With the arrival of the Battlestar Pegasus, events become ramped
up significantly in the second half of the second season of Battlestar Galactica.
The 2.5 DVD set opens with a special edition of the episode "Pegasus" that
includes almost fifteen minutes of footage added to the show (it also has an
enjoyable commentary--recorded especially for this DVD set--by show runners Ron
Moore and David Eick). It’s just as well this episode is added, for it’s the
first in a three part arc featuring the Pegasus, the latest addition to the
Colonial fleet and her stern taskmaster of a commander, Admiral Cain (so well
played by Michele Forbes). Yet even after things have settled down with the
Pegasus, they remain unsettled for most of the characters on this superb show.
Starbuck is being eaten alive with guilt over having left her lover back on
Caprica, a situation which will come to a head in the marvelous "Scar". Lee Adama,
already made uneasy at some of the actions both his father and President Roslin
have sanctioned in the Pegasus arc, suffers a near-death experience in
"Resurrection Ship Part Two" that drastically changes him. His journey into the
heart of darkness, both within himself, as well as during a murder investigation
that he’s leading, is gripping to watch in the dark episode "Black-market".
Laura Roslin’s illness moves into its final stages in "Epiphanies", while members
of the Galactica crew are taken hostage by an unlikely enemy in "Sacrifice". The
Pegasus, both a younger and more powerful class of
Battlestar than the Galactica, finally unleashes her fury against the Cylons as
she goes toe to toe with several basestars in "The Captain’s Hand". Meanwhile, in
the terrific "Downloaded", we see the true face of the Cylons, and it’s not what
you’d think. All of these episodes ultimately lead to what is one of the most
shocking season finales in the two part "Lay Down Your Burdens." A cause of
great controversy among fans on the internet, "Burdens" is a magnificent story
with plenty of stunning twists--not the least of which is the jump forward a
full year later--which places our heroes in a dire situation with their backs
up against the wall.
As I’ve stated in my review for Galactica 2.0, I’m not crazy about Universal’s
decision to break up the season into two box sets. Granted, the series is
normally broken into two mini-seasons when aired on the Sci-Fi Channel. But the
Stargate shows also have their seasons broken into two when broadcast on the
Sci-Fi as well, and yet the Stargate series are still released in box set
editions by MGM that feature the entire season. But, as much as I enjoy the
Stargate series, Battlestar Galactica is just ten times better than anything on
TV these days, whether it’s SF, or not. Ron Moore and company have done nothing
less than re-invent the space opera into a grand, gripping drama that still
manages to be relevant to the issues and events of the present day. The DVD set
has all of Moore’s original pod cast commentaries on the episodes, as well as
deleted scenes, and David Eick’s collection of video blogs. Despite my quibble
with the corporate decision in how this show is packaged, Battlestar Galactica
remains one of the shining examples of creativity and imagination at its apex.
--SF
Main Review Page | TV Reviews |Email Me |Buy This DVD Right Here!
