Battlestar Galactica : Rebooting Cain

[@joaoalraled]

To quote the best monologue in the show "we're not a civilization anymore. We are a gang, and we are on the run, and we have to fight to survive."

[@splashpit]

Warriors come out to playay

[@charlesballard4762]

Much like present day amerikkka The Pegasus =maga Amerikkka Vs Humans America The civil war is nigh Chose wisely Big smile

[@arw1985]

​@@splashpitCan you dig iiittt??

[@baahcusegamer4530]

Very good analysis. It is hard to fathom that “New BSG” is over 20 years old now!

[@raymondcoventry1221]

More time has passed since the end of DS9 than between the end of TOS and start of DS9. Impossible.

[@MarcMcKenzie-qb6or]

I know, right? Rewatching it now and it still holds up.

[@RictusHolloweye]

Original BSG was 25 years old when the remake was released. I guess that means we're close to due for another take.

[@TheRAZORVIDS]

@@MarcMcKenzie-qb6orIt absolutely does! i was blow away watching it a year ago

[@jonisalmela2399]

I refuse to acknowledge that

[@jonskowitz]

That closer was an absolute banger! Sir, I salute you.

[@gertbeefrobe]

Yep.

[@colinmcclelland1361]

God...I am sorry I came in late but that was my exact same thought.

[@StephenSpencer1972]

Hear, hear!

[@MrJerks93]

He did not stutter.

[@dw5523]

Absolutely. My laughter got my wife's attention in the other room, then we got to enjoy it together.

[@technofilejr3401]

In the original show, I got the vibe that Commanders Cain and Adama were longtime colleagues and peers. I would imagine they both went to the Colonial Academy at the same time as both men were around the same age. Even when Cain was trying to pull a fast one, I never got the impression that he didn't respect Adama's leadership. In the reboot, Admiral Cain is a younger officer with no blood or adopted family relations while Commander William Adama is older and has blood and adopted family on his ship. She has lost everyone and there is nobody to hold her accountable. The one person who tried to keep Admiral Cain accountable she ended in front of the whole crew. As Commander Adama later admits to his son Lee he also had some less than noble thoughts about the civilian fleet. But it was having to look his own son in the eyes that kept him accountable. Also having President Roslin around also helped. 6:41, this is my favorite moment from the original. For Commander Cain its a great moment of humility. He knows he can't win this last battle. But this old Colonial Warrior is willing to fall on his sword if it means the human race has a chance for survival. Admiral Cain truly lost the compass of duty and honor when she sacrificed her own civilian fleet. A Colonial Warrior's first duty is to the survival of the human race and she forgot that.

[@Albemarle7]

The fault line in her emotional self caused by the childhood trauma broke under the stress of the ultimate disaster plus the responsibilty of commanding the last human survivors. There must have been some unspoken guilt from being played by the Cylon agent. She had lost all hope for any future and became a killing machine. Gaius Baltar had even worse guilt, but having Angel Six with him kept him from going completely mad.

[@ReconViper1]

I lost interest in the new one during the first episode. But it's clear that OS Cain and Adama were old friends. Both experienced and respected warriors who held each other in highest regard. But also seeing some faults in each others approach. Cain has had the luxury of being free to act without worrying about a defenseless civilian armada. One of the few times that he had to admit to being wrong opened his eyes to that concern.

[@schemage2210]

@@Albemarle7 That is a convenient excuse to be frank. Sure, nobody could have expect the Cylons to attack as they did, to destroy the known civilisation of the 12 Colonies, but you don't get to be an Admiral, and apparently a fairly well known one at that, at Cain's age (and being a woman in what we can only assume is a male dominated field), without being emotionally stable, resilient and honestly brilliant. Cain was described as one of the best tacticians in the Colonial Fleet, if memory serves. So just to say that she was "suddenly" broken by stress and childhood trauma, is an excuse. Do you think she got to be an Admiral without losing someone under her command prior, or for that matter ever having to fight a battle and coming out in rough shape from it?

[@Albemarle7]

@@schemage2210 She may have like so many peacetime officers great at passing efficency reports and spit polish inspections. She could have been great at war games and simulations. She may have mastered careerism and the politics of the navy departments. Actual war is something else. In 1861 in the Union Army, MacDowell, Mc Clellan and several other were highly regarded professionals. In actual war fighting they second best. And they had actual experience in Mexico. Baxton Bragg had the same story, grand reputation poor performance. The shear scale of the disaster alone could drive many people over the edge. She lost hope, lost faith and chose the path of Nialism.

[@schemage2210]

@@Albemarle7 I mean you could make the very same argument for North Korean military "leaders" currently in service as of 2024 (some of whom may or may not have been deployed to Russia). And I think that is a valid argument to make. Which is to say, you're right in those examples. I tend however to think that the truth is somewhere in the middle. You don't get to be an admiral, particularly at that age, without being good at politics and peace time efficiency. But although we never saw it, surely there were conflicts that actually required the use of a naval force, aside from combatting the cylons. Rebellions, Terrorist activities etc etc. Somehow Admiral Caine doesn't strike me as the sort that had zero practical experience.

[@Philistine47]

The last sentence amused me greatly, because for a minute or so before that I was thinking, "That's how both teams in US politics talk about their opposite numbers."

[@blshouse]

And the attempts to shoot at least one of the leaders has already begun.

[@thunderchild1897]

Best part is it's an apt description of either/both.

[@zimriel]

@@thunderchild1897 Fortifying the vote is a... tell.

[@roguerifter9724]

Commander Cain was my favorite character in the original series. So when I found the Actress who plays one of my favorite recurring Star Trek characters was playing reboot Cain I was overjoyed. Then the reboot Pegasus appeared. It seems like the writers' plan for reboot Cain was basically take every negative trait of the original version, and increase them massively then remove every positive trait plus add new nasty traits.

[@edmundscycles1]

"What a week to give up sniffing glue". "Who's flying that plane?" "Striker." "Striker? Striker? Striker , I know that name."

[@DadReadsAndCooksMeat]

"Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit amphetamines."

[@DadReadsAndCooksMeat]

Tell me everything that's happened up til now.

[@Red_Lanterns_Rage]

where did you get that dress? oh and those shoes awful! wrong character but same movie eh surely you're joking? no I love the movie and don't call me Shirley!

[@es330td]

Looks like he picked a bad day to stop licking feldercarb.

[@bigal3055]

Do you know what it's like to fall in the mud and get kicked in the head with an iron boot? Of course you don't, no one does. It never happens. Sorry, Ted, that's a dumb question. Skip that.

[@TrevorLentz]

The "Gaius frakkin Baltar" Colonel Tigh quote was expertly referenced. . 🤖😄

[@guyfurman2463]

This is a very underrated channel.

[@blueknight5754]

I agree..I dunno how it stumbled onto my feed but boy I’m glad I found it..

[@careypridgeon]

@@blueknight5754 it's aq strange channel in that it started out great from the first video, making them all worth watching. Few channels have that distinction.

[@derekmcmanus8615]

​@@blueknight5754I'm very happy it slipped into my feed too

[@dmac3183]

For once the Algorithm did a good job.

[@enneract9]

My best friend passed away a year ago. When I found your channel, I immediately heard the echos of the discussions we had over various pieces of fiction over the years. Watching you feels like a glimpse into an alternate chain of causality. Thank you, as bizaare as it might sound, you give me a small piece of what he might have been back.

[@feralhistorian]

I'm sorry for your loss. Been there . . .

[@-Monad-]

Ensign Ro really could have used a vacation on Risa to decompress

[@Adelina-293]

All work and no play makes Ensign Ro a dull girl.

[@vmonk722]

Kinda doubtful that another Horgan use would have fixed what the last one broke.

[@DadReadsAndCooksMeat]

My college roommate had a serious crush on Ensign Ro.

[@dougmhd2006]

And, speaking of Ro Laren...what is the deal with Michelle Forbes' sci-fi characters getting killed off in the end?😮 First, Admiral Cain in "BSG", then, years later, Ro in "Star Trek: Picard". Just,...yikes.

[@zimriel]

Nah Risa eps all suuuuuqqqt

[@gregorygreenwood-nimmo4954]

There is another reading of Razor - some people need to be driven to extremes before circumstances beat them down to the point that their humanity is eroded enough that they become monsters, but others are already monsters, just waiting for a situation extreme enough that they can get away with indulging their true character. Other people (all together too many people) are weak and easily lead, readily convinced, manipulated or intimidated by a sufficiently charismatic monster into silencing whatever flicker of their own conscience might remain and simply doing whatever it is they are told to do by those that they think have the proper authority to issue those orders, with few or no questions asked. The banality of evil raises its ugly head yet again. Military authority structures, with their emphasis on rank and the subordination of individual judgement to the command structure, are especially vulnerable to being captured by the will of single destructive charismatic personalities who hold command rank, all the more so when any civilian oversight authority is weakened or entirely removed by outside circumstances. Remember, Adama had to share power with President Roslin and what was left of the Quorum, but Cain was on a military ship in sole command, with (as far as she knew at the time) no legitimate civilian authorities left to ratify or oppose her decisions, for an extended period of time. Soldiers of all kinds are, after all, inescapably in the businesses of the application of lethal violence in the name of the objectives of the State. Remove those civilian authorities above the military command structures who (in theory at least, if not always in practice) direct that violence in accordance with the democratic will, and you are stuck with the tendency for a hammer to view every problem as a nail... or a weapon to view problems as targets, even before you need to factor in actively malicious figures. With someone ruthless - and sufficiently indoctrinated into the all too widespread military mindset that civilians are weak, undisciplined, and all but worthless - enough in charge, and the gears of a military structure can all too easily be converted into a system of brutal, murderous repression even if the situation is not so dire that we the audience start to think that, while distressingly extreme in their methods, maybe the jackbooted thugs could even have a point of sorts given the circumstances.

