Tagged: Mark Verheiden

Welcome to the latest installment of Battlestar Galactica Weekly, our recurring Q&A with Mark Verheiden, co-executive producer of the hit Sci-Fi Channel series Battlestar Galactica. Each week, we’ll interview Verheiden about the events of the week’s episode, what those events might mean for both the season and the series, and hopefully unearth some clues about what to expect as the final season of Battlestar Galactica nears its conclusion.

Along with posing our own questions to Verheiden, we’re also taking questions from fans — so be sure to send your questions to me, your official BSG Weekly interviewer, after each episode airs at chris [at] comicmix [dot] com. New episodes of Battlestar Galactica can be seen every Friday at 10 PM EST on Sci-Fi Channel. You can read previous interviews via our BSG Weekly Archive or the links at the end of this article.

This week, Mark is answering questions about Episode #10 of Season Four, “Revelations,” which aired June 13, 2008 and is BSG’s mid-season finale. Note: These answers may contain spoilers, so read at your own risk.

COMICMIX (from reader Erica): Is it true that the online streamed version of the episode is longer than the one that aired on Sci-Fi?

MARK VERHEIDEN: As usual, I have to plead ignorance, I simply don’t know, and guess whose TiVo went to the wrong channel when the episode actually aired Friday night?  I’m sure the eagle-eyes in the audience will let us know soon enough!

CMix (from reader Erica): Are we to assume that, in the show’s final shot on Earth, that is Caprica Six who walks up to Tigh and reaches for him?  Was she freed from the brig as part of the amnesty policy Lee announced?

MV: That is Caprica Six and yes, Lee’s amnesty encompassed her as well. (more…)

Welcome to the latest installment of Battlestar Galactica Weekly, our recurring Q&A with Mark Verheiden, co-executive producer of the hit Sci-Fi Channel series Battlestar Galactica. Each week, we’ll interview Verheiden about the events of the week’s episode, what those events might mean for both the season and the series, and hopefully unearth some clues about what to expect as the final season of Battlestar Galactica nears its conclusion.

Along with posing our own questions to Verheiden, we’re also taking questions from fans — so be sure to send your questions to me, your official BSG Weekly interviewer, after each episode airs at chris [at] comicmix dot com. New episodes of Battlestar Galactica can be seen every Friday at 10 PM EST on Sci-Fi Channel. You can read previous interviews via our BSG Weekly Archive or the links at the end of this article.

This week, Verheiden answers questions about the Episode #7 of Season Four, “Guess What’s Coming to Dinner,” which aired May 16, 2008. Note: These answers may contain spoilers, so read at your own risk.

COMICMIX (from reader Molly): Are there any legal ramifications for Sam’s shooting Gaeta during the mutiny, for either one of them? I know some were surprised that Sam wasn’t put in the brig.

MARK VERHEIDEN: Given that Gaeta was shot in the midst of a mutiny that he was helping to engineer (in the legal sense, Anders would probably be justified shooting a mutineer), I’m not sure anyone involved wants to get into the unfortunate details of the shooting. Especially with Adama.

That said, and not wanting to delve into “the future” except in the most general sense, this is Battlestar.  The shooting will most definitely have ramifications, but they may not be what you expect. 

CMix (from reader Allison): Was there any significance to the fact that Sharon kills Natalie in front of two of the “final five”, and even asks Chief to pick up Hera, given that her vision is of the Opera House where the “final five” reside? (more…)

Welcome to the latest installment of Battlestar Galactica Weekly, our recurring Q&A with Mark Verheiden, co-executive producer of the hit Sci-Fi Channel series Battlestar Galactica. Each week, we’ll interview Verheiden about the events of the week’s episode, what those events might mean for both the season and the series, and hopefully unearth some clues about what to expect as the final season of Battlestar Galactica nears its conclusion.

Along with posing our own questions to Verheiden, we’re also taking questions from fans — so be sure to send your questions to me, your official BSG Weekly interviewer, after each episode airs at chris [at] comicmix dot com. New episodes of Battlestar Galactica can be seen every Friday at 10 PM EST on Sci-Fi Channel. You can read previous interviews via the links at the end of this article.

This week, Verheiden answers questions about the Episode #6 of Season Four, “Faith,” which aired May 9, 2008. Note: These answers may contain spoilers, so read at your own risk.

COMICMIX (from reader Andy): Are all the things the Hybrid says supposed to mean something or is it only relevant to the story when she’s actually speaking to Starbuck directly? For example, the “toy soldier will become pliant” was said at one point. That could refer to Adama, especially in light of what he says about changing his mind at the end of the episode?

