Revelations

Battlestar Galactica - Episode 4.10

It is unfortunate that BSG goes on hiatus with this episode. The deliberate pacing of this season, while still entertaining, didn't really pick up until the last couple of shows. Still, we do get a great hour to go out on and plenty of food for thought to mull over until sometime in early 2009.

D'Anna's negotiation with Admiral Adama and President Adama are pretty hardcore. She starts executing hostages until the Colonials hand over the Cylons that are hiding in the fleet. Tory jumps ship at the first opportunity. This is played well, since she has been the one to really embrace her true nature. Tyrol has become increasingly cynical over the course to the season. He approaches every new curveball with a shake of the head and a "whatever" attitude. Anders is still scared of how his new identity will impact his continually deteriorating relationship with Starbuck. Tigh is still the XO, and even when he is outed he continues to make decisions he feels that are in the best interest of the fleet.

Saul's revelation to Bill was one of the best moments of the season. Bill offers so many explanations as to why Saul can't be a Cylon, you'd think he had hung out on a BSG message board. Tigh has the hard job of convincing Adama that he is what he says he is and that he is still Saul Tigh, XO of Galactica and loyal friend. He is even willing to sacrifice himself in a gamble to get D'Anna to give up the hostages.

The aftermath of the scene falls way short though. Bill becomes a drunken mess within two minutes and Lee has to help him pull it together. Olmos and Bamber are great as father and son, but the transition to this event seemed too sudden, as if some build up scenes were edited out.

The rest of the hour is really great. Tory, Anders, Tyrol, and Tigh are all outted, bring a conclusion to the hiding in plain sight arc for the four. The alliance between the Colonial Fleet and the Rebel Cylons is re-established. In addition, the purpose of Starbuck's new Viper is revealed as a compass for finding Earth.

This leads to two great ending sequences, both with opposing emotional affects. The first happens when the fleet arrives in orbit of Earth. There is an emotional swell that is undeniable. We've watched these characters struggle, bleed, and die in their search for a fabled home, and when they find it one can't help be feel overjoyed for them. I especially loved Lee jumping onto the table in CSC, throwing off his blazer, and whooping. I don't know if it was scripted or not, but it works and it pumps up the celebration even more.

Which leads us to the real conclusion to the journey. When the entire cast lands on Earth they find it an irradiated wasteland. It appears to be the Earth of our future due to the fallen facade of a Christian church and twisted skyscraper skeletons in the distance. Director Michael Rymer, who has been present since the mini-series and is largely responsible for the way every other director has shot the show, does an incredible job with the scene that is silent except for the waves of the sea crashing on the shore.

The silent reactions of the individual cast members are amazing and they say so much about these characters. Adama is angry; Roslin is crestfallen; D'Anna looks at them both as if expecting some kind of answer. Tory and Anders join hands; Athena and Helo hold hands as well; Caprica Six approaches Tigh and puts her hand on his shoulder. Dee looks reflective (I didn't see Gaeta); Baltar can do nothing but sit on a rock; Galen cynically chuckles and shakes his head as if this is the biggest, foul prank ever played. Then come three reactions that really got me: Lee sadness increases with each step as the camera tracks him through the single shot that wraps the hour up; Leoben just looks down at the ground unable to move as a betrayed and defeated prophet; Kara's is the last face we see and it's about to erupt in tears. She led them all there. She led Humanity to its end.

This plays more like a season finale than any of BSG's previous mid-season cliffhangers. The plot lines of first half of season four has been resolved and second half has been set up to spin the show into a new direction as it barrels to a series conclusion. Undoubtedly, the rest of the Cylons led by Cavil (I still think he had time to download before the Hub blew) and Boomer will find the Alliance. The final Cylon has not been revealed yet. More importantly, the Promise Land doesn't look very promising, so what will the humans do now?

It's going to be a long wait.

This episode: 9 out of 10
Season Four (so far): 7 out of 10

The Hub

Battlestar Galactica - Episode 4.09

After a brief dip in quality, BSG returns this week with an exciting and provocative episode. As predicted, the story backtracks a couple days to give us a window to the rebel Cylon and Colonial joint mission to destroy the Resurrection Hub. There is a lot of plot advancement here, but we also get some quality character development for Laura Roslin.

Everytime the Hybrid forces the Baseship to jump, Roslin has a vision. This time around, she is guided by Elosha, her spiritual advisor that died near the beginning of the second season. Whether or not this Elosha is more than a vision remains to be seen, but she did seem to be aware that William Adama was waiting at the rendezvous for Laura. The main point of her visit is to get Laura to make the best of her remaining days and learn to love. Not just romantic love, as in the case of Bill, but familial love, which would be the reason for having Lee and Kara in the visions. The last person Laura had a significant emotional investment, other than Adama, was her aide, Billy. After the loss of that surrogate son, she closed herself off to just about everyone but the Admiral. Does this mean that she'll let Lee continue in the role of President when she returns to Galactica, though?

It was great to see Lorena Gale again, even as a vision. She's an underrated character actress and she was always able to sell the spiritual side of BSG. I didn't think about until this episode, but she would be a great candidate for the final Cylon.

The action during the D'Anna's rescue the the destruction of the Resurrection Hub was exciting. However, the attitude of the Colonial pilots was a little too exaggerated and annoying. Yes, there should be some animosity on the parts of the Humans towards the Cylons, but that should not allow them to backtalk a superior officer so adamantly.

What also didn't work was the Eight/Helo subplot. I think the writers could have played up this unique instance of sexual tension without the part about the Eight downloading Athena's memories. That seemed silly and frankly hurt what could have been some really interesting moments. Also, Not-Athena's speech to the pilots came off corny and Grace Park's delivery seemed off.

Having D'Anna back on the show is a plus and Lucy Lawless is perfect in this episode. She gets her revenge on Cavil (though there is still a slim chance that he downloaded in time before the Hub blew), and being the last Three makes her very unique amongst the other Cylons. Her little joke on Roslin about being one of the Final Five was hilarious and perfect. She has a great point, all she has is information, but it's a bargaining chip that will keep her alive.

James Callis continues to shine as Gaius Baltar. His one-sided philosophical debate with the Centurion was hilarious, but possibly could lead to complications, if the information was processed and passed on to others before its death. Also, while Baltar was gravely injured and being tended to by Roslin, we have learned that he has allowed his new found religious views to grant himself absolution for past sins. If Gauis feels that he is about guilt, he could become an even more dangerous cult leader.

The ending of the hour was really sweet. Laura and Bill have finally decided not to hide their obvious feeling for each other. The great thing about this is that the relationship has been allowed to evolve at a slow but natural pace over the last four years. Also, Mary McDonnell and Edward James Olmos are simply fantastic and sell the sincerity of the moment with tear-inducing ease.

8 out of 10

Sine Qua Non

Battlestar Galactica - Episode 4.08

This week's episode of BSG was kind of odd. After an landscape altering episode with an exciting cliffhanger and two weeks to mull it over, we get another set up story. Strangely, some very significant moments transpire over the hour.

Bill Adama's feelings for President Laura Roslin are made completely transparent this week. They've become very close this season, and now Adama has made it known to those close to him that he loves her. This relationship has been allowed to grow and evolve over the past three seasons, so this doesn't feel forced. Also, Eddie Olmos is such a great actor that he's completely able to sell the believability of the emotions welling up in the Admiral.

