Battlestar Galactica: Crossroads, Part One

The trial of Gaius Baltar begins!

Cast

James Callis as Dr. Gaius Baltar
Edward James Olmos as Admiral Adama
Mary McDonnell as Laura Roslin
Jamie Bamber as Lee “Apollo” Adama
Michael Hogan as Col. Tigh
Tricia Helfer as Number 6
Grace Park as Sharon “Athena” Agathon/Boomer
Tahmoh Penikett as Helo
Aaron Douglas as Galen Tyrol
Kandyse McClure as Anastasia “Dee” Dualla
Alessandro Juliani as Felix Gaeta
Mark A. Sheppard as Romo Lampkin
Rekha Sharma as Tory Foster
Michael Trucco as Samuel T. Anders

Synopsis

The trial of Gaius Baltar begins, leading to a revelation about the President and widening the breach between Apollo and Adama.

High Points

  • The prosecutor’s opening argument
  • Apollo interrogating Roslin on the witness stand

Low Points

  • The preview of next week’s episode. Seriously, if you’ve not seen this episode yet, stop watching before the preview kicks in at the end because it contains a possibly serious spoiler (or possibly a red herring, but either way it’s irritating).

The Scores

Originality: nothing remarkably innovative really shows up in this episode, but as usual it’s treated with enough flair to stop you noticing. Five out of six.

Effects: there aren’t a huge number of effects shots again, but some absolutely beautiful space shots which are timed to perfection give a score of five out of six.

Story: hoo. Well. Baltar’s trial finally begins, and we’re also back on the plotline of Roslin as the prophesied leader, with tantalising clues of getting closer to Earth as well. Everything here is of crucial importance and I can only hope that next week’s episode delivers on some of the potential seen this week. Six out of six.

Acting: Mary McDonnell gets to shine on the witness stand and at the following press conference. It is extremely satisfying to see her able to show off some of her abilities, as she’s not played a huge part in the last few episodes. I must also mention Sheppard again, who seems to have Campbell’s character absolutely spot on, without any hints of Badger from Firefly. Six out of six.

Production: this wouldn’t warrant much of a mention except for how the producers decided to handle Tigh and the music he keeps hearing. It’s clearly an important upcoming plot point (at least, I hope it is) and we get just the right amount of it to keep us intrigued as well. Five out of six.

Emotional response: more major events about characters who have worked their way into our affections over the last three years. A significant emotional response is almost a given, yet I suspect we’re in for more of it next week. They haven’t got to the really serious part yet. Five out of six.

Overall: this episode is a fine example of a modern TV show at its peak. Six out of six.

Crossroads, Part One receives a rather large grand total of thirty-eight out of forty-two.

53 replies on “Battlestar Galactica: Crossroads, Part One”

  1. Great Job

    I must also mention Sheppard again, who seems to have Campbell’s character absolutely spot on, without any hints of Badger from Firefly.

    Yeah.
    I was the one who posted in last week’s discussion how I kept seeing Badger… Well that’s gone for me, as well. He did a wonderful job this week and I never even thought of his "very fine hat" at all.

    • Re: Great Job

      I must also mention Sheppard again, who seems to have Campbell’s character absolutely spot on

      I was the one who posted in last week’s discussion how I kept seeing Badger… Well that’s gone for me, as well. He did a wonderful job this week and I never even thought of his "very fine hat" at all.

      His accent seemed to have settled down to a fairly consistent northern Irish as well this week.

  2. Awesome episode.
    My emotional response was very high to this episode. I agree with the low point. That preview was almost an episode on its own.

    Does anyone know, are we getting a mid-haitus movie? I know there was talk of one for this summer.

    -Joe

  3. great episode
    Roslin begging Apollo "please don’t do this" and Tigh falling apart on the stand makes damn fine television.

    The teaser, though. That was utter crap. Let’s hope it is just a red herring. Maybe that will be forgivable in time.

    • Re: great episode

      Roslin begging Apollo "please don’t do this" and Tigh falling apart on the stand makes damn fine television.

      The teaser, though. That was utter crap. Let’s hope it is just a red herring. Maybe that will be forgivable in time.

