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January 29, 2005

Battlestar Galactica - 'Act of Contrition'

click for larger imageJeff Harrell at The Shape of Days has been tantalizing us all over the last few months with what's to come in this season of BSG (he's been seeing it ahead of us through a British feed). And his pronouncement on the season's finale really makes me want to 'cheat' and try and get all the episodes by downloading ... but I won't. I enjoy the savoring quality of waiting and watching it fresh each Friday night, then remembering what struck me about the episode the next day.

Plot lines were only incrementally moved forward last night, but it was an emotionally taut episode that delved more into Starbuck's backstory of her relationship with the late Zack Adama and her subsequent relationship with Lee and the Commander. During the pilot episodes we found out Starbuck and Zack had had an intimate relationship and that she, as flight instructor, had cut Zack some slack and passed him on basic flying when he should have been washed out and this subsequently contributed to his death. CO Adama has been unaware of any of this. In "Act of Contrition" Starbuck is haunted by Zack's death as the tragedy of the loss of 13 Viper pilots puts her in the position of having to train rookies ("nuggets" in BSG parlance). It's nicely framed with both flashbacks and what turns out to be "flashforwards." When Starbuck dismisses all the nuggets after their first day of training, Lee goes to talk with Adama and, in a classic case of misunderstanding, believes Starbuck has already confessed her past to Adama and lets slip about it. Adama readily pounces on the slip. The riveting scene of the episode comes when Starbuck is summoned to Adama's quarters and finds she really has no option, since she truly loves and respects CO Adama, but to be fully truthful with him after he demands to know. It is both a very well-written and well-acted piece. Starbuck reveals some depths we haven't really seen before, we learn it was much more than just a "friends with benefits" relationship she had with Zack, that indeed, they were secretly engaged to be married and he had hinted as much to Adama in a letter before his death. And we again see the immense commanding presence that Edward James Olmos brings to CO Adama when he is listening, his face growing subtlely more taut, eyes radiating an inner pressure until he utters - low, deep and full of unspoken rage - "Walk out of this cabin ... while you still can."

Excellent. And kudos to the writers staying true to Starbuck's character in that she sucks it up, doesn't wallow in Adama's presence, but turns around and concentrates on "doing my job."

Another gem of a scene I absolutely loved this episode, more in the comedic relief category, was President Roslin being examined by Dr. Cottle - delightfully played by the now snow-white-haired Donnelly Rhodes who I remember from the 80's series 'Danger Bay'. I hope his character is a reoccurring one. I loved Dr. Cottle lecturing Roslin about her skipping a breast examine for five years ... while he lights up and smokes a cigarette!! Priceless.

The episode was better than last week's and ends in a cliff-hanger of Starbuck ejecting from her damaged Viper (the flashforwards from earlier in the episode) and falling through the atmosphere of a ringed planet (gas giant?). I look forward to next Friday.

Posted by Darleen at January 29, 2005 09:03 AM

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