Battlestar galactica (spoilers!)

[Tharj TreeSmiter]

Here it is the BSG thread.

First off what do you guys think about the 6 in baltars head? A delusion or a message from god or a signal from the cylons?


Second is BSG awesome or incredible awesome? :smallsmile:

[WampaX]

Here it is the BSG thread.

First off what do you guys think about the 6 in baltars head? A delusion of a message from god or a signal from the cylons?

Second is BSG awesome or incredible awesome? :smallsmile:

I'd have to go with a version of imprinting. When the nuclear blast hit his lake house, 6 shielded Baltar, and I think that they each left a blast shadow on the other.

Adama (the elder) makes me mentally squeal with fanboyish glee whenever he's in an episode. I still have not latched onto any of the other cast with such fervor. In fact, most make me want to FF to the Adama parts.

I've given the show its fair shake. I've watched it all up to current, and I still don't understand why I don't like it. I keep watching it, trying to find things I like, trying to see why it has captured the hearts of sooo many people. People that share similar interests with me. But I just haven't or can't.

I doubt that it is "won't" simply because I greatly enjoy just about every scene that Adama (the elder) is in.

[Jack Squat]

I've given the show its fair shake. I've watched it all up to current, and I still don't understand why I don't like it. I keep watching it, trying to find things I like, trying to see why it has captured the hearts of sooo many people. People that share similar interests with me. But I just haven't or can't

Maybe it's because they turned Starbuck into a girl. I know that ruined it for me.

[WampaX]

Maybe it's because they turned Starbuck into a girl. I know that ruined it for me.

Nah. I knew things were significantly different from the word "Go" in the miniseries, and I did try to put my nostalgic vainer in a drawer and hit the new series with a fresh slate. Old School Battlestar was cool BECAUSE I was a kid, because I could forgive any writing faults or bad suits or reused special effects shots, cause they were in space and fighting evil robot men with lasers and space ships with assistance from robotic dog/bears.

Maybe that's why I didn't get into the miniseries. Maybe its because it just didn't make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside because the lasers and the dog/bears were gone . . . replaced with lots of talking scenes that just were not pushing my geeky buttons in the same way. Maybe I wanted it to thrill me like the original series did starting out with the rousing Colonial March, but it did not, and that was a big failing in my eyes.

Then came the series proper. I had had plenty of time to digest the mini series and I was willing to give the series a chance. I knew that this would not make me feel like the O-series did, I knew that things had changed, I knew that the tone and timbre of the show had shifted direction and I was willing to give it a shot, again. But there was still no pop for me, save for Adama (the elder). And its just been going on like that for 3 seasons now.

I'm not saying that adding lasers and robotic dog/bears back into the show is the way to "fix it" for me . . . but more Colonial Marches would be a nice start.

[Midnight Son]

Maybe they should have made all the fleet officers women. Then we could have the opposite of the original. How many women were there in that one again?

The original was really rather lame. I liked it as a kid, but couldn't sit through it as an adult. I like the new one precisely because it does have more depth than a bunch of lasers and robots. Changing Starbuck to a woman was an excellent choice in my book.

[Muz]

I've given the show its fair shake. I've watched it all up to current, and I still don't understand why I don't like it.

I used to watch it through the first season in sort of a train-wreck-awed horror, trying to see why so many people thought it was fantastic, and I DID understand why I didn't like it.

At least, I understood THEN why I didn't like it. I couldn't take it anymore after a while, though, and stopped watching it. Now that I've no longer been seeing it regularly, my grasp of why (or ability to argue it) has atrophied, so now all I know is that I don't like it, but can't defend my position. Oh, well.

...Though I do remember something about Starbuck plugging a hole in a stolen Cylon fighter with her crumpled up jacket. (I mean, I've heard of windbreakers that keep the rain and wind off you, but...) :smallbiggrin:

Oh, and they didn't turn Starbuck into a woman. They turned her into a man with breasts. (...and again, I only remember thinking this, I no longer recall enough to argue the point, so anyone planning to refute me, don't expect a response. It's just that the frustration with why so many people thought it was the greatest show ever never got properly vented, so it's trying to come out.) :smallbiggrin:

[Sailacela]

First off what do you guys think about the 6 in baltars head? A delusion or a message from god or a signal from the cylons?

