Battlestar Galactica is a landmark series for many reasons and this Blu-ray release of Season 4.5 is also very important. Not only is this the final season and the conclusion of Battlestar Galactica, Season 4.5 is the first to appear on it’s own on Blu-ray. Does the format match the high quality of the show itself? Read on to find out.

It is impossible to review this half season without recapping Battlestar Galactica in general. So here is a very quick summation (warning this summation and review is full of spoilers):

Man made the Cylons, a robotic race that was supposed to serve the humans. The Cylons rebelled and a war erupted between man and robot. The Cylons were defeated and an uneasy cease-fire was agreed to. The Cylons then evolved, formed a plan, created human versions, attacked and destroyed the twelve human colonies and only 56,000 humans survived.

The human survivors, protected by the sole warship, the Battlestar Galactica, set forth to find a new home while constantly being harassed by the Cylons. The humans eventually found a refuge; the Cylons then tracked them there and then enslaved them. The humans freed themselves and the search for Earth was begun again.

There are twelve versions of the human Cylons, seven were known and some accepted as crew or taken as prisoners, the other five were hidden. Over time they were revealed and the humans despite overwhelming odds and an uneasy truce with some of the Cylon models found Earth. Once there they discovered that Earth was formerly a Cylon colony and it too was destroyed in the ever repeating conflicts.

With nowhere to go, little hope and all odds still against them Galactica and the remaining survivors try to survive and find a place to call home.

The Series

Battlestar Galactica is a one of a kind science fiction show. With a strong cast, interesting premise, quality set pieces and a story we can relate to it pushed all the right buttons when it premiered. Season 4.5 begins with the crew completely demoralized after finding that the Earth they searched for so long is desolate and uninhabitable.

Over the course of this season much happens that is pivotal to the further development and cohesion of the characters and how they relate to each other. In particular during the mutiny on Galactica (spearheaded by one of my favorite characters, such a shame) Admiral Adama (Edward James Olmos) and Colonel Tigh (Michael Hogan) demonstrate that their friendship is stronger and deeper then the fact that Tigh is a Cylon. This is pivotal to the remainder of the season as Tigh is the only hidden Cylon that doesn’t let that fact change his position on Galactica.

Article Author: Michael Prince

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