Six to go

[chani]

Battlestar Galactica is really television at its best. It's a gem. I never thought I'd be that excited about a tv show after Buffy ended, but I was wrong.

So while it's snowing over Paris, I stay at home, so here's my review of both "The Oath" and "Blood on the Scales".

I liked "The Oath" but not as much as many fans did. It was intense and exciting but it provided less food for my analytical mind than the previous episodes so I couldn't write a proper review last week. Of course there were things I really enjoyed:

- the amazing Saul Tigh and his fantastic facial expressions, in every scene he was!
- Richard Hatch's flawless acting as Zarek
- Baltar getting rid of his she-followers "I don't want the statue. Keep the statue"! Heehee!
- Baltar and Roslin talking to each other and teaming up. Awesome! Those two deliver the best when they are face to face. They do understand each other in some vicious way. "we're both fraud", and Baltar's line about having made bad choices about their aide de camps!
- Athena's voice when she said "Karl"
- Gaius/Felix conversation "I know you Felix" and "if you're hungry for redemption this is not the way". JC and AJ were perfect.
- Adama and Saul together in the end. Their friendship moves me much more than the Bill/Laura romance.


Wow! I liked "Blood in the Scales" better than "The Oath" actually.

I'm not necessary a fan of action-packed episodes but this one rocked. I guess I loved it because there's so much about the characters' journey behind the showy action scenes.

I above all loved Tyrol's bizarre journey in the guts of the ship. A Cylon worming his way through the huge machine that is the Galactica. There was something quite Greek, like a journey through the labyrinth or the one heroes always took in the underworld, the Hades. There was also a sort of anatomical metaphor. No wonder he passed by the latrine. It was like a second birth for our Final Four. It had to be him because he's the chief, the tech guy, the machine expert.
It also reminded me of Saul Tigh hugging the wall when the music switched them on last season. The Galactica itself becomes a character in such moments. The ship is a character among others.
Tyrol's scene with Kelly was great too. And Galen saved the day!

Tyrol has really grown on me this season.

I also loved Baltar's little epiphany in bed. I'm quite convinced that the Venus-Angel Six wasn't really there. She's nothing but a revamped head!Six. The Six in Red is gone. She was the tempteress, she symbolised Baltar's fall and fault. Now the time of Six in White has come...

His last conversation with Felix was so necessary. They were drinking coffee and smoking cigarets. Very quiet and intimate. The perfect closure for Gaeta's journey and a necessary step on Gaius' redemption road. How poignant! Perhaps the whole point of the mutiny and Gaeta's suicide adventure was to put Gaius in that place for both of them.

I loved Felix finding relief eventually: "it stopped"(and the music that has told us his pain since "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner", the haunting lament, stopped as well). The silence before the shooting was a powerful moment. What a tragic character he has been! Despite hating any idea of execution I didn't dislike that exit scene. And there's something really human on Zarek's face as he looked at his companion before they are killed.

Zarek had become a terrific character over the time. The fact he had the Quorum killed made sense. No turning back neither for him nor for Gaeta. This is a bloody coup d'Etat! The irony is that Tom led the way for the dictatorship he condemned not long ago. In a way Zarek who started as a revolutionary, has become another Cain, and his self-destructive journey leaves the room for the Adama and Roslin boundless powership he exposed!

Richard Hatch is a classy actor. In every scene he played he acted just right. He used to be a good and handsome Apollo in the orginal series and he was here a fantastic Tom Zarek...a much more interesting character.

I loved seeing Romo Lampkin again and that he mentioned feeding his dog. His skills used to be verbal but he got to be action man this time...stabbing a guard with a pen! Very James Bond-like.
When he was about to escape but changed his mind and decided to help Kara and Sam, it was quite predictable to say the truth, but still a nice echo to Baltar's choice to stop running and to go back to the Galactica.

I loved Bill's reaction when he heard the lie about Tigh's death. Despite his bravado you can see how his heart is breaking. Bill/Saul is the true love story of those episodes, not Bill/Laura.

I loved seeing Laura Roslin and her Cylons on the basestar, as if she were their new D'Anna. Such irony again! Once upon a time Laura airlocked Leoben, now they are buddies!

Now I'm curious about the aftermaths...especially given what Narcho said to Adama "I've always respected you but I hate the cylons". He isn't the only one to feel that way so Adama and Roslin have to take that into account or there will be more troubles ahead. Punishing the mutineers won't be enough. It's time for Laura to remember she was a teacher once upon a time...

The crack Galen found out seems to be dangerous as well...I think that the good old ship is doomed and its journey comes to its end.  

And Anders? I would be disappointed if he survived. Not because I want him dead, but because it would be too easy in terms of writing.
 
Helo is still a bit out but is alive and will get better! He has to get more screen time. I want him to have a great exit too.

Six episodes left. Damnit! 
 

 

Comments

[fraidycatx3.livejournal.com]

I found myself thinking of you when I was watching the episode last night and wondering what you'd think of it.
I thought it was superb.
I kept waiting for Felix to get his over the last few episodes and found myself feeling sorry for him in spite of myself.

[frenchani.livejournal.com]

It was superb indeed. I felt sorry for Felix too.

Now I've just spoiled myself by watching the Candian preview for the next episode. I wish I had not...:-(

[fraidycatx3.livejournal.com]

#@%&#* Canadians! ;)

I had to re watch my tape to reference what you're talking about. Looks like we're in for another stellar episode.

[frenchani.livejournal.com]

I hope so. I also really hope that my Helo will get more screen time soon.

Now I'm wondering if the resurrection scene might actually be a flashback of Ellen's previous rebirth on a hidden Resurrection Ship, before the series started, even before the skinjobs appeared. At this point I think we need an explanation about the Final Five's background in the colonies.

[harper47.livejournal.com]

These were terrific episodes. I was riveted. And while I've never been invested in any way with Gaeta, these two episodes painted a sad, pathetic and yet touching story. And word to your comments on Richard Hatch. He has done an amazing job on what I felt first of all was simply a celebrity casting for ratings. Excellent work.

This was by far the best BSG I have seen in a very long time. But then I like to have action mixed in my angst so this satisfied me on every level.

[frenchani.livejournal.com]

Richard Hatch really impressed me, I didn't expect him to be that good. Since the episodes I read a few interviews in which he explains his take on Zarek and found it very insightful.