Battlestar Posts to resume shortly

After a lengthy and busy summer, with the wonderful addition of a new nephew and niece to the family (technically just a nephew so far, Catilynn is due in two weeks) it is time to resume my wonderful (at least for me) synopsis and review of the Battlestar universe. My goal is to complete the series before the debut of Caprica next January and continue to review that show week to week at this website. So stay tuned for some amazing updates to come. Until then I highly recommend picking up Bear McCreary's gorgeous soundtrack to season 4 of Battlestar Galactica and the pilot of Caprica.

Also I will not wait until I have finished the series recaps, but create a new Category for Battlestar: The Plan when it is released. The Plan is the story of the series primarily told from the unseen Cylon point of view. Directed by Admiral Adama himself, Edward James Olmos, and penned by future Caprica show-runner and Buffy, Angel, Dollhouse, Wharehouse 13 etc. writer Jane Espenson it looks to be a wonderful companion piece to the series which helps to fill in a side of the story we have yet to fully understand.

So Stay Tuned all my faithful reader. Maybe someday I can pluralize :)

"33" Episode one of the Series!

Season 1 Episode 1- "33"

Original Airdate: October 18, 2004


So the series begins here. Fresh off their leap from the Ragnar station in the Mini-Series we open with a clock ticking in the background. The camera is tight on Baltar’s face, asleep. We see that he is dreaming of his house on Galactica.

One minute to mark says a clearly tired Apollo. Starbuck shakes her head to keep her eyes open in deep space. We cut to the CIC where everyone is clearly exhausted but anxious about the ticking clock.

We cut to Six stating that God has a plan for Gaius, a plan for everything and everyone. Six states that Gaius has to believe in something. Baltar states that he only believes in a rational world with rational explanations. Six says she loves him. That is not rational. Gaius states that it’s not rational that they are not really there.

Cut to the deck where we finally get our explanation. Cally asks Chief Tyrol why do the Cylons come every 33 minutes, not 34, not 32? He tells her to shut up.

Cut to CIC where Dualla informs Commander Adama that many ships are having trouble spinning up their FTL drives. Adama states to Tigh “We are getting slower”. Days old beards are shown on their faces. “Maybe this time” Tigh states. Right on cue as all the clocks hit OO:OO on their faces the Cylons reappear.

We next see Gaius talking to Head Six on Colonial One. He states that the constant chase is hard to take, that there are limits to the human capacity to stay awake and aware. Tolerances that the human body and mind can’t push beyond.

A battle ensues between the Cylons, Galactica, and the Colonial Vipers.
Colonial one is finally ready to jump and the Vipers make a combat landing so the Galactica can jump the heck out of there.

Jump 237 is complete according to Gaeta. They reset the clock to 33 minutes.

“You know you’re not safe” Head Six states as Baltar dreams they are at his house on Caprica. We will learn later that she didn’t just mean that the Cylons are going to continue to chase them for the 238th time.

The Colonial fleet has now gone 130 hours without sleep. Adama states that he wishes to split the fleet up and have jump to common coordinates after a few jumps on their own.

As the pilots leave after their clearly exhausted briefing they all touch the picture of the presumed dead Helo who is back on Caprica.

We next cut to Dualla looking for her family with the officer in charge of locating survivors throughout the fleet. He states that they are not able to transmit photos yet to see who is out there but that there are over 5,000 survivors from Dualla’s home planet of Saggitaron. The officer then instructs Dualla that she may leave her picture on the wall in the Hallways of Galactica. The next shot is both touching and very heart breaking. It is a clear echo to the many walls lining the streets of New York City after 9/11. Hundreds or thousands of photos of the lost line the hallway of the Galactica like they did the streets of New York. Candles are set up as memorial shrines.

Billy updates the President on the current head count in the fleet. She asks how they lost 300 from the last update. He states there were a few over counts, a few dead from wounds, and a few missing from the last attack on the fleet. Roslin stands up and clearly dejected erases the figure of 50,298 from her white board and changes it to 49,998. She stares at the number and starts to weep.

Head Six appears to Gaius. She asks if he wants children. He says no. Six tells Baltar that procreation is one of God’s commandments. He sarcastically says “Really?” Six wants she and Gaius to have a child.

Billy states that Dr. Emmerich has requested to meet with the President and it is urgent. Gaius takes a great interest in this as he worked with him at the Department of Defense. Billy states that he has important information on how the Cylons were able to break through the Colonial defenses. An act that Baltar allowed when he let Six into the defense mainframes back on Caprica.

Six states to Baltar alone that maybe Emmerich has information about a certain traitor in the group speaking about Baltar. Six goes on to point out that Gaius Baltar now has a serious problem, but more on that later.

We next cut to Karl “Helo” Agathon during his sixth day on Caprica walking through a rainy forest. He is on the run from a pair Cylon Centurions who are quickly gaining on him. He hides among the trees and tosses out a grenade that pretty much destroys the Cylons with only one’s torso still alive, evoking a scene from the first Terminator. Helo then proceeds to put many rounds in the head of the surviving Cylon expressing the rage he has stored inside him.

We next see Commander Adama telling Tigh to make sure that for jump 261 that the pilots are to use stimulant drugs to make sure they are fully awake and aware for their latest patrol and fight with the Cylons.

Adama can’t remember if this is his ten minutes to sleep on this cycle or Tigh’s. Tigh states that it’s Adama’s. Dualla who is with them points out that it is Tigh’s turn. Tigh, protecting his friend, states that if the “Old Man” can’t remember if it’s his turn then Adama is the one who needs the sleep showing the deep bond these two gentlemen share.

