Daniel Graystone and Joseph Adama obsess about finding their daughters

This review may contain spoilers.

First, attention must be paid to the title of the episode. Gilbert Ryle created the term Ghost in the Machine about Descartesmind-body dualism philosophy. The term has been used in multiple references, many of which are sci-fi-based, including titles of X-Files, The 4400 and Stargate: Atlantis episodes. For fans of anime and manga, the phrase was turned into Ghost in the Shell where in a futuristic universe a mind can be copied into a different body or cybernetic shell. In whatever way the term is used in other franchises, the implications of its meaning is very clear for this episode of Caprica.

Daniel Graystone (Eric Stoltz) and Joseph Adama (Esai Morales) have much in common. They both lost family in the STO bombing. They both use their loss as an excuse for current actions. They both are extremely driven to reclaim their daughters in whatever forms possible, and their drives, or more appropriately their obsessions, are affecting their respective lives. As the episode built on the parallel searches for their daughters, it excelled in showing the difference in their true purpose behind each of their quests.

For Daniel, he suspected that his Cylon U-87 was the shell that harbored his daughters avatar that he thought he'd lost. The family dog, Caesar, seemed to confirm his suspicion, but that wasnt good enough for Daniel. He forced the U-87 to perform multiple tasks in order to try and out avatar Zoe (Alessandra Torresani). Although there were glimpses that he missed his daughter, the real impetus to his search centered more on the function of the U-87 and the military contract. His fixation increased so much that he in effect tortured Zoe. That mix between fatherly love and obsession came to a head with his fire test. To see him knowingly torture the U-87 revealed so much about the character - we know that there is nothing he will not do in order to get what he wants. What has only been hinted at in previous episodes will have to come into play in the future of the show.

What was even more impressive than Daniels attempts to find Zoe was Zoes unwavering devotion not to reveal herself to him. It begs the question of what she truly knows about her father that makes it imperative that she stays hidden. The dual nature that the episodes title implies was questioned by Lacy (Magda Apanowicz) when she was told by avatar Zoe that she will have to turn off and just be the robot, to which Lacy asked avatar Zoe if she could do that.

In another part of V-World, New Cap City, Joseph continued to be guided by Emmanuelle (Leah Gibson). Looking for Tamara (Genevieve Buechner) became a full-time obsession for Joseph, which did not go unnoticed by his brother Sam (Sasha Roiz). Sam accused Joseph of not honoring the Tauron ferryman ceremony where he was supposed to let Tamara go. Joseph dove deep into the V-World in this episode, including taking the drug Amp that hacks past the safeties of the holoband, making the receivers reflexes quicker. Going through the motions of the game, he showed hesitation when he needed to be a killer in order to get what he wanted. In a showdown at the club Mysteries, he was forced to answer a question as part of the game that has been referenced since There Is Another Sky. Finally getting that he had to take charge, he held a gun to the hosts head to find out that Tamara has been seen and is very different than the rest of those in V-World. On the way out, Joseph saw the T that Tamara always drew, which confirmed that he may be on the right track.

What drove this second-to-last episode were the parallel obsessions of the two fathers. However, their purpose in finding their daughters was vastly different. Whereas Daniel wants to find avatar Zoe in order to regain success in his business life, Joseph searches out of an obsession of love and a refusal to let go. Both of their purposes are tragic and real. And the Ghost in the Machine referred to avatar Zoe, but could be seen in much broader terms like Josephs dual lives in reality and virtual hope, and in Daniels duality of father and businessman. By the way, Ryle coined the term because he believed that Descartesphilosophy was false, and that the mind and body could not exist as separate entities. Does this mean that Zoe and Tamara are doomed for the future? Well, we already know what happens to Cylons in the future. What we dont know is how they separated into the metal Cylons that have existed since the original series and the humanoid Cylons celebrated in the latest BSG series. Thats the question that keeps bringing us back week after week.

The next episode is the last one for the first season of the series. Here are some questions that have been brought up by this initial season that need some attention: Why does avatar Zoe need to make it to Gemenon? What is the true purpose of the Soldiers of The One? What will Daniel do in order to survive? Will Amanda (Paula Malcomson) give in to her mania or try to discover more about her husbands purposes? What does Vergis (John Pyper-Ferguson) really want? How far will Sister Clarice (Polly Walker) go to get what she wants? And just who is Barnabus (James Marsters), and how dangerous is he? Stay tuned to the finale to see if any of these questions get answered.

What Worked

Eric Stoltz and Esai Morales are truly amazing to watch. Their commitment to their characters, no matter where their emotional and physical journeys take them, is awe-inspiring. But Stoltz was the real jaw-dropper in this episode. Watching him light the fire around Cylon Zoe was cringing and fabulous at the same time.

What Didnt Work

Seeing Amanda drop into such a dark place with much excess in the previous episode was a highlight. But to see her be so clueless and helpless in this episode makes us want to shake her into action. Shes so willing to follow her depression and almost pursue it with a passion, yet she cant seem to will herself to act in her own defense in her own life. Hopefully, well see her stand up in the final episode.

Like the last review, there is a mysterious character that has seen very little screen time. But the complaint will not be echoed in this one as it is revealed in the finale trailer that he shows up in the final episode - at last.

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

Caprica stars Eric Stoltz, Esai Morales, Paula Malcomson, Polly Walker, Alessandra Torresani, Magda Apanowicz, and Sasha Roiz. Ghosts in the Machine was directed by Wayne Rose and written by Ryan Mottesheard.

Caprica airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on Syfy.