Okay, now that we are talking sci fi-- Battlestar Galactica!

[eilen]

I've been watching Battlestar Galactica on Netflix as I missed the entire series. I'm currently on Season 3. I find it ironic that it was a planet called Caprica going through a humdinger of a Pluto transit (well, the trouble started in Caprica and then extended throughout the other 11 colonies, which are also named for the 12 signs of the zodiac).

That and the war with the Ceylons. Who gave up bringing war on the humans, only to invade them again. The occupation of New Caprica by the Ceylons and creation of a human security force... hmmm parallel much?

I wanted to view BG before they come out with a second season of Caprica which is the prequel.

This is the first space scifi I have watched without alien life and lasers. They fight themselves and robots with bullets. Nothing is what I would call smooth and futuristic--they look and act like refugees and the old ships look like old ships. The characters gain weight, get rashy, suffer PTSD, take drugs, drink to excess sometimes and make mistakes.

[kentauros]

1. Although I know that BSG becomes more spiritual as it goes

(like B5) I think for most of us the astrology references were over our heads. It certainly was for me, other than the completely obvious, like the names of the tribes. Beyond that, they were just historically-similar names from our history. It was certainly a nice twist, but I have no good knowledge of astrology to get the finer points.

Still, I enjoyed the show immensely, especially the final season and episodes :D

[teenagebambam]

2. LOVE LOVE LOVE that show!

I also missed it on tv and caught up on DVD (it was a more prosperous time for me, so I own all the seasons - once I saw the first episode I was hooked!). Can't wait to talk to you once you've gotten to the end...

The astrology was also over my head, but I loved the way it played with religious ideas.

Caprica is great too, in a different way....less action, but even more thought-provoking!

[get the red out]

3. One of my favorite shows EVER!

Amazing! I loved the spiritual angle, the whole thing. My husband and I were both sobbing at the end of the final episode, it was just so overwhelming.

I like some British Sci Fi, "Dr Who" in particular. I did like "Torchwood" but that series worked so hard to be the anti-spiritual that it left a dead-zone in my heart on the finale that didn't heal for a couple of weeks, if it ever returns I WON'T watch it. "Battlestar Gallactica" was just the opposite.

[kentauros]

4. Too many science fiction shows (and books/movies/etc)

dance around the idea of including any semblance of spirituality into their productions. Stargate did that with the "ascended beings" or Ancients, and I know at least one of the creators vehemently balks at the very idea of anyone suggesting it's a spiritual topic, calling that "fantasy" instead of sci-fi. Well, that's a fine line to make, considering that in context it's all fiction to begin with.

Thankfully, there are a few shows (and presumably, books/movies) that don't have such qualms, such as BSG, B5, DS9, and the fine movie Contact. I would like to somehow instill in the other writers/creators out there that spirituality can be included and still make it fictional to most people. Sure, some people will be offended or simply can't suspend disbelief. They aren't the majority, so why market to them?

One thing about Dr Who, though, that I am not so enamored of, is their constant resurrection of old myths that normally are associated with good beings and turning them all into monsters. That's gotten old, fast. There are plenty of mythologies across the planet that offer enough evil monsters to choose from. Maybe someone needs to send them a spirits encyclopedia ;)

[get the red out]

10. One fairly recent Dr. Who episode...

One fairly recent Dr. Who episode was really wonderful though, IMO, sounded like it could have come straight from a "Coast to Coast" discussion; it was the episode where survivors of the "original" Earth sentient species was found living deep underground in suspended animation. They were Reptilian and had gone there to hide from some disaster that never came. I would like to see more of that kind of thinking. They weren't evil, but some of them, like humans, wanted to take the "low road". Great show.

[Kind of Blue]

5. From my perspective, the ending left me cold.

The only way to suspend disbelief with that one was to rationalize that it wasn't about Us but an alternate/parallel reality. Say more later when Eilen has finished watching.

Interesting point about Torchwood. I couldn't believe how utterly sad it was. I didn't even notice the anti-spirituality. I think it's from watching all those B-rated sci-fi movies of the '50s and '60s as a kid :D just straight up sci-fi like Dr. Who.

