BSG Rewatch: Miniseries
Mar. 23rd, 2009 12:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ficwizeSo, in the interest of actually participating in the rewatch this time, I've rewatched the mini. The ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
bsg_refrak post is here for those that are interested.
And my running commentary, written as I watched, so it's full of non sequiters, is beneath the cut.
Thoughts as I rewatch the BSG mini:
I watched it off my VCR about six months after it aired on Sci-Fi. I found out about the series from a preview on a movie that I saw in the theater. I knew immediately that I wanted to see it.
From the moment Six walked into the space station, following the two toasters, I was hooked. "Are you alive?" What an incredible way to start a series. It really set the tone – surreal, terrifying, and believable.
"Prove it."
And then she kisses the soldier as the whole space station is blown to hell. It was creepy and very memorable. Especially given the lack of music until the bombs started falling.
I didn't like Starbuck's hair back in the beginning, but I was impressed by the feel of the ship. I've been on a submarine before, and the ship really looked like a battleship.
And then we are introduced to the word "frakking" and life would never be the same! Everyone I know uses that now, even if they don't really watch the show. It's contagious!
Awww, look at Gaeta! He's so tiny and cute and shiny. None of his idealism has worn off yet.
Saul, looking rough and hungover. Nothing different there, then. *wry*
The PR guy – Cylons hidden right in plain sight! No wonder he was snarky about the Galactica not having modern technology.
Chief! Aww, Chief. *hearts* He looks so proud. I wonder if RDM knew even then what he was going to do to these people…
Wee!Lee and wee!Zak. I wonder if Caprica will touch on Zak at all.
Helo! *adores* Boomer!
The Helo/Starbuck friendship – Helo is doing his best to keep her out of trouble even at the beginning. The Starbuck/Tigh animosity is interesting too. (Tigh was such a total dick!) He started the fight, goaded her into hitting him, and then gloated. And I love that Adama called him on it. "You knocked over the table first."
"I did not." "Unless I did."
"You did."
***********
And then we meet Rosalin, just in time to hear her get a death sentence from her doctor. The white noise that kept us from hearing everything still gives me goosebumps. I can only imagine how terrified she must have been in that moment.
Billy! Awww, Billy. I love you so.
************
What's this? Another Six! Babykiller!Six, who creeped me out beyond belief. I still cannot believe the show began this dark, but it got a lot worse from here… "You're not going to have to cry for much longer."
I don't know why she killed him. I think she felt sympathy for him… maybe. She did seem remourseful. Sort of.
************
And Gaius Baltar. Wow, what a flashback to the past.
Six certainly seems to have a handle on sex. I wonder if the Cylons spent the last forty years perfecting their techniques.
************
Apollo! Lee! How I loved you from your angsty emo beginning. What a snot you were, too. *lol*
************
Wow, I forgot that Chief/Boomer was such a hot ticket in the beginning.
************
And we are introduced to the Cylon religion. One God in a society that believes in a pantheon of gods.
*************
Dee! Dee/Billy!
And Adama and Rosalin adversary begins immediately. Oh, the UST that grows from this snarky beginning. I have to say, I am not a huge shipper, but I really do *love* Adama/Rosalin. ♥
And then Apollo/Starbuck, where she calls him out for being an emotional coward. And Apollo turns into an asshole again.
*************
Then things start to go BOOM in a big way.
1. *snerk* Cheating!Gaius – "Umm, bye!... Umm, it's me. I'm a screw up."
Yes, yes you are. :)
(I think Six was supposed to let him die. She saved him, but I’m not totally sure why. I'm not sure she knows why, either.)
2. Oh, fathers and sons – such a hard relationship to navigate even without the extra baggage. And neither of them pull any punches, do they? Lee. Adama. Bless your hearts.
3. Humanity's Children are returning home. Today. (This line still gives me chills, too.)
4. Adama demands to know why humanity as a people are worth saving, when they commit murder and do horrible things. It's a good question and I’m not sure it's one that the series ever answered.
5. Gaius watches the world go boom. Six reveals that she can't die. She reveals that there are 12 models. And then she saves Baltar from the bombs.
