Battlestar Galactica. Admittedly, the title suggests an embarrasingly puerile space-romp in the same vein as the original series which aired nearly thirty years ago. With that in mind, I can understand how many would question why the modernized "reimagined series" is receiving nearly universal praise.
Since the franchise relaunched in 2003, Battlestar Galactica has become without question the finest cable television program still in production - science fiction or otherwise. The masterful guidance of former Star Trek producer Ronald D. Moore deserves a good deal of the credit for reshaping the framework of the series, but there are a myriad of vital components to that framework.
Battlestar benefits the most from the prodigiously redeveloped characters and tightknit story plotting, which lends the program a much greater depth than it's predecessor. Further, the decision to abandon many stalwart science fiction conventions (i.e. laser weapons, excessive technobabble, etc.) and rely instead on a more realistic depiction of a possible alternative future is perhaps the lynchpin of the programs success.
Battlestar characters still employ ballistic weaponry and do not live in a utopian society. They do not explain problems with lines like "The primary hydroelectric magnetosphere regulator is overloaded" and they certainly do not possess technology that can materialize matter across vast distances. Further, the plot threads are not resolved by hack trickery such as the oft-used deus ex machina conclusion - which Star Trek relied on heavily at times.
With the fifth and final season of The Wire winding down on HBO and many abandoning hope in ever enjoying Lost again, it has been suggested by quite a few bloggers and periodicals (Entertainment magazine, for one) that a perfect solution to the television drought is to pick up BSG.
The penultimate third season will be available on DVD March 18, and the final season will begin airing April 4 on the Sci-Fi Channel. Despite being the resident town crier of the program's merits, I must concede the executives handling of the show tends to repulse many viewers not generally drawn to science fiction. At times, it's even insultingly pandering.
The two-hour film Razor, intended to serve as a bridge episode between the third and fourth seasons, simply did not reveal anything especially interesting - other than to prove they killed the Admiral Cain character off much too soon. Michelle Forbes, herself a sometime Star Trek actress, was simply brilliant in the Cain role.
Unquestionably the worst aspect of the film's inital airing is that between commercial breaks, the powers that be inexplicably felt it was a good idea to insert spots after a major event occured that went something like: "It has been revealed. Admiral Cain is a....lesbian!" Ridiculous.
If the imminent release of BSG:S3 creates a vaccuum of disinterest within, I've helpfully provided a list of many other upcoming DVD releases. It should be noted that a host of wonderful films such as The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, 3:10 to Yuma, Michael Clayton, American Gangster, Once, La Vie en Rose, and In the Valley of Elah are all readily available on DVD.
Feb. 26 - Beowulf, The Darjeeling Limited, Goya's Ghosts
Mar. 11 - No Country for Old Men, Bee Movie, Hitman
Mar. 18 - Battlestar Galactica - Season Three, I Am Legend
Mar. 25 - Lost Highway*
Apr. 01 - Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Apr. 08 - There Will Be Blood, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Apr. 29 - The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Vol. 3
May 20 - National Treasure: Book of Secrets
* Finally, this bizarre yet brilliant film will see a proper home video release! Now, where's my proper copy of 1492: Conquest of Paradise?
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