During the BSG Miniseries, there�s a scene where, if you weren�t familiar with the concept of the show, you realize that things have gotten really fucking bad. A flight of Vipers from the Galactica prepares to engage a Cylon patrol, when all of their instruments go haywire. Out of power, the Vipers drift into each other, and as the CAG tries to figure out whats going on, the Cylons fire missiles and toast every single Viper.
There�s a similar scene in this episode - except, the reverse. This time, the Galactica is able to disable a massive Cylon attack force, and as the Viper pilots � led by Starbuck and Apollo � realize that they�re about to play �bobbing for apples� with 30mm cannons and drifting Cylons, every pilot looks cheerful and excited.
Which is a big jump from the start of the episode. To me, the feel of the episode felt a bit wrong coming on the tail of �Final Cut.� I would have preferred it if the episodes switched places � the crew felt upbeat in that episode, and at the end of this episode. But the beginning and middle of this episode, everyone was downbeat, angry, and half a second away from slugging their shipmates.
BTW - what�s up with Lee & Dualla? Hello Lee, you�re an officer, she�s not! Bad bad, no no! Of course, I suppose, those kinds of relationships aren�t looked harshly towards on this ship �
Once again the preview does a good job of concealing what the episode is actually about. The writers have really nailed the multiple-story plotlines down. They flow well, and, this might be me, but are these episodes longer than 45 minutes?, because they feel like it.
So, our A Story revolves around the Cylon virus, and Adama�s decision on how to confront it: namely, trusting Sharon Mk II. He�s a hard ass about it, even pulling a weapon on her, then dragging her back to her cell without so much as a thank you. As he later explains to President Roslin, he found common ground: if Galactica would be destroyed, so would she.
� did anyone see Tricia Helfer in this episode? I don�t remember her being around.
I�d like to believe that the human-model Cylons have been so programmed that its possible for them to buck their programming, and in Sharon�s case, rebel against her direct creators: the Cylons. This is a theory, yes, but reinforced by Sharon Mk 1�s suicide attempt last season. Of course, none of her actions could be viewed as completely � altruistic? She�s got a certain self-preservation motive, not only for herself but for her child. Also, all of her actions on Kobol could be seen as an attempt to gain the trust of Commander Adama, and make her therefore untrustworthy.
On the other hand, one wonders how much the Cylons are actually interested in seeing Sharon�s baby born. I mean, we don�t know the true nature of Baltar�s personal version of hell, I mean, Six, but she�s always indicated that the Cylons have a vested interested in the first child of both species (because, face it, its fair to call the Cylons a �species�). But that massive Cylon battlefleet seemed to indicate, �We. Want. To. Kill. You. All. Don�t you understand this? Fools!�
Of course it could all just be a test, I suppose �
The B Story picks up with Kat�s fighter from �Final Cut.� Remember her fighter? Let me refresh: Kat takes stimulants. Kat takes too many stimulants. Kat crashes much-needed Viper Mark II onto Galactica�s landing deck. Kat, in the process of doing that, totals the fighter. There is no Allstate to buy Galactica a new Viper Mark II.
Chief Tyrol caresses this scarred and damaged Viper with intercut scenes of he and Sharon Mk 1 in some intimate embraces. His hands move across a starfighter as they do across a near-perfect copy of a human female � it�s his Scotty moment, y�know? He�s married to his ships. But he can�t escape the verdict and he slaps a sticker onto the cracked canopy: �SCRAP.�
Later, during a confrontation with Apollo, Tyrol realizes the CAG is going easy on him and gets frustrated � maybe the problem is people aren�t pushing hard enough to get things done. He�s got a brilliant idea: I�ll build my own Viper!�
At first, no one thinks it can be done, but by the end of the episode everyone�s pitching in and what we have is this scrappy looking thing held together by nothing more than bubblegum, spit, and elmer�s glue. Starbuck - who volunteered as test pilot - looks incredibly terrified in the launch tube right before the untested plane is launched into space. Thanks to a suggestion by Helo - which gets him in the good graces of his crewmates - the new Viper is almost invisible to rader, and there�s a cute scene between Starbuck and Apollo. Christ Captain � Duala or Kara, no orgies for you, plus, c�mon man think of poor Billy.
So, the flight test goes well and Galactica has a new Viper, nicknamed �Blackbird.� There�s a touching naming ceremony, and, yes, I did think Laura was going to crack the champagne bottle over the fuselage � the other characters� reactions were humerous: �NO! Don�t waste alkie-hall!�
The C-Storyline intertwines with both of the above. Tensions aboard ship are high � few folks will talk to Helo because of his relationship with the Cylon, which doesn�t do much for Starbuck�s temperment. Pilots don�t want to play cards anymore because the cards themselves are so cracked and worn they can recognize the �Ace of Spades� from the various folds and tears. Tyrol and Helo attack each other, Starbuck and Racetrack don�t exactly get along well either.
Once again, an excellent episode. As I mentioned, the feel felt odd. I think this episode and �Final Cut� should�ve been switched in production order, as the darker feel at the start of this episode would�ve tied in a bit better with the end of �Home Pt. II�, and the upbeat ending led better into �Final Cut.� Also, I felt it a bit ridiculous that Helo is only now getting around to introducing himself to the other members of the flight squadron, and that only now we�re getting to see people�s reactions to him as a �Cylon sympathizer� they probably consider him.
All in all, little nits �
Cally, who was sentenced to a month in the brig for the execution of Sharon Mk 1, is released at the start of this episode. It�s good to have her back.
Was that Socinus?
Hot Dog�s actually got stuff to do in this episode. He seems like much less of a hard-ass snarky fuck than he did in �Acts of Contrition.� Yes?
The preview for next week�s episode labeled it as the show�s season finale. Liars! It�s only the season hiatus break! Relax, folks, the show�s back in January of next year. (Newer Battlestars look frikkin� awesome!)
posted
This episode was great. Maybe my favorite this season.
Socinus is dead and buried on Kobol, no?
Re Cylons and their plan, I think we can take what they say amongst themselves at face value, meaning they want Sharon and her baby alive. Yet she seems to think they feel just the opposite. Why?
And replicant Cylons can connect to optic fibre by sticking it up their arm? This scene was way neato, but, again, a blood/optic interface is something that should probably show up in a detailed medical examination. And the neck restraint they had her in; oh man. They are not messing around.
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quote:Originally posted by Snay: BTW - what�s up with Lee & Dualla? Hello Lee, you�re an officer, she�s not! Bad bad, no no! Of course, I suppose, those kinds of relationships aren�t looked harshly towards on this ship �
Except for Boomer Mk. 1 and Tyrol, remember? Though there's arguments that could go both ways, considering they're essentially all that remains of Human society, and despite the underlying agenda that Simon The Cylon said a few weeks back, there's still truth in the fact that they all need to start having babies.
Sol: Considering the immense reserve of superhuman strength that the Human-model Cylons have been able to demonstrate on various occasions, I have no problems believing that all of their biological "components" might look identical to Human biology but also have dual purposes and hidden capabilities. Yeah, it's a sci-fi conceit, but I feel that goes with the territory.
All in all, I'm really interested in how they'll make use of the Blackbird in future tactical situations. And even though the Cylons might easily get wind of the ship and possibly its capabilities (Having one of their sleeper agents pose as a reporter was a brilliant idea, because it gives them extra access to the Galactica and confidential information that they otherwise wouldn't have!), I wonder if the Cylons will be able to come up with some kind of countermeasure for this new "stealth fighter".
And next week? It's jarring to see Ensign Ro all grown up with long hair and a senior fleet commission!
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
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posted
Well we know that Replicant-Cylon models can transmit their memories over a considerable distance, so that's a "special feature" right there. My money is on some kind of bio-mechanical doohicky. Which is concievable since humans are already capable of translating light pattern into electical impulses (eyes anyone?), it's just a matter of fabricating a more utilitarian organ hidden within the soft tissue. Whatever it was that Sharon had in her wrist that could interface with a fiber optic cable, it must be very well hidden or disguised, otherwise it'd be a dead givaway during a routine medical exam.
posted
Snay: Except that the senior officers were always against it after the Cylons attacked. They had only been lenient before because the Galactica was an old and out-of-action ship. Remember that Adama and Tigh came down on Boomer and Tyrol pretty hard and told them to break it up, even before that ep with the grand pseudo-inquisition. It was only after the bombs went off on Galactica that Tyrol started suspecting Boomer might be up to something and actually called it off.
