ARCHIVE
This is an archive of previous What’s New entries.
2/21/00 Hysterical! Check out the Cylon/Gorn race at ToyFare Twisted Mego Theatre Issue 4.
3/2/00 Went over my original notes from my interview with Terry McDonnell, added a few paragraphs to the interview and generally touched it up. Made some changes to the B page in the concordance to take account of new info recently discussed in the BSG Theme mailing list (the Galactica has 16 launch tubes per side, not the oft-quoted 20), and updated my resume.
3/7/00 A sad day indeed for all BG fans, and, for that matter, Star Trek fans also with the passing of John “Count Baltar/Commander Kor” Colicos. His final appearance in-role was in Richard’s trailer. John Colicos was 71, and will be sorely missed.
3/21/00 Michael Daly contributes an analysis and criticism of Lost Planet of the Gods to the Episodes section.
5/8/00 Updated and added some links to the non-BG links page, changed the Amazon.com logo on the contents page to their new style. Not a lot going on in the BG world right now. Go out and see Gladiator!!!
5/17/00 Added an article looking at the real history behind Ridley Scott’s great new film Gladiator.
6/27/00 Added an illustration of Lloyd Bochner to the concordance; updated the Site Index. Made a few corrections here and there. Seen the Radio Shack TV ads with Howie Long and featuring BG scenes on the background TV sets? Hmmm.... And, since absolutely nothing seems to be going on in the BG world, here’s some more Gladiator stuff.... Scope out a hilarious promo for Chicken Run that’s a take on Gladiator here (A Chicken Will Rise! And go see the film!), and visit actor Tomas (Quintus) Arana’s very well done and informative official site. And check out a good interview with Tomas at Maximum Russell Crowe. If you’re a Russell Crowe fan, Maximum Russell Crowe is a site worth checking out in detail.
6/28/00 Two good new interviews over at BG Resurrection: Richard Hatch and Battlestar Galactica.com webmeister Michael Faries.
7/6/00 Added a picture page for Starbuck to the Concordance; added an illustration of the “anthem scene” edited out of the premiere to my article about the changes to the premiere, and also made some additions to that article. Anyone else see The Perfect Storm? Not bad (it’s no Gladiator!), but I must say the included trailer for next year’s Pearl Harbor sent chills up and down my spine. If only it’s as good as it could be!
7/7/00 Added a picture of Deitra and one of the Warrior with the Beard to the concordance. Added a new article about the lost premiere scenes dealing with Serina’s fatal illness. Updated the Site Index.
7/8/00 Added a picture of Count Iblis’ true form to the Concordance.
7/9/00 Added a picture of Commander Adama to the Concordance.
7/10/00 Two great new articles: Larry Mager looks at the Colonial uniforms, and we reveal the names of the 12 battlestars. Added a couple of new pictures; an unusual viper model picture here, and the model of the Galactica under construction to the Concordance. Added a few things to the listing of magazine articles. Updated the Site Index. Amazing what you can accomplish when you quit your job.
7/11/00 Added a transcript of a 1986 convention Q & A session with Richard and Anne Lockhart to the interviews section. Corrected some typos in the uniforms article; added to the article about Serina’s illness, touched up the episode guide and the article on the premiere. Added an illustration of Science Fantasy Film Classics #4 to the listing of magazine articles.
7/12/00 Began to add an article on Ralph McQuarrie’s artwork; this will be added to as I continue to find and scan the art in.
7/13/00 Added a couple more images to the Ralph McQuarrie article.
7/17/00 Everyone seen the Sciography special? Someone on the BG mailing list pointed out that it would make a good intro for someone who didn’t know a lot about the series, but for true fans it left a lot to be desired...no new info at all, which is what I’m always looking for. Doesn’t Dirk look good, though?! I’ve posted a brief review here.
7/19/00 Added an article from ANOMALY 9 that takes a brief look at the theme of armed defense of liberty that was so prevalent in Battlestar Galactica.
7/26/00 Added an article that looks at the original Michael Sloan script Fire in Space.
8/1/00 Added an illustration of Ila to the Concordance. It would be interesting to know who the actual photo is of, by the way.
8/9/00 Added more information to the listing of BG magazine articles.
8/10/00 Added a review of Science Fiction Television Series to the BG Reviews page. It’s an expensive book, but worth it.
8/15/00 Added a plan of the Galactica bridge to the Concordance. Added a few new links to the non-BG links page.
8/16/00 Added a plan of the launch bay set to the Concordance.
8/28/00 Make sure to check out Richard Hatch’s latest update at Richard Hatch Enterprises @ RichardHatch.com: News & Insights. Richard discusses the current status of BG, the sale of Universal to Vivendi, the Sciography special, his memories of the late John Colicos, and his Great War of Magellan project in this interesting and obviously deeply felt update. Added two pictures of the Cylon baseship to the concordance, and one of Apollo as well.
8/30/00 Killed off a few old What’s New entries that were no longer so new...added a few new links and killed off a couple ones that either were out of service or hadn’t been updated in ages...added an illustration page to the uniforms article.
9/2/00 Check over at Sciography: Battlestar Galactica for part of the transcript of Dirk’s interview for Sciography. It’s not complete by any means, but is interesting...especially when you consider what they left out of it. Hmmm.
9/5/00 Yes, I’m still thinking about Gladiator...and added a short article discussing some of what the filmmakers got right, and what they got wrong. I’ve mentioned Maximum Russell Crowe as a favorite of mine; congratulations to them for winning an Australian Onya Award for best fan website for the 30 Odd Foot of Grunts (which is Russell Crowe’s band, BTW) section of their site.
9/6/00 Added a few things to my new Gladiator article.
914/00 Updated my resume.
9/24/00 Redid the book reviews page with new and classic historical and military history titles. I don’t have much of a comment on the cancellation of the Realm Press line of BG comics except that I’m not greatly surprised and suspect most of you aren’t either. Their claim that there wasn’t enough fan interest is a load of crap, however; what killed them was their inability to get the titles out on anything resembling a “schedule.” Get a real job, guys. I am told Subway is hiring....
