Frak Yes: Sci Fi Orders "BSG" Prequel Pilot

Patience is, after all, a virtue.

Lucky then that fans of Battlestar Galactica have patiently waited for the next (or is it previous?) chapter in the story of the Twelve Colonies. Sci Fi yesterday announced that it has finally greenlit production on the two-hour backdoor pilot Caprica, a prequel of Battlestar Galactica, set before the Cylon War.

"We couldn't be more excited to see this long-anticipated project get off the ground," said Mark Stern, Executive Vice President of Original Programming, in a statement. "It's an amazing script, and, though clearly inspired by the Battlestar mythology, it is not just a pale spin-off. This is a smart, thought-provoking, emotional, and compelling character drama in its own right."

The news comes as Sci Fi prepares to launch the final twenty-episode season of Battlestar Galactica on April 4th; the cabler has been developing the spin-off prequel since 2006. Just don't expect Apollo, Starbuck, Six, or Laura Roslin to be showing up anytime soon. The action will be set five decades before that of BSG.

While details about Caprica's plot are scarce, the story will revolve around Bill Adama (Edward James Olmos)'s father, William Adama, a reknowned civil liberties lawyer (and the inspiration for Lee's Season Three attorney career change) who is locked in battle against the Graystones, a corporate behemoth responsible for the development and creation of the first Cylons (a.k.a. cybernetic life-form nodes).

"I'm thrilled with the chance to expand on the Galactica world and get deeper into the origins of the story we've been telling," said Moore. "It's also great to have a chance at doing a completely different kind of science fiction series, one that's even more character-oriented and doesn't rely on pyrotechnics to carry the story."

Added Eick: "While Caprica will have its own personality, it will carry on Battlestar's commitment to pushing the boundaries of the genre, and we're thrilled that SCI FI has seen fit to giving us another opportunity to tell character-driven stories in challenging ways."

Production on Caprica, from BSG head honchos Ronald D. Moore and David Eick, writers Moore and Remi Aubuchon, and director Jeff Reiner, will begin this spring. Fingers crossed that this backdoor pilot leads to an actual full-blown series as I am already dreading the end of the brilliant and pitch-perfect Battlestar Galactica series.

Stay tuned.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: Survivor: Micronesia--Fans vs. Favorites (CBS); Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBC); America's Next Top Model (CW); Wife Swap (ABC); Moment of Truth (FOX)

9 pm: Big Brother 9 (CBS); Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBC); Pussycat Dolls Present Girlicious (CW); Supernanny (ABC); American Idol (FOX)

10 pm: CSI: New York (CBS); Law & Order (NBC); Men in Trees (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: America's Next Top Model.

On tonight's episode ("Top Model Takes to the Streets"), the girls get pointers on posing for couture, commercial, and catalogue shoots from supermodel Vendela and are pitted against one another in a posing battle on the streets of Manhattan. Where's Benny Ninja when you need him?

9 pm: MI-5 on BBC America.

If you missed the third season of MI-5 (aka Spooks) when it aired on A&E a few years back, you can catch it tonight on BBC America. On tonight's installment ("The Sleeper"), Harry recruits a sleeper agent, a scientist (guest star Ian McDiarmid) who has laid low for two decades, in order to catch terrorists hell-bent on obtaining red mercury.

10 pm: Top Chef on Bravo.

On tonight's episode ("Zoo Food"), the chefs head to a local Farmer's Market for seasonal ingredients for their latest Quickfire Challenge and then have to cook and cater an event at a rather unusual location. All this and guest judge Wylie Dufresne? I am so there.