# New Battlestar Galactica series in January **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 23, 2004, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-battlestar-galactica-series-in-january/281307 "2004-12-23T08:20:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-battlestar-galactica-series-in-january/281307/181 "2005-01-18T13:55:38Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Special Guest Appearence by Lorne Greene as Commander Adama’s father??? Not without voudou. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-battlestar-galactica-series-in-january/281307/182 "2005-01-18T13:56:00Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > That nuke was part of the OC’s armament. No, it wasn’t. They called out a ‘radiation’ warning and said that there was a nuke on board. If this was SOP, they wouldn’t have mentioned it. > [@Munch](#): > > Even civilian ships need their own protection. No one mentioned the OC’s nuke being something out of the ordinary. I don’t think that’s the case. I don’t have the transcript of the episode in front of me but the civilian ship having a nuke was evidently a cause for alarm and not bussiness as usual. I’ll see if I can’t dig up a transcript somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-battlestar-galactica-series-in-january/281307/183 "2005-01-18T14:19:19Z")
> [@HPL](#): > > The only question is wether there were any civies on board the OC at all, but in any case, there’s very little doubt in my mind that destroying it was the right call. Sure, at that point. The uncertainty I mentioned is what had happened before that point. When was _Olympic Carrier_ taken over, really, and how? Perhaps the ship was a plant right from the rendezvous off Caprica, and had _never_ had humans on it. Perhaps the nukes had always been on board, and _Galactica_ never had reason or time to look. Perhaps the story about that Dr. Somethingburger needing to see the President about a traitor was a setup to get a Cylon suicide bomber aboard _Colonial 1_ to further disrupt and terrorize the humans they were toying with. And, while it was the right decision, the humans could never be sure that there were no humans aboard _Olympic Carrier_, perhaps locked up in the cargo holds, for whatever purpose the Cylons might have had. If there were, and even if they’d been ordered, and even if it was the necessary call, Apollo and Starbuck would still have killed them. But they’ll never be sure. And the officer in charge of the ship count will never know if she made a mistake or not, either. I may be mistaken about _this_, but I thought President Stands-Clutching-A-Diseased-Breast’s story about how she thought the shoot-down was a mistake she didn’t dare admit was a superfluous reference to current politics on the scriptwriters’ part. The analog clock, btw, made a better graphic than a digital one would have. How could such a great show have been created from the wreckage of such formulaic crap like the original series, anyway? Tip o’ the hat to Ron Moore, with my gratitude. ---
**Author:** ![Priam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/77aa72/32.png) [@Priam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Priam)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-battlestar-galactica-series-in-january/281307/184 "2005-01-18T14:23:52Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > No, it wasn’t. > They called out a ‘radiation’ warning and said that there was a nuke on board. If this was SOP, they wouldn’t have mentioned it. Yeah. One of the bridge crew shouted “Radiological alarm!” and klaxons went off. This generally is meant to indicate an “ohshit” moment like when the Cylons launched nukes at Galactica in the miniseries. ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-battlestar-galactica-series-in-january/281307/185 "2005-01-18T14:40:37Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > Which is why Apollo’s reaction kinda bugged me; I mean, if he was any closer to the OC, he could’ve read the in-flight magazines tucked into the back of the passenger seats on the OC, and he _saw_ an empty ship. > > Had I been the writer, I would’ve played it defferently. It would have made a lot more sense if Apollo had seen someone in the ship. Then, even though it was still obviously a trap, he could have felt guilty about killing the passangers. Given the shows penchant for killing childred I was positve he was gonna seem some little kid waving at him when he flew by the windows, and then still have to shoot down the ship. In fact I wouldn’t be suprised if this was how they originally wrote the episode, but then changed it at the last minute when they realized they’d done almost the same thing in the pilot and dropped it. It would’ve made Apollo’s and the prez’s guilt make a lot more sense. Sort of how like the first Star Wars movie makes a lot more sense when you realize the script was written with a older Anagin in mind. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-battlestar-galactica-series-in-january/281307/186 "2005-01-18T14:50:27Z")
> [@Priam](#): > > Yeah. One of the bridge crew shouted “Radiological alarm!” and klaxons went off. This generally is meant to indicate an “ohshit” moment like when the Cylons launched nukes at Galactica in the miniseries. True. Thank you and FinnAgain for clearing that up. I had a feeling I was missing something. ---
