BSG podcast recap: Episodes 408, 411 & 412 commentary
Now that the show is over (for the time being), Ronald D. Moore got back with releasing podcasts this week. However, he seems to have skipped a couple in the middle.
As I’ve done in the past, I’ll just summarize some of what I thought were the more interesting parts of the podcasts. If you’re interested in learning more about Moore’s insights and details about each episode, you really should take the time to listen to the podcasts yourself. Now if only someone could sync up these podcasts with the Hulu videos, that would be awesome.
Here are the highlights …
#408 (’Faith’)
- The audio quality in this podcast is awful. He really needs to consider re-recording it for the DVDs, though in the next two podcasts he remarks how badly it was recorded and moves to doing them elsewhere.
- One of Moore’s favorites of the season.
- Originally Kara and Athena had guns drawn on each other during their confrontation.
- There was discussion about how bad Gaeta’s leg would be, which seems to me to say that it’s not entirely significant, leg or no leg.
- Mary spent three hours in a makeup chair for the bald cap.
- This episode marked the first time we saw a jump while looking out the window.
- Originally this episode had Baltar in it, spouting off politically. Instead they went with the radio.
- Moore considered the scene of the Six’s death a tribute of sorts to Lawrence of Arabia. If you know the movie you know what he’s talking about.
- Moore had a lot of good things to say about the hybrid actress, how she was able to stay immersed in that tub for hours on end without a complaint and memorize those complicated lines with ease.
- The network wanted the episode to end with the hybrid getting unplugged, before the patient dies.
- Moore goes on about Mary’s performance, not getting the Emmy, calling it a “fucking crime” that she hasn’t gotten a nod for her role yet.
- He remarks that the scene on the boat was clearly a dream, not a vision or from the afterlife.
#410 (’The Hub’)
- Much better recording, as he did it in the show’s editing room. This time he had writer Jane Espenson with him, along with editors Michael O’Hallorann and Andrew Seklir.
- Here’s a really interesting tidbit that might further put Billy out of the running as the fifth Cylon (as if there needed to be more reason). Billy was originally going to be in this episode as Roslin’s guide instead of Elosha but there was a scheduling conflict with Paul Campbell.
- Something like 20 minutes were cut. A scene in the opera house was cut, for one.
- Lucy Lawless had a caveat that she would come back “wicked” and not nice — unaffected now that she has seen the final five.
- Moore pointed out that this was the first time Cylon flight suits were shown.
- Lots of good production talk that’s better to hear for yourself.
- Baltar’s wound was not meant to be “Christlike,” as many people seem to have commented.
- Moore hated that Sci Fi put D’Anna’s “you’re a Cylon” comment to Roslin in the previous week’s teaser.
- Elosha won’t be “head Elosha,” as Ron put it.
#411 (’Revelations’)
- This time Ron was joined by writers David Weddle and Bradley Thompson, and editor Julius Ramsay.
- This podcast was recorded the day after the early premiere shown to a crowd on the Wednesday before it aired, in L.A.
- They remarked how it was convenient that they were allowed for Athena to “slip out” of jail, due to the circumstances.
- People in the audience (of the premiere) cheered when Tigh said he wanted to go out the airlock, which Moore said he thought was great.
- There was a much longer scene with Adama going bonkers over the news of Tigh being a Cylon; puking in a toilet, Lee pulling him off it, and him saying he “knew for months.”
- Kara was originally going to kiss Sam at one moment but they cut it out, during the moment of her finding out he was a Cylon — not putting a bullet in his head. The actors didn’t feel it felt right.
- Moore remarked how he and the other writers have a talent for painting themselves in corners and getting out of them. I can think of a few instances they’re surely talking about (”they have a plan” anyone?)
- Ron defended Starbuck not picking up a phone and instead running to stop the final four Cylons from being jettisoned. It was just more dramatic and felt right for the moment.
- First draft of the script had raptors going down to investigate the planet, to do recon, before sending down everyone else. Moore just wanted viewers to get that “boom” from hopeful to distraught — no time to wonder, just time to cheer and have the rug pulled out from under you.
