Battlestar Galactica, encore

[selenak]

Thanks to the good and glorious hmpf, my next batch of Battlestar Galactica episodes have arrived. Am more in love than ever. This is definitely my new show. Watch it, American citizens, when it starts to be broadcast on your shows now. andrastewhite has just written a wonderful introduction to it.

Impressions of episodes 3 - 8, which is what I watched in one greedy gulp:

- Great Maker, I love the intelligent writing. Bastille Day had me afraid at one point that we were going the route of fourth season Garibaldi (i.e. good points made are dismissed because the person who has made them turns out to have been working for the bad guys), but no, Ron Moore came through with flying colours. When Apollo said "you were right", I was stunned and happy in a really good way. Btw, even absolute purists and fanaticis of the old BSG should at least watch this episode, because their guy Richard Hatch has a really good role, and delivers a good performance which frankly from my dim memories of the pilot and two or so eps of the original I had not believed him to be capable of. I apologize, Mr. Hatch. Plus the casting of Hatch as the guest star of the week isn't just a gimmik and nod to the original, it's really clever meta due to what his role consists of. Not to mention that Ron Moore also proves me wrong when saying that DS9 could not be made today as it was then, because of the terrorism/freedom fighter ambiguity around Kira's character. Bastille Day doesn't just use the word "terrorist" but is unafraid of plunging full into said ambiguity.

- When I in my original ravings about the miniseries and first two episodes compared Adama to Theoden, somewhat pointed out that he has a Theoden and Eowyn relationship with Kara (aka Starbuck). Which I can see now, after having watched Act of Contrition and You can't go home again. (What I can't see are Apollo/Starbuck vibes; Lee and Kara strike me more as having a brother and sister type of relationship.) I like that they gave Kara her guilt issues re: Zack, as this takes her beyond the swashbuckling persona. And yes, there is something of Eowyn there in her scenes with Adama, which are painful and beautiful at the same time.

- I maintain my Laura Roslin love. As Andraste said, female warriors are great, but it's a beautiful thing to see a female civilian presented as strong, with strength not meaning she has to win every argument; her ability to keep an open mind and respect when someone else is right, as in Bastille Day, is something I admire as well. To quote Lee, she has my vote. Also? She belonges to that incrediblly rare tribe on tv, a woman over 40 who isn't someone's mother but simply one of the main characters. Probably Moore's most original contribution to the Galactica set-up.

- As opposed to Firefly, BSG is a very serious show, but you can tell the writers are having fun with Gaius Baltar. Six Degrees of Separation was among other things a very black comedy, and James Callis delivers such lines as "no more Mr. Nice Gaius" with relish. And am I the only one who gets a Braca vibe from Gaeta?

- Meanwhile, Chief Tyrol is definitely the successor of O'Brien as the honest working class everyman of the show, and you feel for him as Moore & Co. love to torture him every bit as much as they loved to torture O'Brien. The actor isn't quite Colm Meany, but he's good.

- The Cylon ships being pilot-less because they are in effect Cylons themselves: makes sense, and is neat.

- So: what do the Cylons want with Helo and Boomer, if these two were supposed to have sex and settle down? And again the question of whether "I love you" was spoken. Was this perhaps meant to be an experiment in Cylon/human relationships?

- Callum Keith Rennie was excellent in the episode which I can't help but think of as the Abu Ghraib episode, and DueSouth fans will be thrilled to see him again. Again with the reverse of the cliché: the usual pattern would be to have a human being interrogated and tortured by a Cylon. By having a Cylon interrogated and tortured by a human being, you deepen the shades of grey and disturb the viewer. (I'm still disturbed.) Starbuck starts with regarding the Cylon as a toaster and ends up praying for his soul. In between are eight hours of mind games on the Cylon's part and torture on her part. When she tells Roslin "it's a machine, so any tactics are justified", you can see she doesn't quite believe it any longer. And the question isn't solved by the show itself. "Can humans uphold their ethics even in a desperate situation" was a question the last two seasons of DS9 asked, and this new show asks even more urgently. If the Cylons are sentient beings, then it was torture. And the show refuses to justify it by letting Starbuck find out some crucial information this way. Which reminds me of my post a while ago on the tendency of genre shows to make up enemies one can kill without compuncture. This show could have done that with the Cylons due to their artificial nature, but no, it avoided that easy way. Ave, Moore.

