OT: BSG Discussion

Atrocities · #1 March 12th, 2006, 11:10 PM

If the show is sufforing in the ratings its because of some of the very things I mentioned in the other BSG threads. Oh well, I still the show even if it does seem to have somewhat lost its self.

I think they are sufforing from "What do we do now?" Syndrom.

Caduceus · #2 March 13th, 2006, 12:51 AM

One of the blogs from the creator/writers was that they went to a full season of shows. I.e. from 13 episodes in season 1 to 20 (or whatever the number is) in season 2.

He was stating that he felt the quality of writing went down due to the increased volume of shows that needed to be completed.

I haven't looked back at the BSG discussions on the forum because I typically have been watching the shows a week or two late because of my schedule and didn't want to read a spoiler.

That said, I did enjoy this season a great deal. They continue to write themselves into corners and then find a way out. Of course, every guest star is now a Cylon, until proven otherwise.

I also thought at the end of the next-to-last episode that we were going to end up with Starbuck stranded on Caprica *again* and was waiting for Sharon to put a couple of slugs in Adama. I think I would have preferred that to the handlebar mustache.

About the last thirty minutes being a dream - I don't think that the writers would do that. The only dreams we have had have been mixed flashbacks (Roslind) and obvious fabrications (the Chief's suicidal dreams). Dreams have been surreal and short. There is often music transitioning them to "let you know" that they're headed out of reality.

I think that the flash forward to one year of occupation on New Caprica is real. I think humanity will have to pick up the pieces again. Though I am a bit sorry that they didn't talk about going back to Old Caprica as a campaign item. My feeling is that that sort of information could have saved Roslind's presidency, even if she decided after consideration to not act on it.

As far as Baltar's presidential aides - Mr. Gaeta (who has always had a respect for Baltar's acumen)... and the blond and brunette ("Don't you ever knock?" - gotta love Gaius).

Atrocities · #3 March 13th, 2006, 02:54 AM

What kinda robbed the viewer of a sense of wonderment was when Roslen (sp) told Adama about the Tall Blond women like the one that accused Baltar of being a trator then dissappeared. To many fans that episode, the one where Baltar was accused by a 6 of being a traitor was really dream episode. The one in his head was teaching him a lesson, and now we all know that it was not a dream episode, that in fact it was real and that really damaged the show. It took away from the series in so many ways that it cannot be described in print. It was a bad call, that I am sure they will in some way fix later on.

The show goes on to be interesting. They did a lot to set up the political nature and under ground of the fleet only to throw all that away now. There has to be a greater plan in place or else we were just taken down one path, and then bam, sent in the oposite direction. I do not like shows that do that without a clear course.

When season one ended, it ended with a brillant cliff hanger. The first part of Season 2 was outstanding. The second half was not so good.

But I have faith in the RDM, and look forward to what he and his writing staff come up with for season three.

geoschmo · #4 March 13th, 2006, 12:00 PM

When Pegasus showed up and had "Gina" 6 locked up as a Cylon, the Galactica crew all recognized her as a suspected cylon model. That pretty much confirmed that the previous episode with the Shelly Godfrey 6 model accusing Baltar wasn't a dream. There really wasn't any indication that it was a dream episode though. I'm not sure why people ever thought it was.

The only real question was whether the Mind 6 was somehow communicating with the Cylons and was working with the Shelly 6 unit somehow in a coordinated effort to teach Baltar a lesson. Personally I think Mind 6 is and always was a construct of Baltars twisted psyche. Shelly 6 was simply another 6 unit that was attempting to sow discord among the fleet by exposing/discrediting Baltar. Shelly 6 would have probably known about the other 6 models mission before the attack and that Baltar was the dupe that allowed the colonial defenses to fall. But she wouldn't have known about the Mind 6 that's been torturing Baltar ever since. He just subconciously has her using dialoge that makes it appear she is involved in real events, when actually she's just reacting to them along with Baltar.

