"Exodus, Pt. 2"
Airdate: Friday, November 20th, 2006

Moments totally denied to me in this otherwise kickass episode:

The part where Roslin reunites with Adama and they make out.

The part where Starbuck reunites with Apollo and they make out with just their eyes.

The part where Starbuck reunites with Adama and they don't make out, because that would be weird.

I guess the show wanted to hold back a little on its generally merciless assault on my tear ducts. But still -- I really wanted to see these key relationships touched on during the New Capricans' grand, emotional return to Galactica. Instead, we got a rather long, lovingly-rendered sequence in which Adama shaves off his porn star moustache. This was hilarious and awesome in its own way, but wouldn't you rather see him with Roslin? Maybe he knew he had to shave that crap off before he was ready to see her. I will just keep telling myself that.

Anyway, before we get to all the action, Tigh has to poison poor Lady Tigh. Never, ever did I think I would be connecting the words "Lady Tigh" with the word "poor," or with any other adjectives that might somehow convey pity or sympathy of any kind, but there you have it. Tigh and Lady Tigh are a strange, melodramatic, heartbreaking pair , and they belong together -- the show really sold me on that in the opening hours of this season. Their final moments together are mind-blowingly sad and rife with more fantastic, one-eyed acting from Michael Hogan. Awww, Tigh. Who will love him now? (Yeah, yeah -- settle down, fanfic enthusiasts.)

From there, it's pretty much wall-to-wall insanity as the resistance takes over the planet and the humans evacuate. Anders finds Kara and it's all pretty sweet, until she has to go back for Casey. Creepy Leoben forces her make out with him before she leaves and it's really disturbing and gross and documented via way too many extreme, saliva-drenched close-ups. At least she gets to kill him one last time. Kara returns to Galactica with Casey and quickly learns that the little tyke is some other woman's child, kidnapped by Leoben for his own nefarious purposes. I really dug this -- I know we were all speculating that Casey had some kind of weird Cylon connection, but I appreciate that the actual truth is much more ordinary, yet just as sad for Kara. The expression on her face as Casey is taken from her arms is just one of the episode's small, heartbreaking moments

Meanwhile, Maya realizes that series regular money is way better than the crummy guest star pennies she's been getting on this show and dies trying to escape New Caprica. See ya over on that other show, Maya! Of course, this clears things up for Lucy Lawless Cylon, Baltar and Six to discover little Hera amidst the rubble. Lucy Lawless Cylon is just as gloriously demented as usual, and it looks like she's decided not to blow up the whole planet like she was supposed to. I am on serious pins and needles waiting for Sharon to find out Hera's alive.

All of these things are very cool, but I've saved the best for last. After a pep talk from a suddenly lively Dualla, Fat Apollo ignores Adama's orders and swoops in just in time to save his dad, Galactica, and possibly all of humanity. It is so amazing and action-y and I might have started crying a little. OK, a lot. Apollo's act of bravery means the Pegasus gets destroyed, but I don't think he cares much, because come on -- that's the first time Fat Apollo's been completely awesome in a very long time.

And so, the humans are finally done with New Caprica. Adama is once again clean-shaven. Fat Apollo will probably become non-fat very soon. And yet, because this is Galactica, we know that the after-effects of the New Caprican ordeal will linger for a good while. And my only wish is that before we get to all the dramatic heavy-lifting, we see a little Roslin-Adama action. Just a moment, Ron D. Moore -- a tiny, potent thing, as fully-realized and memorable as all of the ones that make up this episode.

iTunes Links

Battlestar Galactica - Series
Battlestar Galactica - Season 3
"Exodus - Pt. 2"