182 replies to this topic

[shadowguy]

Syfy has just ordered a new "Battlestar Galactica" series pilot.

The two-hour backdoor pilot chronicles a young William Adama's adventures during the first Cylon war.

BSG executive producer David Eick is back on board, though visionary showrunner of Syfy's first reinvention of the series, Ron Moore, is not.

The title is the very Spartacus-esque: Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome.

Source: hollywoodreporter

SyFy has cancelled Caprica, and they have already decided on a replacement. I think we can expect way more action for this new show.

[Eruantien]

Blood and Chrome? Excuse me while I go die of hysterical laughter in a corner somewhere. :P

Everything I've seen and heard about BSG makes me want to go ahead and check it out. The prequels? Not so much. Certainly not one with such a ridiculous title.

[TVspectator]

Is this a new series that will be aired on TV or just webisodes?

[Ms Minxx]

It was going to be webisodes but they decided to make it into a telemovie that could be a back door pilot, a lot like the miniseries at the beginning of BSG.

Details are here.

[cimmer2]

So basically they're only doing it so they can do space battles because once again, a prequel and we already know how the war ends. There's nothing you can tell us that won't undo what's already been done. I just don't understand the point of prequels but 'they' ended BSG in such a way that made it virtually impossible to continue the series, at least with space battles.

How about AU'ing the BSG universe? Have something at least happen during Blood and Chrome ( ROFL, oh the marketing department has a lot to answer for) that veers off into AU territory? I'm sure they're thinking Spartacus though, lots of sex (but not too much because this is basic cable) and blood and gore (again not too much because you know, basic cable) and what does it matter how it ends or that we've seen young Adama in Caprica (or a few of us have anyway) and old Adama in BSG? This can be Adama 3.0. Syfy is like the snake eating its tail with these constant reboots of franchises in an attempt to re invent the wheel. What was it about BSG that clicked? Let's see, we tried the intellectual stuff, darn it, that didn't work; it must have been the space battles, yeah, that's it, space battles and fembots that the viper pilots can have sex with - we'll try that! LOL

Edited by cimmer2, Oct 28, 2010 @ 12:11 AM.

[TVspectator]

I agree that this is most likely a way to get more money and that making a new series at this point is pointless. However, I guess you could squeeze out a few good story arcs that are set during the height of the Cylon War. The real issue is “can this show do stand-alone episodes, well.” Maybe they should have a show that is something like Firefly (with great characters who have great chemistry and a huge ever expanding universe to explore) that just happens to be set in the Caprica/BSG universe (obviously set before the fall of the 12 Colonies, with the Cylons, and with a shirtless Sam Adama). In addition, they should just focus on telling a great story then trying to be edgy, hip, doing something new, and trying to prove a point. BSG was very smart (but at times the show did fail and went into the land of over-the-top stupid drama) but at this point (with Caprica being the new series that had a potential but failed and SGU being a wannabe BSG copy) I am willing to watch anything.

Ms Minxx, thanks for the article.

Edited by TVspectator, Oct 28, 2010 @ 4:59 AM.

[stillshimpy]

I think there's a fair amount they could tell us, and do with the series that makes this potentially good. Sure, there's not much they can tell us about William Adama but the story is going to be on board the Galactica (yay, and welcome back from the dead, Galactica) so it works like any other series works. All characters not named William Adama (or Saul Tigh, or any of the other characters we know from BSG) have story potential. All they have to do is introduce good characters, and make us care about them to have story potential galore because whereas we know there was a Cylon War, we don't know too much about what went on in it.

If there's a battle we aren't going to know automatically what will occur in it, just that eventually the war will be won, etc. etc. "Look, it's Earth! Okay, Earth II. Hey, this technology is really weighing us down..." but as to how they get to that point? We don't know.

I couldn't actually deal with Caprica. No other network has quite the maddening schedule shenanigans that Syfy has. Syfy has a dreadful habit of doing things like taking one season's worth of narrative, and trying to pretend it is like having two seasons worth of story, so they release it over the course of two years. It makes for pacing by Wagner, and damn, if it isn't a "on the edge of your seat, holy crow, what will happen next?!?" story then that's just not something people want to invest in.

The mistake I think that was made was not in trying to have a prequel, but trying to have a dramatic prequel, with little action, and then coupling it with Syfy's dreadful scheduling habits.