      Well, its either a red herring or the completion of the shark jump. Its probably a red herring, but with the more recent episodes, you can’t rule the jump out yet.

    • Re: great episode

      The teaser, though. That was utter crap. Let’s hope it is just a red herring. Maybe that will be forgivable in time.

      My guess is that Adama says something like "if we do this, we’re all Cylons". They’ve done that sort of thing with the teasers before.

  4. Free Baltar
    If anything, I think Tigh is more guilty than Baltar (as far as anyone knows) for the execution of his wife. His testimony can be used against him. I think he should be brought up on trial for that. It is obvious to anyone that Baltar had no choice but to cooperate with the Cylons in the occupation of New Caprica. Free Baltar!

    • Re: Free Baltar

      If anything, I think Tigh is more guilty than Baltar (as far as anyone knows) for the execution of his wife. His testimony can be used against him. I think he should be brought up on trial for that. It is obvious to anyone that Baltar had no choice but to cooperate with the Cylons in the occupation of New Caprica. Free Baltar!

      Tigh’s wife was a traitor. It was wartime. It was possible that she could be captured and used yet again. She made stupid decisions. Honestly, I think she deserved to die. At least he "put her down" quietly. Tigh didn’t know what else to do. Imagine how tough it would be to see her suffer as a traitor, locked up and scorned by all. No.. the only choice he had, at that particular time and place was for her to die.

      The decision is killing him, however. I thought he was stronger than that… or maybe he’s just getting old. If he is guilty of anything, it is of being a poor husband.

      k

      • Re: Free Baltar
        That or in the first post-new caprica episode she’d have been spaced with Jammer and the others.

      • Re: Free Baltar

        The decision is killing him, however. I thought he was stronger than that… or maybe he’s just getting old. If he is guilty of anything, it is of being a poor husband.

        I doubt anyone could be strong in that position. Consider: The only other military man who seems to have any of his family alive after the Cylon genocide is Adama, and that’s only because his son was military. Tigh experienced the unbelievable luck of finding out the woman he loved (despite her faults, of course) survived and was able to come back to him. Then, he decides it necessary to kill her? That’s not a roller coaster…that’s getting to the top of an Everest-size cliff and then jumping off. The fact that he’s an alcoholic only means that instead of it being highly improbable that he’d be able to keep it together, it’s all but impossible.

        At this point, I think the only realistic way for Tigh to end up is dead, either from alcohol poisoning or straight-up suicide (by himself or "by cop" when he tries to do something crazy).

        • Re: Free Baltar

          I doubt anyone could be strong in that position. Consider: The only other military man who seems to have any of his family alive after the Cylon genocide is Adama, and that’s only because his son was military. Tigh experienced the unbelievable luck of finding out the woman he loved (despite her faults, of course) survived and was able to come back to him. Then, he decides it necessary to kill her? That’s not a roller coaster…that’s getting to the top of an Everest-size cliff and then jumping off. The fact that he’s an alcoholic only means that instead of it being highly improbable that he’d be able to keep it together, it’s all but impossible.

          At this point, I think the only realistic way for Tigh to end up is dead, either from alcohol poisoning or straight-up suicide (by himself or "by cop" when he tries to do something crazy).

          Good points, but until her death, he never seemed to really love her or he loved the "idea" of having a wife so beautiful… And now, he’s made her into a "martyr" for himself. He sacrificed her for the greater good, and their life together will be so much better in his memories than it was in real life. He simply should have never gotten back together with her. It should have been "Glad you are still alive. Good luck to ya. Adios" and found himself a good military wife, one that wasn’t an alcoholic, one that could have given his life meaning other than the bottle.

          One other possibility for "Tigh to end up": A Cylon!

          k

          • Re: Free Baltar

            and found himself a good military wife, one that wasn’t an alcoholic, one that could have given his life meaning other than the bottle.

            Tigh was still an alcoholic when she wasn’t around.

            snarked

        • Re: Free Baltar

          At this point, I think the only realistic way for Tigh to end up is dead, either from alcohol poisoning or straight-up suicide (by himself or "by cop" when he tries to do something crazy).

