Galactica vs Galactica
Yesterday when discussing retooling/revamping a TV show I mentioned how much the new Galactica is an improvement over the old series; today I'll list a few specifics as to why I think so. Please note that if you happen to prefer the old Galactica series, this is not any sort of slam at you. If two people disagree about whether one series is better than the other it doesn't mean one is smarter or has better taste than the other. It only means we disagree.
First the eponymous ship itself. Retro-Galactica was apparently as up-to-date and functional as the rest of the Fleet- at least until Act Two of the pilot (back in the 70's all those computer monitor screens let us know we were in The Future). Very likely this was a budgetary decision, much like how on the old Star Trek every time we saw a Federation starship they were re-using the Enterprise models and sets. The new Galactica is an aging relic. This worked into the storyline for the pilot, since it explained why the Galactica was spared the upgrades that had the Cylon's sleeper virus.
For the original Lorne Greene played his usual kindly but stern patriarch; never anything particularly deep but that was more from the scripting than any failure on Greene's part (besides, Colicos was acting more than enough for the both of them... or even the whole rest of the cast). Olmos' Bill Adama is a man who had been looking forward to retiring and relaxing when he suddenly had a crushing responsibility dumped on his shoulders. He is staggering under the load, but still determined to do his duty to his last breath.
I should mention that while both shows use the premise of the last few humans fleeing after their civilization is blasted away by the Cylons, the old show never really made us feel that they were suffering any sort of privation. This always bugged me about Voyager too- a few mouth noises about rationing but nobody seems to be very put out by it. On Galactica now the characters show us that they're hungry and tired, desperately relishing any of the very few remaining luxuries. It's very clear they are extremely short of everything but fatigue.
The old Col. Tigh was the quietly supportive XO- again, the actor did a very credible job with the material but his character was never more than Adama's right-hand man. Sol Tigh is fighting his alcoholism (and it's still unclear who will win), taking refuge in his career from a wife who... well, Ellen Tigh was far from perfect (though quite close to being the perfect bitch). Tigh was very, very aware of her failings, but he was also very very in love with her. That last scene between them on New Caprica almost had me in tears.
Apollo V1.0 was definitely The Hero, courteous, kind, thrifty, brave, clean, reverent- especially towards his equally heroic and regal father. Lee Adama is deeply aware of his father's shortcomings, though over time as he realizes he himself is far from perfection he seems to be becoming more accepting of the elder Adama.
Count Baltar was valedictorian when he graduated from Evil School. All he needed was a long mustache to twirl while tying some poor girl to the railroad tracks. Granted over-acting standards were different, but if Count Baltar had been a guest-villain in the 60's Batman show the director there would have told him to dial it down a notch or three. They didn't put a flashlight under his face for that evil look- he was simply glowing from how incredibly intensely he was acting.
Gaius Baltar isn't the "I enjoy being EEEEEeeeeeeevil!!!!" over-the-top villain- no doubt he considers himself a victim in all this. He has a first-rate mind, but simply never developed any backbone to support it. It was his weakness, not any sort of desire for destruction and carnage, that led to him betraying the colonies to the Cylons.
By now you've probably noticed the pattern. The old characters were all cardboard cliches- again, nothing against the more-than-merely-competent cast (too bad the cast of the asinine Galactica:1980 wasn't at least competent), just that they were never developed as characters. The new cast has some serious talent, which combined with the way the writers are presenting them as real, in-depth human beings is what makes them so compelling. It's why we keep tuning in every week, because we can care about these refugees, we care about where they're going and how they'll make it... and who won't make it.
First the eponymous ship itself. Retro-Galactica was apparently as up-to-date and functional as the rest of the Fleet- at least until Act Two of the pilot (back in the 70's all those computer monitor screens let us know we were in The Future). Very likely this was a budgetary decision, much like how on the old Star Trek every time we saw a Federation starship they were re-using the Enterprise models and sets. The new Galactica is an aging relic. This worked into the storyline for the pilot, since it explained why the Galactica was spared the upgrades that had the Cylon's sleeper virus.
