Written by Jane Espenson
Directed by Paul Edwards
“What do you want from me here?”
“Just love someone, Laura.”
This week, Laura Roslin talks to dead people.
Ok…ONE dead person.
In a week when the Cylon hub is destroyed, the Cylons themselves are rendered mortal, D’Anna’s consciousness is unboxed, and Baltar’s life is spared — even though Roslin could have let him die…none of it truly matters.
All that matters is the closure felt by Roslin. Last week, it was Admiral Adam. This week, it takes some surreal FTL jumps sequences to bring the President up to speed on her personal emotions, and her place in the universe. She faces up to some sound advice to knock down the emotional barriers she put up the moment she was diagnosed with cancer in the opening minutes of the pilot mini-series.
This is another concise review, because it’s another concise, to-the-point episode, stripped down for maximum effectiveness. Magic Jane Espenson scores a palpable hit by scripting the elements we usually focus on during such an episode - the attack on the Hub, D’Anna’s unboxing, Baltar’s near-death experience - as virtually immaterial. We’re observing them as an outsider, from the ethereal realm in which Roslin is debating her view of existence with the deceased priestess Elosha. It’s the ultimate god’s-eye P.O.V, with extra cynicism, sarcasm, sadness and weariness.
It’s the perfect bookend to last week’s episode, and it all culminates in that wonderful final embrace between Laura and Adama. Not only is The Hub a perfect description for the episode’s destination & target, it also describes the hub of Laura Roslin’s psyche. It’s a deep, cleansing breath prior to the next episode - which looks like one explosive mid-season finale. Above all, it’s an episode full of sophisticated, romantic (in every sense of the word) writing & classy acting. In short, it’s class all around.
9
And now, we wait for the explosions… ;-)