          Sure, why not up the suicide count this season to three, what the hell.

    • Re: Free Baltar

      If anything, I think Tigh is more guilty than Baltar (as far as anyone knows) for the execution of his wife. His testimony can be used against him.

      Unlikely. Remember early this season when everybody in the fleet was given amnesty for what happened during the occupation? It’s just that Baltar wasn’t with the fleet when that happened.

  5. time to face the music
    kI ahve no idea how to spoiler tag, but you know if you’ve read whats above, this is probably nothing earth shaking
    Was that "All along the watchtower" they were playing? How are the colonials hearing earth music, unless one of the final five snuck his favorite CD on board galactica I don’t get what they are doing, up until now they haven’t used anything taht can be identified as originating from earth
    They spoilered the infamous line but it was asked as a question the same way baltar screamed "AM I A CYLON! at the beginning of seasons threes preview. I feel like it jsut means more people are wondering but there could be another explanation. Maybe they are descendents of the thirteenth tribe, maybe the cylons messed with them at some point.
    Baltar does not seem to hear the music, Athen and caprica haven’t really noticed it, why would hearing it mean they are cylons?
    Itd be awesome if something in kara’s box O crap was making them all crazy like that, a going away present implying her connection to earth or soemthing so when she inevitably returns, they don’t shoot her on sight as a cylon.

    • Re: time to face the music

      Was that "All along the watchtower" they were playing? How are the colonials hearing earth music.

      If the fleet is within 100 light years of Earth they could conceivably be picking up fossil radio broadcasts, much like the episode in the original series where footage of the moon landing appears on a monitor just after Apollo leaves the observation pod (for some reason, this scene has stuck with me for almost thirty years.) Before this episode I had been thinking "what have they not yet covered that was a part of the original series?"

      This was one of those things.

      Lucifer the Cylon drag queen is another (please, gods, no.)

      On the other hand I suspect the music is a subliminal program for humans (ah, the benefits of good ole Farm R & D), and next week we’ll see what that program does. Watch Sam, Tori, and Tighe.

      -Joe

      • Re: time to face the music

        … moon landing appears on a monitor just after Apollo leaves the observation pod (for some reason, this scene has stuck with me for almost thirty years.)

        Oh thank the gods! I’m not the only one.

        That was some serious irony and for an 8 year-old. It’s always stuck with me too.

        +

        • Re: time to face the music

          … moon landing appears on a monitor just after Apollo leaves the observation pod (for some reason, this scene has stuck with me for almost thirty years.)

          Oh thank the gods! I’m not the only one.

          That was some serious irony and for an 8 year-old. It’s always stuck with me too.

          Was that Anders who also appeared to recognize the music? I need to watch again (just got the chance to watch it uninterrupted only tonite), but it appeared to be him.

          If it was, what do you want to bet it was something he remembered that Starbuck liked?

          *grin*

          The moon landing tv interception scene was also the first thing I thought of, when Tigh came on screen playing with an *obviously antique* radio.

          I didn’t record the spoiler, so… only three days, I can handle it. Incidentally, I think whoever mentioned the music Tigh is hearing as being "subliminal" perhaps to Cylons, that would make much sense, given the changes in behavior we saw.

          Yikes :0D

          snarked

      • Re: time to face the music

        Was that "All along the watchtower" they were playing? How are the colonials hearing earth music.

        If the fleet is within 100 light years of Earth they could conceivably be picking up fossil radio broadcasts,

        (2)It’s a convention of the show, like the earth-influenced wardrobe and the keeping of cats.

        (3) "All this has happened before."
        We have some kind of circular time deal, and future earth becomes ancient Kobol or something along those lines.

        • Re: time to face the music

          Was that "All along the watchtower" they were playing? How are the colonials hearing earth music.

          If the fleet is within 100 light years of Earth they could conceivably be picking up fossil radio broadcasts,

          (2)It’s a convention of the show, like the earth-influenced wardrobe and the keeping of cats.

          (3) "All this has happened before."
          We have some kind of circular time deal, and future earth becomes ancient Kobol or something along those lines.

