Those are the two women I was referencing, thanks, I'd forgotten Duella's name. Could only remember her being called "Dee". I used to listen to Moore's BSG podcast. It was really good: every week he'd replay the entire show, and comment on it. When the religious leader was killed, he actually laughed on the podcast, saying of her death, "So long--we're barely knew you!" (Chuckles). That bothered me, both because it was a black woman, and because I didn't see anything funny in a character who was important to the journey being bumped off. Struck me as odd... I couldn't get why so important a character was bumped off like that, in an apparently throwaway manner. As for Duella, yeah, she bothered me a lot too. She really was used to move others' stories along. Aside from my irritation at her only being put with white men--back to my question, where are the brothers?--I was irritated her character was so incomplete. I'd be interested in hearing Moore's views on the subject. Maybe he'd point to the Latino men and Asian woman and say he can't please everyone?
----- Original Message ----- From: "Tracey de Morsella" <tdli...@multiculturaladvantage.com> To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, February 8, 2010 2:25:08 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: RE: [scifinoir2] Caprica/BSG -- Where the Brothers At? WARNING SPOILERS BELOW I remember two black women. Duella and the religious woman. The religious woman was killed off before anything could be done with her character. Duella’s character always bothered me. Most times, she seemed like a filler character and was occasionally used to move the story along for other characters. Also she has what I used to call the “Claudia and Brian syndrome”. Waaay back in the day, I used to watch General Hospital and they had this Black couple that they showcased as proof of diversity. We heard about their problems and issues like other characters, but unlike other characters, we were never exposed to the gory details or their stories. They were always coming and going. Duella had a relationship with the guy that worked for the president, but we never got any info on it until they decided to kill him off. She was also used to create tension between Apollo and Starbuck, but we never got to see how she became a devoted wife to Lee. She was not even dating him. We saw them divorce and she was gone. Very little exploration of their relationship. She was supposed to be close to Adama like the Asian girl, but unlike the Asian girl, we were never able to really see how they were close. We saw her be supposedly mellow and off herself, with one wrinkled brow provided as a clue to how she was really upset. We were able it be exposed to the nuances of the characters of other people of color on the show. Tori, the guy who lost his leg, but not Duella. The only time I saw otherwise was when they were doing an episode on planet-based bias, ironically. But in my view, it was done to help Bruce Davidson storyline. The man does not have a problem with people of color in general, but he does with Blacks, in my view. From: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com [mailto:scifino...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Keith Johnson Sent: Sunday, February 07, 2010 11:07 PM To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Caprica/BSG -- Where the Brothers At? I was thinking the same thing a bit ago, Tracey, while making myself a milk shake (hey, it's my alcohol! Sugar free, of course!) I kept wondering how BSG/Caprica can be so devoid of important black men when Moore and crew crafted such a strong one in Sisko. I too wondered, did he simply inherit Sisko and worked with the character to make him good? As such, he could be an example of that most problematic of people: someone who doesn't see color (or thinks he doesn't), and who doesn't like to make what he thinks are some kind of quota/affirmative action based decisions. And thus, being what they think is colorblind, they continue to populate their worlds with people who look like them, and never realize how others are being overlooked. How do you think he's done with black women on BSG/Caprica? I can only recall the black religious leader who guided the President in BSG for a while (died in a bobby trap?), and the sister who worked in CNC on Galactica. She was okay, but I was miffed with her rather slight character, and of course, not brothers for her to date, even though they were always lurking in the background. BSG/Caprica has put Latinoes and Asians in prominent roles--perhaps, are blacks just being left out 'cause there's only so much room at that table, and the seats have been taken? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tracey de Morsella" <tdli...@multiculturaladvantage.com> To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2010 11:58:54 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: RE: [scifinoir2] Caprica/BSG -- Where the Brothers At? I know Moore set trends with Sisco on DS9 with regards to Blacks men having power on TV, but I’ve begun to think that was a fluke resulting from him inheriting Sisco. I think he has some issues with us, but believes himself to be enlightened in this regard. The only evidence to the contrary other then Sisco, which I admit is substantial, is the Joe Morton episode of BSG From: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com [mailto:scifino...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Keith Johnson Sent: Sunday, February 07, 2010 8:17 PM To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Caprica/BSG -- Where the Brothers At? that's what I thought. It really, really bothered me on the prison ship, where the place was lousy with big, bald, black men. And then, Admiral Cain's guards all being black and scowling--made me quite angry. On "Caprica", Greystone told his black bodyguard/driver to go get the car when his wife started nutting up at the memorial service. I thought "Great, first black man on Caprica I've seen not in the background, and he's the damn chaffeur!" ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tracey de Morsella" <tdli...@multiculturaladvantage.com> To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2010 6:34:20 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: RE: [scifinoir2] Caprica/BSG -- Where the Brothers At? The one was little more than an extra. Unlike every other cylon, he had no storylines devoted to his character and in at least two episodes that he appeared in, he did not even have lines From: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com [mailto:scifino...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Keith Johnson Sent: Sunday, February 07, 2010 10:02 AM To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Caprica/BSG -- Where the Brothers At? Ah, but that's my point: none of them had pivotal roles or were memorable. You had to refresh my memory that one of the 12 was black, and I do remember that one that escaped too. But again, no black men have had major roles in either series. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mr. Worf" <hellomahog...@gmail.com> To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2010 6:29:50 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Caprica/BSG -- Where the Brothers At? One of the 12 was black. He was an important character in the first 2 seasons, and the Plan. There was also a minor character that had been captured and escaped, but that didn't go anywhere. There were also several that were pilots on the transports. Also there were a couple on the other battlestar. On Sun, Feb 7, 2010 at 1:53 AM, Keith Johnson < keithbjohn...@comcast.net > wrote: Something odd strikes me about the BSG/Caprica worlds: no black men in significant positions. I missed the last couple years of BSG, but I remember noting the curious lack of black men in anything but background roles. I think there was one reporter on that ship were political events were held, but he wasn't even the main reporter. I see them in the background on the ship, but no high level officers, now that Boomer and Tigh from the original series were replaced by an Asian lady and a white man, respectively. Hell: I don't even remember any of the fighter pilots being black. Where I *did* see black man on BSG? On the ep dealing with the prison ship, the place was lousy with black men: big, black, bald black men. I also note a lot of brothers functioning as scowling muscle. When Admiral Cain (michelle Forbes) came to Galactica, her high level staff was all white men. But the bodyguards? All big, very black, very bald, scowling black men. Left a bad taste in my mouth, and frankly one reason i lost some interest in the show. Did it get better? Now on "Caprica" I'm seeing the same thing. Sure, I see black men in the background: in the street traffic, maybe a reporter in the background shouting questions. Back again, I see no high level scientists, politicians, police, or military men who are black. The one black I can remember in anything approaching a recurring role? The big, black, bald, scowling brother who functions as the bodyguard/drive for the Greystones. What's the deal? This reminds me of the old days when we were in the background but little else. I'd ask if it's because of the shooting locale, but if they can find brothers to walk up and down the street, surely they could put some in important roles. It's cool and all they have a Latino in a role that may or may not be "Latino", but my brothers are all but absent... -- Celebrating 10 years of bringing diversity to perversity! Mahogany at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/
