S04E07: 'Guess What's Coming To Dinner'

Another frenetic start kicks off this fast and furious episode, which advances several plot threads a great deal. Yet, paradoxically, this serves as the episode's prime flaw. There's simply so much going on that it's hard to take it all in.

Apart from being slightly too plot heavy, everything else is very commendable. The uneasy alliance between the rebel Cylons and Capricans is cleverly documented from both sides, allowing us to see the inherent mistrust and the attempts to slyly outmanoeuvre each other. The dealings between the two forces also brings out a fascinating meditation on the theme of mortality, as brought out by Natalie in her speech to the Quorum. The rebel Cylons' desire to be allowed to die is particularly poignant given President Roslin's desperate bid to stay alive and in power as cancer ravages her body.

The amputation of unsung hero Felix Gaeta's leg is very well handled. Touching without being mawkish, the sight and sound of him singing in the medical ward to ease his trauma provides a haunting insight into the horrors and spirit that emerge during war. "What a way to discover such a beautiful voice," comments Roslin.

Elsewhere, the identity of the Final Cylon genuinely feels very close to being unearthed, the child Hera's fixation with Number Six is suitably spooky and Roslin's decision to meet the Hybrid and mull over a certain opera house provides a very 'jumpy' cliffhanger. This is certainly a fine episode, but one that could have been enjoyed more if we were allowed to catch our breath at some stage.

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