One thing that always fascinated me about "Battlestar Galactica" was the existence of a separate species of humans who developed their own advanced civilisation which was, in many ways, very similar to our early 21st Century one and in others very different. While the premise of that series precluded it from exploring this society in any depth beyond the occasional use of flashbacks (which I wish had been used more frequently), such exploration is this series' bread and butter.
Through the Graystones, we are presented with a privileged and rather decadent section of society which is intoxicated by its own success. Through the Adamas, we are presented with the ordinary lives of reasonably successful but not rich people in the richest of the Twelve Colonies in the case of Joseph and his family and the criminal underworld of the Twelve Colonies in the case of Joseph's brother Sam as well as the Ha'la'tha. Since our society has multiple dimensions to it, both good and bad, it makes sense that the same would be true of both Caprica and the Twelve Colonies as a whole. Often in science fiction, alien societies can be rather one note but this certainly isn't true of this one, which is human and yet rather alien to the audience. Caprica City feels entirely real. It reminds me of New York City as it strikes me as a city that never sleeps but it could really be a stand-in for any major city in the mid to late 20th Century or early 21st Century.
Given its advanced technology such as household robots (the use of which seems to be confined to the rather rich) and holobands (seemingly more readily available to the public if the V Club is anything to go by), the series' universe seems rather futuristic, perhaps 40 to 50 years ahead of us. However, it also feels somewhat retrofuturistic given that the most of the men's clothes look like they are straight out of the 1950s, not to mention the fact that household robots and robots in general are frequently seen in such stories. Another manner in which the series' atmosphere seems reminiscent of the 1950s is the very open racism exhibited towards Tauron, whose people are frequently referred to using the racist epithet "dirt eaters." While in our society racism has certainly not gone away, such frequent displays of racism in public are quite unusual in 2013 as many bigots confine their comments to the Internet where they think that they are anonymous. That is another manner in which the series seems retrofuturistic as, in this regard and possibly others, its societal development seems out of step with its technological development. In some respects, it feels like a period drama crossed with a science fiction one.
In other respects, however, it is a very early 21st Century series. The Soldiers of the One tie into the modern fear of terrorists and, like the most effective spies and terrorists, blend into their environment like a chameleon if Sister Clarice Willow, the principal of the Athena Academy, is anything to go by. In fact, they are quite similar to the Cylons in that respect. Given that the Cylons' belief in a single, all powerful god came from the Centurions rather than the Final Five, I'm very curious to see the connection between the Cylons and the STO. Furthermore, Ben Stark's suicide bombing of the Lev train illustrates how dangerous and pervasive terrorist organisations and religious cults can be as the Soldiers of the One were able to indoctrinate a previously good and decent 16-year-old boy into not only sacrificing his own life for their ideals and beliefs but murdering his girlfriend and dozens of innocent strangers as a demonstration of the frightening strength of their resolve and their power over the minds of the vulnerable. As with its parent series, "Caprica" is certainly not afraid to tackle the more unpleasant aspects of modern society and even humanity. Such total and unwavering devotion to anything – be it politics or religion – fascinates me from an intellectual point of view but absolutely terrifies me from an emotional one. I have to admit that the latter always wins out over the former.
As well as exploring the best and worst that humanity has to the offer, the series also considers the question of what it means to be human, one of the oldest ideas in philosophical thought, let alone science fiction. The Zoe Graystone who was raised by her parents and lived in the outside world may have been killed in the Lev train explosion but another Zoe, a virtual avatar named Zoe A, survives in cyberspace. However, she is more than just a mere echo of a dead girl. While she was created by collecting all available information relating to Zoe's personality, likes, dislikes, etc. rather than copying her personality directly, the two Zoes are practically indistinguishable. Zoe A knows that she is not a person in the conventional sense but nevertheless feels and, after considerable reluctance on both of their parts, is accepted as being one by her best friend Lacy Rand and her father Daniel Graystone. On the other hand, Joseph Adama is more reluctant to acknowledge the virtual version of his late daughter Tamara as being human, let alone his child. He describes creating life and cheating death as being an "abomination," though seemingly not due to religious convictions as he had previously told his brother Sam that he did not believe in the gods. He tells his young son Willie, who has been severely depressed since the deaths of his mother and sister, that they are dead and are not coming back. However, I have a feeling that he may come around eventually, just as Graystone did.