So this could be good, and maybe they'll stop trying to stick 8-9-10 months in between season halves and then acting shocked when no one remembers to tune back in. They once made us wait fourteen months in between seasons for BSG, and hopefully they (meaning Syfy) realize that they're never going to actually get away with that kind of stuff with a prequel.

The title is amongst the worst I've ever heard, but there's still time to change it. I had minor success in getting friends to watch Battlestar Galactica (new version obviously) and I'm telling you right now, no way on Earth is anyone going to let someone else talk them into something called Blood and Chrome anything, but pairing that with Battlestar Galactica makes that even less likely than a glacier in the bowels of hell.

But I'll watch, and I'm looking forward to it. Moore isn't on board, and I'm sorry to hear that, but my favorite seasons of BSG were the ones Eick was most closely involved in, so there's hope.

Edited by stillshimpy, Oct 28, 2010 @ 12:20 PM.

[caitlin claire]

Emo Adama was one of my least favorite parts of the later half of BSG. But maybe he'll be less emo when he's younger, so I suppose I can give it a shot.

Plus, it's 10 years into the war, right? And it lasted 12ish years? So if we get a show, and it isn't immediately canceled, we could conceivably get the Final Five showing up. Which I actually would be interested in.

[onyxrose81]

I don't even know why they're trying. The way BSG ended made it almost completely impossible to watch any prequels. Why should I care when they'll invariably die out anyway, not just the people but they're culture as well?

[regency]

Well, I'm in for the battles but if there's no young Laura Roslin teaching in the background, I can't say I'll be as interested.

[Playzonwords]

It's a brand that makes money.

No original ideas left, anywhere?

[DocOrlando]

It's a brand that makes money.

No original ideas left, anywhere?

Two words: "Galactica Babies."

but my favorite seasons of BSG were the ones Eick was most closely involved in, so there's hope.

Maybe so, stillshimpy, but remember: Bionic Woman* was entirely Eick.






*and God help me, I still want to write the teleplay that will bring that show back from the dead.

[benteen]

If they're smart, they only do 12/13 episode seasons. Two reasons...

1) BSG was a better show in season 1 with 13 episodes. A shorter season reduces the need for filler episodes (Black Market, The Woman King, etc.) and keeps the storyline tight.

2) With 13 episodes, they can run the season straight through instead of taking a ratings-killing three-to-six month break inbetween seasons. I think Caprica would have been cancelled anyway but the long layoff did absolutely nothing to help.

You'll probably get a few references here and there but I imagine Sci-Fi (I refuse to call it Syfy) will want Caprica out of sight, out of mind. Joe Adama popping up on this series would be logical though, and maybe Evelyn.

I'll definitely watch. Should be interesting to see.

[Amelie06]

I don't even know why they're trying. The way BSG ended made it almost completely impossible to watch any prequels. Why should I care when they'll invariably die out anyway, not just the people but they're culture as well?

I feel the same way. That series finale was such a disaster. I have a real problem with investing in ancient people whose only mark left on the universe is apparently the "Greek" gods and one Bob Dylan song. Why should I get invested in the colonies before the destruction? The survivors didn't even care enough to try to preserve the culture. I tried to watch Caprica but found it a little dull. I just kept thinking who cares, you are in the last days of a dying civilization.

[Azure Owl]

Here’s a look at the first concept art.

I have to say, it looks nice. Judging by the second picture, they may be following on a particular plot element from the final minutes of Caprica’s series finale. We may be getting Terminator style skinjobs instead of Blade Runner style skinjobs.

The Cylon snake’s success will depend entirely on how good the special effects are. Finaly, that robot in the final picture doesn’t look like a Centurion to me. Could it be some sort of civilian Cylon? Like a worker drone or something?

[FoolishWanderer]

With that first pic, I thought it looked like something from the Star Wars EU. Then I realised it was a raptor painted red. But it still looks like something from the Star Wars EU.

Edited by FoolishWanderer, Dec 21, 2010 @ 11:13 PM.

[TVspectator]

We may be getting Terminator style skinjobs instead of Blade Runner style skinjobs. -Azure Owl

I thought that the Final Five were the ones who created the Cylon skinjobs and the only thing that the Colonial Cylons were able to do was create the hybrids? Therefore, how are they going to explain away why no one from the Colonies knew about the skinjobs prior to the fall?

