February 19, 2007
GWC Podcast #30
“A Day in the Life” reminded us of why we love the show — and its great characters — so much. Highlights: We address Adama’s “projections,” respect BSG’s honest and realistic approach to divorce, wonder what Mrs. Adama must have been like if whining Lee thinks she’s “unstable,” speculate again on what kind of trial Baltar’ll get, and laugh at Hotdog’s “rash.” We also put some thought into what’d drive the Tyrol family to revolt next week — guessing that it might have something to do with the miserable state of the civilianfleet.
Galactic Watercooler 
Modern Geek 
Save Eureka 
Eff This Week 
FitSmart
woohoo numba 1, i havnt listened to the cast, but i cant wait for the Hotdog i have a rash song hinthintwinkwink
I just finished listening to the cast and you are on target as usual. The episode, in retrospect, was a good stand alone show. However, I must admit that at first I felt a bit let down (ala Sean) in wanting more Cylon and Viper action (especially after The Woman King). Although, the Raptor sequence was well done. An yes, Athena can flat out pilot a Raptor!!
Here goes with a few random comments.
I enjoy the Chief and Callie and agree that of all the couples on BSG – they have the most stable relationship. It will be interesting, however, to see how this strike thing plays out (could be some political fallout, as well as, personal) between the Chief and Adama. It looks like they are not going to be able to solve this one in a boxing ring. Does anyone think this will be the last straw for Adama….and he will finally “have ball enough” to relieve the Chief?
I think the Cylons like Shakespeare. Especially, the “kill all the Lawyers” part. That is why they purposefully went after the planets to be sure they got them all.
Here is an idea for a “day in the life II” episode right out of B5. Have a couple of lowly engineers travelling around patching up holes in Galatica during a skirmish with the Cylon and reminising about the time that they did not do so good a job and almost got the Chief and Callie killed. Have them take a break to eat algae while the ship vibrates from the concussion of the attack.
Finally, a bit of a continuity beef. First, I know BSG is not a soap opera, but I still feel some threads of continuity running through each show would be beneficial. My point cneters on “Airlock Roslin”. She was all concentrating on both Baltar and Six in the last episode and now has time to flirt with Adama this episode without as much as a comment on that situation. I just don’t think it is logical to move from obsessive to oblivious.
So, until we see Head Baltar and Six kissing air again…..
Silverhawk, Saberhawk – one in the same. I can’t seem to make up my mind…..Had my mind on the Silver Surfer trailer for the new FF movie.
Sorry for the double post.
How bout the Adama cenoring, “This fleet has gone to sh–.”
I have not listened to the podcast yet, but I wanted post this. Was Adama “projecting”?
Maybe Adama’s ‘projecting’ was just adding to the fact that Baltar can ‘project’ without being a Cyclon. Plus there’s no better way to show Adama thinking about his wife in that way, as far as I can imagine.
I’m still listening to the ‘cast, but I just had to comment quickly. I’m not as surprised as you guys seemed to be that Athena was flying the raptor on the rescue mission instead of Starbuck. You’ve got to appreciate how different raptor piloting must be from viper piloting, I’m sure if there was a special viper mission there wouldn’t be a second thought as to who you’d send first.
“We also put some thought into what’d drive the Tyrol family to revolt next week — guessing that it might have something to do with the miserable state of the civilian fleet.”
What happened to the “we do not discuss spoilers in GW…”? 😉
On the ‘is Adama projecting? front, it doesn’t seem that far removed from
that episode (don’t remember which one) where Lee is drifting in space
sans viper, but we see him floating in the water. Remember when the
‘sun’ was so bright that he had to shade his eyes with his hand and it
turned out to be the rescue raptor shining a spotlight on him?
This is interesting since a while back Jamie Bamber wrote the article for Lee Adama on SciFiPedia. Anyway, he wrote about how his mother would often lose it and so forth and all the people who read this on the SciFi boards thought he just made this up. Clearly he knew what he was talking about.
http://scifipedia.scifi.com/index.php/Lee_Adama
@13th cylon: All TV series have a “Bible”, i.e. a reference book that among other things contain some backstory for all major characters..it is quite natural that most actors read that bible to understand better the show and their characters.
In the podcast, you mentioned that there might not be a lot of Sagittarons in the Fleet because of their (possible) anti-technology views.
In Season 1 in ’33’, someone tells Dee that there were over 5000 Sagittarons that are in the RTF (when she was trying to find out if some people she knew were on the list of survivors).
andmas wife looked like Ellen
The network promos had me worried, but the ep was more textured and nuanced than they wanted us to think. Here’s what I think — in its own little way, this was an homage to 2001. Obviously the airlock escape alludes to the Hal-Dave confrontation, but I also think the conference room table is set up exactly like the one on the 2001 moonbase. Am I right, dear writer?
Only about 1/2 way thru, but first:
Single/married Adama man. Looking for single/married blonde woman who drinks a lot and beats the crap out of me for passionate, craptastically destructive relationship. Will cheat on wife should I have a semi-decent one at the time. You will be the woman I can never walk away from and who will probabaly: punch me, shoot me, yell at me, haunt my dreams even after you are long dead. Not necessarily in that order. Please send a message to: Adama men, Battlestar Galactica c/o Dee. She’ll know where to find us.
and second:
Let your Soul Glo. Eriq LaSalle and a hair pick is all you need Gaeta. You sexy bit of Jerry Curl you.
Suggestion for the upcoming months with no new BSG episodes: discuss the audiobook “The Cylons Secret”.
I bought this on iTunes for a long car trip I had to make last November. I did find it enjoyable. Some nice background story on Adama, Tigh, and Zerek that all fits in with the miniseries. Just a thought.
