4.16.2009

American Idol: Top 7 Results Show

So the historical, game-changing, dream-affirming (yeah, that was meant as sarcasm) Judges' Save was finally utilized. On Matt Giraud. Seriously?

  • Simon's favorite description is probably "indulgent" and that's exactly the word I'd apply to Miley Cyrus' performance. She may be one of the biggest stars in the world right now (Why, exactly?), but she's still a 16-year-old girl. Smoke? A dress more befitting a 30-year-old woman? Seductive glances into the camera? Really? This is the girl who is supposed to inspire our children? Please.
  • Jennifer Hudson is L-O-V-E. To see her stand on that stage and realize how far she's come -- in personality, in style, in accomplishments -- was just wonderful. She's come into her own beautifully, and she's done so with class and grace while facing the greatest tragedy of her life. And she rightfully holds her head up high. Tours and Oscars and Grammys, oh my!
Thoughts?

Follow the yellow brick road...

4.15.2009

American Idol: Top 7 Performance Night

You would think, given how massive of a hit American Idol is, that their songbook would be practically infinite. So, why in the hell is nearly every single contestant choosing crappy, tried-and-true material? Aerosmith? Two Bryan Adams songs? Traditional Lionel Richie? Is the songbook actually quite limited, or do the Idols just have craptacular taste in music? Either way, Movie Night provided an extremely underwhelming and lackluster showcase. This was the week where it was truly about song choice, and nearly everyone failed.

Follow the yellow brick road...

4.14.2009

American Idol: Top 8 Results Show

So, American Idol has extended its streak of "getting it right". The Bottom 3 consisted of Anoop, Scott, and Lil, with Scott MacIntyre sent packing.

While I (and I'm sure Scott as well) did not appreciate the supposed divide as to whether or not the Judges' Save would be used -- the female judges may have enjoyed Scott, but the save is only ever going to be used on a contestant who has a chance of winning, and Scott did not have a shot in hell -- I did appreciate Scott's appeal. Despite his talent being largely subpar to other contestants, he was consistently an adult contemporary artist. Unlike some of the other contestants (*cough*Lil*cough*), Scott knew who he was as a musician and he never veered off that course (if you don't count the ill-fated guitar, that is). And to top it off, he was pretty damn impressive too -- overcoming obstacles and challenges to hone his talents and shine. Bravo, Scott! And much luck.

Randoms...

  • Kellie Pickler looks and sounds really good. And she's become quite adept at working the crowd. Good for her. Let's hope that she hasn't forgotten about the little people like Wolfgang Puck.
  • I loved the age-related needling of Simon and the surprise appearance of Frankie Avalon as a conduit to that end, but thank god for "Grease". If not for "Grease's" massive popularity to this day, only about 1/3 of the American Idol audience would have known who he was. So sad. By the way, does Avalon age? I'm inclined to say 'no'.

Thoughts?

4.08.2009

American Idol: Top 8 Performance Night

I'm sad to report that I find myself fading out of American Idol. I don't know if it's just that I've watched for so long now and the sheen is wearing off or if it's the contestants this year, but I'm just not nearly as invested as I once was. Keep in mind that I do believe that there is a high volume of excellent singers this year, but there's only one that is consistently wowing me and it's that one and that one only that I find myself eagerly looking forward to each week. And his name is Adam Lambert.

Follow the yellow brick road...

3.30.2009

Battlestar Galactica: "Daybreak---Parts 2+3"

(*Please allow my profuse apologies for the massive frakkin' delay of this review. Refer to the comments section for further explanation. And be advised, the pictures are courtesy of GalacticaBBS.com)


Goodbye, Battlestar Galactica! Goodbye, Cylons that are the Creative Team! Thank you for the inspired, thought-provoking, profound, and heroic journey. You will be sorely missed.

