Captivated by Caprica!

Caprica's Morales, Malcomson and Stoltz

I had the chance to see Caprica, and colour me impressed!

Just a warning, there may be some spoilers, so if you haven’t seen it yet, read at your own risk.

First and foremost, I have to say Caprica IS NOT Battlestar Galactica, and I’m good with that. It’s a completely different feel, a fresh perspective. No spaceships, no epic battles, no FTL drives, and no drunken Viper pilots.

Set in Caprica City nearly six decades before the Cylons nuked the colonies, we meet two families, The Adamas and The Graystones, who are both united and divided when they lose loved ones in a terrorist attack.

There’s the world of virtual reality (a precursor to Cylon projection perhaps?), the age-old religion versus science debate, and the conflict between polytheist and monotheist beliefs. The imagery was great, it really sticks with you, even days after watching. And how excited was I to witness the “birth” of the Cylon.

The casting couldn’t be more perfect in my opinion. Eric Stoltz as Daniel Graystone is compelling as scientist, businessman, father and husband. Esai Morales really is the embodiment of how I always envisioned the patriarch of the Adama family, trying to achieve the balance between what is just and what is right. And I can’t wait to see more of Polly Walker as Sister Clarice Willow, and learn more about this headmistress of The Athena Academy, an elite school where young minds are being shaped – or corrupted, depending how you look at it.

This might be the next crossover hit, appealing to fans of sci-fi and dramatic serials alike. At its heart, Caprica is a gripping drama centered on 2 families, how each deal with loss, and how they choose to move on with their lives.

After such a tantalizing tease like this, 2010 can’t come fast enough!