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Battlestar Galactica: Escape Velocity

Tyrol: "I didn't pick this life! This is not my frakking life!"

I'm so confused. What is going on? I hate it when I get to the end of an episode and I don't know what actually happened.

Tyrol is evidently having a completely unique identity crisis. His tirade in the bar about how much he despised everything about Cally was really amazing. He all but told Adama he was a Cylon, and he manipulated Adama into reassigning him. I think it's because Tyrol knows he's the ultimate in loose cannons, and he wanted to keep the viper pilots safe from himself. I can't imagine how Tyrol will react if and when he finds out who killed Cally. I can easily see him killing Tory and then himself. He feels so suicidal. And he dreamed about killing himself back in season two, after all.

(Gold acting stars for Aaron Douglas. This was his episode. Man, do they have some good actors on this show.)

I was completely weirded out by Tigh and Caprica Six and – Ellen. Tigh is understandably obsessed with the destruction of the Colonies, and I got that Tigh's guilt about Ellen paralleled Tyrol's guilt about Cally. Maybe Caprica Six was "projecting" Ellen on purpose to rattle and subvert Tigh. You know, that feels right. Caprica Six doesn't know what Tigh is, after all. (Or that's what we're supposed to believe.) Caprica Six and Tory were both talking about pain bringing enlightenment as they inflicted pain on Tigh and Gaius. But then, in the end, Caprica Six said she was wrong about the pain. I'm so confused. At least, please tell me that Caprica Six isn't going to have sex with Tigh. Gag me with a spoon.

Meanwhile, back at the God and Sex Cult, Gaius just did his impression of Jesus and the moneychangers. He went to prison for his beliefs, too. Gaius Baltar is definitely not my idea of the Second Coming, so I'm having a hard time with this. (I wonder if a crucifixion is approaching.) The whole "You are perfect just as you are" made me think of Mister Rogers. Gaius was actually repeating what Tory told him earlier in the episode, while she was pulling his hair out. "We're perfect, just as we are." Tory is getting increasingly creepy. (Dan thinks she's acting like Six.) Tory wants Gaius to succeed – why? To convert the Colonials to monotheism? Maybe that's what the ultimate Cylon goal will turn out to be.

More strong Adama/Roslin scenes. I was touched when Roslin told Adama that she liked Cally's service, and then had to remind Adama exactly why she was telling him that. The way she talked with Gaius about her approaching death was also heavy. And then there was Adama reading his favorite book to Roslin, and using it to tell her how he really felt. Adama and Roslin, as far as I'm concerned, have become the most moving and interesting of all of the complex romantic pairings on this show. I never expected that to happen.

Dan thought this episode was about what it meant to be human, and that started us talking about Earth. We still don't know the time period of this story. What if the Colonials arrive at Earth, and it's thousands of years ago? Maybe we're descended from the Colonials, and their myths and beliefs became our myths and beliefs. What a series ending that would be.

Bits and pieces:

— This week's survivor number: 39,675. One less than last week. I think we know who that was.

— Cally's full name was Callandra Henderson Tyrol. Note the big focus on the statues of the gods at Cally's funeral.

— Roslin is now wearing a wig. With their limited resources, where did she get a wig that looked that good?

— More "All Along the Watchtower" in the score. I know it's been in others, but it was really noticeable in this one.

— When Harvey Six lifted Gaius, it looked like Harvey Six was actually corporeal. They've done this before. Yes, it could have been Gaius doing it to himself, but I think the Harveys are real, and I have for awhile. But corporeal?

— Racetrack's crash landing was gripping.

— The assembly provision that Roslin instituted and Lee managed to get revoked was a limit of twelve people. Twelve is the most popular number on this show. Disciples, Cylon models, colonies, etc.

— The Roslin/Lee struggle for power continued, and Lee won again. The rules mean a lot less to Roslin as she nears death. I get that. Rules really are sometimes meant to be broken. But she also said that doing the right thing was sometimes a luxury, and I don't agree with that. That's what the neocons believe, and look at the mess they've made.

— This episode was directed by Edward James Olmos. Why does he always get the weird ones?

Quotes:

Gaius: "I think I preferred it when you cried."
What was Tory doing? I thought for a moment that she was working up to killing him.

Adama: "Baltar's back at home. In the brig again."

Tigh: "Tell me."
Six/Ellen: "Tell me what?"
Tigh: "How I can live with what you've done."

The first time I watched this episode, I didn't like it. I saw a lot of really interesting depth in it the second time, though. Dan loved it. Three stars,

Billie
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Billie Doux loves good television and spends way too much time writing about it.

2 comments:

  1. Two things: the Chief is definately not handling his Cylon-ness well. The scene where he got himself demoted was very powerful and I almost couldn't believe how he talked about Callie, I mean I know he never loved her, but the things he said were dreadful.

    The other: the parallel between Caprica Six and Ellen Tigh was something I never thought about, but seeing Ellen in Sixes skin was a clarifying moment. :)

    I have a feeling Lee is making a mistake how he is dealing with Roslin, which will probably mean it will turn out right in the end... I guess we shall see...

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  2. This was a weird one. Tyrol's crisis worked for me, but the rest not so much. I'm having trouble buying the Baltar cult and I don't know what to make of Six and Tigh. I'm not sure if Six is deliberately projecting Ellen or if Tigh is just seeing Ellen. To me, it seemed like Six was as confused by Tigh as I was. I'm puzzled that none of the new cylons have sought out Athena: Wouldn't she be a more logical choice to help them grapple with their identity as both Cylons and members of the colonial fleet? I get that Tigh has a poor relationship with her, but couldn't Anders or Tirol reach out to her?

    ReplyDelete

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