TV Review: Battlestar Galactica 4.13 – Sometimes a Great Notion

Posted by Kevin Carr (kevin@filmschoolrejects.com) on January 17, 2009

Battlestar Galactica

Battlestar Galactica, SciFi, Airs Friday 10/9c

Episode: “Sometimes a Great Notion” (Season Four, Episode 13)

Synopsis: After the human fleet joins forces with the renegade Cylons, a Colonial locator beacon signal leads them to Earth, the 13th Colony. However, upon landing on the planet, they discover a world devastated by nuclear explosions from 2000 years ago. The loss of hope in the fleet, and particularly on Galactica, send the people into a massive depression. Admiral Adama struggles to bring sanity back to the fleet and offer a new hope.

Review: Yes, BSG fans, the time is upon us. The final game clock has started ticking towards the end of what I consider to be one of the best dramas on television. Battlestar Galactica is coming to an end, and the final episodes have begun.

If you thought that Battlestar Galactica couldn’t get more depressing, then you haven’t seen the mid-season premiere yet. Depression has moved through the humans and the Cylons alike, with the loss of dreams, hope and the legendary religion of Kobol. This made for pretty much a downer of an episode, but it has kick-started the characters in a new direction. Things are significantly shaken up, with the whole belief system of both the humans and the Cylons in shambles. For those fans of Lost, you’ll understand when I say it reminds me of when Locke lost his faith and unwittingly blew up the Swan station.

If you watched the mid-season prep show “The Top 10 Things to Know About Battlestar Galactica,” you should be confident that there is a plan for these final nine episodes to follow. And while this first one didn’t have a lot of action or answers, it definitely had its moments, including a significant crew suicide and the revelation of the final Cylon, whom I suspected for more than a year.

This episode was worth waiting for, and I know they are going to get better as we push forward towards the end of the series.

Up Next: Tom Zarek leads a rebellion, causing tensions within the human fleet. Meanwhile, more on the fifth Cylon.

Read More: Battlestar Galactica Recaps

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


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  • I was pretty disappointed in this episode. They only have a few episodes to wrap anything up and instead of actually moving forward, they just asked like 15 more questions. Obviously something is up on the Starbuck front and did anyone else notice that on Earth Dualla found jacks and then Lee found a different set of jacks in her belongings?
  • well, i was pretty sure that Starbuck wasn't the fifth... too obvious.

    And nice catch with Dualla. Do you think the ruined earth was one giant Cylon projection?
  • They've just done so much with Starbuck that there has to be something involving her that needs explained. She was obvious, but so obvious it was almost guaranteed it wasn't her.

    Not sure about the Cylon projection. I hadn't even thought of that. It's possible I guess, but that's something on a scale beyond what we've seen. Anything could happen though.

    All I know is I need more Gaius Baltar. He barely even appeared on screen.
  • My buddy thinks the cylon projections play a larger role in the overall story than previously thought, but considering how many episodes are left, that theory might be a stretch. This episode definitely made me run around in loops. That's all I could have asked from the final stretch of episodes. I haven't quite decided if I'm "disappointed" or not, but what the hell is going on with starbuck?!
  • Over all a great movement towards the final moments. Amazing through and through. It's got me glued to my seat and the next nine weeks will be bliss.
  • Great episode. The random act of vilolence in this episode totally hit me broadside. Great stuff.
    Still wondering how they're going to explain how the final 5 were on Earth 2,000 years ago and what Starbuck has to do with all of this.
  • djjeffhall
    Kevin,
    While I'll still hold to the notion of BSG being the best show on TV, some of the turns they have taken over the last season have felt like Ron Moore running out of ideas. Ellen being the last Cylon? It did not work for me. Of course, neither does the notion of Tigh, Cheif, Anders, etc.

    Dualla's suicide was shocking. Appropriate to the feel of the show, but shocking nevertheless. (I do not mean that as a quip against her character. My thoughts just before that shot was wondering about an increase in crew suicides? Adama dropped a line about the increase in numbers in season one after a particularly jarring episode. Seeing it now only made sense.)
  • Jon G
    The setup to Dualla's suicide was way too obvious. I felt it coming a mile away. The Helen issue confuses me and I'll wait until next week before I make any judgement.
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