What We Know About Peacock’s New ‘Battlestar Galactica’ Series
What the frak is going on with that Battlestar Galactica “reboot”? Producer Sam Esmail has been dropping intel on the Peacock show these past few months, and fans of the Syfy version of Battlestar Galactica will be glad to know he has no intention of ruining the franchise’s legacy. (So say we all.)
Scroll down to discover everything we know about the upcoming sci-fi series.
Sam Esmail is onboard as executive producer
The Mr. Robot creator, who’s also an executive producer on Homecoming and Briarpatch, is developing the series as part of his overall deal with Universal Content Productions. According to Deadline, Esmail told NBCUniversal execs that BSG was one of the properties he was most interested in—and he’s a big fan of Ronald D. Moore’s 2004 BSG remake, which aired for four critically-acclaimed seasons on Syfy.
“It was this sci-fi show that didn’t feel incredibly sci-fi-y,” Esmail said of the predecessor series in a Hollywood Reporter interview this past October. “It was grounded. I felt like I was watching a war film—so allegorical because it really was talking about 9/11 and the post-terrorist attack environment in a really human way. It was groundbreaking television in how serialized it was before that became popular among the other dramatic shows.”
It’s inspired by the 2004 series but is not a remake
“BSG fans, this will NOT be a remake of the amazing series @RonDMoore launched because… why mess with perfection?” Esmail tweeted the day the project was announced. “Instead, we’ll explore a new story within the mythology while staying true to the spirit of Battlestar. So say we all!”
Carole Segal/Syfy
It’s not strictly a reboot
From Esmail: “The word ‘reboot’ was used when we were first talking about it, and I cringed. Ronald Moore, he just hit it out of the park with his series, so why would I even want to touch that? I talked to him and said, ‘A, are you OK with this? And B, if you are, how do we proceed?’ He said he was OK with it as long as it wasn’t a reboot—which was in line with what I was thinking. But the world of Battlestar Galactica is so rich, the mythology is so interesting, that I think there is a lot to pick from and explore.”
Michael Lesslie will write and produce
The creator and showrunner of the AMC spy drama The Little Drummer Girl is tackling the scripts for the new BSG. “I am beyond excited to be taking on this iconic and inspirational show,” he said when the news was announced earlier this month, per Deadline. “As a lifelong devotee, I know that the possibilities of Battlestar Galactica’s world are infinite and that each iteration has raised the bar for epic and intelligent sci-fi storytelling. The teams at Esmail Corp, UCP, and Peacock are second to none, and I already know that we are going to honor Glen A. Larson [creator of the 1978 Battlestar Galactica series] and Ronald D. Moore’s landmark series and break new boundaries with our own vision. It’s a dream come true—one I just can’t wait to share with fans, new and old alike. So say we all.”
It won’t be a limited series
Esmail confirmed this month on THR’s TV’s Top 5 podcast that the new Battlestar is being developed as a long-running series. And after shirking television convention by making Homecoming a half-hour drama, Esmail said that the form of the new BSG will follow its function: “There might be episodes that are longer than others. There might be a three-arc episode that could stretch along three episodes. There might be a standalone episode that’s a half-hour long. We want to play around with all forms. We don’t want to put any guardrails at all. We want to just tell the best story possible for each episode. … What we’re doing here is, every episode, you have the opportunity to change up the tone, to change up the point of view, to tell a different story, to dissect one thing or to go massively wide on another thing, so we are going to lean into that, not shy away from it.”
It will be a political allegory, like its predecessor
Just as the 2004 BSG mirrored the post-9/11 world, the new version will have something to say about the political climate here on Planet Earth. “Mike just had this great take, and I’m not going to go into it because obviously I don’t want to spoil it for fans, but you kind of see it in The Little Drummer Girl, where politics plays a big part in it but without comprising the entertainment value,” Esmail said on the podcast. “Because in my opinion, you gotta have that. That’s [the] number one priority. I want people to be excited and emotionally invested and on a thrill ride, but at the same time, I think Mike is going to bring a lot of depth and parallel or mirror what’s going on in the world right now.”
No casting has been announced
The new BSG might be a long ways away. In the May podcast interview, Esmail said the team was “just focused on writing” and had “no casting updates” to share. Still, that hasn’t stopped former BSG actors from throwing their hats into the ring…
Conversation59 Comments
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Comments are closed on this story.
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O
Current political allegory?
I hope this show doesn't get ruined by pushing agenda, like so many current shows
25 4
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B
0% interested in more political commentary from the entertainment industry. I'm good for the next 999999 years on hearing how the elites feel about politics. Pass.
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Thanks for letting us all know.
15 17
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O
Amen.
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B
You lost me at political comment. Another "entertainment" series with an agenda. No thank you.
46 27
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G
Unlike the others I am hopeful. I liked the last one a lot, despite the iffy ending.
19 1
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Loved the original
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G
I'm cautiously optimistic about this. The reboot was an excellent series and was not just political commentary, but an often brutally truthful commentary on the human condition; even when that commentary was uncomfortable or flat out ugly.
