Saturday, April 4, 2009

Battlestar Galactica: Someone To Watch Over Me

I’ve become fascinated with chords and melody after watching Battlestar Galactica, “Someone To Watch Over Me.” In the episode, two story lines braided together: a flashy one involving Boomer, with heartbreaking betrayal, violence, sex, and a kidnapping; and a quieter one, introspective and surreal, about Starbuck working through her daddy issues at a piano. The mood of the entire series is in all minor keys, but Boomer’s rampage through the emotional lives of Tyrol, Athena and Helo are a counterpoint to Starbuck’s melancholy reminiscence. Scenes cut between dramatic action and single-key fumbling towards a half-remembered melody. Then the left handed chords become urgent, the right-handed notes gain confidence, and the song becomes recognizable. By the time the music coalesces into “All Along the Watchtower” and Saul Tigh growls “what the frak?” we realize what we’ve seen. After four seasons of prophecy and mysticism, in the movements of the quieter story thread, we’ve gotten our most direct glimpse of the hand of God.

About the episode: http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/episodes/episodes.php?seas=4&ep=419&act=1

1 comment:

Netherland said...

Susan continues to surprise us with her ability to take songs from diverse genre, reach deep within her soul, and pour out a fountain of emotion, creating something that captures the song's essence so we hear it new as we listen over and over. She just as adeptly swoons us with a saucy 40's-like bar room ballad "Lilac Wine," then mesmerizes us with haunting yet innocent versions of the 80's new wave classics "Mad World" by Tears for Fears and "Enjoy the Silence" by Depeche Mode. She cries with emotion and hope as she pleads with God, "You have to Be There," and dreams of her love's "Return." There's nothing Karaoke about this collection. Susan sings from the heart, with a passion that makes each song new.