Battlestar Galactica: "The Tie That Binds"So, here's my latest theory on how
Galactica might end. In Razor, we saw the old-school Cylons. I've heard that the old-school Cylons will show up somehow this season. We also have a civil war of sorts brewing with the fleet. With the Raiders and Centurians now having their freedom and free-will back, could this be the trigger that will allow them to not only turn on the lines they've already turned on the other lines as well. They wipe out all the skin job Cylons and take over and somehow it leads to the start of the original
BSG and the famous line "All this has happened before and will happen again."
OK, so maybe it only makes sense to me. But if I were to sit around thinking about how we've only got sixteen new episodes of this show left after how good this week's episode was, I'd be a lot more depressed.
Watching the streaming episodes on Friday mornings helps me to avoid the SPOILER-ific previews. I've heard from some that the ending of this one was given away by the previews. That's a shame really because I think it could have ruined some of the impact of Cally's death had I known it was coming leading into the episode. Not that the poor woman wasn't doomed from the second she found out her husband had a secret and then finding out what it was. Now, I will admit the whole "Oh I'm leaving a note of our secret meeting" rang a bit too false and inconvenient as a way to get Cally to the meeting and set off the final series of events. But I did like where it took the story and the dark places
Galactica is going looking at the implications of these four being revealed as four of the final five.
It's also interesting to watch how they're reacting. Tigh seems to not want to deal with the reality any more (wonder if he'll hit the bottle harder) while Tyrol and Tori are trying to come to grips with what it really means and the impact it is having on their lives.
Meanwhile, the difference between the Cylon fleet and the Colonial fleet are becoming less and less distinct. In-fighting and politics are dividing the various players--whether it be in the Cylon fleet deciding whether or not to un-box the Deanna line or in the fleet with Roslin's apparent consolidation of power. It's also interesting to see who is on the sidelines making maneuvers. In the Colonials, we have Tom Zarak who is pulling the strings of Lee Adama. I'm not sure what yet what Zarak's overall agenda could be, but watching Lee Adama call Roslin on the way in which she's enacting things and couching herself inside the cloak of "military secrets" to side step some issues is fascinating. Of course, it's not like Admiral Adama has done her any favors by allowing Starbuck to chase her connection to Earth with a ship of her own.
Meanwhile, the Cylon fleet is dividing but wants to come together in unity. Or at least they say they do. If by unity you mean wiping each other and having political alliances. Interesting to see that one Sharon model is apparently romantically linked to one Cavil model and that's where the separate vote arose.
Of course, I do have one other question--and that's how much time is passing. We're told the ship Starbuck commands has been gone 22 days. But when we cut to the Cylon ships, the Centurians are still cleaning up the mess from last week. Would they really do that for 20 or so days? Or was it a symbolic gesture to disconcert the Cavils?
Just a thought....
Smallville: DescentSo, after seven seasons it's finally here. Lex Luthor has embraced his dark side and gone from friend to enemy. The friendship between Lex and Clark is (finally) shattered forever and now all that's really left is for Clark to become the Man of Steel.
Watching Lex's final steps into darkness were fascinating and compelling. Let's face it--when it comes to
Smallville, Lex has been the more interesting character since day one. A lot of that goes to the acting efforts of Michael Rosenbaum. But I think a lot of it goes to the fact that it's just more interesting to watch the bad guy become the bad guy. And while I may not always have been happy with the direction and the reasons
Smallville gave for the rift between Lex and Clark and how it grew, I liked the payoff here.
And thankfully unlike the 100th episode, it appears the series-changing events of this one will stick. I imagine Lionel is dead and gone, that Lex has truly descended into darkness and that Clark is now in danger of becoming Lex's pawn. That said, I bet the whole Lex has something that can control Clark won't become a huge plot-point until the season finale in which the world will somehow be ending yet again.
"Descent" did have some interesting visual choices. Having the young, innocent version of Lex that has been struggling to get out appear visually was a nice touch. And it at least justifies that "Clark wanders around in Lex's mind" episode earlier this year. And the ways in which we saw Clark and Lex mirror each other during the story was a nice touch visually.
I may even go so far as to say that this is the most satisfying and complete episode of
Smallville we've had all season and in a while. Which only means they'll somehow find a way to completely disappoint me next week.
Labels: battlestar galactica, smallville, tv shows
posted by Michael Hickerson at 4/20/2008 07:28:00 PM |
|
