So this appears to be a Teyla-Jennifer episode as they're planning to go visit the Athosians (a joint medical visit as well as staying overnight for a feast). Then there's the allusion that Teyla's got a hot date because ::rolls eyes:: as we all know Teyla does not go out with anyone.
John's being silly, calling them "kids" as he sees them off.
Uh ... would Jennifer not have seen what Carson carries when he does these occasional visits? Because she's bringing an awful lot. And there's mention of the supposed "date" again, this time with "hot" appended.
Well, the village is empty so there's not going to be ANY date. Teyla fears the worst for her people. Cue opening credits. When we return, her feeling gets worse as she first hears rustling and then spies some bad guys and hurries Jennifer away from the deserted village.
Okay, this I believe is OOC for Teyla. Blame TPTB. Even if she were only visiting her people, she would be prepared for any eventuality and carry something better than just one knife. This is Pegasus, after all.
Of course, as they're making their way up a hill, Jennifer just has to twist her ankle. Uh ... this is going to be the Perils of Pauline, updated for the 21st century. ::sighs:: So ... Dr. Barbie has a Bad Day?
They manage to avoid being seen, but the enemy, the Bola Kai, manage to get very close – like immediately over their heads as they hide under an outcropping. Then they manage to backtrack to pick up Jennifer's portable medkit aka backpack. Jennifer manages to swallow some ibuprofen and then ::glares at TPTB:: adds to Teyla's completely OOC behaviour of snitching on what medications Rodney takes with his latest prescription.
The differences in these two women's lives could not be more stark. While Teyla was undergoing a rite of passage in the wilderness for ten days, Jennifer could hack even three days at summer camp. It's not too hard to imagine what Teyla thinks: that there are so many Earth people who have no idea of life-threatening danger and survival, well at least not those of the first world.
When they arrive at the weapons cache, it's empty. Uh-oh. But Teyla has a plan ... to cross the river on a really high-up rope bridge and spend the night in a hunting blind. Jennifer's horrified. Not only does she have the twisted ankle, we learn she suffers from vertigo. Teyla's been spouting Pegasus-style survival philosophy and, finally reaching the end of her rope in trying to deal with a whiny Jennifer, just leaves her and begins to cross the river. I think that Teyla is equally OOC here, because she may have tried to help Jennifer instead of stranding her especially with a twisted ankle. OTOH, I could forgive her seeming lack of caring, if all that's on her mind is her missing people.
So, of course, Jennifer finally has to get on the bridge ... and has a mishap, ending up dangling by one hand only. And screaming. Uh ... you do know those guys after you have ears, right??? So Teyla hurries back and hauls her up. I like the heroic music as Teyla finally pulls a dangling Jennifer back up onto the rope bridge.
Oh, fun. Or not. Just as Teyla informs Jennifer of the Bola Kai dietary requirements, they're attacked. While Jennifer stands helpless, even with a scalpel in her hand, Teyla takes on the three attackers. She downs two before running after the third one. She has to dispose of him, otherwise he'll alert his buddies. She manages to get back to Jennifer just as one of the guys is rousing. So he wasn't killed, but he's sure dead as Teyla slashes his throat. Of course, Jennifer's horrified. Couldn't they have just ... uh ... tied them up? So Teyla has to educate Jennifer about them vs us. If they survive, then we won't.
Just then, they hear a man's groans from not too far away. He's tied up with a wound in his abdomen. Jennifer goes into I'm-a-healer mode and wants to sew him up even though Teyla says she doesn't recognize him although he is dressed as an Athosian. Hmm. Here's more of that them vs us on a world vs world basis.
Anyway, Teyla agrees to the pleas from a persistent Jennifer. Later, she leaves the doctor and patient to find the hunting blind which ::said sarcastically:: is ever-so-conveniently not far away. Then they're all in the blind together.
Okay, time for the gross stuff. Teyla spears a burrowing sorta kinda squid creatures and slits its belly. Oh, look: it's dinner. After Jennifer rejects the offer, Teyla eats it the way Klingons eat gagh – dropping the longish piece down into her mouth.
Just then the injured man wakes up. At least he tells them his name: Nabel of the Genii, spying on the Athosians. And he has news of Teyla's people: they've all been culled. Because of the Bola Kai who are – surprise – Wraith worshippers.
