Review: 'Caprica'

What do you get when you remove the space elements from "Battlestar Galactica" and replace it with a family drama? You get "Caprica."

It's the ultimate test of any BSG fan: There's no war. No sexy female androids who want nothing more than to have sex with humans. No adrenaline-pumping space battles. 

So what's left? Plenty. "Caprica" retains all the key pieces that made BSG great. It's dark, it's character-driven and, most importantly, it's about flawed characters who confront -- and cross -- their personal ethics.

As a pilot, "Caprica" does everything it needs to do: introduce interesting characters, lay the framework of the series and leave you begging for more. (Unexpected nudity helps, too.) It's everything the "Dollhouse" pilot wasn't. 

"Caprica" takes place 58 years before the Ron Moore's rebooted BSG series. It's a tale of two family patriarchs -- wealthy industrialist Daniel Graystone and bootstrap lawyer Joseph Adama -- who have opposing sets of values. The two men are drawn together by the tragic death of their tween daughters. But Daniel's daughter, Zoe, didn't perish without leaving something behind -- turns out she created the equivalent of Cylonic "Eve" within a virtual world. 

Daniel promises Joe he can "bring back" his daughter, but not without a key piece of hardware that must be stolen from one of Daniel's business competitors. Joe, who has ties to the mob, can't agree to help Daniel without getting his hands bloody.

"Caprica" tries to blend your classic mobster movie with Frankenstein. If you think those two wouldn't mix well, you're partly right. I found the Graystones far more interesting than the Adamas. (Then again, I think the former had way more screen time than the latter.) Even though Daniel and Joe share a common loss, they don't seem like two people who would become best buddies. When the series officially kicks off next year, we'll have to wait and see how their worlds collide.

The acting, however, makes up for it. Eric Stoltz (as Graystone) and Esai Morales (as Joseph Adama) put in quality performances, and the younger actresses (Alessandra Toreson and Magda Apanowicz) were solid, playing characters who are far younger than they are.

Even though director Jeffrey Reiner has never had anything to do with Battlestar, "Caprica" still has a slight docu-style feel, but without the shaky camera and haphazard zooming.

Like BSG, "Caprica" is a think piece. You need to read between the scenes to fully appreciate the larger picture and understand the message. There are plenty of layers, and this time they won't be obstructed by space battles, mutinies or crazy Cylon theories.

If you haven't been converted into a BSG fan -- or if you're looking to convert a curious friend -- "Caprica" could be a good prescription. The addiction will come later.