Crossroads, Part 2

I thought tonight's season finale of Battlestar Galactica was an enjoyable episode, but it didn't really blow me away like the finales of seasons one and two, for one major reason -- I found it entirely predictable.

With season one, I found myself truly shocked when Boomer shot Adama. Part of me even actually believed there was at least some tiny chance they might actually write him out of the show to really drive home the drama. And of course, with season two, who could have predicted the "one year later" jump of the finale?

This time, I was well on my way to figuring out this season's finale... well, frankly, last week during Part 1. This week, before the first commercial break, I had it all. I knew Tigh, Tyrol, Anders, and Tori were all going to be revealed as Cylons. I knew Baltar was going to be acquitted. And I knew Starbuck would come back at the end of the episode for the final cliffhanger-y punch. (Though that didn't quite happen the way I expected. I figured it as a pure question of the math -- there's a "Final Five" out there to be revealed, and we were one short. And the only reason the fifth one wouldn't have ended up in that room with the other four was if she couldn't... she was "dead" already.)

Frankly, the biggest surprise of the episode was the highly unusual musical choice of putting "All Along the Watchtower" in the final few minutes.

But fortunately, surprise isn't everything. I found that knowing what was coming didn't really detract from my enjoyment of the episode. And I attribute that entirely to the quality of the performances -- one great moment after another.

How great was James Callis as Baltar in this episode? Practically climbing the walls at the thought of a mistrial leaving him imprisoned for who-knows-how-much-longer. Then more arrogant than ever in the immediate aftermath of his acquittal. And then so clearly small, terrified, and alone in his march through the Galactica corridors with his single box of possessions, without even his "head Six" to offer reassurances.

Strong performances from Mary McDonnell, Grace Park, and Tricia Helfer made a scene stand out that could easily have been completely buried and forgotten in the midst of everything else. Their moment in Six's jail cell where they all confront the fact they've shared the same dream actually got me quite interested in seeing where that storyline will go. And not only for what it means to those three women -- I'm also curious whether Hera is really that big a deal in the grand scheme of things anymore, now that Tyrol has also been revealed as a Cylon, and he has also fathered a child with a human.

Which takes us to the "revelation" scene, where the four Cylons who have just learned of their true natures meet together and resolve not to change who they thought they were. Well, okay... the woman who plays Tori has always been a bit of a weak link on the show compared to the rest of the main and recurring cast, and here was unfortunately no exception. But the other three? Wow. Especially Michael Hogan as Tigh, pitch perfect as always.

Last week, the announcement came that Galactica's fourth season renewal is going to be for a full run of 22 episodes after all (not 13, as during the first year). In light of the events of this third season finale, it seems to me that the coming fourth season maybe ought to be the last. The comment Ron Moore made in his podcast a few weeks ago that "it feels like the third chapter has begun."? Yeah, I feel that too. And after watching the show slip a bit in quality this year, I'd much rather watch it go out strong than slowly fade away.

But whether it roars back or tapers off, finishes after year four or continues on beyond that -- none of that is going to be answered any time remotely soon. You think it's rough when Jack Bauer disappears in May not to return for eight months? Battlestar Galactica isn't going to return for nearly ten. Like 24, the plan is for Galactica not to return until January. Problem is, it's only March now.

So hunker down, take whatever notes you need to be able to remember what the hell was going on in the show by the time 2008 comes along... and wait.