Falling Skies & Other Notes

Trailer for the new project "Falling Skies" from Mark Verheiden (and some guy named Spielberg) coming to TNT in June.

Speaking of former Battlestar Galactica writers, Ronald D. Moore has joined Damon Lindelof and others on the WGA negotiating committee as negotiations will start soon with the AMPTP on a new contract for writers. It's been three years since the strike.

In other news, it was on December 29th, 2005, that the first post appeared here at the Galactica Sitrep.

Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas, you wonderful old....Blog!

And now, a message from Edward James Olmos:

By Ronald D. Moore

Battlestar Galactica re-imagine-er Ronald D. Moore is now apparently re-imagining and rebooting the 1960's tv series The Wild Wild West, as first reported by Entertainment Weekly. This is in addition to his new series in the works previously reported by Deadline Hollywood described as an "adult Harry Potter set in a world ruled not by science but by magic" that he's developing for NBC.





I always liked that show. When I was a kid I'd watch the reruns in syndication. It was pretty cool. (I never saw the Will Smith movie reboot.)

Comic-Con 2010: the CAPRICA panel

James Marsters and Sasha Roiz

The FemmeBot has posted youtube video of the entire panel, featuring Ronald D. Moore, David Eick, Sasha Roiz, Alessandra Torressani, and James Marsters.

Part 1 is below, the rest is over here.

For more news about Caprica at SDCC, also check out Caprica TV who are agreggating lots of news all weekend.

"I've heard this story before..." David Eick pulls out the Patron to do shots while Ron Moore explains how Caprica is similar to Dallas

"Shots, anyone?" Panel moderator Geoff Boucher decides now is the time to ask Moore about a Caprica season two. Good move!

Final Comic-Con Schedule Is Out

Here is a full list of all the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA and CAPRICA related events announced for San Diego Comic Con from the official event schedule. Still no sign of Ms. Sackhoff; those of you that need to know should keep an eye out. If you are going to San Diego this year, check out the terrific personal scheduling app available for SDCC for the first time. It works on smartphones, you can sign in using Twitter, FaceBook or LinkedIn, and share your panel-going plans on social networks.

ETA: now there is a rumor that James Marsters will attend the CAPRICA panel. No confirmation yet...


THURSDAY

12:00-1:00 Caprica, Battlestar, and Beyond— Hosted by actor/author Richard Hatch (Tom Zarek, Capt. Apollo, So Say We All), this panel features composer Bear McCreary (Battlestar, Eureka, Caprica), producer/writer Michael Taylor (Battlestar, Caprica, Star Trek), science consultant Kevin Grazier (Battlestar, Eureka), and special guests. Richard and the panelists will proide reviews, discussion, and Q&A of Caprica, Battlestar Galactica, and the upcoming BSG movie, including trailers. Room 6A


FRIDAY

10:15-11:15 Hawaii Five-O: Aloha, Earth! — Lost castaway found! Battlestar Cylon becomes human! Star Trek writers return from space! A supernatural force has drawn some of sci-fi's giants back to Earth­ -- and they're all gathering on a beautiful and mysterious island in the Pacific. It's Hawaii Five-0, a modern-day reimagining of one of television's most beloved and iconic classics. The epic series, one of the most anticipated new shows of the season, will explore the origins of the Five-0 team and build on an already rich mythology. Executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (Star Trek) and Peter M. Lenkov (24), director Len Wiseman (Underworld), and stars Daniel Dae Kim (Lost) and Grace Park (Battlestar Galactica) present an exclusive sneak peek at the series and an in depth discussion on how they plan to marry their genre sensibilities with a classic police procedural. Room 6BCF

11:30-12:30 Caprica— Syfy presents an exclusive glimpse into the future of humanity. Featuring Alessandra Torresani (Zoe Graystone), Sasha Roiz (Sam Adama), James Marsters, Ronald D. Moore (co-creator/executive producer), and David Eick (executive producer) and moderated by Geoff Boucher of the Los Angeles Times. Ballroom 20

