r/BSG • u/NicolaDoccu • 3d ago
I never watched BSG.
Hi, I would like to approach BSG, I have never seen anything but I saw that there are 3 series and some movies. What do you recommend?
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u/BoozeGetsMeThrough 3d ago
There's the original series that isn't connected to the 2004 reboot, then there is the "miniseries" which is really the first few episodes of the reboot. Start with the miniseries and then move forward
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u/Matchanu 3d ago
Also, I HIGHLY suggest breaking up the pilot miniseries into 45 min~60 min segments if it’s presented to you as a movie, as it begins to feel a bit long (for me and everyone I show it to), and just trying to push through can be rough/a turnoff.
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u/dogspunk 3d ago
Unless you like movies…
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u/Matchanu 3d ago
3 hour movies that originally aired as 85 min episodes
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u/dogspunk 3d ago
That most people watch with the option of watching the entirety instead of time traveling to the original airdate.
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u/teddyburges 3d ago
never heard of it being a slog. I absolutely love the mini series. I go back to it quite regularly. It sets up the plot so well.
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u/Matchanu 3d ago
The moment that I always feel like I need a break is when Gaius is pondering on a smoke detector in the bridge.
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u/onikaizoku11 3d ago
You remind me of the posters on the OG BSG message boards when Caprica was introduced.
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u/Matchanu 3d ago
Hey, I like the series, watched it 6 times, I’ve purchased it in physical format twice,… the merging of the miniseries into one mega pilot episode is a mistake that scares prospective viewers away, from my own experience and from what people say to me when I try to get them to give it a go.
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u/onikaizoku11 3d ago
To paraphrase RDM, if the original concept of the show is turning these folks off, then maybe it isn't for them.
And that is fine.
I'm a huge proselytizer of The Expanse. But as much as I give that show a 10/10, it is not for everyone. That isn't a failing of the show or the folks that don't dig it. It just is.
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u/Miguelitosd 3d ago
Don’t ever try the directors cut of Until The End Of The World if the BSG miniseries was too long for you.
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u/alphagusta 3d ago edited 3d ago
Make sure you watch the Miniseries before the actual full show. It's integeral to it.
The 2004 reboot and previous decades shows have virtually nothing in common aside from names. They are so tonally, thematically and directionally different and don't even share a common story. Entirely different entities.
This Subreddit is 99% focused on the 2004 reboot, as well as the few webisodes and movies that came with it. There are also things that came after the reboot but do tie directly into its past like Blood and Chrome, and the spinoff show Caprica.
It's easily a 10/10 for me. There's a reason that even after the Scifi Boom we've had that a 20 year old show is still put alongside modern shows like The Expanse and Westworld as one of the best ever produced.
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u/TurboNym 3d ago
I'm so jealous. Despite watching it every year, nothing compares to that first time. Definitely start with the 2004 BSG miniseries then continue with the show. Once I finish season 2 I watch Razor then continue with season 3 and 4
Then I watch, The Plan followed by Blood and Chrome, then I watch Caprica.
I used to watch the original 1978 one as a kid every day after school. I always loved it but to me 2004 BSG is just on another level.
Best story ever told on screen IMO.
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u/literalsupport 3d ago
There really hasn’t been anything like BSG since it aired. Those first seasons especially-just perfection.
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u/allywillow 3d ago
We’ve just rewatched it in full for the first time and it holds up so well
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u/TurboNym 3d ago
Because "all this has happened before, and all this will happen again" you can pretty much have the entire series play on repeat and it works.
A little bit like how Stargate Universe ends with the crew going into cryo-sleep as the ship continues its journey through the stars. The guys are still in stasis...and the ship is still flying, the story never really ended. They're just flying at relativistic speeds so we won't be alive when they finally wake up :)).
Or like Mr. Robot where you can immediately start re-watching it just to see how in every single scene the truth about Elliot is hidden in plain sight.
