BATTLESTAR vs. DOCTOR WHO by reginaroadie

OTHER SCIENCE FICTION SERIES

BATTLESTAR vs. DOCTOR WHO

POSTED BY: REGINAROADIE
UPDATED: Friday, October 27, 2006 02:53
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Friday, October 20, 2006 8:51 AM

Hey All

Even though LOST is getting all the credit for re-vitalizing the sci-fi genre on TV, I think amonst true sci-fi fans, the two shows to be cheering about are the new BATTLESTAR GALACTICA and the new DOCTOR WHO. Amongst us here, which show do you prefer?

I admit that I really dig BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. Everything everyone has said about the show is true. I'm currently catching up with season 2, so don't spoil it for me. But the thing is, I actually side more with the new DOCTOR WHO as the better series, mainly because it has all that BATTLESTAR has, but has that one ingredient that BATTLESTAR clearly lacks, humor.

I laugh more in one episode of DOCTOR WHO than an entire season of BATTLESTAR. The Doctor, whose also a survivor of an intergalactic geocide, doesn't let the weight of the universe keep him down. He's always excited and very energetic, as opposed to everyone on Galactica, who are basically different degrees of misery. And it's becasue of those two things, that I prefer to immerse myself in the world of DOCTOR WHO than the world of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. GALACTICA's somewhat of a fun ride, but I wouldn't even want to visit let alone live in that world. On the other hand, I'd want to travel through space and time with the Doctor and whatever companion he has with him.

Besides, the Daleks can kick a Cylon's ass any day.

**************************************************
"I have no reason to believe you and every reason not to."
"Why's that?"
"You work in television."

STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP

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Friday, October 20, 2006 9:57 AM

CYBERSNARK

I'm with the Doctor as well. More fun. Also, Rose approaches Kaylee for all-out cuteness.

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We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

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Friday, October 20, 2006 12:15 PM

IMNOTHERE

Quote:
I laugh more in one episode of DOCTOR WHO than an entire season of BATTLESTAR.

If you want to compare chalk and cheese then you couldn't have chosen two more diverse shows - except probably Battlestar Galactica (New) vs. Battlestar Galactica (1970s).

I think that one of the reasons that BSG doesn't have many funny moments is that it aspires to the cinema verete/fly-on-the-wall/"ER" school of storytelling - in which dropping a joke in after 50 billion people have just been nuked tends to jar.

Most other space shows follow a more "Shakesperian" model* - stylised, carefully choreographed dialogue, speeches and soliloqies. This includes the tradition of following the grimmest tragic scenes with "comic relief".

This is most blatent in the original Star Trek as well as in British Sci Fi like "Who" and "Blakes Seven" (where half the cast were from the Royal Shakespere Company!) - but its also very noticable in Babylon 5 and Firefly.

I think this is one reason why SF shows are unfashionable - and why BSG has gained ground. Fans are used to the more metaphorical presentation, but mundane drama has been moving away from it somewhat.

However, one problem that Who is going to have is that some of those topical jokes are not going to age well (iPod? Massive Weapons of Destruction ready in 45 seconds?)... and I doubt many USA folk will get the one about "its going to be the best xmas ever in Walford!".

(*Or, if you find that a bit pompous, just plain camp - Doctor Who has always registered about 0.8 on the Gordon** scale)

(** Where "Flash! Flash! I love you! But we only have 18 hours to save the world" = 1.0 on the campness scale)

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Saturday, October 21, 2006 9:45 AM

FINN MAC CUMHAL

It’s extremely difficult to compare DW with BSG. BSG heavily employees realism to strengthen plausibility and add tension to the events. It’s also very mature. It’s not the kind of thing I would want my 10 year old watching. It’s easy to suspend belief and get caught up in the show; as such events portrayed in BSG can be very powerful and moving.

Doctor Who on the other hand is more prone to drama then realism. It’s not possible to watch Doctor Who and come away with the feeling that anything you’ve seen is plausible, so suspension of belief is almost never complete. I’m not sure there was ever anything funny enough in Doctor Who to make me laugh, although there are definitely some funny moments. “Lot’s of planets have a North!” Although the truth is I get more amusement from the absurdity implied in the show then any kind of actual portrayed humor. It's always fun to see what the Doctor is going to do next. The whole idea of linguistic conversion as a result of the TARDIS ‘getting into one’s head’ is a brilliant little bit of Deus Ex Machina. There’s few real logical reason for anything and few real consequences. It’s always the Doctor knowing or doing something or the TARDIS doing something that no one really understands.