10/1/00 Added contact information to the Revival page; rewrote the article on the premiere. Important changes are coming to the Battlestar Zone! I have been somewhat lukewarm in my support of Richard to this time, but that is changing, and I now support his effort completely.
10/2/00 The Battlestar Zone joins the Battlestar Network, a group of BG sites dedicated to the BG revival effort.
10/14/00 Added some new images to and reworked my article on Ralph McQuarrie’s BG artwork.
11/6/00 An exclusive new interview with BG director Alan J. Levi! He talks about coming in halfway throught the premiere, the vicissitudes of directing Gun on Ice Planet Zero, his recent work on Don Bellisario’s hit series JAG, and the shadowy origins of Battlestar Galactica.
11/12/00 Made a few changes here and there, mostly to incorporate new information suggesting that Specter’s voice was provided by Murray Matheson. If you want to remember the sheer craziness of G80, wander over to Sheba’s Galaxy: The Unofficial Universe Of Anne Lockhart. British fan Matthew Wharmby has contributed a hilarious series of reviews of G80 episodes. Plus there are a lot of other new additions to the site, so if you haven’t been there for awhile, check it out.
11/22/00 Wow! An article by me on another site! Check out Battlestar Galactica Fan Club Featured Articles for my take on the BG “creator question.” Added some new links to the BG links page.
12//3/00 Zoom over to battlestargalactica.com to check out their December issue. Four new articles, including one by yours truly, and guess who’s the Featured BG Site this month? Hey, you’re there!! Woo hoo! Plus there’s lots of other cool stuff as usual, including some plans for neat add-ons for Netscape users, new featured artists, etc. Always worth a visit!
12/9/00 Vastly improved the BG reviews page: now all of the available books and videos are listed. All items are linked directly to Amazon.com’s information on that title.
12/11/00 Touched up the BG Links page. Added three new images to the Ralph McQuarrie article. And go see Proof of Life!
1/9/01 Added a transcript of a panel held at Visoncon 2000 featuring Richard Hatch and author P.N. Elrod talking about collaboration in book-writing. Not only is the panel interesting in itself, it makes me wish that Elrod rather than Chris Golden had worked with Richard on his novels! Thanks to Michael Faries of battlestargalactica.com for providing this transcript.
1/10/01 There are very strong rumors from very good sources that indicate that the Sci Fi Channel is preparing to announce a new Battlestar Galactica series that will have absolutely NOTHING to do with the original. It will feature none of the original cast, none of the original production team, and will not follow the events of the original series. This travesty has got to be stopped or it will kill any hope of a real revival absolutely dead (and will kill the franchise also when it inevitably FAILS). You can help! Immediately go to TV : On Air Colony : S.C.I.F.I. WORLD and POST your objections! If they understand how fans feel, it may encourage them to sponsor a true revival!
1/26/01 Something very strange happened at the Sci Fi Network’s site today. This afternoon, Sci-Fi Wire posted this story:
SCI FI Eyes New Galactica
A spokesman for The SCI FI Channel confirmed to SCI FI Wire rumors that
the network is considering reviving the 1970s series Battlestar
Galactica—but without original producer Glen A. Larson or actor Richard
Hatch (Apollo).
characters, a new villain to replace the Cylons and a new ship, the
spokesman confirmed.
and Hatch to revive the series on their own. Larson earlier told SCI FI
Wire that he was working with Universal Studios to create an IMAX
version of the series, the first step in reviving the show as either a
feature film or TV series. For his part, Hatch has been trying to win
Universal’s support for his own feature film or television series
proposal based on the original show. Hatch has won a following among
Internet fans, who have written to Universal supporting Hatch’s idea for
projects that would involve the series’ original actors. Hatch, who
doesn’t own any rights to Galactica, has nevertheless been showing a
homemade trailer for a proposed feature film at comic-book and SF
conventions.
ratings. A group of Galactica fans has also posted an open letter to SCI
FI, urging it to consider adopting Hatch’s ideas.
the official Web site of The SCI FI Channel.
Now, that’s pretty horrible, but what’s even weirder is that this announcement DISAPPEARED from the Sci-Fi Channel website about two or three hours after it was posted. What in the hell is going on?
1/28/01 Well, the brouhaha over Sci-Fi’s bizarre announcement continues, no surprise. Richard Hatch expresses his reactions at BattlestarGalactica.com: Overview of Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming.
1/30/01 Well, well, someone at the Sci-Fi Channel blabbed too soon. Here’s the latest from the Sci Fi Nutwork:
Updated 2:24pm ET on 30-January-2001
9:00am ET, 29-January-01Galactica News Premature
SCI FI Wire jumped the gun on news that The SCI FI Channel was developing a series based on the 1970s SF show Battlestar Galactica. In fact, a spokesman for SCI FI did not confirm rumors that such a series was in development.
Oh, really? If a spokesman for SCI FI (as they capitalize themselves) didn’t confirm it, who did? Liars! Michael Faries theorizes that this may be a tactical move to shut fans up so Sci Fi can continue development on the quiet. I’m inclined to agree with Michael. Keep writing, keep protesting, and keep a close eye on these people. In other BG news, Jack Stauffer’s latest update is here.
2/16/01. Well, there’s obviously been a great deal of silence from the Sci Fi Nutwork for several weeks.... In an exclusive new article, the one and only Scott Mantz tells the story of how he became, much to his own surprise, Sciography’s “Number One BG Fan!”
2/22/01 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA RETURNS! It’s finally official, and frankly, it looks like it might be good. X-Men director Bryan Singer will be the executive producer of a new BG television series announced today by Studios USA. What does this mean for BG fans? It’s hard to tell right now, but I personally am willing to give Bryan Singer a chance. He has stated that he respects the fan base, is a very hopeful sign in and of itself. While this may not be the revival fans were looking for—and not the one Richard Hatch has devoted himself to for the past several years—it is a new direction, and a new hope.
