Friday, May 1, 2009

BSG Again

I know I've already written about Battlestar Galactica, but I can't contain myself. I honestly don't know how to describe how exquisite this series is. Within itself, it has astonishingly complex and compelling characters. Human relationships are messy and unpredictable, things don't always turn out the way you expect. And, below the surface, it is a remarkable commentary. Early on, the group we've come to identify as Us, the humans, did some terrible things, dehumanizing their enemies. This, unfortunately, is a position we've grown accustomed to in the United States these last few years. Then suddenly, in the third season, We are dropped into the opposite side. We are the Iraquis, and they are instantly humanized in a way I don't think I've ever seen before. We see ourselves in these characters, just trying to survive, resorting to measures that on the surface seem abhorrent. It is honestly some of the best television ever created.