Nabel is still very curious, especially when he sees a bit of Ancient tech lying lit up on the ground. So both Teyla and Jennifer pretend to be unaware of why, saying they found it on another world. He's then discouraged from prying any more.
A couple of hours later, we see Jennifer hasn't slept and is hungry. Teyla gives her another pep talk and actually convinces her to take a bite of ground-squid. She survives though not without complaining that she signed up to be the CoM in another galaxy but not eating gross food. ::sighs:: There was a whole forum discussion on GateWorld when this episode aired about whether anyone in Jennifer's position should have had more off-world defence and survival training. Inevitably, there was mention made of the fact that she was simply too young and inexperienced, not only as CoM, but probably even just as a regular doctor. But, then, we know that she only had one purpose as far as TPTB were concerned: to be a romantic and sexual reward for their favourite geek. [Um ... have I recently mentioned just how much I loathe TPTB? Oh, I have? Good. Don't forget it.]
And, speaking of our favourite geek, why on Earch (or Atlantis) would Jennifer bring him up obliquely as Teyla's friend who's unwilling to challenge himself. Does Teyla only have one friend? And, really, has Jennifer paid NO attention to the times when Rodney has saved the day? He might be bitching and groaning, but that doesn't stop him. ::sighs:: And, if she believed that, then why did she accept his future advances? Oh, I know. 'Cuz TPTB can't write character development for beans, especially in women.
Ah, yes, we have our Goldsmith-style romantic music as Teyla finally talks about her relationship with Kanaan. And, then, she hides her display of public weakness at not seeing him again by going to get more water. Oh, well, forget the water. A Bola Kai has just gotten his foot snapped by a bear-trap at the perimeter of the blind and his yells are going to attract a whole lot of unwanted attention. So ... it's time for our trio to leave the blind.
God f***ing damnit. LJ just ate my comment. I've been typing for twenty minutes. AAAARRRGGGHHH!!!
Okay - the highlights, because I'm not redoing all of that:
I enjoyed the episode, but I missed the boys. I'm glad we got to see them at the end, and of course they were running to the rescue *g*
I think this episode was to rush more character building in for Jennifer, and to cement her as a team member. She went from scared and unwilling to try anything out of her comfort zone, to being willing to injure a man who was a risk to her survival. She was still scared, but she was more willing to do what needed to be done.
BAMF!Teyla was amazing, but I found her out of character a couple of times - once because she brought no weapons to her planet; the second time because she was so disapproving of Jennifer's lack of survival training - it seems that Teyla would be used to the softness of many Earth people. To be blunt, though, I sure she was thinking just how different the experience would be if Ronon was with her. Or John.
Ouch for LJ eating your homework comment. After that happened to me more than once (and in especially long comments), I started typing them in a doc and then C&Ping them. It's the only way to stay sane(r).
See, we agree again on a fundamental flaw in the writing. Teyla just wouldn't go anywhere without something stronger than a knife or two.
But do you really think she'd be that used to Earth people's softness? For the scientists, perhaps, because they would appear to be the protected ones, because their brains and their hands were treasured. Except that she'd witnessed Rodney getting stronger and tougher.
Otherwise, she would have interacted with the Marines who wouldn't be soft. So that left the medical staff as the weak point. Perhaps Teyla just couldn't understand how Earth could send people to another galaxy, now that they knew of the more-dangers-than-ever-before, without a change in focus of necessary prerequisite with NO exceptions. I call writing fail.
Oh, I missed the lollipop sucking by the Bola Kai guy (yes, it rhymes) in the rewatch (just read it in the transcript). I think it's because I originally watched on my larger TV screen.
Anyway, they have to get out of the blind, even though Nabel shouldn't be moving. In any case, how is it that a guy who just had his abdomen sutured is walking?
But, wait. It's time for the comedy relief, aka Teyla's three team buddies back on Atlantis. Rodney and John are trying to trip each other up over classic Batman villains and who played them when Ronon joins them. At his prompting, they decide to contact the two women who haven't returned yet. Nor contacted them. Which is so not like Teyla.
When we return to New Athos, there's a bit more of a hurried philosophical survival discussion as Teyla wants to leave Nabel behind, because he's slowing them down and that's because Jennifer's slowing them down. But no time for a resolution because they're attacked again. Unfortunately, this time there are too many attacking. In the meantime, Nabel has crawled away. The rat.