If they can recapture that, I'm onboard. I just worry a little bit that they won't be able to. There's just something about Ron Moore's projects that tend to be very special (thinking BSG, portions of DS9, and For All Mankind).
19 4
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R
Hollywood commentary on politics is the last thing I want in a new series, mostly just because I already know what stance they will take. Sci fi doesn't ask questions anymore. They just tell you what to think. I'll probably skip it.
21 10
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R
Please god don't let this come out woke
12 2
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O
But they don't have systamatic racism, white privilage or any of the deluded things you're thinking of in a real war for human survival... for a start in a world where there are less than 15,000 people left and diminsihing there isn't much of a system, the things you speak of simply don't exist. If I was in a war where my entire race was being slaughtered, the last thing I would be thinking or even caring about is how superior I am, how privliged I am, if I'm black or white or whether or not the guy next to me was a closet homosexual. TBH if they made a series like this I wouldn't watch it because it is bogus... rediculous. I'm pretty sure if your survivaly was at stake you wouldn't be worried about how you like to have sex, what you look like or what other people that are not like you in anyway, have or do.
10 1
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G
because that's never been how scifi is? We just tend to forget because we're watching old shows without the context of the time they were made in.
10 2
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G
After watching Sam Esmail's superb Mr Robot I have high hopes for this project.
14 6
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Good scifi explores political themes in another context so we can see it with fresh eyes. BSG did a great job with this, especially the New Caprica episodes.
It's worth remembering that any show you view as "non political" actually is political - it's supporting the status quo.
20 13
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I would have a 2nd fleet with 1 or 2 other battlestars and a few other military vessels gather another civilian fleet on the other side of the colonies heading in a different direction, picking up 15 ship fleet abandoned by Pegasus. They wouldnt be looking for Earth but another planet to rebuild on - the remaining Basestars crewed by 1s, 4s and 5s would eventually catch up with them in season 2 after the destruction of the Cylon Colony.
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C
"I DONT LIKE POLITICAL COMMENTARY IN SCIFI!"
Name one scifi that wasnt built on political commentary at the time?
Startrek
Alien
Starship troopers
moon is a harsh mistress
Forever war
Dune
Almost all HG Wells
Foundation
Etc
Etc
8 2
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O
"...... the new version will have something to say about the political climate here on Planet Earth". So in other words Evil Cylons will be white in color, and the Good guys will be clones of AOC who fight with crayons and elmer's glue. Good Luck with that........
6 1
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B
Good to hear it. Looking forward to a great new series.
11 6
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O
If you watched the show, you'd understand what that means. The show was basically about a power struggle back and forth between the Galactica and the president of the colonies, while running from the Cylons that had a power struggle going as well. The series was brilliant and provocative
5 1
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B
Political allegory? I'm out.
6 3
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C
Mr. Robot started off great, but lost the plot somewhere along the way, and ended rather weakly.
4 1
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R
Nothing new in this article, wasted my time reading it!
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J
Since there's so little "news" to write about these days regarding TV, they're apparently resurrecting old articles. Or creating fluff stories that contain no actual news. Eh, can't blame 'em, they gotta put SOMETHING on the site. And this article did attract both you and me to it. :-p
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Me looking for what I did not already know
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C
I’m sick of any political views!
How about a show where the bad guy is bad and the good guy is good!
18 16
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G
As always, I will wait and see.
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G
Why doesn't he soft reboot the Babylon 5 series?
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P
Because in REAL LIFE. There are no totally "good" or even "bad" guys. THERE'S seldom NOT shades of gray when you FULLY dig into the ENTIRE story. Remember that old adage there's more than ONE SIDE to any story, there's YOUR SIDE the other persons side and the truth somewhere in the middle-ish.
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B
Loved both Battlestars and it was left with a large possibility for another one. There are many roads they can take here as Cylons never truly die.
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O
Absolutely not: political commentary. Blech!
20 19
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So gay.
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P
Dear God just don't let them dexter-wash Apollo again!
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G
We have been hearing about this forever. Get it done. Then get Stargate done.
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P
how do you apply to be a writer for the series?
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O
Human nature doesn't change yet some people refuse to accept it as-is. Racism, sexism, classism and tribalism define our natural boundaries where we live most comfortably. We challenge these boundaries at our peril. As such, I'm ok being a racist, a casual sexist, enjoying my wealth advantage and wanting men to act like men and homosexuals back in the closet (or under them). They have their problems and I have mine. I could care less about people who don't look, speak, worship, and act like I do. Sometimes I think our society only permits all this "diversity" in order to justify turning it into a police state.
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O
If my survival was at stake in a refugee resource-poor environment I would look for every advantage to better me and my family's chances. Race, bigotry, subterfuge, deception, privilege, sex-appeal, politics and good old-fashioned fist-to-face would be on the table. Period. And so would everyone else. We have 'wokes' because we're resource and opportunity rich (and they need a purpose in life). Take away the cushy life and all that disappears as hardcore competition returns.
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O
BSG 1.0 was the tweens' sci-fi show. It's so boomer-bubblegum today that it's not even watchable past the first hour.
