Friday, September 4, 2009
One More Comparison
A few more notes I'd like to make re: DS9.
1) When the Battlestar Galactica reboot was around, it was often praised for being an "adult" version of science fiction. Edward James Olmos's contract stipulated that there were to be no "weird" aliens on the show, in order to keep the drama at what he called a human level.
2) I imagine he must have been clicking through cable television and caught a glimpse of Deep Space Nine and shuddered in horror. I'll admit that some of the makeup design on DS9 makes even a hardened geek like myself snort in derision.
2a)(Though the truth is, the weirder it got, more pleasure I had in the snorting).
3) Olmos's point was this: "human" drama equals batshit religious ecstasy combined with militarized fear and paranoia. "Alien nerd" drama equals heterogeneity and democratic governance.
4) Rebuttal: at least the dudes with suitcase handles for noses on DS9 never went crying and drooling all over themselves in spastic paroxysms of "human" drama, show after show, like Adama did. That was the most embarrassing thing I've ever seen on television. Nor was "All Along the Watchtower" ever referenced.
5) A single episode of DS9 would have touched on all the themes of Battlestar Galactica and moved on, finding the characters hopelessly backward -- "human" in Olmos's formulation. BG was a stupider show than people give it credit for. ¶ 8:28 AM
A few more notes I'd like to make re: DS9.
1) When the Battlestar Galactica reboot was around, it was often praised for being an "adult" version of science fiction. Edward James Olmos's contract stipulated that there were to be no "weird" aliens on the show, in order to keep the drama at what he called a human level.
2) I imagine he must have been clicking through cable television and caught a glimpse of Deep Space Nine and shuddered in horror. I'll admit that some of the makeup design on DS9 makes even a hardened geek like myself snort in derision.
2a)(Though the truth is, the weirder it got, more pleasure I had in the snorting).
3) Olmos's point was this: "human" drama equals batshit religious ecstasy combined with militarized fear and paranoia. "Alien nerd" drama equals heterogeneity and democratic governance.
4) Rebuttal: at least the dudes with suitcase handles for noses on DS9 never went crying and drooling all over themselves in spastic paroxysms of "human" drama, show after show, like Adama did. That was the most embarrassing thing I've ever seen on television. Nor was "All Along the Watchtower" ever referenced.
5) A single episode of DS9 would have touched on all the themes of Battlestar Galactica and moved on, finding the characters hopelessly backward -- "human" in Olmos's formulation. BG was a stupider show than people give it credit for. ¶ 8:28 AM
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Oddly enough, Dirk Benedict (the original Starbuck) also criticized the new BG for equating of human drama with "batshit religious ecstasy combined with militarized fear and paranoia." But I don't think he worded it quite like you, Greg.
I no huge fan of new BG either, though there is some OK stuff. Funny thing: Folks think I'm crazy, but I always tell them I'm a bigger fan of the Stargate franchise than new BG. It's true!
-Justin F.
I no huge fan of new BG either, though there is some OK stuff. Funny thing: Folks think I'm crazy, but I always tell them I'm a bigger fan of the Stargate franchise than new BG. It's true!
-Justin F.
I believe he also criticized BG for having a female Starbuck.
Haven't seen Stargate, but I've heard it's good. Still trying to catch up on Babylon 5. There are only so many hours in the day, and so few productive ones.
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Haven't seen Stargate, but I've heard it's good. Still trying to catch up on Babylon 5. There are only so many hours in the day, and so few productive ones.
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