The best of the underrated SGA episodes

[sgamadison.livejournal.com]

So, while compiling input for my list of Top Five SGA shows to watch on New Year's Eve, a discussion of some of the best *underrated* episodes of SGS got started.

This made me really curious--if you were putting together a list of best underrated, overlooked-by-fandom episodes, what would they be?  More importantly, why?  What drew you to them when others passed them by?

I plan to come back to add my two cents worth, but I'm really more interested in *your* answers. (Well, that and it is nearly 10 am and I haven't had breakfast yet...) Convince me of what I should be watching!

Comments

[cjoelle.livejournal.com]

I guess it all depends on what corner of the fandom you are from?

I can't think of many underRated episodes as far as I'm concerned. Although I've always been surprised by the lack of fanfic following the episode Echoes, which is the most canon actual McShep episode.

[sgamadison.livejournal.com]

I almost hate to admit it, but though I recognize the slashy moments in Echoes, I didn't get quite the level of squee it generated. Possibly because at that point, I was still watching the show a year or so behind everyone else. There are still a lot of eps I've only seen once--I suspect Echoes is one of them.

So now you guys have me thinking that instead of watching the top five, as originally planned, I should go with the top five unsung (or at least unsung for me) eps instead. What are we up to so far? Inferno, Echoes, The Ark...

:-)

[popkin16]

Hot Zone, as mentioned before :P I really like Condemned, but that's mostly because they're collared in that episode~ Echoes is one of my top favorite episodes of the show, and it's not one often mentioned.

[sgamadison.livejournal.com]

Heh-heh-heh. I like your reasons for liking Condemned! I liked too, that Rodney was under pressure to fix the unfixable or watch his team die--that's the sort of pressure cooker story I love.

I really enjoyed Hot Zone too--poor Rodney wanting to be known as having died saving children, and John breaking all the rules because he wants to save Ford and Zelenka (once he knows that Rodney is safe). Plus, I'll take exploring the city for $200, Alex! Full of win!

[popkin16]

Condemned is a decent episode even without the collars, but it's really the collars that make me go from liking it well enough to I THINK IT'S TIME FOR A REWATCH. /shameless

I love that it takes place on Atlantis, that we get to catch a glimpse of the city :D I'm not sure what about it really makes me so damn fond of it, but there's something...

[sgamadison.livejournal.com]

Condemned is a decent episode even without the collars, but it's really the collars that make me go from liking it well enough to I THINK IT'S TIME FOR A REWATCH. /shameless

You made me laugh! I feel that way about 38 Minutes! *chest hair*

[popkin16]

I'm glad I made you laugh :D Mmm, 38 Minutes. Hello~ John, getting your shirt ripped off in the name of survival. Thinking about John's chest hair brings hilariously silly images to mind, though. Like Rodney curling up in John's lap and purring because CHEST HAIR.

[sgamadison.livejournal.com]

LOL! That's a lovely image!

I have to confess here, I didn't watch S1 until I had the DVD set. When I watched 38 Minutes, I had to pause the ep and back up when they bared John's chest. YOWSA!

[popkin16]

LOL I thought so :)

I confess that I was pretty neutral on SGA until The Storm/The Eye. I loved Rodney, liked John well enough, and Carson was a cutie, but I had no real opinions on anyone else. And then I watched that two-parter and went OH MY GOD WHAT IS THIS I NEED MORE.

SGA is really good at creating scenes where you rewind to rewatch :D

[sgamadison.livejournal.com]

Absolutely! I admit, I was a John girl from the beginning, but that was because I could identify with him so much it wasn't funny--especially when they gave us snippets of his background.

I got sucked in by the fanfic first, and only watched the eps when they came out on DVD. But even now, I can watch something and recall with perfect clarity why I love this show SO MUCH *hearts for eyes*

Ooooh, your icon here makes me want to clutch my chest--LOVELY.

[popkin16]

Ah, see - I'm a Rodney girl, and I have been since I saw him in that orange fleece in Rising. I identify with him a great deal, which is why I'm so protective of him. If your background is like John's, then I'm sorry :( *glomp*

I tried reading a fic before watching the show - it was Kaneko's "Intersections" but a lot of it made me scratch my head :P

But even now, I can watch something and recall with perfect clarity why I love this show SO MUCH *hearts for eyes*
YES. THAT. A lot of times I go, OH SHOW ♥

My icon represents a defining moment in their relationship, I like to think~

[sgamadison.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I heart John so much for good reason. :-(

While I love Rodney too, I only have his insecurities and poor people skills, and none of his work-related confidence or arrogant belief in his brains and skills.

