(no subject)
Stargate 10.04 - "Insiders"
* I really like the way Vala perks up at the mention of Daniel, and the way Cam noticed, and Landry's sarcasm about the word "sir." It plays very neatly into the conversation Landry and Cam have about how Cam's not in control of any of them, and that Vala at least listens to Daniel.
* I also have much love for the fact that Baal and Qetesh have history, and that Vala is willing to exploit it. And, as a side note, it was neat the way Sam put in, "She goes by Vala these days" during that first interrogation, just a nice little character moment that shows there's some regard and understanding between the two women.
* Vala has actually been paying attention to what Daniel's told her, and she's quite capable of putting two and two together, and Sam knows that and gives immediate weight to what she's saying. We're still not getting an actual personal conversation between them, but the writers are actually doing a good job of building up the relationship in the background.
* I'm glad that they're all so skeptical, not just of what Baal's telling them but of whether or not he's the original.
* All kinds of continuity-including NID swooping in and taking a prisoner who has valuable information. Hi Agent Barrett!
* Dr. Lee! Oh, Dr. Lee, do not pun. Although it's rather hilarious the number of people who can't resist making Baal jokes.
* I LOVE Cam admitting that he's not really in charge, and it makes me especially happy because it shows the writers were aware of the funky command situation and are actually addressing it. It also makes me happy because for all his jokiness, Cam seems like a pretty self-aware guy, and the fact that he sees his role on SG-1 as managing the chaos rather than trying to control it means he's much more likely to succeed.
* It makes it much easier to see Vala integrated in the team when they demonstrate that she has useful knowledge, and this episode did a good job of that while still keeping her style a little maverick. And they don't trust her with guns yet. Heh. She gets to be competent. And she's wearing an adult hairstyle! I believe the two may be related. (See asta77? It's all about the hair.)
* All I could think when the two Baals started fighting was, "No touching!" Arrested Development has ruined me forever.
* Cam and Sam have some lovely banter in this episode. "It's not a competition!"
* Oh my. Given that Claudia Black can have chemistry with a window sill, I should probably not be so surprised that she and Cliff Simon have some wicked evil chemistry.
* Sam stood up to someone who was being inappropriately intrusive! That's certainly not something you see very often.
* Hee! Teal'c and Vala arm wrestle. And later, Vala chides him for his lack of enthusiasm over her wardrobe. I can just see the two of them, hanging around SGC when the others are off at home, watching old episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and bitching about how strangely they do things on Earth.
* Rawr! I can easily believe that Baal knows the best way to get Sam to cooperate is to threaten others, not herself. I can even kind of believe that Sam gave him the data because she didn't think he'd be able to get out of the base and she was stalling for time-hey, at least they made a nod toward having her think through that strategy rather than just folding-but General Landry really does not need to give her the, "It's okay, you gave the gang of evil goa'uld clones the data they need to find a weapon that can destroy all life in the galaxy, but we all make mistakes, you're just having a bad day" speech. WTF, Landry? You are a GENERAL, not Dr. Phil.
* ETA: Oddly, I didn't miss Daniel at all. I can buy him being off researching something, and I know Shanks will not be in a few episodes, and this episode had so much going on that it wasn't obvious that there was something missing.
SGA 3.04 - "Sateda"
* This episode did not make me want to throw things! It's called setting the bar low, people.
* THEY SHOT RODNEY IN THE ASS! I can't believe that happened either!
* It's entirely believable that Ronon's past would come back to haunt him. It's also entirely believable that he'd bring the Wraith down on innocent people, not because he actively wanted to hurt them but because he was in survival mode and desperately tired. It's a great example of having to deal with the consequences of your actions, but not, as has so often been the case lately with this show, with the consequences of your stupidity and inexplicably poor choices.
* Hair knives! Oh, these villagers are foolish, calling the Wraith themselves.
* Jason Momoa is not the greatest thespian ever, but he's actually carrying his part of the episode, and quite well. Good on him. Ronon has come full circle, right back to where he started, but he's got friends now, he's not alone.
* And the other Atlanteans are so determined to get him back! I like them again.
* Mrs. Ronon was kind of lame.
* The flashbacks to Ronon's past are kind of an interesting glimpse of what it's like for a relatively advanced civilization to go through a culling. And he's very, very good at surviving being hunted by the Wraith.
* Aw. John considers his team family. And it's so cute the way Teyla has to finish all his sentences.
* I don't really get Ronon's last-minute guilt attack over the village, but it's touching how John and Ronon bond over killing Wraith, and even better that Teyla encourages John to have scruples about what Ronon wants out of the fight and Carson just blows it away.
I gather ratings have been pretty weak so far this season, hovering in the 1.5 range for both shows. Not good. It would especially suck if Stargate got canceled after the season where all the characters are finally clicking consistently for the first time in several seasons.
* * * * *
The next time I get the urge to procrastinate on laundry, I think I will remember today and how I'm spending a gorgeous, sunny summer day doing eleventy four hundred loads of laundry so that I'll have something to wear to work tomorrow. *sigh*