Battlestar Galactica

33 was a perfect and awesome first episode of the first season of Battlestar Galactica first aired in 2005. The story pics up where the mini series left off as the Colonial Fleet continues to flee the Cylons who are now attacking every 33 minutes. This has taken a huge toll on the crews of the ships as there are no replacement crews and every one is worn to the brink. There were some sad moments and important decisions made, ultimately to save the Fleet. The scenes of Halo back on Caprica were interesting. Gaius Baltar had some interesting scenes with the blonde Cylon which raise new interesting questions. It was cool how the Cylons used the Olympic Carrier, but sad for the passengers lost. There were so many touching moments, like when Billy told President Roslin the new head count. I look forward to watching the next episode!!!!!!!!!

Warning: Do not watch this episode unless you wish to be disappointed in all future sci-fi series. "33" embodies everything that is great about science fiction, and is pitch-perfect in almost every respect. I've watched this episode many times on DVD, andit never gets old.

So the story has begun. We open to find that the Cylons find where the battlestar is every 33 minutes, which is a pretty cool concept. This is the first time I truly, truly felt bad for the crew whenever they showed how sleep deprived they were.



I thought the episode was a little boring for the first 20 or so minutes until they said that that one ship was missing. One of my favorite parts of the episode was when Starbuck refused to take her pills and then told Apollo HOW to get a crew member to agree with his wishes (by smacking her on the mouth) and they both just started laughing. It was a light moment in an all around dark, dark episode (I LOVE DARK T.V.). So I've decided that Boomer does NOT know she is Cylon. When Starbuck says "it's because she's a Cylon" i thought we would get some reaction from her face. So she's a sleeper. I've decided. Now to the part that is truly awesome. When they shoot a civilian ship. I really, really wished they showed people inside of it, but that is just my sick twisted mind there (and I also read they original planned for that and if you look closely there is some movement on the ship). The ending was hopeful and it was eh. :P No, just kidding I really enjoyed it. The President's acting is amazing.



The stuff with Helo on Caprica seemed a little out of place, but I guess they had to get that storyline going somewhere and I am excited to see where that goes with Boomer and everything. 8.5/10.

This episode is the pivotal first episode that brings us right into the world of Galactica! You are right in the moment with the crew of Galactica as they try to fight off the Cylons. The introductions of all the characters for a second time are well-done, and the dilemma with the Olympic Carrier is very interesting. The concept of God is introduced here in the very first episode, and really, the acting is SO good, and the ideas are of human life being so precious really hit home. This episode is a fine example of what BSG can do; make real issues present in a space show. It's why I love BSG. However, this episode has a few major downfalls. The first 20 minutes is nerve-wracking, yes, but can be a bit boring. It isn't incredibly exciting, and the characters aren't doing much in the first 20 minutes. Once the Olympic Carrier is introduced into the story, everything picks up, though. Also, the Caprica story in this episode is incredibly out of place and takes away from the story greatly. I'm caring for what's going on in the fleet, and then we cut back to Helo doing nothing. It's very distracting, and frankly, annoying. I'm giving this episode a 6.5/10, meaning it's a good episode, but not outstanding or really out there. 33 is a B- episode, to me.

This episode had me empathizing much more with the individual characters, as they walked along the razor's edge of exhaustion, but still managed to tow the line and perform their duties. Apollo and Starbuck endeared themselves to me more(or at all in Apollo's case) when they had to take out the Olympic Carrier. I loved the scene between Apollo and Adama after that, the way it showed each is ready to do what must be done for the fleet.



Adm. Adama: "I gave the order, it was my responsibility."



Capt. Adama: "I pulled the trigger...that's mine."



Dr. Baltar makes for the perfect coward, clinging to any branch he can grab a hold of as the consequences of his actions threaten to pull him under. Even ready to accept the religion he so mercilessly mocks if only it will save him from the truth coming out. Him breathing a sigh of relief at the thought of 1300+ people losing their lives, just so he can be safe, cemented for me how important self-preservation is to him and what a callous bastard he truly is.



Despite there still being a prevalent feeling of desperation, it was nice how the episode ended with something positive(the baby being born), that little shimmer of hope that makes you think they might actually make it through all this.



My favorite scene was Dualla walking down the hallway with all the pictures of unaccounted friends and family members or Apollo and Starbuck shooting down the Olympic Carrier, I loved how he whispered "mark", as if he couldn't bring himself to say it any louder.

