Battlestar Wiki - User contributions [en]

Miniseries, Night 1

2005-08-13T11:53:34Z

Stompy: /* The Infanticide Debate */

== Overview ==

: ''After 40 years of peace with the Humanity's bastard children, the [[Cylons]], Humanity finds itself victim of a genocidal attack and the survivors are forced to flee from their [[Twelve Colonies | twelve colonies]] in the Cyrannus system.''

== Backplot ==



* The [[Cylons]] were created by the [[Colonials]] as a labor and military force. 40 years prior, the Cylons turned on their Human creators and the [[Cylon War]] ensued. The Cylons were exiled from the [[12 Colonies]] and were never seen again in any known form.
* The [[Galactica|Battlestar Galactica]] is the last relic from the Cylon War and is being decomissioned. It was slated to be turned into a museum piece.
* The Colonies, who were once technophobic due to the Cylons, are recovering from their phobia and are integrating technology back into their normal lives and, as a result, military crafts.
* The Cylons are capable of infiltrating any networked computer system and disrupting electrical equipment.
* The Colonials descended from a mother world, known as [[Kobol]].
* There is a myth about a [[Earth|13th Colony of Kobol]], known as [[Earth]].

== Questions ==



* What happened to the Cylons over the course of their 40 year exile?
* What events transpired that made the [[Cylons]] hate their human masters? When did this occur?
* Where is the Cylon homeworld?
* Are there other life forms or powers that exist in the universe?
* Does Earth truly exist, despite Cmdr. [[Adama, William|Adama's]] disbelief?
* What happened to [[Helo]] on [[Caprica]]? ([[33|Answer]])
* We know of 7 of 12 Cylon models: [[Valerii, Sharon|Boomer]], [[Number 6]], [[Doral, Aaron|Aaron Doral]], [[Cylon Centurion Model 0005]], [[Cylon Raider]], [[Cylon Warrior]], and [[Conoy, Leoben|Leoben Conoy]]. What are the other 5?
* If the Cylons hate Humanity with the passion that they do, why did they mimic human form? Was it for strategic purposes or was there something greater?

== Analysis ==

{{expansion}}



=== Noted Changes from the Original ===

* The basic story is still present: robotic [[Cylons]] surprisingly attack the 12 Colonies resulting in a holocaust, thus forcing a "rag-tag, fugitive fleet" to coalesce around the last surviving [[battlestar]], [[Galactica]], to seek a mythical [[13th Colony]] where refugees hope to find shelter from the [[Cylons]]. However, many of the fine details are changed, such as:
** The Cylons were created by Humanity, not by a reptilian race (also called Cylons) who hated Humanity.
** The ''Galactica'' is a 50 year old relic on the verge of decommission.
** The names of "Apollo", "Boomer", and "Starbuck" are changed to call signs. Characters have the standard First, Middle and Last Names.
** The futuristic (and often confusing) terminology used to denote distances, measuring, and time in the original series have been replaced with understandable terminology. "Year" was known as a "yahren" in the original.
** The ship designs, save for some revisions to the [[Viper|Mark II Viper]] and the [[Galactica]] and a few noteworthy background ships (such as the [[Freighter Gemenon]] and the [[Botanical Ship]], have been redone.
** The [[Quorum of Twelve]], is not mentioned in the mini-series, and has apparently been replaced by a setup similar to the United States [[WikiPedia:executive branch|executive branch]]. There is a president, vice president, and secretaries (the [[Quorum of Twelve|Quorum]] does not make an appearance until episode 1.11 [[Colonial Day]], in which it appears somewhat similar to the
** Instead of the out worldly, Egyptian-esque clothing and city designs (i.e. pyramids) seen in the original, the clothing and cities are more contemporary in design and function.
* The relationships and characters from the original have been changed slighly as well.
** [[Boomer (TOS)|Boomer]], who was played as a male character by [[Herb Jefferson Jr.]] in the original, is now the call-sign of a female Lieutenant [[Valerii, Sharon|Sharon Valerii]] ([[Park, Grace|Grace Park]]).
** [[Starbuck]], who was played as a male character by [[Dirk Benedict]] in the original, is now the call-sign of a female Lieutenant [[Thrace, Kara|Kara Thrace]] ([[Katee Sackhoff]])
** "Adama" is now a surname.
** The character of [[Adama (TOS)|Adama]], potrayed by [[Lorne Greene]] in the original, now is known as [[Adama, William|William "Husker" Adama]] ([[Edward James Olmos]]). He is a man about to retire, is estranged from his son [[Adama, Lee|Lee]], and is not as religious as the original portrayal of Adama.
** [[Apollo]], portrayed by [[Original Series]] continuation activist [[Richard Hatch]], is the call sign of [[Adama, Lee|Lee Adama]] ([[Jamie Bamber]]). He is a flawed character who is estranged from his father, believing him to be ultimately responsible for the death of [[Adama, Zak|Zack Adama]], and is questioning his life's choices.
** [[Baltar (TOS)|Baltar]], who was willingly complicit in the destruction of the [[12 Colonies]] due to his thirst for power, is now a computer genius whose fullname is [[Baltar, Gaius|Gaius Baltar]]. Instead of being the imposing, methodical and mischevious Baltar (portrayed by the late [[John Colicos]]), Gaius ([[James Callis]]) is a cowardly, egotistical man whose ultimate falling for bombshell women is his fait accompli.  His betrayal of the human race was, mostly, due to his lust for [[Number 6]], whom he allowed unfettered access to the [[Colonial Defense Mainframe]].
** The character of Colonel [[Tigh (TOS)|Tigh]], portrayed by [[Terry Carter]], is now separated from his wife and seeing out the rest of his career from inside a bottle in the form of Colonel [[Tigh, Saul|Saul Tigh]] ([[Michael Hogan]]) who hasn't seen military action in a long while.
* The show has taken a more realistic turn. Realistic science, which was painfully absent in the original series, is applied in this series. From the movement of the space vessels to the tactics used in space, to even the noticeably diminished sounds in space (yes, it is muted, which is unrealistic -- but a necessary evil foisted upon the show by the higher-ups), the feeling of realism is in place. Realism is also affirmed by the documentary, hand-held camera style with the use of "snap zooms" and other guerilla documentarian niceties.
* Certain models of Cylons appear human, right down to the blood -- it would take complex tests just to screen for these Humanoid Cylons. Not only is this a budget-saver, but it also generates some very disturbing questions. For one, the Cylons have now managed to merge in with human society, making it easier to manipulate from within. This mirrors terrorist methods of infiltration and delivering destructive results to heavy population centers (a la suicide bombers). It also brings up interesting questions regarding cross-species mating: Can Humanoid Cylons mate with their Human creators?

