WormholeRiders

Hey there Comic Con fans!

After preview night I had a feeling I had gotten myself into something massive.

I had no idea how right I was.

Yikes!

Thursday

I was up early but slow moving. Not a good start for the first full day of the convention. Not surprisingly, parking was hard to find. We went to five or six full parking lots before we found a space.. We almost missed getting into Hall H, the biggest panel room at the convention center. I think it holds over 6,500 people. When I finally DID make it in, I couldn’t believe how many people were there. It was standing room only for the entire day. I could feel the excitement. They don’t clear out the panel rooms and there was plenty I wanted to see in Hall H, so I decided to keep my seat and watch the panels there all day. It meant missing some panels in other rooms, but these are the decisions you have to make when going to a larger convention. It’s impossible to see and do everything.

Megamind was the first panel of the day. I didn’t know much about it aside from knowing it is another DreamWorks movie. I’m a huge DreamWorks fan so I had a feeling I’d love what I was about to see. Also, I was given 3-D glasses when I walked into the theater. Everyone was really excited when the MC came out and said we had a special guest. I was sitting a bit far from the stage but I saw a guy in blue paint and a funny costume come running out onto the stage. He said he’d brought donuts for everyone and wasn’t aware there’d be so many of us. I realized he was Will Ferrell badly dressed as Megamind. Ferrell stars as the villain in the DreamWorks movie. It’s their first superhero movie and from the 3-D clip I saw, it looks hilarious. Not only that but I definitely think I can bring both my nine and sixteen year old daughters to see it.

What is Megamind? Many people have asked. It’s DreamWorks’ first super hero movie. It stars Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill and Brad Pitt. After seeing the preview, in 3-D, I have to say it looks AWESOME! Basically it’s a “what if the bad guy wins” story. Tina Fey then joined Ferrell on the stage. She looked beautiful and was dressed nicely, no surprise there. Jonah Hill looked adorable in his blazer and pants. He was the last one on the panel. Well, that’s not totally true. They did bring Brad Pitt out—in cardboard cutout form. Megamind will be out in theaters this November. I can’t wait!

Tron was next. I have to say I have been geeking out over a new Tron movie. I did love the first one. To call this version a reboot is an understatement. As Jeff Bridges put it, the new movie makes the original look like an old black and white film. This is another 3-D movie that I cannot wait to see in the theater. The few minutes I saw have completely sold me on it. I love that Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxleitner are both in the new version. Patton Oswalt was the moderator for this panel. I loved that the original creator of Tron, Steven Lisberger, was also a guest. It seems they have tried hard to keep the integrity of Tron in the movie but improve it so it fits in with this millennium instead of the last one.

It’s been 27 years since the first Tron was in theaters. Wow. That makes me feel old. I’m not going to lie. Starring in the movie are Michael Sheen and Olivia Wilde. After we saw the movie clip we were told if we were a good audience we’d get to be in the movie. They needed crowd noises. We were instructed to look at the screen and say exactly what was on the screen with the bouncing disk (get it, not a ball because it’s Tron) landed on the word. So… if you listen closely in the movie you may be able hear me yelling. We had to say things like, “Disk! Wars!” and “Rinz! Ler!” and “Dee! Rez!” Then they wanted foot stomping. It may not sound exciting but just trying doing that in a room full of 6,500 geeks and not get excited. I could not help myself. It was fun even if we’re not actually used in the movie.

Tron will be coming to theaters December 17, 2010.

Jack Sparrow interrupted our break in Hall H to tell us he was not looking for pirates to sail with him on a new Adventure. Apparently Disney will be releasing the fourth pirates movie: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, next May. Also, Gillermo del Toro came on stage to let us know about a new “Haunted Mansion” reboot. They won’t be calling Eddie Murphy for this one. Del Toro said it will be scary so be sure to bring your children. I’m a Haunted Mansion fan, I love the ride. I’ve grown up going on it. I really hope the reboot is an improvement over the last version.

During the break between panels, Pauly Shore walked in and signed autos for people. That was bizarre. Although, as I would later find out, not terribly bizarre. Guests have a habit of walking in on other panels and surprising the fans. That’s certainly a cool thing about Comic Con.

Next up was the “Salt” panel starring Angelina Jolie. She looked gorgeous as ever. I was impressed to learn that she did her own stunts for the movie. I saw the preview and I think the woman has no fear. If you’re an Angelina Jolie fan and/or an adrenaline nut you’ll probably want to check out this movie. It’s already in theaters.

I have to say the fan oddly dressed as Spider-man that went to the Q&A mic surprised us all by asking a serious question about stunts. What did he ask exactly? I can’t remember. I just know we were all so distracted from his outfit that we were laughing. All of us, that is, aside from Angelina Jolie. She listened and answered him. She was very respectful of the fans and gracious, too.

I’d never heard of Battle Los Angeles. I do like the whole “aliens invade earth and we have to fight them or die” type of movie. Like Independence Day or even Signs. Battle Los Angeles is this type of movie. It stars Michelle Rodriguez and Aaron Eckhart, is produced by Neal Moritz and will be out in theaters March 11, 2011.

I took a break from Comic Con because I was invited to take a tour of the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln. How could I pass that up? Captain Mueller was kind enough to get us on board and show us as much of the carrier ship as we could handle in about two hours. I feel like I crawled all over every inch of that place.

I’m guessing that we only saw less than a sixth of it. We were very spoiled as we were allowed into the bridge. What amazed me is how high-tech it all is. Don’t mess with the Lincoln. With five thousand troops on board and people watching both the surface and the skies, not to mention all the fire power, you’ll regret starting a fight with that ship.

After such a long tour of climbing up and down stairs (hey! It’s a workout! You try it and then tell me it’s not!), we went for dinner on Coronado Island. Then I was done for the day. Even though Thursday was a crazy busy day I knew that Friday would make Thursday look like a cakewalk. I needed all the rest I could get. What I wondered as I went to bed was, “Will I survive Friday?”

Friday

Another early start. Up and out of the condo before 6:15 am. I’d spent part of the previous day running around one of the largest conventions in existence and the other part of the day running around one of the largest carrier vessels ever created. I really didn’t want to miss any panels, so I was up and ready to start the second busiest day of Comic Con. And according to TagHive on Twitter, I was already the top tweeter for the convention. I had my work cut out for me.

Of all the things on the agenda for Friday, I was most looking forward to the Tweet House party that night. We realized that while parking near the U. S. S. Midway was a good idea it meant a very long walk to the convention center. Luckily we found a rickshaw for hire! So we hopped in and our driver got us to the convention in record time. Plus, he was kind of cute.

Today we would spend the majority of the day in Ballroom 20. I think it’s the second largest panel room. The Stargate Universe panel was up first. I noticed that Louis Ferriera’s name was not up on the table but Alaina Huffman’s name was. Although I was sad about missing Ferriera, I was excited to see Huffman again. She’s absolutely a wonder-person.

The guests were Alaina Huffman, Ming Na, Robert Carlyle and last but certainly not least, David Blue. The moderator was none other than Robert Cooper. I could not wait for this panel to begin. Finally, Mr. Cooper introduced the guests and the fun began. Ming Na cracked us all up by petting her iPhone and calling it her iPrecious.

David Blue said that nerds need love too. As a nerd I could not agree more. I think nerds may even need more love than non-nerd people. The news that surprised many people is Eli finally gets love. Apparently he winds up involved with a Lucian Alliance woman. I’m hoping Eli is treated well.

Alaina Huffman was asked how she can play a character who seems the complete opposite of her. I have to agree. TJ is very serious and even sad. In contrast, Huffman is bubbly, happy and fun to be around. Huffman explained that she lives in the moment. She also said that “work is a relax” for her. She juggles three kids, a husband and a brother at home. She is one busy woman. Ming Na had us all applaud Huffman for being able to handle all those responsibilities. There is no doubt that this cast greatly appreciates and respects one another.

Robert Carlyle directs an episode in the next part of season two. It will be called “Pathogen.” I also here we will get to see the bridge, finally, of the Destiny. And emotions are escalated. It sounds like season two is just getting started.

