+ Now's your chance to put those TV watching skills to good use! FOX has launched a new contest inviting fans to create a new "Simpsons" character who will appear on the show. More details will hopefully be available soon at thesimpsons.com website, although there's nothing there right now that I could find. Then again, I am very old and bright colors scare me so I may have missed it.
+ In other generally awesome news, if you haven't seen Nathan Fillion's Halloween costume yet for "Castle," check out this link. Some may consider it a spoiler (like my husband did) but I just think it's cute. Nathan surely knows how to please his fans. (Thanks, AJ, for the link!)
+ Even former Cylons need paychecks: BSG's Tricia Helfer will be guest starring on the greatest comedy ever produced by humankind! That's right -- "Two and a Half Men." Oh, Tricia.
+ Did you know that Bram Stoker's great-grandnephew has written a sequel to "Dracula?" Neither did I. It's called "The Un-Dead" and picks up 25 years after the original novel's ending. USA Today seems to think it's pretty good. Then again, they sometimes have an entire section devoted to NASCAR so...
+ With Halloween on the horizon, here's a list of the 10 Best Halloween Candies of All-Time. (Thanks to my pal Mary for the link!) I've gotta agree with their choice of Hershey's Krackel at number one. What do you think? What's your favorite Halloween treat?
Showing posts with label BSG. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BSG. Show all posts
Friday, October 16, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
"Caprica" versus "BSG": whose pilot reigns supreme?
Beware: spoilers ahead if you haven't seen "Caprica."
After an enormous brain lapse in which I completely forgot that "Caprica" was out on DVD, I finally watched it the other day and was mightily impressed. It got me thinking about the "BSG" pilot miniseries and ever since, I've been trying to decide which one was better.
It's a difficult call given that we have the entirety of "BSG" to look back on and see how all the pieces of the pilot fit with the plots and characters that eventually evolved from it. The fact, though, that "Caprica" is a sequel of sorts also provides a contextual backdrop that I think permits a comparison or two.
The major difference between the two ventures is, obviously, the action quota. Save for one really big explosion, there's no action in "Caprica." Its main focus is thematic, examining familial ties, morality and really, really poor judgement. There's a lot of that in the "BSG" pilot as well but the character-driven stories didn't really become the show's bread and butter until later in the first season.
The two pilots are similar, though, in their willingness to put potentially unlikeable characters at the forefront. Bill Adama was already an arrogant but admired prick at the beginning of "BSG," Baltar's apocalypse-inducing weasel-ness was already on display and well, then you have Caprica Six offing babies. There weren't really a lot of rah-rah awesome characters to hang your fandom on in that opening episode. The same is certainly true of "Caprica," which focuses on a bitchy but brilliant teen and her father, a defense contractor who really likes himself an awful lot. And then there's Joseph Adama, Bill's father, who's apparently hooked up with the Tauron mafia. There's a chilly mother and a creepy headmistress and oh hey, there'sCigarette-Smoking Man from "The X-Files" who I refuse to believe is ever dead unless I see a signed confession from Krycek.
The two pilots differ, too, on the cheese factor. As much as I love the "BSG" pilot -- and I do, I really, really do -- there is just a hint of cheese here and there, nestled in an otherwise perfect amalgam of drama, space 'splosions and character study. In fact, the whole "so say we all" thing at the end kind of makes me want to crawl under the sofa. I love you, BSG, but if I'd seen another golf clap with swelling music scene, we may have had to break up. The "Caprica" cheese factor is fairly low except, sweet fancy Moses, what the hell was up with those nightclub scenes? Did the producers read over their script and think, "Man, this is a lot of exposition. You know what would really liven it up? Naked lesbian nightclub sex and human sacrifice!" Dudes, seriously, why? There was no purpose to those scenes other than to show that Caprica has naughty people and apparently, their version of "The Sims" is really, really messed up.
The thing that I like most about both pilots, though, is the questions they ask about humanity and religion and family. "Caprica" really pulled me in with its question of what happens when technology reaches a point where anything can happen? Will we, as humans, have the strength or the willingness to hold ourselves back? Or will we, as Daniel Graystone does, do what we want because we want it without a thought toward the consequences? Is it okay to create a Frankenstein's monster version of your daughter -- or Joseph Adama's daughter -- because you want them back and the desire to play god is too strong to ignore? Hubris always has consequences, and this time it's going to be angry enslaved robots.
