I said some general thoughts about "Caprica" in this morning's column, so a few more specific ones on the second episode coming up just as soon as I let the old subconscious find the answers... "Do I look male to you?" -Zoe"Caprica" is about a whole lot of things, but at its center, it's about a teenage girl (or a digital facsimile of her) who's been turned into a giant metal killing machine. It's a misunderstood monster story.
"Yeah." -Lacy
"Frak." -Zoe
And if there was a point in the three episodes I've seen (including the pilot and next week's) where I knew I was in with this series for a while, it was when I saw the visual device in which half the time we see the Cylon body, and half the time we see Zoe (still dressed for the holo-band rave). Something about the image of Alessandra Torresani being treated like another frakking toaster cut to the heart of the artificial intelligence issue. (It's also, at times, very funny, in a way the grim-by-design "BSG" very rarely allowed itself to be.)
(On the other hand, given the virulent hatred many "BSG" fans had towards the theological portions of that show's finale, I wonder how people will react to the idea of this creature as a "trinity" - part Zoe, part avatar, part robot - given how overt the parallel is to Christianity.)
"Rebirth" was mainly about dealing with the aftermath of the terrorist bombing, of Daniel and Joe's falling-out, but it also did a lot more world-building in its depiction of Little Tauron, and Sister Clarice's polygamous family (including Scott Porter from "Friday Night Lights" as one of her husbands), and I liked a lot of the little touches like seeing the fans at the Pyramid game place both hands over their heart before the anthem played.
And at the end, right before Bear McCreary got to dust off the drums from the "BSG" theme song, Amanda Graystone (wracked with guilt and grief and mania) detonated a rhetorical bomb at the memorial by announcing (incorrectly) that Zoe was responsible for what happened on the train. That was a powerful moment, but it was also preceded by that awkward flashback montage of events from earlier in the episode, and all I could think about was David Simon ranting about how HBO made him put something similar at the end of "The Wire" pilot because they didn't yet trust the intelligence of his audience. Jane Espenson and the rest of the "Caprica" gang have been around the block a while, so they should know what their target audience can and can't figure out on their own by now, and I'm hoping that's the last we'll see of a narrative shortcut like that.
Overall, though, I was very pleased, after waiting months to see what came after the pilot on DVD.
What did everybody else think?
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ReplyDeleteYeah, I think I'm in too, and not just because it's on SciFi Friday nights (I can't force myself to spell out the stupid new name). I had issues with the BSG finale, though not enough to make me swear off the series forever, not by a long shot. But in reading descriptions of Caprica, it never really seemed that interesting (I guess I didn't care too much about the Cylons?).
ReplyDeleteI originally half-watched the pilot on Hulu a month or so, and it wasn't inherently exciting or interesting enough to grab my attention away from the work I was doing at the same time, so I wasn't hopeful. But I watched it again a bit more carefully last weekend, and found myself more interested.
And yeah, this week was another step up. The idea of that girl Zoe (as much as I really didn't like her character in the pilot) being stuck in the robot body, and the interactions among the characters, and knowing where it was eventually going to lead with the Cylons -- suddenly, it was interesting. I'll be surprised if I ever get into the show as much as I was with BSG, but I think it will be a good Friday night show for now, and we'll see what they do with it.
I swear that at the moment you quote, I thought she was going to say "Does this massive robot body make me look fat?" Beyond that, the device is...interesting, but my mind keeps rejecting it, especially in that it makes Lacy's reactions make more sense than I think they do. As I keep yelling at the screen, it is, in fact, a massive robot, and yet it's just kind of walking around her old room. And the "let's keep this a secret" bit is very stupid behavior.
ReplyDeleteOther thoughts:
I love the title sequence.
Did we know last week that the mobster was Joseph's brother? (And if not, did the writers know that at the time?)
And finally, from now on, whenever Serge the little robot speaks, imagine that it has the voice of Phil from Better Off Ted.