6. Adama gets the news. Cylon Attack Underway.
Hahahha! The starboard hanger is a giftshop. It's not funny, but it was so srange and so typical of the problems in the early days.
The drum music really worked for me in this episode.
Why wasn't Boomer's ship affected by the jamming? And I'd forgotten how awful it was to watch the fighters get slaughtered like that.
************
Rosalin was such a pillar of strength, even in the beginning. She impressed me and she is definitely one of the strongest women I've ever had the pleasure of watching on television. She took charge and was still compassionate to the people who had losses.
I also forgot that humanity offered a complete unconditional surrender and were ignored. It makes everything so much worse.
And then Apollo shows up and is a Big Damn Hero! This was the scene where I first thought he was awesome incarnate.
***********
The scene with Helo and Sharon and the survivors on Caprica broke my heart. It really did.
***********
Squee! Apollo: The lady is in charge.
I love the fact that he never challenged Rosalin for power. He just fell in line like the good soldier he is.
I was always impressed at the equality of women in this show. Other than the fact that they are called "Sir," which is easy enough to overlook given the military setting, there really is no issue with gender on the surface. It makes some of the later issues all the more interesting.
***********
The tension between Adama and Tigh is interesting as well. "You're either the XO or you're not."
It makes me wonder what had gone on in the weeks just prior.
Tigh – he never had the easy decisions. The first official decision he makes is to sacrifice 100 people. I'm glad I don't have to make decisions like that.
***********
Helo. Awww, Helo. You're such a hero. *weepy*
And for that scum Baltar, too.
I think this may be where he cracked. Head!Six shows up in the not too distant future.
***********
How awesome is it that Rosalin's teacher's roots are showing? "D as in dog. A as in apple." 43rd in line of succession. And she doesn't even hesitate to take control. I was and still am in so much awe of her. Her hands are shaking. And she stutters slightly on the word President.
I'd vote for Rosalin.
And then Adama takes charge as well. Neither of them thought they'd have to do it; both did it with grace and dignity.
And then Rosalin bitch slaps Adama around. It was rather satisfying, especially when she tells Lee that she knows who he is.
***********
More angsty father son moments. I confess – this story line more than any other drew me in to the series. I'm a sucker for it. And Adama looked utterly crushed. So much for the hard ass routine.
And Kara, too. The fire, Apollo, Sharon… it's a lot to take in.
***********
"The lesson here is not to ask follow up questions, but simply to say thank you, Captain Apollo for saving our collective asses."
♥
***********
Kara's prayer makes me weep, still.
***********
Lee makes the same choice Tigh did – sacrifice the few to save the many. Only he sacrificed thousands, not 86. I'd love to see a fic on this comparison.
How did each of them deal with it?
And then the moment where Rosalin tells Billy that she has cancer. *sobs*
Followed by the awful awful moments where the Cyclons jump in and kill all those people, who are screaming for help. It's nerve wracking, and unsettling, and just awful.
Lee looks sick about it, even though it was his suggestion. I almost hate to tell them that this is just the beginning. It only gets worse from here – so many horrid things happen in the future.
The people who die in this scene may have a much easier end than many of the people who live.
***********
The Cylon on the arms space station gave himself away. He referred to a single god. I wonder if that's what gave him away to Adama.
***********
Awww, Chief/Boomer. It was a great ship.
Billy/Dee! Another great ship.
God, how things changed.
Apollo/Starbuck.
Some things didn't change. *grins*
***********
Did they ever explain the poison or whatever it was that affected Leoben on the arms space station?
And the Cylons were so bloodthirsty in the beginning.
Was Leoben on the Battlestar, or did Adama's speech just get broadcast out that far?
And I guess this is where we see how strong the Cylons are. Lifing Adama with one hand, breaking a metal post withone hand. But not strong enough to keep Adama from melting off his face and then beating him to death with a flashlight. *blah*
And now we see how bloodthirsty humans are.
***********
And Gaeta/Baltar. A ship that I always found sickeningly fascinating. Poor Gaeta. He wasn't even out of the closet at this point.
