Caprica - TV Fanatic

Caprica Review: "Know Thy Enemy"

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 11:08:27 EST

While past episodes of Caprica had dealt with weighty issues such as religion, politics, science and public perception, "Know Thy Enemy" was more of a straightforward, dramatic showcase.

It felt more like an episode of a primetime soap opera, but we mean that in the best sense of the term.

We were introduced to John Pyper-Ferguson (a Battlestar Galactica alum), who played Daniel's chief rival, Tomas Vergis. Like other Taurons (Sam and Joseph, mainly) we've met, Vergis carries himself with a quiet dignity. Also, he doesn't exactly mince his words, at least not when the situation calls for bluntness.

That episode-concluding scene was one of the most suspenseful in show history, as Vergis told Daniel: My dream is to tear up your dream... until the debt is paid."

Creepy, great stuff. As if Daniel didn't already have enough to deal with, between his rivalry with the Adamas, the death of his daughter and the production of the Cylons.

Most of the episode laid the groundwork for what's ahead.

We met Barnabus (James Marsters), who seems to be the violent head of a separate faction of the STO. Claire, conversely, hopes to keep things peaceful... though she's not above underhanded maneuvers (praying on a grieving mother, really, Claire?!?) to get her way.

We also saw Zoe start up a romance in the V world, which makes sense when you think about: that lab tech (Philomon) may be annoying, but he's the only person to really acknowledge her inside as a robot.

Then there was Joseph's successful identification of Tad, the boy who knows Tamara from Cap City. He could barely contain his excitement over tracking that kid down.

Overall, a solid episode that makes us look forward to many more. What did you think of it?

Caprica Review: "There is Another Sky"

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 10:43:47 EST

In many ways, Caprica truly started this week.

Think about the long-lasting implications of what went down on "There is Another Sky." There was...

... Daniel introducing the Cylons to his company's board and promising they'd change the world because every human would want one.
... Joseph indoctrinating himself as a true Tauron, while also learning about Tamara's existence in the virtual world.
... Tamara taking over that universe and establishing herself as a major force there.

Did we make complete sense out of the final development listed? No. But viewers didn't need to understand every detail of this storyline. The goal of it appeared two-fold: to alert Joseph that his daughter is (sort of) alive; and to fortify the virtual world as a place where important things can take place that affect the real world.

Meanwhile, Caprica has done an outstanding job depicting the Tauron culture.

Sam is a layered, interesting character and Joseph is a believably lost individual, torn between grief, the pressures of fatherhood and the world that hasn't stopped turning just because his wife and daughter died.

But what about that other world? Did anyone even expect to see Tamara again? Her inclusion in New Cap City is a plot twist full of implications that play off a major theme in Caprica: What is real? What is reality?

We can now add this universe into the show's smorgasbord of cultural aesthetics. There's Little Tauron, Daniel's rich section of the city (loved the shot of him looking over it, a place he might not rescue or destroy) and the V world. Just spending time in each of these places makes for a worthy hour each week.

But toss in feelings of vengence and mourning, instances of terrorism, questions about the religion (we didn't even see Clarice or the STO this week) and you've got a heavy show that is keeping as many balls in the air as any on television.

We're invested in every one of them. How about you?

Caprica Clip: The Introduction of the Cylons

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 10:21:46 EST

Holobands are out at Graystone Industries. What will take their place in the market?

Cylons, Daniel announces in the following clip.

Courtesy of this week's new episode, "There is Another Sky," the sneak peek introduces Daniel's creation - with Avatar Zoe inside, unbeknownst to her quasi father - to the Graystone board.

This is the future of their company, Daniel says. But will it also become the end of mankind's future as we know it?

There is Another Sky Clip

Caprica Review: "Gravedancing"

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 10:53:12 EST

Who would have thought that the most interesting character on Caprica would be Tsattie, Joseph Adama's strict, grieving, cultural Tauron of a mother-in-law? Consider her words of wisdom from this week's episode "Gravedancing."

On Tauron, when you’re 13, you’re a man.
You get the best things from enemies, because they’re scared of you.
I could kill her with my own hands. Sleep well every night.

All fascinating looks into the Tauron world, a universe Joseph is proud enough to be a part of (he changed his name back from "Adams," after all), yet not tough enough to play a key role in. At least not according to Tsattie or Sam.

While we never truly believed Sam would kill Amanda, the scene in the car was played with perfect suspense, mystery and intrigue. When Sam got home and toyed with his brother over Amanda's fate, it was the latest example in this episode of one chararacter putting on an act for another.

Earlier, Daniel was coached to describe his daughter in a certain way; Baxter Sarno's entire job is an act; and, then of course, there's Zoe's avator inside the Cylon body. They all contributed to the theme of the series: real vs. fake, how the face we wear for the world can often be fabricated - and what this means about reality itself.

