Battlestar Galactica 01/23/09 "The Disquiet That Follows My Soul"

[Anubys]

well, Zarek and Gaeta finally join forces...not sure I like how the president is acting but it makes sense for all this to affect everyone differently...

the scene with Gaeta and Kara was awesome...well written too ;)

[bigray327]

"Ya know, sometimes I really hate this job." Nice. :)

[Rob Helmerichs]

Wow, all of a sudden there's just nothing good about this show.

I mean, there must be something interesting that's going to happen. They wouldn't structure the last season so everything happens in the first half. But wherever they're going, they're not letting us in on it, and that's a serious mistake as far as I'm concerned. The show needs a hook, and by suddenly resolving the ones that have gotten us this far (who are the Final Five? What will happen when they reach Earth?) without giving us new ones to take us to the end, they're taking away any incentive for me to care at all.

The only question left of any interest is what happened in the deep history of the show, but nobody on the show itself seems to care about that.

Up until last week, the show managed to find a balance between really bad elements and really good ones. Seems they've given up on the really good ones.

(And some patented BG out-of-nowhere plot developments...the baby's paternity, Zarek's corruption...)

[Kamakzie]

The gimp needs to go out the nearest air lock..

[Anubys]

there was one nice bit of directing during the conversation between Adama and Zarek...the camera went behind Zarek's head (black screen, basically) just as Adama was saying that they will stay in this area of space for a long time...a nice director's trick to let you know that this particular sentence was one that Adama did not believe...

very nicely done :up:

[JohnB1000]

You could interpret that scene any way you want to.

This ep had far too many drawn out and pointless scene's. I know they are supposed to set mood but they had me FF, Adama brushing his teeth, Roslin trashing her meds, Baltar (who has lost the plot as a character completely) giving his sermon.

I always remember Gadar being one of the more reasonable crew members. Now he's gone full circle and it feels all wrong.

Still happy to watch but non too impressed :(

[Anubys]

You could interpret that scene any way you want to.


well, here's a scene where the director gave you a hint about the outcome and also showed you that Adama was on the ball...all with a 1 second camera pan...Adama KNEW how the conversation was going to turn out...he KNEW Zarek was going to fold...

and after the confrontation was over, with Adama in desperation stoops down to pick up the paper -- something he would never do...you find out why: he was bluffing...

I mean, we can bash the show all we want...but this was very well done...

[DevdogAZ]

I may be in the minority, but I thought this episode was light years better than the season premiere. There was actually some interesting dialogue and a story that seems like it's going somewhere. After the premiere, I wasn't excited to watch this episode at all (in fact, I watched two episodes of Jeopardy! before I gave in and decided to watch BSG), but after this episode, I'm very intrigued to find out what happens next.

[DouglasPHill]

I hate to say it but I'm glad Baltar is back. I was glad when they killed Starbuck and wish they would do that again. Tigh and Adama aret stepping back up, nice to see. I would have thrown Gaeta out the airlock the first time he questioned Adama's authority.

[Rob Helmerichs]

I may be in the minority, but I thought this episode was light years better than the season premiere.
You mean last week's episode? (The season premiere was almost a year ago...)

[caslu]

This episode was obviously about reinforcing the mood and tone of the post-Earth fleet, while setting up the fallout to come. Slow if all you're looking for is some Cylon and Viper action, but I think it was another solid episode and I enjoyed it quite a bit for the character beats.

[vman41]

I thought it was good. The people on Earth (the lost colony) were Cylons. The Cylons want to join the fleet in a way that would effectively recognize them as the 13th colony.
The cycle repeats.

Adama was bluffing, but Zarek either was a little dirty or felt Adama could rig a trial. Otherwise, why wouldn't he call his bluff?

[ThePennyDropped]

(And some patented BG out-of-nowhere plot developments...the baby's paternity, Zarek's corruption...)
I think the baby's paternity will turn out to be not so much an out-of-nowhere plot development as a plot necessity/retcon in order for whatever happens in the rest of the season (some aspect of which will revolve around the cylon and half-cylon children, Hera and Six's fetus) not to have holes in it big enough to fly a Raptor through.

Wasn't Zarek's corruption (although not as VP, just in general) touched on before sometime -- perhaps on that episode where Apollo was having an affair with that prostitute?

[IndyJones1023]

The only thing good about this episode were the previews for next week.

[Aniketos]

Last week I couldn't tell if I liked the episode of not. This week I could have done without the first 45 minutes. I understand that they're trying to set a mood, however they didn't need to draw everything out to do that, I'd like for some plot to move forward (and it finally started to by the end.)

[sbourgeo]

The only thing good about this episode were the previews for next week.

Pretty much. :( At this point, I'm only watching for a sense of closure.

