The Gun on Ice Planet Zero

Now we have another two-part episode. They turn up more frequently than in TNG's sixth season.

Despite some good bits, these episodes are largely problematic. There's just too much going on and far too many story threads for any of them to gain proper resolution. I suppose this should be expected from an episode with four credited writers. Roy Thinnes is wasted, which is particularly saddening (something The X-Files would also later run dangerously close to). 

What's the point of the episode? Is it the Cylon trap and the giant gun? Is it Starbuck's guilt over the capture of Cadet Cree? Is it the clones? Is it the team of prisoners? It's all sort of thrown out there with the hope it will stick.

I was glad to hear reference made to the female flight squadron again. I was starting to worry that they'd dropped it since every mission is flown by Apollo, Starbuck, and Boomer. 

In the previous episode, we saw what appeared to be Baltar on the Cylon base star, but weren't shown his face. We now know certainly that Baltar did survive from "Lost Planet of the Gods" and is still giving the Cylons orders; orders that increasingly distress Lucifer. It's funny that on Lost in Space Jonathan Harris was the one giving ridiculous orders to the robot, now Harris is the robot who gets to say "I told you so" when the orders go wrong.

Note the tri-level chess set in Boxey's room. It's different from Spock's but it's there. Homage, or rip-off?

I like the Cree storyline, and it's a shame that it's dropped so quickly. We never learn if the Cylons gathered any useful intelligence from him. We don't get to see enough of the character, who is bold enough to tell the Cylons to "go rust themselves" when interrogated. Starbuck's guilt adds depth to his character, as he'll do anything to rescue Cree. ...and does he? He seemed to be doing so, but we don't really see it. The show really needed a proper scene reuniting the two. Instead we get all that with the clones. The convict ice team is also short-changed. Some, like Wolf, seem to be there for no reason, and the dynamics are never fleshed out enough. What happened to them at the end? Again, too much going on to properly follow. They had several good story threads to follow, but let them get confused.

Everyone has digital calculator watches? Seriously?

Missed opportunities on almost every level in this one.