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Battlestar Galactica
Season One TV
Series
Directed by: Michael Rymer, et al.
Starring: Edward James Olmos
Genre:
Science Fiction
Run Times: Vary
Release Date:
October 2004
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA'S
first season on TV is the stuff of legends. And I don't say this
lightly. Built (loosely) upon the 1978 version which suffered from
subpar acting, scripts and sets, this new and phenomenally improved
series gives science fiction afficionados the guts to stand up and
shout, "Science Fiction is a valid TV genre!" Although some SF series'
are pretty darn good (FARSCAPE and FIREFLY fans know what I'm talking
about), this smart, sexy and twisted series puts an intellectual face on
the genre and dares viewers to keep up.
Set in the distant future in a distant galaxy, season one opens with the
Battlestar Galactica being decommissioned in favor of larger, more
modern battlestars. Cylons and humans have survived by distancing
themselves with no contact taking place for over 40 years. But that's
all about to change. The Cylons attack all the human settlements,
planets, and military ships, nearly wiping humanity from the universe.
But a rag-tag group of fighters aboard the now decommissioned Battlestar
Galactica refuse to give up. The remaining 40,000-plus humans cluster
their spaceships around the Galactica and flee into the void. With them
comes the Secretary of Education turned President (Mary McDonnell),
chief military man Commander Adama (Edward James Olmos), the tough but
sexy super-pilot Starbuck ( Katee Sackhoff, a woman. More on that in a
minute), and maybe even a couple of Cylons who now resemble humans.
One of the things that makes this series so engaging is that it's sexy;
the stunningly beautiful Trisha Helfer plays the first Cylon-turned-human
and does so by using every excellent curve she's got. But the sex is
justified as we learn it's not only a tool that the Cylon's use to gain
access to human secrets, but also to help them understand what
humanity's all about. We also learn that the Cylons believe in God —
monotheism — while the humans have reverted to worshiping the "Gods of
Kobol" — polytheism. And it is a clash of wills between Trisha Helfer's
character and James Callis' Dr. Gaius Baltar (the local genius who has
problems discerning reality from fiction) that keeps this story thread
extremely interesting.
Another thing that keeps the story moving ahead and each episode
watchable is that the plots are completely character driven. That's not
to say there's no science fiction. There is. But it's just one of the
many layers that makes the series sensational. I can't picture anyone
else in the role of Commander Adama besides Edward James Olmos. I can't
picture anyone in the role of Starbuck other than Katee Sackhoff. The
casting and acting and scripts and sets and special effects are pulled
off with exceptional care but don't pander to the viewer; if you don't
understand something, they aren't going to slow down and explain it to
you.
I'm going to have to comment, of course, on the fact that Starbuck is a
woman. This caused some untempered comments by fans of the original 70s
version. But I found it to be an excellent change. Having several strong
female leads (Mary McDonnell, Katee, Sackhoff, Tricia Helfer, and Grace
Park) added a sense of futuristic realism that was missing in the
original series.
There are almost too many great things about this series to comment on
and I'm forced to agree with the critics on this one; it is "The Best
New Show on TV." LOST has lost its #1 standing in my view. I'm going to
be checking out Battlestar Galactica's second season very, very soon.
I'm hooked.
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Image from Battlestar
Galactica
DVD cost: $45.98
Purchase:
Tower.com
Film Review Stew
Favorite?
Yes.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
Commander Adama has a
shaving mirror in his cabin. This mirror is made by IKEA, and is a model
called "Fräck" (spelling according to IKEA Web site). This word is
similar to "frak", which is the primary vulgarity in the series. "Fräck"
is Swedish and can actually mean insolent or shameless.
Movie Quote: "The
world is over. The fight has just begun."
Other Actors/Actresses
from Battlestar Galactica
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