Battlestar Wiki - User contributions [en]

The Road Less Traveled

2008-05-04T02:38:02Z

Fearpi:

{{Episode Data
| image=4x05 - The Road Less Travelled - Promo 1.jpg
| title= The Road Less Traveled
| season= 4
| episode= 5
| guests=
| forumthread= 1008
| writer=[[Mark Verheiden]]
| story=
| director=[[Michael Rymer]]
| production=407
| rating=
| US airdate=2 May 2008
| UK airdate=
| dvd=
| oldpoplation=39675
| population=39676
| prev= [[Escape Velocity]]
| next= [[Faith]]
}}

== Overview ==

: ''The prospect of a truce between the [[The Fleet (RDM)|remnants of humanity]] and the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]]s encourages [[Kara Thrace]] to trust an old enemy.''

== Summary ==

=== On ''Galactica'' ===

=== On ''Demetrius'' ===

== Notes ==
*The title is derived from the poem "The Road Not Taken" by [[w:Robert Frost|Robert Frost]]
::''Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—''
::''I took the one less traveled by,''
::''And that has made all the difference.''
:The common interpretation is that one may be rewarded greatly by choosing a more difficult path than the one used by the crowd. The phrase may also have had a religious meaning for Frost, alluding to [http://www.newadvent.org/bible/mat007.htm Matthew 7,12-14], which mentions a broad gate leading to destruction and a narrow gate leading to salvation. <ref>{{cite_web|url=http://local.google.com/answers/threadview?id=426710|title=Google Answers: Origin of "road less travelled"}}</ref>
* The survivor count increases by one, meaning that at least one child has been born in the [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]].
* It has been 58 days since the end of "[[Six of One]]", when Kara Thrace is given the command of the ''[[Demetrius]]''.
* Sergeant [[Erin Mathias|Mathias]]'s first name, Erin, is spoken for the first time on screen.
* Neither [[William Adama]] nor [[Laura Roslin]] appear in this episode. In both cases, this is [[Central character absences (RDM)|unprecendented]].

== Analysis ==


== Questions ==

* Does Conoy sense that Anders is a fellow Cylon?
* How will the situation on the ''Demetrius'' be resolved?
* Will Galen Tyrol begin to associate with Baltar?
* What have Tigh and Caprica-Six been doing recently?
* Why does Baltar's broadcast appear to soothe Nicholas Tyrol?

== Official Statements ==





== Noteworthy Dialogue ==



== Guest Stars ==

* [[Aaron Douglas]] as Specialist [[Galen Tyrol]]
* [[Michael Hogan]] as Colonel [[Saul Tigh]]
* [[Rekha Sharma]] as [[Tory Foster]]
* [[Michael Trucco]] as Ensign [[Samuel Anders]]
* [[Alessandro Juliani]] as [[Felix Gaeta]]
* [[Bodie Olmos]] as Lieutenant [[Brendan Costanza|Brendan "Hotdog" Costanza]]
* [[Tahmoh Penikett]] as Captain [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]]
* [[Callum Keith Rennie]] as [[Number Two]]
* [[Eileen Pedde]] as Sergeant [[Erin Mathias]]
* [[Jennifer Halley]] as Ensign [[Diana Seelix|Diana "Hardball" Seelix]]
* [[Keegan Connor Tracy]] as [[Jeanne]]
* [[Lara Gilchrist]] as [[Paulla Schaffer]]
* [[Leela Savasta]] as [[Tracey Anne]]
* [[Finn R. Devitt]] as [[Nicholas Tyrol]] (credited as "Baby Nicky")
* [[Ryan McDonell]] as Lieutenant [[Eammon Pike|Eammon "Gonzo" Pike]]
* [[Alisen Down]] as [[Jean Barolay]]
* [[Lori Triolo]] as [[Phoebe]]

== External Links ==
*Composer [[Bear McCreary]] on the episode's score: http://www.bearmccreary.com/blog/?p=306

== References ==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

{{Episode list (RDM season 4)}}

[[Category:RDM]]

Template:Characters

2007-01-15T17:48:27Z

Fearpi:

<br clear="all"/>
<div align="center">
{| id="characters" class="messagebox"
|-
| align="center" | '''[[Portal:Characters|Characters]] in the [[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|Re-imagined Series]]'''
|-
| align="center" style="font-size: 90%;" |'''Main:''' [[Lee Adama|Lee "Apollo" Adama]] | [[William Adama]] | [[Gaius Baltar]] | [[Laura Roslin]] | [[Kara Thrace|Kara "Starbuck" Thrace]] | [[Number Eight|Sharon (Number Eight)]] | [[Number Six]]
|-
| align="center" style="font-size: 90%;" |'''Supporting:''' [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]] | [[Cottle|Dr. Cottle]] | [[Anastasia Dualla|Dualla]] | [[Felix Gaeta|Gaeta]] | [[Saul Tigh]] | [[Cally Tyrol]] | [[Galen Tyrol]] | [[Number Five|Aaron Doral]] | [[Number Three]]
|-
| align="center" style="font-size: 90%;" |'''Recurring:''' [[Samuel Anders]] | [[Leoben Conoy]] | [[Brendan Constanza|"Hotdog"]] | [[Cavil]] | [[Margaret Edmondson|"Racetrack"]] | [[Tom Zarek]] | [[Simon]]
|-
| align="center" style="font-size: 90%;" |'''Deceased:''' [[Crashdown|"Crashdown"]] | [[Elosha]] | [[Helena Cain]] | [[Billy Keikeya]] | [[Ellen Tigh]] | [[Louanne Katraine|"Kat"]] | [[James Lyman|"Jammer"]]
|-
| align="right" | {{navbar|type=mini|Characters}}
|}
</div>

<noinclude>
[[Category:Navigational Infobox|{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[es:Plantilla:Characters]]
</noinclude>

Raptor

2006-10-10T05:51:13Z

Fearpi: /* Notes */

{{Ship Data
| image= Raptor-1.jpg
| title= Raptor
| race= Colonial
| type= Military
| ftl= Yes (short range)
| crew= 2 (Pilot and [[ECO]])
| cap= Approximately 5-10 passengers
| role= Reconnaissance and surveillance, electronic countermeasures support, transport
| weapons= Missiles and bombs (special missions only); normally unarmed
| length= {{Feet2Meters|28}}
| height= {{Feet2Meters|9.5}}
| weight= 50 tons ([[Miniseries]])
| wingspan= {{Feet2Meters|18.34}}
}}

== Overview ==

The '''Raptor''' is a multi-role vehicle used by the [[Colonial Fleet]]. It is generally operated by a crew of two (one pilot, one [[ECO]]), is capable of atmospheric flight and is also equipped with a short-range [[FTL|Jump]] engine, allowing it to make short faster-than-light hops.

The Raptor is designed to fulfill a number of roles, the primary being that of reconnaissance / scout operations. Additionally, the Raptor can also undertake the following roles:
*Airborne warning & control and electronic countermeasures platform supporting [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]] operations ([[Miniseries]], "[[33]]")
*Marine assault craft ("[[Bastille Day]]," "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]," "[[Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus]]")
*Ambulance / evac vehicle ([[Miniseries]])
*General purpose transport ("[[Flesh and Bone]]," "[[Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down]]," "[[Home, Part II]]")
*Combat [[SAR|Search and Rescue]] ("[[Fragged]]," "[[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]")

As an [[ECM]] platform, the Raptor contains a full suite of electronic countermeasure and monitoring tools, enabling it to:
*Jam [[wireless]] or relay transmissions (by wireless or optically) from other spacecraft ([[Miniseries]], "[[33]]")
*Scramble control signals used by guided weapons ([[Miniseries]])
*Undertake IFF operations for Viper squadrons ([[Miniseries]])

In the role of a scout, Raptors can operate independently of, or in concert with, other Raptors and Vipers ([[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]). As a scout, Raptors can:

*Undertake short and medium-range scans to detect electromagnetic, heat or other signatures from other vessels
*Scan planetary surfaces for signs of life, energy output, or to assess mineral or other content / location ("[[Water]]," "[[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]")
*Scout ahead of its parent warship in other planetary or celestial systems for any signs of hostile intent or stellar conditions prior to the parent ship's arrival ([[Miniseries]])
*Undertake [[SAR|search & rescue operations]] after an engagement with Cylon forces.

As a transport vehicle, a Raptor is capable of carrying around eight to ten adults in addition to the two-person crew. As a marine assault vehicle, it can carry a squad of some eight marines plus their equipment ([[Bastille Day]]).

Due to its size and shape, Raptors aren't launched from a battlestar's [[Launch tubes|launch tube]]. Raptors launch from the forward end of a [[flight pod]].

Typically, a battlestar operates with a single squadron of eight to ten Raptors: one Raptor assigned to each operational Viper squadron aboard the battlestar, and potentially two "reserve" Raptors.{{citation needed}}

=== Atmospheric Operations ===
The Raptor is designed for atmospheric as well as space-based operations. However, a critical element to atmospheric operations is that to remain airborne is fuel: once in an atmosphere, the engines must be run constantly to retain lift surfaces. Depending on the composition of the atmosphere itself, this can place severe strain on the Raptor's engines ([[You Can't Go Home Again]]).

Due to their overall configuration and bulk, Raptors may also suffer from poor handling at low speeds, and rely heavily on directed thrust to remain airborne.

=== FTL Operations ===

A Raptor seems to be able to make at least ten, and probably at least 20 [[FTL]] Jumps before refueling as seen in "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]." However, these Raptors have been carrying more than a typical amount of [[tylium|fuel]] for that mission.

=== Life Support ===
The main flight deck / cabin of a Raptor is fully pressurized. However, crews operate in [[flight suit]]s and helmets to help protect them against any hull breach ([[Miniseries]]). The cabin can also be depressurized and used in space rescue operations ([[You Can't Go Home Again]]).

== Technical Specifications ==

[[Image:Raptor-ZOIC.jpg|thumb|Colonial Raptor ©Universal (credit: Zoic Studios)]]

=== Propulsion ===
*2x sublight engines mounted aft
*1x small-scale [[FTL]] system
*[[RCS]] points

=== Armament ===

===='''Offensive:'''====
Raptors are normally unarmed as they make for a poor general-purpose fighter. The craft can be equipped with bombs ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]) or missiles similar to those used on Vipers ([[Fragged]]).

===='''Defensive:'''====
The Raptor's contours provide it a reduced [[DRADIS]] signature to avoid detection. In addition, the craft carry an assortment of pods to aid in communications or defense.<ref>A close-up of a Raptor display in the [[Miniseries]] (timestamp 57 m 41 sec) shows the name and number of these items.</ref>
*Up to 6 [[Swallow|decoy drones]]
*Up to 4 [[Communication drone|communication drones]]
*Up to 4 sets of flares
*Up to 4 chaff pods

== Layout ==

The Raptor is a boxey vehicle built for purpose, not style. The forward section of the vehicle contains the flight cabin, with side-by-side seats for the pilot and ECO (who occupies the rear section of the vehicle during normal operations). This opens into the main body of the vehicle, which contains bulkhead-mounted racks of electronics equipment and sensors. A large canopy provides good forward and side visibility for the crew, which is no doubt of considerable benefit during atmospheric flight. A section of this canopy can be jettisoned in an emergency, to allow the crew to eject using the flight deck seats.{{citation needed}}

A large hydraulic door mounted on the port side of the vehicle provides general ingress and egress to the vehicle. In addition, a floor-mounted hatchway provides a further point of egress. The central door is linked to a pressurized docking skirt that can be extended from the underside of a Raptor, enabling it to dock to the hulls of other vessels. In the case of an assault, [[marines]] can use the skirt to breech a hull and board a hostile vessel ([[Bastille Day]]).

Aft of the pressurized area are the [[FTL]] engine and main [[sublight]] engines. Winglets on either side of the hull help to give stability during atmospheric manoeuvers. [[RCS]] thrusters are placed throughout the craft for landing, manoeuvering and stabilization ([[Miniseries]]).

== Notes ==
*The joystick seen inside of the Raptor appears to be a [http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/details/US/EN,CRID=2221,CONTENTID=6953 Logitech Attack 3].
*Commonly seen Raptor pilots include Lt. [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|Sharon "Boomer" Valerii]] and [[Margaret Edmondson|Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson]] (who also serves as an ECO).
*Boomer blames a malfunctioning [[Wikipedia:Gimbal|gimbal]] for a rough landing in the [[Miniseries]].
*The design of the Raptor was based on the US Army's [[Wikipedia:AH-64_Apache|Apache helicopter]]. [[Ronald D. Moore]] thinks of it "as analogous to the Navy's [[Wikipedia:EA-6 Prowler|EA-6 Prowler]] (a variant of the [[Wikipedia:A-6 Intruder|A-6 Intruder]] popularized in "[[IMDB:tt0099587|Flight of the Intruder]]")."<ref name="apache">{{cite web|url=http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2006/04/|title=RDM Battlestar Blog |accessdate=18 April 2006}}</ref>

==References==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>

{{Ships}}

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Colonial]]
[[Category:Colonial Craft]]
[[Category:Colonial Craft (RDM)]]
[[Category:Colonial Military]]
[[Category:Colonial Military (RDM)]]
[[Category:Raptors]]
[[Category:Ships]]
[[Category:Ships (RDM)]]
[[Category:Technology]]
[[Category:Technology (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]

[[de:Raptor]]

Battlestar Galactica (TRS)

2006-02-16T04:55:06Z

Fearpi: /* Writing Staff */

{{shortcut|TNS}}
{{shortcut|TRS}}
[[Image:Image lg bgcast.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Some of the central cast of the new "Battlestar Galactica" series.<br>(c) Universal]]
A re-imagining of the original ''Battlestar Galactica'', currently in its second season.

