Stargate Atlantis and a few notes on Chuck
I'm sick. I feel like I've been swallowing glass shards and I can barely talk. This is not a good thing. It's the weekend before Caucus, and I'd actually agreed to do two things I hate (canvas door-to-door & work a phone bank) but I certainly can't do either like this. Grrr. Anyway, I still have to watch this past week's House which I missed because I was at the Obama rally in Kansas City. I might have time for that today sometime. Yesterday, I of course watched Atlantis, but I also watched Chuck which Sci-Fi is apparently showing from the beginning, now.
Stargate Atlantis: 4x15, Outcast
Written by Alan McCullough
For the second week in a row, we focused on 2 members of the regular cast to the almost complete exclusion of the others. I find that disappointing, but I liked this episode much more. Mostly, I preferred this one for two reasons. First, brief as their appearances were, both Rodney and Sam did make appearances in this episode. Second, our regulars weren't just out there alone, they brought back one of my favorite supporting cast members from the first season, and gave us Dr. Lee. I was thrilled to see Bates. I also really liked what they've done with his character. This is, I think, a good place for him. And Dr. Lee is always a treat.
If that weren't enough, we also got some actual character development for a character whose past has been largely ignored. I'd honestly assumed that he was an only child and his parents were dead given what he says in Letters from Pegasus. I really didn't think he had family. We did know there was an ex-wife, but seeing her and knowing abstractly that one existed are two entirely different things. I think the episode gave us a lot of insight into Sheppard without tying his whole life up into a neat little package with a bow. Though it does mean that I'm going to have to let go of some of my most cherished beliefs about the family he grew up in (history of military service being chief among these).
I don't feel well enough for a full re-cap so just the highlights. I loved the bit with Rodney at the beginning, and not just because the subtext is just barely sub. Rodney was just sweet. He tries so hard sometimes. Instead of going to John's dad's funeral with him, he's going to go to the planet with the kids. I can't imagine that he was actually looking forward to doing either.
Ronon's such a good teammate. I love that he just decides he's going with John. He doesn't offer, he's just going. He takes care of his friends. That said, I was quite amused at the introduction of Ronon to John's brother. I really don't think that Dave believes that Ronon is a civilian contractor, and he's certainly not a member of the US military with that haircut. Makes me wonder exactly who he did think Ronon was. Didn't really see enough of the brother for me to have many thoughts on him. I don't think he's quite the ass that it's first implied. For one thing, who can blame him for being beyond pissed off that his brother is leaving their father's wake (especially after the whole years of estrangement, speculating that he's only showing up now because of the money thing) and can't even tell him why. Because really, while we know that this is a big deal, and something that really can't wait, he doesn't. He has no way of knowing just how big a deal it is. That said, in reality, John could have passed it off to the SGC. It's not like the mountain has shut down since Sam came to Atlantis. Surely someone there has the skills to do what he and Ronon did. This was an escape for him, as much as it was a necessity. I've got a feeling that he's escaped a lot of tough conversations in his life, because of the necessity of his job.
The ex-wife is really not what I was expecting. I have to wonder what she did while/before she married John. Her comment to him later about how she sees Grant (was that the new guy's name) look at her just like she used to look at John when she can't say where she's going or what she's doing. She had to have been doing something, because you don't just fall into a directorship at Homeland Security, but what? I liked her. I really did, and I'd like to see more of her in fic, if not on the show.
I was not at all surprised when we learned that Ava was a replicator. It certainly explains why Dr. Poole so desperately wanted to avoid an investigation, and even more than that, why he worked so hard to make it a short investigation when he decided to cooperate. I liked the solution at the end. She is a fully realized consciousness. It would have been awful to have destroyed her completely when she has done nothing wrong, in fact she saved their lives, but it is too much of a risk to release her. It was a good solution. Hopefully there won't be some crazy future storyline where she figures it out and learns to control the virtual environment and then how to control more than that and badness ensues. I wouldn't mind that in fanfic, but definitely not something I want to happen on the show.
Anyway, I liked this episode a lot.
Chuck: 1x01, Pilot
Written by Josh Schwartz & Chris Fedak
This conflicted with something, probably 2 somethings, that someone in the house watched or wanted to watch. I honestly can't tell you what, but the end result is that I never got to see it when it originally aired. I'm really sad about that now, because I loved the Pilot.
Chuck is adorable. Morgan amuses me. Ellie is too sweet in that big sister way. Captain Awesome is awesome. I'm indifferent to Sarah, and Casey is why I watched the show at all. I can't say enough how much I love Adam Baldwin. The concept is not all that inspiring, but the execution so far is superb. I'm definitely going to keep watching it as it re-airs on Sci-Fi.