[@CeiStockport-nx2qi]

If you rewatch the episode the seeds of Cains character are planted before she sets foot on Galactica. Adamas overly long pause when he realises who it is. Then the explanation that she was promoted over half the list in PEACETIME (with the open implication that she got the job because of political connections not merit.) The Pegasus has enough munitions to top up an entire Jupiter class Battlestar and doesn't appear to be damaged (unlike the beaten up Galactica) and Cain saying they were SHADOWING a Cylon force implies that they hadn't been doing much fighting. Then Razor rolls around and shows how tactically incompetent she is (running into a trap and instead of making the sane decision to try and withdraw, she doubles down and nearly looses the whole ship), murdering her XO because he questions her orders. All showing Cain being a massively overcompensating coward who left her little sister behind to save herself.

[@redcrossreborn]

Man...your closing lines are always the best "mic drop" moments.

[@Scammicus]

I found your work by accident. But the longer I listen, the more I think of it as serendipity. Great job, thanks.

[@The_Fat_Controller.]

Ronald D. Moore said he wanted Jane Seymour to portray Cain, but Seymour was concerned at how dark Cain's character was, and how it might negatively impact her career in a America that only saw her as playing good characters.

[@technofilejr3401]

That would have been awesome since she played Serina in the original

[@splashpit]

Missed opportunity to show great range

[@blshouse]

She made the right call.

[@Emanon...]

No she didn't. Actors should challenge their type and get out of their comfort zone if they want to truly grow as artists. Imagine if Matthew McConaughey had stuck to Rom-Coms, or DeCapruo had stuck to romance lead?

[@The_Fat_Controller.]

@@Emanon... The problem is with American audiences. Some actors are allowed to break out of a mold, while some are "punished" if they go against type. I don't know if American audiences would have accepted "Dr. Quinn" blowing her XO's brains out because he questioned her orders, or plotting to have Adama assassinated.

[@jasonblalock4429]

For some reason, this got me remembering Blakes 7 (which was probably an influence on NuBSG), another dark cynical show about an isolated, constantly-pursued crew who slowly lose their ethical footing. Except in B7, they *do* basically turn into pirates by the end. At least the BSG crew avoided their fate. (Searching the archives, I'm honestly a little surprised it hasn't been discussed on this channel...)

[@blshouse]

I could have sworn he did. Perhaps the KZbin copyright monster ate it.

[@keithlocke2205]

My wife and I found your channel about 6 months ago. You have become one of my top 5 things to watch on you tube. I was hooked the first time I heard you use "On the Gripping Hand" with no context!! Your final comments in this video make me positive we made a good choice! I salute you you magnificent Bastard!!!

[@alexaaronson876]

Yep, perfect ending lol. As a kid, the idea of having ANOTHER Battlestar was just mind blowing. Then to have the glue sniffing guy from Airplane as the commander, >< Chef's Kiss (I was in the Philippines when this originally aired so I didn't see it until 1983).

[@ReconViper1]

As funny as "Airplane" was, it's a shame that it ended the Bridges dramatic career. It even tainted his older dramatic roles like this one.

[@boobah5643]

@@ReconViper1 On the other hand, it had a similar effect on Leslie Nielsen's career. Now, I'm not saying _Day of the Animal_ was a great movie, but it does have a strange feel when it feels like the we're-all-just-animals villain is about to complain about being called "Shirley."

[@NORGCO]

In the original series, the Cylon second in charge, talking to Imperious Leader, refers to Cain as "The Legendary Commander Cain". He is respected, even as an enemy they are trying to kill, an Erwin Rommel figure if you will. Admiral Cain and her crew from NBSG are an undisciplined amoral rabble. Her ordering the rape of her ex-girlfriend - as opposed to say shooting her or even torturing her - is only an example of this.

[@simontmn]

I remember thinking how a *female* officer ordering her men to abuse a female-looking prisoner had to be completely insane. How does she stop them looking at her the same way? Even if they're afraid of her, they're bound to hold her in contempt.

[@Emanon...]

That's really what makes it so cruel and unhinged. It's extremely powerful when she does that, and in Razor when she shot her XO in front of everyone. Total nutter.

[@spartanalex9006]

I see a Feral Upload, I stop and watch.

[@MarcMcKenzie-qb6or]

Same here!

[@timmccaffrey8307]

it's a helluva day to quit sniffing glue

[@smeghead765]

Another absolute banger. Now I want to rewatch the whole series.

[@DavidBrown-wo9ip]

I liked Rayzor, but thinking about it, it feels like one of those “flashback” sequences from Lost, but an entire episode. In light of this video, I think it would have been more affective as a sequence of “flashbacks” spanning the Caine/Pegasus arc. Great analysis, as usual sir, and that last line was well delivered!😎✌️

[@jelkel25]

Interesting. The early American colonies must have had this push/pull thing going on. Maybe a ship a month from England and sometimes years between ships. The further from London you get the less hereditary rank makes sense and the colonies governer now has to be useful, not just one of James's "favourites". Of course the colony will develop it's own culture, different from the motherland and yet clinging to traditions to try and keep some sort of core identity. The push/pull must have gotten tougher as you got more and more people who had never been to Britain.

