"Caprica" versus "BSG": whose pilot reigns supreme?

Beware: spoilers ahead if you haven't seen "Caprica."

After an enormous brain lapse in which I completely forgot that "Caprica" was out on DVD, I finally watched it the other day and was mightily impressed. It got me thinking about the "BSG" pilot miniseries and ever since, I've been trying to decide which one was better.

It's a difficult call given that we have the entirety of "BSG" to look back on and see how all the pieces of the pilot fit with the plots and characters that eventually evolved from it. The fact, though, that "Caprica" is a sequel of sorts also provides a contextual backdrop that I think permits a comparison or two.

The major difference between the two ventures is, obviously, the action quota. Save for one really big explosion, there's no action in "Caprica." Its main focus is thematic, examining familial ties, morality and really, really poor judgement. There's a lot of that in the "BSG" pilot as well but the character-driven stories didn't really become the show's bread and butter until later in the first season.

The two pilots are similar, though, in their willingness to put potentially unlikeable characters at the forefront. Bill Adama was already an arrogant but admired prick at the beginning of "BSG," Baltar's apocalypse-inducing weasel-ness was already on display and well, then you have Caprica Six offing babies. There weren't really a lot of rah-rah awesome characters to hang your fandom on in that opening episode. The same is certainly true of "Caprica," which focuses on a bitchy but brilliant teen and her father, a defense contractor who really likes himself an awful lot. And then there's Joseph Adama, Bill's father, who's apparently hooked up with the Tauron mafia. There's a chilly mother and a creepy headmistress and oh hey, there'sCigarette-Smoking Man from "The X-Files" who I refuse to believe is ever dead unless I see a signed confession from Krycek.

The two pilots differ, too, on the cheese factor. As much as I love the "BSG" pilot -- and I do, I really, really do -- there is just a hint of cheese here and there, nestled in an otherwise perfect amalgam of drama, space 'splosions and character study. In fact, the whole "so say we all" thing at the end kind of makes me want to crawl under the sofa. I love you, BSG, but if I'd seen another golf clap with swelling music scene, we may have had to break up. The "Caprica" cheese factor is fairly low except, sweet fancy Moses, what the hell was up with those nightclub scenes? Did the producers read over their script and think, "Man, this is a lot of exposition. You know what would really liven it up? Naked lesbian nightclub sex and human sacrifice!" Dudes, seriously, why? There was no purpose to those scenes other than to show that Caprica has naughty people and apparently, their version of "The Sims" is really, really messed up.

The thing that I like most about both pilots, though, is the questions they ask about humanity and religion and family. "Caprica" really pulled me in with its question of what happens when technology reaches a point where anything can happen? Will we, as humans, have the strength or the willingness to hold ourselves back? Or will we, as Daniel Graystone does, do what we want because we want it without a thought toward the consequences? Is it okay to create a Frankenstein's monster version of your daughter -- or Joseph Adama's daughter -- because you want them back and the desire to play god is too strong to ignore? Hubris always has consequences, and this time it's going to be angry enslaved robots.

Before seeing "Caprica," I would have been hard-pressed to believe that any sequel or prequel to "BSG" would have pulled me in as much as the mini-series itself did but I was wrong. To me, "Caprica" was every bit as strong as the best of "Battlestar." In fact, as I was watching it, I couldn't help but think to myself, "This is the way 'Dollhouse' should have affected me when I first saw it. This is how intense that show should have been." Of course, "Caprica" doesn't have the millstone of Eliza Dushku around its neck so it's not a fair comparison.

Overall, "Caprica" and the "Battlestar" pilot finish in a dead-heat for me. I love them both, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how the rest of the "Caprica" story plays out...even if we all already know how it ends.

Odds and Ends

+ So apparently there was some sort of huge medical announcement over the weekend, some sort of new Doctor? Ah yes, just kidding, I had my ear pressed to the internets just like every other Who fan on Saturday, waiting with bated breath to learn who Doctor #11 would be. It's this fellow, Matt Smith, who is so young I feel compelled to babysit him:

Here's a very good interview with Smith and also with David Tennant, who I initially thought was in his jammies but that just turned out to be wishful thinking, talking about being The Doctor. Smith seems like a very charming young man and I'm sure he'll be a great Doctor. Of course, I still refuse to believe Ten is leaving... ETA: Forgot to include this article on possible new companions for Eleven. Lily Allen? Really?

+ The lyrics for the musical commentary for the musical Dr. Horrible are up and available on the Dr. Horrible website. Personally, I think all letters and e-mails sent to the Whedons commenting on the commentary should be in musical form, just to boast the meta content a bit more.