And now I'm off to watch episode 9...

Comments

[kathyh]

their guy Richard Hatch has a really good role, and delivers a good performance which frankly from my dim memories of the pilot and two or so eps of the original I had not believed him to be capable of.

You and me both. It took me some time to realise it *was* him even, as I was thinking "this can't be Richard Hatch, the guy can act". Very unfair of me.

What I can't see are Apollo/Starbuck vibes; Lee and Kara strike me more as having a brother and sister type of relationship.

Definitely sibling type of relationship, complete with a bit of rivalry (but I can't say any more about that).

- So: what do the Cylons want with Helo and Boomer, if these two were supposed to have sex and settle down?

Hm...I think I might be getting an inkling, but again I can't say any more.

It really is an excellent show and I second your plea that people should watch it.

[kernezelda]

I'm on Episode 5 now, and should have finished up through ten by the end of the weekend - then I can read your post!

[selenak.livejournal.com]

I'm looking forward to your comments!

[zarq.livejournal.com]

*grin* Just wait until you get to episode 10!! :-D I love your observations on the series. No one else I know has watched it yet!

I've been downloading BSG episodes off of newsgroups and the gnutella network a few days after they're broadcast on SkyOne.

Before I started, I feared this Battlestar Galactica would be similar to the original. Campy, cutesy and filled with pseudoscientific babble that didn't reconcile itself into logical explanations when one thought about it deeply.

I should have had more faith in Ron Moore. He made DS9 a show I was addicted to week after week, with deep characters that came to life because they acted like oh-so-much more than sci-fi caricatures. Considering the quality level of the movies and now the series, I'm highly impressed. This is only the first few episodes of the first season, yet the show looks, well, if not seamless, it's certainly sucked me in. Dark, gritty and realistic. Looking back at B5, Enterprise, DS9, Voyager, Farscape etc., the quality of BSG is much higher than that of the others at the same point in their own runs.

Baltar's amusing, yes, but it's Grace Park's Boomer that's grabbed my own attention. I find some of Moore's best work uses non-humans to help us discover that which makes us the way we are. As you mentioned, the last two seasons of Deep Space Nine (especially "In the Pale Moonlight,") show us how Star Trek humans react when faced with a choice of violating their ethics or facing their own destruction. As it turns out, their much vaunted ideals do not necessarily extend to allowing themselves to lose.

So are the cylons a reflection of our own humanity? The all-too human cylon, (as we saw and you pointed out in Callum Keith Rennie's performance) gives us an interesting insight into oru own natures. The show is slowly revealing that humanoid Cylons are almost more human than we are, and I think this is the key to understanding them. In the meantime, we have flawed humans everywhere: Colonel Tigh is an alcoholic (and his wife is nuts), Kara seems almost manic depressive, Lee has his own ghosts to deal with, the President is suffering from cancer... the list goes on.

TV Guide's current issue describes the Cylons as (paraphrased) a machines whose god decided mankind was too flawed and needed to be wiped out. Do the cylons believe they are a more perfect version of humanity?

I'm looking forward to finding out, myself.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Looking back at B5, Enterprise, DS9, Voyager, Farscape etc., the quality of BSG is much higher than that of the others at the same point in their own runs.

All true. The only show which I can think of which was that good in terms of quality during the early part of its first season was Firefly. (Insert the usual rant at Fox here.)

It's Grace Park's Boomer that's grabbed my own attention. I find some of Moore's best work uses non-humans to help us discover that which makes us the way we are.