[@ryanwm1417]

Your ability to use sci-fi to explain what is happening in the U.S. in near real-time is fascinating. You’re a hell of a teacher! Please keep making these, you may single-handedly keep some of us going through the next 4-x years.

[@henrikg1388]

Either you missed the punchline or I did.

[@tomb7942]

More like the last 4 years.

[@sidsuspicious]

@@tomb7942 You're about to get what you deserve, molecule mind.

[@boobah5643]

@@sidsuspicious I expect that's rather the hope.

[@tomb7942]

@@sidsuspicious With such an intriguing and thoughtful argument, how can anyone dispute you? And yes, we will get what we deserve, instead of getting screwed like we have been for the last four years.

[@caseyhand668]

I love the comparison of the old version and the new

[@Geekchorus42]

I still remember being 8 years old watching this on my family's giant RCA tv

[@matthewkuchinski1769]

I found Admiral Cain to be many ways similar to Colonel McCullough from "War of the Planet of the Apes" or famous literary figure Captain Ahab in "Moby Dick." Both of the latter men were leaders who, as the old saying goes, went off the reservation with their commands, warping those said commands into cults that equally feared and worshipped them. And though the situations were quite different, with Colonel McCullough commanding a battalion of what's left of the United States military versus Ahab's control over a whaling ship, both men use a trauma to justify themselves while keep their people isolated from others so as to keep control over their people (with Colonel McCullough killing almost all of the civilians that sought safety at his base, the majority of the few soldiers who recognized his madness, and provoking the rest of the military to fight him in an epic battle versus Ahab's denial of the crew the chance to intermingle with the British captain's crew or to help the captain of the Rachel find his son who was lost at sea and his utter ridicule of the owners and Starbuck who all want to provide for their families). Cain used the loss of the 12 Colonies and Colonial fleet to justify her pursuit of power, as well as her decision to kill any civilian she deemed "not useful" and her first XO who tried to make her see reason, which does stand in similar standing with Colonel McCullough seeing the near extinction of humanity and his son's loss of speech or Captain Ahab's loss of his leg as justifications for their brutal actions. And all three characters suffer from the consequences of their hubris, as Cain is killed by Number Six for the torture she was put through, Colonel McCullough falls ill to the Simian Virus and in turn commits suicide while leaving his battalion to be destroyed by the military that he had decreed his enemy, and Captain Ahab loses his ship and all but one of his entire crew in the mad hunt for the white whale.

[@vinceleone841]

This is a nice synchronicity - I’m in the midst of a rewatch and just reached the episode “Pegasus”. Once again, a genuinely enjoyable and interesting video, thank you.

[@alexanderbuchan533]

Speaking of missed opportunities; I am curious to know your thoughts about the portrayal of the Goa'uld in the Stargate franchise?

[@MorgDragon]

nice take. i was thinking about the original series when i was watching the remake and the differences between the episodes you talked about. and oh yeah, you nailed it with your last line.

[@blshouse]

Only one side is actively attempting to kill the leader of the other... so far.

[@NineToFiveGamerUC0079]

I LOVE YOUR CLOSING

[@Solsuper7.]

He’s too dumb to be Baltar 🙄

[@bsgnerd]

Nice video. Editing is great.

[@JemHadar422]

I loved this show as a kid

[@ShawnWSavage]

I’ve always been curious if there was an underlying hardline stance from the Colonial government before the fall of their civilization. I don’t recall the episode, but there was a Roslin flashback with a throwaway line about President Adar bringing in marines to break up a teachers strike. It colored my understanding of why Cain immediately became ruthless. Not to mention that Lt. Thorne was all too willing to take on his eventual assignment. Another excellent video!

[@scd147]

"Ducktape & Hopium". Score one for Enterprise!

[@gwfbagel3811]

Great topic.

[@BryanP10]

Really well done. I think based on the subject that an office would have been a better backdrop for you, the wilderness was really just as good. I am going to subscribe and I hope for more.

[@darthcleveland1631]

That was an excellent analysis! As much as I loved the show there were many missed opportunities in the story and character growth. Many of them were sacrificed because the producers wanted the fleet to constantly reflect modern society. My own view is that the events of the overall storyline and the near destruction of humanity would have radically changed the views of enough survivors to produce a very different world for everyone. I have no idea if that would have made a better show but it’s fun to kick those ideas around in your head. Your closing statement was perfect. Well played.

[@solarus2120]

I saw the remake before the original, which colours my perceptions a little. I do think that the tensions between Pegasus and Galactica in the reboot were cut too short, that it should probably have been the ongoing plot for several more epiodes - if not the rest of the season. Though the showrunners not having a planned throughline - unlike B5, for example - makes me think it wouldn't be done justice

[@Jimmwujawahwah]

My new favourite KZbinr.