As the first regular episode of the series, this episode is an amazing accomplishment.



It starts off without lots of exposition to get you up to speed, but new viewers none the less can follow the story and understand what's going on. You don't need to know all the back-story to understand what these people are up against or the roles they play in the story.



The theme of the episode perfectly conveys what BSG is all about: the remnants of humanity on the run. The 33 minute countdown adds to the tension, with the crew exhausted and trying to stay alive. Literally, they are on the edge.



The wall of photos, while a rather overt nod to those lives lost on 9/11, says so much in such a simple way. How can you convey 50 billion lives being lost? You can't, but the wall of photos reminds viewers throughout the series of the losses suffered by the crew members.



What is particularly brilliant in BSG is to take simple ideas and make them very poignant or pivotal. In this case it's a simple whiteboard and a marker pen. The number being eroded is like the fleet bleeding away... and the moment it goes up one at the end perfectly summarises that there's still hope.



I loved seeing Helo again, as I really thought he was a goner. As the story unfolds, it's great to have a secondary story to counterbalance the story of the fleet.



Roslyn and Adama brilliantly complement each other, and this episode builds on that well. They clearly need each other to keep on track and to make the right decisions. Sometimes one is wrong and the other is right. But this time when the Olympic Carrier arrives, tough decisions have to be made and they are in agreement.



That's what BSG is all about. Normal people making very tough decisions under extraordinary circumstances. This episode embodies that perfectly and sets the scene for the four years to come.



It is TV at its finest.

This was an episode I found difficult to get into -- as a series opener I thought it did very little to explain its premise (yup, I missed the mini-series); let's see what I think of it now.



Title Sequence: Starts 8 mins, 25 seconds into the episode.



Wow, everyone looks wrecked! The space battle at the start looks incredible. The premise for the episode is setup nicely, and as an introduction into the series, it's rather uncomplicated. A tad misleading, wouldn't you say?



Steady on with the shaky camera! The screen is flappin' all over the place! Still, Head-Six knows how to turn on the scary, and I've missed the humour from Gaius.



Aw, look...it's Dee :(



Lee's accent is a little all over the place right now. I realise Jamie is British, and he'll eventually master it, but as of right now, it's very hit and miss. That CGI shot of the cylon in the rain is mighty impressive!



Baltar is one selfish little pup



Frak-O-Meter: A tame start, with only 3 fraks in the entire episode!



Cylon Cex: Balter begins his season 1 sexathon with head-6!



Spot the six: Head Six. 2 Caprica Six's.



Injuries: Old Man cuts himself shaving. Casualties: 1,345 civilians were killed



Boomer or Sharon? Boomer wins this round, I love how badass she is, athough Sharon almost beat her when she took out Six.



Ships Lost: The Olympic carrier.



Battlestar Bleakness: It was bad enough thinking the cylons killed everyone, but the show goes one step further and has the good guys take out the carrier, and potentially the 1300 + passengers on-board.



Overall, it's visually sumptuous and contains some great character moments. A grand start to the show.

