Naturalistic science fiction

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Summary

Naturalistic science fiction (NSF) is a realistic take on the SF genre, avoiding typical SF cliches, utilizing visual and artistic elements from such dramas as "The Sopranos", "24" and "The West Wing". Naturalistic SF blends the best elements of "soft" science fiction (where characterization is of prime importance) and "hard" science fiction (where plausible technical accuracy is preferred). Fundamentally, it is a drama with sci-fi elements.

Analysis of NSF Principles in the Show

Characters

For the new "Battlestar Galactica" series naturalistic SF means that characters are viewed as normal, every-day people, complete with flaws, neuroses, and even addictions. There will be no stereotypical SF characters such as the "smoking chauvinist", "loyal soldier", "heroic lead", "spiritual commander", "whiz-kid genius", or "sexy doctor".

Counterpoints and Aired Contradiction

As a general rule, the characters of "Battlestar Galactica" aren't carbon copies of character architypes found in other TV science fiction. One character does stand out as a copy of the "iracible doctor:" Major Cottle. The character's influence on the show, however, appears quite positive and Cottle himself is an interesting person in his own right.

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. Instead of using technology such as "Star Trek's" transporters, people need to be physically shuttled between ships on smaller craft like Raptors.

Colonial ships are not powered by "dylithium crystals" housed inside "warp cores" , but from tylium, a powerful solid substance with interesting properties that's mined from planets and asteroids and refined. The one similarity is that neither subtance actually exists.

Energy weapons such as "Star Trek's" phasers and photon torpedoes are replaced with ordinary projectile weapons and Earthly mass-destruction ordinance: guns, bullets and nuclear bombs. Other SF "deus ex machina"-style comparatatively fanciful technologies are avoided entirely or replaced with technology more in line with what's seen in modern life on Earth today. If the Fleet runs out of water, Galactica can't "invent" some device to reclaim the water molecules from spaceborne hydrogen molecules--they search for a planetary body that has water (Water). Technology looks familar to the viewer, from the phones, computer screens, and even the bathrooms.

Much like Aaron Doral noted in the opening of the Miniseries, form follows function when it comes to the ship designs. Galactica is designed as a battle cruiser / aircraft carrier in space; the hull is lined with armor plating, strengthened by structural ribbing and insulated from external explosions by internal structures such as water tanks (Water). The command center of the ship, the CIC, is buried deep within the ship and protected from any attacks, unlike Star Trek's starships, whose bridges are openly exposed at the top-center of the ship on most classes, as few are technically designated for war.

Many Colonial civilian ships are spaceborne variations of ships you may see in the air or at sea in the real-world Earth. Colonial One is designed to be a jetliner in space and is set up similar to a real world passenger airliner with rows of seats separated into various classes down the fuselage, cramped airplane bathrooms, cargo bays in the ship's underbelly and private cabins for VIPs. (They may even have those dry complementary peanut snacks or the free drink.)

Counterpoints and Aired Contradiction

Sometimes that the lack of substantial technology discussion by characters creates a deus ex machina situation where a situation just "resolves itself." The largest violation of these may include Laura Roslin's unlikely and highly problematic cancer cure in "Epiphanies" and the ability of Cylon and human to conceive children such as Hera, given the unlikely blend of Cylon physiology to human physiology and the Cylon's continued use of Silica pathways in Cylon agents. This was illustrated on copies of Aaron Doral and Leoben Conoy at Ragnar Anchorage (Miniseries).

No "Deus Ex Machina" Concepts

Characters like 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's typically analogous to something found on the real-world Earth. Dialogue such as "stims", "morpha", "DRADIS" and "wireless" will seem familiar enough when used in context to most casual viewers.

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: fighters, ammunition, food, water, and people. Specialized crewmembers, such as pilots and doctors, are in even shorter supply. In "Battlestar Galactica's" world, they don't have a homebase or a parent government: What they are and what they have is literally visible in every episode--and everything is wearing or running out, adding to the drama of the characters. This is can be seen in the deteriorating conditions of Galactica's Vipers, which began the Miniseries in pristine condition, but, through extended use, all now have significant battle damage, burns, scars, scrapes and dents; several have been damaged beyond repair (Flight of the Phoenix).

Counterpoints and Aired Contradiction

Again, Roslin's cancer cure by Gaius Baltar suggest 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).

Space Remains 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." The universe remains so big as to appear almost empty, with the odds of meeting other intelligent beings (excluding, perhaps, remnants of the Thirteenth Tribe) practically nil. A majority of Battlestar Galactica's episodes primarily focus on internal Fleet survival issues ("Water", "Bastille Day", and "The Hand of God").

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

The characters do speak of animals from the now Cylon-occupied Colonies, and they share most of the names we use in the real-world Earth: chickens, dogs, cattle, and cats existed on their worlds. This naming is done mostly to make it easier for the viewers to identify with the characters and to prevent writers from having to invent a new animal.

Curiously similar animals have been observed, after a fashion, on other worlds besides the Twelve Colonies. Socinus notes while on Kobol that he is able to listen to the birds in the trees for the first time since the Cylon attack (Scattered).

Counterpoints and Aired Contradiction

Laymen and some scientists argue that the sparceness of Earth-like worlds is arguably implausible, with the assumption that there are billions of star systems with life-bearing potential in the Milky Way Galaxy alone. However, this assumption remains without fact to support it at this time as Earth-based scientific resources are incapable of detecting such planets in the Milky Way. While a numerous amount of large gas giant planets have been located thus far surrounding other stars in the galaxy, none of these are life-supporting. Further, in the fictional (and more techologically advanced) universe of the show, Galactica's own resources have proved incapable of finding life-supporting worlds: they find Kobol and New Caprica out of happenstance and not design or exploration.

Storytelling and Music

"Battlestar Galactica" avoids the thematic elements found in "Star Trek". The series story is told chronolgically in episodic storytelling, using a documentary-style, cinema verite visual feel and tribal music that gives the series a more multi-cultural sound texture than the overly-used flags-and-banners overtures used in "Star Trek," "Star Wars," and the original Battlestar Galactica.

Counterpoints and Aired Contradiction

While the music of the show is a pleasent change for some, the lack of use of leifmotifs to cue viewers on characters and situations compels the viewer to "watch" the show for changes, rather than "listen."

Related Articles

• Science in the Re-imagined Series

External Links

• Reprint of RDM's Take on Naturalistic SF
• Hard Science Fiction