So we did Voyager now Stargate Atlantis

[tomalak301]

Why do people not like Rodney? Just curious. I am not fond of Weir, Rodney, and Ronan.

Because he was rude and obnoxious to everyone. He is the perfect example of Toxic Masculinity, especially when it came to Sam. I was really hoping he would actually develop from his first episode on SG1 to his last, but it was either very gradual or I just didn't see it.

My favorite characters on the show were Tayla (For what little episodes she had), John, and Doctor Beckett.

 

[DonIago]

I think Rodney did get a little softer over the run of Atlantis, but maybe Sam did need to punch him in the face just once...

Or in this day and age, I kind of like the idea that he'd get a talking-to from HR. Which I know sounds like a stupid thing to do in a TV show, especially a TV show like Atlantis, but maybe that would be the point...that just because it's sci-fi doesn't give people license to be shmucks to other people, even if they've literally saved everyone's lives a bunch of times.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

OK here's another thing that kind of grates on me with Atlantis, and also a lot of other shows.

When you get neat tech but decide never to keep it, reverse engineer it, or even use it, just dump it off screen. There's been a few times when they got a hold of things like Wraith darts and other cool tech but it's either used once for plot and then dumped off screen. Wouldn't it be cool if Atlantis had actually kept one or two of those or a Wraith ship to use or study?

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Rodney was fine in small doses, but the Rodney heavy episodes were grating after a while--that being said "The Shrine" is one of my favourite episodes, you genuinely feel for him (probably because it's not really him anymore).

One thing that still really annoys me about Atlantis is the creation of Kanaan, instead of making John Teyla's baby daddy they introduce some random who you don't give much of a damn about, rather than develop and deepen the relationship we all knew was there right from the start.

 

[DonIago]

OK here's another thing that kind of grates on me with Atlantis, and also a lot of other shows.

When you get neat tech but decide never to keep it, reverse engineer it, or even use it, just dump it off screen. There's been a few times when they got a hold of things like Wraith darts and other cool tech but it's either used once for plot and then dumped off screen. Wouldn't it be cool if Atlantis had actually kept one or two of those or a Wraith ship to use or study?

How do we know they didn't?

Put another way, can you come up with episodes where there was tech they should have had and should have used, but didn't?

I'm not saying you're wrong, but I can't readily recall a situation where I was left thinking that Our Heroes could have used a piece of tech they'd discovered previously to solve a problem in the present.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

How do we know they didn't?

Put another way, can you come up with episodes where there was tech they should have had and should have used, but didn't?

I'm not saying you're wrong, but I can't readily recall a situation where I was left thinking that Our Heroes could have used a piece of tech they'd discovered previously to solve a problem in the present.

I can't either but the one time we see John using a Wraith Dart to pick up his team and save them and then you never ever see that dart used ever again. How handy would that have been had they kept a few of those, and oh how in the heck did he figure out how to fly it and use the beaming part in all the 5 minutes or so they had. OK add that to the list of annoying things. But they really should have hung onto that thing and the cruiser they found in another episode but noooooooo they didn't even hint at showing they kept any of that stuff.

 

[publiusr]

I like Rodney myself....

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

I like Rodney myself....

Rodney McKay is ok in small doses. He's obnoxious

 

[fireproof78]

Rodney was annoying but fun when John was there to balance it. Rodney's interactions with other scientists was irritating and made watching difficult.

 

[Reverend]

I tend to see Rodney as kind of a weird hybrid of Kerr Avon and Frank Burns...mostly Frank. I never found him irritating per see and I'm not entirely sure why. On paper I should despise the weaselly little bastard, but they managed to make him just entertaining enough for it to work. It also probably helps that 1) he's actually very good at what he does, and 2) is constantly called out for his bullshit, which is never made out to be in anyway positive or healthy (indeed his thing with Sam is blatantly played for the inferiority complex that it is) to the point where he's practically the show's punching bag...or maybe it's just because he's Canadian...

I guess there's just something fundamentally appealing about utterly selfish, borderline transgressive characters. Q, Loki, K2-SO, Walter White, Blackadder, Dr. Cox, Gaius Baltar, Spike, Winchester, Tony Stark, John Lithgow's character from 3rd Rock from the Sun who's name escapes me just now. All selfish narcissists to some extent or another and all one of the most popular (and usually funniest) characters of their respective media.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

And yet not once did I mention that other guy Kavanaugh that was also an oddity of a character. I think I disliked him more then Rodney lol.

 

[Robert April]

How about Dr Lee? He could never get anything right? Rodney was fun to watch under pressure and see his buttons get pushed. Daniel gets a little wordy. I tended to find some of the villians most annoying. It seemed like the arcs went on forever. I would have been happier with fewer replicator episodes and between SG-1 and Atlantis it was way too much. The Goa'uld and Ori were that way at times, but not as bad during rewatches.

