Battlestar Galactica: Season 2.5 (Episodes 11-20) Reviews

• From Hell and Back

  
  By ABSX5TGEGRH76 on 2006-06-27
  I love this show! In addition to being a great sci-fi series, it works perfectly well as a gritty drama. In the wake of the attempted genocide of the human race, a fleet of 50,000 survivors have left their homes in an attempt to escape their oppressors, the half human/half machine Cylons, in an attempt to find refuge on a little planet called Earth.
  Led by President Laura Roslin (Mary McDonnell), who is dying of cancer, and Commander William Adama (Edward James Olmos), the fleet was last seen about to do battle with... fellow humans? Yes, after the discovery that the Battlestar Pegasus has also been on the run in the 7 or so months since the Cylons attacked the 12 Colonies of Kobol, a disagreement about leadership has Adama and Roslin looking down the figurative barrel at Admiral Cain (Michelle Forbes), the commanding officer aboard the Pegasus and Adama's superior. The two-parter "Resurrection Ship" shows that the immaculate pair of Adama and Roslin can sink very low if they need to in order to protect the fleet. The two episodes also contain a huge revelation regarding the Cylons that may allow the humans to actually begin to have a chance at combatting their enemies.
  As the second half of the second season progresses, the characters that we've grown to love (or in some cases, love to hate), are put through more trials as they deal not only with the Cylon threat, but also each other. Vice President Gaius Baltar (James Callis) has his loyalties divided due to the discovery of a captured Model No. 6 (Tricia Helfer) aboard the Pegasus. Of course, the twist is that they are divided three ways; to his fellow humans, to the corporeal 6 (known, possibly as a joke to a group of people who dislike the show, who call the show GINO, or Galactica In Name Only) as Gina, and finally to the mental 6 that he sees in his head. Capt. Lee "Apollo" Adama, the commander's son, is given more responsibility as his role as pilot and CAG is expanded to do gritty missions, including shutting down a black market ring. Of course, the now Captain Kara "Starbuck" Thrace acts tough as usual (but then, we wouldn't have it any other way), though her position as best pilot/biggest b**** aboard Galactica is challenged by one of the pilots she trained in season 1. And the love triangle of Sharon "Boomer" Valerii/No. 8 (Grace Park), Chief Tyrol (Aaron Douglas), and Karl "Helo" Agathon (Tahmoh Penniket) is further strained by the arrival of the cylon/human hybrid baby as well as the creation of a kind of "love trapazoid" when Cally (Nikki Clyne) begins to express her feelings for Tyrol. Even another love triangle forms when Lee begins to become the object of affection of Dualla (Kandyse McClure), much to the disappointment of her boyfriend Billy (Paul Campbell).
  Unfortunately, these 10 episodes contain some of the weakest of the show's run. Episodes like "Scar" and "Black Market" are only ok by comparison to some of the show's episodes, most of which are amazing. Still, the weakest episode of Galactica is still 10 times better than the best episodes of most of what's on television these days. There are many really good episodes in this set, including "The Captain's Hand", and "Sacrifice". Also, the two-part "Resurrection Ship" is wonderful, as is "Downloaded", which is told from the point of view of the Cylons on the planet Caprica. However, I must say that "Lay Down Your Burdens, Pts. 1 and 2" have ousted "Pegasus" as my new favorite episode(s). While the season finale does share a slight similarity with the season 1 ender (the discovery of a planet), it is handled much differently this time around, and there are numerous other things going on. By the year's end, another Cylon model will be revealed (taking the total to 7 known models and 5 to be discovered), a few characters in the military will be promoted, and, in the second part of the season finale (which is an extended episode), there will be more twists and turns than you can shake a stick at, especially in the last half hour.
  The writers continue to impress as the characters are taken in great new and terrifying directions. This show is unpredictable, and it revels in going places many shows fear to tread. Every character is flawed in some way, and the people inhabiting the universe of BSG are some of the most human characters on television. Sadly, we didn't see much of Ellen Tigh (Kate Vernon), the insane wife of Galactica's executive officer Col. Saul Tigh (Paul Hogan). On his own, Tigh is a self-destructive alcoholic, but Ellen serves to take all his worse tendencies and amplify them, as well as planting ideas of ambition in his head (think Lady Macbeth crossed with 24's Sherry Palmer). Ellen is despicable, but she is part of what makes this show great; she forces Tigh to confront his demons in the most twisted ways imaginable.
  The stories are also amazing; the show is very much a product of a post-9/11 America, and that is reflected in the grim, survivalist nature of the fleet. The humans once thought that nothing could touch them, but now their entire way of living has been obliterated, and they must scrape by living on crowded ships with meager rations to sustain them. Furthermore, the lines of good and evil aren't drawn clearly; the Cylons view their actions as just and right. Even though they claim not to condone murder, in this case, the ends justified the means. And of course, no human is completely good or evil. Even Baltar, who can't seem to pick a side, can't always be blamed for his actions, as he is certifiably insane. That doesn't make his horrible decisions and actions right, but he isn't doing them because he is "evil". In a clever twist, the writers even reversed the roles of religion on the show; most of the time in film and television, the protagonists are monotheistic (unless they live in a time/place in history where a polytheistic religion is practiced), but here, the "good" humans are the polytheists while the "evil" Cylons worship the "one true God".
  Battlestar Galactica is without a doubt one of the best series on television. While many people tend to look down on science fiction series as trivial and childish, this is anything but. The messages that are found layered within the plots of the story accurately reflect the state of the world today. If you don't want to take my word for it, look at the numerous mainstream critics who love the show, such as Time Magazine (which listed it has the best new show of 2005) and Entertainment Weekly, which is trying to get the show nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Drama (which, unfortunately, it probably won't get due to the academy's phobia of sci-fi; but then again, LOST won, so I guess anything's possible). If you have yet to check this show out, buying season 1 should be a top priority for you!
  
  

• The Adventure Continues

  
  By A260X99UW6HA9Z on 2006-07-03
  For those already familiar to the series: This set of DVDs offers some decent bonuses- you'll find that it includes an expanded version of the midseason cliff-hanger "Resurrection Ship" with some deleted scenes incorporated into the show. I liked this a lot, because watching the deleted scenes seperately from the show/movie usually loses some of the impact of the scenes. This alone makes the two part season purchase worthwhile in my opinion. The other extra material is standard- commentary and making of features.
  
