Rewatch: Condemned

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

The puddle jumper arrives on a planet that neither Teyla nor Ronon have visited before. They land near an abandoned campfire, only to find themselves under attack by the indigenous people. They are rescued by a flying vehicle that escorts them to a city of the advanced Olesians. Their magistrate tells the stargate is on a prison island, where only the most violent criminals are sent. According to him this has kept the Wraith away from the city for centuries. He tells McKay their scientists have recently found a mineral that is fissionable, but does not produce any radioactivity. McKay is very interested and the magistrate seems willing to trade. While the jumper returns to get Dr. Weir for the negotiations, the prisoners open fire. They manage to shoot it down.  [Poll #1796136]

Comments

Comment 1B

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

I guess the Magistrate's explanation that the penal colony's been on that island for hundreds of years means it's not the fault of the current administration. Hey, their hands are clean. Smug bastard. Yeah, yeah. Tell us another one, that "only the most violent criminals are sent there". Does that line sound familiar to a student of world history?

Um ... "civilized and hospitable people". Can I spit at my computer screen the next time his face appears on it? The team sure looks mighty uncomfortable just being in his presence.

Now the Magistrate is taking them on the 50-cent tour. Rodney's questioning of "fissionable yet non-radioactive material" adds to our suspicions.

When John says they're due to return to the 'jumper because it's time to check in, the Magistrate so graciously offers to allow them to use one of the relay stations. Private conversation? No problem. Can I roll my eyes again?

Hello, floating Atlantis and Liz. Trade. Really? Of course, John brings up "the minor moral hiccough of their form of capital punishment". Well, that got Liz's attention. So Rodney steps in to 'splain it. And adds his own rather barbaric preferences. Really, Rodney? The electric chair? Yuck. Why does John have that smile on his face? Wow. Even Ronon thinks it's a practical solution. John adds that the colony is only for the most violent criminals. Oh, thank goodness, Teyla's there to ask the important questions, whether they kill their most violent criminals on Earth. Um ... Rodney, only "certain countries"? Anyway, John doesn't want to talk about it right now. Well, Liz thinks they do, if they're going to do any business with these people.

Back in the Magistrate's chambers, the team says they'd like to discuss "possible trade opportunities". Oh, the jovial Magistrate says they're "very open". Why do I feel the shark's mouth yawning, its sharp teeth looking very, very dangerous?

Finally the 'jumper's in the air and flying back towards a far better place. Rodney mentions he's "creeped out". John's a bit more blasé. He says that politicians are "all creepy". Well, yeah, I'd agree there, but these people seem extra creepy.

Okay, so there's something up. The jumper is in fact flying towards the Stargate on the island and the "prisoners" below are going to try to fire on it. With a home-made cannon. All the while Rodney is babbling about Margaret Thatcher and his remarkably hirsute aunt.

Uh-oh. The ship's damaged and going down. They make it as far as a heavily treed part of the island. The prisoners raise their arms, rejoicing and yelling, and start forward to find the downed craft.

Our team are slightly banged up. Um, why are there no seatbelts on any craft. Do they think that inertial dampeners will never fail or other malfunctions occur (the old Starship Enterprise question)? As the gate will still be open for a few minutes, they exit the 'jumper. And are ambushed – again – by the prisoners. [I think this was a very bad tactical move, John. You might have had some protection in the 'jumper, but no guarantee of getting through the Stargate.] Unfortunately, they're forced to surrender. In the meantime, the prisoners are having a party going through their weapons. Um ... prisoner-guy, next time you aim that launcher, have the business end pointed in the other direction.

Our team is waiting in a cabin when the prison leaders enter. John's trying to negotiate. After all, their people will come looking for them ... with superior firepower. So, what do the prisoners want. They already took their weapons and now they'll just take the "ship". Um ... the one they just shot down? No problem. 'Cuz they're going to make Rodney fix it. Oh, yay. Rodney makes a MacGyver joke. The prisoners' leader is not impressed. So he shows Rodney a little motivation, with a blast. Okay, so it's a lot of motivation, aka a huge crater in the wall behind them.

Ronon looks frustrated, 'cuz he'd really like to take these people on. And John has that hopeful look on his face and encourages a panic-stricken Rodney to fix it. Rodney, in a small voice, agrees. "Good idea." Yeah, yeah. The leader's SO persuasive. Then they grab Rodney who was tied with a pole through the inner crooks of his elbows.