Battlestar Galactica - 33

I really felt highly about 33, the first episode of the first season of Battlestar Galactica. Particularly gnarly is the ongoing plot of how the cylons are exhausting the officers/crew of the BG by warping behind them, waiting 33 minutes before jumping to their position. Because the cylons are not human, rest and sleep aren’t a bother but for those on the BG and accompanying colonial ships, not getting the much needed downtime is a burden. Stimulants and dogged determination can only do so much. Dualla is so undermined by mental exhaustion she missed her colonial civilian ship count by one (the ship, Olympic Carrier, has 1300 humans), resulting in them getting left behind when they jump on their 228^th time. Starbuck, at the beginning of the episode, has red, sleep-deprived eyes, trying to blink widely and rub them so that she can remain alert, eventually succumbing to the demand of Apollo to take her stimulants. As revealed in the previous episode, Sharon “Boomer” Valerii, is a cylon with synthetic skin, identical as a human, with a joke mentioned when she is in her Viper as part of Apollo’s squadron awaiting possible attack (at the end of the episode, the cylons delay spacejumping, as the lost colonial ship emerges unscathed, resulting in a determination, revealed by Helfer’s “hallucination”, from Gaias to stop it from getting to close to them) that as tired, weary pilots/crewmembers go, she’s quite well. Boomer even cuts into her accompanying officer, whose questions annoy her, and lover, Tyrol (who has mechanics battling fatigue and sleep deprivation as well), who confronts her about the attitude. Commander Adama and President Roslin have a pleasant conversation about her appreciation for his crew, also compliant to his strategy in regards to keeping the colonial ships and his own safe. The loss of life is a dramatic stronghold in the episode, with Mary McDonnell ably conveying the strain of her people’s numbers dwindling, considering the already massive massacre that had taken place. Olmos’ expression when Roslin tells his Adama thank you is a great piece of acting as he fights back tears due to the weight of such appreciation as this experience sure has put a lot of pressure on them all. Apollo and Starbuck are at odds over her not taking the necessary precautions to be in flight form only to laugh it off before launching out into space in their Vipers again…this reveals that it is important to shake the animosity and recognize that the situation would consume them if there isn’t relief. I like that these two, despite being Alphas, can come to grips with the situation and find the humor where they can because of what potentially lies ahead. Helfer continuing to shadow Dr. Gaias Baltar, in his dreams (back at his home in Caprica), and intruding upon his conversation with others, serves as a constant reminder that his allowance of her to learn of the defense network that led to the near-annihilation of humankind will not just go away. He can’t close or open his eyes without her there, with no relaxation or peace of mind. Helo, the pilot who volunteered to be left behind in favor of Gaias departing on the ship with Boomer, is able to take out two cylon robots before being approached by a version of Helfer’s Six; that he is even still alive is incredible in and of itself, but being tricked into thinking Boomer is on the planet with him after killing the Helfer cylon could very well be his undoing.

4/5