Series bible: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 03:06, 26 January 2006

A series bible is a guidebook written by the creator(s) of a TV show so that all writers will know the general outline of the show; it contains the backstories of the characters and outlines the in-series universe. Typically, it contains information that might not actually be revealed to the audience until later, but is known to the writers from the start, so they won't make any conflicting new stories.

The re-imagined Battlestar Galactica series bible was written by Ron D. Moore after the Mini-Series during a hiatus before production on the regular series began. It has not been released in its entirety, nor will it probably, as it still contains much information not yet revealed on screen. However, the series bible is not necessarily definitive, as sometimes the writing team may decide something different must be done in a script than was originally outlined. Still, so long as nothing new is made that conflicts with the bible, it contains the real backstories for the characters and basic plot outline for the future of the show.

For example, RDM has said in his season 1 podcast that, according to the series bible, Starbuck used to be a pyramid player, intending to play professionally, but got a knee injury and had to drop out and find a new direction for her life. Several episodes later, in "Resistance" Starbuck states on screen that she used to play pyramid but a knee injury forced her to stop.

RDM often refers to information from the series bible in the podcasts (usually, things he wanted to put onscreen but could not). Another example is Colonel Saul Tigh; RDM has stated that his series bible entry says he was a young Petty Officer not unlike Chief Tyrol when during the Cylon War his ship, Brenik, was boarded and the fighting with Cylons was some of the bloodiest of the war, devolving into hand to hand combat.

Later, Tigh was stationed on another ship which was also lost, and then he was dragooned into officer school to become a Viper pilot when Colonial numbers started running low. The series bible also fully described his poor relationship with his wife, Ellen Tigh. Originally, all the viewers would ever see of this relationship was that it (combined with Tigh's horrific war experience) had driven Tigh to alcoholism as seen in the beginning of the Mini-Series, also when Tigh is burning her face out of a photo. Orignally, this was supposed to be all viewers actually saw of Ellen Tigh. However, other writers read the full description of her in the series bible, and subsequently thought she'd make a good character, and thus "resurrected" her in "Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down".

Several lines from the series bible are briefly shown during Battlestar Galactica: The Lowdown. The images show that the series bible has sections on the Religion and their Culture and Society.

The following are lines scene during Battlestar Galactica: The Lowdown:

Our show is built…

1. Series Arcs

2. Multi-episode Arcs

3. Episode Arcs

The series arc run through the life of the show… pursuit of our fleet, while the Multi-Episode Arcs… specific crises lay on one planet discovered by… closed-end (unclear) for each show and giving… episode. By employing the structure, we gain… on the existing… and… the… the…

The key… Galactica lives in a perpetual state… And where terrorist bombs, murders, rebellions,… Routines of day to day life. There are no days for… Approaching the quiet normal existence they once…

The series is about a chase.

Let the chase begin.

…The centuries according to… …governmental structure existed… …events of the Cylon War.

Religion

The colonies have a poly-theistic belief… …God-like beings on the planet Kobol… …thanks to or ask for blessings from the… …how many there are is not yet known… …and Roman gods of Earth (this linkage… …roots to those of Colonial society,… …from the same homeworld, namely Kobol…

Religious belief and practice varies from co… …completely secular and others verging on…

There is a formal body of priests and clerics… …now operates in a quasi-civil role within the C… …to the British House of Lords. At the name imp… …representatives from each of the Colonies. The… …government on policy, matters from religious… …relatively narrow.

Culture and Society

Colonial society is very similar to 21st… …a parallel world for all intents and… …professional sports, they… …bureaucracies…

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 A '''series bible''' is a guidebook written by the creator(s) of a TV show so that all writers will know the general outline of the show; it contains the backstories of the characters and outlines the in-series universe.  Typically, it contains information that might not actually be revealed to the audience until later, but is known to the writers from the start, so they won't make any conflicting new stories.
-The [[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|re-imagined Battlestar Galactica]] series bible was written by [[Ron D. Moore]] after the [[Mini-Series]] during a hiatus before production on the regular series began.  It has not been released in its entirety, nor will it probably, as it still contains much information not yet revealed on screen.  However, the series bible is not necessarily definitive, as sometimes the writing team may decide something different must be done in a script than was originally outlined.  Still, so long as nothing new is made that conflicts with the bible, it contains the real backstories for the characters and basic plot outline for the future of the show.
+The [[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|re-imagined Battlestar Galactica]] series bible was written by [[Ronald D. Moore|Ron D. Moore]] after the [[Mini-Series]] during a hiatus before production on the regular series began.  It has not been released in its entirety, nor will it probably, as it still contains much information not yet revealed on screen.  However, the series bible is not necessarily definitive, as sometimes the writing team may decide something different must be done in a script than was originally outlined.  Still, so long as nothing new is made that conflicts with the bible, it contains the real backstories for the characters and basic plot outline for the future of the show.
 For example, RDM has said in his season 1 podcast that, according to the series bible, [[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]] used to be a [[pyramid]] player, intending to play professionally, but got a knee injury and had to drop out and find a new direction for her life.  Several episodes later, in "[[Resistance]]" Starbuck states on screen that she used to play pyramid but a knee injury forced her to stop.