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| Finally saw the Season two finale this morning almost a week after the original broadcast. Not bad, great cliffhanger for Season three! |
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| While watching the Dish Network broadcast of "Star Trek", I did a web search for any new updates of the new franchise; it turns out they're in final production for the unnamed sequel due for release in a few months!!! |
TELEVISION REVIEW
'Battlestar Galactica' finale is satisfying -- so say we all
After five seasons, all is revealed, and it turns out to be worth the trip.
By MARY McNAMARA
Television Critic
March 20, 2009
From "MASH" to "St. Elsewhere" to "The Sopranos" to "Seinfeld," all long-running television shows become myths at some point or another, reflecting, within the confines of their own universes, the disparate nature of human experience.
Yes, they're entertaining, but to keep an audience committed year after year, a show must offer enlightenment, even if it's just the recognition that the corruptible nature of power extends to the Soup Nazi.
“Battlestar Galactica,” which comes to an end tonight after five seasons, was always upfront about its relationship to myth -- it's science fiction, for one thing, which of all the narrative genres is the most unapologetic about its use of symbolism and archetype, journey and transcendence.
In science fiction, anything is possible, which is in itself a metaphor for the human spirit. So it was natural, when watching the trials and triumphs of this scrappy band of humans attempting to survive in a world overtaken by their technology, to wonder if the residents of the Galactica were our past or our future.
Tonight, praise the gods, we have our answer. All this has happened before, and it will happen again, but it's hard to imagine a more visually and thematically satisfying finale.
Creators and executive producers Ronald D. Moore and David Eick have always taken the nature of the show seriously, which is why all those "praise the gods," "frakkings," "so say we alls" and look-alike Cylons (the evil twin trope taken to the nth degree) played as legitimate extensions of an alternate universe rather than camp. (Although where, on this stripped-down survivors' vessel, all that booze came from, not to mention Laura Roslin's very stylish wig, we must agree to simply overlook.)
The writers' dedication never falters, and "Battlestar Galactica's" finale is everything a fan, of the show and of television, could hope for. It's difficult to write about without giving anything away, so suffice it to say that tissues (or shots) would not be inappropriate accouterment.
Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff) and Lee Adama (Jamie Bamber) never looked so tragically good together while Col. Saul Tigh (Michael Hogan) and his newly resurrected uber-Cylon wife, Ellen (Kate Vernon), are by turns frisky and resolute (though it is depressing to learn that pole dancing was so popular on Caprica).
Adm. William Adama ( Edward James Olmos) not only stages one of the better do-or-die rescue missions ever, he even smiles once or twice (though most often in flashbacks). Laura Roslin's (Mary McDonnell) opera-house dream is finally explained, old treachery is paid back in full, and pretty much everyone, including Boomer ( Grace Park) and Cavil ( Dean Stockwell), is allowed a moment of heroism and grace.
As for Gaius Baltar (James Callis) and Caprica-Six (Tricia Helfer) both real and imagined, well, let's just say, the red dress finally makes sense. Sort of.
Yes, that's right, all is finally revealed, though in a way that leaves the door open for hours of satiated, as opposed to angry and agitated, speculation, not to mention a whole new round of term papers. Moore and his team should win not only an Emmy but a special Medal of Honor for Not Copping Out on the Finale.
In the end, the story is what one always suspected it was, a blueprint of sorts, an excavated journal of revelations that could be useful in the right hands. Much has been made of "Battlestar Galactica's" almost prescient political nature. Publicity was not the only reason the United Nations called on Moore, Eick, Olmos and McDonnell to participate in a discussion of human rights. The war between the humans and their machines, especially when it was revealed that some of the most devout resistance fighters were Cylons, has been seen as a mirror of our nation's war on terrorism.