The biggest news of the entire panel is that David Hewlett and Robert Picardo will be making guest appearances on Stargate Universe as a crossover type episode with Stargate Atlantis. I’ve mentioned I’m a squirrel. For those of you who haven’t heard me shout that from the rooftops, being a squirrel means I’m a fan of David Hewlett’s. I have missed Rodney so much! That should be a fantastic episode. And honestly, I’ve missed Woolsey, too. It will be great to see both of them.

All too soon the SGU panel was over. Next up was Caprica. I’ll be honest. I don’t watch Caprica. Nothing against it. I just watch way too much television (if there is such a thing) and cannot watch everything. Although I’d really like too. Anyway, the Caprica panel was cool. I think it’s the first James Marsters panel I’ve seen. I was excited about that because I’m a fan of his since I saw him play Spike on Buffy.

The cast says to expect great things for the next season of the show. Alessandra Torresani says that you won’t expect what’s happening. Sounds like there is definite girl power to be seen. Marsters made a joke about being on Buffy and how maybe, just maybe he’d seen tough girls fight. He said he can actually identify with his character, Barnabas Greeley, but thinks he carries things too far. And Alessandra says that she has to show most of her character’s emotions through her eyes which is tough to do. Sasha Roiz also stars on the show and was at the panel. Caprica sounds like a complicated, thought provoking show.

Bazinga! I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was UBER excited about the Big Bang Theory panel. I’ve been watching this show since the pilot and have been hooked ever since. In fact, I’m in major withdrawal without new episodes to watch each week. I knew that something was different about this panel because they brought out instruments like a cello, accordion and an acoustic guitar. I’d never seen that before and couldn’t figure out what they were up to. Not even when they handed us all lyrics to the theme song for the show. It’s performed by a band I love, The Bare Naked Ladies. The panel was being introduced and we were asked if we liked the theme song. Of course everyone in the room is agreeing when all of a sudden the Bare Naked Ladies were introduced! They jumped out on stage literally just feet in front of me and started playing the theme song. I could NOT believe my eyes. Fortunately we had cameras with us. I have pictures to remind myself it did happen.

We got to sing along with one of my favorite bands to a theme song to one of my favorite shows. Does life get any better than this? It does! Because then they brought out almost the entire cast of the show. All the big names were there, Penny, Sheldon, Wolowitz, Raj and Leonard (Kaley Cuoco, Jim Parsons, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, and Johnny Galecki respectively). Not only that, Wil Wheaton was the moderator. Wheaton plays an evil version of himself on the show. It was a fantastic panel.

I was surprised when Wheaton said he believes Cuoco is the geekiest one on the set. I’m still not sure if that’s true or not. Although she’s a massive Harry Potter fan and was the first one on the set to have a Kindle, she didn’t know who Wheaton is when she was told he would be guest starring on the show.

A fan wanted to know if there would be any chance of The Big Bang Theory going to Comic Con. The producers gave one of the best answers, “We’re an indoor cat.” They said they are so used to filming on sets and in controlled environments that they would not be sure how to attempt filming at Comic Con. That’s too bad, though. It would be a funny episode, I’m sure, if they could figure out how to be an outside cat.

Expect to see the evil Wil Wheaton appearing at some point. I’m looking forward to that. I think Wheaton has brought something extra geeky and special to the show. For any Star Trek/Big Bang Theory fans out there I’m sure you know what I mean.

Then the cast treated us to a live performance of “Soft Kitty.” Although at first Parsons complained when the request was made, saying it’s only for when you’re sick. Mayim Bialik is also expected to appear in the upcoming season. All too soon, the panel was over. I was actually sad. It was the first Big Bang Theory fix I’d had in weeks. Now I have to wait for the new episodes beginning this September.

I decided to take a break from panels and go check out the Exhibitor Hall again. I did some shopping and more window shopping. Then I was hungry. I decided to try out Café Diem. I’d heard it was pretty cool and also had good food. The thought of sitting down at a restaurant a bit away from the crowd sounded very appealing, too.

Café Diem was a lot of fun. Syfy seemed to go all out transforming the place into the restaurant on Eureka. Even the menus were all Syfy foods. I rested my tired feet and filled my empty belly. It was a much needed break from all the crazy chaos of the convention. I was done eating and doing some writing when someone caught my eye. I looked over and had to laugh to myself. There was a guy walking around who looked just like Eureka’s Sheriff Carter. The fabulous and talented Colin Ferguson. But I knew it wasn’t him. I mean, if I were him would I show up at Café Diem? Well, actually that is something I would do. Then I realized a girl with a remarkable resemblance to Zoe Carter, the sheriff’s daughter, was standing next to him. Finally it dawned on me: I was looking at THE Colin Ferguson and THE Jordan Hinson! How crazy is that?!

I had to run over and introduce myself. They were very gracious and allowed me to take a picture with both of them. I have to say that both Ferguson and Hinson are wonderful people. Plus Hinson is even more adorable in person, as if that’s possible.

I went back and sat down and just as I did so in walked Sasha Roiz and Alessandra Of Caprica! While Alessandra was busy getting her picture taken in the Syfy picture machine, I asked Sasha if I could have a picture with him. He generously agreed. As you can see from the picture he’s a very short man. And I told him so. I think I confused him at first but then he laughed and said that somehow he looks so tall on camera but is actually very short in person. I’m guessing he comes in at just under 6’ 6”. Small fry.

Next up was the Tweet House party aboard the U.S.S. Midway. I know, I know, TWO carrier ships in the same number of days. I was a lucky girl. I wanted to arrive at the party on time because rumor had it none other than William Shatner would be landing a helicopter on the ship. Wasn’t I bummed to find out that Shatner landed almost an hour before the party started. However, he did stay and talk a bit. So that was good.

There was also a Pixar panel and a couple of bands played including Heavy Young Heathens. I was exhausted at this point. So it was time to call it a night. After all, the biggest day, Saturday, was still ahead of me. I had been warned that it would make the other days so far pale in comparison.

Saturday

I was surprised I woke up for my alarm. And I hurt all over. I was so tempted to sleep in and miss half the day. Comic Con is like running a marathon. Or so I would guess. I’ve never actually run a marathon. I felt like I had, though. Or that I’d been hit by a truck. However there were places to go and people to gawk at! I got up and forced myself to get dressed and ready for the day.

To be honest there was one word that kept me motivated: Chuck! First up was the Chuck panel. I’m a huge Chuck fan, haven’t missed an episode yet, and could not wait for the panel. I’d been told that Jeffster actually performed at last year’s Comic Con. We were told to expect something different. Some of us speculated if someone different would be performing. I was hoping that wasn’t the case, I did want to see Jeffster live.

Turns out there was a Jeffster video done to Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance. Naturally it was hilarious! As we’re watching the video and laughing, I start hearing people cheering. I look away from the video screen and see Jeffster on stage! They were dancing for us! EPIC!

They danced for a bit and had the entire crowd laughing. Then the entire cast of Chuck came out! I mean basically EVERYONE I would consider a major or somewhat important character. Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski, Sarah Lancaster, Adam Baldwin, Joshua Gomez, Ryan McPartlin, Mark Christopher Lawrence joined Vik Sahay and Scott Krinsky on stage. And that wasn’t all! After they all danced for us they threw “Nerd” tee shirts out into the audience. Thanks to the great arm on Jeremy, I am now the proud own of a “Nerd” shirt thrown by non other than Chuck himself! Woohoo! I’ll wear it with major geek pride. I mean nerd pride.

They certainly gave us some spoilers. Such as who will be playing Chuck’s mother, will Jeffster return and what guest stars we can expect to see on the show. The answers are Linda Hamilton, yes and the Old Spice Guy, Isaiah Mustafa respectively. The next season of Chuck is going to be everything I’ve come to love in the show and more. I will certainly be tuning in to watch.

Family Guy followed the Chuck panel. What I will remember most is how Seth MacFarlane sang as the voice of Stewie while we watched a video of it, live. That was pretty amazing. I don’t think he made a single mistake. Singing is hard enough, but add to that singing in another character’s voice live in front of 4,500 people AND timing it right so it’s in sync with a video is nothing less than fantastic. I kept looking back and forth from the video to MacFarlane. It was very weird — and also extremely cool.