So I watch BSG with a group of people who have loved BSG because of its ingenuity and epic-plot-twisting events. However, after last night, this group is feeling *really* tired of the string of “character-building” episodes that have offered little to no development of the actual plot of the show. I try and argue with these guys that character building episodes are important, but I am starting to agree that BSG is showing some signs of plot-deficiency (when compared to seasons 1 and 2).
Take for example Lee’s movement towards becoming involved with the pending Baltar trial: So yes, his grandfather was a lawyer (which was established a season or two ago), yes he is concerned with justice and the democratic system. However, when Lee has gotten involved with the political/legal matters of the fleet in the past, it has been based on what seems to be a deeply-seated passion in his character for maintaining a semblance of democratic civility. But now I feel like we’re going to get a much more drawn out and watered down version of Lee getting involved. Lee shouldn’t get handed a box of books from his father that are conveniently stored on the Galactica. Lee should have to fight for this, or innovate. But now I fear that there will be some “Legally Blonde” montage sequence of Lee studying these books and becoming an erudite lawyer. That’s not BSG. That’s Star Trek or something else.
BSG is the creme of the crop to me because it has previously done character development without hitting us in the face with “this is a character development episode.” I don’t want BSG to become a show where I have to reside myself to the fact that “this week” is a character driven episode with only 2 minutes of reference to the greater plot….hoping to myself that maybe next week we’ll get more. Give us character texture, but don’t take us on tributary journeys for weeks on end.
Do I still love the show? OF COURSE I DO. What they did with Admiral Adama this week was powerful. (Anyone who has had a significant relationship end knows about these inner conversations with the ex–and all the emotions involved.) But could it have been tighter to the over-all plot? Yes! They’ve shown us they can do it.
Maybe I’m wrong and am just being persuaded by the group mentality of my particular “frak party” members. I just want to make sure BSG continues to be the best it can be.
I don’t think it’s just you, Rich. There have been a lot of character driven episodes in a row. I wonder if it has to do with how expensive the new caprica stuff was to shoot and/or a feeling that they did so much action during that story line that they feel a need to structure this season with a more lyrical second half. I was thinking last night, while watching “A Day in the Life” (I’d love to turn you on!), how the last two or three episodes have felt like the slow movement in a large scale piece of classical music, where a slow movement can help ease some of the tension of the faster movements before the final big push while still driving the argument forward, albeit at a more subtle and gentler pace.
I hope that makes sense.
Rick,
I think you are absolutly correct and hit the nail on the head of why I was originally felt “let down” by this episode. It had nothing to do with the quality of the program and everything to do with “nothing about the greater plot”.
It seems like earlier on the writers would have “sandwiched” these situations in the midst of some cylon related struggle and THAT was what made BSG so great. Now we have whole shows devoted to development without even a nod to cylon existance despite having one locked up in the brig…..kissing air.
Just an FYI:
Bodie Olmos(aka Hot Dog) is 6’4”, Tahmoh Penikett(aka Helo) is 6’2” and a half, and Jamie Bamber(aka Apollo) is 5’6”
Oops, Meant 5’9” on Jamie Bamber
Oh no! It’s (the podcast) not on iTunes yet!
did you see me i hit the raptor hehehe
13th, the scifi.com website says the podcast will go up sometime on Tues.
Sometimes I feel so short, but I’m the same height as Apollo! Nice!
aww crap Apollo has still got 7 inches on me damn it
I just watched the mini-series/pilot and I don’t understand why the Chief and Cally wouldn’t be wearing their evac suits? Not wearing the suits caused the death of 85 people in the min-series.
I thought it was interesting that Athena helped rescue the Chief and his wife. Not so much because she is a Cylon as that she still has Boomer’s memories of him.
Speaking of, when you all mentioned that everyone in the fleet had lost family to the Cylon/s/z attack, I immediately thought of Boomer. She had no family (real or imaginary) to loose.
(snark on) They killed all the lawyers? Maybe it was worth it. (snark off)
Lerxst “What happened to the “we do not discuss spoilers in GW…â€?” That doesn’t apply to the “Next week…” stuff that shows up immediately afterwards. Which reminds me:
Chuck, you all need to start doing a recap of the (apparently weekly) deleted scene and the “Next week” stuff as part of your intro. Us poor souls who are paying for the eps. don’t get those. (Well, we can go to Scifi and see the next week preview, but frankly I don’t get around to it before I listen to the ‘cast.)
Laura, good catch on the number of Sagitarons. That was about 1/10th the fleet at the time. Slightly over-represented, actually. (BTW, you look great in red.)
Rose, I think they weren’t wearing the evac suits because the area was already certified as safe (it was damage control teams that were lost in the mini.)
Oh, yeah. I second (actually, I think I firsted) the idea to do an ep. by ep. review in the offseason. There’s enough eps. out to keep us out of trouble for even the inordinate amount of time they’re expecting us to keep vigil. Also, Galatica Sitrep seems to be paws-up, so a news recap could help pad it out (and I’d rather hear it from you all anyway.) Also, there must be at least one skit. Preferably a musical…
Unrelated to the episode, but in the podcast you guys were debating the Supreme Court Justice who presided over the Clinton impeachment and his choice of robes. I may be wrong (I was young at the time), but I believe the judge was Renquist, and he designed his robes based on those of the Lord High Chancellor character in the Gilbert & Sullivan operetta Iolanthe. The Lord High Chancellor’s robes are based on those of the actual Lord High Chancellor of England and do have stripes on the sleeves. Renquist was a G&S fan, and so took the opportunity to pay a little homage to their work. His choice may be a sign of some self-deprecating humor on the part of Renquist, as the Lord High Chancellor is, all in all, a very silly character.
