BattleStar Galactica or Stargate Atlantis? Which one is more action, has more Arcs...

[legolas_w]

Hi
Thank you for reading my question.
I am looking to get one of BattleStar Galactica and Stargate Atlantis to watch next month. What I am looking to know are as follow:
- Which one is more action scene, fights between different races?
- Which one has more Arcs and connected episodes?
- Which one has better Special effects?

Finally, Does BattleStar Galactica series include many galactical war scene or it is less action and more drama?

Thanks

[neoaddict]

- There are only two races in Battlestar Galactica: the Colonials (humans) and the Cylons (their former mechanical slaves). Stargate has a larger variety. In terms of action scenes, Stargate has some epic scenes, but I must say that the award for epic space battle has to go to Battlestar. That scene in Razor with the Scorpion Shipyards was mindblowing.
- Most of BSG is fairly connected, with the exception of some episodes here and there in Season 3. There was like the New Caprica arc, etc. You get the feeling that the entire thing is a giant story broken up into little episodes. Stargate is more standalone, though I guess you could call the Wraith story an arc.
- Battlestar has the best special effects ever. Beats Stargate hands down.

Battlestar has a nice balance of space battles and drama. Stargate has some drama and hand-to-hand battles a fair bit.

Battlestar is a bit of a post-apocalyptic military drama that critiques our society and humanity, while Stargate is a bit like Star Trek since it portrays humanity in an extremely positive light.

eg)
The Cylon War is long over, yet we must not forget the reasons why so many sacrificed so much in the cause of freedom. The cost of wearing the uniform can be high ... [after looking at crowd] but sometimes it's too high.
You know, when we fought the Cylons, we did it to save ourselves from extinction. But we never answered the question, why? Why are we as a people worth saving? We still commit murder because of greed, spite, jealousy. And we still visit all of our sins upon our children. We refuse to accept the responsibility for anything that we've done. Like we did with the Cylons. We decided to play God, create life. When that life turned against us, we comforted ourselves in the knowledge that it really wasn't our fault, not really. You cannot play God then wash your hands of the things that you've created. Sooner or later, the day comes when you can't hide from the things that you've done anymore.

[[h2o]]

- Which one is more action scene, fights between different races?
Fights between races: Atlantis


- Which one has more Arcs and connected episodes?
BSG is one "arc" where most episodes push the story forward.


- Which one has better Special effects?
BSG


Finally, Does BattleStar Galactica series include many galactical war scene or it is less action and more drama?
It has both.
BSG is a lot more "mature" than Atlantis (and I am NOT saying that Atlantis is a child show) with lots of drama. But there are also some really nice action.

I would take BSG over Atlantis any day of the week. But it is totally different from Atlantis. I guess you have to watch both to understand ;)

[billgoldberg]

- Which one is more action scene, fights between different races?

Well in Battlestar Galactica it's just (not really, but it would be spoilers) Humans and Cylons (machines orginally created by humans).

In Stargate Atlantis you have a multitude of races.

Battlestar Galactica's fights are just more epic.

- Which one has more Arcs and connected episodes?

BS is one long series of connected episodes.

SA mostly has loose filler episodes with some 2 part arcs in between them.

- Which one has better Special effects?

BG, hands down.

Finally, Does BattleStar Galactica series include many galactical war scene or it is less action and more drama?

It's a good combination of the two.

I prefer BG to SA, but to be honest their are both pretty good.

But I still prefer SG1 to SA.

The Gu'oalds (spelling?) and the Ori (didn't care much for the replicators) are much better enemies than the Wraith. Plus the SG1 cast was just much better.

[lovinglinux]

BSG is one of the best TV shows I ever watched. The creators define BSG as a Sci-fi that was taken seriously.

Battlestar Galactica is far superior in my opinion. I tried to watch Stargate, but I was so influenced by the BSG style that I couldn't watch it. I don't know how to explain, but Stargate looks "fake" to me. Maybe is because of the sets and lightning, which are kind of unnatural. BSG is darker, feels much more like a movie and the sets and props are much more realistic. Besides, I prefer science fiction without aliens.

