EPISODES COVERED: “The Farm”, “Home Part 1”, “Home Part 2”
ARC 2–Let’s go find Earth!
When Adama wakes up, to say that things are different would be an understatement. Like I said in the last review, everything’s been turned on its head, and the Commander is forced to face the fact that much of his fleet has left him, that his own son has abandoned him during this time of turmoil, that someone he knew and respected would take out a gun and shoot him twice in the chest. “Why?” he asks as he stands over Sharon’s lifeless body.
It’s a question that rests upon the debate over whether or not she’s a machine, and it’s a question that Adama grapples with as he’s choking Caprica Sharon out. He lets her go, but that moment of betrayal will haunt him forever; however, he does realize that the question is more complicated than “human or machine?” For, there’s one thing that’s for sure: the feelings that they shared were genuine, and even though he has to be on his toes from now on regarding Sharon, it doesn’t take away from the love Tyrol had for her or the respect he himself had for her. Instead of the label ‘machine’ devaluing emotion, emotion transcends that label.
Of course, to get to that realization, Adama goes through a hell of a lot. He’s a changed man, naming Lt. Birch CAG for his loyalty rather than for his leadership, and it’s a sign that the Commander is fighting a losing battle, having to come to terms with loss. Right now, all he’s looking for is loyalty, and the number of people who fit that description is dwindling; he’s realizing that in order to salvage what’s left of his fleet, he has to make some kind of peace with Roslin.
And to be honest, Roslin needs him as well. These two clashing can only spell *NOT GOOD* in flashing neon letters, so it’s nice to see that quiet reconciliation between the two. These are two people who rarely back down and are steadfast in their opinions, but they both know just how much they need each other; it may be hard to admit, but when Adama’s overseeing a mission or providing motivational advice or whatnot, you know he’s going “President Laura Roslin, you are my other half, you beautiful creature.” So, these two crazy kids go prancing off into the sunset, and that sunset is the Tomb of Athena. It’s a thrilling reveal at the end of “Home Part 2” because we know how significant this is, how in awe the characters are, how close they are to their ultimate goal: Earth.
Now, though, we have to talk about Starbuck and “The Farm”, an episode elevated by Sackhoff’s incredible performance: she portrays the character’s vulnerability, desperation, and resourcefulness as she slowly figures out what’s going on, and the dread builds as the episode progresses. We see these women dehumanized and reduced to their most rudimentary selves, used solely for their bodies and treated like mere machines hooked up to more machines. It’s easily the most disturbing episode that the show has produced, and it’ll make you sick to your stomach and glued to the screen. This particular farm is eventually destroyed, but the fact remains that there are probably many, many more.
GRADE: A-
OTHER THOUGHTS:
-Hey, Six has a ponytail and has ditched her outfit for some sweats! I really like this development–even if it’s only for a small bit of time here–because, let’s face it, there’s only so much you can watch of Six and Baltar talking about a Cylon baby. Hopefully, we see something like this again.
-The Kara-Lee pyramid ball conversation in “Home Part 1” develops nicely from tension-filled to playful.
– “You let us down.” Dualla, with the knife right through the heart. Great job by Olmos and McClure there; a truly haunting scene that is.
– “Why couldn’t this arrow have come with a handbook?” Starbuck. Ya gotta love her, and honestly, I could ask the same question about life in general.
-The Starbuck-Anders relationship does result in a few soapy scenes, but I buy it, especially given the situation they’re in and the performance by Sackhoff. And in the end, it’s Starbuck who leaves and promises to return, contrary to how we usually see something like this play out.
-Goodbye, Meier, and Zarek, won’t you just sit quietly and not try to undermine everything everyone else does ever?
-Next up: The Stuff That Happens Before We Get to Pegasus (Ep. 8, 9)
Photo credit: Syfy, Battlestar Galactica
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