Battlestar Galactica Season 4.5 Epi. 19: Daybreak, Part I

As usual, the episode recap will begin after the second blue header.

Questions Going Into Tonight’s Episode

1. What’s up with Tyrol? Is he cooling his heels in the brig?

2. How far will Boomer’s tears from last week go? How much longer will she continue to assist John?

3. How much longer does President Roslin have?

4. Will Anders be Anders again?

5. Will we get any answers to Starbucks origin? Gaius’ ability to project and see Head Six? How ’bout the Opera House? What up wit dat?

What questions do you have?

Tonight’s episode is THOs inducing!

Daybreak – Part One

Previously on Battlestar Galactica: Starbuck finds her dead body on Earth and Gaius snitches that to everyone. Anders is shot in the neck and now hooked up to Galactica’s main power grid. Hera wrote the notes to the song that led the fleet to Earth and switched on The Four. Boomer took Hera to Cavil. Galactica is falling apart and Adama orders that it be stripped down.

And now…

Wait. What’s this? We have credits with no episode teaser? And we get the episode without the five second quick preview accompanied by the drums that Jack likes to dance to? AND no commercial? Woohoo!

Caprica City before the fall looks a lot like a Sim City.

Adama is being ordered to do something he doesn’t want to. It’s just one hour out of his life. Suck it up.

Gaius and Caprica Six are riding in the back of a limo. He has on Dr. Seuss socks. This is soon after they’ve just met… they start to make out, and he doesn’t remember her name. Classy. Gaius gets a call and freaks out. He wants someone to “wait there” or he’ll sue them for abandonment. I thought, for a second, they were going to tell us Gaius has a child.

Laura Roslin just threw a baby shower for one of her sisters. She and the other sister drink champange. She looks really happy and young.

Starbuck is… cooking? Starbuck cooks? Anyway, someone rings the bell. It’s Lee! He has flowers. This can’t be a date. Ah, Zach is alive and cuter than I remember him from the season 1 flashback. This is the first time Lee meets Starbuck.

Gaius’ elderly Dad’s nurse is quitting because the Dad stabbed her with a steak knife. Gaius is mean to his Daddy. His Dad calls him out for putting on a fake, posh, accent. Gaius grew up on a farm. He smacks his Dad about with a newspaper. In Gaius’ defense, his father is a lippy old bastard.

Roslin gets a visit from the police. Her father and two sisters were killed in a car accident the night before by a drunk driver. DAYUM. She can’t catch a break. She starts to gather up stuff from the baby shower when she sees a pic of her with her father and sisters. She leaves the house in her nightgown and robe  and walks to a fountain. Some people have their feet in the water, but that’s not good enough for Roslin. She walks in and lets the fountain spray all over her.

Presently, Roslin is unconcious in the sick bay.

Lee is overseeing the stripping of Galactica. He assures a specialist (which would probably be Chief if anyone knew where he was) that the thruster-thingies that help launch the Vipers will be one of the last things to go.

Adama is packing up his quarters and according to the boxes, they will be moved to the Admiral Quarters aboard the rebel Cylon base ship. Oh, this I gotta see.

Paula is trying to convince Gaius that their group is larger than most left in the fleet and that they could have considerable political power. Head Six tells him that humanity’s last chpater is about to be written and he’ll be the author.

Back on Caprica, before the fall, Gaius arrives home with a little hoochie mama and finds Caprica Six in his living room. She has made herself at home with a drink. He’s about to call the cops when she tells him that she found his father a place to live. A really nice assisted living facility. She’s taken care of all the arrangements and his father seems really happy. She shares this news and leaves.

So, that’s how she hooked him.

On Galactica, Starbuck is watching Anders and pondering the notes to the song and some algebraic equations.

In the CIC, Tigh explains that Adama wants to fly the last Viper off of Galactica and a launch tube should be left intact for that. Hoshi wipes up coffee the whole time he talks. He needs a Shamwow!

Tyrol is in the brig! Helo meets with him and for some reason they’re arguing over whether or not all model 8s are like Boomer or different like Athena. Tyrol is just salty ’cause he got puh-layed and not laid.

At the Cylon colony, Hera is still drawing music notes, but no one knows that’s what they are. John, Boomer, a Simon, and a Doral dicuss the fact that Hera won’t eat and she’ll need her energy before they begin testing. Boomer says the girl just wants her Mommy, and John is all, “That’s too bad. We need to crack this nut and figure out what’s what.”

Simon fires up the drill as Hera has a, “Whatchu talkin’ ’bout, Willis?” look on her face.

Adama runs into Hot Dog with Nicky in the halls of Galactica. He has pictures of pilots from the memorial wall. They don’t want to leave those pictures there with the unclaimed pictures. Adama goes to the wall and sees a picture of Athena and Hera before walking away. I guess someone assumes Hera is dead.

