‘Galactica’ nears its critical mass as a cable TV hit

By Chris Talbott

Published: October 6, 2008

NEW YORK — Need proof the television ratings system is dead, victim of the TiVo, the ubiquitous satellite dish and schizophrenic viewing habits? Look at what’s happening with "Battlestar Galactica.”

If the traditional ratings system is used to measure its success, well, the series is scraping bottom like a Viper throwing sparks on a hot landing.

Yet, the show’s producers have moved forward with two post-"Galactica” projects that would never have seen the light of a cathode ray tube had ratings been the only factor in the decisions.

Jamie Bamber, the British actor who plays Lee "Apollo” Adama in the series, has a much better way to gauge ratings. Turns out, as the ratings plummet, the show’s popularity continues to skyrocket as it nears the end of its five-year run early in 2009.

"When the numbers were high, I would get stopped in the street maybe once a week,” Bamber said. "Now that the viewing figures are lower on the TV, everywhere I go someone will come up to me and say what a huge fan they are. That just tells me that people watch the show in a more modern way and that it has reached its sort of critical mass.”

"Galactica” wrapped shooting in July, and the final 10 episodes will begin airing in January. But the franchise won’t stop there.

Producers announced the production of a two-hour standalone "Galactica” prequel that will air in 2009 after the series finale. And they’ve also shot a pilot for a new series called "Caprica,” which has yet to be picked up by the network but seems destined to air.

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