==Summary==
Considered a "[[Wikipedia:Reboot_%28continuity%29|re-imagining]]", this series is a version of the 1970s ''Battlestar Galactica'' made more suitable to the sensibilities of the 21st Century. Tackling issues of civil rights, survival, terrorism, and religion, ''Battlestar Galactica'' is an epic following the survivors of the human race -- which number under 50,000. The ''[[Galactica]]'' finds herself leading a rag-tag refugee fleet on a lonely (and quite possibly, ficticious) quest for [[Earth]], with turmoil from within and danger from without.

==Cast==
===Stars===
* [[Edward James Olmos]] as Commander [[William Adama]]
* [[Mary McDonnell]] as President [[Laura Roslin]]
* [[Katee Sackhoff]] as Lieutenant [[Kara Thrace|Kara "Starbuck" Thrace]]
* [[Jamie Bamber]] as [[Lee Adama|Captain Lee "Apollo" Adama]]
* [[James Callis]] as Dr. [[Gaius Baltar]]
* [[Tricia Helfer]] as [[Number Six]]
* [[Grace Park]] as [[Sharon Valerii]]

===Co-stars===
* [[Michael Hogan]] as Colonel [[Saul Tigh]]
* [[Aaron Douglas]] as Chief Petty Officer [[Galen Tyrol]]
* [[Tahmoh Penikett]] as Lieutenat [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]]
* [[Kandyse McClure]] as Petty Officer (2nd Class) [[Anastasia Dualla]]
* [[Paul Campbell]] as [[Billy Keikeya]] (2003-2006)
* [[Alessandro Juliani]] as Lieutenant [[Felix Gaeta]]
* [[Samuel Witwer]] as [[Crashdown]] (2004-2005)

==Production Crew==
===Producers===
* [[Ronald D. Moore]] - Developer / Executive Producer / Writer
* [[David Eick]] - Executive Producer
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Toni+Graphia Toni Graphia] - Co-Executive Producer / Writer
* [[Harvey Frand]] - Producer
* [[Glen A. Larson]] - Consulting Producer

===Directors===
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Marita+Grabiak Marita Grabiak] (episode 1.02 "Water")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Rod+Hardy Rod Hardy] (episode 1.04 "Act of Contrition") (episode 1.06 "Litmus") (episode 2.05 "Farm, The")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Alan+Kroeker Alan Kroeker] (episode 1.03 "Bastille Day") (episode 2.04 "Resistance")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Sergio+Mimica-Gezzan Sergio Mimica-Gezzan] (episode 1.05 "You Can't Go Home Again") (episode 2.03 "Fragged") (episode 2.06 "Home: Part 1") (episode 2.17 "The Captain's Hand")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Michael+Nankin Michael Nankin] (episode 2.09 "Flight of the Phoenix")
* [[Edward James Olmos]] (episode 1.09 "Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Jonas+Pate Jonas Pate] (episode 1.11 "Colonial Day")
* [[Michael Rymer]] (episode 1.00 "Miniseries") (episode 1.01 "33") (episode 1.12 "Kobol's Last Gleaming: Part 1") (episode 1.13 "Kobol's Last Gleaming: Part 2") (episode 2.01 "Scattered") (episode 2.02 "Valley of Darkness") (episode 2.10 "Pegasus") (episode 2.11 "Resurrection Ship, Part 1") (episode 2.12 "Resurrection Ship, Part 2")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Jeff+Woolnough Jeff Woolnough] (episode 1.10 "Hand of God, The") (episode 2.07 "Home: Part 2")
* [http://us.imdb.com/m/person-exact?+Robert+Young Robert Young] (episode 1.07 "Six Degrees of Seperation, epi 2.08 "Final Cut")

===Writing Staff===
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Ronald+D.+Moore Ronald D. Moore] (Miniseries Part 1, Miniseries Part 2, 1-01, 1-02, 1-12, 1-13, 2-07, 2-12)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Glen+A.+Larson Glen A. Larson] (Miniseries Part 2)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Toni+Graphia Toni Graphia] (1-03, 1-08, 2-04)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Bradley+Thompson Bradley Thompson] (1-04, 1-05, 1-10, 2-01, 2-02, 2-09, 2-15)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+David+Weddle David Weddle] (1-04, 1-10, 2-01, 2-02, 2-09, 2-15)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Carla+Robinson Carla Robinson] (1-05, 1-11, 2-05)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Jeff+Vlaming Jeff Vlaming] (1-06, 1-09)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Michael+Angeli Michael Angeli] (1-07)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Nicole+Yorkin Nicole Yorkin] (2-03)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Dawn+Prestwich Dawn Prestwich] (2-03)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+David+Eick David Eick] (2-06, 2-07)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Mark+Verheiden Mark Verheiden] (2-08, 2-14)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Anne+Cofell+Saunders Anne Cofell Saunders] (2-10, 2-16)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Michael+Rymer Michael Rymer] (2-11, 2-12)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Joel+Anderson+Thompson Joel Anderson Thompson] (2-13)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+James+Head James Head] (2-14)

* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Sergio+Mimica-Gezzan Sergio Mimica-Gezzan]
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Brad+Turner Brad Turner]
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Robert+Young Robert Young]

==Episodes==
*[[Mini-Series]] (2003)
===Season 1 (2004-05)===
*1.01 [[33]]
*1.02 [[Water]]
*1.03 [[Bastille Day]]
*1.04 [[Act of Contrition]]
*1.05 [[You Can't Go Home Again]]
*1.06 [[Litmus]]
*1.07 [[Six Degrees of Separation]]
*1.08 [[Flesh and Bone]]
*1.09 [[Secrets and Lies]] (aka: [[Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down]])
*1.10 [[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]
*1.11 [[Colonial Day]]
*1.12 [[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]
*1.13 [[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]

===Season 2 (2005-06)===
*2.01 [[Scattered]]
*2.02 [[Valley of Darkness]]
*2.03 [[Fragged]]
*2.04 [[Resistance]]
*2.05 [[The Farm]]
*2.06 [[Home, Part I]]
*2.07 [[Home, Part II]]
*2.08 [[Final Cut]]
*2.09 [[Flight of the Phoenix]]
*2.10 [[Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus]]
*2.11 [[Resurrection Ship, Part I]]
*2.12 [[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]
*2.13 [[Epiphanies]]
*2.14 [[Sacrifice]]
*2.15 [[Black Market]]
*2.16 [[Scar]]
*2.17 [[The Captain's Hand]]
*2.18 [[Downloaded]]
*2.19 [[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]
*2.20 [[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]

== Official Statements ==

* ''"Apart from the fleet, is there any chance that there are other survivers? Clearly ''[[Colonial One]]'' would not have gotten to every ship that was in transit and those that had [[FTL]] could have escaped as well."''

:We are talking about shows that deal with other survivors right now. Don't ask about the [[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]] -- I [still] haven't made up my mind yet.

* ''"Will we see any of the [[:Category:Cast (TOS)|origonal cast (sic)]] appart from [[Richard Hatch]]? "''

: It's possible, but not yet on the board. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"Why [[frak|"frack" (sic)]]? Where did the idea come from to make this the new F-word? Not that I don't like it, I find it amusing."''

: It's straight out of the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|original series]]. I dropped many other terms from the old show like "[[centon]]" (a unit of measurement) and "[[yahren]]" (year) because I felt they distracted from the mood I was trying to create and they sounded a bit silly to my ear. There was something elegantly lovely about "[[frak]]," however. There's nothing like being able to say my favorite four letter word on TV over and over again and I salute [[Glen Larson]] for giving the joys of frakking up, frakking off, not giving a frak, and frakking-A to the masses. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"Why does the doctor smoke?"''

:Because smoking is cool. Don't let anyone tell you different, kid.

:Seriously, we're showing people doing what people really do and not all of their choices are smart ones. We smoke, we drink, we have sex with the wrong partners -- we make lots of bad choices and some of them we do knowingly and in full cognizance of the risks and consequences. Dr. [[Cottle]] obviously knows the risks associated with smoking and he elects to do it anyway -- that's his choice.

:I'm also frankly tired of all the anti-smoking p.c. crap that we're bombarded with these days and I decided that this was a world without all that. Call it my one sop to the idea of an idealized society, the notion that adults can make informed choices and not be nagged to death or run out of public spaces for making choices that others may not like or agree with. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"What is the rank structure? It doesn't seem consistant with the Navy."''

:The rank structure is derived from the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|original series]]. I didn't want to change Commander [[William Adama|Adama]] to Captain Adama or Colonel [[Saul Tigh|Tigh]] to Commander Tigh, so I elected to simply embrace the co-mingled nature of the original rank structure. For our internal purposes, we've decided that the ranks are indeed a mixture of naval and army nomenclature and are basically as follows:

:'''Officers''' --
:Admiral
:Commander
:Colonel
:Major
:Captain
:Lieutenant
:Lieutenant (junior grade)
:Ensign

:'''Enlisted''' --
:Master Chief Petty Officer
:Chief Petty Officer
:Petty Officer (1st, 2nd Class)
:Specialist
:Deck Hand
:Recruit

:Just to complicate matters further, there are also [[Marines]] aboard ''[[Galactica]]'' which conform more closely to the traditional enlisted Marine ranks, with Sergeants, Sergeant-Majors, etc. Unresolved is the question of whether the Marine officers would also adhere to the mixed rank structure (which sounds odd) or if they are strictly army equivalents (which makes no sense given that the "Navy" ranks seem oblivious to there being any such distinction). Aren't you glad you asked? -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"Will we see the mess hall and other parts of the ship such as the main Kitchen where all the meals are prepared?"''

:I'd like to. It's a question of budget; there has to be a story point or scene so cool that we just have to build this set. The Head (bathroom to you lubbers) was built in the [[33|pilot]] specifically so we'd have it around during the series. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"Was this the first show to ever show a bathroom on a space ship?"''

:It's ground-breaking TV, baby. Talk about reinventing the genre. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

:'''Note:''' While we are uncertain as to what show as the "first" to show a bathroom on a space ship, we know that this series was not the first to do so. One of the few shows prior to ''Battlestar'' to show a bathroom was, in fact, a second season episode of ''Babylon 5''.

* ''"Minor question: was [[Galactica]] ever re-commissioned? As I recall, the ship was decommissioned right before the [[Cylon attack]]. It'd be nice to show the ceremony if they ever get a free moment."''

:It's an interesting point. Might be something to play at some point, but more really as an "Oh, I haven't thought about it, but..." kind of thing. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"The question I would really like to see addressed is how to reconcile the underlying quest of ''Battlestar Galactica'' with actual scientific plausiability. The quest of Battlestar Galactica is to find [[Earth]], the 13th Colony. However, it is a basic and well-substantiated tenet of science that human life here on Earth evolved slowly from a primate ancestor. Attempts to deny evolution based on the notion that human kind deserves a far more worthy origin than what evolution details, are a diservice to the pursuit of scientific truth and endeavors in our own world. There was always that reactionary sense to the original series, which drove it away from a secure standing as *science* fiction. How will the new series avoid this pitfall?"''

:I don't have a direct answer for this question yet. There are a couple of notions rolling around in my head as to how we reconcile the very real fact of evolution with the ''Galactica'' mythos, but I haven't decided which approach to take. However, it was a fundamental element of the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|orginal (sic) ''Galactica'']] mythos that "Life here began out there..." and I decided early on that it was crucial to maintain it. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

*''"How did you come to decide upon [[Edward James Olmos]] and [[Mary McDonnell]] for their roles? This kind of project seems somewhat out of their typical genre - did either have second thoughts about taking on the project?"''

:Eddie and Mary were actually the archetypes for the characters when we were developing the series. [[David Eick]] and I used to sit around and talk about what kind of actors would play [[William Adama|Adama]] and [[Laura Roslin|Laura]] and we always talked about these two Oscar level actors as our dream duo for the series, but we never really thought we'd get them. They've told the story themselves of why they decided to do the project, but in essence, they really responded to the [[Mini-Series|pilot script]] and saw a lot of potential in the characters so they went for it, to our everlasting gratitude. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* "Are you using military advisors and if so, from what branch?"

:We don't have a full time military advisor on staff. However, we did have [[Ron Blecker|an advisor]] on set during the miniseries, who also put the principal actors through a "boot camp" before shooting. I can't honestly remember his name or service branch (sorry if you're reading this!) As far as the scripts go, [[Bradley Thompson]], [[David Weddle]], and I provide a lot of the military technical details based on our own knowledge base. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"I'll second the question - why is it that the paper in the Galactica universe has the corners cut off, even the tractor fed printer sheets! i just want to know."''

