# Battlestar Galactica Tonight! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 9, 2003, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-tonight/217811 "2003-12-09T00:57:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-tonight/217811/41 "2003-12-09T15:27:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by brianmelendez \* > \*\*I was wondering whether the war of 40 years ago was the same war from the original series, or a war that occurred before the original series began. After all, didn’t the first series open with the Cylons breaking a peace treaty? \*\* I guess others have covered this, but this miniseries is a “re-imaging”, so it’s technically a remake with no link to the old series beyond names and themes. They are not in the same “continuity”. ---
**Author:** ![Kilt-wearin\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kilt-wearin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilt-wearin_man)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-tonight/217811/42 "2003-12-09T15:50:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ElvisL1ves \* > \*\*Captain Castillo from “Miami Vice” commands a battlestar (I kept waiting for him to call in Crockett and Tubbs for a chewing out). \*\* I thought I was the only one waiting for that… > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ElvisL1ves \* > \*\*Only plot point I don’t get is why the Cylons sent the new fembot model and the 2 battle droids to Babylon 6 just to tell the human diplomat that the war had started. As if he didn’t know. But she gave him her picture anyway so he could burn it. \*\* That guy got all blown up along with the fembot and the battle droids. The picture-burner was Col. Tigh putting a cigar through a photo of his ex-wife. Remember, Cylon-Babe Number 6 explained to Baltar that she can’t die. When each body she uses is destroyed, she just wakes up in the next one, hence “Number 6”. I guess her two centurions on the space station were just screwed. Oh, and guys? Face from _The A-Team_ was Starbuck, not the other way around. _Galactica_ came first. That’s why it was funny in one of the early episodes (and it got re-used in the opening credits all through the _A-Team_’s run) when Face was at Universal Studios and a guy in a Cylon suit walked by they both did a double-take at each other. It’s the only specific thing I remember from watching _The A-Team_ as a kid. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-tonight/217811/43 "2003-12-09T16:24:13Z")
**Kilt Wearin Man** : I suspect that Galactica had lost of weapons that had been removed since it was going to become a museum. They don’t leave teh vulcans on the USS New Jersey ya know. They even made a joke about this: Starbuck: What about the Starboard launch bay? Tech: It’s a gift shop! Of course, by that logic the old vipers should have been totally mothballed. But they seemed to get them up and running without a minimum of effort (they mention what needed to be done for this, but I don’t recall.) I thought they carried the sense of dread from the attack quite well. The writeres and director learned a lot from 9/11 from a “what the hell is going on”. You never see the rest of the fleet being wiped out, just reports. I like the way they shot the battle scenes. I recall them saying they did it as if a newsguy were taping the battle and had to adjust his camera on the fly. I could live without the fembot. The Apollo actor really kinda sucks. I will comment that while Richard Hatch is right about useful female characters in the original, I will also note that Casseopia seems to have twenty jobs: Surgical assistant, Yeoman to Adama, Courtesan, Shuttle pilot, etc. All in all, much better than I feared. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-tonight/217811/44 "2003-12-09T16:42:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kilt-wearin’ man \* > \*\* > > Actually, I do have one complaint - the missile that hit the _Galactica_ - does a Colonial Battlestar have no point-defense weapons at all? \*\* I agree, however: “We’re in a shooting war, we need something to shoot.” Being decomissioned, they have no ammo. That’s why they have to get Ragno(whatchamacallit) harbour, for munitions. ---
**Author:** ![kasuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-tonight/217811/45 "2003-12-09T17:22:50Z")
Given the little nod to the original series with the museum they had on the Galactica, there is the possibility of seeing an updated Cylon Basestar. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-tonight/217811/46 "2003-12-09T17:45:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Miskatonic \* > I will comment that while Richard Hatch is right about useful female characters in the original, I will also note that Casseopia seems to have twenty jobs: Surgical assistant, Yeoman to Adama, Courtesan, Shuttle pilot, etc. > \*\* And if I recall correctly (and I’m pretty sure I do since I occassionally catch the old episodes on the sci-fi channel), it wasn’t as if all the women in the old Galactica show ran around screaming. They had women fighter pilots and bridge crews technicians and what not. The only diference is that their uniforms are cut a little tighter and a military issue haircut is the Farah Fawcett ‘do’. Still, I do miss old Boomer’s afro and old Col “Uncle Tom” Tigh’s “yessa massa Adama! I bring dem laser batt’ries online directly!!” The “retro” technolgy idea is pretty original and it makes sense. If you are fighting machines and A.I.s, you probably don’t want to be too dependent on other machines and A.I.s. I’m also reminded of the anti-human robot horror movie from Futurama “we tried our most powerful magnetic fields on it (the human) with no effect…in the end, all it took was a harmless pointed stick…” ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-tonight/217811/47 "2003-12-09T18:54:42Z")
OK, sure, the Cylon babe is gratuitous…but wow! ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-tonight/217811/48 "2003-12-09T19:27:33Z")
After the opening sequence, my first thought was, “they don’t need the Galactica, they need Deckard.” ---
**Author:** ![Kilt-wearin\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kilt-wearin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilt-wearin_man)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-tonight/217811/49 "2003-12-09T21:11:25Z")
OK, I’ll give you the logic of no point defense weapons. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Miskatonic \* > \*\*Of course, by that logic the old vipers should have been totally mothballed. But they seemed to get them up and running without a minimum of effort (they mention what needed to be done for this, but I don’t recall.) \*\* Any aviation museum worth its salt has at least a reasonable portion of its aircraft in flyable condition - the ones that don’t are just sad collections of rusting hulks. The Cavanaugh Flight Musuem is 15 minutes from my apartment and has to keep drip pans under half its planes to catch engine oil and hydraulic fluid from various aircraft in its collection. If there’s ever a need for this nation to be defended by a P-40 Warhawk, and F-86 Sabre or a B-25 Mitchell bomber, they can have one up in the air within the hour…Even museums that never fly their aircraft (such as the National Air and Space Museum) keep them in condition where they _could_ fly, just so they’re in 100% accurate condition, so I can believe the Galactica’s old MkII Vipers would be made flight-ready in short order - especially since the ground crews just spent who-knows-how-long restoring a squadron’s worth of them to tip-top shape for the museum display. **msmith537** , I don’t remember the original Col. Tigh being anything other than articulate and professional - if a little on the dull side. Certainly none of this “yessa massa” BS…his main job just seemed to be to lean on the opposite arm of Athena’s bridge chair from the one Adama leaned on and stare intently at the tactical screen while commenting on how dire the situation is…kinda like Commander Riker’s job in the first three seasons of _Star Trek: The Next Generation_… ---
**Author:** ![Kilt-wearin\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kilt-wearin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilt-wearin_man)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-tonight/217811/50 "2003-12-09T21:30:55Z")
Oh, and **ElvisL1ves**? Just to demonstrate what a freakin’ geek I can be, microns and centons were never used as units of distance, they were units of time (unlike the Corellian parsec, which is apparently a unit of time used by Han Solo to judge his Kessel runs…). If I recall correctly, microns were seconds and centons were minutes, don’t remember what hour were but years were “yahrens”. Anyone remember better than I do what each “Galacticaspeak” time unit equated to? Anyone remember if they had their own distance units (“Light-yahrens?”)? ---
**Author:** ![kasuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-tonight/217811/51 "2003-12-09T21:33:48Z")
I thought that whole Han Solo parsec thing was explained as not a time issue but of distance, since traversing the Kessel Run required a lot of course adjustments and Han was bragging he crossed the expanse in the shortest distance. ---
