The team from Battlestar Galactica: The Plan and Caprica

It’s no secret that I am a huge Battlestar Galactica fan. So it took all of my power to not completely geek out at the press conference for Battlestar Galactica: The Plan and “Caprica.” I had the opportunity to speak directly to executive producers Ronald D. Moore, David Eick, and Jane Epsenson, as well “Caprica” star Esai Morales and BSG’s Edward James Olmos, who also directed The Plan.

If you’re not familiar, Battlestar Galactica: The Plan is a two-hour movie that takes a look back at the first season the series, but from the perspective of the cylons. But this is not a typical clip show. The writers tried to answer all those questions that we were left with as the series came to a close.

Olmos explained, “I sat down with Robert M. Young and Andy Seklir, the supervising editor, and we spent seven and a half months in a room pounding out a story. And this story is so profound it will drive you into saying, ‘Holy mackerel, I want to watch the whole series again.’”

I was most excited to hear that there still may be a future for the series. “I don’t think this is the final chapter of Battlestar,” said Olmos. “I did at one point until I saw the finished product. Because I know the fanbase is going to explode when they see this film. If they want to see more, they will make more movies. It’s really up to the fans.” (Yes, please!)

“Caprica,” the new series created by the Battlestar team, takes us back 50 years to witness life on the 12 colonies before the attacks as well as the creation of the cylons. Even though we do see a young Bill (Willie) Adama, don’t expect Tigh or Ellen to make an appearance.

Moore confirmed, “The show begins 58 years before so, at this point in the show, the final five had not arrived back in the 12 colonies at this point and time.” But there will still be plenty of conflict. As the series begins, the 12 colonies are at war and the cultural differences reflect those of our modern society. Espenson shared that as they began to work on the series, Bob Harris wrote a document for the writers to use a guide about each culture on the different colonies.

“Bob worked really hard to say, this colony is like India and here all the different ways a planet could have a really large impoverished underclass yet home to some of the finest resorts in the colonies. But, okay who is working at those resorts and what are their lives like? As you are reading this, you realize there are 12 TV series here.”

Espenson’s favorites characters are Serge the house robot, and Sister Clarice, played by Polly Walker. “Sister Clarice is going to blow your underpants off. She is an amazing character and is really fun to write.”

BSG fans can still look forward to Ron Moore’s podcasts. Moore said, “I think I will still continue the podcasts but I may let Jane take a few. She’ll probably do a more sober podcast.”