[doom1701]

How many episodes are left? This episode would be fine if we were looking at an ongoing series...but we've got just a few episodes left and everything is just confusing political intrigue and Adama banging Ilia from the first Star Trek movie. I just want some payoff, but if they keep this up they're just gonna have a crawl over the final credits of the final episode explaining what happened...

Oh, and I want to shoot Tyrol...or throw him out an airlock...or maybe both. He never gave a damn about his son in the first place, and now we see that with certainty. Even if Callie doesn't strike me as the type to frack around.

[pkscout]

Pretty much. :( At this point, I'm only watching for a sense of closure.

+1

I've basically been there for the last season and a half. This is starting to feel a lot like Gene Rodenberry's Andromeda.

[Gunnyman]

Anybody else get a Jim Jones vibe from Baltar?

[philw1776]

What a boring episode. ONE decent scene with Gaeta and Starbuck. The rest was self indulgent histrionics penned by writers apparently incapable of telling an interesting and coherent story. How many more "Deus-ex-Machina" events of minor consequence and interest like the Chief's non-paternity?

[Barmat]

The only good part of this ep was the opening credits and montage. I only watch to find out how it ends.

[IndyJones1023]

Yeah, I'm just tuning in to see how it wraps up at this point.

[Rob Helmerichs]

Even if Callie doesn't strike me as the type to frack around.
She wasn't, until she was.

That's the thing that bothers me second-most about this show (most: that a nominally science fiction show has such contempt for science fiction). They just throw things in like that with no regard for what they've thrown in in the past. And now that they have to make sense of all the random stuff they've been throwing at us for the past four years, I suspect we'll be seeing a LOT more of that kind of bad ret-con.

BG is kind of like the anti-Lost. With Lost, it's a real pleasure as they enter the home stretch, watching all the carefully arranged pieces begin to fall neatly into place. It's becoming increasingly clear how meticulously they planned that show out.

BG, not so much.

[philw1776]

She wasn't, until she was.

That's the thing that bothers me second-most about this show (most: that a nominally science fiction show has such contempt for science fiction). They just throw things in like that with no regard for what they've thrown in in the past. ...

BG is kind of like the anti-Lost. With Lost, it's a real pleasure as they enter the home stretch, watching all the carefully arranged pieces begin to fall neatly into place. It's becoming increasingly clear how meticulously they planned that show out.

BG, not so much.

BSG writers are solely into dramatic entertainment effects, be it a scene of dialog or the 'shock' of finding a devastated Earth. But then they rarely develop any of their shock moments further in a coherent, intriguing manner.

Themes like the VP's supposed illegal political acts are simply not very interesting. Perhaps the writers are attempting to convey something relative to current events but the attempt is lost on me.

Absolutely, the anti-LOST. So much initial promise with BSG's great concepts just pissed away.

[Rob Helmerichs]

BSG writers are solely into dramatic entertainment effects, be it a scene of dialog or the 'shock' of finding a devastated Earth. But then they rarely develop any of their shock moments further in a coherent, intriguing manner.
And they rarely do anything to set them up in the first place. They just come flying in out of the blue, and then go flying on back. Hardly ever part of a sustained narrative.

[ronsch]

It will be interesting to see if Starbuck anticipates the mutiny that it looks like Gaeta is about to lead.

[pkscout]

It will be interesting to see if Starbuck anticipates the mutiny that it looks like Gaeta is about to lead.

I find it more likely that Gaeta and Starbuck will end up sleeping together. That would be consistent with the "anything for a gasp" writing style. Oh, and everyone is the fifth cylon. There are no humans. Only cylons with physiology slightly different from the current ones. The humans died out ten billion years ago.

You never know. I could be right. ;)

[JohnB1000]

I'm confused about Cylon "super strength" Haven't we seen them with super strength before and yet these days they seem to be an even match.

[packerfan]

The only thing good about this episode were the previews for next week.

Tru dat!

[DevdogAZ]

You mean last week's episode? (The season premiere was almost a year ago...)
Yes, I meant last week's episode. I thought this one was decent compared to that dreck.

[Anubys]

It will be interesting to see if Starbuck anticipates the mutiny that it looks like Gaeta is about to lead.

that was very strange...he tells them to close the door and he clearly is setting up a mutiny...but you don't set one up with whoever happened to be in the mess hall at the time, do you? you pick the people you want to talk to very carefully and set up a secret meeting...all it takes is ONE person who does not agree with you, and you're fracked...

that scene made no sense at all unless it's not mutiny that is planned...but I don't think the writers are smart enough to be planning anything other than the obvious...

[DevdogAZ]

that was very strange...he tells them to close the door and he clearly is setting up a mutiny...but you don't set one up with whoever happened to be in the mess hall at the time, do you? you pick the people you want to talk to very carefully and set up a secret meeting...all it takes is ONE person who does not agree with you, and you're fracked...

that scene made no sense at all unless it's not mutiny that is planned...but I don't think the writers are smart enough to be planning anything other than the obvious...
The way I saw it, Starbuck got up and left after their argument. So did several other people. Gaeta then probably assumed that those that disagreed with his position were those that left, since he made it clear he was sticking around. In real life, this would never work, but I think for purposes of the show, that's what we were supposed to take away from that scene.

