Season 3 (2006-07): Difference between revisions

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{{Season Data
| image = Tigh_and_Adama.jpg
| title= Season Three
| series=
| season= 3
| episodes= 20
| episodelistid= Season 3 (2006-07)
| execproducer= [[Ronald D. Moore]] <br/>[[David Eick]]
| US airdates= 2006-10-06 — 2007-03-25
| CAN airdates=2006-10-07 — 2007-03-25
| UK airdates= 2007-01-09 — 2007-05-01
| dvd= {{flag|US}} 2008-03-25 <br/> {{flag|UK}} 2007-09-03 <br/> {{flag|AU}} 2007-11-21
| startpop= 49550
| endpop= 41399
| extra=
| prev= [[Season 2 (2005-06)]]
| next= [[Season 4 (2008)]]
| imdb= 0407362
| fulleps=
| RDskit= Y
| podcast= Y
| promomat= Y
| teasers=
| fullepsid= 167973
| teaserlnk1=
| teaserlnk2=
| teaserlnk3=
| teaserlnk4=
| teaserlnk5=
| promolnk= '''[http://video.scifi.com/player/?id=191433#videoid=29339 The Resistance]'''
| unbox=
}}
==Summary==
 
:''The stranded Colonials struggle to survive under the brutal [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] rule of [[New Caprica]], but when ''[[Galactica (TRS)|Galactica]]'' returns to save humanity, the fledgling [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]] resumes its search for [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]]. The Cylons, after losing control on [[New Caprica]], depart on their own mysterious quest for [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]].''
 
== Story ==
 
====The Occupation====
 
Four months have passed since the events of "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]". On [[New Caprica]] a Cylon occupation, akin to [[Wikipedia:Vichy France|Vichy France]], is in full swing. The head of the colonial government, Gaius Baltar, reduced to the role of a puppet leader, colludes (albeit, unwillingly) with the Cylons.
 
The oppression rouses a [[New Caprica Resistance|resistance]], led by [[Saul Tigh|Colonel Tigh]], who task themselves with the objective of disrupting the Cylon occupation force. [[Laura Roslin]], though supportive of the resistance, focuses on concealing [[Hera Agathon|Hera]] from the Cylons.
 
During this time, [[Kara Thrace]] has been held in captivity by [[Leoben Conoy]], who subjects her to psychological and manipulative torture. He presents to her a [[Kacey Brynn|child]], claiming it to be her own; the result of the [[The Farm|removal]] of one of her ovaries inseminated with his sperm (or his Cylon analogy of sperm). Kara eventually etablishes a motherly connection with the girl, and apparently accepts the child, Kacey, as her daughter. 
 
Meanwhile, ''Galactica'' and ''Pegasus'', at a safe distance from New Caprica, are preparing to enact plans to rescue the colonists. Admiral Adama, frustrated with the situation, attempts to spur himself and his crew to action. He orders his son, Lee Adama, commander of ''Pegasus'', to stay behind with the rest of the civilian fleet; now a mere 2000 people. ''Galactica'' will attempt the rescue and in case of failure, ''Pegasus'' will continue the search for Earth with the remnants of the Fleet.
 
On New Caprica, the humans continue to be subjected to horrific conditions and many must endure torture, notably Colonel Tigh. A [[New Caprica Police|police force]] is created by the Cylons to tackle the resistance, composed of colonists opposed to it. The fact that humans are collaborating with the Cylons disgusts members of the resistance and they plan revenge. They recruit [[Duck]], a former Viper pilot and hopeless widower, as a suicide bomber and enlist him in the New Caprica Police. Upon his graduation he detonates an explosive vest killing some collaborators and destroying some Cylon bodies in the process.
 
In response to the suicide bombing, the Cylons try to impose order and force President Baltar to sign a mass execution order. Amongst those rounded up for execution are Laura Roslin and [[Cally Tyrol]]. However, the resistance is able to rescue the prisoners before they are killed due to a [[Felix Gaeta|source]] in Baltar's administration providing details of the event ("[[Occupation]]" through "[[Exodus, Part I]]").
 
====Exodus====
 
''Galactica'' successfully contacts the resistance and coordinates an escape plan. The resistance shepherds the colonists to the grounded civilian ships, while simultaneously setting off wide-spread explosions all over the city to distract the Cylons. With the ground battle engulfing the whole city, ''Galactica'' jumps into the atmosphere below Cylon DRADIS range and while falling "like a rock," launches Vipers to protect the evacuating colonists before jumping back into orbit. Laura Roslin retakes ''Colonial One'', and the evacuee ships jump to safety. But ''Galactica'', outnumbered four to one, is near destruction. Fortunately ''Pegasus'' joins the battle against orders and attacks the Cylon fleet, allowing ''Galactica'' to escape. In the process, Lee Adama sacrifices ''Pegasus'', destroying two more [[basestar (RDM)|basestars]] in a deliberate collision after he and the crew escape in Raptors.
 
On New Caprica, Baltar, [[Caprica-Six]] and [[Number Three]], find baby [[Hera Agathon|Hera]] crying in the arms of her dead mother. Taking the baby and Baltar with them, the Cylon fleet leaves New Caprica.
 
The reunification of the Fleet is a bittersweet one; many colonists have had their lives left in tatters. For instance, Colonel [[Saul Tigh|Tigh]], forced to kill his wife, is in the deepest of inner turmoil, and [[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]] is forced to come to terms with the tragic realization that [[Kacey Brynn]] is not her daughter after all, after her real mother is revealed following the escape {{TRS|Exodus, Part II}}.
 
====Trials and Tribulations====
 
The aftermath of the Exodus is marred by the sufferings and betrayals that occured on New Caprica. [[Tom Zarek]], who legitamately succeeds Gaius Baltar as [[President]], commissions [[the Circle]], a secret tribunal of ex-resistance members, to try and convict collaborators. Amongst the members of this group are [[Saul Tigh]], [[Galen Tyrol]] and later [[Kara Thrace]]. Over a dozen death penalties, carried out via venting through the launch tubes into space, lead [[Laura Roslin]] to notice the steady flow of disappearences, which include [[Jammer]]. Tom Zarek explains the situation to her, and she is less than impressed. They make a succession deal which leads to her resumption of the presidency, and as a thank you to Zarek she recruits him as Vice President. Upon her inaurguration as President she controversially declares that all collaborators are pardoned and dissolves the Circle, signalling a new start for the Fleet and its citizens {{TRS|Collaborators}}.


[[Image:Seas3.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Battlestar Galactica Season 3]]
====The search for Earth in jeopardy====
==Summary==
 
The Fleet gleans a new [[Lion's Head Nebula|direction to Earth]] from Baltar's scientific notes, but the Cylons gain this information directly from Baltar himself. The Cylons find themselves victim to a [[A Measure of Salvation|plague]], and the Colonials attempt and fail to capitalize on weaponizing the disease. After a harrowing [[The Passage|passage]] to find foodstuffs, the Fleet and the Cylons meet, by a strange coincidence, over a planet once used as a waystation for the [[Thirteenth Tribe (RDM)|Thirteenth Tribe]]. There, a [[Temple of Five|mysterious temple]] attracted both Cylon and Colonial alike, albeit for differing reasons by a [[Number Three]] and Gaius Baltar. Before the Temple is destroyed as its home star begins to nova, Baltar is recaptured by the Colonials, [[Hera Agathon]] is rescued, and the humans appear to have the upper hand in the path to Earth. A strange revelation finds [[Kara Thrace]] questioning the words of a [[Leoben Conoy|Leoben Cylon]] about her "special destiny."
 