=== Plot and Character Analyses ===

Since plot and character are so intertwined, both will be covered here.

==== Armistice Station ====

The Armistice Station gave us a chance to understand the conflict between the Cylons and Humanity. It also introduced us to the new Cylons and broke away from conventions set in Science Fiction. Instead of storming the station, the Cylons used [[Number 6]] and sexually assaulted the Armistice Officer. Question is, why was the Armistice Officer assaulted sexually instead of physically? The answer is three fold:

# This defied those who would make the claim that [[Battlestar Galactica]] is a "rip-off" of Star Wars; the same claim that was made against the original.
# This showed that the Cylons understood the devastating effect of sexual molestation. Since when did a Human expect for a Cylon to attack Humanity in this way?
# There is a drive within the Cylons to understand - and possibly experience the sensations of being truly alive.

The armistice station was destroyed by a [[Cylon Basestar]]. Though this was a dramatic blow, this does seem rather unnecessary from a logical point of view. The Cylons present were more than enough to subdue the Armistice Officer and be able to keep the station for future purposes.

==== Commander William Adama & Nostalgia ====

With the [[Galactica]]'s future being a museum piece with gift shops, Commander William Adama is ready to retire, albeit reluctantly. Adama heads to retirement with trepidation, unsure of what he would do with the remainder of his life. His crew will ultimately be disbanded and good-byes abound. There is a sense of a ship seeing its last days, despite some of the joy that some of the crew members have in continuing their military careers.

Adama is presented with his reconditioned Viper, which was rusting in a junkyard on [[Sagittaron]], as well as a picture of himself and his two sons when he was younger.

This is a touching moment, demonstrating the crew's affection for him as a person. It also establishes Adama's legitimacy as a war-hardened commander in the series quite nicely.

==== Starbuck & Tigh Card Fight ====

The "card fight" between a Lieutenant and Colonel sparked a bit of controversy in the fan community before it aired. In the original draft, [[Thrace, Kara|Starbuck]] got off free without being thrown in the brig. However, given the fan's astute observation of a disturbing lack of disciplinary action against Starbuck for striking a superior, the aftermath was changed.

The scene demonstrates Starbuck's mistrust of authority and the antagonistic relationship between [[Tigh, Saul|Tigh]] and herself. The touch of classic Starbuck elements, i.e. the gambling and [[fumarello]] smoking, is a nice homage to the original that fits in nicely. [[Katee Sackhoff]]'s portrayal tells viewers that this isn't the same Starbuck from the original, as she is clearly unbalanced.

Tigh himself comes off as a grouchy, inebriated old man who has seen his glory days, which hammers home the fact that the good ship Galactica is seeing its last days. When he puts Starbuck in the brig, she knows she's stepped over the line -- but so has he, given that he flipped over the table first.

It also nicely puts Starbuck in a confined place from a story standpoint, allowing other characters to be introduced.

==== Laura Roslin's Cancer Storyline ====

The cancer story line for the Secretary of Education [[Laura Roslin]] seems a bit over-the-top from a superficial standpoint, which distracts from the main story. Yet having the cancer story-line helps show that smaller tragedies don't cease simply because another one looms ahead. It also reveals Roslin's vulnerability and puts her character in a realistic ethical conundrum, where she is more concerned about her own well-being when billions of people have been victims of the Cylon genocide. It establishes a further plot line with President Roslin that develops over Season One.

==== The Infanticide Debate ====

One of the more emotional and argued points in the whole mini-series is not the sex changes of two main characters, and certainly not the major change in the Cylons, but the incident where [[Number 6]] kills an infant in the market place.

The question during the debate focused on the immorality of the act and was purported by those against the re-imagining as being an indicator that the source material wasn't being taken seriously.

The intent of the act was never questioned. It is simply assumed that Number 6 killed the baby out of cold blood.

The doubt of Number 6's intent, or possible lack thereof, still surrounds this scene. It was obvious that Number 6 was puzzled by the fraility of the baby and questioned as to how the neck could support the weight of the baby's head. Many items can be deduced from that scene, a few follow:

# It was a deliberate act. Cold and ruthless. Nothing more.
# Number 6 has feelings and is rational. Due to her knowledge of the impending attack and the expectation that the entire human race could be eradicated, could the act be merciful?
# Could it be an act of spite? In "[[33]]", her mental image asked [[Baltar, Gaius|Gaius Baltar]] if he wanted children. Which begs the question: Can Humanoid Cylons propogate their race through Human childbirth?
# Could it be a simple lack of knowledge? If so, the infanticide was accidental, and Number 6 had no way of knowing.
# She did demonstrate curiosity as to how much the neck could support. Could the death have been an unethical experiment on her part?

The most disturbing aspect of the whole debate lies in the assumption that a single act of infanticide is unacceptable, whereas the genocide of the entire human race (including born and unborn infants) by Cylon hands seems to be more palatable.

==== The "Glowing Spine" Scene ====

One of the major inconsistencies in the mini-series was gleaned from this scene. The fact is established that Humano-Cylons were, for all intents and purposes, organic. Also established was, even with the most thorough of tests, it is almost impossible to screen Human from Cylon. What caused the spine to glow? It certainly wasn't a human reaction to sex. Since the Cylons went to the very painstaking process of creating an undetectable Humanoid Cylon model, it is conceivable that glowing spinal columns -- and more to the point the chemicals that would cause the aformentioned reaction -- would arouse undue suspicion and thwart Cylon plans.

One possible explanation for the glowing spine would be that the glowing spine is the act of "6" transfering some part of herself into Baltar, as evidenced later. However, this explanation is highly speculative. Furthermore, Boomer has a glowing spine when having sex with Helo.

Considering Baltar seems to be the only person qualified to work on distinguishing cylon from human, it may be that he is not smart enough to look in the right places (after all he has not found other cylon hallmarks, such as a transponder -- if it exists) or, being influenced by six, unwilling to look in the right places, knowledgeable of it (but unwilling to come forward with the information), or some combination of all three.

Note: Comments from members of the production crew have since suggested that the only reason the glowing spine was included was that it "looked cool" at the time, and in retrospect, may have been a mistake.

==== "Humanity's children are returning home... today." ====

It is interesting to note Baltar's ability to deceive himself even when the human race is being eradicated.

; Additional information can be added later on. Feel free to do so.