**Author:** ![RogueRacer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ab992/32.png) [@RogueRacer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RogueRacer)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-battlestar-galactica-series-in-january/281307/187 "2005-01-18T17:22:42Z")
I saw it that the Olympic Carrier not making the jump was no accident or coincidence. Remember, there probably was someone on board that wanted to report a spy to the President. The Cylons did not want that ship to complete the jump. I think it was a case where they absolutely had to activate their agents on board. The comm officer could even be completely blameless. The OC could very well have radioed in that they were ready to jump. This has interesting implications for Baltar. We don’t know for certain that this person on the OC was even going to report Baltar. Maybe they were going to report the spies on the OC? Maybe the Cylons were completely in control of the OC at this point and the message was just meant to put Baltar more completely in Number 6’s control? Maybe it had nothing to do with Baltar and he is just nuts? Fun stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-battlestar-galactica-series-in-january/281307/188 "2005-01-18T17:38:41Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The analog clock, btw, made a better graphic than a digital one would have. And it’s possible to have an analog clock function without power - just remember to wind them on a regular basis. US Navy ships still have the analog, non-powered chronometer in spaces where keeping acurate track of time is necessary. Makes perfect sense to have them on a space warship. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-battlestar-galactica-series-in-january/281307/189 "2005-01-18T17:42:42Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > That’s President “Stands With A Fist” > > 🙂 Oops, my mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-battlestar-galactica-series-in-january/281307/190 "2005-01-18T17:49:53Z")
> [@Sean Factotum](#): > > And it’s possible to have an analog clock function without power - just remember to wind them on a regular basis. US Navy ships still have the analog, non-powered chronometer in spaces where keeping acurate track of time is necessary. Makes perfect sense to have them on a space warship. How well could an analogue clock perform on a vessel that travels faster than light? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-battlestar-galactica-series-in-january/281307/191 "2005-01-18T18:04:06Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > How well could an analogue clock perform on a vessel that travels faster than light? I’m not seeing a problem here. Because they “jump” to FTL, there are no observable time dialation problems. They never get near lightspeed before the jump. Analog clocks would function just like any other piece of mechanical equipment. Unless, of course, they started running backwards, because that would be bad. The past is no place to be present in the future! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-battlestar-galactica-series-in-january/281307/192 "2005-01-18T18:06:29Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > How well could an analogue clock perform on a vessel that travels faster than light? _Relativitally_ well? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-battlestar-galactica-series-in-january/281307/193 "2005-01-18T18:06:46Z")
They don’t “travel” FTL in this show, they jump. Elapsed time for a jump as perceived shipboard is zero or near it. If all ships take the same ET to jump, or even cruise at the same “speed” profile FTL, they’ll stay synchronized. ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-battlestar-galactica-series-in-january/281307/194 "2005-01-18T18:15:57Z")
> [@RogueRacer](#): > > I saw it that the Olympic Carrier not making the jump was no accident or coincidence. Remember, there probably was someone on board that wanted to report a spy to the President. The Cylons did not want that ship to complete the jump. I think it was a case where they absolutely had to activate their agents on board. The comm officer could even be completely blameless. The OC could very well have radioed in that they were ready to jump. > > This has interesting implications for Baltar. We don’t know for certain that this person on the OC was even going to report Baltar. Maybe they were going to report the spies on the OC? Maybe the Cylons were completely in control of the OC at this point and the message was just meant to put Baltar more completely in Number 6’s control? Maybe it had nothing to do with Baltar and he is just nuts? Fun stuff. But the Ceylon’s were within a few days of catching up with the fleet, presumably if they’d kept up the chase, the Galactica’s crew would’ve started making mistakes, things would’ve started to malfunction, Boomerbot would’ve blown all thier