Through the Graystones, we are presented with a privileged and rather decadent section of society which is intoxicated by its own success. Through the Adamas, we are presented with the ordinary lives of reasonably successful but not rich people in the richest of the Twelve Colonies in the case of Joseph and his family and the criminal underworld of the Twelve Colonies in the case of Joseph's brother Sam as well as the Ha'la'tha. Since our society has multiple dimensions to it, both good and bad, it makes sense that the same would be true of both Caprica and the Twelve Colonies as a whole. Often in science fiction, alien societies can be rather one note but this certainly isn't true of this one, which is human and yet rather alien to the audience. Caprica City feels entirely real. It reminds me of New York City as it strikes me as a city that never sleeps but it could really be a stand-in for any major city in the mid to late 20th Century or early 21st Century.
Given its advanced technology such as household robots (the use of which seems to be confined to the rather rich) and holobands (seemingly more readily available to the public if the V Club is anything to go by), the series' universe seems rather futuristic, perhaps 40 to 50 years ahead of us. However, it also feels somewhat retrofuturistic given that the most of the men's clothes look like they are straight out of the 1950s, not to mention the fact that household robots and robots in general are frequently seen in such stories. Another manner in which the series' atmosphere seems reminiscent of the 1950s is the very open racism exhibited towards Tauron, whose people are frequently referred to using the racist epithet "dirt eaters." While in our society racism has certainly not gone away, such frequent displays of racism in public are quite unusual in 2013 as many bigots confine their comments to the Internet where they think that they are anonymous. That is another manner in which the series seems retrofuturistic as, in this regard and possibly others, its societal development seems out of step with its technological development. In some respects, it feels like a period drama crossed with a science fiction one.
In other respects, however, it is a very early 21st Century series. The Soldiers of the One tie into the modern fear of terrorists and, like the most effective spies and terrorists, blend into their environment like a chameleon if Sister Clarice Willow, the principal of the Athena Academy, is anything to go by. In fact, they are quite similar to the Cylons in that respect. Given that the Cylons' belief in a single, all powerful god came from the Centurions rather than the Final Five, I'm very curious to see the connection between the Cylons and the STO. Furthermore, Ben Stark's suicide bombing of the Lev train illustrates how dangerous and pervasive terrorist organisations and religious cults can be as the Soldiers of the One were able to indoctrinate a previously good and decent 16-year-old boy into not only sacrificing his own life for their ideals and beliefs but murdering his girlfriend and dozens of innocent strangers as a demonstration of the frightening strength of their resolve and their power over the minds of the vulnerable. As with its parent series, "Caprica" is certainly not afraid to tackle the more unpleasant aspects of modern society and even humanity. Such total and unwavering devotion to anything – be it politics or religion – fascinates me from an intellectual point of view but absolutely terrifies me from an emotional one. I have to admit that the latter always wins out over the former.
As well as exploring the best and worst that humanity has to the offer, the series also considers the question of what it means to be human, one of the oldest ideas in philosophical thought, let alone science fiction. The Zoe Graystone who was raised by her parents and lived in the outside world may have been killed in the Lev train explosion but another Zoe, a virtual avatar named Zoe A, survives in cyberspace. However, she is more than just a mere echo of a dead girl. While she was created by collecting all available information relating to Zoe's personality, likes, dislikes, etc. rather than copying her personality directly, the two Zoes are practically indistinguishable. Zoe A knows that she is not a person in the conventional sense but nevertheless feels and, after considerable reluctance on both of their parts, is accepted as being one by her best friend Lacy Rand and her father Daniel Graystone. On the other hand, Joseph Adama is more reluctant to acknowledge the virtual version of his late daughter Tamara as being human, let alone his child. He describes creating life and cheating death as being an "abomination," though seemingly not due to religious convictions as he had previously told his brother Sam that he did not believe in the gods. He tells his young son Willie, who has been severely depressed since the deaths of his mother and sister, that they are dead and are not coming back. However, I have a feeling that he may come around eventually, just as Graystone did.