== Notes ==



* The miniseries was initially broadcast in two two-hour segments. During re-broadcast (such as with the UK's Sky One channel), the two halves were combined into a single 3-hour 56-minute "film"
* Initially, there were 12 [[battlestar|battlestars]], one representing each Colony. Battlestar ''[[Galactica]]'' represented [[Caprica]]. These were built with antiquated technolgies, as were their fighter craft, to avoid the [[Cylons]]'s tactical advantage of disrupting complex electrical and computer equipment.
* Networked computers were susceptible to Cylon infiltration, forcing the Colonials to react by reducing their dependance on technology.
* The fleet has been greatly expanded since then, with at least 36 and possibly as many as 120 battlestars, although it is by no means certain all the vessels in the fleet follow the ''Galactica'' design.
* As the Colonials became more confident of their security, integrated systems were re-introduced to their civilian and military craft.
* The Cylons believe in [[God]], whereas the Colonials believe in a pantheon of gods mirroring the [[Greek Gods|12 Olympian gods]] of Greek mythology.
* Cylons are also called "chrome toasters", mainly for their original appearance (a nod to the original series).
* All pilots have call signs.
* Commander [[Dash]] was the ''Galactica's'' first Commanding Officer.
* In the mini, [[Valerii, Sharon|Boomer]] is referred to as a "rook" by [[Thrace, Kara|Starbuck]], meaning a rookie. In [[Act of Contrition]], "[[nugget]]" is the chosen name for rookie pilots.
* The scene in which [[Cami]] awaits her death on the [[Botanical Cruiser]] visually echoes the infamous "[[Wikipedia:Daisy (television commercial)|Daisy]]" television advertisement from [[Wikipedia:Lyndon B. Johnson| Lyndon B. Johnson]]'s 1964 campaign against [[Wikipedia:Barry Goldwater|Barry Goldwater]].

===Blooper Moments===
* At the start of the episode, dialogue is retained from a draft scipt which placed the [[Twelve Colonies]] actually on [[Kobol]], rather than spread among twelve worlds. The giveaway lines are spoken by [[Doral, Aaron|Aaron Doral]] (played by [[Bennett, Matthew|Matthew Bennett]]):

: "Now, as I was saying, form follows function, and nowhere is this axiom of design more readily apparent than on the world famous Battlestar Galactica...now originally there were twelve battlestars, each representing one of Kobol's twelve colonies...."

: Given the show is set among 12 different worlds, and Kobol is now regarded as the birthplace of humanity, abandoned at some point in the distant past, Doral's should have used the words "worlds' famous", and simply referred to the original battlestars representing each of the Twelve Colonies.
* At the time of her first FTL jump, ''Galactica'' retracts her flight pods. However, when the jump is made, the ship is shown with the pods still extended.

=== Nods ===

* The Firefly-class ship, Serenity, from the sci-fi series Firefly makes a brief appearance. It can be seen flying above [[Roslin, Laura|Laura Roslin]] when she is about to hear her prognosis of breast cancer on [[Caprica]].
* The fanfare just prior to [[Adama, William|Commander Adama's]] speech is taken from [[Stu Phillips]]'s theme for the [[TOS Battlestar Galactica|original Battlestar Galactica]].
* The pilot [[Jolly]] makes a brief (verbal) appearance, just prior to the Cylon's massacre of the squad led by [[Spencer, James|James Spencer]], Galactica's previous [[CAG]]. It is not the same actor that played [[Jolly (TOS)|Jolly]] in the original.
* The original [[Cylon Basestar]] can be briefly seen in the Galactica museum.
* President [[Roslin]] makes a point of calling [[Adama, Lee|Lee Adama]] "Captain [[Apollo]]", saying that it has a nice ring to it.
* During the attack, ''[[Colonial One|Colonial 798 Heavy]]'' assists Gemenon Liner Seventeen-oh-one (1701). This is a nod to [[Ronald D. Moore|RDM's]] work on Star Trek.

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==




==== Adama's Speech at the Galactica's Decommissioning Ceremony ====

"The Cylon War is long over, yet we must not forget the reasons why so many sacrificed so much in the cause of freedom. The cost of wearing the uniform can be high, but --

"Sometimes it's too high.

"You know, when we fought the Cylons, we did it to save ourselves from extinction. But we never answered the question, why? Why are we as a people worth saving? We still commit murder because of greed, spite, jealousy. And we still visit all of our sins upon our children. We refuse to accept the responsibility for anything that we've done.

"Like we did with the Cylons. We decided to play God, create life. When that life turned against us, we comforted ourselves in the knowledge that it really wasn't our fault, not really. You cannot play God then wash your hands of the things that you've created. Sooner or later, the day comes when you can't hide from the things that you've done anymore."

== Official Statements ==




=== Edward James Olmos' (EJO) Statements Regarding the Mini-Series ===

After the announcement of Edward James Olmos' involvement in the mini-series, portraying a role that was previously done by Canadian actor Lorne Greene, many fans contacted him. As is evidenced by the quotes before, Olmos demonstrates his honesty and reaction to the mail, most of which could be classified as fairly negative.

From his [http://hometown.aol.com/ejowebmistress/ official website]:

*"I must say one thing and will say this very clearly. If you are a person who really has a strict belief in the original, I would not advise that you watch this program...We really don't stand true to the kind of characters that were built around the original. It definitely does break the mold. Some of the characters' names are the same, but the intent and the way that we are building the reality is completely not the reality that was built in the original." -- 7/03

*"I'm going to be the first one to say it really clearly. Please tell your readers, do not watch this program...[P]eople get really, really angry. You've got to remember that this is a show that was only on . . . in the late '70s, and to this day has a very strong fan base. Tens of thousands of people who write to each other for 25 years over a program that is not on the air and is not even being rerun. "They didn't want this at all, and I didn't know any of this. . . . All of a sudden, my e-mails went through the roof. Suddenly I was accused of teaming up with Ron Moore and creating just a slap in the face of all these people, and I didn't want to slap anybody."

*"Trust me, don't watch it. If you are a real, real staunch 'Battlestar Galactica' person, don't watch it. . . . Just don't write to me, all right? I warned you. I was honest."

*"I've gotten some really strong, strong mail. . . . They're really bitter. They're very angry. And I know the Sci Fi Channel wants to say that everybody's going to enjoy it. They're not."

=== Comments from [[Eick, David|David Eick]] ===

"The goals of the mini series were nothing short of reinventing the science fiction genre. We wanted to present people in a catastrophic situation, in the wake of a tragedy, responding as human beings actually would through the prism of the science ficton genre."