Great podcast. The other BSG discussions I frequent show a decided anti-Cally bent, so it’s a breath of fresh air to hear nice things about her and the Chief.
Hey all, another great podcast. =)
(To the mods, I’m changing my e-mail as part of my move. It’s me, trust me. =P )
I’ll comment more in a bit when I collect my thoughts and am not buried under a mountain of homework. But I just wanted to say: You guys need a closing theme. Perhaps hold a contest or something.. just so you guys have something to end with other than your voices cutting out. =)
Promethia, which discussion? I’ll slap them upside their Cally-hating heads…
Athenor, excellent idea. I was playing with some audio… Chuck, GWC out-tro contest!
Hey Hey Hey, Don’t front on Soul Glo! Eriq LaSalle played Daryll Jenks who was going to be the new Star of the Soul Glo Commercials.
After listening to the Podcast this week I did want to point out that it would not be strange that both Adama and Tigh would marry similar women. If they have been friends as long as the writers want us to believe, (Tigh did remember that it was his anniversary – how many of us would remember our friends anniversary date) It holds true that would have similar taste in women or even the possiblility that their wives were friends before they met Adama and Tigh. One wife may have even introduced the other two. Obviously there is potential there for backstory. Not that we need any more backstory lately.
And remember
Just Let your Soul Glo! – Let it shine through
Hey all, another great podcast. =)
(To the mods, I’m changing my e-mail as part of my move. It’s me, trust me. =P )
I’ll comment more in a bit when I collect my thoughts and am not buried under a mountain of homework. But I just wanted to say: You guys need a closing theme. Perhaps hold a contest or something.. just so you guys have something to end with other than your voices cutting out. =)
>>>
Heck, I’ll WRITE you guys a closing theme. 😉
On the ideas for the hiatus front: I, for one, would love to hear another Very Jerry podcast. I find the treatment of religion on BSG fascinating and that podcast over the mid-season break was by far my favorite. I would love to hear from him again (you might even introduce him to the show via DVD, if he still hasn’t checked it out yet).
Otherwise I suppose you could do staged readings from Peter David’s “Sagitarion is Bleeding.” Heh heh.
Man, those patches are craaaaaaaap
(by “patches” I mean those little anti-hull breach sticky wall pads)
Shaymus, actually that was the weakest part of the episode. The difference between one and zero atmospheres isn’t really all that great (C.F. deep sea diving.) They were applying emergency patches that *were designed to handle this sort of thing exactly.* The pressure was already reduced, so why the Frak did they fail? Apparently they come equipped with a drama chip…
Today I rise to speak in the defense of Lawyers. Why are we hated? Perhaps because we ensure that the powerful do not solely get their way, that the rich and privileged face some one who is willing to proclaim “Yoday, You shall not.” True, the powers that be may employ the same, yet they are forced to by the very rule of law that checks their power. They are forced to deal with a legal system that is predicable, for the most part, rather than as a whim, the playground of those who exist in shadows or would be King.
That while you gleefully chime: “the first thing we do, we’ll kill all the lawyers.†, it is obvious that mere recitation of a phrase, serves not, when taken out of context. Laugh you will, for laugh you must at a jest easily madee. Yet can you go to sleep to night without fear, or ill reflection that tomorrow may nt bring your arrest, disappearance, or
You should not forget Shakespeare’s infamous phrase comes from King Henry The VI. It was spoken between conspirators, conspirators who knew that for tyranny to triumph: “The first thing we do, we’ll kill all the lawyers.â€
Perhaps remeber that, after the last lawyer is gone, and the jack-booted thugs (or smiling police, or guv’mint agents) that there once was a profession that would stand with you, defend you and insist on “the rule of law” in actuality, not lip service.
If Adams can defend the British soldiers of the Boston massacre, then Baltar can and deserves the same. Someone who will zealously defend him put the arbitrary and secretive Roslin cabal to the test. That the freedom of a man maynot and cannot be taken by the autocratic leeches of power without due, process, a fair trial and the help of ‘a lawyer’
Thank you, I’ll send you my bill 😀
As to patches failing, I kept wondering why a thin sheet of metal (esp with the sealing of the patch could not be held in place by the pressure differential. In the lock, it had to be initially 1 atmosphere, outside nada. Would not a thin poiece of metal be therefore held in place by the vaccum on one side, the force of air pressure on the other?
Dainin, man, you left out the whole “it was said by a villian” line. Shame on you.
(To which I’ll add, that was WS’s excuse to his lawyers…)
Aye, Dick the Butcher… then there is
HAMLET.
There’s another: why may not that be the skull of a lawyer? Where be his quiddits now, his quillets, his cases, his tenures, and his tricks? why does he suffer this rude knave now to knock him about the sconce with a dirty shovel, and will not tell him of his action of battery?
Damm quiddits, always spilling out 😀
If you look closely at the patch Chief used I believe it has a corporate logo on it…….. “Halliburton” (oooh I am a bad man)
Leoben to Roslin: “Adama is a Cylon.”
Bill was projecting! Cylon psychology is based on projection!
….eh, so is human psychology….
Speaking of which, I always find it funny that so many hit shows are based on professionals most people don’t like to be around- doctors, lawyers, and cops.
So a lawyer, Dr and Priest are arguing what was the world’s oldest profession.
The Dr sez, it’s medicine because removing adams rib was a surgical procedure.
Nope sez the priest, it was religion for God created the heavens and Earth from Chaos.
And the Lawyer smiled, Yes, but who do you think caused the Chaos?
Good one!
And hey, one of the greatest movies of all time is about a lawyer- My Cousin Vinny. “Mr Gambini…” and of course the “yutes” scene.
