(no subject)
I really don't understand why my tv reviews muse is giving me such a hard time lately. I'm feeding her regularly, I'm keeping her entertained, what's her bloody problem?
'Battlestar Galactica' 3x09 - 'Unfinished Business'
Damn. That was just-- Damn.
I'm still not particularly coherent about it, which is a real shame because I genuinely think it was the best episode of the season so far. The Kara/Lee storyline finally gets the tribute it deserves. Well, 'finally' isn't really a good word here, it implies that the issue should have been handled earlier, and that is just not true.
Kara/Lee has been around since practically the miniseries, but never really defined. I think it was a very brave move for Moore to keep it unresolved so long. Were BSG a lesser show, Kara and Lee would be already wedded and bedded but the end of season 1, most probably after the Red Planet episode. You get a pretty girl, a handsome boy, two of them butting heads but really liking each other, so you add a bit of drama, preferable life-threatening for at least one of them, and voila, a tv romance. BSG is not a lesser show. It's not afraid to tell us that things don't really happen that way in real life. It takes hell of a lot more than just an opportunity to bring a relationship to life. Sure, there can be a spark, some convenient circumstances, but that's not enough. A moment of hesitation, the chance passes, and there's a bit of relief and a whole lot of regret left behind. Kara and Lee circled each other for a year, then there was an opportunity they both decided to act upon, and then there was a bit of relief and a lot of regret. And then they started to circle each other again, just at a much safer distance. Now perhaps they are going to make themselves an opportunity again, because there's always this hope that next time will be better, no matter how slim the chances for that really are. And how close the tragedy looms on the horizon.
I actually didn't mean to get into Kara/Lee at all. There are dozens analyzes out there, far more insightful than mine gambled thoughts, so I take the coward's way this time. I'll just say it was beautiful.
Other delights there:
- The whole boxing affair, with everyone letting their emotions show through bursts of controlled violence - a wonderful idea.
- The flashback party where all these harrowed people finally got a chance to enjoy themselves, to be happy and for a while and allow themselves some hope ('The Cylons come back, maybe they don't, but for now, right now... we've got a break'). And the little details like Anders regaling Tigh with the more pithy tales of his days as a pro pyramid player and then drinking himself under the table, like Gaeta boring Adama and Roslin with some government matters he's so puppyishly excited about, like Roslin in a red dress, drinking and smoking, and flirting with Adama, like Tigh getting quite frisky with Ellen at one of the tables (and, Tigh: 'Did I ever tell you how glad I am I married you?', Ellen: 'Not once,' Tigh: 'Oh. Well, then I'll save it for a special occasion', awwww), like all the damn folk dances. Lovely.
- Roslin being apparently a boxing-savvy woman and sternly coaching Adama in the ring. And how awesome it must be to have the President in your corner? And Helo as your towel-boy? A lot, I'm sure.
- Adama never missing a chance to slip in a solemn motivational lecture. I can hardly call the speech itself a delight, but the fact that Adama is so utterly predictable like that I think is quite great.
And on the whole, 'The Unfinished Business'-- Damn.
'Battlestar Galactica' 3x10 - 'The Passage'
A fine episode, concentrating more on the larger scope instead of the individual drama. There was the secondary focus on Kat but, since she's a secondary character it didn't really feel like the center of attention. Still, it was a nice twist, shifting the limelight onto the second row for a change, reminding us that the life of the background players is as dramatic and as full as the key characters'. I think it was needed.
The assorted thoughts:
- I'm not so sure about the introduction of the food problem/the algae planet storyline. On the one hand, it seemed to have been pulled out of nowhere without any warning. On the other, perhaps it's better that they didn't waste time on the trivialities and just got down to business. I'm torn about that. I await further development, perhaps it will clear some things for me.
- I liked how they show us here the tremendous struggle the pilots had to go through. And how all of them just did it silently and without complaints because it was important and it was their job.
- I liked that there weren't any miracles. They suffered losses. Losses that they predicted, that they wrote into the mission from the very start but no less tragic, just before they were logically expected.