          Terra Radio, 3007

          "We now bring you to our regularly scheduled 100th anniversary broadcast of Ancient Music of the Thirteenth Colony. If you’re Out There, hope you’re tuned in! Remember, Kobol lives in your hearts!"

          *music*

          ;\?

      • Re: time to face the music

        If the fleet is within 100 light years of Earth they could conceivably be picking up fossil radio broadcasts, much like the episode in the original series where footage of the moon landing appears on a monitor just after Apollo leaves the observation pod (for some reason, this scene has stuck with me for almost thirty years.)

        Stuck with me too. Our little 7 year old brains tried to figure out how many light years that signal would have gone in the 15 some years at the time it’d been and tried to figure out how far away they were.

        We were hopelessly geeky even then.

        • Re: time to face the music

          tried to figure out how many light years that signal would have gone in the 15 some years at the time it’d been and tried to figure out how far away they were.

          I’m no expert, but I’d say "about 15 light years"… ;-)

          • Re: time to face the music

            tried to figure out how many light years that signal would have gone in the 15 some years at the time it’d been and tried to figure out how far away they were.

            I’m no expert, but I’d say "about 15 light years"… ;-)

            Couldn’t the timing be affected by large gravitational fields? What if the signal somehow "slingshotted" around the edge of a black hole? (Note: I am not a physicist and the previous questions are just for "funsies" ;])

      • Re: time to face the music

        On the other hand I suspect the music is a subliminal program for humans

        It would make sense if only Tigh reacted, as he spent time in detention. But (as far as we know) Tory and Anders were never held at a point where they could be programmed (or "conditioned", if you prefer).

      • Re: time to face the music

        Lucifer the Cylon drag queen is another (please, gods, no.)

        -Joe

        I think we’d have to check that box too if the post last week that talked about Baltar resurrecting in the body of a six happened. :-)

    • Re: time to face the music

      I ahve no idea how to spoiler tag, but you know if you’ve read whats above, this is probably nothing earth shaking
      Was that "All along the watchtower" they were playing? How are the colonials hearing earth music, unless one of the final five snuck his favorite CD on board galactica I don’t get what they are doing, up until now they haven’t used anything taht can be identified as originating from earth

      There’s another possibility – back on the podcst for the season finale for the first seson, RDM said that he was considering having Baltar hear Hendrix while Baltar spoke directly to God (who would have been voiced, no shit, by Dirk Benedict). Go back and listen to it, it’s pretty wild.

      The idea was that "all this has happened before, and all this will happen again." Hendrix’s music would have been reflective of a Jungian human universal, rather than something unique to one man in one location.

      In any case, I think that while this music might be associated with proximity to Earth, it might also be a religious thing attached to the One God.

  6. Having Trouble with Lee’s Betrayal
    I’m having a really hard time with the ‘fall’ of Lee to go from a CAG to a Johnnie Cochran overnight and screwing the president like that. I mean if his Dad was on the stand, maybe, but he believed in Laura at the time…sided with her against Tigh and everything.

    Just seemed out of place. It moved things forward sure, but just seemed out of place that he’d hose her like that.

    • Re: Having Trouble with Lee’s Betrayal

      I’m having a really hard time with the ‘fall’ of Lee to go from a CAG to a Johnnie Cochran overnight and screwing the president like that. I mean if his Dad was on the stand, maybe, but he believed in Laura at the time…sided with her against Tigh and everything.

      Just seemed out of place. It moved things forward sure, but just seemed out of place that he’d hose her like that.

      Lee is an idealist, he has been throughout the series, committing Rosyln to elections during the prison ship revolt, committing mutiny to defend the president at the start of season 2. Even though he hates Baltar he believes that Baltar needs to be gives a fair trial and he will do his best to defend Baltar.

      • Re: Having Trouble with Lee’s Betrayal

        I’m having a really hard time with the ‘fall’ of Lee to go from a CAG to a Johnnie Cochran overnight and screwing the president like that. I mean if his Dad was on the stand, maybe, but he believed in Laura at the time…sided with her against Tigh and everything.

