Have you been watching? I told you to watch. Sigh. Why won't you listen to me? Ok, I'll go over it again - BSG is simply the finest Sci-Fi I've ever seen on television. Yes, I'm even going so far as to put it over and above Star Trek TNG. Really.
First off, it is nothing like the campy original. The names are the same, the premise is similar. However, the intent of the producers it to make the show seem as real-world as possible. Not only are the ships, the weapons, the technology apparently from our own not-to-distant future, the characters themselves are us. The "heroes" make difficult decisions, sometimes good, sometimes really bad. From week to week you can't decide if you love them or hate them. They bleed. They get hurt and are down for episodes at a time. They try to do the right thing and/or save their own skin.
It is much more for the character interaction than the sci-fi technology that has viewers tuning in week from week. Further, the character interaction would be nothing without a decent plot. Here we have mysteries: what is the plan of the Cylons (who appear both in humanoid and robot forms), who is better to lead the survivors to Caprica - the military or the President who believes herself a prophet, who among the characters is a actually a Cylon in disguise, what is the fate of other survivors on planets and in space? Within this show some mysteries are answered, but most are left out there, for viewers to debate about - as fiercely as they debate the political context of the series itself. Make no mistakes - along with everything else, the show is designed to reflect our current real-world climate, without specifically condemning one side or another.
Season One had the initial destruction of Caprica, the realization that Cylons look human, the fleet of survivors circling around the Galactica on the run. A power struggle between Commander Adama of the BSG and President Roslin of the Colony. The adventures of the Commander's son, Apollo and his friend and fellow Viper pilot Starbuck. The struggle of Dr. Baltar and they Cylon consciousness in his head, Number 6. As Season Two kicked off, we had soldiers stranded on the lost world of Kobol - supposedly the key to finding Earth. An assassination attempt on Adama, while the allegiance of the fleet (including the sides chosen by Apollo and Starbuck) was being torn between him and Roslin. The first few episodes managed to surprise me in the pacing, excitement and drama that, as good as Season One was, seemed to lack. They have ramped things up and it is exciting.
The good news? You can catch up with Season Two tomorrow night on SciFi. Check you local listings and get on the BSG bandwagon!
From SciFi.com: If you've missed any of the first five episodes of Season Two, don't miss the Battlestar Galactica Marathon, starting at 7/6C on Tuesday, August 16.