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ReplyDeleteDid we know last week that the mobster was Joseph's brother? (And if not, did the writers know that at the time?)
ReplyDeleteYes -- Sam and Joseph were always conceived as brothers, though I don't think that was particularly emphasised in the pilot. I've also seen interviews with Morales and Sasha Roiz hinting that there is a lot of history between those two that is going to play out over the rest of the season.
BTW, was I the only person who loved Sam's sweet-yet-somewhat-inappropriate "family bonding" with young Willie?
I don't recall disliking the pilot when I saw it months ago, but this episode is just so much better. Whatever tweaking was done between filming the pilot and the episodes after hat seems to have worked.
ReplyDeleteI like the little quirks like some of the retro styling mixed with the advanced technology (the men wearing fedoras is an example)and there are many layers that can be explored with what they have set up. I thought Zoe was going to be insufferable from the pilot, but I do feel for her now.
If people are prepared to hate Caprica because they didn't like the BSG finale, they probably need a reality check. These are two different shows, and hating a television show to that degree is just sad.
Not enough Polly Walker, but she is good just with the few moments she gets.
I do think it's cool that Zoe is an avatar and there are no blue cats around. I have faith that RDM and co will have a better plot than Dances with Wolves in blue paint.
Truth be told, I never could get interested in BSG. I am, however, intrigued by Caprica having watched the pilot three times and now this episode. The nature of right and wrong has never been objective, no matter how adamantly some people cherish their beliefs. This spectrum combined with the emerging dialog about what actually constitutes cognition and intelligence, means that there are many, many pieces to twist around in an entertainment kaleidoscope.
ReplyDeleteLike Alan, I do feel the show’s creators have a nifty visual devise in switching back and forth between Cylon Zoey and Avatar Zoey. It is a clever technique to play with the difference between how the external world perceives an individual, in contrast to how that individual perceives themselves. Fiction is operative word in science fiction and Caprice is skillfully rendering a believable alternative world. As for drama, what is better than a grieving mother suddenly overcome by her inner fears in a public forum, impulsively denouncing her daughter to the world? Good stuff.
I thought Zoe was going to be insufferable from the pilot, but I do feel for her now.
ReplyDeleteGot to agree with you there, Nicole. But to be fair, I think in the pilot we're supposed to peg Zoe as a textbook bratty "nobody understands me, I'll show you hateful controlling parents!" teenager. Ditto for the equally cliched poor little rebellious rich girl who is in waaaay over her head.
It's what happens next that gets interesting -- not just with Zoe. Don't know about you, but I've particularly interested to see where Sister Clarice is going. Don't think she's going to end up as a Bin-Laden with boobs.
Alan-What does one do if one never saw BSG, is starting with Caprica, but does not want to read BSG spoilers in this or any other recap? I'm probably just out of luck, huh? By the way, not asking to change your writing. Maybe it would be too much to have a BSG spoiler warning before a paragraph or something. No it's probably too much. Excuse me for bringing it up.
ReplyDeleteWhat does one do if one never saw BSG, is starting with Caprica, but does not want to read BSG spoilers in this or any other recap?
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I don't see how you can 'spoil' BSG in a 'Caprica' re-cap, when the latter is very carefully set up to be self-contained. The only direct tie between the two shows is an eleven year old supporting character.
I for one absolutely hated Zoe's mom's overwrought public announcement that her daughter was responsible for the bombing. Who does that? Outside an episode of "Law and Order" that is....I don't buy that mom Dr. Graystone was that emotionally unhinged, despite the show's attempts to set it up with earlier scenes.
ReplyDeleteI did like the nerdy labrat / Zoe-Robot scenes as well as the up to no good poly-teacher scenes. Everything up until the memorial was far more tight and engaging than the pilot.
I for one absolutely hated Zoe's mom's overwrought public announcement that her daughter was responsible for the bombing. Who does that?
