This is half-pie.

There’s a faraway country.

It is invaded and submits to the occupier. A puppet government is installed. An “insurgency” starts. The occupiers tighten their grip. Repression ensues; prison, torture, “disappearances”.

The insurgency takes a new step. On his return from prison, where during a course of beatings his captors dug his right eye out and crushed it before his eyes, the insurgency’s leader decides to order a suicide bombing. This is questioned by his lieutenants, but overruled by the leader who has decided that the normal rules no longer apply…

It’s not a documentary.

It’s the first episode of the new series of Battlestar Galactica (thanks to those ubiquitous American Friends). The faraway country is New Caprica, where the humans have settled, thinking they’ve finally outrun the Cylons. Until a year later, when the Cylons appear in the skies again… but this time not to destroy, but to Save.

I don’t think it’s meant to be a precise allegory for current events, but there’s enough intentional parallels to make you think.

I’ve raved about this program before, and judging by the start of this new series it’s going to get even better. And the reviewers agree.

We’re rationing episode 2 for Friday night, but I don’t know if I can wait.