Cancer

GreenBear · December 10th, 2003, 09:21 AM

I noticed a lot of posts on some boards asking why the President Roslin has to have cancer.

I think this is a kind of clever plot device that may be used if the series is picked up and Mary McDonnell doesn't want to continue (opting for movies instead). When she wants out, her character dies much like Jane Seymour's character in TOS. Plus it would bring an interesting plot element and pathos with it.

I think they have sketched this out pretty well. I'm excited to see where it takes us.

malachi42 · December 10th, 2003, 10:04 AM

Standard practice for any series is that actors sign up for a 6 year contract. That way you don't have to write around their opting out whenever they fel like it.
I'm pretty sure they put the Cancer story in their because they thought it would make for an interesting story line.

thomas7g · December 10th, 2003, 04:08 PM

I think they needed more setup. its hard to really relate to a charcater so fast. You have to feel for them, and you really didn't get a chance.

In my opinion, they shoulda hinted it. Then struck down a blow harder later as she revealed it. By then we would have cared more for her.

I have some strong differences with the director on this show. I think he needed to spend more time in the beginning hour getting us to like everyone.

shapeshifter · December 11th, 2003, 06:42 PM

I thought it was to reveal to the audience that she is not a cylon. But maybe that's a ruse. Perhaps it will be later revealed that in copying human forms, the Cylons too can get cancer.
Similarly, one would assume that the father and son Adamas cannot be Cylons by definition. But perhaps they clone humans. I can imagine in a future episode that the younger Adama would be suspect because he should have died.

callsignfalcon · December 14th, 2003, 09:56 PM

O.o hmmm... then again i was convinced her aid guy was one... his creepy tie and tallness... and the brief case...

xenagabby99 · December 15th, 2003, 07:26 PM

Yeah I thought he was too! Especially when she told him she had cancer and he said something to the effect of her actions being human. I thought that was a dead giveaway, but apparently not. In terms of her having cancer I agree that there wasn't enough set up, it's a good storyline for a weekly series but for a mini series which is almost always defined by something that has a beginning a middle and an end this was a little too much. It would be great if this storyline continues into a series but for the mini series I just don't think it was working.

SAR Pilot · December 15th, 2003, 07:36 PM

I think when they first introduced her character, it was hinted at in her actions of running to the head, oops, bathroom, on the ship and bending in pain.
I would say it shows her human frailty, perhaps a figurative representation of the painful death of the colonies, and the remnants fight for survival.

callsignfalcon · December 15th, 2003, 07:39 PM

Human fraility yes... still... i wouldn't be surprised if that guy was a cylon! They still have a few models left to toy with

SAR Pilot · December 15th, 2003, 07:40 PM

True, we only saw 4 or 5? models in the final scene?

xenagabby99 · December 15th, 2003, 07:42 PM

See that's why I don't like things being left open like that, cuz if *god forbid* there is no weekly series we're left with all these strings that we can try and attatch but just never will. Grrr you can tell it's late I think I'm starting to make no sense

SAR Pilot · December 15th, 2003, 07:45 PM

Huh? ! ?

xenagabby99 · December 15th, 2003, 07:49 PM

Very funny! Mess with my psyche even more!

callsignfalcon · December 15th, 2003, 08:04 PM

.... *confused*. lets see.... #6, that one guy, the other guy, and boomer.... so 4 i believe. Yep strings are annoying... unless its string cheese then its yummy!

shapeshifter · December 15th, 2003, 10:11 PM

I only watched it once, but wasn't it sort of spur-of-the-moment-robotic when the 2 couples started kissing after the reunion?

December 19th, 2003, 01:15 PM

I am with Greenbear and think this may be a ploy if they need to write her out in a dramatic way. I don't think anyone in Hollywood gets a "standard" contract unless they are unknowns. She and Olmos don't get standard anything. Between Star Trek and TOS I can think of three female characters that had to die because of contract disputes.

I also think it is a big spin on the "all your problems are relative mentality".

I think she may be a cylon but I think that the whole cancer thing would be something to dampen the speculation. If her crying wasn't an act it does not go well with the cylon religion we have seen.

For the cylon can't get cancer thought: If the human-cylons are biological beings like us they could get cancer also. Although cancer can be genetic in origin the majority of cancers are caused by the effects of random background radiation (sunlight) as it causes random destruction/mutations to cellular DNA. No biological entity would be immune to the effects of sunlight. If anything space travel should increase the odds of cancer. I remember in Blade Runner the replicants were built to expire by the manufacturer. For all we know the cylons built cancer into her program. After all, would you rather be President of the colonies or a low level member of the cylon empire?