I'm reminded of the early Blade Runner scene where an incredulous Harrison Ford asks: "How can it not know what it is?" (And then proceeds to fall in love with "it".) It's intriguing the way they play the double act - Galactica Boomer doesn't know she's a Cylon yet, but more and more suspects, while Caprica Boomer has always known, but develops more and more feelings for Hero. In both cases you have the question as to what defines one's nature - do the Boomers have free will in deciding what they want to be, human or Cylon, or don't they?

Do the cylons believe they are a more perfect version of humanity?

I'm looking forward to finding out, myself.

Same here. Now I know one has to be careful with present-day allegories, but it seems to me you can construct one because the Cylons are certainly related to religious fundamentalists of any calibre, complete with the conviction that the other side has fallen and doesn't deserve to live anymore. But the show does not suggest that the solution to this would be to wipe out the Cylons in return. I wonder whether the sleeper agents like Boomer who know both worlds might one day act as intermediaries between Cylons and humans?

[spoonishly.livejournal.com]

Oh, yay! Another person with the BSG love. I've gotten innundated as well. Best show I never expected to like!

I maintain my Laura Roslin love. As Andraste said, female warriors are great, but it's a beautiful thing to see a female civilian presented as strong, with strength not meaning she has to win every argument; her ability to keep an open mind and respect when someone else is right, as in Bastille Day, is something I admire as well

YES. It took me a while to warm up to her but it was a quick adoration once I did. I think her having an open mind is what most impresses me. Adama has thrown some pretty risky military concepts to her and she's weighed the pro's and con's, weighed what's good for the survivors and made her decisions then. She's not rash nor is she biased. She does what she has to do.

James Callis delivers such lines as "no more Mr. Nice Gaius" with relish. And am I the only one who gets a Braca vibe from Gaeta?

Ha! I didn't even think of the Braca/Gaeta connection. You'll get a rockin Braca moment in ep 10, without giving too much away. But, you said the writers are having with Baltar and I think that AND that James Callis is having fun too. He seems to relish the almost physical comedy he has to do with his body sometimes.

I thought the CKR episode was exceptionally well done in that it gave new light to both Roslin and Starbuck. The audience sees that Starbuck is capable of some disturbing things and we see some excellent negotiation skills from Roslin. And I liked that we got a little bit of the fear from the Cylons too. What they fear, why they might not want to die.

I like the Apollo/Starbuck relationship as it is right now. Strong yet able to break. They'll fight and argue with each other and they don't have the obligation of a romance to tie them down.

My other favorite relationship might be Starbuck/Tigh just for the antagonistic nature. But, there's a soft spot for Roslin/Apollo in my heart too.

Love this show so much.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Best show I never expected to like!

I was certainly curious enough to give it a try, because I loved Ron Moore's work on both TNG and DS9, but I hadn't expected it to be that excellent.

She's not rash nor is she biased. She does what she has to do.

Yes. Sometimes she agrees with Adama, and sometimes she doesn't. I think the two are balancing each other very well, both in terms of personality and in terms of democracy (an important subject in this show) - it's good that neither has all the power. On a somewhat lighter note, that school teacher background Adama at the beginning scoffed about sure comes in handy - I thought of it when she confronted Adama and Lee with what they were doing to the Fleet re: Starbuck. It was a first class "you can do better than this, don't make me ashamed of you" dressing down.*g*

Ha! I didn't even think of the Braca/Gaeta connection. You'll get a rockin Braca moment in ep 10, without giving too much away.

Aha! Then I wasn't wrong.*g* Good to know.

And I liked that we got a little bit of the fear from the Cylons too. What they fear, why they might not want to die.

It makes them more vulnerable, but in an intriguing fashion. We'll see when we meet the next CKR model whether or not he was able to download and remembers his encounter with Starbuck. I'm also fascinated by the Cylon definition of love, which seems to be a big issue for them, judging by both Six' and Loeben's reactions and words.

I like the Apollo/Starbuck relationship as it is right now. Strong yet able to break. They'll fight and argue with each other and they don't have the obligation of a romance to tie them down.

