| In 1977, Star Wars reintroduced the world to the | | | | After Battlestar Galactica was cancelled, the studio |
| serialized space opera with groundbreaking results | | | | tried to resurrect the series with Glen Larsen, this time |
| both creatively and financially. In the wake of this | | | | they sat certain parameters that doomed the show |
| paradigm shift came a gaggle of embarrassing me-too | | | | from the beginning: No new space battles would be |
| projects both for film and television. Then there was | | | | filmed, only recycled footage could be used, and the |
| Battlestar Galactica. | | | | original cast would be replaced by younger crew who |
| Battlestar Galactica was the brain-child of producer | | | | had already made it to earth. A land locked Battlestar |
| writer/director Glen Larson. It was both a pastiche of | | | | Galactica proved to have little appeal to fans of the |
| the Star Wars formula, and a bizarre melding of | | | | original audience and it quickly died on the vine. |
| wagon train and Egyptian mythology. The series | | | | Battlestar Galactica continued to hold a very active |
| chronicled the adventures of a "Rag Tag Fleet" running | | | | cult following and after several failed big screen |
| from the Cylons, a mechanized horde of robots lead | | | | attempts, Producer Bryan Singer decided to take a |
| by a human traitor; their destination is a mythical world | | | | hand at resurrecting the series with Sci-Fi channel and |
| called "Earth". | | | | an international consortium of financiers. Contract |
| Battlestar Galactica was a success both theatrically | | | | obligations caused Singer to back out, but his |
| and on the television. Despite it's campy acting and plot | | | | momentum was enough for the project to continue |
| lines there was an endearing element in the quest of | | | | under the guidance of Star Trek alum Ron Moore. |
| these characters. Battlestar Galactica never made | | | | When the new Battlestar Galactica miniseres |
| any apologies for borrowing the character archetypes | | | | premiered many fans were outraged. It was billed as a |
| made so popular in Star Wars. Apollo is a dark haired | | | | "reimagining" taking only the best parts of the original |
| Luke Skywalker, Sheba the strong female cut from | | | | series and turning some characters inside out. Several |
| the Princess Leia strand, and Starbuck as the | | | | male characters, including the cliché chauvinist |
| charismatic scoundrel that Han Solo would surely | | | | Starbuck, were now female. Cyclons would look like |
| approve of. Despite these obvious pastiches, | | | | regular people, and the series would take a more |
| Battlestar Galactica got away with it. | | | | political stance. Despite the nay-saying of Battlestar |
| The death of Battlestar Galactica, however, was | | | | Galactica purists, the new min-series was a critical |
| written in the stars. ABC has long argued it was | | | | success and a long running series was locked in. |
| declining ratings and cost overruns that killed the series. | | | | Since debuting in 2004, Battlestar Galactica has |
| In reality, many argue, it was the budget which was in | | | | continued to gain accolades from the industry, the |
| turn a function of the time. Motion control cameras and | | | | press, and fans, yet award recognition has been |
| blue screen techniques were still a trial and error | | | | denied. |
| process at the time and despite the experienced staff | | | | Much like its predecessor, Battlestar Galactica has |
| in the Battlestar Galactica effects unit these | | | | managed to avoid the fact that it is merely a blending |
| sequences often ran over schedule and many times | | | | of several recent, well duplicated motifs in television |
| had to be reshot entirely. Clearly, producing big screen | | | | history and stand alone in a way that brings legitimacy |
| effects in the span and budget of a television | | | | to the sci-fi genre by producing stories that are morally, |
| production was not something the industry was ready | | | | politically, and creatively challenging. |
| for at the time. | | | | |