Pegasus (Extended Version)

This page covers the DVD-exclusive extended version of the episode "Pegasus". For information on the televised version of this episode, see "Pegasus (episode)". For information related the battlestar Pegasus itself, see Pegasus (RDM). This article is meant to analyze the differences between the televised, 4 Act version of "Pegasus" and the 5 Act Extended Version; material redundant with Questions and Analysis from the televised version should not be included.

Pegasus (Extended Version)
"Pegasus (Extended Version)" An episode of the Re-imagined Series
Episode No.	Season 2, Episode 10 (alternate)
Writer(s)	Anne Cofell Saunders
Story by
Director	Michael Rymer
Assistant Director
Special guest(s)	Michelle Forbes as Admiral Cain
Production No.	210 (Season 2.0 Cliffhanger)
Nielsen Rating
US airdate
CAN airdate	{{{CAN airdate}}}
UK airdate
DVD release	19 September 2006 US 28 August 2006 UK
Population	49,605 survivors
Additional Info
Episode Chronology
Previous		Next
Flight of the Phoenix	Pegasus (Extended Version)	Resurrection Ship, Part I
Related Information
(Season 2.0 Cliffhanger)/Pegasus_(Extended_Version) Official Summary
R&D Skit – View
[[IMDB:tt{{{imdb}}}|IMDb entry]]
Listing of props for this episode
Related Media
			@ BW Media
Promotional Materials
Online Purchasing
Amazon: Standard Definition | High Definition
iTunes: [{{{itunes}}} USA]

Overview

The Season 2.5 DVD set will contain the original 5 Act version of the mid-season 2 cliffhanger episode, "Pegasus". Standard episodes contain 4 Acts, separated by commercial breaks, for a total 40-45 minute run time. Occasionally, the SciFi Channel has allowed series it produces to create 90 minute long (with commercials) episode specials, containing 6 Acts. "Pegasus" ran long, and after editing consisted of 5 Acts of material. The production team felt that there was no way they could reach a length of 6 Acts, thus justifying a 90 minute special, without resorting to just adding filler material not really relevant to the main plot. As a result, the original 5-Act cut of Pegasus was edited down to a standard 4 Act running time. As a result, an antire Act worth of scenes was deleted from the aired version of the episode, purely for time reasons and not due to any issues with their internal content. However, the Extended Version of "Pegasus" will be included in the Season 2.5 DVD release, and include all deleted scenes actually edited back in, to create an alternate version of the episode.

Executive producers Ron Moore and David Eick are actually recording a new, separate DVD commentary track for the the Extended Version of "Pegasus" (the podcast for the televised version featured only Ron Moore).

Official Statements

• Ron D. Moore stated in his podcast that there were a number of scenes filmed for the televised episode that had to be deleted for time, but that he expects to be edited back into the episode for the DVD release. According to Moore, although most episode rough cuts run a little overtime and one or two scenes have to be edited out, "Pegasus" had more than a full extra Act worth of material left over. The full episode would have been an hour and 15 minutes long. Moore tried to put in more scenes to push it to 90 minutes, in which case Scifi Channel would air it as a 90 minute special (as they had done in the past for "Stargate SG-1" on occasion), but ultimately not enough material could be included in "Pegasus" to make it 90 minutes long without detracting from story quality; they were left with an episode that was too short to be a 90 minute special, but also too long to include all filmed scenes in a one hour episode. Deleted scenes, which Moore says will be restored in the DVD release, include:
  • A scene when Adama, Tigh, and Roslin are heading to the flight deck to meet Admiral Cain when she first arrives on the ship, and while they're walking Adama and Tigh give Roslin a brief biography of Cain; who she is, that she was an up and coming officer promoted to Admiral over several other possible choices, etc.
  • An extension to Admiral Cain's meeting with Adama and Roslin in Adama's quarters, in which she explains that Pegasus survived Cylon computer virus infiltration through the Command Navigation Program because Pegasus was being overhauled at the shipyards, and most of her computers were disconnected.
  • An extension to the scene in Cain's quarters on Pegasus where Adama and Cain discuss how Pegasus is a Mercury-class battlestar, and the differences between this newer model and Galactica. Cain also explains that she intentionally doesn't have any chairs there so her meetings with her staff will run faster.
  • A scene where Admiral Cain asks about Galactica's Cylon-prisoner, Caprica-Sharon, and goes to the brig to observe her.
    • According to an interview with James Callis (Baltar) in issue #197 of TV Zone, "There’s another cut scene where Cain is interviewing Sharon. She hardly says anything but she’s obviously furious that this Cylon has been treated so well. It sickens her, and that’s when Baltar realizes he’s dealing with a psycho."
  • According to an interview with James Callis (Baltar) in issue #197 of TV Zone, "In one of [the deleted scenes], Six actually says to Baltar, ‘God, [Cain]’s a real tough nut, isn’t she, Gaius? She’s just your type. You like hard women, don’t you?’ Baltar says, ‘Yeah, I do.’"
  • According to the podcast, there is a scene in which it is revealed that Admiral Cain has appointed Pegasus Deck Chief Laird as Deck Chief of Galactica, replacing Chief Tyrol. Tyrol handles the situation maturely, going "well, there's the office".
• According to RDM's podcast, there was entire subplot alluded to in the episode which was in the original script, but which was excised before it was ever filmed due to time constraints. The fragment that remains is when Roslin complains to Adama that Pegasus is focusing on re-supplying the Fleet's military assets (re-arming Galactica and re-supplying Pegasus from stores in the civililan fleet) while ignoring the needs of the civilian fleet. The subplot would show how Roslin wanted Pegasus to provide machine parts for repairs to the civilian Fleet, and that after these are repeatedly ignored the civilian fleet ultimately goes "on strike" by refusing to give Pegasus more tylium fuel. It would also expand on Cain's refusal to acknowledge Roslin as the President (and therefore her superior as Commander-in-Chief).
• Moore also stated in the podcast that an alternate version of the attempted rape scene with Boomer was also filmed in which the rape was actually underway when Tyrol and Helo intervened. Ultimately, the decision was made to use the version seen where Thorne is stopped just in time, before he is able to rape Boomer. This is an alternate scene and wasn't just deleted for time: it wasnt' in the script, but after discussing it director Michael Rymer, Grace Park and the rest of the cast decided to create it. The production team and writers liked the originally scripted, averted-at-the-last-minute-rape scene better anyway, so the alternate version was not used in the aired episode.

