Michael Trucco by Justin Stephens/Sci Fi Channel Photo, Michael Hogan by Carole Segal/Sci Fi Channel Photo
I have to admit, I had no idea how crazy crowded the Battlestar Galactica panel would be at NY Comic Con. Luckily for me (hee hee) I had a press pass, and scooted right in to a seat in the middle of the room. I was really excited to be among so many thrilled fans, since I am one myself. When the lights lowered, the crowd went crazy as new footage was edited together into a long trailer for what's to come and let me tell you, that shizzle is intense (Adama screaming at Tigh to admit to what he is, Adama telling someone that "they just couldn't stand knowing that they were married to a cylon")!
The lights came up and the panel was introduced: Micheal Trucco (Anders), Rekha Sharma (Tory) and the awesome Michael Hogan (Tigh). Let's go through the big highlights of the session.
Rekha was asked about when she found out that she was going to be a cylon and how she felt about it. She said, "I was soooo excited!" Apparently, someone (Aaron Douglas' name was thrown around a lot) tipped her off about the plot. She read the script and squealed with delight and jumped around.
Trucco was asked the same question and his reaction was, "I guess I'm coming back!" He had only signed on for one or two episodes originally and then they kept bringing him back. When he found out he was a cylon, he said, "There's no way... but I called Ron (Moore) and Dave (Eick) and asked how it reconciled with [Anders'] backstory." Once they had a long chat about it, Michael said that he was very happy with their decision and how the story would be told.
An audience member asked about how the cylons were "activated" by the song "Watchtower," and what they thought the significance was. Hogan was hilarious and said that he was actually alive when the original version came out, and the others weren't so he had to school them on Dylan and Hendrix in his trailer. They said he always had it blasting and how cool it was to learn about it. How sad is it that I was like, "What about Dave Matthews' version?" Ha.
The moderator asked Rekha about how much backstory she knew about Tory before she became known as a cylon did Tory always cry during sex? Ha! Awesome question. After a good laugh, Rekha said that writer Michael Angeli had written that because it had actually happened to a friend of a friend (insert the whole crowd laughing and saying, "Yeah right a "friend," huh?). She added that Ron Moore took her aside one time and asked her opinion on what Tory's backstory could/should be, so she was very involved in the shaping of that part of the character.
Someone asked Hogan what it was like suddenly becoming a cylon after thinking you're a good guy for 4 years. He said that it's weird and that "being a cylon is like [developing] sudden schizophrenia, or worse. For so long you think your one thing, and then you're told you're the complete opposite." But he really thinks that Tigh will remain who he is, meaning, a cylon-hating XO.
Trucco was asked what he thinks it is about Starbuck that makes her so appealing? Jokingly, he said, "I have a thing for angry sex... I mean Anders, not me." Ha! He continued saying that even though she treats him like sh-t, she's one of the most powerful women out there... so it's about survival and also there's some love.
Hogan was asked about what it's like to be on a show that strikes so many political chords in the real world. He said he's extremely proud to be on the show that's on the nose (politically speaking). Rekha added, "How often do you see an Indian woman on TV? Apparently the vision in the future is less racist." Amen, sister! I have to tell you guys, Rekha is so awesome. She's fun and thoughtful and super smart. I'm stoked she has a meatier part on the show.
An audience member asked, "Do you feel limited by having only one curse word (frak, of course)?" They all laughed and Hogan said, "We just had a script that said, 'Gagglefrak' in it that's when you know you're done with just one curse word." Hee.
The last bit I'll leave you with was my favorite piece of info from the panel. Hogan was asked what his favorite scene was so far (or moment, I'm not sure) and he said it was in the beginning when Adama says, "So say we all," for the first time, and everyone starts chanting it after him. Apparently, he ad-libbed it! One of the most uttered lines in the show and moving moments came from the actor instead of the writers. So say we all, indeed! Erin Fox
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