3.04: Exodus (II)

[Brown Rat]

I just saw "Exodus" last night, and I am blown away.

The first few minutes of part two left me shaken after the scene between Tigh and Ellen--such horrifying decisions both of them had to make: her repeated choices to put his welfare before that of anyone else, and his choice to put everyone else's welfare before his or her own. Both Tigh and Ellen stuck to their choices, right to the end. She seemed to know that her death was in that cup, yet she drank it willingly . . . again, sacrificing for him. I'm afraid that I couldn't have done what either of them did. (The end of the episode broke my heart. Everyone cheered for Adama, but no one cheered for Tigh.)

Like I said: I'm shaken. I applaud the show for asking the hard questions and for showing the full range of consequences. I expect we'll see more of the consequences in the coming weeks, as everyone deals with the aftermath of the occupation/resistance/collaboration.

The space battles also affected me. I don't usually care about explosions in space, but I felt misty-eyed as Pegasus went to her doom. And prior to that, I bought into the moment when it looked like Galactica would be destroyed; I actually thought it might be the end when Adama turned to his crew and said, "It's been an honor." Olmos really sold that moment and made it believable (especially after the death of Ellen).

[Hawkshaw_245]

Pegasus got herself into the history books, alright. She will be missed, and always remembered as the heroine of the Battle of New Caprica.

Ellen, I don't think, knew of her impending demise. She always had Tigh take her back after every screw-up. I knew there was more than liquor in her cup as soon as I saw it.

A great episode, all in all.

[ScottSF]

I downloaded it yester from itunes since I don't have any cable. I had a lump in my throat almost the whole time. Great Show. A bit of it was predictable but a lot more wasn't. I was hoping Tigh would just shoot Ellen in front of everyone. But then I also wanted Starbuck to kill Casey, glad I was wrong there. I though Casey would turn out to be full Cylon because I knew there was a lie involved otherwise the Cylons wouldn't make such a big deal about Hera.

an embarassing note: I was talking to a friend who is a big fan and learned I was wrong about something. For some reason I was strongly convinced that the actor who played Baltar was the same guy as Dr. Julian from Deep Space Nine. I had to go to IMDB and check the names and then pictures, I felt so foolish.

[Brown Rat]

Originally Posted by ScottSF

For some reason I was strongly convinced that the actor who played Baltar was the same guy as Dr. Julian from Deep Space Nine.

I thought that, too, ScottSF!

[radioactivemouse]

Originally Posted by Brown Rat

I just saw "Exodus" last night, and I am blown away.

The first few minutes of part two left me shaken after the scene between Tigh and Ellen--such horrifying decisions both of them had to make: her repeated choices to put his welfare before that of anyone else, and his choice to put everyone else's welfare before his or her own. Both Tigh and Ellen stuck to their choices, right to the end. She seemed to know that her death was in that cup, yet she drank it willingly . . . again, sacrificing for him. I'm afraid that I couldn't have done what either of them did.

Ok, first of all I want to say Kate Vernon is a great actress and played the part of Ellen Tigh well. She did a great job of convincing the audience her character had a lot more than the surface and I certainly wished her character contributed in a more positive way to the show...

However...

I hated the Ellen Tigh character. She was put in as sort of a comic relief/aggressor/manipulator role. As the episodes went by, I just wished Ellen would DIE. However, the writers designed the character to be self destructive and I have to admit that it contributed to the dark nature of the show.

Ya, a touching moment for Saul, but I was cheering.

So I guess to me she was a "love to hate" character. I kinda wished she would have redeemed herself somehow, but I guess it shows war isn't only about the battle casualties.

[steve12553]

Originally Posted by ScottSF

an embarassing note: I was talking to a friend who is a big fan and learned I was wrong about something. For some reason I was strongly convinced that the actor who played Baltar was the same guy as Dr. Julian from Deep Space Nine. I had to go to IMDB and check the names and then pictures, I felt so foolish.

I had alway felt he seemed very familiar but had I seen the resemblance I might have remembered how long ago DS9 was and how old the actor that played Bashir would be by now.

[Delvo]

The guy who played Bashir, Siddig Al-Fadil, AKA Alexander Siddig, has also had prominent secondary roles in a couple of movies in the last couple of years playing characters more immediately identifiable with his own ethnicity: a prince of an oil-rich Middle Eastern country in "Syriana" and Saladdin's second-in-command against the Crusaders in Jerusalem in "Kingdom of Heaven". (He's got a beard and mustache in both, but especially large in the latter.)

[ScottSF]

Yes! I noticed Siddig in both those roles. I wasn’t sure about Kingdom of Heaven through most the movie. Also Reign of Fire. Sorry about the tangent from BSG. The Baltar guy was in a Bridget Jones movie but I barely remember that movie.

Harsh episode recently with the tossing people out airlocks. . . At one point I really thought they were going to toss Gaida and then find out he was the informant.

[wolfgirl]

Originally Posted by Brown Rat

I thought that, too, ScottSF!

I thought so too! I had to go back and check out who played who to make sure that it wasn't!

[Dave]

I thought the Galactica's plan was bold and ingenious, though obviously could never work. So, the return of Pegasus, as well as it's demise was a little predictable.

Clever how Tigh's character now has our sympathy, even after killing Ellen, when he was so despised last Season.

Also clever how Baltar has slowly and is still slowly turning into the Baltar from the original series. It has been a slow journey, but one you can map very easily.

A little bit hard to accept that all the important characters survived.

There should have been more security around Hera, after Roslin stressed last week how important she was. Especially now Cassie has been shown to be just another Cylon mind-game.

This is really good TV, not just good sci-fi.

[VALEN]

Originally Posted by Dave

Especially now Cassie has been shown to be just another Cylon mind-game.

Thought that was a brilliant piece of script writing & acting.

Starbucks face at the very end of priceless - it shows a very different side to the charactor - not all macho!!!

[Kaldaur]

Galactica falling in the sky is a fantastic touch, although a little on the absurd side science-wise. It was a great piece of action/drama for this episode.

And the chief got to yell a lot, which is the reason I rewatch BSG so often. Aaron Douglas has a great yelling voice.