Other interesting notes from the episode:

Caprica has legalized drugs in order to cut down on crime. We like it.
The robot dance felt a little force as a way to depict Zoe as a fun-loving girl trapped inside this metallic covering, but the use of Zoe/Cylon perspectives continues to be cool.
What is going on with Agent Durham? We loved his response to Amanda's question about if he lost someone in the bombing ("I lost everyone"), but the show is doing a nice job slowly building mystery around this agent. He must have an agenda, right?
Tension, humor, arguing, make-up sex, watching late-night TV in bed. The Graystone marriage is a realistic relationship between two strong-minded, intelligent, layered individuals.

Below, we give this episode a grade and run down our favorite Caprica quotes from it:

Amanda: We're not company spokespeople. We're parents!
Daniel: Actually, no. We're not. | permalink

Tsattie: You get the best things from enemies, because they're scared of you. | permalink

Amanda: Did you lose someone on that train?
GDD Agent: I lost everyone on that train. | permalink

Tsattie: On Tauron, when you're 13, you're a man. | permalink

The Final Five to Be Addressed on Caprica

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 07:28:18 EST

The latest SyFy drama, Caprica, is a prequel to the popular series Battlestar Galactica.

But those associated with the former have insisted: you don't need to know anything about the latter in order to follow (and enjoy) Caprica.

This may be the case, but it certainly doesn't hurt to have knowledge of the Cylons and their history. Look for this to ring even truer when the show addresses the "lives" of the Final Five on upcoming episodes.

"If you actually do the math, the [human-Cylon] war starts about five years from where our characters are in Caprica," executive producer Jane Espenson told TV Guide.

Moreover, producers have already contacted Lucy Lawless (pictured) about reprising the role of D'Anna on the new series.

Don't worry if you've never seen Battlestar Galactica and none of this makes any sense yet. It eventually will.

Meanwhile, you can catch up on all Caprica episodes so far on TV Fanatic. A new installment airs on February 19.

Caprica Review: "The Reins of a Waterfall"

eric@tvfanatic.com (Eric Hochberger) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 23:49:40 EST

This week's episode of Caprica, "The Reins of a Waterfall" seemed to be mostly about introducing us to new characters and setting future episodes of this increasingly more developed series.

As far as actual events of the episode, all we really had was Zoe finding a way back into the holostream, stealing Avatar Tamara in the process. This, of course, led to a very upset Jospeh, who now believes his daughter to be gone. After the threat made at the end of the episode, you better believe we're tuning in next week.

While there were plenty of other developments, including learning more about Sister Clarice and the Soldiers of the One, meeting Samuel's partner, seeing Joseph pissing off a judge, and of course Agent Durham's office getting their much desired warrant, we can't help but feel too much of this was development.

We also enjoyed meeting the new characters, especially the Jon Stewart of the twelve worlds, Baxter Sarno (Patton Oswalt) and can't wait to tune in for when Daniel makes his appearance. Come on, Priyah, do your job and convince our man!

We're hoping after all this time invested this week, we're treated to some real action when the show returns in two weeks. Overall it was still a great episode and continues to flesh out the world of Caprica. Be sure and check out our Caprica quotes after the jump.

Sarno: Daniel Graystone's biography is titled "The Man Who Could See The Future," the sequel will be called "Wow, I Didn't See That Coming." | permalink

Daniel: San we talk?
Sam: Sure, I like to talk... about my niece Tamara. She's dead because you raised a terrorist. | permalink

Joseph [to Sam]: Daniel Greystone lost his daughter, right? I lost my daughter and my wife. Balance it out. | permalink

Zoe: I never thought I'd be so happy to be back here in my own virtual skin. | permalink

Caprica Sneak Peek: "Reins of a Waterfall"

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:26:46 EST

On Friday's episode of Caprica, the reverberations of Amanda's announcement last week are felt throughout the city.

Meanwhile, as the following below depict, Patton Oswalt guest stars on "Reins of a Waterfall" in the role of a talk show host that stirs up controversy.

Get a look at him in that role, along with a few other images from the hour, below.

We've posted a clip from "Reins of a Waterfall" below. Watch it now and then return to TV Fanatic this weekend for a detailed review of the installment.

Adamas vs. Daniel

Caprica Round Table: "Rebirth"

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 11:42:28 EST

Welcome to the Caprica Round Table!

We've alread given fans our initial reaction to this week's episode, "Rebirth," in our weekly review of the SyFy series.

Below, however, our staff has gathered for an in-depth Round Table discussion of various developments and characters. We encourage reader feedback on the topics/responses that follow...

The use of Avatar Zoe vs. Cylon robot: Cool or lame?
M.L. House: I'm torn. They have to humanize the robot, but it felt manipulative to show its human form during particularly painful moments, such as when the mean tech dude treated the Cylon like a machine. Call me old-fashioned, but I still can't look at it yet as something other than engineered parts.

LJ Gibbs: Cool. It sums up the entire dilemma of the Cylons. It's more than a machine, but less than a person. What better way to depict that than by transitioning between shots and scenes?

