Jolt Country

Here is a very unnerving, unexpected, surprising opinion, which I am now going to offer to you, because, as you can see, when I am not here, this BBS is deader than Johnny Carson and Dick Clark put together. And judging by Dicky's state right about now is pretty damn dead:

The greatest sci-fi TV show since Star Trek: The Next Generation is...

Battlestar Galactica, on the Sci-Fi network.

Which is not to say that it's brilliant and fantastic. It is only to say it's the best sci-fi show to hit the tube in the last 15 years.

The show has MANY problems, believe you me. Thusfar, here are the problems:

1. Everyone except Adama, Apollo, and Madam President are slimebag morons, who seem to act like slimebag morons only for the purpose of providing plot points for the episodes.

2. The guy with the Cylon in his head is... ugh. I don't know what's worse, his character, the nonsensical nature of the hot Cylon skank in his head, or that little piano tinkle which they crank up any time he's sitting there squirming, trying to remember whether he's talking to the actual person he's talking to, or the hot Cylon skank in his head. That whole deal is truly the Wesley Crusher of the new Battlestar Galactica.

3. Olmos' portrayal of Adama is, as you'll see, actually a positive for the show right now. But I can see that, if he keeps acting like he just took seven Tylenol PMs before the taping of the show, that might become a little... "played", as the children like to say.

4. Apollo can't really act, as judged by last week's very "dramatic" episode with the prisoners.

5. Starbuck's character sounds like it came directly out of the boardroom. "Let's make it a woman, kinda hot, but with an attitude!" Yeah. Great. Real creative.

6. Tththhee caaammerraaa shaakess tttooo mmcuucchh.

So, it's not fantastic. But as I said, that's not what this post is about. It's about the fact that it's the greatest sci-fi TV show since TNG. Here's why:

1. The only science fiction show/movie/anything I've ever seen that portrays space fighter combat in anything close to resembling a realistic fashion. The ships all have inertia, and are piloted by a number of small, automatically activated thruster jets all over the fighters. Does it make sense to use fighter combat in the year 22994 or whatever it is? No, but at least they do it very well in the show.

2. The "camerawork" in the space scenes is also extremely effective at conveying scale, better again than any SF TV show/movie I can recall. Of course, most of the best stuff here was probably used up in the original miniseries, but still. Good stuff.

3. Olmos' Adama is fun (for now -- see above) to watch. He's good. "Adama! The world is blown up and all your kids are dead and you have cancer and AIDS and are going to die in six seconds!!" "(takes off glasses slowly, looks off in the distance) Get me a sandwich." You go, Adama.

4. Madam President is excellent. The best part of the movie Donnie Darko is also the best part of this TV show. Hope she kicks that cancer habit sometime soon.

5. Starbuck is, yes, obviously a product of a marketing meeting, but for a cartoon character, she's kinda fun to watch, I admit.

6. The hot Cylon skank, while the most annoying part of the show, is an actually fairly creative idea, and, well, something to watch, anyway. Just be sure to turn the sound down so you don't have to hear that piano.

That's all I have to say about that. I want to hear from you!!

Better than Firefly? Because Firefly was pretty damn good.

Bruce

How the hell would I know? I hate that goddamn Sci-Fi channel.

Funny, I was also thinking of Firefly while reading pinback's post. Also, Firefly wasn't on the Sci Fi Network, pinback.

How the hell would I know? I don't watch that Sci-Fi crap.

Alright, anyone out there wanna say, based on one miniseries and three regular season episodes, what's better, the new BG, or this "Firefly", which sounds like a girly show for gay homos if you ask me?

I'll base my opinion on its imdb.com entry:

"Beautifully crafted and enjoyable series"

Okay! Well, I guess Firefly kicks ass. Okay, Galactica's the best Sci-Fi TV show in history, except for Firefly, and the episodes of TNG where 1) Picard becomes a Borg, 2) Picard has to count the lights (there are four, BTW), and 3) Picard mind-melds with Sarek.

The Internet's opinion is that DS9 got good at the end.

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote:The Internet's opinion is that DS9 got good at the end.

Also, if we're doing a per episode basis can we count the episodes of DS9 that are motherfucking art?

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote:The Internet's opinion is that DS9 got good at the end.

Please do not speak on my behalf.

The Internet did not like any Star Trek series. In fact, unless there are bare titties and facials, The Internet does not care for it.

Worm wrote:

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote:The Internet's opinion is that DS9 got good at the end.

Also, if we're doing a per episode basis can we count the episodes of DS9 that are motherfucking art?

Yeah, I'll take a shot at it: Zero?

Mini-Review: Last night's BG episode:

Bad:
- Very contrived.
- Every member of the cast got a chance to say, "This isn't about the trainees... This is about ZACK!"

Good:
- No scenes with either female cylon or the weasel scientist.
- The Adama vs. Starbuck scene was great drama.

I think the show is at a point now where it's either going to slowly improve over time, and become the best SF show in the history of TV, or it's going to get dramatically worse, and quickly.

We'll see.

pinback wrote:Good:
- No scenes with either female cylon or the weasel scientist.

Wrong....Baltar appeared in the scene where they were playing cards, and Starbuck stormed out. The blonde appeared in the scenes on Caprica.

I think the show is at a point now where it's either going to slowly improve over time, and become the best SF show in the history of TV, or it's going to get dramatically worse, and quickly.

It's a good show so far, but I'd like to see a little more regarding that guy stranded on Caprica than 2 minutes per episode.

chris wrote: Wrong....Baltar appeared in the scene where they were playing cards, and Starbuck stormed out. The blonde appeared in the scenes on Caprica.

Yes, they APPEARED in the show, but they were never the focus of the scenes. Thank the Lords of Cobol. Or whatever they're called.

It's a good show so far, but I'd like to see a little more regarding that guy stranded on Caprica than 2 minutes per episode.

I'd like to see less, actually. Just cuz that chick is annoying.

You're obviously not considering SeaQuest DSV. The smart dolphin, the grizzled Roy Schieder, now that is Sci-Fi for you.

pinback wrote:Thank the Lords of Cobol.

Now <i>there's</i> a band name. THE LORDS OF COBOL.

Bruce

Meh. A little too close to "LORDS OF ACID." Check out their song "Pussy." It's about a cat!

They also have those naked she-devils on their cover. Good stuff! I like the song on that album where one of the sluts is having an orgasm in the studio.

I prefer this album/slut:

pinback wrote:Battlestar Galactica, on the Sci-Fi network.

You know what killed the show for me, even when I was a kid? The stupid token annoying kid Boxey with the "cute" bear/dog robot pet Muffit. I hate shows that inject token characters to appeal to a certain demographic.

I just saw Treasure Planet; it could have been really good if, near the end, they hadn't injected a... "wacky" android!

Completley no need whatsoever and I can't imagine 1 child in the audience didn't find him an annoying, hyperactive thing that utterly ruined what could have been an enjoyable slow-paced movie.

Oh man, if the rest of this season's episodes of "Battlestar Galactica" suck as much as the one yesterday (with Starbuck stranded on that moon), it ain't gonna last very long. Christ, that episode sucked!