***comments on spoilers with spoilers about the spoilers***

Originally posted by: JediSage

I am disappointed to see that the colonial fleet has adopted the Independence Day practice of recruiting barely functional alcoholics for important positions in it's heirarchy. Give me a break.

I understand what you're saying, but I don't see it quite like that. ID4 had a drunk Nam vet who pitched in when there wasn't any other help (essentially); good or bad it made some sense within the context of the movie.

The BSG premiere though showed, through not the best use of 'young age' makeup, a wartime friendship that took two different directions. While basic soldiers the two were best buds, one optimistic and one not so much so. Some time later Adama, the optimist, reached his goals while his friend had dropped out (or been run out) of the service due to his alcoholism and mental breakdown. When re-instated by Adama, what *I* took out of it was that Adama, despite the possibly better judgment of everyone else, decided that his friend had something worthwhile and despite the odds he wanted to save him from himself. And by that time of the series (the flashback) the Cylon threat was a thing of the past and the army was moving towards being disbanded basically.