BSG 2003 S4E16 "Deadlock" **SPOILERS and other such nonsense**

Overheal

The Cylons debate whether to separate from the Colonial Fleet. Galactica undergoes repair. Food shortages spark riots and hoarding.

Overheal

It was hard to keep up the awesomeness of the mutiny and the revelations but Deadlock still delivers. Giaus' Head-Six is back out of Nowehre (yay!) And his scenes are quite good again. This one was a bit of a slow burner, but very much a thinker: will all of this happen again, or will they finally break the cycle?

Cylon pregnancies confuse the frrrrack out of me.

Talisman

Well it's good to see things haven't changed, after the last episode we thought a lot more of Ellen Tigh. We were led to believe that she was really a visionary level headed creator of the current Cylon skinjobs and that her whoring around on the Colonial fleet was the result of something that Cavil did to her personality - some sick means of torture. Within five minutes of returning she reverts to the vindictive, spiteful, conniving, alcoholic bitch (did I leave anything out?) from the earlier seasons - no wonder Cavil kept her segregated from the others on his ship.

The whole Caprica pregnancy reinforces how important Hera is to the future of both races. If the two are to survive then the alliance has to grow. It would appear to be happening already with the hall of memories and the symbolism of the Galactica - Colonial exterior but the inner hull is now Cylon.

I was surprised at Tyrol wanting to leave the Galactica but maybe it was to do with the fact that Boomer was now there. Still waiting for him to find out the truth about the death of Cally - he could set Boomer on Tori and complete a circle of death!

I wonder what Baltar said to Adama in order to get the assault rifles, presumably he has created a militia to protect the people from the gangs. The 'last' human solution - "We need bigger guns!"

Looks like Anders is waking up so we might get more answers next week.

Overheal

I forget exactly what was said when Gaius went to Adama. Damn. I know he appealed to him by mentioning the Cylon upgrades though. Adama is I think, still relying on the Cylons out of necessity, not out of wanton desire to. He is keeping his options open, even though he is farsighted enough to see that the alliance needs to be maintained.

Agreed on Helen Tigh. I wanted her Dead all over again. Christ. Goes to show you (and she always had been) that Helen Tigh is a primo manipulative bitch. But she loves him to the point of toxicity. She just wanted to hurt him, and play the situation to her favor above anyone else like she always has. Her performance in No Exit was no different to that characteristic. She made Boomer and she made Cavil, and she knows how each of them tick. She managed to get Boomer of all people to go back to Galactica, of all places. Her methods are uncanny.

I wonder how a Centurion would comprehend a now walking talking toddler Hera.

Tristram

ffs at least Cavil has principles

Derek Coleman

I'm left feeling dissappointed at that. I just want more after seeing it. I think watching Adama walk around and looking at the walls 6 or 7 times in an episode is just weird?

I dont know. I hate being critical. I think its just that you wait all week for it and then you're dissappointed. It feels like you just opened up a christmas present and it wasn't what you wanted.

Does anyone think that we may have to get rid of the Centurions for this whole cylon human relationahip to work? Where would they fit in? And how did Boomer find the fleet?

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

jesus am I the only one who felt sympathetic towards ellen? yes she's being a bitch but she's been through a hell of a lot. Like she said to the president imagine having only 5 people left alive out of your entire species and then instead of a joyous reunion with her husband and lover of several thousand years she arrives to find he has knocked up one of the kids.

I think anyone would react a little bitchy in a similar situation.

Sherifu

That was enjoyable. As Overheal said, an episode to make you think about the future of the cylons & humans. It looks like they may just break out of the cycle. Looking forward to seeing what Anders has to say next week. Hopefully he still remembers and can thrash some things out with Ellen.

Derek Coleman wrote: »

I'm left feeling dissappointed at that. I just want more after seeing it. I think watching Adama walk around and looking at the walls 6 or 7 times in an episode is just weird?

That was funny, I was going to comment on it too. It's a bit of a waste having him going around inspecting the paintwork but I suppose it does fit in nicely to the story of transforming Galactica.

Captain Mords Spiced Bum wrote: »

jesus am I the only one who felt sympathetic towards ellen? yes she's being a bitch but she's been through a hell of a lot. Like she said to the president imagine having only 5 people left alive out of your entire species and then instead of a joyous reunion with her husband and lover of several thousand years she arrives to find he has knocked up one of the kids.

