Rewatch: First Strike
Jul. 20th, 2012 04:24 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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sga_squeeTickets to a play, tonight, so I wanted to be sure not to miss the 10PM start time for everyone else. I hope you all enjoy.[Poll #1855063]
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Comment 1A
Date: 2012-07-21 02:23 am (UTC)Written by Martin Gero, directed by Martin Wood. Audio commentary is with them and Mark Savela, Visual Effects Supervisor. I watched it three times, the last was the audio commentary.
Uh-oh. From the Previously on, we can get a very good idea that this is going to be an episode that makes our people be very vulnerable. I still love that horrified inflection in Rodney's voice when he says "They're not people, they're machines" as we see Oberoth's figure reforming. And then we see the hugely expanded Asuran homeworld plus John after he's been probed (uh, that does sound dirty) as well as all sorts of other fun experiences. Until we see our people in their best badass mode get the upper hand.
Then, we're back to the present with someone new (yes, it's a young woman with long blonde hair, 'cuz TPTB just have to be predictable 12-year old boys) who approaches Elizabeth. It's Dr. Barbie ... uh ... Keller who has inexplicably been named Acting Head of Medicine after Carson's death and who feels she's not qualified to be in that position, especially as she's just a regular doctor. Um ... as an intro, that's not going to put the audience at ease, is it? Mind you, I interpret her line, "You need someone better," to mean "You need someone OLDER". Because, realistically, did we need to have the female version of Dougie Howser on Atlantis? Okay, okay, I'll stop the rant, at least out loud. [The talking heads say they put those words in her mouth because they wanted to endear her to us. Yeah, sure. At least they did do one thing right. As she was going to be on S4, they thought they'd better introduce her in the last episode of S3.]
Oh, poor Elizabeth. Now she has Rodney who wants to get out of doing performance evaluations. Whoa, Rodney. You'd put your people into two categories: those who annoy you more than the others.
Then he has to be shown up by John who's submitting his, already completed. He looks like a kid who's trying to impress teacher. Uh, except he's rated everyone "Excellent" and "Above average". Rodney wishes he'd thought of that first. Aw, Liz. Did you have to remind the boys that responsibility comes along with leadership? John's still trying to justify his ratings with a bit of sneaky talk.
Woo-hoo. Technician has a name. It's Chuck. TPTB have NO imagination. Poor Charles C, having his character named after his real name. So why the interruption? Well, Col. Ellis has just arrived via the Apollo. And he beams over IMMEDIATELY.
[Talking heads mention just why they created both the Apollo and the position of Col. Abe Ellis. Because Mitch Pileggi who plays Col. Steven Caldwell, the commander of the Daedalus, was busy shooting other things, he wasn't available as much.]
This guy doesn't waste any time. When he arrives, he sends his peeps into the infamous conference room where our command heads are invited to join him. John and Rodney give each other a look. This can't be good. Uh-oh. It's not. After doing several flybyes of the Asuran homeworld, they've found evidence that the Asurans are building ships, lots of them.
Comment 1B
Date: 2012-07-21 02:29 am (UTC)When we return, we all find out how Ellis thinks it's going to get done. With a bunch of nukes in a custom-made weapons platform. Uh, did we need to know its code name is "Horizon"? ::rolls eyes::
Anyway, Ellis believes that 6 nukes (and 4 decoys) will be enough for now. To which Rodney gives a very insightful response. "For now? Look, isn't this a bit like poking a sleeping dragon?" Hey, I agree with Rodney.
But Ellis, unfortunately, does not. Blah-blah-blah. IOA nervous, replicators that know the location of Earth, yadda-yadda. But first, beam Rodney without warning aboard the Apollo. Poor Rodney. Good thing he's a McKay and not a McCoy. Now it's time for John and Elizabeth to exchange a look. As they discuss the situation, there's a lovely bit of looming music.
Finally, Liz gets a chance to call Ellis into her office. She thinks the mission is a mistake. He thinks the opposite. It's fascinating to see how different the two minds are, one diplomatic, the other military. Also interesting to see the military perception of the Asurans as a weapon, not people as opposed to a more human thought of them as sentient beings.
Liz manages to get her tongue around that awkward-sounding P.W.A.R.W. Oops. Liz gets shot down, as Ellis claims the authority over the situation.
Aboard the Apollo (which just happens to look identical to the Daedalus, so they didn't have to build a new set), Radek's there with Rodney. Their figures are dwarfed by the weapons platform suspended above them. Hee – I love seeing a subversive Radek. If they can't pretend the system isn't ready, Radek's willing to make it not be ready. But Rodney's the pragmatic though soft voice of reason.
