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It's Cylon Family Dysfunction on Battlestar Galactica
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Andrew Liptak
02/24/09

In reply to It's Cylon Family Dysfunction on Battlestar Galactica
This episode was a letdown, but it was nice to see Baltar return to some of his older personality - we really haven't seen him like that since Season 1, which I really liked. But overall? Filler and buildup.
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Annalee Newitz
02/23/09

In reply to It's Cylon Family Dysfunction on Battlestar Galactica
This episode was so much better than last week's mess of a reveal that I was simply relieved that we were seeing a human side to our cylon characters rather than People Making Speeches. The more we learn about the cylons the more we realize that they're just as ridiculous and petty as humans - and we needed an episode that showed us that. Why do people love it when Tigh and Adama and Lee and Starbuck go soap but hate it when the cylons do?
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LeNoceur
02/24/09

@Annalee Newitz: Haven't we always known that "cylons are people too"? Hasn't that been the whole point of the show (with the dramatic conflict stemming from the fact that the cylons and humans on the show don't realize how alike they are)? With only 5 eps left, we didn't need an entire one devoted to showing us, yet again, that the cylons are vain, petty, and ridiculous.

Between Boomer jumping directly to the fleet, to Tyrol's volte-face, to arming civilians (led by Baltar, whom Adama HATES WITH EVERY FIBER OF HIS BEING) this episode had more cracks than Galactica's superstructure.
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EBone
02/24/09

@LeNoceur: We don't know Boomer jumped directly to the fleet. She could have made a lot of intermediate jumps that just weren't shown. I believe Cavil knows that Ellen would never put him together with the rest of the F5, so he let her escape, ala Star Wars Ep. IV and the Millennium Falcon. There's probably some tracking device on the Raptor.

Now Cavil knows where Earth is (because he's tracking the Raptor there) because Ellen will have led him right to it, along with the fleet. He knew that by bringing wishy-washy Boomer in to watch his interrogations of Ellen would lead to Boomer helping Ellen escape.
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smithereen
02/23/09

In reply to It's Cylon Family Dysfunction on Battlestar Galactica
Isn't it obvious that they are turning Galactica into the next resurrection ship with this "ooze" they are spreading into the ship. The reproductive overtones are a bit much.
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EBone
02/24/09

@smithereen: I think it's more a metaphor for the blending of the two races, Cylon and human, right down to their ship technology.
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Alexis
02/23/09

In reply to It's Cylon Family Dysfunction on Battlestar Galactica
You guys suck. This episode was awesome. Why does everyone have to hate on this show on this lame website! It's just a show and you guys suck for talking about it soooo much!!!!111!!!11 Y'all are just jealous haterz... Eff you guys and your Josh Whedon worship!

I just wanted to be on the other side this once. Aw well, I'll be back to hatin' come tomorrow's Heroes review.
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SwapMeet
02/24/09

@Evlsushi:

I think I speak for a lot of us when I say we don't hate on this show, we just thought this particular episode was craptacular. It's like somebody took a dump on your favorite toy. Do you throw away the toy? No, you wipe the crap off and try to forget it happened.
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Alexis
02/24/09

@SwapMeet:

Oh I understand completely, I was just jokin'. It's just rare that I completely disagree with the majority of commenters.
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twophrasebark
02/23/09

In reply to It's Cylon Family Dysfunction on Battlestar Galactica
MORE guns. BIGGER guns. BETTER guns!
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VaniaToad
02/23/09

In reply to It's Cylon Family Dysfunction on Battlestar Galactica
First time commenting, and I'll create an account later, but real quick--

To all the negative responses about the drama--how did you think it was going to play out? Ellen is in true form, and reiterated the point that the lines between cylon/human have blurred, complete with typical human jealousy.

And sure, Cavil knows where the fleet is. But who thinks he's really going to risk his life with an attack on the fleet with no resurrection?

How can you hate this episode? What about the Adama/Tigh bro love hug? What about Adama's special project in the head?

Of course, this is all coming from a guy who believes there are no bad episodes of BSG.
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geeky_reader
02/24/09

@VaniaToad: I've read so many mentions of "Adama's project" but I don't remember hearing anything about that in the episode.

If you've got a minute, please explain.
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EBone
02/24/09

@geeky_cylon: Adama was being a smart ass. He was off to take a dump (the "head" in a ship is the bathroom, from old nautical days when the toilet was usually in the forward most compartment of a ship), the dump being his "special project." He thought taking a crap was more worthwhile than listening to Baltar.
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ElijahDProphet
02/23/09

In reply to It's Cylon Family Dysfunction on Battlestar Galactica
I really hope they explain how the 5 were dumper into the Colonies so seamlessly, and over the course of decades. Saul knew Adama way back when, and the odds that Saul and Ellen would get married seem pretty long.

