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This story contains MINOR SPOILERS for the upcoming "Caprica" telemovie.

SciFi Channel took an awful long time in deciding whether or not to fund production of "Caprica," a proposed prequel spinoff of "Battlestar Galactica" that would stay more planet-side, and make rare excursions into space.

But the combination of writers strike, continued critical interest in "Battlestar," and a desire to keep executive producer Ronald D. Moore as active with the network as possible, finally put the wheels in motion to get "Caprica" going as a telemovie and backdoor pilot. But some involved with the pre-production are worried that the show won't be given a chance.

The biggest problem facing the telemovie is that the script wasn't designed to be just a one-off, self-contained story, a source told Airlock Alpha. It was meant to be the first episode in a highly serialized drama which requires a lot of setup.

"When they did 'Battlestar,' they were given a miniseries that set it all up, and if they had never done a series, you could be happy with that one product," the source said. "But 'Caprica' is not the same. We're not getting anywhere near the time we need to tell this story in a single production, and I'm worried that fans will watch it and say, 'And?'"

The telemovie, based on a script that Moore says was written more than two year ago, establishes the two core families of the series. Daniel Graystone is a wealthy inventor who becomes known as the creator of the Cylons who loses his daughter in a terrorist bombing. Joseph Adama, the patriarch of the family that includes William Adama from the current "Battlestar" series, loses both his wife and his daughter in the same explosion, a tragedy that brings the two families together ... at least initially.

"It's a great story, but we [leave] off right in the middle of the story," the source said. "There's really nothing wrong with that, if there was a continuation the next week, but it could be months if not longer before any episodes continue the story. It's just not self-contained."

In recent years, SciFi Channel has moved more toward backdoor pilots instead of direct series orders in order to gauge audience interest before investing resources into a new show. There have been some exceptions, including "Stargate: Atlantis" and "Eureka," but other backdoor pilots have failed including "The Lost Room."

"Battlestar Galactica" also was a backdoor pilot, complete with a cliffhanger, and almost didn't make the series cut as well. It wasn't until after considerable fan outcry and a deal with Sky One in the United Kingdom that helped bring a "Battlestar Galactica" series into reality.

Even with a parent show like "Battlestar," the new "Caprica" has faced a tremendous number of obstacles. The original presentation to NBC Universal from writer Remi Aubuchon wasn't even related to "Battlestar Galactica." He had put together a story about robots and slavery, which NBCU felt could be utilized by Moore and his executive producing partner David Eick, in a possible spinoff series.

A new script was written and a series was announced, but SciFi allowed the project to sit on the shelf, practically killing the possibility of even a telemovie.

Some observers look at the fact that "Caprica" is even going into production as a direct result of the Writers Guild of America strike that shut down pre-production and script creation for 100 days earlier this year, leaving a vacuum of scripted television that had to be filled. Because "Caprica" had already been written, greenlighting it for a standalone television movie seemed to be a no-brainer.

But now that writers are back on the job, some feel SciFi Channel should take another look at how it's approaching "Caprica."

"What they need to do is give us a 10- or 12-hour order," the source said. "We have to give this show a chance, and we're not doing it any justice by presenting just a small piece and hoping there's enough audience who will stick around to see more next year. It's like starting to watch 'The Sixth Sense' but turning it off after the first act. There needs to be a stronger commitment to the show."

Casting has started for "Caprica," and Jeffrey Reiner of "Friday Night Lights" and "Surface" fame will direct. Eric Stoltz will play Daniel Graystone, Esai Morales has been cast as Joseph Adama, Paula Malcomson as Amanda Graystone and Alessandra Toreson as Zoe.

Reports also are circulating that teenage Canadian actor Avan Jogia has been cast as Ben Stark. Jogia appeared in three episodes of The CW's now-cancelled "Aliens in America" last season.

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