Battlestar Galactica (TV Series) Exodus: Part 2 (2006) User Reviews

In summary

[davethejackal · 10/10 · 23 October 2006]

I think the best way to put this, without giving anything away, is to describe "exodus part 2" as the best episode of any TV series I've ever seen.

Ever.

Drama, emotion, tension, excitement, surprises, superb acting, characterisation, a script beyond compare, it's all there plus huge space battles with big guns n explosions n stuff! Could you ask for more?

I wasn't an early convert to galactica, but now I'm hooked and, barring any 'the shield' like nose dives in quality will be there until the end.

Keep up the good work scifi channel, you done good.

A space opera with real emotion. Simply excellent.

[DVD_Connoisseur · 9/10 · 28 January 2007]

I sat watching the second part of "Exodus" with my jaw open and tears in my eyes. "Battlestar Galactica" is proving to be one of the most genuinely moving pieces of television drama I've ever had the pleasure of watching. I was emotionally drained by the end of this second-half (in the best possible way).

The third series is proving bigger and better than any made-for-television sci-fi has any right to be. Scenes of the Galactica's assault on the mighty Cylons will linger with the viewer forever. We've seen space battles before but nothing in recent years has the same heart-pulling impact and originality as the scenes here. The images of space carnage are brilliantly realised and realistic.

Perhaps the most enjoyable "episode" so far, the two-part "Exodus" is strongly recommended.

Best Episode of the Series to Date

[1stbrigade · 10/10 · 23 November 2007]

"Exodus: Part Two" is the best episode of the new "Galactica" series to date! The entire cast take their characters to new areas, making this a richly-performed experience. Michael Hogan gives his best performance to date as Colonel Tigh, bringing a humanity to the character that has not been seen until now. The rest of the cast does a fantastic job as well. The story is very powerful, as well as very exciting. This episode also features several twists and turns that will leave everyone on the edge of their seats until the climax. As a fan of the show, this episode showed that there is still life in this epic, powerful show. Great entertainment, and highly recommended! Grade: A+

Tragedy, Hope and the Will to Survive

[mstomaso · 10/10 · 30 December 2007]

The cracks in the Cylon occupation are forced wider and wider apart by the colonial resistance and the Cylon's own growing internal fragmentation. Baltar, who appears more expendable to the Cylons every day, clings desperately to Caprica and any remaining hope for survival he can grasp, and Colonel Tigh must face the fact that his wife's behavior has endangered the entire resistance. Meanwhile, Sharon is on her way to the colony with a brave plan to recover the colonists.

A lot happens in this pivotal episode in the third season's great story arc, and the production - from script to camera to performance - is right where it needs to be in order to carry it all off. Fans of Sackhoff, Olmos and Callis should all enjoy their excellent contributions to this episode.

See it, but make sure you do it in the sequence intended by the writers. Otherwise - what you're seeing won't make much sense.

Amazing episode

[jonmcg93 · 10/10 · 21 October 2006]

What can I say, this show simply keeps getting better and better the more I watch it. It starts with the showdown with tigh's wife from last week, and the decision is made to "take care of her". In a heartfelt moment as she lies "dying" in his arms, the leader of the insurgency breaks down showing underneath that gruff exterior beats the heart of a man that truly loved his wife through thick and thin. It was a great start to an amazing show.

The Galactica begins jump prep to save the colonists, as the attacks on the ground start up. After the FTL jump, The raptors and vipers jump into the system luring the cylon base ships away, and the Galactica FTL jumps into the atmosphere of the planet, flaming away and plummeting to the surface. As it falls, burning the remaining vipers launch to provide air cover for the colonists to escape. The Galactica FTL jumps back into orbit and the fighting continues on the ground and in the skies. As the ships on the planet get crewed and FTL jump the Galactica is getting hammered badly, with a down FTL drive from damage by 4 cylon base ships, and all seems lost. That is until the Pegasus appears and helps even the odds until the Galactica's FTL drive is repaired.

Planet side, Anders finds Starbuck knocked out in her captive apartment and rescues her. She awakens being carried down the hall on his back and scrambles off to go back after Casey (her hybrid child from Caprica). She arrives back in the room and finds her only to be confronted by the Conroy Model Cylon. As Casey looks on, Starbuck apparently succumbs to Conroy and tells him she loves him and they kiss rather passionately. Then in true Starbuck fashion she stabs him in the stomach, gathers up Casey and flees with Anders to the escape ship.

Meanwhile on Colonial One, the Biers (Lucy Lawlwss) model cylon goes to set off the Cylon nuke failsafe and Gaeta, Baltar and Caprica 6 have a tense showdown. Gaeta pulls a gun on Baltar and is about to pull the trigger when Baltar grabs Gaeta's gun hand puts it under his chin begging Gaeta to kill him and get it over with. " Humanity will die with me" Baltar says, unless he can stop the Biers model cylon from detonating the nuke. Gaeta hands him the gun and flees in all appearances to a transport off the planet.

