BSG Recap: 1x00 "Miniseries"

[kungfuwaynewho]

I started rewatching Battlestar Galactica this weekend, and for as long as I keep it up/have time/feel like it, I thought I'd post little recaps/thoughts/reviews/etc.  The first part will be spoiler-free, as I expect someone to start watching soon. 

As far as pilots go, the mini is pretty good.  A lot of characters are introduced with what I felt was a minimum of exposition; there's a lot of world-building that's pretty seamless; the threat of the Cylons is real, present, and immediate.

That said, the mini has a lot of issues.  I'm assuming they hired some new costume/make-up before the show went to series, or RDM had a talking to the ones that were there - everyone looks horrible.  Adama in particular looks older in the mini than he does at the end of the show, for crying out loud.  I can't quite pinpoint what is wrong with his hair and make-up, but it is wrong.  And we'll not even discuss Roslin's clothes.  Or her hair.  Or...anything, really.

I mean, Starbuck's hair is just terrifying.  I get that they wanted to make her look like a military gal who doesn't really give a shit what her hair looks like, but jeez.  (And knowing how Sackhoff feels about having her hair chopped off, I bet she cried as much as when Mira saw her first Delenn make-up.)

Another odd thing about the mini is the way that relationships were set up, usually in a very antagonistic way.  Lee vs. Adama, Tigh vs. Starbuck, Adama vs. Roslin (though this one works the best).  Conflict is good, sure, but there's this weird probably unintended side effect where everyone kind of comes across as an asshole.  Lee and Starbuck especially, which is just...weird.  Like, Lee, dude, stop being so mean to your dad.  Kara, seriously, Tigh apologized, quit being a total dick.  (See they are made for each other!!!!11)  (LOL, no, I ship Kara/Anders, whatever.)  All the main characters seem like they change a bit between the mini and "33," Baltar excepted, perhaps.  But Chief and Cally and Dualla and Gaeta are all pretty much ready to go, which is interesting, but I think makes sense - you're not going to write a lot of background stuff into your tertiary characters, so a lot of their early characterization is going to come from the actors - and later, when the writers expand on them, that's what they're drawing on.  So I think there's a lot more consistency with those guys.

~*~Spoilery Thoughts~*~

I don't have many of these.  I was thinking about how Roslin is so quick and capable, so ready to lead when a lot of other people seem to have no idea what's going on (the pilot of Colonial One especially) and it occurred to me that unlike almost everyone else, she didn't just lose anyone.  She's already gone through all her losing.  She's in shock, sure, but it's the shock of a world suddenly gone missing, not a loved one never to be seen again.  It's easier, I think, for her to make that clean break and say, we're done.  We're done, our worlds are lost, we're moving on.  Let's go.  I think Adama coming to the same conclusion is, weirdly enough, his first step on the road to letting go of Zak.

 

Comments

[dref22.livejournal.com]

Kara, seriously, Tigh apologized, quit being a total dick.

Haha, I remember having this exact feeling. XD I was generally like; "OMG Kara why so mean? DDD:"

[kungfuwaynewho.livejournal.com]

Right! I would have bought it more if Tigh had actually done anything to her, but all he did was make fun of her callsign and act like a seriously poor loser. She's the one that hauled off and hit him, and he was gracious enough to not press charges - though a lot of that was Adama convincing him not to - and then apologize to her! I love Kara, but not so much early on.

[hollywobbles.livejournal.com]

Despite my agreeing with every single issue you bring up (almost -- I'm that rare bird that actually likes the way Roslin looked in the mini... most of the time... hrm), the mini is totally my favorite "episode" of the series. I luuuuuuuuurve it. :D It totally grabbed me by the gut with its emotional *sock biff* and kept me entranced with its *biff pow* of fabulous special effects. And let's not forget that tantalizing promise of tewtally hot and tragic A/Ring to come. Mini-- you pwn my soul. *siiiigh*

But yes, everyone is very abrasive at this point. Lee has a stick the size of a totem pole up his ass, and I thought the exact same thing about Starbuck when she didn't take Tigh's peace offering (but then, I'm very much not like Starbuck, and I'll give them one thing -- people who act like idiots when they interact with each other and hold stupid grudges and are self focused and don't accept apologies? ...Realistic, if annoying. And they get better at least. I love the gradual story arcs of Tigh and Kara coming around re: each other, as well as Tigh coming around re: Roslin).

And yeah, the eraser head look is not a good one for EJO.

And I think your whole last paragraph is spot on.

[kungfuwaynewho.livejournal.com]

I do like the mini quite a bit. As far as series pilots go, it's a damned good one. And generally, the more I nitpick, the more it's because I love something - trust me, I am not rewatching The Woman King, for instance.

I was okay with Roslin's hair in theory, but it was so dark that it was hard to make out any shape. It reminded me of Sally Field's "brown football helmet." I'm not sure if this was because of her actual hair, or because of Joel Ransom's lighting; even when her hair is kinda tragic with the feathering in S1, it looks a lot better in that it looks like hair and not molded plasticine.

[hollywobbles.livejournal.com]

Ha! Everyone always makes that Sally Field comparison -- too funny. I like it in some scenes, but not others. We watched A Day in the Life and Dirty Hands last night on the other hand, and Monica just kept saying "Look at her hair...."

[kungfuwaynewho.livejournal.com]

Roslin's hair in S3 and early S4 is a thing of wonder and magic.

[ghanimasun]

Oooh how exciting! (I was half hoping this was going to be like that picture macro post you did for the B5 pilot!)

Roslin's hair (well and wardrobe as you say) in the mini versus the rest of the series is terrible. It always shocks me how short and dark and just not awesome her hair is in the mini.
Also Kara's hair is just as terrible. Thank god they gave her better cuts later.

I remember being really annoyed with Lee for half the mini because all he does is yell at his dad and be pissy about everything. For whatever reason (my undying love for her) I was never as annoyed with Kara in the miniseries though. (Also Kara/Sam &hearts )

I really loved Roslin's taking charge and getting things done. She was so completely awesome in the mini, despite her questionable attire!

[kungfuwaynewho.livejournal.com]

(I was half hoping this was going to be like that picture macro post you did for the B5 pilot!)

I didn't even think about that! That would be fun. Maybe while I'm doing some Photoshop things tonight for landcomms...

I think Kara comes across as less irritating because you see how much she loves flying, and she has that big toothy grin that just can't help but be endearing. Lee's just pissy start to finish, LOL. I must admit, it took me awhile to warm to Lee (and he was never one of my favorites anyway), and I like him best in S1 and early S2 when he interacts with Roslin. But then Mary McDonnell does tend to bring out the best in actors she works with.

[indigoviolet.livejournal.com]

Mm, I'm so far overdue for watching BSG - I've actually been all set to buy S1 this month as soon as I get paid. Trouble is I do know a fairly huge spoiler (main character who dies around the finale). I was spoiled for so much of B5 before I got around to sitting down and watching it, and I didn't want a repeat of that. But I'm assuming this is fairly minor in the scheme of things!

You said it was spoiler-free and I trust you but I didn't read your post anyway, to be safe. Same goes for the comments. :D

[kungfuwaynewho.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the character who dies, it's not really a huge surprise or anything. I wouldn't even necessarily call that a spoiler.

You should definitely watch it, though! Eee!