The Sci-Fi channel used to show good science fiction shows such as Farscape, but they killed it. The channel's remake of Flash Gordon failed because many viewers tuned out after the pilot since nothing science fiction was happening for most of the pilot.
The "reimagined" (more like redelusioned) Battlestar Galactica was incredibly anti-male. (You can read the link for many examples.) Dirk Benedict who played Starbuck in the original BSG series (yes there was an original BSG series in the 70s) also had a lot to say about the poltically correct [also anti-male by definition] bullshit of the new BSG. Beyond that here is the biggest example of politcally correct/anti-male BS from the new BSG. In the original series from the 70s, the Cylons were created by reptilian aliens NOT humans. The mechanical Cylons commited genocide against their reptilian creators and then proceded to attack other aliens and destroy them. One of these species of aliens, the Hasari, asked for help against the Cylons after the Cylons invaded their territory. Humans responded to their call for help which started the Cylon-Human war. In the new BSG the backstory was completely different, and its the result of women catering to women. The backstory from the original BSG was too pro-male since it shows the war is sometimes necessary.
It actually gets better if you watch all of the episodes of the original series. At one point the humans fighting the Cylons come across another previously unknown human colony. This colony is divided between two states who are at war, the Western Nationalists who are free and democratic and the Eastern Alliance which is run by some form of totalitarianism. The president of the Western Nationalists negotiates a peace with the Eastern Alliance, but the Eastern Alliance just used the "peace" as a cover to attack the Western Nationalists. Again, this was too pro-male for the then heads of the Sci-Fi channel. (As an aside Islam has a word for using peace treaties to regroup and attack like this. It's called "hudna". This tatic was also a favorite of the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) before they were destroyed earlier this year.)
R.I.P. Sci-Fi channel.
2 comments:
So sad but not surprising. At least there are always DVD boxed sets I suppose. :o(
While I agree with Dirk about Starbuck, I also feel that Starbuck and Apollo are a MAJOR problem for any BSG remake. The problem is that Starbuck especially was so right and iconic that re-doing him is impossible.
I viewed female Starbuck (originally) as the writers punting. And an attempt to re-focus the show on the characters that BSG-70s didn't make the main characters.
However, upon watching the whole seaosn I refuse to attribute any raitonal well thought out reaosning to he writters.
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