The God of War TV series is back on track. It was announced last week that the original creative team behind the Sony Pictures TV and Amazon MGM Studios series had departed, but Deadline now reports that Ronald D. Moore has stepped up as writer, executive producer, and showrunner.

Moore has plenty of TV experience. He’s best known for his work in the Star Trek franchise (including Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: Voyager) and for developing acclaimed series such as Battlestar Galactica, Outlander, and For All Mankind. The exit of the original creative team came as a shock, especially as so much work had already been done. Showrunner/executive producer Rafe Judkins, as well as fellow EPs Hawk Ostby and Mark Fergus, left the God of War series after completing multiple scripts for the first season. Although the scripts were praised by Sony and Amazon MGM, the studios apparently wanted to move in a different creative direction.

When Sony first announced the God of War TV series, the plot synopsis indicated that it would be following the events of the more recent installments in the video game franchise. The show “follows Kratos, aka the God of War, who, after exiling himself from his blood-soaked past in ancient Greece, hangs up his weapons forever in the Norse realm of Midgard. When his beloved wife dies, Kratos sets off on a dangerous journey with his estranged son to spread her ashes from the highest peak—his wife’s final wish. Kratos soon realizes the journey is an epic quest in disguise, one which will test the bonds between father and son and force Kratos to battle new Gods and monsters for the fate of the world.” Now that Ronald D. Moore is on board, it’s not clear if this is still the story or if there will be some even bigger changes.

Moore’s Outlander will be coming to an end with its eighth and final season, although a prequel spinoff series is expected to debut on Starz next year. For All Mankind has been renewed for a fifth season, and a spinoff focusing on the Soviet space program has been ordered.

The post God of War TV series taps Battlestar Galactica’s Ronald D. Moore to serve as new showrunner after original creative team departs appeared first on JoBlo.

Following the success and reception of season three of Apple TV+’s alternate history sci-fi series For All Mankind, the program will make its return with another 10 episodes this fall. Now, Apple has released the trailer, building on the world – and beyond – that the series has explored thus far.

The official synopsis for season four of For All Mankind, as per Apple: “Rocketing into the new millennium in the eight years since season three, Happy Valley has rapidly expanded its footprint on Mars by turning former foes into partners. Now 2003, the focus of the space program has turned to the capture and mining of extremely valuable, mineral-rich asteroids that could change the future of both Earth and Mars. But simmering tensions between the residents of the now-sprawling international base threaten to undo everything they are working towards.”

The title of the series itself is inspired by an Apollo 11 lunar plaque, which reads, “We Came in Peace for All Mankind.” The title was also used for Al Reinert’s 1989 documentary, a masterpiece that anyone curious in space exploration – particularly the Apollo program – needs to see.

While For All Mankind got off to a bit of a rocky start (our own Alex Maidy gave it a 7/10 but noted that it was occasionally predictable), reviews for seasons two and three were remarkable, with the second season even holding a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes with an 83% audience score.

For All Mankind definitely has some prestige behind it, including Ronald D. Moore, best known for his work on Star Trek series The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine and the Saturn-winning Outlander, in addition to bringing Battlestar Galactica back to the screen and introducing it to a new audience. Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi, who co-wrote scripts for seasons two and three of Fargo, are also co-creators. The series was honored with the PGA Innovation Award in 2022.

Season four of For All Mankind will hit Apple TV+ on November 10th, concluding on January 12th.

Are you a fan of For All Mankind? What are you hoping for in the fourth season? Let us know in the comments below!

The post For All Mankind: Season 4 gets trailer appeared first on JoBlo.

Believe it or not, but we're just a few short years away from the twentieth anniversary of Ronald D. Moore's reboot of Battlestar Galactica. Where the frack does the time go? After a cybernetic race known as the Cylons lay waste to the Twelve Colonies and murder billions, the surviving humans manage to escape aboard Battlestar Galactica, a military vessel, as well as a civilian fleet, and take off in search of a fabled colony known as Earth. Although the finale didn't please everyone, Battlestar Galactica was still one hell of a series, so naturally, they're bringing it back.

