Author Topic: All things Battlestar Galactica (Read 164368 times)

Perpetual Change · « **Reply #350 on:** March 27, 2011, 07:30:25 PM »

Cool. Obviously, I hope I will, but I won't be surprised if I don't either. I officially had one serious frustration with Season 3. So I could see having two or three with Season 4. I'm not sure though. I have to watch.

I can't imagine filler episodes, though, at this point. Is episode for like all story, or does it have its share of fillers too?

GuineaPig · « **Reply #351 on:** March 27, 2011, 07:37:42 PM »

There's less of what could be called "stand-alone episodes" as there are relatively few threads that are contained to individual episodes, but the plot moves along sluggishly at some points, especially in the back halves of each half-season (they aired in two groups of 10).

Perpetual Change · « **Reply #352 on:** March 27, 2011, 07:44:29 PM »

Yeah, I have no idea why I just called the stand-alone episodes "fillers."

OK, about season 3-- one thing I don't get: Batlar never defends himself. He never even mentions that the Cylons put a gun to his head, and forced him to sign the document. Or did I miss that?

GuineaPig · « **Reply #353 on:** March 27, 2011, 08:03:11 PM »

He never defends himself because something happens that would never happen.

IIRC, Lampkin moves for a mistrial, Baltar refuses, so Lee testifies in support of Baltar bizarrely. I don't think they ever get around to presenting an actual defence for Baltar.

Perpetual Change · « **Reply #354 on:** March 27, 2011, 08:10:09 PM »

But Lee's whole speech is based on the assumption that Baltar "didn't have a choice." It's like everyone knew. But they just stopped short of saying so for some reason. Not sure why.

GuineaPig · « **Reply #355 on:** March 27, 2011, 08:17:26 PM »

Well, I think it's pretty much self-evident that the humans could not actually fight off the Cylons, and weren't ultimately in a position to resist them. People just wanted a scapegoat, and Baltar was an easy target. The show can sometimes be hit or miss (often missing because it's too on the nose) with it's political issues, but they did a great job at handling this plot line. A very nicely nuanced approach.

Perpetual Change · « **Reply #356 on:** March 27, 2011, 08:31:42 PM »

Yeah. Same here.

Actually, it's a shame that more time wasn't spent showing what happened on New Caprica and when Pegasus and Galactica jumped away. I really feel like they could have stretched that out, as it was a pretty awesome arc, and ended Season 3 with the rescue and Gaius' trial. That whole arc was fabulous, come to think of it, and it's sort of a shame that it wound up being 5 of the most action-packed episodes with the trial so much later.

I'm not complaining about how it actually went, since I DID like it and all. I just see a lot of potential there I guess.

Dimitrius · « **Reply #357 on:** March 27, 2011, 09:36:45 PM »

I don't know if I'm remembering correctly, but doesn't Baltar say something about the Cylons making him sign the death list when Gaeta is testifying?

I know he says something besides the "Oh, Felix, Felix, what are you doing?"

And there are some webisodes about the time spent on New Caprica before the start of season 3. They're called The Resistance.

Perpetual Change · « **Reply #358 on:** March 27, 2011, 10:07:53 PM »

That's one thing I didn't like: Felix lies. He generally seems to be a straight-shooter, but not this time.

Dimitrius · « **Reply #359 on:** March 27, 2011, 10:21:00 PM »

Quote from: Perpetual Change on March 27, 2011, 10:07:53 PM

That's one thing I didn't like: Felix lies. He generally seems to be a straight-shooter, but not this time.

He wanted to see the guy he hated, whom he felt completely responsible for all the things that happened in New Caprica burned at the stake... of course he's gonna lie!!

ariich · « **Reply #360 on:** March 28, 2011, 04:57:15 AM »

Across the four series, Felix probably undergoes a more dramatic change than any other character.

Joe, if you don't like season 4 then we are not a match.

Perpetual Change · « **Reply #361 on:** March 28, 2011, 05:20:05 AM »

I will make sure I try as hard as I can to like it. I don't want disappoint you, ariich.

But then again if I fall, at least I'll be falling right into the warm, welcoming lap of GuineaPig.

Perpetual Change · « **Reply #362 on:** March 29, 2011, 08:00:49 AM »

Also, I want to note: Casey and I have been streaming is simultaneously. We both enjoyed it, but she was way more pumped after the ending of season 3 than I was.

