Sci-Fi and SGA

[chase_acow]

First, I'd just like to say how much I don't love the way the previews for next week's episode gives away all the twists and endings. Jerkheads.

I read spoilers like crazy because I don't trust the writers not to do something extremely stupid ala Sunday, and I'd rather be warned before I watch something that bad. But still, it's neat to have a few twists in the episode that I don't know about.

Also, about last night's episode:

I really liked McKay vs Sheppard Round ???

They both really impressed me here fighting while under stress and managing to eventually be so adult about it. You can see how far they've come in the three years they've been together.

I really wish that Shep could keep command of Atlantis for a few episodes. He figures out how much it sucks to be the one in charge, gets a lot of paper cuts, and has no time to spend annoying Rodney, hanging with his team, or shooting things. Then when She-Who-Is-Either-The-Savior-Or-Bane of the SGA universe shows up, he can happily hand over the reins to her and go back to "railing against the man".

Of course, I'm not exactly sure how the actual writers are handling the transition of power, maybe they've got it under control.

*straight face*

No really.

: ) HA!


Also, I really liked the doctor that had to deal with Ronon. He was a breath of fresh air in a Weir/Keller I couldn't care less fest.

I miss SG-1. I had a dream about them pulling Season 11 out anyway, but it was made real cheap and the only scene I saw they were in a ka'tesh and Teal'c was running down the hallway in full Prime regalia.

Comments

[iamrosalita.livejournal.com]

I miss SG-1, too. I just can't make myself care about any of SGA's characters, and I'm really trying! I'd take Season 11 even if it's made cheap.

[chase-acow.livejournal.com]

It's hard in the context of the show for me to care about most of the characters. Sometimes, I wonder if the only reason I watch the show is to keep up with fandom. I read a lot of McKay/Sheppard before I ever watched an ep of SGA.

I can't wait for the SG1 movies!

[mahoni.livejournal.com]

I really wish that Shep could keep command of Atlantis for a few episodes.

Mmmmm I dunno. To me that would be covering sort of old territory, you know? Sheppard went through that transition way back at the beginning of season 1, when all of a sudden he was the military commander of the expedition when all he thought he was there for was to light shit up with his ATA gene. As far as I'm concerned, all of season 1 and a good deal of season 2 was Sheppard having problems with/getting comfortable with the responsibilities of command, and at this point? I think he's got it. Which is why he stepped so easily into that commander sum total of Atlantis position.

I also think he's gotten past the knee-jerk "railing against the man" thing, too. Over the past three seasons he's learned that yeah, there are some authority figures he won't take shit from and he won't follow nicely; but that there are also some who are either on his side, or have Atlantis' best interests in mind, or both. C.f. his relationship with Colonel Ellis at the end of last season: there was no tension there, pretty much at all. They both treated each other with respect right away, and had a great working relationship.

And as far as the administrative aspect, I don't think he'd even bother to sit at home in Atlantis doing that; he'd get someone else to do it right off the bat. I mean. You've got to wonder who's been doing all of his mission paperwork up to this point, eh? :P

Transition of power: I suspect that will go fairly smoothly as far as chain of command is concerned. Like I said, I think Sheppard has learned to work well with good people and share command, plus he's used to sharing command of Atlantis anyway. What he cares about is that the person he shares command with has Atlantis' and Atlantis' personnel's best interests at heart, which I really can't imagine she wouldn't. And she is far from incompetent or bristly. I suspect the only issue will be the fact that she'll be replacing Elizabeth - an emotional issue, you know?

ZOMG WHEE! I'm having so much fun being all thinky and babbly about my show again!!

[chase-acow.livejournal.com]

Mmmmm I dunno. To me that would be covering sort of old territory, you know?

I don't think it'd be that for me. There was so much to take in with Season One that we missed a lot of little character developments. We really didn't know much about Shep in the beginning or how he'd adapt from flying solo to dealing with a team and the military under his command. He's enough of an Alpha personality that he'd at least be able to fake it, but he might not have liked it. After he put the smack down on Bates do we ever really see him interacting with the military? I can't really remember all the details anymore, I should get my dvds out.

