BSG Preview: Season 4.5 Is Here + Olmos as Picard? January 16, 2009
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: BSG , trackback
The ragtag fleet is back! Tonight the first of the final 10 episodes of Battlestar Galactica airs and so TrekMovie brings back our weekly BSG previews. Tonight’s episode "Sometimes a Great Notion" is the first BSG (not counting webisodes) in six months. We have all the latest on BSG (plus some Trek connections) to get you started.
[SPOILERS]
“Sometimes a Great Notion” [Season 4 Ep. 11]
Airing on the Sci-Fi Channel tonight , January 16th at 10 PM (9 Central)
Synopsis: Kara struggles with the foreboding prediction of the Cylon Hybrid, while Adama and the Colonial fleet face despair over their shocking discovery.
There is not a specific promo for tonight’s episode, but here is one for ‘Seasons 4.5′ as a whole.
DVR Alert: the episode will run 3/12 minutes long
Final Webisode
The 10th and final part of "Face of the Enemy" webisode is available on Hulu and at SciFi.com
Go to a Frak Party
Want to watch BSG with a crowd? Well there are public ‘Frak Parties’ all around the country, Galactica SitRep has a breakdown.
BSG 4.0 Marathon today of SciFi
If you need to catch up with Battlestar, you can watch the first ten episodes of season four (and some of season three), airing in a marathon today, starting at 8:30 AM on SciFi.
BSG 4.0 on DVD
The first 10 episodes of Season four, plus an extended version of the ‘Razor’ movie, were released last week on the Battlestar Galactica 4.0 DVD set. Here is a promo:
BATTLESTAR NEWS
Olmos talks Picard with Whoopi and Barbara
Edward James Olmos (Admiral Adama) was on The View today promoting Battlestar along with co-star Mary McDonnel (Laura Roslin). During the segment show co-host Barbara Walters asked Olmos why he turned down the role of Picard on Star Trek The Next Generation, check it out:
Ron Moore talks Trek lessons in BSG
BSG co-creators Ron Moore and David Eick did a conference call all about the return of BSG last week (see full transcript). Here is an interesting comment regarding what Moore learned from Trek:
Ron, having worked on Star Trek in years past, we’re there any lessons that you took home from those spin off series that you’re now able to apply to Caprica as a spinoff of the Battlestar universe?
Ron Moore: Probably first and foremost that you don’t try to repeat the formula. You know, I think that, you know, I questioned at the time Trek’s, when Star Tre – after Deep Space Nine when they developed the Voyager, and then subsequently Enterprise. Both those projects felt too similar to Next Generation and to the original series for me and by my lights.
I felt that, Deep Space was the way to do a spin off series of an existing franchise where you really are doing a very different show. It’s a different format. It’s a different feeling. You know, and the Deep Space Nine station lent itself to continuing stories. The Next Generation was episodic. I mean they were just very different animals. I felt that it was more creatively satisfying to do that instead of doing a, you know, a spin off that just felt like a different version of the mother ship. And so that definitely informed, you know, the process as we went into Caprica.
BSG Auction
Want to own your own Viper, or Tricia Helfer’s famous red dress, or any ohter piece of BSG history. Well there is a live auction taking place this weekend, more information at BattlestarProps.com (also check out the info on the Ebay auction). The auction is being run by PropWorx, owned by friend of the site and contributor Alec Peters. Alec was interviewed by BSG Cast about the auction, check it out:
Frakkin’ Links
- There are too many frakkin interviews and articles this week to link to, but our pals at GalacticaSitRep have a full breakdown, check it out.
A NOTE ON COMMENTS
The comments section below is for the majority of Trek fans who are also BSG fans. It is to discuss the series, the week’s episode and anything else related to the preview article above. If you are not a fan of the show, then why are you even reading this far down into this post? There are plenty of Trek stories so just move on. Any flaming of BSG will be considered trolling. If you have issues with this site having one BSG column a week, then make a note in the site feedback page.
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Comments
came here for the line “public Frak party” and was not disappointed.
Tip the veal, try the waitress….
