Scattered (201)

[Agent_Dark]

Maybe that’s why they did not advance towards Tyrol, etc. I just though the tactic of Cylon toasters taking cover, a little off. To me they just seem like they would advance on a position at all cost. But since they know Baltar is with them, then I like your idea that they may prefer to keep them alive for their own reasons.

Yeah, we've seen them do it before against Helo (I mean come on. Two Centurians fail to take out one injured guy who only has a pistol?) They weren't there to kill him, just make it hard for him. I think the same thing might be happening to Baltar and Tyrol and Co on Kobol

How cool were those images of the Cylon raiders leaving the Base Star? That was amazing CGI. Also interesting to see how they actually launch from a Base Star. They look like they are actually popping up out of a slot in a toaster.

Yep, great CGI there along with the shot of Apollo and Kat flying into Galactica's flak suppresion field
I also liked the furball that they had near the end. Was nice to hear some of the chit-chatter among the pilots as they blew away the raiders

[Jonisa]

That’s nice to know that you are usually wrong. I’d die if Lee turned out to be a Cylon in the end. I think Leoben was just screwing with Roslin, but then you never know with those things.

Ergh, me too. I'm hoping Leoben was just screwing with Roslin myself. I wouldn't worry if it was anyone but Ron Moore, but he seems to be fearless in what he's willing to do with the characters. I'd better be wrong. Mr. Moore, bad idea to have the hunky, angsty leading man that everyone seems to love be a Cylon! Very bad idea! Do *not* go there.

Nice little tid bit in RDM’s podcast that the medic was Bamber’s wife. Just knew a good lookin’ man like that couldn’t be single.

Not only single, but with three kids under the age of 3. Busy household, that one.

Interesting that the medic is Jamie Bamber's wife. I liked the character and hoped we'll see more of her.

Question for you, since you listened to the podcast in its entirety. I started to, and then he warned that he was going to be spoiling a couple of upcoming episodes and I clicked it off immediately. Did he give any hint as to how many episodes ahead he was spoiling? I want to listen to it, but I want to wait until after the episodes air and I need an idea of when that is. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Jeff O'Connor]

I loved it. As much of a Stargate diehard as I've become over the past two years or so since I started watching, BSG has stolen my heart from SG-1, from Atlantis, from Farscape... it's my favorite show, quite possibly ever, and its second season has only just begun.

What did I like about this episode?

The attention to addressing each character's current status as of the season premiere. We saw Crashdown, Galen Tyrol and Cally with their other allies coming together and braving the stalked wilderness of Kobol, evading and confronting the Cylons. We saw Tyrol and Crashdown clashing, we saw Tyrol and Cally's heroics -- and the heroics of another, whose name I can't recall for the life of me, though he fell in a skirmish against the enemy on the trio's way back to the others. You know -- the one who was shot... a lot of times. We saw loads of Tigh, more on that later. We saw Adama's condition, of course. We saw Starbuck, Helo and Boomer, too. We saw the Galactica Boomer's treatment by Tigh. We saw Apollo, his interactions with the imprisoned Madam President. We saw Baltar a little... we saw every side that was left dangling.

The insight on Tigh which was one of few things badly needed in the first year -- he's drunk and his wife's a beeyitch, he knows Adama but from where? Surely, Tigh's gotten more development in a freshman year than most characters on television but in a show this good, that's not enough! We got some, this past Friday, and boy, was it interesting. Just the notion that he was apparently going to off himself until he got word of being reinstated into the fleet was rather tragic, quite intriguing. Poor guy. I still dislike him -- not in the sense that I don't like the character, I like every character in this show, I mean I don't like him, so much, I wouldn't want to work with him -- but I have gained even more respect for the man nonetheless.

That scene with Roslin and Lee's guard was quite well done -- when he came before them and asked if she would pray with him. I was moved by the moment and the way they had him continue said prayer while showing the ongoing fight was brilliance.