[@wk3818]

I would love your commentary on the episode where Bill Duke is the gangster boss running rackets inside the fleet. I'm old enough to remember both BSG series but the latest one truly images the human condition better. Bill Duke's in character commentary is excellent.

[@Solsuper7.]

The difference between the original series and the reimagined series the original. Unlike the original series the reimagined series didn’t present a humanity worth saving 🫤🤨

[@CartmanTuttle]

Man, you bringing up Enterprise brought back some memories. I can only imagine the simultaneous struggle and opportunity that arose from being the "Post-9/11 Star Trek", especially with how they represented Starfleet at that time.

[@verigumetin4291]

Indeed, there were some missed opportunities in the Cain VS Adama conflict in the reboot.

[@UnendedGalaxy]

4:52 More appropriate to call the offscreen trial for Helo and Tyrol as a drumhead. “500 years ago, military officers would upend a drum on the battlefield. From there they would sit at it and dispense summary justice. Decisions were quick, punishments severe, appeals denied. Those that went to a drumhead were doomed.” -Captain Picard The decision was quick. -TIGH: “I just talked to Fisk. The court martial’s over.” ADAMA: “Over? When did it start?” TIGH: “I don’t know.” The punishment was severe. TIGH: “But they’ve been found guilty on all counts. She’s going to execute them for murder and treason.” The appeal is denied. ADAMA: “They have the right to have their case heard by a jury.” CAIN: “I am a flag officer on detached service during a time of war. Regulations give me broad authority in this matter.” For doing the right thing by inadvertent manslaughter of a horrendous person engaging in something needlessly, Helo and Tyrol are slated to be executed by Cain. Which is where Adama must draw the line, and I’m happy to have seen him done so, because those two did nothing wrong.

[@steampunkdesperado8999]

Nice bit of military lore!

[@rufust.firefly6352]

IIRC, Razor was put together from clips they cut from the show, flashbacks and other things. Then they stitched them together for Razor between seasons when there was some sort of production delay on the main series.

[@kenkan6837]

Can't wait for your coverage of the Gate anime!

[@Vandalshnitzen]

I really like your videos man.

[@zoidberg444]

Excellent video. I always wondered if it was being implied that Admiral Cain had a psychotic break after the attack. It wouldn't be explicit. You never really know how you will deal with unmitigated horror and combat until it happens. Adama already survived one war, he kept it together. Cain might have been excellent in the peace time service but when finally confronted with combat, she cracked. Cain also had no support system. Adama had his friend of 30 years and his son.

[@erikawhelan4673]

Cain reminded me a little bit of Conrad Mazzian from C.J. Cherryh's Company Wars books (primarily Downbelow Station).

[@2uiator325]

You left out the best part of that episode, the very end scene when President Roslyn promotes Adama to Admiral, not only to prevent a repeat, but as a vindication of who Adama is. Wish you had mentioned that.

[@eoris12]

Great as always!

[@KrillesHorna]

That closing was epic!

[@KarlSnow-z9j]

'Whichever party'...seems to me there's only one party, and none of us are invited, just here to cater and clean-up.

[@Jaxck77]

Something I’ve always been frustrated about is how bad most people are at reading the show. Who are the protagonists? Who are the antagonists? Something the reboot makes immediately clear is that the answer to neither questions is “the humans” or “the cylons”. No the real antagonists are those characters that cause our protagonists to be stripped of the hope, the compassion, and the willingness to compromise which makes them good people. This is why Cain is Cain. She doesn’t have to literally stone Adama, putting him in a position to command somebody else’s assassination is metaphorically the death of his morality. But let me ask you, who actually pushes for that action? Which character is always present, whispering in Adama’s ear often against his better judgement? That’s right Roslin. The reboot still has the Devil, she’s just now a meek politician. And you know what? It’s perfectly mirrored in the Cylon culture by their leadership. All the worst impulses of humanity personified in two weak, close-minded leaders whose paranoia & mutual hatred bring ruin to both their peoples. It’s a blunt if effective criticism of the American system, especially of the time, while also bringing the literal Devil of the original show into reality in a way many of us won’t immediately recognize. Try rewatching that scene where Cain & Adama confront each other, but read Roslin not as herself but as the Devil being in the room.

[@sep0319]

Again another excellent and well done video!

[@justinwatson16]

Another youtuber I enjoyed called the Pegasus in '04 BSG, Battlestar Wangrod. For a show that's good about trying to explore morally complex problems, they really go out of their way to let you know it's okay to hate Cain and most of her people. Great video--excellent closer.

[@johnow7]

I enjoyed this analysis, but I had no issue with the direction Razor took regarding the encounter with the civilian fleet. It was another representation of the how much Cain was driven by the guilt that she was burdened by since childhood. Her drive to succeed as a military officer and reach the rank of admiral at a young age, so readily killing her XO, and to fight the Cylons despite the war being clearly lost are examples along those lines. To put her and her crew in the situation that you describe before encountering the civilian ships would have pushed a more sympathetic version of Cain to abandon her quest for revenge and take the civilians under her protect. In either case, the Cain we were given would have made the same decision regardless. The way that it was represented totally fits the character as presented and matched all that we see regarding her heartless focus on her vendetta.

