![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
leadensky.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
13thcolonyYeah, late. Sorry. Cross posted to my lj.
I wrote half this review the week I saw it, and half this last weekend. While I am caught up with current eps in the US, I tried to keep any hint of future ep reaction out of this review. So that anyone who is *not* current doesn't get spoiled, I'm asking that 1) people keep comments to cover only through this ep and 2) if anyone finds anywhere that I slipped, please say.
This ep was the first to focus (more or less completely) on the journey of a single character, and - despite the inclusion of nearly every named character - almost entirely in one character's frame of reference. And, of course, that character is the Fleet's resident lone wolf - Gias Baltar, traitor in residence.
Granted, not anyone else in the Fleet is aware of this duplicity, and they have no proof, but Gias said religion was for half-educated dullards and no rational intelligent free-thinking human being would express sincere faith, so as far as I’m concerned they can keel-haul his skinny patronizing ass on principle.
(Nah, I'm not taking this personally or anything. Not at all. *g*)
I'm going to leave most of the religious background explored in this ep for the analysis for ep 8 (Flesh and Blood). In part because I want to see the elements explored through the pov of someone who's not borderline psychotic before I start any real musing.
Instead, I'll talk a bit about the borderline psychotic himself.
It's been twenty four days since the end of the world - and incidentally, one week since the (beginning of) last week's episode. Gias Baltar has had a cylon living in his head for all this time, and by the start of this ep, he seems to have made some sort of peace with it. Her. Whatever.
My read of Gias is a brilliant but internally ungoverned man - things come easily to him, or, more easily to him than to other men, and so he has not invested much time in learning patience or how to cope with deprivation. He also may have spent his adult life being so highly prized for his intellect (and handsome face) that his fellow humans have been willing to overlook the low level of socialization and complete lack of concern for anyone whose name is not Gias Baltar.
Gias's lack of adherence to any code other than "what benefits Gias is desirable" is what made him attractive as a tool for the Cylons. And I saw "attractive" and "tool" deliberately in both cases - Gias was less an agent than a machine, and not at all a conspirator in the participatory sense. And he was an ideal tool, but not, I think, an indispensable one. If Gias had not proved so malleable, another might have been used.
By "participatory conspirator" I speak more to intent rather than action - Gias's actions were clearly treasonous. (Note 1) His intent is another matter, and here Gias is saved by my understanding of his self-centered universe. I can not see Gias, under any circumstances, actually thinking "my life would be better if the Cylons destroyed my civilization" any more than I can see him thinking "it would be worth the risk of being caught to let someone pay me money to get them access to the Defense Department's mainframe".
Unfortunately for Gias and the Twelve Colonies, Gias's sense of self preservation when it comes to getting laid are not as strong as it might be for financial bribery. "Letting my girlfriend poke around in the mainframe so she'll keep fucking me and not go looking for someone else" seemed to have made perfect sense to him.
His deepest flaw is not malice, I think, or even arrogance (a quality Gias owns quite well) but a blindness, a lack of imagination that shuts down that brilliant mind anytime it starts to stray from the consideration of "what does Gias want right now, and how shall he get it?"
While more constant than far-seeing or broad in scope, Gias's self-centeredness does have its advantages. I noted two eps ago that Gias appeared - at times - to be able to shrug off Six's influence and take actions on his own. Certainly not every thing Gias does is with Six's agreement - see her reaction to Gias spending time with Thrace. Her influence is deep but not – up until now – absolute.
At the beginning of this ep, Six appears very comfortable - if highly bored - hanging out in the lab as Gias attempts to remember freshman biology. (note 2) The ongoing argument between them revolves around Six's attempts to "witness" (note3) to Gias, and his (frankly stereotypic) atheistic rejection of the same.
Gias's rejection of the Cylon faith appeared, I think, to be nearly as fundamentalist as Six's acceptance of it. There was no reasoning in his rejection, only emotional reaction. However, it is a wedge between Six and Gias - though not as solid a wall as Gias thought it might be.