I think anyone would react a little bitchy in a similar situation.

She's a manipulative bitch. (p.s. I like the new nick)

InvisibleBadger

Slighty OT, but that Paula lady looks good with a gun!

Also, why does Baltars character vary so much from guilt ridden genius to despicable coward? There seems to be no consistency in the writing.

Volvagia

definitely a slow burner, but I enjoyed it. Ellen returned to being her horrible self.

I think what Saul said sums up the situation perfectly. Pure human, doesn't work, pure cylon doesn't work. They need each other to survive; Just like Galactica. It's tough, but its the only way forward.

And I really hate Tory, she has such a narrow-minded view of things. I'm looking forward to anders waking up and what the chief will do with boomer.

and of course Head-Six YAY!!!!!!!!

Vokes

Didn't enjoy this one so much. Getting tired of all the Cylon-family-centric stuff but it was a necessary episode of course to get the Five back together.

Hope we get focus back to the (much more interesting) humes next week, i.e. Adama / Starbuck / Apollo - who are the heart of the show for me tbh.

Nice to see Head-Six back.

Tristram

Adama and Apollo arent particularly interesting characters compared to the others. I'd place them at the Roslin end of the spectrum and that's a place no-one wants to be.

Slutmonkey57b

InvisibleBadger wrote: »

Slighty OT, but that Paula lady looks good with a gun!

Also, why does Baltars character vary so much from guilt ridden genius to despicable coward? There seems to be no consistency in the writing.

Because being a despicable coward doesn't preclude him from also being a guilt ridden genius. The lack of "consistent" personality is something that I love about the writing - the characters are always reacting according to what they are presented with, and they change from minute to minute just like we do. Each of them has some core personality, some essence of themselves that they can't get away from, but away from that, they are full of vagaries and indecision. They don't always behave the same way, react the same way, they don't have the same assumptions from one day to the next. They don't always act along the righteous path, they don't even always act in their own best interests, never mind the interests of others. They're fumbling in the dark, sometimes unable to voice the thoughts and conflictions within themselves.

Stark

A good episode. Was wondering why Ellen seemed to be hamming it up with the loving mother of us all stuff, but I think others here have answered it A lot of nuanced performances from Tricia Helfer as both Caprica Six and Head Six as well. I love the humorous moments between them: "For that we need strength. And strength comes from within". "And guns". "Oh and from guns".

Overheal

InvisibleBadger wrote: »

Slighty OT, but that Paula lady looks good with a gun!

Also, why does Baltars character vary so much from guilt ridden genius to despicable coward? There seems to be no consistency in the writing.

God I must find out her name and google sexy pics.

You may have noticed Baltar is erm... psychotic? He's got that Head Six influencing ALL off his Genius: She helped him develop the defense mainframe, she helped him identify the transponder in the Galactica's CIC, Urged him to fabricate a Cylon Detector, Run for office, etc. etc. etc.

Every important decision he has made has been directly influenced or forced upon him by the Six.

Fysh

Another solid episode; while it didn't have as much excitement as the conclusion of the mutiny it had some great dialogue (particularly from Saul Tigh ) and some good character moments. Ellen Tigh was interesting, particularly seeing her bitchy and self-destructive tendencies collide with her apparently genuine desire to help build a better future for herself and the rest of the Cylons.

Gaius Baltar, on the other hand, remains long overdue for a kicking. He's a wonderful character to watch since he's such a worm, but I'm hoping he gets at the very least chinned by Paula, who seems to have the measure of him. It's surely an indictment of the general intellect of the populace of Galactica that they'll turn to a twit like him for salvation...

Goodshape

Good episode.

Dr. Baltar

A disappointing episode in my opinion. However, it's interesting to have Boomer back and I'm looking forward to next week.

J-blk

It definitely had its' interesting moments but I am kind of wondering what the whole Cylon/Cylon pregnancy thing was all about, if it was to end like this - yes, as already mentioned, it could be to emphasize just how important Hera really is, but did they have to drag it out that much then? It just seems like an awful lot of time was spent on it.