On the way to the next expected waypoint, the [[Ionian nebula]], the Fleet [[Dirty Hands|manages a fuel crisis]] and takes time out to refuel. An [[Virtual Leoben|unknown compulsion]] results in the [[Maelstrom|death of Kara Thrace]] during a patrol, leaving many of her friends grief-stricken for weeks.
 
Gaius Baltar is [[Taking a Break From All Your Worries|tortured]] and later [[Crossroads, Part I|put to trial]], but is acquitted when Lee Adama provides a stern testimony to the faults of many other leaders of the Fleet and how they were never brought to trial. During testimony, [[Laura Roslin]] admits to returning to [[chamalla]] treatments as part of a renewed battle against her cancer.
 
As the Fleet approaches the nebula, four Colonials, [[Samuel Anders]], [[Tory Foster]], [[Galen Tyrol]], and [[Saul Tigh]] experience hallucinations of music. As the [[Crossroads, Part II|Fleet arrived at the Ionian nebula]], [[The Music|the music]] drew the four together to meet, where they are shocked to realize that they are [[Final Five|Cylons themselves]]. Despite the shock, the four return to their duties.
 
The Fleet loses all electrical power briefly on arrival, and President Roslin nearly faints. Moments later, a Cylon fleet enters the system and ''Galactica'' manages to scramble [[alert fighters]]. Apollo detects a target and pursues it, and reunites, in amazement, with the believed-dead Kara Thrace, who tells him that she can lead the Fleet to [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]].
 
==Major Plotlines==
 
*The relationship between {{callsign|Helo}} and [[Sharon Agathon|Sharon]] continues. Helo is Galactica's XO at the beginning of Season 3 ("[[Occupation]]," "[[Precipice]]").
*Dualla is indeed married to Lee Adama after the "one year later" leap forward in time {{TRS|Occupation}}.
*The humans on New Caprica are freed from the Cylons, but the price is high. ''Pegasus'' is destroyed, [[Saul Tigh]] loses an eye and forced to kill his wife, Hera falls into the hand of the Cylons. Baltar joins the Cylons. Roughly 2000 people [[survivor count|die]] ("[[Occupation]]" trough "[[Exodus, Part II]]").


:''Under the occupation of the [[Cylon]]'s rule, and without [[The Fleet]] for protection, the [[Colonials]] stranded on [[New Caprica]] must once again fight for their survival and their freedom.''
*The presidential succession:
**Zarek was indeed Baltar's Vice-President, but the relationship soured rather quickly with Zarek refusing to cooperate completely after the occupation {{TRS|Exodus, Part I}}.
**He initially becomes President, but realizes he would not be allowed, due to his past, to remain in office. He creates a [[Circle|secret tribunal]], albeit legal according to military law, to try and sentence collaborators, in order to rid the Fleet of the worst of the collaborators, while still keeping President Roslin's term free of any scandal.
**Roslin returns to the presidency, but makes Zarek her Vice President {{TRS|Collaborators}}.


