Boz
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Post by Boz on Feb 23, 2009 17:39:19 GMT -5
Man, I hated this last episode. What happened to wise Ellen from last week? We're back to drunk and petty Ellen already? Where the hell are the number 2s? And why did they introduce a Caprica-Six pregnancy subplot if they were just going to abandon it so quickly? WTF? I'm sorry to say that the last episode almost put me off this show completely. I've invested too much though, so I'm going to stick it out to see how (if?) they resolve everything, but wow, that was just horrible. Especially after a few good "mutiny" episodes which, though they didn't move the narrative forward too much, really were entertaining. Those were followed by a necessary "exposition" episode, and then by this disaster. However, I see they are returning to the issue of "Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace.....WTF is up with her?" next week, and that bodes well for a really great episode to come. So I am confident that my interest will be renewed. But I recorded this episode on Friday, and it took me the next two days just to watch one hour because nothing of interest was going on at all and all anyone was doing was whining, so I kept flipping it off. These characters need a kick in the ass from Phill Gramm!! Finally, one last point. This new Battlestar Galactica has always been about more than just battle scenes and military operations. That is one of the reasons the show has been so great, and why I've come to enjoy all of the characters, dialogue and plot. But in the end, the backdrop for this show is still a war in space. Without that (which is what the last two episodes were), it's a lot of talk and not much else. The last few episodes of this series need to go back to that (i.e. - Cavil has to come back and soon!), or I think this is just going to fizzle out.
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Bando
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Post by Bando on Feb 23, 2009 17:49:15 GMT -5
Man, I hated this last episode. What happened to wise Ellen from last week? We're back to drunk and petty Ellen already? Where the hell are the number 2s? And why did they introduce a Caprica-Six pregnancy subplot if they were just going to abandon it so quickly? WTF? I'm sorry to say that the last episode almost put me off this show completely. I've invested too much though, so I'm going to stick it out to see how (if?) they resolve everything, but wow, that was just horrible. Especially after a few good "mutiny" episodes which, though they didn't move the narrative forward too much, really were entertaining. Those were followed by a necessary "exposition" episode, and then by this disaster. However, I see they are returning to the issue of "Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace.....WTF is up with her?" next week, and that bodes well for a really great episode to come. So I am confident that my interest will be renewed. But I recorded this episode on Friday, and it took me the next two days just to watch one hour because nothing of interest was going on at all and all anyone was doing was whining, so I kept flipping it off. These characters need a kick in the ass from Phill Gramm!! Finally, one last point. This new Battlestar Galactica has always been about more than just battle scenes and military operations. That is one of the reasons the show has been so great, and why I've come to enjoy all of the characters, dialogue and plot. But in the end, the backdrop for this show is still a war in space. Without that (which is what the last two episodes were), it's a lot of talk and not much else. The last few episodes of this series need to go back to that (i.e. - Cavil has to come back and soon!), or I think this is just going to fizzle out. Like you, nothing at this point can stop me from watching till the end. And the sublimely good episodes outnumber the truly terrible ones, so I'm not going to let this throw me. One of the old Buffy writers wrote this one, so maybe that's why everything went to hell (the pre-mutiny episode was written by Moore himself; writing means a lot). I think we have one more battle coming, and it has to be the combined Galactica/rebel basestar vs. the Ones, Fours, and Fives. I don't see Cavil seeing any other way, and if anything Boomer's treachery is only going to set him off (I'll bet my life that Cavil knew Boomer was going to abscond with Ellen and tracked the Raptor she took).
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Bando
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Post by Bando on Feb 28, 2009 10:58:33 GMT -5
So at least the wheels of the final confrontation are in motion, even if I'm just as confused as ever. I could have sworn pianoman was Daniel/Kara's father, but I guess not. And you gotta feel bad for the Chief.
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tgo
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Post by tgo on Mar 1, 2009 13:15:51 GMT -5
what makes you think pianoman wasn't daniel/kara's father?
poor chief, he got used and it wasnt pretty.
Anybody remember the mini-series V in the 80s? my biggest fear right now is that the show will end in some sort of god speaks through the hybrid child and gives her super powers type thing, i know the writers of BSG are far better than that but i feel like they are setting something like that up.
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Bando
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Post by Bando on Mar 2, 2009 22:32:45 GMT -5
You gotta think a battle is coming, but I can't see the Galactica surviving it, even if they win. How many basestars does Cavil have, anyway?
