The American Critics Speak!!!

[Blade Runner]

The American Critics Speak!!!

This is from an article up at Aint it Cool News, see the article below for even more reviews.

www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=19133

The Hollywood Reporter says:
For character-driven, hard-edged science fiction, the return of "Battlestar Galactica" can't be beaten. Where the original series cruised in with campy derring-do, this re-imagining of the franchise is "space noir," with actors playing it for high, realistic stakes. Old fans of the series may be a mite disappointed at the changes, but this fast-paced, tense and dramatic hourlong has plenty of choice rewards for viewers and upholds the smart promise of the 2003 miniseries. … The visuals and sound effects are extremely cool, with spaceships rendered as both sleek and dangerous, and the noises of fast-moving fighter ships toned down from the high-pitched whines of the original series. Characters Lee "Apollo" Adama (Jamie Bamber), who is the commander's son; Kara "Starbuck" Thrace (Katee Sackhoff); and Colonel Tigh (Michael Hogan) are all generously dysfunctional and fun to follow.

Variety says:
Niftily picking up where the 2003 miniseries left off, the new franchise provides solid storytelling … Those who don't frequent Internet chat rooms have missed much of the off-screen drama surrounding "Galactica's" voyage, with plenty of overheated bleating from fans of the original that has gone a long way toward giving sci-fi nerds a bad name. Fortunately, producers of the new show have mostly tuned out the static and stuck to their guns, crafting a very adult series whose principle shortcoming is being almost unrelentingly grim -- though not inappropriately so, given the subject matter. … in terms of top-notch sci-fi fare on a budget, this impressive new vessel flies well beyond its predecessor.

The Los Angeles Times says:
… all of the characters and relationships are deepened in the new show. Far more serious in tone, Sci Fi's "BG" greatly improves upon the bad scripts and wooden acting of the original show (which, admittedly, is part of its charm for some people). The show could use a little more humor, and that may come as supporting players step into more prominent roles, but the first several episodes bode well for a series that should eventually win over fans, old and new.

USA Today says:
Those looking for a more exciting space-adventure alternative to Enterprise should be thrilled by the series return of the hit miniseries Battlestar Galactica … revival of the late '70s show — considered camp now, and lousy then. There's nothing camp about this darker, smarter, morally ambiguous update, which again follows the survivors of a sneak Cylon attack as they try to save humanity and find Earth. … The show stresses the sex a little too aggressively, the better to pull in teen boys. Nevertheless, this promising show is more the heir to Farscape than the old Battlestar, which is all for the best.

The Arizona Republic says:
… takes itself very seriously. It is the most ambitious science-fiction series since The Twilight Zone. … Friday's series opener is as compelling a piece of suspense and human drama as anything on the major networks. …<br>
The Boston Herald says:
… could end up being one of the best sci-fi television outings ever … An intelligent, attention-demanding, character-driven show, it marks a maturing of the sci-fi series genre. … it's the dense narrative and impressive cast that stand out. The episodes aren't neat little ``Trek'' allegories or tidy ``Stargate'' shoot-'em-ups. The series is more like a sci-fi ``The Big Red One,'' moving through the real and sometimes small emotions and personal interplay of life under close-quarters duress. Crises often play out over multiple episodes of the continuing story line. Sometimes this makes the pacing feel off and the tone flat - until an episode or two later you realize the story was building to some ingenious surprise. This is a show that takes its time and challenges its audience, which is as welcome as it is rare. …<br>
The San Jose Mercury News says:
… [the miniseries] caused a huge uproar among fans of the original who seemed to have forgotten just how bad the show was. … now back as a weekly series -- and quite a good one … far darker, a good deal scarier and a whole lot sexier than the original. … loaded with surprisingly strong stuff, including provocative takes on terrorism and the politics of genocide. The special effects are unexpectedly good. And the acting … is light-years better than in the original.

Newsday says:
… the new version from producer Ronald D. Moore more than fulfills the promise of his miniseries smash of a year ago. … This is no video game …<br>
People Magazine says:
… there’s more than enough action to keep the show from getting preachy … Unfortunately, the Jan. 21 episode suffers from guest-star casting of Richard Hatch (Apollo in the ABC original), who seems rather rusty as a supposedly charismatic rebel. …<br>
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says:
easily the best show the network has put on since "Farscape." … smart, deliberative drama … Two things make this series a vast improvement over the miniseries: Show runner Ron Moore and his writing staff now feel free to dig deeper into the characters, and the show's pace and tone, though still sometimes slow and somber by conventional standards, has been opened up and made more accessible. Lighter moments have been added and the show's scope has grown more epic ...

