The Road Less Traveled (405)

[Night Marshal]

I had a similar thought when I was watching the episode but then I felt it makes sense. There'll always be a sense of suspicion around here when it comes to her loyalty between the humans and the cylons so she deliberately chose not to impose her on the whole situation. There are some scenes where she is quite prominently in the picture as if she's going to do something without anything really happening with her character, which gave me the impression that her character genuinely considered intervening at times but decided against it. Which was undoubtedly the smartest move considering how touchy everyone is with the cylons.

you make a fair point, but I guess I just don't know why she is there is she isn't there to guild Starbuck and to help with these kinds of things. When she was on Kolbal Athena talked quite a bit about how the cylons understood The history of the gods better than the Humans did. If her goal are the same as the fleets then it her responsibility to speak up and let her voice be heard. She has proven her loyalty otherwise she wouldn't be there.

[huntress]

This episode reminded me a bit of lat weeks Doctor Who, which was also a two parter and while not bad it wasn't up to the previous two episodes. This episode of BSG was unfortunately rather dull. Very little really happen in this season and while some of the plot lines are good, I can't say that I am sitting on the edge of my seat as with the previous three seasons. The problem with this weeks was probably also that it was mainly about Starbuck and her floating trashcan and I am so not interested in her. I did like the scene between Kara and Leoben though because it is such a frakked up relationship (or whatever is going on between them). Leoben is still one of the most fascinating Cylons. Athena was criminally underused in this episode. She is the one with the best understanding when it comes to Cylons, she lived most of her life with them before she turned her back on them, yet all she does in this episode is whisper to her husband about what she thinks about all this but it is fascinating to see that she stands up for the principles of the fleet and is the one who basically tells Helo that he has to do something regrading Kara. The whole Galen and Balthar thing is just weird because there has never been any real contact between the two. Balthar now suddenly being interested in Tyrol is something that I have some trouble buying. We will see how next weeks episode is but this weeks was a bit of a disappointment.

[Dusk]

Ugh...! Where the frak is this going? I have found the show incredibly drab and monotonous these past few eps. Now it really does look like the writers are making this shiit up as they go. If I hear Baltar's preachy sermons one more time I might just scream. Bonus points to Tyrol for having a squeeze at Baltar's slimy neck, points revoked and pushed into the negative for Tyrol's bonding session with the pyjama priest at the end.

I thought that, because this was the final season, we were going to have thick and fast plots and continuous edge of your seat moments through all 20 eps. If we get one more episode like this, then that is going right out the window. Oh and look at the title of next week's installment... "Faith".

[Joben]

The episode was ok, but when I saw there was 5 minutes left I realised that nothing had really happened. I like character development episodes, even if they're often used as a budget saver in the middle of a season by cutting down on the SFX and leaving out a few characters (I don't think I saw the Adamas, the President or Number 6 at all). This one though seemed like about 60% filler - The roundabout Baltar/Tyrol thing, It wouldn't have been a huge difference if Tyrol had taken his hand in that first scene rather than needing the whole episode to end up there anyway. Nothing really new was gleaned out of the Leoben relationship nor the Demetrius crew subplot, until the end of course. I'd thought we'd at least be able to see part of the basestar plot.

Since it's the last season I keep expecting to see a secondary character die in every scene since they have a free hand. Unfortunately it finally panned out in this episode I was half expecting to see Starbuck pull an Admiral Cain on Helo at the end.

[Major Fischer]

The closest allegory I can think of, as I said earlier, is Muhammed.

That would be equally offensive as it would be an insult to the image of the prophet and I do believe we have all seen in the news that is not taken lightly either. Any even cursory study of the history of Islam would show you that Baltar's role isn't the role of Muhammed either. Muhammed was a wise virtuous man who wasn't using his followers for sex.

As for why people draw the Christian parallel... it's because we're supposed to. The publicity for the show describes the cleansing of the temple as the expelling of the money changers. If you seriously believe that the New Caprica plot was not inteaded to be read as Iraq I have a bridge in Brocklyn to sell you.

