Seems most people loved the opener. I sure as hell did. What exactly were you hoping for? Did you want everyone to come out the other side of the paradignm shattering realization, promising to smile and do better? Did you really think Roslin would not be absolutely destroyed, more than probably anyone else? Because us humans, we're such a happy people. Somehow I get the feeling you don't fully grasp all the ramifications of what the shattered Earth means. "This has all happened before, this will all happen again." The humans cylons are on an endless cycle of destruction, survival, destruction- it has been going on for millenia, will continue for millenia, with no way to break it. Earth and the colonies were not the first, will not be the last. That really blows on a cosmic scale.

And you expect Roslin or anyone else to be able to deal with that? Perhaps instead of "watchtower" you would have been happier with "Always look on the bright side of life".

And you may not have cared about Dee, but she was a good, solid character. And her suicide was done perfectly. Because when someone is about to do themselves in, often they act like that- very bright, very cheery, literally the happiest person in the world. That's how everyone would want to end their time, and when you're about to do it by your own hand you go out of your way to make sure it ends like that. That's why a lot of the time people can be shocked by someone's suicide, because they acted just so happy the last time they saw them.

I think they just made everyone suddenly feel that way in the episode. Sure, there hasn't been an episode so heavy on Dee for a while, so you knew something was up with her (and with the final cylon still to come at that point, I bet that's what we all thought was), but if you claim to have known what was going to happen before Gaeta left the room I don't believe you. They played it perfectly.

I honestly don't know what you thought was missing here. Was it a little too much for one episode? Maybe. But they only got nine left after this, and a lot of stuff to deal with. I had no problem with it. And like I said, I love this show, and i will miss it immensely in May.

Two other things:

Tomreedtoon: I don't think you know what science fiction is about, if you think it is not supposed to deal with humans with their 'mundane, conventional, stupid human race and its crappy needs'. Obviously you've never read Harlan Ellison, Philip K. Dick, Ray Bradbury, Larry Niven, Isaac Asimov, or well, any science fiction. Got news for you. ALL WRITING IS ABOUT US HUMANS AND OUR CRAPPY NEEDS. There's no point to writing or reading someone's writing otherwise.

And too much sex for sci-fi? Well, that just means you've never read Robert Heinlen.

Lev Raphael: badly lit, badly edited... Are you actually a filmmaker, or know anything about filmmaking? I didn't think so. I am, and I do. Their editing and lighting is top notch. You don't like the show, that's your thing, but don't try to pretend expertise where you don't have any. As if just saying bad editing or bad lighting gives more weight to your opinion. This shit really annoys me when I just know its coming from someone who has never cut or gaffed a thing in his life, but heard someone use the phrase to critcize something else, and thought it made them sound smart.

Go to a student film festival sometime, or screen submissions for a film festival, see what actual bad lighting and bad editing really look like, and get back to me.

There, end of rant. I should really have coffee before going online.

I don't think its so certain that Gregg would turn it down. He's up for re-election in 2010, and his chances of keeping his seat in NH are not great. I think Hodes is just chomping at the bit to take him down, for example. So what could the republicans possibly threaten him with if he'd be unlikely to be in politics in less than two years anyway? Same goes for promising him anything.

Gregg is 62. If he only served through one term of Obama, he'd be 66. After two terms he'd be 70. He's close to the end of his working life already- again, what could the GOP possibly offer him if he was inclined to accept this potential offer?

I think that if Obama offered it to Gregg, he'd be inclined to take it, and the GOP couldn't really offer him anything not to.

No, Keith Olberman has not jumped the shark. He may be a overly impassioned about things, perhaps a tad too indignant, but that's not a bad thing. He says what needs to be said, the things the wimps on the left so rarely have the nuts to say.

On the other hand, you, Alex, seem to be strapping on those waterskis as we speak...