And poor Gaeta, because he has no idea that Baltar is really just scum.
And the question of whether or not head!Six is real or just a figment of his imagination becomes a focal point for the next four years.
***********
Adama and Apollo hug it out. It's a good moment. ♥
And then Kara steps up and confesses that she passed Zak through basic flight and shouldn't have. I think she does it because she's afraid Lee will never forgive Adama otherwise.
This is another great moment that isn't explored much from what I've seen.
Plus, why isn't there more Zak/Kara fic?
***********
God, I had forgotten how intense this was. The skies are crawling with Cylons.
Then comes the non-conversation between Rosalin and Adama where she establishes her dominance and then flat out asks if he's planning a coup. Then follows the second bitch slapping.
"The war is over. We need to get the hell out of here and start having babies."
That sums that up.
Adama watches Billy and Dee and realizes Rosalin is right. Time to run and have babies.
"They'd better start having babies."
"Is that an order?"
And Lee and Adama are in agreement. "My father is right."
And more unspoken conversation between Adama and Apollo. "I want all my pilots to return. Do you understand?"
***********
Beyond Insane is born. I love the relationship between Apollo and Starbuck. It's so frakking convoluted and complicated. Exactly like it should be. :)
My heart was in my throat through that fight scene.
And then, the funeral, where the horror is finally faced in full.
Adama tells the biggest lie he will ever tell. Earth, the location, the future, the promise.
I think Lee knows he's lying. I know Rosalin knew.
And now Kara hates Tigh. Tigh hates Kara. Rosalin and Adama are both in agreement to lie to people. Adama agrees that Rosalin is in charge. They'll try to find something to live for.
I love this show so much.
I love that Adama calls Apollo son finally.
And the note about 12 models – I never could figure it out.
And then came the BIG REVEAL.
PR dude actually is a cylon.
And so is…
Sleeper agents. Boomer. It was the first, but far from the last, time I gasped aloud in shock and disbelief.
And the Cylon plan – track down and kill the humans so they don't return to kill the Cylons.
God, show! I miss you already!
If anyone out there has good fic or meta based off the mini, please let me know? *begs shamelessly*
Thanks!
bsg_refrak post is here for those that are interested.And my running commentary, written as I watched, so it's full of non sequiters, is beneath the cut.
Thoughts as I rewatch the BSG mini:
I watched it off my VCR about six months after it aired on Sci-Fi. I found out about the series from a preview on a movie that I saw in the theater. I knew immediately that I wanted to see it.
From the moment Six walked into the space station, following the two toasters, I was hooked. "Are you alive?" What an incredible way to start a series. It really set the tone – surreal, terrifying, and believable.
"Prove it."
And then she kisses the soldier as the whole space station is blown to hell. It was creepy and very memorable. Especially given the lack of music until the bombs started falling.
I didn't like Starbuck's hair back in the beginning, but I was impressed by the feel of the ship. I've been on a submarine before, and the ship really looked like a battleship.
And then we are introduced to the word "frakking" and life would never be the same! Everyone I know uses that now, even if they don't really watch the show. It's contagious!
Awww, look at Gaeta! He's so tiny and cute and shiny. None of his idealism has worn off yet.
Saul, looking rough and hungover. Nothing different there, then. *wry*
The PR guy – Cylons hidden right in plain sight! No wonder he was snarky about the Galactica not having modern technology.
Chief! Aww, Chief. *hearts* He looks so proud. I wonder if RDM knew even then what he was going to do to these people…
Wee!Lee and wee!Zak. I wonder if Caprica will touch on Zak at all.
Helo! *adores* Boomer!
The Helo/Starbuck friendship – Helo is doing his best to keep her out of trouble even at the beginning. The Starbuck/Tigh animosity is interesting too. (Tigh was such a total dick!) He started the fight, goaded her into hitting him, and then gloated. And I love that Adama called him on it. "You knocked over the table first."
"I did not." "Unless I did."
"You did."
***********
And then we meet Rosalin, just in time to hear her get a death sentence from her doctor. The white noise that kept us from hearing everything still gives me goosebumps. I can only imagine how terrified she must have been in that moment.
