Why Battlestar Galactica Matters to You

I get this look from people when I tell them I watch sci-fi television. It’s a sympathetic look, as if they can envision me home on a Saturday night reciting Yoda’s teachings or downloading nude fan art of William Shatner. But the worse is when you tell people you’re a gay sci-fi fan.

They automatically assume you vicariously live through outlandish characters with funny names like “hobbit” because you feel ostracized from a world that condemns you. Don’t get me wrong, I get it. Sci-fi television is hard to break into and to the casual TV viewer, stories about time traveling, intergalactic battles, and aliens can seem daunting. So when a show like Battlestar Galactica surfaces, scoring Emmy nominations and high praises from Time Magazine and Rolling Stone, the question is inevitably “why?”

To those of you not in the know, Battlestar Galactica follows the story of a post-apocalyptic civilization of humans whose worlds have been wiped out by their cybernetic creations, the Cylons. The surviving colonist form a rag tag fleet of spaceships and leave their home planets in search of a place called “Earth” which is nothing more than a myth in their culture.

The thing that Galactica does best—and this is true for all sci-fi show—it uses elements of science fiction to examine red-hot political issues. Yes, self-aware robots have just destroyed the world, but the point of the series is watching the humans reform their military and government after a devastating attack to their nationalism. In doing so, the Galactica crew must tackle issues such as biological warfare, abortion, and terrorism in order to survive. Is any of this starting to sound like a rip off of our post-911 world?

But what’s interesting is you can’t judge the Cylons as easily as you would if your I-pod went bonkers and started biting your fingers off. Instead you need to see them as a civilization wronged by the human race. They can also mimic human form down to the tee and one of the central questions in Galactica becomes what constitutes a human? All of which makes the show intellectually stimulating as you find yourself arguing the human condition with fellow fanboys in your Jedi Masters’ robe downstairs in your mother’s basement.

Now, for queer fans the series has been particularly interesting to watch. You see, sci-fi television is much like Kathy Griffin. It loves to take care of its gay audience and spends a lot of time in plastic surgery just so it can look fabulous.  For Galactica, they do more than just pulling the gay card for the sake of doing so. They take the idea of gay to a whole new level and redefine the queering of sci-fi.

In the Galactica-verse, viewers get an inside look at the structures of a society built upon the idea that one’s gender is as important as your eye color. Their culture has evolved to a point where a woman can strap on authority and the men have to take it—no questions asked. It shouldn’t come as a shocker then that Galactica also sets the stage for a world where one’s sexuality doesn’t matter. In November’s BSG Razor movie, Admiral Helena Cain has an open relationship with the number Six Gina in front of her crew and likewise it has been heavily hinted that Lieutenant Felix Gaeta has a romantic interest for Dr. Gaius Baltar. Interesting to note are the show’s main leads, which are the prime examples of gender-benders. Captain Kara “Starbuck” Thrace is always willing to let her ego get in the way and is always entrusted with the dangerous A-list missions.  While on the other hand Major Lee “Apollo” Adama sheds his typical male role and is often seen talking about his feelings or hanging around half naked. Sexuality clearly does not matter in the Galactica-verse and isn’t fussed about by an alien version of Sally Kern. This is huge when compared to shows like the O.C. and Desperate Housewives where they gloss over the gay topic by thrusting it into a spotlight and making it a “special” issue.

With Battlestar Galactica getting ready to premiere its fourth and finale season next week, get ready for our coverage of the series. Tune in weekly to find out what’s going on with the Galactica fleet, what LGBT themes keep reoccurring, and how the frak the series will come to an end. 

The season premiere of "Battlestar Gallactica" is April 4 on SciFi Channel.

Image courtesy NBC/SciFi

Comments

[Amarus Invictus]

Can't wait for this show to come back! I hope we get some great Lee Adama scenes circa season 2's "Final Cut"

For all non-viewers this is where the infamous towel scene appears..

[agoraphobiaisfun]

I've never seen BSG before, but after reading this, I think I'll give this show a shot!

[eastvantopp]

Battlestar is filmed in Vancouver BC. I had the pleasure to work on the production this season and it was really a thrill for me. I can't reveal the plot, but it is going to be an exciting season!

[geekluve]

i started watching at the beginning of last season but was able to catch up with marathon the sci-fi channel showed before. it took about 15 minutes before i was so hooked i was using frak and fuck interchangeably so i cannot WAIT for the new season

[botan]

I was a fan of the original series when I was a kid. I was immediately stoked when I heard they were going to re-tell the story. I've been watching from day one, its been a hell of a ride. Awesome story, awesome cast, hope they bring Lucy Lawless back for the last season. Hate to see it end but, my thanks to all involved in this incredible show.

[Lost SciFi Fan]

I love sci-Fi, I love'd the old BSG, but i guess I'm in the minority here on this one, I thin k it's just ok, not great, not sucky, just OK.

It started off with a fresh new approch, loved the human Cylons, loved the stories, but then it got weird. first they made a major character a cylon, I'm not fond of this direction of making all the major characters the enemy in hiding.

Then on top of that, we start to see the 1 God vs many God's battle and the judo-christian influence reared it's ugly head big time and now we have the "Jesus" character, the 12 deciples and even a Poncuois Pilot character.

I love they way it tackled complex issues, but they could have done better without the blatently stupid introduction of religion the way they did.

Sorry the show is a bust, and i can't see why people are addicted to it.

[TimD]

Having lived almost 30 years with a gay partner who is a sci-fi fan -- I have to say this is the first time I've enjoyed and anticipated and understood a sci-fi show. I do love Battlestar Galactica. Good article; hope it gets more people to watch.

[Neriandal]

Battlestar Galatica is for sure one of these shows that are just fantastic all over. Yes, it's Sci-Fi but as this article states, it brings "todays issues" in with out making them a "special episode".

It's just awesome to see things and not go "great, this episode is dedicated only to this...wtf?" when watching it.

Needless to say, this show makes me happy to be a gay scifi loving freako :P

[hankjack]

Great Review, bringing out the gay card and gender role issues, though they haven't tackled gender bending. This is a really well written show and with excellent acting. The earlier seasons had a snafoos on a take and you can see a camera men in the background.
I just started last spring to get into it so I went back and watched from Season 1, so that I could enjoy the character development and watch all the goings on. The show is complex enough with good character development for someone new to make the time to watch the whole series. I also like the fact there is an endpoint to this series, makes for an easier investment of time.
The governmental, societal and religious card's has been fascinating to watch as the Cylons' have one God but continually get reincarnated. So the mix is not so obviously straight forward on that call. It should be noted earlier versions of Christianity believed in reincarnation however.
This is good TV discussing intelligent subjects with a much more balanced viewpoint than anything FOX News has put out.

[dc3038]

I had the opportunity to meet Katee Sackhoff(aka Starbuck) she is awesome. Nothing at all like her character, she guaranteed that she is not a cylon, only thing she would reveal. Can't wait to find out what is up with her.

[faraday]

There are nude fan art of the Shats? Please post the URL.

I have been a big huge fan of the new BSG since the mini-series. The show is highly entertaining and thought provoking. It has maintained a fine line of being gritty and clean, awesome SFX, great writing, excellent acting, awesome music and the mixture of politics, family/friendships, religion, relationships, war, a little bit of everything and pulling it off with each episode.

BSG is the new Buffy. The show only a few watched, and others missed out on a truely remarkable experience.