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Series / Battlestar Galactica (2003)

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So say we all.
"The Cylons were created by man. They rebelled. They evolved. They look — and feel — human. Some are programmed to think they are human. There are many copies. And they have a plan."
Opening title card, Season 1

For the original series, see Battlestar Galactica (1978).

In 2003, the Sci Fi Channel revived the classic 1970s space opera series in a four-hour miniseries, followed in 2005 by a regular series which ran four seasons before concluding in 2009. The new program, considerably darker and more adult-themed than the original, discarded the original series' continuity and retooled many of the main characters, while keeping many of the original show's themes and technology. Despite initial protests from fans of the original series (including original series star Richard Hatch, who had long hoped to relaunch the series and reprise his role as Apollo), the new series quickly became one of the most popular programs in Sci-Fi's history, and nowadays is often-considered to be one of the most influential and critically praised science-fiction series of the early twenty-first century. Even Hatch eventually changed his tune, joining the show's cast as political dissident Tom Zarek.

The 2000s series picks up forty years after the end of the first war between the humans and Cylons, in this continuity sentient machines created as soldiers by the human race. As the story begins, the Cylons, now led by a group of artificial humans, launch a surprise nuclear attack that obliterates almost the entire human race. Like the original series, the survivors form a fleet led by Galactica in search of the lost thirteenth colony, Earth, with the subversion here that whether Earth even exists or not is completely unknown to the fleet. Religious symbolism and revelation play a great role in the new series, as the fleet follows signs and omens that may lead them to Earth while wondering whether or not they're just wasting their time. The polytheistic religion of the humans, based on classical Greek/Roman mythology, also comes into conflict with the monotheistic, vaguely Christian faith of the humanoid Cylons, with the occasional dropped hint that both groups are receiving revelation from the same source.

The new series has been favorably compared to Babylon 5 and Firefly for its character-driven storylines and for attempting to portray space physics in a realistic manner despite the occasional excess. It has even been the subject of a panel discussion at the UN. The newer series also avoided several obvious space opera cliches (such as Space Clothes, Teleporters and Transporters, Lasers, excessive Technobabble, and even communicators). Suffice to say, countless other works in the science fiction genre, such as V (2009), Mass Effect, The Man in the High Castle, and The Expanse have all gone on to take clear influence from Galactica.

There were also two Made For TV Movies, called Battlestar Galactica: Razor and Battlestar Galactica: The Plan.

  • The first one told the story of the Battlestar Pegasus, led by Admiral Helena Cain, as it fled from the Cylon attack until they met up with the Galactica in "Pegasus". It is told through the flashbacks of Kendra Shaw, one of Cain's top lieutenants, and intersects with events that take place at the end of Season 2, when Lee Adama takes command of the Pegasus, and the Fleet encounters a Cylon Breakaway faction led by a proto-hybrid. It was released in 2007, in the gap between Seasons 3 and 4.
  • The second one told the story of the destruction of the colonies from the point of view of the Cylons. It features original material and scenes from the series. It was directed by Edward James Olmos and came out in 2009, after the series finished. Olmos, who has stated in the past that one of his life goals is to direct or star in a movie with Male Frontal Nudity, finally got his wish with this film, which features an inexplicable lingering zoom-in shot of a penis during a shower scene.

Caprica, a prequel set 58 years before the events of the Mini-Series, portrays life in the Twelve Colonies and shows the story behind the creation of the Cylons. It premiered in January 2010, but was cancelled after just one season.

Another TV-Movie, set during the first Cylon war, between Caprica and Galactica, was made in 2012, called Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome. Initially meant to as a pilot for another series, Syfy eventually passed; It initially aired as a Web series on Machinima before eventually airing on Syfy and going to home video in 2013.

In September 2019, it was announced that a new series set in Battlestar Galactica universe was being produced for NBC's streaming service Peacock, to be executive produced by Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail.

Despite the premise, there are surprisingly few video games based on the series. Battlestar Galactica Online was a browser-based spaceflight action MMO, set in an AU where a jump accident pre-New Caprica sends both Colonials and Cylons into uncharted space filled with the leftovers of mysterious precursors. Battlestar Galactica Deadlock is a 2017 strategy game on PC that puts the player in command of the full Colonial Fleet during the First Cylon War, managing the fleet in both a strategic and tactical layer. A hidden role traitor Tabletop Game was also released, with several expansions.


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Alternative Title(s): Battlestar Galactica Reimagined

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Cylon Basestars

Spacedock highlights how the Basestars used by the Cylons, while impressive weapons platforms: have absolutely zero flak systems.

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