Exactly. And I don't think the writers will go for a romance, either, so we'll keep it as an m/f friendship, which are all too rare on tv.

My other favorite relationship might be Starbuck/Tigh just for the antagonistic nature. But, there's a soft spot for Roslin/Apollo in my heart too.

I love these two as well. BTW, I can see the Roslin/Apollo vibes, but alas there her position pretty much isolates her. Unless someone else gets elected when they hold the vote, which I doubt, in which case she would be free to pursue whatever relationship she likes.

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

And am I the only one who gets a Braca vibe from Gaeta?

My entire group of offline BSG-watching friends calls him Braca. So no, it's not just you *g*

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Good to know.*g* I can so see Baltar kiss him on the head, too...

[kernezelda]

I finished watching all the rest of the ten episodes tonight. The episode in which Baltar is caught by Starbuck in his lab, while he's in the midst of some highly personal activity, that's a priceless moment.

The poor man - I can't settle on an opinion of him. His arrogance is hand-in-hand with his genius. He's quick on his feet, able to shift from internal to external dialogue very skillfully - but his nervousness and increasingly obvious distracted state keep others wary of him. He can't let down his guard for an instant lest he give himself away.

His blond invisible friend certainly, ah, gives him a lot more pleasurable companionship than Harvery did John.

The fact that his first and foremost concern is his own skin stays constantly in mind, that and his role as a dupe in the original attack. He does not betray Boomer while she's there in his lab, but why not afterward? His interactions with Gata and Starbuck are interesting, and I look forward to seeing what develops.

The President is a fine example of a woman in power who isn't intimidated by the strong male characters around her. She's a compassionate person, a leader by bizarre circumstance who rises to the challenge. She's honest and courageous. The Bastille Day episode and the CKR episode showcase her strength and her conviction.

These two episodes are also interesting in the way they show us deeper aspects of Apollo and Starbuck. I was astounded not that Apollo let the leader of the prisoners live, but that he made a bargain with him because of the principals espoused. That's a bold young man, a man of strong mind and will. It was surprising in the CKR episode that Starbuck would be assigned to interrogate the Cylon. She's a pilot, a flight instructor - and also trained in interrogation techniques? Are all pilots so trained? Or if she is untrained, why was she chosen?

I am not sure what the Cylons are doing with Helo on Caprica. Is it a test not only of him, but of one of their own? How human can a Cylon become before they're one of us, and not one of them?

The early statement of Gaius' inner lover that she wanted to have children with him startled me. Whether she's a chip or his own hallucination, I'm not sure what she's driving at. The fact that we see a physical incarnation of her kill a child in the miniseries remains a chilling reminder of her ruthlessness.

I am very interested in seeing what happens next.


In RPG matters, the Black Glory is heading in toward Babylon 5 under a comms blackout, which Teeg may lift before arrival at station sensor range. Have you got any plans for us? Teeg will need to report to Londo.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

He can't let down his guard for an instant lest he give himself away.

Quite. Which is why I'm curious as to whether he'll actually manage to develop a relationship of sorts with Starbuck or Gaeta, because in either case, he's bound to spill from the stress of the double life sooner or later.

Making Baltar not EVIL (tm) but unabashedly selfish and amoral makes for a far more unpredictable character. Originally, he was duped but keeping Boomer's identity secret now is a conscious decision, and indicates a choice...

His blond invisible friend certainly, ah, gives him a lot more pleasurable companionship than Harvery did John.

Harvey, pouting, comments: "I was working on it! I even tried to look like Aeryn! A few more attempts and I would have gotten it right. It's not my fault that John got so upset over my first attempt..."

I was astounded not that Apollo let the leader of the prisoners live, but that he made a bargain with him because of the principals espoused.

Yes. Letting him live is the standard hero thing to do; but accepting the guy was actually right in his primary demand was the amazing Galactica twist. Also that said Tom Zerek accepted the bargain. A more easy way to settle the "terrorist or freedom fighter?" question would have been to let Zerek go for the glorious bloodbath instead, but no, Zerek showed in the end that his principles were more important than his ego to him as well.