2:15-3:15 The Cape: Sneak Peek and Panel Discussion— One man can make a difference...When Vince Faraday, an honest cop on a corrupt police force, is framed for murder and presumed killed, he assumes the identity of his son's favorite comic book superhero -- The Cape -- to reclaim his name, family, and his city from the ruthless ARK Corporation and the masked villain known as Chess. Join the cast and creators including David Lyons (ER), Summer Glau (Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles), Dorian Missick (Six Degrees), James Frain (True Blood), Keith David (Gamer), Vinnie Jones (X-Men: Last Stand), Martin Klebba (Pirates of the Caribbean), composer Bear McCreary (Battlestar Galactica), creator/executive producer Thomas Wheeler (Empire), and showrunner/executive producer John Wirth (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) for this sneak peek at the pilot episode and panel discussion. A limited collector edition of The Cape comic book, with a cover by superstar artist John Cassady (Astonishing X-Men), will be given away at the panel. Room 6A

3:15-4:15 Spartacus: Blood and Sand— Andy Whitfield (McLeod's Daughters) makes his Comic-Con debut, along with Lucy Lawless (Xena: Warrior Princess), John Hannah (The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor), and Viva Bianca (Bad Bush). Executive producer Stephen S. DeKnight (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) joins the cast to discuss the upcoming prequel, titled Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, expected to air on Starz in January 2011, and the exclusive content found on the first season Blu-ray discs, available September 21. Room 6BCF

4:45-5:45 Falling Skies— They're coming. Get the very first look at Steven Spielberg's new series that envisions a world where aliens have invaded and the fate of humanity lies in the hands of a few survivors. Noah Wyle (ER, TNT's The Librarian movies) and Moon Bloodgood (Terminator Salvation) join co-executive producer and writer Mark Verheiden (Heroes, Battlestar Galactica) for a Q&A on the new series. Falling Skies premieres on TNT next summer. Room 6A


SATURDAY

3:30-5:00 Warehouse 13 and Eureka— Don't miss two of Syfy's biggest hit series in one exclusive event. Catch back-to-back Warehouse 13 and Eureka panels, featuring Warehouse 13's Eddie McClintock (Pete Lattimer), Joanne Kelly (Myka Bering), Saul Rubinek (Artie Nielsen), Allison Scagliotti (Claudia Donovan), and Jack Kenny (showrunner/executive producer) and Eureka's Colin Ferguson (Jack Carter), Salli Richardson-Whitfield (Allison Blake), Neil Grayston (Douglas Fargo), James Callis (Grant), Jaime Paglia (co-creator/executive producer/writer), and Bruce Miller (executive producer/writer). Room 6BCF

6:30-7:30 Her Universe: Shining The Spotlight on Female Fans— Ashley Eckstein (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) brings together some of today's leading women who are movers and shakers in the various fields of sci-fi and fantasy. Looking at science fiction through female eyes, the panel will discuss what kinds of entertainment female sci-fi fans want to see more of, what strides have been made, what has been missing up to now, what kinds of merchandise female fans want to see, and what female fans can do to encourage more of all of this. Panelists include Jane Espenson (producer/writer, Battlestar Galactica, Caprica, Buffy The Vampire Slayer), Melinda Snodgrass (author, The Edge series; story editor Star Trek: The Next Generation), Erika Kennair (director of development and current programming, Syfy Channel), Cat Staggs (artist, Star Wars sketch cards, Marvel card sets), Bonnie Burton (content developer, Lucas Online, official SW Blog), Katie Cook (artist, Star Wars, comics, webcomic Gronk), and Mary Franklin (senior events lead, Lucasfilm Ltd.). Q&A with audience members, too! Room 24ABC

ETA: Information on signings and some new CAPRICA merch!

Alessandra Torresani, Jane Espenson, and Bob Harris from CAPRICA are all doing signings at the Entertainment Earth booth over the weekend (schedule here). Mark Sheppard and Richard Hatch are doing signings elsewhere at SDCC booths. And...

