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The Defining Battlestar Galactica Episode That Pissed Off The Entire Network

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published

The Battlestar Galactica reboot is renowned as one of the best sci-fi series of the modern age. Showrunner Ronald D. Moore got his start by writing extensively for Star Trek: The Next Generation. He took those early writing lessons to transform his own show into the polar opposite of Trek: instead of being an episodic, optimistic utopia, Galactica was a serialized, brutal dystopia. This was perfectly fitting for a show about humanity’s endless fight against genocidal robots. But as with all great sci-fi shows, Battlestar Galactica uses its futuristic tales to express the concerns of the present day.

At the time, one of the biggest national anxieties was the so-called War on Terror. After the 9/11 terror attack, many Americans were all too happy to wage battle against a ruthless foe that killed thousands of civilians in the most brutal attack since Pearl Harbor. Eventually, many began to wonder if the ultimate cost of the War on Terror would be our humanity. Battlestar Galactica was the boldest commentary on America’s post 9/11 anxieties, but not right away. In fact, it wasn’t until Moore clashed with the network over the episode “Flesh and Bone” that BSG became an unapologetic (yet surprisingly unpreachy) critique of the George W. Bush administration.

The War On (Space) Terror

“Flesh and Bone” was a Season 1 Battlestar Galactica episode in which Starbuck interrogated a Cylon, Leoben, who had infiltrated the civilian fleet. When the Cylon reveals that he has hidden a nuclear bomb somewhere in the fleet that will detonate in nine hours, Starbuck resorts to torturing him; rather than revealing the location of the bomb, though, he wants to rant about religion and the importance of the one, true God. The torture intensifies, and shortly before the nine hours are up, Leoben admits to President Roslin that there was never any bomb. In turn, she has him summarily executed by getting airlocked into space.

You don’t have to be a Political Science major to see how “Flesh and Bone” was meant to parallel the War on Terror. Starbuck is someone who must deal with the scenario that came up during every single debate about torture in the early aughts: “What if a bomb is about to go off, and this is the only way to find it?” The fictional Starbuck eventually takes her cue from real-life American soldiers and waterboards her foe (a religious extremist, no less!), but she doesn’t get any answers. The final revelation that there never was a bomb in the first place makes the torture look that much uglier because it was all for, quite literally, nothing. 

The Abyss Gazes Also

Interestingly, the torture in this episode was initially going to be much, much more severe. According to Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion, episode writer Toni Graphia revealed that, “In one draft, Leoben had electrodes hooked up to him…Ron decided we weren’t going to do any fancy torture techniques, because the show doesn’t do a lot of high-tech stuff.” Plus, he eventually concluded that “the heart of the episode wasn’t really about the method of torture, it was about one of the show’s most tough-@ss characters developing a little empathy towards the enemy.” 

In an interview with Concurring Opinions, Battlestar Galactica executive producer David Eick revealed that this episode “represented the most extreme period of tension and disagreement between ourselves and the network.” He reiterated that earlier drafts of the script had more extreme torture scenes that “were emblematic of what was going on at Guantanamo and places like that.” While the final episode did tone things down a bit, it didn’t soften the ugliness of Starbuck’s actions. “It became our argument because we were trying to take something real and force the audience to have the same trouble with it that the network was having.”

All Of This Has Happened Before

Eick and Moore obviously won that argument, as evidenced by the prominent torture scenes in “Flesh and Blood” and the other uncomfortable War on Terror parallels (including suicide bombers fighting the Cylons) in future episodes. As recorded in Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion, Moore claimed that “Flesh and Bone” “was obviously influenced by the Abu Ghraib incident, and all the other examples of prisoners being tortured.” He deliberately avoided any Picard-style speeches about torture, though, because “We wanted to really make viewers think about the issue, without preaching to anyone about it.” In some ways, that’s Battestar Galactica’s biggest strength: It expresses big ideas without telling you directly what to think.

According to Ronald D. Moore, the War on Terror commentary helped inform the show’s other big themes. “We wanted to do an episode that was complicated and also touched upon the larger sort of thematic and theological issues of the show,” he said. Eventually, the show regularly pulled off a narrative hat trick with stories that balanced thrilling narratives with crunchy themes and mind-bending religious questions. But Battlestar Galactica’s transformation into the best sci-fi show of the modern age began with “Flesh and Bone,” a Season 1 episode that helps prove an old adage: whenever you piss off the network, you know you’re doing something right!

