Battlestar Galactica: A Timeline

ATTENTION: If you have not seen the two broadcast TV series at least once, STOP reading now; there are spoilers.

ALERT: If you have seen this before, please note changes.  After watching some of the deleted scenes, I have decided they should be included here because most of them are helpful to understanding certain points, and some are just interesting, like the incident where Bill Adama and Saul Tigh meet.  For the most part, they are grouped together in sections and I have placed each group after the last episode in the set.  Also, I have "boxed" Dynamite Entertainment's comic series Battlestar Galactia #0-12.

This is a timeline of broadcast, digital, DVD, and graphic media (comics) of the scifi TV show Battlestar Galactica produced by Ronald D. Moore, abbreviated BSG: TRS (for The Reimagined Series, vs. The Original Series) or BSG: RDM (for Ronald D. Moore).  It is also known as New Battlestar Galactica, versus Classic Battlestar Galactica, especially in comics and novels.  The Original Series premiered in 1978 running through 1979, then came back for a year in 1980.

The pilot miniseries for BSG: TRS came out in December 2013 and was followed by the core series in autumn 2004, which finished in spring 2009.  The webiseries and the TV and DVD movies came out during that run. 

The prequel Caprica premiered in the fall of 2009 and ran through the spring of 2010, and even though Moore was not directly involved himself, it followed the same TRS/RDM continuity. 

The various series of BSG: TRS-related comics, published by Digital Entertainment, began appearing in 2006 and continued through 2009.  The last of these was Battlestar Galactica: The Final Five, the official backstory of the Final Five Cylons.  In 2014, the company published a miniseries on the backstory for Number Six of the Significant Eight Cylons.  Then Dynamite Comics took over and published Battlestar Galactica: Twilight Command in 2019.

Entries below in standard font are video, while those in italics are graphic.

The Story of the Thirteenth Tribe

Note: The role of Samuel Anders in issue #3, which takes place on Earth, conflicts significantly with the version of events told in the TV series.

Battlestar Galactica: The Final Five #1-3 (Apr-Jun 2009)

Caprica (broadcast TV: Jan-Mar 2010; Oct 2010-Jan 2011)

Ronald D. Moore has no direct involvment with this series; however, nearly all of the show’s producion crew were veterans of BSG:TRS.  In addition, at least two of the actors in RDM productions of BSG crossed over to Caprica: Carmen Moore, who played Fidelia Faezekas, earlier played Nina Leothe on Blood and Chrome and a priestess on New Caprica (uncredited) in the webseries The Resistance; and Lucianna Caro, who played Kat on BSG:TRS also played Priyah Magnus in Caprica.

Season 1

CAP s01e01e02 Pilot (first released on DVD, Apr 2009)

            Deleted Scenes s01e01e02

CAP s01e03 Rebirth

CAP s01e04 Reins of a Waterfall

            Deleted Scenes 1 (s01e03e04)

CAP s01e05 Gravedancing

CAP s01e06 There Is Another Sky

CAP s01e07 Know Thy Enemy

            Deleted Scenes 2 (s01e05-e07)

CAP s01e08 The Imperfections of Memory

CAP s01e09 Ghost in the Machine

CAP s01e10 End of Line

            Deleted Scenes 3 (s01e08-e10)

CAP s01e11 Unvanquished

            Deleted Scenes s01e11

CAP s01e12 Retribution

            Deleted Scenes s01e12

CAP s01e13 Things We Lock Away

            Deleted Scenes s01e13

CAP s01e14 False Labor

CAP s01e15 Blowback

            Deleted Scenes s01e15

CAP s01e16 The Dirteaters

CAP s01e17 The Heavens Will Rise

CAP s01e18 Here Be Dragons

            Deleted Scenes s01e18

CAP s01e19 Apotheosis

Season 2

This season was, of course, never broadcast or even filmed, but the epilogue “The Shape of Things to Come” inserted at the end of “Apotheosis” provided a brief synopsis of what could have been.  In an April 2011 interview, however, showrunner Kevin Murphy laid out some details of an outline of the series had there been an actual Season 2.  Like the epilogue, the season would have taken place five years after the end of Season 1.

By the beginning of Season 2, Zoe-A (avatar Zoe Graystone) has a cybernetic body, becoming the first post-Thirteenth Tribe skinjob in addition to being the first Cylon in the Twelve Colonies.  In flashbacks, it would be revealed that she encountered Galen Tyrol fishing in a pond in one of the V-worlds, and that after she explained who she was and the problems her parents were having with providing her a body, he gave her a fishing lure, which turned out to be the piece of code they were missing.

Although Murphy did not say so, it is highly likely that the other Avenging Angel, Tamara Adama, would likewise have received a skinjob body for reasons that will be clear below.  The reason no one from the BSG:TRS era knows about skinjobs before the Fall of the Twelve Colonies despite the presence of skinjob Zoe-A (and, presumbably, Tamara-A) was that her/their existence remains a tightly guarded secret that is never made public, known only to the Graystones and Jordan Duram and themselves.