Starbuck refuses Apollo’s order to take the Stim’s. Starbuck asks why they are arguing about it? She says that he’s the CAG, no more friends, that he needs to order her to take her stims. A friendly banter ensues as they are both clearly giddy with exhaustion. She takes her Stims as ordered.

We next see Helo back on Caprica taking his Anti-Radiation meds when out of the rain he sees a copy of six in a white coat. This is the first person he has seen in days. As he looks and points his gun at her a Cylon Centurion steps up behind him and he is clearly captured.

We next see the most current jump of the fleet. Dualla states that all the not every ship made the last jump. That she may have missed one called “The Olympic Carrier” Their 1,300 souls aboard and they are left behind for the Cylons to easily destroy. Tigh starts to berate Dualla for not doing her job and states that they are all tired. Mistakes are easily made at this time. He continues to state that the fleet can’t afford mistakes from the Galactica crew. If Galactica makes mistakes people die states the Commander. There aren’t many humans left. He then calmly asks Dualla to resume her job, clearly feeling sympathy for her.

Billy then erases the 1,300 people from the white board on Colonial one. Roslin is shown in the foreground crying and states “Okay, next crisis”.

Billy states that Dr. Emmerich was aboard the Olympic Carrier. We next see Gaius on the deck of his Caprican house with Head Six. Six states that God is watching out for him. Gaius says that the Universe is a vast and complex system, accidental and serendipitous events can happen. Six states that Emmerich was a threat to Gaius and that logic states that God is watching out for him and took that threat away. Gaius states that there is no God, Gods, men or women in the sky taking an interest in the lives of the mere, small mortals down below. Six then threatens Gaius “Be careful of blasphemy, what God gives He can also take away”.

Maybe this time Tigh states as the counter again counts to zero. As it does Gaeta states that there are no enemy contacts in complete surprise. Adama is cautious and states that they must wait and keep the clock running.

45 minutes later and still no Cylon contact. The crew still waits. Adama asks for the President on the phone. Roslin asks “Why this time?” She asks if the loss of The Olympic Carrier has something to do with it. He doesn’t know. They then both decide to allow people to get some sleep. Roslin states how much she is grateful for the job that the Galactica crew is doing in protecting the fleet.

Commander Adama asks Apollo to leave a small combat patrol out but let the rest of the pilots rest. Apollo, Starbuck and Sharon are chosen because they are “100% stimulated” on the stim drugs that is so they take the first patrol.

Boomer seems to be holding up better than anyone else in the group according to the doctor states Apollo. Starbuck jokingly states that the reason is that she is a Cylon. Sharon says that she will have to go over and kick Starbuck’s ass for that comment. Of course we the viewers know that Kara is right but no one else including Sharon herself know the truth.
We next see a nice touching moment between Tigh and Adama. Tigh states that he hasn’t felt this alive in years though a few hours sleep does sound great right now. Adama agrees and says how great it is to see Tigh in such good condition without the cup, of alcohol, in his hands. Adama continues that there are many aboard ship who probably aren’t happy that Tigh is doing so well. Tigh then states that it’s his job to make the rest of the crew hate him, if he didn’t how would he make the “Old Man” look good? Adama jokes that he always looks good, Tigh tells him to check the mirror. Then Adama says “Seriously, it’s one thing to push the crew it’s another thing to break them”.

Right then the DRADIS pops up with a contact bearing 138 right towards the Galactica and the fleet. So much for the rack time. Adama sets condition One back in the fleet and they get ready for another battle.

Gaeta states that he is getting a recognition signal that it’s the Olympic Carrier. Tigh is relieved but Adama is not fooled. He believes it to be a trap.

We next see Baltar talking to Six. He asks how the hell did they return? Why didn’t the Cylons destroy the Olympic Carrier and Dr. Emmerich? Six says it is God’s punishment for Baltar’s lack of faith. Baltar needs a more logical explanation. She states that the ship has been infiltrated by Cylon agents and logically for Baltar to live the Carrier must be destroyed.

Sharon “Boomer” Valerii hails the Olympic Carrier and they said that they had a problem with their FTL and they have no idea why the Cylons jumped away without killing them. The pilot of the Olympic continues that he has been driven crazy by a Dr. Emmerich who is desperate to get a message to the President. This message of course, overheard by Baltar, drives him to madness.

Baltar then states that they must break off communication with the Carrier that they only reason the Olympic Carrier survived is because they are carrying a Cylon agent right now. Roslin asks the clearly mad Baltar to calm down but does follow his logic. Commander Adama then agrees and asks Boomer to signal the Olympic Carrier using the Colonial version of Morse Code to stop heading towards the fleet.

When all parties agree to cut off wireless communication Billy states “Thank the Gods you are with us”. Baltar quickly states “God has nothing to do with this”.

Roslin and Adama feel that this is not heading in a good direction. Boomer’s signal does not go through. The Olympic carrier continues even though Starbuck fires a burst of bullets across their bow. The carrier is refusing all orders to stop.

A tough decision now has to be made as a radiological alarm is set off as the Cylons show up. The Olympic Carrier must be destroyed as there are nukes aboard that ship as well. As Adama tells Roslin that they have to destroy it she asks him about the 1,300 people aboard. Adama states that they may have already been captured by the Cylons but isn’t sure.
Cut to Baltar on his own in the hallway speaking with Head Six. Baltar says she has to do it, Roslin has to order the destruction of the ship, and by a matter of course Dr. Emmerich and his information about Baltar. Six states that the decision is not up to Roslin, Adama or anyone else. It is God’s decision to destroy the ship or not. It depends on whether Baltar believes. Baltar must repent his sins.

The tension builds as the members of the fleet contemplate what they must do, and quickly, as the Olympic Carrier and Cylons are bearing down on them. Baltar, to save his own skin, out of desperation repents. Right after he says he repents Roslin gives the order to destroy the ship.

