I am so with you - I felt ambivalent about the new series at first (had some hopes they'd incorporate some of Richard Hatch's ideas) and then read the first spoilers...I still downloaded a couple of episodes and they far surpassed my worst expectations!

And I'd like to add a fan fic recomendation - if you don't mind slash, one of the best authors in this fandom is Anne: http://www.celestialdome.com/

;) songfire