Battlestar Galactica - did anyone watch the series?

[SpursforSix]

It's got great reviews but I'm wondering if it's just because anyone that bothered to watch it was a diehard fan.

I'm wanting to take a break from docs and dark crime shows. Was thinking about giving this a shot.

[RD2191]

Bend over, I'll give you a shot.

[SpursforSix]

Bend over, I'll give you a shot.

weak

[Pavlov]

I'll get around to watching s2-4 but even back then the pace of the main story seemed really glacial. Acting is good and it's the first time on TV I remember the FX and camera techniques' being used that are commonplace today (the kind of stuff I really started noticing later in things like Star Trek minus the lens flares, so they shouldn't seem very dated or cheesy. Really good for basic cable.

[Xevious]

I never watched the original series, so I wouldn't consider myself a diehard fan. The opening miniseries and the first three seasons or so of the new series were really good. It was kind of like an ultra-realistic (for the time) space-based scifi show. It was a breath of fresh air when the only real options were Star Trek, Star Wars, or Babylon 5. As it went on though, I felt like it got weirder and weirder and they just pulled some twists out of their asses. There was a story that during a table read for one of the final episodes, Katee Sackhoff (Starbuck) got frustrated and screamed out that she didn't know what the fuck was going on with the story or her character.

All that said, I still think it's worth a shot. The camera work and FX were really impressive and still hold up well IMO. They took a lot of risks and really pushed what could be done on basic cable. And as I said, I'd put the first two or three seasons up there with any great TV shows.

[Reck]

weak

Bend over, I'll give you a battlestar.

I think that would have been a better ring shot. :lol

[Reck]

I always thought these kind of shows were boring.

Star Trek, this and any space voyage shows just doesn't do it for me.

Everyone seems to love Firefly but to me it's just ok. The pace of these shows seem to always be mega slow.

[Avant]

Other than movies/sports/CNN/History Channel all that ...TV Show...stuff pretty much sucks. Would rather read, listen to music.

Why anyone would watch junk TV?

[Pavlov]

Other than movies/sports/CNN/History Channel all that ...TV Show...stuff pretty much sucks. Would rather read, listen to music.

Why anyone would watch junk TV?If you didn't watch it, don't post here.

[Avant]

If you didn't watch it, don't post here.

Stupid, the question was...did anyone watch the series....right?

[Pavlov]

Stupid, the question was...did anyone watch the series....right?And you didn't, so fuck right off.

[Avant]

And you didn't, so fuck right off.

Pavlov, I was gone, you are the only reason I'm here now, do you think at all before posting? You come off as being an idiot.

[Pavlov]

Pavlov, I was gone, you are the only reason I'm here now, do you think at all before posting? You come off as being an idiot.So you admit to following me around.

hahahahahahahahaha~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

[Avant]

So you admit to following me around.

hahahahahahahahaha~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`


Stupid, there was no doubt you were only here because of Avante I knew that.

Stupid, can you go a month without humping my leg? I 'm saying you can't.

[Pavlov]

Stupid, there was no doubt you were only here because of Avante I knew that.

Stupid, can you go a month without humping my leg? I 'm saying you can't.You're humping my leg right now, dummy.

[Avant]

You're humping my leg right now, dummy.

Dude, you came to me, remember? Why?

Pavlov, why is all you ever do is hassle other posters?

[Pavlov]

Dude, you came to me, remember?I was here first, remember?

Leave this thread now.

[Spurminator]

I watched it. I generally liked it but it takes a while to get through and some of the episodes are real slogs. I wish it had been made when 10-13 episodes were standard for prestige TV. The 20+ episode seasons result in a lot of filler.

[Avant]

I was her first, remember?

Leave this thread now.

Which...her?

[cool cat]

Great show, really good acting. I think it paved the way for serious Sci-fi/fantasy shows, like The Walking Dead & Game of Thrones. I do think it loses steam in the last two seasons and the finale not amazing but they were covering some heavy topics and you do get a ending which is more then you can say for most high concept Sci-fi shows.

[Blake]

Show was 7/10. Really slow pace. Main story line was solid, some of the side stories sucked.

