Thoughts on the trilogy

If you take in Pegasus, and Resurrection Ships parts 1 -2 as a whole, it really feels like a motion picture experience. In fact those 3 episodes together are superior in quality to the 2003 Galactica mini-series that launched this new series.

The acting, writing, and production as a whole were all of the highest quality. Michael Rymer's direction really brings a motion picture feel to the show.

Ron Moore's writing is always pushing the drama so that while the show has epic space battles, the story remains focused on the characters. The FX on Galactica are great, but the reason people are attached to this series is because we care about Adama, Roslin, Starbuck, Apollo, and even the two drunk XO's, Tigh and Fisk.

To sum up: It's the characters stupid. That's why people love the show, and keep coming back for more.

The writing always rings true. Those scenes between Gina and Baltar are haunting. The level of rapport between actors James Callis and Tricia Helfer really comes out in their "two hander" scenes in the Pegasus brig. As Baltar fully transforms to being totally on the Cylon side of the debate, we can see how he got there. (The original Baltar, wonderfully played by the great John Colicos, never got to play these kinds of gray areas.) Since we can see Gaius is deeply angered by how Gina was treated, his shift to aiding Gina escape and seek out "justice" is genuine. When he tells her he loves her, you know he means it.

The quality of the acting also shines in the scenes between Starbuck and Apollo during the course of the 3 parter. We see Starbuck struggling with Adama's orders to kill Cain, as well as her growing respect for Cain. When Cain expresses her pride in Starbuck after the raid on the resurrection ship, Katee Sackhoff nicely plays the conflict within Starbuck in that moment.

In the scenes Starbuck and Apollo share with each other, the depth of their friendship comes through, particularly in the scene in Apollo's bunk, as Apollo reveals his flirtation with suicide.

The final acting duo is of course Adama and Roslin. When you have two Oscar nominated actors as your leading actors it makes all the difference. Watching them play off each other is a marvel. From the mini-series and first season where they were at odds, to now where they are allies, friends, and perhaps the potential for more... Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell are so good as actors that they are able communicate emotion with simple gestures and looks.

Galactica has the best FX on TV thanks to the team at Zoic. But, what makes the show unique, is that great cast, and the high quality of the writing.

These last 3 episodes, Pegasus, and the Resurrection Ship two parter, prove that there isn't a better science fiction series on television than Battlestar Galactica.