It was announced last year that Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail would be heading up a reboot of Battlestar Galactica for NBC Universal's upcoming streaming service, Peacock. However, although it's still referred to as a reboot, Esmail has previously stated that his take will not be a remake of Ronald D. Moore's series, saying, "We’ll explore a new story within the mythology while staying true to the spirit of Battlestar." Given the apparent connection between the two shows, it was only natural for Esmail to reach out to Moore. While speaking with Variety, Moore seems quite optimistic about the new series.

Sam called me and was very gracious, he didn’t pitch me the story so I don’t know. But he said his plans and he wasn’t going to re-start the show and recast it but he wanted to do something in the same universe. Sam’s amazing and I love ‘Mr. Robot.’ I was like, you know, ‘You’re an amazing guy and amazing writer, go with god!’

Sam Esmail's series isn't the only Battlestar Galactica project in the works, as Francis Lawrence (RED SPARROW) has also been attached to helm a big-screen adaptation of the story for several years. THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER'S WEB writer Jay Basu was tasked to re-write the script which was previously written by Lisa Joy (Westworld), but it's been some time since we last heard much about the project. Lawrence had previously said that he's a big fan of both the original series and Ronald D. Moore's reboot, and that the film would include a few nods to both shows. "There will definitely be visual nods. We’re all fans of both series so there will definitely be nods, but for it to be worth doing for us we have to have our own take on it," Lawrence said. "Without getting into too much detail, there is thematic kind of stuff to make it relevant today. What makes something interesting to do is if there’s a relevance to the world we live in now… I think we’ve found something else to say with it too, which I think is pretty cool."

The post Ronald D. Moore has spoken with Sam Esmail about Battlestar Galactica reboot appeared first on JoBlo.

Apple has launched a first-look trailer for their upcoming space race TV series FOR ALL MANKIND, as part of the company's showing at the annual Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose, California.

The highly-anticipated project hails from Golden Globe nominee and Emmy Award winner, Ronald D. Moore (BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, STAR TREK), and will serve as an exploration of what would have happened if the global space race never ended. According to the series' official press release, FOR ALL MANKIND will present an aspirational world where NASA astronauts, engineers and their families find themselves in the center of extraordinary events seen through the prism of an alternate history timeline — a world in which the USSR beats the US to the moon.

Set to debut exclusively on Apple TV+, Apple’s new video subscription service, FOR ALL MANKING stars Joel Kinnaman, Michael Dorman, Sarah Jones, Shantel VanSanten, Wrenn Schmidt, and Jodi Balfour, among others. Created by Ronald D. Moore, Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi, and directed by Seth Gordon, FOR ALL MANKIND is poised to be a top-shelf offering from Apple's streaming service, which will feature original shows, movies and documentaries from the world’s most creative storytellers, and will launch this fall in the Apple TV app.

Space exploration has certainly become a hot ticket in Hollywood as of late, especially with Damien Chazelle's biographical drama, FIRST MAN, having dazzled audiences throughout the film's late 2018 turn in theaters. I suppose that the sky is the limit with regard to touching the stars, and I would bet that Apple's upcoming series is just another in a long line of galaxy-gallivanting epics to come.

The post Apple’s space race drama For All Mankind gets an intense first-look trailer appeared first on JoBlo.

It's be 10 years since Ronald D. Moore's Battlestar Galactica hit the small screen, and I find that hard to believe. There's not many shows that I'm willing to watch from week to week, as opposed to marathoning, but BStarG was one of 'em. While the show focused on the continuing war between man and the machines they created, it used its premise to tell stories that were relatable to our present situation. The pilot episodes were a brilliant analogy for 9/11, and gave the series a great sense of weight. While at the time, Ron Moore and crew were just doing their best to create a great TV show, time gives way to retrospect and Ron recently talked about what it's like to look back on what he had a hand in creating.

I'm very proud of it. I look back at it, and I showed it to my son a year or so ago. I watched some of the episodes with him for the first time, I hadn't seen them in quite a while, and I was very gratified that it held up and it was still really interesting. The performances are so solid and interesting; it was a great, great thing we were a part of.

I like the fact that we were so politically challenging through the show, that we addressed a lot of things that were happening in the world around us at that point, with terrorism and the war in Iraq and all that, and that we really went for it. We did suicide bombings and we did occupation. There was a certain fearless quality to what we were doing that I'm very proud of looking back on it.