Vinny Gambini: It is possible that the two yutes…
Judge Chamberlain Haller: …Ah, the two what? Uh… uh, what was that word?
Vinny Gambini: Uh… what word?
Judge Chamberlain Haller: Two what?
Vinny Gambini: What?
Judge Chamberlain Haller: Uh… did you say ‘yutes’?
Vinny Gambini: Yeah, two yutes.
Judge Chamberlain Haller: What is a yute?
Vinny Gambini: Oh, excuse me, your honor… Two YOUTHS.
Patches…..we don’t need no stinking patches.
Well, picture it this way….what you’re gong for in your posts are the vacuum to cement the thin piece of metal to the hull. Problem is that there is likely an uneven hole there and the thin piece may not be ductile enough to fit. Wanging on the patch metal with a hammer might help make a seal, but a weld is the way to go, I’d think.
What cracked me up was the wash cloth or whatever he tried to use to fix the craaaapy patch that failed.
I’ll get into the lawyer discussion later.
On the patch failing: you are right, the pressure difference between 1 and 0 atmospheres isn’t much. On the other hand, a constantly rushing stream of air could easily weaken already brittle metal, and chip away at it.
It looked to me like the following sequence of things happened:
1) Airlock was exposed to open air, probably during “the drop.” moisture collected from the air, friction, all that.. Insert whatever technobabble you want, but basically a non-heat shielded part of the hull was exposed to re-entry, just like the incident in 2002.
2) The airlock, being double-sealed, was allowed to vent to the atmosphere. 0 atmospheres.
3) Air was put back into the chamber to allow a work crew in, and the door opened manually. Patches were applied, hastily due to situation and due to the non-critical nature. You’ll note that supplies were left behind.
4) The door was sealed, and the place forgotten about. More combat and environmental damage occurred, breaking the manual controls and further weakening the hull.
5) The door was opened, which would’ve put pressure on the airlock and bring it up to 1 atmosphere. Callie and Tyrol moved inside.
6) The weld failed, like on a sub. Air started venting, the door closed, and the system shut down the ability for air to enter the chamber to avoid venting all of the Galactica’s air supply into space.
7) The paper-like patch was applied on top.. But you could already see the hole widening behind it. The weld was tearing away, and the air reacted with the metal.. I’d picture something like rust happening.
8) the patch began indenting.. until it structurally couldn’t hold itself together. It ripped, and the hole started widening again. You could see the depression in the paper getting bigger, until it was bigger than Tyrol’s fist. The lowering pressure combined with air movement caused things to start freezing, so on and so forth.
so.. yeah. That’s how I see it going down. Now.. if they were a bit more rational, they would’ve put a patch on the outside and a new patch on the inside, and gotten the pressure up enough to open the door.. But that’s a plot hole they didn’t have time to fully explain away. (Note a patch on the outside wouldn’t have worked, the atmosphere of pressure applied to a small hole like that would’ve been like a drill, if I remember my physics right.)
Also, was this the first time we heard Tyrol’s first name? Unless it was mentioned on New Caprica, I think it was.
I’ll leave the lawyers to the lawyers. Now that I’ve listened to the whole ‘cast & watched the ep:
Is it just me or are ALL the women either drunk bitches who get frakkin’ mad and kill people or they just want to have quiet little lives with their husbands? The Adama men only want blonde alcoholics who beat them up. Cally is slightly less bitchy, but that murderous gleam in her eye doesn’t absolve her even if she is kinda cute as a button. Athena just wants to lay low and Apollo has to practically frak Starbuck in front of Dee for her to say anything. Roslin will airlock you faster than you can say ‘Don’t airlock me, lady’. Aside from Tigh, who practically transcends BSG on his own, the other guys are victims. Even poor, frakkin’ clueless Hot Dog (there are still enough women in the fleet to give you something itchy, dude).
Funniest moments: Gaeta asks Dee to borrow her pen. Run for your life Dee!
How about a PSA for poor Hot Dog?
My husband actually told me I couldn’t watch BSG anymore after that OB-FRAKKIN-NOXIOUS text message thing. I mean come on kids. I thought we got over the OC-wannabe (the teen angst music wasn’t enough?!). I guess I’m also frustrated that the story doesn’t seem to be progressing very quickly at this point. When they were talking about 49 loooooooong days without Cylons, I groaned. I could tell it was going to be another growing episode. I’m with Chuck – I want Vipers! Argh. Sorry all. I didn’t mean to vent so much. I liked the ep, I just felt there were some weird untold things.
The love 4-sided whatever was gone, which was fine, but honestly. I don’t see Dee being so ‘Oh Lee! You’re home!’ when he just asked for another chance. Maybe I’m the only one who would have put a tracking device on him. And how Gods, how are Starbuck and Apollo flirting w/o awkwardness?
I was very much thrilled by the irony that Athena was saving the woman who shot Boomer and the guy who was doing Boomer at one time. I thought that was a great little subversive piece. The Hot Dog crotch itch – priceless! Helo was awesome with the humour too. Great moment. all in all good, but at the same time the ep seemed. . . . a tad . . . off. Dunno. Anyway. Great ‘cast cool cats. And who knew it would be so easy to get rid of all the lawyers?
Quick question.
It took the cylons a year to find the colonials, with help.
Most of the cylon traitors in the fleet have been discovered, at least from what I can tell.
So.. all you wanting action, how are you expecting it to come? The cylons are probably lying low, restructuring their society to account for suddenly missing 1/12 of it… Not to mention re-evaluating what to do with the colonials and the mission to Earth. One half of the “heroes” are currently with the fleet, and cut off from communication for all we know.
So until Adama starts jumping the fleet towards Earth again, how in the heck will there be Cylon conflict?
… No.. this ep was about repairing the Galactica. That shows just what Adama’s doing — he’s spent next to two months doing repairs and trying to fix up stuff. Makes sense, no?
Conflict needs a spark. My guess (not seeing next week’s preview) is that Caprica will initiate it, intentionally or otherwise. That, or they jump.
Hi guys, yes there are Aussies listening to your podcasts! Unfortunately the only way we get BSG is on commecial free to air and we are now about 2/3rds thru season 2…
Regarding Australia as a penal colony: yes you re dead right, the dregs of British society were shipped to Australia as a prison sentence. But you may not know that in a bizarre, art reflecting life turnaround, that Britain is agin employing prison ships for use as their land based prisons overflow! In fact this practice has been in place since 1997. Here’s a link:
http://www.marinelink.com/Story/Ships-to-Ease-Overcrowding-for-British-Prisons-205773.html
and
http://www.allbusiness.com/public-administration/justice-public-order/954936-1.html
Have been enjoying the podcasts!
gafra
couple of things, not all australians came over on the convict ships in the 18 hundreds, people have been coming over since then, and native australians are called aboriginals
A few suggestions for podcast during the break:
1) Episode by episode recap – you could let us know which ones and we can try to get our hands on them to keep up with you.
2) Guests – I liked Very Jerry and you could expend to other subject matter experts.
Law – trials, non-president situations, etc.
Race – visible minorities vs non-visible (cylons & Sagittarians are non-visible), are there patterns of acceptance/rejection? how to handle violence, discrimination, etc.?
Robotics – where is the technology now? Why is sci-fi filled with human looking ones when reality has more non-human ones?
Psychology – why do we day dream? What does it mean to have “invisible friends�
Space travel – (I thought Audra’s question about the hull was good) – FTL theory? What will space ships look like in the next decades?
Maybe we listeners can help you get some specialists….
It was mentioned in the podcast something about explosive decompression as all the air in all the blood vessels evacuated the body at once, when the Tyrols were expelled from the airlock. I remember reading one of those books written by physicists with naught better to do than take a sci-fi series waaaaay too seriously in which they handled this topic. Apparently, the air inside the body would attempt to get out, but as there are already orifices which are perfect for venting oxygen, the gases inside the body would most likely take the already-present routes. In short, the worst thing that would REALLY happen would be a massive fart. Although Cally’s eye problem is more probable, they would not explode.
/massive n3rd
Great podcast, as usual. I did also enjoy the episode, although I am getting eager for and episode which advances the more important story arcs. It was definitively better than last week, which I could have done without.
I’m left wondering if at some point they will have to break the dynamic of the show (Cylons chasing humans chasing Earth) because it may start to be difficult to come up with good, fresh ideas following that formula. I am not advocating for them to discover alien races Star Trek like, but it would be fun if the Cylons would fracture, maybe as a result of the emergence of one of the final 5, into 2 rival factions and the humans could play them against each other. Heck, maybe mechanical Cylons versus flesh and bone Cylons… I would also go for a couple of flash back episodes with young Adama and Tigh fighting in the initial war, explaining how that finally came to an end and led to the return of the Cylons later.
Maybe that is a topic you could use for a podcast during the break “Stories we would like to see on Galactica”. Other topics “Favorite episodes, favorite moment, Award show with best actor, actress, etc… I think you can do some interesting podcasts during the long long break.
Cheers!
Luc, that’s a great idea! I, for one, would love to learn more about the creation for the Cylons, what happened in the “first cylon war,” and “all that good stuff.” (And I don’t think they need a spin-off series to cover that either.)
In regards to government and Baltar’s trial, Roslin’s whole dilemma on under what colony’s rules to prosecute Baltar got me thinking.
They should eliminate the whole 12 colonies thing altogether, and just form one group, one colony. God knows there’s few enough people now, all these divisions seem needless. I understand how people would want to identify with their own colonial customs and I’m not saying that needs to be lost, just government-wise I think it would be easier if the fleet elected leaders on a majority basis and not provincially or through a quorum.
But I guess that would never happen because the 12 tribes are part of the mythology of BSG. Still, I think it would solve a lot of issues.
Ressa, interesting. I suspect that Caprican (and am I the only one who thinks it odd that it’s the only colony with the -a ending? Sagittaron, Virgon, Tauron, Geminon… Caprica?) Anyway, Caprican law will become the defacto law of the fleet, if only because that’s the books they got.
Get the 12 tribes to cooperate?
There are parts of the US that still feel snubbed for what happened 150 years ago.
There are wars going on right now over various interpretations of the same religion.
Genocides have been carried out over hair and eye color.
You’re not going to get these people to give up a 2-4 millenia old division just because they are stuck in a few tin cans together. The human brain just isn’t wired to drop its ideologies like that.
I think that Adama’s wife looked a lot like Apollo’s prostitute/girlfriend from Black Market, I thought that was her at first. And another Black Market connection, did anyone think it as odd that Kali wanted Lee and Dee to take care of Nicky when Lee left his pregnant girlfriend?
Ha, Chuck, I was thinking the same thing. Let’s get one BSG episode at the start of each month so we don’t have to go 9 fraking months without a fix.
And we must get GWC podcasts during the off season. Guests are good and “BSG Revisited” (does that sound hokey or what) is a splendid idea. Honestly, there’s some episodes from Season 1 I haven’t seen in over a year. Maybe we’ll even get some webisodes again for you guys to base a 75 minute show on a two minute clip lol.
And the Hotdog/Daggit thing had me cracking up! It probably wasn’t THAT funny, but anything having to do with daggits makes me burst out laughing. I have Netflixed many of the classic BSG DVDs just to see that rediculous looking monkey in a robot dog suit — Muffit!
