This felt like an episode that was trying to fill in gaps or details from a couple of series ago, mixed in rather hapazardly with the 'beginning of the end' that this should have been with the result being a rather mixed episode that fails to impress.
The first half is essentially based around various flashbacks to events on pre-war Caprica that could have provided great background and added depth to the personal lives of some of the shows key character. Instead with them being revealed so late on there will be no time to see how such dramas and introductions will have influenced the lives involved.
How did Laura Roslins hearing that her sisters and father were killed in a car crash give her the steel to lead the human survivors? Was the tension between Gaius Baltar and his elderly father the key to how Caprica Six ingratiated herself in to his life? Just how did Lee Adamas introduction to Starbuck via his brother Zac,her then boyfriend, develop in to a more heated love-hate on-off relationship?
Sadly we will never know how these scenes tie in to those already shown a year or more earlier as from the second half of this episode it moves forward towards the shows conclusion - the epic final showdown between the Human and Cylon races.
So back to the present day and things were intended to become more interesting as Admiral Adama, having seen Heras photo on the'Wall of the Lost' decides to undertake one final risky mission seeking out the Cylon Colony 'Homeworld' and attempt a rescue of the prodigal Half Human-Half Cylon child on which both sides believe their shared fate will one day rest.
But again I was left somewhat wanting.
Having informed the crew and civilians remaining aboard the Galactica about the decision to attempt the rescue/attack the off-watch personnel arrive on the hangerdeck and I expected another passionate speech as we've come to expect from the Admiral...but it never came. I felt like he simply said 'volunteers on this side, others on that'...no emotion from anyone. Even when Doc Cottle volunteered and Adama explains that of all the people he is the one who mustn't go I didn't get teary eyed, well except for the yawn.
So overall it was not only an episode of two halves,but also of two feelings.
The flashbacks were a waste at this point and added nothing in the context of the closing trio of episodes being far too late in the multi-series run.
The present day scenes were lacking in the emotion that should have flooded through following Adamas decision and announcement.
A final point that annoyed me somewhat was how Kara and Anders produced the coordinates for the Ceylon Home world. Did I miss something? Kara 'plugs in' Anders, begs for information based on her and Heras dots and numbers....and then it simply cuts to her walking out...Where was the convoluted, techno-babble cryptic that Hybrids vocalise? ....
So I was underwhelmed by the episode due to it feeling like a wasted effort both with the flashbacks being too late to influence or inform, and the present day scenes feeling rushed and staid in relation to what could have been.
6/10...losing a couple for simply being so disjointed and wasting half the episode that could havebeen use to beef up the second part, and the extra for the uncharacteristically un-emotional decision making and speeches, (My lowest score of the whole shows history, sad when you consider this should have been such a hard working, emotional episode)
The first half is essentially based around various flashbacks to events on pre-war Caprica that could have provided great background and added depth to the personal lives of some of the shows key character. Instead with them being revealed so late on there will be no time to see how such dramas and introductions will have influenced the lives involved.
How did Laura Roslins hearing that her sisters and father were killed in a car crash give her the steel to lead the human survivors? Was the tension between Gaius Baltar and his elderly father the key to how Caprica Six ingratiated herself in to his life? Just how did Lee Adamas introduction to Starbuck via his brother Zac,her then boyfriend, develop in to a more heated love-hate on-off relationship?
Sadly we will never know how these scenes tie in to those already shown a year or more earlier as from the second half of this episode it moves forward towards the shows conclusion - the epic final showdown between the Human and Cylon races.
So back to the present day and things were intended to become more interesting as Admiral Adama, having seen Heras photo on the'Wall of the Lost' decides to undertake one final risky mission seeking out the Cylon Colony 'Homeworld' and attempt a rescue of the prodigal Half Human-Half Cylon child on which both sides believe their shared fate will one day rest.
But again I was left somewhat wanting.
Having informed the crew and civilians remaining aboard the Galactica about the decision to attempt the rescue/attack the off-watch personnel arrive on the hangerdeck and I expected another passionate speech as we've come to expect from the Admiral...but it never came. I felt like he simply said 'volunteers on this side, others on that'...no emotion from anyone. Even when Doc Cottle volunteered and Adama explains that of all the people he is the one who mustn't go I didn't get teary eyed, well except for the yawn.
So overall it was not only an episode of two halves,but also of two feelings.
The flashbacks were a waste at this point and added nothing in the context of the closing trio of episodes being far too late in the multi-series run.
The present day scenes were lacking in the emotion that should have flooded through following Adamas decision and announcement.
A final point that annoyed me somewhat was how Kara and Anders produced the coordinates for the Ceylon Home world. Did I miss something? Kara 'plugs in' Anders, begs for information based on her and Heras dots and numbers....and then it simply cuts to her walking out...Where was the convoluted, techno-babble cryptic that Hybrids vocalise? ....
So I was underwhelmed by the episode due to it feeling like a wasted effort both with the flashbacks being too late to influence or inform, and the present day scenes feeling rushed and staid in relation to what could have been.
6/10...losing a couple for simply being so disjointed and wasting half the episode that could havebeen use to beef up the second part, and the extra for the uncharacteristically un-emotional decision making and speeches, (My lowest score of the whole shows history, sad when you consider this should have been such a hard working, emotional episode)