BSG episode commentary: DEADLOCK

[ninety6tears]

I'm noticing a trend that makes me sort of discouraged about approaching the battlestar_blog review threads every time I see a BSG episode I like. That trend is the word "filler." This episode was not filler. Someone even suggested this episode isn't concerned with the "overall arch" of Battlestar Galactica's plot. How the hell is it not related to the overall plot? It very heavily (if peripherally) concerned the future of cylon and human coexistence, which as I see it as about fifty percent of what needs to be addressed from this point on in the show. I'm tired of seeing episodes labeled as "pointless" just because they didn't have a lot of sci-fi. BSG is a character-driven show, so when they say they have a lot to get out of the way before the end, part of what they're talking about are things that may seem slow, but have to be done that way to be believable and human. (I'm also a little tired of shippers dismissing an episode as garbage just because they don't get shippy stuff, but that's another...thing.)

That being said, I would say that I expected a little more from "Deadlock." Maybe this is just my opinion, but with the return of Ellen Tigh and frakking BOOMER, I considered the Chief/Sharon question a much more delectable elephant in the room than the Tigh/Ellen issues. Yes, the whole deal with Caprica's pregnancy was bound to lead to complications, but a little too much of the episode was devoted to it. In the time it took for Ellen to have an awkward visit with Caprica, we could've gotten a scene explaining why Chief was voting yes, or how Athena or any of the other eights are reacting to Boomer's return (though, in the area of getting some quick and subtle development, that bit with Kara drunk at Joe's and brooding over Sam's bullet was nicely done). What I did like about some of the Tigh and Ellen stuff was that it took all these sort of awkward questions we've been asking about the incest issue or the Ellen/Caprica fantasies and put them in sort of frank, humorous dialogue that just skimmed over and acknowledged the absolute weirdness. And personally I think it's interesting that Ellen is still extremely flawed; she just wouldn't be the woman Tigh married if she wasn't such a bitch sometimes.

On a side note, have I mentioned how much I am LOVING Chief this season? He is without a doubt the most relatable, easy-on-the-nerves character who is a cylon, and his reactions to things are always kind of pleasantly surprising and funny. HE KNEW IT WAS BOOMER AND HE SAID "GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN" AND SAID "THAT'S BOOMER." And that was it. It was nothing like any scene of frigid hesitation I pictured it would be like when she came back, and ten times more awesome. I've always hoped there's a future for this ship but I seem to be shipping it harder than I knew I did?

I've officially stopped watching the weekly promos but I did catch the first couple shots of the next one, and...I'm excited.