The Stargate Franchise - A First Timer's Watchthrough

[tomalak301]

Just wait.

I will say that SGA did a good job of slowly building up what the Atlantis expedition could do. If the Atlantis expedition had found a fully powered ZPM Atlantis, they would have been totally OP and there would not have been any challenge. The Atlantis expedition had to start at a disadvantage in order for the threat by the Wraith to be meaningful to the audience.

Well, yeah, that's what Season 1 was for and they did a great job with it. Season 2 has been a slight drop in quality. I'm still enjoying it, but I would love to see characters like Weir, Teyla, Zelenka, and even Ronon have more to do. It's really been the McKay and Sheppard show this season.

 

[Romulan_spy]

Well, yeah, that's what Season 1 was for and they did a great job with it. Season 2 has been a slight drop in quality. I'm still enjoying it, but I would love to see characters like Weir, Teyla, Zelenka, and even Ronon have more to do. It's really been the McKay and Sheppard show this season.

It will be interesting to see your thoughts on season 3, 4 and 5.

 

[bigdaddy]

Just wait.

I will say that SGA did a good job of slowly building up what the Atlantis expedition could do.

They do? Maybe I missed that.

 

[Romulan_spy]

They do? Maybe I missed that.

Spoiler

Well, in S1, they start with virtually no ZPM power and have to resort to naquadah generators to keep the lights on. They get a ZPM at the end of S1 to power the shields. They are able to fly the city and use the hyperdrive for the first time at the end of S3. In S4, I believe they get more ZPM's. And in S5, they use a new wormhole drive and are able to fly the city fully ZPM powered up all the back to Earth, power the shields to max, and launch drones and stand toe to toe with the super mega Wraith Hive Mothership. So that seems like a nice progression to me.

 

[David cgc]

Spoiler

And in S5, they use a new wormhole drive and are able to fly the city fully ZPM powered up all the back to Earth, power the shields to max, and launch drones and stand toe to toe with the super mega Wraith Hive Mothership. So that seems like a nice progression to me.

Spoiler

Would've been nice to see some of that stuff in the Atlantis finale. I mean, I get why they soft-retconned the drone weapons away from the Lost City version to something less overpowered, but if there was ever a time to go back to the firehose-of-death effect, it was the finale. And it really felt disappointing to not actually see the wormhole drive. I can sympathize if they were in a hurry, but the the obvious half-assed solution would be to reuse the Ori supergate effects without the gate.

 

[bigdaddy]

To me it seems like the normal progression of Stargate

Spoiler

keep using an Ancient tech of the week to solve the problem. On Atlantis it makes more sense but I wish they went into it a little more than they did.

 

[tomalak301]

The Long Goodbye (SG: A)

Much better than the prior episode. Sheppard and crew find two survivors who take over both he and Weir in a years long power struggle and hijinks ensue. There was a much quicker pace to this episode, and everyone got a chance to shine. Higginson actually got a chance to act and not be the administrator, Teyla played a key role in stalling for time so McKay could gain access to Weir's code, and this episode was a really strong show for Caldwell and a very nice sequel to Critical Mass. I appreciated this one taking the time to show the after effects of Caldwell being taken over by a Goa'uld and having to regain that trust from everyone (Even though McKay is still is ass). I appreciated the end where Weir and Sheppard actually understood what Caldwell was going through, and I love the camera work where we are going to the different areas of Atlantis and the camera pans out of one of the towers and just glides to another area of the city. They've done that a few times and it's pretty effective, especially since a lot of the different areas of the city look pretty similar (Like a dark alleyway).

 

[The Wormhole]

Yeah, it's an okay episode, but I remember it being the start of a slippery slope in regards to how Weir is used. Specifically, I remember a DVD commentary for a first season episode, I think it was The Storm/The Eye, in which Carson has to go around armed with a gun, and in the commentary, everyone's talking about how fun it is to see the usually unarmed Carson toting a gun which then leads into a comment about how the one character on the show who should never be armed is Weir. And here we are, second season an entire episode with gun-toting Weir. Granted, she isn't really herself since she has the consciousness of someone else within her, but from this point onward it is going to lead to more instances of Weir getting armed and decked out in combat gear, despite her background as a diplomat.

 

[David cgc]

^Daniel Jacksoning.

Say what you will about Stargate Universe (and I'm sure we will), but I think Atlantis's issues with fitting Weir into the action-adventure paradigm was a definite sign that Stargate did need to start lean a bit further into the talky-talky drama rather than having every conflict be one that involves a P90 and a line of claymores.

 

[tomalak301]

Yeah, it's an okay episode, but I remember it being the start of a slippery slope in regards to how Weir is used. Specifically, I remember a DVD commentary for a first season episode, I think it was The Storm/The Eye, in which Carson has to go around armed with a gun, and in the commentary, everyone's talking about how fun it is to see the usually unarmed Carson toting a gun which then leads into a comment about how the one character on the show who should never be armed is Weir. And here we are, second season an entire episode with gun-toting Weir. Granted, she isn't really herself since she has the consciousness of someone else within her, but from this point onward it is going to lead to more instances of Weir getting armed and decked out in combat gear, despite her background as a diplomat.