One of the most distinguishing features of BSG is the concept behind the esthetic, called Naturalistic Sci-fi (see quote below). For example, the space scenes are created as they were actually filmed by a person. They try to make everything more realistic and the do it extremely well.


From http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Naturalistic_science_fictionfiction

"Naturalistic science" (NSF) is a term created by the Re-imagined Battlestar Galactica co-creator Ronald D. Moore to describe that show's esthetic. NSF is meant to be a realistic take on the SF genre, with its roots in drama rather than adventure tales. It eschews science-fiction staples such as one-dimensional characterizations, clear-cut conceptions of good and evil, so-called "technobabble" (technical-sounding terms that have mostly been made up), and "deus ex machina" approaches (in which a seemingly intractable problem in the plot is solved using a previously-unknown technical capability). In the case of episodic drama like the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica, there is also more of an effort at continuity - the events in one episode have visible effects in subsequent episodes, unlike other science-fiction shows in which episodes are more stand-alone. Naturalistic SF combines elements of "soft" science fiction (where characterization is of prime importance) and "hard" science fiction (where plausible technical accuracy is preferred). Fundamentally, it is a drama with sci-fi elements.

BSG has a good balance between action and drama, but the main focus of the show is the drama. Nevertheless, there are several incredible battles in space, with high-quality CGI and superb scripts. There aren't things like energy shields or laser guns, they use real bullets, bombs, torpedoes and nukes. Some battles have extraordinary military tactics and are very exciting. There are battles that can be compared to Star-Wars III in terms of special effects and dynamics. There are also some very good comic dialogs and the acting is superb.

There are some standalone episodes and story arcs, but the main arc is 5 year long and it is full of mysticism and crazy stuff. The story is full of concepts that can be compared to our current society and they deal with very controversial ethic subjects.

IMO, you should watch BSG. You won't regret. Another thing is that you can watch it with friends and family, even if they are not sci-fi fans.

[pookiebear]

BSG was better all around, but too much drama.

Babylon 5 had better action and physics on the space fighting. ie the ships didn't fly like they were in air. And more figthing. but he didn't mention it so I thought I would throw it out there.

[legolas_w]

Hi everyone.

I started watching BattleStar galactica and I can say it is good (I watched 4 episods so far) the only thing is that, are they going to have no shield for their ships?

Ships with no external shield looks unacceptable for some sort of advanced race like them.

[SunnyRabbiera]

I would vote Stargate to go against the pattern...
And for the fact I hate the new BSG, its far too political and honestly I prefer the classic series.

[lovinglinux]

Hi everyone.

I started watching BattleStar galactica and I can say it is good (I watched 4 episods so far) the only thing is that, are they going to have no shield for their ships?

Ships with no external shield looks unacceptable for some sort of advanced race like them.

Yes, they don't have energy shields :) But they use a "firing shield". I don't know how to call that, but is like "covering fire". They simply shoot hundreds of short range ammo towards the enemy attacking direction, so most inbound missiles or fighters are destroyed before reaching the ship. I think this is really cool and much more realistic than energy shields. There are some very nice battles were these "firing shields" saves the day.

You will also notice that, despite their technological evolution, some things on the ship are very old, like phone with cords. It is an old Battlestar, that was to be decommissioned on the day of the attack on the colonies (Second Cylon War).

[Potters Son]

Okay. I admit it; I love Stargate.

I started to watch BSG when it aired, but I found it too depressing and didn't try it again.

Stargate, I've been watching for a long time. It's unique among other Sci-Fi series because, well, for the longest time, there were no starships. Instead of two ships firing at each other, the heroes and villains meet each other face-to-face.

There's also that element of plausibility. Yeah, I know that they have wormholes, and energy shields come later, but there's always the occasional episode where they leave the base through the back door rather than the gate, out into our world, where we live and work. Instead of a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, the viewer gets the feeling that these events could be taking place right now.

Finally, I think that the show went on as long as it did because they had such flexibility for material. Any number of things could be hiding behind the Stargate -- a Gou'ld-held planet, a primitive tribe, an advanced civilization -- anything. Each episode, the writers could advance the the main arc or head off somewhere entirely different. That's how you get a TV show to last ten seasons, two movies, and two spin-offs.