Boomer receives the order to destroy the ship and can’t believe it. Starbuck refuses to comply and Apollo, evoking the earlier conversation about the stims, has to order Starbuck to join him in destroying the ship. Apollo clearly has a hard time issuing the order but knows his job. They destroy the Olympic Carrier.

Flashback now to Caprica. Helo is in chains captured by the Cylons. The model Six asks him if he is alive. She says she knows who he is, then kisses him. As Six kisses him she is shot in the back by Sharon. Helo can’t believe that she is there in her flight suit. She doesn’t answer at first and just tells him to move and escape.

We see another six clearly happy that their plan has worked. Sharon has been united with Helo and they are off on their own.

We next see Apollo in the flight ready room with his father approaching him. The Commander states that it was his order and therefore it is the Commander’s responsibility. Lee “Apollo” Adama responds that he pulled the trigger “that’s mine”.

We next see an exhausted Roslin clearly distraught about what happened sitting in her chair aboard Colonial One. Billy tells her “24 hours without an attack by the Cylons, at least you know it was the right choice”, clearly trying to console her. She responds “The right Choice” then asks Billy to leave, that she needs some time alone.

Billy gets up to leave but stares at the President something still on his mind, one last thing to say. Roslin asks what it is, almost snapping at him. Billy has an update on the head count. Roslin automatically asks “Subtract how many?” Billy responds “Actually you can add one; a baby was born today on the Rising Star”. Roslin thanks him as he leaves. She stands to change her board to now reflect the 47,973 now alive in the fleet. She has a large smile on her face, tears in her eyes.

Critique:

I have to say that this is one my favorite show of the entire series. The tension that it builds throughout the episode, the sense of sheer desperation in the fleet is felt while watching the show by the viewer. We get a bit of what’s to come with both the fleet and Helo back on Caprica. It was a brilliant opening episode that really sets the tone of the darkness to come throughout the series. This is not your father’s Battlestar Galactica. Yet as dark as the series can get there is always a note of hope. The birth that was mentioned at the end of the episode is so moving you’d have to be dead not to be affected by it. Of course the brilliant acting by the entire cast but especially Mary McDonnell in this episode really sells it.

Comment:
Well the series is underway. This was a very dense but brilliant episode. I look forward to

Mini-Series Night 2: Conclusion

Original Airdate Dec. 9, 2003

OK back to the second part of the Battlestar Galactica Mini-Series.

We open with Saul Tigh’s arm around Commander Adama in CIC (Command in Control or the Bridge of the Galactica. Dualla and Gaeta nervously resume the preparation for the Jump to Faster than Light.

Starbuck barely blinks at the Chief’s mention of losing the 85 members of his deck crew. She is quite upset though about losing her friends. At this point the crew still thinks that Lee is lost with the President.

Sharon begins her jump prep as she launches a communication pod so that she can reconnect with the Fleet. Here we meet a character named Boxey who has lost his father on Caprica. Though he never shows up in the series again he is a call back to the 1978 version of Battlestar. Sharon mentions that she lost both her parents too when she was little. We know that she has no parents because she is a Cylon.
Galactica successfully makes her FTL jump to the Ragnar Anchorage facility and emerges in a gas cloud surrounding the last Colonial outpost station.

Meanwhile, 4 hours away Colonial one recovers from Lee’s improvised explosion using some old FTL engines that were in storage on Colonial One. He used an Electro-Magnetic Pulse to destroy the Cylons and the nuclear warheads headed to destroy the ship.

There is a strong bonding moment between President Roslin and Apollo as she thanks him for saving “Their collective Asses” and agrees that they need to get the hell out of there as soon as possible to avoid and further Cylon entanglements.

Back on Galactica we see a lonely moment as Kara “Starbuck” Thrace is mourning the loss of her ex-boyfriend Zak and his now presumed dead brother Lee. She prays to the Lords of Kobol to take the souls of all the lost hands that day but especially that of Lee’s.

We next see Adama surveying the many dead bodies on his flight deck. He silently paces between them contemplating their fate and the fate of his ship.

The Galactica achieves a “hard seal” with the Ragnar station. As the Chief leads a crew to load up all the munitions they can carry one lost soul is found among the otherwise empty station. We will come to know this person as Leoben.
Sharon brings Gaius Baltar to meet up with Colonial One. Gaius is brought to meet President Roslin. He agrees to be her chief scientific advisor.
Sharon is then tasked by the President to find all the survivors in the system and rendezvous them with the fleet.
Leoben is seen back at the Anchorage with a gun asking for an untraceable ship. The

Chief calmly disarms him and gets back to getting the armaments.
Next a very important scene between “Head Six” and Baltar: While she is clearly seen talking to him, Baltar is convinced that she is a hallucination. A part of Baltar’s unconscious guilt for the destruction of the Colonies. She then asks him “What if I am not a hallucination?” Is it possible that she is something different? What if she is something that exists outside and apart from him? As we will learn throughout the course of the series, and indeed to the very end “Head Six” as she is affectionately known, is very much real and very important to the overall story arc of Battlestar Galactica. She states that perhaps she is a Cylon chip put into his head. He denies this and moves on. She wonders what he is working on. She asks him to indulge her when she states she doesn’t know what he is doing. He says if she was a chip in his head he would not have to explain this to her. She states that all she wants is his love and that God is love. An important fact to remember as it a major theme throughout the series.

Adama is next seen escorting Leoben around the station and Leoben explains that he was ransacking the station for armaments. Adama next states that Leoben is not looking too good as Leoben is sweating profusely and white as a ghost. All of a sudden a rack of explosives falls destroying the door to the hatch he and Leoben and sealing the two of them inside.
Leoben promises Adama another way out and they start walking the corridors of the station.