2/23/01 Revival information continues to flood in....go to Sci-Fi Wire to read Studios USA exec Dan Pasternak’s take on the revival. It looks as if Singer et al are looking at a BG-TNG set well after the time of the original. Also read an exciting interview with Singer’s partner Tom DeSanto here. Later today or tomorrow I’ll be rolling out a brand new revival section to keep track of the developing return of BG!
2/23/01 Second update today....I’ve started a new section, replacing the original Revival section, that will cover the developing story of the return of BG. The only thing I have there now is a reprint of the original Variety article, but expect more news and definitely opinion soon!
2/25/01 Read Richard Hatch’s official statement on the recent developments here at battlestargalactica.com. Perhaps the most important statement Richard makes in his gracious announcement is this, which I suggest all BG fans of every stripe immediately take to heart: “No one knows more than me that there’s many ways to bring back Battlestar Galactica.” Exactly what I would have expected Richard to say; now the fans who are hysterically wailing and beating their breasts and proclaiming undying hatred for Bryan Singer before an inch of celluloid has been developed need to sit back, shut up, and wait. And hope, which God knows we’ve been doing for 22 years now.... In the meantime, Richard will be completing work on his third BG book ( BG: Resurrection) and finishing up his Great War of Magellan trailer proposal and he will also be standing by in case Bryan Singer and Tom DeSanto do elect to tap into his reservoir of ideas and enthusiasm.
2/26/01 Well, at least Singer and DeSanto are going to have enough time to do it right, a luxury Larson never had. According to an interview at Cinescape.com, Studios USA exec Dan Pasternak reveals that the earliest a new BG series could appear is probably mid-season 2002.
3/23/01 Check out some interesting comments from Tom DeSanto here. Sounds as if things are moving ahead, and Singer and DeSanto have the advantage Larson never had of having some time to work on series development and ideas. In other BG news, there’s a good new interview with Dirk Benedict here. Check out John Kenneth “BG expert” Muir going off half-cocked in a big way here. It’s a little early to start screaming and whining. Believe it or not, BG can still be BG without the old cast. Is ST—TNG not Star Trek? Or Deep Space Nine? Or Voyager? Give me a break. Thanks to attentive site visitors, removed a broken link from the non-BG links page and added a magazine article to the BG Bibliography. Thanks, folks!
3/25/01 Is John Kenneth Muir the BG “expert” he’s currently being portrayed as? No, he isn’t. He’s not even a fan. This is a man who described Battlestar Galactica as the “most fascistic American science fiction program of all time.” I take a critical look at his error-ridden book here.
3/26/01 Congratulations to Russell Crowe for his winning the Best Actor Oscar for his fabulous performance in Gladiator. Check out the latest over at Maximum Russell Crowe’s Oscar 2001 page.
3/27/01 There’s an interesting article on the BG revival at Galactica Lives - Has anyone seen my Battlestar?, whiich is on computercrowsnest.com, a European fanzine site. Hard to say what it’s based on, but there are some intriguing possibilities there. The idea of a new BG being considerably darker than the original, with dissention in the fleet, sounds promising; one suspects the enthusiasm for the search for Earth would end rather soon after Adama died and as conditions in the fleet continue to deteriorate. Added some new links to the BG Links page.
3/30/01 Fixed some typos in my article on John Kenneth Muir’s “expert” status...thanks to all who reminded me that Bryan Singer’s associate is Tom DeSanto, which I’ve been persistently getting wrong.... Sorry, Tom!
4/4/01 I understand the Chinese want an apology. Fine. Here’s mine: UP YOURS.
4/23/01 Well, no announcement yet, but a new post by the mysterious “Baltar4” on Sci-Fi’s BG forum suggests that Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, Terry Carter, Anne Lockhart, and Herb Jefferson will return in their original roles for a series of what he calls “transition episodes.” Also over at Sci-Fi, check out this new interview with Richard Hatch. And here’s another Richard interview—not a very good one—at newtimesla.com.
4/25/01 I have only just learned that my friend Susan Skeen of Charleston, West Virginia died last November 22 after a short illness. A long time Battlestar Galactica and Dirk Benedict fan, she was a great help to me in my fanzine efforts. She herself wrote a small amount of BG fiction of exceptionally high quality. Fans who wish to remember her can do no better than to make a contribution in her name to the Gilda Radner Ovarian Cancer Registry, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm and Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY 14263.
5/11/01 Recently ran across an interview I did several years ago online with Galactica 1980 story editor Chris Bunch. I don’t normally run G80 stuff, but there are some illuminating moments in here. There have been some recent rumors that UPN may pick up the new Galactica; frankly, I think it’s really unlikely that the United PARAMOUNT (as in Paramount Pictures!) Network will air a Universal TV series, so I personally don’t take these rumors very seriously.
5/20/01 Well, the nasty silence regarding the status of the revival drags on...meanwhile, as we wait, check out actor Denny Miller’s very nice new site. He portrayed Ser 5-9 in Gun on Ice Planet Zero, and his site features a page of very nice photos from the episode.
6/6/01 Knowledgeable sources suggest that BG has found a network home as a midseason 2002 replacement, but no official announcement has yet been made. Check out this article on National Post Online; notice how John Kenneth “BG Expert” Muir keeps popping up like a fungus everywhere...let’s hope Singer and DeSanto aren’t taken in. CGI images claimed to be test images for the Singer/DeSanto series have popped up at Coming Attractions and Dark Horizons, but the provenence of these images is extremely dubious. They’re very nice, but they seem to have either been released without authorization or have nothing to do with the revival.
6/24/01 The silence is beginning to drag on in a very unpleasant way, and Richard Hatch is as concerned as the fans. Read what he has to say in this important message to the fans. There apparently are people involved in the revival who are determined to use the BG name and copyrights as a launching pad for their own concept, a concept that may have almost NOTHING to do with the original. This is an extremely dangerous development and I urge all BG fans, whether you have supported Richard in the past or Glen in the past, to band together and urge the powers that be that no matter who you have supported, you do support the original concept of Battlestar Galactica. Now to my mind that can include the original cast or it might not. I am not as wedded to the necessity of having the original cast as Richard and many fans are. But damn it, I know BG when I see it, and I’m increasingly worried that when the new BG does premiere, none of us are going to recognize it.