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‘Love Island USA’ reveals the final four couples competing for first place

Following a lighthearted week of quality time and family reunions, Love Island USA finally announced the four couples competing for the $100,000 first-place prize.

After Corbin and Parmida were dumped from the villa in Season 8, episode 29, there were six couples left standing: Aniya and Carl, Kayda and Zach, Kenzie and Dylan, Melanie and Sincere, Tierra and KC, and Trinity and Bryce. The next few days were full of fun challenges like The Girls pranking The Boys, The Girls enjoying a fun waterpark-themed getaway from the villa, and the Islanders meeting each other’s family members for the first time.

Season 8, Episode 33 kicked off with a “mouthwatering” couples’ challenge, in which each islander had to transfer food items in water (like sardines) or condiments (like ketchup) from their mouth into their partner’s mouth. After the challenge, the couples had a few more tough pills (or, in this case, fortune cookies) to swallow at dinner that night: they found out the results of a public vote that decided which four couples were heading to the finale, and which two couples were going home.

One by one, the couples cracked open their fortune cookies, revealing whether they were safe. The final four were revealed to be Aniya and Carl, Trinity and Bryce, Melanie and Sincere, and Kayda and Zach.

Our big Guessing Game is back! Enter now for a chance to win an Apple Watch.

This left two couples dumped from the villa: Kenzie and Dylan, and Tierra and KC.

X users were sad to see them go, especially those who thought that Tierra and KC had a stronger connection than other couples in the villa. KC had just asked Tierra to be his girlfriend in Season 8, episode 31, which made the dumping even more shocking to viewers.

However, viewers were elated that Kenzie didn’t say goodbye without squatting down for one last iconic split.

While the islanders shared an emotional goodbye with Kenzie, Dylan, Tierra, and KC, they took the time to appreciate the genuine friendships they built in the villa – embodying what viewers called “Friendship Island” this season.

What makes the final four couples especially memorable this season is that the four girls are each part of the original group of islanders that we were introduced to in Season 8, episode 1, with X users saying that we have a “core four” finale in our midst. 

Now that the final four couples have been revealed, we’re only a few episodes away from finding out which couple will be crowned the winners of Love Island USA Season 8.

The season finale is scheduled to air on Sunday, July 12, 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT on Peacock.

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WWII Spy Thriller On Netflix Based On An Incredible True Story

By Jacob VanGundy
| Published

operation mincemeat

Operation Mincemeat is a spy thriller based on a true British intelligence operation from World War II. While the spy story is fascinating, and there was enough suspense to keep me watching, the movie is bogged down with unnecessary interpersonal drama. The result is an uneven, disappointing movie that doesn’t live up to its premise. 

Based on Ben Macintyre’s book about the historical event, Operation Mincemeat is about a misdirection mission by British intelligence. To hide the Invasion of Sicily, a plot is hatched by British intelligence officers Ewen Montagu and Charles Cholmondeley to plant false information on a corpse and have it wash ashore.

operation mincemeat

To sell the fake soldier’s identity, a detailed backstory was constructed including a fictional fiance using a photo of the office’s secretary Jean Leslie. 

The Period Drama Overshadows The Spy Intrigue

operation mincemeat

Operation Mincemeat brings together a fantastic cast of UK actors, who deliver great performances across the board. Colin Firth, Matthew Macfayden, and Kelly Macdonald play the movie’s three leads, making their characters feel real. The supporting cast also features great actors like Penelope Wilton, Johnny Flynn, Jason Issacs, Mark Gatiss, Paul Ritter, and Simon Russell Beale.

While I found the depiction of spycraft in Operation Mincemeat compelling it was weighed down with superfluous period drama elements. Much of the film’s runtime is dedicated to the love triangle between its three main characters, which adds a layer of unneeded personal drama that actively distracts from the spy mission’s inherent tension.

It’s the sort of tacked-on plotline that feels like it exists to meet period drama expectations, and I was unsurprised to learn it was invented whole cloth for the movie. 