[IndyJones1023]

Maybe Gaeta had prearranged for those people to meet him in the galley - but Starbucks was ruining it by being there. So he purposely started an arguement with her to make her leave.

[Kamakzie]

Maybe Gaeta had prearranged for those people to meet him in the galley - but Starbucks was ruining it by being there. So he purposely started an arguement with her to make her leave.

She should have bitch slapped Gaeta and then left. :p

[Rob Helmerichs]

She should have bitch slapped Gaeta and then left. :p
Or pitched him out an airlock and then left. :D

[wprager]

I've got to say I'm disappointed. After the credits I sat there asking, is this it? I felt like I only watched a half show.

I get it, they are setting the mood. Adama brushing his teeth before going out to meet Roslin -- must have been to cover up the smell of liquor that he'd been drinking. He's depressed, I get it. I got it half way through the last episode. But with just 9 more to go they can't afford the luxury of 2-hours worth of mood setting. The whole episode could have been condensed to a 5-minute webisode.

I liked the Tigh/Six scene, even though having a pure-Cylon seems to trump the human-Cylon hybrid that was the shape of things to come so long ago.

Can someone clue me in on which Six this is? I thought it was the Caprica Six, but how's she now with Tigh and not Baltar? And if it isn't the Caprica Six, then which one is it, and where is Caprica? I'm probably confused because I warp-sped through S3 and S4.0 in the last week before the premiere, and only touched on the 5 best episodes.

[Jeeters]

Can someone clue me in on which Six this is? I thought it was the Caprica Six, but how's she now with Tigh and not Baltar?Yes, it's Caprica Six. She ended up on the Galactica when she helped Athena 'steal' her baby Hera from the basestar and returns to the Galactica with her. She was then arrested on arrival.

EDIT: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_Six_(Battlestar_Galactica)#Caprica-Six

[wprager]

Yes, it's Caprica Six. She ended up on the Galactica when she helped Athena 'steal' her baby Hera from the basestar and returns to the Galactica with her. She was then arrested on arrival.

EDIT: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_Six_(Battlestar_Galactica)#Caprica-Six

Thanks, that's what I thought. So what happened to "I love you, Baltar" and all that jazz? And what happened to Tigh's professions of love for Ellen. She's a Cylon, and the Final one at that, with a little twist suggesting that she may have somehow been responsible for their ability to resurrect. You'd better believe she'll be back at some point. How will she take to Saul's "upgrade"? This has all the makings of a bad soap opera.

[Rob Helmerichs]

Thanks, that's what I thought. So what happened to "I love you, Baltar" and all that jazz? And what happened to Tigh's professions of love for Ellen.
That was in that moment. We're in this moment now. Stop trying to connect dots! You continuity-porn addict! ;)

[Bob Coxner]

I'm reminded of:

"Why would I need help writing plots? I just throw a dart at the cast list and *boom*: they're a Cylon. Rinse, repeat, cash the frakking check." --Ron Moore, Robot Chicken season 4 premiere

It's really sad to see how this franchise has been abused and the last episodes are becoming a train wreck.

[wprager]

But, no ... no, they have a plan. A *plan*!

[BeanMeScot]

I'm glad I have the internet so I only have to half watch the episodes. How could something that started so good end so bad? The complete lack of planning. Lost is a masterpiece. This is dreck. I would have quit this long ago had this not been the last season.

[stalemate]

there was one nice bit of directing during the conversation between Adama and Zarek...the camera went behind Zarek's head (black screen, basically) just as Adama was saying that they will stay in this area of space for a long time...a nice director's trick to let you know that this particular sentence was one that Adama did not believe...

very nicely done :up:I'm not arguing with you, but I don't get it. How does panning the camera behind Zarek's head tell me anything about whether Adama believed what he was saying or not?

[Slider10]

I agree that this last episode was a bit rough and I could have done without it. Yes, they're setting the mood but that trick now leaves us with eight episodes left instead of nine. I do think the whole mutiny thing will turn into a good storyline and be a realistic turn of events where they've been running from the Cylons for a long time and now it's a sudden treaty!??!

On the flip-side, even a bad episode of BSG is better than 90% of everything else on TV these days. Also, don't forget that a lot of this is SciFi's doing, where they aired 12 episodes a bajillion years ago and decided to make us wait as long as possible to wrap up the frakkin' series. A wait like that builds up ridiculous expectations.

[Rob Helmerichs]

I'm not arguing with you, but I don't get it. How does panning the camera behind Zarek's head tell me anything about whether Adama believed what he was saying or not?
Especially in a show where random camera placement/movement is a part of the style?

