Written by Mark Verheiden
Directed by Michael Rymer
“Don’t make me angry, Gaius.”
“You wouldn’t like her when she’s angry.”
I wish I could really like Collaborators, but most of it just felt…off. Competent, dark, effective…but it didn’t have the emotional wallop I was expecting.
Most of the time, it felt like it was simply going through the motions – in fact, it felt like many of the episodes from the tail-end of season two: technically superior, but not quite up to Galactica’s usual standard. Certainly, compared to the previous four episodes, this was one hell of a comedown.
The circle scenes tried VERY hard to be brutal, depressing, and in-your-face…and yet, I wasn’t drawn into the episode they way I know I was supposed to be drawn in. Was it the writing? Was it the relatively large complement of barely-known crew members involved? Was it the acting? The latter certainly felt wrong…characters such as Tyrol, Tigh and Cally felt as if they were on autopilot.
And what’s going on aboard the Cylon basestar? The large, throbbing Cylon-eye chamber was a nice touch (a sort of anti-2001), but what was it trying to achieve? Why was Lucy Lawless’ D’Anna/Cylon trying to come on to Baltar? If anything, I felt as confused and as puzzled as Gaius…and I wasn’t sure what the point was behind the strangeness of the basestar scenes.
The only really successful plot points were the ones involving Starbuck. Katee Sackhoff is having a field day with a character that is quickly falling to pieces, and watching as she destroys her relationship with Anders was like receiving multiple fists to the gut. This was the meat of the episode…what I believe should have been explored…but it’s a small taste, when what was needed was a feast.
I also enjoyed the conundrum surrounding President Roslin’s reinstatement, and the dark dilemma surrounding temporary-President Zarek’s issuing of the orders creating the circle that is judging the collaborators. Again, a small scene, but with a good deal of quality meat on display…whether it be Zarek’s disturbingly accurate analysis of the situation regarding what would happen if such collaborators were prosecuted normally…or Admiral Adama’s silent rage and disbelief at the actions of the circle…and Roslin’s announcement of a Truth and Reconciliation commission.
Disappointing Battlestar Galactica remains better that virtually all other television currently on the box…but I wish this particular episode hadn’t ended up being such a choppy, off-center experience.
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