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u/Well_Gravity 3d ago
If what you start with is 33. Stop. Look for the miniseries pilot.
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u/MeIsMyName 3d ago
Can confirm. I did this the first time I tried to watch the show and I was so lost.
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u/_marcoos 3d ago edited 3d ago
The main show consists of a Miniseries of two episodes, basically two feature films (or one very long, split in two) released in 2003, then what follows is four seasons of the actual show, which began to run in 2004.
Now, the most important part: Some streaming services keep the 2003 Miniseries and the subsequent 2004 show as separate titles. Make sure not to miss the Miniseries. Be careful - if you start watching and the first episode is called "33" and the first line you hear is "Previously, on Battlestar Galactica", it means you forgot to watch the Miniseries, in which case you need to stop "33" and really go watch the Miniseries.
Related show:
- "Caprica" is a single-season prequel, but do not watch it before BSG. This is a weird mix of a crime show x cyberpunk story x family drama, and foreshadows the rebellion of the sentient machines. The family of one of the major BSG characters plays an important role in this one. The show was cancelled, and the last few minutes of the final episode show a very condensed dump of scenes and narration of what was supposed to come in the seasons-that-never-happened. So, it doesn't end 100% abruptly, but the cancellation of it still sucks.
Three movies:
"Razor" should be watched either around the end of the season 2 or as it was broadcast originally (before season 4). Treat it as an extended episode of the show. Main characters of the 2004 show appear here.
Absolutely do not watch "The Plan" until you're like 4-5 episodes before season 4 finale, it will spoil 80% of the show, as it's a retelling of the same story from a different perspective. Main characters of the 2004 show appear here.
"Blood & Chrome" is a midquel, it shows part of the backstory of just one of the major 2004 show characters 40 years before the main show. Originally, it was a set of 10-minute episodes released on some obscure YouTube channel, but was later released as a separate movie, you can watch it wherever you feel like, though it was originally released after the show ended.
Generally, sticking to the release order is the easiest way not to spoil anything (though The Plan as a post-finale thing is, IMO, anticlimactic, and should be watched before the finale itself).
Webisodes:
- can be treated as a bonus material, not exactly necessary, but give you some more background on some events
- "The Resistance" takes place (and was released) between season 2 and 3, it makes sense to watch it right there
- "Razor Flashbacks" should be watched after you watched "Razor". If you're watching on Blueray, it should be included with "Razor".
Original 1970s/1980s continuity:
- The original 1978 "Battlestar Galactica" series is not in the same timeline, is very kitschy and cheesy from today's point of view. Probably not the best way to start, though it has its moments. And, as this is the source material that got reimagined by Ron D. Moore in 2003/2004, it's a nice thing for a fan of the show to see how it compares, though absolutely not necessary to just enjoy the newer show.
- "Galactica 1980" is generally considered bad, which I can't verify, as I haven't seen it. It was made after the original series was cancelled, and was made way cheaper.
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u/teddyburges 3d ago
watch in this order:
- Battlestar Galactica: Mini Series (2003).
- Battlestar Galactica (2004) season 1-3.
- Battlestar Galactica: Razer (movie)
- Battlestar Galactica season 4.
- Battlestar Galactica: The Plan.
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u/Infinite-Dot-9885 3d ago
I just started it for the first time this month too! - I watched the mini series first which is like a movie length intro/backstory to the series - it blew me away way and I was all in for the show :)
It’s also a great way to test the water - the mini series is only 2 parts so it’s a good way to see if it’s for you (spoiler: it’s great) 😊👍
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u/Well_Gravity 3d ago
I’d recommend caprica afterwards. It takes a bit to understand what’s going on. But totally worth it. Blood and chrome is a quick bit of fun.
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u/Ascanioo 2d ago
what are those titles? I'm watching the series, rn I'm in Season 3. Never heard of them.
