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

What makes any series a good series? Its a fair question.

Television these days seems to be filled with an abundance of mediocre dramas, badly done science-fiction and enough witless reality productions to deaden the mind. But yet somehow these shows capture the attention of millions.

With that in mind, or perhaps not depending on how much reality television youve watched, it is usually easy to spot a well-developed show with a talented cast and a prosperous future straight away. Delivering something totally unique and well thought out, it truly is a shame that these shows tend to draw in smaller, more loyal audiences and are often faced with cancellation as a result. But those are the shows whose creativity is obvious.

So where do the ones where the quality is less than obvious fall into place? You know the ones - - wolves in sheeps clothing, stories which become more and more compelling, a cast which is always ascending into higher echelons...

Its hard to place these shows. Both hated and adored, they are either forgotten or are ushered into the exclusive ranks of television masterpieces. Based on its cold beginnings, Battlestar Galactica looked like it was going to be one of the former: a series which after its initial run would fade away. But eight episodes down the line from the miniseres, the series has blossomed into a show of excellence. Flesh And Bone goes a long way to establish the show's future. Where there was once a mass of characters stumbling for screentime with very little drama unfolding, there are now dedicated stories with more compelling actions than you would have thought possible.

The eighth episode of the Ronald D. Moore reimagination has an extremely refined character base, a concept which allows those actors who appear in the episode to shine like never before, pushing their alter egos to unseen frontiers. Among those who were given this extraordinary chance are Dr. Baltar (James Callis) and Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff). In previous episodes, these two actors have been the cornerstones of the series showing exactly why the series has come into being in the first place.

Without going into any in-depth spoilers, Baltar is able to test his Cylon-detector which provides cataclysmic results, while Starbuck gets the opportunity to question a newly-captured Cylon operative in the form of Leoben Conoy (Callum Keith Rennie).

Looking at Callis first, his character has always been the comical aspect, most of the time due to his cohabitation with Number Six (Tricia Helfer). While his role this week, much like the entire cast in general, was much more refined, he was still able to steal the show with his performance. The Baltar/Number Six moments were indeed toned down, the insights into his character, and the talent expressed by the actor are nothing less than gripping and leave you wanting more by the episode's end. Too bad Flesh And Bone only lasts an hour.

Sackhoff, who also has had multiple opportunities to show off her capabilities, continues to impress with a completely different side of Starbuck being let out for some fresh air. And unlike most shows, this other side isnt the soft, sensitive cuddle-loving type, but the harsh, psychologically-manipulative sort. The scenes involving the torture of the Cylon agent are astounding, giving new depths to not only Sackhoff as an actress, but the series in general. Who would have thought that the good guys would be capable of sinking as low as the bad guys in order to pull out a little information?

Thats what happens. And it happens brilliantly. And whats more, Starbuck continues to sport the injury from three episodes ago showing just how close to modern day the series really is.

Even President Roslin (Mary McDonnell) is given her own little chance to take her characters to the extreme and can only reinforce what Sackhoff helped put in motion with her mind-bending scenes. And Rennie also did a wonderful job, expanding upon the Cylon god concepts which were explored last week.

But whats even more shocking is the revelation of another Cylon agent within the Galacticas command staff -- the twist which was so unexpected, it can only leave you doubting its validity. But if in fact the twist turns out to be substantiated, it is nothing less than a mind-blowing turn of events.

The idea of having this character act as perhaps Cylon Number One would be a bold move, one which could have disastrous consequences for the series unless handled with the appropriate finesse. Given how the series started, it could prove a tad too challenging for the writing team to do the twist the justice which it rightly deserves. But given the rapid improvements which have occurred over the last few episodes and their relative successes at providing inescapable drama and excitement, it isnt entirely out of their reach.

But then again, the series as it stands at the moment is incredibly well thought out and mentally challenging, provoking some individual thought to be carried out in much the same way the original Star Trek did. Such a dramatic change in the series will inevitably alter the very fabric of the stories which follow. Should that transpire, the series could potentially lose everything which it has been building on since its four-hour conception.

Its a tricky task, one that will no doubt hold considerable sway over the future of the series, both in terms of the unfolding story and of the numbers game the networks seem to play with the viewership ratings.

Although it delivers everything you might want from the main focus of the series, the Cylon-Occupied Caprica scenes again do more damage than good. Instead of quickening the pace of the episode, of giving a break from the comings and goings of the fleet, they break the pace and interrupt the flow of the episode. Undoubtedly, if all the scenes to-date were collated and run together as a single episode, the net result would be much different. But as it stands, they are anti-climactic at best. Perhaps in the future they will gain momentum, but for now the Galactica-centered stories will have to suffice.

Alan Stanley Blair is a writer for Airlock Alpha, contributing from his home country of Scotland. He can be reached at ablair@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 the United States on the Sci-Fi Channel, and in Canada on Space in January.

Flesh and Bone
Battlestar Galactica

Grade: B+

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