Battlestar Galactica (2003)/Dirty Hands

Dirty Hands
Season 3, Episode 16
Airdate	February 25, 2007
Written by	Anne Cofell Saunders and Jane Espenson
Directed by	Wayne Rose
Fleet Survivors	41,400
← 3x15 A Day in the Life	3x17 → Maelstrom
Battlestar Galactica (2003) — Season Three

Dirty Hands is the sixteenth episode of the third season of Battlestar Galactica, and the forty-ninth episode overall.

Edward James Olmos (Admiral William Adama), Mary McDonnell (Laura Roslin), Katee Sackhoff (Kara "Starbuck" Thrace), Jamie Bamber (Major Lee "Apollo" Adama) (credit only), James Callis (Dr. Gaius Baltar), Tricia Helfer (Number Six), Grace Park (Sharon) (credit only)

Aaron Douglas (Chief Galen Tyrol), Nicki Clyne (Cally Tyrol)

Guest Stars: Rekha Sharma (Tory Foster), David Patrick Green (Xeno Fenner)

Cast: Jennifer Halley (Seelix), Don Thompson (Figurski), Leah Cairns (Racetrack), Colin Lawrence (Skulls), Samantha Ferris (Pollux), Wesley Salter (Redford), Colin Corrigan (Adama's Marine), Jerry Wasserman (Cabott), Samuel Chu (Milo), Bryce Hodgson (Danny)

Plot Overview

A raptor collides with the President's ship, an investigation reveals that it resulted from a problem with the fuel refinery. Conditions on the refinery ship are so strenuous, accidents are becoming more regular. When the President and Adama simply demand the workers suck it up, general sabotage and work stoppage occur. Exacerbating the situation, Baltar's book begins to circulate through the colonies, heightening concerns about class differences and inherited professions. In the work, Baltar describes how he was born on a poor colony, which he left as soon as he was able. He even demonstrates his old accent (a scratchy Irish working class accent) to the Chief, which he fought to change to sound more Caprican. The Chief gradually becomes more sensitive to the class conditions, and pleads with the President to improve the situation. While the President initially ignores the problem, she eventually has a change of heart, and encourages collective bargaining (though Adama threatens to kill anyone organizing a work stoppage, for the safety of the fleet).

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• It's noted that Tauron and Virgon are among the more affluent colonies along with Caprica with Gemenon, Sagittaron and Aerilon being among the poor.

• Baltar has written a book and has had it smuggled out thanks to his lawyer.

Characters

• Tyrol and Cally's marriage appears to be mending.

• Baltar reveals he was born in the farming colony of Aerelon. He was raised on a dairy and at the age of 10 he began to try to change his accent to that of a more Caprican sounding one.

• Seelix is approved for flight training and becomes a nugget.

Referbacks

• Several mentions are made of the labour union Tyrol headed on New Caprica as seen in "Lay Down Your Burdens", part 2, just before the Cylons arrived.

Trivia

Bonus Scene

• After Tyrol brings in new workers, Cally continues to talk about the class distinction, noticing that the pool of people being drafted are from labour colonies.

Goofs

• When the guards are searching Baltar, he pulls the pages out while his pants are still up, but when it cuts to the next shot, his pants are down.

• When Tyrol first talks with Roslin on Colonial One, she says "and we will put them on shifts in the refinery" with the word "refinery" is clearly dubbed in as her mouth movements don't match.

Quotes

• Adama: (to Roslin) Well, if the quarters become cramped, you're always welcome in one of my beds. (off her look) In a manner of speaking.

• Roslin: Fenner - complaining about working conditions and deliveries and, uh, spare parts and compensation, if you can believe that. We're on the run for our lives and the guy wants to talk about overtime bonuses.

• Xeno Fenner: You know, it's funny that when the gas flows, my phone calls don't get returned. But the minute there's a glitch in the fuel supply, I've got face time with the President and the Admiral? Hmm. Maybe we should just start having more glitches.

Roslin: Is that a threat?

Xeno Fenner: It's like the book says, "If you hear the people, you'll never have to fear the people."

Roslin: Did you say "the book"?

Xeno Fenner: Mm-hmm.

Roslin: Guards. Arrest this man for extortion and interrupting vital supplies during a time of war.

• Tyrol: Why do I have such a hard time picturing you milking cows and shovelling manure?

Baltar: Lack of imagination.

Tyrol: Or maybe that your little tale is manure.

• Adama: Are you aware that your deck gang is participating in work stoppage?

Tyrol: It's called a general strike, sir.

Adama: It's a mutiny. And do you know what we do with mutineers? We shoot them, Chief.

• Adama: I'm gonna put her up against a bulkhead and I'm gonna shoot her as a mutineer.

Tyrol: Are you out of your frakking mind? Cally was just following my orders.

Adama: She's a ringleader, so she goes first. And then the rest of your deck gang. Figurski, Seelix, Pollux.

Tyrol: You won't do this. We have a son.

Adama: Understand me. The very survival of this ship may depend on someone getting an order that they don't want to do. And if they hesitate, if they feel that orders are sometimes optional, then this ship will perish. And so will your son. The entire human race. I don't want to do this, Chief, but I will put ten Callys up against the wall to make sure that this ship and this fleet are not destroyed.