tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post117007559453349314..comments2024-03-25T19:18:14.047-04:00Comments on What's Alan Watching?: Battlestar Galactica: NORM!Alan Sepinwallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-1170469366881626202007-02-02T21:22:00.000-05:002007-02-02T21:22:00.000-05:00Kat, awesome Babylon 5 shoutout. You called it. Y'...Kat, awesome Babylon 5 shoutout. You called it. <BR/><BR/>Y'know, I am mixed on this ep. I thought it was OK, though I agree that the intercutting at the end didn't really work. <BR/><BR/>My problem was, we got a few teasers of the Chief and Apollo hanging at the bar, discussing their wimmen problems, but they should have gone into that more. I would have liked it if they'd backed off the quadrangle, given us more of that in small, implied doses, and in exchange given us much more of what's going on inside the fleet's version of Cheers. <BR/><BR/>Given the stresses these people are under, there's got to be some seriously wack stuff, not to mention some epic meaning-of-life conversations, going on in that place. I would have really dug seeing more of that, whether it was between the Chief and Lee, or various other characters. <BR/><BR/>I think their original idea, to explain how the bar came to be and spend time with the people who hang out there, was the right one. I totally loved Unfinished Business, but I could have done without the retread of those themes we saw. Though word to those who say the Anders-Starbuck scenes were great. I think Anders does not get props. He's a good character, and that actor is better than he gets credit for. <BR/><BR/>I also have never seen much chemistry between Lee and Dualla, though the actors have done their best with those scenes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-1170265828057344532007-01-31T12:50:00.000-05:002007-01-31T12:50:00.000-05:00I am so glad my favorite characters are back inter...I am so glad my favorite characters are back interacting with each other. James Callis does such an excellent job of making Baltar sympathetic that you forget how narrowly he thinks, it is all about <I>him</I> to the exclusion of the larger impact his decisions make. He gave the Nuke to Gina because he needed to assauge his guilt over her treatment.<BR/><BR/>Roslyn is the antithesis of Baltar. Her duty encompasses the entire human race and that big picture is so inescapable she often overlooks the impact of her decisions at the personal level, re: Hera and the Agethons.Taleenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13465468178554091355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-1170246041942476762007-01-31T07:20:00.000-05:002007-01-31T07:20:00.000-05:00I think I'm the only person still left who actuall...I think I'm the only person still left who actually doesn't mind the quadrangle at all. IMO the writers did a good job of showcasing just how messy and ugly human relationships can be. And anyway, I think this will close the door to that story, atleast for a little while. <BR/><BR/>Re: Chief's assertion that he never thinks of Boomer, I believed him. But to me it was like a deliberate decision, like he everyday makes the conscious effort to NOT think about Boomer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-1170184687750123692007-01-30T14:18:00.000-05:002007-01-30T14:18:00.000-05:00So was I the only one yelling "Look! It's the Zoc...So was I the only one yelling "Look! It's the Zocolo!" when they first showed the bar?Kat Coblehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01989208841608754591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-1170180854861753282007-01-30T13:14:00.000-05:002007-01-30T13:14:00.000-05:00The opening "teaser", especially with that creepy ...The opening "teaser", especially with that creepy sing-song, sent shivers down my spine. I thought it was the best opening teaser since 33.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-1170130405285318872007-01-29T23:13:00.000-05:002007-01-29T23:13:00.000-05:00Okay, finally watched it. I give them an E for eff...Okay, finally watched it. I give them an E for effort, trying to tie in Baltar's interrogation with the Kara/Lee thing. The intercutting almost had an Alan Moore feel to it (Dan Coyle will know what I'm talking about). And I did not see the Gaeta thing coming at all. Baltar might be crazy, but he's not stupid. And is Bamber's accent not right? He always sounds like Tom Cruise to me, so I guess I just answered my own question. <BR/><BR/>You know, I honestly could not tell if Tyrol was telling the truth or not about never thinking about Sharon. This show takes ambiguity to a whole nother level.<BR/><BR/>Well, now I'm going to wander around all night squinting and muttering, "Bastard wants ta die that bad, I say let 'im..."<BR/><BR/>P.S. Just watched last week's again with the podcast. Moore is one smart, honest mofo. He points out flaws in the episodes you don't even see until he mentions them, and makes you understand WHY they're flaws.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-1170128700008313142007-01-29T22:45:00.000-05:002007-01-29T22:45:00.000-05:00The rings weren't gold, but some sort of white met...The rings weren't gold, but some sort of white metal. I prefer to think that they're iron or aluminum, fashioned from scrap metal.Machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03092217234287469255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-1170115664661194362007-01-29T19:07:00.000-05:002007-01-29T19:07:00.000-05:00Niffer,I totally agree with you and that last part...Niffer,<BR/><BR/>I totally agree with you and that last part of editing. Terrible. Totally took away from the tension in the scene with Baltar and Gaeta.<BR/><BR/>The quadrangle would have been better if they'd moved it forward somehow, but they seem to be stuck in the same arguments. Would have been better to have one of the couples work it out to some degree and make the other jealous or sad or angry they couldn't do the same.<BR/><BR/>Eh, I don't know...K J Gillenwaterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12023089365553324315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-1170111685298114022007-01-29T18:01:00.000-05:002007-01-29T18:01:00.000-05:00Well, I liked the quadrangle okay, but I have to a...Well, I liked the quadrangle okay, but I have to admit, I'm just waiting for the flashback episode that explains when Adama and Roslin got married.