Lieutenant Gaeta has been one of my favorite characters in general since day one and watching him in action, in his doubting and depression, then his decisive moments amidst the episode, even when standing against the apathetic... well, all right, I can't quite remember his name, either, but I don't recall him from any other episodes -- a tad heavyset, aboard the bridge with Tigh and Gaeta, constantly shaking his head at Gaeta's plans. Also, him and the Firewall premise was some good watchin', too. Oh, and Dualla's brief scene of reassurance made me feel nice and warm inside momentarily, in a show of so much darkness where despite the obvious facts that these characters do, in general care about one-another, there's just too much going on to show it off with a calmer attitude, rather than fast-paced, life-or-death dramatic, all that often.

Starbuck pulling a gun on Boomer was priceless. I mean, not priceless in the sort've 'wow, never saw that coming' way, because I think it's safe to say it'd happen sooner or later, sooner rather than later in most cases. Just priceless in the sense that it was interesting to see Helo leap afront her weapon and beg the woman not to do it, given the circumstances. This and Kara's subsequent reaction were quite entertaining and understandable.

Seeing Lee piloting alongside Hot Dog and the others Starbuck began to train was pretty cool. It's not like it hasn't happened before, it's just that I'm glad the writers had the sense to know Tigh would simply have to ask him to fight for their lives despite his going straight back to his prison cell as soon as said battle would be over.

Baltar's reaction to Six seeming to be quite serious in all senses of the word about his being the child's father and her being the mother was humorous and I digged it entirely.

Jamie Bamber's wife saved Bill Adama's life! Not only does this rhyme, but it's quite fun, too, and methinks some time from now, it'll be interesting DVD trivia and the like. In general, it's kind've interesting to think about the fact that the actor who plays Adama's son, his wife saved her husband's character's father. Man, Dark Helmet would be proud.

Call me crazy, but there's something about watching Cylon Raiders launched from the Base Stars like bees from the hive, unsticking and assaulting, that just fits my groove on all cylinders. No clue why, really, it just does. This episode in particular offered an interesting shot of such an event -- closer in angle than I recall any of the previous episodes depicting, we could see them break free from docking stations on the outer rim of the 'hangarbay' of sorts, like, as I said, bees. Killer bees, I'd suppose!

Last but not least, that it was new. My head's been screaming loudly for new BSG and I finally got it, and there's a heck load more where that came from. Woot! Bring it on.

What didn't I like about this episode?

Not a whole lot, but a little here and there, I suppose. I'll list it for good measure -- first've all, I wish there was more on the Starbuck, Helo and Boomer situation. Don't get me wrong, I think they threw in as much as they could right now and I know full well there's quite a bit coming back on Caprica, too. I just... was really, really looking forward to seeing this above all else for whatever reason and it didn't have quite so much as I'd hoped. But as I said, this is rather invalid anyway, since, well, it's coming, heh heh.

I wish Billy had been a bit more vocal, but I understand that there was a chance he'd be leaving the show at least for the most part, if a certain pilot passed the grade, which it didn't. I also understand that they actually went back and added more footage of him once he came saying he'd remain full-time with BSG because this prospective new show didn't work out, plus I acknowledge that there was only so much the season premiere could show.

Finally, I hear-tell the original script for 'Scattered' saw an opening where Tigh met Adama after getting into a barfight and nearly being shot by his enemies, and the latter stopped the assault and saved Tigh's life through this manner. The way things went down, I could see this actually still having happened and for all I know, 'Valley of Darkness' might show it, though judging by things in general, I sort've doubt it. Either way, I'd have loved to see this for one reason or another -- I guess it was because I hadn't realized upon first viewing that it wouldn't be there and sort've waited for it the whole episode; alas, no delivery. Oh well!

