The show's writing has taken some huge leaps forward since last half-season, it's true. It's definitely remembered why it was so popular in the first place
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I think one of the biggest disconnects is that I don't really watch BSG for the characters. I watch BSG for the big ideas and politics and world. And when those politics and ideas become fundamentally distasteful to be me, it poisons everything else about the show.
And my problem with this whole thing is that maybe Gaeta's actions were more sympathetic to me the whole time, but the writers didn't tease out the issues, because they didn't have enough time, and that's just sloppy. When the government becomes that authoritarian, is it right to rise up and overthrow it?
In the end, they put too many of the main characters on the same side so there was less fallout later, and in doing so, removed a lot of the ambiguity of the 'rightness' of the actions. We know they're going to win, and we're supposed to cheer them on, and that just does not sit right with me.
Especially since none of these issues were addressed before the execution of Gaeta and Zarek. Yay, the bad guys were executed. Maybe we feel bad for one of them, but we knew he needed to die, anyway. I feel like all of this will just be brushed under the rug until the next ZOMG CONFLICT next time.
(Also, about Gaeta. WAY TO KILL OFF MORE QUEER CHARACTERS ON YOUR SHOW, BSG.)
I realize that my comment earlier sounded weird, but it wasn't meant to call your entry bullshit! It was along the lines of "emo potato is emo" and similar constructions.
What show ever has time to discuss all the issues? Especially a show like this one that just wades hip-deep into everything? I feel like it was mostly Adama and Roslin and Tigh on a side. Lee at least expressed a dissenting opinion, and Kara's not interested in the politics of the situation. Even if we know that Helo and Athena and Sam are going to side with the Adamas, we don't feel like they're certain about the rightness of it. For me, still being mad at Roslin, I feel like they threw in enough human moments with Gaeta and the other secondary characters that illustrated that the people do have a right to overthrow a government that eschews transparency and becomes authoritarian. There were plenty of "Laura Roslin's getting weird" moments with the Quorum in early S4 - they've more than shown (to my eyes) that something has to change.
I do object to all the queer characters getting killed off. What the hell?
I wasn't thinking you were saying my post was bullshit. I was just thinking we were disagreeing in our readings, and I was trying to clarify my opinions, because I think I've been sort of struggling with really nailing down how to say them. :)
And yeah, I will grant that they've been gesturing towards these issues, but I think they don't have the balls anymore to make their central core of characters oppose each other anymore (not even the humans and the cylons), which means that their gesturing has no weight for me.
Okay! Just making sure. I think we do disagree some, but mostly in degree of dissatisfaction.
I feel like the point of the show has been to say how do we pull together, how do we work together, how do we make our differences the lesser part of our world, and so the fact that they're less in opposition doesn't bother me as much as it bothers you. When the colonies existed, everyone was so much a part of that community, Caprican or Aerelon or Scorpion or whatever, and with the destruction, each group has had to see that their similarities outweigh their differences. But it is true that a lot of the healthy tension has been lost as well, and there's been a bunch of infighting.
This show makes me think so many thoughts at once that I can't get them all out properly. Ah well.
And my problem with this whole thing is that maybe Gaeta's actions were more sympathetic to me the whole time, but the writers didn't tease out the issues, because they didn't have enough time, and that's just sloppy. When the government becomes that authoritarian, is it right to rise up and overthrow it?
In the end, they put too many of the main characters on the same side so there was less fallout later, and in doing so, removed a lot of the ambiguity of the 'rightness' of the actions. We know they're going to win, and we're supposed to cheer them on, and that just does not sit right with me.
Especially since none of these issues were addressed before the execution of Gaeta and Zarek. Yay, the bad guys were executed. Maybe we feel bad for one of them, but we knew he needed to die, anyway. I feel like all of this will just be brushed under the rug until the next ZOMG CONFLICT next time.
(Also, about Gaeta. WAY TO KILL OFF MORE QUEER CHARACTERS ON YOUR SHOW, BSG.)
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What show ever has time to discuss all the issues? Especially a show like this one that just wades hip-deep into everything? I feel like it was mostly Adama and Roslin and Tigh on a side. Lee at least expressed a dissenting opinion, and Kara's not interested in the politics of the situation. Even if we know that Helo and Athena and Sam are going to side with the Adamas, we don't feel like they're certain about the rightness of it. For me, still being mad at Roslin, I feel like they threw in enough human moments with Gaeta and the other secondary characters that illustrated that the people do have a right to overthrow a government that eschews transparency and becomes authoritarian. There were plenty of "Laura Roslin's getting weird" moments with the Quorum in early S4 - they've more than shown (to my eyes) that something has to change.
I do object to all the queer characters getting killed off. What the hell?
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And yeah, I will grant that they've been gesturing towards these issues, but I think they don't have the balls anymore to make their central core of characters oppose each other anymore (not even the humans and the cylons), which means that their gesturing has no weight for me.
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I feel like the point of the show has been to say how do we pull together, how do we work together, how do we make our differences the lesser part of our world, and so the fact that they're less in opposition doesn't bother me as much as it bothers you. When the colonies existed, everyone was so much a part of that community, Caprican or Aerelon or Scorpion or whatever, and with the destruction, each group has had to see that their similarities outweigh their differences. But it is true that a lot of the healthy tension has been lost as well, and there's been a bunch of infighting.
This show makes me think so many thoughts at once that I can't get them all out properly. Ah well.
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