Monday, March 26, 2007

Battlestar Galactica - Crossroads 2 - Afterword

So hopefully you've seen the show, if not, there are no real spoilers ahead, but a few production tidbits...

We really went the extra mile to protect the surprises at the end from being leaked, to the extent of actually writing and publishing fake scripted scenes. This isn't to fool cast and crew as much as to keep the big secrets from hitting the internet months in advance. That said, the "false" scenes were actually good enough to fool some people intimiately associated with the show. To those folks, I now say: "sorry." (Maybe one of these days someone will post/publish the fake scenes, they're actually not bad!)

The final-final revelation was scripted a couple of different ways, but the Vipers in space version was the most fun. However, the original version would have been a REAL mind-frak. When there's a little more distance and most folks have had a chance to see the show, I'll try to elaborate.

Finally, a lot of material was mixed and matched between Crossroads 1 and Crossroads 2 in the editing process, meaning I wrote some scenes that wound up in Part 1, and Michael Taylor wrote some that landed in Part 2. Welcome to the crazy world of television! It's really is a gigantic, collective effort doing these shows, from Ron Moore and David Eick on down, including cast, crew, editors, Gary Hutzel and the FX guys (how about that final shot?!), composer Bear McCreary (boy, did I like what he did for Crossroads!), et al.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

amazing show last night .. why do i have the feeling the "lords of Light are back from the original (just thinking out loud)

is there any thought of seeing the cylon homeworld ? who

Lampkin should be back , somehow , someway...

Erica said...

Remarkable, thrilling, edge-of-your-seat stuff. I just wanted to say thank you! And I would love to hear about the alternate versions of the ending. Talk about a campaign of misinformation! Bravo.

As wild as the actualy finish was, the moment that sealed the whole deal for me was the Roslin/Adama scene at the beginning. That attention to character is what makes this show brilliant. I just melted.

-Erica
*I too would love see Lampkin again in someway... what a great character.

Tony said...

Bonjour Mark
Amazing episode last night, one of the best so far. I'm starting to think that the BSG writing staff possesses somehow some kind of prophetic knowledge about the future. Crossroads part one and two were written, what?, 6 months ago? and I couldn't help thinking the similitude between the trial and the recent "affairs" the Dept of Justice had to deal with... ;-)
Grandiose ending (which make me even sadder that we have to wait 9 frakkin months)

Anonymous said...

Yep, I agree with erica - the Roslin and Adama stuff rocked as always. :) I heard some of their material was cut out of the first half? Too bad.
So we want to hear about these alternate endings! Do share!

The episode was truly thrilling/horrible/wonderful -- just amazing. Thanks to you and all of the wonderful BSG people involved.
Another great season, and another great finale!

Anonymous said...

So well done. The way you wove the song in, it didn't feel forced at all. Jamie Bamber's monologue, superlative (and I think he is excellent on a regular day).

And man oh man, the end.... The song mixed with Apollo in viper. And then Kara. Truly excellent. Can't wait until (frak) january.

Anonymous said...

It was one hell of a show. Something I can always count on from BSG - amazing finales!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for making BSG the most fantastic program on TV. That last five minutes was a Mind-Frak for sure.

2008 seems like a long time from now but I know it will be worth the wait. Congrats to you and your crew on all the hard work put into every episode. This is amazingly ground-breaking stuff!!!

Bret

Hammy said...

Awesome episode.. really special. Now if only more people saw it. Ratings just came out.. only a 1.25. FRAK

Anonymous said...

almost everybody uses tivo for shows like battlestar, 24, and everything. the neilsons arent taking those figures into account.

they need to redo that neilson rating system again.

Anonymous said...

I shall get in on the praise as well - loved the finale.

BTW - and pardon the shamelessness - would you be willing to go "On The Futon" for TheFutonCritic.com?

So far we've done interviews with quite a few TV peeps - http://www.thefutoncritic.com/rant.aspx?filter=ON%20THE%20FUTON%20WITH... - and would love to add you to the mix.

Again, apologies to those reading this for the shamelessness.

BFS [at] TheFutonCritic.com

Anonymous said...

Any chance that the BSG version of "All Along the Watchtower" could be released as a single?

Dwight Williams said...

I was thinking of asking that one myself. Consider the motion - if such it be - seconded.

Anonymous said...

OK I'm late to the party here, but have to say firstly, GREAT FINALE and a cool season full of new stuff and surprises. And secondly: us die-hards are, erm, DYING to hear about all the alt-ending ideas.

I'm sure you will share them when you're good and ready.

Have fun breaking S4, skiffy board rumor mill says it is happening AS. I. TYPE. THIS. w00t

Anonymous said...

I feel like BSG has been deficient in making us care about secondary characters... Up until Lampkin.. lets make him a reoccuring guy