Battlestar Galactica

Sacrifice was a perfect and entertaining episode of Battlestar Galactica and I enjoyed watching because there was action and intrigue from the start as the crew are having some fun down time and a hostage situation takes place. Poor Billy looked so hurt! Apollo played the hero as usual and took some risks. Sharon and her baby remain safe aboard Galactica for the time being. I look forward to watching the next episode!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, things seem to be at an absolute standstill with any kind of season or series arcing plot, besides character development and personal relationships. I understand that the destruction of the Resurrection ship dealt a huge blow to the Cylons, so it makes sense why there haven't been any major run ins with them. But they should take advantage of that, especially with two battlestars at their disposal. Make some serious headway towards Earth or go back on the offensive, maybe some hit and runs like Cain was talking about. And its not that I just want action sequences, but some kind of advancement to the plot.



I kind of like Billy(character is okay, not big on the actor), but I thought his death was done really badly. And I thought the plot they had hinted at with him one day stepping into Roslin's shoes would of been an interesting way to take the character down the line. The way they killed him off seemed so pointless, like they needed to do something and that's what sprang to mind. So his death didn't do much for me other than make me regret not seeing his character develop the way I was hoping he would. I was begging him to remember how things went the last time he held a gun but, love is a strange and wonderful thing, that'll make you do crazy things...I guess.



I probably would've missed Apollo but at no point did I really fear for his life, didn't seem at all likely this would be the time they killed him off. Also, romantic relationships always walk a fine line with me, because most of the time they're my least favorite aspect of a drama. I think the Billy, Dee, and Apollo triangle(or square if you wanna toss Starbuck in there) was one of those times. Though if Starbuck being the one to shoot Apollo has some lasting effect on their relationship then the whole thing might be worth it. Not that Dee in a dress with her hair down wasn't bad either.



The main plot didn't really hold my interest, I couldn't develop any feelings or empathy for Sasha. Everyone has lost someone, that doesn't give you the right to dictate military strategy. And your going to kill humans, so you can kill a Cylon, because your favorite human was killed by them? Seems like you're going about this the wrong way. So I was basically just waiting for someone to kill her. I think the development in Adama and Sharon's relationship was the best aspect of that storyline and those last couple shots of her were a nice way to leave the viewer still wondering where her loyalties lie.



Not one of my favorites, and in fact probably amongst my least so far in the series.

How to begin? Well, the acting was okay, the direction was okay, the production values were good...



But the WRITING: Arrgghh? Did some writers lose the script? Did their dog eat it? Did they forget EVERYTHING a writer should know about writing and dialogue?



I guess so.



1) The "villains" in this episode are never developed as people. We see the same old flashback of the woman, over and over, no other clue as to who she is or the complexity of her motives.



2) Her henchmen aren't even given names, much less characters. They merely stand in as props for this laughable plot.



3) Lee Adama escapes into the bathroom with Col Thai's (sp?) wife, and has a distinct advantage, which the writers dance up and down to throw away. They rush out with no thoughts about consequences (just like the writers). What a bunch of baloney.



4) Mad gunfire and confusion, and the Marines Retreat from their positions? I don't think so. What a bunch of crappy, unbelievable tripe.



5) Billy just has to go, so they send him out in the stupidest way possible.



6) This has all the hallmarks of the Hollywood Writers Guild on it. It is not even sophomoric in its quality.



I cannot imagine how the producers ALLOWED this one to be filmed, much less aired !



AVOID THIS EPISODE if you love this series.

it was "painful to watch" dee throw away her relationship w/ billy, only to ruin some one else`s relationship. dee discusted me in this episode. she might as well have shot billy herself. and she messed up what kara and lee had. off course, they will end up together, in my opinion, but de just pissed me off here! i was a good episode though. kara developed in character, by accidentally shooting lee, and then addmitting it. maybe it`s because she loves him? in the end, great acting(especially by katee sackhoff) and i can`t wait to see the new episode.

The first time I watched this episode I thought it was really good, improved only if Ellen Tigh had been shot!!!



And I get that the sacrifice was actually Billy's.



But after watching it 3 times and stripping away all the emotive stuff - which has been handled more than adequately by other reviewers - I can't help but feel that the second half of BSG is being written by trained monkeys using a formula.



By this I mean.....We see a scene from some point a day/week/month in the future, and then we track back to the start of the chain of events that brought our characters to that point in time....it's very LOST....and getting old!