In Battlestar Galactica's miniseries there was a strong focus on destruction and loss, and the series premier is no exception. This episode presents more problems for the fleet as constant attacks from the cylon's continue every thirty-three minutes. What emotions we've experienced in the miniseries presents themselves at us again in this episode – fear, doubt, anxiety, desperation and anger. With no escape from the cylon's for over 5 days the crew begins to suffer from exhaustion and fatigue. As the attacks continue the fear of making mistakes grow as the cylon's are relentless in their attacks. The fleet must execute perfectly synced jumps to escape a barrage of nuclear missiles and cylon raiders. Civilian ships start to get problems with their jump drives and ensuring that they are ready every thirty-three minutes gets more difficult as time rolls on. As the episode progresses a fatal mistake is made which threatens the lives of over 1300 people. One of the civilian ships called the Olympic Carrier is left behind during one of the jumps enforcing the fact that as time goes on the humans WILL make mistakes and eventually fail. It's very enjoyable watching the fleet in such a desperate time, everyone is on edge and tired, wondering if they are going to make it through the next attack. The loss of the Olympic Carrier weighs heavy on the fleet, but surprisingly at the next thirty-three minute mark no cylons appear. While Adama is not satisfied, the rest of the crew begins to relax. After 45 minutes the call is made to President Laura Roslin (Mary Mcdonald) explaining that people should use this time to get some sleep. You can see from Bill's actions that he cares little for what the president thinks, but is the type of commander that will always follow protocol. It will be interesting to see how this will play out in the future as the bridge between military and political matters will cross over. During this episode we see Gaius struggle with his sanity as he is visualizing the cylon model that he slept with as she begins to manipulate him and explain things about the gods. Gaius being a firm believer in science doesn't think twice about what she is saying until she starts explaining current events that are happening around him. Surprisingly the Olympic Career jumps back to the fleet's location, but Gaius' daydreams explain that the ship is overrun with cylons. How exactly his visions are giving him intelligence on real time events boggles my mind. I hope the writers are going to have a good explanation for this. Roslin, Adama and Gauis all mutually agree that the ship isn't full of civilians anymore as the ships orders to not approach the fleet are ignored. As the Carrier heads straight for the fleet tension builds as they wait for Roslins decision to eliminate the threat. Gauis begins to worry that she will not make the order, as his cylon vision tells him to repent to god to save them. In the end Gaius repents and the order is made. Lee and Starbuck destroy the ship and the fleet jumps away. "33" is filled with tense moments that are great to watch. The desperation and exhaustion in the fleet is a very real threat which keeps you connected to the characters and compelled during the entire episode. For the beginning of the series this episode is a well thought out and executed story that does not leave many moments of rest. This episode will hook viewers into coming back for more.

So, I was very eager to finally see the real episode of this serie after miniserie and I it was better than I expected - I loved the theme - they cannot sleep as they have to jump after every 33 minutes and the exhaustion, not sleeping - how it affects it and all the decisions they have to make - with that civilian transportation, with how to work it all thought.. And I most say I like that even if this episode had quite dark tune the ending was lighter and the smile in the President face in the end.. that there is still hope, it was great.

What a great way to start a series!! I love that the show doesn't start at the exact moment the miniseries ends,it gives a more realistic feel to the show. Excellent character development- Adama and Roslin learning to work together, Lee Adama adjusting to his role as CAG, the angst of making the tough call about the Olympic Carrier. This episode set the tone for the series-it's never going to be all happy endings with everyone always getting along with each other. It sets a realistic tone-what would life be like if this is all that was left of humanity? The audience is treated as intelligent people that can handle some darker subject matter. I like to think of it as a thinking person's sci-fi.

Since we last left our friends in the Colonial fleet..there has been no letup in the war of nerves. The cylons have been attacking them every 33 minutes, leaving just enough time for fleet to jump away, the pilots to land, refule, refresh, and go back out again. Nobody has slept for five straight days. Everybody is burnt out and irratable. The pilots are issued stimulants to keep them awake. The makeup on the characters is awesome, not to mention the performances!. As another reviewer put it, you get exausted just looking at them. They really look like they haven't slept in 5 days. We delve deeper into the disturbing relationship between Baltar and Six-in-the-head. She wants a child. And we get the first real hints that she regards Baltar as an instrument of the plans of the "one true God". We learn that the count of human survivers has dropped about 300 do to miscounts, deaths from wounds, etc. They loose over thirteen hundred more on the Olympic Carrier no matter which way you slice it. And it's only the first regular episode of the series. A birth of a baby boy offers a very slight glimmer of hope. There is a break in the 33 minute cycle after the Carrier disapears. Why? For the first time since Sharon left him, we revisit helo on Caprica. He is running, and one step away from the Cylons every day until a Sharon-model Cylon shows up to "rescue" him. Out of the blue, the Olympic Carrier returns. Adama starts another 33 minute countdown. Is it a Cylon trick? It's time to make another hard choice. Quicker paced, and much more intense than the miniseries, this one will have you filing your nails from the rough edges you bit off. What a start to the series! As Roslin states..." Okay.... Next crisis."

Barely a slow moment in this episode, lots of action sequences. The “normal episodes” fit in seamlessly after the opening mini series pilot episodes. The make-up was phenomenal as everyone military and civilians alike looked very tired, exactly the message the director wanted to portray. I like how the show uses religion and technology, how each side of the argument can justify an action or situation. I also like the wall of remembrance, reminds me of how people were looking for loved ones after 911. The candles pictures and notes are very realistic. It took some getting used to but I like the way the camera pans in and out in the space sequences.