Adama stops a few feet away and goes back for the picture.

On the flight deck, Gaius is trying to convince Lee that his people deserve a voice in the government. Lee wants to know what Gaius was thinking when he outed Starbuck’s secret. Oh Jesus, Lee is such a pussy. Focus, fool. Focus. Not everything is about your precious Starbuck. Gaius tells him as much and he agrees to give Gaius five minutes of his precious time.

Meanwhile, Adama meets with Starbuck where Anders is being kept. Anders is going to have some serious raisin skin when this is all over. Just sayin’. Adama wants to know if Starbuck really came back from the dead. She admits that she found her body and burned it on Earth. Adama doesn’t looked phased. I suppose he has seen it all at this point. Adama wants to ask Anders some questions and asks Starbuck to plug him in. Before she can, he tells her that she’s his daughter.

No, she’s not. She’s Dreidle’s daughter and as soon as we learn who Dreidle is, it’s going to be awesome.

Back on Caprica, Anders is in a tub at a gym being interviewed. I’m sure he’s talking about Pyramid Ball, but he’s shirtless so all I hear is, “Blah, blah, blah, I’m hot!”

On Galactica, Anders is doing the hybrid mumbo-jumbo thing and Starbuck tells Adama to ask his question. Adama is all, “Nuh-uh, you ask him.”

Gaius meets with Lee and tells him that once Galactica is gone, a new way of life will begin and it requires a new way of thinking. Gaius thinks the thousands of people he represents deserve to be heard within the government. Lee says Gaius has never done one selfless thing and therefore, no. Gaius is all, “Fine, be like that.”

On Caprica, Lee comes home drunk and chases a pigeon. Yeah, I don’t know what that’s about either.

On Galactica’s flight deck, Adama and Starbuck place a line of red tape down the middle of the room. Adama tells those around that he knows they’ve heard a child was abducted from the ship.He thought a rescue mission was impractical, but he was wrong.

Elsewhere, Hot Dog tells some pilots that Adama didn’t tell him where he got the info, but since Starbuck was there, he assumes it came from Anders.

In the sick bay, the nurse tells Cottle that Adama knows where Hera is. Roslin overhears this and smiles.

Walking through the halls of Galactica, Ellen tells Tory that knowing where the Colony is doesn’t mean they know how they’re gonna get Hera out of it. Ellen tells Tory that all five of them will go with Adama. “Oh, so you’re making decisions for everyone now.” Ellen just smiles and tells Tory that she’ll go cause she never could be alone. Burn.

So, word spreads throughout the fleet that it’s a voluntary mission and you have to declare in person. Anyone over 15.

Helo tells Athena that they’re going after their baby, but Athena thinks that Hera is already been dissected like a fetal pig. She’s being a real Debbie Downer with puffy eyes.

On Caprica, Roslin eats sushi as she speaks on the phone. She says she’s not going to join Adar’s presidential campaign because she hates politics. She agrees to a blind date with someone called Sean Ellison. She says the name sounds familiar, and for some reason it sounds familiar to me too.

On the flight deck, Adama tells everyone that the mission is a one-way trip and if he doesn’t get enough people that can man Galactica, he’ll lead a Raptor assault with anyone that wants to roll.

Starbuck, Lee, Tigh, Ellen, Helo, and Hot Dog join him. Doc Cottle starts to, but Adama says the fleet cannot afford to lose their doctor so he gets a pass. His nurse goes. Caprica Six goes. Chief Tyrol (this show lets mofos out the brig like it ain’t no thang) grips up Tory and basically volunteers for her.

“You got something better to do?,” he asks. But his face said, “Girl, if you don’t bring your ass on…”

Gaius looks at Caprica Six and it seems he wants to go, he just can’t make his feet move. COME ON, Gaius!

Roslin hobbles across the line. Awww, I think I may cry. Ok, I’m not gonna front. I am crying!

Racetrack and Skulls go on a recon mission to the colony and discover it’s near a black hole which keeps the colony bound within it’s gravity well, while allowing it to maintain a stable orbit. There’s a lot of space debris surrounding it too. There’s one parking spot and it’s less than one click from the colony. The Cylons are bound to have every gun aimed at that one spot.

“Let’s get to work,” says Adama ’cause he’s the shit.

OK, my thoughts on tonight’s epi:

Loved it! Most people didn’t like Deadlock and Someone to Watch Over Me and I liked them. I’ve already seen tweeted complaints about this episode, and I think people are insane.

