TV movies: Difference between revisions
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m Reverted edit by 67.87.253.76 (talk) to last revision by Joe Beaudoin Jr. Tag: Rollback |
→Re-imagined Series: "backdoor pilot" has changed a bit in definition, so we should certainly cite where that term came from, etc. Tags: Visual edit Disambiguation links |
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|[[Miniseries, Night 1|''Battlestar Galactica: Miniseries'']] | |[[Miniseries, Night 1|''Battlestar Galactica: Miniseries'']] | ||
|2003 | |2003 | ||
|The "backdoor" | |The "backdoor pilot"<ref name=":0">Traditionally, backdoor pilots began life as "pilots" of series within an existing television series, such as "[[Memoryalpha:Assignment: Earth|Assignment: Earth]]" within ''[[Star Trek]]''<nowiki/>'s second season circa 1968 CE. In more recent times, "backdoor pilots" begin as concepts presented as movies-of-the-week form, which may solicit series orders.</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120051217/http://www.variety.com/static-pages/slanguage-dictionary/#p|title=Slanguage Dictionary|website=Variety|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120051217/http://www.variety.com/static-pages/slanguage-dictionary/#p|archivedate=20 November 2010|accessdate=15 September 2025}} </ref> of the [[Re-imagined Series]], first airing on then-titled [[Sci Fi Channel|Sci-Fi Channel]] and later released on optical disc. | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''[[Razor|Battlestar Galactica: Razor]]'' | |''[[Razor|Battlestar Galactica: Razor]]'' | ||
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|''[[Blood and Chrome|Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome]]'' | |''[[Blood and Chrome|Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome]]'' | ||
|2012 | |2012 | ||
|Originally released online in 10 parts via [[w:Machinima,_Inc.|Machinima]], but later cut into a feature-length movie-of-the-week that was aired on [[Syfy|Syfy Channel]] and released on optical disc. | |As with its predecessors, it was considered a possibility of being a "backdoor pilot"<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tvwise.co.uk/2012/02/exclusive-update-on-battlestar-galactica-blood-chrome/#:~:text=At%20the%20time%20that%20this%20was%20announced%20in%20late%202010%2C%20the%20plan%20was%20to%20air%20the%20TV%20movie%20on%20Syfy%20as%20a%20backdoor%20pilot%2C%20in%20a%20move%20very%20similar%20to%20what%20the%20network%20did%20with%20Red%20Faction%3A%20Origins.|title=Exclusive: Update On Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome|website=TVWise|date=17 February 2012|accessdate=15 September 2025|quote=At the time that this was announced in late 2010, the plan was to air the TV movie on Syfy as a backdoor pilot, in a move very similar to what the network did with Red Faction: Origins.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/maureen-ryan/battlestar-galactica_b_2079994.html#:~:text=In%20the%20fall%20of%202010%2C%20Syfy%20said%20that%20%22Blood%20%26%20Chrome%22%20had%20been%20upgraded%2C%20in%20a%20manner%20of%20speaking%3A%20It%20would%20function%20as%20%22a%20backdoor%20pilot%22%20to%20a%20possible%20Young%20Adama%20series%20on%20Syfy.|title='Battlestar Galactica' Spinoff 'Blood & Chrome' Finally Arrives: Too Little, Too Late?|author=Maureen Ryan|website=HuffPost|date=9 November 2012|accessdate=15 September 2025|quote=In the fall of 2010, Syfy said that "Blood & Chrome" had been upgraded, in a manner of speaking: It would function as "a backdoor pilot" to a possible Young Adama series on Syfy.}}</ref> for a series for then-considered "new media" (a.k.a. streaming). Originally released online in 10 parts via [[w:Machinima,_Inc.|Machinima]], but later cut into a feature-length movie-of-the-week that was aired on [[Syfy|Syfy Channel]] and released on optical disc. | ||
|} | |} | ||
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|''[[Caprica pilot|Caprica]]'' | |''[[Caprica pilot|Caprica]]'' | ||
|2009 | |2009 | ||
|The "backdoor" | |The "backdoor pilot"<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2008/03/18/sci-fi-gives-caprica-the-greenlight-26988/20080318scifi01/|title=Sci Fi Gives "Caprica" the Greenlight|website=The Futon Critic|date=18 March 2008|accessdate=15 September 2025}}</ref> of the [[Re-imagined Series]]' prequel, released initially on optical disc. It was later upgraded with additional special effects and some modifications for presentation as the series' pilot during [[Syfy Channel]]'s first airing of the series. | ||
|} | |} | ||
== References == | |||
{{Reflist}} | |||
[[Category: A to Z]] | [[Category: A to Z]] | ||
[[Category: Episode Guide|*]] | [[Category: Episode Guide|*]] | ||
Revision as of 20:59, 15 September 2025
Various television movies were released for all four of the Battlestar Galactica series, whether solely on VHS, on DVD, or for broadcast television as movie or mini-series events.
