414: 'Blood on the Scales' (2/2)
Wr: Michael Angeli
Dr: Wayne Rose
Synopsis: President Roslin seeks refuge on the Cylon base ship after Tom Zarek and Lt. Gaeta take control of the Galactica. Gaeta is determined to break away from Adama's policy of cooperation with the Cylons but even he is disturbed by Zarek's violent actions.
Review: Michael Angeli picks up quite admirably from where Mark Verherden left off with the second instalment of this two parter and continues Battlestar's current trend of high quality episodic entertainment. Much of the strength of 'The Oath' is inherent in 'Blood on the Scales': the continuing use of time as a predicate for narrative progression works wonderfully in keeping the dramatic tension levels stoked. The wealth of action is also encouraging. We are barely given a chance to pause for breath as first Adama is being given the most hokum trial known to man, then the Quorum are ruthlessly slaughtered by a completely barking Zarek, then Anders is shot and lies bleeding to death after EUGENE TOOMS murders a rebel with a pen and then Bill is before a firing squad, facing summary execution for his apparently 'treacherous' activities. This is unrelenting, difficult stuff, refusing to bow to narrative convention or attempt to sugar coat the brutality of what is truly going on. Kudos to the production staff for being brave enough to take this complete about turn in the mechanics of the plot to its logical conclusion and not 'chicken out', if you will, from presenting the viewer with the consequences of a failed revolution. One gets the distinct impression that nothing will ever be the same on the show now that two thirds of the crew have rebelled against their leader and he's back in power. Racetrack doesn't simply bow to Adama's will: he is reticient, holding firm in his beliefs. And Zarek and Gaeta... well, we all knew Tom would hold out until the bitter end but Felix? That was a surprise, but a pleasing one. He doesn't atone, there are no epiphianic, revelatory speeches. Instead, Angeli gives us a quiet, reflective scene with Baltar that somehow manages to encapsulate the essence of the character... and then shoots the poor bugger dead, execution style. It's a harsh fate for someone so misguided, perhaps, but then, it's the only logical one within the confines of the show's pre-established militaristic politics. To have merely repremanded him just wouldn't have seemed right. You may not want him dead but you know it's what you should get.
The writing staff certainly weren't exaggerating when they said in pre-season interviews that this would be a climate-changing, gigantic curveball of a decathalon and that, at times, it may make for somewhat harrowing viewing. However, it's all executed so elegantly, with such poise, style and sophistication, that you just cannot help but be swept along for the ride, regardless of just how damaging to your mental health it may be. Another tough forty five minutes then but like all good car wrecks, you just can't look away. Even when Roslin screams "I'm coming for you!" in the most unnecessarily hyperbolic tone imaginable. 9.2
415: 'No Exit'
Wr: Ryan Mottesheard
Dr: Gwenyth Horder-Payton
Synopsis: As Sam Anders recovers from his head injury onboard the Galactica, he begins to remember events from ancient Earth. Meanwhile, the Final Cylon struggles with the fallout from the Final Five's former plans. One of the humanoid Cylons vows to get revenge for being created in the image of Man. Tyrol informs Admiral Adama about the extensive structural damage on the Galactica.
Review: Huh. Talk about your fangeek fests. Jesus Christ on a pogo stick, this is fun. This week's instalment of the greatest science fiction show on television comes to you, dear viewer, in mind-addling mythological technicolor, throwing revelation after explanation after revelation into your face until you just can't take it anymore. And then it carries on, laughing its bolshy, brash, overly confident face off with guiltless, unadulterated glee. Want to know how the Centurions became Cylons? Done: experiments in advanced technology. Want an explanation for resurrection? Gotcha: the Final Five invented it together. Fancy a comprehensive history of Sol, Galan, Anders, Tory and Ellen and their activities prior to becoming 'human'? Say no more. How about an explanation for the Five's lack of knowledge regarding who they are? Well, you only needed to ask, silly! The original number 1, named John, did it to the poor buggers as payback for his creator, Ellen, 'trapping' him in a human body. Oh, and what about the elusive 'number 7'? Need to know about him? You got it - named Daniel, effectively murdered by John out of jealousy regarding Ellen's affections. We don't actually get to see him, regrettably, but I don't doubt it will happen some time over the course of the remaining four episodes.
Phew. You'd be forgiven for feeling, well, a little overwhelmed by it all. The unravelling comes thick and fast and it only pauses to catch breath by interjecting a C storyline into the mix about Galactica's significantly run down status and how Cylon technology is going to have to be used to fix the ship (oh and Tyrol becomes Chief again)... which, obviously, is a nice metaphor for the situation on the character side of things. There's a nice little scene in which Lee effectively becomes President too but you needn't worry too much about that. By the end of the episode, a global collective of science fiction fans find themselves picking themselves up off the floor, dusting their windswept, battered and bruised selves down and trying to take stock of what they've just witnessed: to reconcile it, file it away and work towards the realisation that, yeah, Battlestar Galactica pretty much just gave us all about 80% of the answers we've been craving for four years. Next week: Starbuck, rationalised, piece by narratalogical piece. We can hope.
Frankly, I'm still recovering from this one. I'm not sure I've managed to process it all yet. I will say that it's a delightfully structured episode and that, in particular, the strand involving Ellen is wonderful: it's somewhat appealing to the fangeeks in the audience to see her activities in the last eighteen months predicated on the major events in the Galactica calendar. The only criticism I can really muster is that perhaps this is just too much for one episode and that the exposition is rather talky. A better storytelling decision may have been to narrate the Final Five's history through flashback in order to put it into context but then, really, we shouldn't grumble when the show is finally giving us what we all want. A bit of a whirlwind... but a very enjoyable one. 9.2
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