Can’t wait to get my hands on those DVDs. :D
woo! the final episodes FINALLY! :D I can’t wait… though, I’m also sad it’s ending ;_;
@3
It’s hard to believe it’s been four seasons since it all started, isn’t it? I still remember that evening when I stumbled upon the very first episode of the miniseries. Here in Asia, the show is aired on Cinemax Asia. I made it a point to see each airing every weekend. When they finally reached the end of season one (and at the time, I didn’t know season 2 was in the works) where Boomer shoots Adama and Baltar & Co are left stranded on Kobol, the TV announcer proudly declared, “And that was the last episode of Battlestar Galactica!” and I went, “WHAT?!”
I was so thrilled to find a copy of season two. XDDD
BSG today, Lost next week – the two best series on air again. I hope they don’t blow the finale and the choice for the last cylon won’t be too absurd.
Wow, now I can’t stop wondering what TNG could have been with Eddie as Picard…
It definately would have been a different TNG, I can’t imagine the Q episodes with Mr. Olmos….
The final Cylon turns out to be….
…(drumroll)…
…..LUCIFER!
Oh, how I wish.
#7. Mike Ten – January 16, 2009 “It definately would have been a different TNG, I can’t imagine the Q episodes with Mr. Olmos….”
Script-writing notwithstanding, Eddie’s interpretation of Capt. Picard’s dealing with Q might have been closer to what Sisko thought of Q – but then, even there, that might have ended up precluding Sisko’s awesome line, after punching Q in the face on DS9, “…I’m not Picard!” LOL!
(As an actor myself, I know better than to think Eddie, or ANY professional actor, would have taken it upon himself to change the script – unless he thought it ‘played’ better – and then only with the episode director’s approval. As Brent Spiner has been heard quoting, “If it ain’t on the page, it ain’t on the stage.”)
But this is an amazing topic to think about. I’m glad Barbara posed the question. Now, just who ELSE auditioned for all the various roles in each of the Star Trek series’? (Besides Cap. Janeway, which most of us know – and which has online YouTube videos showing the first day of shooting ST:VOY’s pilot episode before Kate Mulgrew came on board….) That alone is what the above interview on The View brings to mind – the long [Hollywood] process of choosing the “right” person to play any role in question can’t be an easy job.
BTW, I just love BSG (both versions, actually, for the original is what in time would inspire Ron to do what he has done with the new show, and so well). And Mary is simply tremendous in Ron’s remade series. And more: she won me over long before BSG and even her small role in the movie “Independence Day.” As the character STANDS WITH A FIST in “Dances With Wolves,” Kevin’s cast for DWW wouldn’t have been the same without her – which to me is what this discussion is all about. Wow, what tremendous talent – everyone on BSG, both in front of and behind the camera. You can bet I’ll be watching tonight. THIS is what we have been waiting for.
From a grateful Star Trek fan and BSG fan: thank you, Anthony, for posting this thread topic – and the YouTube link to The View.
@9–
I was always very fond of Geneviève Bujold
His creed is “Don’t repeat the formula,” so he immediately goes out and faithfully repeats his formula of “Every week is a shocking revelation that irrevocable shatters everything you thought you knew about the preceding weeks?”
#8 – LOL!
Lucifer or Count Iblis!
Hmmm…methinks Mary has had some work done…she looks very re-imagined :)
I have avoided spoilers (the few out there) for 6 months, and I can’t wait for tonight, yea!!!!!
Battlestar Galactica, the best show on TV.
Finally, the final episides…I’m both exited and very sad. My phone had better not ring tonight, I’ve been waiting for this for the last year!
Picard (muttering under his breath): Guano!
Woulda been cool.
#I agree, cell will be shut off and phone off hook. It’s bittersweet for the final 10 episodes airing. But can’t wait for tonight and read the final episode will be 3 hours, maybe longer on DVD 4.5. I can’t wait for the entire series to be released on blu ray, I have season 1 on hd DVD and there is a big difference. I found a blu ray HD DVD combo player(open box) at best buy for $139.00 2 weeks ago, works great on both formats.
