Bastille Day: Difference between revisions

"Bastille Day"; An episode of the Re-imagined Series
Episode No.	Season 1, Episode 3
Writer(s)	Toni Graphia
Story by
Director	Allan Kroeker
Assistant Director
Special guest(s)	Richard Hatch as Tom Zarek
Production No.	103
Nielsen Rating	2.3
US airdate	2005-01-21
CAN airdate	2005-01-29
UK airdate	2004-11-01
DVD release	20 September 2005 US; 28 March 2005 UK
Population	survivors
Additional Info
	Full Credits
Episode Chronology
Related Information
	Official Summary
	R&D Skit – View
	Deleted Scenes
	[[IMDB:tt{{{imdb}}}\|IMDb entry]]
	Listing of props for this episode
Related Media
Photo Gallery	@ BW Media
	Promotional Materials
	Online Purchasing
	Amazon: Standard Definition \| High Definition

Browse history interactively

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Latest revision as of 22:56, 23 December 2025

After the Fleet finds a source of water to replace that which was lost in sabotage, Galactica and the Fleet face a shortage of manpower to mine it, turning to their prisoner population for help, with unexpected complications.

Summary

In the Fleet

After Galactica's extensive water supplies are sabotaged ^{(TRS: "Water")}, a source of water is found on a nearby moon—but it is in the form of ice, and must be mined. This will require a crew of around 1,000.^{[footage 1]}
As that number cannot be spared from Galactica's crew, and it is unlikely civilians will volunteer for the dangerous work, Captain Adama suggests enlisting the help of the prisoners on Astral Queen.^{[footage 2]}
President Roslin refuses to force the prisoners into the work,^{[footage 3]} so Lee suggests that volunteering prisoners could be awarded points toward earning their freedom.^{[footage 4]}
The idea does not go over well with Commander Adama, who is already at odds with his son over his new position as "special advisor" to the President.^{[footage 5]}
However, Roslin decides to send a delegation led by Lee Adama to Astral Queen to put the idea to the prisoners. To address Adama's fears that they might inadvertently release dangerous prisoners into the Fleet's community, Billy Keikeya is selected to go as well and screen the prisoners prior to selection.^{[footage 6]}
As a further snub to his son, Commander Adama insists that military personnel also go – Anastasia Dualla is "volunteered" by Keikeya to assist in the screening and report directly back to Adama, and Cally Henderson is selected to ensure the chosen prisoners can handle the mining equipment.^{[footage 7]}
On Astral Queen, Captain Adama outlines the deal to the prisoners, but no one volunteers.^{[footage 8]}
The nominated leader of the prisoners, whom Billy Keikeya recognizes as the infamous political agitator Tom Zarek from Sagittaron, politely refuses the offer.^{[footage 9]}^{[footage 10]}
While Dualla and Keikeya argue the merits of Zarek as a "prisoner of conscience" or terrorist, Lee meets with Zarek to try and persuade him to help.^{[footage 11]}
On Galactica, Commander Adama confronts Gaius Baltar about the Cylon detector. When Adama pushes him, Baltar almost admits he can't actually build it.^{[footage 12]}
This releases a torrent of anger from Baltar's virtual Six, which terrifies him into submission. She instructs him on what to ask for to make the detector: a nuclear warhead.^{[footage 13]}^{[footage 14]}
Baltar realizes her instructions will actually work, and Adama agrees to provide the warhead.^{[footage 15]}
On Astral Queen, Zarek's elaborately orchestrated prison break takes place, and Galactica's delegation is taken hostage.^{[footage 16]}
With the ship in his control, Zarek broadcasts a message demanding the immediate resignation of President Roslin and her government, claiming that since they were never elected, they do not legitimately represent the people.^{[footage 17]}
As Zarek uses Lee Adama to try and gain insight into the dynamic between Roslin and Commander Adama, an assault mission consisting of Marines and led by Kara "Starbuck" Thrace is assembled. A crack sharpshooter, Thrace is ordered by Adama to kill Zarek if she gets a clear shot.^{[footage 18]}
Commander Adama's attempt to negotiate with Zarek is rebuffed.^{[footage 19]} Lee Adama realizes the truth: Zarek wants the commander to send in the troops, believing a bloodbath aboard Queen will bring down Roslin's government through scandal.^{[footage 20]}
The Marines and Starbuck arrive in Raptors and cut their way into the ship.^{[footage 21]}
In the cells, a prisoner named Mason attempts to rape Cally Henderson. She bites off a piece of his ear, and he shoots her in retaliation.^{[footage 22]}^{[footage 23]}
Lee Adama rushes to the cell and puts a sidearm to Zarek's head, giving him a choice: die now, or work with his men to supply the Fleet with water in exchange for control of Astral Queen and a guarantee of future elections.^{[footage 24]}^{[footage 25]}
The Marines storm the area. Thrace takes a shot at Zarek, but Lee Adama pushes him to safety.^{[footage 26]}
Roslin and Commander Adama are initially displeased with Lee's arrangement, but he argues that the prisoners, while in control of their ship, are still reliant on the Fleet for supplies, and that under Colonial law, Roslin would have to face elections in seven months anyway.^{[footage 27]}
Later, Captain Adama tells Roslin he'll vote for her when the time comes. His honesty prompts her to reveal the truth: she has cancer and might not be alive to run for re-election.^{[footage 28]}

On Caprica

Karl "Helo" Agathon and the Caprica copy of Sharon Valerii reach a relatively undamaged city.^{[footage 29]}
As they explore, they are observed by a Number Five and a Number Six from a rooftop.^{[footage 30]}
The two Cylons discuss their heritage as the "children of humanity." While Six expresses regret that humans must be destroyed, the Five is less compassionate, stating that parents must die to allow their children to come into their own.^{[footage 31]}

Notes

Behind the Scenes

According to So Say We All: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Battlestar Galactica, this episode was a pivotal moment for the series as it introduced the character of Tom Zarek, played by Richard Hatch, the star of the Original Series.^{[production 1]} The writers' room, led by Ronald D. Moore, saw the prison-ship storyline as the "perfect opportunity" to bring Hatch into the new series. The idea was to have the original Apollo play a character who voiced skepticism about the new leadership, creating a meta-narrative that the creative team found "a lot of fun."^{[production 2]} In the episode's home video-only podcast commentary, Moore elaborated on this, stating he loved the "delicious" irony of having the original Apollo play a character whose role was to say, "Everything about this show is wrong. All of this must be destroyed."^{[commentary 1]}

The producers considered the casting a "stunt," enjoying the dynamic of having the "two Apollos" confront each other on screen.^{[commentary 2]} The casting choice was initially met with some trepidation by actor Jamie Bamber (Lee Adama), who was "terrified" to work with Hatch, given Hatch's previous outspoken criticism of the reimagining.^{[production 3]} However, Hatch proved to be a consummate professional. Moore recalls that Hatch arrived at the table read completely "off book" and fully embraced the complex role.^{[production 4]} Co-executive producer David Eick noted that Hatch, who had been one of the most "vocally opposed" critics of the remake, ultimately became one of its "chief advocates" after joining the cast.^{[commentary 3]} Fellow actor James Callis (Gaius Baltar) noted that Hatch, a "prince of a man," relished playing a character so different from himself.^{[production 5]}

Continuity Notes

Events here take place 2 days after those of "Water".
In the Miniseries, Astral Queen is apparently a liner, rather than a prison ship. In the home video release commentary for this episode, Ronald D. Moore explains that the ship's mention in the Miniseries was just a "throwaway line" to establish that there were prisoners in the Fleet. The name itself was a Star Trek homage, and the idea of a full-blown prison riot episode was a natural extension of that initial mention when the writers were planning the series.^{[commentary 4]}
- During a briefing, Billy informs President Roslin that: "The Captain of Astral Queen wants you to know that he has nearly 500 convicted criminals under heavy guard in his cargo hold. They were being transported to a penal station when the attack happened."
- In the re-cap clip shown at the top of this episode, Keikeya's lines are re-dubbed so that he says, "The Captain of Astral Queen wants you to know that he has 1,500 prisoners under heavy guard."^{[footage 32]}
- Instead of being taken to a penal station, as in the Miniseries, Lee "Apollo" Adama states that the prisoners were being transferred to Caprica for parole hearings.^{[footage 33]}
- For the purposes of the increased number of prisoners, Astral Queen becomes a prison ship.
The Colonials will face a fuel shortage at some point.
Major Cottle, Galactica's ship doctor, is first mentioned in this episode, although he will not appear until the next episode.^{[footage 34]}
President Roslin's hair style changes starting with this episode, from the straight-down hairstyle she had since the Miniseries, to the swept-back style which she would sport through the end of Season 2.
Galactica is referred to by Viper pilots as the "Big G." ^{[footage 35]} This mirrors the nickname pilots have given to the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, the "Big E". The introduction of Pegasus would later change this; Galactica would be nicknamed "The Bucket," with Pegasus being nicknamed "The Beast."