We had a really great chemistry among all of [the actors] and they were so dedicated to it. And then in the writers' room, we just kept pushing the show further. We were always trying to challenge ourselves and we weren't afraid of moving the story forward at every turn. There was just such a commitment from everybody involved in the project. That was just a really special quality to it.

The great aspect of Battlestar Galactica is that because it's a Sci-Fi show, I never run short of friends who have never given it the time of day. That's great because it allows me to whip out my Blu-ray box set and have a chance to experience the show all over again with them. If you didn't get a chance to check out or Binge Watchin' TV Review, you can peep it here and then do a hardcore Netflix run! Suffice to say that it's a show worth watching again whether you're a newb or an experienced Viper pilot. So say we all.

You can check out Ron Moore’s latest effort, Outlander, on Starz.

The post Ronald D. Moore reminisces for the 10th anniversary of Battlestar Galactica appeared first on JoBlo.

Welcome to Binge Watchin,’ where we take a look at some of the best TV shows available on streaming or disc that have a great catalogue of seasons to jump into and get sucked into the beautiful bliss of binge watching! From crime, action, comedy, drama, animation, etc., we’ll be evaluating an assortment of shows that will hopefully serve as a gateway to your next binge experience.

Series: Battlestar Galactica

Number of Seasons: 4

Where to watch: Netflix, Blu-ray/DVD

What's the show about?

Man created machines, the Cylons, to better themselves. When the Cylons rebelled against their masters, war broke out among the 12 colonies. After a long and bloody struggle, an armistice was declared and the Cylons left to find a world to call their own. 40 years later, the Cylons have returned to claim their home worlds. Having created 12 models that look identical to humans, they were able to infiltrate with relative ease. Nuclear strikes leave the humans desolated and on the run from the Cylons. The populace has dwindled to a mere 50,000 spread across a few dozen ships. The last remaining commander, William Adama (Edward James Olmos) leads the survivors to makind's greatest kept secret; the 12th colony. A world that can sustain life called, "Earth."

Why should I watch it?

Series creator Ronald D. Moore had put in his time writing for Star Trek: The Next Generation. Despite learning and excelling in his craft, he found that he quickly tired of the usual sci-fi tropes and pitfalls.  He felt restricted by the guidelines of what he was able to do with the likes of Picard and Co. and yearned for a science fiction experience that embraced its characters and humanized them. Despite the name, Battlestar Galactica is a drama first and foremost, punctuated by science fiction, action and some really bad ass characters.

Battlestar is also one of the first re-imaginings to hit (before it was cool!) and while I don't know what compellted Ron Moore to take a cheesy Star Wars knock-off and completely restructure it, I'm glad as hell he did.  With most Sci-Fi (especially Trek), there's a threat introduced early on in the episode and by the episode's end, everything is back to normal and nothing has changed. What's refreshing about Battlestar is that there is a natural and organic movement from episode to episode. The story progresses, characters advance and when there's a loss, you feel it. Battlestar was Game of Thrones before Game of Thrones! I love a show that not only makes you care for its characters, but is not afraid to do something with them.

Speaking of characters, the cast assembled for this show is ridiculously top-notch. Right off the bat, you've got Edward James Olmos has the highest ranking officer of the fleet. Eddy Olmos lends a great deal of weight to any role, and when he really has something to chew on, you'll see why this is one of the most coveted roles he's ever played. Acting opposite him is the President of the Colonies, Laura Roslin (Mary McDonnell). The two have a back and forth that feels believable.  While it's rocky at the start, the two form a friendship that feels as real as anything I've seen in TV. Their arc from the beginning of the show to the series' end is one of the most rewarding I've seen on television. That's just the tip of the ensemble ice berg, with officers and civilians each having fleshed-out and fully realized stories.

There's Gaius Baltar, the sole civilian most likely repsonsible for the downfall of human kind, who sees a supposedly imaginary Cylon in his head almost at all times.  Lee 'Apollo' Adama is straight man, striving to do what's right in a world that's been all but destroyed.  Then you have, without a doubt, one of the most badass characters introduced in any medium, Starbuck.  Kara Thrace is a great pilot and stands toe-to-toe with any character she comes across.  However, she's given a rich backstory and some raw emotion that feeds her strength.  She's not a f*cking robot, and I love that about her.  It's too easy to make badass females caricatures or two-dimensional, but Starbuck is a joy to watch at all times thanks to actress Katee Sackhoff.

