languatron
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Life could be this beautiful without NBC-TV in it.
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Universal Studios MISMANAGEMENT of Battlestar Galactica has run the entire spectrum of IDIOCY, from the GLARING "King Kong" sized SCREW-UPS, to the smaller sized SCREW-UPS. If anyone writes a book about this topic someday (most likely it will be me), these will be the most GLARING SCREW-UPS covered in my book:
1) GINO
If you wave a paycheck in front of Ronald D. Moore's face, he will do ANYTHING in order to try and earn it. Even throw together the most PATHETIC EXCUSE for a television show ever broadcast on television. GINO was a MISTAKE from day one, and instead of ADMITTING this production was a MISTAKE, Universal Studios has spent MILLIONS OF DOLLARS in CORRUPT ADVERTISING (Stealth Marketing) in order to try and RAM this MISTAKE down the public's THROAT. We live in a country where our print media will gladly advertise the hell out of anything, even CRAPPY TELEVISION as long as a little sweet money is slipped under the table. GINO has been everywhere. On Sci-Fi channel, NBC, and magazine racks. Saturation publicity such as this doesn't make CRAPPY TELEVISION better, it makes it BOTHERSOME and a PAIN IN THE ASS. Let us hope that the UNPRECEDENTED FAILURE of GINO will teach some fundamental lessons to Universal Studios about putting GARBAGE on the air.
2) Bryan Singer & Tom DeSanto
Universal Studios had the opportunity to utilize these guys in reigniting the SLEEPING GIANT that is Battlestar Galactica. ENDLESS PROCRASTINATION from Fox television and Universal Studios LACKING THE WISDOM to pull Galactica from FOX TV and run the project through their motion picture division when Bryan Singer was still available resulted in the THIRD LARGEST Sci-Fi franchise of all time remaining a SLEEPING GIANT. Not only that, but Universal went the PENNY PINCHER ROUTE and thought that by hiring the SECOND RATE HACK Ronald D. Moore at a BARGAIN BASEMENT PRICE to "Star Trek" the hell out of Battlestar Galactica; they could have their VERY OWN "Star Trek" sequel series running on their very own Sci-Fi Channel just like all of those Star Trek sequel series were running on UPN. Universal's ENVY of Star Trek resulted in one of the WORST SERIES OF ALL TIME being put on the air. In every sense of the word, GINO is the child of "SUPERTRAIN!!"
3) The "Galactica" pilot SPECIAL EDITION - Director's Cut
If any film is SCREAMING for a TRUE DIGITAL RESTORATION with EVERY SINGLE filmed sequence cleaned up and put back into the movie, it is the pilot episode of "Battlestar Galactica" filmed in 1978. With two thirds of the pilot directed by Richard A. Colla and the other third by Alan J. Levi, "Saga of a Star World" needs an EMERGENCY SURGERY RE-CUT as much as Gil Gerard needs to lose weight. Universal Studios DRASTICALLY OVERPRICED "Galactica" DVD set DID NO FAVORS for "Galactica" fans or "Saga of a Star World" itself. Universal Studios THREW the ABC-TV edit of "Saga" onto the "Galactica" DVD set, which will prove to be a fine historical artifact in pointing out the TRAGEDY that can result when 23 year old network executives working for ABC-TV in 1978 had the authority to mandate TRAGIC EDITS of the "Galactica" pilot. Network executives who had NO KNOWLEDGE of drama, pacing, or EDITING. The result? Two subplots involving Adama and Serina were TOTALLY WIPED OUT, along with other ENDLESS FOOTAGE that would make watching the "Galactica" pilot a smooth and fluid experience in pacing. Yes my friends, "Saga of a Star World" was indeed a COMPLETE MOVIE with a BEGINNING, MIDDLE, and an END. Maybe someday, when "Galactica" is owned by a studio with HALF A BRAIN in its skull, we'll get something more on DVD than just the GRAINY transfer of "Saga of a Star World" on the DVD set. Maybe we'll also get something more than just 72% of the pilot episode being available!! Richard Colla and Alan Levi would be more than happy I'm sure, to personally recut "Saga of a Star World" with all of the STILL MISSING FOOTAGE restored. As "Galactica" fans know from past experience, watching the ABC-TV edit of this film (on the "Galactica DVD set) is an IRRITATING EXPERIENCE at times. Universal Studios THROWING this edit onto the "Galactica" DVD set makes the entire set at least $40.00 OVERPRICED!! 