NBC Universal will debut "Beyond Caprica - A Visitor's Pocket Guide to the Twelve Colonies" ($10) and an all-new Caprica T-shirt ($20), available for purchase at Entertainment Earth's booth. Here's your chance to own a piece of the hit Syfy channel drama set in the Battlestar Galactica universe.

Ron Moore has a new TV deal

Deadline Hollywood broke the news this week that Ron Moore has signed on with Sony to create new TV work:

Ronald D. Moore has found a new TV home. The Battlestar Galactica creator has inked a two-year overall with Sony Pictures TV to create and executive produce series projects for broadcast and cable through his production company Tall Ship Prods. Moore is coming off three consecutive overall deals at NBC Uni’s Universal Media Studios that were tied to Moore’s services on Syfy’s Battlestar Galactica... Sony is clearly making a push in genre series. The studio recently signed Smallville creators Miles Millar and Alfred Gough to an overall deal.

Ron Moore Speaks

Ronald D. Moore spoke to Den of Geek about Caprica and BSG, Virtuality, and other things. On the topic of "Daniel" the Number Seven Cylon from BSG the Q&A is as follows:

QUESTION:I wanna get a bit geeky here. Is there a connection between the Daniel mentioned toward the end of Galactica and Daniel Graystone?

ANSWER: No, that was a complete coincidence of name. I didn't realise how much people would glom onto that coincidence and start to read all kinds of things into it. There's really nothing there.

No new news on the potential new BSG spin off has yet to come forth.

Paley Center announces NYC CAPRICA event

The Paley Center in New York City has just announced a CAPRICA panel! Finally something for us folks on the East Coast. Here are the details:

Wednesday, March 17, 2010
6:30 pm ET, New York

Appearing In Person:

Ronald D. Moore, Co-Creator and Executive Producer
David Eick, Executive Producer
Paula Malcomson, "Amanda Graystone"
Alessandra Torresani, "Zoe Graystone"
Magda Apanowicz, "Lacy Rand"
Sasha Roiz, "Sam Adama"

Syfy’s new Battlestar Galactica prequel—more futuristic family saga than space opera—is a provocative, superbly crafted drama that, like its predecessor, tackles complex, highly resonant themes, such as religion, race, terrorism, technology, love, and the very nature of humanity. Like all quality drama, Caprica is not just emotionally and intellectually gripping, but also compels viewers to confront their own reality, even as they are swept up in this visually arresting, preapocalyptic world of sentient robots, avatars, and interplanetary travel.

The Paley Center will preview an upcoming episode from Caprica’s first season, followed by a discussion with members of the cast and creative team.

Paley Center Members: $15, tickets on sale now.
General Public: $25, tickets on sale Wednesday, February 24 at noon.

12 Minutes of Clips from VIRTUALITY

Fox has released a clip reel that proves what the pilot script suggested last year; VIRTUALITY has much in common with the human culture on view in the films ALIEN, SILENT RUNNING, or SUNSHINE. "Edge of Never," the reality TV show-within-a-show, is a clever new aspect to a familiar genre. This feels very different from BSG...different but promising.

VIRTUALITY airs 8-10pm on Fox, Friday June 26th.




Especially enjoying that landscape-painting scene. That is exactly what I would be doing in my own virtworld...

(via The Live Feed)

Dave Howe talks CAPRICA, THE PLAN, and Comic Con

Chicago Tribune writer Maureen Ryan is interviewing Sci Fi (SyFy?) exec Dave Howe today and has twittered a few important factoids:

Sci Fi prez Dave Howe says debut of Caprica, BSG prequel series, is likely to be in January. (tweet)

Sci Fi panels at Comic-Con: Stargate Universe, Caprica, Warehouse 13, Sanctuary, Eureka. BSG movie The Plan "likely" to be there too. (tweet)

The Plan, BSG film, airs in Nov. Also, there *may* be a Battlestar theatrical film in 3-5 years. Not for sure, but possible, sez Dave Howe. (tweet)

Two Comic Con panels? Huzzah! As for a BSG movie, my excitement over that will depend on what sort of movie we are talkin' about. To be continued.

