Jane Espenson

Fans of Battlestar Galactica get one last treat in 2007, as Universal Studios Home Entertainment has finally announced the details of the season three DVD release. The long-awaited set will be arriving in stores on March 25, and will include a nice array of special features. Fans will also get all 20 episodes in one package, unlike the season two releases that obnoxiously split the season in half.

The six disc set will include over 15 hours of bonus material, including deleted scenes, podcasts, and behind the scenes featurettes. One of the best episodes of the season, "Unfinished Business," will be extended on the DVD release with 25 minutes of never before seen footage. The episode revolves around a boxing tournament aboard the Galactica, which culminates in a particularly brutal and emotional match between Kara Thrace (Katee Sackhoff) and Lee Adama (Jamie Bamber).

Though a date for the season four premiere of Battlestar Galactica has not yet been announced, a recent Sci Fi Channel promo said that it would air sometime in March. This means that the season three DVDs would likely be hitting shelves after season four has already begun, which seems like an odd move. I know plenty of fans who are waiting to catch up on the last season through DVD, but they may not have time before the new episodes begin.

One of the best aspects of having the entire third year of BSG in one package will be the ability to skip certain episodes. I found this to be the most frustratingly uneven year of the series, with far too many underwhelming filler episodes distracting from the main plot. This DVD should be nice, as it’ll give us all the chance to skip lesser hours like "The Woman King" and get straight to the best that Galactica has to offer.