The Zone

by **Pacino86845** on Thu Feb 19, 2009 6:32 pm

It was at least hinted on the show that the Final Five come from more "advanced" Cylon technology, and that basically the skinjobs and resurrection facilities we'd seen up to now were all the work of the Final Five trying to recreate... er, themselves, in a sense. Anywho, my guess would be that the Final Five, after being killed during nuclear-holocausted-Earth, downloaded into younger bodies. But until I rewatch last week's episode, I'm still a bit fuzzy on some of the details of what we saw/heard...

by **TonyWilson** on Thu Feb 19, 2009 8:09 pm

The more I think about it the more some stuff just doesn't fit with the final five being who they are but I don't really mind, a few plot inconsistencies hardly detract from everything that is great about the show.

by **PRbuick** on Fri Feb 20, 2009 5:30 am

I don't think this is the first time the final 5 have tried to build new skin jobs in their own image or that Cavil has revolted. Before there were the 13 colonies, humans lived with their "gods" on Kobol until catastrophe (war) forced them to flee to. From Battlestar wiki:

"one jealous god began to desire that he be elevated above all the other gods, and the war on Kobol began." This figure may be related to or identical with "the one whose name cannot be spoken", whose temple is discovered in "The Eye of Jupiter"

Sounds like Cavil to me. ("I don't care for that name. I think you know that.")

by **Fievel** on Fri Feb 20, 2009 12:50 pm

Cavil is definitely the jealous type, so all of that would make sense.

Welcome to the zone, PRbuick!

And if the PR = Phantom Regiment, then an even bigger welcome.

by **LegoKenobi** on Fri Feb 20, 2009 1:03 pm

i like that. works for me!

by **bluebottle** on Fri Feb 20, 2009 7:43 pm

TonyWilson wrote:A few plot inconsistencies hardly detract from everything that is great about the show.

It's people like you who give internet nerds a bad name.

by **Lord Voldemoo** on Fri Feb 20, 2009 8:20 pm

TheBaxter wrote:
this was another thing i found disappointing in the last episode, i thought they moved on too quickly from the mutiny and didn't adequately address the repercussions of that, especially what to do with all the mutineers besides gaeta/zarek, and how to re-unite the ship and the fleet.

I think it's unamerican to criticize this show in any way, but I did say this a couple of weeks ago:

Lord Voldemoo wrote:That's one problem I've always had with the show. They are GREAT at nailing down high, personal drama between characters but they seem to brush those issues under the rug an ep or two later from time to time.

that's always been my one big beef with the show. They do tend to totally cop-out on the aftermath, hoping that the audience will just forget about it or assume that enough time has passed between eps that everything is now hunky-dory. It's a bit cheap and lazy.

Dammit, now I'M unamerican. I hate you Bax.

Still love the show, tho!

by **Fievel** on Fri Feb 20, 2009 8:27 pm

BSG Movie.... that doesn't have anything to do with the current TV Show?

Lame.

by **Lord Voldemoo** on Fri Feb 20, 2009 8:31 pm

Fievel wrote:BSG Movie.... that doesn't have anything to do with the current TV Show?

Lame.

I smell more lawsuits! and a really crappy script...

by **Bloo** on Fri Feb 20, 2009 8:40 pm

ok Larson has been trying to get a BSG movie off the ground for years...

and doesn't Universal own Sci-Fi

what the hell, this doesn't make ANY sense to me, but really what does?

by **LegoKenobi** on Fri Feb 20, 2009 8:52 pm

i agree: no connection to the current incarnation = lame. they will probably use just as much of the current one as they can get away with to avoid any trouble with ron moore & co.

by **Fievel** on Sat Feb 21, 2009 1:39 am

Only 4 episodes left now....

Frak.

by **burlivesleftnut** on Sat Feb 21, 2009 6:01 pm

Ho hum. Helen comes back and immediately acts like the same ALF character I hated before. Only thing I really dug about the episode was Tigh's acting. The guy deserves an award for this episode alone. They really put him through the ringer.