One could say Weir stopped being a diplomat after Lost City. She's the administrator of Atlantis but she really hasn't done that much other than some diplomat work but butting heads with military commanders. With that said:

Coup d'etat (SG: A)

I think this is one of the better Weir episodes I've seen. She was a diplomat here and while Ladon did most of the groundwork, Weir did kinda good stalling for time. I liked the return of the Genii here, and I liked the return of Meany's character Cowen. We've had a few Genii episodes, but he's only been in 2 and considering the ending, he will only be in two. I'm also glad they actually didn't go through with killing Lorne off screen. That would have been really bad, considering how much they've featured his character lately. Beckett continues to be one of the best Doctors out there, showing compassion to anyone because that is his job. It was a very good twist at the end where there actually was a Coup and this changes the Genii forever.

So far after feeling let down by the episode last night, Atlantis is having a really good day. I think I'm going to go ahead and see Michael and hope the good times keep going and then move over for the final two episodes of SG-1 before the finale.

 

[DonIago]

Spoiler

I think the finale "Camelot" has the biggest "this is what the Ori can really do" moment when the 4 Ori Motherships come through the Supergate, and without breaking a sweat, completely decimate an entire fleet of Earth ships, Goauld ships and even some Asgard ships. It is Stargate's Wolf 359.

Spoiler: What the Ori can do

Ohhh. I dunno, I think collapsing a planet into a black hole and creating a supergate was kind of more impressive. Given everything that happens between that and "Camelot", I wasn't exactly surprised when the Ori trounced Our Heroes.

 

[tomalak301]

Michael (SG: A)

I've been looking forward to this moment ever since I started this thread. Connor Trinneer is on Atlantis. This wasn't the best episode of the season but it was pretty good and raised a very good philosophical question. What makes humanity so different if they can capture someone, infect them with a retrovirus, and then constantly lie to them. It was interesting how they used the theme of you can change an outer appearance but can you really change who someone is, those instincts, those feelings, and just who they are? Michael was right that Ronon was the only one who was honest with him, and to be honest I figured out Michael was a Wraith about 10 minutes into the episode. I'm glad they didn't dwell on it though and revealed it almost right away. Now Michael has gone back to the Wraith and they know Atlantis is still around. Nice set up for the finale, but I'm hoping we don't get a repeat of The Siege. I doubt we will but this was nice progression on the storyline. Also, Beckett screwed up. That's not good.

 

[DonIago]

The one thing I kind of hate about episodes that follow this general formula is that it always ends up feeling like the people trying to mislead the pivotal character half-ass it in terms of making sure the person won't learn the truth.

But yeah, Trinneer does a good job!

 

[tomalak301]

The one thing I kind of hate about episodes that follow this general formula is that it always ends up feeling like the people trying to mislead the pivotal character half-ass it in terms of making sure the person won't learn the truth.

But yeah, Trinneer does a good job!

It seemed like by keeping the truth, Atlantis looked bad here. Yeah it's an experiment, but he was going to find out eventually and it made the situation that much worse.

 

[David cgc]

I can see why they wouldn't be up-front with Michael but... you know what, I actually can't. There really is no reason to not to lay it out on the table. Sure, frame it favorably (we've cured you of a horrible condition!), but don't try to invent a fake human backstory for him, that's certain to bite you in the ass.

 

[DonIago]

Or...if you're going to lie, at least lie better.

 

[tomalak301]

The Scouge (SG-1)

Stargate does attack of the killer bugs and Commodore Oh (in 14 years) makes a guest appearance. It was good, but if these Bugs are Prior made I think that might be a little lame. You can create a virus, create a cure, but you can't create a bigger virus and resort to bugs? I did like the stuff with Woolsey and the team though, and it seems like Woolsey is finally coming around to be on the side of SG-1. The bug swarm did look incredibly creepy though, and it all started with a piece of meat loaf. Good Times.

 

[Jayson1]

The Scouge (SG-1)

Stargate does attack of the killer bugs and Commodore Oh (in 14 years) makes a guest appearance. It was good, but if these Bugs are Prior made I think that might be a little lame. You can create a virus, create a cure, but you can't create a bigger virus and resort to bugs? I did like the stuff with Woolsey and the team though, and it seems like Woolsey is finally coming around to be on the side of SG-1. The bug swarm did look incredibly creepy though, and it all started with a piece of meat loaf. Good Times.

Don't you mean Lt. Commander Laurel Takashima makes a guest appearance! Now I just need Oh's sunglasses because I just made a David Caruso moment! Yeeeeeeeaahhhh!!


Jason

 

[tomalak301]

Don't you mean Lt. Commander Laurel Takashima makes a guest appearance! Now I just need Oh's sunglasses because I just made a David Caruso moment! Yeeeeeeeaahhhh!!


Jason

Yes but she was in Picard more.

 

[tomalak301]

Arthur's Mantle (SG-1)

Nice set up for the finale. Carter and Cameron get phased into another dimension (A la Crystal Skull) and find out that Merlin created the device found in the first episode of the season to hide his research, and gate address, to a weapon that can take out ascended beings. Teal'c goes to see what is up with the Sodon and Volneck was cursed by the prior as punishment and turns into a monster like being. There was some fun stuff with Daniel and Carter and Doctor Lee and it is nice with two episodes to go, they convinenantly find a way to defeat the Ori, maybe. The ending was a little abrupt though.

Anyway, now it's the Atlantis episode and then I'll be set up for both series' season enders/premieres.

Inferno (SG: A)

Hey, Atlantis got some Ancient technology and now they have two ships to go up against the hive ship. The finale should be fun, but I'm still worried it's going to be similar to the Season 1 finale. I will be happy to be wrong though. This was a decent episode and everyone got a chance to shine, which is always good.

Looking forward to these three part episodes now.