A Dash of Caprica

Like Holly, I have a Sci-Fi geek side. I followed the X-files from the beginning, but did not stick around for its lousy Mulder-free ending. “Fringe” is a worthy successor to that show with its consistent weirdness, sexy partners and overall mythology. I have also gotten caught up in the “Lost” phenomenon in spite of the hype. Even though I enjoy it, I am thankful it is coming to an end this year. Don’t tell Holly I watch these network shows. She’s all about cable.

I also watched the 70’s incarnation of “Battlestar Galactica” but not the recent one. All I know about the more recent version is that a really hot chick plays Starbuck. That kind of messes with my head. Someone suggested I watch the two-hour pilot/premiere of Caprica, which I did with no great expectations.

The rave scene initially put me off because I did not watch far enough to see that it was a virtual fantasy. I was afraid it was yet another dystopian future ala’ “Blade Runner.” Watching further on a second attempt, I found myself intrigued by the idea of monotheism being cult-like and extreme.

The virtual reality holo-thingy did not seem as original as the sheet of paper that served as an email provider. I like the contrast of the mundane with the futuristic. If you disagree with a call playing tennis, you can activate little sensors to be the line judge for you. Even though there are laser rifles, you can still get offed by a good old-fashioned knife. Joseph drives a car straight out of the American 1950’s.

The Taurons seem to reflect an ethnicity that has a history of violence. Joseph Adama has tried to leave it behind, but his brother Sam appears to be a regular enforcer for a local gangster. In the pilot he brutally murders a man. In the second episode, he takes his nephew along for an “errand” in which he teaches Little Willie Adama some of the tricks of the trade. I imagine they come in handy later when the humans are fighting for their lives against the Cylons. Curiously, the tough guy brother tosses off a little comment that makes it appear he is gay. He tells his nephew a story about checking out the guys while his father was checking out the girls. He then throws a trashcan through the window of someone that needs terrorized and it calls to mind the beatdown Sonny Corleone gave his brother-in-law in the Godfather.

The school headmistress is indeed creepy, but still kind of sexy because I saw her in "Rome" on HBO. She certainly has "mysterious intrigue" down to an art. Will we get to see a sex scene with this group marriage? It is cable after all.

I am curious to see how they develop the monotheism as minority theme. Are they going to come across as sympathetic or crazy? How will that figure into the endgame of this story which we know has to do with the near destruction of the human race by beady red-eyed robots.