I get the impression that Gias and Six have had this argument several times over the last few week, and that the discussion has grown increasingly heated. I also thought it clear that Six realized Gias was not about to view anything as important so long as the prospect of sex was on the table. Her frustration with Gias's closed mind and open fly was apparent - she was not getting through to him. Not being an idiot, Six decided to change the game.
What *precisely* she changed it to is still up for debate, I think. Body language and dress make me think that Shelly Godfree was a different model than Six, and was not actually a physical manifestation of Gias's hallucination. Simple timeline mechanics would indicate that Godfree had to have been operating long before Six and Gias had their confrontation - long enough to contact Galactica (or more likely Roslin), arrange transport, and have *some* measure of security vetting. There is evidently a no-fly list, which would indicate a fairly high level of scrutiny of passengers. Last ep had civilian passengers on Galactica - why? Medical? Work crews? Shortage of space elsewhere? Are they still on Galactica, and was Godfree one of these?
Most of my conviction that Godfree is not Six flowed from her body language in the bathroom scene. She was literally stomping her feet in frustration. Six is good, but an acting job like that? Inhuman. ;) Add to this the eyeglasses remaining behind and the return of Six in the green dress, and I think that while the case is not *made*, there is strong evidence of a Six-shaped model loose on Galactica still.
I still find it disquieting that they had the initial meeting with Godfree in CIC. As much as I appreciate Tigh and Gaeta's reactions, I'm not happy with the local for security reasons.
Before the trailer is over, we find out that Gias is being accused of being, well, what he is.
It's not we come back that it becomes apparent that he is being *framed* for what he did. (Except for the part where I bet you dollars to donuts that the Defense Mainframe was (physically) just fine, up to the point where a Cylon nuke fell on it.)
The "fake but accurate" nature of the accusations against Gias - and his floundering, spastic attempts to work himself free of the charges - made for a sad sort of humor. It's not so much the way Gias attempts to defend himself, as it is the way his true protestation of innocence contrast with the false declarations he made to Six in the mini.
My biggest problem with the entire scenerio is Godfree's timeline - how, during that sleepless hell of the first five days, did Dr Amarack manage to not only contact Godfree but pass a package on to her? I don't want to know the answer so much as I want to know why Galactica command wasn't asking the same question.
Gias asked the questions, but whatever answers he got sent him in panic mode. Rewatching, I noted that Gias was getting traitor scum looks from passing troops on Galactica as early as his plea with Roslin. I mentioned last ep or the one before that Adama was using "It's a military decision" like it was a get-out-of-jail-free-card. Gias has been using "she's a cylon!" in much the same manner.
After the last few eps, Adama did a great deal to restore my confidence in him by his handling of Godfree. Or by *not* being handled by Godfree. I have to wonder *how* everywhere the Marines were supposed to follow her. Not to the bathroom, one gathers.
Gias's desperation comes through most strongly in three scenes in this ep, and the bathroom is one of them. However, I don't think *anywhere* is his self-focus more evident than the bathroom. His badgering of Gias and then Godfree - while just as hysterical as everyone said - had it's edge of the pathetic as well.
The second scene that highlights Gias's desperation is his attempted sabotage of the lab. At this point, his fear is clearly shutting down his brain - his fumbling with the computer equipment, his resort to actual physical damage, and finally, his childish attempt to block the view screen showing his face. I found his attempts at destructive sabotage particularly interesting, given the shocked reaction he had earlier to Adama's declaration of intention to take away (and possibly destroy) the lab computer.
The third scene is the one in the brig where Gias is rejected by Roslin - and not only *rejected* but rejected in favor of a "gut hunch" that must be terrifying to his science-trained mind. This seems to cut Gias from his last holds on cold skepticism and push him, still flailing, into an attempt to find salvation. I'm going to save commenting on his "conversion" until next eps, but I will note that Gias at first attempts to dedicate himself to "doing good", then to "doing God's will" and finally abandons any pretext that he could take action on his own and simply begs for mercy. Such a low state he finds himself in, the science genius who formerly had anything he wanted.