  In the second half of Battlestar Galactica's second season, you will enjoy the resolution to the arrival of the Pegasus in the climax of "Resurrection Ship". The show also brings the resistance movement on Caprica into better focus, and makes the characters there more important to the overall story. One aspect of season two that I am not completely sold on at this point is the expansion of the Cylon's internal structure, as expressed in the Cylon war-hero story. I think I enjoyed the mystery and confusion behind their true motives. It would be a shame for the arch-villains to become predictable and stale.
  
  For those already addicted to this show, 2.5 will satisfy you to a point, but I believe the finale will only be justified by where the show goes in season 3. Right now I am a little skeptical, and will even go so far as saying it approaches the hokey sci-fi clichés (granted, clichés that we all like to watch) that the show has so assiduously avoided so far. One thing the final episode will do is set up a whole new string of story possibilities in the coming season/seasons; it is such a crazy ender that I don't see how they can possibly resolve the issues in the first episode or even entire season 3. Maybe that's what the whole idea ultimately is about: creating more story possibilities. The final cliffhanger is not quite as emotional as the assassination at the end of season 1, but it will leave you wanting more.
  
  If you happen to be a new to this sci-fi phenomenon, I highly recommend you first watch season 1. This series is not the typical sci-fi that is `plug and play' at any point in the series (ala most Trek series). If you jump in midstream, you'll probably find yourself asking "what the ____?" and "why do I care about this character?". This quality is one of the shows strong points, conflicts are not resolved every 50 minutes and tidily packaged so that the next episode will be back at square one. Like real life the problems and troubles often follow the characters through their journey. And I will add this - Battlestar Galactica manages to bridge the gap between `sci-fi' people and people who typically don't watch sci-fi. I can say this with nearly complete certainty. I am a sci-fi person in the military, and I have enjoyed spreading this show around- despite many initial and long term refusals. Right now the tide has turned and most of my fellow officers and many men in the battalion are hooked on the show. So give it a shot, you won't be disappointed.
  
  

• Worth Every Penny

  
  By A2KBF2OYR359AJ on 2006-09-24
  This new Battlestar Galactica 2.5 DVD boxset release is full of special features and bonus material to attract all viewers. The split season format is great. It airs as half seasons on Sci-Fi and they release it to match its airing schedule and system. There are so many special features, you could spend more time watching them then the actual episodes.
  
  One of the greatest bonuses to the set is the much anticipated and greatly debated extended version of the episode `Pegasus' this special version is over an hour and a half long it was not aired in this format due to time constraints. It views like a feature movie. It has amazing special effects and amazing cinematography.
  
  Other features include deleted scenes, which are broken down by episodes, include the producer's podcasts that aired on the Sci-Fi channel's website during the original airings, and the producer's video Logs and much much more. The deletes scenes are broken down episode by episode.
  
  The bonus material, if not ignored, will help viewers better understand the choices made in preparing the episodes and the season for release.
  
  This half of season 2 has many unique twits and turns in the plots and lives of the characters. We are also introduced to new human cylon models. As to the content itself, in this half of season 2 the central character is Sharon,with her actions developed alongside those of (spoiler alert!) those of a few different Cylon version of her. Byond Sharon's development on Batlestar Galactica and Battlestar Pegasus, which is presented as strongly intertwined with the fate of the whole human race, a great deal of the season deals with relationships - Professional and otherwise - and especially friendships. Striking interactions occur between President Roslyn and Commander Adama; in the complicated relationship between Starbuck and Apollo; with Sharon and, well just about everybody.
  
  In the broader scheme of things, by this point in the series the complexities of guiding a free population while trying to avoid the Cylon army has taken it's toll on both military and civilian leaders of this rag-tag group of humans trying to find a new home on a lost planet called Earth.
  
  The excellent character development in this half of the season can be attributed to very strong scriptwriting. The cliffhanger ending leaves you mouth watering and you desperately awaiting season 3 - which hopefully, after snagging this DVD set, you can finally get caught up in watching. The Sci-Fi channel has to date released 4 of 10 web episodes that have story line development between season's 2 and 3. Season 3 begins airing in the US and Canada on October 7th for the first time the episodes will air in both countries at the same time. We here in Canada will not have to wait days, weeks or months for the US show to finally come to Canada.
  
  BSG is often called the best Sci-fi on television and Newsweek has gone so far as to call it the best drama on TV. With such high praise and the series consistently receiving great reviews - not to mention the special features and additions offered in the 2.5 DVD - how could this DVD box set not be worth every penny?
  
  So Say we all.
  
  (First Pulished in Imprint 2006-10-20 as 'Galactica's secon half sizzles: Recently released DVD set offers rewarding bonus features'.)
  
  

• Love the show but won't buy the DVD

  
  By ADR74AEW5554X on 2006-08-20
  I absolutely love BG but won't be nickle and dimed like that. I absolutely refuse to pay double for a split up 2nd season. Are you listening Universal Studios?
  
  

• BSG -- Second season, second 10 episodes

  
  By A2QSSNUGVG5II8 on 2006-09-05
  This DVD set of Battlestar Galactica (the new series) encompasses the episodes 11-20 of the second season.
  
  211 Resurrection Ship Pt. 1
  212 Resurrection Ship Pt. 2
  213 Epiphanies
  214 Black Market
  215 Scar
  216 Sacrifice
  217 The Captain's Hand
  218 Downloaded
  219 Lay Down Your Burdens Pt. 1
  220 Lay Down Your Burdens Pt. 2
  
  This DVD set has all my very favorite episodes on it. The two episodes that reveal more about the Cylons (Scar and Downloaded) are both phenomenal. In Scar, we learn more about the Cylon raiders, which are not funny-looking vipers piloted by Cylon pilots (like in the first series) but the ship itself is a space-dwelling AI robot/cyborg that is downloaded and reborn when it is destroyed just like the human-form Cylons. In Downloaded, we get to see occupied Caprica and into Cylon society. It's fascinating and tour de force world-building.
  
