"Battlestar Galactica" spoilers coming up just as soon as I find a comfy bathrobe to wear...At this late date in the lifespan of "Battlestar Galactica," what superlatives are left to describe the work of Mary McDonnell? How can I praise this performance week after week, season after season, and capture how much better it keeps getting without sounding like a sycophantic broken record?
Here's the best I've got, really: if this were baseball, I'd start suspecting her of using steroids or HGH, because in recent weeks she's gone from late '90s Barry Bonds (consistently brilliant, but in a way that almost makes you take her for granted) to early '00s Barry Bonds (jaw-droppingly, insanely, don't-dare-change-the-channel amazing). Mary's head is still the same size, but somehow, she's found a way to take her game to a new level of late. I am so grateful that we get to watch her play this character.
It helps, of course, to have great material on the page, and Laura Roslin's recent character arc has given her plenty to play and lots of dark places to go. But even the recent scripts for her pale in comparison to the sequence tonight with Laura tending to a wounded Baltar, who, with the benefit of some groovy drugs, decides to finally confess to Laura what she's long believed: that he played a major role in the Cylon genocide of humanity. Now, we know, as Baltar tries to explain here, that he was just an unsuspecting dupe -- really, the only sin Baltar has committed in the run of the series where you can 100% blame him for consciously doing a horrible thing was in giving the nuke to Gina -- but Laura doesn't care about that. She has always distrusted this man and grew to despise him after he won the election and put humanity on the road to the Cylon occupation of New Caprica (and she doesn't even know that the Gina/nuke thing is the only reason the Cylons found them), and now, as she's so close to death's door that she can actually see her deathbed (or her imagination of what it might look like), Baltar's giving her a mother-frakking confession of all that she's suspected, all while blithely claiming that none of it was his fault, he was an instrument of God's will, God made everybody perfect, blah blah blah... can you blame her, in that moment, for wanting to rip away the bandages and let the bastard bleed out?
Laura's talked quite a bit in recent episodes -- including in a scene with Baltar -- about how, with her death approaching, she's had to strip away all of her own humanity and ethical standards and just focus on what she feels is best for the fleet. She was making herself every bit the machine she believes the Cylons to be, all in an attempt to save humanity from them. (And at a time when the Cylon rebels, in plotting to destroy the Resurrection Hub, have been trying to make themselves as human as possible.) Letting Baltar bleed to death was perhaps that attitude taken to its logical end: how can Laura allow the fleet to go on with this evil trickster alive and her dead? But, with some guidance from Head Elosha (or from her own subconscious), Laura finally recognized the futility of that approach, and in doing so not only decided to spare Baltar, but finally realized it was okay to confront her feelings for Bill Adama...
...which, in turn, led to the beautiful, spare, reunion between those old star-crossed lovers, in which very little was said and yet everything was conveyed. Roslin may not have found the way to Earth just yet, but she's found the way back to being a part of the race she's trying to save. She may, like Moses, still die before her people reach the promised land, but at least now she'll have a true companion for the remainder of her journey.
The rest of the episode was almost as exceptional as McDonnell, though I have one quibble that I'll get out of the way quickly so we can get back to appreciating the rest. Ron Moore, in one of the few and far between podcasts this season, said that there was originally going to be a decent amount of material about the Centurions dealing with their newfound independence, but that virtually all of it got cut because there were too many other storylines going on this year. And because of that, Baltar chatting up a Centurion and trying to stir the pot felt fairly random. I know Baltar now considers himself an instrument of God and what-not, and he's actually right on that the skinjobs used to treat the Centurions as slaves, but it still came out of left field and -- unless each Centurion has wi-fi and is constantly communicating with every other Centurion -- was mainly an excuse for Baltar to be doing something right before he got blown up real good. In the midst of an episode where everything else flowed so well, that sequence was a distraction.
But back to the brilliance (much of it from the keyboard of Jane Espenson). Helo's uneasy relationship with the Athena-stalking Sharon was as fascinating as it was awkward. If she looks exactly like his wife, acts exactly like his wife and -- unlike, say, an identical twin -- has virtually all the same memories as his wife, is that cheating if he does anything with her? And it was great seeing bits of Athena creep into this Sharon, the way she was able to calm down the human pilots by speaking their language ("in the soup"), or how she believed the humans would finally play fair because that's how Athena would view it, or how she called Helo "Karl" to snap him out of his reverie while looking at all the Cylon bodies that would never get a consciousness uploaded into them. And I loved Roslin's line about how Helo married one Sharon, not the entire production line.
