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shadowkatI'm rapidly falling in love with the new series Caprica - which next to BSG, may well be the best sci-fi series on television. I'll also most likely get my heartbroken again. Dang it. Because knowing Syfy - it won't get high ratings and we'll get more of the same..episodic monster/sci-fi weirdness of the week shit they love to produce.
Each episode is more layered than the next, and it expands on its cast slowly as opposed to throwing ten new characters at us all at once. We are sticking fairly closely to three points of view - Lacey/Clarice, Adama, Graystone. And there are no good guys or bad guys here. They are all rather complicated. Plus the science-fiction component is rather topical, not to mention well written. It's believable in other words as opposed to fantastical. You can envision this world - which is rather interesting dark mirror of our own.
What I admire the most is the pacing and plot, tight, character driven, and moves quickly.
My attention doesn't waver and I find myself watching in real time. Haven't seen that done in a sci-fi show since well Torchwood:Children of the Earth.
The religion theme appears to be slightly controversial? I've noticed a few of the reviews I've read on lj are struggling with the soliders of the one god - or the fact that the monothesists are a bit of a fanatical cult, which contains terrorists? This doesn't bug me - because I see it as a rather dark reflection of our own world and religious issues. Christianity started out as an apocalyptic cult before it was instutionalized around 323 AD.
The first Christians believed they were the last generations of humans. I don't know if they were into killing people - history tells us they were rather peaceful and I haven't seen any documentation to state otherwise. While the polythesists were rather violent, sordid, decadent, and into excess - or so we are told by the stories that have survived. What Caprica proposes much like BSG before it - is does the religion really change who we are?
We learn in BSG that the differences between the polythesist humans and the monothesist cylons aren't that huge. And in Caprica - we see much the same thing. The two groups are far more similar than they'd like to admit. The question seems to be - does it matter who or what we believe in? And if so why? And most of all - why must everyone else share that belief?
Why are we forcing them to? These questions fascinate me - because I believe they lie at the root of the violent cultural conflicts that continue to shake our world. The fight over gay rights isn't really about gay rights so much as it is about a blatant intolerance for people who do not share our beliefs and values. Who do not believe as we do. Caprica kicks the gender issue to the curb, and focuses on what lies behind it. Focuses on the consequences of having to be right regardless of the cost.
Zoe. May I just say that I adore the actress playing Zoe. She's so perfect in this role - the exact opposit of the robot she's stuck inside. I know mileage varies on this quite a bit - But I think she's wickedly good in the role. And it is a difficult role. The role requires her to play three people simultaneously. Zoe - the human, the bright little girl, who aspired to change the world - who wanted to feel special and felt ignored and overlooked by her ridiculously successful parents. Who flirted with danger. And developed a computer avatar program which was almost an exact replica of herself. Zoe - the avatar - the computer program that the human version created. And the robot - the skeleton body, capable of ripping a human to shreds. Amazing character. Takes the cylon concept in BSG and ups the ante. We see the birth of the cylons - the creation of a new life form, who is struggling with the concept of god, or who it is. And the notion of parents. How to relate to them.
The scene in this week's episode where Zoe, watches as a silent robot sentinal, unbeknowest to her parents who believe her to be gone - argue about her involvement with the terrorists,
both banged up, and bruised because of it, and clinging to each other in grief and love and anger...to endure it - is brilliant. You watch Zoe, in pain, traumatized, quivering, while her robotic body doesn't move. The ghost inside the machine. Last week we watch her try to sit on her bed, and desperately ask her best friend Lacey to hug her. Hug me. And Lacey does.
Adama - who feels Tamara's presence, and then discovers that Graystone or rather Graystone's daughter was responsible for the deaths of both his wife and daughter. Plus Graystone brought Tamara back, only to scare her, then to lose her in the virtual reality zone which Joseph Adama does not understand. Overwhelmed with anger - he asks his brother to make them even.
Take out Graystone's wife.
We realize in the space of three episodes that Adama is by no means on the moral high-ground here. He is fairly corrupt. And there are clues in each episode. In the pilot - he orders a hit on a politician who does not do as he commands. And then in the third episode, we see that he bribes a judge, and has his brother beat up Graystone to get his way.
Eric Stolze's Graystone is a battered and pained genuis, rich, successful, yet struggling with what he's built and done. Clearly his daughter was his world. His wife, Amanda, is fascinating as well, no fragile weakling, tough as nails, railing at her daughter for her decisions and at herself for not doing a better job.
I have no idea where this story is going, which is a welcome change of pace. And I have no desire to be spoiled. I find it highly character driven, the themes to be thought-provoking,
and the metaphors layered and unobvious. It is a series that resonates with me on a level that neither Dollhouse nor Lost quite managed to. I think because it is more "initimate" less action based, less violent (which is odd to state since violence is in the tale but more restrained), and more dialogue driven. It also, unlike most shows on tv, explores gender issues and cultural orientation in a subtle intricate way...without too much or too little emphasis. The fact that Sam is gay and living with a male partner is handled no differently than if he were heterosexual with a female partner. It's not an issue. While Clarice's group marriage is discussed a bit more, yet it also is not a huge issue. The fact they aren't issues makes a much bigger statement than if they were.
I honestly think based on just these three episodes this is by far the best show I've seen this year. I even got my mother to watch it - which was a small accomplishment.
