Category Archives: Battlestar Galactica

April 11, 2008 · 11:39 pm

Battlestar Galactica – “Six of One”

“Six of One”

April 12th, 2008

With a gun in her hands, and a suicidal Kara Thrace in front of her, Laura Roslin pulls the trigger – she misses, and while we ponder how she did so at such close range we notice something: what she shot was a photograph of Adama and Roslin, together. If that’s not an omen, I don’t know what is.

If last week’s premiere was perhaps a symbol that the show was starting off on a slightly different trajectory than the third season, then this week’s episode solidified our point of reference: this is season two all over again.

We have questions of faith, the schism between our two leaders, and even the same people in positions of personal crisis. I don’t say this as if it is derivative, but rather that it is a strong return to form – it may not be the 0 to 60 we saw last season, but it is a strong mythology turn that will serve the show well.

Read on to learn while Starbuck is in a cell, parts of her are all throughout the ship.

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April 11, 2008 · 10:37 am

Tiding Us Over: “Geekiest Conversation I’ve ever been a part of”

On Tuesday, I had the pleasure to quickly jump back into The Watchers, the official podcast of AlwaysWatching.org with Dave, Devindra and Adam. Really, it was for Devindra that I was there – he desired to discuss last week’s premiere of Battlestar Galactica, and neither of the others watch the show. I, of course, was momre than happy to step in to discuss the show.

The resulting conversation, where we discuss the premiere and I preview some of my thesis, was called by Adam “the Geekiest Conversation I’ve ever been a part of.” So, clearly, we did something right.

Take a listen over at Always Watching, and I’ll see you for perhaps 30 Rock/Scrubs this afternoon and BSG tonight.

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April 4, 2008 · 11:32 pm

Season Premiere – Battlestar Galactica Season Four – “He That Believeth In Me”

“He That Believeth In Me”

April 4th, 2008

I had said earlier this week that I was going to spend copious amounts of time analyzing the third season of Battlestar Galactica…and then proceeded to spend copious amounts of time watching it instead. As a result, I expected to enter into this episode ready to compare it to the season which preceded it.

Instead, I’m comparing it to Lost.

Like any good serialized show of this nature, Ronald D. Moore and Co. ended last season on a cliffhanger, something it has done in past seasons. However, something was different this time around: I don’t know if it is that the stakes are lower, or the action slower, but something has changed. My point of comparison is this season’s Lost premiere: we had the revelation in the previous Finale, so the premiere will pale by comparison.

I think, in this case, I had already watched this episode in my head: the new Cylons happening to stumble into scenarios where people question their humanity unknowingly, Starbuck struggling to return to the real world after her absence, and everything being very bizarre for Gaius Baltar. I think the problem was that the episode never went beyond that: it was great for what it was, but having already deduced much of this myself I was sort of behind.

I actually quite loved the episode: laughed out loud, gasped in horror, loved the acting, etc. It’s just that after such a huge revelation, what was put on the screen was everything we had already imagined as fans of the series dealing with a year-long hiatus. And, well, that’s kind of a let down. But, let’s discuss further.

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April 1, 2008 · 12:42 am

Signposts to Battlestar Galactica Season Four: Occupation/Precipice

[With Battlestar Galactica’s 4th Season starting on Friday night, it’s time to take a look back at some of the important parts of the 3rd Season as I rewatch it in preparation of the premiere. We’ll start with the opening two episodes, and progress with four more signposts from there.]

When I finished watching Season Two of Battlestar Galactica, my response was quite simple: “That was ballsy.” Jumping forward over a year in time created a lot more questions than answers, and if I learned anything from Alias it was that sometimes you risk overwhelming your audience. And, inevitably, what Ronald D. Moore did was, in fact overwhelming…but for all the right reasons.

The occupation of New Caprica by the Cylons was supposed to be overwhelming, both on a visual and intellectual level. When Col. Tigh emerges from the Cylon prison missing an eye, you get a sense that bad things are happening, and that there isn’t going to be an easy out from this scenario. We’re stuck in this occupation, as the viewer, but can escape to Galactica and avoid the struggle directly.