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-1170107024544025552007-01-29T16:43:00.000-05:002007-01-29T16:43:00.000-05:00Caitie, you just reminded me of one of my favorite...Caitie, you just reminded me of one of my favorite moments of the episode: Laura touching Adama's arm after he suggests that they could make Baltar "disappear." Part of the charge of that bit comes from how little time the show spends discussing the obvious sexual tension between these two, but most of it comes from the chemistry of those two superb actors.Alan Sepinwallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-1170105840016181022007-01-29T16:24:00.000-05:002007-01-29T16:24:00.000-05:00As someone who absolutely loves soap opera-ish rel...As someone who absolutely loves soap opera-ish relationship drama, I found everything to do wtih the quadrangle mind numbingly boring. Part of it, I think has to do with how I don't believe Lee and Dualla as a couple. I don't know, they just don't have the kind of chemistry of people like Kara and Anders or even Laura and Adama.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-1170104887537139092007-01-29T16:08:00.000-05:002007-01-29T16:08:00.000-05:00Having gotten through more of the podcast, Niffer,...Having gotten through more of the podcast, Niffer, Moore explained a couple of things: <BR/><BR/>-Originally, the Lee story was going to be a light romp about him trying to get the bar up and running, but too many people felt the show had to deal with the ramifications of what happened to the quadrangle in the last few episodes. I'm still not clear on whether Moore expected the final version of the script to still be fun and goofy. <BR/><BR/>-Ever since they nuked Cloud Nine, the writers and the network wanted a place where characters could gather to blow off steam, and the pilots' ready room is only available to certain characters. With civilians turning one of the two Galactica hangars into a refugee camp, they thought it would be interesting to create something much more downscale than the swanky Cloud Nine bar from the "Die Hard on a Spaceship" episode with Dana Delany.Alan Sepinwallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-1170104449871054002007-01-29T16:00:00.000-05:002007-01-29T16:00:00.000-05:00The quadrangle as levity? Hunh? Blech. I am don...The quadrangle as levity? Hunh? Blech. I am done with it - and I hope the show is, too. I wouldn't mind seeing a smidge of it here and there, just so we don't have all involved unrealistically switching back into "normal" mode, but I am done with the melodramtic focus on it.<BR/><BR/>The scene where Lee loses his ring was painful to watch, and not because it was bad. It was just hard to see Lee in that much pain. To me, it showed that he took marriage seriously, even if he's managed to frak it up.<BR/><BR/>One thing I really didn't like were the final scenes. Cutting from The Quadrangle to Baltar interrupted the flow of each scene for me. I found it distracting. And I agree that the cut scene would have been more interesting the some of The Quadrangle junk.<BR/><BR/>Also, where the hell did the bar come from? It felt too much like, "Gee, we need Lee and Chief in a bar. Let's create one."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-1170102419430773572007-01-29T15:26:00.000-05:002007-01-29T15:26:00.000-05:00Whew! I shoulda known they wouldn't give up stretc...Whew! I shoulda known they wouldn't give up stretching that one out yet.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-1170099919172117872007-01-29T14:45:00.000-05:002007-01-29T14:45:00.000-05:00Jim, since it's in a hallucination, no.Jim, since it's in a hallucination, no.Alan Sepinwallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-1170099468669079102007-01-29T14:37:00.001-05:002007-01-29T14:37:00.001-05:00Really interesting, Chris -- and yet Kara has aspe...Really interesting, Chris -- and yet Kara has aspects of both members of the Tigh family, where the only thing Sam has in common with Saul is knowing and not really caring that his wife sleeps around.Alan Sepinwallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-1170099437755475572007-01-29T14:37:00.000-05:002007-01-29T14:37:00.000-05:00Does that picture count as a spoiler?Does that picture count as a spoiler?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-1170098794609121142007-01-29T14:26:00.000-05:002007-01-29T14:26:00.000-05:00My wife, who's much smarter than I am, points out ...My wife, who's much smarter than I am, points out that Kara and Anders have essentially become a much younger version of the Tighs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-1170098516146653392007-01-29T14:21:00.000-05:002007-01-29T14:21:00.000-05:00Agreed on the deleted scene. I understand that Moo...Agreed on the deleted scene. I understand that Moore and Eick prefer to leave character scenes in over plot scenes (as Moore mentions in most podcasts), but cutting the Roslin-Caprica Six scene just seems wrong in every way. With most of the cut scenes on the DVDs and web site, I understand the justification for cutting the scenes, but not so much this one. <BR/><BR/>Hopefully this episode marks the end of the quadrangle story as a major plot thread and the beginning of more Roslin/Adama/Baltar scenes per episode.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-1170094863756795472007-01-29T13:21:00.000-05:002007-01-29T13:21:00.000-05:00That was a nice little shot, absolutely. Edward Ja...That was a nice little shot, absolutely. Edward James Olmos did a really stellar job directing and helping to edit this one, pushing the show into territory where it doesn't usually go and yet producing an episode that feels indisputably like "Battlestar Galactica."Alan Sepinwallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-1170094619771731162007-01-29T13:16:00.000-05:002007-01-29T13:16:00.000-05:00I'm glad you noticed the accent shift too. I thou...I'm glad you noticed the accent shift too. I thought maybe I was just hearing things. In any case I wasn't that interested in the quadrangle this episode, and up until now I didn't have a problem with it. It's just that the Baltar stuff was so much better and a reappearance of Madame Airlock is always welcome. Baltar as Jesus? Twisted, but compelling. Quadrangle soap opera antics? Boring. And I'm not sure if I was supposed to laugh at Drunk Apollo freaking out over his lost ring.<BR/><BR/>However, I did like the scene where they panned out from Anders and Kara showing us that they are going through this "drama" in very close quarters... and even the crew overhearing this doesn't care.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com