If William Adama found his legs sore Battlestar GalacticaHe can blame the likes of James T. Kirk and Jean-Luc Picard. While Battlestar Galactica And Star Trek are two very different franchises, their spiritual connection can be felt in the myriad of sci-fi tropes shared between them. The inter-franchise bond is even stronger because of one Ronald D. Moore. The brain behind Battlestar Galacticas 2004 reboot series, Moore first cut his sci-fi teeth Star Trek: The Next Generation And Star Trek: Deep Space NineIn addition to a short stint on Star Trek: Voyager.
Naturally, therefore, a hefty dose of Battlestar Galacticas DNA is carried over from Gene Roddenberry’s universe, but as much as Star Trek Informed why Battlestar Galactica Is, it also informed why Battlestar Galactica was not. Alien species, for example, are taboo. Besides the man-made Cylons and the mysterious angelic beings that are never properly explained, Battlestar Galactica Deliberately avoided extraterrestrial races, and that bold decision ensured Galactica never veered into the same fantastical territory occupied by the Enterprise. But there were some less obvious ones Star Trek traps that Battlestar Galactica Also made a conscious choice to fall.
Adama did not have a commander’s chair in Battlestar Galactica because of Star Trek
Standing tickets only at Battlestar Galactica’s CIC
Most iconic space-faring vessels in the sci-fi genre are equipped with a captain’s chair of some description. Star Trek is the most obvious example, with captains all the way from Kirk to Burnham enjoying the benefits of a special seat positioned centrally on the bridge, allowing them to call out orders and direct battle maneuvers. direct Star Trek Reefs like The Orville Accepted this trope wholesale, while Star Wars‘ Millennium Falcon opted for the no-less-iconic pilot’s seats. Even in the original 1978 Battlestar Galactica series, the titular ship’s bridge came with a commander’s chair.
Somewhere along the way, the idea became accepted as the norm in sci-fi: a spaceship with a crew led by a captain must typically have a large chair in the middle where the captain sits. This is not the case in Battlestar Galacticas 2004 reboot series. When Commander, later Admiral, Adama assembled his high-ranking crew members in the CIC (Combat Information Center) before a major operation, his usual position was standing in front of a large console designed for strategic planning.
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Other crew members would be sitting in their various stations, not to mention Star Treks standard setup, but whereas a Starfleet captain would sit on a chair in the middle, Adama stood before his crew like a college lecturer or an orchestra conductor. Ronald D. Moore confirmed this unusual design choice was a calculated response to the Star Trek Formula. Moore (by wired) said, “I have done so many treks, and I really wanted to have a rule that if the trek goes to the right, we will go to the left… No captain’s chair, there is no place for the commander to sit.“
Why Battlestar Galactica Dropping the Captain’s Chair Trope Worked So Well
The Galactica wouldn’t be the same if Adama sat down
Discuss Battlestar Galacticas anti-Star Trek Philosophy, Moore explained, “Trek has done it, and done it so well for so longOf course, Small details like the CIC’s lack of seats served to make the Galactica feel like a departure of the norm, but the real wisdom of the deviation from the plan is much deeper.
The image of Adama standing over Galactica’s tactical console carries much more realism, conjuring comparisons to wartime generals from history.
Battlestar Galacticas switch from a bridge to a CIC maintained the more militaristic presentation of the show. Starfleet has always been a quasi-military outfit in Star TrekBut the Galactica took that to another level, often feeling like Top Gun with cyborgs. Battlestar Galactica Called on all kinds of military vernacular and minutiae In order to feel authentic – everything from call signs and tactical briefings to the formal etiquette and ceremony one would expect on a real-world naval ship. Stripping out Adama’s chair has a great contribution to Battlestar Galacticas strong military wife.
The image of a central figure commanding a spaceship from the comfort of a fancy chair is absolutely the creation of science fiction, suited to the needs of filming an ensemble cast. The image of Adama standing over Galactica’s tactical console carries much more realism, conjuring comparisons to wartime generals from history poring over maps and charts laid out on a desk as they bark orders over a radio. Although Adama may have returned to his quarters with a bad back, his traditional standing position in the CIC ultimately helped Battlestar Galactica Position yourself as the grounded alternative to Star Trek.
Sources: wired