Keep an eye out for a full feature by Ryan over on her site The Watcher...

I'm getting that tingly feeling again...must be time for Comic Con rumors!

RDM playing nice in the halls of Comic Con 2008...

First bits and pieces of Comic Con 2009 panel info, both rumored and officially announced, have begun to trickle onto the blogosphere this past week for some of the TV and film projects. I'll be tracking a lot of both over on FanGrrl Magnet if you are curious.

But to the question that you dear readers most want here at Sitrep...what about BATTLESTAR GALACTICA and CAPRICA?

Nothing has been announced by Sci Fi/NBCU yet, but Seat42F says all nets and studios have had their Comic Con meetings and made their decisions. I've been poking some sources hoping for more info. It's a bit soon to do a CAPRICA panel, given production is starting next month, the cast and crew will be busy, and there wouldn't be any new footage in time for the Con.

My money is on a panel for THE PLAN, which airs this September November on SciFi.

Watch this space...



[Speaking of cons and plans, did you know Ron Moore is the announced Guest Of Honor at this year's London MCM Expo? And that Olmos recently said this about THE PLAN?]

Envelope Panel Coverage

A few links are starting to trickle out: Flick Cast correspondent Chris Ullrich posted his experience, as did Fan Cast's Julia Diddy.

The Envelope Emmy series official site has begun posting video excerpts just like they did last year... for more video I assume you will have to hunt the youtubes...

Let us know if you find any other good coverage.

West Coast U.N. Panel Twitter Stream

SciFi has announced on Twitter via their digital team that Battlestar Galactica fans can follow, and contribute to, tonight's redo of the United Nations panel in Los Angeles via this headroom feed.

Just sign in using your Twitter account, and make sure to follow @Visions4Tmrw and use the hashtag #battlestarUN for any tweets.

See you on there -- panel begins at 7:30pm tonight PT. Announced guests are Mary McDonnell, Edward James Olmos, Ron Moore, David Eick, and representatives from the U.N.

Little Red Box

One of the Robot Chicken guys twitters via @cyborgturkey. I'm not sure which one he is though our reader Scott thinks it's Seth Green. But today was this tweet and twitpic:

"Just spent 10 min trying to open BSG Emmy screener. Then realized instructions were included."

Wow, cool box right?! When asked what was written on the sides of the box, he said "various reviews from different media outlets"...

Also today was this other tweet: "Ron Moore also stopped by studio today. Was gonna do commentary with @officialtila but she ran late. Moore/Tila combo...the mind boggles!"


ETA: Here's another, better photo from @ashmiNYC:

VIRTUALITY air date moved to June 26, 2009

Interesting news from Fox in my inbox this morning. Wonder what prompted the move from its original July 4th air date? Should we be excited...or depressed, since Fox clearly calls this a "movie" now, rather than a "pilot."

Either way: can't wait to see it. Seat42F and HitFix posted the newly-released cast photos, here's one below:

FOX’s original science-fiction thriller movie VIRTUALITY will make its World Broadcast Premiere on Friday, June 26 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), and headlining the all-star cast is familiar face Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (“New Amsterdam”). Nikolaj plays Commander Frank Pike, head of a space crew embarking on a 10-year journey through outer space in order to save an unsustainable Earth...all before the eyes of a worldwide audience. But when the crew’s cutting-edge virtual reality technology, meant to maintain their sanity on the long voyage, starts to go horribly wrong, the Commander must make a crucial decision.

Highly anticipated in the sci-fi world, VIRTUALITY was produced by Ronald D. Moore (“Battlestar Galactica,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Caprica”) and Michael Taylor (“Battlestar Galactica,” “Star Trek: Voyager,” “Caprica”), and it was directed by Peter Berg (“Friday Night Lights,” “Hancock”).

