dangermousie | BSG 2.03: where things go to hell even more than before

First off, I'll start with things that weren't there: we saw no Boomer, Starbuck or Helo. Adama is still unconsious. And there was a bit of Lee, snarking at Tigh, and leading a rescue mission, but there wasn't much of him either.

So what did we get? Tigh, Roslin, Ellen, Tyrol, Baltar and a damn good show.

I was full of admiration for Roslin in this episode AND I felt sorry for her. The lack of chamalla is almost like a withdrawal, she needs it to mentally function. I felt uttrly sorry for her falling apart, her confusion and loss, her inability to function. But what I loved most was the last scene with her, where she makes a calculated gamble, makes the best decision she can, and declares herself a Prophet. It's a very smart move, as I discussed in a pervious BSG post, because as the faces of those people showed, she has her own unshakeable power base now (No wonder Zarek was ooking at her with respect).

I also loved Ellen's brief but Lady Macbeth-like role. She can't compete with Laura in the brains department though.

Tigh is falling apart because having the supreme responsibility is getting to him. He is snapping and paranoid for no reason, he takes to drink again, he forces the Quorum out (worst possible thing) and at the end he does the untenable, he declares martial law. The man is cracking, and unfortunatelyas he is in a position of power, he is going to do a heck of a lot of damage before he is done.

And now we get to the Kobol storyline. First off, Crash was a frakking idiot, and I never liked Baltar more than when he shot him. Not only did he come up with the worst plan in history of creation (or at least since someone said "Let Baltar control the defense system design"), he shot down Chief when he tried to argue (but I love that the Chief still sided with him against Baltar, same military v. civilian divide we see on Galactica itself). He also completely snapped and went overboard in a horrible way (what a parallel with Tigh, also out of his depth). The scene where he is going to shoot Cally is just awful to watch, and I cheered when the Chief, finally reaching his breaking point, and wanting to protect his people, pulled a gun on him. And I thought I couldn't like Tyrol any more than I do now, but I did.

Now, on to Baltar. This has to be the first episode I like him as a person. His horror at Six's suggestion that it's not arts or thinking that is mankind's heritage, but murder, his knowledge he is unfit to be a guardian, his shooting Crash (finally), and discovering his bravery and teaming up with the Chief in fighting the Cylons. Yay. You will be a man yet.

I also found Six's comment about Kobol being cursed and forgotten by God, interesting.

The trailer for he next episode looks fascinating.