I've been planning on doing a top ten list of what I think the best episodes are. I still might. But, Alan Sepinwall for The Star-Ledger put together a nearly perfect list. The only episode I would add to his list would be Sometimes A Great Notion since it and Revelations are really of a piece.
Steven Eramo for Newsramma has a list of the top 5 episodes.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Favorite Episodes
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I wouldn't call it a near perfect list: he picked around 17 episodes, which to me is kind of a cop-out when you're trying to narrow down a four season show to it's best episodes. Even though I didn't agree with some of the one guy's choices, I appreciated his five item list.
I wonder if a "great moments" list is more meaningful. Many episodes had fantastic scenes or moments but the whole ep wasn't necessarily stellar.
mini
1: Six, at Baltar's house, telling the girl he's with to leave and then, later, telling him she's a Cylon and has betrayed him - and a nuke goes off in the distance
2: the pilot of what became Colonial One shaking as he hands Laura the note that the Colonies have been nuked and the government destroyed and rock-solid Laura calming his shaking hand.
3: Adama with Leoben at Ragnar Station and realizing that Leoben is a Cylon and they look like humans now.
4: Head-Six appearing to Baltar and alternately teasing and terrorizing him
5: Tigh ordering Tyrol to vent people into space to stop the fire.
Season 1 - 4
1. Roslin sees the snakes on her hands and later the modern city of Kobol that others see as ruins
2. The fight between Starbuck and Six over the Arrow of Apollo at the Caprica museum
3. Six beating up Sharon on the rooftop to prepare her for manipulating Helo
4. Kara's interrogation of Leoben and his chilling prophetic comments to her
5. Baltar killing Crashdown to stop his suicidal mission on Kobol
6. D'Anna stepping into the starlight of the supernova on the algae planet and sees the faces of the Final Five
7. Putting the Arrow of Apollo on the statue of Sagittarius in the Temple of Athena on Kobol and being transported to Earth and seeing the stone markers and star patterns
8. D'Anna sees the human Oracle on New Caprica and is told a disturbing message
9. The Galactica jumping into the atmosphere and rapidly descending on the New Caprica rescue mission
10. Baltar aboard the Base Ship infected with the virus and the desperation of the dying Cylons there
There are of course many many others, and if I had to choose whole episodes most would be from the mini and the 1st and 2nd seasons.
I'm surprised at the lack of "Kobol's Last Gleaming Part 2". Talk about the episode that elevated the show into the stratosphere. Not only did we get the mythology of the show to take off with the whole Opera house that continued to the finale of the series, but the shooting of Adama in CIC is still one of the most gut-wrenching events to watch on the show.
I'd have to break it down more by favorite scenes than entire episodes.
The one in the picture above is one. That was one of the most emotional scenes in the series, followed by Adama wrecking his model ship after Starbuck blows up.
I like the scenes with Helo and Sharon on Caprica when she's helping him survive/escape.
The Adama maneuver FTL'ing into atmo.
Galactica's near demise/Pegasus to the rescue/destruction
There are other scenes i Like mostly for Mcreary's music. His scores nearly make some of the scenes in the series.
@Charlie: I agree, but I'd also throw "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I" in there. The first time I went back and rewatched the series, I definitely saw these two episodes as marking the point I said, "Wow, great show already, but wow."
My Top 10
33
Kobol's Last Gleaming
Pegasus
Resurrection Ship
Lay Down Your Burdens
Exodus
Crossroads
The Hub
Revelations/Sometimes a Great Notion
Daybreak
(runners up)
Flesh and Bone
Hand of God
Flight of the Phoenix
Eye of Jupiter/Rapture
Taking a Break From All of Your Worries
Guess What's Coming to Dinner
The Oath/Blood on the Scales
http://www.empireonline.com/awards2009/winners/sci-fi-superhero.asp
Jamie Bamber presents an award to James McAvoy, who says in return: "Oh my god, I got an award from the CAG! Er, not everyone's going to get that..."
Anyone who puts Scar in their Top 10 is psychotic.
I agree. "Scar" sucks.
My tops
1. "Lay Down Your Burdens" (parts 1 and 2)
2. "Occupation"/"Precicpice" (nearly a tie with "Lay Down Your Burdens" due to such perfection)
3. "Pegasus"/"Resurrection Ship"/"Epiphanies" (Very nearly perfect)
4. Miniseries
5. "The Son Also Rises"/"Crossroads" (Lee, Romo, and the trial of Baltar were so perfect; the cylon crap pulled it down a bit)
6. Miniseries
Other great stories in no particular order:
"A Disquiet Follows My Soul"/"The Oath"/"Blood on the Scales"
"Unfinished Business"
"Downloaded"
"Collaborators"
"Takin' A Break"
"Dirty Hands"
"Flight of the Phoenix" (mostly for Tyrol almost murdering Helo)
"Fragged" and "Resistance"
Nearly every Season 1 ep, except the Starbuck 2-parter, "Act of Contrition"/"You Can't Go Home Again" and "The Hand of God"; still pretty good, but not great. Also, not a massive fan of "33"; I like it, but don't love it as much as the other Season 1 eps.
Not really as satisfied with Season 4, I have to say. Very uneven, rushed, and not political enough.
I also realize "Maelstrom" ranks up there, especially given its importance because Starbuck really did die, which is so cool.
By the way, does anyone know why certain writers left the show when they were so damn good? Carla Robinson, Jeff Vlaming, and especially Toni Graphia should never have left the show. Seriously, I'm curious.
One of my favorite lines from the show is from "He that Believeth in Me 1":
Paulla: You see Gaius? I knew God wouldn't desert you. I mean, I felt His love course through me, giving me the strength to smite them.
Baltar: Well, a little less smiting next time unless you want to be held up on murder charges.
I can't believe he didn't include Downloaded! That was the episode that turned the show on its head, and set the course for an eventual Cylon/human partnership. I love that episode!
I would take Scar off the list. Other than that, I agree with most of his choices.
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