Battlestar Galactica Interview: Mark Verheiden on Cylon Babies and Season Four Secrets
Welcome to the inaugural installment of Battlestar Galactica Weekly, our recurring Q&A with Mark Verheiden, co-executive producer of the hit Sci-Fi Channel series Battlestar Galactica
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.
This week, Verheiden answers questions about the Season Four premiere, "He That Believeth in Me," which aired April 4, 2008.
COMICMIX: What’s the most important story point you want viewers to take away after watching "He That Believeth In Me?"
MARK VERHEIDEN: Starbuck’s back and she believes in her heart of hearts that she knows the way to Earth. What does that mean to the people who love her and to the fleet?
CMix: What was your favorite part of the episode?
MV: That’s a little like picking your favorite child, but I thought Katee [Sackhoff] (Starbuck) was especially great in this episode. And the opening battle was amazing. If there’s a single moment that I really like in that "gave me a little chill" way, it’s the red light from the raider scanning Anders’ eyeball.
CMix: It seems like Baltar is a bit like Jesus — at least until he shaves. Jesus died for mankind’s sins, but Baltar actually committed a lot of sins. Does that mean someone else needs to die to save the human race? If so, who’s it going to be? My bet is on Helo.
MV: No spoilers, my friends, though I think a number of informed sources have noted that no one in the cast is safe this season. And that means no one.
CMix: Why do the Cylons break off their attack after the raider scans Anders? Just a coincidence? Or, does the fact that Anders knows he’s a Cylon make them want to leave? Is that the "difference" Tory is talking about later in the CIC?
MV: Keep watching. Some of that will be clarified in the next episode…
CMix: How come Number 6 can sense the "final five" Cylons and Boomer can’t? Is it because she’s had the visions just like Roslin? If so, why can’t Roslin sense the "final five" Cylons?
MV: It’s important to look back at where we’ve been; remember that Anders, Tigh, Tory and Tyrol only realized they were Cylons when they reached the area of space seen at the end of "Crossroads, Part 2." In terms of the hows and whys of each character, again, keep watching…
CMix: What’s with Baltar’s harem?
MV: Aside from Baltar being the luckiest man in the universe? People forget that Gaius was President of the Colonies for awhile, duly elected over Roslin. There was clearly a groundswell of support for him then, and there’s no reason all those supporters would have abandoned him overnight. As to what it all means, again, I preach the mantra of patience…
CMix: When did Starbuck and Roslin become adversaries? Wasn’t Starbuck the one she trusted to go to Caprica for the Arrow of Apollo, and now she doesn’t trust her? Now it seems like she really despises her. What happened there?
MV: Roslin is understandably suspicious of anyone who "comes back from the dead" without a particularly good explanation, given the Cylon ability to download. As she says in the episode, Laura’s afraid Kara’s return may be some sort of Cylon trick. That would definitely put your guard up.
CMix: Didn’t Lee and his father decide they hated each other last season during Baltar’s trial? Now, at least in this episode, they seem all buddy-buddy again with Adama even asking Lee to come back to the fleet. Is it just because, as Adama says, they need every good pilot?
MV: They certainly had it out at the end of Season Three, but given that Adama voted to spare Baltar on the strength of Lee’s argument, he must have decided his son had a point. But aside from all that, Lee is his son. They fight, and then they get over it — that’s the way families go sometimes.
CMix: If Roslin is staying in Adama’s quarters, is Adama still staying there as well? Does that mean they’ve decided to "shack up?" It seemed that way when Lee asked the question during their scene in the ready room.
MV: Laura’s using Adama’s quarters while she’s getting treatment for her cancer. Obviously Adama and Laura are friendly, but I wouldn’t read anything else into it.
CMix: I noticed that Jane Espenson, whose work on Buffy
MV: Jane wrote two freelance episodes in Season Three and came on as a co-executive producer for Season Four. Everybody, say "hi" to Jane!
CMix: In Tigh’s hallucination, he shoots Adama in the same eye that Tigh lost. Intentional?