I remember another shot in this episode, of Adama sitting at his desk with the hatch to his room perfectly in-frame. In Hollywood, that is a visual cue that somebody is going to come through the door, but nobody did...and it doesn't seem to have been an ironic choice. Or if it was, the irony was lost on me. Like so many other things, the way they use the camera in this show seems to mean nothing but "Hey, look at this!"

[rgswff2]

...On the flip-side, even a bad episode of BSG is better than 90% of everything else on TV these days.

-1

:down: Sadly, not true. Right now, a bad episode of BSG is barely better than anything on TV right now.

[Anubys]

I'm not arguing with you, but I don't get it. How does panning the camera behind Zarek's head tell me anything about whether Adama believed what he was saying or not?

it's a director's trick...you see it sometimes...

basically, it works like this: The camera is on someone's face. That person is either talking or listening to someone...one way for the director to let you know what this person agrees or disagrees with is to block the person's face when a statement is said that they do NOT agree with...this is done by either panning the camera where something blocks the face when the false statement is made or by having someone walking in front of the camera (blocking the person's face) during the statement...

in both cases, you're looking at a closeup of someone and for a second or two, the camera is showing nothing but black, then you see the person again...whatever statement was said during the fade to black, that person is either lying (if talking) or does not agree with the person who made the statement (if he's listening)

[cheesesteak]

I was half paying attention but did Cottle say that Callie know who the baby daddy was before she died? If so, why'd she go nutso if she knew her baby was 100% human? She could have told Chief to frak off at that point.

I've disliked Baltar for a couple of years. I hate it when he shows up in an episode and we get five minutes of babble.

Starbuck should have beat Gaeda upside his head with his fake leg. Then tossed him out the airlock.

I don't know who was captaining the tillium ship but he should be floating in deep space with Gaeta.

[Anubys]

I was half paying attention but did Cottle say that Callie know who the baby daddy was before she died? If so, why'd she go nutso if she knew her baby was 100% human? She could have told Chief to frak off at that point.

yes, Cottle said that Callie asked for a paternity test...

she went nutso because she didn't know at the time that she was supposed to know! the writers had no clue this had happened until they started writing this ep ;)

either that, or you can comfort yourself by thinking that she loved Chief so much that she acted this way anyway and was worried that Chief would love the kid even when he finds out it wasn't his...

[moot]

I tend to agree with most of the episode complaints above. I did find one thing interesting about the last episode, though, and that was Zarek's attempting to grab control out of the military's hands and put it back into the hands of the people (for whatever self-motivated goal he's after).

Once in a while, BSG touches on a current event note and actually makes me stop and think about it. I pretty much lean toward the libertarian perspective (personal freedom, non-intrusive government, etc). I tend to agree with the concept of personal sovereignty that Zarek was pushing for the individual ships (aka states). But this show actually has me rooting for the other side: the strong, central, militaristic government that ignores freedoms for the sake of the group as a whole.

I noticed myself thinking that the "people" were just being idiots and didn't know what was good for them. Then I thought, "hmm... I wonder if that's what the Bush administration has been thinking for the last 8 years."

[3D]

Moot,

I agree that this one aspect of the episode was interesting, but found myself rooting for Zarek. In fact, early in the episode I found myself admiring how the writer's seemed to channel some early years BSG by creating a political dilemma that one could see from both sides. Unfortunately, it became clear that that's not what they were going for. Apparently, I'm still supposed to be rooting for Adama and Roslin. Gotta say, I'm just not feelin' it anymore. In fact, I don't think that there's one character left who's worth pulling for, but I'm actually starting to hate Adama and Roslin, so much so that while she was running around the ship, I kept repeating over and over "please die, please die, please drop dead right now." This show is but a shadow of its former self (B5 reference only somewhat intentional).

Oh, and everyone is the fifth cylon. There are no humans. Only cylons with physiology slightly different from the current ones. The humans died out ten billion years ago.

You never know. I could be right. ;)

No need for the winking smiley, I'm pretty sure you're right. I don't know, nor do I care at this point, how TPTB try to write themselves out of all the continuity errors this will result in (what's a few more continuity errors amongst friends this late in the game), but it's clear to me that everyone's a Cylon, including you and me.

[BitbyBlit]

-1

:down: Sadly, not true. Right now, a bad episode of BSG is barely better than anything on TV right now.

On an episode-by-episode basis I think BSG is really good. The problem is when you try to connect the episodes together into a coherent story. The writers seem to have creative mood swings when thinking of plot ideas. Some days they feel like writing a courtroom drama, and so they shove that into the show however possible. Other days they feel like writing a show about freedom fighters, so they find some excuse to have everyone land on a planet and do a whole sub-plot involving government control and terrorism. Every once and a while they feel like writing something related to the original premise, but those days are becoming fewer and farther between.

