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Home » Blogs » Siege's blog » Will "Galactica" ever make it to Earth?

Will "Galactica" ever make it to Earth?

by
Siege

First, I want to admit that I have yet to see BSG: Razor. It's been recorded and is waiting patiently for me to find a few hours of spare time. See, I'm what you might call overly analytical. I can't just watch it and be done with it. I'll have to watch it, re-watch it, analyze it against the first three seasons, and likely watch it two or three more times just to be sure I didn't miss any of the important details.

That being said, the fact that the series sidebar is awaiting my perusal has me wondering when we'll start seeing season 4. This naturally leads to questions of what the season will bring, when it finally arrives. The answer, unfortunately, is greatly affected by the ongoing writers' strike.

See, Battlestar Galactica, like 30 Rock and Bionic Woman, have all been shut down due to the strike. No more scripts means no more episodes. Having lost interest in Bionic Woman, I am unconcerned about that particular shutdown. 30 Rock, different story. No Tina Fey makes me sad. But what really makes me sad is the prospect of Battlestar Galactica not being allowed to finish out its run in the style it deserves.

It seems the cast and crew of Galactica are among the list of those sent force majeure letters by NBC/Universal. That's fancy showbiz talk for we ain't gonna pay you until you have scripts to shoot. Oh, and by the way, you can't go work elsewhere without our approval 'cause you're still under contract.

Now, don't get me wrong, I get that no production might mean no pay. To me, that's not as big an issue. It stinks, but I get it. The part that gets me is the whole "you're under contract and need my approval to work elsewhere" power play. Seriously, do they think this will help?

Turns out, at least in the opinion of some, this power play by the studio heads is in fact a violation of the Screen Actors Guild contract. And no one expects SAG to sit idly by while such things occur. (Think they've started printing their own picket signs for when the current contract expires?)

What this means is that Battlestar Galactica season 4, of which 13 episodes have been completed, may never get the end envisioned by its creators. In fact, Ron Moore even said as much last week on his blog.

"Galactica's coming back, I frakking promise you that. But I am ready to put the rest of the story on the table and take the risk that I'll never be able to tell it, in support of this strike."

You go, Ron. The only problem is, his frakking promise aside, I don't feel any better about the prospect of a good Galactica-worthy end. In fact, I feel like heading for my window and screaming, "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take it anymore!" (It's bad enough that I'm starting to see promos for obvious filler shows, like the one I saw last night for a compilation of Grammy performances with accompanying commentary. No writers required, I guess.)

Galactica is not only the best sci-fi show out there, it's one of the best shows, period. To end it with anything less than the complete run as intended by the show's creators is an insult to them and to us as fans. So listen up, studio heads. Fix it. Make it better. Sooner, rather than later. Oh, and by the way, jerking the actors and crews around in the process is not fixing it. Of course, that's just my not-so-humble opinion. What do you all think?

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    • Submitted by
    Siege
    on November 27, 2007 - 1:21pm.
    TAGS :: 
    Aimi's picture

    It needs an end.

    Submitted by
    Aimi (51 posts)
    on November 27, 2007 - 3:25pm.

    Too many shows have been cut short without the proper endings they deserve,

    I hope that is not the case with Battlestar Galactica.

    deathbyblonde's picture

    Nooo!

    Submitted by
    deathbyblonde (313 posts)
    on November 27, 2007 - 3:33pm.
    Battlestar is not allowed to end without actualy ending.  It's such a great show.  Plus, I need my weekly Starbuch fix (Starbot just doesn't cut it).
    AdmrRzrKain's picture

    I'm not holding my breath

    Submitted by
    AdmrRzrKain (11 posts)
    on November 27, 2007 - 3:50pm.

     I can't imagine that this last season is going to unfold nicely at all. Maybe the producers should grab some fan fic writers? Even be for the strike I've been wondering if they get to Earth will it be boring? Do you think we'll at least find out who the 5th Cylon is?

    I hope it's Cain. I hope she resserected and is secretly living happily with Gina. Then again, I kinda wanted Bill and Beatrix Kiddo to work things out. Sigh I blame reality tv. It bores me to tears, it's uncreative, unimaginative-who writes that crap? NOBODY

     My Editor is on vacation. Peace takes work hippies.

    dypole's picture

    Wah.

