SG-U – Visitation - (2x09) - (Discuss – Grade | SPOILERS)

[Ensign_Redshirt]

I wonder if this episode was supposed to be a criticism of nuBSG and how they had handeled the whole "God" business.

I for one am glad that SGU apparently decides to go into a different direction. The aliens are indeed aliens and not just "God". That's preferable because aliens actually make a bigger mystery than God IMO.

 

[Dac]

As far as confusing stories that meander up their own asses go, this was actually a pretty good one.

Still shit when you hold it up to all the other eps this season. But because it was interesting shit, and because they had the cojones to show the weird light of god/aliens at the end, its getting a 6 from me.

 

[TheInsideMan]

These aliens would be more interesting if and when Q turns up as their associate.

 

[Peter the Younger]

If you buy into the explanations as presented in the episode the aliens could restore the shuttle without consequence because it doesn't have a soul.

Right. But if we go with that, then the story is left tilting to one side of the faith vs. science question posed throughout the show, which undercuts the ambiguity I think they are shooting for.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

If you buy into the explanations as presented in the episode the aliens could restore the shuttle without consequence because it doesn't have a soul.

Right. But if we go with that, then the story is left tilting to one side of the faith vs. science question posed throughout the show, which undercuts the ambiguity I think they are shooting for.

I don't know about that, I think it would be less ambiguous if the shuttle fell apart in which case we could just infer that they were rubbish at rebuilding everything. This way maybe they didn't have souls, maybe they couldn't restore biological processes, or maybe they intentionally did it or whatever.

 

[Brent]

Theory: what if the aliens' intent is to help Destiny succeed in its mission, but they're not too picky about all the human details along the way?

Perhaps the alien intervention with TJ stabilized her and saved her life because she's the only doctor, and the aliens calculate the human crew needs a doctor above almost everything. Then with the shuttle, the aliens realize Destiny requires a shuttle, so they scoop up and restore the shuttle - and the restored people are basically a side effect? They're not required to last, so they don't.

Also, this episode didn't have a reset button because the returnees died. It mattered, because now we know the fate of the physical world Eden colonists: darkly enough, they all died. This means they've been firmly removed from returning as normal people.

Very good observations I could agree with

 

[arch101]

I'm really getting a Space:1999 vibe from this show (see "The Great Unknown Force")
This Ep mattered because it was yet another demonstration of the EXTREMELY powerful, yet unseen, aliens. Heck, they brought dead people back to life (temporarily). They build solar systems. What next? Hmmmm
I agree with the above poster that the intention was probably to return the shuttle with the dead colonists' a byproduct. But why also return someone who was dead and buried months before the rest froze to death in the shuttle? Hmmmm
The show's definitely got my interest and I look forward to it each week.

 

[Agent Richard07]

Good episode. Gave it a 9. And like Brent, I immediately thought of BSG and Starbuck's situation. Also, I'm not so sure that actual aliens are involved. They might be and I might be way off, but I was thinking that maybe the obelisk is a device that's in tune with whatever Rush discovered and it turned Caine's thought into reality, kind of like Solaris. And maybe the show is supposed to end with the discovery of this power, or at least go in that direction.

How the fuck did they set up that hydroponics bay?

Don't know, but it was cool to finally see it.

So... I guess thinking about the obelisk is a death sentence.

That's what I thought at first too. Any mention of the obelisk and they die.

Damn, get a little action and Eli's getting cocky all of a sudden.

Well with Ginn out of the picture, I'm not sure how much action he'll be getting.

Of course he's mad. They killed off his only source of pussy. Same thing happened to Sayid on Lost. On top of that, Ginn was a nice gal.

For a scientist, Rush is fairly well versed with Biblical stories.

Atheists and agnostics usually are, moreso than most believers.

Damn, I was hoping Greer would actually shoot her. That would've been a surprise.

Looked like he was for a second. Looked like he was holding a gun or something behind his back ready to use.

"'Turn the mike back on', Winston Churchill" - Young

That was a great comeback. It was simple, effective and took the wind out of Eli's pretentious quote.

This episode immediately made me think of the whole Starbuck and her Viper resurrection episode from nuBSG. We got crew that were resurrected and a shuttle that is in pristine, straight from the factory, condition. It's an exact copy of that episode from nuBSG. I guess this one was a little more specific in the way of explaining it was a really advanced alien species, unlike nuBSG, which had no explanation.

