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Love Hurts

piny

(Battlestar Galactica lovers, this whole post is one big spoiler. You’ve been warned.)

Speaking of teevee, I have been watching Battlestar Galactica religiously all season. Mary McDonnell! Michelle Forbes! Lucy Lawless! Katee Sackhoff! Kandyse McClure! Grace Park! Tricia Helfer, like, half a dozen times over! Sarah Porter, even!

And who knew evil planet-destroying robots could be so funny?

They’ve had their lapses–look at the Hooker With a Heart of Gold in Black Market.

But the season finale was especially disappointing.

So their Miles O’Brien character, Chief Tyrol, was in love with a Sharon “Boomer” Valerii, who turned out to be an evil robot. She was shot and killed by Cally. He’s been secretly freaking out ever since–which situation is not helped by the continuing likelihood of evil robot infiltrators who look exactly like human beings. During part one of the season finale, Cally found Chief Tyrol in throes of a nightmare. When she tried to wake him up, he beat her. Viciously. Severely. He was in a fugue state, sort of, but he was neither completely out of it nor completely himself. Then he underwent counseling and revealed that he was worried that he was an evil robot himself. He’s eventually released back into the general population, in part because the apocalypse has left humanity kinda short-handed.

In part two, the Chief goes to visit Cally in the infirmary. She looks absolutely awful, and he’s aghast. He apologizes to her, and she falls all over herself to tell him that it “wasn’t [him],” that it wasn’t his fault. To his credit, he doesn’t accept this line of reasoning. Then she tells him how much she cares about him. Then she gives him this look. The twoo wuv look. Fast-forward a year and she’s having his baby.

I understand that she really does care about him. I know she’s cared about him for a long time. I get that he’s a great guy when he’s not going berserker on the nearest crewmember. And I know that everyone’s a little nuts, and that there are only twenty-odd thousand men to choose from at all. But her face looked like minute steak! Couldn’t we have had at least a little bit of wariness from this woman? If not judgment, at least a little caution? Would it have killed the writers to give Cally a little of the cold-blooded self-preservation that’s defined so many of their other female characters? Would it have been that hard to let her withhold trust for a few weeks? And maybe give Tyrol a few real, external human consequences for beating some poor woman into unconsciousness?

34 thoughts on Love Hurts

  1. That situation DID bother me, although I doubt I would have articulated it quite so well. Especially since Cally was nearly raped on the prison ship in Season One, and defended herself with great spirit almost at the cost of getting murdered. I would expect she’d have some lingering issues, although she has been portrayed as having a not-so-secret crush on the Chief for quite a while.

    On the other hand, the flash forward *was* a year later, or perhaps slightly more. While she certainly looked nearly ready to give birth, I’ve seen women look like that at 6 months. I’d be inclined to give her the credit of taking it fairly slowly, at least until the Chief got his head back on straight. Chief Tyrol HAS been portrayed as a “good guy” primarily, nearly getting the death penalty for defending the current Sharon-borg from being raped/gang-raped by the crew of the Pegasus. I don’t see the relationship being *totally* unbelieveable, but yeah — the scene in the infirmary was, uh, troubling.

    I blame it on the fact that the season ender really OUGHT to have been a 3 parter to cram in everything they were going for. Well, and the general ignorance of most people about how long it takes to recover after an assault. J. Michael Straczynski (Babalon 5) wrote about that more than once in his notes on certain episodes of that show, drawing on his own experiences of having been beaten and mugged.

    Glad to see there’s another Galactica fan on here! One of the best things about that show is that the women are, in general, very strong, and they don’t often pull their punches with the storyline. The near-rape scene with Sharon-Cylon was very difficult to watch and disturbed me a lot. But in a “thanks for showing the brutal truth” kind of way.

  2. Whups! “Babylon* 5, not… what I wrote. It’s not like I wasn’t watching the DVDs just last night.

    *sigh*

  3. Life and love are complicated, right? If the message you see on the tube doesn’t fit the “wife beating” playbook of approved emotions, why not chalk it up to deep characterization rather than shallow characterization.

