Battlestar Galactica (spoilers/speculation)

[Triforcer]

Same reason you rarely see the black Cylon. The actor who plays him isn't a regular on the show so they have to pay extra every time he appears.

I thought he was the doctor archetype.  Or is he more of a scientist archetype?

He also struck me as melee DPS. 

[Margalis]

He also struck me as melee DPS. 

ZOMG RACISM!

[Roac]

He also struck me as melee DPS. 

Well.  After tonight's episode, he sure as hell isn't the group tank.

[Tale]

Found this photo, apparently from 2006, and thought it was cool (unfortunately out of focus) - Starbucks at Starbucks

[tazelbain]

Man, I hate Starbuck.  But even if I didn't, I still would think this episode blew.

[stray]

I think I'm gonna have to give this a shot again. I couldn't last through the intro/movie episodes, but I've pretty much exhausted the list sci-fi shows I've wanted to see.

[Venkman]

Found this photo, apparently from 2006, and thought it was cool (unfortunately out of focus) - Starbucks at Starbucks

Le broke. And I couldn't find that one. Instead I found Starbuck and Starbuck at Starbucks:

[Venkman]

That episode was largely pointless. Hope nobody was surprised Kara was gonna be cut loose. They should have done that right away rather than dragging out the President/Adama split.

I get the impression though that they've invented this split to make the last season more interesting. I mean, I don't read all the news and forums and watch the fan crap about BSG. So to me, the casual (heh) viewer, this whole deep-seeded disagreement feels last-minute outta nowhere, like they needed some controversy to run parallel with the one happening in the cylons.

And even that seems last-minute/forced because while they had minor disagreements on New Caprica, now they're all of a sudden at each other's throats? I feel like they pulled that plot this way just so they can go back to the 70s mindless killing machines we can hate for the next, err, 12? episodes of chase/fight/chase/fight.

Finally, somebody kill Baltar. Whatever he was the first two seasons, he's now just the sequences I fast forward through if I'm feeling impatient.

I'm giving it two more episodes. If it doesn't do something interesting, I'll write it off as buildup towards the inevitable two-part season finale/cliffhanger-that-justifies-the-movie and grab the cliffs notes a week prior. I'm sure there's a bunch of religious crossovers and whatnot. I'm too arsed to care at this point though. If they're following some scripture, great, I'll catch it at the conclusion. The path is getting less interesting.

[Jain Zar]

I enjoyed the episode, but I have enjoyed almost every BSG episode, even the ones 90% of the Internet seems to hate.  (Which probably means about 10% of everyone else.  Also see: Firefly, Ron Paul, Snakes on a Plane.)

Character stuff happened, and the Cylon thing seemed more to be them being human which in spite of everything the toasters say, is what they basically are.  One group wants to do bad things and insists they are right.  The other side knows they are right and these dipshits are wrong, so fuck em, power to the masses we are sticking up for our lil buddies.

It was like Cylon PETA.  Except instead of cute fuzzy wuzzies, we have angry robots with gun arms.   

[Triforcer]

Give the cylons with MACHINEGUNS FOR ARMS independent reason?  Yeah, that won't backfire on their current allies or the skin models in general.  Idiots. 

[Riggswolfe]

Give the cylons with MACHINEGUNS FOR ARMS independent reason?  Yeah, that won't backfire on their current allies or the skin models in general.  Idiots. 

Judging by the previews that is going to happen next week. As for Darniaq's points:

The Adama/Roslin split makes sense actually and my general feeling was "About damned time!" If there is anything Adama would disagree with the president about it'd be Starbuck. And honestly, Roslin pissed me off when Starbuck made her point about "We've been following you for how long based on your visions?" And frankly, Roslin needed somebody to tell her "guess what? You might not be the prophecied leader!"

Finally, Baltar is actually really interesting this season. I'm intrigued by him seeing Head Baltar and am curious how well he maps onto Caprica's head Baltar. Are they similar at all? And lastly, the Cylon civil war, that's been coming since at least the end of Season 2.

[Rishathra]

I still like Baltar, even though I find the whole Manson cult thing he's got going to be rather silly.  Of course, one of the reasons he's still cool is because he thinks it's silly, too.