=== Regarding Mini Series Ratings ===

"I think going into it, we all wondered. you know, what the audience numbers were going to be, especially given all the internet, sort of, controversy and the general, sort of, [something] about what we were doing and people objecting. And was it going to be a failure or was it not.

"The first night's numbers were good, but not great. We were waiting to see what the drop-off would be, because there was always a drop off on the second night. And the ratings actually went up." -- Ron D. Moore [http://scifi.com/battlestar/bts/video/mov/video_06_320.mov]

=== Regarding Roslin's Refusal to Leave Her Nascent Fleet ===

{{from_RDM_blog}}

:Someone recently asked:
:"In the mini series, when the [[Cylon Raider|Cylon fighters]] are approaching ''[[Colonial One]]'' (just before [[Adama, Lee|Lee]] saves the day with the EM pulse), [[Roslin, Laura|Roslin]] refuses to run and leave the other civilian ships to their doom... Yet she articulated no alternative plan. What was she hoping to do? It just seemed as though she planned to sit there and hope for the best, refusing to budge from the principle of not leaving defenseless people behind, even if that meant her own virtual suicide. It was an odd moment, she had been so decisive and clear headed up to then, and after that. (sic)

:What were her motivations, did she even have a plan? I still find this moment a little jarring and hard to explain away.I guess it does serve as a contrast to her later decision to leave [[Cami|Cammy]] (sic) etc behind. Thanks for your insights into this issue."

:[[Moore, Ronald D.|RDM]]: Can we talk? Let's be honest here. The show is not perfect. There are compromises made all the time; some for budgetary reasons, some are for political reasons, some are for no reason at all except that the writer could not, or would not, make the changes necessary to resolve a story point.

:Such is The Case of Laura Roslin and the Incoming Cylon.

:The above writer's observation is absolutely correct. Laura, by all rights and all sensible reasoning, should not obstinately stay when it's known for a fact that a Cylon missile is incoming, probably has a nuclear warhead and oh, by the way, she has no armament aboard her ship that would allow her even the remote chance of a possible last-minute, brilliant tactical move which might theoretically prevent the destruction of her ship and her presidency. Her refusal to leave, to Jump away from the impending, obvious threat can be interpreted as an irrational flaw in her character, a case of emotion trumping intellect, or it can be more correctly interpreted simply as a flaw in the script, an accepted error that the writer chooses to ignore in favor of other competing interests of character and plot which take priority in a given moment.

:In this case, I felt that the dramatic moment required that Laura make a committment to staying with her people, and to her nascent fleet, heedless of the consequence and resolute in her decision, even though it meant her certain doom. It was her instinctive response to the situation, her id's judgement, so to speak, that I was interested in, as well as the simpler plot device of having Lee swoop in and save them at the last moment just at the point you'd forgotten he was even there. Neither impulse is wrong, per se, but the error is in my choosing not to expand the moment and its aftermath in order to play out her realization of just how stupid a choice that was.

:If, at some point following the resolution of the crisis, Laura realized that she let her emotional reaction to the situation lead her into making a bad decision which was only saved by the providential intervention of Lee, then the scene would've accomplished everything I had hoped for in the moment as well as providing Laura with a character-building scene where the new president's first major decision nearly got them all killed. It would've been a way to both emphasize her fallibility and the fact that she can't afford to lead with her heart any longer. Her subsequent decision to leave the sublight ships behind, abandoning them to their destruction by the Cylons, would've also been informed by this experience and had a richer, even more textured component to it.

:In the end, it's not a fatal error in the script, and the moment passes by without comment for the most part, but it is something that nags at me whenever I see the sequence and which, frankly, bothered me at the time. So why didn't I fix it? A variety of answers present themselves, from time pressure to budgets, but the truth is, I knew that the emotional, dramatic moment would carry the audience through the scene and that people would be more invested in watching Lee take out the Cylon missile than in examining Laura's decision-making, so I opted to leave it alone rather than make the necessary page cuts and possible budget cuts needed to accommodate additional beats on this one point. It was probably the correct decision in the end, because the moment works and you move on as you're watching the show. However, being a television writer means not only having to make compromises and less than perfect decisions all the time, but as an additional penalty you get to always be reminded of the errors you've accepted when you watch the final product.

:Good catch by an attentive member of the audience.

:Damn you.

=== Additional Comments ===

* ''"Don't know if this has been addressed elsewhere already: Do [[Adama, Lee|Apollo]] and [[Helo]] already know each other at the start of the show? I recently reviewed the mini and noticed that in the [[Ready Room]] scene where Apollo is introduced and told he will fly [[Adama, William|Husker]]'s [[Viper]], when first introduced, Helo waves and Lee gives him one of those "oh, hey!" looks of familiarity, then when Lee isn't thrilled about flying his dad's Viper, Helo is the only one who *doesn't* look confused, he just smiles and turns back around."''

:I don't think they knew each other prior to the pilot. Lee probably had never set foot on the ''[[Galactica]]'' before then. I think the look was something improvised on the set. -- {{from_RDM_blog}}

:: '''Wikipedian's Note:''' It is likely Helo knew Apollo through [[Kara Thrace]].

* ''Regarding the ''[[Galactica]]'' being hit by a [[Cylon]] nuke:''

:''Galactica'' was designed to withstand a nuclear hit. Don’t forget that nuclear weapons in space have a different impact than they do in the atmosphere. There’s not really a shock wave in space, it’s more the immediate blast, heat and radiation effects. ''Galactica'' is shielded against radiation. However, I’ll tell you that we’re going to get into that as the series goes on. '''That nuclear hit will come back to haunt them later; there will be consequences to what happened to the ship structurally when it took that hit.''' We’re taking the approach conceptually on this show that we must live with things that have happened to us, and that there are consequences. [http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/pages/galactica/fashioningverisimilitude5.htm] (boldface emphasis is by [[User:Joe.Beaudoin|Joe Beaudoin]])

