Battlestar Galactica...should I?

Yes. GODS YES.

I'm not a fan of sci-fi TV at all. Babylon 5, Stargate- all that shit. I've no patience for it & I'd written off BSG for years before catching the pilot on a dateless Saturday night. It blew me away. So much better than it has any right being & it's one the best TV dramas ever made. It's Das Boot, West Wing, & The Day After in space, essentially.

Disappointed? Well, it's a far steadier ship than LOST was, that's for sure. Some of the acting is noticeably weak, the final season is a little spotty & the final episode might piss you off but, overall, the series is about 90% gold. The writing is largely consistently great.

Give the pilot a shot & if that doesn't grab you, then don't bother with the series. If it does, then buckle up, it's gonna be an incredible ride.

Yeah, everything Art Decade said and more.

I didn't catch it on its live run and watched the entire thing on Netflix. I was actually glad, because I don't know if I could have survived the weekly wait. Damnation, it was that good a show. If I could draft it in the Best of the Aughts list, I would. Without a doubt.

Watch it. It's the pinnacle of sci-fi as a parable for the times we live in right now.

Definitely watch it.  It just gets better as it goes along.  So good.

I like to sell it to friends as Star Wars meets The Terminator meets Children of Men.

Yeah - Children Of Men - that's a great comparison.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ambler 

I watched the 70/80s show as a kid and remember really liking it.  And I've been hearing lots of positives about the new series.

 

But I don't want to get caught up in something I like and end up disappointed (TWD).  Should I or shouldn't I?  Is this show really all it's being hailed as?  I'm very choosy with my time, which is why I'm asking.

Tell ya what, I've been circling this for years as well. If you start, I may join you.

Yep, one of the best dramatic series ever.  I think they stumble a fair bit when comes to resolving the big mythology stuff in the final season, but until then it's so, so good.

One thing about the pilot movie is that the inciting incident doesn't take place until about 40 minutes in, and it's a bit dull getting there.  But once the attack starts it becomes an amazing war movie in a spiffy sci-fi package.  I didn't think the series proper could live up to it, but it it totally does, SyFy budget be damned.

I recommend watching the first series episode: "33". It includes a prologue recapping the miniseries (SPOILER: it's pretty much the same as the 70's version). That episode will give you the feel of the show. If you like it, I'd double back and watch the miniseries, then onto Series 1.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cylon Baby 

I recommend watching the first series episode: "33". It includes a prologue recapping the miniseries (SPOILER: it's pretty much the same as the 70's version). That episode will give you the feel of the show. If you like it, I'd double back and watch the miniseries, then onto Series 1.

I dunno, if you're inclined to skip I'd say just pop in the mini and fast forward until you see mushroom clouds.

Yeah, I accidentally started with "33", not realizing there was a miniseries, and there are a few things that will confuse you if you go that route.

As to the original question though, the answer is ABSOLUTELY YES! It's a great, great show and you won't regret it. If nothing else, it's worth it for Olmos's performance as Adama, one of the all-time great TV characters in my opinion.

Or you can watch ONLY the first minute of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grfI3Yv6T0Q

Definitely start with the miniseries. It's by no means just a prologue, it's ground zero for the entire series. Don't skip ahead.

Don't stick with the mini-series. Watch '33'. In my opinion it's among the best opening episodes of any series, ever. Just unbearably tense and set up the kind of stakes no other TV show ever bothered to mess with.

So much greatness. Pegasus, Exodus, contrary to popular sentiment the boxing episode, the run-up to the finale. A lot of stumbling around and very apparent production difficulties at times (look to the shape of their paper for a nice in-joke) but I actually consider BSG to be indispensable TV. But fair warning, it is BLEAK. This is a wholly militarized society where everyone suffers from various degrees of PTSD. And then things get worse.

Well, it looks like everyone's said everything I was going to, so allow me to add to the resounding 'HELL YES'. And starting with the miniseries is essential, as it gets referenced a lot later on.

No.

