Real Thoughts
Since I never wrote last week's real BSG review which I promised (epic fail, Laci), I'm writing this week's now.
Initial Reactions
The first half of the episode flew by. I'm not really sure why, but when I looked at the clock and saw 10:30, I was surprised. I think I was just glad to see Kara again...and a Kara that resembles my Kara. That being said, at 10:42, I was oddly both fulfilled and empty. On one hand, I was enjoying the episode, but on the other, I sitting there going, NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. I love character development, but only when it furthers plot development in a productive way, and that just wasn't happening because, well, nothing was happening. Then, in the last 15 minutes, THE SHIT HIT THE FAN. After a rather lackluster episode, BSG decided to punch me in the stomach HARD and leave me gutted. And I was instantly filled with my BSG love. We have a rather abusive, probably unhealthy relationship, and I'm aware of it. I love BSG the most when it beats the shit out of me and the end of this episode did just that. The episode itself wasn't structured perfectly, but the last few minutes mostly made up for it, for me at least.
Boomer and Chief
Ok, I was totally awwwwww-ing during their little projection scene. And admittedly, I was wondering if they can projection!frak LMAO. It was so sweet, especially knowing that she's the one he really loved all along. I was so glad to see their relationship come full circle. Chief is so much happier when she's around.
But then she had to be a bitch again. Dammit, Boomer, why are you such a traitorous little toaster? And why the frak have you become Cavil's little slave? Really. The swirl CANNOT possibly satisfy you that much that you agree to his evil ways. I used to like you, so I'm trying to convince myself that Cavil is still programming you and this is not all free will. But you beat the shit out of Athena. And you frakked Helo and made her watch. AND YOU STOLE HERA! THAT IS UNFORGIVABLE. And is also clearly a precursor to the inevitable reuinion between the colonials (and their cylon pals) and the evil cylons. Methinks you will pay for this Boomer. And you deserve it.
It was sad to see Tyrol all upset, knowing that he unknowingly allowed her to kidnap Hera. That poor guy just can't catch a break lately, especially when it comes to women and kids.
Sonja
I like the new Six and I like that the cylons have a colonial representative. But does anyone else think it's weird that Six is the only model whose different incarnations have different names? All the 1's are Cavils, all the 2's are Leobens, 3's are D'Annas and so on, right though the 8's who are Sharons. But Six is Gina and Caprica and Natalie and Shelly Godfrey and Sonja. Am I the only one who finds this strange?
Kara
I love the Kara who sits by Sam's bedside. That's my Kara and it was so nice to see her in this ep. She is so obviously hurting from the fact that he won't wake up and I love that because it is true to her character.
I kind of had the feeling from the beginning that that guy was her dad and was constantly squicked by the sexual undertones of their conversations. And also, that bothered me because, hello Kara, you just left your comatose husband's bedside, don't be sexing other people right now. But I didn't realize he wasn't actually there until the end when it was revealed. I guess this episode lends credence to the theory of Daniel as Kara's dad? Fandom seems to be all abuzz about that. I'm still not sure I like the idea of Kara being a hybrid. It makes Hera feel unspecial in some way. I prefer my theory that Kara is full cylon, but I'm pretty sure the last episode killed that one. I'm hoping I won't hate what the writers have come up with, but I'm being cautious because it will take some superb writing for me to accept that Kara is a hybrid (which is sort of crazy because that's been my fanon for more than a year, but with the Nicky retcon and Hera specialness being emphasized, I no longer like the idea). I was really glad, though, that he ended up not being real because I just couldn't for one second believe that Kara would tell this random stranger about her finding her dead body. It made no sense and I'm glad I now have a context in which it isn't absolutely insane and out of character.
I do love the episodes where we see glimpses of Kara's past. She's such a complicated character so I love when we see bits and pieces of what made her who she is. I especially love when we see her soft side - the fact that she loved and admired her dad which makes his leaving her all the more heartbreaking, the fact that she secretly knows a lot about music, that she played piano as a child, that she wanted to make her dad proud. This version of her past is so glaringly different from that with her mother. I just love filling in the pieces of what makes Kara Thrace.
