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Jul. 23rd, 2005 01:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
merelynJust 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.
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Date: 2005-07-23 05:31 am (UTC)While not surprising, that threw me, I mean, hello JACK! Shep is kind of calm by comparison.
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Date: 2005-07-23 05:59 am (UTC)*Rant on*
Date: 2005-07-24 06:05 am (UTC)Re: *Rant on*
Date: 2005-07-24 01:22 pm (UTC)I get the feeling the writers sometimes don't know the difference between making a character funny and making a character laughable (see: Carson, for most of Season 1). And up until this point, they've done a good job of avoiding that with Rodney, keeping him 3-D and developing his character.
Overall I was amused by the whole "Want a piece of this?" clip fiasco from Siege III, which at least had Rodney being brave, if inexplicably incompetent. But on top of this episode, I sense a worrying trend. The transporter hunching down bit was definitely a point where I started cringing and muttering, "Don't. Just don't." And you're completely right about the Lindstrom scene. Grr.
And the worst part about it is that DH is (IMHO) probably the best actor on the show, which means he can make 'generic-comic-relief' work to a point, but come on! Give him something to do, you morons! You've done it before! Grah! Personally, Rodney is one of the main reasons I watch the show, and if he gets character assassinated this season, Mere = SO PISSED.
Anyway, I'm worried.
Re: *Rant on*
Date: 2005-07-24 01:26 pm (UTC)Re: *Rant on*
Date: 2005-07-24 05:44 pm (UTC)I hate to say it, but you're right about DH bring able to pull it off. That's why I'm so worried.
He can *do* comedy, we know it, that's part of his appeal. The thing is, Season 1 Rodney humor was of the witty reparte, pointed sarcasm, snappy comeback variety with a smidge of becoming more self-aware, 'learning-something-I-didn't-know-about-myself,' almost angsty!humor. ...Intelligent Humor.
This,...humor?...that they have right now is lowest-common-demoninator, sophmoric, juvenile, 'pie-in -you-face' humor....Slapstick.
No.(*insert minor epiphany here*)
Slapstick is not *Humor*. It is *Comedy*. Humor is more cerebral, makes you think to a degree. Slapstick is purely physical, no thought required.
And I'm sorry, I don't watch SciFi for slapstick. The writers should give the audience a little credit for being margially intelligent, and stick to the humor that made season 1 work.
(Damnit! Rant got turned back on when I wasn't looking... Where's that off button again?)
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Date: 2005-07-24 06:29 pm (UTC)The fact that both the last ep and this one had what seemed to be fairly significant Sheppard/Weir scenes has me worried - I really don't want to see Atlantis to go the way of the Sam/Jack. I mean, the scene was good, yes, but the fact that they had scenes like that twp eps in a row worries me.
And what they're doing to Rodney me has me a bit worried. They kept up the crouching thing to long. It would have been better if he'd realized how ridiculous he was being after a few seconds.
And, yeah, both this ep and the last one just seemed very lackluster. I was so excited for the primere, and I ended up being really frustrated with it since it was nowhere near what it could have been.
Like you, I'm just hoping the next episode is better.
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Date: 2005-07-24 07:22 pm (UTC)I agree. So far, I'm only getting platonic brother/sisterly vibes off their interactions (*cough* wishful thinking). Her breaking up with Simon on top of all their scenes certainly does tip things in that direction. While it wouldn't be the *worst* romance I could imagine on SGA, and while I do like both of them, I hope they don't go there anytime soon, if ever.
However, SGA is more of an ensemble show than SG-1 is (and, unlike SG-1, they haven't hinted at the Sheppard/Weir romance from the very first episode). At least in Season 1, SGA has been very good at seeing where things go, letting all the characters develop relationships as friends and colleagues without forcing romance into it.
I hope it continues in that vein, and gets over this sophomore slump.
Re: *Rant on*
Date: 2005-07-24 07:24 pm (UTC)WORD.
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Date: 2005-07-24 07:28 pm (UTC)Exactly. But, yeah, hopefully things won't go in that direction.
At least in Season 1, SGA has been very good at seeing where things go, letting all the characters develop relationships as friends and colleagues without forcing romance into it.
Yeah. I'm hoping it stays that way too, and that the episodes start being better.
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Date: 2005-07-24 07:28 pm (UTC)Which I so very much hope isn't a preamble to "romantic interest" between Elizabeth and John, which the writers seem to consider absolutely necessary...
I did love Rodney irritating the crap out of the Asgard, though. Rodney the unflinchable, who wouldn't back down even if faced with a scientist from a superior race, and who still manages to engender the same feeling of exasperation, even cross-species. :P
Re: *Rant on*
Date: 2005-07-24 07:30 pm (UTC)Rodney = comic relief... huh? Havene't the writers finally got it that DH has a huge fan following because of how he portrayed McKay in the first season (and because he's a brilliant actor, of course)?
Are we supposed to go all "Haha! Look at the stupid scientist!" now?