Ambler, If you still enjoy...Classic Battlestar Galactica by Glen A. Larson, then...Don't watch this.  It is exactly the...opposite of the original series.   The only good thing about the new version is it...ended.

A resounding endorsement: the duke hates it.

Don't you kind of have to watch this, just to be in on the conversation?  It's a pretty significant show from the last ten years, love it or hate it.

It also has the advantage for you now of being complete.  You're not getting into something with who knows what ending coming somewhere in the amorphous future.  It's done.  It's whole, for better or for worse.

And you may not love the finale, you may not even like it, but it will certainly make you think, which is the main thing good SF should do.

And when you've finished BSG, you might want to catch Caprica as well. It's a direct prequel to the series.

Not sure how you'll take the "God" and "Angels" as depicted here though. They never really explain what exactly they are, but maybe thats not really important.

Complete garbage. What's worse is that I believe that it kicked off the trend of low IQ or mass market science fiction that we seem to be stuck with nowadays.

It's fast food Sci Fi, with no nutritional value. Trite and shallow, it existed to be "edgy", "dark" and over sexualized just for the sake of just being able to hit those popular marketing terms on a spreadsheet. I heard of a drinking game where you take a shot anytime someone says Frak, I can't see how anyone makes it to the first commercial break.

But, everyone seems to love it so have at it!

Genuinely curious. Care to elaborate on the trite and shallow bit? What TV sci-fi do you find "deeper" than BSG?  

I have a hard time buying "low IQ" when it comes to BSG.  It may have had ideas and philosophies you disagreed with, but it certainly wasn't a low IQ show.

The first season and a half are gripping and fascinating, and it's inconsistent but intermittently brilliant after that point. Fans are *very* opinionated about it, and I do think their feelings were impacted by the endless discussions, expectations and speculation in the long waits between seasons and episodes. You'll most likely have problems with some aspects of it, but if you have the opportunity to go into it more-or-less blind, I'd highly recommend plowing through the whole thing and making your own mind up. It's a show that can be easily spoiled.

Let me add a big YES.  Start with the mini.  And, as was just mentioned a few posts up, watch Caprica after you are done with BSG.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul C 

It's a show that can be easily spoiled.

Yes, yes it is. I was looking up something about a character, just cause I wasn't sure about some minor detail, and accidently spoiled a major event for myself. It was still impactful, but not as much as if I didn't know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul C 

 It's a show that can be easily spoiled.

THIS. A friend of mine spoiled herself on half the names of the hidden Cylons on the first page of a random Google search that didn't even contain the word "Cylon" in it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stelios 

Genuinely curious. Care to elaborate on the trite and shallow bit? What TV sci-fi do you find "deeper" than BSG?  

Love to hear this as well. I can see holding up certain pinnacles of film sci-fi (2001, Children of Men) as "deeper", even if I don't necessarily agree.  But in terms of TV, BSG towers over the rest of the genre in terms of thematic and moral complexity.

The great thing about the finale: even if you don't buy how they wrap up the mythology stuff, you still care about what happens with the characters. I was kind of like "What?" for a bit, but then enjoyed the rest of the finale. Might be time for a rewatch sometime soon, dammit.

The Friday, December 2 Lightning Deal on Amazon is the entire series collection (which includes the movies) on Blu-ray for $109.99. Retail is $299.99, so that's a serious steal. I'll definitely be picking it up.

I really loved the show and its moral dilemmas and harsh realities and incredible acting. Lots of moments where you'll seriously get choked up if you're the emotional type. Lots of moments where you'll cheer at how bad-ass a moment or a speech was.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluelouboyle 

Anyone seen the extended cut of the finale? Extra 30 mins apparently.

No.  Nor was I aware it even existed.  Must try and find it now.

While I'll agree the third and fourth seasons weren't quite as good as the first two, It's definitely worth watching.  

Edited for spoilers.

I think we just reached the point where the poor guy gets half the show spoiled for him before he's even watched a frame.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Art Decade 

 

Give the pilot a shot & if that doesn't grab you, then don't bother with the series. If it does, then buckle up, it's gonna be an incredible ride.

