The Battlestar Galactica franchise has been around for decades and it’s one of the best sci-fi TV shows from the ’70s and ’80s. Fans old and new were reintroduced to its sci-fi world in 2003 by way of Battlestar Galactica on Syfy, which ran for a total of four seasons, plus a miniseries and two made-for-TV movies. Despite being wildly different from the original, the series earned critical acclaim throughout its run. However, the classic favorite actually started off on the wrong foot, according to star Katee Sackhoff.
Sackhoff starred as Kara “Starbuck” Thrace, the Viper pilot of Galactica, and quickly became a TV fan-favorite. That being said, not every big show kicks off on a high note, or at least, not every character kicks off on a high note. Sackhoff was a guest on The Joe Rogan Experience, telling the podcast host that there was backlash after she was cast spearheaded by fans who wanted Starbuck to be played by a male as it went in the original series. She said:
The first time we went to Comic Con in San Diego, they had us in Hall H, and I was booed. I was booed. The Internet did not exist, mind you. It was like brand new. So I went down to an Internet Café because someone was like, ‘I guess they’re talking about the show and these boards.’ And I was like, ‘What’s the Internet?’
Since Battlestar Galactica originally aired for one season from 1978 to 1979 on ABC, followed by Galactica 1980 the following year for 10 episodes, the show had already built up a fanbase, and some dedicated fans, at that. Sackhoff recalled how she saw the hate she was getting on a thread and tried her hardest to not search herself to make things even worse. But San Diego Comic-Con did that for her, because she experienced the hate firsthand. Luckily, the actress handled it like a pro:
I would be lying if I said it didn’t upset me. But luckily, there were enough people that were championing the show that I really didn’t pay any mind of it. And I was also in that age where it was the perfect age. I mean, I think now it would probably break me. But at 23, I was like the blissful ignorance of youth. I didn’t think the show would last anyway. So it was like, ‘Whatever. Not a big deal.’ Just a blip on the radar, like, I’m in Hall H. And then I think that it slowly started winning people over.
It’s not easy taking up the mantle of a character that has been loved for decades, no matter how long they were initially around for. But Sackhoff didn’t seem to mind it so much back then, and it sounds like as the panel went on, fans started to come around. She went on to explain that as she started doing more conventions, the line would get longer and longer, and people would even tell her they didn’t want to like the show, but they love it.
Sci-fi fans are certainly a dedicated bunch, and it’s not surprising that they would be on the fence with a new Battlestar Galactica series. At least;, a lot of them gave the show and Sackhoff a chance, otherwise, who knows what could have happened. Of course, Battlestar Galactica was not like its predecessor, and it was a darker reboot, but one that ultimately won over some passionate fans.
There was supposed to be another Battlestar Galactica revival a few years ago on Peacock from NBCUniversal, but as of July 2024, that is no longer happening. Whether the franchise will make another comeback is unknown, but at the very least, fans may be a bit more open-minded following the early 2000s reboot, which is still a favorite today.