The attack on the Hub was yet another example of Gary Hutzel's team topping themselves throughout this season. As drawn by them and directed by Paul Edwards, it was detailed and gorgeous and somber all at the same time. This was, essentially, humanity returning the genocide favor to the Cylons -- albeit with a fair amount of assistance from a Cylon faction -- and it shouldn't have been a kick-ass sequence. It should have felt as funereal as it did.
I've been waiting all season for D'Anna to get unboxed, and Lucy Lawless' return proved worth the wait, between her casually snapping Brother Cavil's neck while still in her resurrection bath, or her snarking on all sides of the Cylon/human alliance once she was free of the Hub. I knew she wouldn't give up the names of the Final Five that easily, but it'll be interesting to see what kind of contact she has with Tigh or Anders or the rest once she's back with the fleet.
And what of the rest of the Cylons? Did D'Anna kill the last Cavil, or are there still others out there, hanging out with the remaining Dorals and Simons? Boomer obviously had time to get away (in between her escape and Helo and the Sharon finding D'Anna, D'Anna had to time to towel off and put on a robe), but is she off with the other survivors (if there are any) of the Cavil faction, did she try to slip on board the rebel Baseship, or is she just tooling around the universe by herself, ready to cause trouble wherever and whenever she feels like it? And how can she respect herself in the morning for not being the one to snap Cavil's neck the second after he called her "my pet Eight"?
As always, a reminder: do not in any way attempt to discuss anything glimpsed in the previews for next week's episode. Sci Fi is doing a consistently horrible job at protecting secrets with those things, and those of us who have been wise enough to turn off our TVs as soon as the executive producer credit appears don't want to know anything. I don't care if you're specific or vague; if I see a comment with any discussion of the previews, it's getting deleted, even if the rest of said comment is brimming with wonderful insights about this episode.
What did everybody else think?
43 comments:
You forgot to mention Bear McCreary's wonderful score during the hub battle. Tied the scene together perfectly as the funeral for all cylons.
Well, if I can refer to LAST WEEK's previews...which I did watch...it really didn't give you much but a red herring. And that's all I will say.
I forget the previews almost as soon as I watch them! Ha.
But no spoilerage from me. It's the only peek I allow myself.
I liked this ep, too. Yay! Laura's whole journey was fascinating. I never thought about her keeping herself distant from all the humans, but that exactly what she did. Staying so disconnected so that she could make, what she thought to be, unbiased choices. But in the end, you want your leader to be emotionally connected.
The last scene with Adama was wonderful. I teared up. That's how these two should be, and I'm glad we finally got to see it.
Beautiful, Alan. The care that they've taken in building this relationship between Roslin and Adama—inch by inch, beat by beat, jump by jump—is what makes it so extraordinary. It's well earned. They deserve each other, finally, in the truest sense. I applaud the writers for letting the slow road show them the way, and the actors for giving it so much depth and grace. Such patience and commitment to character development is a rare thing on TV, and I feel lucky for getting to witness it as it plays out. (Would it have the same resonance if we hadn't spent nearly five real years watching them get to this point? I'm not sure.)
BG is always at its best when it's not "on the nose." A lot of last week's ep was very "on the nose" unlike this week, which was a subtle as dramatic - the treatment of the hub attack - Helo's awareness of death of the eight's line - the Adama/ Roslin reunion.
We know so much about these characters from seasons past, that when dramatic moments like these are treated like this - it reminds us why we were attracted to this show in the first place.
Fantastic episode with lots of great character moments. On the Baltar preaching liberation theology to the Centurion, I actually found it to be quite amusing as well as thought provoking. Who, exactly, invented the Cylon religion? Is it the opiate of the metallic masses used by the priestly skin job to enslave their brethren?
I'm also sad to learn that the Centurion sub plot had to be cut due to space constraints. I would have traded all of Romo Lampkin and his traveling cat carcass for just a glimpse of this much more interesting storyline.
Such a perfect episode, I was grinning from the start to the end.
The line about "your one of the final five" was priceless!! I laughed hard when Lucy Lawless laughed.. but secretly I wanted it to be true..
