Thursday, December 25

'Battlestar Galactica: The Face of the Enemy' Webisodes

View them now SCIFI.COM

We've had to wait a long time for the final 10 episodes of "Battlestar Galactica" to finally air, and if you're anything like me, Jan. 16 can't come quickly enough. Fortunately, BSG's showrunners understand fans' ravenous appetites for the best show on television. Rewarding the patient faithful, who've had to wait seven months for the conclusion of the show's mid-season cliffhanger, Scifi.com has posted 4-minute webisodes which will bridge the gap between season 4.0 and season 4.5. The webisodes, featuring the bulk of BSG's regular cast, will center around Lt. Felix Gaeta, recovering from his injuries sustained while searching for Earth. Within seconds of the first episode, you will raise your eyebrow at least twice at revelations about what's to come. The webisodes, a 10-part murder-mystery (five will have been posted by this print date) promise to sustain any serious fan of this landmark television series. If you haven't seen BSG yet, you are missing out on the finest dramatic series ever produced.

Wednesday, December 3

SciFi Orders Full Season of ‘BSG’ Prequel ‘Caprica’

Source: geeksofdoom


As many a depressed fans are aware, January 2009 brings the end of Battlestar Galactica. Another thing most people know, is that SciFi announced a prequel movie a while back called Caprica, which would be similar to the sort of bridge movie they did, Razor.

The thing most fans didn’t know, including myself, was that this will not be a prequel movie, but an entire prequel season, because SciFi has officially greenlighted a 20-episode order for the prequel season. With a couple 120-minute episodes likely, it will ultimately be around 18 or 19 episodes, but still, plenty fun!

Unfortunately, this does mean that we’re very unlikely to see any familiar faces, aside from maybe a cameo flash forward?

SciFi explains everything that we need to know

Set 50 years before the events in Battlestar Galactica, Caprica follows two rival families the Graystones and the Adamas as they grow, compete and thrive in the vibrant world of the 12 Colonies, a society recognizably close to our own.

Enmeshed in the burgeoning technology of artificial intelligence and robotics that will eventually lead to the creation of the Cylons, the two houses go toe to toe in a series that blends action with corporate conspiracy and sexual politics.

As the series begins, a startling development is about to occur the creation of the first cybernetic lifeform node, or Cylon the ability to marry artificial intelligence with mechanical bodies.
Joseph Adama (Esai Morales)father of future Galactica commander William Adama (Sina Najafi)is a renowned civil liberties lawyer and becomes an opponent of the experiments undertaken by the Graystones, led by a patriarch played by Eric Stoltz, who are owners of a large computer corporation that is spearheading the development of the Cylons.

Sounds pretty damn interesting if you ask me. Maybe SciFi has it all figured out - make a great show, produce it at its best without dragging it on further than it should go, and then make another show that relates to it- who knows?

Production is set to start in Vancouver in 2009 with the show starting with a two-hour pilot movie in 2010. Starring alongside Eric Stoltz and Esai Morales (Jericho) will be Paula Malcomson (Tombstone) and Polly Walker (Rome).

Friday, November 28

Brand New Promo of 'Battlestar Galactica' Season 4.5


Shorter but different from the recently released promo of "Battlestar Galactica", a new sneak peek to the 4.5 season of the Sci-Fi Channel series has been outed. The first half of the fourth season ended with humans and Cylons arriving at Earth which was already irradiated and the new promo gives more view of the deserted planet.
Returning January 16, the second half of the fourth season will serve as the last 10 episodes of the series. Through the first promo of the new season, several plots that can be expected include Roslin asking whether Adama is a Cylon, Chief trying to figure out what he remembers from the Earth, and Starbuck kissing Apollo.

The questions remaining are what actually happens to Earth, where do they go from there and who is the twelfth and final Cylons. The latest secret was originally intended to be unearthed in the mid-season finale in June, but the producers had decided to include it in the final episodes.
catch it here the original 4.5 promo can be found here

Tuesday, November 25

'Battlestar Galactica's' Tricia Helfer to Guest Star on 'Chuck'

Source: Buddytv


Chuck's list of guest stars this season is plain absurd, and they keep adding them on. Either the Chuck set has gotten a reputation for being one heck of a good time, of NBC has unleashed a mighty guest star budget for the spy action/comedy. Either way, there are more guest stars being announced today, thanks to EW's Michael Ausiello. The big name is one Tricia Helfer, who Battlestar Galactica fans know extremely well. Helfer is, well, quite a looker and she is coming onto Chuck for one episode as Special Agent Alex Forrest, a possible replacement for Yvonne Strahovski's Sarah Walker, amidst worries that Sarah has gotten too close to Chuck. Fans shouldn't worry, however. Strahovski isn't going anywhere, and Helfer has only signed up for the one episode. Casey will be hoping otherwise, as he will take a liking to the no-nonsense Agent Forrest.

Friday, November 21

'Battlestar Galactica' Outing Two Gay Characters in Upcoming Webisodes


Source: Buddytv

After a seemingly never ending hiatus, Battlestar Galactica returns to wrap up its fourth and final season on Friday, January 16. With the return of the Sci Fi Channel series less than two months away, the network is increasing their promotion of the show to get fans ready for Galactica's big send-off. Sci Fi has scheduled a new half-hour recap special entitled "BSG: Essential Elements," which is set to air January 11 at 11pm. A new Battlestar Galactica webisode series entitled "The Face of the Enemy" is also in the works. It'll premiere online in December, and according to The Futon Critic will also air during Sci Fi's presentation of the movie Pitch Black on January 15.

The webisodes are meant to bridge the gap between the mid-season finale and the January 16 premiere, but that's not the only interesting thing about them. Galactica Sitrep reports that two male characters will be outed and indulge in a full-on make-out session in one of the installments. Read on if you want to be spoiled!

In news that I doubt any Battlestar Galactica fan will find shocking, one of the gay characters is none other than Lt. Felix Gaeta (Alessandro Juliani). The man he'll be seen making out with is Hoshi, who may only be known by the most faithful BSG fans. Hoshi is the former communications officer on the Pegasus, who now holds the same position aboard the Galactica. He took over Gaeta's duties for a short time when the lieutenant was traveling with Starbuck aboard the Demetrius.

While I'm thrilled that Battlestar Galactica is showing some diversity, it's a bit disappointing that these characters won't be outed in an actual episode of the series. BSG fans who don't watch the webisodes may never know that Gaeta and Hoshi made out, unless it's somehow referenced on the show. Then again, with only 10 episodes left and BSG barreling toward its series finale, it's possible there's no time to dive into issues of sexuality.

There's no word on when "The Face of the Enemy" webisodes will appear online, though fans should keep an eye on the Sci Fi Channel's website throughout December.

Sunday, November 16

'Galactica' gear will be auctioned

Source: fresnobe
The Sci Fi Channel series "Battlestar Galactica" will come to an end in 2009. That means some housecleaning.

Thousands of one-of-a-kind props, set pieces and costumes will be sold to the public through a series of live and online auctions. The first one will be held the weekend of Jan. 16 at the Pasadena Convention Center.

Some of the bigger items to be sold include full size ships, Admiral William Adama's desk, a Cylon Raider and six to 12 costumes from each major character including Viper flight suits and Caprica Six's red dress. A portion of the proceeds will benefit United Way.

The auction begins with a preview starting at 10 a.m. Jan. 16. A series of live panel discussions with the creative team that developed all the props, costumes and set pieces for "Battlestar Galactica" will be held that day.

The live auction event will take place Jan. 17 and 18. It will feature items from the first three seasons of the show. Those who cannot attend can go to http://www.battlestarprops.com/ to bid electronically.

On Jan. 20, items will be offered on eBay for those who were unable to participate in the auctions over the weekend.

Additional items will be made available for auction each week on eBay in conjunction with the airing of "Battlestar Galactica" and will feature items that appeared in that particular episode. The first of these auctions will take place at 6 a.m. Jan. 23 and will end at 6 p.m. Jan. 30.
The items are from the remake of the science fiction series. Chowchilla native Ron Moore is an executive producer of the show. Just as in the original series, this new take is the saga of humanity's last remnants and its struggle to find a new home while fleeing from their deadly Cylon enemies.