- The relationship between Starbuck and Kat was handled very skillfully here, I think. It was a fitting finish-up. These two were always butting heads, but they've grown to respect one another in spite of the differences, and in spite of the inconvenient similarities. Kat accepted that Starbuck is a formidable force to be reckoned with and never underestimated, and that it would take much more that just talent to really catch up with her. Starbuck came to terms with the fact that Kat has an enormous potential, and, while she isn't there yet in the same line as her, she would be soon enough. We knows now, and Starbuck knows, that there was something more to Kat's drive than she let on at first, that under all this diligence is a deeply rooted need for remorse rather than just well-minded bravery. But we are also aware, and Starbuck is too, at last, that this doesn't actually change that much, because the world doesn't really work in the temps of 'why' but rather 'what', 'who' and 'when'. Kat was a hero here, it doesn't matter to anyone else but her what pushed her to it. And Starbuck, as she admits it herself, is certainly in no position to judge.
- I was surprised to see Tigh return to the CIC so soon. Then again, he probably couldn't really find himself doing anything else after all these years as an XO. I wonder if the CIC people were genuinely so pleased to have him back or just wanted to make Adama happy. Tigh is a great character to watch from the other side of the tv screen but he must be a real pain to actually interact with on a regular basis. And I liked that Gaeta was the only one openly disapproving of the development. I wouldn't be too thrilled to work under a man who nearly threw me out of an airlock just a few weeks ago, either.
- As for the Cylon subplot, I'm still reserving judgment. Lucy Lawless is still doing a terrific job there and the disoriented, half-demented Three is surely an intriguing sight, but I'm not so sure where I stand on the Missing Cylon Models issue. If they come up with a believable and interesting enough explanation, if they manage to pull it off, the storyline will be gold. However, the ground is very tricky here, the plot even started out as a bit ridiculous, so I'm not that optimistic here.
- I liked how Baltar is half-hopeful, half-afraid that he could be a Cylon after all (even though I'm pretty sure he isn't). That he at least partly wants to be a Cylon, because he desperately needs a place to belong. It was a nice touch. And, on the side note, 'You would help me understand my destiny' is probably the best pick-up line to use on a Cylon lady.
- Baltar's 'I'll never understand what you all do all day long'. Baffles me, too.
- I looks like BSG is ready to dish out yet another mythic prophecy arc. I can't say I'm too enthusiastic about it. I'd really prefer if they kept to hardcore science fiction instead.
.
'Battlestar Galactica' 3x09 - 'Unfinished Business'
Damn. That was just-- Damn.
I'm still not particularly coherent about it, which is a real shame because I genuinely think it was the best episode of the season so far. The Kara/Lee storyline finally gets the tribute it deserves. Well, 'finally' isn't really a good word here, it implies that the issue should have been handled earlier, and that is just not true.
Kara/Lee has been around since practically the miniseries, but never really defined. I think it was a very brave move for Moore to keep it unresolved so long. Were BSG a lesser show, Kara and Lee would be already wedded and bedded but the end of season 1, most probably after the Red Planet episode. You get a pretty girl, a handsome boy, two of them butting heads but really liking each other, so you add a bit of drama, preferable life-threatening for at least one of them, and voila, a tv romance. BSG is not a lesser show. It's not afraid to tell us that things don't really happen that way in real life. It takes hell of a lot more than just an opportunity to bring a relationship to life. Sure, there can be a spark, some convenient circumstances, but that's not enough. A moment of hesitation, the chance passes, and there's a bit of relief and a whole lot of regret left behind. Kara and Lee circled each other for a year, then there was an opportunity they both decided to act upon, and then there was a bit of relief and a lot of regret. And then they started to circle each other again, just at a much safer distance. Now perhaps they are going to make themselves an opportunity again, because there's always this hope that next time will be better, no matter how slim the chances for that really are. And how close the tragedy looms on the horizon.
I actually didn't mean to get into Kara/Lee at all. There are dozens analyzes out there, far more insightful than mine gambled thoughts, so I take the coward's way this time. I'll just say it was beautiful.
Other delights there:
- The whole boxing affair, with everyone letting their emotions show through bursts of controlled violence - a wonderful idea.
