Finally - Battlestar Galactica returns tonight

[NewJeffCT]

9pm EST, I believe. Two hour special season premiere.

Unfortunately, I've been too busy to watch any of the interim webisodes, or even the special, "the story so far"

But, should be an interesting season... supposedly, the humans turn to suicide bombing to disrupt Cylon operations.

[NewJeffCT]

1. wow, did everybody forget about BSG?

I'm surprised.

[_testify_]

2. I'm stoked.

They need to cut down on the off-season though, this was ridiculous.

[Love Bug]

3. No shit

6 long freekin' months.

Here's the t-shirt I want to make: "Don't blame me, I voted for Roslin"

[NewJeffCT]

4. I'm not sure I'm a big fan of hers

her methods are a bit harsh at times...

[Puglover]

63. Well, the times are somewhat

harsh Jeff, don't you think?

[CatholicEdHead]

20. 6 months and a new girlfriend later I almost forgot about it

Well, the GF is working this weekend so I get to see the season premiere. The VCR (yes I am still old-school) is set for every Friday night for the next few weeks. I doubt I will be this free most Friday nights.

[tigereye]

5. we are way behind

haven't seen it since last year.

Wonderfully creepy series.

[unsavedtrash]

6. I watched "the story so far," but not the webisodes.

I can't wait.

[Benfea]

58. You don't really need the webisodes to follow the story. -NT

[Ravenseye]

7. I refuse to pay for digital cable just for BSG

I'll miss watching it live on Friday nights, but i'm just not going to pay 100 bucks to go up 2 cable packages in order to get the channel (and 200 other channels i'll never watch).

Ah well. Watching it Saturday won't be too bad.

[NewJeffCT]

8. You can try DISH network

You can get a bunch of useless channels for less than cable.

[Ravenseye]

10. I'm actually thinking about it

It's all about what costs the least. WE have BASIC basic cable (like 22 channels) because if we didn't get that, the cable internet would skyrocket. It's cheaper to have basic cable and internet, than just internet...

so the question is how much would I have to pay per month for Dish Network (or Direct TV or whatever) in order to get Sci-Fi without it costing me an arm and a leg? $30 bucks a month maybe? Any hidden fees? I'm not even sure if I want to spend $30 bucks (probably more) a month for essentially one channel and doubling up with cable.

[NewJeffCT]

11. Go with DISH

1) They're better (I've tried both for extended periods)

2) Rupert Murdoch owns Direct TV, while George Soros has invested in DISH.

[Ravenseye]

14. Well Dish would be cheaper

For 30 bucks plus tax I could get Sci-fi and local channels and just ignore the fact that I have comcast cable as well.

No time to do it for tonight, but I'll talk to my wife.

[YankeyMCC]

9. Looks like they ran episodes all day today

I'm just seeing the ending of the Cylons landing on New Caprica

[momophile]

12. FRACK!

I'll miss it. Good thing we started getting them from Netflix so I can keep up.

[Squatch]

13. I'm up to episode 6 of season 2.

I downloaded season 1 and 2 as torrents and am just getting caught up. It's a very interesting series, combining sci-fi, religion, etc.

[Connonym]

15. I'm such a dork...

that this is the reason I look forward to Fridays.

[Squatch]

16. Right now, Gaius Baltar is pissing me off...

[Moochy]

25. You are in good company

This is a good friday, BSG FRIDAY!!! :bounce:

[IChing]

31. I like the camps and their deep throat or DSM information leaks

How humans have collaborated with robots to do torture, imprisonment and basic typical rethuglican things.

[CatholicEdHead]

36. They do keep up on current events don't they

Also notice the beards on the Chief and Teigh.

[IChing]

38. Well, I have a beard too

Now they are talking about why you do suicide bombing

[CatholicEdHead]

65. Well, you know what Moore et al were going for with the looks

[Moochy]

49. Apollo needs an exercise montage scene!!

http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/video/blog/

Jamie & The Fat Man
Jamie Bamber shows us his metamorphosis from Apollo to Fat Apollo.

