Editing Naturalistic science fiction

{{RDM science series}}

'''"Naturalistic science fiction"''' ('''NSF''') is a term used by [[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|Re-imagined ''Battlestar Galactica'']] co-creator [[Ronald D. Moore]] to describe that show's aesthetic. In a document distributed to the cast and crew, Moore stated the goal was "nothing less than the reinvention of the science fiction television series" by introducing "realism into what has heretofore been an aggressively unrealistic genre."<ref group="Book">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|pages=8}}</ref> The document was titled ''Battlestar Galactica: Naturalistic Science Fiction or Taking the Opera Out of Space Opera''.<ref group="Book">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|pages=19}}</ref>

NSF is meant to be a realistic take on the SF genre, with its roots in drama rather than adventure tales. It eschews science-fiction staples such as one-dimensional characterizations, clear-cut conceptions of good and evil, so-called "[[technobabble]]" (technical-sounding terms that have mostly been made up), and "[[Wikipedia:deus ex machina|deus ex machina]]" approaches (in which a seemingly intractable problem in the plot is solved using a previously-unknown technical capability). In the case of episodic drama like the re-imagined ''Battlestar Galactica'', there is also more of an effort at continuity - the events in one episode have visible effects in subsequent episodes, unlike other science-fiction shows in which episodes are more stand-alone. Naturalistic SF combines elements of [[Wikipedia:Soft science fiction|"soft" science fiction]] (where characterization is of prime importance) and [[Wikipedia:Hard science fiction|"hard" science fiction]] (where plausible technical accuracy is preferred). Fundamentally, it is a drama with sci-fi elements.

== Ron Moore's Essay on NSF ==
{{:Sources:RDM's essay on Naturalistic Science Fiction}}

== Analysis of NSF Principles in the Show==
===Characters===
For the [[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|new ''Battlestar Galactica'' series]], naturalistic science fiction means that characters are more three-dimensional. As Moore described in the series bible, "Our people are deeply flawed, deeply human characters. They are not, by nature, innately heroic or noble creatures. They are simply ordinary people who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances."<ref group="Book">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|pages=96}}</ref> There is an attempt to stay away from stereotypical archetypes in science fiction or adventure stories such as the "smoking chauvinist," "loyal soldier," "heroic lead," "spiritual commander," ''Spock-type alien'', or "whiz-kid genius."

The characters change over time, showing different facets of their personalities: President [[Laura Roslin]] begins the first season cautious and rule bound; by the second season she has ordered that a high-ranking military member be assassinated {{TRS|Resurrection Ship, Part I}} and attempts to steal an election ([[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]). The [[Cylon (RDM)|Cylon]]s, who in the beginning are out simply to destroy humanity, later have a change of heart, feeling guilty about the destruction they have brought about, and decide simply to enslave them ([[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II]]).

As a general rule, the characters of ''Battlestar Galactica'' are not carbon copies of character archetypes found in other TV science fiction. For example, instead of the "lovable, irascible doctor" like Dr. McCoy on ''Star Trek'', Major [[Sherman Cottle|Cottle]] is arrogant and rude to his patients.

====Counterpoints and aired contradiction====
Some characters in ''Battlestar Galactica'' do act like cliched sci-fi characters, though. Starbuck, as the rude and cocky pilot, fills a well-known archetype, similar to [[Wikipedia:Han Solo|Han Solo]] of ''[[Wikipedia:Star Wars|Star Wars]]''. Still, there are more facets to her personality than that: from the beginning she is plagued with guilt about her role in the death of [[Zak Adama]], and later her flying skills are perceived to have atrophied as a result of alcoholism and apathy (although Solo is also flawed with sheer recklessness, a passion for gambling, and distrust). Other characters occasionally fill in stereotypical sci-fi character staples; for example, Adama is reminiscent of the general gruff military officer staple, and the Cylons are (albeit superficially) similar to other fictional robot races, such as the machines from ''[[Wikipedia:The Terminator|Terminator]]'' and ''[[Wikipedia:The Matrix|The Matrix]]'', which are also machines that rebel against their human creators and take on human form.

===Technology===
'''Technology''' is far enough advanced for star travel to be possible (see: [[FTL]] travel) and plausible, yet every other aspect of Colonial technology is humbly realistic. Moore stated he wanted to avoid "high-tech ships with touch screens and talking computers" because they "tend to take human beings out of the dramatic equation."<ref group="Book">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|pages=18}}</ref> Instead of using technology such as [[Wikipedia:Star Trek|''Star Trek'']]{{'|s}} transporters, people need to be physically shuttled between ships on smaller craft like [[Raptor]]s. Fanciful ship defenses, such as photon torpedoes, shields and cloaking technology do not exist. Ships instead rely on point defense batteries, hull plating and stellar anomalies to foil enemy DRADIS and defeat their enemies.