So while the writers are good at writing the details, they have no vision of the bigger picture. At this point I think even the non-serial Star Trek shows had a more coherent overall story than BSG. BSG is becoming more like The Outer Limits, except that the same cast is there every week.

[TAsunder]

This episode was written by Moore right? He shouldn't be allowed near a pen and paper again. The dialogue was atrocious, the themes were tired and re-hashes of prior seasons, many scenes were not credible based on characters in the past, and I still want to know why we aren't seeing more about the whole "turns out I was born on Earth, died, and was resurrected as a Cylon 2000 years ago" thing. How is the boring, re-hashed crap from this episode more interesting? The only indication that anyone even remembers that whole situation was that Starbuck seemed mildly distraught before Gaeta came in.

The retcon about Tyrol's baby is asinine. But I do experience mild enjoyment from the Tigh / Six scenes and storyline. Remember when Athena used to have a baby that was important? Those were the good old days.

[Anubys]

true...I found the whole scene with Tigh and Six all giddy about the baby to be really out of character for Tigh...all of a sudden he was in love and holding hands with Six? all giddy about the future of the cylons? just after he found out that Ellen was a cylon?

[7thton]

Wow, all of a sudden there's just nothing good about this show.

I mean, there must be something interesting that's going to happen. They wouldn't structure the last season so everything happens in the first half. But wherever they're going, they're not letting us in on it, and that's a serious mistake as far as I'm concerned. The show needs a hook, and by suddenly resolving the ones that have gotten us this far (who are the Final Five? What will happen when they reach Earth?) without giving us new ones to take us to the end, they're taking away any incentive for me to care at all.

The only question left of any interest is what happened in the deep history of the show, but nobody on the show itself seems to care about that.

Up until last week, the show managed to find a balance between really bad elements and really good ones. Seems they've given up on the really good ones.

(And some patented BG out-of-nowhere plot developments...the baby's paternity, Zarek's corruption...)

I agree. I have stopped watching. I just don't care. This has turned in to the most pretentious show on TV.

[cheesesteak]

true...I found the whole scene with Tigh and Six all giddy about the baby to be really out of character for Tigh...all of a sudden he was in love and holding hands with Six? all giddy about the future of the cylons? just after he found out that Ellen was a cylon?
Ellen really was a Cylon? I couldn't tell if she was or that Tigh just thought she was. If she really was, damn, that was anticlimatic.

[Anubys]

Ellen really was a Cylon? I couldn't tell if she was or that Tigh just thought she was. If she really was, damn, that was anticlimatic.

yep. It's Ellen...the writers confirmed it in interviews...and Lee confirmed it during the press conference (when he mentioned "she")...

[cheesesteak]

yep. It's Ellen...the writers confirmed it in interviews...and Lee confirmed it during the press conference (when he mentioned "she")...
Oh, well. At least Tigh is consistent in his toaster love.

[Gunnyman]

Ellen really was a Cylon? I couldn't tell if she was or that Tigh just thought she was. If she really was, damn, that was anticlimatic.

The Ellen thing was the 5th? Talk about
http://www.thesquirrelboard.com/forums/images/smilies/meh.gif

[MasterCephus]

a couple of things:

true...I found the whole scene with Tigh and Six all giddy about the baby to be really out of character for Tigh...all of a sudden he was in love and holding hands with Six? all giddy about the future of the cylons? just after he found out that Ellen was a cylon?

I thought was totally in character. Tigh acted giddy with Ellen when she was around. He was able to separate his personal work pretty well until the booze got too much. I can see him being hard nosed, but still get giddy about six and the baby.

I think also that he thinks that Ellen, even though the 5th, is dead and gone and there is nothing he can do about it except going forward. He obviously has feelings for six, so why not continue the relationship.

I agree that this one aspect of the episode was interesting, but found myself rooting for Zarek. In fact, early in the episode I found myself admiring how the writer's seemed to channel some early years BSG by creating a political dilemma that one could see from both sides. Unfortunately, it became clear that that's not what they were going for. Apparently, I'm still supposed to be rooting for Adama and Roslin. Gotta say, I'm just not feelin' it anymore. In fact, I don't think that there's one character left who's worth pulling for, but I'm actually starting to hate Adama and Roslin, so much so that while she was running around the ship, I kept repeating over and over "please die, please die, please drop dead right now." This show is but a shadow of its former self (B5 reference only somewhat intentional).

This decision should have been a total military decision. No way should politicians be able to consider the issue. The question as to whether to travel better, cheaper, longer, etc is a complete military issue in this scenerio. They can't leave anyone behind so if one ship decides to not allow the new engines, then everyone suffers and their fuel and food supplies are fixed...they have to find someplace pretty fast. Being able to search farther and cheaper is a no brainer.

