Review of Battlestar Galactica 4x19: "Daybreak - Part 1"

[flowrs4ophelia]

I really don't think I can decidedly judge this episode yet because it just felt like watching the first 40 minutes of a really long movie and is obviously not meant to stand on its own. The plot has just gotten too huge and complicated to accommodate more episodic storytelling, so we got teased with a bunch of flashbacks and saw the beginnings of a lot of things that still haven't had a payoff and been given complete meaning yet.

But I was definitely intrigued by what's being set up here. I already know tons of people will be complaining about how "WE DIDN'T GET ANY ANSWERS AAAAAAH SCREAM come on I want to be congratulated by the world for my brilliance when my theories are correct already" and I'll just have to sit over in my little happy corner by myself because I'm personally thrilled by how clear it is the end of this show is going to be about the characters first and foremost. It's not like they're just going to not answer anything, and I would rather that be done sloppily (which I don't think it will) than for any character arc to seem neglected and unsatisfying in its conclusion.

— I was so impressed by how much the flashbacks made the relationship between Baltar and Six seem so much more human than I would have expected based on the scenes with them in the mini. Even though we're only seeing the beginning of it, this gives a strong sense that underneath the facade Six kept it as for her mission it was a real relationship that was challenging and changing both of them in little ways. Tricia's expressions in these scenes are so telling as she observes this despicable person who is probably the first human being she's ever interacted this much with.

And oh God, the parts with him and his father were kind of hilarious to me. Baltar may still be a selfish coward, but wow, at least he's come a long way since he was that. Yeah, Gaius...you're the best character. Not my favorite character because there's a difference to me and I won't cry if you die or anything, but most incredible fucking character. Hehe.

— At first I was kind of going "WTF" at seeing Lee and Kara first meeting right after we saw Six and Gaius when they're supposed to have just met because the timeline doesn't seem right (Zak died close to the time Six/Gaius started seeing each other and Kara and Lee had to have known each other a pretty long time before then). But I'm figuring now that all these flashbacks aren't supposed to be happening in the same time because all the beginning said to specify the time was "Before the fall."

The scene at Kara's apartment was so perfect. She's actually nervous to meet her boyfriend's brother but as soon as he comes in she seems very comfortable around him. Zak and Lee are so cute and made my heart break like it never has before over him being all dead and stuff. Zak's "She's mine, hands off" when introducing Kara should almost seem way too cute and obvious a line to write, but somehow it works because all of the flashbacks are done in a way that seems objective rather than coming from specific characters' perspectives as they're remembering them, so the way these scenes are essentially about the seeds of the Kara and Lee relationship is nicely subtle.

By the way, that set was so obviously the exact same set as her and Leoben's New Caprica playhouse that I'm thinking it's somehow intentional. There are even paintings and decorations there that look really similar to ones in the other place. And I just don't believe it's the same apartment as the one we've seen in the "Maelstrom" visions and "Valley of Darkness" because it looks so different. Maybe she moved.

— "I know who you are. You're my daughter." *sniff* Adama's only ever told Kara "you're like a daughter to me" before and now the easy way he delivers this line is just so "Of course you are."

— Seeing Athlete!Anders made me LOL a lot at first and then his lines actually kind of gave me chills. It reminded me a little of my speculation about the importance of music in relation to the ultimate themes in my review of "Someone To Watch Over Me". It's not about winning the Pyramid game. It's not about winning the war. It's not about surviving. It's about humanity and whether or not you're really alive while you're still living.

— And now, the pigeon. THE PIGEON OKAY. Who ever knew one of my favorite little Kara/Lee moments ever would not even have Kara in it but just symbolically present with a bird that's gotten into his house without him meaning to let it in and which he can't get out. It's an anomaly, something appearing unexpectedly in a place it doesn't belong. He has these feelings he can't have because it's his brother's girl and that just doesn't happen. (I have to wonder if it would as easy for me to assume this is what this scene is about if I didn't know about things Katee has said at a convention a while ago explaining that (according to Ron) Kara knew when she met Lee that she met the wrong brother first and there some tension between them pretty much since the beginning. I don't blame other people for just watching this and thinking "WTF, why are they using up the last episodes showing Lee hitting birds with a broom?" LOL.)

...Or maybe there's something more straightforward about the importance of it and it'll make perfect sense with more flashbacks later, like this is just a weird thing he's always remembered happening because it was right after something of greater impact happened. But I'm certain this moment has something to do with Kara because there's a beginning of a statement of the Lee/Kara love them in the music right here. Bear likes to use themes in very literal ways that sometimes give clues about things, and the way it's only an incomplete segment of the theme suggests to me that there's more to this scene and particular story to see. Which is pretty obvious anyway because we don't understand what he means by saying "I dare you" and several other things make it clear something not-yet-explained just happened to bring him to this moment.

— Ooh! I also enjoyed the return of Baltar's theme played on the erhu since "Someone To Trust" has always been one of my favorite tracks.

— Loved all the moments with Tory in this episode for some reason, especially the Chief pretty much dragging her along across the line. LOL.


IT'S CRAZY YOU GUYS THIS IS THE END. I CAN'T STAND IT. HOLD ONTO YOUR BUTTS.

Comments

[shah-of-blah.livejournal.com]

I think that Leoben's apartment on New Caprica was designed to remind Kara of her old place. Or at least that's how I've interpreted it, since the layout with the stairs and the dining room is so very similar. But the NC place had the bedroom/bathroom past the wall where Kara has only a wall, if I'm visualizing this correctly. And Kara's Caprica apartment has the other rooms past the kitchen, on the other side. I think.

[flowrs4ophelia.livejournal.com]

I think that Leoben's apartment on New Caprica was designed to remind Kara of her old place.
Yeah, I can definitely see that.