Battlestar Galactica (2004)

*SPOILER ALERT*
Battlestar Galactica (2004) is a remake of the 1978 Battlestar Galactica TV classic. It starts off after the Cylon War between machine and their creators. The Cylons moved to another part of the galaxy to live out their existence. The humans set up an embassy in space between their planets and where the Cylons were believed to be living. Every year the humans sent an ambassador to the embassy but the Cylons never came. Then one day they did. Twelve new Cylon models were created to look like humans with infinite copies of them. They infiltrated the colonies and worked from the inside to take down the colonies' defenses. Eventually all the colonies were bombed by the Cylons and only around 50,000 humans survived in ships.

This show is basically about the survival and hope of the only living human being left in the universe and their quest for the legendary Earth. I love the way the creators put in the legend of Earth and when Earth is eventually found, it is a barren rock. This show is not for those who like happy endings. Everything in this show is a surprise you never really see anything coming. And even when the show ended there were still questions left to be answered.

The characters on this show are so multidimensional. Every single one has flaws, that makes them more like real people then television entities.  My favorite character is President Laura Roslin. What you have to know about me is that I am a feminist and I love strong female characters in science fiction shows. I feel like they make wonderful role models for young women. I love that Laura character is just thrown into a leadership position and even with her ever present cancer, she still holds strong against all obstacles in her path, such as the military trying to over power her. I also love her relationship with Adama and how that builds over time. In the beginning of the show they absolutely hated each other and in the end they are completely in love with each other. Which is so sad when in the end the cancer takes over and she dies after they have made it to their new home. Adama's character is also a favorite of mine. The struggle he has with his son, Zack dieing and his son, Lee's disobedience is interesting. Although Lee can get a little annoying. Of course there is Kara Thrace (Starbuck) the reckless pilot who doesnt know what she wants and gets herself into a lot of trouble and Anastasia Dualla (Dee), the former communications officer on the BSG and former XO of the Pegasus. She was married to Lee until she found out he was cheating on her with Kara Thrace and she decided to leave him. There is also Saul Tigh, Adama's Executive Officer (XO) on Battlestar Galactica. He has an alcohol problem and a strange love/hate relationship with his floozy wife Ellen. (she is probably my least favorite character... besides Gaius of course.) Gaius is a scientist, who thinks he is the greatest thing ever created by the Gods. He let the Cylons have access to the defense main frame which caused the holocaust of the colonies. Okay he didn't do that on purpose, but he is still an asshole. His ex girlfriend, Caprica Six, haunts him. He sees her everywhere and she gives him advice on what to do to get out of a situation. We find out later on that Caprica sees an image of Gaius in her head as well that does the same thing. Of course they aren't explained until the very last episode that they are actually God. I assume that they are one entity projecting itself as two separate beings, a man and a woman.

I love the concept of god in this show. I like that the colonials are polytheistic with Gods and Goddesses based off of Greek legend and the Cylons follow the Christian religion of one true God. It is interesting because the Cylons are viewed as the bad guys trying to control and smite those who would stand in their path. I love that God is played in two separate parts by the image of Caprica Six and Gaius Baltar in the heads of their counterparts. They don't do anything themselves but they influence their charges to do their bidding and serve their plan. God put the humans through this experience with the Cylons to teach them a lesson, not to rely on technology and evidently destroy themselves, but we see that didn't work when it goes into the future of New Earth and you see us as we are now going through the cycle of relying on technology and straying from God, that will eventually lead to the same end as the characters in BSG, like a never ending cycle. (Now I am not a religious person but I think I understand the concept that the creators of BSG were trying to get across)

I also love the story arch with the Cylons and the history of the Final Five. The Final Five being Saul Tigh (XO of the Battlestar Galactica), Samuel Anders (former Pyramid player), Tory Foster (advisor to President Roslin), Ellen Tigh (Saul Tigh's wife), and Galen Tyrol ("Chief" head of the mechanics on BSG). I love that they were from the original Earth and were reborn after the holocaust there and sent to live out their lives on the colonies with no idea what they were. I also love that a song brought them all together to reveal who they were. (except Ellen Tigh who was revealed later on) I really liked that D'anna was the one to go searching for the Final Five. Although I wished they would have gone more into her story and why she was getting these visions of them and Hera.

Hera is a very important aspect to this show. The Cylon's main goal is to be able to produce children which they cannot do themselves. Hera is one such child. She is born from Athena and Helo. (One of the cutest couples on the show) One thing the creators neglected to mention was Galen Tyrol's child with Cally. Technically he is half Cylon as well but that is never addressed. Neither is why Athena or Galen were able to produce a child with the humans. Is there something special about them? Is love the only thing the cylons need to produce a child? Also how did one of the Six's become pregnant with Saul Tigh's child? They are both Cylon. I feel like that was a huge part of the show that needed to be explained but never was.


Over all this show was fracking amazing and is so worth watching. Also if you enjoyed this show you should check out its prequel show Caprica. It explains more about the history of the Cylons and the colonies before the holocaust at the beginning of BSG.

Hannah, out.