BSG – Four More Days Until It’s Frakkin’ Friday

Well, I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for this week to be over. Oh, sure I know it’s only Monday and no, this has nothing to do with that, though I’m sure the picture above might have some of you thinking otherwise (I’ll admit the picture does a pretty good job conjuring up the Monday morning trudge back to work). No, as some of you may have already figured out from that very picture above, this is more a case of mind frak withdrawal, a condition I’m hoping will be alleviated when BSG returns to the air this Friday with the final 10 episodes of the series. Ah, now it all makes sense right?

As I wrote in my review of the mid-season BSG finale “Revelations”, I loved the episode right until those last 10 minutes leading up to the scene shown above. At that point, I had less of a mind frak and more of a stomach ache like one would get eating rancid cheese (not sure why anyone would do that, but I figure the analogy makes the point rather well). But with 10 episodes left – and more importantly, no need to worry about obtaining high network ratings to ensure another season is green-lit – I’m feeling fairly optimistic that we’ll see more of the writing and character drama that we got in those first 45 minutes of “Revelations” since Moore and Eick can just go for broke in this final stretch.

Granted, it’s going to be a bittersweet affair when the series resumes in five days as it signals the end of what is without question one of the best science-fiction TV shows ever. Given the almost barren nature of intelligent, adult drama fare on television these days, it will be disappointing to have one less TV show to look forward to and passionately discuss with fellow admirers of the work. However, as is the case with a well-planned and executed five-course meal, at the end you appreciate the dinner meal in its entirety with a sense of satisfaction and delight as well as being grateful that you were able to be a part of the experience. Indeed, I think that analogy is how I would best describe BSG – it started off incredibly well with a wonderful selection of hors d’oeuvres (Season 1), followed by a well-tossed salad with a dressing that gave some tangy bite at the end (Season 2). Unfortunately, the next dish gave mixed results, not quite cleansing the palate of the previous course’s savouriness and as such, it left me a little wanting (Season 3). However, there was a sense of anticipation that grew for the main course and for the most part, it delivered, though the after-taste was a bit disappointing (Season 4 – first 12 episodes). But now we wait for the final course, the dessert. And as with any meal, desserts are always the most eagerly anticipated and it doesn’t always satisfy everyone’s tastes – some love chocolate, some don’t; some want cake, others prefer pie and so forth. It should be interesting to see what kind of dessert Moore and Eick serve us up starting this Friday to complete the elaborate feast they have provided us over these last few years.

Of course, the interesting irony in the series ending now is its timing. With the current economic downturn, many Hollywood studios are now starting to scale back or even bench works with high expenditures. While BSG may be filmed in Canada, the costs of making this series are still substantial and as such, if we were to get another season, I would imagine it would have to be scaled back for it to remain lucrative for both the studio and the network. From that vantage point, having the series end now is a fortuitous break for both the series creators and BSG fans in that we know we have the opportunity to see the show end on a creative and visual high.

In the meantime, until we get that regular BSG fix again this upcoming Friday, I’m going to rely on my new motivational poster to help me get through the next 5 days -

Ah frak. It doesn’t work.

Some other posts you may enjoy:

1. BSG “Sometimes A Great Notion” – Honey, I’m Home
2. BSG “Revelations” – We’re Off To See The Wizard
3. BSG “No Exit” – Time To Accept What We Are
4. BSG “Someone To Watch Over Me” – A Return to the Well Executed and Balanced Meal
5. BSG “A Disquiet Follows My Soul” – Paging Howard Beale
6. BSG “Blood on the Scales” – Off Bloody Spot, Off

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