Back now.

Hey, sorry about falling off of the edge of the planet there.  I totally meant to write a recap/my thoughts on the BSG premiere episode but it really rather blew me away.  My husband and I talked about it most of the weekend and I was marshalling all of my thoughts for a lovely blog.  I really just needed to give it another watch so I could refresh my memory.  And then I realized I just could not watch it again, not so soon.  It was phenomenal, but man, it was hard.  They truly will not be going easy on us from here on out.  I am starting to think that little one-off comment one of the actors made to the press about how no one is going to live through the end of the season may have been more than just flippancy...

I will say this.  I am not digging that they are having Gaeta be the one sparking the ship's mutiny.  Sigh.  I can in some ways see how it is probably the logical/necessary next step for his character but I don't like it.  Oh well.  Maybe it will all get resolved this week and we can move on.  Also, I am kind of curious to see how the Matt/Mohinder-like situation that is brewing with the Chief and Hot Dog shapes up.

Anyhoo, so what have I been up to?  Wow...too much and not enough.  I actually spent most of last week cleaning my house, took a pretty big break from television.  I tried watching season seven of Smallville and got through two discs before I realized I really just don't care any more.  I put the box away and resolved to take all seven seasons of DVDs to Half Price Books in the near future.  I am done with that show.  I'll keep watching it on television, at least through the current season, I make no promises about contininuing on if they bring it back for season nine (please television gods, don't do it).  But this is not a series I need on DVD.  

Blossom, however, apparently is...I am expecting seasons one and two to arrive today.  Hmm.  Yeah.  Those of you who know me outside of the interwebs know that I have been waiting for the promised bulit-in bookshelves/DVD shelves in my front room since we moved into our house about a year and a half ago.  (Not complaining, dear husband, just explaining.)  Circumstances have happened lately that mean we pretty much have to get them built by this summer though.  So I think when I have my new DVD shelves, I am going to use that as an opportunity to weed through my DVDs and evaluate what I actually need to own and what I can go turn in for some spare change.  

I did start watching Grey's Anatomy season four the other day, oh man, great stuff.  This show is totally popcorn, or as one of my friends puts it, "brain candy."  But I love it, and it generally just makes me feel a little bit better.  My life is nowhere near as screwed up as anyone on that show.  

Hmm...what else, what else?  Went and saw the new Underworld movie yesterday.  It was fairly enjoyable, but kind of pointless.  I am not sure it needed to be made, since pretty much the whole story is explained at various points in the first two movies.  Speaking of which, I need to go rewatch those, because then maybe this one will make more sense.  Also, the cinematography was ridiculously dark.  Okay, yes, I know the whole thing takes place at night, and I don't know if they were going for a sense of "realism" or what, but I could hardly see anything.  It is possible to have clearly defined scenes that take place in the dark.  Hollywood has proved that folks.  But, all in all, some pretty decent brain candy.  Lots of fun vampire versus werewolves fights.  

Also saw Twilight yesterday (it was a vampire double header, what can I say).  I saw that this was still playing at the theater we were catching Underworld at and since I have decided this will probably not go in my DVD collection, I thought I'd try to catch it on the big screen while I still could.  I enjoyed it.  It was ridiculous and over the top, and I feel like the music and cinematography were both completely overboard, but still, it was a pretty enjoyable two hours for someone who liked the book.  I think I will probably enjoy the second one a little more, since my favorite character is Jacob the werewolf and he hardly gets any screentime in the first film.  

Ooh!  Does anyone remember the random pirate movie Yellowbeard?  I was trying to explain it to someone the other day and realized I should just get it since it is a fond memory and it would be easier to show to people than explain.  I mean seriously, it's the Cheech and Chong pirate movie, with John Cleese and Peter Boyle....yeah.  Anyhoo, it came yesterday.  I am looking forward to sitting my husband down and making him watch it--assuming that he can ever come back from New York.  Stupid weather.  Keep your fingers crossed for good flying conditions!

Well, that is all I've got.  I'll do my best not to fall off the edge of the earth again any time soon.

Peace,

C

Why Battlestar Galactica truly is some of the best television ever made.

Wow folks.  I just finished rewatching all three and a half seasons of Battlestar, plus the telemovie Razor, within a week.  There are less than two hours to go until the first of the final ten episodes airs on SciFi Channel, and I don't mind telling you, my mind is a little bit frakked.  

Word on the street has it that the identity of the final cylon will be revealed in tonight's episode, so for good or for bad at least we'll finally know.  Also, for those of you doing the DVR thing and not watching live, don't forget to set your DVR for whatever comes after--the episode is supposed to run 3+ minutes long.  This sounds like it's pretty much going to be the way it goes for the rest of the series as well, so, something to bear in mind.