While I understand the implications of allowing cylons to become a citizen, I think taking a step back and looking at the situation allows for this to happen:

-Both cylon and human felt the reality of what they found in Earth. That's been a goal for the whole journey...they get there and it's wasteland...where does each group go from here?

-With no resurrection ship available, the are pretty much just technically advanced humans...in fact they are really handicapped in the fact that they currently can't mass produce so they are pretty much it.

-without the cylons technology, the humans are taking a chance on not finding a new home and pretty much starving out in deep space. The cylons of course can keep going and eventually find something potentially, so in reality the humans need the cylons just as much as the cylons need the humans.

I understand the need for the political stuff because of the drama it creates, but in reality, if this were to have happened, the situation would have been more like the Pegasus than the Galactica because the military would be in total control and what Adama says would be what goes.

[Anubys]

that brings up an interesting question that for some reason I don't know the answer to: can the cylons live without food or drink?

they can't live without air (throwing them out the airlock kills them, shooting them kills them...etc.)...

if they need food and water, then they are just as likely to die out as the humans if they don't find a home soon...

[Donbadabon]

At this point, I am hoping the Cylons win the war.
Just jump into the middle of the ragtag fugitive fleet, put a few nukes into Galactica, and wipe out the last remaining humans.
Except for the one baby that was hidden in a monkey cage in the zoo...

[busyba]

Here's what bugged me... in the opening scenes, Adama is doing his morning routine and he turns the shower on and leaves it running while he goes and brushes his teeth. Considering that the second episode of the whole series was entirely about how they desperately needed water, that struck me as a massively wasteful thing to do aboard a spaceship.


Everytime they did the Adama morning routine montage (pills, brushing teeth, etc...), I was waiting for the scene to end with Adama looking at himself in the mirror, popping up some jazz hands, and saying "It's showtime folks! (http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0019844/quotes)". :D

[MasterCephus]

Here's what bugged me... in the opening scenes, Adama is doing his morning routine and he turns the shower on and leaves it running while he goes and brushes his teeth. Considering that the second episode of the whole series was entirely about how they desperately needed water, that struck me as a massively wasteful thing to do aboard a spaceship.


Why? The ship probably re-captured every bit of water that wasn't absorbed through his body and his towel and was purified for another go around...

[TAsunder]

Here's what bugged me... in the opening scenes, Adama is doing his morning routine and he turns the shower on and leaves it running while he goes and brushes his teeth. Considering that the second episode of the whole series was entirely about how they desperately needed water, that struck me as a massively wasteful thing to do aboard a spaceship.

That was a long time ago. They found plentiful water since then, then unfound it, then found it again, then it turned out the water was a cylon, but then it revolted against other cylon water and now is aboard the base star. And then baltar purified everyone's tears. Then the water went missing. Now it's found again, along with a mysterious toothbrush that is an exact replica of one found on radioactive Earth.

[dcheesi]

That was a long time ago. They found plentiful water since then, then unfound it, then found it again, then it turned out the water was a cylon, but then it revolted against other cylon water and now is aboard the base star. And then baltar purified everyone's tears. Then the water went missing. Now it's found again, along with a mysterious toothbrush that is an exact replica of one found on radioactive Earth.ROFL :D

[rgswff2]

On an episode-by-episode basis I think BSG is really good.

See, I don't even think this is true. Episode-by-episode, BSG is very inconsistent. One week the episode is good (either as a standalone or plot moving forward episode) where other weeks, it just isn't very good regardless of what they are trying to do. Early on, I was able to overlook this because I trusted that there was a plan. It has become painfully obvious that there is no plan. The plan was the mini-series and the first season. After that, it has just kind of floundered trying a lot of different ideas to see what might stick.

[Church AV Guy]

They appear to have an endless supply of alcohol, in many forms, but you are worried about water? What are they formenting to make into the liquor? Oh, and Cottle seems to have an endless supply of cigarettes too.

[wprager]

Here's what bugged me... in the opening scenes, Adama is doing his morning routine and he turns the shower on and leaves it running while he goes and brushes his teeth. Considering that the second episode of the whole series was entirely about how they desperately needed water, that struck me as a massively wasteful thing to do aboard a spaceship.


Everytime they did the Adama morning routine montage (pills, brushing teeth, etc...), I was waiting for the scene to end with Adama looking at himself in the mirror, popping up some jazz hands, and saying "It's showtime folks! (http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0019844/quotes)". :D

Nah, he didn't have a ciggie hanging out his mouth and the music was all wrong. Man, I miss that movie. Had it on VHS a long, long time ago. Is it out on BD yet?

As for his shower, he is, after all, the Commander (it's good to be king) and on top of it all they recycle every drop. As long as he's not venting it into space it's not a big deal.