*blink* Either the episode you're alluding to hasn't aired where I'm at or I completely missed something :smalleek:

[Jerthanis]

Maybe they should have made all the fleet officers women. Then we could have the opposite of the original. How many women were there in that one again?


I'm fairly sure there were at least three women in the original BSG, and I do specifically remember that at least one was a fighter pilot, it's been a while since I saw OBSG though. Athena, Casiopea and someone else...

I've only seen the miniseries, but from the miniseries alone, I haven't seen anything that makes me want to see more except (as WampaX mentioned) Adult Adama and to a lesser extent, The President. One of my complaints of the miniseries is that there's too much unnecessary relationship time. Too much time is devoted to characters flirting, making out or having sex. When there are so very many ways to introduce you to characters, and to endear them to you, at least 6 characters are introduced through their relationship with another. Another one of my problems was Starbuck, and not because he became a she, but because he became a tough girl stereotype. She was unrealistic as an unrepentant, uncouth, unpredictable, undisciplined baby, and there was no good reason for why she wasn't washed out of her position as training officer for flight cadets long ago. She isn't a total loss as a character, since she has some (arguably valid) reasons for acting the way she does, but her utter petulance to her superior officers, her disrespect for others, and her cockiness make me unable to respect her.

Meanwhile Adama is awesoming up the place and the President is obviously trying to make the best of the worst possible situation, and would be awesoming up the place ten times as much if she didn't butt heads with Adama so much. But for me, I don't think two characters I liked out of a cast of around 16 or so, and 4 hours consisting of about 2 space battles total, and a lot of talking heads didn't sell me on the series. I hear the series itself is significantly better, and I will eventually see for myself, but I hear it's better mostly from people who don't understand how I could dislike the miniseries.

[Midnight Son]

Jerthanis, I totally understand you not liking the miniseries. I didn't care much for it either, so I didn't start watching BSG till the second season was over. Then I saw the first season on DVD and totally enjoyed it. If you're unsure, rent season one and start watching it. If you're another WampaX(still don't like it), then go right ahead and dislike it, but please don't judge it off the miniseries. It lacked...something.

[averagejoe]

The show is better than the minisiries, and way better than the original (of which I can hardly sit through a whole episode). I do agree with a lot that's been said, though. Starbuck is kind of annoying (as is Apollo, at times,) but Adama is awsome dipped in chocolate, and the prez is cool too. I almost think it was a mistake to not kill her off. I mean, she's cool and all, I just liked that moment she and Adama had together so much, when he takes her by the hands and kisses her, that whole scene (I think it was right before she was supposed to die, or give a final speech, or something). Them two have a good thing together, on the level of both actors and characters.

I also liked Baltar a lot in this. I love how he just kind of gradually goes mad without even realizing it, and all that. Eeeevilll.

[Tharj TreeSmiter]

I couldn't say why I love the show it just captured my imagination. I think it's because it's not like star trek (which I also like) with a perfect ship and perfect society crewed by perfect people. The people have flaws and are messed up. And the action scenes are good.

There are certainly things that bug me about the show and it's far from perfect but no show is perfect.

The old one was great in a totally different way, campy, cheesy, silly fun. the new one is raw, gritty and exciting.

[WampaX]

*blink* Either the episode you're alluding to hasn't aired where I'm at or I completely missed something :smalleek:

6 is the model of Cylon that Baltar is constantly talking to that no one else can see.

I still stand by my blast shadow explanation, until I see or hear something else.


I couldn't say why I love the show it just captured my imagination. I think it's because it's not like star trek (which I also like) with a perfect ship and perfect society crewed by perfect people. The people have flaws and are messed up. And the action scenes are good.

Well, this isn't a new thing on TV, though. I mean, Blake's 7 pioneered the dysfunctional crew show (man I still want to see this series). More recently and still pre-Battlestar are Babylon 5, Firefly, and Farscape . . . none of them had perfect crews and all had flawed characters and most I would categorize as having "good" action scenes.

And all of them I liked . . . Battlestar . . . I just don't know.
And its making my brain hurt.

