The De-Lesbianification of 'V'

When the SyFy Channel announced Starbuck would be a woman in the new version of Battlestar Galactica, it seemed the perfect opportunity to introduce a lesbian lead character in a major science fiction series. Unfortunately, although Katee Sackhoff as the new Starbuck was certainly worthy of lesbian fantasies, her character ended up disappointingly straight as an arrow. The SyFy Channel also failed to take the opportunity to have a leading woman-loving character with Kristanna Loken in Painkiller Jane, pushing the character rather firmly into the opposite-sex romance side of bisexuality.

Then, ABC announced the network would be doing a remake of the science fiction, alien invasion series V, the thought immediately came to mind that this would be yet another great opportunity to feature a serious, lesbian character as a lead on a sci-fi show. Fans of the original V mini-series and follow-up shows may well remember the heavy lesbian/bisexual subtext surrounding one of the most prominent lead characters. In the original V, alien commander Diana (Jane Badler) had more than one moment of obvious sensuality toward other female characters on the show.

In the very first episode of the original V mini-series, Diana rather openly seduces broadcast journalist Kristine Walsh (Jenny Sullivan) into becoming her spokeswoman to the people of Earth. Jane Badler, as Diana, plays the seduction to the hilt, flattering and complimenting Kristine with all the subtlety of a seasoned player out for a one-nighter in a lesbian bar. Diana pets and caresses Kristine like a lover and gazes at her with smoldering glances, leaving Kristine nervous and worked up like a school girl with her first crush on a teacher.

Until Kristine unfortunately bites it later on, the interaction between Diana and the journalist turned alien press secretary is rife with sexual tension. Although nothing obvious is ever shown to viewers about their relationship off-screen, there is certainly much implied. Diana, as a character, comes across as blatantly bisexual if you're at all looking for subtext . Later on in the original V run, Diana transitions to become more male-centric, including having a few steamy scenes with male co-stars. Throughout, however, it is women who play the primary foil to Diana's scheming and serve as the focus of her passions, both in pleasure and in hate.

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