[gchance]

I just listened to the podcast. There were two firsts for Ronald D. Moore for this:

- His first directing job
- The first time he'd ever even looked through the camera viewfinder

During the podcast he said something about how they came up with the baby not being Tyrol's back when they decided to make him a Cylon. In response to him saying that, his wife said, "...and suddenly the Internet is aglow with people complaining that we make it up as we go along."

OK, a couple things here. First, who the hell is his wife, and why does she think she's making Battlestar Galactica? Second, who the hell does Ronald D. Moore think he is, and why does he think he's making Battlestar Galactica? :)

Seriously though. It just goes to show you where it's all at.

Greg

[DouglasPHill]

I've been disappointed with the writing of BSG and also TSCC. I know its too late for BSG; the writing is done, no plan, no consistency. I hope TSCC has a 1000% improvement in its writing when it resumes, otherwise, I need to find some new shows to watch.

[rich]

Now it's found again, along with a mysterious toothbrush that is an exact replica of one found on radioactive Earth.
Maybe you'll be able to buy that toothbrush on SciFi's props-for-sale site. ;)

[Donbadabon]

Here's what bugged me... in the opening scenes, Adama is doing his morning routine and he turns the shower on and leaves it running while he goes and brushes his teeth. Considering that the second episode of the whole series was entirely about how they desperately needed water, that struck me as a massively wasteful thing to do aboard a spaceship.


When I was in the Navy, we called those 'Hollywood' showers. For people that thought they were superstars that could take longer showers than was allowed.

[Rosincrans]

Apart from the plot holes (and yes they are large and plentiful), this drama for the sake of drama has left every character completely unlikable. I really would enjoy seeing the Galactica blown out of the sky.

At this point I don't even know why I'm watching. Like an abused puppy, for some reason I keep coming back for more.

[ronsch]

Especially in a show where random camera placement/movement is a part of the style?

I remember another shot in this episode, of Adama sitting at his desk with the hatch to his room perfectly in-frame. In Hollywood, that is a visual cue that somebody is going to come through the door, but nobody did...and it doesn't seem to have been an ironic choice. Or if it was, the irony was lost on me. Like so many other things, the way they use the camera in this show seems to mean nothing but "Hey, look at this!"

+1

[Trent Bates]

left every character completely unlikable. I really would enjoy seeing the Galactica blown out of the sky.

I thought I read a recent article stating that by the end of the series, We wouldn't want to see any of these people again! Anyone else remember that?

[getbak]

I thought I read a recent article stating that by the end of the series, We wouldn't want to see any of these people again! Anyone else remember that?
I think I've already passed that point.

[Rob Helmerichs]

I think I've already passed that point.
But there will certainly be episodes between now and then where the story for that week requires one or more characters to be likable and sympathetic.

So they will be.

That week.

[rgswff2]

But there will certainly be episodes between now and then where the story for that week requires one or more characters to be likable and sympathetic.
.

Why does there have to be? It wasn't that way last week. I think that is one of the reasons this show has gotten so bad. You don't actually like or root for anyone anymore. You aren't excited or looking forward to seeing any of the characters.

[Rob Helmerichs]

Why does there have to be?
Because they've always changed characters radically for no purpose other than the needs of that week's story.

(I was being a bit sarcastic, by the way. But I still wouldn't be surprised if it happened.)

[TAsunder]

I like most of the cylons still. And Lee is the least bad of the bad.

[DevdogAZ]

I thought I read a recent article stating that by the end of the series, We wouldn't want to see any of these people again! Anyone else remember that?
Yet didn't I read that they used the sets to film an additional BSG movie after they wrapped production on the series?

[Rob Helmerichs]

Yet didn't I read that they used the sets to film an additional BSG movie after they wrapped production on the series?
IIRC, that is set earlier?

[DevdogAZ]

IIRC, that is set earlier?
So the characters will be portrayed as their likable selves from earlier in the series rather than how they've turned out?

But my point really was that if they're intentionally writing the characters so that we'll bid them all good riddance after the series finale, why would they then think we'd want to see an additional movie, regardless of when it's set?

[doom1701]

Ironically, the movie is titled "Battlestar Galactica: The Plan". This, of course is there way of saying "Crap, we're at the end of the series and we forgot about a plan. Somebody come up with the plan and we'll tack it on like a footnote at the end!"

[IndyJones1023]

Wait, there really is going to be a post-series BSG movie?

[gchance]

Wait, there really is going to be a post-series BSG movie?

Yup, it's a backstory movie that shows you what the Cylons were doing while we were watching the Capricans during the pilot.

Greg

[doom1701]

Wait, there really is going to be a post-series BSG movie?

Yup, and it really truly seriously is named "The Plan".

Seriously.

[IndyJones1023]

What a bunch of feldercarb.

[Anubys]

Yup, and it really truly seriously is named "The Plan".

Seriously.

I am speechless. I am without speech.