Production Notes

Richard Hatch played the character of Apollo in the Original Series and is the first cast member of the 1978 show to participate in the Re-imagined Series.
This is one of only two Season 1 episodes to deal extensively with another ship in the Fleet. The other is "Colonial Day, which features Cloud 9 heavily and has few scenes on Galactica. Originally this was planned to happen more often, but building new sets turned out to be much more expensive than anticipated.
This is the only regular-series episode in which Boxey appears, outside of his appearance in the Miniseries. According to the podcast, when the Miniseries was created, the writers envisioned Boxey as being a major recurring character in most episodes of the series. However, on a case-by-case basis, they found that inserting a child like Boxey did not harmonize with many of the dark scripts on the series, and once the show got underway and found its flow, they simply couldn't think of ways to write him into upcoming scripts. By the beginning of Season 2, they realized they hadn't been using him, and officially decided to simply abandon the character and consciously never tried to use him again.
Starting with this episode, Cally Henderson started to become a larger character on the series, as noted by Moore and Eick in the podcast (see Official Statements, below). Originally she was supposed to die, but instead they rewrote the scene to give her an attention-getting grittiness and in turn, survival.
The quip made by Astral Queen's captain, "I'm a bus driver, not a warden," is a homage to the original Star Trek television series.^{[footage 36]} It is similar to Doctor Leonard McCoy's trademark quote, "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer," or whatever fits at the time in the latter portion of the statement.
The setup for this plot might have been inspired by the TOS episode "The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part I". In both episodes, a group of criminals was conscripted from a prison ship to work on the icy surface of a hostile planet. A notable difference between the two episodes lies in how the workers were chosen. While the workers in "Bastille Day" were chosen in part for their expendability, the conscripts in "The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part I" were chosen for their expertise in harsh environments and in demolition work. Also different was the prisoners' motivation to take on the work. In "Bastille Day," the prisoners are offered the possibility of earning their freedom, whereas the prisoners in "The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part I" were offered nothing overtly other than the fear that the fleet might be destroyed without their services. A number of them take the assignment in the hopes of escaping during the action.
According to the DVD commentary for the episode, the startling scene when Number Six yells in Baltar's face that "they're going to throw you out of an airlock!" was a visual homage taken from the film "Jacob's Ladder," which has a similar startling close up shot.^{[footage 37]} Tricia Helfer was given scary makeup for the shot, but in such a slight way that it is difficult for the eye to see what's wrong with the shot, but the audience can tell on some level that something's wrong. If you pause during her close-up shot, you can see that she's wearing contact lenses that make her eyes look unnaturally bright, and a mouthpiece of fake teeth which are bent out of shape and unnaturally large.
The building seen in the first scene with Helo and Sharon is actually the Vancouver Public Library, one of the most recognizable buildings in the city of Vancouver.^{[production 6]}
The scene where Lee "Apollo" Adama holds his pistol to a kneeling Tom Zarek is a recreation of Dirty Harry, according to David Eick's comments in the DVD commentary. "That is the 'I know what you're thinking, punk' shot, down to the move, the lens, the distance of the camera away from the actor."^{[footage 38]}
Bastille Day was helmed by Allan Kroeker, a veteran TV director whose credits include multiple episodes of such series as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Enterprise and Roswell.^{[production 7]}
Much of the episode was filmed at the disused Port Mann Power Station in Vancouver's Surrey district. This location was transformed into the Astral Queen using a combination of practical sets and CGI set extensions.^{[production 8]}
The episode's title was chosen by Toni Graphia because its plotline reminded her of the historic march on the Bastille which triggered the French Revolution in 1789.^{[production 9]}

Character Development and Casting

Toni Graphia and Carla Robinson were responsible for naming Tom Zarek. Graphia recalls: "We knew we probably wanted something starting with a 'Z' for his surname, because a 'Z' sounds strong and futuristic. And we wanted him to have a religious-sounding name for his first name, so we looked at a number of Saints' names. His original name was Peter Zarek, but that didn't clear with our legal department. So we changed it to Tom."^{[production 10]}
Initially, Tom Zarek was described by Ronald D. Moore as "a Nelson Mandela-style prisoner of conscience" before developing into one of the show's most intriguing and ambiguous characters.^{[production 11]}
Richard Hatch had previously declined to make a cameo appearance as the then-male Elosha in the Miniseries, but was intrigued by Moore's description of Zarek and quickly signed on to play the potentially recurring character.^{[production 12]}

Set Design and Costumes

Production designer Richard Hudolin designed the prison cells aboard Astral Queen with a specific twist: "The bars aren't a normal size and the prison cells are reminiscent of chicken in cages."^{[production 13]}
Costume designer Glenne Campbell explains that the prisoner costumes were based on real-life prison clothing: "The prisoner's costumes are much like the orange coveralls prisoners in transport wear. We changed the color from orange to red because orange was just too close to reality, while deep red gave a good 'danger' signal. Richard Hatch loved wearing it. He said it was the most comfortable costume he'd ever worn!"^{[production 14]}

Analysis

Production Realities and Plot Development

Cylon Strategy on Caprica: While the Cylons nuked most major population centers, including Caprica City, several cities were left intact. Ron Moore and David Eick explain that this was originally a production expediency to save on visual effects costs. This reality was turned into a story element, prompting Karl "Helo" Agathon to question why some areas were spared. The answer is later revealed in "Downloaded," where the Cylons are shown rebuilding and inhabiting these cities. The primary goal of the initial attack was to kill the human population through intense radiation exposure rather than total infrastructure destruction.
Starbuck's Characterization: Katee Sackhoff's portrayal of Kara Thrace in this episode is noticeably different from her later characterization. She is presented in a more stereotypical "Top Gun" mold—sporting aviator sunglasses and cigars with an irreverent attitude. Sackhoff and the writers later refined the character by integrating more of the actress's natural personality, smoothing out Thrace's rougher edges by mid-season.
The Role of Boxey: Boxey's inclusion in the flight briefing feels forced because his original character arc was abandoned. Moore explains that Boxey was intended to form a "family unit" with Galen Tyrol and Sharon Valerii, acting as a mascot for the pilots. When Sharon's Cylon arc was accelerated in "Water," the writers considered making him an "Artful Dodger" type, but the idea was never realized, leaving the character underutilized.

Dramatic Licenses

Starbuck as Sniper: The decision to make Thrace the fleet's premier sniper was a "concession to the form" for dramatic purposes. Moore admits that being a pilot and a scout sniper are entirely different skill sets, and a real sniper would not have missed the shot Thrace did. However, using Thrace instead of a new Marine character heightened the emotional stakes, as it placed Lee Adama's life directly in the hands of his best friend.

Ronald D. Moore on choosing drama over "real" military choices:

"Kara might be the best shot in the fleet...but being a good shot is far from being a trained sniper. And she missed in that episode, a huge faux-paux for a scout sniper. In addition, she could not have been conducting unit training and sustainment training with the Marines...and fly her Viper."

"In both instances, we chose to go with the dramatic needs rather than the 'real' choices. Making Kara the sniper was simply a way of providing more tension and drama into the final sequence of 'Bastille Day' rather than going with a brand-new Marine sniper who the audience would have no investment in or identification with."

"We're always striving to keep things as 'real' as we can make them, but we are still producing a television series and we're telling a story, so sometimes we bend the rules to make the show more compelling or to avoid awkward scenes that actually slow it down and dissipate the momentum."

—SciFi.com Production Update Blog (April 11, 2005) ^{[commentary 5]}

Character Continuity

Helo's Survival: Helo's shouting to find survivors on Caprica appears risky given the Cylon presence. However, viewers are unaware of how much time he and Caprica-Valerii spent scouting the area. Furthermore, at only 12 days post-attack, Helo has no clear understanding of the extent of the Cylon ground occupation.
Saul Tigh's Sobriety: Despite his resolution to quit drinking at the end of the Miniseries, Tigh suffers a relapse in this episode. While not shown as severely incapacitated, his tipsy behavior in front of the crew indicates the beginning of a recurring struggle with alcoholism throughout the season.
Early Clues: Tigh's relative resilience to sleep deprivation compared to the younger crew is noted by Commander Adama. Along with Chief Tyrol's similar endurance, this serves as an early, subtle nod to their true nature ^{(TRS: "Crossroads, Part II")}.

Questions

Answered Questions

For answers to the questions in this section, click here.

Is Tom Zarek genuinely willing to die for his beliefs?
Can Gaius Baltar really use a nuclear warhead to build a Cylon detector, or does Head Six have some other plan?
Will elections really be held in seven months?

Unanswered Questions

None yet.

Official Statements

Concept and Development

This section covers the episode's origins as a vehicle for the show's political themes and the pressure of writing the first episode following the pilot.

When we were originally talking about doing a series, the network and studio asked me to give them an idea of the variety of stories we could tell, and one of the things I said we would do was the 'prison riot episode'. I actually mentioned the prison ship in the miniseries specifically so we could do something with it. I saw this episode as an opportunity to really set up the politics of the show. I wanted the audience to know that politics were going to be an important part of the show as it continued.

—Ronald D. Moore, Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion ^{[production 15]}

Coming in as the first person to write an episode apart from Ron Moore, I did feel a lot of pressure. Ron is so brilliant and created such an epic piece. Coming in after him, I really wanted to match his voice and do justice to the material.

—Toni Graphia, Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion ^{[production 16]}

The Zarek and Apollo Legacy

The inclusion of Richard Hatch (the original series' Apollo) as Tom Zarek served as a bridge between the two iterations of the franchise.

On developing the character of Tom Zarek:

Toni Graphia: We saw Tom Zarek as someone who had created a lot of trouble for the 'right reasons'. He had committed terrorist acts in the name of preventing his colony and his people from being exploited. Zarek is not a moustache-twirling villain. He's something of a rogue hero, and he's supposed to be very likeable.

Ronald D. Moore: Tom Zarek is idealistic in his own way. But I think he has more personal ambition than even he would care to admit.

—Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion ^{[production 17]}

Before I read the script, I had my misgivings because there's always the danger you might be accused of tokenism or doing it as a marketing ploy... But once I read the script, all my misgivings were gone. I thought Richard's character was very strong and interesting, and Richard was just lovely to work with. He's a cool guy, and he's very supportive of what we're doing.

—Jamie Bamber, Working with Richard Hatch ^{[production 18]}

On acknowledging the "Apollo" name:

Richard Hatch: Jamie is a terrific actor and I was so grateful that he's such a gracious and nice guy. He plays the character very differently from how I played him. He made it clear to me that he was actually playing Lee Adama, and Apollo was his call sign! I found it interesting that I was given those lines to talk about who Apollo is and what that name signifies. I think that was a great way to basically pass the mantle between us.

Ronald D. Moore: It was tricky to get that right. I wanted to make sure it wasn't too overt and stuck out too much, but you kind of want to acknowledge it and deal with it in some way.

—Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion ^{[production 19]}

The Cally Henderson Crisis

The survival of Cally Henderson marked a turning point for the character, moving her from a background extra to a member of the core ensemble.

Eick and Moore on Cally's survival:

David Eick: Nicki Clyne... was somebody who in the Miniseries, I remember Michael (Rymer) and I cast just on the basis of her look... she turned out to be so good that we— in launching the series we started talking about ways to involve her... Ronald D. Moore: Well she almost died! She was gonna die in the initial drafts of this. Eick: That's right! He kills her! He rapes and kills her! [...] Moore: Nicki, I hate to tell ya, but the bullseye was on Nicki here. [...] You [Eick] said you wanted Cally to fight back and really show some balls in this scene. She bit his ear off... Eick: I said, "She bites his frakking ear off" and I was totally being... you know, just illustrative! I didn't really mean it! Moore: And I wrote, "she bites his ear off"! And from that moment on, I think, she really became part of the show.