"Today is a new beginning for all of us. We share a unique destiny, but our future is ours to shape and our past cannot be forgotten. A new day requires new thinking..." -- President Laura Roslin in "Collaborators"

Laura Roslin imparted to us the end of this journey long ago. All we had to do was listen. Clearly, "Daybreak---Parts 2+3" present to us that there is some divine intervention at work, but the true nature of a transcendental being (or beings) is unknowable. The enigmas that were the Head characters are proof of this -- are they angels? Are they demons? Are they messengers? Are they guides? Are they all of the above? In my opinion, they are the latter. They are the representations of the war within all of us -- the desires towards betterment and the instincts that entrap us. They offer their wisdom (and play Devil's Advocate) with the hope that we'll use the knowledge wisely and "break the cycle". And given the ending, it appears that we have. As I said in my "Daybreak---Part 1" review, dynasties have risen and fallen throughout history on the heels of war, stemming from an ignorance of or a refusal to accept something that is considered "the other". We've seen our fair share of man-made calamities (9/11, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Chernobyl, and Fall of the Roman Empire to name a few), but thus far we're still standing. Despite our best efforts, our world endures. And the best of this rag-tag fleet, human and Cylon alike, lives on in all of us.

The idea that these characters are our progenitors is quite inspirational, actually. With their destinies fully-realized, we see that every member of the higher echelon had a very distinct role to play:
  • Galactica = Protector
  • Adama = Savior
  • Roslin = Leader
  • Kara = Guide
  • Baltar/Caprica = Messengers
  • Final Five = Healers
  • Lee = Voice of Reason
All of those roles and the qualities that they represent linger in humanity as we know it. Helo and Athena, through their love that transcended self-imposed boundaries and limitations, gave humanity a gift in Hera -- a chance for a better life that includes the best of both races. We are the amalgamation. And it works.

Starbuck was once told by a Hybrid that she was the "herald of the apocalypse, the harbinger of death" and that she "would lead humanity to its end". She did all that and more. Starbuck had been to Earth 1.0 and would have seen the apocalypse that had consumed it. She died on the land, but was resurrected to return to the fleet and guide them to their new home. Without Kara and her ability to take the necessary leap of faith to log Hera's coordinates in the FTL drive, the fleet would have never discovered Earth 2.0. The journey would have continued, Galactica would have fallen apart, provisions would have run out, and humanity would have never reached their destined "end". Earth 2.0 marked the end of their journey, and it was there that humanity in its purest form would cease to exist and a new race of hybrids would be created. Without Kara, whatever she may be, life would have died with humanity. I don't need a firm answer to what Starbuck is because I know who she is. She is this world's saving grace.

This world... called Earth. Earth 1.0 was Earth as well. It was the 13th Colony's version of Earth. Earth 2.0 is the fleet's incarnation of our planet. The journey was never about finding the one, true Earth -- if there even is one. It was always about being "in search of a home... called Earth". Earth is a dream made into reality and it will only ever be what we make it. After the seemingly endless nightmare that they had amazingly lived through, as Adama said, they earned it. They earned the dream. The dream called Earth.

The raft was not as seaworthy as I'd hoped. The waves repeatedly threatened to swamp it. I wasn't afraid to die. I was afraid of the emptiness that I felt inside. I couldn't feel anything. And that's what scared me. You came into my thoughts. I felt them. It felt good. -- Searider Falcon

Over the course of their harrowing journey, Bill Adama and Laura Roslin quietly fell in love. As individuals, initially, they were empty shells of the people that they had the potential to be. Together, in the end, they were each one half of a whole. Laura's life on Caprica illustrated a devastating loss unimaginable to most that served as a catalyst for a life of service. In an effort to fill the emptiness, she gave back. But the more she worked for the greater good, the more she lost sight of herself and the less she lived. It was only in the eyes of Bill Adama -- a man, at once, with only one stable relationship that gave him any sense of pride or dignity (the military) -- that she was able to see reflected the remarkable woman who walked in her shoes. And it was through him and with him wherein she was able to live again. For a show so committed to seeing through the darkest hours, it was remarkably fitting and poetic that the fleet's great leader took her last breath uttering, "So much life..." She was leaving her people, but not before she finished what she had set out to do. "All the way to the end -- no matter what. All the way to the end." Her people -- Bill, Lee & Kara, the fleet -- were now home. They were now -- finally -- at peace. Her loss of so long ago was finally redeemed. She could go.