Also, if advancing the relationshp between Lee and that annoying child/woman Dee meant the demise of Billy....then it wasn't worth it!!!



The whole Lee/Dee thing doesn't convince me at all and I liked Billy and thought he had a real roll to play in the future.



If Starbuck wounding Lee was a way to send her further down the well of despair....that wasn't worth it either! She seems to be well and truly headed down that track now without needing another page of guilt added to the already weighty tome she seems to carry about with her.



And if Lee could shoot the Black Marketeer without any pause or compunction in Black Market, how come he didn't just shoot that stupid woman terrorist when he had the chance...she was the heart of the movement after all...or for that matter, why couldn't Starbuck?



That whole Starbuck and the Marines debacle was unbelievable to me. How bloody inept can a group of so-called highly trained professionals get? And why is it always Starbuck who's put in charge of these things. She a Pilot for fraks sake, not a commando!



I guess there was some symmetry in Dee sitting at Lee's bedside and Starbuck lurking in the background close to tears....that whole role reversal thing from Epiphanies if you remember, where Starbuck was sitting with Lee while Dee lurked in the corridor outside the bunkroom.



I thought Roslin was very good at the end in the morgue though.



One other thing....does anyone else think that maybe Apollo was swapped for a Cylon in Resurrection Ship when he was floating in space after Blackbird was blown up???

Spoilers!!!!! A likeable supporting character meets an early demise in this "hostage" episode.

A grieving widow (guest star Dana Delaney) wants Cylon blood for the death of her husband so she and a small group of simpathizers take over a bar in Cloud 9. Conveniently Lee Adama and Billy are both vying for the attention of Dee as the siege begins. Admiral Adama gives Starbuck and some Marines a crack at stopping the saboteurs...but ultimately blood is shed and a supporting character we've been following since the pilot is gunned down. President Roslin stands firm and ends up suffering the most.

This episode was probably the strongest since Admiral Cain's (Michelle Forbes) run.

But, there are still imperfections. Dee's relationship with Lee has not been fully developed. She seemed more natural with Billy.

In all honesty, I'm not comfortable with the choices they've made for Dee of late.

It's also a shame that Dana Delaney's character couldn't have had a little more definition and a face to face with Admiral Adama.

But, the show is still strong in it's overall direction and I'll continue to give it votes of confidence, despite this deadly set back for a supporting character I was rooting for.

A good episode, but a bad day for Billy.

I have been a superfan of this series since I stumbled upon my first episdoe.... and from the beginning, Billy and Dee have been the one spot of relative hope. They were the only characters on this show that weren't dirty and broken. They represented hope for the future. And suddenly, in one episode, Dee's involved with Apollo? And and Billy's dead?!? Offing a character is fine and can be revitalizing for a show... but Billy? I'd seriously rather it had been Starbuck or Apollo.



I don't know why I should even care about the people now. Even if they survive the journey.... what's the point? There's no hope for a decent tomorrow. We're left with a future of miserable, broken souls.



Sure, maybe it's realistic... but if I wanted that kind of realism, there's plenty of reality TV available to for my spirit crushing pleasure.

Send in the air force pilot to lead a hostage rescue? WTF? The tactics displayed here were ridiculous and the accumulation of coincidences too improbable even for a tv melodrama. What is this, As The World Turns or something? Not only that but the established characters suddenly go off in all kinds of directions: EG, Adama has more concern for a cylon than for three people close to him? Dee is cheating on Billy so egregiously? And Billy dies? The one character that most young people could empathize with, the shy and awkward young man, who wasn't a superhero or gorgeous bimbo or a handsome hunk, gets killed off. Great. I would rather any other character on the show be killed off than Billy. What a shame. The awkward and nonsensical parts of this episode were too many to tolerate, so I'm giving this episode a low, low score.

***This review details –» this is a "I" perspective, based in what I like and recognize to be good or interesting, this is not a "god" where the guy thinks what he thinks is the true or the "you" perspective where I know what you will like and what you don´t.***



Billy was the only character that could die here, his actions was not only predictable, but I could guess that he was the supposed sacrifice, D was necessary to create the romance between her and Lee, people love to hate someone and Ellen would never die so easily. The situation is very interesting, not the same can be told about the love triangle that was lame. Didn´t expected that Lee would get shot by Kara, interesting how she almost killed the second Adama son.



