BATTLESTAR GALACTICA 4.3 – "The Ties That Bind"

Writer: Michael Taylor
Director: Michael Nankin

Cast: Tricia Helfer (Natalie), Edward James Olmos (Adama), Jamie Bamber (Lee), Mary McDonnell (Roslin), Katee Sackhoff (Starbuck), Grace Park (Sharon Valerii/Sharon Agathon), Leo Li Chiang (Tattooed Pilot), Finn R. Devitt (Nicholas Tyrol), Michael Hogan (Tigh), Jennifer Halley (Seelix), Christina Schild (Playa Palacios), Matthew Bennett (Aaron Doral), Nicki Clyne (Cally), Richard Hatch (Zarek), Alessandro Juliani (Gaeta), Michael Trucco (Samuel Anders), Aaron Douglas (Galen Tyrol), Tahmoh Penikett (Helo), Dean Stockwell (Cavil), Donnelly Rhodes (Dr. Cottle), Rekha Sharma (Tory), Andrew McIlroy (Jacob Cantrell), Judith Maxie (Picon Delegate), Iris Paluly (Speaking Delegate #2), Marilyn Norry (Reza Chronides), Donna Soares (Speaking Delegate #1), Biski Gugushe (Sekou Hamilton) & Ryan McDonell (Lt. Eammon "Gonzo" Pike)

Cally suspects her husband is having an affair, Lee settles into civilian life, Starbuck faces an untrusting crew on her mission, and the Cylon insurrection continues...

Boomer: But we're killing them. I mean,
we're truly killing them. My own sisters.

Cavil: They can trust their god to watch
over their immortal souls.

Boomer: But what about ours?

Cavil: We're machines dear,
remember? We don't have souls.

The Ties That Bind takes some interesting and unpredictable steps, now that we've been acclimatized to the new situations with the Four Cylons aboard Galactica and a split in allegiance amongst the Cylons. This episode returns to both storylines, with Cally (Nicki Clyne) growing suspicious of husband Tyrol (Aaron Douglas)...

If there's one thing I don't like about BSG it's the limp supporting characters (people like Gaeta and Dee), who've been on the show since day one but rarely do anything. These wallflowers sometimes get a chance to shine, but they're usually developed through relationships with more important characters (see: Dee and Lee), with Cally slotting into that group very nicely...

Cally's relationship with Chief Tyrol was sweet and engaging a few years back (when he was infatuated by sexier Boomer and didn’t notice her), but it stagnated after they married on New Caprica and had a daughter. In fact, the only relationship that's ever worked for me on BSG has been Helo/Sharon and Lee/Starbuck.

Here we discover that Cally is having a very tough time bringing up a baby, particularly now her husband is spending less time with his family. Of course, Tyrol has more important things on his mind -- after discovering he's a Cylon, which has caused an understandable identity crisis for him. In an effort to work it through, he's started seeing fellow-toaster Tory (Rekha Sharma) for late-night chats in a bar, and it's here that Cally catches him – jumping to the conclusion that he's having an affair.

On sewage ship the Demetrius, Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff) is having difficulties leading her small crew to Earth, as she can't quite remember the way. It doesn't help that her crew – an irritable bunch that includes Helo (Tahmoh Penikett), Gaeta (Alessandro Juliani), Seelix (Jennifer Halley) and secret-Cylon Anders (Michael Trucco) – just don't have any faith in her, or the mission.

The Demetrius is also causing problems for President Roslin (Mary McDonnell), as Vice-President Zarek (Richard Hatch) is growing irritated by the number of secrets Roslin keeps from open political debate. Zarek confides in Lee (Jamie Bamber) about his unease that Roslin is essentially becoming a benign dictator, and at a subsequent meeting with the Quorum Of Twelve, Lee embarrasses Roslin by bringing secret proposals to the Quorum's attention.

With the Cylons, a newly-resurrected Cavil (Dean Stockwell) is angry and baffled that the Number Sixes are leading a revolt against his plan to lobotomize Cylon Raiders (who are refusing to attack the colonial fleet because they sense the presence of the "Final Five" Cylons onboard.) Later, he tries to broker peace with the Sixes, by agreeing to leave the Raiders alone and revive the Number Threes (who were "boxed" because of their worrying messianic beliefs last season), but Six wants to take things even further: Cylon reunification between the "Standard Seven" models and the mysterious "Final Five".

