(S04E08) After two weeks of waiting, and through several other shows having their season finales, we're back for more frakking BSG, baby. And speaking of season finales, after watching Lost last night with all of its flashbacks and flash-forwards, it almost seemed as though we may be seeing a bit of flashbackery next week to explain what happened to Roslin and the others aboard the hijacked Base Star.
In case you're wondering what the title means, it's a latin legal term, of course.
I've never had a firm grasp on the whole Adama-Roslin relationship, though obviously it's been a budding one for some time now. It wasn't until this episode that we saw concrete affection for Roslin, Bill even saying he can't function without her around. And, with that, he quite honorably and logically takes himself out of active command until he can get his head on straight: e.g., he finds Roslin or dies trying.
In some of the opening scenes we saw the shot Six wasn't yet dead, with Cottle and his crew working frantically to save her. Seeing Six reach up as if "toward the light" and Cottle standing over her seemed either to scream out Cottle as a red herring (for being the final Cylon) or just made his stock price go up a few points. I'm going with the latter in this case.
How could they possibly trust Sharon again after going nuts and killing the Six? I've been bitching for weeks now that the comfort level they've given a known Cylon -- Sharon -- is a tough pill to swallow sometimes. I understand that she put her neck out for the colonials before, but this last incident should leave her in chains with the other Six.
As for the appointing of a new president, I legitimately felt bad for Zarek. Like was said to Bill Adama, they could do a lot worse than Zarek in the topmost place of power in the fleet. The guy seems to take his role of vice president seriously and took it on the chin to see Roslin in the high seat. Now when it's his time, he has it plucked away to please "the old man." He steps down so Adama's own son can be sworn in instead! If that's not enough points now to win over the trust of those who didn't at one time or another, short of taking a bullet for someone else, I'm not sure what will.
Then, of course, we had the return of Lampkin the lawyer. Can I just say that Sheppard as Lampkin, in that long trenshcoat, reminds me of early Phil Collins? Remember that video for ... nevermind. Anyway, the man clearly has more than a few marbles loose. It was a neat trick to show us a cat that wasn't there, but at the same time it was pretty sick to learn he was toting around a tiny corpse in that bag for weeks.
When the damaged Raptor showed up, as soon as I heard someone was going for a space walk, I thought we were going to see another redshirt death. I was half right, though, as it was Eammon Pike who appeared as a bloated mess aboard the mess of a ship. Scratch one off the population for this week.
As for pregnant Six, this clearly points out the differences that the final five have to previously-known skinjobs. As far as I recall, the Cylons have said they can't breed eith each other. Humans and Cylons -- different story. But this whole Tigh-Six "relationship," if you want to call it that, is just too weird and I'm really wondering where they're going with it. Damn, though, that was a mean fist fight between Adama and Tigh. If we can't get some decent space battle scenes, let's get the dukes out!
As a side note, I think we now know why Tigh was wearing admiral tags in scenes several episodes ago, as mentioned in one of Ron Moore's podcasts. They must have shot the sequences out of order is all I can summise.
Adama looked strange in a flight outfit, didn't he? Just didn't quite look right. And in case you missed it, we got aother glimpse of the Orion constellation again in that last scene.
Current fleet population:
(Note: I take the population mentioned at the start of the episode and then subtract/add to that number based on what was shown or heard in this episode to get the number below)
39,672 (since last week it was 39,673 and this week was 39,674, we have +1 birth, -1 for Gonzo, probably -1 for Sandman)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
5-31-2008 @ 1:00AM
SJ said...
The red herring was obviously the preview for next week....c'mon they can't be so blatant.
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5-31-2008 @ 1:29AM
R.A. Porter said...
Roslin isn't the only human on that Basestar. But there is a human on that Basestar to whom Deanna has much cause to apologize.
5-31-2008 @ 1:53AM
David Marcoe said...
How could they possibly trust Sharon again after going nuts and killing the Six? I've been bitching for weeks now that the comfort level they've given a known Cylon -- Sharon -- is a tough pill to swallow sometimes.
