Entertainment
How The Most Serious Sci-Fi Series Ever Made Snuck Toilet Humor Past The Network
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
Battlestar Galactica has a well-earned reputation as one of the most serious sci-fi series ever made. Under the direction of showrunner Ronald D. Moore, this show was everything Star Trek wasn’t: grim, gritty, and absolutely brimming with character conflict. The original miniseries began with the attempted genocide of humanity, and later episodes regularly feature President Roslin tracking how many humans are left as soldiers and civilians are picked off by evil robots. In other words, Battlestar Galactica isn’t the show that you pop on when you want to enjoy a few laughs!
With that being said, the show does pepper in occasional moments of levity, which are that much funnier because they are surrounded by serious scenes. One of the best examples of this is the Season 1 episode “Six Degrees of Separation.” Most of the plot is appropriately grim, with Dr. Baltar worried that he is going crazy and racing to clear his name for the crime of betraying humanity. Amid all this, however, Moore went out of his way to include bizarre toilet humor in the form of Baltar hilariously confronting Gaeta in the bathroom!
When The Story Goes Down The Toilet
If you want to freshen up before we head to the bathroom, here goes: “Six Degrees of Separation” is a Battlestar Galactica episode where Dr. Baltar is startled by the appearance of a woman claiming he is a secret Cylon collaborator. The twist? She looks exactly like the version of the Cylon Six that he always talks to in his head. He freaks out trying to clear his name, eventually getting thrown in the brig for trying to destroy a potentially incriminating photograph. But after he prays to God for forgiveness, his accuser vanishes, and the photograph is revealed to be a forgery that was clearly intended to frame him.
So, where does the weird toilet humor come into play? Gaeta is the one assigned to investigate the photograph, and while he’s in the bathroom, he gets a visit from Baltar. The not-so-good doctor wants to probe Gaeta for information, but one of his questions comes out horribly wrong: “How’s it going over there?” he asked the man in the bathroom stall. After Gaeta responds with a confused “uh…”, Baltar clarifies that he’s talking about how it’s going in the lab. After Baltar unsuccessfully petitions the man for lab access, Gaeta runs out of there, leaving the doctor to shout after him, “You forgot to wash your hands!”
A Very Stall Order
Just when things can’t get any weirder, Baltar’s accuser walks into the bathroom. He harangues her about being a secret Cylon while she denies all of his accusations. Eventually, she enters a bathroom and closes the stall door, effectively ending the conversation. This leaves a frustrated Baltar to make an angry exclamation that just so happens to be a pun on his first name: “no more Mr. nice Gaius!”
If you think this bit of weird bathroom humor is out of place for Battlestar Galactica, you’re not the only one. As recorded in Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion, “The network had its concerns and wanted to cut it at one point, and I was like, ‘No! I know how to do this and make it work. Just trust me!” The showrunner was right to be confident, as the final scene was funny without being too silly or gross. According to Gaeta actor Alessandro Juliani, one reason it was so funny is that director Robert M. Young rigorously adhered to the script, which “said in block capital letters, ‘STAY OUTSIDE THE STALLS’.”
The Best Improvised Line
As for Dr. Baltar’s weird little pun, the original line was simply “no more Mr. Nice Guy,” which was already pretty funny. Actor James Callis improvised “no more Mr. Nice Gaius” because the joke just “seemed obvious.” The improvisation made executive producer David Eick laugh, but he warned the actor that “I’m not sure that’s going to work for the audience.” Fortunately for both Callis and the fans, Moore liked the pun so well that it made the final cut.
There you have it, you frakkers: the story of how Ronald D. Moore snuck some wildly out of place bathroom humor into Battlestar Galactica. The toasters at the network were nervous that he couldn’t pull it off, but the showrunner managed to sneak just the right amount of laughs into the most serious sci-fi show of the modern age. Did he possibly activate a lot of nerds watching with the prospect of Tricia Helfer yelling at them in the bathroom? Maybe, but we’ll try not to hold that against him.
Entertainment
Im watching the Canadian GP for free this weekend — how to live stream F1 for free
TL;DR: Sign up for a 7-day free trial of Apple TV+ through Prime Video Channels to watch select F1 races for free. Watch the Canadian GP for free with the Prime Video app.
Watch the Japanese GP for free with a 7-day trial
I don’t care what anyone says — I’ve really enjoyed this season of F1. I know the new F1 regulations are not for everyone, not least the drivers. But I like the unpredictability of this season and I’m keen for more after a break post Miami.
