October 22, 2006
GWC Podcast #11
You’ll have to excuse us for geeking out a bit on Exodus, Pt. 2 — one of Galactica’s best episodes to date. We promise to return to our normal full-on predictions and speculation next time! Highlights: Tigh’s sacrifice, Baltar’s almost-but-not-quite martyrdom, Starbuck’s mindfrack, and the coolest moment in on-screen sci-fi since the Millenium Falcon arrived at the end of Star Wars.
Galactic Watercooler 
Modern Geek 
Save Eureka 
Eff This Week 
FitSmart
I just listened to the Pod cast and I had these comments…
This dawned on me while listening to the Pod cast, it should have been clear to all of us that the child was not Starbuck’s based on the comments in Exodus part 1 by D’anna Biers. In her conversation with Doc Coddle she said the first Cylon Human Hybrid, I remember the expression she had and it was as if she was saying the only hybrid. This and when have we ever known Leoben to tell the truth.
Even Ron Moore in his pod cast mentioned Laura Roslin back in her old chair, but I would like to mention that is a different chair. This may be hair splitting on my part but in Lay Down Your Burdens part 2 when the camera pulls back and says “one year later,†the chair as gone from brown and black.
As to Ellen Tigh, I do believe that she knew that the drink was poisoned. First of all she asked for the drink, and did it in a round about way. Saying that she “would have fracked anybody,†and then said “I could use a drink.†It was her telling him that she would do anything for him, including drink the poison; had she not known it was poisoned she would have said something like, are you going to give me the drink. Then after that saying how he was always there for her and that she should have listened to him. In a strange way, her killing her like that was a mercy killing, (thus he was again there for her) because the other in the resistance would have likely killer her painfully.
Anders also made the remark that it would be easier for her if you did this to Tigh, it is likely that she over heard this was well. They were after all very close in proximity.
Caprica Six makes a comment about how stretched out there resources are, with the destruction of the four base stars by the Battlestar Galactica and the now late Battlestar Pegasus, in addition to the others that we have seen destroyed in seasons one and two; they too may be running low on war ships and there supplies are not endless as they seemed to be in the first season.
On a more humorous note, now that they are off of the planet maybe they should change the…And they have a plan… to
And they had a plan.
Thanks.
Holy Crap. This should be their Emmy episode. They at least deserve an Emmy for effects or something. Seeing Galactica arrive and burn-in, holy frack!!!!!
In response to the podcast..
I think Ellen did know that the drink was poison and that she did so willingly. She keeps talking about how she would do anything for her husband, and I think that her saying “I’m so thirsty” and taking the drink from his hands was one last thing that she could give him. She did it willingly and he wasn’t forced into tricking her into taking it. I definately agree that all the characters we love to hate have all become more humanized, especially the relationship between Tom Zarek and the (ex)President. I think it is a reflection on the fact that they had been occupied by cylons for 4 months. Ellen’s relationship with Ty, Baltar, Zarek, etc. all came together because in the face of cylon occupation, all that posturing and pety bickering of the previous season completely lost its meaning. Everybody was facing extinction together and that’s what made people cling to what mattered most to them, such as Ty and Ellen’s relationship with each other.
In the appartment when Starbuck was freed and you saw all these other women leaving from their cells, did anybody else get the impression that all those doors were other appartments where different Leibans were trying that whole “you will love me” experiment with many more women than just Starbuck?
Now for Geda. As I remember it, the resistance DOES NOT KNOW Geda was funneling information to the them. The chief comes to find the information for the execution from a drop that gives him a map showing where the execution will take place. The scene with Geda running was when he was trying to tell them that Baltar wasn’t going to be at the graduation ceremony, and even that was a drop. The only direct contact that the Chief had with Geda was when his wife is arrested the first time (and before the execution order was signed) and he is asking Geda for information, after which he chastises Geda telling him to at least “do something”
Interesting podcast.
How cool/weird is it that Ellen’s best moment, when you finally get a grasp on what she’s all about, comes right as her husband is getting ready to kill her? I can’t wait to see how Tight deals with that.
Chuck is dead wrong. Frak the Falcon. Best. Calvary. Moment. EVAH!
I also think you all are wrong about Leoben. He’s not crazy–he’s obsessed. Think of him as parallel to Boomer. While she’ll apparently imprint onto any guy she spends quality time with, he’s all about the ‘buck. Period. It’s a different, darker, concept of love. (C.f., D’anna’s unfolding maternalism, and Cavil’s exploitativeness.)
The only skinjobs without a version of love that motivates them so far are Simon and Doral. The former has only appeared a few times, while the latter seems to be in charge most of the time.
Speaking of Leoben, what must his Daytimer look like?
MARSDAY:
5:00 Wake up, excercise
5:30 Shower
6:00 Breakfast
6:10 Get killed by Starbuck
7:10 Download
8:00 Acclimate to new body
11:00 Google “Starbuck”
11:30 Google ‘Coffee Shop”
12:00 Lunch
12:07 Get killed by Starbuck
Thanks Nick, I was beginning to feel all alone in my belief that the resistance didn’t know about Geda being the secret informant. Upon reflection I think that if they don’t know he was the one providing information that this could be a reason they spare him – just thinking out loud.
Wow…great episode AND a great podcast. I’ve been a listener of Alan Light’s Combat Information Center since it began, and listened to many episode of Galactica Actual, but THIS is the Galactica podcast I’ve been hoping for. Intelligent and extended dialogue and analysis among three fans who care about story and character analysis. Super job and I’ll be lurking around this watercooler for awhile!
