Why Some Battlestar Galactica Tech Feels Outdated
A New Approach to Science Fiction
The reimagined "Battlestar Galactica" aimed to craft a space opera that remained grounded in reality. Co-creator Ronald D. Moore, who sought to tell stories he couldn't on "Star Trek," introduced the concept of "naturalistic science-fiction." This approach involved using handheld cameras reminiscent of "cinéma vérité" documentaries and creating a world that felt familiar to viewers.
The characters on "Battlestar Galactica" acted as if they were part of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier — with the exception of faster-than-light travel, the technology aboard the Galactica was comparable to what we see today. The primary communication system on the ship used corded telephones rather than the handheld communicators or viewscreens found on "Star Trek." Instead of tablets, the Colonial Navy relied on paper documents. Even the more advanced Battlestar Pegasus had CRT computer monitors from the 1990s.
Technology and the Cylon Threat
Upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that the technology on "Galactica" is mostly outdated — and there's a solid reason for this. The series' premise revolves around the 12 Colonies of Man creating robots known as Cylons, which eventually rebelled, evolved, and waged war against their creators. As Edward James Olmos has noted, "Battlestar Galactica" and "Blade Runner" share a universe.
According to Moore's series bible, the 12 Colonies abandoned innovations like computer networking and microprocessors because Cylons could hack into them. This decision meant that the Colonials lost access to digital luxuries such as the internet and video games, all in the name of vigilance against the Cylons. While the Colonials regressed technologically, the Cylons advanced, taking on human form.
The Philosophy Behind the Design
The absence of computer networking in "Galactica" wasn't just a narrative device but also tied directly to the series' focus on tactility. In the series bible, Moore wrote, "While the ship can travel faster than the speed of light, officers have to verbally go through long checklists while cadres of enlisted personnel flip switches and press buttons in order to make it possible. Human brains need to crunch numbers, organize data, and come up with solutions to complex problems."
This technological regression offers a compelling insight into how a civilization that survived a robot uprising might adapt. The prequel series "Caprica" (which did not meet expectations) showed that Colonial technology was more advanced 58 years before "Galactica." At that time, scientists had made breakthroughs in virtual reality as a consumer product.
In the "Battlestar" pilot mini-series, one of the first scenes features a debate between Commander William Adama (Edward James Olmos) and future-President Laura Roslin (Mary McDonnell) about installing a networked computer on Galactica. Adama, a Cylon war veteran, strongly opposed it, and the show ultimately proves him right. The Colonial fleet began reintegrating computer networking systems designed by Dr. Gaius Baltar (James Callis), but his lover, a Cylon infiltrator (Tricia Helfer), added a backdoor to the system. The Cylons exploited this vulnerability to launch a nuclear apocalypse on the 12 Colonies. Galactica only survived because it didn't have Baltar's software installed.
A Warning About Technology
"In general, the Cylons should be an extension of current, cutting-edge ideas about how computer technology could potentially be exploited and be put to use in the service of an artificial intelligence," Moore wrote in the "Galactica" bible. Although real-life AI technology hasn't reached Cylon-level capabilities yet, "Battlestar Galactica" remains a powerful warning about the dangers of creating technology that we cannot control.
