BSG, SciFi channel has a naughty mind, popular comm gets suspended, LJ stuff and in other news

[misscam]

I don't meet a lot of people I know online via fandom since I live in, well, Norway, but yesterday I did - it's always a bit weird, but we got along quite well and made me wonder if I should consider a trip to the UK or US again and combine meeting a few with holiday things. Haven't been to either in years.

Oh well, we'll see. Maybe I can win the lottory and tour the world.

Also I posted fic. Now I just need to finish the four other stories I am sorta writing on.

My reaction to BSG's 'Someone to Watch Over Me' in two words: Oh, frak.

- The music in this episode was brilliant, fitting for one where music was so central to everything.
- This episode didn't so much answer questions about what's up with Kara as it did help show why Kara is Kara. I felt it implied pretty strongly this was head!dad, but I could be wrong. Their duet of 'All Along the Watchtowers' sent a little shiver down my spine, and Hogan's Amazing Acting Eye struck again. (And he actually said 'what the frak'!) But seriously writers, you better explain at least some of this at the end, because what the frak is going on?
- Hera writes music with stars. And gets nabbed for some purpose - looks like the Opera House vision will come into play again now.
- Sam, becoming a hybrid? I wonder. I also wonder if Kara/Sam is more where the show is headed than Kara/Lee. If so, there will be epic wanking after the finale.
- Boomer, Boomer, Boomer. To think last week I was vaguely shipping her with Chief, and she does that to him. Oh Boomer, you're truly screwed, aren't you? And taking Athena's place and ending up shagging Helo is sort of heartbreakingly ironic - Athena first shagged Helo while pretending to be Boomer. In Boomer's slight defence, she didn't seem to iniate it and only went for it when he was starting to pick up on something being off. Didn't stop her from seeming to be into it, though. Poor Athena. I wonder what this will mean for her and Helo, and they better get wee adorable (slightly creepy) Hera back.
- Chief :( Oh show, first he loses Boomer once, then he finds out he is also a Cylon, then his ex kills his wife, then his kid turns out not to be and then Boomer returns and fucks him over as part of some Cavil plot (probably).
- Laura :( Oh, she was not looking good and that collapse at the end worries me. I don't think she'll die quite yet, but this ain't good.

Overall: Improvement on last week. More plots sent in motions and some lovely 'oh shit' and 'WTF' stuff in there. But show, there's only one episode and finale left. I worry about resolution. Please to be reassuring me.

This episode had an Adama/Roslin subplot cut from it. Says Bear McCreary:

The episode contained stories that were very different in tone (Starbuck’s visitation, Tyrol and Boomer’s cylon projections, the plot to steal Hera, Adama and Laura saying goodbye) which I felt this approach to the score could smooth out.(...)I performed solo piano versions of “Roslin and Adama,” Tyrol’s Theme and Starbuck’s Theme and anything else I thought might come in handy. (And since you’re wondering, the entire Roslin and Adama subplot was cut out of the episode, so I hope you can see these scenes on the DVD set.)

There's one episode and finale left, and they cut Adama/Roslin stuff. Wah. Even if it sounds a bit angsty - 'saying goodbye'? wibble - I still want. DVDs, you better deliver.

The BSG site on SciFi channel currently sports this banner:


Way to pick the most naughty looking cap in that scene, SciFi. And feature SpaceMommy and SpaceDaddy rather than young 'uns. I approve.

Elsewhere on the Internets, scans_daily got suspended. (Fairly large comm that posts scans from comic books, if you didn't know.) A mod has a post up on it here, and some wanking over who reported it and who to blame seems to be going on. Unlikely to end well, if you ask me. Discussion of it here as well.

WTF is this pingback thing? Could easily feel a bit stalkerish, though it is nice to see when people might've added your fic to a rec list or something like that. But erk, my first thought was one of slight 'oh, that could go badly'.

And LJ is doing weird things to my userpics too. Bah.

In other news:

Holocaust-denying bishop makes vague apology sort of; Vatican is not impressed. I can't believe I agree with the Vatican for once. That's not an apology, that's the vague 'sorry if you felt hurt' without apologising for what you actually did. Internet classic, that one. Of course, the bishop can't really apologise properly without admitting he believed/believes anti-Semitic hateful shitheads, who have no evidence that holds up to any sort of scrutiny.

He apparently also got kicked out of Argentina and sent back to the UK, where David Irving was on hand to offer advice. Yeah, that's the guy you want advice from.

General Motors report massive loss. I've been predicting they'll be the one of the three American car companies that bites it since before Christmas. Sorry GM, but I stick by that.

