Battlestar Galactica

XMENPorsche · Post by **XMENPorsche** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 6:07 pm

Okay, who, besides Gambino and myself, is following the new Battlestar Galactica series? I've loved these shows since I saw the miniseries when it first came out. I have to admit, however, that I'm curious about a lot of things...

* Why is Baltar no longer working on his Cylon detector?
* What is up with Number 6? She's obviously more than just a figment of Baltar's imagination because she has made herself seen before, but how is it that she has the "unique abilities" that she seems to have?
* The original miniseries said that there were 12 Cylon models, and that there were many copies. I've watched the miniseries several times now (I own the DVD) and realize that nowhere do they state that there are 12 HUMAN looking models. Therefore, the question I have is whether or not we have seen almost all Cylons. Of the human looking models we have seen Aaron Doral, Number 6, Sharon (Boomer), a black doctor, a journalist, and the guy they found on Ragnar Station (I forget his name). We also know that they still have the old "chrome toaster" models (in the original miniseries Number 6 said that those models were still around and had their uses), they have the new centurions, the Cylon raiders, and the base stars (which appear to have organic internals). What do you guys think?

That ought to be enough to start conversation for now.

TimberWolf · Post by **TimberWolf** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 9:29 pm

I have been watching it since the mini-series as well even though it will be harder now that I don't have a TV to my self; have to share in the dorm.

1) He is still working on it but it is seen as a failure at this time because Boomer was said to be Human even though the thing was screaming Cylon. This is evident by the way Tye (spelling?) objected to Baltar screening the Chief.

2) All the times they were making out she was imprinting herself into his mind. Now the imprint is what he sees. The time when she appeared on the Galactica was another copy of herself with its own mission and objectives. I have not seen any real unique abilities because of the fact that she is imprinted in his mind which gives her partial control of his body or at least the illusion of control from Baltars perspective. She is just manipulating the stimuli in the brain which causes him to act the way he does, such as jerking in the medical scanner or the illusion of doing number 6 in the lab.

3) I had been thinking of it from the perspective that they meant 12 human models, but then again they may have just meant 12 different Cylon made units.
-Human
-“Toaster”
-New “Toaster”
-Raider
-Boarding Craft
-Battle Star
-Unknown Capital Ship
-Unknown Support Ship

If seen from the perspective of being 12 units then there has only been 8, I can remember off the top of my head, which have been revealed or hinted too.

Post by **XMEN Gambit** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 10:16 pm

I don't think the old "guy in a suit from the old series" toasters are what #6 was referring to when she said the old models still had their uses. I think she was talking about the centurions we've seen, like the ones that boarded the Galactica that time and the ones we see at the start of the miniseries.

XMEN Ashaman DTM · Post by **XMEN Ashaman DTM** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 11:39 pm

Actually, she was referring to those ones, Gambino.

1) Baltar isn't working on it because of the "flaw" that it missed Boomer as a Cylon. Adama and Tye both said that it obviously didn't work. He's probably trying to come up with something that they'll believe as to the reason that it "didn't work" the first time around.

2) She's God's prophet. Doesn't it make sense from this point of view? She speaks with God, she does what He asks of her (or commands of her), and she knows of His plans. Who is to say that she didn't implant something inside Baltar?

3) There are 12 models. I would definitely assume that there is one model for (or from) each of the 12 colonies. Then MANY copies of each one. We've only seen a half dozen or so thus far. But it leaves it open for the writers to bring in other actors as they need to.

I think that the Cylons stumbled upon the benefits of melding human and machine and have been refining the process for a very long time. The real question should be, "How did they do that? and under what directing force?" The old Centurions were walking toasters. The old Raiders had cockpits (with Centurions inside). The new Raiders have more intelligence it seems, and are able to do more things, as a result of their squishy insides. Your brain has more computing power than the fastest supercomputer on the planet, but because of how the wiring is done, you get a lot of things done with that one brain. One neuron in the brain does an averaging of many tens/hundreds/thousands of neurons feeding into it. It depends on where that neuron is and what it feeds into that determines what is connected to it. It would stand to reason that whoever/whatever is directing the Cylons had discovered this and decided to design new models.

Defiance.enD · Post by **Defiance.enD** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 12:55 pm

I'm thinking after the most recent one I've seen, there's yet another human model.

Remember that reporter that was granted the BSG Surreal Life access, enDeD up being a toaster as well.

I'm actually getting mixed feelings about this show. It just seems a bit dark, compared to my original obsession. Which I remember a bunch of us getting together Sunday evening for a BSG party.

Awwww... the 70's .. gotta love em!!!

TimberWolf · Post by **TimberWolf** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 3:27 pm

The intent of this version was to be darker than the original. It was to be similar to a soap opera.

I like how they are bringing in things from the original BSG. The way they made Galactica end up with almost all out-of-date Vipers was an interesting way to bring it closer to the original. The Black Bird is their version of the Scout Viper in the original. They are even looking into bringing more of the original actors to play secondary characters. In the last episode, it was interesting how similar the Pegasus looked compared to the original Galactica. It was big, bulky, grey, and industrial looking.

Post by **XMEN Gambit** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 4:45 pm

"...she was referring to those ones" is not terribly specific, Asha.

Guys, it's Colonel Saul "Tigh." One of the episodes was titled "Tigh me up, Tigh me down."

The original series didn't happen in the new series, they just pull stuff in. Like the old BSG theme is the colonial national anthem (sorta).

