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Some B5-Galactica Similarities

Truth_Seeker

Regular
I've almiost finished the first season of BSG and I think that the story arc is very good.I've found some interesting similarities with B5:

Dr.Laura Rosen("The Quality Of Mercy")-President Laura Roslin

C&C(B5's Command Center)-CIC(Galactica's Command Center)

EarthForce One-Colonial One

The Cylon Raider is organic-The ships of the First Ones are organic

In both stories there is a very old prophecy that comes true.

I have nothing against Galactica, actually it's a fine story.Commander Adama is my third favourite CO after Sheridan and Sinclair.Very confident and determined.I just thought that some of the things sound familiar.
 
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Well, I will preface this by saying that I'm not sure that Ron Moore (creator of BSG: Reimagined) has watched all of B5. In one interview, he was asked if a season 3 episode idea was taken from B5's "Z'Ha'Dum," (I won't spoil it for you by giving details,) and his response was something like, "I've never seen that episode" or "I've never watched Babylon 5."

But, Ron Moore also knows OF Babylon 5 and OF JMS. He mentioned in another interview that he "recalled" that JMS had the last episode of B5 locked in a vault and he did not intend to do that with his show.

So, my guess is that he's seen some of the show, or he's simply heard about it and researched it to some extent from a writer's/creator's point of view. A good writer is a good reader and watcher. You can't just up and write and create a masterpiece these days. You have to research and that includes reading your arse off (or watching other science fiction/drama.)

The show has been compared to B5 a lot and there are more similarities, but I don't think they are such that are confined only to these two television shows.

CNC(B5's Command Center)-CIC(Galactica's Command Center)

NMCC - National Military Command Center. There are only so many ways you can rearrange those letters, imho.

EarthForce One-Colonial One
Air Force One
Earth Force is the name of the Earth Gov't. Natural to call the president's ship "Earth Force One"
Colonial One - the ship of the 12 colonies.
Again, I don't see that anyone was copying anyone.

The Cylon Raider is organic-The ships of the First Ones are organic
I don't think the cylon raiders are organic. They are metal with metal outsides (and living tissue on the inside--a brain if you will.) The toaster models are also not "organic" in the same sense. But, I do think there are similarities in that the smaller shadow fighters take a living being as a "battery" and Starbuck had to gut out a raider and navigate the ship herself.

I also have not ever seen the skinjob models on Galactica regenerate and adapt like a Shadow ship or a Vorlon ship might. I recall that the White Star ships could repair themselves. I don't see that capability with the raider models. I think they need outside help and are just as vulnerable as the skin jobs (wait until season 2 and 4 to fully think that over--specifically the episodes "Scar" from season 2 and "One of Six" from season 4.)

In both stories there is a very old prophecy that comes true.
Well, that's the case for many stores across many genres. :) Dune is the first that comes to mind, King Arthur legends, etc.

I'm not totally disagreeing that things do seem similar, but I don't think there is any kind of borrowing going on that is conscious. I think some of these ideas are just universal to science fiction and fantasy stories (being that these stories are--in my mind--the last of the great epic adventures in fiction these days.)

Other similarities that come up: stims in B5. Stims appear in Galactica as well (season 1 and through season 2.) But, this is also another street name for speed and other amphetamines here on our present day Earth.

I also see similarities a lot across many sci-fi shows, but the ones you have mentioned definitely remind me of the other show (respectively.)

It's also good to see another Galactica fan in the making. Just wait until it really starts to get rolling. =) You can play "guess the cylon" with the rest of us! Keep us Galactica fans updated on where you are in the series if you want. I'm always up to discussing the show (esp. in the Other Television/Movie section of the board.)
 
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"Guess the cylon" sound like an interesting game.I'll definately try it when I get to Season 4.As for the similarities I suppose that it's the same with all the sci fi shows because every writer was influenced by another one but not every writer admits it.
 
I agree entirely, but I also think it's hard to stay fully original, especially when you're in space. I know that both shows have a thing for throwing peeps out the airlocks. They called in "spacing" in B5, but I can't recall if they have name for it in Galactica, just Roslyn saying, "Shoot him out the airlock." Go President!

And "guess the cylon" gets even more fun at the end of season 3. (grin)

I'm so excited for you! hahaha. I just keep thinking what you're in for (without revealing too much)

Admiral Cain
Scar
Hera
Athena
Downloading
Big Badda Boom!

