The Official BSG S3 Spoiler Thread

[Sindatur]

I thought going in to the episode, "oh this is gonna be crap", and I found myself forcing myself to watch it at first, but, by the time it had all played out, I really thought it was a great episode. I like Anders with Kara, and certainly don't Lee with her, never was comfortable with Starbuck and Appolo together.

I'm not sure if Adama and Roslyn actually bumped uglies or not, but, it certainly took the sexual tension to a whole new level for them.

 

[MMarin]

The Passage was once again a solid episode. The whole situation with the contaminated food was in a sense just a huge plot device, but it gave the writers a chance to tell a good final story about Kat and a way to find a planet that is far more important than anyone in the fleet knows at the moment. At least that's what I got out of it considering how Baltar described the mysterious planet that contains the next clue towards Earth.

 

[KoshFan]

I loved the "cow-eyed Hera" reference, it's straight from Homer. And I also dug the fact that the Hybrid isn't quite as insane as all the Cylons thought. And the other five Cylon models might soon be revealed. Plus, as planets go, the Eye of Jupiter photographs well.

I knew Kat was gonna buy it, but radiation... not an easy way to go.

The contaminated food was a giant plot device, yes, but at least it explained something that I'd been wondering about since I saw "Water": where are they getting their food from? Answer: they've been growing it from algae all along. Presumably Galactica and a few of the other bigger ships have the capacity and they're running the same system with food that they are with water.

I'm not quite sure I buy the ferry system they had running. Sure, Galactica could get the people through alive. But wouldn't the ships be chock full of radiation, too? Wouldn't they have to wash down the interiors of all of them with their magical radiation-removing hoses? Quite the task. And while they were doing that at the Eye of Jupiter, the rest of the fleet would be a sitting duck back at the other end.... ah well. Probably feasible, just complicated and quite a strain on their resources.

It'll be interesting to see what the head count at the beginning of next week's ep is. They lost at least two ships -- with skeleton crews, I'll grant you, but probably dozens, at least. And radiation sickness might have claimed a few of the crews of the ships that made it anyway. I wouldn't be surprised if they dipped below 40,000 soon...

 

[Recoil]

Well, just saw the mid-season cliffhanger last night. Not the best of the mid-season cliffhangers, but it was OK. It really just set some stuff up for the second half of the season.

The whole "eye of Jupiter" stuff is kind of interesting, but I'm always leery of shows doing things like that...as they usually tend to render them meaningless or take the awe out of them when they do their reveal.

The Sam/Lee thing and the tension built at the end of the episode really didn't do anything to me.

Did anyone catch how the temple that houses the Eye of Jupiter is called "The Temple of the 5"? And all the references made to "The 5" regarding the final 5 Cylon models that no one talks about?

This is one of those plot devices that was clearly added recently, maybe even this season. We started off with 12 Cylon models, and then after counting up how many they have shown on TV, they decided to say "OK lets think of something unique we can do about the last 5 and why they aren't hanging around at all." I dont think its a coincidence that the temple refers to 5, and that there are 5 remaining Cylon models. However, the writers are walking on dangerous ground now. They could either do something REALLY cool with the reveal at some point tying this all together, or they could flat out fall on their faces and make something really lame.

Time will tell...

 

[KoshFan]

I pretty much agree. They've set things up for a magnificent payoff, but now they have to deliver. And that's hard, especially if they're not 100% clear on where they are going.

Probably the best point about this episode, in my mind, was that Sharon-Athena (as opposed to Sharon-Boomer) finds out about Hera and doesn't go completely ape. I was profoundly glad that her relationship with Adama is strong enough that a) he tells her the second he finds out for sure and b) she doesn't blow up Galactica in revenge or revert to being all Cylon.

Other nifty bits: Athena fingering Boomer in the hallway, and Tyrol's walk up the mountain; the latter had shades of Picnic at Hanging Rock. Tyrol and Kara's different approaches to faith were also intriguing.

In short, it's not "Kobol's Last Gleaming" or "Pegasus," but it ain't bad.

 

[vacantlook]

KF, I agree regarding Athena. I also liked Adama's just quietly walking out of his meeting with Roslin when she told him yes.

I'm still tired of the whole Apollo-Starbuck-Anders-Dee double triangle (or whatever it should be called; quadralateral??).

 

[KoshFan]

Yeah, it was a great source of tension, but I think they need to resolve it soon, or it's gonna get lame.

 

[GKarsEye]

Ok I finally caught up and I have a question:

How did this show get so crappy so quickly? I think I can say that I currently have no interest in any of the plot lines.

It really seems as if the writers got lost themselves and, seeing a hiatus coming up, threw in a bunch of cliffhangers so that they can go back, figure out where the hell they're going with this thing, regroup, and get back on track.

