Stargate Atlantis Reviews

SGA Episode “Critical Mass”

Episode No.: 213
First Aired in SA: 21 February
(Original first airdate was 15 February, however, the episode was not screened to completion due to broadcast ‘problems’.)
Character Episode of: Dr Elizabeth Weir


What I liked:

I loved that Zelenka was forced to go offworld to the “planet with all the kids”. And, he had to stay there until the threat was dealt with and the stargate was made operational. They are referring to the planet of children featured in the first season episode Childhood’s End. Martin Gero wrote that episode and in The Siege, Part One he wanted to refer to that planet as Planet Kid Kill! Unfortunately they changed Ford’s line to Planet Waterfall, referring to another planet. I’ve also included below the Czech translation of Zelenka’s comment courtesy of gateworld.net. (Zelenka returning from the planet is classic – someone please send me a screen cap!)

It is unfortunate that we do not have a Sci-Fi night with both SG-1 and Atlantis. We are currently about midway through season 3 of SG-1 (Tuesday at 19:00 on MNET Series). Beau Bridges is the new General of the SGC in season 9 of SG-1, which airs on the same night as Atlantis overseas. This is the first time I have seen Beau Bridges perform and I actually do like the character. Beau Bridges has a wonderful voice and the character is a good leader with wit!
The scientist at the SGC, Dr Lee, was also very funny, especially with his 101 Dalmatians and Lord of the Rings analogy. Trust everyone to understand the latter analogy!

I love the work of all the writers of this show: they each bring something unique to the table. Brad Wright brings a wicked sense of humour, and Carl Binder gives us great character moments throughout an episode.
It’s great to see Ellie Harvey back as Dr Novak. It was also nice to see Kavanagh because he was more likeable this time. His face when Hermiod, the naked grey alien, tells him to shut up, was classic. The scene where Rodney stops Chuck just in time from dialling Earth was nicely done.

This is a wonderful episode for Teyla and it is about time too. It is very sad that Charin dies but this leads to a beautiful ceremony and a chance to hear the wonderful Rachel Luttrell sing. The haunting music composed by Joel Goldsmith especially for this song was beautiful and complemented all the scenes it played over. Rachel is a singer and her first recording was so good that she had to go back and try to make the second recording sound bad.

This was also a wonderful episode for Elizabeth because it really tested her ability to trust herself, her own instincts in trusting other people, and the consequences of making an incorrect choice. Luckily for her, Kavanagh fainted at the sight of Ronan (classic)!

Rodney is really on the common sense bandwagon lately. This week he wants to mask the signal sent out by the city, by sending some debris with a transmitter to the main land, to throw off the Wraith.

The SFX of the city cloaking was brilliant. It was also so interesting to learn more about the city and the Daedalus. It did not occur to me that you couldn’t pack the ship with people simply because life support could not provide enough oxygen for everyone. We also know that the city is an intergalactic spacecraft and so it was interesting to hear about the “star drive”.


What I didn’t like:

Col. Caldwell as the faux bad guy really didn’t work for me. To make sense, his conscience only broke through the Goa’uld’s control for the first time, during his electrocution during the last few minutes of the episode. Since when does electrocution with a taser fend off the offending snake in the head?
This episode reminded me of the first season episode Suspicion. In Critical Mass, there is plenty of suspicion going around and even some torture. I personally find interrogations, torture, and episodes about dirty criminals holding people hostage (Condemned) to be tedious.
I felt that both Cadman and Carson seemed a bit off character: Carson seemed unusually grumpy, dare I say pissed off, and Cadman suddenly had a provocative look and is suddenly an expert in things she was completely clueless about in Duet. Still, since Cadman and Carson are dating, it was nice to see them together at the end of the episode.
This was also a very busy episode, which is not necessarily a good thing.
It’s interesting to see that since Duet, Rodney and Cadman have not become closer, but instead antagonistic towards each other. Rodney doesn’t want her in his space and is very suspicious of her.


Favourite Quotes:

Zelenka: “My sister has a child. He breaks things. He throws things. He smears things onto furniture.”
McKay: “Hmm. Well, uh, do say 'hi' to the kids for me.”
Zelenka (muttering to himself in Czech): “Idiot.” (In English, mimicking McKay): "Say 'hi' to the kids for me." (In Czech): “You'll catch it from me. You are such an idiot.”

Later:
Weir: “I agree. In fact, as of this moment, all Gate activity should be suspended. How many offworld teams do we have out there?”
McKay: “Just Zelenka and his team on M7G677.”
Weir: “Well, unfortunately he's gonna have to sit tight until we sort this thing out.”
Sheppard: “Stuck with all those kids.”