Flash to President Roslin aboard a vessel speaking with a little girl who has just lost all of her family. The girl does not understand the gravity of the situation or her great loss. We will learn later that this ship does not possess faster than light capability.

There are currently 60 ships in the civilian fleet with only 40 of them possessing FTL capability. Adama and Roslin, who have obviously not slept and are quite tired, begin the efforts of figuring out how to move the civilians from the non FTL ships to those possessing the FTL drives.

A council of the leaders ensues with Lee explaining that they need to make a jump to the Ragnar facility before they are able to transfer all the civilians. The fleet is a sitting target that the Cylons could knock out with a single strike that if they don’t leave immediately. The President’s aide Billy tries to tell Roslin that the girl she spoke with earlier will be one of those left behind, but she interrupts him telling Billy about her terminal cancer. He states that he knew based on comments she made. She asks him “How selfish is it that the world is coming to an end and that all she can think about is how she has cancer and she is going to die.” Billy states that it’s not selfish, it’s human. As he leaves he does inform Roslin that the girl she met earlier, Cami, can’t make the jump.

Many ships scream in complaining about being left behind. They have no defenses and will either be destroyed or captured by the Cylons. As difficult as it is the Captain of Colonial One and Lee make the jump leaving thousands stranded civilians, right as the Cylons arrive to destroy them.
Those possessing the drives escape before dozens of nukes are launched destroying the civilians.

Back at the Anchorage we see Adama walking with Leoben as he gets sicker and sicker. Leoben states that he is “allergic” to something at the station. That he is an observer of humanity. He states that maybe the Cylons are retribution for the humans past mistakes. Adama states that the humans created the Cylons and they didn’t include souls when they did. Leoben continues to debate Adama on the nature of humanity. Whether they humans are evolved or just warlike creatures?

Tigh is in charge of the Galactica while Adama is away and greets the President when they arrive at Ragnar. He refuses her direct order to help the wounded and sick with the rest of the fleet. Lee steps in and brokers a deal to allow two disaster pods to help with the refugees. Tigh informs him he is the senior pilot and the Commander of the Air Group. (CAG).

We next see a very touching reunion between the Chief and Sharon Valerii. The Chief believed her lost in the attack on Caprica.
Dualla meets Billy, lost, leading Gaius Baltar to the CIC. She greets him with a kiss that he never expected.

Lee next arrives at the air deck where Starbuck is repairing her Viper. She is stunned believing him dead. They have some very nice playful banter as we clearly see the strong sexual tension between the two of them.

Leoben and Adama are walking further into the station as Leoben doubles over in pain. Adama muses that his “allergies” must be getting worse. Leoben goes on to say that he doesn’t have allergies. Adama knows this and says that what he has is Silica pathways to his brain which are being destroyed by the radiation from the nuclear warheads stored at the station. Adama has known he is a Cylon. This though is the first indication that the Colonials have that Cylons have evolved from their previous metallic incarnations to the human like bodies they possess now.
Adama asks him how he feels when he knows that he will die. Leoben lets Adama know that he will resurrect when he dies. Adama believes that if that was the case, if the storm didn’t interfere with his connection to the Leoben would have killed himself long ago. While possessing greater strength than Adama a fight ensues with Adama brutally killing the Cylon. Blood spattered on his face he takes out some of the aggression he feels over the current situation and the anger he feels knowing that anyone in the fleet could be a Cylon.

Next, we see a moment between Gaeta and Baltar where Baltar admits that his computer program may have been infected by the Cylons. Gaeta willingly helps delete the program from the ship and all the Vipers but asks Gaius about the guilt he must be feeling knowing that one of his creations was twisted and used to help kill so many people. “Head Six” makes a reappearance stating that Gaius once told her that guilt was only possessed by the small and weak minded. This is the first of many dual conversations where Baltar is speaking to a crew member, who can’t see Six, and communicating to Six at the same time. Gaius states that he “feels responsible, in a way” while admitting no guilt and not actually feeling any guilt. Gaeta says he shouldn’t feel responsible, while Six says he thinks nothing about cheating, lying stealing. When Baltar answers Gaeta he also answers Six by saying “I know exactly what you saying”.

“Head Six” then, despite some cheeky remarks by Baltar, helps him to find a hidden Cylon device installed right in the CIC. This find will launch Baltar into even greater status among the Fleet and with Adama and the military. The device matches one that Six used to carry around in her bag. As Gaius learns it was not her who placed it there he realizes that there must be another Cylon on the ship.

Six then tempts Baltar with sex as he tries to figure out how he will present the evidence. Doral approaches Baltar, who is flush and Doral points this out, with the info on how many civilian ships had his doomed program in their computers. Doral in case I haven’t mentioned is the Tour Guide for what was going to become the museum of Battlestar Galactica. So he has very intimate knowledge of its environment and workings.

Baltar does realize that Doral is a new person aboard ship, an outsider who has had unlimited access to the ship over the last few weeks. Though at this point no one else knows that the Cylons look like humans now.
Tigh is next shown with Adama recovering in his quarters. They both ponder how they will deal with the fact that the Humans look like Cylons. Tigh then informs Adama that his son is alive.

Flash to Adama’s quarters where Lee is waiting for his father to return. Adama returns and while Lee is eager to get out of there Commander Adama embraces his son and they share the feeling of relief and anguish of so much unsaid.
Gaius, Tigh, and Adama are now meeting to figure out how to detect Cylons. Baltar of course feigns ignorance when they state this fact. Baltar is charged with the task of creating a Cylon detector. He says “I will give it my all” though of course he has no idea how to do so.

