Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion
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| Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion A book of the Titan Books line | ||
|---|---|---|
| Book No. | 1 | |
| Author(s) | David Bassom | |
| Adaptation of | ||
| No. of Pages | {{{pages}}} | |
| Published | August 2005 | |
| ISBN | 1845760972 | |
| Chronology | ||
| Previous | Next | |
| none | Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion | Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion Season Two |
| Paperback Version | ||
| Available at Amazon.com – Purchase | ||
| Available at Amazon.co.uk – Purchase | ||
| Audiobook Version | ||
| Available at iTunes – [{{{itunes}}} Purchase] | ||
Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion (Titan Books, August 2005, ISBN 1845760972), by David Bassom, details the making of the 2003 Miniseries and Season 1 of the Re-imagined Series.
The Official Companion details the events that lead up to the creation of the Miniseries and the regular series from the eyes of the show's co-creators, David Eick and Ron D. Moore, as well as its cast and crew.
While The Official Companion gives readers a few technical insights into Colonial and Cylon technology in the series, the book is largely a reference into the cast's thoughts about their characters, combined with behind-the-scenes information and trivia.
Summary and Key Takeaways
edit sourceThe book provides a comprehensive, page-by-page look into the development and production of the show's beginning.
Part 1: Introduction and The Miniseries
edit source- Foreword by Ronald D. Moore (P. 6-7): Moore states that a companion book is a tangible sign of a show's success and thanks his creative team for supporting their daring and creatively risky vision for the series.
- "Battle Plan" - The Re-imagining (P. 8-23): This section details the conceptual overhaul of the original series.
- The core goal was to reinvent the science fiction genre by introducing a gritty realism, moving away from traditional space opera tropes (P. 8).
- Moore was hired specifically for his deep knowledge of Star Trek, as producer David Eick believed he would know exactly how to create something fundamentally different (P. 10).
- The decision was made to do a remake, not a sequel, because Moore felt the dark premise of humanity's near-annihilation would resonate more powerfully with a post-9/11 audience (P. 12).
- Key changes were made to improve story logic, including making the Cylons a creation of humanity, which introduced the concept of humanoid Cylons and a more complex relationship. Main characters were also made more flawed and realistic, such as Starbuck's gender-swap and Tigh's alcoholism (P. 13-17).
- The character of Laura Roslin was created to introduce a civilian/political conflict with the military leadership, a dynamic Moore felt was missing from the original (P. 15).
- Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell were the first choices for Adama and Roslin. Their casting was seen as a crucial step that legitimized the project as a serious drama (P. 22-23).
- The Miniseries Guide (P. 24-37): This provides a detailed breakdown of the two-part miniseries.
- Part 1 (P. 26-31): Details the Cylon attack and the fleet's escape. A notable production detail is that the introduction to Galactica was filmed in a single, continuous four-minute take to give viewers a sense of the ship and its crew (P. 28).
- Part 2 (P. 32-37): Focuses on the aftermath and the fleet's first steps. A crucial plot point is established: Commander Adama's claim to know the location of Earth is a deliberate lie, a "myth" he uses to give the survivors hope (P. 36). The final twist, revealing Sharon "Boomer" Valerii as a Cylon, was a suggestion from David Eick to ensure a series pickup (P. 36).
Part 2: Season One
edit source- From Miniseries to Series (P. 38-43): This section covers the show's transition to a full series.
- The miniseries was a major critical and commercial success, becoming the Sci Fi channel's most-watched original program of 2003 (P. 40).
- Despite the ratings, the series was initially deemed too expensive and was only green-lit after securing a co-production deal with Britain's Sky TV network (P. 41).
- The Episodes (P. 44-95): A detailed guide to each episode of the first season.
- "33": The cast researched sleep deprivation and limited their own sleep to realistically portray the crew's exhaustion (P. 46).
- "Water": Sharon's Cylon programming begins to manifest as she unknowingly sabotages the ship's water supply, kickstarting her season-long identity crisis (P. 48).
- "Bastille Day": This episode introduced Tom Zarek, played by Richard Hatch, the actor who portrayed Apollo in the Original Series, creating an on-screen dynamic of the "new Apollo" facing off against the "original Apollo" (P. 52).
- "Act of Contrition": A flight deck accident forces Starbuck to confront her guilt over Zak Adama's death, revealing the secret to his father (P. 56).
- "You Can't Go Home Again": Stranded on a barren moon, Starbuck must use her ingenuity to pilot a downed Cylon Raider back to the fleet (P. 60).