4) The "Galactica" DVD Set
As with most TV-DVD releases from Universal Studios, their release of the "Galactica" DVD set in October 2003 was a mixed bag of INCREDIBLY STUPID DECISIONS and LOST OPPORTUNITIES combined with VERY FEW THINGS they managed to get right. Though the transfers on most of the episodes are very good, Universal Studios (no surprise) treated the STRONGEST SEGMENT of "Galactica" - "Saga of a Star World" with the most BLATANT NEGLECT. The transfer of "Saga" is so saturated with grain, it is almost unwatchable. You can't help but wonder if Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, and Herb Jefferson were even aware of the POOR QUALITY transfer they provided commentary on. From their comments, you wonder if they recorded their commentaries over a PRISTINE and SPARKLING CLEAR PRINT of "Saga of a Star World" before this episode was put through Universal Studios GRAIN ENHANCEMENT PERCOLATOR prior to the DVD release. The rest of the DVD set is the TYPICAL Universal Studios mixed bag of BAD with good. The segment on Stu Phillips was a pleasant surprise, and was very welcome considering that Stu Phillips music is one of the primary reasons why Battlestar Galactica has had such a STRONG and UNIQUE IDENTITY. Though the 45 minute "Remembering Battlestar Galactica" documentary was welcome, the exclusion of John Dykstra and Jean-Pierre Dorleac was LUDICROUS, as was the exclusion of art director John E. Chilberg II and Sound Effects creator Peter Berkos. Regarding John Dykstra's work, a brief mention of his name by Richard Hatch smelled of the typical UNIVERSAL STUDIOS POLITICS that has DECIMATED this property for 27 years.
5) "Firefly" vs. "Battlestar Galactica"
It was a corporate decision within Universal Studios that not only smacked of hypocrisy, but of IDIOCY as well. With "Firefly" being in the same boat as the 1978 "Battlestar Galactica" series in terms of it also being a one season CANCELLED series, why would Universal Studios make a movie based on the LITERALLY FAILED "Firefly" series, instead of making a movie based on the PERCEIVED FAILURE of 1978's "Battlestar Galactica?" What happened to "Firefly" at the box office is what Universal Studios FEARED would happen to "Battlestar Galactica" at the box office. From a business standpoint, it makes no sense that Universal Studios would choose "Firefly" over "Battlestar Galactica" as a theatrical film. "Firefly" was MORE OF A BUSINESS RISK than a "Galactica" continuation movie would be. So why do it? It's fairly obvious that the ONLY REASON Universal Studios chose to maked the FAILED "Firefly" series into a BOX OFFICE DUD of a movie, was just to piss off the fanbase of the 1978 "Battlestar Galactica" series. If one thing is certain, it is that Universal Studios reserves special funding for pissing off the fanbase of the 1978 "Battlestar Galactica" series. Sort of their way of saying "yeah, we made 'Firefly' instead of 'Battlestar Galactica' just to piss you off. The decision to make "Firefly" into a movie CONTRADICTS everything Universal Studios has been ARGUING AGAINST when they sloppily explained their rationale for not making a "Galactica" continuation. How did Universal Studios QUANTIFY the fanbase for the FAILED "Firefly" tv series? The "Firefly" fanbase is LESS THAN the "Galactica" fanbase, so how did they QUANTIFY IT? They didn't !! They just wanted to make this movie to PISS OFF the fanbase of the 1978 Galactica series. Universal Studios has enough money to THROW AROUND, so they THREW IT at a "Firefly" movie. If there is a "Firefly" fanbase, it surely must exist in a less attractive number than the much larger "Galactica" fanbase, so there is NO BUSINESS RATIONALE behind their thinking. Just as there has been NO BUSINESS RATIONALE behind Universal Studios not wanting to make a continuation of the 1978 "Galactica" series. So, "Firefly" came and went from the theaters, just as Universal Studios money went right down the TOILET. Would a "Galactica" continuation movie also have vanished from theaters as quickly as "Firefly?" HIGHLY DOUBTFUL. A three decade old series with a BUILT IN FANBASE spanning all age groups that has had the opportunity to accumulate over three decades would not have vanished from theaters. One of the main reasons why Universal Studios has such HOSTILITY towards "Battlestar Galactica", is that Universal Studios FEARS "Battlestar Galactica." They FEAR that a continuation of the 1978 series WOULD DO WELL. They FEAR what George Lucas would THINK and SAY. They FEAR that a SUCCESSFUL CONTINUATION of the 1978 series would open their corporation up to ENDLESS CRITICISM for not having revived the series sooner. COWARDICE will never make money for Universal Studios, but then again; COWARDICE will always guide Universal Studios to TOILET BOWL OBLIVION.
With the ENDLESS FAULTS that Universal Studios executives have, it comes as no surprise that they would spend 24 hours a day, seven days a week on the Internet defending themselves under the guises of "supposed fans." You name the subject, and Universal Studios executives will get on the Internet and defend themselves over it. The "Galactica DVD set", "GINO", not reviving the 1978 "Galactica" series. As we all know by now, Universal Studios executives offer ENDLESS EXCUSES on the Internet for what they have done to "Battlestar Galactica." This is the reason why the "Moist Board" exists no doubt!!
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