Fly me to the moon

[cyrano]

Finally took my first sip of the kool-aid and watched the Battlestar Galactica miniseries. It took me two hours, but I finally got excited sometime around the big meet up at Ragnar. I love the recognition that combat in space is not like air combat in WWII--it's been a while since I've seen that in science fiction. It's occasionally very obvious that ZOIC is doing the f/x, and that makes me smile. It's weird adjusting to the 'sound in space' thing again, but I'm trying hard to pretend it's part of the score. I really like a television show that presents characters with hard choices that have no 'right' answer. And I'm assuming that sometime during the series Starbuck becomes 'cool' because so far I'm not seeing it.

Comments

[gconnor.livejournal.com]

starbuck does indeed become cool. has she decked the xo yet?

--stoke me a clipper, I'll be back for Christmas!

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Yeah, within about ten minutes of the opening credits.
Which was when I started getting the 'oh, I see, she's an ass'. Later amended to 'cigar smoking ass'.

[aberrantvirtue.livejournal.com]

She's an ass with a point.

You'll get it when you see the series.

But yes, eventually she becomes human, and then cool.

[esmerel.livejournal.com]

They all warm up to the characters as the series goes on. I promise. :)

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Yay!
(Because the idea that because somebody is good at something--whether flying or playing football--gives them the right to fuck with other people is one that made high school not fun. Plus, as much as it makes me cool and iconoclastic, I don't particularly enjoy being at odds with the majority.)

[aberrantvirtue.livejournal.com]

The quick version is that Tigh is relatively abusive with her. (You'll see more of it in the end of the mini-series, and I think in the first couple eps of Season One. It then comes to play again in the beginning of S.2.)

She is on a hair-trigger, and she is relatively volitile, but she has some good reasons for it too. Later on when she's humanized, it's more sensical.

Also, there are podcast commentaries starting with ep 1.09, on Sci-Fi.com, although they may also be on the DVDs. They're good.

[eyelessgame.livejournal.com]

Yay! Hope you enjoy the series itself.

The writers admitted they cheat on the sound in space -- their compromise was to muffle it.

I really like the faux-documentary style jigglycam in the spaec shots, and (after watching for a while) really like the decision to have ultratech only as needed for the central premise (FTL and cylons), and keep everything else circa-2000 (or earlier!) technology -- there's an immediacy and meta-realism (not realism, since the supertech isn't realistic given the other limitations, but real in a meta sense, of being able to imagine yourself there).

I warmed up to everybody. Nobody's simply a "hero"; nobody's supposed to be. Every character will sometimes disappoint me, and sometimes amuse me and sometimes inspire me. Starbuck is, in fact, a full-of-herself ass -- that's one aspect of her. She has others. Her personality flaws cause problems. She deals with them realistically.

[moonlightnrain.livejournal.com]

I have come to like Starbuck a lot more, but she didn't start out as my favorite either. Which is funny because everyone told me before I started watching the series how much I was going to have a crush on Starbuck. I think people think I find different things attractive than the things I actually find attractive, but whatever. I never got a hard on for her, but she's become a character I'm fond of, for certain. Hang in there, it only gets better.

[senatorhatty.livejournal.com]

Starbuck is, in fact, a full-of-herself ass -- that's one aspect of her. She has others. Her personality flaws cause problems. She deals with them realistically.

totally agree

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

I've got a lot of faith. And the first two hours weren't bad, it's just that they were setting up stuff and that's neccessary but not as exciting. (: I'm looking forward to the TV show.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

See, that's the other thing that makes me look forward to the series. Giving the actors time to fall into their characters.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

From what I've seen, I expect I'll enjoy the series. And so far these writers strike me as people who are going to be dealing with real characters with real personalities.

[moonlightnrain.livejournal.com]

yeah, I know all about the woes of setting up a season vs. keeping the first episode interesting. ;)

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

You're so cool. (: I'm glad you're back on LJ.

[esmerel.livejournal.com]

Some of the characters really do it in this series. In the mini, Apollo was kind of this prissy shmuck. As the series goes on, you learn why he's so freakin uptight, and there's some amazing development. :)

[merlinofchaos]

She is cool and she is very talented and she is also flawed.

In fact, every single character in that show is very, very deeply flawed in one way or another. Expect those flaws to make you wince from time to time.

[wildpaletz.livejournal.com]

Yeah, what Esmerel said. And I think it's really less that the actors fall into the characters--I think they're with their characters the whole time. It's just that there's more explanation as to why they are they way they are. You see some flashbacks, see some private moments. Starbuck is a fuck up, for sure. She goes through a lot and becomes, while not TONS nicer, aware that she is connected to others.

Just keep in mind: No one in Galactica is the Best of the Best. They were on a ship about to be decommissioned. This isn't where the flagship Enterprise.

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

Like everybody else has already said, you'll warm up to her, and I'd be stunned if you don't switch over to a full fledged fanboy by episode 5. It's where I went from liking Kara to fucking worshipping the ground she walks on. Yes she does stupid shit and occasionally you'll want to shake her good and hard, but you will understand and empathize with her sooner than you think.

As for everyone else, there isn't a single weak or unrealistic character on the show, each and every one of them is wonderfully written and beautifully portrayed. Hell I even adore Tigh and I loathed him in the beginning. That combined with incredible plots, fantastic direction and effects, and a kickass soundtrack...well what more could one ask of a series really? Once again, Ron Moore is a fucking genius.