So fortunate for him that grace *does* come. Else he might still be struggling, there at the bottom of the pit. I'm not convinced he knows how to climb out on his own.
Some of us are used to disappointment, to dealing with things not going as we wish. For us, if it looks too good to be true, then it probably is. I don't know how indicative it is of Gias's former privileged life that he accepts the revised evidence, his reinstatement, and his return to Six's warm embrace with the bare minimum of questions. Or, perhaps, he has simply learned his lesson in challenging Six. Gias might not be as completely under Six's control as she intends. But, as long as he does what she wants, I'm not sure if there is a great deal of difference.
***
Note 1 - Treasonous using the "hindsight" reasoning of "his actions directly added the Cylon efforts". A strict definition might require the intent to "aid and comfort" a known enemy. Six having not unmasked herself by that point, I think Gias's lawyer would certainly argue that he did not know Six was the enemy, and so get his crime pled down to criminal breaking of security.
Note 2 - there is no evidence that Gias's expertise was solely in computer/electrical engineering - I have a friend who got her bus and masters in electrical engineering but went into biomedics for her phd. And six Thurman awards might indicate a broad range of study.
Note 3 - There has been some debate over whether Six's rhetoric is pure "evangelical Christian" or if other elements have been deliberately evoked. I am leaving this debate alone for the time being.
***
Other notes -
Godfree wears the Intellectualizing Glasses of SF Hot Babes. I'm not so much bitching about the prop as I am rolling my eyes that it's there.
Even though Adama gets painted as a technophobe, it's still him who identifies the security code on the disk Godfree produces.
Gias isn't the only one with multiple science specialties - Gaeta is quite the multi-tasker as well. In contrast, Dee got tapped for runner duty and didn't look happy at all about it.
Billy handles the press as well as Josh Lyman. I'm just saying.
I love the crusty ol doc. "It's not that kind of a shot." Although I would like to see him taking care of a male patient.
In one screen shot of the Raider on the flight deck, I counted three Marines on the deck itself and two on the bordering catwalk. That's a *lot* of armed guards.
Adama and Tigh both leave CIC and lead the security detail to the lab, just in time to stop Gias from smashing the equipment. Why? That should be the Marine Sgt or a junior officer, not the commander of the ship. This show has done such a good job of showing enlisted personnel and officers. I would hate to see it go the way of Star Trek and begin pretending the Fleet is made up of only "officers". Even seeing Adama grind out in command voice isn't worth that.
Cylons R kewl - esp. when they are Goats. I loved every scene Starbuck was in. Especially the one with Tigh.
Speaking of goats - something I've seen that I don't know if other people have seen. When guys have a toy that they name - a truck, a rifle, a boat - they give it a girl's name. When gals have a toy they name, half the time - or more - they'll give it a girl's name. Or a girl's personality. (I always thought of my Little Baby Grey Car as girl.) Kara calls the Raider "a girl". Other people's thoughts?
Some people have said that they find the space battles and military operations boring. Me, my eyes start glazing over whenever Six crawls into Baltar's lap. Helo and Boomer as well, to a lesser degree. ButI love the parts that show the ship as an operational war machine - like the response to the fire alarm. Sometimes, the crewmembers strolling through the ship look unrealistically lackadaisical. But things like the scrambles during alarms makes up for it.
Adama's thrown a fit three times in the last three eps, and twice in public. It's going to be that no one believes the 'stoic old man' stories any more.
I wrote half this review the week I saw it, and half this last weekend. While I am caught up with current eps in the US, I tried to keep any hint of future ep reaction out of this review. So that anyone who is *not* current doesn't get spoiled, I'm asking that 1) people keep comments to cover only through this ep and 2) if anyone finds anywhere that I slipped, please say.