It was surprising in the CKR episode that Starbuck would be assigned to interrogate the Cylon.

Tigh would have been a more obvious choice. Other than meta reasons (i.e. this was supposed to be a Starbuck episode), the only reason I can think of was that Adama secretly thought that given Tigh's alcoholism and issues, the Cylon would be able to get under his skin more, that Apollo would not have used force, and of the remaining choices, he trusted Starbuck most.

Is it a test not only of him, but of one of their own? How human can a Cylon become before they're one of us, and not one of them?

That could be an issue. It all comes down to whether or not the Cylons have free will, even those like Boomer who are meant to be agents. Galactica!Boomer seemed to overcome a conditioning/programming when finding the water and reporting it after some serious struggle. Caprica!Boomer certainly develops feelings for Helo. And if they have free will, can they decide which species to belong to? (Not that the humans would ever trust them, one assumes.)

The fact that we see a physical incarnation of her kill a child in the miniseries remains a chilling reminder of her ruthlessness.

That was an eerie and powerful scene, not least because it can be interpreted several ways. Did she do it because she can? Out of mercy, because it was a quick death as opposed to the impending radiation poisoning for the rest of the population? Because the child symbolized human life? No idea.

But yes, the fact that the Six in Baltar's head wants one is fascinating. Of course you can interpret "child" in several ways. (Didn't we say that Harvey is the child of John and Scorpius, for example?)

RPG: hm, that opens several possibilities. Londo is currently negotiating with Bester, but due to time zone difference that's progressing at a glacial pace. I'll probably write one of the challenge responses posts later today; Teeg can announce herself then. Do you think she'd object to delivering some arms to the Bester-led faction of the Corps for a take-over on Earth (from the Clark regime)?*veg*

[boofadil.livejournal.com]

i love the relationship between adama and starbuck. love.

What I can't see are Apollo/Starbuck vibes; Lee and Kara strike me more as having a brother and sister type of relationship

i don't see them as having a brother/sister relationship, but a competative friendship. i can ship them or not, it doesn't matter to me much, but they are the characters (along with adama and six and baltar) that cause me to love the show. the other characters certainly help (with the exception of boomer. grace park drives me nuts the way she plays that roll. half the time she sounds like a valley girl in the buffy movie) but they alone wouldn't bring me back to the table over and over and over.

i was talking to some friends about it (ok so we've spent the last week od-ing on this show...sue us.) and one of them brought up that one of starbuck's functions is to be a catalyst for character revelation in the other characters. through her you know more about adama and apollo and tigh and in ep 10 roslin. she's caustic and loveable all at once. and i love her relationship with apollo. i don't if it's just the way bamber's playing him but i definitely think that there's something there...at the very least slightly unbalanced attraction. and not necessarily in the physical sense. the look he gives her in ep 7 when she comes out to help them with the raider...it's priceless and it's...i dunno. something big.

i do hope, on some level, that they keep them on the friends plain because, yeah, that'd be nice and different. but i'm cool with it going either way...and probably will read fic that goes both ways...possibly even write it.

this show is my fun! serious show. i refuse to get to the point where my obsession ruins it for me if they go a way that i don't like. i'm having so. much. fun right now.

Glad you like it!

[hmpf.livejournal.com]

Of course, I knew you would... *g*

The season will end in only two weeks. I will send you the rest of the eps, including ep 9, then.

You know me well *g*

[selenak.livejournal.com]

And you're a saviour to the download-deprived!