My two cents
Date: 2005-07-24 08:40 pm (UTC)Bad: The transporter bit. My kids thought it was hilarious, but come on, this is Rodney, he's way too smart to think that looking smaller is going to make him any less likely to get lost in the transport beam.
Helpless Rodney. So not in character. This was a problem in the first ep, too. I just can't see him fumbling with his weapon like that. He *does* know his way around a gun (even if he forgets to reload when he's panicked). If they really had thier hearts set on Teyla rescuing him then telling him he was brave, they could have had him empty the clip, then pat at his pockets in growing panic as he realizes he doesn't have another.
Good: Rodney's peeling nose. Made me think of the fic where a McKay/Sheppard first time was triggered by John putting cream on Rodney's peeling nose. *squee*
“Do you mind?” John was standing way too close, as usual. There's fic about that, too. Almost makes me wonder if *some* of the writer's/actor's are reading slash fic and catering to it, in a small way.
And finally, the staring match between John and the grumpy Asgaard, who is rapidly becoming one of my favorite characters.
As to Sheppard/Weir romance. Yeah, it does look like they're setting iot up and please, *no*. Weir is a strong, intelligent female leader. I want to like her, I really do, but something about her leaves me cold. If they must pair Sheppard off with a woman, I want it to be someone I can watch.
On the other hand, I wouldn't mind terribly if they paired her off with Zelenka because it might give David Nykl more screen time, and *him* I like. A lot.
Re: My two cents
Date: 2005-07-24 09:30 pm (UTC)Zelenka/Weir! *That* would be a pairing I could enjoy! (That wavelength thing, still scary, morena...*g*)
It *almost* seemed like they gave a bit of thought to going in that direction at the very end of "Intruder", 'cause was it just me, ore did Zelenka seem really, *really* happy to see Weir?
And did she not smile just a bit harder when she saw him?
Given the choice, I would *much* prefer Zelenka/Weir canon as opposed to Sheppard/Weir canon.
no subject
Date: 2005-07-24 09:34 pm (UTC)...
Yes! Of all the ways I felt they managed to screwed up Rodney's characterization this go around, they at least got this right!
More in *this* vein, please!
Re: My two cents
Date: 2005-07-24 10:12 pm (UTC)Hey, aren't you supposed to be off writing fic for me to beta, not wandering around commenting in other peoples LJ's?
Come to think of it, I'm supposed to be writing, too. How about that? We even procrastinate in sync. *G*
Re: My two cents
Date: 2005-07-25 05:17 am (UTC)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)
Re: My two cents
Date: 2005-07-25 05:17 am (UTC)This is also (uh, to sorta get back to the point) reflected in Rodney's character in "Intruder", possibly. I'm going to have to re-watch Intruder, but I felt that all of Rodney's actions were relegated to 2 categories: telling us what the virus was doing, and being a tool. If you look through earlier episodes, Rodney is always firmly sure of what's going on- even if he's firmly sure that they're all going to die. The Daedalus, unlike Atlantis, showed him in a environment where he is out of his depth. The events happening in the computer system that he tells us about, what worked and what didn't and what random problems that sprung up, seemed more abritrary than anything. I think that's one reason why it felt off; why I felt like this Rodney wasn't the one we've seen in the Atlantis briefing room in the past- because Rodney's 'this is what's going on, you morons' was more like 'this is what's going on in the computer, oh crap, let me freak out'. And Rodney may have problems with taking action and being brave, but intellectually he's always been in control, in one way or another, even if it's just doom and gloom dramatics. This episode was a more intellectual conflict, and yet here Rodney is suddenly worried about not transporting the necessary bits? If he and Sheppard has switched places, and Sheppard had been the one to do that, 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. So Rodney's helplessness, while inconsistent and frustrating, is to me just part and parcel of a shift in the dynamics and scale of the show, which I'm not too happy with.
We'll see though; it's only two episodes in, and maybe once they have a few more Atlantis-based, or off-world Team plots, it'll find it's footing and Rodney will rediscover his awesome brain.
Phew. Lots of rambling. I know it's a little incoherent, sorry.
Re: My two cents
Date: 2005-07-25 06:44 am (UTC)That's more serious, intelligent, analytical thought put into an SGA analysis than I've seen in a while. And it's *all* right on the money.
Very, very impressed.
Also very,very tired, 'cause it's 1:40 am here, so I'm not coherent enough myself to give a reply that can do justice to this, but D*MN.
Wait 'til tomorrow night after work, and we'll see if I can do a little better than that...*g*
Re: My two cents
Date: 2005-07-25 02:02 pm (UTC)The English Majory-ness. Sometimes it gets away from me. *g*
Re: My two cents
Date: 2005-07-27 12:24 am (UTC)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
Date: 2005-07-27 02:08 am (UTC)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
Date: 2005-07-27 02:44 am (UTC)Re: My two cents
Date: 2005-07-28 04:32 am (UTC)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.