This ep was the first to focus (more or less completely) on the journey of a single character, and - despite the inclusion of nearly every named character - almost entirely in one character's frame of reference. And, of course, that character is the Fleet's resident lone wolf - Gias Baltar, traitor in residence.
Granted, not anyone else in the Fleet is aware of this duplicity, and they have no proof, but Gias said religion was for half-educated dullards and no rational intelligent free-thinking human being would express sincere faith, so as far as I’m concerned they can keel-haul his skinny patronizing ass on principle.
(Nah, I'm not taking this personally or anything. Not at all. *g*)
I'm going to leave most of the religious background explored in this ep for the analysis for ep 8 (Flesh and Blood). In part because I want to see the elements explored through the pov of someone who's not borderline psychotic before I start any real musing.
Instead, I'll talk a bit about the borderline psychotic himself.
It's been twenty four days since the end of the world - and incidentally, one week since the (beginning of) last week's episode. Gias Baltar has had a cylon living in his head for all this time, and by the start of this ep, he seems to have made some sort of peace with it. Her. Whatever.
My read of Gias is a brilliant but internally ungoverned man - things come easily to him, or, more easily to him than to other men, and so he has not invested much time in learning patience or how to cope with deprivation. He also may have spent his adult life being so highly prized for his intellect (and handsome face) that his fellow humans have been willing to overlook the low level of socialization and complete lack of concern for anyone whose name is not Gias Baltar.
Gias's lack of adherence to any code other than "what benefits Gias is desirable" is what made him attractive as a tool for the Cylons. And I saw "attractive" and "tool" deliberately in both cases - Gias was less an agent than a machine, and not at all a conspirator in the participatory sense. And he was an ideal tool, but not, I think, an indispensable one. If Gias had not proved so malleable, another might have been used.
By "participatory conspirator" I speak more to intent rather than action - Gias's actions were clearly treasonous. (Note 1) His intent is another matter, and here Gias is saved by my understanding of his self-centered universe. I can not see Gias, under any circumstances, actually thinking "my life would be better if the Cylons destroyed my civilization" any more than I can see him thinking "it would be worth the risk of being caught to let someone pay me money to get them access to the Defense Department's mainframe".
Unfortunately for Gias and the Twelve Colonies, Gias's sense of self preservation when it comes to getting laid are not as strong as it might be for financial bribery. "Letting my girlfriend poke around in the mainframe so she'll keep fucking me and not go looking for someone else" seemed to have made perfect sense to him.
His deepest flaw is not malice, I think, or even arrogance (a quality Gias owns quite well) but a blindness, a lack of imagination that shuts down that brilliant mind anytime it starts to stray from the consideration of "what does Gias want right now, and how shall he get it?"
While more constant than far-seeing or broad in scope, Gias's self-centeredness does have its advantages. I noted two eps ago that Gias appeared - at times - to be able to shrug off Six's influence and take actions on his own. Certainly not every thing Gias does is with Six's agreement - see her reaction to Gias spending time with Thrace. Her influence is deep but not – up until now – absolute.
At the beginning of this ep, Six appears very comfortable - if highly bored - hanging out in the lab as Gias attempts to remember freshman biology. (note 2) The ongoing argument between them revolves around Six's attempts to "witness" (note3) to Gias, and his (frankly stereotypic) atheistic rejection of the same.
Gias's rejection of the Cylon faith appeared, I think, to be nearly as fundamentalist as Six's acceptance of it. There was no reasoning in his rejection, only emotional reaction. However, it is a wedge between Six and Gias - though not as solid a wall as Gias thought it might be.
I get the impression that Gias and Six have had this argument several times over the last few week, and that the discussion has grown increasingly heated. I also thought it clear that Six realized Gias was not about to view anything as important so long as the prospect of sex was on the table. Her frustration with Gias's closed mind and open fly was apparent - she was not getting through to him. Not being an idiot, Six decided to change the game.
