Battlestar in the Corner Pocket

The writers have written themselves into a corner.

Now, the following is for fans of Battlestar Galactica. I thought of explaining things as I went along, realized I was too tired to bother and thus, an article that was originally about writing and logic has turned into my VERY FIRST FAN BLOG!

I blame it on my meds...

The first season of Battlestar Galactica was as good as one could ever hope from TV. Tight, thoughtfully written, beautifully acted and all that other stuff one desires from drama (or, really, anything on the big or little screen).

In the second and third seasons we began to hit bumps, as it became increasingly apparent that no one on the writing staff, including the creators, knew where this whole thing was going to end up. Problems that seemed solved were revisited (Adama and his son clashing, apparently because no one could think of what to do with these guys that week). Everyone hating Baltar, even though he seemed quirky and fun (unless they knew the true story, which was only possible if the characters were watching their show every week!).

We've been told from the start that the Cylons have a plan. And, indeed, they must. The gods know, they could have wiped out the human race every week if they wanted to. Why hit the humans with one or two Base Stars when they could send a dozen (and why, in the Star Trek universe, don't the Borg send twenty or so cubes to attack the Federation? They almost blew the Federation out of the stars with just ONE in the movie, First Contact!).

The Cylons have had agents (sleepers as well as moles) all over the place since day one. They've always known where the human fleet was. The could have sabotaged the Galactica and what all 24 hours a day. Why this cat and mouse?

Oh, and speaking of Baltar...why did they need him in the initial attack on Caprica? The human folk didn't know that Cylons looked like humans. They had agents everywhere. Shit, they could have written the defense codes themselves! They didn't need to wheedle them out of Baltar.

Oh, and what about Baltar's amazing Cylon detector? Everyone thinks it doesn't work (but we, the regular viewers, know it does). Didn't anyone test it? And if Baltar was wondering if HE was a Cylon, why didn't he test himself?

And what was WITH that trial? Oh, big bad Baltar capitulated to the Cylons on New Caprica. BFD! What was he supposed to do? And why does Gaeta hate him? He was around Baltar a lot. Didn't he see how Baltar was suffering? And will Gaeta turn into the human, singing version of a Hybrid?

And on and on...

The writers have done much for the sake of dramatic license, but now comes the fourth and last season and it's time to pay the piper.

Will everyone find Earth? (My guess is that that's the Cylon home world. By the way, how come no one has ever asked where the Cylon home world is? I mean, no one has ever even brought it up!). Will Starbuck and Lee get together for keeps? Will Adama and President Roslin get together for keeps? Will we ever find out what the hell that thing was with Baltar seeing Six in his mind while Six was always seeing Baltar in hers? Is anyone doing ANYTHING with that damn gift shop?

But these are just the obvious questions. There have been questions since the pilot (movie) and the first episode ("33"). And I think there just might be too many for a satisfactory conclusion.

This final season has not been moving. Things aren't progressing much in the story and much is stilted and self-conscious. The series had had rough moments from time to time (did anyone really give a crap about Kat? Did anyone really believe in the Cylon Red Barron, Scar?) but with the unexplained return of Starbuck from the dead it looks like the show jumped the shark.

Still, the first season of Battlestar Galactica and the first few episodes of season three were magnificent and I am grateful for them.