Scattered

Mark here…Laurel and I are on to our first round of Season 2 episodes!  I made us Ina Garten's Green Risotto and herb wrapped fish and Laurel made a delicious kale salad to accompany.  And we're off with season two of Battlestar Galactica.  I'm excited to move on to Season 2s of our shows as we don't have to deal with the set up and establishment stuff of Season 1.

On to the episode!  This episode picks up right after the cliffhanger from Season 1.  Adama has been shot by Cylon Sharon and the entire fleet is thrown into disarray.  Tigh takes over and orders an emergency jump, leaving behind Chief, Cally, Baltar and an expeditionary force on the planet Kobol.  Fearing that Sharon has revealed their location to the Cylons, the fleet does the jump, and in the confusion, the civilian fleet ends up at a different location than Galactica.  It's a tense and fast paced episode as the crew on Galactica struggles to find a way to locate the civilian fleet.  At the same time Adama is in critical condition while Dr. Cottle is still lost with the civilian fleet.  Col. Tigh struggles with the responsibility of leadership and eventually they devise a plan to find the fleet.  All the while Roslin is still in Galactica's brig for sending Starbuck back to Caprica to retrieve the arrow of Apollo (a key to finding Earth).

In the end after a battle with the Cylons, Galactica does locate the fleet, but a ship full of Cylon Centurions has crash landed in one of Galactica's flight pods…unbeknownst to anyone…

Hey Laurel here…I'm a little confused about Sharon.  It seems like she is still the same old Sharon that we love and trust, and just got taken over by her programming temporarily when she shot Adama.  It will be interesting to see how that plays out.

I'm also interested to see how Roslin being in prison plays out.  Will Starbuck come back with the arrow and save the day?  Will Roslin be exonerated?

Also just wanted to add a note about Starbuck's makeup…when we see her this episode she is a little bloodied and beaten.  It just so happens that some of the blood runs down her face in the shape of a goatee?  Accidental or on purpose?  hmmm..

Also is Adama going to survive?  If not will Tigh be able to handle it?  So far he seems emotional but is handling things well?

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Mark here... we have just watched the next episode of Friday Night Lights, called, "Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes" (boy that's a pain in the ass to type!)...Laurel has made us meatball subs with a kale salad, perfect for the heat we're experiencing right now!  This episode is more a continuation of the last few episodes, in a good way.  Tami has followed through with her desire to help Tyra succeed with school and move on to better things.  Unfortunately this involves reaching out to Tyra's mom, who is so self absorbed she can't deal with the revelation that her daughter may be destined for better things.  She immediately freaks out.  For one she doesn't think they can afford college for Tyra, but the subtext is that she's afraid Tyra will leave her Tyra who has been her rock to depend on.  She finally comes around at the end of the episode but even this is all about the mom.  She chooses to bring Tyra to a father-daughter dance as a way of supporting her.  Meanwhile, Tyra isn't missing a dad, the mom is!

Separately, we see Lyla's family is breaking down.  Buddy attempts to bond with Lyla to bring the family back together, claiming he screwed up once.  Lyla, reflecting on her own one time screw up with Jason, naturally supports her dad.  So when he shows up at her moms door she defends him, leading the mom to bring up past indiscretions by Buddy.  Lyla loses it at this point, telling her dad to go.  She put her faith in him and saw it to be a lie.  Next we see her crashing cars at Buddy's dealership!

The only bad storyline is the continuation of Tim Riggins with the next door neighbor.  I have to say this is the first storyline where the writers of the show have let me down!  The neighbor is of course this sexy 30-something who looks 20-something.  Of course Tim wants to hook up with her, but their interactions are ridiculous.  He's clearly the adult and the writing of their interactions is not realistic, given that he's a teenager.

One good thing about the episode is Smash, Tim, Jason, and Matt getting drunk one night on the field.  I think this is the first time we've seen the 4 of them interacting just with each other and it's a nice scene.

Hi Laurel here...again I agree with Mark on all counts.  The one other story line of this episode is that Coach Taylor gets a job offer from a college in Austin.  It has always been his goal to coach a college team, so of course him and Tami are both on board with moving, but Juli has established roots in Dillon so for her it's a different story.  She has built a life for herself in Dillon including an awesome boyfriend so of course she doesn't want to leave.  At first neither coach or Tami anticipated her objections but by the end of the episode they both get it and it seems they are trying to include her input in the decision whether to stay or go.

The other revelation of this episode is that Jason gets rejected from the Paralympic murderball team, and is devastated.  The girl in Austin who has a crush on him is of course there to comfort him.  She offers him a ride back to Dillon because she has to drop off a fridge for an aunt or whatever near there, and they end up kissing at "stone henge 2"  some kind of stone henge roadside attraction.  He insists to Lyla that "nothing happened", but clearly something in brewing here...

