From BSG to Outcasts: A guide to ripping off your favorite TV show in 5 easy steps
“If you like Battlestar Galactica then you’ll love Outcasts!” At least that’s what the producers of Outcasts are probably hoping you’ll say. Unfortunately at only 8 episodes long, Outcasts is a mere shadow of the show it aspires to be.
Steal The Plot
Plots are hard! I know, it’s okay. The home planet of humans has been destroyed but a few scattered ships make it out alive and try to settle on a world they don’t know much about all the while a nefarious force is tracking them down. So, is this the plot of seasons 2/3 of Battlestar Galactica or the plot of Outcasts. It’s both, silly!
Steal The Best Character
BSG’s Gaius Baltar is the unique combination of scientist, traitorous political officer, and religious leader. Outcasts’ Julius Berger is the unique combination of scientist, traitorous political officer, and religious leader.
Steal The Best Actor
Star power! BSG fan favorite Jamie Bamber appears briefly in Outcasts. He’s on the show long enough to get people who like BSG to start watching Outcasts, but not so long that casual viewers would start to pick up on how similar Outcasts is to BSG.
Steal The Best Plot Element
Cylons: We created them and they turned on us so we tried to kill them and now they’re pseudo-humans who would like to see us destroyed, but we may have to try to live together. Advanced Cultivars: We created these pseudo-humans who turned on us after we tried to kill them and who would like to see us destroyed, but we may have to try to live together.
Steal The Best Twists
One of the pseudo humans is amongst us unbeknownst to even her! Gaius/Julius is a traitor! There may be something more mystical going on that we can or want to understand!
Outcasts is a decent show especially if you’re jonesing for something more with Battlestar Galactica off the air. Just set your expectations appropriately.
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Sarah Pavis is an engineer, writer, and Netflix obsessive. She writes “In the Queue” for The Idler.