The 2-hour movie raises fascinating questions about the lines (or lack thereof) between reality and virtual reality. What would you do if you were faced with the prospect of going on a 10-year space journey to another planet in order to save an Earth ravaged by global warming, food shortages and degradation? Would you be more apt to go if you had a way of slipping away into your own simulated virtual-reality to pass the time? Would you be able to distinguish this new reality from your old one? What if something started going horribly wrong on your voyage – would you turn back, even with a worldwide audience back on Earth anxiously awaiting news of their planet’s salvation? Or would you continue, uncertain of whether your own life, virtual or otherwise, was in imminent danger?

Caprica Reviewed

Reviews of the pilot ep of Caprica, available now on DVD:

Mo Ryan, Chicago Tribune:

“Caprica,” even more than “Battlestar,” is an examination of how greed, selfishness, heedlessness and pain prompt people to use technology to avoid difficult situations.

Technology isn’t really the problem; the trouble comes from our belief that we can always control it and use it to keep life from hurting too much or being too hard. Yet anyone who has ever tried to set up a balky new device or felt oppressed by the constant presence of a BlackBerry knows that things that are supposed to make our lives better don’t always do so.

....One reason Sci Fi is making "Caprica" -- and starting a promotional campaign early by releasing the DVD months before the show arrives -- is because the network wants to catch the attention of viewers who may not be regular viewers of sci-fi fare. There are no space ships and no outer-space battles in this new show, which is set 58 years before the events of "Battlestar"; the world of Caprica looks much like our own.

With any luck, "Caprica" won't have to battle the perception problems that "Battlestar Galactica" faced; it took a couple of seasons for the latter show to get people to realize that it was a taut, bold and thought-provoking study of the heights and depths of human nature, not a superficial remake of a '70s show about robots and the swashbuckling heroes who fought them.

Still, hard-core "Battlestar" fans should be aware that these are different shows. Ronald D. Moore, an executive producer and co-creator of the new show, has been upfront about calling "Caprica" a prime-time "soap opera" (for a few more of Moore's "Caprica" comments look here). It's not about life during wartime; it's about the sacrifices, mistakes and fateful decisions made by individuals, corporations and families.

“Battlestar” has “come to an end, and it’s a beautiful end and [fans] should mourn that show,” Malcolmson said in a March interview. “You can’t just come along with another show that’s going to replicate it. That’s not what we want to do, we want to give them something else.”

The good news for "Battlestar" fans is that show's outstanding composer, Bear McCreary, and special-effects wizard, Gary Hutzel, are part of the new venture. And several of that show's writers will be on "Caprica's" creative staff as well.

Jane Espenson, a co-executive producer who is set to become "Caprica's" day-to-day showrunner, said in January that the new show "will certainly be different, but it's like a different garment made from the same fabric. The beating heart of it will be the same -- complex moral situations, high stakes, compelling characters. Robots."

Thomas Rogers for Salon says, "Frak This Prequel":

In an unconventional launch strategy, SyFy has just released the one-and-a-half-hour pilot episode of the show on DVD and digital download (the actual series won't premiere on television until 2010). Described by blogs as "'Dallas' in space," "Caprica" is, indeed, a very different beast from its mother series. Planet-bound, slow-paced and with hardly any action scenes, the series is primarily a melodrama about two families on the planet Caprica (one of the 12 home planets of the human race in the "Battlestar" universe) as they overcome a personal tragedy. It also, of more interest to science fiction fans, tells the story of the birth of the Cylons, the race of robots who, as we learned in "Battlestar," eventually become hell-bent on destroying all human life.

The drama builds slowly, and scenes unfold without much, if any, tension. What little tension it has owes to viewers' knowledge of what will happen 58 years later. There are no hostage crises or food shortages to resolve, since the show's main concern is the emotional state of its two families. In fact, robot subplot and holographic excursions aside, there really isn't much that’s science fiction-y about "Caprica."

