Battlestar Galactica 2x14

[Mav]

Mod edit: This is the official topic for the episode. All off topic remarks will be sent to that Caprician lab, to be artificially inceminated with Cylon babies.

 

2x14 "Black Market" aired tonight.

 

Strange episode in my opinion, I really didn't picture Apollo stooping to the level of paying for prostitution. And why bring up the stuff with Dee? It was like a one time glance they had, any other encounters they had we never saw...She's perfect with Billy so why frak that relationship up?

 

I loved the Rosalyn/Baltar stuff, great stuff.

 

2x15 will be all Starbuck/Cat baby hells yea

[Hrimmer]

I agree that it was a weird episode.

 

I think the only rerason they brought the stuff up with Dee was to reinforce Apollo's feelings of isolation and regret for not being able to be vunerable to a real relationship. (Might be a bit of why he sees the prostitute, he's pretending it's a real relationship, when it fact thats far from the truth.)

 

Also, it reintroduces Billy, who I've missed and hope grows as a character in the future.

 

The whole black market ship ambiance was a bit over the top for me, but it made it's point.

 

For me, the two best moments were the ones between Baltar and The pres, and Adama with Apollo at the end.

 

I do look forward to next week though.

 

Face it, a not-so-great ep of Battlestar (at least in my opinion) beats the pants off the best episode of most other shows on the air.

 

 

 

 

 

2x14 "Black Market" aired tonight.

 

Strange episode in my opinion, I really didn't picture Apollo stooping to the level of paying for prostitution. And why bring up the stuff with Dee? It was like a one time glance they had, any other encounters they had we never saw...She's perfect with Billy so why frak that relationship up?

 

I loved the Rosalyn/Baltar stuff, great stuff.

 

2x15 will be all Starbuck/Cat baby hells yea

[Mav]

Speaking on the black market ship (Prometheus) the only thing I found out of sorts was, the children. I mean they had your basic contraband, cigars, cigarettes, liquor, prostitution (which I also found surprising that was legal), but when Apollo asks Phelan about the girl (Paya) he makes a reference to her having been sold already. Sold for what purpose? She can't be older than maybe 6 or 7...I doubt he's selling children to poor couples whom can't have one on their own. So that leaves one other purpose..........Thats a little darker than I like my science fiction, if that is what they were hinting at.

[Hilander72]

I think this episode was GOOD.

 

Apollo suffers from post-trauma and has to find himself, but it still doesn't justify him to kill in cold blood or for the greater good. That was quite disappointing. :(

 

Roslin obviously knows about Baltar and no6 and gives Baltar a one time offer to resign as VP. What this will lead to is still to come and so far it's building up pretty good.

 

I think Baltar is becoming more human every episode and I'm starting to like him even more. :)

[Hrimmer]

#1 Thats exactly where they were going and #2 Thats darker than I like any of my fiction! (or fact)

 

 

But, it did allow Apollo to protect the children and medical suplies while leaving a black market for gambling and prostitution.

It showed how low a unchecked black market can go, and gave Apollo resolve to keep an eye on the situation.

 

On the other hand, it might have all been a ploy to play on Apollo's emotions towards the child.

 

 

but when Apollo asks Phelan about the girl (Paya) he makes a reference to her having been sold already. Sold for what purpose? She can't be older than maybe 6 or 7...I doubt he's selling children to poor couples whom can't have one on their own. So that leaves one other purpose..........Thats a little darker than I like my science fiction' date=' if that is what they were hinting at.[/quote']

[rihadd]

Good episode. I don't agree that Lee shooting the guy at the end was going over the edge.

Anyone dealing in children deserves a bullet in the head, in fact I'd be disappointed if he didn't shoot him.

[bobxii]

Good episode. I don't agree that Lee shooting the guy at the end was going over the edge.

Anyone dealing in children deserves a bullet in the head, in fact I'd be disappointed if he didn't shoot him.

 

 

Yup... shoot the bastard.