Oh and it makes no sense to me that Tyrol would vote to leave Galactica. wtf.

by **TheBaxter** on Sat Feb 21, 2009 7:00 pm

yes, this episode just felt... awkward. something was off, but i couldn't quite put my finger on it. i'm disappointed that helen tigh comes back and goes back to being the same shrew as before. i would've thought regaining her ancient cylon memories would imbue her with more Punky Power or something. also, i'm not digging the whole baltar storyline. i'd hoped in the previous episodes when he started complaining about his harem of worshippers that that meant he'd be leaving them behind in future episodes, but sadly it wasn't the case. and finally, the business with adama dealing with the cylon tech being used on his ship just felt like rehashing what was said/done the previous episode.

and that roslin/'caprica' six encounter was tres awkward and made roslin come off as a 'tard... 'OMG i don't think i've ever called you by an actual name before!' no good.

best scenes were with tigh and adama getting drunk. although the weenie part of me couldn't help wondering how galactica keeps it's alcohol in stock... you'd think they'd have drunk through it all within a year. maybe one of the other ships in the fleet is an alcohol-refining vessel. if so, they should have a rebellion on THAT ship... who cares if their dilithium crystals or whatever it is they use for fuel runs out... if they ever run out of booze, then they're REALLY frakked.

by **LegoKenobi** on Sat Feb 21, 2009 7:18 pm

wow.

who'd have thought that one of the most moving moments in this episode was going to be with bill and saul hugging each other and sobbing? i felt like i was punched. tigh better get an award for this. it's way, WAY overdue.

by **papalazeru** on Sat Feb 21, 2009 9:29 pm

LegoKenobi wrote:wow.

who'd have thought that one of the most moving moments in this episode was going to be with bill and saul hugging each other and sobbing? i felt like i was punched. tigh better get an award for this. it's way, WAY overdue.

Yup. Fantastic episode.

I've given up second guessing this show and realise that the ride is far more valuable. To have a story which I've inventested in almost 5 years of my life to be rewarded with such character performances really makes me feel sated. I could understand Helens position and the jealousy of another woman having the baby she wanted; I believed it. Col Tight and Bill just gave some fine performances beyond what they had to do, inspiring and brotherly.

Also, at the end of the episode, I love the realisation that Galactica is no longer a human fleet, it was the combination of two species just working together to survive, Roslin and Bills almost knowing acceptance made a warm fuzzy feeling in my heart. I ujust hope the rest of the fleet catch up in the realisation.

Now to meat

I'm pretty sure that the rest of the Cyclon are going to be mightily pissed that all the finaL five are together and they are not around to reap the rewards. It's going to be a messy ending.

So, one the last eps are aired, is that it? No final movie or anything?

by **Fievel** on Sat Feb 21, 2009 10:09 pm

papalazeru wrote:
LegoKenobi wrote:So, one the last eps are aired, is that it? No final movie or anything?

There's the Cylon-centric prequel movie called "The Plan" coming out. And I believe that it was said that they saved all of the sets digitally because "never say never."

by **Fried Gold** on Sun Feb 22, 2009 12:28 am

Hmm...

First two episodes back seemed a bit weak to me.

Then the next three were great - the two mutiny episodes were great, followed by "No Exit" (which has some fantastic science in it, plus a wonderful infodump of mythology).

So what happened with this last episode? Seemed like the whoever wrote it wasn't in the loop with everyone else. All the characters appear to have changed for no apparent reason. With so few episodes left, one would think this wouldn't happen.

The last four had better be spectacular.

by **bill blake** on Sun Feb 22, 2009 2:43 am

this may not go down as one of the best bsgs ever but it was pretty good.

these guys have always worked overtime to make this serial as episodic as possible. i see this as their comedy entry for this season. i mean, wasn't it the least bit funny that helen went from being this sage cylon maven to the wild saul sexing shrew?

the drinking in this episode was epic.

starbuck's comment about the piano in the bar was priceless.

overall i was pleased if not a little put off by saul and old man

by **Fried Gold** on Sun Feb 22, 2009 12:04 pm

bill blake wrote:i mean, wasn't it the least bit funny that helen went from being this sage cylon maven to the wild saul sexing shrew?

Without explanation for it, not particularly.

by **Pacino86845** on Sun Feb 22, 2009 12:09 pm

The tone of this episode was definitely off, and the story was somewhat fillerish... which I agree should not have been allowed to happen in the final five... episodes of the show!

Only four more episodes... I read a rumor not too long ago that the final episode could run longer than usual. Does anyone know if this is true, and if so, how long will it be?

by **Fried Gold** on Sun Feb 22, 2009 12:57 pm

Pacino86845 wrote:Only four more episodes... I read a rumor not too long ago that the final episode could run longer than usual. Does anyone know if this is true, and if so, how long will it be?

Ron Moore:

The final set of episodes will be at least 11 hours long, and the series finale will occupy three of those hours. However, there’s a chance that the series finale could expand even more. The “Battlestar” series finale will definitely expand on DVD. Regardless of the length of the finale that airs on Sci Fi next year, an even longer cut will be released on DVD.