- The music the final four Cylons heard was the rhythm to ’All Along the Watchtower.’
- Ron said this should play like it’s the final episode; yank the run out from under the audience and leave you hanging, but without that hopeful “to be continued” at the end (which he was adamant to Sci Fi not to include).
- Stole some scenes from ’Dirty Hands’ in the celebrating.
- The final scene originally had very definite looking skyscrapers still standing, much more “Manhattan looking.” More of the bridge showing, even. He made no mention of it definitely being Earth or it being purposely vague. It just wasn’t a subject he entertained in the podcast other than the mention of the original cut.
BSG: Learn All About Starbuck's Love Life and the Likely Future of the Spinoff Caprica
UPDATE: Wow, it looks like you don’t even have to wait until tonight to see the finale, as Sci Fi has placed “Revelation” online for all to see! They’re streaming it every hour on the hour until 1 p.m. PST today. Go have fun!
My job doesn’t suck.
On Wednesday evening, the Sci Fi Channel and the Los Angeles Times hosted a Battlestar Galactica midseason finale screening and panel discussion with BSG boss Ronald D. Moore and stars Tricia Helfer (Number Six), Mary McDonnell (President Laura Roslin) and Katee Sackhoff (Kara “Starbuck” Thrace).
Now, I can’t tell you anything about the midseason finale, “Revelation,” which airs tonight at 10 on Sci Fi because Ronald D. Moore literally made us raise our right hands and swear to keep the show’s secrets safe, and because I really wouldn’t want to take away your enjoyment of the shocking revelations that come at you like asteroids.
However, I’d like to try to make it up to you with some exclusive quotes you can’t read anywhere else.
Click in for the dish about Roslin’s ultimate fate, Starbuck’s frakked-up relationship with Apollo and whether or not the Battlestar Galactica spinoff Caprica will go to series:
The Final Finale Is Gonna Be Good: The cast just got the script for the series finale, and Mary McDonnell told me, “I’m satisfied completely with the complete saga of Battlestar. I don’t even want to begin to talk about any of it, because I’m afraid I’ll let it slip. But I will tell you that I personally feel that now that I know the end of the story, it has an even deeper resonance as a complete saga than it had in weekly episodic installments.”
Vote Roslin-Adama in ’08: Roslin has struggled to balance her empathy and her authority in the most recent episodes of Battlestar Galactica, so I wanted to know if McDonnell thought that Roslin was born to be the dying leader or if it’s something she’s grown into. She told me, “It was part of her destiny. She didn’t know that she knew this stuff, she didn’t want to know this stuff, she had no interest in it. Women in my generation weren’t necessarily prepared for positions of power, we weren’t brought up to do it. So, when you earn those positions, or when you’re thrust into them, you discover how you handle power, and you discover a lot about yourself. Maybe Hillary Clinton was raised for it, but [Roslin] certainly wasn’t.”
Everyone’s Best Frenemy: Now let’s address Kara Thrace and her special destiny (aka the best cover band ever). As Starbuck learned to accept that she does have a mission from a higher power, there was some suggestion of a concurrent fear. Is that because Starbuck is afraid she’s a Cylon or some other thing that might make her dangerous? According to Katee Sackhoff, “No, she’s not afraid that it’s dangerous. She’s afraid that she’ll fail. That’s her biggest fear—that she’s not good enough.”
What’s in Store for Starpollo? I tried to get a little insight from Katee Sackhoff on Kara’s difficult but oh-so-emotional connection to Lee Adama (Jamie Bamber). Is there a resolution? “Of course, yeah.” So what happens? According to Katee, “It will end the way it needed to end.” (Is it just me or does that sound like something a hybrid would say?) Nonetheless, I sense it’s a satisfying conclusion, if not necessarily a happy one. Post your prediction for Kara and Lee in the comments…unless, of course, you’re on Team Sam Anders…
Foiled Again! Despite talk that Sci Fi should submit “The Hub” as Mary McDonnell’s Emmy episode, it will not come to pass. President Roslin herself told me, “That episode, it came out really well, and we had some amazing feedback on it.” But, sadly, they were still cutting it together in postproduction when the deadline for submission came and went. “It had fallen apart a little—there were some issues with the sequencing of the story—and they were re-editing it. But I was quite pleased with it in the end.” That said, if anyone reading this is a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, please give BSG a look this year—it absolutely stands shoulder to shoulder with the best dramas on TV, and it never gets the trophy love.
