Ahhh, what a middling episode. Ronon's loyatlies are questioned, etc. Jason Momoa gets to do a little acting for a change, though it's still mostly of the "brooding soldier" kind. Carter officially comes to Atlantis, and even helps save the day at the end, P-90 in hand.
-Atlantis has gotten a little facelift in the off season. All the corridors look a little spruced up, with more of the newer-style panelling we've seen on the Orion and her sisters.
-The new uniforms are in! Except Sheppard isn't wearing 'em - he's staying with black SGC-style BDUs. But otherwise, Rodney, Carter and we know Keller are wearing tighter gray jackets with deparemental highlights - no more huge coloured panels. I presume Radek will get one too, and everyone else will be phased in eventually (the extras are still wearing the original jackets). You can see Carter's leather jacket from the cast photos as she's unpacking, though.
-Kudos to the costumers this week - the guest stars look great and not too anachronistic in their layered leather outfits, unlike everyone in the Milky Way galaxy who apparently went medieval in the last three seasons.
-It's impossible not to notice that Rachel Lutrell is showing her pregnancy. Strangely enough though, they still have her as active as ever, kicking tons of ass.
-Hey, it's Mark Dacascos! The dude from The Crow TV series, and more recently as the Chairman in Iron Chef America!
-So, the IOA has assigned Carter to Atlantis, breaking up SG-1 once again after all the trouble Mitchell went through to get them back together. A logical choice given Carter's skills as a soldier and a scientist, considering the Replicator threat... But who's gonna spill all the jargon and save the day when the Ori next come calling?
-Teal'c has a small cameo to see Carter off (we'll presume everyone else in SG-1 plus Landry did the same before Carter came through). He's letting his fro gro even more, and the skunk strip of grey that he acquired has apparently migrated more to the side of his head.
-The episode starts off with direct video communication... Is this through the gate bridge, or via ZPM-boosted direct hookup? If it's the latter, why? We've established at the top of this season that they can communicate with Midway directly using the gate bridge, but now apparently we can get all the way home?
-No one's forgotten about Weir. Shep and Carter share a scene earlier where she denies a request to go look for her - still too risky.
-Ronon's quarters are dominated by a big painting of Satedan soldiers standing proud. Ronon's a solitary, travel-light sorta guy. Did he paint that? If not him, who did? Lorne?
-The wraith lab looks securely nestled within the Canadian Rockies. Also, is this the first time we've seen a Wraith ground installation of this size? It's a little different - for one thing, there are physical doors that ooze open instead of the older CG versions.
-Ronon's gun is apprently still unique - his old teammates are using Wraith stunners. The reasons become evident in short order.
-We get a tidbits on the offscreen war between the Wraith and the Asurans, which is squished into the last act of ths show. Apparently the Replicators WERE issued the attack command before, but it didn't work - the Wraith were able to deactivate it last time, but this time they haven't been able to do it.
-What with the war going on and Pegasus crawling with Wraith AND Asurans, you'd think the expedition would carry around some ARGs with them. Of course, if they did then the freed Asuran wouldn't go postal and get the gang out of trouble at the last minute. What happened to him, anyway?
-Ronon's friends ended up becoming worshipers of the Wraith, something we hadn't seen since since the second year (and briefly at that). They beleived they were gifted with immortality, but like the others, they were mostly brainwashed - by being tortured with images of being life-sapped. Anyway, the immortality thing is quickly shattered, and Tyre ends up being the only one who gets away alive after some kickass hand to hand.
Mark
Posted by Daniel Butler (Member # 1689) on :
I don't think it's images of being life-sapped - The Wraith can actually *restore* a sapped person to life, as was done to Sheppard when he and the Wraith were captured and tortured together, and escaped together. I think they were physically fed upon and restored over and over again.
Also, yeah, middling is a good way to put it. I was going to be a little less kind and say "boring," but it sure is nice to see Carter with a P-90.
Carter mentioned that ten years was a long time; Teal'c gave some kind of affirmation. I was thinking, Sixty for you buddy. Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
Ahh, you're right about the restoration thing... I wonder if the "everlasting life" thing they were talking of was that process, keeping them youthful. Can the Wraith keep humans youthful, or even make old people younger? Given we still don't really know how the life-sapping thing works, I'd like to know the science behind THAT.
As for Teal'c, it's odd that PHYSCIALLY he should be older than Bra'tac... And he doesn't even look over 110, but for the skunk stripe. That Tretonin, it works wonders.
Mark
Posted by Daniel Butler (Member # 1689) on :
Maybe Bra'tac just got a bit too much sun as a youngun and now he looks older than he is Posted by Fabrux (Member # 71) on :
Well, aging 50 years in a spaceship would be less physically demanding than aging 50 years in battle. Also, Tony Amendola suffers from the same drastic acne scarring as Edward James Olmos, so that increases the craggy-looking-tude.
Posted by Daniel Butler (Member # 1689) on :
Is it acne scarring, or something like chickenpox?
Posted by OverRon (Member # 2036) on :
Is it me or did Carter not seem at all like the Carter of SG-1? I understand it's a big step for, she's left her home of 10 years, left her friends, and has the added burden of actually commanding a facility in a time of war herself. But she seems like another character all together.
I expected more of a snippity conversation between her and McKay, friendly for the most part but a few pointed comments about the past and whatnot. I was half expecting a Carter/McKay Technobable bitch fight, with Carter laying the Tech smack down, but to no avail. Carter just seemed subdued the whole episode like she's on Valium or something, even when she was going through the Wraith base, P90 in hand.
Still I like her hair though
Loved the fight between Ronan and the Satedan's near the end.
Posted by Daniel Butler (Member # 1689) on :
I noticed something was off and I think you put your finger on it; however I'm willing to attribute it to the new-galaxy, new-team, new-command willies. Stress, in other words.
Posted by B.J. (Member # 858) on :
Did anyone else notice the picture of O'Neill on top of Carter's things when she was unpacking?
And I see the war against the Bovine Empire is going well. (*Way* too much leather!)
I didn't notice the changes to the Atlantis set, but the upgrades to their Wraith interiors were definitely noticeable. Looked a lot more Geiger-esque.
I was actually surprised that Sheppard didn't salute Carter when she came through the gate.
Posted by Daniel Butler (Member # 1689) on :
Feh, Sheppard has no use for the military. Except the ones following his orders. ;P
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
Also, is this the first time we've seen a Wraith ground installation of this size? It's a little different - for one thing, there are physical doors that ooze open instead of the older CG versions.![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)