The Spycraft Is More Interesting

Some of the most interesting spy thriller moments of Operation Mincemeat are glossed over to dedicate more time to its boring love triangle. Numerous scenes depict the budding relationship between Ewen and Jean, while the head of Germany’s army intelligence discovering the plot and turning a blind eye to undermine the Nazi regime is given a single truncated scene.

As a fan of spy thrillers, I can’t help but feel like the movie prioritizes the wrong elements of its plot.

The pacing in Operation Mincemeat also suffers due to its love triangle. What should be a consistently suspenseful movie grinds to a halt halfway through to focus on the romantic subplot and the hostility it creates between Ewen and Charles. With a runtime of 128 minutes, it drags on for too long, drawing attention to its unneeded subplot.

Despite its shortcomings, Operation Mincemeat has a strong story at its core and it tells that story well when its focus isn’t divided. It’s at its best when it depicts the finer details of the operation and the construction of the soldier’s fictional life. With strong acting and directing, it’s well-made even when the writing falls short. 

Fans of period dramas who also enjoy spy stories will likely enjoy Operation Mincemeat, while fans looking for a spy thriller like I was may find it disappointing. It’s a well-made movie bogged down by a single poor creative decision. You can watch the film version of one of history’s most fascinating spy stories for yourself on Netflix.

OPERATION MINCEMEAT SCORE

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Stargate SG-1 Started A Series-Long Tradition And A Fan Favorite Running Joke

By Jonathan Klotz
| Updated

One thing you’ll notice when you’re (re)watching Stargate SG-1, is that Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks) dies a lot. By the time he dies in Episode 12, “Fire and Water,” his death count is up to three (the movie, and “Nox”), which is a little high for a regular human. Then again, he doesn’t really die in “Fire and Water,” so should that even count? Stargate Command gives him a full funeral with military honors so to my mind, it counts as another notch for “Daniel Jackson is Dead.”

Daniel Jackson Is Dead. Again. For The Third Time.

Richard Dean Anderson And His Team Stargate Hockey Stick

“Fire and Water” opens with SG-1 coming back earlier than expected from their latest mission, looking all sad and dejected as Hammond asks what went wrong, and learns that “Jackson is dead.” Before the opening credits we see the whole military funeral, O’Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) giving a touching eulogy where he admits that Jackson is the heart of the team. Out of anger, O’Neill, likely a little drunk off of Molson’s, takes out the window of a car with a hockey stick (look quick and you’ll note it says “Anderson” on the stick) and angrily demands they movie it. It’s Hammond’s car, prompting a suddenly much calmer O’Neill to tell his boss that he needs to replace that window. 

The SG-1 team slowly realizes that Daniel isn’t dead. Something messed with their minds to make them think he was. Turns out, Daniel’s alive, underwater in the lair of the aquatic merman Nem to help solve the thousand-year old mystery of what happened to his mate, Omoroca. We learn that Omoroca and Nem helped teach the ancient Babylonians until she was murdered by Belus, who of course, was a Goa’uld System Lord. It all goes back to the Goa’uld. 

The Math Ain’t Mathing

Gerard Plunkett As Nem

The merman like Nem is played by Gerard Plunkett, who first appeared on Stargate SG-1 as Councilor Tuplo in “The Broca Divide,” starting the trend of actors playing multiple aliens during the show’s decade-long run. Nem never reappears, nor is he or Omoroca mentioned again, perhaps because someone behind the scenes did the math and realized the pair’s involvement with the ancient Babylonians and also the Goa’uld broke the timeline.

Jackson tells Nem that Omoroca helped inspire the Tau’ri rebellion against the Goa’uld. That took place in 3000 B.C.E. in Egypt, yet Jackson says Nem was on Earth 4,000 years ago working with the Babylonians. That maths out to roughly 2000 B.C.E., or a thousand years after the rebellion. Goa’uld being active on Earth and acting as Gods past that point doesn’t work with the timing of the burial of the Stargate. 

“Fire and Water” is another in the long line of episodes that introduces an advanced species with deep ties to the roots of human civilization that we never see again. Get used to it, even Stargate Atlantis does this years later. It’s also not the last time that Jackson is killed in the line of duty. On its own, it’s a bit of an empty episode that alludes to bigger things, though it does get a little credit for Nem’s planet Oannes not looking like the woods of Vancouver for once. 

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