== Statistics ==



=== Guest Stars ===




*[[Callum Keith Rennie]] as [[Conoy, Leoben|Leoben Conoy]]
*[[Matthew Bennett]] as [[Doral, Aaron|Aaron Doral]]
*[[Paul Campbell]] as [[Keikeya, Billy|Billy]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Barclay+Hope Barclay Hope] as Transport Pilot
*[http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0301874/ Lorena Gale] as [[Elosha|Priestess Elosha]]
*[[McClure, Kandyse|Kandyse McClure]] as [[Dualla]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Connor+Widdows Connor Widdows] as [[Boxey]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+John+Mann John Mann] as [[Spencer, Jackson|CAG]]
*[[Juliani, Alessandro|Alessandro Juliani]] as Lieutenant [[Gaeta]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Nicki+Clyne Nicki Clyne] as Deckhand [[Cally]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Michael+Eklund Michael Eklund] as Deckhand [[Prosna]]
*[[Penikett, Tahmoh|Tahmoh Penikett]] as [[Agathon, Karl C.|Karl C. Agathon/Helo]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Haili+Page Haili Page] as [[Cami]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Alonso+Oyarzun Alonso Oyarzun] as Deckhand [[Socinus]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Ty+Olsson Ty Olsson] as Captain [[Kelly]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Ron+Blecker Ron Blecker] as Launch Officer
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Ryan+Robbins Ryan Robbins] as [[Armistice Officer]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Tim+Henry Tim Henry] as Doctor (on Caprica)
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Dwesi+Ameyaw Dwesi Ameyaw] as Liner Captain of [[Botanical Ship]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Brenda+McDonald Brenda McDonald] as Old Woman (who thought she forgot her glasses)
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Suleka+Mathew Suleka Mathew] as [[Brody, Kellan|Kellan Brody]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Erin+Karpluk Erin Karpluk] as Woman #1
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Jenn+Griffin Jenn Griffin] as Woman #2
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+BJ+Harrison BJ Harrison] as Woman #3
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Moneca+Delain Moneca Delain] as Blonde Woman
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Zahf+Pardo Zahf Pardo] as Man #1
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Robert+Lewis Robert Lewis] as Man #2
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Denzal+Sinclaire Denzal Sinclaire] as Man #3
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Nadine+Wright Nadine Wright] as [[Chantara]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Michael+Soltis Michael Soltis] as Chantara's Husband
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Fred+Keating Fred Keating] as Junior Reporter
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Lymari+Nadal Lymari Nadal] as [[Giana]]
*[[Gugushe, Biski|Biski Gugushe]] as Pilot #1
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Nahanni+Arntzen Nahanni Arntzen] as Pilot #2
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Nogel+Vonas Nogel Vonas] as Pilot #3
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Ryan+Nelson Ryan Nelson] as Pilot #4




=== Writing & Direction ===

*Written by [[Moore, Ronald D.|Ronald D. Moore]] and [[Glen A. Larson|Christopher Eric James]]
*Based off a story by [[Larson, Glen A.|Glen A. Larson]]
*Directed by [[Rymer, Michael|Michael Rymer]]




=== First Run Air Dates & Releases ===

*UK Airdate: 17 February 2004
*US Airdate: 8 December 2003, 9 December 2003 (2-night engagement, Sci-Fi Channel)
*Canadian Airdate: 17 January 2004
*DVD Release: 28 December 2004

{{Episode List}}

[[Category: A to Z]]
[[Category: Episode Guide (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]

33

2005-08-11T14:31:28Z

Stompy: Added Head Count, and 2005 Hugo Award

[[Image:bsg-1-01.jpg|thumb|"33" (credit: Sci-Fi Channel)]]

== Overview ==

: Continuing from the events of the [[mini-series]], the [[Battlestar]] [[Galactica]] and the fleet must avoid their [[Cylon]] pursuers, which happen upon them every 33 minutes after each successful [[FTL]] jump. 

: Special Note: This episode marks the premiere of the series.

== Summary ==

* The crew of the [[Battlestar]] ''[[Galactica]]'' have been on continuous alert for some 130.35 hours, during which time the fleet has had to make an [[FTL]] jump every 33 minutes to escape their [[Cylon]] pursuers.
* Everyone in the fleet is beginning to feel the strain – particularly [[Baltar, Gaius|Gaius Baltar]], who is also distracted by [[Number Six|Six’s]] repeated conversations about [[God]] having a plan for him, and also her wanting to have his children.
* Vessels in the fleet are also beginning to feel the strain: FTL jump engines and their controlling computers are starting to breakdown or malfunction, requiring the Galactica to linger longer and longer in the Cylon line of fire while the rest of the fleet makes their jumps.
* Following jump number 237, [[Roslin, Laura|President Roslin]] receives word from a Dr. [[Amorak]] aboard the ''[[Olympic Carrier]]'' that he has information concerning how the Cylons overcame Colonial defences.
* Overhearing the conversation, Baltar is worried: he knew Amorak at the [[Defence Ministry]]. As Six points out, Amorak might have information on Baltar.
* There is insufficient time before the next jump to bring Amorak aboard ''[[Colonial One]]'', but Roslin wants to see him directly after the jump has been completed.
* Elsewhere, [[Valerii, Sharon#"Boomer" Valerii|Boomer Valerii]] is having problems accepting her new [[ECO]], [[Crashdown]], and is feeling guilty about leaving [[Agathon, Karl C.|“Helo” Agathon]] on [[Caprica]].
* When the next jump is made, the ''Olympic Carrier'', complete with Dr. Amorak and 1344 other souls, vanishes. Six tries to convince Baltar that it is because God is watching over him.
* Thirty-three minutes later, the fleet is ready to jump, but the Cylons don’t show up. Adama orders a stand-down from the immediate alert, but the fleet is to maintain a readiness to jump, in case the Cylons do show up.
* When Baltar continues to refuse the concept of God, the ''Olympic Carrier'' reappears; [[Adama, William|Adama]] orders the fleet to full alert, fearing the worst. He orders the jump clocks reset in anticipation of the Cylons arriving.
*A [[CAP]] lead by [[Adama, Lee|Lee Adama]] intercepts the liner. Adama orders all communications with the ''Carrier'' jammed and is ordered (through signal lamps) to remain at it's current position. When the ''Carrier'' fails to heed orders not to approach the fleet, tensions rise, and a radiological alarm reveals there are now nuclear weapons on the liner
*As the crisis deepens, the Cylons show up. Adama wants to destroy the liner, but Roslin hesitates to give the order, no one can be sure whether or not there aren’t still 1,345 people aboard the Carrier. Baltar is terrified she won't give the order.
*Six uses the hesitation to push Baltar into “repenting” before God. As soon as he does, Roslin gives the order to destroy the liner. Lee Adama and [[Thrace, Kara|Starbuck]] (reluctantly) open fire, destroying the ship.
*24 hours later, everyone is living with the consequences of their actions. Only [[Keikeya, Billy|Billy]] has a small nugget of good news: at some point in the proceedings, a couple gave birth to a baby.

