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Battlestar Galactica: Recommended watch order?

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Brandon F

Well congratulations! You got yourself caught!
So a friend and myself are sick and tired of people telling us to watch this show and we plan to finally do it.

Checking out what's available though, there are the 4 seasons, some movie called 'Razor', webisodes(?), and....anything else I am missing?

So yea... I've been told to watch Razor first by some, but I've also been told to watch it BEFORE Season 3, as well as AFTER Season 3 by totally different people. No one seems to have a fucking clue.

Help us GAF!

Edit: Also I noticed everything is available in HD on XBox 360, but any chance of Blu-Ray's? Worth watching in HD over standard DVD's?
 

Brandon F

Well congratulations! You got yourself caught!
Cornballer said:
I'd go with: Mini-series, S1, S2.0, S2.5, webisodes, S3, Razor, S4

Holy crap, did Squaresoft produce this TV show? Season 2.5?? Mini-series too??

Can all this stuff be rented individually? Are they bonuses on the DVD collections?
 

Cereal

Member
I started watching the series two weeks ago and I pretty much followed these orders. I'm up to the beginning of Season 3 now, but I haven't watched the webisodes yet. Should I check those out before continuing with Season 3?
 

Mash

Member
-Miniseries
-Season 1
-Season 2
-"The Resistance" Webisodes 1-10
-Season 3
-"Razor" TV Movie
-Season 4

Is the way I did it in and it seemed like the right order.

Cereal said:
I started watching the series two weeks ago and I pretty much followed these orders. I'm up to the beginning of Season 3 now, but I haven't watched the webisodes yet. Should I check those out before continuing with Season 3?

They were badly acted, I wouldn't bother.
 
Brandon F said:
Holy crap, did Squaresoft produce this TV show? Season 2.5?? Mini-series too??

Can all this stuff be rented individually? Are they bonuses on the DVD collections?
Mini-series is included on the S1 dvd. S2.0 and S2.5 are sold separately. I believe the webisodes are included on the S3 dvd. Razor is sold separately.

Cereal said:
I started watching the series two weeks ago and I pretty much followed these orders. I'm up to the beginning of Season 3 now, but I haven't watched the webisodes yet. Should I check those out before continuing with Season 3?
They're not completely necessary, but they do give you some insight into the beginning of S3. I think the whole thing is only about a half an hour when you put them all together, so it's worth a quick look.
 

genjiZERO

Member
Brandon F said:
Holy crap, did Squaresoft produce this TV show? Season 2.5?? Mini-series too??

Can all this stuff be rented individually? Are they bonuses on the DVD collections?

You should be able to watch the webisodes on the internets.
 

joelseph

Member
I started a month ago and am on s3e6.

Miniseries*
Season 1
Season 2
Season 2.5
Season 3
Razor

Season 4 has not been released on DVD, but I think will start replaying on UHD this weekend.

*The miniseries is the first disc of the Season 1 DVD.
 

TomServo

Junior Member
Minor point - don't watch the miniseries on the original, seperate release. The DVD transfer quality is horrible. Much better on the version included with Season 1.
 

Memles

Member
Brian Fellows said:
Watch season 1 and the 12 or so episodes of season 2 then stop watching.

Ignore this comment. Well, don't ignore it, just weigh it carefully against the people who are suggesting to watch the whole thing.

As for viewing order, most replies have the traditional method - my brother is going through my DVDs now and he watched Razor where one of its storylines fits chronologically (Somewhere at the end of Season Two) and he felt that there were a couple of things that felt "off" like he was finding them out before he was supposed to. Of them, only one is really a concern, and even then it's only a slight elevation of other ideas. Still, for the sake of clarity, watch them in the order they aired, and thus the orders listed above.
 

Frog

Member
Mash said:
-Miniseries
-Season 1
-Season 2
-"The Resistance" Webisodes 1-10
-Season 3
-"Razor" TV Movie
-Season 4

This is the order they came out, and the order you should watch. Before the second half of season 4 airs there should be some other stuff coming out, like the Caprica pilot.

The reason some say to watch Razor between episodes 17-19 of Season 2 is because that's when it takes place chronologically. It's not the intended order to watch it.

Season 2 was released in two halves on DVD as 2.0 and 2.5, so make sure to get both. Some people think they're getting the whole season when they buy 2.0.
 

Brandon F

Well congratulations! You got yourself caught!
Any news on a Blu-Ray release schedule? I'm wavering on just buying the miniseries episodes on 360 Live for HD quality, but when we get to the TV series,(if we like it enough), I'd hate to buy the DVD's to only have the Blu-Ray's around the corner.
 
