Last week's Battlestar Galactica episode, "Faith," rocked the house. This whole season, though, has been incredible, delving into complex, challenging issues such as religion, mortality and politics. This is not TV lite, therefore I rarely watch it on Friday nights at 10 p.m., since by then my brain is fried from the previous week's work and I can't concentrate with the appropriate amount of attention.

So, after watching "Faith" on DVR delay, I have a few observations to share with you about this most recent episode of BSG. (Please note: No attempt at synopsis has been made; for a synopsis, go here. This post is pure critique and conjecture.)

1. Starbuck has a fan base in the BSG world, too.

When Jean Barolay (Alisen Down) volunteered to go with Starbuck, Anders and Athena to the Cylon base ship to talk to the Hybrid, Starbuck told her she wasn't looking for volunteers. Jean countered that yes, Starbuck had asked for volunteers back on the Galactica, that Starbuck had been a super-hot badass leader since forever, and Jean would like nothing less than to be ordered around by Kara "Lesbian Icon" Thrace. (OK, maybe I'm paraphrasing a little, but didn't Jean seem to have a little crush on Starbuck? Too bad that crush got her killed.)

Jean Barolay (Alisen Down) in Episode 3.11, "Rapture"

Photo credit: Sci Fi/Eike Schroter

2. Six kisses Six.

After the Six who accidentally killed Jean Barolay was shot by Natalie, she confessed to Natalie that she had not been able to deal with the trauma of being killed by Jean on New Caprica. Natalie called her "sister" and kissed her before she died. I saw this as a grand, poetic statement of blood calling to blood, as well as a reflection of the fact that each Cylon model is so closely linked — closer than family, even — to the others of their model. Here's hoping most folks didn't see it as gratuitous girl-on-girl action starring hottie Tricia Helfer in a fantasy twin lesbians scenario. … continue reading

You can always count on AfterEllen.com to keep you informed about Battlestar Galactica , especially now that the last season is at hand (April 4 at 10 p.m. EST on Sci Fi). Can I get an “oh, frak?”

You also can count on Malinda to share new BSG promotional photos when she finds them. If the women of Galactica don't make you squirm, get thee to the doctor.

Speculation about how the series will end is in high gear, even though we may not see the final 10 episodes until 2009. In an interview with Sci Fi Wire last week, Edward James Olmos (Admiral Adama) said the most appropriate finale for such an innovative show is for the whole crew to die. “If it's true to form, no one makes it,” he said. This Season 4 poster does little to dispel that notion.

And I may be reading too much into it, but this trailer certainly seems apocalyptic.

Are you looking forward to the return of Battlestar Galactica? If so, you might want to set your DVR for The Late Show With David Letterman tonight. Ten BSG stars will read the Top Ten list. Yes, that includes Katee Sackhoff, Mary McDonnell, Grace Park, Tricia Helfer and Lucy Lawless.

And if that's not enough to tide you over, there are BSG articles everywhere this week:

1. The Los Angeles Times previews the season in an article called "Battlestar Galactica gears up for a fight to the finish." It includes this choice quote:

"I think there will be closure for Starbuck," Sackhoff said. "But I can't see her happy, in love and with babies. She's the happiest when she's alone, feeling pain and stress. She's tremendously flawed, but out of everyone she's the most human."

2. The Chicago Tribune blog The Watcher has a season preview too, and notes that Joss Whedon wanted to direct a BSG episode but is too busy with Welcome to the Dollhouse. Bummer. … continue reading

Today NBC released a slew of brand-new promo photos for Season 4 (the last! sob!) of Battlestar Galactica, which premieres on Friday, April 4, at 10 p.m. ET on Sci Fi. Here's some eye candy for you:

Katee Sackhoff as Starbuck

Lucy Lawless as D'Anna Biers

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Wrap-up report on the 2008 Xena Convention in Burbank! To see all Xena Con posts, click here.

Another Xena: Warrior Princess convention is over -- this one was the 13th, and that's apparently Xena's lucky number, because from the opening day to the close, and including Lucy's two sold-out concerts on Friday and Saturday nights, it was a love-fest all around.

KT and I could pretend to you all that it was just another day at the office, but that would be a lie. We're fans. The upside of that is that we have a unique insight to share with you, but the downside is that apparently I turn to mush whenever I'm around Lucy and Renee. Fortunately, when I spoke to them backstage on Saturday, they helped me remain standing:

Before losing all power of speech, I interviewed Lucy and Renee for a forthcoming article on AfterEllen.com. I also spoke with X:WP writer and Army Wives writer/creator Katherine Fugate (who promised us an upcoming story arc featuring Renee as a lesbian). … continue reading

It's been nearly seven years since the final episode of Xena graced the airwaves. Apparently, Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert have experienced what one might consider to be a seven-year itch. Raimi recently inked a deal with Dinsey and ABC Studios to produce 22 episodes of a new fantasy series for syndication called Wizard's First Rule. The TV series will be based on Terry Goodkind's The Sword of Truth series of novels.

When Xena and Gabrielle faded to black in 2001, so did the heyday of first-run fantasy shows in syndication. And since my favorite warrior took her leave, I've been not-so-patiently waiting for my next chance to see such exploits each and every week. Naturally, upon hearing of this series and the two men who will produce it, I began having flashbacks to happier TV times.

I know absolutely nothing about Terry Goodkind and his little book series, so I did some surfing to learn about what I might get to see when this new endeavor reaches the air. Naturally, I was hoping for a warrior woman with a fiesty female sidekick, but I was not deluded enough to believe that I would be that lucky. … continue reading

More live-blogging of the Xena Convention in Burbank! To see all Xena Con posts, click here.

It's the third and final day of the convention. I've just updated yesterday's entry about Lucy and Renee's appearance with photos, here.

I missed Steven Sears' second appearance -- but I had a good reason which I"ll get to later. Right now, it's time for Zoe Bell!

For those who don't know her, she was Lucy Lawless' stunt double, as well as Uma Thurman's in "Kill Bill." She's doubled for Sharon Stone and did some of the stuntwork in "Catwoman," and was featured in a documentary about her, "Double Dare." She'll also be acting and doing her own stunts in the upcoming season of "Lost." … continue reading

More live-blogging of the Xena Convention in Burbank! To see all Xena Con posts, click here.

Lucy Lawless gave her second in a weekend of sold-out concerts at LA's Roxy Theater last night. She sang the same set of rock favorites with some country flavoring thrown in, and goofed around with Xena co-star Renee O'Connor after a repeat of their duet on "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around."

Lucy jazzed things up a bit Saturday with a pair of glitter chaps. Lucy in chaps is one of the seven wonders of my personal world, so it was worth the trek to Hollywood in one of the worst rainstorms in recent Southern California memory, even without another of the wonders of the world: Renee O'Connor. Dancing in a purple suede fringed dress. … continue reading

More live-blogging of the Xena Convention in Burbank! To see all Xena Con posts, click here.

We're back at Day 2 of the convention with XWP producers R. J. Stewart and out lesbian Liz Friedman, both wearing WGA pins -- Liz is a strike captain.

I was backstage talking to Lucy and Renee -- reports to come, and photos -- during Ted Raimi's appearance, so no Joxer fix. Sorry. I also missed the very beginning of R. J. and Liz, although I understand he took some heat over Xena's death at the end of the series.

Jumping right in with a question asked of Liz about lesbian TV today:

"I can't stop walking the L Word, but it's awful. It's the worst written show on TV. It's not a good show. And Cashmere Mafia, they suckered us in with the pilot, but by episode three she's flirting with guys again." … continue reading

More live-blogging of the Xena Convention in Burbank! To see all Xena Con posts, click here.

The crowd is getting warmed up by an auction of memorabilia... although the crowd's actually maybe a little bit hot already. Thirty minutes until Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor take the stage. … continue reading

More live-blogging of the Xena Convention in Burbank! To see all Xena Con posts, click here.

Lucy Lawless made her fans very very happy last night at a packed concert at LA's legendary Roxy. She sang an eclectic set of rock-tinged favorites, with a smaller band and a more intimate vibe than last year's more razzle-dazzle, post-Celebrity Duets show.

And she made them -- oh, who am I kidding, she made us -- more than happy when Xena co-star Renee O'Connor came out on stage to sing a duet of Stevie Nicks/Tom Petty rocker "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around." … continue reading

Live-blogging the Xena Convention in Burbank! To see all Xena Con posts, click here.

Burbank, CA is the unofficial headquarters of the Lesbian Nation this weekend -- and the site of the official 13th Annual Xena: Warrior Princess Convention, which begins at 12:20 PM Pacific Time this afternoon.

Today we've got: … continue reading

Because Warrior Princesses never die, AfterEllen.com is going to the Xena: Warrior Princess convention in Burbank, CA this weekend.

I covered it last year, and interviewed lesbian icons and Hot 100 hotties Lucy Lawless (Xena) and Renee O'Connor (Gabrielle). I also live-blogged the entire convention on my own blog, and one day looked up from my little laptop in the convention hall to find that 10,000 Xena fans had dropped by to follow along.

In recognition of the undying Xena love, AfterEllen.com's going to let me live-blog it here this year — and yes, I'll also be interviewing Lucy and Renee, and yes, I'll have photographer KT Jorgensen with me. We'll be taking photos, interviewing fans, and hopefully getting a chance to talk to some of the creative folks behind the show about issues near and dear to our hearts. We'll also be at Lucy's sold-out concerts at Hollywood's legendary Roxy Theater, but alas — no wireless there. We'll recap it after the fact, instead.

Live-blogging will start here on the AfterEllen.com blog on Friday morning, January 25 and run through the afternoon of Sunday, January 27. If you have questions for any of the guests, feel free to post them in the comments section and if I get a chance, I'll ask them for you.

I've also told Lucy and Renee I'll be doing this, so who knows? Maybe I can get them to drop by, too.

And if you're going to be in Burbank, come say hi! I'll be the tall one with the laptop. … continue reading

If you follow the phenomenon that is the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica (and yes, you should), you’ll know that a special two-hour episode aptly named Razor is showing on the Sci Fi Channel next week. Razor focuses on the backstory of the battlestar Pegasus and one Lt. Kendra Shaw (Stephanie Chaves-Jacobsen), a young officer linked closely to Admiral Cain (Michelle Forbes) and essential to events leading up to season three.

I had the pleasure of attending one of the advanced screenings of Razor that Microsoft has so graciously (and so ostentatiously) sponsored, so after sitting through about 12 ads for the Xbox 360, I was presented with two hours of pure, sweet BSG adrenaline. No spoilers here, but if you have any interest in spaceships, guns, women in power and/or gratuitous amounts of Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff), you should check it out when it airs on November 24.

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