Adama's feelings for Roslin cause him to do some pretty careless things. First, he takes the Galactica after the missing Baseship, leaving the fleet defenseless. Then he refuses to acknowledge Vice President Tom Zarak's authority. This all comes to a head when he gets into a shouting match turned fist fight with his best friend and XO, Col. Tigh. Luckily, despite his flaws Bill is able to see that his emotions are getting in the way of his command decisions, so he takes a leave of absence, give Tigh command of the military, and takes a Raptor to wait for the Basestar with Laura to comeback. It was a treat to see Bill Adama in a flight suit for once and using his old Viper call sign.

As for the guy left in charge of Galactica, Saul Tigh has his own interesting personal developments. Apparently, his cell meetings with Caprica Six have been conjugal in nature. She's pregnant which means we've got the first Cylon/Cylon baby on the way. This is big step for the Cylons, since "natural" reproduction has been one of their major goals. Also, Saul has been given the chance to command Galactica again, but this time he's a more seasoned leader thanks to his time with the New Caprica resistance.

I have a hard time believing that Tom Zarak would have rolled over and let someone else take over as President after Admiral Adama continued to ignore him. This guy used to be a terrorist! He would have taken a stronger stance. We did get a brief glance of the old Zarak overheard on a radio interview in the background. This was one of two things about this episode that just seemed wrong.

The other moment involved Romo Lampkin's pulling a gun on Lee Adama and threatening to kill the junior Quorum member. I really enjoyed Lampkin and the part he played during the end of season three, but I don't think enough had been established with the character for the writers to pull this kind of trick. Was it a trick? Was Romo bluffing so that Lee would realize that he was the best person to fill in as President of the Twelve Colonies, or are we to take what he said at face value? Had Romo become a man that had lost hope and decided that the rest of humanity was undeserving of a leader that could provide it?

The material involving Romo's cat probably went over alot of viewers' heads. The key clue was when Lee kicked the empty, overturned food bowl and commented on where the cat was. However, are we to believe that the cat has been dead since we first met Romo, or is this a post Trial of Baltar development? This was all handled awkwardly and ended up being a bit confusing.

Lee Adama filling in as the President was telegraphed a mile away, but this should be a pretty interesting development for the character. I just hope they don't play him up too much as a JFK type of character. That would be too obvious. I believe Lee is supposed to become a great leader, but I hope they don't make it too easy for him.

I was disappointed that we only got to see the fallout of the Resurrection Hub battle. However, it appears that we'll possibly get the chance to go back and witness this spectacle next episode. Speaking of which, Sci Fi channel better be throwing us off with the "reveal" in the preview. I would hope they wouldn't spoil a major plot point in commercial, but you never know.

6 out of 10

There's No Place Like Home - Part Two

Lost - Episode 4.13/4.14

Unlike the previous season finales for Lost, which ended with big shocking twists, the fourth season wraps up by bringing events to their logical conclusions. This season was more about the journey to an end that brought the past and future events together. The show has caught up with itself, so to speak. In doing so, the series is set up for the next season's big story thrust: returning half of the cast to the island.

The reveal of John Locke as the man in the coffin wasn't a big shock. He had long been suspected to be the occupant and given the clues laid throughout the season, it was pretty inevitable. This being Lost, I doubt Terry O'Quinn is out of a job. Locke is one of the show's most important characters, and I'm sure we'll be seeing him up and about before too long. I'm willing to bet that we'll get some "Jeremy Bentham" scenes in flashback during the season premiere.

The method of getting the future Oceanic Six off the island at the same time worked for the most part. Sawyer made the noble sacrifice and gave up his seat so the leaking helicopter could make it to the boat. Jin couldn't make it in time because Frank was panicked and wanted to get away from the freighter that was about to blow up. Frank and Desmond's exits were handled in a way I didn't expect, but worked quite well. The Desmond and Penny reunion was one of my favorite parts of the show, and it was nice to have at least one ray of sunshine amongst all the tragedy.

Since a lot of events played out as expected, I'm more compelled to speculate on what may come next season. I don't think that Jin is dead. He's smart and he would have jumped off the freighter once it looked like Frank wasn't turning back. Michael is probably dead. The moment "Christian Shephard" appeared and told him he "can go now", was great. Michael has been released from the island's hold and is allowed to die. Besides Jin, the other major players on the island are Juliet (who looked gorgeous this episode) and Sawyer (getting the required "oops, my shirt fell off" scene). For some reason I can see these two forming a bond. They're two with the most leadership qualities left on the island and it could be an interesting relationship.

Good sub-characters like Rose, Bernard, Charlotte, and Miles are also there. Daniel was still at sea when the island moved, but when it vanished the second island (a mile or two away) was gone, too. This may be the out that allows Jin and Daniel to be transported, too. There were some hints that Charlotte may have been to the island before. Could she, Miles, and Daniel be Darma children that once lived on the island? They're all around the same age. Just a wild theory.

The idea of rounding up everyone that left the island and going back opens up some great potential character conflict. Kate is already hesitant and Claire's dream visit about not taking Aaron back won't help matters. I'm curious if this extends to Frank and especially Desmond, as well. Desmond and Penny are tied so close to the Widmore/Darma part of the mythology that it seems fitting that they would have a continued presence on the show. Speaking of Widmore, Sun's conversation with the man raises some interesting questions. Is she playing him for revenge or is she wanting to us Widmore as a means to strike at Ben? Whatever the case, I'm loving post island Sun. She has become confident and determined. This is a logical character growth given the circumstances of her life before and during her stay on the island.

I will give the creators and writers of Lost a lot of credit for delivering fourteen hours of the planned sixteen episodes. The writer's strike disrupted things a bit, but they recovered nicely. Streamlining these final three seasons down to sixteen episodes each instead of stretching them out to twenty-four was a wise move. The writing has been tighter and answers are coming at a quicker rate. This allows for less filler and re-establishing a sense of urgency that the series was starting to lack. Season four has made me excited about Lost, again.

This episode: 8 out of 10
This season: 8 out of 10

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

Battlestar Galactica - Episode 4.07

And I thought last week's episode was awesome. This one's just as good, if not better. This season's slow start is starting to payoff in big ways and we're not even at the mid-season point yet.

The biggest central development is the uneasy alliance and joint operation to take out the Resurrection Hub between the Colonials and the Rebel Cylons. This presents a fundamental dynamic shift in the make up of the fleet and sets up a concrete direction for the series endgame. Every major beat that transpires in this hour is directly connected to this new status quo.

The loss of Gaeta's lower leg is due to the Demetrius' delay in returning to the fleet because Helo was waiting for the away team to return. Where Gaeta goes from this point is anybody's guess. He's already built up a lot of resentment towards Kara for being labelled a traitor and almost being shot out the airlock due to his involvement in Baltar's government. Now he can blame her for his current condition as well as Anders (who shot Felix and is very shaken up by the ordeal) and Helo.