  My favorite episodes, though, are Lay Down Your Burdens (1 and 2.) In these two climactic episodes, so much happens that changes the plotline so much. I was astonished. It always amazes me how incredible the writers are in this series that they progress the plot and allow the characters to change so much with every episode that the characters' arcs over the course of these first two seasons are huge. BSG is probably the best show on TV.
  
  TK Kenyon
  Author of Rabid: A Novel and Callous: A Novel
  
  
• Second Half of a Fine Season Two for Battlestar Galactica
  By AKT8TGIT6VVZ5 on 2006-09-24
  Hopefully both halves of Battlestar Galactica's second season will be issued together in one DVD set soon. But "Battlestar Galactica - Season 2.5" still gets high marks from me for the intense battle of wills between Michelle Forbes's Admiral Cain and Edward James Olmos's Commander Adama, which will determine how the surviving Colonial fleet will protect the humans fleeing from their merciless Cylon foe. This second half of Season Two is important too in playing out the consequences of Boomer's (Grace Park) pregnancy, especially after revelations of her less-than-human origins disclosed during the first season and first half of the second season. President Laura Roslin's (Mary McDonnell) relations with Commander Adama remain important dramatic fare too, though now the emphasis lies more on her incurable illness and the consequences it might have for a potential successor like Gaius Balter (James Callis).
  
  Is "Battlestar Galactica" the best science fiction television drama? No, it is quite simply the best drama airing now on American television. Series creator Ronald D. Moore and his crew of writers and technicians have done a fine job keeping intact the edgy, gritty qualities of Season One which made "Battlestar Galactica" popular with viewers. However, I still regard "Babylon 5" - especially from its second through fourth seasons - as the finest science fiction drama ever to air on television. "Babylon 5" series creator J. Michael Straczynski wove such a fascinating, elaborate web of drama and fascinating back-story, with ample religious connotations from Christianity and Buddhism, and discrete references to such science fiction and fantasy classics as "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Prisoner" television series, which has yet to be equalled by Ronald Moore and his crew. Still, I strongly recommend acquiring "Battlestar Galactica - Season 2.5" to those unfamiliar with this series, as well as loyal fans. You will be well rewarded with ten hours of gripping, intense drama that deserve recognition for being the finest currently airing on American television.
  
  
• I'm not wetting my pants over the series
  By A3PLUG4Y62BVBL on 2006-09-09
  I guess I am the exception. I'm not wetting my pants over the series as many are. I purchased the season 1 and 2.0 boxes but I think I will skip the rest. A while back I would have also posted a five star review. Having seen one-and-a-half seasons, I am generally about as annoyed as I am entertained or inspired. The series is all about style and is just so completely thin on substance. I call the new Battlestar Galactica (BG), "FTV sci-fi" (Fashion TV). There is definitely plenty to like about the show as its broad appeal demonstrates. I suggest, however, that people are so excited over BG as compared to the incredible amount of crap on TV today. I too was initially very excited with the series. It is well filmed and directed and pleasing to the eye.
  
  Each and every character is significantly more well-rounded than the one-dimensional TV characters that are so common, but not that much more so. What I mean is that characters don't fall into the traditional politically and morally correct molds. For example, Laura Roslin is the even-tempered thoughtful leader and yet she surprisingly executes the enemy without batting an eye. But, once these character surprises are revealed, the characters are quite predictable as any other TV character is, just in the opposite way. That is to say, the producers of the show very simply have characters behave against the common TV stereotypes. But, that does not make for actually well-rounded complex characters as many have suggested. I too was pleasantly surprised at the change, but because they are not actually rounded characters along the lines of FireFly, this initial appeal wore off for me.
  
  There is also an excellent teen-aged "Smallville"-type soap opera plot which I too found very appealing to start. That said, there were also some interesting and fun plots/episodes. However, I find most of the episodes don't stand up at all to any kind of plausibility. It's sort of like watching a James Bond flick: don't question why Bond is not simply shot in the head; just go with it and have fun. By this I do not mean a geeky hyper-analysis of scientific minutiae. There is no alternate world vision. It is very much a 1990s TV drama set on a US aircraft carrier. Try it--call it the USS Galactica and set the fleet in the Pacific in 1943. The whole show still works. In "Pegasus", Adama shakes hands with Admiral Cain and they do it horizontally as opposed to vertically. This and about five other discrete items differentiates the world of BG from our own. There was such an opportunity missed to present really interesting plots related to the nature of human beings and artificial intelligence.
  
  Apparently, these humans are an advanced space-faring race capable of creating profoundly advanced artificial intelligence, but the entire body of technology of their society is rooted in 1965. If you found the original BG series corny with their computers as a bank of flashing lights, the new series is an updated version of the exact same thing. Personally, I don't like the attempt at manipulation and speaks to my previous comment of style over substance. The suspension of disbelief required is quite profound. Really, the one and only aspect of the show that has anything remotely to do with science fiction is that everyone is riding on spaceships. If this is not a problem for you, then more power to you. Personally, because of the "falseness" of the show, the style lost its appeal for me by the end of season one. And then, I just became annoyed with the pretense of it all.
  
  A lot of what I just said is rooted, I think, to a personal psychology behind this series. If you listen to the producer/writer commentaries, there is definitely something going on here. One of the producers was a former producer for Star Trek the Next Generation. The commentaries drone on and on about how this show is not Star Trek. In terms of style, the show tries to present itself with an "Alien" (Sigourney Weaver) grittiness as opposed to the antiseptic feel of Star Trek. But, it doesn't wash. It is a very false and veiled maneuver at budgeting. Whatever one might think of Star Trek, it did present a world vision where technology has solved the day-to-day needs of mankind, allowing a unified and unprejudiced mankind to concentrate on bigger and better things. The commentaries repeatedly speak of an intentional lack of techno-babble. I find the producers disingenuous as their comments clearly show a lack of vision and knowledge. That they are Hollywood hacks really comes across strongly, such that anything that might require a little more thought or effort to understand is just ignored. Listening to them speak, I couldn't help but think of Paris Hilton. And yet, at the same time, several times the producers express their pride at the scientific realism of the show, such as how the Vipers move in space and the documentary style footage of space-action sequences. In that case, even a rudimentary geeky critical look at the realism of the show demonstrates that apart from Vipers flipping end for end, there is absolutely not a single thing in the show that is scientifically plausible. I'm not sure what the producers are so proud of.
  
  Politics is not very subtle in the show. BG is quite allegorical. Just remove the phrase "the Colonies" and replace it with "the United States" and everything fits precisely, including folding of flags. The over-confident "colonials" are all but wiped out by the Cylons. Several times it is explained that the Cylons are of the colonials own making and that all of this is the colonials own fault. Sound familiar? The Cylons' genocide of the human race is several times justified as horrible but understandable. Sound familiar? There are typical scenes of mistreatment of Cylon prisoners by colonials whose unjustified and uncivilized behavior are emphasized at length. Whereas, the entire genocide of the human race and continual shredding of individual colonials by Cylon centurions is glossed over. There is a continual and underlying sentiment that the colonials had all this coming. The parallels between the US and the Islamic world is quite obvious. From what I can see from the WebEpisodes, the colonials take on the role of Palestinians and the Cylons of oppressive Israelis in the occupation of New Caprica. The not at all subtle point is made such that the colonials actions inline with current Palestinian actions become justifiable now that the shoe is on the other foot. Where the show's sympathies lay is quite evident and understandable taking into account that the producers are British Hollywood types. If your politics are right of center, you will be very annoyed. If your politics are left of center, the show should be right in line with your thinking.
  
  In terms of value, the DVD sets suck. I think the point has been made regarding the splitting of season two into two parts. I would note that suddenly a "season" has now been cut down again to 20 episodes from 22. Episodes are cut down a lot with so much recapping. It is almost a half-hour show instead of one hour. There is the plot recap, then the explanation of Cylons recap and then the show's theme. Again, if you listen to the commentaries, the producers are very concerned about minimizing channel surfers' confusion should they fall upon the show. I like the thin individual cases for the DVDs. The menus are confusing and not agile. The box is simple and made of thin cardboard; not at all durable. All-in-all the entire physical product is an exercise in cost-cutting and profit maximization. I rate the value of the DVD sets quite low.
  
  In summary, yeah BG is a much better show than most of the reality junk out on TV now, but in my opinion it is hardly this great piece of fiction to get so excited over, especially for the price. I think my post has very much to do with the type of person one is. If you are more impressed with a person because they look good and dress well, you ought to love the show. If you are much more interested in what a person has to say, you will initially be turned on by the show's excellent good looks, but quickly lose interest once you see that there is nothing underneath. If you are annoyed with the show's childish attempt at allegory or its political slant, then you will be annoyed. From start to end, I find the whole show and its marketing one continual and organized attempt at manipulation. I don't like how all the people involved with the show look down upon me, the consumer and viewer. I choose to vote with my pocketbook and not buy the series.
  
  
  
• Over priced Set`s
  By A3VIFF3KONI1Y on 2006-08-29
  Thanks Universal Studio`s for taking advantage of your fans.
  
  This Item Should sit on the shelves or in cyberspace till the price drops
  
  
• Nickel & Dime
  By AY4TEX5KKEVTK on 2006-07-05
  I love Galactica. I am a fan of the original series, but I have to say I love this version better. It delves into questions of morality and spirituality which the original series never did. It explains how a man like Baltar can betray his race, instead of the mustache twirling villian from the original.
  
  It has taken the best elements (and some storylines) from Babylon 5 and Space Above and Beyond and improved upon them. Worth watching, best kept secret. BUT...
  
  Why nickel and dime the fans? If season 2 is twenty episodes long. Package them in a single set and sell them. I bought season one, but I refuse to purchase this fragmented set. Why overpay for BG when say Fox figured out it could move entire seasons of the X-Files at a reduced price?
  
  Wait until they put it in one package. Buy the X-Files insead. Its the superior show and you get more for your money.
  
  
• The Series to Watch
  By A3N602G78UFTWU on 2006-07-25
  End game, and BSG comes out victorious! All the old characters with a lot more detail! They have taken a great deal of effort to dig into character background and history. The casting is superb. I can't name one character or actor that I don't like, or like to hate...
  Some people will claim that this show doesn't have a high-tech focus, they are wrong. BSG weaves truth into their science so well that the charcaters don't have to compete with the technology throughout the show. Bar none this is the most realistic space flight and combat of any show I have ever seen. The principals of weightless flight are evident in the fast turns and flips of the fighters. Cartrige style guns and the lack of energy weapons round out a great battle sequence in each battle. Even the lack of wormwholes or stars racing by during an FTL jump seem reasonably realistic.
  But you need more than great characters, science & actors to have an outstanding series. You need a great story and you'll find it here. They held true to many of the original ideals of the 1970s Battlestar Galactica, then they broke the barrier of modern era minds and how to entertain us. Intrigue, drama, action, all suround the enhanced storyline to create the best scifi show ever! I'm hooked and everyone I introduce this series to says the same. I only have one complaint, the DVDs can't come fast enough and when you do get them you get no rest until you've watched them all! Needless to say, I highly recomend getting this show on DVD.
  
  Sleepless nights await!
  
  
• NICKEL and DIMING. 2."5"
  By A3DILSYZHWX3X6 on 2006-07-08
  I agree 100% about this being the nickel and diming of consumers. I bought 2.0 without realizing it was only .5 of a season. How VERY lame and greedy. I LOVE the show but intensely dislike this marketing ploy.
  
  
• BSG, DVD Cost
  By A2SHQ8O7Z7NRIG on 2006-08-14
  I agree with many reviewers that the new BSG series is excellent in many ways. I'm impressed with the character development, visual effects, and imaginative stories. Best of all, the characters portrayed are not perfect but are flawed, as we all are. What would have happened to Voyager if Captain Janeway had a drinking problem or came onto Neelix in the turboshaft?
  
  Regarding the cost of the BSG DVDs, the fair price is what the market will bear. If one is willing to pay ~$70 for the twenty episodes of season two, then they deserve to be charged that much. Clearly, Universal Studios is not a charity. Their goal is to make money. If consumers balked at paying the asking price of BSG DVDs, the price would go down. Do you have the balls to hold out for a lower price? For many, the answer is no. That's why we pay over $3 per episode. Frequently I wait a few months and pick up a used set of DVDs for half the price. Patience has benefits.
  