Presentation Phase - » (8/10) interesting,

Complication Phase - » (9/10) this is a rare, if not a unique situation,

Climax Phase - » (7/10) interesting but at the same time, you can predict who would die,

Ending - » (7/10) sadness, for who cares,



Details/Progress (To point A to B) -» (8/10) all the process was to kill a character,

Time and Scene Management - » (9/10) all the scenes was well managed, little scenes that stretched,

Plot Details/Holes- » (8/10) Bill attitude was too forced and a little dump,

Storyline -» (8/10) interesting but could be better,



Drama - » (9/10) one dead, was sad

Surprises/Shocks/Twists - » (9/10) Lee was shot,



Overall, the situation created in this episode was only made to kill one character, which was predictable and it is not because of this episode title.

This would definetly go under how not to solve hostage crise - Lee gives them a way in but in the last moment, Starbuck somehow messes it but ok, it was not her fault - shooting Lee - that was.. so, she seems to be very continues in killing Adama's sons.. ok, that was irony and not meant too hard..



I most say I liked the action and the whole dynamic if not think on the story first - the whole triangle of Lee, Billy and Dee was somehow too lame and it was so sure where this episode is going from the beginning. So, no big surprises if not counting Lee getting shot by Starbuck.. that was a shock.. And killing Billy.. After reading why writers did it, I get it.. but to be honest, I think I will miss that char - I would not imagine president without him.. I think we will get used but still... I am always hard taking changes..

Its nice to see a little more of the other ships in the fleet instead of the president's ship or Galactica. I also like the twist and turns of the love interests of people involved. The rescue mission with the use of marines is always good action sequences. Reminds me a lot of swat techniques and the entry they use. The use of the Sharon model is also nice touch in the story line. In all the R&R ship was a good diversion to the regular happenings in the main storyline but the writers kept it exciting as always. Another quality installment of BSG.

A woman who lost a husband during a cylon attack takes hostages aboard Cloud 9. Things go to hell when a rescue attempt fails resulting a numerous casualties. Admiral Adama weighs in on giving up Sharon Valerii in order to save the hostages. This is a special episode, it's pivotal for the whole season and the series as a whole. This episode reflects the frailties of our own human condition. Humans can be capable of good things but just as capable of all bad things. Dana Delaney plays a bad person really well. The drama portrays raw emotions that the actors successfully displays.

I really enjoyed this episode. It had a bit of action, a bit of death, and a bit of maddness, all things which add together to make one great episode.

SPOILERS











I was very worried when Lee got shot, and i saw the pain on Kara's face when it happened and at the end of the episode, when she saw lee talking to dee, she looked really upset and sorry for shooting Lee, when she had done it she looked as if she couldnt believe it. I thought that it was a good plot twist for Lee to be shot by Kara, this will and does show some much needed character development. All in all i found this as a great episode and if this doesn't make you watch Battlestar Galactica then nothing will

The mini-series caught me by the throat. Season 1 proceeded to shake me vigourously and slap me upside the head. Not since Babylon 5 had a creatively arced S/F series so vividly caught my attention.



So what the heck has happened in Season 2?



Obviously, the stakes were high: Season 1 set such a dramatic and challenging pace, it was (being honest) hard to see how the production team could possibly maintain the momentum. Surely, I expected Season 2 to lose some of the lustre seen in Season 1, but I never expected it to bounce so heavily from outstanding drama to the merely watchable.



Taken alone, Sacrifice is an interesting dramatic piece. A classic hostage situation played out against a set of wider issues (faith in the military; the questionable democratic nature of a government held in place by the presence of military might; grief and resentment after a genocidal attack; developing and interweaving character interplays). Problem is, in the context of BSG as seen to date, it doesn't really work.



Why?



Simply because over the last few episodes we've witnessed an unravelling of the story; things have gone in so many directions that it is almost as if the writers / producers have lost sight of their target and are shooting in the dark in the hope of hitting it.



We've had miracle cures; we've had insurrection in the fleet, we've had a thriving black market community and we've now had people bubbling for revenge. Any one of these, carefully constructed and developed during the course of 2-3 episodes would have given rise to a sustainable, interesting twist to the story - and a potential new weakness within the fleet the Cylons could manipulate (as seemed to be the case with the insurrection plot with "Pegasus Six" turning up among their ranks.



But take all these elements one on top of the other, as they been presented in the last few episodes, and one is left feeling that while the Cylons may well have a plan - the production crew no longer have the foggiest what that plan is.



