"Battlestar Galactica" (2003) TV mini-series

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

8 December 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Never create what you can't control.

Plot:

A re-imagining of the original series in which a "rag-tag fugitive fleet" of the last remnants of mankind flees pursuing robots while simultaneously searching for their true home, Earth.

Plot Keywords:

Cylon | Planet | Survivor | Quest | Nuclear

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

 (Series Cast [53])

Edward James Olmos	...	Commander Adama (2 episodes, 2003)
Mary McDonnell	...	Laura Roslin (2 episodes, 2003)
Katee Sackhoff	...	Lt. Kara Thrace - Starbuck (2 episodes, 2003)
Jamie Bamber	...	Capt. Lee Adama - Apollo (2 episodes, 2003)
James Callis	...	Gaius Baltar (2 episodes, 2003)
Tricia Helfer	...	Number Six (2 episodes, 2003)
Callum Keith Rennie	...	Leoben Conoy (2 episodes, 2003)
Grace Park	...	Lt. Sharon Valerii - Boomer (2 episodes, 2003)
Michael Hogan	...	Col. Tigh (2 episodes, 2003)
Matthew Bennett	...	Doral (2 episodes, 2003)
Paul Campbell	...	Billy (2 episodes, 2003)
Aaron Douglas	...	Crew Chief Tyrol (2 episodes, 2003)
Barclay Hope	...	Transport Pilot (2 episodes, 2003)
Lorena Gale	...	Elosha (2 episodes, 2003)
Kandyse McClure	...	Dualla (2 episodes, 2003)
Connor Widdows	...	Boxey (2 episodes, 2003)
John Mann	...	CAG / ... (2 episodes, 2003)
Alessandro Juliani	...	Gaeta (2 episodes, 2003)
Nicki Clyne	...	Cally (2 episodes, 2003)
Michael Eklund	...	Prosna (2 episodes, 2003)
Tahmoh Penikett	...	Lt. Karl Agathon (2 episodes, 2003)
Haili Page	...	Cami (2 episodes, 2003)
Alonso Oyarzun	...	Socinus (2 episodes, 2003)
Ty Olsson	...	Capt. Kelly (2 episodes, 2003)
Ron Blecker	...	Launch Officer (2 episodes, 2003)
Ryan Robbins	...	Armistice Officer (2 episodes, 2003)
Tim Henry	...	Doctor (2 episodes, 2003)
Kwesi Ameyaw	...	Liner Captain (2 episodes, 2003)
Brenda McDonald	...	Old Woman (2 episodes, 2003)
Suleka Mathew	...	Reporter (2 episodes, 2003)
Erin Karpluk	...	Woman #1 (2 episodes, 2003)
Jenn Griffin	...	Woman #2 (2 episodes, 2003)
B.J. Harrison	...	Woman #3 (2 episodes, 2003)
Moneca Delain	...	Blonde Woman (2 episodes, 2003)
Zahf Paroo	...	Man #1 (2 episodes, 2003)
Robert Lewis	...	Man #2 (2 episodes, 2003)
Denzel Sinclaire	...	Man #3 (2 episodes, 2003)
Nadine Wright	...	Chantara (2 episodes, 2003)
Michael Soltis	...	Chantara's Husband (2 episodes, 2003)
Fred Keating	...	Jr. Reporter (2 episodes, 2003)
Lymari Nadal	...	Giana (2 episodes, 2003)
Biski Gugushe	...	Pilot #1 (2 episodes, 2003)
Nahanni Arntzen	...	Pilot #2 (2 episodes, 2003)
Nigel Vonas	...	Pilot #3 (2 episodes, 2003)
Ryan Nelson	...	Pilot #4 (2 episodes, 2003)
Trevor Beeby	...	Doomed Pilot (2 episodes, 2003)
Richard Busch		(2 episodes, 2003)
Paralee Cook	...	Warrant Officer (2 episodes, 2003)
Georgia Hacche		(2 episodes, 2003)
Mike Mitchell	...	Desperate Man (2 episodes, 2003)
Mark Redsky	...	Caprica Man #1 (2 episodes, 2003)
Brady Schlecker		(2 episodes, 2003)
Christopher Wong		(2 episodes, 2003)

