Just saw ep 19 ("Vegas") -- which is a BAD pastiche of CSI. Why, oh WHY must we endure this crap? The series is about to end, and NOW we get gimmick episodes? Jeez, this left a bad taste in my mouth. Tony
I thought this thread was some announcement that Universe would be in the CSI mold. Phew. Dodged a bullet there.
It sounded like fun to me, but the I watch the CSI shows as well. And Joe Flanigan was on CSI Miami as was Ben Browder.
Hey, they could work if they get David Caruso for Col. Young, I can see the teasers now. Col. Young: It looks like. We could be in. For some trouble.
^^ You forgot the part where he takes of his sunglasses in dramatic fashion (or is it so engrained in his style that it's a forgone conclusion he'll have the dramatic sunglasses removal?).
Thing is, as the episode went on, I actually found myself getting angrier and angrier. I don't know why, but... damn. I've never HATED an episode of Stargate Atlantis before. There were some I wasn't crazy about, but none that I wish had never been made at all. This one, however... Damn. I can't recall ever being *angry* at the show and the Powers That Be before this. It's an annoying feeling. It just took SO LONG to get to the point. At least the 'Shepherd" guy drove a Trans-Am. That was cool. Till you-know-what happened to it. And Shepherd did such a nice Tom Hanks impression for a moment there. But I'm still mad at the episode. Maybe if I liked Johnny Cash, I'd feel better.
The op is wrong, the episode was something different and not the standard formula (something people complain about). Overall it a good 42 mins and sets up the SERIES FINALE well, which is very very good.
No, the OP is *not* wrong. The OP has an opinion. FWIW, ep 20 was a major blast. Especially when they killed that personage. And it wasn't even cheesy -- it all worked fine. Damn, I liked that episode. Yeah, "Vegas" led to "Enemy at the Gate" well, but I wish "Vegas" had been a totally different story. Tony
Not wanting to sound too pricky, but could a mod add 'spoilers' to the title? I didn't know Vegas would be airing elsewhere-the US won't see it till January, and I wouldn't have opened the thread if I knew there'd be comments from those who are getting it early. And on the subject of Gate actors on CSI, i did spy Bratac on a rerun this afternoon.
Meh, the writers use the same ideas they have used in the past they get criticised for it. They do something new and get criticised as well...
The directing was a bit annoying at times, but overall I liked it. Especially after Mckay showed up and started explaining things, the episode improved a lot.
On the one hand, I think it's a pity they hadn't been able to plan ahead and have Rod McKay not have a Sheppard in his reality, so it could've been an AU we knew. On the other hand, it does help give the story legs when its another AU altogether we've never seen, who's had their own dealings with yet another AU that is, at least, somewhat more similar to our own, and that the only thing we know of them is when one of their massive screwups messes with us.
Couldn't agree more about the directing. The first half in particular Rob Cooper got totally carried away, those strange fade outs to white during the poker game were just annoying, and speaking of the poker game was there any point whatsoever in those two guys from the Sopranos being there? They completely took me out of the story and they wasted time on them that could have spent on the actual plot. The first half was really disappointing but the second half made up for it. From the poker game onward I absolutely loved this episode and I have to confess even got a little bit teary-eyed at the end - but then I'll cry at anything.
Really? This made you more mad than say... any episode focusing on Teyla? It made you more mad than random pointless recycled plot village of the week episodes? More mad than killing Beckett for no good reason? More mad than bringing him back in a contrived way that completely nullified the impact of killing him in the first place? I don't know, this wasn't the best episode of Stargate, but it focused on the the more watchable characters, the plot held some intrigue, and it was a somewhat clever way of setting up the finale. On, and CGI A-10s for the win. I'd say the average episode of Atlantis made me significantly more mad than this one. But I'm not exactly a die-hard fan of what they did with the series.
It focused on brand-new, never-before-seen characters. And any cleverness is negated by its similarities to "There But For The Grace of God". (A parallel universe where time just happens to run faster, so the enemy gets there first, allowing the good guys of the real universe to be warned in time to circle the wagons?)
They never did mention how that hive ship got to Earth, did they? It could've have just been the same thing, but arbitrarily* sooner like "Grace of God," because it was a regular hive ship, and I sort of doubt they had a third alternate universe where a broken Wraith beacon let them know where Earth was. And the Wraith as a whole still didn't know where Earth was. Maybe that was their version of the events of the season 2 finale, and the Wraith found stole the location (and hyperdrive plans) from Atlantis after a short-lived alliance, in which it took place arbitrarily later. *Though, in the "Grace of God" universe, Apophis still had Teal'c as his chief general. His replacements didn't seem particularly competent, so that could've given Apophis a few extra successes in the course of their alternate first season. It wouldn't have to be much, just enough to launch his attack a week or two sooner.