Black Market (Battlestar Galactica)
Encyclopedia
"Black Market" is the fourteenth episode of the second season of the reimagined Battlestar Galactica
television series. It aired originally on the Sci Fi Channel
on January 27, 2006. In the episode, Apollo
's investigation of the fleet's black market becomes intertwined with his involvement with a prostitute. The episode was a disappointment both to executive producer Ronald D. Moore
and to critics, several of whom called it the series's worst episode.
, Apollo begins sleeping with Shevon, a prostitute on Cloud Nine who reminds him of his pregnant girlfriend who died in the Cylon attack on the Twelve Colonies
. Dee
asks Apollo whether their relationship is going anywhere; he brushes her off.
President Laura Roslin
decides to crack down on the black market within the fleet. Commander Jack Fisk
at first advises against it but then volunteers Pegasus
to take the lead. Fisk is later found strangled to death with piano wire
in his quarters. Assigned to investigate the murder, Apollo discovers Fisk was heavily involved in the black market, and that Vice President Gaius Baltar
and Colonel Saul Tigh
were among Fisk's trading partners. Roslin privately asks Baltar to resign; the suggestion insults Baltar and redoubles his determination to stay in office.
Responding to an emergency call from Shevon, Apollo rushes to Cloud Nine to find her bruised and distressed. Thugs enter Shevon's room and attack Apollo. As he is being strangled with piano wire, a gangster tells Apollo to stop investigating Fisk's murder, threatens Shevon and her daughter Paya if he refuses, and knocks Apollo out. Apollo wakes to find Shevon and Paya gone and the wielder of the piano wire murdered.
Tom Zarek
enters the room soon after. He claims he refused to join Fisk's smuggling network and suggests that the murderer's corpse was given to Apollo as "a way out" of his investigation. Apollo is not dissuaded, so Zarek mentions a man named Phelan who runs the black market. On Phelan's ship, Apollo discovers the black market is hoarding antibiotics and trafficking in children; Paya is among their prisoners. Phelan, who turns out to be the gangster from before, reveals that Shevon works for him and defends the black market as necessary. Apollo offers Phelan amnesty if he will release Shevon and Paya and shut down his operation. When Phelan refuses, Apollo wrests a bodyguard's handgun and kills Phelan. Apollo warns the other smugglers to clean up their operation.
Roslin objects but acquiesces to the resolution. Zarek makes his way aboard Phelan's ship. Shevon refuses to see Apollo again, saying she can't replace his lost love. Dee returns to Billy Keikeya
.
. The writers were initially excited by the combination of this storytelling device with the opportunity to complicate Apollo's character. Moore was happy with the script when it was written but gradually came to believe the episode was deeply flawed. In October 2005 he wrote, in reference to the still unaired "Black Market", that he was "positively angry with myself at something I knew in my bones had fallen well below the bar I set for myself and for the show in general." In particular, he felt that the episode was too conventional in its story and execution. Moore attributed what he considered a drop in quality from other episodes to the second season's increased production schedule; nonetheless, he insisted that the responsibility belonged with him rather than with the circumstances or with anyone else who worked on the episode.
Moore was particularly disappointed with how the black market's illegality is established. At first, Moore notes, it is difficult to see what distinction Roslin makes between legitimate from illicit commerce in a post-apocalyptic environment. The distinction may only become clear to the audience once the child trafficking is revealed, but Moore came to regard this as a "cheap" dodge of the dilemma.
gave the episode a D+, calling it "one of the weakest, if not the weakest, episode of an otherwise outstanding series so far." Jacob Clifton of Television Without Pity gave it a D, writing, "Good acting is marred by nonsensical plot and unreadable dialogue." Clifton later elaborated that the episode "sucked hard". Keith McDuffee of TV Squad considered the episode unrealistic and unnecessary. Amanda Keith of the Los Angeles Newspaper Group
wrote, "'Black Market, one of the most reviled episodes of the entire series, deserves it." Simon Brew of Den of Geek wrote, "this probably the weakest episode of the show [so far] ... [but] it still manages to blast pretty much every other show of the screen." Jason Davis of Mania gave "Black Market" an A-, praising the development of Apollo's character and Bill Duke
(Phelan)'s performance but criticizing the plot; nonetheless, Davis called it "still better than most of the programming on TV."
In September 2007, Adam Swiderski of UGO
called "Black Market" the series's worst episode, calling it "one big, confused mess that has nothing to do with anything". Stephen Flagg of ScrewAttack
also called it the series's worst episode, but said, "Bad? Yes. Boring? Yes. Terrible? No." Alan Sepinwall praised Duke's performance but called "Black Market" "one of the series' low points".
Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series)
Battlestar Galactica is an American military science fiction television series, and part of the Battlestar Galactica franchise. The show was developed by Ronald D. Moore as a re-imagining of the 1978 Battlestar Galactica television series created by Glen A. Larson...
television series. It aired originally on the Sci Fi Channel
Syfy
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
on January 27, 2006. In the episode, Apollo
Lee Adama
Leland Joseph "Lee" Adama is a fictional character in the television series Battlestar Galactica. He is portrayed by actor Jamie Bamber. He is one of the main characters in the series.-Early life:...
's investigation of the fleet's black market becomes intertwined with his involvement with a prostitute. The episode was a disappointment both to executive producer Ronald D. Moore
Ronald D. Moore
Ronald Dowl Moore is an American screenwriter and television producer best known for his work on Star Trek and the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica miniseries and television series, for which he won a Peabody Award for creative excellence in 2005 and an Emmy Award in 2008.-Early life and...
and to critics, several of whom called it the series's worst episode.
Plot
Haunted by his near-death experience after ejecting from the BlackbirdColonial Blackbird
The Blackbird is a custom-built stealth-capable fighter from the fictional universe of the reimagined Battlestar Galactica series...
, Apollo begins sleeping with Shevon, a prostitute on Cloud Nine who reminds him of his pregnant girlfriend who died in the Cylon attack on the Twelve Colonies
Twelve Colonies
The Twelve Colonies of Man are fictional locations that constitute the principal human civilization in the original Battlestar Galactica television series, the "reimagined" series of the same name in 2004, and in the prequel series, Caprica...
. Dee
Anastasia Dualla
Anastasia "Dee" Dualla, portrayed by Kandyse McClure, is a fictional character in the reimagined Battlestar Galactica.-Character history:...
asks Apollo whether their relationship is going anywhere; he brushes her off.
President Laura Roslin
Laura Roslin
Her first actions include organizing all FTL-capable ships together and convincing Commander William Adama to abandon a retaliatory attack on the Cylons. President Roslin and Billy Keikeya, her aide/press secretary/chief of staff, establish a working office space aboard her transport, renamed...
decides to crack down on the black market within the fleet. Commander Jack Fisk
Jack Fisk (Battlestar Galactica)
Jack Fisk is a fictional character from the 2004 TV series Battlestar Galactica, portrayed by Graham Beckel.Jack Fisk, service number 245A-34DC, was originally a Lieutenant Colonel aboard the Battlestar Pegasus and was the Executive Officer of the vessel, serving under the command of Admiral...
at first advises against it but then volunteers Pegasus
Battlestar Pegasus
Battlestar Pegasus is a fictional spacecraft that appears in the both the original and the reimagined television series Battlestar Galactica.- Battlestar Galactica :...
to take the lead. Fisk is later found strangled to death with piano wire
Piano wire
Piano wire, or "music wire", is a specialized type of wire made for use in piano strings, as well as many other purposes. It is made from tempered high-carbon steel, also known as spring steel.-Manufacture and use:...
in his quarters. Assigned to investigate the murder, Apollo discovers Fisk was heavily involved in the black market, and that Vice President Gaius Baltar
Gaius Baltar
Gaius Baltar is a fictional character in the TV series Battlestar Galactica played by James Callis, a reimagining of Count Baltar from the 1978 Battlestar Galactica series...
and Colonel Saul Tigh
Saul Tigh
Saul Tigh is a fictional character on Battlestar Galactica played by Michael Hogan. The character was named Paul Tigh in early scripts, and was renamed due to legal issues, according to producer Ronald D. Moore. He is one of the main characters of the show.-Overview and personality:Saul Tigh is a...
were among Fisk's trading partners. Roslin privately asks Baltar to resign; the suggestion insults Baltar and redoubles his determination to stay in office.
Responding to an emergency call from Shevon, Apollo rushes to Cloud Nine to find her bruised and distressed. Thugs enter Shevon's room and attack Apollo. As he is being strangled with piano wire, a gangster tells Apollo to stop investigating Fisk's murder, threatens Shevon and her daughter Paya if he refuses, and knocks Apollo out. Apollo wakes to find Shevon and Paya gone and the wielder of the piano wire murdered.
Tom Zarek
Tom Zarek
Thomas "Tom" Zarek is the name of a fictional character on the Syfy series Battlestar Galactica. He is played by Richard Hatch, who had previously portrayed Captain Apollo, a character on the original Battlestar Galactica series of the late 1970s....
enters the room soon after. He claims he refused to join Fisk's smuggling network and suggests that the murderer's corpse was given to Apollo as "a way out" of his investigation. Apollo is not dissuaded, so Zarek mentions a man named Phelan who runs the black market. On Phelan's ship, Apollo discovers the black market is hoarding antibiotics and trafficking in children; Paya is among their prisoners. Phelan, who turns out to be the gangster from before, reveals that Shevon works for him and defends the black market as necessary. Apollo offers Phelan amnesty if he will release Shevon and Paya and shut down his operation. When Phelan refuses, Apollo wrests a bodyguard's handgun and kills Phelan. Apollo warns the other smugglers to clean up their operation.
