[Angelus]

What a frakking great episode!!

Kelly back! Anders shot! Tyrol sabotage the bucket!
There have been a lot of great scenes, but the best of all was, where Adama, Tigh, Athena and a lot of the crew unite to get the ship back!

In the end Gaeta did the right thing, Zarek FINALLY did get what he deserved...
The last scenes with Gaeta are great, and somehow, although he deserved what he gets in the end, it feels...odd


Have to re-watch it!

[Angreifer]

*eh hem*

WHOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.

I think I may have a new favorite episode. I found this one to be especially poignant, with plenty of action, intrigue, romance, and everything in between. Highlights for me were the quorum getting executed, and Roslin and Adama being reunited. The quorum scene I thought was very strong, and really drove home the significance of what was happening. The way Zarek calmly walked, and you almost believed he was going to let them talk...and then he gives that fateful order. The way Kelly paused when the firing started, with screams echoing through the hallway, was the finishing touch.

Roslin and Adama was just excellent though. I've always enjoyed the romance between those two, as they managed to skirt around it so well for so many years. Now that they've finally embraced it, I want to see it flourish, and I'll freely admit that tears came to my eyes when Laura broke down upon seeing Bill safe and sound. I found it very moving.

Another thing I appreciated was the symbolism at the very end, when Gaeta commented "It's stopped", just before the firing squad fired. To me, the itch on his amputation represented the turmoil within him, his strong desire to do the right thing, yet his seeming inability to ever actually do it. In that last moment though, he was at peace with himself, and his itch went away.

I salute you Lt. Gaeta. o7

Well, I'm sure I'll think of more to comment on later, I'm still processing the awesomeness of this episode.

[Axem]

Topics merged!

[stumpjumper920]

just a quick question for the buffs, what was Tyrol looking at after he stopped the FTL? 

I agree with ya Angelus, I honestly thought that they would deal with Gaeta in a different way.  But i guess he did order the execution of Adama...

Overall just an awsome episode!  Curious to see how the devs deal with this uprising in-game.

[Ace]

The claw marks of the Id monster!

Hull stress most likely, she is an old bucket...

[General Battuta]

The ship appears to be falling apart.

I'm not sure how I felt. I was all pumped up for an action episode involving Centurion boarding parties and a capital ship standoff. Michael Angeli has never written that kind of material, though, so it was all fairly low-key personal drama with little action.

Interesting. I'm going to have to rewatch to decide what I think.

[Unknown Target]

I think the hull marks were actually holes and he was dying due to lack of oxygen.

[Angreifer]

Or perhaps it is the mark of the re-imagined daggit, which prowls the ship in search of fresh souls to consume...

Honestly, I'm gonna have to watch that episode again, because I didn't really get a good look at the marks the first time around.

[FraktuRe]

Another amazing episode!

Have to digest that for a while.

The FTL drive was even cooler looking than I expected

[General Battuta]

So, upon some reflection, I've decided I really, really disliked this episode. It squandered the interesting questions raised by the previous episode, and, worse, it squandered the momentum -- creating a fairly uninteresting set of mild action setpieces instead of a blow-by-blow retaking of the Galactica.

Crappy storytelling and a poor episode. I blame Michael Angeli's weak writing. He's never been too good.

Also, he's the only one who would dare create a vapid, weak Cylon bimbo. He's always been misogynistic.

[newman]

Rollo Lampkin is awesome.

Zarek (reading Adama's alleged crimes): "The punishment for these crimes is death by firing squad."
Lampkin: "Well, I'm not a very good shot"

just a few seconds later another jewel from him:

"Justice. Aha. So it would be fair to assume that should I choose to pass on this field trip for justice, winkin' and blinkin' over there will use me for target practice instead."

I hope we see more of him in the upcoming episodes, he's one of the best side characters in the show.

Otherwise, this ep was everything I hoped for. I wonder what's the deal with chief, tho. I did like the FTL room set.

[Unknown Target]

So, upon some reflection, I've decided I really, really disliked this episode. It squandered the interesting questions raised by the previous episode, and, worse, it squandered the momentum -- creating a fairly uninteresting set of mild action setpieces instead of a blow-by-blow retaking of the Galactica.

Crappy storytelling and a poor episode. I blame Michael Angeli's weak writing. He's never been too good.

Also, he's the only one who would dare create a vapid, weak Cylon bimbo. He's always been misogynistic.

I think you feel that way because you'd prefer a more action oriented episode; like you said, you wanted a blow-by-blow retaking of Galactica, which was only part of what this episode was about. I personally loved it, definitely one of the better ones they've made IMO.

