The first thing I'll say about Battlestar Galactica is that this ain't yo momma's science fiction. This is not a fleet of noble human beings exploring space, engaging in diplomatic relations with various alien races, and saving benign alien races and their planets from destruction. Galactica presents a desperate fleet of human beings, having just escaped the total annihilation of the human race on their home planets, now searching the galaxy for a new home. All the while they're being pursued by the mechanically sinister Cylons, a race of machines originally created by humans to be servants, who then rose up against the humans and ultimately wiped them out in a nuclear holocaust.
I am not the first television critic to say it, nor will I be the last: Battlestar Galactica is the best show on television.
I could go on and on about the action, the characters, the intricate plotting, but that's not what makes this the best series out there. What makes this show so incredible is its relevance to the current state of the world. The show deftly mixes political, military, and religious intrigue, as the last remnants of humanity struggle to surivive and protect themselves from the Cylons, while holding onto the principles of freedom and democracy.
For instance, after the nuclear attack, the battlestar Galactica, an old military vessel, escapes the conflict with a fleet of civilian ships in tow. The Galactica is led by Commander Adama, a grizzled old war veteran, who does everything he can to keep the fleet safe and alive. Thus he gives the orders, and the civilians are expected to follow. But his authority is challenged by the now-highest up in the order of succession, a woman, the Secretary of Education. She becomes the president, and the first season explores the conflict between them as they clash over the conflicting goals of security and freedom. This leads to problems over other issues like holding elections, freedom of the press, and abortion. Just like America in the 21st century, the surviving human race faces the question of how much liberty they are willing to sacrifice in order to feel safe.
And while the humans battle each other over these issues, in the greater scheme of things, the Cylons often represent terrorists. Though originally hulking and metallic figures, the Cylons figured out how to make human models of themselves, which is how they infiltrated the human race and nearly wiped them out. This leaves the humans fearful and paranoid, because anyone can be a Cylon, plotting their destruction all along. The issue of torture and the rights of POWs also comes front and center when the human fleet captures one of the human-modeled Cylons. Both the military and civilian government struggles with these questions; their enemies are machines, but they look and act human. They claim to believe in God, and to have emotions, the capacity to love. So is it okay to torture one for information? How about rape? Enemies or not, can we allow ourselves to do these things?
The religious element is also important, because as I said, the Cylons believe in one God, the Judeo-Christian God, while the humans believe in a pantheon of gods. The Cylons believe they are fulfilling God's wishes by wiping out humanity - - a violent, murderous, unworthy race. This provides an intriguing twist, as the Cylons talk about being God's children, about love and forgiveness, and God's plan for them. And we know all along that the Cylons have a master plan, besides just killing us. The secrecy of this plan provides another important issue.
At all times, the question driving the show is this: Is humanity worth saving? The Cylons didn't think so, so they tried to eradicate us. But the crew of the Galactica and the civilian fleet prove themselves to be good people, flawed but heroic, and worthy of saving. They do everything possible to hold onto the last glimmer of humanity left in them, and the hope that some day they can live in peace.
Bottom line: The conflicts are epic, and the drama is simply riveting. I highly recommend this show to anyone who appreciates good drama.
**Also, didn't mean to downplay how cool the action is in this show. Let me just say there are giant frickin' space battles occurring at a pretty good frequency.
Next in the series: Lost
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3 comments:
Also, isn't one of those Cylon things HOTT?
If you want a show that has contemporary relevance, you should really, really, really watch The Wire.
Well, I wouldn't say that I "want" a show with contemporary relevance. Generally, I prefer just the opposite. I want my entertainment as far removed from the confines of reality as possible. Sure, I really enjoy when the fantastical elements symbolize real life issues, but that's generally as far as I go.
Galactica is relevant as far as how its conflicts symbolize modern conflicts. But its set in a world of science fiction, where conflict can be portrayed on a much grander scale.
And actually, I didn't start watching Galactica because of its contemporary relevance. That was more or less an accident. What happened was I wanted a sci-fi space drama to replace Firefly, with its wit and charm and adventure. Instead, I got something gritty, epic, and dramatic. I was actually kinda shocked when I started working out the metaphor, because usually the things I watch aren't remotely this relevant to contemporary life. The fact that this was a pleasant surpise doesn't diminish the fact that it was completely and entirely accidental.
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