Rewatch: Brain Storm

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

Rodney is returning to Earth for his 2 weeks of leave and to attend a colleague's presentation on a scientific breakthrough. He's also managed to work up the gumption to ask Jennifer Keller if she will accompany him and she agrees. On Earth, they're attending a scientific conference hosted by Rodney's rival, Malcolm Tunney, against whom he has been competing for most of his life. When Tunney announces technology to solve global warming, McKay accuses him of stealing his ideas. Tunney decides to give his guests a live demonstration but when he finds he can't turn the devise off, he turns to McKay for help. The crisis also allows McKay and Jennifer to express their true feelings for one another.Written by garykmcd



[Poll #1905271]

Comments

[rhia-starsong.livejournal.com]

This may actually be my least favourite episode, I'm sorry to say, since it had Bill Nye, whom I love. But the whole McKeller thing fell extraordinarily flat for me. Ah, well, at least Jewel looked really nice in that dress!

Comment 1A

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Ugh. Another episode I've watched only for the second time ever. Actually, I picked up a few other reasons to dislike it ... some of which surprised even me.

I thought that Ronon's lack of excitement was unusual, considering that he was going to be hanging out with John and surfing. OTOH, perhaps his nonchalant answer “Who cares?” if Jennifer and Rodney were moving up in their relationship was a coverup, that he WAS bothered he hadn't won her (over).

But John? Oh, my. I think he's really disturbed seeing them together. Let's add his facial reaction to his behaviour in Quarantine (seeing the engagement ring) and Tracker (when Rodney blows him off to spend the day with Jennifer as her roadie). So ... again, was the response directed by TPTB or just something JF threw in?

If I want to be nasty in my observation, then I might assume that John doesn't want his current little family to split up, splintering into separate components and doesn't care that he's allowing his own unsatisfactory childhood to poison how he deals with people who are his friends. [Remember this when you see him all alone on deck in 5x20.]

Back to Jennifer's and Rodney's awkward conversation, well at least his part of it. But his reaction to Jennifer is really sweet and quite charming (once again, much better than his pompous yet vacuous assertion at the end of 5x20). And, woo-hoo, Rodney has a date for his scientific thingy back on Earth. But his comment before the end of the scene is prescient: “Probably some minor adjustment to someone else's work, but the food'll be good!”

It's time to meet the mystery science guys at Kramer Innovations Inc. ... somewhere in the middle of nowhere in a U.S. desert. The scientist Rodney mentioned is Malcolm Tunney, who looks much older and more tired than Rodney in general; and Terence Kramer, who apparently controls the purse-strings.

Terence is questioning Malcolm's readiness to carry out an experiment based on the wariness of his staff. But Malcolm says everything will be just fine. And adds those fateful words we've heard before, namely “Trust me”.

Jennifer and Rodney continue to be the mismatched couple on a private jet. She's impressed by the champagne and strawberries while Rodney's not as enchanted. And tells Jennifer just how Malcolm's generally able to afford such outlandish luxuries. Still, Jennifer demands that he try to be appreciative – if only for her sake – so Rodney takes a bite of a strawberry which doesn't taste as good when he sees a picture of Malcolm with the Dalai Lama. However, I will admit I liked Jennifer's hairdo in this episode. [I'm usually hypercritical about how unprofessional hers is in a workplace setting, especially the infirmary, but here it's quite fetching.]

Comment 1B

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Rodney's hilarious at the check-in desk when they arrive at Kramer. He says he'll sign the confidentiality agreement if there are live dinosaurs. Oh, Rodney. The “unabridged works of William Shakespeare”? But, because Jennifer signed, Rodney signs as well.

It's a very odd crowd at the reception. Considering the dress code specified “evening wear”, some of the women are wearing very casual dresses. When this first aired, I guessed TPTB just asked for extras to show up with their own clothes ... and this was the mish-mash result. I also noticed that Rodney's shirt gaped weirdly around the top buttons at the beginning of the episode, but was fixed later on. Did someone find some velcro?