ReplyDeleteNobody I'd know -- then again, I don't know anyone who is convinced (wrongly, but not totally irrationally) that her estranged daugher hates her so much she'd commit mass murder. How about someone who is out of her mind with fear, and guilt and anger and the sense that her perfect life is just one lie after another? And when it came down to it, she couldn't go to that vigil and (as she sees it) lie again.
What I found affecting about that scene is that Amanda isn't totally irrational -- Zoe's last snotty 'screw you' e-mail does sound a lot like a suicide note. Zoe is secretive and rebellious -- and we know she is tied up with a banned religious cult. Amanda's encounter with Ben Stark's mother was just the last straw -- how could Zoe not know about the terrorist plot? Amanda puts together two and two -- and comes up with five because she's missing the most essential information of all.
I also love the actor choices for Joe and Will Adama. They really do look related. And little Willy has some seep, dark, knowingly observing eyes for a youngster. How much you want to bet that he learns the expression "sometimes you gotta roll the hard six" from his ne'er do well uncle?
ReplyDeleteI wound up giving this another chance and like this ep a lot more than the pilot. Gonna give a few more eps to really grab me, I think.
ReplyDeleteI think it's important to remember that the Zoe we saw throughout the episode is not the daughter of Daniel and Amanda (Paula Malcolmson). What we see here is a very accurate computer recreation: a being that is programmed to react to situations and people the same way Zoe would, but she can only feel and empathize to the degree that her programming is capable of. The real Zoe Graystone died in an explosion. Her soul or consciousness was not transplanted to the avatar, it was only replicated (very accurately, mind you) through the use of technology. Since the entity we see throughout this episode is not Zoe—nor even an actual person—I find it somewhat difficult to fully relate to this character.
ReplyDeleteI go into more details about my thoughts regarding this matter in my blog. If you want to read more, click on my username for the link.
"it's about a teenage girl who's been turned into a giant metal killing machine."
ReplyDeleteNot just that: it's the origin of the machines that will kill just about all humanity -- billions of them.
That final destiny overwhelms every scene for me:
A moment is supposed to make me feel for Graystone, but all I can think is 'This guy just made the device that will fight a years-long war with all humans in a few years, killing millions or more.'
The next scene makes us feel for the Zoe simulation, but we also know that her root personality -- a rebellious child believing an extreme religion -- will lead to the annihilation of just about everyone in a few decades.
Yeah, I likes me some foreboding hanging over my fiction, but this is ridiculous.
Yeah, I likes me some foreboding hanging over my fiction, but this is ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteGuess historical dramas like Rome or The Tudors aren't really your bag either?
Rome and The Tudors are better written; they don't have a main characters so frakkin' frought with portent that they carry a multitude of Cylon Angels on their shoulders; and they don't suffer from the misfortune of being a prequel connected to a work with a really shitty, predetermined end.
ReplyDeleteThey really stepped in it with their ham-handed explorations of monotheism and polytheism. It's as if their version of the One True God never, ever had competition with *another* version of the OTG. If Sister Whoever is powerful enough to nurture an outpost of the One, then that religion recruits carefully, which suggests a prehistory, with its own schisms and purges. Why simplify that history into a teenage Agnes of Baud? Without that theologic complexity, this show becomes nothing more than I Was A Teenage Cylon.
There's only one right, and one wrong? That's not monotheism, that's fundamentalism, and that's an argument I'd expect a fundamentalist atheist to make.
These people get the big bucks to think imaginatively, and they can't spend the time to do some comparative religion research, to make their theology as meaty as the costume and set design? Feh. The design holds me for the first act; the content must hold me the rest of the way -- either that or go full-on soap, with orgies and Tauron horseheads in bed and everything....
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ReplyDeleteThere's only one right, and one wrong? That's not monotheism, that's fundamentalism, and that's an argument I'd expect a fundamentalist atheist to make.
