The worlds of Battlestar Galactica have been revisited multiple times since the show’s original run ended in 1979—we’ve had multiple miniseries, a prequel, and one amazing weekly series. (That big-screen adaptation is still a ways off). Now Syfy is working with NBC Universo (formerly mun2) to translate the awesomeness of its 2004 reboot by airing the show in Spanish, beginning Wednesday.
Science fiction is an increasingly popular genre for Latinos—two literary anthologies have been published in the last decade to highlight that fact. Although NBC Universo—which reaches nearly 40 million households—began with a focus on sports and reality programming, the channel has partnered with Syfy and Universal Cable Productions to bring Battlestar Galactica to its audience of Latinos—especially those aged 18-49. Oscar-nominated actor Edward James Olmos, who played Commander (and Rear Admiral) William Adama, was thrilled with the news:
“Battlestar Galactica defined a special era for me as an actor and I am very proud to have been part of such an iconic franchise—it’s thrilling to know that this work carries on and will now be enjoyed by legions of new Spanish-speaking fans…The show also delved into issues of mixed races and gender equality which I think new fans will find to be quite relevant today.”
American shows are frequently remade or shipped abroad; sometimes they and their actors fare much better overseas, which is how David Hasselhoff ended up a German god. A Spanish-language remake of Breaking Bad is currently airing on Univision (at a break-neck pace), but it’s essentially a shot-by-shot recreation. We can tell you that NBC Universo’s Spanish-dubbed episodes of Suits remain faithful to the slickness of the USA original, so you probably won’t have to worry about Starbuck suddenly being a man or anything.
NBC Universo will air Battlestar Galactica season one beginning Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET, which will be its regular timeslot. The show will also be available online, on demand, and via the NBC UNIVERSO NOW app.