The result is an opening to a season perhaps amongst the best in television, the intellectual equivalent of 24’s four-hour openings of the middle seasons. It wasn’t action-packed in a traditional sense, rather using dense plotting and challenging situations to interrogate our understanding of our own lives and of the lives of these characters.

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January 3, 2008 · 10:00 am

10 Shows to (Hopefully) Watch in 2008 – #3 – Battlestar Galactica

There is no question that there has been a rise in genre television over the past half decade, and inevitably all of these series have faced a certain backlash. Lost and Heroes, for example, have gone from breakout hits to strong demographic performers thanks to a level of backlash from casual fans. For the #3 Show to hopefully watch, however, there was never a breakout success to fall back from, and the critical voices are not quite as damning although certainly still vocal.

Later this Spring, Battlestar Galactica will return to television after what was an uneven but ultimately satisfying season. Much like another high-profile drama, Ron Moore and David Eick put together a finale which brings with it huge ramifications for the past three seasons of the drama series, and the fourth and final season which will debut in March or April. It may well be the smartest science fiction series to emerge, and it’s certainly something to look forward to in 2008.

For me personally, Battlestar Galactica will have special resonance in the months ahead: I’m in the process of completing my undergraduate English thesis on the series’ connection to the Medieval Romantic literary tradition. As a result, I’ve spent copious amounts of time sifting through the series over the past few months, and have further enjoyment ahead.

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November 25, 2007 · 12:47 am

Battlestar Galactica: Razor – Spoilers, Commentary and Discussion

Earlier today, I spent some time doing an “official” review of Battlestar Galactica: Razor. This was light on spoilers, and focused more on alerting people to its existence. Now, however, the geekiness begins. As mentioned, I am actually writing my thesis (partially) on Battlestar Galactica, specifically its ramifications on the longevity of medieval romantic tropes and heroic representation. And yes, it’s mildly crazy. However, in writing about the legacy of the Cylons and their complicated place within the idea of the heroic within the series, watching Razor has certainly opened a new portal of discussion. And, now, I want to be able to extend that discussion and consider the ramifications (or, perhaps, lack of ramifications) of this two-hour event on the series as a whole

[Warning: This discussion will feature major spoilers for Battlestar Galactica: Razor, and the series’ third season. Do not read if you wish to avoid these spoilers.]

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November 24, 2007 · 12:25 pm

Review: “Battlestar Galactica: Razor”

As part of my thesis research, I have been watching parts of Battlestar Galactica’s second season. I think I had forgotten how much I really enjoyed this show, as its twists and turns felt just as fantastic now as they were before. I started listening to the commentaries provided by Ronald D. Moore, the developer and executive producer of the series, and on the one for “Pegasus” he noted that perhaps one day they would bring Michelle Forbes’ Admiral Cain back and tell the story of her ship’s journey in the post-attack era. Having watched Battlestar Galactica: Razor just before listening to said commentary, I couldn’t help but grin.

It’s important to note, however, that this doesn’t only tell the story of Admiral Cain. This is really the story of Kendra Shaw, a young officer who arrives on Pegasus just moments before the Cylon attack on Caprica. Much like Forbes before her, Stephanie Jacobsen flawlessly integrates into this cast. Her introduction helps us overcome the fact that it’s very difficult to surprise us – for better or for worse, we know how this story (which takes places, timeline wise, in the show’s second season) ends.

What Razor succeeds at is remaining an entertaining and interesting two-hour event even if, in the end, its resolution feels like a bit of a let-down. It takes the story of the Pegasus, told only in gripping conversations between Col. Tish and Col. Fisk (Pegasus’ XO) in the series, and plays it out in dramatic fashion. I can understand why some people might perhaps find this predictable, but I personally felt that this story was strong enough to justify a little fleshing out – its themes resonate through the entire series, so it certainly fits into the series’ motif nicely.

Plus, it’s not just about Pegasus: the story interweaves into three distinct timelines, and between them present an engaging and exciting “film” of sorts. And, really, that’s what we need to tide us over until the show’s fourth season begins.

