'Battlestar Galactica' Retro Recap: 'Guess What's Coming to Dinner?'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

When we last left the intrepid crew of the Battlestar Galactica, I would venture to say that the situation was strange. Because after years of conflict and bloodshed and outright hate for one another, a tenuous preliminary treaty between mankind and Cylon had been reached and well, I know I was left wondering exactly where this little twist was going to go. After all, two species that have spent generations hating one another don’t exactly find a way to play nice just like that and well, the next episode from season four, ‘Guess What’s Coming to Dinner?’ confirmed just that.
 
Because from the opening moments of this episode, until its close, this was a story that turned out to be a tense affair, one filled with distrust and disdain and scheming from both sides to the point where one has to wonder as to whether or not these two species will ever find peace and the first real taste of how tense this sucker was going to be came about by way of a misstep in this tale, wherein the Basestar jumped into the fleet, without the Demetrius. Because such an act sent panic through the fleet, to the point where Adama was ready to blow the ship out of the stars, despite the fact that the Basestar didn’t arm its weapons and point them at Galactica and thankfully Helo’s ship arrived to stop the bloodshed, but the tension and distrust only grew from there.
 
Because despite the honesty from the Cylons and the willingness to listen from the Colonial Fleet, neither side was willing to trust one another in the slightest and while they struck an accord for a joint mission to rescue D’Anna from the mysterious Hub, both sides made plans behind one another’s backs to gain the upper hand and well, this was in fact quite frustrating to watch because damnit, now is their chance to make peace and well…it felt like both sides were blowing their best opportunity to accomplish such a feat. But, while this kind of closed mindedness was irritating in its own right, this episode did offer up something more than human and Cylon ignorance, it did push to advance the whole Opera House plot line that’s been lingering about. 
 
In fact, this is a plot thread that seemed like an afterthought at first glance, since it was generated by Baltar’s weekly sermons and well, despite Laura confessing to a handful of her inner circle that his ramblings were true, it seemed as though this matter was nothing more than a Baltar related nuisance. But, Kara was able to relay to the president the fact that the Hybrid spoke of Laura, which prompted President Roslin to assemble a small group, one that included Baltar to head over to the Basestar to learn more about this strange dream and well, this little quest for knowledge ended in the strangest of fashion since the Hybrid jumped the ship the instant it was plugged back in. 
 
If anything, I love how this episode kept my attention from the get go with its engrossing plot line and I also love that the religious and destiny-based story concepts are finally starting to jell together and well, it’s becoming inherently clear now that the series is building to something big. Because this level of tension and these kinds of cliffhangers are just waiting for release and resolution and well, as I recall it, we’ll get all of that, but it’s an unpleasant conclusion to say the least…until next time…

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