Earth: Final Conflict - 1st time watch thread

[The Wormhole]

But you know, I think the episode would have been better if they skipped the Atavus altogether and just had Sandoval be the villain in season 5. He's got the mothership and absolutely nothing left to lose. At that point he could probably try a world domination plot all by himself and stand a decent chance of success.

Kind of makes you wonder why Sandoval never tried anything in the months between season 4 and 5. After all, he's in command of the Mothership, which still has a full complement of Volunteers, including the shock troops which served as Zo'or's personal guard. Yet all he does is shoot shuttles which approach? I know he was scarred and disfigured, but come on.

Like I said earlier in the thread, Sandoval is only really a threat when he has alien masters whipping him.

 

[hyzmarca]

But you know, I think the episode would have been better if they skipped the Atavus altogether and just had Sandoval be the villain in season 5. He's got the mothership and absolutely nothing left to lose. At that point he could probably try a world domination plot all by himself and stand a decent chance of success.

Kind of makes you wonder why Sandoval never tried anything in the months between season 4 and 5. After all, he's in command of the Mothership, which still has a full complement of Volunteers, including the shock troops which served as Zo'or's personal guard. Yet all he does is shoot shuttles which approach? I know he was scarred and disfigured, but come on.

Like I said earlier in the thread, Sandoval is only really a threat when he has alien masters whipping him.

By season 5, the writers really weren't even trying anymore. That much is obvious.

 

[Morpheus 02]

But you know, I think the episode would have been better if they skipped the Atavus altogether and just had Sandoval be the villain in season 5. He's got the mothership and absolutely nothing left to lose. At that point he could probably try a world domination plot all by himself and stand a decent chance of success.

Kind of makes you wonder why Sandoval never tried anything in the months between season 4 and 5. After all, he's in command of the Mothership, which still has a full complement of Volunteers, including the shock troops which served as Zo'or's personal guard. Yet all he does is shoot shuttles which approach? I know he was scarred and disfigured, but come on.

Like I said earlier in the thread, Sandoval is only really a threat when he has alien masters whipping him.

Did they even ave the same writers for season 4 and 5? As i remember season 4, it seem dlike a good continuation of things set up in season 1, where Sandoval had some deeper agenda. If they had the writing capabilities, and more important, the heart to care what happens (instead of just trying to finish season 5), Von Flore could have carried th villain role in a deep and nuanced way.

Ah well...it was a Tribune pattern..Andromeda's season 5 was the same way...a cheap shell vaguely related to the previous 4 seasons.

 

[The Habs Fan]

Grave Danger

Renee and Street embark on a quest to uncover the truth behind the Egyptian Pyramids when the discover that the ancient tomb of Askinaton may hold the location to the Atavus' space ship. But when Sandoval and a group of hybrids arrive on the scene, the matter becomes more complicated.

This is an episode that rips off Indiana Jones and Stargate but does it in a fun way.

If a season 5 episode is entertaining I'll like it, no matter how derivative and unimportant it is in the grand scheme of things, compared to many of the other episodes this season, it's good.

Yes, the Atavus are popping up everywhere, even the Pyramids, and there's another crystal buried with one of the Atavus which can pinpoint all of the Atavus hives in the world. It's kind of the same plot as Entombed except I like this episode more. There's a British version of Indiana Jones who also happens to be another former boyfriend of Renee's.

I can't really think of anything more to say about this episode. Atavus were around when the Pyramids were built, but we already knew that (or we knew they were around way before that). Nothing really important happens this episode at all, but it was interesting.

RATING: 3/5

 

[Enterprise is Great]

Renee sure had a lot of ex-boyfriends...

 

[The Habs Fan]

Deportation

Renee has a change of heart and sympathy for her unwilling enemy as she becomes aware of the inhumane treatment the atavus hybrids must endure in government run internment camps.

I'm sorry but I just couldn't sympathize with Renee in this episode. She's appalled at the conditions the hybrids are in at their prison and thinks they're inhumane. But hybrids are basically Atavus, or so they've shown us in every episode so far. Renee has had no trouble killing them even though the humans had no choice in becoming a hybrid. But here, she's sympathizing with the hybrids and their treatment.

Another former friend of Renee's shows up in this episode. His whole family was killed by a hybrid and now he has infiltrated the hybrid prison in order to kill the one who did it. The murderous hybrid turns out to be his older brother. They end up killing each other in the end.

That's basically the whole episode. Oh, and Renee makes Hubble feel bad again.

RATING: 2/5

 

[Peacemaker]

Six to go, I see. Good luck with that.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Renee sure had a lot of ex-boyfriends...

As evidenced yet again by "Deportation", she was quite the socialite in the years before the show began, it seems.

 

[Peacemaker]

You mean whore, don't you?

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

It pains me to say it, but... it's possible!

 

[The Wormhole]

Renee having so many ex-boyfriends isn't so hard to believe. Being a rising star in the corporate world she's obviously turned a few heads, and indulged a few times. She's not married, so there's nothing wrong with entertaining a few male friends.

However, the fact she reunites with all of these ex-boyfriends in the span of a year and they all have connections to the Atavus that don't involve her in anyway is something of a coincidence all things considered.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Yeah, that's the major weirdness of it. I agree that given her position it's nothing so outlandish that she had several suitors, but the timing is impeccable.

Of course, we're really just nitpicking on something which would only garner much more attention if the rest of the season were any good.

 

[The Habs Fan]

Honor and Duty

Renee and boyfriend Lt. Michaels "do-the-right-thing" as they risk their own personal integrity in an attempt to secure plans to the one military weapon that can kill the Atavus.

