'BATTLESTAR GALACTICA' Challenging times ahead for fans of show

More sophisticated and less predicatable, the new 'Galactica' is in fine company.
By DAVE MASON
SCRIPPS HOWARD
Sci-fi often fares poorly on the big and small screens because of writers who see it as nothing more than space battles, stereotypical aliens or unbelievable disasters.
But once in a while, writers get it right. That happened during the original "Star Trek" and "Twilight Zone," "Babylon 5," the early seasons of "The X-Files," "Farscape" and now "Battlestar Galactica."
The original "Galactica," while an entertaining show in 1978-79, couldn't really belong to that handful of great sci-fi shows. The new version of "Galactica" has its place among them because it challenges viewers' perception of the characters and reality. And every second is a surprising plot twist, right down to the shocking season finale. The two-part story, "Kobul's Last Gleaming," airs at 10 p.m. Friday and April 1 on the Sci Fi network, and it marks the greatest two hours of science fiction since "Farscape" at its best.
The plot blends hope, courage and tragedy and is driven equally by characters and action. The last few minutes features shocking developments for the characters, and the theme of this "Battlestar" becomes clear: Can any of us escape destiny, good or bad?
That question will remain on viewers' minds as they await the start of the second season this summer. Filming is starting this month in Vancouver, British Columbia.
In less philosophical terms, the season finale is about finding Kobul, the birthplace of humanity, and possibly using Kobul to find the legendary 13th colony, Earth. The fleet of human survivors is desperately looking for Earth while trying to stay ahead of Cylons, evil robots who are chasing them. The complicated thing is that some Cylons look and sound human.
The other side
Some Cylons don't know they are Cylons, but Boomer (Grace Park), one of the fleet's top officers, is beginning to realize she's a Cylon. She doesn't know if she can escape her horrible destiny.
President Roslin (Mary McDonnell) faces another kind of destiny as she sees signs that the legendary 13th colony, Earth, does exist and that she can lead the fleet there. That drives the first part of the two-part finale.
The second episode focuses partly on the bitter conflict between Roslin and Cmdr. Adama (Edward James Olmos) as their power struggle reaches its peak. Not surprisingly, McDonnell and Olmos stand out as they use an understated approach to make their characters compelling.
This incarnation of "Battlestar Galactica" gets messy with characters who aren't sure of themselves, what they're doing or where they're heading. It doesn't connects the dots in the plots as conveniently. And it doesn't try to rely on overused plots. As developed by executive producer Ronald D. Moore, "Galactica" is far more sophisticated than that.
While other sci-fi series emphasize danger with blaring horns, "Galactica" achieves more intensity by relying on camera movements, lyrical music and the kind of editing that has rarely been seen since "2001: A Space Odyssey." Other sci-fi shows throw meteors at Earth. "Galactica" throws spears right smack into the human soul.
The conventional wisdom at the networks might be this is over viewers' heads. But the successful ratings of "Galactica" show viewers do get it when the writers get it right.