Video / Audio
BSG makes its Blu-ray debut with a very solid transfer, or what we might call "appropriate." Yes, there are copious amounts of grain on the image, and yes, there are scenes that can go from noisy to soft-focus in the same shot. But this is the look of the show, and its been faithfully transferred over, grit and all. Although the picture itself would probably receive a good rating, the transfer is, all things considered, exactly as it should be.
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless audio track is certainly the best I've heard for a television show, and gives the majority of movies a frakkin' run for their money. The sound designers went all out in exploring the entire sound field. Your rear channel speakers will awake from their usual slumber with very active involvement. This is most notable in battle sequences, but Bear McCreary's excellent score for the series simply shines here. The entire "Daybreak" finale shows off the series sound at its best, with crisp dialogue, sound effects reined in to appropriate proportion and an expertly spaced soundtrack. There are no complaints with the audio, except for Edward James Olmos' sometimes barely audible mumbles.
Bonus Materials
"The Journey Ends: The Arrival" (HD, 12:47) is an extended goodbye from several of the cast and crew members, expressing how much they enjoyed working on the series as a whole.
"Evolution Of A Cue" (SD, 23:14) is hosted by composer Bear McCreary, as he explains the process of composing, recording, editing, and mixing the music heard on the series. This is a truly excellent behind-the-scenes feature, giving a film school lesson in what's really involved with just this one aspect of an episode. Very informative and several notches above the typical bonus feature.
"What The Frak Is Going On With Battlestar Galactica?" (SD, 8:18) is a hyper-speed, tongue-in-cheek recap of the series leading up to the mid-point of season 4. If you've seen the "Lost In 8:15" recap for Lost, this is the exact same thing. Entertaining, but it moves so fast that it's really more for attentive fans of the show than it is for newcomers.
"David Eick's Video Blogs" (SD, 44:47) is a series of eleven installments put together by David Eick, where he interviews those involved with the series on aspects of particular episodes, crafting the end of the series, and technical hurdles. When taken as a whole, it serves as a more proper behind-the-scenes featurette, involving lots of crew and candid actor moments.
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