Kara is then charged with scouting outside the storm surrounding the Ragnar station. She then admits that Zak failed his basic flight training, or should have, but she passed him because she had strong feelings for him. She basically warns Lee not to let his feelings get in the way of his job as the new CAG. Lee asks why she is telling him this now. She says it’s the end of the world and she feels the need to confess her sins. Though of course this is used to offset the current tension between the two.

We next see some Colonial marines capturing Doral and throwing him in the Brig. Gaius convinces Tigh that Doral is a Cylon by stating that Leoben had been in the storm for months and that Doral would not begin to feel the effects of the radiation for quite some time. Gaius then goes on to use a bit of technical “mumbo-jumbo” to state that Doral’s is the only sample he has screened with synthetic material in his DNA. Head Six appears and knows that Gaius is lying. Baltar is only using the information that he gleaned from his conversation with Six to detect Doral as a Cylon. This time he got lucky and he knows it. But God’s help was with him as Six goes on to state. God has a purpose for Baltar and the series will reveal just what that is.

Doral continues to try to convince Tigh that he is human and grew up on Caprica. Baltar then convinces Tigh to inspect the console in CIC where Baltar saw the Cylon device. This is the final nail in Doral’s coffin.
Starbuck is out scouting and emerges from the storm clouds surrounding the Ragnar anchorage. She finds that the station is surrounded by Cylon ships and Cylon Basestars. The Basestars are the equivalent battleship to the Battlestar Galactica.

We next have a meeting between President Roslin and Commander Adama. Roslin lays down the law when informed of a prison ship The Astral Queen that no one will be left behind. Even prisoners deserve rights as human beings.
Roslin then questions Adama allegiance. She asks if he is declaring martial law. Adama states he is not but that he is going back to fight the enemy leaving the civilian fleet at the Ragnar Anchorage. Roslin again remains Adama that the human race is going to be wiped out. There are 50,000 people left and they need to get a safe star system far away from the Cylon’s eyes. Adama does not want to hear this and does not acknowledge Roslin’s leadership and walks out on the meeting.

We next flash to the CIC where Starbuck informs the leaders that the Cylons have found them. Adama surprises us by assessing the situation and realizing Roslin’s advice decides to take the fleet and run. While this is going on Billy and Dualla have a nice but awkward moment, flirting and getting to know each other. Adama decides to run to the Promar sector far beyond the Colonial range in an attempt to avoid the reach of the Cylons.

Adama decides to leave Doral on the Station. Of course he will later be rescued by his Cylon brothers and sisters but he protests that he is human to the very end.
The Galactica then leads the fleet to the edge of the storm and runs interference so that the civilian ships may reach a safe jump distance so they can go Faster Than Light.

A great battle ensues between the Cylon fighters and the humans. The special effects shown here rival any movie released at the time. The use of “snap and zoom” camera work evokes a clear tie to battle camera here on Earth and enhances the realism of the shots.

During the battle Apollo’s ship is damaged and left to float in space. Starbuck comes to his rescue destroying missiles about to destroy him. Adama calls the ships back to the Galactica as the last of the civilian fleet ships jump. All ships are recalled and only Starbuck and Apollo remain. The Galactica knows it has to jump, but Adama can’t leave his son and favorite fighter behind.

Evoking an earlier conversation from the first meeting between Starbuck and Commander Adama, the Commander asks Starbuck “What do you hear?”. She answers, as she probably has every day, that she hears “nothing but the rain” as bits of debris hits her windscreen sounding like rain. Adama then repeats their familiar call with “Then grab the cat and come on home.” What ensues is a powerfully dramatic moment where the reckless Starbuck crashes her ship into Apollo’s now broken ship and pushes him into the landing bay. Lee states that she is “beyond insane” for attempting the maneuver, the two ships make it just as the Galactica’s landing decks are retracting for the jump into hyperspace. The Galactica jumps away her most precious cargo safe aboard the flight deck on into the great Galaxy beyond in hopes of finding a new home.

We next see a memorial service as the fleet is floating free in space. The Lords of Kobol are honored as the many dead are remembered. The Gods are evoked to help lead them to a new home.

Commander Adama echoes the priestess last words “So Say We All” until the crew no longer echoes a quiet prayer but lead a rallying call. He goes on to say that this is not the end of the human race. There is a new home for the Colonials among the stars. He says that when the Twelve Tribes of Kobol left their paradise world to settle the Twelve Colonies that a thirteenth tribe set out in a different direction to a place that only a privileged few have known about down through the ages. A planet that will be their new home. While they are limited in supplies, are in uncharted space, they have somewhere to go. To the planet Earth.

From the prophecies of Pythia, Adama asks the priestess if there was a thirteenth tribe. She states that there was and it orbits an unknown star somewhere in the deep of space. He states that he knows where it is. That the military commanders have kept the secret but dare not let the public know about it during a time of war. That their final refuge will come, that they will have a home that the Cylons know nothing about. He states that it will be a long and arduous journey lies ahead of them but that they will all make it. “So say we all” echoes through the chamber as Adama gives hope to the fleet to great applause, their happiness known.
We next flash to a meeting between Tigh and Starbuck. Tigh tries to apologize for behavior by stating that he may have been out of line too and apologizes. Kara’s response “You’re a bastard”. She knows that Tigh is weak, that he is a drunk and speaks off the record to inform him of this. Her clean slate is not wanted and wiped away.

Roslin approaches Adama in his quarters. She calls him on his lying about knowing the location of Earth. He admits that there is no Earth. But Adama states that it’s not enough to just live, that there must be something to live for. Adama states “Let it be Earth” and that he just wants the human race to survive. That in accordance with Roslin’s wishes they will survive with the hope of Earth to satiate them. The President and Commander discuss the role of the government and whether or not Adama will institute martial law or whether he will hand over control of the civilian vessels to the Colonial Government. He will “think about it Madame President”, but no clear conclusion is met here.