This episode had it's moments, but overall it just wasn't that good. Tyrol deciding to leave, as mentioned above, was totally out of character. All of a sudden the "All human crews" Adama wanted are full of cylons. a Six is just wandering around the civilian part of the ship. Adama, days after a mutiny, is giving guns to civilians, instead of kicking the organized crime goons off of his battleship.

The best moment was Tyrol looking at Boomer and saying "This is Boomer" as he turns away and all the marines draw on her. Of course how he knew that is some voodoo hand waving, but still a good scene.
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EBone
02/24/09

@ElijahDProphet: The BSG standalone move "The Plan" that will air this fall will cover how Cavil wiped the F5's memories and dumped them into the colonies.
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Garrison Dean: R.O.A.C.H.
02/23/09

In reply to It's Cylon Family Dysfunction on Battlestar Galactica
Did we ever figure out how Boomer knew how to get to Galactica/The Fleet/Earth? Cause if she knew how to pop right there, wouldn't Cavil?

I'm really hoping these last two are the calm before the awesome storm.
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finite_elephant
02/24/09

@Garrison Dean: And speaking of unexplainable plot items, why in the world would Adama think that the solution to the gang problem on his own ship is to give guns to Baltar and his cult? I mean, they could have given us some BS explanation about there not being enough marines after the mutiny or something. Nope. Just Adama handing over crates of guns with no thought about the downside.
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EBone
02/24/09

@finite_elephant: Re: Baltar getting guns, here's my take. There is no more civilian government, at least not until they figure out how to give voting rights to the individual ships in the fleet. Food supplies are running low. The military ends up having to ration out food, which has the result of the civilian population feeling like they are under military rule (which they are) and feeling rebellious.

Having Baltar's Angels give out the food and protect the civilians takes the military out of the equation, defusing the "revolution" that Baltar was referring to, a possible revolution of the people against the military.
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Pinkhamster
02/23/09

In reply to It's Cylon Family Dysfunction on Battlestar Galactica
The show blew. Baltar's plotline was not "darkly funny," it was childish. A formerly interesting character (Baltar) surrounded by a bunch of cardboard cutouts with first names and little else.
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Annalee Newitz
02/24/09

@Pinkhamster: Baltar was always childish, and always vaguely self-satirical.
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CodenameV
02/23/09

In reply to It's Cylon Family Dysfunction on Battlestar Galactica
If anything, this episode proved that Jane Espenson's joining the series in season 3 is what started its downturn: the entire episode felt like it was written by a fan, full of self-referential parody and characters acting like *charicatures* of themselves. Sure, it was funny, even over the top funny; for example, times when Baltar was being weasel-y Baltar were fun...but felt like they were written by a fan who loved it when he did that in early seasons. Overall, I miss the Toni Graphia days.

While not exactly "bad", it proved that every single episode written by Jane Espenson was a mistake. She only joined the show AFTER it became a success in its first two seasons.

Putting her in charge of the prequel series is a kiss of death.
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twophrasebark
02/23/09

Yeah.

Jane Espenson is doing the dirty work for Ron Moore.

Turns out Ron didn't have a clue as to how to tie this all together. I don't blame him for that. The first three seasons are some of the most brilliant television ever.

But, faced with a difficult task, he get Espenson to do his dirty work for him. She can tie it up and she can get the blame.

I mean, holy frak, The Plan is going to suck so bad. You even have some of the actors in the movie confusing complete confusion over the storyline and script.
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choinski
02/23/09

In reply to It's Cylon Family Dysfunction on Battlestar Galactica
I dunno, I didn't like how after four years of 'The Cylons have a plan' it can all be unravelled by silly, jeal;ous wife infighting.

Funniest line in the show: Starbuck: "When did we get a piano?"
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ChibaCityCowboy
02/24/09

@choinski: a better question would be - WHERE did they get a piano?
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NotChoinski
02/24/09

@ChibaCityCowboy: It was probably floating by after the destruction of Cloud Nine

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Shevek
02/24/09

@ChibaCityCowboy: This show has done weird things with music and perception before. At this point, if the piano really exists, I'll be disappointed. Of course, maybe someone on the Galactica has been slaving away on a musical instrument for a few years.
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NotChoinski
02/24/09

@Shevek:

Of course, maybe someone on the Galactica has been slaving away on a musical instrument for a few years.

This guy comes to mind:

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