BUFFY!

Mark here...Laurel and I are switching gears again and watching Season 1 of Buffy The Vampire Slayer.  I've made us Steak with Bernaise, French Fries and a Beet Salad, to keep with a "blood" theme.  This first episode is called, "Welcome to the Hellmouth" and I was surprised at how entertaining this show is right out of the gate.  We're introduced to Buffy who has just moved to town after being involved with burning the school gym down at her previous school.  She's also a Slayer, the one girl in all the world who is given extra abilities to slay vampires and demons.  She also has to attend high school.  We're also introduced to her supporting cast...bitchy Cordelia, nerdy Willow, and outcast Xander...and mysterious Angel.  Also, we meet the school librarian, Giles, who coincidentally is her Watcher.  Each Slayer is given a Watcher who trains and guides her. 

This episode deals with a coming disaster called the Harvest, but more importantly shows the wit of the show.  There's a whole lot of 90s going on here, but its not as annoying as Dawson's Creek was and holds up in a more fun, nostalgic way.

Hi Laurel here...I agree with Mark, this show is super 90s in a fun way, not in an annoying existential teenage Dawson's way.  I have only watched Buffy sporadically before.  It's interesting to see how some of the different characters are introduced and what roles they play in the very beginning compared to how things pan out later.  I like in this episode how Buffy wants to move on and be a normal kid but she is sort of reluctantly forced into being the slayer again.  I love a reluctant hero.  Also I like how perfectly nerdy Willow is, and Buffy still seeks her out as a new friend anyway.

Mark here...its also interesting to note how this show was sort of on a cusp of a teen renaissance in tv and movies, and making the WB the go-to station for a while.  It's easy to see why with the snappy writing.  But I remember how odd the pickup of this show was in the beginning, basically a spinoff of a B-movie on a station no one watched...but whoever made the decision, it was the right one.

Quotes of note this episode:  Cordilia to Buffy when she see's her talking to Willow and Xander:  "I don't mean to interrupt your downward mobility but..."

Also Buffy to Giles when he questions her ability to "sense" vampires when she ends up judging a book by it's cover, a supposed vampire who has clearly been underground for several years wearing a super dated cub outfit:  "I mean, deal with that outfit for a minute, it's like he's from El Debarge."

Kobol's Last Gleaming Part 1

Mark here...Laurel and I are settling in with some steak, a pear, arugula and bacon salad, and a butternut squash and kale dish, all courtesy of Laurel.

The episode, "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part 1" starts off with a whole lot more Baltar than I remember and he's super annoying.  First we see, out of the blue, he and Starbuck are hooking up.  Clearly she's a bit damaged and he's a bit narcissistic in this hook up. She mistakenly calls out "Lee" (Apollo) in the midst of it, pissing off Baltar.

Also in the episode, Galactica discovers planet Kobol, a legendary home of the gods.  The shows history states that humanity left Kobol to found the 13 colonies, including Earth.  So, in theory, Kobol could lead them to Earth.  Roslin's visions, from the drug she is taking to treat her cancer, further this theory.  Of course Adama and her aide Billy find this crazy talk. Roslin however is convinced this will lead them to Earth.  We know from the pilot though that Earth is a myth.  One that the fleet believes, but that Roslin and Adama know to be just that. If Kobol is to lead them to Earth they will need "the Arrow of Apollo"...the god not the character.  Way confusing and not well established yet...essentially this arrow is a sort of compass back on Caprica.  It took some time and I needed to explain to Laurel that it was a physical thing.  In any case, Roslin persuades Starbuck to steal the captured Cylon Raider and jump back to Caprica to get it.  The only way she can persuade Starbuck is by revealing that Adama has lied about knowing where Earth is...so at the end of the episode Starbuck, seemingly testing the raider, jumps away.

The other plot point is that Kobol has a Cylon basestar orbiting around it and Cylons shoot down the Raptor force sent to investigate Kobol.  Baltar is in this crew and aboard the surviving Raptor that crash lands on Kobol.  His acting is so over the top and crazy-eyed its a wonder anyone listens to him!

There's also a bit going on with the 2 Cylon Sharons...Galactica version tries to kill herself and fails...Caprica version is with Helo, who claims he's only staying with her to find a way off Caprica...

Laurel here...thank god Mark was here to explain this one to me because I would have totally lost!!

Just a couple of little details I noticed...One is that in the opening of this episode Adama and Apollo are litlerally having a boxing match with each other (well ok they are sparring partners but still) metaphor much?

