Battlestar Galactica SEASON FINALE - "Lay Down Your Burdens" Ep#220 -- 10-MAR-2006

[Bark]

Battlestar Galactica: "Lay Down Your Burdens" Episode #220.

Laura must choose between stealing the election and allowing Baltar to win.

Original Airdate: March 10, 2006.

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Remember, this one is 90 minutes! Set the VCR/DVR accordingly! :D

[Scorpiuscat]

Holy Cow!!! What a season ender!!

You can read our very special reveiw here http://jonja.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=993

Its the highest rated episode of battlestar ever.

[Asonokirk V 2.0]

Holy Frakking Shit!

[Mobile Vulgus]

I found the "one year later" angle a bit ... I don't know how to explain it. I felt it was a bit odd, I guess. It seemed kind of goofy. I find it hard to believe that just one year could make everyone forget all about the Cylons as if they never attacked and were no threat.

I also don't buy all the members of the military who just threw it all away to live on the rock. I just didn't buy it that they all suddenly just threw away their military careers.

Still, I enjoyed the episode. I always love the actor that played the Cylon reverend (Dean Stockwell). He has a great personality that he puts in his work.

[Bark]

Good OSF, but no new episodes until October!?! With the SGs coming back in October, I guess Sci Fi Fridays are now changed. :(

[neglet]

Still, I enjoyed the episode. I always love the actor that played the Cylon reverend (Dean Stockwell). He has a great personality that he puts in his work.

In our house, Neglet Jr. said, "But Al can't be a Cylon!" :lol:

As for the whole episode ... Wow is right. I love the left turn they made by putting everyone on the planet "one year later." I agree that it feels weird but it does two great things: First, we finally know what "and they [the Cylons] have a plan" really really means. (Hey Baltar--how does it feel to have betrayed humanity not once [the invasion], not twice [the destruction of Cloud Nine], but three times [the nuclear blast giving away New Caprica's location]?) Second, it gives the show a chance to escape the rut of politics, politics, politics and one space battle after another. Next season we should have an interesting mix of guerilla warfare with our space action--although I'm not sure what kind of action there will be with the fleet so small and undermanned. I just hope we don't get a dozen "two months ago" episodes to start off the season--that will get old fast.

[American]

I don't see the whole point of settling on a different planet. What happen to your search to Earth guys? Or did the writers forget that sub-plot?

[KingVoyeur]

I don't see the whole point of settling on a different planet. What happen to your search to Earth guys? Or did the writers forget that sub-plot?

Looking at it from the character's POV, I can imagine that after being stuck on a spaceship for so long, they'd leap at the chance to settle on real land, regardless of whether it was Earth or not (I think that was pretty much Baltar's campaign angle too). I'm sure they'll keep the "search for Earth" subplot, they're probably going to use the whole Cylon invasion of New Caprica to get everyone back into space and searching for Earth.

The "One Year Later" thing took me completely by surprise, and I think it's an interesting twist. I think it gives all the characters a chance to rest and helps propel the story forward without spending too much time on the planet. Plus it provides plenty of opportunity for flashbacks to show how characters evolved to where they are now without slowing the show down, allowing it to focus on the Cylon invasion.

Damnit why the hell do we have to wait until October?!?

[tstone]

I hear that next season, among the goodies in store for us enlightened types who love this show, they are going to show us the Cylon homeworld. In fact, a multi (probably 4 ep) arc taking place there.

[Mobile Vulgus]

they are going to show us the Cylon homeworld

COOL!

[ladymurasaki]

I hear that next season, among the goodies in store for us enlightened types who love this show, they are going to show us the Cylon homeworld. In fact, a multi (probably 4 ep) arc taking place there.

I'm excited about this too, particularly since the last time I heard about the homeworld, Moore said that he wasn't "ready" to show it yet. He must have fleshed out what it is going to look like and how it is going to work -- at least to some degree.

I'm wondering what will go on there, and if Baltar will go after the humans finally make it off New Caprica. Or is he STILL going to keep covering up the truth of what he did. I think it would be kind of funny if he ended up just joining the Cylons. But who knows.