6/29/01 Well, the silence finally came to an end today with the announcement that Fox will present the 2-hour premiere to a new BG series during the 2002-2003 TV season. Reportedly the new series will be set sometime after the original, but close enough that some of the original cast may return, although no formal announcement to that effect has been made. Here’s how Scifi.com announced it:
So, what does this mean for BG? Will Fox treat BG the way they treated Chris Carter’s The Lone Gunmen? Or will BG be given the chance its original never was—the chance to find itself and grow? Only the next months will tell! I have added a segment to Richard’s update in which he discusses the vicissitudes of getting his latest BG novel, Resurrection, to press.
7/2/01 BattlestarGalactica.com has posted an animated image of what has been suggested is a new design Cylon (called a “Trilon”) for the upcoming new series; check it out here. Now it’s possible this is what it claims to be, but on the other hand, the caption “Cylon Field Assassin” is misspelled, and surely the copyright credit on the image should be �2001, StudiosUSA? Hmmm.... Also, check out a very interesting interview with Bryan Singer, Tom DeSanto, Dan Angel, and Billy Brown over at Cinescape.com.
8/20/01 Is it possible that the producers of the revived BG series believe that they can produce a show with Dirk Benedict and WITHOUT Richard Hatch?! Rumors are beginning to fly that that may be the case, and if so, it’s a particulary asinine idea that Singer and DeSanto and especially Dan and Billy need to be dissuaded of right now. Check over at battlestargalactica.com for the latest, and where to write! I notice I didn’t post an update on the, um, “trilon” mentioned above, but needless to say it indeed was a fake promulgated on BG fandom by a particularly stupid individual who thought that this was a great way to get his artwork noticed and land a job on the new series. Well, all that anyone noticed is that he can’t be trusted, and that does not tend to lead to employment.... Thanks to the redoubtable Michael Faries of the aforementioned battlestargalactica.com for the handsome opening page wallpaper, intended to commemorate the planned BG Fan Appreciation Day at the upcoming DragonCon in Atlanta. More info on this event as we get it!
8/30/01 Battlestar Galactica Fan Appreciation Day is September 1st, and even if you won’t be joining Richard, Dirk, and Herb at DragonCon, you can still celebrate our favorite show! Read all about the festivities here. Also, you’ll notice I’ve changed the background color of this page from black to my stock “readability” background. Don’t know about you all, but I find reading light type on a black background for any length of time pretty painful!
9/2/01 Fan LucianG reports on Battlestar Galactica Fan Appreciation Day in this article reprinted with permission from battlestargalactica.com. It sounds like a good time was had by all, but the producers of the upcoming Fox revival evidently did not live up to their promise to release new information. Thanks loads, guys. What are you trying so hard to hide?! IMPORTANT: Go to battlestargalactica.com and please sign both of their on-line petitions. One supports the original actors, the other supports release of all of the episodes uncut on DVD/VHS. According to good sources, we have two weeks to make our point, and we need every signature we can get! Please sign, tell your friends and families, spread the word around the web!
9/17/01 I’m sure we all remember where we were this day in 1978—in front of our TVs, watching the premiere of ABC’s new hit Battlestar Galactica. Time flies, doesn’t it? And I know that none of us will forget where we were last Tuesday. I would remind the enemies of the West that all previous such enemies have been destroyed or assimilated, and you are next if you persist in this insanity. If you want jihad, then Deus lo vult! Frankly we’d all prefer peaceful coexistance. Those of you who want to help, I recommend two ways: Amazon.com has set up a convenient link through which you can donate directly to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Almost 160,000 Amazon vistors have donated over $6,000,000 to this fund which will be used for disaster relief in New York, Washington DC, and in Pennsylvania, and to aid the families of the victims of this horrible tragedy. Secondly, you can help the families of the courageous firefighters of the Fire Department of New York who gave their lives trying to save people from the WTC attack. The number of lost firefighters is well over 300, the worst single disaster in fire history. Visit Firehouse.com to find out how you can donate and for the latest news on rescue efforts.
10/27/01 If any of you have had problems reaching the site over the past few days, GeoCities sent me a notice that I’d exceeded my data transfer allotment for the month. Kind of hard to believe, but hey. If this happens on a regular basis, I’ll just have to pony up for more data transfer. If you have problems reaching the site, let me know when they happen. There have been numerous rumors and reports over the past few weeks regarding the Singer/DeSanto BG project. What I think is solid information is this: Dirk and Herb are both signed and will definitely be in the new show. Supposedly other old cast members will be introduced as the show progresses. Richard has not been signed or approached. The premiere will film in December and will be shot in, of all places, British Columbia. Reportedly Fox has proved to be a major impediment, forcing their minions Dan Angel and Billy Brown into the equation, and wanting to completely revamp the show (apparently Fox has complained that planning for the pilot is “too like” the original). Where will this lead? It’s still too early to say....
11/3/01 Bryan Singer has, according to confirmed information from Tom DeSanto, pulled out of the BG production completely to focus on X-Men II. Contrary to rumors, the production is still a go at this time. The sets have reportedly been built, the script is nearly finalized, and at least three directors are under consideration to shoot the pilot, which reportedly will film in December.
11/10/01 Important message from Michael Faries:
Listen to Michael, friends. We have two weeks, then Battlestar Galactica is dead again—for good.
11/21/01 Tom DeSanto reportedly is still working hard behind the scenes to salvage the BG revival. Check out an interesting article with images of proposed Cylon designs created for the revival at Dark Horizons. This is the kind of information that should have been released a long time ago to get interest stirring, but better late than never, I suppose....
11/23/01 Tom Fights On! Check out a statement from Tom DeSanto clarifying the above-mentioned revelation of Cylon designs at http://www.darkhorizons.com/news.htm. Added a new article: The Lost Revivals. Many fans believe that Richard Hatch’s effort was the first serious try at bringing the series back, but the real story is far more convoluted and interesting. Also, moved a lot of older What’s New entries to a new archive page here.
