Summary
Taking flight in 2004, theBattlestar Galacticareboot changed the rules for sci-fi TV. Totally unlikeStar Trekand its many imitators, and even a massive departure from the original 1970s version,Battlestar Galacticaintroduced a lived-in, worn out, gray and grounded take on the sci-fi genre. There were no aliens (in the literal sense), few futuristic gadgets, and spaceships fired physical rounds or missiles instead of brightly-colored lasers. Whereas sci-fi traditionally positioned itself as outlandish escapism,Battlestar Galacticahit a more plausible note.
Running for four seasons,Battlestar Galacticacame to an end with “Daybreak” in 2009. Divisive though it might have been,Battlestar Galacticaendedon its own terms. The journey was over, plot threads were tied up, and any remaining ambiguities were left unanswered on purpose. Few sci-fi shows get that lucky, and evenBattlestar Galactica’s various spinoffshave been canceled prematurely.Battlestar Galactica’s spiritual successor actually ran two seasons longer than its inspiration, but still hasn’t received the kind of closure Adama and the gang enjoyed.
All 4 Seasons Of Battlestar Galactica, Ranked Worst To Best
Though Battlestar Galactica is an excellent series overall, not every season boasts the same success regarding plot and character development.
The Expanse Was Sci-Fi’s Spiritual Successor The Battlestar Galactica
The Expanse Wouldn’t Have Looked The Same Without Battlestar Galactica
The Expanse, based on the books by James S.A. Corey, began on SyFy before switching to Amazon, but despite earning a passionate following and critical success, never quite emulatedBattlestar Galactica’s wider impact. Regardless, Galactica’s fingerprints are all overThe Expansein terms of style, narrative, and themes. Visually,The ExpanseborrowedBattlestar Galactica’s philosophy of clanking realism when depicting spacecraft and faraway planets. Both shows had a version of warp drive infinitely less convenient than what Han Solo or Captain Kirk were used to, andThe Expanse’s gritty space battles owed a great debt to Galactica’s various dogfightswith Cylons.
The Expansealways refrained from stealing ideas or descending into parody, butBattlestar Galactica’s inspiration undeniably seeps from the Rocinante’s every crack and dent.
Battlestar Galacticawas unashamedly political in nature, dedicating entire storylines to power struggles not just between humans and Cylons, but also the various sparring factions within those camps.The Expansemirrored that theme with its own conflict between Earth, Mars, and the Belt, cooking up the same soup of sci-fi action, interpersonal drama, and political intrigue that madeBattlestar Galacticastand out from the sci-fi pack.
Battlestar GalacticaandThe Expanseboth staunchly refused to include traditional sci-fi alien villains. Aside from the artificial Cylons, the closest Adama’s crew came to meeting otherworldly beings was when they crossed paths with angelic versions of Gaius, Six, and Starbuck - ethereal deities, not aliens from another planet.The Expansefollowed that formula closely, with theProtomolecule soldiersserving as artificial enemies, then the so-called “Dark Gods” providing the ominous spiritual presence.The Expansealways refrained from stealing ideas or descending into parody, butBattlestar Galactica’s inspiration undeniably seeps from the Rocinante’s every crack and dent.
The Expanse Ended Way Too Soon & Needs To Return
Come Back, The Expanse!
The most crucial difference betweenBattlestar GalacticaandThe Expanselies in their respective endings.The Expanseconcluded with its sixth season, although due to the modern trend of shorter episode counts, it actually aired fewer episodes overall. While not exactly a cliffhanger,The Expanse’s endingleft an awful lot unresolved. The Dark Gods were still on the precipice of becoming a major threat, and season 6 introduced Winston Duarte - the character who would have become season 7’s villain.
Hope remains that, one day,The Expansewill be granted the same kind of grand finale that rounded offBattlestar Galactica.
Though opinions onBattlestar Galactica’s ending are still fiercely divided, the story at least felt finished when the sun went down on “Daybreak.“The Expanse’s series finale, on the other hand, felt like a show with three books still to adapt, but the door to a continuation remains at least slightly ajar.The Expanse’s franchise rights are ultimately held by Alcon Entertainment, which could feasibly revive the TV story if a suitable interested party like SyFy or Amazon became interested.
The Expanse Introduces Its Next Major Villain… With Just 2 Episodes Left
As the net closes on Marco Inaros, The Expanse season 6 introduces the next major villain from the books… even though only 2 episodes remain.
Indeed,The Expansehas already continued in comic book form.The Expanse: Dragon Toothproved a tempting enough proposition to set its Kickstarter campaign alight, and the series has enjoyed much acclaim since, but the story still takes place years before the book that would’ve been the basis forThe Expanseseason 7. Consequently, hope remains that, one day,The Expansewill be granted the same kind of grand finale that rounded offBattlestar Galactica’s genre-defining run on television.
Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica is a science fiction television series that premiered in 2004. The plot follows the crew of the aging Battlestar Galactica as they protect a small fleet of human survivors from the renewed threat of the Cylons, in a quest to find the mythical 13th colony, Earth.