...Unfortunately, "Caprica" doesn't make for tremendously engaging melodrama either, largely because it doesn't have any characters as immediately riveting as Katee Sackhoff's Starbuck or Mary McDonnell's President Roslin. Eric Stoltz brings quiet soulfulness to his grieving father, but Esai Morales feels wooden and stilted as Adama, and the rest of the ensemble (especially, it has to be said, the child actors) aren't a particularly inspiring bunch. As for the show's visuals -- unlike "Battlestar," "Caprica" is filmed largely with fixed shots (no hand-held cameras), which robs it of much of its flair and immediacy. Its clean urban setting feels antiseptic and cold and a bit dull. Judging by the pilot, the planet Caprica is Vancouver with a fancier train system.

In the spirit of "Battlestar," "Caprica" also references a number of real-world topical issues: Adama is a member of a disliked immigrant group called the Tauron, and during their investigation of the bombing, the authorities become suspicious of a certain religious minority. But while "Battlestar's" space-bound setting was strange and destabilizing enough to make its political allusions seem fresh -- one of the joys of the series was seeing it fragment and rearrange issues like abortion and terrorism to make provocative arguments -- in "Caprica," they merely feel awkward. It's obvious that Tauron is a stand-in for Mexico (there's even a subplot about Tauronese gangs) and monotheism a replacement for Islam -- but there's nothing new to be learned here by renaming things.

When the show premieres on television next year it could take off in some interesting and unexpected directions. The show’s writing is fairly strong (one of the debut episode's co-writers, Jane Espenson, was responsible for many of "Battlestar's" best shows), and SyFy clearly has a lot of faith in creator Ronald Moore. But given the high expectations that "Battlestar" fans have for the series, and the tepidness of this initial offering, I wonder how many will come back to find out what happens in 2010.

Alan Sepinwall Star Ledger:

TV series finales don't get much more polarizing than the end of "Battlestar Galactica." (Spoilers flying at you in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...) For every fan who found the finale a moving and appropriate capper to a great series, there was at least one who felt betrayed that producer Ronald D. Moore chose to ascribe many key developments in the series to divine intervention, or that he had the surviving colonists decide to throw away all their technology upon arriving on a primitive Earth.

As one commenter on my blog put it, "Ron ruined the last five years of my life ...god, why?"

Today's DVD release of "Caprica," the two-hour pilot episode for a "Galactica" prequel series, might be just as polarizing, even among the people who liked the end of "Galactica."

...It's an attempt to open up the franchise to viewers who would never watch a show with the title "Battlestar Galactica," or one where all the characters live on spaceships. But like Sci Fi Channel's larger attempts to attract new viewers -- starting with the pending name change to the much sillier SyFy (if you're going to change the name, change the name) -- it feels like something that may wind up seeming too foreign for both potential new fans and old ones.

"Caprica" is intriguing, don't get me wrong. The most frustrating part of watching the DVD was knowing that Sci Fi (or SyFy) won't be airing the series until 2010, when this is a show that begs for a second episode to evaluate. But while it's good, it's (deliberately) not "Galactica."

"Caprica" grapples with many of the contemporary dilemmas that "Galactica" handled -- religious strife, terrorism, overreliance on technology -- but, in placing them in a world that looks like the one outside our window, it can be blunter about it. The holo-band nightclub where Zoe and her friends meet in secret -- an online Sodom and Gomorrah, filled with (virtual) sex, drugs and even human sacrifice -- is like every parent's worst nightmare about what his kids are up to on Facebook, Twitter and the rest of the web. And by casting all of the prominent Tauran characters immigrants with Latin actors (and the Capricans with whites), it emphasizes the race and class distinctions in a way that "Galactica" couldn't with its use of Cylons as stand-ins for Muslim extremists.

The performances by Stoltz and Morales - two actors who tend to come across as bland in certain roles - are extremely strong. And the direction by "Friday Night Lights" veteran Jeffrey Reiner, coupled with work by the familiar "Galactica" production team, creates an absolutely gorgeous-looking pilot episode.

