"Battlestar Galactica" (2004) TV series 2004-2009

User Rating:

9.1/10   

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

14 January 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The fight to save humanity rages on.

Plot:

After losing the war against the Cylon robots, the Battlestar Galactica crew speed toward the fabled 13th colony, Earth. Galactica Commander Adama and President Laura Roslin face waning supplies, crushed morale, ... and the credible threat Cylons aboard the ship.

Plot Keywords:

Cylon | Space | Guilt | Robot | Refugee

Awards:

Won 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 14 wins & 41 nominations

Cast

Edward James Olmos	...	Admiral William Adama / ... (74 episodes, 2004-2009)
Mary McDonnell	...	President Laura Roslin / ... (74 episodes, 2004-2009)
Jamie Bamber	...	Captain Lee 'Apollo' Adama / ... (74 episodes, 2004-2009)
James Callis	...	Dr. Gaius Baltar / ... (74 episodes, 2004-2009)
Tricia Helfer	...	Number Six / ... (74 episodes, 2004-2009)
Grace Park	...	Lt. Sharon 'Boomer' Valerii / ... (74 episodes, 2004-2009)
Katee Sackhoff	...	Captain Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace / ... (72 episodes, 2004-2009)
Michael Hogan	...	Colonel Saul Tigh (70 episodes, 2004-2009)
Aaron Douglas	...	Chief Galen Tyrol (67 episodes, 2004-2009)
Tahmoh Penikett	...	Captain Karl 'Helo' Agathon / ... (65 episodes, 2004-2009)
Alessandro Juliani	...	Lt. Felix Gaeta (59 episodes, 2004-2009)
Kandyse McClure	...	Officer Anastasia Dualla / ... (54 episodes, 2004-2009)
Donnelly Rhodes	...	Dr. Cottle / ... (37 episodes, 2004-2009)
Bodie Olmos	...	Brendan 'Hot Dog' Costanza / ... (37 episodes, 2004-2009)
Michael Trucco	...	Ensign Samuel Anders / ... (36 episodes, 2005-2009)
Nicki Clyne	...	Crewman Specialist Cally Henderson / ... (36 episodes, 2004-2008)
Leah Cairns	...	Lt. Margaret 'Racetrack' Edmonson (34 episodes, 2005-2009)
Rekha Sharma	...	Tory Foster (32 episodes, 2006-2009)

Also Known As:

"BSG" (USA) (promotional abbreviation)

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:12 (Season 1) | UK:15 (Season 2) | Singapore:PG (Season 2.0 boxset) | USA:TV-PG (Some Episodes) | Canada:14+ (TV re-rating) | Canada:PG (TV rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Germany:12 | Malaysia:18PL | Singapore:NC-16 (Season 1) (season 2.5 boxset) (season 3) (season 4.0 boxset) | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:M (season 4 - part 1) | Australia:MA (some episodes) | USA:TV-14

Filming Locations:

British Columbia Railway, North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB)

Trivia:

The rank structure for the officers serving in the Colonial Fleet are as follows: OFFICERS: Admiral, Commander, Colonel, Major, Captain, Lieutenant, Lieutenant (junior grade), Ensign. ENLISTED: Master Chief Petty Officer, Chief Petty Officer, Petty Officer (1st, 2nd Class), Specialist, Deck Hand, Recruit. There are also Marines aboard Galactica which conform more closely to the traditional enlisted Marine ranks, with Sergeants, Sergeants-Major, etc. Unresolved is the question of whether the Marine officers would also adhere to the mixed rank structure.

Quotes:

President Laura Roslin: [talking about Baltar] He's an odd one, isn't he?
Billy Keikeya: [in falsetto] Cuckoo...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "30 Rock: The Ones (#3.19)" (2009)

Sci-fi for Grown-Ups

Before I proceed, I'll just add a quick comment for those slating the series without seeing it: please, stop it. Instead, wait and see what the new show is about and give it a chance. Unless of course, you want to miss one of the best dramas currently airing...

BSG is a very human story. Yet unlike Star Trek, they're not resolved by the end of the episode. Here the characters are real people who make mistakes, grow and learn from their errors. Or maybe they don't...

The point is that in the new BSG, the impact of the loss of the Colonies is something everybody must deal with, be it on a resource-management level to dealing with the loss of their families. The impact of the Cylon attack - never explored in the original series - is a major emphasis in the show and the viewer genuinely does get the feeling of the "rag tag fleet."

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the original series as much as anybody, but it was a product of its time and audience-slot. The new BSG is a much more adult production, both in terms of the writing and performances and the intended audience.

Additionally, the show is very non-sci-fi, but in a good way. Whenever any "science" turns up, it's integrated in such a way as to have minimal impact on the plot and, unlike Star Trek, it isn't used as a Deus Ex Machina to simply resolve the "crisis of the week." In fact, I'd go as far as to say the show is closer to 24 or The West Wing than it is Star Trek or Babylon 5, with the focus being much more on the people and their individual actions, rather than a wide-scale "space opera."

Performances are all strong, with James Callis being the real star. His tortured performance as the guilt-stricken Baltar are a joy to watch as he flips from near-hysterical lunatic to scheming toad to smooth womaniser. Olmos has the presence to give Adama the air of authority required. Sackhoff's performance as Starbuck is "subtly obvious" - she plays the brash, cocky pilot a little too well, something that's explained in later episodes. And Bamber's Apollo is a mix of heroic action and self-doubt which balances well. Mention must also go to McDonnell's President Roslin who, over the course of the series, has grown in stature and presence in a very subtle manner.

Quite simply, Battlestar Galactica is one of the most consistently strong shows I've ever seen. Considering this is only the first of (hopefully) many seasons, it's amazing to see how the show has "hit the ground running," with each episode being an improvement on the last. And considering the high standard of the first one, that's quite the achievement.

Watch it. You won't be disappointed.