Before seeing "Caprica," I would have been hard-pressed to believe that any sequel or prequel to "BSG" would have pulled me in as much as the mini-series itself did but I was wrong. To me, "Caprica" was every bit as strong as the best of "Battlestar." In fact, as I was watching it, I couldn't help but think to myself, "This is the way 'Dollhouse' should have affected me when I first saw it. This is how intense that show should have been." Of course, "Caprica" doesn't have the millstone of Eliza Dushku around its neck so it's not a fair comparison.
Overall, "Caprica" and the "Battlestar" pilot finish in a dead-heat for me. I love them both, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how the rest of the "Caprica" story plays out...even if we all already know how it ends.
After an enormous brain lapse in which I completely forgot that "Caprica" was out on DVD, I finally watched it the other day and was mightily impressed. It got me thinking about the "BSG" pilot miniseries and ever since, I've been trying to decide which one was better.
It's a difficult call given that we have the entirety of "BSG" to look back on and see how all the pieces of the pilot fit with the plots and characters that eventually evolved from it. The fact, though, that "Caprica" is a sequel of sorts also provides a contextual backdrop that I think permits a comparison or two.
The major difference between the two ventures is, obviously, the action quota. Save for one really big explosion, there's no action in "Caprica." Its main focus is thematic, examining familial ties, morality and really, really poor judgement. There's a lot of that in the "BSG" pilot as well but the character-driven stories didn't really become the show's bread and butter until later in the first season.
The two pilots are similar, though, in their willingness to put potentially unlikeable characters at the forefront. Bill Adama was already an arrogant but admired prick at the beginning of "BSG," Baltar's apocalypse-inducing weasel-ness was already on display and well, then you have Caprica Six offing babies. There weren't really a lot of rah-rah awesome characters to hang your fandom on in that opening episode. The same is certainly true of "Caprica," which focuses on a bitchy but brilliant teen and her father, a defense contractor who really likes himself an awful lot. And then there's Joseph Adama, Bill's father, who's apparently hooked up with the Tauron mafia. There's a chilly mother and a creepy headmistress and oh hey, there'sCigarette-Smoking Man from "The X-Files" who I refuse to believe is ever dead unless I see a signed confession from Krycek.
The two pilots differ, too, on the cheese factor. As much as I love the "BSG" pilot -- and I do, I really, really do -- there is just a hint of cheese here and there, nestled in an otherwise perfect amalgam of drama, space 'splosions and character study. In fact, the whole "so say we all" thing at the end kind of makes me want to crawl under the sofa. I love you, BSG, but if I'd seen another golf clap with swelling music scene, we may have had to break up. The "Caprica" cheese factor is fairly low except, sweet fancy Moses, what the hell was up with those nightclub scenes? Did the producers read over their script and think, "Man, this is a lot of exposition. You know what would really liven it up? Naked lesbian nightclub sex and human sacrifice!" Dudes, seriously, why? There was no purpose to those scenes other than to show that Caprica has naughty people and apparently, their version of "The Sims" is really, really messed up.
The thing that I like most about both pilots, though, is the questions they ask about humanity and religion and family. "Caprica" really pulled me in with its question of what happens when technology reaches a point where anything can happen? Will we, as humans, have the strength or the willingness to hold ourselves back? Or will we, as Daniel Graystone does, do what we want because we want it without a thought toward the consequences? Is it okay to create a Frankenstein's monster version of your daughter -- or Joseph Adama's daughter -- because you want them back and the desire to play god is too strong to ignore? Hubris always has consequences, and this time it's going to be angry enslaved robots.
Before seeing "Caprica," I would have been hard-pressed to believe that any sequel or prequel to "BSG" would have pulled me in as much as the mini-series itself did but I was wrong. To me, "Caprica" was every bit as strong as the best of "Battlestar." In fact, as I was watching it, I couldn't help but think to myself, "This is the way 'Dollhouse' should have affected me when I first saw it. This is how intense that show should have been." Of course, "Caprica" doesn't have the millstone of Eliza Dushku around its neck so it's not a fair comparison.
Overall, "Caprica" and the "Battlestar" pilot finish in a dead-heat for me. I love them both, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how the rest of the "Caprica" story plays out...even if we all already know how it ends.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Wednesday Odds and Ends: "Alien" prequel, "Star Wars" games, "Better Off Ted" and sci-fi chicks
Have I got a boatload of tasty little nuggets for you this morning! Here they are, in no particular order:
+ Thank God, Hollywood is finally making an original movie based on an a totally original story. Hahahahaha, no, I'm just kidding. But they are making an "Alien" prequel with Ridley Scott apparently involved as producer and some guy who makes cool TV commercials about cars as director. I hope there's at least one scene of young Ripley at prom. It is a prequel, right?
