A Day in the Life

"A Day in the Life" An episode of the Re-imagined Series
Episode No.	Season 3, Episode 15
Writer(s)	Mark Verheiden
Story by
Director	Rod Hardy
Assistant Director
Special guest(s)
Production No.	314
Nielsen Rating	1.2
US airdate	2007-02-18
CAN airdate	2007-02-18
UK airdate
DVD release
Population	41,398 survivors ( 3)
Additional Info
Episode Chronology
Previous		Next
The Woman King	A Day in the Life	Dirty Hands
Related Information
Official Summary
R&D Skit – View
Podcast Transcript – View
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Listing of props for this episode
Related Media
			@ BW Media
Promotional Materials
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Adama faces the memory of his late ex-wife and their marriage as he marks his wedding anniversary. Meanwhile Cally and Galen Tyrol are trapped in a depressurizing airlock with no way to leave it, and President Roslin is pushing ahead with Baltar's trial.

Summary

Teaser

• Galen Tyrol, looking haggard, is carrying a baby bottle to his small, but private accommodations for his wife, Cally and their infant son, Nicholas.
• The Tyrols are beginning their day. While Cally was expecting a day off, Galen tells her of needed maintenance on an airlock that cannot wait. Cally is frustrated by Galen's insistance that she assist him instead of enlisting others from the deck crew.
• Admiral William Adama dreams of his late ex-wife, Carolanne, at a home on Caprica. When his quarters' intercom awakens him, Adama's grogginess shows him rising from his bunk, and Carolanne's image appears, asleep, in the bunk as well.
• Colonel Saul Tigh enters with papers to sign for needed maintenance on the ship. The XO notices the empty bunk and is quite aware that today is Adama's wedding anniversary with his wife.
• Private Jaffee arrives to drop off the admiral's coffee, and Adama, deep in thought with memories of his ex-wife, is unable to remember the crewman's name.
• Chief Tyrol arrives in a crew head to talk through the work schedules with his deck crew. He tells Seelix to join the Tyrols at airlock 12, an airlock located on the port aft side of Galactica's "alligator head".
• The Tyrols enter the airlock; equipment and pallets are strewn about, and the observation deck has been unused for over a year. A previous Cylon attack had left this airlock unusable, and minor hull breeches here had been temporarily patched and left for a later repair.
• The Tyrols were to fix the gearing systems of the airlock's doors. As Cally tries to get Galen to discuss their marital problems, specifically Galen's desire to handle workloads as usual despite their marriage, a klaxon activates and the inner airlock doors quickly close. Seelix is confused; she didn't initiate the airlock close. She notifies the Chief of a pressure differential in the compartment; a leak has developed.
• Galen Tyrol, despite Cally's surprise, isn't fazed; he knows that the airlock closure is an automatic safety mechanism. He instructs his wife to search for the leak, knowing that the doors will open once the leak is again patched.

Act 1

• Adama envisions himself at his home on Caprica as Carolanne's image asks him if he is going to continue repeating events to exercise his memory.
• Carolanne's image accuses him of using his position to exalt himself and President Laura Roslin.
• Roslin and Adama meet for a quick briefing. She admits that it could have been over wireless but she had to get off of her ship. Adama explains her mood as being "O.B.E." - overcome by events.
• Roslin suggests that Lee Adama lead the process in organizing the necessary resources for Baltar's trial, noting Lee's past with just causes against the status quo as well as the Adama family history in law. Admiral Adama agrees to ask Lee about the matter.
• Roslin asks to stay aboard Galactica and tells Adama that she is going to the gym. Adama smiles and makes a quip about the smell, to which Roslin laughs heartily.
• Pilots assemble for their CAP briefing in their ready room, chatting between themselves with some satisfaction that the Cylons haven't been seen for 49 days.
• Karl "Helo" Agathon handshakes Brendan "Hot Dog" Costanza, who complains about a strange rash as he scratches near his genitals. Helo smiles and, implying the questionable worthiness of a probable illicit (and inadvisable) sexual union by Hot Dog, wipes his hands on the armrests and moves a seat away from the scratching pilot. As Major Lee Adama steps up to begin his briefing, one last pilot takes the seat between Helo and Hot Dog.
• Major Adama begins his pilot briefing, berating the pilots' celebration. He tells the pilots that the number "1" is all they need to remember, reminding them that it takes only one slip-up to begin a major disaster for the Fleet. Admiral Adama is outside of the ready room, and stands quietly and out of eyesight to anyone as he listens, with a faint expression of pride appearing on his face as he listens to his son's stern lecture.
• Carolanne's image tells Adama to express his love for Lee as how a father would to his son, not as an admiral to a major.
• Starbuck sticks around for a few seconds after the pilots are dismissed to tease Major Adama about mimicking his father's ultimatum command style. The younger Adama replies that if he has to copy, it should be from the best. Admiral Adama enters the room as Starbuck leaves for her duties.
• Admiral Adama asks his son to head the legal organization processes for Baltar's trial. Major Adama is flattered and will consider the idea. He tells his father that, as a child looking through his grandfather's office and the various books strewn about, he considered a profession as a lawyer amongst his many other career considerations, something that his father never knew. The major notes that his CAG duties are 24/7 as it is, even with the Cylon downtime.
• The Tyrols' patching of the breach appears to work initially, but when the pressure test is done, the new patches fail. The leak worsens greatly.

