S04E10: 'Revelations'

Battlestar Galactica really knows how to stage jaw-dropping 'event' episodes, and this mid-season finale packs a powerful punch.

The inevitable outing of the four Cylons on board Galactica has been given much build up throughout the year and thankfully it lived up to the heightened expectations. The unveiling of Tory in front of Roslin was deliciously sinister, but Tigh's confession to Adama was simply stunning.

These two men have fought together, in more ways than one, for many years and built up a deep-rooted respect for each other's loyalty to the survival of the Caprican race. Yet in the space of a few seconds, it was all torn apart.

Edward James Olmos conveyed the inner turmoil of Adama brilliantly, his world shattered when confronted with the revelation. As for Saul Tigh, can someone please give Michael Hogan's eye an Emmy Award please?

You can't help but pity the pathetic Tigh as he reveals the truth about his existence, metaphorical tail between the legs. It's hardly as if he chose to be a Cylon. Tigh's subsequent offer to act as a bargaining chip in the airlock further humbles a man (well, a machine) who is already haunted by his battle with the bottle and murder of his wife Ellen.

There was also a rather touching scene where Lee was seen dragging his inebriated father to his feet, a fine example of the real touch of humanity the series possesses alongside its obvious sci-fi leanings. The hostage situation engineered by D'Anna ramped up the tension wonderfully, as did her demand that the final Cylons step forward in front of their betrayed crewmates.

It was also nice to see poor Gaeta back on the job too. However, these are small pleasures when compared to the astounding and audacious ending, which strongly echoed the bleak climax of the second season of '80s BBC show The Tripods.

The sudden shift to a Cylon-Caprican alliance and the discovery of Earth certainly felt rushed, yet this greatly contributed to the jarring, shocking feeling of the final scene. The eerie silence as the camera pans across the desolate landscape before revealing a city in ruins is truly breathtaking and leaves the proverbial lump in the throat.

Just what has happened to Earth? It's going to be one hell of an agonising wait until this superb show returns to our screens in 2009. We can't fracking wait…

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