The Battlestar Galactica

"Ron Moore and I didn't want the show to look like any other science fiction series. We wanted the Galactica to be like a submarine and we wanted all the show's sets and ships to have a very realistic and tangible feeling. Das Boot In Space."

-David Eick, Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion, p.136-

It was underscored the great leviathan-like vessel was to be a very analog-based ship and that is often noted throughout the series. It's old school technology was even noted as a defense against the technologically-savvy Cylons. Hacking into the Galactica became a much greater mountain to climb as a result of its more antiquated technologies.

The Galactica was considered a relic or holdover from the Cylon War.

Eick noted, "The interior design of the Galactica deliberately avoids the futuristic look of other shows. We didn't do futuristic screens or sliding doors. There's a mix of old and more modern technology..., but there's nothing that's really state of the art. We combined retro items ... you would see on 1940s battleships with ... elements from the 1980s and 1990s. This ... reminds viewers the Galactica is an old ship that's out of date and dependent on old technology."

The Command Information Center (CIC) is where the crew reside. Adama is at the center surrounded by crew men and women.

Some of the functional technology moves up and down at the center of the CIC. The periscope-like motion creates that allusion to the Das Boot (1981; what a film!) analogy and effort to create a submersible-like environment embedded within the Galactica. Corridors and quarters are tight and given to a nautical vibe. Space is at a premium aboard the Galactica despite its immense and hulking size. Space is a luxury in space.

Ronald Moore and David Eick originally planned to keep the original designs of the Galactica and the Vipers essentially the same. They were pushed to reimagine the designs of these aspects of the planned series as well. So the Vipers received slight modifications becoming the Mark II Vipers complete with slightly more extended noses and the Galactica herself was conceived to "evoke" the original classic but was reworked the most.

For the Galactica, ultimately, the team crafted a sweet balance between the original and the new. Lending the metallic Galactica a ribbed surface treatment the new creation was equally a beast of a vessel in keeping with the tone of the series. It was "more industrial, more military and more hard-edged." The launch bays themselves were also retractable in step with the new, state-of-the-art effects potential of the series.

As a fan of the original Galactica the new ship was a stunning winner in design going toe to toe with the classic. As geeks go the two remain favorites among the cannon of science fiction vessels. Very rarely do redesigns work for me (Thunderbirds is a fine example as none come close to the originals), but the Galactica herself, classic and new, are just beauties. The two rank right up alongside The Eagle from Space:1999 and other classics.

The Rocinante

The Rocinante.

 

One of the rare ships to undergo a name change in a series. The Rocinante is a commandeered Martian (MCRN) vessel, a single fast-attack corvette, by a crew helmed by Captain James Holden, formerly the XO or executive officer of The Canterbury, during an escape from an unknown enemy combatant in the series The Expanse (2015-present).

 

The lethal craft's first appearance came in The Expanse, Season One, Episode 4, CQB or Close Quarter Battle.

 

The Rocinante, named after Don Quixote's horse, was originally called the Tachi until it underwent its official name change in The Expanse, Season One, Episode 6, Rock Bottom here.

 

The Rocinante would serve as the home of James Holden, Naomi Nagata, Amos Burton and Alex Kamal for the run of The Expanse. And what a machine it is. It is fixed with a PDC (point defense cannon) array. It is one mean, lean, slick, state-of-the-art, bad ass, Martian-designed, piece of machinery.

 

Thunderbird 1

Thunderbird 1.

 

In the long line of spaceships, Thunderbird 1 of Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds (1965-1966), remains a close second right behind Thunderbird 2.

 

The design of the original sleek Thunderbird 1 was quite similar to that of a classic vertical rocket but with some fascinating little modifications. Those interesting modifications like the Vertical take off capability (VTOL) and extending wings made for an equally thrilling design effort that nearly parallels, in original design longevity, that of the turtle-shaped Thunderbird 2.

 

So Thunderbird 1 may not be as compelling in its design as the classic fan favorite Thunderbird 2, but it comes close.

 

Along with T2, T1 was the most often depicted craft in Thunderbirds making the duo and dual craft appearances a fantastic double bill for some of childhood's most engaging television.

 

It's F-A-B FRIDAY folks! What more could you ask for?