Battlestar Galactica Season 2.5

[Lilaena De'Ville]

It's back! I hope everyone managed to catch the first episode. :D This show keeps upping the ante on its characters, and this season looks like it's going to be another great one.

Admiral Cain is a piece of work.

[Rutabaga]

I saw it, and thought it was tremendous. Knowing that there are 2 assassins heading in opposite directions on this Friday's episode should make it very interesting to watch. :)

[Jedi Master Carr]

Yeah that is my opinion, can't wait to see what happens.

[Mu Satach]

missed the cliff hanger in the fall... missed the 1st ep last week :cry

At least I'm not going anywhere this Friday. :rollin

[Lilaena De'Ville]

I'd be lost without my DVR. I don't know how I lived before it!

[Jedi Master Carr]

Yeah I hate Friday nights now, I can't miss Battlestar and now Monk comes back on and I usually watch Numbers. I usually tape Battlestar, watch Numbers and catch Monk on at 12 heh. When I go out Friday nights I am screwed lol.

[Mu Satach]

If I only had enough money to build my own MythTV box and have about 3 or 4 tuner cards in it... I'd be set. :p :)

[Jedieb]

I still have not seen a single episode of this. Once I heard the Cylons weren't cool looking silver robots anymore I just wasn't interested. The Vipers and Galactica look the same though, at least they kept that intact. What other differences are there from the original?

[Jedi Master Carr]

Starbuck is a female heh, that is the biggest one I can think of that you didn't mention. Oh the metal cylons are still around, they actually look a lot cooler.

[Doc Milo]

And boomer was a female cylon sleeper agent. No little boy and his robot dog, either.

[Jedi Master Carr]

The boy was in it for the miniseries but than vanished. Another difference the original had no female president.

[Jedieb]

Originally posted by Doc Milo
And boomer was a female cylon sleeper agent. No little boy and his robot dog, either.

Okay, so maybe I don't need EVERYTHING from the original. No Daggit= :thumbup

[Doc Milo]

This on, IMO, is a lot darker in tone, as well.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

It really is worth watching - not really a remake except of the bare bones concept of the original show (which was quite hokey, imo).

They are two very separate critters.

[Jedi Master Carr]

This one is more darker that is for certain, the original was very corny. One thing both have in common is Richard Hatch plays a role in both.

[Rutabaga]

You probably couldn't find anyone who was much crazier for the original show than I was, and remain today. I loved it, and had the wildest crush on Richard Hatch. I even wrote fan fiction based on it. And I spent the extra moolah to get the DVD set with the Cylon-shaped box when it first came out a couple of years ago.

I, like so many others, was skeptical when they announced the remake, but I absolutely fell in love with the show immediately. It's most definitely one of the best shows on television in general, and one of the best science fiction shows ever.

The original show was sunny, cheerful, and cheesy, and still holds a special place in my heart. But even the most hardcore fans of the original have to admit that it went downhill after the "War of the Gods" 2-parter with Patrick Macnee as Count Iblis. The whole Terra concept was not successfully realized, and the show died with a whimper. I'm sure if Glen Larson had been given a second season, he could have picked up the pieces and fixed it, but he wasn't given that chance. Instead, he ended up having to create Galactica 1980, an absolute travesty that I don't think anyone will ever put on their top ten list. Unless that top ten list is of the worst shows ever.

This new, reimagined Battlestar Galactica is absolutely beautiful. Yes, they've changed many, many things, but it's created a richer, darker, more realistic show. It has the same elements that made me love Deep Space Nine so much...intelligent, emotional, and flawed characters in a complicated story arc that carries on from episode to episode, instead of each episode being a self-contained adventure. I know one of the biggest gripes about the new series when it was introduced was the Starbuck sex change, but believe me, she is simply the best character on the show. Hands down, bar none. Second best character for me is Adama...on the original, he was a benevolent diplomatic grandfatherly type who rarely had to make a real hardcore military decision. But now, he's a real military man, thoughtful, conflicted at times, doubtful at times, but with a brilliant mind for strategy and great talent as a warrior. Edwards James Olmos deserves an Emmy nomination for his work on the show, but it'll never happen, unfortunately. The writers also deserve nominations.