== Pivotal Plot Points ==
* There is a large storyline told exclusively from the Cylons' (and Baltar's) point of view ("[[Collaborators]]" through "[[Rapture]]").
*The [[Occupation | first episode]] of Season 3 occurs four months after the events of [[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]] with the occupation in full swing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/artsentertainment/2002957630_galactica28.html?syndication=rss |title= Reborn "Galactica" can do battle with the best of sci-fi |date=2006-04-28 |last=Peterson |first=Kim |format= |language=English |publisher=Seattle Times}}</ref>
*Not all of the Cylons may believe that Baltar is the Hand of God, "Guardian of the New Order," etc., and he himself begins to question whether he is a Cylon ("[[Torn]]," "[[The Passage]]").
*The occupation is like [[Wikipedia:Vichy France|Vichy France]]. The Colonial government run by President Baltar is collaborating with the [[Cylons (RDM)]], while other the humans put together a secret resistance against the Cylons. <ref name="now">[http://www.nowplayingmag.com/content/view/3300/2/ interview NowPlayingMagazine Interview with Ron Moore, March 11, 2006]</ref>
*According to [[Lucy Lawless]], who plays [[Number Three]]:  "(They) turned around and asked her "Do you want to play [[God]]?"  There is a character who sets herself up as God, and Lucy would likely play her.  Her theory is that there's nowhere to go after playing Xena but to playing God!  But ''none of this is a done deal'', she cautions, because they're still working out the logistics". It is known, however, that Lawless will be in the first ten Season 3 episodes.<ref>[http://www.ausxip.com/conventions/2006burbank/taipo-conlucy.html Xena 2006 Convention]</ref>
*There will be some flashbacks that deal with events that occured during the year that was skipped over in the season 2 finale.  Caprica-Sharon is noticeably given no scenes in the "One Year Later" segment, and in the commentary for the episode Ron Moore said that the first episodes of Season 3 would deal with this.  In addition, there will be flashbacks explaining how Dualla transfered to ''Pegasus'' to be with Apollo, but over time as more and more crewmen left, to the point that a skeleton crew was running the ship, she was left as the next highest ranking crewman on the ship and more or less his Executive Officer (although really, there's only about 3-4 people left ''including'' Apollo and Dualla even running the ''Pegasus'' CIC).
**There will actually be flashbacks explaining exactly why Apollo gained a lot of weight in the year that passed, why Starbuck and Tigh have mended fences now, and what happened that made Starbuck and Apollo angry at each other (apparently it was more than just her being insensitive when Anders came to ''Galactica'', possibly something more specific than him simply being frustrated that they got married).  Lee will stay overweight for about the first 5 episodes.
*A major plotline is that there is going to be "an ongoing Cylon story where we’re going to be cutting over to the Cylon world for the first time and running a complete arc within the Cylons".  This probably refers to the planned Lucy Lawless ([[Number Three]]) storyarc.  It is unclear if by "Cylon world" Moore means ''the'' [[Cylon homeworld]], or just a Basestar, Cylon-occupied planet, etc.[http://www.nowplayingmag.com/content/view/3300/2/]
*The resistance against the Cylons and Baltar's collaborationist government on New Caprica will take three to five episodes, probably four.  However, it will definately not take another seven episodes to wrap up the events of the season finale, as it did last time with "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]". <ref name="now"/>
*Not all of the Cylons may believe that Baltar is the Hand of God, "Guardian of the New Order", etc. <ref name="now"/>
*Katee Sackhoff has said in several [http://www.zap2it.com/tv/news/zap-kateesackhoffbattlestargalacticaseason3secrets,0,6358727.story?coll=zap-rotator-coll interviews] that she has lost a fight with the producers to keep her long hair, and Starbuck's hair will become incredibly short in season 3.  Sackhoff said her hair will be "somewhere between Sigourney Weaver in Alien (3) and the pilot ([[Miniseries]])", and "Kind of...like Natalie Portman in "[[Wikipedia:V for Vendetta (film)|V for Vendetta]]" short".  Sackhoff goes on to say that her character "goes through a lot of turmoil over the first four episodes, more so than we've ever seen her, the depth of despair that she finds herself in are pretty deep at the end of episode four, and she kind of re-establishes her commitment to the military in episode five which is the haircut" and "sort of like ritualistically, preparing herself to go back on the warpath".  (Ron Moore has said that the characters would leave New Caprica by around episode 5, so Sackhoff is probably referring to the point when they leave and she rejoins the military).
**Sackhoff stated in a more recent interview on June 20th that she was able to make a compromise with Ron and David, and in season 3 she will ''not'' have a "V for Vendetta"-style crew cut, but instead the length of her hair will be shorter than it was at the beginning of Season 1 (i.e. in "[[33]]"), but longer than it was during the Miniseries. 
*Sackhoff went on to say that "there is another man that comes into her life, and it is a very unlikely man that everyone is going to be so livid over", and which Sackhoff wasn't entirely happy about.  She then said "It's Adama", but she appeared to be saying it jokingly to tease the fans.  She was probably joking if she meant Admiral William Adama, while Lee "Apollo" Adama doesn't seem very "unlikely" a choice given their history.
*According to a [http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2006/04/#a000525 blog] by Ronald Moore, he states that the relationship between Helo and Boomer will continue, neither Boomer will be killed in Season 3, and a subplot early in Season 3 will involve a [[Life Forms of the Twelve Colonies|dog]].
*Anders will be alive for at least 7 episodes of season 3, according to news from his [http://www.michaeltrucco.com/index.html website].
*In an [http://www.ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=1496 interview] with iFMagazine on May 11, 2006, David Eick said "I’m excited about the fact that we will be exploring the interior of a Cylon basestar, and that will include the introduction of the new type of Cylon.  I’m excited about the fact that we’re going to have Lucy [Lawless] back.  I think it’s going to be exciting for the fans to watch the opening trilogy of episodes, because we’re really falling into the rubric of something for everybody.  There will be great philosophical crisis talking place with Baltar [James Callis].  There’s a round-up taking place of human beings becoming a police force, or a Gestapo, for the occupying Cylons.  Then there’s an attempt at an escape that will be like THE GREAT ESCAPE, and be a dynamic action episode.  There’s a lot of really rich stuff for the opening three.  Beyond that point everything is embryonic, and still in development."
*In an [http://scifibrain.ign.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3165&Itemid=0 interview], [[Tahmoh Penikett]] confirms that [[Helo]] is Galactica's XO at the beginning of Season 3.
*In an [http://www.lucylawless.info/articles/2006/ew0606/index.html article] in the June 2006 issue of Entertainment Weekly, Tricia Helfer said that one Cylon character will be permanently killed.  This is probably [[Caprica-Six]], who was seen shot in the trailer that was screened at MTR (though it is unclear who shoots her).
**According to David Eick in an [http://www.lucylawless.info/articles/2006/tvguide0706/ article] in TVGuide, the Cylons ''themselves'' will execute the Cylon that permanently dies: "The notion of execution is repulsive to the Cylons...to reach that point with one of their own is a monumental event."  This could possibly refer to [[boxing]] (explained in "[[Downloaded]]"):  the Cylons feel that they are ethically superior to humans, so they felt that "boxing" a Cylon's consciousness - leaving it in cold storage and never loading it into a new body - was better than execution, even though they're practically the same. 
*According to an [http://podcasts.lvrocks.com/details.aspx?castid=5 interview] with [[Leah Cairns]] on June 27th, 2006, [[Margaret Edmondson|Racetrack]] is not trapped on New Caprica, but was on ''Galactica'' when it Jumped away with the Fleet.  She mentions that Racetrack appears in episodes 8 and 9, meaning she survives at least that long.
*According to the May 11th, 2006 IF Magazine interview with David Eick, Dualla is indeed married to Lee Adama after the "one year later" leap forward in time. Previously there was only speculation about this fact based on what seemed to be Dualla playing with a ring on her wedding finger during her scene on the Pegasus bridge during the season finale.
*At a [http://mboard.scifi.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=1833539&page=0&fpart=86&vc=1 convention appearance], [[Jamie Bamber]] said that we will find out in flashbacks what happened between Apollo and Starbuck that caused a rift between them, in episode 8 "[[Unfinished Business]]".  This will include a boxing scene in which Apollo and Starbuck beat the hell out of each other.
*An [http://www.nowplayingmag.com/content/view/4175/58/ interview] on July 13, 2006 with executive producer [[David Eick]] revealed much to come in season 3:
**Eick said that episode 7, "[[Hero]], "involves a human POW(likely played by Carl Lumbly of Alias as David Eick mentioned he would be in episode 7) who’s been trapped on the Cylon base ship for the last four years, and when we meet him we realize it’s a great homecoming for him because he was one of Adama’s pilots. But by the middle of the episode you realize the reason why this guy was taken prisoner was because Adama shot his ship down. And it becomes sort of an episode about why such a thing would have happened and how Adama begins to believe that on some level he might have been responsible for provoking the Cylon attack on the Twelve Colonies."
***Note:  Season 3 will occur roughly 2 years after the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]], so this past action by Adama occurred roughly 2 years before the Cylon attack.  This corresponds with the dates that known [[Cylon agent|humanoid Cylon]] infiltration of the Twelve Colonies commenced:  [[Caprica-Six]] was in a relationship with Baltar since 2 years before the attack, and Adama said that ''Galactica''-Sharon had been serving on his ship for 2 years.
**There will be a mid-season break between episodes 10 and 11.  However it will not be as long as the hiatus between "[[Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus]]" and "[[Resurrection Ship, Part I]]":  while that mid-season break lasted 4 months, this mid-season 3 break will last 1 month.
**Episodes 5 and 6 are a two-part story in which ''Galactica'' discovers a dying Cylon Baseship, and deals with a plague that has befallen the Cylons.
**Episode 8 will be a flashback episode dealing with events that transpired during the "One Year Later" time-jump.  Grace Park has previously revealed the name of this flashback episode (though not the airing order) in another interview:  its current title is "[[Unfinished Business]]".
**Episode 9 is not quite a standalone, not quite an arc episode:  it sets up/leads into the mid-season finale in episode 10 (similar to how "[[Colonial Day]]" led up to "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]" in Season 1, "[[Downloaded]]" led up to "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]", and (to an extent) "[[Flight of the Phoenix]]" introduced elements for "[[Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus]]"). }
***In a blog entry<ref name="blog20060727">[http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2006/07/#a001019 Ronald Moore's blog entry for July 27th, 2006]</ref>, [[Ronald Moore]] describes this episode entitled "The Passage", has "a harrowing voyage of the rag-tag fleet and focuses on Kat."
**The mid-season cliffhanger story, spanning episodes 10 and 11, will center on "discovering the next big clue on the road to Earth".
*A [[Season 3]] teaser was shown during the premiere of [http://www.scifi.com/eureka/ Eureka] on Sci-Fi Channel Tuesday, July 18. Details are [[User:Gougef/Season 3 Teaser | here]].
**It was the same trailer screened at MTR on June 2nd, however there were noticeable tweaks. To see a ''BattlestarWiki'' user's first hand report on the trailer from MTR, see [[User talk:The Merovingian#BattlestarWiki Roving Reporter|this page]].


