All things Battlestar Galactica

[The King in Crimson]

Since I'm not sure people are getting the concept of "discussion forum," I will clarify:  I said some stuff.  Your turn now, guys.

I've never watched The Plan and, honestly, I have very little desire to.

So yeah, not much to discuss from my end. 

[ResultsMayVary]

Just started watching this a few weeks ago. A friend suggested it off-hand when talking about TV shows and then I ended up bored one day, so I was able to give it a shot. I'm on season two right now and I was absolutely blown away with the first two episodes of the series to begin with (the 90-minute ones). The effects seem top-notch, too. Really good for a show that started airing only in 2003. Can't wait to watch more when I have the time to do so.

Be careful about not looking at spoilers!  I recommend NOT reading back through the thread until you are done.  DON'T DO IT!  But feel free to pop in and post, and we can comment without giving anything away.

Yea, I plan to do that. Your post is really the only post I have looked at in order to avoid spoilers. I really like the show right now and I'm pretty much trying to prevent anything from ruining it for me.

I really have to point out again that the effects is astounding good, even for today's standards. The production for those first two 90-minute miniseries parts must have been crazy at the time. With all the nuclear detonations and subsequent fighting that happened.

I really like the direction they are going in for the show right now. Kobol looks pretty cool and the way they've been hinting at how the tribes ended up leaving Kobol is wanting me to know more.

[yorost]

Since I'm not sure people are getting the concept of "discussion forum," I will clarify:  I said some stuff.  Your turn now, guys.

I've never watched The Plan and, honestly, I have very little desire to.

So yeah, not much to discuss from my end. 

Me too. Whenever I think about getting The Plan, I realize I don't really want to see it. Sorry bosk1, no discussion from me, here.

[Perpetual Change]

Add me to the list of people who haven't seen "The Plan."

[yorost]

**SPOILERS**  (well, duh...)

Anders . . . The giveaway was Caprica Three's apology.  She had meaningful screen time with three humans, Baltar, Cottle, and Anders.  She tortured Baltar, but was at that point his lover.  He was also soundly shown to be human an episode or two later.  Cottle there wasn't anything to apologize for.  Anders, she tried to murder face-to-face.

My second time through, I'm softening a bit to this.  But overall, I have to say that I still think it's wrong.  What the Cylons did to Saul and Ellen Tigh on New Caprica was far, FAR worse than her ever-so-brief tussle with Anders.  If she had "killed" Anders, he would resurrect, not much worse for wear.  Saul was physically tortured and had an eye gouged out, not to mention being couped up in solitary.  Ellen was forced to whore herself out to one of the Cavill's.  And both were forced to live in fear in what amounted to a concentration camp for a couple of years.  And seeing all five, she would have reacted the way she did and apologized so profoundly to Anders, while not saying a word to the Tighs?  Sorry, I don't buy it.

Just read something online where Moore confirmed that it was intended to be to Ellen.  Makes sense.  I win.

Not so fast, we already talked about that in this thread.

When he 'confirmed' that he actually confirmed it did not originally mean Ellen. They only decided it meant Ellen long after the apology was filmed and released, a retcon on their part. That's why we still have the discussion of whether it was originally just an open ended nothing or was a direct pointer (to someone other than Ellen) they later chose to ignore. I think they meant someone specific, too emphasized for something tehy didn't have an answer for.

[ResultsMayVary]

Just finished season two and man, the fleet has themselves in a really shitty situation. Haven't read any spoilers for future episodes, but I wonder how they are going to deal with the Cylons showing up on New Caprica a year after electing Baltar and permanently settling the planet. Definitely an awesome series so far and the writing is great, they just really allowed themselves to have a blank slate, in terms of writing, to start season 3.

[bosk1]

Humanity receives 3 huge gut punches in the series.  You are right in the middle of #2.  Also, brace yourself for one of the best "space battles" (if not THE best) in the series. 

[Dimitrius]

One of the coolest moment of the series is right around the corner for you! Enjoy!

[ariich]

The New Caprica story arc is absolutely incredible.

I'm almost finished my third watch-through, still love the show just as much as the first two times. Just got the two-part finale to go!

[Jaq]

Humanity receives 3 huge gut punches in the series.  You are right in the middle of #2.  Also, brace yourself for one of the best "space battles" (if not THE best) in the series.

If the third is what I think it is, that isn't a gut punch. It's a kick in the nuts with steel toed boots.

Though that is the best battle in the series. 

[ResultsMayVary]

Thanks for the encouragement, guys! I'm even more excited to continue watching, which is bad, because I need to study for two exams between now and Friday morning. That means I'll have to wait until the weekend to continue.