Last night's episode was simply spectacular, I was so tense during those moments when Starbuck was standing beside Cain with her hand on her gun, and Cain's XO was looking at Adama with such fear waiting to get Cain's order. Fabulous stuff. And then when Cain was ultimately gunned down by the Cylon...wow. Although I'll miss Cain as a character--she was one hardnosed character--the President was right, the only way for this to end was for Cain to die. You couldn't envision her trotting off with the Pegasus the way the original Cain did in the original series. No way, no how. And now we're left with questions, especially the one about how the Cylon got off the ship without being seen (although we obviously know who had a hand in that), and where is she now, what was Baltar talking about when he said he could put her somewhere where she would be safe and never be found? And what will this real, living Cylon in front of him do to his mental relationship with Number Six?

See, that's another reason why I love this show so much...the fact that you get left with questions at the end of each episode. With the original series, you thought, wow, that was fun, I really enjoyed that! But with this series, you're left with questions you need to think about sometimes. And in this day and age, that isn't a bad thing at all :).

[Jedieb]

Your description of the show actually has me intrigued. I might actually try to catch a few of these and see if I like them.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

You could probably rent the first season from Blockbuster. I'd reccomend it. :)

In regards to last night's episode: Baltar seems to have chosen the 'real' Cylon over the mental Number 6. She's awoken that protective side that most men have when confronted with a woman in trouble, one that I honestly didn't think he had. He's spent a lot of time being thrown around by the Number 6 in his head, with her taking care of him, and now he sees her (technically still number 6?) as the one who needs to be taken care of.

Most men won't choose the reality over the fantasy woman - it's an interesting side of Baltar. When he was sitting on the floor repeating Number 6's words about sports to the other Cylon, it was really moving. I <3 Baltar! He's so naughty.

The moments while Starbuck and Cain's XO were awaiting their terrible duty, and praying they wouldn't flinch, were incredible. But I really am worried about Apollo, who didn't want to survive. Next week is going to be great - as usual. ;)

[Rutabaga]

Give it a try, I hope you like it :). Just don't be surprised if it's a little confusing at first, since you'll be coming in midstream.

Oh, and I adore Baltar. A very complicated and likeable man, despite all the bad things he's done.

And yes, it's a worrying thing about Apollo...another superb moment in last night's episode was him floating around in space after the Blackbird had been destroyed. Overall, such a powerful episode!

Next week is all about President Roslin, I believe, with a peek into her past. I'm so very intrigued to see how her story plays out, since we've been given the idea that she has only a couple of weeks left to live.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Originally posted by Jinn Fizz
Give it a try, I hope you like it :). Just don't be surprised if it's a little confusing at first, since you'll be coming in midstream.

Oh, and I adore Baltar. A very complicated and likeable man, despite all the bad things he's done.

And yes, it's a worrying thing about Apollo...another superb moment in last night's episode was him floating around in space after the Blackbird had been destroyed. Overall, such a powerful episode!

Next week is all about President Roslin, I believe, with a peek into her past. I'm so very intrigued to see how her story plays out, since we've been given the idea that she has only a couple of weeks left to live.


Baltar is either like Dr. Smith from Lost in Space: a man mostly out for himself who could do good things or evil, some people have theroized he is a cylon. Right now I a leaning to the former

[Mu Satach]

sat glued with my eyeballs pressed to the tube last night.

gaaaaaagggghhhhh....

loved, loved loved the water shots with Apollo as he was giving up and sinking into the depths...

[Morgan Evanar]

It's worth watching for the cinematography alone.

[Jaime Tomahawk]

Originally posted by Jedieb
I still have not seen a single episode of this. Once I heard the Cylons weren't cool looking silver robots anymore I just wasn't interested. The Vipers and Galactica look the same though, at least they kept that intact. What other differences are there from the original?

The big difference is that the original was crap and this one is not by any stretch.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Great episode Glad they were able to save Roslin, I think the fleet would have been in bad hands with Baltar. And speaking of the devil, it looks like he is going traitor. I can't understand him at all. One miniute you like him the next you despise him.

