All 4 Seasons Of Battlestar Galactica, Ranked Worst To Best

While the 2004 reboot series Battlestar Galactica is considered a masterpiece, not every season of the series is ranked equally. In 1978, ABC released a show called Battlestar Galactica, which followed the only surviving battleship after an attack by an evil species called Cylons. Unfortunately, this series received poor ratings, leading to its cancelation after a single season. Two and a half decades later, in 2005, a reboot of Battlestar Galactica released on SyFy (then called Sci-Fi), beginning with a two-part miniseries. The miniseries — which functioned as a backdoor pilot — gained an average of 4.2 million views, making it the third-highest miniseries on the TV channel (Multichannel News).

In the Battlestar Galactica reboot, passengers aboard the eponymous ship protect what’s left of humanity and search out a mythological 13th colony called Earth after the Cylons destroy the 12 colonies. Thenewer version became one of the most revered sci-fi series in recent history, with Battlestar Galactica permanently changing the sci-fi genre. Unlike other sci-fi series, this show depicted gritty drama that centered on flawed characters. Not every season has the same merits though. While every season of Battlestar Galactica has its strengths and weaknesses, some rank higher than others due to their excellent storylines and character arcs.

4 Battlestar Galactica Season 4 (2008-2009)

Episodes 1-21

While none of the seasons of Battlestar Galactica are completely terrible, season 4 is by far the weakest of the bunch. The season’s first three episodes have strong and interesting narratives. They connect back to the previous seasons, making the plot relevant. Unfortunately, everything after struggles. The season develops uneven pacing with far too many filler episodes. Many previously enjoyable characters, like Roslin and Tyrol, come across as obnoxious and self-centered. There also isn’t a clear narrative direction from start to finish, a problem that sprang up mid-season due to the 2007-2008 writer’s strike. However, these are smaller issues compared to the major narrative problems in Battlestar Galactica season 4.

Battlestar Galactica’s Final Five Cylons storyline introduced inseason 4 changes the overall tone of the show. Rather than leaning into the political drama and science-fiction genre established in the first three seasons, this storyline feels much more akin to a family melodrama. The dialogue sounds cheesy and theatrical, which is a massive shift from the previously grounded writing. What’s worse, they never develop a compelling reason to care about the Final Five Cylons, making it the least interesting part of the season. The only good thing to come out of this storyline is the Battlestar Galactica Starbuck Cylon theory.

On top of this, Battlestar Galactica season 4 leans too far into religiosity and theology. The show previously included religion as an abstract concept that influences communities’ culture. This benefits the series, as faith systems have shaped many real-world conflicts, making the message poignant. Unfortunately, Battlestar Galactica season 4 unnecessarily changes religion from abstract to concrete. By the divisive ending of Battlestar Galactica, God is used as a deus ex machina, erasing the rest of the series’ nuances. Once a character-driven series, the show turns into a parable in just a few episodes.

3 Battlestar Galactica Season 3 (2006-2007)

Episodes 1-20

Battlestar Galactica season 3 is a middling outing of the series due to its uneven writing and story development. While it isn’t terrible, the dialogue is less memorable than in the previous two outings. Though New Caprica is one of the best storylines in the entire series, it’s mixed in with unenjoyable subplots like the romance between Starbuck and Apollo. The second half of Battlestar Galactica season 3 also features forgettable one-episode stories with no connection to the overarching plot. Because the previous seasons were continuously engaging with very few filler episodes, it’s hard to forgive the number of filler episodes.

Additionally, the pacing in Battlestar Galactica 3 shifts at the least opportune times. Screenwriters and directors can slow the pacing in a scene for dramatic effect; unfortunately, the speed becomes slower in this series right as something interesting happens in the plot. This outing isn’t without merit though. Episodes like “Taking a Breath From All Your Worries” include powerful parallels to the real world that save it from last place. The battle sequences within season 3 are also visually stunning and exciting to watch. Moreover, this season introduces the gender-flipped character Helena Cain in Battlestar Galactica, one of the most interesting characters in the series.

2 Battlestar Galactica Season 2 (2005-2006)

Episodes 1-20

Battlestar Galactica season 2 provides a great example of a well-written serialized plot that has a long-lasting impact on the characters. The passengers of the ship have highly divided opinions about who should lead and how they should handle the Cylon situation. This season of Battlestar Galactica shows one of the most disturbing and stomach-churning torture scenes, including a graphic sexual assault. While it’s difficult to watch, this scene gives important social commentary about war crimes. Season 2 also includes some of the most devastating Battlestar Galactica deaths, with everyone on Cloud Nine and the nearby ships wiped out by a nuclear bomb.

The only major weakness in Battlestar Galactica season 2 is the filler episodes. While most of the season connects, some episodes have very little to do with the main plot. B-plots can play an important role in a series, providing character development. However, the filler episodes centered on B-plots felt entirely unnecessary in Battlestar Galactica season 2, asthe writers did such a good job of weaving character development into the main storyline.

1 Battlestar Galactica Season 1 (2004-2005)

Miniseries Parts 1-2 And Episodes 1-13

Though it’s shorter than the rest, the best and most bingeworthy season of Battlestar Galactica is season 1. This outing offers the best development of the entire series, introducing compelling and well-rounded characters in Battlestar Galactica. The antagonists feel like real people with values and beliefs, albeit damaging in nature. Additionally, season 1 starts one of the best long-form allegories in TV history, with most of the events representing the world after 9/11 and the War on Terror. The characters try to determine the right path between following their morals and Admiral Cain’s orders, a clear commentary on the military.

The visual and cinematographic elements of Battlestar Galactica season 1 also deserve recognition. While the CGI is outdated by today’s standards, each space battle is engrossing, visually stunning, and expertly choreographed. This was one of the first times that realistic space battle visuals appeared on-screen, a happy surprise that lost its full impact by Battlestar Galactica season 2. Additionally, Battlestar Galactica season 1 makes use of crash zooms, colloquially called the “BSG zoom” due to its frequent appearance in this series. This camerawork induces adrenaline by placing the audience’s perspective within the action. Battlestar Galactica shows the chaos of space battles by using this technique.

Sources: Multichannel News