S04E06: 'Faith'

A fracktastically pulsating opening throws us into the heart of the conflict on board the Demetrius, as poor Gaeta has his leg blasted by Secret Cylon Anders (sadly not the Caprican equivalent of Secret Santa). The tense drama evokes a distinct wartime feel, where one fears for the safety of the 'good guys' and wonders who is next to crack under the mental strain.

Not only are the gloves off on board the Demetrius, but Laura Roslin's wig is off on Galactica too! Her concurrent plot in the episode is hardly enthralling, but does add a contrasting air of tranquility to the explosive drama over in Starbuck's camp.

There are some magnificently intertwined visual and thematic artistry at work in the episode, mostly revolving around rather emotive water-related imagery. The shot of Boomer's blood seeping into the Hybrid's fluid tank is an effective homage to the notorious shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, while Emily and Roslin are both dreaming about sailing to the shore in the afterlife. There's also a very moving recollection from a Number Six model explaining that she killed Jean because she watched her previous model drown in a sewage plant reservoir.

The direction is perfect throughout 'Faith', particularly with the expressionistic use of the colour red on board the Basestar - quite possibly an overt reference to Hitchcock's Marnie, in which the colour brings back suppressed memories for the protagonist. Furthermore, with an uneasy Cylon-Caprican alliance on the cards, the plot has really shifted forward massively and satisfyingly over the episode.

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