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

Last week on the premiere of the fourth (and last) season of Battlestar Galactica, we learned some interesting things:

• Starbuck is alive! Or is she?
• Rookie pilot Sam Anders, Starbuck's husband, who has also just found out that he's a Cylon, can stop an entire Cylon attack with just a glimmer of his mechanical eye! Or can he?
• Gaius Baltar can save dying children by praying to God! Or can he?
• Starbuck knows the way to Earth! Or does she?

Even if the premiere raised more questions than answers, I was pretty psyched by the episode. And tonight's episode, "Six of One," promises that "all will be revealed." Those who have a free lunch hour can even watch the episode online at noon ET and get a jump on the rest of us.

Meanwhile, here are some photos from tonight's episode, along with my totally uninformed speculation about what they might mean. First up, Lee "Apollo" Adama is still in civvies but is saluting like a military man.

Photo credit: Carole Segal/Sci Fi

Then there's this photo, in which he looks like he's thanking the president for something — maybe it involves that job he mentioned last episode. … continue reading

If you've been anywhere online lately, you have probably encountered what seem like unending commercials and promotions for tonight's premiere of Season 4 of Battlestar Galactica. I don't blame the show's producers for the overkill — the show is critically acclaimed and has a ravenous fan base, but has never been a huge ratings blockbuster. Hopefully people who tune in tonight after the barrage of advertising won't be completely confused by what has happened in the previous three seasons of BSG and will return for more.

Anyway, I digress. I could deliver my theories about what might happen this season, but thelinster already did that on Monday. So instead, I'll just give you some eye candy to whet your appetite. First up are some stills from tonight's episode, "He That Believeth in Me." They've been out for a couple of weeks, but they may still be new to you:

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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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Ever wondered what people with really high IQs do in their spare time? Neither have I. Well, OK, I have wondered what some of them do. To the point of distraction, in fact.

But whether you wanted to know or not, Fancast reports that MENSA chairman Jim Werdell watches about 10 hours of television every day. (The average American watches four and a half hours.) And apparently, the combination of high IQ and television addiction makes Werdell qualified to list the 10 smartest TV shows of all time.

I won't argue with No. 1, simply because my daddy's favorite television show was M*A*S*H and he was smart. That's good enough for me.

I'll also concede that Frasier, All in the Family and West Wing deserve spots on the list. (Dang, how much do you miss C.J.?) … continue reading

Somebody notify the Tin Man: the Wizard finally has a real heart available for his use. As I'm sure at least some of you have heard by now, researchers at the University of Minnesota have managed to grow a living, beating heart in the laboratory. Granted, it was a rat's heart that they grew in that little jar, but you can imagine the implications and the possibilities.

Being the slightly off-center kind of person that I am, my mind immediately wandered to the land of make-believe. I began wondering what might happen if some of the fictional creations I see parading around on the not-so-small screen in my living room were granted new hearts. I mean, if we can grow the things in jars now, why not see what happens when we actually transplant them, right? So, for your amusement as well as mine, here is my list of fictional folk who could do with a newly grown heart.

Before I begin, let me share my little rules for this endeavor. First, I'm not giving new hearts to the characters I relish because they have no heart, like Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada. Second, I am also not giving new hearts to the folks whose twisted, flawed little hearts are what make them so interesting, like Grace Hanadarko in Saving Grace. Instead, I'm giving hearts to the heartless wenches I don't love to hate, the poor souls whose broken hearts need mending and the characters who might find life a bit more tricky if they knew what having a human heart actually felt like.

Let me begin with a real woman who's had enough plastic surgery to qualify as fictional in my world.

Omarosa has been giving acting lessons to Terrell Owens on how to throw effective crying fits for the cameras. I've never been a fan of The Apprentice or the Donald, but I actually cheered when she got fired the first time around. How she qualifies as a celebrity I'll never know, but I guess they needed someone to stir the pot anew.

Earlier today the linster was kind enough to point out to me the delicious idea that Jenny Schecter may in fact have a rat's heart rather than a human one. … continue reading

Ever play a game of telephone as a child? What starts out as "Katee Sackhoff is frakking hot" somehow becomes something like "my kids are smoking pot."

Apparently, we adults are not immune to such childish pastimes. Last week, reports began circulating that Katee Sackhoff had been loudly distancing herself from not only Bionic Woman (not that I blame her), but also Michelle Ryan. One blogger reportedly attended a recent sci-fi convention at which Sackhoff spoke publicly about both Battlestar Galactica and Bionic Woman, and has insinuated that Sackhoff said some not-so-nice things about both the show and Ryan.

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First, I want to admit that I have yet to see BSG: Razor. It's been recorded and is waiting patiently for me to find a few hours of spare time. See, I'm what you might call overly analytical. I can't just watch it and be done with it. I'll have to watch it, re-watch it, analyze it against the first three seasons, and likely watch it two or three more times just to be sure I didn't miss any of the important details.

That being said, the fact that the series sidebar is awaiting my perusal has me wondering when we'll start seeing season 4. This naturally leads to questions of what the season will bring, when it finally arrives. The answer, unfortunately, is greatly affected by the ongoing writers' strike. … continue reading

FHM has an interesting list of what they consider the 10 best female movie villains. They also have some disturbing, yet fun, video clips to go along with their choices. And it got me thinking: What exactly makes a villainess a grand dame in the baddie world? So here's my take on the qualities that make a villain truly great.

1. The hotness factor

OK, I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I can get swept up by a villain just because she's hot. I'm not alone: Malinda has her own list of baddies who are also hotties. Both Malinda and FHM include the likes of Catherine Tramell (Basic Instinct) and Catwoman as played by Michelle Pfieffer. O-Ren Ishii makes the FHM list and mine as well. I'd also like to suggest two more recent villains to add to the "hot" list: Sarah Corvus and Caprica Six (Battlestar Galactica).

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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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I've spent the last several days reviewing the trials and tribulations of a certain group of humans as they trek toward Earth. I think watching Katee Sackhoff calling timeouts in Bionic Woman has made me long for more Starbuck. Well, that and rereading some of Malinda's blogs.

I was a latecomer to the Battlestar Galactica bandwagon and spent most of season 3 catching up on seasons 1 and 2. And now that I've finally caught up with the rest of the BSG world, I'm sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the return of the cylons. OK, to be honest, I'm waiting for the return of three particular cyclons. … continue reading