Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome

When I was a kid I watched the old BSG and I watched all the new BSG episodes which I enjoyed (except for a few twists that felt written by the writers who also wrote "Lost"). I skipped Caprica because the storyline sounded to much like a soap opera to me (forgive me if I was wrong).

Blood & Chrome appealed to me and kinda delivered what it was; An enjoyable BSG story, arguably not quite ready for TV. The acting was solid enough and the soundtrack and space battles were even a little even better. I do have some mixed feelings about the general impression it left on me; Although the camera work was sometimes quite similar as 2003 BSG series, it somehow didn't match it's original feel. I think it's the lack of proper CGI, original sets or maybe bad lightening. Sometimes the background seems to be moving in a way which doesn't correspond with the foreground. Sometimes the control sticks in the cockpit looked more like painted computer joysticks.

That doesn't take away that B&C is enjoyable enough to keep watching until the end. If you like BSG, I'm sure you will like this. Just don't expect too much of it and you will be fine.

7/10

Still saw the new Battlestar Galactica series approx. 4 times. And still impressed! Perfect actors, good cgi and a terrific story.

So. Now i was waiting for this new episodes and read all about it. Yesterday i saw now the first 6 episodes. And guess what? Fantastic. Breathtaking. Perfect.

I love the new story. The actors are great and also storyline is very good for a first episode. CGI are a little bit too much. Lensflare as its best. But who cares.

All in all. I would recommend this new series for every Battlestar Galctica Fan.

I've you loved the new Battlestar series you will also love Blood & Chrome.

So say we all....

Why on earth this was placed on the back burner behind Caprica must be one of the most idiotic decisions ever.

This is what the fans want to see, it lives up to the original and increases the scope for visuals, suspense, battles and storyline.

I strongly suggest viewing the Web Episodes of this until Syfy broadcast the full pilot, if you enjoyed the excellent reboot of Battle Star Galactic then this will tick all the boxes.

A definite candidate for a full TV series, which if delivered as well as the pilot would definitely have high viewing figures.

Here's hoping SYFY and co get the message!

Blood and Chrome is the weakest piece of the modern Battlestar Galactica universe. Battlestar Galactica was brilliant because it combined superb acting, writing, direction, cinematography, special effects, and music. It was satisfying both intellectually and emotionally, probing compelling issues while also delivering adrenaline.

Caprica wasn't quite at the same level, or at least not as consistently successful. Like all prequels, it had to be both engaging in its own right and merge neatly with the existing narrative. It set up an intriguing world, populated with a somewhat uneven cast of characters, but the gap between where it began and where it would have to end if it was going to leave off where BG began was too great. That gap might have ultimately been spanned over the course of four or five seasons, but Caprica wasn't strong enough in its own right to be sustained for that long. Given how well any series must do in order to avoid cancellation, the producers of Caprica would have done better to plot out a two- or three-season series that would feel throughout as though it was building momentum toward BG itself. That was a tall order and they didn't manage it. Caprica is worth watching but feels unfinished. (Then again, the last season of BG itself wasn't nearly as good as what came before it.)

Blood and Chrome looks like a member of the BG/Caprica family but only superficially. It's weaker in almost every way, except perhaps visually. As a piece of generic space-based sci fi it's quite average: you've got space ships, good and evil, battle scenes, tension, death and destruction. But it's not actually interesting. It lacks any of the exploration of compelling questions that animated BG and, to a lesser extent, Caprica. BG and Caprica were series that might just appeal to viewers who didn't ordinarily care for sci fi. Not Blood and Chrome. It has nothing to say about the human condition, doesn't ask any questions, doesn't provoke any thought. In short, it lacks the critical core qualities that made Battlestar Galactica unusual and wonderful.

A very impressive pilot (I hope it's a pilot - but a good SyFy movie in any case) for still another addition to the Battlestar Galactica franchise. Creators Michael Taylor and his co-creator David Eick have picked up the saga post-Caprica and pre the 2004-2009 Battlestar Galactica series with a new tale centering on a young Bill Adama. Pasqualino and Cotton were excellent as Adama and Coker and the action filled plot is thankfully nothing like Caprica, which was sort of boring. This time we are back in space where the series belongs, shooting Cylons.

There is still a hint of the philosophical depth in Ronald D. Moore's re-imaging of Glen A. Larson's original series but the Taylor teleplay keeps the politic and morality questions to a minimum and we get treated to a lot of good old fashioned shoot 'em ups along the way. (Taylor and Moore worked DS9 for the Trek Franchise way back when, BTW, and David Eick worked on all the recent BG series.)

My only complaint was too little time for vet character actor John Pyper-Ferguson as a sort of bad guy (no spoilers here because he usually plays a bad guy, although some of us fondly remember him as a very funny bad guy in Brisco County Jr.) If we really do get a new series, maybe he'll be back.

BG fans should be marching for a reboot based on Blood and Chrome. This universe has plenty of room for more episodes.

****UPDATED 23 March 2017****

I just watched the Blu-ray release of Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome and I've added one star as it was even better than I remembered. There is a lot of material that didn't make this, the extended cut, (included in Deleted Scenes) that is worth watching, even though this didn't become the pilot I'd hoped it would be.