Well, last night’s episode of “Battlestar: Galactica” is easily the most hard-hitting of the season…in every regards.
Spoilers below…
I don’t know if the “Military tradition” of “The Dance”–in which anyone of any rank can challenge anyone else to a boxing throwdown in order to blow off steam–is a genuine tradition or something they simply came up with in the episode. But it resulted in one hëll of a show, steeped in drama, and thwarting the notion that an SF series must always be tricked out with high-tech special effects.
We finally learn the reason for Starbuck and Apollo’s anger toward each other, and discover that–as the most monumental hatred typically is–it’s rooted in passion. Boy, *that’s* a storyline that would have been pretty groundbreaking if they’d done it with the original Starbuck and Apollo, huh. It also gives us a rather nifty way to declare your love for your significant other: Stand buck naked and howl to the skies that you love the other individual. The best thing, of course, is that we learn why the two of them ran aground…but we don’t learn *all* of the why. Yes, Kara turned around and got married to someone else after acknowledging her love for Lee, but we don’t really get a *definitive* why. We can speculate. Severa possibilities come to mind. But ultimately her mind remains unknowable, and I think it’s better that way.
Yet despite the episode being flogged for its Apollo/Starbuck smackdown, the high point is still seized by the confrontatio between the Admiral and the chief. Priceless was Tyrol’s expression as he expects it’s only going to be for laughs…only to find himself stunned on the mat ten seconds later while “the old man” stands over him telling him that they’re just getting started. Adama’s bloody-faced speech some minutes later simply underscores the incredible injustice of this series being continually ignored for Emmy consideration: Edward James Olmos, whether acknowledged as such or not, is giving the best primetime performance of a lead actor out there. Plus I like the ambiguity of the did they just?/nah, they’re still fully dressed, but…/did they…? sequence during the flashback of Adama and Laura cuddling under the stars.
Just a wonderful series. I reiterate: Anyone who is ignoring the show because of the title is really screwing themselves.
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Mr. Verheiden, thanks for doing such a great job on the show. Yeah, I’m always a little surprised to hear people say that right wingers hate the show…maybe some do but the folks at the National Review’s blog The Corner seem to be big fans. Good stories are good stories.
Haven’t heard anything about possible release dates for season three on DVD, sorry. And personally, I’m thrilled about the move to Sunday… there are more eyeballs watching TV that night, maybe a few more will turn BSG’s way…
Mark Verheiden
Totally off topic I know but since we are talking about the best show on TV I can’t let a plug for the second best show on TV slip by…
WATCH STUDIO 60 TONIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I managed to see it early and this while BSG delivered their best episode of the season last week, Studio 60 does the same thing this week!
The skits are funny, the jokes are great and the emotional tugs are perfect! I believe this is as good an episode as when Bartlet cursed god in Latin, when his secretary died, which for me was the pinnacle of West Wing.
Mr. Verheiden, Galactica is the best show on television right now, bar NONE. Anything that’ll boost the ratings is a good thing. I know I’m trying to spread the “religion” as much as I can.
Mark V.,
Would love to hear you guest on some of Ron’s podcasts.
Thanks for the best show on television!
Anyway, back to the actual episode. I remember an interview during which Ronald Moore declared Apollo and Starbuck would NOT become romantically linked. He said they intended to explore a male-female frienship, period. I wondered how long it would take him to change his mind. The answer? Not long at all. 🙂
Or it’s possible that he knew all along that they would hook up but lied during the interview in order to keep the surprise intact.
There won’t be a 3.5 season release of BSG. Part of the reason the premiere was delayed till October was so that production could go straight through. There should only be one Season 3 release of BSG when the time comes.
Yeah but which one would have the harder time fitting into a totalitarian state?
Batman seems much more of an anarchist than a cop. I earlier said he was a law and order guy but that’s not accurate–he choses which laws to enforce and ignores the rest. And if the laws he enforces were overturned…
I don’t see Batman as being so much about law as he is about justice. While he may be a vigilante (which is quite illegal), he makes a conscious effort to not act as judge, jury, and executioner. He’s not really an anarchist either. He wants the system to work, and when the system breaks down (Like in No Man’s Land) he still does what he can to maintain social order.
But, as to BSG, yet another episode that shows that it actually manages to be compelling to have a couple of protagonists who are just dámņëd unlikeable, if not loathesome.
-Rex Hondo-
“We’re just finishing shooting on season three, the finale of which will likely cause some… discussion. But that’s a good thing, right?”
Yes, because that last couple of cliffhangers were SO boring and non-discussion-initiating :).