[Pharaoh Atem]

great ep. first ep this season that felt like the old days

now the baseship story line ....this season is getting good now

[Agent_Dark]

That would be equally offensive as it would be an insult to the image of the prophet and I do believe we have all seen in the news that is not taken lightly either. Any even cursory study of the history of Islam would show you that Baltar's role isn't the role of Muhammed either. Muhammed was a wise virtuous man who wasn't using his followers for sex.

As for why people draw the Christian parallel... it's because we're supposed to. The publicity for the show describes the cleansing of the temple as the expelling of the money changers. If you seriously believe that the New Caprica plot was not inteaded to be read as Iraq I have a bridge in Brocklyn to sell you.

Or maybe you're just drawing lines where there shouldn't be any. Maybe you've been goaded into drawing a comparison because you're limited to your own experiences, latched onto a few commonalities and just filled in the rest to suit yourself. Maybe that's the actual message the show is sending.

I mean, come on - why the hell would someone bother trying to make a Real Life political/religious point in a sci-fi show that airs on a small-fry cable tv station. Perhaps people should stop trying to find some big real-life Religious/Political meaning in this fictional show and instead ask yourself why you are doing that. That's what BSG is doing.

[P-90_177]

Damn this was a fantastic ep. A HUGE improvement on last week.

Ok first of all I am fascinated by what's going on on board the demetrius. I mean it's obvious that kara just wants to do what is right. Yeah she's got this compulsion to find earth that she doesn't quite understand but she's also doing it for the old man and the rest of the fleet. Helo mean while is trying to be loyal to his friend and I'm sure that moment when he releived her of command was the worst thing he'd done in a good long while. I also love the whooping he gave gonzo. People may think that's out of character but I disagree. Remember it was only when Gonzo claimed she was a cylon when helo knocked him down. He was being loyal to his friend and making sure no one else would follow into mutiny.

Meanwhile on Galactica I'm also loving this whole thing with Baltar. In a strange way you have to feel good for him and even I as a viewer is taken in by his sermons. I'm beginning to wonder if this is actually a good thing for the fleet and that. The speech he gave tyrol was also very touching. And of course I feel very sorry for tyrol. Despite what he said last week it seems like he did really love cally. Looks like all he really has to live for is Nikki. Poor guy.

[peragrin]

I found this episode to be boring. Though I didn't think anyone other than Tyrol actually acted out of character.

Helo defended the cylon loving &&&&& with a pistol whip. The camera angle switching to his wife looking on was good. As the guy apparently forgot that Athena is a Cylon. Helo also offered starbuck a reasonable compromise. Go back to the fleet resupply and then find the basestar.

Starbuck acted like her self a bit, and so did Leoboan. both of them did brought this episode out.

Baltar. I just want him to die. His words not only mean nothing they are contradicted by his own harem. Baltar is closer to Zeus the raper of women(his own words) than any other god. I just wish someone else would point that out. I can even see him heading for tyrol for support. As for the Actor he is fantastic He is playing that role very well.

Galen really needs to stop and think about what he is doing. At the rate he is going when he learns that Tory killed Cally he will be like good job have a cookie, and maybe a frack.

My only hope is that the Cylons have found the next marker but are afraid that it will be "trapped" like the last one. So they want the humans to examine it while they follow.

[warmbeachbrat]

[snip]

Or maybe you're just drawing lines where there shouldn't be any. Maybe you've been goaded into drawing a comparison because you're limited to your own experiences, latched onto a few commonalities and just filled in the rest to suit yourself. Maybe that's the actual message the show is sending.

I mean, come on - why the hell would someone bother trying to make a Real Life political/religious point in a sci-fi show that airs on a small-fry cable tv station. Perhaps people should stop trying to find some big real-life Religious/Political meaning in this fictional show and instead ask yourself why you are doing that. That's what BSG is doing.

From the interview that Darth_Bicyclist linked to:

Question: The show is paralleling today's political climate and reflecting world events...

RDM: Absolutely. The show is really supposed to be about our society and political structure, the conversations we have today in the culture. Hopefully, the show is able to examine those things from a different perspective without making it as simple as the Cylons are Al Qaeda and Laura Roslin (the President) is George Bush. I don't think the show offers you easy answers on why Al Qaeda does what Al Qaeda does, but I think it gives you an easy reference into how an entire culture, or entire group of people can believe something so fervently that seems so unfathomable at the beginning.