Like Scar before it, Sacrifice again carries the sin of forcing the audience to accept pivotal events happening off camera. We are told, rather than witness, key events that create the backstory to the episode. True, this time around it is not as bad a Scar: we at least get to see the death of Ray Abinell, even if it is cast off as "that Cylon attack 10 weeks ago". But the weakness is still there.



It is also hard to accept that civilian opinion would turn so drastically against the Galactica so readily as is being portrayed in Season 2. Lets face it: we're barely 6 months from the destruction of the 12 Colonies, and for the the majority of that time, it has been the Galactica that has not only protected the fleet - it has effectively keep more than a third of it alive (witness: Water - Galactica is vital to the provision of fresh water supplies to a 1/3 of the fleet). The idea that public opinion (even a minority opinion) would turn so heavily against the Galactica and her crew so readily (even with potential Cylon aid) is hard to accept.



Similarly, while supplies are in short supply, and there will be those willing to barter / buy / steal what they need, the idea that a complex black market trade could so easily spring up within the fleet - and so quickly ensnare the Pegasus command - is also difficult to swallow in the wider scheme of things.



So to is the idea that people would so quickly resort to hostage-taking and to (again) attempting to spread sedition within the fleet (Sesha's press release mentioned in Sacrifice) something of a reach when taken against the broader arc of the story.



Again, this epsiode appears to be marking time before we mount the hill towards the climax of the season (no doubt building on the insurrection plot, going by the title of the last 2 episodes).



However, I'm still wishing this season had been restricted to 14-15 episodes. Maybe then the writing would have remained as taut as Season 1.

This was another great episode of BG, even if it fell outside of the "big picture". It's episodes like this that try and keep the show fresh, and it works. It helps to show the mind-set of the rest of the fleet, not just the people on board the Galactica.

In a parallel of todays society, grief causes both conspracy theories and bad behavior. The as time goes on uneasiness also causes the survivors to behave in ways that are not unlike the ememy.



Relationships also change in this episode as Dualla and Lee start something, she and Billy end and Starbuck and Lee's chances end in one shot.

Plot slowing down, a stretch of sub-par episodes, and a beloved character killed off: could this be the beginning of the end for BSG? Probably not, but it sure was a hell of a way to off somebody.



My main beef with this episode was the antagonist. Unlike the wonderful villains we have been given in Baltar and Zarek, who are the most appealing villains seen in a long while, I didn't feel that I was able to empathize with her plight. So, your husband died. Lots of people lost loved ones, but you don't see them seeking petty revenge. Look at the big picture, lady. Find a homeworld, then destroy the Cylons and get your revenge.



Then there's Apollo. Not two weeks ago he shot a guy in the chest, and now he can't bring himself to kill an armed attacker. This regression in his character is quite a disappointment. Still can't imagine what he ever did to be considered a hero. Must have been an accident.



The only bright spot is that Dualla may finally be forced to stop acting like a child. Hope she appreciates what he did for her.

In this superb installment, the main theme of Sacrifice is that Newton's third law of motion applies in the Battlestar Galactica universe. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.



Interestingly, while the title of the episode is called Sacrifice (which, I suppose, is appropriate), I think the episode is more about loss. And it starts quickly into the episode. Billy proposes to Dualla and is wholly denied. What a great scene. It really sets up the motifs of the episode, from the shock of action to the surprise of reaction. Although certainly not surprising to the viewers that Dualla turned down the proposal (given her increasing interest in Apollo), Billy is certainly stunned.



Humans do crazy things for others. And often, they are emotionally charged. Take Starbuck's impetuous undertaking of re-supplying the oxygen to the Cloud 9 lounge. Of course, she goes in undercover to get a good synopsis of the room, the hostages, and the criminals. But Tigh's wife can't help but react to her. She recognizes her. Although she probably should have controlled her reaction, I can't help but wonder if I would be as obvious in the same situation. People react to things, especially when they are surprised.



This leads to Starbuck's taking quick, and deadly, action. I absolutely loved this scene. No show or movie (it seems) ponders the craziness of a shoot-out or a battle. But on Battlestar Galactica, it is emphasized. Friendly fire. It's almost non-existent in the entertainment/action world -- so what a disturbing surprise it was to see that Starbuck's bullet hit Apollo.



And, of course, Starbuck reacts badly. She's in shock and must be pulled out of the fracas before the pressure doors close. She may have been scarred last week, but who knows how she'll pull out of this one.



