Bradley Thompson and David Weddle delivered Valley of Darkness which first aired on 22 July, 2005.

Things remain severely frakked. After the screw-up with the FTL last episode, there’s a Cylon virus in Galactica’s system that needs to be removed, but there are also Centurions aboard. Adama (Edward James Olmos) remains in a coma, leaving Tigh (Michael Hogan) in command.

Having been boarded, there is a running and gunning in brutal combat with Apollo (Jamie Bamber) and his flight nuggets, following their attack on the Cylon ore station. He sends Roslin (Mary McDonnell) and her entourage to sick bay, telling them to head away from gunfire.

Through the course of the episode, Apollo and his team are eventually able to best the Cylon boarding party and save Galactica.

On Caprica, Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff), in possession of The Arrow of the Apollo, and Helo (Tahmoh Penikett), are working to get off-planet after Boomer (Grace Park) took off in the stolen Raider. We also learn that Starbuck is a bit of an artist after Kara breaks into her own apartment. And she and Helo are able to use her crappy jeep to carry on their journey.

And how are things on Kobol with Tyrol (Aaron Douglas), Baltar (James Callis) and Crashdown (Sam Witwer)? Well, Baltar is having strange dreams, suggesting the trouble between Cylons and Humanity, as embodied by Adama. And the cost of decisions and command play out on the group as they struggle to deal with the events.

I like that we geet some nice moments with Dualla (Kandyse McClure) and Billy (Paul Campbell), Roslin’s assistant.

Oh, and Doc Coddle (Donnelly Rhodes) is finally able to get to the Galactica, and provide some attention to Adama.

The series hasn’t let up since it started but since the season two opener last episode, they seem to have upped the stakes a little! The show’s just grabbing hold of you and dragging you along with it. The show remains smart, well-written, incredibly well-acted and is nothing short of incredible.

Fragged first aired on 29 July, 2005. It was written by Dawn Prestwich and Nicole Yorkin.

Problems continue to mount for the Galactica. Tigh is suffering from the rigours of command. He’s beginning to clash with everyone, but especially Apollo, whose position changed when he sided with Roslin against his father, Adama. And it gets worse for Tigh when Tom Zarek (Richard Hatch) and the rest of the Quorum of the Twelve show up to see the President.

Coddle is getting ready to open up Adama to repair the surgery that was previously done on him .

Roslin hasn’t had access to the chamalla extract, which she has been taking for her cancer, because she’s been in the brig, and it has a serious, debilitating effect on her. Something that Ellen Tigh (Kate Vernon) witnesses firsthand and shares with her husband.

But happily, her guard is a believer, and restores her Chamala, which once again gets Tigh in all manner of trouble. Adama better wake up soon. Tigh declares martial law, and you know everything is going into the toilet with him in command.

And on Kobol… the survivors of the Raptor crash find a Cylon battery. And despite scouting what the Cylons are up to, the conflict between Tyrol and Crashdown is getting bigger and bigger, and it’s going to get them all in trouble. But he also supports the chain of command, which causes some more friction between him and Baltar.

But there’s a time frame involved in disabling the battery, because Apollo is leading a patrol of Raptors loaded with troops to rescue their comrades.

Things get incredibly tense, and Baltar makes a violent decision that throws all of them into a battle they aren’t ready for.

A great episode showing the improper use of military strength and why it needs to be held in check by democracy. A fantastic episode that continues to push the narrative ever forward.