Battlestar Galactica - your thoughts?

[Edric O]

Well, it looks like we had an old topic about Battlestar Galactica way back in 2003 when the miniseries was launched. Since then, the miniseries gave rise to a whole new TV series which is now in its fourth and apparently final season. BSG is quite a phenomenon in the subculture of the internet, so I was wondering if anyone here watches it.

For my part, I am a devoted fan of BSG and I am very glad to finally see a science fiction series that handles human emotion and relationships realistically. It's also based on some more realistic physics than most sci-fi series, at least in the way spaceships fly (fighters can spin around and use positional thrusters rather than behaving like atmospheric craft). However, despite the fact that the plot pays great attention to detail, it has some huge gaping holes that have been only partially patched up. The way the Cylons obliterated the 12 Colonies in the beginning was a rather shameful Deus Ex Machina (pun intended).

[SandChigger]

I watch and rather like it. :)

They finally started showing it over here in Japan a few months back, after showing the two parts of the pilot back a year or two ago. Just watched the last of season one last week. (Boomer go boom boom, Adama fall dead?! I did NOT see that coming! :) )

They haven't mentioned anything about season two yet. >:(

(I have a love-hate...mostly hate...relationship with my satellite TV channels.)

[Dunenewt]

I used to watch the original one, from ages ago, and I liked that one, despite all the awful haircuts.

[Vanguard3000]

I've only really seen the original.  The robot dog in that show was awesome!

But the new one makes me motion sick.  I hope that whole "shaky handheld camera" trend is starting to get old.

[Dunenewt]

The dog belonged to the little kid, right? 

[Vanguard3000]

Yeah.  Muffet and Boxey.

I think Boxey was actually the kid's name...

[edit]  Not that Muffet would get you beat up less or anything.

[jeff2429]

Baltar is a pimp.

[Andrew]

I havn't seen the latest season that is airing yet. I'll probably wait until it is over and watch the season.

Worst part is trying to not accidentally read spoilers like I did in this thread.

[Edric O]

Speaking of which, everyone please remember to use hide tags when mentioning anything about the series that is not glaringly obvious. For instance, saying that some cylons look like humans is not a spoiler. Mentioning WHICH humans are actually cylons is a spoiler, and a major one at that.

Oh, and by the way, I hereby officially endorse Laura Roslin for President! Not that she actually needs any votes...

[hide]She became President twice; neither time was through an election, and the only time she tried running for office, she lost.[/hide]

[Andrew]

When posting spoilers, please say what season that are from (or at least if in the newest season I havn't watched yet :D

[season 1 spoiler]

[hide]some ships explode[/hide]

[Acriku]

I unfortunately couldn't stick with the series (I was always busy back then, now... not so much) but I did love what I saw. I do remember that they totally stole from Firefly - how the camera zooms in and out and looks kind of "cheap" but amidst top-of-the-line special effects [which makes it come out really realistic]. All in all, Sharon is incredibly gorgeous.

[hide]When she's not all cybernetic ;)[/hide]

[Edric O]

This topic deserves to be resurrected now that the final season is in full swing.

After watching episode 9, I realized something interesting: I have never identified with any character, from any story, as much as I identify with Laura Roslin. She always did exactly as I would have done - or as I wish I could have the strength to do - under similar circumstances. Those of you debating me in PRP and wondering what I'd really be like in a position of power, watch Battlestar Galactica and take note of President Roslin.

Coming from me, this is saying something. I am usually very critical of heroes and protagonists, and find many faults with them or things I consider stupid mistakes. But Laura Roslin's actions are, as far as I'm concerned, flawless.

But the best part about the latest episode is...

[hide]It looks like Gaius Baltar might FINALLY die at last![/hide]

[Edric O]

Also, in light of recent episodes, I can now say with some certainty that I have narrowed down the options for the final cylon to three possible candidates.