[Venkman]

The Adama/Roslin split makes sense actually and my general feeling was "About damned time!" If there is anything Adama would disagree with the president about it'd be Starbuck. And honestly, Roslin pissed me off when Starbuck made her point about "We've been following you for how long based on your visions?" And frankly, Roslin needed somebody to tell her "guess what? You might not be the prophecied leader!"

That's a good point. I forgot the link between what both Starbuck and Adama independently said to her.

What I don't like, and maybe I'm just misremembering here, is that Roslin being dogmatic feels like a new thing. Hasn't she been open-minded in the past? Now it seems like it's her way and, well, no other way at all. You'd think Starbuck coming back at all with visions of Earth would compel them to say "hey, maybe there's something to this."

I think I'm just pissed they didn't immediately load a Raptor with Starbuck and three trustworthy folks with video cameras. It's just so obvious and Adama-like decisive that it's lack feels like a plot device to compel the nonsense that's happened since.

[Rishathra]

What I don't like, and maybe I'm just misremembering here, is that Roslin being dogmatic feels like a new thing. Hasn't she been open-minded in the past? Now it seems like it's her way and, well, no other way at all.

She's actually been like that from the beginning.  Even before the emphasis on the spiritual aspect of it, she was a self-righteous, hypocritical hardass who wouldn't listen to anybody.  Over the course of the series she has become less and less diplomatic about it, but it was there from the start.

[Chenghiz]

Baltar v head Baltar was fucking hilarious. I want to see more of that action.

[tazelbain]

Exactly, there was plenty of cool stuff going on, but they spent the majority of time wanking on about Starbuck and Lee which was going no where.

[Yegolev]

I think I'm just pissed they didn't immediately load a Raptor with Starbuck and three trustworthy folks with video cameras. It's just so obvious and Adama-like decisive that it's lack feels like a plot device to compel the nonsense that's happened since.

Roslin's hardened up and Adama's pussied up.  They seem set up to change back at some point.

[HaemishM]

Exactly, there was plenty of cool stuff going on, but they spent the majority of time wanking on about Starbuck and Lee which was going no where.

Yeah, the whole Starbuck and Apollo storylines are completely pissing me the fuck off. Ever since Lil' Adama lost the weight and started fucking Kara, he's been one of the least interesting characters in the show. Kara is just fucking annoying. And frankly, the fact that she ISN'T dead after the whole holding the President hostage is retarded as hell. The President has shown no qualms about spacing people she thinks are Cylons and if she really thought Kara was a Cylon (which she totally should think), she'd have sent her out the airlock after this episode's stunt. And Adama the Senior would have agreed, no matter how he felt about Kara.

And now he gives her a SHIP, when they are already low on ships?

Yeah, bullshit. I'm not buying it. They seem to be padding this season out already with contrived conflict, which just follows along from the last half of last season. They don't need a full season to wrap this up, because it's only going to get worse and more nonsensical.

The Baltar bits are funny, and I dig the Centurion Revolution. More of that, please. Most of the "humans" are just pissing me off, making me root for the Cylons.

[tazelbain]

For those who missed it all the humanoid Cylons (with a capital-C) were given model numbers http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Humanoid_Cylon

[sidereal]

I wish they'd kill off more main characters.  I realize that Hollywood almost never does this, but some of my favorite textual fiction involves big characters dying fairly regularly (e.g. Song of Ice and Fire).  Killing a major character is a huge emotional ace to play and keeps things interesting, like they did with Starbu. . OH WAIT SHE'S ACTUALLY ALIVE HA HA NO WOOREEZ!!

Goddammit.

[Mrbloodworth]

I wish they'd kill off more main characters.  I realize that Hollywood almost never does this, but some of my favorite textual fiction involves big characters dying fairly regularly (e.g. Song of Ice and Fire).  Killing a major character is a huge emotional ace to play and keeps things interesting, like they did with Starbu. . OH WAIT SHE'S ACTUALLY ALIVE HA HA NO WOOREEZ!!

Goddammit.

Lets not forget the Colonels little daydream involving the admiral and a gun....



But it never happened.

[Evil Elvis]

I wish they'd kill off more main characters.  I realize that Hollywood almost never does this, but some of my favorite textual fiction involves big characters dying fairly regularly (e.g. Song of Ice and Fire).  Killing a major character is a huge emotional ace to play and keeps things interesting, like they did with Starbu. . OH WAIT SHE'S ACTUALLY ALIVE HA HA NO WOOREEZ!!

