BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (TV SERIES) - DVD review

This review contains spoilers:

"Battlestar Galactica" is not only one of the best science fiction shows out there; it is one of the best on television, period. It mirrors the premise of the original show, 50 thousand members of a fleet of human survivors in search of the mythical planet Earth as they are being chased by their most feared creations, the Cylons. The show premiered nearly 25 years ago and has been reenergized with a new sense of style and vigor. The new "Battlestar Galactica" loses much of its predecessor's campy humor and amplifies the drama, suspense and action a hundred fold.

By re-imagining the Cylons in a human form, the show poses some interesting questions revolving around what defines our humanity, our spirituality and the notion of prophecy. Since the Cylons were created by man, they in turn find man fascinating. In the show, humanity's religion revolves around Greek mythology and the Cylons follow a more Christian slant. The show constantly challenges viewers and raises these questions in interesting ways.

Season 2.0 gives us the first 10 episodes of season 2, with the second set of episodes arriving in January. The season picks up right where the first season left off, Commander Adama's life is hanging in the line after being shot in the chest, point blank, by Boomer (Grace Park), who we've learned is actually a Cylon (in the new series Cylons now have the ability to look like humans) and is both acting as an active member of Galactica and carrying on an affair with Chief Tyrol (Aaron Douglas) while another Boomer is on fighting to survive on Cylon controlled Caprica (the human home world) with Helo (Tahmoh Penikett), where the two fall in love.

Meanwhile, President Roslin (Mary McDonnell) and Lt. Lee "Apollo" Adama (Jamie) Bamber have locked away in the brig after undermining Captain Adama's military mission and sending Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff) on a religious quest. The leadership of the fleet is a mess and rests on the shoulders of the unstable, Colonel Tighe (Michael Hogan). Starbuck finds herself on Caprica after taking control of Cylon fighter, in order to find the Arrow of Apollo, which has been prophesized to lead humanity to their mythological home world of Earth. While on Caprica she meets up with Helo and the second Boomer. As if that weren't enough, the crew of the Raptor One, which includes Chief Tyrol and Vice President Dr. Gaius Baltar (James Callis), are stranded on Kobol which is slowly being infested by Cylons.

The series' strength lies with its how cemented the show is in its world. The relationship between all the characters (human or otherwise) are done with such effectiveness, that there is enough drama in these ten episodes than most shows have in their entire series runs. The crew of the Galactica is comprised relatively ordinary people, who have joined up for military service for one reason or another. When they're forced into the extraordinary circumstance of defending the reaming souls of the human race, they're ready to act, but not always with the best results. Often times the crew is unable to perform due to fatigue, in fighting amongst themselves, personal demons or other reasons and the show's writers mine this for all that its worth.

The cast is excellent. Sackhoff does a wonderful job with Starbuck, allowing her to be a character that is equally strong, graceful and charismatic. Olmos also shines, as Captain Adama, and he infuses the character with a wise, almost sage like, bravado. He's the seasoned veteran always torn by the uneasy choices he often has to make. Park adds a sincere vulnerability to Boomer, the Cylon pregnant with a human child.

"Battlestar Galactica" season 2.0 continues the adventures of the Galactica crew in grand fashion. It's filled with many wonderful, nail biting moments that never seem forced or heavy handed. Any show dealing with such a huge cast of characters can easily get lost in the shuffle of dealing with every character's moments and how this contributes to the overall story, Season 2.0 proves that with this show, that is not the case. It's the uniqueness of every character, their intricacies, their quirks and individuality that makes the show such a pleasure to watch.

Video:
Hey gang, Justin here for the A/V/E review. These episodes are presented in 16:9 Anamorphic video and look wonderful. While I'm not sure if they come from an HD source material, they are reflective of other DVD compilations that were shot thusly. There is a little grain that keeps the video from looking crystal-clear and mars the blacks, but the colors are vivid. There is a little edge enhancement that creates a ringing, halo effect around hard lines and titles. Overall the transfer reminds me of the video quality on "Enterprise."

Audio:
The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track is impressively immersive. The surround channels are used to create a nice ambiance, and the subwoofer sparingly to good effect. Most of the dialogue and music seems localized to the center channel. The mix is solid and clear.

Extras:
The set begins with a set of previews for the coming season of BG, "Serenity," "Seaquest: DSV" and "The Island."

The majority of the episodes house a "Podcast Commentary" that was, I believe, released on the Internet that allowed fans to watch DVR'd copies with a commentary from the Executive Producer Ronald Moore. He is chatty and full of information about just about every aspect of the making of the show.

Nearly every episode has a selection of deleted scenes that are accessible through a central menu in the extra features. They are rough and non-anamorphic.

Overall:
I've seen a few episodes of this show and really appreciate its quality, though I'm not sure it's extremely accessible for new viewers. Faithful fans will enjoy the continuity and they are rewarded with extraordinary production values, considering this show's cable origins.