The Hub easily is one of the best episodes BSG has ever done.

ETA that it especially showed off one of BSG's strengths when it's firing on all cylinders, which is moving a plot point forward through writing a character scene (as opposed to just trying to kludge a plot point in). In particular, Baltar's long-in-coming confession as to his complicity in the initial Cylon attack.

That reality finally being communicated to someone else is a pretty major plot development, but it came through as part of a rather intense character scene, rather than some sort of shoehorned in piece of melodrama.

Good stuff.

[ edited by theonetruebix on 2008-06-10 07:52 ]

The One True b!X | June 10, 10:47 CET

It was really good, I enjoyed Baltar's scenes a lot. It felt like a return to his character during season one.

Simon | June 10, 10:48 CET

It just thrills me silly to hear Jane talk about BSG, and I couldn't agree more that this was one of the best episodes of the entire series.

Shey | June 10, 13:42 CET

It really was a great episode. Baltar was hilarious chatting to that centurion. The whole episode had a strange feel to it, the music seemed somehow different too. It's the mid-season finale next episode, so there'll probably be some major happenings soon. Final 1 revealed, perhaps?

MattK | June 10, 14:17 CET

I really enjoyed this ep immensely, especially after the daft pacing of the previous episode.

zeitgeist | June 10, 16:39 CET

Jane Espenson has written the two best episodes this season - and really every one of them has been strong competition (except for the one just prior to "The Hub" - which sucked a lot).

I love Jane's outlook on the show and how she has worked some humour in, while also bringing the beautiful character drama. The Baltar reveal of his actions in the genocide are a LONG TIME COMING and Jane executed it perfectly.

Holy crap, I love this show and Jane.

crossoverman | June 10, 16:52 CET

I liked this interview so much, I just wanted it to go on and on.

palehorse | June 10, 17:17 CET

Oh I just love Jane Espenson interviews! And I wish I had ever found a one toaster man....

embers | June 10, 19:05 CET

Ooh yes we just watched this last night. Although I'll miss BSG I am so very happy with (whoever's decision it was?) for working out an end point and deciding to end there. The momentum throughout this whole season has been fantastic (except, as everybody seems to agree, the last episode, Sina Qua Non--what was up with that?). At the end of almost every episode but that one I have to pick my jaw up off the floor and reattach it painfully to my face. I'm thinking next week I might just leave it there and go around jawless--whatever. I didn't realize Jane E. had written the ep, though I should have guessed with lines like "if you're my subconscious you're kind of full of myself." Yay her!

Oh I adore Laura Roslin and her inscrutable little smiles. And while I semi-appreciated the humor of Baltar's conversation with the Centurion, most of my brain was going oh my gods Gaius Baltar is about to get himself an army.

Just loving this. It's the only thing we're watching these days.

catherine | June 10, 19:07 CET

TV Guide also have a Q&A with her so I added the link to the entry.

Simon | June 10, 19:20 CET

Great interview about a fantastic episode. I may have gotten a little teary at the end. Of the episode I mean, not the interview. Seriously, it was lovely to see great writing and acting create something so brilliant out of "long time coming" moments like Baltar's confession and Roslin admitting her feelings for Adama.

Lady Brick | June 10, 19:27 CET

I've loved this sesaon so far and "The Hub" was one of the best episodes. Last season I thought Jane's episodes were uneven (Dirty Hands was good, but the Passage was kind of iffy). This year both are in the season's top 5.

I also really enjoyed Michael Angeli's episodes this season, worth commenting on because his episodes last season were so widely criticized by the fan-base as well.

rabid | June 10, 19:45 CET

Loved, loved, loved this episode. I only just started watching Battlestar Galactica (tore through the first three seasons and Razor on DVD, then downloaded up to "Guess What's Coming to Dinner"), and I do think this is one of my absolute favourite episodes.

Even apart from Jane's incredible writing, the effects were spectacularly directed and the music really did seem somewhat removed from the show's normal style, but in a beautiful way. Both of those really helped to sort of set the episode apart, in my opinion. And the Roslin/Adama scene was just great.

And I'm definitely happy to see the #3 back again. OK, this is turning into a thing of unashamed glee.

Knuckleball | June 10, 21:37 CET

Here's one more Q&A with Jane about this ep, where she also takes questions from fans.

Love her love her!

ProgGrrl | June 10, 22:41 CET

Best episode of the season indeed, and I would say that by the end credits this is the most satisfying episode the series has ever delivered- talk about pay-off! (and a happy ending for once!) At the end I truly felt like I'd just has a whole BSG meal, with Baltar's confession, the return of D'Anna, Elosha, Cylons losing the ability to download and of course Roslin and Adama, that scene can't be topped. Absolutely lovely, tears were shed, and I want her next ep now.

Also, since BSG is ending soon, can Bear McCreary write the music for Dollhouse? :D

Trek_Girl42 | June 10, 22:49 CET

I don't know why, but I was never a fan of Jane's. I've been kinda subliminally aware that she was the writer for certain episodes of Buffy that didn't quite click with me, and that's how much awareness of her I had. And I remember that I wasn't a huge fan of her first effort writing for Battlestar Galactica, although I have no idea what that episode was. Those are my credentials.

But this one was, yes, the best episode of the season. Not because it contributed to the grander mythology but because it DIDN'T. We finally got to see the characters as people again, and not as symbols in some mythological struggle. Baltar saying "Please don't do this to me..." over and over again... I don't think I've ever been more disturbed by a TV program. His confession, and Roslin's reaction, it was all so perfectly in character... and her letting him bleed out.... Good stuff.

I wish this show was gonna go on for a lot longer now, because this episode showed that the characters - setting aside the mythology for a moment - are still really interesting. And Jane made that happen, so thanks to Jane.

Phlogiston | June 11, 03:58 CET

So many folks have commented on the music, that I wanted to make sure everyone knows that composer Bear McCreary maintains his own blog and writes wonderful notes about every episode's score.

ohbejoyful | June 11, 05:38 CET