Azselendor · #5 March 13th, 2006, 04:08 PM

I don't think RDM is stupid enough to do a dream-reset episode. The whole point of BSG was to get away from the reset-button sci-fi mentality and get back to dramatic, allegory based stories.

Also, in a prior episode before pegasus, a picture of Shelly appeared as a suspect cylon with the other known cylons on a desk.

Also, about Shelly's disappearance, I'm surprised to see everything but the most logical reason for her disapperance. I've seen debates on trekbbs and gateworld where people say she vaporized herself, beamed herself off, was really a hologram, etc. But the most logical reason is that she knocked out the gaurds (most likely with an aerosol) following her and slipped off the ship before they woke up and the two guards following her lied about it and said she disappeared into thin air which would be accepted as humanity doesn't know the full extent of cylon technology.

geoschmo · #6 March 13th, 2006, 04:45 PM

The human cylon models have demonstrated super strength and super endurance. It's not a huge stretch to think they can run much faster then a human. The guards are following her a few steps behind and she turns a corner and steps on the gas. By the time they round the corner she down the hall and around the next corner. Maybe only a few dozen feet the way the passages on Galatica twist and turn. Once she loses the guards it's only a matter of blending in with the crowd, or hiding in the vent shafts until the coast is clear and she can sneak onto a transport. From the guards point of view she dissapeared into thin air, but only because they thought they were following someone who could only walk/run at a normal human pace.

Daynarr · #7 March 13th, 2006, 05:23 PM

Or maybe she just dissapeared into thin air ...

Atrocities · #8 March 13th, 2006, 10:21 PM

Quote:

When Pegasus showed up and had "Gina" 6 locked up as a Cylon, the Galactica crew all recognized her as a suspected cylon model.

I just watched that episode again and the ONLY person from Galatica's crew to "recognize" her was Baltar. None of the Galatica crew ever saw her aside from Baltar.

Quote:

There really wasn't any indication that it was a dream episode though. I'm not sure why people ever thought it was

People rightfuly suspected that this was a dream episode, or in Baltars case, a psycotic (sp) break because the Six model in his HEAD, threatened him, then vanished from his thoughts at the exact time that he was accused by a then supposedly real 6 model of being a traitor. After he repented and gave himself over to "GOD", the supposed real 6 vanishes, the evidence against him is provem false, and the imaginary 6 returns.

It is widely, and again rightfully concluded, that the whole thing was a mind job. The six in his head was teaching him a lesson.

To now come out and say otherwise means that the Six in his head is something far more than an illusion and actually has physical abilities that can manifest themselves in the "real" world outside of Baltars delusions.

It was a mistake for them to erase the mystery of that episode by confirming that it was a real happenstance. Leaving the viewers to wonder about Baltars mental state was a far more effective method of developing his character than the avenue they just took in the final episode of season two.

geoschmo · #9 March 14th, 2006, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Atrocities said:
I just watched that episode again and the ONLY person from Galatica's crew to "recognize" her was Baltar. None of the Galatica crew ever saw her aside from Baltar.

My memory on that wasn't precise. It wasn't in the episode when Gina arrived as I thought, but I am pretty sure I do remember the scene Klivino mentioned where they had 6's picture on the desk with the other cylon models.

Quote:

Atrocities said:
To now come out and say otherwise means that the Six in his head is something far more than an illusion and actually has physical abilities that can manifest themselves in the "real" world outside of Baltars delusions.

I guess that's one way of looking at it, but I don't see it that way. Inner 6 could be simply taking advantage of a situation that she has no actual control over and making it appear to Baltar that she is manipulating things. Much the same way that people will have bad things happen to them and they start to think that God or fate or the world has it in for them. When actually it's just a random occurance, or the consequences of their own bad actions. Baltars psyche is simply more complicated then the normal negative paranoia. Insteaed of thinking to himself, "Why is this happeneing to me." he's got this hot blond only he can see saying, "This is happening to you as a punishment for you lack of faith."