        Just seemed out of place. It moved things forward sure, but just seemed out of place that he’d hose her like that.

        Lee is an idealist, he has been throughout the series, committing Rosyln to elections during the prison ship revolt, committing mutiny to defend the president at the start of season 2. Even though he hates Baltar he believes that Baltar needs to be gives a fair trial and he will do his best to defend Baltar.

        That’s what pissed me off the MOST. Laura’s testimony was factual and Lee knew it. Questioning her character was a cheap shot and lame. He deserves to be abandoned by everyone. We all know Baltar’s guilty of everything they said and much more (how exactly haven’t they figured out that Baltar was responsible for Cloud 9 being nuked). Ideals are supposed to keep the innocent from being found guilty. Baltar’s guilty and Lee knows it. What he did to Roslyn got him what he deserved this episode. Why couldn’t he have died instead of Starbuck??

        • Re: Having Trouble with Lee’s Betrayal
          I have the opposite reaction: Lee has always been reactive in most of his Big Moments; he doesn’t seem to plan out courses of action one way or the other. This time he pointed out Tigh was drunk, which the actors all played as pretty obvious. That helped lead Romo (properly and fairly) to jerk his chain about holding back, and Dad (improperly and unfairly) to accuse him of lying and betrayal … so he reacted in a way he could tell himself was ethical and high-minded, without stopping to really think through his own (in)consistencies, let alone the Big Picture.

          I was much more put off by Adama’s going beyond his pained defense of his friend to accuse Lee of lying and lack of integrity – the character has always had more self-control than that (the odd wooden ship notwithstanding)

          I’m having a really hard time with the ‘fall’ of Lee to go from a CAG to a Johnnie Cochran overnight and screwing the president like that. I mean if his Dad was on the stand, maybe, but he believed in Laura at the time…sided with her against Tigh and everything.

          Just seemed out of place. It moved things forward sure, but just seemed out of place that he’d hose her like that.

          Lee is an idealist, he has been throughout the series, committing Rosyln to elections during the prison ship revolt, committing mutiny to defend the president at the start of season 2. Even though he hates Baltar he believes that Baltar needs to be gives a fair trial and he will do his best to defend Baltar.

          That’s what pissed me off the MOST. Laura’s testimony was factual and Lee knew it. Questioning her character was a cheap shot and lame. He deserves to be abandoned by everyone. We all know Baltar’s guilty of everything they said and much more (how exactly haven’t they figured out that Baltar was responsible for Cloud 9 being nuked). Ideals are supposed to keep the innocent from being found guilty. Baltar’s guilty and Lee knows it. What he did to Roslyn got him what he deserved this episode. Why couldn’t he have died instead of Starbuck??

    • Re: Having Trouble with Lee’s Betrayal

      I’m having a really hard time with the ‘fall’ of Lee to go from a CAG to a Johnnie Cochran overnight and screwing the president like that. I mean if his Dad was on the stand, maybe, but he believed in Laura at the time…sided with her against Tigh and everything.

      Just seemed out of place. It moved things forward sure, but just seemed out of place that he’d hose her like that.

      I totally agree. It just didn’t seem to fit their closeness there at the beginning. Truth and believing in the law system just does not override one’s friendships. It really doesn’t seem like him at all…
      k

    • Re: Having Trouble with Lee’s Betrayal

      Just seemed out of place. It moved things forward sure, but just seemed out of place that he’d hose her like that.

      I don’t agree. Look back at his face when he sniffs Roslin’s drink and smells the drug. He’s feeling betrayed, and he’s offended. This is, he feels, a wrong that needs to be exposed and corrected. The only thing holding him back is that it would help Baltar, and that’s why he’s so easily swayed once he’s convinced that Baltar deserves a defense – he wants to expose Roslin.

      • Re: Having Trouble with Lee’s Betrayal

        Just seemed out of place. It moved things forward sure, but just seemed out of place that he’d hose her like that.

        I don’t agree. Look back at his face when he sniffs Roslin’s drink and smells the drug. He’s feeling betrayed, and he’s offended. This is, he feels, a wrong that needs to be exposed and corrected. The only thing holding him back is that it would help Baltar, and that’s why he’s so easily swayed once he’s convinced that Baltar deserves a defense – he wants to expose Roslin.

