Battlestar Galactica: Taking A Break From All Your Worries
Posted Jan 28th 2007 11:52PM by Keith McDuffee
(S03E13) This episode turned out better than I thought it would be when basing it on the previews shown for the past week. And y'know, that's the way it should be, if you ask me. Why spoil things for everyone with cheap ploys to lure new viewers when you can just wow them with the actual episode that airs?
The first thing I've got to mention is definitely going to seem nitpicky to some. What's with a bar on the Galactica? Another ship, sure, but on a fracking Battlestar? As if troops stowing away booze in their lockers wasn't bad enough -- now we've got Apollo stumbling around throwing wedding rings around, sobbing like a whino through the decks of Galactica.
The interrogation scenes with Baltar were well done. It's not difficult to imagine the world Baltar felt he was in once under the influence of those drugs. The feeling of floating helplessly in a dark sea, with only a strange, bright light to focus on. The light and the voice, your only grasp at something that makes you not feel alone. I did wonder why they didn't just send in the captive Six to interrogate Baltar by offering her some sort of deal, though judging by the extended extra scene at Sci Fi's website, that plan would have gone nowhere.
I really hope we don't keep seeing significant airtime given to the whole Apollo/Starbuck love angst. There are just so many more interesting storylines and goings-on in this show that it's a waste of time to travel more than three episodes into a relationship such as this one. And can I just say that I'm really hating when Starbuck does that thing where she clears her throat, purses her lips and closes her eyes when she's disapproving or uncomfortable? No wonder why Apollo wanted to get her into the ring for a spell.
random thought (sorry, I seem to be full of them tonight): Is it just me or does everyone ... I dunno ... curse too much on this show? Look, I'm no prude, but there are times when maybe "frack" is used a little too liberally. Try replacing that word with the Earth word it's meant to represent, then tell me if it's overused or not. I guess when it's the only curse word anyone seems to know, maybe it's no so bad.
Something very interesting that none of Baltar's interrogators seemed to pick up on, though they may have just quickly brushed it off as drug-induced nonsense: Baltar said "God's plan. God's resolve." Not "THE gods." Is Cylon divinity rubbing off on Baltar now? Maybe we were all thrown way off the trail of considering Baltar to be a Cylon in this episode, when it's still within the realm of possibility.
A definite big break in the episode was the interaction between Baltar and Gaeta. Does Baltar really know something about Gaeta that he wouldn't want anyone else to know? Was Gaeta worried that Baltar might speak up about him, and that's why he set out to kill him? And there's no denying that Baltar did have a point -- who was the one with a literal gun to his head when it all came down and who didn't? And Baltar knew that Gaeta was delivering intelligence; there's no denying that unless you think Baltar's just a good guesser.
Like I said, I was glad this wasn't a bad episode, but it wasn't stellar. Oh, and if you're wondering where the title of the episode came from, go take a listen to the theme song for Cheers, then add the presence of Joe's Bar, and there you have it.
Current fleet population: 41,403
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