(no subject)
Aug. 28th, 2005 10:04 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selenakAnd thus, we wrap up the arc started with Kobol’s Last Gleaming. For now. It occurs to me that Moore has a thing for the six to seven intense episodes (see also: start of DS9, season 6, end of DS9, season 7). I bet there won’t be a wedding in the next episode as emotional relief, though. (Otoh, Dualla/Billy might decide to give it a shot.*g*) As for me, with a minor caveat, I loved this.
I pity people who haven’t watched the miniseries, because there are a lot of echoes here. Between Lee and his father, and most importantly between Adama and Roslin. Ah, series continuity, how do I love thee.
Throughout the episodes so far, we had little reminders that, at odds though they are, Roslin does not hate Adama, and likes and respects him – her reaction to the news he got shot, her visit in medlab, her reaction to the news he was up and about (that admiring little smile and “tough old bird” remark). Whereas we had no indication that the reverse was still true. But then Adama always took things way more personal. Even when he decided at the end of the last episode to get over himself and go after her to reunite the fleet, it could have been out of sheer necessity. This week, though? From the teaser onwards, the respect for Laura was there. When Tigh and Gaeta still snigger about Roslin’s conviction and visions, Adama Senior suggests that maybe, you know, the woman actually saw something and is logical instead of insane about it. Then he brings Billy along, which isn’t necessary from a pragmatic pov, but an excellent move on the emotional scale to reconciliation. And when they finally have caught up, he switches to first names. Mind you, he still tries to establish a hierarchy here:
“I forgive you, Laura.”
“Thank you, Bill. But I didn’t ask for your forgiveness.”
Wide grin on my part. I mean, that’s so them. It’s genuine affection and a power play at the same time.
My one minor caveat is that the ending (the applause scene) could be still read as the President serving at the pleasure of the military. However, the fact of the matter is that Tigh and Adama declared Roslin deposed and unworthy and what not and then had to be the ones to give in and reinstate her, without her using any armed force. Moreover, the thing she risked so much for did pay off. They haven’t just hope now – the thing Adama and Roslin agreed was so important at the end of the miniseries – they have a destination. A map of sorts. And btw, loved the scene in question, and that everyone in the end contributed – Lee and Adama by pushing the wall aside, Kara not just by bringing the arrow but figuring out they were (projected) on Earth. Which counteracts the danger of only Laura as the all-knowing oracle, which she isn’t and doesn’t want to be.
Watching Roslin and Adama together, I realized I had missed them. Them in the same scene, I mean. They have their own particular dynamic they don’t have with anyone else. I don’t mean necessarily in the ‘shippy sense, just the dance of equals, if you like.
Lee, otoh, is her young prince. Thank you, Zarek’s henchman. And Adama, Laura might have said something about Billy becoming President in the far future, but that’s going to be after your son gets there. She was just too diplomatic to mention your boy is not going to succeed Dad in the fleet (that’s Kara’s future job), he’s going to succeed her. (Not that I didn’t love the Adama and Billy scenes, and the Roslin and Billy reunion. Because she loves Billy, too. Like a son, and this episode was all about family reunions.
Oh, and speaking of family: congratulations, Gaius, the other mother of not your child has arrived. The Baltar/Six subplot this week was, as Rob put it, the biggest mindfrak on Six’ part ever, and can we get a round of applause for Tricia Helfer? Due to her looks and her model past, she tends to be underestimated as an actress, but that Starbuck impersonation should have convinced anyone she’s not a one-trick-pony. And in the middle of Six at her mindmessing best that flash of jealous vulnerability when Baltar asked her whether Starbuck was going to be the mother of the child? Perfect.
In terms of continuity: so is there is no chip, but Six isn’t a psychosis, either. For which we got a first proof in “Kobol’s Last Gleaming” because that was the first time she delivered information Gaius really couldn’t have come up with on his own, subconsciously or not – the child. Note that she spoke of the child as “her” in all episodes so far, as does Boomer in this episode. Again, not something Baltar’s subconscious could have known.
On a sidenote, can I mention how relieved I am that for once, the miracle baby isn’t a son? (Looking at you, Farscape, though naturally Angel is guilty as well, but then after Dawn on BTVS I suppose Connor had to be male.)
So is Six a manifestation of the Cylon collective projecting into Baltar’s brain? Or of all the “Six” models? Or what? Am more intrigued than ever.
