following and has been recognised as being one of the best written dramas on TV.
The final series began airing last year with the survivors still battling to survive and escape the Cylon enemy. The line between the good guys and the bad had blurred as we now had humans and Cylons fighting alongside one another against other Cylons. They were desperately trying to find this mythical world called Earth that written into their legends, but no-one had ever found. As Season 4 reached it’s mid-series break they found Earth, but it had been decimated in a nuclear holocaust. We then had to wait four months for the final eleven episodes to come on TV. And agonising four months, fuelled by rumours that due to the writers strike in Hollywood the whole series may end on that note. Luckily sense prevailed and the remaining episodes were completed and became a Tuesday night treat from January onwards. The remaining survivors left Earth as it was not inhabitable and continued to try and escape the Cylons and find a habitable planet. Through various permutations and a minor civil war within the humans, we ended up at the final episode last night. I’ve read online that people thought one or two bits were confusing, and Theresa the cynic questioned one bit in particular. But I thought it was great and a good ending for the story. It tied up most of the loose ends, but left enough threads for you to still be able to imagine your own follow on story for some of the characters. It didn’t leave too much open that there would have to be another series in the future which I thought was particularly good.
As I was watching it I did feel sad that this was all coming to an end. It hadn’t taken over my life or anything like that, but it was something I would look forward to watching and seeing how the story developed. I enjoyed reading other fans views on what was happening and enjoyed the reflection on the show of life in the real world. I guess I enjoyed being part of the fan community. The show had been part of my life for about six years and I think that is significant. I watched a show called Babylon 5 during the 1990’s and really enjoyed that. When that ended I had a kind of sci-fi hiatus for a few years and the Battlestar Galactica came long. Now that has finished I wonder what will come next and how long I will have to wait? There is a prequel of Galactica called Caprica which is being done by the same people and due on air at the end of this year. Maybe that will turn out to be great too, as there is a talented team behind the project. Who knows …
All I can say though is that the last six years of being involved in Galactica have been wonderful and it’s a series that I think will stand the test of time. I have a huge amount of respect for Ron D Moore and his team for what they achieved. And I thank you for giving a big kid back some cherished memories of youth through your show.
Since that there have been various projects on the go, but none came to fruition until 2003. Looking back on this now that was probably a good thing as the re-imagining as it was described has become one of the best TV dramas that has aired. The new Galactica takes the basic premise of the original show, that humans on far off worlds are attacked by robots (Cylons) they created and then go on the run to try and find the 13th ‘colony’ of humans on Earth while being chased by the robots, and tweaks it to improve it. What has been created is a very real looking series that in some ways mirrors our society. In the new series people are flawed, it’s hard to tell the good guys from the bad, things break, the humans don’t always win and the whole story is a rollercoaster ride of emotion. Some critical elements were rewritten to mark it out as different from the original, such as two of the key fighter pilot characters now being women rather than men, and one of those being a robot (it turns out). This caused a storm of debate online, but I thought it was pretty cool actually.
The re-imagined series first aired in 2003 and I came across the pilot of the show by accident. I was hooked again immediately. I think initially because the storytelling was very good, and the way it was shot was very real. It contrasted markedly with programmes like Star Trek which were big at the time as they portrayed everyone getting on, everything being neat and tidy and the good guys always winning. I’m not criticising that at all, and I used to enjoy Star Trek, but it was cosy TV without being too challenging. I think it also appealed to me as it took me back to my childhood and I could connect with the memories of enjoying the original series back then. Back in 2003 I didn’t have access to the TV channels it was broadcast on so I used to wait eagerly for the series to be released on DVD and I would then watch the whole series every evening for 3-4 weeks in my flat. I would limit myself to one episode per night so that I could enjoy the feeling of looking forward to the next episode. I remember being so tempted to watch another one when an episode ended on a cliffhanger, but I always resisted. Before Season 2 started I was in a position to watch the show on TV and each Thursday evening (as it was then) I would get my Galactica fix. When Theresa moved in with me she even started to watch and got into the series as well.
From the start the re-imagined series was written as a complete story stretching over 4 seasons, with a definite start and end to it. Over the years there was pressure on the writers to make it more accessible by producing just stand alone episodes, but I am pleased and grateful that they resisted and continued the story arc. While this made it harder for people to join the show in later series, it gave those of us who’d followed it from the start a real treat and really allowed us to connect to the characters. Over time it built up more than a cult following and has been recognised as being one of the best written dramas on TV.
The final series began airing last year with the survivors still battling to survive and escape the Cylon enemy. The line between the good guys and the bad had blurred as we now had humans and Cylons fighting alongside one another against other Cylons. They were desperately trying to find this mythical world called Earth that written into their legends, but no-one had ever found. As Season 4 reached it’s mid-series break they found Earth, but it had been decimated in a nuclear holocaust. We then had to wait four months for the final eleven episodes to come on TV. And agonising four months, fuelled by rumours that due to the writers strike in Hollywood the whole series may end on that note. Luckily sense prevailed and the remaining episodes were completed and became a Tuesday night treat from January onwards. The remaining survivors left Earth as it was not inhabitable and continued to try and escape the Cylons and find a habitable planet. Through various permutations and a minor civil war within the humans, we ended up at the final episode last night. I’ve read online that people thought one or two bits were confusing, and Theresa the cynic questioned one bit in particular. But I thought it was great and a good ending for the story. It tied up most of the loose ends, but left enough threads for you to still be able to imagine your own follow on story for some of the characters. It didn’t leave too much open that there would have to be another series in the future which I thought was particularly good.
As I was watching it I did feel sad that this was all coming to an end. It hadn’t taken over my life or anything like that, but it was something I would look forward to watching and seeing how the story developed. I enjoyed reading other fans views on what was happening and enjoyed the reflection on the show of life in the real world. I guess I enjoyed being part of the fan community. The show had been part of my life for about six years and I think that is significant. I watched a show called Babylon 5 during the 1990’s and really enjoyed that. When that ended I had a kind of sci-fi hiatus for a few years and the Battlestar Galactica came long. Now that has finished I wonder what will come next and how long I will have to wait? There is a prequel of Galactica called Caprica which is being done by the same people and due on air at the end of this year. Maybe that will turn out to be great too, as there is a talented team behind the project. Who knows …
All I can say though is that the last six years of being involved in Galactica have been wonderful and it’s a series that I think will stand the test of time. I have a huge amount of respect for Ron D Moore and his team for what they achieved. And I thank you for giving a big kid back some cherished memories of youth through your show.
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