And what is it with Cheif and the Old Man? It seems like they’re at it quite a bit.
You guys have got to see this! It’s a Bill Adama version of the Chuck Norris facts. Some of my favorites:
The Cylons have a plan….They just need to get Bill Adama’s permission.
The Lords of Kobol were Bill Adama’s employees.
The first FTL drive was invented by somebody trying to get away from Bill Adama….it didn’t work.
http://forums.scifi.com/index.php?showtopic=2265003
You know, the connection between Adama’s wife and Lee’s tryst… I did see a bit of that.
Then again, they say people are attracted to their mothers. Starbuck definitely fits the violent angle, whilst the prostitute fit the looks. Perhaps it’s stuff like this that makes me like Black Market more than some people around here.
13th, nice one. I like “Bill Adama’s fists are named “we” and “all.” So say we all.”
Although, if I was the one who came up with that idea, I think I would have used Laura…
One thing that can’t be said bad about Black Market is the music. Anyone who has the season 2 soundtrack knows what I’m talking ’bout!
Can we pretend the Black Market episode never happened. In fact, let’s install a boxing ring in the black market and have the sagitarrons duke it out and pretend they all didn’t happen? Weak.
Thinking back to the podcast about which legal system would be utilized and how a trial mght go (and the denoument. The general references in the show suggests that each planet had their own criminal/legal code. It was unclear that the colonies had a federal system per se. (they may have since they refer to the “President of the Colonies ~ plural) Like we have in the US, there can be crimes that are state crimes, or Federal crimes. Thus only planetary codes apply. Even out of same facts. So what might an indictment contain as charges. First the Caprican Charges
Treason:
Taking action against the state, with knowledge that it aids or gives comfort to the enemy. (prob is proof of intent to aid enemy would require knowledge that 6 was foreign agent.)
Knowingly allowing enemy agent to access Gov’t secrets (same proof prob as above)
Negligent disclosure of Gov’t secrets: (fairly clear, but probably not a death sentence crime)
Conspiracy of all of the above (major proof problems ~ will Caprica 6 be a prosecution or defense witness, in reality?
So if we assume that there is no overarching Federal criminal code applicable to all planets, we are left with a hodge-podge. I would say that the situs or location of the crimes determine the choice of laws. If Baltar is charged with allowing of subversion the Defense grid, (proof of his knowlege is hard to come by) that would have occurred on Caprica. Thus Caprican law.
Baltar is not a member of the military, and the crime occurred on Caprica so a military tribunal is not appropriate. Here in the US that is the distingusihing characteristic of the recent decisions of the Sup. Ct. A US citizen on US territory is entitled to the US legal system. Unless Baltar is classifyable as an “enemy combatant” a military tribunal is out.
Things really get strange at New Caprica. There is no clear law. I doubt that they adopted a legal systen there. So you could say there is no law = no crime. So do they use Common Law, unwritten principles? Or fake it? That brings us back to which colony’s laws as Caprica’s no longer have situs.
Malfeasance in office? How much was due to duress? A gun to ones head to sign the execution warrant is a pretty good defense. Also remember that this is an independent colony, the fleet ahd run off and abandoned them. So are we reduced to a collabaration charge? Again, I say what law, or is it the law of the mob?
He had his female (a-hem) assistants. If they were not on the payroll, no misuse of funds. I guess it depends on the definintion of is, is and of sexual relations with that cyclon? Also as the ONLY truly elected President of the colonies, Baltar should have immunity for actions he took unless they constitued the high crimes and misdemeanors required, assuming a mechanism for impeachment.
All this suggests that the “conviction” of baltar is not a forgone conclusion IF they use actual existing legal principles. However Madam “airlock” Roslin might be tempted to go for the quick and dirty, miltary tribunal (and how many officers will go against her and Adamas wishes). Perhaps that is the hurricane. A kangaroo court railroads Baltar in the popular view and troouble breaks out as the plebes revolt against the authoritarian power structure. Fertile grounds for a rabble rousher, perhaps a new Zarek?
All in all, if they do it right, it could be a LOT of fun!
Does “Black Market” use different cues than other BSG episodes, 13th C? I’ve never picked up a soundtrack album for the show, even though I think Bear McCreary is one talented composer (and I wish I had his job!), mostly because a lot of the same themes and arrangements tend to pop up from episode to episode (not that this is bad, just practical).
Hmm…should I pick it up?
Well you can get a clip from Amazon.com, but it’s kind of a mix of Middle Eastern and rock (emphasis on the rock in the “bonus” song with an ex- Oingo Bingo member- I think Richard Gibbs was with them as well).
You MUST pick it up though! The miniseries is a lot of what I call “Six music” that very “bing da ding ding ding dink…” stuff (Which I love). Season 1 has a lot of memorable stuff like a lot of the music from Kobol’s Last Gleaming (like the opera house music and Adama getting shot). Season 2 is probably my all around favorite. It’s got “Prelude to War”, which is all that “Pegasus” spinny cameras around Adama and Cain (“You are making such a mistake.” “I’m getting my men back.”) stuff. Incredible. And then it also has stuff like “Martial Law” and “Roslin and Adama” (which we also heard in this past episode) and “One Year Later” which is another awesome one. Get it!
Between seasons I would love to hear you all do some of your own commentary tracks that we can listen to you talk about the episode while we watch the show off of DVD. Give us a countown when to hit play to synch it.