[@colinmcclelland1361]

After watching this may I suggest reading Down Below Station by CJ Cheryth. There are many similarities between tis 1980's book and the 2000's tv series. It was part of her The Company War series. She could have written A whole book on Mallory. I think she was one of the best captains in the all of the Earth Company's Fleet. That of course is a completely biased opinion. My regards sir, Again another excellent show.

[@TheRAZORVIDS]

Yes! very excited to see a battle-star focused episode!

[@benjackson1454]

I think they should have been pushed slightly further in razor, but i also think that showing cain as a ruthless and farsighted enough to grab parts when she could was kind of compelling, and i think it would have been interesting if she had survived longer. I think it could have been improved if they had grabbed a few of the civilian ships and gradually canniblized them.

[@sartainja]

Superb video and analysis of BG compared to every day events.

[@davecoz4227]

Excellent essay, thank you.

[@michaelf.2711]

Off topic: a commentary on Gordon R. Dickson's military SciFi-classic "Dorsai!" would be a great addition to your catalogue - I'm probably not the first to suggest this, but still...

[@DavidNash1948]

There was a short story in the Dorsai universe where one twin went to avenge the death by a criminal of his brother. Last line was 'shivers up the spine' territory, "I am not a man of the military, I am a Man of War."

[@bubbasbigblast8563]

@11:55 It does make sense though: rigging an election threatens to eliminate the political fictions keeping everyone together, and while that isn't necessarily the worst thing, it's crossing a mental bridge that makes the future even scarier than it already is. It's worse in some ways exactly _because_ it's otherwise so banal. The planned assassination was, oddly, less so: Cain was still a military person, and two soldiers trying to kill each-other has its own special legal circumstances. Even if both soldiers are technically comrades, extradorinary measures to prevent an illegal order from being carried out can still be considered according to existing legal framework, so there's less of a mental barrier.

[@Svevsky]

Interestingly also why they allowed trvmp to win this time. They already played the fortification card, and the situation has become so volatile that it unironically would've been trvmp or civil war, and civil war is never a good option for elites, because, unlike elections, it runs risk of a *real* change

[@kfeltenberger]

Absolutely fantastic analysis!

[@gregward1756]

Yes, but you have the best homage to other media. “Terminate Adama’s command”. A quote used from Apocalypse Now.

[@thesinfultictac5704]

I don't agree with all of your analyses( and possibly your politics from your jokes in other videos) but you present your ideas with clarity and wit, subbed.

[@0num4]

That last part...magnifique.

[@The-future-is-in-the-past]

Trvth nvke

[@Billchu13]

As TNG fans we knew when we saw her face that she was going to be a problem for the Galactica

[@amata415]

I love the closing at the end… LoL!

[@tsalVlog]

the fact you had to say "Enterprise did that one better" pretty much sums up my feelings on both shows. I really wanted the remake to be as great as I remembered '78 / 1980, and while it had me a lot of the time, it lost me a lot, too. It definitely lost me for most of the Cain episodes. Razor was a disappointment.

[@edalder2000]

"New BSG" took anxieties of The War on Terror and Iraq circa 2005-ish and made it all into an allegory. I figure that some of the "missed opportunities" like the non-rigged election and Cain getting whacked by her #6 were done to keep character likable. Deux Ex Machina "Razor?" You are right. Too simplistic. You would think that Pegasus and crew were down to the nub and driven far beyond emotional endurance, but NOPE.

[@colblimp1902]

Funny, Ron Howard doesn't sound like himself.

[@paulanerruhrpott6188]

Or Peter Weller

[@The_Fat_Controller.]

7:03 "The rank structure is a little peculiar." _Galactica_ combines Army and Navy ranks and weeds out things like "Second Lieutenant" or "Lieutenant Commander" or "Lieutenant Colonel".

[@DonaldSubert]

Excellent analysis. There were more than a few times in BSG (reboot) where tension was resolved by someone just dying. Usually it was a love triangle involving Lee Adama, and it happened, I think 3 times?

[@waynemccormick4773]

As a "Feral Historian" I'm sure the next 4yrs if not the next decade will provide a wealth of material.

[@winstonjwingo]

This was a good breakdown. I need to go back and watch the original one.

[@petehall8381]

Makes me wonder how the New Caprica episodes might've been different had Cain hung around for long. Your mention of likeable characters being pushed by circumstances to extreme actions got me thinking about Duck's minor storyline of going from 'Viper pilot number 8' to family man to Anders and Saul sizing him up for a bomb vest. It went a little over my head at the time but when it clicked it stuck with me as much as the impressive set piece action sequences at the climax. If you get around to it, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on that whole arc on New Caprica.

[@ralvarez02]

I just discovered you. Thank your for helping me think.

