"Battlestar Galactica" Sometimes a Great Notion (TV Episode 2009) Poster

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10/10
What next?
gritfrombray-118 January 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Waited patiently for this follow up to a stunning season mid break. As the alliance stand on a scorched Earth we get treated to more and more questions than were answered. The sets are truly stunning for this show. What happens is very confusing as is Tyrol's experience and will leave you reeling! Edward Olmos is stunning and carries the weight of the fleet and it's misfortunes. Michael Hogan is awesome and puts in a hell of a performance. Shock after shock comes in this. So get ready, for a real blast. The show has never been stronger. Are they actually on Earth? I wonder. I for one will be waiting with baited breath for a new episode every week...
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10/10
A new perspective on an old episode
A_Different_Drummer20 February 2015
This review written 2015.

Were I writing this review in a vacuum, I would simply say it is nothing less than brilliant; I have never seen so many stellar performances in such a compressed space; anyone (foolishingly) tuning in without having seen the earlier part of the series might think they accidentally stumbled on a strange version of Masterpiece Theatre, lacking only British accents; the core theme of the story is a stark reminder how "hope" is more than a 4-letter word, it is an essential part of being human and, if you take it away, bad things follow; and I was generally gob-smacked by this episode since by this late stage in Season 4 I thought the writers were winding down, not winding up.

However, a funny thing happened on the way to this review. I looked at some of the other reviews and found that some IMDb members were actually annoyed at the new twists and turns in the story.

Which provides a segue to a theme that I am using in many recent reviews of 2015 TV (and God Only Knows in what year YOU will be reading this).

The new direction of TV writing is surprise. This is a relatively new development and I think a good one. Congrats to the BSG writing team who were clearly ahead of the curve when they bullpenned this episode.
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9/10
A bleak beginning to the final half-series
Tweekums8 February 2012
Warning: Spoilers
After a long mid-season break due to a writers' strike we finally learn about Earth. Surveys of the planet show that it is dead; everything killed in a nuclear way two thousand years previously. There are bigger surprises to come though, much bigger; analysis of bones show that the population was entirely Cylon and when Starbuck and Leoben search for the source of the colonial signal they make a startling and perplexing discovery that leaves even Leoben lost for words. With the dream of Earth lost fleet moral plummets and in one shocking scene a character who has been with the show since the mini-series commits suicide. Even the Cylons seem depressed with D'Anna opting to stay behind and die on Earth rather then in the cold darkness of space and the four known members of the Final Five having flashbacks to the time long ago when they were on Earth at the moment of its destruction.

I had been expecting more answers than questions as the series approached its ultimate conclusion; instead unexpected questions are raised... how did five Cylons from Earth get to the Twelve Colonies and why do they know nothing of it? Just what is Starbuck? And where will the fleet go now that they know there is no Thirteenth Tribe waiting for them? I thought the bleakness of this episode was fantastic; even the way the scenes on Earth were filmed, with the colour slightly washed out, added to the bleakness and sense of desolation. The acting was as good as I've come to expect from the series; I especially liked the confrontational scene between Edward James Olmos and Michael Hogan as Adama and Tigh. If the rest of the episodes are anywhere near as good as this viewers are in for a treat.
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8/10
The harried survivors find their faith put to the test in this beautiful yet bleak storyline
huntleyrussell-565-3581929 October 2009
Warning: Spoilers
The makers of Battlestar Galactica have always been experts at mind-blowing plot twists which alter the very fragile and limited moments of normal order in the fleet, but the revelation of the charred & nuked remains of scorched Earth may turn out to be the greatest test of faith the human survivors have ever faced. If anything has been a constant within the show, it has been the undying faith and hope in the existence of Earth, the home of the mythical Thirteenth Tribe of Kobol, as the one shining light piercing through the dark & hostile atmosphere of endless trials & tribulations. Now, the remaining 39,000 survivors of a once prosperous society have found their travails were all for naught, and a thick fog of despair hangs in the air over the disturbing revelations. Even more frustrating is the perplexing mystery of Earth itself. The discovery of some unusual Cylon remains on the planet raise more questions than answers over who, or what, the 13th Tribe really was.

It proves to be too much. Upon their return to Galactica, Roslin and Adama face a hanger deck full of hopeful crew mates, anxious to hear the news of their mythical refuge. Normally, the steely-eyed Roslin never shies from a moment to step up to a challenge, but here she can only shake her head subtly, frozen with the prospect of destroying the last bastion of hope for the weary travelers. "Get me out of here," she mutters to Adama, and the place is in uproar with anxious questions, only to find their beloved leaders retreat into a dark depression.

The visuals of lost hope are powerful and stunning, anchored by the consistently solid score of Bear McCreary. Ponderous & discordant variations on the once soaring themes of the show echo the fear of the unknown displayed through the tense interactions of the characters. All of the answers they seek reveal more frustrating questions. The mood is emotionally provocative and wears very heavily. The crisis of faith, the loss of social order, the gray bleakness of Earth's nuked skies all paint a vivid and beautiful portrait of the collapse of the human spirit, but it takes its toll through watching it unfold. Perhaps this is more to the show's credit that it evokes so powerfully the very emotions it portrays on screen, but for viewers it amounts to being stabbed in the heart a thousand times, or as Ronald D. Moore puts it, an emotional sucker punch.