1. Even if the flashbacks don’t go anywhere, I think they lend a lot more to the origins, personalities, and characters of Roslin, Adama, Lee, Starbuck, and Caprica Six. People that may very well die in the final episode. Sure, this could have been done throughout the series, like Lost does, but I thought it worked in this episode. Who knows, maybe they’ll continue it next week. Lord knows they’ll have enough time.

2. No, there weren’t any revelations in this episode. And yes, that makes me a little nervous that they won’t get to all the questions next week, but that’s not a definite.

3. I thought it was a little too neat how Anders was able to communicate just well/long enough to tell them where the Colony was. How did he know?

4. I was disappointed that Gaius didn’t man up, but maybe he will next week.

Questions I’d Like To See Answered in Next Week’s Series Finale

1. Why did the 13th tribe of Cylons go to Earth when the other 12 tribes left and founded the colonies?

2. Who were the messengers that appeared to the Five when they were on Earth and warned them about the attacks?

3. Why did the Five model/name each of the 8 skinjobs the way they did?

4. Just to clarify then, after John decided to kill the Five and place them in the colonies, he “wiped” all the other Cylons so they wouldn’t remember them and think to ask about them? Also, if John had resurrection and the other models, then killed the five and put them with the colonies, why did it take so long for him to make his move?

5. Who set up the Temple to reveal the faces of the Five? Ellen says they used it as a road marker when making their way to the colonies to warn them.

6. Who is Starbuck’s Daddy and why did he teach her that song?

7. What is Starbuck? How was she able to come back from the dead?

8. What up with Daniel? Is he gone for good?

9. Who switched on The Four? What was going on with Ellen when they were switched on? Did she at least hear the music even though she was already aware of her Cylon nature?

10. Why does Roslin, Caprica, and Athena all have those Opera House visions?

11. Will Tory ever answer for killing annoying ass Cally?

12. Will Anders die a hybrid on Galactica? They better not do that!

13. What’s up with Gaius having a Head Six and Caprica Six having a Head Gaius?

14. Not really a question… but I sincerely hope that the series doesn’t end with the big battle that is gearing up. They cannot spend four episodes preparing us for this full human-Cylon integration aboard the rebel Cylon baseship, and not show us what life is going to be like with the military being run from the Cylon’s ship!

Also, I like to see reactions. I hope that once we get the answers, we’re allowed to see the characters deal with them, digest them, act on them, etc. Especially it’s a series finale and never coming back.

Ok, I’ll be back in the a.m. with more. Really sleepy now. Gonna watch the episode again till I fall out.

What did you think? What are your questions?

As usual, more BSG blogging can be found at The TV Tyrant.

Lost Season 2, Episode 19: S.O.S.

If you have answers to questions, have your own theories, or want to speculate on anything I’ve mentioned feel free to do so below… if not, that’s okay too. This is to help me remember stuff about the show as the seasons go on.

Synopsis:

As Locke agonizes over whether or not the man claiming to be Henry Gale really pressed the button, Bernard enlists help to try and build an S.O.S. signal on the beach.  Via flashbacks we learn that Rose has cancer that has miraculously disappeared since being on the island. Kate and Jack go in search of The Others in the hopes of making a deal to trade Henry Gale for Walt.

Cool Stuff

Things To Throw Us Off That Later Turned Out to Mean Jack-Shit

Revelations

Knowing What We Know Now and Observations of Continuity:

Do The Others know about Rose’s cancer? If so, why haven’t they shown an interest in her?

Silly Nina Noticed Stuff:

- Kate is so damn annoying.
The Unexplained That’s Still Unexplained:
Sawyerisms

Trivia:

1. Why were Rose and Bernard in Australia?

2. How did they meet?

Lost Season 1, Episode 19: Do No Harm

If you have answers to questions, have your own theories, or want to speculate on anything I’ve mentioned feel free to do so below… if not, that’s okay too. This is to help me remember stuff about the show as the seasons go on.

Synopsis:

Jack tries to save Boone’s life after he falls from the cliff while inside the heroin plane.  Via flashbacks we learn that Jack’s wife was once his patient. She had broken her back in a car crash and Jack fixed her. Jack has issues letting go which causes him anguish when he can’t save Boone’s life.

Cool Stuff

Things To Throw Us Off That Later Turned Out to Mean Jack-Shit

Revelations

Knowing What We Know Now and Observations of Continuity:

Silly Nina Noticed Stuff:

- While her brother is dying Shannon was off getting her Iraqi groove on.

- Boone starts bleeding internally when Sun tells Jack that he can’t save him.  Jack yells, “Don’t tell me what I can’t do!” Sound familiar?

- Holy fuck this episode is sad!

The Unexplained That’s Still Unexplained:

Sawyerisms

Trivia:

1. What is Jacke about to do to Boone before he dies?

2. Who delivers Claire’s baby?