Redemption can be found in the most interesting places. And retribution can come when it's least expected. Tory chose to coldly and callously murder an innocent such as Cally to protect the secret of the Final Four. And she never paid a price. Life went on for her as if nothing happened. So it was karmic justice that Tyrol discovered her brutal crime and saw fit to snap her neck as payback. Tory had it coming... and we cheered. Boomer, on the other hand, was deserving of punishment many times over and never quite got it. But Boomer's existence was all about choices -- not in making the right or wrong choice, but in making any decision born of free will at all. Boomer was a puppet who could never quite break the strings -- until she broke Simon's neck. In that one defining moment, Boomer finally made her choice and it was, in fact, the correct one. It was necessary for her to pay for her crimes as well -- with her sister, Athena, as her judge and jury -- but in making her decision, she found redemption. Boomer had allowed herself to die with dignity... and we wept.

"Destiny" is a funny thing. It begs the idea that we are not free to be our true selves. That no matter what "choices" we make, we end up in the same place in the end. Having a destiny seems to mean having no life. But "free will" is a funny thing too. While we draw breath, we must face a series of forks in the roads throughout our lifetime, and it is in our decisions -- whether right at the time or not -- that we find our true path. The big picture isn't known until the end of our journey, so those choices must be made. And they must be done so with a consciousness of the here and now. These characters instilled that in us. Kara -- a woman of abuse prone to hard-drinking and foul language and a poor personal life -- chose to trust the song and thus completed her journey. Baltar -- a man wrapped in self-preservation, arrogance, and a great need for betterment at the expense of his upbringing -- chose to stay with the volunteers and fight the good fight and in turn inspired pride in Caprica and once and for all, embraced God. Laura -- a woman hollow and broken and keenly focused on the task at hand -- chose to fight for her remaining life until she could see her people settled and at rest. Bill -- a man fueled by stubbornness and alcohol and dreams of a grander service -- chose to sacrifice his home and ally himself with beings once thought of as the enemy to save a little girl and give humanity a chance. With all of these choices made in the present, destinies converged and the master plan took shape. The shape of things to come.

"When you step on this deck, you be ready to fight, or you dishonor the reason why we're here. Now remember this: When you fight a man, he's not your friend. Same goes when you lead men. I forgot that once. I let you get too close, all of you. I dropped my guard. I gave some of you breaks, let some of you go, before the fight was really over. I let this crew and this family disband, and we paid the price in lives. That can't happen again." -- Admiral William Adama in "Unfinished Business"

Much of this finale was polarizing -- as it should have been -- as it capped off a highly ambitious and controversial series. The network often said it was too dark, but its ability to view the despair and the devastation of the human condition is what made it so fundamentally... human. I largely reveled in the funereal tone, but it was the bursts of hope that comforted me. In the end, some have said that the outcome of the fleet was too hopeful, but I saw it differently. I was left with an overwhelming sense of melancholy. Whether or not these, no doubt, very exhausted people had taken their resources with them across the planet, it's clear that they would only survive a short time. It's one thing to dream, but it's another thing entirely to adapt. Technology could only get them so far without running water and electricity -- and the supply of their provisions was dire -- so would they have really wanted to spend the rest of their lives working and building a replica of the home that was destroyed as a means of teaching humanity a lesson only to pass on before their jobs were complete? Furthermore, many balk at the idea of Bill walking away from his son, but that outcome was inevitable. Bill said so himself. He would live in exile building Laura's cabin, and upon completion he would die quietly of a broken heart. "Because I can't live without her." And while it further saddens me to think of the "family" as fractured and scattered, it was necessary. Should another apocalyptic event come along, humanity stood a better chance of survival if they were spread out. Because, after all, the war was over and now was the time to "start having babies".