This episode gets bonus points for bringing back a recurring character who has actually appeared in a past episode: Lt. Michaels. I like his character though he's basically a less-enthusiastic Liam. He's also the latest character this season to fall in love with Renee.

Sandoval's not in this episode at all so it's a wonder I actually liked it. Although lately his storyline hasn't made any sense: in "The Art of War" he is thrown off the mothership until he can prove his worth to Howlyn. In the episode "Grave Danger" he is shown on the mothership again, only to be thrown off the mothership again in the episode "Deportation". This episode, Howlyn actually mentions to Zo'or that Sandoval has been banished to Earth, so at least the writers are paying attention this time.

And yes, Zo'or is in this episode and is really the best thing about it. I just wish she had a chance to screw Sandoval before she died. That would have been awesome, but she was killed by Renee so I doubt she'll be back. Then again, I thought the same thing after "Point of No Return."

The explosion that kills Zo'or probably once and for all was an explosion set by Lt. Michaels and team blowing up the weapons on the mothership. Michaels actually had the chance to kill Howlyn as well but for some reason didn't take it. We must have more hissing in future episodes!

I had to laugh a bit at the beginning with Renee and Michaels trying to steal the weapon from "The Art of War" that disables the mothership's shields. They fail, but Renee easily comes up with her own device to disable the shields. Why didn't they do that in the first place?

RATING: 3/5

 

[The Wormhole]

This episode gets bonus points for bringing back a recurring character who has actually appeared in a past episode: Lt. Michaels. I like his character though he's basically a less-enthusiastic Liam.

Funny you should describe him that way, since the actor is the same guy who played the real Liam Kincaid back in season 2.

 

[The Habs Fan]

This episode gets bonus points for bringing back a recurring character who has actually appeared in a past episode: Lt. Michaels. I like his character though he's basically a less-enthusiastic Liam.

Funny you should describe him that way, since the actor is the same guy who played the real Liam Kincaid back in season 2.

Wow... I seriously never noticed that. Strange coincidence for sure.


Bad Genes

Renee's personal image of mankind's greatest enemy is forever changed when shebecomes emotionally involved with a young atavus child, Yulyn, whom reveals he has a very human-like soul. Renee must now protect Yulyn, also a royal, from Howlyn's evil clutches.

This episode is the first to actually make the Atavus a bit interesting. It deals with a young Atavus named Yulyn, who happens to be the son of Howlyn. He also refuses to feed, like his mother who died of starvation in the past. According to Yulyn, the Atavus have no need to feed on living things on their homeworld.

This episode is well written and I thought Renee's arc through this episode was believable. She doesn't kill Yulyn since he's just a kid, but she doesn't trust him at all either. But through the episode her attitude slowly softens until she actually feels for the kid and realizes that not all Atavus are evil.

This has become my favourite episode this season and I hope there's some kind of follow up to it in the last 4 episodes.

RATING: 4/5

 

[The Wormhole]

Well, I know Yulyn returns, but I don't think the concept of friendly Atavus is revisited.

 

[DeepSpaceWine]

Just 4 more episodes to go.

 

[The Habs Fan]

Subversion

Renee is put on trial for opening an Atavus stasis chamber.

This episode has a great idea dealing with a militia group called the Preservationists who are putting people on trial for collaborating with the Atavus. It does makes sense to me that this could happen, especially considering that many families would be affected by the hybrid program.

Unfortunately, this episode turns out to be just a clip show without the clips. Renee is put on trial and basically all of her decisions this season are reviewed and discussed. So while it had a good idea at the root of the story, it's a waste of an episode.

RATING: 2/5


Street Wise

J Street has become an Atavus hybrid, Renee rushes to locate an antidote.

I'm happy that Street Chase got a follow up episode! Street's back story is very interesting so I'm glad I got to learn more about it. There is some weird parts like how Street got hybridized in the first place, but it's interesting seeing a main character as a hybrid to understand how much they're in control of their actions.

Of course, an antidote is developed and Street is cured. Renee then tells her to stay out of the conflict with the Atavus, so does this mean this is Street's last episode?

Sandoval is also great in this episode as he's up to his usual scheming and making deals for his own immunity. It all adds up to a moderately good episode.

RATING: 3/5

 

[The Wormhole]

The problem with Subersion is that it's too damn obvious from the start that the guy was the new Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was also the guy behind the trials. Therefore, when it was revealed, my reation was just "duh, did anyone seriosuly not figure that out before now?"

Street Wise may very well be Street's last episode. I don't think she's in the next episode, but I really can't remember if she was in the finale or not.

 

[The Habs Fan]

The Journey

Ra'Jel contacts Renee in an attempt to enlighten her on why the Taelons chose to visit Earth. Meanwhile, Captain Michaels is wounded on a mission, leaving Renee to make a choice which will decide whether or not he survives.

They bring Boone back only to kill him off screen? What the hell? That's stupid (basically the theme of this season). The writers have a great opportunity to bring all of the main characters back for the series finale and now they kill one of the more important ones off screen. Will anyone return for the series finale or will it just be Renee? I'm getting a bit worried now. Even Michaels is killed in this episode. Maybe this is paving the way for Liam to return since Renee professed her love for him near the end of Season 4? I can only hope.

Is Ra'jel's only purpose on the show now to play clips from past episodes? I guess I can kind of see the benefit of having a clip show shortly before the series finale as a review of the entire series, but we just had a clip show a few episodes ago.

It's also stretching believability that the division of Doors International that is developing the vaccine is taken over by hybrids. It just seemed like a means to kill off Michaels because Dean McDermott's contract was only for 5 episodes or something.

RATING: 1/5