8.28.2008

AARON DOUGLAS SPOILER - MISDIRECTION?

The online world is ablaze with discussion of a supposed "massive" spoiler by actor Aaron Douglas about the Final Five Cylons and their origins and outcomes in the new issue of a British Sci-Fi magazine SFX #174 [the supposed spoiler is linked here - you must highlight the hidden text - and don't click and don't read it if you don't want to know, obviously] . Personally, I think it is calculated misdirection to throw off the fans yet keep them energized. It would be hard to believe that Douglas, who gets the starring role in the post-series Cylon-centric telemovie, would be so loose-lipped. I'm sure his non-disclosure agreement carries penalties. If it is true, or mostly true, then clearly the BSG story has been morphed and shaped in service to conforming it with the Caprica story. If so, then Slot A may fit into Tab B, but its functional prose certainly has trumped its former artistic poetry and the tail is now wagging the dog. What had been so compelling about the new Battlestar Galactica was its relentless propulsion forward to destiny - the gnawing mysteries were to be answered and the underlying logic of the universe would be revealed. If the time-loop aspect of the story (you know the refrain: "All of this has happened before, and all of it will happen again.") is going to be addressed, one hopes they won't muck it up. The brilliant and sometimes campy series Lexx used the repeating cycles of time theme beautifully - so it can be done well.

3 comments:

Buck said...

I hope Ron Moore isn't setting us all up for a gotcha by touting the ending so much. The 'spoiler' didn't seem so spoilery to me, and I hope he spends time on how the characters deal with it, and less time on setting up 'the reveal.' It was the emphasis on character that made 33 such an excellent episode, not a reveal or twist.

I believe BSG's strength lies in the characters, not plot twists that can be ruined by spoilers.

Anonymous said...

"If it is true, or mostly true, then clearly the BSG story has been morphed and shaped in service to conforming it with the Caprica story."

What do you mean, specifically? I don't see anything directly related to the Caprica series in there.

radii said...

@anon,

I meant in terms of theme.

Sounds like they're going to do a gritty, literal Cylon story with guns and insurgents and moving-of-the-chess-pieces rather than get into their heads and show it from their POV.