  4. Life and love are complicated, right? If the message you see on the tube doesn’t fit the “wife beating” playbook of approved emotions, why not chalk it up to deep characterization rather than shallow characterization.

    Oh, it’s entirely possible that they’re writing Cally without an ounce of self-preservation. It’s not like women don’t forgive abuse all the time, even when they have absolutely every reason to walk away. It bothers me, however, that they choose to do it here. This woman, generally speaking, is very careful. She’s a soldier, too, which would tend to make her more inclined to evaluate potential threats with a clear eye.

    And Battlestar Galactica itself is all about human consequences. The protagonists are a bunch of people locked up together under an enormous amount of stress; the big arc is all about how they hurt each other and in turn suffer for it. This was out of tune.

    Finally, there’s a difference between presenting a relationship as real–a woman forgives the guy who beat the shit out of her–and presenting it as positive or functional. There was no attempt to explore or resolve the “deep” implications of the attack. This was not a complex portrayal. It was strikingly shallow.

    But you just thump that strawfeminist.

  5. This was not a complex portrayal. It was strikingly shallow.

    You’ve been following these charcters for 2 seasons, and there has been a story arc of sorts, so I’m not sure it’s fair to judge her reaction in the two minutes of screen time as being representative of his emotional state.

  6. You’ve been following these charcters for 2 seasons, and there has been a story arc of sorts, so I’m not sure it’s fair to judge her reaction in the two minutes of screen time as being representative of his emotional state.

    The assault would have jerked that arc off course entirely, and it happened at the end of season two. Those two minutes of screen time were all we got to see of the ramifications of him beating her into bloody unconsciousness. That is not a complex treatment.

  7. I basically liked the last episode and was glad they finally got around to having Baltar be a witting traitor to humanity. He was just too annoying to me when he was sort of toying around with it. I was also glad that Roslin more or less stepped up to her guilt and ceded the election, even if it was to Baltar. It was interesting to see how the two of them reacted to their culpability.

    However, the storyline between Cally and the Chief bothered me too. I think he was in more of a fugue state than you credit, but even so. I wanted a little more than “Hey, a session with the Cylon priest and he’s better!” I also wanted Cally not to fall all over herself to excuse him in 30 seconds. Oh well.

  8. I basically liked the last episode and was glad they finally got around to having Baltar be a witting traitor to humanity. He was just too annoying to me when he was sort of toying around with it. I was also glad that Roslin more or less stepped up to her guilt and ceded the election, even if it was to Baltar. It was interesting to see how the two of them reacted to their culpability.

    I like Baltar’s character arc a great deal; I hope they don’t leave him in the fog of liquor, loose women, and hoarded painkillers he’s sunk in. He was much more interesting in shades of gray (although I was glad he made some decisions, too).

    And I’m glad President Roslin ceded, although I want to see Mary McDonnell doing something important soon.

    However, the storyline between Cally and the Chief bothered me too. I think he was in more of a fugue state than you credit, but even so. I wanted a little more than “Hey, a session with the Cylon priest and he’s better!” I also wanted Cally not to fall all over herself to excuse him in 30 seconds. Oh well.

    I could see that. And even so, he seemed absolutely horrified. I’m glad they managed to find a place for the Cylon priest, though. I want to see him again.

  9. She’s a soldier, too, which would tend to make her more inclined to evaluate potential threats with a clear eye.

    I agree with most of what you said, but she really isn’t a soldier – that’s been mentioned more than once. She joined the fleet to pay for dental school, remember? Not that that makes her any less valid, but she’s not the career soldier type.

    And I, too, want to see more of the Cylon priest. Especially if they can get two of ’em feeding each other lines again.

  10. I agree with most of what you said, but she really isn’t a soldier – that’s been mentioned more than once. She joined the fleet to pay for dental school, remember? Not that that makes her any less valid, but she’s not the career soldier type.