MARK VERHEIDEN: I don’t want to get into a line-by-line analysis of the hybrid’s monologue(s), though it’s always fun to write!  At any rate, it’s safe to say that some of the babble represents the creature’s very mysterious mental gymnastics. And, if you listen closely, certain writerly obsessions with The Wild Bunch and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.

Some of it is specific to the ship (repairs, altering temperatures, etc.) and some of it is very pertinent to the larger mysteries.  Maybe this will help: Every line is scripted, none of it is ad-libbed, so everything our hybrid says, she was meant to say.  As for interpretation, I leave that to you… 

CMix (from reader Leah): Why does Athena pull back at the last minute and not want to touch the dying Eight? And why does Anders show so much compassion for a Cylon when he was about to kill one shortly before that?

(more…)

Welcome to the latest installment of Battlestar Galactica Weekly, our recurring Q&A with Mark Verheiden, co-executive producer of the hit Sci-Fi Channel series Battlestar Galactica. Each week, we’ll interview Verheiden about the events of the week’s episode, what those events might mean for both the season and the series, and hopefully unearth some clues about what to expect as the final season of Battlestar Galactica nears its conclusion.

Along with posing our own questions to Verheiden, we’re also taking questions from fans — so be sure to send your questions to me, your official BSG Weekly interviewer, after each episode airs at chris [at] comicmix [dot] com. New episodes of Battlestar Galactica can be seen every Friday at 10 PM EST on Sci-Fi Channel. You can view previous interviews via the links at the end of this article.

This week, Verheiden answers questions about the fifth episode of Season Four, “The Road Less Traveled,” which aired May 2, 2008. Note: These answers may contain spoilers, so read at your own risk.

COMICMIX (from reader Cal): Was this an episode written before or after the writer’s strike? If after, what was changed in it, if anything, after you guys came back?

MARK VERHEIDEN: That’s a little later. The first 13 episodes of Season Four (counting Razor as two episodes) were all written and produced before the strike.

CMix (from reader Anthony): It seems Tyrol realizes Cally was murdered. Does he suspect Tory? It looks as if he might.

MV: Tyrol’s still trying to work through Cally’s death, which just doesn’t make sense to him. Suicide can be extremely problematic for the loved ones left behind, and the ex-Chief is no exception. That said, I’m not sure Tyrol intuits suspicion specifically toward Tory, but something sure doesn’t add up…

CMix (from reader Lisa): Tyrol seems to really reverse himself after Baltar comes to see him. He even offers his hand. What made him change his mind about Baltar? (more…)

Welcome to the latest installment of Battlestar Galactica Weekly, our recurring Q&A with Mark Verheiden, co-executive producer of the hit Sci-Fi Channel series Battlestar Galactica. Each week, we’ll interview Verheiden about the events of the week’s episode, what those events might mean for both the season and the series, and hopefully unearth some clues about what to expect as the final season of Battlestar Galactica nears its conclusion.

Along with posing our own questions to Verheiden, we’re also taking questions from fans — so be sure to send your questions to me, your official BSG Weekly interviewer, after each episode airs at chris [at] comicmix [dot] com. New episodes of Battlestar Galactica can be seen every Friday at 10 PM EST on Sci-Fi Channel. You can view previous interviews via the links at the end of this article.

This week, Verheiden answers questions about the fourth episode of Season Four, “Escape Velocity,” which aired April 25, 2008. Note: These questions may contain spoilers, so read at your own risk.

COMICMIX (from reader John): What did Tyrol do at Cally’s funeral that Tigh felt might have given them away?

MARK VERHEIDEN: When the Chief grabbed Tigh and Tory in the receiving line, I think they could sense the intensity of his desperation and confusion.

Their concern was less about what he did during the ceremony than his precarious mental state in the wake of Cally’s death.  Given Tyrol’s explosive comments to Adama, it’s not that far-fetched.

CMix (from reader John): Wouldn’t the final four put themselves at less risk if they stopped getting together and chatting about what they are all the time? Or, are they just programmed to do that?

MV: Short answer is yes. But on the other hand, they do have ongoing Cylon business to discuss in private. But programmed to do it? I don’t think so.

CMix (from reader Leah): How can the Six in Baltar’s head lift him up and turn him around?

MV: I would argue that Baltar’s gyrations were still him contorting himself, as if Number Six were hoisting him from the floor. I am reminded of Church services where people, in the throes of religious fervor, can evidence remarkable physical contortions, ”speaking in tongues,” etc. 

