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>[[Ronald D. Moore]], [[David Eick]], and [[Michael Rymer]] discuss the creation of "[[33]]", the first episode of Season 1. They cover the episode's conceptual origin, the relentless tension of the 33-minute Cylon attacks, the decision to start the series ''in media res'', and the use of a gritty, documentary-style aesthetic. The commentary explores character moments born from on-set collaboration, the technical challenges of the visual effects, and the creative debates surrounding the episode's dark and controversial climax with the destruction of the ''Olympic Carrier''. | |||
== Introduction & The '33' Concept == | == Introduction & The '33' Concept == | ||
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'''Ron:''' I also just like the idea, conceptually, that we just would start the series off in the middle of a crisis without explanation.<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 03:05</ref> | '''Ron:''' I also just like the idea, conceptually, that we just would start the series off in the middle of a crisis without explanation.<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 03:05</ref> | ||
That the | That the miniseries ends in a very positive place on the [[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]] where they've all escaped the Cylon attack, and [[William Adama|Adama]] has promised they're gonna go find Earth, and he makes the deal with [[Laura Roslin|Laura]], and you definitely end on this up-note. And then you go away for a very long time, and when you start the series, you kind of expect them to be cruising along, much like you left them, and then something bad happens. And I thought there was something much more intriguing and interesting to just say that, "Actually, while you the audience were away, really bad things have been happening, and now we're five days in, and it's really gotten even worse than it was before."<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 03:36</ref> | ||
'''David:''' And it was also, I think, the silver bullet in getting the network to agree to pick up a series, because their biggest concern about whether or not | '''David:''' And it was also, I think, the silver bullet in getting the network to agree to pick up a series, because their biggest concern about whether or not Battlestar Galactica could work as an ongoing series was that we not fall victim to the same trappings of space opera as we'd seen it over and over again in the various [[Star Trek]]s and [[Andromeda (TV series)|Andromedas]] and [[Stargate]]s and so forth...<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 04:00</ref> | ||
that how will this look different? How will it feel different? And so there were two key concepts that really contributed to ensuring, not just the network, but ourselves, that we could do a so-called "space opera" that would have a visual aesthetic that would just break it apart from many of those. One being going inside of [[Gaius Baltar|Baltar]]'s mind into his house, the house that he lived in before the destruction of Caprica, and suddenly being swept away by these blue skies and this incredible beach vista and not the kind of imagery you're used to seeing on a space opera at all.<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 04:31</ref> | that how will this look different? How will it feel different? And so there were two key concepts that really contributed to ensuring, not just the network, but ourselves, that we could do a so-called "space opera" that would have a visual aesthetic that would just break it apart from many of those. One being going inside of [[Gaius Baltar|Baltar]]'s mind into his house, the house that he lived in before the destruction of Caprica, and suddenly being swept away by these blue skies and this incredible beach vista and not the kind of imagery you're used to seeing on a space opera at all.<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 04:31</ref> | ||
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'''Ron:''' And to their credit, the network always sort of supported that. They never really pushed us to completely unwind this and make it coherent. | '''Ron:''' And to their credit, the network always sort of supported that. They never really pushed us to completely unwind this and make it coherent. | ||
'''David:''' Yeah, and because I think they had | '''David:''' Yeah, and because I think they had this—Bonnie Hammer from the beginning always had, I think, the right kind of concern about this show, which was, again, "Gee, haven't we seen this kind of thing over and over again?"<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 05:08</ref> | ||
And so, that was an area in which, I think, the three of us and the network, in a maybe an unusual way because you're always hearing about creator and network conflict, were kind of in lockstep from the get-go, which was to say, "How do we break this outside of the trappings of the genre?" And it helped when you had an idea like this because you knew you were contributing to their agenda as well.<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 05:30</ref> | And so, that was an area in which, I think, the three of us and the network, in a maybe an unusual way because you're always hearing about creator and network conflict, were kind of in lockstep from the get-go, which was to say, "How do we break this outside of the trappings of the genre?" And it helped when you had an idea like this because you knew you were contributing to their agenda as well.<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 05:30</ref> | ||