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
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posted
Personally, I really liked the episode overall. I'd start to lose it too if I finally came to the realization that there is *nothing* to look forward to.
Now, I do have a few major nit to pick about the Blackbird, namely the timeframe of the build, how it was built, and its "stealth" characteristics. I am a structural design engineer, and I work on real life fighter jets, so I'm a bit familiar with the subject. I also have some knowledge of how stealth really works, and all I'll say here is that just making the skin from composite won't help very much, if any.
I will admit however that they may have an "out" on the whole stealth bit. My knowledge is limited to radar and visual stealth, and Galactica doesn't employ radar. They mentioned something called "dredas" or something like that. Functionally, it looks like radar, but it may be something completely different.
As for how they built the Blackbird, it just looked like a disaster waiting to happen. A welded steel frame like the one shown is nowhere near stiff enough to take the punishment from maneuvers. It would crumple in an instant. Also, you'll never see welds in an aircraft's structure because they crack too easily. The composite skin will take a lot of the loads from the structure and help stiffen the airframe, but not enough to hold it together.
You know, I could go on for a *long* time here, but I think I'll stop now. I really did very much enjoy this episode, and I don't want my fairly minor sticking points to ruin that.
quote:So, the flight test goes well and Galactica has a new Viper, nicknamed �Blackbird.� There�s a touching naming ceremony, and, yes, I did think Laura was going to crack the champagne bottle over the fuselage � the other characters� reactions were humerous: �NO! Don�t waste alkie-hall!�
Cracking a bottle of champagne over a new build is a naval tradition for ships. If anyone ever cracked a bottle over the nose of an aircraft, they'd never be let near another aircraft again because it would seriously damage it. *That's* why they had that reaction, not because they wanted to save the drink.
posted
First, may I please humbly request that we restrain the scope of our discussion to events up to and including only the present episode. I may be alone in this, but I don't watch the "Next week on BSG or commercials" and even more freakishly close my eyes during the "bum-badda-da-dum" part of the opening because I'm avoiding spoilers. If you feel you must discuss things that have not happened on the show yet, perhaps a new thread, or at least note any spoilers so I can skip your post. Yes, I am weird this way.
So there were things in this episode that I liked. I'm very glad to see some of the emotional impact of their situation effecting the crew's morale. And where the structural integrity of the Chief's solution may be in question, I felt it seemed an honest and even moving way to do that. He's an engineer, and it's an engineer's solution. I felt I could relate. But that's probably because I'm not a structural design engineer working on fighter jets (!!)
Yes, so that was good. But as some may have anticipated, I also had some problems with the rest of the episode. Yes, I am going to complain about networks again, so if you are offended by such niggling, skip ahead...
So it has been overtly stated that the Galactica has no networks. Everything is manual controls and lots of folks with octagonal paper. And as much as a pain in the ass as that is, it did save their collective butts from the fate of much of the rest of the fleet. So, er... Now they have a virus that has infected their computer and is dangerously close to getting into their mainframe and really wreaking havoc. So does the Galactica have networks or not? Because even if we ignore the implausibility of how the Cylon virus actually made its way into the hardwired network we saw Mr. Gaeta so dilligently improvise (and so abruptly terminate before the Cylons bypassed the final firewall), then how is the virus propogating itself such that it is endangering a broad range of ships systems, let alone "the mainframe"? I mean did I miss the part where they said it only had control of, say, that one computer that controls whether or not control panels blow up, bridge power, and the oxygen content of the firing range? Because although a serious pain in the ass, that would seem like a comparatively isolated problem.
Which isn't even getting into the reasons why the rest of the fleet has not been similarly affected by contact with Cylons.
