Plot Details: This opinion reveals everything about the movie's plot.

Any thought of Lorne Greene and Dirk Benedict is now officially out of my head. When Sci Fi Channel's revamped "Battlestar Galactica" debuted, the comparisons were inevitable. Now, some thirty episodes in, this program has become the best show on television. Keep your "Lost" with it's dead-end mysteries. Keep your "Desperate Housewives" with it's decidedly unsexy plastic. Give me my "Battlestar Galactica."

The series follows the human survivors of an interstellar holocaust as they flee before a fleet of "Cylons"...human-created, human-shaped robots who want to exterminate their creators. Earlier seasons established Colonial President, Laura Roslin, and Military Commander (now Admiral) Adama as the twin forces for good driving the fleet along towards the mythical planet Earth.

This DVD set is billed as "Season 2.5," which aired after a four month hiatus at the end of 2005. It's only ten episodes, and even though those episodes are high quality, it's an expensive set of DVDs to only contain ten hours of programming. This truncated season is essential, as it wraps up some high-profile storylines from the first half of the year, and in the final two episodes, changes the entire nature of the series in a remarkable turn of events.

The best of the ten episodes are:

Resurrection Ship
The twin Battlestars Galactica and Pegasus find a new Cylon target, a "resurrection ship" that manufactures new Cylon bodies to replace those that are killed in action. This has a "Guns of Navarrone" feel about it, and although they lose some people to the Cylons, it's a rare victorious moment for the Colonial Fleet.

The Captain's Hand
There's a succession of captains on the Battlestar Pegasus, and as each assumes command, they end up corrupted and targets for assassination. This comes to a head in this episode, and Admiral Adama makes a fateful choice that will split up both his military and his actual family forever.

Downloaded
We get one of our first "Cylon's eye view" of the resurrection process, as the sometimes-ally "Boomer" is killed and brought back to life. This gives some insight about the factions within the Cylons, who aren't nearly as monolithic as you'd think a race of robots would be.

Lay Down Your Burdens
This two-part episode has got to be one of the most remarkable two hours of television I've seen in some time. The election of a new president, the traitorous Gaius Baltar (who collaborated in the Cylon's genocide of humanity) splits opinions among the colonials; and when he proclaims a barren planet to be the "New Caprica" and forces the fleet to land on that planet and colonize it, conditions become worse than ever for the humans. Six months pass in the course of these two episodes, and when we wrap up the season, a Cylon invasion establishes Baltar as their puppet, and begins an occupation that carries over into the beginning of the third season.

The one episode that doesn't seem to fit in with the others is "Black Market," which takes Apollo into the seamy side of the fleet. In a morally ambiguous show, it becomes even more confusing, and Apollo makes some choices that are so out of character that it became unbelieveable. That's the only sour note in the season, which has an impressive arc that left me wanting more.

The writing, direction, special effects and acting are all top-notch. This is a true ensemble show, with about a dozen main characters, and as many secondary characters that create a rich tapestry to tell stories. I can't say enough good about Edward James Olmos' Adama, or Mary McDonnell's Roslin. They both bring a maturity and competency to their roles that's often missing from other television series, and both manage to bring a quiet dignity to their roles that's refreshing. Some of my other favorites are Katee Sackhoff's Kara Thrace (AKA Starbuck), and Michael Hogan as Col. Tigh. The series is filled with bombast, but has enough small character moments to let you fall in love with these people, rejoice with their triumphs, and anguish with their setbacks. I love it.

This is easily the most consistent "genre" show on television right now, and it manages to maintain that consistent high quality while taking the viewers through the wringer. Religion, politics, and ethics are debated in each episode, but the series never loses the "cool factor" that keeps the sci-fi geeks among us happy. If you've been looking for a new sci-fi fix, or even a new dramatic series to get in over your head with, check out Battlestar Galactica.

MORE BATTLESTAR GALACTICA:

Battlestar Galactica: The Miniseries http://www99.epinions.com/content_195397783172

Battlestar Galactica: Season 1 http://www99.epinions.com/content_227566915204

Battlestar Galactica: Season 2.0 http://www99.epinions.com/content_231739526788

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older