Battlestar Galactica miniseries
Thu, Apr. 14th, 2005 11:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
oyceterLaura Roslin is so freaking cool. So. Cool. Gaaaaaaaaah! Why do I not have the Sci-Fi channel? Why is the S1 DVD not out on Netflix yet??
Just... so cool! I am afraid that if I keep watching, this could approach Scully-worship levels. Because, gaaaah. Competent women in charge. And I love the way she is so soft-spoken at first and then uses that voice to say the most cuttingly practical of things, like that talk with Commander Adama about having lost the war. And I like how though she is at first portrayed as a fairly stereotypical soft-hearted woman, diametrically opposed to the gruff military men of war and practicality, she's actually (so far) the one who has a long-term strategy in mind and who is willing to sacrifice for the strategy.
She lets those 20 some ships die in a Cylon attack, versus Commander Adama, who does the stereotypically heroic stance of putting everyone's lives on the line for a beloved few when he decides to wait for Starbuck and Apollo to get back in. And while I find both choices problematic, I am continually irked at how often drama and books and tv go the latter route and how few of them go the former (Buffy always always always chooses what Adama did). I would be interested to see what the president would do when faced with the death of a loved one versus the good of the whole.
I'm not quite sure what to think of Gaius yet, although I really do like the blonde Cylon. Though the part with her snapping the baby's neck in the beginning was really a little too much, I think.
I love how it begins slowly, with everything at an end, a retirement, and then big explosions! I seem to be in the mood in which I can only concentrate on big explosions and the like, and apparently the apocalyptic storyline is more appealing to me than I thought. Although I wanted to know why the Cylons wanted to wipe out the human race. It seems rather convenient to have an enemy so intent on wiping one out, doesn't it? No shades of grey there.
I'm also confused about the twelve colonies of Kobol. So... the lords of Kobol are their gods? So is this a state religion or something? Because the way Adama talked about Earth, it sounded like he was addressing a people with a unified religion, and that does seem rather odd to me, especially with no explanation. I wonder if the series goes into more depth or not.
I also like Boomer, who is an Asian female! Well, the actress is. It doesn't seem like Boomer is supposed to be? But still, good enough! And there are other Asian looking people, although there didn't seem to be that many of other races. I will take what I can get (yes, I do look at pretty much everything through these lenses). Alas, I am sad that Boomer seems to be the enemy, but oh well. Asians on tv! What a concept.
But gah, I really liked the gender roles here! I mean, I don't really watch many sci-fi shows, but I was rather surprised at how many women were in the military and how coed it seemed. I also really like the fact that several of the women look incredibly buff and act like guys. Also, I adore Starbuck and I adore her cigar and I adore her kickass fighter pilot skills. Lee Adama isn't all that bad either, but I actually found his interactions with Laura Roslin way more interesting than his interactions with Starbuck, which seem more typically romantically coded. And I read![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
coffee_and_ink's post on the miniseries and do rather agree with the gender relations seeming fairly contemporary. Although they still feel more liberal than most portrayals of gender relations on TV, particularly of those in typically male dominated professions. It just seems like many extras and the like on military sets are more often than not male, so I liked having the women around.
But yes, Roslin being one of the few women in power is very much apparent, and OMG have I expressed how much I adore her already? I am unfortunately incoherent and unable to analyze anything more complicated than that because I adore her. Older woman in command who is not typically sexy and has power and is smart and makes people listen and, and, and *wibbles* Um. Ahem.
She is just so real and so solid in a way that very few women on TV have felt to me. I had a bit of a thing like this for CJ over on West Wing for a bit, but that was before the weird crush thing on the reporter and whatnot, and I got sick of Sorkin's dialogue styles after a while. And while I adore the women of Buffy and Angel (well, most of them), they are all younger women and about the struggles of younger women. This is all well and good, of course, but it just seems so rare that you see an older women in a position of power who can affect change and the like and who isn't a mother or a wife. I mean, Roslin very well could be, but she is not specifically coded as such, as opposed to Commander Adama, whose family ties are used to concoct the usual drama that surrounds such family ties. The only time Roslin does seem to be coded as mother is in the scene with the girl on the botanical ship, and the show does that specifically to show how painfully honest Roslin can be, how she is prepared to make the hard choices that no one else really seems to be. And I love how her aide tells her that the girl was on the ship in a blatant attempt to pull at her heartstrings (and at ours) and that she doesn't go for it and is instead dignified and saddened, but still resolute.