Certainly theology, in both its curative and destructive forms, has been a major thread of the series as have other very modern concerns, including the fine line between rebellion and anarchy, the pitfalls of charismatic leadership, the high and ongoing price of freedom, and even the dangers of depression and alcoholism. (Spoiler alert: Tonight's finale contains, quite incidentally, one of the best drunken-barf scenes to appear on television.)
But more than anything, "Battlestar Galactica," like the most enduring myths, has been a lesson in great storytelling. Grand finales, as we all know, are a dangerous business; flouting convention may be crucial to a show's success, but it turns out to be a matter of discipline. Every writer wants his or her show to go out with a bang; the trick is to have it not destroy everything in the room.
Unlike some recent finales we could name, "Battlestar Galactica's" final hours may have plenty of explosions, and, it must be said, a few "oh, come on" moments. But in the end, it not only owns up to its narrative obligations, it glories in them.
As should we all.
mary.mcnamara@latimes.com
‘Battlestar Galactica‘ Finale
Fans will get three last hours of SciFi Channel's signature program
By MICHAEL HINMAN
Feb-16-2009
Source: Airlock Alpha
The final episode of "Battlestar Galactica" will indeed be three hours long, and SciFi Channel plans to air the end of what some hail as the most powerful science-fiction series of all time as a two-part special.
The first hour-long part will air in its normal timeslot of March 13 at 10 p.m. ET on SciFi Channel, followed by a two-parter March 20 beginning at an earlier 9 p.m. to account for the two hours. For fans who don't want to wait between episodes, SciFi Channel plans to re-air the March 13 episode at 8 p.m. ET on March 20, allowing those who want to watch it straight through to do just that, a SciFi Channel spokeswoman tells Airlock Alpha.
Rumors had abound that the finale could run as long as three hours after SciFi Channel reportedly gave the go-ahead for showrunner Ronald D. Moore and his crew to use as much airtime as they need to tell the story. That prompted some reports that other episodes of "Battlestar Galactica" would be extended, but only the fourth-season mid-season premiere in January was longer than the hour timeslot, and even then, it just ran over by a couple of minutes.
The split doesn't actually add a week to the series, but instead uses the ninth episode as a one-hour setup for the two-hour finale, thus creating a three-hour finale over two weeks (and three episode slots, which would actually bring the total number of hours in this half of the season to 11).
The finale of "Battlestar Galactica" has already been extensively ballyhooed, and some other sources at SciFi Channel expect it could draw some of the biggest numbers the network has seen for not only the signature series, but scripted programming as a whole. There is no word on whether or not SciFi Channel will do any special promotions for the finale, but they've already spent a good amount of money since late last year promoting the final episodes with decent audience returns for the first group of episodes that included a two-part attempted coup and most recently a bunch of backstory behind the Final Five Cylons.
"Battlestar Galactica" airs Fridays at 10 p.m. ET on SciFi Channel.
Special. The Face of the Enemy (A 10-part online series)
First aired: 12/12/2008
Writer: Jane Espenson, Seamus Kevin Fahey
Director: Wayne Rose
Guest star: Brad Dryborough (Lt. Hoshi), Leah Cairns (Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson) , William C. Vaughan (Lt. J. "Shark" Finnegan), Jessica Harmon (Esrin), Michael Rogers (Brooks)
Global rating: 8.2
A second series of ten Webisodes will be available on the official scifi.com/battlestar website throughout December 2008 and early January 2009. The first installment was released on December 12, 2008.
The story focuses on Lt. Gaeta in the aftermath of the events seen in the final episode of Season 4.0 ("Revelations"). Number Eight (
73. Sometimes a Great Notion
First aired: 1/16/2009
Writer: David Weddle, Bradley Thompson
Director: Michael Nankin
Kara struggles with the foreboding prediction of the Cylon Hybrid, while Adama and the Colonial fleet face despair over their shocking discovery.