I disagree that one can accurately gauge how they'll react to the rest of the series based on how they feel about the pilot. I wasn't sold on the show until after the miniseries and six episodes. Those first few hours were pretty dull and hard to watch for me, but things changed dramatically after them. That's why I'd advise against giving up if the pilot doesn't float your boat. You might just need a little more time like I did. I didn't much care for the miniseries or pilot, but the subsequent episodes from "Six Degrees of Separation" on really took things to a new level and from that point on, it was off to the races.

Generally when people ask me about shows (i.e. "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer", "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine"), I'll usually suggest starting on a certain season because a lot of shows take a few seasons to really hit their stride, but "Battlestar Galactica" was one of the few shows that locked me in fairly early and kept me satisfied quite consistently from start to finish. There were a few story lines that soured me on the show for a little while, but I didn't think it had any seasons that were entirely awful.

Yeah, Scottie, spoiler text would be good form for talking about a major crux of the show as revealed in the finale.

But I would quibble with your

comparison, because I believe there is a difference between a 2 hour movie that is mainly focused on being a rollicking adventure and a deadly serious 80+ hour series that spends a very large portion of that time wrestling with heavy theological issues.  One requires a defter touch to conclude properly than the other. 

Also, while I love that flick, the ending is my least favorite part.

It's a really great show. Gripping, well acted, and addictive as hell. Personally I couldn't give less of a shit about most pure sci-fi and fantasy stuff- never watched a whole episode of any Star Trek show, seen each of the Star Wars movies like once when I was a kid, and if someone on CHUD drops a reference to one of them it will probably go right over my head. If I'm going to consume science fiction, it needs to either have a horror/mystery element or it needs to be grim and intense (and preferably post-apocalyptic in some way) like Battlestar Galactica.

The writing is of a very high standard. Olmos is superb in the stoic military hardass role (only time he really embarasses himself is when Adama has his lolzy emotional breakdowns), McDonnell is also excellent, and they have fantastic chemistry together. Michael Hogan is quite good and his creepy stares become doubly hilarious when he's wearing an eyepatch. Several decent actors on the show actually. I pride myself on being able to spot a Brit faking an American accent but Jamie Bamber fooled me. Dean Stockwell is brilliant here and hisses out at least one speech that should have got an award. And I don't know how they managed to achieve it with the cable TV budget but some of the space battle effects are pretty amazing, have real weight to them and help give the show an epic feel. Definitely watch this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schwartz 

Yeah, Scottie, spoiler text would be good form for talking about a major crux of the show as revealed in the finale.

 

But I would quibble with your

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)

Raiders

comparison, because I believe there is a difference between a 2 hour movie that is mainly focused on being a rollicking adventure and a deadly serious 80+ hour series that spends a very large portion of that time wrestling with heavy theological issues.  One requires a defter touch to conclude properly than the other. 

 

Also, while I love that flick, the ending is my least favorite part.

Sorry, wasn't thinking.  Hopefully got my edit in on time.

As for your other points:

I think the show looks amazing in HD, and the $109.99 Lightning Deal on Amazon tomorrow is a ridiculously good price -- the lowest it's ever been. 

On the other hand, you could try some episodes out and see if you like it and maybe hope for a price even lower than tomorrow's $109.99 (which is eventually going to happen) by the time you're wrapping up the show next year.

If you love it, you'll probably want to own it, and Amazon's tomorrow-only price really is an incredible deal. The movies (The Plan and Razor) are included in the box, too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottieFerguson 

Sorry, wasn't thinking.  Hopefully got my edit in on time.

 

As for your other points:

 

 

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)

Very true.  I think we'd be in agreement that they didn't exactly stick the landing.  I guess my main issue is just with people complaining about the mysticism turning out to be true, as opposed to the show offering some random explanation for it all (I'm not saying aliens, but aliens.)  I don't know, just because I don't believe in a god, doesn't mean I can't accept a fiction where god exists.