And she has this sort of quiet and serious quality that reminds me very much of Scully, who I may adore above all TV heroines (even though I do *heart* Buffy an awful, awful lot). Of course, I didn't watch Scully descend into motherhood, so I avoided that entire arc or so. I'm really curious to see what they're going to do with Roslin and her cancer and her struggle to maintain her authority. I also love that her soft voice and soft shape hide a spine of steel and that though she is shocked and surprised, she is fully able and willing to wrest control of the situation. Oh man, I need to watch this show now.
Just... so cool! I am afraid that if I keep watching, this could approach Scully-worship levels. Because, gaaaah. Competent women in charge. And I love the way she is so soft-spoken at first and then uses that voice to say the most cuttingly practical of things, like that talk with Commander Adama about having lost the war. And I like how though she is at first portrayed as a fairly stereotypical soft-hearted woman, diametrically opposed to the gruff military men of war and practicality, she's actually (so far) the one who has a long-term strategy in mind and who is willing to sacrifice for the strategy.
She lets those 20 some ships die in a Cylon attack, versus Commander Adama, who does the stereotypically heroic stance of putting everyone's lives on the line for a beloved few when he decides to wait for Starbuck and Apollo to get back in. And while I find both choices problematic, I am continually irked at how often drama and books and tv go the latter route and how few of them go the former (Buffy always always always chooses what Adama did). I would be interested to see what the president would do when faced with the death of a loved one versus the good of the whole.
I'm not quite sure what to think of Gaius yet, although I really do like the blonde Cylon. Though the part with her snapping the baby's neck in the beginning was really a little too much, I think.
I love how it begins slowly, with everything at an end, a retirement, and then big explosions! I seem to be in the mood in which I can only concentrate on big explosions and the like, and apparently the apocalyptic storyline is more appealing to me than I thought. Although I wanted to know why the Cylons wanted to wipe out the human race. It seems rather convenient to have an enemy so intent on wiping one out, doesn't it? No shades of grey there.
I'm also confused about the twelve colonies of Kobol. So... the lords of Kobol are their gods? So is this a state religion or something? Because the way Adama talked about Earth, it sounded like he was addressing a people with a unified religion, and that does seem rather odd to me, especially with no explanation. I wonder if the series goes into more depth or not.
I also like Boomer, who is an Asian female! Well, the actress is. It doesn't seem like Boomer is supposed to be? But still, good enough! And there are other Asian looking people, although there didn't seem to be that many of other races. I will take what I can get (yes, I do look at pretty much everything through these lenses). Alas, I am sad that Boomer seems to be the enemy, but oh well. Asians on tv! What a concept.
But gah, I really liked the gender roles here! I mean, I don't really watch many sci-fi shows, but I was rather surprised at how many women were in the military and how coed it seemed. I also really like the fact that several of the women look incredibly buff and act like guys. Also, I adore Starbuck and I adore her cigar and I adore her kickass fighter pilot skills. Lee Adama isn't all that bad either, but I actually found his interactions with Laura Roslin way more interesting than his interactions with Starbuck, which seem more typically romantically coded. And I read
coffee_and_ink's post on the miniseries and do rather agree with the gender relations seeming fairly contemporary. Although they still feel more liberal than most portrayals of gender relations on TV, particularly of those in typically male dominated professions. It just seems like many extras and the like on military sets are more often than not male, so I liked having the women around.But yes, Roslin being one of the few women in power is very much apparent, and OMG have I expressed how much I adore her already? I am unfortunately incoherent and unable to analyze anything more complicated than that because I adore her. Older woman in command who is not typically sexy and has power and is smart and makes people listen and, and, and *wibbles* Um. Ahem.
She is just so real and so solid in a way that very few women on TV have felt to me. I had a bit of a thing like this for CJ over on West Wing for a bit, but that was before the weird crush thing on the reporter and whatnot, and I got sick of Sorkin's dialogue styles after a while. And while I adore the women of Buffy and Angel (well, most of them), they are all younger women and about the struggles of younger women. This is all well and good, of course, but it just seems so rare that you see an older women in a position of power who can affect change and the like and who isn't a mother or a wife. I mean, Roslin very well could be, but she is not specifically coded as such, as opposed to Commander Adama, whose family ties are used to concoct the usual drama that surrounds such family ties. The only time Roslin does seem to be coded as mother is in the scene with the girl on the botanical ship, and the show does that specifically to show how painfully honest Roslin can be, how she is prepared to make the hard choices that no one else really seems to be. And I love how her aide tells her that the girl was on the ship in a blatant attempt to pull at her heartstrings (and at ours) and that she doesn't go for it and is instead dignified and saddened, but still resolute.