        Yeah, wasn’t that a nifty little setup, errr plot device. This would have had a lot more meaning if it had been quietly put in an earlier episode. Here it just piles on to the lame opening arguments (couldn’t everyone see Baltar’s lawyers response to that from a mile away), and Tigh’s convenient slide off the wagon. Oh and also the removing of the genocide complaint against him (hello, they do have six there to testify against him).

        Everything in the last few episodes have been manipulations to get Baltar off. Lots of people here bemoan Dues Ex Machina fixes to technical problems, but here they’re creating the drama points out of whole cloth right in the same episode.

        Oh, and as for wanting to expose Roslyn, sure that sounds great, she’s only stuck her neck out for him a good half dozen times now. Betrayed a friend is what he did, and he better not magically earn everyones trust back next week either. Although I did like her crushing him like a bug after his big revelation.

        • Re: Having Trouble with Lee’s Betrayal

          Everything in the last few episodes have been manipulations to get Baltar off.

          It’s not at all something just in the last few episodes; the question of "Is Baltar evil, or just flawed" has been with us from the start. (In fact it’s been with us for every character. They’ve all made major fsck-ups, but they’re doing their best as screwed-up human beings in an immensely screwed-up situation.)

          Oh, and as for wanting to expose Roslyn, sure that sounds great, she’s only stuck her neck out for him a good half dozen times now. Betrayed a friend is what he did

          And he stuck his neck out for her. Remember when he mutnied against Tigh and ended up in the brig? And then helped her escape? She owes him a hell of a lot.

          Lee brought relevant facts to the court’s attention. He was 100% in the right here.

          Baltar deserves a fair trial. A fair trial will probably not find him responsbile for the Cylon occupation of New Caprica. (His actions with respect to the original attack and with giving a nuke to Pegasus Six are not under consideration here – but his sin in the original attack was one of negligence, not deliberate betrayal.)

          • Re: Having Trouble with Lee’s Betrayal

            his sin in the original attack was one of negligence, not deliberate betrayal.)

            Actually, not so. He gave Six direct access to the military mainframes (go back and watch the miniseries, it’s there)… he just thought that it was industrial espionage she was after, not genocide. It was still an act of treason, not one of negligence.

            But you’re right, that’s not what he’s on trial for.

            • Re: Having Trouble with Lee’s Betrayal

              his sin in the original attack was one of negligence, not deliberate betrayal.)

              Actually, not so. He gave Six direct access to the military mainframes (go back and watch the miniseries, it’s there)… he just thought that it was industrial espionage she was after, not genocide. It was still an act of treason, not one of negligence.

              But you’re right, that’s not what he’s on trial for.

              He was actually letting her help him with the more complex algorithms.
              It was, as usual, a selfish act.

          • Re: Having Trouble with Lee’s Betrayal

            It’s not at all something just in the last few episodes; the question of "Is Baltar evil, or just flawed" has been with us from the start. (In fact it’s been with us for every character. They’ve all made major fsck-ups, but they’re doing their best as screwed-up human beings in an immensely screwed-up situation.)

            The only problem is that I decided Baltar was evil (well maybe not evil, but certainly guilty). When I watch the show I filter everything about Baltar through my sincere belief that he is guilty and he should pay a price for that. And he always does find a way to do the absolute wrong thing for the human race. Just watch, his marxist transformation and rise back to leadership will on lead to more deaths.

            Plus its requiring serious machinations and amnesia on the part of characters in the show to enable Baltar to be found not guilty.

            And he stuck his neck out for her. Remember when he mutnied against Tigh and ended up in the brig? And then helped her escape? She owes him a hell of a lot.

            True. Still doesn’t change the fact that they should be much closer and he shouldn’t have done that to her.

            Lee brought relevant facts to the court’s attention. He was 100% in the right here.

            Problem is the relevant fact that Baltar signed the death warrant cannot be in dispute, they have the warrant. Her character has no bearing on the facts she testified to.

