Scarecrow's Blog From the Darkside

* *½ / * * * * I had watched and reviewed this back in September of 2011, but Elegy isn't an episode I have seen a lot, as its presence in any type of serious rotation or schedule is quite lacking. I guess the reason why is the story isn't really much beyond astronauts landing on an asteroid "cemetery" where a robotic, "scientific" caretaker (the delightful Cecil Kellaway, who has such an innocent grandpa face, that when the three earth men collapse to the ground after being poisoned, it is more startling due to how trusting he seems, with no sense of menace or sinister about him) sees to the operations when "called upon". The episode does spend a great deal of time following the astronauts as they investigate the asteroid, finding dead people fixed and positioned in motions during "life moments" (like a mayor winning a candidacy, a band in the middle of playing, a serenade for a couple during a romantic dinner, a beauty...

* * * / * * * * Introducing, four experts in the questionable art of crime: Mr. Farwell, expert on noxious gases, former professor, with a doctorate in both chemistry and physics; Mr. Erbie, expert in mechanical engineering; Mr. Brooks, expert in the use of firearms and other weaponry; and Mr. De Cruz, expert in demolition and various forms of destruction.... Serling's opening monologue really gives us a brief description of each character involved in a gold bullion train heist, those with certain skills that came in handy in order to orchestrate such a caper. What each of these four doesn't anticipate are the ensuing complications that will deprive them from enjoying their cache. Death Valley gets the nod again as four thieves, carrying quite a cache of gold bars, hide away their loot in a hidden cave with a stone door that pulls open using a rope. Inside the cave are four sleep chambers with the ability of suspended animation, provided to the thieve...

* * * / * * * * Gaius Baltar has quite the daunting responsibility: investigating whether or not nearly 50,000 humans are cylon. Because Leoben whispered to Roslin that Commander Adama was a cylon, her concerns that he might be result in tensions and eventually heated exchanges. Adama leaves the BG, much to the worries of Roslin (told of his activities by Tigh when asked), but his purpose for doing so was to bring back Tigh's wife! Ellen (Kate Vernon) has the reputation of a notorious cheat, even a catalyst in Tigh's drinking and generally sour personality. But Ellen's return has renewed his spirits, even as her presence (and behavior) calls for his heavy absorption of spirits, always giggling drunk or stirring up trouble. Ellen points at Adama (often referred to as "the old man") as desiring her just to get Tigh riled up and even plays footsy with a very startled Apollo who gets really uncomfortable quick during a dinner which included the Commander ...

 * * * / * * * * That the cylons are not treated as just robot toasters, developed with far more complexity in the re-envisioning, episodes like "Flesh and Bone" give us all the necessary essentials to come away quite well pleased. Because another Leoben Conoy (Callum Keith Rennie) model is found on one of the Colonial ships, Commander Adama sends Starbuck to interrogate "it" (Adama does not want to refer to Leoben as "him" or "he"), when President Roslin demands "to hear what he has to say" instead of just destroying the cylon immediately.  This is once again an example of how Roslin has the direct authority to undermine Adama's direct order to just carry out what he so desires. A dream about Conoy is what inspires Roslin to initiate the interrogation, the catalyst in what ultimately results in Starbuck's use of torture techniques (obviously a creative decision by the writing team to address these tactics used to ...

* * * / * * * * Strong Gaius-based episode has the genius, under pressure to develop a "cylon detector", accused by "Shelley Godfrey" (Helfer) as being responsible for bombing the defense system on Caprica, supposedly in cahoots with cylons. A security recording could very well implicate him, so Commander Adama puts Lt. Gaeta (often an assistant to Gaius Baltar, helping him in his lab on the BG) on the job to determine whether or not the man caught by the camera is or is not Gaius.  Up to this point, Gaius has been tormented by Number Six, a very present mind intruder who constantly interrupts his daily life, even during conversations with others, often causing him to appear troubled as others walk past.  Now she's actually in person, acknowledged by Adama and crew (Tighe looking at him with little patience, while Adama just appears tired and in no mood for games cracked me up), while Gaius is perplexed that they now can see her. And with Num...