I was about to watch the Cleveland panel when I got a phone call. It was time for my Robert Cooper interview and I had to leave the convention center and find the hotel where the Stargate Universe cast was. I practically ran with all my stuff and made it there fairly quickly. The rest of the Wormholeriders team was there, too, accept for Rigel, aka SciFiFanGirl616. We would be interviewing Cooper, Ming Na, Robert Carlyle and David Blue. My interview with Cooper was first.

Actually, this was my first ever interview. Was I nervous? No. Not at all. Am I lying right now? Oh heck yeah! I was so nervous. However I was also excited to be the one interviewing Cooper. He is a pillar in the Stargate franchise and someone I personally think is wonderful. He’s had a hand in some of my all-time favorite Stargate episodes and has worked on all three shows. The news that he is taking a step back from Stargate is sad. You can see the interview here: (http://wormholeriders.com/blog/?p=16706)

I thought the interview went fairly well since I didn’t lose consciousness, cry, or run away. And thankfully, neither did Mr. Cooper. I do want to thank Robert Cooper for his time and for allowing me to interview him. Also, thank you Syfy and MGM Studios. It was such an honor.

I was wandering the hotel and happened to run into some of the cast from Warehouse 13. I could not believe my luck! I got to hug Saul Rubinek as well as Eddie McClintock. I also got to talk to Allison Scagliotti. Seriously good times. If you don’t know, I happen to cover Warehouse 13. If you don’t watch the show, why not? It’s a fun show! What are you waiting for?

I had to go back to the convention center because I had press room access for the series “V.” I am a fan of the show and had the pleasure of interviewing both Morris Chestnut (Ryan) and Laura Vandervoort (Lisa). Both lovely and talented actors. It sounds like there are some very cool things in store for us “V” fans in the upcoming season. Why am I getting the feeling that I’m going to have way too many shows to watch in the coming months? Stay tuned to the Wormholeriders site for my interviews with Chestnut and Vandervoort.

After the “V” press room I was free! I had survived Saturday! HORRAY! I was happy but so exhausted. And starving. I think aside from half a yogurt at like five in the morning I’d eaten a cookie. So on the way back to my in-laws condo we got sushi. Delicious, filling sushi. And then I pretty much crashed. I had to get up early yet again for Sunday. I did not want to miss the Smallville and Supernatural panels.

Sunday

I was up bright and early again. Even before the sun. I seemed to be making a painful habit out of it. However it was for a worthy cause. I was excited about the Smallville panel. Good thing I was up early because literally thousands of other Comic Con attendees were excited about the Smallville panel too. I was able to get in line and eventually, after a two hour wait, get a seat inside the room. It wasn’t the first row but I didn’t care. I was in the room!

First I want to congratulate Smallville for holding the title now as the longest running science fiction show. As a steadfast Stargate fan this is a sad moment for me; I’ll be honest. Smallville has now passed up Stargate SG-1. However, I congratulate Smallville. Science fiction shows are starting to finally have the longevity they deserve. However, the tenth and final season of Smallville looks astounding. I think this show is going out with a bang. In a good way. As they said at the panel they are throwing everything including the kitchen sink into the final season. They showed us the sneak peak and I have to say it looks like a very meaty season. Even Clark’s father, Jonathan, will be back. And, the question most Superman fans have been waiting for: Will Kal-El fly? We were told that we know how the comic book turns out. So that’s a yes. Finally we get to see him fly!

Supernatural: My final panel of Comic Con. I’ve been a fan of this show since the pilot. This show seems to be that cat with nine lives. I’m told this is the final season of Supernatural, however I am pretty sure I’ve heard that in past seasons. Still, the upcoming season looks very interesting. What are fans to expect? Weekly monsters returns, the brothers still work on their relationship, Cass may have a Russian accent (ok not really) and no more kissing for Bobby. When asked how Sam will get out of Hell, Jared Padalecki said he wasn’t sure but maybe he gets out with practice. He was alluding to the fact that this isn’t Sam’s first trip to Hell. In fact, Dean and their father have been to Hell. Trips to Hell, and getting out, seem to be a family trait.

When asked if Chuck, the prophet, was actually God, the panel would not give an answer. Apparently the writers want each person to interpret who God is on their own. So for all you fans out there thinking Chuck is really God, well, keep thinking that. It’s your prerogative.

Gag reels can either be hilarious or lame. I had never seen a Supernatural gag reel before and I have to say I have been missing out. We were shown a sneak peak of the gag reel and I literally laughed so hard I cried. Of course, with fantastic premier episode music and a hilarious performance of Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” to rule ALL “Eye of the Tiger” performances, I should have known the gag reel would be epic. Even if you’re not a Supernatural fan you should check it out. I have a feeling it will win you over. Supernatural’s final (as far as we know) season seems to keep that snarkastic sense of humor that gives the show it’s edge over other horror type shows.

Sadly the gag reel and Supernatural panel had to come to an end. I had just one last thing to do before my Comic Con experience was over: interview the Scooby Doo people.

I’ve been a Scooby Doo fan literally my whole life. Not only did I grow up watching the show, I grew up with Great Danes. When we bought our house I turned my oldest daughter’s bedroom, playroom and bathroom into Scooby rooms. I painted the characters on the walls and decorated with whatever Scooby knick-knacks I could find. To say I was excited about interview the people making the newest Scooby incarnation was an understatement. I was thrilled!

I had the pleasure of interviewing Matthew Lillard, the voice of Shaggy, supervising producers Spike Brandt and Tony Cervone, producer Mitch Watson, and art director Dan Krall. My interviews will be up on Wormholeriders soon. I will say that I loved speaking with these people and picking their brain about one of my favorite shows. They certainly have me excited about Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated airing Mondays at 7pm on Cartoon Network. Many of these talented people have worked on classic shows like Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain and Freakazoid! Need I say more.

And with the last of my interviews, my work was done at Comic Con. As I walked away from the convention center I realized, happily, that I had survived! Yay! I also knew I’d need about a week of sleep when I finally made it back home. Unfortunately, I had an early flight back home the next morning. One more painfully early wake up call for me. I could sleep on the plane though. And I did.

Welcome back, Caprica fans! ,

This series continues to deliver character-rich episodes week after week and what a cliffhanger w“Ghosts in the Machine” was the second-to-last episode of the front 10 episodes of the season.  From tonight’s episode, the overall theme was the extremes Joseph and Daniel will go in order to achieve their goals.  Both are trying to find their daughters, but after tonight, I believe Daniel might care more about business than he does his daughter.  An outstanding performance was given by Dmitry Chepovetsky, guest-starring as Cereberus in the Mysteries club in New Cap City, and our main actors, Eric Stolz and Alessandra Torresani.

Joseph has been connected to New Cap City for a while, judging from the condition of his self-care and immediate environment.  Emmanuelle has changed his virtual look and introduces him to an “amp” which she describes “a hack that bypasses the holobands’ safeties, interacting with the visual cortex to heighten player’s senses and reflexes.”  Joseph uses it in the virtual game, but you can see his physical body in the real world has a response to it, almost like a methamphetamine.

Daniel powers up U-87.  He wants a sign Avatar Zoe is in there.  Zoe, however, will not respond; U-87 does respond to Daniel’s command to look at him.  At the Graystone lab, Daniel is trying everything he can to get a response out of Zoe.  While putting U-87 through gun-assembly drills, he tries to agitate Zoe with things that she hates.  First, he starts smoking.  He talks in great detail about why Zoe hates his smoking.  There was a fire when she was 5 in the home that Amanda told Clarice in a previous episode was Zoe’s favorite house.  The fire started in Daniel’s home lab and had completely engulfed the house.  Zoe was trapped in the attic.  Daniel describes hearing her screams of her being trapped in a box (which would explain why U-87/Avatar Zoe freaked out when she was placed in a box for transport, as if it was a coffin), the fire making screams of its own, and those being the longest 7 minutes in Daniel’s life.