The two shows, BSG and DW, are essentially polar opposites, so I don’t know that it makes sense to compare them and say that one is better then the other, although if I had to pick one or the other, I’d probably pick BSG, everything else being equal. I don’t have to right now.

Nihil est incertius vulgo, nihil obscurius voluntate hominum, nihil fallacius ratione tota comitiorum.

Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, nothing more obscure than public opinion, nothing more deceptive than the whole political system.

-- Cicero

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Saturday, October 21, 2006 11:16 AM

SAB39

I'm not sure I could pick one or the other either. For me, I think, Who is lacking in the serious drama quotient (not entirely of course - there are often some poignant moments - but generally you know they'll be forgotten by the next ep) and BSG is lacking in warmth and humor and affection - even the romances between the characters are shown disjointedly, sometimes to the point that it seems only moments of conflict get included in the show at all.

Add the two together, mix well, and you might get something approaching the all-around perfection of Firefly...

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Sunday, October 22, 2006 3:35 AM

CRUITHNE3753

We'll have to see how Torchwood turns out. A Doctor Who spin-off centring round Captain Jack, aimed at a more mature audience. Premiers tonight on BBC3. Americans will have to wait a little longer...

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Sunday, October 22, 2006 6:41 AM

CYBERSNARK

Quote:
Originally posted by Cruithne3753:
Americans will have to wait a little longer...

As, I'm guessing, will Canadians.

Anyone remember the good old days, when we got Eccleston's Doctor the same time as the UK did? Seems to me, being on good terms with the crown oughtta have some advantages.

This is why Canada never had a revolution, y'know. We wanted first-run airing rights to Dr. Who.

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We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

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Sunday, October 22, 2006 3:11 PM

KANEMAN

I would agree that this is like comparing apples to transmissions. I like both shows, but if told only one could be on-air, I would start my own campaign to make it BSG. BSG is far more believable because of the characters behavior. I think the show would not be a success if it had a lot of humor in it. Who would believe it? And the cinematography and acting are not even close...BSG is much better in both. I love that, at the end of a BSG episode, I don't always feel warm and fuzzy when it's over. Sometimes, it leaves me sitting for a week with a case of "uneasy". Other times I jump up "Whooting" and smiling. Right now I can't wait 'till Friday.

*edit*
I hope continued success for both. There is definitely room for both on TV

. I just think one is sci-fi/fantasy and the other is true sci-fi. I view Galactica as being a plausible future of mankind.

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Monday, October 23, 2006 2:13 AM

GRIZWALD

Quote:
Originally posted by Cybersnark:
...This is why Canada never had a revolution, y'know. We wanted first-run airing rights to Dr. Who.

Drat. What WERE we in the USA thinking?

___________________________________________________
High Priestess of Pork and Ag-Related Activities of the MYTHICAL LAND OF IOWA

Click on my profile for my Annoyingly Long List of Firefly Links.

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Thursday, October 26, 2006 1:40 PM

MALSGIRL

Quote:
Originally posted by kaneman:
I would agree that this is like comparing apples to transmissions. I like both shows, but if told only one could be on-air, I would start my own campaign to make it BSG. ....

*edit*
I hope continued success for both. There is definitely room for both on TV. I just think one is sci-fi/fantasy and the other is true sci-fi. I view Galactica as being a plausible future of mankind.

I'm know I'm probably in the minority here but if I had to pick to save one it would be Doctor Who. I like BSG but I by no means love it. More ofter then not it felt like a chore to watch it last season. Honestly I haven't watched any of the new episodes yet because I just can't get the interest up (I have them all recorded so pretty soon I'll watch them). With the Doctor it's always fun and I'm always looking forward to the next episode. I don't judge sci-fi or fantasy programs on how plausible their storylines are within the real world, if they stay true to their own reality that's all I need.

I do however hope both shows continued success. It's always better to have more good sci-fi/fantasy on the air then less.

_____________________________

"You will keep a civil tongue in that mouth or I will sew it shut."

http://www.savestargatesg1.com

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Friday, October 27, 2006 2:53 AM

PATSRULE

I would take season 1 and the miniseries of BSG over season 1 of Doctor Who. However, I would take what I have seen of season 2 of Doctor Who over season 2 or what I have seen of season 3 of BSG. I really like the new season of Doctor Who so far. For those that are saying BSG is realistic, I disagree. I especially think what I have seen in season 3 is really missing the mark of realism in a poor attempt to relate it to the Iraq war. However, the psychology of both sides is way off from what I think it should be.

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