Rehashed here for relevance:
Here in Portland, Oregon, all final episodes can be viewed (free admission) on the big screen, at a local brew pub. The establishment is a beautifully renovated movie theater, complete with a glitzy balcony section, reminiscent of a venue from the 1940s:
“Southeast Portland’s marvelous relic of Hollywood’s Golden Age is a stunning movie palace full of wonder and surprises. For nearly four generations now, the Bagdad’s Mediterranean and neon persona and daily offerings of celluloid adventures have made it an icon of Portland’s vibrant Hawthorne District. A movie hall of the best sort, the Bagdad’s interior is an attraction unto itself with barreled arches, ornate, wrought iron fixtures, brilliant-colored mosaic work, and painted and stenciled Mediterranean designs and mythical characters. Kick back in the theater and enjoy a slice of pizza and a handcrafted ale during the show, or come early and enjoy dinner in the casual pub that fronts the theater. But be forewarned — outdoor tables in the summertime may be hard to come by!”
Check out these cool pictures of the theater:
http://www.mcmenamins.com/galleryb.php?loc=9&id=5089
That’s about as close to being in “The Opera House” as it gets!
Just a heads-up for anyone who happens to acquire a screener copy for tonight’s premiere… the last scene has been cut from the screeners. A big reveal happens that they don’t want to get out. The screener is not the complete episode. Condier yourself warned.
Thanks, as always, for the shout outs! I hope my fellow ST/BSG fans will come over to Sitrep this season on weekends — we are going to have open threads every Friday this season to discuss the eps properly. :)
BSG=Best Show Going.
And now, sadly it comes to an end. Like dessert and sex,you wish it could go on forever, but the finish is always satisfying.
I have to gig tonight so the DVR is going to get to see it before me.
#10
Yeah, but have you seen those takes with her as Janeway? Yikes. She’s stiff as a board. I think it was better for Trek and for Bujold that they parted ways.
@22…
Oh yeah, Sean, I watched it. Would not have worked.
For once I agree with Mr. Berman, she would have been fine for a
Motion Picture, but Mulgrew was the right choice for TV…
Double emphasis on those who haven’t watched the webisodes at SciFi now that all ten are up.
“Face of the Enemy” is superb. It’s the type of “Below the Decks” story that Battlestar does *right*. I only have minor quibbles in the way one of the lines is delivered by the actor who plays Hoshi… But that’s the only nit I see. I hope it’s on the 4.5 disk…
Frak! I knew buying the Mini-Series DVD and the Razor DVD separately was a mistake…
OK — I’m a goof. I thought in the writer’s commentary she was calling Grace Park “Hoshi,” and thereby confusing her with Linda Park’s character on ENT. Duh, me.
I can’t wait for BSG tonigh!!!!
For those recording it tonite…I read that it will run four or five minutes long…so set your DVRs accordingly…
Very excited about tonight’s episode and the bittersweet ending of it all.
I’m waiting for the ultimate battle between the civil war skinjobs and the skinjobs that joined the Humans and the Colonials….noone survives…end credits….
Just kidding….Can’t wait to see the episodes myself been addicted to them since day one…
EJO was offered the role of Picard?
Would he have been better than Patrick Stewart?
It’s baaack, and im guesing it’ll be better than ever!! It is sad that the series is ending, but nice that it’s on their own terms. Can’t wait for tonight!!
They’d never do this in a million years, but my personal pick for the Final Cylon would be Doc Cottle. It would be abso-frakking-lutely perfect!
Doc Cottle would be an interesting choice as the final cylon. Given his comment on New Caprica about the blood, “it is all the same to me”, when he was helping a cylon who was attacked in one of Tigh’s attacks.
Wow. If Olmos had done TNG, he would have been featured in two of my favorite shows of all time, TNG and Miami Vice…..yes, I’m old.
He would’ve made a cool captain, I believe.
Oh yeah, I made the same mistake of buying all the DVD’s and Razor and then finding out that you get Razor with season 4.0. Oh well.