As he lights another cigarette, his lighter no longer works so he uses a match.  Whether or not this is deliberate, I cannot tell for sure (I believe it was), he allowed the flame to burn his hand.  When he screams, “Ow!”, it is then U-87/Avatar Zoe pauses in her gun assembly and then in another reflex that made the viewer believe that she realized that and that is the release we see in the second movement.

Amanda visits the site of the accident in which her brother was killed.  As she looks up from the tree they hit, she sees her dead brother, Darius, driving in a car that passes.

Zoe is livid and vents to Lacy.  Lacy ponders if Zoe should just let Daniel know she is in there.  Zoe does not trust him.  She says, “Business first, same old daddy.”  She then realizes exactly what he was trying to do:  Get her to react.  Zoe tells Lacy she just needs to be the robot.  Lacy laments if she can even do that anymore.

In New Cap City, Joseph and Emmanuelle stumble on to Joseph’s home.  He wonders if Tamara is in there.  A drug abuser is occupying the home (actor Stefan Arngrim, V, Fringe, BSG).  The word “motherfracker” is finally used in the Caprica series at this time, which made me smile, having missed this term from Battlestar Galactica.  He shows him a picture of Tamara.  His character, credited as Amphead, says that she is the dead girl and may be at a club called “Mysteries.”  Another character, credited as “Shotgun” enters (actor Ron Selmour, Stargate Atlantis, BSG), who wants some payback with Tamara.  A shoot-out occurs.  Thank goodness Joseph had Emmanuelle along because he had difficulty pulling the trigger.  She was able to take all of them down, getting only grazed in the process.  She tells Joseph to leave until he learns not to hesitate when shooting.

Clarice and Amanda chat about seeing her brother Darius and the exact car that was in the accident in the last episode, Imperfections. During their conversation, apparently Clarice got Amanda to ask Daniel about Zoe’s avatar and Clarice tells her that the program was unstable.

Finally outside the lab, U-87/Avatar Zoe is forced to listen to Daniel explaining to her that he saw her “tell”, that he knows she is in there.  A very emotional scene ensues between them.  He tells her no matter what she did or what she is, he still loves her.  She still does not respond.  Then in a moment that shocked me, he shows his dark side again.  Exploiting her fear of fire, he encircles U-87/Avatar Zoe with gasoline.  He tells her all she has to do is take 4 steps out to clear the fire.  Then he orders U-87, however, to stay.  He throws the cigarette on the ring and flames engulf U-87/Avatar Zoe.  There is only one point in that where U-87 moves the hand slightly, but I do not believe Daniel sees it.  Zoe, however, seems to be hyperventilating.  Once the flames die down, she is pissed.  Awesome special effects with U-87 and Zoe (the cut scenes between the two of them) with the fire, giving us a camera view from her perspective as well.

Sam visits a disheveled Joseph.  Joseph shocks Sam when he asks him what goes through Sam’s head when he kills someone.  Thinking it is important to what is currently going on with Joseph, he says that that he tells himself it is not real, that they are not people but targets, and the whole thing becomes a game.

I loved the subtle red in the monochromic theme in Emmanuelle’s dress that tied directly into the name of the place, “Mysteries” back in New Cap City.  This place lives up to its name.  Emmanuelle warns Joseph to steer clear of the person who asks riddles.  Of course, the entertainer picks him right out of the crowd and brings him on stage to ask him a riddle, asking if the stranger is their new Prometheus.  Throughout the scene, you do not know who the name of this character is, but when I saw it in the credits, it was perfect:  Cereberus (played by Dmitry Chepovetsky, Stargate SG-1).  There are a few actors here that play on other shows we follow:  Bouncer #2 was King Lau (Human Target); Cigarette Man was Amos Stern (Fringe); Weasley Bouncer was actor Patrick Sabongui (Fringe, Stargate Atlantis as Kanaan).

This segment is so rich in mythology it is fascinating.  Cereberus in Greek and Roman mythology is the multiheaded (most commonly depicted by three heads) guardian of the gates of Hades to prevent those who have crossed the river Styx (the river between Earth and Hades) from ever escaping.  He was the son of Echidna, a hybrid half-woman, half-serpent, and Typhon, a fire-breathing giant.  Each of Cereberus’ heads is said to have an appetite for only live meat and thus allows the spirits of the dead (perhaps Tamara) to freely enter the underworld, but allowed none to leave.  Capturing Cereberus alive without using weapons was the final task assigned to Heracles (another character in Caprica, who helped Tamara and then helped Joseph try to find Tamara) by King Eurystheus for Heracles killing his own wife and children after he was driven insane by Hera (the first Cylon/human hybrid child in Battlestar Galactica).  After being given the task, Heracles went to Eleusis to be initiated in the Eleusinian Mysteries (the club Mysteries in Caprica?) so that he could learn how to enter and exit the underworld alive.  The Mysteries are possibly related to the myths surrounding Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and fertility, which is known in the Homeric Hymns (around 650 BC).  According to the hymn, Demeter’s daughter, Persephone, was gathering flowers (Tamara represents the letter “T” in her name with a sunflower), when she was seized by her uncle, Hades, with the consent of father, Zeus.  Hades took Persephone to the underworld kingdom.  Demeter searched everywhere for her daughter (perhaps this is represented by Joseph?).  Another thought was that the Eleusinian Mysteries were begun around 1600 BC.  Modern scholars believed “to elevate man above the human sphere into the divine and to assure his redemption by making him a god and so conferring immortality upon him.”  (Reference:  Nilsson, Martin P. Greek Popular Religion “The Religion of Eleusis” New York: Columbia University Press, 1947. pages 42 – 64).

Prometheus was a Titan, son of Iapetus and Themis.  He was a champion of human-kind and known for his wily intelligence.  He is also known for fire-stealing and giving it back to mankind.  Again, Heracles is connected to this mythological figure.  When Prometheus is chained to a rock where his liver is eaten out daily by an eagle only to to regenerate at night (because of immortality), Heracles shoots the eagle and frees Prometheus from his chains.

Now back to Caprica.  The riddle is asked:  “As the gods overthrow the Titans, so has man overthrown the gods, but when man visits his sins upon his children, how shall he be repaid?

There are two very rich things in just that simple sentence.  First is from our own mythology:  The Titans were the 12 supreme deities, sons and daughters of Gaia and Uranus.  They were eventually overthrown by 12 younger gods, known as the Olympians (which includes, in Greek mythology, Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Athena, Ares, Demeter, Apollo, Artemis, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Hermes and Dionysus; in Roman mythology, Jupiter, Juno, Neptune, Minerva, Mars, Ceres, Apollo, Diana, Vulcan, Venus, Mercury, Bacchus).  Secondly, is how it relates back to Battlestar Galactica, in the miniseries, where Commander William Adama gives his speech for the decommissioning of the Battlestar Galactica (before the Cylons attack):  “The Cylon War is long over, yet we must not forget the reasons why so many sacrificed so much in the cause of freedom.  The cost of wearing the uniform can be high, but…sometimes, it’s too high.  You know, when we fought the Cylons, we did it to save ourselves from extinction.  But we never answered the question, why?  Why are we as a people worth saving?  We still commit murder because of greed, spite, jealousy.  And we still visit all of our sins upon our children.  We refuse to accept the responsibility for anything that we’ve done.  Like we did with the Cylons.  We decided to play God, create life.  When that life turned against us, we comforted ourselves in the knowledge that it really wasn’t our fault, not really.  You cannot play God then wash your hands of that you’ve created.  Sooner or later, the day comes when you can’t hide from the things that you’ve done anymore.”

Joseph cannot answer the question and begs to help him find his daughter.  He is escorted out.  He is about ready to leave when he sees the “T” that is similar to how Tamara used to write her name.  Double-amping himself, he shoots the gun-check man.  He goes back into the club and shoots many there until he gives them a chance to take off their holobands and leave on their own, after all, if you are shot in New Cap City, you can never come back again.  Interrogating Cereberus, he finds out that Tamara was on the stage seeking answers to the afterlife.  As Emmanuelle shows him the backway out, Cereberus smells a sunflower.  The first thing I thought was that Tamara has changed the look of her avatar and that was actually her hiding from her father, just as Avatar Zoe is hiding from Daniel.