===On Caprica===
* [[Agathon, Karl C.|Helo]] is on the run in woodland, and has C4-type ordinance he uses to blow up pursuing [[Cylon Warrior|Cylon warriors]]
* However, his 6 days on the run comes to an end when he is captured by the Cylons, after being distracted by the appearance of [[Number Six|Six]], wearing a white rain coat
*He is “rescued” by [[Valerii, Sharon#Caprica Valerii|Valerii]], who shoots Six and then leads Helo away into the woods

--[[User:Ernestborg9|Colonial Archivist]] 06:48, 24 Jan 2005 (EST)

== Questions ==



* Billy reports that the number of survivors is down by 300 - some lost through death from injuries, etc., some "lost" through initial inaccurate counts, and the rest of whom have "disappeared". How can people simply "disappear" in the fleet?
* Does Doctor Amorak truly have something on Baltar's involvement in the holocaust?
* Is Six actually in contact with other Cylons, and thus was involved in the disappearance / reappearance of the ''Olympic Carrier''?

==Blooper Moments==
* During the opening titles, the ''Galactica'' is shown to be making a jump with her flight pods extended - not only that, the shot is from the [[Mini-Series]].
* Billy may be a good PA but he’s crap at maths. “33” starts with 50,298 survivors. He informs Roslin this is in error by 300 = 49,998 survivors. When the Olympic Carrier is destroyed (1345 people), he reduces the total to 47,972 – that’s a reduction of 2026, or 681 people MORE than listed on the ''Carrier''!
** Whatever Roslin taught at school, it wasn’t mathematics – she fails to pick up on Billy’s error.
** This is after five sleepless nights and doubtlessly uncertain population figures coming from across the fleet, making the uncertain numbers of survivors partly reasonable. The business of performing an accurate census, after all, is of a comparatively low priority than the business of self-preservation.
* When [[Dee]] admits that she lost the ''[[Olympic Carrier]]'', her headset changes sides during the conversation.
* As Helo fires upon the Cylon warrior that survived the detonation of an anti-personnel mine (similar to a [[Wikipedia:Claymore mine|Claymore mine]]), the first time Helo fires the pistol, it is heard to fire, but there is no accompanying visual spark from the barrel. In contrast, the second shot is accompanied by both a spark and the appropriate sound.
* As the Cylon Warrior approaches Helo from behind, you can see the rain hitting it, but it does not drip off the Warrior's body. In contrast, water is dripping from Helo's face in a fairly consistent and noticeable manner.
* After the disappearance of the Olympic Carrier in jump 238, and the timer is running towards the 33 minute mark, the viewer can see that the clock is at 10 seconds. When focusing on Adama and Tigh, the viewer hears ten seconds counting off, but when the camera quick-pans to the overhead console, it reads that 3 seconds have passed.

== Analysis ==

Overall, a good opening episode that cleverly adds to a number of arcs from the mini: is Boomer a Cylon? What is the Six who is interacting with Baltar? Can the Colonials truly escape the shadow of the Cylons?

The opening sequence of shots ending with the Valerii on the Ragnar Anchorage is interesting: is this a hint to the real identity of Boomer on Galactica? Also, is the good-natured teasing between Starbuck and Boomer during the CAP an indication that others have noticed Boomer seems to be handling the lack of sleep a lot better than others. Could this lead to some kind of rumour-mill starting-up about her?

As to Baltar's Six: three possibilities seem to suggest themselves:

*She is a working of his own psyche; a reaction to his betrayal of his people to the Cylons. Certainly, his increasing psychosis in the episode would seem to point to this; but then, he has - like the rest - been five plus days without sleep, and some degree of paranoia is bound to result.
*She is, as she suggested in the mini, an implant in his head and possibly in communication with the Cylons. However, if this is the case, surely the Cylon hunt for the fleet would continue despite the destruction of the Olympic Carrier - as the Cylons would be tracing the fleet through Baltar. Given the humans are to all intents and purposes "on the ropes", it seems odd that they would break off the attack when they have such a clear advantage.
*She could she actually be a complete download of "Six's" personality, captured at the point of destruction of Baltar's home, and now contained in his head, possibily occupying his subconscious, out of contact with her own kind, but able to fully interact with his thoughts and feelings – even manipulate his thoughts and feelings?

Hopefully, these issues will be addressed in time. Meanwhile, the episode builds on some of the relationships established in the mini: Apollo and Starbuck clearly have a past, one that reaches beyond command hierarchies, exhaustion and tempers. The hanger deck confrontation is a valuable byplay not so much for what it says, but for the way in which it is communicated - a large element of non-verbal communication passing between Thrace and Lee Adama prior to her taking the stims.

Similarly, Roslin's mistrust of Adama, as expressed at the end of the mini following his admission that "earth" was a deception on his part, has begun to grow into an edgy respect: she knows full-well that without his leadership, the fleet would not have survived 5 days of repeated FTL jumps - and she is prepared to admit it.

Then there is Adama's relationship with his son. From the scene where they discuss responsibility, it is evident that there is a gulf between them still - one that may well be held open in part by their relative positions aboard the Galactica: Adama is Lee's father and the Officer Commanding the Galactica. While both again appear to want to bridge the gap – the difference in rank still prevents them openly discussing things: hence Lee's act of rebuffing his father's attempt to console him following the shooting of the Olympic Carrier.

Overall the three storylines evident in the episode – escaping the Cylons, Baltar and Six and Helo on Caprica - are cleverly interwoven, with the main storyline; the Baltar / Six relationship in particular intersecting smoothly through the crisis involving the Olympic Carrier, while the Helo subplot is given enough exposure to engage us and deflect attention from the "A" story sufficiently to heighten the drama, without actually interrupting the overall story flow.

Indeed, such is the subtlety of the Helo sub-plot that the questions it raises don't really reveal themselves until a second viewing, and you realise they are related to the central Cylon theme: why does Six ask him if he is alive? He clearly is, and the question is not a reference to either his leg wound or his radiation-induced sickness. Nor is it simply a throwback to her "sister's" first words to the Colonial officer at Armistice Station. It is something that appears to go to the very centre of Cylon reasoning.

Similarly, while it could be over-sensitivity given the amount of time the Valerii on Caprica was on-screen, but one couldn't help but feel she was perhaps a little too human; too familiar with Helo? It seems odd that she is introduced to Helo through the "killing" of the Six construct. Why resort to the "murder" of one of her own? Was this simply to establish her credibility in the eyes of Helo? Could she not have found another way to make contact with Helo? Contrasted with the comments regarding Boomer's heritage back at Galactica, are the writers attempting to imply something? Could it bee that BOTH the Valerii characters are Cylons that believe themselves to be human?