            Baltar deserves a fair trial. A fair trial will probably not find him responsbile for the Cylon occupation of New Caprica. (His actions with respect to the original attack and with giving a nuke to Pegasus Six are not under consideration here – but his sin in the original attack was one of negligence, not deliberate betrayal.)

            How is he not responsible? Try this one on for size. In the opening arguments, the prosecuting attorney left open the argument that more _could_ have died and that maybe by signing the death warrant, he actually saved people. Convoluted logic, true, but definitely arguable. Now the prosecutor should have shut off that route with this:

            "Baltar signed the warrants to kill 200 of HIS citizens. He argues that he did this to save others, but we have to ask. Had the occupation continued would he have signed more death warrants to save others? How many deaths is too many, how many would have just been acceptable losses to save his remaining constituents? None, none is the answer. Baltar should have never signed warrants to execute his citizens. A true leader would never offer his people willingly to the slaughter of the enemy. But Baltar was no leader. He can say he was trying to save everyone by sacrificing a few, but what he was really doing was killing his people in order to save only one person, himself.

            But the writers sure as hell wouldn’t put those words in her mouth. Sorry folks only the defense attorney gets good arguments….

            • Re: Having Trouble with Lee’s Betrayal

              "Baltar signed the warrants to kill 200 of HIS citizens. He argues that he did this to save others, but we have to ask. Had the occupation continued would he have signed more death warrants to save others? How many deaths is too many, how many would have just been acceptable losses to save his remaining constituents? None, none is the answer. Baltar should have never signed warrants to execute his citizens. A true leader would never offer his people willingly to the slaughter of the enemy. But Baltar was no leader. He can say he was trying to save everyone by sacrificing a few, but what he was really doing was killing his people in order to save only one person, himself.

              But the writers sure as hell wouldn’t put those words in her mouth. Sorry folks only the defense attorney gets good arguments….

              That’s because it’s a bad argument.

              1) They’re trying Baltar for treason, or collaboration or whatever. Not with being a bad leader.

              2) You’re admitting that Baltar was forced to sign the warrents at penalty of death. I suspect that’s a pretty damn big mitigating circumstance.

              3) You’re asking what would of happened in the future. Considering the defence attourney is using the (quite valid) argument that Baltar’s actions during the occupation actually SAVED lives on New Caprica you might not want to open that door on "what if" scenarios. It’s entirely possible that if Baltar had refused (and gotten himself killed) the Cylons would have gotten fed up enough to simply wipe out the colonists. After all if Baltar can’t be bent to their will who can be?

        • Re: Having Trouble with Lee’s Betrayal

          Everything in the last few episodes have been manipulations to get Baltar off.

          Nonsense. If you’re sitting in your chair and the Cylons roll in to your office, are you going to tell them that you’re ready to die, or are you going to surrender? If they stick a gun to your head and say, "sign or die," will you sign or say, "go ahead and kill me," knowing those people will be executed anyway?

          These are Baltar’s "offenses" and were reasonable in his circumstances. His real crimes, he’s not on trial for.

      • Re: Having Trouble with Lee’s Betrayal

        I don’t agree. Look back at his face when he sniffs Roslin’s drink and smells the drug. He’s feeling betrayed, and he’s offended. This is, he feels, a wrong that needs to be exposed and corrected. The only thing holding him back is that it would help Baltar, and that’s why he’s so easily swayed once he’s convinced that Baltar deserves a defense – he wants to expose Roslin.

        So, if he feels betrayed… go to her and ask her. In private! It was almost childish the way he exposed her in court. I like how she insisted that he and the court know WHY she was taking the drug again.
        And what made him sniff her drink in the first place? Looking for alcohol? Looking for drugs? Looking for something to bring her down? What is WRONG with him?

        Is he feeling jealous that his dad seems to have taken a liking to her? Would he be that childish as to be doing it to ruin his father’s chance at caring for someone who cares for him back by destroying her in his father’s eyes?