My main gripe was there was hardly any fighting with the old robots

[SpursforSix]

I think I'll give it a shot. Seems like I have to watch the mini series first anyway. Maybe that will give me an idea if I'll like the series.

Might squeeze in Catch 22 first.

[LaMarcus Bryant]

Amazing series. Just take it for what it is. Ignore the CGI, it's quite poor but the acting, themes, mythology, character development, and plot twists all make for a very good scifi show.

I would advise watching the 2 part miniseries "movie" before, it adds to the mind-fuck aspect of the show itself. My first run, I never saw the movie, and the series still works well without it, but I'd recommend not skipping it.
Last but not least, Tricia Helfer as Caprica Six is elite level gorgeous in that show.

[SpursforSix]

Amazing series. Just take it for what it is. Ignore the CGI, it's quite poor but the acting, themes, mythology, character development, and plot twists all make for a very good scifi show.

I would advise watching the 2 part miniseries "movie" before, it adds to the mind-fuck aspect of the show itself. My first run, I never saw the movie, and the series still works well without it, but I'd recommend not skipping it.
Last but not least, Tricia Helfer as Caprica Six is elite level gorgeous in that show.


yeah...that's what I was wondering. I was about to start the series and it started off with "last time on...". Then started to replay some scenes. I assumed they were from the miniseries.

[LaMarcus Bryant]

yeah...that's what I was wondering. I was about to start the series and it started off with "last time on...". Then started to replay some scenes. I assumed they were from the miniseries.

You gain a greater appreciation for the initial relationship between Gaius and Six, and the mental projection stuff kind of makes more sense when you know the movie stuff.

[Xevious]

yeah...that's what I was wondering. I was about to start the series and it started off with "last time on...". Then started to replay some scenes. I assumed they were from the miniseries.

The miniseries should be watched first. It was filmed as a stand-alone iirc because the Sci-fi channel wanted to see how it did before picking it up as a series. So the miniseries itself shows the destruction of the 12 colonies and is a good introduction to all the characters and what the main conflict is going to be.

The opening episode of the series "33" is fucking awesome, but it just throws you right in.

[aj3292]

I assume you’re referring to the 2005 remake, not the original? It is my all-time favourite TV show. I’ve never watched another show where I’ve seen more consistency in terms of the writing. Most shows have threads that are abandoned, don’t mesh together, and just a lot of “missing” connections in terms of story and character relationships, but BSG did an amazing job tying everything together.

[aj3292]

The miniseries should be watched first. It was filmed as a stand-alone iirc because the Sci-fi channel wanted to see how it did before picking it up as a series. So the miniseries itself shows the destruction of the 12 colonies and is a good introduction to all the characters and what the main conflict is going to be.

The opening episode of the series "33" is fucking awesome, but it just throws you right in.

I can't imagine starting with "33." There'd be zero context, plus the miniseries is arguably one of the best TV pilots of all time.

[SpursforSix]

I never watched the original series, so I wouldn't consider myself a diehard fan. The opening miniseries and the first three seasons or so of the new series were really good. It was kind of like an ultra-realistic (for the time) space-based scifi show. It was a breath of fresh air when the only real options were Star Trek, Star Wars, or Babylon 5. As it went on though, I felt like it got weirder and weirder and they just pulled some twists out of their asses. There was a story that during a table read for one of the final episodes, Katee Sackhoff (Starbuck) got frustrated and screamed out that she didn't know what the fuck was going on with the story or her character.

All that said, I still think it's worth a shot. The camera work and FX were really impressive and still hold up well IMO. They took a lot of risks and really pushed what could be done on basic cable. And as I said, I'd put the first two or three seasons up there with any great TV shows.


The miniseries should be watched first. It was filmed as a stand-alone iirc because the Sci-fi channel wanted to see how it did before picking it up as a series. So the miniseries itself shows the destruction of the 12 colonies and is a good introduction to all the characters and what the main conflict is going to be.

The opening episode of the series "33" is fucking awesome, but it just throws you right in.


I can't imagine starting with "33." There'd be zero context, plus the miniseries is arguably one of the best TV pilots of all time.

Watched the miniseries and the first season over the weekend. It's as you guys advertised. Way better than I expected. Especially plot wise.