*According to Edward James Olmos at the 2006 Comic-Con<ref>{{cite web|url=http://media33b.libsyn.com/m3dteJR2aHjHe5d%2BZXZxpJqtY3aY/podcasts/mb/tmbs-060722-sdcc_bsg.mov |title=Comic-Con 2006 |format=VID }}</ref> BSG panel, the Colonials will spread this virus throughout the Cylon fleet, causing a pandemic (paralleling real world current fears of the [[Wikipedia:H5N1|Avian Flu]]), in payback against the Cylons. Olmos also said that by the middle of Season 3 (which was at the time in the middle of filming) the total human [[Survivor Count]] has shrunk from over 49,000 pre-"[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]" to roughly 38,000.  At least several thousand must have died in the nuking of [[Cloud 9]] by [[Gina]], and presumably there are more casualties to come on New Caprica.
*A two-part story  has ''Galactica'' discover a dying Cylon baseship, and deals with a plague that has befallen the Cylons. The Colonials contemplate using the plague to exterminate the Cylons. ("[[Torn]]" and "[[A Measure of Salvation]]").
*Roslin returns to the presidency.<ref name="blog20060727"/>
*"[[Unfinished Business]]" reveals some of the events that transpired during the year-long time gap in "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]". One of the flashbacks shows what happened between Apollo and Starbuck that caused a rift between them, and involves a boxing match between them.
*According to Gateworld.net, the episode after [[Rapture]] is titled [[Taking a Break...]].
*The Fleet comes close to starvation and [[Louanne Katraine]] dies when leading a civilian ship to a [[algae planet|food source]] {{TRS|The Passage}}.
*In the October 2006 edition of ''SciFi'', the official magazine of the SciFi Channel, a photograph shows Starbuck and the cylon Leoben Conoy having dinner together. From this and other evidence{{citation needed}}, it appears that Starbuck will be forced to enact scenes of domesticity and other fraternization with the cylon who many believe is also the father of the child conceived from Starbuck's stolen ovary ("[[The Farm]]").
*The mid-season cliffhanger story, spanning episodes , centers on "discovering the next [[The Temple of Five|big clue]] on the road to Earth ("[[The Eye of Jupiter]]" and "[[Rapture]]").
*[[Number Three]] is permanently resigned by the Cylons themselves. Her entire line is [[boxed]]. Even the thought of execution is so repulsive to the Cylons that reaching this point is an extraordinary event for them.
*Hera is retrieved by Sharon Agathon. Caprica-Six is captured by the humans.
*[[Kara Thrace]] apparently dies in "[[Maelstrom]]".
*Baltar is captured by the Colonials {{TRS|The Eye of Jupiter}}, tortured for information about the Cylons {{TRS|Taking a Break From All Your Worries}} and put on trial for his actions on New Caprica {{TRS|Crossroads, Part I}}. Lee Adama's testimony in defense of Baltar turns the trial in favor of Baltar who is found not guilty.
*President Roslin's cancer returns.
*[[Samuel Anders]], [[Tory Foster]], [[Saul Tigh]], and [[Galen Tyrol]] discover that they are Cylons, though are unaware as to why (or even that they are members of the [[Final Five]]). 
*Kara Thrace returns under very mysterious circumstances.


==Cast==
==Cast==
Line 49: Line 106:
* [[Mary McDonnell]] as [[Laura Roslin]]
* [[Mary McDonnell]] as [[Laura Roslin]]
* [[Katee Sackhoff]] as [[Kara Thrace|Kara "Starbuck" Thrace]]
* [[Katee Sackhoff]] as [[Kara Thrace|Kara "Starbuck" Thrace]]
* [[Jamie Bamber]] as [[Lee Adama|Lee "Apollo" Adama]]
* [[Jamie Bamber]] as {{callsign|Apollo}}
* [[James Callis]] as [[Gaius Baltar|Gaius Baltar]]
* [[James Callis]] as [[Gaius Baltar|Gaius Baltar]]
* [[Tricia Helfer]] as [[Number Six]]
* [[Tricia Helfer]] as [[Number Six]]
Line 72: Line 129:
* [[Ronald D. Moore]] - Developer / Executive Producer / Writer
* [[Ronald D. Moore]] - Developer / Executive Producer / Writer
* [[David Eick]] - Executive Producer
* [[David Eick]] - Executive Producer
* [[Toni Graphia]] - Co-Executive Producer / Writer
* [[Michael Angeli]] - Co-Executive Producer / Writer
* [[Harvey Frand]] - Producer
* [[Mark Verheiden]] - Co-Executive Producer / Writer
* [[Harvey Frand]] - Supervising Producer
* [[Michael Taylor]] - Supervising Producer
* [[Glen A. Larson]] - Consulting Producer
* [[Glen A. Larson]] - Consulting Producer
* [[Ron E. French]] - Line Producer
* [[Bradley Thompson]] - Producer
* [[David Weddle]] - Producer
* [[Michael Rymer]] - Producer / Director
* [[Paul M. Leonard]] - Co-Producer


===Directors & Writing Staff===
===Directors & Writing Staff===
: ''To view the list of all the directors and staff, go to the [[Portal:Battlestar Galactica (RDM)/Crew#Directors|Battlestar Galactica Crew Guide]] page.''
: ''To view the list of all the directors and staff, go to the [[Portal:Battlestar Galactica (RDM)/Crew#Directors|Battlestar Galactica Crew Guide]] page.''
====Directors====
*[[Michael Rymer]] - 7 episodes
*[[Sergio Mimica-Gezzan]] - 3 episodes
*[[Félix Enríquez Alcalá]] - 2 episodes
*[[Michael Nankin]] - 2 episodes
*[[Jean de Segonzac]] - 1 episode
*[[Bill Eagles]] - 1 episode
*[[Robert Young]] - 1 episode
*[[Edward James Olmos]] - 1 episode
*[[Rod Hardy]] - 1 episode
*[[Wayne Rose]] - 1 episode
====Writers====
*[[Bradley Thompson]] - 4 episodes
*[[David Weddle]] - 4 episodes
*[[Mark Verheiden]] - 4 episodes
*[[Michael Angeli]] - 3 episodes
*[[Ronald D. Moore]] - 2 episodes
*[[Jane Espenson]] - 2 episodes
*[[Michael Taylor]] - 2 episodes
*[[David Eick]] - 1 episode
*[[Michael Young]] - 1 episode
*[[Anne Cofell Saunders]] - 1 episode / Story Editor
*[[Seamus Kevin Fahey]] - Writing Assistant


==Episodes==
==Episodes==
: ''To view the list of episodes, go to the [[Portal:Battlestar Galactica (RDM)/Episode Guide#Season 3: October 2006|Battlestar Galactica Episode Guide]] page.''
: ''To view the list of episodes, go to the [[Portal:Battlestar Galactica (RDM)/Episode Guide - Season 3 Guide|Battlestar Galactica Episode Guide]] page.''


