TV Pilot Review: Caprica

Caprica (2008)

58 years before the fall of Caprica

Caprica starts with a bang. Nudity, violence, human sacrifice all within the first 5 minutes. It's all a bit to much for TV (Even Space or the soon to be renamed SyFy network), which may be why this pilot was released on DVD first.

In many ways, Caprica takes up where Battlestar Galactica left off. It continues the themes of religion, morality, ethics, and technology within a modern world within a new setting and story. This is no space epic. It is instead a family drama with significant elements of sci-fi and BSG canon mixed in. At the centre of this new series are two families, the Greystones and the Adamas, that are united by a single tragedy. A suicidal bombing at the hands of her boyfriend kills Zoe Graystone, daughter to Daniel and Amanda Graystone. Also caught in the blast is Shannon Adama, wife of Joseph Adama, and Tamara Adama, daughter to Joseph and Shannon and sister of William Adama. What is left of each family is united by a chance meeting between Daniel Graystone, a leader in the military technology field, and Joseph Adama, a corrupt lawyer who struggles with his ties to his home-world mob. It is a complicated set of connections, which Caprica sets up and defines clearly.

The crux of this story lies in the fact that prior to the terrorist activity, which Zoe is unwillingly made an accomplice and victim of, Zoe had been able to create and store a near perfect digital copy of her self. (Apparently the human brain is only about 350mb in size, about half a CD) The copy is trapped in the digital world of the holoband (an advanced version of the internet combined with a sophisticated virtual reality) but also has an undefined connection to the real world through the real Zoe. Upon Daniel’s realization of his daughter’s activities, he begins a journey in which he seeks to bring his daughters digital representation into the real world so that he may be with his daughter once again. And so the story of the first Cylon begins.

While only one character, William Adama is directly connected between Caprica and Battlestar Galactica, there is no doubt that this show will be closely linked with BSG. Constant references to events and peoples permeate the hour and a half pilot. However, there were significant issues that may make it very difficult to see this as a show that belongs entirely within the 2004 BSG canon. Firstly, the level of technology is extremely inconsistent. Caprica is home to cars and a monorail system that appears no more advanced than what is seen in most urban centres today. However, in contrast to this, Caprican’s have access to robotic servants (with basic AI), a very powerful virtual reality system, the holoband, and a touch screen display device that looks and behaves like paper and makes an Iphone look like the first ever cell phone. It seems very difficult to integrate these miraculous technologies into the canon of the BSG universe when there was no mention of this technology 58 years in the future on the Battlestar Galactica. In fact, the Battlestar Galactica should be built within the time period of Caprica and so the lack of this technology seems all the more suspect.

For the most part the show is shot well. The documentary/guerrilla style of filming that gave BSG its sense of realism is instead replaced with more generic smooth camera movements. This switch suits the new show. However, the CG is a mixed bag. Some shots are of a quality that is similar or even greater than what was seen on Battlestar, while others are weaker then what would have barely pass as good on video games from 7 years ago.

Thankfully, Bear McCreary returns to the BSG universe and writes a beautiful score that supports the characters on screen and suits the family drama style of the show. Gone are the pounding drums, tribal themes and middle-eastern instruments (which I loved for Battlestar), replaced with more typical, but no less amazing, string sections. While McCreary makes sure to use original cues from BSG, he has done so very sparingly and only with great purpose.

All in all, Caprica represents a new opportunity for the universe of the 12 Colonies to be explored and like BSG, the show does a good job of not explaining to many of the details to quickly. There are issues with the show, but with Ronald D. Moore as an executive producer, more than likely the series (should it ever go into production) will embrace these issues and integrate them into the story. Moore is known for taking on tough subject matter head on and Caprica, if guided with the right amount of force and creativity should become a strong compliment to Battlestar Galactica.