 

I was going to write out a lengthy response to this, but then remembered that I basically already did, without all the pesky spoilertext.

Is this a new box set?  The original one with the Cylon toy didn't have The Plan.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Bierly 

I think the show looks amazing in HD, and the $109.99 Lightning Deal on Amazon tomorrow is a ridiculously good price -- the lowest it's ever been. 

 

On the other hand, you could try some episodes out and see if you like it and maybe hope for a price even lower than tomorrow's $109.99 (which is eventually going to happen) by the time you're wrapping up the show next year.

 

If you love it, you'll probably want to own it, and Amazon's tomorrow-only price really is an incredible deal. The movies (The Plan and Razor) are included in the box, too.

Yep. This is the new one, and tomorrow only it'll be $109.99 as Amazon's Lightning Deal per this article.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stelios 

Genuinely curious. Care to elaborate on the trite and shallow bit? What TV sci-fi do you find "deeper" than BSG?  

 Well I don't really want to play the "Show 'A' that I happen to love is way better!!!!" game because I feel those arguments just degenerate into fanboy rants. I just felt that things were artificially dark and edgy just for the sake of being dark and edgy. It was just too much. Plus, don't get me started on the shaky cam, I'm getting sick just thinking about it.

I know I'm being vague but I'm trying not to spoil it for the guy, beside I'm sure the nitty gritty details were flushed out at nausea when the show was running. I swear I'm not trying to be high brow, but never once did the show make me "think" about anything. My impression was essentially any WB teenage drama set in space.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schwartz 

 

Love to hear this as well. I can see holding up certain pinnacles of film sci-fi (2001, Children of Men) as "deeper", even if I don't necessarily agree.  But in terms of TV, BSG towers over the rest of the genre in terms of thematic and moral complexity.

 I'm sorry but I just don't agree with the moral complexity bit. I never saw it as anything more then the writers seeing how utterly despicable and depraved they can make these people before they became irredeemable. Half the time it didn't even make sense as to why they were doing the things they did, it seemed artificially contrived. Oh and yeah, what kind of bootie count they can all rack up.

What show were you watching?  I haven't seen the "modern" BSG since it aired, but I certainly don't recall a driving force of the plot being who could sleep with who.  When I think of something akin to the WB, I immediately jump to something like the upcoming Hunger Games movie, not BSG.  I mean, its not like there are a whole lot of pretty people running around in this thing.  It is dark and gritty, but that tone suited the concept of the show - a fight against the extinsion of humanity.

Shaky cam?  Sure, it got tiresome.  Artiifically contrived plotlines? Heck yeah, happens on every single mid- to long-term running show in existence. But characters being "utterly despicable and depraved"?  Which ones?  Low IQ/mass marketed sci-fi?  Couldn't agree less, this was not by any means a project designed to hit all four marketing quadrants. 

Out of curiosity, what is your high IQ sci-fi show of record?  Yes, yes, I know you said you didn;t want to get into the whole "Show A is better" thing, but I can't help but ask.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoatMan 

 Well I don't really want to play the "Show 'A' that I happen to love is way better!!!!" game because I feel those arguments just degenerate into fanboy rants. I just felt that things were artificially dark and edgy just for the sake of being dark and edgy. It was just too much. Plus, don't get me started on the shaky cam, I'm getting sick just thinking about it.

 

I know I'm being vague but I'm trying not to spoil it for the guy, beside I'm sure the nitty gritty details were flushed out at nausea when the show was running. I swear I'm not trying to be high brow, but never once did the show make me "think" about anything. My impression was essentially any WB teenage drama set in space.

I think we need to know what your opinion of what a "good" show is in order for your criticisms to hold any weight.

This can be  just as applicable with music and movies....if you criticize...for example, the band 'Nirvana'....but you think that 'Limp Bizkit' or 'Britney Spears' produce the best music ever....well, I for one, will call into question the ability for that individual to determine what is considered "good" or "bad".

Then again, the word 'troll' could be just as valid....