And she has this sort of quiet and serious quality that reminds me very much of Scully, who I may adore above all TV heroines (even though I do *heart* Buffy an awful, awful lot). Of course, I didn't watch Scully descend into motherhood, so I avoided that entire arc or so. I'm really curious to see what they're going to do with Roslin and her cancer and her struggle to maintain her authority. I also love that her soft voice and soft shape hide a spine of steel and that though she is shocked and surprised, she is fully able and willing to wrest control of the situation. Oh man, I need to watch this show now.
(no subject)
Fri, Apr. 15th, 2005 01:33 am (UTC)she's actually (so far) the one who has a long-term strategy in mind and who is willing to sacrifice for the strategy.
She lets those 20 some ships die in a Cylon attack, versus Commander Adama, who does the stereotypically heroic stance of putting everyone's lives on the line for a beloved few when he decides to wait for Starbuck and Apollo to get back in.
That, err, will not be a unique case. Her seeing the big picture and being willing to sacrifice people, if necessary, and Adama being willing to risk everyone for the few, I mean. And to say more would be to spoil you for two crucial plot points later on, so I won't.
It seems rather convenient to have an enemy so intent on wiping one out, doesn't it? No shades of grey there.
Not so. For starters, as the introduction informs us, Cylons were created by the humans. As slaves. Think Blade Runner. The first Cylon/Human war was because of this.
Secondly, the Cylon religion plays a huge part in their agenda. They are fervent monotheists, while the humans are polytheists. Which makes for intriguing storylines along the way, and parallels/contrasts to "our" history.
Thirdly, of course, there are the Cylons we get familiar with in the course of the series. Boomer being a crucial case in point, because she's a sympathetic character, who is not aware of her origin. (Also... but that would be spoiling). And then there is Six, who is a villain, true, but an intriguing one. And.... but that would be spoiling.*veg*
I'm also confused about the twelve colonies of Kobol. So... the lords of Kobol are their gods? So is this a state religion or something? Because the way Adama talked about Earth, it sounded like he was addressing a people with a unified religion, and that does seem rather odd to me, especially with no explanation. I wonder if the series goes into more depth or not.
The lords of Kobol are the Graeco/Roman pantheon. You'll get more details later in the show. As I said, the polytheism (humans) versus monotheism (Cylons) is an ongoing storythread.
The twelve colonies haven't been a unified state system very long, either, only for about 50 years or so. Before that, it was war among the colonies (they didn't use the Cylons to serve toast). But the religion is the same. It's not a state religion in the sense of being obligatory; Gaius Baltar, for example, is a self-confessed atheist (very important plot point for his relationship with Six (aka the blond Cylon).
And in conclusion: yes, you need to watch the show.*g*
(no subject)
Fri, Apr. 15th, 2005 01:07 pm (UTC)Apparently the original series took a lot of elements from Mormonism for its mythology as well, so the religious aspect is kind of hardwired into the series. I also loved how meta-commentary was used not to be clever but as part of the show's mythology - ie. "this has happened before," both scripture and reference to the old series.
(no subject)
Fri, Apr. 15th, 2005 07:01 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Fri, Apr. 15th, 2005 06:58 pm (UTC)And your hints are only making me want to see more! Roslin fans, joy!
(no subject)
Fri, Apr. 15th, 2005 10:13 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Sun, Apr. 17th, 2005 03:12 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Fri, Apr. 15th, 2005 09:28 am (UTC)I think there are things about the worldbuilding that will always annoy me (the religious stuff, though for almost the exact opposite reasons cited by
(no subject)
Fri, Apr. 15th, 2005 06:59 pm (UTC)And.... oh oh oh I need to watch more.
(no subject)
Fri, Apr. 15th, 2005 11:11 am (UTC)(no subject)
Fri, Apr. 15th, 2005 06:59 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Fri, Apr. 15th, 2005 11:53 am (UTC)I think the DVDs of the first season come out in September. The second season is being filmed here in Vancouver now. Can't wait.
(no subject)
Fri, Apr. 15th, 2005 07:00 pm (UTC)Oooo, the DVDs are out?? Oh dear.
(no subject)
Fri, Apr. 15th, 2005 08:46 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Sun, Apr. 17th, 2005 03:11 pm (UTC)