Also Apollo figures out that Starbuck and the crazy doctor have hooked up, because the doctor acts like a total freak (of course) when he sees her.  Apollo and Starbuck get into an argument about it - at one point Starbuck loses her shit and punches Apollo in the face, and he responds by punching her, in the face, right back.  Hard.  So awesome!  I love this idea of men and women being on equal footing without anybody being worried about how men are "supposed" to treat women or vice versa.  Listen if a bitch punches you in the face her face is fair game!

You Can't Go Home Again

Mark here... Laurel and I are sitting down for some fried calamari, courtesy of Chuck Hughes' recipe, aioli from Mark Bittman and Nigella Lawson's Capery Salad.  This episode is called "You Can't Go Home" again and picks up right where last episode left off.  Starbuck is stranded on a Mars-like planet with a limited supply of oxygen (having crash landed in combat with a Cylon raider last episode).  It sounds like a really basic episode but it plays out with lots of drama.  Starbuck comes across the downed Cylon raider, which turns out to be a biological-mechanical hybrid, and she must find its oxygen supply and make it fly again.



Meanwhile, back on Galactica, the Adamas are expending every resource to find her.  The Galactica crew is slowly becoming discouraged at the prospects of finding Starbuck and worried about the Adamas willingness to risk the fleet to do so.  It is ultimately President Roslin who comes onboard to tell the boys to shake it off.  While she is ultimately relieved when Starbuck shows up, she shows her resolve to make tough decisions even when the boys aren't willing too.

Laurel here...I can't tell you how relieved I was while watching this episode.  Finally Starbuck seems to fit the role that she was meant to, being a tough woman who is skilled at her job but who doesn't need to act like a man in order to get the point across.  She saves herself from the barren planet she has crashed on by reappropriating a Cylon fighter plane (which as it turns out she had shot down in the first place) with total resourcefulness and limited bravado.  I have been so insulted by her character in the past episodes because they have all implied that she needs to act like "a man" in order to be tough and resourceful, but in this episode she displayed that by just being a PERSON who is tough and good at her job she has saved her own day.

This episode was also interesting because of a role reversal between president Roslin and Commander Adama.  President Roslin had to be the one who was practical and considered the practical military implications of expending a ton of resources to save one pilot versus both of the Adamas putting their military training aside and indulging their emotional feelings about Starbuck and expending a bunch of fleet resources to save her.

Mark here... I totally agree and it was good to see a little bit of why Roslin is a good President, and why Adama shouldn't be the leader.  Adama is a good military leader, but like Roslin said in the mini-series, there needs to be a civilian government.  In this case it's the civilian government that really shows leadership.

Laurel here..I think it is also worth noting that when Roslin comes to talk to the Adamas about how they are being unreasonable by risking the whole fleet to save this one person, instead of giving a direct order for them to give up the search, she appeals to their better sense of reason by suggesting to them that they are being irrational, then leaving it up to them.  Showing true leadership (perhaps in a more feminine style than the military is used to) by convincing them that she is right versus ordering them to do what she wants.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Cider Vinagrette

This is a take on a Barefoot Contessa recipe, plus or minus a few ingredients:

• 
  
• 1 (1 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch) diced
• Good olive oil
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 4 ounces mixed baby greens
• 1/2 cup walnuts halves, toasted
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.  Pay particular attention to this, as it can be a pan-ruiner, or at least a real bitch to clean up.  The maple syrup makes the squash taste amazing, but can also burn or blacken the sheet pan, and because it can be sticky I would avoid using aluminum foil or paper on the sheet pan.  I think it probably requires more attention than I gave it with tossing around...

While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider vinegar and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until reduced to about 1/4 cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.

Place the greens in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Balsamic Onion Salad

For the salad, I started with Ina Garten's recipe for Red Lettuce with Balsamic Onions.  I've made the recipe several times before, but still managed to make a few mistakes this time (by not looking at the recipe), cooking the onions a little too long at too high a temperature.  I tweaked the recipe ingredients a little and I think it turned out for the better...

• 3 small red onions
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup good olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 tablespoons minced shallots (2 large)
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup good red wine vinegar
• 2 heads red-leaf, washed, spun dry, and torn into pieces.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut the onions in 1/2 and slice 1/4-inch thick, place on a baking sheet and toss with:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the onions are tender.

Remove from oven and toss with 2 more tablespoons balsamic vinegar and cool to room temperature.

Whisk together the shallots, mustard, red wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. While whisking, add 3/4 cup olive oil until emulsified.

To assemble, toss enough lettuce for 6 people with dressing, to taste. Place the lettuce on 6 plates and arrange the onions on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.

At this point you can see the balsamic onions (slightly over-cooked) over the lettuce, I used baby arugula instead of red leaf lettuce, added some crumbled blue cheese and toasted some walnuts.  I think it was about 1/2 a cup of the cheese and walnuts, but I sort of assembled everything after for the two of us, so my proportions may have been off a little.