  I'm looking forward to the upcoming season. Are these guys gonna make it to Earth, or what?
  
  
• Wait for a complete season 2 package
  By A3S4FUSPSEPL0G on 2006-08-30
  I give this show 5 stars for content, but I give the packaging 1 star for how they insanely split the season into two overpriced subsets.
  
  I received the first half of the season as a gift. Thus, I have now ordered the 2nd half (for about what it should cost for an entire season). However, I WILL NOT BUY SEASON 3 OF BG (or any other show) IF IT IS SPLIT UP, AND NOT DISCOUNTED APPROPRIATELY.
  
  
• Nickeled & Dimed? Not.
  By A2HWDRIERI9AXJ on 2006-09-13
  Folks, I don't get all the hubbub over the release of the Season 2 DVDs in two separate packages. Universal released the 2.0 package in the USA before the second half of Season 2 even aired, which was a very cool thing to do. Now you're complaining because they are releasing the other half separately. What would you have Universal do, release only a complete-season package and screw over the people who bought the 2.0 release??? And the price isn't all that bad. They're still charging $45.00 for the Season 1 package, which is only 13 episodes plus the miniseries.
  
  As for the show itself, I am totally addicted to this series. This is the first and only series I have ever bought on DVD, just because it's worth watching again and again. I'm just finishing up Season 2.0 again, and that is some of the best television ever made. Period. I admit, however, that Season 2.5 fell down a bit in quality in between the "Pegasus Pt 2" and "Lay Down Your Burdens" bookends. The other S2.5 shows are still good, but they seem a little more "television-y." Supposedly Season 3 is going to be mind-bogglingly intense, but that's what hype is all about, eh?
  
  You know you are going to buy Season 2.5, so just go ahead and do it already!
  
  
• A fantastic show -- but you can't look past charging double!
  By A2BZLK7CUE3Q7G on 2006-12-22
  When Amazon asks us for customer reviews, they are asking us for reviews not of the show alone, but of this particular offering: this show's presentation on this DVD set. As such, my review is tempered. Were I able to rank this offering solely and merely on its content, five stars would not be sufficient. I strongly believe that this is perhaps one of the finest -- and possibly THE finest -- of all the various shows that have hit the airwaves within the last few years. Ron Moore's writing is taut and gripping, the acting is first-rate, touches of humor abound, and human relationships take center stage, even amongst those inhuman, despite spectacular eye candy (and candy of both the CGI and slinky kind!).
  
  That all having been strongly emphasized first, the mercenary rate at which NBC/Universal Studios has chosen to price its Battlestar Galactica offerings simply cannot be ignored. Season 1 was only 13 episodes, yet it was priced at $60. The two individual half-season offerings are only 10 episodes each, yet they're priced at $50. That works out to $4.61 an episode for season one, $4.99 an episode for seasons "2.0" and "2.5." For comparative purposes, a comparable hit, "Lost", offered its 24-episode second season for $60, which is half that: $2.50 an episode.
  
  This product would easily receive five stars were it only to be priced at a rate designed to be equal to those offered for other television seasons. As it stands, charging full price for half-content is an act extremely insulting for a show that has received such emphatic and enthusiastic support, and NBC/Universal Studios should behave better; the review is thus downgraded accordingly. I would, in fact, downgrade it to a single star, except that I cannot bear to go on record as having given this fine series such a low rating. I would gladly rate this a full five stars were the complete season offered for a $60 list price; as it is, charging a $60 list price for a 13-episode first season, or a combined $100 list price for a 20-episode second season, even one this good, can only be termed massive gluttony and avarice on NBC/Universal's part.
  
  
• Great show, but not worth $70
  By A3VSMFDVHRGGS2 on 2006-08-26
  Season 2 got a little dull towards the end--particularly the episodes involving "Scar" and the Billy brouhaha--and let's face it, the deus ex machina of Laura's miracle cure was lame. Overall though, the appearance of Michelle Forbes made for a captivating storyline, as did Baltar's quest for the President's chair. Overall, a fair season compared to season 1, which surpasses it easily, but gets steeped in building a new mythos and loses direction now and then. Nonetheless the acting and production is superb.
  
  Still, I can't believe how many reviewers have so far just accepted the split-up "Season 2.0" and "Season 2.5" marketing strategy for these DVDs. Sure, the series is incredible, but there are plenty of excellent t.v. shows that don't pinch the consumer like this. When will people learn that it's your acquiescence to buy this double-priced set that allows marketers to jack up prices. By *REFUSING* to buy this, you can send a message to the Sci-Fi Network that you demand one complete season in one set at a fair, reasonable price. And you'll also prove that you're not a complete moron who throws money away. What, you got nothing else to spend it on?
  
  
• To Buy or Not To Buy - That is the Question
  By A3QDXZIV8N23T2 on 2006-09-07
  I have read many reviews on BG and how many are not going to spend that kind of money. Well how many of you have gone to the local movie house as of late. If you are like me you dropped about $25.00 bucks for 2 tickets, 1 large popcorn and one large drink and over priced candy. So your spent about 2 hours at $13.50 per hour. So now lets see if you have about 20 hours of Battlestar Galactica that comes to about $270.00. So I think spending $70.00 is worth it. Also look as some of the movie sets coming out as some others have mentioned and BG cost is not that bad. You have the choice but don't gripe. Buy the way when they go into second edition the value of the set goes down but the cost remains the smae.
  
  
• The Best Show on TV just gets better and better
  By A16QODENBJVUI1 on 2006-10-15
  People who have an opinion about BATTLESTAR GALACTICA tend to fall into three camps. First, there are those who dismiss it because it is Sci-fi and as a result have no interest in it. After all, those Trekkie types have no real aesthetic judgment and will like just about anything as long as it has spaceships, lasers, robots, and aliens (nevermind that BSG has neither lasers nor aliens). Second, there is the extremely small but rather fanatical group of fans of the original show (widely referred to as TOS) who are adamant that the new show (or GINO as they love to refer to it--"Galactica in name only") simply must be a horror because, well, STARBUCK is a guy in the new series! There is a third and rapidly growing group: those who consider BATTLESTAR GALACTICA either the best show on TV or at the very least among the best. Within the latter group there is a not insignificent group who wonder whether it might not be the best show in the history of television.
  
