SGA 5.04 - The Daedelus Variations

[tielan]

ladyjax? I think you'll enjoy this episode. A lot. As in, a lot of a lot. :)

episode reaction

Lovely dramatic opener. I was a little worried when I first heard about this episode - I thought that maybe they were going to do something terrible to Caldwell. After all, it's not exactly uncommon for recurring characters to be used to kick the emotional bucket of the fans by being killed off in inventive and not-so-inventive ways.

So I was relieved to discover this wasn't going to be one of those episodes.

Hee, John and Rodney. I hate McShep, but I do love these two as friends, they play off each other very well.

I heard that Teyla actually gets to do something in this episode...which would be cool. Wow. she thinks to check the captain's log! That's a start!

One thing I'm slightly disappointed by in this episode is that they didn't encounter more 'other versions' of people they knew, whether themselves or other Stargate regulars. That would have been cool.

Yay Lorne! Definitely Major Cutie.

Okay, so I've been lightly spoiled by assorted people, and the AU jumping is pretty cool. As greenconverses pointed out in her post, it's interesting to see who worries/thinks about their AU counterparts, and who says "they're not us" and gets over it.

Ronon is the best BFF ever! I love the Teyla&Ronon friendship, really I do. They're just the friendship of Awesome, and their lower-key interaction balances out the John&Rodney dynamic beautifully.

Hee. Teyla took lessons with Major Marks. Although I'm questioning the "last time the Daedelus were in orbit"

ZOMG. Teyla learned how to use technical stuff. In canon. With a clear mention of her learning it (although it's way way way past time). You'd think that, Teyla being Teyla, she would have learned this stuff, oh, two years ago back before she had a child and no time or sleep.

I think I'm just going to retcon canon a little: in my head, Teyla learned technology back two years ago, around the time of Aurora, and has been taking quiet lessons with Major Marks every time the Daedelus is in orbit.

Ooh! Alternate reality with another Atlantis and a war going on! Do they talk? Do they talk to themselves? Let them talk to themselves, please!

*disappointed*

To be honest, when they pulled up the ship's log, I would have liked to see Carter, maybe someone else we know from the Stargate universe, as the person who was in charge of the ship. Now, I was hoping they'd talk to someone else they know...

You know, one thing that I really really like about this episode? Rodney isn't annoying me. RODNEY ISN'T ANNOYING ME!!! *lifts hands in benediction* HALLELUJAH!! RODNEY ISN'T ANNOYING ME! Although the tendency of John, Teyla, and Ronon to move in clumps is impractical. Why are they doing this? John and Ronon could scope out the situation, with Teyla remaining in the bridge... Oh. Okay. They needed someone else to be 'technical' and Teyla's it.

Ronon and a shootout with an alien! Honestly, I was hoping that the aliens would turn out to be people they know. Where's the fun of an AU if you don't get to see just how AU things have turned out?

(Peeve: John and Teyla stand and look at the door. Don't just effing look to the door, go and help him!)

Rodney and Teyla are working on the problem. Hee.

And John and Ronon go out shooting. Those two are awesome buddies.

See, ladyjax? you wanted more more Teyla and Rodney together - I think you've got it. :)

I know I've said that Rodney isn't my favourite character. Part of it is that there's only so much of him I can take. But whatever the writer of this episode did, they've made him likeable. And I'm impressed. I'm seriously, seriously impressed.

I like this Rodney. He's not quite so insecure, although he still has his moments of panic and OHNOES!!11! It's a pleasant change. All things considered. And Teyla's the one who provides encouragement.

LOL Ronon being frustrated and hitting the console.

*LAUGHS* It's a John Sheppard pat-on-the-back session! His team are not going to let him forget that. And, of course, they can't get to the 'jumper before the last jump.

That is an awesome moment of team. Rodney gets shot, they snap into action. Okay, see, this is the kind of team cool I like. THIS IS THE KIND OF TEAM I LOVE!

It's the B-team! Go Lorne! Go Radek!

And, of course, Rodney wishes to meddle with that which should not be meddled with.

That baby is adorable. I love the little face in proximity to Rodney. Although the tendency to swaddle the child in a million layers is annoying...

You know why, though? It's probably because they only have a few shots with the baby, so it's easier to swaddle a dummy than carry an actual baby around for the shoot and re-shoots of the scenes.

I'd have preferred a 'whole team' ending to the episode, but I guess Jason was off shooting for Broken Ties.

--

Alan McCullough is so totally my hero among the Stargate writers.

thoughts on the directions of S5

All right. So, it's quite clear from this episode that the viewers have slipped into an alternate reality, one where TPTB write about the team, where Teyla is allowed to have practical technical experience , and Ronon is permitted to fire Earth ship weapons.

Frankly, I'm quite impressed with this reality. I'll keep it, thanks!

They're doing some great stuff with the interrelational dynamics this season. Since I'm (mostly) about the team, I'm a happy little Stargate Vegemite!

thoughts on the episode

Some really good John&Rodney, Teyla&Rodney, John&Ronon, Teyla&Ronon moments. There's even some Lorne&Radek friendship - at the start, when Rodney's complaining about Teyla, Lorne and Radek precede Rodney and John onto the stairs, but divert off to the Gateroom, while John and Rodney head for the control room.

I'm hoping that the episode with Ronon and Rodney stranded gives both some Ronon&Rodney dynamics as well as John&Teyla dynamics.

Well, we can hope.

Anyway, I really, really enjoyed this episode. Teyla got to have technical expertise, Ronon got to fire Earth weapons, John got to talk to himself, Rodney got to save the day - but he wasn't the Great And Egotistical Rodney McKay Saviour Of The Galaxy.

My main beef is that, other than Sheppard, they didn't get to meet anyone else that they already knew. It would have been cool to have the AUs populated with other characters that they already knew.

Comments

[therisingmoon.livejournal.com]

it was an overall good team episode and this is the sga that i miss watching, all the adventure, the danger, the teamwork. this season doesn't look to suck as much but i won't hold my breath.

[tielan]

Yes, well, holding one's breath is never a good idea with the Stargate PTB.

But, so far, they've started quite strong. Whether they can continue that...is questionable.

[therisingmoon.livejournal.com]

that seems to be a recurring pattern to me. ever since i first started watching the show, i find myself enjoying the first half of the season but then the second half feels like a letdown story-wise.

i wouldn't be surprised if the second half of the season feels like a letdown given their track record with certain characters and plot holes. i've learned to just say fuck it and watch. bastards still have my money for the DVDs though.

[tielan]

They do tend to drop the ball in the midsection of the2nd half, don't they? There's usually a reasonable mid-season two-parter, maybe an okay episode or two, and then they drop the ball with a bit of 'huh' and 'what' and 'buh' before finding their feet again towards the end.

Might be a good time to send them a gift right now...while they're shooting the 2nd half...