I considered Cottle as well but I remember a line from the episode when the Prez and Baltar and the pilots are kidnapped on the Base ship and one of the Cylons says that 4 of the final 5 are with the fleet. If you have the new season on DVD and watch the bonus feature “Season 4.0-The Untold Story-Untold”, there is, I believe, a great big clue to the final Cylon.
I won’t give up my guess, but mark my words, if I’m right I’ll be back and crow.
Re; 36
I could just see Picard with a skinny tie, eyes fixed squarely downward on his desk. “Riker. Data. Go check it out.” *Phil Collins starts playing*
#34, #35
I thought about that, but I think it will be someone younger. I don’t have 100% proof, obviously, but here’s why:
1′s – Cavil
2′s – Leoben
3′s – D’Anna
4′s – Simon
5′s – Doral
6′s – Natalie
7′s – Tory (conjecture)
8′s – Sharon
9′s – Anders (conjecture)
10′s – ???
11′s – Chief Tyrol (conjecture)
12′s – Colonel Tigh (conjecture)
Since the original, known models seemed to follow a pattern of decreasing age based on higher model numbers, I think the pattern might restart going the other direction after reaching the median age in the middle (right around Sharon & Tory). It’s a total guess, but for some reason that seems to fit.
I don’t know what Roddenberry’s obsession with the French was in his later years, but if you’re going to have a French Captain, it should have been Jean Reno.
I read that Roddenberry’s original choice for Picard was Stephen Macht, hardly a celebrity, then or now.
Re: #38. Hilarious.
I think BSG might be the greatest program ever created and I don’t say that lightly.
I think BSG might be the greatest program ever too…
…but I say that so very lightly that you’d think I’d hit the fizzy lifting drinks at the chocolate factory.
It’s about frakking time!
Ron Moore sent the Trek franchise off course.
IMO
I can’t think of a single character to be revealed as the final Cylon, who wouldn’t seem like a lame cop-out. They wrote themselves into a corner with that one.
Boxey is the final cylon
It’s going to be Ellen Tigh.
I’m bidding on a few pieces for the auction, but I probably won’t get anything. Still, I think this auction hasn’t been promoted very well, so who knows?
#45
In what way did he send it off course? DS9 was the best post-TOS Trek there was.
HOLY SMOKES! Eddie as Capt. Picard? the possibilites
The final cylon will be Lee Adama… He is the one most do not expect and never thought could be the one. He is the most likable character on the show and it will shock everyone.
I can imagine Olmos as Picard sweet, but i’m glad Patrcik Stewart got the role. because Olmos is good as Amiral Adama.
You can bid on a full size Raptor, Cylon Raider, and Viper for the auction. I bid on the Viper just to say I bid on it.
Face of the Enemy shows just how a true PROFESSIONAL can handle a taboo subject. Ron Moore is a Class act and can tell a story without putting anything in your face, especially an Agenda. There will not be a 4 minute Gaeta humping scene, just a peck to get the point across. Kudos RM
And the final Cylon is……
William Shatner.
You know you’d love it. :D
The Final Cylon is . . . you.
Dammit, I just have to say it:
So first a Mexican actor is considered to play the good French captain, and instead the part goes to a British actor. Don’t know what to say or think about that!! ;-)
I knew it! I knew it! I knew it
I called it months ago
EARTH is a Cylon colony!
Stuff that in your pipe and smoke it
This episode is so depressing. I am glad Star Trek has a monopoly on Optimism. There has to be a happy ending for BSG.
Just watched tonight’s episode…. Holy @#$, do they ever take you on a ride. What an incredible story. I may need a sedative before the final episode rolls around!
Man, just when I think they can’t top themselves, they top themselves. And poor Dee. Thought she might have been the Fifth before she you-know-whated.
The final Cylon is…a disappointment.
#55:”Ron Moore is a Class act and can tell a story without putting anything in your face, especially an Agenda. ”
You make it unmistakably clear that you have an “agenda” of your own.
Dee was not upset about Earth, she had just watched several BSG episodes in a row.
Gods this show is depressing. I was half expecting Athena to drop the baby while they were playing. They were just too damn happy.
wow… what a rush…. need more… omg dee… omg…
59: “EARTH is a Cylon colony!”
