Battlestar Galactica: RAZOR & Minisodes Review: SCI FI Channel Original Premiere

Title: Battlestar Galactica: RAZOR and Minisodes

Stars: Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Jamie Bamber, Katee Sackhoff, James Callis, Tricia Helfer, Grace Park, Michael Hogan, Aaron Douglas, Tahmoh Penikett, Alessandro Julianni, and Kandyse McClure

Guest Stars: Michelle Forbes, Grahem Beckel, Stephanie Jacobsen, Nico Cortez, Matthew Bennett, and Steve Bacic

Battlestar Galactica: RAZOR Minisodes Stars: Edward James Olmos, Matthew Bennett, Nico Cortez, Jacob Blair, Campbell Lane, Ben Cotton, and Chris Bradford

Writer: Michael Taylor

Inspired By “Battlestar Galactica” Created By Glen A. Larson

Directors: Felix Alcala, and Wayne Rose

Consultant: Glen A. Larson

Executive Producers: Ronald D. Moore and David Eick

Approximate Running Time: 87 minutes without commercials

Media: SCI FI Channel Original Series (NTSC DVD Screener)

Battlestar Galactica: RAZOR Premiere: Saturday, November 24, 2007 from 9pm to 11pm (ET/PT)

Network: SCI FI Channel (Check your local cable/satellite listings for channel)

TV Rating: Not Available At The Time Of Review

Reviewer: Mark A. Rivera

Battlestar Galactica: RAZOR is a feature length special episode designed in part to psych up fans of the series for the premiere of the fourth and final season of the SCI FI Channel flagship series in 2008, a prequel or companion to the Battlestar Pegasus and Admiral Cain storyline from the mid second season and also an important prelude for things to come in season four. The minisodes, which began airing on Friday October 5, 2007 during airings of the new Flash Gordon TV series, are a collection of seven short live action chapters, approximately two minutes in length, that detail young William “Husker” Adama’s first battle against the Cylons during humanity’s first war against the machines they created and the terrible discovery he makes that will come back to haunt him forty years later. Shortly after these minisodes air on SCI FI, they can be viewed online via streaming video for free at www.sci-fi.com/battlestar/razor/ and these minisodes will continue to air during broadcasts of the new Flash Gordon through November 16, 2007. I remember watching the first one two weeks ago from the time of writing this review and thinking to myself, Boy have I forgetten just how good TV can be. Battlestar Galactica is to television science fiction and drama what Peter Jackson’s feature film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy was to theatrical motion picture fantasy, action, and archetypal drama. After viewing two-minutes of brand new Battlestar Galactica on SCI FI, watching ordinary television programs that I like, such as Heroes, just didn’t feel the same. Even though I felt the mid section of the third season of Battlestar Galactica tended to lag a bit, overall there are few first run television dramas that get even slightly close to the new Galactica in terms of dramatic storytelling. I could put it in more blunt terms, but I think it’s easy to figure out what I’m saying here.

Make no mistake though, the new Battlestar Galactica is a space opera, but it is also compelling drama that few genre programs have ever reached. It opens up the genre for people who might otherwise have never considered watching anything related to the genre. If I were to liken the overall storytelling of the series as a reflection of this decade to another show that was trend setting for it’s time in the 1990s, I would say Battlestar Galactica is to the 2000s as BABYLON 5 in the 1990s. In terms of the quality of storytelling and character arcs, both shows will be remembered long after these shows creators have moved beyond the confines of this reality.

Battlestar Galactica fanboys and fangirls are going to flip with excitement when they see classic Cylon Raiders and Base Ships from the original series in action like they have never seen them before. The special effects are outstanding and just about every memorable detail from the classic series space dogfights like that point of view shot from a Viper cockpit of the weapons blowing away a Cylon Raider that was recycled often for the classic series is used in one of the minisodes. The CGI classic Cylon Centurions, complete with their blades and that black cape like thing that used to hang over their backsides, come to life in both the minisodes and RAZOR like you’ve never seen them. In fact if you have not yet watched the minisodes on SCI FI when they broadcast, be sure you watch or record this Friday’s and next Friday’s because they contain the most action and will leave you hooked to view the rest of the minisodes after leading up to RAZOR. The one effect I did miss however was that sound the Cylons used to make when they got blasted in the classic series, but trust me when I note that anyone who stills has any doubts as to the respect and honor the show’s producers have given the classic series, should hopefully be finally dispelled after seeing both the minisodes and RAZOR. In fact after viewing both and seeing a bit of what Paramount has done to Star Trek: The Original Series to touch it up for high definition, I have to state that I’d love to see Universal bring back the classic series in high definition with new updated effects, even if it was just for the theatrical version of the pilot. I think many videophiles will agree with me regarding revisiting the original Battlestar Galactica after seeing the minisodes and RAZOR. I think it is definitely worth the investment and would pay for itself one way or the other.

The events in Battlestar Galactica: RAZOR take place before and concurrently to the second season episode Epiphanies and feature a bit of the flashback scenes from the minisodes since they are very important to the plotline of both this film and what is to come in season four and it also dramatizes much of what we learned happened during the Pegasus episodes as well as well as provide a few explanations and character revelations that will surprise some and actually make some nod and understand why exactly everything happened as they did from our point of view now that we’ve seen what occurred from the Pegasus crew pint of view. Michelle Forbes as Admiral Cain is humanized and while her actions are no less disturbing than what we learned from the previous episodes, there are never the less easier to understand. Actors who guest starred in the Pegasus story arc episodes are brought back even if it’s for little more than a cameo, but the attention to details like this make RAZOR feel more like a fully integrated episode that could have even appeared during the second season with just a little dramatic manipulation and no one would realize it is actually a prelude to the fourth season.

The version I screened is the television broadcast version of RAZOR and not the unrated and extended edition of the movie that will debut on DVD on Tuesday, December 4, 2007 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. The fact that RAZOR works as well as it does and runs about 87 minutes without commercials is a testament to the writing, acting, and screen direction done for the series. I look forward to reviewing the official DVD release when it becomes available later this year. In some ways RAZOR might actually reveal too much because a few possible fourth season guesses came to mind after viewing the screener, but I’ll see if my guesses are correct as will all of you when Battlestar Galactica: RAZOR premieres on SCI FI Channel on Saturday, November 24, 2007 at 9pm (ET/PT). Do not miss it.

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