—Podcast for "Bastille Day" ^{[commentary 6]}

In the first draft of the script, Cally was killed. But several people, including Ron, felt that they didn't want the show to portray any of our female characters as victims, because our women are very strong. So we changed it to Cally fighting back, and I was actually very happy about that.

—Toni Graphia, The decision to save Cally ^{[production 20]}

They used this mixture of corn syrup and coloring for the blood, which was extremely sticky... I had it on whole day. [...] I was walking around, throwing popcorn in my mouth and everyone was backing off and staring at me. I'm going "Hey, what's your problem?" Then it occurred to me, "Oh yeah, I look like Death! Right. OK!"

—Nicki Clyne, Blood makeup experience ^{[production 21]}

Cast Reflections

I relished doing that episode because Lee finally gets to stand up on his own two feet. You get an insight into how Lee views the military and civilians, and he gets to do something that's slightly controversial and may not prove to be the best decision in the long term.

—Jamie Bamber, Lee Adama's character arc ^{[production 22]}

It was so creepy being locked in that cage. It was an intense and very eerie environment.

—Kandyse McClure, Prison set atmosphere ^{[production 23]}

Noteworthy Dialogue

On choosing sides:

William Adama: Every man has to decide for themselves which side they are on.

Lee Adama: I didn't know we were picking sides. [walks off]

William Adama: That's why you haven't picked one yet.

—Re-imagined Series' "Bastille Day", at time index 05m24s

On Cylon-occupied Caprica:

Doral: She's good.

Six: So far.

Doral: Jealous?

Six: This all makes me so sad.

Doral: (matter-of-fact) They would have destroyed themselves anyway. They deserve what they got.

Six: We're the children of humanity. That makes them our parents in a sense.

Doral: True — but parents have to die. It's the only way children come into their own.

—Re-imagined Series' "Bastille Day", at time index 11m32s

Aboard Astral Queen, in a broadcast by Tom Zarek:

Tom Zarek: I make these demands not for me....but for you, the people. The survivors of the holocaust and the children of humanity's future. I am Tom Zarek, and this is the first day of a new era.

—Re-imagined Series' "Bastille Day", at time index 25m02s

Guest stars

Credited

Michael Hogan as Colonel Saul Tigh
Aaron Douglas as Chief Galen Tyrol
Tahmoh Penikett as Lieutenant Karl "Helo" Agathon
Kandyse McClure as Petty Officer Anastasia Dualla
Paul Campbell as Billy Keikeya
Alessandro Juliani as Lieutenant Felix Gaeta
Connor Widdows as Boxey
Alonso Oyarzun as Specialist Socinus
Nicki Clyne as Specialist Cally Henderson
Pat Adrien Dorval as Wilkens
Ron Selmour as Seaborne
Matthew Bennett as Aaron Doral
Brent Stait as Mason
Graham Young as Marine #1
Curtis Lee Hicks as Marine #2
Colby Johannson as Dwight "Flat Top" Saunders

Uncredited

Scott Nicholson as Starke/Stunt Guard #1 and Stunt Con #6^{[production 24]}
Guy Bews as Stunt Guard #1^{[production 25]}
Lou Bollo as Stunt Guard #2^{[production 26]}
Duane Dickinson as Stunt Guard #3^{[production 27]}
Tony Morelli as Stunt Con #1^{[production 28]}
Ernest Jackson as Stunt Con #2^{[production 29]}
Gaston Howard as Stunt Con #3^{[production 30]}
Scott Atea as Stunt Con #4^{[production 31]}
Simon Burnett as Stunt Con #5^{[production 32]}
Gerald Paets as Stunt Con #7^{[production 33]}
Charles Andre as Stunt Marine^{[production 34]}
Dave Hospes as Lee "Apollo" Adama (stunt)^{[production 35]}

References

"Bastille Day" An episode of the Re-imagined Series

Episode No.	Season 1, Episode 3
Writer(s)	Toni Graphia
Story by
Director	Allan Kroeker
Assistant Director
Special guest(s)	Richard Hatch as Tom Zarek
Production No.	103
Nielsen Rating	2.3
US airdate	2005-01-21
CAN airdate	2005-01-29
UK airdate	2004-11-01
DVD release	20 September 2005 US 28 March 2005 UK
Population	survivors
Additional Info
Full Credits
Episode Chronology
Previous		Next
Water	Bastille Day	Act of Contrition
Related Information
Official Summary
R&D Skit – View
Deleted Scenes
[[IMDB:tt{{{imdb}}}\|IMDb entry]]
Listing of props for this episode
Related Media
Photo Gallery			@ BW Media
Promotional Materials