    Submitted by
    dypole (255 posts)
    on November 27, 2007 - 6:48pm.

    This is some of the worst news I have ever heard. Damn it.

    But as someone else mentioned on the Speechless post, what are we supposed to do about any of this? NBC basically destroys the one good show left on TV, and I as a huge fan cannot let them know just how awful they've made me feel. I could just not watch anything BSG-related, but then the network will just use the low ratings as an excuse to cancel the show outright! What a catch-22. 

    "Out of the box is where I live." -Starbuck

    cosmiccowgirl's picture

    That would totally suck if

    Submitted by
    cosmiccowgirl (1077 posts)
    on November 28, 2007 - 1:01am.

    That would totally suck if they didn't get to finish the series. I pray to the gods of Kobol that the writers' strike ends soon.

    Quirky Koala's picture

    I don't get it

    Submitted by
    Quirky Koala (117 posts)
    on November 28, 2007 - 5:29am.

    I really don't get the studio's. The conflict between the writers and the studio's obviously started over money but the studio's can't be making any money while the strike is on-going and must be looking at loosing revenue from DVD sales and advertisement! It seems a little petty to me, as can be seen - the studio's don't have programmes without the writers - pay them what they deserve! [sorry end of rant now]

    On to BSG, they need to finish this show properly and with an ending it deserves. Everyone has put a lot of effort into making this the best frakking programe on TV at the moment. If they frak it up because of some penny pinching studio's I'm not gonna be happy!

    LostSoul's picture

    Of note...

    Submitted by
    LostSoul (107 posts)
    on November 28, 2007 - 12:45pm.

    Fear not, mother-frakkers...BSG will have a worthy ending...It'll just take a little longer than we're use to... ;)

    Those of us who are long time viewers; will know, that it takes forever for BSG to complete a single season...So, a longer wait; shouldn't surprise us, for the series' finale...

    The strike should have NO affect of the final season since, has been already stated by the actors and others; that the final season will air in two-parts...Beginning next year in April, I believe...And finishing up in Spring of 2009...I honestly believe that the strike should be over by then...

    Patience is a virtue

    Shasta's picture

    Filming vs. Airing

    Submitted by
    Shasta (89 posts)
    on November 28, 2007 - 2:16pm.

    I've thought of the strike as a delay for lots of stuff, but it hadn't occurred to me that shows like BSG would get the shaft. This show has to finish the way it's meant to!

    I also assumed that they'd be filming the entire season at once and that it was SciFi trying to get more money out of it by splitting season 4 into two pieces. Ugh! I have no idea where they're at with the shooting schedule, but I hope they have lots more to do.

    Studios telling actors that they can't go find work elsewhere is just ridiculous. Way to get support, guys!

    And on a different note, thanks for the picture of Starbuck in the boxing ring. Woo!

    AfterDiane's picture

    I have to admit..

    Submitted by
    AfterDiane (30 posts)
    on November 28, 2007 - 5:43pm.

    to have been bored a bit by a few of BSG's episodes during the second season, but the third season got me back big time.  BSG Razor has me getting totally distressed over the possibility that BSG might not get it's complete ending.  I've read that you might be able to get by with the last episode that was shot AS an ending if need be, you know that's not what the writers and creators had in mind.  Nor the fans, obviously.

    Here's to hoping for an equitable and satifactory end to this strike as soon as possible.

    happykt's picture

    I heard through the grapevine at Dragoncon ....

    Submitted by
    happykt (186 posts)
    on November 28, 2007 - 8:43pm.
    While I attended the DragonCon this summer in Atlanta, the actors that play the Chief and Apollo (Jamie Bamber) were highly uncomplimentary of the SciFi Channel. They basically said the network wasn't supporting the show, was only going to allow them to film about 20 episodes and then split those episodes into two different seasons (about 10 shows a year). Based on this VERY unhelpful writer's guiid strike, and the SciFi Channels reluctance to continue to finance BSG, I think the show is kaput. Sci Fi Channel did the EXACT same frelling thing with Farscape (they killed it), and frak this cheap *ass cable network, they are doing it with Battlestar Galactica by killing a bloody fantastic show.

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