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Battlestar Galactica
"Someone to Watch Over Me"
TV episode
Written by Bradley Thompson & David Weddle
Directed by Michael Nankin
Original air date: February 27, 2009
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Starbuck befriends a piano player at
Joe’s Bar, who helps her face a shattering realization about her
destiny.
Read the summary of the episode at the Battlestar Wiki
Notes from the BSG
chronology
Dr. Cottle's dialog about Sam Anders' comatose condition
indicates it has been weeks since his brain surgery (in
"No Exit"), with no discernible
conscious thought.
Didja Know?
The title of this episode,
"Someone to Watch Over Me", is most likely borrowed from that of
the 1926 song written by George and Ira Gershwin which has
inspired the titles of a number of film, stage, television, and
music projects.
The opening titles show the fleet at a population of
39,556, no change from the previous episode
"Deadlock".
Characters appearing or mentioned in this episode
Slick
(Dreilide Thrace, Starbuck's father; in vision only)
Starbuck
Rafferty (bartender at Joe's)
Helo
Hot Dog
Number Six
Athena
Number Eight
Chief Tyrol
Sonja
Apollo
Admiral Adama
President Roslin
Dr. Cottle
Lt. Hoshi
Sam Anders
Dr. Gerard (mentioned only)
Number Eight
Ellen Tigh
Tory Foster
Boomer
Cally (in Tyrol's memories only, deceased)
Hera
Dionne Tyrol (imaginary, in Boomer's projection only)
Corporal D. Wallace
day care provider (unnamed)
Kayro (voice only)
Specialist Marcie Brasko
Specialist Dealino
Didja Notice?
As the episode opens, the Galactica crew is awakened by
an announcement of Reveille on the P.A. system. "Reveille" is
usually a bugle call for military or incarcerated personnel in
Great Britain and its current or former colonies.
At 2:31 on the Blu-ray, Starbuck presents to her flight crew a
(apparently half-used) tube of Felgercarb toothpaste for anyone
who finds a habitable planet. The toothpaste brand is said to be
of Tauron origin. "Felgercarb"
was a Colonial swear word in
BSG70, essentially meaning
"shit". "Tauron" is derived from the constellation Taurus the
bull. So, Tauron felgercarb is "bull shit".
At 2:38 on the Blu-ray, co-scripter David Weddle is seen at
Joe's Bar smoking next to Starbuck.
At 3:41 on the Blu-ray, a production crew member can be seen
behind Apollo's on the right-hand side of screen!

This episode introduces Sonja,
a Number Six model who is
the elected Cylon representative
to the new fleet council.
While speaking to Starbuck about Sam's comatose condition, Dr.
Cottle indicates that his eyes being open or closed at any given
time is normal for a coma patient. This is very roughly true in
a simplified form.
At 11:01 on the Blu-ray, a book in the crate full of Starbuck's
stuff that Helo bought back for her since her return from the
dead is Behold the Gods of War by Ken Rabehl. This is a
prop book; Rabehl was an assistant art director on the series.
At 21:11 on the Blu-ray, the music Slick begins to play on the
piano as he and Starbuck try to develop a second movement of the
piece he is working on is referred to by Starbuck as a steal
from Nomion's 3rd Sonata, Second Movement. In reality, the notes
he plays are from the preamble music of early episodes of
BSG70. Listen:
Nomions 3rd Sonata.mp3
BSG70 opening preamble theme.mp3
At 24:46 on the Blu-ray, President Roslin reads over and signs
the extradition papers to hand Boomer over to the rebel Cylons
for trial.

When Boomer, impersonating Athena, picks up Hera at the day care
center and prods the girl to drink something on the way out, the
drink presumably contained a tranquilizer to knock the girl out
so she could be stuffed in a supply crate to smuggle her off
Galactica.
After the battered Athena stumbles into the pilots ready room
and Helo realizes Boomer has escaped with Hera, he shouts to the
others to get a med team and for another man with a name that
soulds like "Kayro" to inform CIC.
When Boomer, as Athena, is waiting for
clearance to launch in a Raptor, she begins to suspect the jig
is up and initiates the vessel's preflight sequence. Seeing this
from CIC, Adama gets on the line and tells her to return to
"checkers red" (presumably "stop", just as
"checkers green" seems to be "go" in previous episodes). While
giving this command, he refers to the Eight as Boomer, but she
calmly acknowledges "Copy" as if she is Athena accepting her
commanding officer's orders, but she then fires up her engines
and takes off. Was calling her "Boomer" a slip of the tongue on
Adama's (or actor Olmos') part? Did it alert Boomer that her
cover was blown? Or was Adama tired of playing with her and
wanted her to know they had discovered the truth?
The Raptor Boomer escapes in is referred to as both
Raptor 719 and 219 by Lt. Hoshi.
At 42:34 on the Blu-ray, the title of the music cassette released by
Starbuck's father is Dreilide Thrace Live at the Helice
Opera House. Is the Helice Opera House the same opera house
seen in the visions of Roslin, Baltar, Athena, and Caprica Six?
Unanswered Questions
Was Slick a vision from a higher power to Starbuck? Or just a
figment of her own imagination?
Why was the dream house of Boomer and Tyrol to be built on
Picon? Boomer was programmed with a history that had her
believing she was from the mining colony of Troy. Tyrol was
originally from Earth but was programmed to believe he was from
Gemenon. So again, what attracted either of them to building a
house on Picon?
Did Chief Tyrol kill the Number Eight model he hit with a wrench
to stand in for Boomer in the brig? It's not clear whether the
stand-in is dead or just unconscious.