The series has won three Emmy Awards and the George Foster Peabody Award. The show was recognized by the American Film Institute as one of the most outstanding programs of the year two years running.

The cast is led by Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Katee Sackhoff, Jamie Bamber, James Callis, Tricia Helfer and Grace Park.

Mary McDonnell Talks About the End of 'Battlestar Galactica'

Source: BuddyTV


There are many reasons to mourn when a great television show goes off the air. It's sad to see a compelling story come to an end, and it's hard to say goodbye to wonderful characters, but there's also a sinking feeling that you may never see some of your favorite actors in such amazing, fleshed out roles ever again. Will Sarah Michelle Gellar ever find a role half as compelling as that of the title character on Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Will anyone tap into Lauren Graham's spectacular talents as ingeniously as Gilmore Girls did? I'm still waiting for these and many other actors to return in great roles, but iconic characters don't come along very often.

One amazing character fans will soon have to bid goodbye to is Battlestar Galactica's Laura Roslin, portrayed by the Emmy-worthy Mary McDonnell. The actress recently spoke to Zap2It to discuss the final episodes of the series, as well as the type of roles she'd like to take on in the future.

McDonnell couldn't dive into specific details about Battlestar Galactica's final 10 episodes, but she was willing to give some hints about what the characters will face now that they've found Earth.
"I think in broad terms, what the last arc is about is kind of a gratifying resolution toward a new kind of world," she said. "So they found this Earth, and it isn't what they thought, and that's devastating, but that doesn't end life. What ends up happening is -- it's extraordinary, first of all, the final 10 episodes. But I think every single character -- and this is part of what I was so impressed with -- every character seems to go beyond the expectations of them. I can say that freely without revealing the implications of that for the story. It's really remarkable. I think it's going to be even better once it's a complete saga. I think it's going to be even better when you go back and watch it all again knowing the ending."

The actress admitted that she "started to giggle" when she initially heard about the concept of a Battlestar Galactica reboot, but her fears washed away the instant she read the script and saw how expertly it explored everything from faith to politics.

"Did I understand how brilliant Ron Moore truly is? No, I don't think I did," she said. "So ultimately, no -- I had a suspicion that this could be great, but I didn't really understand quite the magnitude of his gift until I got inside of [this world]."

After Battlestar Galactica wrapped filming a few months ago, McDonnell landed a three-episode guest arc on Grey's Anatomy. Her first appearance as cardiac surgeon Virginia Dixon begins tonight. As for the future, the actress admits that she may have trouble moving on to other roles after playing President Roslin.

"It's a little difficult to move on from that to something that doesn't extend that far into the world and how it works," she said. "I'm looking for something that continues to explore the complexities of power and female power, and what it is to be a woman leader."

The final 10 episodes of Battlestar Galactica kick off Friday, January 16 on the Sci Fi Channel.

Saturday, November 15

Music Review: Bear McCreary: Rest Stop - Don't Look Back, Soundtrack

Source: Blogcritics


If you could only keep your eye on one up and coming composer, I highly recommend that you choose wisely. Everywhere you turn there is another film with another new composer hoping to write the next great score. Well, maybe not everywhere, and they probably just want to do what is best for the film they are working on at the time, but I think you know what I am getting at. Now while you contemplate which composer you would choose, allow me to tell you who you should choose, should you choose to participate. You should choose Bear McCreary, no doubt about it.

Bear has been composing scores since 1998, but it was when he began working on the reinvention of Battlestar Galactica in 2004 that people began to sit up and take notice. Also, when I say "people," I specifically mean me. Simply put, the man is taking composing in new, interesting, and highly compelling directions. He integrates sounds, instruments, voices, and more into music that melds perfectly with whatever material he is working on yet remains highly listenable when taken separately.

Bear has been composing scores since 1998, but it was when he began working on the reinvention of Battlestar Galactica in 2004 that people began to sit up and take notice. Also, when I say "people," I specifically mean me. Simply put, the man is taking composing in new, interesting, and highly compelling directions. He integrates sounds, instruments, voices, and more into music that melds perfectly with whatever material he is working on yet remains highly listenable when taken separately.

Read more here

Monday, October 20

Bamber and Callis direct Season 4 webisodes

Source: galacticasitrep

We fans paying close attention have known about the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA season 4 webisodes for a few months now. Mo Ryan confirmed this week that this new set of webisodes will bridge the 4.0 and 4.5 episodes. No airdates for the webisodes or 4.5 has yet been announced.

Now comes news from Jamie Bamber that he and James Callis will be directing the webisodes, which begin shooting in the next month.

While speaking on the live internet radio show TV Talk with Shaun OMac this past Friday, Bamber mentioned that he and Callis are each directing 5 of the 10 web shorts. He also covers his feelings on the "pressure-cooker environment" on the battlestar, Lee in season 4, performing with Mary McDonnell this year, that infamous Towel Scene, what is going on with TV drama right now, and a film he's hoping to do called MINEVILLE. (Bamber's interview starts 18 minutes into the program.)

Edward James Olmos Says Final Galactica Episodes Are Devastating

The latest issue of Starburst magazine, just out in the UK, features a new interview with Battlestar Galactica star Edward James Olmos and here are excerpts courtesy of Sci Fi Pulse.

"The main challenge for me this year when playing Adama has been the emotional stability of the character," Olmos told the magazine. "It's been a difficult journey for all these characters, and towards the end there doesn't seem to be too much hope left, so everyone is very distressed. I mean, it's really no different than any other season we've had on Galactica, but there are some moments this year when our people are quite desperate."

"I have to tell you that the last 10 episodes we've done have been mind - boggling. And after a scene we shot last Friday, it's been a downhill spiral and really bad for these characters. It's not a healthy trip. I can only hope that as a Human species living on this planet, we never have to go through this. May our lives never imitate art, because it would be a horrific journey for all of us. Just watching this story on TV you think, ‘Oh, my God,' and believe me, the second half of this season is devastating for all those involved."

The original report can be found at Sci Fi Pulse.

The full article can be found on the latest issue of Starburst Magazine, now on sale.

Saturday, October 18

The Last Episodes of 'Battlestar Galactica' announced

Source: Birmingham Post


Good news, Toaster fans. Sci Fi Channel has announced when the final episodes of its critically acclaimed series, "Battlestar Galactica" will air. Thankfully, it's not nearly as far off as many rumors had originally placed them. The last half of "Battlestar Galactica's" fourth and final season will begin on Jan. 16 and run for 10 straight weeks with the series finale airing March 20.
The last episode fans saw ended with our rag tag band at last finding Earth, only to touch down on a dead world that had apparently destroyed itself hundreds of years ago. As light and fluffy as fans are used to being served this current form of "Galactica," that could have been a fitting end to the series. So what can they possibly throw at us in January? For starters, we still have to find out who the final Cylon is.

Monday, October 13

Battlestar Galactica PC Mod Can Actually Hold Colonial Vipers, Raptors

Source: Gizmodo

This Battlestar Galactica PC is the most impressive case mods I've seen in a long while, from the front side-loading optical drive player—located behind a laser-cut transparent BSG medallion, so you can actually see the disc spinning—to the opening side bay to see the interior of the PC to the front LCD screens to the top spacecraft carrier bay, with functioning runway lights. Or maybe I have such BSG withdrawal symptoms that I find it cool no matter how tasteless it really is. In any case, the amazing craftsmanship its undeniable, as the extra shots clearly show.

The Medallion was laser cut in separate layers and pieces, then glued together. Red LEDs were added behind the bird inset to illuminate the dvd drive and provide a nice backlit effect.