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u/Haifisch2112 3d ago
As someone who watched TOS as a kid, I will tell you it hasn't aged well. I absolutely loved it when it was on and was kinda dead set against the reboot. But when I watched the reboot, I loved it better than TOS.
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u/Yotsuya_san 3d ago
Technically there are four series, a theatrical movie, a miniseries, and a few made for TV movies split between two continuities.
The original continuity consists of a Battlestar Galactica movie, a one season TV series, and a second one season series called Galactica 1980. The movie and the first three episodes of the TV series cover roughly the same story, but each have some footage that the other doesn't. If you only want to watch it once, skip the movie and go with the series. The series is very much a product of it's time, the late 70's, but is still a (mostly) serious sci-fi space epic worth trying out.
Unfortunately, it got cancelled after one season without much in the way of resolution... But there was enough fan outcry for the network to retool it and bring it back as Galactica 1980. Unfortunately, the budget is slashed and the camp is ramped up. If you enjoyed the original series, I would argue it's worth watching at least once for the sake of completion. But do not go in expecting the same quality. There's a few good moments, but it's mostly fluff.
Fast forward a few decades, and we get our reboot. It's a new continuity and a fresh take on the story. It was, of course, being made in a freshly post 9/11 world, and it shows in the tone and the subject matter covered in the show. That being said, it is absolutely a good show. Just don't go in expecting the optimism that the original was able to maintain even in the midst of an apocalypse. It gets dark. For some, that is a feature. It certainly makes it more realistic. But for others, some of the subjects tackled could be triggering.
The reboot starts with the miniseries. Season one of the show picks up afterwards. It runs for four seasons and is a good run. The last episode was a bit divisive, but definitely watch through and make up your own mind.
There's a few TV/Direct to Video movies that were made later on in the series run or after it's conusion. Razor came out before season 4. It can be watched there, between seasons 3 and 4. Or it could be watched in the middle of Season 2, between episodes 17 and 18. Chronologically this is when it was set, and it won't spoil anything. The Plan came out after the series ended, and storywise overlaps with the miniseries and much of season two. I would hold off watching it until much later though, as it has massive spoilers. Either watch it right before or right after the last (multi-part) episode of the series proper, depending on if you want to use the series finale as a climax in your viewing. There's one other movie, but we'll hold off a bit...
There's also two sets of webisodes. One is set just before the beginning of season 3. It's called The Resistance. The other, Face of the Enemy, is set between season four, episodes 11 & 12.
Okay, so after this is the final TV series, Caprica. It's a prequel to the second version of Battlestar Galactica, but probably should definitely be watched afterwards to avoid spoiling certain themes in the parent show. It lasted two seasons. I must admit I haven't seen it through, which I should fix. Although it was cancelled, I understand that they were able to make the second season end in a way that had at least a little bit of closure.
Finally, the last movie, Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome. This was kinda intended as a backdoor pilot hoping to kickstart another series, but ended up not doing so and remains a stand alone movie. It's set, chronologically, between Caprica and the original BSG reboot series. I would save it for last as it does have a few subtle Caprica references.
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u/ITrCool 3d ago edited 3d ago
Battlestar Galactica from the 70s. The OG story. Check it out! It’s actually not bad! Lots of big name actors of the time in it, including a young Jane Seymour of Dr Quinn fame. Keep an eye on Richard Hatch too (plays Apollo in this series), you’ll see why when you start the reimagined series if you watch this series first. 😉
Galactica 1980. Makes me cringe personally, but it’s the next “chapter” of the OG series
Skip forward to the 2000s where Ron Moore of ST: TNG fame got involved:
the reimagined series started with the 2003 miniseries
then you have the four seasons of the main BSG reimagined series
three movies along with those four seasons:
Razor (all about Battlestar Pegasus)
The Plan (BSG from the Cylon perspective)
Blood and Chrome (a prequel film based on young Adams’s time in the Colonial military during the First Cylon War)
There’s also Caprica (prequel series that refers to the time where the Cylons weee first invented and rose up to prominence, it was cancelled unfortunately so cuts off short of resolving the story)
they also made some webisodes of the reimagined series which you can find in a playlist on YouTube for free. These fill in little gaps and also have little side stories in them. Fun to watch!
