The following review is for the "Battlestar Galactica" episode "Act of Contrition." The review below is compiled from reviews posted by Michael Hinman and Alan Stanley Blair following the original Sky One broadcasts of the episodes late last year in Great Britain. These reviews contain MINIMAL SPOILERS

HINMAN: There is a reason that "The West Wing" remains one of the most critically-acclaimed shows on television. The way stories are presented, the way backstory is revealed, the writing and acting period. It's an amazing show, and I never thought I could honestly sit here and review a science-fiction show to that same standard.

But yet, here I am, just a day or so after watching the fourth "Battlestar Galactica" episode, "Act of Contrition," that I'm actually doing just that.

Sure, there's no Martin Sheen. There's no Bradley Whitford. There's no Allison Janney. But who needs them? If one were to go by "Act of Contrition" alone, Edward James Olmos (Cmdr. William Adama) blows everyone away. Jamie Bamber continues to show that he was born to play Apollo. And Katee Sackhoff ... you just don't know whether to love her or hate her, but either way, anyone is in awe.

For most people who know me, I did not grow up liking the original "Battlestar Galactica." By the time I got to see it, it was in reruns, and I was probably too young to understand it or its campiness. And when people kept talking about a BSG revival, I basically ignored it and yawned.

But executive producer Ronald D. Moore has not only successfully revived a project, he has given me something to be excited about each and every week. I don't need a cliffhanger, like what we got at the end of "Act of Contrition" to bring me back. I want to know what's going to happen next, if I can be awed once again. And even though there's only been four episodes, Moore and his crew have yet to disappoint me.

Generally, in television shows, if you are watching flashbacks, they are actual flashbacks in a series. "The West Wing" tossed all that out the window when they started telling stories by showing flashbacks that weren't actually part of the series. Many times, these flashbacks would show scenes that would've taken place if they started the series earlier, like before Jed Bartlett's election.

I've always enjoyed these flashbacks, because they help flesh out the characters, and show us where everyone came from, without having to throw it in our face.

"Act of Contrition" did the same thing when it came to the love affair between Zach and Starbuck, and her motivations for making sure that he made it through flight school.

BLAIR: Act of Contrition, the latest "Battlestar Galactica" episode, has a tough job, following on from last weeks first-rate episode featuring Richard Hatch, the original Apollo from the original 1970s series.

The very nature of picking up after a landmark episode on any show is always difficult, and this episode was no different.

The episode was obviously Starbuck-centered, and failed to give any real insight into her character. Mixing the story with past present, her nature with fun loving and hard-ass did absolutely nothing for Sackhoffs acting talents.

Like every episode thus far, the writers have struggled to amalgamate the other characters into the story in any shape or form other than around a poker table, showing just how pointless the existence of some characters actually are. A Cylon attack resulting in a few more deaths would do wonders for the show, allowing stories to properly develop some of the crew instead of producing more half-hearted attempts.

Act of Contrition
Battlestar Galactica

Grade -- Hinman: B+; Blair: D-

Alan Stanley Blair is a writer for Airlock Alpha, contributing from his home country of Scotland. He can be reached at ablair@airlockalpha.com.

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