[bosk1]

You should enjoy season 3.  It really starts off with a bang.  Then it takes some weird twists and turns in the middle, and you get some episodes that don't really move the ball much, with some really cool episodes mixed in.  Then it ends with another huge bang.  But many feel that it is a real mixed bag.  The arc you are just getting introduced to is really awesome.

[ariich]

There honestly isn't any stretch of episodes that I dislike. Even those few episodes in season 3 that don't really further the story do a lot of great character exploration, which is one of the biggest features of the show.

Only the finale (and The Plan) left to go on this watch through, I know my life is going to feel empty once it's over.

[bosk1]

I don't remember, Rich--have you seen The Plan yet?  If not, keep an open mind.  There is a lot to like, unless you go into it with preconceived notions about what it should be about or should accomplish.  It is what it is, which is simply another angle on part of the story that you are already familiar with.  I would say the montage of the destruction of the colonies with the accompanying hybrid monologue along makes it worthwhile.

[ariich]

Oh yeah, I saw it on my first watch through, just after it had come out.

I like it. I wouldn't say it's a necessary part of the show, but it does do a lot of nice tying together of some of the details, and I really like the way it shows one of the Simon models in more depth. He was the most under-utilised model otherwise.

[bosk1]

Oh yeah, I saw it on my first watch through, just after it had come out.

I like it. I wouldn't say it's a necessary part of the show, but it does do a lot of nice tying together of some of the details, and I really like the way it shows one of the Simon models in more depth. He was the most under-utilised model otherwise.

**SPOILERS**



The more I think about it, one of things I think it did best is add a lot more layering and complexity to the reactions of the different individual Cylons to humans after having extended interaction with humans.  We see a bit of that in the series, but when Caprica Six and Boomer become sympathetic and call for a truce with the survivors, you don't really get to see why other Cylons sided with them.  The turn feels very genuine for Caprica Six and Boomer, but it still feels a bit hollow that they would have been able to turn enough others to actually get a majority to vote for a truce.   The Plan shows a lot of different Cylons having similar reactions, so to me, it retroactively adds a lot of support and depth to the changing relationship between human and Cylon that really starts to happen in mid season 2.

[ariich]

SPOILERS ALERT, RESULTSMAYVARY STAY AWAY








Good points there bosky, and I agree with you. It's interesting because, although one of the Simon's had that experience, his line is generally speaking less inclined towards compassion. Same with the Dorrals and Cavils. Whereas the Sixes, Eights and Leobens seem to be more naturally caring, like it's in their design. So although individual Cylons have particular experience that allow them to break their programming (e.g. Boomer going against her line), the side that each model takes generally fits with the way they are predisposed in the first place.

And I don't think that was Boomer you're thinking of with the truce, she was the only Eight on the opposing side remember. Think that was just one of the other ones.

[bosk1]

***MAS ESPOILERS!!!***







Unless I'm remembering incorrectly, it defintely was Boomer.  The whole reason why she initially sided with Caprica Six was because she had actually believed that she was human.  Remember, after she was resurrected on Caprica, there was that mini-arc with her having dificulty readjusting because she wanted her false human life memories to be real.  This fits perfectly with what we see of her character in The Plan.  It was not until later, just before the Cylon rebellion, that she went over to Cavil's side and broke with the rest of her line.

[TimmyHiggy]

I'm considering doing a re-watch of BSG when I am caught up with The Walking Dead.
I remember loving BSG so much the first time through, so many moments of very high tension, great characters, fantastic dog fights in space, I'm genuinely jealous of those of you who are watching it all for the first time, I wish I could do an "eternal sunshine of the spotless mind", that way I could erase breaking bad and BSG from my memories and watch it all again for the first time

[ResultsMayVary]

Thanks ariich, for the personalized spoiler alert! 

Managed to watch episodes 1 and 2 of season 3 last night. Man, this is really setting up to be a wild ride. Galactica is just about to jump to New Caprica. It looks like the next episode is going to be action-packed!

[bosk1]

Oh, yeah.  It's ON!  Exodus is a 2-parter, and you'll probably want to watch both in one stretch, so make time.  I'd love to hear your reaction to the very end of Exodus pt. II.

[ariich]

Oh, yeah.  It's ON!  Exodus is a 2-parter, and you'll probably want to watch both in one stretch, so make time.  I'd love to hear your reaction to the very end of Exodus pt. II.

I'm already looking forward to his reaction to the end of season 3.

***MAS ESPOILERS!!!***







Unless I'm remembering incorrectly, it defintely was Boomer.  The whole reason why she initially sided with Caprica Six was because she had actually believed that she was human.  Remember, after she was resurrected on Caprica, there was that mini-arc with her having dificulty readjusting because she wanted her false human life memories to be real.  This fits perfectly with what we see of her character in The Plan.  It was not until later, just before the Cylon rebellion, that she went over to Cavil's side and broke with the rest of her line.

