Today Felicity, Charles, Carla, Dan, and I watched the pilot episode of Caprica. Unlike its predecessor's pilot, the Battlestar Galactica Miniseries, it was only a reasonable 90 minutes long. However, like its predecessor's pilot, the Battlestar Galactica Miniseries, it was a bit overwhelming (to the point of being maybe underwhelming in hindsight) and perhaps not a very good signifier for the series to follow. I hate to say it, especially in the wake of BSG's three-hour Miniseries, but Caprica's pilot might have benefited from being a shy bit longer and with a bit more story.

Like the BSG Miniseries five and a half years ago, I'm not left with a profound sense of excitement for the series to follow. I thought there were plenty of good ideas and interesting directions (plus plenty of boobularly bizarre ones), but it maybe left a bit to be desired. I see where they're going, I see what they want, but I think how they're getting to that point is a little peculiar.

There's this concept of a sleazy, virtual reality version of the Sims that plays in your head thanks to a headset stolen from the Ktarians. By the end of the pilot the story finds itself in a position of maybe never having to return to that concept, which would be good. The series can do better without brain raves which, in my opinion, were the biggest drag on the episode.

Another problem was that I didn't feel a whole great deal of development between our main characters, Daniel Graystone and Joseph Adama. A lot of pertinent life details about each are thrown out but I still don't seem to quite know who these people are.

There were plenty of enjoyable moments, don't get me wrong. Interestingly though, these were all the instances that related more to the future events of Battlestar Galactica than to the more pressing present of Caprica. Some tender moments. Some holy heck moments. Some well-I'll-be moments. Without divulging into spoilers, I'll just say that yes, there is plenty to like in Caprica once you get around some substantial hang-ups.

Maybe it'll take another viewing. Maybe it'll take a series. Maybe Galacticaverse pilots just aren't very great. Maybe I don't think that any pilot, no matter what series, has ever been impressive, period. Instead I shall reserve judgment. Galactica proved me terribly wrong when I judged its pilot too harshly so many years ago and, hopefully, Caprica will delight me just as much as its bygone predecessor when the first season goes to broadcast next year.

Unfortunately we didn't get around to watching anything else, though we did go to the park to enjoy the fantastically beautiful weather. I still can't throw a frisbee and I twisted my ankle (still hurts kinda), but it was good times.

This Saturday the 25 will not be Star Trek. Instead we'll be returning to another familiar universe to herald the dawning of a new era. Battlestar Galactica ended production last March, but now Caprica lies just around the corner.

Caprica is the prequel series, taking place fifty years before the fall of the Twelve Colonies and tells how two families -- the Graystones and the Adamas -- witnessed the creation of the Cylons and all the trouble that would ultimately bring.

There's also been some interest in rewatching the original Galactica miniseries in the wake of the show's climax, so that could potentially follow the Caprica pilot. How does a start time of 5:00 sound?