Discover how to watch the acclaimed sci-fi TV franchise Battlestar Galactica in chronological order.
Created by Glen A. Larson, Battlestar Galactica remains one of the most popular science fiction TV series on record. Launched in 1978, the long-running Sci-Fi franchise concerns the eternal war between the humans from planet Kobol and the Cylons, cybernetic warriors who fight to control the Twelve Colonies. Although the premise remains the same in each franchise entry, there is some confusion about the chronology of events in the BSG timeline.
While there have been two main TV series in the Battlestar Galactica canon, the sprawling Sci-Fi franchise has also produced a spin-off, prequel, reboot, multiple web series, and a pair of movies that every fan should check out. With the recent announcement that Peacock is poised to reboot the series once more, it’s time to steer viewers in the right direction and guide them on how to watch the entire franchise in the proper order.
How to Watch Battlestar Galactica in Chronological Order
The Battlestar Galactica franchise is fairly simple to follow. There aren’t too many different shows to keep track of like with others such as The Walking Dead and its spinoffs. Here is a breakdown of how to watch the series in chronological order.
Series
Season
Release Year
Caprica
1
2010
Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome
1
2012
Battlestar Galactica: The Miniseries
1
2003
Battlestar Galactica
1, 1-2
1978-1979, 2005
Battlestar Galactica: Razor
N/A
2007
Battlestar Galactica: The Plan
N/A
2008
Battlestar Galactica
3-4
2006-2009
Caprica (2010)
Set 58 years before the BSG main series, Caprica aired on the SyFy Channel in 2010. Although the show lasted just one season and 19 episodes, the prequel TV show takes viewers back to the beginning of the war between the humans and Cylons. The story takes place on the planet Caprica, where the Adama and Graystone families settle and deal with the formation of the Cylon robotic army.
Despite airing 32 years after the original main series, Caprica is designed to be seen before the events that take place in BSG. The show may have been canceled due to low ratings before the season was completed, but to understand how the Cylons lived during a time of prosperity before the destruction of the Twelve Colonies and how they evolved to survive following a cataclysmic event, it’s best to start at the beginning of the story. Stream on The Roku Channel.
Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome (2012)
BSG: Blood & Chrome began as a 10-episode web series that aired as a TV movie on the SyFy Channel in 2013. Set after the events seen in Caprica and before those seen in the main BSG series, Blood & Chrome depicts the 10th year of the First Cylon War. The continuity is maintained by following William Adama (Luke Pasqualino), with several characters from Caprica reprising their roles.
Directed by Jonas Pate, Blood & Chrome gives viewers a basic layout and understanding of the timeline set between Caprica and BSG. Much of the story concerns Adama graduating from the academy, rising among the Colonel fleet, and eventually joining the Galactica as it takes on a daring new mission. Despite beginning as a web series, Blood & Chrome scored three Primetime Emmy nominations for its sound and VFX. Rent on Prime Video & Apple TV.
Battlestar Galactica: The Miniseries (2003)
In 2003, Universal Television created a two-part BSG miniseries to relaunch the popular Sci-Fi show. The three-hour war miniseries finds a long-held peace treaty between the two rival factions broken, resulting in the Second Cylon War. The cybernetic army gets the upper hand when it nearly wipes out all of humanity with a deadly nuclear attack, prompting retaliation from a fully matured William Adama (Edward James Olmos).
Upon airing on the Sci-Fi network, BSG: The Miniseries became a critical and commercial success for the network and immediately led to the production of the rebooted main series the following year. BSG: The Miniseries introduces many of the main characters fans would come to know and love, including Mary McDonnell, Tricia Hefler, Katee Sackhoff, James Callis, Callum Keith Rennie, Grace Park, and more. It’s paramount to watch the miniseries after Blood & Chrome and before the first two seasons of the main series. Purchase on Prime Video.
Battlestar Galactica The Main Series — Season 1-2 (1978-1979, 2005)
Whether tuning into the 1978 version or the 2004 reboot, the next destination for completists is the main Battlestar Galactica TV series. The reboot tells the same story of the war for control of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol yet improves the action through technological advancement to increase the dramatic stakes and visceral nature of the clash between the Cylons and their human makers.
The BSG reboot drew such acclaim that it earned a Peabody Award and the Television Critics Association’s Program of the Year Award. For fans looking to watch the entire BSG series in the proper order, it’s wise to start the main series after BSG: The Miniseries. However, it’s also vital to distinguish the continuity between the 1978 original and the 2004 reboot. If watching the original 1978 series, it’s wise to finish the whole series (2 Seasons, including Battlestar Galactica 1980). If watching the iconic reboot, it’s smart to watch Seasons 1 and 2 before checking out the interstitial TV movies. The original 1978 version is available for purchase on Apple TV and the reboot is available to purchase on Prime Video.
Battlestar Galactica: Razor (2007)
Once completing Seasons 1-2 of the main BSG series, it’s time to tune in to Battlestar Galactica: Razor. Set during the events of the miniseries and Seasons 1-2 of the main series, Razor is a made-for-TV Sci-Fi movie that aired on Sky One and the Sci-Fi Channel between Seasons 3 and 4 of the reboot. The story follows Lee Adama’s (Jamie Bamber) 30-day command of the Pegasus.
While the continuity gets a bit fuzzy due to the flashbacks to Season 2, completists should find out what transpires in Razor to fully grasp the dramatic impact of the main series’ conclusion. The story advances Lee Adama’s arc as well as that of Admiral Helena Cain (Michelle Forbes) and Major Kendra Shaw (Stephanie Jacobsen). Razor also dovetails directly into one more TV movie before the main series returns to progress the franchise. Purchase on Vudu.
Battlestar Galactica: The Plan (2008)
Released one year after Razor, Battlestar Galactica: The Plan tells the same story as the miniseries and Seasons 1-2 of the main series, but from the Cylons’ perspective. The premise concerns the Cylons’ quest to destroy humanity, focusing on two versions of the humanoid John Cavil and the rise of the Final Five Cylons. While some fans may urge others to skip the TV movie, The Plan fits snuggly within the timeline of overarching BSG events and should be viewed as such.
Although The Plan reveals that the Cylons never had much of an organized plan to wipe out humanity, the characterizations are compelling enough to warrant a watch. The movie also harkens back to the action on the planet Caprica, giving the story a continuous throughline that dates back to before the war to control the Twelve Colonies. While some fans have suggested watching The Plan after finishing the main series to avoid spoilers, the show was designed to be seen before Season 3. Currently unavailable to stream.
Battlestar Galactica The Main Series — Seasons 3-4 (2006-2009)
Once completing The Plan, fans can wrap up the entire story by watching Seasons 3 and 4 of the BSG reboot. The third season of the classic Sci-Fi TV show picks up four months after the Cylon army has occupied New Caprica, forcing Adama and Apollo to formulate a plan to rescue the endangered colonists. By the end of Season 3, the crew leaps into the Ionian Nebula and sets up a suspenseful cliffhanger for the series finale.
By the fourth and final season of Battlestar Galactica, many unresolved storylines converge into one satisfying narrative. The identity of the fifth and final Cylon is revealed, Hera is rescued from the Cylons, and Admiral Adama leads Galactica into one final harrowing battle that leaves the fate of the entire crew hanging in the balance. While it’s okay to watch The Plan before or after Season 4 of the BSG reboot, every fan of the landmark Sci-Fi franchise should complete the reboot before the new Peacock series debuts. Purchase on Prime Video.
How to Watch Battlestar Galactica in Release Order
In contrast, if you’re more interested in watching the Battlestar saga play out as it was released to the world, then you can watch in release order. Here’s how that looks:
Series
Season
Release Year
Battlestar Galactica
1
1978
Battlestar Galactica: The Miniseries
1
2003
Battlestar Galactica
1-3
2005-2006
Battlestar Galactica: Razor
N/A
2007
Battlestar Galactica
4
2009
Battlestar Galactica: The Plan
N/A
2009
Caprica
1
2010
Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome
1
2012