Watching the series through again I stalled when I came to this episode as I remembered it for one scene I really did not like; eventually I decided to watch it so I could get back to the 'good episodes'... having watched it again I realised I was wrong to dislike the episode; it may have one problem scene and the main plot can be considered filler but it did include some important character development for several people as well as showing Admiral Adama in a new light. When fuel production starts to fall off President Roslin has the workers representative thrown in the brig after he quotes from a book written by Gaius Baltar; a book that questions the hierarchy of the fleet. Many people a sympathetic to these views; after all promotion is hard if you don't come from the right colony and those working in dirty and dangerous jobs get no time off and little thanks. With the refinery not working Adama sends Chief Tyrol down to sort things out; little suspecting that he will be sympathetic to their cause; in fact he is so sympathetic that he calls a strike when a worker is injured by the dangerous machinery. At this point his deck crew also strike and, in the scene that troubled me, Adama threatens to execute Cally if the Chief doesn't call off the strike.
That one scene bothered me because Adama has not behaved that way before; in fact he was acting more like Admiral Cain in that scene... of course he could have been bluffing and we will never know! The rest of the episode was interesting as it shone a light on another aspect of the fleet; rather than concentrating on the military or the political activities it gave us a glimpse into the lives of the people who keep the fleet going by doing the least glamorous jobs. We also get to see Baltar's role change as he stands up for the little man for once; although knowing him it could just be a ploy to gain sympathy. As is usually the acting was fine; James Callis and Aaron Douglas were particularly good in the scene where Baltar explains to Tyrol how he wasn't always part of the colonial elite.
That one scene bothered me because Adama has not behaved that way before; in fact he was acting more like Admiral Cain in that scene... of course he could have been bluffing and we will never know! The rest of the episode was interesting as it shone a light on another aspect of the fleet; rather than concentrating on the military or the political activities it gave us a glimpse into the lives of the people who keep the fleet going by doing the least glamorous jobs. We also get to see Baltar's role change as he stands up for the little man for once; although knowing him it could just be a ploy to gain sympathy. As is usually the acting was fine; James Callis and Aaron Douglas were particularly good in the scene where Baltar explains to Tyrol how he wasn't always part of the colonial elite.