All in all, I'd give this episode a surefire 9.5/10. The only reason it isn't a full ten is that I've seen a couple of others in BSG that I found better overall -- something very, very few programs could ever achieve IMO. Those reigning favorites are 'Hand of God' and 'Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II', but you know what? I know a few people who know a few people, who know a few people and so on... and rumor has it, Season 2 has in store for us every bit of wonder that its predecessor gave forth and even more where that came from. I can't wait and hopefully, I'll be just as vocal about next week's airing as I was about this. I just couldn't contain myself so a full amateur review came crawling forward.

[Egeria]

^ Wow Jeff what a post, crikey must have took ages to type. I'd probably post something along the same lines if I had the time or inclination.....though you have IMO summed up just how much I loved this episode. You're post is filled with the same, sheer enthusiasm that I think alot of us BSG fans felt on watching this ep....great post.

[Jeff O'Connor]

Thanks, Egeria!

[keshou]

Yep, I agree. Recently I've been worried that it's Lee. I keep thinking back to the Cylon that whispered to the president, "Adama is a Cylon." He never specified which Adama now, did he?

Bite your tongue girl and stay away from the writers. I would hate it if either Lee or Starbuck ended up a Cylon. I could take it for anyone else but not them. (oh sheesh - hope I didn't just jinx it. )

That scene with Roslin and Lee's guard was quite well done -- when he came before them and asked if she would pray with him. I was moved by the moment and the way they had him continue said prayer while showing the ongoing fight was brilliance.

Your whole post was great and you hit on all the things I loved about the episode. I forgot to mention the scene with the guard earlier. To me that's what sets this show apart. What other scifi show would include something like this? I just love that they don't back off the important themes - including the odd mixture of religion and politics.

Back to Baltar/Six and the baby. You know - whatever happened to the "Six" that showed up in that episode where everyone could see her and she tried to frame Baltar. Of course she disppeared when Baltar was at his wits end (sitting in a prison cell he finally cried out to god). The Six who dwells in his mind returned and the flesh and blood (well sorta) one disappeared. I mean is it possible there's a real "six" out there who's having Baltar's child?

Of course the better question to me is "Why Baltar"? Why would the Cylons choose him? Or is this all in his head?

Questions to ponder. And I can't wait to find out the answers.

Of course if it involves Lee or Starbuck being a Cylon I'm going to be mad.

[Jeff O'Connor]

Back to Baltar/Six and the baby. You know - whatever happened to the "Six" that showed up in that episode where everyone could see her and she tried to frame Baltar. Of course she disppeared when Baltar was at his wits end (sitting in a prison cell he finally cried out to god). The Six who dwells in his mind returned and the flesh and blood (well sorta) one disappeared. I mean is it possible there's a real "six" out there who's having Baltar's child?

Of course the better question to me is "Why Baltar"? Why would the Cylons choose him? Or is this all in his head?

Questions to ponder. And I can't wait to find out the answers.

Of course if it involves Lee or Starbuck being a Cylon I'm going to be mad.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I'm definitely still wondering about how that Six just got away, but you know what? This is pretty much the only show I've ever seen that I can truly proclaim, I'll eventually find out. The writers' attention to detail, to veritable perfection, is riveting, amazing. We'll see.

And yes, why Baltar? Or is this all in his head? So many questions. It's... mind-boggling.

If Lee or Starbuck are Cylons, I'll be right there, throwing things at the television with you.

[LoneStar1836]

Question for you, since you listened to the podcast in its entirety. I started to, and then he warned that he was going to be spoiling a couple of upcoming episodes and I clicked it off immediately. Did he give any hint as to how many episodes ahead he was spoiling? I want to listen to it, but I want to wait until after the episodes air and I need an idea of when that is. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hmm….I’m not quite sure. I think most of the spoilery stuff RDM was referring to was the backstory he has written for Adama and Tigh. To me, that seemed to be what the majority of the podcast talk consisted off. But then my memory is not so great. I tried to listen to it again tonight, got about 10 minutes in, and I think my bleeping speakers just crapped out.

