The show has built up a small army of fans and garnished some praise from media critics, the most recent of which is the number 13 spot on Empire magazine’s list of top shows of all time. The question is, how did it become so popular, when it seemed destined to fail from the start?

With most great TV shows now lasting into their in season years, it nice to see a hit show call it quits when it’s still in it’s prime—well let’s just hope it’s still in its prime. Battlestar Galactica made its final return to the Sci-Fi Channel two weeks ago, when it began its fourth and final season on April 4.

The show has built up a small army of fans and garnished some praise from media critics, the most recent of which is the number 13 spot on Empire magazine’s list of top shows of all time. The question is how did it become so popular, when it seemed destined to fail from the start?

First of all, it is a remake from a very cheesy show that aired for one season in 1978. The originals series was so flawed that its only saving grace was that it was good for a laugh on a rainy Tuesday night.

But that’s not just it; the plot is something audiences have seen a 1,001 times. The whole story centers on the idea that the last of the human race is at war with a rebellious army of robot that they created.

And lastly the show is a Sci-Fi series. They haven’t fared well in the past, all the various Star Trek series (excluding “The Next Generation”) have tanked in viewer population after the first episode. Other Sci-Fi show move moves networks so fast that they succumb to the fate of “Stargate” series.

So how has this series gained an army of loyal followers that live and die for their Friday nights? Most people would just say that the time was right for shows like “Battlestar” to appear, “Lost” and “Heroes” are evidence of that.

But that fact is the show was produced and written so well that it was destined to succeed.

One of the great standout points of the series has been the aesthetic look of the show and its sets. They are dark, dank and seem like they are in serious need of a fresh coat of paint. It gives an all-too real feeling to a show about a war with robots.

The show is also filmed complete off the shoulder to give the series a documentary feel. The shooting style places the viewer in the set. Viewers get to move along with all the action and drama as if they were a crewmember.

The plot, although hokey in initial premise, is thick with interweaving storylines that that reflect current events in the real world, much like “South Park” without the laughs, or “Law and Order” without copying events from the newspaper.

It has been argued that “Battlestar Galactica” isn’t really a sci-fi show, that it’s really a soap opera masquerading as a one, which is strange because if you think about it, aren’t most shows dramas masquerading as other shows?

The show is one everyone should catch if only to understand why so many people find it interesting. To see what all the excitement is about, tune it to the Sci-Fi Channel or you could just watch it on the Interweb.

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