"Sometimes lost is where you need to be. Just because you don't know your direction doesn't mean you don't have one." Can we talk about how much that quote resonated with me? It pretty much describes the last five years of my life.
Intertwined Destinies
First, CAN WE TALK ABOUT HOW AWESOME HERA IS?! Really. Her prophetic drawings, her links to EVERYONE'S destinies. I love it. When Kara started playing All Along the Watchtower, I got chills. Hearing that song totally awakens that part of me that is forever endeared to this show. It was almost haunting yet so beautifully done, with Kara playing and the the final five hearing it and Hera having drawn it. I honestly expected them to cut to Sam waking up, but alas, I was not so lucky. I love that Hera drew the song...I knew those weren't stars she was drawing. I love that Laura seems to be dying from the moment Hera jumped away. I had no faith left in RDM to tie everything together in a substantial, meaningful way, but after this episode, I'm cautiously putting some faith back in him. I really do hope it all ties together in a coherent, meaningful fashion - that all of their destinies are linked and each of them has an important role to play and that all of this has been leading to something. Please don't let me down, RDM. Please.
Hera and Boomer
Ok, I have a slight problem with the fact that Hera didn't recognize that Boomer was not her mother and that she just willingly went with her. I recognize that Boomer stuck a straw in her mouth so the kid couldn't talk, but the show has already established that Hera can distinguish between Athena and Boomer. Do we not remember the scene when Athena finally sees her again and she stops crying and Six is all, "Look, they're biologically identical but Hera knows her mother." So, um, yeah. I'm having a hard time buying this whole concept that Hera could not recognize that this wasn't Athena and that she didn't express any objection or unease. Hi, continuity.
Laura
I just don't understand her characterization anymore. She spends a few episodes batshit crazy, a few running around like a lovesick puppy caring about nothing except Bill Adama and now all of a sudden, she's Laura Frakking Roslin again?! What?! I loved seeing her tough, resolute self again, but I hate that I simply can't buy it within the show's context anymore. She hasn't been that Laura in a long time and now they expect me to accept her that way out of the blue? It's really frustrating. I hate what they've done to her and I hate that I can't actually enjoy having Laura back because I'm too busy calling her a frakking hypocrite. I wanted to laugh out loud when she told Tyrol, "You need to clear your head." LOOK WHO'S FRAKKING TALKING LAURA! Your head has been clouded by Adama for lord knows how long now and you are NOT one to be telling other people how to think when it comes to putting the fleet over their loved ones. I hate what they've done to you, Laura. I really, really do and I wish I could be happier to have you back tonight. Instead, I just feel like you're being a total hypocrite.
Also, is she dying? Is she dead? I was NOT AT ALL expecting that at the end. NOT AT ALL. Hello, gutpunch. I can't believe that's how her story will end and we still need to find out the truth about the opera house so I have faith we will be seeing more Laura (because if not, that was a total ripoff). Still, this plot point realllly surprised me in the best, most heartbreaking way. I love that her destiny is tied to Hera's and I hope it's well written and not super cheesy.
Sam
Okay, the preview for next week has me terrified! Sam in a goo bath?!?! That means a) Sam dies and b) the insane spec about him becoming a hybrid actually has canon potential. That theory freaks me out, but between his crazy babblings and now the goo bath, I'm scared of what his future holds. This very well may be the end of Sam and Kara. At least we got some nice shippy moments in the end.
There's also a whole lot of spec that he and Liam are connected which this episode certainly led credence to. It can't be a coincidence that Sam's eyes were open and Tigh specifically mentioned that Liam's eyes were open also. They're going somewhere with that (and btw, can we mention how the writers have clearly forgotten what subtlety is this season?). The open eye thing also might tie into the hybrid theory. I mean, whose eyes are more open than the hybrid's? I don't know. I'm really scared about what Sam's future holds.
Galactica
Watching her lights flickering is so disheartening. Knowing that she is dying is a painful reminder that our show is coming to a close. Even though it's been a rough second half of season four, it will be so hard to say goodbye. I am not so not ready for that yet.
Answers
I expected some answers this week, but we really didn't get any. There is still SO much left to tell - what Kara is, the opera house, the head characters, the gods/god, etc. These last three episodes must be jam-packed because every time I think we're going to get some answers, we really just get more questions.
