BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: BLOOD AND CHROME

'Caprica' Series Finale Marathon

Posted on January 3, 2011 by Tom Powers

This Tuesday, January 4th, SyFy burns off the final five original episodes of it’s cancelled series CAPRICA.
The show, a spin-off prequel to the successful dark BATTLESTAR GALACTICA revival, proved to be a be a bit too grim and drawn-out, with personal crisises & angst emphasized over action and plot momentum, to attract an audience in sufficent numbers. Also lacking really likable characters, it nevertheless was an interesting look at a science-fictional world.
The marathon begins at 6:00 PM Eastern Time with Blowback, followed by Dirteaters at 7:00 PM, The Heavens Will Rise at 8:00 PM Here Be Dragons at 9:00 and the final episode, Apotheosis
ay 10:00 PM.
Though not a personal favorite, I’m sorry to see the series go, and hope that Apotheosis, which means to “elevate to a divine level” or serve as “a perfect example” will be true to it’s definition for CAPRICA’s fans.

: The Cast of CAPRICA

SyFy and Universal Cable Productions has BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: BLOOD AND CHROME coming up, which will be a sequel of sorts, featuring William Adama—seen as a child in CAPRICA—as a young adult fighting in the first Cylon War.

'Galactica: Blood & Chrome' — Art

Posted on December 21, 2010 by Tom Powers

Via Blastr.com come these promising looking pre-production concept art shots for BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: BLOOD AND CHROME.
According to SyFy, the Universal Media Studios two-hour pilot movie will focus on “the adventures of a young William Adama during the 10th year of the first Cylon war.”

“Ensign William Adama, barely in his 20’s and a recent Academy graduate, finds himself assigned to the newest battlestar in the Colonial fleet … the Galactica. The talented but hot-headed risk-taker soon finds himself leading a dangerous top secret mission that, if successful, will turn the tide of the decade long war in favor of the desperate fleet.”

See two more pictures at the link above.

SyFy to Burn-off 'Caprica" in Jan.

Posted on November 22, 2010 by Tom Powers

Craig Engler, SyFy’s Digital’s General Manager and Senior Vice President announced via his Twitter page that the cable network will burn off the last five episodes of BATLLESTAR GALACTIC spin-off prequel CAPRICA on Tuesday, January 4th, 2011.
SyFynetwork will broadcast the episodes in a marathon from 6:00 Pm to 11:00 PM ET/PT.
Seems like relatively shabby treatment of the ambitious but under-performing show, but at least fans will get some kind of closure.
Another prequel series BLOOD & CHROME, featuring the future Commander Adama during the first Cylon War will begin production by Universal Media Studios next year.
via Gateworld.net

'Caprica' Canceled, Pulled From Schedule

Posted on October 28, 2010 by Tom Powers

CAPRICA, SyFy’s spin-off sequel to BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, will not be renewed for a second season, and in a surprising move, has also been removed from the schedule, with five more completed episodes yet to be broadcast.
From SyFy’s Release:

Please note the following change to Syfy’s broadcast schedule:
The remaining first run episodes of Caprica – airing Tuesdays at 10/9c – will be removed from the schedule as of next Tuesday, November 2. These final five episodes of the season will be re-scheduled to air at a to be announced time in the first quarter of 2011, and will conclude the run of the series.

“We appreciate all the support that fans have shown for ‘Caprica’ and are very proud of the producers, cast, writers and the rest of the amazing team that has been committed to this fine series,” said Mark Stern, Executive Vice President of Original Programming, Syfy and Co-Head of Content for Universal Cable Productions. “Unfortunately, despite its obvious quality, ‘Caprica’ has not been able to build the audience.”

Sadly, I’m not surprised at the BSG’s spin-off’s cancellation. It’s a good-looking, well-acted show, but it failed the number one requirement of a TV series: to create characters that the audience want to return to see episode to episode. Even if a show goes into dark and grim territory, viewers need to have some one to like or identify with, a reason to remain faithful through rough patches.

CAPRICA gave us complicated, intense characters that were very difficult to warm up to, and the often over-arcing sense of tragedy and despair tended to drain any excitement from the episodes. However, I must note that the production was enormously successful in creating a realistic and convincing science fiction milieu. The planet Caprica seemed like a real place, an alternate “Earth” turned just slightly askew, with the more Sci-Fi-ish elements like space-travel seeming perfectly mundane, no more exotic than say airplane travel in the 1960’s — though fraught with all the danger and security-based annoyances of the present.
A TV show about corporate criminals, mobsters, religious fanatics and terrorism is a hard sell to begin with, being stuck with out any clear heroes to root for is a near impossible situation.