[lethalfang]

Stargate: three guys and one woman defeating an army and saving the galaxy gets old pretty fast.
Galactica has real battles, and has great stories to tell, and great dramas and questions to ponder. It is in my view, the greatest show ever on TV.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2157/2385442549_5f602cb608.jpg?v=0

[legolas_w]

Hi

I have not watched Stargate so I can not compare but Battlestar Galactica demonstrate more than action scene. I think it is somehow like some of StarTrek DS 9 which had both action and drama.

I can say that this TV series rocks although with some shortage like energy shields and plasma weapons... :D

Thanks

[lovinglinux]

Stargate: three guys and one woman defeating an army and saving the galaxy gets old pretty fast.
Galactica has real battles, and has great stories to tell, and great dramas and questions to ponder. It is in my view, the greatest show ever on TV.

:lolflag:

Great picture!

I agree with your comments.

BSG will be missed. At least I can re-watch it for the 5th or 6th time. I lost count a while ago :)

[MikeTheC]

Well, between NuBSG and Stargate, I'd have to pick Babylon 5, actually.

[drawkcab]

Battlestar Galactica is one of my favorite shows of all time.

I can barely sit through an episode of Atlantis.

This is a no-brainer. Buy BSG because it is a sure thing, especially the first two seasons. Watch Atlantis on Hulu or something.

[3rdalbum]

Don't watch either - they're really not very good.

One of the earlier posters praised how BSG's space scenes "look like they are filmed by a real person". No, they don't. From the point of view of someone who has done a little bit of 3D animation, the space scenes look like they were made by a CGI artist who has gone overboard in attempting to make it look like it was shot by a real camera. The zooms are MUCH too quick to be a real camera, and the virtual camera doesn't track its subjects nearly as well as an amateur on a handicam.

BSG's CGI cameras == epic fail.

[racerraul]

Do what I did... get both!

Working on Sg1 too...
Want to watch something cool with the kids? The Avatar :)

[lovinglinux]

Do what I did... get both!

Working on Sg1 too...
Want to watch something cool with the kids? The Avatar :)

There is also two "old" series that are pretty good: Farscape and Firefly

[racerraul]

There is also two "old" series that are pretty good: Farscape and Firefly

Thx! Will check those out... may start with Farscape.

Edit... holy crap its expensive lol

[lovinglinux]

Thx! Will check those out... may start with Farscape.

Farscape has 4 seasons and a miniseries that starts from the cliffhanger of the 4th season and concludes the story. While Firefly has only one season and a movie. The movie is called Serenity.

[lovinglinux]

Thx! Will check those out... may start with Farscape.

Edit... holy crap its expensive lol

Where did you saw it?

[racerraul]

Where did you saw it?

Did a search on Bestbuy and Amazon... $150 for just the 1st season. WOW

[JerecDrak2]

Dude, Farscape rocks, it's a bit iffy in season 1, but once you get to the end and meet Scorpius you'll love it, he's one of the best sci-fi villains ever imo. Also Farscape can be a bit wacky sometimes (for instance there's one animated episode in Season 4 that's like the old Road Runner/Wile E Coyote cartoon) and deals with sex a lot. In my experience these aspects seem to upset lovers of traditional sci-fi, however like me you may find these aspects a breath of fresh air. In addition the acting is solid throughout with Claudia Black and Ben Browder doing a particularly good job.

I've watched all of SG-1 and Atlantis and I must say I preferred SG-1 despite Atlantis's darker tone.

I've yet to watch BSG but fully intend to as I've only heard great things about it, and I have a feeling Stargate Universe is going to be aimed at lovers of Stargate and BSG.

[lovinglinux]

Did a search on Bestbuy and Amazon... $150 for just the 1st season. WOW

That's really expensive, but it makes me feel better about the price of my satellite TV subscription :)


Dude, Farscape rocks, it's a bit iffy in season 1, but once you get to the end and meet Scorpius you'll love it, he's one of the best sci-fi villains ever imo.