"Gaeta's Lament" is an immediate and moving result of his amputation. After a few scenes, I was beginning to feel that the creators were milking it for all its worth, but its uses at the end of the hour really drove home the feelings of tragedy, loss, and uncertainty that pervade the two cliffhanger moments. It goes without saying that Alessandro Juliani has a great voice and his delivery was perfect. I could tell that the man could really sing beautifully, yet he was able to channel Felix's pain and fear, giving these scenes a realism.



The two scenes of scheming and reversal between Natalie, Leoben, and Eight rang a little false and convenient. At first, Leoben is all about trust and it starting somewhere and Natalie is wanting to have a back up double-cross ready. Later, after her meeting with the Quorum, Natalie suddenly wants the Cylons to be the first to trust and Leoben is a little resistant, partially due to the Centurions being committed to the plan. It just seemed awkward.

I guess this was the writer's way of getting Natalie back on Galactica so she could be shot by Sharon. I certainly hope this is the last time I have to see an episode of BSG end with Grace Park shooting someone (this is the third I can think of off the top of my head). I guess I can understand Sharon's panic. She knows that the Rebels are supposed to get the Final Five, so she may be afraid of the idea that Hera might be on that list once it's revealed. She's had her daughter taken from her before, so she'd definitely in defense mode.

Things are further complicated by the sudden jump by the Baseship once the Hybrid is plugged back in. Roslin's desperation to determine the meaning of her visions may have cost a lot of people their lives. Not only does she have Baltar, Starbuck, and Helo in tow, but a whole squadron of Vipers, their pilots, and Marines were on board when the ship jumped. I wonder if this will lead to Vice President Zarak attempting to seize control of the government. This would give Lee something to do for once.

Despite a few grievances, this was an outstanding episode. The plot is really picking up steam and there's a definite feeling of change transpiring over these last two hours. It's going to be a long two weeks of waiting.

8 out of 10

There's No Place Like Home - Part One

Lost - Episode 4.12

It's hard to review an episode like this. This is the first part of the final three hours for the fourth season of Lost, and as a result, there is a lot of chess piece movement so all the characters are where they need to be for this arc's resolution. Interestingly enough, the writers have positioned the cast in such a wide separation, that I have no idea how this is going to happen.

We know who will get off the island. The opening of the episode re-enforces this by revealing the details of the Oceanic Six's (Jack, Kate, Sun, Sayid, Hurley, and Aaron) return to civilization. We also know that they aren't telling the truth about their survival. Luckily, the press start to fish out some of the plot holes that are fairly evident. If Aaron is really Kate's child, then she would have been six months pregnant when she was in custody with the U.S. Marshall. Hurley is surprisingly overweight for a guy that has spent months on a tropical island.

Given the placement of the Oceanic Six on the island before the rescue at the end of this episode, I'm wondering how the hell they end up in the same place to be rescued? Sun has Aaron and is on the freighter deck, while Jin, Michael, and Desmond are down below disarming a bomb. Kate and Sayid are in the hands of Richard and the Others. Jack is off with Sawyer and Frank at the helicopter, not far from the Orchid Station, and Hurley is right outside the Orchid Station with Locke. Jack, Kate, Sayid and Hurley are close enough that I can see them potentially getting off in the helicopter, but Sun and Aaron are five miles off shore. It's going to be an interesting two hours in two weeks, to say the least.

Questions, questions, questions:
1. How's Ben going to get out of this one? Even Locke was skeptical about Ben's "plan". To tell you the truth, Ben sort of came off as a caricature when he told Locke that he "always has a plan". Not that there was anything wrong with Michael Emerson's delivery, but the line was written in a way that Ben didn't seem like the bad ass we got to see in "The Shape of Things to Come". The line bordered on cliche. However, I have every confidence that Ben will pull off something spectacular and position himself to be able to teleport to the Sahara Desert.

2. How is the island going to get moved? We know it involves the Orchid Station. Also, given the time theory involvement, will time off the island spent by the Oceanic Six move at a different pace? Will years off the island seem like months on the island?

3. What will be the circumstances that will keep everyone else from leaving the island? This might not be too hard to suss out. Events will conspire to put the Six together and they might be the only folks that are alive and off the island when it moves. I think any nameless Losties on the freighter are going to get blown up. I bet Desmond and Jin will somehow live as a result of some noble sacrifice by Michael.

Then there are the few that would choose to stay. Rose's cancer has been halted due to the healing properties of the island. Her husband Bernard would understandably want to stay with her. Locke's destiny is intertwined with that of the island. Sawyer has nothing worth going home to and has actually become a leader and has found people he cares about on the island (though the two people that he's the closest to, Kate and Hurley, leave).

And least I forget...
4. What about the goddamn four-toed statue? That one was for Allison.

On a side note, Michelle Forbes makes an appearance as the spokesperson for Oceanic Airlines. She's been getting a lot of work lately (Lost, Battlestar Galactica, In Treatment). I wish she had a regular series to star in, though. I think she's awesome.

7 out of 10

Faith

Battlestar Galactica - Episode 4.06

Bear with me on this one. I watched this episode late Friday night (or is that early Saturday morning?) after an evening of drinks. My memory may be a little foggy and I probably need to watch this one again. Not that I mind. This was one of the best hours of the season.

The showdown on the Demetrius ends with Anders shooting Gaeta in the leg and Kara rushing to the poor guy's aid. If Felix loses the leg due to the extension of the mission, he's going to hold a huge grudge against Starbuck. I'm sure he's still not over her almost blowing him out an airlock for supposedly being a traitor last season.

All this shocks Helo out of his mutiny freak out and he decides to let Kara take a Raptor with Anders, Sharon, Leoben, and a red shirt to find the rebel Cylons' Baseship. He sets the clock, since they only have so long until they miss the rendevous with the fleet, so Kara and company only have a limited time to get back. When they find the Cylon vessel, the wounded, streaking Baseship looks like the painting of a comet in Starbuck's quarters on the Demetrius.

A lot great material follows. The Eights try to convince Sharon to challenge Natalie for control. They think she's going get them all killed. This parallels the power struggle and the crew's doubt of Starbuck on the Demetrius. When one of the Sixes revenge kills the red shirt for her own death on New Caprica, Natalie ends a potentially nasty standoff by executing the Six. There's no Resurrection Ship nearby, so the death is final.

Anders' experience on the Baseship is really fascinating to watch. When he sees the other Cylons touching panels and communicating with the ship, he is tempted to do the same. He wants to explore his Cylon nature, but he still fears what his exposure will result in. Also, he attempts to offer comfort to the dying Eight. He recognizes her as something that is tied to his real nature and could potentially help him understand it.

The Hybrid clues in Kara about the prophecy concerning her being a harbinger and leading humanity to the end. Also, there's a good deal about a dying leader learning the truth of the opera house and the three leading to the five who will in turn lead to the thirteen. The leader is Roslin who has been having visions of the opera house. D'Anna is the Three who has seen the faces of the Final Five. The number thirteen is where it gets tricky. Earth is the home of the Thirteenth Tribe of Kobol, but could there be a hidden thirteenth Cylon? If this is the case, it better be played by Dirk Benedict. His ego demands it.

