HOW TO WATCH BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

Caprica
To be honest, the show is not great, and it is completely understandable why it was canceled, but it does fill in some back story and is not entirely awful. It is unfortunate that it is only available on DVD as it is a pretty good show that would have looked good in 1080p. While made after BSG it is simply not as good, so watching it after BSG just makes it seem even worse than it really is, and it is chronologically first. It just makes the most sense to start here if you are going to watch it.

  • Episode 1, Pilot, Part 1

  • Episode 2, Pilot, Part 2

  • Episode 3, Rebirth

  • Episode 4, Reins of a Waterfall

  • Episode 5, Gravedancing

  • Episode 6, There Is Another Sky

  • Episode 7, Know Thy Enemy

  • Episode 8, The Imperfections of Memory

  • Episode 9, Ghosts in the Machine

  • Episode 10, End of the Line

  • Episode 11, Unvanquished

  • Episode 12, Retribution

  • Episode 13, Things We Lock Away

  • Episode 14, False Labor

  • Episode 15, Blowback

  • Episode 16, The Dirteaters

  • Episode 17, The Heavens Will Rise

  • Episode 18, Here Be Dragons

  • Episode 19, Apotheosis

Blood and Chrome
Mini series takes place between Caprica and BSG during the first war. Fun show, and it is unfortunate that they did not turn it into a full series as they intended.

The Mini-Series
This is viewed before the 'technical' Season 1 as the first official episode of Season 1 includes "previously on" clips from the Mini-Series. And note the Boxed Set includes the Mini-Series in the Season 1 box.

Season 1
The boxed set includes the Mini-Series Parts 1 and 2 on one disc, and Season 1 Episodes 1-13 over the next 3 discs.

  • Episode 1, 33

  • Episode 2, Water

  • Episode 3, Bastille Day

  • Episode 4, Act of Contrition

  • Episode 5, You Can’t Go Home Again

  • Episode 6, Litmus

  • Episode 7, Six Degrees of Separation

  • Episode 8, Flesh and Bone

  • Episode 9, Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down

  • Episode 10, The Hand of God

  • Episode 11, Colonial Day

  • Episode 12, Kobol’s Last Gleaming, Part 1

  • Episode 13, Kobol’s Last Gleaming, Part 2

Season 2
Episodes 1-20 over 5 discs. Do note that Disc Two ends with the originally aired version of Episode 10 "Pegasus", while Disc 3 starts with an extended version of that same episode.

  • Episode 1, Scattered

  • Episode 2, Valley of Darkness

  • Episode 3, Fragged

  • Episode 4, Resistance

  • Episode 5, The Farm

  • Episode 6, Home, Part 1

  • Episode 7, Home, Part 2

  • Episode 8, Final Cut

  • Episode 9, Flight of the Phoenix

  • Episode 10, Pegasus

  • Episode 11, Resurrection Ship, Part 1

  • Episode 12, Resurrection Ship, Part 2

  • Episode 13, Epiphanies

  • Episode 14, Black Market

  • Episode 15, Scar

  • Episode 16, Sacrifice

  • Episode 17, The Captain’s Hand

INSERT: Razor (extended version, including Razor flashbacks, Vudu)
Razor Flashbacks were released first, but a lot of the content is in the Razor movie, so it is optional viewing. There is a bit at the beginning and ending of Flashbacks that are not in the movie that make it worth watching once, but otherwise I would just watch the movie and be done with it. Also, the Razor movie is technically the first 2 aired episodes of Season 4, and there are some minor spoilers for Season 4 at the end, but at the same time it makes some sense to view this as history from Season 4's perspective.

Season 2 (continued)

  • Episode 18, Downloaded

  • Episode 19, Lay Down Your Burdens, Part 1

  • Episode 20, Lay Down Your Burdens, Part 2

INSERT: The Plan
The Plan is essentially a recap of the first few seasons from the Cylon's perspective. Rather than watching it after Season 2 where it is placed chronologically, some believe it acts better as a recap of the series and a reveal of what the Cylons have been up to just before the series climax. The Plan, one of the TV movies, is a notable exception to chronological order. It covers the same period of time that the first two seasons cover. But it does so from the Cylon perspective. To avoid spoilers, it’s best to watch The Plan after Season 4 Episode 15. Case 5: Labeled "Battlestar Galactica, The Plan" is merely the retail box version of "The Plan" made for TV movie included in the set.