Is anyone also a fan of The Arrow and recognize David Nykl in it? I didn't make the connection until several seasons into a recent rewatch of The Arrow.

 

[DonIago]

I saw Nykl in multiple Arrow episodes without realizing who I was looking at.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

Oh........ OK same here didn't pick that.

 

[tomalak301]

I saw Nykl in multiple Arrow episodes without realizing who I was looking at.

Same here. He had an amazing accent in either ST:A or Arrow.

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

I remember ditching Stargate Atlantis. Maybe around the end of season 2 or 3.

Season 3 was definitely the lowpoint for the series. Too many episodes focusing on Dr. McKay. Episodes that made our heroes look childish & stupid like that one where Sheppard & McKay find a civilization building "video game" only to realize that it's actually giving instructions to real feuding tribes on an alien planet. The re-introduction of the Replicators. The arbitrary killing off of Dr. Beckett. The fact that all of our heroes got dumber every time Michael was around. Lucius Lovin.

Thankfully, I felt that she show improved a lot during Seasons 4 & 5. I'd still say that Season 1 was my favorite though.

I tend to see Rodney as kind of a weird hybrid of Kerr Avon and Frank Burns...mostly Frank.

Dr. McKay & Major Burns could both be equally weaselly but Dr. McKay wasn't a petty tyrant in the same way that Major Burns was. I would say that Major Burns' closest sci-fi equivalent would actually be Rimmer from Red Dwarf (or maybe Nathan Ramsey from 7 Days). They're both petty tyrants and they're both completely useless. Dr. McKay at least has the talent to back up his tremendous ego, even if his behavior is unjustifiable.

I think you're right on the money about McKay being likable because everyone always calls him out on his BS. He'd be terrible to know in real life but he's very entertaining as a fictional character. I loved him ever since he first had the chutzpah to call Carter a dumb blonde back in "48 Hours." Especially because he seemed to think that he was flirting when he said it!

The other reason why I love McKay? One word: "Leadership."

John Lithgow's character from 3rd Rock from the Sun who's name escapes me just now.

Dick Solomon.

And yet not once did I mention that other guy Kavanaugh that was also an oddity of a character. I think I disliked him more then Rodney lol.

Wasn't he that asshole scientist from Season 1 that was mouthing off to Dr. Weir? I hated that guy, mostly because he was such an obvious strawman set up to make Dr. Weir seem like a better leader. It was so lazy. Carter never had to defend herself against such weak opposition.

 

[fireproof78]

Dr. McKay at least has the talent to back up his tremendous ego, even if his behavior is unjustifiable.

And why he is not enjoyable to watch. Unjustifiable arrogance is something that is difficult for me to deal with, fictional or not.

 

[Reverend]

And yet not once did I mention that other guy Kavanaugh that was also an oddity of a character. I think I disliked him more then Rodney lol.

How about Dr Lee? He could never get anything right? Rodney was fun to watch under pressure and see his buttons get pushed. Daniel gets a little wordy. I tended to find some of the villians most annoying. It seemed like the arcs went on forever. I would have been happier with fewer replicator episodes and between SG-1 and Atlantis it was way too much. The Goa'uld and Ori were that way at times, but not as bad during rewatches.

Is anyone also a fan of The Arrow and recognize David Nykl in it? I didn't make the connection until several seasons into a recent rewatch of The Arrow.

I rather think Kavanaugh is mostly there to make Rodney look good, rather than Weir. He's an arrogant self important tool, AND he's incompetent and not terribly bright (academic achievements aside.)
Dr Lee on the other hand is kind of the franchise's Anti-Rodney. He's amiable, with a kind of well intentioned bumbling incompetence. I forget, were these two ever put together in a scene? If not that's some wasted comic potential right there.

Also, I feel like there's the makings of a D&D style alignment grid for Stargate scientists in the making here; with "incompetent, competent & genius" across the top and "compassionate, amiable, & gobshite" down the side. Sam would have that top right corner on lockdown of course, Eli middle right, Radek probably smack in the middle, Kavanaugh bottom left and Rodney and Rush would have to share the bottom right.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

Also, I feel like there's the makings of a D&D style alignment grid for Stargate scientists in the making here; with "incompetent, competent & genius" across the top and "compassionate, amiable, & gobshite" down the side. Sam would have that top right corner on lockdown of course, Eli middle right, Radek probably smack in the middle, Kavanaugh bottom left and Rodney and Rush would have to share the bottom right.

OOh that would look interesting. Can anyone do a graphic of that?

 

[Reverend]

OOh that would look interesting. Can anyone do a graphic of that?

Could do. Though who would be the pick for compassionate incompetent? I thought maybe Volker, but that seems a little harsh. Brody perhaps?