Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome - Grading & Discussion

[Samuel Walters]

vampgrrl wrote:

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Remember episode 1 AND 2 are out today. So watch the 2nd one too.

Okay. That was impressive.

Maybe it's the fact that the show hasn't given itself enough rope yet to hang itself with - but the two episodes went quickly and I know I'm eager to see the next one.

Sure, the approach is decidedly juvenile. The dialogue sounds like a writer trying a bit too hard. But overall, it was fun. Loved the Galactica intro (and Bear's musical choice for it). Some worthwhile connections to both nBSG and Caprica.

So as far as these two episodes are concerned: B&C=Win.

[Mutenroshi]

It felt good to see the familiar places (flight deck and CIC)! For that only I gave it a excellent.

[Jimi_James]

It's not hitting the same cords that BSG or Caprica hit with me, but I definitely enjoyed it enough to stick with it.
The CGI sets and backgrounds, give it a more Caprica sort of feel, rather than the real world practical feeling that was established with BSG...which is largely what I liked about Galacitca to begin with. The ship felt real, like it could actually exist, while this version, while fully armored and decked out with more firepower certainly looked cool, felt more like a CGI space ship.

I wasn't thrilled with the larger more active flight deck and CIC and felt that it definitely took something away from what originally made Galactica feel so unique.

I also don't like the gunmetal gray Vipers. The Mark II's look better with a paint job. I actually prefer the design of the older Raptors that they're using now.

All that being said, it's good to be back in this universe, even if it's just for a couple of short 12 minute episodes.

[Sky]

Well, that was better than expected.

[Kegg]

Not entirely clear how we're grading here. Is it the episodes released this week or the webseries/Blu-ray movie overall?

Anyway. As has been said the dialogue is a little on the nose, like it's dusting off every movie cliche about hot shot fighter pilots and the veterans who look down at their eagerness, but the effects are very good, the acting is pretty decent (and hey, that boss guy, don't I know him from Continuum? Small world, sci-fi TV) but generally I liked this. It is really heavy on CGI, but the CGI largely works, and the story does seem to be going somewhere interesting.

This does feel like it's better suited to twelve-episode bites than an actual pilot, too - narrow focus on a small cast of characters engaged in specific missions, it's not exactly the sprawling nature of the first episode of BSG's miniseries or the character study of Caprica's pilot. Speaking of, it integrates the stuff we learned in Caprica - Adam's father's ties with the Ha'la'tha, Greystone Industries' involvement in creation of the Cylons - pretty darn well.

Well, anyway. To next week!

[Ethros]

Hurrah, I can actually watch it from the UK (the webisodes for The Resistance, Razor and Face of the Enemy were always US only)

Great stuff so far. Sorry I missed when it said ep 3 will be released?

[Agent Richard07]

Kegg wrote:

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Not entirely clear how we're grading here. Is it the episodes released this week or the webseries/Blu-ray movie overall?

It's supposed to be one thread and one poll for the whole thing. Some people have voted already, but I'd suggest waiting until you've seen it all.

[Warp Coil]

Just watched Ep 1 (I'll get around to watching the 2nd one a bit later). Not bad. Not mind blowing or anything, but it didn't turn me off, either. I could have done without the overabundance of CGI. I wish they'd used more practical sets. I find virtual sets distracting and it's often really obvious that it's actors against green screen (and I find it highly irritating.... I'm looking at you, Once Upon A Time).

[milo bloom]

Only ep 1 so far, but I'm in. So stoked to get back into the BSG verse, esp. the flyby of that certain ship.

[backstept]

It was a little odd seeing Jordan Durham's and Specialist Gage's dopplegangers.
Vancouver needs more scifi actors :P

[Q2UnME]

Just watched webisodes #1 & #2 and I can say "I'm all in". Nice nods to Caprica and NuBSG. Didn't much care for the "new and expanded" flight deck, took away from the reality they were trying to create, Ended up being more of a distraction than anything else. Acting so far is pretty good and story is fairly engaging so far. Only thing that comes to mind as for why SciFi tanked this (so far) is cost. Looks expensive as hell and could use a little further visual refinement.

Q2

[Sindatur]

Q2UnME wrote:

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Just watched webisodes #1 & #2 and I can say "I'm all in". Nice nods to Caprica and NuBSG. Didn't much care for the "new and expanded" flight deck, took away from the reality they were trying to create, Ended up being more of a distraction than anything else. Acting so far is pretty good and story is fairly engaging so far. Only thing that comes to mind as for why SciFi tanked this (so far) is cost. Looks expensive as hell and could use a little further visual refinement.

Q2

Yea, and not just cost, but, resources also. It took them a year to do the effects, they couldn't possibly run a 13 or 20 episode a year series like that.

[ManOnTheWave]

I liked the expanded flight deck and the addition of loads of extras. Finally we get to see the Galactica in her prime as bustling war machine operating at full capacity.

I'd agree that some of the dialogue was a little too much, and the notion that Adama, simulator or not, would fly up to a raider and shoot it down with his pistol is laughably G.I.Joe. But it's not like we're going to be watching hour long episodes week in and week out. This is a one time thing, and I for one am glad to have it back (all too briefly).

[milo bloom]

Sindatur wrote:

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Yea, and not just cost, but, resources also. It took them a year to do the effects, they couldn't possibly run a 13 or 20 episode a year series like that.

I don't get that, they did it all digital to save money, and even if it took a while to get all the digital sets created, now that they have them shouldn't the process be quicker going forward?

[Kegg]

^
Indeed. Caprica, which had more outdoors shooting than any season of BSG, was the prohibitively expensive one.