BG-17: Hand Of God

[Eric Paddon]

Originally Posted by Charybdis

I have read recently that this was the only episode where there were no guest stars. I was thinking about this, but what about Fire in Space? Were there any guest stars in that one?

William Bryant as the lead fireman, and George Murdock as Salik merited guest star credit.

[Eric Paddon]

Originally Posted by skippercollecto

There's been plenty of discussion over the years as to whether Apollo was willing--or even able--to return the feelings that Sheba had shown him in this episode. There is a deleted scene on the DVD that I think answers that question. This scene is just before Apollo and Starbuck launch in the Cylon raider. They are coming down the elevator, and Apollo says somewhat wistfully, "I wish I could have seen Sheba again." Starbuck gives him a questioning look, and then Starbuck gets another look as he realizes what Apollo is talking about.
Oh, how I wish this scene could have been included in the episode! It would have told everyone for sure what a second season could have brought!
Mary

I couldn't agree more. That deleted scene is proof that Apollo's had his eyes opened up about how he really feels about Sheba, at long last. And to me, it's always made the idea of an eventual Apollo-Sheba pairing down the line all but inevitable.

Too bad Hatch forgot all about that in his novels.

[Senmut]

Agreed, this was truly in the pantheon of BSG eps. As to the cut scenes, only a witling would have cut them! Glad to see them exhumed after all this time.
As to the question about flying into a patrol. I would think Baltar's words made that clear. When asked what would happen if they landed without clearance, he says "probably nothing". The Cylon arrogance is so deep that it would never occur to them that one of their own fighters could be flown by Humans. If one flew into a patrol, they would merely assume it was one of theirs. Period. A weakness that is obviously ripe for exploiting.
Just one question...even Baltar wears a helmet inside the fighter. Why don't Starbuck and Apollo?

[JustinB]

This episode is my favourite out of all of them. It has action and gives an insight into how the relationship between Apollo and Sheba might have gone if the series had continued. Add in the Battlestar v's Basestar and you have on hellava episode. There were a few deleted scenes that should have made it in, especially the one with Starbuck and Apollo on the elevator

[kingfish]

Originally Posted by Eric Paddon

I couldn't agree more. That deleted scene is proof that Apollo's had his eyes opened up about how he really feels about Sheba, at long last. And to me, it's always made the idea of an eventual Apollo-Sheba pairing down the line all but inevitable.

Too bad Hatch forgot all about that in his novels.

Eric the ghosts forgot about it. Richard gives them his notes.

[Eric Paddon]

I can't imagine Richard's notes are that illegible. At any rate though he should have gone to the fanfic ranks for a better ghost!

[Omega]

I'm always a bit melancholy watching this one. It's a great episode, close to if not my favorite, but always tinged by the knowledge that there won't be any more. Now of course, I can always start over with disc 1 again, but I always remember how I felt when I found out there would be no second season when I was young.

[BRG]

First class! Another 5 out of 5 episode!

This was a brilliant episode. Easily the best 1 hour episode, and on a par with Living Legend & War of the Gods as standout episodes of the series.(War of the Gods is my own favorite)

Like the other great episodes of the series, it has a mix of edge of your seat action and gripping emotional drama, with a few wee comedy moments thrown in for good mesure!
At last, Adama lets the Galactica bare her teeth and go head to head with a Basestar! We have Starbuck & Apollo going on a SAS style commando raid inside the Basestar to blind her sensors! AND we have Boomer & Sheba leading the Galactica's Viper squadrons on a full scale engagement against hundreds of Cylon Raiders! ALL IN LESS THAN AN HOUR!!!

I loved the two scenes when the women had there moment with Apollo and Starbuck just before they left on the latest suicide mission. Sheba opening up to Apollo was a wonderfull scene, played beautifully by Hatch & Lockhart. You sensed that she really hit home with Apollo, and you could read it all over his face. And Cassie reaction to Starbuck being involved in another crazy plan was also well acted. It really seemed real to me that a woman would react this way if her man was always the one chosen for these missions, even if she knew he was the best man for the job. And despite Starbuck's flippant tone in his answer as to why he was going- "Well, Apollo's going so....", it spoke of the cameradery that these men have. "All for one and one for all" someone said on another review, just look at Boomer's face when told he would not be going with Apollo & Starbuck, those words are perfect!

