Battlestar Galactica (TRS)

For information on the 1978 Original Series of the same name, see Battlestar Galactica (TOS).

Some of the central cast of the new "Battlestar Galactica" series.

Summary

The 2004 Miniseries debut of "Battlestar Galactica" was a "re-imagining," or updated version of the 1970s "Battlestar Galactica" made more suitable to the modern sensibilities of the 21st Century. Tackling issues of civil rights, survival, terrorism, and religion, "Battlestar Galactica" is an epic following the survivors of the human race—which number under 50,000. A familiar but different battlestar Galactica finds herself leading a refugee fleet on a lonely (and initially fictitious) quest for Earth, with turmoil from within and danger from without.

On the "Battlestar Wiki," the show's most common abbreviations are "the Re-imagined Series," or "RDM" for the initials of its executive co-producer and chief writer, Ronald D. Moore (as "Star Trek: The Next Generation" is often referred to as "TNG"). It was also initially disambiguated as "TNS" (for "The New Series"), or "BSG", but this has become rarer over time as it distinguished itself more from the 1978 series, or the "Original Series" as it is commonly called on "Battlestar Wiki."

"Battlestar Galactica" began (or, "re-began") as a four-hour Miniseries pilot that showed the destruction of the Twelve Colonies, but in a style more familiar and disturbing to today's viewers, making its events eerily reminiscent of feelings felt by many viewers to the sporadic and inconsistent news and chaos shown during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.

While the ship was probably the most familar element derived from the Original Series, many elements of the new show were very, very different. The commander, William Adama, is a battle-hardened, secularly-minded commander on the eve of retirement for himself and his combat-decorated old battlestar. The names of Original Series characters are now the pilot call signs for his son, Lee "Apollo" Adama and the crack-pilot, Kara "Starbuck" Thrace. Starbuck's change into a female character initially became a torrid issue to Original Series fans who feared this and other changes would render an inferior series.

But the worries of the fans turned to surprise, cheers and applause as the Miniseries aired and the regular series began. Unlines its Original Series counterpart, this new series has not only survived, preparing episodes for its third season beginning in in October, 2006, but has received many awards and nominations, including several Emmy nominations and one award, a Hugo Award, and even its own spin-off series, currently in development.

As of the end of the regular 2006 television season, "Battlestar Galactica" was the Sci-Fi Channel's highest-rated program, beating out the venerable SF series, "Stargate SG-1" and its spin-off, "Stargate Atlantis."

Cast

Stars

• Edward James Olmos as William Adama
• Mary McDonnell as Laura Roslin
• Katee Sackhoff as Kara "Starbuck" Thrace
• Jamie Bamber as Lee "Apollo" Adama
• James Callis as Gaius Baltar
• Tricia Helfer as Number Six
• Grace Park as Sharon "Boomer" Valerii/Number Eight

Co-stars

• Michael Hogan as Saul Tigh
• Aaron Douglas as Galen Tyrol
• Tahmoh Penikett as Karl "Helo" Agathon
• Kandyse McClure as Anastasia Dualla
• Paul Campbell as Billy Keikeya (2003-2006)
• Alessandro Juliani as Felix Gaeta

Production Crew

Producers

• Ronald D. Moore - Developer / Executive Producer / Writer
• David Eick - Executive Producer
• Toni Graphia - Co-Executive Producer / Writer
• Harvey Frand - Producer
• Glen A. Larson - Consulting Producer

Directors & Writing Staff

To view the list of all the directors and staff, see the Battlestar Wiki Crew Portal.