The best 13 Battlestar Galactica episodes (and the 3 worst ones)
2. “Crossroads, Part 2” (Season 3, Episode 20)
Everyone’s on the edge of their seats as the trial of
the absolutely bat-shit crazy
Gaius Baltar, one of the show’s easiest characters to love and then hate, reaches its peak. Will he be punished for his reckless and dangerous actions or will he finesse his way out of trouble?
The courtroom drama boils with tension, revealing hidden layers of the characters and the society they’ve built in space.
But that’s not all! As the trial unfolds, the unforgettable notes of Bear McCreary’s “All Along the Watchtower” echos their way through the fleet – as the song progresses, a huge revelation comes to light: four of the so-called “Final Five” Cylons are among the fleet. And they’re all people we know and love!
It’s a knife twist that no one saw coming – I remember having to pause the episode and pace around my house to take the edge off. Yes, I get that into my shows. This revelation leaves fans confused, feeling bouts of both excitement and a million questions.
1. “Kobol’s Last Gleaming, Part 2” (Season 1, Episode 13)
“Kobol’s Last Gleaming, Part 2” is the best episode in BSG, in my opinion. It’s one of those episodes you just can’t take your eyes off of. Packed with secrets, twists, and those edge-of-your-seat moments that make Battlestar Galactica such a joy to watch.
As we dive into the legends of Kobol, the ancestral homeworld of humanity, we get a closer look at what drives our favorite characters, and boy, are there some unexpected surprises. Bonds of trust and loyalty are tested, leading to choices that tug at our heartstrings and make us talk (or scream) at our TV sets. And of course, just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, the episode leaves you hanging until the next one.
If you’re new to the series, this episode is a shining example of what Battlestar Galactica is all about. A lost civilization’s lore with the intimate and personal journeys of its characters, all set in the unforgiving setting that is space as a whole. There are moments that will make you cheer, cry, and curse at the screen in a finale that makes you hit that ‘next episode’ prompt without hesitation and ignore any other items on your to-do list for the day.