 

Other than that one bit of goodness, this was indeed a very strange episode. Whoever said it in the last thread was right - filler/setup episode. With the Cylons reeling from the loss of the Resurrection Ship (funny how they referred to Roslin's recovery as a "resurrection", from a Cylon baby no less), the focus turns inward towards the intrafleet problems.

 

Wonder who's going to be the new Captain of the Pegasus? Hmm...

[magestorm]

Well, I don't see it as all that dark. Remember, these people have lost loved ones. Some have lost children, and have something that the black marketers want. So, selling a couple a child would be a logical, though disgusting thing for the black marketeers to start doing.

 

Rational? Nope. But remember we're not dealing with rational people. They've lost it all. Homes, friends, families, possesions, even their society. Their future also looks dark, with no hope in sight of things getting better. They aren't able to rebuild their homes and get on with life. Unless they are in the military, many people are just doing whatever they can just to hang onto their sanity.

[Mav]

Well, I don't see it as all that dark. Remember, these people have lost loved ones. Some have lost children, and have something that the black marketers want. So, selling a couple a child would be a logical, though disgusting thing for the black marketeers to start doing.

 

Rational? Nope. But remember we're not dealing with rational people. They've lost it all. Homes, friends, families, possesions, even their society. Their future also looks dark, with no hope in sight of things getting better. They aren't able to rebuild their homes and get on with life. Unless they are in the military, many people are just doing whatever they can just to hang onto their sanity.

 

Let me put it this way, couples buying kidnapped/stolen children illegally on a black market is in a much better light than some creepy guy selling children for what the audience was lead to believe as sexual objects.

 

At least the whole "lost my children in the war" thing is more humane and acceptable as a sub-plot within the overall story, I mean this was right up there with that one Pegasus captain who was about to rape Cylon-Sharon and whom had probably raped Pegasus-Six...A little darker than I normally prefer. Luckily the more, harsh episodes/scenes such as this are very few and far between.

[Pella]

I likec the episode. I'm glad it showed the black market and the slave children. The thing that keeps me coming back to the show is the honesty wityh which it shows humanity. There are some very disgusting people out there and like one of the poster's above I believe those people should be shot. But the things is that there are people out there like that. As uncomfortable as it is face, it's truth and while I don't believe the show should delve any further into the subject, it serves as poignant reminder that humanity has a very ugly side.

 

The episode also used the child to ask another question - When does bending/breaking the rules become morally wrong? We all turn a blind eye to contraband such as cigerettes and alchohol (Or even illegally downloading tv shows), but I would like to think that none of us would turn a blind eye to mistreatment of children. Yet surely when the line has been crossed, then it's been crossed -regardless of what is being purchased. Or has it it? Where is the line? Is it that if a crime is victimeless then it's okay?

 

I think that in itself is a very thought provoking debate. I like that the show poses questions like this, but doesn't push it's own moral values. Was Adama right to consider assassination of Kain, just because her moral high ground was diffferent to his own?

 

For me the main thing wrong with episode is that we are told that Lee is compensating for a previous relationship. It would have been better and had more emotional impact to have visiteed that relationship (maybe in flashbacks) before doing this episode.

[mateya]

I belive that bsg is trying to show all humanities flaws - even the worst. and this includes also selling children as sexual objects. I didnt see it as a hint, but rather a fact in this ep. its disturbing yes, and I think thats why apollo did it (kill the guy). I would too in his position - the guy did stated that he would not stop doing that. so blow him away I say.

[synexo]

This episode and the last one have been my least favorites so far. In this episode I don't think there was a single cylon (expect the blonde hallucination, if that counts). I hope they get back to running from cylons and trying to find earth.

[Hrimmer]

I agree that what keeps me coming back to this show is that it brings up uncomfortable truths for discussion. But doesnt go to far over the line.

And I still feel strongly that even though some may prefer the human vs cylon arc... in some way, these episodes are more intriguing.

