5x06 Grade - The Shrine

[P0sitr0nic]

Loved it.

 

[David cgc]

This had to be the best episode of Atlantis in a long time. Definitely one of the top episodes of the series as a whole. I said the other day that I hoped that the remainder of the season would make me feel bad about the cancellation (which I regarded as a blessing for the show), and this episode is exactly the sort of thing I was hoping for.

 

[SalvorHardin]

A great episode indeed as most have said. I hope we get more of this quality this last season.

I have a question...

Why don't they ever cloak the Jumpers before entering the stargate ?
Have they ever mentioned it, because I can't remember.

 

[Jax]

^ I assumed, the cloak doesn't work when going through the gate so you have to do it once you exit the wormhole.

 

[Hermiod]

I guess the Stargate must have some sort of effect on the cloaking device because even when they go through a space gate cloaked they come back through decloaked.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Average. Better than the drek they've been churning out this season, but severely undermined by the inescapable fact that we all know McKay's not going to die, so what's everyone fussing about?

I've never cared about McKay's sister, and she seemed pointless here. McKay has plenty of relationships to explore with the regular characters. And Keller was a dope for not at least considering the possibility of Ronin being right about the healing powers of the shrine - certainly not an unusual thing for the Pegasus Galaxy - and Ronin has been right about, oh, pretty much everything else, so why not bring the necessary equipment for operating just in case?

The notion that the shrine incapacitates the parasite by some sort of Ancient tech was completely predictable. That was my first thought when Ronin starting telling his story about Gramps. Why couldn't Keller predict it as well? An incapacitated parasite might be operable. Dumb.

On the plus side: I liked Shep's panda underoos.

 

[Jax]

Average. Better than the drek they've been churning out this season, but severely undermined by the inescapable fact that we all know McKay's not going to die, so what's everyone fussing about?

So I hope your going to bash, TNG, DS9, VOY, ENT, SG-1, BSG and about any other show that uses an episode, where one of the main character's life is in danger because 99% of the time they always live.

 

[Hermiod]

Average. Better than the drek they've been churning out this season, but severely undermined by the inescapable fact that we all know McKay's not going to die, so what's everyone fussing about?

So I hope your going to bash, TNG, DS9, VOY, ENT, SG-1, BSG and about any other show that uses an episode, where one of the main character's life is in danger because 99% of the time they always live.

Plus if you think a show is as consistently bad as Temis thinks Atlantis is then surely this episode being "better than the drek they've been churning out this season" would automatically get it a rank above average ?

 

[Tyre]

That all depends if you're grading it in relation to the season, the series, or television as a whole

 

[Hermiod]

That all depends if you're grading it in relation to the season, the series, or television as a whole

I grade by Atlantis' usual standard. They've been going for over four seasons now so I have a reasonable baseline. We start with "Travelers" at the bottom and work up from there.

 

[Nedersong]

I gave it an excellent rating. I didn't really think they would do anything like they did for Rodney. Rodney's not a very likable character, but he has saved their lives on a few occaisions, so he does have some redeeming qualities. They proved that they were real friends to him because they put their very careers and lives on the line for him, which was unexpected for me. Even Ronan considered him a good friend to do this, and that was unexpected for me to consider that a guy like him to be friends with a guy like Rodney. And the friendship with John was a touching moment. Until now I'd always thought of Rodney as an important but not very popular among his peers.

But what knocked it down a bit was the operation.

I never knew Rodney had a sister either.

Also, is Woolsey the same character who investigated the NID a long time ago around the fifth season of SG 1? If so, then he's gotten some promotion.

 

[Hermiod]

^He mentioned her in "Letters From Pegasus" (after Hewlett got the script changed - originally he mentioned a brother - to keep the possibility of his sister Kate appearing as his sister). She appeared in "McKay and Mrs. Miller" and "Miller's Crossing".

 

[cylkoth]

That all depends if you're grading it in relation to the season, the series, or television as a whole

I grade by Atlantis' usual standard. They've been going for over four seasons now so I have a reasonable baseline. We start with "Travelers" at the bottom and work up from there.

No, we start with the 2 Lucuis episodes at the bottom, then jump the distance of the Grand Canyon to get to Travelers...

As someone mentioned upthread, Keller's position was weakened due to the absence of any hope of another solution being found. She came off as being almost irrational in rejecting the possiblity of this Shrine actually doing what Ronon said it would.
I've always hated the elitist attitude our explorers have when dealing with their Pegasus cousins. No, no, just because you grew up here, doesn't mean you know your own galaxy better than we do... The next time Teyla and Ronon try and help their friends only to get the snobby brushoff, they should slap the idiots upside the head, and let them go ahead and suffer the consequences.

 

[Harvey]

^He mentioned her in "Letters From Pegasus" (after Hewlett got the script changed - originally he mentioned a brother - to keep the possibility of his sister Kate appearing as his sister). She appeared in "McKay and Mrs. Miller" and "Miller's Crossing".

And she has a cameo in "The Last Man."

 

[Gepard]

I've never cared about McKay's sister, and she seemed pointless here.

Blasphemy!

 

[Jono]

I guess the Stargate must have some sort of effect on the cloaking device because even when they go through a space gate cloaked they come back through decloaked.

You would probably still notice a cloaked vessel exiting the Stargate either in the displacement of the wormhole as it exits of the ripples along its surface. The Wraith would then know that a cloaked puddle jumper is around and probably then send darts to patrol for the jumper.

Gave it an above average, though probably closer to excellent.

Also not a fan of Rodney's sister. I can understand why she would be there, but still don't like her much.

 

[Hyperspace05]

Above Average...

My only nitpick would be that I don't think losing your memory turns your into a retard. The intermediate scenes were great, but the later development was just a wee bit over the top - All that was missing was some drool coming out of his mouth!

A very good acting job, though - But I didn't buy what they were trying to portray. At least based on how they explained his condition.

And I still despise the McKay-Keller relationship. Ugh.

 

[TheInsideMan]

Excellent. Probably the best episode this show has done Adrift.

I just wish that other characters apart from Rodney would get such high quality episodes based on them.

 

[Hermiod]

My only nitpick would be that I don't think losing your memory turns your into a retard.

Erm, the episode clearly stated that the parasite gradually disables all brain function, not just memory. McKay was losing his intelligence as well.

 

[MNM]

I mean, if there looked to be even a chance that she could save Rodney on Atlantis, it would have lent a lot more crediblity to her stance. But we knew it was a lost cause; the other characters knew it was lost cause. In that sense, there was no real drama in Keller's opposition to the others. It was just a weak attempt at generating conflict.

Her stance wasnt supposed to be credible, it wasnt supposed to be dramatic, it wasnt supposed to create conflict, it was supposed to be one of her denial and not wanting to let go.