Back on Atlantis, John's trying to raise them on the radio. When there's no answer, he hails the Athosians. Also nothing.
Back on New Athos, the two women are tied up and trapped in a long low wooden cage. And Teyla's giving Jennifer another pep talk: that she can't reveal any details of Atlantis. They're dragged in front of the leader. When Teyla taunts him about being a Wraith worshipper, he knocks her down and has her dragged back to the cage. Then he turns to Jennifer.
When Jennifer is returned to the cage, Teyla's worried that she's spilt the beans. Well, she talked, but gave the gate address of an uninhabited planet.
The guys guarding her, all but a couple, are diverted to the gate, because a ship came through and then became invisible. Gee, I wonder who it could be.
Rodney and John learn all about the new primitive threats, though Rodney's not keen to know about clubs and arrows. Score 1 to Ronon for the snarky reply.
Back at the cage, there's another lollipop/guard scene until the guard is shot with a gun and his buddy with an arrow. But it's not our team that emerges from hiding, it's Nabel who just happened to have his own cache of goodies on the planet.
He leads them into the forest but then says he needs to have his questions answered. And clubs Teyla across the face with his gun. Then he aims it at Jennifer because he's figured she's the weakest link. What's he after? Only the gate address for Atlantis. Uh-oh.
Back in the forest, the 'jumper has landed. We know that because our guys appear like magic walking out from under the cloak. Poor Rodney's LSD is showing life signs in one-two-three-four directions. Luckily, Ronon points the way, not that he has any evidence, but that's fine by John.
So, Jennifer figures out that Nabel is the Wraith worshipper. And that he's responsible for the deaths of all of the Athosians. But Nabel's a sly one because he suggests he could have been lying about that, too. Now, if only she'll cooperate, he'll tell her the truth. Oh, yeah, sure.
Luckily, at that moment, Teyla manages to knock him down, but she's too weak to carry through. He manages to get back up and aims his gun at her. That's when Jennifer realizes she has to save Teyla, so hurls herself at him and then punches him in the stomach before grabbing the gun and scrambling away.
She threatens to shoot him but he doesn't believe her, because she's a doctor, a healer and not a killer. Well, that may be true, but her line is priceless: "You're right. I am a healer. But first I need something to heal." Then she shoots him in the thigh.
As he's writhing on the ground, it's Teyla's turn to threaten him. She wants to know where her people are but is interrupted by a thrown axe. Oh, great. The bad guys have returned, but not for long as P90 fire brings them down. When our guys come into view, they learn that Teyla's people are missing. But she can't tell them anything more because Nabel has disappeared – again. And then the bad guys – 'cuz they just don't learn – start shooting arrows at them. So, it's time for getting out of there.
Finally we're back on Atlantis, in the infirmary where a banged-up Teyla is recuperating. John reports they didn't find anyone back on the planet. No matter. Teyla's fiercely determined that she WILL find her people.
Then Jennifer comes in, with her foot heavily bandaged. She mentions she's going back to Earth to visit her dad ... and that she has Teyla to thank for that – the being alive part.
While Jennifer is talking to Teyla, there's a wistful nuance to the music, reflecting Teyla's feelings of loss (heightened when she learns that Jennifer's going to visit her dad back on Earth), which then becomes more mysterious ... leading us to wonder WHY Jennifer needed to talk to her. [Well, we know why ... and why Rachel's leather coat was fitting her so snugly. Though, those studded sleeves were quite yummy IMO.]
DISCLAIMER: I offer no apologies for the harshness of my opinions. YMMV. Proceed with caution.
So ... once again TPTB make a mess of it. In this episode they've not only demonstrated that Dr. Barbie is not suited to off-world travel with its unexpected surprises, they've also shown us that she has the sensitivity of a gnat. Seriously. When someone who is an integral part of Atlantis appears to have lost EVERYONE she's ever known of her people ... that's NO time to be all happy because you've just gotten a pass to go back home to visit daddykins. It's not ALL about YOU.