Also Known As:

"Battlestar Galactica: The Miniseries" - USA (long title)

Runtime:

USA:180 min

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:14A (DVD/video rating) | Netherlands:12 | Sweden:11 | Australia:M | Germany:12 | Singapore:NC-16 | UK:12 | USA:TV-14 (part 1) | USA:TV-PG (part 2) | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Bloedel Floral Conservatory, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

R&D TV

Trivia:

Donnelly Rhodes, who plays Galactica's doctor Major Cottle in the series, originally auditioned for Tigh.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): The Colonials have a polytheistic religion and throughout the series say "Oh my Gods," yet Adama says "Oh my God" when he sees his old Vioer and the CAG says it when the Cylon nukes are approaching.

Quotes:

Laura Roslin:There's no Earth. You made it all up. President Adar and I once talked about the legends surrounding Earth. He knew nothing about a secret location regarding Earth, and if the President knew nothing about it, what are the chances that you do?
Adama:You're right. There's no Earth. It's all a legend.
Laura Roslin:Then why?
Adama:Because it's not enough to just live. You have to have something to live for. Let it be Earth.
Laura Roslin:They'll never forgive you.
Adama:Maybe. But in the meantime I've given all of us a fighting chance to survive. And isn't that what you said was the most important thing, the survival of the human race?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Battlestar Galactica: Razor (2007) (TV)

Some of the anti-BSG2003 complaints are just crazy

Besides saying that I really liked the re-imagining of Galactica, I just wanted to point out the madness in one of the recurring complaints I've noticed among fans *and* nay-sayers of BSG2003. I read a lot of people saying "the new one doesn't have the humour of the original" or "it takes itself so seriously, the characters are too serious," or things to that effect.

I'm just wondering... how funny do you expect a nuclear holocaust to be?? I mean, writers of fiction are hoping that you can suspend your disbelief and try for a moment to imagine that what you are seeing is real, or could be real. So imagine for a moment, if you can, that you live in NYC and you just heard on the news that H-bombs have started falling from the sky in LA, and they're coming down in waves, west-to-east, and humanity is being utterly wiped out. Millions of people-- men, women and children, perhaps members of your own family, are dying in terror. Are you *really* going to be cracking jokes? Imagine that the human race is quickly being massacred, only a few hundred are managing to escape-- a tiny fraction of what civilization was, and you aren't sure if you're going to survive into tomorrow. Just how much humour is going to be in the air, mixing with the fallout and all? Even before the bombs start falling, all of the "overly serious" characters seem to me to have pretty good reasons... Adama's ship is being turned into a museum, effectively ending a major chapter in his military career (which is his life), Apollo's having to face his father, whom he blames for his brother's death, Teague is a drunk (they're not often the cheeriest people), Lauren's just been diagnosed with terminal cancer... you expect these people to be making with the ha-ha?

The character I did find funniest was Starbuck. Be it because she was a little 'crazy' or because she had the least on her shoulders (besides her boyfriend dying 2 years ago because of a decision she made... hm, may explain the 'crazy' a little, y'think?) to spoil her mood, and what do people say about Starbuck? "She was too crazy." There really *is* no pleasing some people.

Arguing that the characters in a story that depicts the extermination of said characters' species are "too serious" is... well, it only shows that you either can't do what the writers would like you to do-- and imagine yourself as a part of this world-- or that you can, but you're a suicidal sociopath.

I thought the miniseries was excellent; the re-worked premise made for a more textured story, the characters actually had some depth this time around, and were well-played by actors who obviously tried to 'get' some of the nuances of their characters and could take a serious situation (however imaginary) seriously. And I loved the special effects, too.

So with all due respect, the puritans who prefer the shallow, campy 70's series with its recycled fx footage, its 2-dimensional characters and it's plot that provides little context or background, can stick their complaints in their old pipes and smoke 'em.