So say we all...

There's a term used in television since the '70's called "jumping the shark." It's a reference to a Happy Days episode where Fonzie is waterskiing and jumps over a shark. It marks when a series has had its best, and is now either slowly or quickly headed downhill. Nothing really left to say.

I recently watched season 2 of "The Invaders," and it is fairly evident that the show took its turn at the episode, "The Believers." CSI jumped the shark for me when it was finally revealed that Grissom and Sarah were "bumping uglies," and William Peterson was dressed in a silk robe trying to look like a mack daddy. I lost interest, and my wife and I have been arguing over 8pm on Thursdays since. I now wish to watch Supernatural while she still wants to watch CSI. I'm wondering if Supernatural hasn't jumped the shark with this season, with the addition of "angel" and the war between good and evil reduced to a rather silly "gang fight." NCIS has started to lose my interest, too, beginning with the "Frog" storyline of the last 2 seasons. Ghost Whisperer jumped the shark for my wife when they killed of the husband and have been trying to "reincarnate" him. All shows eventually hit that point. Maybe they become too comfortable, or the writers choose an incorrect direction. Or write themselves into a corner. Which brings me to Battlestar Galactica.

Last night was the series finale. And I was disappointed somewhat. I re-watched the 2003 miniseries, the one that hooked me, and viewing it reaffirmed a lot of my disappointment. There was a lot they abandoned from it. It jumped the shark for me when it was "revealed" Tigh, Torrie, Sam and Tyrol to be cylons. The final episodes seemed to be boring, and milking the run. After setting up the show to be based more on a grounded reality, they ended by going all metaphysical. I wondered if Glen Larsen was in a room screaming his original Mormon-esque vision and version to the current producers, and they finally gave in. Starbuck was some kind of celestial being, disappearing for no apparent reason from Lee Adama on the new "Earth." And the show gave no explanation as to exactly "what" she was supposed to be, since she found her own "corpse" on the cylonized "Earth" she'd guided them to. All this time, the "imaginary Six" and "imaginary Baltar" were guiding angels. And some "guiding force" described as "God," "gods" or whatever had the remnant humans and now-loving cylons together on some virgin planet...that Starbuck, again, happened to know where to go.

There were some things from the miniseries hinted at, or revealed, that were left behind. Firstly, that the humanoid Cylons had "silica relays" of some kind. Maybe even being a silicon based life form. Adama had some kind of inclination, or intelligence, as he was with the Leobhan character on the Ragnar Anchorage station. Obviously the military hadn't abandoned trying to keep tabs on their old foes, as Adama seemed to know the storm around the station would mess up Cylon technology. And Adama had a note from "someone" in his quarters letting him know there were 12 models. Where that note came from wasn't ever answered. In an episode from season 2, Starbuck had some of her eggs harvested by the Cylons. That, too, was never addressed. And I never quite knew if there really was, or wasn't an "Earth," as Adama played his cards close to his vest. After all, there was no safe way to ever get to a safe haven if the 12 models weren't identified.

The intent of the Cylon were to destroy humanity completely, which was why they never gave up going after the Galactica. None were to be spared. Yet the writers had "sympathetic Cylons." The half human/half cylon baby should've been my first clue. I remember that trick used on "V" years ago with their version of the "star child."

There's a lot, I guess, that I could rail about concerning Galactica. In the end, I feel like the six years, four "season" and all that waiting for the new stuff was more of a letdown. I still think the original miniseries is the best thing I've ever seen on tv.

Can I say "frak"here?

"By your command..."