I’m going to really go out on a limb here and say that Battlestar Gallactica is possibly the best sci-fi TV series, ever, and there have been some good ones. OK, ‘ever’ may be a bit of an exaggeration, but definitely in recent years (and I’m a big fan of Firefly, which has a different style but is equally as good). I have said more than once on this site; I am not a huge fan of spaceship sci-fi, actually I’m not a huge fan of any particular genre, in the sense I don’t just watch sci-fi or westerns or war films because of its genre. I like films that use a particular setting to tell well-crafted stories, whether it is the American west, outer space or New Jersey mafia territory it doesn’t really matter.
The beauty with science fiction is it gives more scope for telling stories because dramatic elements can be added that would not be achievable in other situations. It opens up more possibilities for social commentary by fully utilising the ‘what if’ premise. 1980’s show Max Headroom is a case in point. (Why has this never been released on DVD?) The show was frighteningly prescient and accurate in its portrayal of the world “twenty minutes into the future” that is controlled by behemothic media conglomerates, pumping out mindless drivel 24/7 to keep the masses dulled down and where switching off a television is a punishable crime. Mobile phones, PSP and now iPods give people constant media input to alienate people from the world around them so they don’t notice that the world around them is decaying and the Orwellian nightmare of manipulating history has become a reality.
The sci-fi show, by which all others are judged, has always been Star Trek and its various incarnations, but this show has always placed too much reliance on humanoid aliens and advanced technology to create and resolve stories. It is very much a product of its time that often relied on a deus ex machina solution to bring about a satisfying resolution to each episode. Shows like Babylon Five and Farscape tried to buck this trend as did the original series of Battlestar Gallactica. One of the problems with the original series was that it became a family show and lost any edge that it may have had.
This new ‘re-imaging’(co-produced by the SciFi Channel, SkyOne and Universal) is very much an adult drama show that happens to be set in space. (Not that sort of adult, although it does have its moments). If HBO made sci-fi it would be like this. Or imagine West Wing on a spaceship and this will give you an idea what you are getting.
The show began with a two-part mini series, now available as a three hour DVD movie. Set 40 years after the humans of the 12 Colonies of Kobol went to war with Cylons, a race of sentient robots that turned against their creators, almost eliminating humanity. The Cylons have observed the armistice that ended the Cylon Wars but the diplomatic détente never materialised. The Battlestar Gallactica is about to be decommissioned and become a museum exhibit when the Cylons launch a new attack, nuking the hospitable planets, leaving Battlestar Gallactica and its crew to lead a flotilla of crafts to safety in search of a new habitable world. Only this time some of the Cylons have taken on human form. 
What makes the ship, Battlestar Gallactica, different is its lack of advanced technology, especially in the realm of networked computers and communications. It is this want that makes them less prone to attack because their systems cannot be infiltrated (much like having a decent firewall on your home computer). The mini-series introduces us to the principal characters and the dynamics between them, as well as showing what the Cylons of capable of in their robotic and human forms. Because this show is more about drama than spectacular action there is very little reliance on overblown CGI special effects, which are mostly limited to establishing shots of spaceship exteriors, and the occasional battle.
The mini-series ends on a cliffhanger that leaves you wanting more. I initially only bought the mini-series to see if the show was as good as I was told it was and by the end of it I was online ordering the first season of the series. As luck would have it both are on special offer at the moment. As soon as it arrived I watched one disc a night until it was finished with a season finale that left me hunting for more. The second season is underway in the US at the moment and Sky One is anticipating showing it in January 2006, although there is an online petition on the Sky One website forum to get it aired earlier.
So what makes it so great? A core of strong believable characters is the main reason, but their integration into a story that addresses political, social, religious and spiritual issues. Mix this with a military environment and complex relationships and you have a fascinating show, but with the addition of Cylons looking like humans and no one on board knowing what they look like, except maybe one, the tension really gets heightened.
This is intelligent, adult sci-fi that is extremely well acted and well shot, which will keep you engrossed. Being on DVD it has the added advantages of 5.1 Surround sound, no ads and no waiting for the next episode – although a long wait for the next season. Get them now while they are on special offer and you won’t be disappointed.
Buy the Mini-series from Amazon
Buy Season One from Amazon
For those who have seen the series and want to find out more about how it started and got remade, Titan have an excellent book Battlestar Gallactica: The Official Companion which is also available from Amazon.