Rewatch: Vengeance

[twinsarein.livejournal.com]

After losing contact with the new Taranin (the people rescued by the Atlantis team when a super volcano threatened to destroy their planet) settlement, Sheppard's team leaves to investigate. Finding the town deserted, they move to investigate an extensive subterranean tunnel system. What they find there holds dark tidings for the entire Pegasus Galaxy. [Poll #1853766]

Comments

Comment 1

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'm rewatching this under protest because John Sheppard's not the only one who hates bugs. Yuck.

Anyway, it was cute to hear that Japanese influenced music just after we see Rodney in his white karate or judo-style outfit. Though, I think he'd be better protected if dressed like Puffy-Xander whenever he trained with Buffy in BtVS.

So ... those icky, spooky tunnels belong to an abandoned mental institution. How ... convenient. I got that from the production notes on GateWorld. Anyway, here's a fun (well, not for him) quote:

"It was a fun episode to work on, but the actual location wasn't so hot. We shot in the hollowed out tunnels underneath an abandoned mental institution, which were dark, dank and had this 'stuff' on the walls. After a week, most people's eyes were red and I got sick, so as cool as the story looks, hopefully now audiences will know that there were sacrifices involved in making it look that way!"
(Actor Joe Flanigan, in an interview with Starburst magazine [#346, January 2007])

So, once again Mom (aka Elizabeth) wants to be safe and sends a backup team.

And, really, you can't take Ronon anywhere without a leash, because he wanders away and everybody worries, even though he is big and strong.

Ugh. Piles of dead people. And evidence of iratus bugs. Both not good.

BTW, though it usually needs no mention, Joel Goldsmith's music for this is sooooo creeeeeepy. ::shudders::

So, of course, I can't see anything in the dark when the creature attacks. Uh ... maybe it's better that way. After all, I'd like to sleep tonight.

Another gross-looking thing is the three-clawed end of the severed arm.

Aww. Poor redshirts Marines. They never stood a chance.

Just as brilliant music can be so effective when things are scary, so is silence, when our Team is getting ready to go through another door. Also "pod"; no ... "egg". Hee! Tomayto, tomahto time.

Comment 2

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Oh, Rodney. You called John "Butch" in reference to using enough dynamite. Is that a new dig at John's manliness???

::giggles:: Let's listen to our reproductive biology expert (Dr. McKay, dontcha know?) who, on second glance, isn't really sure how Wraith reproduction works. John knows he's never going to watch that. Yuck.

The stargate looks so peaceful, nestled among the Canadian Taranan trees in the forest.

John thinks that Rodney can fix anything, even when there are vital components missing. Hey, Rodney may be good, but even he can't do magic.

Ugh. Michael. Can I officially stop watching now? Or at least not commenting?

Oh, great. Now it's Teyla's turn to wander off and have a door slam in her face.

Okay, now this is just stupid. Why have all that steam except to make things more difficult for us to see and the Team to navigate. And creature noises just to make things extra nasty.

So ... which is creepier: Teyla turning around to see Michael or an exploding creature?

Michael has a unique interpretation of survival. More yuck.

Poor John. His blowing up things is a wee bit tardy. But at least it does the job. Still, he's lucky he didn't get his eyebrows singed off.

Re: Comment 2

[tavabean.livejournal.com]

I'll have to rewatch this one, I don't like bugs either (other than Bug!John)! The Butch reference is to a famous line in Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid with Paul Newman and Robert Redford (1969):
Butch Cassidy: Well, that ought to do it.
[after blowing the train car to smithereens]
Sundance Kid: Think ya used enough dynamite there, Butch?

Re: Comment 2

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Ah, thank you kindly. I did not know that, not having seen the film. Yes, yes. I grew up in a cornfield ... or something.

But, if so, I'm surprised the writers put that line in Rodney's mouth. We normally don't get an indication that he likes anything other than SF, perhaps some horror (if you count Alien).