ReaPsTA · « **Reply #363 on:** March 29, 2011, 11:04:37 AM »

Quote from: ariich on March 28, 2011, 04:57:15 AM

Across the four series, Felix probably undergoes a more dramatic change than any other character.

Joe, if you don't like season 4 then we are not a match.

More than Baltar???

GuineaPig · « **Reply #364 on:** March 29, 2011, 12:12:27 PM »

Yeah, I don't see how you can quantify that at all. I mean, he's a very minor character. He shifts from being a somewhat content naive idealist to being justifiably bitter naive idealist. Many other characters, and more important ones than that, had far bigger changes in character imo.

Perpetual Change · « **Reply #365 on:** March 30, 2011, 12:20:03 AM »

So I've been backing up the DVDs to my hard-drive all day, and have noticed some bizarre shit as I play them quickly to make sure I didn't exactly rip the commentary tracks. Man, things are going to get weird, aren't they?

Perpetual Change · « **Reply #366 on:** April 02, 2011, 11:15:55 AM »

Just finished Razor. Thought it was really, really well done. At first I was skeptical, because I didn't think they'd be able to pull things off with what was, evidently, them working with half of the cast (if even that) but they did.

As a movie, it wasn't fantastic, but as 2.5 episodes of the show that never were crammed together I thought it was really well done. I still want to learn more about the Pegasus, though. And I want to learn more about what Galactica and Pegasus did during the occupation, too.

GuineaPig · « **Reply #367 on:** April 02, 2011, 11:35:01 AM »

The thing that lets Razor down is some bad character and plot choices in the last third. And some poorly acted scenes scattered throughout. On the whole, it's pretty good. Mostly due to the presence of Cain.

Perpetual Change · « **Reply #368 on:** April 02, 2011, 11:37:52 AM »

You know, after watching the commentary, it seems like all the actors and the directors weren't leading on, at all, that season 4 was to be the last one. Why is that. Did they know? Or did the series end abruptly for other reasons?

Dimitrius · « **Reply #369 on:** April 02, 2011, 11:47:23 AM »

Quote from: Perpetual Change on April 02, 2011, 11:37:52 AM

You know, after watching the commentary, it seems like all the actors and the directors weren't leading on, at all, that season 4 was to be the last one. Why is that. Did they know? Or did the series end abruptly for other reasons?

As far as I know, they all knew the fourth season was the last one. If you watch the video blogs by David Eick when they show the cast members talking about the season they all knew it was the last one.

GuineaPig · « **Reply #370 on:** April 02, 2011, 11:50:13 AM »

If I recall correctly, there was more than a year gap between seasons three and four. It's very possible that the decision for it to be the last season was not made until production began or something.

Perpetual Change · « **Reply #371 on:** April 03, 2011, 11:46:24 AM »

So finished the first three episodes of season 4 today. Not the best stuff, but my curiosity is so peaked that I think I'll get through this season faster than all the others.

I'm gonna say now, with some hesitation, that I do indeed like where the show is going. Though, given the quality of the standalone episodes, they could have taken another 5 seasons just to get to this point for all I care.

I do like Lee's new role, too. My biggest complaint about season 3 was how dumbed down Galactica politics seemed to become. It was like everything they set up in the first two seasons ended in favour of an Adama/Roselin benevolent dictatorship.

ReaPsTA · « **Reply #372 on:** April 03, 2011, 03:03:43 PM »

Quote from: Perpetual Change on April 03, 2011, 11:46:24 AM

My biggest complaint about season 3 was how dumbed down Galactica politics seemed to become. It was like everything they set up in the first two seasons ended in favour of an Adama/Roselin benevolent dictatorship.

Sit tight a bit. This was done on purpose and will pay off.

GuineaPig · « **Reply #373 on:** April 03, 2011, 03:08:12 PM »

I don't think it does.

I agree with PC. I feel that too often throughout, and especially in the fourth season, that the show gets intellectually lazy and just concludes that whatever Roslin/Adama think is right and everyone should follow them, rather than presenting legitimate and justifiable alternate viewpoints.

ariich · « **Reply #374 on:** April 03, 2011, 03:09:48 PM »

Quote from: ReaPsTA on April 03, 2011, 03:03:43 PM

Quote from: Perpetual Change on April 03, 2011, 11:46:24 AM
My biggest complaint about season 3 was how dumbed down Galactica politics seemed to become. It was like everything they set up in the first two seasons ended in favour of an Adama/Roselin benevolent dictatorship.