Thanks for the tips, 13. I don’t pick up soundtrack albums very often since the main function of music on film (or TV) is to accompany a moving image and, thus, I find most film and TV scores to lose something when divorced of that association. It helps that the Galactica music is so good. I’m a composer myself, and a fastiduously picky one at that (I have a reputation for hating EVERYTHING…heh heh) so I’m not easily impressed. But that kid McCreary (and he’s just out of college or something like that) is one talented guy (he’s much better than the guy who scored the miniseries, even with some of the same material!).
All right, that’s enough revelatory stuff about myself on a public blog.
I loved the Bill Adama page. Actually I had two favorites.
One person had a signature with a picture of Roslin and her Native American name “Stands with Airlocks”. Classic.
The other was the last post. Bill and Jack Bauer had a blinking contest. Bill won.
Sweet.
For the off-season, I like the idea of the running commentary. If anything, pick the most action packed episodes and do commentaries. Or we can all do fan fiction. We’ll set up a page and do weekly fan-fic, to which you all review (someone said earlier that they would like to see how Adama and Tigh fought in the first Cylon War). But, please bring the Very Jerry back. And Lawyer Bill (I have a feeling he’ll have a lot to say after the season finale).
I don’t think fan-fics are a good idea. This site has been great about not trying to build on the series, only speculate on it. Fanfics.. have a reputation, to say the least.
And only doing the “action” eps? One, how would you define it.. And two, what about the better drama eps?
Anyways. Actually, a good thing to do is a series of polls for best ep, of each category. That could gather at least a month out of us. 😉
Also… If an ep review is done, I really can’t wait to see people go back and watch Black Market. Perhaps the fact that I watched all of season 2 in a row before seeing it gives it a different perspective… But despite learning about so much, so awkwardly.. .I’d call it a decent ep.
Hi All!
This is my first post here though I’ve been listening to the podcasts since late season 2, or was it last Summer?
First some formalities:
I really enjoy this podcast, it’s my only remaining “non-official” BSG podcast after having tried out the 3-4 others. Kudos to the team, and for getting the `casts up so quickly as well as maintaining very good sound quality. (I think you are not all in the same location as you record?). I listen to a couple dozen podcasts and the audio quality you put out is fantastic.
A little appropriate history on me: I’m a SciFi fan and rank the new BSG up there with my other favorite series, Babylon 5, Firefly, Farscape, original Star Trek and the Japanese Anime: Robotech. At anxious times of paranoia I note that most of these series were ended prematurely, and thus I fear for BSG. The move to Sunday night seems like a banishment to me as well.
Now, on topic,
—————–
Regarding what laws to try Baltar under. My intitial thinking was to select the laws of the colony he was a citizen of. However, his crimes do have a larger consequence and my guess is that some sort of over-reaching “federal” law system could be set to over-ride colony-based law. As mentioned above, works for me!
I’m also speculating that Caprica will play some critical role in this season’s cliff-hanger. At this time I can’t get a good feeling for whether she will be working for defense or prosecution, even if she tells Laura she’ll help with the trial. Part of me is dreading this upcoming trial and I hope it doesn’t end up consuming the remaining five episodes. I too miss the action, the last episode that delivered that for me was December 8th’s “The Passage” seems so long ago now (76 days!) craaaap.
Regarding the soundtracks, I’d recommend them as well. I’m fairly critical when it comes to music (not musician-critical) but I recently got both of them and they made for great background listening. Might help fend off the blues in the off-season.
A Day in the Life:
I timed from the moment the outer doors where blown open and the moment the Raptor door was shut, 18.75 seconds. FWIW
Ron Moore’s official podcast is 2.5 hours long this week and covers the editing of this episode. It’s interesting from that perspective as you see how non-linear the production on these shows is. Meaning that they shoot the story, and hopefully enough support scenes so that when everything is “frankensteined” together at the end, they can fill-in/augment it all together into a cohesive story.
One reason I think I and others were a little dissapointed in the “The Woman King” is that according to RM, that episode was altered late in the stage to better support the events coming up. The original (planned) premise for the show was different (my paraphrasing). I hope it’s OK to bring these things up here, I know you don’t talk much about the RM podcasts directly.
Silverhawk, regarding your first post and comments about continuity. I heartily agree. Something that bugs me somewhat about the practical limitation of television is that so many plot points end up emerging and getting sewn up within the 43-minute restriction. Sigh. And on that note, I must end this post.
Keep up the good work folks, and I’ll mention that I’d enjoy you doing your own episode commentary on some past episodes during the off-season.
Sorry if I come across as critical (well, I am) but it’s because I care! I had a chance to watch a couple episodes of another SciFi series that is a spin-off of a 10year series and was shocked how weak/unrealistic/unbelievable it was. Made me hug my own head cylon a little harder having discovered this quality show. I don’t have time for the craaaapy stuff.
Gods be with you 😛
Return of the first post…
Please do use some sound snippet at the end of your show, from a entertainment/publishing standpoint, that’s like leaving off the period to the end of a final sentance
It’s caused me to check the batteries on my iPod or the earphone plug a couple of times. Just to make sure it really ended. I’d also suggest you pick something and stick with it for a while as this will build up the audio version of “brand recognition.” A site that might be worth looking into is: http://www.podsafeaudio.com/
I’ve really appreciated the off-season podcasts with the special guests, hope you can line up some more. Maybe we can track down if somebody is involved with any BSG-related items (Legos, models, board games…). Maybe not so much to talk about that stuff, but about the show since they obviously like the show enough to be somehow involved with it. It was recently announced that a Battlestar game is in development for the Xbox Live Arcade (downloadable games for the Xbox 360 console) and this might also mean mobile (phone) games as well. Would be cool to get someone on that project.
And for those final days before season four begins, perhaps we can all hobble together our predictions for season four events and you do 1-2 predictions podcasts. I’ll put some quarters in! then we revisit at the end of the season.
