Assignment 3-1: Battlestar Galactica

In 2003, the Sci-Fi channel launched a re-imagination of the 70’s television series Battlestar Galactica. It got rid of most of the campy elements like the ridiculous robot dog and set a much darker, grittier tone than the original. The show won both critical acclaim and a large fan base over the course of its run (the original mini-series and four subsequent seasons.)
The basic premise was that mankind had developed a sentient race of robots, called Cylons, and subsequently made them little more than slaves and soldiers. The Cylons eventually rebelled and went to war against their creators. Eventually, a truce was called and the Cylons disappeared for more than 40 years. Then, the Cylons reappeared and launched a massive attack against humanity, nuking the 12 Colonies and leaving only those humans who were traveling between the planets alive, roughly around 50,000 people. The series revolves around humanity’s flight from the Cylons and attempts to find a new home amongst the stars.
One of the reasons for Battlestar’s success was it’s relevance to many issues that affect us today. For instance, the debate on the creation of Artificial Intelligence and its possible consequences on the future of mankind. Another example would be the use of suicide bombings to attack the Cylons. This was especially relevant as many US troops were being injured and killed in Iraq and Afghanistan by suicide bombers at the time, and the moral issue raised by the “good guys” employing these tactics in a desperate attempt to survive was very thought provoking.
Another aspect that set Battlestar Galactica apart from many other television shows was the realism depicted in the series. Characters are inherently flawed, and it is often difficult to truly classify some characters as “good” or “bad.” The show was also not afraid to kill off main characters, which made the show more interesting as there was always tension when a character was in danger, since there was a good chance they might not make it.
The show recently ended its run with a series finale that fans either loved or hated. The show was so successful that it has spawned a prequel series called Caprica which will air in 2010 and deals with the actual creation of the Cylons, and their subsequent revolution against their creators.