Back on Galactica, Roslin's cancer treatment forces her into an extended stay at Cottle's infirmary. There she meets another dying patient named Emily (played by DS9's Nana Visitor) who has found comfort in the teachings of Gaius Baltar. Laura's experience with Emily causes her to reconsider the validity of Baltar's message and her bias against it. It'll be interesting if she becomes a convert or how she will begin view Gaius as a result of her meeting of Emily.

Best Scene of the Episode: Hard to decide. The mutiny showdown was intense and so was the execution of the rogue Six. However, Bill and Laura's moment at the end of the show was pretty damn sweet.

Episode MVP: Tricia Helfer and Michael Trucco. She continues to rock as Natalie and is an interesting counterpoint to Starbuck. Trucco does a great job really expressing Anders' need to know who he truly is and his fear of exploring this nature.

Big Question: How's everyone back at the fleet going to react when the Demetrius shows up with the rebel Cylon Baseship? I'm sure we'll get a tense showdown with a scramble of Vipers within the first few minutes of the show next week. This starts to rocket us towards the mid-season break and whatever cliffhanging curveball the writers want to throw at us this time.

8 out of 10

Cabin Fever

Lost - Episode 4.11

This is the kind of episode I like when watching Lost. The plot continues to move forward and we're given more insight into a character. This time the focus is on John Locke. What's different about the nature of this hour is that we're treated with flashbacks rather than the norm of this season, flashforwards. Also, we're shown various moments throughout Locke's life that go a long way to inform us of his importance in relation to the island.

The idea of Locke's role in the mythology of the island faded a little bit during the end of the last season and most of this one. This episode goes a long way to remind us of his importance. Apparently, the seemingly immortal Richard Alpert has been tracking John since birth. The fact that he's also visited by Mr. Abbadon, who seems to be working for Widmore, makes John an even more valuable piece in the Others vs. Dharma Initiative game.

Claire's appearance at Jacob's cabin with her and Jack's father, Christian, seems to fit with my theory that she died while sleeping next to the fire last episode. She's very calm and not concerned about abandoning her son. Oh, and she's hanging out with Christian, who's deceased. Also, Miles, who can commune with the dead, saw Christian last episode. The dead have made contact with may of the Losties over the span of the show, so this seems to fit.

The real kicker of "Cabin Fever" is that Locke is told by Christian that they need to move the island to save it. This plays into the other dimensional aspects of the island and I can't wait to see how this is supposed to be achieved.

Best Scene: Michael Cheats Death... Again! When Keamy finds out that Michael is Ben's spy, he goes to shoot him, but his gun misfires over and over again. Looks like the island isn't through with Michael, yet.

Episode MVP: Frank the Helicopter Pilot. This poor guy is caught up in something so strange and so much bigger than him, but he's trying so hard to do the right thing. He's able to do a few little things, like funnel information to Michael or dropping the tracking device to the Losties on the beach, but I've got a bad feeling that he's going to end up making a noble sacrifice by the season's end.

7 out of 10

The Road Less Traveled

Battlestar Galactica - Episode 4.05

This hour focuses on a few of the major arcs running through this season of BSG. The main plot centers on the crew of the Demetrius and their continuing doubts concerning Starbuck's command decisions. The other two overlap a little, almost forming a single thread, and involve the changes and transformations that Tyrol and Baltar are currently undergoing. All come back to this seasons strongest theme: faith.

Things get really complicated on the Demetrius when the crew discovers a damaged Cylon heavy raider spinning through space. Its only occupant is Leoben, the one Cylon that has constantly put Kara through the emotional wringer and has plagued her since the first season. His appearance takes a different spin this time, though. Kara is desperate for some kind of help in her mission to find Earth, and Leoben is more than willing to offer guidance.

I was hoping that Anders' encounter with Leoben would bear a little more fruit than it did. Leoben does acknowledge Anders' importance in Kara's future, but I guess I'm chomping at the bit for more Final Five revelations. I guess I need to learn a little patience.

One of the things that I've been really disappointed with this storyline is Sharon's lack of involvement. More specifically her lack of involvement with Anders and Leoben. It feels that her Cylon nature has all but been forgotten. It even feels like she's forgotten it too, especially in regards to the crew's suspicions towards Starbuck. I would like to see some sort of conversation between Sharon and Anders that somehow relates to her being a Cylon, but living as a human.

Back on Galactica, Tyrol is still coming to terms with Cally's death, as well as his true nature. He's in a bit of a tailspin and he even finds himself at one of Baltar's love-ins. Whether or not Baltar's concessions towards the Chief are genuine is yet to be seen, but he plays sincerely. Another connection these two have is the increasing involvement of Tory Foster in their lives. She continues to encourage Tyrol to embrace his Cylon nature and she's also gotten over her crying during sex with Baltar.

It bothers me that Tory is the only one of the Revealed Four to act shady and manipulative. It seems that the Cylons that deal in lies, manipulation, and secrets have mostly been female models. There's Caprica Six, who originally slept with Baltar to get inside the Colonial defense grid. Sharon played stupid, pretty Helo so she could get a baby. Boomer, who's switch flipped and she blew out Galactica's water tanks and shot Adama. As far as male Cylon models go, Leoben has been the most creepy and sinister, even more so in regards to Kara. Interesting to note that these three models are the ones that came to the aid of the lobotomized raiders and look to be the faction that will potentially align themselves with the humans.

Best Scene: Pike getting brutally knocked out by Helo for getting all mutinous and in his face. Dude, I know your call sign is "Gonzo", but Agathon is twice your size. Stupid move, brother. Seriously.

Big Question: Who's going to side with whom when the mutiny goes down on the Demetrius? From the previews, it looks like someone's getting a bullet in the leg.

7 out of 10

Something Nice Back Home

Lost - Episode 4.10

Jack has never been one of my favorite characters on Lost. The fact that he has at least two or three episodes dedicated to him each season doesn't help this opinion. Luckily, due to the remaining three season getting a reduction in episodes down to sixteen (this fourth season is reduced further to thirteen due to the writer's strike), the writing has gotten tighter and there are less opportunities for Jack based shows. This is a good thing.

What annoys me more than Jack is Jack and Kate together. Their attraction to one another has never really rant true to me and honestly, I think Sawyer is a better fit for her. Juliet is the better choice for Jack. Juliet at least has the backbone to confront Jack when she thinks he's making a wrong decision. She'll argue it out and point out where he's mistaken. Kate will just make a confused, teary face and run off and do something behind his back.

The flashforward lets us know that Jack and Kate are briefly happy together after they get off the island. But like most of his relationships, Jack finds some way sabotage it. If anything, we get to see the beginnings of his decent that will result in his mental state that was first introduced at the end of last season's flashforward.

Dancing around this are several more interesting plot threads. Juliet has to remove Jack's appendix and of course he wants to be awake enough to oversee it. Not that she removed a million of them during her residency. I liked that the writers remembered that Bernard was a dentist and had him help out. It made perfect sense for him to play anesthesiologist and assist with the surgery. I'm sure he's had to put plenty of people under to cut out some teeth.

Speaking of Bernard, he's been getting more screen time as of late. His wife Rose finally gets some dialogue after being off screen for most of the season. I've always like these two because they're the most relatable people on the show. They don't have the outlandish backstories everyone else has and they provide more of a realistic conduit for the viewers. Also, I'm always happy to see another interracial marriage on screen.

