Battlestar Galactica, 4x18, “Islanded in a Stream of Stars”

Episode Title: Islanded in a Stream of Stars
Writer: Michael Taylor

Director: Edward James Olmos

Originally Aired: 03/06/2009
Grade: A-

This episode wasn’t what I expected. I think my expectations may have been a little too high simply based on the title, which is probably the “prettiest” in the show’s history. I was expecting something exquisite, something dark but still beautiful. And it was dark, and it was beautiful, but it wasn’t as beautiful as I hoped it would be because it was marred by overwrought melodrama.

Helo and Athena’s “You hate me, don’t you?” scene, for example. Tahmoh Penikett and Grace Park could have pulled off those emotions with perfect clarity just by looking at each other. It didn’t need to be said.

We really could have done without Adama’s white paint breakdown, as well. I didn’t really mind him throwing the paint at the wall, but the sliding-down-the-wall-teeth-gritting-breakdown was just too much. He’s a mess. We got it several episodes ago. Enough already.

Aside from those scenes, I think Olmos, who directed this episode, got some great performances from the actors, particularly Penikett, Sackhoff, and Bamber. Penikett really nailed his scene with Adama—I completely bought how emotional and desperate and unhinged he was.

Adama equivocating Hera and Zack wasn’t exactly accurate, though. While Helo and Bill both played a role in what happened to their children, Zack is very much dead and Hera is very likely not. Sure we know she’s not, but it should also be obvious to the characters that a) it might take a while for Boomer to deliver Hera to Cavil, and b) Cavil isn’t going to just murder the girl on sight. At least I can accept that this was just a flaw in Bill’s reasoning rather than a writing flaw (especially since he does come around and rescue Hera in the series finale, which he obviously wouldn’t have done if he truly believed she was dead!).

When I re-watched this episode to take notes, I had already seen the finale, which made the scene between Lee and Kara even more poignant. I was touched the first couple of times I watched the scene, because it’s exquisitely acted and the actors have fabulous chemistry, but knowing what happens between them in the finale made me tear up. (I have a lot of complaints about the finale, but lack of emotional investment with the material definitely isn’t one of them.)

Also, Boomer bringing Hera into her projection of she and Galen’s house confirms that it wasn’t just something she made up to manipulate Galen.

Finally, there were a couple of cute jokes in this episode. Sam sang the “hole in the bucket” song. The Galactica is called “The Bucket” by some. She had a huge hole in her side. Hee.

And of course, Starbuck telling Gaius, “The only thing I know for sure: I’m not an angel,” followed by her exiting the bathroom bathed in white light. Very cheeky, show, but also a little heavy-handed.