Back on Atlantis, John bumps into Liz in the Gateroom. He's joining the mission. Liz called Earth to try to get it called off, but no luck, except for wishing it to John.
We're immediately aboard the Apollo in hyperspace. Oh, hello, new
dashboardbridge person with a ponytail. [I'm wondering if military women were exempt from putting their hair in a bun when in space. Considering the fact that a friend of mine wore hers in a bun while on duty at all times in Afghanistan makes me try to guess why SGA started to slip up.]Rodney says they're ready but, even though they're still in hyperspace, Ellis wants the bomb bay doors open. Eek, that sounds slightly dangerous. It's cute to see Radek join Rodney with a woman (also with a ponytail) between them. Rodney's still voicing his hesitation though it's a bit late for that. Radek gives him a look.
When the weapons platform is launched, the music is very action-adventure cinematic. The warheads are launched as the music reaches a frenzied climax. Then there are multiple fireballs and mushroom clouds.
With Radek giving Rodney yet another look, Rodney confirms detonation of all six warheads. Which means that it's time for John to take his 'jumper for a stealthy ride.
Comment 2A
Date: 2012-07-21 02:35 am (UTC)John then meets Liz who congratulates him. They're joined by Teyla and Ronon who ask about the mission. Well, their little chat is interrupted by Chuck. Uh-oh. Something has just taken up a geosynchronous orbit above the city. It's suggested that the Apollo check it out.
The visual shows a nut-shaped hollow satellite. But that's not all. The interior has these familiar markings. Eight of 'em. Major uh-oh. It's a miniature Stargate. Which suddenly goes Kawoosh. A bright beam strikes the Apollo and things begin to blow up, even though their shields are up. Okay, time to get away from it.
The satellite turns and hits the planet. The beam travels through the water (I almost feel like humming the theme from Jaws) at a fast clip until it reaches Atlantis which is rocked. The Apollo tries to blow up the satellite but it has its own shield.
Ellis wants to know what to do. Rodney asks for a mere five minutes. Everyone else stands around exchanging looks. [Talking heads point to a man behind John who's an actual retired Colonel from USAF Missile Command. He'd come to look at the show, been invited to the show and they decided to put him in a scene. I think that's cute. They also put his wife in a scene. You can barely see her head next to Chuck.]
The command staff and Ellis reconvene in Liz's office. Rodney's verdict is that they're in trouble. Not only that, the proximity of the minigate means that Atlantis can't use its own gate. Also, the 38-minute rule may be toast, too, because of the seemingly endless supply of energy to keep the gate open. Is it too early to say they're screwed?
Well, Liz wants to get in touch with the Asurans to negotiate – and not from a position of power either. She slaps Ellis with the same speech he gave her earlier. There's a twitchy exchange of looks between John and Ellis. Is John's supposed to mean, Hey, she's the boss. It's her call.
Her call goes through to ... Oberoth? Well, another replicated version of him. [The talking heads have nothing but compliments to pay to David Ogden Stiers who played Oberoth.] Liz puts up a brave front as to why they didn't obliterate the Asurans when challenged. But the talk has to be cut short because the Asurans are trying to broadcast a virus. That's so not friendly. Then Rodney gives Liz more bad news. If the gate doesn't shut down within 38 minutes, Atlantis has only 9 hours of power to the shield.
Comment 2B
Date: 2012-07-21 02:40 am (UTC)John visits Ellis and they have a whispered conversation. It's nice to know that Ellis appreciates John's service despite a problematic record. Well, that's nice to hear, but Ellis then says that John should be the one running Atlantis and not Elizabeth. John's not too keen on that 'cuz then he'd be The Man.
Ellis utters something prophetic (no matter what happens, they did the right thing) that should haunt him later.
Meanwhile, Liz is ranting to Teyla because the IOA and SGC didn't even consult her despite her super-high clearance. So, is it because she's a civilian or a woman ... or both? Liz is feeling so frustrated she's on the verge of stepping down. Uh-oh. More prophetic words.
In any case, that conversation is interrupted by Rodney. Everyone gathers to hear what he and Radek have devised. [The talking heads inadvertently say something that can be taken in a naughty way. They said, "Here's the chemistry we found that worked very well was Zelenka and.... David and David standing together, playing with each other in a scene is very funny sometimes."] Rodney's giving a long explanation but Ellis snarks he'll read it in Rodney's autobiography, so wants the shortened version. Rodney looks as if he's about to put his hands on his hips, but simply replies that they should submerge the city. Hey, that was really short. Ellis says it's a go, but is reminded it's not his call. Despite the risks, Liz gives the go-ahead. Rodney asks for an hour.
After the hour is up (way too quickly), Liz makes a city-wide announcement about the submersion. Rodney reminds her that they've come full circle. The SGA theme is playing softly in the background. Liz gives the order and Rodney obeys, even with an apt "Aye, aye, Captain".
Liz stands on the balcony and watches (as do we, transfixed) as the city begins to sink below the surface. It's a terrific special effect, though it was probably really easy to do. The music soars the lower the city sinks. The water moves to cover the top of the shield's dome. The beam sets off steam on the surface of the ocean.
Comment 3A
Date: 2012-07-21 02:49 am (UTC)Just so we don't forget how screwed they are, we see the beam continue to bear down on them underwater.
This is a super-yay moment, even though it only took nearly two seasons. Ronon says he hates feeling useless when he can't fight and wants to learn how to do science, to be able to chip in. Oh, dear. John says he doesn't need to, because they're a team, just like the Fantastic Four. Poor John, having to explain why he gets to be Mr. Fantastic. Good thing he gets out of there. [The talking heads say they wrote this scene (especially the learning science bit) because they're aware that people have their fave characters and it's no fun when there's nothing for a character to do in a particular episode. As I said, it took them a while to figure that out. Though it's pretty bad that they mention it themselves why they expanded the dialogue to mention that Teyla would be the Invisible Woman, considering that she basically was, in this episode. ::sighs::]
When John goes to visit Rodney and Radek, it's quiet. They don't even have anything left to bicker about. But they still have energy to grump and snark about who's working under whom. John nearly tells them to get a room. Well, to just make out already. I'm sure the Rodney/Radek shippers loved that idea! And that's the second time that John's mentioned two guys potentially being together (the first was his offhand comment to Ronon, "... or a man"). So, no matter what the official US policy was (whether IRL or on SGA), it's nice to know that John himself wasn't above being open – at least with people from other countries or aliens like Ronon.
It's a good thing that Radek says a few words ("there is nowhere on the face of this planet") that makes Rodney and John exchange a look. Oh, yay. They get a simultaneous idea (double lightbulb moment) and begin to talk in the shorthand that Rodney usually uses with Radek). Anyway, they're going to need the drilling platform. They walk away, leaving a still in-the-dark Radek to rush off after them.
So, with power from the station, along with the ZedPM, all they need is a bit of a break. Time to call in the Apollo with their idea. Which is to use four F302 fighters to fly an asteroid chunk in their direction. Or "take the old gal for a stroll". [Okay, it's giggle time again. They used different shots of Kavan from the outside but the funniest was where he was holding the camera himself shooting up at his face as an interior shot.]
Time for Liz to get on the city-wide again. As she mentions that the city is going to fly away, the music starts up. It's the main theme with a wistful touch, as the beam continues to bear down on them.
There's a knock on Liz's open door. It's Ellis, reporting that all non-essential Atlantis personnel have been beamed to the Apollo. There's a cute admission of I don't like you but you don't like me either; but, in the end, Ellis says he respects Liz.
There's a very dramatic and eerie walk by John and Rodney through a darkened Atlantis. The interiors look ghostly from the blue tinge from the ocean.
Comment 3B
Date: 2012-07-21 02:59 am (UTC)Oh, I could watch John in the chair All. Day. Long. But I can't because we're back at the F302s. Evan hails Rodney. Okay, so is this the writer being a geek or are we to believe that Rodney used to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer and has picked up Faith's fave expression "five by five" - because, other than that show, I have never heard it before.
Everyone's hanging on waiting to see what will happen. The city begins to rise, the music becomes majestic. The asteroid interrupts the beam and the city breaches the water. Ahh ... the way the light caresses John's face when he's in the chair. Hmm. Why does the chair rotate? [Oh, good. The talking heads just answered that. They said that, since we've only seen the chair used for shooting drones, why not make it have movement during flight. Good idea. And also to have a continuation of movement in all of those separate areas, plus the biggie of the city itself moving.]
Well, that stops as John sits up. Rodney thinks it's John's fault that they're not flying high enough, but John says it's because they don't have enough power. Rodney doesn't have anything left to give him until Liz makes the suggestion to lower the shield. Which, according to John, they won't need until 18,000 feet.
Back to seeing the beam striking the asteroid. Then John's reclining again. The city rises, the music soars, while Rodney and Liz look astonished by the fact that they're flying. We see the underside of the pretty pretty city in the air against a blue sky. Liz walks toward the window. But all is not well as an alarm begins to blare. Time's up, so Rodney raises the shield.