YEAH! I have to go watch an episode now just to sate my giddiness. Mmmmm.
 
"We see what we look for and we look for what we think we will see." --JMS

I think you're looking for similarites that don't really exist because the stories are so different (it's C&C or C and C on B5, btw). Now there *was* a true reference to Trek last week in the location of a certain meeting that took place. ;)

Jan
 
I suppose I'm comparing every tv show to B5.

Good point about C&C.It may sound like CNC but it's actually Command And Control.
 
How can you not compare every show to B5? It's the top of the line! We'll forever be chasing the B5 dragon, I'm afraid.
 
Both shows also have interesting mythology elements to them (as does Stargate). Not much new under the sun as long as sci-fi shows are made that borrow heavily from the American system of government. Which is far from universal on the planet.
 
The First Ones ships are pure organic while the Whitestars were Composite. That is metal or non living frame with an organic hull. The Cyloon Radiers are also composite, in that they have a metal hull and frame with an organic innard. The Baseships are the same.

The Skinjobs, alternate between having internal circuitry and not. THIS IS A PLOT HOLE.

The series riffs every SciFi program that I can think of except maybe Dr. Who.

The "Scar" episode is a direct riff of Space Above and Beyond (S:AaB)
 
See, I listened to the podcast of the writers for "Scar" and one of them said he always wanted to do a show that went into the minds and "life" of the viper pilots. I guess I can't see why that's a rip-off? It seems a common theme to me. As someone once said, are there really any original ideas out there anymore?
 
Now there *was* a true reference to Trek last week in the location of a certain meeting that took place. ;)

Jan

I noticed that too. Tigh, Tyrol, and Torrie met in room 1701D. I thought that was a neat in-joke, but I was surprised they didn't find a more subtle way of nodding to Star Trek. Who doesn't recognize the numbers 1701, and of course, the D narrows that down to TNG.
 
I'm not sure but what the art department isn't responsible for things like this (or was the 1701D referred to in dialog? I don't recall that it was). I recently bought some plaques that were on cases from Crusade and one of them listed as contents 'THX 1138'. ;-)

Jan
 
THX1138 ... a movie I have never seen, nor have any desire to see, but still recognise the title and significance of immediately. Does that say more about me, or George Lucas?

:p
 
Ronald Moore has stated that the Galactica is patterned off a WW2 aircraft carrier, even before the new compartmentation numbering system in 1949; there were NO compartments on a ship that was designated "D" The place had seats and a table, so it shoule de designated 1701-L although there should be numbers and letters before the 1701 denoting direction from centerline, section of the ship (pre 1949) and deck number.

The man is so bankrupt for Ideas that he is riffing his own work or at least others work that he took credit for.

As for the "Scar" episode, have you actually watched the S:AAB episode, Angriest Angel?

James
 
Dude, its cool you worked in the military and all, but that whole 1701 thing was just an in-joke, plain and simple. A bit like the Corellian corvette, Starship Enterprise and Serenity ship that all turn up in the fleet in new BSG from time to time. Everyone in TV and film does this. It was not direct evidence of RDM's lack of imagination. You really need to relax a bit more.

B5 is full of references to Captain Power, in fact B5 is even mentioned in a Captain Power episode.

Now the SAAB thing I can possibly buy into. There are a lot of paralells between that show and the new BSG.
 
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BSG an B5 How are the similar?
Both have continuing and complex story lines
Both have ever evolving characters
Both series have similar issues with low ratings but B5 successfully finished its run and BSG may end up doing the same.
How are different the characters in b5 are better defined and more likable people the n BSG
Both show have dark themes but in B5 there is actually is such a thing as hope.They are trying to build a better future. In BSG the people are just trying to make it alive to the next day, other then the dream of Earth there is not really any tangible hope.


The 1701 D on the Ammo hatch strikes me as not so much as complement to Star trek, More like a symbolic slap in the face of Trek withs its boundless optimism, formula story telling everything resets to zero writing, and characters who never really grow or develop beyond the idealized statues that they are.
 
THX1138 ... a movie I have never seen, nor have any desire to see, but still recognise the title and significance of immediately. Does that say more about me, or George Lucas?

:p

The feature length THX 1138 is the best thing Lucas has done.:p :p :p


His student film, THX isn't bad. It is an experimental short.
 

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