The Biers model, goes to the Oracles tent looking for something. Outside Baltar and Caprica 6 hear a baby crying and happen upon Hera, Helo and Sharons child in the arms of her now deceased foster mother. The Biers model hears the child crying, and comes out to see Baltar and Caprica 6 holding her. She asks to hold the baby and Baltar hands Hera over.

It transitions to the space battle where Pegasus is taking the brunt of the fire from the four base ships. Galactica's FTL drive is repaired, and they jump out to the recall point. Pegasus is set to a suicide run and the remaining crew including Apollo and Dualla board a raptor and jump away as Pegasus crashes into two base ship destroying them.

The final few minutes find Galactica and Pegasus's crew reunited. Starbuck learns that her "child" is in fact a human child that was abducted from her mother and it was an apparent ruse on the part of the Conroy model cylon to make Starbuck "love" him.

The show ends with Adama being born out on the crews shoulders cheering and Tigh leaving the flight deck emotionally.

All in all an excellent show.

Brilliant

[ridsouto · 10/10 · 7 March 2007]

I have to agree with other comments here. If this is not the best episode for any TV series ever, it's certainly damn close. IMO, yes, it's the best.

Just a couple of points:

Acting: Michael Hogan - Edward James Olmos --- Need to say more? Olmos/Adama is imposing as ever, his speech (Exodus Part 1) is just delightful; on Part 2, he doesn't even need to speak too much to deliver great acting. And if there were any justice in this world, the Academy of Television would beg on its knees to Hogan to accept an Emmy for his portrait of Tigh. Just the scene with his wife would be enough for that. And this guy needs just one eye to perform superbly!!!

Action sequences: nothing on TV can compare with this. It's not just awesome special effects (enough money can buy them), it's also impeccable timing to ensure a roller-coaster.

The low point, I think, is the whole Baltar storyline. James Callis is one of the best in the cast, but the story itself sounded a bit too weak. The nuke plot made very little sense, and the whole thing about Hera... what the heck is about her??? Even so, you can (have to!) forgive these small nuisances in such a wonderful episode.

Not every episode of BSG is worth watching it, moreover on this irregular Season 3, but "Exodus" alone is more than enough to make me watch all the remainder of the season and the next one.

Season 3 gets off to a hell of a start with this 2 parter...

[locutus12 · 10/10 · 22 November 2006]

hmmm... it is always difficult to write a review of something without giving anything away so i will simply add this small gleaming...

there is a point at which youl be sat there watching this second part and have a reaction much like i did of: "OOOOOO! I Didn't KNOW THE GALACTICA COULD DO THAT!!! ^_^" it was one of the more strategically impressive manoeuvre's I've seen in any science fiction show and youl know exactly what im talking about when you see it happen...

As per usual, the story line is fluid excellent and gripping, to the point where i actually shed a tear or two for Colonel Thai (youl understand why), and as triumphant as the ending may be you cant help but question... "at what cost to all" was it achieved.

So good, even predictable elements did not spoil it

[fabnapp · 10/10 · 24 October 2006]

i have to agree that this is the best TV episode i can remember.

its so fantastic that i easily forgive those two very predictable elements, namely:

• Pegasus saving the day and - the sacrifice of Pegasus, which was overdue

I was between tears and triumph all through the show. the sight of colonel thigh (sp?) walking away as a broken lonely man will haunt me for some time, as will the picture of Galactica diving through the atmosphere. The attack was well planned and logical as always the effects were brilliant, the acting was at its best.

The best episode of anything I've ever watched on TV

[allan-doyle1973 · 10/10 · 3 January 2018]

I'm on my third time watch of the reimagines BSG and this episode is its blue ribbon event. If you every needed a kick in the guts to reignite a viewers interest then this is a textbook way to do it.

It is a tour de force in storytelling, direction, music score, acting and CGI and leaves nothing to chance in the ongoing narrative. Seconded only by the series closing episodes "Daybreak"

The Walking Dead could take a leaf out of the BSG cookbook about now!

Mindblowingly brilliant

[gritfrombray-1 · 10/10 · 4 April 2007]

Better and better this show got from day one. The drama on the planet including Tigh having to poison his wife for betraying the Colonists to the Cylons, suicide bombers, Kara's imprisonment and Galactica under heavy assault from the Cylons made this for one of the best episodes so far. Then, Pegasus leaping into the fray and saving Galactica when sacrificing itself at least brought closure to the Pegasus story. And a glorious space battle! In the original show the viewers were left wondering was the Pegasus destroyed or not. Kara's and Colonel Tigh's scenes at the very end were particularly poignant and very touching. Kara's scenes earlier with the Cylon were left wide open to be followed up on later. This is one show that can do very little wrong.

back on track

[jojupu · 10/10 · 22 October 2006]

As I was rather sceptical about the time jump made at the end of season 2, I did not expect to be so easily drawn in again for the third season.

However, after the rather bleak atmosphere in "Occupation" and Precipice", the two parts of "Exodus" offer everything I love about Battlestar Galactica: mind-numbing action, excellent drama, for the most part excellent actors, clever camera work (which is rare on television) and yet no serious killing of major characters (I was kinda worried about my seven to eight favorites- another wonderful aspect is the spectrum of recurring guest stars).