74. A Disquiet Follows My Soul
First aired: 1/23/2009
Writer: Ronald D. Moore
Director: Ronald D. Moore
75. The Oath
First aired: 1/30/2009
Writer: Mark Verheiden
Director: John Dahl
76. Blood on the Scales
First aired: 2/6/2009
Writer: Michael Angeli
Director: Wayne Rose
77. No Exit
First aired: 2/13/2009
Writer: Ryan Mottesheard
Director: Gwyneth Horder-Payton
78. Deadlock
First aired: 2/20/2009
Writer: Jane Espenson
Director: Bob Young
79. Someone to Watch Over Me
First aired: 2/27/2009
Writer: David Weddle, Bradley Thompson
Director: Michael Nankin
80. Islanded in a Stream of Stars
First aired: 3/6/2009
Writer: Michael Taylor
Director: Edward James Olmos
81. Daybreak (1)
First aired: 3/13/2009
Writer: Ronald D. Moore
Director: Michael Rymer
September 18, 2008
The TSCC producer’s blog confirmed recent rumors that an upcoming female cast member part has been cast.
Stephanie Jacobsen, an Australian actress, has been cast as another member to join in the fight against the Terminators and is scheduled to appear in a multi-episode story arc in which she will be working rather *ahem* closely with Derek.
Stephanie will currently be seen in a couple episodes of “Life on Mars” but is best known for her breakout roll in the “Battlestar Galactica” movie “RAZOR.” Her character Kendra Shaw made a one time appearance in the critically acclaimed series as an officer being groomed aboard the Pegasus by the often-times cruel and heartless Admiral Caine.
Kendra battled with a drug addiction that stemmed from trying to ignore inner demons over following one set of particularly unforgivable orders given by Admiral Caine during the beginning of the Cylon War.
By MICHAEL HINMAN
Source: Ain't It Cool News
Sep-25-2008
This story contains MAJOR SPOILERS for the final episodes of "Battlestar Galactica."
Was Aaron Douglas pulling the legs of two radio personalities about the end of "Battlestar Galactica," or was he telling the truth?
Be warned before you keep reading, because a source says
According to Ain't It Cool News, Douglas -- who plays Galen Tyrol on the SciFi Channel series -- said that fans don't have to wonder if the humans will ever have a chance to visit the Cylon homeworld. That's because they've already seen it.
"You did at the end of the middle of Season 4,"
The "Earth" found in the mid-season finale is actually what writers called "Earth 1," a source told SyFy Portal. A catastrophic event happened that destroyed the planet, but the people of this Earth actually fled to a new homeworld, also called Earth, and the planet where all of us viewers are now standing on.
"What Aaron is trying to say is that the actual word for 'Earth' in the scriptures is 'Cylon,' and it reveals a lot about what we'll learn of the Final Five and their origins."
Last June, a source told SyFy Portal that fans should be careful not to think they have the show all figured out by the final minute of the mid-season ender, saying that they should not "make assumptions."
"Not everything is always as it seems," the source said at the time.
In other spoiler reports, SyFy Portal has previously reported that the identity of the final Cylon could come as early as the mid-season premiere, or the second episode, especially since it had originally been planned for the mid-season finale that aired last summer on SciFi Channel, but was bumped to a slightly later episode.
Of course, none of this has been officially confirmed by SciFi Channel or anyone in charge over at "Battlestar Galactica," so treat this like you would any rumor.
"Battlestar Galactica" returns in January on SciFi Channel.
Thanks to Jef Sof for the tip!
Now that's the way to open a season!
Cameron got blown up real good. Not good enough that her clothes, hair or skin suffered much in the way of damage. But the explosion does mean she reverts back to "Kill John Connor" mode. John and Sarah realize this shortly after getting out a jam in which John seems to kill a dude. They manage to get away from Cameron, thanks to another handy explosion.
Somehow she manages to shamble down the street and staple her face without drawing too much attention. The Connors talk about the necessity of getting rid of Cameron, since she knows everything about them. They set a trap for her at a church, but John isn't able to reprogram her in time. The Connors run some more.