Evidently, the parallels that you pooh-pooh are there intentionally, even if they are not exact or direct.

I thought this was a thread to discuss the episode. I don't think it's necessary to denigrate other people when they choose to discuss aspects of the show that you would rather not discuss or that you think are silly. There's plenty to talk about--not everyone is going to be interested in every detail, but others are.


Anyway, I was totally bored by the episode. I am incredibly tired of Starbuck's angst and Baltar's smarminess. I'm not all that surprised by Tyrol's actions. He's got to be dealing with all kinds of emotions--grief, guilt, suspicion, anger. Am I the only one to find Torry's actions to be more and more disturbing?

I suppose the good thing about BSG right now is that I have no idea where they're going with it.

[ToasterOnFire]

I thought this was the most disappointing ep of the season so far, unfortunately. Maybe it was the predictability of everything. Starbuck is nuts, Leoben is mysterious, someone dies, the crew mutinies, Baltar continues to spout his nonsense to his moon-eyed followers. Blah blah blah. And it never really built up to anything either.

One of the things I didn't expect was how Tyrol apparently turned to Baltar's side. While BSG is known for it's unexpected turns, I had a hard time understanding why Tyrol would do such a thing and why Baltar is so persuasive. Though I do find it interesting that the final four have been so malleable by certain people (Tory and now Tyrol by Baltar, Tigh by Six, Anders by Starbuck).

Thank the gods I didn't watch the skiffy preview, I hear it's spoilerific. O_o

[huntress]

Aaah a newbie. Welcome Joben Yeah the episode was indeed 60% filler and it certainly hasn't been the first episode like that. So far nothing really has happened in this season. The development is simply too slow and too laborous.

[Night Marshal]

Thank the gods I didn't watch the skiffy preview, I hear it's spoilerific. O_o

You got that Fracking right. We go from another high point cliff hanger(that no one believes but thats besides the point I just thank the gods that they didn't have that fracking drum, beating over everything for 3 whole minutes leading up to end of the episode{He That Believeth in Me} at least they found the volume switch this time).

Spoiler:

But yeah you can bet that scene with the hybrid coming from the end of the next episode, and we also get to see how she get control back of the ship. That was terrible and also makes it look like they pushed all the drama into next week show just to have a bigger cliff hanger on this one.(which after a week from now isn't going to matter.)

[Jumper_One]

the beginning of the ep was pretty lame imo. I still don't care for Baltar's storyline, I mean what's he doing? nothing, just making sure his followers still believe in him. meh. his interaction with Tyrol was also strange. he took his hand, does he suddenly trust Baltar? woohoo mutiny on the Demetrius, that was cool. I wasn't sure if Helo would relieve Kara because he's generally pretty loyal. is Starbuck still following her instincts or is she becoming insane, obsessive? I guess we'll find out in the next ep. I also hope to see more of Lee, Roslin and Adama

Aaah a newbie. Welcome Joben Yeah the episode was indeed 60% filler and it certainly hasn't been the first episode like that. So far nothing really has happened in this season. The development is simply too slow and too laborous.

I agree, the last few eps seem to be a set up. I'm looing forward to part 2

[Bruman]

you make a good point of how two of the finale five are in baltars camp, and how tigh will end up there too. i could possiably see him following baltar but then again its not tigh, but then hes been acting not the same since hes been visiting six.

I seem to recall in one of the Eye of Jupiter episodes that Rosslyn mentioned something about the "five priests devoted to the one whose name cannot be...". And then she's interrupted by Adama Sr.. So, cannot be what? The most likely solution is the one whose name cannot be "said," since, if you could say it, it would be "devoted to [name]." Interestingly enough, there are parts of the Abrahamic traditions that point out that God's name should not be spoken, or even written, which is why some writers remove the vowel when writing G-d.

Tyrol mentions that the temple in the Eye of Jupiter looks like "the temple of the 5" and this is also where Diana sees "the final five" cylons. Add to this that the cylons are really the monotheist ones, and it suggests that there is a relationship between the five priests, earth, monetheism, and the final five cylons.

So all this together suggests that if Baltar is preaching monotheism and the Dylan four are part of the final five, it may not be surprising that they are somehow listening to Baltar's schpeel, even if they find it difficult to stomach it coming from that guy.