First, we saw that he didn't have anyone to send a video to, then we get him and Teyla having the awkward conversation about family, and finally, we have Shep insinuating that he knew Weir better than Rodney did. That tells me he's opened up and is good with a small group, but not that he's necessarily ready to lead an expedition of several hundred people. He's still just a really big (and dorky) kid. We know he takes responsibility for the lives lost under his command, but that's just a little part of being a leader.

Just the episode before this in First Strike he says he wouldn't want command because then he'd be "The Man". That was probably a bit of a flip remark to a Colonel who got them stuck in a bad situation, but I figure it was at least partially true. He went the easy route against Weir's better judgment and sided with the military so they could go blow shit up. That's gotta be tugging at the back of his mind. Yet with the stress on he really steps up to the plate and the tough decisions.

Also in First Strike he tries to pawn off his yearly evaluation forms with "excellent" and "exceeds expectations" so there's at least some administrative duties that need to be done and he doesn't like to do them. I just thought it'd be slightly amusing if Atlantis ran out of toilet paper because he forgot to initial a form somewhere. He's just not that kinda guy, I'd like to see him somewhere where he's personally uncomfortable again and gets to be a little goofy. I'd totally play it for all the laughs I could there.

It's not that I think anyone is going to haze Sam as the newbie to Pegasus, but I think there's going to be some kind of friction. Shep knows how to play ball with a team, but being cantankerous is just part of his persona. There's history and tradition and a lot of very bad ethical choices tarnishing Atlantis' reputation that the Command Staff needs to deal with. (Not that I think the SGA writers will actually do that, but it'd be nice.)

Sorry if I'm a bit all over the place there, about in the middle my grandma started yelling at me to get ready to go out to dinner. I'm out of practice writing essays. : )

I'm excited for next week to get here and tie up the loose ends.

[domtheknight.livejournal.com]

I hated that preview for next week a LOT. Like, way to suck, there, TV people. Now I'm sad - I don't search out spoilers, but I don't avoid them, but I kind of don't like to be slapped in the face with what really could be the key scenes from next week.

[chase-acow.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that sucked the fun right out of any twists the writers made. Maybe it'll turn out not to be a big deal, but the perception is. Sci-fi makes some really dumb decisions sometimes. It could be such a good network if it just tried a little harder with quality programs.

I can't believe that Flash Gordon is going to get better ratings than SG-1 would have

[domtheknight.livejournal.com]

Oh, SERIOUSLY? I heard Flash Gordon was horrible, and didn't bother watching it because my SGA-watching partner and I are in the middle of trying to write this ambitiously long (for us, I never finish anything long) story, and we were making outlines and discussing needed scenes and characterizations and stuff.

[chase-acow.livejournal.com]

Truthfully, I only watched a little bit of it, but there's no way, it's going to get the following SG-1 had or sell as much merchandise. I just don't believe it.

Good luck with your story! I hope it all works out!

[riverdresses.livejournal.com]

[chase-acow.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I don't even know really how to make my thought process coherent without ticking people off. It's just that, SGA wasn't that well written of a show before (hello, exploding tumors?) I don't really see how much a new character is going to change that. They pretty much treat their female characters like crap anyway...

I was never a Sam fan, but I definitely didn't like Weir. She had hair issues, also those 'ethics? what ethics?' moments. But, I just loved when people started whining about Sam way back when the first rumors started spreading. I just wish people could give the new season a chance.

A bit late to the party...

[canlib.livejournal.com]

I actually really liked Rodney and Sheppard overall in this episode, not just their interaction with each other. It was kind of interesting how they were both very much the "in charge" guys but not overwhelming the other characters too much. We had good scenes with them and Radek and Chuck and the doctor and it wasn't too much the "John and Rodney show" which irritates me even though I love both of them.

Now if they could just have Teyla actually doing something....