This little 90-minute prequel has left me with very high expectations of the upcoming Caprica series. Very high indeed. I was already very willing to be pleased—I miss Battlestar Galatica a lot, uneven as it was toward the end, and any show that can boast both Esai Morales (Joseph Adama) AND Eric Stoltz (Daniel Graystone), well!

An early look at the Cylons’ origins, Caprica also, as is well known, introduces some earlier Adamas. I had understood from the advance publicity (at one remove because I don’t have cable) that the show would concern Bill’s grandfather but the timing and the name of Joseph’s child and Joseph’s work as a lawyer tell me otherwise. This is THE Adama as a cute, solemn little boy. Hmm.

More hmms… hints of serious friction among the twelve colonized planets up to and including inter-colonial wars… monotheism as a rebellion among the young and hip… the idea that there is enough data in cyberspace about most of us already to duplicate our personalities as constructs once someone writes the proper software… in short, everything I liked best about Battlestar Galactica is here.

Hope the series lives up to its promise.