Later:
McKay: “Hermiod's gonna attempt to extract the Goa'uld from Colonel Caldwell using Asgard beaming technology.”
Beckett: “Quite remarkable, actually.”
McKay: “And complicated. The calculations are impossibly intricate. You don't wanna go beaming out a chunk of his brain.” (He smiles.)
Beckett: “Lovely, Rodney.”
McKay: “Hey! Look who's back!”
(Carson and Laura turn to see Radek stomping along the corridor, glowering at them all. His face is painted several different colours and white straw has been woven into his hair using coloured braid.)
McKay: “It's Mister Mom! How were the kids?”
(Radek turns and points at him furiously, momentarily lost for words. Finally he manages to string a sentence together.)
Zelenka: “Do not even speak to me.” (He glares at him for a moment, then turns and stomps off. Rodney smiles smugly.)
Sheppard: “Did you see Zelenka?”
Weir (glancing up at him): “No.”
Sheppard: “You should take a quick look before he washes his face. The kids did a real number on him!”

Landry: “You'll find another way to get the message to them.”
Lee: “I will?”
Landry: “Course you will. It's what I pay you for.”

Landry: “What have you got for me?”
Barrett: “One of our teams has raided a Trust compound: discovered computers containing further Intel on Atlantis. It's not much - the Goa'uld are being very cryptic about this.”
Landry: “Cut to the chase. Do we know what kind of bomb it is?”
Barrett: “Not yet.”
Landry: “Do we know where in the city it was planted?”
Barrett: “No.”
Landry: “I'm sorry? You said "further intel."”

Kavanagh: “There’s no need for The Trust to blow it up when Doctor Weir's at the helm!”


McKay: “They’re he-re.”


Favourite Titbits:

There’s a new touch screen for Rodney to play with. Looks like he was having fun showing the two Wraith cruisers firing at each other.
Did you notice that Ronan was always floating around in the background?
Caldwell’s patch is different: it isn’t the Earth patch with the gate symbol for Earth on it. I figure it must be the gate symbol for the planet Atlantis is on.
Judging by John’s description of the Goa’uld, he’s read O’Neill’s reports!
Seems like there is bit of a wardrobe malfunction this season. Got Carson wearing black this episode, for example.
Did you see the picture in the frame on Weir’s desk? It is of Torri’s dog.
I love some of Sheppard’s facial responses, especially during his and Rodney’s banter about the ZPM/Dam analogy.


Rating: 4






SGA Episode “Grace Under Pressure”

Episode No.: 214
First Aired in SA: 22 February
Character Episode of: Dr Rodney McKay


What I liked:

The SFX for this episode was awesome: the jumper impacting the ocean, the sinking jumper, even the ‘sea monster’ (which looked like a massive cross between a whale and a hammerhead shark).

I loved the comment by the pilot (a member of the Daedalus crew, also wearing the new patch) about how scientists are proven wrong with time. I’m a scientist, so I know it is true. It’s also a bit disturbing that everything we hold to be true could be proven false in 50 years time, etc.

I personally love the jumpers and so badly would like to get my hands on a model of one. Anyway, the ideas of the jumper ‘swimming’ as a submersible and the shields to protect from the pressure of the ocean’s depth are a fantastic bunch of ideas. This is a Martin Gero episode. If you’re paying attention and you see Written by Martin Gero you know someone is going to die! If you’re not paying attention to the credits and someone dies, you can bet Martin Gero wrote the episode!

The water work must be hectic because the cast and crew probably spend hours working in the water.

I’m actually very fond of the Sam-Rodney relationship so I loved that his mind conjured up Sam and that the two of them had such wonderful banter! I think Amanda Tapping looked beautiful: bare in mind she had given birth and was working on SG-1 at the same time. Pink really suits her.

It’s good to see that Rodney can speak to himself as badly as he speaks to others! It’s OK Rodney, I think everyone screams at inanimate objects sometimes, with or without a head injury.

As a scientist, I liked the oceanography angle, having dabbled in that a bit. It was scary that Rodney wanted to do what he had planned when we could see that the jumper was sitting at the edge of an abyss. He must have been at 2000 ft. If that jumper had moved it would haven fallen to 6000 ft below sea level and he would not have been saved. It was also scary to think that maybe the sea monster could push the jumper into the abyss, or “eat” it and Rodney. Rodney being so obsessed with food would think that the monster would want to eat him. In fact, the monster was his salvation. Because it was circling him, John and Zelenka could find him against impossible odds. Rodney did actually scream at the monster to help him! It was scary that the head wound Rodney sustained was bleeding throughout the entire episode.