The show really does have an amazing lack of common sense and "huh?" moments, but you end up swallowing all those hard pills, because even with all those lapses in logic, it is some of the best storytelling on television.
But this whole Tigh-Six "relationship," if you want to call it that, is just too weird and I'm really wondering where they're going with it.
The best theory I've heard so far is that Tigh's wife was an older version of Six. They both have similar personalities; ambitious, manipulative, promiscuous, with Tigh's marriage to his wife looking similar to how Head Six does her thing with Baltar, trying to scheme and manipulate her man into a place of power and prominence, while also showing loyalty. It also explains why they keep cutting of back and forth between the faces of Six and Ellen, which a very uncanny resemblance.
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5-31-2008 @ 1:54AM
David Marcoe said...
Correction: Paragraphs 1 and 3 in the above post should be in quotes.
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5-31-2008 @ 2:42AM
bsgfan2003 said...
For me, in this episode the only character whose behaviour made sense is Athena. Her instinct to protect, be with, and mother her daughter is quite nice to see when everyone else seems to be truly insane.
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5-31-2008 @ 4:18AM
Val said...
These past few episodes have been kinda boring for me...Am I the only one? I don't know what I expected from this season..Wait! I do know what I expected...Exceptional Fraking Awesomeness. There are enough unanswered questions to give me a great episode every week.. Just not getting the wow factor that past seasons were giving me.. But again might just be me.. It's me isn't it? DAMMIT!
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5-31-2008 @ 4:28AM
mayorjimmy said...
I don't really feel bad for Zarek losing out to Lee. Let's just think back for a second as to just where we found both of them when they were introduced in this universe. Lee was introduced as a military officer serving honorably and defending the fleet. Zarek was a con aboard a prison ship and taking hostages.
I see what you mean about trust and short memory with regards to Athena, but maybe with Lee getting the nod over Zarek shows us that the writers have a pretty deep memory after all?
Besides, Lampkin made the best argument as to why Lee. He doesn't want it. I know I'd certainly trust a president who's more interested in DOING the job than GETTING the job.
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5-31-2008 @ 9:51AM
Oreo said...
This show has become a mess.
45 minutes of "Who will be the next president" when it was obviously going to be Lee! Then Romo pulls the gun out... dear lord.
I think Adama acted liked Adama, he never wants to leave behind the ones he loves. Tigh was forgiven by Adama because he forgave the Boomer model.
But overall a mess, but next week's episode looks a lot better.
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5-31-2008 @ 10:53AM
Tim-1 said...
Thank God for bsgfan2003.
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5-31-2008 @ 10:55AM
bsgfan2003 said...
Will Caprica's child be born in the brig? Is this the real "our child" Head Six is referring to. Athena's child was not born in the brig, Hera was born in a sick bay operating room. Maybe Athena does not have anything to worry about after all - Since Caprica is having her own baby. Now I really don't know how Baltar would figure in as the father though....
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5-31-2008 @ 11:10AM
Thunder Jones said...
After this whole Tigh-Six baby-making ordeal, I'm wondering if Helo is this missing fifth Cylon. It would explain the Athena-Helo baby, it would mean that human-Cylon hybrids don't happen. But it doesn't explain the Chief's kid, unless Cally had another hombre on the side, but that seems too convenient.
Helo is on the Basestar. When's Galen and Sam? If so, they could be the tease that 3 threw out at the preview for next week...
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5-31-2008 @ 12:50PM
dana adams said...
I don't know what show you folks were watching,these last 2 episodes have been some of if not the best this season!!
I have been on the edge of my seat,and my friends who don't have cable,but come over to my place to watch BSG each week agree to the awesomeness, I think for a bit we were worried the show was sliding downhill,but man, the last 2 eps have been totally killer!
I loved Adama & Tighs fight scene..beating the crap out of each other one second,and best of friends as soon as they run out of steam...and the whole Adama's love for Rosalyn being enough to make him step down and leave the fleet,brought a tear to this old boy's eye..if only somebody loved me that much....
