This two-parter doesn't suffer any of the problems "Ice Planet Zero" did with multiple story threads. It's just a good story about two commanders who don't see eye-to-eye.
Hey, they cut out the "There are those who believe..." narration from the opening titles! That's okay, I didn't much like it anyway. And a couple shots have changed in the opening too.
The Star Wars influence continues; someone actually says "I can't shake him!" just as Luke does during the Death Star run.
We are introduced to the Pegasus and its crew. This is fine. Though it makes it very confusing to know which vipers are which crew. I wish that the squadrons were color coded on the hulls so we could tell them apart. Or on the helmets, or something like that. In Star Wars I could tell the Red guys from the Gold guys. Here, I don't know who is Blue and who is Silver Star or whatever it is. Was it someone on the Pegasus who said "We're the only ones left alive in the whole star system"? I hope so, or that's an obvious error.
The plot of the episode is similar to what was done in "Equinox" on Voyager. There, a ship presumed lost reunites with our crew and there's a power struggle over who's method of leadership is more effective. Though Galactica does a much better job with this.
I like Lloyd Bridges here. He does a good job with the character. So much of the drama hinges on how he plays Commander Cain. That name... wonder why they chose Cain? The brother of Abel who wanted to do things his way? A reference to The Caine Mutiny?
I am so glad that the humans took some casualties for once. I know there are only so many humans left so we don't want to see them blown to bits every week, but it is unrealistic that they could pick off so many Cylon ships every week without losing one of their own.
I was also glad to see the Imperious Leader make an appearance, because I was starting to wonder if they'd forgotten that Baltar answers to someone. He is NOT in charge. I think the writers are lazily letting him be the "main baddy", and not really exploiting the drama of his precarious situation. He answers to someone. His actions have consequences.
I suppose the ultimate question is what becomes of the Pegasus? It just disappears? Will we see it again?
Starbuck and Apollo clear a path for the Pegasus by flying in close and shooting out the guns on the Cylon Base Ships. ...Why have they never done this sort of thing before? And the battlstars have MISSILES?? Since when? Why the frack don't they use them?? They've had Baltar's ship tailing them for ten episodes now, and they've never once fired back at it when they had this kind of firepower?
I'm not sure I see the reason for the tensions with Cassiopeia. She wants Starbuck, but also Cain. Then she seems to feel the need to explain herself to Starbuck. Really? He knew you were a whore when he met you; I don't think he cares!
We get a new character added to the Galactica when Anna Lockhart joins us from the Pegasus. I like her. I hope they write her better than they've been writing Apollo. Though on that, Apollo actually gets some stuff to do here. I like the standoff against the Pegasus' crew over following Adama's orders.
As I said, this is a good episode, and the best of the (many) two-parters so far. It's no wonder Ron Moore and company tapped this storyline for the BSG reboot.
Favorite line: "I really think you should look at the other battlestar..." It's hilarious because up until now, the Cylons have never had much personality. And it's even funnier in the robotic monotone.
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