[Mu Satach]

must.... resist... spoilage...

[Rutabaga]

After the drama of the last 2 episodes, last night's episode was calmer and quieter, but still a good episode overall. It ended up giving us great insight into Roslin's character and showed how she so effectively went from the secretary of education to the president of the fleet. Not having heard anything about Mary McDonnell leaving the show, I knew they were going to find some kind of miracle way to save her, but I never envisioned what that miracle way turned out to be. And what a moral dilemma I can see this raising...if Cylon/human hybrid children's blood has miraculous healing properties, is this going to lead to discussions of actually breeding hybrids? Hm...going to be interesting to see.

And Baltar handing over the nuclear warhead at the end...yowza. What a mess that's going to lead everyone into.

Oooooo, and Richard Hatch finally returning in next week's episode, which also features a guest appearance by Bill Duke...that's going to be one heck of an episode. :)

[Rutabaga]

Holy crap, but the whole Starbuck/Apollo dynamic has gone topsy-turvy over the last couple of weeks. First they almost did the nasty last week, then this week she accidentally shoots him and almost kills him. What the heck is gonna happen between them next week? :D

And poor Billy...I had the feeling from the get-go that he was going to get killed while trying to do something heroic, but it was still sad to actually see it happen. And the scene where Roslin came to pay her respects in the morgue was really sad too :(.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Originally posted by Jinn Fizz
Holy crap, but the whole Starbuck/Apollo dynamic has gone topsy-turvy over the last couple of weeks. First they almost did the nasty last week, then this week she accidentally shoots him and almost kills him. What the heck is gonna happen between them next week? :D

And poor Billy...I had the feeling from the get-go that he was going to get killed while trying to do something heroic, but it was still sad to actually see it happen. And the scene where Roslin came to pay her respects in the morgue was really sad too :(.


Yeah Not sure what will happen with Starbuck and Apollo now. And I guess Billy is gone unless he turns out to have been a cylon but I think that is doubtful right now.

[Rutabaga]

I seriously doubt Billy is a Cylon. But I still have a really nagging suspicion that Tigh's wife is one. Something just isn't right about that woman.

Speaking of Cylons, I read that Lucy Lawless will be back in a couple of weeks as the Cylon reporter, and apparently she's going to be part of a story arc that will stretch into Season 3. Sounds like good stuff :).

[Jedi Master Carr]

Originally posted by Jinn Fizz
I seriously doubt Billy is a Cylon. But I still have a really nagging suspicion that Tigh's wife is one. Something just isn't right about that woman.

Speaking of Cylons, I read that Lucy Lawless will be back in a couple of weeks as the Cylon reporter, and apparently she's going to be part of a story arc that will stretch into Season 3. Sounds like good stuff :).

Cool, I don't think Billy is either, if he was a cylon they wouldn't have killed him off. From what I understand the actor was starting to do other things and the writers couldn't figure out what to do with his character. Besides if Billy was a cylon there would have been no need for Six to push Baltar into politics if they already had a man inside. I do think there is one prominent memeber of the cast that is a cylon if it is Tigh's wife or someone else, I don't know.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Last weeks episode was great. Except that it seems that they're really setting Starbuck up to be mentally unstable for the rest of the show. She needs to be able to get her act together.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Great Episode First before Apollo got the job I was beginning to expect the Commander of the Pegasus to become the Defense Dark Arts position of this show. I think Apollo is safe, although I guess the Pegasus could be destroyed in the end. The best part that I saw come was the end, man I knew Baltar would stab Roslin in the back. He with help from Zarek and Six set up Roslin pretty badly and then made her pay, the look on her face said it all. Baltar is now I think heading down a treacherous road and if became president it would doom humanity. Too bad Adama could just have him shot for what he did, he is just getting so horrible of a person. Finally, can't wait for the next episode it looks awesome.

