Rewatch: Underground

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

 [Poll #1764007]

Comments

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

Those looks Teyla was throwing Rodney as he ate looked a little nasty.

Ooo, a Star Trek type communicator. I forgot about that little hint that not all is what it seems. Not to jump ahead too much, but I liked the Wraith more than these guys.

And speaking of Star Trek - it's Chief O'Brien! I love seeing him again.

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

I think this is becoming the re-re-rewatch community. Because, when something's mentioned and I didn't deliberately note it, I want to see it again for sure.

Oh, yes. Teyla's glances at Rodney were laced with poison darts (or else just a case of food poisoning that would make Rodney feel worse if he put more in his stomach).

OTOH, have we already been introduced to Rodney's hypoglycemia as the reason why he eats so often? It's hard to remember what we learned and at what stage (nuclear bomb, Underground, check; stopping playing the piano, ?; hypoglycemia, ?).

Mind you, I'm not complaining if I have to re-re-reeeeeee-watch any episode, especially in the earlier seasons.

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

I think this is becoming the re-re-rewatch community. Because, when something's mentioned and I didn't deliberately note it, I want to see it again for sure. Most definitely. I've been doing the same thing. Sometimes I even re-rewatch an entire episode later in the week, so I can see it from the new perspective I've gained.

I honestly can't remember about his hypoglycemia. I've watched the entire series too closely together to remember when I've learned certain facts, and some I've obviously forgotten altogether, because I don't remember him playing the piano.

I'm not complaining about how many times I rewatch either. I'm enjoying it way too much for that. I love being able to do exactly what we're doing.

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

I love the banter between John and Rodney. The snark is always better if one of them is involved, and even better when it's between the two of them.

That underground city has always seemed so sophisticated for people that haven't even developed any kind of explosives, yet.

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Ahhhh, banter. And I'd hazard to guess that it might not have developped in the series if Jason had been the fourth member of the team from the beginning i/o Rainbow. But, because John and Rodney are so close in age - and also respective heads of their divisions, there's no harm to any hierarchy if they snark at each other.

Huh? I never thought of the underground city in those terms, so thank you for pointing it out. And it would be even more difficult to have something like that when you're pretending you're just simple farmers. Though, I'm sure, if they travelled to enough markets on various worlds in a less-farmerlike disguise, they could come back with tools and construction materials.

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

I never thought of the underground city in those terms, Did they say, later in the episode, that their ancestors had created the underground bunkers? I'm not sure, though, if Cowan meant just the underground passage ways, or that city. In either case, if the ancestors left that much behind, wouldn't they have also left texts on many different things, so that their people would know how to defend themselves, too?

However it works out, it's a big inconsistency. People with guns (bullets being small explosions all on their own) and those cities, would have some knowledge of basic explosives - at least dynamite, so that the C4 wouldn't look as impressive.

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Oh, boy. What we associate with the Genii name that we didn't know originally. And, hey, Teyla, your people really did get snowed under by the deception.

And, yes, we can see that a food shortage would really deprive Rodney of his food and drink (which really stands out as he's the only one with it at the table). It's interesting to see, still very early on in the series, that Rodney is shown so utterly oblivious of his lack of social skills (so we have the pleasure of observing him mellow a bit over the next few years). This will not be the Rodney of SG-1. [Though, can I have the dot.com Rodney? I thought he was adorable!]

Hee! John's a bit cranky, referring to Rodney's 11 cups a day. Only???

::giggles:: Yeah, John, it's always a good thing to get to know your neighbours. Or not.

Oh, Teyla. How were you all fooled. "The puddlejumper may alarm them" because they are "a simple people". Yeah, sure.

Hai, B.C. parkland. Again.

John giving Rodney a pronunciation lesson: TA-VA.

And here come the quasi-Amish, strolling over (except that Sora's blouse is a little low cut). So, is the perception that John is hitting on Tyrus's daughter the beginning of the Kirk myth?

Hee! Trading for a sense of humour. And banter between the boyz. Yay!

Uh-oh. A very SHINY communicator. [Um, I want one, 'cuz it has pretty lights.]

And roll credits.

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

I love your stream of consciousness comments. So many of them echo my own, only I can't type them fast enough to get them down like you can, at least not without missing a bunch of stuff while I type. I could pause the ep, but watching a show in fits and spurts has never been something I enjoy.

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

True confession time: I have to start watching in advance of the 10PM time, and I do the stop-and-start, because I'm using my computer for both watching the DVD and writing my reactions and thoughts. I can't use my TV/DVD player at all because they're behind my back when I'm sitting at the 'puter (not a laptop). Mind you, I've gotten really efficient at switching from one to the other quickly.

