Battlestar Galactica was a science-fiction show that ran from a tv miniseries in 2003 to the end of it's fourth and final season in 2009, serving as a remake of the original series in 1978. It follows the last of humanity in a fleet on its way to Earth following the annihilation of its twelve colonies by a race of machines called cylons. With limited supplies, divisions among ships and factions, and the constant threat of cylon attacks, be they with ships and centurions, or infiltration from new, humanoid models within the fleet, each character is pushed to their very limit in four seasons of tense action and drama. Anyone could be a cylon. Anyone, or everyone, could die. And, even if they don't, what would it cost them to carry on their journey in the face of insurmountable odds.
How I would best describe my feelings of the show are the same you get when watching the 'dark future that must be averted' episodes of other shows, where you see your beloved characters you have grown to love dead or dying, giving one last effort to stop the mistakes of the past and prevent any of these horrific events from occuring. Only, in Battlestar Galactica, you have this scenario played out across a whole series, and there is no time-travel reset button to bring everything back to a state of calm normalcy. Each action has consequences, which build onto one another to create an edge-of your seat experience that you can't afford to miss out on. If a character is betrayed, they remember. If they are in battle, they are left with scars. The count of humans left is displayed in the titles each week, and each week the number goes down.
Some of the standout characters for me are Commander William Adama, with his fatherly presence that can turn from protectiveness to military stoicism to thunderous rage with an incredible range, Cornel Saul Tigh, whose jaded and cynical grumbles are surprisingly compelling, especially when he is written and acted to be deliberately dislikable, and 'Starbuck', who manages to combine a rogue-ish pilot personality, and a compassionate side that really rounds out and humanises her. The amount of acting talent on display from both the then-young and old cast members is astounding to behold from such a show, and puts science fiction back on the map for those who would otherwise write it off as campy or low quality as a genre.
This itself would make the show noteworthy, but when you add in the strong visuals that, while not ground-breaking today, especially in the early seasons, and the incredibly well made and thought out space battles, the series becomes legendary, and an immediate place among those I would highly recommend to friends.
That isn't to say that it is all good, however. Plenty of the actors took their time to find their feet, which makes their roles in the early seasons lack as much nuance or depth, and in terms of acting, a few of them initially seemed like duds (although I have to say that they atone for this by the end).
Additionally, some aspects of the narrative are left ambiguous or open to interpretation, which I would often say is a good thing, but I feel like they are sometimes used as a crutch to reach conveniences rather than becoming sources of theory or speculation for fans to discuss. This may come down to personal preference as to whether you like these or not, but as someone who generally does, I will still acknowledge their shortcomings that sometimes hinder the plot and remove a satisfactory answer as to how and why things some things happen.
This is specifically an issue in the fourth season, which provides emotional and character payoffs in ways that feel earned and heartfelt, but when many of the answers simply open up the door to more questions, it isn't a stretch to imagine the average viewer to become a little lost or unsatisfied. It is very much a case of theme overpowering story. Pacing was also a problem, for season three in particular (the pacing of the first two seasons was damn near perfect, and, like what I said before about season four, it very much depends on what you believe on it).
All in all, Battlestar Galactica is a fantastic show that really captured my imagination as I watched, and if you haven't checked it out, I would highly recommend you to do so. It is definitely worth it. It gets a 9.5 out of 10 from me.
Spoiler Section
I often remember the best parts of the show as they were - events. From the miniseries that gave us the destruction of the colonies and the first battle of the fleet, to the standoffs at Cobalt, New Caprica and the algae planet, the arrival of the Pegasus, and the last battle with the cylons at The Colony, putting all of the characters in a battle for the ages. Character moments also stand out, like Chief Tyrell's interactions with Kali and child, the turmoil and Tigh face when they discover they are cylons, and Cali's death. All of the deaths hit the mark, from Crashdown's breakdown or 'Dee's sudden suicide, which marked the lowest point the crew of the Galactica reached.
As for my interpretation of what had happened in the ending, well there was definitely some higher power at play, manipulating events so that the fleet would ultimately arrive at the planet we now know as Earth, be that of President Rosalind's cancer being cured and returning, Starbuck's death and return as one of these angel-like entities, and Baltar and Caprica Six bringing Hera to the bridge so that events transpire as they do. I like to think that, despite these events needing to happen, the unstable human element that didn't understand this led to unnecessary deaths, but ultimately a chance at breaking the cycle of destruction, as was hinted at the end of the show with the two entities of Caprica Six and Baltar.
Perhaps they were the future versions of the real ones, now emissaries for the higher being, and the montage of robotics in development in modern day America with Jimmi Hendrix's All Along The Watchtower posing the final question to the viewer: will it happen again? It might be a bit on the nose. It may even be a little cheesy. But, I liked it, giving us one last sense of foreboding, wonder and curiosity that the show kept with it through it's run. It was one hell of a journey, and I'll be glad to return to it in a year or two.
UP NEXT
I know this one wasn't in the line up. Think of it as a bonus. I'll return to my run of the PS4 titles with Ghost of Tsushima. I'll see you then!
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