Mayor steps down over 'watermelon' e-mail. I must admit it's the first time I've heard of watermelon as a racist reference (I had to get someone to explain it to me), but then, I live in Norway and lots of American cultural references fly over my head. Mayor claims he was unaware of it as well, which makes me wonder why he was forwarding it. I mean, if you don't get the 'joke' (gag me) of it, it's just some baffling random picture and why would you forward that?

What do I know, I live in Norway.

(ETA: If you, like me, don't get what is with the watermelons, this has some really helpful links that explain a lot.)

Comments

[cheesygirl.livejournal.com]

I have a hard time believing that mayor didn't understand the racial reference of the watermelons, as it's pretty much a standard stereotype of African Americans going way back (along with things like eating fried chicken and tap dancing). Then again I am from the South, where these stereotypes are rampant, so maybe it's just more recognizable to me.

[crackpig.livejournal.com]

I reported scans daily. It's part of my new ethical trolling - to troll within the TOS of websites!

[misscam.livejournal.com]

See, I've never heard of either of those. (Fried chicken and tap dancing, do I even want to know?) But then, I've never really been in the US other than as a tourist, and it's not exactly something they put in brocheures.

I do remember some of the racist references I started catching while living in Australia after a while. So if you grew up in a country, I'd think you'd be aware if they were rampant stereotypes. Of course, people can be ignorant or blind.

*shrugs*

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Does it make it more fun?

[crackpig.livejournal.com]

Nah. But hopefully more challenging. The other stuff is pretty much fish-in-a-barrell on the modern internets.

[miri-d.livejournal.com]

I READ YOUR FIC! I'm just really, really lazy about commenting lately :\. But I really liked it :D.

This episode redeemed the show for the fuckery of last week.

ON THE OTHER HAND I AM EXTREMELY PISSED AT THE EDITORS FOR CUTTING THE ENTIRE A/R SUBPLOT. If Laura is truly meant to have died this week (I don't watch the promos), I think it would have been more poignant with them "saying goodbye". That and I am wildly curious as to what "saying goodbye" entails. You still want, I still definitely want. Though it might hurt more next episode of Adama finds out Laura died while he was in CIC trying to deal with a frakking bitch of a cylon WHO ESCAPED AIDED BY HIS OWN DAMN MORALLY CONFLICTED CREW.

(And yet, this episode totally brought it, because you got the conflict of knowing Chief was really in the wrong, and yet you rooted for him anyway).

The DVD's had better have like another three episodes' worth (in length) of cut material, because we know that there's been so much cut from the last few episodes that really helps them make more sense (like the Baltar guns subplot from the last episode had stuff cut, I think). You're damn right, the DVD's had better deliver.

I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE'S ONLY ONE EPISODE LEFT BEFORE THE FINALE T____T. WHAT IS THIS FUCKERY.

LMAO Skiffy delivered with that cap <3. The whole isn't even really that naughty, and you can't see anything because her hair is hiding everything, but you get the ~noises~ and I think that's enough XD. I hope it wins, though my choice for second place would be the Roslin/Baltar kiss because it brought the lulz in an epic way.

I kind of like this pingback thing, but only because I'm such an LJ unknown that if someone mentions me/a post of mine, it's pretty much a huge deal XD.

TBH, I had no idea about the watermelon thing either :\. I would think it's a regional thing, except that happened in California (where I live). I think it's because I live in such a white bread area, I guess.

[crackpig.livejournal.com]

Also, when I heard about General Motors as a kid through overhearing a news program or something, I thought it was a robot soldier.

[skywardprodigal.livejournal.com]

I like Roslin/Adama banner being the sexy one. :)

\o/

(I wonder how much of that is smart marketing to catch the boomer market).

As for watermelon and other white cultural artefacts of visually cultivated racism, you might want to look at ladyjax's PSA on images of blackness.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Heh, thanks.

Yeah, I'm really, really curious what was in those scenes - pretty sure she doesn't die in the next episode, though. I think they'd play her death a lot more, she's a major character. (Plus, I have Theories based on spoilery pics and stuff and yeah.) Then again, why truly knows with BSG.

The Baltar gun thing did have stuff cut, namely discussions about lack of manpower on Galactica and maybe having to bring Centurions over. Which makes arming Baltar seem a little less insane.

DVDs, I want DVDs already. Because four hours will not deliver enough and wah :( GIVE ME DELETED SCENES.

I know! The kissing is passionate and all, but well done SciFi on picking a cap that makes it seem like prelude to frakking.