Agree that watching the mini series helps you quickly understand what's going on. I will say that I didn't think the mini series itself was that great. Just OK to me. But 33 immediately sucks you in. I really didn't have any problems with the CGI.

Really smart writing. With the multiples, they gave themselves so many options going forward to introduce new sub-plots and twists.

Just excellent.

[alamo50]

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/battlestar-galactica-dirk-benedict-signed

[aj3292]

Watched the miniseries and the first season over the weekend. It's as you guys advertised. Way better than I expected. Especially plot wise.

Agree that watching the mini series helps you quickly understand what's going on. I will say that I didn't think the mini series itself was that great. Just OK to me. But 33 immediately sucks you in. I really didn't have any problems with the CGI.

Really smart writing. With the multiples, they gave themselves so many options going forward to introduce new sub-plots and twists.

Just excellent.

I remember thinking at the time when the show was on the air that the CG was actually pretty good. But I think the way the space shots were directed was more what stood out to me. They had a better sense of scale to them than a lot of sci-fi shows at the time.

The show does get "weirder" as you go on, though I think it depends on where your attention was during the first seasons. There are plenty of hints right from the start that the show is not as "grounded" as it might seem. It can be argued that the entire story is in some respects both a celebration and a stern critique on Christianity, so those who are theologically inclined will probably enjoy it more than those with zero interest in that area.

[SpursforSix]

I remember thinking at the time when the show was on the air that the CG was actually pretty good. But I think the way the space shots were directed was more what stood out to me. They had a better sense of scale to them than a lot of sci-fi shows at the time.

The show does get "weirder" as you go on, though I think it depends on where your attention was during the first seasons. There are plenty of hints right from the start that the show is not as "grounded" as it might seem. It can be argued that the entire story is in some respects both a celebration and a stern critique on Christianity, so those who are theologically inclined will probably enjoy it more than those with zero interest in that area.

I didn't see it at the time but I'm pretty sure the CGI had to be about as good as it got for a TV show. I never caught myself distracted by it at all. Even if it came out today, I don't think I'd have a problem with it.

If you want to see something funny, check out the first episode of the original series. After I watched the mini-series, the first thing that queered up was Episode One of the original. I watched about a minute of it but it's ridiculous looking.

And I'm happy with the "weirdness" of the new show. When I watch sci-fi, I hope that it's something that makes me think.

[RandomGuy]

It's got great reviews but I'm wondering if it's just because anyone that bothered to watch it was a diehard fan.

I'm wanting to take a break from docs and dark crime shows. Was thinking about giving this a shot.

Watched the whole thing.

As a hardcore sci fi nerd, it was good. They took some things happening in the wider world and used issues to make good stories.

Combat scenes were spot on, music was good, and it was well acted all around.

The series ending was a total mind fucking.

[RandomGuy]

I remember thinking at the time when the show was on the air that the CG was actually pretty good. But I think the way the space shots were directed was more what stood out to me. They had a better sense of scale to them than a lot of sci-fi shows at the time.

The show does get "weirder" as you go on, though I think it depends on where your attention was during the first seasons. There are plenty of hints right from the start that the show is not as "grounded" as it might seem. It can be argued that the entire story is in some respects both a celebration and a stern critique on Christianity, so those who are theologically inclined will probably enjoy it more than those with zero interest in that area.

The religious aspects were fun, IMO, since they made it a bit more surreal and trippy.

If you liked the battle scenes, try the Expanse. THAT was something good enough for my wife to get into as well, and it has a lot of good science in it. No magic shields, transporters, or other BS. The closest thing they do is invent a drive efficient enough to make inter-solar travel feasible.

[aj3292]

SpursforSix I also appreciated that the CG was always there in service of the story, rather than simply as spectacle. Like you said, it was undistracting.

I haven't seen the original BSG at all, but I've heard it's very "disco."
RandomGuy I do watch The Expanse, and it's amazing. I completely agree about the battle sequences being in the same vein. Like you, I also appreciate how "down to earth it is" (maybe not the right choice of words, heh). It's easy to imagine that it's what real-life space travel and living would actually be like. I also appreciate that as with BSG, it deals with a lot of social and political issues.

