...I gotz my hoez...

...in diffrn't area codez...

Well that was some good fun.  The Face of the Enemy compared favourably to a real episode.  It obviously had budget limitations and flowed differently, but I appreciated that this didn’t feel like a disposable piece of fluff.  Previous webisodes centered on non-core characters (The Resistance) or were just deleted scenes from Razor.  This actually had one or two things to say and felt at least as much a part of Galactica as The Woman King (3x14) does.   I hope this serves as an example for other shows producing web-exclusive content.  Of course, the Writer’s Strike helped.

There’s some tantalizing hints about the state of the union 3-7 days from the discovery of Earth.  Tigh is still a military official (I know Lee granted amnesty, but this hints at trust) and Cylon murderers apparently are walking around everywhere, sharing space taxis with random humans.  Nothing is revealed  about how things got that way, but what it lacks in new explanation it makes up for in tantalizing flashbacks and retconning.  Yet it never stepped over the line and made me feel cheated.  I am a true and willing sucker for anything that makes Baltar more likable, and learning he knew about Gaeta helping the resistance works for me.  Gaeta being gullible enough to give intel to his pet Eight? I’ll buy that too; Gaeta: you’re a naive tool.  The closest they come to a cheat is Gaeta’s bisexuality.  It a bit late in the series run to suddenly pull an “oh he was gay all along” moment. You think it would’ve been hinted at back in his season one puppy dog admiration of Baltar.  But it wasn’t a plot device and is no more awkward than the introduction of Ellen Tigh (1x09) so I’ll give it a pass.

Oh, there was also that whole Agatha Christie murder plot going on.  It wasn’t as strong an element as some others in the show, especially when his pet Eight is scolding him for things that were setup/revealed only 5-10 minutes earlier.  Perhaps it would have felt more natural if I watched it over a span of weeks, as it was originally released, instead of all in one stretch.  It did result in a weird pacing.  Still, normally BSG sets up big character details for many episodes before having it come home to a character.  The fact that I’m inclined to compare it to a real episode, however, speaks quite favourably of it.  Colour me entertained.

I tell yah, don’t corner that Gaeta, he’s got a nasty habit of stabbing conversational adversaries in the neck.  It has been revealed!  Baltar whispered “I know what your Eight did” [source: Battlestar Wiki].  His Eight teased him mercilessly about believing in hope.  “Na-na-na-boo-boo.  Gaeta’s highly gullible.”  Gaeta, you suck! You trusted Cylons during the occupation?  At least when Baltar trusted his Six he wasn’t aware she was a Cylon, what’s your excuse? Ack! Help! I’ve been stabbed in the neck!!

It was nice to see a return to Cylons being scary sons of bitches for a change.  None of this “They’re people too” crap, just good ol’ fashioned “how could you have been stupid enough to trust her?”  She did seem to have some fixation on Gaeta, however.  I can’t think of a logical reason for her to have left him alive over the others.  She didn’t need his help for her survival.  She was one twisted cyber bitch but that seemed to be her personality.

Well, if it’s not just the leadership, but individual whack-jobs you have to worry about, then I’m sure this alliance will do just fine.  Hmm… was I talking about Cylons or Humans just there?  Doesn’t matter.  That was a nice appetizer.  Main course please!