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BSG 3x16 - Dirty Hands
I found this episode really interesting! I have thoughts:
- I am sekritly very fond of episodes that talk about the politics of daily life in the Fleet. Devoid of epidemics and serious crises and Cylons and military missions - just the slow, grinding problems that arise from having 40,000 people trapped in spaceships, on the run.
- We've had For The Good Of The Fleet hammered into us since the miniseries, but the last few episodes have been about personal discontent starting to show through. Starbuck and Adama (and, I think, by now: Roslin) wouldn't be doing anything but what they ARE doing, but some people are just doing it because of duty. And now they're starting to wonder if the needs of the Fleet SHOULD automatically override personal freedom and preference: Lee with his law books, looking at them and thinking what if, but retaining enough of his inherited sense of duty to put them aside for when we all have time. Seelix with her fierce desire to gain her wings. It's about breaking free of what's expected of you.
- The idea of the emerging aristocracy is pastede on yey, yes, but I think legitimately so; after all, Baltar was QUITE happy to dwell in that figurative aristocracy, but he's going to do everything he can to sway public favour before his trial, and we know he's excellent at making himself the vox populi. He's taken a leaf out of Zarek's book there, and he's exploiting the childhood that he's tried very hard to escape (what was expected. break free.) because it's the only thing left. It's sneaky and distracting and very, very clever. The class problem may not have been very salient at all, but it's suddenly a talking point. (Also, fuck, James Callis was AWESOME in that scene where he slips back into the Aerlon accent. It gave me serious shivers.)
(- As a sidenote, I was fascinated by the Baltar backstory because I wrote my own version a long, long time ago. Before I'd seen S2. And I'm pleased by the parallels: I had him coming from Aerlon, hating his poverty-stricken background, and escaping to Caprica as soon as possible. Because that's who Gaius Baltar IS. You just have to look at him to see that he's compensating for a bad beginning.)
- I like that Adama and Roslin aren't necessarily right. I like that everyone has a valid excuse for acting the way they are. I like the moral ambiguity. I LOVE that the Chief makes a speech about inherited occupations and Roslin concedes the point and does something about it. I will never be even HALF as cool as Laura Roslin.
- Once again I am reminded that no other show has cinematography & music like this: camera work that's dark and rough and unconventional; especially in this episode, which wants to uproot us from the insulation of Galatica and show us the dirty, depressing side of what's going on. It's fearless. It's uncomfortable. And the music followed suit: if you think about the 'Adama & Roslin theme', and Passacaglia, and Wander My Friends, all of the songs we associate with (if we buy into the parlance for a moment) the 'aristocracy', they're full of elegant strings and wind, neat and structured. This episode's music was twangy. Firefly-like. Definitely the music of tradespeople.
- 'It's called a mutiny' - huh. Good that they're not forgetting the civilian/military division and the problems that it causes. Enlisted officers do NOT unionise. But fuel refinery workers can. Interesting that half of the general strike is valid and half of it is, technically, grounds for court-martialling and even execution, even though the workers differ little in conditions and demands. Tyrol's point is good. But Adama's is just as good. Insubordination can't start to happen aboard the ship.
- Theme: we've been thinking about humanity for so long that we've started to neglect people. But which, in the end, is more important?
- ENGAGED IN COLLECTIVE BARGAINING. Oh, Roslin. Roslin who stood up to Adar on behalf of the teacher's union. Nobody living knows about that. (I would also like to point out that the music during their negotiations is a blend of classic strings and faint twang!)
- AWWWW STARBUCK AND SEELIX. Starbuck in full God mode. Seelix looking so shattered when Tyrol salutes her. And then Kara's little grin-and-scoff.
- I wish, wish, wish Tom Zarek would show up and weigh in on this. Personal redefinition. Taking a stand (going on strike. blowing up a government building.). Breaking free. Keep in mind that Lee Adama read Tom Zarek's book (which was circulated underground) in war college. THIS is Politics In Space. I think I'm destined to be frustrated because I'm catching glimpses of a show-concept so broad and gritty it takes my breath away, and I don't think it'll ever be fully realised, but right now I am still convinced that this show is one of the best things out there. The problems come when it can't decide whether to be about mythology and religious interpretation, or about killing robots, or about love quadrangles, or about the politics of an all-but-wiped-out human race.
S1 managed to combine all four. I'm crossing my fingers that the threads start to come together again.
NEXT WEEK - LEOBEN BONANZA OMG. I can't wait.
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Actually, when the refinery guy (Fenner?) was quoting from "the book," at first I thought he was talking about Zarek's book. It would be so cool if they bring Zarek back into play... after all, he was Baltar's adviser before the election, wasn't he?
Good point about the breaking free - nice parallel across eps. And I quite liked the musical shift. Now that I think about it, isn't it similar to the theme we first heard on Pegasus, in Gina's cell? Which featured... Baltar. But also Pegasus (IIRC) was something of a break from the music we were used to hearing up to that point. (aha! Just checked Bear's blog (http://www.bearmccreary.com/html/blog/blogmain.htm). Same instrument! So, a nice musical analogue to what I assume is a shift in the episode pacing and focus from here on out.
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What I find interesting is how we've gone through such a complete political paradigm shift in terms of the Roslin-Baltar-Zarek trifecta. In 'Colonial Day', Roslin recruited smooth-talking Baltar to be her aristocratic second in the face of Tom Zarek, the socialist friend of the working man. They were high ideals. He was dirty pragmatism - remember his comments on obselete jobs/currency/systems of society?
And THEN we had Baltar and Zarek on the ticket against Roslin, united by their love of power and Baltar's newfound sense of self-righteousness. They were both playing games there.
And NOW, we have Roslin and VP Zarek, who appears to have been tamed by what occured on New Caprica when he and Laura were the part of the oppressed underclass (Gaius and the Cylons being the aristocrats: which gives you something of a hint as to Gaius' genius in pulling up this class divide, as it has such echoes of the staggering status gap between humans and Cylons on the planet settlement). Zarek and Roslin have mutual respect and mutual hatred of Baltar and
lots of sex!!1!something of an agreement to play nice.Where things stand, then: Roslin's VPs have effectively switched platforms, with Tom (we assume: we haven't seen him) supporting her and Baltar frantically establishing himself as the one who has the interests of the lower class at heart.
Which is why I WANT TO KNOW where Tom stands on this. And Lee, too, actually, because he tends to have allegiances to ideas rather than to people.
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Mmmm, it's such a lovely dance! Politicians play this game all the time - recasting their histories - but at least when your civilization isn't on the run from the Cylons there's half a chance that someone will dig up the 'truth'.
Not that I think we'll get to see much of this, but I wonder how much of all this the rest of the Fleet sees, or is allowed to see. As viewers we've got an omniscient view of all the machinations and treacheries, but the civilians, in particular, probably don't get much beyond what's broadcast via wireless, and word of mouth. I for one totally think it's plausible that people have forgotten (or are conveniently looking past) Baltar's collaboration on New Cap. They're back in their tin cans, with fewer resources, and Baltar's saying the things they're thinking. Powerful stuff.
And it would be wild if Lee gets swept up in all this, and picks the 'wrong' side in service of another ideal. Now I need me one of those [Lee+democracy=OTP] icons! *g*
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Because my instinctive reaction (and that of the people I was watching with) was to assume that he could have been lying about that as well, actually. (Assuming, of course, that his sudden interest in the plight of the common worker and
space-communismclass issues in the fleet is mostly born from self-preservation, rather than genuine concern.)This, however, is mostly because I love Baltar most when he's a greasy little weasel, so. *shrugs*
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