Another wonderful aspect of the episode was the three-way conversations between Tigh, Adama, and Roslin. They share a great scene where they speak of reacting to terrorists versus saving their friends and family versus pondering the terrorists' beliefs. All valid, and intelligent, aspects of an almost impossible controversial topic. Battlestar Galactica is the best show at clarifying the incoherence of issues like these.



Speaking of Tigh, Adama, and Roslin: Hogan, Olmos, and McDonnell had impressive performances in this episode. Olmos has an uncanny ability to portray about 50 different emotions in less than 10 seconds. After the final melee in the lounge, Adama enters with, first, a sense of authoritative duty -- suddenly, he crumbles when he sees his injured son. The price of business in the BSG world.



Billy's death was another shocker. Of course, his actions (while certainly heroic) were charged by his love for Dualla. Dualla's death imminent, Billy takes his study of the weakest criminal and charges into action, killing one of them before Dualla is shot. The cost, unfortunately, is his life. Confirming another theme of BSG, we learn that human heroism sometimes is not ideal but instead personal -- and beautiful.



I will miss Paul Campbell. He played one of my favorite recurring characters of the show. Of course, while his death was still shocking, there were overtones of the Grim Reaper behind his shoulders seconds into the episode. Regardless, he had a good last episode, and he will be remembered fondly by this fan.



And the morgue scene. Beautiful work by two wonderful actors. A case of subtle sadness by Mary McDonnell. What a great acting touch here. Mary McDonnell is my hero.



While the episode was certainly far from perfect (some situational contrivances and a continued unnecessary tone shift since the Pegasus trilogy), BSG remains one of the most effective series on television -- and this episode is proof of that.



One afterthought: The music in this show is outstanding. I love the use of the mini-series theme in the episode teaser (during Billy's proposal) and the use of Sharon's theme in her blazing scene with Adama and then later before one of her dead bodies is brought into the lounge. Terrific stuff. This show is great on so many levels.

I have to say this was a well written/acted episode. This topic of holding hostages in exchange for prisoners is in our news so much lately, I thought Moore did a nice job. First, we have the marines on Cloud 9 for some much needed rest. Especially Starbuck. This doesnt last long as everyone inside the lounge including Lee, Dualla, Billy and of course Tigh's slut of a wife. Terrorist take over the lounge and lold everyone hostage in demand for Sharon.



I think after Starbuck shot Lee by mistake it really scare her. But she showed alot of courage when she told Adama. She really loves Lee. Look how long it took her to come clean about Zak.



Then the finally at the end, we have Billy trying to prove himself to Dualla, grabs one of the terrorist guns and shoots one, but gets killed in the process.



Dualla reminds be of a school girl with a crush. I mean last week Lee told her there was nothing between them and she just cant let go. She is the reason Billy got killed.

We know from the producers that a hierarchical chain will be established this season. We all sort of figured that there had to be a leader, but now I am almost sure of a few things. This season I have been searching for our next cylon model, and I have some suspicions. First there is Cain, she was a pretty hard person, evil in many ways, could she be a cylon? It is very possible, but I think probably not. I feel that people in power are less likely, because they are watched at all times. Then there is Roslin, Baltar was sure quick to heal her. Then again only a possibility. If my power theory is true, then a true cylon leader would probably be one that is in the shadows, barely noticed, but there. Someone who has the connections and resource, but doesn't act on them. They would have to have access to both Colonial One and the Galactica. Think, think, think..... Billy. He has a "mother son" relationship with the president, and is her assistant. And the Galactica? Well was dating the communications manager, who is almost always in CIC. Hummmm, strange. Not to mention the love triangle that was established in the same episode that he was killed in. Leader or not we have a lot of reason to believe he could be a cylon. Til next week.

It seems as though my opinions fall in line with Ron Moore’s own opinions on the podcasts, which is sometimes amusing. I say that because his reactions are far more extreme than my own. He was a lot more critical of “Black Market” than I was in the end, and he was a bit more impressed by “Scar” than I turned out to be. This time around, though, we share a certain dissatisfaction that can’t be completely defined.



There’s a lot that I liked about this episode. Dana Delaney does a very good job with a difficult part. In a lot of ways, this is a follow-up on the concepts brought up by Admiral Cain and her people. As I said then, there’s a certain amount of justification for treating Boomer like a machine. Even she would be quick to point out that she’s not human. And there’s reason to believe that Adama is treating Boomer as if she was the human being he remembers.



