I Feel Your Pain

 Spencer Ackerman has found out what crap the made-for-television movie "The Plan" was, and he's not a happy man. 

...what Plan did the Cylons have?

They were planning to destroy humanity. You know, the thing we learned in the very first episode of the fucking — I’m not going to say “frakking”; I’m done with this shit — miniseries. Yes, first the magical final-five storyline. Then the unexplained magical Starbuck storyline. Then the horrific fuck-you-for-watching that was the series finale. And now this, the extinguishing of the last spark of narrative promise — the question of what motivated the Cylon attack and the decision to keep pursuing the vestiges of humanity to the ends of the universe.
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This [idea that Cylons had human weaknesses] is clever for about thirty seconds – oh, huh, I guess we really are all the same — and then the next 119 minutes and 30 seconds make you question why you devoted so much time and emotional energy into watching this series. Yes, “33″ was brilliant. The New Caprican insurgency was the most subversive moment of television this decade. Post-New Caprican death squads, the Trial of Gaius Baltar — that was great. But at the risk of psychoanalysis, my guess is the reason why the Cylons are now said to have Started Something They Couldn’t Finish is because the writers are projecting. They ran out of ideas for the show after the Baltar trial and then suddenly introduce the Final Five, the point at which the series irredeemably blows.

Yeah, it was pretty disappointing. My only fear is that "Caprica" is going to run out of steam also, that it will falter after a promising risky and daring pilot in the face of conventional attitudes. But what the hell, not like there's any other good sci-fi out there to watch.

Comments

[Comrade E.B. Misfit]

Except the Final Five were sort of foreshadowed in "Kobol's Last Gleaming".

I see no reason to watch "Caprica", for two reasons. First, it will suck for the same reason that the "prequels" to "Star Wars" all sucked: You know how it is all going to end. Second, it is being written by the same group of chowderheads who fucked up the end of BSG so badly that it was a giant "fuck you and thanks for watching" to the fans who stuck with the series for nearly six years.

I'm telling you, AG, don't trust those guys.

[J.]

Ya know, I think I am going to listen to you this time, E.B. I just need some good alternatives. Maybe "Chuck" will be up and running with some fresh stuff. Or I guess I can run through the "Mad Men" show through Netflix, haven't seen this award-winning show yet.

[NVH]

You know J., I find your analysis of TV sci fi in line with your analysis of this Kagan stuff. You just assume it's the writers screwing it all up, then you watch it, and after the fact prove yourself right. Now maybe it's a little more realistic with the Afghan thing, but instead of picking on Kagan so much, cause it gets really boring, why not focus on the much broader strategic issue of what Obama should be doing correctly. I mean, its not even open for debate, which is what makes this blog so nice, MOST of the time. So Kagan's wrong and he bloviates a lot cause he's employed by McChrystal or whoever to drum up a report. When you're trying to convince someone of countering the insurgency in Afghanistan to how we did good things in Iraq with the surge, you don't need to beat the shit out of the other side first and then link up with all your better thinking buddies on all the other blogs that ARE leaving it up for debate...look anyway, probably should have put this on the other posting...oh well.

And the prequels were great...why such an elitist, it's just good sci fi action movies

[J.]

Oh good gods, NVH... if you're suggesting that the prequels to Star Wars were "great," then I'm just going to ban you now and stop you from fomenting such evil on my site. They sucked. Every one of them. There is no debate here, there was no redeeming value to any of the three prequels. I say good day, sir.

[Comrade E.B. Misfit]

I wrote about the "prequels" two years ago.

[NVH]

Oh, but what about your ratings J? Or whatever bloggers call them. Not that I'm getting a head here or anything, like I draw a crowd, but still.

They were great for me in the sense they really completed the physical picture of the Star Wars universe for me, I just liked the theatrical aspect and the light saber duels, I'm a sucker for double ended sabers, plus the whole Qui Gon Jinn deal really did it for me. Call me gay, whatever.

And hey, you're new post about the Afghan announcement, really going out on a limb there with those predictions weren't you? That's a real stretch ain't it. See you tomorrow on the blog o sphere...