From the Razor Flashbacks there was no hint that the Colonials were fighting with giant, cyborg, Cylon monsters (although, it does look cool) nor Colonial Cylon skinjobs (unless all of them become hybrids later on). Well, maybe they will somehow fit these pictures in but nonetheless, they do look cool. I just hope there won't be any major retcons for this show.

In addition; if they start in the 10th year of the Cylon War then they will only have 2.5 years of storytelling. Why would they pick such close dates for both Caprica (which takes place 5.5 years before the Cylon War and B&C, which takes place in the 10th year out of a 12.5 year)?

Edited by TVspectator, Dec 22, 2010 @ 12:27 AM.

[Azure Owl]

I thought that the Final Five were the ones who created the Cylon skinjobs and the only thing that the Colonial Cylons were able to do was create the hybrids?

The skinjobs the Final Five created were Blade Runner style replicants. Basically, an artificial human being, made of flesh and blood and mostly undistinguishable from actual humans.

What that drawing implies is closer to the Terminator: a robot made of metal and plastic with human-like skin covering it.

Edited by Azure Owl, Dec 21, 2010 @ 11:46 PM.

[Nuallain]

What that drawing implies is closer to the Terminator: a robot made of metal and plastic with human-like skin covering it.

The thing is, everybody is so shocked by the idea that there are Cylons who look human that it makes it seem pretty impossible Terminator style Cylons could have been wandering about 50 years earlier.

[Azure Owl]

In addition; if they start in the 10th year of the Cylon War then they will only have 2.5 years of storytelling. Why would they pick such close dates for both Caprica (which takes place 5.5 years before the Cylon War and B&C, which takes place in the 10th year out of a 12.5 year)?

The answer lies in the last episode of Caprica where we find out that the Willie Adama that we’ve seen all season is not the one that becomes Admiral Adama. William “Willie” Adama dies, and at some point in the year 57 Before the Cylon Holocaust William “Bill” Adama is born and named after his dead older brother. Blood & Chrome has to take place in the later stages of the First Cylon War, otherwise Bill Adama would be too young to have fought in it. As it is they're cutting it pretty close, and Bill Adama will be in his late teens in the 10th year of the War

everybody is so shocked by the idea that there are Cylons who look human that it makes it seem pretty impossible Terminator style Cylons could have been wandering about 50 years earlier.

You’re right about that. The only explanation I can think of is that the Terminator style skinjobs will never be discovered by the Colonials. That they’ll operate as spies and never get caught. That the audience will know they’re Cylons, but in-universe the Colonials never wise up to the fact.

[belsum]

if they start in the 10th year of the Cylon War then they will only have 2.5 years of storytelling.

This doesn't bother me. Lord knows M*A*S*H ran longer than the Korean War.

I agree the concept art looks like Star Wars EU. Which is a good thing in my book.

[stillshimpy]

Pardon me, what is Star Wars EU? I do know Star Wars but I'm stumped by the EU. Episode...Umpteen? Evil...Umpire? Yup, I've got nothing.

As for the concept art, looks good, but I also don't really understand the female Centurion with the human arm. In one of the webisodes series with the young William Adama, he does find a lab at the very end of the Cylon war where they've clearly been experimenting with that, grafting flesh to mechanics. So maybe they are planning on using that concept? Maybe we're actually seeing into one of the Cylon Centurion labs, and that's a depiction of one of their experiments?

I know that in BSG one of the lines was, "The last time anyone saw the Cylons, they looked like walking toasters" so I don't think they can have those hybrid ones in combat. I mean, they can, it just would screw with established canon.

The answer lies in the last episode of Caprica where we find out...

Whoa. Okay, wasn't expecting that, but good to know. Odd choice, that.

[swtrgrl]

EU = Extended Universe, I think. All the stuff that's outside of the 6 movies.

[Azure Owl]

EU means Expanded Universe, and as swtrgrl said, includes everything in the franchise outside of the 6 movies. That means the novels, comics, cartoons, TV movies, video games, etc. Here’s a detailed list. Browse around Wookiepedia for a while and you’ll see what people mean when they say that the concept art looks like that.

And while we’re on the subject, now that I think about it the paint job on that raptor does have the exact same color scheme as the naval ships of the Old Republic: white hulls with red stripes.

[TVspectator]

I agree that the concept art does look Star Wars-ish. Which is kind of funny because the original Battlestar Galactica was accused of plagiarizing Star Wars. I think that 20th Century FOX, or who ever, took Glen Larson and Universal to court over the matter and won.