There are few shows that start out with such a pivotal and engaging episode that keeps the viewer wanting more, but Battlestar Galactica is certainly one of those shows. I got into this series late due to the fact that I do not get Sci-Fi, but that hasn't stopped me from checking out the backlog of episodes and of all the episodes I have seen so far, 33 is still THE stand out episode. I don't believe I have seen a episode of any show that was as intense as this one (Season 5 of 24 had some rather intense episodes though). It is hard to believe that such a simple premise could leave the viewer on the edge of there seat for the entire episode, but 33 succeeds. Picking up with Galactica fleet after the Nuking of Caprica, you find out quickly that the fleet is on a severe lack of sleep, having been running for nearly a week straight because every 33 minutes the cylons manage to catch up to the fleet, and they need to prep for there jump. Towards the end of the episode, the big unveil as to why it is every 33 minutes may be predictable, but the ride to that reveal is an edge of your seat thrill that will have you wanting to see what happens next in the series.

The Galactica is being followed by two Cylon Base Stars i presume its the two that were at the end of the Mini Seris. The appear every 33 minutes as such the Colonial Fleet have bben unable to sleep for over 100 hours. It was a tight story whcih at first i didn't think would work but it played of brillantly and showed us the skill and talent of the Actors once agian and the charecters even though all quite different played well together all in all it was a great way to start the season and deserved the Hugo Award it won.

I have heard great things about Battlestar, which caused me to start watching the show. The miniseries was decent, and 33 continues more of the same. There is alot of plans to escape the Cylons and the continuation of the most promising character of Gaius who seems to be slowly losing his mind because of the cylons and his connection. All in all, the episodes storyline of being attacked every 33 minutes is promising, but starts a bit slow, and when it picks up I can't help but wonder if the acting in the show will do likeless. Odama and the president do a nice job, but the rest were not nearly that impressive in this episode, but its definitely interesting enough to keep watching it.

A very interesting first episode of the show, well written and well acted episode all around.



My only problem with the first season is that I think the characters don't have enough depth, it's all about the humans running away from the Cylons which sometimes comes off as a litle bit flat.



The characters that stand out are obviously Gaius and his Six, his dreams and sexual chemestry are superb. Laura Roslin and Billy also stand out, I love the human count and that she almost always has to distract people until the end when she adds one because someone had a baby.



The storyline of the Cylons tracking a ship and attacking them every 33 minutes worked well too, but it was the right choice to destroy the ship or else they would have never found peace for the meantime.



Sharon's character is also well explored, she is never tired and Starbuck jokes about Sharon being a cylon, which she also is.



A quite interesting first episode that doesn't fall among my most favorites, but it is still excellent.

This is really da bomb... the feeling was there... the suspense was awesome when the clock was almost at 33... The cast looked completly like... (you know what word i would like to use here). I wonder... does it take more time to make them handsome and beautifull or to make them look like they did. I dont like the special effects on the cylons on ground... they always look rendered, but this is something I can easily forgive, when taking the whole picture. Great concept, great episode... full 10!!



If they keep the level that high... I will have a second most favorite... next to all time favorite 24!

Having missed the mini series, but had rave reviews from a friend. I happened to be at his house while this episode was on (I was actually trying to get him to go out, which he refused to do until after the ep).



I was hooked from the word go. The episode was original, fast-paced and high tension, while at the same time managing to develop characters and the storyline.



Writing and acting at it's best, this is how TV shows should be made!

This is great, it's an excellent way of continuing the miniseries. Ticking clock, impossible decisions to make, characters without any sleeping for over 130 hours.

We get to know a little bit more about almost everyone, and troughout the whole ep you feel that things couldn't possibly be any different.

The parts inside Gaius's head were really disturbing with the whole God speech and things happening exactly as n°6 predicted.

Then we have boomer, is she aware of what she is and she's playing along or she doesn't have a clue?

What was the helo part all about?

They openned several stories, I can't wait to know how they work out.

After watching the previous episodes (mini series) at least 4 times each, I'm eager to start watching the first season of the all new BSG. This first episode begins in a chase in space, wow! That's awesome. The first episode delivers, oh yeah just like what the mini series promises, space action, loads of it. This time, it's like a serialized story, one story sort of connects to the last or the newer one. maybe that's just to add to the dramatic effect or to heighten the excitement, but's it's okay it is really entertaining, and I'm waiting for the next episode.