Razor is considered to be the first two episodes of season four.

Cornballer said:
I'd go with: Mini-series, S1, S2.0, S2.5, webisodes, S3, Razor, S4

That's best.

Also, from what I have read, season 4.5 should start in early 2009.
 
Crab Shaker said:
Really? I never watched it and I was told I didn't miss much.


From what I've heard, it's not crucial to the plot, but it adds more to the Pegasus story from the second season. I think it's considered a part of season four in terms of production.
 
Razor got me into it after i lost track of the series because i was never home. I'm starting with the s1 dvds now. It's cool cuz i vaguely remember these eps but not enough to remember what happens. I almost want to just buy the boxset cuz Netflix is taking a while.
 

JoeMartin

Member
I'd recommend watching razor before the whole Pegasus plot line, otherwise you won't know half of what the Pegasus crew is referencing the whole time. Maybe it was intended that way?
 

Phobophile

A scientist and gentleman in the manner of Batman.
Brandon F said:
Edit: Also I noticed everything is available in HD on XBox 360, but any chance of Blu-Ray's? Worth watching in HD over standard DVD's?

Well since Sci Fi's owned by NBC Universal, they hopped on the HD-DVD bus. Season 1 and maybe even 2 were put out on HD-DVD.

No clue when they're gonna release everything on BRD. Probably when the entire series is done.
 

lostxii

Member
Furret said:
I don't understand this thread.

Why would you watch them in anything other than the order they came out?
Because Razor would better help you understand some of the previous scenes in season 2.
 

Phobophile

A scientist and gentleman in the manner of Batman.
lostxii said:
Because Razor, would better help you understand some of the previous scenes in season 2.

And the ending of the movie would make no sense or spoil season 3.
 

lostxii

Member
Phobophile said:
And the ending of the movie would make no sense or spoil season 3.

I guess so, but I didn't find the spoiler that significant. Either way then the other option is to watch Razor and go back to the episodes in season 2 after season 3.
 
Watching it in any order other than the production order is stupid.

Crab Shaker said:
Really? I never watched it and I was told I didn't miss much.
Razor is definitely worth watching. It's excellent. It gives back story to the shows greatest arc - meaning more Admiral Cain goodness. Why would you want to miss that?
 
You should note that Razor is chronologically set in the second half of season 2 (after 2.17 The Captains Hand specifically). The movie is pretty good, but also kind of a mess structurally, what made it even more jarring was having it air before season 4, which likely confused the non hardcore about its chronolgical position within the series. I personally think its a pretty neat extra, but really, you could skip it entirely and nothing
(aside from the awesome prophecy, which you could probably watch on youtube)
would change too dramatically. I do recommend it though. They introduce a great lead character and there is some classic Starbuck goodness.
 

Walshicus

Member
JoeMartin said:
I'd recommend watching razor before the whole Pegasus plot line, otherwise you won't know half of what the Pegasus crew is referencing the whole time. Maybe it was intended that way?
No... watch it after "The Captain's Hand".

Also, if you get the PAL version of Series 2 you won't have to bother with this 2.5 shit since it's all included in the one set.
 
Sir Fragula said:
Also, if you get the PAL version of Series 2 you won't have to bother with this 2.5 shit since it's all included in the one set.


Speaking of 2.5, did anyone else get one of the BSG trading cards with the set?
 
Does the series pick up steam? I've watched the mini-series and the first two episodes and so far I find it incredibly boring. The pacing is slow, the characters are shallow and dull, and the plot moves at a glacial pace. :(

Is the entire series like this or is it just a slow starter?
 
outunderthestars said:
Does the series pick up steam? I've watched the mini-series and the first two episodes and so far I find it incredibly boring. The pacing is slow, the characters are shallow and dull, and the plot moves at a glacial pace. :(

Is the entire series like this or is it just a slow starter?

The series seriously picks up pace towards the end of the first season, and continues like that through most of the second season.
 
Guerrillas in the Mist said:
The series seriously picks up pace towards the end of the first season, and continues like that through most of the second season.


Cool. I'll stick with it. Do they ever really fill in more of the back story as to why the cylons attacked and where they had been for the last 40 years?
 

Raiden

Banned
AndersTheSwede said:
Forget all the bullshit. Just watch it in order from pilot on.

Razor, webisodes etc. are just filler for the hardcore.

Pretty much this.