:This is a closely guarded secret of the show and certainly not a wacky design element that someone came up with during the [[Mini-Series|miniseries]]. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

:'''Note:''' It has been admitted by some of the production staff that this is, more or less, a joke that went overboard -- namely one derived from the fact that corners had to be cut in order to keep within the budget for the mini. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"You mentioned that the reason that the ''[[Galactica]]'' was so low-tech was that it was designed to fight the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]], who could possibly infiltrate it's systems, and that this was one of the reasons it survived. If that is so, then who were the other ships designed to fight? The 120 ships alluded to are a big force just for border patrol. Are there aliens we should know about? "''

:The first [[Cylon War]] came very close to wiping out the [[Colonies]], and so when the [[Cimtar Peace Accord|Armistice]] was declared, the government maintained a large standing military force for quite some time, just in case. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

*''"Mythos. Every science fiction show that stands the test of time needs to develop its own Mythos. By this I mean, its own unique cultural identity. For instance ''Star Wars'' has its Jedi, its Force; ''Star Trek'' has its Prime directive, beaming, and warps (sic) speed. As a writer you are aware of this and having worked in the ''Star Trek'' franchise are rather qualified in it. What will are your thoughts and insights into the development of Mythos in this new BSG child that you are tending to and caring for? Especially, since there seems to be heavy pressure to incorporate the original mythos themes of the show, will this be a guiding blueprint for thought, or just a framework to create? "''

:The mythology of the new ''Galactica'' is heavily influenced by that established in the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|original]]. I've always approached this project with an eye toward taking the original material and making it work in a new context. I still try to do this whenever possible. Does it make sense that there would be a star system with [[Twelve Colonies|12 inhabitable planets]]? Not really, but that was in the original and at some point I decided to run with that as another nod to the old show. The mythology of the old show centered around [[Kobol]] and the thirteen "tribes of man," so I've kept it as the centerpiece of ours. Not every single element is the same and not every element is even intact, but the roots are there. The point was to make another version of ''Battlestar Galactica'', not just use the name. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"I was watching ''Wing Commander'' last night with my wife and she made a comment that the Kilrathi fighter looked pretty similar to the Cylon Raider. I know that some of the production staff from Wing Commander went on to begin production on the [[Tom DeSanto|DeSanto]] continuation, but is there in fact any sort of link here? I mean I first thought Droid Fighter from ''Star Wars: Episode One'', but that seems to be some kind of common design going on. "''

:"Wing Commander" is frequently mentioned to me as a possible influence on the show, but I've never actually seen it. While it's possible that other members of the production team were influenced by it, it wasn't something that figured into my thinking. My own design influences were things like "Das Boot" "Blade Runner" "Alien/Aliens" and a stack of documentaries on the modern and history US and Royal Navies.

*''"My questions: Can the show explain a little more about their technology, for example how fast are the [[FTL]] jumps. It seems the fleet barely moves when not jumping, if the jumps are only light speed and not multiples of, some of the sublight ships could conceivably catch up (the ones not destroyed by cylons)"''

:An [[FTL]] Jump is nearly instantaneous, essentially moving a ship from point A to point B without travelling through the normal space-time continuum, presumably by bending space around the ship in some way. The analogy I used during production was to imagine three dimensional space as a flat piece of two dimensional paper. To get from one side to the other, you can travel in a straight line across the page, or you can gently bend the sheet in half and cross from edge to edge virtually instantly. How this is accomplished and what is the basis of this technology outstrips my technical brainpower.

:In fact, I feel faint just coming up with that explanation... -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"Did the [[Twelve Colonies|colonies]] have outposts, bases, or trade partners outside of the 12 colonies. Did they even explore other systems. The colonies could have had observatories, listening posts, or even scientific research teams exploring other planets beyond the colonial system(s). They could encounter any of these which could lead to supplies, raw materials, food, fuel etc. "''

:I think that's probably true, but part of our premise is that the fleet has Jumped far out into unexplored space in an effort to elude the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]], so we won't be encountered any other outposts or colonies. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

*''"Are there any similarities between your reconception of the BG universe and where you might have gone if you'd been given the reigns of ''Voyager''?"''

:There are similiarities in the premise of the two shows, so yes, there are things I'm applying here that I would've like to have done in [Star Trek:] ''Voyager'', i.e., lack of resources, the development of unique cultural and civil institutions, and internal strife among people trapped aboard ship(s) without any reasonable hope of finding sanctuary anytime soon. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

*''"I have a friend who has a son and they both enjoy watching the new ''Battlestar Galactica''. But it is a very frustrating thing when he cannot allow his son watch the show when there are sex scenes and constant sexual innuendo scattered throughout the episodes.

:"The standard of the stories are superb and I would have to say it is one of the finest sci fi series I have seen in a long time. BUT IT DOESNT NEED SEX TO GET THE VIEWERS. Call me a little old fashioned but I nor others that I know really appreciate having to endure sex scenes that really do not further the story in any significant way. In fact I think they are rather pointless."''

:First of all, I'm sorry your friend can't watch the show with his son, but I always intended this series to be for adults. I have two small children, and I wouldn't dream of letting them watch the show -- mostly because of the violent content. Second of all, I disagree that the sexuality is intended to be exploitative or that it's somehow not integral to the story. We're presenting adult human beings as adults, and their sexuality is a key part of their lives. [[Gaius Baltar|Baltar]]'s sexual weaknesses, [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|Sharon]] & [[Galen Tyrol|Tyrol]]'s forbidden love affair, and [[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]]'s promiscuity are part of who and what they are. I think the only reason this gets the kind of attention is does is that we're not used to seeing sex treated maturely in science fiction -- nine times out of ten, any sex is either something to snigger at or to make fun of. Somehow it's okay to fetishize sex by putting women in S&M leather "space" outfits or have Carrie Fisher run around in harem clothes (not that there's anything wrong with that), but to portray two mature adults simply having sex is somehow controversial in sci-fi circles.

:I'd also point out, as I have many times before, the strange standards of American audiences, who can become red-faced with indignation over nudity, but find no problem with slasher films or chains-saw massacres. I mean, ''Galactica'''s premised on a massive genocide, and [[Mini-Series|the pilot]] deals with violent, shocking deaths over and over again, but people get upset about the sex? Weird.... -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* Regarding the financial cost per episode of ''Battlestar'': "I can tell you that it’s well over one-and-a-half million dollars US per episode. It’s a substantial budget, especially when you convert it into Canadian dollars—and what we’re able to get up there—it’s a lot of money." [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/pages/galactica/fashioningverisimilitude3.htm]

* ''Regarding a typical day as an executive producer on ''Battlestar'':''

: The job changes as the year goes on. Right now, before we start shooting, my time is spent almost exclusively here with the writing staff. I’m writing an episode at the moment. I wrote the first episode and I’m writing the second one. The writers meet by themselves…they break some stories…I come in and give notes…and we talk about directions for other episodes. Then, as time goes on, they’ll start generating scripts and stories, and I give notes on those. I’m also taking notes from the network and the studio on previous existing material.

: There’ll also be more of me going back and forth between LA and Vancouver. And as we get closer to production, then there’ll be more looking at production designs, dealing with budgetary issues, having meetings with directors and actors, looking at casting tapes for guest-star roles. Once we get into production and start generating film, there’s dailies to watch…post moves forward and there’s cuts of episodes to watch…and there’s visual effects sequences to give notes on.

: There’s not really a typical day, per say. You have to be nimble and on your feet and able to keep changing direction. You have to cover all these different bases, and sometimes you can’t run to first. Sometimes you have to run to third, and then run back home, and then run to second. It’s never a complete pattern.

: I believe very much in delegating authority to the department heads, in empowering people and having them take responsibility for the work. My principal job is to maintain the overall vision of the piece. [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/pages/galactica/fashioningverisimilitude3.htm]

* From the "Fashioning Verisimilitude" article / interview on [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com Hollywood North Report (HNR)]:

: '''Robert Falconer:''' And I guess the whole concept of the show, by definition, is that of a bottle show.

: '''Ron Moore:''' Yeah. And it was designed that way from the get-go. When [[David Eick]] and I went in and pitched it initially—knowing how expensive space opera can be—we designed it to be affordable on what we could get on a SCI-FI Channel budget. [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/pages/galactica/fashioningverisimilitude3.htm]

* ''Regarding the use of bullets versus lasers on the [[Viper (RDM)|Vipers]], as explained by [[Ronald D. Moore|Ron Moore]]:''

: [The bullets are s]ome sort of caseless ammunition. We had long technical discussions about some of this. What mattered to us was that they weren’t laser blasts. We just felt that had been done to death, it wasn’t as interesting, and it wasn’t realistic. From our research we discovered that such weapons would take huge amounts of energy, and that fighters would probably be better served by using actual bullets. But presumably they’re more advanced than what we’re using today, although we haven’t actually sat down and defined them as such. [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/pages/galactica/fashioningverisimilitude5.htm]

* ''Regarding the reconciliation between [[William Adama]] and his son [[Lee Adama]] at the end of the [[Mini-Series]], as explained by [[Ronald D. Moore|Ron Moore]]:''

: I think it will go up and it will go down, like any father-son dynamic does. I think they bridged a gap in the miniseries that certainly had held them apart for a couple of years. I don’t think that issue has been completely resolved, but they’ve moved past it to a certain point. Now they’re in a new relationship and a new dynamic…they’re father and son and they’re also serving on the same ship, and the stresses and pressures of that will affect the relationship. I think it’s interesting that Lee Adama has a strong relationship with [[Laura Roslin|Laura]], and that he in some respects is a bridge between her and his father. [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/pages/galactica/fashioningverisimilitude5.htm]

* '''Edward James Olmos''': The stories are just, really, stunning. I have wept reading this thing, I have been left amazed and I've been left totally in awe. {{ref|BSG_2.0_DVD}}

== See Also ==

*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naturalistic_science_fiction A description on Wikipedia on naturalistic SF] concepts used in the series

== References ==

* {{note|BSG_2.0_DVD}} [[Battlestar Galactica: Season 2.0]], the Region 1 DVD

==Related Topics==
* [[List of Season 1 Guest Actors (RDM)]]
* [[List of Season 2 Guest Actors (RDM)]]
* [[List of Recurring Characters (RDM)]]
* [[List of Recurring Character Appearances (RDM)]]
* [[List of Emmy Nominations and Wins]]

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Behind the Scenes]]
[[Category:RDM]]

Battlestar Wiki:Citation Jihad

2006-02-11T20:52:14Z

Fearpi: /* Members */

{{project}}

[[Wikipedia:Jihad|Jihad]] is an arabic word meaning "to exert utmost effort, to strive, to struggle". At the Battlestar Wiki, we strive to be a comprehensive and accurate source of [[canon]]ical information. Because of the nature of a wikipedia to which anyone may contribute, it is vital that sources be cited and facts checked. This project page is intended to serve as the hub of these operations.

==Acceptable Sources==
In ''roughly'' descending order of reliability:
#On-screen evidence
#*[http://www.twiztv.com/scripts/battlestar/ TWIZ TV] is a good source for episode transcripts
#Official comments from the producers:
#*[http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/downloads/podcast/ Episode podcasts]
#**Podcast transcripts are being coordinated at [[Battlestar Wiki:Podcast Transcripts]].
#*DVD commentaries
#*[http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/ Ronald D. Moore's blog]
#*[http://scifi.com/battlestar/bts/videoblog/ David Eick's video blog]
#Other statements from producers, cast, and crew
#*This includes information from ''[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]'', an official reference book from Titan Books and Sci-Fi Channel, which details the making of the [[Miniseries]] and its evolution into Season 1.
#The SciFi channel and SkyOne websites

This list is an important guideline, but is not to be slavishly obeyed. If David Eick mentions offhand that ''Galactica'' is four inches long, but a reliable source from [[Zoic]] gives scaling information used in the visual effects sequences, deference should be given to Zoic's field of expertise. (This would also fall under the guideline of placing on-screen evidence before producer's commentary). Obvious gaffes and bloopers should also be ignored.

Where later comments contradict earlier ones, defer to the most recent statement and make a note at [[Continuity errors (RDM)]]. An example of this is the size of the fleet, increased from 40 ships in the miniseries to 75 in the series. If the issue is not decisively settled, make a note at the bottom of the page (see [[Olympic Carrier#Notes]] for an example).

'''List of sites that are not good sources'''
*'''Battlestar Wiki itself''' – This is important. If you read information here that you have not verified yourself, do not trust it.
*[http://www.wikipedia.org Wikipedia] – Where Wikipedia cites its own sources, it can be a useful guide. However, uncited assertions should not be trusted.
*[http://www.imdb.com/ IMDB] – IMDB has not demonstrated a rigorous standard of fact-checking.
*Fan sites such as [http://www.tecr.com/galactica/index.html Battlestar Galactica Tech Manual], [http://www3.telus.net/public/akamyot/chistory.htm Colonial History], [http://www.galacticastation.com/ Galactica Station] where they do not themselves cite sources.

==Our Weapons==
We have imported {{tl|ref}} and {{tl|note}} from Wikipedia for the purpose of making footnotes where in-text citations become too cumbersome. See [[Wikipedia:Help:Footnotes|Help:Footnotes]] for instructions. Sample articles where these are used include [[Original Battlestar (RDM)]] and [[Computers]].

==Our Missions==

===Articles needing sources===

*[[Original Battlestar (RDM)]]-Many technical items found here without sources.
*[[Battlestar Group]] - there's an unsourced comment from Moore's blog here.
*[[Viper (TOS)]] - Unsourced dimensions of the vehicles.
*Any of the alleged [[Zoic]] battlestars not authenticated in episodes or elsewhere: Prometheus; [[Pacifica]]; [[Rycon]] (of which a battlestar ''does'' exist in TOS); Poseidon; Argo; [[Acropolis]].

===Widespread misconceptions (aka "[[Wikipedia:Fanon (fiction)|Fanon]]")===

*The RDM ''Galactica'' is not equipped with [[railgun]]s (see link for firm evidence)
*It has never been stated that there are twelve Lords of Kobol.

===Characters with Non-Canon First Names===
*Joyce [[Hadrian]]
**Article at [[Hadrian]], redirect from [[Sergeant Hadrian]].
**Source: "hint by sources close to production"

==Members==
Show your commitment to accuracy. Join up!
*[[User:Peter Farago|Peter Farago]] 01:19, 29 September 2005 (EDT)
*[[User:Spencerian|Spencerian]] 10:20, 29 September 2005 (EDT) (self-dubbed Lord of "It's ''Galactica'' not '''the''' ''Galactica''" Corrections)
*[[User:Day|Day]] 21:49, 30 September 2005 (EDT)
*::"Your episode citations go ''inside'' the period."
*[[User:Ricimer|Ricimer]] 13 October, 2005 (EDT) - I tape and watch the reruns like a hawk; should get all of the names from the credits this time around.
[[Category:Project Page|Citation Jihad]]
*[[User:BMS|BMS]] 17:45, 30 January 2006 (EST) I need to start citing my contribs, and I'll get right on that from here on
*[[User:Fearpi|Fearpi]] 15:50, 11 February 2006 (EST)

Battlestar Galactica (TRS)

2006-02-11T20:36:03Z

Fearpi: /* Co-stars */

{{shortcut|TNS}}
{{shortcut|TRS}}
[[Image:Image lg bgcast.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Some of the central cast of the new "Battlestar Galactica" series.<br>(c) Universal]]
A re-imagining of the original ''Battlestar Galactica'', currently in its second season.