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

I know you mentioned having to watch on your computer before, but I also thought you mentioned something about having that problem solved a few weeks ago. I must have understood. It's too bad that your setup doesn't allow for both at the same time. However, it certainly doesn't seem to slow you down. I do like the thought that someone out there is watching at the same time as me. That's one of the best things about technology, imo.

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Hey, Colm has certainly not aged much since his Trek days (seems just a titch stouter).

And, back to our team, there's Aiden getting to blow stuff up REAL GOOD. Though, once again, we see how the Atlantis people have dug their own graves. Instead of showing off with explosives (that eventually led to demands for nuclear weapons), wouldn't it have made much more sense to have offered teams of Marines to prepare the land.

::giggles::
See how NOT impressed Teyla is to have to endure yet another harvest ceremony.

And the music sounds like an English folk tune. Is it just me, but don't their clothes look TOO clean, for simple people?

Oh, noes. Now Liz is getting snarky at John. Of course she's cleared a stump by hand ... "as a hobby".

Back on the planet, John's trying to walk in a straight line and then they get weird signals. Lovely bit of curious music. Now this is where the Genii went wrong (or PTB with the script). Instead of leaving them with a preferred path back to the village, they should have left one of their people at the Gate to escort them.

By the time they stumble upon the hatch, the music has morphed from merely curious to almost science-fictiony. [Don't look at me that way. I say it's a word.]

::giggles:: Yes, Rodney, you do have to check it out.

Oh, no. Here's goofy-face John saying let's check out the really bad radiation. No wonder Rodney's losing his hair. Uh, because of John (not radiation).

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Sometimes, it doesn't pay to go for what's behind Door #1. Really.

And now we have the serious music. Plus bewildernment from John and Rodney. But, it's too late, because all of a sudden they're surrounded by ... uh ... Russian-looking-uniformed guards. Oops?

Back aboveground, does anybody else think that Teyla's being excessively cheerful in this episode?

Whee – interrogation time. I've always loved seeing the two of them sitting side by side. And Cowen just had to change into his other outfit.

Rodney, Rodney, Rodney. Will. You. Please. Shut. Up. It really makes me wonder how much damage his self-esteem took during his formative years for him to have to constantly trumpet about his superiority (and I happen to like Rodney).

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

And Cowen just had to change into his other outfit. I didn't think of this until I saw Tyrus and Sora appear in their's. I couldn't figure out why they had done it, and that made me think of Cowan.

Rodney does need to learn to shut up. He makes me think of a child sometimes in his eagerness to show off his knowledge. Which certainly reinforces your thoughts on his self-esteem.

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

At least Rodney's quick to guess: atomic bomb. But it's interesting for him to tell John that "most of his high school chess club" could design one, instead of what we know about his own Grade 6 science project.

So, once a proud confederation of planets, now the Genii are reduced to living in bunkers and carrying on double lives.

Yay, Rodney, for pointing out that the Genii scientists are wrong about the dangerous levels of radiation.

"... weren't planning on having children." And John nods his head slightly at Rodney.

Huh, not prisoners. So, allies then. And food and drink on a fancier table, too.

But Cowen's upset when he hears he doesn't have five years to build the perfect bomb. And so ready to sacrifice the team. FLIP-FLOP.

Okay, okay, here it comes: Rodney building a bomb for his Grade 6 science fair exhibit and Aiden's comment is simply priceless: "They let you do that up in Canada?" One of the BEST lines ever in the series (and really taking advantage of the fact that a lot of people don't know much about the country).

Oh, joy NOT. Working together.

Is it just me or does that interface device look ... out of place?

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

"... weren't planning on having children." And John nods his head slightly at Rodney. I missed the direction of the head nod. Now I have to go back and look for it.

In the process of looking back, I see at the very start of the ep, Elizabeth is talking, but except for a quick look at her, John is looking at Rodney. I wonder what he could have been thinking...

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Oh, Liz's snarky comments about nuclear weapons are so wonderfully casual. And John and Aiden are acting ... uh ... simple.

Oh, no. Rodney goes from being a potential "Hero of the Genii People" to "I'm a dead man".

It's interesting to see once again, especially after the last episode, how people are born into a society and conform to its ideological practices without objection. And, yet, some of that feels strange, because the Wraith have hibernated for decades, so we're hearing about the extent to which residents in Pegasus have gone even when the threat wasn't constantly there, but rather cyclical in nature.