[darth_librarian]

Amazing really, but an excellent collection of good reviews. Let's hope the critics have an effect on the viewers...

[Buzzvang]

Wow, what's up with the Hatch hating by People?

[ah-chie]

This has to be one of my favourite reviews -

metromix.chicagotribune.com/tv/mmx-0501140063jan14,0,2372469.story?coll=mmx-television_heds

;D

`Galactica' proves not all is lost in space


By Maureen Ryan
Tribune staff reporter


Let's leave the question of whether the new "Battlestar Galactica" series is as good as the one that premiered 26 years ago to the online message-board types, who will no doubt still be debating a quarter century from now.

The only question that matters in the real world is whether the new "Battlestar Galactica" (8 p.m. Friday, Sci Fi) is worthwhile television viewing, and it most definitely is.

As on the old "Battlestar," the new incarnation follows the last remnants of humanity as they flee the mass destruction wrought by the Cylons, an enigmatic and obviously angry race of robots.

One important change: In this "Battlestar," the Cylons, who began life as humanity's slaves, have the ability to look like people. So not only do the remaining humans in "Battlestar's" ragtag fleet of fugitive vessels have to figure out how to elude the relentless Cylons, they also have to figure out whether any Cylon spies are lurking in their midst.

Perhaps the most refreshing thing about this re-imagined "Battlestar" is its darkness (and by that I don't just mean the show's dusky blue-and-brown visual palette). This new "Battlestar," which is creatively helmed by "Carnivale" and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" veteran Ronald D. Moore, doesn't pretend that the aftermath of the mass destruction of most of humanity is anything but deeply scary.

The somber intelligence of the two episodes airing Friday should put to rest any fears that the new "Battlestar" would be nothing but a hormonal, MTV-style romp for the new show's crop of hotshot fighter pilots. Yes, two of the characters from the original series, "Starbuck" and "Boomer," are played by women this time out, but those characters are, in fact, thoroughly re-imagined and the show wisely doesn't make a big deal of the fact that the new Cylon-fighting force is co-ed.

And far from enjoying spring break in space, the younger folk on the episodes that air Friday have to grapple with executing a decision from their commander to fire on one of their own possibly compromised ships; they also investigate evidence of a disturbing threat from within, one that takes out much of the fleet's water supply.

Truth be told, the tone of the new "Battlestar" is set more by the grown-ups than by the younger folk, anyway.

As Commander William Adama, Edward James Olmos gives a quietly charismatic performance that grounds the program in goal-oriented gravitas; Mary McDonnell gives a similarly subtle performance as a new president who, despite her unexpected elevation to high office, isn't afraid to stiffen her spine when the military types try to push her around. Even Michael Hogan as the fleet's crusty second-in-command, Col. Paul Tigh, is a bracing, prickly presence.

Providing welcome comic relief is the delightful James Callis as Gaius Baltar, the scientist who got humanity into this whole mess by unwittingly allowing a comely Cylon hottie, No. 6 (Tricia Helfer), access to sensitive defense information (a good reason to never date anyone with a number instead of a name). Seeing Baltar twitch and mumble as he tries to hide the fact that hallucinations of No. 6 are still haunting his waking life is quite entertaining. The jumpy Baltar, by the way, becomes an unlikely poker buddy of Lt. Kara "Starbuck" Thrace, the hotshot pilot who's played with refreshing directness by Katee Sackhof.

As for the rest of "Battlestar's" younger folk, they do a credible job, with Grace Park as Lt. Sharon "Boomer" Valerii and Jamie Bamber, who plays Adama's son, Capt. Lee "Apollo" Adama, showing particular promise (Note: these are my emphasis marks, not the author of this piece - Ah-chie ;D). Not surprisingly, Adama and Apollo have a rocky relationship, but then again, that seemed to be the norm for most of "Battlestar's" passengers, even before the Cylons attacked.

It's that sort of character-driven storytelling that elevates this "Battlestar" into the top rank of televised sci-fi.

By the end of the fourth episode, the characters' relationships and personal predicaments have become so rich and intriguing that it almost comes as a shock when the Cylons reappear to attack.

But then again, that's life in outer space.