    I hear what you’re saying. Maybe I should have said veteran. Not that everyone on Galactica is a cold-blooded badass, but that she’s gone through a trial by fire. Plus, the entire ship is operating in a state of combate paranoia; her getting the shit beaten out of her by Tyrol should have been about as shattering as Tyrol finding out that the apple of his eye was an evil robot. The crew in general do not have healthy perspective around violations of trust.

    Heh. Anyway.

    And I, too, want to see more of the Cylon priest. Especially if they can get two of ‘em feeding each other lines again.

    I loved the part where they bring in the Galactica-copy, and he’s all, “This is ridiculous! I’m not a Cylon! How dare you!” and then he sees the Caprica-copy of himself already in a holding cell, and goes, “Oh. Well, okay then.”

  11. My wife is impressed because about five seconds after the Cylon priest first appeared on screen, I said “he’s a Cylon. It’s obvious.”

    And it was, but damned if I know why. Maybe they prefigured it and I picked up on it subconsciously.

    And I third the calls for more of that character.

  12. My wife is impressed because about five seconds after the Cylon priest first appeared on screen, I said “he’s a Cylon. It’s obvious.”

    The recapper on TWOP called it, too.

    I’m not sure why, either.

  13. I think I figgered it. You know why? It’s because of that actor. There’s no WAY they’d bring that actor on, and have him play just some schmoe priest. He HAS to be a Cylon. We’re responding to the meta-cue from the show’s grounding in the external sci-fi show universe, not from internal cues in the story.

    Betcha that’s why he was unmasked so fast, too. There’s no way to exploit the is-he-isn’t-he tension that works so well for all the other ambiguous characters (like Mrs. Tigh) when at least some people are saying “Come on! It’s AL! Of course he’s a Cylon!”

  14. I think I figgered it. You know why? It’s because of that actor. There’s no WAY they’d bring that actor on, and have him play just some schmoe priest. He HAS to be a Cylon. We’re responding to the meta-cue from the show’s grounding in the external sci-fi show universe, not from internal cues in the story.

    Good point. Same with Xena.

  15. Couldn’t we have had at least a little bit of wariness from this woman? If not judgment, at least a little caution? Would it have killed the writers to give Cally a little of the cold-blooded self-preservation that’s defined so many of their other female characters? Would it have been that hard to let her withhold trust for a few weeks? And maybe give Tyrol a few real, external human consequences for beating some poor woman into unconsciousness?

    Umm, because they jumped forward in the story a whole fracking year maybe?

    If they had immediately shacked up, Cally would be a mom by now anyway, so there’s a possibly of at least 3 months of courtship in there. Season 3 is rumored to start with a bunch of flashbacks, so maybe you will see what you want.

    Oh and if you are geeky enough to listen to the podcast, you would know that they wanted to edit it out to 2 hours. SciFi only gave ’em 90 minutes.

    The poor suckers overseas are gonna only get a version edited down to one hour where the Cally/Tyrel arch is missing completely.

  16. Umm, because they jumped forward in the story a whole fracking year maybe?

    The first time she sees him after the attack, she forgives him. The first time she sees him after the attack, she is totally without fear or suspicion. That happens before the jump, remember?

  17. I love Dean Stockwell, so here’s another vote for more of the Cylon priest!

    As for Baltar, I can’t precisely state why he annoys me. He just does. It may be because the actor reminds me somewhat of Dr. Bashir from DS9, and I didn’t like Bashir either. I did, however, love Sisko. I’m just a big fan of Avery Brooks.

  18. Just started watching it. Sort of. Got the storylines from the commercials for a few weeks, and then half-watched while my brother was watching the finale.

    It’s very confusing the way they skip so far forward in time like that.

    Anyway, I’m a bit confused regarding who’s who. Anybody got either links or a quick runthrough of storyline and characters? I get that they’re looking for a new Earth, and the Cylon deal, but that’s more or less it.

