It’s Monday, so it must be time for BSG 4.5 ’sode #8. Highlights: we recognize Crazy 8’s crazy eight-ness, appreciate Hoshi’s dedication (and will to quit when the time’s right), debate BYBBQ8’s trustworthiness (based on her conflicting statements), discuss the best way to ‘off BYBBQ8, wonder if Racetrak’ll find Racetrackworld (where no one ever loses keys or a sock), and begin the BSG 4.5 windup with a discussion of true waiting — Trek fans holding their breath between TOS Season 3 and ST:TMP.

 GWC Podcast #141 (Bonus) [42:27m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

My quest to vanquish the storyline in Fable II was achieved last night. Lionheart (my character) was proclaimed “Hero” throughout the land and the forces of evil were turned back from the path of ultimate doom. Yes, it is quite a tale but that’s not the story I wish to tell you.

As you can see Lionheart is brave and fearsome however it was not she who saved the land. Yes songs were sung and statues erected in her honor - it was not this hero that summoned the courage to lift Albion out of its fog of despair.

This is the face of the hero I speak of, seen here with his trusty companion Lionheart. As with many stories what actually happened was a little different than the bards sing it. No statues of Old Smeller stand to his bravery. No children dance about chanting his name as if it were a ward against evil. No, he is simply forgotten. Even though it was he who gave his life for the world that it might live - not Lionheart.

I tell you this not as a spoiler, for your quest will be different than mine. Each must follow his own path as is the Fable way.

It is just a reminder that when the fate of humanity hangs by a gossamer thread above the fire of damnation itself - there is no greater champion than the strength of a dog’s heart.

Old Smeller 12/25/08 – 01/04/09
He lived a lifetime in a few days but left everyone he met better for having known him. You are the truest friend to us all.

You will be missed.

Here’s our GWC Book Club TalkCast on Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy in its entirety. (Originally recorded live January 3, 2009.) The Book Club TalkCast is a monthly event. If you’d like to participate, check out the book club discussion and book selection threads on the forum, and look for another TalkCast next month discussing Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot.

 GWC Direct-To-Archive #6 [56:39m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We begin our windup to the BSG season 4.5 premiere with a watch of the awesome Catch The Frak Up video. Highlights: we recognize Tigh as (now) one of the most stable people on in the Colonial fleet, remember how everything’s already beginning to fall apart for the Cylons (and colonials), discuss Cally’s incredible hotness (and Tory’s and D’Anna’s…), speculate that Chief’s cabbage comment might’ve been adlibbed, comment on Rick Astley’s llikely-sizable IHOP income, and look for a Dallas-area paper-and-dice gaming session to join to introduce Audra (and re-introduce the rest of us) to the genre.

 GWC Podcast #140 [123:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Technically we’re discussing BSG 4.5 ’sode #7 in this bonus ‘cast, but since the ’sode is only about 40 seconds long we digress quite a bit. Highlights: we decide once and for all that BYBBQ8 is indeed a creepster, note that today’s “reveal” was about as exciting as Quizno’s, are regaled with Sean’s Fable 2 stories (including the “dog market” and sheepskin condoms), and generally enjoy our last podcast of 2008.

 GWC Podcast #139 (Bonus) [48:19m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Today we get BSG 4.5 ’sode #6 — as long as you haven’t cheated and grabbed ‘em from Amazon. (We haven’t!) Highlights: we debate the creepiness vs. evilness of Backyard BBQ 8, wonder if Gaeta hasn’t been as celibate as we thought earlier in BSG, discuss the nature of free will as applied to 8s that only seem stable when in a relationship, and speculate on various possible ’sode endings. We didn’t get a chance to take calls today, but we’ll definitely make room for ‘em Wednesday!

 GWC Podcast #138 (Bonus) [49:56m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Okay, so maybe it’s the sudden spark of love interest(s?) for Gaeta in the webisodes, or maybe that cute tiger tattoo has finally smitten me, but I’ve got to give some love to Felix Gaeta. First of all, the man is downright handsome. Sure, a teeny bit effeminate compared with the hunky Anders or the bulging-abbed Helo, but sexy nonetheless. Alessandro Juliani is of Italian and Chinese descent (sexy), is apparently known for his nice baritone voice in the halls of Montreal choirs (sexy) and, let’s face it, when he grows his hair out, it’s sexy.

