Battlestar Galactica Viewing Order [No spoilers!] (1 Viewer)

Hey everyone, I've just started watching Battlestar Galactica, and I'm really enjoying it but I'm becoming more and more confused about the viewing order. Between Webisodes, the movie and Extended Episodes, I feel like I'm in a proverbial minefield.

Could a helpful BSG expert please help me put together a list of precisely how it should be watched?

Thanks for any help!

UPDATE: This is now pretty much complete. Thanks to those who helped!

UPDATE UPDATE: I've shifted the viewing order over to my blog where I'm more likely to keep it up to date.

Link: [SIZE= larger]Battlestar Galactica Viewing Order[/SIZE]

I think they should be watched in the order above. The Resistance webisodes belong between the second season finale and third season premiere. Razor could conceivably be watched earlier but does contain some spoilers for the third season finale, and for this reason, should be watched after the third season finale. The Face of the Enemy webisodes (not on DVD or Blul-Ray!) should be watched during the fourth season, probably about mid-way.

Thanks, but as I understand it there are at least two Extended Episodes, which I'm not entirely sure my boxset includes...? "Unfinished Business" and the "Razor" movie. Am I right in saying that those two are available in "Extended" versions? And are there any more Extended Episodes I should watch out for?

Also, why does my DVD set only contain deleted scenes from the first half of season 2? Have deleted scenes for the second half been released anywhere? My boxset (R2 UK DVD) also includes Season 4 "Minisodes" on the same disc as Razor. Such a confusing mess!

Thanks again.

I think Razor should be watched after episode 217 (which is where it takes place in the chronology of the show). The information given in Razor isn't a spoiler in the traditional sense, it just gives information that resonates better after seeing S3. However, if you see Razor in S2, it introduces some important elements earlier and that gives a more cohesive appearance to the series' story. Plus, S3 ends on a cliffhanger and S4 picks up at the same moment so Razor completely interrupts the flow between the two seasons.

If I remember correctly, the Razor flashbacks were actually deleted scenes (some of which are even in the extended version of Razor) that they put up online to hype up the audience. I think they all take place prior to the series so I'd just watch them after viewing Razor.

The Face Of The Enemy webisodes come after episode 411.

As for the extended episodes, either skip the broadcast cuts of those episodes or watch the extended ones right after the broadcast versions. I think there's extended versions of episodes 210, 309, Razor, 412, 418 and a long version of Daybreak (which has all the Daybreak episodes and extended scenes in one long episode).

Originally Posted by John CW

Also, why does my DVD set only contain deleted scenes from the first half of season 2? Have deleted scenes for the second half been released anywhere? My boxset (R2 UK DVD) also includes Season 4 "Minisodes" on the same disc as Razor. Such a confusing mess!

Thanks again.

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I don't know if it's the same in the UK as the US but S2 was released in two halves (as Season 2.0 and Season 2.5). I don't know why the UK sets wouldn't include the deleted scenes for Season 2.5 though.

The S4 minisodes are probably the Razor flashbacks but that's just a guess.

Wow. Thanks for that, that's incredibly useful information. What a complicated series! I'm tempted to watch Razor now as I'm just up to episode 308... Are there any BSG fans out there who disagree with Travis and think it might be a mistake?

Looks like I might have missed an extended episode in Season 2, too... Guess I should go back and watch it (or check which version came with my DVDs)!

My personal preference is to watch the entire series in single speed rewind in reverse production order. Not really a spoiler, but I don't want to get accused of including one...

Amazingly, not a single human or cylon ever dies when you watch in reverse.
Just kidding of course.

It's been awhile since I watched it, but I think Travis has it right.

Originally Posted by John CW

Wow. Thanks for that, that's incredibly useful information. What a complicated series! I'm tempted to watch Razor now as I'm just up to episode 308... Are there any BSG fans out there who disagree with Travis and think it might be a mistake?

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For what it's worth, I don't think your enjoyment of the show would be negatively impacted by watching Razor after you finish S3 (everyone who watched the show as it aired saw it that way). It's just a break in the story since, like I said, S4 picks up right where S3 ends.

Well I'm really excited by the prospect of being able to watch Razor now (Especially if it starts laying down the foundation for a more cohesive tale.)

I'm surprised, given the massive fanbase that BSG has, that more people aren't weighing in!

Woo! Good news. It seems my DVD set already came with the extended (56 min) version of Pegasus (episode 210)... So I already watched it without knowing! It's weird how there's no mention of extended episodes on the packaging anywhere, but I'm glad I saw the "intended" version.

I've dared to do a bit of research elsewhere and it does seem that the placement of Razor is quite contentious.

Here's some quotes of people debating it...

I think you can safely watch it after season 2 before season 3. That's when I watched it and I don't think anything was spoiled. I also think it fits in better.

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I watched Razor when it aired and I personally don't recommend watching it until you've finished with season 3. I think it would totally put a damper on some of the plot revelations about a certain character and change the way viewers see that character in season 3, when I think that was the intended effect for season 4.

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It's an interesting one!

^ I could lay out my views a little better but I'd have to delve into spoilers. If you're already on episode 308, I think anything that I would consider a potential spoiler has already been shown in the course of the episodes. At this point, you might as well wait to watch Razor though.

I shall take your advice and come back and discuss it! Thanks a lot for your help.

So I just watched it and, yeah, there's zero spoilers... In fact the only reason I'd think there were any spoilers would probably be because there's such a big deal made about watching it before the end of Season 3!

So it's pretty clear, thanks to the concern of other BSG fans, that there's some truth in the "Old Man in the Bath"'s assertion that Thrace will "bring the apocalypse"... but we've been told many things by the Cylons in the past, and while this hybrid does seem to be a more reliable source, it's still extremely unclear what it means...

Saying that, the first scene with Starbuck in after this supposed revelation does feel odd... and I did start seeing her in a different, more dangerous light... I'm sure that will pass once I get back to my own timeline, though.

At least, I hope it will!
I have to agree that you pretty much have to watch Razor after episode 217... It was jarring for me to go back and try and remember what was going on -- and I'm only a 10 episodes on. After two season finales I would imagine it would be almost excruciating to go back and pick up an old story thread.

Regarding the "minisodes" on my DVD -- yes, they're the "Razor Flashbacks". These were actually the scenes involving the young William Adama as seen in the Extended version of Razor (the only version available on DVD). There's seven in total but, interestingly, the first two episodes and last half of the final one were NOT included in Razor -- so there's some extra (tiny) backstory for those who want it.

great idea for a topic.
Since i haven't seen one episode yet I decided to wait until they were all on home video.

Now I have to wait until netflix makes the blu version available.

You don't need to watch the webisodes in order watch the Season 3 episodes. They're not really neccessary.

That's true, but they're only 25 mins, so you may as well. I'm currently interested to find out why The Face of the Enemy webisodes weren't included in the "Complete" boxset... I read somewhere that they were a bit of a slog to get through. I guess I'll find out when I get there!

Originally Posted by John CW

That's true, but they're only 25 mins, so you may as well. I'm currently interested to find out why The Face of the Enemy webisodes weren't included in the "Complete" boxset... I read somewhere that they were a bit of a slog to get through. I guess I'll find out when I get there!

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Eventhough they're not neccessary to following the plot, I liked the Resistance webisodes just because some of the minor characters and their backstories were established in them.

The Face Of The Enemy webisodes help lay more groundwork for a story that comes up in S4 and they reveal a piece of info from a S3 episode as well. Like the other webisodes though, they aren't vital to following the series.

I wholeheartedly agree.

The Face of the Enemy webisodes fit chronologically between 4x11 and 4x12, not between 4x10 and 4x11, as they originally aired. That confused the heck out of me when watching 4x10 originally.

Originally Posted by TravisR

The Face Of The Enemy webisodes come after episode 411.

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Updated the viewing order to reflect that... Thanks guys!