YouTube News: ‘Battlestar Galactica’ Prequel Makes Its Debut On Machinima Prime

Even though Syfy did not broadcast the “Battlestar Galactica” prequel “Blood & Chrome” earlier this year, YouTube is releasing the ten-part pilot starting today. You can watch the first two episodes of “Blood & Chrome” right now on the Machinima Prime channel.

The prequel follows young William Adama taking over the Battlestar Galactica during the first Cylon War. Once it finishes its run on YouTube in February, Syfy is expected to screen it as a two-hour film before heading to DVD and Blu-Ray.

Executive Producer David Eick told the Los Angeles Times that Syfy wanted them to make a series with 10-12 minute episodes that would eventually be made into a full movie: “The challenge initially from the network to me was ‘Can you come up with an idea that would serve an online distribution platform?’ Xbox, Netflix — I can’t remember the actual venues and outlets.”

“Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome” debuting on the Machinima Prime YouTube channel before heading to DVD and Blu-Ray signals an interesting approach for the well-known franchise as it tries to reach its audience on the Internet. They’re look at “Blood & Chrome” more like a web series rather than a traditional television show and breaking it down into a serial format.

Other channels like Showtime and NBC have experimented with YouTube and premiered episodes of new and hit television series, but have so far not tried the approach used by “Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome.” If their efforts on YouTube go well with “Battlestar Galactica” fans, expect more traditional entertainment companies to consider YouTube as a platform for testing new series or even movies.

Check out the first episode of “Blood & Chrome” below: