Battlestar Galactica (2003)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Carlos M

  
  The breathtaking miniseries that started the TV series, featuring steady direction, great dialogue and elegant long shots. Through a fascinating universe, this astonishing sci-fi raises moral issues with intelligence, keeping the focus on the characters and the human aspect of the… More
  The breathtaking miniseries that started the TV series, featuring steady direction, great dialogue and elegant long shots. Through a fascinating universe, this astonishing sci-fi raises moral issues with intelligence, keeping the focus on the characters and the human aspect of the battle.

• Luke B

  
  This three hour miniseries is absolutely stunning in so many ways I don't even know where to begin. It puts us in the middle of a world with a complex history. It, unapologetically, launches the story straight away. I like the fact it assumes we know this fictitious world. It… More
  This three hour miniseries is absolutely stunning in so many ways I don't even know where to begin. It puts us in the middle of a world with a complex history. It, unapologetically, launches the story straight away. I like the fact it assumes we know this fictitious world. It forces you to keep paying attention, as there is a lot going on. History, plot, characters, twists and turns are all crammed into 180 minutes, but it doesn't feel bloated or rushed. If anything, it has perfect pacing. To feel this connected and this involved with a large group of characters after just three hours is quite amazing. The large group of characters contains familiar but reliable archetypes, and more complex characters. My favorite would have to be James Callis. He portrays a selfish but conflicted man, somewhat responsible for the end of humanity. He is joined by a Jiminy Cricketesque subconscious, that takes the form of a very sexy Cyclon. Lots of terminology, politics, religious and technological debates abound. If you like your TV (or even movies) dense, well rounded, beautifully scripted, and utterly engaging, please check this out. Now if you'll excuse me, I have 4 seasons to be getting on with.

• Ken S

  
  Way way way way better than I was expecting. See the series it's amazing.

• xGary X

  
  A very well written reinvention of the 70s sci-fi cheesefest with a documentary style that makes a believable attempt at examining the issues facing a race at the brink of extinction. It certainly doesn't pull any punches, dealing with cancer, child murder and plenty of choices… More
  A very well written reinvention of the 70s sci-fi cheesefest with a documentary style that makes a believable attempt at examining the issues facing a race at the brink of extinction. It certainly doesn't pull any punches, dealing with cancer, child murder and plenty of choices of dubious morality, taken in the name of survival. Edward James Olmos is the pragmatic commander, Mary McDonnell the inexperienced politician shouldering the responsibility of her entire species (and doubling as Olmos' conscience) and Katee Sackhoff adds a nice feminist spin on the old Top Gun cliche as the insubordinate smart alec hot shot. Best of all is the self obsessed, weak willed and cowardly Gaius Boltar who either has a Cylon chip implanted in his brain, or is off his rocker. Nice effects featuring an attempt at recreating realistic physics during a dogfight in space add to the gritty feel, although it does lack a little in way of excitement. It inevitably has to spend time seeding storylines for the following TV series which damages the pacing when looked at as a stand alone piece, but on the whole a solid introduction to a quality series.

• Robert C

  
  A great series, highly recomended.

• Walter M

  
  [font=Century Gothic][color=red]Warning: In discussing the Battlestar Galactica Miniseries below, there will be spoilers. You have been warned.[/color][/font] [font=Century Gothic][color=black]Recently it has seemed like my childhood has been strip-mined to be used as the raw… More
  [font=Century Gothic][color=red]Warning: In discussing the Battlestar Galactica Miniseries below, there will be spoilers. You have been warned.[/color][/font] [font=Century Gothic][color=black]Recently it has seemed like my childhood has been strip-mined to be used as the raw material for iffy-sounding movies that I don't want to go see. This includes remakes of Willy Wonka, The Dukes of Hazzard, The Love Bug, Bad News Bears, Bewitched and yet another Star Wars prequel all littering the landscape. [/color][/font] [font=Century Gothic]Which brings me to the new version of "Battlestar Galactica" which was originally done as a mildly entertaining science fiction TV show in the late seventies. It was not bad but not exactly memorable. So, I could not understand why the Sci-Fi channel was bringing it back, especially in the wake of the premature, unforgivable cancellation of the classic "Farscape."(The new show would have a couple of debts to "Farscape.")[/font] [font=Century Gothic]The incredulity rose as it was announced that a couple of the old characters would have their genders switched for the new series.[/font] [font=Century Gothic]So, I skipped the original miniseries but then out of curiosity, I decided to try the first episode of the new series - "33". Wow. This episode is a super suspsenseful take on the Cylons attacking the human fleet every thirty-three minutes, in an attempt to wear the humans down from exhaustion. I ended up watching the rest of the season and I was suitably impressed.[/font] [font=Century Gothic]And then the Sci-Fi channel rebroadcast the miniseries in April which I taped and finally got to see yesterday.(The second season premiere is on Friday.) It is about the mechanical creatures, Cylons, coming back to wipe out their creators after a 40-year truce which they nearly do. Only the Battlestar Galactica and a ragtag group of spaceships containing 50,000 survivors are left of the human race. It is quite clear, even in the first scene that the show's creators had massively improved on the original.(But still referencing the original in a couple of places.) I already knew who was going to survive but there were scenes that I thought were horrifying, as the humans had to make some very impossible decisions they were going to have to live with. Mary McDonnell is great as President Laura Roslin, thrust to power after these calamitous events. Roslin also has cancer.(I think this is an especially good touch. It's especially rare to see a character seriously ill in an advanced society in science fiction, and it is also so for a leading character to be dying at the beginning of a TV series. The lone exception might be the 60's TV show "Run for Your Life" starring Ben Gazzara.) And it is always a sublime pleasure to watch Edward James Olmos act in anything. [/font]

• Burger S

  
  Partially funded by Mormon organizations. LDS subtexts. Adama = Adam. Borderline church propaganda. How the Earth was repopulated by "aliens', prophecies, martyrs etc. Strickly for the Sci-Fi aspect: not bad. I liked Firefly better.

• Nicolas K

  
  Starfighters and cylons are back, with a well deserved strong production, interesting characters and and an engaging story. Can't wait to see more!

• Doctor S

  
  <i>"Sooner or later, the day will come when you can't hide from the things that you've done anymore."</i> Whoa - to think I actually had this down as 'Not Interested' for a time, and now I own the whole series on DVD. The miniseries that… More
  <i>"Sooner or later, the day will come when you can't hide from the things that you've done anymore."</i> Whoa - to think I actually had this down as 'Not Interested' for a time, and now I own the whole series on DVD. The miniseries that preceded and laid the vital groundwork for the 4-season series is a superb blend of action and human drama as mankind faces extinction at the hands of their own creation, the Cylons. You can find a synopsis of the show anywhere, so instead let me write here that if you're skeptical like I was, I encourage you to give the miniseries a try - there's a good chance it will blow your doubts to smithereens.

• Sunil J

  
  An awesome re-do of a dumb series.

• Chad R

  
  Best Sci-Fi series on right now.

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