Warning: Spoilers!!

Well Firefly is still looking better than I remember it. I’m still not particularly fond of the first two episodes (or more properly, the 2 hour series pilot). Not much I can add to last weeks comments. Extra half point because of the Reavers.

I always thought the Reavers were a delightfully dark, if not terrifying, element on Firefly that gave the show a truly menacing force that was lacking in all the rest of the “bad guys” presented in the series: the Alliance, the criminal syndicates, and the outer colony “elites”.

After watching the trailer for Serenity I’ve decided it’s probably worth my time going to see it when it comes out. It looks more in line with what I expected J.W. wanted to do in the series but couldn’t do to budgetary constraints, TV ratings system, and the corporate suits.

 

Rating: 6.5/10

I don’t know if it was because I was tired or what but I found most of Origin to be somewhat of a yawner. My guess is that this is largely due to the needed exposition to explain the Ori and their Priors, their purpose and intent, and making them into the new threat for the show. Despite this it was overall a good episode, not particularly riveting, but had some interesting moments.

Random thoughts:

• Vala and the apple. Free choice. Massive Christianity vibes happening here.
• Okay, so the Ori and their Priors are basically going to play the role of the Fallen Angels (aka Satan and his followers) for the series, eh?
• So the Ancients actually do things other than sit on their ascended asses. I guess factional fighting on the higher planes isn’t much difference than in the real world. A waste of time that usually ends in a stalemate and most people never even knowing its happening.
• C-4. Heh. Cameron channeling O’Neill there for a minute.
• Not sure what to make of Gerak, Garek, whatever he of the mighty gold forehead thing-a-ma-bob is called. He looked like he could barely move in all the armor and furs.
• So Cameron’s your typical kid with the extremely religious grandmother. Not really that surprising to me for some reason.
• Not buying the whole Gates to Hell motif of the head Prior-dude. Think the set designers were trying to hard for the demonic look or something for my taste.
• Note to General Landry: Never suck up to a Jaffa leader, they’ll call you on it every time.
• 2^nd Note to General Landry: Don’t use boring quotes about Washington to Jaffa leaders. There are better ones out there that would appeal to the Jaffa mindset and still get the point across.
• Episode really lacking a little levity.
• OK. I guess that’s one way to get the Ancient communication device to release Daniel and Vala. Throw it in the forming wormhole vortex.
• Well, well. Me thinks Ts decided he likes Mitchell. Gave him the ol’ Jaffa arm grasp and head bow.
• Yay! It’s Jack. OK. Mostly pointless Jack-Daniel convo, but what the hell.
• Joy ride on an F-302. Jack trying to make things up to Mitchell? It’s a start I guess though Mitchell doesn’t really seem all that put out about events what with Daniel and T still handing around a bit.
• I have decided that I officially do not like the shortened opening intro.

 

Rating: 7/10

Funny, isn’t it? Last week I was harping a little on the lack of a good plot and character development and what do we get this week? A decent plot and little bit of character development. Okay, the plot is a bit derivative and clichéd but it’s hard to comeup with interesting ways to introduce new characters without it making feel too much like a “this is a new permanent character so you better like him” story.  It’s a step in the right direction.

Ronnon Dex looks to be a possibly interesting new addition. Will be interesting to watch were this goes.

Funny thing is, Ford also for once was interesting to me. Previously, I thought the Ford character was a waste of space as he never seemed to really do anything worthwhile except play straight man to McKay and underling to Sheppard. Now he seems to actually have some depth too him.

Random thoughts:

• Gutted Wraith is always a bad/good sign, depending on your perspective.
• Radiation world. No thanks.
• Cool. Super-Ford.
• Missing the snarky Asgard this episode.
• OK, what’s up with always having the pontificating scientist tagged with a bored out of their skulls soldier/airman/marine/whatever? You know there are lots of military personnel who do find scientific stuff interesting too. Writers, quit stereotyping people!
• Daedalus Colonel (Crap! I really got to look up the guys name) has a point about Ford but doesn’t really need to be such an as about making it.
• Major Target! That’s my new name for McKay’s erstwhile hiking companion.
• So it looks like Dex is maybe a human immune to the Wraith’s draining abilities or their enzyme they inject into their victims. Interesting.
• Oh boy *claps sarcastically* Good move, Genius. Run away now while Ford decides how many ways he can kill you.
• Good fight choreography between Dex and Ford.
• Another failed by Sheppard to convince Ford to come back with him, not that Ford was really listening by that point to anyone.
• Hope they do more with Teyla next episode. She was just playing the requisite sidekick this week.