I love the small details they do not leave out on the show.  Like on the backstage door, it says “Astra” which means stars, as in that was the stars’ entrance.

As soon as they walk out, Joseph sees a wall of the “T”’s that Tamara has written.  The head is in the shape of a sunflower, which is symbolic for adoration and longevity, and let’s face it, Tamara’s longevity as a one of the two ghosts in the machine is guaranteed at this point.

Tomas Vergis visits the Graystone home to put his plan into motion of destroying everything Daniel holds dear.  His target for this visit:  Amanda.  He shares what happened to his 2 employees and how the MCP was stolen, only for Daniel to have an identical MCP just a few days later.  To her credit, she does not show any signs of knowing this information.  She asks Tom to leave.

Setting up one more test in the lab for U-87/Avatar Zoe, you can see Daniel’s eyes are red and tired.  He commands U-87 to shoot the dog.  He loves the dog, but he loves his daughter more.  I drew in a deep breath, not knowing for sure whether the writers would allow the dog to be shot.  I thought certainly no, but…..?  I have been shocked before.  U-87 pulls the trigger, the dog winces, and my heart stops.  Yes, I know the irony there that I am more upset about the dog being shot than the other characters in the show.  But I am a big dog lover.  I scream, “Holy frack!”  And in a split second, Daniel informs U-87 that the robot did not miss; they were blanks.  He then commands U-87 to shut itself down for the night.

Daniel comes out of the lab, grabs something to drink, and watches videos of Zoe on the window.  Amanda is sitting outside, undoubtedly processing the information Vergis gave her.  There is such beauty in the shot.  There is a great divide between Daniel and Amanda, the void as big as the distance of where each were presently sitting.  Also, I noticed that Daniel was “inside” while Amanda was “outside.”  I am sure she was feeling very outside once Tomas Vergis shared with her that tidbit of information.

Back in the V-club, Zoe tells Lacy that the robot knew that the bullets were blank because of the weight.  Had there been real bullets, she might have shot her father instead.  Zoe tells Lacy she better get her out of there soon before something happens that she is going to regret.

In seeing the scenes from next week’s episode, I believe that unfortunately becomes reality for Zoe.  Syfy promotes that someone is going to die.  They show various scenarios of who that might be.  I have not seen the actual episode so this is a 100% guess on my part based on watching the promo over and over again.  I think Philomon dies next week.  You see U-87 trying to get out of the lab, then you see U-87 driving the van (the lights from the helicopters following it shine through the driver’s side.  It looks like Philomon might get whacked with U-87’s arm near his head.  The coroner is at the Graystone’s house, what looks to be the lab, with Daniel and Cyrus present.  Cyrus tells Daniel he is losing control of the project.  Amanda looks like she is going to jump, but that could just be a dream she is having.  Clarice has a gun to Barnabus’ head.  Lacy joins STO, and Joseph and Tamara point guns in each other’s faces).  This mid-season finale (the end of the first 10 episodes) is going to be a wild ride.

PBMom

Welcome back, Caprica fans! ,

This series continues to deliver character-rich episodes week after week and what a cliffhanger we had on Friday or what is coming next seen in the promo trailer.

Amanda Graystone is having nightmares surrounding a foggy male figure.  When she wakes up, she takes out a letter from the Delphi Convalescent Center, 45 Terreo Avenue, Delphi, Caprica, D5287I (pictured below).  For Battlestar Galactica fans, this is the place where the Cylons held Kara Thrace (The Farm) where she escaped before they could harvest her ovaries.  The Latin word “terreo” means to frighten, scare or terrify.

Rarely are things just placed in this series without there being a reference for it.  The address of the Graystone Foundation is 5520 Via Appia, Suite 100, Caprica City, Caprica C2908P.  In Latin and Italian, via Appia is “Appian Way”, a road in Rome, the first segment of which was started and finished in 312 BC that held great historical and military significance.  In addition to the famous aqueduct system, Appius Claudius built this road which went across the Pontine Marshes to the coast northwest of Naples where it turned north to Capua.   Two historical events along this road included the crucifixion of Spartacus and his army (6000 people), and the battle of Anzio during World War II.  I Googled the zip code C2908P and it came up as a 2009 Toyota RAV4 stock number.  An inside joke perhaps?

Olaf and Nestor found that the Zoe avatar program was on the wireless download device, but it was downloaded to some other device.  Unconcerned Clarice declares that once they find it, they will have their resurrection.  Amanda is going to the memorial site every day and Clarice plans to use her to locate the program.

Similar to the scene in New York City after 9/11, the memorial wall needs to be taken down to be relocated.  Amanda is extremely agitated by this and Clarice comes to her rescue, Amanda not suspecting her ulterior motives.  Amanda sees a young man in the crowd, the young man from her nightmare, but he disappears into thin air.  It is her dead brother, Darius (actor Jesse Haddock).

Avatar Zoe calls Lacy to the V-world.  In the room, the logo for the Soldiers of the One (STO) blinks on the lighted panels behind them.  Avatar Zoe shares her concerns about Clarice at the home lab and whether Lacy is committed to their plan.  Philomon is the key to getting U87/Avatar Zoe out of the lab; Lacy still has to get her to Gemenon with the help of Barnabus.  Lacy reassures Zoe that she will not let her down, but Zoe has her doubts since she did not board the train with the human Zoe.   Has Lacy developed a deeper bond of friendship with Avatar Zoe, or is this just survivor’s guilt that is propelling her forward?

At Amanda’s house, on a bigger version of an IPhone application that shines in her window, she tries to spot Darius on the pictures she took at the memorial.  She admonishes herself for taking lousy pictures being a better photographer than that.

Equipped with two holobands, Joseph drafts Tad/Heracles to find Tamara.  They walk down a long tunnel, a tunnel that looks like one I have seen in Stargate Atlantis but a different camera angle.  He goes over the ground rules of New Cap City:  Once you die in the virtual game, you can never go back because it is tied to your DNA; it is hack-proof.  As they try to make their way out of a manhole cover, Joseph says something that reminded me of Mass Effect (Xbox 360):  “We’re gonna need a bigger gun.”

Walking around Caprica City, Amanda witnesses an accident and begins to walk over to give her assistance as a physician.  Approaching the scene with hesitance, she allows another physician who responded take over.  She looks up and sees Darius.  As he turns to walk away, she runs after him.  When the trail of the hallucination ends, she sees a poster that has emotional significance for her.  She pops a pill.

Clarice talks to Olaf.  She says Amanda is the mother of Zoe and Zoe is the mother of life everlasting.  Obviously this is corresponding to the story of the Virgin Mary in Christianity.  Clarice says that Amanda sees dead people and to her it is a sign that God is using these women to speak to her.

Joseph wonders why they just cannot fly to their destination.  Tad/Heracles plays along and gets Joseph to assume the pre-flight position.  In a smack-up-the-side-of-the-head moment, Tad/Heracles says if you cannot do it in real life, you cannot do it in a nonfantasy game.  Heracles is the Greek-mythology equivalent of Hercules, a god known for his extraordinary strength, courage, ingenuity (but not as clever as Nestor) and sexual prowess with both males and females.  Joseph wonders where the fun is in this if it is like real life.  Tad/Heracles goes through the list, but when Heracles, true to the name of the god he chose for the virtual world, he lists being able to have sex with 50 women without having to take Vinagro (Caprica’s version of Viagra), Joseph sees the immediate appeal.  During an aerial bombardment, Tad/Heracles is killed virtually and now can never go back into the game.  Joseph is now solo.

With Scorpion ambrosia in tow, Clarice calls on Amanda at her home.  Amanda shares that she was a passenger in the car crash that killed her brother.  She shows Clarice the poster she found, saying it was the exact place where the crash occurred.

Before passing out from the combination of the pills and the alcohol, she calls Clarice a friend.  Polly Walker plays Clarice beautifully.  One minute you hate the character for using Amanda Graystone and Lacy Rand to get to the Zoe avatar; the next minute you think that Clarice might actually care on some level about Amanda and all that she has gone through.