Galactica

[likeadeuce.livejournal.com]

so far, we've only had the movie/pilot here -- it just reran, and I watched it on your recommendation. fascinating stuff -- it didn't quite work for me as the 3-hour movie NBC tried to make it into, but extremely intriguing as a setup for a series. I know I saw the original as a really young kid, but I don't remember anything about it aside from the hokey quasi-religious "lost tribes"-meets-L.RonHubbard setup (not that I recognized it as such at the time; since I was raised in a fundamentalist home, that actually might have been part of the appeal -- we would have read it from a biblical POV, obviously, not a scientological one). Anyway, that was thankfully softpedaled, and even subverted, in the remake, and what really shone through for me were the characters -- I fell in love with Starbuck at first sight, and Apollo pretty quickly as well. Adama is harder to like right away, but I bet he'll be a fascinating presence. Now Gaius -- somebody on my f-list described Gaius as the love child of Julian Bashir & Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, which makes me laugh, though it hardly does either of those gentlemen justice (I'm not DS9-literate enough to be sure about Bashir beyond the "guh, he's hot", but if this guy was around Wesley for long, he might end up gripping his kneecap in an extremely painful way, though probably without damange to major arteries). He's fascinating, though, and I'll be interested to see how much they attempt to redeem him.

Thanks for the rec!

Re: Galactica

[selenak.livejournal.com]

it didn't quite work for me as the 3-hour movie NBC tried to make it into, but extremely intriguing as a setup for a series.

It's supposed to be shown as a two-parter. Sigh. Ah well. At least NBC shows it at all, unlike Fox with Serenity (grrr, argh).

Anyway, that was thankfully softpedaled, and even subverted, in the remake,

Ron Moore does some fascinating stuff with the Cylons and their monotheism, and the humans and their polytheism, is all I'm saying.*g*

I fell in love with Starbuck at first sight, and Apollo pretty quickly as well. Adama is harder to like right away, but I bet he'll be a fascinating presence.

Yes, and Edward J. Olmos has so much presence. For the record, Starbuck and Apollo continue to get great scenes. Imo the best Apollo episode (out of those I've seen, of course) is Bastille Day, and the best Starbuck episode either the two parter Acts of Contrition/Can't go home again or Flesh and Bone.

And tell me you liked Laura Roslin. She is the one I fell for right away.

Now Gaius -- somebody on my f-list described Gaius as the love child of Julian Bashir & Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, which makes me laugh, though it hardly does either of those gentlemen justice (I'm not DS9-literate enough to be sure about Bashir beyond the "guh, he's hot", but if this guy was around Wesley for long, he might end up gripping his kneecap in an extremely painful way, though probably without damange to major arteries).

Ah, but you're assuming later Wesley here, and they probably think of early Wesley.*g*

He's fascinating, though, and I'll be interested to see how much they attempt to redeem him.

The great thing about Gaius Baltar is that he's not just evil for evil's sake, the way his namesake in the old Galactica was. He did not intend to sell out the human race. But he is unabashedly selfish, and he's not kidding when he tells Six that he's on nobody's side. My own Buffyverse comparison would be either to a genius level Andrew or to Warren without Warren's misogyny or high school related hang-ups. Gaius does like women, and not just sexually, plus he's sublimely confident in his own abilities. Which leads to a great UST-ridden scene with Starbuck in episode 2. Have fun.*g*

I'm glad you enjoyed it, and shall look forward to hearing more of your reactions.

Re: Galactica

[likeadeuce.livejournal.com]

It's supposed to be shown as a two-parter. Sigh. Ah well. At least NBC shows it at all, unlike Fox with Serenity (grrr, argh).

The whole Serenity thing will continue to baffle me. Anybody who could NOT fall in love with that show in the first 5 minutes, over Mal's "too pretty to die" line, that baffles me. Sci-Fi network originally showed it in 2 parts; NBC just "repurposed" it as a movie to cross-promote the new series, which starts Friday. I must say, it looked damn good for a Sci-Fi production. The lighting on some of the shipboard scenes is just gorgeous. Dunno how the series production values compare.

And tell me you liked Laura Roslin. She is the one I fell for right away. Oh, yes -- I worshipped Mary McDonnell already; and I thought I had this character pegged as one thing, and she kept subtly changing.


