Season 2, Arc 3: “The Stuff that Happens before Pegasus”
These episodes are far from bad (we’ll get to that soon), but they ultimately wind up as nice ideas that falter a bit due to a general lack of cohesiveness in the writing. The documentary-style approach of “Final Cut” allows us to get into the headspace of minor characters like Kat, so that’s a plus, but most of the interviews don’t necessarily yield any new information about the characters.
The episode seems like a retread of previous beats that results in a news segment painting the military in a better light than we were expecting, and while the segment itself isn’t a problem, the reveal of Biers the Cylon at the end is an unnecessary twist to the story. Maybe the fact that she isn’t a “real” reporter just goes to show you the unreality of a news segment that doesn’t report on something like a captured Cylon, but again, the point is unclear and the twist cheapens much of what came before. However, Lawless does well with the character and nicely crafts her personality within the span of 42 minutes.
As for “Flight of the Phoenix”, the two threads that play out are 1) Tyrol building a Stealth Viper, and 2) The Cylon virus taking control of the ship. The two threads are a bit too distant from each other until that final scene at the unveiling ceremony which, by the way, doesn’t work as well it might’ve had we seen more of Roslin and the pilots actually interacting. Nonetheless, it’s a fairly affecting scene that gets its point across: this is still very much a living, breathing community, and even though the Cylons are getting into their heads–or into their air supply–they’ll still band together at the end of the day.
GRADE: “Final Cut” (C+), “Flight of the Phoenix” (B)
OTHER THOUGHTS:
-I was wondering whether they’d go through with Roslin’s cancer killing her, but having watched ahead, I know that’s not the case.
-We get a Helo-Tyrol brawl at the beginning of episode 9, and even though there’s conflict, these are two people who view Sharon as human. That’s why Tyrol and Cally’s relationship is frayed now. In addition, Adama trusts Sharon at the end of the episode, and she comes through with her inserting-cable-into-wrist move.
-I can appreciate the eye candy that is Jamie Bamber in a towel (which, by the way, nearly falls off; what a tease this show is), but the real deal here is Starbuck boxing. Ah, Starbuck. Ya gotta love her.
-Lee: “You look like a blueberry!” I wish that was said when he wasn’t oxygen deprived. Say, when his father’s talking to him about serious matters or whatnot, and he whips out the blueberry line…what I would give to see Adama’s reaction to that.
-Next up: The Pegasus arc, which is fantastic.
Photo credit: Syfy, Battlestar Galactica
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