I heard that Ron Moore wanted to use the Ship of Lights to explain Starbuck's return, but dropped the idea. And if you're interested, there's a four-issue comic series called The Final Five which sheds some light on what happened to Starbuck.

If anyone is doubting this isn't a nuBSG clone, this episode should prove it, the whole premise that God is behind everything. It's like I'm watching nuBSG all over again. Not that that is a bad thing, just making an observation.

I don't know if they were deliberately copying BSG. Maybe they were simply in the BSG mindset when they came up with the idea.

 

[SG-17]

How the fuck did they set up that hydroponics bay?

Don't know, but it was cool to finally see it.

The repair droid has been fixing the room.

Atheists and agnostics usually are, moreso than most believers.

Indeed, I am the only one in my family who has actually read the bible and I am a staunch atheist (in fact reading it helped me become an atheist).

 

[Jax]

If anyone is doubting this isn't a nuBSG clone, this episode should prove it, the whole premise that God is behind everything. It's like I'm watching nuBSG all over again. Not that that is a bad thing, just making an observation.

A few nutty characters say it's GOD doesn't mean the writers are actually going to go that route. Am sure some aliens and not GOD will pop up soon or at least as they get closer to whatever that thing is in the centre of creation.

 

[Danny99]

- That opening makes me miss Lou Diamond Phillips more and more.
- The opening also reminded how much of a tool Caine was in that episode.
- I’m glad to see Greer’s arm in a sling; that bit of continuity was welcome.
- I think the best part of these last couple episodes have been only the sporadic appearances of Chloe.
- This show has benefitted from the infusion of new blood, much like Enterprise did in Season 3. Another two examples of this is the discussion between Rush and Caine in the shuttle and Caine and TJ’s last conversation.
- Wray knows hypnosis? So she’ll still boring as paste.
- For all those who think Greer is nothing but a crazy gun-toting Marine, I hope this episode has changed some minds.
- What’s the point of bringing them back to kill them again?
- I don’t know how to rate this episode. It actually had more good material in the Chloe story, yes even I’m weirded out that I’m saying that.

 

[AJBryant]

For a scientist, Rush is fairly well versed with Biblical stories.

What an odd comment to make. It's as if you think there's something mutually exclusive about those two things.

Indeed. Even beyond those two points, it's like saying "For a scientist, Rush is fairly well versed with Shakespeare stories" or "For a scientist, Rush is fairly well versed with AEsop's fables" -- these are all basic fundamentals of Western society, and people who grow up here have to have grown up in caves NOT to know about them.

 

[propita]

I think the show is really improving.

The tossed-out lines between the characters shows that these are people working together and knowing each other’s ways. Young’s quoting Churchill (if that was accurate) fit along this, and his quasi-meeting/evaluation with Eli, Brody, Volker, and Rush to look at options and decide what to do? Perfect. No formal meeting, no waste of time, just “what do we got and what do we do.” I like Young and Rush working together; the others there followed their example.

Greer? Absolutely perfect. I hope he doesn’t get stereotyped when this show is over, cause he’s got some acting chops that deserve a lot more.

 

[Ensign_Redshirt]

Young’s quoting Churchill (if that was accurate) fit along this,

Nah, I think Young was just being sarcastic.

All in all, it's good that the crew started to leave all this nonsensical bickering behind though (for example the Young/Wray scene in the episode).

 

[Robert Maxwell]

I don't think this episode was as bad as some are making it out to be, but it's definitely a step down from the past few weeks. Going back to my "revised" episode list, I think it would be safe to eliminate both this and "Faith" and just have Destiny acquire a shuttle from that seeder ship from a few episodes back. In the end, this and "Faith" didn't add a lot to the show, unless these aliens are going to factor in again at some point. I guess we'll see.

I'm glad they took a realistic approach to what happened to those people, though. Caine and the others were fucking nuts if they thought trying to survive on that planet was going to be a cakewalk. Winter comes, they all die. Works for me.

I guess it's pretty well set in stone now that Destiny planted all that stuff about TJ's baby in her head. I wonder whose mind the ship will fuck with next.