[Rutabaga]

I recorded BSG last night to test my new DVD recorder (long story, I tried a different model last week, it turned out to be a huge lemon, I think I spent most of last Saturday at Best Buy :p), and I'm glad I did record it, because I was so exhausted last night that I fell asleep about 15 minutes before the episode ended.

Wow, this show never seems to produce a bad episode. What a potentially explosive thing the writers and producers have chosen to do, bringing up the abortion issue. I think both sides were presented well, and you really could sense Roslin's internal struggle in trying to make her decision.

Apollo just needs to be careful now that he's commander of the Pegasus, seeing as how the last 3 commanders died, uh oh! :eek

And Baltar...yikes, what a major can of worms got opened up with that final scene. One of their best non-cliffhanger endings yet. I was ready to throttle him!

I know Sharon's baby is born next week...can't wait to see what comes of that.

Oh, and I love the little production company toons at the end of each episode with Ron Moore and David Eick. I don't know how many of them they've made, but they're all quite silly and enjoyable :).

[Rutabaga]

Another great episode...Now that we have Caprica Six and the reborn Galactica Sharon growing and changing as Cylons, are they going to lead to some kind of Cylon revolution where there is not automatic hatred of humans? Next week's episode does center on an offer of a truce from the Cylons, but I don't see Caprica Six's and Galactica Sharon's efforts taking root so quickly. So my guess is we've seen the seeds sown for a storyline that's going to stretch well into season 3.

I loved the fact that Caprica Six had a phantom Baltar haunting her and tormenting her, just like the real Baltar has his phantom Six. That was great :thumbup.

Wow, and the whole story of the baby, and her being given to a completely unknown and seemingly trustworthy woman to raise. No doubt there were also tremendous seeds sown with that storyline that will definitely have an impact next season. It was kind of like the baby Luke and Leia scenes at the end of ROTS...you just know this baby isn't going to grow up in complete anonymity and have zero impact on the Fleet's collective life.

Also liked the allusion, whether intentional or not, to Blade Runner, with the humanoid Cylons being tagged with the "skin job" label. It's definitely appropriate, though, that's for sure.

I also didn't know until watching the show last night that Sci-Fi has picked up the new Doctor Who series. I'll have to give that a peek, even though I did hear mixed things about it from when it aired in Great Britain. But what fun it was to see shiny silly Daleks again :).

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Caprica Six and Galactica Sharon ... amazing! I'm so glad they brought us back to Caprica, and even showed that Starbucks' freedom fighting pyramid player is still alive. And owes his life to a couple of 'skin jobs.'

And, of course, more metal Cylons, which are just too cool. Even if they were planting trees at one point.

The phantom Baltar was a perfect touch. However, I have the feeling that if Caprica Six and Balar ever do meet again, he might be too Cylon and she might be too human. If that makes sense. Or perhaps they'll meet in the middle perfectly. :)

[Rutabaga]

No new episodes until OCTOBER? NNNNNOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Yet another terrific cliffhanger last night, leaving you going, "But...but...but...." It was so strange to suddenly leap forward a year and see what was going on on New Caprica...so strange that I was wondering at first if it might be Baltar's fevered dream, or maybe someone in season 3 will somehow, someway be offered a chance to turn back time...wow, what the heck is going to happen next?

[Jedi Master Carr]

First I knew Dean Stockwell's character was a cylon. It just made some since, have to say though he did a great job in the two parter and had some great lines. Of course I think he was full of it and was just trying to get them to be complaicant. And yeah it was weird to jump ahead a year not sure what happens now and it really sucks we have to wait until October.

[Rutabaga]

I thought Dean Stockwell was great, he had one of the best lines in the episode. The one about, "I'm not a fracking Cylon! Oh...never mind." I was busting up over that one.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

This season finale was great. One of many things: Caprica 6 reunited with Baltar. Too bad he's a terrible person.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Dean Stockwell was great, I hope we see more of him next season. I also have a feeling he is the Cylon commander or at least second in command, but that is just my gut feeling.

[TheHolo.Net]

The re-envisioned BSG just keeps getting better and better. October cannot come soon enough.

