BSG: Razor flashbacks
Oct. 26th, 2007 12:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bop_radarI don't know why I delayed watching these. Maybe because the first one broke my brain. But I'm definitely enjoying these more than the Occupation webisodes. Maybe because there's more flying. :) I think they're doing a really good job of showing how much trauma Bill endured in the first Cylon war and how the way he responded to it turned him into the man he is today. I'm not the biggest fan of Adama Senior, but I'm definitely interested in his character, especially in contrast to his son, and there's lots of great material here.
He IS a lousy liar, but I thought it was very Bill-like to try and lie to her. Perhaps he got a quick lesson here in why that's not a good idea--she sees through it. But he sort of got validated for trying to make her feel better (she thanks him anyway) which might help explain why he still loves the pointless gesture--like making Kat CAG before she dies. While I do see that that sort of thing gives some people comfort, I really don't think it works for everyone.
The actor's doing really well, I think. He's obviously studied EJO's delivery and intonation because his 'battle' voice was uncannily accurate. Also: blue eyes! Wow, are they blue. :) I liked his moment of focussing before launching (as he watches JC carried away). It was very Lee-like to take that reflection moment but his attitude coming out of it was all Bill. I don't think Lee would vocalise quite the same way. 'Let's do this' almost made me laugh, it was so melodramatic--you can see the slow-clapper that he'll become showing there. ;)
In other ways I thought there were a lot of similarities with Lee--especially in the third flashback. Something in the precision of his 'break left on my mark' was very Lee, even though his voice sounded totally like EJO. He was very focussed under pressure and he had a hard edge to him, even despite (or because of) what he'd just seen. His response to shooting down his first toaster was pretty restrained, which I thought was interesting--it sets him apart early on from typical hot-headed pilots eager for combat. I also thought it set up nicely his response to seeing the Columbia destroyed because it provided a contrast: it's that that really leaves him shocked and he quickly finds a focus for this, ignoring his CAG's orders. He gets reckless and that reminded me of Lee who've we've seen at his most 'showy' and aggressive when he's got nothing left to lose.
In the light of much discussion about Lee and heroism, the line 'Don't be a hero, Adama!' was meta heaven. Yup, once again the issue of the thin line between heroism and stupidity/endangering a mission comes up again. Yay! It seemed totally characteristic of Bill to pay no heed to that warning, and again there were echoes of his son too in the way he talked to himself, but whereas Lee has to talk himself into or out of situations, in Bill it sounded more like bullish determination, less insecurity.
He IS a lousy liar, but I thought it was very Bill-like to try and lie to her. Perhaps he got a quick lesson here in why that's not a good idea--she sees through it. But he sort of got validated for trying to make her feel better (she thanks him anyway) which might help explain why he still loves the pointless gesture--like making Kat CAG before she dies. While I do see that that sort of thing gives some people comfort, I really don't think it works for everyone.
The actor's doing really well, I think. He's obviously studied EJO's delivery and intonation because his 'battle' voice was uncannily accurate. Also: blue eyes! Wow, are they blue. :) I liked his moment of focussing before launching (as he watches JC carried away). It was very Lee-like to take that reflection moment but his attitude coming out of it was all Bill. I don't think Lee would vocalise quite the same way. 'Let's do this' almost made me laugh, it was so melodramatic--you can see the slow-clapper that he'll become showing there. ;)
In other ways I thought there were a lot of similarities with Lee--especially in the third flashback. Something in the precision of his 'break left on my mark' was very Lee, even though his voice sounded totally like EJO. He was very focussed under pressure and he had a hard edge to him, even despite (or because of) what he'd just seen. His response to shooting down his first toaster was pretty restrained, which I thought was interesting--it sets him apart early on from typical hot-headed pilots eager for combat. I also thought it set up nicely his response to seeing the Columbia destroyed because it provided a contrast: it's that that really leaves him shocked and he quickly finds a focus for this, ignoring his CAG's orders. He gets reckless and that reminded me of Lee who've we've seen at his most 'showy' and aggressive when he's got nothing left to lose.
In the light of much discussion about Lee and heroism, the line 'Don't be a hero, Adama!' was meta heaven. Yup, once again the issue of the thin line between heroism and stupidity/endangering a mission comes up again. Yay! It seemed totally characteristic of Bill to pay no heed to that warning, and again there were echoes of his son too in the way he talked to himself, but whereas Lee has to talk himself into or out of situations, in Bill it sounded more like bullish determination, less insecurity.
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Date: 2007-10-27 09:31 pm (UTC)I took it that he didn't know whether she was dying, so he wanted her to focus on the positive. I guess I've seen that scene so many times: "You're gonna make it, Charlie," "Don't kid a kidder, Joe," that I'm wired to expect it by now.
I think it's a point of difference between him and Lee.
Have we ever seen Lee in the equivalent situation though? The closest I can think of is with Kara in Maelstrom, and there he reacted in a very similar way. At least, his telling her that he trusts her eyes more than dradis seemed at odds with what he said in private to Adama. Though, I don't condemn him for that because I think if he'd said "yeah, I think you've gone batshit -too bad you're only good at one thing huh," it would have been pretty bad. :P
btw, did you see the last Bionic Woman? I thought it was better - maybe because they contrived an excuse for Ryan to use her natural accent. But I thought the writing was half-decent as well. Am I crazy? Is that possible? Or maybe you've given up by now. ;)
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Date: 2007-10-27 10:06 pm (UTC)Yeah it was following the cliche, and I think that's also because Bill's style is definitely indicative of that kind of 'typical' brave-soldier approach. Yeah, he may not have known she was dying but it was still a lousy lie. ;)
At least, his telling her that he trusts her eyes more than dradis seemed at odds with what he said in private to Adama.
I don't think that's an equivalent because I think Lee made a conscious deliberated decision in advance to trust Kara. He had to go one way or another and with his father he expressed his doubts but I think when he talked to her he had convinced himself that she wasn't batshit. Yeah, it was a conscious tactical decision, but it came across honestly because he really believed it. So perhaps it does come down to Bill just being a lousy liar. ;)
Though I do think that it ties, as
I haven't seen the latest BW. I've been dragging my heels about it because it's been so painful. But that sounds promising! *perks* I'll have to check it out!