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AnotherLifeKateeSackhoff-1.jpg

Can Netflix's 'Another Life' Fill the 'Battlestar: Galactica' Hole In Your Life?

By Genevieve Burgess | TV | August 7, 2019 |

By Genevieve Burgess | TV | August 7, 2019 |


AnotherLifeKateeSackhoff-1.jpg

As a fan of most of the SyFy channel’s reboot of Battlestar: Galactica I am likely the prime target for Netflix’s new series Another Life which stars Katee Sackhoff as a space pilot. This is all I knew about the series before I started watching and it’s probably the only thing Netflix wanted me to know. Starbuck! Or something like her! Back on my TV! As a person again and not a weird alien-angel plot device! If you are stuck looking at your Netflix screen wondering if this series is going to give you that sweet sweet BSG fix, I am here to answer some of those questions for you. With minor, context-free spoilers for Another Life.

Things in Common with BSG
- Katee Sackhoff plays a talented pilot who is frequently hot-headed and gets way too personal with her crew!
- Space! Exploring Space! With an FTL drive! And alien planets that look suspiciously similar to British Columbia!
- A character that looks like a human but is actually a robot/computer.
- A character that looks like a human but is a non-human mental projection.
- An “impossible” pregnancy.
- Hints of a recurring cycle of destruction that our characters are only just discovering.
- Dramatic space deaths!
- Dramatic space sex!

Things Not in Common with BSG
- A well-developed internal mythology.
- Effective pacing.
- Effective characterization.
- Consistent characterization.
- Has a laggy as hell B-plot about figuring out an alien artifact on earth that sucks away valuable time from the adventures in space crew who rocket between being openly homicidal towards each other and in mortal peril from outside forces CONSTANTLY.
- No Jimmi Hendrix covers.
- No inexplicable resurrection.
- Missing a Baltar-like character, which you might THINK was a plus because Baltar was infuriating but he was also excellent comic relief and excellent at forcing plots.
- No space battles with giant sentient robot jets.

My recommendation is to just rewatch the first three season of Battlestar: Galactica. But if you generally enjoy probably doomed space shows, Another Life is a good time killer and the first episode features so much plot it’s like three episodes in one!



Header Image Source: Netflix