+ Holy cow, have you seen this preview of the upcoming "Star Wars: The Old Republic" MMO/RPG game? I want to go to there NOW. Pretty, pretty lightsabers...
+ There are new episodes of "Better of Ted" coming our way on ABC this summer. Any show that features cryogenics as a punchline is a-ok in my book, so bring it on. The new episodes start airing on June 23.
+ Topless Robot has got their list of "Pop Culture's 10 Greatest Nerds." Apparently, none of us made the list, which is a complete and total crime.
+ Hey, look -- another list! This time, it's Total Sci-Fi's list of "25 Women Who Shook Sci-Fi." To me, the inclusion of "The Fifth Element"'s Leeloo and the absence of "BSG"'s Laura Roslin is a cosmic wrong of the highest order, but I'm just picky that way. Also, have I told you I hate "The Fifth Element?"
+ Speaking of chicks, Spin has a nifty little music-based interview with Mindy Kaling from "The Office." Yes, if you've been wondering what this very funny woman has on her iPod, your days of waiting are over!
+ And finally, I discovered this little nugget of gold over at The Onion's AV Club. This person is blogging about their experience watching "The West Wing" for the first time. If you were a fan of the show, it's really fascinating to see it new for the first time through someone else's eyes. I definitely plan on following this blog as he makes his way through the series.
If all goes well later this afternoon, I'll be live blogging my first-ever experience watching that "Twilight" movie all the kids are talking about. (Or were talking about. Now they're talking about that other "Twilight" movie. I'm so old!)
+ Thank God, Hollywood is finally making an original movie based on an a totally original story. Hahahahaha, no, I'm just kidding. But they are making an "Alien" prequel with Ridley Scott apparently involved as producer and some guy who makes cool TV commercials about cars as director. I hope there's at least one scene of young Ripley at prom. It is a prequel, right?
+ Holy cow, have you seen this preview of the upcoming "Star Wars: The Old Republic" MMO/RPG game? I want to go to there NOW. Pretty, pretty lightsabers...
+ There are new episodes of "Better of Ted" coming our way on ABC this summer. Any show that features cryogenics as a punchline is a-ok in my book, so bring it on. The new episodes start airing on June 23.
+ Topless Robot has got their list of "Pop Culture's 10 Greatest Nerds." Apparently, none of us made the list, which is a complete and total crime.
+ Hey, look -- another list! This time, it's Total Sci-Fi's list of "25 Women Who Shook Sci-Fi." To me, the inclusion of "The Fifth Element"'s Leeloo and the absence of "BSG"'s Laura Roslin is a cosmic wrong of the highest order, but I'm just picky that way. Also, have I told you I hate "The Fifth Element?"
+ Speaking of chicks, Spin has a nifty little music-based interview with Mindy Kaling from "The Office." Yes, if you've been wondering what this very funny woman has on her iPod, your days of waiting are over!
+ And finally, I discovered this little nugget of gold over at The Onion's AV Club. This person is blogging about their experience watching "The West Wing" for the first time. If you were a fan of the show, it's really fascinating to see it new for the first time through someone else's eyes. I definitely plan on following this blog as he makes his way through the series.
If all goes well later this afternoon, I'll be live blogging my first-ever experience watching that "Twilight" movie all the kids are talking about. (Or were talking about. Now they're talking about that other "Twilight" movie. I'm so old!)
Friday, April 18, 2008
News of the Day -- Friday, April 18
+ When I saw the EW headline "Titans Talk" I was hoping it was a Ray Harryhausen-style sequel to "Clash of the Titans." Imagine my disappointment when it only turned out to be an awesome interview with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas about Indiana Jones, special effects technology and much more. Still no blanket apology for ewoks, though.
+ Don't forget to watch John Oliver's stand-up special, "Terrifying Times," this Sunday on Comedy Central. Here's a little teaser:
He's funny and pretty.
+ Sci-Fi will be running tonight's new BSG episode, "The Ties That Bind," eight times today on their website starting at 9 a.m. EST (aka NOW!). This apparently might be the last time they do these preview showings, which means my Friday lunch hours are going to suck all over again.
+ Also, did you know that Angel's Amy Acker has been cast in a recurring role on Joss Whedon's new Dollhouse series? How'd I miss that one?
+ Don't forget to watch John Oliver's stand-up special, "Terrifying Times," this Sunday on Comedy Central. Here's a little teaser:
He's funny and pretty.
