There’s Too Much Confusion – Battlestar Galactica Episode 4.18 Review
“YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH”… WHEN, EXACTLY?
Edward James Olmos has directed four episodes over the course of BSG’s run, and they’re always good. He elevates the actors everytime. Just take a look at Helo begging with Adama through crippled grief or three-year-old Hera terrified by the abusive Boomer. I wish Olmos’ superb direction could have been supported by a script that moved the plot a little further.
I suppose at this point it’s safe to assume that Ron Moore is hording all the what-the-frak moments for his two-hour series finale. What a bummer.
WHO NEEDS FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS?
Umm…is it me, or did just last week Tory and Tigh hear Starbuck playing All Along the Watchtower? Is it just me, or did neither feel compelled to follow it up this week with…”Hey, Kara — How did your father know that song? What was he? What does this mean?”
Starbuck’s mystery has absolutely no sense of relevance when no one around her seems to question or care. Baltar uses it as a chance to spout his religious crap and Apollo uses it as a chance to play nice guy ex-boyfriend. But that’s it. Nothing… So, who cares? WE DO!!! Tell us what the frak is going on for frak’s sake!
SPINNING THE WHEELS
We know the ship is about to break. How many more scenes do we need of it cracking with lights flickering? None. We get it.
We know Adama loves the ship. How many more scenes do we need of him breaking down and crying? None. We get it.
We know Roslin is sick and dying. How many more scenes do we need of her being read to by the Old Man? None. We get it. (Although the phatty blunt they toked was a nice touch).
And then there’s Anders. Another plotline that’s been inching nowhere. The dude got shot four episodes ago and has been an idiot savant ever since. Only difference is now he’s in a cylon bathtub and has made a complete transformation into a babbling hybrid. Super!
I truly enjoyed this episode. The Visual Effects Team really delivered with some amazing shots of the cylon colony. But I still feel like the BSG writers are holding back. The good news is, they’ve run out of time — there is no more holding back. The bad news is, MY FAVORITE SHOW IS COMING TO AN END!!! CRAP!!!
SENDING THE OLD GIRL OFF
Adama is cooking up a plan for the Galactica… Will it be a kamikaze mission into the cylon colony? Will major characters die? Will the whole human fleet bite the stardust before it’s over?
I think it’s likely… What do you think? Are you preparing yourself for the worst possible outcome, or do you have hope that they’ll somehow make it out alive (and on Earth)?
Nar Williams is the host of Science of the Movies on the Science Channel, which premieres in May. He’s the Geek-in-Chief of the Achieve Nerdvana blog, where he writes about sci-fi, sci-tech, and geek culture. He also co-hosts the weekly video podcast Nerdbunker. Follow Nar on Twitter.
