*sighs*

[conuly]

I was watching BSG the other day (of course), and at one point Madam President has a vision. Or a hallucination, really, but when she talks to the priestess about this (that's another religious thing, she doesn't go to a doctor with her hallucination, she goes to a priest) she's told "That's just like what Pythia described". We don't know who Pythia is, so of course poor Madam President is forced to ask "Who is Pythia?" to lead the priestess into a long discussion of who Pythia is, when she lived, what she did, and what she said.

Fine, fine. Except that later, Baltar says he "hasn't read Pythia since the sixth grade". Um, what? And Madam President was a teacher, no less. If this is something you read in the sixth grade, shouldn't there at least be name recognition? Just like if I mention a Trojan horse, you all know what I mean, even those of you who never read Homer.

Now, I understand why poor Madam President had to do this, because somewhere or another we had to find out who Pythia is, but why couldn't've been done more subtly?

"You've been reading Pythia, right?"
"No... actually *embarassed laugh*, I've never had a chance, and I'm really quite ignorant. Why do you ask?"
"Well, as you know, Pythia was a seer who lived 3,000 years ago...."

Instead, we have to sit around and wonder why this former teacher is missing basic information.

Comments

[zathras26.livejournal.com]

A niggling plot hole, I agree, but it's not necessarily inconsistent -- it may have been something that Baltar read on his own, rather than as an assigned textbook. I'm sure you read a lot of stuff at that age on your own as well... I sure as hell did, such as Orwell, Huxley, Dante, and a bunch of other stuff that was never assigned in any class I ever took all the way thru high school. Many of them weren't even assigned in college.

That's a pretty weak explanation, I agree, but it's the only one I can think of. More likely, as you say, it's just bad writing -- unless it's something that they intend to explain or go over in future eps, but that's probably not very likely, either.

[conuly]

Nah, he goes on to say that he's not really fond of ancient history.

[zathras26.livejournal.com]

Ah, I had forgotten that part. In that case, yes, you're right... just bad writing.

interesting...

[scottrossi.livejournal.com]

i didnt think she didnt know. maybe i missed the line, but i thought she said something like, "pythia wrote that?" hahaha i could easily have been mistaken, but i got the impression she knew about pythia but was incredulous that her vision would link with pythia's.

Re: interesting...

[conuly]

No, before that. The priestess goes "I know what this is, you've been reading Pythia" and then the president says "No, I haven't. Who's Pythia?"

Re: interesting...

[scottrossi.livejournal.com]

damn! i must have missed that. i totally remember the convo, but not that line ... although i was petting my cat at that time, so i may have been distracted by uberloud purring.hahaha.

[the-lady-aurora.livejournal.com]

Want the transcripts? Go Here (http://www.sadgeezer.com/html/Sections+index-req-viewarticle-artid-128-page-1.html) they have all but the last 2 episodes.

[zathras26.livejournal.com]

A niggling plot hole, I agree, but it's not necessarily inconsistent -- it may have been something that Baltar read on his own, rather than as an assigned textbook. I'm sure you read a lot of stuff at that age on your own as well... I sure as hell did, such as Orwell, Huxley, Dante, and a bunch of other stuff that was never assigned in any class I ever took all the way thru high school. Many of them weren't even assigned in college.

That's a pretty weak explanation, I agree, but it's the only one I can think of. More likely, as you say, it's just bad writing -- unless it's something that they intend to explain or go over in future eps, but that's probably not very likely, either.

[conuly]

Nah, he goes on to say that he's not really fond of ancient history.

[zathras26.livejournal.com]

Ah, I had forgotten that part. In that case, yes, you're right... just bad writing.

interesting...

[scottrossi.livejournal.com]

i didnt think she didnt know. maybe i missed the line, but i thought she said something like, "pythia wrote that?" hahaha i could easily have been mistaken, but i got the impression she knew about pythia but was incredulous that her vision would link with pythia's.

Re: interesting...

[conuly]

No, before that. The priestess goes "I know what this is, you've been reading Pythia" and then the president says "No, I haven't. Who's Pythia?"

Re: interesting...

[scottrossi.livejournal.com]

damn! i must have missed that. i totally remember the convo, but not that line ... although i was petting my cat at that time, so i may have been distracted by uberloud purring.hahaha.

[the-lady-aurora.livejournal.com]

Want the transcripts? Go Here (http://www.sadgeezer.com/html/Sections+index-req-viewarticle-artid-128-page-1.html) they have all but the last 2 episodes.

Baltar's Reading Level

[invalidsavant.livejournal.com]

Perhaps in the BSG culture a vision / hallucination is covered by religion and not medicine?

As for Baltar reading Pythia is sixth grade-- the man is a genius, after all (and possibly a Cylon.) Who knows what Baltar's reading level was in the sixth grade? Maybe Pythia is too advanced for anyone (except a genius or the priesthood) to really grok?

Baltar's Reading Level

[invalidsavant.livejournal.com]

Perhaps in the BSG culture a vision / hallucination is covered by religion and not medicine?

As for Baltar reading Pythia is sixth grade-- the man is a genius, after all (and possibly a Cylon.) Who knows what Baltar's reading level was in the sixth grade? Maybe Pythia is too advanced for anyone (except a genius or the priesthood) to really grok?