They can do it. There are still awesome characters in the show and dropped plot lines that can be turned into something strong.

Am I the only one who wants to kick the TV in whenever they show us the Cylon base ship? That stupid music, those lights, and Balters ANGST. Ugh... just really annoys me. And that 3-way relationship makes no sense: Xena just worms her way into it, Caprica loves them both (news to me), and now they're off to be the chosen one or some crap...

Hey remember when Starbuck was awesome? Now she's just a pissy twat in a boring love triangle.

 

[vacantlook]

Am I the only one who wants to kick the TV in whenever they show us the Cylon base ship? That stupid music, those lights, and Balters ANGST. Ugh... just really annoys me. And that 3-way relationship makes no sense: Xena just worms her way into it, Caprica loves them both (news to me), and now they're off to be the chosen one or some crap...

Baltar's whininess is starting to grate on me too. And the threesome is empty and seems nothing but gratuitous, much like the near-naked decontamination scenes that popped up in Enterprise.

 

[Chilli]

Ok I finally caught up and I have a question:

How did this show get so crappy so quickly?

I'm glad I was not the only one wondering about that .. though I wasn't *quite* as amazed by the New Caprica plotline as others were, this was an awesome show for the first few episodes of the season. Now .. yeargh.

I could not care less about the Apollo/Starbuck drama. I don't *care* that they're in such a painful situation .. they got themselves there because they're both stupid pathetic twats. No sympathy for either of them. The only resolution that would make me happy there would be if Dee beats the crap out of both of them.

The cylons .. WHO FUCKING CARES? I found them tiring already in season 2 .. now though .. Xena loves Baltar? Where did that come from? Final five? It's so obvious that they freshly pulled that new mystery out of their asses. And god I'm tired of the Minority report pool lady. She's insane, lying in a pool, talking nonsense. How inspired.

And we've been "on the path to earth", taking the "decisive step" forever now. Right now, I *want* them to get to earth almost, also if I was sure in the beginning that that would suck, if it was to happen. It would at least be something new....

 

[Recoil]

Ok I finally caught up and I have a question:

How did this show get so crappy so quickly? I think I can say that I currently have no interest in any of the plot lines.

It really seems as if the writers got lost themselves and, seeing a hiatus coming up, threw in a bunch of cliffhangers so that they can go back, figure out where the hell they're going with this thing, regroup, and get back on track.

Yea I pretty much feel the same way. This cliffhanger did nothing for me. This show was solid up till after about the 5th - 6th episode of this third season. But I also think its becoming more and more clear that the writers had no idea where the show was going, and its really starting to become apparent. A lot of other good shows died out like this, hopefully they get it together. I think I made a post somewhere else about how completely unacceptable it is to me, how you can start a show and not have any idea where its going, but that does seem to be the standard...

Am I the only one who wants to kick the TV in whenever they show us the Cylon base ship? That stupid music, those lights, and Balters ANGST. Ugh... just really annoys me.

Nope!! That damn piano music got really annoying really fast. And I also agree with the Xena love-triangle plot. Where did that come from? And why? Yep, writers starting to lose focus.

I really hope the second half of this season gets back on track and starts going somewhere...

 

[GKarsEye]

I'm not used to everyone agreeing with me. It's uncomfortable.

 

[Chilli]

I think RDM took over the Trek manner of buildng relationships to BSG, in spite of making it the anti-trek.

Trek manner of building relationships = HUH? Where did THAT come from???

Xena + Baltar is the perfect example for that .. though Apollo and Dee already had me feeling much the same way last season. Just where the bloody hell did that come from?

It's much the same way I've felt on Trek many times .. relationships the writers introduce between main characters just feel .. forced, and unreal. Like the authors felt it was time to create a pairing, but couldn't actually be bothered to let it make any sense.

Worf and Troi on TNG
Worf and Dax on DS9
Seven and Chakotay on Voyager

... and I recall seeing an interview with Nana Visitor at some point in which she was talking about how the writers wanted to pair her up with Dukat, and that they only didn't do that because she refused .. even on Deep Space 9, it seems like the writers still could occasionally really suck with handling their characters.

 

[KoshFan]

Yeah, the "final five" is pretty obviously a refit -- after all, if there were only seven models of Cylons at work in the main operation against the Colonies, then why the heck were the Sharons "Number 8"?

I still like Apollo and Starbuck, so I care what happens to them, but only because I'm very forgiving of my characters. And right now I've got more compassion for D and Sam anyway.

