BSG 2.15: "Scar"
Feb. 3rd, 2006 10:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
annathepiperWhee! An episode full of Starbuck, when we had none at all last week!
Unfortunately, the first real reaction I have to this episode is that they really need to stop with the "X hours ago" thing. It's kind of like what Neil Gaiman once had to say about commas--that they should be used lightly, like seasoning. Used occasionally, it's a neat plot device, but three episodes in a row? Um. Back off a bit, folks.
And second, mostly the reaction I have is a bit of uncertainty about the whole "Starbuck is angsting over Anders" thing. It's totally in character for her, I don't quibble with it necessarily as a plot point... it's just that I'm not sure whether it's going to go over my personal comfort reading on the angst-o-meter. Part of me would like to see some way of her getting back to Caprica to rescue the guy and his compatriots, but I can't see a real rescue mission being launched any time soon. And I mean, I liked what little we saw of Anders? But really, I'd like to see Kara getting it on with Lee. ;)
Which brings me around to the "WELL THAT WAS FUN!" moment of the episode, where she almost DID. That really was my favorite part in an episode that was otherwise mostly "meh" for me... because it played out very well, starting with Lee and Kara just hanging out together getting plastered to her sudden reckless "why don't we?" to the almost-screwing-like-crazed weasels and CURSE YOU RON MOORE for teasing us so. But at the same time I also liked that they didn't actually go at it with one another yet--because it does feel kind of too soon. AND I liked that when Lee threw the "it's the living ones you can't deal with" line at her, that she hit him and then kissed him. Even if she slapped him with a feeble little girly slap. But the kiss was very nice, very expressive without saying a word. So two thumbs up on that.
(And this was the part where I said to the room at large, "And all the Kara/Lee shippers all over LJ say YES!" To which![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
risu immediately replied, "And Zarek wakes up screaming!" *snorfle* ^_^)
Now let's talk Cat. She really got on my nerves all throughout this plot and I saw practically nothing likeable about her. Between repeatedly mouthing off to Starbuck (though I will grant that correcting her on the screwup in the briefing was legitimate even if she was overly snarky about it) and then even hitting her when Starbuck saw right through her, I really just wanted to space her. I could deal with the plot mostly because it did bring in two other very good Starbuck moments:
1) Refusing to hit her when provoked, and instead delivering the line about Scar scaring her shitless;
2) Responding with grace when Cat in her crowing glory reminded her of the bet. I really liked how Starbuck simply took the bottle and walked up and poured it into her glass, and said only "you earned it".
And then I REALLY liked how she then turned to the room at large and began to recite the names of all the dead pilots. That was very classy of her, and a good callback to the conversation with Lee where she claimed she didn't even remember their names.
Other than that...
Hrmm. A good bit of Helo in there, and I liked how Helo could actually talk to her about Anders somewhat--which makes sense since he was actually there on Caprica with her, and can understand what she's going through. And the moment at the end where their workout degenerated into tickling was cute. So nice Helo presence in general.
The bit with Boomer was fun, where Boomer was telling her that the Cylon Raiders do regenerate--and I liked the exchange where Starbuck admitted that sometimes she forgot who she was dealing with. But it's clear that Sharon hasn't--with that little sardonic line about "how many pilots have we lost? Oh, I mean, have YOU lost?"
Okay, and I liked that they're actually utilizing the Pegasus strategically... though I notice that we didn't get any mention of who's actually commanding it now. Interesting question, no? And I guess this also tells us that Starbuck is no longer the CAG on the Pegasus, too.
solarbird thinks that Scar is actually the very Cylon raider that Starbuck had swiped and then had taken away from her on Caprica--because of the very mark that gave the raider its name. And I suppose that it's plausible that if the Cylons had retaken it, they would have removed her name from the underside of the wings--which is why she wouldn't have noticed if this is in fact "her" raider.
Hrmm. Thinking about it, I guess that the "meh" feeling I have is from the implementation of the plot as a whole. There are a bunch of little bits and pieces I liked all throughout, but taken together, I'm sort of "meh". Mostly, it's the jumping back and forth in time thing. They really need to stop that now.
But hey, an entire episode of Starbuck! AND, Kara/Lee smooches!
Unfortunately, the first real reaction I have to this episode is that they really need to stop with the "X hours ago" thing. It's kind of like what Neil Gaiman once had to say about commas--that they should be used lightly, like seasoning. Used occasionally, it's a neat plot device, but three episodes in a row? Um. Back off a bit, folks.
And second, mostly the reaction I have is a bit of uncertainty about the whole "Starbuck is angsting over Anders" thing. It's totally in character for her, I don't quibble with it necessarily as a plot point... it's just that I'm not sure whether it's going to go over my personal comfort reading on the angst-o-meter. Part of me would like to see some way of her getting back to Caprica to rescue the guy and his compatriots, but I can't see a real rescue mission being launched any time soon. And I mean, I liked what little we saw of Anders? But really, I'd like to see Kara getting it on with Lee. ;)
Which brings me around to the "WELL THAT WAS FUN!" moment of the episode, where she almost DID. That really was my favorite part in an episode that was otherwise mostly "meh" for me... because it played out very well, starting with Lee and Kara just hanging out together getting plastered to her sudden reckless "why don't we?" to the almost-screwing-like-crazed weasels and CURSE YOU RON MOORE for teasing us so. But at the same time I also liked that they didn't actually go at it with one another yet--because it does feel kind of too soon. AND I liked that when Lee threw the "it's the living ones you can't deal with" line at her, that she hit him and then kissed him. Even if she slapped him with a feeble little girly slap. But the kiss was very nice, very expressive without saying a word. So two thumbs up on that.
