Darkness becomes them

When the future of humankind rests in the hands of God-fearing robots, terrorism is our only hope. Hurray for the bleakness and ambiguity of "Battlestar Galactica"!

Editor's note: Spoiler alert -- This review contains details from the first few episodes of "Battlestar Galactica," which premieres Friday night. If you don't want to know a thing about the first few episodes, don't read this!

By Heather Havrilesky

Read more: TV, Arts & Entertainment, Reviews, Heather Havrilesky, Battlestar Galactica

Col. Saul Tigh (Michael Hogan), left, and his Cylon captor Brother Cavil (Dean Stockwell)

Oct. 6, 2006 | At the end of the second season of "Battlestar Galactica," the colonists, recently settled on New Caprica, are faced with a horrifying vision: Cylon Raiders streaking across the skies above them. Instead of providing a fresh hope for humankind, their new home has become a trap. Looking on helplessly as red-eyed robots march through the streets, Galen "Chief" Tyrol asks his commanding officer, Kara "Starbuck" Thrace, "What do you want to do now, Captain?" With a scowl, she responds, "Same thing we always do. Fight 'em until we can't."

Oh, the hopelessness of it all! But intoxicating darkness has always been "Battlestar Galactica's" calling card, from those opening shots of mushroom clouds and lonely ships, wandering off to find Earth, to the show's haunting, melancholy theme music, to the claustrophobic interiors of Galactica and the stifled rage and sadness of its occupants. When Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff) mutters her plan, through gritted teeth, she's not being tough or courageous or poetic like the heroes of most sci-fi shows. Her remark feels more like an existential lament, the fighter pilot's version of "If that's all there is, then let's keep dancing." Starbuck doesn't share the Cylons' undying faith in one supreme and all-powerful God, nor does she buy into the ancient mythologies that President Laura Roslin (Mary McDonnell) does, putting her hopes in prophecies about leading the colonists to the promised land. Starbuck is a pragmatist with no romantic delusions and few ideals beyond blowing away as many "toasters" (Cylons) and "skin jobs" (Cylons who've evolved to look like humans) as possible. But even without any guiding principles in her arsenal, Starbuck's barely contained rage, as irrepressible as it is relentless, may be the colonists' most important resource.

Because, in keeping with the show's ominous tone, instead of quick resolutions or merciful diversions, the darkness reaches a palpable extreme during the premiere of the third season (9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6, on the Sci Fi channel), when the colonists are forced to come to terms with the dire nature of their circumstances and adjust to their new lives under Cylon occupation. For some of them, this means keeping a low profile, compromising their morals for the safety of their loved ones, or joining the Cylons in an effort to stay alive. For others, it means "fighting them until we can't" -- waging a violent revolution against the Cylon oppressors, even if it means that innocent humans will get hurt or die along the way.

Heavy stuff, even for a sci-fi excursion through the far reaches of space. But then, what better environment in which to examine the boundaries of personality and group dynamics than a fantastical scenario where the survival of humankind is at stake? The uninitiated may continue to write off "Battlestar Galactica" as the remake of a mediocre show, or as the domain of science fiction fans alone, but those who've watched the show more than once or twice know better.

And so do TV producers, who are turning in increasing numbers to the realm of science fiction as a rich horizon on which to explore the most essential questions about human nature and group dynamics. From "Lost" to the ill-fated "Invasion" to the new "X-Men"-like pilot "Heroes" and the nuclear holocaust pilot "Jericho," the networks have integrated sci-fi into the mainstream with shows that not only dig deeper into questions of community and the ways that communities react to outside threats, but also explore the responses of individuals to intense circumstances. Like "Lost," "Battlestar" concerns itself primarily with human survival and views the characters and stories through a historical lens, layering on sociopolitical, cultural, economic and religious meaning to illustrate the divergent natures of human beings as well as their wildly contrasting philosophies and approaches to persevering in the face of major risks.

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