This episode deserves a slew of Emmys for effects, story, and is yet another Emmy-level performance from Michael Hogan. While it doesn’t have the incredible focus and power of “33” that makes that first regular season episode a true classic, this one has absolutely stunning effects, a grand Shakespearean tragedy for Ellen Tigh and the incredible Michael Hogan, and one heartbreaking moment after another in the final hanger bay scene. Starbuck’s tragic discovery of her “child’s” true identity, Adama’s look back at Tigh as Adama is paraded around while poor Tigh limps away, Gaeta slumping against the Raptor as Tigh stalks by him, etc. One grand moment after another.
I sure hope they spare Gaeta – Felix deserves better. My hope is that the Chief comes and saves him upon a revelation of Gaeta’s help to the resistance. But knowing Ron Moore, we could have true tragedy with the Chief celebrating his death as a collaborator and only after the fact discovering Gaeta was crucial to restoring contact with Galactica.
My one concern about the show right now is that I just don’t feel any chemistry between Lee and Dualla – Kandyse (Dualla) is trying to portray concern and affection and an emotional bond between them, but I just don’t believe Jamie’s (Lee’s) performance in his relationship with her. I think the show failed to properly build up their relationship beforehand to the point where it would be believable now. But then again, the character Lee Adama strikes me as very shallow in his relationships with most females, so maybe this situation matches his character – or lack of it.
Anyway – love your podcast and look forward to listening in for the rest of the season.
I just saw the trailer for next Friday’s episodes on the SCI FI web sight, I am a second shift supervisor so I don’t get to see it right when it airs and I have to wait until sometime Saturday to either download it from ITUNES or “On Demand†it from Comcast. I mention this because I get a two or three minute preview of the next episode from “On Demand†that is different from the trailer and would like to know if that is considered a spoiler. If it is not I can comment on a certain character that was the topic of the last pod cast. I thought that last pod cast was great by the way.
Looking at the trailer, (from the SCI FI sight) we see Lee Adama briefing Admiral Adama on the issue of missing person’s reports. I would gather from that, the justice for the collaborators is only being done on a vigilante level. (Or that the official justice system is work far too slowly for the former resistance) If this is true than I would assume that Tigh is partaking in this, and this could further the wedge between him and Admiral Adama that I am predicting. It also shows that Lee may now be the new XO of the Galactica.
Laura Roslin is being sworn in as something, who knows as what. President, Vice President? She was also giving a press conference on what I think was the issue of the collaborators. This could mean that she is now the president again.
The next I don’t see this happening, but it is possible that since now the Galactica has an Admiral and a Commander, that William Adama could turn over day to day operations to Lee Adama; thus allowing William Adama to serve in a more traditional Flag Officer role. Sort of like when a naval task force is dispatched. There may be an Admiral in charge of the mission and the group of vessels, but even the ship he is on (the flag ship) has its own Commanding Officer. I don’t predict this, but it would make the transition and displacement of the Pegasus much less complicated.
Admiral Adama: Group/Fleet Commander
Commander Adama: CO Battlestar Galactica
Colonel Tigh: XO Battlestar Galactica.
Ect.
Like I said, it’s a thought but not a prediction.
Thanks, Cavatar.
It seems like Leoben can see the future to me. He saw that Starbuck would come back for Kayce: True. He saw that Starbuck would say “I love you” and share a tender moment: True. He just didn’t see the knife to the gut right afterward. There seems to be some people in BG with the ability to see the future, and I think Leoben is one of them. I don’t think he ever said they would live happily ever after, but he did mention her saying “I love you”.
Does anyone suspect that Kayce’s mother is a Cylon? Maybe farfetched, but not impossible. That still leaves the option that Kayce is a hybrid.
Finally, I’d like to chime in and say that I definitely thought Ellen knew the cup was poison. The way she said “I could use a drink” was laden with significance. Her confession Re: Brother Cavill seemed like the sort of thing you’d say on a death bed.
It was a fantastic episode! When Galactica jumped in and out of New Caprica I said to myself “HA! Take that Enterprise!”
In terms of Gaeta, I think what happened is that Chief got the info about the excecutions from Gaeta KNOWINGLY, but he still does not know that he was the informant the whole time. I think they will go after Gaeta and ‘try’ him as a collaborator to the cylons but that he will be cleared when he proves that he was the inside leak for the resistance. Jammer on the other hand I do not believe will be so fortunate and may take a walk out of the air lock 😀
Keep up the great work guys, i look foward to hearing more after the next episode!
Is it friday yet?
I don’t think Ellen knew that the drink was poisoned but was one of Tyrol’s “fresh brewed” because we all know that whenever someone tells something personal about themselves that’s painful they tend to chase it down with a drink. We saw this throwout the BSG seasons 1 & 2. Which is what I think Ellen wanted to do and assumed that the cup that Tigh was holding was a form of liquor.
Nick and Sean I agree with the both of you on the situation with Geata and the resistance and I do believe he will not be killed anytime to soon in this season. He will be a great service for the fleet in some way. Just a thought.
Pike – I love your Leoben day planner! AWESOME! Lol!
Okay, so I’m still wondering if it’s not possible that Kasey is indeed Starbuck’s child. We have no idea what they did to or took from Starbuck when she was captured, so it is very possible that they took an ovary from her. It is also very possible that Kasey’s “mother” was actually a surrogate mother. We know nothing about this new woman, so who’s to say that she couldn’t have been a surrogate? And who knows if she would even be aware of it. With that said, if this “mother” is a surrogate, then Kasey would absolutely believe that the “mother” is her real mother, which would explain why Kasey reacted the way she did. It just seems to me that the Cylons have an interest in Starbuck more so than they do with a lot of other humans. It certainly will be interesting to see how that develops.