BSG Recap: 1x00 "Miniseries"
Jun. 14th, 2011 01:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kungfuwaynewhoI 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.
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.
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no subject
Date: 2011-06-14 07:53 pm (UTC)Haha, I remember having this exact feeling. XD I was generally like; "OMG Kara why so mean? DDD:"
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From:no subject
Date: 2011-06-14 08:24 pm (UTC)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.
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From:no subject
Date: 2011-06-15 04:15 am (UTC)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!
(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2011-06-16 04:06 pm (UTC)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
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