You being young could also be why you haven't heard of it. Racism was a lot more blatant some decades ago (in some ways). It can be a bit more underground now.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Like Captain America, only with motoring superpowers?

[jocelyncs.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, here in the US we have to deal with Ford advertising like madmen that "it's patriotic to buy American, never mind that our cars are crap!" If GM goes down, they'll step it up even more.

The derogatory term of "watermelon eaters" for blacks is very old and not as well-known, but Southern, small-town mayor over the age of 40 almost certainly knew it.

[crackpig.livejournal.com]

Well I was really into Transformers as a kid, so more like that.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

I suspect SciFi is aware of how many fans the pairing - including a lot of critics - has and is playing on that. But never know.

Thank you for that link. I went and looked at what she'd linked to and some of it started reminding me of Nazi caricatures of Jews. (Those I'm more historically familiar with because of European history.) I think it's the way they would target children too by coming in the form of toys and 'cartoonish' looks. Urgh. Racism is doubly repulsive when it gets fed into children - like David Irving singing that racist fucknut lullaby song to his daughter.

I do know the 'coon' caricature - I remember watching a program about minstrel shows that touched on it. Some things have clearly changed. But man, we got ways to go as a species still. Fuck, do we ever.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

If GM goes down, Ford and Chrystler might be in a better position. As I understand it, Ford is doing best of the three anyway.

And the patriotic thing would be to make a good car in the first place, car makers. Surely you love your countrymen to want to give them the best?

Yeah - as I said, I find it weird that he forwarded it if he didn't get it. Why would he? If I got it, I'd only forward it if it was attached with 'wtf I don't get it?'

[misscam.livejournal.com]

GM wishes it could make cars like that.

[miri-d.livejournal.com]

Ach. You know, I was totally sure that if she was going to die at all, it would be the end of Daybreak...but the way they did it here was simultaneously underhanded and important enough that I wouldn't put it past them to have her die either right then, or next episode. I actually didn't mind it, the way it was done. I used to have Theories based on the fountain pic that leaked a long time ago, but that's the only spoilery thing I've seen that I clearly remember (I've seen other spoilery things, but they're hazy and I'm deliberately avoiding bringing them back), and I realized that the pic could just as easily be flashbacks during a eulogy. But I used to think that they wouldn't kill her off, because she's such a major character that they wouldn't have time to squeeze in a meaningful death arc. And then I realized they've already done that, at least twice, so to have it done once more might be almost grating.

Right, that's what I mean. There have been several plot threads left dangling, or incredible leaps of logic (like whatever happened to the mutineers, Baltar's guns, etc), that wouldn't be so obnoxious and confusing if they just hadn't cut the material. So there had better be extended editions of the episodes *plus* deleted scenes on the DVDs, or else I don't know how they'll include everything :P.

Four hours? Is it a three hour finale? Or are you referring to how it's split into two different air dates? I'm confused, I don't know wtf is going on with the ending.

I LOVE THEM SO HARD. IF SHE DIES I WILL HAVE A BROKEN HEART FOR WEEKS/MONTHS T_T.

That's probably a very good reason :P. Tangentially related, but I seem to be getting reminded of how "young" I am a lot, on LJ these days. I don't feel "young" (to me, young is 12 or 13), but then I realize I'm still young enough to fear growing old.

ETA: Based on this last episode, I want to try extra hard one last time to get Mom into BSG (she fell asleep watching the mini last time I tried to get her into it). A lot of people suggest "33", but I was wondering if you had any different suggestions.

ETA2: I'm not calling you old, just acknowledging that you sometimes see things differently than other people.

[yattara.livejournal.com]

What gets me with the bishop, is that he apologised for his remarks, but he didn't distance himself from this anti-Holocaust-shit. I don't like it. Or him.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

I have a small Pet Theory that she doesn't die at all, the show just implies she will soon. I change my mind on that every now and then, but I'll hold to it for now. I cross my fingers for it, anyway. BSG will kill me in so many ways either way.

In short, there better be DVDs that kick ass with lots and lots and lots of stuff. A proper farewell to BSG.

Four hours - one episode, plus three hour finale. Part one of it airs March 13th, the other two parts on the 20th. So, four hours.

I am almost old :P Next year I'll be 30, oh horrors. Young and old is all about where your perspective is, anyway. I don't mean 'young' in a bad way in this case. Young like me young, I meant, not having grown up in the 50s-60s.

