Posted on 03/17/2006 5:03:56 PM PST by nunya bidness
Since 9/11 there are really only two types of entertainment: pre or post. And in the timid world of television you won’t find much dealing with issues that approach our current era of uncertainty and conflict. Battlestar Galactica is the exception. The show has dealt with genocide, war, torture, treason, abortion, scarcity of resources, a prison uprising, faith, a breakdown of military discipline, love and loss, fear, cowardice, bravery, and an election. All while the constant and oppressive threat of annihilation surrounded the remnants of mankind after their planet was destroyed hurling them in to space escaping destruction and searching for a new home. It’s hard not to see the series as an allegory for America’s current state.
The final episode of the season put the “rag-tag fleet” in the middle of a presidential election whereby the central issue became settling a new-found planet. Populist candidate Baltar won based on the promise of finally starting a new life and escaping the perils of war against his more pragmatic opponent the incumbent former school teacher turned President Roslin. He won, naturally. Which begs the question: How long can a society last when confronted with battle fatigue before it simply gives up, pulls over, and gets out? Not long it seems.
This raises another question: Do people vote their hopes or their fears? On the one hand the humans could have been voting their hope that they would finally escape an enemy that has shown it would never rest until all of humanity was vanquished, on the other they could have been voting their fear that they might die without ever touching firm ground again. Of course the answer is a combination of the two. They voted in the hope that they would escape knowing that their fears would probably catch up with them later. Much in keeping with the American tradition of voting for candidates that would with any luck magically take them from peril to peace without the requisite hardship. Unfortunately, that never works.
So what did we learn from Lay Down Your Burdens? Quite simply, human nature is such that given a choice we will always take the path of least resistance even if it leads to subjugation. And in this case that’s exactly what happened. The humans were barely there a year before the hostile alien machines known as Cylons showed up and marched through the fledgling tent-city like the Germans in Vichy France. Why wouldn’t the good intentions of the fleet pierce the chrome-plated hearts of the enemy? The answer is simple: Cowardice is a punishable offense, and weakness is no defense.
Dilemmas like this make Battlestar Galactica compelling viewing. Science fiction has traditionally defined itself as utopian or dystopian as a matter of course, but reality is never that simple. What makes this different is that the present is more than enough of a canvas to paint a fictitious drama set in another time and place. Fear and doubt are prevalent human emotions since the Twin Towers fell. Indeed, palpable threats are the reason so many folks seek escape whenever possible. And few dramatic risks have been taken to combine the fantasy of space with the gritty and constrictive themes of blind sanguinity and overbearing dread.
And that’s what it comes down to when all is said and done. We can choose to witness the filtered news of faceless conflict surrounding us or we can escape and project on to unknown neighbors acts of sacrifice and valor depicted on the small screen. We can envision a day of peace but guard that faith with the reality of an enemy that has shown a visceral contempt for our lives. There is a message in Battlestar Galactica and in the optimism of most of us in a post-9/11 world: Hold on, keep the faith, and never give up hope.
All in all, not bad, not bad at all.
One hint I saw of trouble, from a social conservative perspective, was that in the abortion episode, we got to see the girl wanting an abortion, the doctor doing the abortions, and hear from Laura Roslin how abortion was legal in the colonies and how unhappy she is about opposing legal abortion, yet we never see the parents of the girl wanting the abortion, why she was pregnant, or a follow-up of what happens to her after she's alienated from her family and culture. All you see is a generic religious representative for the family, making their whole side impersonal. Perhaps that's what the authors needed to do to keep the issue from tilting to strongly to the pro-life side, since Adama's argument (which I though of before he made it) was pretty strong and devastating. But it definitely felt like at least some of the pro-life side was turned into a straw man for the purposes of the episode. Hmmm, perhaps I need to listen to the audio commentary for that episode to see if there are any hints of what they were trying to do since they've had no trouble depicting Roslin, depsite beying depicted as a fairly typical liberal, in some fairly unflattering ways.
So far, Battlestar Galactica has been a great show, and I hope it stays that way. My only other real concern is that Battlestar Galactica, like many episodes of Farscape, is pretty adult. On the one hand, that's a good thing because it allows them to address plots, conflicts, and issues that are adult and realistic. On the other hand, as someone who loved watching Science Fiction shows as a child, I think it's a bit sad when a science fiction show isn't really appropriate for children.