The Barnacle: Oh, very cool. I'll take any excuse to look at a pretty actress over a robot. Plus, it sort of made sense as they show avatar Zoe in shots from her perspective, and Cylon robot from others. I dug it.

Favorite unique feature of Caprica: Group marriages, Drug bars or Little Tauron?
M.L. House: Little Tauron. Yes, we have Little Italy and Chinatown in modern America. But there's clearly a racist vibe to how the Taurons have been treated, one driven home by the ethnicity of the actors that play these roles. Giving these characters their own section of the city can only lead to an expansion on this interesting dichotomy.

LJ Gibbs: As someone that believes drugs should be legal in the United States, gotta go with the bars in Caprica that seem to openly embrace extracurricular activities of this nature.

The Barnacle: As a Big Love fan, I've seen polygamous relationships before, but never one with multiple husbands and wives! And, please, drug bars exist in Amsterdam and I'm pretty sure they just shot the scene for Little Tauron in Little Italy.

What will happen to the Graystones, following Amanda's speech?
M.L. House: Gotta figure they'll go underground for awhile and Daniel will start out on a new mission: proving that his daughter was not a terrorist. Their marriage will also continue to fall apart.

LJ Gibbs: It's hard to say, but I feel confident about what will happen to their private security costs: they'll increase dramatically.

The Barnacle: I'm sure it's nothing the Graystone Industries PR machine can't fix. Deny, deny, deny!

Who is your favorite Pyramid team?
M.L. House: The Battlestar Galactica Prequels. I'm just really curious to see where their season takes them.

LJ Gibbs: The Dallas Cowbots. They're cheerleaders are gorgeous.

The Barnacle: Call me a bandwagon fan, but I'm going with the Caprica Buccanneers.

Caprica Review: "Rebirth"

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 12:49:09 EST

There was a lot of pressure on the second episode of Caprica.

Because the first was available on DVD, many fans watcehd it months ago and have been awaiting this week's installment to see if it was a worthy follow-up. Our take on Rebirth? It most definitely was.

While the series tackles broad, important questions such as religion and terrorism, its basic plot so far boils down to a misuderstood little girl. Or a misunderstood digital facsimile of that little girl.

Kudos to the production team for its seamless transitions between Cylon robot and actress Alessandra Torresani as Zoe. What could have been a distracting effect was - and will continue to be - an efficient way to depict the issue of artificial intelligence. There was a poignancy in scenes such as when the mean tech dude treated the Cylon like just a machine, as the camera cut to Torresani's pained face.

This hour was mainl focused on the aftermath of the bombing, but it also excelled at depicting the world of Caprica. There was Little Tauron; Clarice's group marriage; the smoking bar; the Pyramid fans' National Anthem gesture of crossing their hearts. All great touches.

Then, there was Paula Malcomson as Amanda Graystone. While the pilot episode introduced viewers to the men above, Malcomson shined as the mournful mother this week.

How would you react if you lost your daughter and learned she was a possible terrorist? It's an impossible question to answer, which makes it equally impossible to judge Amanda's episode-concluding speech. (We could have done without the flashbacks to last week as soon as she discovered STO pin, however. Caprica viewers were smart enough to connect those dots on their own).

We're left to wonder: what, exactly, was going on with Zoe? Daniel and Amanda appear to be a loving couple; they are truly mourning their daughter. Would these parents really have been so out of touch that they wouldn't have known Zoe had a boyfriend?

One most definitely does not need to have watched Battlestar Galactica in order to appreciate Caprica - this is a show about religion, a reliance technology, politics, broken families and even organized crime - but it helps to have been a fan of the original.

It's fascinating to see that the Cylons (which would eventually obliterate most of the human race) started out as a father's wish to revive his dead child.

We're less taken so far with the inclusion of William Adama as a boy. Edward James Olmos made this character into an iconic figure on Battlestar. We already know his fate. That makes it less dramatic to watch him in scenes with his uncle, as we know young Willie won't fall too far toward the dark side, no matter how this show might end up teasing that.

Esai Morales and Eric Stoltz already own their roles, however. One of our favorite scenes: when Daniel told Amanda he'd go to the memorial because "I promised Serge some time alone with the U87. It’s not a pretty thing. They need to be alone." You get the feeling this is a guy that diffused tension with a joke, but never really dealt with important issues between his wife and his daughter.

Look where that's left him now.

What did you think of the episode?

Caprica First Look: James Marsters as Barnabus Greeley

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:52:11 EST

What did you think of the series premiere of Caprica?

While fans chew over the two-hour debut of this SyFy drama, they can get a sneak peek at this Friday's new episode.

They can slo look even further ahead: on March 5, James Marsters comes aboard the new series as a villain named Barnabus Greeley. The character is a dangerous and unpredictable terrorist that's torn apart internally by his conflicting moral and carnal desires.

Get your first look at Marsters in this role below: