Next week is a seeder ship? Goddammit! I didn't know that! Thanks for the spoilers! 
SG-U - Aftermath - (2x02) - (Discuss – Grade | SPOILERS)
- Thread starter Brent
- Start date
This episode was an improvement over last week.
I'm really wanting to see where Robert Knepper is going to fit in. If he and Julie McNiven are only supposed to be on for a handful of episodes, I'd like to see them used more effectively than they have been. I'd love to see Greer and Knepper have an episode stranded somewhere going mano a mano.
Young continues to seem like a part that doesn't quite fit. If they are trying to show him cracking under the pressure, get on with it.
As for Riley, did we really need Young suffocating him? I know it would be quicker for him, but it doesn't fit with what I feel would have been good storytelling.
I'm really wanting to see where Robert Knepper is going to fit in. If he and Julie McNiven are only supposed to be on for a handful of episodes, I'd like to see them used more effectively than they have been. I'd love to see Greer and Knepper have an episode stranded somewhere going mano a mano.
Young continues to seem like a part that doesn't quite fit. If they are trying to show him cracking under the pressure, get on with it.
As for Riley, did we really need Young suffocating him? I know it would be quicker for him, but it doesn't fit with what I feel would have been good storytelling.
Maybe it is all ran by a psychotic computer.....
"Speedy thing enter Stargate, speedy thing come out out of stargate....."
As far as Young choking Riley, I thought it was odd too since a bullet would have been much more merciful. But then I remembered the crowd outside, and for whatever reason Young did not want them to think that Riley took the quick way out. They should have had a line from Riley like, "Don't waste a bullet on me, we don't have many left." It would have been more memorable.
As to the episode itself, better than the premier, but still far too slow moving. And I think that pacing problem is the root of the majority of SGU's problems. SGU starts generally with ten minutes or so of characters moping around the ship until something happens and most episodes end with another ten minutes of characters moping around about what just happened, sometimes with a creepy pop song playing. SG1 and SGA would often start right in the middle of the action, and not have a resolution until the last two or three minutes of an episode. I know SGU is trying to be more realistic and character driven, but the pacing just kills the show and makes for boring episodes.
As to the episode itself, better than the premier, but still far too slow moving. And I think that pacing problem is the root of the majority of SGU's problems. SGU starts generally with ten minutes or so of characters moping around the ship until something happens and most episodes end with another ten minutes of characters moping around about what just happened, sometimes with a creepy pop song playing. SG1 and SGA would often start right in the middle of the action, and not have a resolution until the last two or three minutes of an episode. I know SGU is trying to be more realistic and character driven, but the pacing just kills the show and makes for boring episodes.
Great, more nBSG-ripping-off. Rush develops a HeadDeadWife and a HeadFranklin. I guess, soon Young will develop a HeadRiley, and if the show wants to be really edgy, TJ will get a HeadBloodyDeadFetus to talk to.
Before Young did it, Riley said that he'd ask Young for his gun, but he didn't want Young to be held responsible for his death. Then he tried to dig out his own, but couldn't.
That hurt way more than Grodin did (never forget!). Siler and Walter should thank their lucky stars SG-1 had ancillary characters from the movie to kill off to show the situation was serious.
I get the feeling that it really was Franklin.
I give it an 8.
- And actually, I was impressed that they did the suffocating/chocking scene; somewhat realistic given the situation. The shot of Young (imo) ramped up the intesity of it.
I was worried last week they were going to direct the show back to the same old tired plot devices we'd seen for the last 13 years, so I was happy to see that actually - it isn't the case (yet.)
- And actually, I was impressed that they did the suffocating/chocking scene; somewhat realistic given the situation. The shot of Young (imo) ramped up the intesity of it.
I was worried last week they were going to direct the show back to the same old tired plot devices we'd seen for the last 13 years, so I was happy to see that actually - it isn't the case (yet.)
The Conventions of Television are adhered to. Specifically, in regards to when prominent recurring characters are killed in a show, there's always something about how they're written in their last episode that makes it obvious they're going to be written out of the show. And this week, in the teaser no less, while discussing what should be done with the Lucian Alliance goons, Sgt. Riley points out that how they treat POWs is a refelction of what kind of people they are, adding that's what he honestly believes. Right there, the first time he has expressed a belief of his own, makes it obvious that something is in store for him this week. Then he gets selected for the mission, which I think is the first time he's been sent on an actual mission in the series. At this point, they might as well have shown Ensign Ricky putting his red shirt on. Sorry, I meant to say Sgt. Riley. And really, with three new recurring characters being added to the show, it was predictable someone had to go. I will admit, the mercy killing was a bit of a ballsy thing to do.
Can we plese shut up about the "alien gods?" Every time they're brought up I cringe, and TJ discussing her recent experience was no different. Yes, I accept that she holds on to a belief in them out of comfort and hope that maybe her baby is safe, but that doesn't mean I want to hear about it week after week.
Last week I made the prediction that the "alien gods" were going to start communicating with Rush taking on the form of his wife. Now after seeing the episode, I'm going to assume she is some manifestation of Destiny's computer. The Stooge (Dr. Franklin) might actually be him.
I am really confused about Colonel Telford's status. At the beginning he's thrown in the brig (for lack of better term) with the Lucian Alliance, despite the fact he was brainwashed, then freed of their control and actually helped defend Destiny. That's grattitude for ya. Then he's allowed to roam the ship, make contact with Earth via the stones, and even delivered the sentence to the Lucian Alliance goons. So what is his deal? Also, did Young actually kill that goon who tried to beat him?
The Lucian Alliance redhead (does she even have a name?) tells a story of being drafted unwillingly into the Lucian Alliance. During her story, she says the Lucian Alliance has been around for 12 years? Huh? When they were introduced in season 9 of SG-1 everyone talked as though they were new, and indeed an integral part of their backstory is that they stepped in and took advantage of the power void created by the Goa'uld's defeat. Well, 12 years ago the Goa'uld would still have been ruling the Milky Way, and therefore, the redhead's homeworld should have been subjugated by them, not oppressed by the Lucian Alliance. I suppose the story can be rationalized away, she's from a backwater planet the Goa'uld rarely bothered with, local thugs took control, had their way, drafted people into serving them, and one day these thugs became influential players in the Lucian Alliance. The story should have been worded in this manner, not told in the way it was.
Overall, an average episode. Not particularly bad, but not really that good.
Can we plese shut up about the "alien gods?" Every time they're brought up I cringe, and TJ discussing her recent experience was no different. Yes, I accept that she holds on to a belief in them out of comfort and hope that maybe her baby is safe, but that doesn't mean I want to hear about it week after week.
Last week I made the prediction that the "alien gods" were going to start communicating with Rush taking on the form of his wife. Now after seeing the episode, I'm going to assume she is some manifestation of Destiny's computer. The Stooge (Dr. Franklin) might actually be him.
I am really confused about Colonel Telford's status. At the beginning he's thrown in the brig (for lack of better term) with the Lucian Alliance, despite the fact he was brainwashed, then freed of their control and actually helped defend Destiny. That's grattitude for ya. Then he's allowed to roam the ship, make contact with Earth via the stones, and even delivered the sentence to the Lucian Alliance goons. So what is his deal? Also, did Young actually kill that goon who tried to beat him?
The Lucian Alliance redhead (does she even have a name?) tells a story of being drafted unwillingly into the Lucian Alliance. During her story, she says the Lucian Alliance has been around for 12 years? Huh? When they were introduced in season 9 of SG-1 everyone talked as though they were new, and indeed an integral part of their backstory is that they stepped in and took advantage of the power void created by the Goa'uld's defeat. Well, 12 years ago the Goa'uld would still have been ruling the Milky Way, and therefore, the redhead's homeworld should have been subjugated by them, not oppressed by the Lucian Alliance. I suppose the story can be rationalized away, she's from a backwater planet the Goa'uld rarely bothered with, local thugs took control, had their way, drafted people into serving them, and one day these thugs became influential players in the Lucian Alliance. The story should have been worded in this manner, not told in the way it was.
Overall, an average episode. Not particularly bad, but not really that good.
Last edited:
Its Stargate, they have been fighting alien gods since Kurt Russell and Jaye Davidson
Those were aliens posing as gods, and our heroes always knew the Goa'uld or Ori weren't really gods and were trying to convince everyone else of that.
Now we have our heroes worshipping aliens and calling them gods simply because they built a planet. And furthermore, we have Dr. Caine, who claimed to be an atheist start believing in the alien gods just because he saw a "beautiful forest." I admit, I'm not an outdoors person, but I don't get how seeing a forest can convince an atheist there is a god.
"This ship is called Destiny for a reason." Well from the looks of things Rush's and Young's destiny seem to be headed for a pretty bad place. Rush is gonna get real stressed out and go nuts if he keeps trying to be a one man crew and not letting anyone else help. His conscience will gnaw away at him as his manipulation of the FTL is having some bad consequences. And is he already crazy talking to his hallucinations? Or are they ship holograms or aliens?
Young is loosing it and is gonna crack real soon. He's disobeying orders by sending the LA members to the planet even though he was supposed to keep them for intel (I think). And no one has any confidence in his leadership as Rush said. And then he had to end the life of Riley. On a side note, it was interesting to see a different and more subtle version of the coup de grace by suffocation.
Nice ending this time with the montage being done with Riley's journal recording instead of some random song. Great episode!
Young is loosing it and is gonna crack real soon. He's disobeying orders by sending the LA members to the planet even though he was supposed to keep them for intel (I think). And no one has any confidence in his leadership as Rush said. And then he had to end the life of Riley. On a side note, it was interesting to see a different and more subtle version of the coup de grace by suffocation.
Nice ending this time with the montage being done with Riley's journal recording instead of some random song. Great episode!
Telford was a plant. The Alliance didn't know that he'd been de-brainwashed (assuming they even knew he didn't join up honestly in the first place), so Young used him as a spy.
He only had to keep the ones that Wray and Telford said would be useful or cooperative.
I found this episode quite watchable. That's a win by SGU standards.
The Destiny bridge windows are a total rip-off of the USS Kelvin! The set looks cool, if very Star Trekky in layout.
Surely instead of unburying the gate, all they had to do was dial it a few times? The "sideways flush" should vaporize the rock in front each time until there was none left and the way clear.
I agree with others who have said gunshot death>suffocation.
The Destiny bridge windows are a total rip-off of the USS Kelvin! The set looks cool, if very Star Trekky in layout.
Surely instead of unburying the gate, all they had to do was dial it a few times? The "sideways flush" should vaporize the rock in front each time until there was none left and the way clear.
I agree with others who have said gunshot death>suffocation.
Stargate has always had a bit of Trek inspiration when it comes to ship designs.
As for the gate, there's a minimum threshold for the kawoosh to form. It's something like a few millimeters or something from the front of the gate.
