BATTLESTAR GALACTICA 4.5 – "The Road Less Travelled"

Writer: Mark Verheiden
Director: Michael Rymer

Cast: Katee Sackhoff (Starbuck), James Callis (Baltar), Grace Park (Sharon Agathon), Eileen Pedde (Sgt. Erin Mathias), Keegan Connor Tracy (Jeanne), Bodie Olmos (Hot Dog), Rekha Sharma (Tory), Jennifer Halley (Seelix), Aaron Douglas (Tyrol), Tahmoh Penikett (Helo), Callum Keith Rennie (Leoben Conoy), Michael Hogan (Tigh), Alessandro Juliani (Gaeta), Michael Trucco (Anders), Leela Savasta (Tracey Anne), Lara Gilchrist (Paulla Schaffer), Finn R. Devitt (Nicholas Tyrol), Alisen Down (Jean Barolay), Lori Ann Triolo (Phoebe) & Ryan McDonell (Gonzo)

Tyrol sinks into despair after his recent loss, becoming curious about Baltar's sermons and the following he's attracted. Meanwhile, the Demetrius' crew grow concerned about Starbuck as an enemy arrives with a tempting offer...

"... I have committed... unconscionable crimes. And I
have been offered one last chance at redemption,
because I chose to accept my fate and not fight it anymore."

-- Gaius Baltar (James Callis)

Is it just me, or are things starting to drag? The strange thing is, it's only been a few weeks since a more proactive episode, but BSG does have a tendency to slam on the brakes, even if it's necessary to build a sense of realism. I don't know, I just feel the last season should be rocking and rolling a lot more than it seems to be after a confident start...

Recently-demoted Tyrol (Aaron Douglas), sporting a shaved-head that seems to be a way to further shed his sense of humanity, is still trying to make sense of his wife's death. Her murderer, fellow Cylon Tory (Rekha Sharma), posits the idea that Cally sensed his "change" ever since they left the nebula, and perhaps committed suicide. Tyrol's heartache leads him to grow curious about Baltar (James Callis), who Tory seems to hold in high esteem suddenly (indeed, she's become his "concubine"), and visits Gaius to eavesdrop on one of his sermons.

Baltar notices the Chief's presence as he addresses his flock and makes a spiritual offer of support for his loss, holding out his hand for Tyrol to take. But his gesture backfires as Tyrol throttles him in front of his congregation, angry over his empty words about Cally. Tyrol storms off to his quarters alone, where he contemplates committing suicide with a handgun, until a photograph of Cally and his son catches his eye and persuades him he still has something to live for.

Later, Baltar arrives at Tyrol's quarters and apologises for his misjudgement earlier. As Tyrol, reclining on his bed, stares at him with a stone-faced glare, Baltar opens up about his spiritual transformation from a weak scientist and criminal politician, whilst sounding genuinely sorry he didn't get to know Tyrol's dead wife better. As Batar goes to leave, Tyrol offers him his hand as a mark of respect and understanding. Both are wonderful scenes, cementing the brilliance of James Callis and Aaron Douglas – the latter of whom has benefited the most from his character's unmasking as a Cylon.

On the sewerage ship Demetrius, Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff) is still struggling to remember the way back to Earth after 58 days, and her crew are growing increasingly worried she's a Cylon sleeper agent plotting their demise, as faith in her and their mission diminishes by the second. Things aren't helped when they discover a battle-damaged Cylon Raider with a Leoben model (Callum Keith Rennie) aboard; as he seems to have a unique understanding and belief in Starbuck's mission, telling her that the Hybrid aboard his Basestar can help Starbuck find clarity in her search.

Anders (Michael Trucco) is particularly disappointed that Starbuck is being taken in by Leoben, who has proven himself untrustworthy in the past. But, after dragging him away, Anders also becomes intrigued by Leoben's words, primarily because they seem to have significance about his recent unveiling as one of the Final Five. Leoben promises a truce between Cylons and mankind, if they can find the "promised land" together.

Later, Sgt Mathius (Eileen Pedde) performs a spacewalk to inspect the hull of Leoben's ship and is killed when the Raider's reactor goes critical, destroying the ship and her along with it. Outraged and suspecting the explosion was planned, Starbuck brutally assaults Leoben, and then has to contend with her crew – who refuse to obey her orders now that the deadline for their mission has arrived. Helo (Tahmoh Penikett) is stood down as the XO, and Gaeta (Alessandro Juliani) refuses to take his place. A full-scale mutiny is in effect and Helo formally relieves Starbuck of her command.

The Road Less Travelled is a solid but unremarkable episode. As usual, it's the excellent performances that rescue a fairly mundane storyline, although the injection of Leoben into the Demetrius' already tense atmosphere wheedles out some interesting confirmations and developments. It's made clear that the Cylon civil war encompasses all their society (not just the few Basestars it originated on) and seems to fulfil the Hybrid's prophecy given in the TVM Razor ("... they will know enmity, bitterness, the wrenching agony of the one splintering into the many...") I don't think Leoben sensed Anders is a fellow Cylon during their encounter, but I'm sure the Demetrius will eventually arrive at a Basestar so Starbuck and Leoben can speak with its Hybrid – so will Anders go aboard, and will his identity be known to these sensitive, precognitive machines?

A random questions: are Baltar's radio broadcasts soothing restless baby Tyrol (a human-Cylon hybrid)? Baltar does seem to be a very important human for Cylons (lover of Caprica Six and now Tory, spiritual snoop with Number Three, and now possibly a friend of Tyrol) Is he a true prophet, designed to bring the humans and Cylons together in peace? And wasn't it strange to have an episode with no sign of Adama, Roslin, Lee and Six?


6 May 2008
Sky One, 9.00 pm