Tomas Vergis visits Daniel and Cyrus at a pyramid game.  Word on the street is that Graystone Industries has only one working MCP (metacognitive processor) and Tom says that one he stole from the Vergis Corporation never worked.  Graystone Industries is obviously going to need cash and he reminds Daniel he wants to buy the team.  Cyrus wants him to sell, too.

Lacy and Keon meet at the park.  Keon says Barnabus will not help her unless she is STO.  Committed to Zoe, Lacy wants to sign up.  Keon looks worried that she will get involved with this organization.  Lacy kisses him on the cheek.

Meanwhile, love is blooming in the virtual world for Philomon and Rachel/Zoe.  This date is a flight simulator.  I think I would love this date, too, being the geek I am.  The jets look like an older version of the Battlestar Viper.  There are great special effects here as Rachel/Zoe spins out of control like a scene out of Top Gun. I wanted to scream, “GOOOOOSE!”

On land, Rachel/Zoe and Philo have a conversation about the V-world and she suggests the possibility of extending life in there.  Philo is turned on by the geek tech talk and they kiss.  Rachel/Zoe continues to give him advice which sparks an idea about his top-secret military robot.  She tries to convince him that real-life experience might benefit the V-world and the robot, and Philo is stuck on the idea of it being a thing that would be unable to be copied.

Back at home, Daniel shares his day with Amanda.  He notices the ambrosia and they tease each other, Daniel wondering if he should be jealous.  Amanda takes another pill and calls Clarice.  Clarice invites her to come down to The Dive.  Daniel goes to his lab where he finds Philo using his holoband.  Philo suggests that the part of the reason they have not been able to create another U87 is because part of it is analog.  Daniel says he will take over and sends Philo home.

Amanda meets Clarice at The Dive.  Sharing a key phrase from the Battlestar Galactica series, she says to Clarice, “All of this has happened before and all of it will happen again.”  This phrase, according to Ronald D. Moore on one of his BSG commentaries, actually came from the story Peter Pan.  Amanda was at the Delphi Institute for 2-1/2 years after having a nervous breakdown 3 years after the accident (a total span of 5-1/2 years).  Amanda was seeing her brother everywhere.  She says, “Surviving is the punishment for leaving things unsaid.”  In her drug high, Clarice talks about God, that He does not want to punish her, that He made her in His image.  ‘We have to trust in his wisdom.”  I love this moment between the two women when Clarice asks Amanda to trust God.  Amanda, in her drug high, does not catch on that Clarice is talking about one God.  She responds, “Which god?”  However, I think, her eyes tell that she knows Clarice is STO on some level.

Joseph goes back to New Cap City to look for Tamara.  Tad/Heracles sends someone named Emmanuelle (actress Leah Gibson, Riese)  to help, but this kind of help comes with a fee.

I loved the commercial tie-in here for a new Nintendo DS game called “Glory of Heracles.”  See http://www.gloryofheracles.com for details.

While Daniel is going over data, Caesar, the dog, wants to play ball.  When Daniel throws it, he goes to retrieve it, but instead of bringing it back to Daniel, he drops it in front of U-87/Zoe.  This is not the first time he has done this.  Avatar Zoe is trying to verbally shoo him away, and then kicks the ball.

Daniel thinks the dog brought the ball back and he throws it again.  The dog continues to bark at U87 and wants U87 to play fetch.  Daniel FINALLY makes the connection that the dog made a long time ago.  In a fantastic camera angle from the Cylon’s eye point of view, he says, “Zoe?”

WHAT AN ENDING!!!  I cannot wait to tune in next week.

PBMom

Welcome back Caprica fans!

This episode continued to push plot stories, but it also provided a lighter side; I hope we see more of that.

The episode starts one series’ month prior to current events. At the Vergis Corporation on Tauron, there has been a break-in at the Metacognitive Process Research Lab…and murder. Tomas Vergis (John Pyper-Ferguson, Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek: TNG) observes the chip is gone and 2 people are now dead.

Back to current series’ time. Tom Vergis shows up at a corporate dinner party Daniel Graystone and Amanda are attending.

Tom wants a meeting. There is an interesting hawk-like sculpture in the background

Back at the house Daniel tells half-truths to Amanda, but Amanda knows he is holding back. For a couple who seem to know each other so well, they knew very little about their daughter, Zoe. Cyrus comes over to discuss Tom’s agenda with Daniel. Blackmail is the obvious conclusion. Cyrus is livid when he finds out that Daniel went to the Ha’la’tha, the Tauron mafia, to rob Vergis. Listening in the lab is U-87/Avatar Zoe who is in disbelief at what she is hearing.

Joseph Adama has purchased his first holoband from “Emptor Electronics” (as in “caveat emptor, let the buyer beware, which is so funny, an underlying warning about his holoband purchase) in an effort to find Tamara in the V-club. He is frustrated that he cannot get into the hacked sites immediately. Daniel walks into Joseph’s apartment, rips the holoband confronts him about the Vergis break-in. Joseph assures him that if Vergis knew about the theft and who did it, he would be dead. Joseph tries to tell him about Heracles and Tamara; Daniel insists they are gone and leaves.

We hear on Caprica television that there has been another bombing by the Soldiers of the One (STO). Clarice wants to know who is doing this. Nestor tells her it is likely Barnabus Greely (James Marsters, Smallwood, Torchwood).

Fun fact: Both James Marsters and John Pyper-Ferguson appeared in the same episode of Lie To Me, “Truth or Consequences.”

Olaf introduces new technology to Clarice called a swipe drive that will allow wireless download of data. Nestor believes with this data, they can crack the Zoe avatar or any dead person. Clarice corrects him and says, “It is the continuation of the soul into eternity.”

She says something at this time that sparked my interest, “…and I’m certain that is what Daniel was talking about.” Two possibilities exist here. She could simply be talking about the interview she saw with Daniel Graystone on the Sarno show. There is another Daniel that Battlestar fans are quite familiar with Daniel the 7th Cylon, created by the final 5 Cylons that took humanoid form, but Cavil was jealous of the relationship his mother (Ellen) had with him and sabotages his genetic code and the Daniel line could not be continued into the BSG storyline. Time will tell.

Clarice initiates a phone call to a vulnerable and grieving Amanda. After hearing the Global Defense Department (GDD) took everything from Zoe’s room, Clarice claims to have some of Zoe’s books and offers to bring them over. Among these books is “Markowitz’s Math.” I wondered if this was a nod to Harry Markowitz? Markowitz chose to apply mathematics to the analysis of the stock market as the topic for his dissertation. Why is this funny, you may ask? I love Easter eggs like this. There is a book just out called “The Quants” by Scott Patterson that describes the people on Wall Street who used mathematics in the stock market and ultimately caused its collapse. Ron Moore likes to make politicial statements.

Joseph and Sam have a talk about what happened at the Vergis Corporation. Joseph is worried that the Guatrau will find out they stole from another Tauron. Sam is confident it cannot be traced back to him.

Tom and Daniel have lunch. Graystone Industries is going to need money and Tom offers 300 million cubits for Daniel’s beloved pyramid team the C-Bucks. I love the different camera angles they use in filming this scene. Cyrus wants Daniel to accept the offer, but Daniel thinks it is a trap.

Philomon, the lab technician who is falling in love with U-87/Avatar Zoe, is trying to find a date on the virtual dating site called Caprica V-Match. I love the details that are given about the young man. He is 5 feet 9 inches tall, an average build, blue eyes. He desires dating females and is age 27, from Qualai, Caprica. In our own world, Qualai in Kurdish translates into the word “castle.” Qualai is also named in BSG, pilot episode Hero, as the town in which William Adama (Willie in Caprica) grows up on Caprica. Philomon is the chief lab technician at Graystone Industries. He has had an impressive education: A BS in applied mathematics from Qualai University; a PhD in electrical engineering and mechanical engineering, an master of science in computer sciences (MSCS), a master’s degree in applied physics. His hobbies include applied robotics, quantum mechanics on a nuclear level and astrology. His favorite TV shows are Sarno and reruns of Gemenon monster movies. His favorite website is the Grand Library of Libran.

Poor Philomon has no matches. Out of 12 planets, not one woman is interested in him. No wonder he has fallen in love with a robot! While he is hitting on U-87/Avatar Zoe, Daniel interrupts the intimate moment. Philomon is embarrassed.

Disclaimer: WHR supports each person’s right to believe in a faith of their own choosing or for those who do not believe and their right to choose not to believe and respect them as well. This is delineated by analogy within the single effect of Caprica’s episode “Know Thy Enemy.” WHR is neither comparing nor stating one is “better than the others.” Quite the contrary. Our only editorial purposes is to analyze the religious elements that are represented in the Caprica episode.

At the shipping yards, we meet Barnabus. He is performing what looks like to be some variation of some kind of religious self-flagellation, but instead of whips we associate with Opus Dei from the movie, “The Da Vinci Code”, this is with barbed wire wrapped around his right arm. Flagellation (not applied to self but others) associated with religion goes back to the days of Greece (Dionysus cult) and Egypt (Isis cult). There are sects of the Catholic church in the Philippines and Latin America where self-flagellation is quite common. Also some members of strict monastic orders and, according to Opus Dei’s website, some members practice mild self-flagellation with an instrument that is a cattail whip usually made of knotted cords and is flung over the shoulders repeatedly during private prayer. In Islam, flagellation of others is used in certain cases under Islamic Sharia law (see Rasheed Abou-Alsamh, “Ruling Jolts Even Saudis, from the New York Times article 11/16/2007). While self-harm is forbidden in Islam, some sects of Shi’a Muslims found only in Iran and the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia perform self-flagellation on the Day of Ashura. The practice is frowned upon by Sunnis and other Muslims. Self-flagellation is even used by mystics and religious ecstatics as part of rituals and ceremonies to achieve unusual states of mind.

Clarice visits Apotheosis in the virtual world. The Conclave is supporting Barnabus. Apotheosis tells Clarice that God calls on us to display humility and place our trust in his emissaries. Clarice says Barnabus is just muscle for the Conclave, not an emissary. She pleads for more time to give them something better.

Clarice meets Serge and is perplexed at how to respond to the machine. Clarice tells him that is an awful name (Serge means “servant.”) Funny note: There is someone that exists in this world named “Serge Ribot” according to a directory of names. Could that be Serge the Robot in disguise who managed to find his way to Earth after the destruction of the colonies? Using Amanda’s grief and pain to bond with her, Clarice suggests they share a drink. A drunk Amanda then brings her to Zoe’s room and says they took everything. However, the dragonflies are still on the wall (See my review on Caprica: Rebirth to understand the hidden meaning). Not understanding the implications of what she is doing, the drunk Amanda allows Clarice into the lab to see some pictures that Zoe drew that were not taken because the GDD was not allowed in there.

In the lab, Clarice calls U-87 a “scary thing.” Amanda thinks it a “frakkin ugly monster.” U-87/Avatar Zoe shakes her head, obviously hurt. The wirelesss information-gathering device is planted. Amanda inquires if Zoe shared how much she hated Daniel’s work, but Clarice says no but says that Zoe did say she loved the house, growing up there and planting a garden. U-87/Avatar Zoe is nodding her head as if she remembers doing that. Amanda says it was the other house. Clarice embraces Amanda and Zoe looks worried.

Joseph asks Evelyn to find Heracles, telling her he is a witness for one of his cases. She returns with the details of the young man. Again, the writers do a fabulous job at creating a life for a character in a picture moment: According to his driver’s license, his real name is Tad Thorean, date of birth 6/4/27YR. He attends North Ridge High School. Evelyn admires Joseph’s new tattoo. They share looks of attraction. Perhaps this is the beginning of a future entanglement?

Barnabus meets Lacy Rand via Keon. Although impressed by her intelligence, he declines to help. When Lacy tries to persist at convincing him, Barnabus’ temper erupts. Scary moment for me as a viewer as I was not expecting that. Barnabus tells Keon to stop thinking with his “tarse” and perhaps Keon was feeling guilty about building the bomb Ben used that ultimately killed Zoe, Lacy’s friend. Keon says he did not know Ben was going to use it for that purpose. Barnabus tells Keon to find out what the cargo is.

U-87/Avatar Zoe goes to the computer and creates a virtual character called Rachel who responds to Philomon’s date search. Philomon is thrilled to see there was an inquiry and goes on his virtual date. He notices immediately that Rachel/Zoe looks like Zoe Graystone. Rachel/Zoe covers quickly with a clever reason why she disguises herself to look like the most hated girl in the 12 colonies. Philomon says that for all the bad things they say, Zoe Graystone had principles. Rachel/Zoe is beaming. It was fantastic to see Allesandra get to show off her exuberant and quirky personality. Love is in the air. I hope we get to see a lot more of Rachel/Zoe in the episodes ahead.

Tom Vergis goes on the Sarno show and takes some quips about a friendly rivalry. After the interview, Daniel thinks he knows what Tom is up to.

Back at the Graystone’s house, the view out the window looks familiar (it is the view from Baltar’s house in Battlestar Galactica). It makes me wonder if Baltar at some point in the future winds up buying the Graystone property. Daniel is having nightmares, imagining how the 2 people at the Vergis Corporation died. Daniel decides to refuse to sell the pyramid team to Tom and calls him out on his scheme to get the military contract back. Tom’s scheme is more insidious. “My dream is to tear up your dream.” Vergis forgives him for the stolen property, but the deaths must be repaid according to the Tauron code “blood for blood.” The two people who died were his children and Vergis shows Daniel the tattoo on his arm that represents them.

Daniel’s flashes of his nightmare return. He toasts to Daniel, “Until the debt is paid.” Tom thanks Daniel for the drink and leaves. Amongst the civility, war has just been declared on Daniel Graystone.

Until next week Caprica fans…Looks like an action-packed episode where Joseph enlists Heracle/Tad’s help in finding Tamara. I cannot wait.

PBMom

Welcome Back Caprica Fans!

Friday’s episode of Caprica was incredibly dense, packed full of information, character development and glimpses of the future. For the Adama family and the Graystone family, they are awakening from their grief states to see that while you will never “get over” the loss of a loved one, you learn to live life differently – life with another sky. For Tamara, another sky for her is finding out what her new role in life is.

As Caprica began, Joseph Adama is at one of the lowest points of depression, sleeping on the couch with the blankets pulled up over his head. Willie is not in school. Sam uses some tough love to wake him up: He has another child who still needs him. Sam pretends that he is taking Willie to school and walks out.

In the V-club, Tamara roams. Byun (actress Eve Harlow, Fringe) takes her to see Vesta (actress Camille Mitchell). Tamara has been told that Vesta can get her home. In a freaky game that resembles a hybrid game of spin the bottle and Russian roulette, the wheel spins. Once it stops, your virtual avatar picks up the virtual gun that stops in front of you. Everyone puts their respective virtual guns to their avatar’s head and pulls the trigger. The virtual gun with the virtual bullet will knock a participant out of the V-club and thus they become the loser.

Vesta tells Tamara to just take off her holoband, but Tamara responds that she cannot. With a quick draw, Vesta shoots Tamara, expecting to see her avatar de-res. Tamara has blood on her avatar’s body, but her wound heals. Vesta says that she is a “sleeper.” A sleeper is supposed to be a myth, someone who fell asleep with their holoband on and cannot wake up, like someone unconscious or in a coma. Her holoband has a time-out feature built into it, but Vesta surmises there must have been a malfunction. She can hack it and do a manual disconnect. There is always a price. Vesta wants Tamara to play a game.

Over at the Adama house, Joseph gets a call that Willie has been out sick for several days now. Joseph inquires exactly how long and is told the middle of last week (a story week for the character). Finding Willie at Sam’s business, there is an awkward moment between the three of them. Joseph tells Willie to come with him; Willie looks to Sam; Joseph sees that look; Sam motions his head to go with his father. Sam reminds Joseph of an old Tauron saying: “You lose something in the desert. Someone else finds it – it belongs to them. Permanent.” Joseph replies that he did not lose his son; Sam counters, “Then what are you doing here?”

Heracles (actor Richard Harmon, Fringe, Riese) takes Tamara’s avatar to a virtual Caprica that is totally lawless. It reminded me of being in a virtual replica of perhaps the video game Grand Theft Auto meets the movie Sin City. A dirigible hovers nearby, fighter planes detaching from it, which sprays bullets in their path on the fire escape. Heracles explains “New Cap City” to Tamara; it has all the new routines, even the one that features the Maglev train blowing up. Her memory is returning: “When MY Maglev train blew up.” If that is true, Heracles wonders how long she has been sleeping. What is the object of the game “New Cap City?” The object of the game IS the object of the game. He reassures her that the game is not real; it, however, feels very real to her.

Back to the Adama house, reality is setting in for Joseph. He finds pictures of his family. The mixture of joyful memories, mixed with pain at remembering those better times, and grief for what he no longer has rises in his face. Esai Morales did a fantastic job displaying this wide range of emotions.

Tamara and Heracles begin to play the game, going after a boss, Chiron (actor A. C. Peterson, Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis). Playing tag team, Tamara serves as the distraction, while Heracles uses his device to steal the details of Chiron’s avatar. Back at the hotel, Heracles uses the device to change his avatar to one that looks like Chiron. They are planning a virtual bank heist. In a personal moment, Heracles tells Tamara that the game allows him to be something. Tamara responds that perhaps if he was not in the virtual world playing the game, he could be something out in the real world, too.

Joseph tries to move forward to rebuild his life and takes Willie fishing. As any typical teenager seeking to make life miserable for those with whom he is angry, he gets that point across quite well. Looking on is a group of kids making fun of his Tauron heritage. Fed up, Willie throws a rock at his tormentor and starts punching him.

Cyrus at Graystone Industries tells Daniel he may be ousted from the board because of his decision on world-wide television to give away holoband licensure (60% of the company’s profits). When Daniel asks Cyrus if they have the votes, Cyrus walks away, giving Daniel his answer. Daniel goes home, but cannot sleep. He shares the bad news with Amanda. Amanda reminds him about the circumstances under which he got the job that started everything for them, when she was pregnant with Zoe.

The next morning at the board meeting, Cyrus and Pryah speak up on behalf of Daniel. In what has to be one of the BEST scenes so far in all of the episodes, Daniel seals the fate of humanity of the Twelve Colonies. With U-87/Avatar Zoe at his side, he walks in and declares that holobands are over. Hacked sites are eating up more and more of their market share each quarter and that is where the kids are going because it is free. The next generation will also expect it to be free. They cannot own it forever. Daniel says they can put all their resources into that sinking ship or they can look for the next big thing, the next leap forward that will “change the world.” Oh, Daniel, if you only knew. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. He says, “We either move into the future or die trying to hold on to the past.” I’m yelling at the screen at this point (in my head, of course, so as not to upset my family: Your future is death!”) U-87 is that future. Daniel asks U-87 to “make the circuit. Take a nice look at all…these…fine…folks.” As U-87 starts to make the rounds, not only is the board uneasy as this machine checks them out, but so am I. And the Emmy goes to….”U-87!”

Avatar Zoe pops into frame, just loving making faces at all the board members, just like a 16-year-old would.

Daniel continues to speak: “What is it thinking? Or feeling? THAT is the big leap forward. Beyond artificial intelligence. This is artificial sentience.” He says that he feels like there is a being in U-87, alive, vital and special. There are test results to prove it as well. Avatar Zoe looks so proud of her dad, but happy, I believe, that he acknowledges her existence on some level. “There is a brilliant mind in here.” She is beaming.

A board member asks, “What are the practical applications of something that costs so much.” Daniel replies, “What are the practical applications of creating another race to share our universe? A tireless worker who won’t need to be paid, won’t retire, or get sick. He won’t have rights or objections or complaints. It will do anything and everything we ask of it without question.” He commands U-87 to rip off its arm. At this point I am unsure if this is purposely done this way or if it was something not thought through. U-87 hesitates. He has to repeat the command a few times to U-87 before it happens. Avatar Zoe inside of U-87 does not want to do this. Why did Daniel not pick up on this hesitation? Did he just think the model was new and he had to repeat the command more than once? He said they would do everything without question, but the model was clearly not responding to the initial command. U-87 eventually rips off its arm and for emphasis throws it onto the conference table, a thud that issued the future death warrant on humanity. The move has secured Daniel his spot in Graystone Industries.

Back at the V-club, the virtual bank heist is on with Heracles using Chiron’s avatar. Tamara and Heracles figure out the code and open the vault. Virtual coins go flying in the air. Alarms sound; they’ve been caught. When the guards try to shoot, Tamara throws him to the ground, grips her palms hard and the guards’ avatars disappear. She is not quite sure how she did that. It reminded me a lot of The Matrix.

In my reviews, I have neglected to mention how wonderful the visual effects are in Caprica. The work they are doing on this show is incredible, so incredible that I often take for granted a lot of what I see is not real. I still find great irony that the technology is so advanced in some areas, like the V-club, yet they still have hard-wired phone lines, cars that resemble those in the 1950’s.

Willie and Joseph have a tense moment in the Adama house. Sam knocks on the door. He and Larry sit down with Joseph. What has he been teaching Willie, he asks? Only the things they were taught, Sam replies. Willie needs closure. Sam wants Joseph to perform the Tauron rites.

The Tauron ceremony was very beautiful. It reminded me loosely of sitting shiva after a person of the Jewish faith has been buried. Ideally all of the direct mourners sit shiva in the house of the deceased, for it says, “Where a person lived, there does his spirit continue to dwell.” Thus the presence of the person who has passed away is strongest in his own home. But one may sit shiva in any home. Particularly, a home of one of the direct mourners will be filled with the spirit of the loved one who is now gone. Memories will come easily there, and part of the comfort of the week of shiva is sharing such memories. The Adama household was more festive than shiva, however, so that is where the similarities ended. Performing the Tauron ritual was the ferryman (actor Ian Wallace, Stargate: The Ark of Truth, Sanctuary). Both Joseph and Willie offered up a coin for the passage of the souls of Shannon and Tamara Adama. Sam Adama stands behind the two, his shirt off, showing off the story of his life through his tattoos.

Note: Show Patrol aka Curt Wagner had a wonderful intensive with Jane Espenson who shared in great detail what every tattoo means. Please see Curts fine report by clicking his link above left or Curt’s Show Patrol avatar below:

The ferryman asks them, “Will you let them go? Joseph and Willie both respond yes. “They will live forever in peace and in their hearts.” The marking of this chapter in their life is inked into them; it might even be Joseph’s first tattoo since he is embracing his Tauron roots. A beautiful Tauron song is performed by a character listed as “Tauron Rites Singers” but is actress Patti Allan (Stargate SG-1).

At the V-club, Vesta asks Heracles and Tamara for the device. Tamara is a fast learner. First, Vesta is going to wake her up. Vesta says she has bad news for Tamara – Apparently she died in the Maglev bombing, but no worries, she has plans for Tamara in the virtual world. Tamara pulls out her virtual gun and sprays the place with bullets, making all the avatars, except for Vesta and Heracles, to res-out. Tamara begs Heracles to go to the address listed in the newspaper and get her father and to meet her in New Cap City. She walks over to Vesta. Vesta says, “What ARE you?” An angry Tamara responds, “I’m awake!” and the Vesta avatar leaves the virtual world.

With the Tauron Rites ceremony behind them, the Adama family is moving forward again until a knock at the door pulls Joseph back into the world of grief: Heracles tells him that Tamara is trapped in the V-club. When Joseph starts to question him, Heracles gets scared and runs away, leaving Joseph to know that his daughter’s avatar is somewhere in the virtual world but also knowing it would be like finding a needle in a haystack.

Back in New Cap City, Tamara has morphed from a frightened school girl into a virtual bad-ass tapped into her Tauron roots.

As she strolled down the street, it reminded me of the commanding presence of the human-like Cylon females (like Caprica Six) that eventually emerge in the remake of Battlestar Galactica: Confident, powerful, fearless.

PBMom