It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost two decades since Battlestar Galactica ended in 2009, and 23 years since the miniseries launched in 2003. Created by Ronald D. Moore and David Eick back in 2003, BSG was a risky reboot of the 1978 Glen A. Larson series of the same name. Analogously, bringing back BSG in 2003 with a different premise, new versions of the classic characters, and a darker, grittier vibe, would be a little like if someone wanted to remake Babylon 5 today, but without the involvement of J. Michael Straczynski, and with different canon and mythology. In other words, prior to 2003, Battlestar was a known franchise, with a loyal following, but it wasn’t a mainstream sci-fi franchise.
That all changed in 2003 with the debut of Battlestar Galactica miniseries, which only got bigger in 2004 as the ongoing show launched, and quickly cemented itself as the new standard for epic science fiction TV. Since then, from The Expanse to the various new Star Trek shows, and yes, Andor, it's been a Battlestar world. Moore’s newest sci-fi series, For All Mankind, also carries some of the BSG magic, complete with deep-cut Easter eggs. And now, if you want to revisit the adventures of the rag-tag fugitive fleet anew, nearly the entire BSG saga will be streaming for free as of May 1, 2026. Here’s what to know.