[newman]

Agreed.
The only piece of weak writing I could detect was right after adama is rescued from being executed; he asks the officer who was just about to give the order to shoot him to join him in retaking the ship. The guy was ready to kill you a sec ago and now you're ready to trust him in combat? I don't think so. It's not a big complaint, but that part should've been left out.
Everything else, I loved.

[IceFire]

Agreed.
The only piece of weak writing I could detect was right after adama is rescued from being executed; he asks the officer who was just about to give the order to shoot him to join him in retaking the ship. The guy was ready to kill you a sec ago and now you're ready to trust him in combat? I don't think so. It's not a big complaint, but that part should've been left out.
Everything else, I loved.

Ummm when did that happen? It looked like he was going to kill the guy with his bare hands.  Not join him!

This was an excellent episode...everything we've come to expect from a BSG episode.  Even had some mild Viper action shots...we need a proper space battle at some point.  Haven't had a big one for a while.

[newman]

Ummm when did that happen? It looked like he was going to kill the guy with his bare hands.  Not join him!

Pay attention next time
Adama turns to him and says something like "Lieutenant, I wanna take my ship back", and the officer responds that he's sorry, he respects him but he hates the cylons and he can't follow the orders of anyone who would collaborate with them.
Adama orders him to be tied up after that iirc. But it was clearly an invitation - something like "last chance to change sides".

[General Battuta]

So, upon some reflection, I've decided I really, really disliked this episode. It squandered the interesting questions raised by the previous episode, and, worse, it squandered the momentum -- creating a fairly uninteresting set of mild action setpieces instead of a blow-by-blow retaking of the Galactica.

Crappy storytelling and a poor episode. I blame Michael Angeli's weak writing. He's never been too good.

Also, he's the only one who would dare create a vapid, weak Cylon bimbo. He's always been misogynistic.

I think you feel that way because you'd prefer a more action oriented episode; like you said, you wanted a blow-by-blow retaking of Galactica, which was only part of what this episode was about. I personally loved it, definitely one of the better ones they've made IMO.

I'm actually usually one of those who argues for the more literary stories (a la A Disquiet Follows My Soul.)

I just had a lot of problems with the writing this week.

a) What happened to the mutineer's cohesion and organization? Where were the Marine fireteams guarding critical areas? Why were Lee and Kara not hunted down when Charlie Connor knew they were free?

b) Why was the moral greyscale suddenly and arbitrarily demolished by Zarek's execution of the quorum? There are good reasons for the action, sure, but they made the story less interesting, not more, by making the mutineers seem more 'evil'.

c) Why did Roslin and her baseship allies have effectively no role in retaking Galactica? They didn't seem to do much of anything except broadcast inspiring messages. Even Roslin's awesome 'I AM COMING FOR ALL OF YOU' didn't amount to much. She didn't come for anybody.

d) Why did the writing and direction focus so much on little incidents (like Starbuck ganking some guy at the urinal) instead of plot threads left dangling from last episode, like the Sunshine Boys' promised attack on Athena? Why did we need the whole Adama-trial subplot. It would have been more effective for Zarek to simply pass summary judgment, which could have been the thing that drove a wedge between him and Zarek?

e) Why the misogynistic and shallow portrayal of the one Six model on the base ship? More critically, why did Baltar's revelation that he 'had to go back' lead to him doing absolutely nothing?

f) The biggest problem: why did we feel no buildup and then release of tension? Even Adama's rescue was an anticlimax, allowed to happen offscreen. Last week's big success was in ramping everything up to eleven, but Angeli just let the pressure boil off and never rebuilt it.

Michael Angeli is more of a character-based writer. I'd rather have seen Thompson & Weddle or Verheiden handle this episode. Even Jane Espenson. I've never been satisfied with an Angeli episode in the past, even the fairly strong 'Guess What's Coming to Dinner'.

I'll rewatch it and see if I like it more, though. It had its strengths.

[newman]

Sounds to me like you already made your mind at what the episode should be, and what the subplots should tell and lead to. And what it didn't happen like you imagined it, you disliked it. All the points you put up there have their explanations (though I'll admit point 1 has some merit, it was probably done due to lack of episode time), just not the explanations you envisioned them to have before even watching. I'm not attacking you, but your post clearly indicates very specific pre-made expectations. That's a pretty sure way of getting disappointed.. my 5 cents.

[Angelus]

So, upon some reflection, I've decided I really, really disliked this episode. It squandered the interesting questions raised by the previous episode, and, worse, it squandered the momentum -- creating a fairly uninteresting set of mild action setpieces instead of a blow-by-blow retaking of the Galactica.

Crappy storytelling and a poor episode. I blame Michael Angeli's weak writing. He's never been too good.

Also, he's the only one who would dare create a vapid, weak Cylon bimbo. He's always been misogynistic.

I think you feel that way because you'd prefer a more action oriented episode; like you said, you wanted a blow-by-blow retaking of Galactica, which was only part of what this episode was about. I personally loved it, definitely one of the better ones they've made IMO.

I'm actually usually one of those who argues for the more literary stories (a la A Disquiet Follows My Soul.)

I just had a lot of problems with the writing this week.

a) What happened to the mutineer's cohesion and organization? Where were the Marine fireteams guarding critical areas? Why were Lee and Kara not hunted down when Charlie Connor knew they were free?

b) Why was the moral greyscale suddenly and arbitrarily demolished by Zarek's execution of the quorum? There are good reasons for the action, sure, but they made the story less interesting, not more, by making the mutineers seem more 'evil'.

c) Why did Roslin and her baseship allies have effectively no role in retaking Galactica? They didn't seem to do much of anything except broadcast inspiring messages. Even Roslin's awesome 'I AM COMING FOR ALL OF YOU' didn't amount to much. She didn't come for anybody.

d) Why did the writing and direction focus so much on little incidents (like Starbuck ganking some guy at the urinal) instead of plot threads left dangling from last episode, like the Sunshine Boys' promised attack on Athena? Why did we need the whole Adama-trial subplot. It would have been more effective for Zarek to simply pass summary judgment, which could have been the thing that drove a wedge between him and Zarek?

e) Why the misogynistic and shallow portrayal of the one Six model on the base ship? More critically, why did Baltar's revelation that he 'had to go back' lead to him doing absolutely nothing?

f) The biggest problem: why did we feel no buildup and then release of tension? Even Adama's rescue was an anticlimax, allowed to happen offscreen. Last week's big success was in ramping everything up to eleven, but Angeli just let the pressure boil off and never rebuilt it.

Michael Angeli is more of a character-based writer. I'd rather have seen Thompson & Weddle or Verheiden handle this episode. Even Jane Espenson. I've never been satisfied with an Angeli episode in the past, even the fairly strong 'Guess What's Coming to Dinner'.

I'll rewatch it and see if I like it more, though. It had its strengths.

a. it's a big ship, and not everyone is part of Gaeta's mutiny.

b. the quorum, and thus the civilian fleet, refused to follow Zarek any further ( no Cylon tech on our ships - yes!
    killing the president and everyone on her side - NO! ).
    Zarek, HAD to kill the quorum, in order to KEEP the power.
    This also shows, i was right about Zarek!

c. the Basestar was powering up the Weapons, ready to attack Galactica, but in that moment Adama
   took over his ship again.
   

d. The guys was in CIC the entire time ( remember, this all happens within hours! ), and you don't ask your superior  "Sir, request permission to rape the Cylon prisoner!" during a critical situation.
   
e. I have the feeling that some of the things we saw ( Baltar, the "new" six, a.s.o. ), are the basis for the things that will happen next.


This episode was great IMO,but you are right about the Adama rescue.

[General Battuta]

I get all that -- I just wasn't pleased with the way the questions, or the story, were handled.

I don't think Angeli can keep a cohesive narrative together. All his episodes just feel like a lot of people talking, without any real kind of arc.

[Dark Knight]

Never mind the rest of the episode, for me it was all about Tyrol’s adventures in the Jefferies tubes!

I can see it now Michael Angeli in his study, writing away, when suddenly he realizes he needs to get the Chief from one side of Galactica to the other. He wracks his brain for the answer. The Chief could walk to the FLT room! No, there are bad guys in the way! Erm… he could RUN through Galactica! … no still bad guys.

Finally he comes to the one and only conclusion he can. He phones Ron “Star-Trek” Moore.

“Frak it, Just have him crawl through the Jefferies tubes.” Says Ron.

Does Galactica even have Jefferies Tubes? Last time I checked it just had oddly bottomless caverns between the walls so certain deckhands can have a tense moment while they’re eavesdropping on their husband confessing he’s a Cylon.

And don’t say they were evens vents? Where are the necessary fans for him to almost get chopped up by? And why wasn’t he wearing nothing but a vest and trousers with no shoes while crawling through them?

Hmm.

Basically it boils down to Angeli borrowing from Star Trek or Die Hard there.