In almost every election, I'm tempted to vote for a 3rd party, simply because so few candidates stand for everything I do. But when I think about it seriously enough, I don't do it, for the same reason you mention.
I know this season's BSG has disappointed many, but like NunayBidness, I'm fascinated by the similarities between the show and real life. Darn if the Cylons don't seem a lot like the radical Muslims, and doggonnit, President Baltar sure seems a lot like a lot of the 'Rats--especially Clinton, but I can easily put several others in that character too. The fate of the humans on that dismal planet could as easily be our own if we elect the wrong person to the highest office.
And just an aside--the shocked look on Baltar's face when it began to sink in that he was going to be subjugated, too, was priceless--there was more after I saw the look, but I didn't get to see it, thanks to SciFi Channel's little dirty trick of going overtime and throwing off my DVR so that I missed the last few minutes of it. (Yes, I would have set it to record longer, but I didn't know I'd need to.)
Like Baltar, I think a lot of liberals would be very surprised if Islam took over this country--I'm sure they think that they would not have to wear burkas, and that they would somehow get special treatment.
Nice essay, especially for us BSG fans. Thanks for the ping KD.
I think the issue of the election in BSG and reflected in real life highlights the need to vote beyond an issue by issue agenda. Ultimately, politicians will try to flow with issues that resonate with the electorate, so in light of not having perfect candidates, the issue of character is so important. Ultimately, being president is about doing what is right for the country, not what is popular. Baltar, like Clinton, never had the true interests of the electorate in heart, and finding a popular issue to run on and win, resulted in a disaster.
((((((((((( Ping-g-g-g-g-ggggggggg )))))))))))
This was a special one-time ping to my South Park and Miscellaneous ping lists. I probably wouldn't be the one doing the BSG ping list, because I don't watch the show. I hope someone here will start up such a list, though. It looks like it's needed. :)
There is a Sci-Fi ping list, that deals will things sci-fi (like Battlestar Galacitca, Sg1, Atlantis,Firefly, and so on).
That's right. How could I forget. LOL.
I dont get Dr Who...never did....must be a British thing, cause I watch all kinds of SciFi...and love most of it. Dr Who and his phone both just dosent cut it for me....
I saw Dr Who last for the first time and I was like uh ok.. Will give this show a few more chances...
The new series has some very good episodes and some clunkers.
Overall worth watching, but nowhere near as challenging as Battlestar Galactica (consistently the best series on television).
You need to sign up for KevinDavis's Science Fiction ping list, if you have not done so all ready. He will include BSG pings in it. I'm on his list. It's excellent.
could I get on that SciFi ping list?
thanks!
Did you catch the "There you go again" line from part I? One of the producers (IIRC) has said that Reagan was one of his heroes. And the "Go frack yourself" line after the debate was an homage to Dick Cheney!
If they had stayed on the ships, life would be harder, but a lot safer -- they'd be able to fight effectively or run away (hyperjump) if they found themselves in trouble again, plus they'd have been able to continue their long-shot search for "Old Earth",
I though that it was interesting to see how nasty conditions were on New Caprica after only a year. The Colonials would have been better off aboard the ships of the fleet. To make matters worse, even the military had fallen apart. Galactica and Pegasus barley had enough personnel left to make FTL jumps. Admiral Adama commented that they couldn't even keep the CAP up anymore.
This is certainly turning into quite a cautionary tale for the West.
Great essay.
it must be noted that these "kinder, gentler" cylons remain religious fanatics intent on following the will of their one-true-god in conquering the messy and diverse humans.
this could be seen as an allegoric depiction of the islamic goal of dominating all of the Earth, humiliating all non-muslims, and forcing all to submit to Allah and/or the global caliphate.
it could also be seen more broadly, as an indictment against the many flavors of aggressive True Believers who have, in cases beyond count, striven to impose static order on the healthy anarchy of humanity.
Awesome! Father Al is my new favorite Cylon.
TWoP is without question one of the best sites on the net.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.