The Mental Masturbator

BSG Escape Velocity Review

As always there are spoilers for the episode in this review, don’t read if you haven’t seen it

I enjoyed this episode (I enjoy most BSG episodes) but let’s begin by airing a few grievances.  I didn’t like that there was no attention paid to the Demitrius or Cylon plot lines.  But it looks like next week is going to be all about that so I can deal.  This ep was a mixed bag in my opinion.  Tory continues her decent into  psychosis.  She really thinks she’s perfect, which is a road towards crazy.  If only she could see the dissonance in the Cylon ranks, then she’d see how imperfect they really are.  I guess this means she has no problems with the original attack or the events of New Caprica either, which again is totally nuts.

I also throughly enjoyed Tigh’s visits with Six, and his visions.  I never really thought about it but Six and Ellen look at lot alike.  I think Six must be starting to suspect that Tigh is a Cylon.  I mean if she can feel that they’re close, and suddenly Tigh is visiting her all the time, she ought to be able to put two and two together.

The other thing I liked was Chief’s fight with Adama in the bar.  It really made me uncomfortable to hear him desecrate Cally’s memory like that.  Even if what he said was true, I feel like you just don’t do that to dead people.  There’s something not right about it.  But he’s really losing it now, he has no wife, no job.  There are very few things left that make him Galen Tyrol.  Just his kid, but his kid is a Cylon too, so he’s lost him as well in a way.  I’m curious to see where this leads.

Now onto what I didn’t like.  I’ve always been a big fan of Baltar, mostly becuase he tends to drive the plot significantly.  He, sort of, caused the original attack.  He caused New Caprica.  It’s his fault Boomer shot Adama.  Basically, his deviousness moves things forward.  While that tradition continues, and I like the idea of him preaching monotheism, I just think he makes a lame religious leader.  For example, Six gives a great little speech about how a man who can challenge the Gods must be magnificent and god-like, and he then proceeds to throw a hissy fit.  Nothing magnificent about it.  And all his little speeches suck.  He’s not very profound and I find it hard to believe that people listen to him.  I guess I can swallow it because of how stupid religious people can be, but he could be better.  What is interesting about it is now he’s preaching the “perfect” mantra and Six and Tory both seem to approve.  Twisted things are happening.

Next week’s looks to be a good one.