  The most important misunderstanding about BSG is that its appeal is primarily to the Sci-fi crowd. It is one of those shows that absolutely destroys the limitations of genre. That it is Sci-fi is almost irrelevant to its intrinsic importance. Its being Sci-fi bears as little on its value as it does to Fritz Lang's METROPOLIS, Huxley's BRAVE NEW WORLD, or Orwell's 1984. Imagine taking something like an IQ test. You are given two columns. Column One has listed THE SOPRANOS, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, THE SINGING DETECTIVE, BRIDESHEAD REVISITED, AND THE WEST WING (the early seasons anyway) and Column Two is STAR TREK, STARGATE SG-1, ANDROMEDA, and FARSCAPE. The question is: In which column is it more appropriate to place BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. The correct answer is: Column One, with other shows considered among the greatest achievements in television history. Sure, it also belongs in Column Two with other Sci-fi series, but we are talking about which is more appropriate.
  
  One of the most astonishing things about BSG has been the way that it has gotten better and better as it has gone along. The miniseries that started things off was very good, but I wouldn't have described it as great. Season One quickly entered the realm of greatness, but the first half of Season Two was even better. And the shows on these discs, making up the second half of Season Two, are yet another step up. And to show that sometimes you just have to trust the creative powers that be, while many fans were disappointed with the last few minutes of Season Two, with the series suddenly leaping forward a year to find a small human settlement on New Caprica, including many of the central crew members of Galatica. Instantly some started crying that the show had jumped the shark (one of the least felicitous expressions in discussions of television). Just as instantly with the start of Season Three, the sceptics have been proven wrong, as an already great show has gone to an even more spectacular level.
  
  Even though this set collects only ten episodes, almost everyone is memorable. A few are among some of the finest individual episodes I've ever seen of any show. The three-episode sequence featuring Michelle Forbes as Admiral Helena Cain, commander of the previously missing Pegasus, are especially strong with Forbes doing an amazing job as the heavy-handed and amoral Cain. The final episode contains one of the most intense and disturbing sequences I've ever seen, as Adama, at Laura Roslin's urging, tells Starbuck to assassinate Cain upon being given a code word, unaware that Cain has similarly instructed one of her security officers to assassinate Adama upon a similar command. It is a scene of almost unrelieved tension. I've rarely been so completely on the edge of my seat as when watching that for the first time, as well as horrified by the real politik driving the characters' motives. The episodes also feature a terrible moment when Sharon is about to be "questioned" by some human interrogators who view rape as an appropriate method. There is also a great Starbuck-oriented episode involving the hunt for an especially gifted Cylon raider named Scar and some great plotlines about the rescue of the remaining humans on Caprica. The season winds down with a presidential election and controversy surrounding the discovery of a planet capable of sustaining human life.
  
  More than anything--and this is what people who have not seen the series do not understand--this is a character and not a plot driven serial drama. It does contain surprising and arresting story arcs, but the show is always more about the people who are participants in the drama than about the drama itself. There has perhaps never been a Sci-fi series in which subtle facial expression has played such a crucial and central role. The series does contain some amazing action sequences and some of the epic battle scenes can rival or surpass anything we've ever seen in the movies, but nothing can efface the centrality of the individuals--whether human or Cylon--at the heart of the story.
  
  To the distress of many on the political right, the show is also amazingly topical. Yes, the perspective of the show as a whole is leftist, but there is no propaganda and never, ever an easy answer to political issues. Many pressing contemporary issues are taken up on the show such as the role of torture in a democracy, the grasping of more power by an executive than allowed in a constitution, abortion, resistance to occupation, the relationship of the military to the civilian in a time of war, and a number of other issues. But the show never provides answers to any of these questions. I think the creators would like to do one thing for those on the Right. The Right in America is astonishingly simplistic in its thinking, frequently couching issues in clear cut, black and white terms. What I think Ron Moore and David Eick want to do is to complicate things, to show that things really are not black and white but a series of grays on a dark, foggy night. If there is a political message in BSG, that is it: things are never as simple as they seem. The show doesn't want to provide answers, but merely make us suspicious of easy answers. Season Three has gone on to create a situation that is remarkably similar to the current one in Iraq, with Cylons as the occupying force and humans employing suicide bombers in resistance.
  
  This is the best show on TV. In both scope and ambition it has tried to do more than any other show I know and it has managed to do so magnificently. As Matt Roush in TV Guide recently wrote, if you care about quality programming on television, this is the show you should care about. The critical accolades have continued to barrage the show, with one critic after another proclaiming it the finest show on TV and even getting some amazingly prestigious awards such as its very own Peabody. If you don't know this show, you need to. It doesn't matter whether you like Sci-fi or not. In fact, not knowing Sci-fi might be an advantage. Sci-fi fans are often burdened by trite and sometimes silly loyalties ("Starbuck is a guy!" is a prime example). Those best in a position to love and care about this show are probably those who simply love quality TV regardless of the particular form that takes. You really need to see this show.
  
  
• Battlestar Galactica-2.5
  By A1UAPHLMMQCDUU on 2006-09-27
  I love this show but I am a little annoyed at the marketing tool that split up season 2. I did buy them but I had hoped to get an combined version intstead of 2 sets that each set cost as much as one season normally. I think this is a very rude on the part of the company and a slap in the face to loyal fans who spend lots of money and get very little in return. Please stop. I will most likely continue to buy but will continue to be annoyed.
  
  
• Great Show, Great Series, Price Rip-off, time rip-off
  By A2XRH0S9N8UEA9 on 2006-07-07
  I'm VERY annoyed by two things, but first, let me tell you, I LOVE BSG. I never thought I would find something I liked as Much as ANY trek, But this takes it. This series is GREAT.
  
