by Ethan Johnson
May 2, 2006

I was going to write something else about the new and improved Battlestar Galactica TV series, but Dave Rogers won't shut up about it (grin) and he has recently proposed that the Mini Series that kicked the new series off be "freed" as a free download on iTunes.

I agree, but see, I'm not waiting around for the red tape to get cut and the mini series "freed". I'm taking action now. Through the magic of the popular internet, and home DVD burning, I have burned an illicit "loaner" copy of the mini series. Think of it as the "free" foil-wrapped ball at the rave: First one's free, the rest cost. (I'm told.)

I am not seeking or intending to rip off the Sci-Fi Channel or the BSG cast and crew. The point is, it all begins with the mini series. Expose the right people to the show, and boom, they're hooked. They're renting and/or buying the DVDs. They're queueing up for Season 3, which means ratings, which means advertising dinero. But to get people believing in other planets, you have to get them to look through the telescope. Thus, the loaner.

One thing that Dave has expressed concern about is that people may be turned off by the name of the show to give it a fair shake. It's like David Cronenberg lamenting that Jeremy Irons was not nominated for an Oscar™ for his role(s) in Dead Ringers because by and large, the Academy doesn't give awards for horror movies. I suppose that Silence of the Lambs was the exception. (Boy, was it ever.)

I agree with Dave Rogers to some extent about this, but there is "old series taint" in the mix. The original series was equal parts ground-breaking TV and cheese. The ground-breaking part is standard practice nowadays and it is easy to gloss over the significance of a show that used multiple episode story arcs, and reasonably cutting-edge special effects for its time. The cheese is pretty overpowering, and Dirk Benedict's incredibly wrong-headed remarks can't be helping either.

The thing is, the new series just doesn't "click" without beginning at the beginning (of the new version) and watching the mini series. Here's a hint: They don't re-hash the plot points every episode like they do on 24. (Side note: I love how some random character is forced to recap the events of the previous hour "5 minutes" after the events occured. They don't do that on the new BSG. If you don't know why Baltar keeps looking incredibly guilty about something, you'll never know, until you watch the mini series.)

The caveat is, you have to know me and exist within arm's reach of my physical person to borrow my loaner DVD. I did the same thing with Lost: I made a "pirate" DVD of the pilot episodes and loaned that out to any interested parties. After that, they're off to [wherever] to rent or buy it. Come on, the plane crash scenes were so incredibly jarring that we knew we were screwed the minute we saw the tail break off in mid-air. That's the free foil ball.

Like any good hustler, I know not to burn my source. If you like BSG and are geeked about seeing more, please show your appreciation with cash. It'll motivate and allow them to make more episodes. <EM>