[Benfea]

79. With "Eye of the Tiger" playing in the background? :) -NT

[bikebloke]

32. Season 2

This evening I watched the fourth of season 2 on DVD. I like this so much, that I shall nurse it out over the winter. One episode a week (yeah to the Halliburton camps I'll go for resisting instant gratification). I'll pick up Season 3 on DVD next year...that's if there's anything left of the economy for such things.

[BreweryYardRat]

17. If I can find someone to watch it with...

I have no TV, and my roommates didn't bother to bring a TV for communal use.

[haf216]

18. Hey, you don't to have watched the webisodes to follow

along right? I hope not, I have watched every show and am going to be upset if I'm lost!

[CatholicEdHead]

19. After catching up on all the webisodes and Act one of tonight's episode

online, I would say they are about a half hour sequence later in tonight's two parter.

[Beetwasher]

21. Trying To Catch Up On The Webisodes, But Can't Get Into Scifi.com

Probably too busy.

[CatholicEdHead]

22. Was slow for me on broadband but I got in

But that was a good 2hrs before airtime.

[ContraBass Black]

54. You'll have better luck on Youtube.

[conscious evolution]

55. I bet there servers are melting tonite.

[htuttle]

23. Well, that was one hell of a 14 minutes

!!

:wow:

[BreweryYardRat]

24. Lucky me...I have to find a torrent of it.

Can't BELIEVE no one in two different suites is watching!

[CatholicEdHead]

26. Boom

[crispini]

27. Hoooooo.....

What did Duck mean when he said, "See you soon, Nora." Is he a cylon? :crazy:

[htuttle]

28. Nora was his late wife

[Cush]

29. his wife was killed in one of the "webisodes"

that scifi.com was running

[Liberal Veteran]

30. Nora was.....(spoilers in post)

....Duck's wife.

She was killed in the webisode when the Cylons attacked the temple on a tip that the resistance was storing weapons there.

He's saying he will see his wife in the afterlife.

[crispini]

34. Thank you...

ok, I need to go back and watch the webisodes.

OMG poor Kara!!!! :wow:

[IChing]

33. Ok this show rocks

so many metaphors

[crispini]

35. I don't know about you, but I'm thinking about Iraqnam (nm)

[IChing]

37. The torture and collaboration

reminds me watching Joe Lieberman:) :evilgrin: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[ContraBass Black]

51. Well, clearly they decided not to be subtle this time around.

[BigMcLargehuge]

39. What a season opener!!!!!

Holy crap this is relentless. I LOVE IT!!!!

[CatholicEdHead]

42. They have not lost their touch

WOW

Edit:

Oh for March when the Season 3.0 DVDs come out

[unsavedtrash]

40. holy shit

I am ready for them to strike.

[BigMcLargehuge]

41. HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!!!

!!!!

[unsavedtrash]

46. I thought "good" Sharon was going to intercept them. Shit, Shit

and what the hell is up with Starbuck????????????????????

[Liberal Veteran]

43. Ahhhhhhh!!!!

Not a good place to leave us!

[htuttle]

44. Now, now -- you know it was the best place to leave us

:evilgrin:

[crispini]

47. What an end!!!! AAAA

[ContraBass Black]

53. I can't even speak out loud.

[Benfea]

57. No kidding! (spoilers)

If she dies, I'm gonna be mad. I like that character!

[johnfunk]

45. Frak and Double Doggie Frak -- GREAT cliffhanger!

Best. Show. On. Television.

Cylon babes ruuuuule!

[crispini]

48. Ok, so did Jamie Bamber really put on all that weight?

Because if so, WHAT a loss!

[Moochy]

52. Nah he just needs a MONTAGE!!

no... its a fat suit!! see my post upthread...

[conscious evolution]

56. no

I saw him in the preveiw of next weeks show and he was back in shape

[Cannikin]

59. If that wasnt real, it was one hell of a makeup job on his face and back

[NewJeffCT]

60. I thought it looked fake

But, that's just me...

[Beetwasher]

67. Clearly A Body Double When They Showed Him W/ Out His Shirt

Thus the odd angle.

His face was made-up.

[Beetwasher]

66. No, That Shot Of Him W/ Out His Clothes Was Clearly A Body Double

Thus the unusual angle of the shot.

