Jasmine Sahu is well suited with this new American drama exclusive to Dave.
Lois Cameron explains why this series is much more than your average cosy period drama.
The last episode of this series sees Sherlock and Moriarty attempt to solve the final problem with devastating consequences.
With major cast changes afoot, Jacob Martin ponders whether Being Human can live up to its own scarily high standard.
If you hear the title “Battlestar Galactica” and immediately think “that sounds a little too science-fictiony for my liking” then you’re in exactly the same position I was in just before I watched the show on DVD last summer. Battlestar Galactica (or BSG) is surprisingly not something that I’d say is exclusively for sci-fi fans, and if you happen to be someone that likes great character drama and exciting military/political adventures, you’ll probably find it worth your time.
Of course, it sort of depends on how broad your definition of science-fiction is to start with (yes, BSG is set in space), but I’d call the four-season long show less of a sci-fi piece and more of an epic survivalist story. The series, which is a re-imagining of the original Battlestar Galactica (1978), has a fairly straightforward plot. Humankind (living on the 12 colonies [planets] of Kobol) design a handy machine race called the Cylons who end up turning on their creators. A truce is eventually reached, but the (now humanoid) Cylons just sneakily attack again. The series follows the crew of the Battlestar Galactica and the fleet which it protects, now on the run (as humankind has essentially been wiped out) and searching for the mythical 13th planet of “Earth”.
Surely that premise isn’t too complex? In any case, Battlestar Galactica tells its story with a good sense of pace, never rushing through plots or spending too much time on standalone episodes or details unnecessary for plot progression. The show is a really effective blend of military and political drama that just happens to be set in space, and any viewer will find it easy to understand both the points of view of Commander William Adama (Edward James Olmos) and President Laura Roslin (Mary McDonnell). Another thing that BSG often engages in is moral ambiguity - I really appreciate how it doesn’t try to tell you who to empathise with, and that it presents all sides of any argument.
So... it’s not too complicated and the story flows well. Perhaps you’re concerned about the more overtly sci-fi aspects, such as the presence of robots. In defence of the Cylons, their motivations become very recognisable and they spend most of the show being just as compelling as the human characters. In fact, there are certain Cylons who I’d be quicker to side with. One of the most intriguing things that BSG does is examine questions such as how worthy of survival is humanity and what makes us human in the first place?
If the more philosophical side of things isn’t for you, there’s still a lot that you’ll enjoy about Battlestar Galactica. It’s essentially a character study, with a large strong ensemble who all get a decent amount of screen-time. It also has a compelling action-adventure element (delivered through fighter pilots and military strategising) and a good level of the science-fiction stuff that you’d expect. Battlestar Galactica uses human drama in very successful way, and I’d highly recommend it as a perfect route into sci-fi.
Battlestar Galactica begins tonight at 8pm on Sky Atlantic
You must log in to submit a comment.
