The Franchise Reboot

Well, it seems like studio execs are boldly going where everyone wants to go these days, and that's the "Franchise Reboot". If it's broke, or tired, or gathering dust, then let's fix it. And you know what, in almost every case, it's worked. Take Battlestar Galactica for starters, a classic 70's sci-fi adventure that lasted a whopping one season (as I don't count that abortion series called Galactica 1980), but still managed a massive cult following. I loved the original as much as anybody, and Vipers and Cylons were part of my toy collection. But, in 2004, the "new" Galactica hit the airwaves and suddenly everything changed. We saw a female Starbuck, Cylons that looked like humans, and a Boomer that was a Cylon as well as a girl. People were in a state of panic. In fact, I hadn't seen such visceral hatred for something like this since the Republicans were in office. (Relax George W, I'm still your biggest fan.)

But in spite of the uproar, the Galactica refit worked. Why? Well firstly, I think sci-fi fans are more sophisticated today then they were in the 60's and 70's. Back then, science fiction was just that...fiction. Nowadays, more is possible and technology is starting to catch up with our dreams, so fans are more critical when it comes to how real the "science" of science fiction is portrayed. The new Galactica took that to heart. Sure, there were still wicked space battles and crazy looking ships, but it was presented in a way that made me believe it was real. Most importantly, though, Galactica was successful because, as the show's creator Ronald Moore stated, "it's about the characters, stupid". Galactica was, first and foremost, a drama. It didn't matter that it was set in space or that Starbuck was a girl. Nobody cared because everyone fell in love with the believability of the characters and their stories...stories as real and emotionally grounded as anything we face in our own lives. We related to these people, we rooted for them, and in the end, we cried when they left us. It was storytelling at its best, with the backdrop of space merely the canvas it played on. This is also why Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and Casino Royale were all successful reboots as well. They transcended fantasy and became part of our world. And now, Star Trek, my favorite sci-fi show from the past, is set to undergo it's own reboot. Will it be as successful as Galactica? So far, the early reviews say yes. I will let ya know on May 9th! All I know is that May 8th can't get her fast enough!!!