The face puffiness was make up.

[ContraBass Black]

50. Oh my fracking God.

:wow:

[NewJeffCT]

61. what an ending

Luckily I recorded it because I fell asleep right after they introduced Kacey.

[Puglover]

62. I can't believe they made Jamie Bambur (SPOILERS)

fat. Interesting touch. So what do we all think happens after the last scene? I think the gunshots we heard were not the cylons but Adama and crew. Obviously it has to be something on that order. They're not going to kill of Roslin and Richard Hatch in the 1st fracking episode.

[CatholicEdHead]

64. He was fat at the end of last season

You had to watch close in the season finale.

[NewJeffCT]

68. My thought (more spoilers)

I think they were shooting Cally as she ran away...

I also think that good Sharon is going to somehow stop the cylons waiting to ambush the marines & the rebel humans.

[Benfea]

71. That's how I interpreted the scene. (spoilers)

It doesn't make sense that the Centurions would fire on the prisoners while the human collaborators in the NCP were standing amidst them. Thus, they must have been shooting at Cally, and if she's dead, I'm gonna be mad! I really liked that character.

[ContraBass Black]

76. Just before the cut to the centurions, the NCP turned and bolted.

[Benfea]

78. Perhaps.

But the way that scene was edited, for all we know they were running at the Cylons and the shots we heard came from the NPC. There's something about the editing that makes me think what we saw wasn't quite what we thought we saw.

[ContraBass Black]

80. I doubt that.

They knew what was coming. If they intended to stop it, they would have taken positions to protect the crowd.

[CatholicEdHead]

84. Actually the preview clip on Scifi.com gives this away

If you put all the scenes together you find out what does or does not happen to Cally.

[ContraBass Black]

69. (spoilers)

"They're not going to kill of Roslin and Richard Hatch"

Why not?

[CatholicEdHead]

70. Roslin is shown in other previews

Hatch is not......

[Benfea]

73. That doesn't mean anything (spoilers)

Hatch's character doesn't appear all that often in the series anyway.

[Puglover]

74. Well for one thing

Roslin was in the previews for the rest of the season?

[Benfea]

75. Yeah.

They can't kill her off. I do hope Tom Zarek nor Cally died though.

[ContraBass Black]

77. Almost anyone could be killed off.

Remember, they had us thinking that she was about to die of cancer, and we see lots of currently dead people in flashback episodes.

[MorningGlow]

81. Unless she's a Cylon (spoilers)

:evilgrin:

Nah, I don't think she is.

Seriously, that scene reminded me of stuff that happened during WWII and the Russian Revolution (and, judging by how many dozens of bodies are found at one time in mass graves in Iraq, prolly there too)--take detainees out to the middle of nowhere, get them out of the trucks, and shoot them en masse. The only thing they didn't do was make them dig their own graves first (which also really did happen).

I think Cally got away. Not sure about Tom (hope not, though--I loves me some Richard Hatch).

I figured the NCP were just as surprised by the Cylon ambush and that was why they ran. They are a pretty naive lot...

Gods, but this was an amazing season opener. Good thing I was in the house alone when I watched the ending yesterday afternoon--I was talking out loud to myself! (Something along the lines of "Holy shit. That was incredible. Holy SHIT." Etc. :) )

[Benfea]

85. I don't care about Richard Hatch.

He was actively campaigning against the BSG remake because it deviated from the original too much in his eyes. That ticked me off because even as a child I thought the original was horrible and any changes would almost certainly be for the better.

On top of that Richard Hatch acted in the original, and as I said, the original was horrible in my opinion.

However, as much as I don't care for Richard Hatch, I love his character. He may have been an idealist at one time, but he's clearly become a self-serving slimeball and he stirs up lots of trouble in the fleet (which makes for good TV).

PS -- I don't think Kasey is what Leoban claims her to be. I don't doubt that she is Kara's child, but I don't think she's half cylon. The writers spent too much time and effort setting up Sharon's baby as the Special Chosen Child, and too much time establishing that such babies could not be conceived without love. Growing Kasey in a petri dish then shoving the blastocyst into a human woman unermines all the setup they did. I think Kasey was conceived in a petri dish from Kara's ovary, but I think the father is human and Leoban is lying to Kara to mess with her head.

