Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Justin Dekker August 19, 2026

A daring departure from the original source material from the late 1970s, the reimagined 'Battlestar Galactica (2003-2009)' returns to Blu-ray disc in the 'Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series' boxed set courtesy of Universal. The set features all of the series' seasons (one through 4.5) along with the two movies - 'Razor' and 'The Plan'. The series stars Edward James Olmos ('Blade Runner'), Mary McDonnell ('Dances With Wolves'), Katee Sakhoff ('Don't Knock Twice'), and Tricia Helfer ('Lucifer'), and tells the story of the last vestiges of the human race and their struggle against the robotic Cylon Empire. Capturing all of the meaningful on-disc supplemental features from the previous US releases, this new set provides fans with a money and space-saving opportunity to to acquire the series. It's 21 discs are housed in five cases - one for each of the seasons (with 'Razor' included with the fourth season) and 'The Plan' residing in its own case. The discs included in the set are identical to those found in the previously issued individual season releases and complete series sets. A Digital Code is not included.

Time is running out for humanity. After a devasting and near-extinction-level coordinated attack by the Cylons, machines humans once created to serve them, mankind is now on the run. Journeying through space to find their fabled original home world, they will need to outrun, out think, and out fight the relentless mechanized menace and set aside their own differences if they are to survive and start civilization anew.

In the modern era, space-based science fiction generally falls into two camps; the generally optimistic material that sees humanity solving many of the world's problems and setting their sights on exploration and learning as seen in various Star Trek series such as Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Star Trek: Voyager, and the more "realistic" where humanity is much the same as it is today we simply have better stuff, such as Firefly, and Stargate. The Sci-Fi Channel provided fans with two of the most rewarding and rewatchable series of that latter classification, the first of which, Farscape, premiered in 1999. A deft mix of human actors and puppetry along with top-notch special effects, that series took humankind down a notch or two, with Crichton quickly learning humans aren't the most advanced beings in the cosmos. After all, Crichton's interstellar journey is merely accidental, and he finds himself surrounded by aliens who are in possession of technology that vastly outstrips anything with which the astronaut is familiar. Ultimately deemed too expensive to continue and "impenetrable" to newer viewers who hadn't been onboard since the episode one, the channel sadly cancelled it in 2003, much to the chagrin of its devoted fanbase. Interestingly, the network greenlit a bold reimagining of Battlestar Galactica, and its first episodes began airing that same year. It's worth noting that episodes for this series came in at a higher price tag than Farscape's, and over time, it's series-long plotline would grow to be equally if not more daunting than those starring our favorite wayward astronaut.

Be that as it may, and network politics aside, one notion is incontrovertible; this iteration of Battlestar Galactica is quite simply one of the very best space-based television series. While I am a lifelong fan of Doctor Who and Star Trek courtesy of the first reruns caught in the misspent hours of my youth camped out in front of the television set, and I later tuned in regularly for everything from Lexx to Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda, no other series consistently delivered in the manner in which BSG did as a matter of routine. The cast, anchored by a pair of bankable actors in Olmos and McDonnell, was augmented by a number of lesser-known talents such as Katee Sackhoff, former model Tricia Helfer, Jamie Bamber, and James Callis. Based on the show's premise, tensions were high and paranoia was rampant. The writing added a solid mix of interpersonal drama, space battles, steamy romance, subterfuge, desperation, social commentary, and hope to each episode.

For an appreciation of each individual season, and of the series as a whole, please follow the links below.

• Battlestar Galactica Season One

• Battlestar Galactica Season Two

• Battlestar Galactica Season Three

• Battlestar Galactica Season Four

• Battlestar Galactica: The Plan

• Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series

Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

For an assessment of the the video transfer, please follow this link.

Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

For comments regarding the soundtrack that accompanies each episode, please follow this link.

Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

For an accounting of the on disc supplemental features included in this set, please follow this link.

Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Battlestar Galactica not only surpasses its source material, but during it's initial broadcast it was "must-see" television. Structured as it was with a series-long story arc, there may have been a barrier to entry for latecomers, but there also aren't any wasted moments or episodes. Given the overall production values, the fantastic cast, and its high re-watchability, it not only stands among the very best science fiction series ever to grace the small screen, but I'd also place it among the very best television series in general alongside the likes of Breaking Bad, The Wire, and The Sopranos, to name a few. While this release doesn't add any new on-disc extras, nor does it update things from a technical perspective, the audio and video presentations are still solid enough, and viewers should find plenty of interesting extras to explore. For fans who have yet to add this landmark reimagining to their collections, the new Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series comes with my highest recommendation