Post by ashoka1 on Jan 24, 2005 2:23:38 GMT -5
jam.canoe.ca/Television/2005/01/23/907509.html
January 23, 2005
Battlestar Galactica takes viewers by storm
Battlestar Galactica revamps classic '70s science fiction
By OLAV ROKNE -- Calgary Sun
For a genre that is supposed to look to the future, science fiction is taking a lot of inspiration from the '60s and '70s.
With the Star Trek juggernaut rumbling along in its sixth television incarnation and Star Wars prequels raking in hundreds of millions on the silver screen, could a Battlestar Galactica revival be far behind?
A quarter-century after the original premiered on NBC to lacklustre ratings, the new Galactica has taken the Science Fiction Channel by storm, grabbing record-breaking viewership for its first episode last week.
"It's absolutely perfectly timed," says Mary McDonnell, who stars as President Laura Roslin on the new series. "We're in the centre of what needs to be talked about ... it addresses humanity in terms of monotheistic and pluralistic, which we are seeing as major issues in both spirituality and politics."
Viewers were introduced to the apocalyptic world of Battlestar Galactica last year in a four-hour miniseries, whose stellar ratings helped spawn the full-blown weekly drama, airing in Canada Sundays at 6 p.m. on Space channel 46.
Just as in the original, Battlestar Galactica starts with a bang -- the near extinction of the human race by genocidal robots known as Cylons.
Although the miniseries told essentially the same story as the pilot of the often-lampooned original, it reinvigorated the franchise by dealing with humanity's near-extinction through grim-and-gritty seriousness. The characters in the new Galactica are devastated by the loss of untold billions of people while the president balances her responsibilities as leader and deals with terminal cancer.
"Because she is dealing with her own mortality, my character has the opportunity to move forward more quickly. It's a dark journey, but it is a journey of power." explains McDonnell. "My character didn't exist in the original series ... so a great part of what I had to do was help with the reinvention of the situation."
While the core of the show remains the same, just about all the details have changed -- the Cylons, which could be charitably described as lumbering chrome toasters in the original, are now vicious, fast and able to disguise themselves as human, while fan-favourite playboy fighter pilot Starbuck is a woman (Katee Sackhoff) in the new series.
Supporting character Boomer, who was played in the original by blaxploitation star Herb Jefferson Jr., has been re-invented as a Cylon disguised as a young oriental woman, played by Grace Park.
"Our goal is nothing less than the reinvention of the science fiction television series," series producer Ronald D. Moore told the Hollywood North Reporter. "We take as a given the idea that the traditional space opera, with its stock characters, techno-double-talk, bumpy-headed aliens, thespian histrionics, and empty heroics, has run its course and a new approach is required."
Despite these differences, the new Battlestar Galactica has a lot to offer fans of the original: The fifth episode makes tongue-in-cheek reference to the ill-fated spin-off Galactica: 1980, a later episode is a remake of The Hand of God -- the finale of the original series -- and Richard Hatch, who played Apollo in 1978 has a recurring role as terrorist Tom Zerik.
"He's a remarkable actor," says McDonnell. "It was fun to work with him, and he has provided such a wonderful link to the original series."
Long seen as a cheap knock off of Star Wars, Galactica has finally come into its own as the most-watched science fiction show on television, taking in 3.1 million viewers compared to just 3.03 million for UPN's Star Trek: Enterprise -- a significant accomplishment because Enterprise is on a broadcast network, while Galactica is only on cable.
"The reaction to the show has been fantastic," says McDonnell. "There's excitement about this show at every level, from the actors and writers to the fans -- that's something you dream of as an actor."
Eagle-eyed viewers will be able to spot B.C. landmarks peppered through the show, from the quasi-futuristic architecture of Simon Frasier University to the Rocky Mountains.
While nothing has been confirmed yet, there are high hopes for a second season -- six scripts are in the works and McDonnell says the cast has big aspirations for next year.
