Basic cable networks keep doing really weird things in their efforts to run away from confining brands, from TLC no longer meaning "The Learning Channel" to AMC dumping "American Movie Classics" to the Biography Channel shortening that to "Bio." But now comes one of the dumbest yet: Sci Fi Channel renaming itself ... Syfy.

Executives note that the name will still sound like Sci Fi, but "the new brand broadens perceptions and embraces a wider and more diverse range of imagination-based entertainment including fantasy, paranormal, reality, mystery, action and adventure, as well as science fiction. It also positions the brand for future growth by creating an ownable trademark that can travel easily with consumers across new media and non-linear digital platforms, new international channels and extend into new business ventures."

If that's your explanation for changing the channel's name to something that on paper resembles either a disease or the pharmaceutical product that treats it ("Be sure and check with your doctor before taking Syfy"), good luck with that.

And here Sci Fi (sorry, Syfy) has to go and do something like this just when I was getting ready to applaud the build-up to the two-hour "Battlestar Galactica" finale, mostly because it's pretty clear that fans of "BSG" will get absolutely nothing accomplished this week, surfing the web for spoilers while waiting to find out how the series concludes.

By the way, my guess is A) the whole thing's a dream in the mind of an autistic child; B) Galactica actually crashed on a deserted island, where it's now hurtling through time; or C) the Cylons finally morph into GE refrigerators, in a climax that brings NBC product-placement and corporate synergy together in one big all-time low.

Either way, if your urges to watch Syfy remain naggingly persistent after "Galactica" wraps up, consult your physician. And be cautious how much Syfy you consume if you are already on medication for high blood pressure or have never had an actual real-life girlfriend and have begun to truly believe that you might have a shot with Kara Thrace or Sharon Valeri.

"Battlestar Galactica's" return on Jan. 16 is a cause for rejoicing, and not just because it provides a couple of million geeks a more compelling excuse than usual to stay home Friday nights. (As someone who carries the sci-fi gene, these are my peeps, so it's OK for me to dog them a little.)

Rather, the final flight of "Galactica" episodes -- coupled with the Jan. 21 two-hour season premiere of "Lost" on ABC -- offer a welcome reminder how creatively liberating it is for a TV series to set an end date well in advance, allowing producers to build toward a well-thought-out finale. Particular credit goes to "Lost" show runners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, who were smart enough to leverage the renewal of their deals into a fixed conclusion in 2010, meaning a mere 32 hours remain after the season launch

Barring that concession from ABC the program would probably have experienced even more precipitous ratings declines, given how remarkably dense and demanding the show's mythology has become. As is, look for the ratings arc to continue to drift downward, as a hardy core of survivors hang around all the way through, but at diminishing levels. ("Lost" was always something of an anomaly back when the series pulled in major-hit numbers in its heyday, and it has settled at a perfectly respectable Nielsen plateau that's more logical for such a brainy genre show.)

No spoilers here, but it's also amazing to consider how many changes the ABC series has undergone, to the point where it's difficult to remember that Michael Emerson's creepy Ben character (pictured above, right, with Matthew Fox) wasn't part of things from the get-go.

As for "Galactica," watching a preview of the latest installment -- as the Colonial fleet grapples with the Earth they discovered last year -- one has to marvel at how brilliantly the program overcame its kitsch-y source material and goofy name, joining the elite ranks of science fiction. The series has done that by creating an alternate reality that helps illuminate our current one, particularly in regard to fear and terrorism -- even daring to cast its humans as an insurgency against an occupying force.

Recalling the hubbub that greeted its debut, I also can't resist a big shout-out to the lunatics who were ready to march with pitchforks on Sci Fi Channel for daring to trifle with their memories of the original starring Lorne Greene. Talk about a ragtag fleet of dead-enders.

It's telling, too, that both series have (with a few notable exceptions) avoided the narrative mine fields that have plagued "Heroes" -- no small feat in this sort of complex dramatic endeavor. And speaking of "Heroes" -- or rather, its home at NBC -- here's one practical thought: If the network was smart, they'd simulcast the final few episodes of "Battlestar Galactica" with sister cable net Sci Fi Channel. Because if the rest of these hours meet the creative standard set by the first, then the show merits a royal send-off.