Galatica follow-up: Collaborators

Note: Spoilers ahead below for this episode.

The most recent episode of Battlestar Galactica, Collaborators, is my favorite so far this season. I enjoyed seeing the Colonials begin to move forward from the horrible ordeal they faced on New Caprica. Even though I admired the writers' guts for taking the story in such an unexpected direction at the end of the second season, I really didn't care much for the storyline. It was still engaging and interesting, but I prefer the fleet when it's traveling in space, not trapped on a dreary planet.

Executing Jammer was a bold move by the writers, and I am glad they included this in the episode. In this kind of situation, I think this sort of reprisal absolutely would happen. I also like that Galactica makes efforts to avoid the predictable "Ensign Jones" scenario where a character we really don't know gets killed instead of our heroes. Yes, Gaeta later survives, but the writers have taken the time over several Webisodes to introduce us to Jammer, and he has very likeable qualities despite his decision to sign up with the Cylons on New Caprica. Jammer was a living, breathing character on the show, not a cardboard cutout. That attention to storytelling is a common recurrence in this great series. I'm also glad Gaeta survived and that it happened by chance when Starbuck revealed his heroism. I was seriously questioning whether he would live.

Involving Starbuck in the Circle was a good choice. Clearly we are set to see her continue to spiral downward this season, and taking on a questionable vigilante role to deal with her demons made sense to me, especially because of the torture she endured (and inflicted) at Leoben's hands.

I'm very curious to see where this new Roslin-Zarek partnership leads, if it continues. It makes perfect sense that Zarek authorized the Circle, and now Roslin knows and will have to decide how to respond. The presidential transition from Zarek back to Roslin seemed a little clumsy, yet still clever. I hope Zarek will have more opportunities to contribute this season.

Seeing Baltar aboard a Basestar was mysterious and entertaining. I love that his fate was also in doubt, and I hope that it will continue to be from time to time. Introducing uncertainty into his relationship with Number Six also promises to invigorate their pairing, if it lasts. I still hope we are headed for a glimpse of the Cylon homeworld at some point, too.