If I had taken over BSG at the beginning of this season, I would have stretched out the New Caprica plotline a little more. I would have had Galactica and Pegasus launch their rescue mission and get some of the people out, but only some. And then it would have been a massive load of tension over whether or not they went back for the rest. But I think others are right: the writers aren't really clear where they are going, or if they are, they don't know how to get there. Let's face it, we were all spoiled by JMS.

I'm not giving up yet, but I'm getting a little concerned. The boxing ep. (much as others may have hated it) restored my faith in the show, but the writers are already starting to dig into the credit they've built up for me with that.

I've got high hopes for one ep down the line, however. Jane Espenson (who wrote stuff that I loved for Buffy) has been signed on to write an episode later on this season which looks at the fleet in a new way.

 

[GKarsEye]

Dee is creepy- she married to Lee because she's actually in love with Admiral Adama.

 

[tygirwulf]

I must say that I'm losing my interest in this show, too. I've been struggling with it since the beginning of the season. The season 2 midpoint break had me on the edge of my seat the entire time, and my boyfriend and I were constantly talking about what might happen when the show finally came back on air.

Now, he stopped watching after the fourth episode, and I often found myself not watching my recording from Friday night until a few hours after it was over, whereas before, I watched the episodes when they aired.

My boyfriend told me he liked the show because it was believable, that he could see and understand why people did things, but now it feels like they are just throwing random things together. I have to agree, I certainly don't understand the whole Baltar/Caprica/D'Anna threesome, or Lee and Dee's relationship.

Overall, this show just lacks the emotional impact now that it did in the first two seasons. There were many times I teared up or even cried, or felt excited or amazed at some minor revelation. Now it seems like things are disconnected somehow, they don't belong. I certainly hope things shape up quick.

I also can't believe how many shows out there start with no idea of where they're going to end up. I can't imagine taking on writing a big project, but I would certainly start out with at least a basic outline of events I wanted to happen. Seems like most television program creators or writers don't even do that much.

 

[Recoil]

I also can't believe how many shows out there start with no idea of where they're going to end up. I can't imagine taking on writing a big project, but I would certainly start out with at least a basic outline of events I wanted to happen. Seems like most television program creators or writers don't even do that much.

It seems to me like they start off with an "Idea." "Hey Mister Network Executive. Here is a concept for a show. Look at the cool characters I came up with. Just think of all the possibilities for stories with this premise. PLEASE think of all the possibilities for stories with this premise...because I haven't yet! Once you greenlight this project, then I will have 2 months to come up with something concrete. Ive got about a seasons worth figured out, but I'll be too busy doing day-to-day writing to actually think beyond that point, but hey, if people are watching, WHO CARES? I'll just figure it out as I go. This concludes my presentation"

You get the feeling like that is pretty much what happens on just about every show?

 

[GKarsEye]

It seems to me like they start off with an "Idea." "Hey Mister Network Executive. Here is a concept for a show. Look at the cool characters I came up with. Just think of all the possibilities for stories with this premise. PLEASE think of all the possibilities for stories with this premise...because I haven't yet! Once you greenlight this project, then I will have 2 months to come up with something concrete. Ive got about a seasons worth figured out, but I'll be too busy doing day-to-day writing to actually think beyond that point, but hey, if people are watching, WHO CARES? I'll just figure it out as I go. This concludes my presentation"

You get the feeling like that is pretty much what happens on just about every show?

Well yeah, how else can it be done? Babylon 5 is the exception (and I guess historical things like Rome and Deadwood which obviously have to follow certain events), but every show is constantly on trial for its survival. You can't plan a show for more than a year because it might not be on in a year, especially in the current TV landscape.

 

[Recoil]

I'm not saying you have to have every characters arc decided before you sell the show to the network. But you damn well had better know how your story/series is going to start, where it will be in the middle, and how it will end. It appalls me how many series do not do this. BSG appears to be another example. They know how it will start. They have the middle sort of figured out. But they don't seem to have an idea of where its going. How hard is it to come up with those three simple things? Its writing 101. I am not saying they need to have a ton of detail worked out, but overall concepts should be in place and a series outline should be something thats not too difficult to do. At least for these kind of shows. "Episode of the week" dramas and Sitcoms wouldn't require this.

 

[KoshFan]

I hate to drag in the Joss Whedon shows again because I do it so often. But Whedon made it work with his shows, once he'd gotten past the first season. He was clearly planning how season 5 would end while wrapping up season 3, and once season 5 was done he knew he would end the show at season 7 and started planning how to do that. His arcs were not as intricately planned as JMS's were, but he always had an idea of where the current season would go, if nothing else, and generally had some ideas about the next. Admittedly S1 of Buffy and Angel were not quite so well targeted, but even they had arcs.Firefly showed signs of being far better planned. So it certainly can be done.