[Serena Laran]

It isn't fair - Stargate SG1 and Atlantis are coming back in July. They must be putting BSG on a more traditional season, rather than splitting the season in two as they have done this year.

[Rutabaga]

I know, when I saw the end of Stargate Atlantis and saw the announcement that that show would be back in July, I figured the same would be true for BSG. So when I saw it was actually October, it was really kind of disappointing. I'm guessing that they're making room for Doctor Who on Fridays for now, plus perhaps BSG's production schedule won't allow for a season premiere until later in the year.

I've also heard that the ratings for Sci-Fi Friday have eroded a little bit, so maybe they want to play with the schedule, to liven things up.

[Doc Milo]

For some reason, my DVR cut off the very end of the episode. It's being replayed tonight at 11, so I'll probably watch it again just for the minute or so that I missed!

[Jorshal Vuntana]

I got hooked onto the series though the college network and loved it. Bought the DVDs and everything. But I just watched the finale over the network (Cause I missed it friday) and wow.

I love that show.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

from http://www.greatlink.org/dcisV2.asp?url=http://www.greatlink.org/shownewsitem.asp?item=5350


From StarTrek.Com Grand Slam report:

Unless you live under a rock, you know that Ronald D. Moore, former writer/producer for The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, is the executive producer of probably the biggest science fiction sensation on television right now, Battlestar Galactica. Moore paid an unscheduled visit to the main stage on Sunday and fielded questions about the show. People were still reeling from the recent season finale, leading to the main question, "Have you lost your mind?!"

Moore said the recent creative directions of the show were designed as "an interesting way to change up the relationships, to sort of subvert your ideas on what the show is about, to take a lot of risks with the characters, and, y'know, <smallfont color=#8BDEFE>tick</smallfont> off the audience, which is always a fun thing to do."

Responding to a question, Moore took the opportunity to comment about the role of religion in Galactica. "It's one of the fundamental building blocks of the show. When I was approaching the mini-series, I started playing around with ideas of Cylon Number Six saying 'God is love,' and I was instantly intrigued with the idea that a robot or an android or an artificial intelligence would come to a notion of God or a theology on its own. And I quickly saw that the polytheistic belief system of the colonies would be interesting juxtaposed against the monotheism of the Cylons. Religion is one of the fundamentals of the human experience ... and it just felt right to deal with the Cylons in their quest of, 'What is a person, what does it mean to be a real boy' on a certain level."

Fans really weren't so upset about the season finale as they were about the late start for the next season: October. "That was a network decision," Moore said, which he supports — "instead of rushing us back on the air in July like we did last season. To take a little more time in the production phase... And also build a little more anticipation."

"I don't need more anticipation," one fan grumbled.

"And it's a good way of torturing the audience!" Moore concluded.

[Rutabaga]

Consider me tortured :).

But if it does ensure us of more high quality episodes, then go for it.

[Morgan Evanar]

For the last 5 episodes: "Ok, the show has peaked."
"Ok, NOW the show has peaked."
The quality and consistence of the EVERYTHING are obscenely tight.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

http://movies.msn.com/movies/hitlist/4-18-06_3 Katee Sackhoff spills some news on the next season.


The Portland, Ore., native has been having a ball on the "Noise" sequel, but she was also more than eager to provide "Battlestar" fans (including The Hitlist) with two major bombshells about the upcoming season. The first is that Starbuck is getting ... a haircut.

"I just lost a huge battle with the producers as far as my hair and what length it should and should not be," Sackhoff says. "So, it's gonna be gone. Shorter than it was in the miniseries."

The Hitlist asks whether we're talking Natalie Portman in "V for Vendetta"-short here.

"Yeah, kinda like that," she says, clearly annoyed at the prospect.

As for bombshell No. 2, it appears that Starbuck will get another male love interest. This caused Sackhoff to find it incredibly ironic that the producers were mad that she referred to "Galactica" as a soap opera in a recent interview.

"She's sleeping with every >><< guy on the show. How is it not a soap opera? She does every one of them," Sackhoff says incredulously. "So, there is another man that comes into her life, and it is a very unlikely man that everyone is going to be so livid over."

