With Nine Episodes left, I would have thought every last one to be a hard hitter. A Disquiet Follows My Soul has a few moments here and there, but it seems the aim of this episode is the setup of the end of the series. This is probably one of those reviews/columns where I am going to ramble a bit, so keep that in mind as you continue to read. Also spoilers below so be warned if you continue reading.
After the show as over, both my wife and myself looked at each other with the same thought. That was kind of boring. Not since Season 2 have I felt this way. Everyone get on the bandwagon and tell me how wrong I am. Yes I know this was Ron Moore’s directorial debut,yes I know this answered a lot of questions (and created some new ones), but at the end of the day it was about setting up the rest of the episodes and I think we could have seen it done in a different way. It was like everything that Moore wanted to get across to us could have been done in a lot less time then it takes in the episode, giving it a way too drawn out feeling for me. It does pick up a bit at the very end which bodes well for next week though.
The main issue at hand for this weeks episode is fitting the colonial fleet with new FTL technology from the renegade Cylons that will allow them to travel three times further while searching for a new planet to inhabit. They were not kidding when the writers said finding Earth was not supposed to be a cliffhanger episode, that it just got blown out of proportion with the long wait time to the last part of the season. With Zarek involved he wants people the right of refusal to be fitted with the new technology and also with allowing any of the renegade Cylons to board their ships. He finds a partner in Felix Gaeta who has fallen off the deep end. Was it because of what happened during the webisode? Or just all the issues with his leg from a psychological stand point? Or the fact that he has just been pushed and pushed at every point of the confrontation that he has snapped a bit? I like this choice though, because I can see Felix doing exactly what he did, it was not a stretch and a lot of backstory behind it.
The other main story that is featured in this episode is the procreation of the Cylons. We are shown that the Chief’s child with Cally was really fathered by ”Hotdog”, so that negates a Cylon being a parent. During the same episode we are shown “Six” and Tigh seem to be having a child. It could very well be Gaius that fathered that one though I wonder. So is it that only male Cylons are not able to father children, but that a human male and a female Cylon can have children? There are still some questions to be answered there. Admiral Adama and President Laura Roslin finally getting their relationship back on track was a long time coming. Laura’s situation of feeling let down, overwhelmed, and just wanted to live her life a bit was powerful and well played.
There was an extra shake of humor in this episode most of it dry humor, zingers, and trick you humor but regardless funny:
When Admiral Adama has Tom Zarek arrested and thrown in the brig and tricks him with the laundry list.
When Chief gets all confused when he is asking about the Cylons (which includes him) being citizens. Tigh asks him if he needs a chart to keep it straight as Chief keeps referring to himself as both a human and Cylon
Starbuck and Gaeta really have at it going back and forth with zingers at each other. It is humorous, but at the same time this scene really sets up how far Felix has fallen. On a side-note here, there was not enough Starbuck in this episode, she is one of the main reasons I tune in to watch this show. Plus at this point her story is one of the most interesting ones.
I will leave you with my the thoughts that my wife had on this episode. She did not like the rebellion (mutiny) that is happening. She understand why it is necessary, just did not like the way the story was turning. I do not think it is that for me, I think that part will be interesting, I just kind of wish we had more time. With only 8 episodes left, I have this sinking feeling no matter how it turns out it will feel rushed.
this is an interesting take on things, just as a perspective comparison. especially your “i haven’t felt this bored since season 2.” there were several episodes of season 3 that for me and my other half seemed directionless, pointless, and just kind of there to fill time. we also felt that way about some of the episodes in the first half of season 4. to the point where we actually felt upset that they had changed the season count from 13 episodes to 22; to us it felt like they hadn’t actually added more plot, just added more fluff. so i’m kind of liking the sudden urgency in the proclaimed final 10 episodes. but that’s just me…
Elena,
It should be noted that Damon has the worst taste in the history of fiction.
And that’s non-fiction.
While I agree the urgency is nice, i just wonder if the story is suffering a bit because of it. With all the urgency an episode like this just doesnt make any sort of sense, it takes way too long to get across all the points that it is trying to make, hence boring me a bit.
hm. i didn’t find the episode to be that slow. i mean, they can’t exactly spring a mutiny on us with NO build-up….but that was me.
PS I’m reserving judgment about your taste in fiction until I’ve seen you review some books I’ve actually read.
Ok forget about the mutiny for a second. We have the president stop taking her medicine and running around the ship for a fair share of the episode. I felt that was worthless. Also with Gaeta the Starbuck scene was overdone and they just threw her in there. Besides the mutiny there is a bunch of stuff that we either already know or is just played out too much. I think part of my problem could be stemming from having seen the Gaeta webisodes though and just wanting things to move on. Just few other things that could have been written differently to move them along in my opinion. My taste in fiction is probably just as urgent
I want a quick moving story 
you saw the president not taking her med’s and running around the ship…i saw her abdicating responsibility and saying “this is now someone else’s problem.” which since she can’t officially make it so is a new and different problem. for me that was foreshadowing.
i have not watched the webisodes (so much for being a rabid fangirl, huh) mostly because i was planning to save them up and watch all at once, and then it didn’t seem necessary once the episodes started back. so i don’t have that backstory/gaeta saturation.
i’m not going to say they couldn’t have handled some of the timing (as in how long is spent on any one part) better, but since there was at least a clear plot directive in the episode i was happy with it. it might have just been everyone standing around talking, but they were talking with a purpose, not just…talking.
Yeah lets see how this week plays out. Thanks for the discussion it is always nice to see someone elses thoughts, now I just have to make sure they do not sway my next column
will try to check in sooner after this week’s episode so we can argue while the details are still fresh, lol
I thought this episode was BORING. Can we have some action please? It is draining my excitement. I have Friday’s episode on the DVR, but have yet to watch it. My husband and I were thinking back to when we both couldn’t wait to watch it Saturday mornings, but we have gone all weekend not caring.
The writers need to get cracking and quit reading their own press clippings.
Someone that agrees with me
Trust me you will be happy about Friday’s episode, I really enjoyed it.
Yes! The last episode brought it. Now we are cooking with gas!
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