HD DVD Review: Battlestar Galactica: Season 1

I have only vague memories of watching the original Battlestar Galactica. I remember lots of vipers launching from their triangular “runway” tubes and I remember Dirk Benedict’s hair – or, as I’ll always think of him, “Face” from The A-Team. Although I was never a regular viewer of the original Battlestar, what I have seen places it in the category of outer space camp – that is, more “wink and a nod” than serious sci-fi ought to be. That was 1978. Fast forward 25 years to 2003 – the year Sci-Fi Channel aired the four hour mini-series/pilot of the all new Battlestar Galactica. Once you’ve seen the mini-series, there’s no way not to get hooked. Not only does the new Battlestar stand head and shoulders above the original series, it does the same to just about everything else calling itself sci-fi these days. (If Firefly ever gets back on the air, I might have to revisit that claim.)

Now fully entrenched in the holiday shopping season, both camps in the high def format war are pulling out some big guns. For sci-fi fans, Universal’s Battlestar is one of the biggest and could easily be seen as a title that’s apt to get some “wait and see” consumers off the fence. Making its high def debut exclusively on the HD DVD format, Battlestar’s first season gets a six-disc set containing all thirteen regular season episodes plus the aforementioned mini-series. More importantly, the show gets a 1080p treatment complete with Dolby TrueHD 5.1 sound. As an owner of the Season One DVD set, I was eager to see how this HD DVD collection compared.

On the whole, video quality on this set is strong but it’s not the best high def I’ve seen. The thirteen regular season episodes look better than the mini-series, with the mini-series exhibiting some occasional noise when tackling large, monotone areas such as sky or hallway walls. This at first appeared to be simple film grain, but many crystal clear shots later in the pilot contradict that thinking. In truth, the show’s creators went through a lot of trouble (digitally) to make the show look as rough around the edges as it does. That results in a sometimes uneven picture, but not to worry. This series was designed to look gritty and once you start watching, the effect only furthers the show’s ability to suck you in.

The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mix is a noticeable improvement over the standard Dolby Digital mix on the DVDs. Battlestar’s unconventional score and its frequent battle drums sound fuller and more potent than ever. Dialogue is crisp and intelligible throughout the season.

Special features on this set are basically a rehash of what we got on DVD with one notable difference. Universal has encoded these discs with their “U-Control” feature allowing the viewer to watch picture-in-picture interviews and making-of footage while the show plays in the larger window. This is definitely the way to watch these extras as they greatly benefit from seeing the finished product alongside. Unfortunately, the featurettes have not been upgraded to high def; watched by themselves, they’re an unattractive mix of 4:3 interviews and letterboxed show footage. Other extras include a few web-enabled goodies and a slick but forgettable U-Control mode called “Encyclopedia Galactica.” Something tells me they came up with that (admittedly groovy) name first and threw something together so they could list it on the packaging. On that subject, I’m definitely not a fan of this set’s flimsy plastic case or its flimsy cardboard fold-out. Here’s hoping they come up with something sturdier for subsequent seasons.

Season One of Battlestar looks great on these new HD DVDs. For owners of the DVD set, I wouldn’t classify this set as an upgrade must, but if you don’t own the set yet, this is definitely the one to get. And for the uninitiated, don’t expect the unnaturally polished sheen of a Star Wars prequel and you’ll be all set. Show runners David Eick and Ronald Moore weren’t targeting a George Lucas aesthetic with Battlestar and you won’t find a talking CGI animal anywhere in sight. Is there really any question why this show feels so downright refreshing?

DISC SPECS
Universal Home Entertainment | 2003 | Not Rated
6 Discs | 1.78:1 Aspect Ratio | $99.98

EVALUATION SYSTEM
Epson Home Cinema 1080 projector
92” Da-Lite Deluxe Model B Screen
Philips BDP9000 Blu-ray Disc Player
Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD player
Oppo DV-981HD upconverting DVD player
Onkyo TX-SR805 A/V receiver
Definitive Technology ProCinema 1000 speakers
Datacolor SpyderTV PRO 2007 video calibration
Monster Cable HDMI and interconnects

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