Act 2

• Admiral Adama has been alerted about the worsening airlock emergency with the Tyrols in airlock 12 and makes his way there with Colonel Tigh and their Marine escort in tow. He assesses the damage personally and later consults with his command staff in CIC. There is approximately 30 minutes of air in the lock, and the temperature is dropping considerably as frost begins to form inside the airlock.
• Major Adama notes extensive damage in the airlock that has damaged the redundancies that could manually open the door, leaving no way to open it. Tigh suggests blowing the glass in the airlock's observation deck, but Major Adama warns that the reinforced glass is designed to handle a tylium explosion, and that a detonation sufficient to blow the glass would kill the Tyrols as well. Admiral Adama is angered by the lack of options and demands more thought.
• The pilots prep for an extraordinary rescue attempt: to blow the external door, where the Tyrols, exposed to vacuum, will have to leap into Athena's Raptor. Admiral Adama briefs the Tyrols on the plan shortly after the two don emergency breathing gear.
• After retrieving the Tyrols, it will take seven seconds to close the Raptor's external door and another 10 seconds to re-pressurize the rescue vessel.
• Cally is visibly upset after hearing the plan. The Chief asks if a docking collar will be used, to which Adama states in the negative: there is not enough time. The Tyrols try to prep the area so that the evacuation of the airlock will not pummel them or their rescue ship with flying pallets or other equipment.
• Cally Tyrol worries who will take care of their son if things go wrong. Galen suggests that Anastasia Dualla and her husband would be suitable foster parents, but Cally knows of a reputation throughout the Fleet of how orphaned children fare there. Fearing that pilots (with their hazardous life) would leave Nicky orphaned a second time, she asks Admiral Adama to give their son to Susan Seklir, a civilian mother with one daughter.

Act 3

• The Raptor is in position, with Athena as pilot and Apollo and Starbuck inside, ready to catch the two. Apollo warns everyone of shrapnel and other turbulence that will affect the mission.
• Galen Tyrol apologizes to his wife for being selfish in asking her to join him in the repair. The order was his way of wanting to have her companionship. He instructs her to hold tight as they prepare to leave the airlock.
• Admiral Adama orders the door blown. The Tyrols are flung from the airlock and the Raptor manages to fend off debris from the door, catch the entwined Tyrols, then re-pressurize. Apollo notes the Tyrols are in rough shape but alive.
• Later, Admiral and Major Adama talk about Carolanne, who haunts the elder Adama's memory, accusing him of never being there, able to lead men but not his own family.
• Lee Adama tells his father that, after their divorce, Carolanne made many promises that she didn't keep, particularly once she took to drinking. Over time, she wouldn't apologize for her neglect in fulfilling the promises. The young Adama believes that, despite his love of his mother, he did not believe that she truly loved his father.

