Battlestar Galactica: That Sought-After Sun

I'm not a reviewer. "I don't know art, but I know what I like."

I LIKE this. This is the ending we deserved. And I agree with one of the previous viewers, the extras were great, especially "What Happened to the Fleet".

This is the official replacement for the original finale. If you're a BSG fan, this needs to be on your shelf.

I haven't watched the finale of BSG since it aired and I recently bought the Blu Ray as quite frankly I've never seen better TV.

I thought that rather than watching the original finale I'd just watch this one and see if it all hung together properly. I didn't mind the original finale, except for Starbuck vanishing and everyone disappearing off to do their own thing, which was kinda depressing. It ending with Baltar and Six....meh.

So this edit is pretty damn good. I only noted at one point where I felt something was a little off and this was the final Lee/Kara scene when Lee turns around.

The opera sequence, I can't recall how that played out in the original, but it certainly works here.

This version feels far more optimistic...and make sure you pay full attention. When Starbuck jumped BSG, I happened to be texting someone and completely missed the line of VERY important dialogue there.

Because there are a lot of flashbacks in this, the ending with Kara made me wonder if she'd gone back or I was seeing a flashback. It prob didn't help that I'd drank some wine and wasn't fully picking up on all the narrative elements.

The extras were pretty good as well. I loved the 'what happened to the fleet?' that made me laugh!

So I'd have no hesitation in recommending this.

The Battlestar Galactica series finale, such a controversial end to one of the best true Sci Fi TV series in recent memory.

I was quite excited to follow the progress of his edit and now after a bit of a delay I can finally take the chance to post my thoughts on the experience.

I watched the DVD version from my HTPC, and technically the edit is very well put together; the video looked great for SD quality and the audio featured a nice 5.1 track that is always welcome. A deserved 10 for AV quality.

Now in terms of editing I only have to point out that I found a couple of the transitions including a fade here and a cut there to be somewhat jarring, but considering the intention behind them and the fact that there is not much choice in how to implement them I'd say they can be overlooked. Because of this its 9s all around for the editing scores.


It's been a while since I last watched this flawed piece of entertainment - since it originally aired back in 2009 I think. And I was amazed at how easy it was to jump back in and feel all the excitement at the truly awesome first part of this extended episode.
I'd have to watch the original version again, but I believe that Menbailee has left the first half completely untouched, and that's a good call in my book. The Galactica and her crew's final mission intertwined with those character development flashbacks provide a pure gold final cap on a great series and remain a "by the edge of your seat" type of quality television.

Now, the controversy comes along right after that is when things got murky in the original version and is of course where this edit really mixes things up.

First off, I really liked how final moment for Starbuck is handled this time around. It went from something extremely vague to a proper final scene that brings close for the character while still leaving a reasonable amount of lingering questions about who she is and what really happened to her to personal interpretation. Nicely done :)

Also, added that, trimming the final hour to focus on the protagonists was a very smart choice. By focusing on Adama's final farewell for Roslin; added to Baltar and Caprica Six's realization and Lee the chief's somewhat clean slates at the end of the journey provide a satisfying conclusion.

As much as I feel that many of the editing choices were very spot on, I can't say that I agree with all of them. Particularly the rest of fleet's fate as teased in the special features caught me by surprise and I'm still torn on whether it should have been handled somewhat similarly to the original ending or not... however it did feel like a plot thread left just dangling.

Because of this last issue I give 8 for Narrative; and a solid 9 for overall Enjoyment.

To sum things up, this edit is a very smartly condensed and improved version for the 2000s version of Battlestar Galactica. One that many fans of the series would likely enjoy more than the original.

Congrats and thank you to Menbailee for taking the time and effort.

The edit works well as an alternative episode for some of those who don't like some of the narrative decisions for the finale. However, as with the original episode not all of the narrative choices in this worked for me. Mainly the missing fleet, Galactica surviving, and the replacement of the 'zombie Raptor' for a rushed anti-climatic attack by the Raptor. There is also a weird '10,000 years before the Fall of Caprica' caption which makes no sense. On the plus side, Starbuck's ending was handled really well. Overall, a good, but not perfect, edit for those who were dissatisfied with the original finale.

First off I was late getting on the BSG train. My old downstairs neighbor lent me one season at a time untill i finished the series. This was 4+ years ago. I watched it from the second i got off work to the second i would go to sleep. I was hooked. So needless to say like most the last 2 season's were a little weak and let me down. Starbuck's story line was the main one holding me in.

But as Bob said into the review enough ranting.

Video quality Bob said all that needed to be said, Good over all but some ups and downs with some of the deleted scenes. The one that stuck out the most was the flashback one with Boomer. also on this scene. First it's very well placed and does well to draw the intended emotional response. But on a side note, man they must program those sleeper Cylons all super crazy good cause she totally sold that her fake family died.

Moving on Audio. I did find a few audio errors in the edit. but to be fair to the editor I am in the middle of a re-score so every little audio anything pop's out at me. But with that said there are no horrible transitions.

Touching on the one Earth idea Bob mentioned. It works but I did have to pause it to kinda grasp what the change meant before moving on.

Here is where Bob and I differ. I personally loved the sending the fleet into the sun part of the episode. I never got the impression they left 100% of it on the ships. I just got the impression they got rid of all advanced tech I.E Battle Stars/Weapons and anything super advanced. That being said the editor did a good job of removing that scene. However one part that felt off was when Adama takes the last raptor of the ship. It's understood that's that no one is to step foot on the ship again, yet we see Starbuck up there later. Not a huge thing. (But great way to give her a new resolution, she ends up with well i dont want to spoil it)


Lastly addressing the Adama leaving forever part. Even though the lines about him saying goodbye to everyone. It still very much felt like he went to be the same hermit. I think it was the way Starbuck and Lee said goodbye to him that kinda made it still feel like a permanent goodbye. I assume they were supposed to be showing sympothy for him since his love was about to die?

Oh yeah as Bob said best part of the edit was the resolution of the Opera house.