I need help with Battlestar Galactica

[marlena]

So lately I was bored and decided to download Battlestar Galactica (that's right people, I have NEVER seen it).
Anyways, from what I found the episode titled '33' is supposed to be the first one...but it makes little sense.
What I mean is that there is no background and little explanation of what I'm watching here.
Is this actually the first episode or is there an episode that I'm missing here?
Or perhaps I should download one of the Battlestar Galactica movies first and watch it as a prequel to the show?
Can someone tell me how to find and watch whatever it is I should in order to actually get the background and premise of the Battlestar Galactica show?

Thanks

 

[smitbret]

You need the 2 part mini-series, first.

 

[Newell Steamer]

Watch this and you'll be right as rain; http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0314979/

 

[destrekor]

When will SF have another show of this caliber? Dammit, I almost need to rewatch this show again very soon, because I miss it and the idea of something of its genre as engrossing as it.

 

[JulesMaximus]

The story arc of Battlestar Galactica is set in a distant star system, where a civilization of humans live on a group of planets known as the Twelve Colonies. In the past, the Colonies had been at war with a cybernetic race of their own creation, known as the Cylons. With the unwitting help of a human named Gaius Baltar, the Cylons launch a sudden sneak attack on the Colonies, laying waste to the planets and devastating their populations. Out of a population numbering in the billions, only approximately 50,000 humans survive, most of whom were aboard civilian ships that avoided destruction. Of all the Colonial Fleet, the eponymous Battlestar Galactica appears to be the only military capital ship that survived the attack. Under the leadership of Colonial Fleet officer Commander William "Bill" Adama (Olmos) and President Laura Roslin (McDonnell), the Galactica and its crew take up the task of leading the small fugitive fleet of survivors into space in search of a fabled refuge known as Earth.

That really is all you need to know to get into this show. I used to watch the original series in the 70s as a kid so I knew the premise of the show to begin with.

BTW-I think the first few seasons of the 2004 reboot are fantastic.

 

[DesiPower]

That really is all you need to know to get into this show. I used to watch the original series in the 70s as a kid so I knew the premise of the show to begin with.

BTW-I think the first few seasons of the 2004 reboot are fantastic.

After a while Number Six gets on your nerves, the imaginary conversion between her and Dr. Baltar are so lengthy and boring that sometimes it take up more than 50% if not the entire episodes... It was too much for me to handle and I eventually stopped watching... will pick up again some day

 

[It's Not Lupus]

warning: series has a deus ex machina ending.

 

[Markbnj]

After a while Number Six gets on your nerves, the imaginary conversion between her and Dr. Baltar are so lengthy and boring that sometimes it take up more than 50% if not the entire episodes... It was too much for me to handle and I eventually stopped watching... will pick up again some day

I don't disagree, and the drunk XO got irritating after awhile too, but it was still a top-notch show front to back, imo.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

warning: series has a deus ex machina ending.

Literally. But then again, it had that from the beginning.

 

[JulesMaximus]

After a while Number Six gets on your nerves, the imaginary conversion between her and Dr. Baltar are so lengthy and boring that sometimes it take up more than 50% if not the entire episodes... It was too much for me to handle and I eventually stopped watching... will pick up again some day

Not to me, I could look at her all day. She is such a hottie. :wub:

 

[DesiPower]

Not to me, I could look at her all day. She is such a hottie. :wub:

well, yes, I agree she was hot, but too much talk... maybe I should have muted and just watched her

 

[Chapbass]

I don't disagree, and ...

Come on man, use some spoiler tags, OP clearly stated he hasn't seen it.

 

[Markbnj]

Come on man, use some spoiler tags, OP clearly stated he hasn't seen it.

Yeah that was thoughtless. Fixed.

 

[Ferzerp]

This is all you need to know.

 

[poofyhairguy]

When will SF have another show of this caliber?

Or just anyone having a Sci-Fi of this caliber. As far as I am concerned BSG isn't perfect but it is the Jesus of Sci-Fi- the timeline is split by what comes before and after it.

Thanks to BSG, the idea of a "positive" Sci Fi (ala TNG) is forever lost. BSG borrowed the concept of "used space" from Star Wars and took it to the point where everything else seems as dated as a mid-90's sitcom. Stargate tried to keep up with Universe but couldn't and it wrecked the whole series. Every freaking Star Trek that isn't the end of DS9 or the third season of Enterprise now seems WAY too Disneyland.

VOY in particular was ruined the day the first episode of BSG was broadcast, like it was mayonnaise left out on the street in daytime. I mean, THAT is the level of gritty you should be at if you get stuck in space for years.

What I would give for a modern Trek done serially on cable. Freaking comics and fantasy is exploding- when does Sci Fi nerdiness get a turn?

 

[BoomerD]

Battlestar Galactica = Mormons in Space.

http://endtimesjournal.tripod.com/mormonsinspace.htm

 

[mizzou]

It IS a tough slog to get into but eventually the show will cling to you like Ebola and you will cherish every episode.

 

[Ferzerp]

So you will more than likely die in a few weeks, but if not you will get over it and it will be gone? Your analogy is bad and you should feel bad! Try again with a car analogy or something.

 

[destrekor]

Battlestar Galactica = Mormons in Space.

http://endtimesjournal.tripod.com/mormonsinspace.htm

Well they drew a lot from many religions, considering the concept of religion is a major theme in the show. I mean, let's consider the first main non-Mormon differences: they have a polytheistic belief system, and are monogamous.

They used obvious references from many religions for both of the show's main two religions. They did the same in Caprica as well. Not to say it was perfect... I simply don't think there was intent to proselytize the Mormon belief system.

 

[destrekor]

Or just anyone having a Sci-Fi of this caliber. As far as I am concerned BSG isn't perfect but it is the Jesus of Sci-Fi- the timeline is split by what comes before and after it.

