Although this week’s Caprica episode, “Reins of a Waterfall,” supplied an entire hour (or forty-five minutes sans commercials) of television programming, the content reflected a mere fraction of that runtime. For a series that has so far proven that it has the ability to function as a science fiction drama that is almost entirely character-driven, tonight’s episode made me long for more science fiction. Give me a shot of space, a weapon that shoots lasers, or, at the very least, another fraking robot! Tonight I desired something that would take the focus off of the characters because as the episode clawed and scratched its way toward the end of its time slot, I felt the need to distance myself from the characters more and more.

That’s a disappointing statement for me to make after I’ve been praising the character development that the show has exhibited the last two weeks. I was especially fond of Amanda Greystone’s tumultuous quest to discover the truth about her late daughter, Zoe in last week’s episode. I expected that Amanda’s declaration at the end of that episode — that her daughter was a terrorist responsible for the train bombing — would create an earthquake in the lives of the characters. “Reins of a Waterfall” unwinds more like a hiccup.

What’s with Daniel and Amanda’s quick reconciliation? Much anticipation loomed over this confrontation between the two, where surely Daniel would have some not-so-kind words for his wife, and Amanda, in rebuttal, would explain why she made such a confession (even though it’s not really true, unbeknownst to her) about Zoe in front of millions of people. Instead, Amanda’s response of, “I didn’t know what I was saying,” is worth nothing but a scoff, especially considering she spends so much of her conversation with Daniel convincing him that Zoe was indeed a terrorist. And then, just when it seems that Daniel is going to call his wife out on her sheer irrationality, he tells her, “You drive me crazy, you know that?” I could understand this response if she, I don’t know, put a dent in his car or ran up a high credit card bill, but after she makes a statement that might ruin his entire career, reputation, and well-being? It’s clear from this early exchange that “Reins of the Waterfall” is going to be a disappointment.

Sister Clarice, who last week introduced Lacy to her many husbands and wives and then bought some drugs and smoked for a while, continues to digress. But the question is, what is causing her to act this way? There have been subtle clues over the last few weeks, but so far the series has provided no insight into her character and has simply put her in increasingly bizarre scenarios that befuddle the audience. Her interaction with Lacy in tonight’s episode somehow managed to trump the creepiness of last week’s dinner conversation between Lacy and one of Clarice’s husbands (who is twice her age and was hitting on her), and her “confession” that she’s attempting to gain Lacy’s trust in order to locate Zoe’s avatar does little to salvage the waning interest I’m having for her. Also, for someone who holds such a high office in a polytheistic school, Clarice sure does spend a lot of time talking about the STO and running around doing non-school-related things.

I’ll admit, though, that while Clarice’s confessional scene does not do much for her character, it at least adds intrigue to an otherwise uneventful episode. Learning that the STO wants to use Zoe’s avatar as an apotheosis for their cause will certainly add a layer to the building religious dynamic present in the show. We know from the previous episodes that Zoe was leaving Caprica to find God, but nothing was said about her aiming to create a god (or God). This suggests that the STO had an alternate plan that Zoe was not aware of, which begs the question of who is pulling the strings. Obviously there was someone who convinced Zoe that she had the chance of meeting the one true God, but there is also a shadowy figure that is giving Clarice orders. Could this person be one in the same and playing both sides, or is there a power struggle within the STO between two leaders? This plot point was the source of the most thought I gave to the episode, that’s for sure.

For a character that becomes such a major component of Battlestar Galactica, William has had a minor role in the last three episodes and does not show signs of raising his status anytime soon. That's okay on its own, but the character still has some problems. This week he is once again saddled with his uncle, Sam, who is continuing to show him the seedy underbelly of the city. Unfortunately, I have no idea why William continues to hang out with Sam, to the point where he skips school and lies to his father, Joseph, to do so. So far the writers have given William little dialogue, so we’re not quite sure if he finds comfort in Sam or if he’s just attempting to distance himself from his father. The secrecy of Sam and William’s meetings seems to be building toward some big confrontation between William and his father, but, regrettably, Joseph is becoming such a villain himself that whatever he might say to his son to steer him in the right direction would be hypocritical. So, if the William-Sam relationship does lead to a familial blow-up, it seems unlikely to be rewarding. If it’s not headed for such a conflict, then it better start becoming interesting in its own right.

As each week passes, I’m wondering more and more if I’ll ever come to like Zoe. From the pilot episode, she’s been referred to as “special” and “important,” but if those two praises ever come to fruition I’ll be pleasantly surprised. So far she has been vague, enigmatic, and downright pushy at times, especially to her friend Lacy. In “Reins of a Waterfall,” she attempts to convince Lacy to transport her Cylon body to another planet (the same planet the real Zoe was headed to before the train bombing) so that she may embark once again on her original plan. Trouble is, no one, including the audience and Lacy, knows what that plan is, so Zoe’s request is outlandish to say the least. There’s hesitance in Lacy’s response, and Zoe, in a moment that defines my present dislike of her character, says, “If you were my friend you’d do this.” And if Zoe were Lacy’s friend, she would have at least told her what the plan was.

Much like the lives of the characters it depicts, this episode of Caprica was a mess. It was tiresome and did little to provide insight into some of the characters’ actions over the last two weeks. These characters are just not interesting (not yet, at least). For a show that is so character-driven, this will be catastrophic if something doesn’t change. However, I have not lost hope in Caprica. In fact, the seeds that were planted toward the end of tonight’s episode could make for a much more lively one next week. I’m curious to see how Daniel handles his interview with a late night talk show host who has been slandering him and increasing his own ratings in the process. Also, the idea that the STO wants to basically create a god out of Zoe’s avatar is a subplot that could put the show back on track. Hopefully, for Caprica’s sake, we’ll be intrigued enough to stay along for the ride.