Just as I was getting into the edge-of-the-seat splendour that is Battlestar Galactica, the writers and producers do something that got me mightily pissed off. I have just watched them kill off Billy, the president’s aide.
Billy, Billy, Billy. Poor under-utilised, puppy-faced Billy. They could have made something of his character instead of always sticking him in the background with like, two lines per episode (if he was in the episode even). They could have cut down on the macho posturing of the steroid-pumped pilots and given Billy some scenes for God’s sake! Oh yeah, sure they gave him some scenes and some lines but right in the episode where he frakking dies.
Why do I like Billy? I guess because I always have had a soft spot for the awkward, tragic-looking boy in the corner, the quiet one with a glint of steel in his eye who will let you showboat all you want but if you shove him he will shove right back. Billy was all those things; a young man surrounded by the military and the high-powered, he was gauche and lanky, always bent slightly forward as if to apologise for his physical superiority in front of his social superiors. He was deferential as befitted his station but he wasn’t stupid. He was observant, quick on the uptake and did his job well. His suits were too big for him, he wore cheap shirts and always had a badly knotted tie but that somehow added to his charm. Even his misplaced infatuation with Dualla was sweet, except that girl could not make her mind up and played him for a fool.
After today’s episode, I trawled the websites for some investigating on why the writers killed Billy. It turns out that the actor who played him, Paul Campbell, was reluctant to sign a five season contract for the show so the execs took his hesitance for non-commitment on his part and figured they couldn’t rely on him so his character was axed. Such a shame but I wouldn’t blame Paul Campbell for that since he obviously felt he was getting nowhere career-wise and a young actor needs to get better experience and his profile up.
Anyway, what’s done is done. Billy is no more. Paul Campbell is still going, albeit in small roles still. You can read all about his adventures at his official website here, which has some funny, but sparse journal entries. He may not have a job on one of the biggest TV shows, but he has got one hell of a sense of humour.
Rest in peace, Billy.
Billy, Billy, Billy. Poor under-utilised, puppy-faced Billy. They could have made something of his character instead of always sticking him in the background with like, two lines per episode (if he was in the episode even). They could have cut down on the macho posturing of the steroid-pumped pilots and given Billy some scenes for God’s sake! Oh yeah, sure they gave him some scenes and some lines but right in the episode where he frakking dies.
Why do I like Billy? I guess because I always have had a soft spot for the awkward, tragic-looking boy in the corner, the quiet one with a glint of steel in his eye who will let you showboat all you want but if you shove him he will shove right back. Billy was all those things; a young man surrounded by the military and the high-powered, he was gauche and lanky, always bent slightly forward as if to apologise for his physical superiority in front of his social superiors. He was deferential as befitted his station but he wasn’t stupid. He was observant, quick on the uptake and did his job well. His suits were too big for him, he wore cheap shirts and always had a badly knotted tie but that somehow added to his charm. Even his misplaced infatuation with Dualla was sweet, except that girl could not make her mind up and played him for a fool.
After today’s episode, I trawled the websites for some investigating on why the writers killed Billy. It turns out that the actor who played him, Paul Campbell, was reluctant to sign a five season contract for the show so the execs took his hesitance for non-commitment on his part and figured they couldn’t rely on him so his character was axed. Such a shame but I wouldn’t blame Paul Campbell for that since he obviously felt he was getting nowhere career-wise and a young actor needs to get better experience and his profile up.
Anyway, what’s done is done. Billy is no more. Paul Campbell is still going, albeit in small roles still. You can read all about his adventures at his official website here, which has some funny, but sparse journal entries. He may not have a job on one of the biggest TV shows, but he has got one hell of a sense of humour.
Rest in peace, Billy.
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