World Famous Comics: Battlestar Galactica - Season One
Battlestar Galactica - Season One
Starring: Edward James Olmos, Jamie Bamber Directed By: Edward James Olmos Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Binding: DVD Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC Label: Sci-Fi Channel, The Number of Discs: 5 Number of Items: 5 Region Code: 1 Release Date: September 20, 2005 Running Time: 756 minutes Theatrical Release Date: January 14, 2005
Product Description: Largely wiped out by a hundred years of warfare with the Cylon Empire, the few surviving humans search for the mythical thirteenth colony, Earth. No Track Information Available Media Type: DVD Artist: BATTLESTAR GALACTICA 04 Title: SEASON 1 Street Release Date: 09/20/2005 Domestic Genre: TELEVISION
Amazon.com: Battlestar Galactica's Edward James Olmos wasn't kidding when he said "the series is even better than the miniseries." As developed by sci-fi TV veteran Ronald D. Moore, the "reimagined" BG is exactly what it claims to be: a drama for grown-ups in a science-fiction setting. The mature intelligence of the series is its greatest asset, from the tenuous respect between Galactica's militarily principled commander Adama (Olmos) and politically astute President Roslin (Mary McDonnell) to the barely suppressed passion between ace Viper pilot "Apollo" (a.k.a. Adama's son Lee, played by Jamie Bamber) and the brashly insubordinate Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff), whose multifaceted character is just one of many first-season highlights. Picking up where the miniseries ended (it's included here, sparing the need for separate purchase), season 1 opens with the riveting, Hugo Award-winning episode "33," in which Galactica and the "ragtag fleet" of colonial survivors begin their quest for the legendary 13th colony planet Earth, while being pursued with clockwork regularity by the Cylons, who've now occupied the colonial planet of Caprica. The fleet's hard-fought survival forms (1) the primary side of the series' three-part structure, shared with (2) the apparent psychosis of Dr. Gaius Baltar (James Callis) whose every thought and move are monitored by various incarnations of Number Six (Tricia Helfer), the seemingly omniscient Cylon ultravixen who follows a master plan somehow connected to (3) the Caprican survival ordeal of crash-landed pilots "Helo" (Tahmoh Penikett) and "Boomer" (Grace Park), whose simultaneous presence on Galactica is further evidence that 12 multicopied models of Cylons, in human form, are gathering their forces.
With remarkably consistent quality, each of these 13 episodes deepens the dynamics of these fascinating characters and suspenseful situations. While BG relies on finely nuanced performances, solid direction, and satisfying personal and political drama to build its strong emotional foundation, the action/adventure elements are equally impressive, especially in "The Hand of God," a pivotal episode in which the show's dazzling visual effects get a particularly impressive showcase. Original BG series star Richard Hatch appears in two politically charged episodes (he's a better actor now, too), and with the threat of civil war among the fleet, season 1 ends with an exceptional cliffhanger that's totally unexpected while connecting the plot threads of all preceding episodes. To the credit of everyone involved, this is frackin' good television.
DVD features The fifth disc in Battlestar Galactica's season 1 set is highlighted by eight comprehensive featurettes covering all aspects of the series, from its miniseries origins to standard surveys of production design, visual effects, and particulars of plot and character. For hardcore fans and anyone interested in TV production, nine out of 13 episodes, plus the disc 1 miniseries, are accompanied by intelligent and informative commentary originally provided as BG website podcasts, mostly by series developer and writer Ronald D. Moore, who provides tantalizing clues about developments in season 2. The "Series Lowdown" is a cast-and-crew promotional program originally broadcast to attract SciFi Channel viewers who were initially reluctant to embrace a "reimagined" Battlestar Galactica. The strategy worked: First-season ratings left no doubt that the new BG was as good as--and in many ways better than--the original. --Jeff Shannon
"Best Written Show on TV" I haven't even watched this yet, but my brother, who writes for television, recommended it as the best written show on tv. We're planning to watch it this summer. I got seasons one, two, and two and a half.
Wow!!! This is a very Entertaining Fantasy/Sci-Fi show. I love it. I got the First Season at a really good price so I wanted to check it out. So Awesome!!! Check it out when you can get it at a good price.
WARNING TO SCI FI FANS This is a kind of weird review for me, because I loved this season, and a lot of what followed, too. But I wished I had never seen it.
POTENTIAL SPOILERS, BUT NOT REALLY: I just finished watching the final episode, and it turns out this is NOT a science fiction series, it's a fantasy series. I'm not exaggerating at all. The answers to the mysteries in this and subsequent seasons end up to be mysticism. I won't get into more detail than that... because there IS no more detail. The "writers" take the laziest possible way out, and it made me wish I had never watched an episode.
SPOILERS OVER So I'm coming here, in case someone is thinking about starting it, having heard good things about it. After that stinker of an ending, I can honestly say I wished I had never watched a single episode. The promise held by the quality of this first season just makes the joke of the final season that much more cruel.
One of the best TV shows The remnants of the human race flee genocidal robotic Cylons aboard a ragtag fleet under the protection of the last battlestar. As they search for the legendary planet Earth, the Cylons move secretly toward a goal as yet unrevealed.
This reimagining of a mediocre science fiction show from the 70s is top notch television, dark and gritty with a large cast of compelling characters. Edward James Olmos as Captain Adama and Mary McDonnell as President Laura Roslin, the leaders of the military and civilian factions of the fleet, generate much of the drama with a wary yet respectful relationship that nevertheless threatens to fracture the fleet. Other cast members who stand out include Katee Sackhoff as Starbuck, a renegade pilot whose is torn between her loyalty to Adama and her faith in Roslin, Michael Hogan as Col. Tigh, the alcoholic and incompetent second-in-command who is keenly aware of his own faults, and James Callis as Dr. Gaius, whose betrayal of the human race and connection to the Cylons remains undetected. The rest of the cast is excellent as well.
When the going gets tough, the tough watch a good TV series... In difficult times, movies (and television shows) have often provided us with a helpful uplift. What's more, I think it is fair to say Hollywood makes movies and television better than anyone else, and in fact, movies are one of America's most successful exports. Hollywood has a huge share of the world's entertainment market, with over half of the audiences for Hollywood's movies coming from outside the USA.
And so it is always a delight to discover a really good movie or TV show, not just because the show is enjoyable, but because it is nice to see what America can produce. I think Hollywood succeeds so well because making good movies requires a mixture of good business sense, imagination, technical skill, and audacity - typically American virtues.
These elements certainly come together in the SciFi Channel's "Battlestar Galatica." This series, which ran four years and won both Emmy and Peabody Awards, features great writing, acting, and superior special effects (the special effects are better than that of most big budget Science Fiction movies).
The plot is a science fiction standard, and yet it is complex and multi-hued. Mankind created a race of increasingly sophisticated machines, which of course have become superior to their creator and rebelled. Now the two are at war. The story arc has a bit of a dark edge. Humanity is struggling for survival, and at times the machines can almost seem like the good guys, as they take on increasingly human qualities, while the real humans can at times behave quite cruelly. What is left of mankind is only about 50,000 people who are on the run, traveling through space in a sort of wagon train to the stars.
I tend to avoid the SciFi Channel, but after reading the critical acclaim the show has received, I am glad I made an exception. I am just finishing Season 1, and I am looking forward to watching the next three seasons on DVD.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Trevor
