Reports Indicate Battlestar Galactica Series Greelinghted

[jdavis]

I actually don't se the CGI cyclons being any more difficult than the CG space battles, which supposedly will be rampant, so I do expect that we will see some. I do expect that they will take some shortcuts to save money though.

I also would assume that if the story leads them to a planet, they will go there. As you mention, they even get off the station occasionally in B5, just not until the 2nd or 3rd season. The Galactica is a bit more homogenous of an environment than B5 was, so they will have to get off the ship a little more often - they had just better be wearing space suits next time they wander around on an asteroid. What I think RDM means is that it won't be like Next Gen where they encounter a new planet every week. They are going to have to be careful when they do find new planets though, because they would run into the same mistake of the original. If you remember, the original pilot shows all of the human survivors from the colonies on the ships fly off under the galactica's protection. Then, just a couple episodes later, we learn that no, those really aren't all the humans. They're scattered throughout a bunch of asteroids (how there was breathable atmosphere's on asteroids is beyond me, see my earlier comment), and other planets. Remember the Eastern Block episodes? Sure, maybe the government on that planet was oppressive, but that doesn't change the fact that there were millions or billions more humans there. That made the plight of the Galactica a little less urgent, knowing that the species was not in danger of being wiped out by the cylons.

I think aliens should enter into the mix, but they should really be few and far between, and recurring. As a side note, I would be interested in knowing exactly how many humanoid species exist in Star Trek that appear the same as humans except for the fact that they have bumpy heads.

Ah well, I'm psyched.

By the way, JMS has said that there is new news on the B5 front and that money is being moved around. There hasn't been any new news for over a month on this though. I wonder what's up. I would love to see another good show set in the B5 universe.

Yea they were pretty loose with the terms astroid, moon and planet. Anything round and in space was survivable with just a breath mask. You also got to remember they left what they knew in episode 2/3 (Lost Planet of the Gods, that's counting the pilot as one episode too) and left their Galaxy in episode 4 (The Long Patrol). Everything past that was a long lost outpost of deep space settlers. You also got to remember they didn't have the budget for lots of aliens either, they talked about them but for the most part they were just humans from a different planet. The thing that bothered me wasn't that they found a lot of human outpost in deep space, it's that they left most of them behind, I mean the cylons will eventually find them too. Out of the 11 episodes(including the pilot) I have watched so far they have run into 5 human settlements, they only took one with them, the rest they left behind (granted one group was clones who wanted to be left on their world). I'm sure a lot of those original scripts got changed around a lot too, the series was under a lot of pressure to switch up stuff and scripts were being developed during shooting. (the Eastern Block episodes were some of the last episodes). Of course I don't care for those episodes either (for the same reason they bugged you actually).

I also prefer a single dedicated storyline where every episode is linked to the next one instead of the rehash of unrelated stories every week but you got to have that sort of stuff in there. X Files did a good balancing job of that, intermixing the stand alone mystery of the week episodes with the underlying storyline episodes. Although Galactica didn't keep to a single storyline they did do 5 two parters and the 2 hour pilot (not bad considering they only had 22 episodes), not every episode was planet of the week (just every other episode ).

 

[John Crichton]

If this thing actually is greenlighted and goes to series, I'm almost scared to watch it right away. SFC has cancelled every show I've ever enjoyed and while this potential news gives me hope I still have doubts. It would almost be easier for me to just wait until it runs for a season or 2 and then pick up DVDs so I know in advance it has been cancelled or not. I don't think I could go through another Farscape/Firefly (I know, it was on FOX but you get the point) situation. Aw, heck - throw The Invisible Man and The Chronicle in there as well. I loved those.

On a more positive note, despite my rantings above, this is a good thing. Now, if only Paramount would follow through on canning Berman from Star Trek, maybe we could get some good sci-fi back on the air.

EDIT: I may have to take back what I said about waiting for the DVDs. Anyone heard anything about the networks/advertisers taking viewer statistics from TiVo owners in to consideration? I have one and if they do, I'll record it just to add my vote...

 

[Darrin Drader]

I agree thart Scifi's track record is far from perfect. On the other hand, I hope they realize the mistakes they made with Farscape and don't repeat them. Even so, that show did get 4 good years and will have a miniseries to finish things off, so it isn't like it got off to a rocking start and then just got pulled. You also have to remember that one of the factors that killed Farscape was that Hensen was purchased by another company that increased the cost of production on them. Since the studio doing BSG and the Scifi channel are both owned by the same company, I don't see that as being an issue this time. Ultimately it will all come down to ratings.