 

[PsychoPere]

I guess it's pretty well set in stone now that Destiny planted all that stuff about TJ's baby in her head.

Ah, yes, that short exchange between Young and TJ was one other thing I liked about this episode. I don't mind at all when something previously set-up comes back later in a small, character-focused moment like that, and it seemed the most likely explanation once we knew about Destiny's ability.

I wonder whose mind the ship will fuck with next.

Hmm... Eli, perhaps? I wouldn't mind seeing his grief over Ginn forcing him farther down a road to Rush-ness, until Destiny fraks with his mind even to make him realize what he's doing. He could then settle into some sort of balance between the reactive person he has been until recently and the proactive stances he's taken since her death.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

I guess it's pretty well set in stone now that Destiny planted all that stuff about TJ's baby in her head.

Ah, yes, that short exchange between Young and TJ was one other thing I liked about this episode. I don't mind at all when something previously set-up comes back later in a small, character-focused moment like that, and it seemed the most likely explanation once we knew about Destiny's ability.

I wonder whose mind the ship will fuck with next.

Hmm... Eli, perhaps? I wouldn't mind seeing his grief over Ginn forcing him farther down a road to Rush-ness, until Destiny fraks with his mind even to make him realize what he's doing. He could then settle into some sort of balance between the reactive person he has been until recently and the proactive stances he's taken since her death.

Yeah, I think Ginn's death will be a good thing for Eli, in the end. As a character, he's always been very reliant on how others feel about him--Chloe, his mother, Rush, etc. With Ginn he had someone who appreciated him for who he was. I'm hoping her death spurs him to get a better grip on who he is and not rely so much on everyone else.

I like the steps he's taken recently, taking command of the bridge and directing the other scientists. He's definitely got a proto-Rush thing going on. Here's hoping he can develop as a character without becoming a douchebag like Rush.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Re: SG-U – Visitation - (2x09) - (Discuss – Grade | SPOILERS)

I'm really getting a Space:1999 vibe from this show (see "The Great Unknown Force")

I've thought about that as well especially with the ship barreling uncontrollably through the universe.

 

[MPH]

Pretty good and compelling episode I thought which kept me guessing until the end and we also got some closure on those people left on that planet.

 

[The Wormhole]

Dr. Caine and his alien gods. Ugh. Faith was not my favourite episode, and I would have been more than happy to have forgotten it. But no, of course it had to be followed up on. Although, we do get to see that Dr. Caine and flock were fucking stupid for staying on the planet.

First we begin with the shuttle returning in perfect condition, as though it had just come off the Ancient assembly line. And it contains reanimated clones of people were learn were dead on another planet. It took me a few minutes racking my brain trying to remember why this sounded so familiar, and then I remembered: BSG. This is too similar to Starbuck and her Viper in season 4. Hell, I'm surprised the final scene of the episode didn't have Dr. Caine saying something cryptic to TJ and then just disappear. You know, at this point there are way too many similarities between this show and BSG to overlook. SGU literally is trying to be BSG, and it's not working.

Chloe's storyline felt like padding in this episode. I really don't care about her relationship with Scott, not since Cloverdale. Her and Greer haven't really had any sort of real interaction for her good-bye to him to feel relevant at all. And I didn't particularly care for Greer preparing to execute Chloe. Not just because it's disturbing, but also because as a main character it's highly unlikely Chloe is going to be killed, so to hear about it being prepared just feels pointless and unnecessary.

And just what is all this nonsense about Chloe's transformation nearing completion? If that were true, I'd expect her to be half-way between humand and Sombreroid. But instead, all she has are some weird skin splotches on her legs, a resistance to bullets and increased math skill. For a threatening life changing transformation, it sure is taking its time. Much like the story arcs of this show. Oh, zing.

Preparing for executions aside, Greer did have some okay character moments this week. Chewing Scott out was a nice scene, and it is kind of interesting to see he seems to be developing some sort of relationship with Dr. Park

Overall, this was the kind of subpar drivel which passes for an ordinary SGU episode. Not particularly good, but there are worse episodes out there. Dr. Caine is likely not showing up anymore, and hopefully neither will the alien gods. Though sadly the final scene implies there's more with them coming. At least no one is going to be worshipping them any more.