11/28/01 Richard Meets With Tom! Here’s the latest from Michael Faries:
Good news, I think, and hopefully we’ll have more soon!
2/5/01 And in the end there was no good news, which somehow after all these years does not surprise me. An attempt apparently was made to shop BG to UPN, and it failed. Dead again, and this time, I think, for good. Along more cheerful lines, John Dorsey over at Sheba�s Galaxy is reprinting some of Sharon Monroe�s Clean Slate Press publications, starting out with one of the best BG stories of all time, Sharon�s own Alternate Conspiracy. Check it out! 3/25/02 Unfortunate news over at BGInfoSphere, one of the better BG sites and certainly the best at keeping up with the latest BG news (including news of what the other websites were up to!); Joe Beaudoin has closed the site to concentrate on other activities. Fortunately, his Galactican site is up and running with a new issue expected soon. As for the BG �revival,� the silence continues. Rumors persist that the sets have actually been built (sure. No spy photos?) and that filming will happen in July, but frankly I do not find these rumors particularly credible. I rather hope to be proven wrong, but I�ve been around too long not to know what the score is. Moved most of the older What�s New entries over to the archive page. 3/28/02 ...and the new issue of the Galactican is up! It�s available now only in .pdf format, but the zipped download isn�t too long and as usual the zine is worth it. Check it out! 4/3/02 Well, the BG �revival� has now come full circle, with Tom DeSanto being shown the door and the Sci-Fi Nutwork back to �reimagining� the show. Here�s what the Nutwork had to say:BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (4-hour miniseries) - SCI FI re-imagines the groundbreaking and beloved series in which �a rag, tag fugitive fleet� of the last remnants of mankind searches for its true home. Fleeing the aliens responsible for the slaughter of their homeworld, the Battlestar Galactica survivors must meet a whole new set of challenges. This intriguing twist on a classic will be written by writer Ronald D. Moore (Roswell, Mission Impossible II) with Breck Eisner (Steven Spielberg�s Taken; The Invisible Man) attached to direct. Distributed by USA Cable Entertainment, the project will be executive produced by David Eick (American Gothic, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Spy Game). 4/5/02 Some important reading over at Coming Attractions. This is the most intelligent take I�ve seen yet on the current fraught situation. Also, check out battlestargalactica.com, which is in the process of rolling out a handsome new redesign. And sign the new petitions while you�re there! 4/15/02 Starting over? Here is the first firm word on the new BG production from writer Ron Moore, as posted at www.zap2it.com:
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - After a couple of years with teen aliens in New Mexico on UPN�s Roswell (which has its series finale on May 14), Ronald D. Moore is ready to head back into space again.
A
writer and/or producer on the first three Star Trek spin-off series and a couple
of the Trek movies, Moore has signed on as writer for Sci Fi Channel�s
upcoming four-hour miniseries version of the �70s
cult science-fiction show Battlestar
Galactica. The series�which
so closely resembled 1977�s Star Wars
that it inspired a lawsuit�had
a very brief run in 1978-79, then returned in downscaled, revamped form a year
later as Galactica
1980.The
highest-budgeted series of its day, the effects-heavy Battlestar Galactica
followed a ragtag human fleet, the remnants of a surprise attack by the evil alien Cylons,
as it followed the last surviving battlestar, commanded by silver-haired Adama (Lorne
Greene), to a mythical refuge called �Earth.� Original
series star Richard Hatch worked for years to resurrect the Galactica franchise,
writing novels and even, in 1999, completing a four-and-a-half minute film trailer
illustrating his concept for a new series. In
the end, Universal Studios went with a concept from X-Men director Bryan Singer,
but when the success of that film, and its impending sequel, caused Singer to drop out
late in 2001, the project changed hands again. The
current executive producer is David Eick (American
Gothic, Spy Game), with Moore writing and Breck Eisner (Taken,
The Invisible Man) attached to direct. Moore
says the new Battlestar Galactica will function both as a miniseries and as a
pilot for a proposed series. �I
was a fan as a kid,� he says. �I was right there in the �70s, watching
along with everybody else. I remember everybody was talking about it.� Moore
isn�t doing a
sequel, but instead is re-imagining the concept from the beginning. I�m
going to go back and retell the origin story, and that will form the basis of
the miniseries. There will certainly be changes. I�m trying to just take a
different approach to the material. I want to keep the underlying myth of the
show, which is what makes people remember it, and update a lot of it.��In
the broadest strokes, I don�t want to do Star
Trek and Star Wars all over again. There�s a certain style of
filmmaking associated with those shows, which is a very romantic, glossy
approach to science fiction, with big, lush, orchestral scores, etc.��I�ve
been wanting for a while to go in a different direction with film science
fiction, and we�re doing it with Galactica. We�re going to try to
make it, for want of a better word, more real, a real place, down and dirty,
with a sort of �You are there� feel to it.��It�s
going to be�and this is a bad phrase�a �down to Earth� sort of place.
It�s going to be more about the people aboard the Galactica and
the ragtag, fugitive fleet than it will be about aliens of the week, planets
of the week or anything like that�
So, what should we think about
that? It�s obvious that any attempts to get the original cast back are now a
waste of time. That battle is over, and we lost. Such is life. We have to face
the reality that the stars of the original BG now have a collective TV
Q rating of zero. My view is this: if the show is started over from the
beginning, we should step back a little and see what the producers have in mind
before we go ballistic again. I�m willing to wait and see what they�re going
to do�and a nice start would be to be more open with the fans that Singer and
DeSanto were. Perhaps this short interview with Ron Moore is a good sign.
4/29/02 Gee, looks like Moore et al
are about as communicative as Tom was... Also, check out an interesting exclusive interview
with Richard over at Sci Fi Pulse. Fixed some of the broken links on the non-BG Links page.
5/18/02 Hm. Turns out that Ron Moore IS
more communicative than Tom was. Check out the very interesting interview with Ron at http://scifipulse.scifiwebs.com/battlestarnews/BSG/ronmoore.htm.
Looks as if Ron has a pretty good idea of what he�s
going, which I wonder if Tom DeSanto ever did (and if Tom did, who in the hell
could tell?!). I�m feeling more hopeful about the revival every day.