The specs

• EVGA nForce 590 SLI motherboard
• AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ CPU
• Two EVGA GeForce 8800 GTS graphics cards in SLI
• 4GB (2x2GB) Crucial Ballistix Tracer Red DDR2 800MHz
• Cooler Master 850W modular PSU
• Pioneer slimline slot loading DVD drive
• Logitech G15 keyboard and G9 mouse
• IZ3D 22" 3D monitor
• Western Digital RaptorX 150GB HD (x2)
• Swiftech pump, blocks
• Black Ice Stealth 360 radiator
• PC Ice clear fluid
• Primoflex red tubing
• 10" LCD
• 2.5" LCD (x3)

Click the link to view more images

Sunday, October 12

Talking With Bear McCreary

Source: Geek In the City

Aaron, your friendly neighborhood Geek here, with an exclusive interview with composer; Bear McCreary. Thought of by many as the future of film and television music, Bear shares his thoughts on why the music from Battlestar Galactica resonates with so many... But that’s not all...

Want to learn what Stu Phillips has to do with the final 10 episodes of Battlestar Galactica?

What frakking character do we learn is related to Bear?

Will Halo 4 have Taiko Drums?

Which Mega-Man character never fails Mr. McCreary?

Want to be able to challenge Bear’s Rockstar band on XBox Live?

Want to hear what the FINAL EPISODE of BSG sounds like?

You can learn all of the above and more... But, only on Geek in the City!

Download Here"Right-Click" to Save As


Special thanks to Cort and Fatboy Show of the Cort and Fatboy Show on 101 KUFO for geeking out with me; and of course, special thanks to Bear McCreary for taking time to talk with me.

Battlestar Season 4.0 Region 1 DVD Set details

Source: BuddyTV

Battlestar Galactica has had a strange history on DVD. Seasons 1 and 3 of the Sci Fi Channel series were released in box sets that contained every episode from each season, while season 2 was split in half, forcing fans to buy two full-priced box sets to get the same number of episodes. It's possible Universal Home Video split the season to tide fans over during BSG's lengthy mid-season hiatus, or it's possible they simply did it to make more money.

Unfortunately for those who hate buying split seasons, it looks like season 4 of Battlestar Galactica is going to be released in two separate sets. TV Shows On DVD recently revealed the release date and extras for the BSG Season 4.0 DVDs.

Season 4.0 of Battlestar Galactica will be released on January 6, which is a good indication that the remainder of the season will debut on the Sci Fi Channel later that month. The set will contain the 10 episodes from the first half of the season, as well as both the broadcast version and unrated extended version of the Razor TV movie. Razor was previously released separately, which means if you're anything like me you're now going to own it twice.

The extras on the set are as follows:

Disc 1:

Deleted Scenes
The Look of Battlestar Galactica
My Favorite Episode So Far
Season 4 Sneak Peek
Season 4 Trailer
Razor Flashback Minisodes

1. Day 4,571
2. The Hangar
3. Operation Raptor Talon
4. Free Fall
5. The Lab
6. Survivors
7. Escape

Commentary on Razor with executive producer Ronald D. Moore and writer Michael Taylor

Disc 2:

Deleted Scenes
Ronald D. Moore's Podcast Commentaries

Disc 3:

Deleted Scenes
David Eick's Video Blogs
"Faith" Commentary with Ronald D. Moore and supervising producers Bradley Thompson and David Weddle
"Guess What's Coming to Dinner" Commentary with Ronald D. Moore and writer Michael Angeli
Ronald D. Moore's Podcast Commentaries

Disc 4:

Deleted Scenes
The Journey
Cylons: The Twelve
Season 4.5: The Untold Story
The Music of Battlestar Galactica
"Sine Qua Non" Commentary with Ronald D. Moore and writer Michael Taylor
Ronald D. Moore's Podcast Commentaries

Though there are no concrete plans to release Season 4.0 on Blu-ray, The Digital Bits has announced that Battlestar Galactica will make its debut on the format later in 2009. The 4.0 box set will retail for $49.98, which means you can expect to pay the same amount for Season 4.5 in the future.

Friday, October 3

Battlestar Galactica season 4.5 - Teaser Trailer



Catch a quick glimpse of Battlestar Galactica season 4.5 right here, with a new teaser trailer...

The final revelation, teases this promo trailer for Battlestar Galactica season 4.5, is yet to come. Tell us something we don’t know!

But as the countdown to the final straight of Battlestar begins, here’s a 20 second teaser that has appeared online.

View it here

Saturday, September 27

Bamber shocked at Battlestar success

Source : MetroUK


Actor Jamie Bamber has admitted he never expected Battlestar Galactica to be such a huge success.
The 35-year-old, who plays Captain Lee 'Apollo' Adama in the show, said: "To be honest I didn't expect very much from it. It was one of those things I thought I was doing because it was on the table, it was a job that was around."

Jamie, who has starred in all four seasons of the new Battlestar Galactica TV series, said he was thrilled with how the show concluded.
He said: "Beside myself, pleased. Especially now I'm looking back at it in hindsight and I realise that the whole thing was a very special chunk of my life for many many many reasons.
"We were just telling this epic story with soap operatic tinges. The final 20 episodes I think are the best by a mile. Very proud about it, very nostalgic."

The British actor added: "Our show doesn't really appeal to those who haven't been along for the ride. This thing is one big story and if you just read the last chapter it won't be as rewarding as starting at the beginning.

"So anybody who has been along for the ride will be absolutely overwhelmed and salivating at the prospect of the final series, and they will not be disappointed."

Battlestar Galactica: Season 4 is out on DVD October 6 courtesy of Universal Playback.

Wednesday, September 24

Sci-Fi Weekly Site of the Week: Galactica Station

Source: Sci-Fi Weekly

There were those who believed it couldn't be done, but Ron Moore proved the skeptics wrong. For fans of the 1978 version of Battlestar Galactica and new initiates alike, the re-imagined series has been both a surprise and a revelation. Ever since the 2003 miniseries kicked off the new Galactica, it has expanded the scope of the original show without straying from its essence, tackling complex political, moral and religious issues and wowing audiences and reviewers alike. Now, as Galactica nears the end of its fourth and final season, the show that gave viewers human-looking Cylons and a female Starbuck has also spawned games, original webisodes and, of course, a passionately loyal Internet following.

Until those much-awaited Season 4.5 episodes do begin airing in 2009, devotees of the show are left to count down the days at places like Galactica Station, a spoilers- and photo-rich Web community where fans can gather to chat about the show and exchange anything from news and opinions to original Galactica-themed fiction and artwork. The site's blog has articles on all things BSG: the scoop on Katee Sackhoff's next acting job (not, sadly, in a sci-fi series), information about upcoming TV movies and the spinoff pilot Caprica—even a link to a CNN article that examines the linguistic inroads the word "frak" has made into mainstream American English.

Galactica Station also has episode guides, screen grabs, actor biographies, webisode transcripts and wallpaper. Its discussion forum, Ragnar Anchorage, is a busy and well-moderated community of enthusiastic viewers. Well-informed and utterly thorough as it tracks Galactica rumors through the noise of cyberspace, this site will keep appetites whetted for the final adventures of the imperiled survivors of the Twelve Colonies and their implacable Cylon pursuers.

Tuesday, September 23

Mary McDonnell Heads to 'Grey's Anatomy'

Source: Buddy TV

While watching the Emmys this past Sunday, I couldn't help but feel disappointed when the list of nominees for Best Actress in a Drama Series were announced. Some of the actresses were more than worthy of their nominations, but the category didn't acknowledge amazing performances from people like January Jones (Mad Men), Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights), or Mary McDonnell (Battlestar Galactica). How do you hand out an award for dramatic acting without considering three of the most talented ladies on television?

One of these women may have a shot at a trophy next year, but probably not for the series she's most known for. The Chicago Tribune is reporting that Mary McDonnell has signed on for a multi-episode arc on Grey's Anatomy, which is full of Emmy-nominated actors.

It's great news that President Roslin herself will soon be walking the halls of Seattle Grace, but who will she play? As usual, the folks at Grey's Anatomy are keeping the role shrouded in secrecy. All that's known is that the BSG star will appear in three-to-five episodes, and that her installments will fall somewhere in the middle of the season. Even with no knowledge of her role, I'm certain McDonnell has a much better chance of landing a Guest Actor Emmy nomination next year rather than being recognized for her work on BSG. Grey's Anatomy is a high profile ratings juggernaut, and McDonnell's performance is bound to bring her legions of new fans.