I'm wondering -- on a smaller scale -- what role Gaeta will play in the whole resistance/occupation storyline, since he was the "principled" one who put Baltar in office in the first place. I wonder if he will refure to break the law and help the resistance, or he will occupy a moral shade of gray and help his team members. He sure didn't look happy a year after the election.

The whole Kara/Lee/Tigh thing is kind of interesting too. Clearly Tigh and Kara's relationship has improved. Her relationship with Lee . . . not so much, and I bet he is pissed at her for leaving the ship in the first place.

So many other things to say, but I'm also really curious what the Cylons plan to do on New Caprica. Six and Sharon were busy during the 36 hours they needed to change the Cylon plan -- but what did they change it to? I guess we'll find out. Plus, I think that Sharon will be pissed that the Chief moved on without her.

[Cooper]

I fear a lot of flashbacks in Season 3. I don't want the show to become "LOST"in space. ...sorry, terrible pun. .. but really, I don't want Season 3 to be spent recapping the missed year.

[ladymurasaki]

I fear a lot of flashbacks in Season 3. I don't want the show to become "LOST"in space. ...sorry, terrible pun. .. but really, I don't want Season 3 to be spent recapping the missed year.

Yes, that would sort of suck. But from what I've read, it doesn't sound like that will be the focus of the season. I don't know. Being occupied by Cylons opens up some interesting possibilities.

[Asonokirk V 2.0]

Yes, that would sort of suck. But from what I've read, it doesn't sound like that will be the focus of the season. I don't know. Being occupied by Cylons opens up some interesting possibilities.

I've watched this episode twice now, and there are one or two things that don't quite fit, and one is Starbuck's attitude towards Tigh on the planet. Hugging him and acting like she's missed him? There is something suspicious about that. I think this whole episode is a dream sequence by Baltar as he lay slumped on his desk after Cloud 9 blew up. Just my opinion, but it would be very cool if it wasn't a dream sequence.

[ladymurasaki]

I think Moore has stated in several places that this is definitely not a dream.

The Tigh thing was definitely interesting. It seemed to me that their relationship was definitely improving -- didn't he congratulate her after she came back from Caprica?


Here's something that confused me: Did Starbuck know that Cavil was a Cylon? What were they thinking when he suddenly appeared behind them on Caprica thanking the gods? Did they think he was the "other" Brother Cavil? I'd be curious to know if anyone else out there knows anything.

[Cooper]

Originally Posted by ladymurasaki
Here's something that confused me: Did Starbuck know that Cavil was a Cylon? What were they thinking when he suddenly appeared behind them on Caprica thanking the gods? Did they think he was the "other" Brother Cavil? I'd be curious to know if anyone else out there knows anything.

They did not know he was a Cylon. That was a poorly done scene because he seemed to come out of nowhere and he seemed malevolent but he was merely a "Caprica survivor" who was part of Ander's group. To Starbuck and the rest he was just an overly zealous guy.

As for Starbuck and Tighe, I think her joy at seeing him was to show how much has changed in a year. Also, the New Caprica ordeal and Baltar's horrific presidency is so stressful that it was nice to just see someone from the "old days".

[ladymurasaki]

thanks for explaining that to me. the way he just popped up made it look to me as though anders didn't know who he was. i guess the implication is that he had been there all the time.

i have to say, i thought the cavil scenes were funny ("I'm not a Cylon! Oh. I am a Cylon.") But it sure did make me wonder if there isn't at least ONE set of twins somewhere in the Galactica universe.

[KingVoyeur]

Ok, this is a little off-topic, but I just realized I love Mary McDonnell (Pres. Roslin) a lot more than I thought I did. I was just watching Independence Day and realized she was the First Lady, and she was also Donnie Darko's mother! I LOVE HER!

[thepocketgeek]

I read an interview with one of the producers. He said that they will only be on New Caprica for three or four episodes at most. He mentioned that Baltar will start on his "slide to the darkside" and the Cylon homeworld story arc. He said that the reason they were starting in Oct was so that they could run the entire season without a break.
Excellent.
It's going to be a long summer waiting for Oct...

***EDIT***
Ok.. I found the link to the interview...
http://www.nowplayingmag.com/content/view/3300/2/