And yet TPTB were so sure that we'd be crazy over the Everyone Loves Jennifer subtext of SGA because they thought they'd achieved a coup by snagging Kaylee ... er Jewel Staite (and not as an alien this time). However, at the same time, they'd been promising everyone that Missing was going to be a Teyla episode (which is why I've used my garden Teyla icon for every single comment, just to be obvious). The GateWorld forum peeps even did a word-by-word and screen-time count: both actresses had almost identical results. So, huh, Teyla-centric? ::rolls eyes:: Yeah, sure.
Of course, Rachel's pregnancy affected everything. But, as far as TPTB were concerned, it just gave them permission to make Jennifer an integral part of just about every storyline, so that they could then push for the McKeller in S5. It was so tacky. And so disrespectful to a wonderful actress who had already been slighted (as most of the women were) in favour of focusing on the John-and-Rodney show. Hey, I'm all in favour of lots of John-and-Rodney, but an ensemble cast should be an ensemble cast. Do I need to point out more successful examples? ::sighs::
Once again, there was a lively discussion on the GateWorld forum about how much experience all personnel travelling through to other worlds should have in terms of defence training, etc. In this case, it just shouldn't have been so obvious that Jennifer had basically no training out in the field and that sending her to work in a war zone without it was foolish. The option was mentioned that she – and all the other new doctors - should have had both military and medical experience.
I can understand how the first wave may not have been properly prepared, but then they weren't expecting to encounter their worst nightmare as an enemy. However, once contact with Earth had been reestablished with easier ways to travel in both directions, the SGC brass and IOA should have upped the requirements. Like nobody goes to Atlantis unless they've served elsewhere for the SGC, travelled offworld and been evaluated.
The telling-but-not-showing of her unsuitability was also made more obvious when the Atlantis heads were summoned back to Earth and were reviewing potential personnel. Remember how Carson was floored by the outstanding qualifications of all of his applicants. Someone as young as Jennifer would have stuck out immediately. She was simply too young to be a doctor there, let alone a nurse.
The other thing is that – with the arrival of Sam in charge – the city was considered to be more a part of a war zone. It was no longer la-la-la, see the pretty shining spires, but a place where everything could go belly-up in a breath. And, speaking of Sam, this is where TPTB really goofed by hiring Amanda T but only putting her in a handful of episodes. When Elizabeth was in charge (and in S5 when it was Richard), it was easy to remember that both John and Rodney got away with a lot without official permission. Sam wouldn't have stood for this, so it was awkward hiring her for only a few episodes but then having her as an unseen and unheard boss. I believe when the episode aired lots of fans were saying that John just mentioning her name, authorizing stuff, would have kept up the pretence that she was still there.
Anyway, I think I'm all talked out. I'm not looking forward to the too-many episodes that I'll have to endure in the coming weeks. ::groans::
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timeasmymeasure
Comment 1
Date: 2012-09-08 02:41 am (UTC)John's being silly, calling them "kids" as he sees them off.
Uh ... would Jennifer not have seen what Carson carries when he does these occasional visits? Because she's bringing an awful lot. And there's mention of the supposed "date" again, this time with "hot" appended.
Well, the village is empty so there's not going to be ANY date. Teyla fears the worst for her people. Cue opening credits. When we return, her feeling gets worse as she first hears rustling and then spies some bad guys and hurries Jennifer away from the deserted village.
Okay, this I believe is OOC for Teyla. Blame TPTB. Even if she were only visiting her people, she would be prepared for any eventuality and carry something better than just one knife. This is Pegasus, after all.
Of course, as they're making their way up a hill, Jennifer just has to twist her ankle. Uh ... this is going to be the Perils of Pauline, updated for the 21st century. ::sighs:: So ... Dr. Barbie has a Bad Day?
They manage to avoid being seen, but the enemy, the Bola Kai, manage to get very close – like immediately over their heads as they hide under an outcropping. Then they manage to backtrack to pick up Jennifer's portable medkit aka backpack. Jennifer manages to swallow some ibuprofen and then ::glares at TPTB:: adds to Teyla's completely OOC behaviour of snitching on what medications Rodney takes with his latest prescription.
The differences in these two women's lives could not be more stark. While Teyla was undergoing a rite of passage in the wilderness for ten days, Jennifer could hack even three days at summer camp. It's not too hard to imagine what Teyla thinks: that there are so many Earth people who have no idea of life-threatening danger and survival, well at least not those of the first world.
