Caprica

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Transmitted:	January 2010 - January 2011
Country of origin:	USA
Genre:	Spin-off, sci-fi prequel, ensemble cast
Starring:	Eric Stoltz, Esai Morales, Alessandra Torresani, Paula Malcomson, Magda Apanowicz, Sina Najafi, Polly Walker
Rating:	3/5
No. of seasons:	1

Prequel series to the spectacular reimagining of Battlestar Galactica, this had a hell of a lot to live up to and, for the most part, falls a little short.
Set roughly fifty years before the events of its parent show, here we see the development of the Cylons, and follow the lives of the families whose future members will become important in the coming war and near elimination of mankind.
The main characters:
Daniel Graystone: Head of a technology company attempting to fulfill a contract to supply mechanised drones to Caprica's military.
Amanda Graystone, wife of Daniel, tormented by the loss of her daughter and the suspicion that Daniel is acting criminally.
Zoe Graystone, daughter to Daniel and Amanda, one of a group of three who deliberately blew up a train, an act of terror designed to reinforce the beliefs and principles of the Soldiers of One. Though dead, an avatar of her survives, implanted into the software of the first Cylon prototype.
Joseph Adama, another man who lost a daughter in the terror attack, desperately searching for her in the V World, a virtual reality environment where, potentially, you can live forever.
Whilst not as sci-fi heavy as BSG itself, this instead fuses futurism with 'normal' society, an intriguing mix that lends itself to some excellent set design.
Whilst the tone is comparable to BSG, here the focus is very much on characters rather than the impending dread of coming calamities.
One of the major complaints of the show is the pacing and, truthfully, it is agonising at times, scenes seeming to drag on for a needless length of time and leaving the impression that, when an episode ends, nothing much has actually happened.
Whilst not averse to quality dialogue, this definitely tested my levels of endurance and I will ponder long and hard before committing to the upcoming ten episode season climax later in the year.
Intelligent, melancholic, sombre and dark, this should tick all the right boxes for me but, sadly, the crushing pace is a severe handicap.
Hopefully things will improve as the writers find their feet.

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