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Survivors: 41422

BSG Episode 309- Unfinished Business Image
Air Date: Friday December 1, 2006

Written by: Michael Taylor
Directed by: Robert Young

Cast

Tricia Helfer (Number Six)
Mary McDonell (Laura Roslin)
Katee Sackhoff (Kara "Starbuck" Thrace)
James Callis (Gaius Baltar)
Grace Park (Sharon "Boomer" Valerii)
Edward James Olmos (William Adama)
Jamie Bamber (Lee "Apollo" Adama)

Plot Summary

After walking out on her estranged husband Sam Anders, Starbuck attends a below-decks boxing tournament in which Tigh referees and rank is forgotten. She watches Apollo suffer a tough loss to Helo, then singles Apollo out, challenging him to fight her. Apollo accepts, and, with a strange tension simmering between them, the two wait their turn.

Laura Roslin, a closet boxing fan, joins Adama ringside. The Admiral explains that boxing is an old fleet tradition for blowing off steam and settling grudges. In fact, the fights tonight are haunted by memories of New Caprica — especially memories of dreams and relationships lost and found as the ill-fated settlement was just beginning.

On the 123rd day of New Caprican coloniziation, President Baltar hosted a groundbreaking ceremony in hopes of a bright future for the young colony. At the party that followed, Tigh and his wife Ellen enjoyed a rare bright spot in their difficult marriage; Adama and Roslin bonded over hopes and concerns; and Tyrol and Cally worried that their jobs aboard the Galactica would deprive their newly conceived son of a childhood spent in the colony's fresh air. As the evening's drinking and dancing wore on, Starbuck and Apollo caught each other's eyes over the shoulders of their new lovers, Anders and Dualla. Despite — or because of — their long, troubled history, the two old friends felt irresistibly drawn together.

By the next morning, Adama had decided to allow members of his crew, including Tyrol and Cally, to leave the Galactica and join the new colony. And Starbuck and Apollo had shared a secret experience that sent Starbuck rushing into marriage with Anders and provoked Apollo to propose to Dualla.

Now, at the boxing match, Adama himself challenges Tyrol to a bout, goading the man to pull no punches until Tyrol unleashes a flurry of blows, leaving his commander bloodied. Adama seizes the moment to warn his crew that he accepts the rigors of war and will never again put humanity's survival at risk by being too soft-hearted, as he did when he allowed so many of them to leave their posts and settle on New Caprica.

With that as a climax, Tigh declares the boxing over. But after Adama, Tigh and Roslin leave the room, the night's real main event begins. Starbuck and Apollo enter the ring to settle scores that only they understand — and their spouses, left out, can do nothing but watch.

Remarkable Scenes

- The teaser is incredible. A roaring roller coaster ride of Starbuck's and Apollo's emotions with the boxing match and the beautiful violin music serving as a backdrop. Little details everywhere are fantastic, such as even Doc. Cottle getting excited about the fight.
- The first flashback depicting the colonization of New Caprica.
- Adama explaining "the dance" to Roslin.
- Starbuck taking out Hot Dog swiftly.
- The flashback back to Baltar's breaking ground ceremony and the party afterwards, showing Tigh and Ellen celebrating as well as Adama and Roslin getting stoned.
- The flashback back to Tyrol and Adama discussing Cally's pregnancy.
- Adama challenging Tyrol and sucker punching him as soon as the round begins.
- The square dance flashback.
- Adama provoking Tyrol's anger, causing the fight to get intense.
- A drunk Apollo approaching a drunk Starbuck in a flashback: "Wow, look at that. You literally drank Anders under the table."
- Tyrol kicking Adama's ass then Roslin offering a defiant Adama boxing advice.
- The flashback to Adama granting Tyrol and Cally permission to leave Galactica.
- Tyrol winning the fight, then picking Adama back up.
- Adama's speech and Tyrol leaving to finish work on the busted viper, killing the mood of "the dance."
- Starbuck to Apollo: "So what? You have the guts to try and frak another man's woman but not to fight one?"
- The flashback back to Apollo and Starbuck finally openly expressing their love for each other both physically and verbally. I loved Starbuck's line, "that makes things more complicated."
- Starbuck resorting to dirty tactics while fighting Apollo.
- The flashback to Apollo waking up alone the next morning, then finding out about Starbuck marrying Anders.
- The fight between Starbuck and Apollo getting intense, to the backdrop of the beautiful violin music playing once again.
- The flashback scene depicting Apollo approaching Starbuck and Anders, cordially congratulating him, and leaving to embrace Dee.
- Starbuck and Apollo tiring of the fight and sort of hugging each other in the ring while everyone begins to leave. I like how Anders implicitly gets it and leaves, but Dee just can't bring herself to go.
- Starbuck and Apollo declaring to each other that they missed each other.


Additional Notes

-Grace Park (Athena/Boomer) and Tahmoh Penikett (Helo) appear on the production commentary for this episode, along with the co-executive producer, Ronald Moore.
- This is the first episode of Season 3 in which Lucy Lawless (D'Anna Biers/Number Three) does not appear.
- Because many of the scenes consist of flashbacks, Ellen Tigh (played by Kate Vernon) appears in this episode.
- Tricia Helfer did not appear in this episode
- As of the beginning of this episode, there are 41,422 survivors, one more than in the previous episode.