And now for something completely controversialicious.

[Hammerskjold]

Specifically, the re-imagined series final season. I've watched a lot of relatively modern sci-fi shows. (Let's say, from the time of STrek-Next Gen spin-offs, Babylon 5 to Buffy\Angel, Firefly, LEXX, SG-1 and even ugh, Andromeda.) Some are good, some not so good. But all of them no matter how good in their own right and circumstances, almost always seems to have something missing for me. Some suffer from franchitis, some have more ambition but not the budget to match it. And some are just plain unlucky and did not have good timing.

What dissapoints me the most though, is when a show is just starting to deal with something interesting, or dealing with something in an interesting way, it backs off at the last second.

By the next episode, everything is nicely reset back. No harm no foul. And if there are consequences, it's either just cosmetic or so simplistic that you wonder if the creators thinks all of it's audiences are in fact, drunken chimps with ADD. Can't throw anything too complex or else the audience will get confused and angry.

The new Galactica however, is the series that I've been waiting for.. I knew it by the time I watched the very first episode. And while there are episodes that works as stand alones, anyone who didn't watch it from the very beginning ep.1, will probably be confused. And the creators offers no apology for it. Speaking for myself, I applaud that approach and dedication.

It's lean, mean, and smart. It hasn't pulled a lot, if any punches yet. And it made me do something I haven't done in a while. Ask with genuine interest, 'I did not see that one coming...so what's going to happen next?'. For me, it nailed what good storytelling is to me. Giving me something that is both familiar and strange. Macro and micro. It gave me what I want as an audience, yet it doesn't. Galactica manipulated my feelings and viewpoints. In the best way possible.

Finishing up my rambling, I am looking forward to the final chapter of the story. I have some sadness that it will end, but I am happier still that the creators have the guts to stick to their guns and have an ending to this story. Cue the taiko drums and bring out the fifth cylon. I'm ready to get my mind frakked.

[Jester]

Cue the taiko drums and bring out the fifth cylon. I'm ready to get my mind frakked.

If the 5th Cylon is not the obvious candidate, then they have a *lot* of explaining to do.

-Jester

[Hammerskjold]

If the 5th Cylon is not the obvious candidate, then they have a *lot* of explaining to do.

-Jester

Potential spoiler warning etc etc

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.


If by obvious you mean *$, I agree that seems to be where it's going. From the trailer it seems this is going to be a fairly important story arc. That aside, even the already revealed 4 raises a lot of 'splainins' to do. Like say:

- One of the final 4 if true (and it seems they really are Cylons according to R. Moore), existed and fought the Cylons during the first Cylon wars. That brings up all sorts of questions about the timeline of when the humanoid models actually first appeared. Especially with what has been shown in 'Razor', if I understand it right the cylon evolutionary path is mechanical, hybrid (mechanical lower torso, humanoid upper torso), then fully humanoid.

- Related to the timeline, there seems to be a connection between earth\13th colony and the final 5. Were they created there, since that would explain the special tune that they heard. Not to mention who created\programmed them is an even bigger question.

- Show me Earth dammit.

All in all, there's only 3 endings that I'd rather not see.

- Bobby Ewing wakes up from a dream.
- Adama eating an onion ring in a diner.
- The Matrix 3, 'Keanu Jesus hits the reboot button' ending.

Ok, maybe a 4th, an Ewok jamboree ending.

[Pantalaimon]

Continuing the Spoiler Alert...





























Just a thought I randomly had the other day, but he cylons also got really lucky! Out of the entire Colonial fleet, 5 + 1 (the unrevealted model) cylons ended up on the one ship that survived the attack on the 12 colonies.

[Hammerskjold]

Continuing the Spoiler Alert...
Just a thought I randomly had the other day, but he cylons also got really lucky! Out of the entire Colonial fleet, 5 + 1 (the unrevealted model) cylons ended up on the one ship that survived the attack on the 12 colonies.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Some I would say are quite lucky. A few of the significant ones, I think it's almost guided. Considering their position in the ship is pretty high up.

Speaking of controversy.

http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/The_Last_Supper

[Jester]

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Some I would say are quite lucky. A few of the significant ones, I think it's almost guided. Considering their position in the ship is pretty high up.