[TAsunder]

I hear that in the movie the cylons will be in outer space and will discard 8 plans before coming up with "The Plan"

[IndyJones1023]

Oh, so it's called "The Plan."

[Bierboy]

Ugh....it's pretty bad when the best action scene is a ridiculous "fight" between the chief and hotdog....if this doesn't get any better, I may not make it to the end...:down:....and don't talk to me about "character development" or the politics of the show and how it's "more than just an action show"....BS....this is major suckage...

[philw1776]

Ugh....it's pretty bad when the best action scene is a ridiculous "fight" between the chief and hotdog....if this doesn't get any better, I may not make it to the end...:down:....and don't talk to me about "character development" or the politics of the show and how it's "more than just an action show"....BS....this is major suckage...

Agree completely.
This is where fast fwd on TiVo works great!
Unfortunately I'm at a rental property thru Feb with old style analog TV and no DVR.

[DouglasPHill]

I can't imagine the writers ever being employed again.

[TAsunder]

I can't imagine the writers ever being employed again.

Bit of an overstatement. As disappointing as the show may be of late, it is still a lot better than most of what's on TV. And it is quite successful overall. I doubt they'll have much trouble...

[rgswff2]

Bit of an overstatement. As disappointing as the show may be of late, it is still a lot better than most of what's on TV. And it is quite successful overall. I doubt they'll have much trouble...

:down: Simply not true any more. This show has deteriorated so far that it is barely better than anything on tv any more.

[IndyJones1023]

I can't believe Entertainment Weekly is still giving it As.

[Rob Helmerichs]

:down: Simply not true any more. This show has deteriorated so far that it is barely better than anything on tv any more.
It does remain successful, however, which makes a prophet out of Barnum...

[JohnB1000]

While I was down on this episode the piling on is rather sad. I still like the show and look forward to it every week.

Entertainment Weekly gave this new season an "A"

[TAsunder]

:down: Simply not true any more. This show has deteriorated so far that it is barely better than anything on tv any more.

Hogwash. It's still better than most of the original programming on Sci Fi even. I would much rather watch it than Eureka, Stargate, Sanctuary, The Sarah Jane Chronicles, etc. Only Doctor Who is something I'd rather watch. Maybe I'm forgetting something, though.

[DevdogAZ]

If Eureka were on right now, I'd watch 10 episodes of that before watching BSG. In fact, there are very few shows that I watch that wouldn't be placed ahead of BSG right now if I had to choose. The only reason I'm even watching is because I'm caught up and the end is so near. If I were several episodes behind, I doubt I'd have the interest in getting caught up.

[Anubys]

despite all my complaints about the writers, BSG is still the top SP on 2 DVRs (just in case one of them breaks)...

[rgswff2]

Bit of an overstatement. As disappointing as the show may be of late, it is still a lot better than most of what's on TV. And it is quite successful overall. I doubt they'll have much trouble...

Hogwash. It's still better than most of the original programming on Sci Fi even. I would much rather watch it than Eureka, Stargate, Sanctuary, The Sarah Jane Chronicles, etc. Only Doctor Who is something I'd rather watch. Maybe I'm forgetting something, though.

You have changed your position. First you said that it was better than most of what's on tv. Now you are saying it is better than most of the original programming on sci-fi even. You keep narrowing the scope. Eventually, it will just be better than anything on sci-fi on the same night at the same time. ;)

I sort of agree with you on the original programming on sci-fi but that really isn't saying much. The fact is that this show is just not that good any more. If this weren't the last season then I think most people would bail and they may anyway. It use to be a show that I had to watch in almost real-time or at least the same night. Now it can sit on the DVR for days. I don't get around to it until there is really nothing that I want to see.

[rgswff2]

It does remain successful, however, which makes a prophet out of Barnum...

successful != good

[Rob Helmerichs]

successful != good
Hence Barnum...

[madscientist]

I definitely agree that I pretty much don't like anyone on this show anymore. I'm REALLY tired of Roslyn. Whenever she's on-screen whinging about this or that all I can think is... whatever. As with you all, I'm just hanging in there to get to the end.

[NJChris]

Ugh.. Just watched.

I'm so tired of characters chainging who they are from show to show.

Plus nobody really seems to care about anyone else but themselves.

I'd try to blow up their planet too, if I was a cylon. :)

Edit: Oops meant to put this in the other thread. whoopsie.

[Timbeau]

I just watched this episode -- there's about 35 minutes of my life I'll never get back. The 30 sec skip is a great thing.

Still though, I stayed with Andromeda until the end and I'll stay with this one too. And my 30 second skip.

This is getting to be some god awful boring TV.

[Mars Rocket]

Still though, I stayed with Andromeda until the end and I'll stay with this one too.

That's more evidence of insanity than tenacity. Andromeda quickly became turgid dreck after the second season.