# Battlestar Galactica (2004)

12 Hacker News commenters recommended Battlestar Galactica (2004) and 6 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 6 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** People recommend it for its complex, high-quality storytelling and its standing among the best sci-fi drama on television.

## Why people recommend it

- Complex, high-quality storytelling (6 comments): "They're good lessons, so why insult it? Why mock quality storytelling that makes good impressions on people?" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49423142)) "Of the series since, I think only Battlestar Galactica approached similar complexity." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50330620)) "more serious shows with increasingly complex narratives (B5, bsg, I hear good things" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50301109))
- Ranked among best sci-fi ever (2 comments): "up there with BattleStar Galactica and The Expanse as the greatest TV sci-fi series of all time" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47012761)) "it's just one of the best TV shows ever made in any genre" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46256953))
- Better drama than most peers (2 comments): "more serious shows with increasingly complex narratives (B5, bsg, I hear good things" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50301109)) "BSG is a better drama IMO" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47064049))
- Scratches the same itch (2 comments): "Give it a try, it scratches the same itch for me" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50329471)) "I miss these kinds of shows." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49814116))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Halt and Catch Fire](https://hackerapproved.com/p/halt-and-catch-fire.md): 166 recommend
- [Babylon 5](https://hackerapproved.com/p/babylon-5.md): 86 recommend
- [Silicon Valley (TV series)](https://hackerapproved.com/p/silicon-valley.md): 52 recommend
- [Andor](https://hackerapproved.com/p/andor.md): 52 recommend
- [The Wire](https://hackerapproved.com/p/wire.md): 39 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Battlestar Galactica (2004)", https://hackerapproved.com/p/battlestar-galactica/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).