Why is Battlestar Galactica So Popular?

Since everyone seems to love it so much, I picked up the first DVD disc. It's not bad, but I wasn't blown away. For those who are big fans of the show, why do you like it so much?

Maybe it's the dearth of watchable science fiction currently? The Star Trek franchise kind of imploded, the Star Wars films are done, Firefly is gone. I imagine there's a bit of "rally-'round-the-flag-boys" going on, with the SF diaspora flocking to the few remaining outlets for new stuff (the new Dr. Who, Battlestar... anything else?).

i was told it got much better the second season and so did the ratings.

I liked Firefly a lot, but that was essentially a Western.
Your explanation makes sense.

It's just so well put together, such an emotional wringer. They successfully get me to care about the characters, while in every episode inventing an entire new dimension of pain to put them through - with the brief, vital moments of success and victory that are so much more precious because of it.

For example: every long-running sci fi as the "smash them with hammers" episode, where the crew/whatever is deprived sleep and put into constant combat for some reason to really run them ragged and to the limit. In Galactica this was the first episode, just to set the tone.

But if you don't feel the same emotional surging about the show, then it just isn't for you. Myself I can't even watch it if I'm tired or feeling down, as I need full strength to withstand the power of the mood.

Long term character development. I'm a big fan of it, and this show has it in spades. There is also a lot of moral ambiguity and quite a few characters who are ethics-challenged, making for some gritty storytelling. There is also some nice analogy to current events in the world.

It's frakkin awesome, end of story.

They are working on a sequel/pre-quel about a Microsoft-eque type company who creates the cylons and Adama's lawyer father who opposes it.

I watched almost two episodes, then stuck it in the mail. It was okay, I just couldn't get too into it.

More hot women than you can shake a dick at.

It's the rare combination of good writing, high production values and good acting in a SF series that hooked me. It manages to avoid most of the typical SF pitfalls - you'll rarely, if ever see a technological deus ex machina to resolve a plot, the "heroes" aren't universally good and the "bad guys" aren't universally bad, and it deals with fundamental questions of theu man condition rather than simple technological masturbation. It's just very well done all around, there are interesting character arcs that can take an entire season or more to flesh out, they're not afraid to kill off major characters and the plot lines have been (with the exception of a few late episodes in season 2) well conceived.

I've only watched the first season, but for god's sake DECLARE MARTIAL LAW!

This man always has his eye on the ball.

You may want to keep watching. S'all I'm saying.

Yeah, well, I'm a primitive with no cable, so I have to wait for a friend to buy the DVD's and watch them that way.

It's an interesting scenario, very high stakes, human characters (yes, even the robots), and they actually deliver continuous, interesting story arcs and at least occasionally deal with some of the implications of the set-up, which is fairly rare in SF television. Also, the fact that they built it based on what I hear was one of the cheesiest SF series ever is rather impressive.

I disagree that they're not afraid to kill off major characters, though. Have any of the genuinely major characters (or even semi-major) actually died? Still got Adama, Tigh, Roslin, Apollo, Starbuck, Helo, Chief Tyrol, Billy, Dee, Gaeta, Baltar, Boomer, Zerrik, etc.

Of course, I'm not conversant with all the existing episodes (I'm not saying what I've watched through so as to prevent inadvertent spoilers in a couple of cases that certainly *look* fatal.)

This last episode was incredibly good. Hardly any action to speak of just hardcore character development and some incredible plot twists to boot. Really really well done.

Yeah one of those people died. LIke, a while ago.

I agree with this, I also have to be in a certain frame of mind before watching it.

Again, I agree. You don't often see these production values in SF, especially right from Season 1. (Stargate got progressively better as the years went by, but if you look at the early episodes, some of 'em are pretty cheesy).

If you're referring to who I think you're referring to, the character is still more or less up and about. Not the same version of them, but with most of the memories. That's not exactly killed dead, if you ask me.

Nope, it's someone else. Tee hee hee hee.

Hmm. Well, still. There's been a lot of the usual TV "we'll put this major character in life-threatening peril. Nay, certain death!" and then back out at the last second business. For example, Apollo drifting off in a holed spacesuit....but rescued just in the nick of time!

True... none of who I would consider truly major characters have gotten iced. But important minor players have been zotted, if you will, from the show. It would be neat to see a show that had no problems about killing it's major characters off with impunity.

Another answer to the original question, in addition to all the excellent reasons brought forward so far...

Because so say we all.

so say we all.

They called that show Oz.