Ciao!
Polls for rewatching shows! And we don’t have to pay 99 cents. lol
Guests- How about Eddie, Mary, or Tricia? lol I hope you guys realize you’re like the #1 BSG podcast other than RDM. I’ve tried to listen to others, and not to throw them under the daggit, but they’re either not as fun or too darn hard to hear (one sounded like a banquet hall conversation with a few of the people 29 feet away!). Kudos and I’m glad I discovered this little place.
The fine folks at QmX (a new replica company- their blog had the funny show in review) would be great guests. They’ve been big into a few of the Serenity podcasts I listen to (giving away craaap!) and they’ve made a craaap load off of me in the past few months. Andy or Steve would be great to have on- they’re big fans of the show and that’s why the company was formed in the first place, because it wasn’t avaliable elsewhere. And one of them actually designed Yoda’s lightsaber in Star Wars III.
Is there any way we can possibly get little member icons for this blog? It might be so late in this post that it won’t be seen, but what they heck. Other blog things have a spot to put a little member avatar and it makes it easier to recognize who it is you’re reading/responding to. Just a thought.
Bring back green ambrosia!
Hi everyone, I just watched the show from Itunes last night and am listening to the GWC podcast right now.
Can I just say I don’t like character development episodes? It’s just because very few characters are interesting enough and they tend to detract from the main storyline. But I realize BSG started off Season 3 with a bang and can’t be expected to keep up that momentum.
This one, though, had enough interesting points to keep me from gagging completely. I like Adama so his backstory pulled me in….I don’t care much about the Chief, and even less about super-whiny Callie, so I wasn’t very invested in that story. So this was an OK episode whereas “The Woman King” was crap and a waste of time and money imho.
By the way, was anyone reminded of the movie “Event Horizon” during the airlock rescue scene?
Ha ha! I love Event Horizon, and I’m probably the only person in the world who would say that. I love me some zombies, but they don’t leave me awake at night. Event Horizon absolutely scared the craap out of me.
Don’t feel alone, 13th, I loved Event Horizon also. Especially the airlock scene. Deeeep.
I think Brian CC is right. I’m sure the Exodus duet, The Passage and Rapture probably wreaked havoc on the show’s budget. I’m relatively cool with the stories. Even the “ScareHelo and Mrs. King” episode (granted the actress who played Ms. King had scant resemblance to Kate Jackson, but that’s beside the point… if anything, Chuck knows what I’m talking about).
I’m still proud of RDM and these episodes. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting too much in terms of Viper action because of the intensity of “Exodus, Pt. 2”. “The Passage” and “Rapture” surprised me in terms of special effects.
But, now’s the time to pull out an extra special battle. RDM didn’t put “49 days without a Cylon contact” in the script without reason. I’m sure something big is coming either week after next or the week after that.
13th Cylon, I too really liked Event Horizon, not sure if I loved it however. I have not missed the viper action all that much; in fact I am enjoying the time without all the “normal†sci fi action. It certainly is a huge difference from the new BSG from the original BSG that had a large part of the movie as dialogue from viper to viper.
I will admit that there have been a few episodes this season I have been disappointed with, but I can say that for every season; and that does not mean that Ron D. Moore has not and is not making a GREAT story. For I really believe that Battlestar Galactica is the best show on television right now, and for the past three years.
I do however think I am the only person who like the new time slot, (I work Friday nights and would have to Itunes and tape it before.) An employee of mine told me that he heard Tricia Helfer on the loveline radio show, I downloaded it from there website and wanted to tell everyone that might want to listen. I waited a while before mentioning it because there is a SPOILER, so fair warning for those who listen in.
Cavatar
We could have Viper stuff every show like the old show, of course they had to use stock footage after about the 2nd or 3rd episode. lol
During the offseason I think having an episode by episode watch and discussion is a great idea.
Also, what’s this I see on Wikipedia about a spinoff series called Caprica?
You heard right Daggit, there is a spinoff in the works (we will finally get to see some Daggits!!!)
Thanks alot guys, now I have to go and watch Event Horizon, It has been awhile.
Just a little note….I too have been a lttle let down by some of the episodes this season, But then I remind myself that on its worst weekend I would still rather watch Galactica than any other show on TV.
Cavatar, I too don’t mind the new night, but I do miss the old friday night lineup, even if it meant I had no life. I always knew that I would have SG-1, Atlantis, and cap the night off with a cold brew and a little Galactica.
With this being SG=1’s last season, I guess we will never have that awesome friday night lineup again. (a single tear drops down my extremely man like chisseled cheek!!)
I understand that this is character-driven storytelling. But the show is called Battlestar Galactica, not Relationshipstar Galactica. Time to top off the viper fuel tanks with some testosterone and kick toaster butt. BTW, love the podcast!
BSG DTDVD movie is official:
http://tv.ign.com/articles/767/767709p1.html
Article says it will focus on side stories that they weren’t able to fit into the regular shows. It will eventually air on Sci Fi after it comes out on DVD.
frank i feal your pain the new ep Talion reminded me of Man on Fire end of line about sg1
damn characters *to RDM* pleas kill off somebody, that would be exciting
as for thr break 1 show should be a compelation of all of Audras songs, another about Sheans sheep impression, and the third about a brain shrinking in the drier
Ok I was a bad BSG fan this week and didn’t get to this one and the GWC cast until today. I’ve been loving finally reading all the comments today. The only thing I can add is it just me or does Helo have a new job every week? He’s in the CIC, he’s on flight status, he’s processing civilians and then he’s back with the pilots in the briefing room. Tahmoh’s getting a helluva a lot of screen time.