And it was cool bringing back Lampkin,I'd always thought that he was too cool a character to throw away,and the whole bit with his cat being dead,was kinda a shocker,altho thinking back it was foreshadowed with Lee asking if he ever fed him,or where was he anyway?
And I agree,I've always thought Ellen looked a lot like an older 6.
Now we have an Cylon leading the colonial fleet!!
I love it when Bill tells him he knows he's not the same man as before,and Tigh's eye gets bigger and bigger.LOL
Gods ,I can't wait for the next frakkin episode!!!
This show frakkin' ROCKS!!!!!
Or is it just that chip in my head?
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5-31-2008 @ 1:14PM
mj said...
I agree that Athena is only doing what ANY mother would do. She is terrified that her child is going to be taken from her. Let someone try to take or hurt one of mine. Hell hath no fury, folks.
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5-31-2008 @ 1:59PM
Keith McDuffee said...
Holy crap, if "any mother" would shoot someone point blank because they had a "vision" of that person stealing their kid, they've got a screw loose.
5-31-2008 @ 2:16PM
bsgfan2003 said...
Keith - Her child has been stolen from her before. My instinct with my children would be the same. Seek and Destroy the threat to my child, then ask for forgiveness later. It's not your fault Keith that you don't understand :) Just ask your wife!
5-31-2008 @ 2:22PM
Malren said...
That's insane. The daughter was safe, and the situation was over. She calculatingly and coldly EXECUTED her with absolutely no right to do so. The Colonial Marines had it under control, there was no way Sharon or the child were in one teeny lick of danger.
It was insane and Adama was right. Sharon had no reason or right to do it and she cannot ever be trusted again.
5-31-2008 @ 7:08PM
Dorv said...
I agree (and disagree) with Malren....
I think the threat to her child was clear that time, but I don't think that she was calculating. I don't think she was seeing straight at all.
6-01-2008 @ 1:27PM
Stigmata said...
threat? what threat? she had a DREAM, a vision, even if you implicitly believe it, you wouldnt pull that trigger unless you had cold hard evidence! how could you live with yourself if there was any doubt? only psychopaths could!
6-01-2008 @ 2:03PM
bsgfan2003 said...
Stigmata - I'm not saying Athena was rational. I'm not saying she should not be held responsible for her actions. Adama was right. What I am saying is that I think I understand what her state of mind might be. Her child has been stolen before (huge toll on her psyche), she's knows that certain cylons have been obsessed with her daughter, she's having visions of her daughter being taken again. Was there a real threat? No. Did she perceive a threat?, it is my opinion she did, and that it why I say I get it. I am in no way advocating murder of those who kneel down to talk to children! I am sorry if that was unclear :) I was sort of joking around with Keith about not understanding what a Mother feels for her child. I hope that puts it to rest. :)
5-31-2008 @ 4:20PM
Riley said...
Wow, this show is really tanking this year. The characters aren't driving the plot anymore. The demands of the plot are forcing the characters to act in ways they normally wouldn't. Take this latest episode.
Adama finds out Tigh impregnated a Cylon, which seriously calls Tigh's judgment and loyalty into question. Then Adama resigns his commission and who does he give command of the fleet to? Tigh. What the frak?!
Adama acts like a dictator and refuses to recognize Zarek as President. So the Quorum decides they need a new President that Adama will recognize, so who do they pick? Adama's son?! "Hey, one Adama does whatever he wants, so let's pick the other Adama to run our civilian government." Makes a lot of sense, doesn't it? No, it doesn't. The civilians would never put up with one family having that much control. Of course, in the end, it doesn't matter what Admiral Adama thinks anyway because he RESIGNS. Ugh.
And don't even get me started on Romo going cuckoo suddenly and turning a gun on Lee. Why the writers decided to take this clever, intelligent fan favorite and turn him into The Loony on the Grassy Knoll is beyond comprehension. Guess the cat's out of the bag now. *Groan*
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