Kimi Antonelli continues to lead the standings coming into the Canadian GP, but there’s a feeling that McLaren are closing the gap to the Mercedes drivers. Could the tide finally turn this weekend and we get our first winner from another team? It’s a Sprint weekend, so it always feels like there’s a greater chance of upsetting the odds.
If you want to watch F1 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we’ve got all the information you need.
When is the Canadian GP?
The Canadian GP is the fifth race of the 2026 F1 season. Here’s the full schedule from the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve:
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Practice 1 — 12:30-1:30 p.m. ET on May 22
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Sprint Qualifying — 4:30-5:14 p.m. ET on May 22
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Sprint — 12-1 p.m. ET on May 23
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Qualifying — 4-5 p.m. ET on May 23
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Race — 4 p.m. ET on May 24
Fans can follow all the action from this race weekend without spending anything.
How to watch the Canadian GP for free
I subscribe to Amazon Prime. I very happily pay for the fast shipping, exclusive Prime Day deals, and access to Prime Video. The access to Prime Video is actually not all that important to me. I occasionally watch the Champions League and NBA, but that’s about it. That was until this season of F1 came to Apple TV.
It is now possible to sign up for a seven-day free trial of Apple TV+ through Prime Video Channels. F1 is exclusive to Apple TV in the U.S., so by accessing this free trial, you can watch select races for free this season. The subscription costs £9.99 per month after the trial ends, but you can cancel this automatic renewal at any time.
By cancelling ahead of the renewal, you can watch the Canadian GP this weekend without spending anything.
I already pay for Amazon Prime, so you could argue that this isn’t really free. I get that, but Amazon Prime does offer a 30-day free trial period if you’re new to the service. By signing up for this free trial and then gaining access to Apple TV through Prime Video Channels, you can truly watch select races for free this season.
Mashable Deals
Already used this hack to watch a race this season? It’s not your only option.
I suggest you go direct to Apple TV. This popular steaming service comes with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. Alternatively, Apple One bundles Apple TV with Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness Plus, Apple News Plus, and 50GB of iCloud Storage for $19.95 per month after a one-month free trial.
The best Apple TV free-trial offer comes with purchases of new Apple devices. New subscribers can get three months of Apple TV for free after purchasing any eligible Apple product. If you’re planning on upgrading to something from the Apple lineup in Memorial Day sales, you could gain access to Apple TV for a pretty large chunk of this season. You will obviously need to buy something, but if you were already in the market for an upgrade, this method makes a lot of sense.
How to live stream 2026 F1 for free in 2026
Best Apple TV Deal
Apple TV
7-day free trial
Best Apple One Deal
Apple One
30-day free trial
Entertainment
The best Memorial Day tech deals you can shop this weekend — save on headphones, laptops, and more
Table of Contents
Replacing a busted laptop or losing your favorite earbuds is painful enough without having to pay full retail price to replace them. Memorial Day is historically a great weekend to score discounts on big-ticket electronics (and mattresses!), but finding a real deal among all the manufactured holiday markdowns can be confusing, and a little insulting. (Looking at you, inflated list prices!)
To help you find the biggest discounts, I sifted through the sales to round up the best tech deals happening this weekend. I prioritized Mashable’s favorite tech — so you get genuinely good, vetted gear, not just whatever inventory retailers are trying to clear out of their warehouses.
Best Memorial Day headphone deal
$169
at Amazon
$199
Save $30
Why we like it
Read our full review of the Nothing Headphone (a).
Mashable’s Lead Shopping Reporter is fresh off reviewing Nothing’s new mid-range headphones, which she rated a 4.3/5. She thinks they’re better than the flagship Nothing Headphone (1) because they offer the same app experience, comparable noise cancellation, and a comfier fit at a lower price. Moreover, they last for up to 135 hours on a single charge (!) without ANC, and their retro design is fun. Amazon has them on sale for a record-low price ahead of Memorial Day, saving you 15%.
More Memorial Day headphone deals
Earbud deals
Best Memorial Day speaker deal
$43
at Amazon
$64.99
Save $21.99
Why we like it
Read our full guide to the best Bluetooth speakers.
If you’re looking for a portable speaker that you can just grab and throw in your bag, I couldn’t recommend the Sony SRS-XB100 enough. I’ve had this exact one for years and it goes everywhere with me — I take it to the beach, hang it in the outside shower at my parents’ OBX house, and set it up when I’m hanging with friends on the balcony. It has serious sound for how small it is, and right now you can get it for $43 (down from $64.99). That’s a total steal for a speaker this good.
Want to pay even less? You can get a “renewed” Sony SRS-XB100 for $39.99.
More Memorial Day speaker deals
Best Memorial Day laptop deal
$899.99
at Amazon
$1,099
Save $199.01
Why we like it
Read our full review of the M5 Apple MacBook Air.
The MacBook Neo is only $10 off on Amazon right now, but the brand-new 13-inch MacBook Air is $100 off there — you can get the base model for just $949. This is the lowest price we’ve seen it go for since April 6. In our review, Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Werth said the new MacBook Air “takes everything good about the MacBook Air and adds the faster M5 chip.”
More Memorial Day laptop deals
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Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,149
$1,299(save $150) -
Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,499
$1,699(save $200) -
Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,749
$1,899(save $150) -
Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5 Pro with 15-core CPU/16-core GPU, 24GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $2,399.99
$2,599(save $199.01)
Best Memorial Day TV deal
$309.99
at Amazon
$399.99
Save $90
Why we like it
Right now, you can get last year’s Amazon Ember 50-inch 4-Series with Fire TV for $309.99. (If you’re a new Xbox GamePass customer, you’ll also get a month of the subscription service for free.) That’s a 23% discount and not too shabby of a deal for a 2025 TV.
Mashable Deals
More Memorial Day TV deals
Best Memorial Day smartwatch deal
$69
at Amazon
$99
Save $30
Why we like it
Read our full review of the CMF by Nothing Watch 3 Pro.
The Mashable Choice Award-winning CMF Watch 3 Pro features great health, fitness, and sleep tracking tools, and it lasts forever — it’s rated at up to 13 days per charge with average use. It’s not as sleek as other wearables, but it’s an impeccable value at its $99 MSRP: “Please, no one tell Nothing they should be charging a lot more for this watch,” writes Mashable Contributor and reviewer Lauren Allain. Right now, it’s yours for 30% off.
More Memorial Day smartwatch deals
Best Memorial Day smart home deal
$14.99
at Amazon
$39.99
Save $25
Enter code SELCT4K at checkout.
Why we like it
Amazon’s budget 4K streaming stick has been going on sale regularly since its launch last fall, but it’s never been this cheap before. (Be sure to enter the coupon code SELECT4K at checkout.) At 63% off, it’s very difficult to see it getting any cheaper come Prime Day.
More Memorial Day streaming stick deals
Home security deals
Entertainment
Finally start learning Spanish, Italian, and French with this exclusive Babbel deal
TL;DR: Get lifetime access to Babbel through this exclusive StackSocial offer for $159 with promo code LEARN before the deal ends June 2.
$159
$646.20
Save $487.20
Maybe it’s for travel, maybe it’s for work, or maybe you’re just tired of staring blankly at subtitles — whatever the motivation, this Babbel deal makes it easier to finally commit to learning a new language. StackSocial is currently offering lifetime access to every Babbel language course for a one-time payment of $159 (reg. $299) with code LEARN, giving you permanent access without monthly subscription fees hanging over your head.
Unlike no-name apps that promise fluency without substance, Babbel takes a human approach and was developed by over 100 expert linguists and backed by researchers from Yale University. It’s designed to help you actually speak a new language with confidence — whether you’re prepping for a trip abroad, connecting with family, or hoping to boost your career.
Mashable Deals
You’ll get access to 14 languages and 10,000+ hours of high-quality content. Lessons are short and made to fit into even packed schedules — just 10 to 15 minutes — and available on desktop or mobile, with progress synced across devices. You can even download lessons to practice offline, whether that’s on a flight or in a Wi-Fi dead zone on the subway.
Mashable Trend Report
How Babbel can help you become fluent:
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Real conversations: Lessons focus on practical topics like dining, shopping, transportation, and more.
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Speech recognition: Built-in tools help you perfect pronunciation and avoid awkward slip-ups.
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Personalized learning: Whether you’re a beginner or advanced, you’ll find lessons that match your level.
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Expert design: A proven method that emphasizes conversational skills over rote memorization.
And with lifetime access, you’re free to hone in on one language or explore all 14 — on your schedule, forever.
Pick up a lifetime Babbel Language Learning access for $159 (reg. $299) with this limited-time exclusive offer from StackSocial using code LEARN for a limited time.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
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