GWC Podcast #67

Podcasts Galactic Watercooler
#21

Hello GWC, this is my first post but have I been a fan of GWC for a couple of months. Great podcast.

Abortion issue
Regarding the argument that Rosalin states that any interference with the birth of a child will be considered illegal and will be prosecuted, I think that Rosalin meant it to be specific to abortion. Unfortunately, it could be interpreted by others to mean any form of deliberate interruption to the reproductive cycle including the use of contraceptives. The dilemma is intention vs. interpretation.

To me, bringing up the abortion issue in this episode was done for dramatic effect, as it does not influence the overall story arc. As far as I can remember abortion is not mentioned again except when Rosalin decides to abort Athena’s baby and then the hypocrisy of this action is not explored.

Adama on Galactica
At one time Adama was in command of the Valkyrie as shown in his flashbacks during the Hero episode during Season 3. Not that I know alot about the military but it seems reasonable that Adama was stationed on the Galactica during the end of the cylon war and than again many years later as Galactica’s commander.

#22

card carrying :smiley:

#23

I agree with the Coddle and Tigh - but for pure drinking joy, ya gotta include Starbuck. That’d be a damn party right there.

I do agree that the series is not so much a comment on Iraq, but a comment on larger questions. But I agree with the coolest, I don;t think an Iraq ciomparison could have been made without the war going on. (just my opinion - don’t get mad at me Chuck - jus’ kiddin’)

DS9 was teh best of the Treks - better storyline overall. And I agree with Sean - ya cant be mad at the Klingon Kleavage:D

What?? No comment on the Season 4 preview??? Ya slackers! (kinndin’)

Peace out

David

#24

Well, to be fair she was worried about increasing the human population, and it’s arguable if Athena’s child would count. (Does the white board number end in “.5” now?)

#25

I would daresay it actually does. Roslin making a decree sets a precedent in the story. If President Roslin could make a decree what would stop President Baltar or President Zarek from doing likewise in telling this story? President Baltar kicked off the settlement of New Caprica by decree. The secret tribunal known in the episode “Collaborators” as The Circle was set up by decree of President Zarek.

Seeing any sort of rule by decree by President Roslin, even though a seemingly small part of the episode where it is seen, definitely sets up quite a bit of the end of the second season and a keystone to more than one story in the third season.

#26

If memory serves, Hera was counted as an individual on the board rather than being counted for any fractional human part.

#27

The rubber tree plant song is appropriately (given the context of Chuck’s story) entitled ‘High Hopes’. Its most popular rendition is by Frank Sinatra.

Subsequent edit: I guess also appropriately enough it was JFK’s presidential campaign song in 1960.

#28

But extreme views unfortunately end up driving political discourse (if you can even call it that these days) far more often than those of more sensible people. I found Sarah Porter totally believable as the representative of the “base” who now thinks she’s justified in dictating what her candidate’s policy should be.

#29

Thanks, and more importantly thanks for taking the time to register on the forum and join the community!

I think you (and Audra) are probably right about this. But on this second rewatch I couldn’t help but wonder if the interpretation couldn’t reasonably include contraceptives, and that’s a slippery slope, indeed – one we’re well aware of in real-life debate.

You’re dead right in terms of the author’s use of the abortion issue, at least IMHO. Part of me wishes we’d see more of the effects of the decree, but part of me wishes we’d see more Viper action. So as usual, I’m torn. :slight_smile:

Absolutely. I wasn’t surprised to see Adama on Galactica, but I didn’t realize it was his first combat assignment. That makes it a lot more significant in my mind that he’s finishing out his career there.

Again, welcome, and don’t forget to look around a bit. There’s a lot going on besides just BSG here – though BSG’s definitely the center of it. The book club is voting on next month’s read, and we’re in the middle of a couple of unrelated rewatches.

#30

Good podcast today, guys (sorry it always takes me so long to comment on these). I got home late and I’m rapidly forgetting what I wanted to say about it as my brain begins to shut down in preparation for sleep, so bear with me here.

