Thoughts on BSG

I watched a couple of episodes of the original series when I was kid (and revisited the first few as an adult, as well), but it never stuck with the me or held any of the nostalgia that other TV shows have. I didn't have any investment in Dirk Benedict's portrayal of the womanizing, heroic Starbuck or the daggits (robotic dogs) that appealed to kids of the 70s. So, I came to the experience of the new BSG with relatively fresh eyes and a deep and abiding love for good television.

But that, of course, was in 2004.

Now, I'm totally invested, completely biased, and sad that the show is no longer on. That said, watching the series premiere for the 4th or 5th time, I still find see new things and focus on different aspects of the show than I did when i was first trying to figure out who was who (and exceedingly difficult task given the number of names everyone seems to have).

When BSG first premiered, I was impressed with the way it took on topics directly realted to what was going on in 'the real world' at the time. Without spoiling anything, BSG was the first show that I can think of that asked thought-provoking questions about the nature of war, whether a person is a terrorist or a patriot, when and if suicide bombing is an appropriate method of resistance, and whether torture is ever justified. In this first episode, those questions are only beginning to be set up but I could absolutely see them coming.

But, I think that's what I've always appreciated about science fiction as a genre. At its root, scifi both philosophical and political. Because it makes no claims to realism, it is free to grapple with issues that might be considered too controversial or sensitive for other types of media--fiction or documentary. Star Trek: The Next Generation dipped its toes into moral and ethical quandaries on a weekly basis (usually through the use of Data) and explored fundamental philosophical dilemmas in ways that never simplified the complexities of the issue. After all, how many shows can you name that even try to discuss what it means to be human?

But, that brings up an interesting question about BSG: Is it science fiction?

Certainly, it's set in space and that makes it appear to be part of the genre. But, it also eschews many of the other trappings normally associated with scifi. In fact, the technology that we see is, for the most part, less sophisticated than what most of us use on a day-to-day basis. Computers aren't networked. Gaeda maps the jump coordinates by hand--with a protractor and a triangle, if I saw correctly. They keep track of flight on what is basically a white board. They use intercoms. Where are the ray guns? And transporters? And, everyone is human, or at least looks that way. Sure, we get some shiny robots here and there, but where are the aliens?

For me, BSG focuses on decidedly human issues and in remarkably familiar ways. The heroes are flawed. The decisions are hard. People make mistakes. In the end, I identify more with these characters than most of the others I see on TV. Labeling it scifi seems easy, but I wonder if it does it an injustice?

What did you all think of the series premiere?