On the actors from the original department: The Admirial Cain part in the season-ending cliffhanger was originally going to go to Jane Seymour, who played Apollo's wife in the original BSG pilot. When she turned it down, Michelle Forbes got it - and she had played Ensign Ro in the ST:TNG series.

XMENPorsche · Post by **XMENPorsche** » Tue Sep 27, 2005 7:17 am

Gambino... when #6 reveals herself to be a Cylon in the original miniseries Baltar's reaction was something like (I'm paraphrasing here), "You've got to be joking! The last time anyone saw a Cylon they looked like walking, chrome toasters." She replied, "those models are still around and they have their uses."

Jayne Seymour would have been nicer to look at than Michelle Forbes, but I don't think she would have been able to pull off the role of being a hard, steely, ummmm.... you know, quite as well.

I can't wait for the next season to start in January. I predict President Rosalind will put Adama in charge of the fleet and demote Admiral Caine. Anyone think we'll see a "Caine Mutiny" and see her take off with the Pegasus to do battle with the Cylons? (Kinda like in the original series)

TimberWolf · Post by **TimberWolf** » Tue Sep 27, 2005 8:08 am

I read somewhere, I think on gateworld.com, that Adama will be promoted to the rank of Admeral but the Pegasus will be gone. They made it sound like the Pegasus will not leave like in the original but rather be widdled down and possibly destroyed or almost destroyed. The reason behind the promotion being the Presidents ease in working with Adam over Cain who doesn't even return her calls.

As for the Mutiny the last episode ended in the first sparks of it. Both ships had launched Vipers, Galactica had Marines on their way, and Cain was preparing the Pegasus to attack, arming all batteries.

Post by **XMEN Gambit** » Tue Sep 27, 2005 7:27 pm

"You've got to be joking! The last time anyone saw a Cylon they looked like walking, chrome toasters." She replied, "those models are still around and they have their uses."

Note: At that point in the mini-series, while we had seen the Centurions on the space station, no living human on the show had. Therefore, I think she was referring to the CG ones we saw, rather than the old man-in-a-suit dudes from the old series.

It's a matter of opinion, of course, and that's mine.

XMENPorsche · Post by **XMENPorsche** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 3:14 pm

Oh, YEAH!!! Well, your opinion is WRONG! (j/k)

Seriously, though, I don't agree.

I like TW's take on what might happen. It makes sense to me. Adama is too much of a central figure for Cain to permanently assert herself as she is doing now.

Post by **XMEN Gambit** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 7:45 pm

Adama is too much of a central figure for Cain to permanently assert herself as she is doing now.

I can't argue with that one.

TsN|Wildchild|xmen · Post by **TsN|Wildchild|xmen** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 10:54 am

Having watched this religiously I can add a few point I see here myself.

(Oh no He's back for a short glimps)

Ok, yes the Cylon detector is seen as a failed project, and now that Baltar has been promoted to Vice President his time spent on that has been limited. I have a nagging feeling that Baltar's mental Cylon was implanted to get updates on what they are doing as well as try to persuad the humans into thinking like they do. That they are saved, and god is real. Remember, Baltar is heard often now talking about faith and God, when in the beginning he pretty much that because of Science God didn't exist.

As soon as I saw Admiral Caine I knew she was bad blood. I really wouldn't put it past her to be one of the other Cylons that we haven't seen as of yet. Which would make for a perfect storyline arch. Being able to follow and track the Cylons is something that Galactica has not been able to do yet, that I know of. Granted they are older technology (Galactica), but I don't remember them (Admiral Caine) ever telling how they got through the Cylon's jamming technology so their ships could still function while battling them. Seems fishy to me.

The differences between the original series and the new one are huge. Anyone remembering the old series will remember that they found Earth, and then left again as it wasn't as technilogically advanced as they were and (enter ST: TNG slogan here) to preserve the integrity of that planet they left. It's fuzzy but that is what I remember.

What is the Cylons purpose? Did they find God, perhaps. The fact that they now have the first ever Cylon/Human bred child on Galactica leads me to believe that the Cylons were helped by someone else in their technology as they advanced much faster than the humans did in a very short time. It wasn't bred in tubes or by machines, it was concieved which is a hige step toward what the Cylons are talking about when reffering to God and truth. Is there a difference now bewteen the humans and the new Cylons?

I have heard people complain about Starbuck being a woman in the new series as the original was a man, but I like the change. I think the actor playing Adama (whose name escapes me at the moment) is perfect in his role.

I love the fact it is as dark as it is. It is showing realism, or as much as can get for a show placed in a time and place that technically don't exist. It is like a Soap Opera for men at night. It's great.

Now I shall go back to lurking.

BlackRider · Post by **BlackRider** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 12:00 pm

I've always wondered... what came first? Starbuck or Starbucks? (Actually 1st Starbucks coffee shop opened in '71 and BSG TV series started in '78?)

TimberWolf · Post by **TimberWolf** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 12:04 pm

I agraa with the above except that about Cain being a Cylon.

It wouldn't make sense in having all the Cylon infiltrators exsposed so early in the show or having too many. Also it was said in the show that Cain was a great stratagiest and who has watched the deaths of a large portion of her crew (about 700 the day of the attack and many more afterwards). Also with the fact that she was alone in space with no fleet to watch over she would be more willing to take life threatening risks such as attacking a Cylon supply depot. She has also turned destroying Cylon Raiders into a game for her pilots unlike the Galactica crew who destroy them to protect the fleet. Also the story from her second officer about how she killed the prior one in front of the crew hints towards the mind set she is working off of. She sees risk as the only way to survive and fighting back the only way to live. This was the same mind set Adama had in the mini-series until the President convinsed him otherwise.