(no subject)

[merelyn]

So, before I go read other folks' reviews, here are my thoughts. First let me say that I had somewhat high hopes for this episode. On the one hand, I'd heard lots about how big bugeted and well, big this episode was going to be. On the other, it was written by Robert C. Cooper, who wrote Runner, which was never my favorite episode (except for the Porne!), not in the least because of the return of Rodney the Ridiculous. So:


Dear Robert C. Cooper,

I am so sorry I ever doubted you. Where to even begin??

Visually, and production-values-wise, this episode was maybe the best thing you guys have ever done. I loved the gritty flashbacks, and the action scenes where just wonderfully, suspensefully shot. The show felt very...mature, and I liked it. I was on the edge of my seat for almost the whole thing. Also, I loved the theme of the episode, which seemed to be all about reltionships and trust and loyalty and the team. (Team!!) Which is really just fangirl service liek woah. Parts I liked:

*Rodney getting shot. In the ass. With an arrow. ("Did that really just happen?" I died.) Okay, so maybe I didn't really like hanging from a tree Rodney from your last episode, Robert, but somehow I found this hilarious beyond the telling of it. (What am I, 12? I know.) I was literally crying with laughter. Tears in my eyes, no joke, and I seldom laugh that hard over anything. Oh god, that was wonderful- and even if it hadn't been, John hauling Rodney back to the gate while Teyla and Ronon shot people was incredibly awesome as well. Go team.

*John, after getting darted. "Oh, crap." Perfect, loved the delivery.

*Morphine Rodney. Well it is SGA, somebody had to be mentally altered. The hair crack was kind of cute, too, for the second week in a row.

*Angry, revengey Ronon with his pretty, long dreds. Awesome. Him pulling a Will Turner move and threatening to kill himself to free Teyla and John (and their reactions to it)? I loved it so much. Oh Ronon.

*Ronon's backstory. THANK YOU! See, SGA writers, how hard was that really? I think we now know more him than almost anyone else on the show. Yay. It's so a start.

*The monitoring floating ball thingy! You're back!

*The wraith goggles. Okay, they were a little lame at first, but night vision Wraith was really interesting, and made for some awesome negative image shots of Ronon in the fight scenes. Very cool.

*John and Rodney on the floor like boys! So cute.

*The Cadwell/John showdown was interesting mostly for John's crack about the military and Cadwell's "oh snap" to Elizabeth Re: Sending him off to possibly die back in the season opener. Continuity, oh how you are my friend.

*This was me during this scene:

Teyla: I have often felt like an outsider among your people.
Me: Awww! Teyla! *dies a little*
John: You know I've always trusted you.
Me: Awww, John. *dies some more*
...
(John gives stammers about being emo and flying choppers in Antartica and not having a family and how the Lanteans are his family and how he'd give his life for any of them.)
Me: *writhing ball of OHMYGODHOLYCRAP, everything we've ever thought about him is true!!*
...
(John. Awkwardly. Pats. Her hand.)
Me: *explodes*

Great scene. And so wonderfully played by both of them. It takes you a while to notice, but Rachel is actually tremendouly freakin' funny. The way she delivered the line, "Social skills?" was priceless. Also, this was, finally, canon confirmation of so much fanon it kills me. Also again, anyone else notice that in John's halting, list of his family, Rodney's last and it's "even Rodney"? I loved it, because it really is another example of John singling out Rodney in situations where it's not necessary, plus I like the evidence of his knee-jerk 'good naturedly insult McKay' response even when Rodney isn't around.

*The Carson and Rodney scene where it becomes perfectly clear that Rodney and Ronon have almost nothing in common at all, and even if they never have had a conversation he's still team to Rodney. The "you're just jealous" line was weird though. I feel like the scene took a brief turn into some sort of McKay/Beckett, Ronon/Rodney fic. Still it was cool. Go team.

*The shot of Melana dying? So gorgeous and awful and jaw dropping. I loved the way that whole part was cut with him digging shrapnel out of his leg. It was very...harrowing.

*John bringing Ronon's gun!!!

*Carson and Rodney fighting over the gun was so cool, and yet really interesting to see in regards to Carson. Because my first reaction was to agree with Rodney, because hi, a doctor with a gun is just a wrong image.

*John's steadily increasing number of Wraith kills. Seriously, who is trying to impress? (Perhaps someone with an ass injury? Ha, still hilaaarious.)

*Ronon hugging Carson. There was a hand pat and an actual hug all in one episode? asdfghjklkjhgfdsa. Ronon was so touchy feely at the end, it was adorable, and then he passed out like the weary puppy that he is. And then a McSnark moment to top it off. Awesome.

So in conclusion, excellent episode. One of my favorites for sure. The only criticism I have is a small one:

Who was the brushcut soldier with morphine!Rodney and WHERE THE HELL WAS LORNE? That is all.

Love,
Me

Comments

[merelyn.livejournal.com]

Um, so I might have transcribed the scene maybe, 'cause it was that awesome:

John: Look, Teyla...I'm not really good at, uh...actually, uh...I'm terrible at expressing...I don't know what you call it, uh...
Teyla: Feelings?
John: Yeah ,sure, okay. The point is, I don't really have good, uh...
Teyla: Social skills.
John:(Shrugs, awkwardly) Well that is why I enjoyed flying choppers in the most remote part of my world, before all this craziness happened. But, uh, you should know, I don't really have...
Teyla: Friends?
John: No. I have friends.
(awkward pause)
John: You, Elizabeth, Ronon, Carson, even Rodney, are the closest thing I have to a...
Teyla: A family?
John: I'd do anything for any one of you. If I had to give up my life the way Ronon was going to, I would.
(AWKWARD PAT.)

Definitely my favorite part. *happy sigh* (Ooh, plus the second canonical implication that John is family-less.)

[tex.livejournal.com]

Ah, thank you. I thought he said EVEN RODNEY, though of course, what he really meant and couldn't say was ESPECIALLY RODNEY!

[merelyn.livejournal.com]

Oh, naturally. Because their relationship M.O. is all about snarking because they care, even when they're not together.