That’s not how I interpreted it. Earth is the origin world. After it gets nuked, the surviving humanoid Cylons fled out into space and founded the Colonies.
Everyone’s a Cylon. There are no true humans in the show.
Not true
If you follow the story,
1> All colonies originate at Kobol
2> the bones of the Earth colony don’t match the bones of the 12 colonies
3> Ellen Tygh invents the Resurrection machines
It was kinda obvious from last year Earth was a Cylon planet. I mean, they were practically shoving it in our faces thanks to the final five and Starbuck.
#68…
They’re mistaken about Kobol being the birth world. We’ll see…
Humans come from Earth.
Oh sweet jeebus! I’ve been on a geek high ever since the show ended… and I’m thinking could the final Cylon be not who you-know-who said it was? What if it still may be the person you had earlier you-know-whated, and that other person is simply mistaken?
Sometimes it’s really hard to avoid spoilers….
Oh, and has anyone else noticed that http://en.battlestarwiki.org is down? Could it be that traffic has inundated it?
Good for BSG. Moore said they’d get the ‘big questions’ out of the way long before the last ep. That clears the way for the characters to react and resolve their issues (or die.) The sci-fi stuff is just wallpaper. It’s all about the people… and THAT’s good storytelling!
#64 my agenda is to expose the agenda lol
It seems weird to me that the final cylon could be who they said it was, especially with all of the stuff going on with Kara!
Wasn’t the final cylon supposed to be someone in that “Last Supper” photo?
Watched the episode last night. A couple of shock value moments, but I found the episode to be boring. I suspect their will be more about the 13th colony and Earth than was presented last night. Perhaps Starbuck is the last Cylon, or their will be some time travel element. I guess I was expecting something else after this long wait and the “cliff hanger” they left us with.
#75 – The Final Cylon was supposed to be someone WHO WAS NOT in the Last Supper photo.
@75 The final cylon is NOT in the Last Supper photo. And, indeed, that is the case.
after meeting the BSG crew at Dragon*Con 08 ans seeing how they are in public all I can say is Sci-Fi is tupid for taking this show off the air, if you get a chance to go to a convention attend the BSG panel you will laugh your self till death, i was one of the few to see them outside of the panel and they were still together as a group, having dinner and joking and acconmidating fans
I think Before her Viper crashed ,Kara was rescued by parties unknown and replaced with a clone that died in the crash.
The writing and acting on this show is incredible. It is one of THE best written shows on TV today. I really enjoyed last night’s episode. There were some really shocking moments that blew me away. It’s great being surprised by something. I just wish I hadn’t been reading all the things about the new Trek movie and seeing images from it.. that is exactly how I want to feel going in to see Trek.
SPACE in Canada ran the entire season 4 leading up to the season premiere.. they even ran all the webisodes right before as well. It was well done too.. felt like an episode. How they handled Gaeta being get was done tastefully without overdoing it.
And I hear that the series finale with be a 3 hour episode. Nice!
The webisodes are on the SPACE page if anyone hasn’t seen them…
http://www.spacecast.com/
#79: Taking BSG off the air was not Sci-Fi Channel’s choice, but Ron Moore and his crew.
I’ve not seen much of BSG in the past three years (I am not even sure it shown over here), but Moore is on record saying he doesn’t want the show to be drawn out, stale.. i.e., they made a conscious effort to have an end plan in mind.
Lost is taking that same tack… for many of the same reasons.
#55: oh just give it up.
#63
And it was always going to be, no matter who they chose.
#55, 64, 84 Is 55′s comment supposed to be a slap at the folks at Star Trek: Phase II’s Blood and Fire? Because, otherwise, 64′s right.
Like I said in 24, “Face of the Enemy” is well-written whether it had been ‘Louis Hoshi’ or ‘Hoshi Sato’… no agenda required.
85 I agree with you….no agenda with BSG
One of the subtle messages from last nite’s episode was that this holocaust of Earth began 2,000 years ago. If that’s correct, how did Starbuck traveled back to Galactica 2,000 years into the future? I mean, her remains and the remains of the ship was there. And I assume that the crash happened 2,000 years ago, so that when the cylons saw the crash, they just replicated her and her ship to go back to Galactica. Will there be an element of time travel in these last episode? That would be Moore’s homage to Star Trek. When all else fails, try time travel.
#87 its simple there are no real humans left there haven’t been for 1tens of thousands of years. they are trapped in a repeating program loop, same persons same events reoccur over and over. it has happened before and it will happen again.
# 87. USS TRINOMA.
I think you’ve hit on a main thread for the coming season. Interesting. Follow Starbuck?
It was a great new show, saw it last night. Really frakin’ good. Frak Earth!
#77 & #78 – Ah ok… thanks guys! My bad!
I think the real final cylon is… Ron Moore.
Mary McDonnell is still pretty fuckin hot. I wouldn’t say no to that.
#87
Nothing in the episode pointed to Starbuck’s wreckage being from 2000 years ago. The body was still ‘fresh’ – it had hair and meat. 2000 years in the open air and neither would likely be there (hair lasts longer than flesh, but not *that* much longer). Even if that body was somehow from 2000 years in the past and decomp was somehow slowed, we’d have 3 Starbucks – the one that exploded at the gas giant, the one that made it to Earth and was subsequently destroyed in the nuclear blast, and the one that made it back to Galactica. But that seems unnecessarily complex.
I’m about 99% sure Starbuck crashed in the same timeframe the Colonials are in. The real question is how did her wreckage make it from the gas giant to Earth. Black hole? Wormhole? Was it deliberately placed? Was that even her body or just a ruse? Maybe when Ellen resurrected (though where she resurrected would be the big question, since it couldn’t have been a Cylon-controlled resurrection facility) she remembered everything and placed the wreckage there to drive Starbuck crazy and ensure the humans wouldn’t follow her?
#89
“I think you’ve hit on a main thread for the coming season. Interesting. Follow Starbuck?”
Hopefully they won’t , since both hybrids called her ‘The Harbinger of Death’! I’m starting to wonder if something Starbuck does is what leads them to enter the cycle again. I’m thinking of Lee’s words in ‘Revelations’ where he said they didn’t have to let it all happen again. Maybe ditching Starbuck is the key in some way.
Why is no one saying “thank gawd” they picked Patrick Stewart for Picard instead of Edward James Olmos?
Stewart is clearly the superior actor! All Olmos ever does is grimace, frown and look angry! Anybody could do THAT!!
#93
Aww Harry, I think Eddie is a fantastic actor. I can’t imagine anyone but Stewart filling the Picard role, but Olmos does a whole lot more than ‘grimace, frown and look angry’. Just look that the last two episodes of BSG – when he finds out Saul is a Cylon he completely breaks down, bursting into tears in his son’s arms. That’s a scene that not just anyone could do. Much like Stewart’s scene in ‘Sarek’. The Adama character lends itself to seriousness and quiet moments, but he’s always found a way to make it much more than that.
48. Commodore Lurker – January 16, 2009
It’s going to be Ellen Tigh.
Okay, I missed the ep.
Is everyone saying I was right????????????????
#94
Sean, as the mirror Spock said to Kirk, “I shall consider it!”
I appreciate your feedback!
#95
Yup, you were right.
#96
That’s all I can ask Harry! :)
97. sean
WOW! Thanks.
I agree that Eddie had had a great moment when he uttered the most gut-wrenching heart-breaking “frak you!” to his friend-turned-cylon Saul Tigh!
Plus, to everyone that said that the episode was depressing, well, it might have been because everyone in the episode was depressed! They had just had their dreams and hopes of finding Earth slashed, and now they have no goal to strive towards anymore. Totally understandable reactions. And now I can’t wait to see what they come up with next!
And now they’re going to Alpha Centauri, only to become hopelessly Lost In Space… LOL picture it, B9 battling centurions!
Last night’s episode was an exercise in gut punching the audience as many times as they could take it. BRAVO!!!
STNG missed one there.