This is an episode about family and even though Rodney realized he has a family in the members of Atlantis, and that family is important, in Letters from Pegasus, he doesn’t really believe that the Atlantis team cares for him. Instead of picturing them mounting a rescue mission, he saw them planning his funeral. John and Rodney do have a special relationship too and the extent that John went to to rescue Rodney, not only illustrated that John cares for Rodney but also that John is a smart man. Rodney must realize that the people he works with are clever people, not unlike himself. Rodney still doesn’t realize why the pilot sacrificed himself to save Rodney – he can’t comprehend why someone would do that. Also, Rodney has an attitude that many people actually have, that of, if you want something done right, do it yourself.

I thought it was beautiful in the last few moments when Rodney has been rescued and stares at Sam as she waves bye to him.

The idea of hallucinating is intriguing and so was the dilemma of how does he know what is real and what is not. If he were imagining John’s voice, he would have killed himself. I loved that Rodney tried to slap himself awake and slapped his own head wound!


What I didn’t like:

Rodney and Elizabeth do have a history and they are close. Elizabeth and John are also close, but for altogether different reasons. I just thought that the fact that Rodney could die under 1200 ft of ocean would have got Elizabeth a little upset. We all know how Elizabeth gets if something happens to John.


Favourite Quotes: (Czech translation courtesy of gateworld.net)

Griffin: “So I wonder what it is that makes Spaniards so good at debunking bad science? You're not Spanish, are you?”
McKay (starting to lose his temper): “Oh, yes! Of the Barcelona McKay’s! Now, if you don't mind...”

McKay: “Are you angry, or are you hungry? ‘Cause I am pretty sure that this thing is an instant case of indigestion, you know? … Well, I'm, uh, treating an alien whale like Lassie!”

McKay: “You are very clever - I will even give you brilliant; but there is brilliant, and then there's me.” (He points to himself with both hands.)
Carter: “Why else would I be here?”
McKay: “I don't know! Maybe one last romp before I die.”
Carter: “One last romp?! Please, we never...”
McKay: “OK, one first romp, but it's romping that comes to mind, not your brains, blondie. Now, you've gotta admit - I am a handsome man standing...”
Carter: “You're essentially arguing with yourself. You realise that, right? Your mind is creating me.”
McKay: “What else am I hallucinating?”
Carter: “What do you mean?”
McKay: “Well, if you're not real, what is? I mean, how-how-how do I tell the difference? How do I know that any of these readings I've been taking are correct?”

Sheppard: ‘What d'you think, Radek?”
Zelenka: “About what?”
Sheppard: “We're underwater! I've always wanted to try this.”
Zelenka: “Yes, yes, yes -- just ... make sure we're not under too much water! … All I'm getting is sporadic lifesign readings.”
Sheppard: “As in... sea monster lifesigns?”
Zelenka (in Czech): “[A very rude word not repeatable in polite company], it's screwed up this. Whose idea was this, we'll be under water, this time?”
Sheppard: “I think my Czech's getting better, 'cause I know what you mean.”

McKay: “Look, just, just... just shut up! I mean, you come in here, you don't help me, you say the one plan I've got is bad, you-you claim to be a creation of my mind and yet you are in no way dressed provocatively...” (He pauses as he stares at her cleavage. Sam looks down at it too, then looks up at him, shrugs and turns to the bulkhead doors.)
Carter: “They'll find a way.”
McKay: “No they won't! You and I both know the one person who can figure it all out is stuck in the back of a sinking Jumper!”
Carter: “Me.”
McKay: “Oh, touché!”


Favourite Titbits:

If you look at the production photos for Grace Under Pressure and Duet, you’ll see that David Hewlett gets a lot of kissing action that you never see onscreen. I would love the DVDs to show the deleted scenes!
Wonder if Rodney will blame Zelenka for all this back in the city?
Where was Beckett?


What I’d Like to See: Consequences for Rodney

Poor Rodney this season. If someone has been tortured the most this season, it is Rodney. Having to stay awake for days so as to not be eaten by the Wraith, suspended upside down from a tree in the rain, almost dying from an OD of the enzyme, now almost dying in a sinking jumper... I know this is a Sci-Fi show and you won't have brilliant shows if it weren't for all the bad events that happen but... People have this amazing ability to propel their lives forward throughout one trauma after another but eventually it takes it’s toll. It then has to be dealt with so that you can move forward in life. Especially now that Rodney has learnt that he has a family in Atlantis that cares for him and that he can trust, his view of life should change a bit. Some of that arrogance or bad treatment of people will change with a realization like that. I would love to see Rodney dealing with that, or at least talking to a psychologist about it. In the Star Treks, the crew got to go have recreational time to recover from the trauma of being in Star Fleet. Atlantis doesn't need a whole episode about this but maybe Rodney can come back from a relaxing time at the start of an episode and look all fresh. Maybe even with a Hawaiian shirt?...


Rating: 4