MOAR SPOILS

Ah, you may be right. I haven't seen the Plan in at least a couple of years, but I'll be re-watching in the next couple of days probably. Certainly at the point of the rebellion it was another Eight, because as you say Boomer was siding with Cavil, but earlier calls for truce may well have been her.

[bosk1]

@Rich:  https://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Downloaded

[ariich]

@Rich:  https://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Downloaded

Aha, I understand what you're getting at now, you meant the calls to end the violence that ultimately led to New Caprica, in which case yeah you're bang on. I was thinking of events a bit later on!

My girlfriend is getting as obsessed with the show as me, we've watched about half an hour of the finale and will be watching the remaining hour tomorrow, and she's reached that existential-crisis point already where she just doesn't want the show to end. She's not usually like that, and isn't particularly into sci-fi over any other genre, which I think goes to show what a truly fantastic show this is.

[ResultsMayVary]

Oh, yeah.  It's ON!  Exodus is a 2-parter, and you'll probably want to watch both in one stretch, so make time.  I'd love to hear your reaction to the very end of Exodus pt. II.

I was going to watch the next episode, but I only had an hour to kill in between classes, so I'll take your advice and make time to watch both parts in one stretch.

[bosk1]

[ResultsMayVary]

Dear God, that was awesome. Got to watch episode 3 of the third season and man, it was awesome. Was planning on catching episode 4 immediately after, but had to do something important instead. It is really interesting because the Battlestar Pegasus is gone during one of the most insane space battles ever and I'm glad they finally moved off of New Caprica. Can't wait to see where the story goes next!

[bosk1]

Wait...I can't figure out where you are.  The battle where Pegasus is destroyed is in episode 3.04. 

[ResultsMayVary]

Wait...I can't figure out where you are.  The battle where Pegasus is destroyed is in episode 3.04. 

Yea, that was a pretty incredible space battle. I've moved on and now I'm up to 3.08.

[bosk1]

Ah, okay.  So what did you think about the end of Exodus II when they all get back to Galactica?  That closing scene had to be one of the most emotional in the series (although I think the biggest emotional pinaccle of the series that will just come as a complete gut punch is still a ways off yet).  You are in an interesting section.  As I am sure you suspect, and I don't think this is a spoiler at all, the scars of New Caprica will remain and influence how characters cope with situations in the rest of the series.  You will likely find yourself repeatedly questioning and reassessing how you feel about a lot of the characters going forward.

[ResultsMayVary]

It was definitely extremely emotional. It looks like Tigh was able to overcome his demons, or at least he appears to after 3.07. This makes me think those scars won't be sticking around too much longer. I'm also interested in the backstory about Valkyrie and how Adama may have potentially provoked the Cylons. They're really bringing up some interesting information in this season, so far. There's also the matter of the beacon in the Lion Nebula and the related cylon virus. A lot of stuff happening fairly quickly and I'm interested in how it continues.

I should get through a few more episodes tonight and tomorrow, since I have nothing better to do at the moment. Getting sick and no school work leads to a lot of netflix watching under the influence of medicine. 

[bosk1]

I should get through a few more episodes tonight and tomorrow, since I have nothing better to do at the moment. Getting sick and no school work leads to a lot of netflix watching under the influence of medicine. 

 

I will bite my tongue for now.  The next episode (Unfinished Business) is cool.  It wasn't one of my favorites, but a lot of people like it a lot.  It's a nice way of temporarily tying up loose ends from the New Caprica arc and bridging that what starts in the next episode as a 3-part arc that...is pretty important.    If possible, watch the extended version of Unfinished Business.  The extra scenes are pretty good and fill in a lot of gaps you probably don't realize are there.

[ResultsMayVary]

I should get through a few more episodes tonight and tomorrow, since I have nothing better to do at the moment. Getting sick and no school work leads to a lot of netflix watching under the influence of medicine. 

 

I will bite my tongue for now.  The next episode (Unfinished Business) is cool.  It wasn't one of my favorites, but a lot of people like it a lot.  It's a nice way of temporarily tying up loose ends from the New Caprica arc and bridging that what starts in the next episode as a 3-part arc that...is pretty important.    If possible, watch the extended version of Unfinished Business.  The extra scenes are pretty good and fill in a lot of gaps you probably don't realize are there.

I'm guessing Netflix doesn't have the extended version of 3.08, so how would I go about viewing the extended version?

[Jaq]

Think the only place the extended version is available would be the series box set, as far as I know anyway.

[bosk1]

If they don't have it, and assuming you aren't going to go out and buy the DVD set, I'm not sure. 

I guess it isn't necessary to see the extended but, but there is a lot of really good backstory that is covered.  And it is arranged differently as well, which IMO gives a different takeaway from the episode.