Soooo, this was a once-only rewatch. There were too many plot holes and ridiculous aspects that I didn't want to have to endure a second time. Mind you, there were things I liked as well.
Let's begin, shall we. Um ... was there a point to the pullback from the planet to give us a pretty astronomical view? Unless it was to blow the CGI budget? Who knows?
Then let's cut to a romantic (what???) dinner between John and Teyla. It feels really creepy and I'm so not keen on Teyla's dialogue on how she never thanked John properly for rescuing her. Knowing how TPTB think of women (usually recklessly and with much insensitivity), I don't appreciate that dialogue at all. Also, let's not forget that Teyla already has a partner (and baby on the way). But I guess TPTB decided to throw out this pathetic crumb for the Jeyla shippers. [I still remember all during S4-5 where these shippers kept pestering JM on his blog as to whether John and Teyla would finally get together, despite her current romantic and sexual/reproductive entanglement.]
Oh, look. It's not real, it's just a dream – or a nightmare, especially when Aiden drops in to add to John's guilt trip.
Back to reality, with John and Ronon trapped inside a collapsed building. Um ... major unreality moment: when someone is shishkabobbed, I believe it's practical medical knowledge NOT to remove whatever is doing the skewering. I certainly don't think a mere field dressing would be sufficient, if the wound is serious ... with internal bleeding likely. So either it's minor or it's critical, but it can't be both at the same time.
Let's go a level above where John and Ronon are trapped and visit with a claustrophobic Rodney (which doesn't make sense as he can see daylight above) and a cranky Evan who's suffered a broken leg.
Why don't we jump into another plot hole aboard the Wraith cruiser, where Kanaan shows Michael something on a computer to indicate that Michael's compound has been breeched. It's enough to make Michael head back. I'm shaking my head at the plotlessness (hey, I like that word).
At least Atlantis now knows there are people trapped on the planet, so it's time to hustle together a team to rescue the original rescue teams. There seem to be whole lot more women involved in the rescue efforts. [That's probably because so many male extras were killed during Midway, right?]
When we return to Evan and Rodney, Rodney's busy playing with computer stuff he just conveniently happened to find lying around and it's still working. He's deliriously happy he's discovered Michael's database – but, seriously, PTB, Rodney would so NOT say “Michael's Wiki”. And then have to explain what he meant to Evan. This is nearly as bad as the DOS joke on the Hive ship. ::rolls eyes::
There's some more juvenile dialogue with the “shut up” misunderstanding. And we get the full impact of the explosion: only 5 people survived: our two pairs and the guy who made it back to Atlantis. Redshirt syndrone, anybody?
After that interruption (being found), we learn from Rodney that Michael's heading back. Oops.
Back deeper in the debris, Ronon's not willing to abandon John, even though John's berating himself for not having anticipated the booby-trap. After all, he is The Guy!
Finally we get to see Teyla along with the loathsome Michael (hey, my review, my disgust) who's trying to get her to see things his way. Where her son becomes ... The Pegasus Messiah (I don't know what, because we never get any details from Michael); but Teyla is considered to be disposable. And Michael thinks that should be enough of a consolation. This guy's brain is so whacked, I just can't get into it. Okay, time for another plot cavern: since we don't know what's so special about the unborn child, is Michael so foolish as NOT to have a backup plan? What if the child doesn't make it through the birthing process? Or dies soon after? Wouldn't it make more sense for Michael to keep both Teyla and Kanaan around and impregnate her again? Or would the biological changes to Kanaan make that impossible? ::flails:: Arrgghh.
I missed this bit when the episode first aired: where Kanaan observes the interaction between Michael and Teyla. So he knows that Teyla will be sacrificed. Even so, when they're alone, he's unwilling to help her escape, because of the risk of death. I'm glad Teyla gave him the unvarnished truth of the matter. And used the word “disposable”. However, Kanaan still walks away. The passion-filled music mirrors Teyla's anguished cries as Kanaan leaves her behind a locked door.
Rodney and Lorne are finally extracted. Well, actually, Rodney's computer is the first out! I know that Rodney can be brave and heroic, but putting words in his mouth that he doesn't need any medical attention sounds weird. Remember, this is the man who went to the Infirmary for a paper cut. I call this a waste of dialogue and OOC.
Ugh. Back on the Wraith cruiser, Michael thinks he's going to get some human prezzies, based on the life signs back on the planet.