But she’s also exactly what Adama mentions: a potential military asset. He would be foolish to listen to everything she says without some kind of verification, but his instincts aren’t completely wrong. Even if the fleet discovered that the Cylons held the hybrid in primary importance, there would be reason to leave Boomer and the child alive, if only to attempt understanding of what the Cylons want. (In fact, one could argue that holding what the Cylons want is a good start towards future survival.)



And so this episode, on the face of it, is structured very well to test the resolve of three very important people in the fleet: Adama, Tigh, and Roslin. I can tell, even without Moore’s commentary, that the intention was to use that as a trigger for the philosophical debate over the value of a military asset over the cohesion of the fleet vs. giving in to terrorism. Underneath it all is the love triangle between Dee, Billy, and Lee, which has been building for quite a while.



The problem for me was very simple. I was able to predict from the very beginning that something horrible was coming for Billy. I had no idea that the actor was in demand and therefore being let go in a memorable way, but the episode began in a way that suggested some final moment to come. But even as that side of the episode was telegraphed, the underlying philosophical debate surrounding the hostage situation never really went as far as I would have liked.



For all that, I’m far more impressed by the brutal escalation of the episode than the final act itself. The botched rescue attempt was notable for the frank bloodletting, and the effect that shooting Lee will inevitably have on Starbuck. The end of the hostage situation should have been equally brutal, but since Billy’s death was expected, it didn’t have much impact. The gambit with the previously killed Boomer was rather obvious as well. The only thing in the final act that got my attention was Roslin’s grief, which struck me as very genuine.



Ever since “Resurrection Ship: Part II”, the season has been searching for some sense of direction. I thought that Baltar’s actions in “Epiphanies” would have been the first step in the next phase of the arc, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. At the same time, I noted that the destruction of the Cylon fleet would inevitably force the story inward, leaving the writers to explore the effects of recent events on the fleet as a whole, and that’s what we’ve gotten. Now that the episodes should be turning back to the arc, I hope the quality will return to a more consistent form.

I have read some of the earlier review and I must say, this is one of the better episodes. I will argue with anyone that says the direction this series has taken is in the wrong direction.



Billy's character was amazing. I was surprised when they killed him off. For a show to surprise me in this fashion garners a 10 in my book. The whole episode took on the feeling of dark, dirty decisions having to be made to ensure that something that everyone hates will be protected.



The juxtaposition that all the characters have been put into. We look at Starbuck, continuing into her descent into insanity. She has just shot the person that she relies on to be her anchor in life. This signals the anchor being let loose and her sanity will come into play now.



Lee's playing the field is due to his near death experience. Not that I have had one but some choose two paths after such an experience. One path is that of religion and rightousness. Another path is to live life fast and hard, becuase you might die the next day. Brillantly shown is Lee's struggle with relaity and where he fits into this crew.



Billy. (see above) His character's choices in this episode show the intenstiy that was needed from a civilian with in this series. I think the scarifice was something that crowns the series as being one that takes chances and doesnt fit the normal TV mold.



Again if any of my writing could even become close to that of this series, I would have gold plated porche's in my drive way!

As if shooting Lee wasn't bad enough, they had to kill Billy. It's obvious that the producers want us to know how human these characters really are. And that they could, in deed, die any episode. The fact that more central characters died or were injured in this episode than in the last three reflects reality in a pretty scary way though. However, Billy was a much more important and valuable person to the series than Hellen, and the outcome of this episode comes to show that cowardly, evil people survive over the good.

Then there was the love triangle between Billy, Lee, and Dualla. Yes, it's true, we can't help who we fall in love with, but Lee has a mean streak of messing around with women and never getting the job done; His girlfriend in Caprica, Starbuck, Shevon, and now Dualla. Again, it only reflects the humanity of us all, and how in spite of our desperation to be with someone, we can never trully be with anyone for fear of the pain and hurt that can come to us.

It is ironic that again and again, more people die at the hands of people than by at the hands of cylons. This reinforeces the idea that Number Six expresses to Baltar on Cobol, that humanity's legacy is death and murder. This is our gift, our heritage.

Billy was one of the good guys, and much more aware of the human situation throughout the fleet that Baltar, or half of the members of the Quorum of twelve. He would have made a much better president than Baltar, that's for sure.

In the end, though, his usefulness as a presidential aid in the series seemed to run short, and because he was the only family-of-sorts left to Rosilin, this is sure to trigger some pretty heavy reactions from her in episodes to come.