Excellent review Alan, and what an excellent episode. I shudder to think what the wait for the final 10 eps. is going to be like. Im on the edge of my seat about next week as it is, and god knows what cliffhanger the writers are going to leave us on for the break.
Whens it back? Please say this year!?
Whens it back? Please say this year!?
'09, it looks like, unfortunately.
Of course I cried during the Roslin-Adama scene (the only other couple to hit the bullseye as these two do on a consistent basis is Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler on FNL).
And then I teared up again reading this:
...the beautiful, spare, reunion between those old star-crossed lovers, in which very little was said and yet everything was conveyed. Roslin may not have found the way to Earth just yet, but she's found the way back to being a part of the race she's trying to save. She may, like Moses, still die before her people reach the promised land, but at least now she'll have a true companion for the remainder of her journey.
Sniff.
Now, where can I get a copy of Searider Falcon?
Word on the amazing FX work done by Hutzel and his crew. Agreed- every time I think it's not possible for them to top themselves, they do. The attack on the Hub was one of the most sadly lyrical/beautiful sequences of the series.
BUT -- wasn't it suspiciously easy to take out the hub? That was my only quibble with the ep. You'd think such an important Cylon installation would have been guarded like nobody's business. Yet an injured Base ship can slip in, take the FTL off line, grab D'Anna, and leave? Gee, that's handy.
Otherwise a really wonderful episode. I personally loved Baltar schooling the Centurion, giving him the "Know Your Rights" pep talk. Not that Baltar gives a flying frak about Centurions, he just can't resist the urge to stir up trouble wherever he goes. (He and D'Anna are actually a perfect pair in that sense.)
As for Mary McDonnell -- yep. What Alan said. Just mindboggling what she can do. And what the script gave her to do was exceptional, even for BSG.
meant to say:
Yet an injured Base ship can slip in, take the FTL off line, grab D'Anna, blow the Hub and leave?
Re: Gaius and the centurian..yeh it seemed random, but Callis made it comedy gold. I figured it was quintessential Baltar, loving the sound of his own voice and trying to cause a sh*t storm everywhere he goes.
Laura was unbelievably beautiful at his reunion with Bill. MMD is luminous!
Debbie
I liked the Baltar/Centurion scene, especially when Baltar told the story about the dog with the treat on its nose, and the Centurion replied with a perfectly doglike head-tilt. I got that it was part of the Centurions becoming self-aware, without needing whatever material Moore has had to cut.
Is it wrong that I thought during that Baltar dog treat scene that "dog is God spelled backward"?
I don't mean that in the sense of denigrating God or dogs, just in the sense of "I wonder if the writers used the word dog on purpose, for that reason, to sort of subtly bring up God." Then I thought it was time to go to bed, since my brain had obviously stopped working some time ago.
But I watched the Lost finale again instead.
During Baltar's dog treat treatise I noticed something and I don't know if it was intentional or just my imagination. He was lit from above, had a bit of a scowl, and had his head tilted forward. The total effect made him look like Roddy McDowell in ape makeup.
Galen/Cornelius/Caesar certainly had many conversations about the nature of god with a member of another species.
Either way, I was laughing so much during all of Baltar's scenes right up until the explosion that I was just deliriously happy. Such a well-constructed episode, and Callis' first chance to be funny again in years. Add Lucy Lawless and her awesome pleasure at knowing she's the most important living creature to both Cylons and Humans, and this was a top-five all-time episode.
And yes. I teared up.
Of course I cried during the Roslin-Adama scene (the only other couple to hit the bullseye as these two do on a consistent basis is Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler on FNL).
If only other television shows, no matter the genre, would learn something from how Roslin and Adama's relationship has been handled. Actually, BSG needs to learn from itself, considering how Starbuck/Apollo has gone.
I admit to being a little confused by this episode, mostly because the sound was awful last night. I missed a fair amount of dialogue. Must be my television.
I was also amused by Baltar preaching to the Centurion, and the scene with Baltar and Roslin trying to communicate with the hybrid felt downright wacky. Very strange, although not in a bad way.
Imagine my pleasure and surprise to discover that next week is not the series finale. I had no idea they were coming back with more episodes next year.
I share the general feeling of disappointment that the Centurion plotline had to be cut, but I thought that the Balter/Centurion scene was hilarious. Even if it didn't fit the tight plot of the episode, it was a much-needed source of hilarity.