Moore initially pitched "Caprica" as "a sci-fi version of 'Dallas,'" and while the show has moved well beyond that initial template -- among other things, it adds an organized crime component -- there's enough soap opera sheen left, coupled with the planet-bound setting, that I wonder how many "Galactica" fans will stick with it.

Science fiction used to be a catch-all term for any kind of story featuring technology or worlds not quite our own, but in recent years, the definition has narrowed until its only meaning for some fans is "outer space action." It's that kind of thinking that led Sci Fi execs to want to change their channel's name, but I fear too many fanboys won't want any part of a show that trades the interplanetary combat of "Galactica" for healthy doses of teen rebellion and legal intrigue. And I also have no idea if people who refused to watch "Galactica" would ever watch a spin-off, even one that looks more soap than space opera.

And because of the huge lag between DVD release and TV premiere, we have a long time to find out how many people might come back for a second episode.

Christopher Schwartz:

Taut, introspective, and very, very adult; much more mature than its predecessor series, which is saying a lot — Caprica is brimming with potential. Where Battlestar Galactica, quite controversially, seemed to return to its Mormon theological roots, Caprica, although set 58 years prior to the events of the original show, seems to be reaching forward toward the Techological Singularity prophecied by futurists since the 1950s. Questions about morality and belief, the value (and undermining) of family and multicultural democracy, and the nature of humanity and transhumanity, abound in a dense hour and thirty minutes.

Lewis Wallace, Wired:

In the “uncut and unrated” Caprica pilot, there are no nuclear explosions, no grimy spaceships, no sexy or deadly encounters with robotic Cylons.

Aside from a bloody assassination and some gratuitous topless shots, the show almost completely lacks the action and hard-edged sci-fi eye candy that helped give Galactica its gritty appeal.

Instead, Caprica delivers a broad, deliberately paced introduction to the themes that will presumably drive the show: the tension between science and religion, the dangers of religious zealotry, the racism that can simmer in a societal melting pot, the nature of humanity in a world filled with sentient machines.

...Set 58 years before the Cylons’ sneak attack on humanity, the Caprica pilot does not deliver the kind of explosive action that turned Galactica into a nail-biting sensation. Instead, it is a little like the “begat”-riddled genealogical sequence that opens the New Testament: It draws much of its tension from the knowledge of what lies ahead.

The characters are richly drawn and ripe for further exploration. And the show’s willingness to tackle religion, immigration, corporate espionage and racism right out of the gate indicates that Moore is framing up another thoughtful sci-fi series.

Caprica could become another sacred text for sci-fi fans yearning for brainy television.

Other reviews and observations from: The Boston Globe, Entertainment Weekly, NBC LA, Winnipeg Sun, Monsters and Critics, Complex Blog, Deseret News, Airlock Alpha, Philadelphia Daily News, The Jackson Sun, IGN, io9, Jimmy Akin, Motion Pictures Comics.Com, the Vancouver Sun, The Boston Herald, TrulyObscure, TrekWeb, and The House Next Door.

Televisionary talked to Caprica showrunner Jane Espenson. Ron Moore talked to The Insider. The Futon Critic reports on the Caprica Paley Fest event. Sci-Fi Wire has cast arrivals at that event. Actress Magda Apanowicz of Caprica spoke with The Ampersand and Hello Magazine.

Reuters examines killer robots.

Ron Moore Tonight

Reminder, tonight Ronald D. Moore appears at the Writers Guild Theatre for the Writer's Guild Foundation Writers on Writing event:

AN EVENING with RONALD D. MOORE
Tuesday, May 5 - 7:30-9:30pm - At the Writers Guild Theater (135 S Doheny Dr., 90211)
Moderated by Jeff Greenstein
Light reception included

Join us for this unique opportunity to learn from the writer, developer, and excecutive producer of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA... one of the most successful sci-fi series in a frakkin' long time.
Ronald D. Moore is one of the most successful writers of television science fiction working today. He is writer/executive producer of Battlestar Galactica. Previous writing and producing credits include Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Good Vs. Evil, Roswell, and the acclaimed HBO series Carnivale. He is the winner of two Peabody Awards, an Emmy (plus many nominations) and a Hugo Award, as well as a WGA nomination.