[SpursforSix]

The religious aspects were fun, IMO, since they made it a bit more surreal and trippy.

If you liked the battle scenes, try the Expanse. THAT was something good enough for my wife to get into as well, and it has a lot of good science in it. No magic shields, transporters, or other BS. The closest thing they do is invent a drive efficient enough to make inter-solar travel feasible.


SpursforSix (https://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=49684) I also appreciated that the CG was always there in service of the story, rather than simply as spectacle. Like you said, it was undistracting.

I haven't seen the original BSG at all, but I've heard it's very "disco."
RandomGuy (https://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=1813) I do watch The Expanse, and it's amazing. I completely agree about the battle sequences being in the same vein. Like you, I also appreciate how "down to earth it is" (maybe not the right choice of words, heh). It's easy to imagine that it's what real-life space travel and living would actually be like. I also appreciate that as with BSG, it deals with a lot of social and political issues.

I might give the Expanse a shot after this. I only know a hanfful of people that watch it but all say it's great. I'm not sure why I have this aversion to trying out sci-fi series.

[aj3292]

I might give the Expanse a shot after this. I only know a hanfful of people that watch it but all say it's great. I'm not sure why I have this aversion to trying out sci-fi series.

I think The Expanse never gained a broader audience because 1-it is in some respects a "slow starter," and 2-it requires that you think a lot while watching it. It dumps a ton of information on you fast, but it takes a while for the plot to really move along, and I think a lot of people get impatient with that. I also didn't connect to the characters much until fairly late in the first season, but ended up really caring about them. It's a fantastic show if you have a bit of patience.

[RandomGuy]

I might give the Expanse a shot after this. I only know a hanfful of people that watch it but all say it's great. I'm not sure why I have this aversion to trying out sci-fi series.

It's on Amazon prime if memory serves. IT got canned by Sci-fi channel, but was too good to pass up. Bezos personally intervened. :D

[RandomGuy]

..

[aj3292]

It's on Amazon prime if memory serves. IT got canned by Sci-fi channel, but was too good to pass up. Bezos personally intervened. :D

That is correct. Last I heard, they expect Season 4 to release sometime this year, but I haven't heard any other news about it.I expect the transition to Prime has probably been a bit rocky.

[SpursforSix]

Finished this over the weekend. A lot of hit/miss as far as the episodes go and was pretty slow at times.
But still a great series.

7.8/10

[aj3292]

Finished this over the weekend. A lot of hit/miss as far as the episodes go and was pretty slow at times.
But still a great series.

7.8/10

Time to watch The Expanse now.

[LaMarcus Bryant]

I think The Expanse never gained a broader audience because 1-it is in some respects a "slow starter," and 2-it requires that you think a lot while watching it. It dumps a ton of information on you fast, but it takes a while for the plot to really move along, and I think a lot of people get impatient with that. I also didn't connect to the characters much until fairly late in the first season, but ended up really caring about them. It's a fantastic show if you have a bit of patience.

This is why I took a while to get thru season 1. Five seconds of looking at your phone and you're fuckin lost. Or at least I was.

[aj3292]

This is why I took a while to get thru season 1. Five seconds of looking at your phone and you're fuckin lost. Or at least I was.

Five seconds of thinking about the last five seconds I missed and I got lost even further. That went on for the rest of the show too, though it was obviously at its worst in the beginning when they're establishing everything. It's not a show to watch casually in the background. The effort of following all the details is rewarded though.

[LaMarcus Bryant]

Five seconds of thinking about the last five seconds I missed and I got lost even further. That went on for the rest of the show too, though it was obviously at its worst in the beginning when they're establishing everything. It's not a show to watch casually in the background. The effort of following all the details is rewarded though.

:lol true
I finished season 1 and was happy with it. Just been killing off other TV shows before I jump back in

[aj3292]

:lol true
I finished season 1 and was happy with it. Just been killing off other TV shows before I jump back in

It keeps getting better.

I also found I didn't really connect to any of the characters for most of Season 1 for some reason, but cared what happened to them much more after that.

[LaMarcus Bryant]

Apparently getting rebooted on NBC's new bull shit stream service
By the Mr. Robot guy...which makes things interesting..