When they arrive at the weapons cache, it's empty. Uh-oh. But Teyla has a plan ... to cross the river on a really high-up rope bridge and spend the night in a hunting blind. Jennifer's horrified. Not only does she have the twisted ankle, we learn she suffers from vertigo. Teyla's been spouting Pegasus-style survival philosophy and, finally reaching the end of her rope in trying to deal with a whiny Jennifer, just leaves her and begins to cross the river. I think that Teyla is equally OOC here, because she may have tried to help Jennifer instead of stranding her especially with a twisted ankle. OTOH, I could forgive her seeming lack of caring, if all that's on her mind is her missing people.
So, of course, Jennifer finally has to get on the bridge ... and has a mishap, ending up dangling by one hand only. And screaming. Uh ... you do know those guys after you have ears, right??? So Teyla hurries back and hauls her up. I like the heroic music as Teyla finally pulls a dangling Jennifer back up onto the rope bridge.
Comment 2
Date: 2012-09-08 02:50 am (UTC)Just then, they hear a man's groans from not too far away. He's tied up with a wound in his abdomen. Jennifer goes into I'm-a-healer mode and wants to sew him up even though Teyla says she doesn't recognize him although he is dressed as an Athosian. Hmm. Here's more of that them vs us on a world vs world basis.
Anyway, Teyla agrees to the pleas from a persistent Jennifer. Later, she leaves the doctor and patient to find the hunting blind which ::said sarcastically:: is ever-so-conveniently not far away. Then they're all in the blind together.
Okay, time for the gross stuff. Teyla spears a burrowing sorta kinda squid creatures and slits its belly. Oh, look: it's dinner. After Jennifer rejects the offer, Teyla eats it the way Klingons eat gagh – dropping the longish piece down into her mouth.
Just then the injured man wakes up. At least he tells them his name: Nabel of the Genii, spying on the Athosians. And he has news of Teyla's people: they've all been culled. Because of the Bola Kai who are – surprise – Wraith worshippers.
Nabel is still very curious, especially when he sees a bit of Ancient tech lying lit up on the ground. So both Teyla and Jennifer pretend to be unaware of why, saying they found it on another world. He's then discouraged from prying any more.
A couple of hours later, we see Jennifer hasn't slept and is hungry. Teyla gives her another pep talk and actually convinces her to take a bite of ground-squid. She survives though not without complaining that she signed up to be the CoM in another galaxy but not eating gross food. ::sighs:: There was a whole forum discussion on GateWorld when this episode aired about whether anyone in Jennifer's position should have had more off-world defence and survival training. Inevitably, there was mention made of the fact that she was simply too young and inexperienced, not only as CoM, but probably even just as a regular doctor. But, then, we know that she only had one purpose as far as TPTB were concerned: to be a romantic and sexual reward for their favourite geek. [Um ... have I recently mentioned just how much I loathe TPTB? Oh, I have? Good. Don't forget it.]
And, speaking of our favourite geek, why on Earch (or Atlantis) would Jennifer bring him up obliquely as Teyla's friend who's unwilling to challenge himself. Does Teyla only have one friend? And, really, has Jennifer paid NO attention to the times when Rodney has saved the day? He might be bitching and groaning, but that doesn't stop him. ::sighs:: And, if she believed that, then why did she accept his future advances? Oh, I know. 'Cuz TPTB can't write character development for beans, especially in women.
Ah, yes, we have our Goldsmith-style romantic music as Teyla finally talks about her relationship with Kanaan. And, then, she hides her display of public weakness at not seeing him again by going to get more water. Oh, well, forget the water. A Bola Kai has just gotten his foot snapped by a bear-trap at the perimeter of the blind and his yells are going to attract a whole lot of unwanted attention. So ... it's time for our trio to leave the blind.
no subject
Date: 2012-09-08 03:40 am (UTC)Okay - the highlights, because I'm not redoing all of that:
I enjoyed the episode, but I missed the boys. I'm glad we got to see them at the end, and of course they were running to the rescue *g*
I think this episode was to rush more character building in for Jennifer, and to cement her as a team member. She went from scared and unwilling to try anything out of her comfort zone, to being willing to injure a man who was a risk to her survival. She was still scared, but she was more willing to do what needed to be done.
