Would you like some racism with your sci-fi?

When I first heard about the revival of the 1970-80's cult series Battlestar Galactica, I was amused. I had enjoyed the original series to a certain degree, and was curious as to how it would be revived by the Sci-Fi channel. Hearing that Ron Moore, one of the writers/producers of Star Trek: The Next Generation and several subsequent ST series, would be one of the producers of the show, filled me with some confidence. That confidence was shaken slightly, as it was with many fans of the original BG series, when it was announced that the gambler/rogue/lothario Starbuck--a fan favorite for decades--would be recast with a woman playing the part. This mild anguish had nothing to do with the fact of whether a woman could play the part, but rather how the character itself would change because a woman had been cast. It would be an odd thing to see Starbuck having sex and worrying about getting pregnant, or even to touch upon themes like that. It would be strange if Starbuck and old flying buddy Apollo developed sexual feelings for one another. Comparison: picture your best male friend suddenly choosing to have a sex change operation; he comes back as a totally hot SHE, and now you feel atraction when you know that inside, personality-wise, it's the same person you've always known. Sexist? Not entirely. Just...different. Odd.

The series debuted, Katee Sackhoff did a very competent job playing Starbuck(in spite of her dismal performance in "Halloween: Resurrection") and those fears were dispelled. However, another oddity had occurred: along with Starbuck's penis, somehow all the Black characters managed to also bid adieu to the Battlestar Galactica universe.

Why?

To say that the characters of Colonel Tigh(Terry Carter) and Boomer(Herb Jefferson) on that old 70's show were progressive at the time would be a bit much. However, along with Uhura from Star Trek, they did paint a very positive picture in prime time for all America and the world to see of intelligent, competent, professional African-Americans who were more than capable of holding their own among their white peers, and who rightly deserved the respect of same. When the initial drafting began for the "reimagined" Galactica, I can only imagine that the producers must have sat around the table trying to come up with fresh new changes to the series, in order to shake off the "campiness" of the 70's show. "Sure, change Starbuck to a woman--that'll get chat-rooms blazing and interest drummed up! Yeah, the ship should retain the basic design...but let's make it look like a war ship! Meaner, darker, nastier! Hey, we'll make Baltar not so power-hungry, so much as a nebbish who gets caught up in circumstances he can't control...sympathy for the devil, so to speak. Black characters? Fuck 'em!"

Now, that last part more than likely isn't how the actual conversation probably went down. Still, the producers have blatantly given the middle finger to African-Americans within their target audience by almost omitting us completely from their new universe. Yes, we have the beautiful and talented Kandyse McClure aboard, but only as a Petty Officer 2nd Class! She is barely given anything to do in the handful of episodes she has been in, and much like the character on South Park, should basically be addressed by her fellows as "token". As a Black male living in this New Millennium, I find it impossible to believe that during the entire casting process for this series, there weren't any capable African-American actors that might have been placed in the roles originated by Carter or Jefferson. This is especially shameful on the part of Mister Moore, who as a producer of a series like "Next Generation" which celebrated diversity on a constant basis, should have known better and seen where the lack of color among the cast might prove detrimental to the series as a whole. How could it be that in an era like the 70's, when blacks were in many ways worse off than now, a "campy" series like Battlestar Galactica could have 2 black males as prominent characters to serve as positive role models, yet at the dawn of the 21st Century--when we have had 2 blacks appointed to the inner circle of the President's advisors, and interracial dating is at an all-time high(thereby bringing a new understanding of the similarities we share as opposed to the differences)--a new vision of the show intentionally shuts us out?

Yes, the new Battlestar Galactica is doing extremely well in the ratings--for a cable show broadcast on Sci-Fi. Yes, it has Edward James Olmos, a Hispanic, as the lead and Korean-American actress Grace Park(our new "Boomer") among the cast, and I am glad for them. Yet its most blatant flaws are lain bare for all to see. I have several friends--Black, Hispanic, White and others--who admit the show is intriguing when they catch an episode, but who do not watch it regularly because of the lack of representation for Black people. Anyone I speak to who does watch the show on a regular basis can come up with no reasonable defense for why Blacks are not featured more prominently. They also agree, reluctantly, that Petty Officer 2nd Class Dualla is a token. A handout. A left-handed gift to appease and win over African-Americans in order to boost ratings.

I freely admit that at times when there's been absolutely nothing else to watch, I've caught an episode or two of the new Galactica. Yes, the stories are strong and intriguing to a degree...but the series as a whole is absolutely 100% worthless to me as a Black male. I find it shameful, disrespectful, vulgar and repulsive on every level to find that another show on tv has taken the disregard for African-Americans formerly held by the series "Friends"(what alternate reality version of New York were Ross and his buddies living in where there are virtually no minorities?) and upped it to a new level of disdain.

I will gladly never watch the series again, and although I face the wrath of BG's fans for posting this, I don't care. The new Battlestar Galactica is a blatantly racist show, and someone had to say it. I have no problem with incurring the slings and arrows, if so only as to make certain that the Sci-Fi channel and Ronald Moore are aware that not everyone watches tv with blinders on.

--Lance