Baltar is always good for a laugh (especially with Head Six around) but other than comic relief, exactly what purpose does he serve anymore?

Good episode overall, but at this stage, I'm just craving more and it's hard to not be disappointed a little bit when any of these episodes is anything short of spectacular...

Have to say, that was a funnier than usual episode.

BlitzKrieg

They really drive home this whole you need love to reproduce thing dont they.

I mean the second Ellen mounted Saul and he looked at her, *pop* baby was dead (they even cut to caprica in pain)

This suddenly raisses alot of questions on the other random couplings on galactica

Anders + Starbuck is a given cause of Apollo

But Tyrol and Boomer, before either knew what they are and were doing the nasty produced no offspring maybe they had protection on all the time? Or maybe they didnt love each other as much as it was made out. Or it could be some sub element to love being honesty and that they cant succeed without both sides knowing the truth about each other completely. very interesting

Other elements of the episode, Galactica being redone from the inside has really made Adama uncomfortable so I think the constant hull checking was him reaffirming to himself that its needed.

no mention of daniel again or starbucks side of the mystery

Hopefully be next episode the fleet can get on the move again, cause the episodes tend to mix and move better when you got inside politics mix with outside conflict.

Hot dog ftw on line of the episode: *How many dead chicks are out there?*

Hot Dog is one of the best really minor characters he's funny

bobbbb

What has happened to this show. For the last couple of seasons there have been more rubbish episodes than good ones.

Its just not what it used to be at all.

Probably a good think that its finishing up.

noodler

A decent episode. A little strange regarding pacing though-I mean they crammed so much stuff into last week's episode and then this week we had very few revelations. Just a little surprised we didn't find out more.

I am intrigued by the reappearance of Head 6, in the deleted scenes of season 4 she says she is leaving because Baltar no longer needs her, then the second his leadership within the god-group is questioned-she returns. I am thinking hard about the significance.

Actually I am also a little surprised that Baltar hasn't had more to say about Caprica 6 and Tigh since he was with her alot on Caprica and again on New Caprica. The Tigh-Six baby looks like a pointless story filler now-something they brought in in season 4 and they are ditching in season four with the baby's death.

Also very much looking forward to the Chief having to off his former wife Tori for killing Cally (Although If offered the choice I would obviously trade in Cally for Tori anyday of the week).

How did Boomer know how to find the fleet by the way?

Line of the episode?

Baltar "Well I'm Honoured.............to be have the same name as his father"

ghouldaddy07

Really enjoyed this episode but I wreckon it could have done with appearing earlier in the season. Honestly have no idea how the show is gona rap up in four episodes.

Great to have head six back.


Line of the episode for me has to be "great grandpa was a power sander":D

I will bet any amount of money that one of the head people is after downloading into anders body.

starn

I really hope head six gets explained. But I doubt it will

Overheal

starn wrote: »

I really hope head six gets explained. But I doubt it will

I wonder if she isnt actually an Angel sent by God, or at least an Angel of God there of her own free will.

Ivan

Fysh wrote: »

Another solid episode; while it didn't have as much excitement as the conclusion of the mutiny it had some great dialogue (particularly from Saul Tigh ) and some good character moments. Ellen Tigh was interesting, particularly seeing her bitchy and self-destructive tendencies collide with her apparently genuine desire to help build a better future for herself and the rest of the Cylons.

Gaius Baltar, on the other hand, remains long overdue for a kicking. He's a wonderful character to watch since he's such a worm, but I'm hoping he gets at the very least chinned by Paula, who seems to have the measure of him. It's surely an indictment of the general intellect of the populace of Galactica that they'll turn to a twit like him for salvation...

One of the reasons I love Gaius Baltar, is because I live in the constant belief that he will surprise me and do something genuinely benevolent.

On the other hand, another reason I love Gaius Baltar, is because I live in the constant belief that he will surprise me and instead do something genuinely malevolent.

The beauty is, he doesnt do either. He does what serves his immediate purpose at any one point in time; often not knowing exactly why due to Head-Six's advice. But every so often you catch a glimpse of his core personality; that part of him that is pulling him in 2 directions. One telling him to help his fellow man/machine-kind and the other telling him to just sod the rest of them and do whatever serves him best and damn the consequences to other people.

