3.16: Dirty Hands

[Carolyn Hill]

Interesting social commentary in this episode, revealing the tensions between the emerging aristocracy and working class in the fleet. And it's good to see Tyrol (a sort of everyman) continuing to play a more significant role in the plotlines. I enjoy the way that BSG, over three seasons, has explored a range of issues--psychological, sociological, political, religious, and so on--rather than sticking to one tired formula.

Baltar continues to be a snake: his analysis of the class tensions is accurate, but he's using people--as usual--for his own ends. Hissssss . . .

 

[Urien]

I enjoyed the episode. It was well done. In reality they would have whacked a trouble causer like Baltar ages ago.

But that must be four episodes in a row where it's all being ..."problems in Spaaaaace."

 

[judge_mel]

This was truly another example of Moore’s Battlestar where problems can only be dealt with on a political level, and badly at that. There are exactly four things that the fleet needs to keep moving; refined fuel; food; air and motivated people.

We’ve already had an episode this season where the food suddenly all went bad, now we have yet another example of how negligently suicidal the colonials are. Not only are they relying on one ship to provide all their fuel, it is run like a 19th century mill, the people are being worked to death and it could blow up at any moment. Meanwhile the political elite can’t be bothered to lift a finger to ensure everyone’s survival.

No fuel means the fleet is dead in space. Yet Roslin ignores the issue (although suddenly flips 180 degrees in the final scene) and Adama decides to level empty threats at chief (exactly how many mutinies have gone unpunished under his command?) and forces people with no experience to risk their lives and the fleet.

Chief’s solution was call a strike, instead of get the team that built a stealth ship out of scrap and upgrade the setup on the refinery ship so that it is safe, efficient and won’t be in any danger of blowing up, and as a byproduct, a little automation would probably reduce the hours in half.

But of course that would be rational, and require an engineers viewpoint. As far as I can tell none of the writers have any technical backgrounds, but they are part of a union. Hmm.

Overall, one of the most embarrassing episodes of the season, in my viewpoint.

 

[Carolyn Hill]

But of course that would be rational, and require an engineers viewpoint. As far as I can tell none of the writers have any technical backgrounds, but they are part of a union.

Engineers are definitely important.

But so are unions.

 

[judge_mel]

Would they even need a union if the tech in the refinery ship was brought up to the same standards as equipment in the rest of the fleet?

Unions are typically created in industrial societies where workers are being opressed, hence the look of the episode. Yet there are plenty of industries where unions aren't established and still quality of life is maintained. I wouldn't have complained as much if things weren't presented in a cliched manner, and resolved in a pat conversation at the end of the episode. I still believe that there were a number of better ways this could have been played out.

 

[Carolyn Hill]

You definitely have a point about improving the technology. But even with improved tech, there can still be class systems and oppression and people locked into the jobs that their parents did. Unions can address those problems.

And you are right in saying that this episode gives a clear pro-union answer to the question. Giving an answer breaks with the show's tendency to ask difficult questions without taking a definitive stand on an answer. But I'm massively in sympathy with the answer.

 

[Aegon the Unworthy]

The Rat has a point...I would have been in favor of a no-win situation for the president instead of the concise Labor Union conversation because thats closer to reality.

On a tangent, this whole episode bugs me. From the Presidents flippant responses to workers complaints, to the "lottery", to the clearly one-sided argument for labor unions.

Ill start with my first complaint....there is nothing more time-critical in this exodus than that fuel. Their manufacturing methods were dangerous and conditions unsafe and Madame Pres acted like she had other things to take care of each time a complaint was made. I could understand if she tried to address the complaints of this labor leader but she just blew him off. Figuratively not literally. What the hell is she the President for if shes not going to take an active hand in situations like this?

The Lottery-When Madame President announced this idea to Tyrol I honestly thought she was being sarcastic. But it turns out she wasnt. What the hell are the other 40k+ people doing when theyre running through space. Dont they already have jobs that are essential to the fleet? Turns out they dont because theyre just sitting around waiting to volunteered to work on the Fuel Ship. Wouldnt it make sense to employ these people a little more efficiently in the first place instead of having a press gang at this juncture. I would think allocation of labor would be a critical element of fleet management.

Pro-Union- They dont even attempt to explain the other side. In fact I kept waiting for them to but they didnt. The counter argument is resources are stretched thin and we cant afford even a day of non-production in the fuel manufacturing to stay ahead of the cylons. Youre going to kill us all if we stop to retool the ship. Does she say that? Nope....she just gives her one word answer earlier and leaves...

I dont even want to talk about Adama threatening to kill Callie. I dont like the girl anymore than the next guy but how many acts of treason has this guy let slide and he's going to shoot Callie in the head for sedition. Oh wait, shes not an officer so lets just go ahead and make an example...and prove Callies point in the meanwhile.....stupid show.

Bring back the Cylons so the writiers can make sense again.