Online Purchasing
Amazon: *Standard Definition* \| *High Definition*

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
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 {{Episode Data
 | image =bsg-1-03.jpg
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 | writer=[[Toni Graphia]]
 | story=
-| director=[[Alan Kroeker]]
+| director=[[Allan Kroeker]]
 | production=103
 | rating= 2.3
 | US airdate= 2005-01-21
+| CAN airdate=2005-01-29
 | UK airdate= 2004-11-01
 | dvd= {{Season 1 NTSC DVD release date}} '''US'''<br/>{{Season 1 PAL DVD release date}} '''UK'''
@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 | prev=[[Water]]
 | next=[[Act of Contrition]]
+| amazon=y
+|archives=y
+|series=TRS}}
+:''After the Fleet finds a source of water to replace that which was [[Water|lost in sabotage]], ''{{RDM|Galactica}}'' and the [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]] face a shortage of manpower to mine it, turning to their [[Astral Queen|prisoner population]] for help, with [[Tom Zarek|unexpected complications]].''
+== Summary ==
+===In the Fleet===
+* After ''{{RDM|Galactica}}''{{'|s}} extensive water supplies are sabotaged {{TRS|Water}}, a source of water is found on a nearby moon—but it is in the form of ice, and must be mined. This will require a crew of around 1,000.<ref group="footage" name="galactica_water_mining_requirement">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|03m13s}}</ref>
+* As that number cannot be spared from ''Galactica''{{'|s}} crew, and it is unlikely civilians will volunteer for the dangerous work, [[Lee Adama|Captain Adama]] suggests enlisting the help of the prisoners on ''[[Astral Queen]]''.<ref group="footage" name="lee_suggests_prisoner_labor">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|03m18s}}</ref>
+* [[Laura Roslin|President Roslin]] refuses to force the prisoners into the work,<ref group="footage" name="roslin_refuses_forced_labor">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|03m39s}}</ref> so Lee suggests that volunteering prisoners could be awarded points toward earning their freedom.<ref group="footage" name="lee_suggests_freedom_points">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|03m45s}}</ref>
+* The idea does not go over well with Commander [[William Adama|Adama]], who is already at odds with his son over his new position as "special advisor" to the President.<ref group="footage" name="adama_opposes_sons_role">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|05m24s}}</ref>
+* However, Roslin decides to send a delegation led by Lee Adama to ''Astral Queen'' to put the idea to the prisoners. To address Adama's fears that they might inadvertently release dangerous prisoners into the Fleet's community, [[Billy Keikeya]] is selected to go as well and screen the prisoners prior to selection.<ref group="footage" name="delegation_plans_prisoner_screening">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|04m18s}}</ref>
+* As a further snub to his son, Commander Adama insists that military personnel also go – [[Anastasia Dualla]] is "volunteered" by Keikeya to assist in the screening and report directly back to Adama, and [[Cally Henderson]] is selected to ensure the chosen prisoners can handle the mining equipment.<ref group="footage" name="military_personnel_added_delegation">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|04m40s}}</ref>
+* On ''Astral Queen'', Captain Adama outlines the deal to the prisoners, but no one volunteers.<ref group="footage" name="prisoners_refuse_initial_offer">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|07m29s}}</ref>
+* The nominated leader of the prisoners, whom Billy Keikeya recognizes as the infamous political agitator [[Tom Zarek]] from [[Sagittaron]], politely refuses the offer.<ref group="footage" name="zarek_identified_sagittaron_agitator">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|08m07s}}</ref><ref group="footage" name="zarek_refuses_offer">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|09m30s}}</ref>
+* While Dualla and Keikeya argue the merits of Zarek as a "prisoner of conscience" or terrorist, Lee meets with Zarek to try and persuade him to help.<ref group="footage" name="delegation_debates_zarek_character">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|11m54s}}</ref>
+* On ''Galactica'', Commander Adama confronts [[Gaius Baltar]] about the [[Cylon detector]]. When Adama pushes him, Baltar almost admits he can't actually build it.<ref group="footage" name="adama_confronts_baltar_detector">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|18m33s}}</ref>
+* This releases a torrent of anger from Baltar's [[Virtual Six|virtual Six]], which terrifies him into submission. She instructs him on what to ask for to make the detector: a nuclear warhead.<ref group="footage" name="virtual_six_angry_reaction">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|19m57s}}</ref><ref group="footage" name="six_demands_nuclear_warhead">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|21m40s}}</ref>
+* Baltar realizes her instructions will actually work, and Adama agrees to provide the warhead.<ref group="footage" name="adama_agrees_warhead_request">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|22m21s}}</ref>
+* On ''Astral Queen'', Zarek's elaborately orchestrated prison break takes place, and ''Galactica's'' delegation is taken hostage.<ref group="footage" name="zarek_orchestrates_prison_break">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|14m01s}}</ref>
+* With the ship in his control, Zarek broadcasts a message demanding the immediate resignation of President Roslin and her government, claiming that since they were never elected, they do not legitimately represent the people.<ref group="footage" name="zarek_demands_roslin_resignation">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|25m31s}}</ref>
+* As Zarek uses Lee Adama to try and gain insight into the dynamic between Roslin and Commander Adama, an assault mission consisting of [[Marines]] and led by [[Kara Thrace|Kara "Starbuck" Thrace]] is assembled. A crack sharpshooter, Thrace is ordered by Adama to kill Zarek if she gets a clear shot.<ref group="footage" name="starbuck_ordered_kill_zarek">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|27m05s}}</ref>
+* Commander Adama's attempt to negotiate with Zarek is rebuffed.<ref group="footage" name="adama_negotiation_attempt_fails">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|31m08s}}</ref> Lee Adama realizes the truth: Zarek wants the commander to send in the troops, believing a bloodbath aboard ''Queen'' will bring down Roslin's government through scandal.<ref group="footage" name="lee_realizes_zarek_strategy">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|32m21s}}</ref>
+* The Marines and Starbuck arrive in Raptors and cut their way into the ship.<ref group="footage" name="marines_board_astral_queen">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|32m42s}}</ref>
+* In the cells, a prisoner named [[Mason]] attempts to rape Cally Henderson. She bites off a piece of his ear, and he shoots her in retaliation.<ref group="footage" name="mason_attacks_cally">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|32m08s}}</ref><ref group="footage" name="cally_fights_back_shot">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|34m32s}}</ref>
+* Lee Adama rushes to the cell and puts a sidearm to Zarek's head, giving him a choice: die now, or work with his men to supply the Fleet with water in exchange for control of ''Astral Queen'' and a guarantee of future elections.<ref group="footage" name="lee_threatens_zarek_deal">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|35m40s}}</ref><ref group="footage" name="deal_terms_elections_guarantee">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|37m02s}}</ref>
+* The Marines storm the area. Thrace takes a shot at Zarek, but Lee Adama pushes him to safety.<ref group="footage" name="starbuck_shot_lee_saves_zarek">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|37m34s}}</ref>
+* Roslin and Commander Adama are initially displeased with Lee's arrangement, but he argues that the prisoners, while in control of their ship, are still reliant on the Fleet for supplies, and that under Colonial law, Roslin would have to face elections in seven months anyway.<ref group="footage" name="lee_defends_deal_colonial_law">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|38m51s}}</ref>
+* Later, Captain Adama tells Roslin he'll vote for her when the time comes. His honesty prompts her to reveal the truth: she has cancer and might not be alive to run for re-election.<ref group="footage" name="roslin_reveals_cancer_diagnosis">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|42m29s}}</ref>
+===On Caprica===
+* {{callsign|Helo}} and the [[Caprica-Valerii|Caprica copy]] of [[Sharon Valerii]] reach a relatively undamaged city.<ref group="footage" name="helo_sharon_reach_city">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|10m07s}}</ref>
+* As they explore, they are observed by a [[Number Five]] and a [[Number Six]] from a rooftop.<ref group="footage" name="cylons_observe_helo_sharon">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|11m32s}}</ref>
+* The two Cylons discuss their heritage as the "children of humanity." While Six expresses regret that humans must be destroyed, the Five is less compassionate, stating that parents must die to allow their children to come into their own.<ref group="footage" name="cylons_discuss_human_heritage">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|11m51s}}</ref>
+== Notes ==
+=== Behind the Scenes ===
+According to ''[[So Say We All: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Battlestar Galactica]]'', this episode was a pivotal moment for the series as it introduced the character of [[Tom Zarek]], played by [[Richard Hatch]], the star of the [[Original Series]].<ref group="production" name="sswa_zarek_introduction_pivotal">{{cite book/sswa|598}}</ref> The writers' room, led by [[Ronald D. Moore]], saw the prison-ship storyline as the "perfect opportunity" to bring Hatch into the new series. The idea was to have the original Apollo play a character who voiced skepticism about the new leadership, creating a meta-narrative that the creative team found "a lot of fun."<ref group="production" name="sswa_writers_room_opportunity">{{cite book/sswa|598}}</ref> In the episode's [[Podcast:Bastille Day|home video-only podcast commentary]], Moore elaborated on this, stating he loved the "delicious" irony of having [[Apollo (TOS)|the original Apollo]] play a character whose role was to say, "Everything about this show is wrong. All of this must be destroyed."<ref group="commentary" name="moore_podcast_delicious_irony">[[Podcast:Bastille Day|Podcast for "Bastille Day"]], timestamp 04:04</ref>
+The producers considered the casting a "stunt," enjoying the dynamic of having the "two Apollos" confront each other on screen.<ref group="commentary" name="moore_podcast_two_apollos_stunt">[[Podcast:Bastille Day|Podcast for "Bastille Day"]], timestamp 10:20</ref> The casting choice was initially met with some trepidation by actor [[Jamie Bamber]] (Lee Adama), who was "terrified" to work with Hatch, given Hatch's previous outspoken criticism of the reimagining.<ref group="production" name="sswa_bamber_terrified_hatch">{{cite book/sswa|626}}</ref> However, Hatch proved to be a consummate professional. Moore recalls that Hatch arrived at the table read completely "off book" and fully embraced the complex role.<ref group="production" name="sswa_moore_hatch_professional">{{cite book/sswa|627}}</ref> Co-executive producer [[David Eick]] noted that Hatch, who had been one of the most "vocally opposed" critics of the remake, ultimately became one of its "chief advocates" after joining the cast.<ref group="commentary" name="eick_podcast_hatch_advocate">[[Podcast:Bastille Day|Podcast for "Bastille Day"]], timestamp 03:45</ref> Fellow actor [[James Callis]] ([[Gaius Baltar]]) noted that Hatch, a "prince of a man," relished playing a character so different from himself.<ref group="production" name="sswa_callis_hatch_prince">{{cite book/sswa|626}}</ref>
+=== Continuity Notes ===
+* Events here take place 2 days after those of "[[Water]]".
+* In the [[Miniseries]], ''[[Astral Queen]]'' is apparently a liner, rather than a prison ship. In the [[Podcast:Bastille Day|home video release commentary for this episode]], [[Ronald D. Moore]] explains that the ship's mention in the Miniseries was just a "throwaway line" to establish that there were prisoners in the Fleet. The name itself was a ''[[w:Star Trek|Star Trek]]'' homage, and the idea of a full-blown prison riot episode was a natural extension of that initial mention when the writers were planning the series.<ref group="commentary" name="moore_podcast_astral_queen_throwaway">[[Podcast:Bastille Day|Podcast for "Bastille Day"]], timestamp 07:05</ref>