Back when Do-Gooder Gaeta cocked up by interfering with election fraud that probably would have saved everyone a whole lot of misery, he wasn’t so attractive. You got this sense he’d rat on the deck hands for distilling booze in the storage closet. But after his heroic efforts on New Craprica, his ballsy defiance of the vigilantes when they tried to airlock him, his frak-off attitude afterward, and, yes, his little bit of scratchy facial hair, he became much hotter. His intentional lying at Baltar’s trial became a minor scratch in an otherwise increasingly cool character.

Now, I stick pretty closely to the webisodes’ official schedule and haven’t seen anything past webisode 5. So if Gaeta ends up being a scary sleeper skinjob or a psycho stump-legged killer, maybe we’ll reassess. But until then, I’m lovin’ this sweet, curly-haired, serenading, hobbling cutie.

Special thanks to cylune9 for the sweet Gaeta pic!

If this is your first time listening to GWC, you might want to jump back and start with #136 (if you’re a BSGer looking for webisode discussion) or #134 (for the last ‘cast of our X-Men arc). Why? This is our annual holiday podcast where we kick back and shoot the bull with no topic in mind. Originally recorded live on December 26, 2008, we’re joined by numerous GWC listeners for a good ‘ole fashioned bull-fest.

 GWC Podcast #137 (Live!) [135:54m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Wednesday brings BSG 4.5 ‘Sode #5. Highlights: we check out some great listener call speculation as to the next victim (some even correct!), wonder exactly how much morpha it takes to kill, speculate further on Gaeta’s list, mourn Brooks (how little we knew ‘ye), and start a fascinating discussion on formalwear and MacGyver. Merry Christmas everyone! We’ll see you Friday Dec. 26th at 9:00 p.m. CT for our Christmas live ‘cast via TalkShoe!

 GWC Podcast #136 (Bonus) [53:50m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

It’s Monday, so it must be BSG 4.5 Webisode 4. Highlights: we notice that virtually nothing happens in this ’sode, speculate further on the origin and meaning of Gaeta’s legal-pad list, suspect the worst as ByBBQ 8 “has a plan,” and wonder what all this means to season 4.5. Don’t forget to call in with your prediction of who’ll die next in Clue format (ex: “Easy in the pilot’s seat with the morpha”) at 214.296.9229. We’ll include our favorites in Wednesday’s bonus ‘cast.

 GWC Podcast #135 (Bonus) [51:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tonight we wrap up our all-too-brief X-Men arc with an X3 re-watch. Highlights: we enjoy the first appearance of a sentinel in the movies, argue that Xavier may well have brought the wrath of the Phoenix upon the world by preventing her from learning and understanding her nature (the way he helps other mutants), question what happened to the real Wolverine, wonder why Stan Lee is living next door to the Greys instead of on his own island in the Caribbean, hear Audra’s most recent comic junk report, and meet PMS Girl.

 GWC Podcast #134 [112:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Majel Barrett was Nurse Chapel in Star Trek:TOS, the familiar voice of the Enterprise computer beginning in ST:TNG, and the lovely, self-determined Betazoid Lwaxana Troi in TNG and DS9. She passed away yesterday at age 76.

I admit, I don’t remember much about ST:TOS or Nurse Chapel. And while many of us know Majel Barrett from her legendary romance with husband Gene Roddenberry, I will always think of her as Lwaxana Troi, mother of the Enterprise ship’s counselor, Deanna.

My first memories of Lwaxana Troi are of her amorous advances toward the reserved and slightly embarassed Captain Picard. Later, Troi shows up with a new husband-to-be, a man who has very little time left to live, but to whom Lwaxana is determined to dedicate herself. And of course we’ll always appreciate her insistence at getting married in the nude (and that all attendees follow suit), as is customary in Betazoid tradition.

And then there’s Lwaxana Troi the ambassador, who visits Deep Space Nine and falls for the even-harder-to-get security chief Odo. Troi is the perfect on-screen match for the tightly-wound, dignified Odo- her comfort in her own skin, her certainty that life is something to be enjoyed, her warm honesty and acceptance of everyone around her, and her need to keep talking- make her that kind of person everyone feels good around. When Lwaxana and Odo are trapped for hours in a DS9 elevator, Odo must face one of his greatest fears: indignity in front of a near stranger. Lwaxana comforts him by pulling off her elaborate hairdo, revealing it as a wig above her plain, short brown hair. Odo, the most private of men, finally succumbs to his liquid form as Lwaxana holds him in the folds of her dress and promises to care for him. No one could see her compassionate expression and sincere eyes in that moment and doubt the kindness of heart of the character or the actor playing her.

This is how I will remember Majel Barrett: a beautiful, warm person who was at the heart of every incarnation of one of the most beloved sci-fi series ever. We’ll miss you, Majel.