Time will tell - but it will be interesting to see how the Helo/Valerii/Caprica arc is followed-up.

But, in discussing the role of Cylon agents, there is a potentially interesting throwaway comment in this episode that might be an indication that something is amiss in the fleet: in discussing the number of survivors, Roslin asks why the total has dropped by 300. Billy responds that some over-counts were made (understandable), that there have been deaths from wounds (possibly people picked up from the 12 colonies), and some seem to have simply "disappeared" during the last Cylon attack (witnessed prior to jump 237).

"Disappeared"? How? No ships were destroyed during the attack / jump, so how do people just "disappear"? Again, is this simply an error in the script, or are the writers trying to point at something deeper?

All that said, the episode isn't without some flaws.

===Nit-picks===

*Why is Boomer's Raptor launched alongside Apollo's Vipers for what everyone is expecting to be an interdiction exercise against Cylon Raiders? It is a complete departure from previous actions: in the mini, CAG ordered Boomer to get her Raptor out of the way as his squadron went into to face the Cylon Raiders; at Ragnar, the Raptors weren't deployed against incoming Raiders, nor where they in evidence prior to jump 237 at the start of this episode. It is unclear whether Raptors are armed, or whether they would be effectively in an electronic warfare capability against Raiders, but the sudden presence of a Raptor in a Viper interdiction flight smacks of being a somewhat clumsy means of meeting the needs of the plot: obviously, the writers wanted Boomer there to handle the communications with Olympic Carrier & so heighten the perceived tension.

*The 9/11 scene is, sadly, something of a misplaced element. Yes, 9/11 is a horror that stunned the world, and will always rightfully have a place in the memories of all Americans, but the use of a scene that so closely mirrors the aftermath of the site around the World Trade Centre to try and convey the sense of loss the Colonials are feeling is somewhat heavy-handed. More should have been done to impart this to the audience back in the mini (where Cylon strikes on the Colonial worlds were restricted to a few scenes of Caprica, and even then the outright and inevitable destruction was barely shown).

*Similarly, the failure to openly resolve the issue of whether or not 1345 people were aboard the Olympic Carrier weakens the story. Indeed, Apollo's flyby of the ship is suggestive that she indeed wasn't carrying anyone any more - thus removing our feelings of horror one step further from the drama being played out on screen. In opting to remain ambiguous about the presence of humans aboard the ship, the writers very much weaken the entire “should we / shouldn’t we” argument as to whether the Colonials can fire on and destroy the ship. Should they have shown people clinging to the windows of the Carrier, staring back at Apollo in helplessness as he made his final fly-by? Perhaps; perhaps not - but out emotions would have been better engaged if we had at least seen some evidence that lives were going to be destroyed along with the Olympic Carrier.

*A final nit-pick comes with the reminder of Tigh's alcoholism. The by-play here didn't entirely fit, and came across as a clumsy reminder that the writers hadn't forgotten about Tigh's condition and would possibly be returning to it in the future. Better to have kept the focus on Adama's comments regarding driving and managing the crew.

However, all this said, "33" serves as an excellent opening episode: the pacing is smooth, the storylines cleverly interwoven and combined without stepping on one another, and there are no hurried or harried resolutions. Arcs established in the mini are extended and new interactions given birth.

--[[User:Ernestborg9|Colonial Archivist]] 11:59, 6 Jan 2005 (EST)

[[The mystery of 33]] remains, despite [[RDM]]s comments below that the number "33" was chosen at random. Random or not, 33 is quite a significant number and adds complexity to this episode, intentionally or not.
** '''Note: The fact that the Cylons attack every 33 minutes may not be so random after all. We see the number 3 featured prominently in the episode [[Scattered]]: in a number of flashbacks that Colonel Tigh has, in a scene where [[Lt. Gaeta]] arranges three bars of soap together, and in the firewall that [[Gaeta]] devises to slow down the [[Cylon]] attack on the [[Galactica]]'s network, which involves networking three sub-systems. In addition, the [[Galactica]] sends a compliment of 3 [[Raptor]] dropships to survey the planet of [[Kobol]] in the episode "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part 1]]". While it may be a passing coincidence, it seems there is more to this mystery than meets the eye.
** In many real-life religious traditions, the number "3" has recurrent significance (the Christian trinity, the Hindu trinity of Brahma/Vishnu/Shiva, many others), much like the number "12" (real life: 12 apostles, 12 signs of the Zodiac; BSG: 12 models of Cylon, 12 Lords of Kobol, 12 colonies). "12" is a multiple of 3.

== Notes ==

* Continuous jumping badly affects the FTL drives and management systems aboard Colonial vessels
* The Cylons have the same ability to undertake highly-accurate FTL jumps as the Colonials: 238 times they’ve managed to jump to the Colonial fleet and arrive with precise momentum and trajectory to be able to close the distance and launch an attack
* There are 5,251 people in the fleet from [[Sagittaron]]
* As of [[33]], there are 60 civilian ships in the ragtag fleet
* Head Count at the end of the episode 47,273.
* This episode won the 2005 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form.

== Noteworthy Dialogue ==

* ''When Lee Adama and Kara Thrace are on the Galactica's flight deck:''
:Lee Adama: Hey, did you see the note from the XO?
:Kara Thrace: I saw it. No way.
:Lee Adama: Kara, everyone else--
:Kara Thrace: I don't fly with stims. They fudge with your reflexes, your reaction time.
:Lee Adama: Come on, Kara, give me a break. Just--
:Kara Thrace: Why are we arguing about this?
:Lee Adama: I have no idea.
:Kara Thrace: Neither do I. You're the [[CAG]], act like one.
:Lee Adama: "What does that mean?" 
:Kara Thrace: It means that you're still acting like everyone's best friend. We're not friends. You're the CAG. "Be careful out there?" Our job isn't to be careful, it's to shoot fracking [[Cylons]] out of the sky. "Good Hunting" is what you say. And one of your idiot pilots is acting like a child and refusing to take her pills. So she either says "Yes, sir" and obeys a direct order, or you smack her in the mouth and drag her sorry ass to sickbay and you make her take those pills.
:(Lee and Kara both start laughing)
:Lee Adama: Well, I'm glad I'm not working for you.
:Kara Thrace: (laughing) Damn right you're glad.
:Lee Adama: So do I have to smack you in the mouth, Lieutenant?
:Kara Thrace: No sir, I'll take my pills. (takes pills from Lee) Perfect.
:Lee Adama: Carry on.
:Kara Thrace: (half-heartedly saluting) Yes, sir.