Then they end up in a concrete canyon similar to the one from "T2." Cameron's there, and causes their stolen SUV to wreck. John runs away, and Cameron grabs Sarah. In another shoutout to "T2," Cameron tells Sarah to call to him. Even though, like the T1000, Cameron could imitate Sarah's voice if she wanted to. Cameron chases John, allowing Sarah to pin her with a truck.
Which led to one of the most interesting moments in the series for me. Cameron essentially begs for her life, saying repeatedly she's good now and she's run a test. And then she says that she loves John and John loves her. Moments later, John shuts her down. Well-acted by Summer Glau.
I assume that was all a ploy on Cameron's part. But it raises questions: Given the episode's reference to Samson & Delilah, are we supposed to think that Cameron is going to tempt John to his doom at some point? Also, for the ploy to have any chance, John does have to have some love for her, and she has to be aware of that. Partially, I admit curiosity as to whether John has been enjoying Terminator nookie. But on a less prurient level, it's interesting how quickly he's formed deep attachments to her. And then there's the possibility that what she was saying was true. Maybe the shock of being slammed by the truck did somehow set her right. It's as good an explanation as whatever fiddling John might be able to do to her chip with the random tools he had available, right?
Yeah, I got ahead of myself. They're getting ready to eliminate Cameron, when John takes a huge risk and reactivates her after having fooled around with her chip. She passes the test and doesn't kill the future hope of all mankind. I kind of figured we'd welcome
Cameron tells Sarah never to let John reactivate her again, and they talk about faith. Meanwhile, in what I'm taking as a reverse Samson, John gives himself a crew cut to show he's taking a step closer to being the future bad ass he's destined to be.
Elsewhere, Ellison tries to sell the FBI on the bag of goods that a lone gunman took out 20 agents rather than talk about killer cyborgs. At least one agent doesn't seem to buy it, and he's forced to take a mandatory leave while the case is evaluated. He runs into Cromartie Terminator, and tells him he won't lead Cromartie to the Connors. "I won't do the devil's work," he says. "We'll see," Cromartie replies.
And we get introduced to the purchaser of the Turk: Catherine Weaver, played by Shirley Manson of Garbage. She's a slightly-off CEO of a computer company. It was clear to me that she was likely a Terminator from her first appearance, because who else would know about the Turk and want it so desperately? Not to mention that speech about rules-breaking and such that struck me as reminiscent of a speech from Agent Smith in "The Matrix."
But I don't think anybody would have guessed that Catherine was a T-1000 (or technically a T-1001, according to FOX) I had a little geekgasm when she morphed from being a urinal to her human self and killed an annoying subordinate.
I mean, it's strange that she would just be hanging out as a urinal for a while (what if someone wanted to use her?) but still very cool nevertheless. It'll be interesting to see if she has a more sophisticated agenda than helping the Turk evolve into Skynet.
- posted by Raoul
'Battlestar Galactica' TV Movie Starts Production
Friday, September 12, 2008
Sci Fi Channel must have heard my cries of pain over the lengthy hiatus we're enduring as we wait for Battlestar Galactica to return in January. First they announced that they'd be super-sizing the final 10 episodes of the series, and then they released the fantastic news that a BSG two-hour TV movie is in the works. The movie will air sometime after the series wraps up in 2009, but it'll actually take place prior to the miniseries that kicked off the show. The movie, which has a script by Battlestar Galactica scribe Jane Espenson, went into production in
According to the Sci Fi Channel's press release, the story "focuses on familiar characters including Cylon Number One, known as Cavil (Dean Stockwell), Resistance Leader Sam T. Anders (Michael Trucco) and Chief Galen Tyrol (Aaron Douglas). In the beginning, the Cylons had a plan, but it didn't account for one thing: survivors. During the chaotic aftermath of the destruction, two powerful Cylon agents struggle with plots and priorities on the human ships that got away, and among the resistance fighters who were left behind."