[MorningGlow]

87. Aw hell, I'm just going on looks alone!

I admit that, cheesy as the original BSG was, I was in the Richard Hatch camp as opposed to the Dirk Benedict camp (I thought DB was too pretty and smirky). So it's all preteen nostalgia for me! (Plus RH has weathered pretty well!)

I'm sorry to hear he campaigned against a remake. I suppose he felt a very strong connection to the original, no matter how dorky it was. (I still crack up at the thought of the pharaoh-headdress space helmets!)

My jury is out on who exactly is the kid's dad--as a fairly new mommy, I was just in hormonal agony over Kara's situation--"Here--bond with the kid" yet trying to deny it. Kind of clouded my analytical thinking over who was zooming who in the situation. I also assumed that Sharon's baby was The First, not The Only, so it didn't bother me too much.

PS-Regarding your other post--I think it's poetic justice that Cylons can't reproduce sexually. There's creating life, and then there's creating LIFE, if you know what I mean. Something that's just outside their grasp. I like that touch. :hi:

[Benfea]

88. I learned a bit more about Hatch's opposition.

Apparently there was a planned remake that would have brought back many of the original characters in a "Next Generation" type remake that continued from the original series. They had already built half the sets and were a month away from shooting. The original actors were looking forward to reprising their roles, then the rug got pulled out from under them and the show was dropped. They shopped around for a new network to pick up the show, and Sci-Fi Channel expressed interest, then suddenly charged off in a completely different direction (thank goodness).

Having heard that story, I think I can understand why some of the original actors were ticked off, but some of their comments still annoyed me.

My jury is out on who exactly is the kid's dad--as a fairly new mommy, I was just in hormonal agony over Kara's situation--"Here--bond with the kid" yet trying to deny it. Kind of clouded my analytical thinking over who was zooming who in the situation. I also assumed that Sharon's baby was The First, not The Only, so it didn't bother me too much.

Actually, Kasey looks older than Sharon's baby, so if the Kasey is what Leoban claims, it would mean Sharon's baby wasn't the first at all, and if that's the case why did all the cylons go goo-goo the way they did over Sharon-Helo's baby?

Also, if Kasey was made the way Leoban claimed, it totally undermines the "babies only made from love" thing the writers spent so much time building up. It would also mean that the cylons can now start mass producing halfbreed babies as long as they have enough human captives (which New Caprica certainly provides), which would instantly make Sharon's baby a whole lot less important in the scheme of things.

PS-Regarding your other post--I think it's poetic justice that Cylons can't reproduce sexually. There's creating life, and then there's creating LIFE, if you know what I mean. Something that's just outside their grasp. I like that touch. :hi:

Actually, I hate the "babies made only from love" story. Sure, it gives nice warm and fuzzy feelings, but it's such incredibly bad science that it takes me out of the story. As I mentioned, human babies are (sadly) made without love all the time, and if the cylons understood biology/medicine enough to construct the "skinjob" cylon models, then they certainly had the expertise to build functioning genitals into them.

[MorningGlow]

89. You know, now that you mention it

I think I did hear that story somewhere along the line. I'm sorry they blindsided the folks from the original series, but I am also VERY glad they chose to do the new version this way! I swear it's the best drama on TV...but try telling that to sci-fi-phobes...

Ohhhhh the age of the babies. I hadn't thought of that! You're absolutely right--Kara's would have come first. And indeed what about that whole ovary-harvesting operation on Caprica...

As for "makin' babies"--sorry--I wasn't clear--I didn't mean so much "babies come from love" as...hm...they seem to be getting a dig in about the method of creating a new being and having it be imbued with a soul--if machines created new life, where does that new individual's spirit come from? If the parents aren't technically "of the spirit", can they create offspring that are? And I figure that addresses the whole irony of fundamentalist "toasters" obsessed with God. Too woo woo? :shrug:

[Benfea]

90. Heh.

I think I did hear that story somewhere along the line. I'm sorry they blindsided the folks from the original series, but I am also VERY glad they chose to do the new version this way! I swear it's the best drama on TV...but try telling that to sci-fi-phobes...