What *precisely* she changed it to is still up for debate, I think. Body language and dress make me think that Shelly Godfree was a different model than Six, and was not actually a physical manifestation of Gias's hallucination. Simple timeline mechanics would indicate that Godfree had to have been operating long before Six and Gias had their confrontation - long enough to contact Galactica (or more likely Roslin), arrange transport, and have *some* measure of security vetting. There is evidently a no-fly list, which would indicate a fairly high level of scrutiny of passengers. Last ep had civilian passengers on Galactica - why? Medical? Work crews? Shortage of space elsewhere? Are they still on Galactica, and was Godfree one of these?
Most of my conviction that Godfree is not Six flowed from her body language in the bathroom scene. She was literally stomping her feet in frustration. Six is good, but an acting job like that? Inhuman. ;) Add to this the eyeglasses remaining behind and the return of Six in the green dress, and I think that while the case is not *made*, there is strong evidence of a Six-shaped model loose on Galactica still.
I still find it disquieting that they had the initial meeting with Godfree in CIC. As much as I appreciate Tigh and Gaeta's reactions, I'm not happy with the local for security reasons.
Before the trailer is over, we find out that Gias is being accused of being, well, what he is.
It's not we come back that it becomes apparent that he is being *framed* for what he did. (Except for the part where I bet you dollars to donuts that the Defense Mainframe was (physically) just fine, up to the point where a Cylon nuke fell on it.)
The "fake but accurate" nature of the accusations against Gias - and his floundering, spastic attempts to work himself free of the charges - made for a sad sort of humor. It's not so much the way Gias attempts to defend himself, as it is the way his true protestation of innocence contrast with the false declarations he made to Six in the mini.
My biggest problem with the entire scenerio is Godfree's timeline - how, during that sleepless hell of the first five days, did Dr Amarack manage to not only contact Godfree but pass a package on to her? I don't want to know the answer so much as I want to know why Galactica command wasn't asking the same question.
Gias asked the questions, but whatever answers he got sent him in panic mode. Rewatching, I noted that Gias was getting traitor scum looks from passing troops on Galactica as early as his plea with Roslin. I mentioned last ep or the one before that Adama was using "It's a military decision" like it was a get-out-of-jail-free-card. Gias has been using "she's a cylon!" in much the same manner.
After the last few eps, Adama did a great deal to restore my confidence in him by his handling of Godfree. Or by *not* being handled by Godfree. I have to wonder *how* everywhere the Marines were supposed to follow her. Not to the bathroom, one gathers.
Gias's desperation comes through most strongly in three scenes in this ep, and the bathroom is one of them. However, I don't think *anywhere* is his self-focus more evident than the bathroom. His badgering of Gias and then Godfree - while just as hysterical as everyone said - had it's edge of the pathetic as well.
The second scene that highlights Gias's desperation is his attempted sabotage of the lab. At this point, his fear is clearly shutting down his brain - his fumbling with the computer equipment, his resort to actual physical damage, and finally, his childish attempt to block the view screen showing his face. I found his attempts at destructive sabotage particularly interesting, given the shocked reaction he had earlier to Adama's declaration of intention to take away (and possibly destroy) the lab computer.
The third scene is the one in the brig where Gias is rejected by Roslin - and not only *rejected* but rejected in favor of a "gut hunch" that must be terrifying to his science-trained mind. This seems to cut Gias from his last holds on cold skepticism and push him, still flailing, into an attempt to find salvation. I'm going to save commenting on his "conversion" until next eps, but I will note that Gias at first attempts to dedicate himself to "doing good", then to "doing God's will" and finally abandons any pretext that he could take action on his own and simply begs for mercy. Such a low state he finds himself in, the science genius who formerly had anything he wanted.
So fortunate for him that grace *does* come. Else he might still be struggling, there at the bottom of the pit. I'm not convinced he knows how to climb out on his own.