And believe me besides S1 and S2 there is tons of filler already.
 

ahoyhoy

Unconfirmed Member
outunderthestars said:
Does the series pick up steam? I've watched the mini-series and the first two episodes and so far I find it incredibly boring. The pacing is slow, the characters are shallow and dull, and the plot moves at a glacial pace. :(

Is the entire series like this or is it just a slow starter?

How could you watch "33" and not be enthralled is beyond me. So god-damned intense and reminded me a lot of the Firefly episode "Out of Gas".
 

Raiden

Banned
outunderthestars said:
Does the series pick up steam? I've watched the mini-series and the first two episodes and so far I find it incredibly boring. The pacing is slow, the characters are shallow and dull, and the plot moves at a glacial pace. :(

Is the entire series like this or is it just a slow starter?

Yes it does, the series starts of extremely slow, especially the mini-series was incredibly boring for me on my first watch. Trust me after S1 you'll be hooked, you will love S2 and the first episodes of S3, then you'll cry.

But still worth it.
 

Kuraudo

Banned
Lard said:
Mini, 1, 2 - then stop.

Fuck no.

New Caprica
is the best arc of the show.

You can probably stop after that though, although I thought the show picked up somewhat in season four.
 

aku:jiki

Member
I accidently saw season one before I saw the miniseries, and I thought it made the first season much better. That first episode is intense as hell if you go in knowing nothing at all! It added a layer of mystery to the first season for me, and it was awesome watching the mini between seasons one and two.
 

Stumpokapow

listen to the mad man
ahoyhoy said:
How could you watch "33" and not be enthralled is beyond me. So god-damned intense and reminded me a lot of the Firefly episode "Out of Gas".

Yeah, even if you don't like the show, it's hard to imagine how to an episode where shit is going down every half-minute could be considered "slow paced" :p
 
Stumpokapow said:
Yeah, even if you don't like the show, it's hard to imagine how to an episode where shit is going down every half-minute could be considered "slow paced" :p


Because there is no real tension. They do the same thing 271 times in a row. It could also be that I couldn't possibly care less if these cardboard characters die or not at this point in the series. It's cold and sterile.

There 50,000 people alive and these ten are the most interesting the show has to offer?

For a show that people swear by, it has the most sluggish start to any show I have ever watched.

A cold, faceless machine enemy doesn't make for an interesting show thus far.

Robots appear, they jump. Repeat for 44 minutes. :(
 
outunderthestars said:
Because there is no real tension. They do the same thing 271 times in a row. It could also be that I couldn't possibly care less if these cardboard characters die or not at this point in the series. It's cold and sterile.
the fuck is this shit I'm reading? It was one of the most tense shows on television.
 

Stumpokapow

listen to the mad man
outunderthestars said:
How is successfully doing the same thing 271 tense?

Because it's not guaranteed that they'll survive any given time, and it's not guaranteed that the ship or the fleet will be safe any given time, and it's not guaranteed some of these people will keep it together.

The ever-decreasing human survivor count that's ominous through the series from the first episode is gut-wrenching, even if you have no connection to any character. Imagine being able to count, so finitely, the survival of your species and watch it slip away like sands in the hourglass.

Meanwhile, the show is seeding the suggestion--variously from outright telling you about Sharon to feeding your suspicions about other crew members--that someone is ratting them out to the Cylons and someone is actively working against them. And that factor may not even matter, because it's far from sure that humanity will even be able to stand together to begin with. From the first episode, the tension between the ordered discipline of the military and the forces of human freedom and democracy makes it clear that humanity's worst enemy might be their own nature.

I think people would be more sympathetic to explaining what they liked about the show if you cut a little bit of the hyperbole and maybe even listed a few shows that you felt dealt with similar themes or scenarios and worked versus those than didn't. I mean, you're talking about a show that most people really loved, particularly in the first two seasons. Walking in and announcing "THIS SHIT SUCKS DEAL WITH IT" isn't exactly going to foster conversation :p
 

drizzle

Axel Hertz
Watch it in this order:

Battlestar Galactica Miniseries
Battlestar Galactica Season 1
Battlestar Galactica Season 2
Battlestar Galactica The Resistance 10 Webisodes
Battlestar Galactica Season 3
Battlestar Galactica Razor
Battlestar Galactica Razor Flashback Webisodes
Battlestar Galactica Season 4 EP 1 to 11
Battlestar Galactica The Face of the Enemy Webisodes
Battlestar Galactica Season 4 EP 12 to 21
Battlestar Galactica The Plan

Hope that helps you. That's how I watched it and it made sense. Make sure your episodes are named correctly (sometimes the miniseries is counted as episodes 0 and 1 of season 1, shit like that).
 
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