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And then, you know, Michael takes it and directs it, but then the editor is really the one who's putting these pieces together. And in a tease like this, it's all about how you cut it. And Dany deserves an enormous amount of credit for this.<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 05:58</ref> | And then, you know, Michael takes it and directs it, but then the editor is really the one who's putting these pieces together. And in a tease like this, it's all about how you cut it. And Dany deserves an enormous amount of credit for this.<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 05:58</ref> | ||
'''David:''' And Dany actually was brought to... Dany's another non-episodic talent in our midst because she actually was Michael's editor on his film '' | '''David:''' And Dany actually was brought to... Dany's another non-episodic talent in our midst because she actually was Michael's editor on his film ''Angel Baby'' and ''Queen of the Damned''. | ||
'''Michael:''' Everything I've ever done. | '''Michael:''' Everything I've ever done. | ||
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'''Michael:''' And she knows when to hold a beat longer, just to let a feeling seep through. | '''Michael:''' And she knows when to hold a beat longer, just to let a feeling seep through. | ||
'''Ron:''' This business here is a good point to mention [[Stephen McNutt]], our Director of Photography who did not shoot the miniseries... This is shot on high-def, basically, which is not film, it's basically a digital form of tape... And Steve has something of a black belt in the medium. And so, uh, really sort of brought us into this. And we were all terrified, and we did a thousand tests. And as you can see, the density and the texture of the look is every bit as rich as film, or certainly close enough for a television screen. And, uh, really gave us some new options, actually, that we didn't have with the film.<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 07:24</ref> | '''Ron:''' This business here is a good point to mention [[Stephen McNutt]], our Director of Photography who did not shoot the miniseries... This is shot on [[High-definition video|high-def]], basically, which is not film, it's basically a digital form of tape... And Steve has something of a black belt in the medium. And so, uh, really sort of brought us into this. And we were all terrified, and we did a thousand tests. And as you can see, the density and the texture of the look is every bit as rich as film, or certainly close enough for a television screen. And, uh, really gave us some new options, actually, that we didn't have with the film.<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 07:24</ref> | ||
== Character Moments and On-Set Improvisation == | == Character Moments and On-Set Improvisation == | ||
'''Ron:''' This little thing here where, you know, [[Saul Tigh|Tigh]] was eating his noodles and sitting on the | '''Ron:''' This little thing here where, you know, [[Saul Tigh|Tigh]] was eating his noodles and sitting on the jacket—it's just, it gives you such a great sense of the texture to the world.<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 10:30</ref> | ||
''' | '''Michael:''' This was a good moment here. I remember this. | ||
'''Ron:''' This scene between [[Lee Adama|Apollo]] and [[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]]... this whole moment, this beat right here coming up where, you know, the yelling and confrontation turns to laughter was not scripted at all.<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 20:20</ref> | |||
'''Ron:''' This | |||
I mean, this is something that came up on the stage between the director and the actors, and they kind of go for it. And I love that. It's one of the things I love about the show, is that the script is important, the script is a blueprint, you know, you can't really say the script doesn't matter, but you get down to the stage and it has to live, and the characters have to come alive. And it's really a tribute to the show how much the material is elevated down on the stage by the actors and the director.<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 20:47</ref> | I mean, this is something that came up on the stage between the director and the actors, and they kind of go for it. And I love that. It's one of the things I love about the show, is that the script is important, the script is a blueprint, you know, you can't really say the script doesn't matter, but you get down to the stage and it has to live, and the characters have to come alive. And it's really a tribute to the show how much the material is elevated down on the stage by the actors and the director.<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 20:47</ref> | ||
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'''David:''' I think we're all about making the moments work, and sometimes that comes from script and sometimes it doesn't, and there isn't a lot of politics involved in that, which is rare in TV.<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 21:05</ref> | '''David:''' I think we're all about making the moments work, and sometimes that comes from script and sometimes it doesn't, and there isn't a lot of politics involved in that, which is rare in TV.<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 21:05</ref> | ||
== The | == The Olympic Carrier Controversy == | ||
'''Ron:''' The end of this episode was probably one of the biggest creative battles that we had in season one...<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 39:08</ref> | '''Ron:''' The end of this episode was probably one of the biggest creative battles that we had in season one...<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 39:08</ref> | ||
