{"id":547,"date":"2011-08-25T13:00:40","date_gmt":"2011-08-25T20:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/markwatches.net\/reviews\/?p=547"},"modified":"2011-08-21T19:58:25","modified_gmt":"2011-08-22T02:58:25","slug":"mark-watches-battlestar-galactica-s02e06-home-part-i","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/markwatches.net\/reviews\/2011\/08\/mark-watches-battlestar-galactica-s02e06-home-part-i\/","title":{"rendered":"Mark Watches ‘Battlestar Galactica’: S02E06 – Home, Part I"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the sixth episode of the second season of Battlestar Galactica<\/em>, with the fleet split up, Commander Adama is forced to deal with limited supplies. Meanwhile, Starbuck and Help return to Roslin with a surprise that threatens to upset the plan for Kobol. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Battlestar Galactica<\/em>.<\/p>\n

I hesitate to say that this is the “slowest” episode I’ve seen so far, because I don’t want to imply that it’s boring or uninteresting or anything of the sort. It’s like watching the first half of a chess game, except with a lot of fighting and awkwardness. The pieces are set up for the second half of this story, and in the process, a lot of character interactions are explored.<\/p>\n

It’s interesting to me, though, that this episode both suffers from and then ultimately rejects a method of dialogue that I generally dislike. I’m actually excited to discuss it with all of you and hopefully find other examples, but I am not really a fan of characters who refuse to communicate<\/em> with one another. Now, perhaps my perception of things is different when it comes to interactions in my life, but I’m fairly direct when I speak to other people. I acknowledge that shyness or social anxiety or any number of things prevent even myself from being fully truthful or open with other people, but I want to distinguish what I want to bring up from that.<\/p>\n

I’ll start with an example. I dearly love LOST<\/em>, but one of my main gripes was the fact that so few characters either spoke to one another–truly attempted to have a conversation–or asked ANY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS AT ALL<\/em>. And I know that Battlestar Galactica<\/em> has to do that to an extent for the same reasons. Both shows have a serialized mythology and mystery at the core of their storytelling, and there’s no interest, intrigue, or dramatic tension if things are revealed too early. With the complexity of LOST<\/em>‘s story at hand, things were even more cryptic, ambiguous, or passive-aggressive than what I usually see. But for a show so steeped in realism, both in the technical details and the way these characters interact with one another, there were quite a few moments in “Home, Part I,” that just seemed odd and out of place because of this very\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.is it a trope? I couldn’t find it on TVTropes.<\/p>\n

I suppose I should give examples. The first of those happens when Lee confronts Boomer in her cell. While I of course understand his rush to pull a gun out on her due to his anger at what the other Boomer did, I couldn’t help but scratch my head and think, “DUDE. YOU HAVE A CYLON. IN YOUR POSSESSION. WHO APPEARS TO BE WILLING TO TELL AND DO ANYTHING FOR YOU. ASK HER WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON<\/em>.” Yes, I acknowledge that his emotions over the attempt on his father’s life would certainly cloud his judgment, but then no other character ever does this onscreen<\/em>.<\/p>\n

But fine, I’ll concede to Roslin’s reasoning that any attention given to a Cylon is a further risk for everyone else. Yet what about the scene where Lee tries to talk to Starbuck about what happened to her on Caprica? Look, I have only been in two relationships, and I am shit<\/em> at dating, so yes, I could be grossly inexperienced, but I have friends! I talk with people! And none of us speak to one another like Starbuck and Lee do<\/em>. Why are you talking about the ball? Why are you both speaking like you haven’t ever met before? SMALL TALK ARE YOU SERIOUS<\/em>? And just when I felt like I was going to punch myself in the face out of irritation, Lee suddenly sits down, his back to Starbuck, and he speaks very plainly. He tells her that he is her friend, that she can come to him if she needs to talk, and he maaaayyyyy<\/em> have said he loves her. Which is a totally separate, adorable point we can discuss later, but I suddenly felt very weird about their bizarre dialogue. This<\/em> is much more realistic for these two characters or people in general<\/em>. Wouldn’t you say?<\/p>\n

It happens again, though it is much briefer than this example, at the end of the episode, when Adama speaks with Dualla in his cabin. For a second, I thought we were going to see Adama ask for Dualla’s opinion, get mad at it, then dismiss her and defeat the whole purpose of her even coming there. But then Dualla stands up to her Commander (in a way) to tell him it is time to heal<\/em>. It’s a powerful statement for her to make, because deep down, Adama knows she’s right. It’s not just a message about his pain and rage, as it started off, but a way for him to reflect on the arrogance of his own actions. Which is more important: supporting the military or keeping the fleet together?<\/p>\n

Oh, also? Birch is an awful CAG. It’s time to acknowledge mistakes and move forward. DO IT, ADAMA. BRING THE FLEET TOGETHER.<\/p>\n

And I don’t want to ignore the difficulties and conflicts with Roslin’s party either. I think I was anticipating the appearance of Boomer on the Astral Queen<\/em> more than anything. When the camera focused on Lee and got all slow motion on me, I feared we’d see yet another<\/em> death. (This show has a lot of death, doesn’t it?) But then Helo saves her. Then Roslin. Then Roslin orders her placed out of the airlock<\/em>. OH CHRIST BUT YOU PROMISED.<\/p>\n

I don’t know if Boomer is necessarily lying<\/em> about knowing how to find the Tomb of Athena, but I’m hoping her presence will shed light on how the Cylons operate. She makes a statement later to Roslin that she isn’t connected to other Cylons, and I’m inclined to believe her. So are they remotely controlled? If so, how can this Boomer go against her Cylon programming to sabotage Cylon efforts? WHY AREN’T PEOPLE ASKING THESE QUESTIONS?<\/p>\n

I’m thinking that the fact that she was able to conceive with Helo is going to be a huge plot point. Boomer feels love<\/em> and it seems no Cylon has before. Is this very human emotion what severs her from the other Cylons? Given the events in “The Farm,” will the humans allow Boomer to give birth in the future, or will they get rid of her before this? I DON’T EVEN WANT TO THINK OF SUCH THINGS. I am hoping–dearly hoping–that this isn’t the case, and after the events on Kobol, how can they deny that Boomer is there to help them?<\/p>\n

At the end of “Home, Part I,” I realized that this show is going to do something I don’t think I’ve ever seen before: the collective cast will continually diminish. Unless we get some glimpse far into the future, I am guessing that the population count during the opening credits will continue getting smaller and smaller. I never once considered that Elosha could die, and yet her bloodied body was sprawled on the ground, and Roslin weeps over her. Christ, this show is going to kill off a priest<\/em> who has done nothing wrong and merely was trying to help them reach the promised land?<\/p>\n

This is fucked up.<\/p>\n

One last thing before I move on to the second part of this story: I found it super unrealistic and HILARIOUS that everyone would allow Roslin to wear a coat that fucking bright<\/em>. I’m sorry, anyone EVER could see her a mile away, and they’re trying to hide<\/em> from the Cylons. To be honest, though, she looked fucking fabulous<\/em> in it.<\/p>\n

Onwards!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"