In other Battlestar Galactica news, Tricia Helfer (Number 6) recently told Kristin at E!Online that the upcoming BSG TV movie will be called The Plan. "It deals with the Cylon perspective on the world of Battlestar Galactica," she reveals. "The Cylons have always said they had a plan, and this elaborates on that." McDonnell won't appear in the movie, but it will feature many other actors from the BSG universe. The two-hour feature, which will be directed by series star Edward James Olmos, will air on the Sci Fi Channel in 2009.

Fans of McDonnell can see the actress on Grey's Anatomy either late in 2008 or early in 2009. She'll also appear in the final episodes of BSG, which begin airing on the Sci Fi Channel in January.

Thursday, September 18

Sexy 'Battlestar Galactica' star strips off for 'FHM'

Source: Oneindia

'Battlestar Galactica' star Tricia Helfer is set to send pulses into orbit with a sexy photo shoot for 'FHM'. Tricia took a break from her role as merciless Cylon Caprica Six on the cult TV series to show off her gorgeous curves in the magazine. Clad only in spiked heels and black lingerie, the 34-year-old serves up some smouldering snaps which are sure to get everyone's viper engines running and not just 'Battlestar Galactica' fans!

Her picture-perfect poses should come as no surprise, since the actress also works as a professional model. She is still surprised by her star status and the reaction she gets from 'Battlestar Galactica' fans. "People are so nice to me in the supermarket. Maybe they think that I am going to smash a mirror into their head," she joked.

But Tricia is no brutal killer like her character on the television show, although her sexy photo shoot for 'FHM' is sure to slay men's hearts.

Saturday, September 13

Katee Sackhoff joins cop show on NBC

Source: Zap2it.com

Katee Sackhoff's next TV role will be decidedly more earthbound than the one that has made her famous.

The "Battlestar Galactica" star has signed on to Dick Wolf's NBC pilot "Lost and Found."

She'll play an LAPD detective who is banished to working John and Jane Doe cases after clashing with department brass.

Her involvement lifts a casting contingency on the pilot and gives it a formal green light, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Writer Chris Levinson initially pitched "Lost and Found" during the 2006-07 season. NBC passed then but took another look at the project over the summer. Levinson will executive-produce with Wolf, Nina Rodrigue and Peter Jankowski.

In addition to "Galactica," where she plays Kara "Starbuck" Thrace, Sackhoff had a recurring part on NBC's short-lived "Bionic Woman" remake last year.

Thursday, September 4

'Battlestar Galactica' movie snares Tricia Helfer, Grace Park and lots more Cylons

Source: The Watcher

First of all, Sci Fi batted down a rumor that emerged from a “Battlestar” panel at a convention over the weekend. The rumor was that the show’s last batch of episodes might not arrive until April 2009.

Not so. The target date for Season 4.5 is still January, the network told Sci Fi Wire. Pretty please -- let that date be set in stone. I am not sure I could wait four more months for the final batch of “Battlestar” goodness. It already feels as though January is an eternity away.

Secondly, the second “Battlestar Galactica” TV movie begins shooting on Monday in Vancouver. When the existence of the movie was finally confirmed by Sci Fi a few weeks back, the network noted that Edward James Olmos (Admiral Adama), Michael Trucco (Sam Anders), Aaron Douglas (Chief Tyrol) and Dean Stockwell (Brother Cavil) would appear in it. Olmos is also directing the film, which is Cylon-centric.

But I got to wondering -- who else is in it? A source close to the production said we can also count on seeing a host of actors who play Cylons on the show: Tricia Helfer (No. 6), Grace Park (Boomer/Athena), Rick Worthy (Simon), Matthew Bennett (Doral) and Callum Keith Rennie (Leoben).

Helfer certainly has a full dance card: She’s playing a mysterious spy handler on “Burn Notice,” which returns with its last two summer episodes Sept. 11, and she also landed a role in a mid-season Fox pilot, “Inseparable.” (At left, Katee Sackhoff, Mary McDonnell, "Battlestar" executive producer Ron Moore and Helfer).

It’s a bit of a bummer to learn that Saul Tigh (Michael Hogan), perhaps the show’s most compelling Cylon, doesn’t have a big role in the new film, which will air some time after the show's season finale. My source says that Tigh and a fellow Cylon, Tory Foster (Rekha Sharma), are in the film, but “not as much." In convention footage posted at Galactica Sitrep, Olmos indicates that Chief Tyrol has a good-sized role in the film.

Ah well, I’ll just nurture a (probably futile) hope that one day there will be a third “Battlestar” movie, and that it’s Saul Tigh's Tigh-lon adventure. A girl can dream, right?

Finally, in other outer space news, there’s been no decision yet on a pickup for “Caprica,” the prequel series set 51 years before the events of “Battlestar Galactica.”

The 2-hour “Caprica” film, written by “Battlestar” executive producer Ron Moore and “24’s” Remi Aubuchon, wrapped weeks ago and Sci Fi executives are contemplating now whether to make it a full series that would debut in 2009. A few weeks back, Sci Fi execs felt so good about the show that they ordered additional scripts, but there’s been no news since then. (A side note: "Battlestar" writer Mark Verheiden, who wrote one of those "Caprica" scripts, has begun work as a writer on NBC's "Heroes," where he'll be helping out with the second arc of Season 3).

Regarding a "Caprica" pickup, “no word yet, but all signs look good at this point,” Moore said Tuesday. He added that a decision on the fate of "Caprica," which he discussed more here, should be made in “the next few weeks.”

Finally, this piece examines the growing popularity of a certain made-up expletive popularized by “Battlestar Galactica.”

Tuesday, September 2

The curse word 'Battlestar Galactica' created

Source: CNN

It was Larson who first used the faux curse word "frak" in the original "Battlestar Galactica." The word was mostly overlooked back in the '70s series but is working its way into popular vocabulary as SciFi's modern update winds down production.

"All joking aside, say what you will about what you might call the lowbrow nature of many of his shows, he did something truly amazing and subversive, up there with what Steven Bochco gets credit for, with 'frak,' " Goldberg said.

There's no question what the word stands for and it's used gleefully, as many as 20 times in some episodes.

"And he was saying it 30 years ago in the original goofy, god-awful 'Battlestar Galactica,' " said Goldberg, a television writer and novelist whose credits include "Monk" and "Diagnosis Murder."

The word is showing up everywhere -- on T-shirts, in sit-coms, best-selling novels and regular conversation.

"I have to start by saying that I'm drinking coffee out of a mug that says 'frak off' on the side of it, so much has it seeped into my life," "Galactica" star Jamie Bamber said.

The word is insinuating its way into popular vocabulary for a simple reason.

You can't get in trouble. It's a made-up word.

"It may have been the great George Carlin who talked about these things so cleverly," Larson said. "He'd say, 'Mother would say shoot, but she meant ... when she reached in and burned her fingers on the crocker.' And the child says, 'I know what you meant, Mom.' "

The word has slipped the bonds that tethered other pretenders like Mork's "shazbot" in "Mork & Mindy" or Col. Sherman T. Potter's "horse hockey" in "M*A*S*H." Its usage has moved from the small but fervent group of "Galactica" fans into everyday language. It's shown up in very mainstream shows like "The Office," "Gossip Girl" and "Scrubs." One YouTube posting has 2 minutes of sound bites that cover the gamut.

"I'm in my own little cocoon of science fictiondom, but it is certainly used around here and amongst the people I know," said Irene Gallo, art director at the sci-fi imprint Tor Books, where employees held a "frak party" to watch the season premiere. "It's sort of a way to be able to use a four-letter word without really getting into any kind of HR trouble or with people you're really not quite comfortable being yourself with."

The word has even appeared in the funny pages where Dilbert muttered a disconsolate "frack" -- the original spelling before producers of the current show changed it to a four-letter word -- after a particularly dumb order from his evil twit of a boss.

"Dilbert" creator Scott Adams calls the word "pure genius."

"At first I thought 'frak' was too contrived and it bothered me to hear it," Adams said. "Over time it merged in my mind with its coarser cousin and totally worked. The creators ingeniously found a way to make viewers curse in their own heads -- you tend to translate the word -- and yet the show is not profane."