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I wanted it to be clear that they were making this decision in full awareness of the consequences of it. I didn't want to find an easy way out for them... I wanted them to look at this situation squarely and say, "That ship is a danger to us, and yes there are people on board, but we've got to do this terrible thing," and that that would be the end of the show. It became an enormous fight.<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 39:34</ref> | I wanted it to be clear that they were making this decision in full awareness of the consequences of it. I didn't want to find an easy way out for them... I wanted them to look at this situation squarely and say, "That ship is a danger to us, and yes there are people on board, but we've got to do this terrible thing," and that that would be the end of the show. It became an enormous fight.<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 39:34</ref> | ||
It became this whole thing about the episode being too dark and too bleak and so depressing that no one will ever watch the show again. "Maybe we won't broadcast this one first. Maybe we'll broadcast this out of order." So David and I at some point said, "Okay, we can't lose the war here. Let them win this battle." So we changed the end, and you'll see now at the end when Lee flies by the [[Olympic Carrier | It became this whole thing about the episode being too dark and too bleak and so depressing that no one will ever watch the show again. "Maybe we won't broadcast this one first. Maybe we'll broadcast this out of order." So David and I at some point said, "Okay, we can't lose the war here. Let them win this battle." So we changed the end, and you'll see now at the end when Lee flies by the [[Olympic Carrier]], there's nobody inside, or at least it's not clear.<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 39:58</ref> | ||
'''David:''' Which I always argued was a darker way to go. And I feared that once people who were objecting to what we had saw it, they would realize that it was darker. And I still believe it is. I think we all know that there are innocent people on ships... We know too well that that's what happens when bad guys get in control of ships... And so when he flies by and sees those darkened windows, to me, I'm more reminded of that horrible truth than if I saw the people's faces in the windows, which may have tipped over into feeling maudlin or manipulative or somehow contrived.<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 40:33</ref> | '''David:''' Which I always argued was a darker way to go. And I feared that once people who were objecting to what we had saw it, they would realize that it was darker. And I still believe it is. I think we all know that there are innocent people on ships... We know too well that that's what happens when bad guys get in control of ships... And so when he flies by and sees those darkened windows, to me, I'm more reminded of that horrible truth than if I saw the people's faces in the windows, which may have tipped over into feeling maudlin or manipulative or somehow contrived.<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 40:33</ref> | ||
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'''Ron:''' Yeah, good. That's good. | '''Ron:''' Yeah, good. That's good. | ||
''' | [On the final scene where Roslin learns a baby was born] | ||
'''Ron:''' This whole beat here at the end is just sort of one of the few times that we ever see the cast and the characters just kinda relaxing and letting down their hair and having a celebratory moment.<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 42:15</ref> | |||
'' | It felt right. It's like, "Okay, we've been through this long trauma of the season, now they've had a political thing and nearly an assassination, let them enjoy themselves. It's [[Colonial Day (holiday)|Colonial Day]]... if they can't celebrate and try to relax on this one day, then they really never are."<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 42:34</ref> | ||
'''David:''' And Mary really did... one of my favorite little Mary McDonnell moments of the season is right here. | '''David:''' And Mary really did... one of my favorite little Mary McDonnell moments of the season is right here. | ||
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'''Michael:''' And the ending of the Helo story was so unplotted. | '''Michael:''' And the ending of the Helo story was so unplotted. | ||
'''Ron:''' I was literally writing the teleplay... I had no idea what the scene was going to be... And at some point in the scene itself, I thought, "You know what would be cool is if | '''Ron:''' I was literally writing the teleplay... I had no idea what the scene was going to be... And at some point in the scene itself, I thought, "You know what would be cool is if Sharon showed up and rescued him, and oh my God, and he wouldn't realize that Sharon's a Cylon."<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 43:00</ref> | ||
And she grabs him and says, "Come with me, come with me, run," and go off into the forest. And I thought, "That's great. I have no idea what that means."<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 43:09</ref> | And she grabs him and says, "Come with me, come with me, run," and go off into the forest. And I thought, "That's great. I have no idea what that means."<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 43:09</ref> | ||
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'''Ron:''' Yeah, it sends you in these really interesting directions. | '''Ron:''' Yeah, it sends you in these really interesting directions. | ||
'''David:''' Well, everyone stay tuned for the | '''David:''' Well, everyone stay tuned for the R&D TV logo, done by my high school buddy, Jerry Hulsh, in his garage for 50 cents.<ref>Podcast for {{TRS|33|prose=y}}, timestamp 44:40</ref> | ||
'''Ron:''' Goodbye everyone. | '''Ron:''' Goodbye everyone. | ||