RDM Names his Top 12 Episodes--What are Yours?

Television, Movies Games and Books BSG-2003
#1

With all the tension in the Fleet these days, I think it’s a good time to look back at happier times–you know, like that time when Adama and Cain nearly assassinated each other, or when Tigh lost his eye and then killed his wife, or when Leoben played Stockholm Syndrome House with Kara and she killed him 37 times… Okay, so BSG doesn’t lend itself well to looking back at the good ol’ days, but RDM put together a list of his Top 12 Episodes for iTunes, and I thought his choices and reasons for them were interesting:

  1. 33
    First episode of the first season and still one of our best. I like the non-traditional structure of the piece and the way it just plunges the audience into a tense situation.

2 & 3) Lay Down Your Burdens, Pt. I & Pt. II
The best of our cliffhangers. The personal and the political collide when Laura decides to steal the election, and the leap ahead a year in time remains one of my favorite moments in the entire series.

  1. Pegasus
    Tremendous performances by Michelle Forbes as Admiral Caine and Tricia Helfer as Gina make this a great chapter. I love the design of the Pegasus herself and the way Adama gives up command of his fleet with such grace.

  2. Occupation / Precipice
    The occupation of New Caprica by the Cylons was wonderfully realized by the entire production team. Seeing our characters struggle with the morality of the resistance while the audience struggles to understand the lives they led in the intervening year make for a rich brew of story and character.

  3. Act of Contrition
    Kara’s confession to Adama that she was responsible for Zak’s death is a powerful and devastating moment, with standout performances by Eddie and Katee. The flashback structure built around Kara’s ejection and her memories of meeting Adama, opened new doors for the series in terms of narrative structure.

  4. Downloaded
    Seeing the story from the Cylon point of view opened up the story in a new way and challenged our assumptions about heroes and villains in the Galactica universe.

  5. Unfinished Business
    I found the interplay between the boxing tournament and the memories of life back on New Caprica to be both moving and poetic. The lion’s share of credit goes to director Bob Young’s sensitivity to character emotion and his instinct for the strong bones of the story.

  6. Flesh and Bone
    A tough to watch episode, this one delves into philosophy, religion and morality without ever losing the underlying tension of the piece.

  7. Hand of God
    The best flat-out action story we ever did with a nice father & son story at its heart.

11 & 12) Exodus, Pt. I & Pt. II
The final escape from New Caprica is breathless from start to finish and the final reunion of Adama and Tigh aboard Galactica is both satisfying and heartbreaking at all once.

So what do you think of his list? I do find it curious that there are no Season 4 episodes listed–maybe RDM didn’t know when iTunes would post the list and didn’t want to list episodes that wouldn’t be released yet? What would your list of favorite BSG episodes look like?

#2

No “Black Market”?

#3

It would be difficult for me to make a list of 12 best episodes, I tend to remember more moment in episodes and would have to research the names. My guess is if I made a list it would probably resemble Moore’s, with Exodus 1 and 2 and Pegasus being higher up. Also, Razor would make my list. It was nice to see the story from a different perspective and the old Cylons were a nice touch.

#4

I really like RDM’s list, actually. I would add “Faith” and “Collaborators” to that list. Maybe also “The Woman King” and “Black Market…” :wink:

#5

I’d have to add Home Pts 1 & 2…

#6

Same here. I don’t like entire episodes, per se, but there are some that that have a greater majority of awesome moments than others. Other than Act of Contrition and 33, though, RDM’s list wasn’t bad at all.

#7

I would add these too. After my last rewatch I remember saying to myself, damn those are good!

I don’t know that I can limit it to twelve. But I do like RDM’s list.

Re: no season 4, do we know when the list was written? Because I would definitely put some of the episodes on a top episodes list - I think that The Oath was an even better action story than Hand of God, hands down :wink:

#8

This requires much thinking and looking back.
I will return with my tops later.

#9

33

Flesh and Bone

Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down

Kobols Last Gleaming I & II

Home I & II

Pegasus

Resurrection Ship I & II

Exodus I & II

The Passage

Rapture

Maelstrom

Crossroads I & II

My list.
I didnt feel it fair to include Season 4 just yet since all of it hasnt been shown.

#10

Obviously the last two were jokes. But here’s another good one, for me: “Taking a Break from All Your Worries.”

#11

Don’t know what my top 12 are, but I agree with him about “33”

#12

One problem with RDM’s list is it comprises seven consecutive episodes, from “Downloaded” in S2 to “Exodus, Pt. 2” in S3. I think they are all outstanding episodes, but I really choose the bookends to represent that story arc.

I’m choosing 12 through S3 and then my top 2 of S4.0:

S1: 33*, The Hand of God*, Kobol’s Last Gleaming Pt 2.
S2: Fragged, Home Pt. 2, Final Cut, Downloaded*, Lay Down Your Burdens, Pt 2.*
S3: Exodus Pt. 2*, A Measure of Salvation, Rapture, Razor

S4.0: “Six of One” and “Hub”

*on RDM’s list.

Overall, I really enjoyed S2, to include “Valley of Darkness” with the Centurions on board and “Scar”. For S1, I enjoyed “You Can’t Go Home Again”.

#13

Is downloaded the same episode where Chief builds the Blackbird? The christening ceremony is one of the best points in the series…

#14

And is it completely wrong of me to actually like Black Market?

#15

Yes. It means you are a bad person.

#16

That was in “Flight of the Pheonix” s2 episode 9. :slight_smile:

#17

I like Black Market too.
So dont feel bad.

#18

I can’t remeber an episode, I outright hated. Some of the episodes don’t have quick pacing or plot advancements but they are enjoyable. Black market was a pretty good episode.

#19

Well I already knew that. :wink: I was just wondering if it was wrong…

Okay, then I’ll add that to the list…

Apparently you’re a bad person to… You’re a smart person with good taste, but bad nonetheless… :wink:

#20

Yes - you must subjugate your views to those of the masses.