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A second helping of BSG ‘mates. The series they’re based on is astonishingly good and I’m sure most fans want as many of the show’s characters in their collection as possible. This assortment hits the spot as far as character selection is concerned. Wave 2 of modern BSG was released in summer 2007.

Packaging

The packaging is exactly the same as series one, with the blister in the shape of a Viper Pilot’s flight helmet. The only difference being the pictures on the back. Unfortunately the BSG series 2 reviews do not have carded pictures. However if you want pics then go to Minimate Database which is chock full of fantastic pics from all the different Minimates lines and is far more up to date than this site!

The Figures

Admiral Adama

Bill Adama, Commander of what is essentially a museum piece. The Galactica was due to be decommissioned and then the Cylons struck. Adama rose to the challenge not only mobilising his crew into a fighting unit but also protecting the fleet of ships that fled the Cylon’s attacks on the twelve colonies.

The likeness is a bit hit and miss, Edward James Olmos has a very craggy, brooding type of face. It’d be impossible to capture that on half an inch of round plastic. The mouth and eyes are good but the intensity that Olmos projects is very much absent. That’s not to say it¹s a bad likeness, just a difficult one. The use of silver to suggest the frames of Adama’s glasses is a nice touch but is only really apparent when the light hits the face in the right way.

The body is standard Minimate fare. The only exception being the chest-piece which is exactly the same as found on Admiral Cain from Series 1 except for the piping which has changed from white to red. There’s really not much more to be said about this ‘mate. It’s a good representation of Adama but review wise there’s little to add, as the body’s been seen before. It is worth noting that like the BSG wave 1 ‘mates, Adama is cast in white plastic and then painted. The exception being head, hands and feet.

Adama’s only accessories are a book (with the corners missing as is standard in the BSG universe, a play on having to be asked to cut corners with costs) and a photo frame which holds a picture of his deceased son, Zak Adama. William Adama has C3 feet and the standard peg-hole in his head.

In conclusion, the standard BSG uniform doesn’t blaze any new trails but it’s still a good go at capturing a very distinctive likeness in 2″ form.

MMC Score – 6 out of 10

Colonel Tigh

Saul Tigh, conflicted, alcoholic, bad-tempered old warrior. Adama’s trusted second-in-command though possibly not about to win any popularity contests onboard Galactica and he really doesn’t care.

This ‘mate is badly hampered by trying to display the features of (with no disrespect to the actor Michael Hogan) a man of very gaunt appearance. Stick that onto a Minimate head and you have a Minimate with a fat face. It¹s the same problem as found on Lex Luthor in the DC line. Try to capture a bald dude and that’s all you get. A bald dude. Stick this head on the body of any other bald dude Minimate and you’ve got that particular Minimate. Yes, this one has white hair on the sides and back, but as it’s painted on it’s easily missed. This figure’s also hurt because it doesn’t look anywhere near as angry or miserable as Tigh normally does. If anything it looks haughty and imperious, not a look Tigh displays too often in the show.

The body is exactly the same as Adama’s, there doesn¹t appear to be any differentiation between ranks in the command deck uniform so it’s easy for DST to plop out four or five of the same body with different heads on. I’m not complaining, I love the BSG Minimates, but it does make for a boring review.

However… someone at DST had the brainwave of kitting Tigh out with some killer accessories. They gave him BOOZE! What a fantastic idea! The ‘mate really comes into it’s own once he’s got his liquor bottle and hipflask in his sweaty little hands. For the odd occasion when he¹s without libation you can always swap out one of his hands for the alternate hand that’s packed with him. This alternate hand is holding an hexagonal playing card, very apt as Tigh is often found in the officer’s mess knocking a few back and gambling. These accessories are a touch of genius and help lift the ‘mate above the level of mediocre. Tigh has C3 feet and a solid head. No peg-hole for this guy, his heads already shot full of holes.

In conclusion, certainly not the best of the BSG ‘mates, but stick a bottle in his hand and he comes alive.

MMC Score – 5 out of 10

Agree? Disagree? Why not vote for yourself below, or comment further over at the Minimate Multiverse MMC Review Forum.

Review and pictures by Rad Kerrigan

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