- Don Williams, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Image courtesy of the Sci Fi Channel)
On the Scene: 'Battlestar Galactica''s mid-season finale screening
Jun 13, 2008, 06:46 PM | by Dafna Pleban (EW.com)
Categories: Battlestar Galactica, I'm Just a Geek, On the Scene, Television
Seriously, people, it's a crime that Battlestar Galactica doesn't get the Emmy recognition it deserves. To help remedy that situation, the Los Angeles Times’ awards blog The Envelope hosted a screening on Wednesday of the mid-season finale episode, "Revelations," for Emmy voters, press and fans alike (you'll be able to catch the episode tonight at 10/9 central on the Sci Fi Channel). Along with a sneak peak at the last episode for this year (according to various people on the red carpet, the show will return January or February of 2009, but a date has yet to be determined), press and fans got a chance to mingle with the show's executive producer Ronald D. Moore, Tricia Helfer (pictured, Six), Mary McDonnell (Laura Roslin) and Katee Sackhoff (Kara Thrace), all of whom sat down with the audience after the screening to answer questions.
By Joanna Hunkin
Terminator Summer Glau.
Wide-eyed and petite, with the long limbs and ruler-straight posture of a prima ballerina, Summer Glau could not be any less like Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Her soft, thoughtful whisper of a voice is the antithesis of the former bodybuilder's thickly accented, booming call.
And yet, the doll-like actress is Arnie's successor. Glau is the new terminator, sent from the future to protect Sarah Connor and her teenage son John, in the new television series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, beginning next Wednesday on TV2.
"What is important about this terminator is she doesn't appear to be a terminator," explains Glau. "She's meant to blend into society."
Of course, the physical disparity between Schwarzenegger and Glau is no coincidence.
"Arnold Schwarzenegger is the terminator. Everybody thinks of him. It would be very hard for someone with his persona or look to take on that role.
"To have someone completely different, I think, is a safer and smarter choice for the series."
Making a TV spin-off of such an iconic film franchise, both cast and crew knew they would be under intense scrutiny from fans, but perhaps none more so than Thomas Dekker, who takes on Edward Furlong's role of John.
"John Connor was an idol of mine, so it was weird to be offered it," says the 20-year-old.
"We really want to stress that we're not making a remake. It's an extension, a parallel. We all love the story and we're making it grow. We're not trying to re-do these characters."
Artistically, taking on the established role of John was difficult for Dekker, who prefers to build his characters from the ground up, creating his own background, history and motivation.
"I tried to maintain [Furlong's] instincts. His outspokenness, his stubbornness. He's very lion-hearted. There's an intensity about him that I share, personally. I tried to maintain those things while putting him in a totally different situation."
The series begins in 1999, after Terminator 2: Judgment Day but before Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. Having delayed Judgment Day, Sarah and John are wanted fugitives, living life on the run under a series of false aliases.
"Imagine going out every day, walking down the street, seeing a police officer and thinking 'oh my God, this is it.' It's a very frightening, terrible way to live," says Dekker.
"In the film, John was young, he could draw attention to himself, he wasn't scared. He definitely keeps his head down more now."
Though Glau's character Cameron didn't feature in any of the films, she says there was still a collective pressure to do the story justice.
"It was scary. We were nervous. Not because we didn't believe in it - because we thought it was a beautiful pilot - but people tend to want to dislike something. The fans are very loyal."
It was with bated breath that the cast and crew headed to
"There were a lot of really, really intense fans there," recalls Glau. "They were so excited after they saw it. They were so complimentary."
Originally a professional dancer, Glau turned to acting after an injury ended her ballet career. The physicality of playing a terminator was a huge drawcard for the actress, who finds it difficult to sit around on set all day.
"Ninety per cent of being an actor is waiting. So playing a role where I get to sweat and get tired really appealed to me."
But Glau soon discovered that playing a robot is tougher than it looks, particularly for someone who has spent years training to be graceful and elegant.
