If all you know about Battlestar Galactica is the original 1970's Star Wars influenced show then this new version will hit you for six - the mini series sets up the tone and right from the off it is clear that there is nothing juvenile about this science fiction series. Yes it's set in space, yes it's got killer robots but don't expect anything like the original 1970's Battlestar Galactica as this re-imagining pulls no punches and is adult in its approach to the subject matter. It's also bloody addictive - I recently picked up a box set that contained the mini series and the four season of the show, and after being blown away by the four hour mini series that sets up the basic premise, I watched the thirteen episodes of the first season over a few days.
WOW is all I can say - it's no wonder that Time magazine called this the best show on television, and that awards after awards were heaped on the show.
The space battles look incredible - the producers have thrown out the techno-babble and disco influenced costumes of the original series and instead given us a gritty, well acted, brilliantly written story of the last survivors of the human species as they flee the Cylons and try and find the fabled 13th colony - Earth. The second war between Cylons and Humans is lost in the mini series and the series picks up on the aftermath as the remaining members of mankind try to survive.
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Sexy new Cylons
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I did find the relationship between the human Dr Balter and the sexy cylon, number six to be confusing on times - is she really there or a figment of the doc's imagination? - but, no doubt this will be explained as I watch the later seasons. You see although we still have the old style Star Wars Storm-Trooper looking Cylons we also have models that are indistinguishable to humans. There are even Cylons posing as human members of the Galactica crew.
The Cylons now have self awareness, a religion of their own and on times they seem more human than the actual humans. This all leads to some effective storytelling and at the mid-point of this season it is suggested that Commander Adama (Edward James Olmos) may actually be a Cylon, and although this seems to be debunked quickly there is still the feeling that he may not, in fact, be human. Please no spoilers in the comments to this piece as I want to enjoy discovering for myself.
Quite excellent.