== Official Statements ==
== Official Statements ==


*An official notice of Season Three was announced on SciFi Wire on March 9, 2006.  Excerpt follows:
* ''[[David Eick]] discusses the season:''


::SCI FI Channel announced that its hit original series 'Battlestar Galactica 'will return in October with a full 20-episode third season. Production on the third season begins in Vancouver, Canada, in '''April 2006'''.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=34893 |title=Galactica Returns In Fall |website=SciFi.com | date=2006-03-09  }}</ref>
: The opening episodes to this season are as much a story rooted in political tales like the Vichy France or Vietnam. There are a lot of different sort of reference points for us that aren't necessarily current that inform our culture in profound ways. Battles from the second world war have been used for several of our more actiony episodes. I've always said from the beginning, it's a war show - that was always our initial touchstone. We watched the movie ''[[w:Black Hawk Down|Black Hawk Down]]'' as a reference more than any science fiction film. Though I have to say between ''Black Hawk Down'', ''[[w:Alien (film)|Alien]]'' and ''[[w:Blade Runner|Blade Runner]]'', we should probably be cutting [[w:Ridley Scott|Ridley Scott]] a cheque after every episode.<ref name="eick_guardian">{{cite_web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguide/features/story/0,,1987999,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=21#article_continue|title=Battlestar Galactica, the only award-winning drama that dares tackle the war on terror|date=13 January 2007|accessdate=22 June 2007|last=|first=|format=|language=}}</ref>


=== From RDM's blog ([http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2006/03/#a000409 March 26, 2006]) ===
*''[[Lucy Lawless]] discusses the changes in the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] culture:''
: Right. You see the schism starting to happen. Basically, its individuation, where as before there was all a collective thought and consensus about everything they were doing. Its like the humans are the serpent in the garden and the mere contact with them has splintered the Cylon collective psyche and everyone is individual again, even within each model. They do not know how to handle individuality; it’s a great threat to their way of life and their programming.{{citation needed}}


* '''Regarding [[William Adama]] and the reduction of the Colonial military:'''
* ''[[Jamie Bamber]] discusses being "Fat Lee":''


: '' "What happened to Adama in the season finale to change him so much? Why would a man who spent decades of his adult life standing watch for the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] return suddenly give in and allow the military to stand down? How could he convince himself that the Cylons weren't coming back after 1 year when the last time they waited 40 years? He knew settlement was wrong so why didn't he offer any resistance? "''
: I am [glad that Lee's skinny again]. Having said that, I really enjoyed it. The first few times I did it, it was so exciting to put on that different look and to change the character and go there with it. It got a little stale the 12th time. I spent a lot of my life in that makeup trailer. But I'm glad we did it, and I enjoyed the challenge. There are only so many facial gestures you can get away with when your face is half gelatin. I think it was a bold move on the part of the producers and I think it is why our show works, because we do stuff like that.<ref name="TV Guide">{{cite_web|url=http://www.tvguide.com/News-Views/Interviews-Features/Article/default.aspx?posting=%7BAC4FC1D4-115F-457C-8E4A-01A539D77D39%7D|title=''Galactica'''s Jamie Bamber Visits a Heavenly ''Ghost''|date=23 February 2007|accessdate=23 February 2007|last=Cohn|first=Angel|format=|language=}}</ref>


: I think people have a remarkable ability to convince themselves of just about anything. Adama, like everyone else in [[The Fleet (RDM)|the fleet]], had been constantly on the run, constantly under stress, and constantly in danger of losing his life for months on end, with virtually no break from the metal walls surrounding him day in and day out. When, finally, the people decided to end the long sojourn and settle on [[New Caprica]], he had little choice but to comply with the results of a democratic election which hinged on that very question. And as the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, people began to relax, to believe that maybe they had really turned a corner, had really found a place to lay down their burdens and start a new life. Adama was just as vulnerable to that attractive idea as anyone else, and as the men and women under him began to clamor for a new life, as the political leadership of New Caprica began to demand more and more military resources to support the civilian population, there came the point where Adama began to believe in the mirage too. He's not perfect. He never was. He couldn't bring himself to leave his ship, but as age and fatigue began to set in, he started to let down his guard just a little -- not all at once and never completely, but just enough.
* ''Bamber discusses being a lawyer prosecuting Baltar:''


: There were also practical considerations. He was entirely alone out here. No Admiralty to call for reinforcements or intelligence, no Justice Ministry to prosecute soldiers who simply never came back from the surface of [[New Caprica]], and no friendly ear in the office of the president to get needed resources for the military ships maintaining their lonely vigil up in orbit. He was alone and he was tired. It's almost as simple as that.
: Amazing stuff! Talk about [[Crossroads, Part I|getting out of the uniform]]. I get to wear a civilian suit towards the end. I do a bit of playing the lawyer. He has a real sort of [moment] at the end where he gets prodded and pursued by so many different people that he finally comes out and says exactly what is on his mind [[Crossroads, Part II|in a very high-profile situation]]. I think it is quite dramatic. He's got a new relationship with [[Romo Lampkin|a new character]] that is coming in, a male character who is very different from any character we've seen before. He becomes an alternate mentor to Apollo. There's a lot going on.<ref name="TV Guide"/>


: I remember one of my most vivid memories from the immediate post 9/11 period was opening up the newspaper and reading about a physical confrontation in the streets between members of the New York police department and the New York fire department. It was heartbreaking, it was infuriating and it was illuminating. People are people. Enormous events happen, history pivots around us and we tell ourselves that everything has changed, that we're irrevocably different from this day forward -- until the next time everything changes. Adama made a mistake. They all did. And as he is wont to say, they will all have to live with it.
* ''[[Michael Rymer]] responds to the change in the tone for the later half of season three:''


* '''Concerning [[Lee Adama]]'s changes:'''
: I tracked that response and I found it very educational. We had always talked about ways to do more "bottle shows" - stories that were self-contained, that resolved themselves with a beginning, middle and an end. What I didn't understand until I heard the feedback was that our show doesn't work like that. Its a piece of epic poetry that meanders along like "[[w:Illiad|The Illiad]]" or perhaps more relevant, "[[w:Odyssey|The Odyssey]]". It can have "cycles" of story that build and resolve themselves, but the "bottle show" is not organic to what we do well. I think "[[Collaborators]]" is about as self-contained as we can go. I like that show a lot. I'm very happy with "[[Hero]]" and "[[The Woman King]]," but I can see why a fan of the big story would be frustrated and pissed off.<ref>{{cite_web|url=http://www.thescifiworld.net/interviews/michael_rymer_01.htm|title=Michael Rymer interview at The Scifi World|date=5 May 2007|accessdate=29 May 2007|last=Nuytens|first=Gilles|format=|language=}}</ref>


: ''"What is up with the pudgified Apollo? Too much chunky munky B&J?"''
* ''[[Ronald D. Moore]] discusses feedback regarding the stand-alone episodes:''
: Yeah, I thought [that criticism regarding the quality issues with season three's standalone episodes] was a valid criticism, and I think ultimately that provides the answer for the show about how much serialized [episodes we do] versus non-serialized. I don't know that it was a direct result of there being 20 episodes instead of 13, but certainly having a longer order, we said, okay, maybe there's a few here that are more stand-alone and are more accessible to people who aren't following the story as [closely]. There were a couple of good ones in those stand-alones, but by and large I'd say our serialized storytelling is more successful.<ref name="ew rdm">{{cite_web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20036782_20037403_20015932_2,00.html|title=Four-ward, Cylons: RONALD D MOORE|date=|accessdate=31 May 2007|last=|first=|format=|language=}}</ref>


: We're going to hint at some of the reasons for Lee's physical, er... changes in the first few episodes, then deal with it in more detail later. Overall, we're going to be hinting at a lot of things that happened in the intervening year over the first few episodes, then do more stuff with it later, as the season progresses.
=== From RDM's blog ([http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2006/03/#a000409 March 26, 2006]) ===