But not fast enough. The beam has just broken through the asteroid and struck the top of the tower, exactly where Liz was standing. The glass shatters and she's flung backward. [Oooh. Torri's stunt double was wearing a fake plexiglass face when the window blew. As the guys mentioned, safety glass is still glass though most of this stuff you could bounce like rubber once it was in small pieces.] There are other signs of damage in the control room. In the meantime, John is unaware of any of this and says he's taking them into hyperspace. He gives himself a pat on the back with "We did it". Oh, gee, it must be time for a Jossing.
Then he hears Rodney's panicked yell for a medical team to the control room to handle numerous injuries. John rushes out while the city continues to streak through hyperspace.
He sees Liz being carried out on a stretcher, then finds an injured Ronon. [So, more insider news. When Jennifer is at Liz's head, she's got a Canadian patch on her jacket. But because someone (aka Paul Mullie) thought there were enough major Canadian characters, aka Rodney and Chuck, even though Jewel S actually IS Canadian, they did a special effect after filming and changed her patch to an American one just days before airing.]
Rodney's got cuts on his face from the glass. As if their current predicament weren't enough, they suddenly drop out of hyperspace. They haven't reached their destination. They're ... in the middle of nowhere: no planets, no moons, no stargates. They're lost in space. But wait, there's more. They only have 24 hours of power left. After that, no shield, no atmosphere, nada.
The pretty snowflake city continues to fly, the music becomes eerily angelic and we see the familiar and scary words TO BE CONTINUED.
Ranting up a hairstorm!
Date: 2012-07-24 08:40 pm (UTC)Why? It's that continued hard-on for women with long blonde hair though they thought they were being so radical with long brunette hair on SGU.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with women having long hair of any colour. I've had hair down to my hips when I was younger than 12-13 and somewhere mid-back length several times. However, I was not working in an environment inhospitable or hostile to long hair. Even so, I often wore my hair up in braids or buns, simply because it was ... uh ... cooler and more practical (though the elegance factor did make me look older). I guess TPTB must loathe the concept of practicality.
There's not only the storyline to be considered, but also how much extra time is required to style long hair before shooting. In some ways, Rachel L was lucky she got to wear a wig. But wouldn't it have been a fabulous experience to meet the Athosian women who wore their hair in a unique fashion that would indicate that they were different?
TPTB really showed their biases when hiring women. I know, no kidding. When they were hiring younger ones (as they invariably did), successful candidates simply had to have long hair. When they were hiring someone older, it didn't seem to matter to the same extent. So Tori H had short hair as the “Mom” of the expedition (because long hair is a symbol of youth and fertility, though not of competence and certainly not of maturity). Still, things did get confusing when you had female scientists (with at least ONE Ph.D: Hello, Dr. Esposito) who were supposed to be young and attractive at the same time. Also flirtatious. Let's not forget that crucial aspect.
When we did see older women with short hair, there seemed to be such a steep drop in general attractiveness and stereotypical femininity that it was way too obvious.
Getting back to practicality, I have to mention their hiring Dr. Barbie (yeah, yeah, Keller) with her long hair. I remember there was one S4 episode where she has straight-ish hair, but it's softly curled moments later. Duh and dumb for continuity, hair'n'makeup peeps.
Keller should have been the first one to adopt a more practical hairdo. I'm also remembering alt-Keller in Vegas conducting an autopsy under less than sterile conditions. She pauses to wipe her bangs off her face and then immediately returns to what she was doing. ::shudders:: Yuck for contamination from loose hairs, sweat and oil. [I have a friend at church whose weekly chore is to defuzz my black jacket of stray hairs. It happens, people, but I'm not in charge of a medical dept.]
Imagine how much better it would have been to see her with a practical updo during working hours and, then, letting her hair down (both figuratively and literally) when socializing. I ended up wondering if Jewel S had an anti-ugly hair rider in her contract, so that she could keep it long All. The. Time.
The practicality really became an issue for me with SGU. Women, all with long hair which was something that would have been addressed on the Destiny if someone had been thinking straight (and not with their anatomy). I used to rail against this when reviewing the episodes every Friday night. Considering the fact that the crew were stranded on a ship where they had to ... duh ... conserve water, all of the women should have had short hair.
TPTB could have done this with a casting call for actresses with short hair who would have been issued wigs of varying styles to wear during the first few episodes. Then, when the crew realized they were stuck and that there wasn't water for frivolous use, we could have seen all of the female characters getting together and deciding for themselves to get their hair cut off or shaved (hey, Vanessa, that would have been the military solution). Now seeing that happen would have been realistic. Instead, we got prurient views of Chloe taking a shower. [Because that was SO important to the storyline, right?]
Anyway, I think I'm about ranted out. And ... uh ... I have to go wash my hair. Seriously.