As for the other Cylon: Helo, you’re a moron. Not because you love Sharon. Because trusting her blindly is even less responsible than Tyrol covering up for G!Boomer even though that Sharon confided in him about her growing suspicions that there was something seriously wrong with her.
Meanwhile, C!Boomer is anything but a moron. Using Henchman’s plot to demonstrate her free will was smart. (If she had shot Adama, she’d have been, no pun intended, toast, and she knew it; if she had just reported the approach, it wouldn’t have helped her standing with Adama.) And she’s not sharing all her information with anyone. (I wouldn’t either, in her place, whether I was still following the greater Cylon agenda or not.) She claims not to have the specific memories of G!Boomer after the miniseries towards both Henchman and Helo, but that is belied by that little zinger she gives Adama. Which is doubly eerie and chilly if you recall that Adama asked the dead Sharon “why”. Not the living one. Does this mean G!Boomer, or the body of same, is still at the very least recording voices and sending back to the Cylon collective? Or that there is some remnant of consciousness in her? I hope not – I liked doomed Sharon too much to want her be trapped and suffering this way. The living one whom last season I compared to a Bond Girl I like a lot this season, too, because now she reminds me of a junior Irina Derevko.
Her meeting with Tyrol: loved it. Because she is reacting to him, or playing him, or both, and it’s not easy with Helo present and fully aware that Sharon and the Chief were an item while he, Helo, was still on Galactica. Her calling him “Chief” when that was the last thing G!Sharon said to him? No accident. And when she hugs him, he does not withdraw, or push her back, or say “don’t touch me, you’re not Sharon” or anything the like. Hmmmmmm.
And thus I give a very satisfied sigh and a round of applause to the team. Next episode, please.
I pity people who haven’t watched the miniseries, because there are a lot of echoes here. Between Lee and his father, and most importantly between Adama and Roslin. Ah, series continuity, how do I love thee.
Throughout the episodes so far, we had little reminders that, at odds though they are, Roslin does not hate Adama, and likes and respects him – her reaction to the news he got shot, her visit in medlab, her reaction to the news he was up and about (that admiring little smile and “tough old bird” remark). Whereas we had no indication that the reverse was still true. But then Adama always took things way more personal. Even when he decided at the end of the last episode to get over himself and go after her to reunite the fleet, it could have been out of sheer necessity. This week, though? From the teaser onwards, the respect for Laura was there. When Tigh and Gaeta still snigger about Roslin’s conviction and visions, Adama Senior suggests that maybe, you know, the woman actually saw something and is logical instead of insane about it. Then he brings Billy along, which isn’t necessary from a pragmatic pov, but an excellent move on the emotional scale to reconciliation. And when they finally have caught up, he switches to first names. Mind you, he still tries to establish a hierarchy here:
“I forgive you, Laura.”
“Thank you, Bill. But I didn’t ask for your forgiveness.”
Wide grin on my part. I mean, that’s so them. It’s genuine affection and a power play at the same time.
My one minor caveat is that the ending (the applause scene) could be still read as the President serving at the pleasure of the military. However, the fact of the matter is that Tigh and Adama declared Roslin deposed and unworthy and what not and then had to be the ones to give in and reinstate her, without her using any armed force. Moreover, the thing she risked so much for did pay off. They haven’t just hope now – the thing Adama and Roslin agreed was so important at the end of the miniseries – they have a destination. A map of sorts. And btw, loved the scene in question, and that everyone in the end contributed – Lee and Adama by pushing the wall aside, Kara not just by bringing the arrow but figuring out they were (projected) on Earth. Which counteracts the danger of only Laura as the all-knowing oracle, which she isn’t and doesn’t want to be.
Watching Roslin and Adama together, I realized I had missed them. Them in the same scene, I mean. They have their own particular dynamic they don’t have with anyone else. I don’t mean necessarily in the ‘shippy sense, just the dance of equals, if you like.
Lee, otoh, is her young prince. Thank you, Zarek’s henchman. And Adama, Laura might have said something about Billy becoming President in the far future, but that’s going to be after your son gets there. She was just too diplomatic to mention your boy is not going to succeed Dad in the fleet (that’s Kara’s future job), he’s going to succeed her. (Not that I didn’t love the Adama and Billy scenes, and the Roslin and Billy reunion. Because she loves Billy, too. Like a son, and this episode was all about family reunions.