Best-selling novelist Robert Crais slips the word into the prologue of his latest Elvis Cole mystery, "Chasing Darkness." He did it because "Galactica" is his favorite show, like calling out in the wilderness to his fellow fans. But he sees the word popping up everywhere, even among those who have never watched the show.

"It's viral, it spreads like a virus," Crais said. "That first wave of people who use it are all fans. They use it because they're tickled by it and like me they're paying an homage to the show. When they're using it, they're probably doing it with a sly wink. But as it gets heard and people use it, it spreads."

The re-imagined "Battlestar Galactica" tells the story of the human survivors of a war with a robotic race known as the Cylons. Fewer than 40,000 humans remain in a ragtag fleet being pursued across space by the Cylons, who wiped out the 12 colonies in a surprise nuclear holocaust.

Their destination is the mythical planet Earth, a legend passed down in religious texts. Shooting wrapped in July and the final 10 episodes will appear beginning in January.

Larson, one of television's most prolific and successful writers, doesn't much care for the new series. He used "frack" and its cousin "feldergarb" as alternates for curse words because the original "Battlestar" was family friendly and appeared on Sunday nights. The words fit in with his philosophy that while the show was about humans, it shouldn't have an Earthly feel.

In what he said was his first interview about the series, Larson says there were no red fire extinguishers on his Battlestar Galactica and characters wore original costumes, not suits and ties.

"Our point was to whenever possible make it a departure like you're visiting somewhere else," Larson said. "And we did coin certain phrases for use in expletive situations, but we tried to carry that over into a lot of other stuff, even push brooms and the coin of the realm."

When new series producer Ron Moore first introduced "frak" in early scripts, Bamber said the actors were dubious. But as writers expanded its use, they caught on to the possibilities.

"I mean why are we not offended by 'frak' because it means exactly the same thing as the other thing?" said Bamber, who plays fighter pilot-turned-president Lee "Apollo" Adama. "So it raises questions about language and why certain words are offensive. Is it their meaning? ... Clearly it's not their meaning. Clearly it's literally their sound."

Co-executive producer and writer Michael Angeli, an Emmy nominee for the episode "Six of One," said using the word in scripts is satisfying for anyone who's been censored over the years.

"It's a great way to do something naughty and get away with it," Angeli said. "One of the things that television shows do constantly is they battle with Standards and Practices over what can be seen and what can't be seen, what can be said and what can't be said.

"A lot of our characters are soldiers. That whole sort of view and that subculture, that's how they speak. They're rough and tumble, and they're bawdy and they swear."

He said producers have gotten no complaints from SciFi owner NBC Universal or the Federal Communications Commission.

Goldberg believes Larson should get more credit for "frak" and has posted an appreciation on his Web site. He even sought out Larson to let him know how he feels: "I told him, 'Frak is fraking brilliant, Glen.' "

BSG Not Returning until April 2009?

Source: CinemaBlend


It looks like we could be waiting until April of 2009 for the rest of the fourth and final season of Battlestar Galactica to air. I don’t know why but this rumor doesn’t really surprise me. Perhaps it’s because SciFi kept us hanging for a year before they started airing the first half of the fourth season, so I guess I’m not getting my hopes up that we’ll get the rest of it in the earlier months of 2009.

GeeksofDoom.com reported the rumor, which came from BSG star Aaron Douglas at Dragon Con 2008. Douglas plays Chief Tyrol in the series and according to Geeks of Doom, complained a bit about SciFi ignoring their biggest hit. Douglas went on to say, Ten episodes is not a season, in reference to the first half of the fourth season that aired from April to June of this year.

This is just pure speculation here, but I'm going to disagree with Douglas. I don’t think the SciFi network is ignoring their most popular series so much as they are trying to keep the many fans of the show hanging on until they’re ready to roll out the prequel-spinoff series. Caprica will begin with a two-hour backdoor pilot set to air either towards the end of 2008 or early 2009, with the actual series airing sometime next year. I’m guessing that the network wants to combine the hype with the end of BSG with that of the new series in an attempt to bring as many BSG fans over to Caprica as possible. I can’t think of any other reason why the network would hold back the rest of the season when there are so many of us BSG geeks just itching to find out how it all ends.

As for the finale of BSG, Geeks of Doom reports that BSG Scientific Advisor Kevin Grazier says it’s a real tear jerker.

Saturday, August 30

A brave, new world of ratings and `Battlestar Galactica'

Source: Dailybreeze


Need proof the television ratings system is dead, a victim of the TiVo, DVR, the ubiquitous satellite dish and schizophrenic viewing habits? Take a look at what's happening with "Battlestar Galactica."

If the traditional ratings system is used to measure its success, well, the series is scraping bottom like a viper throwing sparks on a hot landing.

Yet the show's producers are moving forward with two post-"Galactica" projects that would never have seen the light of a cathode tube had ratings been the only factor in the decisions.
Jamie Bamber, the British actor who plays Lee "Apollo" Adama in the series, has a much better way to gauge ratings. Turns out, as the ratings plummet, the show's popularity continues to skyrocket as it reaches the end of its five-year run early in 2009.

"When the numbers were high I would get stopped in the street maybe once a week," Bamber said. "Now that the viewing figures are lower on the TV, everywhere I go someone will come up to me and say what a huge fan they are. That just tells me that people watch the show in a more modern way and that it has reached its sort of critical mass."

"Galactica" wrapped shooting in July and the final 10 episodes will begin airing in January. But the franchise won't stop there.

Producers recently announced end-of-the-summer production of a two-hour stand-alone "Galactica" prequel that will air in 2009 after the series finale. And they've also shot a pilot
for a new series called "Caprica," which has yet to be picked up by the network but seems destined to air. These things never used to happen. There never would've been a "Rhoda" had "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" tanked. "Fish" would've been fried had it not been for the popularity of "Barney Miller."

"Galactica's" numbers - to put it politely - have begun to stink. The latest Nielsen ratings seem to indicate the show's viewers are as hard to find as the fleet's mythical destination of Earth. The series averaged 2.8 million viewers an episode during Season 1. During the most recent run of 10 episodes, the show averaged 2.2 million viewers, a slight dip overall but up from Seasons 2 and 3. The series lost some of that steam by the midseason finale, falling to just 1.8 million viewers.
Co-executive producer Michael Angeli thinks the numbers are irrelevant, however. He believes most "Galactica" fans have atypical viewing habits and take advantage of new technology to watch the show whenever they want.

"I think we were one of the first ones," Angeli said. "TiVo had just sort of taken off. This was four or five seasons ago, and because we were on Friday nights most people, most fans don't watch it (on first run). They TiVo it and watch it a zillion times."

Others rent or buy the DVDs after the season is over and watch in long marathons. To take advantage of this group, producers will be releasing the two-hour movie on DVD shortly after it appears on SciFi.

The movie is a prequel that gives some insight into the machinations of the cylons before they unleashed the nuclear holocaust that wiped out all but 50,000 human inhabitants of the 12 colonies. "Galactica" star Edward James Olmos will direct and Dean Stockwell (Cylon No. 1), Aaron Douglas (Chief Tyrol) and Michael Trucco (Sam Anders) - all "skinjobs," cylons who appear to be human - will participate.

While the movie is a lock to air, the fate of "Caprica" remains to be decided. The pilot has been shot and screened, and there's a trailer up on YouTube. Angeli is helping with early scripts in case the series is picked up and said the show is an almost complete departure from "Galactica."
"In fact, I don't think we ever go into space," he said.

"Caprica" takes place 51 years before the events of "Galactica." It stars Esai Morales and Eric Stoltz as the heads of rival families who clash over the creation of artificial intelligence, which will eventually lead to the cylons.

Like "Galactica," which took on war, terrorism, torture, religion and questions of morality, the storyline in "Caprica" will have many things to say about our society.
"It's really about big business, the machinations and the subterfuge that go on inside of it when you have something that is groundbreaking and could change the nature of life and the future," Angeli said. "In this case, they're developing artificial intelligence."

