Battlestar Galactica: a character guide

Captain Kara "Starbuck" Thrace (Katee Sackhoff): The original BSG had a cigar-chomping Dirk Benedict as Starbuck; the reboot cast the way-tougher Sackhoff. She dropped the cigars a few series in Photograph: Justin Stephens/SCI FI Channel

Doctor Gaius Baltar (James Callis): After betraying the entire human race, Baltar works his way from vice-president to president, before being tried for war crimes and then forming his own religious cult. That's some CV Photograph: NBCUPhotobank/Rex Features

President Laura Roslin (Mary McDonnell): Is she really the "dying leader" prophesied to lead the fleet to Earth? Photograph: Justin Stephens/SCI FI Channel

Admiral Adama (Edward James Olmos): Bill Adama is just about to retire when the cylons launch their attack on Caprica, leaving him in charge of the only functioning Battlestar. So much for that bus pass Photograph: NBCUPhotobank/Rex Features

Sharon Valerii (Grace Park) and Caprica-Six (Tricia Helfer): Park and Helfer are two of the busiest actors in the BSG cast, showing up as multiple versions of their cylon models with distinct personalities throughout the series. No wonder casual viewers get confused Photograph: Justin Stephens/SCI FI Channel

Brother Cavil (Dean Stockwell): He was the handy guide to time travel in Quantum Leap; here Dean Stockwell plays one of the most devious cylon models Photograph: NBCUPhotobank/Rex Features

Colonel Saul Tigh (Michael Hogan): Adama's hardass right hand man Tigh is totally committed to the anti-cylon cause. He knows there must be some way out of there Photograph: Justin Stephens/SCI FI Channel

Captain Lee "Apollo" Adama (Jamie Bamber): British actor Jamie Bamber can now be seen hunting down robot infiltrators on Law & Order: UK. Well, hoodies Photograph: NBCUPhotobank/Rex Features

D'Anna Biers (Lucy Lawless): Dean Stockwell's not the only cult TV star in the cast - the cylons' inquisitive D'Anna Biers is played by Lucy Lawless, better known as the star of Xena: Warrior Princess Photograph: Justin Stephens/SCI FI Channel

Tom Zarek (Richard Hatch): The only surviving member from the original cast (he was Captain Apollo), here Richard Hatch plays terrorist-turned-politician Tom Zarek Photograph: NBCUPhotobank/Rex Features