The Sci Fi Channel held its upfronts Tuesday, March 18, and “Battlestar Galactica,” which will be entering its fourth and final season on April 4 at 10 p.m. Eastern Time, was the unquestioned star of the show. The cast came out to say how much they’ve loved being part of the show and speculation abounded as to what’s coming. Katie Sackhoff said they were on Episode 14, but all cast members claimed they haven’t seen anything of what’s to come or gotten any sign of how their stories will end. That’s their story, and they’re sticking to it. But who cares if they won’t speculate or drop hints – maybe they really don’t know – but one thing is for sure; they couldn’t be sadder to see it end, but they have great faith in the writers that they will make it work.
Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell, both veteran actors with prestigious filmographies, both count “Galactica” among the best work they’ve ever done and compelling among the many projects they’ve been a part of in their stellar careers. Olmos shared his particularly politically-savvy viewpoints with MO, saying that this may be the future we are headed for as today’s political climate goes. He also expressed deep sadness at the series ending as well as saying that what’s coming is a “terrible” and depressing. But they all seem to think fans will be pleased, because they were. Though writers did say that they weren’t going to tie up all loose ends, wanting to leave some things up in the air that are best left as such. Life after a huge success like “Galactica” can’t be easy either. Tricia Helfer told MO that it would be difficult to follow the series up, but she’s hoping to branch out beyond the world of Sci-Fi. When MO asked about her appearance on the CW’s hit “Supernatura l,” she commented that it was very interesting to do that part, it was a different kind of sci-fi, and she enjoyed working with the show’s creator, Eric Kripke.
The big news was that the prequel 2-hour movie, “Caprica,” has been greenlit, and to the surprise of some, they announced that casting had begun earlier that day. They hope to film in fall and have it by spring of next year, and they’re planning to continue the legacy of “Galactica” through webisodes, as Sci Fi becomes more and more of a cable network Internet presence. Executives expressed optimism over the legacy of the series, seeming to feel as others do; that this was the right time to end it, and allow it to rest, while it’s still at the top of its game. Several cast members even said that they feel this fourth season will be the best, allowing “Galactica” to go out in its finest hour. The network also has more new original shows on its slate for 2008-2009, and the prequel, set 50 years before the start of the series, is a hopeful start to a brand new series of its own.
In other Sci Fi news, the “Ghost Hunters” were in attendance. Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson told MO that they will be heading to West Virginia in upcoming episodes, but they don’t foresee a return to Waverly Hills Sanitorium, one of their best investigations in this writer’s opinion, in the near future. “They keep sending us to insane asylums. Think they’re trying to tell us something?” Grant joked. These guys are first class, wonderfully sweet and down-to-earth. As was all the Sci Fi talent! “Ghost Hunters” has its spin-off, “Ghost Hunters International,” but no one does it like Jason and Grant. “Ghost Hunters” is the best reality show on TV. Period. These guys set out from the scientific edge of the paranormal, and investigation means something to them. Taking their work very seriously and doing an excellent job of debunking the seemingly unexplained or helping out in the rare true instances of the unexplainable, it’s no wonder that Sci Fi is continuing to follow them for an
other season.
This past December, Sci Fi aired “Tin Man,” a creative and grand re-imagining of “The Wizard of Oz,” and this year, it will bring “Alice” to life, retelling the tale of “Alice in Wonderland” as only Sci Fi can. MO approached Steve Mandela, an executive with NBC’s cable network marketing division, about the cancellation of the USA sci-fi drama, “The 4400,” and whether or not the show could be brought to Sci Fi, even as a 2-hour movie, if only to tie up loose ends and give the fans closure, as the cancellation was a shock and great upset to many. Mandela answered that though they are enthusiastic about the series, they were having problems with the business end of the show, and he would only say that the possibility of them bringing it back was there and the network would love to do it, which was comforting to hear, even if it was only conveniently what I and so many other fans want to hear.
New episodes of “Galactica” begin airing next month, and the second half of the season should be coming in the fall, so this year holds the precipice of an entire universe as one of Sci Fi’s current keystone shows, comes to a close, and from all indications, it’s going to be an explosive conclusion. As Sci Fi branches out into webisodes and tries to explore life beyond “Battlestar,” the stars are shining brightly and the network is working hard to be cutting edge and truly earn its namesake. Because they are Sci Fi, after all.
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