Some of us are used to disappointment, to dealing with things not going as we wish. For us, if it looks too good to be true, then it probably is. I don't know how indicative it is of Gias's former privileged life that he accepts the revised evidence, his reinstatement, and his return to Six's warm embrace with the bare minimum of questions. Or, perhaps, he has simply learned his lesson in challenging Six. Gias might not be as completely under Six's control as she intends. But, as long as he does what she wants, I'm not sure if there is a great deal of difference.
***
Note 1 - Treasonous using the "hindsight" reasoning of "his actions directly added the Cylon efforts". A strict definition might require the intent to "aid and comfort" a known enemy. Six having not unmasked herself by that point, I think Gias's lawyer would certainly argue that he did not know Six was the enemy, and so get his crime pled down to criminal breaking of security.
Note 2 - there is no evidence that Gias's expertise was solely in computer/electrical engineering - I have a friend who got her bus and masters in electrical engineering but went into biomedics for her phd. And six Thurman awards might indicate a broad range of study.
Note 3 - There has been some debate over whether Six's rhetoric is pure "evangelical Christian" or if other elements have been deliberately evoked. I am leaving this debate alone for the time being.
***
Other notes -
Godfree wears the Intellectualizing Glasses of SF Hot Babes. I'm not so much bitching about the prop as I am rolling my eyes that it's there.
Even though Adama gets painted as a technophobe, it's still him who identifies the security code on the disk Godfree produces.
Gias isn't the only one with multiple science specialties - Gaeta is quite the multi-tasker as well. In contrast, Dee got tapped for runner duty and didn't look happy at all about it.
Billy handles the press as well as Josh Lyman. I'm just saying.
I love the crusty ol doc. "It's not that kind of a shot." Although I would like to see him taking care of a male patient.
In one screen shot of the Raider on the flight deck, I counted three Marines on the deck itself and two on the bordering catwalk. That's a *lot* of armed guards.
Adama and Tigh both leave CIC and lead the security detail to the lab, just in time to stop Gias from smashing the equipment. Why? That should be the Marine Sgt or a junior officer, not the commander of the ship. This show has done such a good job of showing enlisted personnel and officers. I would hate to see it go the way of Star Trek and begin pretending the Fleet is made up of only "officers". Even seeing Adama grind out in command voice isn't worth that.
Cylons R kewl - esp. when they are Goats. I loved every scene Starbuck was in. Especially the one with Tigh.
Speaking of goats - something I've seen that I don't know if other people have seen. When guys have a toy that they name - a truck, a rifle, a boat - they give it a girl's name. When gals have a toy they name, half the time - or more - they'll give it a girl's name. Or a girl's personality. (I always thought of my Little Baby Grey Car as girl.) Kara calls the Raider "a girl". Other people's thoughts?
Some people have said that they find the space battles and military operations boring. Me, my eyes start glazing over whenever Six crawls into Baltar's lap. Helo and Boomer as well, to a lesser degree. ButI love the parts that show the ship as an operational war machine - like the response to the fire alarm. Sometimes, the crewmembers strolling through the ship look unrealistically lackadaisical. But things like the scrambles during alarms makes up for it.
Adama's thrown a fit three times in the last three eps, and twice in public. It's going to be that no one believes the 'stoic old man' stories any more.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2005-03-22 04:28 pm (UTC)However, one line struck me as I read it. You said, "Even though Adama gets painted as a technophobe, it's still him who identifies the security code on the disk Godfree produces."
I get that many people are seeing Adama as a technophobe, but I don't think he is. I think he's one of those people who will use technology when he sees a purpose for it. Galactica works just fine without having all of the computer systems interface, so he sees no reason to do so. Everyone around him takes great pains to explain that it is "not as efficent" - which he demonstrably disagrees with -, and "old-fashioned" - which he dismisses as a ridiculous argument, unworthy of a direct rejoinder. He likes and uses technology just fine. But only as a tool. Not as a way of life.
I actually have other comments. But I want to respect your request for not commenting past the aired episodes, so as not to spoil those who don't wish to be spoiled.
::needs a good BSG icon, now.....::