Battlestar and related thoughts
So I just finished watching the Battlestar Galactica finale. I'll try not to spoil anything, but proceed under your own discretion.
Overall, I liked it. There were a lot of questions that were never answered. What is Starbuck? What is God or gods? What is really Earth?
But, this leads to a bigger point. I'm ok with unanswered questions. In my opinion the best shows ask more questions than they answer. That's why season 1 of Lost was unbelievably good. There were mysteries left and right, but they nevertheless formed a coherent narrative. I think Battlestar has taken this concept to fulfillment. They have given us a compelling narrative, but left us not knowing certain details. That is a good thing. That's why books are so powerful. They make us imagine and fill in the details according to our own experiences and preconceptions. There are very few television shows that follow this formula. BSG and Lost, to name two, give us a rough framework of a story, but leave it to our imagination to fill in the details. The creators realize that the human imagination is the real power behind storytelling, and to tell a compelling story is to leave out as much as you tell. Its like jazz music; the pauses can be as fulfilling as the improv.
Its so unfortunate that so many people are unsatisfied with a story unless it tells them every detail in precise terms. The gaps are where humanity lies. So say we all.
Overall, I liked it. There were a lot of questions that were never answered. What is Starbuck? What is God or gods? What is really Earth?
But, this leads to a bigger point. I'm ok with unanswered questions. In my opinion the best shows ask more questions than they answer. That's why season 1 of Lost was unbelievably good. There were mysteries left and right, but they nevertheless formed a coherent narrative. I think Battlestar has taken this concept to fulfillment. They have given us a compelling narrative, but left us not knowing certain details. That is a good thing. That's why books are so powerful. They make us imagine and fill in the details according to our own experiences and preconceptions. There are very few television shows that follow this formula. BSG and Lost, to name two, give us a rough framework of a story, but leave it to our imagination to fill in the details. The creators realize that the human imagination is the real power behind storytelling, and to tell a compelling story is to leave out as much as you tell. Its like jazz music; the pauses can be as fulfilling as the improv.
Its so unfortunate that so many people are unsatisfied with a story unless it tells them every detail in precise terms. The gaps are where humanity lies. So say we all.
posted by Bender Bending Rodriguez at
8:16 PM
3 Comments