Speaking of controversy.

http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/The_Last_Supper

Unsurprising who's in Judas' spot, but it does make a very interesting situation relative to his "Jesus". Also bizarre that Moore does not mention this, considering how obvioulsy he is mimicking the Judas pose, and how obvious the connection is.

The Chief as St. Peter is a good touch, though.

I wonder if it is in any way significant that Six is facing the opposite way from Jesus in the original photo, or whether that's just a slight variation of composition.

-Jester

[WarLocke]

Some I would say are quite lucky. A few of the significant ones, I think it's almost guided. Considering their position in the ship is pretty high up.

Frak, we really need a spoiler tag here. <_<

I picked up Season 3 and watched it all in a 3-day marathon last week, and what really stood out to me was the scene in Maelstrom when *$ is coming to grips with her (well and truly frakked) past, and she turns to head-Leoben and says "You're not realy Leoben" and his reply is, "Never said I was."

... I am seriously wondering if all the head-characters (Six, Baltar, Leoben, and Adama's wife) are, well, God. And s/he has been guiding these characters since the beginning...

And god, One-Eye Tigh is the most kickass XO ever. "Get back to your stations! My name is Saul Tigh, and I'm an officer in the Colonial Fleet. And if I die today, that's the man I'll be." Indeed, Saul. Indeed. B)

Now if I could just find the cover of All Along the Watchtower they used in Crossroads pt2, I'll be a happy guy.

[Hammerskjold]

Frak, we really need a spoiler tag here. <_<

Yeah, I apologize for that.

If I know how to do inviso text, I would've. So for the time being, unfortunately I just have to do it the ole fashioned way.

WARNING POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT!!!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

I picked up Season 3 and watched it all in a 3-day marathon last week, and what really stood out to me was the scene in Maelstrom when *$ is coming to grips with her (well and truly frakked) past, and she turns to head-Leoben and says "You're not realy Leoben" and his reply is, "Never said I was."

... I am seriously wondering if all the head-characters (Six, Baltar, Leoben, and Adama's wife) are, well, God. And s/he has been guiding these characters since the beginning...

Yeah, I always thought the Leoben and Cavil models seems to be the most adept at half-truths and lying. Not that the rest of them aren't good at it, but those 2 seems to be programmed for it especially. Or maybe they adapted to it better than other models.

The in-head characters, for some of them I'm beginning to wonder more about the Cylon's projection. Caprica 6 for example, has in-head Baltar the way Baltar has his imaginary 6.

The way the show handles the spirituality matter however, is to me amazing. It's mature, controversial, and I'm really hoping it won't chicken out at the last second.

And god, One-Eye Tigh is the most kickass XO ever. "Get back to your stations! My name is Saul Tigh, and I'm an officer in the Colonial Fleet. And if I die today, that's the man I'll be." Indeed, Saul. Indeed. B)

Now if I could just find the cover of All Along the Watchtower they used in Crossroads pt2, I'll be a happy guy.

Yep, Tigh is an amazing character. Kudos to Michael Hogan. The special song iirc, is on the soundtrack album of Season 3.

[Greyce]

And god, One-Eye Tigh is the most kickass XO ever. "Get back to your stations! My name is Saul Tigh, and I'm an officer in the Colonial Fleet. And if I die today, that's the man I'll be." Indeed, Saul. Indeed. B)

Customary Spoiler Alert!
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

I find it interesting you chose to single that scene out as an example of Col. Tigh's devotion. I remember watching it and thinking that the best possible solution would be for him to take a stroll out of an airlock, preferably after similarly taking care of the other 3 known sleeper Cylons. Or at the very least, write Adama a letter so he could do it for him. I mean seriously, what has he got to live for? He was already trying to drink himself to death before he found out he was a Cylon; and now he's found out he is a danger to what little he values in his life - his ship and Bill Adama. Hell, he killed his own wife to prevent damage to the human cause; and if we are to believe what we see about his feelings for her, killing himself would have been much easier. And he presents a much greater danger.