Let's just hope Billy turns out to be a cylon so he'll be back in the series... it'd be a shame to loose one of the good guys like that; so sensesly and easily.

This episode is the best since "Resurrection Ship, Pt. 1". I thought that the acting was great in it and the storyline, while filler, continued to address the question of this season. Also, this episode is one of the most emotional yet.



I'll begin with the acting. Dana Delaney was great as Sesha Abinell. She played a woman who was broken, yet determined. She was broken by the loss of her husband, and it shows. But her determination for her cause hides it. Or what she thinks is her cause. She says to Adama that this is about Cylon infiltration, and it may well have been. But it's more likely that this is about revenge. Abinell wanted revenge for her husband's death, and when Adama tells her that, we see her face crack a bit under the pressure. Paul Campbell is great as Billy in all of his scenes, particularly the proposal and when he sees Dee with Apollo. In the proposal scene, he is utterly stunned when she says no. Campbell portrays this part great, and he also does exactly what you would expect him to when he finds out that Dee is actually going out with Apollo. Kandyse McClure turns in her best performance yet as Dee. She finally gets some major character development. She actually shows emotion other than stress or love. And McClure pulls it off exquisitely.



On to the storyline. The underlying question in the latter half of Season Two has been this. Who is our great enemy? Is it Cylons, or is it ourselves? Cain and Abinell have proven to us that humans can be far deadlier than Cylons. In this episode, seven people died. None of them were Cylons, and none of them were killed by Cylons. The hostage storyline is very intense. I was on the edge of my seat when Apollo had the one gunman captive and Abinell told Vinson to kill Dee. The episode was very pulse-pounding.



Now, to the emotional power. This episode drained me. Literally. I felt numb for about a half hour after watching it. My mouth was wide open when Starbuck accidentally shot Lee. That was completely unexpected and stunning. Even more so was the death of Billy at the end. The scene in the morgue with Roslin was very sad and very heartwrenching. This episode marks only the second time in sixteen years that I have cried while watching TV or a movie.



So, seven people are dead. Whose to blame? What's the point? Was it worth it? These are the questions I found myself asking after the end of this episode. And any episode that leaves you thinking about it is a great one. I give this a 9.5/10.

Again in this episode the situation in the fleet hasn’t changed. Again the people rebel against the military, but this time not for a peace with the cylons, instead to protect the fleet from them. Now we’ve seen that all and I hope they finally can move on with the greater story.

Starbuck again messes up her mission (well it isn’t her fault that her cover blows). But where is that ultra strong women gone? She even cries about Apollo when she sees one other woman cry for him. Starbuck starts to confuse me. I think they should get Starbuck more successful missions again. I mean she was the one who survived the Caprica and more fights and crashes than anyone else.

Admiral Adama is struggling to fight with the civilians, but still I think he’s the only one able to manage the whole fleet. I think he still does the right thing, but what’s about that, when he says he’s sure now? I hope we get that solved soon.

But why does have the presidents assistant to die? How will the president react on this for the future? I’m wondering about that.



After all, this episode is more a filler episode than anything else. I hope we get a lot more interesting action.

I was going to write this review last night. Had I done that this episode would have received a higher rating. What changed? I re-watched the episode, read some stuff on the episode, and then watched it again. (I may have to download the podcast.)



Here's my big problem: What happened to the through story? It's gone. I understand we're not being pursued by the cylons right now cause we gave them a hurting in the Resurrection Ship episodes, but the fleet is so safe now that they can send pretty much all their marines, their two top pilots, and their communications officer on vacation?!



But even there, that's not the issue for me. It seems with the now episodic formula of self contained episodes that may have future ramifications we get to experience the thing that always pissed me off about Star Trek, the characters are at the whim of the individual writers and what they want to do with them.



I have little doubt that a character's tragic end in this episode has nothing to do with overall story (Though I'm willing and happy to be proven wrong) as much as it has to do with the writer's not liking him that much anymore and being unsure what to do with him.



Then there is the whole love pentagon (someone called it a quadrangle, but I think pentagon works better.) Billy-Dualla-Lee-Starbuck-Anders...

Which I'd rather it was a tennis match( Billy-Dualla) and a triangle (Lee-Starbuck-Anders.) Billy and Dee have been the moral center of the show, the little voices inside Adama and Roslin's head. And ...well, their innocence is gone. And the only bright relationship in the series (possibly annoying to some, but very important to the heart of the show) is now but a memory.



