All Good Things Must Come to an End, as the old saying goes, and
that applies just as much to Battlestar Galactica. The revival of the 1970s SF
series ran on the SyFy Channel for four years and, under the guidance of
developer Ronald D. Moore, transformed what was one of the cheesiest SF shows
from the disco era into a dark and gritty parable that echoed the equally dark
and gritty times when it aired. It's been a long, strange trip for the survivors
of an attack that wiped out their civilization, who were led by the steely-eyed,
determined William Adama, the veteran commander of an aging battlestar, whose best
trait was the ability to adapt. It was Adama's talent for rolling with the
punches that ultimately saw the ragtag band of humans finally step foot on a
planet called earth in the fourth season's midway cliffhanger Revelations, even
if they were not prepared for what they found.
The disappointment of earth led to a full-scale munity aboard the Galactica in
the gripping, two-part episodes The Oath and Blood on the Scales. The horrendous
acts of violence perpetrated by characters on both sides of this bloody conflict
was proof positive that this show was about as far from Star Trek as you could
get. Rather than a bunch of happy little space cadets, the people aboard
Galactica were real human beings with fears and desires of their own--and
sometimes those fears and desires clashed violently with others. The fourth
season was a marvelous roller coaster of drama, action and even comedic moments.
Every episode within the fourth season--with each one remaining entertaining in its own right--was a part of a
larger mosaic that built up to the grand finale. And when you saw the finale, you
also saw the larger picture that Moore and the cast and crew had been creating, and it all makes sense.
The three part finale, Daybreak, brought this epic
storyline to a very satisfying, and jaw-dropping, close. The DVD has a special extended version of this episode,
and it's recommended not just for the added scenes, but because it plays like
an epic motion picture (a motion picture that clocks in at just over two and a half hours).
There are also extended versions of the episodes A Disquiet Follows
My Soul, and Islanded In A Stream Of Stars
on the Season 4.5 set. Both Season Four sets contain plenty of other special features in the form of the entertaining
and informative podcasts and commentaries, as well as deleted scenes, and other
behind the scene goodies. But, as always, it was the episodes themselves that
were the main attraction. They told the character-driven story of a dysfunctional family of sympathetic misfits
who tried the best they could in an extraordinary dire situation.
And, despite the monumental opposition and overwhelming odds that they faced,
these people prevailed. As sorry as I was to see this
magnificent series come to an end, I understood the decision to bring it to a close. BSG's
storyline dealt with a ragtag, broken down fleet with limited resources, and ships
that were all on their last legs, including the Galactica (it was fascinating how
the creative team allowed the ship to display its battle scars with pride over
the course of the series). It was a storyline that really did not lend itself to
running for ten years or so. And it's also better to go
out on top, with the fans wanting more, than to overstay your welcome. Thanks to
the cast and crew of Battlestar Galactica, the journey to earth was a trip that
was well worth taking, and one that I'll be taking again.
--SF
Main Review Page | TV Reviews |Battlestar Galactica - Season 4.0
