TV Review: Battlestar Galactica – Islanded on a Stream of Stars

Posted by Kevin Carr (kevin@filmschoolrejects.com) on March 7, 2009

Battlestar Galactica

Battlestar Galactica, SciFi, Airs Friday 10/9c

Episode: “Islanded on a Stream of Stars” (Season Four, Episode 20)

Synopsis: The Cylons aboard Galactica confer with the Admiral on how to mount a rescue mission for Hera, while Boomer is well on her way to bringing the child to Number One. Meanwhile, Adama struggles with the decision to abandon the Battlestar while Starbuck wrestles with the truth behind what happened to her on Earth.

Review: While there wasn’t a whole lot actually happening in this episode, I didn’t feel that this installment was marking time or padding the show out. Rather, this episode serves as a set-up for the two-part series finale on the next two Fridays.

First, we see that the Cylons are as frakked up as we are when it comes to emotional issues and politics. Just look at Mr. and Mrs. Tigh, and you’ll be sure that the Cylon way is not always the easiest. Then, there’s the awkward interaction between Baltar and Caprica Six, which shows that human/Cylon relations aren’t much better.

I will say that I am curious as to what Number One’s plans are with Hera. It seems that no one but he knows exactly what’s in store for her. The Final Five think he’s going to dissect her, but with Boomer’s reaction at the end of the show and John’s own words, there’s something more planned for the future of the human and Cylon races.

On the Gaius Baltar front, I’m getting tired of his character. Ever since he started his own religion, I’ve found him pretty much dispensable. Go back to the days of three-ways with the sixes and the fives, and maybe my interest will come back. But otherwise, his character really seems to have played his best cards at least a season or two ago.

This episode was directed by Edward James Olmos, which probably accounts for the excessive screen time for Bill Adama to emote. I am getting a be weary of the scenes where he rages out then falls to the floor, crying.

I am most interested in the significance of Kara Thrace’s story. It’s been proved that it was her body she found on Earth. And she’s not a Cylon, at least not one of the initial models (although I have a sinking suspicion that her “dad” might have been one of the Daniel models Ellen mentioned a few episodes ago). Still, the biggest revelation that I saw in this episode was the fact that Starbuck doesn’t wash her hands after taking a crap.

Up Next: As the inhabitants of Galactica prepare to abandon ship, more is revealed about Kara’s fate.

Read More: Battlestar Galactica Recaps

Did you watch Battlestar Galactica this week? If so, feel free to discuss below.


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  • unknown2009
    that episode is getting better than before, i noticed the relationship in galactica started to worn out, between cylon and human. hey, do you notice the foreshadow for galactica's fate? in the beginning of show, hera play with the small model of galactica and she push it close to cylon basestar. possible same fate as pegasus????
  • miller
    The scene with adama and tigh talking about letting the galactica die made me very sad. I still had hopes the cylon tech would breath new life into it.
  • Baltar's character didn't play his best cards in the past, the writers pretty much ruined the best dynamic of the show. The reason I really liked BSG was Baltar. Season 1 he was clearly the most interesting character, he was at his worst. Season 2 - will he get caught? Season 3 - This is crazy, how will this resolve. Season 4 - Who is Baltar again? Did we forget to add him into the show.

    If you've watched from the beginning, the show has clearly always been about The Adamas, Starbuck, and Gaius. Now it is about The Final Five. And its much worse. They abandoned what worked - they don't even follow the same characters. What has Adama done in season 4 besides 1 episode of being a bad ass? Not much. What has Gaius done since the trial? Disappeared. What has Lee done since the trial? Nothing. What has Starbuck since returning? Not much until recently.

    Can I also point out that at the beginning - "Skinjobs" were way more robotic. Their spines glowed during sex and all that jazz. They had super strength. They were faster, stronger, and smarter than they are now. They could pick up 200+lbs humans with one hand. Also, now Anders can control a ship? Where is the plug? How could everyone miss that this guy either has a plug in his brain or some sort of data port in his skull? PS: Where the hell is Leoban? His character was huge in Season 3 and now he shows up for like 3 minutes.

    BSG was given the rare opportunity to finish the series the way they wanted and, in my mind, they're doing a pretty shit job of it. Its like I'm watching Days of our Cylon Lives in Space. Needless to say, I am not impressed with season 4.5. Also, Ellen Tigh? As like, the head Cylon of all Cylons? They even admit to pulling that shit out of a hat. The character is weak and stupid and the actress isn't cutting it for me.

    /rant
  • nomar
    yeah i agree when did it start to wane into marked time sub plots/
  • Kangaroo Be Stoned
    Blame the idiot studio executives for this. They screwed up the third season. Had season three not been mostly stand-alone episodes, it's possible the fifth Cylon could have been someone else and more thought out. Hell, this final season, that I like by the way, could have been more thought out.

    Did you not see Tory in the first half of the season using her super strength to destroy Cally? What about Caprica six kicking ass a few episodes ago?
  • Yeah, that's so uneven. The Cylons are only strong when it serves a plot point.

    And can someone remind me when Caprica Six changed completely? She used to be in love with Gaius, now she's in love with Tigh and all that BS. That felt like it came out of nowhere. One episode it was just like "Oh yeah, Tigh and Six are now having sex and Adama is mad."
  • Icarus II
    I don't care if BSG was just biding its time for the last few episodes. The show is over in 2 frakkin' episodes! If this were a 10 season run and they were pulling this sort of mopey, slow burn stuff this late into the game, I'd be fuming. BSG had its tense plot arcs and controversial topics, and they were great, but I think I'm okay with where it is now -- I'll just sit back and let the melancholy take me over.
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