+** During a briefing, [[Billy Keikeya|Billy]] informs [[Laura Roslin|President Roslin]] that: "The Captain of ''Astral Queen'' wants you to know that he has nearly 500 convicted criminals under heavy guard in his cargo hold. They were being transported to a penal station when the attack happened."
+** In the re-cap clip shown at the top of this episode, Keikeya's lines are re-dubbed so that he says, "The Captain of ''Astral Queen'' wants you to know that he has 1,500 prisoners under heavy guard."<ref group="footage" name="recap_redubbed_prisoner_count">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|00m45s}}</ref>
+** Instead of being taken to a penal station, as in the [[Miniseries]], {{callsign|Lee Adama}} states that the prisoners were being transferred to {{RDM|Caprica}} for parole hearings.<ref group="footage" name="lee_states_caprica_parole_hearings">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|03m22s}}</ref>
+** For the purposes of the increased number of prisoners, ''Astral Queen'' becomes a prison ship.
+* The Colonials will face a fuel shortage at [[The Hand of God (RDM)|some point]].
+*Major [[Cottle]], ''Galactica''{{'|s}} ship doctor, is first mentioned in this episode, although he will not appear until the next episode.<ref group="footage" name="cottle_first_mentioned">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|04m02s}}</ref>
+*President Roslin's hair style changes starting with this episode, from the straight-down hairstyle she had since the [[Miniseries]], to the swept-back style which she would sport through the end of Season 2.
+*''Galactica'' is referred to by Viper pilots as the "[[Big G]]." <ref group="footage" name="galactica_nicknamed_big_g">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|16m33s}}</ref> This mirrors the nickname pilots have given to the aircraft carrier [[w:USS Enterprise|USS Enterprise]], the "Big E". The introduction of ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'' would later change this; ''Galactica'' would be nicknamed "[[The Bucket]]," with ''Pegasus'' being nicknamed "[[The Beast]]."
+=== Production Notes ===
+* Richard Hatch played the character of {{TOS|Apollo}} in the [[Original Series]] and is the first cast member of the 1978 show to participate in the [[Re-imagined Series]].
+*This is one of only two Season 1 episodes to deal extensively with another ship in the Fleet. The other is "[[Colonial Day]], which features ''[[Cloud 9]]'' heavily and has few scenes on ''Galactica''. Originally this was planned to happen more often, but building new sets turned out to be much more expensive than anticipated.
+*This is the only regular-series episode in which [[Boxey (RDM)|Boxey]] appears, outside of his appearance in the [[Miniseries]]. According to the podcast, when the Miniseries was created, the writers envisioned Boxey as being a major recurring character in most episodes of the series. However, on a case-by-case basis, they found that inserting a child like Boxey did not harmonize with many of the dark scripts on the series, and once the show got underway and found its flow, they simply couldn't think of ways to write him into upcoming scripts. By the beginning of Season 2, they realized they hadn't been using him, and officially decided to simply abandon the character and consciously never tried to use him again.
+*Starting with this episode, [[Cally Henderson]] started to become a larger character on the series, as noted by Moore and Eick in the podcast (see [[Bastille Day#Official statements|Official Statements]], below). Originally she was supposed to die, but instead they rewrote the scene to give her an attention-getting grittiness and in turn, survival.
+* The quip made by ''[[Astral Queen]]''{{'|s}} captain, "I'm a bus driver, not a warden," is a homage to the original ''Star Trek'' television series.<ref group="footage" name="captain_bus_driver_star_trek_homage">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|05m50s}}</ref> It is similar to Doctor Leonard McCoy's trademark quote, "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer," or whatever fits at the time in the latter portion of the statement.
+* The setup for this plot might have been inspired by the TOS episode "[[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part I]]". In both episodes, a group of criminals was conscripted from a prison ship to work on the icy surface of a hostile planet. A notable difference between the two episodes lies in how the workers were chosen. While the workers in "Bastille Day" were chosen in part for their expendability, the conscripts in "[[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part I]]" were chosen for their expertise in harsh environments and in demolition work. Also different was the prisoners' motivation to take on the work. In "Bastille Day," the prisoners are offered the possibility of earning their freedom, whereas the prisoners in "[[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part I]]" were offered nothing overtly other than the fear that the fleet might be destroyed without their services. A number of them take the assignment in the hopes of escaping during the action.
+*According to the DVD commentary for the episode, the startling scene when Number Six yells in Baltar's face that "they're going to throw you out of an airlock!" was a visual homage taken from the film "[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099871/ Jacob's Ladder]," which has a similar startling close up shot.<ref group="footage" name="virtual_six_jacobs_ladder_homage">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|19m57s}}</ref> Tricia Helfer was given scary makeup for the shot, but in such a slight way that it is difficult for the eye to see what's wrong with the shot, but the audience can tell on some level that something's wrong. If you pause during her close-up shot, you can see that she's wearing contact lenses that make her eyes look unnaturally bright, and a mouthpiece of fake teeth which are bent out of shape and unnaturally large.
+*The building seen in the first scene with Helo and Sharon is actually the [[wikipedia:Vancouver Public Library|Vancouver Public Library]], one of the most recognizable buildings in the city of Vancouver.<ref group="production" name="companion_vancouver_library_caprica_scenes">{{cite book|last=Bassom|first=David|authorlink=|coauthors=|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|location=London|isbn=1-84576-097-2|pages=54|chapter=|chapterurl=|quote=}}</ref>
+*The scene where {{callsign|Lee Adama}} holds his pistol to a kneeling [[Tom Zarek]] is a recreation of ''[[wikipedia:Dirty Harry|Dirty Harry]]'', according to [[David Eick]]'s comments in the DVD commentary. "That is the 'I know what you're thinking, punk' shot, down to the move, the lens, the distance of the camera away from the actor."<ref group="footage" name="lee_zarek_dirty_harry_homage">{{TRS video|Bastille Day|35m40s}}</ref>
+* ''Bastille Day'' was helmed by [[Allan Kroeker]], a veteran TV director whose credits include multiple episodes of such series as ''[[w:Star Trek: Deep Space Nine|Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'', ''[[w:Star Trek: Voyager|Star Trek: Voyager]]'', ''[[w:Star Trek: Enterprise|Star Trek: Enterprise]]'' and ''[[w:Roswell (TV series)|Roswell]]''.<ref group="production" name="companion_kroeker_directing_credits">{{cite book|last=Bassom|first=David|authorlink=|coauthors=|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|location=London|isbn=1-84576-097-2|pages=54|chapter=|chapterurl=|quote=}}</ref>
+* Much of the episode was filmed at the disused Port Mann Power Station in Vancouver's Surrey district. This location was transformed into the ''Astral Queen'' using a combination of practical sets and CGI set extensions.<ref group="production" name="companion_port_mann_filming_location">{{cite book|last=Bassom|first=David|authorlink=|coauthors=|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|location=London|isbn=1-84576-097-2|pages=54|chapter=|chapterurl=|quote=}}</ref>
+* The episode's title was chosen by [[Toni Graphia]] because its plotline reminded her of the historic march on the Bastille which triggered the French Revolution in 1789.<ref group="production" name="companion_graphia_bastille_title_origin">{{cite book|last=Bassom|first=David|authorlink=|coauthors=|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|location=London|isbn=1-84576-097-2|pages=53|chapter=|chapterurl=|quote=}}</ref>
+=== Character Development and Casting ===
+* [[Toni Graphia]] and [[Carla Robinson]] were responsible for naming [[Tom Zarek]]. Graphia recalls: "We knew we probably wanted something starting with a 'Z' for his surname, because a 'Z' sounds strong and futuristic. And we wanted him to have a religious-sounding name for his first name, so we looked at a number of Saints' names. His original name was Peter Zarek, but that didn't clear with our legal department. So we changed it to Tom."<ref group="production" name="companion_graphia_zarek_naming_process">{{cite book|last=Bassom|first=David|authorlink=|coauthors=|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|location=London|isbn=1-84576-097-2|pages=52|chapter=|chapterurl=|quote=}}</ref>
+* Initially, [[Tom Zarek]] was described by [[Ronald D. Moore]] as "a Nelson Mandela-style prisoner of conscience" before developing into one of the show's most intriguing and ambiguous characters.<ref group="production" name="companion_moore_zarek_mandela_comparison">{{cite book|last=Bassom|first=David|authorlink=|coauthors=|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|location=London|isbn=1-84576-097-2|pages=53|chapter=|chapterurl=|quote=}}</ref>
+* [[Richard Hatch]] had previously declined to make a cameo appearance as the then-male [[Elosha]] in the [[Miniseries]], but was intrigued by Moore's description of Zarek and quickly signed on to play the potentially recurring character.<ref group="production" name="companion_hatch_declined_elosha_role">{{cite book|last=Bassom|first=David|authorlink=|coauthors=|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|location=London|isbn=1-84576-097-2|pages=53|chapter=|chapterurl=|quote=}}</ref>
+=== Set Design and Costumes ===
+* Production designer [[Richard Hudolin]] designed the prison cells aboard ''Astral Queen'' with a specific twist: "The bars aren't a normal size and the prison cells are reminiscent of chicken in cages."<ref group="production" name="companion_hudolin_prison_cell_design">{{cite book|last=Bassom|first=David|authorlink=|coauthors=|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|location=London|isbn=1-84576-097-2|pages=55|chapter=|chapterurl=|quote=}}</ref>
+* Costume designer [[Glenne Campbell]] explains that the prisoner costumes were based on real-life prison clothing: "The prisoner's costumes are much like the orange coveralls prisoners in transport wear. We changed the color from orange to red because orange was just too close to reality, while deep red gave a good 'danger' signal. Richard Hatch loved wearing it. He said it was the most comfortable costume he'd ever worn!"<ref group="production" name="companion_campbell_prisoner_costume_design">{{cite book|last=Bassom|first=David|authorlink=|coauthors=|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|location=London|isbn=1-84576-097-2|pages=54|chapter=|chapterurl=|quote=}}</ref>
+== Analysis ==
+=== Production Realities and Plot Development ===
+* '''Cylon Strategy on Caprica:''' While the Cylons nuked most major population centers, including [[Caprica City]], several cities were left intact. [[Ron Moore]] and [[David Eick]] explain that this was originally a production expediency to save on visual effects costs. This reality was turned into a story element, prompting {{Callsign|Helo}} to question why some areas were spared. The answer is later revealed in "[[Downloaded]]," where the Cylons are shown rebuilding and inhabiting these cities. The primary goal of the initial attack was to kill the human population through intense radiation exposure rather than total infrastructure destruction.
+* '''Starbuck's Characterization:''' [[Katee Sackhoff]]'s portrayal of [[Kara Thrace]] in this episode is noticeably different from her later characterization. She is presented in a more stereotypical "Top Gun" mold—sporting aviator sunglasses and cigars with an irreverent attitude. Sackhoff and the writers later refined the character by integrating more of the actress's natural personality, smoothing out Thrace's rougher edges by mid-season.