Woo-hoo. That's some shooting from Captain Alicia Vega, to bring down a Dart. Obscure trivia: her character is played by the actress who was Dr. Esposito in Tao of Rodney. Rodney read her mind and thought she was interested in him; but, alas, she had the hots for Ronon who was standing behind Rodney.
Rodney's showing concern about leaving the two people still trapped. But Sam says they have to get off the ground, so Rodney pilots one 'jumper away.
Let's all wave hello to the conveniently just in time Daedalus to show up only to save people's butts.
Back on Michael's cruiser, Kanaan has another revelation pounded into his skull when Michael considers the Darts to be “acceptable losses”. Was Kanaan not paying any attention to realize that Michael had pulled the plug on all of the developing hybrids (I'm presuming many were fellow Athosians)? I'm not faulting him but the way he's been written – like a simple-minded villager which would then make me wonder how Teyla could have fallen for him. To be childhood friends is one thing but love and compatibility should be between people who have a number of things in common.
Back in the debris, it's good to see John being aware and smart when dealing with their rescuers. Though I also think TPTB are lazily taking advantage of the linguistic powers of the Stargate. How do we know what “Duff” and “Oprah” - proper names - are translating into? Of course, because of the trickery, John and Ronon resolve to fight to the death, guns blazing. Yup, those are OUR guys, definitely.
Awww, finally, everybody on the Daedalus bridge learns that the life signs belong to John and Ronon. So they simply MUST be saved. I love reading Caldwell sighs in the GateWorld transcript.
Yay for the Asgard beams snatching the two men just in time. And now John learns that Rodney's alive. Doesn't he sound excited and relieved? But then he gets the rest of the news about Evan being the only other survivor.
This is where I start getting perturbed about the medical aspect of John's injuries. Losing a lot of blood and requiring surgery are serious things so it's unrealistic seeing John act like a superhuman or robot.
Awww. Rodney and Sam can play nicely when they're working on a ship- and life-saving project. And they have the same thought ... that John approves of when he shows up unexpectedly. Hmm. I'm wondering why Ronon of all people is casting a disapproving look at self-sacrificing John who's obviously in a lot of pain. Though I have to wonder if an older, more experienced doctor would have been swayed as easily as Jennifer was.
I wonder also - if Sam hadn't been aboard - whether Steven would have approved the daring rescue. But it was good to have these words come from her mouth: “She's over there Steven, counting on us. I won't take 'no' for an answer.” Awww, Sam. John's rubbed off on you, too. Also, ever since Sam made full bird, she's a lot more relaxed around Steven and not so much with the protocol she's usually exhibited.
We do learn that Jennifer may not exactly have given her okay to release John. And John tells Sam – after he's unexpectedly complimented her command - she can court martial him when he's done rescuing Teyla.
Aboard the cloaked 'jumper, Rodney's being a brave little toaster, saying that he and Ronon can take care of the rescue mission by themselves and that John should stay behind. John SO does not agree!
Oh, yay, that our guys find Teyla so easily. I think they're really getting familiar on Hive ships, lol. But, of course, it can't be an easy rescue, because Rodney finds out the hyperdrive is nearly fixed. Did anybody else think the division of labour (I couldn't help myself) and personnel was a setup? To think that Rodney gives the severely-injured teammate a map while he stays behind with the pregnant woman? OTOH, considering how touch-phobic John is in general (and how the Jeyla shippers might have reacted), TPTB probably thought they'd better have the geek stay behind, especially as Rodney-Teyla shippers are a rarer commodity.
No, Rodney, Teyla does NOT appreciate hearing about your kidney stone.
John and Ronon have a good time blowing things up. Yay! It's fun to see the surprise on Michael's face, especially when he's trying to figure out how anyone got on board. Kanaan offers to investigate. I wonder....
Back to the pregnant woman & Rodney show. OMG, the dialogue about pushing and catching is juvenile. And what's that about underhanded catching, Rodney? The whole birthing scene seems like something only the all-male writers could have concocted. ::sighs:: Gee, Rodney, how'd you end up presenting such a clean-looking newborn to Teyla so suddenly? And I guess you had your boy scout knife to cut the cord, too? At least they did show both Teyla and Rodney sweating from their shared experience.
It's time to get off the cruiser as the demolition duo return to find an extra passenger. But, John, HOW could you lose the 'jumper? That makes NO sense at all, though it's a lovely setup for what's to come.
It's cute to see Rodney being called on – again – to save the day. But he doesn't need to. As luck would have it, Kanaan finds our stranded passengers. Teyla's faith in him must have been enormous and luckily it is repaid.