Roslin objects but acquiesces to the resolution. Zarek makes his way aboard Phelan's ship. Shevon refuses to see Apollo again, saying she can't replace his lost love. Dee returns to Billy Keikeya
Billy Keikeya
Billy Keikeya is a fictional character in the miniseries and television remake of Battlestar Galactica. He is portrayed by Paul Campbell. Billy appeared until late in the second season, at which point he was killed by terrorists. Paul Campbell has said that his character was killed because he had...
.
Production
Apollo's journey through the fleet's criminal underground culminating with the encounter with Phelan was inspired by Heart of DarknessHeart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness is a novella written by Joseph Conrad. Before its 1903 publication, it appeared as a three-part series in Blackwood's Magazine. It was classified by the Modern Library website editors as one of the "100 best novels" and part of the Western canon.The story centres on Charles...
. The writers were initially excited by the combination of this storytelling device with the opportunity to complicate Apollo's character. Moore was happy with the script when it was written but gradually came to believe the episode was deeply flawed. In October 2005 he wrote, in reference to the still unaired "Black Market", that he was "positively angry with myself at something I knew in my bones had fallen well below the bar I set for myself and for the show in general." In particular, he felt that the episode was too conventional in its story and execution. Moore attributed what he considered a drop in quality from other episodes to the second season's increased production schedule; nonetheless, he insisted that the responsibility belonged with him rather than with the circumstances or with anyone else who worked on the episode.
Moore was particularly disappointed with how the black market's illegality is established. At first, Moore notes, it is difficult to see what distinction Roslin makes between legitimate from illicit commerce in a post-apocalyptic environment. The distinction may only become clear to the audience once the child trafficking is revealed, but Moore came to regard this as a "cheap" dodge of the dilemma.
Reception
Critics mostly shared Moore's disappointment with "Black Market". Rose Wojnar of The San Diego Union-TribuneThe San Diego Union-Tribune
-Predecessors:The predecessor newspapers of the Union-Tribune were:* San Diego Sun, founded 1861 and merged with the Evening Tribune in 1939.* San Diego Union, founded October 10, 1868.* Evening Tribune, founded December 2, 1895.-Ownership:...
gave the episode a D+, calling it "one of the weakest, if not the weakest, episode of an otherwise outstanding series so far." Jacob Clifton of Television Without Pity gave it a D, writing, "Good acting is marred by nonsensical plot and unreadable dialogue." Clifton later elaborated that the episode "sucked hard". Keith McDuffee of TV Squad considered the episode unrealistic and unnecessary. Amanda Keith of the Los Angeles Newspaper Group
Los Angeles Newspaper Group
The Los Angeles Newspaper Group is an umbrella group of local daily newspapers published in the greater Los Angeles area by MediaNews Group. The news coverage of the newspapers are mainly local stories. The newspapers contain some national and international news, often from the Associated Press...
wrote, "'Black Market, one of the most reviled episodes of the entire series, deserves it." Simon Brew of Den of Geek wrote, "this probably the weakest episode of the show [so far] ... [but] it still manages to blast pretty much every other show of the screen." Jason Davis of Mania gave "Black Market" an A-, praising the development of Apollo's character and Bill Duke
Bill Duke
William Henry "Bill" Duke, Jr. is an American actor and film director with over 30 years of experience. Known for his physically imposing frame, Duke's work frequently dwells within the action/crime and drama genres but also includes comedy.-Early life:Duke was born in Poughkeepsie, New York, the...
(Phelan)'s performance but criticizing the plot; nonetheless, Davis called it "still better than most of the programming on TV."
In September 2007, Adam Swiderski of UGO
UGO
UGO Entertainment, Inc. is a website providing coverage of online media in entertainment targeting males age 18–34. The company is currently based in New York, New York, United States. On July 24, 2007 it was announced that Hearst Corporation would acquire UGO Entertainment...
called "Black Market" the series's worst episode, calling it "one big, confused mess that has nothing to do with anything". Stephen Flagg of ScrewAttack
ScrewAttack
ScrewAttack . is a video game-related website that showcases original entertainment for an audience of video game enthusiasts. Its content is also shown on GameTrailers and IGN...
also called it the series's worst episode, but said, "Bad? Yes. Boring? Yes. Terrible? No." Alan Sepinwall praised Duke's performance but called "Black Market" "one of the series' low points".
External links
- "Black Market" at the Battlestar Wiki
- "Black Market" at SyfySyfySyfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...