ReplyDeleteCheese and crakers, cgeye, did you also draw the conclusion that the producers and writers of Caprica also expected us to determine that all Taurons (and by extension, all ethnic minorities) are gangsters because Sam Adama is an enforcer for the same criminal organisation that paid Joseph's way through law school with significant strings attached?
Meanwhile, can this devout Catholic of Irish descent let you in on a little secret: Monotheists who set off bombs in crowded public places are terrorists. It does not logically follow that all monotheists are terrorists.
I'd also give you an epic F in that comparative religion course if you claim any spiritual tradition is without adherents who very much hold to "moral absolutism" or "fundamentalism."
Finally, I'd really love to know how, in the space of two episodes, Caprica was expected to fill in to your satisfaction an entire cultural and historical backdrop spanning centuries, if not thousands, of years.
(As for The Tudors being well-written. Please -- the major pleasure of that show is the ahistorically gym-toned cast grinding away at every opportunity...)
I really enjoyed that, far more than the pilot which I thought was okay. As Alan said, the swap back and forth between Zoe and the proto-Cylon was a surprisingly great device.
ReplyDeleteWhat does everyone else think of the titles sequence? I sort of like it, I think it'll grow on me, it reminds me a little bit of Carnivale, except with the framing device of the tarot cards.
Did anyone else HATE the opening credits? Hey, hit me over the head with a hammer why don't you? Especially in comparison to how beautiful and haunting the BSG opening credits always were.
ReplyDeleteAlan, a minor yet I think (slightly) significant correction when it comes to the trintiy, and that description of Zoe. Christian theology emphasizes that the trinity is 3 complete entities in one, no that one being has 3 distinct parts. So if we take the analogy to Zoe; she is not "part Zoe, part avatar, part robot". She is completely Zoe, completely Avatar, and completely robot at the same time. The analogy works for me in that sense, because we're looking a scared, confused, hurt, lost child trapped in a monsters body, but not completely sure if she is herself or a copy of herself.
Count me in for not being thrilled with the opening credits, although they might just suffer in comparison to BSG's. Pretty enjoyable episode on the whole, though it felt like it was mostly setting things up for future episodes. Not to be too speculative, but does anyone else think that Ben's mom might know more than she let on?
ReplyDeleteAnd on a programming note, why did "SyFy" feel the need to include a "coming up after this commercial break" preview? Do they really put so little stock in their audience's patience?
I, too, enjoyed seeing "Zoe" as robot and avatar. Somehow it made her (its?) plight more compelling. I wasn't too certain about the show at first, but now I'm thinking I'll keep an eye out for it.
ReplyDeleteLoved the "By your command" bit. That was from the original BSG, wasn't it?
In general I think this show demystifies and changes the nature of Battlestar Galactica. Instead of having Cylons that evolved we have robots that have been given a virtual identity of a real human being (essentially a person's consciousness/brian/personality). It still begs the question of what makes one a sentient being be it human or else.
ReplyDeleteWhen all is said and done if I watch BSG how can I not view all Cylons as just variations of humans?
In general I can't help to think that the entire BSG series will be de-legitimatised.
Not that I have a problem with this considering how poorly it ended - yes, the god & Christian endorsement ending was ass and you can't change my mind about it.
What would be cool to happen if you find that God is just an uploaded identity of one of the characters in this show but alas it will most likely not.
With all said and done I will stick with it because execution is good & I really want to see how much it changes BSG.
I really liked this episode a lot. I cant wait for more. Alan am I allowed to link to my own review? If not, just delete it.
ReplyDeletehttp://analysisfromafanboy.com/2010/01/30/review-caprica-rebirth/
The opening sequence took me by surprise, but I actually quite like it.
ReplyDeleteDoes anybody else find that the robot to Zoe back to Robot shots have some similarities with the 'head Six' scenes in Battlestar or is it just me?
Does anybody else find that the robot to Zoe back to Robot shots have some similarities with the 'head Six' scenes in Battlestar or is it just me?
ReplyDeleteOn the level that (self-)perception and (objective) reality aren't always the same thing, it's definitely not just you.