Goddammit.

Lets not forget the Colonels little daydream involving the admiral and a gun....



But it never happened.

That was the best part of the episode, regardless =/

[sidereal]

The Admiral being killed would probably be a little too much.  Favorite character and all.  Tigh being shot through his other eye would be both hilarious and satisfying, however.

[Mrbloodworth]

I just noticed something while scanning wikipidea, both Grace Park and Tricia Helfer were in Command and Conquer 3.

 

[Venkman]

And the admiral on the Pegasus was named Kane... hmm... 

[Lum]

I wish they'd kill off more main characters.

It appears this week you're getting your wish.

[eldaec]

I just noticed something while scanning wikipidea, both Grace Park and Tricia Helfer were in Command and Conquer 3.

 

I assume you didn't play it, because this wasn't, in fact, subtle.

[Tannhauser]

I was really hoping the pres and Adama would have followed Starbuck on nothing but faith.  THAT would have been amazing, for the handful of humans to follow her on blind faith.  Of course I guess they are doing so right now with Rosiln.

I enjoyed the episode, for a change Starbuck's screaming fit made sense.  Apollo's ceremony was filler to me though.  I wonder what he's gonna do in the government, be a pain in the ass for Roslin I bet.  I bet she spaces him after what he did at the trial.

As far as Earth, heres my thoughts on the Earthlings.
1.  Ancient Earth would be no help vs. the Cylons.  Plus it would be boring as they worship the raptor as it touches down.  Not gonna happen.
2. Modern day Earth would be more interesting, but the urge to put in flying motorcycles might be too tempting to Ron Moore. :)  But again, no help.
3.  A futuristic Earth would help vs. the Cylons but I'm not sure how they would fit in the story.  Unless Earth is populated by Cylon/Human hybrids! zomg1
4.  They find Earth but no humans who have died off, fled to the stars etc.  Quite possible to me as Earth is re-colonized and the circle begins again.  "All of this has happened before."

[Ookii]

With most of the Episode's focus on Apollo leaving, is he not going to be in upcoming episodes?  It seemed a big sendoff if we're just going to see him a civilian in the next episode.

The sendoff had to be that focused on for a reason.

[MrHat]

With most of the Episode's focus on Apollo leaving, is he not going to be in upcoming episodes?  It seemed a big sendoff if we're just going to see him a civilian in the next episode.

The sendoff had to be that focused on for a reason.

I'm thinking he dies.

[Tale]

With most of the Episode's focus on Apollo leaving, is he not going to be in upcoming episodes?  It seemed a big sendoff if we're just going to see him a civilian in the next episode.

The sendoff had to be that focused on for a reason.

It definitely looked like the actor leaving the show, with the cast using the scene as a tribute to him, like the wakes on The Wire.

I don't know if Americans had the chance to see Hornblower, the excellent series that brought people like Ioan Gruffudd and Jamie Bamber to the attention of many others. But this is what Bamber/Apollo looks like without dyeing his hair black to look like a son of Adama:

[Ookii]

Isn't he dreamy.

[Jeff Kelly]

And the admiral on the Pegasus was named Kane... hmm... 

Cain

[Mrbloodworth]

With most of the Episode's focus on Apollo leaving, is he not going to be in upcoming episodes?  It seemed a big sendoff if we're just going to see him a civilian in the next episode.

The sendoff had to be that focused on for a reason.

It definitely looked like the actor leaving the show, with the cast using the scene as a tribute to him, like the wakes on The Wire.

I don't know if Americans had the chance to see Hornblower, the excellent series that brought people like Ioan Gruffudd and Jamie Bamber to the attention of many others. But this is what Bamber/Apollo looks like without dyeing his hair black to look like a son of Adama:

I watched it, good series.

[Venkman]

Maybe Apollo "leaving" being the harbringer of his death foreshadows the actual split between Adama and Roslin? Maybe the latter either causes it or could have prevented it, or whatever, driving yet another grab at martial law or another almost-civil war or something.

Or maybe I'm just wildly hopeful there turns out to be an actual reason for all that screentime dedicated to yawning.

And the admiral on the Pegasus was named Kane... hmm... 

Cain

Bah. A mere homonym away