Teleplay by Michael Rymer
Story by Anne Cofell Saunders
Directed by Michael Rymer
“I have good days. I have bad days.”
Resurrection Ship, Part 1 is a character study. It’s an episode that spends an hour showing us why Galactica and her fleet have made it this far. It’s an episode that deals with the finer details of not giving up your humanity.
The episode is full of character tone-poems and little moments: Kara and Lee in the planning room, Tyrol and Helo in the brig, Baltar and the damaged Six in her cell. Each one of these shows people dealing with the aftermath of the brutal, savage, ice-cold actions on the part of the Pegasus crew, and each one runs the gamut from calm consideration to the desperate need for companionship and understanding. Adama’s apology to Sharon is another pivotal moment in this chain…as Cylon and human realize that they both deserve their rights and protections equally.
However, there are two scenes in particular that really make us think of what-might-have-been. Tigh’s over-the-still conversations with Pegasus’ XO reveals characters that have been scarred forever by what they’ve been through…but more telling is Tigh’s reaction to the story of what happened to Pegasus’ civilian fleet. For all his flaws, the thought of abandoning innocent civilians…stripping their ships, shooting their families…terrifies and repulses him. It goes against everything he and the rest of the Galactica crew would have instinctively chosen to do.
Then there’s the under-the-weather scene between Adama and Roslin. More than ever, their bond is something magnificent to behold. Between the two of them, they have kept humanity alive, and they now compliment each other like two sides of a coin. Again, there is so much unspoken between them that speaks volumes…and the most unspoken of all seems to be a powerful love and friendship that is only bred by the circumstances that brought them together.
Resurrection Ship, Part 1 was unexpected. The build-up from Pegasus suggested fireworks and disaster. Instead, we get quiet contemplation…and a beautiful affirmation of why Battlestar Galactica is such a successful show, even in its quiet moments. On the run, desperate, tired, frightened…but they refuse to relocate their humanity. The road to barbarity leads to Pegasus, but the road to salvation lies with Galactica…
…unless the SECOND, ABSOLUTELY FRAKKING CLIFFHANGER in a row blows it all to hell. 
8.5
