I love the miniseries (aka the first two episodes) so much, especially as a deep Star Trek fan. Watching Ronald D Moore break all the rules he had to follow in the franchise is damned exhilirating.
Also, what do you mean be “soap opera”? Game of Thrones isn’t really a soap opera, though I think “Game of Thrones in space” is sort-of-kind-of fair in that it did take politics seriously and realistically.
I get that. I’d still differentiate, because in soap opera, these conflicts are more caricatures, driven to the extreme. In BSG they are mostly understandable, sometimes even relatable and grounded in experiences you could make in real life.
No, the story progresses because of the characters’ actions and decisions. The story begins because Holden decides to go against his captain’s orders and logs the distress call. Joe Miller decides to continue his investigations beyond the necessary. We do have a McGuffin, we so have some events characters reakt to, but many events might have taken place differently or not at all depending on character choices.
I’m unfailiar with your definition of character-driven. For me, when a character is primarily about the characters and the action and the plot are primarily to illustrate and grow characters, then that’s character-driven. If the main thrust of the story is what happens, then I’d say it’s story driven.
There’s room for interpretation, though, and it’s all relative.
If you want an action show that goes about as far into character-driven as possible–and you can get around the casual unexamined misogyny so prevalent in SF spaces–I can’t think of a better example than the original Buffy: The Vampire Slayer TV series (caveat: the phsycial DVD is the only extant intedned director’s vision).
Battlestar Galactica was too much soap opera for me. I don’t want “Game of Thrones in space” out of my sci-fi.
I love the miniseries (aka the first two episodes) so much, especially as a deep Star Trek fan. Watching Ronald D Moore break all the rules he had to follow in the franchise is damned exhilirating.
Also, what do you mean be “soap opera”? Game of Thrones isn’t really a soap opera, though I think “Game of Thrones in space” is sort-of-kind-of fair in that it did take politics seriously and realistically.
The plot is primarily driven by drama from interpersonal conflict, which I just do not find interesting
But that is just character driven plot, not soap opera.
Not to say those shows literally are soap operas, but they share major qualities that I dislike out of soap operas.
I get that. I’d still differentiate, because in soap opera, these conflicts are more caricatures, driven to the extreme. In BSG they are mostly understandable, sometimes even relatable and grounded in experiences you could make in real life.
Average hard SF fan.
I mean, one of if not the best shows of the last decade (imho) was The Expanse, a character driven, very hard sci fi show.
I love the Expanse and I love the characters, and I love their development, but it is very much a plot driven show.
No, the story progresses because of the characters’ actions and decisions. The story begins because Holden decides to go against his captain’s orders and logs the distress call. Joe Miller decides to continue his investigations beyond the necessary. We do have a McGuffin, we so have some events characters reakt to, but many events might have taken place differently or not at all depending on character choices.
I’m unfailiar with your definition of character-driven. For me, when a character is primarily about the characters and the action and the plot are primarily to illustrate and grow characters, then that’s character-driven. If the main thrust of the story is what happens, then I’d say it’s story driven.
There’s room for interpretation, though, and it’s all relative.
If you want an action show that goes about as far into character-driven as possible–and you can get around the casual unexamined misogyny so prevalent in SF spaces–I can’t think of a better example than the original Buffy: The Vampire Slayer TV series (caveat: the phsycial DVD is the only extant intedned director’s vision).
IIRC, the writer’s strike did some damage to it. After they leave New Caprica, the show really loses its direction and gets weird.