Battlestar Galactica: Saga of a Star World

This 3-parter marked the beginning of the short-lived (but oh, so technically savvy) Battlestar Galactica series which aired on television in the late 1970s. What amazed me when I first watched this show as a kid were the special effects, which at that time were almost movie-like. What amazes me when I watch it now is the realism. More than I ever did watching Star Trek, I FEEL as if I'm on the Battlestar or flying in one of those fighter jets at unbelievable speeds. The battles seem real, the explosions seem real, and the logistical gymnastics required to send fighters into space from what is essentially an extraterrestrial version of an aircraft carrier come across as VERY real. I even like the battlestar design (efficient, functional, and aesthetically pleasing).

The overwhelming trauma of watching an entire civilization die around them is palpable in the words and actions of the characters as well, all of whom are well-acted, and I think this has something to do with the fact that Lorne Greene was one of the 4 male leads in the series. I could feel the gut-wrenching horror, depression, and shame that the characters face in this 3-parter as they are transformed--in a matter of hours--from proud citizens of a twelve-planet civilization to fugitives escaping the destruction of everything they have ever cherished. Oddly enough, Apollo (whose farewell line to his brother struck me as one of the coldest lines I had ever heard--come on, man, your brother is making the ultimate sacrifice for you so that you can warn the fleet, and all you think of is "You can fly with me anytime?") captures this transformation eloquently when he says, "We're starting over."

Despite the overwhelming merits of "Saga of a Star World," the 3-parter does have two drawbacks (not including the ridiculous decision by the Imperius Leader to hide his ship behind the planet Carrollon when it is in the process of exploding--guess he didn't read the technical reports on the mineral his civilization was mining there . . . ): First of all, we have a character whose job description is "socialator." This is a term that is utterly meaningless in and of itself (which I suspect was the producers' way of getting around Broadcast Standards and Practices back then), but in the show, it is pretty obvious that a "socialator" is, in fact, a prostitute. This is not necessarily bad (I don't have any qualms about showing prostitution--or any of the other sins man has invented--on national television), but once again, we see the "liberated" culture of the 1960's sexual revolution (which by the time Galactica first aired had become the culturally dominating force of the 1970s) influencing the way that certain practices are portrayed on the small screen. Cassie's trade is not only presented in a positive light here, but she and Apollo's sister appear to be in a contest to win Starbuck's sexual advances. Most importantly, both of these activities are presented as normal and even positive, and this is something that a Christian television watcher should be aware of.

More importantly, with the introduction of a robot named "Lucifer," we see the beginning of the otherworldly arc within the Battlestar Galactica series. I'll write about this arc in more detail later, but suffice it to say, the interpretation of Christian names and concepts throughout the show should ring hollow to anyone who has a passing knowledge of the Bible. Obviously, the show's producers want to paint an image of a ragtag remnant of humanity (or is it a ragtag remnant of the "righteous?") fleeing the clutches of the devil, which is strangely evocative of the "party line" version of early Mormon history (as well as a few ragtag fringe cults that have sprung up over the years). To use the '70s parlance, I dig where the producers are coming from here, and I respect anyone who is sensitive to spiritual concerns. However, as a Christian, I know that my Bible says nothing about a remnant being pursued by anyone (much less the devil)--only that God will preserve a remnant for Himself (that is, the people through the ages who have been born again in Christ Jesus). The trials, tribulations, and terrors are for THIS life, not the next one.

This may all seem like nitpicking--after all, as I used to say whenever I encountered arguments like this one, it is just a TV show--but what I am trying to illustrate here is that what we watch on television has an influence on us--especially when we IGNORE that influence and passively take in what we are seeing. Television, especially when our children are exposed to it, is a teacher--a teacher of morals, a teacher of history, a teacher of science, and a teacher of spirituality--and however hotly this teacher's message may be dismissed by those of us who are parents, it is certainly not lost on our children.