+* '''The Role of Boxey:''' [[Boxey (RDM)|Boxey]]'s inclusion in the flight briefing feels forced because his original character arc was abandoned. Moore explains that Boxey was intended to form a "family unit" with [[Galen Tyrol]] and [[Sharon Valerii]], acting as a mascot for the pilots. When Sharon's Cylon arc was accelerated in "[[Water]]," the writers considered making him an "[[w:Artful Dodger|Artful Dodger]]" type, but the idea was never realized, leaving the character underutilized.
+=== Dramatic Licenses ===
+* '''Starbuck as Sniper:''' The decision to make Thrace the fleet's premier sniper was a "concession to the form" for dramatic purposes. Moore admits that being a pilot and a scout sniper are entirely different skill sets, and a real sniper would not have missed the shot Thrace did. However, using Thrace instead of a new [[Colonial Marine Corps|Marine]] character heightened the emotional stakes, as it placed [[Lee Adama]]'s life directly in the hands of his best friend.
+{{Dialogue
+| context = [[Ronald D. Moore]] on choosing drama over "real" military choices:
+| lines =
+"Kara might be the best shot in the fleet...but being a good shot is far from being a trained sniper. And she missed in that episode, a huge faux-paux for a scout sniper. In addition, she could not have been conducting unit training and sustainment training with the Marines...and fly her Viper."
+"In both instances, we chose to go with the dramatic needs rather than the 'real' choices. Making Kara the sniper was simply a way of providing more tension and drama into the final sequence of 'Bastille Day' rather than going with a brand-new Marine sniper who the audience would have no investment in or identification with."
+"We're always striving to keep things as 'real' as we can make them, but we are still producing a television series and we're telling a story, so sometimes we bend the rules to make the show more compelling or to avoid awkward scenes that actually slow it down and dissipate the momentum."
+| source = SciFi.com Production Update Blog (April 11, 2005) <ref group="commentary" name="moore_podcast_starbuck_sniper_dramatic">[[Podcast:Bastille Day|Podcast for "Bastille Day"]], timestamp 26:25</ref>
+}}
+=== Character Continuity ===
+* '''Helo's Survival:''' Helo's shouting to find survivors on Caprica appears risky given the Cylon presence. However, viewers are unaware of how much time he and [[Caprica-Valerii]] spent scouting the area. Furthermore, at only 12 days post-attack, Helo has no clear understanding of the extent of the Cylon ground occupation.
+* '''Saul Tigh's Sobriety:''' Despite his resolution to quit drinking at the end of the [[Miniseries]], Tigh suffers a relapse in this episode. While not shown as severely incapacitated, his tipsy behavior in front of the crew indicates the beginning of a recurring struggle with alcoholism throughout the season.
+* '''Early Clues:''' Tigh's relative resilience to sleep deprivation compared to the younger crew is noted by Commander [[William Adama|Adama]]. Along with Chief Tyrol's similar endurance, this serves as an early, subtle nod to their [[Final Five|true nature]] {{TRS|Crossroads, Part II}}.
+== Questions ==
+=== Answered Questions ===
+{{answered questions|season=1|series=RDM|episode=Bastille Day}}
+*Is [[Tom Zarek]] genuinely willing to die for his beliefs?
+*Can [[Gaius Baltar]] really use a nuclear warhead to build a [[Cylon detector]], or does [[Head Six]] have some other plan?
+*Will elections really be held in seven months?
+=== Unanswered Questions ===
+: ''None yet.''
+== Official Statements ==
+=== Concept and Development ===
+This section covers the episode's origins as a vehicle for the show's political themes and the pressure of writing the first episode following the pilot.
+{{Quote
+| text = When we were originally talking about doing a series, the network and studio asked me to give them an idea of the variety of stories we could tell, and one of the things I said we would do was the 'prison riot episode'. I actually mentioned the prison ship in the miniseries specifically so we could do something with it. I saw this episode as an opportunity to really set up the politics of the show. I wanted the audience to know that politics were going to be an important part of the show as it continued.
+| sign = [[Ronald D. Moore]]
+| source = ''Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion'' <ref group="production" name="companion_moore_prison_riot_origins">{{cite book|last=Bassom|first=David|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|isbn=1-84576-097-2|pages=52}}</ref>
+}}
+{{Quote
+| text = Coming in as the first person to write an episode apart from Ron Moore, I did feel a lot of pressure. Ron is so brilliant and created such an epic piece. Coming in after him, I really wanted to match his voice and do justice to the material.
+| sign = [[Toni Graphia]]
+| source = ''Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion'' <ref group="production" name="companion_graphia_writing_pressure">{{cite book|last=Bassom|first=David|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|isbn=1-84576-097-2|pages=53}}</ref>
 }}
+=== The Zarek and Apollo Legacy ===
+The inclusion of [[Richard Hatch]] (the original series' Apollo) as [[Tom Zarek]] served as a bridge between the two iterations of the franchise.
-== Overview ==
+{{Dialogue
+| context = On developing the character of [[Tom Zarek]]:
+| lines =
+'''Toni Graphia:''' We saw Tom Zarek as someone who had created a lot of trouble for the 'right reasons'. He had committed terrorist acts in the name of preventing his colony and his people from being exploited. Zarek is not a moustache-twirling villain. He's something of a rogue hero, and he's supposed to be very likeable.
-: ''Continuing from the events of "[[Water]]", [[Galactica type battlestar|battlestar]] ''[[Galactica]]'' and [[The Fleet (RDM)|the Fleet]] face a chronic water shortage. Their only recourse: persuade 1,500 prisoners on the transport vessel ''[[Astral Queen]]'' to help them mine ice from a nearby moon. ''
+'''Ronald D. Moore:''' Tom Zarek is idealistic in his own way. But I think he has more personal ambition than even he would care to admit.
+| source = ''Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion'' <ref group="production" name="companion_graphia_zarek_character_development">{{cite book|last=Bassom|first=David|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|isbn=1-84576-097-2|pages=53}}</ref>
+}}
-== Summary ==
+{{Quote
-* ''[[Galactica]]'s'' fleet-critical water supplies have been sabotaged ([[Water]]).
+| text = Before I read the script, I had my misgivings because there's always the danger you might be accused of tokenism or doing it as a marketing ploy... But once I read the script, all my misgivings were gone. I thought Richard's character was very strong and interesting, and Richard was just lovely to work with. He's a cool guy, and he's very supportive of what we're doing.
-* A source of water has been located on a nearby moon - but it is in the form of ice, and must be mined, which will require a crew of around 1,000.
+| sign = [[Jamie Bamber]]
-* As that number cannot be spared from ''Galactica's'' crew, and it is unlikely civilians will volunteer, it is determined to try and enlist the help of the prisoners on the ''[[Astral Queen]]''.
+| source = Working with Richard Hatch <ref group="production" name="companion_bamber_hatch_working_relationship">{{cite book|last=Bassom|first=David|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|isbn=1-84576-097-2|pages=54}}</ref>
-* [[Laura Roslin|Roslin]] won’t have the prisoners forced into the work, so [[Lee Adama]] suggests the prisoners who volunteer could be awarded points to go towards their freedom.
+}}
-* This idea does not go down well with Commander [[William Adama|Adama]], who is already at odds with his son over his new position as "special advisor" to the President ([[Water]]).
-* However, Roslin decides to send a delegation lead by Lee Adama to the ''Astral Queen'' to put the idea to the prisoners. To address Adama's fears that they might inadvertently release dangerous prisoners into the Fleet's community, [[Billy Keikeya]] is selected to go as well and screen the prisoners prior to selection.
-* As a further snub to his son, Adama insists military personnel also go – one to assist in the screening, who will report directly to him – and one to ensure the selected prisoners can handle the equipment that will be used to extract the ice.
-* [[Anastasia Dualla]] is "volunteered" by Billy for the first role, [[Cally]] is eventually selected for the second.
-*  Arriving on the ''Astral Queen'', Lee puts the situation to the prisoners, and outlines the deal: help us and earn points towards your freedom.
-* No-one volunteers. Instead, the nominated leader of the prisoners politely refuses the offer. Billy Keikeya recognizes him as [[Tom Zarek]], a political agitator from [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Sagittaron|Sagittaron]].
-* While Dualla and Billy argue the merits of Zarek as a "prisoner of conscience" or terrorist – Billy almost idolizing him, Lee meets with Zarek to try and persuade him to help the fleet.
-* On ''Galactica'', Adama meets with [[Gaius Baltar]], who is still equivocating over his [[Cylon detector]]. When Adama pushes Baltar into a corner, the doctor tries to admit he can’t actually build the detector.
-* This releases a torrent of anger from Baltar’s virtual [[Number Six|Six]], which terrifies him into submission. She then instructs him on what to ask for in order to make the detector: a nuclear warhead.
-* When Six only reveals a part of how this can be used to make the detector, Baltar is forced to think things through himself, and realizes it will actually work. Adama agrees to let Baltar have a warhead.
-* On the ''Astral Queen'', a planned break-out takes place, and ''Galactica’s'' delegation is taken hostage.
-* With the ship in his control, Zarek demands the immediate resignation of Roslin and her government on the grounds that, having never been elected, they do not represent the people.
-* As Zarek uses Lee to try and gain insight into the dynamic between Roslin and Adama, an assault mission, led by [[Kara Thrace|Kara "Starbuck" Thrace]], is put together using ''Galactica’s'' [[Raptor]]s and [[Marines|Marine]] contingent. As a crack sharpshooter, Starbuck is ordered by Adama to kill Zarek if she gets the chance.
-* Adama then tries to negotiate with Zarek himself, but is rebuffed. Lee Adama realizes the truth: Zarek wants Adama to send in the troops, believing a bloodbath aboard the ''Queen'' will bring down Roslin’s government.
-* The Marines and Starbuck arrive in the Raptors and start cutting their way into the ship.
-* In the cells, one of the prisoners decides he doesn’t like the way Cally has been “mocking” him, and decides to teach her a lesson.
-* As Starbuck and her Marines enter the ship, matters come to a head as the prisoner shoots Cally, wounding her, after he clearly tried to rape her, and she bit off a piece of his ear.
-* Lee Adama and Zarek rush to the cell where the prisoner is holding Cally. In the confusion, Lee obtains a handgun and puts it to Zarek’s head, giving him a choice: die immediately, or work with his men to supply the Fleet with water, and in return he’ll get to keep the ''Astral Queen'' and get his elections.
-* The Marines then make their presence felt, as Starbuck takes a shot at Zarek – who is saved by Lee Adama.
-* Roslin and Adama are initially less than pleased at these arrangements. Lee doesn’t really care. The prisoners are helping with the water, even if they have control of the ''Astral Queen'' they are still reliant on the Fleet for supplies, and under Colonial law, Roslin would have to face elections in seven months anyway.
-* Later, Lee informs Roslin that he didn’t mean to offend her with his views, and that when the elections come, he’ll vote for her. His honesty causes her to reveal the truth about her cancer and the fact that she might not be alive come the elections.
-===On Caprica===
+{{Dialogue
-* [[Karl Agathon|Helo]] and [[Sharon Valerii (Caprica copy)|Valerii]] reach a relatively undamaged city.
+| context = On acknowledging the "Apollo" name:
-* As they explore the city, they are observed by [[Aaron Doral|Doral]] and [[Number Six|Six]] from a rooftop.
+| lines =
-* Doral and Six discuss their heritage as Cylons - the "children of humanity", Six expressing regret that humans must be destroyed. Doral is less compassionate: parents need to die to let the children come into their own.
