Battlestar Galactica: It Doesn't Suck

The new "reimagined" Battlestar Galactica series premiered last night on SciFi, and I must admit I was pleasantly surprised.

The first two episodes ("33" and "Water", both written by executive producer Ron Moore) dramatically improved upon 2003's meandering and uneven mini-series (a considerably better, 48-minute shorter cut of which aired last week on NBC, btw). The beautiful visual effects work by Zoic is now matched by strong writing, acting, and directing, resulting in an eminently watchable and even engaging hour drama that has unexpectedly earned a Season Pass on my TiVo (even if it doesn't quite match the more laudatory reviews it has been garnering).

Plus, Edward James Olmos is a badass.

However, I must admit I still dearly wish Tom DeSanto had gotten to make his more faithful Battlestar Galactica series, which had promised to be an inspired continuation of the original - at least before the rug was unceremoniously pulled out from under him by the powers-that-be. (The curious can download some pre-production artwork here.) And yet ironically, Ron Moore similarly had the rug pulled out from under him on his Dragonriders of Pern series, which just goes to show that the universe is a mysterious place. (And btw, having helped develop the tragically never-produced Bruce Wayne series with Tim McCanlies - not to mention the pre-bastardized Smallville concept - I can identify on both counts.)