BSG, through season 2.
Well, I just ran through a crap ton of Battlestar Galactica. I watched the miniseries about 5 years ago, and while I enjoyed it, at that time I didn’t have easy access to season 1 and therefore never ripped through it like I did this time. For those of you who don’t know, the mid 2000’s series was actually re-imagined from a 1978-80 show.
The general premise is that the Human race created a robotic race called the Cylons, and surprise surprise, the Cylons nuked all the Human planets. All that remains is a fleet of ships led by Battlestar Galactica, a battleship/aircraft carrier space ship. Much of the series deals with their interactions with a new version of Cylons. The onces the humans created were obviously machines, the derogatory term for were toasters. The new breed however looks exactly like humans, there are 12 models and a seemingly infinite number of each model. The race is now on as the humans attempt to discover Earth as the Cylons try to chase them down and exterminate them.
There isn’t one lead cast member, but more of a core group of people who have the most power in the fleet. The star of the show is obviously Commander Bill Adama played by Edward James Olmos. He has a quiet confidence about him and you can easily see why all of the people under his command revere him so much. His top billing counterpart, Mary McDonnell as President Laura Roslin, is not nearly as well acted while being annoying and grating. I also generally dislike Katee Sackhoff’s Captain Kara “Starbuck” Thrace. The writers feel the need to continually remind us how much of a badass she is and her disdain for authority. We get it, there is no need to overdo it so bad, in doing so, they continually make me wonder how she hasn’t been court marshaled or killed yet. My other two real nitpicks are, 1) the second half of the opening credits where they show us what’s going to happen in the episode. Why would I want to watch that? 2) There was a run in the second season of about 6 episodes where they would start with the present time, then give us a “x hours ago”. Using that as a plot device over and over again was incredibly aggravating.
Everything else I’m really positive on. The show actually makes you think. While almost all the resolutions are foreseeable, the characters ask questions that there are no good or quick answers too. The show does a great job of making the Grace Park and Tricia Helfer (2nd half of 2nd season) Cylons sympathizable (I may have just made that word up). I’m not always a huge fan of James Callis’s Dr. Gaius Baltur, mostly because of his ongoing hallucinations, but he has some real powerful moments when questioning his own sanity and/or morality. That is when the show is at its best. Two of my favorite characters are Chief Galon Tyrol, played by Aaron Douglass, and Captain Karl “Helo” Agathon. Both of these characters fall in love with the same model of Cylon, the Grace Park one (how couldn’t you). Chief falls in love with one who isn’t aware she is currently a Cylon, Helo’s however, did know, but has seemingly sided with the Humans after she was impregnated. Obviously all of this causes a lot of conflict between the two.
One more quick thing that I haven’t mentioned yet, two underappreciated characters who are both well acted but not quite fleshed out, are Lt. Felix Gaeta (Alessandro Juliani) and Officer Anastasia Dualla (Kandyse McClure). Gaeta is the person who seems to be the most in line for promotion but has never gotten it. While much is made for the sexuality that Park, Helfer, and Sackhoff bring to the show, it’s actually McClure who I find the most attractive. Her character is just so much more subtler in every way, but still manages to have a confidence and that little bit of swag then is irresistible.
Before I get into a spoilers section, let me give you JimmyTV’s Judgement: Keep Tuning In
OK, I wrote the above before watching the last 15 minutes of the season 2 finale. HERE THERE BE SPOILERS!!!!!!!!! I’m also going to assume anyone reading this will have either seen, or have a general understanding up to this point in the series.
First, going back to something in the paragraph right before this one, I disliked Lee Adama’s quick ascension to Commander. I really liked them bringing the Pegasus into the fold, but as I said before, the conflict between the two was obvious with an even more obvious outcome. Anyway, while the CAG certainly has a lot or responsibility he is only looking over 20 other people in a very defined role. Someone like Gaeta on the other hand is obviously in the CIC already, and is also probably the smartest person on the ship. So I paused right after the one year jump, the rest of the post will just be quick observations on relevations after the jump.
- Damn is Baltur struggling. Even as I despise him, I look forward to him hopefully meeting back up with the model of Number 6 let he fell in love with.
- Holy hell can Admiral Adama rock the shit out of a mustache.
- Before I get any further, I like to play this game where I try to remember what Cylons we’ve seen, mainly because I keep forgetting some. For the girls, we have Hefler, Park, and Lucy Lawless. Guys we have the black guy who was a Doctor, the creepy dude from the ammo place, the normal looking guy who did a kamikaze job, and the new elderly guy. That would be 7 out of a known 12.
- Sounds like they are really trying to get New Caprica going, at the expense of maintaining their fleet.
- I often wonder about how many lifeforms of each model there are of the Cylons.
- Just told Caprica City has a population of 39k, that leaves about another 10k of people.
- I like Starbuck with longer hair, she really looked like butt in the miniseries with that 90’s bowl cut.
- Alright, Chief, Union president. Woah Starbuck excited to see the EXO. Like seeing Cally preggers, get it Chief. Woah the Chief is PISSED.
- president back to teaching with her the hottie who is caring for the Cyman (Hulon). Nice. Also slightly OT, I never liked Billy, glad he got shot…..
- Lee Adama looking weathered. That subtle handing of the phone to Adama is exactly why I like Dualla.
- We have incoming!!!!!! Probably trying to live on our New Caprica.
- Helo looked like he was handcuffed, not sure if he was just keeping his wrists close together or what. also, how tall is he? anyone else notice how freakishly taller he is then everyone? If I was captain and picking people to go into a fight, that’s my man.
- Now we got Gaeta working for Gaius, lame.
- Game of Thrones should take note on how to incorporate CGI into Live Action.
- Man Gaius just keeps colossally fucking up.
- I hope this doesn’t turn into the latter seasons of Seaquest DSV. Where they only go underwater while bathing.
See you fracks next time for a season 3 post.
Bags, I thought you read through and edited these? Obviously you don’t. I have never proof read anything before. Getting a C from Mr Irani or Hickerson I can live with, having stuff out there in the world of the internets that make me look estupido, no es bueno.
Every scene with Gauis makes me sick. I despise that character so so so so much.