Jin is taking steps to ensure that his wife and unborn child make it off the island. His discussion with Charlotte was cool, to the point, and threatening. Jin isn't a bad guy, just someone that will do whatever to protect those he loves. We know that Sun goes back to Korea, but Jin's fate is still unrevealed.

Claire's disappearance at the end of the hour looks to lead to her potential separation from her son. Hopefully, we'll get some clues about what the deal is with Christian Shephard and his relationship with the island. Also, I couldn't help but think on Cable in the X-Men's Messiah Complex crossover, when Sawyer was holding both the baby and a big gun at the end of the episode.

Big Question: Where's Claire and what's up with Christian Shephard?

Best Scene: An unhinged Hurley explaining his conversations with dead Charlie to Jack. I like how it toys with the "They're Already Dead!" theory.

6 out of 10

Escape Velocity

Battlestar Galactica - Episode 4.04

"Escape Velocity" is a strictly a transition episode. Its purpose is to reflect on the events that have transpired over the first three hours of the season and move people into place for next set of plot pushes. This isn't a bad episode, by any means, but after the shocking death of the Cally last week, it certainly doesn't feel like it has the impact of the previous shows.

Galen Tyrol is going through a very rough patch. Not only does he have to deal with the fact that he's a Cylon in hiding, but now he is a widower with a child. All these things cause him to question virtually everything that has transpired in his life. I believe that he really did care about Cally, but he did settle and he admits it. His previous love, Boomer, turned out to be a Cylon and rejoined her people. Her copy, Sharon, is married to Helo, so that knocks her out of the running as a replacement.

The Chief's job performance is also suffering as a result of his preoccupation. I thought Racetrack was a goner after the Raptor crash, but she and her co-pilot came out of it unscathed. Everyone seems willing to cut Tyrol a break, until he unloads on Adama at Joe's Bar. Wherever he's being reassigned will probably allow him to act a little more unrestrained, and we may see Galen explore his Cylon nature more.

Tyrol's struggle has had a major effect on Tigh. The XO lost his own wife last season, and the wound is still pretty fresh. These memories start to complicate matters when he decides to go visit Caprica Six in the brig. Having images of Ellen Tigh dressed as Six and speaking her words was eerie, fantastic and really drove home Saul's confusion and pain. These scenes also set up a relationship between Tigh and Caprica Six, not necessarily as lovers, but potential confidants.

There is some major development in the positioning of Baltar as a true cult/religious leader in this episode. When his followers are attacked by a fundamentalist group, he decides to rail against those who would persecute the monotheists. The most shocking thing about this is that it appears that Gaius actually believes in what he is saying and is willing to fight and suffer for this cause.

Best Scene of the Episode: Baltar taking a beating by the soldiers that won't let him and his people back into their chambers. I don't know if idea of Head Six picking Baltar off the deck was hilarious or goofy, but it was interesting to watch.

Missing in Action: The crew of the Demetrius. No new developments there. All we get is a small flash of Starbuck sleeping over some star charts as Anders watches. The previews make it appear that this deficit will be more than made up next week. Also, there was no news from Cylon-ville, but next week's appearance of Leobon will hopefully solve that.

Big Question: How far will Roslin go to consolidate power? She's making laws that are obvious attempts at containing Baltar's growing power, but she's doing so under the false appearance of protecting people. Her scene with Gaius in the brig was pretty chilling.

7 out of 10

The Shape of Things to Come

Lost - Episode 4.09

Benjamin Linus is probably one of the most compelling characters I've had to pleasure to watch on television. A good villain can be fun to watch, but a great villain has depth. A great villain can make you feel some degree of empathy for why they do what they do or when they display some form of compassion towards someone that they genuinely love. Also, it never hurts to have an actor or actress that can act the hell out of the role. Examples that come to mind are Tony Soprano (The Sopranos), Dukat (DS9), Scorpius (Farscape), Baltar and Cain (BSG).

Ever since Ben first appeared on Lost and shocked the series' ailing second season back to life, the little man has continued to prove himself a force to be reckoned with. This guy has the uncanny ability to see the whole picture, keep two or three steps ahead of everyone else, and manipulate anyone to his benefit. He does all these things and continues to maintain that he's the good guy.

With this episode, we finally get to see Benjamin Linus care about something and feel loss. We've seen Ben display affection towards Juliette, but that can be attributed to his obsession with her and a desire to control her. His feelings for his adopted daughter, Alex, have always seemed genuine; never more so than with the circumstances of this hour.

It all comes to a head when Keamy threatens to shoot Alex unless Ben surrenders. Of course Ben can't give himself up. He knows that they'll kill her anyway, along with Losties that are holed up with him in the house. What happens next is both heartbreaking and mesmerizing, and actor Michael Emerson plays out the scene perfectly. As Keamy counts down the last seconds Ben has to surrender, Linus tells him that Alex isn't really his daughter and that she means nothing to him. It's sad that Alex has to hear these words, but Ben is actually speaking to himself in preparation for the inevitable. Then Keamy shoots Alex. The result is a few moments of Ben standing there completely gobsmacked.

When he finally comes to his senses, Ben becomes all action. He ducks into a secret room in the house, seemingly abandoning the Losties. When he finally returns there's a look of determination in his eyes that let's us know that "it's on now". As if to portray Ben's emotional state, the smoke monster/security system erupts out of nowhere and attacks Keamy and his soldiers. As the Losties run off into the jungle for cover, Ben calming walks over to his daughter's body and silently says good-bye.

In this episode's flash-forward, Ben wakes up in a parka in the middle of the Sahara Desert. When confronted by men with guns, he displays physical prowess that matches his intellectual aptitude. This little guy is a badass. These scenes from the future result in his recruitment of Sayid (we get to see more of his post-island life) as an assassin, as well as Ben's face to face with Charles Widmore, the man responsible for the raid on the island. Ben tells him that since Widmore changed the rules and Alex was killed, that he's going to kill Widmore's daughter (Desmond's girlfriend, Penelope).

Another character that was interesting to watch this episode was Sawyer. This character has grown from a self-centered con man into a leader that cares for his friends. When Keamy's men are assaulting the settlement, Sawyer runs through a hail of bullets and explosions to rescue Claire. When Locke makes it clear that Hurley is leaving with him and Ben, Sawyer threatens to shoot them. Hurley, not wanting any bloodshed on his behalf, tells Sawyer that he'll go with Locke. They part with Sawyer declaring that if any harm comes to Hurley, he'll kill Locke.

Daniel Faraday is another character that has been rather compelling this season. While he's attached to the Widmore crew, he has displayed a level of sympathy for the Losties. He's being pulled in two directions due to his seemingly decent nature and the fact that he has been hired by Widmore's organization to do a certain job. When he's caught in a lie near the conclusion of the show, he fesses up quickly. Also, Jeremy Davies is such a good actor that you see the internal struggle on his face.

Best Scene of the Episode: Ben's showdown with Keamy and the outcome. Unfortunately, one of the results was the death of Alex (play by the lovely Tania Raymonde).

Big Question: Well, Lost is riddled with questions, but for this episode I'll ask only one. What's Jacob going to do that Ben's so sure will save them all?

MVP Award: Michael Emerson. He's always strong whenever he's on the screen, but when given an entire episode as the focus, he takes it to a whole new level.