Coming to a TV Near You…Later: I talked to Dave Howe, Sci Fi Channel president, and you guys are definitely going to have to wait half a year for the final 10 episodes of Battlestar Galactica. He told me that, “[It will premiere] first quarter next year—we haven’t fixed a final date, but we don’t want to keep the fans waiting too long.”
Twelve Colonies, to Be Continued: The proposed Battlestar Galactica spinoff Caprica (starring Esai Morales, Paula Malcolmson and Eric Stotlz) is officially still just a two-hour movie, but based strictly on the enthusiasm of Howe and NBC Universal chief of cable programming Bonnie Hammer, I’d say that Caprica is getting picked up. Howe wasn’t making any promises yet, but he said, “Based on the casting and the writing and talent involved, I think it’s going to be spectacular.” Hammer agrees that it’s good stuff: “The dailies look amazing.” Yay!
Enjoy the finale tonight, guys, and come back Monday for the spoiler chat, where we’ll have a little talk with the lovely Tricia Helfer about her new gig on Burn Notice.
Five possibilities for the final Cylon
I was in the shower thinking about Battlestar Galactica the other day. The thought occupying my mind was: Who is the final Cylon? That is the big mystery this season, after all.
The writers of BSG have a huge challenge in choosing the final Cylon. They already shocked us with the season finale last year when we learned that Tigh, Chief, Torre and Sam are Cylons. Who could possibly be more shocking than that? The final Cylon can’t be some character who suddenly appears this season and has a major role, just so he/she can be the final Cylon. I truly doubt it’s either Pres. Roslin or Adm. Adama because that might be too over-the-top and therefore unbelievable. Of course, the writers could easily take us there over the season and make it shocking, yet believable. (These BSG writers really do rock, don’t they?)
So, I thought about it. And here are the five characters who would make a shocking final Cylon:
Zak Adama - This is Adm. Adama’s other son. The one who was engaged to Kara Thrace. The shining star in the Adama family. He died during military flight training because Starbuck approved him to fly when he wasn’t ready. Zak comes up now and again, but mostly when Adm. Adama looks at photos of his boys. The reason he’s included is because his return as a Cylon would rock the worlds of Lee, Kara, and Adm. Adama. Why do I even think about him? It’s something Lee said to his dad three episodes ago when they were wondering whether Starbuck is a Cylon. He asked his father whether he’d want to have Zak back, even if it meant he was a Cylon. Foreshadowing?
Billy- President Roslin’s former secretary, Billy Keikeya, was a beloved character up until his demise in “Sacrifice” (Season 2, Ep. 16). He was in love with Dualla, remember? Dualla went on to marry Apollo–although it appears that marriage is over. Billy is kind-of a long shot and he died so long ago that his return might just confuse people. Still, he was a great character and it would be nice to have him back. He was such an innocent soul that being a Cylon would be a real shock.
Gaeta- Felix Gaeta is looking like a strong possibility these days. He is filled with hate–for Baltar, Starbuck, and especially for Cylons. He is heavily relied upon by Adm. Adama and perhaps we’ll see some storylines in the future where Gaeta gets even closer to the admiral. Gaeta would definitely be a self-loathing Cylon. But, Tigh is already revealed. He’s self-loathing and is very close to Adama, so there may not be a need for another Cylon so close to the Admiral. If he’s not a Cylon, I have the feeling Gaeta is in for something big (maybe death?) this season.
Lee Adama- We know that Adm. Adama was not present for the upbringing of his two boys. Maybe he wasn’t even there for their births. So… they could be adopted, right? The realization that Lee is a Cylon would be frakkin’ huge. He’s in love with Kara. He is finally on good terms with his father. It would be heart-breaking, really, to learn that he’s not human. I want to cry just thinking about it.
