GOOD THINGS AHEAD IN 'GALACTICA'S' FINAL SEASON.

Byline: David Kronke

TV Critic

It's the last time around the galaxy for "Battlestar Galactica" -- the fourth and final season commences tonight, with a spectacular if curiously aborted battle between the dwindling members of the surviving human race and the seemingly innumerable Cylons.

From there, it's rote intrigue, as a few loose strands from last season's finale are pulled at to the point of fraying. But even a "Battlestar" tease can be tantalizing.

In last season's final episode, we learned the identities of four of the final five Cylons embedded on Galactica -- Tigh (Michael Hogan), Tyrol (Aaron Douglas), Samuel T. Anders (Michael Trucco) and Tory (Rekha Sharma), all of whom heretofore absolutely hated the Cylons, referring to them as "toasters" and worse. All are devastated and in fear of betraying their comrades. But there's one more Cylon hiding in Galactica's midst -- who?

The too-obvious choice is Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff), heretofore presumed dead but miraculously resurrected -- she claims to have seen the promised land for Earth's survivors, but no one really trusts her. For one thing, she has returned with her battle-

scarred fighter ship in pristine condition, its trip navigator emptied of content.

As the fleet "jumps" away from their enemy, Starbuck insists they're heading in a disastrously wrong direction. Naturally, no one believes her, and naturally, she's not about to take such distrust sitting down.

Just a guess -- Starbuck wound up in some sort of time paradox and, in saving Galactica, will be condemned to a tragic trek through some sort of Moebius strip in time apart from her compatriots. That's probably not much less obvious or satisfying, by this show's standards, than her actually being the final Cylon, but -- well, yes it is.

Meanwhile, the greasy, spineless and eternally wheedling Gaius (James Callis) is thrust into a particularly lame subplot that may explain some of the show's geek appeal -- the percentage of attractive women on this ship who'll have anything to do with greasy, spineless and eternally wheedling men is inversely proportional to the percentage of attractive women in real life who'll have anything to do with greasy, spineless and eternally wheedling men.

Hence, unsurprisingly, tonight's installment is more setup than revelation. But if the show's history proves anything, that'll change soon, and fans should be well-sated.

David Kronke, [phone]

[e-mail] www.insidesocal.com/tv/

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA - Three stars

>What: Season-four premiere.

>Where: Sci Fi Channel.

>When: 10 tonight.

>In a nutshell: Not bad, but not as inspired as previous season openers. But they no doubt have better things in store.

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Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff), Anders (Michael Trucco) and Apollo (Jamie Bamber) will deal with plot twists aplenty in the final season of "Battlestar Galactica," beginning tonight.