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[merelyn]

Just finished seeing "The Intruder," or Star Trek: SGA. Complete with Rodney in the Tawny Madison role, keeping us updated on all the computer stuff. I realize that this is a Sci-Fi TV show, and that the writers and producers haven't really done a "spaceship" episode before (the fact that it's not a spaceship scifi show is what makes the Stargate franchise unique to begin with, but whatev), but overall I was left with:

What was the point of that?

So wait, they went back to Earth? Um...okay. Cheap excuse to have a storyline on the spaceship? Okay. I'll go with it.

The flashback parts were easily the best parts of the show. I felt like this was a really good episode for Weir's character, and I liked the parts with her (and her telling off Caldwell- booyah!) but she was the only character we got to see back home really. What about John, besides the Ford cousin scene (which was awesome, PS)? What about Rodney? Grr. I felt like if they were going to Flashback It, they should have had more, because the main plotline with the computer virus was pretty tired, what with the crappy effects and the Rodney just narrating the suspenseful stuff happening inside the computer. It was claustrophobic to say the least, and no one was happier than I when they got back to Atlantis. Atlantis is where they should be. Screw the spaceship.

All bitching aside, though, the episode was not without it's good points. The opening scene with Shep and Weir was cute and well done; I felt like there were some nice moments between everyone, even Weir and Beckett, which we haven't seen much before. I very much enjoyed the Weir and Teyla bit at the end. (Also, how smiley was Teyla? I kept expecting her to bust out with "Welcome to Atlantis. I'm Teyla, your flight attendant...") And yay for Zelenka. He made me happy. Of course, all he has to do is walk into a room and I go "Yay!".

However, the one thing that ultimately saved this episode from really blowing was, of course, the McShep. Where to begin? The look on Rodney's face when John beams back on deck. The alien exchange. The entire end, yay, with the angsty 'we're going to die' look. The banter in the fighter jet. Rodney was just a shade too ridiculous, perhaps, but I loved them anyway. *heart*

So, besides the random McShep stuff, and the final nail in the Simon/Elizabeth coffin, the interesting insights into the SGC's feelings on John, this episode did very little to advance the story line. I hope next week's is better. I don't think I can take another TV show I love starting a suck fest.

Comments

Re: My two cents

[merelyn.livejournal.com]

Helpless Rodney. So not in character.

You know, this echoes some of my recent thoughts on why I'm getting bad vibes off of Season 2 so far.

In Season 1, the way the Atlantis folk approach problems is a very hands on, 'this is what is happening, this is what were going to do about it' manner. For instance, there's an energy monster sucking all the power away? Rodney goes down and gets it to go through the Stargate himself. There's a problem with a virus outbreak and someone potentially contaminating the city? John does not stay in the practice room, rather he actively goes after him. Because we care about the characters, we like to follow them doing things. And even, as the season went on, it became apparent that the problems they were facing were maybe too big, the odds too impossible, you never lost that feeling of personal scale. So when John goes out at the end of "Seige II", because the only way he can save the city is by sacrificing himself, but it's the only thing he can do. And that was the great thing about it, the feeling that these people didn't have the odds, or the weapons, or the numbers on their side, but they had their brains and their courage and they were going to do what they could, even if it ultimately wasn't enough, even if they didn't all survive.

They were screwed. And I liked it.

Whereas with Season 2, now that they have the Daedalus and the ZPM, they have no choice but the make the problems that much bigger to compensate and create actual conflict (oh, look, 12 more Wraith ships!). But it's gotten too big, see. The personal action on the part of the characters we love is no longer enough. So when the Daedalus takes out 2 of those new Wraith ships, it's ultimately nothing more than dots on a screen. Instead we get John pacing the bridge while dots are being destroyed far, far away. He is, therefore, helpless in a sense. There is nothing in his power to alter the outcome. Instead of people vs. the Wraith, it's now the Daedalus vs. the Wraith. And even if that weren't the case, with the Daedalus, we don't get the sense of immediate danger to anyone, since, even damaged, the Daedalus is far more secure than Atlantis has ever been. The personal stakes are therefore gone, because, relatively, you don't feel like anything bad is going to happen to anyone, no matter how many hive ships turn up.

I feel like the action has dwarfed the characters. You no longer feel they can have individually any big effect on what goes down. It's like *destiny* has reared its ugly head for the first time in the show. (Continued in part 2, as comment was too long. Oops)