2.19 Lay Down Your Burdens - Part 1

I actually had to check I had not missed an episode somewhere along the line when this one got going. Right at the start Starbuck was prepping a bunch of pilots to go on a mission to Caprica to try and rescue those left behind. It was considered dangerous but they had Cylon technology to enable them to jump better. Where did that come from?

And then there was President Laura psyching herself up for a debate with Gaius, with the polls apparently in full swing (and him not doing so well). Most dramatically of all, however, was Chief Tyrell rolling around on the floor, bearded, and when Callie went and woke him up he went nuts and smacked her face in.

Whoa! Hold your horses there, BSG, and let me find my feet!

Ostensibly these were the three plot prongs that made up the first part of this two-part season finale. The Tyrell aspect was perhaps the least engaging – with him discussing his suicidal tendencies to Al from Quantum Leap because he secretly believes he might be a Cylon. For all we know, he might be, but I personally don’t think (or hope) that he is.

Meanwhile the race for the presidency took a major twist with the discovery of a new planet. It had life sustaining qualities but was not, apparently, a great place for the human race to settle. I guess I felt it was a bit of a shame that this planet and what was on it was turned into a political issue as the first discovery of it was quite a ominous dramatic event. For a very brief moment I thought they might have involuntarily discovered Earth!

Still, Gaius is using the discovery to gain advantage in the polls by suggesting they should settle there permanently. President Laura has said that is not a viable option. Personally, I would be inclined to tell the fleet that those that want to stay can do, meanwhile Galactica and anyone that wants to come along will leave them behind to fend for themselves.

I think, given that choice, the take-up for settlement wouldn’t be quite so dramatic. But I guess politicians aren’t allowed (or supposed) to bluff and gamble on people’s lives – particularly when the population is so few. In many ways I suppose this political aspect is sometimes to the detriment of the show - forcing and cajoling the plot and characters into making decisions that appear blatantly stupid but needing to be done in the sense of democratic leadership. Maybe that's the point.

Starbuck and her mission to Caprica made up the close of the episode, with her fortuitously stumbling across the man she was looking for and his decimated group. No sooner had they hugged their hellos when Cylon fire rained down on them and penned them in. That was where we left them. In the shit, big-time.

I wonder if the mission, given the number of people they have lost and probably will lose, can be considered at all worthwhile given the amount of people they stand to actually rescue. . .

Cylon Boomer indicated a bad feeling, also. The other Cylon Boomer shared similar sentiments in the first season finale, just before she shot Commander Adama. This new gloom for Boomer suggested an altogether more darker time rather than just a single bad event, which certainly doesn’t bode well for our heroes but has piqued my interest! How dark is dark and what does it entail? With one last episode before the season closes I feel I am set to be given some form of indication. A rousing triumphant finish with a heartwarming send-off, I feel, is not how this second series is going to play out!