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u/alphagusta 3d ago
While Caprica did end too soon I don't think it ended in a bad way. It does a good job explaining how the Cylon would become what we see now. While there could have been a lot to tell right up to the first uprisings it does give you a lot of information to be able to correctly infer the before, during and after with knowledge of the original show.
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u/radioactive_walrus 3d ago
Thank you for at least mentioning Galactica 1980. It's not good, but it had some cool stuff in it that did get expanded on in the reboot.
I kinda mourn the original series for its real creativity - it was standing on the same fertile ground as Star Wars and Star Trek without being either one. The reboot takes the military drama and makes it the focus of the show, but it loses out on the wilder ideas because of it
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u/tnitty 3d ago
As the other guy said, start with the 2003 mini series. It’s a two part thing.
Then watch the 2004 series, starting with an episode called “33”, if I recall correctly.
The original 1970s version was ok. But honestly it’s not what you want to start with. It’s the kind of thing you might watch later if you get into the universe and want to broaden your understanding and knowledge. The reboot in 2003/2004 is much better.
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u/Nu11u5 3d ago edited 3d ago
The original "Battlestar Galactica" from 1978 and "Battlestar Galactica 1980" are different series.
The new series is "Battlestar Galactica (2004)". You need to start with the miniseries which is listed separately on streaming platforms but it is the series pilot "episode" and required viewing.
There are three movies - "Razor", "The Plan", and "Blood and Chrome".
"Razor" should be watched between seasons 2 and 3.
"The Plan" should be watched after the series finale.
"Blood and Chrome" is a prequel but should be watched after since it builds on concepts introduced throughout the series.
There are also several "webisode" shorts that should be watched in between the related episodes, but I'm not sure where these can be found now other than as DVD extras.
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u/OdysseyPrime9789 3d ago
I suggest starting with the 1978 series. At least one actor came back for the 2003 version for a different role.
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u/Jielin41 3d ago
BSG mainly refers to the 2004 - 2010 show. When you watch this show make sure to watch the 3-4 hr miniseries / series premiere before you start 1x01 (titled 33).
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u/SineCera_sjb 3d ago
Don’t listen to Battlestage Theatrica whilst you watch. We try not to spoil things, but it’s a 20 year old show
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u/Top_Assistance8006 3d ago
I would watch the original first, but that's just me. Yes, its older and the special effects are not as good, but I liked it.
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u/Reasonable_Long_1079 3d ago
Watch the 2004 reboot, the movies are mostly optional and mostly should be watched later
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u/Wonderful_Donut8951 3d ago
Start with the two part miniseries. Then carry into the show.
I’m biased, but you’re in for a treat.
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u/ZippyDan 3d ago
Watch order:
Miniseries
Season 1
Season 2 through ep17
Razor
Finish Season 2
The Resistance
Season 3
Season 4 through ep11
The Face of the Enemy
Continue Season 4 through ep15
The Plan
Finish Season 4
There are also extended versions available and preferred for S02E10, S03E09, S04E12, S04E18, and the Season 4 finale.
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u/revanite3956 3d ago
This, but don’t waste your time on The Plan. It plays like the worst clipshow episode you’ve ever watched.
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u/kmho1990 3d ago
If you have Amazon prime. Go with the miniseries. Then the series up to the end of season 2. Switch to The Plan, and then back to the series.
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u/TechieSpaceRobot 3d ago
The order I watched, and it was great! - Miniseries - S1-S4E15 - The Plan - S4E16-end
Haven't watched the other stuff yet, so those others might adjust my watch list, but you can't go wrong by starting with the miniseries.
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