[Warning: There will be some light to medium spoilers ahead]

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September 11, 2007 · 12:00 pm

“When Does Lost Return?”, “What’s up with Jericho?” and Other Burning Fall Season Questions

[Taking a break from the Emmys coverage briefly, the fall season brings a lot of premieres, but also a lot of questions. So, to help answer those, here’s some answers to the most commonly asked ones. If you have any other questions, feel free to send us an email at cultural.learnings @ gmail.com]

When does Lost return?

Due to its shortened season, and to avoid running into any hiatuses, Lost will be starting its 16-episode run sometime in January or February of 2008. This should give producers more time to produce episodes, and hopefully we’ll get a better season out of the arrangement. It does, however, mean a fairly lengthy delay before new episodes: the Season Three DVD releases in time for Christmas, so you can satiate your desire with that if you’re desperate.

What’s Up with Jericho? Wasn’t it Renewed?

The short answer to this question is that it has been renewed, but it does not yet have a timeslot in which it will air. CBS is waiting on reaction to their new shows, as an open timeslot might mean that the already completed episodes of Jericho could begin airing as soon as possible. Otherwise, if nothing falters, the network will likely look for a slot at midseason (January) in which to air the episodes.

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September 8, 2007 · 10:12 pm

Emmys 2007: The Creative Arts Winners Announced

Each year, a number of the awards in “lesser” categories are decided in an awards ceremony a week previous: it’s when those little boxes come up on the screen so that we can see names fly by that you’ve never heard before.

Complete List of Creative Arts Winners [Emmys.org]

For the Emmys, however, there are always a few stories that justify the existence of these awards if only to recognize shows that got screwed over otherwise. Here’s the big story from the evening’s events:

Emmy-Award Winning ‘Battlestar Galactica’: For realz!

Perhaps I provided good fortune to the series with my blog post just yesterday, but the reality is that after consecutive nominations Battlestar Galactica finally picked up the Emmy for Visual Effects in a series. It’s deserved, as there was some great visual effects work in that episode, and the series has high-production values most of the time. Congrats, Battlestar!

Casting Gold: ‘Friday Night Lights‘ is Vindicated

None of their fantastic, awesome, stunning cast were nominated for an Emmy for their performances, but the show’s casting team was recognized with an award for Best Casting for a Drama Series. How, exactly, none of the brilliant casting led to a nomination remains beyond me, but at least they won’t be going home empty handed.

Guest Actress Trophies Go to Usual Suspects

Elaine Stritch’s performance as Jack’s mother on 30 Rock was fantastic, but her victory in the Guest Actress in a Comedy category isn’t exactly surprising: she’s won before, for Variety performer. And Leslie Caron defeated some stiff competition on the drama side of things, but she was on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a perennial favourite amongst Emmy voters in this category.

Dick in a Box wins Emmy; Hell freezes Over

Although it won’t be performed during the ceremony thanks to some issues over censorship, as expected Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg’s Saturday Night Live collaboration netted them an Emmy Award. This just goes to show you the sway YouTube has over some Awards: after OK GO won a Grammy for Best Video, and now this, the internet has basically made some integral decisions. If only that extended to the other major awards.

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September 8, 2007 · 9:10 am

Emmys 2007: How ‘Battlestar Galactica’ Could Win a Televised Emmy

How Battlestar Galactica Could Win a Televised Emmy

If one of the benefits of the Emmy Awards is the recognition of shows that deserve a larger audience, the ceremony has failed in recent years to live up to that purpose. While one could easily blame the nominations system for excluding some high-class programming in favour of highly successful tripe, let’s stick to the facts: a show like ‘Battlestar Galactica’ doesn’t win Emmys.

They have, however, been nominated for Emmys: unfortunately, all of them have been in categories such as sound and visual effects, and not a single one of the awards have been presented live on television. At no point in time has a big-name presenter had to say “Battlestar Galactica” on that shiny stage throughout its first two seasons, and that’s really a sin.

And, it’s about to change. And, who knows: maybe they might be able to win one of them too.

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