So, that's it for now. Have a movie to watch later (Music & Lyrics), so there will probably be some kind of post about it. Also, I've only got about ten pages left of Taming of the Shrew, so I'll probably be posting about it later tonight or tomorrow.
Stargate Atlantis: 4x15, Outcast
Written by Alan McCullough
For the second week in a row, we focused on 2 members of the regular cast to the almost complete exclusion of the others. I find that disappointing, but I liked this episode much more. Mostly, I preferred this one for two reasons. First, brief as their appearances were, both Rodney and Sam did make appearances in this episode. Second, our regulars weren't just out there alone, they brought back one of my favorite supporting cast members from the first season, and gave us Dr. Lee. I was thrilled to see Bates. I also really liked what they've done with his character. This is, I think, a good place for him. And Dr. Lee is always a treat.
If that weren't enough, we also got some actual character development for a character whose past has been largely ignored. I'd honestly assumed that he was an only child and his parents were dead given what he says in Letters from Pegasus. I really didn't think he had family. We did know there was an ex-wife, but seeing her and knowing abstractly that one existed are two entirely different things. I think the episode gave us a lot of insight into Sheppard without tying his whole life up into a neat little package with a bow. Though it does mean that I'm going to have to let go of some of my most cherished beliefs about the family he grew up in (history of military service being chief among these).
I don't feel well enough for a full re-cap so just the highlights. I loved the bit with Rodney at the beginning, and not just because the subtext is just barely sub. Rodney was just sweet. He tries so hard sometimes. Instead of going to John's dad's funeral with him, he's going to go to the planet with the kids. I can't imagine that he was actually looking forward to doing either.
Ronon's such a good teammate. I love that he just decides he's going with John. He doesn't offer, he's just going. He takes care of his friends. That said, I was quite amused at the introduction of Ronon to John's brother. I really don't think that Dave believes that Ronon is a civilian contractor, and he's certainly not a member of the US military with that haircut. Makes me wonder exactly who he did think Ronon was. Didn't really see enough of the brother for me to have many thoughts on him. I don't think he's quite the ass that it's first implied. For one thing, who can blame him for being beyond pissed off that his brother is leaving their father's wake (especially after the whole years of estrangement, speculating that he's only showing up now because of the money thing) and can't even tell him why. Because really, while we know that this is a big deal, and something that really can't wait, he doesn't. He has no way of knowing just how big a deal it is. That said, in reality, John could have passed it off to the SGC. It's not like the mountain has shut down since Sam came to Atlantis. Surely someone there has the skills to do what he and Ronon did. This was an escape for him, as much as it was a necessity. I've got a feeling that he's escaped a lot of tough conversations in his life, because of the necessity of his job.
The ex-wife is really not what I was expecting. I have to wonder what she did while/before she married John. Her comment to him later about how she sees Grant (was that the new guy's name) look at her just like she used to look at John when she can't say where she's going or what she's doing. She had to have been doing something, because you don't just fall into a directorship at Homeland Security, but what? I liked her. I really did, and I'd like to see more of her in fic, if not on the show.
I was not at all surprised when we learned that Ava was a replicator. It certainly explains why Dr. Poole so desperately wanted to avoid an investigation, and even more than that, why he worked so hard to make it a short investigation when he decided to cooperate. I liked the solution at the end. She is a fully realized consciousness. It would have been awful to have destroyed her completely when she has done nothing wrong, in fact she saved their lives, but it is too much of a risk to release her. It was a good solution. Hopefully there won't be some crazy future storyline where she figures it out and learns to control the virtual environment and then how to control more than that and badness ensues. I wouldn't mind that in fanfic, but definitely not something I want to happen on the show.
Anyway, I liked this episode a lot.
Chuck: 1x01, Pilot
Written by Josh Schwartz & Chris Fedak
This conflicted with something, probably 2 somethings, that someone in the house watched or wanted to watch. I honestly can't tell you what, but the end result is that I never got to see it when it originally aired. I'm really sad about that now, because I loved the Pilot.
Chuck is adorable. Morgan amuses me. Ellie is too sweet in that big sister way. Captain Awesome is awesome. I'm indifferent to Sarah, and Casey is why I watched the show at all. I can't say enough how much I love Adam Baldwin. The concept is not all that inspiring, but the execution so far is superb. I'm definitely going to keep watching it as it re-airs on Sci-Fi.
So, that's it for now. Have a movie to watch later (Music & Lyrics), so there will probably be some kind of post about it. Also, I've only got about ten pages left of Taming of the Shrew, so I'll probably be posting about it later tonight or tomorrow.