"When you're playing a robot, basically, you pick things up and throw them or you break walls and run people over. It's just brute force."
She learned to dehumanise her movements, adopting the mechanical motion of a robot.
"You can't cross your legs, you can't move your face, or scratch yourself."
Glau also took a crash course in gunmanship, learning how to handle the show's vast artillery of weapons.
"The gun training was intense because we use so many different types of guns. You need to know how to use them properly or you look stupid.
"I bought books about guns because I would come to the set and have some amazing gun that I was going to use. I didn't want to be the stupid actress who didn't know what they were."
But despite her best efforts, Glau has still come in for criticism over her petite, un-Terminator-like appearance. So has her British co-star, Lena Headey, who plays Linda Hamilton's character Sarah Connor.
British feminist and novelist Bidisha, a fan of the Terminator films, expressed disappointment at the casting of Headey, describing her as "a toothpick-thin, feeble-looking Sarah Connor".
Earlier this year, Bidisha said, "Presenting a clearly emaciated actress as a heroine is a crime against women."
Glau has one response to such criticism: Don't watch the show.
"All I can say is if you don't like it, you don't have to watch it. I'm very protective of
"She can't change the way she looks and I can't change they way I look. And I don't want to."
The girls aren't the only ones to have come in for flak over their physical appearance. Dekker has also been the subject of criticism, with some fans labelling the actor's portrayal of John "emo".
"A lot of people are calling John emo, which is funny," says Dekker.
"They're calling me emo, which is hilarious, as I'm as far away from emo as you could possibly get. I just have long hair."
Despite the criticisms, the series has been largely well-received by critics and audiences, and was recently confirmed for a second series in
Who: Summer Glau and Thomas Dekker
What: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles begins next Wednesday, TV2, 9.30pm
Trivia: Glau had never seen the Terminator films until she was cast in the role of Cameron.
FOX Announces Summer Schedule, 'Terminator' Opposite 'Prison Break' on Mondays
Friday, May 02, 2008
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is coming back for its second season in the Fall. The series was thought to be in danger of cancellation, but FOX recently made the announcement that the series will be returning for its second season – unfortunately, not a whole lot of people watched the first season. If you were one of those people, who foolishly shunned Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles the first time around, do not fret. You don't have to wait for the DVD or illegally download a large torrent file; FOX is going to re-air the first season at the end of the summer. In addition, FOX announced much of its summer schedule, and it gives a hint at what the FOX Fall schedule may look like.
Starting Monday, August 11, FOX will begin airing reruns of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles at 8pm, followed by reruns of Prison Break at 9. Since baseball typically pushes FOX's season premieres into October, I think it's safe to assume that Terminator will have enough time to air all nine first season episodes. FOX has yet to announce their Fall schedule (upfronts are coming in a couple of weeks), but this summer schedule is also very telling.
This Season's No. 1 New Scripted Series Returns with All New Episodes
Brian Austin Green Joins the Cast as a Series Regular
FOX has picked up 13 episodes of TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES (T:SCC) for the 2008-2009 season.
The explosive, season-ending cliffhanger left CAMERON (Summer Glau) rocked by a car bomb and SARAH CONNOR (Lena Headey) close to locating an important Skynet component. Viewers were left with unanswered questions regarding DEREK's (Brian Austin Green) true intentions and JOHN's (Thomas Dekker) fate as the savior of mankind. These questions and more will be answered in season two of TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES.
The show currently ranks as the No. 1 new scripted series this season among Adults 18-49. The action packed series represents an exciting reinvention of the "Terminator" film franchise, in which the strong and intrepid Sarah discovers that protecting her son and stopping the rise of the machines is more difficult than she had ever imagined.
Produced by C2 Pictures in association with Warner Bros. Television, TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES is executive produced by Josh Friedman and John Wirth. James Middleton serves as consulting producer, while Toni Graphia serves as co-executive producer and Natalie Chaidez serves as a consulting producer for the series.
-FOX-