Act 4

• Seelix arrives in sickbay with baby Tyrol in her arms after retrieving him from day care. Galen Tyrol is in a bunk, resting, but exerts himself to stand and hold his son. He tells Seelix that Cally will be fine, although Dr. Cottle notes it will be some time before she is up to full strength. He slowly walks to Cally, who is recuperating inside a hyperbaric chamber to treat the effects of vacuum exposure.
• Cally Tyrol awakens to glimpse at her family. Her eyes show distress from the vacuum and she is too weak to smile, but holds her hand to the interior window. Galen presses his son's hand to the glass; Admiral Adama is nearby and has watched the entire event.
• Major Adama returns to his quarters to find his wife resting. She points to a box that his father had shipped to his quarters; the young Adama facetiously asks if the box is ticking. On inspecting it, he finds a library of Caprican criminal law books, the same ones he looked at from his grandfather's collection. The admiral leaves a note for his son.
• Admiral Adama completes yet another meeting with Laura Roslin. Adama steers the conversation back to New Caprica, specifically, their time together during then-President Baltar's groundbreaking ceremony and party. Roslin admits to feeling a little silly that evening.
• Adama fondly recalls her red dress and the good feelings each had that day. When Roslin laughs, Adama tells her how happy he is to see her do so. He asks her, if the Cylons hadn't attacked, if she would have built that cabin in the woods that she wanted.
• Roslin temporarily evades the question by answering that Baltar's inept leadership and New Caprica's terrain would have prevented such a building, but is pleased by Adama's attention. She asks if he would have stayed on Galactica or eventually settled himself, to which Adama evades an answer by stating that their questions were all hypothetical in any case.
• Adama, with a smile, states that the two of them have "certain responsibilities," apparently attempting to return a professional distance to what was becoming a very intimate conversation. Roslin replies, with another smile, to the affirmative.
• As she begins to leave, she tells Adama that, in a few days, she'll return to the battlestar, where they can continue their conversation and reminisce of their brief time on New Caprica and its possibilities. As she crosses the hatchway, Roslin tells Adama that she would have definitely built her cabin if time and circumstance would have allowed.
• Adama returns to his quarters, holding his wedding picture. He returns it to its storage until next year.

Bonus Scene

• The complete bonus scene (which was available on the Sci Fi Channel web site for U.S. viewers after the episode) takes place just before Colonel Tigh visits Admiral Adama's quarters at the start of the episode.
• Lieutenants Felix Gaeta and Anastasia Dualla walk towards Adama's quarters for signatures of maintenance orders as part of their daily briefing. As he makes some notes on the orders, Gaeta volunteers the observation that President Roslin and Adama have had many meetings together recently.
• When Dualla asks what he's implying, Gaeta suggests that there might be something more intimate going on between the senior Fleet leadership. Dualla grimaces at the possibility, replying that the idea of Roslin and Adama together in her head was not a particularly desirable one to imagine.
• When the two think deeply and briefly of the two commanders together, both begin to laugh, and continue to do so when Colonel Tigh intercepts them and asks what was so funny.
• The two formally note their briefing, but Tigh takes the folder to deliver himself and dismisses the two back to CIC. Dualla and Gaeta's composure fails as they turn to CIC and begin laughing uncontrollably as Tigh heads to his friend's quarters, which connects to the original scene of his arrival.

Notes

• "A Day in the Life" is also the title of a song by The Beatles. It is not known whether this has any particular meaning to the episode.
• The character of Susan Seklir is a nod to editor Andrew Seklir. Adama notes a crewman named Kinzy which is a nod to assistant editor Tim Kinzy.
  • Closed captioning on the DVD lists the character as Susan Stetler.
• One of the pieces of debris ejected from the airlock is a robotic daggit. It can be seen in the wide shot as the Tyrols' bodies are flying towards the Raptor.
• There are two births that occurred between "The Woman King" and "A Day in the Life," as the population count after "The Woman King" was 41,396.
• A day care center exists on Galactica.
• Number Six (Tricia Helfer) and Gaius Baltar (James Callis) do not appear in any scene in this episode.
• The set used for the airlock - in particular the observation booth - is the same as for the launch tubes.
• The photo of Adama and his wife Carolanne is black and white. Possibly an aesthetic choice.
• In reality, humans have been exposed to near-vacuum conditions for up to thirty seconds without permanent injury. Some sources state that survival is possible for up to two minutes, but the injury the body sustains becomes severe after approximately one minute of exposure (a figure noted by Admiral Adama). The biggest danger is damage to the lungs, blood vessels in the nose and mouth and the ear drums, caused by the escaping air. That is why a person should exhale and not hold their breath . As the Tyrols were exposed to gradual decompression prior to the blowing of the airlock hatch, decompression injury may actually be reduced compared to what would otherwise be expected. In science fiction depiction of exposure to the vacuum of space has wildly varied, with Outland showing people exploding, while Mission to Mars showed a person instantly freezing. The depiction in this episode is similar to what happens to astronaut Dave Bowman in 2001: A Space Odyssey, although unlike the Tyrols, that character experiences no apparently ill effects.
• Overall, the depiction of vacuum exposure is very realistic. The Tyrols get colder, but do not freeze immediately. While space is very cold, low pressure environments act as an insulator, making radiation the only way to lose heat; a process that takes time. Moreover, the two survive the evacuation from the airlock with relatively light injuries. Galen Tyrol suffers from joint pain afterwards and moves slowly, while his wife has to be treated for decompression sickness. In a closeup one can see that one of her eyes is bloodshot, showing that some of the blood vessels ruptured.
  • See also science advisor Kevin Grazier's comments on the science behind the episode.
• Adama's comment about people living for as long as a minute conjures up the implication that the deaths depicted via "airlocking"—both human and Cylon—were not instantaneous and that some suffering may have resulted.
• As in "The Farm," the actors only "pretend" to freeze. The set isn't actually cold, since their breath can't be seen.
• A new derivative of "frak" makes its debut when Tyrol uses the acronym FUBAR, a real-life military term that in the Colonial context translates to "frakked up beyond all recognition".
• The original script leaked online for this episode featured flashbacks to the Adamas' family life, in one of which Lee pointed out to his father that he had been born four months after the wedding, implying that Bill and Carolanne rushed into marriage because of pregnancy. While this was removed from the aired episode, it would help explain his negative reaction to learning Gianne was pregnant, per "Black Market".

