The mini-series finally aired here in Canada nearly a month after its U.S. debut.
I am a fan of the original series, mostly because of its campiness, enept attempts at science and technology, and the overwrought dialog delivered by wooden actors. It was a strange mix of cutting edge special effects, T&A, and network family values. But towards the end of the first (and final) season, the show seemed to start finding its feet. The two episodes with Patrick Macnee and the last episode were much, much better than the rushed episodes earlier. Strange to think that any critique of the mini-series must begin with an acknowledgement of the original show, but the same thing will have to be done whenever someone decides to remake Star Wars down the road. The new mini-series is good in its own way. I know fans of the original series are upset by the changes, but this isn't a remake. The science and technology on the mini-series is grounded more in reality than in 70's new age/disco fashion, and it's a grim, gritty show. I like the sets, the CGI is pretty good (we actually see the Vipers leaving their launch tubes from space rather than somewhere on the Galactica, a shot impossible to composite in 1978), and the mood is serious and grim. The writing is better, the acting much better. The characters are rounded out more, and are more realistic, coming across not as two-dimensional TV characters but as fleshed out, backstory-laden people. The biggest mistake, though, is the change of Starbuck from a man to a woman in the mini-series. I like the character, and the actor playing her has a lot of fun, but I think, to balance the seriousness of the other characters better, the character needs to be cocky, cynical, and hedonistic. The new Starbuck is cocky but is as serious and dedicated as Apollo and Adama. The die-hard fans of the original series may yearn for disco boots and mumbo-jumbo jargon, but this is the best new sci-fi project I've seen in a long time.
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