* ''When Commander Adama and Colonel Tigh are talking outside the CIC:''
:Colonel Tigh: (grunting) Oh...a couple hours rack time does sound awfully sweet right about now...
:Commander Adama: You deserve it.
:Colonel Tigh: You know, the truth is, all this has me feeling...well, more alive than I have in years.
:Commander Adama: You look that way too. It's good to see you without the cup in your hand.
:Colonel Tigh: Ah, don't start.
:Commander Adama: I know there's a whole lot of people on this ship, that wish you weren't feeling as good.
:Colonel Tigh: (laughing) If the crew doesn't hate the XO, then he's not doing his job. Besides, I've gotta make the old man look good.
:Commander Adama: I always look good.
:Colonel Tigh: Look in the mirror.
:Commander Adama: Seriously...
:Colonel Tigh: Sir?
:Commander Adama: It's one thing to push the crew. It's another thing to break them.

* ''As the [[Olympic Carrier]] heads on a suicide run towards the Galactica, Lee Adama, Kara Thrace and Boomer are flying beside the ship:''
:Boomer: (in a Raptor flying beside the Olympic Carrier) We have...new orders. We are directed to...destroy the Olympic Carrier, and return back to Galactica.
:Kara Thrace: (in a Viper flying beside the carrier) It's a civilian ship!
:Crashdown: (inside the Raptor) Yeah...a civilian ship with nukes.
:(Lee Adama looks out the cockpit window of his Viper at the ship, which seems to be barren)
:Crashdown: I don't see anybody in there. Do you?
:Lee Adama: The Cylons will be here any second. If we're gonna do this, let's just do it. Starbuck, form up with me and we'll make one pass from astern.
:(Lee and Kara fall back a fair distance from the ship)
:Kara Thrace: Lee, what if you're wrong? (silence) Lee, come on. Lee!
:Lee Adama: Okay, fire on my mark.
:Kara Thrace: No fracking way, Lee. Lee! Come on!
:Lee Adama: Fire.
:(Lee and Kara both open fire on the Olympic Carrier, and it explodes in a ball of flames)

== Official Statements ==




=== {{from_RDM_blog}}: Why 33 minutes? ===

:The truth is, there's no real answer. It's just a random number that felt right when I came up with the idea that our people were under continuous, relentless attack since the end of the pilot. I wanted it to be a short interval, just long enough for them to grab a bite to eat, jump in the shower and maybe try to catch a catnap before dragging themselves back to their duty stations and begin the whole tedious, terrifying ordeal all over again.

:A deeper truth is, I was never interested in coming up with an explanation for Why? Never. I mean, I suppose I could've come up with a sufficiently important-sounding bit of technobabble that would've made sense (you see, the [[Cylon]] double-talk sensors tracking the [[Olympic Carrier]]'s nonsense drive signature needed 15 minutes to relay the made-up data wave through the pretend continuum, then the Cylon navigational hyper silly system needed another 10 minutes to recalculate the flux capacitor, etc.) but what would that have really added to the drama? How does explaining that 33 minute interval help our understanding of [[Laura Roslin|Laura]]'s terrible moment of decision, or bring us to any greater knowledge of [[Dualla]]'s search for her missing family and friends, or yield insight into [[Gaius Baltar|Baltar]]'s morally shattered psyche?

:It doesn't, of course. The answer, however artfully it may (or may not) have been crafted can only subtract from the experience we have in watching the episode. Not knowing the how's or why's of the Cylon attack puts us in the same seat as the characters we're watching. They're in the dark, and we're in the dark. The relentless attack is unfathomable in its origin and unstoppable in its execution. It's mortality coming at you on a loop. If you only had 33 minutes before the next time you could die, what would you do? And what about the time after that? And the time after that? At a certain point, you stop caring about why it's happening, all you know is that it is happening, and it's happening to you.

:So [[the mystery of 33]] will be permanent on this show. No explanation, not even the attempt. Let it just be a number that seemed like an eternity for five long days on the [[battlestar]] [[Galactica]].

=== {{from_RDM_blog}}: Note on [["Lest We Forget"]] ===

:"It's probably been asked before, but I'm curious as to whom is in the picture in the Viper Pilot's briefing room, facing away from the camera . . . the one the pilots, including [[Adama, William|Commander Adama]], touch when they enter and leave? This is touching, and is a wonderful human element to the story. So who is it?"

:There was a scene cut from [[33|"33"]] where we saw [[Roslin, Laura|Laura]] being given her copy of the photo along with a card that said it was taken on the roof of the capitol building on Aerilon during the attack. The photo was inspired by the famous shot of the fire-fighters raising the flag at Ground Zero that became iconic. I thought the Colonies would have their own version of this -- a snapshot taken in the moment that becomes a symbol of the day they can never forget and of all they had lost. The photo itself is of a soldier falling to his knees (possibly shot or simply overcome by emotion) as he stands on the rooftop over looking the devastation of his city, while the Colonial flag waves at the edge of frame. The inscription below the photo on Laura's plaque reads, [["Lest We Forget"]] in itself a reference to the inscription on the watch presented to John Wayne's character in "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon."

=== Comments from the Cast ===

*"Insomnia. Nobody has slept. Everyone's just coming to terms with the fact that they have lost everybody that they've loved or relate to." -- [[Jamie Bamber]], [http://scifi.com/battlestar/bts/video/mov/video_06_320.mov]

*"It was a hard episode, because, you just had to basically fall apart." -- [[Katee Sackhoff]], [http://scifi.com/battlestar/bts/video/mov/video_06_320.mov]

*"Episode 1 is extremely docu-style because the characters haven't actually slept for five days (sic) and they have been running from the Cylons for the 250th time. And its very stressful and they're about to lose the plot completely because of sleep deprivation." -- [[Michael Rymer]], [http://scifi.com/battlestar/bts/video/mov/video_06_320.mov]

== Statistics ==



=== Guest Stars ===


*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Alonso+Oyarzun Alonso Oyarzun] as [[Socinus]]
*[http://us.imdb.com/M/person-exact?+Nicki+Clyne Nicki Clyne] as [[Cally]]



=== Writing & Direction ===

*Written by {{RDM|33}}
*Directed by {{Michael Rymer|33}}




=== Production Notes ===

*Series: 1 (2004 / 2005)
*Production Number: 1.01
*Airdate Order: 1 (of 13)

=== First Run Air Dates & Releases ===

*UK Airdate: 18 October 2004 (Sky One)
*US Airdate: 14 January 2005 (Sci-Fi Channel)
*DVD Release: 28 March 2005 (UK)

{{Episode List}}

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Episode Guide (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]