"Caprica" (2009) TV series 2009-????

User Rating:

(awaiting 5 votes)

Creators:

Remi Aubuchon
Ronald D. Moore

Seasons:

1

Genre:

Action | Drama | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The end of humanity has a beginning...

Plot:

Two families, the Graystones and the Adamas, live together on a peaceful planet known as Caprica, where a startling breakthrough in artificial intelligence brings about unforeseen consequences. A spin-off of the Sci Fi Channel series "Battlestar Galactica" set 50 years prior to the events of that show.

Plot Keywords:

Artificial Intelligence | Prequel | Terrorism | Clone | Gun

Cast

Eric Stoltz	...	Daniel Graystone (11 episodes, 2009-2010)
Esai Morales	...	Joseph Adama (11 episodes, 2009-2010)
Alessandra Torresani	...	Zoe Graystone (10 episodes, 2009-2010)
Hiro Kanagawa	...	Cyrus Xander (6 episodes, 2009-2010)
Brian Markinson	...	jordan Duram / ... (5 episodes, 2009-2010)
Panou	...	Olaf Willow (5 episodes, 2010)
Alex Arsenault	...	Philomon (5 episodes, 2010)

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English | Greek

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Vancouver Film Studios, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

David Eick Productions

Trivia:

One of the key themes in this series is the rise of monotheism in colonial culture. Karen Austin, who plays Ruth (Joseph Adama's mother-in-law), previously appeared in "Battlestar Galactica: Escape Velocity (#4.4)" (2008), where she played a member of the monotheistic Cult of Baltar.

Movie Connections:

Spin off from "Battlestar Galactica" (2004)

An Excellent Successor

I was blown away by the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica, a show that always kept me guessing and brought me to tears on more than one occasion. A hardened sci-fi fan, I like to think I can pick out the good stuff from the BS, and this was good stuff.

As such, when I first heard about the prospect of a prequel series some months ago I got a sick feeling in my gut. I was afraid that the formula that made Battlestar so successful would be reused in Caprica, which wouldn't work at all. BSG's story, of a mournful ragged band of survivors, trapped aboard decaying star ships and guided by prophetic vision and a sequence of pseudo-miracles, was perfectly complimented by extraordinary music and a better cast of actors.

Caprica feels different. Where BSG takes place after the fall of a great civilization, Caprica portrays that civilization in it's cold and decadent heyday. The overall vibe I got from Caprica was similar to that of Minority Report, minus excessive and counterproductive theatricality. In true BSG form, Caprica has in it's first few hours of programming already tackled the issues of religious freedom, racism, the morality of playing God and the nature of the human soul.

The casting for Caprica is also excellent. Each character is unique and deep, from the obsessive and distant scientist-turned-entrepreneur, to his troubled and willful daughter, each actor and actress throws themselves into their respective roles.

Music, which was used so powerfully in BSG, also plays a significant role in Caprica. Battlestar's powerful rolling drums and mournful duduks served it's themes very well. Caprica uses a more orchestral sound, which gives the show it's own feeling quite distinct from either of it's predecessors.

The new Caprica is definitely it's own show, pulling from the Battlestar franchise only as much as it needs. I look forward to the full series.