Okay, so to get back to the topic of this post's title, I have to say that regardless of how one feels about science fiction or spaceships or robots, this truly is some spectacular television.  It is quality stuff people.  Even when the many plot threads get lost (or appear to), they are well written and well acted and rarely stop being compelling.  It amazes me that there even can be so many different plot lines going on at any given moment in this show without causing viewers to just throw up their hands in confusion or frustration (take note, Heroes).  Even those stray plots that seem to come out of or lead to nowhere always seem to come back into play eventually and lead to payoff.  I know there are still many questions to be answered in these final episodes, and I know that TPTB can't possibly answer every question that every fan has, but I do believe they'll do their darndest to try, and that they will give us enough answers that almost everyone should be satisfied by the end.  

Battlestar is a show that I usually watch each episode twice during the season (gotta love the DVR).  I've watched the whole series (except for the current season) at least two or three times now, and I have to say, this is a show that gets deeper every time you rewatch.  Little things that seemed not to have any real meaning, whether the show runners intended them that way or not, jump out at the viewer as nice little hints or big honking clues of the shape of things to come.  I hate to admit it, but not every television series I own on DVD is going to be subject to that many rewatchings--but Battlestar is going to get worn out.  It's going to be like that copy of Grease that my sister and I had on VHS when we were kids.  We watched that thing until the box had literally disintegrated, and then watched it some more.  I fully expect down the road to have to repurchase the entire series because I've worn out my DVDs from watching them and loaning them out to people who must be converting (or to upgrade to whatever the next "video" format will be down the road so as not to lose it).    I think that's a sign of a damn good show.

Even seasons that seemed to be all over the place when watched in weekly doses, broken up with months long hiatuses (is that a word?), when they are all watched together everything seems to fall into place and make so much more sense.  This is serial story telling at its finest.  

Yes, there are some awesome special effects in this television show, yes there are some pretty spaceships, cool looking robots, and super spiffy scores.  Those things all add points.  But when it comes down to it, what makes this show so incredible is that it is a deep and true story about people--about humanity.  When I say "true" I don't mean that this actually happened (heh, all of this has happened before...).  What I mean is that this story shows us real people.  It shows us that people (be they human or machine) are not black and white.  The shining white knight is deeply flawed but no less the hero.  The bitter old drunk who can barely do his job has a stronger understanding of loyalty and honor than those on the "moral highground."  The schoolteacher has a spine of steel as unbendable as any battle-hardened soldier.  There are no "good guys" or "bad guys" in this show.  We start out thinking we know who is who, but as the series progresses it becomes quite clear that there are always at least two sides to every story, and BSG gives us the opportunity to not just see all sides to but to actually think about them and about what they mean.  

For my money, this show has given us some of the best moments of television any series I've seen has ever delivered.  I willl close with some of those BSG moments to date that I feel belong in this category.

Rescue from New Caprica.  When the Galactica jumps back to the planet in frakking atomosphere in order to launch its vipers under the cylons' radar (or I guess I should say dradis)--that is just amazing.  The whole rescue/escape is just riveting, but that moment still stands out.

Four of the Final Five are activated.  I know a lot of people still haven't forgiven Ron Moore for the "All Along the Watchtower" business, but the last, what, ten or fifteen minutes of that episode are phenomenal.  Watching Tory, Tigh, Anders, and Tyrol start to fall apart and not know why is bad enough.  But then comes the moment where they can't do anything but follow the music in their heads and that realization when the four of them are standing in the gym--it is just insane.  And then the Cylons attack, and it's a now or never instant.  The four have to decide if they run and hide until things blow over or if they step up and continue to be the people they have been and the people they want to be.  Tory and Tigh in the CIC and Anders and Tyron on the deck--it is just....yeah.  And then it leads into...

Starbuck comes back from the dead.  Okay, it's not like any one really believed we wouldn't see her again, but the way she comes back.  "I know where Earth is."  Poor Lee just doesn't know what to say, and then zoom in to Earth.  Wow. 

The Cylons call off the attack in the nebula.  The season four opener, following right on the season three finale and Kara's reappearance has Anders in a viper freaking out that his programming might kick in and he'll either choke in battle or turn on the fleet.  The intensity heightens when he can't get his gun to fire and then the cylon raider turns around and heads straight for him.  The moment when the raider scans his viper and Anders' eye does that little red gleam, causing all of the cylons to turn and leave off the battle...well, that just may be my favorite moment on the series ever.  It is just frakking cool.  

The fleet finds Earth.  In the last few minutes we have been given so far, and left for almost a year to chew on, the fleet, combined of humans and the renegade cylons, jumps to Earth.  The constellations match up from what they found in the Tomb of Athena, and it is confirmed that they have finally, at last, found their new home.  Through the Galactica and the fleet itself there is this uplifitng moment of joy and relief, one that doesn't go away even when you already know what's coming.  We are shown celebrations throughout the fleet, tears of joy, and just absolute happiness for the first time in a long time.  And then they cut to the stark silent scene of all of the major players as they set foot on Earth and see their new home--a nuclear wasteland.  And just like that the hope is gone.  

So, yeah.  Clearly I like this show.  I hope those of you that are also fans are just as excited as I am about its return.  See you on the other side folks.  

