Tuesday, November 02, 2004

Battlestar Galactica: Bastille Day

When it was announced that a 're-imagining' of Battlestar Galactica was in the works, no one opposed it more than the original 'Apollo', Richard Hatch. He campaigned long and hard for a sequel series to be made with the original cast. however, much like the tiresome 15 year campaign of George Takeito get a series made about Captain Sulu, it all ended in tears.

But like a phoenix from the flames, Richard buried the Hatchet (I am so sorry!) with Ron Moore and agreed to guest star in the new show.

'Bastille Day' follows quickly on from 'Water' with the Galactica crew in need of 1000 people to mine the precious H2O from a harsh ice planet. Amongst the fleet is a ship transporting over 1000 prisoners, who have become an increasing problem in terms of what to do with them.

You might be able to see what's coming next.

Apollo and several Galactica crew are dispatched to request that the prisoners work to mine the water, in exchange for points to help earn their freedom.

Naturally, things are never that simple... amongst the prisoners is Tom Zarek (Hatch), a political prisoner, and terrorist dissident, who has been incarcerated for 20 years.

What follows is an intense siege situation which offers a startling insight into the inner workings of the 12 colonies.

This is perhaps the strongest offering yet that shatters the unrealistic notion that all was calm and equal between the 12 colonies. The eventual conclusion will have clear repercussions for the entire fleet in the future.

Again, the Cylons are notable in their absence, only appearing in the form of human-looking agents. The storyarcs on both Caprica and within the fleet are beginning to take shape now and make for some enjoyable television.

Summary - the most polished offering yet, possibly because I love political intrigue. Some good performances and well written dialogue. The start to BSG is not as grand as Firefly, but it's certainly impressive for a first season. Let's hope it continues. Score - 8.5/10.

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