Possible 'Battlestar Galactica' Season 4 Split Rooted in Money

Source: TVweek

As previously reported, one of the dilemmas facing the SCI-FI Channel at this time is whether or not the final season of Battlestar Galactica should be split into two ten-episode blocks. Apparently, the network is taking so long to decide because of “the money people,” as one executive put it.

A large portion of the network's programming budget is allotted for Battlestar Galactica, consequently forcing the network to consider spreading the final edition across two seasons. However, executive producer Ron Moore has been lax about this issue.

“It doesn't affect my job either way, since we're shooting it straight through,” Moore said. “It might be better to get it all done [in the same year] for the fans so they don't have to wait.”

Judging by what a source close to the project said, Moore's sentiment of airing Battlestar Galactica's final season in the same year may prove to be the best move for the network. According to the source, “when people see the ending of the 10th episode, they're gonna freak out,” and should the network decide to go ahead and split the season into two blocks, fans will be left hanging in the air yet again after a year of waiting for the series to return. Viewers have also been eager to catch the two-hour made-for-tv stand-alone movie, Razor.

The network is hoping to reach a final decision by January. One of the key factors is figuring out which new shows will be well-suited to accompany Battlestar Galactica, and how much those shows will cost.

One of the shows being considered is the Caprica spin-off series. Network executives believe the spin-off may help retain and expand the loyal Battlestar Galactica fan base, and are even considering a two-hour pilot similar to that of Razor. Should the pilot perform poorly, it will subsequently be sold as a DVD to make up for the losses. On the other hand, should the pilot do well, the network will have a new series to serve up.

At present, Moore is working on another sci-fi production, a “companion piece” to John Carpenter's 1982 film, The Thing, which is being produced by Universal.