Depends a bit what your mother might be drawn in by - action, characters, relationships, religious/mythical...? "33" is the most brilliant of the early episodes, I would say.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Yes, it was a rather bullshit apology. Seems to me he still believes what he says, thus trying to apologise without quite retracting it.

[falena]

This show is killing me. My tombstone will read "Died of BSG" and all my Italian relatives/friends will think it's an infectious disease you get off the internet.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

At least that will be a memorable demise.

[padawanpooh.livejournal.com]

And taking Athena's place and ending up shagging Helo is sort of heartbreakingly ironic - Athena first shagged Helo while pretending to be Boomer.

I hadn't even thought of that but you're absolutely right.

Oh TYROL - he's going to be the King of Angst now, isn't he.

I thought the piano playing sequences were beautifully done, and thank the gods they didn't have Kara falling into bed with that bloke, which I was certain they were leading up to. Having him as a projection (and adding the father-figure stuff - so THANK THE GODS we had no shagging there) worked very very well.

There's one episode and finale left,

Panic not! There are TWO more standard eps PLUS a double length finale according to my sources.

Oh and LOL at SpaceMommy and SpaceDaddy :-D

[lily-winterwood.livejournal.com]

I totes approve, too.

And that ep was creepy... laik srsly. But it was creepy in a GOOD way. ;]

[laurandbillever.livejournal.com]

10 minutes ago I loved the episode. Now all I can say is that whoever wrote it,directed it,let the good-bye scene be cut,show kara thrace playing piano for 30 minutes but did not show how the saviour of humanity was dying is a total jerk.
frak you, RDM.
No matter how concentrated you have been over the finale, you just should not have let this happen. And the great (I hope) finale is not going to regain my respect. I cannot watch three episodes of crap in a row with so many major cut scenes and then be all cheerful about the end. It does not work like that. It is like beating one kid the whole day and then giving it a cake before bed. well, believe me, it will not appreciate the cake. frak.frak. and again- frak. there was some prety good middle finger somewhere in one journal.... so appropriate for the moment. I'm furious...............

[honorh.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I saw that bishop's Heidipology, and I thought to myself, "How many more non-apology cliches could he have jammed in there? Not many!" It does my Protestant heart good to know the Vatican was all like, "No, really, apologize!"

[cely.livejournal.com]

Their duet of 'All Along the Watchtowers' sent a little shiver down my spine

There are no words to describe how much I loved that scene!

Laura :( Oh, she was not looking good and that collapse at the end worries me. I don't think she'll die quite yet, but this ain't good.

I've been worried ever since that slight cough a few episodes back, so this is just nerve wracking. If she dies, I hope it will be in the finale. I'm not ready to see her go quite yet.

I'm really, really hoping we get loads of extended/deleted scenes in the DVDs. Otherwise RDM and anyone else talking about cut scenes are just a bunch of teases, lol.

[phdelicious.livejournal.com]

Honestly I would have been much happier if RDM trimmed a bunch of stuff from the last two episodes, and added back in the A/R subplot to make one smashing episode that moved along with the same clip as the first two. There's just too much left to do to waste the time like this.

Also, I'd never heard of the watermelon thing before this incident. Maybe it's cause I've never lived in the South?

[wintergreen126.livejournal.com]

i'm beginning to think that it's really bob dylan that has all the answers; he was the man with a plan.

i really liked getting some kara back story- speaking of which, someone else on my flist had posted screencaps and someone picked up on the fact that kara's dad's recording said, on the cover, "live from [something or other] the opera house." i want opera house answers!!!

i wanted some redemption for boomer, for her to find some peace. but she's clearly still under cavil's sway. and it makes me sad. as did the chief finding out that she had taken hera. that was awful.

don't die, roslin!

in other news, i hope that gm finds some footing soon. because if gm goes...that will be kind of devastating for a lot of people. a lot. not to mention the economy.

i hope all is well with you! have a good one :o)

[ladyjax.livejournal.com]

Also, I'd never heard of the watermelon thing before this incident. Maybe it's cause I've never lived in the South?

It's not necessarily a Southern thing. What makes this so hard to deal with is that most of these images have been around for years and then were later hidden but people still remember.

It was within my own lifetime that the picture of Aunt Jemima on the pancake box went from having her hair tied up in a scarf to a regular hairstyle.

[skywardprodigal.livejournal.com]

The watermelon imagery is part of a European and American tradition of depicting blacks in popular media. Pieterse is one scholar (published by Yale press) who's written a book that covers 200 years of that genre.

[nadat.livejournal.com]

Huh. I've lived in the South for almost 12 years now, and I hadn't heard of the watermelon thing before. Thanks for the links.