A/R Episode 4 "Act of Contrition"

Okay, I'm a day and an episode late, but I simply refuse to watch "Bastille Day" if I can help it. That episode may lay the foundation for a lot of things/conflicts to come in future episodes, but I still find it rather boring most of the time.

Obviously, "Act of contrition" is a very Kara-centric episode, so there are hardly and Laura or Bill scenes and no A/R scenes in it.
I like the focus on Kara. Her interaction with Bill both in the present and in the flashbacks provide a nice insight into how they both work and into their relationship. Obviously, Bill sees Kara as a daughter and she looks up to him like a father. Which makes her confession about Zak's death all the more painful for both parties, I imagine. In the scene where Bill tells her to "walk out of here while you still can", you just know that you never want to disappoint that man or have him mad at you, he's all controlled fury at that moment.

Other thoughts/observations:
- I love the 1000th landing tradition, it's a nice way to establish the crew as a family. I'm just sad that we never get to hear the end of the story about Bill's 1000th landing. Also, when
Kara's telling the story I get the feeling that she knows much more about Bill than Lee does, although she's known him far less long than Lee does.
- Bill is the master of pep talks. Are there classes at the academy like "pep talk for crew members 101"?
Although the "Give me your eyes" comment is rather disgusting if you take it literally
- Wasn't Zak supposed to be Lee's younger brother? In the photo during the funeral he looks older than Lee, imo.
- I also love the interaction between Laura and Cottle. The way he always calls her "young lady" never fails to make me smile, but I wonder how he would address someone of for instance
Cally's age, "girl"?
Cottle's bedside manners may s*ck, but he strikes me as a "gruff on the outside but marshmellow core" type of person.

Anyone else got any thoughts on this episode?

That "give me your eyes" reminds me of the scene in Robin Hood: Men in Tights when Robin tells all those bumbling idiots "give me your ears!" And they pluck off an ear and toss them up at him. Then Ah-Chooh's Malcolm X moment. Hehehehe.

Topic?

I loved Act of Contrition. I think they did hearken back to it in Sine Qua Non, where Bill may have been able to survive the loss of Kara (though probably never let go of the guilt of leaving her behind), I liked that it was Tigh (who actually helped Roslin get through to the Adama boys in AoC) who made Bill see he was endangering the Fleet, because Laura wasn't there to do it.

I like going back and seeing that no matter how far these characters come or where their journeys have taken them, some things do remain the same.


PMV

PMV wrote:That "give me your eyes" reminds me of the scene in Robin Hood: Men in Tights when Robin tells all those bumbling idiots "give me your ears!" And they pluck off an ear and toss them up at him. Then Ah-Chooh's Malcolm X moment. Hehehehe.

PMV wrote:
I loved Act of Contrition. I think they did hearken back to it in Sine Qua Non, where Bill may have been able to survive the loss of Kara (though probably never let go of the guilt of leaving her behind), I liked that it was Tigh (who actually helped Roslin get through to the Adama boys in AoC) who made Bill see he was endangering the Fleet, because Laura wasn't there to do it.

I like going back and seeing that no matter how far these characters come or where their journeys have taken them, some things do remain the same.

PMV

1. They did? I need to rewatch that episode!
2. I agree. It keeps the characters nicely consistent, imo.

Ok, i sort of watched Bastille Day and then maybe fell asleep just a little bit ....

ACT OF CONTRITION

Ok, i absolutely love the interactions between Adama and Kara in this episode. The "get out while you still can" comment sends a shiver down my spine all the time. The anger in his eyes and the (like Easter said) controlled fury in his voice really makes me glad i'm not Kara at that moment. I absolutely adore the 1,000th landing tradition and i constantly listen to the music to that on my BSG cd! So upbeat, compared to what comes next, eh?

Kara is definitely a daughter to Bill, and to be told that she played such a major part in his own sons death .... well, gotta love EJO and Katee Sackhoff's acting!!

I love Cottle in this episode with his "young lady"! He's a big, cigarette smoking, gruff teddybear!!

i can't wait to watch the next episode, where we get to see Laura and Tigh walking down the corridor with her "you have 3 minutes" comment (i love that comment!)

I agree Easter, the photo did make Zak look older!

PMV, long time no speak! i agree that this episode does have the same underlying story as Sine Qua Non, because in both episodes Adama needs a touchstone, something/someone to ground him. In Act of Contrition he had Laura, and in Sine Qua Non he had Tigh! The one thing i love about comparing the episodes is that Adama agreed to give up on Kara (albeit VERY reluctantly) but he risked his own life to go find Laura, he couldn't accept that she was gone and give up! He had the same advice to give up and not to put the fleet in jeopardy, but he didn't listen in s4. So, although the characters do stay the same, facing the same choices, it has shown that they have grown during the episodes. Adama is still not used to losing loved ones in Act Of Contrition (well he is, but ... i dunno i can;t explain what i mean) but by Sine Qua Non, he's just thinking "frak it!"

i really love Act Of Contrition! one of my favourite S1 episodes!! I love the Kara-centric part of it, aswell as the Adama interactions and rare but oh so good Laura moments!!

Finally, I can comment on some things! I just watched all of season one for the first time this weekend.

I loved the balance between Adama's reaction to Kara's confession about Zak's death, and Kara's return. Had Adama just said, "I'm angry and can't talk to you right now," the episode would have had little power. But his agony and anger made Kara read his reaction as meaning she was no longer his "daughter." When she, effectively, tried to commit suicide, he realized how important she was and how Zak's death had nearly destroyed her, too. His welcoming her back brought tears to my eyes. As much as I hated the 1,000th landing explosion, it's realistic of the sudden ups and downs of life on a ship. I'm really beginning to appreciate Kara; coming in at season four, I hadn't seen the development (of any of them, but her most of all).

arial wrote:Finally, I can comment on some things! I just watched all of season one for the first time this weekend.

I loved the balance between Adama's reaction to Kara's confession about Zak's death, and Kara's return. Had Adama just said, "I'm angry and can't talk to you right now," the episode would have had little power. But his agony and anger made Kara read his reaction as meaning she was no longer his "daughter." When she, effectively, tried to commit suicide, he realized how important she was and how Zak's death had nearly destroyed her, too. His welcoming her back brought tears to my eyes. As much as I hated the 1,000th landing explosion, it's realistic of the sudden ups and downs of life on a ship. I'm really beginning to appreciate Kara; coming in at season four, I hadn't seen the development (of any of them, but her most of all).

i definitely agree about the "no longer a daughter" comment and the fact that he realised just how much she really was a daughter to him. The 1,000th landing was harsh, bless them! Act Of Contrition is great for a cliffhanger i think, and i just love that Kara decides to take on all eight. She's thinking that she's destroyed her father/daughter relationship with Adama and so has nothing to lose. Gotta love Hotdog flying to her rescue! At first i was iffy about Hotdog but when i saw him trail after Kara, i was pleasantly surprised. I liked the flashbacks, they really gave a face and character to Zak!

That was really fascinating episode..... for its time. Now, after soo much episodes about Kara, I'm.... kind of indifferent..... But still I like her character in that episode more than what she has become in season 4...