==Summary==
Considered a "[[Wikipedia:Reboot_%28continuity%29|re-imagining]]", this series is a version of the 1970s ''Battlestar Galactica'' made more suitable to the sensibilities of the 21st Century. Tackling issues of civil rights, survival, terrorism, and religion, ''Battlestar Galactica'' is an epic following the survivors of the human race -- which number under 50,000. The ''[[Galactica]]'' finds herself leading a rag-tag refugee fleet on a lonely (and quite possibly, ficticious) quest for [[Earth]], with turmoil from within and danger from without.

==Cast==
===Stars===
* [[Edward James Olmos]] as Commander [[William Adama]]
* [[Mary McDonnell]] as President [[Laura Roslin]]
* [[Katee Sackhoff]] as Lieutenant [[Kara Thrace|Kara "Starbuck" Thrace]]
* [[Jamie Bamber]] as [[Lee Adama|Captain Lee "Apollo" Adama]]
* [[James Callis]] as Dr. [[Gaius Baltar]]
* [[Tricia Helfer]] as [[Number Six]]
* [[Grace Park]] as [[Sharon Valerii]]

===Co-stars===
* [[Michael Hogan]] as Colonel [[Saul Tigh]]
* [[Aaron Douglas]] as Chief Petty Officer [[Galen Tyrol]]
* [[Tahmoh Penikett]] as Lieutenat [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]]
* [[Kandyse McClure]] as Petty Officer (2nd Class) [[Anastasia Dualla]]
* [[Paul Campbell]] as [[Billy Keikeya]]
* [[Alessandro Juliani]] as Lieutenant [[Felix Gaeta]]
* [[Samuel Witwer]] as [[Crashdown]]

==Production Crew==
===Producers===
* [[Ronald D. Moore]] - Developer / Executive Producer / Writer
* [[David Eick]] - Executive Producer
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Toni+Graphia Toni Graphia] - Co-Executive Producer / Writer
* [[Harvey Frand]] - Producer
* [[Glen A. Larson]] - Consulting Producer

===Directors===
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Marita+Grabiak Marita Grabiak] (episode 1.02 "Water")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Rod+Hardy Rod Hardy] (episode 1.04 "Act of Contrition") (episode 1.06 "Litmus") (episode 2.05 "Farm, The")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Alan+Kroeker Alan Kroeker] (episode 1.03 "Bastille Day") (episode 2.04 "Resistance")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Sergio+Mimica-Gezzan Sergio Mimica-Gezzan] (episode 1.05 "You Can't Go Home Again") (episode 2.03 "Fragged") (episode 2.06 "Home: Part 1") (episode 2.17 "The Captain's Hand")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Michael+Nankin Michael Nankin] (episode 2.09 "Flight of the Phoenix")
* [[Edward James Olmos]] (episode 1.09 "Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Jonas+Pate Jonas Pate] (episode 1.11 "Colonial Day")
* [[Michael Rymer]] (episode 1.00 "Miniseries") (episode 1.01 "33") (episode 1.12 "Kobol's Last Gleaming: Part 1") (episode 1.13 "Kobol's Last Gleaming: Part 2") (episode 2.01 "Scattered") (episode 2.02 "Valley of Darkness") (episode 2.10 "Pegasus") (episode 2.11 "Resurrection Ship, Part 1") (episode 2.12 "Resurrection Ship, Part 2")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Jeff+Woolnough Jeff Woolnough] (episode 1.10 "Hand of God, The") (episode 2.07 "Home: Part 2")
* [http://us.imdb.com/m/person-exact?+Robert+Young Robert Young] (episode 1.07 "Six Degrees of Seperation, epi 2.08 "Final Cut")

===Writing Staff===
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Ronald+D.+Moore Ronald D. Moore] (Miniseries Part 1, Miniseries Part 2, 1-01, 1-02, 1-12, 1-13, 2-07, 2-12)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Glen+A.+Larson Glen A. Larson] (Miniseries Part 2)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Toni+Graphia Toni Graphia] (1-03, 1-08, 2-04)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Bradley+Thompson Bradley Thompson] (1-04, 1-05, 1-10, 2-01, 2-02, 2-09, 2-15)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+David+Weddle David Weddle] (1-04, 1-10, 2-01, 2-02, 2-09, 2-15)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Carla+Robinson Carla Robinson] (1-05, 1-11, 2-05)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Jeff+Vlaming Jeff Vlaming] (1-06, 1-09)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Michael+Angeli Michael Angeli] (1-07)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Nicole+Yorkin Nicole Yorkin] (2-03)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Dawn+Prestwich Dawn Prestwich] (2-03)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+David+Eick David Eick] (2-06, 2-07)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Mark+Verheiden Mark Verheiden] (2-08, 2-14)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Anne+Cofell+Saunders Anne Cofell Saunders] (2-10)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Michael+Rymer Michael Rymer] (2-11, 2-12)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Joel+Anderson+Thompson Joel Anderson Thompson] (2-13)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+James+Head James Head] (2-14)

* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Sergio+Mimica-Gezzan Sergio Mimica-Gezzan]
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Brad+Turner Brad Turner]
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Robert+Young Robert Young]

==Episodes==
*[[Mini-Series]] (2003)
===Season 1 (2004-05)===
*1.01 [[33]]
*1.02 [[Water]]
*1.03 [[Bastille Day]]
*1.04 [[Act of Contrition]]
*1.05 [[You Can't Go Home Again]]
*1.06 [[Litmus]]
*1.07 [[Six Degrees of Separation]]
*1.08 [[Flesh and Bone]]
*1.09 [[Secrets and Lies]] (aka: [[Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down]])
*1.10 [[The Hand of God]]
*1.11 [[Colonial Day]]
*1.12 [[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]
*1.13 [[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]
===Season 2 (2005-06)===
*2.01 [[Scattered]]
*2.02 [[Valley of Darkness]]
*2.03 [[Fragged]]
*2.04 [[Resistance]]
*2.05 [[The Farm]]
*2.06 [[Home, Part I]]
*2.07 [[Home, Part II]]
*2.08 [[Final Cut]]
*2.09 [[Flight of the Phoenix]]
*2.10 [[Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus]]
*2.11 [[Resurrection Ship, Part I]]
*2.12 [[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]
*2.13 [[Epiphanies]]
*2.14 [[Sacrifice]]
*2.15 [[Black Market]]
*2.16 [[Scar]]
*2.17 [[The Captain's Hand]]
*2.18 [[Downloaded]]
*2.19 [[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]
*2.20 [[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]

== Official Statements ==

* ''"Apart from the fleet, is there any chance that there are other survivers? Clearly ''[[Colonial One]]'' would not have gotten to every ship that was in transit and those that had [[FTL]] could have escaped as well."''

:We are talking about shows that deal with other survivors right now. Don't ask about the [[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]] -- I [still] haven't made up my mind yet.

* ''"Will we see any of the [[:Category:Cast (TOS)|origonal cast (sic)]] appart from [[Richard Hatch]]? "''

: It's possible, but not yet on the board. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"Why [[frak|"frack" (sic)]]? Where did the idea come from to make this the new F-word? Not that I don't like it, I find it amusing."''

: It's straight out of the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|original series]]. I dropped many other terms from the old show like "[[centon]]" (a unit of measurement) and "[[yahren]]" (year) because I felt they distracted from the mood I was trying to create and they sounded a bit silly to my ear. There was something elegantly lovely about "[[frak]]," however. There's nothing like being able to say my favorite four letter word on TV over and over again and I salute [[Glen Larson]] for giving the joys of frakking up, frakking off, not giving a frak, and frakking-A to the masses. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"Why does the doctor smoke?"''

:Because smoking is cool. Don't let anyone tell you different, kid.

:Seriously, we're showing people doing what people really do and not all of their choices are smart ones. We smoke, we drink, we have sex with the wrong partners -- we make lots of bad choices and some of them we do knowingly and in full cognizance of the risks and consequences. Dr. [[Cottle]] obviously knows the risks associated with smoking and he elects to do it anyway -- that's his choice.

:I'm also frankly tired of all the anti-smoking p.c. crap that we're bombarded with these days and I decided that this was a world without all that. Call it my one sop to the idea of an idealized society, the notion that adults can make informed choices and not be nagged to death or run out of public spaces for making choices that others may not like or agree with. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"What is the rank structure? It doesn't seem consistant with the Navy."''

:The rank structure is derived from the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|original series]]. I didn't want to change Commander [[William Adama|Adama]] to Captain Adama or Colonel [[Saul Tigh|Tigh]] to Commander Tigh, so I elected to simply embrace the co-mingled nature of the original rank structure. For our internal purposes, we've decided that the ranks are indeed a mixture of naval and army nomenclature and are basically as follows:

:'''Officers''' --
:Admiral
:Commander
:Colonel
:Major
:Captain
:Lieutenant
:Lieutenant (junior grade)
:Ensign

:'''Enlisted''' --
:Master Chief Petty Officer
:Chief Petty Officer
:Petty Officer (1st, 2nd Class)
:Specialist
:Deck Hand
:Recruit

:Just to complicate matters further, there are also [[Marines]] aboard ''[[Galactica]]'' which conform more closely to the traditional enlisted Marine ranks, with Sergeants, Sergeant-Majors, etc. Unresolved is the question of whether the Marine officers would also adhere to the mixed rank structure (which sounds odd) or if they are strictly army equivalents (which makes no sense given that the "Navy" ranks seem oblivious to there being any such distinction). Aren't you glad you asked? -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"Will we see the mess hall and other parts of the ship such as the main Kitchen where all the meals are prepared?"''

:I'd like to. It's a question of budget; there has to be a story point or scene so cool that we just have to build this set. The Head (bathroom to you lubbers) was built in the [[33|pilot]] specifically so we'd have it around during the series. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"Was this the first show to ever show a bathroom on a space ship?"''

:It's ground-breaking TV, baby. Talk about reinventing the genre. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

:'''Note:''' While we are uncertain as to what show as the "first" to show a bathroom on a space ship, we know that this series was not the first to do so. One of the few shows prior to ''Battlestar'' to show a bathroom was, in fact, a second season episode of ''Babylon 5''.

* ''"Minor question: was [[Galactica]] ever re-commissioned? As I recall, the ship was decommissioned right before the [[Cylon attack]]. It'd be nice to show the ceremony if they ever get a free moment."''

:It's an interesting point. Might be something to play at some point, but more really as an "Oh, I haven't thought about it, but..." kind of thing. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"The question I would really like to see addressed is how to reconcile the underlying quest of ''Battlestar Galactica'' with actual scientific plausiability. The quest of Battlestar Galactica is to find [[Earth]], the 13th Colony. However, it is a basic and well-substantiated tenet of science that human life here on Earth evolved slowly from a primate ancestor. Attempts to deny evolution based on the notion that human kind deserves a far more worthy origin than what evolution details, are a diservice to the pursuit of scientific truth and endeavors in our own world. There was always that reactionary sense to the original series, which drove it away from a secure standing as *science* fiction. How will the new series avoid this pitfall?"''

:I don't have a direct answer for this question yet. There are a couple of notions rolling around in my head as to how we reconcile the very real fact of evolution with the ''Galactica'' mythos, but I haven't decided which approach to take. However, it was a fundamental element of the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|orginal (sic) ''Galactica'']] mythos that "Life here began out there..." and I decided early on that it was crucial to maintain it. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

*''"How did you come to decide upon [[Edward James Olmos]] and [[Mary McDonnell]] for their roles? This kind of project seems somewhat out of their typical genre - did either have second thoughts about taking on the project?"''

:Eddie and Mary were actually the archetypes for the characters when we were developing the series. [[David Eick]] and I used to sit around and talk about what kind of actors would play [[William Adama|Adama]] and [[Laura Roslin|Laura]] and we always talked about these two Oscar level actors as our dream duo for the series, but we never really thought we'd get them. They've told the story themselves of why they decided to do the project, but in essence, they really responded to the [[Mini-Series|pilot script]] and saw a lot of potential in the characters so they went for it, to our everlasting gratitude. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* "Are you using military advisors and if so, from what branch?"

:We don't have a full time military advisor on staff. However, we did have [[Ron Blecker|an advisor]] on set during the miniseries, who also put the principal actors through a "boot camp" before shooting. I can't honestly remember his name or service branch (sorry if you're reading this!) As far as the scripts go, [[Bradley Thompson]], [[David Weddle]], and I provide a lot of the military technical details based on our own knowledge base. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"I'll second the question - why is it that the paper in the Galactica universe has the corners cut off, even the tractor fed printer sheets! i just want to know."''

