By now, it's clear that the drones are major, obvious plot devices along the lines of the magic stones. Since the creators are gone and the drones are autonomous, they function however the writers want them to function and they don't need fleshed out explanations for the drones' behavior until they actually do something specific.
The difference, however, is that the drones provide the impetus for something exciting whereas the stones left the episode stuck in angst. Whether this is a result of improved writing as the series continued is up for debate, but I'm liking these latest, drone-related episodes a lot more than the stones episodes.
"Blockade," like some of the better episodes, involves exploration of an actual human settlement which the drones have devastated. Meanwhile, Rush, Eli and Park stay on board to refuel Destiny in a blue giant since the drones may block the other stars. The episode is fairly tense, and while no one dies, Park does get blinded, though it may be temporary.
The series finale is next week and the drones will be back once again. I can't say that I'll be too torn up after the series is gone, but the latest string of episodes has almost redeemed the series for me.
Score: 8.8/10