**Author:** ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-tonight/217811/52 "2003-12-09T21:44:24Z")
I’ve just come back from perusing some of the Galactica fansites forums. I admit, I had a hard time understanding the negativity of the fans there to the new series - no, strike that; the raw, unbridled FURY they have against the new series. Now, nostalgia I can understand. Indifference I can understand. Distaste I can understand. But I just couldn’t understand the naked hatred towards this new BSG. Then it hit me - this was FEAR. Fear that this new series would dash hope for all time that their vision of Battlestar Galactica - a continuation of the 70’s series - would ever be made. I don’t know what to tell them. This new BSG was damn good. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-tonight/217811/53 "2003-12-09T22:03:04Z")
Speaking of Farscape, I’m totally acclimated to it. “Just wait a frellin’ microt” sounds completely normal to me. “Just wait a frackin’ micron” would have just sounded lame. Although I did hear someone say “frack.” Ugh. As for Starbuck not being a lesbian, c’mon. Xena & Gabrielle weren’t technically lesbians either, but ten million lesbian fans weren’t totally delusional. What’s wrong with Col Tigh having a bit of a drinking problem? And being white? I can only imagine the outrage if they’d kept him black and given him a drinking problem. Sheesh. And if you don’t think soldiers drink when they’re off duty, or that some of them don’t drink a little too much when they’re off duty… I think BSG always tried to go for a bit more realism than Star Trek or Star Wars that way. ---
**Author:** ![Darkhold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@Darkhold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darkhold)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-tonight/217811/54 "2003-12-09T22:03:14Z")
fairly good show. B- so far. I write this as someone that dimly remembers the original but when it came on as a marathon about a year ago watched about three episodes thinking “my god this is bad. Why did I like this so much?” My main complaint (and it seems to make me a minority here) is I think the fights suck. I can hardly follow what’s going on it’s like a half assed version of the fights in B5 with none of the cinematic style. I do like the minimalist sound effects though. I didn’t mind Col. Tigh being a loser. This ship is a 40 yr old relic no doubt some people thought it would be a good place to stick an ineffective CO. Fembot…mixed feelings. I didn’t like how the envoy just kissed her b/c she was so ‘hot’ I don’t imagine any human being with even the slightest glimmer of brain power would be anything but kicking and clawing to get away. And I don’t understand why they bothered. If you’re just going to blow up a station why waste materials by putting a fem bot and two centurions on it? The baby scene was silly too. Why risk being arrested for something like that when you know everything is going to be nuked in a few days. Seems like they’re striving too much for an ‘evil’ feel which was unnecessary. That said I think an infiltrator before you invade would be a logical step for them to take. I never got a feeling of despair from the original (maybe I was too young) but this one seems to be doing a good job. I liked the lottery I liked that Boltar didn’t jump at the chance (you could see him considering it) to save his own skin. I think he’ll make an interesting character as he grows disillusioned and betrays humanity. So far I don’t like the president she seems to be too unsure. Not that that is an unreasonable thing but so far she doesn’t seem to be someone that would stand toe to toe with a Commander that wants to take charge. The son. _SIGH_ why do all sci/fi sons hate their fathers? Seems like the only time you see a family in these shows is when they hate each other but have to work together anyway or if they’re being tragically torn apart. Starbuck. I haven’t liked the rebel without a cause since well…Starwars I don’t care if it’s a him or a her. The largest thing I like about this is they obviously attempted to keep the cornball to a minimum. There isn’t a lot of winking at the camera or things that flat look silly. There was an attempt at realism here which they didn’t always succeed but at least they were trying ---
**Author:** ![Kilt-wearin\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kilt-wearin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilt-wearin_man)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-tonight/217811/55 "2003-12-09T22:21:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kasuo \* > \*\*I thought that whole Han Solo parsec thing was explained as not a time issue but of distance, since traversing the Kessel Run required a lot of course adjustments and Han was bragging he crossed the expanse in the shortest distance. \*\* Nah, that’s just 25 years worth of geeks like us trying to make excuses for George Lucas not knowing what a “parsec” is but putting it in his script because it sounded impressive. ------Now back to the real discussion, already in