Why? Because of the prophecy made by the First Hybrid in the "Razor" extended episode. The prophecy was as follows:

[hide]"Soon there will be four, glorious in awakening, struggling with the knowledge of their true selves. The pain of revelation bringing new clarity and in the midst of confusion, he will find her. Enemies brought together by impossible longing. Enemies now joined as one. The way forward at once unthinkable, yet inevitable. And the fifth, still in shadow, will claw toward the light, hungering for redemption that will only come in the howl of terrible suffering."[/hide]

Let's look at it piece by piece, ignoring the first part because that is obvious:

[hide]"The pain of revelation bringing new clarity and in the midst of confusion, he will find her. Enemies brought together by impossible longing. Enemies now joined as one. The way forward at once unthinkable, yet inevitable." - Leoben and Kara Thrace. In the midst of the confusion of the Cylon Civil War, he found her, and they joined as one to form an unthinkable alliance.[/hide]

And then...

[hide]"And the fifth, still in shadow, will claw toward the light, hungering for redemption that will only come in the howl of terrible suffering." - Who is hungering for redemption and currently in the howl of terrible suffering? Gaius Baltar is the first and most obvious choice. Laura Roslin may also fit, but that's a bit of a stretch. She certainly is suffering, but I'm not sure about the redemption part. Felix Gaeta is also currently suffering terribly, but what redemption could he be looking for?[/hide]

Of course it's always possible that another character will be placed in a position to fit the description given in the prophecy. But it's fun to speculate.

[Andrew]

When is the last episode this season?

I need to get this last season and watch it. Havn't watched any of it and am trying my best to avoid spoilers.

[jeff2429]

They did a picture of the shows characters modeled after "The Last Supper" and said all that are in it wont be the final cylon.  Two of the people you guessed are in it Edric. :-X

[Edric O]

Well, I guess that should tell us who the final cylon is, by process of elimination, except for the fact that...

[hide]D'Anna said there were only 4 final cylons in the colonial fleet, and made no attempt to recruit any of the humans on the Basestar - so presumably the final cylon isn't there either. So will it be an entirely new character?[/hide]

Now, episode 10 was jaw-dropping, and it's really frustrating to have to wait until next year to see the last episodes of the series. My reaction after watching the episode was one of shock, but not surprise, because...

[hide]The moment they found Earth I knew something was wrong. The writers of this show hate happy endings. I knew something was going to go horribly bad - and it did. Notice, however, that they never actually showed the continents of this planet they found and called "Earth." Is it really our Earth, or a completely different planet altogether?

And also... where are the apes? :P [/hide]

[jeff2429]

Now the waiting begins...

[hide]In the Season 3 final episode when they showed Earth, you could clearly make out the the continent North America.  I don't see why they would change their minds now and not base it on our Earth.[/hide]

[hide]So will it be an entirely new character?[/hide]

[hide]I don't think so, otherwise what's the point of reveling that picture to eliminate possible people.[/hide]

[Edric O]

[hide]In the Season 3 final episode when they showed Earth, you could clearly make out the the continent North America.  I don't see why they would change their minds now and not base it on our Earth.[/hide]

But that's just the thing...

[hide]They showed it in the season 3 finale, so why haven't they shown it in episode 10 of season 4? That's what makes me think that the Earth we saw at the end of season 3 and the "Earth" they found now may not be the same planet.[/hide]

[Megashrap]

When is the last episode this season?

I need to get this last season and watch it. Havn't watched any of it and am trying my best to avoid spoilers.

You can catch up on episodes here  http://www.surfthechannel.com/show/television/Battlestar_Galactica.html

[hide]It seemed to me that in revelations after the final jump and after validating earths' postion via the constellation matching etc. but after landing it appeared simply a dead post apocalyptic obliterated planet. Can't wait for the next episode.

I'm now wanting to know who is The final model, and speculated "mastermind".I was rather hooked on the show after watching a few episodes.

Very frackin addictive.[/hide]

[Edric O]

A note on the constellations...

[hide]If they're only using the 12 constellations of the zodiac, which is what they seem to be doing, then they have a significant margin of error. Those 12 constellations appear pretty much the same from Alpha Centauri and a handful of other nearby stars.[/hide]

[SandChigger]

[hide]Gaeta is the last Cylon. ;D [/hide]

[Edric O]

[hide]No he's not, D'Anna said there were only 4 of the final 5 in the colonial fleet. The last cylon must be an entirely new character...[/hide]

[SandChigger]

[hide]Spoil sport. ;) [/hide]