:This is a closely guarded secret of the show and certainly not a wacky design element that someone came up with during the [[Mini-Series|miniseries]]. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

:'''Note:''' It has been admitted by some of the production staff that this is, more or less, a joke that went overboard -- namely one derived from the fact that corners had to be cut in order to keep within the budget for the mini. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"You mentioned that the reason that the ''[[Galactica]]'' was so low-tech was that it was designed to fight the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]], who could possibly infiltrate it's systems, and that this was one of the reasons it survived. If that is so, then who were the other ships designed to fight? The 120 ships alluded to are a big force just for border patrol. Are there aliens we should know about? "''

:The first [[Cylon War]] came very close to wiping out the [[Colonies]], and so when the [[Cimtar Peace Accord|Armistice]] was declared, the government maintained a large standing military force for quite some time, just in case. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

*''"Mythos. Every science fiction show that stands the test of time needs to develop its own Mythos. By this I mean, its own unique cultural identity. For instance ''Star Wars'' has its Jedi, its Force; ''Star Trek'' has its Prime directive, beaming, and warps (sic) speed. As a writer you are aware of this and having worked in the ''Star Trek'' franchise are rather qualified in it. What will are your thoughts and insights into the development of Mythos in this new BSG child that you are tending to and caring for? Especially, since there seems to be heavy pressure to incorporate the original mythos themes of the show, will this be a guiding blueprint for thought, or just a framework to create? "''

:The mythology of the new ''Galactica'' is heavily influenced by that established in the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|original]]. I've always approached this project with an eye toward taking the original material and making it work in a new context. I still try to do this whenever possible. Does it make sense that there would be a star system with [[Twelve Colonies|12 inhabitable planets]]? Not really, but that was in the original and at some point I decided to run with that as another nod to the old show. The mythology of the old show centered around [[Kobol]] and the thirteen "tribes of man," so I've kept it as the centerpiece of ours. Not every single element is the same and not every element is even intact, but the roots are there. The point was to make another version of ''Battlestar Galactica'', not just use the name. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"I was watching ''Wing Commander'' last night with my wife and she made a comment that the Kilrathi fighter looked pretty similar to the Cylon Raider. I know that some of the production staff from Wing Commander went on to begin production on the [[Tom DeSanto|DeSanto]] continuation, but is there in fact any sort of link here? I mean I first thought Droid Fighter from ''Star Wars: Episode One'', but that seems to be some kind of common design going on. "''

:"Wing Commander" is frequently mentioned to me as a possible influence on the show, but I've never actually seen it. While it's possible that other members of the production team were influenced by it, it wasn't something that figured into my thinking. My own design influences were things like "Das Boot" "Blade Runner" "Alien/Aliens" and a stack of documentaries on the modern and history US and Royal Navies.

*''"My questions: Can the show explain a little more about their technology, for example how fast are the [[FTL]] jumps. It seems the fleet barely moves when not jumping, if the jumps are only light speed and not multiples of, some of the sublight ships could conceivably catch up (the ones not destroyed by cylons)"''

:An [[FTL]] Jump is nearly instantaneous, essentially moving a ship from point A to point B without travelling through the normal space-time continuum, presumably by bending space around the ship in some way. The analogy I used during production was to imagine three dimensional space as a flat piece of two dimensional paper. To get from one side to the other, you can travel in a straight line across the page, or you can gently bend the sheet in half and cross from edge to edge virtually instantly. How this is accomplished and what is the basis of this technology outstrips my technical brainpower.

:In fact, I feel faint just coming up with that explanation... -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"Did the [[Twelve Colonies|colonies]] have outposts, bases, or trade partners outside of the 12 colonies. Did they even explore other systems. The colonies could have had observatories, listening posts, or even scientific research teams exploring other planets beyond the colonial system(s). They could encounter any of these which could lead to supplies, raw materials, food, fuel etc. "''

:I think that's probably true, but part of our premise is that the fleet has Jumped far out into unexplored space in an effort to elude the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]], so we won't be encountered any other outposts or colonies. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

*''"Are there any similarities between your reconception of the BG universe and where you might have gone if you'd been given the reigns of ''Voyager''?"''

:There are similiarities in the premise of the two shows, so yes, there are things I'm applying here that I would've like to have done in [Star Trek:] ''Voyager'', i.e., lack of resources, the development of unique cultural and civil institutions, and internal strife among people trapped aboard ship(s) without any reasonable hope of finding sanctuary anytime soon. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

*''"I have a friend who has a son and they both enjoy watching the new ''Battlestar Galactica''. But it is a very frustrating thing when he cannot allow his son watch the show when there are sex scenes and constant sexual innuendo scattered throughout the episodes.

:"The standard of the stories are superb and I would have to say it is one of the finest sci fi series I have seen in a long time. BUT IT DOESNT NEED SEX TO GET THE VIEWERS. Call me a little old fashioned but I nor others that I know really appreciate having to endure sex scenes that really do not further the story in any significant way. In fact I think they are rather pointless."''

:First of all, I'm sorry your friend can't watch the show with his son, but I always intended this series to be for adults. I have two small children, and I wouldn't dream of letting them watch the show -- mostly because of the violent content. Second of all, I disagree that the sexuality is intended to be exploitative or that it's somehow not integral to the story. We're presenting adult human beings as adults, and their sexuality is a key part of their lives. [[Gaius Baltar|Baltar]]'s sexual weaknesses, [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|Sharon]] & [[Galen Tyrol|Tyrol]]'s forbidden love affair, and [[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]]'s promiscuity are part of who and what they are. I think the only reason this gets the kind of attention is does is that we're not used to seeing sex treated maturely in science fiction -- nine times out of ten, any sex is either something to snigger at or to make fun of. Somehow it's okay to fetishize sex by putting women in S&M leather "space" outfits or have Carrie Fisher run around in harem clothes (not that there's anything wrong with that), but to portray two mature adults simply having sex is somehow controversial in sci-fi circles.

:I'd also point out, as I have many times before, the strange standards of American audiences, who can become red-faced with indignation over nudity, but find no problem with slasher films or chains-saw massacres. I mean, ''Galactica'''s premised on a massive genocide, and [[Mini-Series|the pilot]] deals with violent, shocking deaths over and over again, but people get upset about the sex? Weird.... -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* Regarding the financial cost per episode of ''Battlestar'': "I can tell you that it’s well over one-and-a-half million dollars US per episode. It’s a substantial budget, especially when you convert it into Canadian dollars—and what we’re able to get up there—it’s a lot of money." [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/pages/galactica/fashioningverisimilitude3.htm]

* ''Regarding a typical day as an executive producer on ''Battlestar'':''

: The job changes as the year goes on. Right now, before we start shooting, my time is spent almost exclusively here with the writing staff. I’m writing an episode at the moment. I wrote the first episode and I’m writing the second one. The writers meet by themselves…they break some stories…I come in and give notes…and we talk about directions for other episodes. Then, as time goes on, they’ll start generating scripts and stories, and I give notes on those. I’m also taking notes from the network and the studio on previous existing material.

: There’ll also be more of me going back and forth between LA and Vancouver. And as we get closer to production, then there’ll be more looking at production designs, dealing with budgetary issues, having meetings with directors and actors, looking at casting tapes for guest-star roles. Once we get into production and start generating film, there’s dailies to watch…post moves forward and there’s cuts of episodes to watch…and there’s visual effects sequences to give notes on.

: There’s not really a typical day, per say. You have to be nimble and on your feet and able to keep changing direction. You have to cover all these different bases, and sometimes you can’t run to first. Sometimes you have to run to third, and then run back home, and then run to second. It’s never a complete pattern.

: I believe very much in delegating authority to the department heads, in empowering people and having them take responsibility for the work. My principal job is to maintain the overall vision of the piece. [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/pages/galactica/fashioningverisimilitude3.htm]

* From the "Fashioning Verisimilitude" article / interview on [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com Hollywood North Report (HNR)]:

: '''Robert Falconer:''' And I guess the whole concept of the show, by definition, is that of a bottle show.

: '''Ron Moore:''' Yeah. And it was designed that way from the get-go. When [[David Eick]] and I went in and pitched it initially—knowing how expensive space opera can be—we designed it to be affordable on what we could get on a SCI-FI Channel budget. [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/pages/galactica/fashioningverisimilitude3.htm]

* ''Regarding the use of bullets versus lasers on the [[Viper (RDM)|Vipers]], as explained by [[Ronald D. Moore|Ron Moore]]:''

: [The bullets are s]ome sort of caseless ammunition. We had long technical discussions about some of this. What mattered to us was that they weren’t laser blasts. We just felt that had been done to death, it wasn’t as interesting, and it wasn’t realistic. From our research we discovered that such weapons would take huge amounts of energy, and that fighters would probably be better served by using actual bullets. But presumably they’re more advanced than what we’re using today, although we haven’t actually sat down and defined them as such. [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/pages/galactica/fashioningverisimilitude5.htm]

* ''Regarding the reconciliation between [[William Adama]] and his son [[Lee Adama]] at the end of the [[Mini-Series]], as explained by [[Ronald D. Moore|Ron Moore]]:''

: I think it will go up and it will go down, like any father-son dynamic does. I think they bridged a gap in the miniseries that certainly had held them apart for a couple of years. I don’t think that issue has been completely resolved, but they’ve moved past it to a certain point. Now they’re in a new relationship and a new dynamic…they’re father and son and they’re also serving on the same ship, and the stresses and pressures of that will affect the relationship. I think it’s interesting that Lee Adama has a strong relationship with [[Laura Roslin|Laura]], and that he in some respects is a bridge between her and his father. [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/pages/galactica/fashioningverisimilitude5.htm]

* '''Edward James Olmos''': The stories are just, really, stunning. I have wept reading this thing, I have been left amazed and I've been left totally in awe. {{ref|BSG_2.0_DVD}}

== See Also ==

*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naturalistic_science_fiction A description on Wikipedia on naturalistic SF] concepts used in the series

== References ==

* {{note|BSG_2.0_DVD}} [[Battlestar Galactica: Season 2.0]], the Region 1 DVD

==Related Topics==
* [[List of Season 1 Guest Actors (RDM)]]
* [[List of Season 2 Guest Actors (RDM)]]
* [[List of Recurring Characters (RDM)]]
* [[List of Recurring Character Appearances (RDM)]]
* [[List of Emmy Nominations and Wins]]

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Behind the Scenes]]
[[Category:RDM]]

Battlestar Galactica (TRS)

2006-02-11T20:27:55Z

Fearpi: /* Writing Staff */

{{shortcut|TNS}}
{{shortcut|TRS}}
[[Image:Image lg bgcast.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Some of the central cast of the new "Battlestar Galactica" series.<br>(c) Universal]]
A re-imagining of the original ''Battlestar Galactica'', currently in its second season.

==Summary==
Considered a "[[Wikipedia:Reboot_%28continuity%29|re-imagining]]", this series is a version of the 1970s ''Battlestar Galactica'' made more suitable to the sensibilities of the 21st Century. Tackling issues of civil rights, survival, terrorism, and religion, ''Battlestar Galactica'' is an epic following the survivors of the human race -- which number under 50,000. The ''[[Galactica]]'' finds herself leading a rag-tag refugee fleet on a lonely (and quite possibly, ficticious) quest for [[Earth]], with turmoil from within and danger from without.

==Cast==
===Stars===
* [[Edward James Olmos]] as Commander [[William Adama]]
* [[Mary McDonnell]] as President [[Laura Roslin]]
* [[Katee Sackhoff]] as Lieutenant [[Kara Thrace|Kara "Starbuck" Thrace]]
* [[Jamie Bamber]] as [[Lee Adama|Captain Lee "Apollo" Adama]]
* [[James Callis]] as Dr. [[Gaius Baltar]]
* [[Tricia Helfer]] as [[Number Six]]
* [[Grace Park]] as [[Sharon Valerii]]

===Co-stars===
* [[Michael Hogan]] as Colonel [[Saul Tigh]]
* [[Aaron Douglas]] as CPO [[Galen Tyrol]]
* [[Tahmoh Penikett]] as Lieutenat [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]]
* [[Kandyse McClure]] as Petty Officer (2nd Class) [[Anastasia Dualla]]
* [[Paul Campbell]] as [[Billy Keikeya]]
* [[Alessandro Juliani]] as Lt. [[Felix Gaeta]]
* [[Samuel Witwer]] as [[Crashdown]]

==Production Crew==
===Producers===
* [[Ronald D. Moore]] - Developer / Executive Producer / Writer
* [[David Eick]] - Executive Producer
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Toni+Graphia Toni Graphia] - Co-Executive Producer / Writer
* [[Harvey Frand]] - Producer
* [[Glen A. Larson]] - Consulting Producer

===Directors===
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Marita+Grabiak Marita Grabiak] (episode 1.02 "Water")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Rod+Hardy Rod Hardy] (episode 1.04 "Act of Contrition") (episode 1.06 "Litmus") (episode 2.05 "Farm, The")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Alan+Kroeker Alan Kroeker] (episode 1.03 "Bastille Day") (episode 2.04 "Resistance")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Sergio+Mimica-Gezzan Sergio Mimica-Gezzan] (episode 1.05 "You Can't Go Home Again") (episode 2.03 "Fragged") (episode 2.06 "Home: Part 1") (episode 2.17 "The Captain's Hand")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Michael+Nankin Michael Nankin] (episode 2.09 "Flight of the Phoenix")
* [[Edward James Olmos]] (episode 1.09 "Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Jonas+Pate Jonas Pate] (episode 1.11 "Colonial Day")
* [[Michael Rymer]] (episode 1.00 "Miniseries") (episode 1.01 "33") (episode 1.12 "Kobol's Last Gleaming: Part 1") (episode 1.13 "Kobol's Last Gleaming: Part 2") (episode 2.01 "Scattered") (episode 2.02 "Valley of Darkness") (episode 2.10 "Pegasus") (episode 2.11 "Resurrection Ship, Part 1") (episode 2.12 "Resurrection Ship, Part 2")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Jeff+Woolnough Jeff Woolnough] (episode 1.10 "Hand of God, The") (episode 2.07 "Home: Part 2")
* [http://us.imdb.com/m/person-exact?+Robert+Young Robert Young] (episode 1.07 "Six Degrees of Seperation, epi 2.08 "Final Cut")

===Writing Staff===
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Ronald+D.+Moore Ronald D. Moore] (Miniseries Part 1, Miniseries Part 2, 1-01, 1-02, 1-12, 1-13, 2-07, 2-12)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Glen+A.+Larson Glen A. Larson] (Miniseries Part 2)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Toni+Graphia Toni Graphia] (1-03, 1-08, 2-04)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Bradley+Thompson Bradley Thompson] (1-04, 1-05, 1-10, 2-01, 2-02, 2-09, 2-15)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+David+Weddle David Weddle] (1-04, 1-10, 2-01, 2-02, 2-09, 2-15)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Carla+Robinson Carla Robinson] (1-05, 1-11, 2-05)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Jeff+Vlaming Jeff Vlaming] (1-06, 1-09)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Michael+Angeli Michael Angeli] (1-07)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Nicole+Yorkin Nicole Yorkin] (2-03)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Dawn+Prestwich Dawn Prestwich] (2-03)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+David+Eick David Eick] (2-06, 2-07)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Mark+Verheiden Mark Verheiden] (2-08, 2-14)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Anne+Cofell+Saunders Anne Cofell Saunders] (2-10)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Michael+Rymer Michael Rymer] (2-11, 2-12)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Joel+Anderson+Thompson Joel Anderson Thompson] (2-13)
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+James+Head James Head] (2-14)

* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Sergio+Mimica-Gezzan Sergio Mimica-Gezzan]
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Brad+Turner Brad Turner]
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Robert+Young Robert Young]

==Episodes==
*[[Mini-Series]] (2003)
===Season 1 (2004-05)===
*1.01 [[33]]
*1.02 [[Water]]
*1.03 [[Bastille Day]]
*1.04 [[Act of Contrition]]
*1.05 [[You Can't Go Home Again]]
*1.06 [[Litmus]]
*1.07 [[Six Degrees of Separation]]
*1.08 [[Flesh and Bone]]
*1.09 [[Secrets and Lies]] (aka: [[Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down]])
*1.10 [[The Hand of God]]
*1.11 [[Colonial Day]]
*1.12 [[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]
*1.13 [[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]
===Season 2 (2005-06)===
*2.01 [[Scattered]]
*2.02 [[Valley of Darkness]]
*2.03 [[Fragged]]
*2.04 [[Resistance]]
*2.05 [[The Farm]]
*2.06 [[Home, Part I]]
*2.07 [[Home, Part II]]
*2.08 [[Final Cut]]
*2.09 [[Flight of the Phoenix]]
*2.10 [[Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus]]
*2.11 [[Resurrection Ship, Part I]]
*2.12 [[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]
*2.13 [[Epiphanies]]
*2.14 [[Sacrifice]]
*2.15 [[Black Market]]
*2.16 [[Scar]]
*2.17 [[The Captain's Hand]]
*2.18 [[Downloaded]]
*2.19 [[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]
*2.20 [[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]

== Official Statements ==

* ''"Apart from the fleet, is there any chance that there are other survivers? Clearly ''[[Colonial One]]'' would not have gotten to every ship that was in transit and those that had [[FTL]] could have escaped as well."''

:We are talking about shows that deal with other survivors right now. Don't ask about the [[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]] -- I [still] haven't made up my mind yet.

* ''"Will we see any of the [[:Category:Cast (TOS)|origonal cast (sic)]] appart from [[Richard Hatch]]? "''

: It's possible, but not yet on the board. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"Why [[frak|"frack" (sic)]]? Where did the idea come from to make this the new F-word? Not that I don't like it, I find it amusing."''

: It's straight out of the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|original series]]. I dropped many other terms from the old show like "[[centon]]" (a unit of measurement) and "[[yahren]]" (year) because I felt they distracted from the mood I was trying to create and they sounded a bit silly to my ear. There was something elegantly lovely about "[[frak]]," however. There's nothing like being able to say my favorite four letter word on TV over and over again and I salute [[Glen Larson]] for giving the joys of frakking up, frakking off, not giving a frak, and frakking-A to the masses. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"Why does the doctor smoke?"''

:Because smoking is cool. Don't let anyone tell you different, kid.

:Seriously, we're showing people doing what people really do and not all of their choices are smart ones. We smoke, we drink, we have sex with the wrong partners -- we make lots of bad choices and some of them we do knowingly and in full cognizance of the risks and consequences. Dr. [[Cottle]] obviously knows the risks associated with smoking and he elects to do it anyway -- that's his choice.

:I'm also frankly tired of all the anti-smoking p.c. crap that we're bombarded with these days and I decided that this was a world without all that. Call it my one sop to the idea of an idealized society, the notion that adults can make informed choices and not be nagged to death or run out of public spaces for making choices that others may not like or agree with. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"What is the rank structure? It doesn't seem consistant with the Navy."''

:The rank structure is derived from the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|original series]]. I didn't want to change Commander [[William Adama|Adama]] to Captain Adama or Colonel [[Saul Tigh|Tigh]] to Commander Tigh, so I elected to simply embrace the co-mingled nature of the original rank structure. For our internal purposes, we've decided that the ranks are indeed a mixture of naval and army nomenclature and are basically as follows:

:'''Officers''' --
:Admiral
:Commander
:Colonel
:Major
:Captain
:Lieutenant
:Lieutenant (junior grade)
:Ensign

:'''Enlisted''' --
:Master Chief Petty Officer
:Chief Petty Officer
:Petty Officer (1st, 2nd Class)
:Specialist
:Deck Hand
:Recruit

:Just to complicate matters further, there are also [[Marines]] aboard ''[[Galactica]]'' which conform more closely to the traditional enlisted Marine ranks, with Sergeants, Sergeant-Majors, etc. Unresolved is the question of whether the Marine officers would also adhere to the mixed rank structure (which sounds odd) or if they are strictly army equivalents (which makes no sense given that the "Navy" ranks seem oblivious to there being any such distinction). Aren't you glad you asked? -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"Will we see the mess hall and other parts of the ship such as the main Kitchen where all the meals are prepared?"''

:I'd like to. It's a question of budget; there has to be a story point or scene so cool that we just have to build this set. The Head (bathroom to you lubbers) was built in the [[33|pilot]] specifically so we'd have it around during the series. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"Was this the first show to ever show a bathroom on a space ship?"''

:It's ground-breaking TV, baby. Talk about reinventing the genre. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

:'''Note:''' While we are uncertain as to what show as the "first" to show a bathroom on a space ship, we know that this series was not the first to do so. One of the few shows prior to ''Battlestar'' to show a bathroom was, in fact, a second season episode of ''Babylon 5''.

* ''"Minor question: was [[Galactica]] ever re-commissioned? As I recall, the ship was decommissioned right before the [[Cylon attack]]. It'd be nice to show the ceremony if they ever get a free moment."''

:It's an interesting point. Might be something to play at some point, but more really as an "Oh, I haven't thought about it, but..." kind of thing. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"The question I would really like to see addressed is how to reconcile the underlying quest of ''Battlestar Galactica'' with actual scientific plausiability. The quest of Battlestar Galactica is to find [[Earth]], the 13th Colony. However, it is a basic and well-substantiated tenet of science that human life here on Earth evolved slowly from a primate ancestor. Attempts to deny evolution based on the notion that human kind deserves a far more worthy origin than what evolution details, are a diservice to the pursuit of scientific truth and endeavors in our own world. There was always that reactionary sense to the original series, which drove it away from a secure standing as *science* fiction. How will the new series avoid this pitfall?"''

:I don't have a direct answer for this question yet. There are a couple of notions rolling around in my head as to how we reconcile the very real fact of evolution with the ''Galactica'' mythos, but I haven't decided which approach to take. However, it was a fundamental element of the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|orginal (sic) ''Galactica'']] mythos that "Life here began out there..." and I decided early on that it was crucial to maintain it. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

*''"How did you come to decide upon [[Edward James Olmos]] and [[Mary McDonnell]] for their roles? This kind of project seems somewhat out of their typical genre - did either have second thoughts about taking on the project?"''

:Eddie and Mary were actually the archetypes for the characters when we were developing the series. [[David Eick]] and I used to sit around and talk about what kind of actors would play [[William Adama|Adama]] and [[Laura Roslin|Laura]] and we always talked about these two Oscar level actors as our dream duo for the series, but we never really thought we'd get them. They've told the story themselves of why they decided to do the project, but in essence, they really responded to the [[Mini-Series|pilot script]] and saw a lot of potential in the characters so they went for it, to our everlasting gratitude. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* "Are you using military advisors and if so, from what branch?"

:We don't have a full time military advisor on staff. However, we did have [[Ron Blecker|an advisor]] on set during the miniseries, who also put the principal actors through a "boot camp" before shooting. I can't honestly remember his name or service branch (sorry if you're reading this!) As far as the scripts go, [[Bradley Thompson]], [[David Weddle]], and I provide a lot of the military technical details based on our own knowledge base. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"I'll second the question - why is it that the paper in the Galactica universe has the corners cut off, even the tractor fed printer sheets! i just want to know."''

:This is a closely guarded secret of the show and certainly not a wacky design element that someone came up with during the [[Mini-Series|miniseries]]. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

:'''Note:''' It has been admitted by some of the production staff that this is, more or less, a joke that went overboard -- namely one derived from the fact that corners had to be cut in order to keep within the budget for the mini. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"You mentioned that the reason that the ''[[Galactica]]'' was so low-tech was that it was designed to fight the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]], who could possibly infiltrate it's systems, and that this was one of the reasons it survived. If that is so, then who were the other ships designed to fight? The 120 ships alluded to are a big force just for border patrol. Are there aliens we should know about? "''

:The first [[Cylon War]] came very close to wiping out the [[Colonies]], and so when the [[Cimtar Peace Accord|Armistice]] was declared, the government maintained a large standing military force for quite some time, just in case. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

*''"Mythos. Every science fiction show that stands the test of time needs to develop its own Mythos. By this I mean, its own unique cultural identity. For instance ''Star Wars'' has its Jedi, its Force; ''Star Trek'' has its Prime directive, beaming, and warps (sic) speed. As a writer you are aware of this and having worked in the ''Star Trek'' franchise are rather qualified in it. What will are your thoughts and insights into the development of Mythos in this new BSG child that you are tending to and caring for? Especially, since there seems to be heavy pressure to incorporate the original mythos themes of the show, will this be a guiding blueprint for thought, or just a framework to create? "''

:The mythology of the new ''Galactica'' is heavily influenced by that established in the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|original]]. I've always approached this project with an eye toward taking the original material and making it work in a new context. I still try to do this whenever possible. Does it make sense that there would be a star system with [[Twelve Colonies|12 inhabitable planets]]? Not really, but that was in the original and at some point I decided to run with that as another nod to the old show. The mythology of the old show centered around [[Kobol]] and the thirteen "tribes of man," so I've kept it as the centerpiece of ours. Not every single element is the same and not every element is even intact, but the roots are there. The point was to make another version of ''Battlestar Galactica'', not just use the name. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"I was watching ''Wing Commander'' last night with my wife and she made a comment that the Kilrathi fighter looked pretty similar to the Cylon Raider. I know that some of the production staff from Wing Commander went on to begin production on the [[Tom DeSanto|DeSanto]] continuation, but is there in fact any sort of link here? I mean I first thought Droid Fighter from ''Star Wars: Episode One'', but that seems to be some kind of common design going on. "''

:"Wing Commander" is frequently mentioned to me as a possible influence on the show, but I've never actually seen it. While it's possible that other members of the production team were influenced by it, it wasn't something that figured into my thinking. My own design influences were things like "Das Boot" "Blade Runner" "Alien/Aliens" and a stack of documentaries on the modern and history US and Royal Navies.

*''"My questions: Can the show explain a little more about their technology, for example how fast are the [[FTL]] jumps. It seems the fleet barely moves when not jumping, if the jumps are only light speed and not multiples of, some of the sublight ships could conceivably catch up (the ones not destroyed by cylons)"''

:An [[FTL]] Jump is nearly instantaneous, essentially moving a ship from point A to point B without travelling through the normal space-time continuum, presumably by bending space around the ship in some way. The analogy I used during production was to imagine three dimensional space as a flat piece of two dimensional paper. To get from one side to the other, you can travel in a straight line across the page, or you can gently bend the sheet in half and cross from edge to edge virtually instantly. How this is accomplished and what is the basis of this technology outstrips my technical brainpower.

:In fact, I feel faint just coming up with that explanation... -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"Did the [[Twelve Colonies|colonies]] have outposts, bases, or trade partners outside of the 12 colonies. Did they even explore other systems. The colonies could have had observatories, listening posts, or even scientific research teams exploring other planets beyond the colonial system(s). They could encounter any of these which could lead to supplies, raw materials, food, fuel etc. "''

:I think that's probably true, but part of our premise is that the fleet has Jumped far out into unexplored space in an effort to elude the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]], so we won't be encountered any other outposts or colonies. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

*''"Are there any similarities between your reconception of the BG universe and where you might have gone if you'd been given the reigns of ''Voyager''?"''

:There are similiarities in the premise of the two shows, so yes, there are things I'm applying here that I would've like to have done in [Star Trek:] ''Voyager'', i.e., lack of resources, the development of unique cultural and civil institutions, and internal strife among people trapped aboard ship(s) without any reasonable hope of finding sanctuary anytime soon. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

*''"I have a friend who has a son and they both enjoy watching the new ''Battlestar Galactica''. But it is a very frustrating thing when he cannot allow his son watch the show when there are sex scenes and constant sexual innuendo scattered throughout the episodes.

:"The standard of the stories are superb and I would have to say it is one of the finest sci fi series I have seen in a long time. BUT IT DOESNT NEED SEX TO GET THE VIEWERS. Call me a little old fashioned but I nor others that I know really appreciate having to endure sex scenes that really do not further the story in any significant way. In fact I think they are rather pointless."''

