The Sci-Fi Channel has a plan

Galactica Station posted this story today:
'Lay Down Your Burdens-Part II', frakkin' fantastic.

Tue 14th Mar

By Koenigrules

Advancing the clock one year later was a stroke of genius by producer Ron Moore. Womanizing President Baltar has settled on New Caprica with over half of the fleet (and it looks like half the single women as well in his chambers!!!). Apparently, the Cylons have not detected them in the nebula. But complications still arise. Starbuck's husband, Anders, is dying of pneumonia unless Kara can get Pegasus Commander Lee to give up some medical supplies; Galen Tyrol is Union President fighting for the rights of his people, with a pregnant Cally by his side; and, Roslin has gone back into teaching, trying to derive some satisfaction out of her former assignment while being assisted by Maya (who has adopted the Cylon hybrid baby, now named Isis).

But all that changes when a Cylon armada appears overhead and Centurions march into the camp in Nazi-like fashion. Supposedly, when Gina blew herself up and Cloud 9 with the nuclear device Baltar gave her, lingering traces of radiation were detected by the Cylons, hence explaining their presence on New Caprica. Led by the 'changed' Six and Eight (from the earlier 'Downloaded' episode), the machine race plans to hold the humans hostage while they initiate their new plan (whatever that might be). And as the Raiders zoom overhead, all Kara can relate to Galen is that they will fight them until they can't. Wow, what an awesome cliffhanger. And coupled with the impressive special effects, this is sure to go down as one of the best (if not most controversial) episodes of the series for daring to be so different.

One would think that news would not be forthcoming so soon on Galactica's third season, but it did late this week. NowPlayingMagazine interviewed Ron Moore about the direction he would take with the next batch of 20 episodes. Included below are edited highlights of the interview.

First up, Battlestar Galactica will not be Occupation New Caprica for long. While the Cylons will hold the fleet on the planet, a resolution of sorts will occur by the fourth or fifth episode. According to Moore, "I don't think it will take quite as long as it took us to wrap up the arc at the beginning of the second season." The humans will return to the Battlestars Galactica and Pegasus very quickly and resume their journey to Earth.

Secondly, a new arc on the Cylon home world will be introduced. "We're going to do an ongoing Cylon story where we're going to be cutting over to the Cylon world for the first time." As Lucy Lawless (Number Three aka D'anna Biers) is joining the cast for at least 10 episodes, one can only speculate that she will be one of the Cylons on the home world who will try to convince other models that it is the wrong thing to negotiate with the humans. Hopefully, Brother Cavel will show up too; an inside source at the SCI FI Channel has indicated that negotiations are underway to bring back Dean Stockwell to the series in the upcoming season.

Finally, Baltar will further go down the path to darkness and corruption. "[We plan to make him] more of an antagonist." Whether his character will ever reach the depths of depravity as the original figure played by John Colicos has yet to be determined. When asked whether Gaius will be sitting up in a high chair giving orders to the Cylons like Colicos, Moore could only indicate with a chuckle, "I don't know... That's still a possibility."

In other Season 3 news, SCI FI issued a press release earlier this week announcing that it would delay the series premiere until October 2006. (The release is available at thefutoncritic). Immediately, the boards went crazy, with some fans in "gloom and doom" mood. But a SCI FI source told this reviewer that "BSG is going nowhere."

Reasons for the delay in airing the next batch of 20 episodes were provided:
1) SCI FI wants to have original programming throughout the entire year instead of at 10-week intervals; 2) the entire set of Galactica episodes will be shown uninterrupted; 3) SCI FI wants to try out other series that are less arc heavy in BSG's summer timeslot; and 4) it is hoped that a new combo of programs can occur in October, like Season 2 of Dr. Who with Galactica's Season 3. All these reasons make sense to this reviewer. Further, the source indicated that Galactica is their premier show, having reached critical acclaim and bringing recognition to the channel. SCI FI remains hopeful Galactica will last several more seasons, and with this programming move, it very well might.

So remain hopeful, keep watching Galactica and perhaps Who as well, and stay tuned to more developments regarding this exciting show as yours truly continues coverage for many seasons to come.

Posted By Blade Runner