The Global Defense Department agent Jordan Duram, who was Amanda Graystone’s handler as a confidential informant, survives his attempted assassination.  Leaving the GDD, he becomes the head of a group called the Caprica Legionnaires, dedicated to crushing the Cylons before they become a threat to their human masters.  Learning of Zoe-A’s nature, Duram keeps her secret on the condition she join his unit.

Lacy Rand heads the Monad Church with Odin Sinclair as her deputy, and uses the U-87 model Cylons loyal to her to keep the peace on Gemenon.

Clarice Willow is a wanted terrorist, a Cylon rights activist, and head of a church for Cylons in V-world where they can go when they are powered down.

Lacy and Clarice become allies of convenience.

Mother, the former head of the Monad Church, wants back in power.  Daniel Graystone, worried about the threat on Gemenon from Lacy and Clarise, reluctantly sides with her.  This causes friction with Zoe-A, who still considers Lacy her best friend.

With all of this going on, it is easy to see how the First Cylon War broke out within a few years.

Joseph Adama carries on an affair with Fidelia Fazekas, head of the Ha’la’tha.

It was discussed, but not yet decided, that Zoe-A would become the archetype for Number Six and that Tamara-A would become the archetype for Number Eight, in the same way that Ellen Tigh’s father, John Cavil, served as the archetype for Number One.  Clearly, this can only mean their personalities rather than their physical appearance.  With Tamara-A as the archetype or template for Number Eight, that would explain CMDR, later ADM, Adama’s strong affinity for Sharon Valerie as both Boomer and Athena.  In addition, Daniel, the lost Number Seven, may have been based on or at least named for Daniel Graystone; Ronald D. Moore mentioned in an interview that there was a connection between this Daniel and the series Caprica.

(First) Cylon War

Battlestar Galactica: Cylon War #1-3 (Jan-Mar 2009)

Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome #1-10 (webseries, Nov-Dec 2012)

            Deleted Scenes Blood and Chrome

Battlestar Galactica: Origins #5 (Adama #1, May 2008)

Battlestar Galactica: Cylon War #4; Apr 2009

Battlestar Galactica: Razor Flashbacks #1-7 (webseries, 5 Oct-16 Nov 2007)

Interbellum

Battlestar Galactica: Origins #6 (Adama #2, May 2008)

Battlestar Galactica: The Final Five #4 (Jul 2009)

Battlestar Galactica: Origins #7 (Adama #3, Jul 2008)

Battlestar Galactica: Zarek #1-2 (Dec 2006)

Battlestar Galactica: Origins #9-11 (Starbuck & Helo #1-3, Sep-Oct 2008)

Battlestar Galactica: Zarek #3 (Mar 2007)

Battlestar Galactica: Season Zero #0-12 (May 2006-Jun 2007)

Battlestar Galactica: Six #1-5 (Apr-May 2014)

Battlestar Galactica: Origins #1-4 (Baltar #1-4, Jan-Mar 2008)

Battlestar Galactica: Origins #8 (Adama #4, Jul 2008)

Fall of the Twelve Colonies (Second Cylon War)

Battlestar Galactica: Pegasus (one-shot, Nov 2007)

Battlestar Galactica: The Miniseries (broadcast TV, 8-9 Dec 2003)

            Deleted Scenes Miniseries

Battlestar Galactica: Zarek #4 (Apr 2007)

Battlestar Galactica: Ghosts #1-4 (Oct 2008-Jan 2009)

Battlestar Galactica: The Reimagined Series (broadcast TV, Oct 2004-Mar 2009)

Season 1 (18 October 2004-24 Jan 2005)

BSG: TRS s01e01 33

BSG: TRS s01e02 Water

BSG: TRS s01e03 Bastille Day

BSG: TRS s01e04 Act of Contrition

BSG: TRS s01e05 You Can’t Go Home Again

            Deleted Scenes s01e01-e05

BSG: TRS s01e06 Litmus

BSG: TRS s01e07 Six Degrees of Separation

BSG: TRS s01e08 Flesh and Bone

BSG: TRS s01e09 Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down

BSG: TRS s01e10 The Hand of God

            Deleted Scenes s01e06-e10

BSG: TRS s01e11 Colonial Day

BSG: TRS s01e12e13 Kobol’s Last Gleaming

            Deleted Scenes s01e11-e13

Season 2 (15 Jul-23 Sep 2005; 6 Jan-10 Mar 2006)

Note: The comic series Battlestar Galactica #0-12 takes place between “Home” and “Final Cut”, but since it diverges so widely from the Season 2 timeline, the overall continuity of BSG:TRS, and the Caprica showrunners’ plans to have Number Eight based on Tamara Adama, I’ve boxed it, so to speak.  Especially since it also conflicts with some of the reveals in Seasons 3 and 4.  But it is a good read nonetheless.