And the schedules on Scifi Channel's website have it as:

27th Feb - Someone To Watch Over Me - one hour
6th March - Islanded in a Stream of Stars - one hour
13th March - Daybreak Part 1 - one hour
20th March - Daybreak Part 2 - two hours

by **Pacino86845** on Sun Feb 22, 2009 1:50 pm

Ah ok, thanks for the info... basically the final episode will be twice as long then.

by **Nick** on Sun Feb 22, 2009 4:45 pm

It was nice to see Baltar's Six. They have really moved the story away from Baltar, which is unfortunate because he is one of my favorite characters.

James Callis is the british actor they actually let keep an accent!

by **LegoKenobi** on Sun Feb 22, 2009 4:54 pm

bill blake wrote: i mean, wasn't it the least bit funny that helen went from being this sage cylon maven to the wild saul sexing shrew?

i wasn't surprised. their love goes back thousands of years, and they just fell into a deep-seated pattern. although, saul didn't really put up much of a protest, and i think i kinda wanted him to come clean about his relationship with caprica 6 and THEN say, "oh, frack it -- on the table!"

i *was* surprised how ellen became so quickly shrew-ish, though. she couldn't see the larger picture here? but then again, with their past history, i guess she WOULD tend to be more than a bit possessive of saul.
.

by **Hermanator X** on Mon Feb 23, 2009 10:23 am

I didnt really enjoy this ep too much, for a lot of the reasons pointed out already, such as Ellen turning into old Ellen again, The Chief being so keen to leave galactica, and other bits and bobs. It just seemed to be out of place.

And is anyone else a bit sick of all the to and fro with cylon creation? It feels like some "mystical" process. I mean, what the hell is a cylon? Did the originals have the organic goop in them, so were part living, or purely circuitry etc?
It seems a bit up in the air at the moment, and oh so vague as to what constitutes a cylon, that im starting to not care. Thats not a good way to feel this close to the end, and I feel like ive lost the thread for what its all supposed to mean, or what im supposed to feel.

Oh yeah, and how the hell did Boomer and Ellen find galactica in the frakkin first place? Lucky first jump?

by **LegoKenobi** on Mon Feb 23, 2009 10:33 am

Hermanator X wrote:Oh yeah, and how the hell did Boomer and Ellen find galactica in the frakkin first place? Lucky first jump?

well, we haven't seen what cavil & co have been up to since the beginning of the season, have we? maybe cavil and the cylons know even more than we realize these days.

by **Gerald Fried** on Mon Feb 23, 2009 11:25 am

LegoKenobi wrote:
Hermanator X wrote:Oh yeah, and how the hell did Boomer and Ellen find galactica in the frakkin first place? Lucky first jump?

well, we haven't seen what cavil & co have been up to since the beginning of the season, have we? maybe cavil and the cylons know even more than we realize these days.

One could assume that the newly hyper-intelligent Ellen knew where Earth was, so finding the fleet wouldn't be too difficult...especially since the fleet stopping moving during the mutiny.

Does anyone else think Adama will die before the end? The mystery pills he keeps taking and the odd strained moments looking in the bathroom mirror seems to suggest he isn't in the best of health....but is keeping it on the quiet.

by **Pacino86845** on Mon Feb 23, 2009 11:28 am

Adama has to die by the end of the show, I've been calling that for months!!! MONTHS!!!!

by **LegoKenobi** on Mon Feb 23, 2009 11:57 am

Pacino86845 wrote:Adama has to die by the end of the show, I've been calling that for months!!! MONTHS!!!!

i am tending to agree. he's the dying leader.

by **TheBaxter** on Mon Feb 23, 2009 1:11 pm

he's been with roslin now, so he's probably got the cooties.

by **DennisMM** on Mon Feb 23, 2009 10:22 pm

With the introduction of the Cylon goop, it appears that Galactica may return to relative health. But what if this is a red herring? What if Adama goes down with the ship? Does Lee become the leader of the fleet, in the absence of a military vessel? Hurm.

by **Pacino86845** on Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:26 am

I think that entire bionic ooze subplot is in place only to make us believe the inevitable Galactica vs base ships showdown... we might get to see Galactica get the hell beaten out of her, and given the previous battles we'd seen her in, these repairs to her "foundations" add credibility to her lasting long enough to ensure the fleet's safety.

by **tapehead** on Tue Feb 24, 2009 5:57 pm

Pacino86845 wrote:I think that entire bionic ooze subplot is in place only to make us believe the inevitable Galactica vs base ships showdown... we might get to see Galactica get the hell beaten out of her, and given the previous battles we'd seen her in, these repairs to her "foundations" add credibility to her lasting long enough to ensure the fleet's safety.

