Caprica (Syfy)

CAPRICA, the prequel to Battlestar Galactica, traces the origins of the Cylons, the self-aware robotic race that nearly annihilates humanity. Set 58 years before the massive Cylon sneak attack that kicked off Battlestar, the spin-off shows us an advanced civilization that's much like Earth yet filled with subtle clues that it’s a very different place. Distraught over the tragic death of his daughter Zoe (Alessandra Torresani) in a terrorist explosion, technology magnate Daniel Graystone (Eric Stoltz) refuses to accept that she's gone forever. But Zoe had a secret life -- as a computer genius and a member of a violent religious cult -- and she may not be as gone as he thinks. Zoe had created a powerful computer program that stored her essence electronically as an avatar in a virtual world. Working through his grief, Graystone discovers the software version of his beloved daughter and tries to transplant her essence into one of his company’s most secret projects: a highly advanced robot designed to wage war.

This is a very different series from Battlestar. One is a thoughtful action show, the other is a slow-moving tragedy. Caprica can only end with destruction, so the question is how to make the trip interesting to viewers. In addition to the Graystone narrative, the series follows the Adama family, led by Joseph (Esai Morales), a lawyer who lost his wife and daughter in the same explosion that claimed Zoe. His son William will grow up to play a critical role in the Colonial fleet.

These threads are interesting, but they don’t always mesh into a complete drama. The plot sometimes doesn’t seem to have enough story to sustain itself. In trying to appeal to a wider audience, the show might come off as too tedious for its core base of die-hard Battlestar fans.