Sit tight a bit. This was done on purpose and will pay off.

Agreed.

Quote from: GuineaPig on April 03, 2011, 03:08:12 PM

concludes that whatever Roslin/Adama think is right and everyone should follow them, rather than presenting legitimate and justifiable alternate viewpoints.

wtf

ReaPsTA · « **Reply #375 on:** April 03, 2011, 03:14:07 PM »

Quote from: GuineaPig on April 03, 2011, 03:08:12 PM

I don't think it does.

This isn't even logically arguable. Just don't bother trying.

Quote

I agree with PC. I feel that too often throughout, and especially in the fourth season, that the show gets intellectually lazy and just concludes that whatever Roslin/Adama think is right and everyone should follow them, rather than presenting legitimate and justifiable alternate viewpoints.

This I can sorta see.

GuineaPig · « **Reply #376 on:** April 03, 2011, 03:27:20 PM »

Quote from: ReaPsTA on April 03, 2011, 03:14:07 PM

Quote from: GuineaPig on April 03, 2011, 03:08:12 PM
I don't think it does.

This isn't even logically arguable. Just don't bother trying.

It took me a second to try and figure out what you meant. I didn't mean it in the way you thought I meant it. I should've rather said I don't enjoy the payoff; but unless I'm forgetting most of the season 2/3 commentaries I don't think it was set up that way on purpose.

ReaPsTA · « **Reply #377 on:** April 03, 2011, 03:32:10 PM »

Quote from: GuineaPig on April 03, 2011, 03:27:20 PM

Quote from: ReaPsTA on April 03, 2011, 03:14:07 PM
Quote from: GuineaPig on April 03, 2011, 03:08:12 PM
I don't think it does.

This isn't even logically arguable. Just don't bother trying.

It took me a second to try and figure out what you meant. I didn't mean it in the way you thought I meant it. I should've rather said I don't enjoy the payoff; but unless I'm forgetting most of the season 2/3 commentaries I don't think it was set up that way on purpose.

Well, if you don't enjoy you don't enjoy it. I disagree but that's fine.

I think it was done on purpose though. Maybe not at first, but by Dirty Hands they realized what was happening and rolled with it. Baltar specifically comments on the Roslin/Adama autocracy in the book he wrote.

Perpetual Change · « **Reply #378 on:** April 03, 2011, 06:59:01 PM »

And, you know, I could see why the people might support the autocracy. Most of the civilians likely view the system as having failed with Baltar and the occupation. The problem is the show never explores that. In fact, for the longest time, we only the the Galactica's rulers in action. That's starting to change now, which is awesome.

The Final Five kind of bother me. Part of me is curious to see what becomes of them. The other part, honestly, makes me feel like the writers just felt like leaving everyone on a cliff-hanging by naming 4 characters as Cylons and now they're still not quite sure what they're going to do with them.

ReaPsTA · « **Reply #379 on:** April 03, 2011, 08:36:36 PM »

Quote from: Perpetual Change on April 03, 2011, 06:59:01 PM

The other part, honestly, makes me feel like the writers just felt like leaving everyone on a cliff-hanging by naming 4 characters as Cylons and now they're still not quite sure what they're going to do with them.

Because that's not an inaccurate assessment of what happened.

GuineaPig · « **Reply #380 on:** April 03, 2011, 08:59:54 PM »

More or less.

The Cylons may have had a plan, but the writers didn't.

Dimitrius · « **Reply #381 on:** April 04, 2011, 09:45:05 AM »

But it's true.

Perpetual Change · « **Reply #382 on:** April 04, 2011, 10:30:39 AM »

Five episodes in, and I kinda want to keep watching.

I've decided I like where Chief being a Cylon has gone. Not sure about the others yet.

ReaPsTA · « **Reply #383 on:** April 04, 2011, 11:56:26 AM »

Quote from: GuineaPig on April 03, 2011, 08:59:54 PM

More or less.

The Cylons may have had a plan, but the writers didn't.

You sound bitter.

ariich · « **Reply #384 on:** April 04, 2011, 12:36:33 PM »

So I've managed to get my brother watching BSG now.

News: Paralyzed official video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7m7l8iqGAk

Author Topic: All things Battlestar Galactica (Read 164368 times)