Thanks to BSG, the idea of a "positive" Sci Fi (ala TNG) is forever lost. BSG borrowed the concept of "used space" from Star Wars and took it to the point where everything else seems as dated as a mid-90's sitcom. Stargate tried to keep up with Universe but couldn't and it wrecked the whole series. Every freaking Star Trek that isn't the end of DS9 or the third season of Enterprise now seems WAY too Disneyland.

VOY in particular was ruined the day the first episode of BSG was broadcast, like it was mayonnaise left out on the street in daytime. I mean, THAT is the level of gritty you should be at if you get stuck in space for years.

What I would give for a modern Trek done serially on cable. Freaking comics and fantasy is exploding- when does Sci Fi nerdiness get a turn?

I'd like something original, and not Trek, thank you very much.

I never was a space or sci-fi geek, and definitely not a Trekkie. I simply enjoy good gritty drama, and BSG fit in nicely with what cable networks have been doing with their moodier dramas.
I simply want another gritty space show. Or even simply another good space show, even if it's not gritty.

Firefly promised so much, but it seems the fan following was never strong, even with Serenity.

I loved SG-1 (binged on all 10 seasons while away for training one summer) and I actually liked Universe, but I agree, they could have handled that concept better.

And hell, I absolutely loved Farscape. I could use more of that.

But the one thing I'd like to see, is original material. BSG was in a way, but it still borrowed a basic concept from the original series. A good original gritty space drama is very possible, or it could just be a good sci-fi survivors series. Networks have tried with that, and I guess there is some success with the whole alien resistance angle, but I'd like something else. It doesn't even have to be entirely original, in that they could use plenty of novels/novel-series as source.

 

[Exterous]

So you will more than likely die in a few weeks, but if not you will get over it and it will be gone? Your analogy is bad and you should feel bad! Try again with a car analogy or something.

:hmm: You'll buy a car and love it so much. Clean, new car smell. It looks like your old car but there are clearly new and exciting things about this one. Everything is just so perfect. Then, over time, you'll notice its not quite as pretty and is starting to smell funky in the back seat. Then some weird stuff starts happening and things break. The alternator goes out and the ball joins go bad so you have to invest more money and time into it. You decide to cheap out on some of the fixes and go with non-OEM parts. It doesn't run quite as well but it still gets you to where you want to go although the problems and idiosyncrasies are wearing on you

Finally after years of use you know its days are numbered so you throw a bunch of money into it to make it run as well as possible during its last days. You almost can't wait for the end to be done with it. The day before you go to trade it in the car gets smashed by a semi-truck. You survive but you certainly didn't see the car ending this way. You feel let down and angry.

As the anger and annoyance subsides you look back on the car fondly and wish you could drive it around just a few more times and experience that 'new car' feeling from when you first got that car

 

[poofyhairguy]

I'd like something original, and not Trek, thank you very much.

I would be down with that IF AND ONLY IF the Sci-Fi show gets out of our solar system. I hate aliens invade crap.

With a Trek that is a guarantee. With a fresh Sci Fi there is always the fear that it might be the tin foil, big eyed alien, Area 51 and Outer Limits-type Sci Fi, which frankly sucks worse than no Sci Fi.

 

[LucJoe]

:hmm: You'll buy a car and love it so much. Clean, new car smell. It looks like your old car but there are clearly new and exciting things about this one. Everything is just so perfect. Then, over time, you'll notice its not quite as pretty and is starting to smell funky in the back seat. Then some weird stuff starts happening and things break. The alternator goes out and the ball joins go bad so you have to invest more money and time into it. You decide to cheap out on some of the fixes and go with non-OEM parts. It doesn't run quite as well but it still gets you to where you want to go although the problems and idiosyncrasies are wearing on you

Finally after years of use you know its days are numbered so you throw a bunch of money into it to make it run as well as possible during its last days. You almost can't wait for the end to be done with it. The day before you go to trade it in the car gets smashed by a semi-truck. You survive but you certainly didn't see the car ending this way. You feel let down and angry.

As the anger and annoyance subsides you look back on the car fondly and wish you could drive it around just a few more times and experience that 'new car' feeling from when you first got that car

Perfect.:thumbsup:

 

[DesiPower]

Battlestar Galactica = Mormons in Space.

http://endtimesjournal.tripod.com/mormonsinspace.htm

Well they drew a lot from many religions, considering the concept of religion is a major theme in the show. I mean, let's consider the first main non-Mormon differences: they have a polytheistic belief system, and are monogamous.

They used obvious references from many religions for both of the show's main two religions. They did the same in Caprica as well. Not to say it was perfect... I simply don't think there was intent to proselytize the Mormon belief system.

The Title Song/music says it all...

 

[DesiPower]

:hmm: You'll buy a car and love it so much. Clean, new car smell. It looks like your old car but there are clearly new and exciting things about this one. Everything is just so perfect. Then, over time, you'll notice its not quite as pretty and is starting to smell funky in the back seat. Then some weird stuff starts happening and things break. The alternator goes out and the ball joins go bad so you have to invest more money and time into it. You decide to cheap out on some of the fixes and go with non-OEM parts. It doesn't run quite as well but it still gets you to where you want to go although the problems and idiosyncrasies are wearing on you

Finally after years of use you know its days are numbered so you throw a bunch of money into it to make it run as well as possible during its last days. You almost can't wait for the end to be done with it. The day before you go to trade it in the car gets smashed by a semi-truck. You survive but you certainly didn't see the car ending this way. You feel let down and angry.

As the anger and annoyance subsides you look back on the car fondly and wish you could drive it around just a few more times and experience that 'new car' feeling from when you first got that car