Executive producer Ronald D. Moore described the show to reporters at the Television Critics Association meeting in Beverly Hills. While he was talking about the fictional colony Caprica, he could just as easily have been talking about today's America.

"It's about a vibrant society. It's really at the height of its power and the height of its decadence at the same time," Moore said. "So it's really a thriving, vibrant culture that's going to come apart as we watch, but it's sort of the roller coaster. It's thrilling at the top when you see how far down you've got to go."

Friday, August 29

Olmos promises brutal 'Galactica' finale

Source: Digitalspy


Battlestar Galactica actor Edward James Olmos has promised a "brutal" end to the series when it concludes next year.
TV Addict reports that Olmos, who plays Admiral Adama, told the audience at FanExpo 2008 in Toronto that the ending was "emotionally heartbreaking".
"I’m telling you this for a reason," Olmos added. "Because I don’t want you guys to think you’re going to go through this without getting yourself really twisted.It’s brutal what happens to us. Not many of us make it."

Saturday, August 23

Looking forward to Battlestar Galactica season 4.5

Source:Denofgeek


I admit it. When I first heard that they were remaking Battlestar Galactica I was non-plussed to say the least, and definitely aligned with the sceptics.
How wrong I was.
If you haven’t seen Battlestar Galactica yet stop reading now and go start; seriously, you are not only missing out on some truly brilliant entertainment, but you are also going to be pretty annoyed as this is going to contain spoilers.
Amongst all the announcements, previews and sneak peaks at last month’s San Diego comic-con there was one panel that stood out above the rest and which many dedicated fans queued throughout the night to be a part of. Hosted by Kevin Smith the BSG cast and crew sat down to talk about season 4.5, the final 10 episodes that will conclude the hit sci-fi series after the writers’ strike stopped production for what seems like an eternity. So let's look at what fans can expect when the final episodes land in 2009.
So they’ve found Earth, what next?The midseason cliff-hanger ended with the uneasy coalition of the human fleet and renegade Cylons finding Earth, but not the utopian planet they had imagined during their long voyage but a scorched land spotted with ruins. It’s a harsh landscape and according to producer David Eick the first couple of episodes will focus on the crew having to deal with terrible living conditions and the emotional turmoil of wanting to leave the place they have dreamt of for so long.
Who will be the fifth?Whilst four of the final five have been revealed, the fifth Cylon in the fleet is still unknown and you can expect that much of the show’s final episodes will focus on the ‘Are they, aren’t they?’ suspicion that has served the series so well to date.
So who’s our money on? Starbuck was an early runner with her as yet unexplained return from the dead and bizarre relationship with the Cylon model two. But with Katee Sackhoff telling panel-goers that her character ‘finds peace’ in the series’ finale you have to wonder if our favourite cigar chomping female pilot will die and sadly I’m starting to think she might.
Other candidates could include Dr Baltar and even President Roslin herself; but one character who is sure to be in the mix judging by the 4.5 preview is the old man of the fleet Admiral Adama. The comic-con trailer showed glimpses of this with clips of Roslin asking the Admiral directly if he was a Cylon before the scene cut to a Galactica airlock where Adama facing the camera and with a white cloth tied round his eyes looked set for execution, but whether it’s a Cylon or a human carrying out the sentence we just don’t know. My tip for the fifth Cylon (and it’s worth me pointing out here I’ve been wrong about every other model) is Apollo who spent a lot of screen time in the early part of season 4 climbing the greasy political pole and elevating himself to a position where his revelation will have the most impact, he was also a noticeable absentee from the mission to rescue Diana, the Cylon model who has seen the faces of all of the final five.
Will they blow shit up?Battlestar Galactica must be praised for the quality of its writing and for me a lot of the enjoyment is in the show’s use of its fantastical setting to explore complex real-life issues. From religion / theology to political leanings and even an incredibly brave empathetic portrayal of suicide bombers, BSG has never been afraid to make you work for your entertainment and it is this complex mix of dramatic action and intellectual posturing that gave the show its edge. But unfortunately the early episodes of season 4, whilst heavy on the intellectual themes of the show were light on action and failed to match the drama and spectacle of previous seasons.
So will the season and indeed the show’s finale see a return to action? Well with James Callis (Dr Gaius Baltar) describing one of the show’s final battles as epic; saying that it felt like Apocalypse Now and Tricia Helfer (Number Six) admitting she got to shoot some of the biggest guns the show has ever seen, it certainly looks that way.
So if the promise of groundbreaking revelations, tragic deaths and battles on an epic scale has got you as pant-wettingly excited as me, then the only bad news is that you are going to have to wait at least another five months before you can get your grubby little hands on it. Bah.

David Eick on New Galactica TV Movie and Caprica

Newsarama posted a new interview with Battlestar Galactica producer David Eick. Here are few excerpts.

NRAMA: Are you planning a sequel to the Battlestar Galactica direct to DVD movie Razor since it proved extremely successful?
Eick: I believe there was a piece in the L.A. Times announcing it so it is official. It is going to take place from the perspective of the Cylons and explore a story the fans will be familiar with.
NRAMA: At one point, it didn't seem like the Battlestar Galactica spin off Caprica was going to go into production. What was the turning point?
Eick: In a small way, I do think the writers' strike was a help only because there were fewer pilots being written so the network might have had fewer options at their disposal. That being said, I know they had kept Caprica alive and kicking even prior to that. That may have been the straw that broke the camel's back.
NRAMA: How tough was it finding the perfect cast for this series?
Eick: It was difficult but our casting director was prepared. It went much faster than I expected. When Eric Stoltz became available, Polly Walker landed in our lap, and Esai Morales came in to audition, we were continually surprised by our good fortune. Eric, who plays Daniel, is an established computers science and robotics expert who you might think of as a Bill Gates-type character and a family man.
NRAMA: Now that you are in post production, how pleased are you with Caprica?
Eick: It looks great. I am very excited. Everyone seems to be cool with it. There's been no indication of it being picked up as a series yet but we are hoping.
The full interview is here.

Galactica's Final Season Won't All Be On TV

Source: I09

When Battlestar Galactica makes its long-awaited comeback next year, it won't just be our television screens that it's returning to. In a recent interview, executive producer David Eick revealed that fans can expect more The Resistance-style minisodes, as well.
Talking to Newsarama, Eick admitted that webisodes are definitely part of the plan for Battlestar's final season:
Yes, we are doing webisodes but when they are premiering I am not positive. Like the webisodes we have done before, they will continue on the story threads that don’t make the cut. I don’t want to give too much away but they are going to follow the same paradigm as we’ve done before.
That paradigm would presumably be The Resistance, the 2006 online-only 10-part lead-in to Galactica's third season, and the Razor "flashbacks" that trailed last year's one-off movie. Does this mean that you'll only get the full story behind why this has all happened before and will all happen again if we tune in online?

Saturday, August 16

Battlestar Galactica Season 4 (R2) in October

Source: DVDTimes


Universal Playback have announced the UK Region 2 DVD release of Battlestar Galactica Season 4 on 6th October 2008 priced at £34.99. While technically Season 4 of the re-imagined sci-fi series has been split into two parts for broadcast (with the second batch of episodes yet to air) the first part consisting of 10 episodes is being released here on UK DVD as Season 4.
The 10 episodes are spread across four-discs presented in anamorphic widescreen with English DD5.1 Surround and English DD2.0 Stereo audio, and English SDH subtitles. Extras include the feature length Razor, deleted scenes and a sneak peek into the final season. Total running time of the extras is listed as 3hrs 4mins approx.

Thursday, August 7

Cylons Will Scramble in Battlestar Special

Source: Wired

The Cylons had a plan, but they blew it when they failed to completely exterminate the human race with their sneak attack.

That's the gist of a just-announced two-hour Battlestar Galactica "special event," which will air in 2009 after the series' hotly anticipated final episodes.

The story will be set prior to the Cylon nuke attack that kicked off the re-imagined series, and will focus on Cylon Number One (aka the supercreepy Cavil, played by Dean Stockwell), resistance leader Sam Anders (Michael Trucco) and Chief Galen Tyrol (Aaron Douglas).