    Sharon’s dead, then? Damn. She’s my favorite. Don’t suppose they have the main characters come back from the dead the way the Star Trek movies do?

  19. Sharon’s not dead. Cylons don’t die; they just download their memories into new bodies. The Sharon that was killed by Cally awoke in a new body. There are also multiple copies of the humanoid Cylons. So Galactica Sharon is now on Caprica and Caprica Sharon is on Galactica. Or at least Galactica Sharon was on Caprica until the last scene of the season finale.

    How’s that for confusing you?

  20. Sharon’s dead, then? Damn. She’s my favorite.

    Don’t you watch the text at the beginning? “They look like us… and there are many copies.” There’s like an infinite number of 8’s (the Sharon cylon.)

    They have a plan, too, or did; the finale was maddening in that regard. “We won’t hunt you any more.” “Hi! Remember us, the Cylons? We’re taking your planet. Sorry about that.” (Who knew Rumsfeld was working for the Cylons? Just anybody that’s ever seen a picture of him, I guess.)

  21. There are also multiple copies of the humanoid Cylons. So Galactica Sharon is now on Caprica and Caprica Sharon is on Galactica.

    I was trying to explain this exact thing to a friend who is trying to catch up in the show and he was like “Oh SHUT UP. I’m not watching anymore!”

  22. Oh, speaking of Sharon, I want to know what happened to Galactica Sharon (the Hero on Caprica). Was that her in the finale? Did she just give up on her humanity?

  23. Oh, speaking of Sharon, I want to know what happened to Galactica Sharon (the Hero on Caprica). Was that her in the finale? Did she just give up on her humanity?

    Well, it’s a weird direction for that character, but…there’s nothing particularly inhuman about fascism, is there? I think it is the same one.

  24. I think it’s Galactica Sharon on New Caprica too. It was definitely Caprica 6, because she very clearly had that “I love you Gaius” look in her eyes when she was talking to Baltar.

    Speaking of which, I’m waiting to see what’s behind the fact that both Caprica 6 and Baltar had each other in the head without being aware of their own “head other”, if that makes any sense. I think there’s something to that yet to be revealed.

  25. Well, we don’t really know what the Heros have in mind for humanity… I don’t trust it for a second, and I’m with Starbuck on the “we fight ’em until we can’t”, but in all probability the Heros feel that their occupation fo New Caprica is totally Justified (CAUSE THEY LOVE FREEDOM) and Righteous and Good.

    Has anyone seen V? And is anyone fucking excited for about 5-10 episodes worth of V Battlestar Galactica style?

    piny: Although I kow how glib it sounds to say it, President Roslin (Baltar’s not _my_ president) is doing something fairly important as it is. Glibness aside, I found it interesting how Domestic Bliss they went with the strong female characters. I don’t doubt for a second that that’s an intentional nod to how rough it is on New Caprica — all the strong women are busy raising the kids, bearing the kids, or taking care of their but-I-wanna-play-with-my-friends sick husbands.

    Also interesting that Gaeta’s working for Baltar just like he shut up and took it when Tigh ran the fleet. He seems to like taking orders. *shrug*

  26. The first time she sees him after the attack, she forgives him. The first time she sees him after the attack, she is totally without fear or suspicion. That happens before the jump, remember?

    Oh that.

    Well they had been through a lot already, several years working together, both having lost all their near relatives, near death on Kobol, plus the chief already stuck her neck out so she could get a lighter sentence.

    And when a woman is ready and willing to take care of your girlfriend problem when said GF goes all Cylon on your ass, you can probably assume she has already decided you are an OK guy.

    What I can’t figure out is why someone who already got screwed by the Cylons would hand over a perfectly good nuke that was “signed out” under his own name to a known Cylon agent, just so he can get himself some action.

  27. It’s a good point but I don’t think it’s out of character. They don’t meet until days after the incident; plenty of time for her to sort it out for herself.

    Sure, they could have written her with a hard as nails self-survival attitude – just like all the other women on the show. Kudos for BG for not having every female character step out of the cookie cutter. And I think they’ve earned enough feminist cred to explore the entire range of human reaction to trauma. Some people do forgive things like this, and forgive quickly; not everybody that hurts somebody is a bad or evil person.

  28. Kudos for BG for not having every female character step out of the cookie cutter. And I think they’ve earned enough feminist cred to explore the entire range of human reaction to trauma. Some people do forgive things like this, and forgive quickly; not everybody that hurts somebody is a bad or evil person.

    That’s pretty much my take as well.

  29. Would it have killed the writers to give Cally a little of the cold-blooded self-preservation that’s defined so many of their other female characters? Would it have been that hard to let her withhold trust for a few weeks? And maybe give Tyrol a few real, external human consequences for beating some poor woman into unconsciousness?

    I think the problem here was the writers prioritising Tyrol’s arc over Cally’s. The priest tells Tyrol that the deck crew are his family and that they love him no matter what, and in order to prove that to himself he has to talk to one of them. Cally’s the only one we actually know very well at this point – and they’re short on time – so they use her as the person who confirms this unconditional love to the Chief. And Cally does love him, and always has, but there’s no way she’d have not been angry, or wary, or I-can-forgive-you-but-you’d-better-believe-you-have-to-earn-it. I don’t think it would have been impossible to show both characters in a way that wasn’t damaging to one of them.

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  31. And Cally does love him, and always has, but there’s no way she’d have not been angry, or wary, or I-can-forgive-you-but-you’d-better-believe-you-have-to-earn-it.

    Maybe she realized that, since she assassinated the woman Tyrol loved, she doesn’t exactly occupy the moral high ground here; and that forgiveness and acceptance is the appropriate action for two people who have wounded each other so deeply.

  32. Hi Piny,

    I saw your comments at LGM, so I thought I would repeat myself hear- I really do get your point, but I look at it a couple of other ways. First Cally was able to murder someone for the Chief (yes a Cylon, but just as Chief/Helo could never resolve their feelings for Cylons, odds are Cally never completely felt she was shooting a machine), and given the crimes committed by Cylons against people, there are still passes handed out to Chief/Helo over their Sharon feelings- given that all of these people had their entire families killed at the hands of Cylons and Cylons exist in multiple copies at what level are those criminals or abusers of those you love/loved the same, and yet they are forgiven by Chief/Helo. Even the warped Baltar/Six relationship is all about love/forgiveness/redemption in all it’s multiplicity. In addition this season has dealt with suicidal tendencies of Gina, Lee, Sharon, Chief and who else? The ramifications of all of them are different and not necessarily pretty. I think what you would claim to be a copout on the character of Cally I would say is a counterpoint to all the Chief’s self-doubt in her either blind or clear love. I suggest that her love is actually clear, and is a counterpoint to the murky and conflicted feelings of everyone else. Although to repeat what Chet said, her hands are not clean. It’s how you look at it. I don’t think it was sloppy or shallow, even though they dealt with it swiftly. Does that make any sense?

  33. BSG is I think a creative disappointment after season one. While B5 was purely a plot driven contrivance, and the deus ex machina stuff in the end ultimately silly, there is no doubt that the B5 universe had a coherence lacking in BSG.

    Unlike some of the comments here, I haven’t seen BSG as particularly empowering to women. Most of the changes appear to be stunt casting — the Starbuck or Caine things, etc., or the Tricia Helfer soft core porn contribution.

    Moore’s podcasts indicate a desire to be the non-Trek, but it seems the creative vision really did not extend much beyond season one. Even Moore admitted season two as a disappointment with characters dying, getting hooked up, etc. more or less without any emotional context, let alone whallop.

    Is BSG the best sci fi on TV. Yup. Does it empower women more than other shows? Yup. Is it as good TV as the hype? I don’t think so.

  34. Leo,

    I just want to say that, right now, you’re making exactly as much sense as your namesake.

    And that ain’t much.

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