 

And who knows, perhaps this is a major part of the cylon plan, I'm sure they have been observing us for a very very long time before they even seduced Baltar. Much less attacked the colonies.

Sort of reminds me of the original Harlan Ellison script for City On The Edge Of Forever VS the filmed version.... Gritty, raw and true to humanity, as much as we dont like it.

But not so gritty and raw as to lose its entertainment value.

 

 

I likec the episode. I'm glad it showed the black market and the slave children. The thing that keeps me coming back to the show is the honesty wityh which it shows humanity. There are some very disgusting people out there and like one of the poster's above I believe those people should be shot. But the things is that there are people out there like that. As uncomfortable as it is face, it's truth and while I don't believe the show should delve any further into the subject, it serves as poignant reminder that humanity has a very ugly side.

 

The episode also used the child to ask another question - When does bending/breaking the rules become morally wrong? We all turn a blind eye to contraband such as cigerettes and alchohol (Or even illegally downloading tv shows), but I would like to think that none of us would turn a blind eye to mistreatment of children. Yet surely when the line has been crossed, then it's been crossed -regardless of what is being purchased. Or has it it? Where is the line? Is it that if a crime is victimeless then it's okay?

 

I think that in itself is a very thought provoking debate. I like that the show poses questions like this, but doesn't push it's own moral values. Was Adama right to consider assassination of Kain, just because her moral high ground was diffferent to his own?

 

For me the main thing wrong with episode is that we are told that Lee is compensating for a previous relationship. It would have been better and had more emotional impact to have visiteed that relationship (maybe in flashbacks) before doing this episode.

[Tenebrae]

It made me laugh when Apollo shot the guy.

 

It gets boring when all the bad guys pull that "If you do that, you'd be just like me!" and then the good guy relents and manages to biff his way out of it.

 

I think the revelation about Lee's past relationship makes sense and explains why he and Starbuck haven't got it together...

 

Overall, I think this was a good episode if for no other reason than grit. As I've oft commented, Voyager gets stuck 75,000 l.y. from home but they might as well have been having a weekend break at a travel inn for all the hardship they demonstrated. I have a lot of respect for BSG not pulling punches.

 

These are the last 49,597 humans alive, they're on the run, have no external support and are basing their continued existence on the remote chance that Earth will be able to help them - there is every reason that this shoe should be grim.

 

And given that its covered alcoholism, murder, rape, drug use, prostitution, treason, racketeering and slavery - I'd say that it's doing a good job at that. The future shouldn't always be happy with humans and aliens joining arms to sing around the galaxy. If you want that, you can go and watch Star Trek.

[bones2097]

i loved it excellent show!!

 

you cant fight all the time... the story would wear thin too quickly!!!

I like having the human/ civilian side to story!!!

 

as they say 'the plop thickens'...

 

i meantplot!!! ;)

[Centurion]

Not a bad episode, but certainly the worst of BSG's season 2... As said previously, I also don't like the direction the series appears to be taking. Personally, I don't want to see the Colonials characterized as a bunch of ass***** and criminals who should be killed by the Cylons.

 

Let's wait for the next episode. :thinking:

[mateya]

Personally, I don't want to see the Colonials characterized as a bunch of ass***** and criminals who should be killed by the Cylons.

 

I found bsg fascinating for exactly this reason - that humans are so unperfect/flawed and that I like cylons better. its like - wow!

 

so say we all! ;)

[Tenebrae]

It would be rather unrealistic if all the survivors had been upright

 

And as I said, if you want to see a bunch of people prancing around on moral high horses and always doing the right thing while sitting in their comfy leather chairs and fitted carpets, there's always Star Trek repeats.

[ank329]

I thought it was a pretty good episode. one annoying thing stood out in my mind, this is the second episode that they give a little teaser in the begining, say 48 hours earlier and then start the rest of the episode. Once is fine, but why are they repeating this cheesy method of hooking people into watching the rest of the episode?