The only part worrying me was the Starbuck-Leoben-storyline (that reminded me unpleasantly of "Lost"),but it was dealt with rather cleverly in the end (sometimes I get the feeling that the writer's main ambition is to disappoint all eager speculation). After this action-driven episode I look forward to seeing the fleet back on the run dealing with the changes its stop on New Caprica brought up.

And I hope that the next episode,"Collaborators", won't have us seeing too many bodies (don't kill Gaeta!!)

EXODUS Pt. 2 of BStarG is as kick-ass as can be

[UNOhwen · 12 November 2011]

With preparations for Galactica to get the colonists off Cylon-controlled New Caprica well under way, the final pieces are set, and away we go!

Exodus picks up where Pt. 1 left off - with the uncovering of Ellen Tigh's betrayal of the colonists - to save Saul, and Lee Adama - Pegasus' - and the (possible) leader of whatever will be left of the 'rag-tag troop,' being sent away, as Admiral Bill Adama has already jumped Galactica, on what looks to be a one-way, suicidal mission to regain the colonists.

Tensions build slowly for the first half hour, as the plan's set up. But, with the (incredible!) arrival of Galactica - midway through - at New Caprica, the intensity gets ratcheted way up.

Colonists are scrambling, to leave the Cylons, and as Galactica's Vipers are launched, Galactica comes in to the planet's atmosphere - it's belly glowing red-hot, and, for those aboard her, rattling.

At the last possible moment. Adama orders 'jump,' and in a flash, Galactica's gone, and the battle is under way.

I'm not going to tell any more of the plot (spoilers!)

What I will say is, are at a big point in BSG's third season, and, the arc that will propel us forward, are beginning - slowly - to germinate here, with humanity reunited.

The road has been a difficult one, and, as the hybrids have said, thought the series; 'all of this has happened before, and will happen again,' life will not necessarily get 'easier,' for Galcactica, humanity, the Cylons - or us.

But, persevere they have, they must.

They will.

Complete nonsense with some great CGI

[tomasajdari · 3/10 · 29 May 2018]

Damn, the nonsense in this episode gives me depression that is so deep that I can't even describe the plot holes and nonsense - oh which there are about 20 examples (1 per 120 seconds!!!).

A burst of gun fire would have stopped the escape dead in its tracks, judging by the episode "33" and the destruction of OC by gun fire.

Powerful, Inspiring and Heart-Breaking!

[spasek · 10/10 · 11 April 2022]

Easily one of the best episodes of the series that sees the colonials finally getting off New Caprica. Seeing the Galactica falling out of the sky was a thing of pure beauty as Adama attempts to rescue everyone.

One of the things I love about the series is that there are always repercussions and consequences for everything as we'll see the fallout for Baltar, Starbuck, Tigh, as well as decisions made by Roslin and Adama.

One of the most powerful images of the series sees the Galactica being pounded by four basestars, and then...here comes Pegasus! The very first time I saw this episode, I whooped and cheered as Pegasus entered the frame. At the same time, it was sad to see "the Beast" go down, albeit in the most heroic fashion.

Heart-breaking images--Pegasus aside--was Tigh sobbing over Ellen. Starbuck's heart-breaking reaction when she finds out that Leoben lied to her about Kacey, and also Tigh--who can only walk away sadly as Adama is carried away on shoulders to a parade of cheers.

We learn that not everyone shares in a victory, and we sometimes--too often--forget that there are those who come away in real pain with real scars.

And just when you thought BSG couldn't still surprise you, there are plenty more coming up! Brilliant writing and performances continue.

Escape from New Caprica

[Tweekums · 10/10 · 16 November 2011]

The first part of this two part story set everything up; now it is time to see how Adama will rescue the population from the surface of New Caprica without taking catastrophic casualties... when that rescue begins it will be spectacular! Before any of that happens though there is still the issue of Ellen's betrayal that Colonel Tigh must deal with; this scene was surprisingly touching with fine performances from Michael Hogan and Kate Vernon. Once the real action starts it is all very exciting with insurgents on the ground rising up to fight the Cylons as Galactica's Vipers scream overhead having being launched spectacularly as the battlestar plunges through the atmosphere. As the battle rages it looks as if all is lost until Pegasus arrives in a scene that should stir even the most cynical viewer.

This was a great conclusion to the short 'New Caprica' arc featuring some spectacular action as well as some surprisingly emotional scenes such as the aforementioned scene between Col. Tigh and his wife and Starbuck's rescue of Casey. The action scenes are filmed in cinéma vérité style which throws the viewer right into the action both on the ground and in space where battlestars fight against Cylon base ships! After these excellent introductory episodes I just hope the season can maintain its quality.

Wow

[Scott-12 · 10/10 · 6 May 2022]

Exodus, parts 1 and 2, is quite simply some of the best drama I have ever seen on television. From the close intimate scenes to the epic space battle scenes, there just is nothing that has ever compared to this. Even all these years after it aired, this two part episode will take your breath away.