Mostly very fair comments. I certainly appreciate everything you say, and definitely understand that to some the series works. It definitely doesn’t work for me.

(I mean, the people that were slaughter innocently in Razor were scared and caught in the war but still acted the way real people act by saying, “Uh, no. This is wrong. You can’t do this.” But not one person on the military side would deem to challenge a bullet to the head of the #2 with literally 10 seconds of conversation to validate that bullet? Yeah, I’m not buying that.

But let me say this… the acting, production, music, effects are all top notch. And I do appreciate the effort, but as you said, obviously not my frackin’ cup of raktajino.

Anyway, I’m guessing no one will ever read this.

All the best my fellow Trekkies!

“Anyway, SPOILER ALERT … when the XO murders someone on the bridge of a ship (and I don’t care what the universe is … with a bullet to the head, but just saying, “I can’t follow that order.” Not for anything like, “I’m taking over.”, and everyone on the bridge just says, “Uh, OK, let’s continue. Because she is tough.” That is ridiculous “stupid chief story telling.”

Gabriel, if you don’t like the new “Galactica,” that’s cool, it’s not for everyone. But I honestly don’t think you’re paying very close attention to the show, because I don’t see how you can feel like all you’re being given by the writers is “stupid chief story telling.”

The scene you refer to in “Razor” in which Cain kills her XO for refusing to carry out her orders . . . how can you think that the reason the crew continues is becuase they think she’s “tough”? Do you not understand that these people are SCARED OUT OF THEIR MINDS? Their entire race, themselves excluded, has been wiped out of existence. There is no more clearcut a case of having your back against the wall with a need for your teeth to be out than this one. At this point, all they have to fall back on is their training, their orders, and their leader, so of course they’re going to proceed accordingly. The XO was morally right; but militarily, he was wrong, and he (knowingly) paid the price for it.

But “Razor” continue on from that point to be all about the mental and emotional fallout from Cain’s decisions. It fits seamlessly with the existing Cain episodes, and taken as a whole, there is no way in which the content of the story bears out what you seem to be taking from it.

As for the Tigh issue . . . well, if you know how Season 3 ends, then you know that it’s hard to say how the Adama/Tigh friendship is going to play out. It may be that Adama’s willingness to cover Tigh’s missteps is going to result in a huge calamity. Maybe not. Either way, I don’t think the show wants you to be fully sympathetic toward Tigh, at any point during his character arc from the miniseries onward. In fact, consider how certain actions of his at the beginning of Season 2 reflect some of Cain’s decisions during “Razor.” But again, bear in mind . . . these people are at war. Tigh is something of a necessity in any condition, because he at least knows his job; and Adama seems to be able to get good work out of him. Here is an instance in which Adama is shown to be a different commander to Cain; probably a better one, at that.

I’m hard-pressed to think of an instance in which Adama exhibits this “stupid chief” quality of command. I feel certain that he does at some point, but it’s not coming to be right now. I am CERTAIN, however, that he does not exhibit that quality consistently. Nor does Roslin, or anybody else in a command position.

So where exactly have you gotten the idea that all this show is is stupid people barking stupid orders at stupider people who stupidly follow them? Man, I just don’t get it.

The problem here may be that all of the major characters are impeccably well-drawn and well-played on a level of realism. NOBODY is all good, and nobody is all evil. Each character — including the Cylons — is extremely human, meaning riddled with flaws, and capable of both good and evil to varying degrees. Admittedly, this is unsual on television, and ever rarer in sci-fi television.

This is a show that, unlike almost every other space-based show ever filmed, occasionally calls its captains into question and accountability for their actions. In no way does that make the new “Battlestar Galactica” a better show, but it does make it a different show, and it means that you have to analyze it with that fact in mind if you’re going to get anything out of it.

You, sir, seem to have failed to do so.

Sorry, by the way, if I sound like I’m trying to force my views on you. I’m really not. I just think that “Battlestar Galactica” is complex stuff, and that you’ve simply been misreading it. Really, my comments are for anyone out there who happens to be reading this and thinking, on the basis of what you’ve said, that they’ll skip the show. More likely, I’m pissing into the wind, but that’s alright, too.

I might also add that, like yourself, I was (and still am) a big fan of the original “Galactica,” as well. Different times call for different art, and while I’d have to say that I prefer the new one, I don’t think it robs the old one of its worth.

Heck, I’m even excited that “Galactica 1980″ is finally coming to DVD. It’s crap, but even IT had its moments.

Anyway, SPOILER ALERT … when the XO murders someone on the bridge of a ship (and I don’t care what the universe is … with a bullet to the head, but just saying, “I can’t follow that order.” Not for anything like, “I’m taking over.”, and everyone on the bridge just says, “Uh, OK, let’s continue. Because she is tough.” That is ridiculous “stupid chief story telling.”

Also, every order ever barked by a drunken, ignorant Tigh, that Adama just says, “Well, he is a damn fine military officer, it’s fine.” I could go on and on.

But certainly I respect what they are trying to do and the look of the series is great. Just way to heavy handed.

My meaningless opinion.

Gabriel

I’m takin’ it to the streets yo! (have the greatest hits vol 1, good stuff) dl

For the thousands of hours of Trek, some of it is really good, much of it is formula, and some of it is really bad.

As a huge fan of the whole concept in general, I look past the formula and take more good from it than bad and revel in it when it really hits it’s stride.

There were a lot of creative forces pushing and pulling trek to one end or the other. In the end I think storytelling for tv has shifted to more complex and complicated plot lines and character developement, and of all the series, DS9 did that the best and was a bit ahead of the game. Look now at how many primetime dramas are “serialized” rather than episodic.

Anyway, I give Ron M, lots of credit, love Battlestar too, and if he follows the posts, I would say to him, I loved the classic bsg design elements in Razor!, and also wish you would lighten the tone overall once in a while…, and coincidence heavy plotlines become hard to swallow sometimes… even if it makes sense in the overall storytelling… ( i really can’t stomach half the Galactica crew being cylon)

Doug L.