The Resistance (all parts combined, YouTube)
The Resistance webisodes are horrible quality, but it is a good little story arc that sets up Season 3 so it is worth watching at least once.

Season 3
Includes Season Three Episodes 1-20 over 5 discs, and "The Resistance" webisodes as an extra on disc 2. Similar to season two, disc 2 ends with the originally aired version of Episode 9 "Unfinished Business", while disc 3 opens with an extended version of the same episode.
A word of caution; the webisodes of "The Resistance" are extremely poor quality, not even proper SD quality. It literally looks as if they lost the original footage, re-downloaded a 360p stream from YouTube, interlaced it, and slapped it on the disc. Still, some interesting story points and world building, so it is worth seeing at least once, but if you can't stand the quality then you are not missing much. All 10 webisodes are set as a single title on the disc separated by chapter breaks and title cards.

  • Episode 1, Occupation

  • Episode 2, Precipice

  • Episode 3, Exodus, Part 1

  • Episode 4, Exodus, Part 2

  • Episode 5, Collaborators

  • Episode 6, Torn

  • Episode 7, A Measure of Salvation

  • Episode 8, Hero

  • Episode 9, Unfinished Business

  • Episode 10, The Passage

  • Episode 11, The Eye of Jupiter

  • Episode 12, Rapture

  • Episode 13, Taking a Break From All Your Worries

  • Episode 14, The Woman King

  • Episode 15, A Day in the Life

  • Episode 16, Dirty Hands

  • Episode 17, Maelstrom

  • Episode 18, The Son Also Rises

  • Episode 19, Crossroads, Part 1

  • Episode 20, Crossroads, Part 2

Season 4
Case 4: Labeled "Season Four" Includes the Razor movie, the "Razor Flashbacks" minisodes (because calling them 'webisodes' would be too consistent) on one disc, with Season 4.0 across 2 discs, and Season 4.5 across 3 discs. Episodes 12 "A Disquiet Follows My Soul", and 18 "Islanded in a Stream of Stars", have the original episodes followed by their extended versions; but this time they are each on the same disc rather than being split across discs which is much less confusing. Also, the last 3 episodes (Daybreak parts 1, 2 & 3) are all cut together as a single 150 minute episode with extended content at the very end. Lastly, the minisodes, while still interlaced SD footage, are of much MUCH better quality than "The Resistance" webisodes. They are all strung together as a single title with fades and chapter breaks between each minisode. Certainly worth watching as part of the series.

  • Episode 1, He That Believeth In Me

  • Episode 2, Six of One

  • Episode 3, The Ties That Bind

  • Episode 4, Escape Velocity

  • Episode 5, The Road Less Traveled

  • Episode 6, Faith

  • Episode 7, Guess What’s Coming to Dinner?

  • Episode 8, Sine Qua Non

  • Episode 9, The Hub

  • Episode 10, Revelations

  • Episode 11, Sometimes a Great Notion

INSERT: The Face of the Enemy (all parts in playlist, YouTube)
As stated before, the only thing missing are "The Face of the Enemy" webisodes/minisodes/web miniseries that takes place between Seasons 4.0 and 4.5. The Face of the Enemy webisodes. While difficult to find (only legally available in the US on Hulu) they are great and set up Episode 12 very nicely. Certainly worth finding and I wish it was available on DVD or BluRay (though I would not repurchase the entire series just to have this as an extra).

Season 4 (continued)

  • Episode 12, A Disquiet Follows My Soul

  • Episode 13, The Oath

  • Episode 14, Blood on the Scales

  • Episode 15, No Exit

NOTE: If you wanted to avoid spoilers, then here is where you would watch The Plan

Season 4 (continued)

  • Episode 16, Deadlock

  • Episode 17, Someone to Watch Over Me

  • Episode 18, Islanded In a Stream of Stars

  • Episode 19, Daybreak, Part 1

  • Episode 20, Daybreak, Part 2

  • Episode 21, Daybreak, Part 3