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Mar 3, 2009 10:03:37 GMT -5
I couldn't get to this episode until last night because of, in no particular order, work, blistering hangover, other recorded shows and blistering hangover. Also, I have to say, after the previous debacle of an episode, I wasn't in that much of a hurry. I am glad to say, though, that this episode restored my faith in this series. I actually cared what was going on with the key players, which always helps. Great episode overall. Some thoughts: 1. Certainly, I think Pianoman was Kara's projection of her father. Obviously, he was never there at all, so that is how she remembers him. 2. I can't feel too bad for the Chief. He was warned and, what's more, he knew those warnings were true. Yeah, yeah, he's in love, he's confused because he's a Cylon, yadda, yadda, yadda. Both sides knew Boomer was trouble and needed to be gotten rid of. God(s) help him when Helo and Athena find out what he did....and you know they will. 3. Galactica, which is really as much of a character in this show as any human or Cylon, will almost certainly end up getting sacrificed to try to save humanity and/or the rebel Cylons. The question is, who will stay on board to kamikaze her into Cavil's base star? (or something like that). Bill Adama and Laura Roslin are the obvious choices, I'd imagine. 4. Still not really sure what the F is going on with Starbuck. Maybe she is one of the Lords of Kobol.....Artemis, perhaps? Hmmm, hmmm? And don't she and Lee Adama have to have at least one more hot and steamy before this series ends? I assume this will happen when Sam Anders finally bites it. 5. Where the hell is Romo? If I've seen the last of him already for this series, I will be disappointed. I know Romo only cares about Romo, so he doesn't have all this angst that everyone else does, but I hope he still has a part to play before the end. 6. I agree with tgo. If the resolution of this series hinges on some "special power" of Hera's, I also will be very disappointed. I don't mind if she has something to do with the resolution, but I don't want it centered around her. And based on the talk of the Cylons in recent episodes, I don't think it will be centered around her. 7. Did I miss something? What happened to Leoben? I think we saw him in the mutiny, but I can't remember.
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Bando
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Post by Bando on Mar 3, 2009 11:32:46 GMT -5
Leoben's been missing for quite a while. You think he'd have something to do with all the Kara stuff, but apparently no. Maybe they just didn't want to pay him for more episodes. ]
Just as an aside, I guess at this point we're never getting a real episode about the number 4's and 5's. Those guys probably aren't even working on the show anymore.
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Bando
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Post by Bando on Mar 9, 2009 8:33:19 GMT -5
Well if you have the Razor DVD, Razor Flashbacks will be interwoven into that. The flashback webisodes are just the stuff that got cut from the initial airing.
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Bando
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Post by Bando on Mar 9, 2009 9:50:45 GMT -5
So there's only two episodes left, and I felt this episode again just treaded water. C'mon writers, let's finish this thing already. I feel I'm going to be completely overwhelmed by plot closures in the last two episodes.
Also, apparently in a deleted scene (that will be on the DVD), Tyrol is in the brig during this episode.
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tgo
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Post by tgo on Mar 9, 2009 11:20:19 GMT -5
agreed, after this ep i was thinking- they have so many plot twists to settle, do they really have to wait for the last show to resolve all of them? not much was done or resolved this week.
thanks for the info on chief, how can we go the entire episode and not see or hear about him- thats really weak.
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Bando
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Post by Bando on Mar 11, 2009 10:15:02 GMT -5
I'm catching up to you folks, but I have a problem. I'm at the point in Season 3 where they've successfully fled New Caprica. Gaeta was just spared execution because of the yellow dog food bowl, Baltar is stuck on a Basestar, Starbuck is PMSing, Lee is fat (and let me tell you, looks hilarious)... and reference is made more than a few times to the people they left behind on New Caprica. Um... HELLO?!? They went back to (old) Caprica to save Anders and a couple dozen freedom fighters, but they won't consider going back to New Caprica to save what I can only imagine (and judging by the intro to the show giving me the survivor count) are a few thousand refugees? Am I just jumping the gun, should I wait a few more episodes... or are they seriously going to strand people back on New Caprica? Not a big deal, just a huge error in judgment by the producers if true, if you ask me. The Bill Adama I've grown to know would come up with a way to scout New Caprica one last time for any stragglers, especially considering it seems to be common knowledge some were left behind. I'm pretty sure "people we left on New Caprica" is a euphemism for "people who died on New Caprica"
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Mar 12, 2009 12:46:26 GMT -5
Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix are two of the Lords of Kobol. Sorry for the spoiler, Buffalo.
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Bando
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Post by Bando on Mar 12, 2009 13:12:41 GMT -5
It gets even more trippy when Adama only speaks with lyrics from "Subterranean Homesick Blues" in Season 4.
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Bando
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Post by Bando on Mar 16, 2009 18:23:41 GMT -5
Thanks to being home two days with the flu and two weeks off between my old job and my new one, I've been able to catch up with the entire series to "Sometimes A Great Notion," the first episode of Season 4.5. I've only got basic cable, but my folks have digital so my question for you folks is... ... should I spend the time driving over there because they have On Demand? Are BSG episodes even On Demand? I still have this week off to catch up to the finale, let alone "The Plan." They're On Demand for me (I have Comcast). I assume they're the same with other cable providers. If you want to spend less time with your folks, the last four episodes are on Hulu.
