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In the newly rebooted Battlestar Galactica TV series, references are made to the previous version of Battle Star. For instance the original Cylon design shows up in the new Battle Star's Museum and there is a reference to events occurring in a cycle.
Is this how they tried to adapt part of the old series into the new series?
Are their any similarities?
Or is the new Battlestar Galactica a complete restart of the old universe?
It wasn't incorporating the original series. It was a way for them in include the original Cylon designs, or at least a variation on them, as a sort of callback to fans of the original. In the new series, all the metal Cylons are entirely CGI, so they were able to make even the old Cylons look more imposing than a guy in a shiny suit.
But there were no inclusions of the canon or continuity of the original series, that civil war of the older Cylons in the new series was not the old series happening. It was backstory to establish the new universe.
Although if you've seen the final episodes of the new series, you know that
all this has happened before and will happen again. So you can consider the original series as one of those cycles, but it would have to be a future one or one that's older than the cycle that resulted in humans settling on Kobol. It didn't leave any traces that were seen in the new series.
I've never seen the original, so I can't speak to similarities and differences between the two.
For those of us who watched the series finale we know that:
Both human and organic Cylon helped form what we know as the human race on earth. They also freed the Cylon Centurions and gave them control over the basestars. The Centurions leave and head out into space. Earth is colonized and humanity grows and prospers for 150,000 years.
Now here's the link (my theory and my own opinion):
The original BSG takes place between the 1960s and 1980s (earth standard time) The humans have been in a 1000 year war with the Cylons, created by a reptilian race. The original trek to earth took place around the time of the first moon landing and finished in 1980.
Now if we subtract 1000 years (for the war) and approximately 40 years (from the exodus in the original to 2009 reimagined series finale) we still have 148,960 years separating.
Many years after the fall, survivors made their way back to the 12 colonies. In that time the radiation on the planets eventually dissipates and become habitable again. The survivors carry with them stories of the ones who went to Earth, the stories dissipate and change (there are 140,000 years for this to happen).
Eventually the Cylons return thus starting up the 1000 year war (all this has happened and all this shall happen again).
That's the short short version of how I see it.
They're two separate shows. This is a bit like trying to fit "Casino Royale" into the 007 canon or "Batman Begins" into the previous franchise. If you think of them separately, but appreciate the inherent references (ahem, Richard Hatch) then you'll have a better time of it. You're pounding a square block into a circular hole.
On at least one occasion, storylines and characters from the 70s series are reworked into the plot of BSG.
One great example is Admiral Cane, who appears in the 70s series, and a force of will begins, between Cane and Amada.
Pretty much what occurs in the start of Razor, in fact the plot is very similar, just turned on its head, and of course the goodies win
This is a little off topic, but I've always been fascinated by the similarities and common threads between the two story lines. Things such as the angels/beings of light, Terra/Earth, transversing the nova blindly, Pegasus, Kobol, religious struggles, and much more. I've always loved how TRS told the exact same story as TOS but in a completely different way.
Although it makes sense. BSG is basically just the retelling of the Mormon flight west, which itself is just the Book of Exodus, so similarities are expected.
Actually there are TONS of similarities. For example, the Pegasus shows up in episode 12 of the original and in season 2 in the reboot. Male Starbuck tests a new ship with a 'thinking' computer in episode 7 and chief makes a cool new ship with Cylon stealth for Starbuck in the reboot. I know col. Tigh declares martial law which also happens I think in the old series. Oh, and the prisoners rioting happens in both. Although lasting only 24 episodes, the reboot makes much use out of the original.
