Friday 12 December 2014

Advent 2014: Favourite Characters of 2014 – Day #12: The Crew of Battlestar Galactica

For the final day of my Advent Column, I look at the main characters from SyFy’s Battlestar Galactica reboot from Ronald D. Moore.



The Rules:

"As you’ve probably noticed from above, this is a new blog series dedicated to showcasing my favourite characters from 2014. I will draw from a wide variety of sources but the conditions are simple – I have to have either first encountered that character in 2014, (or a different iteration of that character in 2014, for example, If I were to use, Steven Moffat’s Sherlock Holmes, I would be allowed to as even though I discovered the character before the year of me writing the Advent list, I did not discover Moffat’s take on the character until 2014. Of course, I watched BBC’s Sherlock before 2014, but that’s just a standard example). I can also refer to groups of characters, for example, on a variation of a list last year, I used the Clone Club from Orphan Black, and the main cast from Stargate Atlantis. This will be used multiple times this year when talking about TV show characters – as they are generally better as an ensemble piece as opposed to an individual group.

And also, as is evident from the first character that I have used this year, Raylan Givens, I am allowed to pick characters from previous years as long as I have discovered them in this year. By discovered, that obviously means I have to have watched the first episode of the TV series in 2014, or alternatively, I am also allowed to include characters who I have become more attached to in this year that I weren’t necessarily so keen on before, for example, If a character did something awesome this year to raise their game and turn him or her into a new fan favourite than these characters would be allowed to be included."

Well, here we are on the final day and it was really only ever going to be one choice. Battlestar Galactica has quickly become my favourite show of all time since getting hooked on it in the first season and although I’ve taken a little break just around the Season 3 Part 1 finale to catch up on Justified before Season 6 returns in the New Year, I have loved every second of it. Well, almost every second (I’m looking at you, Black Market). The struggles of a desperate branch of humanity as they flee a superior robotic race intent on eradicating the species that created them is pulled off amazingly well and the biggest strength of this series is the stellar characters that the show has created. Sure, the groundwork may be laid down in the original series, which I haven’t yet got around to seeing, but for me, I don’t think anyone can replace just how awesome the characters that I’ve been a fan of here are. Over the course of the three seasons that I’ve seen every single changes in some form or another. Nobody is the same, that is, even if they’re still alive. Because the show certainly isn’t afraid to kill off major players in its cast.

The acting behind the series is incredible. Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell act as the two leading figures of the military and the civilian survivors of the Cylons (the machines hunting humanity) and are constantly coming to blows for most of the season as differences in politics and religion clash. It’s great to watch the characters change and grow over the season. Olmos’ Commander, Adama, and McDonnell’s President, Laura Roslin, really leave an impact in every scene as the leading figures of humanity. And that’s before you even get to the various cast – this would be a good enough lead actor and actress on their own, but when you add the likes of Katee Sackhoff (Rebellious, cocky pilot Kara “Starbuck” Thrace), Jamie Bamber (Adama’s son, “Apollo”), James Callis (Gaius Baltar), and many more, and give them the development that this show has given them, you know you have something good on your hands. It’s one of the strongest ensembles in a TV series and it’s great to see what happens to the characters and the journeys that they go on, with ever changing relationships and attitudes.

Battlestar is an example of how you can tell a good, powerful character driven story and still have plenty of science fiction drama going on in the background as the surviving humans desperately attempt to find their lost home, Earth. It’s compelling, unpredictable and hands down, my favourite show on television. The characters are among my favourites and it’s easy to see why they’ve topped this list. Nobody else comes close.

They’re just brilliant. And so is this show. Check out the (fan) trailer below.




You can find the complete list of Featured Characters here, as well as in the tabs below.  Feel free to let me know what your favourite characters of 2014 (that you discovered in this year) were in the comments section below! 


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