Agreed - I also think that the idea of a sentient Galactica will get some more play.

by **Hermanator X** on Wed Feb 25, 2009 3:37 am

tapehead wrote:
Pacino86845 wrote:I think that entire bionic ooze subplot is in place only to make us believe the inevitable Galactica vs base ships showdown... we might get to see Galactica get the hell beaten out of her, and given the previous battles we'd seen her in, these repairs to her "foundations" add credibility to her lasting long enough to ensure the fleet's safety.

Agreed - I also think that the idea of a sentient Galactica will get some more play.

The ship could only become sentient if it has a hybrid. The dying leader takes a bath? Adama? Roslin?
Personally I think the idea stinks and hope it doesnt happen.

by **Retardo_Montalban** on Thu Feb 26, 2009 2:42 am

All this has happened before and will happen again.

Now that we know what we know now, does that leave Galactica doomed? On the original Earth, Cylons and man wiped each other out with the exception of 5 Cylons. Does this mean that everyone will die, except for maybe 5 of the new Cylon models? I'd wager that Caprica Six, Boomer, Leoban, "David", and Cavil end up as the Cylon survivors of the new apocalypse.

by **tapehead** on Thu Feb 26, 2009 5:47 am

Hermanator X wrote:
tapehead wrote:
Pacino86845 wrote:I think that entire bionic ooze subplot is in place only to make us believe the inevitable Galactica vs base ships showdown... we might get to see Galactica get the hell beaten out of her, and given the previous battles we'd seen her in, these repairs to her "foundations" add credibility to her lasting long enough to ensure the fleet's safety.

Agreed - I also think that the idea of a sentient Galactica will get some more play.

The ship could only become sentient if it has a hybrid. The dying leader takes a bath? Adama? Roslin?
Personally I think the idea stinks and hope it doesnt happen.

You're imposing rules that don't exist in this universe, but I guess it's because you don't like the idea. I think it might well happen (what the hell else is all this set up for?), not that I'm suggesting it will think complex thoughts or have sophisticated free will, but maybe it will be a little like the cylon raiders (remember they were described as sentient, and compared to dogs in those eps where the one called Scar featured) and do something that expresses some level of consciousness at some point.

by **EricG** on Thu Feb 26, 2009 6:16 am

Dare I say it....

...ahh fuck it I dare

*puts on his best radio announcers voice*
Zonerrrrs, If you missed Episode 16 titled "Deadlock" from the hit Sci-Fi channel series Battlestar Galactica, then you need not fret any morrre! Head over to http://www.fi-sci.com/tv/watch-episode-16-of-battlestar-galactica-season-4, where for a short time you can view the Episode over and over agaaaain!
Thanks for listening folks. You've been greaaat!

*cough*

by **Fievel** on Sat Feb 28, 2009 1:39 am

Dear Brain,
I need to apologize profusely. Tonight's episode hurt you. It hurt you in many ways. I think the worst part of it hurting you was that it will only hurt you even more in the future.
You actually gave up on the episode thinking that the piano scenes were some of the worst in series history. You thought that the only way they could get worse was for piano man to be Starbuck's dad. Well.... he was. You almost ruptured wondering why the other people in the bar didn't ask Starbuck why she was talking to herself in such deep conversations. Just when you decided to end it all.... BAM! Starbuck's song ended up being "All Along the Watchtower!" That rocked and made some of the pain go away. But then the Boomer story kicked in.
You actually bought the sappy "mind projection" bit and thought it was incredibly touching that Chief and Boomer had their little moment before she was to be tried and likely executed. And then Boomer nearly killed Athena (didn't realize it was her.... they all look alike), frakked Helo in front of Athena, drugged (thought she was killing her) and kidnapped Hera, and likely set forth Galactica's physical demise.
There are only three episodes left. You have to realize that each of the remaining episodes will be designed to hurt you, make you think even harder than before, and all without any reasonable clue as to where the show's going to go before it ends.
Stand ready, my dear brain.
We're all counting on you.

by **Pacino86845** on Sat Feb 28, 2009 10:00 am

HA that is an awesome review Fievel, I pretty much feel the same way. Despite the lack of "action," I thought this episode was stronger than last week'... which was another fairly quiet episode.