We next see Baltar walking the hallways of the Galactica where he runs into Head Six who informs him that the Cylons will find them, will continue to pursue the humans. Baltar in his arrogance states that “You will try”. She reminds him that there may be other Cylons among the fleet, that there may be Cylons who are sleeper agents who don’t know they are Cylons and will “wake up” when called. Baltar responds that he will find the Cylons. Six goes on to tell him that “We will find them. You are not on their side” meaning the Colonials. Baltar then tells her that he is on no one’s side.

Tigh is next shown returning to his quarters deciding whether or not to drink. Kara is shown with the picture of Zak and Lee. The two Adama’s discuss the fleet operations. Life is finding its way, its pattern in their new existence. Lee tries to speak from the heart to his father, knowing how fragile life is. The Commander asks him to “save it for another time, son” knowing the incredible time they have been through and the many perils ahead.
Dualla shyly smiles as she walks by an interested Billy. Kara smokes a cigar; the Chief is working on his ships with his crew. Life does continue.
A note is left in the Commanders quarters that there are only twelve Cylon models. We do not know where this note has come from.

We next flash to a sick Doral back at the Ragnar Anchorage being rescued by his fellow Cylons. Two metallic Centurion models emerge from the mist followed by many copies of Six, Doral, and Leoben. The Cylons decide that while it may take several decades to track the humans down it is in the humans’ nature to want revenge. That if the Cylons let them go they will rebuild and seek to destroy the Cylons in the future, and then the big reveal!

From the mist the words “Don’t worry. We will find them” comes to our ears. A copy of the Sharon model emerges in the first clear evidence that she is a Cylon. A six echoes with the familiar “By Your Command” taken directly from the original series. This was a refrain used by all the Cylons when answering a call to action.
So ends the Mini-Series Battlestar Galactica.

Critique:

As evidenced from my not so short recap this was an action packed and emotion filled finale to the opening notes of the Battlestar Galactica series. Many questions were asked here that will be recurring themes throughout the series. What does it mean to be human? What is humanity? What is Earth? Where is Earth? Is it a real tangible place to be found? Or is it an ancient prophecy from a long dead religion? The series will explore these questions and many more as we go on.

It has to be noted again that this series and mini-series were scripted right after 9/11. To ignore the influence of the attack against our great civilization and the parallels to the fate of the Colonials would show great ignorance on my part. I too felt the sting of 9/11 as did all of us in the United States and beyond. What we do with our civilization in the wake of such an attack, apocalyptic or not is what this series asks of us. There will be many more episodes ahead that parallel the events and those that followed 9/11 and many more questions will be asked of us the viewers. I can’t wait to explore them with you.

As for the special effects, as mentioned above they are spectacular. The sense of realism, if you can call it that we are talking about space battles here, is palpable. The effects studios should be greatly commended on their outstanding work. The effects never detract, but always add to the story here. We shall see if I still feel the same way as the series goes ahead.

Comments:
I am thrilled to be sharing my recaps and reviews of the story with you. I hope you enjoy reading as I continue my journey deep into the heart of the Galactica universe. I will leave it at that for now as my hands are about to fall off. I hope you continue to read and enjoy. Please feel free to email me at seanokeefe75@gmail.com with any of your questions or comments.
Next: On to the Series!!

Stay tuned for part 2 of the Mini-Series Tomorrow

Hello there,
Thanks for reading my first review if you did. Part Two of the Mini-Series will be coming tomorrow Friday July 3rd. I can't wait to get to it and I hope you enjoy reading it.

The Reviews Begin- Mini-Series part 1

Originally Broadcast: December 8, 2003

We enter into a foreign space environment evoking the space station scenes from 2001. We see a man clearly annoyed with having to waste his time on a job no one wants and has had to do since the 40 years since the Human/ Cylon war. Shocked by the arrival of two robotic Cylon Centurions the ambassador is asked if he is alive, and then asked to prove it with a kiss. The theme of what it means to be alive is one of the key questions that this series asks. What does it mean to be a human, what is sentience? What is life? “It has begun” says the model #6 as the space station is destroyed.

We next zoom to Starbuck running the halls of the Battlestar Galactica, as we see a tour leader describing the age of this retiring ship and how it was the Caprican representative in the fleet of the Twelve Colonies against the war with the Cylons. There is a mention of the missing representative to the Armistice station as mentioned above. The crew, and most likely the Twelve Colonies believe the representative had mechanical problems and do not suspect the coming Armageddon.

Commander Adama is presented with his original Mark II viper. It along with the ship evokes an earlier age, lack of computers and modern telephone systems litter the ship. The antiquated technology was a requirement fighting a mechanical enemy in the Cylons who could defeat any modern computer system.

A card games ensues and we get our first real character moments. Starbuck and the second in command XO Saul Tigh are already competitive and are at each other’s throats from the beginning. We can sense the rivalry. Perhaps they see too much of their own ego’s in each other eyes. Starbuck strikes Tigh as he is quite upset for winning the game. They both had been drinking quite a bit. Starbuck is thrown in the brig. Not the first time she has been in this kind of trouble.

Flash to a flyover of Caprica city we see the height of technological society in the Colonies. On a side note the special effects company who produced Firefly, a show by Joss Whedon have a Serenity class ship from that show landing behind the Education Minister Laura Roslin who has been informed that she has stage four terminal cancer. She is next shown on route to the Galactica for its retirement ceremony.

