The Ties That Bind (18 Apr. 2008)

The aftermath of a coup among the Cylons leads to further violence, Lee finds himself facing off against Roslin during his first meeting with the Quorum of Twelve as the new representative ... See full summary »

Director:

Michael Nankin

Writers:

Ronald D. Moore (developer), Michael Taylor,

Stars:

Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Katee Sackhoff

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Edward James Olmos	...	Admiral William Adama
Mary McDonnell	...	President Laura Roslin
Katee Sackhoff	...	Captain Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace
Jamie Bamber	...	Lee Adama
James Callis	...	Dr. Gaius Baltar (credit only)
Tricia Helfer	...	Number Six / Natalie
Grace Park	...	Lt. Sharon 'Athena' Agathon / Lt. Sharon 'Boomer' Valerii
Michael Hogan	...	Colonel Saul Tigh
Aaron Douglas	...	Chief Galen Tyrol
Tahmoh Penikett	...	Captain Karl 'Helo' Agathon
Michael Trucco	...	Ensign Samuel Anders
Nicki Clyne	...	Crewman Specialist Cally Tyrol
Alessandro Juliani	...	Lt. Felix Gaeta
Richard Hatch	...	Tom Zarek
Donnelly Rhodes	...	Dr. Cottle

Storyline

The aftermath of a coup among the Cylons leads to further violence, Lee finds himself facing off against Roslin during his first meeting with the Quorum of Twelve as the new representative of Caprica, and Cally discovers the horrible truth about her husband Galen Tyrol. Meanwhile, Starbuck aimlessly searches for Earth with Anders and other Galactica officers.

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Plot Keywords:

airlock | anti depressant | knocked unconscious

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

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Details

Release Date:

18 April 2008 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

David Eick Productions, R&D TV

Did You Know?

Trivia

Human Survival Count: 39,676.

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Goofs

When Tori hits Callie in the launch tube, the 'metal' runners on the deck fold flat beneath Callie as she falls, clearly being some sort of rubber material and not metal.

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Connections

References Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)

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Soundtracks

"Main Title Theme"
Written by Richard Gibbs

User Reviews

Kudos to Nicki Clyne **minor spoilers**

Don't get me wrong, I love Battlestar Galactica and watch it faithfully. But, as the series enters it's final season, I find it more difficult to believe the final outcome will be worthwhile. Every human character is becoming less likable and fatally flawed.

This episode was very upsetting. In 'The Ties That Bind', President Roslin demonstrates her increasing disregard for democratic principles and seems more like a deceptive dictator. Characters we used to be fond of (Chief Tyrol, Torrie, even cantankerous Colonel Tighe) are now known to be enemy conspirators. Who's left to root for? Every story needs a protagonist. Surely there could be a few with such a competent cast and creative staff. If Admiral Adama takes a turn to the dark side, you may lose me as a viewer. Ultimately, don't we want a positive conclusion to the long journey we've taken?

In this episode, Nicki Clyne gives her best performance yet as Cally Tyrol. Her character has been loyal, with integrity and perseverance through the toughest of situations. Though, in the final scenes of this episode, fans of the show (and Cally) are given another reason to give up hope.

Starbuck had another gratuitous and unnecessary sex scene that did nothing to move the story along. The only comic relief this season, Gaius Baltar, didn't appear in this episode. Overall, this episode served as a transition to a larger story. But in the process, characters were wasted that still had better stories to tell.