[Gaius & Wesley & blood spurting from kneecaps]
Ah, but you're assuming later Wesley here, and they probably think of early Wesley.*g*

It was actually the dead-girlfriend-sitting-on-his-lap that was cited. and I should note that, when Illyria came on to Angel and Wesley started shooting people in the kneecaps, I absolutely expected that Wesley & Illyria were going to end up being the antagonists, if not the villains, for the rest of the series -- I do love wondering where that would have gone if we'd had another season; but I could also see some parallels to watcher-Wesley, "Giles, what was the name of that guy who was helping Buffy so we can turn him over to Balthasar & go on our merry way?"

The great thing about Gaius Baltar is that he's not just evil for evil's sake, the way his namesake in the old Galactica was.

Oh, wow, see, I didn't even have him pegged as "the villain", though now that you say that I vaguely remember it from the old series; I loved the bit where Cylon-girl was talking about how he only really worried about the end of the world as it affected him -- and then a few minutes later, he was all "what have I done???" not only is he a solipsist, but the cylon had him pegged as one. all these spaceships and ambiguous villains, now I want more Bab 5 & Londo. (like you're gonna argue with that!) I'm starting Mi-5 too. . .too much TV, too little time!

He did not intend to sell out the human race. But he is unabashedly selfish,

I loved that he DIDN'T switch lotto tickets with the old lady, even though he could have; and also that the guy he "wrongly accused" of being a Cylon, turned out to be one!

Re: Galactica

[selenak.livejournal.com]

The lighting on some of the shipboard scenes is just gorgeous. Dunno how the series production values compare.

British money continues to pay off. They also stay with the documentary look, except for the scenes which take place in Gaius Baltar's head when he's talking to Six, then we're back to the deliberate contrast - bright colours, and luxury in his old mansion on Caprica.

It was actually the dead-girlfriend-sitting-on-his-lap that was cited.

Ah. Now that reminds me - the show leaves it ambiguous whether Gaius actually has a chip in his head, or whether he had a psychotic break, as most (but not all) of what Six tells him could be conclusions he comes to himself - he is a genius, after all.

all these spaceships and ambiguous villains, now I want more Bab 5 & Londo. (like you're gonna argue with that!) I'm starting Mi-5 too. . .too much TV, too little time!

True, true. And more B5 & Londo is always good.*g* Incidentally, here is a href="http://www.livejournal.com/community/bsg2003fics/1563.html">a great story about Gaius immediately post-miniseries, no spoilers for the show, and not long, either. Have a look.

I loved that he DIDN'T switch lotto tickets with the old lady, even though he could have

Yes. We all expected him to, I think, and he surely was tempted, but he didn't.

Re: Galactica

[likeadeuce.livejournal.com]

ah, now I have Scarlett/Melanie & Gaius to get me through a rainy day.

when I should be writing Edmund/Cordelia (yeah, I'm still working the King Lear idea)

btw, i've still only seen the first ep of B5, which I understand is not the best sample. . . but I was thinking of your comments on how long it took for anybody to write Londo/G'Kar. Because it's totally about ageism/lookism. If one or both of those guys LOOKED like Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, everybody woulda been racing to get them nekkid, just based on the dialogue in the first ep!

re: the lighting on Galactica -- I thought something was wrong with my TV at first and then realized, "Hey, it's supposed to look like that -- cool!)

First season of B5 episode guide, I

[selenak.livejournal.com]

btw, i've still only seen the first ep of B5, which I understand is not the best sample.

Do you mean the actual pilot, The Gathering, or the first episode, Midnight on the Firing Line? The pilot isn't, but the first ep is a perfectly servicable first ep, i.e. far from B5 at its finest, but does the job of introducing the main characters and some important themes (Londo/G'Kar and Narn/Centauri enmity, Psi Corps, Susan Ivanova's background trauma, what will become a relationship with Talia Winters (this is the fandom with canon femmeslash), and Sinclair's Earth/Minbari war lost hours. All of which is important later on. Other than that, it's a nice ep, but nothing special.