BAMF!Teyla was amazing, but I found her out of character a couple of times - once because she brought no weapons to her planet; the second time because she was so disapproving of Jennifer's lack of survival training - it seems that Teyla would be used to the softness of many Earth people. To be blunt, though, I sure she was thinking just how different the experience would be if Ronon was with her. Or John.
no subject
Date: 2012-09-08 05:11 am (UTC)homeworkcomment. After that happened to me more than once (and in especially long comments), I started typing them in a doc and then C&Ping them. It's the only way to stay sane(r).See, we agree again on a fundamental flaw in the writing. Teyla just wouldn't go anywhere without something stronger than a knife or two.
But do you really think she'd be that used to Earth people's softness? For the scientists, perhaps, because they would appear to be the protected ones, because their brains and their hands were treasured. Except that she'd witnessed Rodney getting stronger and tougher.
Otherwise, she would have interacted with the Marines who wouldn't be soft. So that left the medical staff as the weak point. Perhaps Teyla just couldn't understand how Earth could send people to another galaxy, now that they knew of the more-dangers-than-ever-before, without a change in focus of necessary prerequisite with NO exceptions. I call writing fail.
Comment 3A
Date: 2012-09-08 04:11 am (UTC)Anyway, they have to get out of the blind, even though Nabel shouldn't be moving. In any case, how is it that a guy who just had his abdomen sutured is walking?
But, wait. It's time for the comedy relief, aka Teyla's three team buddies back on Atlantis. Rodney and John are trying to trip each other up over classic Batman villains and who played them when Ronon joins them. At his prompting, they decide to contact the two women who haven't returned yet. Nor contacted them. Which is so not like Teyla.
When we return to New Athos, there's a bit more of a hurried philosophical survival discussion as Teyla wants to leave Nabel behind, because he's slowing them down and that's because Jennifer's slowing them down. But no time for a resolution because they're attacked again. Unfortunately, this time there are too many attacking. In the meantime, Nabel has crawled away. The rat.
Back on Atlantis, John's trying to raise them on the radio. When there's no answer, he hails the Athosians. Also nothing.
Back on New Athos, the two women are tied up and trapped in a long low wooden cage. And Teyla's giving Jennifer another pep talk: that she can't reveal any details of Atlantis. They're dragged in front of the leader. When Teyla taunts him about being a Wraith worshipper, he knocks her down and has her dragged back to the cage. Then he turns to Jennifer.
When Jennifer is returned to the cage, Teyla's worried that she's spilt the beans. Well, she talked, but gave the gate address of an uninhabited planet.
The guys guarding her, all but a couple, are diverted to the gate, because a ship came through and then became invisible. Gee, I wonder who it could be.
Rodney and John learn all about the new primitive threats, though Rodney's not keen to know about clubs and arrows. Score 1 to Ronon for the snarky reply.
Back at the cage, there's another lollipop/guard scene until the guard is shot with a gun and his buddy with an arrow. But it's not our team that emerges from hiding, it's Nabel who just happened to have his own cache of goodies on the planet.
He leads them into the forest but then says he needs to have his questions answered. And clubs Teyla across the face with his gun. Then he aims it at Jennifer because he's figured she's the weakest link. What's he after? Only the gate address for Atlantis. Uh-oh.
Comment 3B
Date: 2012-09-08 04:15 am (UTC)So, Jennifer figures out that Nabel is the Wraith worshipper. And that he's responsible for the deaths of all of the Athosians. But Nabel's a sly one because he suggests he could have been lying about that, too. Now, if only she'll cooperate, he'll tell her the truth. Oh, yeah, sure.
Luckily, at that moment, Teyla manages to knock him down, but she's too weak to carry through. He manages to get back up and aims his gun at her. That's when Jennifer realizes she has to save Teyla, so hurls herself at him and then punches him in the stomach before grabbing the gun and scrambling away.
She threatens to shoot him but he doesn't believe her, because she's a doctor, a healer and not a killer. Well, that may be true, but her line is priceless: "You're right. I am a healer. But first I need something to heal." Then she shoots him in the thigh.
As he's writhing on the ground, it's Teyla's turn to threaten him. She wants to know where her people are but is interrupted by a thrown axe. Oh, great. The bad guys have returned, but not for long as P90 fire brings them down. When our guys come into view, they learn that Teyla's people are missing. But she can't tell them anything more because Nabel has disappeared – again. And then the bad guys – 'cuz they just don't learn – start shooting arrows at them. So, it's time for getting out of there.