He is almost a caricature of every human being, living in a constant state of flux. Almost as though the two primal instincts - to survive as an individual and to survive as a group - are constantly fighting over dominance of his... proverbial soul, for lack of a better word.

He is truly one of the greatest characters of Sci-Fi to date and I cant imagine Battlestar Galactica without him. Worse, Battlestar Galactica where he is either truly good or truly evil would just leave a large gaping hole where the show's humanity used to be.

TheVan

I think anyone expecting a neat conclusion to the whole show will probably end up being disappointed - I can't see them wrapping everything up in 4 episodes, but I don't think they intend to.

I read somewhere (maybe even on boards!) that

RDM was a fan of how the Sopranos ended

. I think we're heading for either an ending like that, or one that makes no sense, a head-scratcher.

Which I'm fine with. I'm watching Lost as well at the moment and they are going to try to explain everything and tie it all up (even though its almost impossible) and its just become driven by "answers" not characters. The characters are BSG's greatest strength.

jor el

BlitzKrieg wrote: »

Other elements of the episode, Galactica being redone from the inside has really made Adama uncomfortable so I think the constant hull checking was him reaffirming to himself that its needed.

In the scene with Thigh and Adama talking about the repairs to Galactica, Adama said that it'll still be Galactica on the outside, but she won't know what she is any more. The camera cuts to Thigh, and you know that it applies equally to him. He's human on the outside, Cylon on the inside, and doesn't know what he is anymore. I'd say the constant checking of the progress is to reaffirm to us, that the two are coming together to survive, this includes the ship and the people.

no mention of daniel again or starbucks side of the mystery

I get the feeling there may be no more mention of Daniel. He's just dead.

Hot dog ftw on line of the episode: *How many dead chicks are out there?*

Yep, he even beat Baltar with that line.

J-blk wrote: »

Baltar is always good for a laugh (especially with Head Six around) but other than comic relief, exactly what purpose does he serve anymore?

I'd say his purpose is to bring the one true god faith to the humans. If there is to be an alliance, that lasts, then both sides are going to need the same faith. Cylons have one god, so the humans are going to need the same, or there will never be harmony. Baltar, although I'm not sure he even believes, is the one preaching the one god faith and converting the humans from the old gods.

Yggr of Asgard

I'm sorry but this was only an average episode, while I usualy watch it twice just to make sure I get it all, this episode actualy nearly made me grab my remote to fast forward.

After last weeks story telling instead of story witnessing approach I still have questions but this episode did not go there.

Sure, the outrage of Ellen that Tigh has a baby with one of her children is fine and that she continues to try to manipulate the situation is a good story line but overall I was disapointed.

That Anders brain picks up at the same time as Liam dies is a great sign that there is a story coming but really did we need 45 minutes of this?

I for sure can't wait until Friday for the next episode but this one was not one for the books.

BlitzKrieg

Isnt there another TV movie coming after the end? Its called *The Plan* its set at the start of the series but maybe it will fill in alot of details on the cylon side of things http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlestar_Galactica:_The_Plan


Also The final three episodes are rumoured to be *long* according to wiki they could be over 4 hours alltogether

Derek Coleman

Wait a minute, dont bash Lost cause its givings answers now! Its about time its giving us answers. Forget characters. I know who the characters are by now.

Same goes for BSG. Hurry up with the answers for god(s) sake. If any of the last 4 episodes has another week like the last then we will not get all the answers we want and we'll be left with un-answered stuff.

Ivan

*gasp* unanswered things. Whatever would we do, all that time we'd have to spend discussing the given information in an attempt to figure out what it all means. Oh the HORROR!

Derek Coleman

exactly.

bazz26

Bit of strange episode imo. Most have done this one for comic relief or something as there were plenty of humorous moments in it:-

Hot Dog: "How many dead chicks are out there?"

Doc Cottle when the four where standing around Ander's bed: "Alot of visitors, just don't anybody unplug anything."

Thigh getting drunk with Adama (again): "Great grampa was a power sander."