But feel free to interpret the scene in other ways if you’d like…

CMix (from reader Avery): The reading scenes between Adama and Roslin have been lovely. Will we be seeing more of that – or potentially more than that – as their relationship, and her cancer, progresses? (more…)

Welcome to the latest installment of Battlestar Galactica Weekly, our recurring Q&A with Mark Verheiden, co-executive producer of the hit Sci-Fi Channel series Battlestar Galactica. Each week, we’ll interview Verheiden about the events of the week’s episode, what those events might mean for both the season and the series, and hopefully unearth some clues about what to expect as the final season of Battlestar Galactic nears its conclusion.

Along with posing our own questions to Verheiden, we’re also taking questions from fans — so be sure to send your questions to me, your official BSG Weekly interviewer, after each episode airs at chris [at] comicmix [dot] com. New episodes of Battlestar Galactica can be seen every Friday at 10 PM EST on Sci-Fi Channel. You can view previous interviews via the links at the end of this article.

This week, Verheiden answers questions about the third episode of Season Four, “The Ties That Bind,” which aired April 18, 2008. Note: These questions contain spoilers so read at your own risk.

 

COMICMIX: (from reader Susan): It makes sense that you want to break Kara and Sam up to make way for Kara and Lee to get together in the final season, but what’s with her brutal treatment of him in this episode? In seasons two and three, it seemed like she truly cared about him in spite of her deeper feelings for Lee, now her behavior seems truly unsympathetic. Why is this continuing, while Lee/Dee got to end cleanly?

MARK VERHEIDEN: Kara has never been the most stable of characters. She’s been through and continues to go through some extremely difficult, frustrating experiences. Not the least of which involves disappearing for two months, being almost shot by the President, and now struggling to command a ship looking for…well, something she can’t quite put her finger on. 

It’s sort of a truism that you hurt the ones you love, and maybe Anders caught the brunt because he was the only one who stood there long enough so she COULD go off on him.  But please remember this is Battlestar Galactica, where emotional entanglements can change on a dime…

CMix (from reader Molly): Are Kara’s words to Sam, like when she tells him “she’s not the girl he married” meant to be taken at face value? I always thought that what she said in “Rapture” was true, that she loved and hated both Sam and Lee. And I liked that ambiguity as it made Kara more sympathetic.

(more…)

Welcome to the latest installment of Battlestar Galactica Weekly, our recurring Q&A with Mark Verheiden, co-executive producer of the hit Sci-Fi Channel series Battlestar Galactica. Each week, we’ll interview Verheiden about the events of that week’s episode, what those events might mean for both the season and the series, and hopefully unearth some clues about what to expect as the final season of Battlestar Galactic nears its conclusion.

Along with posing our own questions to Verheiden, we’re also taking questions from fans — so be sure to send your questions to me, your official BSG Weekly interviewer (chris [at] comicmix.com) after each episode airs. New episodes of Battlestar Galactica can be seen every Friday at 10 PM EST on Sci-Fi Channel. Previous interviews are available via the links at the end of this article.

This week, Verheiden answers questions about the second episode of Season Four, “Six of One,” which aired April 11, 2008.

COMICMIX (from reader Mike): Is Sci-Fi hiring documentary filmmakers during the production of Battlestar? We’ve seen the short humorous videos for the video blog, but I mean longer Lord of the Rings-esque documentaries on the extended DVDs.

MARK VERHEIDEN: I don’t think there have been documentary teams roaming around, at least that I’ve seen, but I think Ron Moore plans to release more podcasts at some point, including ruminations from all the writer/producers on what the show has meant to them, fave episodes, etc. 

CMix (from reader Jeff):  Kara spoke of a yellow moon, yellow sun, and ringed gas giant while at Earth, but she also mentioned a comet and three blinking stars. This seems to foreshadow the Jesus legend. If the modified Greek mythology is what has shaped the human culture then the story must end with an Earth that has or can give rise to these gods, correct? After all if time is a closed loop, the end is the beginning.
 
MV: Unfortunately again, any answer I might give — from “yes” to “no” to “maybe” — takes us into spoiler territory, so I’ll just say “keep watching.”

CMix (from reader Katie): Was the scene between Kara and Roslin at the beginning of the episode meant to mirror the scene in “Home” when Sharon aims a gun at Adama and then turns it over to him to prove that she has free will?  If so, the very different way this showdown turned out, with Roslin firing on Kara, shows just how much has changed since Kobol.
 
MV: I don’t think it was meant to mirror that earlier scene, but the second part of your comment is certainly correct, in that much as changed for our characters emotionally since Kobol.  And you haven’t seen anything yet… (more…)