I do wonder sometimes about the melting pot magic of writing plus characterization plus actors that gives you the Perfect Storm of fandom love, when other shows fail to have the same attravtion.

Awwwww! Your icon! *pets Rodney*

[popkin16]

:(

I'm less with the arrogance, but the poor people skills and *especially* the insecurities are my problems. And I think Rodney reacts to situations just like I would - with a totally understandable WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE attitude ;)

I think the Perfect Storm of Fandom Love really depends on each person; some fall for shows because they adore the characters, and others want something more plotty, so they need less awesome characterization.

YOUR ICON IS ADORABLE TOO. John kissing wee!Rodney a;skdf; cute cute cute!

[sgamadison.livejournal.com]

I can totally relate to the 'We're all going to DIE' attitude too. One of the reasons I like writing in the SGA fandom so much is the scope for exploring different sides of my own personality through favorite characters.

I think the Perfect Storm of Fandom Love really depends on each person; some fall for shows because they adore the characters, and others want something more plotty, so they need less awesome characterization..

True, very true. There are shows I watch that I know I *should* like, but I just can't get into them for some reason.

Thank you, that icon is by chck :-)

[popkin16]

The characters all have a wide range of reactions to certain doom; it's a great deal of fun to explore those differences XD

Oh, same here. And then there are shows that I watched and love, and they're not the type of show I usually enjoy.

Her art is fantastic and adorable ♥ ♥

[sgamadison.livejournal.com]

Yes to all of the above! :-)

[goddess47]

I'll add The Rising to the under-rated list... being the 'pilot' it sets some of the tone and there are so many questions right from the get-go that are never answered...

The McKay/Sheppard dynamic as they climb the stairs in the control room... *that's* the start of their relationship for me. When John does that math later... that cements it! John in the chair and Rodney in the famous orange fleece aren't bad either!

Teyla whips out a lighter to light torches in that cave -- that we never see again or anything like it.

The Wraith project themselves as images to distract their prey -- we never see that again.

The Jack/Daniel interaction when Daniel wants to go with the expedition and Jack says 'no' -- perfect...

Even the John/Sumner interactions show John off and give us the most background we have for John. Although why O'Neill didn't send at least one more officer with the Expedition baffles me. Another Lieutenant, at the very least... sigh...

So, Rising is frustrating for the things it does that you never see again but are important parts of canon...

[sgamadison.livejournal.com]

Yes, we stopped seeing how cold it was to travel through the Gate as well too! How nice to have conventions dropped when no longer convenient. :-)

You thought they should have sent more officers--I thought they should have sent at least ONE zat! Granted, the zats were ridiculous phallic symbols, and incredibly noisy to boot, but they should have have more than standard weapons and *bullets* on a one way trip to Pegasus. What did they think they were going to do when they ran out? :-)

That's why I have a fondness for Atlantis-as-a-self-sufficient-colony stories right now.

[oran.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... interesting again. Not sure how much love there is out there for Tabula Rasa, which in terms of concept and humour is one I always loved. I also seem to be in the minority for liking the 2 Siege episodes, although they seemed to be universally condemned as not very good and strangely I kinda liked Reunion, which staggers me because its a Mallozzi Mullie episode and I actively detest both men!

[sgamadison.livejournal.com]

I liked Tabula Rasa too--I've thought it would be fun to write a story in which they didn't get their memories back for a while and had to figure out what kind of people they were--how much was inherent verses how they were raised, and that sort of thing. Still might do that one some day!

I liked Reunion as well, which like you said, is unusual since it is an M&M episode. Some of my least favorite eps were written by those two, which made me unhappy and worried about the mythical movie.

[hoktauri]

I LOVED Tabula Rasa, for so many reasons. But mostly because Ronon saves the day! He is the one who points out to John and then Keller that he and Teyla are immune. Without that, they'd never have figured it out in time. :-D

Plus confused!John is so adorable.

[sgamadison.livejournal.com]

But mostly because Ronon saves the day! liking that I would think necessary to a future relationship.

She tried to be dismissive to Ronon as well--I think the very reason that Ronon never came to the infirmary unless he needed stitches made her take notice when he finally got through to her.

I felt really bad for her when the patient coded and you could see her struggle to call out the right orders. That had to be a terrifying moment!

I loved how John went from deadly!John to confused!John in the blink of an eye when holding the gun on Ronon--and how both Ronon and Teyla helped their teammates retain the 'thing that they do' long enough to get the job done. *smishes show*