Battlestar Galactica (2004 — 2009)

The television series Battlestar Galactica (2004–2009) followed the journey of the remaining humans from the Twelve Colonies of Kobol after they were destroyed by the Cylons. The group, led by President Laura Roslin and Commander William Adama, traveled in a makeshift fleet of ships with the Battlestar Galactica as their central command. As they evaded pursuit from the Cylons, who sought to eliminate all human survivors, they searched for Earth, a legendary and elusive ‘thirteenth’ colony. Unlike other space-themed shows, Battlestar Galactica featured no humanoid aliens; instead, the antagonists were artificial Cylon androids. Additionally, both sides used traditional weapons such as bullets, rail guns, and missiles rather than futuristic lasers. The show purposefully avoided technical jargon to maintain a sense of realism.

The majority of the stories focus on the aftermath of the Twelve Colonies’ destruction for its survivors and the difficult moral decisions they face amidst the decline of humanity and their ongoing conflict with the Cylons. These narratives also explore themes such as cycles of hatred and violence fueling the human-Cylon war, as well as religion, including a potential ‘God’ and angelic figures who manifest to key characters (primarily Gaius Baltar). Throughout its four seasons, the war between the Colonials and Cylons takes numerous unexpected turns. Despite deep animosity between both sides, eventually, humans and a group of Cylons form an uneasy alliance following the Cylon Civil War.