A few scattered thoughts on BSG 3.04 (Exodus Part 2)
First off, let me preface by saying that holy crap, I love this show. For all the little time quibbles and inconsistencies -- you know, I don't care. I really don't. For gods' sake, people, as I'm fond of saying, I'm a Xena fan. I am, by this point, immune to inconsistencies. This episode? Yeah, I'm gonna be one of the people ranking it as one of the best hours of television I've ever seen.
God. Saul and Ellen. How much I have loved the character of Ellen, in all her too-focused, questionable, often reprehensible glory. The relationship between her and Saul, so completely fucked-up and beautiful with all its twists and tangles. What a way for her to go out, confessing what she'd done and saying she'd do it all over again, then asking for the drink that I, like others, believe she knew was poisoned -- twisted absolution and Socrates drinking the hemlock at the same time. What a performance from Michael Hogan and Kate Vernon. Absolutely broke my heart. Seriously, "Socrates" was the first word that popped into my head.
And damn -- Tigh is the man who, when Tyrol and Anders expressed doubts about the necessity of using suicide bombers, was dead certain that they had to do whatever was necessary. And that statement, that belief, has come back to revisit him in the most personal way possible. Damn, I say. I just . . . loss for words.
PYRAMID COURT FOR THE WIN. Kills me that the armory is under there, and I love it, because it makes sense. It's probably the only thing they really have for entertainment, watching people play Pyramid, so it's natural that there are going to be people convening there all the time. And at the same time, it's sort of . . . sacred space, if you will, for the players.
Oh, Anders, making things go 'splodey. Talking to kajivar in IM last night she referred to him as the Mad Bomber What Bombs at Midnight, and you know, he really is all over the detonation thing, isn't he? Oh great, now I have this mental image of him as Kell Tainer of Wraith Squadron, from the Star Wars X-Wing series, in my head now. Kell, "Call me Demolition Boy," too-big-to-fit-comfortably-in-a-fighter-cockpit Tainer. NO. OUT OF MY HEAD, WACKY CROSSOVER META. NO, I SAY. BECAUSE KARA THRACE IS NOT TYRIA SARKIN AND -- *cough*
I'm fine now, really.
Galactica dropping into atmo, with the re-entry burn and the Vipers launching and the FTL? Possibly the best thing ever. All three of us were screaming and whooping like crazy. And seeing Pegasus go out the way it did: shadowriter was doing the Fistpump of Victory over the fact that it was an original-series shoutout. (I had to play message-go-between over AIM between her and kajivar, with the old-school series squee. Sigh.)
So yeah, you know what? I loved the scene with Lee and Dee at the beginning. Loved it.
I am . . . actually going to be really sorry when Lee slims down again because (as discussed with both timjr and lyssie) he's been kind of awesome so far this season, and goddammit, I like him this way. Oddly I like him a lot more when he's all puffy, and for the love of frak we need more intelligent, awesome people who aren't in perfect shape. Seriously, mmmkay?
Oh Anders, you're crying when you find out Kara's alive. Hugging her and crying and -- dammit, I love you, man. Then with the slinging her over your shoulder and carrying her off, until she kicks you, at which point you put her down right away -- talk about characterizing a relationship in a nutshell, KISSING IN THE HALLWAYS. OMG YES. BUT BETTER LIGHTING NEXT TIME, OKAY? DO YOU HEAR ME, BSG CREW?
You know . . . I can't remember where I read it, because I went through every link on galacticanews this morning and I'll be damned if I can tell you what I saw where any more. But someone made a comment, somewhere, about how Dee should have dragged Lee kicking and screaming off the bridge of the Pegasus instead, and wondering what kind of love it was if she just walked away and didn't check to see if he was coming?
*takes a deep breath*
It was all there in the two-line exchange between them.
"You too, Commander."
"Yes, sir."
People? This is what we call a relationship where two people love and trust one another, and understand one another. She says that line, and walks away, because she knows him, knows he understands his duty, and knows he'll follow.
That? May not be the grand melodramatic gesture some people would like to see, but hey, this isn't fanfic. It's also fifty times more effective. That exchange is subtle, but it tells us everything we need to know, and I absolutely love it.
Man, everyone is going to be so broken after this. It's going to be beautiful and painful and fascinating.