water into space and that would be that. Having the Ceylon’s give up the advantage just to mess with Baltar or keep Dr. whathisface quiet doesn’t make a lot of sense, since after the Ceylons catch the fleet, they don’t need spies anymore. Of course Dr. whatshisface might have been on to the spy mentioned by the OC. But you’d think that 1.) the doctor would just tell the crew of the OC, who would then toss the spy out the airlock or 2) The spy would try tossing the Dr out of the airlock before he could tell anyone, instead of just giving up the advantage of being able to track the fleet to try the rather half-assed plan of ramming the suspiciously late OC into the Galactica ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-battlestar-galactica-series-in-january/281307/195 "2005-01-18T18:31:25Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > The nukes prove it was a trap. Likely but not definitive. AFAWK, Boomer could have triggered the radiological alarm, and there might be other sleepers on the Galactica as well. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-battlestar-galactica-series-in-january/281307/196 "2005-01-18T18:40:21Z")
**Cy** lons, \*\*Malodorous \*\*, Cylons. ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-battlestar-galactica-series-in-january/281307/197 "2005-01-18T18:48:32Z")
> [@Bosda](#): > > Cylons, Malodorous , Cylons. Thanks **Bosda** , I was wondering how the series creators were going to explain how the people of Sri-Lanka became robots in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Balduran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Balduran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balduran)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-battlestar-galactica-series-in-january/281307/198 "2005-01-18T18:52:35Z")
> [@Malodorous](#): > > But the Ceylon’s were within a few days of catching up with the fleet, presumably if they’d kept up the chase, the Galactica’s crew would’ve started making mistakes, things would’ve started to malfunction, Boomerbot would’ve blown all thier water into space and that would be that. Having the Ceylon’s give up the advantage just to mess with Baltar or keep Dr. whathisface quiet doesn’t make a lot of sense, since after the Ceylons catch the fleet, they don’t need spies anymore. > > Of course Dr. whatshisface might have been on to the spy mentioned by the OC. But you’d think that 1.) the doctor would just tell the crew of the OC, who would then toss the spy out the airlock or 2) The spy would try tossing the Dr out of the airlock before he could tell anyone, instead of just giving up the advantage of being able to track the fleet to try the rather half-assed plan of ramming the suspiciously late OC into the Galactica That’s why I’m going with the theory that it was either dumb luck the OC’s FTL drive failed or that someone discovered the OC was being trapped and disabled the FTL. At that point the Cylons probably realised the jig was up and their only chance would be to try and nuke the Galactica before another jump. I’m sure the Cylon’s plan the whole time was to just wear them out but the OC’s FTL failure put an end to that. The only thing that doesn’t jibe is why it then took another 33 minutes after the OC reappeared for the Cylons to appear. If they had taken control of the OC and put nukes on, couldn’t they also find the jump coordinates? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-battlestar-galactica-series-in-january/281307/199 "2005-01-18T18:59:44Z")
Good set of episodes! I guess we’re supposed to assume that Bommer doesn’t know she’s a Cylon, right? Or at least the Boomner on the Gallactica doesn’t know. That should make some interesting storylines… ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-battlestar-galactica-series-in-january/281307/200 "2005-01-18T19:09:21Z")
> [@Balduran](#): > > The only thing that doesn’t jibe is why it then took another 33 minutes after the OC reappeared for the Cylons to appear. If they had taken control of the OC and put nukes on, couldn’t they also find the jump coordinates? Good point. Perhaps whatever method the Cylons used to track the OC only gave them the coordinates of the jump after the jump was made, and then once they have this info, it takes 33 minutes for the information to reach the Cylons and for them to make their own jump. This actually makes sense, since if they were finding out the location of the jump because the spy was told the coordinates that the fleet would jump to next and then relayed this information to the Cylons, then the Cylons would appear exactly 33 minutes after the spy learned this information, not 33 minutes after the fleet jumped. On the other hand, if the spy didn’t know the coordinates of the next jump (presumably it wasn’t announced to all passangers), but just activated a homing signal or something, then it makes sense that the Cylons could only follow 33 minutes after the OC jumped. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-battlestar-galactica-series-in-january/281307.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-battlestar-galactica-series-in-january/281307.md?page=11)