Oh, and speaking of family: congratulations, Gaius, the other mother of not your child has arrived. The Baltar/Six subplot this week was, as Rob put it, the biggest mindfrak on Six’ part ever, and can we get a round of applause for Tricia Helfer? Due to her looks and her model past, she tends to be underestimated as an actress, but that Starbuck impersonation should have convinced anyone she’s not a one-trick-pony. And in the middle of Six at her mindmessing best that flash of jealous vulnerability when Baltar asked her whether Starbuck was going to be the mother of the child? Perfect.
In terms of continuity: so is there is no chip, but Six isn’t a psychosis, either. For which we got a first proof in “Kobol’s Last Gleaming” because that was the first time she delivered information Gaius really couldn’t have come up with on his own, subconsciously or not – the child. Note that she spoke of the child as “her” in all episodes so far, as does Boomer in this episode. Again, not something Baltar’s subconscious could have known.
On a sidenote, can I mention how relieved I am that for once, the miracle baby isn’t a son? (Looking at you, Farscape, though naturally Angel is guilty as well, but then after Dawn on BTVS I suppose Connor had to be male.)
So is Six a manifestation of the Cylon collective projecting into Baltar’s brain? Or of all the “Six” models? Or what? Am more intrigued than ever.
As for the other Cylon: Helo, you’re a moron. Not because you love Sharon. Because trusting her blindly is even less responsible than Tyrol covering up for G!Boomer even though that Sharon confided in him about her growing suspicions that there was something seriously wrong with her.
Meanwhile, C!Boomer is anything but a moron. Using Henchman’s plot to demonstrate her free will was smart. (If she had shot Adama, she’d have been, no pun intended, toast, and she knew it; if she had just reported the approach, it wouldn’t have helped her standing with Adama.) And she’s not sharing all her information with anyone. (I wouldn’t either, in her place, whether I was still following the greater Cylon agenda or not.) She claims not to have the specific memories of G!Boomer after the miniseries towards both Henchman and Helo, but that is belied by that little zinger she gives Adama. Which is doubly eerie and chilly if you recall that Adama asked the dead Sharon “why”. Not the living one. Does this mean G!Boomer, or the body of same, is still at the very least recording voices and sending back to the Cylon collective? Or that there is some remnant of consciousness in her? I hope not – I liked doomed Sharon too much to want her be trapped and suffering this way. The living one whom last season I compared to a Bond Girl I like a lot this season, too, because now she reminds me of a junior Irina Derevko.
Her meeting with Tyrol: loved it. Because she is reacting to him, or playing him, or both, and it’s not easy with Helo present and fully aware that Sharon and the Chief were an item while he, Helo, was still on Galactica. Her calling him “Chief” when that was the last thing G!Sharon said to him? No accident. And when she hugs him, he does not withdraw, or push her back, or say “don’t touch me, you’re not Sharon” or anything the like. Hmmmmmm.
And thus I give a very satisfied sigh and a round of applause to the team. Next episode, please.
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no subject
Date: 2005-08-28 02:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-28 05:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-28 08:45 pm (UTC)They should get married, if only because the shipname is Billy-Dee.
Did Laura really say Billy should be president, or was that Adama blowing smoke? I also love that everybody else is in camouflage, but Billy is in his same dorky getup, and C!Boomer is in RED.
Chief broke my heart in the scene with not-his-Sharon. I wondered if she might to some extent be punishing him for his anger at G!Sharon when he realized she was a Cylon -- but then, Helo was even worse toward his Sharon, until he realized she was pregnant.
And of course, after all this, I have to wonder where it leaves Zarek (sorry, Tom).
no subject
Date: 2005-08-29 05:32 am (UTC)Hey, Adama has been known to lie in order to raise morale before.*g*
And of course, after all this, I have to wonder where it leaves Zarek (sorry, Tom).
At having proven his adaptability - as opposed to Antonio and Sebastiano in The Tempest, he doesn't persist in carrying out assassinations when they, you know, make no sense at all; having lost his version of Tigh, though given Henchman wasn't the brightest... anyway; and with Roslin still owing him one. Not too bad a position to be in.
no subject
Date: 2005-08-29 01:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-29 07:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-29 07:23 pm (UTC)Thank you. I will, as long as I get the episodes.