Loved the episode, and especially loved that we did, indeed, return to humour for a change. I laughed far too hard at D'Anna's fakeout of Roslin - just the utter shock of her initial comment followed by her little laugh had my emotions shifting gears way too quickly, and my floormates likely thought I was insane.
While we talk about how great Hutzel's team did with the special effects (Found the Hub explosion to be just as powerful as it needed to be to reflect its magnitude), let's also acknowledge the subtle work: I loved Baltar's scenes with the Centurion largely due to the aforementioned subtle character work on the Centurion itself. The head movements, and even basic body language, combined so perfectly with Callis' spot-on performance.
You've said it all when it comes to McDonnell, methinks. Just exemplary work all around, and one wonders if she shouldn't have tried to Sopranos her Emmy submission and sneak in with this one over Faith.
Personally, I will admit to being a bit fascinated with Athena 2.0 and the implications of such a creation. While it makes sense that the memories of a Cylon could be re-downloaded, is this something that happens often? And if it does happen, is there often situations where it is a choice made by the individual Cylon as opposed to some form of leadership? It just seems like a really interesting and potentially complicating element to be introducing so late in the game, and I hope that it wasn't just a piece of contrivance designed to frak with Helo's mind and offer viewers a more familiar Cylon personality in this episode.
I have high hopes, after seeing this one through, that nothing on this show will be that simple again. Well, at least not until 2009.
You forgot to mention Bear McCreary's wonderful score during the hub battle. Tied the scene together perfectly as the funeral for all cylons.
I think McCreary's work is so consistently outstanding, it's kind of like Mary McD's performance -- in a way it's almost easy to get used to how good it is. We're spoiled, I guess, in that sense. Both only really get commented on when they're even better than they usually are.
I am glad others found the Baltar/Centurion scenes hilarious. And you're right, Jim T -- the way the Centurion moved added to the hilarity and general fun of the scene. Hard to get an actor and a computer generated machine to make sweet comedy together, but James Callis and the FX staff made it all go together seamlessly.
Sorta reminded me of Iron Man -- some of the scenes with Robert Downey Jr and his robot helper were the funniest in the movie. Though that was a real robot, not CG, I'm guessing.
J.A.R.V.I.S.! I had to wait for the credits to be sure, but that was Paul Bettany's voice. Yeah, their back-and-forth was great.
It's interesting how little we've seen of Starbuck recently.
And how little it's bothered me.
I love the feeling of realizing you're watching a great episode while it's still in progress. Sometimes it doesn't hit you until later.
I, for one, am not convinced MM isn't a cylon. Moore is capable of doing a fake out and the DeAnna character is perfectly suited to do that kind of mind-frak.
Fantastic episode as always (at least lately), but I did have a few quibbles
What is the hub for all the Cylons doing out int he middle of nowhere? Shouldn't it be back in old Cylon space, or at least in the original colonies, where it would be better defended?
Can't the Cylons rebuild the hub? I mean, they had to have built the original, right?
But this is the one that really bugs me. No character talked about the Cylon inability to reproduce. No one knows about Tigh-Caprica, and they haven't been able to recreate Athena-Helo, so wouldn't destroying the Cylon ability to resurrect effectively end the Cylon race?
But this is the one that really bugs me. No character talked about the Cylon inability to reproduce. No one knows about Tigh-Caprica, and they haven't been able to recreate Athena-Helo, so wouldn't destroying the Cylon ability to resurrect effectively end the Cylon race?
While it certainly remains implies as opposed to spelled out, Natalie's doctrine at the very least seemed to indicate that the Cylon willingness to destroy the Hub was in part designed to make them more human; perhaps, they believe that if their immortality is wiped out that their issues of integrating with humanity (The reproduction issue in particular) could disappear.
What I really want to know, however, is whether your observation about the Hub's questionable mythology (That it can't be the only thing keeping resurrection alive) ties into both a lack of perspective and the misinformation the Cylons could have provided. We still don't know exactly what Natalie's plan for the Hub attack, but we also have not spent enough time with the Cylon Civil War to know whether the rest of their race is so decimated that the Hub was the last remaining vestige of power.
Without a definitive answer to that question, I guess we're waiting for next week to find out - I felt that Athena 2.0 and D'Anna sold it pretty well, though.
