51 of 53 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Confused about Which DVDs to Buy? Here Are Some Answers., July 8, 2010
This review is from: Battlestar Galactica (2004): Season 4.0 / Battlestar Galactica (2004): Season 4.5 Value Pack (DVD)
I bought seasons 4.0 and 4.5 separately when they first came out, and I wish I could have gotten them together for such a low price! I have been looking for the last piece of the series (see the end of the review), came across this great deal, and realized just how confusing things have become on Amazon. The review below is meant to try and help you wade through the mess in the marketplace, purchase the series, and enjoy it.
DVD CONFUSION
The show is incredible. However, the whole DVD thing has been a disaster. They released it in the worst way possible (see below) AND Amazon compounded the problem by lumping together reviews for DIFFERENT PRODUCTS. I cannot imagine how someone who is not deeply familiar with it is supposed to purchase this wonderful show. Certainly, they would hesitate to give it as a gift! I'll try and help out.
Here is what you want to get:
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-Season One was released as (
Battlestar Galactica - Season One) altogether with the pilot in one box.
-Season Two was released as
Battlestar Galactica - Season 2.0 (Episodes 1-10) and
Battlestar Galactica: Season 2.5 (Episodes 11-20) in two boxes. You can now purchase them together as
Battlestar Galactica (2004): Seasons 2.0 & 2.5
-Season Three was released together in one box as
Battlestar Galactica - Season Three.
-Season Four was released as
Battlestar Galactica - Season 4.0 and
Battlestar Galactica: Season 4.5 with the Razor episode. Of course, those are now available together as
Battlestar Galactica (2004): Season 4.0 & 4.5.
-The Plan was released on its own as
Battlestar Galactica: The Plan
OPTIONS FOR PURCHASING THEM ALL TOGETHER: BAD TO GOOD
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-Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series (with COLLECTIBLE CYLON). Not recommended. I do not own this, but according to the reviews, it is packaged poorly WITHOUT AN EPISODE LIST. That seems like a horrible idea for four seasons of a tv show. Apparently, it contains the same DVDs as the ones sold separately (explained above).
-Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series (the one in the GRAY BOX). *Recommended*. I do not own this. Good reviews of it so far. Packaging problems were fixed. According to a comment from Leif Sheppard, it does include The Plan.
-Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series (with COLLECTIBLE CYLON) [BLU-RAY] or the gray box [BLU-RAY] set. *Recommended*. I do not own this. Seems to include some extras, but not significant. It also has an episode list, according to the reviews. It might be worth buying if you wanted to get everything together.
BOTTOM LINE:
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As far as I can tell from the reviews, I think there are two choices:
(1) Buy either Blu-Ray set or the Gray DVD set.
(2) Purchase everything separately (make sure to get all of the stuff mentioned above).
NOTE:
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-The "Face of the Enemy" webisodes (episodes shown only online) have not been made available for purchase in any of the sets as far as I can tell. What a shame!
-Also, if anyone sees any mistakes in this review, please tell me and I will edit it. Frustratingly, the manufacturers seem to be changing the contents of some sets, so it is possible that my information has become outdated.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome Series, July 30, 2010
This review is from: Battlestar Galactica (2004): Season 4.0 / Battlestar Galactica (2004): Season 4.5 Value Pack (DVD)
Having invested my time (and money) in all the previous seasons of this series I felt compelled to by these to complete my set. The rumors were that the series would end in a most unsatisfying way but after actually seeing it through to the end I was more than pleased with how they brought it all to a close.
It's hard to find good science fiction. It's usually cheap monsters or bad premises that violate most of the physical laws of the universe let alone your good sense. But this series is a prime example of what a science fiction story should be. The story encompasses all aspects of human drama including war, greed, jealousy, politics, the list goes on. The only difference is that it takes place in a different world from our own. The characters are believable and credible. Furthermore you get invested in them and find yourself rooting for your favorites. And the series has more shades of gray than the hull of the Galactica. There's plenty to ponder long after watching the show.
I highly recommend this series and if you already own the previous seasons then completing your collection with these two volumes is a must.
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