Ghost in the Machine

Battlefield: Earth.

“Sit down, Cylon“: The final ten episodes of Battlestar Galactica start tonight at 10pm EST. As I’ve said several times here already, the show has steadily lost me since the Dylan-scored Final Four reveal of Season 3. But at this point I feel pot-committed for this last handful, so here’s hoping the show ends on a high note.

Update: “This is perhaps the most universal theme you can explore. For the people of ragtag fleet, the dream was Earth. For those of us here on Earth, the dream could be many other things. It may be the house you saved all your life for but now can no longer afford to make payments on. The career you fantasized about since high school, went to college to prepare for, finally landed and loved, then lost when your company downsized. The woman or man you met who seemed to be everything you ever wanted to find in a lover, who betrayed your trust or left you or died. The flood waters that swept your entire neighborhood away. The war in a far away land that took your son or daughter or husband or wife. The spot on an X-ray that now wants to eat you alive.” The Chicago Tribune‘s Maureen Ryan talks with Ron Moore and David Weddle on last night’s reveals, including, of course, the final Cylon.

Ya Gaeta Go Sometime.

As Sci-Fi leads up to the long-delayed final ten episodes of Battlestar Galactica, Lieutenant Junior Grade Felix Gaeta gets his own 10-part webisode adventure, which takes place after the crew has found Earth and which seems to be a Ten Little Indians sorta thing. (The first part is up now, with segments to follow every 2-3 days.) To be honest, BSG kinda lost me over the last ten episodes, but at this point I feel invested enough that I’ll see it through to its conclusion. So Say We All.

Prime the FTLs. | Dog Hearts Robot.

“When someone from the audience asked Mary McDonnell, who plays President Roslin, if Barack Obama had approached her to be his running mate, she replied that Hillary had. At which point Douglas quipped: ‘Hillary’s the final cylon.’ Badabum!” The promotional campaign for BSG Season 4 gets rolled out of drydock, including a stop on Letterman’s Top 10. [Text.] Not great, frankly, but it’s redeemed by #5, #1, and the World’s Most Dangerous Band’s mean version of “All along the Watchtower.” If you’re not caught up, Season 3 came out last Tuesday. If you are, Season 4 premieres Friday, April 4.

By the way, the first link is via High Industrial, who’s also recently linked to this great dog-cylon friendship, one considerably more symbiotic than Berk and the now defunct Roomba. (It apparently got distressed by all the dog hair and up and pulled a Marvin. Now it just sits there “recharging” and won’t vacuum a frakking thing.)

The Cast Supper.

As the fourth and final season nears, EW says hello to the Battlestar: Galactica cast, and offers clues for what comes next. (Perhaps the biggest spoiler: According to Ron Moore, the Final Cylon is not in this picture.) [Via...one of the blogs on my blogroll, but I'm having trouble retracing my steps at the moment. A possible Cylon malfunction? At any rate, if I figure it out, I'll update. Sorry!] Update: The Season 4 teaser, and this is definitely via Quiddity.

Two Basestars were approaching…

Sci-Fi teases the fourth and final season of Battlestar Galactica and, if nothing else, it looks like Dean Stockwell will be back for the crew’s post-Watchtower adventures. (Oh, and Starbuck…worst backseat driver ever.)

There’s too much confusion.

“‘The decision was to end the show at the top of our game,’ said Moore. ‘That choice precludes certain other choices. [Like wrapping up every possible loose end of plot]. We’ll always be able to say we could have done more.‘” TV Week offers up the details revealed about BSG season 4 at Comic-Con over the weekend, including who’s returning, who’s being focused on, and when the final Cylon will be named. (The fact that Moore admits there’re now two Cylon-hybrid kids after the bizarre, Dylanesque Season 3 finale, and that one’s just being ignored while the other (Hera) is crucial to the S4 arc, further suggests to me that they really didn’t think through that goofy end-of-season reveal very well.)

Of Baltar and Lear.

I grow; I prosper: Now, gods, stand up for bastards! As you may or may not know, both Battlestar Galactica and Slings and Arrows end their third seasons tonight. All in all, a solid evening of quality television…Get thee hence to the Tivo, so say we all. Update: There‘s too much confusion, Saul can’t get no relief? Ok, that’s just plain bizarre. Update 2: FTL Jump the Shark? In case you skipped the comment thread, Ron Moore talks about last night here, and seems to confirm the goofiest aspects of the Season 4 finale. Huge spoilers if you haven’t watched yet.

