Caprica

I loved it, having been a fan of the original series, I have always wondered what the back story would be - it didn't fail to delight me. I also love the fact that apart from Eric Stoltz I didn't recognise one person - this is refreshing, much like BSG. It has introduced me to a whole wealth of new talent - can't wait for the series to start airing. Well done to Ronald D. Moore and team - excellent job. The special effects, dialogue and acting were all spot on, and I felt emotionally tied up in the storyline. I know there are purists out there that will probably disagree with my assessment, but I felt that Caprica was far superior to most of the Sci-Fi stuff produced in the last decade.

After watching the rebooted Battlestar Galactica series I looked for something to fill the void and gave the series Caprica a go. Although I really enjoyed BSG, Caprica is also a really engaging story with brilliant acting.

If you are looking for a repeat of BSG then you will be disappointed. This series is completely different in tone, style and approach to the BSG universe. Instead of traveling space and battling Cylons you get a prequel series showing the development of cylons and a lead up to the 1st Cylon War/Apocalypse. This context of the show is set on the earth- like planet of Caprica instead of being set the ship/fleet of Galactica and the series Caprica is stronger as a result of this.

Eric Stoltz's acting is nothing short of superb. He portrays a father facing his demons and balancing the responsibilities of fatherhood and a demanding worklife. The special effects and props are well done, and add to the believability of a living breathing world and culture.

I don't know what else to say other than this show is worth checking out on itunes or DVD/Bluray if you are into well done hard sci-fi TV shows. This show is quite underrated and it is a shame that the show did not last longer than one season.

This series took a while to develop - I didn't know what the framework was for several episodes. Other BSG fans I know got bored and quit watching. That's unfortunate - there's a brilliant sci-fi idea and storyline here.

However, the series goes way overboard on all the religion and cultural stuff. It's interesting to a point - but then we need to get back to sci-fi material and/or sci-fi related plot development. This is probably the biggest problem with the show.

The characters, on the other hand, are very well acted. If they had right scripts, the combo would easily reach the heights that BattleStar Galactica did.

All in all, this is pretty good series with a lot of potential. If it picks up the pace and focuses more on it's sci-fi underpinnings, it would gain a bigger and more satisfied audience.

I selected my dog because his name is Apollo - this gives an indication of what a BSG fan I am.

So trust me when I say if, like I was, you are after more BSG you won't find it here. It's a bit of a rambling mess really and doesn't even begin to answer its own questions, (which I guess is why people were disappointed at its cancellation), let alone the questions you might have from BSG.

If you know that, and stick with Caprica, its a slow but ok show with some very interesting concepts (which don't connect with BSG, they just sort of 'could connect eventually' but really seem to be heading off on tangents).

Eric Stolz and the actor who plays his wife give good performances, I didn't know he was such a capable actor until I watched Caprica.

Zoe. Urrgh. But I guess this violent psychopath explains unevolved Cylon nastiness.

The intro gets really annoying because its nothing like what you encounter in the show.

Overall - an exercise in frustration but still worth it if you watch your expectations. I liked it a lot more the second time I watched it.

This series is set on the planet Caprica fifty eight years before the events depicted in the opening of 'Battlestar Galactica'; it shows just how the Cylons came to be sentient artificial lifeforms with their own faith.

Over the course of the series several intertwining plot strands are followed; primarily centred of two families; the Graystones and the Adamas. Dr Daniel Graystone is a cyber-engineer; he is responsible for the creation of virtual reality equipment and his latest project is the creation of cybernetic soldiers, cylons, for the Caprican military. He hand his wife Amanda lose their fifteen year old daughter in a terrorist attack carried out by a militant member of a minority monotheistic faith; the Soldiers of the One (STO); they have no idea that she is a believer. Joseph Adama loses his wife and daughter in the same incident. While Zoe may be dead she still exists in the virtual V-World as she created an avatar that is not a mere facsimile but a sentient being.

Over the course of the series we see the lengths Daniel will go to in order to try to get his daughter back, even in virtual form and Joseph seeking revenge. This will involve risking everything they hold dear and compromising their normal morality. Meanwhile Zoe explores her new existence both in the V-World and in the body of one of her father's new Cylons. We are also shown how the STO, under Sister Clarice Willow, are planning something that, using Zoe's creation, will bring on something referred to as 'Apotheosis'.

Having really enjoyed the rebooted 'Battlestar Galactica' I was a little nervous that this wouldn't be as good... I need not have worried. While this is a very different series it is still impressive; so much so that once I'd started the main series I had to watch several episodes each day! The creators did a great job creating a world that is similar to our own in many ways but has its own mythologies and technology. The cast does a great job bringing their characters to life; notably Eric Stoltz, as Daniel Graystone; Esai Morales as Joseph Adama; Polly Walker as Sister Clarice and Alessandra Torresani as Zoe. The special effects, both in the real world and the V-world are impressive. The series built up to a great finale... the only problem was that it was meant to be a season finale; we are even treated to hints at what is to come in a second season which was never made. It is a real shame the series was cancelled without being given a proper ending as there were many questions unanswered. Overall I'd recommend this to fans of hard sci-fi; especially if you enjoyed 'Battlestar Galactica'.