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Technically any good? The miniseries really does some nice thematic work (exploring the "why" as much as the "how" the human race should survive) while also easing us into the changes--like Cylons were created by humans and now have evolved to look like them. This may seem like a bad idea, but it does come to make really strong dramatic sense.
Season 1 stays just as strong as the miniseries and is in someways stronger. There was one episode that contained a sequence I'd equate to the trench battle in Star Wars but somehow managed to be ten times more intense. While season 2 lags a little, season one is almost flawless and season 2.5 (including the stunning season finale) knocked me on my ass. The bad episodes only suffer because characters do things they wouldn't do (Starbuck falls in love reeeeally fast, for example) and so does the story (we go back to their home planet for a really contrived reason).
Generally speaking however, the acting is spot on--everyone is absolutely brilliant and solid and believable. Edward James Olmos (Adama) should get a thousand Emmies and the wonderful duality James Callis brings to Baltar makes me want to be an actor (and totally wipes my memory of him in Bridget Jones' Diary). The writing is really strong and there's a great story arch that is easy to follow (though not without it's occasional scifi geekery).
Final Rating? WEW - Watch Every Week. Currently it's running on the SciFi Channel, but the miniseries and seasons 1, 2 and 2.5 are all available on DVD (click the images to the left to get 'em from Amazon). not to over-hype this, but this show is really good.
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What do you think of this season? I'm finding it slow going. Still Tivo'ing it, but I haven't watched the last few episodes yet, I've lost interest. I'm SOOOOOOOO bored with the Starbuck/Apollo love angle.
ReplyDeleteI think the Starbuck/Apollo thing is fine, I was bored with the Baltar possibly be one of the final five cylon models. How LAME would that be if he was one of them?? They've pretty much sewn it up that he is not a cylon, but they dragged it out for so long. I just hope they keep going with the "real life" stuff like the labor dispute. If this is the last episode detailing how messed up things have gotten in the lower classes, I'm going to be very disappointed. The human race numbers in the tens of thousands, if memory serves, that's a lot of people who aren't the ruling class. I want to see more of them being pissed some Caprican school teacher gets to live large on a spiffy spaceship while that mining ship looks like Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs would hesitate to step aboard!
ReplyDeleteI also love that Baltar is now Lenin--I think it's great how he keeps reinventing himself to survive. First it was useful scientist (who was really clueless), then it was politician (which I didn't care for at first), then it was undercover religious zealot, and now he's going to be Che. But I'll tell you--James Callis, the guy who plays Baltar, makes me want to be an actor so bad--and not just because he gets to snog hot blondes, though that is a plus. Ironically, he was born two days before me--same year and everything. Maybe that's why my British accent kicks so much ass!
How about you? Do you like the more "character" episodes or the ones that follow the "let's find Earth" arc? I wish they'd do more episodes that do both, like back in first season. Ahhhh! This is the most nerdy I've been in a long time!! Hey, if you ever want to do a second podcast where you and I just talk about movies and TV (and don't mind doing the post on it) let me know.
OK, back to work on the novel now...
Baltar is one of my favorite characters. Like you, I just love the way he's able to constantly turn the tables and go from alliance to tenuous alliance. He is a sneaky, worthless bastard and I love him for it. I think the whole never-ending Starbuck/Apollo/Starbuck's husband guy/Dualla love quadrangle is what's soured me on this season. It's so angsty, it's like a damn soap opera.
ReplyDeleteI am definitely more interested in the action storylines. I kind of miss the battles with the Cylons. The "Final Five" thing is starting to wear on me, also -- just tell us who they are already. I feel like I know who the characters are already, and I don't need another hour devoted to how fracked-up Starbuck is, or how drunk Col. Tigh is, or how loyal to his family Helo is. I GET IT. Blow some shit up. Or get back to the political intrigue stuff.
I can understand that--though I have a huge crush on Starbuck so I don't mind that stuff so much. Though I think they've spent that nickel at this point. I'm with you on the whole "just tell us who they are already" thing regarding the final five. Let's hope it happens soon! I don't feel like waiting until the end of the 4th season to find out who they are. There's also supposed to be a feature-length BSG movie that goes in between this season and the 4th. Though the scuttlebutt is that it'll go straight to DVD and not even air on the scifi channel. Go figure...
ReplyDeleteLet's dish, I just got caught up on the last three episodes. Starbuck: Final Five, or what? Seems to me she must be, right, otherwise she's just dead. I have to be honest, I won't miss her that much (sorry) -- just tired of all the angst and drama and This Has All Happened Before b.s. If she comes back as Final Five, maybe there will be some new awesomeness about her.
ReplyDeleteI'll take the new awesomeness. I never cared for her religious stuff--so I'm tentative on all of this new 'destiny' crap. I'm hoping for the best. The writers have done so much right in my mind over the three seasons that I'll be OK with whatever they do, even if I'm not overjoyed. I dig chicks that can kick ass and Starbuck happens to have some complication to her--she's got this subtle self-loathing thing going on that the writers forget about from time to time. When she has the best chance at happiness she messes it all up SOMEhow, invariably. That's what makes her so interesting to me. That's what drove me nuts about her being so hung up over the dude she met on Caprica. I LOVED the explanation for why she married him, though--it all pointed to the self-loathing stuff where she couldn't let herself be truly happy with Apollo, so she did something that would hurt the most people and herself--married a guy she loved less than Lee. She should have the death wish now. :)
ReplyDeleteAh, damn it! I just watched the season finale (finally!) and I have to say that I enjoyed it a lot. I know a lot of folks online have been annoyed with it, but I really dug it. The song (especially one we'd recognize from our planet) was an interesting choice if not one I'd go with. I don't think the people they revealed as Cylons are really Cylons. I think there is another explanation. I know how I'd write it, but just in case I'm right, I won't accidentally ruin it for anyone.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I highly recommend this series on DVD. Go rent it, Netflix it or watch your friend's copies. Just check it out!