All in all, not a perfect episode, but an enjoyable one at least.
Initial Reactions
The first half of the episode flew by. I'm not really sure why, but when I looked at the clock and saw 10:30, I was surprised. I think I was just glad to see Kara again...and a Kara that resembles my Kara. That being said, at 10:42, I was oddly both fulfilled and empty. On one hand, I was enjoying the episode, but on the other, I sitting there going, NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. I love character development, but only when it furthers plot development in a productive way, and that just wasn't happening because, well, nothing was happening. Then, in the last 15 minutes, THE SHIT HIT THE FAN. After a rather lackluster episode, BSG decided to punch me in the stomach HARD and leave me gutted. And I was instantly filled with my BSG love. We have a rather abusive, probably unhealthy relationship, and I'm aware of it. I love BSG the most when it beats the shit out of me and the end of this episode did just that. The episode itself wasn't structured perfectly, but the last few minutes mostly made up for it, for me at least.
Boomer and Chief
Ok, I was totally awwwwww-ing during their little projection scene. And admittedly, I was wondering if they can projection!frak LMAO. It was so sweet, especially knowing that she's the one he really loved all along. I was so glad to see their relationship come full circle. Chief is so much happier when she's around.
But then she had to be a bitch again. Dammit, Boomer, why are you such a traitorous little toaster? And why the frak have you become Cavil's little slave? Really. The swirl CANNOT possibly satisfy you that much that you agree to his evil ways. I used to like you, so I'm trying to convince myself that Cavil is still programming you and this is not all free will. But you beat the shit out of Athena. And you frakked Helo and made her watch. AND YOU STOLE HERA! THAT IS UNFORGIVABLE. And is also clearly a precursor to the inevitable reuinion between the colonials (and their cylon pals) and the evil cylons. Methinks you will pay for this Boomer. And you deserve it.
It was sad to see Tyrol all upset, knowing that he unknowingly allowed her to kidnap Hera. That poor guy just can't catch a break lately, especially when it comes to women and kids.
Sonja
I like the new Six and I like that the cylons have a colonial representative. But does anyone else think it's weird that Six is the only model whose different incarnations have different names? All the 1's are Cavils, all the 2's are Leobens, 3's are D'Annas and so on, right though the 8's who are Sharons. But Six is Gina and Caprica and Natalie and Shelly Godfrey and Sonja. Am I the only one who finds this strange?
Kara
I love the Kara who sits by Sam's bedside. That's my Kara and it was so nice to see her in this ep. She is so obviously hurting from the fact that he won't wake up and I love that because it is true to her character.
I kind of had the feeling from the beginning that that guy was her dad and was constantly squicked by the sexual undertones of their conversations. And also, that bothered me because, hello Kara, you just left your comatose husband's bedside, don't be sexing other people right now. But I didn't realize he wasn't actually there until the end when it was revealed. I guess this episode lends credence to the theory of Daniel as Kara's dad? Fandom seems to be all abuzz about that. I'm still not sure I like the idea of Kara being a hybrid. It makes Hera feel unspecial in some way. I prefer my theory that Kara is full cylon, but I'm pretty sure the last episode killed that one. I'm hoping I won't hate what the writers have come up with, but I'm being cautious because it will take some superb writing for me to accept that Kara is a hybrid (which is sort of crazy because that's been my fanon for more than a year, but with the Nicky retcon and Hera specialness being emphasized, I no longer like the idea). I was really glad, though, that he ended up not being real because I just couldn't for one second believe that Kara would tell this random stranger about her finding her dead body. It made no sense and I'm glad I now have a context in which it isn't absolutely insane and out of character.
I do love the episodes where we see glimpses of Kara's past. She's such a complicated character so I love when we see bits and pieces of what made her who she is. I especially love when we see her soft side - the fact that she loved and admired her dad which makes his leaving her all the more heartbreaking, the fact that she secretly knows a lot about music, that she played piano as a child, that she wanted to make her dad proud. This version of her past is so glaringly different from that with her mother. I just love filling in the pieces of what makes Kara Thrace.
"Sometimes lost is where you need to be. Just because you don't know your direction doesn't mean you don't have one." Can we talk about how much that quote resonated with me? It pretty much describes the last five years of my life.