 

Rating: 7.7/10

I liked Fragged this week if only because they finally wrapped up the Kobol Team’s ordeal and went into what’s going on in Tigh’s world. Nothing on Caprica this week. I guess they’re saving up for a major Caprica story later with Starbuck and Helo.

Random thoughts:

• Doc Cottle! Crusty as ever, chugging down cigarettes like there is no tomorrow and on the job. Go, Doc!
• To CAG or not to CAG? Tigh chose correctly in this case. I don’t think he realizes how many on CIC seem to support Lee Adama. There sure was enough crew smirking at Apollo’s smartass comments about Tigh’s “demanding” job. Of course that’s probably because everyone there knows the ship would be so much floating junk if not for Apollo and Co stopping the Cylons previously.
• Crashdown is definitely feeling the pressure.
• Tigh is definitely feeling the pressure.
• Arg! The flask! The flask!
• OK. So you have to kill to be a man. At least Baltar finally seems to realize how crazy an idea that is.
• Cylon SAM site. Sweet.
• Gaeta’s look of pure frustration when Dee indicates the XO’s been drinking is just perfect. So frustrated and disgusted and probably wishing Boomer had shot Tigh instead of Adama at that moment.
• President freakin’ out in the cell is not a good thing.
• The Ellen Tigh-President Roslin brig scene was weird. I genuinely think Ellen went to check on Roslin’s well being but being the opportunist she is couldn’t wait to tell hubby in an attempt to get on top of the Fleet’s political and military food chain.
• The bottle. Nice touch with the pics of younger Tigh and Adama too.
• Poor Billy. Can’t hide that there’s something wrong with the President any more.
• Tyrol may disagree with Crash but is still the good NCO, supporting the officer when Baltar goes off on Crash’s planning session. I always feel for subordinates who are stuck in such an untenable position.
• Not surprised Tyrol pulled his weapon on Crash when the LT lost it and intended to kill Cally unless she carried out her part of what was now an obvious suicide attack.
• Baltar frags Crash. Definitely had to be done given the situation. Crash had completely lost it at that point.
• Geminons have a more literal take on the scriptures. Interesting to note.
• Damn. Was Zarek skipping? OK. Maybe not. Be he seemed awful chipper about getting to see the President in the brig. Of course Tigh was being an equally pompous ass. So there you go.
• So now the Quorom knows Roslin’s little secret. Zarek looked positively stunned and half the leaders falling to their knees in front of her was, well, weird but I guess to be expected from the more religiously inclined.
• Tigh looked completely shocked at Roslin’s revelation that she was dying. I don’t think he particularly cared one way or the other about the whole “Leader” saving humanity bit. Just had that kind of sinking feeling in the belly look.
• The Kobol Teams “Last Stand” really had me wondering just how many more were going to die in addition to Crash this episode. Baltar going all soldiery to try and save him and the others was a nice touch.
• Is Baltar finally getting a hold of himself again? He finally seemed to truly wonder about what Six was telling him instead of just accepting her words and moving on.
• Chief Tyrol’s face when the advancing Cylons started blowing up. The momentary look of “Did I just do that?” was priceless. Of course, reality set in once he realized the Raptor had saved their asses.
• Tyrol and Baltar’s silent decision to let Crash be remembered as a hero died “leading the charge” was rather touching actually considering what went down. I’m still mulling over that understanding look and all its underlying meanings.
• Declaring martial law. The one thing Tigh didn’t want to do, but did anyways.
• No Boomer. No Starbuck. No Helo.

Quick thoughts on Lee Adama

It was nice to see Lee Adama not backing down from Tigh in the least. There was plenty of sarcasm and derision with just the right amount of respect to keep Tigh from legitimately handing Lee his ass and tossing him back into the brig. Hell even Tigh going ballistic at Lee’s announcement that they were cannibalizing one Raptor to fix another had a lot of the deck crew obviously wondering WTF was up with their XO. Other than that Lee seems to be sticking with his duty bound soldier boy routine. It’s probably better than sitting round waiting to hear if Dad bites it or not.

Quick thoughts on Colonel Tigh

I really felt sorry for Tigh for much of this episode. Not all of it, since he really did make some stupid comments, decisions, and outright mistakes. The guy is in a command he never wanted, feeling pressure from everyone, and can’t seem to beat back his own personal problems (alcohol and his wife). All that aside I got the distinct impression Tigh was setting himself up as the fall guy for whenever Adama returns to duty. Tigh could take all the blame for everything that went wrong and make Adama look good, or at least less disagreeable, to the civilian government. This seems to play into Tigh’s whole general attiude that the XO wasn’t doing his job unless he was hated.

 

Rating: 7.8/10