‘Battlestar Galactica’

No one would have predicted that the biggest Big Idea show of the decade would be Battlestar Galactica, which couched its explorations of terrorism, patriotism, security, and theology in a sci-fi yarn with a goofy title based on a cheesy 1978 series. If you’ve been avoiding the show for these reasons, do yourself a favor and gorge on the DVDs. More than any other show, Battlestar reflected the anxiety of a nation following 9/11. But it was a fun-house mirror reflection, with spaceships and robots, so it was a way to explore our feelings in a safe way. A show set in the far reaches of space felt distant, but still managed to hit close to home.