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Battlestar Galactica: The Farm

Adama: "She can hide, but she can't run."

This one was disturbing, in a Nazi experiments sort of way. I was right about the Cylons needing humans to reproduce (okay, the hints were pretty overwhelming) and this is violation on a fundamental level, reducing people to things. Which is pretty much the way the humans are treating Sharon, come to think of it.

Simon had Cylon written all over him right from the start, and I was totally creeped when he started talking about Kara's reproductive system right after giving her an internal exam. But why did he bother trying to get Starbuck to buy into the whole reproduction imperative? She's special? Come on. I'm wildly skeptical that love can make a biological difference; I just don't believe it. Sharon must be biologically different from the other Cylons somehow as well as emotionally, seeing as she just saved them all. Of course, her true motivations are still as clear as mud.

Gold acting stars for Katee Sackhoff. It's hard for anyone to portray a woman who is tough as nails and extremely vulnerable at the same time, and she just hits it out of the park, every time. That revelation about her abuse as a child was almost too much, what with the finger breaking and all. I'm also not so sure about her taste in men. Anders seems nice and heroic and bicep-y, but I'd be a lot more interested in them exploring her relationship with Lee instead. Except maybe that's the point: it's in character for Starbuck to sleep with a hot pyramid player than risk another heavy relationship like the one she had with Zak.

I have to say that I'm disappointed in Laura. I didn't think she'd go so far playing the religious card. Splitting up the fleet is only going to weaken them, and you'd think she'd acknowledge that. She's not stupid, and I don't think she's ambitious or selfish. I think she's just trying too hard.

Bits and pieces:

— This week's count: 47,857, down four from last week for the civilians massacred over coffee. Interestingly enough, they did not count the death of Sharon One. Which may be why Cally is doing thirty days in the brig instead of life without the possibility of parole.

— Poor Sue-Shaun. What did Starbuck whisper to her? And how did Starbuck know that Sue-Shaun and the other women would die if the machinery were turned off? And if that's so, how is Anders going to liberate other Farms?

— Simon knew who Anders was. I wonder how? Are they monitoring the Resistance? Plus Simon showed regret. Is he just a little human, like Sharon? After all, as history shows us, humans are also capable of genocide and genetic manipulation.

— Kara's surgery scar was a lot like Sydney's on Alias. Did they do something more sinister to Kara than exploratory surgery?

— Adama is far from a hundred percent. "I feel strange. Like, closer to the ground." More aware of his mortality, I guess.

— It was kind of Adama to prep Chief for the possibility of seeing Sharon again. It was bound to happen, and soon. Also interesting that Adama knows the humanoid Cylons aren't just "machines," as his grief for Sharon attests.

— During that scene with Adama talking to Sharon's dead body, I kept expecting her to open her eyes. Too many Terminator movies, I guess.

— Poor Lee, caught right in the middle as usual. Looked like he was reconsidering his decision there. Perhaps he believed Adama wouldn't recover. In any event, I'd be careful of that tape if I were Lee, especially with Tom Zarek around.

— Nice, long hospital gowns on Caprica. That one looked good on Katee Sackhoff, even under the circumstances.

— Dan said that he finally realized what the music reminded him of: Gladiator.

— In this week's hair report, enforced bed rest and sustained unconsciousness appears to have made Adama's hair a lot longer, much like a mid-season hiatus.

Quotes:

Anders: "Lighten up a little bit. It's only the end of the world."

Anders to Kara: "You always such a bitch in the morning?"

Zarek: "Zeus has returned to Olympus."
I thought that one was pretty good.

Every episode so far this season has been consistently good. Bravo. Three out of four stars,

Billie
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Billie Doux loves good television and spends way too much time writing about it.

6 comments:

  1. A character piece, but very strong and disturbing. Maybe the strongest so far in season two? Most of it of course due to Starbuck. She's a great character.

    On the plot side, they took me by surprise. The Caprica plot ended for now. They're going home to resolve the arrow business. Can't wait.

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  2. This was an incredibly disturbing episode, but it has been obvious for a while that some kind of human/Cylon child is the end game for the Cylons.

    Both sides of the fence played the religion card this episode to justify what they were doing. Laura played it to get back to Kobol. I'm not sure why she is so set on this other than she is dying and perhaps wants the last bit of her life to have meaning. The Cylons use religion to justify the baby farms (God said 'be fruitful'). I guess if it's wrapped up in religion, pretty much any behaviour is acceptable.

    As for Michael Trucco, he really needs to stop getting between couples I am shipping. First Kate and Rick and now Kara and Lee. To quote Queen, 'can anybody find [him] somebody to love?'

    KS was superb -- again. Absolutely brilliant job throughout.

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  3. Ick! Breeding farms! I was actually quite surprised that Adama didn't reverse all of Tigh's indiscretions immediately.

    And to echo everyone else - I'm glad to see Starbuck is leaving Caprica - I definitely want to see her back on BSG sooner rather than later! Hopefully she can convince the old man to reverse the poor decisions being made on the Battlestar recently.

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  4. This creeped me out so much more than The Walking Dead or anything else I can think of. I am so having nightmares tonight.

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  5. I like Simon the doctor character. I was disappointed to discover his Cylon nature.

    And, with respect to hair, I was once told by someone who cuts hair that the hair on the back of my head grew faster because I sleep on my back. Those cells get a little more nutrition every night! So Adama may have had his hair grow a little more because he was lying down for a while...

    And, BSG had someone called "Head of Hair" who was in charge of all hair styles on the show...

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  6. I think this was the first episode of BSG that I saw. It was apalling but riveting drama and as you say, tremendous stuff from Katie Sackhoff. I liked Starbuck's fling with Anders, personally. We know she's not averse to casual sex her relationship with Lee is complicated by their professional relationship and personal history. She's probably better off not going there. The only thing that confused me was that the parting scene with Anders seemed to imply that there was a stronger bond between them than seemed likely given their short acquaintance.

    As to Laura, I'm curious what other option you see for her. If neither her legal position as president nor the support of the council of the 12 will sway Adama, I can't see that she has any other hope of finding Earth short of trying to inspire a mutiny on Galactica which would be even more destructive.

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