Random thrills...
  • Laura Roslin, once and for all, thanking Doc Cottle. Roslin's tears were expected, but to see such fervent emotion coming from the crustiest bastard of them all? Priceless. He would never admit it, but he loved and admired her dearly, and he might have given his own life to save hers. He certainly gave her his time.
    "You've done much more than that. You've taken a patient who should've died years ago, and you've given her a chance. Despite cancer, and the Cylons, and her own obstinate nature. And you've... you've given me the little time I have left. And for that, you... you have my heartfelt gratitude. And my thanks. (pause) No no, don't. Don't. Don't spoil your image. Just light a cigarette, and go, and grumble." -- Laura Roslin
  • Admiral Hoshi and President Lampkin? Genius. While Hoshi finally got his due -- for a few brief moments -- Romo was a surprise. And actually, I worry for the fleet with Romo as President, seeing as he's largely mentally unsound. But really, who else was there?
  • The image of Centurion vs. Centurion during the battle with The Colony was mesmerizing. (The entire frakkin' battle was, really.) Centurions really do have free will and like so many others, they chose their sides. They didn't operate as a breed -- they ruled as individuals. And seeing the Centurions come into their own and inherit the Basestar was surprisingly touching. Two-thousand-plus years as slaves and they finally become masters of their own domain.
  • I spoke of redemption above and I'm now reminded of Racetrack's redemption. She lost a lot of favor when she turned her back on Adama and allied herself with Zarek and Gaeta during the mutiny, but in her final act, she gave her life for the security of the fleet and went down with her raptor while nuking the Colony. Brava, Racetrack! And thank you.
  • I was originally jarred by Cavil's suicide but ultimately it made sense. Cavil knew that his time was up and there was no way out, so instead of falling at the hand of any one person he thought to be far inferior to him, he decided to die by the hand of the one person he truly loved -- himself.
  • The deaths of Cavil, Simon, and Doral were born out of a misunderstanding with Cavil thinking that the Final Five offering resurrection was just a ploy. Tyrol's discovery of Tory's deception occurred at the precise moment where Cavil's faith was wavering. Interesting, considering that the Fall of the Colonies was also born out of a Cylon misunderstanding as it were. In the beginning, the Cylons believed that God told them that their "parents had to die for children to come into their own". Over time, with growth and maturity, half of them came to realize that they had been wrong. Misunderstandings, while minor in the moment, can cause major catastophes.
  • Is it a coincidence that the most prominent Cylon was Number Six and in the end, there were only six models left standing -- Ellen, Tigh, Tyrol, Caprica, Athena, and Leoben (though we didn't see him, unfortunately)?
  • The Opera House with all of its protectors of Hera as a visual metaphor for Galactica, the protector of them all, was stunning. I never quite understood the key players of the Opera House until the big reveal. Those four people were the lynch-pins of Hera's creation and her destiny. The woman who gave her life (Athena), the most brilliant mind attached to the man who would replace her father on the raptor (Baltar), the woman who orchestrated the affair that would lead to her creation (Caprica), and the first of humanity who she would save (Roslin). Hera was the "shape of things to come" and she took shape aboard Galactica.
  • Finally, the music. I've long since thought of Bear McCreary as a musical poet, but he outdid himself with "Daybreak---Parts 2+3". From "Wander My Friends" playing over Bill walking the vacant flight deck before launching "Husker" to the 70's Theme accompanying Galactica and the rest of the ships as Sam flew them into the sun to Jimi Hendrix, in all his full glory, singing "All Along the Watchtower" over Times Square to "Roslin and Adama" ushering out the most beautiful mature love story of our time and capping the emotional end of this journey. Bear gave the audience a gift in this music and its beats and swells won't soon be forgotten.
This review is evidently largely positive, but fear not. I did have a few minor reservations. While he should be lauded up one way and down the other for "re-imagining" this incredible series, Ron Moore's cameo during the epilogue was a major distraction. I went from tears and mouth agape to, "Oh, look!" and I didn't like it. And speaking of distraction, the much-too-obvious and heavy-handed imagery of the Times Square robots kept me out of the moment even longer. We know that technology, should it be misused, has the potential to turn on us, but the beauty of this show was in its subtlety and its sly observations. Being hit over the head with the message was unnecessary, and frankly, a little condescending. Also unnecessary was Kara and Lee's ill-timed and classless almost-liaison. It has always been abundantly clear that Kara and Lee both loved Zak completely. Zak's death was often a major source of contention between them rooted in that very fact. So, drunk or not, to see them nearly have sex on the dining room table while Zak slept mere feet away was vulgar. And I'm not too convinced that they wouldn't have stopped had Zak not stirred at the glass breaking. While I understand that the flashbacks stood as evidence of the choices that the characters made that put them on their destined paths, this was one choice that left me with a severely bad taste in my mouth. More so than Bill's drunken vomiting. In all, minor recriminations, but recriminations nonetheless. Because, after all, not even the great Battlestar Galactica is perfect. It's dirty and gritty and harsh. And that's how we liked it.

"Just so there'll be no misunderstandings later, Galactica's seen a lot of history... gone through a lot of battles. This will be her last. She will not fail us if we do not fail her. If we succeed in our mission, Galactica will bring us home. If we don't, it doesn’t matter anyway." -- Admiral William Adama


Admiral, rest assured, Galactica did not fail us. Not at all.

