Rygel, for me, ended as he started. Annoying lump of latex.

Rygel's not particularly deep, but he's a little more complex and loyal than you see 95% of the time he's on the screen. Every once in a while he does something that reminds you why they haven't tossed him out an airlock. I loved him in the Infinite Possibilities two-parter. And in Liars, Guns and Money.

He has his moments. Not often, mind you, but they're there.

Of course, then there's the bits like when he didn't even try to catch dropped Crichton in Crichton Kicks. Heh.

Heck, she did the same. Then again, she knows all those fancy martial arts that render bodyarmor useless.

Well, the difference is, Clark grabbed them and heaved them around bodily over large distances. Lois merely displayed the incredible fighting prowess conveyed by learning martial arts in TV-land. Remember, two weeks (or whatever) of kickboxing turned Lana into an instant bad-ass.

ETA: Or, what ita said.

What? I was a badass in two weeks. You mean it doesn't normally happen like that?

t /gratuitous snark

What? I was a badass in two weeks. You mean it doesn't normally happen like that?

Only if you're Elvis.

Or Neo.

I once was arguing with someone online who said a friend of theirs with absolutely no training had been promoted to black belt in less than a year. He wouldn't believe me when I told him his friend would probably be eaten for breakfast by anyone who actually had half a clue and his friend should find a school that wasn't a belt factory.

I suppose it's possible the guy's friend was a natural prodigy that puts ita's talent/drive combo to shame, but I don't consider it very likely.

I suppose it's possible the guy's friend was a natural prodigy that puts ita's talent/drive combo to shame, but I don't consider it very likely.

Exactly. And even in the case of a hypothetical prodigy of that magnitude, most good instructors still wouldn't advance him that quickly. Aside from the possible inflated ego issues, a black belt isn't just about being able to kick ass, but being a role model and a teacher to the lower belts as well as an understanding of why things are done, not just how things are done. All of that takes time.

I just finished Disc 2 of Season 3, also known as "Claudia Black's commentary for the blind memory-impared" She spends at least half the time giving character histories and future histories.

Oh yeah, and Zhaan died . I don't know if it was because I knew that already or because she actually was being irritating that I found myself not caring so much. Granted, not as irritating as screaming hair girl. Please tell me she's not long for the series. Please.

I have to admit I find Claudia's commentary less than fascinating except when she's talking to Ben. But he's got the BBOC thing going, even on audio-only.

Tammy Macintosh (Jool) leaves the cast 3 episodes into Season 4, by which point I'd gotten to like her a little better. Although like Virginia Hey, the actress reappears periodically. It's a thing in SF -- as Leonard Nimoy once said, nobody's ever dead for good. *g*

And yet, still my favorite female commentator ever. So sad.

Well, crap. Ooooh. Jool. I thought he had nicknamed her Jewel.

Yeah, CB talked about that, and there was a thing in the trivia about bald caps.