I liked the opening credits too -- nice visual analogues for the show: The people who aren't what they first appear to be, coming together and falling apart. All against the backdrop of a fantastic city that is totally alien yet strangely familiar.
I also wonder when Bear McCreary sleeps -- at one point, he was scoring 'Human Target', 'Trauma', 'Eureka' and a video game whose name I can't remember around the same time as 'Caprica'. The quality and diversity of McCreary's work is amazing, given the sheer quantity and the speed with which TV scores are produced.
Thanks Craig. Actually I was thinking of a whole series analysis like Alan did with The Wire, where he talked about the show in its totality while talking about each episode. Granted, these are two shows and I am sure the producers have thought about BSG newbies watching, but recaps might have something on the first show if it pertains to the second.
ReplyDeleteAnd also if Caprica, somehow references more than young Willie Adama from BSG--maybe another character or a event that was talked about on BSG. I don't know. It's my own damn fault for not watching what many say is a great show. But thanks for responding. I'm just going to be very careful and probably gulp down BSG when I can.
If Caprica is long lived or has enough enough of a life to tell a story, hopefully they have a plan, then I assume people who watch this then watch BSG will find BSG much more enjoyable than the other way around.
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to add, in case the powers-that-be stop by to snoop on this comment thread, that I'm really enjoying the show and I'm grateful for intelligent television (although I do wish we could have kept the adult sensibilities of the DVD pilot version--ah well, I'm kind of a pervert). I'll even suck it up and spell your name the new-fangled la-di-dah way...keep up the good work, SyFy. And not only did I buy the Caprica pilot DVD, I will probably buy this whole series as well (ka-ching).
ReplyDeleteI personally used to zone out during the battle sequences in BSG and watched for the character moments. Ron Moore gets a big giant pass from me because of a) all the accessibility he has to his fans through his podcasts and b) the comments he's made about the Seven of Nine character in ST: Voyager (said character made this woman cringe in horror). I wasn't thrilled with the lack of closure regarding the mythology in the BSG finale episodes, but I truly appreciated the character moments.
I don't think the BSG finale would be such a giant brou-ha-ha in a different era: all of us on the internet got so worked up with the theorizing that no ending would have made everyone happy, and some of the theories (to wit: Daniel) got totally out of control. And it's going to be the same thing on 'Lost'. I think on the latter show I'm going to just absorb the show's final season and ignore most of the fandom's gnashing of teeth. This blog is sensible, so I'll be reading it, but I won't be laying awake trying to figure out the mythology...I'll be appreciating the character moments.
After all, isn't that what you ultimately remember from good sci-fi? Picard in "The Inner Light", for instance. (Okay, the Borg were also very cool.) Aeryn grieving over John Crichton and then having to reunite with his double. Malcolm Reynolds sacrificing himself to save his crew when the ship broke down, except they came back to save him. Lee and Kara almost getting together, but frakking it up as usual. Etc., etc.
Yeah, I'm a girl. You can keep your laser weapons and plasma drives.
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ReplyDeleteWhat I want to know is how Bill Adama got blue eyes. I am also one who hopes that Caprica can somehow redeem the crappy ending of BSG. I am enjoying it so far.
ReplyDeleteAnd also if Caprica, somehow references more than young Willie Adama from BSG--maybe another character or a event that was talked about on BSG. I don't know. It's my own damn fault for not watching what many say is a great show.
ReplyDeleteLike I can talk -- how many friends do I have who rate The Wire as "the best show ever", and roll their eyes when I say I've got to catch up on the DVDs one day. :)
But seriously, Jane Espenson has said that Caprica was quite deliberately designed so you don't have to be a BSG geek to follow it. There are shout outs, but they're more grace notes than major themes. One example is the piano piece Daniel plays -- it's a famous piece of Caprican classical music that reappears (briefly) in the fourth season BSG episode 'Someone to Watch Over Me' in a very different context it would be a sin to spoil for you. (Interestingly enough, McCreary wrote it as a riff on a theme from Stu Phillips' score for the original Battlestar.)
Okay, folks, fair enough on the reference to the BSG finale, which has been tweaked, and all comments referring to it removed. I'll try to step a bit more lightly abut BSG info in the future.
ReplyDeleteDoes anybody else find that the robot to Zoe back to Robot shots have some similarities with the 'head Six' scenes in Battlestar or is it just me?
ReplyDeleteNo, definitely not just you. I was also thinking that we were going to be seeing Zoe in that same purple halter dress for the entirety of the series, just like we nearly always saw Six in her red dress.
I was profoundly unimpressed with the pilot and had forgotten I'd done a "series record" on my DVR or I wouldn't have watched the second episode. Having recorded it, though, I'd figure I'd watch it. I definitely thought it was more compelling than the pilot, but it still hasn't really grabbed me on the Adama story, and I think it needs to have a better variety of interesting characters. I did like the two lab guys, though.
Now I know why the Cylon Centurions always looked so baffled on BSG. They all thought they were really 16 year old girls.
ReplyDeleteThey must have been all freaked out every time they looked down and saw their enormous frakkin' robot arms.
I thought it was a LOT more interesting than the pilot and definitely has me wanting to see more.
ReplyDelete@schmoker: hahahaha! good one!!!!
ReplyDeleteIn general I think this show demystifies and changes the nature of Battlestar Galactica. Instead of having Cylons that evolved we have robots that have been given a virtual identity of a real human being (essentially a person's consciousness/brian/personality). It still begs the question of what makes one a sentient being be it human or else.
ReplyDeleteWhen all is said and done if I watch BSG how can I not view all Cylons as just variations of humans?
I had this thought as well but you've given my vague misgivings form. For me, part of the fascination with BSG was that Cylons had rebelled against their makers and then evolved independently to become mirrors of them. The idea of machines evolving was a hook to me and I'm suspicious of what seems to be a subtle but fundamental shift in the original concept.
Seeing the first cylon is totally awesome. Do you think their one true God had any impact on its creation?
ReplyDeleteFrom Jan:
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I didn't watch much of BSG, but I'm really liking Caprica so far. It's certainly keeping my interest, and I, too, like the switching back and forth between the Cylon Zoe and the Avatar Zoe very effective. I'm really looking forward to the next episode.
I also thought it was interesting how Willie took his uncle's advice to heart and played his father when he got caught skipping school. The look on his face as his father hugged him said it all.
I, personally, am really digging this show. My only real problem with BSG was the lack of diversity amongst the characters. It just didn't make any sense to me that a civilisation made up of 12 whole planets of people would all have the same basic language, practise the same basic beliefs, have the same homogeneous socio-culture concepts, etc. Yes, there was diversity in skin color and accents (and, obviously, religion), but otherwise they were all basically the same.
ReplyDeleteRather than just seeing the juxtaposition of humans as "normal" and Cylons as "evil", now we get to see the humans battling themselves over who's "normal" and who's "evil". Very cool, in my mind :)
@MXT and Anon
ReplyDeleteThe original concept of the cylons hasn't been changed. It has always been part of the show that their clanky robot version was "created by man".
They didn't (and presumably won't) "evolve" themselves into the form that was nearly indistinguishable from humans until after the first cylon war (with the help of the final five). The rebellion that was mentioned in BSG's opening credits is the second cylon war, which is the genocidal attack the kicked off the series.
Seems like many didn't enjoy the pilot, but I thought it was quite entertaining. Ultimately I will give the show a long leash because I am a big fan of several of the leading actors: Paula Malcomson from Deadwood, Polly Walker who was awesome in Rome, and of course Eric Stoltz. Perhaps because it is late, I feel compelled to mention that Alessandra Torresani, who plays Zoe, was the original actress to portray George Michael's girlfriend Ann, on Arrested Development. Oh and I read that Patton Oswalt and the actor who played Spike on Buffy will appear on the show, so lots of potential fun ahead.
ReplyDeletei'm going to stay on topic and not re-litigate the BSG finale, except to say that i'm in the Alan camp in knowing that it rocked, period.
ReplyDeleteas to Caprica, i'm very intrigued, and extremely pleased about several aspects, and yet i think it's safe to say that, like Dollhouse, the only reason i'm even watching is that i worship at the altar of its creator. (so yes, the overlap of Jane Espenson being head writer is like geek overload for me.)
two specific comments:
1) the question raised by anonymous about Adama's blue eyes: well, it's a relatively minor issue, but one i'd love to hear the show runners address, because that's right: i can't see any other explanation besides continuity error.
and 2) i'm surprised that neither Alan nor any commenters mentioned what was my favorite passing moment of the night: the fact that Adama's mobbed up, tough guy brother is gay.
i had to play it back twice to be sure, but when he's talking to Willie about coming to Little Tauron with Joseph as kids, he says, "I'd be hopelessly trying to flirt with some guy, and meanwhile your dad would get a date with the sister."
forget about the delightful image of the two good looking Adama boys, hitting on opposite sexes. (or the fact that the Caprican mob is far more progressive way back then than our mob is now, to say nothing of society as a whole.)
it just makes me happy when writers take what others would make a big deal out of, and instead turn it into a throwaway line that simply reflects real life as we know it, and as it should be: lots of people are gay- maybe even your uncle!
DEAL WITH IT! (Cuz everyone's dealing with things now. Mmmm hmmm.)
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ReplyDeleteI liked the interplay between Zoe robot and Zoe A - Definitely a lesson on perception and perspective. I think Caprica has it nailed -- a 16 yr. old girl is a force to be reckoned with, especially as a trinity. I can't wait to see how the Cylons evolve from this. Personally, it has me thinking: is Daniel G from Caprica the missing Daniel in Cylon society? Hmmmmm.
ReplyDelete1) the question raised by anonymous about Adama's blue eyes: well, it's a relatively minor issue, but one i'd love to hear the show runners address, because that's right: i can't see any other explanation besides continuity error.
ReplyDeleteDidn't Eddie Olmos wear cosmetic contact lenses to match up his eye colour to Jamie Bamber's; while Bamber dyed his hair, because it's naturally a lot lighter than his screen father's? (To be honest, I didn't notice let alone care, but if they want to be all method about it...)
If Sina Najafi's audition was as good as his work in 'Rebirth' I'd just say "frak it", because I don't know if I would -- or even could, under Canadian child labour laws -- make him wear cosmetic contacts as a condition of casting.
Still not sure how the Cylon is a trinity. It's robot and avatar Zoe only right? Doesn't the avatar Zoe know that it's an avatar, and not a real person?
ReplyDeleteDoesn't that just make it 2 parts and not a full trinity? Or is Caprica just really trying to stretch the religious metaphor?
@Craig Ranapia:
ReplyDeleteyep, that's exactly right about the contact lenses and dye job.
so since they went to that much (needless, IMO) trouble to make Apollo and the Old Man realistically genetically connected, how could they fail to address it here?
i realize a blue-eyed Hispanic is rare (hence the lenses), but but if a kid can't wear contacts, then fix it in post with CG or something. costly, i'm sure, but having put that out there, it seems uncharacteristically sloppy to just expect us to gloss over it.
honestly, i think this problem has arisen because initially, Olmos was cast because of his acting prowess, not his heritage, and that they weren't at that time thinking of Adama as being Hispanic or some type of minority, he was just dark haired and olived skinned with blue eyes. otherwise, Lee could have gotten his eyes from his mom, and lack of physical similarity be damned. (and really, who cares?) so i think the idea that his Latin (or Tauron) heritage was somehow connected to the race relation issues between the colonies came later.
whatever, i'd still like them to DEAL WITH IT!
