Pure optimism

I don't watch Anime, Japanimation, Adult Swim or any other cartoons short of the occasional movie, The Family Guy and The Simpsons. I am not overly obsessed with Star Wars or Lord of the Rings, though I enjoy them both to a reasonable extent. I don't read books by Stephen Koontz. I don't watch Star Trek, lon 5, or any of the other sci-fi shows that have entire convention cultures surrounding them. Until now?

I don't know whether there are conventions for Battlestar Galactica or not. I am guessing there are. I will never attend one or get overly involved in some twisted geek community of dress-up and escaping parents' basements for a long weekend. But, I am watching this show. I bought the mini-series and season one on the recommendation of a friend and I have to say that despite my aversion to sci-fi shows in general, I am enjoying this show a lot.

I backed away slowly many times when people suggested that I should watch this show. My memories of Trekkies and Dungeons and Dragons losers in high school were enough to terrify me from getting involved with a show that sounds so scarily sci-fi. But finally, after hearing about how the show is not all about sci-fi special effects and is more character and plot-driven I finally decided to give it a try.

I am about half way through the Season 1 DVD's and I have to say it is pretty good. I am enjoying the arc of the story and the characters are pretty engaging and compelling. There is enough mystery and intrigue surrounding the story line and they don't totally rely on special effects to blow your mind. In fact, the special effects aren't really special at all. They seem almost like an after-thought.

If this makes me a geek, then I guess I am a geek. I know at least one person who has wrinkled her nose at the mere thought of this show and that is why I am even discussing it in the first place. I understand that it might be part of the geek culture, but if I am enjoying it without worshipping it am I out of the (geek) woods so-to-speak? Or does even a mild enjoyment of Battlestar Galactica put me in lock step with the convention-attending niche-television sycophants?

I ask because culture and the various perceptions surrounding it fascinate me. I don't really care too much about the answer from a personal standpoint, but tell me what you think.