One other wee point. In the excellent scene in the observation dome, when Apollo speaks about how the dome is used for exploration, and how he has restored the anceint systems in his spare time, this is a nice wee callback to his discussion with Zac in Saga, when they are out on patrol and he tells his wee brother that he hopes they can return to deep space exploration after the war. A nice wee touch in my opinion!

So, an excellent episode to round off an excellent series! Why this never earned a second season is beyond me?
BRG

[Eric Paddon]

I have always been convinced that I would still not be a Galactica fan today all these years later if it weren't for the fact that "Hand Of God" managed to hit every right cylinder and show the series at its best. Back in 1979, at age 10, I loved this episode because I had gotten thoroughly bored by the lack of Cylons for a long time so getting back to some battles was welcome. As an adult though, I learned to see the real strengths of this episode in terms of character development, and also in how it managed to end the first season on a hopeful note that while the journey to Earth was far from over, they had given their enemy a powerful beating and were moving in the right direction.

If the dreadful Terra trilogy or "Take The Celestra" had been the last episode, I would have been left more with a sense of Galactica fizzling out altogether and would not have felt the need to return to it as a fan in later years. I'll always be grateful that HOG provided something different.

And Omega, I too feel a bit sad when the last scene opens and you hear that music and the camera zooms in on Apollo in the dome. It almost conveys a sense of "It's now time to say goodbye" every time I see it. And the more I see HOG, the more I get self-conscious about the last lines in the series uttered by a particular character.

[Senmut]

This is intriguing. I too get the feel from the music as the camera closes in on the dome that this is it. We have come to an end of sorts. It conveys sadness, perhaps a little mournful bitterness. The ONLY thing really missing from this ep would have been an appearance by Athena, as her brother returned. Otherwise, it is as close to perfect as a TV episode of anything can get.

[bsg1fan1975]

I too loved how Sheba made Apollo finally wake up and see that life does go on. She knows deep down that he will always love Serina but he has a chance to love and go on as Serina might have wanted him too.

[kingfish]

It is sad because like others stated this was the last we would see of the show we loved. The show was gone, Mork & Mindy in it's place. Then the previews, BG was coming back but with no Starbuck or Apollo. Dr Zee and a glimpse at what happened to our beloved Starbuck, left to perish only to be transcended as a BOL. It could have been worse. Episode synopsis for the second season would have killed BG in a worse way than G-1980. I really wonder if Larson submitted the scripts to have the show killed off. He had to see that to go in a totally new diirection with BG would have meant that "Their destruction is complete." Sheba would have been killed off in the second season premiere setting a chain of events off that would have lead to role reversal. Apollo was becoming a ladies man throwing caution to the wind. Starbuck was becoming the voice of reason and a promotion to colonel was mentioned. Boomer was becoming a genius via Dr Zee. Cain was an android reprised by Lloyd. Yikes no. The biggest mystery is who were Dillon's parents? My take, Cassi and Cain, Starbuck and Cassi, Athena and Starbuck. The last seems feasable since Dillon was a southpaw.

[Captain Bran]

I love "The Hand of God". I think it is my favorite episode. I really wish this series had a chance to grow. The new series sounds fun and I will probably watch it. But I feel it will lack the magic of the original.



Captain Bran

[peter noble]

Hand of God is probably one of the best endings to an SF show EVER! The only one I think that can match it is the last episode and closing scene of Blake's 7.

Peter

[Captain Bran]

I also like the ending of the Star Trek Next Gen episode called "Best of Both Worlds Part 1"

I have never seen Blakes 7 but I read recently in SFX about the episode in which you speak of! It gave it high remarks!





Captain Bran

[BST]

Welcome to the Fleets, Captain Bran!!