Anyway if my memory serves me correctly, RDM said that he was considering having the opening episode this season focus on that instead of pick up with the where the events of last season left off. Of course he changed his mind, but he is still open to the idea to eventually have that episode since they did go ahead and film some of it. RDM decided that it would work to use some of what they filmed in the Tigh flashbacks we saw.

There was also a slight mention of spoilers for this Friday as well. Plus he was also spoiling the episode he was commenting on by mentioning some things before they happened. Honestly I don’t remember hearing anything that I would consider future spoilers except for the stuff about Adama and Tigh’s past history which will be used in some future episode yet to be determined.

But my memory is not the best, so listen at your own risk………………

I forgot to mention the scene with the guard earlier. To me that's what sets this show apart. What other scifi show would include something like this? I just love that they don't back off the important themes - including the odd mixture of religion and politics.

That scene does give you some interesting things to ponder. My main one was how did the guard know about the prophetic nature of Roslin? I kind of though the idea was kept between Elosha, Billy, and Roslin. I guess word got out that she had coerced Starbuck into taking the raider, and her reasons for doing so. This idea that she is a prophet will most certainly split people’s feelings about her. Zarak and his followers will have even more ammunition against her, while the more religious people will come to her defense, maybe. Though maybe Zarak is a religious man so who knows what he might actually think, but I’d assume he’d still try to hang her with it, at least as an excuse to get her out of power.

[Easter Lily]

If Lee or Starbuck are Cylons, I'll be right there, throwing things at the television with you.

If that ever happens, you can be sure I'll never watch another episode...
The tv I'll keep...

[LoneStar1836]

If that ever happens, you can be sure I'll never watch another episode...
The tv I'll keep...

Well, I'm not going to make that promise. I'd still watch thinking RDM has something up his sleeve.........
Here's to hoping that never happens though.

Hmmm.....throwing the TV would give me an excuse to go buy a new one since the one I have is like 15 years old with a nice green streak that is noticeable at times......... Yay! Bring on the Lee Cylon!

[Scoobing]

With regards to Baltar/Six's child, could it be the baby that Caprica-Boomer is carrying? Hmm that doesn't seem to make sense as Six said she was the mother and Baltar the father. But Caprica-Boomer could have been implanted via some kind of IVF. The Cylons are masters at getting and manipulating DNA.

When Six said "she will be with us soon enough" and Caprica-Boomer flew off in the raider it got me thinking she was on her way back to the fleet or Kobol.

Although she is supposed to be a renegade cylon. Hmmm...

On a seperate note, Chief Tyrol is a legend, I would follow him into battle any day. Not inhumanly calm and collected under fire and pressure, but he knows what he is doing and does well.

Question is, and this has been raised before, how does he know all this? He is the chief of the hanger pod. Been taking military night classes?

[Jonisa]

There was also a slight mention of spoilers for this Friday as well. Plus he was also spoiling the episode he was commenting on by mentioning some things before they happened. Honestly I don’t remember hearing anything that I would consider future spoilers except for the stuff about Adama and Tigh’s past history which will be used in some future episode yet to be determined.

But my memory is not the best, so listen at your own risk………………

Okay, thanks for that. I think I'll wait until after this week's episode and listen to both. It feels like sort of a two-parter, anyway. Vague spoilers for things they might or might not do in some future episode I can deal with. These things tend to change anyway.

Sorry for getting everyone's knickers in a twist with my theory that it's possible Lee is a Cylon. Don't mind me, I'm just paranoid. Now of course, I'm getting ridiculously suspicious about everything he does. Why did

Spoiler:

he just say "No fire," when the Cylon ship hit the Galactica? Wouldn't it have occurred to him that there might be toasters onboard? Then again, it didn't occur to me, but I'm not military-minded and don't know anything about things like that.

See? Paranoid. Someone set me straight here.

I know. Lee needs to have a scene where we see whether or not his spine lights up! That'll take care of it!

