WRITER: Mark Verheiden DIRECTOR: Michael Rymer
CAST: Edward James Olmos (Adama), Jamie Bamber (Apollo), James Callis (Baltar), Mark A. Shepherd (Romo Lampkin), Tricia Helfer (Caprica Six), Aaron Douglas (Chief Tyrol), Mary McDonnell (Roslin), William Samples (Tribunal Judge), Lily Duong-Walton (Hera), Susan Hogan (Captain Franks), Nicki Clyne (Cally), Tahmoh Penikett (Helo), Michael Hogan (Tigh), Keegan Connor Tracy (Young Woman), Alison Matthews (Karen Fallbrook), Leah Cairns (Racetrack), Ryan Robbins (Charlie Connor), Chelah Horsdal (Didi Cassidy), Sharma (Tory Foster), Michael Trucco (Anders), Kandyse McClure (Dee), Alessandro Juliani (Gaeta), Katee Sackhoff (Starbuck) & Bodie Olmos (Hotdog)
Baktar's trial reaches its conclusion and various members of the crew begin to hear strange music...I don't usually include spoilers in my reviews, even after the episodes have aired in the UK, preferring to reference them in the next review instead, but there's no way around them here.
So you've been warned...
Crossroads Part II continues the story from last week with the tense courtroom drama. Lee suspects the only option Baltar's defence has is to appeal for a mistrial on the grounds that Adama has already decided Baltar's fate. The writing is superb from Mark Verheiden, who continues Michael Taylor's fine work last week to produce some gripping stuff. Lee's passionate testimony about everyone's guilt over New Caprica is a fantastic monologue, brilliantly delivered by Jamie Bamber.
Elsewhere, Tigh continues to hear strange music around the ship, reporting his suspicion of a Cylon infiltration to an incredulous Adama. Strangely, Chief Tyrol, Anders and Roslin's aide Tory also begin to hear the same sound... but what is it?
The episode does a brilliant job with its courtroom sequences, which are excellent examples of BSG taking recognisable situations from contemporary drama and fusing it into their sci-fi universe. The actors on BSG really get decent material to work compared to similar shows, never reduced to spouting technobabble or being upstaged by special effects.
For a season finale it seems Crossroads is going to bow out with Baltar's verdict, which would be a little underwhelming. But, it's the last 15 minutes that should cause jaws to drop. Tigh, Anders, Tyrol and Tory all convene as the uneasy realization dawns on them that they're Cylons!
For regular viewers it seems clear they're four of the "Final Five" we've been hearing so much about during season 3. A fact confirmed by producer Ronald D. Moore in an interview, although we won't know who the remaining fifth member is until season 4. This also explains D'Anna's apology to one of the Final Five in Rapture; she must have been addressing Tigh, whom she tortured on New Caprica.
It's a brave move by the writers, although it has a vague whiff of desperation about it. The four characters chosen for this shake-up all reached deadends in season 3; Tyrol's been stale since dumping Boomer for Cally, Tigh has been a bore since killing his wife, Anders is pointless without Starbuck and you'd be forgiven for not even knowing who Tory is!
Still, I'm sure the writers have a plan in mind. There are some interesting points to consider with this revelation, such as how can Tigh's career predate the agreed birth of the Cylon race! It's obvious the Final Five are going to be different to the usual humanoid Cylons and learning about their place in the mythology will be very interesting. I'm sure we're heading towards a huge connection between humans, Cylons, the thirteenth tribe and maybe even the Lords Of Kobol themselves?
Other questions abound for fans to chew on: who has smuggled Baltar away under a cloak? Why does Roslin share visions with Hera and Caprica Six? Is it because of her half-Cylon blood transfusion? Why does Roslin physically react to the fleet's power failure? Who is the fifth member of the Final Five?
Overall, this is a strong episode that provides a satisfying string of surprises in its closing moments. It remains to be seen if the writers have been reckless in changing four characters so drastically, but the return of a familiar face in the last scene (together with our first look at Earth) seems to indicate BSG's story is reaching its conclusion.
Taking a broader view, season 3 was of mixed quality and suffered from narrative lag between its tentpole episodes (New Caprica, The Temple, The Trial). I personally hope the writers end the show in season 4 before it crawls to a death. The ratings in the US were low this year, so I hope the producers realize their fourth season pickup was extremely genererous. They probably won't be getting a fifth.
As the title suggests, we've reached a crossroads with this episode... and I hope we're now on the road home.