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O
We watch train-wrecks to the end too. Don't mean we like em.
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O
Please no more f-ing stupid refs to god. I don't need reminders that some people are still at the level of savs dancing around a fire.
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O
They're either nuts or lying. BSG 3.0 has to be a complete reboot regardless of what RDM says otherwise the foundation story is lost. Let's be clear about what made BSG 2.0 great: it wasn't sci-fi. It was gritty hardcore realism in a sci-fi setting with characters driving the story rather than technology. I'll say it again: RDM's BSG wasn't sci-fi. It was the football and ROTC squads breaking into the sci-fi club, beating up its members, breaking their toys, shredding their artwork for toilet paper and urinating on their backs. Rather than representing a progression in the sci-fi genre it was a sneering rejection and insult to it.
Nor was it perfect. The story was often contrived, characters were archetypal, deus ex machina was frequent, and the overuse of "Lost"-inspired emotional button-pushing cornered the creative team into the lamest of endings. Strong acting, beautiful special effects, and sheer novelty held it together. Fans who regard RDM's vision of BSG as sacred need to get a life, some personal pride, and a friend who knows the diff between good sci-fi and its schoolyard bully nemesis.
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B
Lol all of hollywood is liberal. Why don't you go watch some compelling, awesome critically acclaimed media that alt right-wing conservatives create instead? OH! Wait...... there isn't any. 😁
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R
Tell me how the Teletubbies are political?
Not everything is political. Lots of science fiction actually eschews being overtly political. Instead following thematic, historical or simply mirroring.
you can make entertainment for entertainments sake.
Its like when I saw people talking about my art... They were talking all this BS. "why did he use such blue tones" ... Erm... Cause what I painted is polished chrome and I was wearing blue that reflected! "I think the asda bag being in a puddle is a statement on consumerism" nope the statement was the homeless woman on the bench... Pretty obvious.... Wasn't being fancy. The bag is there because somebody threw it there. Wasn't an artistic choice. "yeah yeah, the bold choice of lines show conformity" nope.... It's a 1970s high rise block of flats... Wasn't going for "industrial" or "brutalist" ... its this is where i do my degree and the city is filled with these.... Not my choice... Would much prefer to do something with more natural lines to test myself ... or my final favourite "This... eclectic. Its like saying we are all different in different boxes all alone. The white borders give it a clinical starkness" oooooops. shizzle. Sorry, my dude. I accidentally put up my rubbing swatch. It's not art, you dingus. It's just reference material.
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R
To boil the allegories of BSG into such... yeah...
I worry that the person only saw "9/11" and missed the tons of other stuff involved: such as talks about feminism from both sides (With Rosilin having to criminalise abortions) all the way to how politics work (that even the nice school teacher tries to steal an election when arrogantly thinking she is just) ... Not to mention the ideas of religion and moving from old religions such as Judaism, Hinduism and Islam that verge on polytheistic ... Remember Christianity was the new kid on the block and was truly monotheistic.
You could write a whole paper on this and yet the director boils it down to a worryingly oversimplified sentence... Yeah... I worry.
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C
You obviously have not watched BSG. If you had, you would have known that that racism, privilege, labor rights, religious bigotry etc was a massive part of the super successful BSG remake.
Just because it's the end of the world doesn't mean human nature changes - as you can get a glimpse of during this pandemic.
3 3
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R
That would probably be too much like "Caprica"... And we all know how that went so probably not a good idea.
1 1
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B
Oh god shut up.
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G
I'd like to see a series that features the Cylons in Earths future as the reimagined series said something like, "thIs all happened before and will happen again"
1 2
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O
Can't wait!!
3 6
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P
I hope BSG gets to meet ET
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G
if writers were the liberal elite it might not be so screwed up
1 6
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C
The 1977 BSG was perfect. The 2005 was PC garbage
5 14
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C
That is unfortunate because Ron’s BSG sucked. Sure, the hired critics liked it, but it had no audience. It ran alongside Star Gate, a show that was (at the time) 7 years old, tired, and on its way out, and it still couldn’t match the has-been show’s ratings. Hell, it couldn’t even match the ratings for Sponge Bob Square Pants.
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A commentary on current politics? Can't wait. The original was daring in respect to how it covered the war on terror when no other show was able to. I sincerely hope Sam Esmail is brave enough to address white supremacy, white privilege, systemic racism and heteronormative culture in America. BLM 🏴 LGBTQIP 🏳️🌈 #RESIST ✊
3 25
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O
no thanks, didnt like the re-make they did before, ESPECIALLY the stupid ending , so not looking forward to this "take" either
10 36
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O
The why are you reading the article if you are not interested?
10 6
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G
You're in the vast minority there.
20 9
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But there's only a very few BSG nerds on here. The ratings will tell the tale regardless of what you think.
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B
So you didn't like the show but still watched it up to the ending? If you don't like something then I wouldn't expect you to watch it.
13 5
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O
never said i watched til the end, didnt NEED to, it was so colossally stupid, it was posted about and alot of people talked about it, not everyone liked the show, and especially the ending.
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