Some of the storyline feels clumsy and forced. Bill Adama's confrontation of his friend and ex-o, newly discovered Cylon Saul Tigh, falls for all of the usual clichés associated with depression in Battlestar Galactica. The Admiral snags a sidearm from a guard and drops in uninvited with a bottle of booze. Pouring enough to kill a small horse, Adama tosses the weapon on the table and barks, "Sit down, Cylon!" at the somewhat bewildered Tigh. The scene stands well enough on the outstanding acting talents of Edward James Olmos (Adama) and Michael Hogan, but the dialogue sounds crude and forced, a bit clumsy considering the show's typically high standards. Those standards certainly were not applied to revealing the identity of the final Cylon, tacked on to the last five minutes like an extra edition of the news. It comes in so unexpectedly, it feels as though the writers did it by accident. Nothing frustrates more with this show than the flubbing of key plot points, especially considering the hype many of these revelations get through the constant repetition throughout the show. In going for the surprise, the scene skipped creating the appropriate tension to buildup to the revelation, which is why it comes off as flat and uninspired.

Despite its flaws, Sometimes a Great Notion gracefully probes the ends of the human spirit, seeking an answer to the greatest tests of faith.

Highs: Provocative & powerful imagery reflected through McCreary's musical variations; post-apocalypse is where Battlestar lives; emotionally gripping

Lows: Emotionally exhausting; frustrating revelations only raise more questions; clumsy & forced in places; one-dimensional character presentation.

The Verdict: Powerful, relentlessly dark probe of the human spirit
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Hope
UNOhwen3 October 2015
In the beginning of each episode of Battlestar Galactica, we begin with 'previously, on Battlestar Galactica.'

Most of the times, the clips shown are from the previous episode, but, this is not always the case,many this episode's one of them.

The focal point of this episode's 'previous' clips are on 'Dee,' who, though she's been along for the entire ride, her role - whilst quiet, in comparison, contains much gravitas, because, Dee is our representative for the fleet's citizens, by-and-large.

She is WHAT this whole, painful trip is about, and WHO it ultimately will,fulfill their hope.

In Dee's position, as the CIC's lieutenant who handles most fleet communications, as well as for the Admiral, she IS the 'nerve centre,' and in Dee's previous time of voicing the concerns and hopes, she spoke to both the Admiral, and to (her then-husband) Lee, who was serving as the commander of Pegasus, and she told both of these men that THEY are the fleet's 'light,' - the beacons, and they needed to fulfill their positions, as such, so as to enable all of the fleet to have their hope, as well.

In a very real sense, the crux of this episode is Dee's life.

She has always been - as even she herself, once pointed out to the Admiral - 'quiet,' but, sometimes, it's the quietest, who 'speaks the oldest,' and Dee does, here, in Sometimes A Great Notion.

In this episode, we do finally get to the earth, prophesied by Pythia, and, what we find is a devasted, radiation-filled, toxic wasteland.

Who the 13th tribe were, and why Earth is as decimated as it is, brings very clearly to mind the saying, in all it's permutations throughout it The series' run; 'all of this has happened before, and it will happen again.'

We learn that, no matter how far away from home one runs, the problems go with them.

It also reminds us that no matter how far one goes, problems are the same all over, and, in this case, so we're the results.

We've all had our hopes dashed, at some point during our lives, and, depending on the situation, the disappointment can be deeply profound, devastatingly upsetting.

But, the question here, is in light of the disappointment the members of the (combined, now) fleet has felt, how much more hurt can one sustain, if they even can?

One reviewer, who understood this episode, beautifully, is a different drummer.

They said how important hope is to the very idea of being human, and when it's taken - or, as during this episode, ripped violently away, can one even go on?

In another's review (written during the series' original run) - I chuckled over their Because, even thought they believe themselves to be 'smart,' (as well as having loved the series, early on), they're lost, and felt it the show's creators fault, for just adding more questions, without answering any of those originally asked,

I watched Battlestar Galactica, then, as well, but, I am not put off by this, as life doesn't come with a book of answers.

While I know that, ultimately, answers are forthcoming, and as BSG now heads into it's last episodes, things will get darker, before the light, and, even then, it's through hope and conviction, it disappoints me whenever I read how people felt 'cheated' when things aren't clearly spelt out to them, as happened with the final scene of the final episode of The Sopranos.

Instead of understanding the writers' saying 'use your brains,' these half-wits I are disappointed.

If you fall into this 2nd group, then not only is Galactica not for you, but, many of the best films, TV shows, books, aren't as well.

I hope you're the first type, the type who likes to be challenged, because you'll find life to be so much more rewarding, as is Battlestar Galactica.
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8/10
Frak
Jackbv12331 August 2018
Warning: Spoilers
This was a heck of a symbolic event. It was set up brilliantly , and the one one senseless event perfectly captures the situation. She was happy. I think she said she was as happy as she'd been since New Caprica. And it only took one second to end her struggle. I was shocked, even after seeing it once before, even when I knew it was coming. It reminds me of killing Kate on NCIS.

