Episode Report Card Strega: C | 88 USERS: C+ YOU GRADE IT KodaChrome
By Strega | Season 2 | Episode 8 | Aired on 2005.09.09
Biers pins a microphone onto Tigh's jacket and claims, "We'll make this as painless as possible." To prove her point, she immediately offers Tigh a drink, and pours a glass for herself as well. They take seats at a small table with their glasses. I like the way Tigh pauses to sniff his beverage delicately. Biers says that before they begin, she wants to know if it's true that Tigh's received death threats. The "before we begin" part is a trick, since we immediately see that Bell is already filming. Tigh doesn't seem to notice, though, and just chuckles, "This is a military vessel. We have rumors for every occasion." Biers asks if it was difficult to take command, but Tigh sticks to his talking points, saying, "I didn't take anything. Command fell to me, and I did my duty." Biers notes that Tigh took some "controversial actions." Oh, she also says that he was in command for over a week, for anyone working on a timeline. Tigh explains that what happened aboard the Gideon was the result of a military decision, and that he'd do the same thing again. Tigh clunks his empty glass onto the table defiantly, but Biers presses on, asking if he has any regrets. Tigh looks at the glasses on the table, and then at the camera. And then at Biers, who probably shouldn't have started smirking right then. Tigh flips his empty glass off the table and stands up, pulling his microphone off as he grouses, "You're trying to set me up." Biers asks why there wasn't an official investigation into what happened on the Gideon. Tigh heads for the door, but Biers jumps up and blocks him. For about half a second, because then Tigh shoves her aside and snaps, "Get out of my face!" Exit Tigh. Biers turns to Bell and asks, "Did you get that?" Bell gives her a thumbs-up. Biers observes, "Someone's a mean drunk." Like I said, the insights we're getting into the characters aren't all that insightful.
Starbuck clobbers a punching bag in the mood-lit gym as Biers and Bell enter. Starbuck pauses her pummeling long enough to say, "Great. I could use a sparring partner," and gets back to work. Bell eagerly pans up and down Starbuck's sweaty body as Biers explains that Adama suggested that she talk to Starbuck about the new pilots. Starbuck gives the bag a kick as she says, "Captain Adama likes to push my buttons." He does? Oh! This is like that episode of WKRP in Cincinnati where they all act wrong so that Mother Carlson's flunky will sound crazy when he reports back on the staff. Right? That must be it. Biers asks what Starbuck looks for in a new recruit. Starbuck goes through the boilerplate response about coordination and commitment, and pantingly adds, "Most of all, someone crazy enough to follow me into combat."