MV: Per one of the writers of that episode, Mr. David Weddle:
"I was waiting for someone to pick up on that telling detail. Congratulations. But I am disappointed you have not figured out its significance within the larger mythology of the show. It’s all laid out for you. All you have to do is run the episode over again in slow motion, and the deeper truth will be revealed."
Hmmm… Makes me want to run it slow motion!
CMix: We didn’t see Cally in this episode. Is she still around? Plus, now that we know the Chief is a Cylon, there seems to be two human/cylon babies instead of just one.
MV: We saw Cally on the hanger deck getting the Vipers ready to launch back at the end of Season Three… she’s just busy. As far as there being two Cylon babies… isn’t that interesting?
Thanks go out to Mark Verheiden for answering our questions this week, and to all of the Battlestar Galactica fans who sent in their questions. If you have any questions you’d like to ask Mark Verheiden after this Friday’s episode, be sure to send them to chris [at] comicmix.com.
Next week, we ask Mark about "Six of One," the second episode of Season Four, here on BSG Weekly at ComicMix!
Be sure to check out Battlestar Galactica every Friday at 10PM Eastern, 7PM Pacific on Sci-Fi Channel. For more on Battlestar Galactica, including full episodes from the series, as well as other great programming on the Sci-Fi Channel, visit www.scifi.com.
Hi, Jane!
who says that Sharon (not Boomer, but Athena) didn't sense the Cylons nearby? no one asked her, and she didn't get much facetime. and Athena shared in those visions, too, remember….
I have this theory that the reason why Kara (Starbucks) can remember 6 hours and not know the 2 months difference is that the whole series is in some sort of a time loop. This may be confirmed by the quote "All that has happened, happened before, and will happen again" by Leoban and the hybrid (in Razor).I wouldn't be surprised that if such a time loop exists, it may be revealed that Cmdr Adama and his rag tag armade turns out to be the lost 13th tribe (whose trail that they're following). After all, the whole group is made up of 12 tribes and when you bunch 'em all together – they're a complete 13th tribe.Of course, it's just a theory (or two). ;-)
"Jesus died for mankind's sins, but Baltar actually committed a lot of sins…" you know, historically this is not accurate, and in terms of the show, you're quite right. I think Baltar is a lot more like Jesus than the average Christian would be willing to admit. Most Christian's don't even know their own history. "How come Number 6 can sense the "final five" Cylons and Boomer can't? "Dude, cause it's Athena on the Galactica. Boomer is with the Cylon fleet. And yeah, curious as to why Athena's vision is dovetailing more with Roslin's. Note, it's always Caprica and Baltar who go with Hera into the Opera House. It is Baltar and Six who see the Final Five, never Athena and Roslin. Certainly a metaphor for Roslin being the Dying Leader, and not 'seeing the promised land', but what does that mean for Athena? I fear for her.
Hi, Jane!I really would like it if people would stop referring to Sharon Agathon as "Boomer". If you've been following the show, the difference is clear. It's like mispronouncing "Giles" as "Guyles", or referring to a Raider as a Centurion.I'm really excited about the upcoming developments, especially Natalie and the Final Five.
I wonder if Caprica and Athena will be able to ID the Final Five once that programming has been overcome. At the very least, when the Final Five reveal themselves, the other Cylons should believe it.
Well, in the episode, there is the reference to Adama's right eye being shot out. Like Tigh's right eye got pulled out by the Cylons. And I'd need to check the episode again, but I think in the shot we see, it's the right eye of Anders that reacts to the scan of the Cylons
Roy Eliasson wrote It is impossible for Tight to be a Cylon . I think he was brain washed when he was captured on new Caprica they the "Cylons" are using him as a spy when they need him the will push the button and he will do their bidding. Are we to think that he was just let go to run the resistance after his wife had a romp with one of the skin jobs don’t think so Roy Eliasson
Excellent dialogue here.Baltar is BSG's answer to someone else in the scifi history. poking fun I suppose.Gee- I can't get the show here on this side of the planet.But do you have a supersize version of the bsglastsupper.jpg?I have dual 1280×1024 screens and would love to have a 2560 for a wallpaper.