C 

Farewell Atlantis, *sniffle.*

**Spoiler alert if you haven't seen the final episode of Stargate Atlantis and don't want to know what happened!**

Sigh, well, it's over.  I will miss you Atlantis.  I will say I was actually pretty pleasantly surprised with the final episode.  They did a good job of giving us a big finish without actually closing off that many chapters.  It was satisfying enough to serve as a series finale but there are still enough plot lines left dangling that can easily be picked up for the future television movies.  Of course, I am sure that is exactly what they were going for, so, well done there.  

Also, my sinking suspicion that they would kill off Lorne (or, well, anyone really, but for some reason I thought it would be Lorne) proved to be unfounded.  In fact, Lorne even got to play a pretty significant part in the episode.  Gotta love that.  Plus a lot of the recurring characters from throughout SG-1 and SGA popped up.  Walter was of course present.  I don't think the SGC could continue to function if he wasn't.  I also enjoyed that Major Davis popped in.  There was even a nice little tribute moment to the late great Don S. Davis.  

I was a little worried about the whole Atlantis landing on Earth thing at the end of the episode, but I forgot about their trusty cloak.  I loved the fact that they landed the city in the San Francisco Bay, right in view of the Golden Gate Bridge.  Good stuff.  Plus, Ronon and Amelia!  

So, while I am definitely sad to see it go at least they gave us a final episode worthy of the series, and my fingers are crossed that the television movies will come quickly and frequently.

I have hopes for Stargate Universe.  So far we've only gotten one casting announcement on top of several character descriptions, some conceptual summaries, and a few episode names.  I know based on that a lot of people are freaking out that this will be Stargate 90210 or something, but I don't know, I think that probably character descriptions can only tell you so much.  For one thing, there's no way to know how the character is going to even actually turn out until he/she is cast and we see the actor make the roll his/her own.  Plus, there's that lovely thing called character development.  I mean, did anyone seriously think Rodney McKay would end up becoming one of Stargate's most beloved characters when they were first reading his character description back in the day?  I think not.  So you never know.  But I am definitely curious to find out.

Meanwhile, I am already on to my next burst of obsession.  Battlestar Galactica returns with new episodes on Friday and I've gotten it in my head to rewatch the whole series before then.  I've already got the miniseries on now.  It's only three and a half seasons to watch, and I'll be doing these on DVD, so on my own schedule, rather than the insanity of trying to watch all of the SGA marathons on SciFi last week.  

Aren't you all so glad to see I'm not wasting my "retirement" by something silly like cleaning my house?  I still totally think Gaeta's the last Cylon, though I saw someone online make an argument for Hoshi, which might work out.  He's my new favorite after the current spout of webisodes.  I really just want to hug him.  

Anyhoo, so that's me at the moment.  

Peace,

C

Sometimes good things can happen to good people.

So, found out about this exciting piece of news over the weekend.  I couldn't be happier to see someone as awesome as Terry Pratchett get knighted, especially given how he's bearing up under his current medical issues.  The guy just rocks.

In other British news, they announced the new Doctor Who yesterday.  It's this guy.  You might be asking yourself, and just who the heck is this Matt Smith?  Well, from what I can tell, you're not the only one.  

In the interview he gave on BBC One (you can find the link on i09 here), he seems enthusiastic enough.  And maybe it's a good thing that they went with a virtual unknown.  But geez, he's so freaking young (he's younger than me, and for the purposes of the Doctor, I'd say that's too young).  But, I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.  I will watch and see, and wait to weigh in until then.  

I will say this--the guy had better get a haircut before they start filming, because, seriously, look at this:

He's got a very spooky resemblance to Twilight's Robert Pattinson going on, and I am just not digging it.  See what I am talking about?

I feel that the Doctor needs at least a little bit more dignity than the latest teenage vampire lust object.  I mean, sure, the Doctor can have crazy hair, just not sparkly vampire hair.  That's all I am saying.  

Let's see...there are a few other updates I've got for you and then I'll be on my merry way.  

I am really stoked for Battlestar to start back up on the 16th for its final run--though that is a little bittersweet because it means the end of Atlantis.  Final episode is this coming Friday--oh man.  I am going to miss that show.  SciFi is airing marathons all week though of the series so maybe I'll indulge in those.  I have a feeling that once I am caught up on my DVD piles, that may be a series that just gets popped in whenever, over and over.  Sigh.  

Anyhoo, back on topic.  I totally think Gaeta is the final Cylon, though I am willing to accept just about anyone except Roslin...hopefully we won't have to wait too long to find out.  

I just started over on Kingdom Hearts last night.  I have been playing this game on and off again for the last five years, and I swear that this time I am going to sit down and beat the darn thing.  I am determined.  I figure the best way is to just start over from scratch and stick with it, rather than give it the sporadic attention I have in the past.  Poor Kingdom Hearts II has been sitting on our game shelf unopened for almost two years now because I won't let myself play it until I finish the first one...

I think that's about it for me.  I hope all is well with you and that everyone had a fantastic holiday season.  Happy 2009!  I look forward to our journey this year.

C