Sackhoff jokes that it isn't Commander Adama (the much-older Edward James Olmos), but she divulges that, "[Starbuck] goes through a lot of turmoil over the first four episodes -- more so than we've ever seen her. The depth of despair that she finds herself in are pretty deep at the end of Episode 4. And she kind of re-establishes her commitment to the military in Episode 5, which is the haircut."

[Rutabaga]

Interesting stuff, especially since it's now making me wonder how these couple little tidbits relate to what we saw in the season finale, especially the male love interest thing, since the last time we saw Starbuck, she was married.

BTW, did all you BSG fans hear that the show won a Peabody award recently? :) :) :)

[Jedi Master Carr]

Originally posted by Jinn Fizz
Interesting stuff, especially since it's now making me wonder how these couple little tidbits relate to what we saw in the season finale, especially the male love interest thing, since the last time we saw Starbuck, she was married.

BTW, did all you BSG fans hear that the show won a Peabody award recently? :) :) :)

I figure that her husband will get killed or die of that sickness he had, that is my feeling

[Rutabaga]

BSG is doing so well, Sci-Fi has announced a prequel series. :)


Do you ever wonder what happened before a certain ragtag fugitive fleet set off on its lonely quest?

Well, Battlestar Galactica fans, does the Sci Fi Channel have a treat for you.

The Viacom-owned cable network has unveiled plans for Caprica, a prequel to the cable network's update of the '70s sci-fi show. The spinoff series will apparently be set about 50 years before Battlestar Galactica and center on the cataclysmic events that formed the current series.

Sci Fi Channel execs announced the Caprica news Wednesday in New York during the net's upfront presentation, when broadcasters traditionally pitch their most buzz-worthy new shows to advertisers and journalists.

Caprica is being developed and executive produced by Ronald D. Moore and David Eick. The duo is responsible for reengineering the 1978 Battlestar (masterminded by TV veteran Glen L. Larson) into a smash 2003 miniseries and then into a full-fledged series that's garnered a massive cult following and just won a Peabody Award.

Just as the 1970s Battlestar Galactica took its inspiration from (or, as some would say, "ripped off") George Lucas' first Star Wars, the new series will take a page from the latter-day Jedi tales and focus on the bad guys' rise to power.

Details are still sketchy, but Caprica will presumably detail how robotic Cylon Alliance rose to power and decimated the 12 Colonies of Kobol (Caprica is the name of the largest planet in the system). The wanton destruction forced a group of refugees to launch the interstellar colonial spaceship the Galactica into deep space in search of a mythical planet known as Earth.

Producers have tapped 24 scribe Remi Aubuchon to write the script.

No premiere date has been announced, but given the popularity of the updated Battlestar, starring Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell and
Katee Sackhoff as a female Starbuck, you can bet the suits at Sci Fi will try and get it on air next season.

During Wednesday's upfront announcement, the cable net also showcased a slew of other projects in the pipeline.

Among them is Persons Unknown, a mystery thriller from Usual Suspects screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie; Blink, a paranormal series executive produced by Will & Grace's Eric McCormack, about a group of ghostly gumshoes who intervene in the lives of people about to make a fatal decision; The Bishop, an hourlong drama written and exec produced by Freddie Prinze Jr. and Conrad Jackson, about a Gen-X slacker with a supernatural gift; and Snap, a suspense series centering around an Internet conspiracy from Lost producer Jesse Alexander.

Sci Fi has also given the go-ahead to two miniseries for next year: the six-hour Chariots of God, based on the bestseller by Erich von Daniken; and Motel Man, an eight-hour series about a police detective who discovers seemingly commonplace items imbued wtih supernatural powers.

The cable channel is also working on Destination Truth, a reality series that will try to unlock some of the world's great mysteries.

Finally, Sci Fi is going broadband, offering up Pulse, a new multiplatform initiative that will feature Webisodes of Battlestar Galactica and other prime-time series, as well as serving as a vehicle to test show pilots online.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Ooh, this sounds very very interesting. Can't wait to see how it turns out - if it sucks it would hurt BSG, imo.