Those cast members have been confirmed, with more announcements due soon, according to the Sci Fi Channel press release.

Series star Edward James Olmos (who plays Adm. William Adama, pictured center) will direct the two-hour Galactica special, which will focus on the struggles of sleeper Cylons and human survivors on the Galactica and the rest of the ragtag fleet after the devastating Cylon blitz.

Galactica co-executive producer Jane Espenson will pen the script for the special, which is scheduled to begin shooting in Vancouver, British Columbia, at summer's end. Like 2007's Razor extended episode, the as-yet-unnamed movie-length special will be released quickly on DVD after it is aired. The final 10 Galactica episodes (some of them supersized) will air in 2009.

Wednesday, August 6

Battlestar Galactica: Super-Frakkin'-Sized Episodes

Source: TVGuide


TVGuide.com confirmed with Sci Fi today that Battlestar Galactica's final season beginning in 2009 will air "extra-long" or extended episodes.
Executive producer Dave Eick told the audience at this year's Comic-Con that the final episodes have become so critical to the series arc that they couldn't possibly wrap them up in toaster-sized hour-long installments.

Does this mean we'll get multiple two-hour episodes — more than the 10 remaining planned — from Sci Fi? Eick didn't reveal the exact method of lengthening the episodes, but that should keep us fans frakkin' happy during the long hiatus.

Monday, August 4

Ron Moore Lecture

Writer Ron Moore discusses the religious aspects of BSG before screening "Flesh and Bone" for students. Posted on YouTube by KnightChair. Source: Galactica sitrep



Tuesday, July 29

Battlestar Galactica - Comic-Con Report

Source: TVSQUAD

After a log day of being in Hall H and Ballroom 20, things started to come to an end for the busiest day of the 'Con with the Battlestar Galactica panel. Basically, if didn't already have your arse planted in a seat in Ballroom 20 for that panel, you weren't getting to see BSG. I'm either completely dedicated to the coverage for TV Squad or a complete fanboy for the show. I submit that I'm likely both.

I'm not going to post the full, detailed report yet, as Sci Fi has told me we'll have embeddable video to show you soon (here it is on SciFI.com). Seriously, there's no way I can put to justice the funny job that Kevin Smith did as moderator -- you have to see and hear it for yourself. I will, however, submit to you the highlights for now.

In attendance: Tahmoh Penikett (he stuck around after the Dollhouse panel), Jamie Bamber, Tricia Helfer, James Callis, Michael Trucco, Katee Sackhoff, David Eick and Ronald D. Moore.

* Kevin Smith started things off saying that moderating the panel was his "consolation prize" for not being able to direct an episode of the show.
* We were shown a preview clip that will air soon on Sci Fi, which had clips from the remaining episodes. It looks like the crew will be on that devastated planet for a while, exploring it a bit more.
* Kevin Smith on BSG: "That show is so good it will get you pregnant."
* They wrapped the final episode three weeks ago.
* Smith said he thought when they were approaching the planet in the last episode, the people of Earth would unleash a hail of missiles at the Colonial fleet and the Galactica would start taking us all out. "Why don't you do something that cool?"
* Smith to Bamber on losing so much weight so quickly last season: "How do you lose weight that fast? Can you tell me?"
* The panelists were asked what they thought the most bad-ass moments of the show were. Smith said it was of the Galactica dropping into the atmosphere of New Caprica: "It was dope. I came." Jamie Bamber: "End of season 3, the pullback to reveal Earth." Trucco: "When I came on the show ... actually, when the ship dropped into New Caprica" Sackhoff: "When Galactica fires canons." and when she was firing guns for one episode and the armorer said 'we're completely out of ammo'." Helfer: "I got to shoot some guns (in the final episodes)." Callis: "When Adama and Tigh are together and Adama says 'are the people on this particular ship still eating paper? Tigh replies 'No. Paper shortage.' It highlighted how desperate things really were, and the two had to just laugh at the sheer atrocity of it all." -- Callis also gets to shoot guns with Tricia at the end. Moore: "When Baltar put his head on the desk, then picks it up and the caption says 'one year later.'" Eick: "When Starbuck and Six beat the crap out of each other at the end of season one."
* An attendee asked Sackhoff if she wanted to be the final Cylon. Kevin Smith looked to her and asked: "Are you the final Cylon? Come on, f*ck these dudes. You're done! Tell us! They can't fire you!" She said she did not want to be a Cylon, as she didn't want to do the double-duty of changing outfits, changing from one person to the next, so she just made Starbuck a more complex and crazy character.

There were jokes-a-plenty about who the final Cylon is (Moore did note that "it's someone we've seen before"), but other than that there wasn't any new information given. Hopefully I can get the video up for you all soon, as that itself is a real treat.

Wednesday, July 23

Battlestar Finale Will Answer All

Source: Sci-Fi Wire

Jamie Bamber, who plays Lee "Apollo" Adama in SCI FI Channel's original series Battlestar Galactica, told SCI FI Wire that the upcoming final 10 episodes will wrap up all the outstanding questions and mysteries. Everything.

"Yeah, yeah, everything," Bamber said in an interview at the Television Critics Association summer press tour in Beverly Hills, Calif., over the weekend. "I can't really think of a really loose thread. ... Not off the top of my head. I'm sure there are a couple, but I can't think of one."

The final new episodes of the fourth and final season kick off early next year and will pick up the story (spoiler ahead!) from the shocking midseason finale, when the survivors of the ragtag fleet arrived on a burnt-out Earth.

"Every character has been tortured to death, basically, over the five years," Bamber said. "What you can expect is a really, really good ending. You know, a real ending. And it's all gearing to that, and I think the writers really took it upon themselves to be responsible for all the strange twists and story points and surprises and to try and resolve everything in a way that makes sense. And that's a big challenge when you're sort of story-making on the fly over five years. ... They've tied everything up. So that's what you can expect, is a satisfactory, very elegant conclusion."

The show recently wrapped production on the last episode. Bamber said that he was shocked when he got the final script. "[I was] blown away," he said. "It's the best thing I've ever read for TV. Yeah. I mean, I hope it translates, and it comes across, and it's not just us, because we're so involved. But I had tears in my eyes, and the thing is, [series creator] Ron [Moore] wrote it on his own, without really any collaboration, and it's sublime."

Bamber added: "And it's all character. Like, it really comes down to character in the end, rather than, I just said plot and it's all plot, but the plot is the characters."

Monday, July 21

First look at 'Caprica,'



Source: LA Times

On Sunday afternoon, a zombiefied press corps at the Beverly Hilton perked up slightly for Sci Fi Channel's "Caprica" panel.

"Caprica" is the "Battlestar Galactica" prequel, and it takes place 51 years before "Battlestar's" action begins. Its story revolves around two rival families, the Graystones and the Adamas. Esai Morales plays Joseph Adama -- "Battlestar" fans will already know that Joseph is the father of Edward James Olmos' Admiral William Adama. Polly Walker and Eric Stoltz will also star in the prequel.

During the panel, "Battlestar" overlord Ronald D. Moore said that the terrestrial "Caprica" will have a "completely different tone, a completely different mood” from its progenitor. And indeed, one critic pointed out that the "Caprica" art direction resembles "Mad Men." Executive producer Remi Aubuchon agreed with that description, saying "“there is a bit of a retro feel" to the show's look.

When viewers will actually see "Caprica" is still an open question. Mark Stern, Sci Fi's executive vice president of original programming, said that the two-hour backdoor pilot will either air as a stand-alone movie or will serve as the pilot episode for the series. Stern also didn't know -- or wouldn't say -- whether it would air before, during or after the final 10 episodes of "Battlestar Galactica" begin running in January.

-- Kate Aurthur

Talking 'Battlestar Galactica's' finale, 'Caprica' and the 'Battlestar' TV movie with Ron Moore

Source: Chicago Tribune

On Sunday, after the TCA panel on one of his new shows, “Caprica,” I talked to “Battlestar Galactica” executive producer Ron Moore. We talked a bit about “Virtuality,” his mid-season pilot for Fox, about “Caprica,” which is a “Battlestar” prequel movie that could become a series.