5/26/02 Been using Link Valet today
to whack assorted internal linking errors.... Let
me know if any of you have problems linking to any of the pages in the site. A
visitor informed me of problems yesterday; the html is perfect, so I suspect it�s
another one of GeoCities� little ways of forcing you into their pay service by
making half your site unavailable at any given time.
5/28/02 Check it out! Exclusive images from Richard�s Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming trailer! Thanks to Michael Faries of BattlestarGalactica.com for permission to reproduce these images. It�s the closest those of us who haven�t seen the trailer can come!
6/14/02 Hmm. Huge flame war going on over on the Sci-Fi board...Andrew Fullen making an ass of himself as usual. Couple new things to report. First of all, here�s an announcement from Michael Faries I should have posted about a week ago (sorry, Michael!):
RADIO GALACTICA is a not-for-profit Internet broadcast channel which is
devoted to the sci-fi entertainment series Battlestar Galactica.
Additional information can be seen at:
http://www.battlestargalactica.com/radiogalactica/index.html (including
the RADIO GALACTICA FAQ section)
(Note: RADIO GALACTICA is not directly affiliated with
BattlestarGalactica.com.)
Operated by T. Shawn Hardy, RADIO GALACTICA is seeking original
content.
OF IMPORTANCE: The channel is seeking writers of Battlestar Galactica
fan fiction to permit their works to be read as audio plays/readings on
RADIO GALACTICA.
RADIO GALACTICA would be granted permission by the writer(s) for
conversion of these original text works for audio-based airings. These
audio files would remain the property of RADIO GALACTICA for repeat
airings at any time. Writers would retain the rights to their original
text works with no compensation or remuneration provided. Credit would
be given to the writer during the audio adaptation.
Additionally, RADIO GALACTICA has a group of volunteers, some with
radio play experience, who are interested in recording these audio
plays/readings. If you prefer to record the audio yourself, RADIO
GALACTICA can provide requirements for audio format/submission
requirements. Do NOT deliver any unsolicited audio files without the
prior permission of RADIO GALACTICA.
This is a fantastic opportunity to share your original Battlestar
Galactica fan fiction stories with a wider audience!
To contact RADIO GALACTICA, please visit:
http://www.battlestargalactica.com/radiogalactica/form.html
This is a cool and really original idea: check it out! Secondly, Ron Moore has popped up with another interview, this one in SFX�s Deep Space Special, posted on the Sci-Fi BBS by bishop37:
A
popular adage is that when one door closes, another one opens. Certainly, when
the door of TV�S Roswell was slammed shut with a cancellation
sticker slapped across it, executive producer Ron Moore found entrance at the
Sci.Fi Channel and the new version of Battlestar Galactica. Several
months ago Moore - former co-executive producer of the still-lamented Star Trek; Deep Space Nine
- was asked whether or not he would be interested in writing the four-hour
mini-series that will also serve as a pilot for a potential new weekly series.
He took a weekend to think about it, and during that time he developed his own
take on the material. That Monday he met with executives from the Sci.Fi
Channel and pitched his ideas - a task made more difficult by the fact that he
found himself involved in his first ever video teleconference. �It
was a very strange experience,� reflects Moore. �It was like talking to a
viewscreen in Star Trek. You�re in a conference room at a long
table and there�s a big-screen TV at the end. As I was going in to the
pitch, there were people in the room and people from New York on the screen,
and I was trying to talk to the people in New York. But it was very
distracting. Down at the lower corner of the TV screen was a little
picture-in-picture with a current shot of the room I�m in. So I�m trying
to talk to them, but you keep looking down at a picture-in-picture trying to
figure out, �Am I still in frame? Did I lean too far back in my chair?�
Then it becomes, �Am I losing my train of thought?�� His
pitch accepted, Moore went back to watch the original premiere of Battlestar Galactica,
which had aired back in 1978. Although he hadn�t seen the show in nearly two
decades, he was surprised by how strongly it had stayed with him over the
years. �I
liked it as a kid,� he says, �even though I knew there were things about
it that I didn�t think made a lot of sense and didn�t quite work for me
even at the time. But I went out and got the DVD version, most of which I
remember pretty well. It did, however, take me by surprise in a number of
ways. One, I was fairly amazed at how much money they must have spent on this
thing, because for 1978 there were just so many visual effects shots, models,
sets and explosions. Oh my God! It was very impressive. Knowing what I know
about producing science fiction for television and thinking what it must have
cost at that point when all the technology was brand new, made it even more
amazing. That stayed with me all the way through: �Man, there�s another
shot of another ship!� �Then,�
Moore elaborates, �it�s the fact that looking at it in a post 9/11 world,
brings with it a different resonance than it did at the time. It�s a
surprisingly dark premise. Twelve entire planets are wiped out in the pilot;
entire civilisations destroyed and the survivors are on the run from the
enemy. They�re not heroically doing anything except trying to survive and
hunting for a place called Earth. Just a very dark, doomed, apocalyptic vision
of something for a primetime network series. I was really surprised by that.
Everybody talks about how they were ripping off Star Wars. Well,
yeah, of course, the fighters and how they shot the fighters, visually were
very similar, but overall I could appreciate what they were trying to do.� One
thing he couldn�t appreciate - then or now - was one of the basic tenets of
the show�s premise. As established in the pilot, the Colonials had fought
the robotic Cylons for a thousand years, yet when the Cylons announced they
wanted to declare peace, the Colonials jumped at the opportunity. Notes Moore,
�And the entire fleet comes together in one spot and then gets their asses
kicked. Even as a kid I was, like, �Are they idiots?� It just didn�t
make any sense and still doesn�t. There was however, an interesting set-up
in terms of the family unit that�s there, the Adama character and his son.