Billy! Awww, Billy. I love you so.
************
What's this? Another Six! Babykiller!Six, who creeped me out beyond belief. I still cannot believe the show began this dark, but it got a lot worse from here… "You're not going to have to cry for much longer."
I don't know why she killed him. I think she felt sympathy for him… maybe. She did seem remourseful. Sort of.
************
And Gaius Baltar. Wow, what a flashback to the past.
Six certainly seems to have a handle on sex. I wonder if the Cylons spent the last forty years perfecting their techniques.
************
Apollo! Lee! How I loved you from your angsty emo beginning. What a snot you were, too. *lol*
************
Wow, I forgot that Chief/Boomer was such a hot ticket in the beginning.
************
And we are introduced to the Cylon religion. One God in a society that believes in a pantheon of gods.
*************
Dee! Dee/Billy!
And Adama and Rosalin adversary begins immediately. Oh, the UST that grows from this snarky beginning. I have to say, I am not a huge shipper, but I really do *love* Adama/Rosalin. ♥
And then Apollo/Starbuck, where she calls him out for being an emotional coward. And Apollo turns into an asshole again.
*************
Then things start to go BOOM in a big way.
1. *snerk* Cheating!Gaius – "Umm, bye!... Umm, it's me. I'm a screw up."
Yes, yes you are. :)
(I think Six was supposed to let him die. She saved him, but I’m not totally sure why. I'm not sure she knows why, either.)
2. Oh, fathers and sons – such a hard relationship to navigate even without the extra baggage. And neither of them pull any punches, do they? Lee. Adama. Bless your hearts.
3. Humanity's Children are returning home. Today. (This line still gives me chills, too.)
4. Adama demands to know why humanity as a people are worth saving, when they commit murder and do horrible things. It's a good question and I’m not sure it's one that the series ever answered.
5. Gaius watches the world go boom. Six reveals that she can't die. She reveals that there are 12 models. And then she saves Baltar from the bombs.
6. Adama gets the news. Cylon Attack Underway.
Hahahha! The starboard hanger is a giftshop. It's not funny, but it was so srange and so typical of the problems in the early days.
The drum music really worked for me in this episode.
Why wasn't Boomer's ship affected by the jamming? And I'd forgotten how awful it was to watch the fighters get slaughtered like that.
************
Rosalin was such a pillar of strength, even in the beginning. She impressed me and she is definitely one of the strongest women I've ever had the pleasure of watching on television. She took charge and was still compassionate to the people who had losses.
I also forgot that humanity offered a complete unconditional surrender and were ignored. It makes everything so much worse.
And then Apollo shows up and is a Big Damn Hero! This was the scene where I first thought he was awesome incarnate.
***********
The scene with Helo and Sharon and the survivors on Caprica broke my heart. It really did.
***********
Squee! Apollo: The lady is in charge.
I love the fact that he never challenged Rosalin for power. He just fell in line like the good soldier he is.
I was always impressed at the equality of women in this show. Other than the fact that they are called "Sir," which is easy enough to overlook given the military setting, there really is no issue with gender on the surface. It makes some of the later issues all the more interesting.
***********
The tension between Adama and Tigh is interesting as well. "You're either the XO or you're not."
It makes me wonder what had gone on in the weeks just prior.
Tigh – he never had the easy decisions. The first official decision he makes is to sacrifice 100 people. I'm glad I don't have to make decisions like that.
***********
Helo. Awww, Helo. You're such a hero. *weepy*
And for that scum Baltar, too.
I think this may be where he cracked. Head!Six shows up in the not too distant future.
***********
How awesome is it that Rosalin's teacher's roots are showing? "D as in dog. A as in apple." 43rd in line of succession. And she doesn't even hesitate to take control. I was and still am in so much awe of her. Her hands are shaking. And she stutters slightly on the word President.
I'd vote for Rosalin.
And then Adama takes charge as well. Neither of them thought they'd have to do it; both did it with grace and dignity.
And then Rosalin bitch slaps Adama around. It was rather satisfying, especially when she tells Lee that she knows who he is.