This doesn't bother me. Lord knows M*A*S*H ran longer than the Korean War.-belsum

YMMV, but I just feel that by having Caprica taking place 5 1/2 years before the war caused a whole bunch of time issues with the series' canon. I always thought that the Cylons was around, at least a generation, before they rebelled. In addition, I thought that Adama would be older than 57-58 years old at the time of the fall (I do know it was mention that Adama was taking an early retirement, in the Mini, but I thought that the character would be at least in his early sixties than in his late fifties). In addition, there is still the issue of pacing for Caprica and I fear that B&C will suffer a same fate (especially since this series can only exist in a 2 1/2 time frame). It’s just how they are going to fit a bunch of story arch in a 2 1/5 year time frame. Maybe I am wrong and things will work out.

What I am trying to say is that the time from for this show (and for Caprica) is close and there will probably be pacing problems within the show because of the time frame. I could be wrong, and I hope I am.

I don't want to be this person but the Korean War is technically still going on (yes, it’s been over 50 years and this conflict is still going on). There was about 3 years of fighting and then there was an armistice signed but there was no official peace treaty (which would have officially ended the fighting). The reason why there is no peace treaty is because, at the time, the US didn't want to negotiate with Communist China and Russia. Therefore, they refused to sit down and create a peace treaty (in my opinion, South and North Korea would still exist as two separate countries if a peace treaty did exist). Its similar how there is technically only one Cylon War and not a second Cylon War. There was only an armistice sign between the two groups but the war was still going on, it just died down for a while (by having 40 years of no fighting but high tension between the two). An armistice can only end the fighting for a while so both sides can negotiate what they want; while a peace treaty actually ends a war.

I know that in BSG one of the lines was, "The last time anyone saw the Cylons, they looked like walking toasters" so I don't think they can have those hybrid ones in combat. I mean, they can, it just would screw with established canon-stillshimpy

The only explanation I can think of is that the Terminator style skinjobs will never be discovered by the Colonials. That they’ll operate as spies and never get caught. That the audience will know they’re Cylons, but in-universe the Colonials never wise up to the fact.-Azure Owl

I just hope that they don't completely retcon backstory of the skinjobs and the Cylons.

Edited by TVspectator, Dec 23, 2010 @ 5:58 AM.

[ganesh]

I actually liked Caprica. Slow moving for sure, but I like Boardwalk Empire for the same reason. At least with Caprica, the development of the Cylons, and how OTG was incorporated is interesting in on how it impacts BSG. Why couldn't they have just tweaked the show to give it a little more life?

I just don't see how this Blood and Chrome fits in, and how it impacts the original. I hate to say it, but maybe the BSG universe needs a vacation for a bit and some time to think up a fresher concept. *How* the 12 colonies were established and what really happened to the 13th would be more interesting to me.

[TVspectator]

I actually liked Caprica. Slow moving for sure, but I like Boardwalk Empire for the same reason. At least with Caprica, the development of the Cylons, and how OTG was incorporated is interesting in on how it impacts BSG. Why couldn't they have just tweaked the show to give it a little more life?

I just don't see how this Blood and Chrome fits in, and how it impacts the original. I hate to say it, but maybe the BSG universe needs a vacation for a bit and some time to think up a fresher concept. *How* the 12 colonies were established and what really happened to the 13th would be more interesting to me.-ganesh

For me the slow pacing of Caprica was the final nail in the coffin for that show. Sure, there was a slight up tick with the pacing, but it was too-little-too late and Caprica was canceled. In addition, I really hated the soapy drama and when I started to enjoy the series more was when there was less soapy drama. I just hope that B&C doesn't have same problems as Caprica the and that Eick doesn't turn this into another Bionic Woman (I really didn't like this show).

Edited by TVspectator, Dec 25, 2010 @ 2:31 PM.

[ganesh]

I can understand how the pacing was an issue for some people with Caprica. However, I still don't understand what this new series is bringing to the table that is fresh and new. We basically know everything that is going to happen. Unless I am not understanding the premise of the new series.

[TVspectator]

Looks like Andrew Fullen has come out with a new book about B&C. I am not surprised by this and I do think that this guy is over the top but I do agree that Caprica wasn't good.

Edited by TVspectator, Jan 10, 2011 @ 4:51 AM.

[ganesh]

That is *intense!* He does realize the original 70s series wasn't so good right?

But whatever. Between this and the USA Being Human, this network just isn't interested in anything new. They're creatively out of gas.