SciFi
As mentioned before, Battlestar Galactica is not an easy show to follow. Cylon skinjobs have identical copies with different names and characteristics, some of whom fight on different sides of the war between cylon and human. Humans are fucking and falling in love with cylons. Some cylons are good, some humans are bad. Every human is homeless because they don’t have a planet they can call their own. Every cylon is raised to hate its human creators and every human to hate the monsters they spawned. No one knows who they can trust. Everything is built on shifting sand. And it couldn’t be better.
Cylon civil war has forged an alliance between human and cylon in season four though it is anything but straightforward. President Dying Donnie Darko’s mom spends most of her time trying to backstab the cylons. Laura Roslin is no stranger to contemplating genocide and she would gladly wipe out the entire cylon species if she could. She remembers the 20 billion humans killed by the attacks on the 12 colonies. And after all, they’re only frakking toasters aren’t they?
“The viper is picking up a signal from a shiny blue planet. Five letters, begins with E — has some neat continents but you can’t park for shit..”
There is a tense stand-off in the episode as the cylon rebels led by D’Anna hold human hostages to smoke out the four cylons in the Galactica fleet. But with Galactica being a notoriously gossipy place soon everyone knows that Tigh, Tory, Anders and Tyrol are those crewmembers with that little something extra between the ears. This gives Bill a nervous breakdown and everybody is getting pissy. It’s not looking good for the unwilling cylon infiltrators.
But before you know it, the gang of four start hearing that crazy music again and are drawn inexplicably towards Starbuck’s Viper (the one she flew to EARTH in when she was all dead and shit). Close inspection of the instruments reveal that it is picking up a signal from a shiny blue planet. Five letters, begins with E – has some neat continents but you can’t park for shit…
“It will all be like some wonderful dream come true. Only, this is Battlestar Galactica where misery, self-loathing and pain are the only constants. Earth turns out to be an irradiated craphole right in the middle of a nuclear winter..”
Dude! They totally find Earth! Human and cylon living side by side in the promised land. It will all be like some wonderful dream come true. Only, this is Battlestar Galactica where misery, self-loathing and pain are the only constants. Earth turns out to be an irradiated craphole right in the middle of a nuclear winter. This revelation is the final wordless scene of the mid-season finale and it’s a devastating, shocking, brilliant way to leave us.
“Bill and Laura are the two loneliest people in the fleet – you so badly want these two old bastards to have some joy in their lives.”
It’s been a fine final season so far and Galactica continues to surprise and engross. The romantic relationship between President Laura Roslin and Admiral Bill Adama has been superbly handled since they made their first tentative steps towards nookie on New Caprica. The two flawed leaders have to make decisions that make them the two loneliest people in the fleet – you so badly want these two old bastards to have some joy in their lives. Mary McDonnell and Edward James Olmos nail the shit out of their scenes together and it will probably end up being the best thing either of them has ever been in.
“Humans frakked it up royally with the creation of the cylon slave race and now they’re trying to live as best they can with the aftermath.”
Battlestar Galactica draws on ancient myths and parables because it realises their explanatory power in understanding the human condition. Humans frakked it up royally with the creation of the cylon slave race and now they’re trying to live as best they can with the aftermath. People are quick to draw parallels with present-day world events – the cylon nuclear attacks on the 12 colonies that kick off the series are a clear allusion to 9/11, they say.
Whether you accept this not, Battlestar Galactica is a testament to mankind’s ability to fuck things up but keep on going regardless. Because that’s how we roll.
The best thing about it: They find Earth!
The worst thing about it: It’s all going to end miserably.
The verdict on Battlestar Galactica Season 4 mid-season finale: .Can hardly wait for the next dose of pain and disappointment.
Marks out of 10: 8.5