And with that, the exceptional Battlestar Galactica has come to the end of her journey. May she forever shine down upon us, offering her wisdom, magic, and poetry. And with great gratitude we say, one final time...

So say we all.

Follow the yellow brick road...

3.27.2009

Grey's Anatomy: "Elevator Love Letter"

These days, I'm watching Grey's Anatomy out of dedicated habit. This season has been so unbelievably uneven (downright bad at times) that it's been difficult to maintain a true investment. Yet here I am, still watching. Often, I feel dirty about that, but "Elevator Love Letter" gave me hope.

"I'm lying here in your arms and I'm afraid to fall asleep."
The chemistry between Sandra Oh and Kevin McKidd is astounding and Christina and Owen do work very well as a couple, but before they can really give it a go, he needs to get his act together. Christina has always built walls around her heart and the only way she'll ever break those down is if she feels safe. Owen has the power to make her feel safe, but he doesn't currently have the ability. Let's hope that she inspires him.

Randoms...
  • Any day when Callie dances like a dork is a good day. When she and Arizona were dancing early on in her apartment, I flashed back to Callie's near-naked dancing in the bowels of Seattle Grace. Hee. And seeing Callie carefree and happy was icing on the cake. Arizona is good for her.
  • I appreciated that they acknowledged Callie's complicated history with Izzie. Callie berating herself over wishing Izzie dead and then using that to light a fire under George was inspired. "George, you were my husband and you slept with her. You are the reason I wished her dead -- you owe me this."
  • Alex's massive guilt over not reading Izzie's signs and kicking himself because he's "a doctor" was heart-breaking. He's willing to spooge in a cup for her (because he actually wants a family with her, aww!), but he can't bring himself to go into her room. He's beating himself up one way and down the other, but all Izzie wants is him by her side. Luckily, he pulled it together in the end and the image of them laying together on her PACU bed was just lovely.
  • Bailey keeping Izzie's skills up as an excuse just to keep her company was typical Bailey -- strong, stoic, inspiring, and mother to them all. "Tomorrow, do better." Anything you say, Nazi.
  • Poor Izzie, left all alone at the time when she needs her friends the most. Many of those characters can be such d-bags sometimes, you know?
  • The family in the tertiary story was surprisingly affecting when they finally lost their aunt. "Actually, could we stay a little while longer?" Goes to show that you should never judge a book by its cover.
  • I am, by no means, a Derek/Meredith fan, but I enjoyed seeing the history of their relationship punctuated by meaningful surgeries. Dorky and fitting. And they're finally engaged. Egads, does this mean that the endless melodrama will finally stop? Eh, probably not.
  • Was it any surprise that Derek succeeded in the OR? If he hadn't -- if Izzie had died on his table -- he would have turned in his medical license then and there. So that drama didn't feel foreboding enough. Seattle Grace wouldn't be Seattle Grace without Derek Sheppard.
  • Could someone please explain to me when and how Meredith -- of all people -- became the intelligent voice of reason? I think a pig just flew past my window.
Thoughts?

Follow the yellow brick road...

In the Motherhood

Wow. Don't bother.

It makes me so sad to see such talent (genius Megan Mullally, brilliant Cheryl Hines, entertaining Horatio Sanz) wasted on this really unfunny show. This cast of actors deserves far better than the material this show offers them and the audience deserves a show that actually delivers on its promise of "a comedy".

The only funny moments in "It Takes a Village Idiot" came from the children. Shattering the dreams of a child in one fell swoop -- such as with telling them that Santa, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, etc. are all fabrications -- is embarrassingly hilarious and the fact that the children passed on the knowledge and created a mass riot was a kick.

The only kick. Damn.

Thoughts?

American Idol: Top 10 Results Show

For frak's sake, why was Matt Giraud in the Bottom Three?

America often confounds me, and tonight was no different. While Michael Sarver and Scott MacIntyre (with Michael rightfully sent packing) rounded out the Bottom Three correctly, Matt's addition just made no sense. But alas... 'Tis the beauty of American Idol.

  • Ruben, aka The Velvet Teddy Bear, sounded better than he has in years. He's lost a little weight too. Now, if someone would just quit running him through the sprinkler before his performances...
  • Smokey Robinson and Joss Stone sounded kind of hot together. It worked.
  • Stevie Wonder is still the Master. As Michael said, "And I have to sing after Stevie -- oh, crap!" Truer words never spoken.
Michael, you seemed like a genuinely nice and good guy, but sayonara.