* '''Regarding [[Saul Tigh]]'s role in season three:'''
* '''Regarding [[William Adama]] and the reduction of the Colonial military:'''


: Anyway, I think you'll be happy to know that we've got some real meaty stuff planned for the Colonel in the first few episodes. I also felt that we didn't use Tigh as effectively in the later part of [[Season 2 (2005-06)|Season Two]], and I was eager to get him back into the thick of things. He's got a sizable role in the initial episodes, and there are some enormous changes and shocks coming for his character next season.
: '' "What happened to Adama in the season finale to change him so much? Why would a man who spent decades of his adult life standing watch for the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] return suddenly give in and allow the military to stand down? How could he convince himself that the Cylons weren't coming back after 1 year when the last time they waited 40 years? He knew settlement was wrong so why didn't he offer any resistance? "''


* '''Regarding the role of [[Tom Zarek]]:'''
: I think people have a remarkable ability to convince themselves of just about anything. Adama, like everyone else in [[The Fleet (RDM)|the fleet]], had been constantly on the run, constantly under stress, and constantly in danger of losing his life for months on end, with virtually no break from the metal walls surrounding him day in and day out. When, finally, the people decided to end the long sojourn and settle on [[New Caprica]], he had little choice but to comply with the results of a democratic election which hinged on that very question. And as the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, people began to relax, to believe that maybe they had really turned a corner, had really found a place to lay down their burdens and start a new life. Adama was just as vulnerable to that attractive idea as anyone else, and as the men and women under him began to clamor for a new life, as the political leadership of New Caprica began to demand more and more military resources to support the civilian population, there came the point where Adama began to believe in the mirage too. He's not perfect. He never was. He couldn't bring himself to leave his ship, but as age and fatigue began to set in, he started to let down his guard just a little&mdash;not all at once and never completely, but just enough.
 
: ''"What happened to Zarek? Given his help getting [[Gaius Baltar|Baltar]] elected, I would have expected him to have recieved a pretty nice 'reward', perhaps as VP? Did Baltar even have a VP? We never see Zarek post-election or a year later on [[New Caprica]]. Given Zarak's penchant for political mayhem, I would think that his fate would be one of significant interest. Perhaps we will see this early in Season 3? "''
 
:You will be seeing Zarek again and early in the season. He was the Vice President, but his relationship with Baltar went south relatively quickly, and he simply refused to cooperate once the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] occupation began.


: There were also practical considerations. He was entirely alone out here. No Admiralty to call for reinforcements or intelligence, no Justice Ministry to prosecute soldiers who simply never came back from the surface of [[New Caprica]], and no friendly ear in the office of the president to get needed resources for the military ships maintaining their lonely vigil up in orbit. He was alone and he was tired. It's almost as simple as that.


: I remember one of my most vivid memories from the immediate post 9/11 period was opening up the newspaper and reading about a physical confrontation in the streets between members of the New York police department and the New York fire department. It was heartbreaking, it was infuriating and it was illuminating. People are people. Enormous events happen, history pivots around us and we tell ourselves that everything has changed, that we're irrevocably different from this day forward&mdash;until the next time everything changes. Adama made a mistake. They all did. And as he is wont to say, they will all have to live with it.


== References ==
== References ==
<div style="font-size:85%"><references/></div>
{{sourcebox|Scifi Neilsen Press Release for Season 3}}
{{reflist}}


==Related Topics==
==Related Topics==
* [[List of Season 3 Guest Actors (RDM)]]
* [[List of Season 3 Guest Actors (RDM)]]
* [[List of Recurring Characters (RDM)]]
* [[List of Recurring Character Appearances (RDM)]]
* [[List of Recurring Character Appearances (RDM)]]
{{season list (RDM)}}
{{episode list (RDM season 3)}}
{{episode list (RDM season 3)}}


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[[Category:RDM]]
[[Category:Episode Guide (RDM)|*]]
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[[fr:Saison 3 (2006-07)]]

Latest revision as of 17:51, 24 February 2024

Season Three
Season Three
A season of the Re-imagined Series
Discuss this season at the Battlestar Forum
Number of Episodes 20 (list)
Executive Producer(s) Ronald D. Moore
David Eick
US airdates USA 2006-10-06 — 2007-03-25
CAN airdates CAN 2006-10-07 — 2007-03-25
UK airdates UK 2007-01-09 — 2007-05-01
DVD release USA USA 2008-03-25
UK UK 2007-09-03
AUS AUS 2007-11-21
Starting Population 49,550 survivors
Ending Population 41,399 survivors (Population decline. 8,151)
Extended Info
Season Chronology
Previous Next
Season 2 (2005-06) Season 3 (2006-07) Season 4 (2008)
Related Information
Official Summaries
R&D Skits – View
Podcasts - Transcripts - Audio
IMDb entry
Promotional Material
The Resistance
Online Purchasing
Available at Amazon.com's Unbox – [ Purchase]


Summary[edit]

The stranded Colonials struggle to survive under the brutal Cylon rule of New Caprica, but when Galactica returns to save humanity, the fledgling Fleet resumes its search for Earth. The Cylons, after losing control on New Caprica, depart on their own mysterious quest for Earth.

Story[edit]

The Occupation[edit]

Four months have passed since the events of "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II". On New Caprica a Cylon occupation, akin to Vichy France, is in full swing. The head of the colonial government, Gaius Baltar, reduced to the role of a puppet leader, colludes (albeit, unwillingly) with the Cylons.

The oppression rouses a resistance, led by Colonel Tigh, who task themselves with the objective of disrupting the Cylon occupation force. Laura Roslin, though supportive of the resistance, focuses on concealing Hera from the Cylons.

During this time, Kara Thrace has been held in captivity by Leoben Conoy, who subjects her to psychological and manipulative torture. He presents to her a child, claiming it to be her own; the result of the removal of one of her ovaries inseminated with his sperm (or his Cylon analogy of sperm). Kara eventually etablishes a motherly connection with the girl, and apparently accepts the child, Kacey, as her daughter.

Meanwhile, Galactica and Pegasus, at a safe distance from New Caprica, are preparing to enact plans to rescue the colonists. Admiral Adama, frustrated with the situation, attempts to spur himself and his crew to action. He orders his son, Lee Adama, commander of Pegasus, to stay behind with the rest of the civilian fleet; now a mere 2000 people. Galactica will attempt the rescue and in case of failure, Pegasus will continue the search for Earth with the remnants of the Fleet.

On New Caprica, the humans continue to be subjected to horrific conditions and many must endure torture, notably Colonel Tigh. A police force is created by the Cylons to tackle the resistance, composed of colonists opposed to it. The fact that humans are collaborating with the Cylons disgusts members of the resistance and they plan revenge. They recruit Duck, a former Viper pilot and hopeless widower, as a suicide bomber and enlist him in the New Caprica Police. Upon his graduation he detonates an explosive vest killing some collaborators and destroying some Cylon bodies in the process.

In response to the suicide bombing, the Cylons try to impose order and force President Baltar to sign a mass execution order. Amongst those rounded up for execution are Laura Roslin and Cally Tyrol. However, the resistance is able to rescue the prisoners before they are killed due to a source in Baltar's administration providing details of the event ("Occupation" through "Exodus, Part I").