For the original Lorne Greene played his usual kindly but stern patriarch; never anything particularly deep but that was more from the scripting than any failure on Greene's part (besides, Colicos was acting more than enough for the both of them... or even the whole rest of the cast). Olmos' Bill Adama is a man who had been looking forward to retiring and relaxing when he suddenly had a crushing responsibility dumped on his shoulders. He is staggering under the load, but still determined to do his duty to his last breath.
I should mention that while both shows use the premise of the last few humans fleeing after their civilization is blasted away by the Cylons, the old show never really made us feel that they were suffering any sort of privation. This always bugged me about Voyager too- a few mouth noises about rationing but nobody seems to be very put out by it. On Galactica now the characters show us that they're hungry and tired, desperately relishing any of the very few remaining luxuries. It's very clear they are extremely short of everything but fatigue.
The old Col. Tigh was the quietly supportive XO- again, the actor did a very credible job with the material but his character was never more than Adama's right-hand man. Sol Tigh is fighting his alcoholism (and it's still unclear who will win), taking refuge in his career from a wife who... well, Ellen Tigh was far from perfect (though quite close to being the perfect bitch). Tigh was very, very aware of her failings, but he was also very very in love with her. That last scene between them on New Caprica almost had me in tears.
Apollo V1.0 was definitely The Hero, courteous, kind, thrifty, brave, clean, reverent- especially towards his equally heroic and regal father. Lee Adama is deeply aware of his father's shortcomings, though over time as he realizes he himself is far from perfection he seems to be becoming more accepting of the elder Adama.
Count Baltar was valedictorian when he graduated from Evil School. All he needed was a long mustache to twirl while tying some poor girl to the railroad tracks. Granted over-acting standards were different, but if Count Baltar had been a guest-villain in the 60's Batman show the director there would have told him to dial it down a notch or three. They didn't put a flashlight under his face for that evil look- he was simply glowing from how incredibly intensely he was acting.
Gaius Baltar isn't the "I enjoy being EEEEEeeeeeeevil!!!!" over-the-top villain- no doubt he considers himself a victim in all this. He has a first-rate mind, but simply never developed any backbone to support it. It was his weakness, not any sort of desire for destruction and carnage, that led to him betraying the colonies to the Cylons.
By now you've probably noticed the pattern. The old characters were all cardboard cliches- again, nothing against the more-than-merely-competent cast (too bad the cast of the asinine Galactica:1980 wasn't at least competent), just that they were never developed as characters. The new cast has some serious talent, which combined with the way the writers are presenting them as real, in-depth human beings is what makes them so compelling. It's why we keep tuning in every week, because we can care about these refugees, we care about where they're going and how they'll make it... and who won't make it.
Film & TV on DVD
Two shows for two totally different times aimed at totally different audiences. Loved the original as a child in the 70's, getting a little bit more Star Wars style action.
The reimagining of BSG as i said on another post is one of the finest examples of what reworking a classic should be.
Its takes the original mythology deeper, it rounds out the characters with richer detail and the FX enhance rather than distract from the intelligent narrative.
Better still the show tackles real life issues that others are afraid of. I mean we even have our heroes turn to suicide bombing.
Obviously I am a huge fan. If you are interested you can read my review of the series here. And I put up a fun BSG video montage here.
Film & TV on DVD
Passionate Apathy
Film & TV on DVD
Do you know what date Season 4 starts?
Passionate Apathy
I sort of lost track of how they're numbering the seasons; a few years back SciFi and their sister network USA began splitting their seasons, to provide new shows in Summer when the broadcast nets are in reruns, and to provide a longer run of new eps.
The broadcast nets tend to run their new eps in Sweeps months, though it seems ABC is running longer stretches of Lost by putting it on hiatus in mid-season.
Film & TV on DVD
Im stuck in Oz, a friend of mine sends them over from the US every 2 weeks or so......so early Feb I will get to see the first 2 episodes.
Good news of the day, "So say we all"