Rodney's spotted by Bill Nye and Neil deGrasse Tyson who both end up acting like dicks. Here's a new reaction from me: I got the impression TPTB wanted us to see most scientists as being egotistical, rash, and extremely competitive (so Rodney wouldn't seem to be so unusual, I guess). And also jerks when it came to women. What's this whole thing about calling “dibs” on Jennifer? It's so disrespectful. I also wonder how famous real people such as these two don't mind having stupid words come out of their mouths.

Hmmm. So the only two options Rodney has is to either be himself ... or “humble”.

Cue dorky music and a bad eco presentation, courtesy of Malcolm. And yay to Rodney for that astute observation: anyone concerned about global warming would not be flying TWO people there in a private jet. Add juvenile talk with the showering joke. Well, we know those words definitely were written by the ever-crass TPTB.

But, when Malcolm starts talking science, Rodney leans forward, intrigued. And then is shocked to hear what the remedy is (stolen from him) and horrified he's going to be trapped in a dangerous experiment. Rodney says it's a bad idea while Malcolm is talking on stage. I feel so sorry for him when Jennifer pulls him back into his seat because she's embarrassed by his outspokenness, not realizing what the more important issue is – that Rodney knows what he's complaining about. But Jennifer's not being supportive and only concerned about how it all looks.

Comment 2

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Once the auditorium has cleared out (for hot chocolate that seems awfully premature at 74 degrees), Rodney just has to hack Malcolm's computer to be sure about his suspicions.

It's I-told-you-so time as Malcolm's assistant informs him the device can't be shut off. Oops? Then Terence starts berating him because it was supposed to be “without a hitch”. So Malcolm blames sabotage. After Bill Nye gets to needle Rodney, he and Jennifer are asked to follow the receptionist because Malcolm wants to see them. Rodney mistakenly thinks he's going to receive an apology.

Not so fast Rodney. There's incriminating footage of you vowing to destroy Malcolm. But Rodney reiterates that he begged Malcolm to not start the process. I love Rodney's speech about how Malcolm might have borrowed Rodney's paper from two years ago, I'm going to repeat it here:

“OK, here's how I think it went down: you were working with the government. Someone there trusted you, a lot, and let you see something you weren't supposed to see. Or maybe you were sent something by accident. Who knows? You saw a paper about a matter bridge – a project that was shut down due to the adverse effects of exotic particles. You read it; you realised that if the bridge was used merely as a transfer of energy – say, heat – there would be no exotic particle creation and thus no adverse effects. So, you co-opted the science as your own, made a few changes to make yourself feel better and got to work, dismissing the original author's warnings about the inherent instability of time/space bridges. How'm I doing so far?

Though Terence defends Malcolm, I swear, the look of defeat and sudden ageing on Malcolm's guilty face was something to behold. While Rodney's trying to see how it can be fixed, he's giving Jennifer a physics lesson. And Malcolm's still grabbing credit for himself, no matter how tiny. What a shmuck.

Back in the lobby, we see Bill Nye, talking. Near him is a man in a wheelchair who I wasn't aware at the time of first viewing was supposed to be Stephen Hawking (but wasn't for realz ... not like that memorable holodeck scene in STNG). As if things weren't bad enough, a blue ray zaps a man and freezes his left side. This is now very bad. Luckily, there IS a doctor in the house. [Guess who?] And Malcolm shows where his priorities are, hoping the victim signed his waiver. Uh ... if he hadn't, Malcolm, the receptionist wouldn't have let him enter. But, hey, even Rodney's appalled by that level of callousness.

Well, Terence has his own brand of callousness in the guise of idealism. He doesn't see this as a dead end in the research. And – wah – he doesn't want the government to be called in, because his research will be shut down. So ... is his updated granola hippy attitude - where idealism should always come before common sense - supposed to mirror the ruthlessness of all of the big lobbying industries that don't give a flying fig for the damage they cause on the planet? In any case, he's a blind fool who believes that Rodney and Malcolm will figure things out.