Was this one of the early shows that started torturing (whether mentally or physically) and killing all the best people and leaving behind the morally questionable, or worse? Dee was, in my mind, the most admirable person on the show. And Cally, despite some of her prejudices and slowness, was right behind Dee. The main "heroes" certainly aren't admirable. Despite the fact that the fleet needed people to make the difficult, and often immoral decisions, these "heroes" are ruthless.

This series continues to be one that raises difficult social issues, and accurately reveals the human condition.
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10/10
In retrospect
prjct-640807 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I watched this year's ago when the DVD first came out and didn't take the time to appreciate it then. This rewatch has allowed me to appreciate many moments in the series that I blew past in my first watch through because I needed frakking answers. As I view 12 years later, my gods the acting was on point in this episode! The set up for how I know this last half of the final season ends is great. I was already upset over the death of Dee before I got through the cold open because I knew it was coming. This episode is brutal and about picking yourself when expectations fall short. I loved every second of it and wish I had taken the time to really enjoy it the first time.
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6/10
Confused like some others
shwestyler31 March 2009
Warning: Spoilers
I agree with the comments of some others in that it feels like the writers have lost their way with season's 3 and 4 of this series.

What was a nicely paced and well based plot for seasons 1+2 has now morphed into something almost directionless.

Some questions from this episode include the finding that the bones buried on 'Earth' are cyclon? What are cyclon bones, and how are they different from human bones for any of the human cyclon models? The whole plot backbone of cyclons being machines seems to be getting lost, and there is little left to distinguish them from humans.

Furthermore, time seems to be running out for answering so many of the other teething questions - the backgrounds of the final five in relation to their lives on Earth, Starbuck's role in 'leading everyone to their doom', the role of the new cyclon/human child (how it was born in the first place when cyclons are not human is another question), why the cylon's attacked the 12 colonies in the first place, the outcome of the inter-cyclon war, some closure on gauis baltar and his strange place amongst both humans and cyclons... etc etc. the list goes on.

I know more episodes after this one have been released, and I have yet to see them, but I fail to see how so many loose ends can be tied up without the quality of the overall story suffering.
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6/10
I really don't know...
sarastro718 January 2009
Warning: Spoilers
I was a huge fan of this show in the first couple of seasons, but it seems to have lost its direction. It seems like the writers are just making it up as they go along, and have lost sight of the original plan. The story is getting more and more convoluted and unclear. Now the humans have allied themselves with the Cylons, but you'd think they'd ask them why they bombed the twelve colonies originally, but they don't. You'd think the Cylons themselves would know why, but they don't seem to. The Cylon plan, mentioned in the intro to every episode, seems to be gone; they have become as confused as the humans and even split up into two factions. The Cylons, who have created the human-looking twelve models, didn't know who the remaining ones were? How could they not know? And if they are as confused as they seem, there's STILL no explanation for why they bombed the twelve colonies to begin with!!

And now this latest episode opens up another dozen questions without supplying any answers. What do they mean the bones of the people found on Earth (and hence the 13th tribe) were all Cylon??? Can these people even distinguish humans and human-looking Cylons properly? So, are all humans Cylons, or did the Cylons copy all the original Terran humans?

I like to think I'm pretty smart, but this is getting ridiculously confusing and silly. Unless some real answers start arriving very soon - some pretty effing damn GOOD answers - this show is becoming a disappointment of historic proportions.

Get your act together, people!!
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6/10
Lost in the Wilderness
deanofrpps29 January 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Battle Star Gallactica reached its apex in OCCUPATION and EXODUS and COLLABORATORS in season three with a reprise in RAZOR that many fans failed to appreciate. Here as the long awaited new season dawn, the path of the script has become lost in the wilderness as if the writers lost direction.

I agree with other commentators that there is not an adequate explanation for the rebellion among the Cylons. Do some Cylons think of themselves as human? On the other hand the series does show the frosty reaction rebel Cylons might receive. Richard Hatch playing the ever manipulative VP Tom Zarek adds a degree of strength and credibility to the conflict. But the human's and their newly found Cylon allies have reached a devastated earth unsuitable for colonization. Where shall they go? Mary McDonnell as Her Presidency Laura Roslin suffering from terminal cancer tosses her medications along with The Book of Pythias, the testament that has guided humans thus far.

Donnelly Rhodes as the chain smoking Dr. Cottle lends some grim comic relief as he chain smokes away during Her Presidency's treatments. However this vignette which has recurred throughout the series underlines one of the flaws in the basic premises: Where is Dr Cottle getting cigarettes from? Indeed even assuming the Colonists rushing from New Caprica and visiting Kobolt managed to lade some groceries, supplies would be short. A non-essential such as cigarettes might not be readily available. The uniforms even of the elite Colonial Marines ought to be getting raggy and the manipulative Zarek ought to be capitalising on privations and sacrifices that are necessary.

I gave this a firm six. The concept of lost in the wilderness lies at the heart of our earliest literary masterpieces such as the Bible, but the execution of that theme did not meet the level of Battle Star Gallactica's stunning episodes Occupation & Exodus.
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