Can't the Cylons rebuild the hub? I mean, they had to have built the original, right?
they might not actually have built the original. it's pretty clear, from the way they know nothing about the five, that the cylons know very little about their own evolution or origins.
Now this is Battlestar Galactica the way I know and love it. It is outstanding how this one episode manages to provoke every possible feeling there is. I even thought the Centurion was kinda cute...the way he moved his head like a puppy;)
Apart from McDonnell´s awesome performance I am glad to see that I am not the only one who thinks McCreary has done a wonderful job on this episode. I just love the different versions of Gaeta´s song.
What else? I basically loved everything about this episode. D´Anna was just totally hilarious, I really missed her. It´s great how different the Cylon models are. I am not spoiled so I actually thought Laura Roslin was the final five. "You should have seen your face!" was a great line for all the viewers out there.
Baltar´s attempts to calm down the Hybrid was funny. And Helo...he´s my Hero. I think Tahmoh Penikett is underrated. My heart broke when he looked at all the Eights in the hub right before it exploded.
I have to watch this episode again.
I'm glad that the apparent major spoiler as seen last week's preview for this week's episode that we just saw, was a little bit of tricky editing. I can't believe that they would let the biggest secret of the season be spoiled like that.
Anyone catch the continuing Baltar-as-Christ reference? There he is, laid out on the table with his arms stretched out in a cross-shape, with a gaping wound to his belly from which he's bleeding out. I thought for sure that he was going to die in this episode and then somehow be "resurrected".
Re: Baltar and the Centurion. I think that scene was puposly intended to create false tension. They wanted you to think, "Oh crap, now he's he's gonna stir up *this* pot! so the real payoff of the setup (the explosion) was a shock. It worked perfectly. Excellent episode all around.
I agree with anonymous 11:03 PM. In fact, for a minute there, I thought they might be going in a direction where Baltar ends up as the leader of the centurions. As in this has all happened before and will happen again...
I'm glad they didn't. Plus that centurion looked pretty cool blowing up.
During the whole Baltar/Centurion scene, I started thinking about cool it would be if the Cylon, with its newfound independence, actually decided to befriend Baltar. I considered the comic and dramatic potential of not just a skinjob, but a Centurion walking down Galactica's corridors, and how it would effect the show if the Centurions became a third, truly independent faction in the war.
And then he blew up.
I'm glad that the apparent major spoiler as seen last week's preview for this week's episode that we just saw, was a little bit of tricky editing. I can't believe that they would let the biggest secret of the season be spoiled like that.
While I agree with this (though I didn't see last week's spoiler, I've seen similar stupid trickery in the past), I still think any kind of spoiler, trick or not, is bad for the viewer.
Even if they were throwing you a curveball, it changes the way you watch the episode. If you go into that ep believing Roslin is a cylon, you see her actions in a completely different way. Not to mention that just showing that scene shows that they're successful in reviving and capturing the Deanna.
My problem with "spoilers" in previews isn't necessarily that they give something away; you'd learn it eventually anyway. It's that it changes the way you watch everything going up to that point. There's no fear of certain characters dying or even being injured because you know at some point later in the episode they're fine. You start watching actions of certain characters and saying "hm, I wonder how that's going to lead to what I saw in the preview".
I hate that. I like seeing things without some preconceived notion of where it's going.
My problem with "spoilers" in previews isn't necessarily that they give something away; you'd learn it eventually anyway. It's that it changes the way you watch everything going up to that point. There's no fear of certain characters dying or even being injured because you know at some point later in the episode they're fine. You start watching actions of certain characters and saying "hm, I wonder how that's going to lead to what I saw in the preview".
It's funny - I've heard a few people use this reasoning for their criticism of Lost Season Four (Where, even if I don't agree, I can understand it), but this is a different situation because this isn't an actual creative choice of the show itself. The promos are network creations, not creative ones - it wasn't Moore creating that different way of watching an episode on purpose, but rather a network wanting to...well, whatever their reasoning was, I can't think of anything close to justifying that one.
In Lost, I found it fascinating because it was the whole point of the season - here, it flew in the face of how the episode actually worked and how the moment was supposed to operate.