Well, Jennifer has to remind them there's a whole room full of supposed geniuses and that he was going to try to be “humble”. Ack. When Rodney and Malcolm start explaining the situation, Bill Nye has a helpful suggestion, that they just destroy the bridge. Rodney just loves that idea. NOT. Things get worse when Malcolm joins their shouting arguments.

Comment 3A

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Jennifer claps her hands to get everyone's attention and chastises them for behaving like kids instead of working together. Uh ... PTB, you really had to give her the role of motivator mom, because it wasn't enough that she was there as Rodney's girlfriend AND a doctor who examined a patient? Obviously not, as she was destined to do so much more. ::rolls eyes::

Jennifer convinces Terence to let her make a phone call out for help. But it's too late. The communications room is a frozen mess. When they return to the computer room, it's now 36 degrees and Rodney doffs his dinner jacket so Jennifer can slip into it. Did anybody notice that what she put on was tailored to her figure. If it had really been Rodney's, it would have been swimming around her shoulders.

They finally figure there may be weak pockets in the containment field for a cellphone signal to penetrate. Though Malcolm sets out, Jennifer stops him, saying she'll go. Uh ... so SHE is the one making the major decisions now? ::groans:: At the very least, Terence should have gone with her or made an employee do it. But, then, we wouldn't have such a dramatic conclusion, would we?

And cue Malcolm with a sexist question about Jennifer. Thanks again, PTB, for your lack of sensitivity when it comes to writing female roles or HOW men react to the presence of women. But they did put in the direction that most of the men in attendance had passed their jackets to women (except for Malcolm and Terence), though that's more along the lines of traditional chivalrous behaviour.

At least Rodney's taking charge of the computer room and telling people to scram because they're in his way. Yay, Rodney!

Meanwhile, Jennifer's gotten a call through to the SGC. ::waves hi at Walter:: But the signal's too weak and Walter hangs up. At least it's good to see that Jennifer's annoyed when she exclaims, “Son of a bitch!” (so she's not all sweetness and light).

After we stop in to see how the guys are doing (badly), we see Jennifer trying to get another signal. But a freezing ray hits a water pipe, causing water to soak her.

Back in the computer room, Rodney's talking about patience in collapsing the bridge despite the increasing frequency of the freezing rays, but then Malcolm suddenly turns it down. This reminds me SO much of what Kavanagh did at the Midway Station, causing a disaster.

Back to Jennifer who is now trapped between two frozen doors. I don't remember those doors and why did she shut them? Or did they just magically shut themselves, just so we'd have more drama? She radios Rodney just to tell him the bad and worse news. Malcolm says he'll send his security guys to rescue her. Oh, so NOW they're available. /sarcasm.

Then the containment field fails and we get instant tornadoes. Oooh, DIY weather. Not good. Luckily, Rodney has a brilliant idea. How NOT humble of him. So it's impossible? No problem for Rodney. It'll just take him a wee bit longer.

[tavabean.livejournal.com]

LOL, this is the only SGA ep I never watched.

Comment 3B

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Back to the damsel in peril who hasn't been rescued yet. And Malcolm, that utter waste of a human being, didn't tell Rodney that the rescuers were cut off from Jennifer's location, so it's taking them longer. Rodney, suddenly the action hero, decides to save her himself. But-but-but, NOW Malcolm starts to talk about ALL their deaths. So Rodney throws Malcolm's self-proclaimed genius status in Malcolm's face and tells him to fix it. And that leads to Malcolm's confession that Rodney's smarter. Woo-hoo. When Rodney runs off, knowing what (who) his first priority is, Malcolm starts to panic, so Bill Nye slaps him across the face. Gee, what is it about Bill and hitting?

Rodney grabs a fire axe on the way and starts to hack through a door. He sees Jennifer's unconscious body, so works harder to make a larger hole.

In the computer room, Malcolm's just about ready, but wants Bill to check his math. He has been, so it's good to know he's been useful. Outside, the tornadoes are getting ready to really mess with the complex.

