Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Farscape Season 3 and 4 review

I'm watching Farscape through right now and am about two thirds through the fourth season. My perception of the series as depoliticized, I feel, is largely accurate. Where I think Farscape broke ground, and paved way for Battlestar Galactica, was in characterization, particularly of female protagonists. Farscape was the first series to try really hard for realistic female characters, with the possible exception of Babylon 5. But while the women in Babylon 5 were desexualized to the point of almost giving the show a sterile feel, the women of Farscape seem natural, realistic portrayals of how emancipated women in space would act. True, there are a few bodice-busting outfits that I think detract from the portrayals at time, but these are counterbalanced by the relative strength of the female protagonists, who are not merely helpless pawns of the male characters.
I think that Farscape's contributions to paving the way for BSG have been underemphasized and frankly, if I had to compare the two, I prefer Farscape's epic story arcs to Battlestar Galactica's random, purposeless plodding through seasons one and two. Time will tell which series is regarded more highly, but my bet is on Farscape.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Farscape and New Age Theology

Farscape is an interesting series when it comes to spirituality. Traditionally, most science fiction series have taken one of three theological paths: atheistic, New Age, or vaguely monotheistic. In the monotheistic category I would place the old BSG, the new BSG, certain elements of Babylon 5, and the Prisoner. The most explicitly atheist series are Blake's 7 and Star Trek: The Next Generation. Besides Farscape, Voyager and the X-Files both tend to take a kind of New Age approach to writing. What makes Farscape unique and set apart from these series is the absolute certainty it attaches to New Age mystic visions, Goddess ceremonies, etc. Unlike Voyager, which only timidly hints at the New Age elements, Farscape goes barrelling in, unconcerned about potentially offending anyone. Given the lack of respect in America paid to alternative religions, this seems a reasonably good sign, though I am disturbed by the level of irrationality both New Age and Farscape religions seem to promote. But then again, the monotheistic faiths are only marginally better in this regard.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Done with BSG: Some thoughts on the series

I finally finished the new BSG and I was a little disappointed at the ending. That the two angel figures really were angels was something I was not expecting and left me feeling a little cheated. The series took on pure fantasy aspects. I'm not against having religion involved in science fiction, especially when it works (as it seemed to do in the first two seasons of BSG). But there seems to be a move in the last two seasons of BSG to align the series more with the religious right and right wing military politics. Rosselin makes undemocratic decisions left and right, as does Adama, and we are supposed to applaud them because they are the good guys. I remember when BSG questioned such politics fully, but as America started its exit strategy for Iraq, BSG started its exit-strategy for controversy. So I take back what I said about the new BSG being better than Farscape. Farscape felt like it had more guts than this series. BSG will remain a noble experiment, but an experiment that failed. As touching as the finale is, the series never risked alienating any one segment of its audience by taking a stand on the dominant political issues - religion and the War - then prevalent in America. Worse, it never fully explored the sub-themes of working class life and rebellion that were so prominent in the early part of the series.