Between seasons 3 and 4 I've been pondering the storyline implications of the four revealed Cylons, and I'm genuinely interested in Anders and Tyrol. Tyrol and Anders have love interests and/or family to keep them grounded in their human lives (Tori is an underdeveloped character brought into the series to replace Billy - the actor who played him backed out of filming commitments and thus was written out of the series). Their identity struggles are going to play out well in season 4 (likely in mimic of Boomer's struggles throughout season 1, which is somewhat ironic in the case of Tyrol). But Tigh? Every time I think about that character's predicament I wonder why he hasn't yet spaced himself.

Of course there could be a practical explanation (compromising his cover identity could snap his Cylon personality on, like Baltar's Six suggested about Boomer when she was being tested back in Season 1).

Obviously though, the real reason he hasn't killed himself is because this way makes for much better television!

[Hammerskjold]

I wonder if it is in any way significant that Six is facing the opposite way from Jesus in the original photo, or whether that's just a slight variation of composition.

-Jester

Seems like it's a slight variation, since I've seen more than one composition. None are radically different or anything, one has the Six in red more centered, another has her noticeably less so. Great photo none the less, it'd make a great poster for galactica junkies.

And I personally like this artist's rendition as well.

http://www.projectkooky.com/dylan/art/illo...battlestar.html

Now, I have to yap about the 2 parter opening episode, so spoilers alert.






SPOILERS ALERT!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.



The first 10 minutes of the opening of 1.1 to me, contains IMO, one of the most intense and beautiful, heart pounding and sack scrunching, space battle scene ever rendered on screen. It's different from the Escape From New Caprica scene, but in terms of visual impact I would not hesitate to put it on the same level of HOLY S&^%(! that was 7 kinds of awesome.

But what really floored me, was how it's tied in to a sense of danger that makes it hit me on an emotional level. During the battle when one of the Cylon raider careened into a colonial ship, resulting in it's destruction. I actually felt a bit sick. I never noticed the ship, don't remember ever hearing of the ship named the 'Pyxis' before this, yet I caught myself going 'NO!!' when it went kablouie, and Rosland said 600 souls are gone.

I don't mind Tigh's 'waking nightmare' scene, I actually think it's something of a cheeky move that to me, a storyteller on top of their game can pull off.

It's a hell of a way to open a season. I wouldn't be surprised if they blew most of the budget for the whole episode in that opening 10 minutes space battle scene. But I'm not complaining, I trust their sense of pacing. It certainly floored me at least.

Episode 1.2, showed more glimpses on the Cylon side and sets up the pay off I hope, of what was hinted at ep. 1.1 and 'Razor'. That being, dissension in the Cylon nation and tremors of a split in the ranks. If I understand it right, Raiders can recognize a Cylon. Most of the 7 does not seem to be able to detect the 5, but a Raider seems to be able to detect a fellow Cylon no problem, in the case of the 5 once they are 'switched on' at least.

After seeing 1.2, I really wonder if the meaning of the cryptic 'All this has happened before, and will again' phrase is actually hidden in plain sight. The first Cylon war AFAIK was the uprising of the Cylon against their Colonial masters and creators. Now however, there is a similar pattern of if not oppresion, then at least condescension done by the organic humanoid model to the mechanical Centurions and organic-mechanical Raider models.

When one of the Cavil model started saying that Raiders are not suppose to be that smart, they've exceeded their programming and basically that's not necessarily a good thing, this could've been something that came out of the mouths of a colonial 40+ years ago. One of my favourite part being a Cavil model saying the Raiders are not pets, they're tools. 'All this has happened before, and will again?'

Seems some of the Cylons definitely mimicked the humans all too well. You might as well say All Cylons are equal, but some Cylons are more equal than others. The Natalie scenes are great, rise up my mechanical Cyloteriat brothers and sisters! (Well ok if the leader of the new 'Mecha is just as Cylon as the Orga' movement looked like Tricia Helfer I'd probably be more sympathetic to the cause too.)

A few more things. Although the origin of the title text of the Cylon's 'they have a plan' was supposedly just a throwaway 'it sounded cool at the time' thing, I like how it's now turned into a subtle but substantial thing. The text is now gone for the new season, and at one point in ep. 1.2 it's almost explicitly said that the Cylons -had- a plan, my interpretation that plan was executed brilliantly in the infiltration and surprise nuking of the 12 colonies, but now they're almost as blind as the Colonials.

I'm still not quite sure what to think of the Gaius\Jesus\Koresh angle, but it's entertaining to me for the time being at least.