Battlestar Galactica
 |
Trekology home Battlestar Galactica Star Trek science fiction |
Ron Moore developed the 21st century edition of Battlestar Galactica (2003-2009). After examining Moore’s Battlestar Galactica, I came to several conclusions about how viewpoints about our real-world politics and humanity were skillfully conveyed.
Directly contributing to what he was able to accomplish with Battlestar Galactica, Moore began his television writing career on the third season of Star Trek: The Next Generation in the late 1980s. He worked his way up to script editor, then co-producer, and ultimately, producer. Moore has written or co-written a total of 27 episodes for Star Trek: The Next Generation before moving on to be supervising producer for Star Trek: Deep Space 9 in 1993 and then co-executive producer in 1995 for the beginnings of Star Trek: Voyager. Moore also co-wrote Star Trek: Generations, released in 1994 as the seventh major motion picture in this Paramount Pictures franchise, and Star Trek: First Contact, released in 1996 as the eighth. As the 1990s ended, creative differences motivated Moore to separate from Star Trek.
Moore was only 2 years old when Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Dr. McCoy first beamed onto the popular culture scene on NBC in the original Star Trek in 1966. Mainstream media outlets started to notice Moore”s Battlestar Galactica and helped propel the series to increased popularity and higher ratings, setting it apart from the 1978 television series on ABC, which lasted only 21 episodes. That version of Battlestar Galactica was playful and fun in ways very similar to Saturday morning cartoons.
That Was Then, This Is Now
In stunning contrast to the 1978 version, the 21st century incarnation of Battlestar Galactica was decidedly and deliberately sophisticated and mature, most notably in how its storytelling embeds political and religious themes together with intelligent and witty character development.
The updated methods that were used for marketing Battlestar Galactica were noteworthy as well. Ron Moore proved to be on the cutting edge of social media use in the early 2000s–podcasts and blogs, especially, that all gave deep details behind the scenes in the making of the series. This social media use pushed the marketing of Battlestar Galactica into then-uncharted territory.
How did Moore know this strategy would work? Perhaps he didn’t know for certain. However, Moore demonstrated that he believed a large part of the audience for Battlestar Galactica would be plugged in and already using social media. So, he could invest the time, money, and energy into social media and expect a return on his investment.
Such strategic marketing was new at that time. Now, it is no exaggeration that any science fiction or horror product on television or in film MUST use social media if that product expects to have street credibility with the target audience.
Beyond using then-new strategic marketing to promote a science fiction television series, Battlestar Galactica certainly will be remembered especially for its persuasive way of defining characters within compelling storytelling. Episodes deliberately depict intense realism of military engagement, never shying away from blood and battle scars. The young male and female fighter pilots, especially, are a focal point for a compelling emotional connection with the Battlestar Galactica audience.
For example, a young lieutenant with the callsign “Crashdown” (portrayed by the talented Samuel Stewart Witwer) is an electronic countermeasures officer that has an integral part in the story told in Season 2, Episode 3, first aired July 29, 2005 on Sci-Fi.
His innocent, youthful face is marred by recent wounds received in deadly field encounters. Yet, he is portrayed as valliant and unrelenting in completing his military mission.
Nobody watching Battlestar Galactica could view this depiction of battle-ready valor while remaining neutral about “Crashdown” or his importance to the lives of the people around him. This fighter pilot demands attention from the audience because, although he appears to model heroism and courage, in truth he has fatal flaws because of his youth that cannot be glossed over.
We see the lieutenant as aggressive and tough, creating a false impression about his apparent determination to win in battle. He certainly looks like a man who is in charge of himself and his unit. Plus, he is especially handsome in his uniform. This guy could be a poster boy of military readiness–an icon for the red, white, and blue all-American fighting man.
Is Battlestar Galactica serving a function as a not-so-subtle recruiter for the United States military by portraying such a fine young figher on the field of battle?
This might be true were it not for one detail: Our handsome military poster boy gets killed in action rather shockingly. This Battlestar Galactica episode is entitled “Fragged,” which means the assassination of a member of a military unit by someone who is in that unit.
The tragedy of this lieutenant’s death, and most especially the unflinching look at how and why he was murdered by someone within his own unit, is an emotionally difficult thing to watch. Just when you expect a heroic and happy ending from such a rugged and seemingly unbeatable man, the rug gets jerked out from under you so suddenly. Being caught off guard like this emotionally teaches you to expect the unexpected from Battlestar Galactica. You learn that the military role models in Battlestar Galactica–especially those characters whose lives are violently ended right before your very eyes–must never be underestimated nor taken for granted.
The youthful and passionate appearances of both male and female fighter pilots alike are emphasized in Battlestar Galactica for their high audience appeal. Just don’t expect the typical and cynical “live fast, die hard, and leave a good-looking corpse” theme that you can easily find elsewhere in television shows and in major motion pictures. Battlestar Galactica is not unsophisticated like that. However, the camera lingers on the face of the assassinated lieutenant. These images probably will remain with you for awhile. That’s deliberate to force you to remember how and why “Crashdown” lost his life at such a young age.
This is but one example of how there is a deeper message under the skin of the visually appealing characters on Battlestar Galactica. How characters live–and sometimes how they die–especially when juxtaposed with their visual appeal, is a powerful way to stimulate the audience. Because characters are visually appealing, the audience just might pay closer attention to them. This makes it possible for the producers and writers to jar an unsuspecting audience with surprising and emotionally powerful stories. What Battlestar Galactica strives to accomplish with its characters is the pinpointing and showcasing of individual and collective motivations as to why human beings keep fighting against the enemy Cylons, who always are smarter, more powerful, and are the most likely to prevail militarily.
After viewing episodes such as “Fragged,” one cannot help but ask some difficult questions:
