# Battlestar Galactica 2.14 — "Black Market" (rag-tag spoilers)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-2-14-black-market-rag-tag-spoilers/341901
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [January 27, 2006, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-2-14-black-market-rag-tag-spoilers/341901 "2006-01-27T20:15:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 4
### Author:  [@Albert\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Albert_Rose)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2006, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-2-14-black-market-rag-tag-spoilers/341901/61 "2006-01-31T04:24:02Z")
> [@Cervaise](#):
>
> The adjective that seems to fit the episode best is “clumsy.”
>
> …
>
> Specifically, it’s the introduction of so much significant information in such a compressed time frame. We’ve never seen Apollo’s Caprican girlfriend before; didn’t know anything about her. Nor Shevon, his “professional” squeeze. Nor the children in either scenario. Nor the existence of prostitution as a legitimate business. Nor the involvement of Fisk in anything shady. And the possible relationship between Apollo and Dee, while vaguely hinted at, wasn’t given nearly enough weight to support the confrontation as played. This episode piles on the exposition, and then expects us to care about it.
Agreed. There was just too much “all of the sudden” type information, and a few awful cliches.
(1) Siobhan’s (?) speech at the end. “Oh, by the way, I can read your mind and realize that you didn’t want children with someone who died in the attack and you regret that to the point of sudden suicidalness and you want me and my daughter to replace her.” Too forced for me.
(2) My least favorite cliche - Apollo accidentally survived a serious ass-kicking with sheer dumb luck and illogic, just so the plot could generate “drama.” The writers set up the scene where Apollo almost got garrotted, while the useless hooker sat off to the side and screamed, offering no help, and Apollo should now be dead (which upsets me because Apollo is much more competent than that - he can take those guys). But the supreme bad guy spares his life for no real reason. Why even bother having Lee almost-killed if you’re just going to have the antagonist step out of character and let him live? Just get rid of the fight and write a better, non-cliched scene.
Good _God_, but I hate that. Happened all the time in the Batman cartoon - by utter and complete luck, stupid, incompetent Batman managed to somehow _not_ die, even though the villain severed his head while electrocuting him with a flaming rusty chainsaw. (Thanks for that image, by the way, **Cervaise**.)
I noticed that the Marcellus-looking dude was in season one’s episode “Colonial Day.” He got in a fight with Starbuck while Lee was fighting some doofus who started with him. Nice.
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2006, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-2-14-black-market-rag-tag-spoilers/341901/62 "2006-01-31T04:52:35Z")
> [@AlbertRose](#):
>
> (2) My least favorite cliche - Apollo accidentally survived a serious ass-kicking with sheer dumb luck and illogic, just so the plot could generate “drama.”
No, the Bad Guy couldn’t kill him, Adam would have his ass no matter how long it took or what the cost if he had to kill everyone in the fleet. Bad Guy left the killer with him to try and make a deal. If Apollo could have been killed without consequence, Bad Guy would have done it in a second.
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### Author:  [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2006, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-2-14-black-market-rag-tag-spoilers/341901/63 "2006-01-31T05:27:52Z")
> [@Smeghead](#):
>
> I would have replaced it with nothing. That’s my point, exactly. I think it would have made for a much more ambiguous, and therefore interesting, confrontation if Evil Smuggler Guy were JUST an evil smuggler guy. Let’s say he was everything that was shown other than a kiddie pimp. He was an organized crime boss, a smuggler, and a murderer. Still, one could make the argument that he was a necessary evil and that the powers that be could deal with him. That would have made Apollo’s decision much weightier.
hmmm good point, and in that light I would even say that the killing of a Comand officer is more than enough justification. very good point.
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### Author:  [@Citizen\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Citizen_Bob)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2006, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-2-14-black-market-rag-tag-spoilers/341901/64 "2006-01-31T15:31:15Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#):
>
> No, the Bad Guy couldn’t kill him, Adam would have his ass no matter how long it took or what the cost if he had to kill everyone in the fleet. Bad Guy left the killer with him to try and make a deal. If Apollo could have been killed without consequence, Bad Guy would have done it in a second.
Agreed, but the plot came off so rough about it. Some of the other episodes exhibited an orchestrated clock-work of plot, music, battles, conversations… this episode had none of that. I guess it’s pretty much there factually, but it all just doesn’t live up to the level I’m used to.
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### Author:  [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2006, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-2-14-black-market-rag-tag-spoilers/341901/65 "2006-01-31T16:06:56Z")
> [@AlbertRose](#):
>
> (Thanks for that image, by the way, **Cervaise**.)
Um… you’re welcome?
_—racks brain—_
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### Author:  [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2006, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-2-14-black-market-rag-tag-spoilers/341901/66 "2006-01-31T16:43:06Z")
My favorite part in this episode was when the evil smuggler guy stood up, in that stereotypical, calm way, and said confidently to Adama “You’re not going to shoot me. You know that-”
BLAM!
In any other series, Adama would’ve lowered his gun.
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2006, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-2-14-black-market-rag-tag-spoilers/341901/67 "2006-01-31T17:05:21Z")
> [@Absolute](#):
>
> In any other series, Adama would’ve lowered his gun.
Moore mentions that in the podcast, though he still whines about it.
Without cite, most of the folks who really get shot say “Go ahead and shoot.”
:rolleyes:
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### Author:  [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2006, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-2-14-black-market-rag-tag-spoilers/341901/68 "2006-01-31T22:32:41Z")
> [@Absolute](#):
>
> My favorite part in this episode was when the evil smuggler guy stood up, in that stereotypical, calm way, and said confidently to Adama “You’re not going to shoot me. You know that-”
>
> BLAM!
>
> In any other series, Adama would’ve lowered his gun.
Except in 24 where the bad guy wouldn’t even bother because he already knows Jack Bauer is going to pistol-whip him to death (mmmmm…pistol whip).
This episode did make no sense however as we are suddenly introduced to a girlfriend or fiance or whatever who no ever one mentioned (nor will ever mention again) and some space-ho and her kid who somewhere in between being the CAG, all the political bullshit and being as close to a homosexual as possible with two more or less attractive women (Starbuck and the skinny black chick from the bridge), Adama has been hitin’ on the side.
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2006, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-2-14-black-market-rag-tag-spoilers/341901/69 "2006-02-01T01:12:03Z")
> [@msmith537](#):
>
> This episode did make no sense however as we are suddenly introduced to a girlfriend or fiance or whatever who no ever one mentioned (nor will ever mention again).
You must introduce background sometime. If they don’t know they are going to need it, there is no reason to introduce background that isn’t necessary.
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### Author:  [@Albert\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Albert_Rose)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2006, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-2-14-black-market-rag-tag-spoilers/341901/70 "2006-02-01T03:41:56Z")
> [@Cervaise](#):
>
> Um… you’re welcome?
>
> _—racks brain—_
The legendary [telemarketing thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=51270). I was inspired to come up with the flaming rusty chainsaw image by the “butthole/running jigsaw shoved into it” crack. So you get credit. Makes perfect sense, right? 😕
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### Author:  [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2006, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-2-14-black-market-rag-tag-spoilers/341901/71 "2006-02-01T19:42:27Z")
… Ssssssure.
😉
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2006, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-2-14-black-market-rag-tag-spoilers/341901/72 "2006-02-03T21:34:03Z")
What was it with “You should have told me about the girl?”
Which one, the one he knocked up on Caprica or the Lady Of The Evening?
Was Adama just happy to find out that Apollo likes girls after all, or what?
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### Author:  [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2006, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/battlestar-galactica-2-14-black-market-rag-tag-spoilers/341901/73 "2006-02-03T23:52:43Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#):
>
> What was it with “You should have told me about the girl?”
> Which one, the one he knocked up on Caprica or the Lady Of The Evening?
> Was Adama just happy to find out that Apollo likes girls after all, or what?
That’s kind of the question, isn’t it?
Obviously, on your first hearing it you figure he’s talking about the ho. But, after that, well…further thought makes it less clear.
-Joe
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