Episode Report Card Strega: B | 5 USERS: A- YOU GRADE IT Paths Of Glory
By Strega | Season 2 | Episode 3 | Aired on 2005.07.29
A few trees over, Tyrol tells Crashdown that these aren't experienced troops. Crashdown argues, "We don't have any choice. Galactica will definitely be sending a search and rescue party." See, that argument makes some sense. It's his "We owe it to our fallen comrades" that's loony. Tyrol snorts, " They'll wipe us out in the first two minutes!" Crashdown shouts, "That's enough!" Then he glances back to see if the others heard him, and, entertainingly, tells Tyrol to keep his cool. Tyrol blinks at him and calmly says, "I don't believe I've lost my cool." Crashdown disagrees, and goes back to his first argument: "It's our duty. We owe it to the rescue party, and we owe it to Socinus and Targ." Tyrol, who's becoming more Socratic by the moment, says, "I fail to see what this has to do with Socinus and Targ." Crashdown gives up, and says, "Maybe that's why I'm an officer, and you're not." Tyrol nods vigorously the way you do when you're choking back what you really want to say.
Commercials. I must mention that I watched The Crow IV: Wicked Prayer last weekend, because I need to publicly thank Wing Chun and Sars for the fact that I don't have to recap it. Here's why: David Boreanaz wearing tighty-whities while humping Tara Reid. I covered my eyes, but not quickly enough.
When we return, we're looking at a map scratched into the dirt, and Crashdown says, "This briefing will outline a plan of attack in five graphs." Oh dear. As Crashdown summarizes the situation, Baltar scoots over to ask Tyrol, "What's all this 'graph' business?" Tyrol explains that the briefing format is taught at officer candidate school, adding, "It's just not usually used this literally in the field." I appreciate the exposition, but it does seem like Crashdown might get grumpy about people having private conversations instead of listening to the briefing on which, presumably, their lives depend. By the time Baltar turns back, Crashdown is saying, "Graph four: execution." I wait for Baltar to ask, "Theirs or ours?" But he doesn't. Crashdown starts to detail his plan to attack the Cylons. And that's when Baltar freaks out and asks if Crashdown has lost his mind. Crashdown tries to cut him off, but Baltar calls for a show of hands from those who think the plan is crazy. Tyrol immediately shouts, "No! Absolutely not! This is not a democracy!" Hey, get it? Tyrol says that Crashdown is in charge, and they'll all do what he says. Ah, that's why I like Tyrol. Baltar screeches that they've already lost two men, and Tyrol glares at him and then does a passable Clint Eastwood impression when he says, "You need to sit down and shut up right now." Baltar protests that he's the Vice-President. Tyrol repeats his instruction, and advances on Baltar. Baltar sits. Crashdown resumes the briefing. His genius plan is to sneak up toward the Cylons, and then Cally will draw their fire until Selix and Crashdown can explode the controls from the missile launcher. At the phrase "drawing their fire," Cally gives Crashdown a rather surly look. Not that I blame her.