- The flashback party where all these harrowed people finally got a chance to enjoy themselves, to be happy and for a while and allow themselves some hope ('The Cylons come back, maybe they don't, but for now, right now... we've got a break'). And the little details like Anders regaling Tigh with the more pithy tales of his days as a pro pyramid player and then drinking himself under the table, like Gaeta boring Adama and Roslin with some government matters he's so puppyishly excited about, like Roslin in a red dress, drinking and smoking, and flirting with Adama, like Tigh getting quite frisky with Ellen at one of the tables (and, Tigh: 'Did I ever tell you how glad I am I married you?', Ellen: 'Not once,' Tigh: 'Oh. Well, then I'll save it for a special occasion', awwww), like all the damn folk dances. Lovely.
- Roslin being apparently a boxing-savvy woman and sternly coaching Adama in the ring. And how awesome it must be to have the President in your corner? And Helo as your towel-boy? A lot, I'm sure.
- Adama never missing a chance to slip in a solemn motivational lecture. I can hardly call the speech itself a delight, but the fact that Adama is so utterly predictable like that I think is quite great.
And on the whole, 'The Unfinished Business'-- Damn.
'Battlestar Galactica' 3x10 - 'The Passage'
A fine episode, concentrating more on the larger scope instead of the individual drama. There was the secondary focus on Kat but, since she's a secondary character it didn't really feel like the center of attention. Still, it was a nice twist, shifting the limelight onto the second row for a change, reminding us that the life of the background players is as dramatic and as full as the key characters'. I think it was needed.
The assorted thoughts:
- I'm not so sure about the introduction of the food problem/the algae planet storyline. On the one hand, it seemed to have been pulled out of nowhere without any warning. On the other, perhaps it's better that they didn't waste time on the trivialities and just got down to business. I'm torn about that. I await further development, perhaps it will clear some things for me.
- I liked how they show us here the tremendous struggle the pilots had to go through. And how all of them just did it silently and without complaints because it was important and it was their job.
- I liked that there weren't any miracles. They suffered losses. Losses that they predicted, that they wrote into the mission from the very start but no less tragic, just before they were logically expected.
- The relationship between Starbuck and Kat was handled very skillfully here, I think. It was a fitting finish-up. These two were always butting heads, but they've grown to respect one another in spite of the differences, and in spite of the inconvenient similarities. Kat accepted that Starbuck is a formidable force to be reckoned with and never underestimated, and that it would take much more that just talent to really catch up with her. Starbuck came to terms with the fact that Kat has an enormous potential, and, while she isn't there yet in the same line as her, she would be soon enough. We knows now, and Starbuck knows, that there was something more to Kat's drive than she let on at first, that under all this diligence is a deeply rooted need for remorse rather than just well-minded bravery. But we are also aware, and Starbuck is too, at last, that this doesn't actually change that much, because the world doesn't really work in the temps of 'why' but rather 'what', 'who' and 'when'. Kat was a hero here, it doesn't matter to anyone else but her what pushed her to it. And Starbuck, as she admits it herself, is certainly in no position to judge.
- I was surprised to see Tigh return to the CIC so soon. Then again, he probably couldn't really find himself doing anything else after all these years as an XO. I wonder if the CIC people were genuinely so pleased to have him back or just wanted to make Adama happy. Tigh is a great character to watch from the other side of the tv screen but he must be a real pain to actually interact with on a regular basis. And I liked that Gaeta was the only one openly disapproving of the development. I wouldn't be too thrilled to work under a man who nearly threw me out of an airlock just a few weeks ago, either.
- As for the Cylon subplot, I'm still reserving judgment. Lucy Lawless is still doing a terrific job there and the disoriented, half-demented Three is surely an intriguing sight, but I'm not so sure where I stand on the Missing Cylon Models issue. If they come up with a believable and interesting enough explanation, if they manage to pull it off, the storyline will be gold. However, the ground is very tricky here, the plot even started out as a bit ridiculous, so I'm not that optimistic here.
- I liked how Baltar is half-hopeful, half-afraid that he could be a Cylon after all (even though I'm pretty sure he isn't). That he at least partly wants to be a Cylon, because he desperately needs a place to belong. It was a nice touch. And, on the side note, 'You would help me understand my destiny' is probably the best pick-up line to use on a Cylon lady.
- Baltar's 'I'll never understand what you all do all day long'. Baffles me, too.
- I looks like BSG is ready to dish out yet another mythic prophecy arc. I can't say I'm too enthusiastic about it. I'd really prefer if they kept to hardcore science fiction instead.
.