+'''Richard Hatch:''' Jamie is a terrific actor and I was so grateful that he's such a gracious and nice guy. He plays the character very differently from how I played him. He made it clear to me that he was actually playing Lee Adama, and Apollo was his call sign! I found it interesting that I was given those lines to talk about who Apollo is and what that name signifies. I think that was a great way to basically pass the mantle between us.
-== Questions ==
+'''Ronald D. Moore:''' It was tricky to get that right. I wanted to make sure it wasn't too overt and stuck out too much, but you kind of want to acknowledge it and deal with it in some way.
+| source = ''Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion'' <ref group="production" name="companion_hatch_bamber_mutual_respect">{{cite book|last=Bassom|first=David|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|isbn=1-84576-097-2|pages=54}}</ref>
+}}
-*Both Six and Zarek make references to "humanity's children", is there a connection?
+=== The Cally Henderson Crisis ===
-*Is Zarek genuinely willing to die for his beliefs? ([[Precipice|Possible answer]])
+The survival of [[Cally Henderson]] marked a turning point for the character, moving her from a background extra to a member of the core ensemble.
-*Can Baltar really use a nuclear warhead to build a Cylon detector, or does Six have some other plan? ([[Flesh and Bone|Answer]]).
-*Will elections really be held in seven months? ([[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I|Answer]])
-== Analysis ==
+{{Dialogue
-*In their initial write-ups for the series, executive producers [[Ron Moore]] and [[David Eick]] initially envisioned having many episodes or most episodes involve going out into the refugee fleet and solving problems that arose within it and little fiefdoms that people would start to set up.  However, as they state in the podcast for this episode, ''Bastille Day'' was the only episode of the first season in which they actually did this, and by season 2 they have said that they've more or less abandoned the idea (at least, it's no longer the "stock storyline" they originally thought it would be).  The reason they dropped this idea, they say, is because this episode went incredibly over-budget: the ''Astral Queen'' prison interior used up all of the money they had thought would be spread out over the entire first season to create sets for several other ships that they might visit.  Building a new set for each ship-of-the-week turned out to be such an expensive undertaking that it was untenable.
+| context = Eick and Moore on Cally's survival:
-*The Cylons apparently did not nuke every single city on Caprica, such as they did [[Caprica City]],  thought they did nuke most of them.  Ron Moore points out in the podcast that at first this was just the plot expediency of needing an environment for Helo to interact in, which of course then asks the question "Why are some cities not nuked?" which then becomes a plot point for later episodes (soon Helo will find that at the least, the Cylons wanted a a few surviving cities to use as foward bases).
+| lines = '''[[David Eick]]:''' Nicki Clyne... was somebody who in the [[Miniseries]], I remember Michael (Rymer) and I cast just on the basis of her look... she turned out to be so good that we— in launching the series we started talking about ways to involve her...
-*It seems a little counter-intuitive that Helo would be shouting loudly to see if anyone might hear him, as the Cylons might find out his position.  However, in Helo's defense we the viewers are only coming in to see him at this instant; Caprica-Sharon and Helo might have spent many boring hours beforehand wandering through an empty city, before Helo finally got fed up and started shouting.  Also, it's only been 12 days since the Cylon attack, and Helo has no idea how far over Caprica they've spread yet.
+'''[[Ronald D. Moore]]:''' Well she almost died! '''She was gonna die in the initial drafts of this.'''
-*This is the only episode of the regular series that [[Boxey (RDM)|Boxey]] appears in (He appeared in the [[Miniseries]] beforehand).  According to the podcast, when the Miniseries was created the writers envisioned Boxey as being a major recurring character in most episodes of the series.  However, on a case by case basis they found that inserting a child like Boxey did not harmonize with many of the dark scripts on the series, and once they show got underway and found its flow, they simply couldn't think of ways to write him into upcoming scripts.  By the beginning of Season 2, they realized they hadn't been using him, and officially decided to simply abandon the character and consciously never tried to use him again.
+'''Eick:''' That's right! He kills her! He rapes and kills her! [...]
-*Starbuck's flight briefing she gives as acting-CAG seems a bit "out of character" with what the series would later develop as its "norm", and shows some of the learning curve in the first few episodes before the writers and actors got a firm handle on just exactly how everything worked on the show.  Starbuck as a character is in full "Top Gun" mode, even wearing aviator sunglasses with a stogie cigar in hand, while giving a very irreverant briefing.  Actress Katee Sackhoff and the writers have said that after the first few episodes (after the time of "Bastille Day") they learned to start adding in "more of Katee into Starbuck", and Starbuck as a character smoothed out a great deal by the middle of the season.  The other big oddity with this scene is that it's the only scene in the entire regular series (post-Miniseries) to include Boxey, and his presence seems forced (Moore and Eick point this out in the podcast).  Why would Starbuck bring a 10 year old to a flight briefing on a military ship?  The concept pitch seems understandable on paper:  Boxey is supposed to be the orphan kid the pilots adopted who lives with them and is sort of their mascot/gofer/helper, and as such would help Starbuck with a briefing.  However Boxey didn't really get any buildup scenes to this, so here it seems that, without much prior explanation, there's just a kid helping Starbuck give a briefing.  Some of the several quirks in the first few episodes which soon disappear.
+'''Moore:''' Nicki, I hate to tell ya, but the bullseye was on Nicki here. [...] You [Eick] said you wanted Cally to fight back and really show some balls in this scene. She bit his ear off...
-*In the Miniseries, Tigh went from completely incompetent drunk by the end of the story, continuing into "[[33]]" where Commander Adama even notes how good it is that Tigh isn't drinking anymore.  With the Cylon attack, Tigh more or less decided to quit drinking.  However, he has a bit of a relapse here and has a few shots, and is a little tipsy in front of some crewmen (though he's not slurring his speach and stumbling over furniture; he's a functioning alcoholic).  Throughout the season he oscilates back and forth in his struggle with his alcoholism, sometimes he has relapses, though on the whole on his own he manages to seriously curtail his old drinking habit for a time (without being in a support group or anything, just by himself).  Still, he relapses here:  this is another instance of the series meeting its [[Naturalistic science fiction|goal to make a very realistic series]]:  to make Tigh have an epiphantic, life-changing moment and adamantly stop drinking forever from the Miniseries onward would have been hackneyed and unrealistic.  In real life, Tigh would have an ongoing struggle with his alcohol addiction, and even when trying to cut back find himself ''not'' meeting his goals from time to time; the characters on the series are flawed, human, and real.
+'''Eick:''' I said, "She bites his frakking ear off" and I was totally being... you know, just ''illustrative''! I didn't really mean it!
-*Also, Starbuck being a sharpshooter, "best shot in or ''out'' of the cockpit" stretches the credibility of these scenes:  shooting in a Viper and shooting a sniper rifle are entirely different things.  The force of moving the plot foward and trying to shoehorn a major character in becomes a bit obvious.  Ron Moore actually conceded this point in his blog on [http://blog.scifi.com/battlestar/archives/2005/04/ April 11th, 2005], saying that it would have been jarring to introduce a new Marine sniper, but they had to find a way to keep main character Starbuck as part of the action:
+'''Moore:''' And I wrote, "she bites his ear off"! '''And from that moment on, I think, she really became part of the show'''.
-::"I concede the point...we chose to go with the dramatic needs rather than the "real" choices. Making Kara the sniper was simply a way of providing more tension and drama into the final sequence of "Bastille Day" rather than going with a brand-new Marine sniper who the audience would have no investment in or identification with...It's a judgement call, frankly. We're always striving to keep things as "real" as we can make them, but we are still producing a television series and we're telling a story, so sometimes we bend the rules to make the show more compelling or to avoid awkward scenes that actually slow it down and dissipate the momentum."
+| source = Podcast for "Bastille Day" <ref group="commentary" name="eick_moore_podcast_cally_survival">[[Podcast:Bastille Day|Podcast for "Bastille Day"]], timestamp 29:55</ref>
-*Starting with this episode, [[Cally]] started to become a larger character on the series, as noted by Moore and Eick in the podcast (see [[Bastille Day#Official statements|Official Statements]], below).  Originally she was supposed to die, but instead she shows "balls" and bites a man's ear off in an attention-grabbing moment.  Many fans and critics started noticing her more after this point.
+}}
+{{Quote
+| text = In the first draft of the script, Cally was killed. But several people, including Ron, felt that they didn't want the show to portray any of our female characters as victims, because our women are very strong. So we changed it to Cally fighting back, and I was actually very happy about that.
+| sign = [[Toni Graphia]]
+| source = The decision to save Cally <ref group="production" name="companion_graphia_cally_survival_decision">{{cite book|last=Bassom|first=David|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|isbn=1-84576-097-2|pages=55}}</ref>
+}}
+{{Quote
+| text = They used this mixture of corn syrup and coloring for the blood, which was extremely sticky... I had it on ''whole'' day. [...] I was walking around, throwing popcorn in my mouth and everyone was backing off and staring at me. I'm going "Hey, what's your problem?" Then it occurred to me, "Oh yeah, I look like Death! Right. OK!"
+| sign = [[Nicki Clyne]]
+| source = Blood makeup experience <ref group="production" name="clyne_starlog_blood_makeup_experience">{{cite magazine|title=Battlestar Galactica|magazine=Starlog|issue=348|pages=31}}</ref>
+}}
+=== Cast Reflections ===
-== Notes ==
+{{Quote
+| text = I relished doing that episode because Lee finally gets to stand up on his own two feet. You get an insight into how Lee views the military and civilians, and he gets to do something that's slightly controversial and may not prove to be the best decision in the long term.
+| sign = [[Jamie Bamber]]
+| source = Lee Adama's character arc <ref group="production" name="companion_bamber_lee_character_development">{{cite book|last=Bassom|first=David|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|isbn=1-84576-097-2|pages=55}}</ref>
+}}
-* Richard Hatch played the character of [[Apollo (TOS)|Apollo]] in the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|original ''Battlestar Galactica'']] television series.
+{{Quote
-* Events here take place 4 days after those of "[[Water]]".
+| text = It was so creepy being locked in that cage. It was an intense and very eerie environment.
-* In the [[Miniseries]] the ''[[Astral Queen]]'' is apparently a liner, rather than a prison ship.
+| sign = [[Kandyse McClure]]
-** During a briefing, [[Billy Keikeya|Billy]] informs [[Laura Roslin|President Roslin]] that: "The Captain of the ''Astral Queen'' wants you to know that he has nearly 500 convicted criminals under heavy guard in his cargo hold. They were being transported to a penal station when the attack happened."
+| source = Prison set atmosphere <ref group="production" name="companion_mcclure_prison_set_atmosphere">{{cite book|last=Bassom|first=David|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|isbn=1-84576-097-2|pages=55}}</ref>
-** In the re-cap clip shown at the top of this episode, Billy's lines are re-dubbed so that he says, "The Captain of the ''Astral Queen'' wants you to know that he has 1,500 prisoners under heavy guard."
+}}
