Review: Downloaded

TV Squad reviewed Downloaded:

Battlestar Galactica: Downloaded
Posted Feb 24th 2006 11:53PM by Keith McDuffee
Filed under: Sci-Fi, Cable, OpEd, Battlestar Galactica
Forget everything I said about the flashback trickery of episodes past. This week's show makes up for any issues I may have had before. An amazingly revealing episode with several twists I never saw coming. The perspective we get from the Cylon end of the spectrum is one I had never considered, and I'm excited to see how it plays out in the episodes to come, both in the finale next week and beyond.
This was the Cylon-Human baby birth episode we've been seeing advertised for weeks now, though there is birth in other forms as well; we see several examples of Cylons being "reborn" into new bodies once their old ones die. Though we also see a birth of a different kind, one of a revolution within the Cylon collective.
I'd have to say the biggest surprise, for me, was that the Number Six we see on Caprica, the one who Baltar knew, has visions of Baltar in the same way Balter has visions of her. How could such a thing simply be a coincidence? Could it be that the nuclear blast caused it, or are they merely so similar in personality that it's no wonder they'd see visions of their true love?
Why are there only 12 Cylon models? I wonder if they'll ever reveal the reason why their technology prohibits more. And with so many models, it seemed very odd not to see them all there on Caprica, as only five of them show up (unless anyone went through the trouble to slow-mo the scenes in the cafe, as maybe they showed more?) One interesting piece of obscure trivia: Sharon is Number Eight of the twelve models.
As for the hybrid baby, that was a clever twist itself. It'll be interesting to see how the writers take that part of the story, now that the baby is somewhat conveniently stashed away from the knowledge of Baltar and the Cylons. Clearly the President doesn't trust Baltar on the matter at all, as she would have offered up the true whereabouts of the baby otherwise.
"Boxing" a Cylon; putting them in cold storage. A term we fans of Galactica will surely see more of in seasons to come, much like the ever-popular "frak." We'll also surely see more of the resistance on Caprica, as Starbuck and others clearly think they're all dead.
The other important part of this episode: as there are Humans who believe the Cylons may not be all bad, there are Cylons who believe the same of Humans. The majority of the Cylons believe they are in the right, just as the Humans believe they are right. Though, on both ends of the spectrum, there are those who know that nobody's right, and nobody's perfect.
Except for this episode, that is. Perfect.
Current fleet population: 49,579 (or 1 if you count the hybrid baby)