Loved the episode as well-although it quality really seemed to put last week's in sharp relief-how uneven last week's was for this season and this one seemed to fit right into the rest in terms of quality across the board. That being said I have also noticed that there always seems to be one "stinker" episode in each half season (some have pointed out "black market" as an example but I actually don't mind that episode whereas, "Final Cut" I personally loathe and not a fan of "Colonial Day" either.)
The Hub did seem to be lightly guarded but I have decided if they are going to have a single point of failure for something as important as resurrection then sure don't guard it either. But I liked that it had come full circle with the devastation of the colonies with the help of other cylons (as the cylons took advantage of humans wittingly or unwittingly to destroy the colonies).
Like everyone else loved MM this week-can't say enough nice things about her as an actress and the writing (and acting) has allowed BSG to do some really great things with the character. Loved the scene by the hybrid pool toward the end.
Also liked Baltar's interaction with the centurion-nice comic relief from another tension filled episode-refreshingly free of a lengthy jump countdown-and Baltar's screaming at the Hybrid. I have really enjoyed the tension and competition between the Baltar and Roslin characters for a long time now and that was played well. So MM is doing great work with both Olmos and Callis almost every episode.
I am also consistently amazed by Callis's work on the show-the shift from comedic to drugged out and injured-to begging and pleading as he bled out. Amazing how he can turn on a dime and from the beginning what I really liked about the show were the interactions of him and the "ghost 6".
That being said, it brought to mind last week's episode and how underutilized the Zarek character is and I have often thought that the limitation is Hatch (not to harsh on him but he's not a stellar actor)-it seems like so much more could be done with that character but never is,whereas because of Callis's range they have transformed what should be loathsome character into one that is multi-layered and multi-faceted and who is not only sympathetic but with Roslin and Olmos is a centerpiece of the show. Wondering if anyone else felt that
Also wanted to throw out a pet theory I posted late last week again-any chance that the final model is in fact a child-specifically the Tigh-Caprica 6 child with the difference from other cylon models that Tigh is one of the final 5 (of course with the caveat that it is his). I haven't been watching the episodes in the US so have missed the scifi spoilers (thankfully) but was told by a friend that there was a final five spoiler but not what it was. Glad that didn't turn out to be the case and that it is not Roslin (at least not for now). So any chance that the last model literally is the offspring of two other models?
Oh, man, I really loved that scene with Baltar and the Centurion. The way Callis looked up, almost flirtingly, through his long lashes as he stirred the pot--that Baltar can't resist another potential follower, can he?
I"m so pleased everyone here loved the episode as much as I did. The TV Squad folks seemed pretty lukewarm, which shocked me. (This is a much smarter crowd here, anyway.)
Loved the episode overall but had one complaint. I couldn't help but giggle when Roslin ripped off and then (eventually) reapplied Baltar's gauze - the idea that a lightly, applied strip of cloth would keep Baltar from bleeding out! It kind of ruined an otherwise, perfectly acted scene for me. I am pretty sure you need to apply some pressure!
While Mary McDonnell deserves all the praises and accolades she's received for this episode specifically and the entire series in general, I would like to shower some love on Edward James Olmos. Adama governs his emotions so strongly that when we do glimpse his feelings, be it anger, rage, compassion, loss or love, it is much more affecting. In Laura's vision, I felt his despair at losing the woman he loved and his relief that she wouldn't have to suffer any longer. I'm getting choked up just thinking about it.
And, really, the reunion scene between these two has to go down as one of the best of the series. This has been such a wonderfully developed relationship. An adult relationship, something that is so rarely given respect let alone screen time on television. There was no manufactured angst. No tortured star crossed lovers. I honestly never thought that we'd get this scene. I thought the Adama/Roslin relationship would just be implied. I was okay with that idea. After seeing this scene, and realizing that the ability to connect with the human race she's been trying to save, and the ability to love, was a necessary part of Laura's character development, I can't imagine the series ending without it.
This show isn't being deleted from my Tivo anytime soon.
So any chance that the last model literally is the offspring of two other models?
I don't think so; Deanna saw five grown people in the temple. How could she know the identity of an unborn child, a child who had not even been conceived at the time she went tripping?
Then again, anything is possible.
I deal with SciFi's previews by forgetting them asap -- they lie. They always lie. They are edited to tease and distort, and they are not worth the airtime they consume.