[@thedragondemands]

I was heavily involved in the Re-Imagined TV show fandom at the time. Idolized RDM in the first two seasons...until in season 3 it became clear he was just making it up as he went along, just like Lost and Heroes. 2000s TV relied too much on the "mystery box" storylines. He never knew what "the Cylon Plan" was and later admitted they made it up as a shameless hook to catch viewers. But worst is...he set out to make a hyper-realistic, gritty military scifi....and then when he wrote himself into a corner, settled on "God did it". Not god-like aliens beyond our comprehension (which I still consider within the category of "Realism") but ACTUAL "god" and angels. Not because he had anything to say about religion (like Supernatural, Grimm, Evil, etc.) but because he wrote himself into a corner. He didn't plan the show out beyond the first two seasons and boy did it show. Four things destroyed this show starting in Season 3: 1 - Ron himself never planned out the story and had a very loose "throw it in" writing style. It's easy to hate the strict boss, stereotyped as Cain or something, less frequently do we scrutinize a boss so lazy and permissive that the whole operation falls apart. He'd just throw stuff in spur of the moment because it was cool with no thought to the future (the entire hybrid baby thing was a spur of the moment addition he came up with in the middle of writing season 1) 2 - Similarly, Ron had a very permissive command style. Other writers would suggest lore additions in good faith, and Ron would throw them in with no thought to how they fit together, like a damned story round. Difference being the other writers assumed Ron wouldn't have put them in unless he'd figured out a way to fit them in, when privately he hadn't. Just "this is going somewhere" 3 - Half the original writing staff left between Seasons 2 and 3, including the female writers whom Ron openly admitted had mostly been responsible for writing the female characters (surreal that in the commentary he openly admits at the end of Season 3 that "yeah...I kind of didn't think of anything for President Roslin to DO this season"...you only had FOUR seasons you idiot!).....Season 3 onward felt like it was written by different people...because it was. The first two seasons were landmark scifi...you don't just LEAVE a hot show like that. I suspect Robinson and Graphia jumped ship when they realized Ron really didn't know where the show was going behind the scenes. 4 - Not entirely Ron's fault, but SyFy Channel ordered him to drop his running storylines planned for Season 3 and make a season of mostly standalones (after wrapping the New Caprica arc). This is a death knell for TV series and they'd done it before: Bonnie Hammer did this to Farscape Season 4 as well (she only finally retired this past month, good riddance). The idea being to make the show "accessible to new viewers who can thus jump right into it"......in a STORYARC HEAVY SHOW? This tactic NEVER worked. And how the hell many seasons did they think Farscape or BSG would actually run?----they had this whole plotline planned with ongoing racism / factionalism against the Sagittarons (that even post-apocalypse our old racial prejudices are hard to move beyond)....dropped at the last minute, to the point they were literally recycling old unused season one scripts like "Hero" which didn't even make sense anymore given other backstory introduced in the intervening two seasons. While this wasn't Ron's fault....he sure as hell went along with it and acted like nothing had happened. The combined result is that (post the opening on New Caprica) Season 3 is one of the worst, most incoherent seasons of TV I've ever seen, and total character assassination. Half-finished. Season 4, for all its faults, was at least consistent with itself (though not season 1). They ruined something beautiful.

[@victorkreig6089]

LOST and Heroes both suffered from being written into corners. Ironically the writer strike had the same effect on each causing their solutions to completely alter the tone of their respective shows and never return to what made them so perfect in the first place

[@-Monad-]

Agreed on all points. Season 3 is painful for me to watch. It transforms into an entirely different show

[@thedragondemands]

@@-Monad- the painful part was all the people at the time who were so caught up in the blind hype that they wouldn't even acknowledge how different it was. Oh even I was in denial....through the Season 3 finale in spring 2026. But all those who stuck with it until the finale in 2009 and were genuinely stunned it didn't make much sense. Or still praised it! And YES, conspicuously, most of the people who LIKED Seasons 3 and 4 and defended them...tended to be late-comers who just binged the first two seasons. I think there's a crowd of "TV hype fans" who just move on to whatever the "most buzzed about" show of the moment is.

[@SharperPenImageConsulting]

What a great metaphor for “reality.” By you Feral, not what you’re describing in the show.

[@conorfynes]

Anytime there's a character in 70s Cain's position, setting out into the vastness of space for an uncertain, open-ended future, I like to think that they end up running into that mythic Ur-Hero, upon which all heroic templates are based: Ace RImmer. Sometimes, when the skies look a little too gray to bear casting my eyes up to face, I like to think that we all have an heroic swashbuckling adventure with Ace Rimmer, when our time comes. We will all be back in time for breakfast eventually; the kippers are getting smoked in preparation. I'm not sure what a kipper is, figure it's a Brittanic term for sausage, so that doesn't sound so bad. :')

[@derekmcmanus8615]

A kipper is a herring butterflied and smoked and is usually consumed as a breakfast dish...especially popular on the east coast of Scotland and the Cornwall areas...when I was in the Royal Navy they would be a breakfast option on a regular basis

[@conorfynes]

@@derekmcmanus8615 Thanks for this clarification; I just looked it up and it looks similar to the way salmon is prepared here, albeit on a different scale.