Each episode is more layered than the next, and it expands on its cast slowly as opposed to throwing ten new characters at us all at once. We are sticking fairly closely to three points of view - Lacey/Clarice, Adama, Graystone. And there are no good guys or bad guys here. They are all rather complicated. Plus the science-fiction component is rather topical, not to mention well written. It's believable in other words as opposed to fantastical. You can envision this world - which is rather interesting dark mirror of our own.
What I admire the most is the pacing and plot, tight, character driven, and moves quickly.
My attention doesn't waver and I find myself watching in real time. Haven't seen that done in a sci-fi show since well Torchwood:Children of the Earth.
The religion theme appears to be slightly controversial? I've noticed a few of the reviews I've read on lj are struggling with the soliders of the one god - or the fact that the monothesists are a bit of a fanatical cult, which contains terrorists? This doesn't bug me - because I see it as a rather dark reflection of our own world and religious issues. Christianity started out as an apocalyptic cult before it was instutionalized around 323 AD.
The first Christians believed they were the last generations of humans. I don't know if they were into killing people - history tells us they were rather peaceful and I haven't seen any documentation to state otherwise. While the polythesists were rather violent, sordid, decadent, and into excess - or so we are told by the stories that have survived. What Caprica proposes much like BSG before it - is does the religion really change who we are?
We learn in BSG that the differences between the polythesist humans and the monothesist cylons aren't that huge. And in Caprica - we see much the same thing. The two groups are far more similar than they'd like to admit. The question seems to be - does it matter who or what we believe in? And if so why? And most of all - why must everyone else share that belief?
Why are we forcing them to? These questions fascinate me - because I believe they lie at the root of the violent cultural conflicts that continue to shake our world. The fight over gay rights isn't really about gay rights so much as it is about a blatant intolerance for people who do not share our beliefs and values. Who do not believe as we do. Caprica kicks the gender issue to the curb, and focuses on what lies behind it. Focuses on the consequences of having to be right regardless of the cost.
Zoe. May I just say that I adore the actress playing Zoe. She's so perfect in this role - the exact opposit of the robot she's stuck inside. I know mileage varies on this quite a bit - But I think she's wickedly good in the role. And it is a difficult role. The role requires her to play three people simultaneously. Zoe - the human, the bright little girl, who aspired to change the world - who wanted to feel special and felt ignored and overlooked by her ridiculously successful parents. Who flirted with danger. And developed a computer avatar program which was almost an exact replica of herself. Zoe - the avatar - the computer program that the human version created. And the robot - the skeleton body, capable of ripping a human to shreds. Amazing character. Takes the cylon concept in BSG and ups the ante. We see the birth of the cylons - the creation of a new life form, who is struggling with the concept of god, or who it is. And the notion of parents. How to relate to them.
The scene in this week's episode where Zoe, watches as a silent robot sentinal, unbeknowest to her parents who believe her to be gone - argue about her involvement with the terrorists,
both banged up, and bruised because of it, and clinging to each other in grief and love and anger...to endure it - is brilliant. You watch Zoe, in pain, traumatized, quivering, while her robotic body doesn't move. The ghost inside the machine. Last week we watch her try to sit on her bed, and desperately ask her best friend Lacey to hug her. Hug me. And Lacey does.
Adama - who feels Tamara's presence, and then discovers that Graystone or rather Graystone's daughter was responsible for the deaths of both his wife and daughter. Plus Graystone brought Tamara back, only to scare her, then to lose her in the virtual reality zone which Joseph Adama does not understand. Overwhelmed with anger - he asks his brother to make them even.
Take out Graystone's wife.
We realize in the space of three episodes that Adama is by no means on the moral high-ground here. He is fairly corrupt. And there are clues in each episode. In the pilot - he orders a hit on a politician who does not do as he commands. And then in the third episode, we see that he bribes a judge, and has his brother beat up Graystone to get his way.
Eric Stolze's Graystone is a battered and pained genuis, rich, successful, yet struggling with what he's built and done. Clearly his daughter was his world. His wife, Amanda, is fascinating as well, no fragile weakling, tough as nails, railing at her daughter for her decisions and at herself for not doing a better job.
I have no idea where this story is going, which is a welcome change of pace. And I have no desire to be spoiled. I find it highly character driven, the themes to be thought-provoking,
and the metaphors layered and unobvious. It is a series that resonates with me on a level that neither Dollhouse nor Lost quite managed to. I think because it is more "initimate" less action based, less violent (which is odd to state since violence is in the tale but more restrained), and more dialogue driven. It also, unlike most shows on tv, explores gender issues and cultural orientation in a subtle intricate way...without too much or too little emphasis. The fact that Sam is gay and living with a male partner is handled no differently than if he were heterosexual with a female partner. It's not an issue. While Clarice's group marriage is discussed a bit more, yet it also is not a huge issue. The fact they aren't issues makes a much bigger statement than if they were.
I honestly think based on just these three episodes this is by far the best show I've seen this year. I even got my mother to watch it - which was a small accomplishment.
no subject
Date: 2010-02-06 09:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-06 11:12 pm (UTC)It's more about a society on the brink of dystopia - it can either way, than one that has been ruined and is racing to avoid extinction.
It happens 58 years before the events of BSG occur.
Last night's episode also had a few comical moments - that made me giggle. Granted I have a dark sense of humor, but there were a few scenes that were sort of funny.