- "Litmus": A Cylon suicide bombing leads to a "witch hunt" tribunal that strains relationships and forces Tyrol to end his affair with Sharon (P. 64).
- "Six Degrees of Separation": A physical copy of Number Six appears, accusing Baltar of treason and forcing him to question his sanity and his relationship with the Six in his head (P. 68).
- "Flesh and Bone": This episode, dealing with the torture of a Cylon prisoner, was influenced by the real-world Abu Ghraib scandal and was the most controversial episode of the season for the network (P. 72).
- "Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down": The arrival of Ellen Tigh, a potential Cylon, creates paranoia and suspicion, leading to a comedic "comedy of errors" as Roslin and Adama suspect each other (P. 76).
- "The Hand of God": With the fleet low on fuel, Lee Adama must step out of Starbuck's shadow to lead a daring raid on a Cylon tylium refinery (P. 80).
- "Colonial Day": Politics take center stage as Tom Zarek challenges Roslin's authority, leading her to strategically elevate Baltar to the vice presidency (P. 84).
- "Kobol's Last Gleaming": The two-part finale ends on a shocking cliffhanger—Sharon shooting Adama—which was written before the writers knew for certain if the show would be renewed for a second season (P. 95).
Part 3: The Characters and Behind the Scenes
edit source- Character Profiles (P. 96-135): This section features in-depth interviews with the actors about their characters and motivations.
- William Adama (P. 98-101): Edward James Olmos discusses his initial reluctance to join a sci-fi show and how the quality of the script, which he compares to Blade Runner, won him over. He focuses on Adama's journey from a retiring officer to a wartime commander forced to make morally gray decisions.
- Laura Roslin (P. 102-105): Mary McDonnell explains how her character's cancer diagnosis liberates her, making her a stronger and more decisive leader. She also discusses Roslin's surprising "hawkish" qualities and her complex power struggle with Adama.
- Lee Adama (P. 106-109): Jamie Bamber talks about Apollo's complex issues, his difficult relationship with his father, and his growing rapport with Roslin. He notes that Starbuck's gender-swap created a more complicated and interesting dynamic between the two pilots.
- Kara Thrace (P. 110-113): Katee Sackhoff addresses the initial controversy over her casting and her focus on creating a character that was true to the spirit of the original Starbuck but also more complex and troubled.
- Gaius Baltar (P. 114-117): James Callis explains his decision to portray Baltar as a more comedic, fallible, and lighter character than the outright villain of the original series, making him a "very bad liar" rather than a sinister mastermind.
- Number Six (P. 118-121): Tricia Helfer discusses her goal of making Number Six sympathetic and vulnerable, not just a "robot chick." She explores the idea that the Six in Baltar's head has genuinely fallen in love with him.
- Sharon Valerii (P. 122-125): Grace Park reveals she originally auditioned for the roles of Dualla and Starbuck before being cast as Boomer. She discusses the challenge of playing two distinct versions of the same Cylon model.
- Supporting Characters (P. 126-135): Features interviews with Michael Hogan (Saul Tigh), Aaron Douglas (Galen Tyrol), Tahmoh Penikett (Karl "Helo" Agathon), and others about their roles.
- Production Design (P. 136-143): This section details the show's unique visual style.
- Visual Effects (P. 144-151): This section explains the groundbreaking effects.
- The visual effects were designed with a handheld, documentary-style feel to make space battles seem immediate and real, avoiding the polished "beauty shots" common in other sci-fi (P. 144).
- A crucial decision was to render the Cylon Centurions entirely with CGI, rather than using actors in suits, to make them appear more authentically robotic (P. 146).
- Music (P. 152-153): This section covers the show's distinctive score.
- The music intentionally avoided the "orchestral bombast" of typical sci-fi, instead using a minimalist approach with a mix of global instruments (like Japanese taiko drums) and odd time signatures to create an "other-worldly" feel (P. 152).
Part 4: Conclusion
edit source- "The Battle Continues" (P. 154-155): This section discusses the show's overwhelming critical success after its first season, with publications like Time magazine calling it one of the best dramas on television. It notes the show's renewal for a 20-episode second season and Moore's belief that the new show successfully embraces the core premise of the original.
- Afterword by David Eick (P. 156-157): Eick reflects on the show's improbable success, particularly in overcoming the "quaint title" to become a critical darling. He reiterates that the primary goal was always to create an epic, compelling, and deeply emotional drama that just happened to take place in a science fiction realm, and thanks the fans for their open-mindedness.