Starbuck- It’s impossible not to include Starbuck in this list. Where did she go for two months? Why did her Raptor return in perfect condition? Obviously the writers are trying to keep us wondering whether she is a Cylon. There is definitely something special, maybe even mystical, about her. Why has she always painted pictures of the nebula? I’m starting to believe that she is not a Cylon, but she cannot be discounted at this point.
Who am I missing? Leave your theories in comments.
Smallville: Apocalypse
(S07E17) Most sci-fi or fantasy television series have used a “parallel universe” or “what if” storyline in which we see what life would be like if a different set of circumstances existed in the characters’ universe. As of tonight’s episode, Smallville is no exception to this rule. In fact, it’s kind of surprising the creators haven’t done it before now since they seem to rely on television clichés.
Somebody saaaaaavvvveeee meeeee….
Clark is shown through a simulation by his dead father what life would have been like on Earth if his rocket was never sent there. Lana is happily married with kids. Chloe is engaged. Luthor is President of the United States and about to launch a global thermonuclear war with Brainiac and Kara by his side. Naturally, Clark is in the middle of this parallel world determined to stop the worst from happening.
The first question on my mind was: if Kryptonians have time-travel technology, why did Krypton explode in the first place? That was answered near the end of the episode by Clark himself. But if they had this capability, why use a ship for Clark to escape in? Why not just teleport him out? Yes, I know. It’s Smallville. That’s the answer.
Not much information was given about the “alternate” Clark Kent. He was presumably adopted and younger than our familiar Clark since he was still wearing a high school jacket. I guess they didn’t have enough time in the episode to go through his back story.
I had heard there would be an old, familiar face in the episode and was hoping it was going to be John Schneider, back from the dead and being Pa Kent. It ended up being Sheriff Adams, who was really unnecessary as a cameo. It made me wonder if they tried to get back Bo Duke and couldn’t. It was still nice to see Jonathan and Martha again, even if it was just a photo.
This was really an episode for references to other versions of Superman. From the 1950’s series, Jimmy was wearing a bow-tie. There was a mention of the Reeves Dam, which is likely a tribute to George Reeves, the actor who played Superman in that series. From the comics, there was the Ace of Clubs and Supergirl’s comic book alter ego of Linda Danvers. From the Superman: the Animated Series, there was Lois’ address of Clark as “Smallville” (more on that later).
It’s somewhat ironic that Lois develops Clark’s famous nerdy reporter look. I admit I got a slight thrill when I saw him in the suit and glasses. Now he just needs the tights and cape to hide underneath and they can end the series on a high note.
Lex is kind of young to be President, isn’t he? It’s a requirement of the position to be 35 years old and Lex is at most 28 at this stage. I guess Brainiac had to use his special powers to make that happen. Or Lex just lied about his age.
This episode could easily have been a two-parter, with the first part dealing with the alternate timeline and the second part being Clark’s attempt to stop Brainiac from changing history on Krypton. What story logic could they have used for Jor-El and Lara not being at the launch of Kal-El’s ship? Did Brainiac kill them already?
It’s nice to see the origin on the other side. A few episodes ago, we saw the events that led the Lex to Smallville. Now we’ve seen the events that took Clark there. There’s symmetry in that.
Clark had a hell of a choice at the end of the episode. Either save Lana or reveal his secrets to Luthor. Given what he’d seen in the alternate timeline as well as his knowledge of Lex, he chose the lesser of two evils. And what was happening to Kara at the end? Was Brainiac’s programming to kill Clark (mentioned in the parallel world) kicking in?
Finally, there is the foreshadowing of affection being shown between Clark and Lois. If Lana is saved, given the fact that she’s only a part-timer for next season, it’s likely the Clark/Lana relationship will be done and the Clark/Lois relationship will start. They’ve even given themselves an “out” by having Lois refer to Clark as “Smallville”. In doing so, the series becomes about Clark rather than the town he grew up in. If the creators wanted, they could move him to Metropolis next season and still keep the name.
While it was predictable, this was a good episode. It showed a lot of progression and the pacing felt correct for the most part. That is one of the benefits of parallel world stories. They can make the characters move forward without anything actually happening.