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Episode Studies by Clayton Barr
enik1138 at popapostle dot com
Battlestar Galactica: Collaborators

Battlestar Galactica

"Collaborators"

TV episode

Written by Mark Verheiden

Directed by Michael Rymer

Original air date: October 27, 2006

 

Baltar awakens aboard a Cylon basestar; President Zarek proceeds with his secret jury to pass judgment on those who collaborated with the Cylons on New Caprica.

 

Read the summary of the episode at the Battlestar Wiki site

 

Notes from the BSG chronology

 

This episode opens approximately three days after the fleet's escape from New Caprica in "Exodus" Part 2.

 

This episode takes place concurrently with the events of "Shelf Life".

 

Didja Know?

 

The opening titles show the fleet population for the first time since "Lay Down Your Burdens" Part 2.  The fleet is now at 41,435 survivors, down 8,115 since that episode. This must be due to deaths from the detonation of a nuclear device aboard Cloud Nine (in "Lay Down Your Burdens" Part 2), resulting in the destruction of that ship and several others, plus the deaths of individuals in the colony of New Caprica during the approximately 16 months of settlement, and losses during the exodus of the Battle of New Caprica with the Cylons.

 

Characters appearing or mentioned in this episode

 

Jammer (dies in this episode)

Charlie Connor

Colonel Tigh

Ensign Diana Seelix

Sam Anders

Jean Barolay

Chief Tyrol

Charlie Connor's wife (unnamed, mentioned only, deceased)

Kevin Connor (mentioned only, deceased)

Cally

Nicholas Tyrol

Admiral Adama

Laura Roslin

Baltar

Head Six

Tom Zarek

Quorum of Twelve (mentioned only)

Felix Gaeta

Helo

Chadwick (unseen, but found guilty by the Circle; presumably dies off-screen in this episode)

Number Three

Number Six

Apollo

Starbuck

Ellen Tigh (mentioned only, deceased)

Caprica Six

Tory Foster

Priest (unnamed)

Rash (mentioned only)

 


 

Didja Notice?

 

Seelix indicates that the sentence of the Circle against Jammer is carried out on the 3rd day of the second exodus. The first exodus was the escape from the Twelve Colonies in "Flight" and the second is the escape from New Caprica in "Exodus" Part 2.

 

At 6:48 on the Blu-ray, notice that the Galactica is heavily scarred from its recent decent into atmosphere and damage from the Cylon onslaught during the Battle of New Caprica in "Exodus" Part 2.

 

In Baltar's dream sequence, Head Six turns on him, saying, "Don't make me angry, Gaius," and Admiral Adama adds, "You wouldn't like her when she's angry." This is most likely an intentional nod to the 1977-1982 TV series The Incredible Hulk, which featured a line from the pilot in each week's opening titles, "...don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry." Head Six made a similar remark in "Litmus".

 

At 13:00 on the Blu-ray, notice that the Cylons have a Resurrection Ship among the fleet in which Baltar now finds himself.

 

Colonel Tigh chastises Connor for his zealousness in wanting to proclaim the Circle's list of accused-guilty of collaboration, yet Tigh himself zealously seems to judge Gaeta guilty with only circumstantial evidence.

 

Tigh states that Gaeta was chief-of-staff for President Baltar.

 

Apollo tells his father he's dropped half a stone. A "stone" is an English unit of mass, equal to 14 pounds. So Apollo is saying he's lost about 7 pounds of the excess weight he'd gained before the exodus.

 

When Number Six leaves Baltar's quarters on the baseship, he tries to follow her, but the centurion guard blocks his path. Baltar wanders back over to his bed and I find interesting to note that the centurion follows Baltar's movements with its head. Baltar is not making any threatening motions, so I would tend to think a centurion would just stand there stock-still, performing its routine as a guard. But it watches him as if interested in this person in front of it. Is this an early indication of the centurions' beginning to gain a bit of self-awareness even before the events of "Six of One", in which the Cylon rebel Natalie Faust disables the telencephalic implant in the centurions under her command.

 

At 30:20 on the Blu-ray, Starbuck reads over a copy of the list signed by Baltar of colonists to be executed at the Cylons' decree (as seen in "Precipice"). This is a different list from the similar one seen in "Exodus" Part 1. It is interesting to note that Tom Zarek is listed with the occupation of detainee, rather than Vice President, as he had refused to cooperate with the Cylon occupation from the beginning and was incarcerated the entire time. The names seen are: Justin Singh (clerk), Denis Moore (driver), Xander Zorost (mechanic), Laura Roslin (teacher), Lester Thoro (food services), Arimin Stahl (supply), Sally Menlo (facilitator), Kalan Pelham (administrator), Alex Lamere (office worker), Fore Ramon (office worker), Jane Seadle (mechanic), Jacob Morose (entertainer), Sue Emmanuel (doctor), Ali Mueller (botanist), Tom Zarek (detainee), CH. Parker (occupation not seen), and Jo Parker (occupation not seen).

 

Laura Roslin is sworn in as president of the fleet once again at the end of this episode.

 

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission that Roslin announces after her swearing-in as president echoes real world such entities that have been formed in the past at the end of civil wars and dictatorships in various nations in an attempt to resolve the lingering pangs of vengeance felt by the survivors of the victorious side.

 

At 41:48 on the Blu-ray, Gaeta hangs his uniform on Rash's locker as he prepares to dress for work. This is the first mention of a Galactica crewmember called Rash.

 

After the closing credits of the episode, the R&D Productions logo animation has a sign on the wall of a mental ward proclaiming the mental health aberrancies of producers. The animation is a reference to the 1975 film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest starring Jack Nicholson (whom producer Ron Moore transforms into during the animated scene; David Eick transforms into Nurse Ratched from the film). A Monopoly board game is seen behind the two producer characters; the game was played by Nicholson's character in the film during his stay at a mental institution. The baseball game on the television screen in the background also features in the film.

mental health of producers

 

In an agreement between President Zarek and Laura Roslin, Roslin is reinstated as president of the Colonies and Zarek becomes her vice president. 

 

Notes from the audio commentary by Ron Moore on the Blu-ray release

 

Ron Moore comments that a number of ships in the fleet were lost in the exodus from New Caprica, which is why we see the crowding of civilians on the Galactica in this and later episodes of the season.

 

Unanswered Questions

 

Did the Circle ever vote any of their suspects "not guilty"? We don't see it. And it seems as if they stretch the boundaries of evidence in order to claim their victims are guilty.

 

Memorable Dialog

this isn't what I signed up for.mp3
you wouldn't like her when she's angry.mp3
the backing of the military.mp3
the vice presidency is yours.mp3
on the welcoming committee.mp3
do you know where my eye is?.mp3
this is about justice.mp3
how are you, Gaius?.mp3
I need you, too.mp3
the price of collaborating.mp3
like someone painted the world in different colors.mp3
very poetic.mp3

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