Analysis

• The argument referenced in "Taking a Break From All Your Worries" between the Tyrols focuses on how Galen acts as if nothing has changed since marrying Cally, particularly as he ignores his family's needs over the needs of his job. Cally, on the other hand, is concerned about Nicky, and has apparently gone to great lengths to think about his future, notably when Cally asks Admiral Adama to give Nicky to a civilian family whom she knows.
• Apparently, the Galactica daycare center was operating at this time, as Cally complains that daycare workers see Nicky more than his parents.
• There was much patchwork done to Galactica after the Battle of New Caprica. Colonel Tigh notes that Galactica would need six weeks in dry dock "just to hammer out the dings," making it sound likely that Galactica would not survive another battle like New Caprica.
• The cinematic flashbacks or imaginary melding of Adama's memories of Carolanne, including recollections or imaginings of sitting with her and touching her and what he believed she would say in the various situations of the day, are similar to how Gaius Baltar imagines his virtual Number Six. However, Adama's likelihood of being a Cylon are practically refuted by the existence of his memories (as well as two characters, Lee Adama and Saul Tigh, who also share in the same memories). Instead, it should probably be considered to merely be a stylistic device that represents Adama's internal monologue and memories.
• Through his internal conversations and arguments with Carolanne, it appears Adama has regrets with his decision to marry her. The regret has become a nagging question and buffer on his ability to make decisions and to not question them.
• Carolanne appears to have been an undiagnosed/untreated person with bipolar disorder, and was an alcoholic. Once divorced and left raising her two sons, she fell into heavy drinking and was clinically depressed for several years, apparently with bouts of anger/violence.
• Dealing with Carolanne's personality defects most likely gave the Adama insights into dealing with Colonel Tigh's alcoholism.

Questions

Answered Questions

• Is Karl Agathon no longer in charge of taking care of living arrangements for Dogsville? (Answer)
• Will Galactica ever be able to fight up to the capacity she did during the Battle of New Caprica? (Partial Answer)
• Will Lee Adama take on the position offered by Roslin? (Answer)
• How many different types of court and law codes are there within the Colonies? Is there not a unified "Federal" equivalent set of laws that could be used for Baltar's trial? (Answer)
• Will the potential romance between Roslin and Adama be consummated or left as a "what could have been" scenario? (Answer)

Unanswered Questions

• Since it is not connected to the larger port flight pod and its hangar deck, what would airlock 12 normally be used for?
• Is there any greater significance to Brendan Costanza's rash?
• Why couldn't the crew close the breach from the outside, giving them time to attach a collar to safely move the Tyrols into the Raptor?

Official Statements

Information from the podcast:

• Carolanne's name was originally Caroline. RDM and the other editors in the podcast note that the change occurred when Olmos used the name Carolanne instead of Caroline. Ever since, Adama's wife has been called Carolanne by the staff.

