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A Frak in my Resolve

Many months ago your friendly neighborhood Geek wrote an article about all forms of entertainment being legit. That perhaps Geeks need to stop the hating and simply come to terms with the fact that any well made program, movie, or comic was worthy of support. It didn’t matter if you personally thought the work was Bantha poodoo. One Geek’s Predator 2 was another’s Predator... Thankfully, a wholly bitter and right minded rock star showed me the hippy’esqu error of my ways and reminded me that my Geek anger is what made me strong. That pointing out what was crap and what was fried gold was my mission in life. Perhaps even my divine calling. His words ringing true, I have never again strayed into the Dark Side. Although the temptation is still there... Like before, the temptation is founded within the Sci-Fi channel’s Battlestar Galactica.

How long can I hold out?

Its like this, ever since I first read about Glen A Larson and the Sci-Fi channel producing new episodes of Battlestar Galactica; yet having nothing to do with the original series but the names and a couple of ships I have been against it. It just struck me as a blatant attempt to cash-in on the ever-gullible Geek community. (Yes, I said it, gullible. I can accept that my people will fall for darn near anything. More so if it taps our childhood.). Well, not this Geek. As a one Jean Luc Picard once stated rather emphatically, "The line must be drawn...here! This far, no further!" By no means would I devote any time, money, or emotion to this new Battlestar. This oh-so obvious pulling of my wee Geek years. My resolve was strengthened when I read an interview from lead actor Edward James Olmos who stated that the pilot was crap, not to let kids watch it, and it was nothing more than a paycheck job for him. Excellent, I thought, I had chosen well. The pilot was released to strong (by Sci-Fi channel standards) ratings guaranteeing the pilot would give birth to an ongoing series. I didn’t care. I had my resolves. I had my Geek cred. I had Richard Hatch on my side. Hell, I had Jaime Escalante at my side!

Then it happened... the growing betrayal...

First, critics began claiming that this new Battlestar Galactica was well written, with excellent performances, and had special effects that would rival many Hollywood features. So what? I didn’t care. Not all the wonderfully crafted stories in the 13 tribes of Cobol still changed the fact the show was still banking on my memories. It would have been one thing if the show just picked up where the original series ended. (The real series...not Galactica 1980, the Baywatch Nights of the Galactica franchise). Then Richard Hatch, tired of dumping what little money he had left into his own failed Galactica re-launch, made nice with Larson and got himself a guest shot on the show. (Though still "fighting the good fight with the other true fans"...Tool). Fans, which only a few months before had stood by my side in defiance, were now steadfast Galactica 2.0 fans. Benedict Arnolds, the lot of them! Then it happened. The final backstab in my Geek crusade to stay strong. Edward James Olmos, the man who turned Lou Diamond Phillips from cold hard gangsta into a fine respectable doctor, had betrayed me. There he was giving interview after interview stating how powerful the show was. Backpedaling on his earlier comments. This new Galactica was timely, well-written, and he was honored to be a part of it. Crap. Was I wrong? Was I simply being a hardnosed fool? I didn’t know what to do...

Enter NetFlix.

NetFlix was to be my salvation. Filled with shame the likes of which I have not felt since... Hell, since ever, I added the first disc of Battlestar Galactica to my queue. Still, my resolve, though damaged, would not cave in. Month after month I kept bumping the disc lower and lower on my queue. Pushing new releases and long lost gems ahead of disc 1. Even now, almost 4 months having passed since I first added the disc to my queue I have yet to allow Battlestar Galactica to enter my mailbox. However, I don’t know how much longer my resolve can hold-out. People whose opinions I respect are now telling me to "get over it", that the show is "one of the best shows being produced". To make matters worse... I know the Pegasus makes an appearance. With hot Ensign Roe at the command. I just don’t know how much longer I can hold out... Or, if I even should anymore...

Frak.