mandragora

The first episode did not disappoint, with some intriguing questions and interesting set-up

The series opens five days after the mini-series left off. The humans are wrecks, having had no more than 33 minutes sleep at a time. Because precisely every 33 minutes the Cylons attack. Question: how the hell are the Cylons following them anyway?

Aside. Unshaven and sweaty is a really good look on Jamie Bamber. And Katie Sackhoff also. Er, by which I mean sweaty and dishevelled. Obviously she's not unshaven. But the bloke playing Baltar? Looks better clean. Number 6 was, of course, luminous as ever.

Baltar is nervous. There's someone on one of the other ships who used to work for defence and wants to speak to the President. In private and urgently. There's a traitor aboard. I'm liking the President more and more. She's so wonderfully decent. I want to see more of the relationship between Roslin and Adama, though. I foresee future tension when her humanitarian instincts conflict with his military views.

Mistakes are being made, because the crew are so damnably tired. Human beings cannot endure forever and sooner or later something is going to have to give.

Possibly Lee Adama, aka Apollo, who isn't making a good job of being CAG. He's way too wimpy, not commanding enough and there was a lovely nod to Hill Street Blues when he tells the pilots 'to be careful out there'.

Kara Thrace (Starbuck) calls him on his behaviour, which leads to a nice bit of business between the two pilots. She's refusing to take a stimulant that will help her to stay awake, he asks her to give him a break and she... explodes. Tells him he should kick her ass and *make* her take the medicine. They glare at each other and then crack up, when he says that he's glad he's not working for her! And yet, she's right. He does need to toughen up, stop being Mr Nice Guy and take command. But the scene demonstrates that these two are friends, first and foremost. There is definitely an underlying attraction there, as well.

No such problems for Adama, who demonstrates well that he's a tough but fair commander, restraining Tigh from too much of an outburst. The relationship between the CO and First Officer is also played well. There's real loyalty and friendship there. Which makes me wonder how that relationship will be strained in forthcomin episodes.

Sharon (call sign Boomer) is holding up better than anyone under the strain. I wonder why...? She's really missing her navigator (whose name I am blanking on), who sacrificed himself so that Baltar might live, and is snapping at everyone, including her lover, Chief Tyrol.

Cut to... one of the 12 planets. The navigator isn't dead (hurrah!) although he's looking pretty poorly, scarfing down anti-radiation tablets to stay alive. He manages to take out a couple of Cylons, too. Way to go. But Number Six is watching him...

Uh oh, one of our ships is missing. What will happen next? Suffice it to say that there's a test of resolve of both Apollo and Starbuck. And a test of leadership for Apollo. Hard decisions have to be made for the good of all, much to the distress of both the leaders, President Roslin and Commander Adama. Plus, some set-up for future infiltration by the Cylons, in a way that you just *know* is going to hurt.

All told, a decent opener, although I still can't work out why the fleet kept on waiting for the Cylons to attack every 33 minutes instead of varying their jumps. What about jumping at 21 minutes for one, for example? But there was some nice character interaction, with some excellent make-up. Everyone really did look shattered. But hot. *g*

Really looking forward to next week.