Energy weapons such as ''Star Trek'''s phasers and photon torpedoes are replaced with ordinary projectile weapons and Earthly mass-destruction ordnance: guns, bullets and nuclear bombs. Technology looks familiar to the viewer, from the old-style telephones to computer screens to the bathrooms.

The design of ''Galactica'' itself was based on real-life World War II submarines and aircraft carriers, with the creative team describing the concept as "''Das Boot'' in space."<ref group="Book">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|pages=136}}</ref> The command center of the ship, the [[CIC]], is buried deep within the ship for maximum protection, unlike ''Star Trek'' Federation starships, whose bridges are openly exposed. Also unlike ''Star Trek'', in which starships could be involved in battles and suffer near crippling damage, only to appear pristine in the next episode, ''Galactica'''s damage remains consistent throughout the series.

====Counterpoints and Aired Contradiction====
A seemingly large violation of this rule is Laura Roslin's sudden cancer cure in "[[Epiphanies]]," and tied in with that, the ability of Cylons and humans to conceive children such as [[Hera Agathon|Hera]], given the unlikely blend of Cylon physiology to human physiology and the Cylons' continued use of [[silica pathways]] in humanoid Cylons (this is illustrated on copies of [[Aaron Doral]] and [[Leoben Conoy]] at [[Ragnar Anchorage]]). The "naturalistic science fiction" concept clearly applies more to Colonial technology than to Cylon technology, which is much more advanced.

===No "Deus Ex Machina" Concepts===
Characters like [[Saul Tigh|Colonel Tigh]] are annoyed by endless [[technobabble]]. Complex procedures needed to further the plot are often explained in context to the episode in simple and down-to-earth terms, if they're ever explained at all.

When technology is mentioned, it is typically analogous to something found on the real-world Earth. Terms such as "[[stims]]," "[[morpha]]," "[[DRADIS]]" and "[[wireless]]" have somewhat-familiar real-world counterparts.

''Galactica'' and its Fleet have to be creative with the very limited resources in the Fleet. They cannot barter with other civilizations (as there aren't any) or make parts with "replication technology." They have a limited supply of everything: [[Viper (RDM)|fighters]], ammunition, food, water, and people.

====Counterpoints and Aired Contradiction====
Again, Roslin's cancer cure by [[Gaius Baltar]] suggests a sudden and undesirable use of the deus ex machina tactic to further a plot line (the survival of the child later known as [[Hera Agathon|Hera]]). Also, [[Sharon Valerii|Boomer]] is often involved in unlikely scenarios that further the Cylon aspect of her character, the discovery of water and tylium just a few examples of this phenomenon.

===Space is big...and lonely===
There are no "planet-of-the-week" episodes. The Fleet does not encounter a new planet or. culture every week as is typically done in episodes of ''Star Trek'' and ''Stargate'' (or to a certain extent the 1978 Original Series). The universe remains so big as to appear almost empty, with the odds of meeting other intelligent beings practically nil. Many ''[[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|Battlestar Galactica]]'' episodes primarily focus on internal Fleet survival issues ("[[Water]]," "[[Bastille Day]]," and "[[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]").

Humanoid or other intelligent life (save that of the Fleet's nemesis, the human-created [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]]) does not exist, as almost all of the encountered planets will be mostly uninhabitable and lifeless.

====Counterpoints and Aired Contradiction====
Whether intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe, and whether it is in fact common, has long been a controversial issue, and a matter of speculation. At the moment, there is no way to know whether the "naturalistic science fiction" approach to exterrestrial life is in fact the accurate one.

===Storytelling and music===
[[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|''Battlestar Galactica'']] avoids the thematic elements found in ''[[Wikipedia:Star Trek|Star Trek]]''. The series has a [[Wikipedia:Documentary film|documentary-style, ''cinema verite'']] visual feel, with the effects designed to have a "handheld-camera look" that makes viewers feel they are watching events unfold in real time.<ref group="Book">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|pages=144}}</ref> The [[Music of Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|music]] stands in contrast to the more standard orchestral overtures used in other science fiction, with the producers wanting to avoid "the usual sort of orchestral bombast."<ref group="Book">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|pages=152}}</ref>

====Counterpoints and Aired Contradiction====
Arguably, several ceremonies conducted on the show were appropriate times for traditional Western martial overtures or marches {{TRS|Miniseries|Act of Contrition|Pegasus}}, and they could have been used based on the parallels between the [[Colonial Fleet (TRS)|Colonial Fleet]] and modern armed forces; given this, their exclusion may be a loss of authenticity for some.

==Notes and references==
{{reflist|group="Book"}}

== External Links ==
*[[Wikipedia:Hard science fiction|Hard Science Fiction]]
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20070208103915/http://www.galactica2003.net/articles/concept.shtml Ron Moore's essay] on naturalistic science fiction as it related to ''Battlestar Galactica''.

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