Even Starbuck, which is the name that is easiest to make fun of and the
silliest kind of notion in a way, but you watch it now and you can see the
character was trying to be a rogue. They were kind of going for it in a
certain sense - he smokes, he drinks, he chases girls. He does walk the walk a
little bit for ABC television in 1978. So I can kind of see what they were
trying in places and I could see the roots of why it�s been memorable for
people for years. I haven�t sat down to watch many of the subsequent
episodes beyond that, but I do remember the show fairly strongly.� Events
of September 11, have, in a sense, come to bear on this new version of Battlestar Galactica.
�In the original version - where the characters are coming to peace - and in
the version I want to tell where they are at peace already, suddenly this bolt
from the blue happens and it just shocks their collective psyche in a very
profound way,� Moore explains. �Suddenly that premise and that show has a
different resonance now. I think it�s an interesting place to put a group of
characters in a science fiction context. I also think that now we can mine it
in different ways and can explore characters in different ways. What happens
to the people in Galactica is what happened to us in September, but
in several orders of magnitude larger. It�s sort of like saying September 11
happens, but the only people who survive are the people inside the Twin
Towers. So it feels like what we�ll be able to do is play out the psychic
and emotional reverberations of that kind of an apocalypse through the
characters and through the series. It�s something that will always be with
these characters. �They
didn�t really try to play that too much in the original series,� he adds.
�It was a little bit more in the Star Trek
pantheon where the fugitive fleet would go from planet to planet or alien race
to alien race or situation to situation. What I want to do with the new
version of Galactica
is make the show much more about the people within those ships, the societies
that have developed and what they�ve taken away from the worlds that are now
gone, what they�re going to lose and what they�re going to keep. And what
happens to these people. How are their lives changes and what does it say
about them as people? It�s an interesting event. I can see that there are
things to hook into as a writer, there are character aspects to explore that
weren�t quite there to explore before.� The
impression is that such an approach would result in a real downer of a series.
Moore disagrees. While the situation is desperate, he argues there are many
other shows on TV based around desperate situations which aren�t so
constantly dreary as EastEnders. �It�s
more of a drama,� he points out. �It�s going to have ups and downs
through all the characters. In the same way that you watch ER, there�s
always a certain sense of death in the air at a hospital. There�s always a
sense of jeopardy and mortality that sort of colours everything that happens
within the hospital. That might be in the background. You might say that there�s
a downer every week, but it�s really not because that�s part of the human
experience. You see how characters respond to facing their mortality in
uplifting ways and depressing ways, and it gives you a way to explore the
range of human emotions.� All of which raises the question of whether or not a weekly
Battlestar Galactica would be a series of individual stories week-by-week, or
more of a serial with a developing arc like Deep Space Nine. �I
think there will always be an internal narrative structure where there�s an
episode each week,� he says. �The DS9
format was that the station never went anywhere, so by its very nature it had
to have a continuing storyline. I think the way to look at Galactica
is that the character relationships will continue, the characters will change
and grow and there will be a continuing through-line with the characters and
their relationships, but Galactica
will give us the opportunity to tell episodic plots as well.� �But
here there should be a natural tension,� Moore concludes. �Once the
initial emergency wears off, it feels like there would be a natural tension
between the military and the civilians. I�m trying to make it a more
realistic series; trying to ground it in terms of character and storytelling.
At the same time I want to maintain the general myth and the elements of Battlestar Galactica
that have made it a beloved classic.�
OK. Comments, anyone?
6/16/02 So, what DO we want from a new Galactica? What do we want to change? What would we like to stay the same? I plan on writing about this at further length later, but here are a few initial thoughts:
What to change: I’d like to see more of life in the Colonies before the Destruction. This can be done in the miniseries, and also in flashbacks later. There should be more differentiation between the Colonies. Considering how much diversity there is on Earth, how much more on 12 planets with very different cultures? I’d like to see more realistic politics—please don't repeat the “Council BAD - Military GOOD” dichotomy of the original. Everything in real life is in shades of grey, after all. More women in the fleet would be good, and I understand Ron Moore has already addressed this. The Cylons must have a reason for the destruction of the Colonies, and unless they want to enslave the survivors, they will use planet-busting weaponry (any space-faring civilization with interstellar capacity will have planet-busting weapons— a couple thousand tons of mass accelerated to near-light speed and aimed to hit a planet will erase all life on it). And, if the Colonies survive and become a source of slaves, consider the idea of using human mercenaries working for the Cylons against the Colonials. I’ve always thought that was a rather neat concept. Make sure there is more than one class of warship in the fleet, for Sagan’s sake....
What not to change: The basic ship designs, the uniforms, the slang, the background history, and the terminology. Consider getting Stu Phillips to do the music, and if you don’t have him do all the music, at least use his opening theme. Retain, but improve the basic sets. Get rid of that ridiculous window on the bridge and put a multipurpose viewscreen there. Through CGI, give us hangar bays with viper-handling cranes, etc. Keep the vipers, but add other classes of small fighter and strike craft. No aircraft carrier carries one type of aircraft. And, most importantly of all, keep the strong relationships between the characters.
8/21/02
Dead AGAIN?! According to a source Michael Faries quotes in a message posted today over at Sci-Fi�s BG BBS, the Ron Moore/David Eick BG may be dead on arrival because they didn�t crap on it enough to please the asinine Bonnie Hammer. Figures, right? More when we hear it...in other news, an interview with Larson (consistently misspelled �Larsen� by the doofus who did the interview) over at http://www.destinationspace.net/escape/larsenint.asp. More of the same old, same old, but check it out.9/3/02 Alive again? Ron Moore posts over at the Sci-Fi board! Check it out; here�s the link...http://bboard.scifi.com/bboard/browse.cgi/1/5/531/91734.
9/28/02 Ron Moore speaks to the fans! Michael Faries prepared a Q&A for Ron using questions submitted by fans, and I think everyone, whatever their take on the revival controversy, will find his replies interesting.
12/4/02 RON MOORE LIES! Well, the truth has finally apparently come out about Moore�s BG �project,� and is it AWFUL. Moore apparently has the green light to film the following piece of shit, as reported at http://www.filmjerk.com/archives/0212/021203galactica.html. Boy. Talk about a heaping helping of SHIT. Die, Ron Moore, Die! Seriously, I think this is probably the end. Moore has managed to alienate EVERYONE (there�s a wonderful new unity on all the boards!) and the end result is going to be unwatchable. UPDATE 5/28 Or is it? Check out my review here and here. Did we over react? I know I did.