by **LegoKenobi** on Sat Feb 28, 2009 3:23 pm

HOLY FRACK -- so say we all.
boomer played the chief like a violin (or a piano). by the gods, as if there wasn't enough to deal with before the end, they throw in something NEW? i sense we just went up the biggest hill on the roller coaster, people...

by **TonyWilson** on Sat Feb 28, 2009 3:36 pm

That. Was. .... FUCKED.
Ron Moore you sneaky bastard, cutting to Tyrol in "No Exit" when Boomer talked about love and then bam she's a double agent still. That was awesome. And I really liked everything with Starbuck this episode as well, so her Dad must be Daniel, right?

by **Fievel** on Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:11 pm

TonyWilson wrote: so her Dad must be Daniel, right?

That's what I'm assuming - making Starbuck the first half human/half Cylon... or something like that.
But it still doesn't really explain her resurrection.

by **bluebottle** on Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:34 pm

So, Daniel's "anomalies" also allowed him to procreate/cross breed with the humans. And Starbucks dad didn't abandon her, he was boxed?

by **TheBaxter** on Sat Feb 28, 2009 5:25 pm

now that's what i'm talking about. the last couple episodes have been disappointing, but this episode was solid.
the whole piano player is starbuck's-inhead-dad-daniel thing was predictable, but it worked. making AATW the song her dad taught her was an extra layer of awesome. it also raises the question a) if daniel was starbuck's dad, how did HE know AATW, since so far it's only been known to the final five, and b) how did hera also know it? i'm guessing the explanations for those (and starbuck's resurrection) will tie back in to what helen said, that it must have something to do with the god or higher power that is guiding things.
as for starbuck not getting weird looks from other people in the bar, i didnt' really see other people around her during her talking-to-herself scenes... and even those in earshot, if they were even paying attention, probably just figured she was drunk and talking to herself. it wasn't handled any worse than baltar's inhead six scenes.
the boomer storyline worked too. the only complaint i had was that tyrol's conversion back to falling in love with her was a bit too quick and convenient. it would have worked better if they had set it up a little bit in the previous episode. just one scene of him and boomer talking in the brig last episode, showing he still has feelings for her, would've been enough. but it wasn't enough to detract from the episode over all.
with this episdoe, now it really feels like they are moving full speed ahead towards the conclusion. no more filler, it's all momentum headed to the finale from here.

by **Fievel** on Sat Feb 28, 2009 5:49 pm

TheBaxter wrote:the boomer storyline worked too. the only complaint i had was that tyrol's conversion back to falling in love with her was a bit too quick and convenient. it would have worked better if they had set it up a little bit in the previous episode. just one scene of him and boomer talking in the brig last episode, showing he still has feelings for her, would've been enough. but it wasn't enough to detract from the episode over all.

I can see having a slight issue with that, but I thought Chief's reaction to her arriving with Ellen held enough weight to show that he still had feelings.
I think this episode marks Boomer as the most cold-hearted villain on the show so far. Well.... next to Cavill.

by **TonyWilson** on Sat Feb 28, 2009 7:31 pm

So I was wondering about the music Hera gave Starbuck and that was All Along The Watchtower for the final five, what if the notes are some kind of co-ordinates to Earth. I'm not sure how exactly it would work but it would be an awesome way to tie those threads together.

by **Fievel** on Sat Feb 28, 2009 7:34 pm

I get the feeling that Earth is a moot point now, and that really bugs me.
It would be nice to get more out of it before the end.

by **TonyWilson** on Sat Feb 28, 2009 7:38 pm

Well not Earth Earth, but salvation as it were.

by **MonkeyM666** on Sat Feb 28, 2009 8:03 pm

I don't know if this has been posted already but I know that I'll be buying a bluray player just for it...

http://galacticasitrep.blogspot.com/2009/02/news-about-bsg-blu-ray-dvd-set.html

* Battlestar Galactica - The Complete Series will arrive on high definition Blu-ray Disc, on July 28th. This type of release is one that was predicted by our friend Bill Hunt at The Digital Bits back in December...good call, sir! We imagine that there would also be a standard DVD release at the same time, but that wasn't stated at Sitrep.
* Battlestar Galactica - Season 4.5 DVDs are also being prepared. In a new post today, Bill at The Digital Bits states that "It's likely these new DVDs will street on 4/21, which is when the already announced Caprica pilot DVD is set to hit stores."
* Sitrep also says to expect a triple-pack "shrinkwrap" DVD bundle of Season 4.0, Season 4.5 and Caprica...and Bill at The Bits believes that this bundle could also come on 4/21 as well.