Caprica City, another model 6 (as we will learn there are multiple copies of each human looking Cylon model) approaches a baby. This is the first time she has seen a child as the Cylons are born fully grown. She is fascinated and mentioned that the baby will not have to cry much longer. As the baby’s mother steps away six snaps the child’s neck. As she walks away, a pained look on her face, we are left to wonder why she committed such an act. Personally I believe she feels this is an act of mercy as she knows about the impending nuclear attack on the colony and wishes to spare the baby from a more horrible death.

Next we flash to a clearly arrogant Gaius Baltar, one of the foremost minds on computers and artificial intelligence in the Colonies being interviewed for a Good Morning Caprica type show. As he is being introduced he is staring off to the side as if deep in thought, though my view is that he is deep in lust for the Six who is about to arrive at his house, and wants to show how much better he is than all of the viewers in the audience.

We next see him about to have sex with Six. She asks him quite seriously about if he is in love with her. He avoids the question as he quite obviously see’s her as just another conquest at this point. The first major point that she is a Cylon is seen here as we can see her spine glow red like the Cylon Centurions eyes as they make love. Though much more on this as we go through the series.

Flash to Apollo landing his Mark VII advanced Viper on the Galactica. He is shocked that they do not have an automated landing system and he needs to make a “hands-on” approach. This lack of an automated system is due to the orders of Commander Adama, his old ways evoke the long ago war with the Cylons. We will soon learn that Apollo is Lee Adama, the estranged son of Commander William Adama of the Galactica. He also has a complicated relationship with Kara “Starbuck” Thrace. Starbuck was in love with, and training Zak Adama to become a Viper pilot like his father and Brother. While there is obvious sexual tension between Starbuck and Apollo there is a deep estrangement due to the death of Zak. While training Zak, Starbuck quite obviously put her feelings in the way and promoted Zak to higher levels of training before he was ready. Zak was killed in a training accident some years before the events of the mini-series. It is due to this that there is such a high level of tension between Apollo and Starbuck. Commander Adama is unaware of Kara’s involvement in Zak’s death and perhaps, at this point it may be to this knowledge and the obviously damaged feelings surrounding his death that Lee has not spoken with his father since Zak’s funeral.

A quick moment on the flight deck happens next with the deck Chief Tyrol and newbie Raptor (bigger troop transport and scout ship than the Viper fighters) pilot Sharon Valerii. They start off fighting about the fact that she is unable to land the ship properly and she blames the Chief for bad parts installed in her ship. As they continue to fight they retreat to a back room where we see that they are lovers. This is known by the deck crew but ignored as this relationship is against military regulations. Sharon is an enlisted officer and the Chief’s superior officer. This little moment is one of many showing that the Galactica is a ship where everyone knows that it is being retired and regulations are not followed as strictly as they should be according to military code, at least when not in the eyes of Commander William Adama or his XO Tigh.

We next see that Baltar is bragging about his computer upgrades for the fleet. Six reminds him that he would not be as famous or successful with this program had she not helped him rewrite over half the algorithms for the program. Baltar comments on the fact that he allowed her access to the defense mainframes to help her secure a contract for the company she said she was working for. She says that is not why she helped him. That it was for love and more importantly God told her to. This is the second main theme of the series. Faith. Unlike the Colonials who believe in the Polytheistic Greek Gods from our mythology the Cylons believe in only one God. Baltar, like many Colonials at this point, is atheistic and believes that Science is the only constant in the Universe. He states that he doesn’t mind when she asks if it is a problem that she has her faith, yet also can’t believe that a woman of her intelligence would believe the mystical mumbo-jumbo that he believes is the province of the un-intelligent and uninformed.

Six is then off on a mission to meet someone unseen. At this Gaius Baltar states that he is off to work on another “defense project” but we will learn later it is to meet with another sexual conquest.

Roslin arrives on the Galactica. Her aide loses his way and is directed by the communications officer Dualla on how to find his way to his quarters. More on this relationship later.

Roslin meets tensely with Commander Adama about trying to set up a computer network on his ship. He adamantly denies her request as he still holds to his old anti-Cylon ways.

We next flash to Gauis’ house where Six wakes both he and his new partner up. She is not very happy and he tries to wiggle his way out of it to no avail. She then informs him of who and what she truly is. He is incredulous at the thought of her being a synthetic human. He then retreats to his paranoid mode as he she tells him exactly what her mission was, to find out the military weakness and orders of the Colonial military. Gaius is unconcerned about the ramifications of the impending doom of the Colonies but is only concerned about his part and whether it will be discovered.

And now the first meeting of the Adama’s since the funeral. William tries to be cordial and talk with his son, but Lee is all business and treats him as a superior officer only. He states that he is there only on orders and can’t wait to leave. “A man isn’t a man until he wears the wing of the Viper pilot” is the quote Lee uses against his father who says it’s unfair. Lee states that it was his father’s help and assistance that got him into flight school and the accuses him of killing his son. Adama then dismisses his son military fashion.

The next scene is a nice flashback to the original Battlestar Galactica series. The Colonial Anthem is the original show’s theme song. Adama begins his speech as he has been rehearsing all day. As he goes along he starts to improvise and question about why have the humans made the sacrifices they have made? What does it mean? The humans decided to create life and that life fought against them. If the humans decided to play God then they cannot just wash their hands when their creations rebel against them. The sins of the people, and specifically he as a father, are still visited upon their offspring. He states that eventually a day comes when the humans cannot hide from the things that they have done before. While this is a direct response to his fight with his son Lee, it also foreshadows the concurrent attack on Caprica and the other colonies though those on Galactica are currently unaware of the situation.

