(no subject)
The thing about Stargate: Atlantis - if they had intended to make cut-off-from-earth, lord-of-the-flies sci-fi epic charting the slow, chilling descent into self-justification and general amorality, it might have been a very good show. It did indeed do exactly that. Instead, it was disturbing, because it's very obvious that the writers intended no such thing, and I'm not sure they even noticed.
Don't get me wrong. The worst part about Star Trek was the endless moralising - yes, tNG, I'm looking at you - and I do cartwheels for shows that manage a bit of gritty realism, but dammit, if you're going to tackle ethically horrific things, can you at least be aware that you are doing so?
For info, the most frightening character in SGA: Atlantis is the sweet, kindly doctor who works ceaselessly on a virus meant to destroy an entire sentient race. The second most frightening character is Everyone Else, none of whom bat an eyelid except to ask how it's coming along. Various permutations pop up throughout the show, and it's very obvious that the writers never give it any thought at all.
I honestly don't know what I like about this show. The plots are bad and the characters are dubious and the acting isn't great and the premise is more than a little shaky. Maybe it's because altogether it combines into such a perfect trainwreck, like a twenty-car pileup that you just can't stop staring at.
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Don't get me wrong. The worst part about Star Trek was the endless moralising - yes, tNG, I'm looking at you - and I do cartwheels for shows that manage a bit of gritty realism, but dammit, if you're going to tackle ethically horrific things, can you at least be aware that you are doing so?
For info, the most frightening character in SGA: Atlantis is the sweet, kindly doctor who works ceaselessly on a virus meant to destroy an entire sentient race. The second most frightening character is Everyone Else, none of whom bat an eyelid except to ask how it's coming along. Various permutations pop up throughout the show, and it's very obvious that the writers never give it any thought at all.
I honestly don't know what I like about this show. The plots are bad and the characters are dubious and the acting isn't great and the premise is more than a little shaky. Maybe it's because altogether it combines into such a perfect trainwreck, like a twenty-car pileup that you just can't stop staring at.
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