First the bad. There is nothing all that novel about the concept of using sleep deprivation to defeat ones enemies during a time of war. This is the tactic employed by the Cylon forces in this episode. A tactic that suddenly ends, also hailing the end of this episode which leaves the viewer with more questions than answers. The biggest being, \"What just happened here?\"



However, that said, this episode exemplifies what makes BSG work. Normally and episode of this nature would force me to jump the proverbial shark. But in this case the pitch perfect acting of a symphonic cast paints a picture of an exhausted human race just as confused as we are. Their relief simply arrives...with no specific reasoning the torture just stops.



This indicates the exact nature of this war; fighting an enemy with a foreign logic. \'33\' is a wild and irritating ride, but in the end it\'s supposed to be!

This was again another very good episode. It had lots of action again and made for great TV. I thought that this episode had a really great story line. I especially liked the little argument between Kara and Lee, and i am certain, that by the look on the Chiefs' face he seemed to show that he knew something, (they so should be a couple, Kara and Lee). I thought that this was a very good episode, i loved that they had to keep doing the FTL jumps i love that they do that they are so cool. I loved this episode it was very very good.

Just when i thought BSG was already AWESOME in the miniseries i saw "33" which is the BEST episode ever for a sci-fi tv-show, if not among the whole genres. This episode has EVERYTHING that makes BSG a wonderful series. You got action, mistery, cliff-hanger, space battles, great characters with flaws and strong points. I'd say you don't have a single chance to breathe from the right start of the episode to the end, because of how involving the story is. The plot is PERFECT, you start to be anxious just by watching the countdown on the clock. You can almost touch the exhaustion of the entire crew forced by the Cylons attacks to jump every time is possible, but yet their determination to not fall under the enemy! And you find yourself relieved when the whole fleet finally make a jump and have a moment of peace.

Once again i suggest to anyone to watch the miniseries of BSG and this episode, which honestly is a mile stone among the tv-shows!

This episode has everything: a driving story, beautiful story outline, and brilliant acting. The subconscious talks are amazingly original and the clock is perfect. It's a great way to kick off the series and deserves to be part of television history. Definately worth at least downloading on iTunes for the $2.

With the first "episode" of the new Battlestar Galactica series we get a fine bit of character development across the board. With the crew under the strain of regular Cylon attacks and five days without sleep, everyone gets a little edgy and reveals just a little bit more of themselves. Baltar's selfishness manifests itself in a terrifying way, Tigh seriously regrets his lack of liquor, the knuckledraggers get on each others' nerves, and the pilots find themselves resorting to drugs to keep flying. Pilots of military aircraft taking drugs always makes me a little nervous.



President Roslin introduces her white board, one of the most depressing items to ever grace a President's office, with its ever-dwindling count of the human survivors remaining in the fleet. It takes a big hit in this one, but still stays just high enough to leave room for factions, intrigue, and previously-unmentioned characters to appear.



Not a bad little series they've got here. Romance, suspence, fantastic action, a nice looking lady in a little red dress - what more do you need?

What a way to start a series. Tight and personal. Well paced. If you wanna see who people really are, put them in a stressful situation. This was stress personified. Our fearless crew worked tirelessly to save the fleet and remain about as human as they could under this situation.



There's not a bad note in the show. We really get an idea for how things work, while being presented with a story that's twists and turns take us for a ride that thankfully lasts more than 33 minutes!



The decisions that Starbuck and Apollo make...and getting to see the aftermath (and a little more in following eps...) startlingly intense.



And Baltar's deceptions with Six's machinations...superb.



Glad I didn't use my ticket and gain passage on the Olympic Carrier. S'all I'm saying.

When I first watched this episode it was love at first sight. I watched almost every star trek episode and some other sci-fi and action show but none of them can compare to Battlestar Galactica. In this episode we see the struggle for survival, the mystery about the cylon and the doctor and a lot of action. It's breathtaking and thrilling from the first to the last second. I mean: what are the cylon trying to do really? Are the people on glactca going to find any single cylon on board (how many are they?)? And what about the doctor?

I think you can see what I meant! LOVE!!!

Ok a few things you guys should know, every review from this one up until and including Valley of Darkness is written from the perceptive of somebody who’s seen all the subsequent episodes, so if you’re in a foreign country I wouldn’t read these, I can’t ensure that there won’t be spoilers. Also no matter what the episode is about I will take time to discuss Gaius Baltar and Number Six, because…well…I can. That being said, let us commence.