Yep. "Scorpy" is great and also really funny.

[tjwoosta]

Comparing battlestar galactica to stargate is like comparing apples and oranges.

Stargate is all action and awesomeness, Battlestar is all slow boring drama ********. I have seen every single episode of Stargate (atlantis and sg1) but I cant sit thorough one episode of Battlestar Galactica because its so boring and just doesnt grab my attention.

[MikeTheC]

I think I preferred 70s Buck Rogers to the new Battlestar Galactica.

And now that I think about it, actually Jason of Star Command was pretty good too, comparatively.

[lovinglinux]

Comparing battlestar galactica to stargate is like comparing apples and oranges.

Stargate is all action and awesomeness, Battlestar is all slow boring drama ********. I have seen every single episode of Stargate (atlantis and sg1) but I cant sit thorough one episode of Battlestar Galactica because its so boring and just doesnt grab my attention.

Stargate = awesomeness?
BSG = boring drama?

Are you kidding?

Let's rewrite that appropriately :)

Stargate = for teenagers
BSG = for adults

;)

[walkerk]

Battlestar Galactica is a great show. Every episode is tied together and each one keeps you yearning for more...

I never got into Stargate Atlantis so I can't comment on it...

[fuzzmo]

A friend of mine put it best when he said 'Stargate et al are what can best be described as fluffy Sci-Fi' He was a big fan of Stargate BTW.

However IMHO Stargate is just that (SG1 and SA) - Fluffy Sci-Fi - where people can do impossible things (like defeat an entire army with four people). I just couldn't really sit through 1 episode. easily Sci-Fi for your granny....

I was a huge fan of the original BSG (even though in retrospect it was kinda Kitsch and a tad twee - but I could still watch it today). The new BSG is simply awesome (again IMHO). More adult in nature (although I was a little put off with the Mysticism which didn't always sit well with the general feel), and at times raw with a lot of controversial subjects being covered which are very relevant to todays society - yet they pulled it off without being overly moralistic (i.e. on New Caprica and the whole 'Terrorist or Freedom Fighter arguement' - with no easy answer), and also showing how far Humanity would go to survive and sate their thirst for revenge (Admiral Cain plus the Frigate in Season 1 etc.).

IMHO it isn't even a choice - although having said that one Mans Nectar is another Mans Poison - so you should check out at least one episode of SA... before having an epiphany and realising that BSG is the Real deal!.... ;)

[lovinglinux]

A friend of mine put it best when he said 'Stargate et al are what can best be described as fluffy Sci-Fi' He was a big fan of Stargate BTW.

However IMHO Stargate is just that (SG1 and SA) - Fluffy Sci-Fi - where people can do impossible things (like defeat an entire army with four people). I just couldn't really sit through 1 episode. easily Sci-Fi for your granny....

I was a huge fan of the original BSG (even though in retrospect it was kinda Kitsch and a tad twee - but I could still watch it today). The new BSG is simply awesome (again IMHO). More adult in nature (although I was a little put off with the Mysticism which didn't always sit well with the general feel), and at times raw with a lot of controversial subjects being covered which are very relevant to todays society - yet they pulled it off without being overly moralistic (i.e. on New Caprica and the whole 'Terrorist or Freedom Fighter arguement' - with no easy answer), and also showing how far Humanity would go to survive and sate their thirst for revenge (Admiral Cain plus the Frigate in Season 1 etc.).

IMHO it isn't even a choice - although having said that one Mans Nectar is another Mans Poison - so you should check out at least one episode of SA... before having an epiphany and realising that BSG is the Real deal!.... ;)

So say we all! :)

[racerraul]

I like both series... but they are very different.

IMO, BSG's plot and character depth is far more deep than SA's.
I read alot and character development makes or breaks a good plot for me.

SA's has all the ingredients, it just isn't as deep. It makes up for the lack of character depth with action... and it does it well. I have no problem with that.

But if all that interests you in a good show is the amount of action, then I can understand not being able to grasp the depth of BSG's plot...

But it certainly doesn't make BSG any better or worse than SA IMO. Some like apples and some like oranges... just the way it is.