[Neo]

I think that 6 is just a figment, as it is always playing to his ego, rather than giving him totally unknown information.

[Sailacela]

6 is the model of Cylon that Baltar is constantly talking to that no one else can see.

m'kay, I always think of her as Caprica's shadow or essence since she's based off of Baltar's association with the corporeal version rather than as a model number. That's how I find myself thinking of all the skin-job cylons that have had major roles in the show like Boomer, Sharon and Deanna(sp?).

[Tharj TreeSmiter]

Well, this isn't a new thing on TV, though. I mean, Blake's 7 pioneered the dysfunctional crew show (man I still want to see this series). More recently and still pre-Battlestar are Babylon 5, Firefly, and Farscape . . . none of them had perfect crews and all had flawed characters and most I would categorize as having "good" action scenes.


True and I like all of those shows too. I'm basically a sci-fi slut :smallsmile:

[averagejoe]

Well, this isn't a new thing on TV, though. I mean, Blake's 7 pioneered the dysfunctional crew show (man I still want to see this series). More recently and still pre-Battlestar are Babylon 5, Firefly, and Farscape . . . none of them had perfect crews and all had flawed characters and most I would categorize as having "good" action scenes.

Even so, Battlestar tends to be much more gritty than any of them. Plus, though the others had "good" action scenes, Battlestar's tend to feel much more authentic. Plus, that show stretches out the tension in the plot much better than any I've ever seen.

Even so, my love goes to Firefly. In case you couldn't tell. :smallbiggrin:

[Fat Daddy]

I'm really liking the show. I watched it sporadically in season 1 but with my schedule watching TV regularly is impossible. I got Season 1 for Christmas and I LOVED it. I do agree that Adama (the Elder) is the best character on the show.
I want to get season 2 but those marketing jerks split it into 2 sets. Anyone know if they will be releasing season 2 as a single set sometime in the (near) future?

[Logic]

I love this show.
IMO anyone that says "I am just mad they made Starbuck a girl" did not bother to judge it on its own merits.
The miniseries was a good Sci-Fi miniseries, but the series made me fall in love with the revisioned BSG.

[Greebo]

I love this show.
IMO anyone that says "I am just mad they made Starbuck a girl" did not bother to judge it on its own merits.
The miniseries was a good Sci-Fi miniseries, but the series made me fall in love with the revisioned BSG.
I'm inclined to agree here. I went back and watched the original 80's BSG sometime after BSG Mach 2 came out, and couldn't believe just how... well... how much it didn't live up to my memories of it as a kid. The characters were 2 dimensional (and sometimes 1 dimensional), the plot was downright silly at times, and it almost at times as close to Disco as Buck Rodgers was (yes, rewatched that too...)

BSG (M2) is NOT trying to be a remake of the 80's. Its taken an intriguing story idea and built it into a compelling drama, while the 80's version wasn't drama it was sci-fi comedy.

It deserves to be judged on its own merits, not by comparing it to 20 year old memories.

[Tharj TreeSmiter]

I'm inclined to agree here. I went back and watched the original 80's BSG sometime after BSG Mach 2 came out, and couldn't believe just how... well... how much it didn't live up to my memories of it as a kid. The characters were 2 dimensional (and sometimes 1 dimensional), the plot was downright silly at times, and it almost at times as close to Disco as Buck Rodgers was (yes, rewatched that too...)

BSG (M2) is NOT trying to be a remake of the 80's. Its taken an intriguing story idea and built it into a compelling drama, while the 80's version wasn't drama it was sci-fi comedy.

It deserves to be judged on its own merits, not by comparing it to 20 year old memories.

Absolutely, I think it was necissary and good that they changed things.

[averagejoe]

Absolutely, I think it was necissary and good that they changed things.

I agree. However, one holdover from the show that I really liked was the idea of a mythic sci-fi. The original show didn't really pull that off well, but I liked what they were trying to do. The new one kinda skirts that territory, with the idea of the Cylons fighting a religious war, but is much more grounded in military/political matters. It works, and I'm not saying I'd necessarily do anything differently, that's just an aspect that they potentially could have done more of.

[Tharj TreeSmiter]

Say goodbye to Xena cylon princess! :) Although I'm betting she will not be gone for long.