Finally we're back on Atlantis, in the infirmary where a banged-up Teyla is recuperating. John reports they didn't find anyone back on the planet. No matter. Teyla's fiercely determined that she WILL find her people.
Then Jennifer comes in, with her foot heavily bandaged. She mentions she's going back to Earth to visit her dad ... and that she has Teyla to thank for that – the being alive part.
While Jennifer is talking to Teyla, there's a wistful nuance to the music, reflecting Teyla's feelings of loss (heightened when she learns that Jennifer's going to visit her dad back on Earth), which then becomes more mysterious ... leading us to wonder WHY Jennifer needed to talk to her. [Well, we know why ... and why Rachel's leather coat was fitting her so snugly. Though, those studded sleeves were quite yummy IMO.]
And that's the end of the episode.
Closing thoughts:
Date: 2012-09-08 05:00 am (UTC)So ... once again TPTB make a mess of it. In this episode they've not only demonstrated that Dr. Barbie is not suited to off-world travel with its unexpected surprises, they've also shown us that she has the sensitivity of a gnat. Seriously. When someone who is an integral part of Atlantis appears to have lost EVERYONE she's ever known of her people ... that's NO time to be all happy because you've just gotten a pass to go back home to visit daddykins. It's not ALL about YOU.
And yet TPTB were so sure that we'd be crazy over the Everyone Loves Jennifer subtext of SGA because they thought they'd achieved a coup by snagging Kaylee ... er Jewel Staite (and not as an alien this time). However, at the same time, they'd been promising everyone that Missing was going to be a Teyla episode (which is why I've used my garden Teyla icon for every single comment, just to be obvious). The GateWorld forum peeps even did a word-by-word and screen-time count: both actresses had almost identical results. So, huh, Teyla-centric? ::rolls eyes:: Yeah, sure.
Of course, Rachel's pregnancy affected everything. But, as far as TPTB were concerned, it just gave them permission to make Jennifer an integral part of just about every storyline, so that they could then push for the McKeller in S5. It was so tacky. And so disrespectful to a wonderful actress who had already been slighted (as most of the women were) in favour of focusing on the John-and-Rodney show. Hey, I'm all in favour of lots of John-and-Rodney, but an ensemble cast should be an ensemble cast. Do I need to point out more successful examples? ::sighs::
Once again, there was a lively discussion on the GateWorld forum about how much experience all personnel travelling through to other worlds should have in terms of defence training, etc. In this case, it just shouldn't have been so obvious that Jennifer had basically no training out in the field and that sending her to work in a war zone without it was foolish. The option was mentioned that she – and all the other new doctors - should have had both military and medical experience.
I can understand how the first wave may not have been properly prepared, but then they weren't expecting to encounter their worst nightmare as an enemy. However, once contact with Earth had been reestablished with easier ways to travel in both directions, the SGC brass and IOA should have upped the requirements. Like nobody goes to Atlantis unless they've served elsewhere for the SGC, travelled offworld and been evaluated.
The telling-but-not-showing of her unsuitability was also made more obvious when the Atlantis heads were summoned back to Earth and were reviewing potential personnel. Remember how Carson was floored by the outstanding qualifications of all of his applicants. Someone as young as Jennifer would have stuck out immediately. She was simply too young to be a doctor there, let alone a nurse.
The other thing is that – with the arrival of Sam in charge – the city was considered to be more a part of a war zone. It was no longer la-la-la, see the pretty shining spires, but a place where everything could go belly-up in a breath. And, speaking of Sam, this is where TPTB really goofed by hiring Amanda T but only putting her in a handful of episodes. When Elizabeth was in charge (and in S5 when it was Richard), it was easy to remember that both John and Rodney got away with a lot without official permission. Sam wouldn't have stood for this, so it was awkward hiring her for only a few episodes but then having her as an unseen and unheard boss. I believe when the episode aired lots of fans were saying that John just mentioning her name, authorizing stuff, would have kept up the pretence that she was still there.
Anyway, I think I'm all talked out. I'm not looking forward to the too-many episodes that I'll have to endure in the coming weeks. ::groans::