::cheers:: Oh, this never gets old, having John hail the Daedalus – from a Dart. Mind you, Steven's pretty awesome himself, with the incredulous disapproving comment that John might have put a baby into the Wraith storage compartment. But, no, the baby is in John's arms in the cockpit. And women watching all over the planet swoon.
Yay for more of Steven's dry humour: “Major Marks, please make that ship go away.” Wraith go bye-bye in millions of pieces.
Back on Atlantis, we have a mirror-image scene with Rodney and flowers when he comes across Sam. But this time they're for Teyla. Awww, Sam, it's not fair to poke fun at Rodney. Still, he's giving her a glowing review, too, when he hears she's headed back to Earth.
In the infirmary, it's cute to see Teyla/baby and John in adjoining beds. That's the fun thing about a small working space, where people aren't separated. Well, I guess as long as there are no gruesome things going on. Poor John. I don't think he's feeling much confidence in Jennifer, considering how inappropriate her pre-surgery joke is. And, whoa, Rodney's going to be disappointed he didn't rate in the baby's naming.
So, did anyone else think it was petty to see the way Sam was replaced? It also seemed weird to go from having a diplomat (Elizabeth) to a military officer (Sam) and then to the ridiculous, namely a bureaucrat (Richard) as the head of Atlantis. We're also left with some nagging suspicions, whether he'll turn out to be as cold as he was in the future of The Last Man. And that's the end of the episode.
Closing thoughts: I'm so worn out, I don't think I have any. I pretty much stated what I was thinking along the way. But, if I think of anything, I'll be back. Oh ... one thing: the music was fabulous! But that's usually no surprise.
The dream was a weird way to start the season, but I guess the writers wanted to give us a false sense of everything being okay. What was so weird about it, is that they put paid to the idea of a romantic relationship between Teyla and John ages ago, but they were obviously in a very intimate setting.
It was also strange to see Ford back for a total of about two seconds, and one line. I wonder why the actor agreed to such a brief cameo. Maybe he's missed being on the show.
Things definitely pick up after we find out it was just a dream. Rodney is being shown as his usual pessimistic self, but I liked seeing the difference between him, here, and how he was in the episode where Atlantis was on lock-down, and Rodney thought he was going to die of a disease.
I just find it interesting to note how differently he behaves when he has something to do and occupy his mind. It seems like such a basic thing, but it always bothered my how Rodney was in that other episode, because I knew he wasn't as cowardly as he was acting. But, the trouble for him was, he had absolutely nothing to do to keep himself from devolving as he did. In this one, though, he had a working computer. *g*
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timeasmymeasure
Comment 1A
Date: 2012-12-15 11:17 pm (UTC)Let's begin, shall we. Um ... was there a point to the pullback from the planet to give us a pretty astronomical view? Unless it was to blow the CGI budget? Who knows?
Then let's cut to a romantic (what???) dinner between John and Teyla. It feels really creepy and I'm so not keen on Teyla's dialogue on how she never thanked John properly for rescuing her. Knowing how TPTB think of women (usually recklessly and with much insensitivity), I don't appreciate that dialogue at all. Also, let's not forget that Teyla already has a partner (and baby on the way). But I guess TPTB decided to throw out this pathetic crumb for the Jeyla shippers. [I still remember all during S4-5 where these shippers kept pestering JM on his blog as to whether John and Teyla would finally get together, despite her current romantic and sexual/reproductive entanglement.]
Oh, look. It's not real, it's just a dream – or a nightmare, especially when Aiden drops in to add to John's guilt trip.
Back to reality, with John and Ronon trapped inside a collapsed building. Um ... major unreality moment: when someone is shishkabobbed, I believe it's practical medical knowledge NOT to remove whatever is doing the skewering. I certainly don't think a mere field dressing would be sufficient, if the wound is serious ... with internal bleeding likely. So either it's minor or it's critical, but it can't be both at the same time.
Let's go a level above where John and Ronon are trapped and visit with a claustrophobic Rodney (which doesn't make sense as he can see daylight above) and a cranky Evan who's suffered a broken leg.
Why don't we jump into another plot hole aboard the Wraith cruiser, where Kanaan shows Michael something on a computer to indicate that Michael's compound has been breeched. It's enough to make Michael head back. I'm shaking my head at the plotlessness (hey, I like that word).