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Bando
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Post by Bando on Mar 16, 2009 18:26:55 GMT -5
[Buff don't read this].
So we get yet another placeholder. I guess they're saving it all for the season finale, huh? Not to say this episode was worthless, I especially liked the "Before the Fall" series of flashbacks. But there so much plot to be resolved, and 2 hours to do it.
Looks like we're getting our final battle, though.
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Boz
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Post by Boz on Mar 18, 2009 8:39:56 GMT -5
Regarding the penultimate episode and the season as a whole in advance of Friday:
I agree with Bando that the "Before The Fall" snapshots were really good and then I asked myself, "Hmmmm.....what does this remind me of?"
Obviously, I think one of the reasons I enjoyed this episode was because it was modeled after what is certainly the best action/drama on television right now and possibly what could be one of the best action/drama shows in television history.
Which got me wondering if I have been entirely fair to BSG this season. This show has a lot of mysteries, to be sure, but it is NOT "Lost" and it has never tried to be "Lost" (this episode notwithstanding). The only real "mystery" it has really tried to draw out over a long period of time is the question of who are the Final 5, which we now know. (OK, maybe "where is Earth?" and "WTF is Starbuck?" too).
The real driving force behind BSG is not the mysteries, but the exploration of human and Cylon nature and the flawed, but often still noble, character of both human and Cylon alike. Character that is dramatically played out against a backdrop of a war of genocide/survival and the quest for peace. Heck, it's really just a big Benetton commercial. ;D
No, seriously, looking back over the course of the series, I think I tuned in each week more for the development and progress of the characters in the war setting and their survival quest than I did to find out a new mystery to unravel. Some of my favorite episodes of BSG -- up until this season anyway -- have been ones which had very little to do with answering any questions: the Scar episode, the boxing episode, the episodes with Kat and Starbuck going at it, just to name a few. Yes, we found out new things in each of these, but they weren't usually driving elements for the story, they were new things that revealed more about the characters. This is also why, as I mentioned on the previous page, I loved the mutiny episodes so much. We really didn't learn anything new, but they were great nevertheless.
Contrast that with Lost, which very famously tried to air an episode which had nothing to do with the advancement of the mystery. It was a colossal failure and now basically a running joke with Lost fans. This, of course, is "Nikki and Paolo."
Anyway, back to BSG, I think it all changed at the beginning of season 4.0, now continued in 4.5, where they realized they had to get some of these answers out there before the series ended, they rushed a lot of it and didn't really do a great job of it (the laborious Anders/Ellen exposition episode).
In this most recent episode, I think they did a very good job of (A) getting us back to care about the characters and (B) setting up for the final confrontation, which is what this show was always about. Sure, they stole a plot device from Lost to do it, but OK. If you're going to borrow, borrow from the best.
The result is, I find myself less concerned at the moment with whether or not they answer every question in the finale than I am about what is going to happen to all of the characters. I think that's the way it should be.
(Of course, having said all of that, nothing can forgive the ridiculously abominable episode that followed the exposition episode).
One last thought: Gaius Baltar has daddy issues....who woulda' thunk it! ;D ;D
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tgo
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Post by tgo on Mar 20, 2009 10:18:37 GMT -5
what is going to happen tonight? any theories?
i assume i will find out what the point was of the "before the fall" scenes. this show plods along and can spend countless amounts of screen time with adama looking at workers and sizing up failing beems and then in the blink of an eye we are off to the cylon home world and although we have been told gallactica might fall apart after a jump or two we are not only going to take several jumps but battle the most fortified piece of space possible. i have been slowly losing faith in this show, i expect to be redeemed/rewarded tonight with some closure. i do agree with boz that this episode did remind you why you care about some of these guys and why they are interesting charachters, i was waiting for baltar to make the big move across the line
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Bando
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Post by Bando on Mar 20, 2009 12:07:09 GMT -5
I have a poker game tonight, so I won't be watching until Saturday morning. Obviously there's going to be a huge battle at the colony. If the writers have any balls, the Colonials/Rebel Cylons will lose and be wiped out.
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Bando
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Post by Bando on Mar 21, 2009 3:00:42 GMT -5
Well I'm just gonna come out and say it. I was massively disappointed with the series finale. For it all to come down to "God did it" sucks. Not that I mind any mention of religion or anything, but because it's the ultimate deus ex machina. It's a writing staff covering their asses for all the crap they wrote without having any idea where it was all going.
More thoughts tomorrow.
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PDRHoya99
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Post by PDRHoya99 on Mar 22, 2009 12:18:09 GMT -5
I'm even more disappointed than Bando, because I still haven't seen it. NCAA games ran late so I figured I'd just catch it on their website the next day. Anybody regularly watch at scifi.com? Do the episodes typically take a few days to show up? They aren't rebroadcasting it until next friday.
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