I believe that Battlestar Galactica will have a sizable fan base supporting it immediately, and I also believe that the ratings will justify its continued survival, at least through the first two seasons. Whether or not it goes beyond that point will depend on whether ratings are up or down. I hope I'm right on this. I too would hate to get hooked and then have the rug pulled out from under me.

On the subject of TiVo, there's a good chance that if those things keep selling to the point where they become the next VCR, television as we know it will collapse. TiVo allows you to watch what you want, when you want it, without commercials. What this means is that if everyone is watching TV on their TiVo, TV advertising dollars become a wasted expense, and ultimately the advertising will come down to a ridiculous amount of product placement (something hard to do on a show like BSG), or it will disappear and all TV will become a subscription service.

 

[John Crichton]

I agree thart Scifi's track record is far from perfect. On the other hand, I hope they realize the mistakes they made with Farscape and don't repeat them. Even so, that show did get 4 good years and will have a miniseries to finish things off, so it isn't like it got off to a rocking start and then just got pulled. You also have to remember that one of the factors that killed Farscape was that Hensen was purchased by another company that increased the cost of production on them. Since the studio doing BSG and the Scifi channel are both owned by the same company, I don't see that as being an issue this time. Ultimately it will all come down to ratings.

Agreed. I know all the problems that went on with Farscape and I am forever greatful that it even got a chance to be on TV. My lone problem with that show was how and when it was pulled. There was a contract on the table which was for a final season. SFC bungled the marketing of their star franchise in ways explained in other threads. I just hope, like you said, they handle BSG with more respect and saavy.

I believe that Battlestar Galactica will have a sizable fan base supporting it immediately, and I also believe that the ratings will justify its continued survival, at least through the first two seasons. Whether or not it goes beyond that point will depend on whether ratings are up or down. I hope I'm right on this. I too would hate to get hooked and then have the rug pulled out from under me.

My initial fears mirrored in another.

[tangent]

On the subject of TiVo, there's a good chance that if those things keep selling to the point where they become the next VCR, television as we know it will collapse. TiVo allows you to watch what you want, when you want it, without commercials. What this means is that if everyone is watching TV on their TiVo, TV advertising dollars become a wasted expense, and ultimately the advertising will come down to a ridiculous amount of product placement (something hard to do on a show like BSG), or it will disappear and all TV will become a subscription service.

Actually, with the TiVo service it already is a subscription service. I pay $13 a month for TiVo to update the programming guides and do all my dirty work for me. What you are saying is closer than we all think...

TiVo is still a product for those who can afford it. Sure, you can get a unit off ebay cheap and upgrade the HD but even that costs more money than many can afford to spend on such things. Compared to VCRs that you can get for $30 and tapes that you can use over and over with no monthly fees (or just one big honkin' fee straight up front) it still will be a few years before it becomes more widespread. For example - I would buy one for my parents right now as I think they would love it but at $150 (after rebates and such) plus monthly fees (which I don't feel like explaining or paying for every month if they do love it), or the extra $300 for a lifetime subscription it is a bit pricey. All that aside, it is the way things are going.

I am actually more interested in the networks/advertisers looking for a new and better way to get viewing statistics and keeping quality programs on the air. The current system may have worked great before the current TV age (say 1989 and before) but I believe the networks are loosing out on possible income by sticking to tried and true safe methods. Many people say that they would be happy to help finance a show that they loved. I'm sure there is a way to actually accomplish this. Especially with the way the internet has opened up so many doors of communication and exchange. It's a bit of dreamy speculation, I know, but I do think it is possible. I would gladly shell out some cash to keep a show I loved on the air. I think these boards existance is proof that people will pay what they can to save something they truly enjoy.

[/tangent]

 

[jdavis]

off on the tanget too:
I know the Nielsen system is overhauling itself and is working in some new technology. I don't remember the details but I found out about it using Goggle Fu "Nielsen ratings system".

I wonder if they include all the computers that are able to work like a TIVO unit into their thinking, many new video cards have this ability built in and with the rise in popularity of the Media PC a lot of computers are built to use it. I know it's one of Microsofts areas they are pushing, putting a computer in the entertainment console and hooking it to the stereo and the TV. It works just like TIVO only it also is a full functioning computer and music server. A lot of new PCs are coming out with this capability (whether people are using them that was is another story). I can see a future for intergrated digital entertainment subscription services (like digital cable and satelite TV only on a larger scale). One day all your TV and Radio may be a service you pay a fee for.