• Unfortunately, it has been confirmed that the "Season 2.0" DVD box set of Battlestar Galactica (containing the first ten episodes of season two) will not contain the Director's Cut of "Pegasus". Universal Home Video said that they could not ready the extended version of the episode in time for the DVD release. However, it will now be the first episode in the boxed set of "Season 2.5" (containing episodes 11 through 20 of season 2). So the next DVD set will have 11 episodes in it. The practical application of all of this is that fans have the opportunity to buy both versions (in his podcast, Moore said he liked the extended cut better because of the great character moments and drama, but that some might feel that the tight, rapid pace of the cut-down episode kept it more thrilling). This was not the case with Universal's previous release of a 90 minute "Stargate SG-1" episode, in which only one version was put into the DVD set.

• The full Season 2 DVD set was released in Australia in late August, and the Extended Version of "Pegasus" was included in it. An Australian fan gave a repot of its contents on the Scifi.com messageboard: the deleted scenes above are confirmed as being in the Extended Version. New information:
  • The Extended Version begins with a scene in which Starbuck is trying to convince Adama and Roslin to Jump back to Caprica for a rescue operation to save the Caprica Resistance, but they disagree with her, saying that the risks outweigh the gains. This scene was actually first seen in the "previously on Battlestar Galactica" clip at the beginning of "Scar", when it was noted by fans that this scene hadn't actually aired in any previous episode. It was suspected that this scene came from "Pegasus", as in it Commander Adama is still wearing a Commander's rank insignia, and deleted scenes have been released for all Season 2.0 episodes except "Pegasus".
  • In response to Admiral Cain replacing Tyrol as Galactica deck chief with Laird, Cally proclaims that "This is bullshit".
  • A scene showing Pegasus and Galactica crews shuttling supplies back and forth (Pegasus needs fuel Galactica has, while Pegasus has various military stores Galactica is resupplying from), during which Lt. Gaeta asks some of the Pegasus crewmen for pornography.
  • In the Extended Version, the alternate version of Lt. Thorne's interrogation of Caprica-Sharon is edited in, in which Lt. Thorne is actually already raping Caprica-Sharon when Helo and Tyrol arrive and kill him, completely replacing the original aired version of the scene.

Guest stars

• Michelle Forbes as Admiral Helena Cain
• Graham Beckel as Colonel Jack Fisk
• John Pyper-Ferguson as Captain Cole "Stinger" Taylor
• Aaron Douglas Chief Petty Officer Galen Tyrol
• Nicki Clyne as Specialist Cally
• Sebastian Spence as Whiplash
• Fulvio Cecere as Lt. Alistair Thorne
• Vincent Gale as Chief Peter Laird
• Derek Delost as Specialist Vireem
• Mike Dopud Specialist Gage
• Leah Cairns as Lt. Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson
• Michael Jonsson Pegasus Guard #2

External Links

"Pegasus" at scifi.com