firefly versus battlestar galactica

POSTED BY: est120
UPDATED: Sunday, February 13, 2005 14:27
VIEWED: 5269
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EST120

Saturday, February 5, 2005 10:43 PM

okay, i found that USA is running episodes of battlestar galactica at 4 on saturday afternoons. i am currently watching the second of back to back episodes as i type this. after watching one episode, i have started to wonder if the creators were firefly fans or if someone who used to be part of firefly now works on battlestar galactica. some striking similarities:

1. the use of free hand camera

2. the use of camera zooms and rapid focusing

3. the replacement of the f-word with the word "frack" (which i find very annoying) to copy the use of "gorram" in firefly (which i find incredibly more palatable)

anyway, has anyone else noticed this?

MONTANAGIRL

Saturday, February 5, 2005 10:52 PM

1 & 2) The same effects company (Zoic) that did Firefly is also doing Battlestar Galactica, so it makes sense that the look would be similar. As has been pointed out before, they even put a Firefly class ship in the background in a scene in the miniseries. (There's a screencap of it around here somewhere.)

3) Most shows seem to have their own swear word(s) that they use so they can be broadcast without being censored. Firefly used "gorram" and Chinese, BSG uses "frack", and Farscape used "frell". I'm sure there are more examples out there that I just can't think of right now.

Good observations, though.

Packer fans welcome.
All others tolerated.

JRC

Saturday, February 5, 2005 10:53 PM

I believe that the people doing the special effects for Serenity are also doing the effects for BG. As for writers, don't know.

Everyone dies alone.

MISGUIDED BY VOICES

Saturday, February 5, 2005 11:02 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by montanagirl:

3) Most shows seem to have their own swear word(s) that they use so they can be broadcast without being censored. Firefly used "gorram" and Chinese, BSG uses "frack", and Farscape used "frell". I'm sure there are more examples out there that I just can't think of right now.

I dunno, BSG and Firefly have nothing on Farscape - which has a long list of swear words, most of which can be worked out in the context. It is a nice trick for SF shows that they can swear fairly freely and it doesn't get noticed - though I do have to wonder what happens if they ever show the pilot episode on Chinese TV, as I've seen some of the translations from that and it looks as though they tried to get away with some strong stuff.

"I threw up on your bed"

NEEDLESEYE

Saturday, February 5, 2005 11:13 PM

As far as I know the original BSG series using "frack" is the first substitute swear word on a scifi show.
Farscape does have an interesting variety of them, as well, all prior to Firefly. HOWEVER, I think the firefly cursing is far more amusing, even if you don't know what they are saying in chinese.

Keeper of Jayne's goggles. 8)

MALLORY

Sunday, February 6, 2005 12:03 AM

Someone said they didn't know about writers. Well, I know that there has been at least one director who has worked on both Firefly and BSG: Marita Grabiak.

"...Somebody should organize a picnic where they barbecue and play that game with a parachute and a giant World Ball and then we should go to that picnic and take all their stuff and make fun of them..." --Drew Goddard

SIMONWHO

Sunday, February 6, 2005 3:06 AM

I don't they really need to be "versus" each other, the market for good TV programmes is quite big. I don't actually follow BG but I keep hearing how good it is. Certainly more than I heard about Enterprise, which seems to have just gotten special pleadings over the last two years.

Of course, probably in some room at Fox some executive is going "Hey, Battlestar Galactica is pulling in some big numbers. We should do something like that." And then the mailboy will come in and say "You had something like that and you killed it." And then the exec will be cut into pieces and posted all across... sorry, lost track there.

Anyway, yeah, where Firefly led, others were sure to follow.

CYBERSNARK

Sunday, February 6, 2005 4:25 PM

I'm just hoping "felgercarb" shows up. It's not Galactica if there's no felgercarb.

Wait, that came out wrong. . .

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

BRITCHICK

Sunday, February 6, 2005 6:14 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Cybersnark:
I'm just hoping "felgercarb" shows up. It's not Galactica if there's no felgercarb.

OK, I have to ask.... what was/is felgercarb? ALthough I watched the original series I was very young so I don't remember these audio details. Didn't even remember "frack".

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NWUKSTEVE

Sunday, February 6, 2005 6:54 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by montanagirl:
3) Most shows seem to have their own swear word(s) that they use so they can be broadcast without being censored. Firefly used "gorram" and Chinese, BSG uses "frack", and Farscape used "frell". I'm sure there are more examples out there that I just can't think of right now.

Red Dwarf had "Smeg". You were looking for more examples, right?

---
"Suppose we've chosen the wrong god. Every time we go to church we're just making him madder and madder." - Homer Simpson

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