Battlestar Galactica
Review: Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down...
...Or the one where nobody takes anything seriously. While this series has managed to build some pretty bleak, watchable drama in the past few weeks, it looks like it's time for some comic relief.
Events that would normally have the cast nostril-flaring their way across the galaxy are given the raised eyebrow treatment here. A lone damaged Cylon raider light-leaping menacingly around the fleet, the mounting paranoia over who's a Cylon and who isn't and Gaius Balthar caught dry humping a corner of his lab are played entirely for laughs. Well those dour looks were starting to bore, weren't they?
It's not all sweetness and lightspeed though, as Balthar realises that in completing the Cylon detector, he's condemned himself to a whopping 61 years of testing if he's to sift through the entire fleet. Meanwhile, after being tipped off last ep that Commander Adama is a Cylon, the President is itching for Balthar to screen him first, especially when he starts disappearing on clandestine meetings with a mystery partner.
And just as Colnel Tigh decides to turn over a new leaf; giving up the drink and accepting the loss of his missing, gin-soaked wife, she turns up with a host of bad habits and a fresh and entertaining outlook on the fleet's paranoid times. Which must mean she's a Cylon! Get her!
Of course, being able to detect who's human and who isn't doesn't necessarily mean that Gaius is going to play ball. And we only get a hint as to whether he is up to his tricks of the previous episode. Now all this 'is she/isn't he' is fun for a bit, but here's hoping that this series has a few more tricks up it's sleeve.
The only character who's not practicing quizzical looks to a quirky musical interlude is Helo - our ever-reliant 'Meanwhile, on Caprica' device. The poor schmo is tasked with trying to outrun the Cylon triathlon team in the longest tunnel in the world. Cylon stooge Boomer's not cutting him any slack either. What with his knee, you've got to feel for the guy.
What's more, it's becoming obvious that we'll be feeling for the Cylons soon. What with all their proselytising and postulating, they are far from the one-dimensional cheese graters that we've been exposed to in the past. Explorations of love, humanity and spirituality certainly suggest that fighting a war with them will be no cut and dried affair, and quite right too.
Battlestar Galactica will next be screened on Sky One on 3 January 2005.
Review by Tae Mawson.
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