And you know, I don't care if everyone else is wearing jackets. Keep on keepin' on with those sleeveless shirts, Samuel T. Anders. 'cause rawr, baby.
. . . on that profound concluding note, I'm done. For now, anyway.
God. Saul and Ellen. How much I have loved the character of Ellen, in all her too-focused, questionable, often reprehensible glory. The relationship between her and Saul, so completely fucked-up and beautiful with all its twists and tangles. What a way for her to go out, confessing what she'd done and saying she'd do it all over again, then asking for the drink that I, like others, believe she knew was poisoned -- twisted absolution and Socrates drinking the hemlock at the same time. What a performance from Michael Hogan and Kate Vernon. Absolutely broke my heart. Seriously, "Socrates" was the first word that popped into my head.
And damn -- Tigh is the man who, when Tyrol and Anders expressed doubts about the necessity of using suicide bombers, was dead certain that they had to do whatever was necessary. And that statement, that belief, has come back to revisit him in the most personal way possible. Damn, I say. I just . . . loss for words.
PYRAMID COURT FOR THE WIN. Kills me that the armory is under there, and I love it, because it makes sense. It's probably the only thing they really have for entertainment, watching people play Pyramid, so it's natural that there are going to be people convening there all the time. And at the same time, it's sort of . . . sacred space, if you will, for the players.
Oh, Anders, making things go 'splodey. Talking to kajivar in IM last night she referred to him as the Mad Bomber What Bombs at Midnight, and you know, he really is all over the detonation thing, isn't he? Oh great, now I have this mental image of him as Kell Tainer of Wraith Squadron, from the Star Wars X-Wing series, in my head now. Kell, "Call me Demolition Boy," too-big-to-fit-comfortably-in-a-fighter-cockpit Tainer. NO. OUT OF MY HEAD, WACKY CROSSOVER META. NO, I SAY. BECAUSE KARA THRACE IS NOT TYRIA SARKIN AND -- *cough*
I'm fine now, really.
Galactica dropping into atmo, with the re-entry burn and the Vipers launching and the FTL? Possibly the best thing ever. All three of us were screaming and whooping like crazy. And seeing Pegasus go out the way it did: shadowriter was doing the Fistpump of Victory over the fact that it was an original-series shoutout. (I had to play message-go-between over AIM between her and kajivar, with the old-school series squee. Sigh.)
So yeah, you know what? I loved the scene with Lee and Dee at the beginning. Loved it.
I am . . . actually going to be really sorry when Lee slims down again because (as discussed with both timjr and lyssie) he's been kind of awesome so far this season, and goddammit, I like him this way. Oddly I like him a lot more when he's all puffy, and for the love of frak we need more intelligent, awesome people who aren't in perfect shape. Seriously, mmmkay?
Oh Anders, you're crying when you find out Kara's alive. Hugging her and crying and -- dammit, I love you, man. Then with the slinging her over your shoulder and carrying her off, until she kicks you, at which point you put her down right away -- talk about characterizing a relationship in a nutshell, KISSING IN THE HALLWAYS. OMG YES. BUT BETTER LIGHTING NEXT TIME, OKAY? DO YOU HEAR ME, BSG CREW?
You know . . . I can't remember where I read it, because I went through every link on galacticanews this morning and I'll be damned if I can tell you what I saw where any more. But someone made a comment, somewhere, about how Dee should have dragged Lee kicking and screaming off the bridge of the Pegasus instead, and wondering what kind of love it was if she just walked away and didn't check to see if he was coming?
*takes a deep breath*
It was all there in the two-line exchange between them.
"You too, Commander."
"Yes, sir."
People? This is what we call a relationship where two people love and trust one another, and understand one another. She says that line, and walks away, because she knows him, knows he understands his duty, and knows he'll follow.
That? May not be the grand melodramatic gesture some people would like to see, but hey, this isn't fanfic. It's also fifty times more effective. That exchange is subtle, but it tells us everything we need to know, and I absolutely love it.
Man, everyone is going to be so broken after this. It's going to be beautiful and painful and fascinating.
And you know, I don't care if everyone else is wearing jackets. Keep on keepin' on with those sleeveless shirts, Samuel T. Anders. 'cause rawr, baby.
. . . on that profound concluding note, I'm done. For now, anyway.