Comment 3

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Okay, it's officially nightmare time. I'm putting my fingers over my eyes. And, for the record, I. Hate. Bugs. Even if it's not real, I wonder how Rachel L could withstand it. Because it looked real.

Well, the Team found the Marines. Poor guys.

Aww. Too bad. [I'm kidding, you know.] Michael just lost one of his faithful servants. And now he knows the rest of the Team is near.

Ah, now we know why Teyla was wearing a low-cut top. So it would gross us out even more as the bug crept up her body. Yuck-yuck-yuck!!! But rescued just in time. Though I could hardly tell that the bug was shot off.

Poor Rodney. Now John wants him to "unshield" the shielded areas. Oh, is that all?

Ronon's really making John face the hard question. As in they made a mistake before with Michael and, this time, they just need to kill him.

Interesting squishy discussion between Teyla and Rodney about what Michael left behind – or was prevented from rejoining. Like ... family?

Just as Rodney fixes one thing, he discovers a world of OMG, as in a ton of life signs near John and Ronon. So, according to Rodney, a "ton" is a "few dozen".

Oh, gross. Michael just let out some more of his pets, and they're headed toward John – according to Rodney.

Our Team doesn't say "Oh, crap" that often, but this time it's John's turn.

Just to make things even more interesting, Rodney thinks that his LSD is showing Ronon approaching John; it's really ... Michael. At least John's got his weapon aimed. But it's a standoff, as Michael's holding a stunner aimed at John. Who'll shoot first? Though, just as John says he doesn't have a problem with killing Michael, Michael responds he doesn't have a problem with dying. Too bad we won't find out because a creature attacks John allowing Michael to run off (stride away really quickly). Luckily Ronon kills the creature. I'm getting tired of all of these creatures already.

A very weird and weak joke from Rodney when it comes time to climb the rope. He says rope climbing was the reason he got Bronze instead of Silver in ParticipACTION – a Canadian programme designed to get ordinary Canadians moving (which is why I don't understand the competitive reference though I do remember Toronto in a competition with Montréal circa 1989 to see whose inhabitants could do more; I called in to the number where they were tabulating activities and time spent and reported walking four miles and doing 30 minutes of floor exercises).

In the meantime, John and Ronon have climbed out a shaft back onto the surface. Very conveniently, there's a Dart nearby. Ronon wanted to shoot it, but John had a better idea, namely picking up Ronon, Teyla and Rodney and using the Dart's DHD to fly through the gate. Yeah, much better, especially when he scoops up Ronon who's now surrounded by the creatures.

That has to be one of the scariest displays ever on the LSD of Rodney and Teyla being surrounded. And then they get stunned, Teyla first, by Michael. But John's got some pretty fancy flying'n'scooping skills, fer shure, as he snags Teyla and Ronon in the Dart's beam, leaving Michael all alone. Aww. Couldn't happen to a nicer ::grimaces:: Wraith.

And finally the Team comes through the gate onto Atlantis. They ditched the Dart on another world, 'cuz they didn't want to damage the gateroom, but they figure that the Daedalus can pick it up. And make another stop. Gee, I wonder where. NOT.

Poor Mom, er ... Liz. It's not fun being in charge when bad things happen. And she's feeling the burden, knowing that they led Michael to the Taranans and the other worlds via the database.

Finally, John checks in with Liz. No life signs at all on the Taranan world which is no surprise. Joe F has this really good facial expression when he's trying to convey a combination of disgust and trepidation; well, it's appropriate considering that Atlantis is #1 on Michael's hit list.

And, with the addition of a tiny bit of unsettled music, that's a wrap.

The audio commentary is with Andy Mikita, director, and Todd Masters, creature effects designer. Yuck-yuck-yuck. I'll pass, thank you very much.

[popkin16]

Your liveblogging is awesome XD

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Um ... were you directing that comment at me? [Rodney understands about how vital proper attribution is in the scientific community.]

If so, thank you. ::beams, just like the icon::

[popkin16]

Yep, it was directed at you :D