Intertwined Destinies
First, CAN WE TALK ABOUT HOW AWESOME HERA IS?! Really. Her prophetic drawings, her links to EVERYONE'S destinies. I love it. When Kara started playing All Along the Watchtower, I got chills. Hearing that song totally awakens that part of me that is forever endeared to this show. It was almost haunting yet so beautifully done, with Kara playing and the the final five hearing it and Hera having drawn it. I honestly expected them to cut to Sam waking up, but alas, I was not so lucky. I love that Hera drew the song...I knew those weren't stars she was drawing. I love that Laura seems to be dying from the moment Hera jumped away. I had no faith left in RDM to tie everything together in a substantial, meaningful way, but after this episode, I'm cautiously putting some faith back in him. I really do hope it all ties together in a coherent, meaningful fashion - that all of their destinies are linked and each of them has an important role to play and that all of this has been leading to something. Please don't let me down, RDM. Please.
Hera and Boomer
Ok, I have a slight problem with the fact that Hera didn't recognize that Boomer was not her mother and that she just willingly went with her. I recognize that Boomer stuck a straw in her mouth so the kid couldn't talk, but the show has already established that Hera can distinguish between Athena and Boomer. Do we not remember the scene when Athena finally sees her again and she stops crying and Six is all, "Look, they're biologically identical but Hera knows her mother." So, um, yeah. I'm having a hard time buying this whole concept that Hera could not recognize that this wasn't Athena and that she didn't express any objection or unease. Hi, continuity.
Laura
I just don't understand her characterization anymore. She spends a few episodes batshit crazy, a few running around like a lovesick puppy caring about nothing except Bill Adama and now all of a sudden, she's Laura Frakking Roslin again?! What?! I loved seeing her tough, resolute self again, but I hate that I simply can't buy it within the show's context anymore. She hasn't been that Laura in a long time and now they expect me to accept her that way out of the blue? It's really frustrating. I hate what they've done to her and I hate that I can't actually enjoy having Laura back because I'm too busy calling her a frakking hypocrite. I wanted to laugh out loud when she told Tyrol, "You need to clear your head." LOOK WHO'S FRAKKING TALKING LAURA! Your head has been clouded by Adama for lord knows how long now and you are NOT one to be telling other people how to think when it comes to putting the fleet over their loved ones. I hate what they've done to you, Laura. I really, really do and I wish I could be happier to have you back tonight. Instead, I just feel like you're being a total hypocrite.
Also, is she dying? Is she dead? I was NOT AT ALL expecting that at the end. NOT AT ALL. Hello, gutpunch. I can't believe that's how her story will end and we still need to find out the truth about the opera house so I have faith we will be seeing more Laura (because if not, that was a total ripoff). Still, this plot point realllly surprised me in the best, most heartbreaking way. I love that her destiny is tied to Hera's and I hope it's well written and not super cheesy.
Sam
Okay, the preview for next week has me terrified! Sam in a goo bath?!?! That means a) Sam dies and b) the insane spec about him becoming a hybrid actually has canon potential. That theory freaks me out, but between his crazy babblings and now the goo bath, I'm scared of what his future holds. This very well may be the end of Sam and Kara. At least we got some nice shippy moments in the end.
There's also a whole lot of spec that he and Liam are connected which this episode certainly led credence to. It can't be a coincidence that Sam's eyes were open and Tigh specifically mentioned that Liam's eyes were open also. They're going somewhere with that (and btw, can we mention how the writers have clearly forgotten what subtlety is this season?). The open eye thing also might tie into the hybrid theory. I mean, whose eyes are more open than the hybrid's? I don't know. I'm really scared about what Sam's future holds.
Galactica
Watching her lights flickering is so disheartening. Knowing that she is dying is a painful reminder that our show is coming to a close. Even though it's been a rough second half of season four, it will be so hard to say goodbye. I am not so not ready for that yet.
Answers
I expected some answers this week, but we really didn't get any. There is still SO much left to tell - what Kara is, the opera house, the head characters, the gods/god, etc. These last three episodes must be jam-packed because every time I think we're going to get some answers, we really just get more questions.
All in all, not a perfect episode, but an enjoyable one at least.