Battlestar Galactica (TV Series) Six of One (2008) User Reviews

Division in the Cylon fleet

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 29 January 2012]

In this, the second episode of this season, we learn that the Cylons are equally confused as to why their raiders stopped fighting and returned to their base stars. Some models speculate that it is because the raiders learnt that the Final Five were aboard the Colonial fleet others just think that the raiders need to be 'fixed'; by fixed they mean lobotomised! The vote is tied until something unthinkable happens; one of the Eights votes against her type: that Eight is Boomer. With the vote passed Cavell, the Fours and the Fives start work on the raiders... not for one moment thinking that the others will take drastic action and use the centurions to stop them! Back on the Colonial Fleet Starbuck has confronted the president at gunpoint, pleading with her to stop the fleet moving in the wrong direction. The pleas appear to have fallen on deaf ears however and she is taken into custody. The four known members of the Final Five are still meeting in secret and are keen to learn who the fifth is; to this end Tory is sent to approach Baltar as they believe he may have seen something in the Temple of Jupiter.

This was a quality second episode which set up story lines that will no doubt dominate the season. The events amongst the Cylons were the most interesting as they have never been seen to violently disagree before and now they are split down the middle with differences that seem irreconcilable. These scenes were further helped by the presence of Dean Stockwell who plays the Cylon Cavall. While less exciting the events on the fleet had some drama and Katie Sackhoff was great as the anguished Starbuck; desperate to persuade anybody who will listen that they are going the wrong way. The season may only be two episodes old but so far it is shaping up nicely.

Very good.

[dmartinpaul · 9/10 · 12 April 2008]

I thought that this episode of Battlestar Galactica was fantastic. I found the first episode to be a little uneventful. I liked it all the same but I wanted a little more ... I don't know.

This episode was really good. Katee Sackhoff gave a fantastic performance as usual and added something extra to the storyline.

The Cylon story lines have always been the most interesting to me and this episode was definitely not lacking in that area. I have to say that I don't necessarily like that Baltar is seeing himself now instead of Six and I hope that she comes back as his "guardian angel". This episode set up the expected return of D'Anna and I can't wait for her to be back.

I definitely liked this episode and I look forward to seeing next Friday's? * Bring back Virtual Six! :)

-Daniel

Redemption and Self-Destruction

[mstomaso · 9/10 · 11 April 2008]

In this second episode of BSG's fourth and final season, the series returns to the innovative, desperate, emotional drama which has allowed it to succeed over the last few years. Starbuck, suspected of being a Cylon, is losing more of her sanity with each successive jump away from earth. Lee Adama is preparing to permanently leave the military, his father is deeply conflicted by competing reason and intuition, and the four recently revealed cylons aboard Galactica have begun to plan for flushing out the unknown last of their number. Baltar is number one on their list. Meanwhile, aboard a cylon base star, some very radical changes are taking place.

The episode opens new avenues of inquiry while expanding on the major story arcs which have already been cultivated for the fourth season. Outstanding performances by Sackhoff, McDonnell and McClure drive this wild, powerful episode.

BSG is back, in more ways than one.

Intriguing complexities stir things up. Startling changes for the Cylons.

[Kevlar01 · 11 April 2008]

While I personally found the premier episode of Season 4 to be a LITTLE bland (as in I didn't dislike it just found it slightly lacking), "Six Of One" really stirs the pot in terms of plot, relationships, and confusions.

While many questions remain unanswered an entirely new layer of complexity presents itself aboard the Cylon Basestars which is rather fascinating. After a Raider refused to open fire on the colonial fleet when it discovered Samuel Anders was one of the final five, the other Cylon models have entered a frenzied debate over what should be done. Brother Cavil strongly believes that the final five would NOT be with the colonial fleet while Number Sixes, the Sharon models, and the Leoben models feel a new approach must be taken. Cavil finds this to be ridiculous and suggests that the raiders are clearly faulty so must be gutted out, lobotomized, so that their reasoning centers will never again impair an attack on the humans.

Aisde from the astonishing change in raider behavior, another unforeseen event occurs. When the 6 models are called to vote (Biers has been boxed so her say is not up for consideration) on what will be done to the Raiders it is a three way split with Six, Sharon, and Leobon choosing to leave the Raiders be and consider what should be done in regards to "the five", while Cavil, Doral, and the Simon's vote to reprogram the Raiders and ignore the "outlandish" idea of the five being with the humans. Things tip in Cavil's favor when Boomer sides against her own model, voting independently from the group. This in itself is fascinating as no model has individualized itself from the rest of its kind in a big vote, let alone aboard a Basestar before (Boomer, Caprica Six, and Sharon Agathon are exceptions but all of their individuality apart from their model is very circumstantial and environment oriented).

With Cavil's victory in the vote the raiders are immediately worked on until in a shocking scene, Number six confronts a council of Cavils, Dorals, and Simons head on. When Cavil refuses to stop reprogramming the raiders, Number Six calls two Centurions into the room. Cavil tries feebly to order them out of the room, but rather than leave the Centurions look to one another then raise their weapons. Far off in other areas of the ship, gunfire is heard. It is then that Cavil and Doral realize what is about to happen. In a calm, cold voice, Number Six explains the situation: "We took out their reason inhibitors. And as you could imagine, they were very unhappy to hear about the decision made on how to handle our Raiders." Doral, Simon, and Cavil are then mowed down, toppling over one another dead. From the gunshots heard elsewhere its fair to say that these three models have just been the target of a genocide. Whether or not they are entirely, completely gone will be seen as time comes but this very much so re-shapes the very structure, formula, and very race of the Cylons. What sort of impact this will have is most interesting to me. And now that the Centurions have the ability to think for themselves... things will get even more interesting.

While the rest of the episode had many great moments between the Lee, Admiral Adama, Roslin, and Starbuck conflict, and the tensions between Tory, Anders, Tigh, and Tyrol have risen ten-fold now that Gaius has been brought into their situation, it was the events aboard the Cylon Basestars which intrigued me the most.

This season is shaping up to be one hell of a farewell. I can't wait until next Friday!

Special rules for Adamas

[carey-941-755692 · 9/10 · 7 December 2019]

Watching the big sendoff for Lee Adama, I could not help but remember all the drama in the last season about keeping every available body working. Now the son of the big boss decides to leave the service and it is just accepted.

While the pilots are congratulating Adama, I would expect the rest of the grunts to be seething in anger.

Much better than the first episode of this fourth season

[chrichtonsworld · 7/10 · 19 April 2008]

After being disappointed with the season opener I thought it only was fair to comment on any improvement. This second episode does show some improvement. But I still miss the excitement I got from previous seasons. The acting also could use some work. Mary Mcdonnell (President Roslin) seems not even to bother articulating. I know that she has to act that she is in pain. But come on if she is in that much pain she should resign. Mumbling words like that is a big no no. I also noticed this with Olmos. Is it part of the script? Are they pretending to be tired? Or is it just laziness on their part. For now I won't make to much of it. But if it continues like this I will comment on it again. For some reason I don't feel connected to the main characters like I used to. There is a serious lack of dramatic events. These events were the highlight of the show and were one the main reasons that made it so interesting. The biggest surprise was coming from the cylons that seem to have some major problems. This is not something you would expect happening. That alone made it worth watching this episode.