This week on Battlestar Galactica we learn that former poet laureate Robert Frost is a Cylon!

Well, not quite, but the episode is titled after one of his most famous poems. It mainly features Starbuck and crew aboard the Demetrius dealing with the arrival of an unexpected visitor, while back on Galactica, Tyrol contemplates suicide while avoiding his child and visiting Baltar’s temple.

Spoilers follow.

The primary thrust of the show this week deals with the Demetrius crew’s discovery of a surviving Leoben aboard a severely damaged heavy raider. They bring him aboard and he begins to “assist” Starbuck with her quest to find Earth. Meanwhile, her crew — especially Athena, who is overcompensating for being a Cylon — is ready to mutiny. They don’t trust the “new” Starbuck, and if they don’t return to Galactica soon, they’ll never be able to get back.

Their plans to return, however, are scuttled as Leoben reveals the existence of a heavily damaged Cylon basestar containing surviving members of Nathalie’s rebellion. If the Demetrius jumps to their position, the Cylons will surely sign on to help the humans in their quest for Earth. Although this makes no sense to any rationale human being, Starbuck sees it as a viable strategy. Unfortunately for her, her crew doesn’t. Well, all except Helo, who is struggling with his belief that the chain of command trumps insane decision-making. Also, I think it’s important to remember that Helo and Kara went through a lot back in season one and season two, and still have a bond of friendship as a result.

Kara and Leoben’s plans are complicated, however, an unforeseen event. As Sarge surveys the heavy raider, she uncovers a crack in its hull that’s leaking some kind of gas. Before she can save herself, the raider explodes, killing her. I guess every character is fair game, if a favorite like Sarge can die!

This sets the crew to a boil. They’ve had enough. One nameless redshirt threatens to violently mutiny against their crazy captain, but Helo takes him out.

After being tortured Benjamin Linus style, Leoben claims that the explosion was an accident. The raider was severely damaged after all. He also spouts some religious mumbo jumbo. Kara decides to carry on.

On the bridge of the ship (which looks suspiciously like the remnants of the Pegasus bridge redressed and reused), Kara gives the crew the order to jump to the Cylon basestar. Helo declines to carry out the order, instead saying that they will jump back to the fleet, instead. Kara reveals him of duty for disobeying an order (but not as harshly as Kaine, who killed her XO), and names Gaeta as her new XO. Gatea refuses, as well. It seems that the whole ship is mutinying, now. What’s going to happen?

To be continued.

The B-plot this week deals with Tyrol’s self-loathing in the wake of his wife’s death. I won’t bore you with all the details, but he’s now shaved his head down to the skin, which means he’s really serious. He also attends Baltar’s church, and when the good doctor offers his condolences and offers Tyrol to take his hand, the Chief threatens to strangle him. But this is the new Baltar — the holy Baltar — and he later goes to Tyrol’s quarters and apologizes for having been so presumptuous and offers kind words about Cally. This prompts the Chief to change his mind, and he offers for Baltar to take his hand. Does this mean that Tyrol is joining Baltar’s religious organization?

Adama, Lee, Roslin and the main Cylon fleet aren’t seen this week.

I have to say, I have very mixed feelings about Galactica. This is the final season of the show, and yet there’s no longer any sense of urgency regarding the plot. They only have 15 episodes left, and yet it seems like they’re taking their time to tell the story. Although the conflict on the Demetrius was interesting, it seems like more set-up and very little payoff. The thing that makes Lost so great is that every episode has both set-up and payoff — it’s the payoff that keeps viewers coming back. Galactica used to payoff their stories, but after New Caprica, largely lost the ability to do it in any timely or consistent manner. It seems pretty clear that Starbuck is somehow going to end up on that wounded basestar, but having to wait too weeks for it to happen is somewhat disappointing.

The story with the Chief and Baltar really seemed like more of the same. Yes, we know the Chief is tortured, but given the limited number of shows left, did it really need to take two episodes for Tyrol to reach his destination with Baltar, if indeed it is a destination and not another cul de sac?

Overall, I liked this episode a lot better than last week’s (which I ultimately didn’t have time to review, sorry guys) — I was engaged, even though I felt like it was moving too slowly. The crew’s mutiny, while not unexpected, was a powerful moment. I don’t have a lot of confidence in this version of Kara Thrace, either — as anyone who watched “Razor” knows, Kara is prophecized as leading the human race to its doom. Leoben’s entrance on the Demetrius was unexpected and gave a greater sense of some divine force manipulating events to a slow, but inevitable conclusion.

The idea of Starbuck allying herself or the humans with Nathalie’s rebellion is interesting, and something I’d very much like to see played out on the show. But whether or not it really happens is up in the air, as the writing staff seems content to spin their wheels during this phase of their final arc.

I give this episode of Galactica 3 chrome toasters out of 5 for more or less crafting an engaging episode (but they really need to get this final arc moving a little faster):