BSG episode commentary: ISLANDED IN A STREAM OF STARS

[ninety6tears]

1. I don't think Boomer is headed for any kind of happy ending, but it would appear that some isolated redemption is still possible for her. She is completely aware that she's done something terrible and I think her story will end in shame and agony, but maybe she will still do some final good act that could help undo at least some of what she's done. But definitely not all. She is going to be directly responsible for a lot of tragedy and she probably won't survive, especially not if Athena gets the chance to kill her.

2. I was absolutely floored by Tamhoh Penikett's performance in this episode. Both he and Grace Park have always been just decent, not among the best actors in the show by any means, but the Hera storyline has called for them to really step up to bat and they've gone above and beyond their previous talent in a very short time. I had predicted after the last episode that Helo and Athena's marriage probably won't survive what they've just went through, and it doesn't look like it will. Being among those who were wishing they'd do more in the story with those two, I'm feeling a little bit like we should be careful what we wish for.

3. Maybe the only time I laughed in this episode? Lee's hilariously incredulous, "...GAIUS BALTAR!!??"

4. Though I am by no means a Kara/Gaius shipper, I've always been intrigued with how the story occasionally worked them into these strange means of associating with each other in season one, and it was really cool to see that sort of come up again. I'm generally happy with how they worked out the deal with Kara finding her body, because yes, she did go to tell Lee right after it happened, but in the end the secret got out in a really messy and entirely unpredictable way which pushed Baltar's bullshit to the forefront at the exact same time. A lot of people are saying that Kara should have actually punched Baltar, but I beg to differ: The fact that she slapped Baltar was, in a bizarre way, more intimate. Getting punched in the face by Starbuck is nothing special; if she actually gives you a slap, that means it's personal. (Think about the fact that the only other person we've seen her slap is Lee, after he did say something pretty scathing.) I was surprised by the slap because it gave me the impression she had actually trusted Gaius to handle this with more tact, and was deeply disappointed rather than just out-of-control pissed. And at the same time, I do think it had more to do with how he blabbed this to everyone rather than the fact in itself that he told everybody. I was convinced when she handed him the dog tags that she was ready to recklessly reveal herself as the "dead girl" and was kind of throwing the ball in somebody else's court. But being called out at the end of a funeral is wrong on many levels.

5. I've been wondering if after losing the baby, Caprica's relationship with Tigh would kind of fall out, and if this would lead to her re-establishing some connection with Balter; so it was interesting to see him actually approach her and try to console her about the loss. It was so very sad to me, because I think he still has genuine love for her, and she isn't convinced he's any more noble than he was before. Baltar's whole gig right now is confusing: Has head-six returned because his religious identity is once again hypocritical rather than something he truly believes? Does he care about his harem girls or not, does he believe what he's preaching or not, etc. It seems like REAL Caprica perceives it all to be fake and might believe him more if he abandoned that front, which is altogether so very ironic?

6. Roslin and Adama in the hospital smokin' the loco weed, it was brilliantly done. I thought for sure she was going to die by the end of the episode. Roslin's performance was very charming and soft, more reminiscent of her original personality, which was comforting to see.

7. Somebody I watched the ep with suggested that Galactica is going to be used as a giant warhead and sailed straight into an enemy ship by the end. It's too bad this would be pretty much the same thing that happened to Pegasus, but they could pull it off, I think.

8. Let's talk about that Lee/Kara scene, which I actually found beautiful in its brevity. I of course knew Lee wouldn't care when he found out the truth about what Kara found, but I didn't know he would figure out how much he didn't care that fast. The way he reassured her was the first time he's really talked to her with a tone of "Oh, hey, it's me, your best friend ever, remember?" since the epic "Six of One" scene. And possibly the best thing is that Kara was obviously avoidant until he actually came up to her but wasn't surprised about anything he said; there was a feeling of a burden being lifted so that they could return to a place they've been with each other before and just start all over.

Still, I'm a little concerned with how Katee delivered that smile, which was one hell of a sad smile, before she put her photo back on the wall. If they're actually going with the theme of rebirth that would mean Kara needs to leave her previous self behind, the scene could be very hopeful. But I'm scared that Kara doesn't value her life because she doesn't identify with it directly enough, because she doesn't understand why she still exists, and though it hurts to type it, the scene would make perfect sense if she's ultimately a goner. *bites nails*

9. So it's looking like it's Basestar Galactica time. I wonder how the hell they'll handle that.

10. I think it must be noted that when Sam was plugged in he gave a rather businesslike repeat of the "harbinger of death" line. Which would seem to mean, even though this is maybe already obvious, that Starbuck has not yet played her part in the end of the human race. Since I'm going with the END OF HUMAN RACE=END UP PURE HUMANITY=REPRODUCTION AND REPOPULATION WITH THE CYLONS idea, this only distorts my theory in that it may indicate Kara will have a much more pronounced, active role than I anticipated in leading all the survivors to this future, rather than simply getting the job done by showing them shit-Earth so that they are forced to find a new home with the cylons. Or she really is going to cause the obliteration of all human life and I'm just being too optimistic.

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