  What I am annoyed by is this;
  They are ripping us off by making us buy season 2 in 2 separate packages. For myself, I have no choice; I must have it. So I will pay. But I think they shot themselves in the foot by pulling this stunt and ticked off a bunch of the other people that would be hard core buyers.
  No doubt they will later release a boxed set, further penalizing us early adopters. I hope they at least offer a large box for free via mail in or something for us to box our sets together later (Like they did with LOTR)
  The pother thing that annoys me is that I've been waiting TOO FRACKIN' LONG for this!!!!!!
  Why did it take so long until they released these???????
  Because they wanted to sell them to us, bit by bit on Ipod?
  Well, I foxed 'em, (pun intended) I'm grabbing them via windows media Sony Giga Player and watching them on my PocketPC.
  
  
• One of the best Dramas on TV
  By A38HW5NXKTP1HG on 2006-07-12
  I consider BSG not only the best sci-fi series (far more intelligent than the burned out Star Trek franchise)but one of the best dramatic series ever shown on TV. As such, and knowing what a hard time truly good shows have staying on the air while utter crap like "Friends" goes on and on and on....where was I? Oh yes, based on the difficulty of keeping good drama, especially science fiction, on the air I am more than happy to spend a few extra bucks for the DVDs if it will encourage Sci-Fi to keep the series on and complete it. Heck, I waste much more money on bad DVD rentals and bad pizza than the few extra bucks these DVDs might cost me. Get some perspective, people.
  
  
• Frackin' Fabulous
  By A3QQ04GSRAJ8YC on 2006-08-20
  I love this show on every level; I have yet to see an episode that strikes a false note (OK,OK, the episode "Sacrifice" was a bizarre minor key). The 5 star reviews above have very literately cataloged the show's pleasures: excellent interweaving of backstory to frontstory; character development; special effects; true surprises. The characters of Starbuck, Sharon and Helo are especially impressive - they, and the actors who play them, shade good into evil into good and sympathy into condemnation back into sympathy.
  
  But I'd like to write about the amazing and slightly subversive politics of BSG! The now anachronistic 70's disco version of BSG was supposedly a version of the Mormon myth -- planets populated by humans who spread out over the galaxy. The 21st century version of BSG is equally subversive - we are actually rooting for the conservative candidate Laura Roslin, pro-life, born again believer (in the Greek Gods) and a kick-a#* militarist to boot! The fact that the writers of the series pull this off in such a subtle fashion is extraordinary... think about it... Gaius Baltar is the anti-war, pro-choice, free drugs for everyone candidate!
  
  We swallow so much pablum from network and, yes, even cable TV. BSG is complex, challenging, and really, really fun. If you haven't seen it, and you need a new addiction, I highly recommend it.
  
  
• Sex Crimes In Space...
  By A11R7AO02PWB4 on 2006-09-20
  Why, oh why do they insist on ruining these sci-fi shows with PC dogma? I enjoyed the first season immensely, and season 2.0 showed promise, then BAM!, season 2.5 turns into Galactica, Special Victims Unit. I won't stoke the fires of the current mania by listing the subjects covered in these episodes, but be prepared to witness a promising series come grinding to a halt while we are exposed, over and over again, to what the Lords of Universal deem the "important" social, i.e., sexual, ills of society. Add in a liberal dose of "acceptable" soft-core, and you can see this is not an enjoyable, escapist fantasy.
  
  
• Great Show, Dubious DVD release system
  By A1KFDJ9Q3RAEW1 on 2006-09-22
  I think we all would prefer a Complete Second Season to this 2.0/2.5 system they devised this year. $67 for this show is a bit steep. Consider than you can download the entire second season at decent quality from iTunes for $26. That seems almost like a better deal. Granted it won't look quite as good, nor does it have the extras that the DVDs have, but if one is just trying to share the show with new people... $67 is a bit steep for Season 2.
  
  I know it's nice to have 2.0 out in the mid-season break, but I still feel like this is not a good value, and I don't imagine I'll buy this until they offer a Complete Second Season at a decent price point. (Say maybe $45 or so)
  
  
• I won't do this again....
  By A1HK6XXHTW6K89 on 2006-09-19
  The series is great. But this silly split thing is stupid. I'll buy it this time because I got duped into the 2.0 purchase. However, I will not purchase any more. I won't do this again. I'll get it off the internet. They lost a valued buying customer over this stupid marketing.
  
  
• Best drama on TV...
  By A14DZD07SY8IT6 on 2006-09-04
  Second half of second season was just awesome. I hope they have more extras than last one did. Having the second half of the Pegasus epic, in HD makes it worth it. Those DVD epis look gorgeous through that HDMI cable on my flat panel HDTV. The TIVO'd episodes of original broadcast epis are no comparison.
  
  Re: the split pricing... just look at what they charge for a season of Sopranos ($99 list, $67 on Amazon, 13 hours), or Star Trek Enterprise ($129.95 list, $85 on Amazon now) Now THAT's a real ripoff.
  
  While the price for BSG season 2 is not super cheap, it's not super expensive either.
  
  
• EXTREMELY OVERRATED- STAR TREK IS MUCH BETTER
  By A1CX8KGARFZNAG on 2006-10-12
  It seems to me that this show barely qualifies as science fiction. It's a dreary & depressing, slow moving show with no humor (Star Trek had for example, the McCoy-Spock interaction). It seems a large part of the episodes are the characters standing around having banal conversations.
  The action is a very small part of each episode.
  
  The show has none of the exotic feel that we look for in Sci-Fi. What I always loved about sc-fi was the fantasy ans sense of wonder and amazement it created. This series has none of that. There is a total lack of imagination. The Cylons seems to be no different than humans. There is nothing eerie or scary about them at all. They also look like us, dress like us, talk like us, act like us. Why bother with Cylons- they may as well be a band of renegade humans? One of the Cylons has a baby- yet the Cylons are referred to as "mere machines"- but this inconsistency is never explained!
  
  There is no indication that the humans are from a different civilization than ours. They also look like us, dress like us, talk like us, act like us. They even wear neckties!
  
  Sci-fi fans look foward to exotic alien environments. However, every planet they visit looks like Earth. The show does not make even a minimal effort in this regard. Maybe its the lack of a special effects budget. Please, at least when they are on a planet in another galaxy, at least once, show a second moon or a second sun, etc in the sky!
  