First one's on me:



if no then,

[kingfish]

Originally Posted by Captain Bran

I also like the ending of the Star Trek Next Gen episode called "Best of Both Worlds Part 1"

I have never seen Blakes 7 but I read recently in SFX about the episode in which you speak of! It gave it high remarks!





Captain Bran

Welcome to fleets. BoBW rocked. George Murdock (Dr Salek) was Admiral Hansen in the two parter killed at Wolf 359. Picard as Locutus was a shocker. I think DeSanto must have watched for he had his own version, Apollo leading the Cylons as a cylon/humanoid.

[BST]

Hey Kingfish!!

Congrats on your 2nd Base ship!!

[kingfish]

Thanks.

Paul

[DanTanna]

I laughed out LOUD when the Galactica opened fire on the base ship and the scene cuts to the Gold "Boss" Cylon:

Massive explosion sound
Boss Cylon: "Whaaat Happened"?

True classic!

[Fragmentary]

Welcome aboard DanTanna
And you're right, that is a classic little moment Think we can get you up past a post a month?

maybe it is only wishful thinking but I always get the feel of closure with this ep. kind of like the characthers were saying, "its OK that its ending for you this way because we are going to still go on fighting, loving and living." We all so didn't it to end so soon, but look here we all are and it hasn't ended.


enough sentimental crap. i love it when they blow that Basestar back to hell!!! But were are the bloody Solonite missiles? I LOVE SOLONITE MISSILES!!!!

[skippercollecto]

Adama's model of the Cylon base star--was it one of the actual models used in the fleet scenes, or was it a Mattel toy, or was it a model specifically designed for this episode?

[David Kerin]

From the size it looked like the production model used for the special effects. The conumer model kit was much smaller.

[monolith21]

Originally Posted by bwaomega

Definitely one of the better episodes. It is a pity this one cannot be reconciled time-line wise with the Galactica 1980 series.

I was thinking that it was a pity that Galactica (spit) 1980 in its entirety couldn't be reconciled time line, plot line, and quality wise with Battlestar Galactica!

[Athene]

Originally Posted by monolith21

I was thinking that it was a pity that Galactica (spit) 1980 in its entirety couldn't be reconciled time line, plot line, and quality wise with Battlestar Galactica!

I agree with you partly on this. Don't forget the excellent episode "The Return of Starbuck".

[Benedict]

Looks like I've not done something here so will try. Usually I work through the series every year (much like The Prisoner it seems) rather than pluck at random but tonight just to pass some time before bed I did so with this episode.

I've always liked it but feeling as I watch it that sense it's the end. Maybe because it's the end there's also a sense of going out guns blazing. A few parts I always enjoy: the gang of four getting all sheepish when Adama asked why they were in the dome, the decision to attack the Basestar or even the Deep Probe music, the Sheba/Apollo moment on the raider (even if it's another Sheba cries moment) complete with that music ("Sheba and Apollo's True Feelings" I believe), Baltar and Adama's scene in the cabin and various pieces like the Skylab set.
Only problem apart from it being the final episode ever is the virtual deluge of recycled clips at the end that I guess were needed in their droves to keep the allusion of a big battle going yet I swear Jolley and Sheba just vanish from the battle (much like in, I believe it's Gun on Ice Planet Zero, when alert is sounded it's the alert clip from Saga of a Star World and you see Starbuck at the card table despite being on the surface of Zero or how Serina launches in the same episode...) and on top of this the lack of budget perhaps telling.

Yet, we get to the end wondering...if only..

[Apolloisall]

Originally Posted by Benedict

Only problem apart from it being the final episode ever is the virtual deluge of recycled clips at the end that I guess were needed in their droves to keep the allusion of a big battle

Yeah, visually it had a lot of budgetary restrictions, but what a fracking cool story, & I loved the dialogue.
Waggling, heh heh!

[Senmut]

Has anyone seen the re-edit? Redone FX shots.

[Apolloisall]

Originally Posted by Senmut

Has anyone seen the re-edit? Redone FX shots.

No... I want to...