Cavell didn’t see this one coming…
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
Rekha Sharma as Tory Foster
Michael Trucco as Samuel T. Anders
Synopsis
Starbuck chooses unsubtle methods to try and get Roslin to turn the fleet around and follow Starbuck’s instincts to Earth. The four new Cylons hatch a plan to determine whether Baltar is the fifth model or not, and in the Cylon fleet the sudden exhibition of free will by the raiders who didn’t shoot at Anders becomes the trigger for what looks like the start of a civil war.
High Points
- Lee’s leaving party (and also the leaving ceremony)
- Baltar’s head is becoming increasingly crowded
- “The first thing they found out was what you were doing to the raiders. You can imagine how they felt.”
Low Points
- I think Roslin missed deliberately, but I could have done with a bit more of a hint to really reinforce that rather significant decision.
The Scores
Originality: There are definitely familiar mythological themes here, but everything remains fresh and surprising. Five out of six.
Effects: There’s not a great deal of call for effects in this episode, but we’re seeing some really beautiful renderings of the Cylon fleet now. Everthing that’s there is simply gorgeous, but the real special mention has to go for the scene with Baltar talking to Baltar, a beautiful piece of work quite impossible to do with an ordinary sort of split scene trick. Six out of six.
Story: Again we pick up pretty much exactly where the previous episode left off, and the pace doesn’t let up much as there’s still the enormous question to resolve of Starbuck’s return and what it means, as well as all the mysteries surrounding the various groups of Cylons. The end of the episode brings us to a point where some of those questions are gaining partial answers, and we’re clearly setting up for an interesting series of parallel storylines as the season progresses. Five out of six.
Acting: I know I singled her out last week, but Katee Sackhoff excelled again this week. I must also mention all seven of the original Cylon models for some wonderful moments, and Mary McDonnell and Edward James Olmos for their conversation in Adama’s quarters. Six out of six.
Production: I have no complaints here. Cylon interiors are distinctly different to human ones, particularly in their choice of lighting, and that helps remind us that we’re watching a different species when we see them. Five out of six.
Emotional response: The absolute pinnacle of the episode was of course Lee’s departure, but the scenes on the Cylon ship are undeniably powerful. Five out of six.
Overall: Another amazing episode. Six out of six.
Six of One receives a grand total of thirty-eight out of forty-two. Long may the season continue in this vein.
My only issue…
Was with a bit of dialog.
Six and One both referred to them as "the final five". I don’t think they would use Baltar’s terminology. He only calls them that because they’re the last 5 for us to know about. I expect the cylons would refer to them as "the others" or "the exiles" or something similar. But yeah, two words, that’s the extent of my issue with this episode. :)
Re: My only issue…
Perhaps it’s a translation from Cylonese? Of course, Baltar may know more Cylon terms than we realize.
The Rosslin miss
"They will not harm their own kind"
Low point?
Low Points
I honestly don’t think Roslin missed on purpose. I liked where the old man pointed this out…
I also enjoyed the interaction between Adama and Roslin…
k
Re: Low point?
"Get out of my head!"
That was a great fight.
Good Episode
I thought it was a good episode, but the pace seemed to drag for the Lee departure scenes. The cylon backstory and Starbuck’s desire to go the _right_ way was the meet of this episode.
It really felt like a bridge to a really big episode.
High Point
Baltar’s reaction to himself. That was just great.
One of One
Am I the only one who didn’t enjoy the episode?
Re: One of One
Apparently ;-)
Re: One of One
*sigh* :(
Re: One of One
Not at all. It seemed like about 5 minutes of actual events to care about stretched out and filled in. The stuff with Lee especially was lame.
predictions
predictions: humans didn’t really ‘invent’ the cylons. There is another life form out there, it’s transcendent and lives in hyperspace. it guides and controls meat-based species development as a form of self-defense/because-it-can. When a culture develops hyperspace jumping, that’s OK with it, but when the same culture also develops sufficiently complex AI robotic systems, and then takes them through hyperspace… The Other (the cylon’s one true god) notices, and infects the ‘mind’ of the AI/robot. now you’ve got cylons. Eventually these hacked first gen machines, build better versions with the help of their ‘god’ and carry out it’s will, which is to interfere with the development of the species. It uses the same play book every time. hence, "this has all happened before"
The series will end with the humans forced to kill or neuter this hyperspace ‘god’. but by the time they get there, half the humans in the fleet will think it really IS god. and maybe it is, maybe it is…