As the episode begins we see various crew members getting ready to jump every 33 minutes, my initial reaction to hearing this was the exact same as Cally’s, “Why do the Cylons come every 33 minutes? Why isn't it 34 or 35 or...?” 33 is somewhat of an arbitrary number…The crew is in general states of panic and confusion, ok I understand that, but quite frankly I’d get bored. I mean sure escaping the Cylons may be exciting the first 256 times…



Then there’s Gaius and Number 6, aren’t they adorable? Well for a slightly psychotic doctor and his imaginary girlfriend anyway. As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, Gaius and Number Six never have a change in their relationship, it’s the same cryptic remarks from Number Six followed by a sarcastic retort by Gaius. There’s also a fair bit of foreshadowing in this episode. Number Six asks Gaius if he wants a child someday, to which he responds sarcastically, that of course not. There’s also the conversation between Crashdown and Boomer, discussing how Cylons can now look like humans, which Boomer conveniently ignores.



There’s the regular flirting, snapping between Starbuck and Apollo, I knew then that was a angsty, fanfiction writer’s dream. Turns out that still holds true. What have I mentioned about relationships not moving forward significantly in this series?



Number Six mentions God and Baltar‘s reluctance to accept him, a topic that will come up again, most significantly in “Six Degrees of Separation.” It’s always seemed a bit odd to me that a Cylon would be so adamant about Gaius accepting her religion. Maybe she had something to do with the strange occurrence of the Olympic Carrier being destroyed, maybe Six has that kind of power, or maybe she’s right, it’s God. Or some God anyway.

This was the eagerly awaited first episode of the new Battlestar Galactica series. Following the huge success of the mini-series one had to wonder whether it could live up to some pretty strong foundations.



Not only does it live up to the mini-series, in many ways it surpasses it. It succeds in setting the tone for how the rest of the season will pan out. This is not the jolly light-hearted Galactica of old, this is serious D-R-A-M-A.



33 Is a fine example of this and as I said previously sets the bench mark for the rest of the show. The basic storyline, the cylons have found Galactica and the fleet. They can always jump away using their FTL drives. However, the cylons always manage to find them, as it happens every 33 minutes. (hence the title) this continues for 100 something jumps until they lose a member of the fleet. Once the vessel is gone the attacks stop.



The missing ship succeds in finding the fleet however it appears that there is no-one on board and the ship is refusing all hails to stop. Having to take drastic action to keep it away for the Galactica and the other ships Adama gives the order to fire on and destroy the vessel. 33 minutes later and still no attack. It appears that they have lost the cylons. For now at least.



This episode was a good example of the drama that will be shown in the folowing episodes. This is something not very often seen on a Sciece fiction show like Star trek of Stargate. It shows how the attacks take a physical toll on the crew. They are physically exhasted and and a therefore tempers are fraying and job performance is suffering. As well as this it also shows the emotional after effect of the apocalypse. Much like the seens exhibited after 9/11 it shows people pinning pictures of loved ones up plastering corriders in faces hoping to find and be reunited with them. Again a suitable and emotional effect added in by the writers so the audience can on some leval connect with what the characters are dealing with.



This show certainly could have started with a a much weaker episode. and it just keeps getting better

I've never seen the original Battlestar Galactica. In fact, but for the clips from the featurette on the DVD of the mini-series, I wouldn’t even really know what it looked like. I decided to watch the new version of the show for two primary reasons: I’m a huge Ron D. Moore fan from his Trek days, and I happened to notice the Sci-fi first season marathon was going to air, and thanks to TiVo, I can now watch them at my leisure.



After renting and watching the miniseries, I was quite impressed for the most part with the new sci-fi world that Moore has created. Stepping away from the Roddenberrian view of the future with a strong undercurrent of optimism, Moore decides to take things in the complete opposite direction. The “Battlestar” world is gritty, dark, and in some ways much more closely mirroring our world today, as opposed to the world of the 24th century with its brighter colors and more uplifting themes. The characters deal with much more mundane issues, particularly the military personnel, who are much closer to being pure soldiers than explorer types of Trek. Roddenberry assumed that humanity would advance, evolve and better itself; Moore, on the other hand, has humanity acting pretty much the same as today, just with cooler toys.



