No Exit

Battlestar Galactica - Episode 4.15

"No Exit" provides more background information about the origins of the Cylons and the Final Five than any episode to date. The exceptional thing is that this done without weighing down the hour in boring exposition. The creators should be applauded for not only making this episode extremely entertaining and one of the best of the season (if not the series).

This all unfolds in two different manners. First we witness Ellen Tigh's resurrection on a Cylon Baseship controlled by Cavil. This is the true Ellen, a mixture of the hard drinking, promiscuous wife of the Galactica's XO and an apparently highly intelligent woman that was partially responsible for the resurrection technology used to save the Final Five during the destruction of Earth. Kate Vernon walks the line perfectly. This is same woman we saw during the first three seasons of the series, but there's a new since of wisdom added to her texture.

We learn a lot about how the Final Five created the skin job Cylons, starting with Cavil, whom Ellen calls by his given name, John. Dean Stockwell plays Cavil as a bitter, thankless son, that wants more than the life he was given. He feels limited by the way Ellen and the others created him. Adding a creepy subtext is the fact that he knew who she really was when she was sleeping with him on New Caprica in order to get Saul released.

Also revealed is the fact that there was another model that we've never seen: the seven named Daniel. This was a smart way of explaining why we've only seen seven human models other than the Final Five, but the Sharons were the eights. The tragic story of Daniel further illustrates John's anger and jealousy when we find out that he boxed the original and spoiled the genetic code for the rest of the line.

The second manner in which the Cylon history is unveiled is through the ramblings of Sam Anders, who was shot in the head last episode. The brain injury has given him partial access to his blocked memories. Complicating things is that he has a limited time to get out all he can remember to Saul, Galen, and Tory before having to submit to life saving surgery, as well as a great deal of aphasia muddying up his delivery. The brilliance of this is that it allows the writers to only unload a limited amount of story and adds a sense of urgency that Sam may not be able to get everything out that he wants.

While this going on, Starbuck is continually by Sam's bed. Her reasoning is twofold: she still loves Sam and wants him to live, but she is also hoping to find out more information about herself and her own resurrection. Unfortunately, those two things don't necessarily go hand in hand.

Also, perculating in the background is Adama and Tyrol butting heads as to how to save Galactica. She's falling apart. Her damage is almost like a cancer and in a way reflects what's happening to the admiral's other love, Laura Roslin. Tyrol has a Cylon solution, but Adama is resistant. He doesn't seem to have a problem staffing the ship with a few Cylons in key positions, but he's only willing to go so far. It isn't until he witnesses the extent of the damage in his own quarters does it all literally hit home with Bill and he decides to let Galen do what he has to to save the ship.

"No Exit" was a extremely fine hour of BSG. With the amount of information delivered, it could have been pretty boring, but the writers were able to present it in an extremely entertaining fashion. There is a real feeling that the show is wrapping up soon and the mysteries are all coming into the light.

9 out of 10