Battlestar Galactica 2.14: "Black Market"

Written by Mark Verheiden
Directed by James Head

In which Commander Fisk is murdered and Lee is placed in charge of the investigation, which puts him in conflict with the leader of a black market syndicate…


This is one odd episode, especially for this series, which has proven time and again how versatile the writing staff can be. The problem is that the intentions are right there on the screen. All the pieces are on the board and there’s even a fairly simple strategy for pulling out a victory. The writers simply don’t execute well enough, and as a result, the final product is muddled, shallow, and more than a little convenient for a series this complex.

I was expecting to listen to the Ron Moore podcast and get some sense of what I was missing. I was sure that a more positive reaction would come with a more informed point of view. Imagine my surprise when Ron confirmed each and every issue I had with the episode, and in fact, added several more to the list.

If the previous episode used the “Lost” format relatively well, with a distinctly “BSG” flavor, then this episode was an example of how it can be applied incorrectly. In fact, this episode had many of the same problems that the less impressive “Lost” episodes exhibit: lack of strong connective threads between “past” and “present” and shallow treatment of a complex point of conflict.

In this case, the idea was to establish that Lee was trying to make up for his unfortunate dismissal of his pregnant lover back on Caprica, just before the Cylon attack, by taking responsibility for Siobhan and her daughter. Lee was supposed to be making serious assumptions about Siobhan’s desire for the same thing. Unfortunately, as hard as the writers and editors try to make it work, it doesn’t quite come together. I just didn’t feel it, and so when the music began to swell in the final act, it felt like empty sentimentalism.

The episode might have been salvaged in large part if Lee’s conflict with the black market might have been more complex. In the end, there is a solid message behind it all. As I’ve said before, the fleet is operating in a situation that defies governance. Civilization is, in many ways, a pleasant veneer that may not go as deep as Roslin would desire. Lee (and perhaps Adama) understands that a certain amount of free trade and barter is necessary, since the basic systems are still being established and fortified. Certainly Zarek understands it, especially since he operates best as the self-appointed spokesman for the oppressed masses.

Ron mentioned a number of ideas that never made it to the screen. For instance, the brothel concept and Gina’s place on Cloud Nine in the previous episode were never connected, though they were meant to be. Zarek’s connections to the black market weren’t clear enough, especially at the end. But far worse was the existence of a crime syndicate so powerful that it could eliminate the commander of a military vessel so easily and with relatively little consequence.

Phelan was written a bit too conventionally, and as Ron himself admits, the entire plot was simply not up to “BSG” standards. Some of the smaller moments were good: the Baltar/Roslin confrontation was quite good, even if Roslin’s reasons for the offer weren’t directly tied to the previous episode’s revelations. Clearly, that subplot is going to have serious consequences for the rest of the season.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 1/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 5/10