Battlestar Galactica: The Miniseries [2004] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

Amazon.co.uk Review

Let's get straight to the point: bar none, Battlestar Galactica is the best science fiction television programme currently showing. In fact, let's go further. It's the best of the last decade. And truthfully? You'd find very few sci-fi fans who'd disagree.

What's more, plenty of people must be busy eating their words, too. Back when it was announced that Battlestar Galactica was being revived, feelings were mixed, not helped by the divided reaction to the mini-series that kickstarted this iteration of the show. Yet over the past couple of years, it's cleverly proven to be a tense, gripping mix of action and drama, with a tightly-woven plot.

This third season? It's arguably the best so far. A delicious soup of mystery, relevations, actions, striking characters and winding narrative, Battlestar Galactica is also served superbly well by a quality cast, some quality special effects, and a real focus on what matters from behind the camera.

As usual, there are no spoilers in this review, although it's not giving much away to say that the deadly cylons have to share the screen time with some intriguing and revealing character development this time round. And with word that season four of the revived Battlestar Galactica will be the last, things are set up for a terrific final act.

Season three of the show though is extraordinarily good, a real, genuine sci-fi classic that's going to have one mighty shelf life once this particularly iteration of the programme has gone. And with umpteen surprises to go back and check out, it's never likely to be one to gather dust on the shelf, either. --Jon Foster

Customer Reviews:

Intelligent, Compelling Science Fiction.......2008-03-06

Season Three contains BSG's best and worst moments. Luckily for this viewer, the worst moments are niggly and the best brave and bold.

The writers of BSG had set up an intriguing storyline at the end of season 2 - a huge city on a difficult planet, with the Cylons running a brutal occupation over the citizens of New Caprica. Season Three wastes no time in showing the desperate lengths that the embittered survivors in New Caprica will go to when fighting the Cylon occupation. Suicide bombings, people betraying other people, and double-agents are the de-rigour from the offset. This is challenging science-fiction, showing chilling contemporary relevance and a bold vision.

Characters continue to make tough choices, right up until Admiral William Adama arrives back with the Battlestar Galactica to make one of the most audacious rescues in television history. Without spoiling anything, it is pretty special and well balanced with some intense characterisation.

The challenging storylines continue with the fleet seemingly 'reunited', but nonetheless still 'split', with the survivors of New Caprica bitter and looking for reparations over their own extreme actions and those who allegedly collaborated with the Cylons.

Its at this point though that the season begins to 'sag' a little. There are excellent story arcs here and there, but occasionally the feeling of 'stand-alone' episodes seems to seek in. Opinion seems divided on them. To me the raging-bull-esque 'Unfinished Business' is strong and a brilliant piece of direction, but I felt frustrated by some of the other episodes, as either threads are suddenly buried, or I just didn't feel interested enough in some of the other threads.

Still, BSG's weaknesses put most other Science Fiction (i'm not just talking about television), to shame. The acting remains nuanced and compelling, even if a 'soap-opera' feels does permeate the rivalries that develop over the essentially forbiden love of Lee Adama and Kara Thrice.

As always though, BSG pulls its best punches in the final third. One character seems to vanish, while the trial of disgraced president of New Caprica, Guis Balthar, provdies a good dramatic weight to anchor the final episodes. As always there's one heck of a shift in terms of story at the end (and without spoiling it), which makes the final season seem like it will have plenty of story to get into, without, one hopes, veering to close to some of the weaker aspects of this series.

Certainly when its at its best, BSG is compelling Science Fiction of the highest order. Highly reccomended. (If you're starting from scratch get the mini-series and the 1-3 boxset. It's worth it!)

Basically a futuristic and mystical/religious soap opera.......2008-03-06

I am a big fan of the first and the second season of BG. I did enjoy how the plot has been developed and how characters have grown nicely during the series but I have been really let down with the third series! Many little and not-so-little details, in particular concerning the physical properties of the space, the gravity issue and so forth were widely forgiveable considering a tight and usually fast plot but the third series is pointing almost everything on people. It is exactly like a soap opera with a strong mystical/religious accent. Really disappointed. I will download a couple of episodes of the following series before to buy it because maybe it's not worth it.

Didn't like some basic aspects...........2008-01-25

I can see how this is very popular with many people, and bet that I'll get a lot of "unhelpfuls" out of this. There is some polish and some good writing with this series, and that's even before you get into the series proper, which improve.

However, as a certain type of fan of the original, I was very disappointed. Yes, I'm glad things are a lot more grown up, but that's where much of the plusses end. If I'm an existing fan, I don't necessarily like change for change's sake. From the original, certain characters have been overly changed, including their gender. Sorry, Dirk Benedict's Starbuck is still the best. Even my wife thinks so! It's not that I am an old fuddy-duddy where boys have to have all the fun. They had female characters that could simply have been reworked and/or updated. Cass., Andromeda, et al. Or, do more about creating new characters, which they have done (nearly got as far as three stars for that!), but not enough.

But for me the worst, worst thing, are some of the baddies. One of the worst cliches in sci-fi are "changelings". Well, that and blase time-travel. Why spend so much on making a series, then... I can just see the meeting now. "Oh wait, what about the bad guys? I know, let's make them look like the main characters and be able to pass off as them, until some contrived plot device exposes them." A lazy way to get away from creating an original race, I think. The only time when this sort of thing can work, is when it is used sparingly. Star Trek: Deep Space 9, did a better than average job with it.

Summary: This is not bad quality sci-fi or drama. It's just that from where I'm coming from, I didn't enjoy it.

Over long and under whelming ... skip to season 1 ep 1 instead.......2008-01-17

The remake of Battle Star Gallactica didn't take too long to hit it's stride and find it's audience. However, if you're new to the show I would advise you to skip this disc and start with season 1.
This mini series is not without it's high points, the scenes in outer space are pretty spectacular (but you'll see them reused in season 1 episodes so again your not going to miss anything by skipping this) and some of the acting is pretty good.
The problem is that there just isn't enough story to warrant the 3 hr running time, meaning the whole thing feels laboured and over long.
Hard to believe but the original 1978 TV movie, campy as it is, is twice as good as this mini series because it tells the same story in the half the time.
If you grow to love the show then come back and check this disc out later, you're bound to enjoy it more that way.

Series 1 and 2 far superior.......2008-01-16

Theres no denying that Battlestar Galactica Series 3 is far superior to most of the junk coming out of the States. However, it falls quite short of series 1 and 2 for many reasons, but most importantly - Starbuck has developed into the most annoying character in the show. Every time she comes on I want to punch my TV screen. There are episodes devoted almost entirely to her love life and shipboard relationships, which frankly is daft because shes a complete b1tch who would have been blown out of an airlock by her crewmates long ago. The more interesting characters get less airtime then normal, particularly Gaius Baltar (who continues to play mad appeaser/traitor brilliantly) and his lovely Cylon sidekick. Overlook this and Series 3 is still good. Not as many jaw dropping moments as 1 and 2, but in particular the Galactica launching Vipers over New Caprica scene made me think 'wow'. 3/5 a bit harsh? Perhaps. They need to draw it to a conclusion soon though, because the script writers are running out of ideas....

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