I am – Hercules!!

If you’re like me, you grew plenty weary of all the Baltar/Cylon drama in last week’s boxing episode!

Tonight’s “Battlestar Galactica” reunites two great talents: funnygirl screenwriter Jane Espenson and showrunner Ron Moore, who once labored together on Herc’s favorite version of latter-day Star Trek: “Deep Space Nine.”

Jane Espenson tells Ain’t it Cool:

I had a blast writing "The Passage." I was very fortunate to be given a really exciting (and harrowing) story by Ron and the writers. There was so much there to play with. You ask about stretching the ol' Star Trek (TNG) muscles, but other than getting to work with Ron, it felt so very different. TNG was a show about ideas, and I adored it, but this is so much more a show about people and relationships. I never got to write an actual episode for TNG, but I wrote a lot of TNG specs, and then ultimately an episode of Deep Space Nine, and writing dialogue for those shows involved a lot of thinking about the best, most elegant way to express a thought, while writing for BSG is much more about thinking about the most human, rough, heart-exposing way to express an emotion. I loved it.

And will Jane, as rumored, author a second episode of "Galactica" this season?

Yes, there will be a second BSG episode coming along from me later this season. This one I co-wrote with the wonderful Anne Cofell Saunders. I think it will come along about... um... seven episodes after this one. It is titled "Dirty Hands" and I'm thrilled with it.

By the way, the book "Prisoner of Trebekistan" makes an excellent holiday gift!

TV Guide says:

Starvation threatens the Colonial fleet after the food-processing machines become contaminated; D'Anna and Baltar explore metaphysical matters. Luciana Carro. Lucy Lawless.

What Jane and TV Guide are not telling you:

D’Anna is using the power of resurrection to search for spiritual enlightenment – and Baltar follows. Also, Kara and Kat lock horns over Adama’s plan to expose pilots to unfortunate peril. Also also, Enzo (remember Enzo? I believe he once worked in Galactica’s bakery!) may or may not know of Kat’s darkest secrets!

The last 2006 episode of “Battlestar Galactica” arrives next week!

9 p.m. Friday. SciFi.

Herc's pal Jane Espenson has a brainiac comedy-writer boyfriend who wrote a book about "Jeopardy”!! Read the great reviews and buy it!! Jane’s all over chapters 14 and 19!!

70%-Off Season Sets!!