Exodus[edit]

Galactica successfully contacts the resistance and coordinates an escape plan. The resistance shepherds the colonists to the grounded civilian ships, while simultaneously setting off wide-spread explosions all over the city to distract the Cylons. With the ground battle engulfing the whole city, Galactica jumps into the atmosphere below Cylon DRADIS range and while falling "like a rock," launches Vipers to protect the evacuating colonists before jumping back into orbit. Laura Roslin retakes Colonial One, and the evacuee ships jump to safety. But Galactica, outnumbered four to one, is near destruction. Fortunately Pegasus joins the battle against orders and attacks the Cylon fleet, allowing Galactica to escape. In the process, Lee Adama sacrifices Pegasus, destroying two more basestars in a deliberate collision after he and the crew escape in Raptors.

On New Caprica, Baltar, Caprica-Six and Number Three, find baby Hera crying in the arms of her dead mother. Taking the baby and Baltar with them, the Cylon fleet leaves New Caprica.

The reunification of the Fleet is a bittersweet one; many colonists have had their lives left in tatters. For instance, Colonel Tigh, forced to kill his wife, is in the deepest of inner turmoil, and Starbuck is forced to come to terms with the tragic realization that Kacey Brynn is not her daughter after all, after her real mother is revealed following the escape (TRS: "Exodus, Part II").

Trials and Tribulations[edit]

The aftermath of the Exodus is marred by the sufferings and betrayals that occured on New Caprica. Tom Zarek, who legitamately succeeds Gaius Baltar as President, commissions the Circle, a secret tribunal of ex-resistance members, to try and convict collaborators. Amongst the members of this group are Saul Tigh, Galen Tyrol and later Kara Thrace. Over a dozen death penalties, carried out via venting through the launch tubes into space, lead Laura Roslin to notice the steady flow of disappearences, which include Jammer. Tom Zarek explains the situation to her, and she is less than impressed. They make a succession deal which leads to her resumption of the presidency, and as a thank you to Zarek she recruits him as Vice President. Upon her inaurguration as President she controversially declares that all collaborators are pardoned and dissolves the Circle, signalling a new start for the Fleet and its citizens (TRS: "Collaborators").

The search for Earth in jeopardy[edit]

The Fleet gleans a new direction to Earth from Baltar's scientific notes, but the Cylons gain this information directly from Baltar himself. The Cylons find themselves victim to a plague, and the Colonials attempt and fail to capitalize on weaponizing the disease. After a harrowing passage to find foodstuffs, the Fleet and the Cylons meet, by a strange coincidence, over a planet once used as a waystation for the Thirteenth Tribe. There, a mysterious temple attracted both Cylon and Colonial alike, albeit for differing reasons by a Number Three and Gaius Baltar. Before the Temple is destroyed as its home star begins to nova, Baltar is recaptured by the Colonials, Hera Agathon is rescued, and the humans appear to have the upper hand in the path to Earth. A strange revelation finds Kara Thrace questioning the words of a Leoben Cylon about her "special destiny."

On the way to the next expected waypoint, the Ionian nebula, the Fleet manages a fuel crisis and takes time out to refuel. An unknown compulsion results in the death of Kara Thrace during a patrol, leaving many of her friends grief-stricken for weeks.

Gaius Baltar is tortured and later put to trial, but is acquitted when Lee Adama provides a stern testimony to the faults of many other leaders of the Fleet and how they were never brought to trial. During testimony, Laura Roslin admits to returning to chamalla treatments as part of a renewed battle against her cancer.

As the Fleet approaches the nebula, four Colonials, Samuel Anders, Tory Foster, Galen Tyrol, and Saul Tigh experience hallucinations of music. As the Fleet arrived at the Ionian nebula, the music drew the four together to meet, where they are shocked to realize that they are Cylons themselves. Despite the shock, the four return to their duties.

The Fleet loses all electrical power briefly on arrival, and President Roslin nearly faints. Moments later, a Cylon fleet enters the system and Galactica manages to scramble alert fighters. Apollo detects a target and pursues it, and reunites, in amazement, with the believed-dead Kara Thrace, who tells him that she can lead the Fleet to Earth.

Major Plotlines[edit]

  • The relationship between Karl "Helo" Agathon and Sharon continues. Helo is Galactica's XO at the beginning of Season 3 ("Occupation," "Precipice").
  • Dualla is indeed married to Lee Adama after the "one year later" leap forward in time (TRS: "Occupation").
  • The humans on New Caprica are freed from the Cylons, but the price is high. Pegasus is destroyed, Saul Tigh loses an eye and forced to kill his wife, Hera falls into the hand of the Cylons. Baltar joins the Cylons. Roughly 2000 people die ("Occupation" trough "Exodus, Part II").
  • The presidential succession:
    • Zarek was indeed Baltar's Vice-President, but the relationship soured rather quickly with Zarek refusing to cooperate completely after the occupation (TRS: "Exodus, Part I").
    • He initially becomes President, but realizes he would not be allowed, due to his past, to remain in office. He creates a secret tribunal, albeit legal according to military law, to try and sentence collaborators, in order to rid the Fleet of the worst of the collaborators, while still keeping President Roslin's term free of any scandal.
    • Roslin returns to the presidency, but makes Zarek her Vice President (TRS: "Collaborators").
  • There is a large storyline told exclusively from the Cylons' (and Baltar's) point of view ("Collaborators" through "Rapture").
  • Not all of the Cylons may believe that Baltar is the Hand of God, "Guardian of the New Order," etc., and he himself begins to question whether he is a Cylon ("Torn," "The Passage").
  • A two-part story has Galactica discover a dying Cylon baseship, and deals with a plague that has befallen the Cylons. The Colonials contemplate using the plague to exterminate the Cylons. ("Torn" and "A Measure of Salvation").
  • "Unfinished Business" reveals some of the events that transpired during the year-long time gap in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II". One of the flashbacks shows what happened between Apollo and Starbuck that caused a rift between them, and involves a boxing match between them.
  • The Fleet comes close to starvation and Louanne Katraine dies when leading a civilian ship to a food source (TRS: "The Passage").
  • The mid-season cliffhanger story, spanning episodes , centers on "discovering the next big clue on the road to Earth ("The Eye of Jupiter" and "Rapture").
  • Number Three is permanently resigned by the Cylons themselves. Her entire line is boxed. Even the thought of execution is so repulsive to the Cylons that reaching this point is an extraordinary event for them.
  • Hera is retrieved by Sharon Agathon. Caprica-Six is captured by the humans.
  • Kara Thrace apparently dies in "Maelstrom".
  • Baltar is captured by the Colonials (TRS: "The Eye of Jupiter"), tortured for information about the Cylons (TRS: "Taking a Break From All Your Worries") and put on trial for his actions on New Caprica (TRS: "Crossroads, Part I"). Lee Adama's testimony in defense of Baltar turns the trial in favor of Baltar who is found not guilty.
  • President Roslin's cancer returns.
  • Samuel Anders, Tory Foster, Saul Tigh, and Galen Tyrol discover that they are Cylons, though are unaware as to why (or even that they are members of the Final Five).
  • Kara Thrace returns under very mysterious circumstances.