        • Re: Having Trouble with Lee’s Betrayal
          He sniffed it because Roslin was acting odd. And after her outburst, she and Adama had a private conversation where she looked like she was confessing something. Also, there’s the fact that she brought her tea in a thermos. Why would she bring her own tea, when at any time she could ask someone to bring her some tea. Finally, if the kemala is strong enough to be smelled over the tea, perhaps Lee could already smell it, and was just sniffing the tea to confirm the source.

  7. A few thoughts …
    I created a login just to comment on this article …

    I really did not like to blowup between Lee and the Admiral. It seemed to come out of nowhere. To me, the show is starting to take a dive. The whole Starbuck thing smacks of the same … 5 minute of foreshadowing and boom! wrap it up. It feels like the writers are pulling things out of thier posteriers and hoping it makes sense later. It’s wearing thin.

    I certainly hope that they wrap up some of the many loose ends in this last episode. If they can’t, I’m not sure I’ll care all that much when they start back up in January (!).

    Also Ellen Tigh should be revealed as a Cylon. It would work well with continuity (all the ambiguity from S. 1), bring back a great character, and freak the crap out of an already unstable Saul Tigh.

    Just my thoughts …

    • Oh, and another thing …
      Why can’t they just put Felix Geata on the stand? If I remember correctly, he was an eye witness to Baltar signing the execution order. I guess you can’t drag out two episodes with "Yep, he did it alright."

      • Re: Oh, and another thing …

        [Geata] was an eye witness to Baltar signing the execution order. I guess you can’t drag out two episodes with "Yep, he did it alright."

        I don’t think he was there when the Cylons put the gun to Baltar’s head, no.

        • Re: Oh, and another thing …
          i just checked … you’re right. Even so, Gaeta was the closest person to Baltar on New Caprica. I’m surprised they haven’t brought him up on the stand as the star witness.

      • Re: Oh, and another thing …

        Why can’t they just put Felix Geata on the stand? If I remember correctly, he was an eye witness to Baltar signing the execution order. I guess you can’t drag out two episodes with "Yep, he did it alright."

        I’m sure Baltar-related Gaeta action is right around the corner – remember, we still haven’t found out what Baltar whispered to him when they visited after the initial interrogation.

    • Re: A few thoughts …

      I really did not like to blowup between Lee and the Admiral. It seemed to come out of nowhere.

      I agree, and this is such a core element I’ve tried to see if the writers have laid groundwork for this earlier. I think there is an element of jealousy involved. First we had the ep where Bill remembers his ex, Lee’s mom, and this stirred up negative past conflicts in both of them. Now Lee has lost both Kara (which is causing him to crack up and be a poor CAG). At the sametime he watches a budding affection between Bill and Laura. So in the trial he lashes out at both of them, to make their loss equal to his own.

      At least, I THINK that’s what his motivation is supposed to be. I agree, very rushed and muddled by BSG standards. But remember, the writers were not sure if they were writing a series ender or not, so cut them some slack and not just shark bait.

  8. Tigh on the stand??
    I seriously cannot believe they put Tigh on the stand at all. I mean, he is a KNOWN alcoholic…

    It simply doesn’t make sense… Unless this lawyer is trying to undermine the offense… and is an avid follower if Baltar’s book…

    k

  9. Was Sam in a uniform?
    I couldn’t see that it had any markings on it, or if it was just fatigues? Someone with a dvr give that a look.

    Also. This episode didn’t have the opening, "title" sequence. I noticed, cause I keep track of the survivor count, and it wasn’t there. No "Cylons were created by man…" stuff either.

    • Re: Was Sam in a uniform?

      Also. This episode didn’t have the opening, "title" sequence. I noticed, cause I keep track of the survivor count, and it wasn’t there. No "Cylons were created by man…" stuff either.

      No opening titles, either. In the podcast, RDM says that they received special permission to go without on this and the next episode – they were really strapped for time.

    • Re: Was Sam in a uniform?

      I couldn’t see that it had any markings on it, or if it was just fatigues? Someone with a dvr give that a look.

      Also. This episode didn’t have the opening, "title" sequence. I noticed, cause I keep track of the survivor count, and it wasn’t there. No "Cylons were created by man…" stuff either.

      Yes, he appears to be in flight training.

Comments are closed.