Battlestar Galactica: Razor

I'm re-watching the entire series on BBC Iplayer and really enjoying the series. Razor part one and two are listed as the first two episodes of season 4 by the BBC and it is exactly right. They sit perfectly in the series and I do not understand why these two episodes are not listed within the main BattleStar Galactica pages on here. For me it was a fantastic start to series 4, which I didn't see first time round, and then series 4 got even better when I saw episode 3, 'He That Believeth In Me'. A great two part story as part of series 4, and we get to see how the Pegasus stories that horrified us when only talked about during dialogue in the the proper series.

The trick with these sorts of reviews is perspective.

Even today (2014) the rebooted BSG series is considered one of the best produced and written series of all time, addictive, as much a game changer for TV as Buffy or Breaking Bad.

Once you understand that, the question you need to ask yourself is, what purpose do these feature length "fillers" serve? Many of the other reviewers here were expecting greatness, something new, something important, and, having failed to find it, got a little peckish.

I believe that these features are simply a chance for the producers to unwind, to show off, to experiment. Almost like having a fast car that you can't drive fast because you're in the city. Take her out on the hiway and see what she can do...

In that context, this is a solid little entertainer. Great use of flashbacks (compared for example to the over-use in series like ARROW).

Great acting. I believe BSG showed us many actors who were capable of greatness if given a chance, yet, post-BSG, we never really saw much of them again.

The scenes between Michelle Forbes and Stephanie Jacobsen are electric. Both deliver far more on-screen wattage than their resumes would suggest. And Jacobsen's exotic looks (she was born in China) once again showcases the ability of the casting director to pick the right actor for the correct role.

To be able to help people that are trying to understand what Razor is and what is not, I decided to write a humble review. Lets start with what it is. Razor is a science-fiction movie that is tightly connected to the series Battlestar Galactica. Therefore, if you don't know the series, it is very unlikely that you can enjoy Razor. The character development part for the characters that are in the series are skipped and we see character development for only three people (Helena Cain, Kendra Shaw, Number Six). As a matter of fact, without knowing events and characters in the series, it is not easy to follow this movie. You can think Razor as a long episode after season three. Now let me briefly talk about what it is not. It is not a must to view before season four. The story of Razor is somehow independent from what is going on in the series and if you don't know it, you can still follow what is going on. As a movie, Razor is not more advanced that the series in terms of CGI. I found it a bit awkward since movies are supposed to have a bigger budget. I didn't find the story very interesting either. The main characters are portrait as extreme females. This is not something we are used to I guess. Also, I can't skip the accent of Stephanie Jacobsen. She really needs to do something about it. Anyways, if you want to watch Razor, do it after season three, not before that. And if you don't know the series, I don't think you can enjoy it.

Gonna make it a short review. I see too many peoplehere bashing it to hell. Remind you, those are the people who , at the end, didnt like the show at all! So they are biased on that alone. Some of the old school hters on this remake will never get enough of the hate they want to spread over this show. Period. I dont like the new season of dr who either. Dont hear me complaining all around. What i want to say is: If you dig the show, you will proberbly be in for this extra episode. that's just how i see it. The new Battlestar galactica isnt without its flaws, but as you can see it for what it is , you weil get: amazing acting/ best music ever in a show. and a great story. One of the best drama series out there.

Excellent stand alone/season 4 intro (watch it how you want) that finally puts the whole franchise's roots on screen.

Centurions, vox-boxes, Gold Centurions! Ah, finally. And they don't look clunky, move poorly OR suffer from Stormtrooper Syndrome.

If, like me, you were not yet 10 when Ben Cartwright began to lead his Wagon Train toward earth, then you probably thought it was the most amazing thing you'd ever seen when first broadcast. Oh, how memory leads you astray. Damn you, VHS cassette and VCR, for ever allowing my golden, hazy dreams of days yore to be punctured by cruel reality. Amazing SFX (but what else from Richard Edlund?), blow-them-out-of-the-water opening (complete with sacrificial-lamb), boring, sermonising speeches, standard over-focus on leads (why does Apollo, a pilot, have to space-walk for the blast/oxygen vent, where are the engineers?), zero development of universe (oh, one comment about "loose" Geminese women) and (come the series) repeated FX shots that weren't simply repeated, but were obviously so.

If, like me, you saw all this, but refused to by bowed by it, then Ronald Moore's arrival on the scene (after Todd Moyer's departure, whew, that was close) was cause for pure rejoicing.

But as the series progressed, it gave fewer and fewer nods to its, admittedly dodgy, source material.

Until Razor. How to meld the painful past with the amazing now without destroying either or, worse, both? Write Razor.

Anybody who says that original Galactica was brilliant, current Galactica is a pale shadow and Razor is just crap is lying. Lying to themselves and you. Original Galactica was hamstrung by budget, pacing and imagination (yes, you read that right, imagination, see "over-focus on leads"), modern Galactica needed the legitimacy of the original. Casting Richard Hatch as Zarek was a good start, this is the perfect bridge.

Oh, and it's a great script, involving three time periods, moral conflicts, interpersonal conflicts and some kind of redemption. And centurions, vox-boxes and Gold Centurions.

By your command! 7.5/10