Thoughts?

Follow the yellow brick road...

3.26.2009

Lost: "He's Our You"

Daniel Faraday's closed-loop theory of time-travel might have just been blown to smithereens. Or not. Who the frak knows -- this is Lost, after all.

  • When Sawyer told Juliet, "I got this under control", I believed him. Whole-heartedly. And that just made me so proud of Sawyer once again. This was just furthered by seeing Jack trusting Sawyer too. My, how far we've come...
  • Speaking of Sawyer, I like how the trust of the Initiative and the life that he's built seems to mean a great deal to him. I like seeing Sawyer settled, in charge, in control, and operating with a sense of peace. He's earned that.
  • Sawyer tased Sayid in the junk. That was cold. And harsh. Damn.
  • Juliet and Kate's exchange regarding Sawyer was well done. Awkward, tense, slightly leery, yet gentle and not spiteful. These are two strong, confident women who deeply care about this wonderful man, and as the dynamic has changed, they're just trying to find their footing. Perfect.
  • I'm impressed by the Initiative's adherence to a democratic-run society. The members of the elite felt like the BSG Quorum, only in jumpsuits. Although, we know how the Quorum fared in the end. I fear that the Initiative will suffer the same fate -- gunned down in genocide.
Thoughts?

Follow the yellow brick road...

American Idol: Top 10 Performance Night

Week 3 of the American Idol finals proved that Motown is a gift -- to music lovers and singing competition contestants. Last week, I expected that "Country" would weed out the contestants more thoroughly, but as it turns out, that was "Motown's" job. The stand-outs really stood-out and those that flopped should be doing a lot of praying tonight. And then there was Lil...

Follow the yellow brick road...

3.25.2009

Big Love: "Sacrament"

"Is it wrong to wish your parents dead?" -- Alby Grant
"Not ours." -- Nicki Grant
In a hilarious exchange, Nicki and Alby tossed around ideas about ways of killing Roman and Adaleen. Nicki was kidding. Alby was not. And seeing as his letter bomb plan to kill Adaleen failed miserably, Alby will have to be extremely grateful to Joey for getting the job done. Oh, what a tangled web...

Follow the yellow brick road...

Kings: "Goliath" and "Prosperity"

So I've finally gotten around to reviewing the first three hours of Kings in all its majestic glory. It's ambitious and visceral and awe-inspiring. And it has a lot of promise. I just hope that the viewers give it the opportunity to tell its story.

"Hope lies in bravery. And we need hope." -- King Silas Benjamin

Follow the yellow brick road...

3.23.2009

Dollhouse: "Man on the Street"

Various sources (Joss Whedon, Eliza Dushku, Tahmoh Penikett, et al.) have reported that "Man on the Street" was the episode where Dollhouse would finally find its voice and its vision would become clear. Did it deliver? Absolutely! Is the show now perfect? Not by a long shot. But there's definitely a marked improvement.

"I played a very bad hand very well. There's a distinction." -- Adelle DeWitt
Randoms...
  • We've known for a while that the dolls are broken (original personalities breaking through, awareness) but why? The technology is so advanced and Topher seems to be a genius, so why can't he fix it? Is he secretly the mole and therefore doesn't want to fix it? That would be a nice surprise seeing as Topher seems to delight in his work which is unnerving given that his position in the dollhouse might be the most reprehensible of all. He's the conduit.
  • Boyd's police training came in handy as he "did the work" and exposed Hearn's flagrant unremitting abuse of Sierra. Boyd genuinely cares about Echo (and the other dolls) and feels like a protector of sorts beyond his role as handler, so why is he there? Ostensibly, the dollhouse should turn his stomach as he appears to be an upstanding guy. The dollhouse thrives on illusion. Appearances can be deceiving, but I don't know that I like the idea that Boyd may not be as good as he seems. The dolls need at least one internal ally if they are to survive.
  • Patton Oswalt was touching as a grieving widower who's only desire was to share in the "perfect moment" with his "wife" that she was never able to experience. Mynor's motives appeared to be altruistic, but his human nature prevented the "mission" from being entirely noble. Fantasy drives us and illusion is tempting. Must we deny our most base instincts to be truly virtuous?
  • The various fight scenes were made of awesome -- magnificently constructed, choreographed, and filmed. But... wouldn't Tahmoh Penikett be able to crush someone Eliza Dushku's size with his pinky?
  • "PORN!" Heh. Trademark Joss Whedon humor.
  • Mellie proves that the dolls are Cylons. They are effectively machines wired to do the job. Personalities and consciousness are downloaded into them, but they feel and fall in love. And as time passes, they grow into their own. Free will, or a flaw in the plan?
As Mynor told Ballard, fantasy is necessary for survival. To reference Lost, we need a "constant" to maintain our sanity. If we as human beings do not have a greater focus, imagined or otherwise, then we can potentially lose ourselves. Will technology be our downfall or will it be monotony?
"If that technology exists, it'll be used. It'll be abused. It'll be global. And we will be over. As a species, we will cease to matter. I don't know. Maybe we should." -- Professor in the "Documentary"