Comment 1B
Date: 2012-12-15 11:22 pm (UTC)When we return to Evan and Rodney, Rodney's busy playing with computer stuff he just conveniently happened to find lying around and it's still working. He's deliriously happy he's discovered Michael's database – but, seriously, PTB, Rodney would so NOT say “Michael's Wiki”. And then have to explain what he meant to Evan. This is nearly as bad as the DOS joke on the Hive ship. ::rolls eyes::
There's some more juvenile dialogue with the “shut up” misunderstanding. And we get the full impact of the explosion: only 5 people survived: our two pairs and the guy who made it back to Atlantis. Redshirt syndrone, anybody?
After that interruption (being found), we learn from Rodney that Michael's heading back. Oops.
Back deeper in the debris, Ronon's not willing to abandon John, even though John's berating himself for not having anticipated the booby-trap. After all, he is The Guy!
Finally we get to see Teyla along with the loathsome Michael (hey, my review, my disgust) who's trying to get her to see things his way. Where her son becomes ... The Pegasus Messiah (I don't know what, because we never get any details from Michael); but Teyla is considered to be disposable. And Michael thinks that should be enough of a consolation. This guy's brain is so whacked, I just can't get into it. Okay, time for another plot cavern: since we don't know what's so special about the unborn child, is Michael so foolish as NOT to have a backup plan? What if the child doesn't make it through the birthing process? Or dies soon after? Wouldn't it make more sense for Michael to keep both Teyla and Kanaan around and impregnate her again? Or would the biological changes to Kanaan make that impossible? ::flails:: Arrgghh.
I missed this bit when the episode first aired: where Kanaan observes the interaction between Michael and Teyla. So he knows that Teyla will be sacrificed. Even so, when they're alone, he's unwilling to help her escape, because of the risk of death. I'm glad Teyla gave him the unvarnished truth of the matter. And used the word “disposable”. However, Kanaan still walks away. The passion-filled music mirrors Teyla's anguished cries as Kanaan leaves her behind a locked door.
Comment 2
Date: 2012-12-15 11:31 pm (UTC)Ugh. Back on the Wraith cruiser, Michael thinks he's going to get some human prezzies, based on the life signs back on the planet.
Woo-hoo. That's some shooting from Captain Alicia Vega, to bring down a Dart. Obscure trivia: her character is played by the actress who was Dr. Esposito in Tao of Rodney. Rodney read her mind and thought she was interested in him; but, alas, she had the hots for Ronon who was standing behind Rodney.
Rodney's showing concern about leaving the two people still trapped. But Sam says they have to get off the ground, so Rodney pilots one 'jumper away.
Let's all wave hello to the conveniently just in time Daedalus to show up only to save people's butts.
Back on Michael's cruiser, Kanaan has another revelation pounded into his skull when Michael considers the Darts to be “acceptable losses”. Was Kanaan not paying any attention to realize that Michael had pulled the plug on all of the developing hybrids (I'm presuming many were fellow Athosians)? I'm not faulting him but the way he's been written – like a simple-minded villager which would then make me wonder how Teyla could have fallen for him. To be childhood friends is one thing but love and compatibility should be between people who have a number of things in common.
Back in the debris, it's good to see John being aware and smart when dealing with their rescuers. Though I also think TPTB are lazily taking advantage of the linguistic powers of the Stargate. How do we know what “Duff” and “Oprah” - proper names - are translating into? Of course, because of the trickery, John and Ronon resolve to fight to the death, guns blazing. Yup, those are OUR guys, definitely.
Awww, finally, everybody on the Daedalus bridge learns that the life signs belong to John and Ronon. So they simply MUST be saved. I love reading Caldwell sighs in the GateWorld transcript.
Yay for the Asgard beams snatching the two men just in time. And now John learns that Rodney's alive. Doesn't he sound excited and relieved? But then he gets the rest of the news about Evan being the only other survivor.
This is where I start getting perturbed about the medical aspect of John's injuries. Losing a lot of blood and requiring surgery are serious things so it's unrealistic seeing John act like a superhuman or robot.
Awww. Rodney and Sam can play nicely when they're working on a ship- and life-saving project. And they have the same thought ... that John approves of when he shows up unexpectedly. Hmm. I'm wondering why Ronon of all people is casting a disapproving look at self-sacrificing John who's obviously in a lot of pain. Though I have to wonder if an older, more experienced doctor would have been swayed as easily as Jennifer was.
I wonder also - if Sam hadn't been aboard - whether Steven would have approved the daring rescue. But it was good to have these words come from her mouth: “She's over there Steven, counting on us. I won't take 'no' for an answer.” Awww, Sam. John's rubbed off on you, too. Also, ever since Sam made full bird, she's a lot more relaxed around Steven and not so much with the protocol she's usually exhibited.
