The following review contains MAJOR SPOILERS of "Battlestar Galactica."

Before "You Can't Go Home Again" aired, fans familiar with the original series were drawing similarities between the fifth episode of "Battlestar Galactica" and an episode of the original series that was repeated in a movie called "Enemy Mine" as well as "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

I mean, why not? In the previous week's episode, "Act of Contrition," a Viper piloted by Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff) went down on a planet with a Cylon ship. They would apparently need each other to get off the planet, so how could they avoid not working together?

Of course, to do that plotline, the series would have to violate canon already established in the miniseries -- these Cylon Raiders have no cockpits, hence, they wouldn't have any actual Cylons aboard.

Message boards across the Internet erupted with speculation. How would they do this? Would the Raider be alive and work with Starbuck? Maybe the Raider had a drone on board for recon? What would do it?

I don't know why everyone is looking at me. We try not to report spoilers at Airlock Alpha anymore, not because no one wants them, but because I want to have a chance to enjoy a show for once. So, when we visit Starbuck on the planet's surface (the show called it a "moon," but they didn't talk about any other planets being in the area, so I am not sure where they are getting that), the first thing we see is her being suddenly dragged across the sandy ground.

So, obviously, I was wrong. Here, I thought the Cylon Raider would have no consequence in this episode, but apparently there was a drone aboard. When I realized that it wasn't a drone pulling Starbuck, but her own parachute, I knocked my head against the wall, realizing that writer Carla Robinson fooled me. Yes, I am human ... I can be fooled.

So I was impressed. The episode was barely five minutes old, and already, I was being surprised. Not very often that that happens to me in science-fiction shows, but something that seems to be happening all too often in the new "Battlestar Galactica."

This was the series' first two-parter, and I have to admit that generally, I was happy with what I saw. But at the same time, there were some characterizations that were starting to bug me.

I know everyone has their ideosyncracies and such, I get that. But I just want to know when we are going to see some stronger character definition for Cmdr. Adama (Edward James Olmos) and President Roslin (Mary McDonnell). Here are two Oscar-nominated actors, and I just feel that more and more, their talents are being wasted.

Yes, these two are extraordinary actors, and they have breathed life into the characters they are portraying in "Galactica." But at the same time, I am waiting for Adama to speak in something other than the voice he borrowed from Clint Eastwood in "Heartbreak Ridge." At the same time, Roslin is becoming more and more bureacratic, which in turn is making her character seem too cartoonish. I mean, maybe this is something that is being done on purpose to show how uncomfortable Adama and Roslin are in their roles as leaders of an entire civilization. Or maybe it's just sloppy writing.

I mean, let's take a look at the conversation that Roslin and Adama have at the beginning of the episode.

ROSLIN
Cmdr. Adama, I don't want to take a lot of your time
but I just wanted to say how happy we all are that
you found one of your pilots.

ADAMA
Thank you, Madam President.

ROSLIN
How is the search progressing for the other pilot?

ADAMA
Nothing yet, but we've just begun.

ROSLIN
I have spoken with the other captains in the fleet,
they've agreed to give over their ships at your
disposal if it will increase the odds of finding her.

ADAMA
Frak the odds. We're going to find her.
Pauses a beat
Excuse me. Thank you. Tell them, uh, we could sure
use the help.

ROSLIN
I will coordinate their efforts
with your CIC, continued good luck.

Yes, when you see that in words, it seems very dry. But the presentation of these lines by the actors were just as dry. I almost felt like I was watching one of those bad sexual harassment videos they make you watch at work.

I mean, what's the big deal here? These two are talking to each other as if they've never spoken to each other before, and then they act as if leaders never cuss. I mean, seriously. I bet if you get Roslin riled up, she can make even a sailor blush.

But Adama's reaction here also seemed forced. I know that the previous episode established some tension between he and Starbuck, and now he wants to find her ... but the outburst seemed a bit premature. And it made the president seem too sensitive to the reality of life.

Not that Adama didn't have his moments. His blow up in CIC with Col. Tigh (Michael Hogan) finally showed some emotion, and I have to say that Tigh's salute when he was removed from duty showed that despite his problems with the plans to save Starbuck, he is still a tried and true officer.

The realities of this episode were not lost on me, that's for sure. I definitely can understand how this crew is very interested in finding their lost pilot, whether it's a family member or not. I think that the reactions to trying to locate her were genuine, even if Starbuck had a little more luck than what's normally believable happen to her.

Don't believe me? Let's review. She survives her fall to the planet. Awesome. She is able to cut herself loose from a parachute before being thrown over a cliff. Cool. She walks in a direction (why? not sure), and somehow comes across the Cylon Raider, which somehow is not only intact, but is still flyable. She is able to get inside the ship, swim inside its brain, find a fresh supply of oxygen, get the Raider to fly, and still find time to scratch her name into the bottom of the wings.

A little hard to believe? Yeah. But with the dry acting of Olmos and McDonnell, it was refreshing to see Starbuck's sense of humor, especially in her little prayer before finding the ship. And yes, I caught the irony in Starbuck asking the downed Cylon "Are you alive?"

Believe it or not, one of my favorite parts of this episode was not the A story, but that tiny little B story that has been continuing since Episode 1, which I barely mention in my reviews. Now it's starting to get a bit interesting.

For those of you who forgot there was a B line, Boomer (Grace Park) left Helo (Tahmoh Penikett) on Caprica to meet his doom during the initial Cylon assault. He was captured by the Cylons, was rescued by Cylon-Boomer (who he thinks is the real Boomer), and found a safe haven inside Caprica City.

But while there are plenty of food and supplies to spare, Helo felt it was perfectly safe to make as much noise as he wants in the restaurant above. Luckily, while he was rattling around, he didn't miss the Cylon soldier breaking a window and coming inside the building.

I'm sorry, but this scene was awesome. You see a reflection of the Cylon in one of the stainless steel appliances, and then through a smoked glass window just inches from Helo. No one knows what's going to happen, but you can hear the machine running, and I could hear my heart beating. I was impressed. I felt like I was there, and the effect worked awesome. Hell, I just watched it again right now, as I was writing this, to relive the experience ... I have to take a minute to catch my breath.

Overall, the episode had a happy ending. In the nick of time, Starbuck was able to get back to the Galactica, both Adamas got a lesson in how to not put their personal feelings in the way of their duty (like that would stop them), and the older Adama and Starbuck made amends on their problem.

While it was almost a tear-jerker to see Adama give Starbuck his last cigar, I was a bit sad that they allowed these two to resolve their problems in a single episode. This just isn't typical Ronald D. Moore. He would let some problems on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" go on for episodes and episodes ... sometimes a season or more.

So, here's to me hoping that Adama is happy to see Starbuck again because he almost lost her ... but at the same time, there are still some issues that need to be resolved. Or that there is at least better things to come.

Michael Hinman is the news coordinator for Airlock Alpha, contributing from Tampa, Fla. He can be reached at michael@airlockalpha.com.

EDITOR'S NOTE: "Battlestar Galactica" currently is airing in the United Kingdom on Sky One, as part of that satellite company's agreement with Sci-Fi Channel to produce the series. It premieres in January on the Sci-Fi Channel in the United States and on Space in Canada.

You Can't Go Home Again
Battlestar Galactica

Grade: C+

This episode was written by Carla Robinson. It was directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan.

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