***********
More angsty father son moments. I confess – this story line more than any other drew me in to the series. I'm a sucker for it. And Adama looked utterly crushed. So much for the hard ass routine.
And Kara, too. The fire, Apollo, Sharon… it's a lot to take in.
***********
"The lesson here is not to ask follow up questions, but simply to say thank you, Captain Apollo for saving our collective asses."
♥
***********
Kara's prayer makes me weep, still.
***********
Lee makes the same choice Tigh did – sacrifice the few to save the many. Only he sacrificed thousands, not 86. I'd love to see a fic on this comparison.
How did each of them deal with it?
And then the moment where Rosalin tells Billy that she has cancer. *sobs*
Followed by the awful awful moments where the Cyclons jump in and kill all those people, who are screaming for help. It's nerve wracking, and unsettling, and just awful.
Lee looks sick about it, even though it was his suggestion. I almost hate to tell them that this is just the beginning. It only gets worse from here – so many horrid things happen in the future.
The people who die in this scene may have a much easier end than many of the people who live.
***********
The Cylon on the arms space station gave himself away. He referred to a single god. I wonder if that's what gave him away to Adama.
***********
Awww, Chief/Boomer. It was a great ship.
Billy/Dee! Another great ship.
God, how things changed.
Apollo/Starbuck.
Some things didn't change. *grins*
***********
Did they ever explain the poison or whatever it was that affected Leoben on the arms space station?
And the Cylons were so bloodthirsty in the beginning.
Was Leoben on the Battlestar, or did Adama's speech just get broadcast out that far?
And I guess this is where we see how strong the Cylons are. Lifing Adama with one hand, breaking a metal post withone hand. But not strong enough to keep Adama from melting off his face and then beating him to death with a flashlight. *blah*
And now we see how bloodthirsty humans are.
***********
And Gaeta/Baltar. A ship that I always found sickeningly fascinating. Poor Gaeta. He wasn't even out of the closet at this point.
And poor Gaeta, because he has no idea that Baltar is really just scum.
And the question of whether or not head!Six is real or just a figment of his imagination becomes a focal point for the next four years.
***********
Adama and Apollo hug it out. It's a good moment. ♥
And then Kara steps up and confesses that she passed Zak through basic flight and shouldn't have. I think she does it because she's afraid Lee will never forgive Adama otherwise.
This is another great moment that isn't explored much from what I've seen.
Plus, why isn't there more Zak/Kara fic?
***********
God, I had forgotten how intense this was. The skies are crawling with Cylons.
Then comes the non-conversation between Rosalin and Adama where she establishes her dominance and then flat out asks if he's planning a coup. Then follows the second bitch slapping.
"The war is over. We need to get the hell out of here and start having babies."
That sums that up.
Adama watches Billy and Dee and realizes Rosalin is right. Time to run and have babies.
"They'd better start having babies."
"Is that an order?"
And Lee and Adama are in agreement. "My father is right."
And more unspoken conversation between Adama and Apollo. "I want all my pilots to return. Do you understand?"
***********
Beyond Insane is born. I love the relationship between Apollo and Starbuck. It's so frakking convoluted and complicated. Exactly like it should be. :)
My heart was in my throat through that fight scene.
And then, the funeral, where the horror is finally faced in full.
Adama tells the biggest lie he will ever tell. Earth, the location, the future, the promise.
I think Lee knows he's lying. I know Rosalin knew.
And now Kara hates Tigh. Tigh hates Kara. Rosalin and Adama are both in agreement to lie to people. Adama agrees that Rosalin is in charge. They'll try to find something to live for.
I love this show so much.
I love that Adama calls Apollo son finally.
And the note about 12 models – I never could figure it out.
And then came the BIG REVEAL.
PR dude actually is a cylon.
And so is…
Sleeper agents. Boomer. It was the first, but far from the last, time I gasped aloud in shock and disbelief.
And the Cylon plan – track down and kill the humans so they don't return to kill the Cylons.
God, show! I miss you already!
If anyone out there has good fic or meta based off the mini, please let me know? *begs shamelessly*
Thanks!