I am digging the show, but I absolutely despise how Syfy covers the bottom quarter of the screen with their stupid logo and promotion for some Ghost Hunters nonsense. It is profoundly distracting. So I guess I'm going to just wait for the DVDs on this one.
ReplyDelete*sigh* You would think I'd be used to those awful bugs by now, since HBO is the only network that DOESN'T do it.
Also, I did notice the little character nugget that Sam Adama dropped when talking with his nephew. It was fast, I'm sure some viewers didn't catch it. Should be very interesting how that develops, if at all (BSG was coy about its gay characters, you could watch the entire series and never catch the inferences if you weren't paying close attention).
Also, I did notice the little character nugget that Sam Adama dropped when talking with his nephew. It was fast, I'm sure some viewers didn't catch it. Should be very interesting how that develops, if at all (BSG was coy about its gay characters, you could watch the entire series and never catch the inferences if you weren't paying close attention).
ReplyDeleteWell, I did allude to it on the other Caprica thread, but didn't want to get it deleted for falling foul of Alan's spoiler policy.
You could also read Clarice Willow as bisexual, with the caveat that the dynamics of her group marriage and the exact nature of what was going on with Lacey are (deliberately) highly ambiguous. On the latter score, I really hope that is going to be all about the STO, otherwise it falls right into the very ugly stereotype of sexually predatory GLBT teachers.
BTW, I don't think it's a spoiler to point out that in press interviews, Sasha Roiz has hinted that we're going to see a lot more of Sam Adama -- including his home life, which is every bit as non-stereotypical as what he does for a living. He's another character on this show who is, IMO, pleasingly ambiguous. He is a stone cold killer; but he also loves his family (even if his relationship with his brother is rocky, and his idea of bonding with his nephew is sweet but seriously inappropriate.)
"In general I can't help to think that the entire BSG series will be de-legitimatised.
ReplyDeleteNot that I have a problem with this considering how poorly it ended - yes, the god & Christian endorsement ending was ass and you can't change my mind about it.
What would be cool to happen if you find that God is just an uploaded identity of one of the characters in this show but alas it will most likely not."
That's the problem -- BSG already frakked the concept of monotheism as a terrorists' religion, and polytheism as too weak to deal with it. What else would you call the ending but a surrender -- it wasn't a symbiosis, no matter how much spin RDM put on it. *That's* why CAPRICA will fail regarding the one-god-or-two-question: What has happened before will happen again, and they're stuck with that fate as a standing tenet of the franchise.
So, yes, by the second episode, the path of the arrow is set, because, yes, the founder of a race of genocidares is a theologically-ditzy teen bored with teh cybersex, and nothing any showrunner can do can make that more palatable without ruining their premise.
Hi to the person who wanted to know how bill has blue eyes! I know your comment was awhile ago and you may have figured it out by now but if not here's a warning.... *Spoiler alert* The William Adama we see Caprica is too old to be the same Bill Adama that we see later in bsg plus as mentioned bsg Bill has blue eyes not brown... Well it's simple it was a miscalculation in the time line by the writers so to fix it in the end of season 1.5 they kill little willie off (I know really sad)... Bill Adama is shown to be the younger brother of William and named after him in the what's coming in season two teaser at the end of the finally! hope that clears it up and well spotted!!!
ReplyDeletedid anybody else wonder about what the un-revealed Skinjob Cylon from Bsg looked like or acted like?? He's never actually seen in the show in physical form but referred to as being name.... wait for it Daniel and Ellen says hewas an artist... think Cavil was jealous boxed him.. but cant help thinking maybe there is some connection there with Daniel greystone!????
ReplyDeletedid anybody else wonder about what the un-revealed Skinjob Cylon from Bsg looked like or acted like?? He's never actually seen in the show in physical form but referred to as being name.... wait for it Daniel and Ellen says hewas an artist... think Cavil was jealous boxed him.. but cant help thinking maybe there is some connection there with Daniel greystone!????
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