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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Now, I can enjoy characters whose politics I abhor, if they're portrayed in a complex way
Right! And I can even sometimes root for a character whose politics I abhor on other shows, but on BSG, where the characters are part of my secondary enjoyment of the show, not my primary, it's a problem.
I kind of adore Zarek as a character, too, because he's so fascinatingly savvy (and his power grabs almost universally involve making the government more democratic instead of less, but I digress). At the same time, I usually feel the need to preface anything I say about him with, "I KNOW HE'S A CRAZY PERSON, OKAY?" too, and the writers (generally) don't ever forget who he is and what he's capable of, and I like that about him, too.
the "favored" character gets away with stupid/horrible things while that character's rivals/enemies can't catch a break; and, ultimately, the viewers stop having to think. (And isn't "not wanting to think about alternate perspectives" really the most right wing ideology of all?)
Yes! Yes! This is what I've been trying to get at. Adama's problems are never addressed. He wins because he LOVES HIS SHIP AND HIS CREW so it's ALL OKAY. He can leave a Cylon as XO of his ship without anyone addressing that at all, and he goads said Cylon to blowing his brains out, and we're supposed to believe this dude is fit to lead? WHAT? WHAT?
Part of me thinks that a lot of this may have come from sloppy/lazy/rushed writing (which doesn't excuse it in any way, but it does explain it), because they couldn't give too much time to this plot line, and as such, they can't do much besides give Lee a throwaway line in the ways of fracturing the main group. The clean up afterwards if it were a fairly even split would be too messy. They'd lose characters they need to keep around. That would also explain why the build-up was kind of sloppy with Gaeta. He comes off as so personally invested he's irrational, when I think his actions are completely rational if you're starting from the assumption that Adama's becoming too authoritarian a leader.
Also, I feel really alienated by the rampant squee going on around fandom, because I don't get it and actually feel a little skeeved out by the way they don't question the politics of the characters they seem to be advocating.
Why, for example, is the only black Cylon little more than an extra, and even then just for a handful of episodes? Argh.
Oh, god. Don't even get into how his only plot contribution is menacing white women, too.
Also, I feel really alienated by the rampant squee going on around fandom, because I don't get it and actually feel a little skeeved out by the way they don't question the politics of the characters they seem to be advocating.
Oh, God, you are not alone. It's really disorienting to feel *so* out of step with fandom, and when it's over something as substantive as this (as opposed to being out of step about pairing preferences or something strictly fannish), it leaves me wanting to back faaaaar away for a while.
Don't even get into how his only plot contribution is menacing white women, too.
Gah. And not just menacing them, but in the context of doing "unspeakable" experiments on the gene pool, no less. The more I think about it, the more appalling it really is.
Right! And I can even sometimes root for a character whose politics I abhor on other shows, but on BSG, where the characters are part of my secondary enjoyment of the show, not my primary, it's a problem.
I kind of adore Zarek as a character, too, because he's so fascinatingly savvy (and his power grabs almost universally involve making the government more democratic instead of less, but I digress). At the same time, I usually feel the need to preface anything I say about him with, "I KNOW HE'S A CRAZY PERSON, OKAY?" too, and the writers (generally) don't ever forget who he is and what he's capable of, and I like that about him, too.
the "favored" character gets away with stupid/horrible things while that character's rivals/enemies can't catch a break; and, ultimately, the viewers stop having to think. (And isn't "not wanting to think about alternate perspectives" really the most right wing ideology of all?)
Yes! Yes! This is what I've been trying to get at. Adama's problems are never addressed. He wins because he LOVES HIS SHIP AND HIS CREW so it's ALL OKAY. He can leave a Cylon as XO of his ship without anyone addressing that at all, and he goads said Cylon to blowing his brains out, and we're supposed to believe this dude is fit to lead? WHAT? WHAT?
Part of me thinks that a lot of this may have come from sloppy/lazy/rushed writing (which doesn't excuse it in any way, but it does explain it), because they couldn't give too much time to this plot line, and as such, they can't do much besides give Lee a throwaway line in the ways of fracturing the main group. The clean up afterwards if it were a fairly even split would be too messy. They'd lose characters they need to keep around. That would also explain why the build-up was kind of sloppy with Gaeta. He comes off as so personally invested he's irrational, when I think his actions are completely rational if you're starting from the assumption that Adama's becoming too authoritarian a leader.
Also, I feel really alienated by the rampant squee going on around fandom, because I don't get it and actually feel a little skeeved out by the way they don't question the politics of the characters they seem to be advocating.
Why, for example, is the only black Cylon little more than an extra, and even then just for a handful of episodes? Argh.
Oh, god. Don't even get into how his only plot contribution is menacing white women, too.
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Oh, God, you are not alone. It's really disorienting to feel *so* out of step with fandom, and when it's over something as substantive as this (as opposed to being out of step about pairing preferences or something strictly fannish), it leaves me wanting to back faaaaar away for a while.
Don't even get into how his only plot contribution is menacing white women, too.
Gah. And not just menacing them, but in the context of doing "unspeakable" experiments on the gene pool, no less. The more I think about it, the more appalling it really is.
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