It's my gripe, but it's what I know. I'm also with Sol System on Boomer's magic fiber-optic interconnect. Obviously there are a lot of conceits technologically for a show like this, but technical inconsistencies like this really start straining my suspension of disbelief. It's distracting. If you are going to come out and say than human model Cylons are indistinguishable from humans given a full medical exam, I want to know how a doctor doesn't see an optical port in Boomer's arm that apparently lets her talk to even antiquated computers like Galactica's. If you're going to say that there are no networks on the ship, then don't have a virus spreading and multiplying itself across their network. Or come up with some means of explaining this apparent violations. Even a single line of dialog might be enough to fix it for me.
I realize it sounds like quibbling, and I probably shouldn't complain. Honestly, this show does so many things right. And I'm not at all saying that I think the show is rubbish on account of these things. Quite the opposite. It is because I like it so much that I feel that the writers/creators do need to take these details into account if we are going to continue to be enthusiastic about their make-believe universe. We are your demographic. We are nerds. It's what we do.
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posted
I think what appears to have happened is that the virus was present from the beginning across the network, and the tiers in Gaeta's firewall weren't separating individual computers from each other, but were just a TV way to visually show the virus's progress and ramp up the tension. So when he cut the connection, it was still in all of those systems.
Keep in mind that I've failed one-third of all the computer science courses I have ever taken, and cannot get my video drivers to work (a thread about which I should probably start), so, you know.
(Also, not that it really makes things better, but I have decided I like the idea that Sharon was trying to thread that cable right up into a major nerve. Maybe everyone already assumed this? It seems extreme!)
((And on another note, for me, this show is all about Laura Roslin. Just saying.))
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Cartman
just made by the Presbyterian Church
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posted
"A welded steel frame like the one shown is nowhere near stiff enough to take the punishment from maneuvers. It would crumple in an instant."
These are people that have mastered artificial gravity and FTL travel. I'm sure they can counteract G-forces too.
(Even if their network security protocols are somewhat lacking.)
-------------------- ".mirrorS arE morE fuN thaN televisioN" - TEH PNIK FLAMIGNO
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OnToMars
Now on to the making of films!
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quote:Originally posted by Cartman: These are people that have mastered artificial gravity and FTL travel. I'm sure they can counteract G-forces too.
But rather the point of the show is to have a science fiction setting with people using technology in such a setting without using that explanation every week. Oh, sure, the hastily assembled, bubble-gum and bailing wire, hobby-project-on-the-side starfighter has inertial dampers!
None of us can definitively say anything like that, but the point of the show is not to have to say things like that.
Did anybody else notice the Master At Arms in the corridor?
I liked the episode as a follow up to "Final Cut." You have a point in the fact that on the surface, it doesn't make much sense, given everyone's respective feelings.
But, I look at it this way. At the beginning, I was dissapointed by the ending of "Final Cut," as it was far too "rah rah hoorah let's go team" for my tastes, use of the original theme aside. But upon revelation that Lucy Lawless was a Cylon, it puts a beautiful twist on everything. Whether RDM was doing this intentionally or not, I have no idea, but I think the ending of "Final Cut" was a way of saying how intoxicating rah rah patriotism can be, but ultimately how empty. The ending of "Phoenix" on the other hand, was a demonstration of what real hope is like and where it comes from. It's about people; people coming together, working together, accepting each other, and making something together, whether it's a future, a home, or a kit-plane.
There's nothing elaborate about it, nothing over the top and pompous. Instead, just quiet and understated. People doing their jobs and occasionally taking a rare moment to acknowledge it.
The ending of "Phoenix" was far more deeply powerful than "Final Cut" and the two are wonderfully paired.
But that's me.
-------------------- If God didn't want us to fly, he wouldn't have given us Bernoulli's Principle.
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"They mentioned something called 'dredas' or something like that."
"Dradis". Or, perhaps, "DRADIS". Which was finally spelled out on screen in this episode, for the first time that I've noticed.
"So when he cut the connection, it was still in all of those systems."
Except that, if those systems can't communicate with each other, what you've really got is a whole bunch of separate viruses all doing their own things in different systems. And, if the systems aren't networked, how did Cylon Sharon manage to access all of them (and their individual viruses) from just one wire?
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