Norma Rae reads Mein Kampf. In space.

Another in a series of "filler" episodes for Battlestar Galactica last night, and this was the best of the bunch. The ABC Afterschool Special topic for the day was labor unrest (and class warfare). The only complaint that I might have about this episode (and some of the others in the "political topics for dummies" series) is that some of the backstory seems to come up on us too quickly. For example, the deep divisions in "class" and societal function of the various 12 colonies. Yes, previously we did get some of the distrust of the Sagitarrons before we were anvilled over the head with it by Senator Kelly, but perhaps not quite enough to fuel an entire episode. Yes, we got the beginnings of Tyrol as Norma Rae back on New Caprica, and that Dualla "married into the aristocracy" of the Adamas (but that seems like a Faustian bargain, given her hubby's fascination with self-destructive Viper jocks that feel responsible for killing his brother). We've also seen the kernels of unrest among the nameless, faceless fleet doing the "dirty work" so our core characters could battle cylons, fuck cylons, marry cylons, fuck each other, lament their childhood, agonize over bad mothers and debate the merits of Jack Bauer style interrogation. So while the strike didn't come out of nowhere exactly, it did seem a bit sudden. However, on the plausibility front, they have been 40 or 50 days without seeing a baseship or raider, so it does seem more likely there might be a tad of complacency on the part of the working class and that this might be the right time (coupled with their ongoing plight, weariness, suffering and frustration) to do something about their working conditions.

If you're going to have a "message of the week" episode (cue starburst and "more you know" music), this is how to do it, then. Have tremendous actors front and center (as usual, excellent work by EJO, McDonnell, Callis and Douglas), have a script that entertainingly mixes meaning and mirth (co-written by the lovely and talented Whedonverse's Jane Espenson), and have it not be TOO heavy handed and one-sided for any point of view.

Other comments and observations from "Dirty Hands:"

One of the female deckhands looked awfully familiar. Whodat? Later it dawned on me that it was Samantha Ferris, who played NTAC boss Nina Jarvis on The 4400.

"You're always welcome in one of my beds." Start the "boom-chicka-wow-wow" music, Bill.

Mary McDonnell just rocks. All of her scenes were electric, and she can go from concerned leader to flirty schoolgirl to political badass in a split second, and you just roll right along with it because she is so frakkin' good. Her reaction to the worker and Baltar's book in the beginning was awesome. Lucky for him, they didn't have an airlock nearby. "Did you say 'the book?' Go ahead, take him away. That's it. Outta here. Gone." An intoxicating mix of shock, outrage, badassery and bemusement.

Great job of making things on the processing ship look suitably gritty.

James Callis was fantastic in his scenes. The "reversion" to the gravelly, cockney-type dialect of Arelon was quite well done. While the class warfare angle did appear a bit suddenly, it's a masterstroke to have Baltar be the one who sows the seeds. After all, when we finally get to the trial, we've got have some sympathy for him in the fleet in order for this complex and crucial character to remain on the show and not just locked away in a cell writing Das Kapital and having imaginary robot sex.

Child labor is bad, y'all. Cally not getting put up against an bulkhead and executed? Worse.

I liked the resolution of "do not negotiate with a terrorist/striker," yet coming to the table to discuss the situation once it was explicitly clear that mutineers would be shot without remorse. Also, will there be ramifications on somewhat cloudy knowledge of how it all unfolded? I mean, does anyone outside the command structure and Tyrol realize that the strike really DIDN'T work, and that it was Norma Rae who wound up caving to save his wife? And Roslin all at once establishes herself a strong leader who won't be frakked with, gets the union on her side and makes Tyrol, an admitted idealist, believe in her vision of a united and better colonial world. Well done, Laura.

Starbuck has only had a couple of moments the last couple of weeks, but it was nice to see them. Last week, it was the chair-slumping smartass in the briefing, this week the R. Lee Ermey of nugget tormenting that we know and love. "Welcome to the club, now wipe that smile off your face because you've earned the right to get chewed out by me. MOVE!"

Good stuff, especially when I thought I would be angered and bored silly. B+