9 out of 10

The Ties That Bind

Allison and I were in New York City this weekend to attend the Comicon. On Saturday we had the opportunity to sit in on the Battlestar Galactica panel. Keep in mind, we had not had the chance to view Friday night's episode yet, and fearing some spoilers, we decided to chance it. The panel included three of the final five: Michale Trucco (Anders), Rekha Sharma (Tory), and Michael Hogan (Tigh). Also, on the panel was some executive from the Sci Fi Channel. They were interviewed by one of the writers from Entertainment Weekly, who did let it slip that Tory does something sinister in Friday's show. Not too bad of a slip up, but enough to insight a large portion of the crowd that had also not witnessed "The Ties That Bind". The cast members were fun, engaging, and handle even the most ridiculous of questions with class. All was fine until the Sci Fi exec blurted out that Tory kills Cally. Boy, were we pissed and so was a good portion of the audience. He even went as far to say that it wasn't his fault that we had not seen the episode yet. Yeah, he was a jerk.

Things really start to heat up with this third episode of the fourth season. The biggest event was the aforementioned murder of Cally by Tory. The whole ordeal has some extremely intriguing implications, especially for Ms. Tory Foster. One thing is for sure, this tells us that Tory is a person that will do whatever is necessary to protect herself and her new brothers. She also appears to be reveling in her newfound identity. This seems evident in her conversation with Tyrol at Joe's Bar.

Speaking of the Chief, how is he going to react if and when he finds out that Tory blew his wife out the airlock? Will this cause a split between the Revealed Four? What about little Nicky Tyrol? He's a hybrid child of a human and a Cylon; a Final Five Cylon for that matter. Or is he something more?

It should be noted that Cally Tyrol has been dealing with insomnia and has become increasingly more agitated since the Fleet arrived at the Nebula at the end of last season. This is the same spot where Anders, Foster, Tigh, and Tyrol were activated. She is seen taking medication for her problems, too. Could Cally Tyrol be the final Cylon and only missed the wake up call due to being overly medicated? I've theorized that the Final Cylon will be a woman, and she certainly fits the bill. Also, this would mean that Nicky Tyrol would actually be the first child born of two Cylons, making him more important than Sharon and Helo's little Hera who is half human.

Of course, being shot out the airlock kind of gets in the way of this being developed anytime soon. However, these are Cylons and they've been know to download and resurrect after a while. It would be neat to see Cally show up at the end of an episode near the end of the season. So, Ms. Foster, watch your back.

It looks like Vice President Zarak is going to use newly appointed Quorum member, Lee Adama, as a way to keep President Roslin in check. I get the feeling that he believes that Roslin wants only to do what is right for the Fleet, but wanting to do right and actually doing it, aren't the same thing. If anything, this is a great new direction for Lee as a character. This also allows for more political drama to occur on the show.

Starbuck is now in charge of a ship Demetrius (a sewage ship that now has a couple of Vipers attached to it). In a plot line that seems to mirror that of ancient sailing ships exploring the ocean, Kara has been ordering course correction after course correction. This has left her skeleton crew (consisting of Anders, Helo, Athena, Gaeta, Seelix, and a few others) a bit agitated. It's all heading towards a mutiny at some point down the line.

Back at the Basestar, Cavil approaches Revolution Six with an olive branch in one hand and a grenade tucked away in the other. A meeting turns into an ambush as Cavil and Boomer launch a ton of missles at the Basestars containing the Sixes, Leobons, and other Sharons. I'm looking forward to the eventual uneasy alliance of the humans and the renegade Cylons that should result due to this split.

Best Scene of the Episode: This was a pretty strong episode overall, so it's hard to single out a really standout scene. I've got to admit that when Bill starts reading a pulpy mystery to Laura will she's laying there during her cancer treatment, it was pretty sweet. I'm an ol' softy.

Missing in Action: Baltar, Caprica Six, and Head Six aren't anywhere to be found this hour. At least Tricia Helfer is given some screen time as Revolution Six. Also, it's always odd to see the Cylons debating when a bunch of the models aren't around for the episode. This time Leobon, Simon, and Doral are given the day off.

Big Question: I've mentioned two already: How will Tyrol react to Tory if and when he finds out that she's responsible for Cally's death? and Is Cally the Final Cylon?

If the trailer that was shown at the convention is any indication, things are about to get freaking crazy on Battlestar Galactica and I can't wait to see what happens.

8 out of 10

Six of One

It was pretty obvious that Starbuck wasn't going to shoot the Prez at the top of the hour. Far be it for Laura to return the favor when give the opportunity. Fortunately for Starbuck, the Prez is a bad shot. This is why she's the leader and not a soldier.

I've got to admit, I do like Bill's rationalization for Laura's poor marksmanship. Maybe there's still a fair amount of doubt in her mind that Kara could be right about Earth, and she subconsciously couldn't kill her. There's also the fact that she's on some serious cancer meds, too. This discussion leads to a rather tense scene between Mom and Dad where they say just about everything they can to hurt each other. This makes the admiral's decision at the end of the episode to give Kara a sewage ship and a small crew more understandable.

Apollo gets a big send off from the Galactica crew as he leaves to take up a career in politics. He gets the slow clap from everyone and a plaque from his ex-wife, Dee. She's probably happy that he's leaving so she doesn't have to see his cheating ass at work everyday. Of course, Lee couldn't even disembark without making out with Kara one last time.

C.A. (Cylons Anonymous) have their regularly scheduled meeting. The Four are eager to find out who the fifth member is and suspect that Baltar might know. Tigh's keen military (or is that alcohol-clouded) mind comes up with the plan to have Tory try to get some info out of good doctor, since she's a woman and Baltar is always horny. Tory goes above and beyond the call of duty and sleeps with him, making Gaius two for two this season.

Speaking of Baltar, his run-in with Head Baltar was pretty hilarious. James Callis is so fun to watch in this scene which amounts to Gaius rationalizing sleeping with Tory. I don't know why the writers decided to go with a Head Balter instead of the usual Head Six. Maybe it was due to Tricia Helfer being busy playing a new version of Six.

New Six is butting heads with the establishment back on the Basestar. Anders' run-in with the Raider that caused the Cylon's to turn tail and run, has the Cavils, Simons, and Dorals spooked. They've started to lobotomize the Raiders, saying that they're tools to be used as they please. Look folks! Irony!

The Sixes, Sharons, and Leobons aren't too happy with this and a vote taken. With the Deannas being boxed it comes down to a tie that is broken by one lone Eight (Boomer) going against her model and voting with Team Cavil. This doesn't set well with New Six and Gang, so they decide to even the odds by giving the Centurions sentience. The toasters understandably do not like what's going with their flying brothers and decide to blow away all the Cavils, Simons, and Dorals in the room. Admiral Cain would have traded Gina in for this Six in a heartbeat.

This sets up a new dynamic to the overall BSG story. The Cylons are spliting up and I'm betting that the Sixes, Sharons, and Leobons head out to the Colonial Fleet so they can be with the Final Five. How they convince the Colonials that they mean no harm is a different matter all together, but I bet it's going to be great to watch.

Best Scene of the Episode: Baltar Meets Head Balter. Callis delivers another great performance.