Okay, here is the what-to-watch guide for the first season. Feel free to skip the rest:

Midnight on the Firing Line: For the reasons named above. Also, first mention of Londo's death dream.

Born to the Purple: First Londo-centric episode. Really establishes his character, and a lot of important stuff to be kept in mind as arcs develop. Also eminently quotable dialogue and first Londo/G'Kar slash joke. (Sinclair: "If I help you, will you agree to my compromise on the Euphrates sector?" Londo: "I'll even seal it with a kiss." Sinclair: "That ought to make G'Kar's day."

The Parliament of Dreams: First G'Kar-centric episode, and one of the most beloved of the show. Does for G'Kar what "Born to the Purple" does for Londo (i.e. character establishment beyond the until then comic persona). Perfect marriage of comedy with serious subjects. Also introduces two important regulars, Narn aide Na'Toth and Minbari aide Lennier. Londo despite only having one scene still almost manages to steal the ep because of the nature of the scene. Some hints for the Sinclair/Minbari arc that are worth keeping in mind, too.

Mind War: Mixed episode due to having one bad guest star (a character named Jason Ironheart), but makes up for it by introducing a great guest star as well, who will go on to become a recurring guest for the rest of the show, the eminently quotable Al Bester, Psi Cop. Important episode for the telepath arc.

The War Prayer: That one is avarage, but it has two very good Londo and Vir scenes, so it's worth watching. Upon rewatching, I tend to skip everything else, though.

And the Sky Full of Stars: Absolutely central episode. Love it despite the fact no Centauri or Narn appear. V.v.v. important for the Earth/Minbari backstory and Sinclair's arc. Cool homage to The Prisoner.

By Any Means Necessary: This future has unions. Gritty worker drama as the A-Plot, and an absolutely hilarious B-Plot around Londo and G'Kar, which can be summed up as "G'Kar gets upset because Londo won't give him flowers." No, really.*g*

Deathwalker: Chilling villain, great moral dilemma, unexpected solution to same of the "This would never happen on the original Star Trek" type, and some good scenes for the Narns. First hint of what the Vorlons are capable of. Watch it.

Believers: Another moral dilemma, and you feel absolutely sucker-punched by the solution. This one establishes Dr. Franklin as a character, and to my mind remains the best episode centring on him.

Signs and Portents: The episode the season is named after. Importance can't be exaggarated. It's cool anyway, but even more so if you watch it again with the knowledge of what's to come, though you scream "don't do it, don't talk to him" to Londo a lot then. This is the episode which kickstarts the Shadow arc, and introduces Mr. Morden, the most smarmy and elegant representative of evil this side of Wolfram & Hart.

Episode Guide, II

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Legacies: Important ep for the Minbari side of things. Showcases Delenn at her most ambiguous, and introduces Neroon, another recurring character. Unfortunately it also has an annoying teen in the b-plot, but as the b-plot also furthers the Talia/Ivanova, it gets forgiven.

A Voice in the Wilderness Part I and II: Introduces cool stuff about Epilon III, the planet B5 is circling around, showcases Londo at his most endearing, adds background to Garibaldi and gives Ivanova the opportunity to say one of her most quoted lines. ("Ivanova is god.")

Babylon Squared</>: Nifty on its own, mindblowing in conjunction to season 3's War without End, because it is until season 3 you will have to wait for the resolution. Very important episode for Sinclair and Delenn.

The Quality of Mercy: Ho-hum A-plot, but great B-plot around Londo and Lennier. Lennier, who might remind you of Wesley in that he starts out fresh from the Watchers Academy, err, Minbari temple and sticking to rules and ends up as... well, something quite different, gets introduced to the seamier side of B5 here.

Chrysalis: Season finale which rocks and makes The Manchurian Candidate, the 2003 version, looks pale in comparison. Earth politics, deadly conspiracies, Mr. Morden paying a return visit to the station, Londo making a fatal step, Delenn doing the same... this one has it all.