Ship of State.

“It’s interesting for me as a writer when we can move the chess pieces around a little bit, when you’re dealing with suicide bombing on the show but suddenly it’s not those other people who are doing it, but your characters. You’re able to examine the moral questions of it in a different context because you’re not burdened by the direct analogy of saying, ‘If Laura is George Bush and the cylons are the enemy, how do you deal with it?’” Salon’s Laura Miller has a sit-down with Ron Moore, creator of Battlestar Galactica.

Battle Stations: Wave Four

As Season 3 winds its way down next Sunday, Sci-Fi announces that Battlestar Galactica will get a 22-episode Season 4 in 2008. Hmm…this may or may not be a good thing. At its best, such as the New Caprica arc earlier this season, BSG is really something…still, to my mind, it’s showed signs of strain lately, particularly regarding the recent events surrounding Starbuck (psycho/prophet), Baltar (pariah/prophet), and the Adamas (at each others throats again.) How many times can they reboot the characters, and still be taken seriously?

The Starbuck Stops Here?

“It’s a fundamental and permanent change in the makeup of the show’s cast and of the show itself and how the show operates and what the show is about. It’s a very dramatic change of direction.” Speaking of Sci-Fi, the Chicago Tribune publishes a revealing interview with Battlestar Galactica creators Ron Moore and David Eick on what’s to come for the rest of Season 3. The article also includes this pic of what potentially may be the Final Five, in which some eagle-eyed fanboys have adduced a significant spoiler… (More spoiler-ish pics here.)

Shia, Sunni, Cylon.

“Surely you’ve heard by now (because we’ve certainly repeated it often enough) that “Battlestar Galactica,” the new remake of the cheesy ’70s series, is the most thrilling and trenchant dramatic series on TV at the moment (except, of course, for “The Wire“)…”Battlestar Galactica” may be set in outer space, with robots, in the far distant past, but it reminds us every week that the other TV shows are the fantasies.” As the New Caprica arc draws to a close, Salon‘s Laura Miller sings anew the praises of Battlestar Galactica.

Dark Star.

“[I]n keeping with the show’s ominous tone, instead of quick resolutions or merciful diversions, the darkness reaches a palpable extreme during the premiere of the third season…The uninitiated may continue to write off ‘Battlestar Galactica‘ as the remake of a mediocre show, or as the domain of science fiction fans alone, but those who’ve watched the show more than once or twice know better.” Reminder: As noted a week ago, Battlestar Galactica returns tonight. Right now, Season 3 is pulling a 93 over at Metacritic, who call it “the second-best show on television.”

Starbucking for an Emmy.

“Many of you are already fans. Some of you urged us to watch the show at the very beginning. We know you’ll clutch this golden Buffy to your bosom with pride. But others of you — and we’re addressing you, Emmy voters, directly here — ignore us like the petulant little pills you are.” Salon chooses Battlestar Galactica as the recipient of its third annual Buffy award for the most underappreciated show on television. (And, in case you have any doubts about the selection committee, they also had the sense to pick The Wire the first time around.)

Meanwhile, on Vichy Caprica…

Now Playing Magazine publishes a spoiler-filled preview of Battlestar Galactica‘s Season 3, and it appears [mild spoiler] another jump forward is in the offing for the season premiere this October. I expect Dubya-levels of incompetence from President-figurehead Gaius Baltar at this point.

By their command.

In keeping with their Stargate marketing strategy, I presume, Sci-Fi announces a new prequel-series to Battlestar: Galactica, Caprica, set 50 years before BSG. “Following the lives of two families, the Graystones and the Adamas (the family of William Adama, who will one day become the commander of the ‘Battlestar Galactica’) ‘Caprica’ weaves corporate intrigue, techno-action and sexual politics into television’s first science fiction family saga.” Um, ok. I think I’d rather just see BSG stay good through Season 3.

Imperious Leader.

With the last episode until October behind us, Battlestar Galactica creator Ron Moore talks Season 3. Some moderate spoilers therein.

Banner Days.

Sorry for the lack of updates around here of late — I’ve been using the blog-time to redesign the old headers above, as well as add quite a few more to the rotation. (It was something vaguely productive that I could accomplish while TV-binging to get up to date on Battlestar Galactica — the thinking man’s gritty post-9/11-traumatic stress disorder sci-fi shoot-em-up — for a few nights.) At any rate, keep an eye out for new faces.