I had one major problem with the miniseries, however. For all their cool technology (far cooler than the 1978 edition), the Cylons don’t make much more sense than they apparently did 25 years ago. On the DVD featurette, Moore talks about how he didn’t like how the back story of the Cylons was very poorly sketched out, with some vague references to a reptilian race bent on the destruction of humanity. By making the new Cylons a creation of humanity, Moore is able to explore much more about the creators and their relationship to technology in general and the Cylons in particular. Unfortunately, the development stops there, as the Cylons seem to be after humanity for no reason other than some vague, robotic sense of revenge. The miniseries ends with a tacked on explanation which is summed up as “If we don’t get the humans they’ll get us….eventually.” Of course, the Cylons spent the 50 years between the first war and the miniseries completely unmolested by humans, but perhaps their exceptional technology allows them to see into the future as well as blow up things at will.



This brings us to another major problem, which comes to a head in the first episode of the new series. In “33,” the Cylons have already caught up to the humans, who thought they’d safely escaped at the end of the miniseries, and not only that, they are managing to harass the human fleet to the point of collapse. By this point, the difficult conundrum has become painfully clear. On the one hand, the Cylons are so clever that they manage to destroy 99.9% of humanity in about 30 seconds flat. That’s pretty badass. Unfortunately, they aren’t QUITE badass enough to take care of one Battleship and a couple dozen ships of civilians, who manage to just barely evade them 240 times before finally escaping. No explanation is given for why the Cylons keep coming at them the way that they do. We can only assume that the producers told them that if they actually succeeded in wiping out the fleet, there would be no more series, and that means none of those hot Sci-fi residual checks. And we know how those Cylons love their residuals.



On Moore’s previous two shows, there were two real enemies: the Borg on TNG and the Dominion on DS9. The Borg, while initially greatly technologically superior to the Federation, had some fatal flaws which eventually allowed them to be defeated. The Dominion, despite having Changelings running the show, wasn’t that much better than the Federation, as Starfleet and the Klingons managed to hold them at bay for a season or so of war before the Romulans helped turn the tide. Both of these enemies are evil in their own way, but their motives are very clear from the beginning. In “Q Who,” the Borg say, “We want to better ourselves, so we’re assimilating.” A very clean, simple mission statement, intractable, but clearly articulated. The Founders want order in the universe, partly because of their own internal desire for order and partly to protect themselves from the “solids,” who have always been a threat to their existence. They aren’t even interested in killing everyone; they just want everyone to go about their merry way while they sit back and pull the strings, while occasionally whipping out the Jem’Hadar to smite an unruly planet or two. This point is made clear by the end of the ostensible 3-part episode spanning the end of the 2nd and beginning of the 3rd seasons. In “The Search, Pt. 2,” the crew of the Defiant is put through a simulation which may be superfluous, but at least the female Changeling has the decency to say “Here’s why we do what we do,” and at least it makes sense. After 4 hours of BSG, I’m still at a complete loss to figure out what the hell the Cylons are doing, let alone why.



I’m also slightly concerned that Moore is making the show dark for dark sake, perhaps a jab at his former Paramount employers who put out shows that even when grittier like “Enterprise” never explored the true depths of evil on a regular basis. Perhaps he’s gotten a little too full of his own ability to do things that are different and have them be great simply because they are different. In any event, I’ve decided to hold off judgment of this problem until I watch more of the series, but sooner or later they’re going to have to do something other than run from the Cylons; otherwise, Moore is going to run right into “Voyager” territory, where the overriding concept of the show (being stranded and trying to get home) is in every episode, and “Battlestar” turns into “Evil Space Gilligan’s Island With Crazy Robots.”



In closing, I want to make clear that the bulk of this review was dedicated to my analysis of the flaws of this particular show through the miniseries and pilot episode. I still give it a 7.5, because despite all these problems, the characters are compelling, the relationships are real, the dialogue is solid, and the effects shot are pretty damn cool. In fairness to this show, it still is only the pilot, and for anyone who’s seen “Encounter at Farpoint,” or even most of the first seasons of TNG and DS9, knows that it’s easy to dismiss a show too early. I’m definitely going to watch the rest of the first season and start watching the 2nd. If my concerns still haven’t been dealt with by then, I might seriously think about moving on from the new BSG, but in the meantime, it’s some pretty solid TV against a bleak landscape of reality-drivel and mindless comedy. Here’s to better and brighter things.