Posted by Jonathan Klotz | Published
Battlestar Galactica kicked off with one of the greatest premieres in sci-fi history, “33”, is arguably one of the best premieres ever, and although the final season was controversial, it is still hailed as one of the best sci-fi shows. . That doesn't mean it's perfect, and you need look no further than “Black Market,” from the back half of Season 2, for evidence of just how bad it can be. With humanity fleeing the Cylons, you'd think there were bigger problems than illegal trade, but that's the focus of the episode, which could be removed from the series without losing anything.
The Black Market
President Roslin (Mary McDonnell) calls on the military to shut down the black market that has sprung up among the colonial ships, blissfully unaware of how deep the corruption runs. The CEO of Pegasus, Jack Frisk, is found murdered shortly after taking a job with the accused Apollo (Jamie Bamber). What Apollo discovers is a bit of a conspiracy, Frsk, Balter (James Callis), and Tigh (Michael Hogan) all involved, which would have more weight if Battlestar Galactica he didn't reveal that Apollo frequented the black markets of Chevron, a prostitute on a cruise ship.
Tom Zarek (Richard Hatch) sends Apollo to the head of the smuggling operation, Phelan, where the true scale of the operation is revealed. Battlestar Galactica usually deals with various shades of gray in its characters and forces the heroes into moral situations without a clear answer, but this time, Apollo is dealing with trafficked children. When he kills Phealan, he has a reason to do so, however, the snake in the grass Zarek steps up to fill the void as the new head of the black market, which Apollo confirms that Roslin is needed to improve the ship. .
No Impact on the rest of the System
Aside from placing Zarek in a position of power among the fleet, “Black Market” has no place in the larger story of Battlestar Galactica. I mean the disclosure of smuggling, illegal goods, and prostitution has decreased in view of the situation as if humanity is under the ropes, why does it matter if we fall into the area of the law? Murder, kidnapping, and child trafficking are separate issues, which is why runner Ronald D. Moore sticks to that.
A Missed Opportunity
In an interview with SyFy, Moore explains that the inclusion of child trafficking sidestepped ethical questions Battlestar Galactica usually collaborate to find a cheaper solution in trouble. The plot falls apart once you realize the setting of the series, but the episode had the potential to explore the sci-fi aspect that Star Trek stays away from, since the Federation no longer trades for goods. What is life like for those at the bottom of the ladder on the ship? We've seen episodes that touch on it, but “Black Market” is still a missed opportunity.
This is the inheritance Battlestar Galactica it's not spoiled by one out-of-place episode, but it serves as a reminder that, when the remake picks up again, there are plenty of different worlds to explore.. Honestly, “Black Market” is still a great piece of sci-fi, and it can stand up to some of the best in other series, but the bar for Moore's dark and sinister reboot was set so high that it fell woefully short. We didn't need another reason to hate Zareki.
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