Thoughts?

Follow the yellow brick road...

ER: "Shifting Equilibrium"

Last Thursday night on the latest ER, we said goodbye to Dr. Neela Rasgotra. Six years ago, Neela walked into County General a fresh-faced medical student who looked more like a little girl than a doctor. Over time, we saw her through her ups (finding a home in Surgery, her deep friendship with Abby, falling in love with and marrying Gallant) and her downs (Gallant's tragic premature death, Ray's accident, her unfortunate career choice in the Jumbo Mart) and in the end, little Neela became a grown woman, full of promise, self-awareness and confidence. County will miss you, Dr. Rasgotra.

  • Here I thought that Brenner & Neela were supposed to be a real couple, developing over the course of the season. Ultimately, they were meant to help each other see the error of their ways. Brenner facing his past and working towards a better future, and Neela facing her self-imposed limitations and admitting her flaws. It was nice to finally see her recognize that she can be rather self-righteous, and then proceed to apologize for it. Seeing the true purpose of their relationship come to fruition was unexpected, yet touching. They were necessary to each other's lives and they know that. Awareness is a beautiful thing.
  • Neela and Dubenko's goodbye was highly emotional. And it was also fitting. He challenged her until her very last moment and she's the better for it. The student had become the master, and that made Dubenko proud. Because above all else, he loved her. She was his pupil, his friend, his family.
  • Nice touch having Neela stop just shy of 2500 surgeries. She's a gifted surgeon, but she's never been there simply to cut. She's a compassionate and caring doctor more than anything.
  • Frank coming up with every possible ethnic stereotype as a way of saying goodbye to and making amends with Neela? Hilarious! And so Frank. The fact that he was oblivious to it until Sam pointed out his errors in judgment was just icing on the cake.
  • I loved the simplicity of the Abby scenes. A nice reference to multiple times past, Abby was there to be Neela's friend -- to guide her and encourage her toward what Neela needed to do. Neela knew that the path she was taking was the correct one, but she wanted Abby's calm influence and support one final time. And Abby was happy to give that to Neela.
  • It was also lovely to see Abby in her daily grind -- cooking and play dates. Abby is so very settled and content, but she's still Abby ("I hate Thursdays."), and that's a nice confirmation. She left on a happy note, and she's still happy. She's earned that much.
  • Seeing the nameplate wall again was tear-jerking. A reminder of times come and gone, some people off to better things and some simply taken away. I did so hope, though, that Neela would place her nameplate next to Gallant's. Alas, no such luck. I guess she finally has moved on.
Neela's fear was a driving force within her personality -- fear of change, fear of commitment, fear of failure, fear of disappointment, fear of taking a leap of faith. By the end of her tenure at County, she managed to not only face her fears, but overcome them (many all in this one hour). Neela grew up, and when she did manage to take that all-important leap of faith, it brought her back to the one person who has been there all along: Ray. Finally.

Ray "finally" got the girl. About time.

Thoughts?

Follow the yellow brick road...

3.21.2009

Battlestar Galactica: Open Discussion on "Daybreak---Part 2"

Battlestar Galactica is now over (*sobs*) and it might be a day or two before I get my thoughts and emotions in order -- or get out of the fetal position -- so in the meantime, I'm opening up this thread to everyone. Speak at will, give thanks to the creative team for this magnificent ride, and always remember...

So say we all!

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