UNCUT - Battlestar Galactica S1E13 (Season Finale) - Kobol's Last Gleaming Part 2

Im sad this is the end of it. It is a great series.

I want to watch more with you... this is only the beginning! This series is one of the most satisfying storylines that follows a lot of pieces that keep coming together as it progresses.

Everything youve seen so far is the prequel. S2 is the start of the real story. If you truely want to be lost tho try The LEXX or Farscape.

Thanks for throwing out a free month, it gave me the chance to watch these. I really do hope you'll pick this show up again in the future.

Iron Giant reference FTW.

I've binged all the reactions that haven't been posted on the 'Tube. I reeeeeeeaaaaaalllllllly hope you're going to do S2. Your investment in the characters starts paying off now.

I understand this is an old reaction. Just subscribed to this channel (love your Star Trek videos.). As to BSG, I think the other season finale cliffhangers better resolve their respective seasons versus this one. S2:E6 marks the end of many arcs from S1 in a way that's pretty satisfying. I wonder if this abrupt conclusion was a result of not knowing whether they were going to get another season plus budget concerns (hint: budget definitely goes up next season.) And the rest of the seasons follow that mid-season cliffhanger + end of season finale pattern, assuming you count the last season with its extended nine month "mid-season" break.

Given all the Roslin hate this season, I'm surprised neither of you mentioned how her surrendering after Lee decided to mutiny basically meant he mutinied for nothing. Like for frack's sake, you couldn't have done that sooner so I don't get arrested? The first time I saw this episode, when Sharon shot Adama, I was certain it was a hallucination for a second. Like we were seeing her intrusive thoughts so to speak. But when it lingers in slow motion, and she shoots him again and gets tackled, it's sets in and I was just sitting there with my jaw on the floor. Definitely couldn't wait for S2, especially with the fate of so many characters up in the air. I'm going to echo what a lot of others have said and strongly recommend you proceed into S2. There's some really amazing storytelling in S2 and 3 and it would be a shame for you to miss out on that. But I'm also going to argue that from a business standpoint, I think you just need to see it through at this point. You've had so many shows where you watched a few episodes or a season, then dropped it. By this point you could have finished a show like BSG and started another. If it's about viewership numbers, anyone who sees you starting their favourite show is going to see Buffy and Quantum Leap and B5 and potentially BSG and GoT and all the others all abandoned a few eps or a season in. If I'm looking for a reaction channel following a show I like, I'm not going to bother committing time and money if I think there's a low chance of them seeing it through. It's wasted time for both you and the audience. If you don't continue with BSG, I would suggest either using that time slot for an extra trek episode, or sticking to movie and miniseries reactions. If your audience doesn't believe you'll ever reach the finish line on a non trek show, then eventually nothing outside Trek will get any views. Just my 2 cents.

I truly hope you guys stick with it and watch the entire show. There are some real gems in storytelling and character development/arcs that must not be missed. I think you will like the series as a whole. There is a reason it is very high up on rankings in sci-fi shows. :)

You’re describing everything that bothered me about this show. It is incredibly guilty about keeping the viewers out of the loop, and not because it was planned. There are scenarios that are presented and not resolved. The whole scene with Baltar and Six and the baby is a perfect example. It’s because Ron Moore really didn’t have a planned out story. They just planned out the narrative as they wrote each individual episode. Poor storytelling.

I loved this season finale, personally, and couldn't wait to see the continuation on first watch. My second favourite of the season after Hand of God. A bit disappointed that you guys weren't as blown away by it.

I hadn't thought about it before, but it is true that BSG's character and story arcs don't tend to map directly onto season start/end. The central storyline, the survival of the remnants of humanity, is really a show-long enterprise. There are definitely many more distinct sub-arcs with their own payoff, but they don't tend to map onto seasons in the way Dexter (or Justified or SOA or etc) might do.

Kind of understandable, BSG will swing from very episodic, to a good mix of the two, to heavily serialized throughout the show. You did get it right, though, that they have a story they want to tell and it takes place over the entire series. Personally, this episode is my Best of Both Worlds Part 1 of BSG. A slow burner that leads up to a dramatic ending that then had a large time period between it and the next season. The show does somewhat request forward investment from the viewer, but that is why I like it. Not many shows at the time would take a risk like that with no guarantee of payoff. Looking forward to your thoughts on the season as a whole and if you will be continuing (I hope that you do).

They did NOT know if they were gonna get a season 2 when they wrote and filmed this. And again, as I said this show was a response the where airing Star Trek at time time was - VERY status quo, and episodic. Serialization was still pretty new and there was a lot of experimentation going on with how to do it. And personally, I find the "season plot arc" often is NOT very satisfying, because a lot of what I've seen is a lot of set up, then a rush to tie everything up in a way that's not hugely satisfactory. Here BSG has decided to flip the table over, and follow the pieces.

Well, at least you didn't think it was a "Captain's Holliday".

The show, at this point, was still finding itself but they are starting to weave in the bigger themes. Season 2 is where it really finds its feet. The show is really one big story. There are answers along the way, there are questions along the way but it’s going to be a long journey to get to the end. The characters are what make the show, Ron Moore always places character development above else so if you do continue you will see that. Also, the next three seasons are really six mini seasons and each had a “midseason” break. Me and a few others did say before you started the mini series this show probably could/should have waited to the end of Voyager/Enterprise. A lot of this show is a reaction to where Star Trek was in 2003/2004 and feel you would have a different perspective of the show with another 22 (!) seasons of Trek under your belt.

I love how neither of you were paying attention when Starbuck attacked Number6 in the intro previews. I'm not knocking it, I'm looking forward to your reaction when it happens. Okay...I got an "oh" out of one of you. Lol

I don’t get the need for some neat bow on something I think it is a bad habit of shows that worry more about if there will be another season or not. This show is too big for that nonsense.

Gonna be honest here. While I was a fan of BSG 2004 in its initial run I do find my opinion of the show has changed while doing this rewatch. There are a lot of interest moments, characters, and concepts, but the show suffers from a lack of a singular, solid narrative. You can have the greatest acting, scenes, etc but there still needs to be a plot. There also needs to be clear understanding on the part of the writers on where they want to take the show. That lack of vision at times makes the show just seem really full of itself, and ultimately, boring.

The tension with the chief and Crashdown was that Crashdown is the superior officer but lacks the chiefs experience

kudos for correctly guessing last episode they kill a character off for the final

BOBW was a finale cliffhanger that made you excited for the conclusion, and this one is just an empty shocker (but boy was it well executed)

I think Season 2 will make you guys happy - I found it was good personally. I hope you continue!

DAMN, BSG just left Amazon Prime. Guess I'm waiting for the Youtube video. From the sound of things, you guys weren't entirely jazzed with this episode. There are definitely parts of this show that I don't like but this episode is not one of them. Remind me - are you a bigger fan of episodic TV or serialized TV?

In my estimation, the real back half of season 1 is the first half of season 2. That's where the bulk of these criticisms is resolved. And the mid-point of season 2? Holy cow.

Well, I definitely gotta hope you decide to do Season 2. I mean, I'll be here for the Star Trek, whichever way you go on BSG, but this is one of my favorite shows of all time, and you haven't even gotten to the "big questions." They didn't know there would be a second season (it wasn't renewed until February 2005, and this episode premiered April 1, 2005.) but they took a risk anyway with such a cliffhanger. This show took risks, and I think such storytelling should be rewarded. That's all I'll say.

Wow....that was one of the best season finales and such an amazing first chapter into the BSG saga....I can't comprehend how you guys are not 200% hooked

They gave away she was pregnant weeks ago when she was randomly throwing up. That was the hint she was pregnant. No meat on the bone? You go crazy for an episode about a shy guy playing VR on a ship for 45 minutes, and someone saying the word "honor" 68 times in a row on a show that thinks drinking tea and lighting candles = complexity, but this had no meat on the bone? To each their own.

You guys have me pulling my hair out!

I can't imagine you guys not wanting to see where this story goes after watching that but I fully understand you ultimately have limited time and want to invest that in the best bang for buck when you're trying to build a successful YouTube channel! I hope the views over there come through to justify it for you both to continue, I'm absolutely itching to see you react to the next few seasons!

Hot take: I prefer this episode over Best of Both Worlds as a season finale. It resolves some overall plot threads (Boomer now knows she's a Cylon, Helo and Sharon find Starbuck, the tension between the military and government hits a flashpoint) and set's up new threads for the next season. BoBW schtick is essentially "Will the status quo be restored? Tune in next episode to find out!" Apples and oranges in terms of show formats, but this is more engaging to me.

I have to say, I popped a lot bigger at the very end when Sharon shoots Adama than you guys did when I first saw this episode in 2004. I also have to say, I think I’m enjoying this series a little bit more this time around then when it first aired. All that being said, I generally agree with your points, and I would be fine whether you decide to continue with this series or not.

I feel like you guys are going to want to see what happens, so rather than watch it on your own, you might as well make reactions for Youtube!

Josh seemed to have a perpetual look of concern on his face this whole episode lol

(Sings) And the HOOOOOOOOOK brings you BAAA-HAAAAAAAAACK, on that you can rely-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah! (harmonica solo)

Boom. I caught up on five episodes over the last two days so this is perfect timing. Can't wait to watch this one!