I was not as impressed with the GTA virtual world.  I know plenty of video game players who are good people with good jobs, lots of good relationships etc etc.  The standard media stereotype of sad-sacks wandering without morals in a virtual land seems very cheap for this show.   It's an easy trope that does not correspond to reality (get it) and exists largely in the minds of people who don't play video games and therefore view them as bad.  Replace video games with comic books and its the 1950s.  Same fear out of ignorance morality and 'this generation is going to hell' posturing.  I expected better of Caprica. 

And am I the only one who spent most of the episode calling Tammy 'Neo'?

Aside from that I agree with most of the review.  The sequence with the Adama's was powerful and extremely well handled.  I am starting to get a feel that Caprica is a distinct place with unique cultures. 

Eric Stolz gave a pwerhouse performance as did Alessandra Torresani  who once again managed to conveve her odd position without a single line of dialogue. 

 Yeah, I got that Neo buzz, too. If she starts wearing black leather, Caprica's in trouble! I'm sure (hope) the writers don't go there or will put as major curve ball spin on the reality within. I felt like the show may have been in danger of stalling plot wise with so much charactor development going on. This show brings it together and moves it forward. I definitely am enticed to see what happens next! 

While I agree with you thorin,  its likely that what your saying could be applied to many lifestyles that are frowned upon in life.

Being a heroin user doesnt mean your a bad person.  Alcoholics can be functional and make great contributions to society.  White supremists are caring and nurturing individuals (if your white).

So while I agree with your assessment ive noticed that being a video game player, enthusiest, etc doesnt make you a degenerate,  many,  many degenerates are video game players.

I make it a point to  be virtually every game I play, and I play everything from FPS's to MMORPGS.  I maintain a capped player in EQ2 and have reached the pinnacle in games like EQ1, DAOC, Diablo1/2, AC, etc,  I have also noticed a negative effect on my life,  when I become _too_ involved. I forget about sports,  I spend less time with friends and family, and I find myself lacking in my work and responsibilities.

I however try to keep my moral, ethical, and progressive compass pointed north, even though east and sometimes south,  REALLY look like more fun.  Many cant.

My point being is that many 'degenerates' I do know, do spend much of their time playing video games,  smoking dope, and drinking.   Some of my previous best friends,  brother, and sister among them.

I havent seen the episode yet,  so forgive me if I am way off.  I was just curious.  Is the show stating that the degenerates migrate towards this environment,  or is it saying the environment creates these degenerates?

I was traveling for volleyball the last couple weeks,  and thus far haven't caught up on my DVR'd shows yet.

Thorin, I thought it was true to what I know of people who play video games. Good people, with good jobs, who think it's fun to the bad guy when it's not real. On the show, the only ones obsessing about the morality of playing crime games virtually are the terrorists.

Of course, the writers do try to make us wonder whether it's wrong to play violent games - even when they're pretend. Isn't that a conversation we've been having for forever?

For me, this episode was interesting because it told the story of a person who was "real" in a game that wasn't real for anyone else.

And, I liked the way the writers seem to be setting it up the history of the Cylons. That some of the original Cylons were based on the personalities of real people - and not just real people but teenagers! That sure explains a lot. All that anxt and resentment tied up in a titanium bow.

It still feels like the writers went for the easy stereotypes with their depiction of Caprica's virtual world and its population.  It's like intead of doing actual research into gaming and talking to gamers they based the virtual world on the cable news version of gaming  A degenerate place that alienates people and rewards amoral behavior.  And while there is plenty of that out their, gaming and the on-line community is far bigger and much more deverse. 

I'm willing to give the writers the benefit of the doubt.  It's early in the series.  Perhaps they will show a broader segement of the world Graystone created.  I hope they do.  I'd like to see some balance added in. 

What's stricking is diffence between the virtual world and the nuanced and varied world of Caprica.  I want the writers to put that kind of care into their virtual world. 