Original Series
During and, more specifically, after the first run of the Original Series, aired episodes were re-cut and distributed. The ones from the Original Series (both Battlestar Galactica and Galactica 1980) that combine television episodes into feature-length installments. Due to the haphazard way these are edited, they are replete with chopped and misplaced scenes; obvious dubbing of dialogue by different actors; costume and hairstyle changes from one scene to the next; and a plethora of plot confusion.
As was the case with other telemovies at the time from out-of-production television shows, entirely new footage was created to help bridge narrative changes. This is mainly the case with Experiment in Terra.
These were released on both television and, later, VHS. Due to the obsolescence of magnetic tape, all of the telemovies are archived online via the Internet Archive.
Theatrical Releases
| Title | Release | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Battlestar Galactica | 1978 | Edited version of "Saga of a Star World" at feature length (approx. 2 hours). |
| Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack | 1979 | Merger of "The Living Legend" and "Fire in Space" |
| Conquest of the Earth | 1981 | Edited merger of "Galactica Discovers Earth" and "The Night the Cylons Landed" |
Television Releases
| TV movie title | Original episodes | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Battlestar Galactica | "Saga of a Star World" |
| 2 | Lost Planet of the Gods | "Lost Planet of the Gods" (expanded) |
| 3 | Gun on Ice Planet Zero | "Gun on Ice Planet Zero" (expanded) |
| 4 | The Phantom in Space | "The Hand of God" and "The Lost Warrior" |
| 5 | Space Prison | "The Man with Nine Lives" and "Baltar's Escape" |
| 6 | Space Casanova | "Take the Celestra" and "The Long Patrol" |
| 7 | Curse of the Cylons | "Fire in Space" and "The Magnificent Warriors" |
| 8 | The Living Legend | "The Living Legend" (expanded) |
| 9 | War of the Gods | "War of the Gods" (expanded) |
| 10 | Greetings from Earth | "Greetings from Earth" |
| 11 | Murder in Space | "Murder on the Rising Star" and "The Young Lords" |
| 12 | Experiment in Terra | "The Return of Starbuck" (edited) and "Experiment in Terra" (expanded) |
Re-imagined Series
| Title | Release | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Battlestar Galactica: Miniseries | 2003 | The "backdoor pilot"[1][2] of the Re-imagined Series, first airing on then-titled Sci-Fi Channel and later released on optical disc. |
| Battlestar Galactica: Razor | 2008 | Originally released on optical disc with an unrated cut, but later aired on Syfy Channel. |
| Battlestar Galactica: The Plan | 2009 | Originally released on optical disc with an unrated cut, but later aired on Syfy Channel after the conclusion of the series. |
| Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome | 2012 | As with its predecessors, it was considered a possibility of being a "backdoor pilot"[1][3][4] for a series for then-considered "new media" (a.k.a. streaming). Originally released online in 10 parts via Machinima, but later cut into a feature-length movie-of-the-week that was aired on Syfy Channel and released on optical disc. |
Caprica
| Title | Release | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Caprica | 2009 | The "backdoor pilot"[1][2][5] of the Re-imagined Series' prequel, released initially on optical disc. It was later upgraded with additional special effects and some modifications for presentation as the series' pilot during Syfy Channel's first airing of the series. |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Traditionally, backdoor pilots began life as "pilots" of series within an existing television series, such as "Assignment: Earth" within Star Trek's second season circa 1968 CE. In more recent times, "backdoor pilots" begin as concepts presented as movies-of-the-week form, which may solicit series orders.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Slanguage Dictionary (in English). Archived from the original on 20 November 2010. Retrieved on 15 September 2025.
- ↑ Exclusive: Update On Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). (17 February 2012). Retrieved on 15 September 2025.
- ↑ Maureen Ryan (9 November 2012). 'Battlestar Galactica' Spinoff 'Blood & Chrome' Finally Arrives: Too Little, Too Late? (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Retrieved on 15 September 2025.
- ↑ Sci Fi Gives "Caprica" the Greenlight (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). (18 March 2008). Retrieved on 15 September 2025.