:First of all, I'm sorry your friend can't watch the show with his son, but I always intended this series to be for adults. I have two small children, and I wouldn't dream of letting them watch the show -- mostly because of the violent content. Second of all, I disagree that the sexuality is intended to be exploitative or that it's somehow not integral to the story. We're presenting adult human beings as adults, and their sexuality is a key part of their lives. [[Gaius Baltar|Baltar]]'s sexual weaknesses, [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|Sharon]] & [[Galen Tyrol|Tyrol]]'s forbidden love affair, and [[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]]'s promiscuity are part of who and what they are. I think the only reason this gets the kind of attention is does is that we're not used to seeing sex treated maturely in science fiction -- nine times out of ten, any sex is either something to snigger at or to make fun of. Somehow it's okay to fetishize sex by putting women in S&M leather "space" outfits or have Carrie Fisher run around in harem clothes (not that there's anything wrong with that), but to portray two mature adults simply having sex is somehow controversial in sci-fi circles.

:I'd also point out, as I have many times before, the strange standards of American audiences, who can become red-faced with indignation over nudity, but find no problem with slasher films or chains-saw massacres. I mean, ''Galactica'''s premised on a massive genocide, and [[Mini-Series|the pilot]] deals with violent, shocking deaths over and over again, but people get upset about the sex? Weird.... -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* Regarding the financial cost per episode of ''Battlestar'': "I can tell you that it’s well over one-and-a-half million dollars US per episode. It’s a substantial budget, especially when you convert it into Canadian dollars—and what we’re able to get up there—it’s a lot of money." [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/pages/galactica/fashioningverisimilitude3.htm]

* ''Regarding a typical day as an executive producer on ''Battlestar'':''

: The job changes as the year goes on. Right now, before we start shooting, my time is spent almost exclusively here with the writing staff. I’m writing an episode at the moment. I wrote the first episode and I’m writing the second one. The writers meet by themselves…they break some stories…I come in and give notes…and we talk about directions for other episodes. Then, as time goes on, they’ll start generating scripts and stories, and I give notes on those. I’m also taking notes from the network and the studio on previous existing material.

: There’ll also be more of me going back and forth between LA and Vancouver. And as we get closer to production, then there’ll be more looking at production designs, dealing with budgetary issues, having meetings with directors and actors, looking at casting tapes for guest-star roles. Once we get into production and start generating film, there’s dailies to watch…post moves forward and there’s cuts of episodes to watch…and there’s visual effects sequences to give notes on.

: There’s not really a typical day, per say. You have to be nimble and on your feet and able to keep changing direction. You have to cover all these different bases, and sometimes you can’t run to first. Sometimes you have to run to third, and then run back home, and then run to second. It’s never a complete pattern.

: I believe very much in delegating authority to the department heads, in empowering people and having them take responsibility for the work. My principal job is to maintain the overall vision of the piece. [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/pages/galactica/fashioningverisimilitude3.htm]

* From the "Fashioning Verisimilitude" article / interview on [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com Hollywood North Report (HNR)]:

: '''Robert Falconer:''' And I guess the whole concept of the show, by definition, is that of a bottle show.

: '''Ron Moore:''' Yeah. And it was designed that way from the get-go. When [[David Eick]] and I went in and pitched it initially—knowing how expensive space opera can be—we designed it to be affordable on what we could get on a SCI-FI Channel budget. [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/pages/galactica/fashioningverisimilitude3.htm]

* ''Regarding the use of bullets versus lasers on the [[Viper (RDM)|Vipers]], as explained by [[Ronald D. Moore|Ron Moore]]:''

: [The bullets are s]ome sort of caseless ammunition. We had long technical discussions about some of this. What mattered to us was that they weren’t laser blasts. We just felt that had been done to death, it wasn’t as interesting, and it wasn’t realistic. From our research we discovered that such weapons would take huge amounts of energy, and that fighters would probably be better served by using actual bullets. But presumably they’re more advanced than what we’re using today, although we haven’t actually sat down and defined them as such. [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/pages/galactica/fashioningverisimilitude5.htm]

* ''Regarding the reconciliation between [[William Adama]] and his son [[Lee Adama]] at the end of the [[Mini-Series]], as explained by [[Ronald D. Moore|Ron Moore]]:''

: I think it will go up and it will go down, like any father-son dynamic does. I think they bridged a gap in the miniseries that certainly had held them apart for a couple of years. I don’t think that issue has been completely resolved, but they’ve moved past it to a certain point. Now they’re in a new relationship and a new dynamic…they’re father and son and they’re also serving on the same ship, and the stresses and pressures of that will affect the relationship. I think it’s interesting that Lee Adama has a strong relationship with [[Laura Roslin|Laura]], and that he in some respects is a bridge between her and his father. [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/pages/galactica/fashioningverisimilitude5.htm]

* '''Edward James Olmos''': The stories are just, really, stunning. I have wept reading this thing, I have been left amazed and I've been left totally in awe. {{ref|BSG_2.0_DVD}}

== See Also ==

*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naturalistic_science_fiction A description on Wikipedia on naturalistic SF] concepts used in the series

== References ==

* {{note|BSG_2.0_DVD}} [[Battlestar Galactica: Season 2.0]], the Region 1 DVD

==Related Topics==
* [[List of Season 1 Guest Actors (RDM)]]
* [[List of Season 2 Guest Actors (RDM)]]
* [[List of Recurring Characters (RDM)]]
* [[List of Recurring Character Appearances (RDM)]]
* [[List of Emmy Nominations and Wins]]

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Behind the Scenes]]
[[Category:RDM]]

Battlestar Galactica (TRS)

2006-02-11T19:23:53Z

Fearpi: /* Writing Staff */

{{shortcut|TNS}}
{{shortcut|TRS}}
[[Image:Image lg bgcast.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Some of the central cast of the new "Battlestar Galactica" series.<br>(c) Universal]]
A re-imagining of the original ''Battlestar Galactica'', currently in its second season.

==Summary==
Considered a "[[Wikipedia:Reboot_%28continuity%29|re-imagining]]", this series is a version of the 1970s ''Battlestar Galactica'' made more suitable to the sensibilities of the 21st Century. Tackling issues of civil rights, survival, terrorism, and religion, ''Battlestar Galactica'' is an epic following the survivors of the human race -- which number under 50,000. The ''[[Galactica]]'' finds herself leading a rag-tag refugee fleet on a lonely (and quite possibly, ficticious) quest for [[Earth]], with turmoil from within and danger from without.

==Cast==
===Stars===
* [[Edward James Olmos]] as Commander [[William Adama]]
* [[Mary McDonnell]] as President [[Laura Roslin]]
* [[Katee Sackhoff]] as Lieutenant [[Kara Thrace|Kara "Starbuck" Thrace]]
* [[Jamie Bamber]] as [[Lee Adama|Captain Lee "Apollo" Adama]]
* [[James Callis]] as Dr. [[Gaius Baltar]]
* [[Tricia Helfer]] as [[Number Six]]
* [[Grace Park]] as [[Sharon Valerii]]

===Co-stars===
* [[Michael Hogan]] as Colonel [[Saul Tigh]]
* [[Aaron Douglas]] as CPO [[Galen Tyrol]]
* [[Tahmoh Penikett]] as Lieutenat [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]]
* [[Kandyse McClure]] as Petty Officer (2nd Class) [[Anastasia Dualla]]
* [[Paul Campbell]] as [[Billy Keikeya]]
* [[Alessandro Juliani]] as Lt. [[Felix Gaeta]]
* [[Samuel Witwer]] as [[Crashdown]]

==Production Crew==
===Producers===
* [[Ronald D. Moore]] - Developer / Executive Producer / Writer
* [[David Eick]] - Executive Producer
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Toni+Graphia Toni Graphia] - Co-Executive Producer / Writer
* [[Harvey Frand]] - Producer
* [[Glen A. Larson]] - Consulting Producer

===Directors===
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Marita+Grabiak Marita Grabiak] (episode 1.02 "Water")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Rod+Hardy Rod Hardy] (episode 1.04 "Act of Contrition") (episode 1.06 "Litmus") (episode 2.05 "Farm, The")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Alan+Kroeker Alan Kroeker] (episode 1.03 "Bastille Day") (episode 2.04 "Resistance")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Sergio+Mimica-Gezzan Sergio Mimica-Gezzan] (episode 1.05 "You Can't Go Home Again") (episode 2.03 "Fragged") (episode 2.06 "Home: Part 1") (episode 2.17 "The Captain's Hand")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Michael+Nankin Michael Nankin] (episode 2.09 "Flight of the Phoenix")
* [[Edward James Olmos]] (episode 1.09 "Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Jonas+Pate Jonas Pate] (episode 1.11 "Colonial Day")
* [[Michael Rymer]] (episode 1.00 "Miniseries") (episode 1.01 "33") (episode 1.12 "Kobol's Last Gleaming: Part 1") (episode 1.13 "Kobol's Last Gleaming: Part 2") (episode 2.01 "Scattered") (episode 2.02 "Valley of Darkness") (episode 2.10 "Pegasus") (episode 2.11 "Resurrection Ship, Part 1") (episode 2.12 "Resurrection Ship, Part 2")
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Jeff+Woolnough Jeff Woolnough] (episode 1.10 "Hand of God, The") (episode 2.07 "Home: Part 2")
* [http://us.imdb.com/m/person-exact?+Robert+Young Robert Young] (episode 1.07 "Six Degrees of Seperation, epi 2.08 "Final Cut")

===Writing Staff===
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Sergio+Mimica-Gezzan Sergio Mimica-Gezzan]
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Carla+Robinson Carla Robinson]
* [[Bradley Thompson]]
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Brad+Turner Brad Turner]
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Jeff+Vlaming Jeff Vlaming]
* [[David Weddle]]
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Robert+Young Robert Young]
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Mark+Verheiden Mark Verheiden]
* [http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+James+Head James Head]

==Episodes==
*[[Mini-Series]] (2003)
===Season 1 (2004-05)===
*1.01 [[33]]
*1.02 [[Water]]
*1.03 [[Bastille Day]]
*1.04 [[Act of Contrition]]
*1.05 [[You Can't Go Home Again]]
*1.06 [[Litmus]]
*1.07 [[Six Degrees of Separation]]
*1.08 [[Flesh and Bone]]
*1.09 [[Secrets and Lies]] (aka: [[Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down]])
*1.10 [[The Hand of God]]
*1.11 [[Colonial Day]]
*1.12 [[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]
*1.13 [[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]
===Season 2 (2005-06)===
*2.01 [[Scattered]]
*2.02 [[Valley of Darkness]]
*2.03 [[Fragged]]
*2.04 [[Resistance]]
*2.05 [[The Farm]]
*2.06 [[Home, Part I]]
*2.07 [[Home, Part II]]
*2.08 [[Final Cut]]
*2.09 [[Flight of the Phoenix]]
*2.10 [[Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus]]
*2.11 [[Resurrection Ship, Part I]]
*2.12 [[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]
*2.13 [[Epiphanies]]
*2.14 [[Sacrifice]]
*2.15 [[Black Market]]
*2.16 [[Scar]]
*2.17 [[The Captain's Hand]]
*2.18 [[Downloaded]]
*2.19 [[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]
*2.20 [[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]

== Official Statements ==

* ''"Apart from the fleet, is there any chance that there are other survivers? Clearly ''[[Colonial One]]'' would not have gotten to every ship that was in transit and those that had [[FTL]] could have escaped as well."''

:We are talking about shows that deal with other survivors right now. Don't ask about the [[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]] -- I [still] haven't made up my mind yet.

* ''"Will we see any of the [[:Category:Cast (TOS)|origonal cast (sic)]] appart from [[Richard Hatch]]? "''

: It's possible, but not yet on the board. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"Why [[frak|"frack" (sic)]]? Where did the idea come from to make this the new F-word? Not that I don't like it, I find it amusing."''

: It's straight out of the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|original series]]. I dropped many other terms from the old show like "[[centon]]" (a unit of measurement) and "[[yahren]]" (year) because I felt they distracted from the mood I was trying to create and they sounded a bit silly to my ear. There was something elegantly lovely about "[[frak]]," however. There's nothing like being able to say my favorite four letter word on TV over and over again and I salute [[Glen Larson]] for giving the joys of frakking up, frakking off, not giving a frak, and frakking-A to the masses. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"Why does the doctor smoke?"''

:Because smoking is cool. Don't let anyone tell you different, kid.

:Seriously, we're showing people doing what people really do and not all of their choices are smart ones. We smoke, we drink, we have sex with the wrong partners -- we make lots of bad choices and some of them we do knowingly and in full cognizance of the risks and consequences. Dr. [[Cottle]] obviously knows the risks associated with smoking and he elects to do it anyway -- that's his choice.

:I'm also frankly tired of all the anti-smoking p.c. crap that we're bombarded with these days and I decided that this was a world without all that. Call it my one sop to the idea of an idealized society, the notion that adults can make informed choices and not be nagged to death or run out of public spaces for making choices that others may not like or agree with. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"What is the rank structure? It doesn't seem consistant with the Navy."''

:The rank structure is derived from the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|original series]]. I didn't want to change Commander [[William Adama|Adama]] to Captain Adama or Colonel [[Saul Tigh|Tigh]] to Commander Tigh, so I elected to simply embrace the co-mingled nature of the original rank structure. For our internal purposes, we've decided that the ranks are indeed a mixture of naval and army nomenclature and are basically as follows:

:'''Officers''' --
:Admiral
:Commander
:Colonel
:Major
:Captain
:Lieutenant
:Lieutenant (junior grade)
:Ensign

:'''Enlisted''' --
:Master Chief Petty Officer
:Chief Petty Officer
:Petty Officer (1st, 2nd Class)
:Specialist
:Deck Hand
:Recruit

:Just to complicate matters further, there are also [[Marines]] aboard ''[[Galactica]]'' which conform more closely to the traditional enlisted Marine ranks, with Sergeants, Sergeant-Majors, etc. Unresolved is the question of whether the Marine officers would also adhere to the mixed rank structure (which sounds odd) or if they are strictly army equivalents (which makes no sense given that the "Navy" ranks seem oblivious to there being any such distinction). Aren't you glad you asked? -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"Will we see the mess hall and other parts of the ship such as the main Kitchen where all the meals are prepared?"''

