6 Reasons Why Battlestar Galactica Should Follow Clone Wars
by Larson Hill

After soon-to-be four of the best seasons in TV history, Battlestar Galactica will still have a deeply loyal fan base. After all, BSG is going out while it's still on top and fans need to be thankful that the popular '80s series came back to life in such an amazing re-imagined manner. But what about that void that will still exist in the hearts of its fan base? As Galactica closes its doors, fans will be able to sink their teeth into the new BSG spin-off Caprica, which will ease some of the pain of losing one of the greatest, if not the greatest, sci-fi series of all time.

But does Battlestar Galactica really need to fade away into TV history? As we try to prepare ourselves for the 2009 finale, a few options have come to light when thinking about how the shelf life of Battlestar Galactica could be extended.

Why not an animated version of BSG? The Clone Wars recently hit the big screen and will continue the Star Wars universe as a TV series. So why not Battlestar Galactica, too? It's not impossible and here are our "6 Reasons Why Battlestar Galactica Should Follow Clone Wars".

Big Screen Potential: Animated Galactica on IMAX:

When I think of an animated version of Battlestar Galactica on the IMAX screen, I'm not sure what would be better. Although The Clone Wars has a much bigger fan base that extends to young kids while BSG appeals to an adult audience, it's hard to gauge an animated Galactica's true big screen potential. Are there enough fans? Sure. Also, an animated BSG would certainly be able to cater to IMAX more than the live-action series just due to the expanded creativity. Animation would definitely afford BSG the opportunity to be bigger in so many areas. Seeing the Galactica traveling through space in animated form on IMAX would be amazing, as would a live-action movie. In continuing BSG as an animated series after the live-action finale, launching a small-screen version by way of IMAX and theaters at the same time would be a major event for fans. Depending on the style of animation and the approach to expanding the explosive clashes in space, Battlestar Galactica on the big screen could work… and work well.

It Would be Easier for the Original Cast to Return for Recurring 'Voice' Roles:

The truth is, the longer time passes and the live action Galactica cast moves on with their careers, the harder it's going to be to bring everyone back for more live-action TV movies. Although we'll be seeing at least one more live-action TV movie after the series concludes in 2009, it's going to be incredibly tough to lure back key actors for more movies when they're under contract to future projects. It's a lot like Arrested Development. There's demand for a movie, but it's hard to think that Michael Cera would be able to step backward to the small-screen when he's so busy moving forward on the big screen. A couple of years ago, one of our guys talked to Arrested Development actor Tony Hale who said an AD movie would be incredibly tough for this very reason. It's cool to fantasize about future movie versions of Galactica, but people move on with their lives. So why not go animated to keep the series alive? Voice roles don't require the same time investment.

An animated Battlestar Galactica movie and TV series raises several interesting questions. Can you bring in new voices for certain characters? Is it better to tell an alternate or parallel Galactica story in the same world so original cast members can return periodically if they're available between projects? Can you get some original cast members to sign on for an animated series so there's a healthy blend of new and old? The key issue for fans would be whether they'd want the live-action Galactica world to continue in another form, or whether they'd rather wait three, four, possibly six or ten years for another movie to occur. Even with the wait, there's no reason why both couldn't be done at the same time. After four amazing seasons of live-action, we're confident Ron Moore and David Eick could figure out a way to do it, even as a supervising consultants.

The Time is Now:

I don't know too many people, if any, who want Battlestar Galactica to leave the airwaves. Sure, we all know the series wouldn't live forever, and going out on top isn't a bad thing, but the fact is - there's still huge demand for the series and characters. The new Caprica spin-off will fill a certain void, but it's not like Galactica ran for ten years, jumped the clichéd shark, and people were ready to say good-bye. Demand for BSG still exists and The Clone Wars provided a great alternative formula for the longevity of a franchise. Just thinking about how the series could live on in animated form gets me excited. Will I be as keyed up for it in three or four years? I don't know. Probably. But at this moment in time demand for Battlestar Galactica is at an all time high. Given how far CG animation has evolved in recent years, especially through video games, an animated theatrical launch and subsequent series feels like a perfect organic fit.

Although the cost of making an animated BSG can't be ignored, launching it first as a theatrical release and then seeing it hit the DVD market would help to give a return on the costly CG investment. With the push of a BSG theatrical release, and an amazing cliffhanger, a subsequent animated TV series could be a lucrative ratings hit for advertisers and most importantly the fans. Would it be possible to pull something like this off a few years from now? Maybe, maybe not, but the high demand for Battlestar Galactica exists at this very moment. In the entertainment world, timing is everything.

Opportunity to Create the "Ultimate" Animated Battlestar Galactica

Here's where things get really interesting. Developing an animated BSG series opens the door to not only continue the current, soon-to-end show but also revive the original Battlestar Galactica from the '80s, airing each one every other alternating week under the same series umbrella. This style of serialization was popular in the '70s and it would certainly be effective for continuing the current Galactica universe while also giving fans something new, much in the same manner as when BSG was revived in 2003. It's an exciting thought. In essence, this approach would reboot the entire Galactica franchise while appealing to every single fan, new and old. As a bonus, Richard Hatch could voice both Tom Zarek for a new animated Galactica series and Viper ace Apollo in an animated version of the old series. One week you get to see Zarek, the next Apollo. How cool would that be?

All of this might sound crazy, but why not? Strike while the iron's hot. Having both Galactica worlds on the air at the same time as animated entities creates the "ultimate" BSG series, continuing both live-action shows in a way that's not possible with the current series and wasn't possible with the old series in the '80s. For fans growing up in the new Galactica era, an animated revamp of the old series would be a completely new experience, which would look and feel brand new.

Animated BSG vs The Clone Wars:

Why is it when you see one gas station pop on a street corner, you usually see another open up across the street a few months later? It's competition. Why let the new Clones Wars series corner the animated sci-fi market on the small screen? You can't tell me you wouldn't want to see an animated BSG go toe-to-toe with The Clone Wars. For fans it would be a win - win. Come to think of it, back in 1977 when Star Wars was released in theaters it didn't take long for Battlestar Galactica to follow suit with its own theatrical release in 1978. It was the film that launched the entire BSG franchise. When looking at a possible animated BSG, it would continue the tradition by launching an animated film and then taking it to TV like The Clone Wars. It's interesting to look at how both franchises would be re-launched in the same manner for future fans. It's even more interesting to think of the ratings battle between both animated shows. If the "ultimate" animated Galactica - new and old - hit the airwaves, The Clone Wars could very well be stripped of its Jedi ratings power.

Endless Potential to Explore and Expand:

Will the human race become extinct? I guess the bigger question is - Does it have to when you have an animated safety net? Just imagine what you could do with Tricia Helfer's Number Six in animated form? Even if there were no humans, how much deeper could you venture into the Cylon world? How many new characters could you add? The Cylon identity guessing game could be taken to a brand new level, especially if an animated version picked up where the live-action will end. What if you played "who's the human" instead? The entire series could be flipped on its head. The potential and possibilities are endless in animation. How about an updated Viper? What about a brand new prototype? Imagine a BSG series free of the confines of live-action where anything is possible. It's not a stretch to say that if the level of extraordinary writing on the live-action series could be maintained (which is the 800lb gorilla) and transferred to an animated movie and series, some aspects of Battlestar Galactica could be even better than what we've seen to date.