(And this was the part where I said to the room at large, "And all the Kara/Lee shippers all over LJ say YES!" To which
risu immediately replied, "And Zarek wakes up screaming!" *snorfle* ^_^)Now let's talk Cat. She really got on my nerves all throughout this plot and I saw practically nothing likeable about her. Between repeatedly mouthing off to Starbuck (though I will grant that correcting her on the screwup in the briefing was legitimate even if she was overly snarky about it) and then even hitting her when Starbuck saw right through her, I really just wanted to space her. I could deal with the plot mostly because it did bring in two other very good Starbuck moments:
1) Refusing to hit her when provoked, and instead delivering the line about Scar scaring her shitless;
2) Responding with grace when Cat in her crowing glory reminded her of the bet. I really liked how Starbuck simply took the bottle and walked up and poured it into her glass, and said only "you earned it".
And then I REALLY liked how she then turned to the room at large and began to recite the names of all the dead pilots. That was very classy of her, and a good callback to the conversation with Lee where she claimed she didn't even remember their names.
Other than that...
Hrmm. A good bit of Helo in there, and I liked how Helo could actually talk to her about Anders somewhat--which makes sense since he was actually there on Caprica with her, and can understand what she's going through. And the moment at the end where their workout degenerated into tickling was cute. So nice Helo presence in general.
The bit with Boomer was fun, where Boomer was telling her that the Cylon Raiders do regenerate--and I liked the exchange where Starbuck admitted that sometimes she forgot who she was dealing with. But it's clear that Sharon hasn't--with that little sardonic line about "how many pilots have we lost? Oh, I mean, have YOU lost?"
Okay, and I liked that they're actually utilizing the Pegasus strategically... though I notice that we didn't get any mention of who's actually commanding it now. Interesting question, no? And I guess this also tells us that Starbuck is no longer the CAG on the Pegasus, too.
solarbird thinks that Scar is actually the very Cylon raider that Starbuck had swiped and then had taken away from her on Caprica--because of the very mark that gave the raider its name. And I suppose that it's plausible that if the Cylons had retaken it, they would have removed her name from the underside of the wings--which is why she wouldn't have noticed if this is in fact "her" raider.Hrmm. Thinking about it, I guess that the "meh" feeling I have is from the implementation of the plot as a whole. There are a bunch of little bits and pieces I liked all throughout, but taken together, I'm sort of "meh". Mostly, it's the jumping back and forth in time thing. They really need to stop that now.
But hey, an entire episode of Starbuck! AND, Kara/Lee smooches!
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no subject
Date: 2006-02-04 07:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-02-04 05:23 pm (UTC)I had made the same comment to
I would be happy if they used it less.
I REALLY liked how she then turned to the room at large and began to recite the names of all the dead pilots.
It also shows a level of additional maturity for her character. Go back and look at the command staff while she's doing this - and I think a lot of the reason why they're oddly present. This reminds Cat (and the audience) that she's been having to grow as a commander and have people regularly dying on her. It pulls some of the cockiness out of things.
Then again, she admits to herself that she's changing and becoming less reckless. She's swapping one of the faces of the Hero for another.
no subject
Date: 2006-02-04 05:31 pm (UTC)Oh, and my take on the Boomer bit was that she first said it unthinkingly, and then had to clarify in case it was misconstrued, and thus realizing again the wall between her and Starbuck.
Scott Stanton says hi, and Denise is in Disneyland so I'll drop greetings when she gets back. ;)
no subject
Date: 2006-02-04 07:00 pm (UTC)I'm with you about the lack of particular episode love for the last few weeks. But yeah. The Starbuck character development was great. :)
no subject
Date: 2006-02-04 07:22 pm (UTC)I totally agree with you about Starbuck showing additional maturity, too, and yeah, it did take a bit of the wind out of Cat's sails. I could see that in how her expression shifted, too, and that's perhaps one of the few moments in the episode where I didn't want to backhand her.
I don't think it was terribly odd that the command staff was there, though--if the whole point was to honor the pilot who had taken out the scary Cylon raider who'd been giving them so much trouble lately, I could see Adama and Tigh making the gesture of coming by to offer their own congratulations.
no subject
Date: 2006-02-04 07:31 pm (UTC)We were talking here last night about what the next big plot arc might be--since they've found Kobol now and in theory now have the way to Earth, they could in theory make THAT the next big plot arc. But that'd be kind of soon if they're keeping the show around for a while. So it'll be interesting to see how this season closes out.
About the Boomer thing... yeah, I could see that interpretation, but I dunno, she came across as just a trifle snarky to me. Perhaps because she's still cranky about the whole "they almost forced me to abort my baby" thing. (And honestly, I'd still feel vaguely snarky about that, if I were her.)
Yay about Scott and Denise! ^_^