Battlestar: Galactica 3.16: "Dirty Hands"

Written by Jane Espenson and Anne Cofell Saunders
Directed by Wayne Rose

Over the past two seasons, one of my main comments on “Galactica” was the somewhat shallow exploration of the day-to-day struggles for survival. There were the broad actions involving the Cylons and the issues explored on New Caprica, but the situations within the Colonial Fleet as a whole were either vague or ham-fisted in nature. The Colonials seemed to have a fairly reasonable way of life, given the tense nature of the exodus.

This episode goes a long way towards changing that impression, and I love it all the more for it. Perhaps the best element is the growing sense of a caste system based on colony of origin. We see, for the first time, a difference between wealthy colonies and poor colonies and how that translates into the upkeep of the fleet. Questions of entitlement vs. necessity are directly raised and addressed, and the ensuing agreements are simply part of a long-term process of change. This is a far better look at the tensions within the fleet than, say, “Black Market” or “The Woman King”.

At the heart of the discontent is Baltar, who has apparently learned a little something from his former Vice President, Tom Zarek. In fact, Baltar’s new message and method is so close to the Zarek model that Zarek’s absence is the one major sticking point for the episode. Of course, one might assume that Zarek was working behind the scenes in some fashion. He could have defused the situation easily by supporting the current government, but he chose to stay out of it. That could be translated as silent approval of the worker revolt. (The reality, of course, is that Richard Hatch was probably unavailable for the episode and couldn’t be written in.)

Whatever the case, this probably pertains more to Baltar’s trial than the abortive Sagittaron plot that made such a mess of “The Woman King”. Baltar is using the growing tension in the fleet to divert attention from his own crimes against humanity. If anything, he’s shifting the blame to an “aristocracy” led by Roslin, Adama, and their Caprican ruling class. Those stuck in blue-collar jobs under horrifying conditions already resent those living in clean, spacious quarters, and Baltar knows that. And of course, he knows very well how heavy-handed Roslin and Adama can be when their authority is questioned and the needs of the military are threatened.

Baltar has now positioned himself as a grass-roots champion of the working class. Never mind that he was the one in charge when so many of the New Capricans were ravaged and abused by the Cylons. The fact that Tyrol was able to restore a sense of worker rights to the fleet can now be traced directly to Baltar’s visionary “book”. Like Zarek, Baltar might be staging a comeback for himself. For Baltar, it’s a desperation move, but one in keeping with his genius.

This episode also dismisses the notion that the events of New Caprica are a thing of the past. Tyrol’s character motivations are still firmly rooted in his role as union organizer on New Caprica, and much of his dissatisfaction since the Second Exodus had to derive from the attempt to pretend everything was back to status quo. For that matter, looking back on many of the so-called “filler” episodes this season, they are all linked by the subtle awareness that the fleet has yet to really deal with the New Caprica legacy. Roslin and Adama have been dealing with the cracks in the “everything’s normal again” façade, but it’s building towards something major. Zarek’s warning about Baltar’s upcoming trial is precisely in line with this undertone.

Because this episode is as much about attitude and selective interpretation of information as it is about the issues within the fleet, we get to see sides of characters that are consistent yet unusual. This is in contrast to “The Woman King”, where many character shadings felt forced or unearned. It’s unfortunate that other characters were left out of the story. For that reason alone, this might have worked even better as part of a season arc. Rather than focusing on relationship issues (which seem awfully silly in comparison), the writers could have focused on the dynamic interplay of fleet tensions and conflict with the Cylons.

As it is, this is still a great episode that should play into the rest of the season rather well. It even ties into the larger series concerns in a subtle, indirect manner. It shouldn’t take long to consider that the vital importance of one refinery ship should make it an easy target for the Cylons, especially those still hidden in the fleet. Other ships are equally vital to basic survival. The fact that such ships have not been targeted or destroyed could be another hint that the Cylons need the Rag-Tag Fleet to exist, at least for a little while. It might also be a plot hole, but considering how well everything else in the episode worked, I’m willing to give the writers credit.

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

Final Rating: 8/10