Purchase tickets here.
$20, $15-WGA, $10-Student (prices slightly discounted online) or call 800-838-3006

Also of note, on the writers of Star Trek will be at the venue later this month:

AN EVENING with ALEX KURTZMAN & ROBERTO ORCI (Star Trek, Transformers)
Tuesday, May 26 - 7:30-9:30pm - At the Writers Guild Theater (135 S Doheny Dr., 90211)
Light reception included

Join us for this special evening with one of the most succesful sci-fi/action writing teams in the business.

Kurtzman & Orci reunited after college to write for the popular television series Hercules and Xena: Warrior Princess, where they quickly became head writers at the age of 23.

In 2003, the two were approached to write for J.J. Abrams wildly popular television spy thriller Alias, and eventually ascended to be executive producers of the show.

Kurtzman and Orci also created the current FOX drama Fringe with Abrams.

In the film sphere, Kurtzman and Orci made a splash with the sci-fi thriller The Island, their feature film debut helmed by Michael Bay. Late 2005 saw the release of The Legend of Zorro, while in 2006, the duo re-teamed with Abrams to write the third installment of Mission: Impossible. 2007 saw the pair write Transformers, a live-action adaptation of the popular animated series.

More recently, the two are the authors of the blockbuster Star Trek, slated for a May, 2009 release with J.J. Abrams directing. The pair has written their own fresh take on the classic show, and are executive producers on the film.

Purchase tickets here.
$20, $15-WGA, $10-Student (prices slightly discounted online) or call 800-838-3006

Oddly Funny

Former BSG co-exec producer Mark Verheiden says of these YouTube videos:

I'm not quite sure why these are being done, but they are oddly compelling...

I think I agree with him. I rather like this one the most:


Here are the full playlists by HighlandsTechno.

"Ron" discusses reactions to the finale:


"Ron" and "Dave" develop a new show about killer robots in space:

Caprica Paley Video

The Paley Center has video from their Caprica event.











Much more from daphnesadventures's YouTube Channel.

See also a preview from PlayStation Pulse.

Ron Moore Says...

Chicago Tribune Watcher Maureen Ryan talked to writers David Weddle and Bradley Thompson about their work on CSI's BSG/Trek/SF themed episdoe, 'A Space Oddity'.

More on the CSI episode from Omaha Examiner, Entertainment Weekly, and Zap2it.

Screencaps from the episode showing the cameos from Ron Moore, Grace Park, and Rekha Sharma at Triny's World.

The Battlestar Wiki Blog reports on this upcoming event with Ron Moore:

AN EVENING with RONALD D. MOORE
Tuesday, May 5 - 7:30-9:30pm - At the Writers Guild Theater (135 S
Doheny Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90211)
Light reception included

Join us for this unique opportunity to learn from the writer, developer, and excecutive producer of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA… one of the most successful sci-fi series in a frakkin’ long time. Ronald D. Moore is one of the most successful writers of television science fiction working today. He is writer/executive producer of Battlestar Galactica. Previous writing and producing credits include Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Good Vs. Evil, Roswell, and the acclaimed HBO series Carnivale. He is the winner of two Peabody Awards, an Emmy (plus many nominations) and a Hugo Award, as well as a WGA nomination.

Purchase tickets online here or call 800-838-3006

Prices:
$20 General Public
$15 WGA members
$10 Student with ID
(prices slightly discounted online)

Caprica Video Blogs

Watch Sci-Fi.Com's exclusive video blogs for Caprica.

In other news, TV Shows on DVD, and Digital Bits, along with High Def Digest observe preview screens on the Caprica DVD pointing to the July 28th release of The Complete BSG on DVD and Blu-Ray disc.

Alan Sepinwall for The Star-Ledger briefly previews the sc-fi themed ep of CSI airing tonight. Tim Molloy for TV Guide talked to CSI actor Wallace Langham.