progress---- I like the President’s indecision and skewed priorities (insisting on devoting all resources to rescue operations rather than re-arming while the fleet’s still being wiped out all over the place) - she’s just been bumped up 43 positions from education secretary to President of the Colonies. She’s got no idea what she’s doing, she’s just trying to do the best she can. I think she’s going to have to make some horrible, costly mistake and have Adama rub her nose in it in order to become a strong leader, but that’s the stuff that good storytelling thrives on. Let’s just hope we get to see some good storytelling, or at least more decent storytelling. So far nothing has out-and-out sucked…except the new Cylon Centurian designs. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-tonight/217811/56 "2003-12-09T22:35:05Z")
**AtomicDog** -Stuff like that is why I hate fanboys. It doesn’t matter HOW they made it, nothing would be good enough, you know? And besides, it’s just a cornball 70s TV show. So they remade it. The old show is still out there. They haven’t done anything to it. Heck, maybe the new movie will drive people to watch the original. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-tonight/217811/57 "2003-12-09T22:54:26Z")
Well, here’s my 2 cents. I was predisposed NOT to like it. I had heard the buzz around it from the various sources, and the buzz did not sound good. When I turned to SciFi I was thinking what else I might watch when BSG started to really suck … But I’m the type to give something an honest shot, too, and I’m glad I did. I think the show turned out GREAT. I was quite impressed and am looking forward to part 2 tonight. I think the character development has been excellent. I love Olmos’ Adama, I love the character of the President, and I love their initial mutual antipathy. As **Kilt-wearin’ man** pointed out above, this makes for good drama, and I’m looking forward to how it develops. I don’t know if the president’s pilot will be a continuing character or not, but his reaction to the initial news was really great acting. The stammering, the shaking hand, the wan look – just excellent. In fact, I really thought most of the acting was quite good. Many people have panned the actor playing Apollo and I agree he’s the least likable of the lot, but I think that also plays to the drama and leaves room for development. As for the fanboys … ah, who cares? ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-tonight/217811/58 "2003-12-09T22:59:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by levdrakon \* > \*\*Ooh. The one thing that caught me right away and made me decide to watch: > > The Cylon babe snapped the little baby’s neck! How cool is that? It’s like they had the balls to cross a line I don’t think I’ve ever seen crossed by evil doers before. Woo, hoo! Snap more cute little baby necks, you evil Cylons! \*\* I think she aspixiated the brat ,rather than snapping the lovable tykes neck Declan ---
**Author:** ![Curate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Curate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Curate)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-tonight/217811/59 "2003-12-09T23:14:05Z")
I also like the retro technology and the reason given for its presence. Frankly, it also provides a reason for BG having such a large crew – I always wondered what the crowds on the Enterprise were there for, but lacking networked computers to do many of the jobs we’ve got a good reason for legions of fuse-changers. Pity there weren’t any assigned as antiaircraft gunners. Like the Star Trek universe, the Galactica does seem a little top-heavy with officers. Also, figuring out how the ranks line up is a little confusing. here’s how it seems to me, based on ranks I heard used last night: Chief (the only enlisted rank I noticed), Lieutenant, Captain, Colonel, Commander, Admiral, Secretary of Education. I do kind of miss the old lumpy Galactica, though. Did I miss a part in which other battlestars were referred to by name? In the original series I seem to remember Pegasus, Atlanica and the improbably-named Pacifica. I like to think that somewhere out there is the battlestar Lusitania. ---
**Author:** ![kasuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-tonight/217811/60 "2003-12-09T23:26:27Z")
Perhaps a “Battlestar Tonkin” to throw into the mix. After giving it a little thought, I’m bugged by something. Why didn’t the humans have unmanned recon missions to find out where the Cylons were hiding? I’m sure at the end of the war, there were some military officers and politicians who weren’t so quick to forget about the Cylon threat. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-tonight/217811.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-tonight/217811.md?page=4)