I will also say this.  It seems to me that the virtual world of Caprica is meant as a forerunner to the Cylon ability to Project.   Creating and sharing their own virtual realities.  And Littlenell you bring up an interesting point about the possible origins of the Cylon mentallity.  They did often come across as adolescents in the series.

I agree, this is by far the BEST episode this season.  I was highly impressed and was engrossed in it from beginning to end. 

thorin, you are missing the point. You are doing the same thing people did when BSG was airing those Cylon occupation of New Caprica episodes with the suicide bombers.  It's sci-fi man, it's supposed to push the envelope and get people to think.  Did you remember that kid that killed himself over losing all his stuff in Everquest?  Or how about WOW...I had a friend who's wife was threatening to divorce him if he didn't give up the game he was so addicted to it.  I'm a gamer and understand what you are seeing but you choose to look at it as stereotyping, open up your mind and see all the possible reasons for what they did....but yeah, I'll give you the Neo part.  I don't mean that as a rip but like I said, it's sci-fi and that's when sci-fi is at its best when it provokes you to think. 

Littlenell, couldn't help but agree with you more.  I think they are looking at Caprica in our world today...if Virtual games were that advanced (and they will be some day) then it's raises the question you put forth. 

Hey Hobbs, so true. Some games look so realistic now that the blood spatter is shocking. You know they'll only get more realistic 'cause that's what we want. And it's weird to watch nice people get excited about killing someone in a game, or laugh about playing the dark side (as some games allow you to do), just because it's more fun.

That's what I thought about when I watched the episode. That "evil" lady, could have been a nice person. It's not like she thought it was real - she was just blowing off steam after a long day at the office. Yes, she was cruel towards Tammy, but if a character in a game was named after a dead person, would you believe she was a real person? You'd think it was weird, yes, morbid, definitely, but ultimately, if she didn't respond "physically" like a fellow gamer, you'd assume it was just another unfeeling program to be manipulated.

When Tammy fought back, Ms. "Evil" was really confused, as we all would be. In Zelda, who hasn't taken a sword swipe at the postman to see if he would react? It's not real, it's a game. You'd never expect the postman to whip out his own weapon, which then causes the game to shut down and erase all your progress. 

It was a fun episode to watch - and think about. I don't know what it says about us. Is it true that there are fewer murders in NYC today than there were 60 years ago? (adjust for population increases that is?) Maybe our unreal entertainments help - they're cathartic. They take the edge off. We can act out without really acting out.

Fair points all around.  And I acknowledge, we're early in the series, the writers may choose to explore much of the nuance you guys have brought up.  I hope they do. 

To move off my one complait about this episode.  There is a LOT to praise about Caprica thus far.  It would seem the writers on Caprica have been reading the fan complaints about Heroes.  Because they are (thus far) doing a very good job juggling their multiple story arcs.  Rather than try and keep 6 or 7 stories going in each episode they're picking 3 per episode and focusing solely on those.  It allows for the overall arc to progress, gives individual arcs time to breathe and keeps the episodes from feeling clogged up. 

Oh and Littleneel, you don't need to adjust for population. Almost all violent crimes have been on a relatively steady decline since the early 80s. Areas where there have been increases (rape, child abuse, spousal abuse etc) are seen by many not as a recent explosion but rather as society finally acknowledging a problem long there and better (although far from perfect) reporting.  

I'm very much enjoying Caprica right now, although my Son and Wife who were avid BSG fans haven't picked up on it as I have.  I like the Drama and the ominous trends - the knowledge of where its going is powerful as well.

As to the comments about the Virtual world, I agree that this is SCI FI and it's a means to an end.  In the board room, Graystone admits that they have lost the grip on the Virtual world - it's decending into a mire.  That doesn't have to mean that all people who play games on earth are bad....but it could mean that most players on Caprica are on the bad side.  It's fiction!!

Overall - great episode and I'm looking forward to many more.

PS - who among us wasn't slightly disappointed to see what effect the robot's arm in the boardroom had on Zoe... Not looking for gore...but wondering what happened to her.