Eye Roll Inducing Moment: Lee/Kara Make-Out Session & Lee Saying Good-Bye to Dee. (Tie) Both these scenes have Lee in them. I like the guy, but maybe once he's away from these two, he'll be more palatable. He was great during last season's Trial of Baltar episodes, so this might be a really smart move on the part of the writers.

Episode MVP: Tricia Helfer. She's playing a new Six, but she's still able to keep each one distinct. Hair, make-up, and costuming are a big help, but Helfer puts all the pieces together with her delivery. Her Head Six is vampy and calculating, her Caprica Six is compassionate and intelligent, her Gina was sad and damaged, and this new Six is fierce and determined. Her scenes with Stockwell this episode are tense, but subtle.

Big Question: Who's shipping out with Kara? I'm betting hubby Anders, stupid, pretty Helo, and maybe Sharon. Putting Starbuck on a ship full of nobodies would be kind of boring.

7 out of 10

He That Believeth in Me

Battlestar Galactica is finally back for the show's fourth and final season. In other words, do not call me between 10:00 PM and 11:05 PM for at least the next ten Friday nights (I need that extra five minutes after 11:00 for recovery). Lucky for me, Allison and some of my friends are big fans, so this won't really interfere with my social calendar too much.

Going into this season premiere, there were a few questions on my mind. Not that I expected them to be answered in the first episode, but they're there and I'll probably come back to them as the season progresses:

1. Who is the final Cylon?
2. What happened to Kara after "Maelstrom" and how did she survive?
3. How will Anders, Tigh, Tyrol, and Tory react now that they know what they are and what will be the repercussions of this?

I don't expect the first one to be answered anytime soon. If rumors are correct and SciFi plans to split the final season in half, it may be revealed as the mid-season cliffhanger, but not earlier than that. I'm still hoping for it to be Admiral Cain, but that's wishful thinking. I'm still fairly sure that it isn't Starbuck.

As far as Starbuck is concerned, we don't get all the answers, but what we get is fairly compelling. Kara has been presumed dead for two months, but she says that it's been only six hours. Her Viper is brand new and as Tyrol puts it, "right off the showroom floor". This is the most distressing point about her return. There is no logical explanation for this that she can provide which casts a great deal of doubt about her story. Her gun cams took pictures of Earth and its moon, so she has some evidence of what she saw; not that anyone believes it. And finally, every time the fleet jumps in the opposite direction from Earth, Kara fells it and it seems to cause her some deal of pain.

Which brings us to the Revealed Four. This bunch is still pretty much where they were left at the end of the season finale, except for one startling revelation. When Anders flies out in a Viper with the squadron and comes literally face to face (or should I say eye to eye) with a Cylon Raider, the entire attacking armada turns tail and runs. The most immediate repercussion of this is that the regular Cylons may now know that a member or members of the Final Five are with the Colonial Fleet. This may spare the fleet from some devastating attacks like the one at the beginning of this episode (over 600 souls were lost).

Faith is a big issue this episode and the title reflects this. There's Kara's need for her friends and superiors to trust her so that she can guide them to Earth, as well as Baltar's new messianic status. This has the potential of blowing up into a new power struggle within the fleet if he commits to the role and amasses a large following. I'm glad that the decision was made to cut his hair and beard. The Jesus imagery was bit too obvious. Baltar's prayer to the monotheistic god has a very "garden of Gethsemane" feel to it. James Callis continues to play Gaius with an equal amount of humor and tragedy.

Best Scene of the Episode: Tigh's brief daydream during the Cylon attack in which he pulls out a gun and shoots Adm. Adama in the face. It's played in a slo-mo and lingers just long enough to make the viewer wonder, for a micro-second, that this may have really happened. As always, Paul Hogan sells Tigh as a compelling character full of doubt and despair.

Big Question Asked: Does it really matter if someone you love or loved turned out to be a Cylon? Lee asks Daddy Adama this; more specifically if it was Lee's brother Zak that suddenly returned. Sadly, when Anders tells Kara that if she was a Cylon that he'd still love her, her response is the opposite. She says if she found out that he was one she'd put a bullet between his eyes.

The Cliffhanger: Starbuck is tired of the constant headaches from the fleet going the wrong way, so she decides to confront the one person who has the authority to reverse this: Laura Roslin. Oh, and she has a gun pointed at the Prez's head, too.

Overall, this was a solid BSG outing but not overly remarkable. That being said, decent BSG equals an awesome hour of television. Hopefully, we'll get to see what's going on in Cylon Town soon. I can't wait to see their reaction to Final Five being "activated".

7 out of 10

Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe

In my effort to write about forty great songs of 2007, I neglected to acknowledge that our little blog has been up and running for a year now. I want to thank the five of you that check in on us here at nerd[heart]geek on a semi-regular basis. You are the wind beneath our wings.

In other news, we've lost our souls to our new Xbox 360. I'm addicted to Bioshock and Allison has been testing her skills at Luxor 2. Also, there's all the on-line content of which I've just barely scratched the surface. In other words, if you haven't heard from me in a while, look in front of our television; I'll be the drooling, red-eyed mess.

The last two Tuesday nights have been kind of exciting. I tend to watch the primaries and debates during the election season like most people watch NCAA basketball. The outcomes for Iowa and New Hampshire have been unexpected. And hey, there's nothing new on television right now due to the writers strike, so what else am I going to watch?

I guess I could read a book.

Or write a book.

Or try to make my community better.

Ooooooo! Look! Xbox!

Down Is the New Up

The last ten songs of the year end countdown are just around the corner. Don't fret. But first...

The War On TV Shows That Paul Likes continues. The USA Network has officially killed The 4400, as well as The Dead Zone. Granted, The Dead Zone had seen its better days and had been on a rapid decline for the past couple of seasons. I quit watching the Anthony Michael Hall vehicle about four episodes into the last season. The 4400, on the other hand, is a whole different story.

For those who do not know, The 4400 was a wonderful mix of The X-Files meets Uncanny X-Men and lasted four tightly written seasons. It was Heroes before there was a Heroes, and in a lot of ways it was a lot deeper than the NBC hit. Due to only having thirteen episodes a season (the first had six), the writers for The 4400 always kept the story on track and each episode built on previous ones. Characters came in and out of the narrative and there was a prevailing feeling that anything could happen. Sure, the acting was your run-of-the-mill basic cable best, but it was good enough and the story was what really mattered the most.

At least, the writers and showrunner Ira Behr (he ran Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, too) had the foresight to give enough closure in fourth season finale, that it works as a wrap up for the whole series. Could they have kept the series going and expanded on ideas and themes established in that episode? Absolutely. But, I'm satisfied in where they were able to leave the characters and the world of The 4400, that I don't feel like I'm left hanging.

Time Won't Give Me Time

(I'll get back to the countdown soon. I promise. Really.)

It looks like Journeyman has finally met its maker. For those who don't know, Journeyman is a show that debuted on NBC this fall starring Kevin McKidd (Trainspotting, Rome). It was quickly viewed by the critics as a less fun/more serious Quantum Leap. I think this early criticism and a weak premiere episode pretty much killed the show right out of the gate. The ratings were never good and they continued to dwindle. The ratings really tanked this week without a Heroes lead-in. Thankfully, all the episodes that were filmed will be aired, and this due to the writer's strike leaving a bit of a schedule vacuum. Luckily, the last episode was written so it could work as a sort-of series finale, so it won't feel too open-ended.

