The Battlestar Galactica reboot was full of shocking character decisions, including the many deceits of Gaius Baltar and the horrific suicide of Dualla. However, one of the wildest character decisions was for Dr. Cottle to continue smoking even as he intimately knew the risks and knew that he was one of humanity’s last doctors. Battlestar Galactica fans were dumbfounded at this character smoking, but showrunner Ronald D. Moore later responded that he wanted Cottle to be an illustration that, like all of us in the real world, the good doctor makes “lots of bad choices.”

Cottle’s Bad Habit Represents A Recurring Theme

When the Battlestar Galactica showrunner decided to address Cottle smoking, he did so on his old SyFy blog. At first, Moore employed some of his trademark humor by responding to a fan who asked why the doctor would smoke cigarettes: “Because smoking is cool. Don’t let anyone tell you different, kid.”

At this point, the Battlestar Galactica guru turned more serious and discussed how Cottle smoking was part of a larger theme embedded in the show. “We’re showing people doing what people really do and not all of their choices are smart ones.” While he didn’t name-check his old series, it certainly sounds like Moore wanted to do something different than when he was writing Star Trek: The Next Generation, a show where characters like Picard were often presented as perfect exemplars of moral behavior.

Free Will Doesn’t Always Lead To The Best Decisions

Elaborating on his point, Moore discussed how Battlestar Galactica characters make other poor decisions than smoking, just like those who are watching the show. “We drink, we have sex with the wrong partners—we make lots of bad choices, and some of them we do knowingly and in full cognizance of the risks and consequences.” This is something illustrated throughout the series, like when Starbuck has spontaneous intercourse with Gaius Baltar or simply punches a superior officer like Tigh when she is drunk and angry.

Finishing his thoughts on the matter, the Battlestar Galactica showrunner said “Dr. Cottle obviously knows the risks associated with smoking and he elects to do it anyway — that’s his choice.” Of course, one of the things that Moore’s point seemingly overlooks is that Cottle isn’t just risking his own life…via secondhand smoke, he is also risking the lives of others.

Not Just Hurting Himself

The decision to have this Battlestar Galactica doctor regularly smoking remains crazy because of the possibility that he could give someone lung cancer. That threat is constantly underscored by the fact that President Laura Roslin is suffering from cancer throughout the series. Granted, she has breast cancer rather than lung cancer, but her health condition underscores that Cottle could make others terribly sick with his nicotine habit, including some very important military and government leaders.

Here For A Bad Time, Not A Long Time

While the Battlestar Galactica showrunner didn’t explicitly mention this, there is a chance that Cottle’s smoking is meant to emphasize the apocalyptic vibes of the series. We are following the adventures of characters who witnessed the genocide of 99 percent of humanity and who are constantly at risk of the Cylons wiping out the remaining survivors. When facing the imminent and utter extinction of the human race, long-term threats like lung cancer may not seem that important.

The Human Element Resonates With Audiences

Moore’s comments about how characters mirror the audience and make bad decisions from time to time have honestly made us reconsider Cottle as a character and cast most of the characters’ wilder decisions in a more sympathetic light.

After all, one of the reasons we love the show so much is its realism, and that extends to the flawed characters as much as it does to the topsy-turvy physics of the Vipers during space battles. And anyone who has ever ignored the imploring of the Surgeon General should understand why a physician who has lost everyone and everything he ever loved would feel the need to light up from time to time.