Cavil agrees to all of Sixes demands and Number Threes' consciousness is downloaded into a central resurrection hub back at the algae planet. The Cylons jump to that destination to rejoin with their sibling Threes, but bad feelings mean they take separate Basestars. After arriving, leader Six Natalie (Tricia Helfer) realizes she's been led into a trap – as Cavil's Basestars surround hers and launch a devastating attack -- with no Resurrection Ship in the vicinity for her to download to. Boomer (Grace Park) watches helplessly as Cavil kills her "sisters", giving them no chance of rebirth.

It's a neat twist, and I found it very interesting to see the differences in opinion between the humanoid Cylon models. I'd always thought the entire Cylon race believe in "one true God", but Cavil makes it clear that he doesn't believe machines have souls. But is this really the end of all the Sixes, leaving Caprica Six the only surviving model aboard Galactica? And for how long will the other models accept Cavil's leadership? After all, he's essentially wiped out two Cylon models purely because they had opinions he didn't agree with!

The big surprise in The Ties That Bind involves Cally back on Galactica, as she follows her husband to a secret rendezvous with Tory and Tigh (Michael Hogan) in a weapons locker (designated "1701D", Trekkers). Confused by what they're all up to, Cally sneaks in-between the bulkhead -- prying off a metal plate to see inside the locker and eavesdrop on their conversation, where she hears Tigh mention they're all "skinjob" Cylons!

Distraught to learn her husband is actually the enemy (and Cally has historically been particularly spiteful about "toasters"), she takes her baby to an airlock, intending to commit suicide/infanticide by ejecting them both into the coldness of deep space, rather than face the truth.

Tory arrives, trying to reason with Cally, claiming that they're not "inhuman" machines and don't even fully understand what they are. Cally is gradually persuaded to give up her daughter to Tory, who promptly knocks Cally to the floor after taking possession of the infant. Dazed, Cally can only watch as Tory (cradling her hybrid child), ejects her into the vacuum of space.

So yes, the death of a character (who's very unpopular amongst fans, but I never had an issue with her), and a few welcome insights into the Final Five – who perhaps aren't as benevolent as we've been led to believe. Or maybe each can make their own moral choices, and Tory's darker nature is just coming to the surface as a consequence of her "power"? She does seem to be embracing the sense of worth and uniqueness being a Final Five affords her. And I take it from her power-blow to Cally that the Final Five have the same super-strength seen in the "Standard Seven".

A very enjoyable episode all round, particularly regarding actress Nicki Clyne, who goes out with some style and gives a very strong performance. I could even forgive Cally's crazy decision not to inform the crew about the "skinjobs" before killing herself. But Galactica really needs some kind of CCTV, doesn't it? It was also a strong episode for Rekha Sharma as Tory – a character who has gone from background decoration to compelling villainess in just a few episodes. I still have my doubts about the writers' decision to make Tyrol and Tigh Cylons, but Tory and Anders are both benefiting from the insidious undercurrent their characters have now.

The direction was excellent from Michael Nankin – helped by the excellent production design (see the sweaty, rundown Demetrius set) – and the tricks to convey Cally's mental fragility were wonderful. BSG has always been very strong production-wise, but there were plenty of little touches that really helped sell the series' reality (like Cally's reflection in the airlock porthole), and the CGI for the Basestars are things of almost-psychedelic beauty. Superb.

Overall, things are really up and running now, and the show hasn't put a foot wrong so far. I'm predicting a proper civil war to break out amongst the Cylons (as Cavil's actions can't go unchallenged, can they?), and the Number Threes will surely have to be "unboxed" for some reason soon. And have they really wiped out all the Number Sixes? As always, there's plenty of questions and the promise of answers to come. This was a very strong episode that provided two big surprises I didn't see coming, and was a fitting end for beleaguered Nicki Clyne.


22 April 2008
Sky One, 9.00 pm