Questions for Ron Moore...Now with Answers!

Television, Movies Games and Books BSG-2003
#1

I’m going to be at I-Con in a couple of weeks, and Ron Moore will be there doing at least one Q and A. I’ve been to this convention before, and usually getting one or two questions in is not too hard. Only thing is, I can’t think of a good question. I think this is partly because he does so many interviews and had his own podcast, so a lot of what we would normally be interested in has already been discussed.

So, I put this out to the GWC hive mind. What questions do you want to hear Ron Moore answer?

I put this in the Battlestar Forum because I wasn’t sure where to put it, but I’m not limiting it to Battlestar related stuff. (Remember, he also worked on Star Trek Next Gen and DS9).

P.S. If anyone is going to I-Con, post in the thread.

#2

If the U-87, first CYLON with virtual Zoe inside, has a voice modulator and could speak, and an older model Centurion seen in Razor could say “By Your Command”, why couldn’t the new Centurion speak in BSG?

It’s one thing to have the Centurions communicate with other Cylons wirelessly, but when they come face to face with captured humans and needs to get they to perform certain tasks, wouldn’t it be more logical to have voice communication?

#3

My favorite Trek show was DS9, my favorite HBO show was Carnivale, and my favorite all time show was BSG. It can’t be coincidence that he was involved in all three. So I’ve always wanted to hear what he thought were the common themes that he contributed to those shows that make them so great.

#4

here’s mine

best show on tv right now that your not involved with?

I just always like to know what the people who make shows i love, like to watch.

#5

Hmmm. Good questions. I like Phil’s a lot, I might go with that. Some other things I have been brainstorming about:

-Virtuality was a great pilot, but it was sort of like Caprica. Are there any ideas from that show you are working into Caprica?

-How did you get involved with doing the weekly Battlestar podcast?

-In the Battlestar Episode “Lay Down Your Burdens” part 2, why did the Cylons change their mind and occupy New Caprica after they decided that Humans and Cylons would go their separate ways in part 1 (and in The Plan) ? <— this is probably way to geeky and would take too long to answer, but I have always wanted to know. Anyone here know?

#6

I assume that it wasn’t a matter of them being unable, but instead choosing not to. Reasons? Maybe they just didn’t have anything to say.

Ooooor, perhaps Zoe’s ‘silent treatment’ of her Dad was a demonstration of a technique used 40 years later to demonstrate resentment of Skinjobs.

#7

Did anyone ask them a question?

Well, Baltar did, but I can understand not answering him.

#8

Thanks! I think the Virtuality question is also a good one.

Regardless of what you ask, make sure you let us know what his answer is…

#9

Was there anything he thought originally would be cool for BSG’s ending that he ultimately decided was a bad idea?

#10

Was there anything he thought originally would be cool for BSG’s ending that he ultimately decided was a bad idea?

Yeah, thats pretty good too, although I do remember him saying that it was always in the plan for them to find anchient earth, and for the end of the show to be Six walking down the street in Times Square.
Maybe I could broaden it out and ask if there were any great ideas that never got into the series?

#11

I want to know where the frakking Cylon battle Daggets were!

#12

Cylon Battle Dagget was the name of my band in High School.

#13

Is the dog who plays Ceasar in Caprica the same one who played Jake in BSG? :slight_smile:

#14

Ask him how he has such pretty, pretty hair. :slight_smile:

#15

Yes, and yes. Specifically: were there any cards that he wished they picked up (It makes more sense if you’ve listened to the podcasts.)

#16

Or, alternately, were there any cards they wish they never put down?

#17

Just got back from the first night of the Con! They did a screening of Razor with Mr. Moore doing a 20 minute intro with some questions. I got to ask him if they were ever worried about making the show or the characters too dark to the point of being unlikeable. His answer was a bit more wordy, but the answer was basically “No”. If the characters are portrayed well, and ultimately believable, then the audience will sympathetic. Then I got to watch Razor while sitting about 4 feet from Ron Moore! It was pretty surreal.

Tomorrow is the autograph session, and the big Q and A is Sunday! Questions will be asked!

P.S. His hair was a little shorter then pictured above, but still very pretty.

#18

Cylon Battle Dagets!

#19

Just got back from the final day of the Con. It was an all around great time. Saw Ron Moore at his autograph session, and at his Q and A today. At the autograph session I asked him the long geeky question:

In the Battlestar Episode “Lay Down Your Burdens” part 2, why did the Cylons change their mind and occupy New Caprica after they decided that Humans and Cylons would go their separate ways in part 1 (and in The Plan) ?

And the answer… I stumped him. :o That’s right! I stumped Ron Moore on a question about his own show! He didn’t remember if there was a specific reason given, however he did say that Cavil convinced the other Cylons that living with the humans would be the only way for the humans to start understanding the Cylon point of view, which does makes sense. He also said to check the podcasts from the first episodes of season 3 where he probably talked about it. Anyway, I did get to talk to him for a couple of minutes, which was a lot of fun, and he signed my First Contact DVD.

Today was his Q and A. He was scheduled in for an hour and a half, which is longer then most people do at conventions, but he did close to 2 hours! He did an amazing job, and I wish I had recorded it, because I would definitely listen to it again. He answered questions on everything from television casting to meeting Gene Rodenberry to the Battlestar ending. I got to ask him two questions, both I got from you guys here on the forum.

So I’ve always wanted to hear what he thought were the common themes that he contributed to those shows that make them so great.

I didn’t ask it exactly this way, but his answer was “Cynical and romantic notions about people.” I’m paraphrasing here, basically people are flawed, but always trying to redeem themselves. People make mistakes, they do the wrong thing, but ultimately we are all try to make ourselves better.

My second question was, were there any ideas for Battlestar that you didn’t have time to fit into the series. His answer: Paper. He always had this idea about having a paper shortage on Galactica. The idea never developed into an actual story, but he was fascinated by the idea of Paper, something that everyone takes for granted, that is so important to the running of the fleet suddenly not being there. The only part of this that made it into the series was the line during the food shortage that people were eating paper but stopped because there was a paper shortage.

I just always like to know what the people who make shows I love, like to watch.
Somebody else asked him this one. The three he mentioned were Mad Men, Breaking Bad and Robot Chicken. He also said at another point he was a huge fan of the Sopranos. In general he does not watch much Sci-Fi on TV since he tends to analyze it too much to be an objective viewer.

It was a great Q and A, and the audience put forth lots of good questions. When it was over, it looked like the end of college lecture, when everyone rushes to the professor, so I didn’t bother trying to get a picture. (Although in retrospect, it would have been funny to take a picture of that!)

Some other thots for the convention:
Rick Worthy (Simon the Cylon) is a really cool guy, and a bigger sci-fi fan the some of the attendees! I got to talk to him for close to 10 minutes about various thing sci-fi and convention related, and he signed my copy of “The Plan.”

Tony Todd and Sarah Douglass were both also very friendly and approachable. If you see them at a convention make sure you say hi.

Last, but not least, I found somebody selling a button with the picture that I have been using for my avatar:

Edit: Thanks to Gryper for changing the Thread Title.

#20

That’s wonderful, Fenatic!! Great job bringing us the experience.