Sometimes a Benevolent Tyrant...

[scifishipper]

Comments

[damao2010]

I really need to rewatch that scene to know what exactly was on your mind. I guess it's a reference to Roslin's second term as president since Zarek could easily become a tyrant but not necessarily a benevolent one. LOL. Lee, of course, is not the kind of person who would support a tyrant, benevolent or not (if it is even possible for a tyrant to be truly benevolent). He's interested in making the government fair and in keeping it honest.

Unfortunately I really don't have time to get into thinky thoughts today. :(

[scifishipper]

Oh, sorry for the obscure scene. It's Lee's scene with Zarek and even in your brief "guessing" have hit upon one of the problems with the scene - that Lee would ever support a tyrant in any way.

I'm sorry you don't have much time. Hope we'll see more of you soon. *hugs*

Comment one, that is fairly on topic

[rachelindeed]

In this scene, Lee's "sometimes a benevolent tyrant is exactly what you need" comment is definitely scripted as a reference to Roslin -- Zarek tells him she's taken to governing by decree and is keeping top-level decision-making secret from the rest of the members of government, and Lee waves off his accusation. He basically says, "I'm okay with Roslin, and I'm not here to be your attack dog, so stop trying to sow dissention." That's how I interpret this "tyrant" comment in the context of the wider scene -- as an off-the-cuff refusal to play Zarek's game

Comment continued, even more tangentially

[rachelindeed]

I must admit, I think the writers sometimes got seriously OOC with Lee in his political storyline. The absolute worst instance was in "The Oath," when Lee threatens the other Quorum members with jail if they continue to insist that the installation of Cylon-enhanced FTL drives should be a democratic decision rather than a military dictate, and then *later in the same scene* panics at the thought that his father might be considering imposing martial law. I hate to break it to you, Lee, but in order to jail the Quorum and forcibly install Cylon technology on civilian ships whose people don't want it, you are definitely going to have to declare martial law. That's what you were just arguing for and threatening to do five minutes ago. It all strikes me as pretty incoherent for his character, and I have never found a way to square that particular circle. It's not that I don't think that Lee is capable of being pragmatic or making morally-grey hard calls. But the idea that he would be threatening to put the civilian government behind

Re: Comment continued, even more tangentially

[scifishipper]

I completely agree with you on this, Rachel. Maybe he's feeling things out, siding with Roslin more than Zarek? Challenging his assertions about Roslin? The scene read flat for me, but so did Lee's acceptance speech in the previous scene. I have to say that his entire transition into the government didn't play very well. He just didn't seem to fit. Maybe that was intentional on the writers' parts? Make him seem out of place, struggling, trying to figure out his role? If so, (and I'm certainly not convinced), they didn't do a very good job of it.

Re: Comment continued, even more tangentially

[rachelindeed]

Yes, I agree. I really like the *idea* of Lee in politics, and I generally agree ideologically with his opposition to Roslin's secrecy and civil rights abuses in the next few episodes, but it doesn't play as very engaging drama for me. From my POV, it's kind of a long, barren haul from here to "Revelations."

But he does look great in that suit.

There's always a silver lining :)

Re: Comment continued, even more tangentially

[scifishipper]

*sigh* A long barren haul it is. And funny you should mention his suit as I have just finished preparing a wee picspam of eyecandy to get us through the rest of this episode. To be revealed tomorrow. :)