Every Season Of Battlestar Galactica, Ranked – SlashFilm

The reimagined “Battlestar Galactica” is among the biggest and most bold science-fiction tv reveals ever aired. When “Galactica” begins, humanity resides on 12 colony planets named in tribute to the indicators of the Zodiac: Caprica, Tauron, and so forth. About 50 years in the past, mankind created robotic servants known as the Cylons, who rebelled and waged struggle till an armistice.

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When the collection begins, the Cylons (who’ve upgraded into human-like varieties) return and wipe out the 12 colonies. The 50,000 or so survivors flee in a spaceship fleet, guarded by a “Battlestar” warship, Galactica. Led by William Adama (Edward James Olmos) and President Laura Roslin (Mary McDonnell), the survivors seek for the fabled thirteenth colony: Earth.

Co-creators Ronald D. Moore and David Eick rebooted the quick-lived 1978 unique “Galactica” by taking out the cheese in favor of drama and political resonance. Moore, who broke into TV writing on “Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology,” bought to air his frustrations with the usually too-protected writing on “Trek” by making “Battlestar Galactica.”

On “Battlestar Galactica,” characters died and often stayed useless. (Until they had been fortunate sufficient to be a Cylon who may obtain into a brand new physique.) Characters had been confronted with tough selections and barely bought simple methods out, and the alternatives they made at these crucial moments would have penalties.

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Initially airing on the Sci-Fi Channel (later Syfy), “Battlestar Galactica” started with a two-half, three-hour pilot mini-collection in 2003. Then it ran for 4 seasons/76 episodes (plus two TV motion pictures) from 2005 to 2009. Efforts to make “Battlestar Galactica” spin-offs like “Caprica” did not fairly pan out, however the collection itself was a definitive success. But any lengthy-working TV present could have highs and lows. How do the 4 seasons of “Battlestar Galactica” rank from worst to finest?

“Battlestar Galactica” was not a present crafted with a agency plan forward of time. That is not to say that the writers had been winging it. Check out Ronald D. Moore’s collection bible: there’s plenty of element concerning the characters and the world. However as for instructions the story would go and the way mysteries could be resolved, the present began out with solely pointers and potentialities. The writers requested questions of themselves and the viewers, however they sought to search out these solutions on the journey as an alternative of beginning out with a deliberate vacation spot.

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The failings of that strategy present up with the cracks in “Battlestar Galactica” season 3. It is not unhealthy, however it’s the present’s most aimless.

Now, season 3 opens with one of many present’s highest highs. The 4-half “New Caprica” arc options the people, having settled on a brand new planet, residing below Cylon occupation. The leads are plotting revolt and escape from their occupiers, and the episodes are bleak and relentless for it. The season’s fifth episode, “Collaborators,” is a powerful epilogue concerning the trial of people who collaborated with the Cylons.

After that, although, the season sticks largely to standalone tales the place the supporting solid takes the highlight. This strategy leads to a couple nice episodes, like “Unfinished Enterprise” (the place the Galactica crew holds a boxing match to blow off steam), and “Soiled Fingers” (a few unionization effort on one of many fleet’s labor ships). However taken collectively, it feels just like the present is slowing down because it struggles to money the checks it wrote.

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Season 3 additionally introduces the thriller of the “Last 5” Cylons, whose identities are revealed within the season finale, “Crossroads.” No spoilers, however this story and its solutions wound up being extra hassle than they had been value.

The ultimate season of “Battlestar Galactica” might be the collection’ most divisive and controversial. After the extra episodic strategy of season 3, season 4 went again to heavy serialization. The writers had lastly cracked their grand plan and each episode was a puzzle piece of it. The construction comes collectively effectively, however not everybody was glad with how every of the myriad mysteries had been wrapped up.

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Because the mini-collection, there’d been hints and premonitions of one thing supernatural in “Galactica.” The Cylons worshipped a God and claimed his will guided the whole lot. There was believable deniability — till season 4, when the hand of god began extra visibly intervening. Not possible occasions that would solely be brought on by destiny occurred, and it grew to become clear the characters had been gamers in a sport that God and his angels had performed many occasions earlier than.