  The special effects, in general, are nonexistent- The Battletar Galactica is a piece of junk- they use wired telephones!! Not even cellphones- I understand its an old ship, but please, it looks like something from the 19th century! Why would a ship that can travel at warp speed use wired telephones?!?
  
  The acting is terrible - the President is a whiny women who always looks like she is on the verge of crying and often speaks in an annoying whisper. James Olmos never changes his facial expression.
  
  There is a reliance on irritating gimmicks- Balter is constantly talking to a women who no one else can see. i find this extremely irritating. Also, they make no attempt to even explain this.
  
  There is a total lack of background. No explanation as to how the Cylons came to be, why they attacked, what sort of civilization the humans have, their level of technology, their culture, etc. There were whole episodes about a Presidential election. I can watch The West Wing for politics. I dont need it on a sci-fi show set it another galaxy! There is a running ridiculous theme about the Cylons and God, but of course, this is never explained.
  
  
  I would strongly recommend Firefly for those looking for real science fiction. Its also "gritty" but does it with humor, has action, and is much more creative .
  
  
  
• Still a fantastic show but...
  By A3RUG7P3B31L3V on 2006-11-21
  Season 2.5 (God, they have decimals in the seasons now) of Battlestar Galactica is still better than much of what is on TV, but unfortunately the show began a downward spiral in 2.0 that continued in the second half of the season. Like many television shows, this series has begun to suffer from narrative "selective amnesia" that allowed the creators to remember what is convenient and dismiss whated they want to ignore -- even if the ignored plot points were crucial to earlier episodes. While this works in many shows, watching these tactics employed in a "naturalist" television program - even one that is science-fiction by nature - feels at best cheap and at worst downright unfaithful to its audience.
  
  Additionally, grand episode and season long arcs are resolved unsatisfactorily, seemingly at whim, and characters go through massive transformations that are retconned away within the space of one, maybe two, episodes. And while this was once a show where getting shot by a bullet really hurt -- note that the LEAD of the show was in a coma in Season 2.0 for what felt like forever -- in the back half of the season Lee Adama was shot, wounded badly, and healed again in TWO STRAIGHT episodes. Oy! Naturalism, this ain't. Some may prefer the new slant of the show but I personally find it a little droll, a little smug, and a little been-there-done-that.
  
  Final thoughts: If you're a fan, you'll most likely buy these anyway. If you're not a fan, check out the first season of BG (and NOT the miniseries) to get a handle on what all the fuss is about.
  
  
• BSG 2.5: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
  By A3RTMB76CJWY9U on 2007-03-18
  The Good:
  
  * Battlestar Galactica. This series is one of the best, most original offerings that television has produced. It is thought-provoking, briliantly acted, slickly produced and powerfully emotional. Other than gushing on and on (and without wanting to spoil too much), I can only say to the prospective viewer: watch this series. Start with the pilot movie of Season 1, not here, but get here; watch this series.
  
  * Edward James Olmos. The man deserves special recognition for his role in this series. The acting, on a whole, is top-notch, here... but Olmos' Adama? Legendary.
  
  * The Season Arcs. This season starts of really strongly, resolving the split command issue that 2.0 ended on. Then, it gears itself towards a thrilling Season Finale involving the inevitable split between Roslin and Baltar. Incidentally, the Season Finale is one of the bravest, riskiest things I've ever seen a television show do. I'm very interested to see how they pull things off in Season 3. This is a series that knows what drama is, and how to achieve it, and it always makes sure to enter and exit on high notes. And, speaking of Baltar...
  
  * Dr. Gaius Baltar. What a complex character. Battlestar Galactica is a show that delights to play in the grey, rather than the black or white (you'd think, at least, that the race of living machines determined to extinguish the human race would be Evil... right? But even that is more complex in BSG). Baltar exemplifies the grey. He's a man who, for all of his intellect, never quite knows what he's doing. Like many of us, he's moved both by his better and his worser feelings, without really ever knowing where they will wind up taking him. His guilt and paranoia are ever-present, and his sanity is questionable. And yet, at times, he does try to do "what's right." It is heart-breaking when, at the end of this season, he does not stoop to question the morals of his political opponent (despite the fact that he actually has been betrayed).
  
  The Bad:
  
  * The Middle Patch. If I must come up with something "bad," in order to fulfill my gimmick, I'll say that while the show enters and exits on high notes, this half-season looses just a tiniest amount of steam in the middle stretch of episodes. There were a few times when I thought that the show was sort of biding its time, waiting for the larger issues to mature (such as the pregnancy). Also, some of the "filler material" (such as the on-again/off-again "romance" between Starbuck and Apollo) felt a little rehashed and half-hearted. But really, I'm being a little picky, here. Overall, even the weaker episodes of BSG are still quite good compared to the majority of television.
  
  The Ugly:
  
  * 2.0/2.5...? Releasing half a season is an awful idea. I hope that the studio has suffered enough negative feedback (and not made so much money on it) that they go back to form and release a whole season 3.
  
  * Waiting. It's horrible, having to wait so long to resolve the cliffhangers that this series creates. Having to wait so long before spending more time in the company of these wonderful characters.
  
  Overall:
  
  * Five stars, without question. There is nothing either so bad or so ugly about this series that can really take away from its amazing strengths: intelligent writing, wonderful acting, involving storylines, excellent production values, etc., etc., etc. One of the greatest television shows, all time.
  
  
• Price is what you pay, value is what you get
  By A2V5VKFFO78F6 on 2006-07-13
  Kudos to who knows who said that. This is an excellent show and great entertainment, and I don't have an issue with the pricing. With values such as Amazon I can watch the show and still munch on popcorn at the same time. At some point you have to decide if the cost exceeds your desire to see the show. For me it hasn't. For those who complain, but still buy the DVD sets, it hasn't either. At some point, however, I'll stop putting gas in my car. That's another story and probably a truer example of one of the many ways we are truly being ripped off, but at least with BSG there is a great idea, with talented writers and Im getting great entertainment and I'm happy.
  
  

• Battlestar Galactica - Season 2.0 (Episodes 1-10)
• Battlestar Galactica - Season One
• Battlestar Galactica - Season Three
• Battlestar Galactica - Razor (Unrated Extended Edition)
• Battlestar Galactica (2003 Miniseries)