CAPRICA: Episode 1.05 Recap, 'There Is Another Sky'

Title: "There Is Another Sky"

Writer: Michael Angeli

Director: Michael Nankin

Story: With the most critical stage-setting seemingly out of the way, "Caprica" returns this week with something the previous four episodes had been lacking: focus. There's Daniel Graystone, who is in some hot water with his company after his public promise to demonetize holoband technology leads the board of directors to revolt. That is until he introduces a remarkable new direction to take the business in. Meanwhile, Joseph Adama attempts to reconnect with Willy after learning some troubling things about his son. The senior Adama eventually comes to realize that letting go will be his most difficult, yet most important, first step. And finally, we spend quite a bit of time in V-World with Tamara Adama (still Adams). It's the most we've seen of the Internet-like virtual environment since the pilot episode, and much more is learned about the way things work there. Meanwhile, sideline players in these narratives are left where they belong-- on the sidelines. No Lacy, no Sister Clarice, no Agent Duram, minimal Amanda... just the facts, man.

Cylon Rising: I could be wrong about this, but I believe this episode might mark the first time we've heard the word "Cylon" on the show since the final seconds of the pilot. Daniel walks in on a board meeting intended to oust him from his position and walks out having laid out a bold, new direction for Graystone Industries: they're going to build a race of artificial beings. That can't possibly go wrong, can it?

It's Only A Game: We might have seen her before, briefly, but Tamara Adams' return in this episode is essentially the introduction of a new character. Her avatar is lost in V-World, a pure work of artificial intelligence with no living human to anchor her to the real world outside the holoband. Over the course of "There Is Another Sky," she learns the truth -- some truths, at least -- of her new existence, and begins to embrace it before the credits roll.

Tauron Power: It's been made absolutely clear in previous episodes that the Tauron people are viewed as a scorn-worthy minority group in Caprican society. "Dirt-eaters" is a phrase we frequently hear thrown in their direction. "There Is Another Sky" gives us a further glimpse into their cultural heritage, through the lens of a memorial service Joseph arranges -- begrudgingly, at first -- for his wife and daughter. It's a baby step towards mending the fractured relationship he has with his son. This is a vital relationship for "BSG" fans, as we all recall the reverence William Adama had for his father. An added bonus: we learn that the melody of the "Caprica" theme song is actually lifted from what appears to be a traditional Tauron dirge.

Virtual Commentary: "Caprica" is rife with subtext that speaks to our own increasingly technology-oriented culture. We saw it last week in Baxter Sarno's comments about the dangers of holoband technology, and we see his worst fears realized this week in Tamara's visit to New Cap City. It's a V-World game set in a lawless re-creation of the titular metropolis, clearly analogous to fear-mongering real-world perspectives on the video game "Grand Theft Auto" and its ilk. There's no explicit condemnation of video gaming within the context of the show, but there's a heavy (at times heavy-handed) implication -- not an incorrect one -- that there's more to life than a virtual environment can offer.

There's additional explicit commentary to be found as Daniel defends his demonetization of the holoband to the board of directors. "Holobands are over," he says. "The hacked sites are eating up more and more of our market share each quarter. And that's where the kids are going, because they're free. And the next generation coming up, they'll expect it all to be free. We can't own it forever." Sub out "holoband" for "Internet" and "hacked sites" for "file-sharing" and you've got a rough approximation of an ongoing debate in our own society. His solution? Let the holoband continue along as it has and shift focus to a new arena: creating artificial sentience. We all know that real-world debates about such topics are not quite as black & white as they're presented here, but knowing Moore and Eick, we've only just scratched the surface of what they're trying to bring across in raising these ideas.

"There Is Another Sky": The title of this week's episode actually comes from an Emily Dickinson poem. Rather than picking it apart, I'll give you that poem here and leave you to form your own conclusions. Please, share your comments on that and any other observations of the latest "Caprica" with us on Twitter and in the comments section below.

There is another sky,
Ever serene and fair,
And there is another sunshine,
Though it be darkness there;
Never mind faded forests, Austin,
Never mind silent fields -
Here is a little forest,
Whose leaf is ever green;
Here is a brighter garden,
Where not a frost has been;
In its unfading flowers
I hear the bright bee hum:
Prithee, my brother,
Into my garden come!

-Emily Dickinson

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