+ Sci-Fi will be running tonight's new BSG episode, "The Ties That Bind," eight times today on their website starting at 9 a.m. EST (aka NOW!). This apparently might be the last time they do these preview showings, which means my Friday lunch hours are going to suck all over again.
+ Also, did you know that Angel's Amy Acker has been cast in a recurring role on Joss Whedon's new Dollhouse series? How'd I miss that one?
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Dating and the Single Girl...Nerd
From the pen of girl nerd Ms. C. comes this new series, a painfully honest account of one single girl nerd meant to edify, inform, inspire, and remind you that you're not alone in this.
I've belonged to Friendster, Facebook, MySpace, and now the newly-discovered Virb (sold to me by my sister-in-law as, "A place so new, there's no ex-boyfriends there!")
But the problem I've found with those sites is that I simply don't use them the way they're intended. My eyes burn when I see moving sparkles and my parents aren't really that mean, nor am I interested in your new band. Hey! I'm sure they're AWESOME! And most of the guys on there...well, there's no way to know who they REALLY are, if they're even guys...or 18.
I prefer to meet guys the old-fashioned ways: at a party, through a mutual friend, or, ideally, through arranged marriage. What that means is that romance will happen as it happens. I must be patient.
In fact, I'm always telling myself, "Patience." Or actually, to be honest, I'm always telling myself, "Patience, young jedi" and it's in Yoda's voice. This is how I know I am a full-fledged, card-carrying, grade A girl nerd: Yoda is giving me dating advice.
I was recently "outed" as a girl nerd by a friend who opened my eyes to what I'd denied for years. Sure, I liked Star Wars and pretty much any movie with robots or outer space, but I didn't feel I had much of a choice: I grew up in the 80's. Sure, I owned more books than blouses...and slacks...and shoes...combined, but I was hip! I had a job and apartment in the heart of The City, I biked, I camped and hiked, I listened to Radiohead...oh. Right. There was no denying it.
So now I choose to embrace it. I choose to wrap my shapely arms around the concept that it's OK to like BSG and to call it BSG. It's OK to go to bed at 9 p.m. on a weeknight, and to read a chapter of The Chamber of Secrets before completing two crossword puzzles while the cats race each other up and down the hall. It's OK to do all this after an evening where I dined on reheated beans and rice out of a tupperware bowl, washed that down with a light beer, left hand flipping the pages of Rolling Stone, right hand clicking links on my laptop in between bites, and reading text messages from a friend telling me to stop everything I'm doing and GO SEE 300 OH MY GAWED IT'S SO WOW.
I'm a nerd. I'm a girl. I'm single. And it's OK.
I've belonged to Friendster, Facebook, MySpace, and now the newly-discovered Virb (sold to me by my sister-in-law as, "A place so new, there's no ex-boyfriends there!")
But the problem I've found with those sites is that I simply don't use them the way they're intended. My eyes burn when I see moving sparkles and my parents aren't really that mean, nor am I interested in your new band. Hey! I'm sure they're AWESOME! And most of the guys on there...well, there's no way to know who they REALLY are, if they're even guys...or 18.
I prefer to meet guys the old-fashioned ways: at a party, through a mutual friend, or, ideally, through arranged marriage. What that means is that romance will happen as it happens. I must be patient.
In fact, I'm always telling myself, "Patience." Or actually, to be honest, I'm always telling myself, "Patience, young jedi" and it's in Yoda's voice. This is how I know I am a full-fledged, card-carrying, grade A girl nerd: Yoda is giving me dating advice.
I was recently "outed" as a girl nerd by a friend who opened my eyes to what I'd denied for years. Sure, I liked Star Wars and pretty much any movie with robots or outer space, but I didn't feel I had much of a choice: I grew up in the 80's. Sure, I owned more books than blouses...and slacks...and shoes...combined, but I was hip! I had a job and apartment in the heart of The City, I biked, I camped and hiked, I listened to Radiohead...oh. Right. There was no denying it.
So now I choose to embrace it. I choose to wrap my shapely arms around the concept that it's OK to like BSG and to call it BSG. It's OK to go to bed at 9 p.m. on a weeknight, and to read a chapter of The Chamber of Secrets before completing two crossword puzzles while the cats race each other up and down the hall. It's OK to do all this after an evening where I dined on reheated beans and rice out of a tupperware bowl, washed that down with a light beer, left hand flipping the pages of Rolling Stone, right hand clicking links on my laptop in between bites, and reading text messages from a friend telling me to stop everything I'm doing and GO SEE 300 OH MY GAWED IT'S SO WOW.
I'm a nerd. I'm a girl. I'm single. And it's OK.
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