I honestly never thought that we'd get this scene. I thought the Adama/Roslin relationship would just be implied. I was okay with that idea. After seeing this scene, and realizing that the ability to connect with the human race she's been trying to save, and the ability to love, was a necessary part of Laura's character development, I can't imagine the series ending without it.
Beautifully put, MJ.
I agree -- I always thought it was kind of cool that the status of their relationship was left vague. Like, did they have to define it? Could they just have whatever it was that they had?
But yeah, what a big hole that would have left, to have *not* had that scene, to have not have that connection made so deeply. It was absolutely necessary to her journey, and ultimately to the meaning of the show.
Need to go watch the episode again.
Fantastic episode! Comedy and drama rolled into one and a great fakeout.
I really wasn't sure if Baltar would die in this episode and absolutely did not want that to happen, at least not with so many episodes left. No one on this show does humour and drama with such equal capability like Callis.
Of course the Adama/Roslin reunion was sweet, but it's probably a brief respite in what is sure to be more pain in the future. (unless Roslin really is a Cylon and that the fakeout was a double blind)
"I don't think so; Deanna saw five grown people in the temple. How could she know the identity of an unborn child, a child who had not even been conceived at the time she went tripping?"
I thought the same thing at first, as well as that in her vision they all appeared to be full size adults. But if my memory is correct (and it probably isn't) she was only supposed to see their "faces" at the temple-identifying them is something the rebels/humans think she can do because the raiders turned back at the nebula and said the 5 (or at least one of them is in the fleet-the scan of Anders supposedly revealed that).
So it is possible that she saw the face of the tigh-caprica child but as an adult. I know a stretch of a theory and it doesn't fit in well with the constant statements by Caprica during season 2 about the "first of god's new children" in reference to Hera. Although she did once scold Baltar that because she was talking about bringing a child to life-it wasn't necessarily "their" child. So it could be done and still be consistent with previous episodes. But it would seem to make some sense to have full human children, cylon-human, and cylon-cylon.
I had another thought after posting, which was we have been told that cylons have been unable to procreate with each other (they believe b/c love is the missing component). What if the 4 (Anders, Tigh, Tory and Tyrol) are human/cylons like Hera and Tyrol's child. Also offers an explanation (other than programming) as to why they became "activated" at such a late stage, and another reason why they are different (or at least 4 of them are).
Probably putting way too much thought into this, but I have just been trying to figure out why the last model hasn't come forward, unless there is a final trigger (like the nebula-maybe at earth?) Or maybe that model has just been too busy or not in the moood (my explanation for why Doc Cottle didn't join the other 4 in the hatch-since he is apparently the only physician left in the fleet and can't be bothered to train anyone else!)
OK back to work.
Maybe I'm grasping at straws here, but after this episode I don't really think Roslin is going to die. It seems silly that they would waste their emotional thunder on a dream sequence only to have it repeat in real time a few episodes later.
Anybody else get this feeling?
Alan,
I don't know the connection, but check out the Old 97's/Battlestar Gallactica video for "Dance with Me"
http://stereogum.com/archives/video/new-old-97s-video-dance-with-me_010357.html
I loved it. McDonnell is just so consistently stellar. Callis's ability to make me laugh and hold my breath is amazing. (Every time Baltar is on drugs, I get nervous.)
My one complaint wasn't how easy it was to take down the Hub. I don't want to watch people put together a plan anymore than I already have to. (Thank you 2-D board for 3-D maneuvers on Galactica!)
I was more confused by how Helo has consistently gone along with this plan after he shot his wife and essentially committed treason when a similar genocide was suggested during the virus arc last season. Did I miss the part where these feelings were reconciled? And doesn't the resurrected wife thing complicate not falling in love with the "production line"?
Otherwise, this was BSG at its best. Beautiful and spiritual and logical and... is Laura Roslin a metaphor for the show?
Maybe I'm grasping at straws here, but after this episode I don't really think Roslin is going to die. It seems silly that they would waste their emotional thunder on a dream sequence only to have it repeat in real time a few episodes later.
Anybody else get this feeling?
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Alan the thought had occurred to me as well and I was wondering if we might see something akin to Love in the Time of Cholera-where Roslin and Adama stay w/ the bay ship (somehow that keeps her alive or at least the cancer from spreading?) or their raptor and travel the stars rather than go to earth. But I am probably reaching as well.
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