The struggle is most definitely real as the Cylons seem to be on top of the humans every stop of the way.  Having occupied the original colonies from wence they came, why do they pursue the humans?  As each episode states, the machines have a plan and it's a real doozy (people still say that, right?).  Having turned most of the Cylons into human look-alikes gives the show a quality similar to John Carpenter's THE THING.  There's a state of mistrust, and when you or a character discovers who may be a Cylon, there's real hearbreak.  It makes for great drama, which the show absolutely excels at.

There's a lot of cool, sci-fi bits involving giant space battles and human vs Cylon mash-ups, but the show never loses sight of taking it's stories and characters to interesting places.  There are allegories aplenty, from the very 9/11-esque opening of the show to validity of suicide bombings.  Masking these ideals under the guise of science fiction forces the viewer to think about them in a new light, and it's a genius move on the part of the writers.  If you're fan of film and TV scores, composer Bear McCreary gives the listener some absolutely breathtaking music.  From the heart-pounding, adrenaline-pumping taiko drums to the violin themes that tug at the heart strings, the score is one of the best I've ever heard and improves in quality with each season.

The masterstroke of the show is that they decided to end it on their own terms. Too often these days shows either get worse over time or are cancelled due to ratings. The creators chose to make season 4 their last, and with that in mind, were able to create an arc that was compelling and felt true to the characters. I've watched the show at least 4 times through now the replay value is off the charts. It's just as rewarding the first time as it is the last.

Best season:

As you no doubt have noticed, I've been careful not to divulge too much plot in this article.  Everything you've read thus far is established in the mini-series that kicks off the show.  I'll be honest and tell you that the mini-series is a hurdle, clocking in at over three hours.  There's a lot of backstory to be established and even more characters.  Once you get through that into the seasons (with most episodes clocking in at around 40 minutes), you're hooked.

While season 1 is fascinating in establishing its universe and characters, I'll give the edge to season 2 for taking its premise and running with it.  At that point, you're fully invested in the characters and their plight.  Furthemore, the Cylons are actually painted in shades of gray, asking its audience who the real enemy is.  There's no doubt that season 3 is the weakest (trying to cave in to fan expectation) and season 4 it's most divisive, but you really can't wrong with the show as a whole.

Final thoughts:

Admittedly, I'm not a fan of watching TV on TV. I love to watch a show at my leisure. There are few shows that I've watched week to week, but Battlestar was one of those shows that I could not stand to go without. Discussing theories with my friends and pondering from week to week was great, but now that the entire show is available to watch at any time, you owe it to yourself to give it a go. When I knew I'd be writing this article and talking to you about Battlestar, I was giddy to pull out my Blu-ray set and revisit this universe.  There was so much care and attention put into it.  It absolutely shows.  It's a great f*cking series and I love sharing it.  Whether you've seen it before or never had a chance to check it out, now is a great time.  Battlestar Galactica transcends the genre it was built for and solidifies itself as a great work of art.

The post Binge Watchin’ TV review: Battlestar Galactica appeared first on JoBlo.

Ronald D. Moore, the man behind the terrific “Battlestar Gallactica” reboot, is back at the Syfy channel, this time with an aim of scaring the bejesus out of us. His new show is called “Helix”, and it just dished out its first tease at San Diego Comic-Con.

Below you’ll find the creepy preview for “Helix,” which doesn’t air until 2014. Too bad, because I want to see what the deal is with all that black goo!

Here’s the synopsis:

When a team of scientists from the Centers for Disease Control travel to a high-tech research facility in the Arctic to investigate a possible disease outbreak, they quickly find themselves pulled into a terrifying life-and-death struggle that holds the key to mankind’s salvation or total annihilation.

“Helix” doesn’t have an official air date yet; we will keep you posted.

The post Black goo flows in teaser for Syfy’s Helix, coming in 2014 appeared first on JoBlo.