Cast[edit]

Stars[edit]

Co-stars[edit]

Production Crew[edit]

Producers[edit]

Directors & Writing Staff[edit]

To view the list of all the directors and staff, go to the Battlestar Galactica Crew Guide page.

Directors[edit]

Writers[edit]

Episodes[edit]

To view the list of episodes, go to the Battlestar Galactica Episode Guide page.

Official Statements[edit]

The opening episodes to this season are as much a story rooted in political tales like the Vichy France or Vietnam. There are a lot of different sort of reference points for us that aren't necessarily current that inform our culture in profound ways. Battles from the second world war have been used for several of our more actiony episodes. I've always said from the beginning, it's a war show - that was always our initial touchstone. We watched the movie Black Hawk Down as a reference more than any science fiction film. Though I have to say between Black Hawk Down, Alien and Blade Runner, we should probably be cutting Ridley Scott a cheque after every episode.[1]
Right. You see the schism starting to happen. Basically, its individuation, where as before there was all a collective thought and consensus about everything they were doing. Its like the humans are the serpent in the garden and the mere contact with them has splintered the Cylon collective psyche and everyone is individual again, even within each model. They do not know how to handle individuality; it’s a great threat to their way of life and their programming.[citation needed]
I am [glad that Lee's skinny again]. Having said that, I really enjoyed it. The first few times I did it, it was so exciting to put on that different look and to change the character and go there with it. It got a little stale the 12th time. I spent a lot of my life in that makeup trailer. But I'm glad we did it, and I enjoyed the challenge. There are only so many facial gestures you can get away with when your face is half gelatin. I think it was a bold move on the part of the producers and I think it is why our show works, because we do stuff like that.[2]
  • Bamber discusses being a lawyer prosecuting Baltar:
Amazing stuff! Talk about getting out of the uniform. I get to wear a civilian suit towards the end. I do a bit of playing the lawyer. He has a real sort of [moment] at the end where he gets prodded and pursued by so many different people that he finally comes out and says exactly what is on his mind in a very high-profile situation. I think it is quite dramatic. He's got a new relationship with a new character that is coming in, a male character who is very different from any character we've seen before. He becomes an alternate mentor to Apollo. There's a lot going on.[2]
  • Michael Rymer responds to the change in the tone for the later half of season three:
I tracked that response and I found it very educational. We had always talked about ways to do more "bottle shows" - stories that were self-contained, that resolved themselves with a beginning, middle and an end. What I didn't understand until I heard the feedback was that our show doesn't work like that. Its a piece of epic poetry that meanders along like "The Illiad" or perhaps more relevant, "The Odyssey". It can have "cycles" of story that build and resolve themselves, but the "bottle show" is not organic to what we do well. I think "Collaborators" is about as self-contained as we can go. I like that show a lot. I'm very happy with "Hero" and "The Woman King," but I can see why a fan of the big story would be frustrated and pissed off.[3]
Yeah, I thought [that criticism regarding the quality issues with season three's standalone episodes] was a valid criticism, and I think ultimately that provides the answer for the show about how much serialized [episodes we do] versus non-serialized. I don't know that it was a direct result of there being 20 episodes instead of 13, but certainly having a longer order, we said, okay, maybe there's a few here that are more stand-alone and are more accessible to people who aren't following the story as [closely]. There were a couple of good ones in those stand-alones, but by and large I'd say our serialized storytelling is more successful.[4]

From RDM's blog (March 26, 2006)[edit]

  • Regarding William Adama and the reduction of the Colonial military:
"What happened to Adama in the season finale to change him so much? Why would a man who spent decades of his adult life standing watch for the Cylon return suddenly give in and allow the military to stand down? How could he convince himself that the Cylons weren't coming back after 1 year when the last time they waited 40 years? He knew settlement was wrong so why didn't he offer any resistance? "
I think people have a remarkable ability to convince themselves of just about anything. Adama, like everyone else in the fleet, had been constantly on the run, constantly under stress, and constantly in danger of losing his life for months on end, with virtually no break from the metal walls surrounding him day in and day out. When, finally, the people decided to end the long sojourn and settle on New Caprica, he had little choice but to comply with the results of a democratic election which hinged on that very question. And as the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, people began to relax, to believe that maybe they had really turned a corner, had really found a place to lay down their burdens and start a new life. Adama was just as vulnerable to that attractive idea as anyone else, and as the men and women under him began to clamor for a new life, as the political leadership of New Caprica began to demand more and more military resources to support the civilian population, there came the point where Adama began to believe in the mirage too. He's not perfect. He never was. He couldn't bring himself to leave his ship, but as age and fatigue began to set in, he started to let down his guard just a little—not all at once and never completely, but just enough.
There were also practical considerations. He was entirely alone out here. No Admiralty to call for reinforcements or intelligence, no Justice Ministry to prosecute soldiers who simply never came back from the surface of New Caprica, and no friendly ear in the office of the president to get needed resources for the military ships maintaining their lonely vigil up in orbit. He was alone and he was tired. It's almost as simple as that.
I remember one of my most vivid memories from the immediate post 9/11 period was opening up the newspaper and reading about a physical confrontation in the streets between members of the New York police department and the New York fire department. It was heartbreaking, it was infuriating and it was illuminating. People are people. Enormous events happen, history pivots around us and we tell ourselves that everything has changed, that we're irrevocably different from this day forward—until the next time everything changes. Adama made a mistake. They all did. And as he is wont to say, they will all have to live with it.

References[edit]

File:BSG WIKI Sources.png
 Sources for this page may be located at:
  1. ↑ Battlestar Galactica, the only award-winning drama that dares tackle the war on terror (backup available on Archive.org) (in ). (13 January 2007). Retrieved on 22 June 2007.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cohn, Angel (23 February 2007). Galactica's Jamie Bamber Visits a Heavenly Ghost (backup available on Archive.org) (in ). Retrieved on 23 February 2007.
  3. ↑ Nuytens, Gilles (5 May 2007). Michael Rymer interview at The Scifi World (backup available on Archive.org) (in ). Retrieved on 29 May 2007.
  4. ↑ Four-ward, Cylons: RONALD D MOORE (backup available on Archive.org) (in ). Retrieved on 31 May 2007.

Related Topics[edit]

Re-imagined Battlestar Galactica Season List


Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 | Season 4


Battlestar Galactica (Re-imagined) Season 3 (2006-2007) Episode List


Battlestar Galactica (Re-imagined) Webisodes: Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance

< Previous Season Episode | Occupation | Precipice | Exodus, Part I | Exodus, Part II | Collaborators | Torn | A Measure of Salvation | Hero | Unfinished Business | The Passage | The Eye of Jupiter | Rapture | Taking a Break From All Your Worries | The Woman King | A Day in the Life | Dirty Hands | Maelstrom | The Son Also Rises | Crossroads, Part I | Crossroads, Part II | Next Season Episode >

Re-imagined Series definition: pseudo-civilian law enforcement agency overseen by the Cylon Occupation Authority on New Caprica, see: New Caprica Police (TRS: "Occupation")

Re-imagined Series definition: "Direction, Range, and Distance", Colonial equivalent of radar or lidar

Re-imagined Series definition: the process of using the FTL engines to make an near-instantaneous apparent faster-than-light transport of a ship from one point in space to another

Original Series definition: a Colonial court hearing (see: Law of the Twelve Colonies)

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