The sad thing is that this was the only new scripted show this season that I really liked and made a point to watch. Bionic Woman was a mess and even returning champion, Heroes, was fairly week compared to that show's previous season. I've enjoyed Pushing Daisies, but part of me feels that the steam of that show's concept and style may be running out for me. With Battlestar Galactica and Lost delayed until the beginning of 2008, there hasn't been any other high-concept, continuity-heavy dramas to really turn me on. But there was Journeyman.

I will freely admit that the first two or three episodes did not immediately win me over. However, by the fourth or fifth show, a bigger picture started to open up and a lot of events that occurred during the opening set of stories started to impact just about everything afterwards. Dan Vassar's decisions had consequences for him and his family in 2007, no matter when he was. The show was never about Dan's missions in the past. It was always about how his new role impacted his relationships: with his wife, his young son, his cop brother, his work as a reporter at a newspaper that was bleeding readers. A smart move was to let Dan's wife, Katie, in on his secret by the end of the first episode. This avoided episodes of Dan having to make excuses for where he disappeared to. Instead, Katie knew that Dan's movements were out of his control, but it didn't make life or their marriage any easier.

To throw even more of a spanner in the works, Dan's long thought-to-be dead fiancee, Livia, would join him in his missions as a fellow time traveler. The cool thing about Dan and Livia's new relationship is that the writers quickly established that Dan was totally committed to Katie, thereby killing any annoying "Who will he choose?" threads or any "Will they or won't they?" tension. What developed was an interesting team dynamic between two people that were once extremely close and now just friends. Sure, they still care about each other, but they both realize that Dan loves and is supposed to be with Katie. It doesn't hurt that Livia was once friends with Katie, too.

I can only hope that the show gets a second life on one of NBC's sister channels (USA or SciFi) not unlike Law & Order: Criminal Intent. There is small but dedicated fan base that has been trying to save the show for the last couple of months, so maybe the movement can change gears a bit. Journeyman is well-written and acted and it can't be all that expensive; it never leaves San Francisco or has many special effects. I would think that era costuming and set dressing may be the most expensive thing about the show or licensing rights for the great music they use for audio clues for what year Dan is in (anytime he was in the '90s, I could always tell the exact year upon hearing the song choice). I'm not holding my breath, but one can always hope. Only time will tell.

(Thanks to Rich for breaking the sad news in a recent post.)

Kill Your Television

It's been a while since I've posted. I guess when I've been motivated to write it's been for the comic book review site, Comic Addiction. I'm really enjoying exercising my writer's muscles, again. It's funny, when I was in school and had to write papers, I wasn't as enthused. But, now that I think about it, I didn't have immediate access to a word processor or computer back then, so it was even more of an ordeal.

TV this season has been crazy good. Battlestar Galactica's season finale was a total mind-blower. Lost seems to be putting the pieces together this season. It's slow, but things are really starting to fall into place. To top it all off, Heroes continues to kick my ass week after week. They did the whole X-Men "Days of Futures Past" thing in the last episode and it rocked. The summer hiatus is about to hit, but I've got the 4400 to look forward to. At least, I'll have more time for other things, like the band.

Speaking of which, I've got the last of the money we owe the fellow that recorded our album. I've left him a voicemail, so I'm sure he'll be happy to get his money and us out of his hair.

My golden globes

I'm skipping the movie categories because, honestly, I didn't see a whole lot of movies last year. The only nominees I managed to catch were Borat, The Devil Wears Prada, Thank You for Smoking, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, and Stranger Than Fiction, so I am completely unqualified to weigh in on anything other than the "musical or comedy" categories. Because it's easier to knit while seated on my couch at home than in a theater, I tend to watch a lot more TV, so here's my opinion on those matters:

If you care who won in their reality (as opposed to mine), check the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's site.

Best Television Series - Drama
24 (FOX)
Big Love (HBO)
Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
Heroes (NBC)
Lost (ABC)

My pick? Deadwood. Only the good die young, people.

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Drama
Patricia Arquette – Medium (NBC)
Edie Falco – The Sopranos (HBO)
Evangeline Lilly – Lost (ABC)
Ellen Pompeo – Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
Kyra Sedgwick – The Closer (TNT)

Yeah... um... no. I'm gonna go with Mary McDonnell from Battlestar Galactica.

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Drama
Patrick Dempsey – Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
Michael C. Hall – Dexter (SHOWTIME)
Hugh Laurie – House (FOX)
Bill Paxton – Big Love (HBO)
Kiefer Sutherland – 24 (FOX)

This is a bit tougher. I'm sure Michael C. Hall rocks it on Dexter, but I don't have Showtime and I've only seen about one scene of his show (something about body parts wrapped and placed under a Christmas tree). Bill Paxton is ineligible because I saw way too much of his ass last season. Ah hell, who am I kidding... Ian McShane, Deadwood.

Best Television Series - Musical Or Comedy
Desperate Housewives (ABC)
Entourage (HBO)
The Office (NBC)
Ugly Betty (ABC)
Weeds (SHOWTIME)

Swap out Desperate Housewives for Scrubs, Entourage for 30 Rock, Weeds for Extras, and have them all play rock-paper-scissors for all I care, 'cause I'd be happy with any of 'em. As it stands, however, I'd have to go with The Office.

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy
Marcia Cross – Desperate Housewives (ABC)
America Ferrera – Ugly Betty (ABC)
Felicity Huffman – Desperate Housewives (ABC)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus – The New Adventures Of Old Christine (CBS)
Mary-Louise Parker – Weeds (SHOWTIME)

You know what? America Ferrera. I like her, and what little I've seen of Ugly Betty seems pretty darn entertaining. If I were to limit my choice to actresses on shows I actually watch on a regular basis and omit those that I'm curious about and would like to check out on DVD sometime in my very distant grad-school-free future, I'd pick Tina Fey for 30 Rock.

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy
Alec Baldwin – 30 Rock (NBC)
Zach Braff – Scrubs (NBC)
Steve Carell – The Office (NBC)
Jason Lee – My Name Is Earl (NBC)
Tony Shalhoub – Monk (USA)

Alec Baldwin. I would've replaced Shalhoub with Ricky Gervais (Extras), but still... Alec Baldwin.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Emily Blunt – Gideon's Daughter (BBC)
Toni Collette – Tsunami, The Aftermath (HBO)
Katherine Heigl – Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
Sarah Paulson – Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip (NBC)
Elizabeth Perkins – Weeds (SHOWTIME)

Katee Sackhoff, Battlestar Galactica. Because that boxing scene nearly killed me.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Thomas Haden Church – Broken Trail (AMC)
Jeremy Irons – Elizabeth I (HBO)
Justin Kirk – Weeds (SHOWTIME)
Masi Oka – Heroes (NBC)
Jeremy Piven – Entourage (HBO)

Hrm. Okay, no opinion on this one. Instead, I'll give a big ol' wet kiss of a category-independent honorable mention to the entire cast of Friday Night Lights.

Later, suckaz!