Saturday, September 24, 2005
Edward James Olmos - Ultimate Macho Man
The new Battlestar Galactica has been hailed by critics as one of the smartest science fiction shows ever made and one of the best shows of any genre currently on TV.
One feature of the show that has been overlooked is that it is the most intensive exploration of the Latin American concept of machismo since I Love Lucy.
A quick review for those poor souls who don't follow the show:
All the men on the show have troubled relationships with women. Second-in-command Colonel Tigh is an alcoholic easily manipulated by his bitch-from-hell wife. Captain Apollo is constantly being dragged down by the emotional baggage of Captain Starbuck (female in this version). Gaius Balthur is so mezmerized by the sexuality of Six, the Cylon Mata Hari, that he, umm, "hallucinates" about her regularly. Most of the rest of the male crew are fighting each other over Lt. Sharon Valerii, a Cylon "sleeper" agent in more sense than one (she's not a robot - she's a bicycle).
And then there's Olmos' character, Commander Adama. Season One ended with President Laura Rosilyn interfering in military matters, so Adama declared martial law and threw her in jail. At the start of Season Two, he tracks down the traiterous Lt. Valerii, puts her in a chokehold, throws her in jail and puts a gun to her head whenever she gets out of line.
"Yo soy muy macho, pero tú eres muy hembra!"
Galactica plots often revolve around the battle
of wills between Adama and the President.
In the latest episode (the mid-season cliff-hanger), Galactica meets up with another surviving Battlestar commanded by Admiral Helena Cain. The Admiral starts trying to tell Adama how to run his ship, so he sends a crew of marines over to slap some sense into her.
The Battlestar Galactica is, after all, supposed to be "mankind's last hope"!
(Seriously, it's a great show. Don't form your opinion of it by this satire. Watch it, you won't regret it.)
posted by Mentok @ 7:04 p.m.,
