September 29, 2006
GWC Podcast #4
Though we start out talking about webisode eight, this ‘cast quickly moves into lots of new territory. Highlights: Speculation on the disposition of the fleet,genetic diversity among Cylons, and the gray areas of “collaboration” (and the new depth it’ll bring to Galactica in season three).
Galactic Watercooler 
Modern Geek 
Save Eureka 
Eff This Week 
FitSmart
Great discussion again! I’m always amazed at the perspectives, intellect and wit you each bring to the program.
First on the webisode… I think we’ll see Jammer play both sides. I predict that Jammer will in fact collaborate (agreed that initially I don’t think he’ll do it intentionally) but in the end the I think he will be put in a situation where he will feel he has no choice but to “avoid more innocent bloodshed” and thereby become a collaborator. However, I also think he’ll probably use his new found position to help the resistance in some manner. This kind of goes along with your concensus of his unintentional betrayal. Or he could be a Cylon, but even then he may still play both sides. Ohhh what a mind-frak this is!
Ok, now on to Tigh. To clarify my earlier post, there is a difference between command leadership and political leadership. Tigh is a leader in the sense that he can issue commands that are followed. He is not the kind of scheming, manipulating (in a good intentioned way) leader such as Roslin is (for example, Roslin’s ability to plead to Starbuck’s religious side and work Starbuck’s relationship with Adama against her so she’d go after the arrow of Apollo). Tigh is a leader, and a very tactical one. Tactical is when you make a decision in the here and now based on what you know. (Remember Tigh had those flashbacks to Adama always saying “Go with what you know.” Strategic is making decisions based on what you think will happen. Roslin and Adama are both very strategic. Tigh is very tactical. I definitely agree that Tigh will be an integral leader in the resistance, and pairing with Roslin will be every bit as great a leadership team as Adama and Tigh. That pretty much echoes what Chuck was saying in the podcast.
Oh, and if there are hundreds of copies of humanoid Cylons, how do they feed them all? I wonder if it’s like some protein soup fed through those goo cocoons. Mmmm…. soup is good food! Which of course brings up another important point. Do the humanoid Cylons ever have to poop?
I have to say, I’m a bit worried about Sean… He wants ‘hot-looking dude’ Cylons and Gaius cross-dressing in Six’s slinky red dress?! Oh sorry, he wants ‘non-geeky’ Cylons, right. Well, the Gaius thing still worries me man.
Wow, I loved the comment Audra made about how we’re going to see the true nature of characters as we see how they act when it really matters. Brilliant!
On the topic of how quickly can they manufacture Centurians because of the issue of balance of power… To me, this is a case of quantity vs. quality. Mankind has the benefit of each one having a lifetime of experiences, without the resurrection ship, the Cylons can crank out the commodity toasters, but talent will be far a few between. I also agree about the two degrees of power humanity has both in their cunning wisdom and whatever the Cylons need from mankind (a soul?). This also goes back to the Cylons knowing they weren’t going to wipe out all of humanity – so this reinforces that the Cylons want something from people. One thing Sean mentioned is that perhaps they are looking for acceptance… (one of those common sci-fi premises). I’m with you on this one, though part of it is acceptance by their creators. The other is acceptance by God. Being everybit the equal of humanity. ..not just a copy or immitation.
One phrase that we haven’t dwelled on much, but I’ve heard it repeated in the series a few times: “the shape of things to come”. This refers to the Cylon-human offspring and obviously the future, but do any of you have a feeling on what this statement implies on a deeper level? Something that this “one year later” jump does as a plot-device is accelerate the growth of these infants. Will we see another jump into the future to see these children grow and become integral players in the story?
Anyways, I’ll call in sometime when I’m able to at a reasonable hour. Thanks for all the time and energy you’ve all put into this. I hope it really takes off for you or, at the very least, that you have enough fun to do it awhile. Its funny because I had this exact same idea to do a discussion podcast of BSG with my wife and a couple other friends, but you guys beat me to it. It’s also uncanny how similar your banter and deep discussion is to our own… frighteningly so in fact. Anyways, I’m sure I’ll be hanging around. If you have need of anything I’ll be glad to help out. (I’m a professional web designer/developer. I know things and stuff!)
Anyways… ciao!
// jon davis
(Oh, and waiting till Tuesday sucks! Bad enough we have to wait till Friday for the season premier but I have to wait on your ‘craaapppp’ *Col. Tigh voice* too!! >_
Well, I gotta stick up for Sean here; it was actually *my* idea that Gaius wear the red dress and the blonde wig! Plus, I think Sean just wants to see more gender-equal good looks in the show. 😉
Re: the comment about how people act when it really matters – Here’s the quote I was thinking of.
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” -Martin Luther King, Jr. (1963)