"We don't have the official green-light yet," she says. "But the show has been a huge hit in England, and the audience is really excited."
January 23, 2005
Battlestar Galactica takes viewers by storm
Battlestar Galactica revamps classic '70s science fiction
By OLAV ROKNE -- Calgary Sun
For a genre that is supposed to look to the future, science fiction is taking a lot of inspiration from the '60s and '70s.
With the Star Trek juggernaut rumbling along in its sixth television incarnation and Star Wars prequels raking in hundreds of millions on the silver screen, could a Battlestar Galactica revival be far behind?
A quarter-century after the original premiered on NBC to lacklustre ratings, the new Galactica has taken the Science Fiction Channel by storm, grabbing record-breaking viewership for its first episode last week.
"It's absolutely perfectly timed," says Mary McDonnell, who stars as President Laura Roslin on the new series. "We're in the centre of what needs to be talked about ... it addresses humanity in terms of monotheistic and pluralistic, which we are seeing as major issues in both spirituality and politics."
Viewers were introduced to the apocalyptic world of Battlestar Galactica last year in a four-hour miniseries, whose stellar ratings helped spawn the full-blown weekly drama, airing in Canada Sundays at 6 p.m. on Space channel 46.
Just as in the original, Battlestar Galactica starts with a bang -- the near extinction of the human race by genocidal robots known as Cylons.
Although the miniseries told essentially the same story as the pilot of the often-lampooned original, it reinvigorated the franchise by dealing with humanity's near-extinction through grim-and-gritty seriousness. The characters in the new Galactica are devastated by the loss of untold billions of people while the president balances her responsibilities as leader and deals with terminal cancer.
"Because she is dealing with her own mortality, my character has the opportunity to move forward more quickly. It's a dark journey, but it is a journey of power." explains McDonnell. "My character didn't exist in the original series ... so a great part of what I had to do was help with the reinvention of the situation."
While the core of the show remains the same, just about all the details have changed -- the Cylons, which could be charitably described as lumbering chrome toasters in the original, are now vicious, fast and able to disguise themselves as human, while fan-favourite playboy fighter pilot Starbuck is a woman (Katee Sackhoff) in the new series.
Supporting character Boomer, who was played in the original by blaxploitation star Herb Jefferson Jr., has been re-invented as a Cylon disguised as a young oriental woman, played by Grace Park.
"Our goal is nothing less than the reinvention of the science fiction television series," series producer Ronald D. Moore told the Hollywood North Reporter. "We take as a given the idea that the traditional space opera, with its stock characters, techno-double-talk, bumpy-headed aliens, thespian histrionics, and empty heroics, has run its course and a new approach is required."
Despite these differences, the new Battlestar Galactica has a lot to offer fans of the original: The fifth episode makes tongue-in-cheek reference to the ill-fated spin-off Galactica: 1980, a later episode is a remake of The Hand of God -- the finale of the original series -- and Richard Hatch, who played Apollo in 1978 has a recurring role as terrorist Tom Zerik.
"He's a remarkable actor," says McDonnell. "It was fun to work with him, and he has provided such a wonderful link to the original series."
Long seen as a cheap knock off of Star Wars, Galactica has finally come into its own as the most-watched science fiction show on television, taking in 3.1 million viewers compared to just 3.03 million for UPN's Star Trek: Enterprise -- a significant accomplishment because Enterprise is on a broadcast network, while Galactica is only on cable.
"The reaction to the show has been fantastic," says McDonnell. "There's excitement about this show at every level, from the actors and writers to the fans -- that's something you dream of as an actor."
Eagle-eyed viewers will be able to spot B.C. landmarks peppered through the show, from the quasi-futuristic architecture of Simon Frasier University to the Rocky Mountains.
While nothing has been confirmed yet, there are high hopes for a second season -- six scripts are in the works and McDonnell says the cast has big aspirations for next year.
"We don't have the official green-light yet," she says. "But the show has been a huge hit in England, and the audience is really excited."