The 4th (and final) quickly-knocked-out BG story involves Starbuck getting shot down on a remote planet. (Apollo did it in "THE LOST WARRIOR", now it's Starbuck's turn.) Injured, he's rescued by a family of very young "warriors" who've seen the "tinheads" slaughter almost everyone on their planet, but are determined to hold out and fight to the last. And, to rescue their father, even if it means trading Starbuck for him.
This is another one of those that seems like it should be a lot worse than it is. But again, the characters, the writing, the acting, all serve to drag it up a few notches. A good example is this week's focus on Boxey, who sneaks past the on-guard Cassieopia to visit his sick "grandfather" Adama and tell HIM a bedtime story. You will NEVER find a kid this likable in a Spielberg movie, believe me.
The guest cast this time includes Charles Bloom as the oldest brother Kyle (moonlighting from his own series that year, THE WAVERLY WONDERS); Bruce Glover as the father (a big change from his part as one of the effeminate hit-men in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER); and Audrey Landers as the older sister Miri, who captures Starbuck's heart (at least for a while). I thought I recognized her from several episodes of NIGHT COURT, but that was actually her younger sister Judy! Audrey was a regular on DALLAS.
The real highlight of this entire story is the comical rivalry between the two upper-level Cylons, "Spector" and "Lucifer". In charge of taking over a "very wet" planet and fighting an ongoing, losing battle against a tiny group of human hold-outs, he repeatedly gives Baltar false information that inflates his position while simultaneously piling on the flattery to get into Baltar's good graces. The whole time, Lucifer just KNOWS it's a lot of "felgercarb". I knew I recognized that voice from somewhere, and sure enough, it was Murray Matheson, who played "Felix", the bookstore owner, on BANACEK. He returned to BG a few months later as one of the Colonial High Council members.
This episode also marks the debut of Baltar's new control room, looking very much like the "computer room" on the Galactica, only with Baltar's "throne" added. I guess that looks more impressive than just blank walls with a ring of lights.
The rescue, accompanied with the "singing plan", got a bit annoying in spots, but not enough to ruin the thing. The other hilarious moment was when Apollo & Boomer show up at the castle, wondering "What HIT this place?", and then Starbuck walks out all smiles, followed by his young "warriors". You just can't help but LIKE this show!
My ONE problem with the story is the ending. Unlike the previous week, early-on thought is given to getting the humans OFF the planet to the relative safety of the fleet. But, having fought so hard to free their home, the family decides to stay behind. The problem should have been obvious, when you consider they appear to be the ONLY humans left alive on the entire planet! Even if the Cylons never come back, HOW are they going to survive-- in the long run? (Or maybe it's best not thought about...)
These 4 "one-off" stories gave the producers time to "catch up", although at the cost of a lot of ratings. The NEXT episode, in my eyes, has always been when BG finally "GOT GOOD"!!
This is another one of those that seems like it should be a lot worse than it is. But again, the characters, the writing, the acting, all serve to drag it up a few notches. A good example is this week's focus on Boxey, who sneaks past the on-guard Cassieopia to visit his sick "grandfather" Adama and tell HIM a bedtime story. You will NEVER find a kid this likable in a Spielberg movie, believe me.
The guest cast this time includes Charles Bloom as the oldest brother Kyle (moonlighting from his own series that year, THE WAVERLY WONDERS); Bruce Glover as the father (a big change from his part as one of the effeminate hit-men in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER); and Audrey Landers as the older sister Miri, who captures Starbuck's heart (at least for a while). I thought I recognized her from several episodes of NIGHT COURT, but that was actually her younger sister Judy! Audrey was a regular on DALLAS.
The real highlight of this entire story is the comical rivalry between the two upper-level Cylons, "Spector" and "Lucifer". In charge of taking over a "very wet" planet and fighting an ongoing, losing battle against a tiny group of human hold-outs, he repeatedly gives Baltar false information that inflates his position while simultaneously piling on the flattery to get into Baltar's good graces. The whole time, Lucifer just KNOWS it's a lot of "felgercarb". I knew I recognized that voice from somewhere, and sure enough, it was Murray Matheson, who played "Felix", the bookstore owner, on BANACEK. He returned to BG a few months later as one of the Colonial High Council members.
This episode also marks the debut of Baltar's new control room, looking very much like the "computer room" on the Galactica, only with Baltar's "throne" added. I guess that looks more impressive than just blank walls with a ring of lights.
The rescue, accompanied with the "singing plan", got a bit annoying in spots, but not enough to ruin the thing. The other hilarious moment was when Apollo & Boomer show up at the castle, wondering "What HIT this place?", and then Starbuck walks out all smiles, followed by his young "warriors". You just can't help but LIKE this show!
My ONE problem with the story is the ending. Unlike the previous week, early-on thought is given to getting the humans OFF the planet to the relative safety of the fleet. But, having fought so hard to free their home, the family decides to stay behind. The problem should have been obvious, when you consider they appear to be the ONLY humans left alive on the entire planet! Even if the Cylons never come back, HOW are they going to survive-- in the long run? (Or maybe it's best not thought about...)
These 4 "one-off" stories gave the producers time to "catch up", although at the cost of a lot of ratings. The NEXT episode, in my eyes, has always been when BG finally "GOT GOOD"!!