+ I like this story just for the title alone -- Top Ten Things Launched Into Space In 2008 -- from Wired. Look at these cute but very, very hardy little microbes that got rocketed into the great beyond to see how long they lasted in harsh conditions. The tardigrades, as they're called, did quite well, thank you very much. 'Course, that doesn't negate the fact that they look like the Michelin Man mated with a manatee:


+ An article on Wired's Sexiest Geeks of 2008, as voted by many, many apparently delusional male readers...who also like Stephen Colbert? Anyway, kind of a weird list to me but to each their own. At least a Deschanel sister made the cut.

+ SciFi.com has a new clip up from the Caprica pilot. Here it is at Galactica Sitrep. Speaking of Galactica, woo hooooo, only 11 more days 'til the big show. There's been tons of spoilers swirling around out there about the ending, but I'm keeping my eyes firmly closed. And here's a compelling argument from the Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan, who has seen the season 4.5 premiere, on why ignorance is going to be tres bliss come Jan. 16.

Polishing up the rabbit ears for a new TV season

Much as I’ve enjoyed watching absolutely nothing of consequence on TV for the last four months, save DVDs of “The Sopranos” which I’m about ten years late in recognizing is awesome, I’m extraordinarily thrilled that the new TV season is almost upon us. There are four new shows in particular that have tickled my fancy and which I’m hoping will live up to my inflated and childishly overwrought expections:

"Fringe" (debuting Sept. 9 on FOX)
Okay, even though there’s a Whedon production waiting in the wings, this may be the show I’m actually most excited about. Developed by J.J. “I’m fucking awesome at pilots and I spent $10 million on this one” Abrams, “Fringe” is about two FBI agents who are forced to work with an institutionalized scientists to solve unexplained phenomena. This series has a lot of things going for it: one, Abrams, who has yet to disappoint me with a series; two, it sounds like a total rip-off of “The X-Files” but in a good way, like they might actually know where they want it to go and how it will end – crazy! – and three, Joshua Jackson is one of the leads. Now, I was a “Dawson’s Creek” snob but I gotta tell you, I always liked that Pacey kid. This one rates a 9 out of 10 on my anticipation scale.

"Caprica" (mini-series debut in December on SCI-FI)
From the makers of “Battlestar Galactica” comes this prequel, set 50 years before the Cylon War and focusing on the interaction between two families: the Adamas and the Greystones. The latter has developed the artificial intelligence that will one day become the cylon race and result in the near annihilation of humanity. Honestly, I can’t keep track of whether “Caprica” has been picked up as a series or not, but from all the rave reviews the pilot has been getting, I’m guessing it’s a foregone conclusion unless every BSG nerd’s television breaks on the night of its debut and the thing scores a zero in the Nielsens. Truth be told, I wasn’t too amped up about the show until I saw some of the previews and now, I’m waiting as patiently as a golden retriever with a biscuit on its nose. The set design looks spectacular. I’m totally intrigued by the storyline. And who doesn’t love them some Eric Stoltz from time to time? This one’s hammering me with a 10 out of 10 in anticipation.

"Dollhouse" (debuting in January 2009 on FOX)
Holy hell, it’s a new Joss Whedon show! I’m trying very hard not to get my hopes up for this because Joss Whedon shows on FOX are like goldfish that you get at the fair. You fall in love with them and then FOX kills them…or something like that. The series stars Eliza Dushku (who, let me just admit right now, I kinda hated a lot as Faith on “Buffy”), Amy Acker (who I kinda loved as Fred on “Angel”) and he of the soulful forehead and sexy overbite, Tahmoh Penikett from “Battlestar.” The show revolves around a human lab rats who are sent out to complete various assignments and are given different personalities and memories to best serve their mission. The concept doesn’t really do it for me but then neither did the first couple episodes of “Firefly” and I quickly proved myself wrong on that one. I should just learn by now to “Trust in Joss” because he has never, ever done me wrong. Except on “Alien 3” and that totally wasn’t his fault. And hey, because this is a Whedon show, who wants to take first bets on who the lesbian character will be? I’m guessing Tahmoh but I could be reaching. Also, I can tell you right now that in the last episode, a beloved character will get killed off for no reason. I learned some stuff from "Buffy." Anticipation scale? I’m clocking in at a 8.5 on this one.

"Virtuality" (debuting sometime in 2009)
Another one from the makers of “BSG,” this show revolves around the Phaeton, Earth’s first starship, and the virtual reality modules installed on the ship to keep its human crew from going insane on a ten-year mission to explore the solar system. Naturally, things go wrong. The details are still pretty hazy on this one, but at this point, I’ll tune in to watch Ron Moore’s home movies so sign me up. Looking at a 7 out of 10 on the scale but only because I don’t know enough yet to know how awesome it will be.

I’m also looking forward to “Kath & Kim” but only because I tangentially knew Selma Blair growing up and she always seemed really nice. Also, she set fire to things in “Hellboy,” so, go Selma!

What are you looking forward to?