Friday, October 06, 2006

What the frak?

Technical difficulties prevented the posting of today's column on "Battlestar Galactica" until just now. I'll also be back tonight at 11 with thoughts on the two-hour premiere, which is just one big slice of awesome. Anyway, on to my tete-a-tete with Mr. Moore:

The bad guys are an occupying force among a hostile population, accused of torture and worse even as they say they're there to build an infrastructure. The good guys are using improvised explosive devices, hiding guns inside of places of worship -- even, on occasion, strapping explosives to their chests for a suicide bombing run.

In the parlance of "Battlestar Galactica," what the frak is going on here?


At the end of season two, producer Ronald D. Moore and his writers ripped up the series' status quo. The human fleet settled on an obscure planet they dubbed New Caprica, lived there for a year in relative peace, then faced an invasion by the Cylons.

The new season picks up four months into the occupation, and despite the Cylons' claims of benevolence, the largest structure visible anywhere is the new jail. Humans are routinely rounded up without cause, others are branded as traitors for joining a Cylon-organized police force, and the resistance, led by former prisoner and torture victim Colonel Tigh (Michael Hogan), is trying out suicide bombings.


"That's only one of the parallels that we played," insists Moore. "Certainly, that parallel is there, but there's also elements of Vichy France and the West Bank. Clearly, the war in Iraq plays into what we're doing. We didn't really design it as a polemic about Iraq, but it is informed by Iraq."

To read the full story, click here. There are also a couple of sidebars on what newbies need to know and why they should even want to watch a show called "Battlestar Galactica."


dirtgirl said...

This is what I love about this show. I am not even a fan of Sci-Fi. I actually avoid it because I associate it with goofy looking aliens like on those newer Star Wars movies. To me, BSG is more like the West Wing (back when it was still good) in space. This season sounds even more promising than the earlier ones. And now that Sorkin has tumbled in my estimation (sketch comedy just doesn't lend itself to the same weighty treatment as does leadership of the free world), thank goodness we have Ron Moore.

Cheesesteak said...

I've just recently gotten into Battlestar Galactica and I love it.

I'm just hoping (again) that I find someone around Philly who's taping it...

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the sidebars. You've talked me into it.