[@arthurfrayn7619]

What a guy!

[@miked-zr1ks]

The original BSG is a reflection of a World War 2 style portrayal of the military - reboot BSg is a reflection of a post-vietnam / War on Terror type situation.

[@georgegrieve6198]

Well said!

[@thormusique]

Damn! That was beyond good. It was brilliant.

[@MrWhipple42]

The true high point of the rebooted series. Excellent writing, performances, and overall production. The tension was palpable.

[@FlorianRohrweck]

What a great video!

[@necessity1]

That Sir! Was excellent!

[@AniwayasSong]

I enjoyed seeing the original as it aired on TV. Star Trek may have/hold all the 'Fame' of being the premier 'Science Fiction' Series, but I freakin' *LOVED* Battlestar Galactica! When I heard about the gender switches for some of the key characters? I admit, I cringed. AS a Woman, who is also a USMC Veteran, I have absolutely no problem with 'Strong Women' roles. Hell, just look at Sigourney Weaver (Alien franchise), Grace Jones (Madmax/Others), Linda Hamilton (Terminator franchise), and quite a few others. Then, look at all the utter crap Hollywood has shoveled over the past decade, PLUS? (Rey from Star Wars, I'm looking right at *YOU!)* This remake of the Classic Series, and the human-like Cylons/Females? omg... They totally *NAILED IT!* Starbuck took me by surprise (I hadn't heard about this, and when Capt. Adama first called her by Name, as she was jogging through the corridors in the first episode, I was stunned!), but again, her tough-as-nails, no-sh*ts-to-give attitude was one I absolutely related to! Loved this Series, though I have TWO gripes- 1) No lasers. uh huh... The can travel faster than light speed, but still require cartridges in their weapons? 2) The insanely heavy 'God/Religion.' I've nothing against folks who 'Believe,' but again, they hammered this concept so hard, so often, it really began to annoy the Hell outta me, and I was RAISED Catholic... (Not a Catholic since my teenage years, just to clarify!). Still, 'Cain' is what any Woman in any military, that achieves high Rank, is. Zero F's to give, utter dedication to her ship, crew, and mission at all other expenses. Ruthless. COULD she have been more compassionate to the survivors, esp. given the losses to her own crew? Yes. Argue all you like, she made tough calls, and stood by them. :-)

[@steampunkdesperado8999]

Glad to see a woman echoing my opinion about strong female characters. I love them as long as they're GOOD characters. When they're lazy self-inserts for the writers, they're terrible. Rey was such a missed opportunity! Ridley has the athletic look but her character had everything handed to her. Ugh!

[@AniwayasSong]

@@steampunkdesperado8999 Yes indeed! The moment she climbed into the Falcon, 'Instantly knew' all about how to start, lift-off, and FLY the thing as well as Han/Chewy, I began to feel a grave disturbance in the Force. Watching the utter debacle of the final three movies? I truly wish I hadn't live so long. :-(

[@daanisch]

razor was a great story for the show, the motivation behind the actions of the pegasus crew: "military needs take precedence over civilian needs" it's called martial law and believe it or not it still exists, the cylons were targeting the remaining ships of the colonial fleet as a priority not civilian ships without their ftl drives and pegasus did not have those ships that can manufacture supplies like galactica did. the episode in season two was about an internal coup in the military leadership each side suspected the other to act against them so it would be in their own interest to fire the first shot. it took the imagination of a women's mind (admiral cairn) to figure out what degradation would look like to a cylon toaster.

[@CaneBTC]

This shoudl come in handy as the NJ cylons land in coming weeks

[@Rob-z7k]

I agree. Well eventually have First Contact

[@Albemarle7]

The first three seasons were the best scifi on film ever. The compelling complexity of the characters was amazing. The contant delimas made for top level drama I cannot praise this work enough.

[@RichieLee-dn3fd]

Another point÷ if the Cylon imperious leader was 'the devil', the original Cain made a deal w him, for his successes.

[@navyreviewer]

Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue.

[@steelrad6363]

Thank you for your video.

[@PinballCollection]

Waiting for you to cover Watchmen. I want to hear about your previous life fighting crime in a trenchcoat

[@chrissheffield5468]

Don't blame me. I voted for Tom Zarek.

[@theellimist9472]

Sir, what do you think of the conditions of the social contract and its reality

[@doncarr9860]

Frak! Not again! Battlestar galactic was my favorite sci-fi as a kid!

[@derekmcmanus8615]

Loved the orginal as a child and the new version as an adult

[@doncarr9860]

@derekmcmanus8615 me too. It became alot more dynamic, depth,... adore sear to the pain. Suffering seamed to have more a deeper grimness to it. To be on the better side, appeared to need a stronger conviction for the characters to endure. Your awesome sir!