Why You Should Watch Battlestar Galactica

A couple friends asked me several months ago to explain why someone should watch Battlestar Galactica. The husband is a fan like me, but his wife could not see the appeal. When I asked her why, she responded with, "Why would I want to watch something where people always die and everybody is depressed all the time?"

I have to admit, I had no answer. After all, she had a very good point; Battlestar Galactica (or, BSG) is a very dark show. It follows the 50,000 survivors of an attack against humanity by the Cylons, which were the man-made robot servants who became aware and rebelled. Twelve colonies (planets) were invaded, and human civilization was absolutely destroyed. Only those who were already on the Battlestar Galactica, the Battlestar Pegasus or on a few civilian ships that had been mid-transport survived. Galactica had just been ceremoniously retired and was about to become a flying museum, Pegasus had used the Faster Than Light (FTL) capability to "jump" away before the Cylons could destroy it, and the civilians were just plain lucky. They had very limited supplies, very limited crew, and no idea about where to go after the attack (though they eventually decide to find a mythical planet called "Earth"). Initially, those on Galactica did not realize the Pegasus had survived; they thought they were alone with a fleet of civilian ships...it is not until the second season that the Pegasus finds the Galactica.

But the point is that it's a struggle. They are racing against time to find supplies and Earth. They are racing the Cylons, because the Cylons are trying to finish the job they started on the colonies. They are flying through space, so if they are to replenish any supplies, they must find them on unknown planets, moons and asteroids. Though there is a fleet of ships, they all live in tight quarters and have very little privacy. The show mostly centers around the military on the Galactica, especially the Viper pilots (think fighter pilots in space) who have very specialized training and limited replacements when they are tired or run-down. Like I said earlier, it is a dark, heavy show. So why would you want to go through that every week?

Because no matter how hard it gets, no matter how exhausted or frustrated or beat-up they get, the people keep fighting. They show us the frailty of humanity, and the strength. When they fall, they pick themselves back up and try to make it better, because what other choice do they have? Yes, it may be an emotionally tasking television experience, but that's because no matter how sci fi it is, it's real. They are relatable, and they show us that there is always hope, in any situation. And that is why you should watch Battlestar Galactica. Because when you realize how much humanity is capable of, you realize just how possible your own goals are.