BSG: TRS s02e01 Scattered

BSG: TRS s02e02 Valley of Darkness

BSG: TRS s02e03 Fragged

BSG: TRS s02e04 Resistance

BSG: TRS s02e05 The Farm

            Deleted Scenes s02e01-e05

BSG: TRS s02e06e07 Home

BSG: TRS s02e08 Final Cut

BSG: TRS s02e09 Flight of the Phoenix

            Deleted Scenes s02e06-e09

BSG: TRS s02e10 Pegasus

BSG: TRS s02e11e12 Resurrection Ship

BSG: TRS s02e13 Epiphanies

            Deleted Scenes s02e11-e13

BSG: TRS s02e14 Black Market

BSG: TRS s02e15 Scar

BSG: TRS s02e16 Sacrifice

BSG: TRS s02e17 The Captain’s Hand

            Deleted Scenes s02e14-e17

Battlestar Galactica: Razor (broadcast TV, 24 November 2007)

            Deleted Scenes Razor

BSG: TRS s02e18 Downloaded

BSG: TRS s02e19e20 Lay Down Your Burdens

            Deleted Scenes s02e18-e20

MAJOR SPOILER ALERT: The Plan is a retelling of the events in Seasons 1 and 2 up to the airlocking of the two Numbers Ones on Galactica from a Cylon point-of-view.  If you have not already watched the series all the way through at least once, DO NOT watch The Plan until the end of the series as there are elements that will seriously spoil surprises in the last two seasons.

Battlestar Galactica: The Plan (DVD, 27 October 2009)

            Deleted Scenes The Plan

Season 3 (6 Oct 2006-25 Mar 2007)

We know from Season 4’s “No Exit” (Episode 15) and from Battlestar Galactic: The Final Five #4 that Number One was patterned after Ellen Tigh’s father on Earth, John Cavil (who was originally from Kobol), so when Cavil fraks Ellen on New Caprica, he’s not only frakking one of his mothers but his daughter.  Although in the latter case, he may not have been aware, and since she had not yet resurrected and thereby recovered her lost memories, neither did she.

Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance #1-10 (webseries, 5 Sep-5 Oct 2006)

Battlestar Galactica: Twilight Command #1-5 (Feb-Jun 2019)

BSG: TRS s03e01 Occupation

BSG: TRS s03e02 Precipice

BSG: TRS s03e03e04 Exodus

BSG: TRS s03e05 Collaborators

            Deleted Scenes s03e01-e05

BSG: TRS s03e06 Torn

BSG: TRS s03e07 A Measure of Salvation

BSG: TRS s03e08 Hero

            Deleted Scenes 03e06-e08

BSG: TRS s03e09 Unfinished Business

BSG: TRS s03e10 The Passage

BSG: TRS s03e11 The Eye of Jupiter

BSG: TRS s03e12 Rapture

            Deleted Scenes s03e10-e12

BSG: TRS s03e13 Taking a Break from All Your Worries

BSG: TRS s03e14 The Woman King

BSG: TRS s03e15 A Day in the Life

BSG: TRS s03e16 Dirty Hands

BSG: TRS s03e17 Maelstrom

            Deleted Scenes s03e13-e17

BSG: TRS s03e18 The Son Also Rises

BSG: TRS s03e19e20 Crossroads

            Deleted Scenes s03e18-e20

Season 4 (4 Apr-13 Jun 2008; 16 Jan-20 Mar 2009)

Note: Even though The Face of the Enemy was published on the web between “Revelations” and “Sometimes a Great Notion”, the action takes place in between the latter and “A Disquiet Follows My Soul”.

BSG: TRS s04e01 He That Believeth in Me

BSG: TRS s04e02 Six of One

BSG: TRS s04e03 The Ties That Bind

BSG: TRS s04e04 Escape Velocity

BSG: TRS s04e05 The Road Less Travelled

            Deleted Scenes 04e01-e05

BSG: TRS s04e06 Faith

BSG: TRS s04e07 Guess What’s Coming to Dinner?

BSG: TRS s04e08 Sine Qua Non

BSG: TRS s04e09 The Hub

BSG: TRS s04e10 Revelations

            Deleted Scenes s04e06-e10

BSG: TRS s04e11 Sometimes a Great Notion

Battlestar Galactica: The Face of the Enemy #1-10 (webseries, 12 Dec 2008-12 Jan 2009)

BSG: TRS s04e12 A Disquiet Follows My Soul

BSG: TRS s04e13 The Oath

BSG: TRS s04e14 Blood on the Scales

            Deleted Scenes s04e11-e14

BSG: TRS s04e15 No Exit

BSG: TRS s04e16 Deadlock

BSG: TRS s04317 Someone to Watch Over Me

            Deleted Scenes s04e15-e17

BSG: TRS s04e18 Islanded in a Stream of Stars

BSG: TRS s04e19-e21 Daybreak

            Deleted Scenes s04e19-e21