Gaius and Six are sitting in Gaius’ house watching the destruction of his world. All Gaius can think about is saving his own skin, inquiring about how Six is going to survive and return to her people. She states that whether or not he believes God has a plan for Gaius and she uses her body to protect him from a nuclear blast that destroys his house. Before she does she says that she is model Six out of twelve Cylon models and that when she dies her consciousness is downloaded to a new body. That technically she cannot die.

The action picks up from here as an alert about the Cylon attack is received by the Galactica.

Galactica’s attack squadron is on patrol. They encounter a wave of Cylon raiders. Immediately the Vipers are disabled by a computer virus sent by the Cylons. Most likely this is a result of Six’s knowledge of the defense tactics of the Colonials. This attack helps the Cylons disable all the updated computer networks Battlestar’s of the Colonies. Sharon “Boomer” Valerii and her electronics control officer Helo back off from the fight allowing them to survive where the rest of the Mark VII vipers are disabled and destroyed like shooting fish in a barrel.

Sharon and Helo are able to evade the missiles using electronic counter measures but are hit by shrapnel and Helo’s leg is damaged. They then turn off the power so they can glide to Caprica unnoticed.

Roslin as a member of the political cabinet decides to inform the passengers of the attack. She is questioned about why she is a member of the leadership and states that as the ranking government official and that she has been placed in charge due to this fact. Confusing scattered messages are received as Roslin’s ship is target by a Cylon missile. Lee Adama destroys the missile but needs to land his ship as it too has been disabled by shrapnel.

As Sharon and Helo land on Caprica, with nuclear explosions surrounding them, they are approached by survivors running from the attack. As a small ship they are soon overwhelmed by the numbers trying to escape as Sharon repairs the ship for a return to the Galactica. The survivors are allowed on by lottery and Gaius shows up and is allowed to enter the ship in the place of Helo as Helo knows that Baltar is a genius and could be helpful against the Cylons. When first noticed by Helo Baltar’s response is that he didn’t do anything. Baltar’s paranoia and guilt are already setting in but his survival instinct is much stronger.

Lee backs up Roslin on the Colonial passenger ship as Doral questions her leadership. Her immediate control of the situation and her want to help the stranded vessels in Colonial space demonstrates her command abilities.

The first attack on the Galactica ensues. Starbuck is frustrated in the inability to join the fight as her Viper has a broken valve. When she does eventually join the fight her flying prowess is quickly and greatly demonstrated. Due to the lack of computer technology on the older Vipers are able to make short work of the Cylons, but not before a nuclear warhead strikes the Galactica.

Due to the fires created by the blast Tigh needs to make his first tough decision. He has great difficulty but eventually decides to save the ship he must decompress over a hundred men and vent the areas they are in into space. His leadership ability is tested but he passes this test much to the great disdain of Chief Tyrol.

An automated message is received by the Colonial passenger ship that states that all ministers are to report in due to the fact that the President and most of the Cabinet are incapacitated. She speaks with Lee Adama stating how she knew all 42 in line before her personally and that she wanted out of politics but that President Adar had a way about him that kept her in her office longer than she had originally wished. Laura, 43^rd in succession is ascended to the Office of the President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol. The Colonial Passenger ship then becomes Colonial One.

Roslin defies the command of Commander Adama who has taken command of the Colonial fleet now that all superior officers have been killed. Laura wishes to engage in rescue operations and has Lee inform his father who doesn’t believe that he should be taking orders from “a School teacher”. While speaking with his father Lee is informed that two Cylon Raiders have showed up and are going to attack Colonial One. William Adama sees this on his Dradis (radar) system and tells Lee to get out of there. Lee disappears into the ship as he knows that they have no way to fight back against the Cylons. Night one of the miniseries end with Commander Adama screaming for his son as he witnesses a massive 50 kiloton nuclear explosion on his screen where Colonial One was stationed.

Critique:

I have to say that this is a very action packed and engaging first broadcast. There is enough information supplied about each of the main players to provide you with their motivation going into this war. The past plays a strong role in setting the tone for the future. In particular we get great insight in to the character of Gaius Baltar, the show’s most fascinating character to me. Hints are dropped by many others as to how they arrived at this point in their lives and where they are headed. Of note should be the aspect of faith mentioned primarily in passing by Six. This aspect of faith and humanity will be the primary focus of the entire series. All in all a great introduction to the Battlestar Universe and it leaves you wanting to immediately move to night two and on to the series.

Closing comments:

This show is a strong commentary on a post 9/11 world. Written and broadcast right after the attacks on the United States and with the series continuing during the duration of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan many topics related to the United States behavior are touched upon. While this is not an inherently political show it shows the great ability of fiction to comment and question what our life and beliefs are all about. My fascination with this show should be quite obvious but among the many reasons it resonated with me so much was due to its ability to comment on our current political situation without being a direct criticism of the then current administration. Questions may be asked but never fully answered by the show. The writers leave it up to us, the viewers, to decide which side of the moral fence we sit on and what can and cannot be done in a time of war.

In the future I don’t believe I will be doing as much story summary as I have provided here but if you read this you will get a good sense of what the story is and how the show and characters evolve as I move through the series. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it and I hope you come back for the many more in the days and weeks ahead.

Cute Battlestar Picture

Reviews should start arriving tomorrow or Thursday at the latest until then I wanted to share this "Simponsized" version of Admiral Adama and President Roslin aka Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell.

Blogging to start this week.

I will be following the original episode order of the shows. I will list their original airdate, title, along with their season and epiosde number.

UP NEXT: Battlestar Galactica-The Re-imagined Mini-Series. (2003)

Coming very soon.


Stay tuned,
So Say We All

All Along The Watchtower

I will be using this blog in my re-watching and reviewing of the entire Battlestar Galactica TV Series by Ronald D. Moore.


Stay Tuned

Sean