WRITER: Bradley Thompson & David Weddle DIRECTOR: Felix Enrique AlcataCAST: Edward James Olmos (Adama), Katee Sackhoff (Starbuck), Michael Hogan (Tigh), Nicki Clyne (Cally Tyrol), James Callis (Baltar), Aaron Douglas (Tyrol), Tricia Helfer (Number 6), Dean Stockwell (Brother Cavil), Jamie Bamber (Lee), Mary McDonnell (Roslin), Grace Park (Sharon), Michael Trucco (Anders), Lucy Lawless (Number 3), Callum Keith Rennie (Leoben Conoy), Richard Hatch (Tom Zareck) & Donnelly Rhodes (Dr Cottle)
Number 3 begins to suspect that the first Human-Cyclon hybrid didn't die shortly after birth, and is being hidden amongst the humans. Meanwhile, Adama finalizes his rescue plan...It's confusing why BSG splits its stories into two-parts, particularly when some two-parters are consecutive. No sooner do we finish the Occupation/Precipice opener, then we're into a special Exodus couplet. The show has always worked best as a continuing serial, so I fail to see the point in this format rule... but that's just me.
Exodus Part I doesn't actually feature an exodus, but characters and subplots are moved around like chess pieces, culminating with an ending that should leave you desperate to see the conclusion.
BSG now has such a wide variety of characters (many of whom are duplicates of each other, or go by dual names) that it's possibly one of the most complicated TV shows. A such, it's amazing just how focused and clean the writing continues to be, but it's still becoming difficult to keep track of the show's multi-strand storylines and character relationships. The show uses flashbacks or prologues to help viewers keep up, but I think BSG is nearly impenetrable for new viewers these days.
Part I's focus is on the mounting preparation for Galactica's daring rescue of everyone on New Caprica, although the more interesting aspect is the return of the hybrid baby Hera, daughter of Cylon traitor Sharon and Helo, whose death was faked to protect her. In Exodus Part I, Number 3 (the enchanting Lucy Lawless) begins to suspect the Hera's still alive, which should lead to plenty of story possibilities in the future.
This new set-up to BSG in season 3 is interesting, although I'm hoping it will conclude soon. There's something depressing and stale about the situation on New Caprica, and it will be a relief to get back to the fundamentals of the series, with the optimism restored. That said, the New Caprica episodes have proven more interesting than I initially thought possible. It has been a treat to leap 16 months into the future and shake-up all the characters; particularly bitter hard-ass Tigh, impassioned Chief Tyrol, the friendship between Zareck and Roslin, the overweight Lee, disillusioned Baltar, motherly Starbuck, and the redeemed Sharon.