Yay for uncloaking 'jumper. It just looks cool.

Tyrus looks waaaaaaaaaaaay too young to be Sora's father. Was he 10 when she was born?

Having a lot of trouble with my vision – not tracking the movement when they get to the Hive Ship because it's so dark. But, yeah, John, finally you're being circumspect ... you ONLY have the ONE 'jumper. Cowen looks as if he doubts that.

Ooooh. Creepy, gloomy, horror-type music.

Yuck. Cocoons.

And the 50 cent tour continues. I'll pass, thanks.

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

Is it just me, or does Tyrus look like a Vulcan? I get that impression whenever the camera focuses on him. Maybe it's the sideburns...

I get the feeling that John does really not like working with the Genii. Of course, this is the second race of obsessed people they've run into in two weeks.

Oh my gosh, I just noticed how cute Rodney's ears are!

Man, the cocoon people are creepy.

Funky effect as they disappear into the cloaked jumper.

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, Tyrus's Vulcan face? Well, I found all of the Benii when in disguise to be really blank-faced, as if - as simple folk - they couldn't afford to show deeper emotions. Considering how many times Teyla said "simple", I wonder if she meant not so smart, too.

Whoa! Cute Rodney ears? I hadn't broken him down into his cute components that way.

I'm surprised the guy in the cocoon actually woke up, 'cuz he sounded so far gone.

And thank you again for pointing to the disappearing into the cloaked jumper, running backwards even.

Did you get the impression that, since John and Aiden have been in a Hive Ship ONCE, finding their way around the place is really simple.

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

Did you get the impression that, since John and Aiden have been in a Hive Ship ONCE, finding their way around the place is really simple. God, yes. I think it should have taken a little more time to learn their way around. It might help is I knew more about actual hives - maybe they're set up in a very logical sequence - like the streets of New York City. *shrugs*

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

More yuck for Rodney having to deal with organic Hive Ship materials.

And Tyrus kills the pleading cocooned man and gets felled in return.

While back on Genii it's time for our team to get double-crossed. And Cowen throws Teyla under the bus. Interesting choice of dialogue from Cowen. "It was a mistake to try to save anyone, to jeopardize the mission." And, wow, isn't that just John's past hitting him over the head again. Will everything keep reminding him of how he disobeyed orders?

Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
"Jumpers 2 and 3, execute."

Yay-yay-yay, bad ass John!!!

But, whoa, see the simmering resentment on Sora's face.

Wow! Liz, look at you in your slinky top. Definitely off-duty.

And we end with the stuff of nightmares, "60 ships ... or more" – along with some extra-creepy music where that note slides jarringly off-pitch. Look out, people. There's trouble ahead. BIIIIIG trouble.

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

I love the part where John has the two cloaked jumpers reveal themselves. That is my loudest squee moment of the episode.

The intel is valuable, but you can see John's military mind at work, trying to figure out tactics, and knowing they have next to nothing against those kind of numbers. At least as things stand.

Man, that last line is ominous. Setting us up for a lot of bitten fingernails.

[trystings.livejournal.com]

- And if people ask...
- We'll say "what giant underground bunker"!

Hahahaha ;D

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

::adds more silly potential dialogue between the boys::

John, innocently wide-eyed with sincere voice: I can keep a secret.
John, turning to Rodney: Can you keep a secret?
Rodney: Well, of course I can. There was the time when I--
John cuts him off: Rodney, so NOT proving that you CAN keep a secret.
Rodney, showing mock guilt: Oh, right. Sorry. Yes.
Rodney zips his mouth closed as the two turn back simultaneously to face their interrogators.

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

*snerk* I love scenes with those two together - it really seems to keep the writers on their toes, and some of the best lines of every show come when they have scenes with each other.

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

A couple of other points, on re-rewatching.

It was Cowen who said, "Go. Go," when they were in the 'jumper on the Hive Ship. And, yet, he still pins the blame on Teyla. Gee, Cowen, if you're so with the mission program, then you should be accepting losses of your own.

And it was cool to see John's effective use of dark sunglasses to hide any intent (such as the order to uncloak the hovering 'jumpers).

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

I have to admit, I caught that double standard. As they flew away, I thought about 'no man left behind.' Tyrus wasn't one of John's men, so I can understand him going, but Cowen obviously doesn't have the same code of ethics. He also doesn't take responsibility for his actions or his decisions. That's what I got from that scene, anyway. He isn't someone I'd want at my back.