It has got me wondering though, are Cylons new models or copies of other people? I mean, obviously Adama knows what his son looks like so if he was a Cylon (or Tigh or Ellen or anyone he's known for a long time), Cylons would have to be copied from the original at some point. Hmmmm.

I am also wondering if the whole Caprica!Boomer storyline and Helo's acceptance of the reluctant robot is a way of preparing us to accept another character being a Cylon down the road. I'm just very specific about who it might be...in other words, not Lee. Or Starbuck. Anyone else I can deal.

On a seperate note, Chief Tyrol is a legend, I would follow him into battle any day. Not inhumanly calm and collected under fire and pressure, but he knows what he is doing and does well.

Question is, and this has been raised before, how does he know all this? He is the chief of the hanger pod. Been taking military night classes?

For me, I don't think it's so much military classes, which I associate with tactics and weaponry, etc., but more his personality. I'm sure they teach strategies for how to deal with the pressure of combat in military school, but still, some people are cut out to handle it better than others. He reminds me of the Sergeant in 'Band of Brothers', played by Donnie Wahlberg. (Yes, all my knowledge of things military come from film and television. ) Stuck with an ineffectional CO, he was the one that kept the rest of the soldiers sane during the Battle of the Bulge with his quiet, unassuming concern for every soldier. He was the one the soldiers gave their loyalty to.

Tyrol seems to me to be the same way. He's used to dealing with lots of enlisted men and women and their problems as Chief. He's the one who calmed Boomer down in the midst of her crisis. He kept his cool when he and his crew were under suspicion of sabotage. He just seems to have the kind of personality that diffuses difficult situations and helps people focus on what's important.

Hmmm. I just decided I don't want Tyrol to be a Cylon either. I vote for Ellen.

[Vorlon-1]

This episode was great. Like every other episode before this I cannot wait to see the next. Col Ty does not want the command, Thats pretty clear BUT He has shown on 2 occasions now that he can make the life/death decisions without hesitating. In the Miniseries when he was in Damage control and blew the airlocks and

Spoiler:

In this episode in dealing with the lost fleet, He did what Ty would do not what Adama would do

. I think between the pressure of command, the near death state of his savior and probably source of strength and his wife something is gonna snap.

I'm glad to see the new pilots are still flying. Lee out on parole was great...go fight but be back by 11pm or else. So many strings still dangling. Its as if they didn't answer any questions left from last season, they just made me want the answers to the same questions even more.

[Liebestraume]

Yay! Bring on the Lee Cylon!

Hush! Don't even suggest such things!

This summer amidst the BSG drought I finally broke down and started reading fanfic -- before then I had always been quite adament about not letting anything exogenous color my view of the show. I recall an extremely well-written fic based on the premises that the Lee that we know is a cylon. Despite the superb characterization and moving storyline, I couldn't help to feel more than a little depressed at its conclusion. Intellectually it is very interesting to ponder the question "what makes us us" or "are we that different from them," but emotionally something intangible yet precious is lost when whom/what I consider to be the most ideal in humanity turns out to be not human at all.

I guess that's my fundamental problem with any of the major characters being cylon.

I mean is it possible there's a real "six" out there who's having Baltar's child?

I don't see how that's possible, unless cylons are going to have their own version of Immaculate Conception.

[LoneStar1836]

Well it’s quite possible, imo. Before Caprica got nuked, a real number Six existed, in the “flesh and blood” so to speak. I know she was destroyed in the blast, but Baltar had been umm……contributing his genetic material in all their sexual escapades. So it’s possible that Six got her hands on some of his DNA and sent it off to just wherever they create and hatch all their little baby Cylons.

Or one of those Six’s was impregnated directly by Baltar and they sent a replacement Six which died in the blast. Unless of course Baltar was practicing safe sex cause I doubt Six was on the pill. Jeez. I can’t believe I said that out loud……..but it is a possibility maybe…….