shallowness (
shallowness) wrote2020-09-19 02:46 pm
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at the start of a long journey
Battlestar Galactica 1.2
I found this a more consistently good episode than the first. I was gripped by the quiet, downbeat opening, as the Galactica took in what they thought had happened to Apollo, the President and the passenger ship. Turned out Lee was a quick thinker. I was relieved that Sharon got to them in time.
And on the good dramatic choices went. We got more religion, from Kara, from the Cylon, and in the ceremony at the end, fitting as humanity faced an existential threat.
At the end, the credit for Canadian casting made me laugh because Callum Keith Rennie is a signifier for ‘filmed in Canada’ is he not? Possibly a little too convenient that one of his characters revealed to Adama what Six had revealed to Gaius, but I was surprised by the guy they’d marooned being a Cylon, because Gaius just picked on him, didn’t he? His ‘scan’ didn’t exist. From 2020, it feels very AU that the scientist is the scheming narcissist out to save his skin, but heigh ho. Also, why is he the only character with an English accent? Is it a residual English-as-baddies thing? Can the actor not do one?
They played around with Six either being a hallucination or a neural clone equvalent, but if so, she may or may not be able to communicate with other Cylons at some point (it didn’t look as if she was in contact with the others now and there was no proof that her consciousness had transferred to the others, but there was no proof that it hadn’t happened either.) More of a mystery is who sent Adama thatnote about there being 12 models? (So, 12 of 12, yes? Also symbolic given the colonies, and 12 in Judep-Christianity.). I had been spoiled that Sharon was a Cylon – an unknowing sleeper agent, it looks like - but now I am terrified for the kid she’s adopted. If I hadn’t been spoiled, I wonder if I’d have got suspicious of her orphaned state?
Meanhwile, so Kara used to have a thing with Lee’s brother, yes? Their relationship was nicely complicated by this episode, anyway. She’s the best flyer, aww, yeah, while he seems to have more diplomacy/strategic skills.
And finally Roslin and Adama started to have a talk about the future and how the military and civilian sides hare to work together. I mean, the kiss between girl in ops and Roslin’s lackey seemed a bit random (yes, she was glad he survived and their whole world has been turned upside down, but it came straight after an stablished couple’s kiss) until the power of their lust made Adama change his mind about Roslin’s bang-on point about how they’re it, the war is over, the military need to protect the remnants of humanity. Despite obsessing over the cancer diagnosis, she had grasped that point much quicker, but then had been through different decisions – the equivalent of shutting down those compartments and dooming people.
It led to his admission that he didn’t know the location of Earth (I suspected as much) and had only come up with it to offer hope in a rousing speech. But I like the thoughtfulness that crops up with him, along with the stubbornness and toughness (and favouritism towards Kara and Lee).
And of course, we don’t know if or how quickly all the colonists have died.
Even Tighe’s character got light and shade.
I am glad I’m getting the chance to watch it, but I am missing the promotional material that would happen with it the first time around: stuff about how they interacted with the original show, the decisions about the music etc. I don’t know yet if I’ll search out fanworks, perhaps it’s more likely to be fanvids than fanfiction is my feeling at present.
So, I’ve now seen the miniseries and it reverts to more normal episode lengths and seasons from no on, I presume.
Also, last night I realised I could watch The Avengers (Peel and Steed era) on the ITV Hub. It’s daffy and for the time when the brain isn’t up for engaging with BSG. Obviously, there was a poigniancy to watching it so soon after Diana Rigg’s death. But her Emma Peel is marvellous and plays off McNee’s Steed beautifully.
I found this a more consistently good episode than the first. I was gripped by the quiet, downbeat opening, as the Galactica took in what they thought had happened to Apollo, the President and the passenger ship. Turned out Lee was a quick thinker. I was relieved that Sharon got to them in time.
And on the good dramatic choices went. We got more religion, from Kara, from the Cylon, and in the ceremony at the end, fitting as humanity faced an existential threat.
At the end, the credit for Canadian casting made me laugh because Callum Keith Rennie is a signifier for ‘filmed in Canada’ is he not? Possibly a little too convenient that one of his characters revealed to Adama what Six had revealed to Gaius, but I was surprised by the guy they’d marooned being a Cylon, because Gaius just picked on him, didn’t he? His ‘scan’ didn’t exist. From 2020, it feels very AU that the scientist is the scheming narcissist out to save his skin, but heigh ho. Also, why is he the only character with an English accent? Is it a residual English-as-baddies thing? Can the actor not do one?
They played around with Six either being a hallucination or a neural clone equvalent, but if so, she may or may not be able to communicate with other Cylons at some point (it didn’t look as if she was in contact with the others now and there was no proof that her consciousness had transferred to the others, but there was no proof that it hadn’t happened either.) More of a mystery is who sent Adama thatnote about there being 12 models? (So, 12 of 12, yes? Also symbolic given the colonies, and 12 in Judep-Christianity.). I had been spoiled that Sharon was a Cylon – an unknowing sleeper agent, it looks like - but now I am terrified for the kid she’s adopted. If I hadn’t been spoiled, I wonder if I’d have got suspicious of her orphaned state?
Meanhwile, so Kara used to have a thing with Lee’s brother, yes? Their relationship was nicely complicated by this episode, anyway. She’s the best flyer, aww, yeah, while he seems to have more diplomacy/strategic skills.
And finally Roslin and Adama started to have a talk about the future and how the military and civilian sides hare to work together. I mean, the kiss between girl in ops and Roslin’s lackey seemed a bit random (yes, she was glad he survived and their whole world has been turned upside down, but it came straight after an stablished couple’s kiss) until the power of their lust made Adama change his mind about Roslin’s bang-on point about how they’re it, the war is over, the military need to protect the remnants of humanity. Despite obsessing over the cancer diagnosis, she had grasped that point much quicker, but then had been through different decisions – the equivalent of shutting down those compartments and dooming people.
It led to his admission that he didn’t know the location of Earth (I suspected as much) and had only come up with it to offer hope in a rousing speech. But I like the thoughtfulness that crops up with him, along with the stubbornness and toughness (and favouritism towards Kara and Lee).
And of course, we don’t know if or how quickly all the colonists have died.
Even Tighe’s character got light and shade.
I am glad I’m getting the chance to watch it, but I am missing the promotional material that would happen with it the first time around: stuff about how they interacted with the original show, the decisions about the music etc. I don’t know yet if I’ll search out fanworks, perhaps it’s more likely to be fanvids than fanfiction is my feeling at present.
So, I’ve now seen the miniseries and it reverts to more normal episode lengths and seasons from no on, I presume.
Also, last night I realised I could watch The Avengers (Peel and Steed era) on the ITV Hub. It’s daffy and for the time when the brain isn’t up for engaging with BSG. Obviously, there was a poigniancy to watching it so soon after Diana Rigg’s death. But her Emma Peel is marvellous and plays off McNee’s Steed beautifully.