Eye to eye

I am a dignified, mature science fiction fan. But occasionally, I regress and squeal with delight. This picture caused one of those moments, as I sat in my office at work. I’ve been waiting for this one since I first heard the words “flashback” and “Battlestar Galactica” in the same sentence.

The picture is part of an interview over at www.galactica.tv with Visual Effects Supervisor Gary Hurtzel. An interesting interview, full of fascinating images but a few spoiler details (particularly if you haven’t already seen the 4th Razor Flashback.)

Yes, I’m angry at Sci-Fi channel for the extra delay in airing Season 4, the possibility of a split season AND the fact that we still don’t have a release date for the Season 3 DVDs in North America. But, this picture made me forget all those in an instant.

*squeal*

Introducing…Frik and Frak

We held a “Name our Mascots” contest at VCON over the weekend, asking people who stopped by the 13th Colony fan club table to vote for one of several pairs of names for our two Cylon mini-mates. By an overwhelming margin, the winning choice was Frik and Frak but a surprising number of votes went to AC and DC and Bert and Ernie.The actual origin of the term “Frick and Frack” comes from a pair of Swiss comedian skaters who performed in Ice Follies in the 1930s. Over the years, the phrase has come to denote any two people so closely associated as to be indistinguishable.

I’ll say Frik is the one with hands and Frak is the one with cannons, since I’d be more than likely to swear when accosted by one of the full-size models sporting those cannons on the end of its arms.

Thanks to everyone who dropped by to say “hello” to us on Saturday at the convention, and thanks for dropping by our blog!

Wanna know All About Tahmoh?

Stumbled across a wonderful fan blog the other day dedicated to Battlestar Galactica’s “Helo,” Tahmoh Penikett.  Justine has done a great job with “All About Tahmoh Penikett,” with lots of pictures and info on his non-Battlestar projects. Since I know there are a lot of Helo fans in our ranks, I thought I would point out that he will be making an appearance on an upcoming episode of “Robson Arms,” playing himself! Seems he’ll have a run in with an awestruck female fan….

13th Colony @ VCON update

The 13th Colony will be scaling back it’s involvement in VCON substantially. We’ve now found out the hotel and the convention do not allow room parties, so we won’t be having one. We will still have a Fan Club Table, but likely only for the Saturday.

The 13th Colony at VCON

VCON, Vancouver’s long running science fiction convention, is taking place from October 19th to 21st in Richmond BC, and The 13th Colony will be there to make a splash.

The 13th Colony has been up and running for several months now and though we’ve got a lot of members so far, we KNOW there are more Battlestar Galactica fans in the Lower Mainland, and we figured the local sci-fi con is a good way to let everyone know we’re here.

The club will be hosting a Room Party on the Friday night, so if you’re at the con, check around for our posters, drop by and say hello to some of your fellow BSG fans.

We will also have a Fan Club table set up in one of the high traffic areas around the convention, where members of The 13th Colony will be on hand all weekend long (we may duck out every once and awhile to check out the panels, the art show, etc.) to talk about some of our adventures over the last year, including our Scouting Missions to see various shooting locations for BSG and our continuing efforts to find the best coffee in the Lower Mainland.

We’ll have some fan-made BSG artwork on sale, yet another clever donation poll and of course, our mini Cylon friends will be in attendance.  Hope to see you there!

BSG Items Up for Bid in Vancouver Charity Auction

West Side Family Place is a kids’ drop in center in Kitsilano. They are holding a combination live/silent auction this Friday to raise funds for daily drop in and support groups. Of interest to Vancouver area Battlestar Galactica fans, they have some BSG items up for bid, including DVD sets of seasons 1, 2, 2.5 signed by the cast, one episode script signed by the cast, a t-shirt and a DVD “Story so Far.”

The event gets underway at 7pm, this Friday, October 12th. Tickets cost $10 dollars, which buys you one drink, food, live music, a chance to bid on auction items and taste Mission Hill vines served by their company at the tasting table. All that for so little, plus it helps kids. What a bargain!  The West Side Family Place is located at 2819 West 11th Avenue (@ Macdonald) in Vancouver, and their phone number is 604.738.2819.

And we already know, even Cylons support a good cause…

I See You

One of the strongest images I remember about the Cylons from the original Battlestar Galactica was when they showed a close up of the Cylon eye, that one red beam going from side to side, and then the red beam suddenly fixed in one spot and you knew someone was going to get it.

The idea that there is someone looking over your shoulder seems to recur quite often in the new Battlestar Galactica. When Gaeta observes Dualla on the bridge, we never know if he means her harm or if he’s just on a power trip. The version of Six who seems to live in Baltar’s head watches and comments on his every move but it is never clear if she wants to help him, destroy him, do both at the same time, or just observe him like some sort of lab rat. From her very first scene in the miniseries where Six looked curiously at the human ambassador and said “Are you alive?” she gave the impression of a dangerous predator testing its victim, even cocking her head to one side as many animals do when they find something curious.

When the Cylon basestars first pursued the Colonial fleet, it was obvious they simply intended to destroy humans if they got the chance. But since New Caprica, the focus has shifted, as they instead shadow the fleet on its way to Earth.

I think it is a wonderful way of creating fear. If they’ve known where the fleet was all along, are they just toying with their prey before pouncing?

This picture was taken at the Olympic Sculpture park in Seattle, Washington.