Not each fan appreciated this unambiguous shift, and the collection finale “Dawn” is controversial. I am going to admit, my emotions on season 4 are just a little anomalous. I believe a number of the story selections had been puzzling or misguided, however I used to be nonetheless locked in and having fun with myself for the entire season.

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“Battlestar Galactica” season 4 is a season better than the sum of its episodes. The concepts are all executed in addition to they may very well be, it is only a matter of style if you happen to appreciated these concepts. Aside from the one story everybody likes: the mutiny arc, which performs out in episodes “The Oath” and “Blood on the Scales.” After I spoke to author Mark Verheiden about this arc, he famous the writers’ room held again on this story till the very finish as a result of, realistically, a mutiny wanted an infinite breaking level to occur. Ready till the tail finish of the collection, when the characters had endured despair after bottomless despair, for an rebellion was completely the fitting name.

After I suppose again on “Battlestar Galactica,” it is simpler to recollect the highs than the lows. Season 2 is the season that advantages essentially the most from this in reminiscence.

In contrast to the primary season, season 2 of “Battlestar Galactica” was damaged into two, ten-episode halves that aired individually. (The season premiered in July 2005, went on hiatus in September, then returned in January 2006.) The primary half is above reproach. It sustains the momentum from the season 1 cliffhanger with a seven-episode-lengthy working storyline. The entrance half ends with “Pegasus,” one of many present’s easiest episodes. The fleet discovers one other Battlestar survived the Cylon assault, however its commander Admiral Helena Cain (Michelle Forbes) shouldn’t be trusted.

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Then, season 2 stumbles a bit within the again half, falling into a really “Star Trek”-like sample of some underwhelming episodes. Coming off of the closely serialized first half, the second half resolves the Pegasus plot in opening two-parter “Resurrection Ship” after which shifts to standalone episodes.

“Scar” (about Starbuck dogfighting a decided Cylon raider) is a powerful episode and “Downloaded” offers an inside look into the Cylons. Conversely, “Epiphanies” cures President Roslin’s most cancers with the kind of technobabble magic the present had promised not to make use of, and “Black Market” is usually held as one of many present’s worst episodes.

Nonetheless, the season ends robust with the 2-parter “Lay Down Your Burdens.” Because the presidential election between Roslin and Baltar looms, the fleet discovers an inhabitable planet. They have to resolve whether or not to settle there or maintain looking for the promised land of Earth. The season 2 cliffhanger is in some way much more gutsy than season 1’s. This all implies that the few poor episodes of “Battlestar Galactica” season 2 are remembered as mere bumps in an total satisfying expertise.

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I believe chunks of later “Battlestar Galactica” seasons are higher than the primary season: the Pegasus, New Caprica, and the mutiny arc are the collection’ best possible. However taken as an entire package deal, the primary season of “Battlestar Galactica” is the tightest and most constant. It is also the shortest with solely 13 episodes (or 15, counting the mini-collection). Resulting from that, the writers and crew had been capable of refine every episode to be its strongest self.

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There’s not a single unhealthy episode in “Battlestar Galactica” season 1. The writers and actors discovered their footing immediately, little doubt as a result of they started working out the same old pilot kinks on the mini-collection quite than within the season itself.

Even when “Battlestar Galactica” generally struggled with the large image, it by no means struggled with depicting who its characters had been and what their every day lives and conflicts had been like. The very first episode, “33” is about as exemplary and assured as a collection premiere may be. The Galactica and her fleet are on the run from the Cylons, who seem each 33 minutes and pressure the fleet to “leap” sooner than mild each time. When the episode begins, the chase has been occurring for days and the crew is close to breaking level.

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Even the season’s weakest episode, “Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down,” is a enjoyable experiment. The writers had been experimenting with how blatant the present’s comedy may very well be, and the outcomes are really humorous even when the present would by no means get so foolish once more.

The “Battlestar Galactica” mini-collection burned with promise, and season 1 proved the group may ship on it.