First thing off the bat, since it was one of the last things on the 'cast: Starship Troopers. Like Audra, I’ve never read the Heinlein book. I saw the movie in the theater with my roommate at the time (who sometimes posts around here as “Chucksax,” actually) who is a bigger sci-fi maven than I am. He actually likes the movie, or at least seemed to (we haven’t talked about it in a while). I have never warmed up to the movie even after finding out that Paul Verhoeven, the director (he of “Robocop” fame) meant it as camp and satire because, well, it fails as camp and satire. Like Audra says, if you have to explain the joke, it’s not funny. If you want something to be taken as camp, you have to let your audience know that it’s camp. Buckaroo Banzai, which I haven’t seen in ages, mind you, does this very well in several ways: first, and most obviously, all of the villains are named “John” something or other. There’s no way to take that seriously. Then there’s the mere fact that Buckaroo Banzai himself is just amazing at everything. He’s the world’s best scientist. A great rock star. A super sensitive guy (“someone in this room isn’t having a good time…”). Savior of the universe. I mean, come on! It’s obvious it’s over the top! There’s nothing like that in Starship Troopers. Maybe the PSA’s that interrupt the movie from time to time, sure, but there just aren’t enough of those (I actually like those bits and wish the whole movie were made up of those) for it to be obvious camp.

As to the abortion question in “Captain’s Hand:” while I’m all about choice in this area, I have to say I can see where Roslin is coming from and think that I might actually make a similar pronouncement were I in her position. This time around, though, I was struck by the thought that she could merely make a presidential decree. I don’t know why this didn’t occur to me before, but shouldn’t the people have a say? Don’t they have a system in place to ratify laws? I really think you guys are on to something when you point out that this is the beginning of the slippery slope away from a society and towards a gang, as Lee says at the end of season three.

Anyway, I’m sure I had more to say, but I’m fading fast here. I’m off to hit the hay.

#31

Phil, you rock. Thanks for remembering it. I felt stupid that I couldn’t remember the name of the tune during the 'cast. At least you know we’re doing these live – warts and all – without diving to Google for help.

And for those who don’t know what we’re talking about:

//youtu.be/mlsitMRQAdA

#32

WOW!.. That is too bad… the re-watch podcasts have been so entertaining…

Yes!!!

#33

Personally I think anyone who says they wouldnt have banned abortion in Laura Roslin’s position is Clearly undermining Baltar’s ability to manipulate, if he put his mind to it he’d get ban you to food.

He’s that awesome, you just wanna do stuff for him

#1 Baltar fan.

Lovely Wendie99

#34

You know, I realized there has been some slippage on craaaaaaaaaaaaap. (that just doesn’t sound right). I don’t think there was one craaaaaaaaaaap in this 'cast, but there were definitely mentions of the word crap.

Keep up the craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap.

#35

hey audra, check out the off topic thread, i started one for you.

#36

You know, I don’t think Baltar was completely pulling that “in eighteen years the human race will be extinct” stuff out of thin air. Not that I think he was telling the truth, mind, but as Twain said, there are three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies, and statistics. I bet Baltar is pretty good at making that third variety say whatever he wants it to. For instance:

  1. Baltar says that when he calculated it seven months ago, at the rate they’re going, the human race will die out in eighteen years. Seven months ago would not have been long after dozens of Galactica maintenance guys were spaced in the miniseries and the over 1,000 people on the Olympic Carrier were blown out of the sky in “33.” If Baltar is factoring in that on occasion, the Cylons are going to pick off a ship and kill a few hundred people in one fell swoop, he can make those population projections say whatever he wants, because who can predict how frequently disasters like the Olympic Carrier will happen?

  2. Saying that the human race would die out at the rate they’re going now isn’t the same thing as saying the human race is going to die out. Going along with Audra’s point, it’s only been seven or eight months since the end of the world. A lot of people lost their whole families; they’re not going to want to start new ones so quickly. But that doesn’t mean that nobody is ever going to want to start a family again. Chief and Cally did even before they thought they could muster out and move to New Caprica. Billy strikes me as the kind of person who would have enough hope to want to start a family (poor Billy!). People’s feelings about wanting kids may change as they adjust to their new lives, but Baltar doesn’t mention that part.

#37

btw, i didn’t read the whole thread, so sorry if this has been discussed, but did you guys say that they had a shot in razor where the catapult locks onto the front skid of a viper and it was a new shot? i’m almost positive that was the same shot from the pilot.

#38

yup, just checked my copy of the bsg pilot, exact same shot from in the tube when they pan over the front & the latch-on to the catapult. recycled from pilot.

#39

I’ll definitely be getting some GWC merchandise . . . I don’t understand the Alpaca thing though . . . what podcast was that in?

#40

Yay! Someone agrees with my point! :wink: