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)" An episode of the Re-imagined Series
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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 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 thus doesn't "really" happen and will not be re-edited into the Director's Cut, though it might be included on the DVD disk.

• 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.

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