-** Instead of being taken to a penal station, as in the [[Miniseries]], [[Lee Adama]] states that the prisoners were being transferred to [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)#Caprica|Caprica]] for parole hearings.
-** For the purposes of the increased number of prisoners, the ''Astral Queen'' becomes a prison ship.
-* [[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]] is an expert sharpshooter with a rifle.
-* The Colonials are going to be facing a fuel shortage at some point ([[The Hand of God (RDM)|Resolved in a later episode]]).
-* [[Raptor]]s are designed for Marine assault and include an extendable docking skirt in their underside that can be pressurized (and possibly used in rescue operations?).
-* ''Galactica'' has a small contingent of Marines onboard - perhaps around the 20-30 mark.
-* ''Galactica'' has five "remaining" nuclear warheads.
-* The [[Lords of Kobol]] are modeled on / parallel the [[Greek Gods|Olympian gods]] of Greek mythology.
-* The quip made by the ''[[Astral Queen]]'''s captain, "I'm a bus driver, not a warden", is a homage to the original ''Star Trek'' television series. It is similar to Doctor Leonard McCoy's trademark quote, "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer", or whatever fits at the time in the latter portion of the statement.
-* The setup for this plot was likely inspired by the episode "[[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part I]]". In both episodes, a group of criminals was conscripted from a prison ship to work on the icy surface of a hostile planet. A notable difference between the two episodes lies in how the workers were chosen. While the workers in "Bastille Day" were chosen in part for their expendability, the conscripts in [[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part I]] were chosen for their expertise in harsh environments and in demolition work. Also different was the prisoners' motivation to take on the work. In "Bastille Day", the prisoners are offered the possibility of earning their freedom, whereas the prisoners in [[The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part I]] were offered nothing overtly other than the fear that the fleet might be destroyed without their services. A number of them take the assignment in the hopes of escaping during the action.
-*According to the DVD commentary for the episode, the startling scene when Number Six yells in Baltar's face that "they're going to throw you out of an airlock!" was a visual homage taken from the film "[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099871/ Jacob's Ladder]", which has a similar startling close up shot.  Tricia Helfer was given scary makeup for the shot, but in such a slight way that it is difficult for the eye to see what's wrong with the shot, but the audience can tell on some level that something's wrong.  If you pause during her close-up shot, you can see that she's wearing contact lenses that make her eyes look unnaturally bright, and a mouthpiece of fake teeth which are bent out of shape and unnaturally large.
-*The building seen in the first scene with Helo and Sharon is actually the [[wikipedia:Vancouver Public Library|Vancouver Public Library]], one of the most recognizable buildings in the city of Vancouver.
-*Major [[Cottle]], ''Galactica''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s ship doctor, is first mentioned in this episode, although he will not appear until next episode.
-*President Roslin's hair style changes starting with this episode, from the straight-down hairstyle she had since the [[Miniseries]], to the swept-back style which she would sport through the end of season 2.
-*The scene where [[Lee Adama]] holds his pistol to a kneeling [[Tom Zarek]] is a recreation of ''[[wikipedia:Dirty Harry|Dirty Harry]]'', according to [[David Eick]]'s comments in the DVD commentary. "That is the 'I know what you're thinking, punk' shot, down to the move, the lense, the distance of the camera away from the actor."
-*''Galactica'' is referred to by Viper pilots as the "[[Big G]]".  This mirrors the nickname pilots have given to the aircraft carrier [[w:USS Enterprise|USS Enterprise]], the "Big E".
 == Noteworthy Dialogue ==
-*''On choosing sides:''
+{{Dialogue
-:'''Adama''': Every man has to decide for themselves which side they are on.
+| context = On choosing sides:
-:'''Apollo''': I didn't know we were picking sides. (walks off)
+| lines =
-:'''Adama''': That's why you haven't picked one yet.
+'''[[William Adama]]''': Every man has to decide for themselves which side they are on.
+'''[[Lee Adama|Lee Adama]]''': I didn't know we were picking sides. ''[walks off]''
+'''William Adama''': That's why you haven't picked one yet.
+| source = {{TRS video|Bastille Day|05m24s}}
+}}
-*''On Cylon-occupied Caprica:''
+{{Dialogue
-:'''Doral''': She's good.
+| context = On Cylon-occupied [[Caprica]]:
-:'''Six''': So far.
+| lines =
-:'''Doral''': Jealous?
+'''[[Number Five|Doral]]''': She's good.
-:'''Six''': This all makes me so sad.
-:'''Doral''': (matter-of-fact) They would have destroyed themselves anyway. They deserve what they got.
-:'''Six''': We're the ''children of humanity''. That makes them our parents in a sense.
-:'''Doral''': True - but parents have to die. It's the only way children come into their own.
-*''Later, aboard the 'Astral Queen', in a broadcast by Tom Zarek:''
+'''[[Number Six|Six]]''': So far.
-:'''Tom Zarek''': I make these demands not for me....but for you, the people. The survivors of the holocaust and the ''children of humanity''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s future. I am Tom Zarek, and this is the first day of a new era.
-== Official Statements ==
+'''Doral''': Jealous?
-*In the DVD commentary for "[[Bastille Day]]", David Eick and Ron D. Moore talk about Cally's character, and how initial drafts had her being killed:
-:Eick: Nicki Clyne, who you see here playing Cally, was somebody who in the Miniseries, I remember Michael (Rymer) and I cast just on the basis of her look, 'cause we thought she was really cute, she kind of reminded us of a young [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001167/ Shelley Duvall]. [...] she turned out to be so good that we— in launching the series we started talking about ways to involve her and I'm very proud of a moment coming up where she does something rather nasty, that...
+'''Six''': [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies|This all]] makes me so sad.
-:RDM: Well she almost died! '''She was gonna die in the intial drafts of this'''.
-:Eick: That's right! He kills her! He rapes and kills her! And they're telling us we're too dark ''this'' year.
-:RDM: Oh, I know. The second season is so much darker. And I don't think they even care.  Yeah, Cally, Nicki, I hate to tell ya, but the bullseye was on Nicki here. And I can't even tell you why we decided it was, no I take that back I think it was your note; you said you wanted Cally to fight back and really show some balls in this scene. She bit his ear off...
-:Eick: I said, "She bites his frakking ear off" and I was totally being...you know, just ''illustrative''! I didn't really mean it!
-:RDM: And I wrote, "she bites his ear off"!
-:Eick: "And I got the draft, and she bites his ear off! I was like "that's great!"
-:RDM: '''And from that moment on, I think, she really became part of the show'''. In a real sense, once she had gone through that and survived, and you know Tyrol and the gang come in and see her in the hospital at the end you kind of felt like she is one of the family.
-*In issue #348 of ''Starlog'' magazine, p.31, Nicki Clyne (Cally) said:
+'''Doral''': ''(matter-of-fact)'' They would have destroyed themselves anyway. They deserve what they got.
-:"They used this mixture of corn syrup and coloring for the blood, which was extremely sticky...I had to squeeze this sponge of icky goo all over myself, and I had it on the ''whole'' day.  I couldn't wipe off the blood for lunchtime and put it back on, because of continuity reasons.  So for the entire day I had my shirt completely stuck to me, and my face was all sticky — it ''wasn't'' a nice feeling.  When I ate my lunch, no one wanted to sit with me.  I even forgot I had this guck on me.  I was walking around, throwing popcorn in my mouth and everyone was backing off and staring at me.  I'm going "Hey, what's your problem?" Then it occurred to me, "Oh yeah, I look like Death! Right. OK!""
+'''Six''': We're the children of humanity. That makes them our parents in a sense.
-<!-- Use bullets or standard paragraph form.  Please use links to sources!!! -->
+'''Doral''': True — but parents have to die. It's the only way children come into their own.
-<!-- If you wish to create the source within the Battlestar Wiki, then do so! -->
+| source = {{TRS video|Bastille Day|11m32s}}
+}}
+{{Dialogue
+| context = Aboard ''[[Astral Queen]]'', in a broadcast by [[Tom Zarek]]:
+| lines =
+'''Tom Zarek''': I make these demands not for me....but for you, the people. The survivors of the holocaust and the children of humanity's future. I am Tom Zarek, and this is the first day of a new era.
+| source = {{TRS video|Bastille Day|25m02s}}
+}}
 == Guest stars ==
-*[[Richard Hatch]] as [[Tom Zarek]]
+=== Credited ===
 *[[Michael Hogan]] as Colonel [[Saul Tigh]]
-*[[Tahmoh Penikett]] as [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]]
+*[[Aaron Douglas]] as Chief [[Galen Tyrol]]
-*[[Aaron Douglas]] as Chief Petty Officer [[Galen Tyrol]]
+*[[Tahmoh Penikett]] as Lieutenant [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]]
-*[[Nicki Clyne]] as Crewman Specialist [[Cally]]
+*[[Kandyse McClure]] as Petty Officer [[Anastasia Dualla]]
-*[[Alonso Oyarzun]] as Crewman Specialist [[Socinus]]
 *[[Paul Campbell]] as [[Billy Keikeya]]
-*[[Matthew Bennett]] as [[Aaron Doral]]
+*[[Alessandro Juliani]] as Lieutenant [[Felix Gaeta]]
+*[[Connor Widdows]] as [[Boxey]]
+*[[Alonso Oyarzun]] as Specialist [[Socinus]]
+*[[Nicki Clyne]] as Specialist [[Cally Tyrol|Cally Henderson]]
 *[[Pat Adrien Dorval]] as [[Wilkens]]
 *[[Ron Selmour]] as [[Seaborne]]
+*[[Matthew Bennett]] as [[Aaron Doral]]
 *[[Brent Stait]] as [[Mason]]
-*[[Graham Young]] as Marine #1
+*[[Graham Young]] as [[Marine Lead (Constellation Team)|Marine #1]]
-*[[Curtis Hicks]] as Marine #2
+*[[Curtis Lee Hicks]] as [[Marine Sergeant (Bravo Team)|Marine #2]]
 *[[Colby Johannson]] as [[Dwight Saunders|Dwight "Flat Top" Saunders]]
+=== Uncredited ===
+*[[Scott Nicholson]] as [[Starke]]/Stunt Guard #1 and Stunt Con #6<ref group="production" name="call_sheets_stunt_personnel">See: [[Sources:Bastille Day]]. Note that there are some misspellings on the call sheets.</ref>
+*[[Guy Bews]] as Stunt Guard #1<ref group="production" name="call_sheets_day_six_stunts">See: [[Sources:Bastille Day#Day 6 of 7]]. Note that [[Starke]] is credited as "Stunt Guard #1" on Day 7, whereas Bews's character is called this on Day 6.</ref>
+*[[Lou Bollo]] as Stunt Guard #2<ref group="production" name="call_sheets_bollo_stunt_guard">See: [[Sources:Bastille Day]].</ref>
+*[[Duane Dickinson]] as Stunt Guard #3<ref group="production" name="call_sheets_dickinson_stunt_guard">See: [[Sources:Bastille Day]].</ref>
+*[[Tony Morelli]] as Stunt Con #1<ref group="production" name="call_sheets_morelli_stunt_con">See: [[Sources:Bastille Day]].</ref>
+*[[Ernest Jackson]] as Stunt Con #2<ref group="production" name="call_sheets_jackson_stunt_con">See: [[Sources:Bastille Day]].</ref>
+*[[Gaston Howard]] as Stunt Con #3<ref group="production" name="call_sheets_howard_stunt_con">See: [[Sources:Bastille Day]].</ref>
+*[[Scott Atea]] as Stunt Con #4<ref group="production" name="call_sheets_atea_stunt_con">See: [[Sources:Bastille Day]].</ref>
+*[[Simon Burnett]] as Stunt Con #5<ref group="production" name="call_sheets_burnett_stunt_con">See: [[Sources:Bastille Day]].</ref>
+*[[Gerald Paets]] as Stunt Con #7<ref group="production" name="call_sheets_paets_stunt_con">See: [[Sources:Bastille Day]].</ref>
+*[[Charles Andre]] as Stunt Marine<ref group="production" name="call_sheets_andre_stunt_marine">See: [[Sources:Bastille Day]].</ref>
+*[[Dave Hospes]] as {{callsign|Lee Adama}} (stunt)<ref group="production" name="call_sheets_hospes_lee_stunt">See: [[Sources:Bastille Day]].</ref>
+== References ==
+=== Footage and Scenes ===
+{{reflist|group=footage}}
+=== Production History ===
+{{reflist|group=production}}
+=== Commentary and Interviews ===
+{{reflist|group=commentary}}
 {{episode list (RDM season 1)}}
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 [[Category:Episodes directed by Allan Kroeker]]
 [[Category:RDM]]
-[[de:Meuterei auf der Astral Queen]]
-[[es:Día de la Bastilla]]
 {{audio playback
@@ Line 165: / Line 319: @@
 | filename= Bastilleday_episodeguide.mp3
 }}
+[[de:Meuterei auf der Astral Queen]]
+[[fr:Épisode:Révolution]]