[Kind of Blue]

6. It is pretty fantastic. Now I have to re-watch

to really appreciate the use of the Zodiac. Thanks for pointing that out.
Right now I'm loving SG-Universe. It has kind of the same feel as BSG, and have been meaning to look up whether the writers are affiliated with the show. Even the music is similar.
Excellent BSG re-imagining because I absolutely couldn't take the original TV series though I loved Lorne Green.

[Cleita]

7. I have the whole series on DVD and every time I watch it

there is something new I didn't catch before. It's that textured. I haven't bought Caprica yet but will when I get the moola. What's weird is I can't get anyone in my orbit to watch it. They get confused or just don't get it.

[eilen]

8. I am so thrilled it has such a following

I don't have anyone around here who "gets it"-- and can talk about it. Once my Roku starts working again, I'll be able to rejoin Season 3. I'm so impatient, but I like to see it on the big screen.

[Ricochet21]

9. My girl and I

watched the entire series from Netflix. Yes, there is great irony re: Caprica, but we find little correlation with the others. I think the only ones mentioned are:

(sp?)
Arieion
Tauron mined minerals, made sense
Geminon
no Cancer
no Leo
Virgon
no Libra
Scorpion
Sagittarius, unruly rebels make sense
Caprica
no Aquarius
Picon

From what I can remember.

[eilen]

11. In the new series Caprica

There are many immigrants from Tauron. The Taurons favor ritual type tatoos indicating what family connections they have. They also seem to have created their own mafia-type organization. I have to say the key words for the Taurons are "Loyalty", "Family" and "Tradition". As a people they are more darkly complected than the Capricans, promoting the ethinic slur of "dirty Tauron". Lots of pride, protection of family. They have strong connections with other Tauron families by being what is the equivalent of god-parents.

The "Old Man" on BG-- Commander Will Adamo-- he grew up on Caprica but his family was Tauron. He views his ship as a family, bends rules to keep it a family.

The Admiral on the other ship Helena Cain is also Tauron -- she make harder, more cutthroat decisions to preserve the Pegusas which survived an attack on the Scorpion shipyards.

In Caprica, the main character Zoe is trying to escape to Geminon where she believes she will be adopted by Geminon parents. In the little of what I've seen on BG, the religious leader is Geminon. They appear to have strong religious beliefs, and I think that is where the "One God" followers/fanatics/terrorists originate from.

Libran was known for its courthouses and lawyers, and was the home of the Inter-Colonial Court. The planet had no official capital (see website below for citations).
BG--
Lee Adama's wife is Sagittaron
Baltar is from Aerilon (he is a very impulsive (and pretty self involved) character
Helo is Gemenon
Ellen, Tigh's wife is Pican

This link describes the colonies:http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/The_Twelve_Colonies_of_Kobol

[Shallah Kali]

12. BG is the awesomeist tv show EVER!!!

I still haven't watched the final half season because I don't want it to end!!! I love how gritty and real and yet spiritual the show was. After each episode I would feel a happy contented FULL feeling in my body and mind like I had eaten a wonderful meal with a variety of delicious dishes that hit every taste bud and stuck to every rib, almost needing to change into my eating pants to make enough room for it all :)

Just started watching it all over from the beginning with my Mom. She normally can't take sci-fi beyond original Star Wars, possibly due to Harrison Ford, but I begged her to give me 15-20 minutes to see if she got into it and she didn't tell me to turn it off. Instead she was disappointed I only had one disc and having to wait for the next one from netflix :)

[Silver Gaia]

13. Another huge BSG fan raises her hand!

And don't forget the incredible musical score for this series! The composer was Bear McCreary, and I think he is simply awesome. :) He does the score for Caprica, too.

If you've seen the Season 4 episode called "Someone to Watch Over Me," check out his blog post about that episode: http://www.bearmccreary.com/blog/?p=1597 Amazing stuff!

Here's a link to the current home page of that blog (there are a few posts in there about Caprica): http://www.bearmccreary.com/blog/

I love love loved BSG! I think my favorite character was Kara Thrace / Starbuck, but I loved them all. GREAT show!