( All the Pretty Pictures )
 

 

 

( Part 1: Witch Hunt )

 

 

Which is probably worse than it being just plain bad.  As it stands TS is sloppy (the editing in the beginning is amateurish), the plot full of holes (more character motivation/history please), and unnecessary plot devises (cute little girl but why exactly is she there?) that could have been done in another fashion that wouldn't have detracted and overloaded the plot (who exactly are those guys in the sub and why are they in charge?).  McG has an eye for action to be sure but he needs someone who knows how to tell a story standing next to him to deal with the plot.  With the exception of one or two moments the acting is solid which makes it impossible to completely dismiss the movie but ultimately, unless you really want to see this right now on the big screen you might as well just wait for the DVD.

A few quick thoughts on ‘Blood on the Scales’ which I will now and forever refer to as ‘The Return of Bassass Lee Adama”.

( Lee 'Apollo' Adama kicks major ass )

‘The Oath’

While I don’t agree with some of the character’s characterizations (well hello to the return of Lee’s plot convenient anti-Cylon views, good to have you back since the plot called for it) I thought this episode was much better than last weeks and had the feel of episodes from earlier seasons: high pace, good action, political intrigue.  Good stuff.  And it works even better on a second watch.  Everything feels tighter, more focused.  Anyone know if this was the first episode written after the writer’s strike?  Ya know, after Ron Moore apparently took a look at 4.0 and realized it was off the rails?  It really feels like a turning point back to the quality we’re used to.  I really really hope it is.

Random Thoughts:

-    Really enjoyed Roslin in this episode.  It felt like the kick ass Roslin of old.   And while I thought she was a bit crazy to think the Fleet would listen to her, it makes sense once you realize that they’re all just a bunch of sheep and her getting to them first just might work.
-    Gaeta still seems a bit all over the place and again, you’d think he’d have learned his lesson the first time he got involved in politics.  ‘Cause seriously…what the hell did he expect?
-    Speaking of Gaeta…there’s a secret between him and Baltar?  That was one of the WTF moments of the episode.  Thankfully it was one of very few.
-    Baltar’s hair!  OMGs, it took me a moment to notice but it looks so good.  All that hair and beard did James Callis a great disservice.  He looks great.  It’s also a physical representation of Baltar’s renewed nonbelief.  It’s nice to see the “old” Baltar back, the one who only cares for and looks out for himself.  I actually missed him.
-    Anyone else think Kara and Lee going up the shaft at the end and Roslin gazing at Adama through smoke was all very Star Wars?  I half expected an ‘I love you’ ‘I know.’ from them.
-    Also, that scene…a wee bit uncomfortable.  I’m with Lee, I don’t want to watch either (though hey, confirmation of stepmommy).  
-     LOVE LOVE LOVE kick ass Kara and Lee fighting side by side.  It made me all warm and fuzzy.  Very reminiscent of Kobol.  These are the characters I recognize and love.  Kara is clearly ecstatic at having something to do and some way to direct her angst and some things just don’t leave ya do they Lee?  But you’d think he’d want to lose the jacket…and the shirt, that’d be nice too.
-    While I’m thrilled to get a kiss it was weirdly unsatisfactory the first time around though it worked better the second time.  But I couldn’t help thinking that she’d have kissed anyone in that moment given her whole ‘feeling alive’ thing.  I do love how, even in the middle of a coup, Lee goes to cradle her face and calls her on it.  And I do like that she’s all about just the two of them.  So yeah, I’m thrilled that we got that moment but…well, it needs follow up for me to feel really good about it. 

Thankfully we got a TBC in 'Blood on the Scales'. 

So I need to talk about the new Renee Zellweger movie ‘New in Town’ for a minute.  Have you seen the trailer?  If you haven’t and you a) want to know what I’m talking about or b) want to torture yourself go here: www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1554121497/

So apparently whoever wrote this movie thinks women are retarded.  Specifically women who live in cities.  That’s the only explanation for this movie.  Which, for full disclosure, I have not seen nor do I have any intention of seeing it.  Because I have a functioning brain and want to keep it that way.

 

And why would this movie destroy brain cells and actively make me stupid?  Because apparently the main character – Lucy Hill – is retardedly stupid.  So stupid that she doesn’t seem to realize that there’s life outside of Miami (apparently she’s never watched a movie before in her life) and therefore seems to think that Minnesota, of all places, is just like Miami where she can cavort around in tight skirts and stiletto heels, where the weather isn’t an issue and where everyone will act and behave exactly like people who live in Miami.  Now, to be fair, we could blame her company – where she’s trying to make Vice President – for not having someone prep her for her business trip but it’s not like Minnesota is a foreign country no matter what the movie would like us to believe and all she had to do was, oh I don’t know, have a brain, to realize that Minnesota isn’t Miami and perhaps she should do a bit of research if she’s going to be living there for a bit.

 

But the kicker, the real kicker is that Lucy is apparently so stupid she didn’t know that during winter, up north, it gets cold.  And Minnesota is up north.  Way up north.  Where things freeze and it snows.  A lot.  And that when she walks out of the airport it’s going to be really cold in her skirt and heels.  I guess googling the weather channel was just too much for her.

 

or, as I like to call it, Surviving the Cluster Fuck of 2009.  A week late but...I put it below the cut because it got a bit long. 

( Onward for whining, fun and plenty of celebrity interaction )

Seriously, that sense of hope I had last week...gone.  Because I spent half the episode going WTF and the other half giggling.  And not in a good way.  Sorry folks, but that's the way I'm seeing it.

( The Disquiet That Follows My Soul )

Oh my gods you guys...I think RDM just proved me right!  OMG!!!  I'm SO EXCITED!! 

( Click for spoilers and squee... )