When Rodney reaches Jennifer, he starts to apply CPR. Oh, good. Rodney actually picked up some RL medical emergency skills.

Elsewhere, both bridges have collapsed, the tornadoes dissipated and even the sun comes out. How clichéed. ::rolls eyes::

So ... Jennifer comes back to life and Rodney's telling her how he saved her, big axe and all. Awwww. So, after they kiss, Jennifer tells Rodney she loves him and uses almost the exact words he did in the recording from The Shrine. Hmmm. Lazy writing?

The final scene is back in the private jet where Rodney and Jennifer are sitting in their party clothes though wrapped in blankets. Jennifer particularly looks like a drowned cat because of her tangled hair. So ... Malcolm and Terence couldn't even provide their guests with a change of clothes?

Anyway, Rodney's miserable because Bill told everyone that Malcolm fixed everything, even though it was Rodney's idea. When Jennifer asks if it really matters, I'm so glad that Rodney reverted back to being himself and says that it does, though he doesn't get public recognition working for the SGC. So Jennifer suggests the unthinkable, that he quit and work in the private sector. Jennifer, bite your tongue! But, when Rodney says he's been considering that very idea, she says she doesn't know anybody who loves their job more than Rodney. In any case, when it comes to global warming, the solution has to be more than just one person's endeavour.

But enough talk about science and global responsibility, Jennifer has other things on her mind. That start with kissing. And Rodney's oddly pompous yet awkward declaration that being humble seems to be a hit with the “ladies”. Yeah, yeah, anything you say, Rodney. I sure hope they didn't join the Mile High Club. It just seems tacky and, hey, it would be So. Much. Fun to peel off damp clothes to have sex (for their first time together), then get redressed back in damp clothes. Ugh. Also, are we to assume that Jennifer's got a hormonal implant for birth control? I know several fanfic writers routinely mention how all women on Atlantis have it, just in case they get captured ... or just for recreational protection. However, the other reason I don't think they actually did it was the time factor. If they're somewhere in Nevada or Arizona, then it wouldn't take long for the jet to get to Colorado. In any case, that's my perception and I'm sticking to it.

Closing thoughts

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

So I've generally mentioned the things I found distasteful – though I'm sure you've all got the picture. But I'm still a bit shocked at the impression given about scientists, that they're unprincipled, undisciplined and seeking the easiest way to get glory. Not much of a recommendation for the profession. On Earth, at least. I accept that the negativity that shrouds them could have been deliberate, just so that our Rodney could shine more brightly. But, if that's the case, then it was very stilted.

The real scientists (Bill and Neil) had horrible words put in their mouths. I just found it unsettling that they'd allow themselves to be used like that, just to be on a TV show. Uh ... an entertainment TV show.

The whole one-step solution to global warming to just transfer the problem to another reality is on par with the proposal to send Earth's garbage to the sun where it would burn up. Because reducing the amount of garbage on Earth isn't a valid program that should be encouraged everywhere. In a similar vein, I wonder why Terence's character was written the way it was, as someone who had way too much money and not enough brains – though he certainly thought he could hire those.

The projects I've admired the most when it comes to reducing global warming have to do with how people live. The best ideas IMO have been those that encourage change without substantially reducing people's creature comforts. One such unique proposal is for more green roofs, whether on single-family residences or office towers. Even better when those green roofs have food gardens. The reduction in energy consumption following the implementation of a green roof is significant. Even better, the additional insulation helps to cool the building in summer and warm it in winter. Plus there's the photosynthetic production of oxygen. And, while we're on the subject of oxygen, it's time – on a larger scale - to stop the destruction of the rain forest along with the species likewise in danger of extinction.

I'm just hoping that more people have been moved to start doing their bit instead of waiting for one so-called miracle to eliminate the problem like magic. And there's the disheartening idea that Terence and Malcolm were looking for a way where people could just continue to pollute the planet which to me means that Terence was just as much of a one-note monolith as big business lobbyists are.

Okay, I think my lecture time is up. ::giggles nervously:: Same time ... next week?