Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series

 

 

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Just an FYI that in this box both THE PLAN and RAZOR are included. While RAZOR has its own packaging, THE PLAN is weirdly just in the case for Season Four Disc One, though there is no indication of this on the sleeve at all. So, rest assured, it's all here folks. Just very strangely presented.

Fifty years ago, humanity's robotic servant Cylons suddenly turned on their masters. After a nasty war, the Cylons retreated into far space and a tense truce was maintained.

But of course the story doesn't stop -- and it turned out to be a rare case of a remake becoming spectacularly better than the source material. "Battlestar Galactica - The Complete Series" is a grimy, dark, violent and ultimately hopeful sci-fi adventure saga that isn't afraid to dip into philosophical and theological matters. And while it has its ups and downs like any series, it's a brilliant and powerful piece of work.

Forty years after the war's end, the Cylons unexpectedly return to the Twelve Colonies and start wiping out ships and cities. The Battlestar Galactica (an aging warship about to be turned into a museum) is forced to flee the world of Caprica with a collection of refugee-crammed ships, under the command of Commander William Adama (Edward James Olmos) and Secretary of Education-turned-President Laura Roslin (Mary McDonnell).

Now the people of the Twelve Colonies must find a new home -- and their new goal is Earth, a legendary planet with other humans on it. Unfortunately, they have been infiltrated by the treacherous scientist Gaius Baltar (James Callis), and a group of Cylons who are almost indistinguishable from human beings -- they even have emotions and can interbreed with humans.

But the journey is the real test: sabotage, assassination attempts, betrayals, shortages of water, food and fuel, the introduction of cruel martial law, religious conflict, the discovery of another surviving Battlestar called the Pegasus, and the overhanging fear of infiltration by the humanoid Cylons. And though they find a habitable (but miserable) planet, soon the ragtag fleet is forced to flee again -- and eventually discover that their goal is not what they hoped...

Anyone expecting "Battlestar Galactica" to be a copy of its predecessor is going to be horribly disappointed. This is sci-fi at its most compelling and transcendent -- a gritty, bleak, dark story of war and desperate escapes, and there are plenty of moral dilemmas (Roslin ordering the death of a baby Cylon/human hybrid). And it explores the truly compelling questions about what it is to be human and alive -- and to deserve to be.

And the writers brilliantly wrap together hard SF with threads of mystical science fiction, and undertones of religion and philosophy. The writing is solid and snappy ("Old gods die hard") and even manages to pull off dramatic and powerful dialogue without being cheesy ("She chose me. Chose me over all men. Chosen to be seduced. Taken by the hand. Guided between the Light and the Dark").

And each character is given an intricate and complex journey to follow, filled with pain, death, sorrow and slowly moving beyond their own personal problems. Friendships are pulled apart, alliances are formed, and lots of horrible and morally questionable choices are made. Some of these people are redeemed, some are destroyed, and some discover that they are not even human.

Olmos and McDonnell are the powerful leaders in this story, and both actors do a brilliant job -- especially Mcdonnell with Roslin's breast cancer, and Olmos with his tragic past. Other standouts: Callis as the ever-changing Baltar, Michael Hogan as the unlikeable Saul Tigh, and Grace Park as a humanoid Cylon whose love changes her goals.

But the true standouts here are Katee Sackhoff as Kara Thrace (aka "Starbuck") and Tricia Helfer as the ethereal humanoid-Cylon Number Six. Both women's fates are intertwined with the search for Earth, and it's fascinating to see how they shape the show. Sackhoff's character in particular comes across as annoyingly more-macho-than-thou at first, but the slow evolution into "harbinger of death" and destiny makes her the most compelling of all.

The complete box set is going to apparently include relatively few extras -- it obviously has all the seasons included along with assorted extended episodes, promotional stuff for the prequel spinoff "Caprica," deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes stuff, interviews, and so on and so forth. It also includes the "Razor" spinoff and webisodes, and obviously the original miniseries. Basically don't bother if you already own the seasons -- and until the price drops, it isn't terribly economical.

"Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series" is a stunning and powerful story that transcends the sci-fi label, and deserves to be praised to the skies. Definitely a must-see.

Not perfect but close, this is a must own for sci-fi fans. I had only vague memories of the original series, so I was not offended by the changes made.

It's a great universe, it is an interesting story filled almost exclusively with good, well-written characters.It is carried throughout by a trio of absolutely brilliant characters/actresses: President Roslin (Mary McDonnell), Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff) and Number Six (Tricia Helfer). They are the heart of the whole thing, they are the stars.

There are a couple of miscast actors in the bunch: Olmos (but he does grow well into the character over time), Park (it did not fit) and Hogan (a bit cartoonish) but they do deliver anyway. Jamie Bamber was not the right actor for a part that is badly written. He looks like the poster boy for a no-sex-till-marriage campaign and he has limited range as an actor. On the plus side, he makes everyone he has scenes with look great, compared to him anyways.

But the biggest flaw in the series is Gaius Baltar. The way he is brought into the story is great, his part is key in setting the whole series, but he should have died in the attack and never been seen again. All the subplots the involve him after that are unbelievable and far-fetched, even in a sci-fi setting. The part is played by James Callis, who is bad and annoying. His part is just not necessary past the pilot.

But don't get me wrong, as a whole, this series delivers the good, the rest of the stellar supporting cast does a terrific job. You should indulge yourself. It's great entertainment.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Vendor
The vendor of this product gives amazing customer service. To begin with, the product was carefully wrapped and shipped very quickly, so as to arrive in time for Christmas... Read more

Published 25 days ago by canuck123

4.0 out of 5 stars Long live BSG!
Saw BSG (2004) when it originally aired in standard definition on SPACE here in Canada. I purchased the series on DVD. Had to to have it on Blu-ray. Read more

Published 29 days ago by Ron Giles

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure entertainment with food for thought
I love the mix of sci-fi with gritty realism.

BSG does not indulge in pure fantasy like Star Wars or come close to the utopian vision of Star Trek. Read more

Published 1 month ago by BlueHeron

5.0 out of 5 stars A VERY ENTERTAINING SCI FI SERIES.
I had never watched BSG before and happened to stumble across a few episodes of season 1. I was so confused and entertained at the same time. Read more

Published 1 month ago by Nunyobus

5.0 out of 5 stars Even if you're not a sci-fi fan...
Now, normally I avoid remakes like the plague. I was a big fan of the original series when I was a kid. (Sunday nights at 8:00! Read more

Published 1 month ago by Rick Struve

5.0 out of 5 stars Great price and service
Purchased as a Christmas gift and the person who received the gift is very happy with it. The price was fantastic, the delivery service fast. Couldn't be happier with Amazon. Read more

Published 1 month ago by Liz

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Sci-Fi
Never watched the series on television but friends said it was excellent. Enjoy science fiction and had seen the original 1978 series with Lorne Greene. Read more

Published 1 month ago by fedsisko

5.0 out of 5 stars Still one of the greatest Sci-Fi shows ever
BSG is one of the greatest Sci-Fi shows ever! Own it today! The wife and I watch this over and over and over...

Published 1 month ago by Comrade Yeti

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing!
Amazing price! Amazing show! This should be in everyone's video library! The packaging is great. The show itself is a must watch for anyone whether they are a sci fi fan or not.

Published 1 month ago by Tristan

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Series - Solid Packaging
This review is for the Battlestar Galactica Complete Series released in the silver box (which includes The Plan and Razor). Read more

Published 2 months ago by Tristan

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