Noteworthy Dialogue

• Helo and Brendan "Hot Dog" Costanza are at a briefing in the ready room. Sitting next to each other, Helo notices Hot Dog scratching near his groin area:

Helo: "What's the matter with you?"

Hot Dog: "Sorry, I've got the weirdest rash."

Helo: "Really?" (Helo looks askance at Hot Dog) "I hope she was worth it buddy!"

(Helo gets up and moves one seat over to the aisle seat. Athena, overhearing the exchange, moves with her husband simultaneously over to her aisle seat directly behind Helo while also giving Hot Dog a humorously wary look and a smile.)

• William Adama using his memories about his ex-wife thinking about his son, while Lee Adama is hold a briefing :

Lee: How many of you boneheads know how to count? Because I keep hearing numbers being thrown around the hangar deck. 47, and then 48. Now 49 days since our last enemy contact. Now, I realize that any higher math's probably beyond most of you, so I'm gonna make this real simple for you. O­ne is the o­nly number you need to remember. Because all it takes is o­ne pilot to let his guard down, o­ne ECO to miss a DRADIS contact, and suddenly the Cylons are o­n top of us. That's when people die.

William (seeing the house on Caprica in his mind): He's like both of us. Proud, stubborn, and angry. But he's coming into his own. Especially in the last few months.

Carolanne: Don't tell me. Tell him!

William: He knows.

Carolanne: Knows what? That the admiral's going to give him a good performance review? Or that his father loves him? Don't tell me the admiral's facade extends to Lee too.

• The two Adama talking about Carolanne and their family life.

Lee: Well Dad, we had four walls. But stability? My Gods, you knew what mom was like. I mean, the mood swings? It's why you left her.

William: We had problems, but she cared deeply for you and your brother.

Lee: Well, then things changed after you left. I mean, there were times when she lost control.

Carolanne (in William Adama's mind): Don't listen to him, Bill.

Lee: And she would try and apologize, she would promise she would make things better. But then she would just start drinking, and then all of her good intentions would just go flying out the frakkin' window...

William (in his mind): Is it true?

Carolanne: I can't believe you'd even ask me that.

William: Damn it, is it true?

Lee: And then o­ne day, finally the apologies even stopped.

William (in his mind): That's enough.

Carolanne: You walked out o­n me! You walked o­n me! The brilliant Commander, who could lead all of his men into combat, but he couldn't find a way to live with his own family! We never lived anywhere for more than six months! Just following you around from o­ne base to another, waiting for you to come home.....but you weren't here for any of us! It was always whatever was easiest for the great Adama!

William (in his mind): They needed you. They were our children.

Carolanne: They needed a father. All through your glorious career, you have prided yourself o­n being a leader of men, judging people, always making the hard call; but when it came to the biggest decision of your life, oh, Bill, you blew it. We were wrong for each other from Day One, but you just couldn't accept that. That's it. That's why you keep calling me back. Because if you had made that mistake, it would just call into question all of your other decisions.

William: She was still your mother, Lee. I loved her.

Lee: I believe you. I just don't think she ever loved you.

Guest Stars

• Alessandro Juliani as Lt. Felix Gaeta
• Kandyse McClure as Lt. Anastasia Dualla
• Michael Hogan as Colonel Saul Tigh
• Aaron Douglas as Chief Galen Tyrol
• Nicki Clyne as Specialist Cally Tyrol
• Tahmoh Penikett as Capt. Karl "Helo" Agathon
• Lucinda Jenney as Carolanne Adama
• Bodie Olmos as Lt. Brendan "Hotdog" Costanza
• Jen Halley as Specialist Seelix
• Sebastian Spence as Lt. Noel "Narcho" Allison
• Don Thompson as Anthony Figurski
• Mike Leisen as Private Stewart Jaffee
• Finn Devit as Nicholas Tyrol (uncredited)

Re-imagined Series definition: Executive Officer, e.g. Saul Tigh

Galactica 1980 definition: Dillon looks up this term after Jamie Hamilton orders a coffee at a diner, upon their return to 1980 Earth ^{(1980: "Galactica Discovers Earth, Part III")}.

Re-imagined Series definition: nerve center or "bridge" of a battlestar, see: Combat Information Center

Re-imagined Series definition: all-purpose vulgarism; Colonial version of "fuck" (see: frak)

Re-imagined Series definition: all-purpose vulgarism; Colonial version of "fuck" (see: frak)