"By Your Command"

I really need a fix.

Thankfully, the Sci-Fi Channel will give me some of the good stuff in the form of Battlestar Galactica. Tonight's Season 2 premiere (10pm EDT) should be chock full o' entertainment, if last season's finale is any indication.

Okay, I know what you're thinking: this guy can't be a bigger loser. Normally, I would agree, but hear me out. This updated version of the campy (read: brutal) 70's science fiction series takes itself much more seriously than its predecessor. Although it is classified as sci-fi, it leans more towards a powerful drama. Sure there are special effects - and make no mistake, they don't skimp on the dogfights - but BSG's magic lies in its writing. Where the original series' characters were about as interesting as Hayden Christensen's Anakin Skywalker, the new version surrounds itself with dozens of people I actually care about.

The new series basically follows the original's plot line (Cylons attack Caprica intent on eradicating all humans) with a few twists (many Cylons have been upgraded to resemble humans in every way . . . and many are "sleepers" inside the fleet) and different (but better) casting (Starbuck and Boomer are women). It's a recipe that works.

For those of you who didn't take advantage of NBC's reruns the past few weekends, here's how last season ended: (If you haven't seen the finale yet, stop reading here.)

• Baltar (who is now Vice-President) learns that he impregnated the devious cylon "Number 6" (played to perfection by Tricia Helfer, the hottie pictured above).
• After sending Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff) back to cylon-occupied Caprica (against Commander Adama's orders) President Laura Roslin is imprisoned along with Adama's son, Apollo (Jamie Bamber).
• Lt. Boomer returns from a successful military mission (she destroyed a Cylon Base Star), and when she is congratulated by Commander Adama, she shoots him in the chest! (This was one of those moments when I actually said to my television, "Oh my God!!!")

The new series is engrossing, suspenseful, and sports a tremendous cast, including Edward James Olmos (Commander Adama) and Mary McDonnell (President Roslin). Ronald D. Moore, whose credits include Star Trek (TNG, Voyager, DS9), Roswell, and Carnivale, handles the excellent writing. This is one of the few must-see series' on television today. And, don't take my word for it, my brother Chris is very hard to impress, and he loves it!

So there.