But...back to the episode and not the saga (which unfortunately aren't the same thing anymore.) Was this a solid episode? Well, kind of. Again, putting everyone on vacation was still unbeleivable, but the rest of it kind of works...well, discounting the whole Billy-Dee-Lee thing.



Okay, the overall plot of the episode was good. Woman takes hostages over the death of her husband and demands something Adama isn't willing to give. And...overall it's done well enough and in what I would consider a BSG way. (Starbuck's friendly fire was a nice touch and we needed to be reminded the Colonel Tigh is actually a saint for putting up with that woman.)



...in the end though, it's just an episode. And...that's my problem. It's not part of the story. It's just a frakking episode. And it wouldn't hurt so much...but it's the fourth in a series of episodes. At this point in the first half of the season, I absolutely couldn't wait until next week. (Theoretically.)...but now I can.



Please go back to Kobol and find your way.

I can't quite understand why so people don't seem to like this episode. Yes dramatic things happen, and gasp, someone that the audience had started to like and know died. Just because you didn't like what happened in the episode, doesn't necessarily mean that the episode was badly written or overly dramatic. This is a show about the remnants of humanity being ruthlessly hunted down, I guarantee you, characters you like are going to die from time to time, sorry! As to the "soap opera" drama that people are objecting to, if you really feel that way, you have every right to, but the reason this show is the success that it is today is that it isn't about the sci-fi techno babble, or the explosions in space (though it is nice to have those things), its about people, dealing with incredible stress in times of war, so if you can't relate to some of the outstanding actors and actresses on the show, maybe you need to put yourself into the shoes of their characters, many of whom are desperate, unstable people. I would say that sometimes, nothing less than "soap opera" drama would get it done.

Ok, for the second week in a row, this show has taken a terrible turn. Both episodes are basically just bad estrogen driven soap opera, it sucks. Don’t get me wrong, the women in BSG are usually fantastic, it’s not the actresses, they are great, the whole cast is, but these last two weeks have been terrible writing for them. The soap-opera attempt at drama is crap, for real.



ie.. A woman losses her husband to the bad guys, so she takes hostages of the good guys to kill a bad guy they have for a prisoner….



GIVE ME A BREAK, PLEASE, I beg you, get your writing back, this stuff is going to kill this show unless you start sticking it on in the mornings with the other nonsensical soap-operas. I really like this show, up to this point flawlessly, looking forward to good writing and storylines again.. Hopefully next week.



(Either that or buy out Firefly, if Fox will stop being bullies, and stick it in this spot.)

Was the director on acid when he produced this episode? what he was thinking? Is it possible to blow up an entire show with one episode? Well apparantly that is the mission of the director in this episode.



First off I\'m sorry but i am not sure if I am watching Battlestar Galatica or the Lifetime channel because I cant tell the difference anymore. Billy proposing out of the blue, Billy gets rejected, Billy confronts girl, Billy gets taken hostage with girl, Billy try to proves his manhood, Billy dies in the effort.



What an aboslutly pathetic waste of a character I have ever seen at one time, so much could have been done with him and to lose him like that? Was his contracts demands so high or something?



Then you have Lee Admaa screwing everyone or attempting to screw everyone with two legs... does anyone really know what the hell is going on with the character? does the director know anymore? I count this 3 out of the last 4 episodes that Lee was almost killed, no wonder he may be developing a complex, who can blame him?



Then Starbuck.... well what do you know she dosen't follow orders again??? I'm sorry but how could you possibly realistically put her in a command position when she fails to follow orders so many times? I mean we get the point, she bold, she brash, she has issues but she has gone beyond loose cannon and its simply stretching the bounds of believability anymore.



And then there Dualla. What the hell is the director doing with the character, at first she seemed to represent the heart and moral compass of the Admirial, and know she has been turned into a cheating tease of the worst sort, blubbering over Lee at the end while Billy's body is still warm in the morgue... another dreadful decision on the path of a character, would it not had made more sense to develop Billy and Dualla as a couple since before this they seemed to be mirror images of each other and would have had plenty of room for growth and evolution of the characters on future shows.



In the end a character we liked is dead and now there is a growing disgust for Lee and Dualla as characters on the show. Meanwhile the Lee , Dualla, Starbuck and uhm whover the other guy on caprica is love quadangle is continuing to build up in all its lifetime soapiness.



Perhaps the director can do a Dallas thing and have Dualla wake up in bed and see who's using her shower and have billy smiling at her, then at least we can say that this truly terrible episode was just a dream.