We do learn that Jennifer may not exactly have given her okay to release John. And John tells Sam – after he's unexpectedly complimented her command - she can court martial him when he's done rescuing Teyla.
Comment 3
Date: 2012-12-15 11:42 pm (UTC)Oh, yay, that our guys find Teyla so easily. I think they're really getting familiar on Hive ships, lol. But, of course, it can't be an easy rescue, because Rodney finds out the hyperdrive is nearly fixed. Did anybody else think the division of labour (I couldn't help myself) and personnel was a setup? To think that Rodney gives the severely-injured teammate a map while he stays behind with the pregnant woman? OTOH, considering how touch-phobic John is in general (and how the Jeyla shippers might have reacted), TPTB probably thought they'd better have the geek stay behind, especially as Rodney-Teyla shippers are a rarer commodity.
No, Rodney, Teyla does NOT appreciate hearing about your kidney stone.
John and Ronon have a good time blowing things up. Yay! It's fun to see the surprise on Michael's face, especially when he's trying to figure out how anyone got on board. Kanaan offers to investigate. I wonder....
Back to the pregnant woman & Rodney show. OMG, the dialogue about pushing and catching is juvenile. And what's that about underhanded catching, Rodney? The whole birthing scene seems like something only the all-male writers could have concocted. ::sighs:: Gee, Rodney, how'd you end up presenting such a clean-looking newborn to Teyla so suddenly? And I guess you had your boy scout knife to cut the cord, too? At least they did show both Teyla and Rodney sweating from their shared experience.
It's time to get off the cruiser as the demolition duo return to find an extra passenger. But, John, HOW could you lose the 'jumper? That makes NO sense at all, though it's a lovely setup for what's to come.
It's cute to see Rodney being called on – again – to save the day. But he doesn't need to. As luck would have it, Kanaan finds our stranded passengers. Teyla's faith in him must have been enormous and luckily it is repaid.
::cheers:: Oh, this never gets old, having John hail the Daedalus – from a Dart. Mind you, Steven's pretty awesome himself, with the incredulous disapproving comment that John might have put a baby into the Wraith storage compartment. But, no, the baby is in John's arms in the cockpit. And women watching all over the planet swoon.
Yay for more of Steven's dry humour: “Major Marks, please make that ship go away.” Wraith go bye-bye in millions of pieces.
Back on Atlantis, we have a mirror-image scene with Rodney and flowers when he comes across Sam. But this time they're for Teyla. Awww, Sam, it's not fair to poke fun at Rodney. Still, he's giving her a glowing review, too, when he hears she's headed back to Earth.
In the infirmary, it's cute to see Teyla/baby and John in adjoining beds. That's the fun thing about a small working space, where people aren't separated. Well, I guess as long as there are no gruesome things going on. Poor John. I don't think he's feeling much confidence in Jennifer, considering how inappropriate her pre-surgery joke is. And, whoa, Rodney's going to be disappointed he didn't rate in the baby's naming.
So, did anyone else think it was petty to see the way Sam was replaced? It also seemed weird to go from having a diplomat (Elizabeth) to a military officer (Sam) and then to the ridiculous, namely a bureaucrat (Richard) as the head of Atlantis. We're also left with some nagging suspicions, whether he'll turn out to be as cold as he was in the future of The Last Man. And that's the end of the episode.
Closing thoughts:
I'm so worn out, I don't think I have any. I pretty much stated what I was thinking along the way. But, if I think of anything, I'll be back. Oh ... one thing: the music was fabulous! But that's usually no surprise.
no subject
Date: 2012-12-16 05:46 am (UTC)It was also strange to see Ford back for a total of about two seconds, and one line. I wonder why the actor agreed to such a brief cameo. Maybe he's missed being on the show.
Things definitely pick up after we find out it was just a dream. Rodney is being shown as his usual pessimistic self, but I liked seeing the difference between him, here, and how he was in the episode where Atlantis was on lock-down, and Rodney thought he was going to die of a disease.
I just find it interesting to note how differently he behaves when he has something to do and occupy his mind. It seems like such a basic thing, but it always bothered my how Rodney was in that other episode, because I knew he wasn't as cowardly as he was acting. But, the trouble for him was, he had absolutely nothing to do to keep himself from devolving as he did. In this one, though, he had a working computer. *g*