(no subject)

[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

[morena-donn.livejournal.com]

Okay, flashfic's are beta'd and posted. I can give this the attention it deserves.

that feeling of personal scale That's it, that's what's missing. It's all about the ship, and the shield and the special effects. Not nearly enough interaction among the characters.

Obviously I'd like to have seen more McKay/Sheppard, or McKay/Zelenka (or McKay/ *anyone* to be perfectly honest), but I would even have liked to see more of Wier with any of the crew. They spent way too much time on the breakup scene. Part of the attraction of Atlantis, for me, is the team feel, and Simon was never part of that team.

the Rodney I know would have snapped at him, called him an idiot and pointed out that logically crouching down and cupping the family jewels would have done nothing if the beaming went wrong. Now that would have been truly funny, not mildly amusing in a very off-putting, out of character way. I do think humor is an important part of SGA, and I did recognize it as yet another demonstration of David Hewlett's skill as an actor, but it was *not in character*.

It's a scary thing when the fans have a better feel for the characters than the writers do. I'm hopeful it won't last. I have a theory that, while there are certainly problems this season, some of us are noticing them more than we might otherwise because expectations were so high due to a near perfect first season. Also, they really have been trying to cram too much material into to little space, so hopefully things will get better now that they've set up all the background.

(And don't ever apologize for rambling in *this* fandom. I think that many of us are attracted to Rodney because we think like him - that is to say, we tend to go off on tangents and use 20 words when 10 would do. (I'm not going to call us verbose because that's a *bad* word *g*

P.S. Love your icon

Re: My two cents

[merelyn.livejournal.com]

Part of the attraction of Atlantis, for me, is the team feel, and Simon was never part of that team.

I agree. The Simon/Elizabeth backstory would have been far more compelling if you ever saw it come up while she's on Atlantis (besides Home, when it's not really him, and LfP). Even a moment of her missing Simon, or liking someone else and feeling guilty about it, would have been better, instead of this arbitrary backstory that only pops up when Weir is home. They should have fleshed it out more. Two other things bothered me:

1) Elizabeth's reaction to Simon meeting someone else. Didn't Elizabeth basically dump Simon and tell him to move on in "Letters..."? Uh, seems that what he did. So yeah, he should have told her right away. And yeah, I can understand still feeling hurt by the whole thing, but she really wasn't in any position to be mad or anything. Such a girl move.

2)Simon's hair. It seems that Elizabeth went to another galaxy and Simon's hair went back to the early 90s. Don't worry babe, you can do better than mullet boy anyway.

Also, as far as the team feel goes, whatever else was wrong with "Siege III", you did get the feeling of everybody working together with the fake self destruct. It was my favorite part, radiation posioning aside. :)

I have a theory that, while there are certainly problems this season, some of us are noticing them more than we might otherwise because expectations were so high due to a near perfect first season.

Exactly. Personally, I only got into SGA after all of Season 1 aired, so I was used to watching fabulous episode after fabulous episode, one right after the other. And now the waiting and the less-than-quality eps- well it makes me remember why getting into a closed-canon fandom is a kinder, gentler experience. *g*

Overall though, despite my issues with the first two episodes, I remain optimistic that things will get back on track.

P.S. Love your icon

Thank you! Feel free to gack it, if you're so inclined.

Re: My two cents

[merelyn.livejournal.com]

P.S. *friends you*

Re: My two cents

[morena-donn.livejournal.com]

*friends you back*

she really wasn't in any position to be mad or anything. My thoughts exactly "hey, he's following orders. What are you so upset about?"

And yeah, the hair was *awful* Looked like he hadn't bathed in a week. They have some of the worst hairstyles on that show. At least they've stopped piling Carson's up in the middle of his head. Wish they'd stop shaving him, though. It doesn't feel right.

I actually watched the show from the beginning, but I didn't really get obsessed by it until the second half of the first season, about the time I discovered slash, strangely enough.

I really hope it gets better, but if it doesn't?
We can always have fun tearing it apart, here. And DH and JF are worth watching, regardless.

About the icon - Thanks, I'll take you up on that one of these days, Right now, my kid wants me to go play with her.