Precipice

"Precipice" An episode of the Re-imagined Series
Episode No.	Season 3, Episode 1.5
Writer(s)	Ronald D. Moore
Story by
Director	Sergio Mimica-Gezzan
Assistant Director
Special guest(s)
Production No.
Nielsen Rating
US airdate	2006-10-06
CAN airdate	{{{CAN airdate}}}
UK airdate
DVD release
Population	? survivors
Additional Info
Episode Chronology
Previous		Next
Occupation	Precipice	Exodus, Part I
Related Information
Official Summary
R&D Skit – View
[[IMDB:tt{{{imdb}}}|IMDb entry]]
Listing of props for this episode
Related Media
			@ BW Media
Promotional Materials
Online Purchasing
Amazon: Standard Definition | High Definition
iTunes: [{{{itunes}}} USA]

Overview

The Cylons have occupied the human settlement of New Caprica, and it's been three months since the Galactica, the Pegasus, and a handful of ships escaped into deep space. But the fight is not over. On New Caprica, a resistance has begun — and despite having only a handful of untested pilots at his command, Admiral Adama is committed to risking everything on a daring attack to rescue the people he left behind.

Questions

• If Sharon Agathon is killed during her mission on New Caprica, will she be able to download into a new body?
• Where will Cally be able to run to? She was ordered to face execution by the Colonial Government.
• Why did the Cylons abandon their plan for a public execution?
• What is the role of the five unseen Cylon models in the occupation? Are they present and simply remaining off-camera for the benefit of the audience? Have they attempted to hide themselves from the Colonials?

Analysis

• We learn a little bit more about the nature of the various humanoid Cylons here. Apparently a single copy is usually qualified to speak for its entire model. Interestingly, Caprica-Six was unable to dissuade her "sisters" from voting to execute the dissidents.
• As one of the Cavils notes, adherence to the Cylon creed has become increasingly perfunctory. The Cylons sought the President's signature as a mere formality.

Notes

• Occupation and Precipice is edited as one 2-hr episode with only one intro. However, in the podcast, Ronald D. Moore indicates the "beginning" of Precipice as the scene with Baltar and Roslin in the detention cell.
• In the podcast, Ronald D. Moore states that references to "The Twist" and "The Swirl" are a homage to Seinfeld. The episode in question is "The Fusille Jerry".
• Crew changes in the year after settlement glimpsed in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I" are confirmed here: Helo is serving as XO on Galactica, with Kat as CAG. Dualla is serving as XO on Pegasus.
• Felix Gaeta's given name, first revealed in "Final Cut", is spoken out loud for the first time.
• Number Three's claim that Caprica-Six's assault on her was the first case of Cylon-on-Cylon violence in their history is not really true. Sharon Agathon shot and "killed" another Eight outside the Delphi spaceport on Caprica. The Cylons may not look on this in the same light because it was within one model. Alternatively, Number Eight may have been unable to identify her shooter.
  • Actually, Sharon Agathon also shot a Six previous to that, but we may presume that Six consented as part of the Cylons' plan for Helo.
• Ironically, a Five shoots Caprica-Six in the head shortly after Three's statement. He indicates, however, that she won't be "boxed", as Caprica feared in "Downloaded".
• The shooting of the captives and Cally's escape at the end of the episode are an homage to The Great Escape.
• Baltar's internal six appears the exact moment that Caprica-Six is killed.
  • Internal Six has always seem to appear when Baltar is under great stress, especially when his survival is at stake.

Guest Stars

• Lucy Lawless as Number Three
• Matthew Bennett as Number Five
• Callum Keith Rennie as Leoben Conoy
• Rick Worthy as Simon
• Dean Stockwell as Cavil
• Richard Hatch as Tom Zarek
• Alessandro Juliani as Felix Gaeta
• Luciana Carro as Lt. Louanne Katraine (Kat)
• Leah Cairns as Lt. Margaret Edmondson (Racetrack)
• Tahmoh Penikett as Lt. Karl Agathon (Helo)
• Christian Tessier as Tucker Clellan (Duck)
• Nicki Clyne as Cally Henderson Tyrol
• Aaron Douglas as Galen Tyrol
• Michael Trucco as Samuel Anders
• Kandyse McClure as Anastasia Dualla
• Dominic Zamprogna as James Lyman (Jammer)
• Brad Dryborough as Lt. Hoshi
• Rekha Sharma as Tory Foster
• Michael Hogan as Saul Tigh
• Kate Vernon as Ellen Tigh

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

Re-imagined Series definition: the senior pilot on a battlestar

Re-imagined Series definition: slang for launch officer, responsible for deployment of craft from a battlestar ^{(TRS: "Miniseries, Night 1")}