We also discussed a proposed “Battlestar” TV movie, which, Moore said, won’t air until after the series finale. (At left are Paula Malcolmson and Eric Stolz as Amanda and Daniel Greystone in "Caprica.")

First up, here are all the newsy things from the interview with Moore (and also from a short interview with Sci Fi president Dave Howe). This bullet list is followed by a transcript of my talk with Moore. Unless otherwise noted, what’s in this list came from Moore.

* The proposed “Battlestar Galactica” TV movie would take place during the time frame of previous seasons, but it would air after the series finale.
* Howe said the final episodes of “Battlestar” will begin airing in January.
* The final set of episodes will be at least 11 hours long, and the series finale will occupy three of those hours. However, there’s a chance that the series finale could expand even more.
* The “Battlestar” series finale will definitely expand on DVD. Regardless of the length of the finale that airs on Sci Fi next year, an even longer cut will be released on DVD.
* Howe said that if “Caprica” gets a full series order, it will air in 2009. If “Caprica,” which was written by Moore and Remi Aubuchon, does not get a series order and airs as a standalone 2-hour movie, it could air this fall.
* Regarding when the network would decide whether to pick “Caprica” as a full series, Howe said the decision would come in September. He and his team are considering two other pilots as well, “Revolution” and “Warehouse 13.” Executives will get a cut of “Caprica” in early August, then decide in September whether it will become a series.
* Howe said if “Caprica” does get a series order, it will not be something that is designed to end after 13 episodes. It’ll be a regular series that could potentially go on for years, not a limited-run series.
* Fun fact: Howe doesn’t know who "Battlestar Galactica's" final Cylon is. “Actually, no,” he said when I asked him if he knew. "I don’t want to know, because if I know, then I’ll blab it out to somebody like you.”
* Fun fact 2: Moore has watched way too much of the syndicated series “Cheaters.”

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FINAL SEASON OF 'BATTLESTAR GALACTICA' GETS AIRDATE - PLUS MORE SCI FI CHANNEL NEWS

Source: IFmagazine

LOCATION: Space, the final frontier

THE SKINNY: David Howe, President of SCI FI Channel revealed today that the rest of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA's final season will debut January 2009.

Big announcement and we can't wait.

Other news revealed:

SCI FI will be expanding their successful Saturday Night original movies to include Sunday night, adding 12 additional movies to their slate of 24 from Saturday.

"We will air a massive 36 original movies in 2009," says Howe.

Two new reality series are also on tap - ESTATE OF PANIC where "contestants battle their worst fears in a haunted house" and CASH OR CAPTURE which is essentially "a real life video game come to life with a sci fi twist."

Mark Stern, Executive Vice President of Original Programming also added that they've greenlit a series called SOUL EVIDENCE starring Allison Debuois who was the real-life inspiration for MEDIUM. In the reality series, she will lead a team of investigators to solve cold case murders. RELIC QUEST where producer/director Bruce Burgess searches for the greatest relics in history from around the globe. And ESCAPE, where three contestants are locked in a room where there is no exit in a reality-take on the cult hit horror movie CUBE.

Other big news is SCI FI is reteaming with Bryan Singer after THE TRIANGLE to produce a brand-new, action-adventure mini-series based on an original idea by Singer. It will be written by famed sci-fi writer Richard C. Matheson.

Another new scripted series is WHAT IF? about a comet which triggers the second ice age.

There are three back-dour pilots as well including the CAPRICA prequel, WAREHOUSE 13 about FBI agents promoted to a facility holding the most sacred supernatural objects of all time and REVOLUTION which Howe describes as "THE PATRIOT in space" following a U.S. Colony "fighting a hostile colony in space."


The biggest news on CAPRICA, Stern reveals that even though it's a backdoor pilot, it may not air as a movie first.

"We’ll take liberty of [looking at the series] over the next two weeks and then decide it whether to hold it and make it part of a full blown series or air it first as a two-hour movie," says Stern.

What that means -- if the show is good, they see a viable option, expect an announcement of ordering it as a series, before it gets a chance to air as a TV movie.

Sunday, July 20

Sunday Conversation: 'Battlestar Galactica's' Grace Park

Source: LATimes

GRACE PARK appears in "The Cleaner," starring Benjamin Bratt, a new series that airs on A&E on Tuesdays. She is fresh off "Battlestar Galactica," in which she played Sharon Valerii/Sharon Agathon/Cylon No. 8. She lives in Vancouver, Canada.

One second you're on a squeaky-clean Canadian soap, the next moment you're in high heels and panties in a Maxim shoot.

I wasn't like 18, where it was sending off sparks and it was taboo, you know how the American public likes to do that. The show's publicist one day called and said, "Would you be interested in doing Maxim?" And I said, "Do I get the cover?" And she said no. And I said, "Hell yeah!" So she broke it down and I was really happy with it. And that helped me get "Cleaner." Not that I was dressing like that -- but it put a different image in people's heads.

When we know you as someone in an armor bodysuit, it does change the perspective on you.

Just look at media, and how they like to do headlines. You want to catch people's attention. Eh, I dunno! It happened to work. Some people will go further than others.

Are there points where you've sat down with your professionals and said, "OK, what do I do? How do I get to where I want to be?"

Not really! At that point I only had one, if you want to say "people," I only had an agent. I didn't have anyone in L.A. -- I had an agent in Vancouver. And meanwhile I know people in the States collect a dozen people. Talking to my castmates, they say, "Oh, my financial manager, publicist, manager, agent" -- there are so many. . . . I think I actually follow my gut a little bit more. If there was a Jim Carrey movie? For sure I'd want to be in it. We have our lists. I just haven't hit too many of those.

And your husband is very much not in the industry.

He's not. When he was young he wanted to be a director. He's got enough of an appreciation for it. But the extent is he took one acting class and maybe film in university. He was a restaurateur and now he's a real estate developer.

Sounds relaxing.

It is really cool. That's his demeanor as well -- he could be a highly stressed individual and he's not. He's like, "You've got to go to these events and get all dressed up in heels" -- and I'm like, "Buddy, no. I hear you and that's cool, but no." I don't want to spend thousands of dollars to walk down a red carpet. . . . It'd just be too fake for me. I'm not that heels and lipstick girl.

How spiritual are you?

I think I've grown more spiritual in the last few years. A lot of people seem to be either open to it or carving their own spirituality lately or taking a big mix of whatever's out there. And I don't think I'm necessarily doing that. But I'm certainly open to like, our creator, and it's cool 'cause there's different names for him. But going to the source -- straight to God. I sort of have the direct line to him. And it's certainly fun. I've met people who really, really believe. They're like, "How can you not believe the Bible? That's God's love letter!" And I'm like, "Well I just talk to him!"

You would think we were, on the coasts, a nation of hedonist atheists. You know, all those godless gays and Jews in Hollywood.

There's a lot of Jewish people in L.A. and I didn't know that! I was like, "Jewfro? What's a Jewfro?" And half the people were laughing. I was like, "What are you guys in on?" What's matzo ball soup? What's actually in it? Everybody just knows, right? I was like, "Is it meat? Is it flour?" I just had my first a few months ago.

What can I ask you about "Battlestar" that's sneaky enough to give something away? Is there a child actor on the set?

Yeah, there is! We did have a child actor on set -- who keeps getting changed out! The thing is, we never did the twins thing. Getting half-Asian is already difficult enough. . . . I honestly feel we should have a little fund or something -- the first girl was just too young, she didn't understand what's going on. We should just fund her college, she can find us one day! But yes! There is a little girl on set. How long she's going to be there? Couldn't tell you that. I will tell you we find out the identity of the final Cylon. . . . There's one episode where everything is explained and I had to read it three times. . . . Then we had to sit down -- like, how does this guy know anything? And where was this thing orbiting? And who died? We don't want to lay it out in the script so much, because if you laid it out that way, it'd be dead boring. There's a spider on my wall I'm going to nab right now! He's a fast one -- I don't want to kill it, I'm just going to grab it. Eek! He's on the ground. I had to kill it. I'm sorry.