:I'd like to. It's a question of budget; there has to be a story point or scene so cool that we just have to build this set. The Head (bathroom to you lubbers) was built in the [[33|pilot]] specifically so we'd have it around during the series. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"Was this the first show to ever show a bathroom on a space ship?"''

:It's ground-breaking TV, baby. Talk about reinventing the genre. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

:'''Note:''' While we are uncertain as to what show as the "first" to show a bathroom on a space ship, we know that this series was not the first to do so. One of the few shows prior to ''Battlestar'' to show a bathroom was, in fact, a second season episode of ''Babylon 5''.

* ''"Minor question: was [[Galactica]] ever re-commissioned? As I recall, the ship was decommissioned right before the [[Cylon attack]]. It'd be nice to show the ceremony if they ever get a free moment."''

:It's an interesting point. Might be something to play at some point, but more really as an "Oh, I haven't thought about it, but..." kind of thing. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"The question I would really like to see addressed is how to reconcile the underlying quest of ''Battlestar Galactica'' with actual scientific plausiability. The quest of Battlestar Galactica is to find [[Earth]], the 13th Colony. However, it is a basic and well-substantiated tenet of science that human life here on Earth evolved slowly from a primate ancestor. Attempts to deny evolution based on the notion that human kind deserves a far more worthy origin than what evolution details, are a diservice to the pursuit of scientific truth and endeavors in our own world. There was always that reactionary sense to the original series, which drove it away from a secure standing as *science* fiction. How will the new series avoid this pitfall?"''

:I don't have a direct answer for this question yet. There are a couple of notions rolling around in my head as to how we reconcile the very real fact of evolution with the ''Galactica'' mythos, but I haven't decided which approach to take. However, it was a fundamental element of the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|orginal (sic) ''Galactica'']] mythos that "Life here began out there..." and I decided early on that it was crucial to maintain it. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

*''"How did you come to decide upon [[Edward James Olmos]] and [[Mary McDonnell]] for their roles? This kind of project seems somewhat out of their typical genre - did either have second thoughts about taking on the project?"''

:Eddie and Mary were actually the archetypes for the characters when we were developing the series. [[David Eick]] and I used to sit around and talk about what kind of actors would play [[William Adama|Adama]] and [[Laura Roslin|Laura]] and we always talked about these two Oscar level actors as our dream duo for the series, but we never really thought we'd get them. They've told the story themselves of why they decided to do the project, but in essence, they really responded to the [[Mini-Series|pilot script]] and saw a lot of potential in the characters so they went for it, to our everlasting gratitude. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* "Are you using military advisors and if so, from what branch?"

:We don't have a full time military advisor on staff. However, we did have [[Ron Blecker|an advisor]] on set during the miniseries, who also put the principal actors through a "boot camp" before shooting. I can't honestly remember his name or service branch (sorry if you're reading this!) As far as the scripts go, [[Bradley Thompson]], [[David Weddle]], and I provide a lot of the military technical details based on our own knowledge base. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"I'll second the question - why is it that the paper in the Galactica universe has the corners cut off, even the tractor fed printer sheets! i just want to know."''

:This is a closely guarded secret of the show and certainly not a wacky design element that someone came up with during the [[Mini-Series|miniseries]]. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

:'''Note:''' It has been admitted by some of the production staff that this is, more or less, a joke that went overboard -- namely one derived from the fact that corners had to be cut in order to keep within the budget for the mini. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"You mentioned that the reason that the ''[[Galactica]]'' was so low-tech was that it was designed to fight the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]], who could possibly infiltrate it's systems, and that this was one of the reasons it survived. If that is so, then who were the other ships designed to fight? The 120 ships alluded to are a big force just for border patrol. Are there aliens we should know about? "''

:The first [[Cylon War]] came very close to wiping out the [[Colonies]], and so when the [[Cimtar Peace Accord|Armistice]] was declared, the government maintained a large standing military force for quite some time, just in case. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

*''"Mythos. Every science fiction show that stands the test of time needs to develop its own Mythos. By this I mean, its own unique cultural identity. For instance ''Star Wars'' has its Jedi, its Force; ''Star Trek'' has its Prime directive, beaming, and warps (sic) speed. As a writer you are aware of this and having worked in the ''Star Trek'' franchise are rather qualified in it. What will are your thoughts and insights into the development of Mythos in this new BSG child that you are tending to and caring for? Especially, since there seems to be heavy pressure to incorporate the original mythos themes of the show, will this be a guiding blueprint for thought, or just a framework to create? "''

:The mythology of the new ''Galactica'' is heavily influenced by that established in the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|original]]. I've always approached this project with an eye toward taking the original material and making it work in a new context. I still try to do this whenever possible. Does it make sense that there would be a star system with [[Twelve Colonies|12 inhabitable planets]]? Not really, but that was in the original and at some point I decided to run with that as another nod to the old show. The mythology of the old show centered around [[Kobol]] and the thirteen "tribes of man," so I've kept it as the centerpiece of ours. Not every single element is the same and not every element is even intact, but the roots are there. The point was to make another version of ''Battlestar Galactica'', not just use the name. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"I was watching ''Wing Commander'' last night with my wife and she made a comment that the Kilrathi fighter looked pretty similar to the Cylon Raider. I know that some of the production staff from Wing Commander went on to begin production on the [[Tom DeSanto|DeSanto]] continuation, but is there in fact any sort of link here? I mean I first thought Droid Fighter from ''Star Wars: Episode One'', but that seems to be some kind of common design going on. "''

:"Wing Commander" is frequently mentioned to me as a possible influence on the show, but I've never actually seen it. While it's possible that other members of the production team were influenced by it, it wasn't something that figured into my thinking. My own design influences were things like "Das Boot" "Blade Runner" "Alien/Aliens" and a stack of documentaries on the modern and history US and Royal Navies.

*''"My questions: Can the show explain a little more about their technology, for example how fast are the [[FTL]] jumps. It seems the fleet barely moves when not jumping, if the jumps are only light speed and not multiples of, some of the sublight ships could conceivably catch up (the ones not destroyed by cylons)"''

:An [[FTL]] Jump is nearly instantaneous, essentially moving a ship from point A to point B without travelling through the normal space-time continuum, presumably by bending space around the ship in some way. The analogy I used during production was to imagine three dimensional space as a flat piece of two dimensional paper. To get from one side to the other, you can travel in a straight line across the page, or you can gently bend the sheet in half and cross from edge to edge virtually instantly. How this is accomplished and what is the basis of this technology outstrips my technical brainpower.

:In fact, I feel faint just coming up with that explanation... -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* ''"Did the [[Twelve Colonies|colonies]] have outposts, bases, or trade partners outside of the 12 colonies. Did they even explore other systems. The colonies could have had observatories, listening posts, or even scientific research teams exploring other planets beyond the colonial system(s). They could encounter any of these which could lead to supplies, raw materials, food, fuel etc. "''

:I think that's probably true, but part of our premise is that the fleet has Jumped far out into unexplored space in an effort to elude the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]], so we won't be encountered any other outposts or colonies. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

*''"Are there any similarities between your reconception of the BG universe and where you might have gone if you'd been given the reigns of ''Voyager''?"''

:There are similiarities in the premise of the two shows, so yes, there are things I'm applying here that I would've like to have done in [Star Trek:] ''Voyager'', i.e., lack of resources, the development of unique cultural and civil institutions, and internal strife among people trapped aboard ship(s) without any reasonable hope of finding sanctuary anytime soon. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

*''"I have a friend who has a son and they both enjoy watching the new ''Battlestar Galactica''. But it is a very frustrating thing when he cannot allow his son watch the show when there are sex scenes and constant sexual innuendo scattered throughout the episodes.

:"The standard of the stories are superb and I would have to say it is one of the finest sci fi series I have seen in a long time. BUT IT DOESNT NEED SEX TO GET THE VIEWERS. Call me a little old fashioned but I nor others that I know really appreciate having to endure sex scenes that really do not further the story in any significant way. In fact I think they are rather pointless."''

:First of all, I'm sorry your friend can't watch the show with his son, but I always intended this series to be for adults. I have two small children, and I wouldn't dream of letting them watch the show -- mostly because of the violent content. Second of all, I disagree that the sexuality is intended to be exploitative or that it's somehow not integral to the story. We're presenting adult human beings as adults, and their sexuality is a key part of their lives. [[Gaius Baltar|Baltar]]'s sexual weaknesses, [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|Sharon]] & [[Galen Tyrol|Tyrol]]'s forbidden love affair, and [[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]]'s promiscuity are part of who and what they are. I think the only reason this gets the kind of attention is does is that we're not used to seeing sex treated maturely in science fiction -- nine times out of ten, any sex is either something to snigger at or to make fun of. Somehow it's okay to fetishize sex by putting women in S&M leather "space" outfits or have Carrie Fisher run around in harem clothes (not that there's anything wrong with that), but to portray two mature adults simply having sex is somehow controversial in sci-fi circles.

:I'd also point out, as I have many times before, the strange standards of American audiences, who can become red-faced with indignation over nudity, but find no problem with slasher films or chains-saw massacres. I mean, ''Galactica'''s premised on a massive genocide, and [[Mini-Series|the pilot]] deals with violent, shocking deaths over and over again, but people get upset about the sex? Weird.... -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

* Regarding the financial cost per episode of ''Battlestar'': "I can tell you that it’s well over one-and-a-half million dollars US per episode. It’s a substantial budget, especially when you convert it into Canadian dollars—and what we’re able to get up there—it’s a lot of money." [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/pages/galactica/fashioningverisimilitude3.htm]

* ''Regarding a typical day as an executive producer on ''Battlestar'':''

: The job changes as the year goes on. Right now, before we start shooting, my time is spent almost exclusively here with the writing staff. I’m writing an episode at the moment. I wrote the first episode and I’m writing the second one. The writers meet by themselves…they break some stories…I come in and give notes…and we talk about directions for other episodes. Then, as time goes on, they’ll start generating scripts and stories, and I give notes on those. I’m also taking notes from the network and the studio on previous existing material.

: There’ll also be more of me going back and forth between LA and Vancouver. And as we get closer to production, then there’ll be more looking at production designs, dealing with budgetary issues, having meetings with directors and actors, looking at casting tapes for guest-star roles. Once we get into production and start generating film, there’s dailies to watch…post moves forward and there’s cuts of episodes to watch…and there’s visual effects sequences to give notes on.

: There’s not really a typical day, per say. You have to be nimble and on your feet and able to keep changing direction. You have to cover all these different bases, and sometimes you can’t run to first. Sometimes you have to run to third, and then run back home, and then run to second. It’s never a complete pattern.

: I believe very much in delegating authority to the department heads, in empowering people and having them take responsibility for the work. My principal job is to maintain the overall vision of the piece. [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/pages/galactica/fashioningverisimilitude3.htm]

* From the "Fashioning Verisimilitude" article / interview on [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com Hollywood North Report (HNR)]:

: '''Robert Falconer:''' And I guess the whole concept of the show, by definition, is that of a bottle show.

: '''Ron Moore:''' Yeah. And it was designed that way from the get-go. When [[David Eick]] and I went in and pitched it initially—knowing how expensive space opera can be—we designed it to be affordable on what we could get on a SCI-FI Channel budget. [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/pages/galactica/fashioningverisimilitude3.htm]

* ''Regarding the use of bullets versus lasers on the [[Viper (RDM)|Vipers]], as explained by [[Ronald D. Moore|Ron Moore]]:''

: [The bullets are s]ome sort of caseless ammunition. We had long technical discussions about some of this. What mattered to us was that they weren’t laser blasts. We just felt that had been done to death, it wasn’t as interesting, and it wasn’t realistic. From our research we discovered that such weapons would take huge amounts of energy, and that fighters would probably be better served by using actual bullets. But presumably they’re more advanced than what we’re using today, although we haven’t actually sat down and defined them as such. [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/pages/galactica/fashioningverisimilitude5.htm]

* ''Regarding the reconciliation between [[William Adama]] and his son [[Lee Adama]] at the end of the [[Mini-Series]], as explained by [[Ronald D. Moore|Ron Moore]]:''

: I think it will go up and it will go down, like any father-son dynamic does. I think they bridged a gap in the miniseries that certainly had held them apart for a couple of years. I don’t think that issue has been completely resolved, but they’ve moved past it to a certain point. Now they’re in a new relationship and a new dynamic…they’re father and son and they’re also serving on the same ship, and the stresses and pressures of that will affect the relationship. I think it’s interesting that Lee Adama has a strong relationship with [[Laura Roslin|Laura]], and that he in some respects is a bridge between her and his father. [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/pages/galactica/fashioningverisimilitude5.htm]

* '''Edward James Olmos''': The stories are just, really, stunning. I have wept reading this thing, I have been left amazed and I've been left totally in awe. {{ref|BSG_2.0_DVD}}

== See Also ==

*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naturalistic_science_fiction A description on Wikipedia on naturalistic SF] concepts used in the series

== References ==

* {{note|BSG_2.0_DVD}} [[Battlestar Galactica: Season 2.0]], the Region 1 DVD

==Related Topics==
* [[List of Season 1 Guest Actors (RDM)]]
* [[List of Season 2 Guest Actors (RDM)]]
* [[List of Recurring Characters (RDM)]]
* [[List of Recurring Character Appearances (RDM)]]
* [[List of Emmy Nominations and Wins]]

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Behind the Scenes]]
[[Category:RDM]]