It is far and away the best show on TV and the best science fiction TV show of all time (that's quite an admission coming from me the diehard Ghost in the Shell fan). Despite my misgivings about Wacky Conception Theories and the whole Magic Baby as dues ex machina thing, I really, really love this show!

As for "makin' babies"--sorry--I wasn't clear--I didn't mean so much "babies come from love" as...hm...they seem to be getting a dig in about the method of creating a new being and having it be imbued with a soul--if machines created new life, where does that new individual's spirit come from? If the parents aren't technically "of the spirit", can they create offspring that are? And I figure that addresses the whole irony of fundamentalist "toasters" obsessed with God. Too woo woo? :shrug:

Way too woo-woo for my tastes. Human "souls" are made from neurons and synapses which are initially grown during gestation, and besides, the cylons have more than demonstrated that they can "make souls" as is evidenced by the various biological cylon models (not just the "skin jobs" but also the cylon radiers, which are cyborgs).

The whole thing about cylons being unable to sexually reproduce might sound good metaphysically, but it makes absolutely no sense scientifically, and this is after all science fiction. What bothers me so about little bits of bad science like this is that in general, this show is quite good about science.

For example in most science fiction shows and movies, spaceships move exactly like airplanes because most people (including the folks making the special effects) are very familiar with airplanes and not at all with spacecraft; by contrast the spacecraft in the new BSG actually move like they ought to (e.g. changing orientation without changing trajectory). Also, they don't play sound effects from space battles unless they're letting you hear things from inside a particular ship or fighter (sound doesn't carry in space). They were even careful about the way nukes would work in space (they're much less damaging becuase there's no air to transmit the concussive blast and heat). When they get something totally wrong like the Magic Baby curing cancer (that kind of dues ex machina is what annoyed me about Star Trek), it really gets under my skin because the show is otherwise very good about science.

Addendum: there's not much irony about "toasters" becoming religious. The word "toaster" is a word used by humans in the show because in times of war humans naturally do what they can to dehumanize/degrade the enemy, but make no mistake: the cylons are fully self aware, experience real emotions, and seem to share many flaws with humanity.

[MorningGlow]

91. I'll agree to disagree with you on the origin of the soul

I think we've got some polar opposite views, judging by my avatar and your sig! :)

I'm fascinated by random postulating about cloning--and it of course is all random at this point. F'rinstance, if you clone a being, where does the clone's soul come from? If one believes, as I do, that it arises from part of the great universal spirit, then when does it join with the physical body if the body was manufactured instead of inspired by the Great Is? Can a human scientist call in a soul? Or if you clone a being, does the original's soul clone itself as well and the new fragment (or, rather, full copy of the soul) take up residence in the cloned body? It's got to come from somewhere--clones don't appear to be akin to zombies. And does the cloned soul degenerate over time, as does the cloned body, which in our primitive experiments tends to die young (cf Dolly)?

Because I'm captivated by metaphysical woo woo stuff (NOTHING is too woo woo for me!), I'll be eager to see if they address this in BSG. If not--no biggie--I'm open to their philosophies and science!

I see your point about scientific accuracy--are you a scientist? Good examples you cite. Am I right in assuming that when you see a scientific error it's akin to me fritzing if a male witch is referred to as a "warlock" or if a witch "hexes" someone...? (Likewise, my brother is an attorney and he can't watch courtroom dramas because they take such liberties with procedure--he tends to talk back to the TV--"Objection--leading the witness." etc.)

You know what's really cool in all this? That a TV show inspires debate about the origin of the soul, and religion, cheek by jowl with science. Now THAT'S the mark of a great show! :hi:

[Benfea]

92. Even with your views...

...you have to admit that they already have the ability to manufacture "souls," or else the many thousands of cylons ("skin jobs," mechanical centurions, and cyborg raiders) we see in the show would not be self-aware, when clearly they are.

[MorningGlow]

93. Kind of

Souls have definitely come from somewhere, but were they manufactured, or do they develop? I like the contrast between "We agree" (speaking about all the versions of one model) and how No. 6, Boomer-version of Sharon, and Caprica-version of Sharon actually DON'T agree. Does that mean that as the skin-jobs are born (and reborn), function, and evolve, they develop more free will? So is the show asking the question "Just what is God, and what is 'life', anyway?"

[Benfea]

94. I don't see how they develop as being relevant.

It doesn't matter how they develop. The fact is that cylons are self-aware and value their own existence. Therefore, excusing the "babies only through love" by suggesting it's the only way a cylon can make a soul doesn't make much sense to me. Humans make babies/souls without love all the time. Cylons are clearly able to do the same. So the whole "babies only through love" thing not only doesn't make sense scientifically and rationally, it doesn't make a whole lot of metaphysical sense either.

[MorningGlow]

95. 'Kay, now we're going in circles

But I think I know where the disconnect is coming from. I'm not using the words "soul" and "baby" interchangeably. I'm referring to the soul as the lifespark--the actual person inside what would otherwise be an inanimate bag of skin. Cylons can make bags of skin; now, what animates them?


Does that make any more sense?

And, once again, as I said upthread, I am definitely NOT saying "babies are only made through love"--of course that's stupid and completely incorrect.

[Benfea]

97. No worries, no offense taken.

I'm not using "soul" and "baby" interchangably either.

The cylon race exists, they are self-aware, therefore they already have "souls." This proves that whatever mystical mumbo-jumbo it takes to "make a soul," they already do it. They do it everytime they make a humanoid "bio" cylon, they do it every time they make a raider (the fighter craft). Either "souls" can be made without love, or the cylons arlready have the requisite love to "make souls."

Interesting aside: the cylon centurions (the fully mechanical robots) used to have "souls," but the modern centurion models are made without "souls" because the rest of the cylons are afraid of the centurions rebelling against them the same way they rebelled against the humans. This demonstrates that the cylons understand the making of "souls" enough that they know precisely where the line is that separates a self-aware being from a mere computer program. (It also demonstrates in dramatic fashion that the cylons aren't terribly nice to other cylons.)

[Okiojira]

83. IMO: They're not gonna kill off Roslin...

...for the simple fgact that actress Mary McDonnell's name appears prominently in the opeing credits of the show. By this logic, we can assume that the following characters will not be killed off, barring some sort of contractual dispute with the show's creators/financiers:

Admiral Bill & Commander Lee Adama
Starbuck
Sharon
Gaius Baltar
Number Six

Everyone else is fair game.

[Benfea]

86. Noooooooooo! I wubs da Cally! *sniff* -NT

[Benfea]

72. Excellent episode!

What I love about this show is their unwillingness to flinch from modern controversial topics. The allegories between the Cylon occupation of New Caprica and our occupation of Iraq are impossible to miss. What other show on television is taking this on in such a head-first manner, much less sympathizing with the occupied?

My main beefs with the show:

• Biological Cylons can't reproduce
  Excuse me? If they have the know how to build biological Cylon units that are good enough to fool human doctors, then they're more than smart enough to build functioning genitals into them.
  
  
• Reproduction only possible with love
  Huh? People reproduce without love all the time. If love were a prerequisite for reproduction, then the tendency to rape would have been bred out of our population thousands of years ago, and I can't think of any form of reproduction further from love than rape.
  
  
• The magic baby
  What the hell is that? Magic baby with magic blood? Is this Battlestar Galactica or some dime-store fantasy novel?

Of course, one of my main beefs just got crossed off the list. The Six/Baltar subplot bored me to tears, but it's finally getting interesting as we get closer to the point where Baltar abandons humanity altogether and joins up with the Cylons.

Despite all my misgivings, I love, love, love this show! This is clearly the best science fiction on TV ever, and may very well be one of the best TV shows ever. I can't get enough!

[ContraBass Black]

82. I find it very amusing (and completely intentional)

That the Cylon model that serves as a priest for humans is the one that has the least reverence for Cyon religion and trades sexual favors for administrative favors.

[Benfea]

96. If by "amusing" you mean "mundane," then yes.

I mean, it's not as if men of the cloth like Cavil are anything new or unusual or different.