Probably to add a lightheartedness given the recent insurrection plot. Could be all doom and gloom for the fleet from here on in.

hick

Boring

This was nothing put a link episode, something to tie us over till the next one which will obviously be a doosie, they obviously just needed to set a couple of things up. Adama must of been bored off his chops for this one, I wondered just how much more they could make him stare up in wonderment at the hull. As for Ellen I much preferred the way she was on cavils ship, she acted like you would expect one of the Five too, sort of on a higher plane, but then bang much easier to have a 15 year old girl trapped in skin jobs body.

They left too much hanging in the air for it too be a good episode, could of done with a brooding starbuck hanginger over anders bed with a few flashbacks, or expanding on the 7, or for gods sake how Hera is doing at school.

I suppose essentially my least favortie characters are tigh (stupid husky voice and attitude) Ellen well lets face it we all know someone like her and we hate them, and Foster well just crap.

As you can see I'm finiding it hard to hide my dissapointment, there are just too few episides left to be having ones like this, I went back and watched Razor to make up for it

DeVore

Someone said we didnt get much from Starbucks story... eh...


Only the giant clanger of "Did you see how Saul welcomed back Ellen... its like watching your parents frack."

Ummm... might be a clue.

DeV.

hick

I have indeed thought that cavil might not of gotten rid of daniel completely and that maybe starbuck might be a daniel v2.0 but why they couldn't have dealt with that this episode I don't know

cotwold

I think Caprica six's miscarrage was a metaphor for how neither and pure human nor pure cylon future can exist and for them to survive and to prevent the cycle from repeating itself the humans and cylons have accept a blended future.

Stark

DeVore wrote: »

Someone said we didnt get much from Starbucks story... eh...


Only the giant clanger of "Did you see how Saul welcomed back Ellen... its like watching your parents frack."

Ummm... might be a clue.

DeV.

That she's the screwed up headcase she is today from watching her parents frack as a kid?

Hyzepher

Stark wrote: »

That she's the screwed up headcase she is today from watching her parents frack as a kid?

I think it's more to do that Dev considers all humans to actually be Cylons.

hick

no I think Dev is suggesting is that Ellen and tigh being the 5 and all cylon skin jobs being their children that Starbuck's comment about watching you parents frack might be a hint that she (starbuck) is in fact a skin job, which many have suspected for a while, what with coming back from the dead and all and finding her downed ship with her decayed body still inside

Derek Coleman

Caprica six baby dying will send her over the edge I think and lead her to some sort of obsession with HERA. The Opera house thing has to play a part surely.

Stark

I don't think for a second that Starbuck is Daniel 2.0 btw. Not unless Cavil kept a stock of gender altered Daniel copies in storage for her to download into after he went to the trouble of corrupting the DNA. There must have been another method by which she was resurrected. My guess is some force that we haven't seen yet has developed resurrection technology that works on humans, thus further blurring the lines between cylon and human. I'm not ruling out the possibility that she's Daniel's daugther though.

Azza

Emm how did Boomer and Ellen manage to track down the human fleet?

Gummy Panda

Azza wrote: »

Emm how did Boomer and Ellen manage to track down the human fleet?

A wizard did it. Only explanation i have

Overheal

or cavil is much closer than we suspect

kevmy

Overall a good episode far from great but it works a lot of the storylines.

It's highly possible that Cavill pretty close but doesn't want to attack because he has no resurrection ship to cover his ass.

I think this episode is all about driving home the Cylon alone/Human alone will not work they need to blend to survive.

Syferus

Even though it's been clear enough for a while that Galactica is the Opera House of the Roslin/Athena/Capria/Baltar visions, it's only became fully clear in Deadlock what exactly Galactica is supposed to be - in other words, the physical representation and actual heart of the conjoined futures of both humans and cylons.

This was a slower episode with far less exposition, but no less impactful. I especially thought Adama's wordless waderings through the ship were played brilliantly, as were the always fantastic Adama/Tigh scenes.

Oh, and the after show logo skit was all kinds of awesome this week.

noodler

Syferus wrote: »

Oh, and the after show logo skit was all kinds of awesome this week.

Hm?

Whats this? I watched it online over the weekend.

Syferus

It starts with the standard Moore/Eick in an office set-up, then Edward James Olmos walks in and chainsaws Moore in half and then says in a faux Latino accent ''I want my cheque!''.