12/22/02 Rush, do not walk to http://www.battlestargalactica.com/features/articles_interviews/archive/2002/dec02b-plain.html for Michael Faries� review of Ron Moore�s script. Michael actually finds some positive elements in Moore�s script, but overall dislikes it. Check it out!!
12/28/02 Good news! Even NON-fans think Moore�s script is a mess! Check out FilmJerk�s review at http://www.filmjerk.com/archives/0212/021228galactica.html.
1/14/03 VITAL! Go now to the Colonial Fleets board, or Sci-Fi Channel BBS post http://bboard.scifi.com/bboard/browse.cgi/1/5/531/317662 NOW and participate in Michael Faries� poll about BG�s future. There may be a rethink underway; the reaction of the fans to Moore�s script may have blown his current plans out of the water, requiring him to start over. Here�s our chance to possibly influence the project; let�s not waste it!
1/21/03 Ken Thomson, better known to fans as Raymar3D, has posted his review of the Moore script. Three strikes and Ron is OUT! Check it out at http://www.demonslayers.org/BattlestarGalacticaNewslinkRMScriptReview.htm.
2/6/03 Once again, a day when we will all remember where we were when it happened. And once again, anti-space hysteria follows the tragic loss of Columbia and her crew. One way you can help is to sign the National Space Society�s pro-spaceflight petition by clicking the logo below. Forty years ago, John F. Kennedy said, �We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things not because they are easy, but because they are hard.� Britain�s Royal Navy did not stop a tradition of exploration when Captain Cook was chopped to pieces on a beach in Hawaii, or when Sir John Franklin and the crews of his two exploration ships perished in their search for the Northwest Passage. We can�t stop either. If there is any future for humanity, is it out there, not here.
In BG news, the Sci-Fi board has been completely hijacked by Trekkers. No reason to go there anymore, in my view.
2/25/03 Well, while some of the Trekkers over on the Sci-Fi Nutwork board have proven thoughtful, there are now some Star Wars �fans� who are complete and total morons. Not a big moment for George Lucas, eh? In the meantime, the Nutwork has updated their BG page to reflect their remake (http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/intro/index.html), including a truly cretinous letter from the great Ron Moore in person. Gee, it�s great to know that Ron believes that BG is a sleeping giant and that he can improve it. After all, we have to get rid of that 70s hair! And those horrible caricatures of characters (as if Ron�s load of losers aren�t caricatures in and of themselves)! Ron concludes �Stick around, it�s gonna be a helluva ride.� Riiiight.
3/1/03 Was there any planning for BG�s never-filmed second season? Conventional wisdom, which I shared, has long been no. Now, a new document suggests there was�and it isn�t anything we would have expected. Thanks to Michael Faries, The Lost Season.
3/3/03 Woo hoo! Galacticon 2003! Check out the latest news about the 25th anniversary con, to be held in Los Angeles in October, right here! Also, made a correction to my Lost Season article. Thanks to David over at the Sci-Fi board for pointing it out!
4/9/03 Added a new article discussing Tom McCluskie�s The Anatomy of the Titanic over in my Modozone. Moved a bunch of old What�s New entries to the archive.
4/18/03 Several things for you to check out...scope out a great new BG (and other classic SF media) website and bbs at http://www.cylon.org/. The Cylon Alliance wants you! Also, over at the new moderated Sci-Fi board (http://www.scifi.com/mbb/browse.php?tid=1), the redoubtable Korn_Fan2 is beginning to post a multipart review of the long-rumored Tom DeSanto BG script. The Colonial Fleets forum also has a new address; you can find it here. Korn Fan�s review is also posted there.
5/8/03 Photos from Moore�s thing here. What do I think? The �uniforms� look like they came right out of Space Mutiny...The new viper looks good, but what�s with the English stenciling all the hell over it (RESCUE! NO STEP! Looks like an F-4 Phantom decal sheet!)? Even the ship name on the tail?! My God, it looks like it just flew off the Constellation!
5/12/03 Important new interview with Ron Moore over at the Cylon Alliance site! Moore addresses some of the controversies and issues involved with his remake. Check it out!
5/14/03 Part 1 of my review of Ron Moore�s miniseries script.
5/28/03 Part 2 of my review of Ron Moore�s script. Also, check out part 2 of the important Ron Moore interview at the Cylon Alliance, and the very interesting discussions it�s started in the forum there.
6/17/03 I haven�t posted anything on the situation over at battlestargalactica.com just yet because I�m still unclear on what�s going to happen to the site. Michael Faries has for the time being withdrawn from fandom due to personal reasons, and I respect him and wish him the best. He has truly been a light in the increasing darkness for all of us, and has worked tirelessly not only on his websites, but also behind the scenes in many ways most fans will never know. Currently the battlestargalactica.com url takes you to Richard�s official site, and battlestarpegasus.com is off line completely. The redoubtable Warrior of Colonial Fleets is reportedly taking over the material from both sites, and as soon as I find out the new url I�ll post it here. In other news, Richard has created some controversy in fandom by inviting Ron Moore and David Eicke to Galacticon. Actually, I think this is a smart move on Richard�s part, and if they accept they�ll be surprised to find out that their remake concept is not as popular as they believe!
6/28/03 Bunch of pictures, most of them new, from BG2003 here.
7/3/03 Amazon has the Battlestar Galactica DVD set on preorder at the moment for $89.99, which is $30 off list price. Check it out here, and thanks to Col. Charybdis for the heads-up! Good news for those going to Galacticon this year, story editors Jim Carlson and Terry McDonnell have agreed to attend, and they are very interesting to talk to. If you see them, give them my regards! In other news, battlestargalactica.com is back up.
7/11/03 The usual unpleasantnesses going on in the BG world.... I have added a page for model reviews, starting out with Emhar�s neat little 1/72nd scale A7V. Yes, I�ll do the BG models eventually too!